Android Phone Fans |
- Google Play Store 4.8.19 rolling out, introduces PayPal billing and UI tweaks
- And now, LG G3′s new homescreen UI in landscape mode
- Motorola throwing a Hangout on May 22nd to discuss all things Moto E, submit your questions!
- Flappy Bird creator shows off new game so we can all shut up about Flappy Bird already
- Latest LG G3 leak shows off new lockscreen, black sensor may not be an IR blaster after all
- Grab your Big Android BBQ ticket right now
- Google Play Store now accepts PayPal
- Phan Favs: What is the best music app? [VOTE]
- Samsung CEO JK Shin admits Galaxy S5′s lack of “eye-popping” tech
- Xiaomi’s first tablet is basically a huge iPhone 5C clone (with a nice Tegra K1 inside)
- Swarm finally arrives on Android, hardest part is getting all your friends onboard
- NimRod Back explains latest Pressy delays
- 10 Most Addictive Android Games for Killing Time [VIDEO]
- AT&T begins rolling out HD Voice in initial markets May 23rd
- Samsung schedules June 12th “Tab Into Color” event that should introduce new Galaxy Tab S line
| Google Play Store 4.8.19 rolling out, introduces PayPal billing and UI tweaks Posted: 15 May 2014 05:08 PM PDT
Earlier today we told you guys about a new addition heading to the Google Play Store: PayPal billing. A long time in the making, the update is arriving in Play Store version 4.8.19 rolling out now to Android devices. The update not only introduces PayPal billing, but several small UI tweaks as well. Google’s gone ahead and removed the colored bar on music, movies, and book listings. It’s clean and minimal, and we love it. They’ve also added a new UI for the permissions screen, condensing everything to icons and short descriptions. Permissions can then be expanded after tapping on them for an actual definition.
A small update, but one that we’re sure many of you will appreciate. Those that don’t feel like waiting — we know, many of you have been waiting for years — can grab the apk for manual sideloading/installation down below.
Thanks, DannyDynamo! |
| And now, LG G3′s new homescreen UI in landscape mode Posted: 15 May 2014 03:25 PM PDT
Ask and ye shall receive. Looks like @evleaks wasn’t finished in his leakage for today. The leakster already gave us a look at a few more leaked promos showing off the outside of the LG G3, but what about the phones new custom user interface? It’s true, we’ve seen it in the past. But @evleaks is now showing us what the homescreen will look like in landscape mode. You’ll also noticed what appears to be LG’s phone app receiving an incoming call and hovering over the the homescreen like a floating widget. All we can say is more. We wants moar. [Twitter] |
| Motorola throwing a Hangout on May 22nd to discuss all things Moto E, submit your questions! Posted: 15 May 2014 03:00 PM PDT
Motorola took to their official blog this afternoon to announce a new event taking place online. To help prospective buyers learn a little more about their latest entry-level smartphone — the recently announced Motorola Moto E — the manufacturer will be holding a live Hangouts on Air session with Motorola’s VP of Product Marketing Steve Sinclair, and Product Manager Bill Park. The Hangout kicks off next Thursday May 22nd at 12PM noon, and essentially the Motorola execs will be taking questions about all things Moto E. How you get involved is by either submitting questions on Motorola’s Google+ or Facebook pages, or by using the hashtag #AskMoto on Twitter. Should be informative and we’ll let you know if any big news comes out of the Hangout. Mark your calendar! |
| Flappy Bird creator shows off new game so we can all shut up about Flappy Bird already Posted: 15 May 2014 02:02 PM PDT We get it — everyone “hates” Flappy Bird. As annoying (and addicting) as that little game was, it didn’t stop it from becoming a pop icon in a short amount of time. The only person more sick of hearing about Flappy Bird is probably its creator, Dong Nguyen.
Nguyen took to his Twitter this afternoon to show off a new game he and his team are working on to serve one: get everyone to STFU about Flappy Bird. We can’t help but wonder if this new game — which looks more like a simplified platformer — will see the same level of success as its feathered sibling (we can’t say its name, remember?), or if it will drift off into obscurity like some of DotGears’ other titles. We will say we’re exciting to give it a spin and will let you know when more info is available. In the meantime, just forget about that game which shall not be named and play something else. Like Dragon Coins. |
| Latest LG G3 leak shows off new lockscreen, black sensor may not be an IR blaster after all Posted: 15 May 2014 01:32 PM PDT
While we already got a good look at the LG G3 yesterday in a few leaked press images, today we have a handful more to show you. What’s so great about these images? Well, now they have the phone with the display actually powered on, showing off LG G3′s new lockscreen UI (a hint of what LG has in store for the device). What’s more is our friend @evleaks — who grabbed the new press shots — says that mystery sensor on the back? Not a mystery. It’s a laser sensor to help the camera focus quickly. Our eagle eyed readers may have noticed the IR blaster was shown on the top of the phone in yesterday’s leak. Laser focus sensor? We’re intrigued to say the least. The more we look at this phone, the more it’s starting to sound like a worthy sequel to the original LG G2. All that’s left now is to see what LG has in store for the UI, an overhaul that’s long overdue. But we wont have to wait much longer to find out, LG has an event scheduled for May 27th in which your friends at Phandroid will be in attendance. Can’t wait to get our hands on this phone.    |
| Grab your Big Android BBQ ticket right now Posted: 15 May 2014 01:13 PM PDT
The day has finally come, folks — tickets for the 2014 Big Android BBQ in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas are now on sale. Taking place at the Hurst Convention Center from October 16th through October 18th, the Big Android BBQ is a meeting place for tons of Android enthusiasts looking to meet up and chat about the beloved mobile platform.
Typical festivities include panels, giveaways, parties, awesome swag, and the chance to mingle with some of the Android community’s coolest users and developers. Oh, and BBQ, of course. Onto the tickets: here’s what you can get depending on how much you plop down:
Sounds like one of the best times to be had in the autumn months, really. Scrounge some funds up and stamp your ticket, and don’t be too slow on it — there’s a limit to these things, you know. Get yours before they’re all sold out! [via BABBQ] |
| Google Play Store now accepts PayPal Posted: 15 May 2014 12:51 PM PDT
Whooooa, nelly. This nugget of news should please some of you who aren’t down with credit cards or carrier billing. PayPal support has finally come to Google Play, giving you an easy and secure buffer for paying for apps, games, books, movies, music and more. Note that this doesn’t include devices or accessories sold on Google Play. Simply select the PayPal option when checking out, sign in with your credentials, and voila. The integration is quite seamless, and you shouldn’t have any problems getting going with it if that’s the route you want to take. PayPal support is limited to just 13 countries at the time. Here’s the list in case you’re curious:
It’s a rather short list, though we have no doubt Google will look to be adding more in a reasonable amount of time. In related news, Google also added support for carrier billing for seven more countries, and thirteen new countries have been added to the list of places developers can sell apps for some coin. You can find the full breakdown of payment options by country right here. Now hook that PayPal up to your Google Play account and start buying some apps! [via Google] |
| Phan Favs: What is the best music app? [VOTE] Posted: 15 May 2014 12:39 PM PDT
Phan Favs is a recurring feature that turns the tables and asks you, the readers, about the best apps and games. It's your turn to drop some knowledge on us! Read more. We’re back with another edition of Phan Favs! This time we are asking you about music apps. Listening to music is one of the most common uses for a mobile device. MP3 players made this popular back in the day, but now with always-connected devices and more storage options we can do so much more. Everyone in the world enjoys some type of music. It has been often called the “universal language.” So it’s no surprise that there are hundreds of music apps trying to get a piece of that pie. Some apps simply play your local files while others stream from popular music services. There are plenty of ways to hear a song on your phone, but we want to know your favorite. How to vote
It's as simple as that. Next Thursday (May 22nd) we will compile the results and release the top five apps according to your votes. In order to get a good sample size we need your help in sharing this poll. Click right here to tweet about it, and also alert your favorite developers so they can vote! Let the voting begin! |
| Samsung CEO JK Shin admits Galaxy S5′s lack of “eye-popping” tech Posted: 15 May 2014 12:39 PM PDT
Earlier this week, we learned the Samsung Galaxy S5 may have joined Samsung’s illustrious 10 million sales club in as little as 25 days. Bickering about shipped vs sold aside, it’s an impressive feat. But the news wasn’t really official — rather, it was simply a report from one of South Korea’s publications. Samsung CEO JK Shin was eager to confirm the news today, though, saying that they’ve actually reached 11 million shipments by now. Thus, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is selling 10% faster than its predecessor did, and it’s only just getting started. Shin says to expect increased profit margins and smartphone market share on the quarter, though anyone with half a brain could have guessed that would be the result of this feat. JK Shin also took time to address criticisms that the Samsung Galaxy S5 didn’t quite raise the bar as high as consumers were expecting them to. He says the focus with the Samsung Galaxy S5 wasn’t to pop in as many “eye-popping” specs in as they could, but to deliver features that users would find more useful than a mere novelty. Of course, rumors state Samsung certainly is looking to raise the bar with a new variant of the Galaxy S5. We’re supposed to be seeing the “ Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime” at some point this year, a phone rumored to come with 3GB of RAM, a 2560 x 1440 display, Samsung’s most powerful Octa-Core Exynos chipset and more. Did you grab a Galaxy S5 of your own? If so, how has it been treating you up to this point? We want to hear your thoughts in the comments below! [via Wall Street Journal] |
| Xiaomi’s first tablet is basically a huge iPhone 5C clone (with a nice Tegra K1 inside) Posted: 15 May 2014 10:54 AM PDT When we learned Hugo Barra would be leaving Google for China-based Xiaomi, we thought they’d be up to some amazing things in the future. Turns out they just wanted to create iPhone 5C clones and stretch the living death out of them. That’s what the Xiaomi MiPad is, the company’s first tablet ever. And with the Android-based MIUI, the software is basically reminiscent of iOS 7, as well. All jokes aside, the tablet is actually pretty decent on its own merit. Stuffed inside is NVIDIA’s Tegra K1 chipset, which is some pretty serious horsepower that no other OEM has officially been able to get inside of a device. It features a quad-core 2.2GHz ARM Cortex-A15 processor with a GeForce GPU that houses 192 CUDA cores. The display weighs in at 7.9 inches with a very nice resolution of 2048 x 1536. You’re also getting 2GB of RAM 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, and the ability to expand that storage with a microSD slot compatible with up to 128GB. The device also sportws 2 cameras — an 8 megapixel 1080p on the rear, and a 5 megapixel camera for video calls on the front. Not too shabby.
Even more interesting is the supposed price point — all of this is said to be coming our way for around $240 for the 16GB model or $275 for 32GB, though you should not that these are direct conversions from the Hong Kong yuan, and are not completely indicative of pricing in other markets. Still, it should be a pretty affordable device for those who wouldn’t mind some Tegra K1 love this summer. Be on the lookout for its arrival in June. |
| Swarm finally arrives on Android, hardest part is getting all your friends onboard Posted: 15 May 2014 10:39 AM PDT
We’ve been following Foursquare’s development with Swarm for a few weeks now. After what feels like ages, the app is now finally available on Google Play. We already told you exactly how Foursquare’s social networking app works, with the real value of the app relying on a group of friends you actually want to keep up with.
You and your friends check-in whenever you visit somewhere near, and using relative distances, you can see when a friend is nearby your location for a quick meetup. It’s not too far off from Facebook’s new location notifications, only… you know, less creepy. The hardest part will be finding friends to sign up for Swarm/Foursquare to make it worth your while. But Swarm does make the process a little easier by allowing you to sign in with your Facebook account. In either case, looks like it’s going be me and my 38-year-old brother battling it out for mayorship of our parents’ basement. Download link provided below.
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| NimRod Back explains latest Pressy delays Posted: 15 May 2014 09:44 AM PDT
Surprise surprise, folks — another Kickstarter shipping window slipped. This time, Pressy’s April 28th ship date came and went without a peep from NimRod Back, the project’s creators. Many were wondering what happened and why they were so silent they were nearly deafening. Thankfully we have our answer. Nimrod Back posted an update to Kickstarter today to let everyone know what’s going. As for what happened, they say that some of the Pressy buttons in their latest production batch weren’t up to par, with some beginning to wear out after just 100 clicks. Most Kickstarter delays are often due to quality control issues, so that’s not too surprising of a reason. As to why they took so long to say anything, they say they didn’t want to share any information until they knew the problem was fully identified and fixed. With that, we’re told that the buttons should all be working perfectly fine after a change in their assembly process, and if everything goes well we should see the first shipments begin to arrive by the end of the month. Of course, that window is also subject to unforeseen delays so don’t put too much stock into their estimations. Our suggestion? Just go on with your life, forget about Pressy, and the day it finally shows up you can be even more excited and surprised to have finally received it. [via Kickstarter] |
| 10 Most Addictive Android Games for Killing Time [VIDEO] Posted: 15 May 2014 08:31 AM PDT Mobile gaming has come a long way. We now have full-fledged console-quality games available for Android. These games require some serious time to play. Despite all of these hardcore games, the majority of mobile games available can be labeled as “time killers.” They are great for killing time when you have nothing to do, but beware: they can kill much more time than you intend. These are the games we’re talking about today. The super addicting games that seem dead simple on the surface, but quickly trap you inside. It’s happened to us all. You start playing a simple game. “Oh, this is pretty easy.” Since most games take up the full screen you can’t see what time it is. The “Low Battery” warning wakes you from your daze as you realize it’s been over an hour since you started playing. There are many addictive games available for Android, but these are my Top 10. Dragon, Fly!
First up is a game called Dragon, Fly. The goal of this game is to help a baby dragon run away from its mother. Since the baby can't fly very well you have to use the slopes of hills to ramp yourself into the air. Timing is key to hit the slope at the right angle and maintain all of your speed out of the ramp. What makes it addictive? This game has two addicting aspects to it: simplicity and game length. It’s very easy to play. All it takes is one working finger. It’s also very easy to evade the mother for a substantial amount of time. If you’re really good just two games could take 15-30 minutes. EDGE
Edge is a puzzle game that puts you in control of a single block on a floating map with no edges. The goal is to safely reach the end of the map without falling off. The camera angle and controls make it harder than it seems. This game also requires some thought and problem solving to solve each level. What makes it addictive? You can fly through levels pretty quickly at first, but then it gets more difficult. This lures you into thinking you can beat each level. When you fall off the edge you’re immediately re-spawned at the last checkpoint, so there is never any “end of game” screen to give you a chance to quit. Grabatron
Grabatron gives users the opportunity to play a game in the role of the aliens. Instead of defending the earth you get to destroy things and pick up your alien buddies. The goal is to rack up enough points to advance to the next level and hopefully upgrade your flying saucer and claw. What makes it addictive? Grabatron is very open-ended. You can fly around and abduct people, or just destroy stuff. Random challenges will pop up occasionally to keep you busy, but you can easily just wreak havoc on the town and citizens for hours if you so choose. Jetpack Joyride
There are tons of games that use the "hold your finger to go up" mechanic, but Jetpack Joyride is my favorite. There are plenty of unique power-ups, like the Gravity Suit, and you can buy items to improve your character as well. You can be doing really well, but one mistake and all your progress is erased. What makes it addictive? Jetpack Joyride is incredibly simple, but that makes it so frustrating. Every time you die your immediate next thought is “I can do better than that,” and you try again. Since there are no checkpoints you have to do it all over again to try to beat your score. Osmos HD
Bubbles are a lot more exciting than you might think. In Osmos HD the goal is to collide your bubble with smaller bubbles to grow, but every time you move your bubble it shrinks a little bit. If you touch a bubble that is bigger than your bubble it will start absorbing you. Sometimes there are different tasks, but it usually revolves around absorbing bubbles, What makes it addictive? This game is hypnotic. The game moves a little slow and the music is very soothing. If you’re not careful it will pull you in for hours. Smash Hit
Breaking glass is fun, and that is all you do in Smash Hit. You are given a limited amount of marbles that can be flung at glass obstacles. You need to break them in order to safely pass through. To collect more marbles you can smash glass cones and collect other power-ups along the way. What makes it addictive? It’s very satisfying to break things, especially glass. You'll find yourself playing over and over again just to hear that shattering noise. Stupid Zombies
There are many games that have similar gameplay to Angry Birds, but Stupid Zombies is my favorite. Instead of flinging birds at pigs you get to headshot zombies with a shot gun. The goal is to factor in the ricochet of the bullets to kill all the zombies in as few shots as possible. What makes it addictive? The same thing that makes all games like this so addictive. It's super simple, and the star system makes you replay levels over and over until you get it perfect. Super Hexagon
Super Hexagon is a classic time killing game. All you have to do is keep your arrow from running into the closing walls. It sounds so easy, but it's actually one of the hardest and most frustrating games on this list. It’s remarkably simple in concept, but brutally difficult when you actually play it. You have been warned. What makes it addictive? The difficulty. You can easily die several times in just a minute’s worth of gameplay. When you do manage to stay alive for a while it’s exhilarating. Threes!
Threes! is a cute puzzle game unlike any other. The idea is to combine blocks to create multiples of 3, but you don’t need to be good at math to play. 1′s combines with 2′s to make 3, 3′s pair up with other 3′s, 6′s with 6′s, and so on. The goal is to make blocks with big numbers until there are no moves left. What makes it addictive? It’s so casual. There is no timer or real goal to "beat the game." All you do is combine blocks until there are no more blocks to combine. This can take 1 minute or 30. Tiny Tower Games (Original/Star Wars)
The last game on our list might be the most addicting of them all. In Tiny Tower games the main goal is to build your tower as high as you can. In order to do this you need bitizens to work in your shops and earn money so you can buy more levels. The bitizens themselves also require your attention in order to do good work. What makes it addictive? It’s so busy. There is almost always something that requires your attention. You'll say "I'll just do this one thing and be done," but then something else pops up. Next thing you know 60 minutes have passed and you’re still playing. The ClassicsWhen you hear “addictive games” there are certain titles that come to mind. These are games that have exploded beyond popularity among just the tech crowd. You can see them on t-shirts, TV shows, and candy wrappers. Since these games are so well-known we didn’t bother mentioning them in our Top 10, but here are a few just for old times’ sake.
Of course, there are tons of other games that can be called “addictive.” What are your favorites? How long have you played an addictive game? |
| AT&T begins rolling out HD Voice in initial markets May 23rd Posted: 15 May 2014 08:06 AM PDT
AT&T has announced that they’ve started working on out HD Voice in initial markets, with work to begin as early as May 23rd. Said markets include select areas of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin. It’s interesting that the company is beginning their rollout in these mid-western markets. It’s not these are small markets by any means, but we’re used to seeing the likes of New York City and LA getting the red carpet treatment ahead of anyone else. So what is HD Voice? Simple — it’s voice over LTE, giving you a more clear and reliable medium for calling than typical cellular technologies of yesteryear. VoLTE can deliver data for internet browsing and allow you to speak over the improved network at the same time. That’s not necessarily taboo tech anymore as simultaneous voice and data has been possible on older technologies, but it’s worth noting anyway. Unfortunately the roster of devices which can take advantage will be small to start, both figuratively and literally. The only device that will be equipped with HD Voice capabilities to start is the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. Of course, you can expect more devices and more markets to be added in the weeks, months and most likely years to come. [via AT&T] |
| Samsung schedules June 12th “Tab Into Color” event that should introduce new Galaxy Tab S line Posted: 15 May 2014 06:03 AM PDT
Samsung is sending out invites to members of the press for a June 12th New York City event. The invitation urges folks to “tab into color,” which is a pretty obvious way of saying “we have some new Galaxy Tabs to announce.” Samsung doesn’t typically put on an event for a device not worth the noise, so we’re not expecting this to be the typical ho-hum Galaxy tab you’re used to. Murmurings of a new line of premium tablets by Samsung have been strong lately. We’re told to expect the “ Samsung Galaxy Tab S” that will come in 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch flavors. These devices are said to have 2560 x 1600 AMOLED displays, which would explain their whole “color” theme. The devices are also expected to follow the same design language as the Samsung Galaxy S5 which features a dimpled faux-leather back. Here’s where the latest rumors put the rest of the specs:
If those specs turn out to be true then this will be Samsung’s single greatest line of tablets yet, which is no small feat considering the TabPro and NotePro pack quite a bit of punch themselves. Circle the date on your calendar and know that Phandroid will be in the Big Apple to bring you a first-hand look at Samsung’s latest. |
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