Prisma received a ton of praise when it made its way onto Android due to how easy it was to apply a unique feature to make your photo fit into a certain style of art. The Pierra application from XDA Junior Member tech96 is quite similar as it too uses filters to make your photos look like art. The developer uses inspiring art styles from the likes of Picasso, Pierre, and da Vinci to transform your photographs. Pierra is completely advertisement free and doesn’t require an internet connection to use.
If you’ve ever been in a situation where you needed Internet access but had a weak data signal on your phone and/or didn’t know where to go for a Wi-Fi hotspot, then you’ll be happy to hear that Facebook is rolling out a new feature today that should be quite useful in these situations.
The new feature is called, “Find Wi-Fi”, and it works just like you’d expect. Built directly into the Facebook app itself, Find Wi-Fi shows a map of your surrounding area and which establishments have Wi-Fi hotspots or routers that you can connect to for free Internet access.
To access Find Wi-Fi within the Facebook app, simply tap on the “More” tab and then the option titled “Find Wi-Fi.” From here, you can choose to view the hotspots near you in a map or list setup, and then get directions to that business so you know exactly where to go.
Facebook pulls this data from information that businesses have shared on their Facebook pages, and it’s something that we can see being quite handy for those with weak cell reception in their area or for when you’re out traveling.
Find Wi-Fi was initially made available last year for a few countries across the globe, and we’re excited to see that the service was popular enough for a global release. The new feature is rolling out now to the Facebook app on both Android and iOS, so be sure to check the app to see if you’ve received it yet.
Prisma received a ton of praise when it made its way onto Android due to how easy it was to apply a unique feature to make your photo fit into a certain style of art. The Pierra application from XDA Junior Member tech96 is quite similar as it too uses filters to make your photos look like art. The developer uses inspiring art styles from the likes of Picasso, Pierre, and da Vinci to transform your photographs. Pierra is completely advertisement free and doesn't require an internet connection to use.
If you've ever been in a situation where you needed Internet access but had a weak data signal on your phone and/or didn't know where to go for a Wi-Fi hotspot, then you'll be happy to hear that Facebook is rolling out a new feature today that should be quite useful in these situations.
The new feature is called, "Find Wi-Fi", and it works just like you'd expect. Built directly into the Facebook app itself, Find Wi-Fi shows a map of your surrounding area and which establishments have Wi-Fi hotspots or routers that you can connect to for free Internet access.
To access Find Wi-Fi within the Facebook app, simply tap on the "More" tab and then the option titled "Find Wi-Fi." From here, you can choose to view the hotspots near you in a map or list setup, and then get directions to that business so you know exactly where to go.
Facebook pulls this data from information that businesses have shared on their Facebook pages, and it's something that we can see being quite handy for those with weak cell reception in their area or for when you're out traveling.
Find Wi-Fi was initially made available last year for a few countries across the globe, and we're excited to see that the service was popular enough for a global release. The new feature is rolling out now to the Facebook app on both Android and iOS, so be sure to check the app to see if you've received it yet.
Earlier in the day, Project Fi’s official Twitter handle tweeted out that a new Fi-compatible device will be coming later this year from one of Google Fi’s partners. This device will be made available at a mid-tier price, bringing it within reach for a larger spectrum of potential users.
We hear you loud and clear. Keep an eye out for a new Fi-compatible device at a mid-tier price from one of our partners later this year. https://t.co/74U3bq16pa
After the revelation from Google, notable leaker Evan Blass is reporting through VentureBeat that this phone is none other than the upcoming Lenovo Moto X4.
The Lenovo Moto X4 is the next generation device in the widely acclaimed Moto X lineup. Moto’s X branded devices have held the distinction of being value purchases offering great performance on a budget-friendly price. The first Moto X invited skepticism from many who questioned its mid-tier specs, but were silenced when the sum of the experience turned out to be unparalleled in value at that time.
This generation of Moto X will have a few notable points of its own that we look forward to. The new Moto X4 will be the first non-Nexus and non-Pixel handset to offer Project Fi-compatibility. VentureBeat also confirms that the Moto X4 will come with a dual rear-camera setup. Marketing imagery from a Moto partner presentation also points towards the phone sporting a 5.2″ FHD display and “SmartCam” functionality.
With the Moto X4, Google’s Project Fi will finally be opening up to support hardware that is not associated with Google. New sign-ups to Project Fi is currently limited to the Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL, as the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P have remained out of stock for a while. Expanding Fi support to more devices will benefit users who are looking for a wider choice on the mobile network market, though they will have to wait until Q4 2017 at least.
Earlier in the day, Project Fi's official Twitter handle tweeted out that a new Fi-compatible device will be coming later this year from one of Google Fi's partners. This device will be made available at a mid-tier price, bringing it within reach for a larger spectrum of potential users.
We hear you loud and clear. Keep an eye out for a new Fi-compatible device at a mid-tier price from one of our partners later this year. https://t.co/74U3bq16pa
After the revelation from Google, notable leaker Evan Blass is reporting through VentureBeat that this phone is none other than the upcoming Lenovo Moto X4.
The Lenovo Moto X4 is the next generation device in the widely acclaimed Moto X lineup. Moto's X branded devices have held the distinction of being value purchases offering great performance on a budget-friendly price. The first Moto X invited skepticism from many who questioned its mid-tier specs, but were silenced when the sum of the experience turned out to be unparalleled in value at that time.
This generation of Moto X will have a few notable points of its own that we look forward to. The new Moto X4 will be the first non-Nexus and non-Pixel handset to offer Project Fi-compatibility. VentureBeat also confirms that the Moto X4 will come with a dual rear-camera setup. Marketing imagery from a Moto partner presentation also points towards the phone sporting a 5.2″ FHD display and "SmartCam" functionality.
With the Moto X4, Google's Project Fi will finally be opening up to support hardware that is not associated with Google. New sign-ups to Project Fi is currently limited to the Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL, as the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P have remained out of stock for a while. Expanding Fi support to more devices will benefit users who are looking for a wider choice on the mobile network market, though they will have to wait until Q4 2017 at least.
We’ve seen Substratum used to theme a number of UI elements lately and now XDA Senior Member KpChuck has released one for the OnePlus 5 status bar clock. OxygenOS doesn’t let us customize the clock too much, but with K-Klock we can move the position of it, change its color, change the clock format, and change the clock font. The developer does recommend that you disable the stock clock through Settings or SystemUI tuner if you have chosen a custom clock format with K-Klock.
We've seen Substratum used to theme a number of UI elements lately and now XDA Senior Member KpChuck has released one for the OnePlus 5 status bar clock. OxygenOS doesn't let us customize the clock too much, but with K-Klock we can move the position of it, change its color, change the clock format, and change the clock font. The developer does recommend that you disable the stock clock through Settings or SystemUI tuner if you have chosen a custom clock format with K-Klock.
A widely circulating theory on the official OnePlus forums, Reddit’s /r/OnePlus, and our very own forums is now confirmed: OnePlus mounted the display panel upside-down on the OnePlus 5. While we have yet to directly link the display panel orientation as the cause of the odd jelly scrolling behavior some users have been encountering, the two appear to be undeniably correlated. In this article, we will attempt to summarize the jelly scrolling behavior and how it relates to the OnePlus 5’s display panel orientation so our readers can make an informed decision on their purchase.
OnePlus 5’s “Jelly” Scrolling Behavior
It has not been long since users received their brand new OnePlus 5 smartphones, but already many users were beginning to notice a peculiar screen effect when scrolling their screens. Dubbed by the community as the “jelly”-like scrolling effect, this effect causes the text on display to bunch up together and then stretch out when the user is swiping in the opposite direction. It’s a bit difficult to explain through text, but a widely-circulating video from The Verge’s Dan Seifert clearly demonstrates this behavior.
Note: the video shared by Mr. Seifert was originally hosted on his personal Google Photos account. However, it appears that link is no longer accessible, so I am linking a mirror hosted by a community member.
In response to user’s concerns over the matter, OnePlus issued what many see to be a rather bizarre statement in light of the findings:
The OnePlus 5 uses the same level of high-quality components as all OnePlus devices, including the AMOLED display. We’ve received feedback from a small number of users saying that at times they notice a subtle visual effect when scrolling. This is natural and there’s no variance in screens between devices.
Hence, the company claims that this issue is not the result of a manufacturing defect, Quality Assurance mishap, or software bug. Instead, the company implies this is an issue only seen by a small number of users (according to their feedback), but that it’s “natural” and not a result of different users having different screens.
Indeed, this scrolling behavior does not seem to be noticed by every owner of the OnePlus 5, but for those that do pick up on it – the effect can be quite jarring. To some, it is a deal-breaker. 9to5Google’s Stephen Hall and AndroidPolice’s Ryne Hager are just two out of many users I have seen express the desire to return their phone over the issue.
While some may say these are “overreactions” to what they feel are minor issues, ultimately the only opinion that matters in this case is your own. Does this scrolling effect bother you enough to turn you away from the phone? That’s a question you’ll have to grapple with yourself. OnePlus has already stated that users should not expect an OTA update or RMA to resolve the issue – which means users only have 15 days to decide what to do in response to this.
OnePlus 5’s Display Panel Orientation
Community members looking into the issue came up with two theories to explain what may be causing the behavior: VSYNC toggling or the display panel’s orientation. The former is a software issue while the latter is hardware related. While the VSYNC toggling theory was quickly dismissed, the OnePlus community seemed to be fixated on the potential that the OnePlus 5’s display panel was oriented upside-down. This claim was made because users began to notice that if the screen is inverted on many other smartphones, those other smartphones may also experience this same jelly-like scrolling effect. The manufacturer didn’t seem to matter – so long as the phone’s screen is inverted, some users could reproduce the issue on their other smartphones.
Though this explanation is fairly convincing, it lacked one crucial element: proof. No physical proof was given that the OnePlus 5’s display panel was mounted upside-down. During our initial reporting on this matter, we initially dismissed this claim partly for that reason. After the article was published, however, XDA Recognized Developer SultanXDA was able to do some more digging into the kernel source code and found incontrovertible proof that OnePlus did indeed orient the display panel upside-down:
This code is for the display controller and it clearly defines that the panel is oriented 180 degrees. According to SultanXDA, this is his first time seeing this code in an actual device. The documentation for this line actually exists in the display controller of other devices, but most other devices do not have the line present. We verified this by examining the display controller source code on the OnePlus One, OnePlus X, OnePlus 2, OnePlus 3/3T, Google Nexus 5X, Google Nexus 6P, and a few other smartphones to satisfy our curiosity.
Since the line is not present in the source code of these other devices, this means that the value is “null” by default, which means that the display controller’s default behavior is no flip compensation.
Another kernel developer, XDA Recognized Contributor eng.stk states that he also found evidence to confirm this is the case, as the display matrix on the OnePlus 5 is inverted when compared to the OnePlus 3T, which is addressed in the code he found. He was able to merge the OnePlus 5’s panel code and boot the OnePlus 3T with the code, resulting in the OnePlus 3T’s display becoming inverted.
And we can even correlate this physically through hardware teardowns as well.
Basically, the evidence is now undeniable: the OnePlus 5’s display panel is definitely mounted upside-down. What was once claimed based on circumstantial evidence is now proven. But what are the exact implications of this fact?
The Jelly-Like Scrolling Effect is “Natural”
And now we return to the statement issued to us yesterday by OnePlus. The claim that that the scrolling effect is “natural” and that there’s no “variance between devices” seems absurd on the surface, but now seems far more plausible in light of these new findings.
The correlation between the display panel orientation and the jelly scrolling behavior is very high. As mentioned previously, users are able to reproduce this effect on other smartphones by flipping their screens upside down before scrolling. Thus, if this effect can be reproduced on other smartphones by inverting the screen from its natural orientation, then it makes sense for this effect to occur on the OnePlus 5’s “natural”, upside-down orientation.
Hence, when OnePlus issued their carefully crafted PR statement – they were being truthful. It is “natural” for this to occur – a natural consequence of the display panel being oriented upside down. There is no variance between screens that causes the issue because every OnePlus 5’s display panel is mounted upside down. It could happen on any given OnePlus 5 smartphone. For now, it doesn’t appear that there’s any way to tell if your OnePlus 5 will be affected by this issue except trying to replicate it yourself.
While we don’t have an exact reasoning behind why flipping the display panel causes the effect, the best educated guess we can make is that it is related to what area of the screen is updated first and the latency involved in which screen contents are updated first.
Why Upside-Down?
Obviously, OnePlus deliberately chose to invert the screen panel while manufacturing the OnePlus 5 (remember – it’s not a “defect”!). This is not something that occurs by accident. Although we are not privvy to their exact reasoning, we can offer some speculation.
If you’ll take a look back at any of the thorough teardowns of the smartphone, you may notice that the display controller IC is located at the bottom. In order to compensate for the module’s placement, OnePlus flipped the display panel so the display cable would easily reach the motherboard and none of these components would interfere with other elements at the top of the device. But why would they need to do this all in the first place?
Take a look at what is placed at the top of the smartphone – the dual camera and some antennas. Like with any decision involving where to place components in a smartphone, it likely came down to space considerations. With limited space, the company had to decide where to place each component so everything would fit. Since the dual lens camera, which is new to the OnePlus line-up, takes up more space than a single lens camera it is possible the company moved the motherboard – and hence flipped the display panel – in order to accommodate the new camera module.
Conclusion
Of course as I mentioned before, the reasoning I have given for why the OnePlus 5’s display panel is inverted is just speculation on my part. OnePlus made the decision to place each component where they are for a reason. It just so happens that this decision may be behind the peculiar jelly scrolling effect some users are seeing on their phones. Perhaps the company made a gamble that not enough people would be bothered by it or notice it to raise a stink. Perhaps this is the reason why other manufacturers don’t orient their display panels upside down. It’s even possible OnePlus wasn’t fully aware of the consequences.
Whatever the cause, we hope that this article has given you a better understanding of the issue beyond OnePlus’s vague PR statement ,so you can make a decision for yourself what you want to do with your smartphone. I don’t personally believe this issue detracts from the other merits of the smartphone such as how well it performs and how developer friendly it is poised to be, but if the jelly scrolling issue is a deal-breaker for you then unfortunately you’ll either have to deal with it (if you notice it) or use the 15 day return window while it lasts.
P.S. Don’t believe everything you read from online support.
from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2tsswRO
via IFTTT
A widely circulating theory on the official OnePlus forums, Reddit's /r/OnePlus, and our very own forums is now confirmed: OnePlus mounted the display panel upside-down on the OnePlus 5. While we have yet to directly link the display panel orientation as the cause of the odd jelly scrolling behavior some users have been encountering, the two appear to be undeniably correlated. In this article, we will attempt to summarize the jelly scrolling behavior and how it relates to the OnePlus 5's display panel orientation so our readers can make an informed decision on their purchase.
OnePlus 5's "Jelly" Scrolling Behavior
It has not been long since users received their brand new OnePlus 5 smartphones, but already many users were beginning to notice a peculiar screen effect when scrolling their screens. Dubbed by the community as the "jelly"-like scrolling effect, this effect causes the text on display to bunch up together and then stretch out when the user is swiping in the opposite direction. It's a bit difficult to explain through text, but a widely-circulating video from The Verge's Dan Seifert clearly demonstrates this behavior.
Note: the video shared by Mr. Seifert was originally hosted on his personal Google Photos account. However, it appears that link is no longer accessible, so I am linking a mirror hosted by a community member.
In response to user's concerns over the matter, OnePlus issued what many see to be a rather bizarre statement in light of the findings:
The OnePlus 5 uses the same level of high-quality components as all OnePlus devices, including the AMOLED display. We've received feedback from a small number of users saying that at times they notice a subtle visual effect when scrolling. This is natural and there's no variance in screens between devices.
Hence, the company claims that this issue is not the result of a manufacturing defect, Quality Assurance mishap, or software bug. Instead, the company implies this is an issue only seen by a small number of users (according to their feedback), but that it's "natural" and not a result of different users having different screens.
Indeed, this scrolling behavior does not seem to be noticed by every owner of the OnePlus 5, but for those that do pick up on it – the effect can be quite jarring. To some, it is a deal-breaker. 9to5Google's Stephen Hall and AndroidPolice's Ryne Hager are just two out of many users I have seen express the desire to return their phone over the issue.
While some may say these are "overreactions" to what they feel are minor issues, ultimately the only opinion that matters in this case is your own. Does this scrolling effect bother you enough to turn you away from the phone? That's a question you'll have to grapple with yourself. OnePlus has already stated that users should not expect an OTA update or RMA to resolve the issue – which means users only have 15 days to decide what to do in response to this.
OnePlus 5's Display Panel Orientation
Community members looking into the issue came up with two theories to explain what may be causing the behavior: VSYNC toggling or the display panel's orientation. The former is a software issue while the latter is hardware related. While the VSYNC toggling theory was quickly dismissed, the OnePlus community seemed to be fixated on the potential that the OnePlus 5's display panel was oriented upside-down. This claim was made because users began to notice that if the screen is inverted on many other smartphones, those other smartphones may also experience this same jelly-like scrolling effect. The manufacturer didn't seem to matter – so long as the phone's screen is inverted, some users could reproduce the issue on their other smartphones.
Though this explanation is fairly convincing, it lacked one crucial element: proof. No physical proof was given that the OnePlus 5's display panel was mounted upside-down. During our initial reporting on this matter, we initially dismissed this claim partly for that reason. After the article was published, however, XDA Recognized Developer SultanXDA was able to do some more digging into the kernel source code and found incontrovertible proof that OnePlus did indeed orient the display panel upside-down:
This code is for the display controller and it clearly defines that the panel is oriented 180 degrees. According to SultanXDA, this is his first time seeing this code in an actual device. The documentation for this line actually exists in the display controller of other devices, but most other devices do not have the line present. We verified this by examining the display controller source code on the OnePlus One, OnePlus X, OnePlus 2, OnePlus 3/3T, Google Nexus 5X, Google Nexus 6P, and a few other smartphones to satisfy our curiosity.
Since the line is not present in the source code of these other devices, this means that the value is "null" by default, which means that the display controller's default behavior is no flip compensation.
Another kernel developer, XDA Recognized Contributor eng.stk states that he also found evidence to confirm this is the case, as the display matrix on the OnePlus 5 is inverted when compared to the OnePlus 3T, which is addressed in the code he found. He was able to merge the OnePlus 5's panel code and boot the OnePlus 3T with the code, resulting in the OnePlus 3T's display becoming inverted.
And we can even correlate this physically through hardware teardowns as well.
Basically, the evidence is now undeniable: the OnePlus 5's display panel is definitely mounted upside-down. What was once claimed based on circumstantial evidence is now proven. But what are the exact implications of this fact?
The Jelly-Like Scrolling Effect is "Natural"
And now we return to the statement issued to us yesterday by OnePlus. The claim that that the scrolling effect is "natural" and that there's no "variance between devices" seems absurd on the surface, but now seems far more plausible in light of these new findings.
The correlation between the display panel orientation and the jelly scrolling behavior is very high. As mentioned previously, users are able to reproduce this effect on other smartphones by flipping their screens upside down before scrolling. Thus, if this effect can be reproduced on other smartphones by inverting the screen from its natural orientation, then it makes sense for this effect to occur on the OnePlus 5's "natural", upside-down orientation.
Hence, when OnePlus issued their carefully crafted PR statement – they were being truthful. It is "natural" for this to occur – a natural consequence of the display panel being oriented upside down. There is no variance between screens that causes the issue because every OnePlus 5's display panel is mounted upside down. It could happen on any given OnePlus 5 smartphone. For now, it doesn't appear that there's any way to tell if your OnePlus 5 will be affected by this issue except trying to replicate it yourself.
While we don't have an exact reasoning behind why flipping the display panel causes the effect, the best educated guess we can make is that it is related to what area of the screen is updated first and the latency involved in which screen contents are updated first.
Why Upside-Down?
Obviously, OnePlus deliberately chose to invert the screen panel while manufacturing the OnePlus 5 (remember – it's not a "defect"!). This is not something that occurs by accident. Although we are not privvy to their exact reasoning, we can offer some speculation.
If you'll take a look back at any of the thorough teardowns of the smartphone, you may notice that the display controller IC is located at the bottom. In order to compensate for the module's placement, OnePlus flipped the display panel so the display cable would easily reach the motherboard and none of these components would interfere with other elements at the top of the device. But why would they need to do this all in the first place?
Take a look at what is placed at the top of the smartphone – the dual camera and some antennas. Like with any decision involving where to place components in a smartphone, it likely came down to space considerations. With limited space, the company had to decide where to place each component so everything would fit. Since the dual lens camera, which is new to the OnePlus line-up, takes up more space than a single lens camera it is possible the company moved the motherboard – and hence flipped the display panel – in order to accommodate the new camera module.
Conclusion
Of course as I mentioned before, the reasoning I have given for why the OnePlus 5's display panel is inverted is just speculation on my part. OnePlus made the decision to place each component where they are for a reason. It just so happens that this decision may be behind the peculiar jelly scrolling effect some users are seeing on their phones. Perhaps the company made a gamble that not enough people would be bothered by it or notice it to raise a stink. Perhaps this is the reason why other manufacturers don't orient their display panels upside down. It's even possible OnePlus wasn't fully aware of the consequences.
Whatever the cause, we hope that this article has given you a better understanding of the issue beyond OnePlus's vague PR statement ,so you can make a decision for yourself what you want to do with your smartphone. I don't personally believe this issue detracts from the other merits of the smartphone such as how well it performs and how developer friendly it is poised to be, but if the jelly scrolling issue is a deal-breaker for you then unfortunately you'll either have to deal with it (if you notice it) or use the 15 day return window while it lasts.
P.S. Don't believe everything you read from online support.
from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2tsswRO via IFTTT
Google Home may not be perfect, but it has seen its fair share of updates and new features since its release back in the fall. One of the biggest additions has been multi-user support, and we’re expecting hands-free calling and the ability to send money through Google’s new payment API later this year.
Features like this really expand upon what Google Home is capable of, but one small, basic feature the product has been missing ever since its release is the ability to use it as a plain-old Bluetooth speaker.
Although you can send music and podcasts to the Google Home by casting specific apps to the smart speaker, this is considerably less convenient than simply being able to connect your phone to it via Bluetooth and have your tunes play through Google Home that way.
Finally, after nearly 8 months since its release, Google is allowing you to use the Google Home as a traditional Bluetooth speaker.
We don’t know what it took Google so long to make this feature available, but we’re certainly glad to see it be released. You can still choose to cast audio from your smartphone or tablet if you for some reason prefer digging around for the cast icon on a per app basis, but we think that most folks will gravitate towards the new Bluetooth implementation.
Google Home may not be perfect, but it has seen its fair share of updates and new features since its release back in the fall. One of the biggest additions has been multi-user support, and we're expecting hands-free calling and the ability to send money through Google's new payment API later this year.
Features like this really expand upon what Google Home is capable of, but one small, basic feature the product has been missing ever since its release is the ability to use it as a plain-old Bluetooth speaker.
Although you can send music and podcasts to the Google Home by casting specific apps to the smart speaker, this is considerably less convenient than simply being able to connect your phone to it via Bluetooth and have your tunes play through Google Home that way.
Finally, after nearly 8 months since its release, Google is allowing you to use the Google Home as a traditional Bluetooth speaker.
We don't know what it took Google so long to make this feature available, but we're certainly glad to see it be released. You can still choose to cast audio from your smartphone or tablet if you for some reason prefer digging around for the cast icon on a per app basis, but we think that most folks will gravitate towards the new Bluetooth implementation.
Some people are really keen on weather data from specific sources. We don't generally get additional options in custom ROMs and even OEM firmware from the likes of Samsung, LG, and others. However, XDA Senior Member hiimpig1 has provided some plugins to let you use weather data from one of three different sources. So if you're using LineageOS, or a custom ROM based on it, then you can change the weather provider to Yahoo, Weather Underground, or Open Weather Map.
Some people are really keen on weather data from specific sources. We don’t generally get additional options in custom ROMs and even OEM firmware from the likes of Samsung, LG, and others. However, XDA Senior Member hiimpig1 has provided some plugins to let you use weather data from one of three different sources. So if you’re using LineageOS, or a custom ROM based on it, then you can change the weather provider to Yahoo, Weather Underground, or Open Weather Map.
The Honor 9 is the most exciting new phone that we have seen from Honor this year. While keeping true to the spirit of the Honor 8, by bringing back the 15 layered glass body, the Honor 9 also has many new features for us to explore.
Ergonomics
The look and feel of the Honor 9 is really what makes this different from the other flagships on the market. The back of the phone catches light in a way the makes reflections dance and warp, creating a really cool effect. This is something that Honor has put a lot of time into designing. With the updated design of the Honor 9, the back glass panel now curves towards the edge of the phone. This really brings together the look and feel of this device.
Camera Improvements
Fitted with both a 12MP and a 20MP sensor, the camera on the Honor 9 has really improved over the Honor 8. It's also nice to see that we can shoot video in 4k resolution now. This feature was left out of the Honor 8.
Speed
With powerful internals like the Kirin 960 and up to 6GB of RAM, this phone is insanely fast. Because of Honor's decision to stick with a 1080p resolution (much like the OnePlus 5) performance is not compromised by dedicating resources to a higher resolution display. Testing the speed of this phone side-by-side with phones like the Galaxy S8 and you might be surprised to find that the Honor 9 is faster in most cases.
Capacitive Nav Keys
You'll get more screen space on the Honor 9 now that the nav keys have been pushed to the bottom of the phone. The home key doubles as the fingerprint sensor as well, leaving the back of the phone completely smooth and level. You can customize the capacitive keys to have the back button on the right or left.
IR Blaster
An IR blaster was included in this phone so you can use your device as a universal remote. This is something has has been around for a long time but is often left out of flagship phones. So fans of the IR blaster will be happy to find that their Honor 9 can control all of their remote controlled stuff.
Headphone Jack
Even though a select few devices have chosen to remove the headphone jack from their phones, Honor has chosen to stick with it. This is probably because of their new partnership with headphone manufacturer Monster, which they are using to launch several new headsets.
The new design of the Honor 9 features a curved back made with 15 layers of glass.
Improved cameras on the Honor 9 are fitted with 12MP and 20MP sensors.
Tell us what your favorite new feature of the Honor 9 is in the comments section.
Many have been watching as multiple companies are trying to make Android work as a desktop platform. We've talked about Remix OS extensively in the past, but their project started as a standalone piece of software that you would install on PC hardware. Earlier this year though, they announced Remix Singularity and this is a popular trend that we're seeing with the market lately. Companies want you to connect your smartphone to a monitor and use it as a desktop PC.
The company just published a blog post that talks about what type of progress they've made over the last year. They've had 10 different releases which improved stability, transitioned to Marshmallow, allowed Maru Desktop to start in the background, added encryption support and more. Maru OS still only supports the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 2013 Wi-Fi, but then confirm they have early community builds available for the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.
They also talk about where they'd like to take Maru OS in the future. Touching on adding support for more devices, enabling wireless display streaming, desktop graphics acceleration, desktop audio, OTA updates and more. The developers are aware that some areas need to be worked on to make it more developer friendly too. Saying they would like to improve the documentation, add in some more automated testing, and then transition from point releases to a fully-automated, continuous release cycle including nightly or weekly builds.
The Honor 9 is the most exciting new phone that we have seen from Honor this year. While keeping true to the spirit of the Honor 8, by bringing back the 15 layered glass body, the Honor 9 also has many new features for us to explore.
Ergonomics
The look and feel of the Honor 9 is really what makes this different from the other flagships on the market. The back of the phone catches light in a way the makes reflections dance and warp, creating a really cool effect. This is something that Honor has put a lot of time into designing. With the updated design of the Honor 9, the back glass panel now curves towards the edge of the phone. This really brings together the look and feel of this device.
Camera Improvements
Fitted with both a 12MP and a 20MP sensor, the camera on the Honor 9 has really improved over the Honor 8. It’s also nice to see that we can shoot video in 4k resolution now. This feature was left out of the Honor 8.
Speed
With powerful internals like the Kirin 960 and up to 6GB of RAM, this phone is insanely fast. Because of Honor’s decision to stick with a 1080p resolution (much like the OnePlus 5) performance is not compromised by dedicating resources to a higher resolution display. Testing the speed of this phone side-by-side with phones like the Galaxy S8 and you might be surprised to find that the Honor 9 is faster in most cases.
Capacitive Nav Keys
You’ll get more screen space on the Honor 9 now that the nav keys have been pushed to the bottom of the phone. The home key doubles as the fingerprint sensor as well, leaving the back of the phone completely smooth and level. You can customize the capacitive keys to have the back button on the right or left.
IR Blaster
An IR blaster was included in this phone so you can use your device as a universal remote. This is something has has been around for a long time but is often left out of flagship phones. So fans of the IR blaster will be happy to find that their Honor 9 can control all of their remote controlled stuff.
Headphone Jack
Even though a select few devices have chosen to remove the headphone jack from their phones, Honor has chosen to stick with it. This is probably because of their new partnership with headphone manufacturer Monster, which they are using to launch several new headsets.
The new design of the Honor 9 features a curved back made with 15 layers of glass.
Improved cameras on the Honor 9 are fitted with 12MP and 20MP sensors.
Tell us what your favorite new feature of the Honor 9 is in the comments section.
Many have been watching as multiple companies are trying to make Android work as a desktop platform. We’ve talked about Remix OS extensively in the past, but their project started as a standalone piece of software that you would install on PC hardware. Earlier this year though, they announced Remix Singularity and this is a popular trend that we’re seeing with the market lately. Companies want you to connect your smartphone to a monitor and use it as a desktop PC.
The company just published a blog post that talks about what type of progress they’ve made over the last year. They’ve had 10 different releases which improved stability, transitioned to Marshmallow, allowed Maru Desktop to start in the background, added encryption support and more. Maru OS still only supports the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 2013 Wi-Fi, but then confirm they have early community builds available for the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.
They also talk about where they’d like to take Maru OS in the future. Touching on adding support for more devices, enabling wireless display streaming, desktop graphics acceleration, desktop audio, OTA updates and more. The developers are aware that some areas need to be worked on to make it more developer friendly too. Saying they would like to improve the documentation, add in some more automated testing, and then transition from point releases to a fully-automated, continuous release cycle including nightly or weekly builds.
If you own a Pixel/Pixel XL, Nexus 5X, or Nexus 6P, there's a fairly good chance that you use that handset with Google's own Project Fi phone service. Ever since its launch back in 2015, Project Fi has been locked down to only officially support Nexus and Pixel-branded smartphones, and according to a tweet from the official Project Fi Twitter account, it looks like the service will soon be expanding its product lineup.
After one Twitter user tweeted Project Fi and said that they were being forced to leave the service following the result of their Nexus 5X dying and there not being enough device choice in Fi's lineup, the Project Fi account then responded with the following message:
We hear you loud and clear. Keep an eye out for a new Fi-compatible device at a mid-tier price from one of our partners later this year. https://t.co/74U3bq16pa
Google hasn't hinted at any new Project Fi-compatible smartphones up until this point, so we really aren't all that sure what to expect. Right now, there are two possibilities to look forward to.
One, Google is simply opening up Project Fi and will soon allow third-parties to make hardware that's officially supported by the service. Two, there's some sort of mid-range Pixel smartphone in the works that could be announced alongside the Pixel 2 later this fall.
Both potential outcomes are great for Project Fi, and although we aren't sure what the likelihood is for a mid-tier Pixel smartphone, we'd be lying if we said we weren't at least a little intrigued as to what that would look like. One of the biggest complaints for the Pixel and Pixel XL were their high price tags, so if Google could release a more competitively priced version of the Pixel for Project Fi, we have a feeling that something along those lines would sell incredibly well.
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If you own a Pixel/Pixel XL, Nexus 5X, or Nexus 6P, there’s a fairly good chance that you use that handset with Google’s own Project Fi phone service. Ever since its launch back in 2015, Project Fi has been locked down to only officially support Nexus and Pixel-branded smartphones, and according to a tweet from the official Project Fi Twitter account, it looks like the service will soon be expanding its product lineup.
After one Twitter user tweeted Project Fi and said that they were being forced to leave the service following the result of their Nexus 5X dying and there not being enough device choice in Fi’s lineup, the Project Fi account then responded with the following message:
We hear you loud and clear. Keep an eye out for a new Fi-compatible device at a mid-tier price from one of our partners later this year. https://t.co/74U3bq16pa
Google hasn’t hinted at any new Project Fi-compatible smartphones up until this point, so we really aren’t all that sure what to expect. Right now, there are two possibilities to look forward to.
One, Google is simply opening up Project Fi and will soon allow third-parties to make hardware that’s officially supported by the service. Two, there’s some sort of mid-range Pixel smartphone in the works that could be announced alongside the Pixel 2 later this fall.
Both potential outcomes are great for Project Fi, and although we aren’t sure what the likelihood is for a mid-tier Pixel smartphone, we’d be lying if we said we weren’t at least a little intrigued as to what that would look like. One of the biggest complaints for the Pixel and Pixel XL were their high price tags, so if Google could release a more competitively priced version of the Pixel for Project Fi, we have a feeling that something along those lines would sell incredibly well.
from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2ts3hPg
via IFTTT
Yesterday, we published an article about a peculiar issue some OnePlus 5 owners were reportedly having: a jelly-like scrolling effect. We informed you of the various theories that were circulating around the web as to what may have been causing this issue, and we notified OnePlus regarding the issue so they could take a look into it. Now, the company has issued a statement to us regarding the jelly scrolling effect that reads:
The OnePlus 5 uses the same level of high-quality components as all OnePlus devices, including the AMOLED display. We’ve received feedback from a small number of users saying that at times they notice a subtle visual effect when scrolling. This is natural and there’s no variance in screens between devices.
Thus, the company is claiming that this scrolling behavior is not at all a symptom of a defective product. OnePlus would like to stress that this scrolling effect people are seeing is “not a QA or manufacturing defect” , and thus people should not expect an OTA update to resolve what they may be seeing, nor contact customer service for a replacement device.
In a teardown of the OnePlus 5 by YouTuber JerryRigEverything, we can see that the components of the OnePlus 5 are positioned on the bottom of the device.
Given this placement, it makes sense that the scrolling effect people are seeing is “natural” if it’s indeed caused by the placement of these modules. This does not mean that the display is mounted “upside-down” as some have suggested (meaning, this isn’t a QA issue), but rather this is because of the way the company chose to allocate the components, presumably because of the component crunch at the top caused by their choice of a dual-camera setup (though this is speculation).
from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2uoPhTk
via IFTTT
Yesterday, we published an article about a peculiar issue some OnePlus 5 owners were reportedly having: a jelly-like scrolling effect. We informed you of the various theories that were circulating around the web as to what may have been causing this issue, and we notified OnePlus regarding the issue so they could take a look into it. Now, the company has issued a statement to us regarding the jelly scrolling effect that reads:
The OnePlus 5 uses the same level of high-quality components as all OnePlus devices, including the AMOLED display. We've received feedback from a small number of users saying that at times they notice a subtle visual effect when scrolling. This is natural and there's no variance in screens between devices.
Thus, the company is claiming that this scrolling behavior is not at all a symptom of a defective product. OnePlus would like to stress that this scrolling effect people are seeing is "not a QA or manufacturing defect" , and thus people should not expect an OTA update to resolve what they may be seeing, nor contact customer service for a replacement device.
In a teardown of the OnePlus 5 by YouTuber JerryRigEverything, we can see that the components of the OnePlus 5 are positioned on the bottom of the device.
Given this placement, it makes sense that the scrolling effect people are seeing is "natural" if it's indeed caused by the placement of these modules. This does not mean that the display is mounted "upside-down" as some have suggested (meaning, this isn't a QA issue), but rather this is because of the way the company chose to allocate the components, presumably because of the component crunch at the top caused by their choice of a dual-camera setup (though this is speculation).
from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2uoPhTk via IFTTT
LG’s V line of flagship smartphones is arguably one of the company’s most innovative creations, with phones that are unafraid to stick to removable batteries, durable construction, or play around with other hardware concepts.
One such feature that is arguably the defining feature of the LG V line is the inclusion of a secondary display – a small additional panel that resides at the top-right of the regular display. This secondary display enhances the device’s ability to display key content such as notifications and shortcuts without interfering with the rest of the UX. It’s a nice way to save screen real-estate and it has allowed for good heads-up information tickers, frequently used app shortcuts, a permanent clock, and other screen-off features. Having it separate from the main display for screen-off content was beneficial given LG’s use of LCD displays which cannot light up individual pixels like AMOLED panels for efficient display of content on pure-black backgrounds, something that is crucial for use in ambient or always-on-display modes.
While the secondary display certainly gave the V10 and V20 a bit of personality and uniqueness (up until HTC’s recent adoption of such a feature with the U Ultra, at least), that trend will not be continuing. According to a trusted source, the upcoming LG V30 will be ditching the secondary display.
On top of that, our source claims that the LG V30 will feature an OLED panel, which falls in line with many news reports we’ve been hearing about LG Display’sinvestments in the face of an increasing demand for OLED smartphone displays, as well as a recent report from The Investor which suggested this would be the case. LG’s flagships have typically featured excellent LCD panels meant to showcase the company’s engineering prowess, similarly to how Samsung adopts the best and latest AMOLED panels it creates for its own Galaxy flagships, so we would expect LG’s latest flagship to showcase the fruits of their latest investments.
While we don’t know precisely why the company is moving away from such an iconic aspect of their lineup, it is possible that LG will adopt an 18:9 aspect ratio on this new device like they did with the LG G6, which would in part make the addition of a secondary display redundant. The device could thus have a taller screen with additional screen area at the same width, gaining some of the benefits of the old secondary display. This wouldn’t be unexpected given that LG seems quite committed to this aspect ratio, something we learned in our trip to South Korea for the launch of the LG G6 where LG repeatedly told us it was “the future” of smartphone displays. Admittedly, the inclusion of an 18:9 aspect ratio is speculation on our part and not something that our source confirmed to us, so it’s still possible we’ll see a more traditionally proportioned display.
Finally, the same source has confirmed a few additional details about this device: it should launch with a Snapdragon 835 SoC with 4GB of RAM, there will be a variant with 64GB of storage, and the device will also retain a microSD card slot for storage expansion. In most other aspects, the device can be summarized as a larger version of the existing LG G6 flagship smartphone. The rest of these specifications should come as no surprise given the expected timeframe in which this phone is to be released.
These leaks mostly fall in line with other leaks and rumors, though none of it necessarily confirms our dreams of seeing LG’s “Project Joan” come to life — now that was innovation in smartphone displays.
from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2tpkM2J
via IFTTT
LG's V line of flagship smartphones is arguably one of the company's most innovative creations, with phones that are unafraid to stick to removable batteries, durable construction, or play around with other hardware concepts.
One such feature that is arguably the defining feature of the LG V line is the inclusion of a secondary display – a small additional panel that resides at the top-right of the regular display. This secondary display enhances the device's ability to display key content such as notifications and shortcuts without interfering with the rest of the UX. It's a nice way to save screen real-estate and it has allowed for good heads-up information tickers, frequently used app shortcuts, a permanent clock, and other screen-off features. Having it separate from the main display for screen-off content was beneficial given LG's use of LCD displays which cannot light up individual pixels like AMOLED panels for efficient display of content on pure-black backgrounds, something that is crucial for use in ambient or always-on-display modes.
While the secondary display certainly gave the V10 and V20 a bit of personality and uniqueness (up until HTC's recent adoption of such a feature with the U Ultra, at least), that trend will not be continuing. According to a trusted source, the upcoming LG V30 will be ditching the secondary display.
On top of that, our source claims that the LG V30 will feature an OLED panel, which falls in line with many news reports we've been hearing about LG Display'sinvestments in the face of an increasing demand for OLED smartphone displays, as well as a recent report from The Investor which suggested this would be the case. LG's flagships have typically featured excellent LCD panels meant to showcase the company's engineering prowess, similarly to how Samsung adopts the best and latest AMOLED panels it creates for its own Galaxy flagships, so we would expect LG's latest flagship to showcase the fruits of their latest investments.
While we don't know precisely why the company is moving away from such an iconic aspect of their lineup, it is possible that LG will adopt an 18:9 aspect ratio on this new device like they did with the LG G6, which would in part make the addition of a secondary display redundant. The device could thus have a taller screen with additional screen area at the same width, gaining some of the benefits of the old secondary display. This wouldn't be unexpected given that LG seems quite committed to this aspect ratio, something we learned in our trip to South Korea for the launch of the LG G6 where LG repeatedly told us it was "the future" of smartphone displays. Admittedly, the inclusion of an 18:9 aspect ratio is speculation on our part and not something that our source confirmed to us, so it's still possible we'll see a more traditionally proportioned display.
Finally, the same source has confirmed a few additional details about this device: it should launch with a Snapdragon 835 SoC with 4GB of RAM, there will be a variant with 64GB of storage, and the device will also retain a microSD card slot for storage expansion. In most other aspects, the device can be summarized as a larger version of the existing LG G6 flagship smartphone. The rest of these specifications should come as no surprise given the expected timeframe in which this phone is to be released.
These leaks mostly fall in line with other leaks and rumors, though none of it necessarily confirms our dreams of seeing LG's "Project Joan" come to life — now that was innovation in smartphone displays.
from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2tpkM2J via IFTTT
Back on June 2nd, Lenovo-owned Motorola officially announced the Moto Z2 Play as the direct successor to the 2016 sleeper hit that was the Moto Z Play. Now, the Z2 Play is available for purchase through Verizon Wireless, and it's packing a pretty decent punch at a relatively low cost.
On the very front of the Z2 Play is a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 AMOLED display, and powering the phone is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 626 processor, and a respectable 3GBs of RAM. Move to the back, and you'll find a single 12MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture.
One of the highlights of last year's Z Play was its phenomenal battery life, but this is one area where the Z2 Play is seemingly taking a step backwards. Whereas the original Z Play packed a massive 3,510 mAh battery, this year's model only features a 3,000 mAh unit. That's quite a bit smaller in regards to raw battery capacity, but Motorola is still claiming that the Z2 Play will be able to get up to 30-hours of use on a single charge. We'd like to believe Motorola here, but even if the Z2 Play manages to offer battery performance close to what last year's model accomplished, we would have much rather preferred the company stick with a larger battery capacity instead of going with a super-slim 5.99-millimeter design.
Back to the good stuff, the Z2 Play is running Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box with a relatively close-to-stock Android look with a few small, useful software additions thrown in.
You can buy the Moto Z2 Play from Verizon starting today, and whether you choose to pay for the phone outright or go month-to-month at $17/month, you'll also get a free JBL SoundBoost Moto Mod thrown in for no extra charge.
If you're interested in the Moto Z2 Play but aren't with Verizon, you'll be able to purchase the GSM unlocked variant directly through Motorola later this summer for $499.
Back on June 2nd, Lenovo-owned Motorola officially announced the Moto Z2 Play as the direct successor to the 2016 sleeper hit that was the Moto Z Play. Now, the Z2 Play is available for purchase through Verizon Wireless, and it’s packing a pretty decent punch at a relatively low cost.
On the very front of the Z2 Play is a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 AMOLED display, and powering the phone is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 626 processor, and a respectable 3GBs of RAM. Move to the back, and you’ll find a single 12MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture.
One of the highlights of last year’s Z Play was its phenomenal battery life, but this is one area where the Z2 Play is seemingly taking a step backwards. Whereas the original Z Play packed a massive 3,510 mAh battery, this year’s model only features a 3,000 mAh unit. That’s quite a bit smaller in regards to raw battery capacity, but Motorola is still claiming that the Z2 Play will be able to get up to 30-hours of use on a single charge. We’d like to believe Motorola here, but even if the Z2 Play manages to offer battery performance close to what last year’s model accomplished, we would have much rather preferred the company stick with a larger battery capacity instead of going with a super-slim 5.99-millimeter design.
Back to the good stuff, the Z2 Play is running Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box with a relatively close-to-stock Android look with a few small, useful software additions thrown in.
You can buy the Moto Z2 Play from Verizon starting today, and whether you choose to pay for the phone outright or go month-to-month at $17/month, you’ll also get a free JBL SoundBoost Moto Mod thrown in for no extra charge.
If you’re interested in the Moto Z2 Play but aren’t with Verizon, you’ll be able to purchase the GSM unlocked variant directly through Motorola later this summer for $499.
Nova Launcher has remained as the top launcher in the Google Play Store for quite some time, but that doesn't mean it's completely unbeatable.
Action Launcher recently received one its largest updates ever, and with a host of new settings and features to play around with, does Action finally have what it takes to bring down the king that is Nova?
Nova Launcher has remained as the top launcher in the Google Play Store for quite some time, but that doesn’t mean it’s completely unbeatable.
Action Launcher recently received one its largest updates ever, and with a host of new settings and features to play around with, does Action finally have what it takes to bring down the king that is Nova?
Over the years, the Google Play Store has seen some big updates and improvements. between UI refreshes, functionality changes, and more. We've come a long, long way since the early days of the Android Marketplace.
In honor of Summer 2017 officially being underway, Google is launching the first ever site-wide sale on the Google Play Store. We've seen individual developers offer their own discounts here and there, but this is the first time that Google has ever slashed prices across the board.
So, just what can you pick up from Google Play during this sale?
Apps/Games
Apps and games are the meat and potatoes of the Google Play Store, and as such, this is where some of the most enticing deals lie.
Looking at apps first, Google is offering a $10 Play credit with the purchase of a 1-year subscription to MyFitnessPal's Calorie Counter, and 50% off recurring memberships to The New York Times, TuneInRadio, and Runtastic.
On the gaming side of things, Google is offering up to 80% off what it calls, "premium games", and some of the most noteworthy additions here include Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies ($1.99 down from $6.99), Star Wars: KOTOR ($2.99 down from $9.99), Final Fantasy Tactics ($5.99 down from $11.99), Reigns ($0.99 down from $2.99), and plenty of others.
Movies/TV Shows
If you'd rather sit back and watch a show rather than playing a game, Google has you covered here too. Between now and July 13, you can rent any movie that you'd like in HD quality for just $0.99. Whether you want to rewatch a classic like, National Lampoon's Vacation, or catch a more recent flick, such as Kong: Skull Island, this is an awesome deal to take advantage of as you now have no excuse to not start thinning out that watch list you've built up over the years.
As for TV shows, you can get episodes of Silicon Valley, Gotham, The Flash and more for just $0.99 each.
Music
Google Play Music is my preferred platform of choice for listening to music and podcasts, and if you aren't a subscriber just quite yet but have been meaning to check it out, now is the best time ever. New Google Play Music customers can get 4 months of streaming free of cost, and whether or not you plan on paying for the service after those 4 months are up, you might as well take advantage of the deal while you can and get some free tunes for the summer months.
Books
Last but not least, Google also has steep discounts on a wide selection of e-books. In addition to offering 50-80% savings on a wide selection of titles, Google is also offering a $5 Play credit for any book you purchase that costs $5 or more.
While the discounts on movies and TV shows last through July 13, everything else is only on sale until July 6. This is a fantastic way to grab some new stuff from the Play Store that you've been meaning to get but never got around to doing, and we absolutely hope that this is something Google brings back in the future rather than letting it be a one-time thing.
Over the years, the Google Play Store has seen some big updates and improvements. between UI refreshes, functionality changes, and more. We’ve come a long, long way since the early days of the Android Marketplace.
In honor of Summer 2017 officially being underway, Google is launching the first ever site-wide sale on the Google Play Store. We’ve seen individual developers offer their own discounts here and there, but this is the first time that Google has ever slashed prices across the board.
So, just what can you pick up from Google Play during this sale?
Apps/Games
Apps and games are the meat and potatoes of the Google Play Store, and as such, this is where some of the most enticing deals lie.
Looking at apps first, Google is offering a $10 Play credit with the purchase of a 1-year subscription to MyFitnessPal’s Calorie Counter, and 50% off recurring memberships to The New York Times, TuneInRadio, and Runtastic.
On the gaming side of things, Google is offering up to 80% off what it calls, “premium games”, and some of the most noteworthy additions here include Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies ($1.99 down from $6.99), Star Wars: KOTOR ($2.99 down from $9.99), Final Fantasy Tactics ($5.99 down from $11.99), Reigns ($0.99 down from $2.99), and plenty of others.
Movies/TV Shows
If you’d rather sit back and watch a show rather than playing a game, Google has you covered here too. Between now and July 13, you can rent any movie that you’d like in HD quality for just $0.99. Whether you want to rewatch a classic like, National Lampoon’s Vacation, or catch a more recent flick, such as Kong: Skull Island, this is an awesome deal to take advantage of as you now have no excuse to not start thinning out that watch list you’ve built up over the years.
As for TV shows, you can get episodes of Silicon Valley, Gotham, The Flash and more for just $0.99 each.
Music
Google Play Music is my preferred platform of choice for listening to music and podcasts, and if you aren’t a subscriber just quite yet but have been meaning to check it out, now is the best time ever. New Google Play Music customers can get 4 months of streaming free of cost, and whether or not you plan on paying for the service after those 4 months are up, you might as well take advantage of the deal while you can and get some free tunes for the summer months.
Books
Last but not least, Google also has steep discounts on a wide selection of e-books. In addition to offering 50-80% savings on a wide selection of titles, Google is also offering a $5 Play credit for any book you purchase that costs $5 or more.
While the discounts on movies and TV shows last through July 13, everything else is only on sale until July 6. This is a fantastic way to grab some new stuff from the Play Store that you’ve been meaning to get but never got around to doing, and we absolutely hope that this is something Google brings back in the future rather than letting it be a one-time thing.
Smartphones can be used for a lot of different functions with many people using older phones as dash cams, dedicated music players, etc. Developer Aiuspaktyn recently published an application called Auto Recorder to XDA Labs that will start and stop recording audio when it reaches and drops below certain levels. This can even let you use your current phone as a voice operated switch, also known as VOX or Voice Operated eXchange. The base Auto Recorder app is free but the pro version comes with additional features.
Auto Recorder Pro Features
– Smart Voice-activated Spy recording. – Mic calibration recorder. – Stopping recording automatically. – Live audio spectrum analyzer. – Unlimited recording time. – Date-based naming. – Background recording (You can open other app while recording, even when display is off). – Built-in share memo (Bluetooth, Drive, Dropbox, Email, Gmail, WhatsApp, etc.). – Audio files .wav (3GP, AMR, MP4) export over the USB. – Supports any OS (Linux, Mac OS, Windows, etc.) to playback using VLC. – Landscape and portrait display modes support for Tablet. – Show free space. – Can set WAVE format (3GP, AMR, MP4). – Can use the rear microphone. – Can increase microphone volume. – Can delete older records if you are running out of storage space. – Can set the sampling frequency (kHz).
Smartphones can be used for a lot of different functions with many people using older phones as dash cams, dedicated music players, etc. Developer Aiuspaktyn recently published an application called Auto Recorder to XDA Labs that will start and stop recording audio when it reaches and drops below certain levels. This can even let you use your current phone as a voice operated switch, also known as VOX or Voice Operated eXchange. The base Auto Recorder app is free but the pro version comes with additional features.
Auto Recorder Pro Features
– Smart Voice-activated Spy recording.
– Mic calibration recorder.
– Stopping recording automatically.
– Live audio spectrum analyzer.
– Unlimited recording time.
– Date-based naming.
– Background recording (You can open other app while recording, even when display is off).
– Built-in share memo (Bluetooth, Drive, Dropbox, Email, Gmail, WhatsApp, etc.).
– Audio files .wav (3GP, AMR, MP4) export over the USB.
– Supports any OS (Linux, Mac OS, Windows, etc.) to playback using VLC.
– Landscape and portrait display modes support for Tablet.
– Show free space.
– Can set WAVE format (3GP, AMR, MP4).
– Can use the rear microphone.
– Can increase microphone volume.
– Can delete older records if you are running out of storage space.
– Can set the sampling frequency (kHz).
Today, Sony has confirmed that it's officially stopped the Android 7.0 Nougat update for both the Xperia XA and XA Ultra. The update was released a little more than a week ago, but users were quick to report that they weren't seeing the update on their devices.
According to Sony, the update has temporarily been put on hold as a result of, "minor performance inconsistencies related to the over-the-air delivery system." Sony went on to say that users who have already downloaded the update shouldn't have any major issues, but that a new and improved version will be coming soon.
While nice to see that Sony is correcting this problem, we didn't notice any such issues with the update that we received to our own Xperia XA Ultra. In fact, the update enhanced the overall performance of the phone quite a bit and made it much more enjoyable to use. It's not know how wide-spread these minor performance issues were, but it must have been big enough of a deal for Sony to put a temporary pause on the update's rollout.
The official statement from Sony can be found below, and here's to hoping we won't have to wait too long for Android 7.0 Nougat to start making its way to XA and XA Ultra once more.
"We've temporarily paused the Android 7.0 upgrade for Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra due to minor performance inconsistencies related to the over-the-air delivery system. Regardless of whether a user has been able to successfully run the upgrade or not, there is no detrimental impact on device performance or loss of existing user data. We're aiming to re-commence the rollout as soon as possible with a seamless upgrade experience for all users, and will provide a further update in due course."
Today, Sony has confirmed that it’s officially stopped the Android 7.0 Nougat update for both the Xperia XA and XA Ultra. The update was released a little more than a week ago, but users were quick to report that they weren’t seeing the update on their devices.
According to Sony, the update has temporarily been put on hold as a result of, “minor performance inconsistencies related to the over-the-air delivery system.” Sony went on to say that users who have already downloaded the update shouldn’t have any major issues, but that a new and improved version will be coming soon.
While nice to see that Sony is correcting this problem, we didn’t notice any such issues with the update that we received to our own Xperia XA Ultra. In fact, the update enhanced the overall performance of the phone quite a bit and made it much more enjoyable to use. It’s not know how wide-spread these minor performance issues were, but it must have been big enough of a deal for Sony to put a temporary pause on the update’s rollout.
The official statement from Sony can be found below, and here’s to hoping we won’t have to wait too long for Android 7.0 Nougat to start making its way to XA and XA Ultra once more.
“We’ve temporarily paused the Android 7.0 upgrade for Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra due to minor performance inconsistencies related to the over-the-air delivery system. Regardless of whether a user has been able to successfully run the upgrade or not, there is no detrimental impact on device performance or loss of existing user data. We’re aiming to re-commence the rollout as soon as possible with a seamless upgrade experience for all users, and will provide a further update in due course.”
If you have a Huawei smartphone or tablet that is running Android 6.0+, then XDA Senior Member millo1978 has a collection of guides that just may interest you. First they go and show how to modify Huawei APKs and provides tools and some tips for how to do that. Then they have specific guides for how to hide and show a toggle that displays virtual buttons in the navigation bar, another guide shows how to enable a rotation toggle and a 5×5 layout in the Huawei launcher, and then the last one lets you show all music players on the lock screen.
If you have a Huawei smartphone or tablet that is running Android 6.0+, then XDA Senior Member millo1978 has a collection of guides that just may interest you. First they go and show how to modify Huawei APKs and provides tools and some tips for how to do that. Then they have specific guides for how to hide and show a toggle that displays virtual buttons in the navigation bar, another guide shows how to enable a rotation toggle and a 5×5 layout in the Huawei launcher, and then the last one lets you show all music players on the lock screen.
