Apple Music and NASA Team Up on Short Film and Exclusive Songs Celebrating Juno Mission

Apple and NASA have collaborated on a short musical film [Direct iTunes Link] called “Visions of Harmony,” which is designed to celebrate NASA’s Juno spacecraft reaching Jupiter’s orbit. First launched in 2011, Juno is expected to enter Jupiter’s orbit on the evening of July 4, giving us our closest ever look at the gas giant and the secrets hidden beneath its dense cloud cover.

Artist’s rendering of Juno in Jupiter’s orbit, image via NASA
According to the new “Destination: Jupiter” section of Apple Music, Apple has collaborated with NASA and the Juno team to offer “education and inspiration throughout the historic journey.”

“Visions of Harmony” celebrates the link between exploring space and making music, featuring songs from artists like Weezer and Nine Inch Nails frontman and Apple exec Trent Reznor. Reznor and collaborator Atticus Ross created a song inspired by sounds emitted by Jupiter, which features actual recordings from the planet, while Weezer wrote a single called “I Love the USA.”

Celebrating the intersection of art and science. @AppleMusic x @NASAJunohttps://t.co/LcnGZMwxWG pic.twitter.com/p5JpmaCg82

— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) June 30, 2016

Other music featured on Apple’s Destination: Jupiter page comes from artists like Corinne Bailey Rae, Quin, Brad Paisley, Zoé, Jim James, and GZA the Genius.

Tag: Apple Music
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Nike Appoints Apple CEO Tim Cook as Lead Independent Director

Nike today announced some changes to its board of directors, which will see Apple CEO Tim Cook serving as lead independent director going forward. Cook has been a member of Nike’s board since 2005, serving as chair of the Compensation Committee and as a member of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee.

Nike Chairman Phil Knight has also retired from the board of directors and is being replaced by Mark Parker, who has served as Nike’s president and CEO since 2006, in a transition that was first announced a year ago.

In addition to serving on Nike’s board of directors, Apple CEO Tim Cook also serves on the board of directors for the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, a role he was appointed to earlier this year.

Tags: Tim Cook, Nike+
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Microsoft’s Arrow Launcher for Android adds Office 365 document access

Microsoft has released version 2.0 of its Arrow Launcher for Android. The update allows users with an Office 365 subscription to access and read any documents they have stored without the need to open an Office app.

The update allows users to find and upload any Office documents they have on their phone or tablet to their Office 365 account. Version 2.0 also has a new set of wallpapers to access, and Microsoft says that it has cut down the launcher’s network activity by 50% to reduce its use of cellular data.

Microsoft first released the Arrow Launcher in October 2015. Here’s a quick reminder of its many other features:

• Apps: No more wasting time finding the app you need – your apps are automatically arranged based on your usage
• People: Easily find and contact the people who matter the most to you
• Reminders: Never forget to pick up milk or call your spouse with integrated reminders
• Recent: Quickly get back to your recent photos, file downloads, app installs, and even dropped calls
• Page Management: Re-arrange pages, show/hide a particular page, and set a specific page as your home page.
• Widgets: Arrow is compatible with all your favorite widgets, organized on one page
• Customizable Dock: Conveniently access your favorite apps in the dock from any screen.
• Bing & Custom Wallpapers: Receive a beautiful new wallpaper every day or customize your own.
• 3rd Party Icon Pack Support: Theme your icons with a third party icon pack.
• Performance: Arrow is lightweight, and optimized for battery life and speed to help you enjoy your phone all day.

You can download Arrow Launcher from the Google Play Store.

Best Android lock screen and lock screen replacement apps

What’s the best lock screen app for Android?

For most folks, the standard Android lock screen is just fine. For some, however, it’s not quite customizable enough. For those people, there are lock screen replacement apps that allow you to tweak the way you see the time, notifications, the layout, and much more.

Here are a few of our favorites.

• ZUI Locker
• AcDisplay
• Start Lock Screen
• Echo Notification
• Locker Master
• Iphone Lock

ZUI Locker-Elegant Lock Screen

ZUI Locker has over 240,000 5-star reviews in the Google Play Store and it’s definitely the best of the best Android lock screen replacement apps.

You can download all sorts of themes that include a time widget, weather widget, wallpaper, and more (or less, if you prefer) or you can use any of the stock wallpapers and themes available right in the app. Customize your lock screen the way you want that’s best for you.

The best feature of ZUI Locker is the Control Panel, á la iOS. You just swipe up from the bottom of your lock screen and many of your most-used settings are there for you to control without having to unlock your phone.

You can turn on/off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular data (requires you to unlock your phone), control brightness, enable Flight mode, and, best of all, turn on the flashlight (as an Galaxy S5 user, this is a godsend!). You can also quick-launch apps from the Control Panel, and you have your choice of which apps and how many are in your panel.

If you’re looking for a versatile and customizable lock screen replacement app with really useful functionality, then ZUI Locker should be your app of choice.

Download: ZUI Locker-Elegant Lock Screen (free)

AcDisplay

If you yearn for a simple, minimalist look for your lock screen, AcDisplay is the lock screen app for you. It features a flat black background with the time and date, and that’s it. Notifications show up as app icons alone — tap ’em and unlock your phone and away you go.

The downside is that AcDisplay isn’t a true lock screen replacement app, so it doesn’t work unless you have the app open. If you’re someone who likes a clean phone and hates apps left open, then steer clear. It also doesn’t presently support pin or pattern verification, so you phone can be unlocked with just a swipe.

If you like a clean lock screen that shows the bare necessities and aren’t concerned with locking your phone, then AcDisplay is perfect for you. Just be aware that AcDisplay becomes a device administrator, so if you ever want to uninstall it, you’ll first have to deactivate it in your settings.

Download: AcDisplay (free)

Start Lock Screen

Start Lock Screen is essentially a start screen on your “lock” screen. “Lock” in quotes because this app doesn’t replace your lock screen; it actually just masks your home screen, so your Notification shade is still fully accessible.

This is truly a lock screen app for those who need quick access to their phone at all times. That means your phone isn’t totally locked and therefore not as secure as some folks may like.

If you prefer the convenience of quick-launching apps without having to poke around your home screen, then Start Lock Screen is your solution. You just tap and hold the lock and app categories pop up, featuring all of the apps that apply. For example, there’s a messaging apps category wherein you can just tap an app such as Hangouts, and be taken right into it.

If you’re all for accessing your phone right out of your pocket but still want some separation from instant total access, then Start Lock Screen is a very capable middle man.

Download: Start Lock Screen (free)

Echo Notification Lockscreen

Perhaps the prettiest lock screen app on the list, Echo Notification Lockscreen is a smooth, streamlined lock screen replacement that categorizes your notifications so you can quickly see what’s important. You can even snooze notifications so you’ll be reminded of them after a while.

The two main categories are Priority and Social, and there are already predetermined apps divided among these camps, but you can go into Echo’s settings and change them around at will. So if Facebook notifications are a priority to you, you can make sure they’re noted under that category.

There are only three stock wallpapers available, one of which happens to be a boring gray background. But the others are high quality, and you can always add in your own photos.

Echo offers swipe, pattern, or PIN security, and out of all the apps on this list, seems to behave the best, i.e. it works all the time.

If you want a very straightforward lock screen replacement app without all the bells and whistles that others have, but also want your notifications organized for you, check out Echo Notification Lockscreen.

Download: Echo Notification Lockscreen (free)

Locker Master

Locker Master is another pretty lock screen replacement app with a plethora of free wallpapers to download.

If you’d like to intricately personalize your lock screen, down to the layout, font, wallpaper, and what information is shown, then Locker Master is the lock screen replacement app for you. You can add text, the time, your battery percentage, and more to your lock screen, all while controlling the color of each widget and the look of each widget. There are myriad font and style options to download for free, allowing for limitless possibilities unlimited.

Locker Master can be a tad on the buggy side (like any lock screen replacement app), but it will definitely sate the appetite of the customization beast that lives inside you.

Download:Locker Master (free)

Lock Screen – Iphone Lock

OK, so right of the bat, yes, the developers aren’t capitalizing iPhone properly — who knows why. In any case, if you made the switch from iPhone to Android and still need to wean yourself off iOS, this app makes your lock screen look just like — HOW DID YOU GUESS?!? — an iPhone lock screen.

Sarcasm aside, this lock screen replacement app actually works quite well, aside from taking a few seconds to engage and the occasional flash of your home screen when you manually wake up your phone.

Your notifications will only show in your Notification bar, but you’ll have full access to your Notification Shade when your screen is locked, so this app acts as more of a home screen mask than a true lock screen.

If you’re missing your iPhone lock screen, then Lock Screen – Iphone Lock is the lock screen app you’ve been pining for.

Download: Lock Screen – Iphone Lock (free)

What do you use?

Do you use a lock screen or lock screen replacement app on your Android device? Sound off in the comments below!

Android N is Nougat!!!

After what has seemed like the longest wait since the last time we had to wait for an Android nickname, we now know what Android N will be called.

Nougat.

Google announced the latest nickname — its 12th — live from its campus in Mountain View, Calif., sharing the tasty treat on Snapchat, but not before a lengthy tease. Through the Android statue garden, into some “top-secret Android N labs.” And finally, we got it.

The Android Nougat statue. Image credit: Google

Introducing #AndroidNougat. Thank you, world, for all your sweet name ideas! #AndroidNReveal pic.twitter.com/7lIfDBwyBE

— Android (@Android) June 30, 2016

Nougat, for those unfamiliar, is a confectionary treat loaded with sugar or honey. It usually includes some sort of roasted nuts, and occasionally fruit. Whipped egg whites may be involved as well.

The next trick is going to get people to actually pronounce “nougat” correctly.

Here’s the rundown of every Android nickname we’ve had:

• Cupcake: Android 1.5
• Donut: Android 1.6
• Eclair: Android 2.0-2.1
• Froyo: Android 2.2
• Gingerbread: Android 2.3.3 to 2.3.7
• Ice Cream Sandwich: Android 4.0.3 to 4.0.4
• Jelly Bean: Android 4.1 to 4.3
• KitKat: Android 4.4r
• Lollipop: Android 5.0 to 5.1
• Marshmallow: Android 6.0
• Nougat: Android ??? (Probably 7.x)

Android Nougat

Android N (currently in Developer Preview status) is now Android Nougat! It’s the 12th nicknamed version of Android and will be released to the public in the fall of 2016. Here’s everything you need to know so far!

• What’s new in Android Nougat
• All Android Nougat news
• Should you use the Android N Dev Preview?
• About the Android Beta Program
• Join the Discussion

Amazon selling the Moto G4 with ads doesn’t mean it’s another Fire Phone

It ain’t exactly Nexus-quality stuff, but Amazon selling phones for cheap while adding a little bit of its own DNA isn’t a return to the phone of which we shall not speak.

The jokes were inevitable, of course. With the news that Amazon was sticking its mitts into the smartphone world once again — selling the new Moto G4 and BLU R1 HD for cheap in exchange for lock screen ads — it had to happen.

Return of the Fire Phone.

I own a Fire Phone. It’s buried deep in box somewhere, probably next to my HTC First Facebook Phone. Or maybe I shipped it up to West Virginia. Same difference, really. But the point is we paid good money to have one around, just in case the damned thing took off and we needed to write more about it.

Whoops.

And that’s not to say that I don’t have questions about these two sponsored phones. The BLU R1 HD (I still can’t decide if license plate names are better than froo-froo names for phones) is just $49 for Amazon Prime members. The Moto G4 will run you $149. In exchange, you’ll have to put up with lockscreen ads, and some preinstalled Amazon apps. The latter doesn’t bother me as much as the former. You find Amazon apps bundled with carrier-branded phones all the time. That doesn’t mean I like it — it just means I’m used to it.

Lock screens are a little more sacred. They’re generally the first thing you see when you wake a phone. And since the Moto G4 doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner (that luxury is reserved for the higher-spec’d Moto G4 Plus) you’re going to be seeing the lock screen a lot, just like the bad old days.

So that’s question No. 1. Will you be able to install a replacement lock screen app? I’ve never used any, but there are plenty of folks who have — and we’ve got a good list of ’em right here. Question No. 2 has to do with the software as a whole. The first three generations of the Moto G had unlockable bootloaders. I could see where this Amazon version — that’s what it is at this point — wouldn’t want that to be available, as you could buy a $149 phone and essentially get the same software as one that wasn’t on sale. And at that price point it’s a real consideration. On the other hand, it could be wide open.

But neither of those things would turn either the Moto G4 or BLU’s new phone into the dumpster fire that was the Fire Phone.

For one, both of these phones still have access to Google’s apps and services. While Amazon has done a great job of building out its own app ecosystem, it’s just not the same. Then there’s the matter of the software itself. Even lock screen ads and a few pieces of bloatware are better than the weird 3D thing Amazon was pushing on the Fire Phone. It’s not that it was horribly executed — it was just unnecessary and distracting.

So, no. Just because Amazon’s doing its thing to a couple of phones doesn’t mean the Fire Phone is returning from the puddle of slag it quickly became. Far from it.

See at Amazon

On the other hand, maybe a little more Fire in our lives wouldn’t be so bad. ‘Cause we could always use a little more of this guy.

Dell discontinues Android-based Venue tablet line; ends OS upgrades for current products

Dell has confirmed it will not be launching any new tablets in its Android-based Venue family. It also won’t be pushing out any OS updates to the Venue tablets that are already sold to customers, although it will continue to honor any currently active warranties and service contracts.

According to PCWorld:

“The slate tablet market is over-saturated and is experiencing declining demand from consumers, so we’ve decided to discontinue the Android-based Venue tablet line,” a Dell spokesman said in an e-mail.”

Dell also has stopped selling the Android-based Wyse Cloud Connect, a tiny computer that could connect to a big screen PC or monitor. Dell says it will concentrate its focus on selling 2-in-1 tablets and notebooks running on Windows 10. Dell released a number of Android tablets over the past few years, including the impressive Venue 10 7000 series. The company will continue to sell Chromebooks with Google’s Chrome OS.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 is the best Android phone you can buy today

I know, I know: claiming anything to be “the best” in a field as subjective as smartphones is asking for trouble, especially in a year as full of great smartphone releases as 2016. But the outside world works differently than does our insular nerdscape. I’m constantly being asked by everyday people “what’s the best Droid?” or “what’s the best Galaxy?” and (brand-loaded phrasing issues aside) it’s a good question. Which is the best Android smartphone you can buy today, and why?

As this video goes to press, my answer is the Samsung Galaxy S7. It’s not the phone I’d choose to carry myself (I’m more of a Moto kinda guy) and it certainly won’t be the best pick for everyone, but 90 days getting to know the Galaxy S7 have convinced me that it’s the best recommendation for “the average consumer” in the summer of 2016.

For the reasons why, check out the video above. And for those about to point out in the comments that the Note 7/next Nexus/Moto Z are just around the corner, rest easy: I’ll revisit this question again come autumn. In the meantime, let me know what phone works best for you – and be sure to subscribe to MrMobile on YouTube if you enjoyed this video!

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

• Galaxy S7 review
• Galaxy S7 edge review
• Galaxy S7 unlocked model
• Here are all four Galaxy S7 colors
• Should you upgrade to the Galaxy S7?
• Learn about the Galaxy S7’s SD card slot
• Join our Galaxy S7 forums

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Hasbro’s Furby is now a connected toy with LCD screens for eyes

Although it’s 2016, Furby is still a thing.

Hasbro’s weird, nostalgic fur beast has been resurrected with some new tricks. It’s now a connected toy, for instance. And it’s eyes are full-colour LCD screens. You’ll also notice a glowing antenna on its head that turns blue whenever it gets an update. The antenna will change other colours, too, in order to match whatever type of emotion Furby is experiencing. Furby’s also got the usual motion sensors, motors, mic, and speaker.

It’s actually called Furby Connect now, and it comes with Bluetooth support so it can pair to iOS, Android, or Amazon Fire devices via the Furby Connect app. Furby uses Bluetooth to get updates as well. When it’s not being all technical, Furby will react to sound and touch with over 1,000 phrases or animations through its eyes. It can track the date and time, ask for food and sleep, and work with integrated apps, such as Kidz Bop.

In fact, because of that Kidz Bop integration, Furby might randomly get a song – with lyrics to boot – stuck in its head. It could potentially also fetch sports scores or news that’s pushed to it from approved apps. But make no mistake: this new Furby isn’t a cuddly Amazon Echo. There’s no location awareness, true always-on functionality, nor anything that could result in privacy issues.

This is a kid’s toy, after all.

This Furby of the internet-of-things age can still download info, however, allowing it to work away from an app for up to a week. It can also talk to another Furby Connect to do stuff like in-sync dancing. If any of this interests you, you can grab this intelligent, Gremlin-like reboot for $99.99.

Oh, and there’s an included sleep mask you can pop over its eyes to turn it off, whereas older models needed a battery removal to shut down. (Parents across the world are now thanking you, Hasbro.)

‘Wreck-It Ralph 2’ is officially set to wreck the internet in 2018

Everyone’s favorite game-related Disney movie (no, not Tron) Wreck-It Ralph is set for a sequel that’s hitting the scene on March 9, 2018. This news probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone given the original’s massive success back in 2012, but it’s definitely a reason to get excited.

Disney broke the news during a special livestream on Facebook today, announcing that it’s working on Wreck-It Ralph 2, which will go beyond the confines of the arcade seen in the first movie and into the internet. There weren’t many additional details divulged to go on, but this could mean some interesting changes for both the film’s format and the type of game references we might see.

It’s a bit of a wait for the sequel to hit theaters, but it’s just one in a long line of video game-focused films coming down the pipeline. For instance, the Minecraft film is arriving n 2019, and the Tetris film (now a trilogy) is planned to begin shooting next year. The future is rife with video game movies, but will they be any good?

Via: VentureBeat