- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
3
Feb
14 sweet tech gifts for Valentine’s Day
Did you know Valentine’s day is just around the corner? You better make your dinner reservations now if you haven’t already. The traditional gifts to show your love are cards, chocolates and roses. There’s nothing wrong with those traditional gifts, but sometimes your significant other may want something different. Many of you can get away with not getting gifts, but why risk it? Isn’t it better to make someone happy and show your appreciation and love for them rather than to complain and call Valentine’s Day a Hallmark Holiday?
We’re a tech site and as such we have 14 Valentine’s gift suggestions for you. But you better order your gift soon if you haven’t already. The 14th is less than two weeks away.
Google Nexus 6P and Huawei Smart Watch – Save $50 on both from Google.com
Operating System
Display
- 5.7 inches
- WQHD (2560 x 1440) AMOLED display at 518 ppi
Rear Camera
- 12.3 MP¹
- 1.55 µm pixels
- f/2.0 aperture
- IR laser-assisted autofocus
- 4K (30 fps) video capture
Front Camera
- 8MP camera
- 1.4 µm pixels
Processor
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1
- 2.0 GHz Octa-core 64-bit
- Adreno 430 GPU
Memory & Storage²
- RAM: 3 GB LPDDR4
- Internal storage: 32 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB
Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker – $129.99 LINK
- Clear, full-range sound you might not expect from a compact speaker
- Voice prompts make pairing your devices easier than ever
- Up to 8 hours of music from rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Wireless connection to your smartphone, tablet or other Bluetooth-enabled device
Sphero BB-8 App-Enabled Droid – $135.99 LINK
- Authentic Movement: Guide your BB-8 with a smartphone or tablet
- Listens & Responds: BB-8 recognizes and reacts to your voice
- Holographic Messaging: Record and view virtual holographic videos with BB-8
- Autonomous Behavior: BB-8 has a mind of its own – explore the Star Wars galaxy together
- Adaptive Personality: Your BB-8’s unique attitude and actions evolve as you interact
- Authentic Movement: Guide your BB-8 with a smartphone or tablet
- Listens & Responds: BB-8 recognizes and reacts to your voice
Samsung Gear S2 Smartwatch – LINK
- Function meets style with elegant curves and premium finishes
- Intuitive circular interface and rotating bezel for easy navigation
- Access to important notifications, texts, and updates at a glance
- Compatible with Android 4.4 and later with 1.5GB RAM. Some features may not be available. For best compatibility, connect with Samsung Galaxy devices.
- Wireless charging dock included
- 1.2-Inch Display Size
- 4GB Internal Memory / RAM 512MB
Amazon Echo – $179.99 – LINK
- Plays all your music from Prime Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and more using just your voice
- Fills the room with immersive, 360º omni-directional audio
- Allows hands-free convenience with voice-control
- Hears you from across the room with far-field voice recognition, even while music is playing
- Answers questions, reads audiobooks and the news, reports traffic and weather, gives info on local businesses, provides sports scores and schedules, and more with Alexa, a cloud-based voice service
- Controls lights and switches with compatible WeMo, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Wink, Insteon, and other smart home devices
- Always getting smarter and adding new features and skills–over 95 added since launch
Kindle Fire 7″ – $49.99 LINK
- Beautiful 7″ IPS display (171 ppi / 1024 x 600) and fast 1.3 GHz quad-core processor. Rear and front-facing cameras.
- All-new Amazon Underground, a one-of-a-kind app store experience where over $10,000 in apps, games and even in-app items are actually free – including extra lives, unlocked levels, unlimited add-on packs and more
- Enjoy more than 38 million movies, TV shows, songs, books, apps and games
- 8 GB of internal storage. Free unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content and photos taken with Fire devices. Add a microSD card for up to 128 GB of additional storage.
- Updated user interface – Fire OS 5 designed for quick access to your apps and content plus personalized recommendations that make it easy to discover new favorites
- Up to 7 hours of reading, surfing the web, watching videos, and listening to music
- Stay connected with fast web browsing, email, and calendar support
Magazine Subscription to Texture – LINK
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With Texture, you have an all-access pass to world’s best magazines. So anytime you want to read something great, you can. Choose any issue from a catalog that includes all the top magazines in every category.
It’s magazine reading without limits. Flip through an entire issue that hit newsstands today. Or dig into a single article from a back issue in the vast archive. Audio and video exclusives bring extra dimension to the experience.
Caseco Blu-Toque Dual Layered Bluetooth Knit Hat – $49.99 LINK
- Wear your Blu-Toque while walking the dog, working outside, commuting, or going for a jog.
- Knit from soft synthetic wool, Blu-Toque is lightweight, warm, and water resistant.
- Blu-Toque is universal?it works with any Bluetooth device.
- Take calls and listen to music right from this integrated beanie. No more headphones, no more wire
August Smart Lock – Keyless Home Entry with Your Smartphone, Red – $149.99 LINK
- Secure – Safe, keyless access to your home with iOS and Android smartphones
- Easy DIY Retrofit Install, – Replace the interior of your existing deadbolt; outside is unchanged
- Total Control – You control who has access to your home and manage how long their access lasts
- Always On – Powered by batteries means it’s always on, even if your power, Wi-Fi, or cable go down
Behmor Connected Temperature Control Coffee Maker – $299.99 LINK
- Customizable, temperature control coffee maker with phone app for easy operation
- Free Behmor app works on Apple iOS 7 and higher (available now); Android 4.0+ and higher (available January 2016)
- Create your favorite brewing profile including brewing temperature and pre-soak time or select from app’s library
- Delayed Brew option heats the water waiting to brew
- Double walled thermal carafe holds 8 5oz cups per brew cycle
WeMo Switch, Wi-Fi Enabled, Control your Electronics from anywhere – $39.99 LINK
- Turn appliances and electronics on or off from anywhere. Never worry if you left the iron, coffeemaker or hair straightener on. Turn on the nightlight for your little ones!
- Easy to install and simple to use
- Set schedules and receive customized notifications
- Works with any smartphone or tablet running Android 4.0 and higher or iOS 5 and higher. Electrical Rating120V/15A/60Hz/1800W
- Compatible with Amazon Echo for voice control hands-free convenience
1byone Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker Dimmable Multicolored LED Light Bulb – $30.99 LINK
- Multicolored & ever-changing – Small smart LED bulb can convert 7 main colors – over 16 million supported colors, plus warm and cool white. You can choose your favourite color for each situation to surround you in your room.
- Music playing via Bluetooth – Connect to your bluetooth devices easily, and the built-in Bluetooth speaker enables you to enjoy music anywhere. Play music from the app or your usual program and have the bulb change colors automatically.
- Smart Functions – This smart light bulb can play your music, match the lights to the music, has a normal white lights mode, can adjust the brightness, can be renamed and can set a timer in the app to switch off / on. Wake up to your favourite music and color or come home with lights already switched on.
Jabra SPORT PACE Wireless Bluetooth Headset – $99.99 LINK
- Premium wireless sound and inline buttons to control music or phone calls
- Secure and comfortable fit with behind the ear wearing style and multiple sized ear gels
- Built toward US Military standards for rain, sweat, shock and dust resistance (IP54 rated)
- Rapid charge feature to provide an hour’s worth of bather life in only 15 minutes of charging. Reflective cable for early morning or nighttime usage
- Integrated training via Sport Life App to provide in-ear readouts during workouts: pace, time, distance, calories burned. Also works with most popular 3rd party sports applications.
Honor 5X Metal Body Unlocked Smartphone – Gold 16GB $199.99 LINK
- Unlocked Dual SIM LTE smartphone with three card slots. Supports nano-sim, micro-SIM, and a microSD card up to 128GB. Works with AT&T and T-Mobile Networks.
- Sleek, robust housing crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum made with four metal finishing processes.
- An accurate fast fingerprint sensor improves with time and unlocks in 0.5 Seconds. Set your fingers as shortcuts to call contacts and take photos.
- Powered by Android 5.1 Lollipop with 16GB Internal memory and 2 GB RAM. A Qualcomm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor renders a smooth, responsive experience.
- A Picture perfect 5.5-Inch, 1080P full HD display can Show off your 13MP Camera pictures with shooting modes like time-lapse, slow-motion, and perfect-selfie.
The post 14 sweet tech gifts for Valentine’s Day appeared first on AndroidGuys.
2
Feb
Google Nexus phones may be going the way of Apple
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Up till now, Google Nexus phones have been built through a healthy working relationship between Google and an Android device manufacturer. The symbiotic relationship allows Google to showcase its vanilla Android experience, and the manufacturer is allowed to demonstrate its formidable hardware capabilities. However, reports are saying that Google may be changing its relationship with manufacturers moving forward, adopting a more Apple-esque approach where Google designs both the hardware and software and just contracts out the manufacturing of the device.
While that sounds unthinkable for most Android manufacturers – especially for those who have provided such brilliant Nexus devices – there are manufacturers who would jump at the opportunity. While Google has taken a 15% cut in the past leaving little for the manufacturer itself, it’s rumoured that HTC would be willing to partake in such a scheme as it would give the struggling company a boost in short term revenue, even if their name doesn’t end up on the device itself. It will be very interesting to see how this all pans out in the future as the competition heats up between Google and Apple.
What do you think about Google Nexus phones with hardware and software designed by Google? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: The Information via engadget
The post Google Nexus phones may be going the way of Apple appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
2
Feb
Google may take total control over making the Nexus
Most people in the Android community have heard of the Nexus line. Their software is totally stock from Google and their hardware is from some other manufacture. However, that all could change in the future.
Google seems to be continuing forward with its plan to completely control the Nexus line to compete directly with the iPhone. It would still run stock Android, but hardware would now be made by Google as well. Of course, they will probably source parts from other manufactures like everyone else, but overall, the device would be theirs.
Google makes huge money off of Android as is, but reports say Google is still worried about Apple. They feel this may be the only way to deliver an Android product that consumers will love in order to take away business from the iPhone. Doing this would also make everything work even smoother together than before. That is the main reason people enjoy their iPhones so much.
There still isn’t a ton of proof showing Google will do this, but they did already do this with their Pixel line of Chromebooks and tablets. Doing a similar strategy with the Nexus doesn’t seem to far-fetched.
Source: The Information
Via: Phandroid
Come comment on this article: Google may take total control over making the Nexus
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1
Feb
Google wants more control over Nexus smartphones
Google’s Nexus phones to date have been partnerships, where the hardware manufacturer lets its talents ships. The Nexus 6P may be Android’s ultimate reference device, but there’s no mistaking that Huawei made it. However, that relationship might be changing soon. Sources for The Information claim that Google is pushing for more control over Nexus phones, to the point where it would effectively reduce partners to contractors. The folks in Mountain View would design the hardware and software — vendors would just make sure that those devices become reality. Think of products like the Pixel C if you need an example of where this might go.
Such a move could be risky. Nexus device makers don’t make much money from each device (Google keeps a 15 percent cut of sales, according to tipsters), and now they might not even get their name on the back. What would be the point, apart from promoting Android as a whole? However, there might be some takers. HTC is reportedly one of them — the cash-strapped company is supposedly in talks with Google about making more Nexus hardware, and the deal would give it a much-needed (if short-term) boost to revenue and shipments.
Google may consider it worth the price. The company still makes most of its mobile service revenue from iOS devices, which puts it in an uncomfortable position: Apple could make life miserable for Google if it wanted to. Fully Google-designed Nexus phones might not only give Android a bigger share of the high-end phone market (where Apple thrives), but produce a better showcase for Google services.
Source: The Information
1
Feb
Report: Google plans to take an ‘Apple-like’ approach to the Nexus line
Google’s Nexus line has been constantly changing ever since its inception. Are Nexus devices aimed at the high-end market, budget-friendly crowd, or somewhere in between? That’s sort of the beauty of it all, really, as each Nexus phone is different in its own way. This is thanks in part to OEM partnerships. Google has reached out to Samsung, Motorola, HTC, LG and Huawei in the past to make its Nexus smartphones, which ensures each Nexus device is unique in its own way. But if a new report from The Information proves true, Google may be taking a bit more control over its precious Nexus line.
Nexus smartphones will be more akin to Google’s Pixel line
According to this new report, Google CEO Sundar Pichai has signaled to “colleagues and outsiders” that the company is planning on taking more control over the Nexus line, from hardware to software. Google already controls the software side of things, but this new route would essentially weed out OEM partners and see Google making the hardware as well. The move to control both the hardware and software is supposedly being put in place in order to make the Nexus line more like the iPhone. The report states that this would strengthen Android’s brand overall in order to capture more share in the high-end market, an area in which Apple already dominates in many parts of the world. Google also doesn’t want its revenue-generating services on high-end devices to be at the mercy of Apple, like they are now.
With Google’s Chromebook Pixel and Pixel C tablet, Google built the hardware and software from top to bottom. This is essentially what the company will be doing with the Nexus line. Of course, Google will still be using processors, displays and other components from different manufacturers, but Google will be the sole company involved in building and producing the phone. The report also states that these new Nexus phones might only have Google’s name on them.
See also: History of the Nexus family
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The Information also says that HTC has been in talks to produce this year’s Nexus phone, though given the new arrangement Google has been aiming for, HTC’s participation has been a controversial topic inside the Taiwanese company’s headquarters.
Overall, this move makes sense, and doesn’t at the same time. Google makes a good amount of its money from services on Apple devices, so it makes sense that Google would want to take control of its own services, and how much money it makes from them. Alternatively, this seems like an odd choice for the Nexus line. In the past, Nexus smartphones have not only showcased the latest versions of Android, but they have also acted as a way to increase brand awareness for OEMs. Nexus phones also gave hardware companies a better look at how to build better Android phones.
What are your thoughts? If the report proves true, would you support Google’s decision to take a more iPhone-like approach to the Nexus line? Be sure to speak up in the comments below.
1
Feb
Samsung adds support for ad blockers in their Android web browser
Samsung joined a small but growing list of companies making it a bit easier for consumers to block content, notably advertising, on their mobile devices. The market got a big boost last year when Apple announced support for ad-blocking plugins in the Safari browser on iOS 9. Now Samsung is adding a similar feature to their own web browser that ships on Samsung smartphones running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or higher.
Many users make use of ad-blocking plugins and technology on their desktop and laptop devices. However, despite the potential to save on mobile data usage and load pages much quicker, interest in ad-blocking on mobile devices is still lackluster. Even on the iOS platform, after an initial spike in interest when Apple first announced support, ad blockers have fallen off the radar in the App Store. Meanwhile, even a huge company like Google has not yet seen fit to support ad-blocking plugins in their mobile Chrome browser.
With Samsung’s new support for ad-blocking in their browser, users may be looking for a plugin. Thus far Adblock Fast and Crystal are both available in the Play Store and support the Samsung Internet 4.0 browser.
Will the ability to block ads prompt you to make a switch to Samsung’s browser instead of using a browser like Chrome?
source: The Verge
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30
Jan
BlackBerry goes all in, says their future is with Android
BlackBerry’s Priv was a major change for the company, marking the first time they’d shipped a device running Android instead of any of their BlackBerry OS iterations. So far, it’s done pretty well for the company; well enough, in fact, that the company said they were planning on launching another Android device later this year, which will probably end up being the Vienna we’ve been hearing about.
Earlier this month, CEO John Chen said the company was doubling down on Android and only shipping Android-powered devices in 2016, but we might see that exclusivity go a little further than just this year. Damian Tay, head of BlackBerry’s Asian Pacific operations, made some comments about how the Priv was BlackBerry’s “transition” over to Android products. That doesn’t give much hope to anyone that’s holding out for another BlackBerry 10 device.
He also noted that the company considers Android the future, and there wouldn’t be much point in maintaining both operating systems simultaneously. Plus, BlackBerry’s enterprise efforts were cross-platform anyway, so moving that side of things over to Android is basically already finished.
This doesn’t 100% spell the end of BlackBerry 10, as sometimes these comments are mistranslated or misunderstood. But either way you look at it, if BlackBerry has success with Android this year, they probably won’t be keen on changing a winning formula. Sorry, BlackBerry enthusiasts.
source: Economic Times
via: Phone Arena
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27
Jan
Snapchat for Android updated with support for ‘Video Rewind’ filter
Snapchat has begun rolling out a much-requested maintenance update for its Android client through the Play Store. According to the short changelog, the upgrade introduces the sought-after Video Rewind filter, which previously was only available to users of the social networking platform who sent snaps using an iPhone, iPod or iPad.
The filter enables users to record a standard 10-second video using Snapchat, then play it in reverse by applying the Rewind overlay. Using the feature couldn’t be easier. Once you’ve recorded the video, just swipe right until you see three reverse arrows appear on the screen. Then you can watch the clip in reverse.
There are two ways to download the update. You can manually fetch it by grabbing your smartphone or tablet, opening up the Play Store, toggling the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left-hand side of your display, selecting ‘My Apps’, clicking on ‘Snapchat’, then tapping the ‘Update’ button. Alternatively, you can sideload it onto your handset by installing the APK below.
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27
Jan
Google drops the Nexus 5X price again, to $299
If the earlier price drop for the Nexus 5X wasn’t quite enough to make you pull the trigger, you might want to look again. Google has quietly slashed its official store’s price on the 5X once again, to $299; we understand that European prices have dropped, too. It’s not clear how permanent this cut will be, but it’s making the reference Android phone that much more tempting compared to upper-mid-range competition from the likes of Motorola or OnePlus. Just be patient — we’ve seen at least some reports that the Nexus 5X is out of stock, so you may have to wait a little while to plunk down some cash.
Via: Droid-Life
Source: Google Store
26
Jan
Nexus 5X price drops again, this time to $300
If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, and you want a pure Android experience on Marshmallow without breaking the bank, then we’ve got some seriously good news for you. Google just slashed the price of the 16GB Nexus 5X to $299.00 and $349.00 for the 32GB version.
This is an interesting development, because just two weeks ago, Google trimmed $30 off the mid-range Nexus device to bring its price down to $350. Now we’re seeing an even bigger chunk lopped off. For a device running a Snapdragon 808 with 2GB of RAM and a 5.2 inch display, you’re getting a lot of tech-per-dollar here. For its default price, the Nexus 5X is now going for less than it did even on Black Friday.
See also: 6 common problems with the Nexus 5X and how to fix them
Technically, there’s still a way to get the smartphone for even cheaper. Right now, BuyDig is running a limited-quantity offer that puts a 16GB version of this device in your hands for $299.99, but they’ll also send you a $20 pre-paid Visa card to boot. When the Nexus 5X originally launched, we were impressed with its specs, but thought the price was perhaps a bit much when compared with competitors like the OnePlus 2 and Moto X Pure. Now it looks like the device is finally dropping to a price range where it’s truly a tempting choice.
REVIEWS OF THE NEXUS 5X
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What are your thoughts on the Nexus 5X? If you own the device, let us know what your experience has been like in the comments. Is this deal worth it, or not? For those still on the fence, check out our full review and decide for yourself if this new price tag compensates for the negatives we mention.
AIVAnet 