Tuesday 15 April 2014

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Humble Mobile Bundle 5 goes live, offers 6 great Android games on the cheap

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:57 PM PDT

Humble Mobile Bundle 5

Feels like it’s almost every other day the Humble Bundle guys are offering up a new batch of Android games on the cheap. Last time around, we saw cross platform titles, but for Humble Mobile Bundle 5 — it’s all Android.

This time around we have 6 DRM-free titles offered up for charity and to score all of them, all you have to do is beat the average of $4.78 (or pay whatever you want for only the top 3). Here’s the full list along with their current going prices on Google Play, so you can see what you’re saving.

If you tally all these games up, that’s over $20 in savings. Don’t forget that if you beat the average, you’ll also get a few bonus titles to be announced later in the week (plus, you’re helping charity). Check out the trailer below to see what’s up for grabs.

[Humble Bundle]

Samsung Gear Glass patent reveals new design that’s part Google Glass, part Dragon Ball Z scouter

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:59 PM PDT

Samsung-Gear-Glass-2-

Rumors of “Gear Glass,” a Samsung made Google Glass competitor, date back to last year when we first heard whisperings the Korean wearable was in the works. That same month, a Samsung patent filing would later reveal one possible design the headset could take shape as when it finally hits market, looking more like sports eyewear than a sleek version of Google’s headset. Well, the model revealed in last year’s patent filing may have been just that — a sports variant — as a new design has been found in yet another Samsung patent filing.

Samsung-Gear-Glass-1

Uncovered by the folks at WhatMobile.net, we find a design much more in tune with Google Glass, only more… obstructive? While this version of Gear Glass looks more like a typical Bluetooth earpiece, it features an arm that wraps around the user’s eye. The result? Something more like a Dragon Ball Z scouter than Google’s implementation. Remember, Glass hovers above eye-level and doesn’t obstruct view. This version of Gear Glass is much different.

Samsung Gear Glass patent DBZ Scouter

We should note that patent filings aren’t always indicative of a real-world product, only ideas manufacturers attempt to protect in order to cover all their bases (should they decide to actually act on a device shown in a patent filing). For an idea of how Samsung might tackle input on Gear Glass, make sure you check out the previous filing on Samsung’s augmented reality patent.

Current rumors point to a Samsung Gear Glass launch somewhere towards the end of this year, hopefully a lot less costly than Google’s variant. Design wise, let us know which version you think would sit better with consumers — Google Glass or Samsung Gear Glass?

Image credit: Gglassday

Another look at Project Ara, the team behind it, and its speedy development process [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 02:10 PM PDT

Project Ara Verge Video

It’s probably one of the most interesting projects in mobile at the moment and one that gives us goosebumps every time we see its name come across our feed: Project Ara. A modular smartphone project, Ara sets to create a smartphone that essentially allows consumers to build (and upgrade) their own custom smartphones, similar to what we saw in the PC industry with desktop towers. Just smaller. Much smaller.

With the Project Ara Developer Conference kicking off today (you can watch it live here), the folks at The Verge were able to catch up with Paul Eremenko, the man currently heading the project.  The video, uploaded to YouTube earlier a few hours ago, dives into the folks behind Project Ara — Google’s Advanced Technology and Products (ATAP) group — who are on a fast track to creating a smartphone for the everyday-man.

Google’s ATAP team is small and “lean,” composed of engineers who originally worked at DARPA and have set an aggressive time schedule to launch a real, fully functional consumer-ready product early next year. Eremenko says that their self-imposed time pressure yields higher quality innovation with little risk aversion. ATAP’s goal is to create something more than a prototype, and is the reason we’re seeing Project Ara come to fruition in such a short amount of time (2 years). You owe it to yourself to watch the video and learn more about Project Ara.

12 weirdest Android device names ever

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:35 PM PDT

android names

There was a time when Android phones were coming out so often that companies were using anything and everything for names. Rocks, stones, metals, liquids, animals, weather conditions, an even emoticons were used as inspiration. Most companies have come to their senses on naming standards, like Samsung with their letter and number scheme. Let’s take a look back at the wild west of Android device names. Here are the 12 weirdest/worst.

12. Samsung Galaxy Mega

When someone in the tech community jokingly creates a name for your next product, and then it actually gets used, you know it’s a bad name. That’s exactly what happened when Chris Ziegler mockingly said that Samsung would use the name “Mega,” and they actually did. What’s next? The Samsung Galaxy Ginormous?

11. ASUS Padfone

Anything that could slightly be confused with a feminine hygiene product is automatically a bad name. To make things worse Asus changed the “ph” in “phone” to the letter F. Replacing letters with phonetic equivalents is never a good thing. Just look at all those “cool” products that replace the “s” with a “z.”

10. ZTE Skate

This is the story of a company who ran out of adjectives so they started using verbs. Rejected ideas include “ZTE Run, Shoot, Skip, Pass, and Jump.” Or maybe we’re not taking this literal enough. Maybe the phone was literally named after a roller skate. Either way, this is a real fail.

9. YotaPhone

The YotaPhone is one of our favorite devices, but we have to admit the name is a little weird. The first time you hear it you are guaranteed to think it’s the “Yoda” phone. The first time I heard about this phone I didn’t even think it was real. I just thought it was a joke. “Who would name a phone after Yoda?” If people think your phone is a joke it might not have the best name.

8 OnePlus One

The device may be great when it finally launches, but this name is just plain weird. First of all, the company name sounds like a feature on Google+, but then to name your first ever phone “One” is either really dumb or really cocky. HTC already has a thing with “One,” but even if you ignore that the “OnePlus One” name just sounds silly. Someone just really likes addition.

7. HTC ChaCha/Salsa

The HTC First was not the first “Facebook phone.” HTC released the ChaCha (in the US, Salsa everywhere else) with a dedicated Facebook button. What do you think of when you think about Facebook? Latin dance moves of course. Makes sense, right? We like to think someone at HTC just really likes spicy condiments, and “ChaCha” was their way of sneaking it in.

6. HTC EVO 4G LTE

Back in the day the “4G wars” were a lot more intense than they are today. Every company under the sun just had to put “4G” in the name of their device. HTC decided to take it a step further and add “LTE” on top of that. What makes this name even more ridiculous is the uppercase letters. The official branding is “ HTC EVO 4G LTE.” Stop yelling at us!

5. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

“Wait, are you telling me the display is 210.1 inches!? Does it come with a stand?” Samsung has moved to a numerical naming standard since the silliness of some of their early Android devices, but that hasn’t solved all of their problems. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has an excessive amount of numbers in the name. Is this a tablet or an area code?

4. Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman

I honestly could not believe this was a real name for a real device. Want to make sure people know what feature your phone has? Just include a sentence in the name of the device. “Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman.” “ LG Nexus Live with Google Now.” “Samsung Galaxy Live with Cheap Plastic.”

3. Casio G’zOne…

If you’re naming a phone here’s some free advice: don’t choose a name that no one knows how to pronounce. Casio did not take this advice with their series of G’zOne devices. Is it “G Zone?” Is it “Gzzz One?” For a quick laugh go to YouTube and watch people try to pronounce “G’zOne” in unboxing videos. The sad thing is these devices could have had so much better of a name. They are all super tough and durable. Let your imagination go wild.

2. ZTE Iconic Phablet

Another bit of advice for anyone naming a phone: don’t just plainly describe the device. Or, in the case of ZTE, how you want people to describe the device. I can’t wait for their next device, the “ZTE Best Phone Ever.” To make things even worse they have a special variant of this device for Boost Mobile called the “Boost Max.” Generic names for the win!

1. Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch

The grand prize of weirdest and worst Android device name has to go the “Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch.” This name is so long that some places even put a comma between the “II” and “Epic.” It’s so long that you have to take a breath halfway through it. To me this phone is the perfect example of corporate branding gone wrong. Samsung wants their branding in the name, and Sprint wants something unique for their network. The result is this obnoxiously long abomination of a name.

***

Do you agree with our rankings? Which phone do you think has the worst name? Did we leave any out? Let us know in the comment below!

***

Newly leaked LG Isai could hint to the LG G3′s upcoming design

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:29 PM PDT

LG isai FL blue

In the wee hours of last night, @evleaks dropped a nice little leak for us to drool over. What you’re looking at is what Mr. Leaks claims to be the upcoming LG Isai FL, a phone that is sure to make the bezel-hating crowd scream in glee. But not so fast — this model is only for Japanese carrier “au” by KDDI.

LG isai FL white

While it’s rare to see a Japanese smartphone make its way to other parts of the globe, it’s entirely possible we’re simply looking at the Japanese variant of the rumored LG G3. You’ll notice what appears to be LG’s trademark rear button placement which is  found on the LG G2 and the LG G2 Mini (and the LG G Flex), and given last year’s Isai (L22) was the G2, it’s likely the above pictured L24 is the G3. Really, we can only speculate at this point.

lg-l22 g2 comparison

Last year’s Isai (left) compared with the LG G2 (right)

Given the LG G2 already had some of the smallest bezels on the market, LG really only has themselves to 1-up. With a rumored 2K display and Snapdragon 801 processor — would the Isai design make a worthy upgrade to last year’s LG G2?

[Google+ | via BGR | Image credit: DroidSans]

Amazon has Kingston’s microSD cards up to 65% off today only [DEAL]

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:09 PM PDT

kingston micro sd card

The day is over halfway expired, but that should be plenty of time to decide if you want to take advantage of a one-day sale Amazon’s having on Kingston MicroSD cards.

We’ve got 8GB all the way through 32GB — sorry, folks, but there aren’t any 128GB models to be found here. The quick breakdown of goods available:

All of them come are class 10 UHS-1 standard, and come with a standard-sized SD adapter for use with any slot that’ll take them.

It’s no SanDisk sale, but Kingston isn’t a bad brand to get behind for reliable, quality microSD cards. Head to Amazon using the links above to check them out if you’re interested (but be quick about it, because it won’t last long).

Amazon’s 3D smartphone pictured in the wild, shows off 4 front facing infrared cameras

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 11:58 AM PDT

bgr-amazon-phone-2

You may remember last week when, just before the weekend, Amazon’s long fabled smartphone once again arose from its slumber and once again, hit the rumor mill running. According to sources, Amazon’s killer feature for the phone will be in its UI, taking advantage of several cameras on the front of the device to track eye placement, moving the 3D user interface accordingly. Sounds nuts, especially coming from a newcomer like Amazon looking to break into the crowded smartphone market.

But after years of rumor (and development), it appears the Amazon phone is finally breaking its cover, secured in a few leaked images by the boys at BGR. Set to debut later this year, we can see very clearly a thick case covering what we assume to be the real phone inside, an effort by Amazon to keep the phone’s design shrouded in secrecy. Apparently this is only 1 of 2 smartphones Amazon plans on debuting this year, with a lower-end model launching after Amazon’s flagship.

bgr-amazon-phone-1

The 3D model (who’s name is still yet to be determined) will feature a 4.7-inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM, 13MP rear/xMP front facing cameras, and an unnamed Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It will also run on top a heavily customized version of the Android operating system but feature Amazon’s new 3D UI front and center.

Again, the killer feature is in the device’s 4 infrared cameras located on each corner of the phone to track a user’s head movement, altering UI elements on the screen accordingly. Because no one wants to wear 3D glasses and stereoscopic 3D on the Nintendo 3DS isn’t a much better solution, this is a good way to make everyone happy. Amazon will be using their 3D UI in all of their system apps, opening up the APIs for developers to get to coding their own 3D apps.

bgr-amazon-phone-3

The Amazon phone is said to be announced in late June, with a release in July. With so many smartphones on the market featuring largely similar specs, it’ll take something truly different to “wow” consumers. Do you guys think a 3D smartphone will be enough to capture the attention (and wallets) or consumers?

Google I/O registration opens at 4PM Pacific today — here’s everything you need to know

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 11:30 AM PDT

Google_IO_Registration_2014

In case you haven’t already circled your calendar three times over, here’s a reminder: Google I/O registration begins today. It starts at 4PM Pacific, to be exact, so you have a bit of time to get your ducks in a row. Here’s everything you’ll need to know before the floodgates open:

  • It’s not a rat race. Registration is open for four days, after which Google will randomly select attendees until they run out of tickets. Register, cross your fingers and wish for luck, because that’s the only thing you can do for a chance at a spot.
  • Tickets will be $900 for general admittance, but students get in for a mere $300.
  • You will need to sign in and register using your Google+ account, so be sure to make one if you haven’t already (and make sure your profile information is accurate).
  • Also be sure to get your Google Wallet account hooked up with accurate payment information, because that’s what you’ll be using to pay for your ticket if you’re lucky enough to be chosen. Google will be doing a pre-authorization now to confirm your account, but won’t be charging you the full cost of the ticket until after the registration window closes (and only if you are eventually selected to attend).
  • Your ticket can’t be transferred to anyone else once you get it, so don’t use extra accounts with fake names, and don’t expect a buddy to be able to get you a ticket if you’re unlucky.
  • Tickets can be refunded in full until June 1st.
  • Don’t forget your photo ID at the venue — you’ll need it for your event badge.

And that’s that. These rules are in place to make sure everyone gets a fair shot to go, and to make sure people are only signing up if they are prepared to actually go. If you have the money, the time, and the will then you’ll want to be sure to check the I/O site starting at 4PM Pacific. Registration goes on until this Friday, April 18th, so you’ll have a few days to decide if you can make the trip or not.

[via Google]

Security researcher successfully spoofs fingerprint unlock on Galaxy S5 [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 09:44 AM PDT

It’s no secret that consumer-grade fingerprint unlocking mechanisms aren’t the most secure things ever. They’re easily spoofed, something we learned with the iPhone 5S’ own implementation late last year.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is not an exception to the rule, unfortunately, with one security researcher from successfully able to use a lifted print to bypass the Galaxy S5′s fingerprint security without the original finger that set it up. SRLabs has demonstrated it here on video:

They used a latex molding of an actual print to swipe the authenticated “finger” over the Galaxy S5′s embedded fingerprint scanner, successfully gaining access to the device. The researcher acknowledges that Apple’s implementation is subject to the same spoofing, but it’s Samsung’s lack of added security layers that makes theirs especially troubling:

  1. The device allows you to make as many attempts as you need to unlock it, so being locked out after a number of incorrect tries is one nonexistent layer of added security.
  2. The device doesn’t require a password after you first set it up, even if you reboot it.

Even more troubling is the fact that the built-in Paypal integration is subject to the same pitfalls, so if someone has access to your phone, they potentially have access to your funds. All it’d take is a few minutes (after doing whatever they do to get the image if your fingerprint) to have your bank account wiped out.

samsung-galaxy-s5-3

Paypal’s already responded to the claims, though, stating that they have taken great measures to ensure consumers are protected in the event of a malicious attack.

While we take the findings from Security Research Labs very seriously, we are still confident that fingerprint authentication offers an easier and more secure way to pay on mobile devices than passwords or credit cards. PayPal never stores or even has access to your actual fingerprint with authentication on the Galaxy S5.

The scan unlocks a secure cryptographic key that serves as a password replacement for the phone. We can simply deactivate the key from a lost or stolen device, and you can create a new one. PayPal also uses sophisticated fraud and risk management tools to try to prevent fraud before it happens. However, in the rare instances that it does, you are covered by our purchase protection policy.

Long story short, Paypal is well-equipped to help you if any of this happens after the fact. For what it’s worth, not many people will be knowledgeable enough to be able to mold your fingerprint, and if you happen to know someone who is then chances are they won’t be able to get access to your actual phone.

And if they do, well, you’d be one very odd apple out of a whole bunch of them. Still, the likelihood of the risk not applying to you doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, so be careful. Watch the video above for a quick demonstration, and stay tuned as we reach out to Samsung to see if they have anything to say about these claims.

[via Heise.de]

Trademarks reveal Samsung Galaxy Adore, Galaxy S Fitness and Galaxy V:

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:48 AM PDT

samsung-logo

What? Samsung is trademarking a ton of phone names on a random, rainy day? You don’t say! Another round of trademarks have sprouted from the USPTO, with the South Korean company apparently playing around with the following:

  • Galaxy Adore
  • Galaxy S Fitness
  • Galaxy V:

And that last one isn’t a typo — it really does have a colon mark at the end of it. Of course, trademarks aren’t required to tell us diddly squat about what they may or may not be used for, so we’re left to our own devices to guess.

The Galaxy Adore? How adorable — likely a forgettable entry-level or mid-range device to round out Samsung’s portfolio for the year. The Galaxy S Fitness could specialize in fitness, natch, with heart rate monitors and other fitness-related features in tow.

As for the Galaxy “V:”? Beats us. Quite frankly we’d be surprised to see Samsung use such a weird naming scheme reminiscent of Sony’s explosion of letters over the past few years. Of course, none of these names are guaranteed to see the light of day attached to an actual product. Be sure to share your own guesses in the comments below.

[via SamMobile]

Watch Google’s Project Ara Developer Conference Live

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:35 AM PDT

project ara

Today kicks off day one of Google’s Project Ara Developer Conference. The conference is set to begin at 11:30 am Eastern Time. Tune in below. The conference is aimed at developers and Ara enthusiasts of all shapes and sizes. Google hopes to fuel innovation and generate excitement in this entirely new mobile space.

For those not aware, Project Ara is the codename for a Google led project that aims to bring about an open hardware platform for creating modular phones. The platform will include an endoskeleton along with modules for the owner’s choice of hardware, such as a display, keyboard, extra battery, camera, and more. Additionally, phone owners would be able to easily upgrade their phone by swapping out handset parts such as memory or processors. This type of innovation will provide longer product life-cycle and potentially bring about new kinds of hardware components for mobile devices, revolutionizing the smartphone industry.

You can now attach Gmail photos straight from your Google+ account

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:10 AM PDT

gmail photo 1

Quick tip for those of you who back your photos up to Google+ — you can now attach photos in your email straight from your account using the handy new “Insert Photo” button Google’s added to Gmail. Simply hit the button, select from one of the photos in your Google+ account, and voila: it pops into your compose window like magic.

gmail photo 3

It’s not a huge feature, but it’s convenient for folks who want to email pictures taken with their phone but don’t like doing so from the mobile apps. It’ll also give you some quick resizing features before licking the envelope and mailing it off. Finally, you can now email full albums if you so choose.

gmail photo 2

The feature won’t be super useful for those of you who don’t have auto backup enabled in your Google+ app on Android, so be sure to do that if you don’t mind each and every one of your pics being stored to Google’s servers as soon as they’re taken. Don’t forget that the pics are private by default, so there’s no worry that a naughty photo or two might end up being viewed by the wrong eyes. Give it a go!

[via Google]

Anyone and everyone in the US can now buy a Google Glass unit today only

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 07:03 AM PDT

google glass explorer

In case you haven’t heard our bazillion reminders up until this point, here’s another: you can now buy the Google Glass, if you want.

The Explorers program is open to anyone willing to drop $1,500 for what’s essentially a long beta test for an emerging product. Of course, you have to live in the US to get in on it (otherwise you’ll want an overseas buddy to help you out if you’ve got the dough), and you’ll also have to do it by the end of the day.

That $1,500 will go toward the initial unit you get and likely any revisions that Google may or may not issue ahead of the device’s consumer release (the date of which we’re still not sure of).

You’ll also be able to choose between one frame or shade attachment, the former of which will be necessary for those who wear glasses and want to get their glass outfitted with prescription lenses. The base Glass unit itself is available in black, white, red, blue or gray.

Hear all you need to know? Get over there to order now, and hurry up because today is the only day you’re guaranteed entry into the Explorers program. Otherwise, you may have to wait for more invites to head out, and there’s no telling when or if that’ll ever happen.

Samsung HomeSync set-top box available for $99 at Best Buy [DEAL]

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 06:51 AM PDT

homesync

Another hot deal is on tap for you folks this morning, with Best Buy putting Samsung’s HomeSync set-top box on sale for $99. That’s a massive price drop from the typical $299.99 it’s offered for. HomeSync hooks up with your Galaxy smartphone or tablet so you can easily upload your photos and video to its 1TB of on-board storage (which you then play back on your TV for the whole family to enjoy).

Many were already of the opinion that HomeSync was overpriced, even if it did come with a whopper of a hard drive. After all, it is just a big box with a simplified TouchWiz interface that allows you to playback photos, video and music.

Unfortunately for Samsung, it’s tough to sell a $300 box when many people have no problem taking to the cloud or using streaming services to get their content over devices like the $35 Chromecast or the $99 Amazon Fire TV (and it also doesn’t help that it doesn’t work with anything but their own devices). Be sure to find it at Best Buy here if you think you can find some use for it.

[via SlickDeals]

Amazon Kindle Fire HD / HDX tablets on sale for a limited time only; starts at $119

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:56 AM PDT

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX

Quick heads-up for those of you in the market for an Amazon Kindle Fire tablet: the online retailer has them on sale for as low as $119 today. That particular price is for the 8GB Amazon Kindle Fire HD, while another $10 will get you the 16GB model. That’s a savings of $20 and $40, respectively.

The HDX is $30 off across the board, with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models coming in at $199, $239, and $279, respectively. The 8.9-inch HDX model is slashed $40 across the board, with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB running you $339, $389, and $439, respectively.

All prices are for Kindles w/ offers, meaning Amazon will give you ideas on apps, books, games, movies and music to buy whenever you look at your lock-screen. These prices are also for the WiFi-only models.

You’ll want to check out Amazon’s site for the full price listing if you prefer to buy one without offers and with some form of 4G LTE connectivity inside. Be quick about it, though, because these sales will only last for a limited time.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)