Android Phone Fans |
- Alleged Moto X+1 leaks on camera, prepares for a September launch [VIDEO]
- We now have images for the 250 new emoji that will eventually make their way to Android
- Yelp now allows you to send messages directly to businesses
- OnePlus ‘Storm of Invites’ promo will have you jumping through a few hoops for a chance at buying the phone
- Newly leaked T-Mobile screenshots could reveal changes coming with Uncarrier 5.0
- 5 things to expect from the Amazon phone
- Facebook’s Slingshot now available for Android, offers photo sharing with a unique twist
- Garmin finally enters the 21st century with affordable maps
- Report: AT&T to snag exclusivity for Amazon phone
- Cyanogen Theme Showcase app now available from Google Play
- ‘Echo’ organizes notifications into groups on your lockscreen
- Pressy is now shipping, and the Android app is sitting in the Google Play Store as promised
- Best Android Apps for Kids, Toddlers, and Babies
- Report: Nuance exploring possibility of sale to Samsung
- Nest Protect is now back on sale, and for $30 cheaper
| Alleged Moto X+1 leaks on camera, prepares for a September launch [VIDEO] Posted: 17 Jun 2014 05:23 PM PDT
After the folks at TK Tech News put out a $25,000 bounty for anyone willing to leak the upcoming Moto X+1, it seems that bounty has now been claimed. Originally upset at a “company” trying to plant false leaks, it seems they now have the real deal on their hands. Part 1 of 5 leaks coming soon gives us a quick look at an alleged Moto X+1 prototype — complete with “Motorola Confidential Property” branding — as it’s boot animation is shown off to the world. Update: Apparently, this is the same beta boot animation as found on the Motorola test devices dating all the way back to February here. What that means, is up for you to decide. Thanks, M477! TK Tech News seems very confident that the phone he has in his possession is in fact that elusive Motorola Moto X+1. In blog posts, he touts the display as “amazing” and says the phone is noticeably thinner than the original Moto X. He also says it features a micro SD card slot, something not found in the original Moto X. According to his sources, we could be seeing a September release date for the Moto X+1, but we’ll have to wait and see how that all pans out. In the meantime, check out the video below for a brief look at the phone’s boot animation and we’ll be on the look out for more leaks said to arrive this week. Cheers. |
| We now have images for the 250 new emoji that will eventually make their way to Android Posted: 17 Jun 2014 04:43 PM PDT
After giving you guys a full list of the 250 new emoji coming soon to an Android device near you, we now know exactly what those emoji will look like. The new symbols and pictographs are part of the Unicode 7.0 update, highlighted in a new PDF for easy scanning. Everything from sunglasses, to a business man hovering above the ground are just a few of the quirky new emoji making the cut. While these new additions are sure to make frequent texters and messagers salivate, I guess the biggest question many of you are asking is whether this many new emoji are needed. That answer is a resounding yes. Yes they are. We can’t wait to see what the folks at Google do with the emoji for Android. For those unaware, Android features their own unique designs for emoji, as well as OEMs like HTC and Samsung. |
| Yelp now allows you to send messages directly to businesses Posted: 17 Jun 2014 03:23 PM PDT
In its conquest to become the de facto source for business listings and reviews, Yelp is announcing yet another new feature for desktop and mobile. Available today, Yelp users can now send direct messages to businesses straight from their Yelp business listings. If you hop inside the Yelp app, you’ll now see the option appear (participating businesses only) right in the listing. For business owners, received messages will be forwarded to their email account, where they can then be replied to right from the email.
In our busy lives, sometimes picking up the phone to inquire about services (or complain about service) isn’t the easiest way of going about things. For those that work long hours in the office, sending a simple message could provide a much better convenience. It could also help act as a buffer. A 1-star review from a jaded Yelper who received a wrong order can hurt a business far more than they know. Being able to directly message business is a great way to handle customer service issues outside away from public view. You’ll find the new direct messaging feature in both Yelp for Android and iOS, as well as the desktop. Download link provided below. |
| Posted: 17 Jun 2014 01:44 PM PDT
If you’re still itching for a chance to pick up the OnePlus One, you — and about 2,500 others — now have your best chance yet. The startup announced an all new promotion via their Google+ page that, according to them, will rain a storm of invites upon lucky fans. Of course like most things OnePlus…. there’s a catch.
Really it’s not much. All you have to do is plug the company across a variety of social networks for a chance at winning one of the 2,500 invites being given out for the 64GB “Sandstone black” model. To make things interesting, 1 lucky participant will win a free OnePlus One 64GB completely free of charge. Here are a few of the “hoops” you’ll need to jump through (each one is worth 1 entry), but it’s up to you to decide if they’re worth it for an invite:
With already 126,000+ entries, your chances of winning an invite aren’t exactly in your favor. Here’s to hoping they’ll soon open the flood gates and finally give everyone who wants to purchase the Cyanogen phone a chance at owning one before things turn sour. |
| Newly leaked T-Mobile screenshots could reveal changes coming with Uncarrier 5.0 Posted: 17 Jun 2014 12:59 PM PDT
The whole world is racking their brains trying to figure out exactly what T-Mobile could announce during tomorrow’s Uncarrier 5.0 event. Like previous events, T-Mobile is setting out to eliminate customer pain points associated with the wireless industry today, but how? Well, after rumors suggested T-Mobile would simplify billing, the folks at TmoNews are here with a few leaked screenshots for extra confirmation. First on the chopping block are prorated charges. Because no one like’s surprises on their bills, T-Mobile will eliminate their current prorated system which can sometimes leave customers with “bill shock” after seeing that first monthly bill (you know, before things drop down to normal later down the road). This means whatever the customer signs up for in the store like, say, a $70 month plan — that’s exactly what they’ll find on their first and subsequent month’s bills.
To help speed up the process of waiting around for that first EIP (equipment installment plan) payment, the first payment will be included on the very first bill, from the moment you signed up. Once again, taking out a lot of the guess work or shock that comes with seeing your low monthly payments suddenly skyrocket. While previous rumors suggested that T-Mobile’s new simplified billing initiative would offer an “all in” what-you-see-is-what-you-get pricing (for instance, a $70 a month plan after fees and taxes would be just that — $70), that wasn’t mentioned in the leaked documentation. Of course, we’ll have to see how much of this will be confirmed during T-Mobile’s Uncarrier 5.0 event scheduled for tomorrow. Something tells us they may have a few more surprises in store. [TmoNews] |
| 5 things to expect from the Amazon phone Posted: 17 Jun 2014 12:46 PM PDT
Tomorrow, June 18th, is the day that Amazon will finally announce their own phone. Rumors of this device have been appearing in the news for over two years. Amazon has popular e-readers, tablets, and most recently they added a set-top box. A smartphone seems like the obvious next step. After releasing the teaser video below we can all but confirm a phone is coming. What should you expect from it? Here are five things. 3D UIOne of the rumors that has picked up steam lately claims that the Amazon phone will have a 3D display and UI. This rumor was backed up with some evidence when a photo of the device leaked and revealed four cameras on the front of the device. Amazon’s 3D interface is said to be much different from those that HTC and LG tried. The cameras on the front of the device will track your eyes and head movement to alter the UI. In the teaser video several people mention how it “moved with me.”
We’re not sure yet how Amazon will use this technology, but the reactions in the video show that it is visually impressive. It could just be a fun gimmick, but hopefully Amazon is using this technology for something more useful. Another important aspect will be how the constant eye and face tracking impact battery life. The 3D features are by far the most intriguing aspect of this device. ShoppingThis one is pretty obvious. Since this is an Amazon device you can expect a big focus on purchasing stuff from their store. There has been speculation that Amazon will unveil a brand new shopping interface that takes advantage of the 3D effects. It is said that Amazon feels a phone is necessary to “close any remaining gap between the impulse to buy and the completed act.”
We’re not sure how a dedicated Amazon phone will make it even easier to purchase things. Every device you own can already access Amazon.com or use their mobile apps. Their apps can even scan barcodes so you can quickly purchase items. How will this new device make it even easier to buy things? We are very interested to find out. SpecsThe main specs of this device reside in the display and front cameras. Other than the 3D technology there is not a lot going on in this device. Reports suggest it will have a 4.7-inch 720p display, Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and 2GB of RAM. These specs will place the phone squarely in the mid-range category, just like with most of the Kindle Fire tablets. Amazon is not interested in fighting the spec battle. They just want to make it easy for people to buy stuff from them, which leads us right into the next thing to expect. PricingAmazon always prices their products very competitively. With the Kindle Fire tablets they changed the game and forced everyone else to charge less. They have used ads to cut prices of the Kindle e-readers, and they have even experimented with payment plans for devices. We expect the Amazon phone will also be priced competitively, but a recent rumor says it will only be available from AT&T.
Another thing to take into consideration is Amazon Prime. They have always treated Prime subscribers very well with free movies, TV shows, and now music. Could we see them throw discounts at Prime subscribers for this phone too? If the device really does make buying things easy it would be in their best interest to get it in the hands of Prime users. We could also see them include a free year of Prime to new buyers. One thing we know is that this device will be priced to kill. Something Different
The last thing to expect is something different. This could be the unique 3D interface, or something else. The invites to this event were very strange. CEO Jeff Bezos included copies of his favorite childhood book, Mr. Pine’s Purple House, and said “the world is a better place when things are a little bit different.” What exactly does he have up his sleeves? Whatever it is, consider us very interested. What do you expect to see from Amazon tomorrow? Are you interested in an Amazon phone? Do you think they will announce anything that surprises you? |
| Facebook’s Slingshot now available for Android, offers photo sharing with a unique twist Posted: 17 Jun 2014 11:31 AM PDT
After Facebook’s new photo sharing app, Slingshot, leaked out a bit prematurely last week, it seems the social network is finally ready to make things official. The app has just gone live on Google Play, along with the official Facebook page and new promo video announcing availability of Slingshot for both Android and iOS. You can check out the video here. For those unaware, Slingshot is Facebook’s latest attempt to mimic the success of Snapchat. While Messenger is aimed towards direct messaging with friends and family, Slingshot’s focus is more on the social aspects of photo sharing. Like Snapchat and Instagram before it, the whole point of Slingshot is to share pics (and having friends who actually want to receive your pics). But unlike rival services, before your friends can ever view your pic, they’ll first need to send one back. It’s an interesting take on photo sharing, and one that could help increase engagement (or kill it completely). Like most new social services, Slingshot’s success relies heavily on your circles using it. Given it’s ties to Facebook, it sounds like finding friends on the service wont be too difficult. Worst comes to worst, you can always share selfies with grandma. You can download Slingshot free for Android via the link below. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Garmin finally enters the 21st century with affordable maps Posted: 17 Jun 2014 11:29 AM PDT It took Garmin quite a long time to get with the times. After their failed attempt at creating GPS phones that could help you find your way around town without an internet connection, the navigation company released several overpriced apps in the Google Play Store. For $30 you were promised offline maps of whichever region you chose, and some features unique to Garmin that Google Maps couldn’t provide.
And then Google Maps got good. It got great. And now, thinking about paying $30 for something Google offers for free is downright ludicrous. Thankfully Garmin is making an attempt to adapt to the times with a new app. For $2, Viago breaks things down to the bare essentials, including basic road navigation of the entirety of the world. You then help yourself to additional features that you want a-la-carte using in-app purchases, such as Active Lane Guidance, offline maps and landmarks-based directions (“turn right at the clock tower,” for instance.) The problem is that Garmin still isn’t providing much more than what Google Maps can give you for absolutely nothing. There are a few cool things, but nothing that seems worth paying for when other solutions already get the job done just fine. Take public transit? Forget about it — Viago only offers driving and walking directions. But if for some reason you’re attached to Garmin and absolutely can’t go without their maps, Viago doesn’t seem like a terrible place to start. You can grab the download from Google Play just ahead. |
| Report: AT&T to snag exclusivity for Amazon phone Posted: 17 Jun 2014 09:38 AM PDT
Hoping to buy whatever smartphone Amazon happens to announce at their big event tomorrow? It doesn’t sound like it’ll be all that easy unless you’re an AT&T customer (or willing to become one). The Wall Street Journal is announcing that AT&T will be named as the exclusive carrier to offer Amazon’s smartphone. AT&T is well-known for securing interesting device exclusives. We needn’t look much further than the launch of the original iPhone and various follow-ups to see that they’re willing to pay top dollar to offer something no one else can. (That partnership ended quite a while ago, of course.) And Amazon’s dealings with AT&T aren’t anything new. Although AT&T doesn’t get the fanfare and parade for it, they are the exclusive provider for Kindle 3G’s free data in the United States. It isn’t hard to believe the strength of that partnership has moved Amazon to consider getting in bed with AT&T for their first smartphone. This also isn’t the first time we’ve heard of Amazon and AT&T partnering up for this release. The earliest rumors named AT&T as a provider of “Prime Data,” which would be a data channel for people to consume Amazon content — such as books, streaming movies and TV, and MP3s — over AT&T’s network without it counting toward their data limit. The pieces are all falling into place, and tomorrow should be a very interesting day to say the least. You know our eyes will be peeled to see how it all plays out so be sure to circle back for everything you need to know. [via Wall Street Journal] |
| Cyanogen Theme Showcase app now available from Google Play Posted: 17 Jun 2014 08:03 AM PDT
As promised, CyanogenMod has released their Cyanogen Theme Showcase in the Google Play Store. The app serves to highlight themes made for the CyanogenMod theme engine, which will be featured on the OnePlus One and all the latest versions of CyanogenMod. The app itself is quite clean, simple and neat, and does a great job highlighting some awesome themes. And there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach here: you can mix and match icon packs, wallpapers, widgets and more as you see fit. The problem? Not enough themes. There aren’t quite that many to start, though we know CyanogenMod has been working hard to court theme designers to submit their wares. We’re sure the list will increase quite a bit in the weeks and months to come. Doesn’t hurt to have the app right now, though, so find it at the link ahead if you are interested. |
| ‘Echo’ organizes notifications into groups on your lockscreen Posted: 17 Jun 2014 07:14 AM PDT
If you have ever felt buried in notifications we have the perfect app for you. Echo is a lockscreen replacement that organizes notifications into groups. That alone makes reading notifications much easier, but it also allows you to snooze or dismiss them in groups. Echo puts all of your notifications into five groups: priority, work, social, media, and other. Tapping on a group will expand it so you can see all the notifications. You can swipe to the left to dismiss, or swipe to the right to bring up reminder options. From there you can set to be reminded of notifications when you leave or arrive at home or work, in the morning, tomorrow, or in one hour. All of these actions can be performed on individual notifications or the entire group. Echo can make reading massive amounts of notifications much easier. To set up Echo as your lockscreen simply grant it permission to access notifications and then check the “Use Echo Lock Screen” option. Download Echo for free from the Play Store below. Enjoy! |
| Pressy is now shipping, and the Android app is sitting in the Google Play Store as promised Posted: 17 Jun 2014 07:08 AM PDT
A couple of weeks ago we were saddened to hear that Pressy’s app might not be entering the Google Play Store, but Pressy cleared that up as an unfortunate misunderstanding. They’ve made good on their word — you can now download the app from Google Play. Of course, you won’t be able to use the app without your Pressy as the app requires a unique activation code that ships with each unit. Fortunately those activation codes and the Pressy units themselves aren’t far off, as the company has started shipping units as early as yesterday morning. Nimrod Back expects all Pressy orders to be fully shipped by the end of Business Wednesday. We’re told to allow 5-14 business days for delivery, though folks in certain regions could wait up to 21 business days to begin seeing it. We suppose that isn’t terrible, though, considering you’ve been patient enough to wait through some unfortunate delays. Anyone excited to receive their Pressys within the next few weeks? [via Kickstarter] |
| Best Android Apps for Kids, Toddlers, and Babies Posted: 17 Jun 2014 06:14 AM PDT
For many people the most important thing in their life is not the next big phone release. It’s not how many cores power their phone, or how many megapixels are in the camera. The most important thing in their life is their children. However, that doesn’t mean gadgets and kids never mix. Anyone that has kids, or is around kids a lot, will know how interested they are in whatever phone or tablet you have. Kids of all ages are surprisingly quick to learn how to use a smartphone or tablet. Even better than some adults. The advent of the touchscreen has made these devices very easy for young kids to use. It’s no surprise that the Google Play Store has been filling up with apps designed specifically for young minds and small fingers. We’re taking a look at some of these apps for kids, toddlers, and babies. When you’re done washing the crayon off that wall, take a look!
Moose Math – $1.99 – Ages 3-8 Moose Math engages kids in a mathematical adventure and teaches counting, addition, subtraction, sorting, geometry and more. While playing 5 multi-level activities in the Moose Juice Store, Puck's Pet Shop and Lost & Found, kids can earn rewards to help build their own city and decorate buildings. Slice Fractions – $2.99 – All ages Make your child hungry for his or her next math discovery with Slice Fractions. Knowing that slicing games are incredibly fun, the developers behind this game teamed up with university education experts to craft a creative and new way to learn fractions. Squeebles Times Tables 2 – $2.99 – All ages Let your kids practice their times tables in the most fun and interactive way possible, whilst helping Whizz rescue the Squeebles from the clutches of the nasty Math Monster. Earn a multitude of rewards and turns on a great mini-game by doing well in your times tables. Toddler Counting 123 – Free – All ages Teaching your toddler to count is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Watch your toddler discover the simple joy of learning as they tap and count along. Designed for young minds and tiny fingers, the gameplay is simple and without fuss. It’s filled with heaps of lighthearted fun and even more room to grow. Monkey Math School Sunshine – $1.99 – Ages 3-6 Join your child’s favorite monkey in math games and activities in a playfully designed beach-themed world. Monkey Math School Sunshine allows your child to build fundamental math skills while they are endlessly entertained. Your child will count, add and sort their way through engaging games with uninterrupted play.
Endless Alphabet – Free- All ages Set the stage for reading success with this delightfully interactive educational app. Kids will have a blast learning their ABC’s and building vocabulary with the adorable monsters in Endless Alphabet. Each word features an interactive puzzle with talking letters and a short animation illustrating the definition. DK Readers – Free – All ages The new DK Readers app makes learning to read fun and exciting. You can browse through a whole library of fantastic books on topics like farm animals, fishy tales, emperor penguins, and Ewoks. eBooks are labeled with reading levels so you can pick the right one for your child. This app is perfect for each stage of your child's development. Sight Words Games & Flash card - $1.99 – All ages “Sight words” are words that do not have a simple one-to-one correspondence between sounds and written letters, and therefore have to be learned "by sight." Sight Words offers children an easy-to-use interface and a choice of six fun games through which children can master these tricky “sight words.” Super Why ABC – $3.99 – Ages 3-6 Is your child ready to go around the world on a learning adventure with Super Why? Your child can do just that while playing a comprehensive collection of five interactive literacy games that help build strategies and skills to master the alphabet. This app is especially great for preschool and kindergarten prep and practice. Dora ABCs Vol 1: Letters – $3.99 – All ages In this app, which is the first of a series from Nickelodeon, your child will learn the Alphabetic Principle: to recognize letters, write letters and associate letters with sounds. Dora and Boots teach sounds that letters make so kids can associate those sounds with the appropriate letters. |
| Report: Nuance exploring possibility of sale to Samsung Posted: 17 Jun 2014 05:41 AM PDT
Some very interesting news broke out of the Wall Street Journal this morning, with the publication reporting that Nuance has been eyeing a possibility of a sale of the company. Even more interesting is that the biggest sales talks with potential buyers has been with Samsung, the company who first popularized Nuance’s Swype keyboard. It’ll be a pretty interesting ordeal if true, especially considering Nuance also has strong ties with Apple. The company is largely responsible for Siri’s backbone. We’re not sure how a sale to Samsung would change things in that regard, but you have to imagine the guys in Cupertino won’t be happy if their biggest competitor ends up snatching the rug from the beneath them. It’s worth noting that Samsung isn’t the only potential buyer in all this. Wall Street Journal reports that Nuance has also been in talks with private investors, as well as unnamed companies in a number of other industries. It’s important to remember that Nuance isn’t responsible for just Swype and Siri — they have the entirety of the impressive Dragon NaturallySpeaking technology under their belts. That makes them a prime target for many big business players. We’re not sure if there will be anything more than money that will influence Nuance’s decision, but Samsung should be able to win a moderate bidding war should it come down to that. All that’s left to do is wait and see how all of this develops. |
| Nest Protect is now back on sale, and for $30 cheaper Posted: 17 Jun 2014 05:15 AM PDT
Nest had the unfortunate task of recalling their smart Smoke + CO Detectors not too long ago thanks to a potentially fatal feature. The feature was Nest Wave, and the fear was that something other than an intentional waving gesture could disable a smoke or CO alarm in the event of an emergency. Nest quickly issued a software upgrade that disabled this feature for existing consumers, though anyone wishing to purchase a new detector had to go through aftermarket means. Thankfully that is no longer the case as the device has gone back on sale. That’s not the only good news, either — Nest has also announced that the thermostat has received a $30 price drop, giving you the ability to own one for a cool $99 before taxes. It’s too bad that the Wave feature had to be disabled, though we imagine that small price for added peace of mind and safety is quite justified. We’re not sure when these things will end up returning to the Google Play Store, but you can grab one directly from Nest right now if you’re interested. |
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