For those of you that love your mobile games but hate being tied to that small screen, Google has just launched a new offering that will allow you to explore and play mobile games on your PC or laptop.
Google Play Games Beta allows you to experience bigger, bolder versions of select mobile games on Google's gaming platform for PC.You can use your mouse and keyboard to gain agility and boost your performance and accomplish a few more feats in games than you might be able to just using you phone.
As this is in beta only there is currently a short list of games that you can enjoy - you'll see many of your favorites like Angry Birds 2, Asphalt 9: Legends, Jackpot World - Slots Casino and Rise of Empires: Ice and Fire. While the list might be short, for now, it does offer plenty of options to test out. However, those that might want more option might want to checkout Bluestacks (see our previous post). This cool little app allows you to run almost any Android app and isn't limited t just games.
If like me you aren't always happy having to create and post Instagram reels from your phone I have a new way (new for some that is) that will allow you to quickly and easily do it from your PC or laptop. Some of you may or may not have heard of BlueStacks. BlueStacks App Player is a simple tool that allows you to was run Android applications on computers running Microsoft Windows or macOS.
With BlueStacks you download and run the app player, install the traditional version of the Instagram App from the Google Play Store and run things just like you would from your phone. You can drag and drop videos and pictures from your desktop. Even add your text, audio or stickers just like you would normally do on your phone.
I'm working on a quick how to and tutorial from more info. For now though I recommend trying it out and posting any questions in the comments below!
We are just a few short days away from Super Bowl Sunday and whether you are rooting for the the New England Patriots or the Atlanta Falcons, or just tuning into the game for the commercials (like of us geeks do) one thing is for sure. You want to get the most out of your Super Sunday! And these days to do so it seems as though you need to have more than one device handy.
Luckily there are several amazing apps out there that will help you tackle your Super Bowl LI viewing experience. Here are just a few that we highly recommend you download before the big game starts (at 3:30pm PST Sunday BTW).
FOX Sports GO
This year Super Bowl LI will be shown on FOX and the good news is that FOX has already said they will be live streaming the entire game to their in house streaming app, FOX Sports GO. The app will feature a more traditional live TV approach to streaming with local and national advertisements and not much else. The good news however is that the game will be available in its entirety on FOXSportsGo.com, using iOS, Android, Windows, and Amazon tablets or through connected devices, including Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire and XBOX One.
NFL Mobile is the official go to source for anything NFL related. As the official NFL app it will be your direct source for news, video clips, and live streaming for NFL Network subscribers on Verizon or Bell. The app will allow you to set your favorite team for quick access to the latest news and analysis from the Stories and NFL Now sections. Tablet users can access NFL Network 24/7/365 and NFL RedZone if they're eligible subscribers of AT&T U-verse, Charter, Cox, DirecTV, Optimum, Verizon FiOS, DISH, and many more providers. If you're not a subscriber of any of those service providers, you can check into the NFL Now tab for breaking news and analysis.
Official New England Patriots/ Atlanta Falcons Mobile Apps
For you fans out there choosing sides this weekend there is nothing better than getting your favorite team's latest news and in=depth team specific analysis. For that your best option is always going straight to the source! Both teams have great apps that feature the latest news, media and in-depth game details, with their own subjective spins of course!. These apps will give you access to on-demand and LIVE video and audio broadcasts straight to your phone. You can check out photo galleries of the team and Cheerleaders, purchase gear from their respective pro shops and even connect with other fans!
Even those of you that aren't hardcore sports geeks will know that ESPN is a fan favorite and is always a major player on game day! They offer just about anything the hardcore Patriots or Falcons fans — or you bandwagoners can ask for. With their app you get up-to-the-minute scores (from all sports not just the Super Bowl), complete news coverage, live streaming of coverage and commentary and loads of video highlights.
For you geeks out there that are looking to add a little more than just sports to your game time fun we haven't forgot about you. Here are a few apps we think are must have's for any Sunday Funday, including some of our favorite cooking and recipe apps and a few "just for fun" apps that will help make your Super Bowl Sunday that much more enjoyable!
Clippit (Android | iOS) - this cool little app lets you create and share video clips and GIFs from live TV. Perfect for recording that awesome TD or your favorite Super Bowl LI half-time moment.
Yummly (Android | iOS) - possible one of the best recipe apps out there, Yummly guides you through your dish selections based on your previous likes and any dietary restrictions you may have.
Allrecipes Dinner Spinner (Android | iOS,) - this cool little app uses a neat spinning system for helping users find just the kind of recipe they need.
Weber app (Android | iOS) - one of my must have's for any BBQ geek out there. The Weber app offers recipes, multiple countdown timers , tips and tricks and more.
EZ Football Pool (Android) - take the hassle out of creating football squares! This nifty little app does all the work and you can send the links out to your friends, even those without the app, so they can join the fun from home.
Mixology (Android | iOS) - this app perfect for helping you find some cool new drink ideas, or for those learning to make cocktails at home for the first time!
Of course our list could not be complete without mentioning Uber and Lyft (and plugging out link of course). For those going out to celebrate the big game with friends and family or anyone having a house party, Lyft and Uber are essentials in my eyes! Not only are they among the safest and easiest ways to get around, they will keep you from getting a flag on your play with a DUI on your way home.
For owners of Samsung's Galaxy S7 you now have a chance to test out the latest Android operating system offered by Google, Android 7.0 Nougat. Samsung has opened the doors to a new ‘Galaxy Beta Program’ which will give users a sneak peek into what Samsung and Google have in store for the new operating system.
The Galaxy Beta Program, opens today, and will be open to all Galaxy S7 and S7 edge users residing in the U.S., U.K., and Korea, with users based in China being able to participate in the program shortly. Applicants are currently being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Throughout the Galaxy Beta Program period, users can get a feel for Android 7.0 Nougat with Samsung’s latest UX, and can provide feedback on performance, reliability and usability. Users’ responses will in turn help Samsung develop reliable, high-performing software and provide an improved and optimized experience to all Galaxy users.
Users that have an active Samsung Account and meet program requirements may apply for the program by downloading the Galaxy Beta Program app through Galaxy Apps or the Samsung Members app which is available through the Google Play store or Galaxy Apps depending on their country of residence.
What is Galaxy Beta Program?
Samsung conducts the Galaxy Beta Program which is owned, managed and operated by Samsung independently for providing a better experience and reliable software based on user feedback. If you participate in the Galaxy Beta Program, you have an opportunity to experience new features and the latest UX based on Android 7.0 Nougat first. During the Galaxy Beta Program, you can directly send us your feedback and experience about performance, stability and usability which will help us to improve software.
**This Beta software is not the official version so it may cause unexpected errors or malfunction. Also it may not contain the full feature set compared with the final official software.**
If you run into issues and need to you, can re-install the official release version of the latest Android software by using the Smart Switch PC software. (You can download it from this link - http://www.samsung.com/us/smart-switch) Please connect your phone to your PC and launch Smart Switch PC software, then you can find the menu option ‘Update’ or ‘Device Initialization’ for restoration.More → Emergency software recovery and initialization → Device initialization).
For questions about joining the Galaxy Beta Program you can read the Galaxy Beta FAQs and for anything further related to software installation, registration and all other related inquiries, you can contact Samsung directly at galaxybeta@samsung.com.
For those of you looking for a simplified way to video chat with your friends and family or just some fellow geeks out there, Google has a new cross platform app that might just be the answer. Announced yesterday, Google Duo is an app similar to FaceTime and Facebook Messenger, offering users a simple 1-to-1 video calling app that, unlike Apple's FaceTime, is available on both Android and iOS.
Why you'll love Duo! It is all about simplicity!
For Duo Google kept to the geek mantra of K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid). They designed the app to be dead simple for anyone to use. So you get a no-frills app, that doesn't feature a ton of extra, but connects you directly to that one person you want to reach out to. There's barely any UI or features to speak of. But from a technology standpoint, it's meant to work for with just about any smartphone. Making it ideal for families to connect across a variety of devices and at a variety of tech levels.
Google also designed Duo to work across a variety of network connections.. The app is built to provide HD video when on good networks and to gracefully and seamless adjust quality if things get worse. You can even drop down to a 2G connection and have video pause but have the audio continue. For video calls on the go, Duo will switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data automatically without dropping your call. You can start your call at home, and continue seamlessly even when you head out the door.
The simply design also means that Google had to simplify other things like how you log-in and connect to others. To do so, they did away with needing to connect to any external accounts. That means you simply sign into the Duo app with your phone number (no Google login needed here), and you'll see your full list of contacts; if people in your phonebook don't have the app, you can tap their number to send an SMS and invite them to Duo.
Once both of you are up and running you'll see what your front-facing camera sees. Below that are a handful of circular icons representing your most recent calls in the lower third of the screen. You can drag that icon list up and scroll through through and tap the person you wish to connect with.
For those who do have Duo, tapping their number initiates a video call. Once you're on the call, you just see the person you're talking to, with your video feed in a small circle, not unlike Apple's FaceTime. Tapping the screen reveals the only UI elements: a hang up button, mute button and a way to flip between the front and back cameras.
To add a little more 'human' experience and to give users a better sense of who they are connecting with Google included a feature it is calling Knock Knock. If you're using an Android phone and someone calls, you'll see a preview of their video feed on the lock screen. The person calling can wave or gesture or make a silly face to try and draw you into the conversation.
Google says this new features makes the person on the receiving end a lot more likely to answer with a smile rather than a look of confusion as they wonder if they video is working properly. For the sake of privacy, you'll only see a video feed from people in your contacts list, and you can turn the feature off entirely if you prefer.
Duo is available in the US for both Android and iOS today, and Google says it will be live worldwide in the next few days.
Google has made it easier than ever to find all of the current Android Pay promotions available to you! The search giant has just launched an official Android Pay promotions page for the service, which like many similar pages for their other services features an all-in one style approach for finding apps and deals.
The new page details all the promos you can take advantage of once you sign up for the payment service as well as listing all the current Android Pay-compatible apps. For instance, the page lists Uber's offer, which gives you $10 off for your next ride, and explains that you'll have to type the code ANDROIDPAY in the ride-sharing app's promo section to claim it.
While most of the deals require you to enter codes, some applications will automatically apply discounts if you choose the mobile wallet as your payment option upon checking out. If you regularly use an app that's compatible with the service, you may want to check the portal every once in a while to make sure you're not missing out on a great deal.
If you aren't currently using Android Pay you can download it via the Play Store here. Once you have your credit card setup on the service you can start utilizing the promotions right away, just note that some of the offers are one time use only and may only be available for a limited time.
During this year's I/O Developer conference Google made several interesting announcements surrounding the upcoming release of Android N and several other projects. There was one, maybe slightly less significant, announcement that definitely caught our attention and should catch yours as well. Google will soon be offering a Family Library option via an upcoming change to Google Play that allows up to six family members to share purchased apps on multiple devices, without having to pay any extra.
Google has begun notifying developers of the changes and has been asking them to enable the new Family Sharing option for all current apps, meaning it will work retroactively on all your current paid apps. It’s important to note that developers can indeed decide if they want to enable the feature for past purchases. The new Family Library will be similar to perks we currently see on iPhones and iPads, allowing up to six family members to enjoy the same paid app. According to Google the feature will be enabled by default from July 2nd.
To date, family members have all had to buy their own Android apps for use on each individual account and device. Google's support documentation has already been changed to reflect the new policies and currently only covers app downloads. However, it has been reported that Family Sharing will extend to other parts of the Play Store. It is expected that we will see multi-device support being offered for both Books and Movies, but there will be restrictions in place to stop the same title being streamed on more than one device at a time.
Although it's not yet known how Android users will opt-in to Family Sharing, Google Music may provide some clues. The streaming service provides a family plan that caters for up to six users, who are invited to link their account by a "family manager." It's likely that Google will follow a similar route with Family Sharing, but include additional checks so that younger users can seek purchase approval for their own apps.
Google is looking to entice Android smartphone users into using their newest mobile payment platform with a new promotion that could net you some pretty cool freebies including a new Chromecast!
The promotion is a rather straight forward and simple one, in order to get users to start making payments with Android Pay,
Google has launched a new promotion called Tap 10. Google is giving
out various rewards in hopes of you making 10 mobile payments before
the end of February. Included in the prizes are songs, movies and
subscriptions from Google Play, and even a Chromecast for those of you that complete all 10 purchases using Android Pay. There are a few requirements you have to meet in order to qualify but those are rather basic.
First the basic details: All payments must be made through the Android Pay app (obviously) and must be completed by 11:59:59 p.m. PT on February 29, 2016. You also have to be over the age of 18 to qualify, sorry kiddos. The App Account Information must also match the information of the participant that completed the act of Tapping, sorry no using someone other persons details to try to earn rewards.
Now the real stuff: Participants who Tap to pay for a purchase at
a contactless terminal at an Android Pay merchant may be eligible for a
Reward. For a list of major participating store merchants go to: http://www.android.com/pay/;
however a participant may Tap to pay for a purchase anywhere Near Field
Communication (“NFC”) payments are available. The only time a Reward
may be provided to a participant is within the first ten (10) Taps
during the Offer Period; once a participant has reached ten (10) Taps,
he/she will no longer be eligible to receive a Reward in this Offer.
Note: Participants who reach ten (10) Taps may continue to use the App
without penalty or issue. All Taps must be at least five (5) minutes
apart to be eligible in this Offer.
Rewards will be sent via a promotional code to the Google Account linked to the individual participant’s App Account. Rewards and promotional codes expire at 11:59:59 p.m. PT on March 31, 2016.
Unused Rewards after 11:59:59 pm. PT on March 31, 2016 will be
forfeited, and no additional compensation will be provided to any
participant. Limit one (1) Reward type per participant. Click here for full rules and details.
So what say you, will this new offer get you out there using Android Pay, or are you still on the fence about mobile payment solutions? Personally I think I might have to add it as an option to my phone even though I don't think I shop at enough locations that accept NFC payments yet.
This week saw some great news for Samsung phone owners that have been dying to try out the company's mobile payment service. Global co-general manager of Samsung Pay Thomas Ko told Reuters that the Samsung Pay service will be expanding beyond the company's flagship devices to likely include cheaper none flagship devices, which in turn means we will hopefully see it rolled out to older devices as well!
Lower-priced Samsung phones will likely start offering the mobile wallet "within the next year," Thomas Ko, global co-general manager of Samsung Pay, said in an interview. He went on to say it is a goal for Samsung to see wider adoption of the service and that "handset availability of Samsung Pay as well as online payment support is coming soon."
Samsung also plans to expand the service beyond just a mobile wallet and into the online payments arena. Ko says that the mobile wallet is accepted at far more locations than its rivals, due to its ability to work with older payment terminals and not just new NFC-equipped models. Online payments, meanwhile, will transform the service into a PayPal rival.
Samsung Pay is already the most widely accepted mobile wallet in the United States because it is compatible with new and older credit card terminals and does not require any special arrangements with retailers, Ko said. For instance, shoppers at Wal-Mart can pay by just waving their smartphones with the app. without the requirement of addition of the store's own third party app like their newly launched Walmart Pay.
Unlike the limitation of Android Pay and Apple Pay which both require NFC, or near-field communications, chips and terminals, Samsung Pay uses technology that Samsung acquired through their acquisition of payment service LoopPay.
LoopPay utilizes MST technology to generate changing magnetic fields over a very short period of time. This is accomplished by putting alternating current through an inductive loop, which can then be received by the magnetic read head of the credit card reader. The signal received from the device emulates the same magnetic field change as a mag stripe card when swiped across the same read head. LoopPay works within a 3-inch distance from the read head. The field dissipates rapidly beyond that point, and only exists during a transmission initiated by the user.
Utilizing this technology Samsung Pay wirelessly sends credit or debit card information magnetically as if a customer's card was swiped at a payment terminal. That means merchants aren't required to install additional or specialized hardware to accept payments from a phone. Samsung Pay also works with NFC terminals but currently only on Samsung's four flagship devices such as the Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. Expanding the technologies to lower priced phones will bring mobile payments to a larger swath of the population.
Just two short months after its launch Amazon Underground has seen great success with the program seeing more developers joining the fold and cashing in on the revolutionary new program by offering more and more apps for customers. According to a recent statement by Amazon that success and interest has meant that the program has more than tripled the already impressive collections of free premium apps and games.
“In just the first two months since launch, we’ve tripled the free selection of apps and games in Amazon Underground and continue to add more content every day. Customers can now experience the entire world of Monument Valley for free. They’ll also receive nearly $50 in value of in-app items for reef building in Nemo’s Reef,” said Steve Rabuchin, Vice President, Amazon Appstore. “In Amazon Underground, customers have access to apps, games and in-app items, such as extra lives and levels, completely free—providing an entirely new way to enjoy their favorite apps and games.”
Amazon Underground launched in August as a new way to connect developers with customers by offering them 100% free games and apps as well as premium in-app content. The program allowed developers to offer free content by opting to earn money not from the customer directly for that content or app, but rather as a direct per-minute payment from Amazon.
This new monetization model has clearly been a success for many developers and has been a big hit with customers:
“We’ve been thrilled with the performance of Jetpack Joyride and Fruit Ninja as part of the Amazon Underground program in the month since launch,” said Shainiel Deo, CEO of Halfbrick Studios. “Thus far we have doubled the downloads and revenue from our apps in the Amazon Appstore and most interestingly, customers are engaging with our in-app purchase content within our games at an extremely high rate. Since all in-app purchases are free in Amazon Underground, they can play the games in new and exciting ways.”
“We included four of our popular titles in Amazon Underground at launch, aimed at reaching as many fans as possible in the Amazon ecosystem,” said Tero Raji, SVP of Game Business at Rovio. “In the first month since launch of these games, the Amazon Underground model has brought us up to three times more revenue compared to the same games’ user revenue in the Amazon Appstore previously.”
Amazon Underground includes all of the functionality of the regular Amazon mobile shopping app, plus an exclusive selection of 100% free apps, games, and associated in-app items, including popular games like Angry Birds Slingshot Stella, Goat Simulator, Frozen Free Fall, Looney Tunes Dash! and many more. For example, in Frozen Free Fall—an app that is free to install and usually requires in-app purchases to unlock additional levels—customers can play with unlimited lives and will receive many bonus in-app items in the Amazon Underground version of the app completely free ($31.87 value).
Amazon Underground is available on Android phones and on Fire tablets, including the all-new Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10, and Fire, the groundbreaking new tablet for under $50. To learn more about Amazon Underground, visit: www.amazon.com/underground.
With the latest version of Android rolling out in the coming weeks many devices owners are wondering when and if their devices will see the update. Fortunately for Motorola owners, (sorry Samsung, HTC and LG folks no word for you yet!) the company published a list of devices set to get the upgrade on Friday, along with some plans to trim back some its proprietary software.
Here’s the full list of Motorola devices set to get Android 6 Marshmallow:
2015 Moto X Pure Edition (3rd gen)
2015 Moto X Style (3rd gen)
2015 Moto X Play
2015 Moto G (3rd gen)
2014 Moto X Pure Edition in the US (2nd gen)
2014 Moto X in Latin America, Europe and Asia2 (2nd gen)
2014 Moto G and Moto G with 4G LTE2 (2nd gen)
DROID Turbo
2014 Moto MAXX
2014 Moto Turbo
Nexus 6
On the Motorola Blog the company notes that things may change and such they are referring users to their software upgrade page for the latest, and specifics by country.
As for exact roll-out times Motorola suggests it could take at least a few weeks before these updates start to deploy (excluding the Nexus 6 which is set to get Marshmallow next week). How soon your own device gets Android 6.0 could also depend on whether it’s an unlocked device or a carrier model. Carrier models are generally dependent on each individual carrier so that may vary widely.
With the newest update Motorola users will receive all of the following Android 6 Marshmallow features:
Doze Mode -- This new feature monitors your phone and puts it into a deep sleep when it’s not being used, which can extend battery life substantially.
Now on Tap -- We love Google Now, and it’s improved in Android M. Simply long press the home button to bring up the Google Now feature and display information based on whatever you’re doing at the time.
Android Pay -- Android M allows you to bring up Android Pay with a simple tap and easily make purchases without having to open a separate app.
Direct Share -- Share your photos, news, links, etc. with your favorite contacts easily and quickly.
Simpler volume controls -- A more intuitive way to control ringtone and media volume.
Changes to Bundled Software and Moto Enhancements
Motorola has also confirmed they will be dropping several of their signature software enhancements and bundled add-ons as part of the plan to update its phones to Android Marshmallow noting that many of these enhancements offer functionality that is already covered in the new OS or Google's own services. That means no more Motorola Assist, Migrate, and Connect.
Starting today Google is rolling out its second attempt at cracking the mobile payments market with Android Pay, their much anticipated follow-up to Google Wallet which looks to take on competitors such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay (currently in beta). The new service will feature similar payment options as Google Wallet and Apple Pay featuring support from many banks and credit card companies and as such is already supported by over 1 million locations in the U.S.
According to Google's official announcement, Android Pay works with all NFC-enabled Android devices (running KitKat 4.4+), on any mobile carrier, at every tap and pay ready location across the US. Android Pay will support credit and debit cards from the four major payment networks: American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. These cards are issued by many of the most popular US banks and credit unions, including American Express, Bank of America, Discover, Navy Federal Credit Union, PNC, Regions Bank, USAA, and U.S. Bank. Wells Fargo will be available in the next few days, Capital One and Citi are coming soon, and we're adding new banks all the time.
Android Pay boast several new security features that pick up where Google Wallet left off, most notably the use of industry standard tokenization. Through tokenization your real credit or debit card number isn't sent with your payment. Instead, a temporary virtual account number is used that prevents retailers from ever seeing or storing your actual account information poviding an extra layer of security.
As soon as you make a purchase, you’ll see a payment confirmation that shows where a given transaction happened, so it’s easy to catch any suspicious activity. And if your phone is ever lost or stolen, simply use Android Device Manager to instantly lock your device from anywhere, secure it with a new password, or even wipe it clean of your personal information.
Later this year, Android Pay will be updated to allow you to do mobile checkout when buying items in shopping apps, and some merchants will even let you transmit your loyalty cards electronically. So you can pay and get your points or discounts all with one tap of your phone.
Amazon has created a new none traditional way of offering customers completely free to use and play apps by doing away with all in-app purchases instead opting to pay developers directly via per-minute payments in exchange for developers nixing any fees, which means for the customer the software is entirely free to download and use.
The new service, dubbed Underground, is only accessible to Android users via an Android app that must be downloaded directly from Amazon due to Google App Store restrictions. However, according to Amazon once the app is loaded users will have direct access to more than $10,000 in free apps. Some of the titles on offer include OfficeSuite Professional 8, Goat Simulator, Frozen Free Fall, and Star Wars Rebels: Recon Missions.
To checkout the app you will need to visit amazon.com/underground from your Android Phone and enter your email or mobile number to receive a link to download it. You'll also need to adjust your phones settings to allow for installation from 'unknown sources'.
To do this go to your phone settings menu, tap security or application, check the 'unknown sources' box and confirm (you may want to do the reverse once the app has installed but you'll need to allow this for each app downloaded through Amazon). Now head over to your downloads folder, by going to My Files or Files, tap on the Amazon App file (Amazon_App.apk) tap Install when prompted and you should be set!
What's the catch? You will need an Amazon account to use the app, even though they are free! Other than that so far there doesn't seem to be much of a catch here. Amazon has for years offered up free app through their “Free App of the Day” promotion, which is now gone btw.
I will say I'm not a big fan of having to use Amazon's Underground App to install all my 'freebies' as it seems like nothing more than a rebrand of Amazon's traditional appstore app. Meaning not only will you see your Underground app selections but loads of listings for physical items from Amazon’s online store, along with plenty of ads for Amazon Prime.
Due to security concerns I'm also not a major fan of having to allow installations from 'Unknown Sources' every time I want to load an app from Amazon. On my Galaxy S5 this isn't a major issue since it will ask me each time and I don't have to leave the setting open, but it still might be an issue for some!
On the plus side of things though, if you buy qualify apps even those that are free, you may be eligible for Amazon promotional credits for $1 towards MP3 purchases.
For the average consumer the thought of having to change from one smartphone operating system to another an be a bit much. We are all creatures of habit and typically like to stick to the things we know and are most comfortable with. Over the past couple years smartphone manufactures have looked for new ways to break that cycle by making it easier for you to take the leap and move from one OS platform to another.
Android device owners have options like Samsung's Smart Switch, Motorola's Migrate app and even a site setup by Google specifically for Android Switchers. What about those defecting to Apple and iOS you may ask. Until now there have been few options and most of those have required a bit more manual work than most would like. That is changing however thanks to a new app developed by Apple that promises to make the move between Android and iOS a bit easier.
Announced as part of the iOS 9 preview page which followed Apple's iOS 9 WWDC announcement, Move to iOS will allow users to easily transfer their data from almost any Android phone to iOS.
Move to iOS is an Android app that installs on your current Android phone and will allow you to migrate most (if not all) of you data from your current Android phone to your new iPhone running Apple's operating system, iOS. This will include, contacts, message history, photos, videos, web bookmarks, mail accounts, wallpapers and more. All of this is done through wireless transfer, so you don't have to connect the two smartphones with a cable.
"Just download the Move to iOS app to wirelessly switch from your Android device to your new iOS device," Apple wrote. "It securely transfers your contacts, message history, camera photos and videos, web bookmarks, mail accounts, calendars, wallpaper, and DRM-free songs and books. And it will help you rebuild your app library, too. Any free apps you used -- like Facebook and Twitter -- are suggested for download from the App Store. And your paid apps are added to your iTunes Wish List."
Unfortunately much Samsung's Smart Switch app there will be some limitations. It is likely that Move to iOS will not allow for app data to be moved, that typically isn't possible between the two platforms, so you'll need to make sure you have any data saved to the game or app's servers before switching. You also will not be able to transfer any files that have DRM protection like certain songs, movies or e-Books.
So far Apple hasn't gone into great details on which versions of Android will be supported or whether or not any older versions of iOS or iPhones will be supported, but "Move to iOS" will presumably be
available on the Play Store later this year so you can download it on your Android device.
Love having your phone on you and on at all times but hate getting those annoying calls or message notifications at the worst possible time? Even if you don't know it, you likely already have option to mute those annoying calls, message notifications and led flashes all while still allowing priority messages or contacts to ring through.
For Samsung Galaxy owners, Samsung has been adding Blocking Mode to their phones for years now, all the way back to the first Galaxy devices. The feature allows you to receive calls and notifications from selected 'priority callers' while remaining silent and stealthy to anyone not on your allowed list. With previous version of Andorid (KitKat and earlier) the function was fairly basic and only allowed you to block incoming calls, turn off certain notifications, and turn off alarm and timer reminders.
With the changes Google has made to Android Lollipop came the inclusion of features dubbed downtime and priority mode which now allowed for much more customization and better control over your allowed contacts and allowed notifications. However, Samsung added in their own spin customizing these features under Lollipop and TouchWiz as the new Do not disturb setting.
The new Do not disturb setting can be quickly enabled/disabled from your quick settings panel, though it takes a bit more work to find and customize the actual settings. On previous versions of Android and TouchWiz you could simply go to apps, settings and scroll to find Blocking mode. Now you have to look under Settings–Sound and notifications (a quick scroll to the bottom should show it).
To customize your settings and allow priority mode callers simply tap Do not disturb, tap allow exceptions, and swipe it to on. Here it allows you to select to receive or block all alarms, calls or messages. You can also tap Calls and messages from to allow/deny calls from everyone, favorite contacts (this would be your priority callers), or only contacts.
For those wanting to block application notifications Samsung has added the option to customize those as well. Back in the Settings–Sound and notifications panel, just below Do not disturb, is the option for Application notifications. This setting will allow you to pick and chose on an individual basis which applications will notify you. You can block or allow each app individually, or set them as a priority to be shown in the notification panel when Do not disturb mode is enabled.
Three new flagship Android devices, the the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge and HTC One M9, will be hitting store shelves this April. For those smartphone geeks out there that want to be the first on the block to get their hands on the new devices when they officially go on-sale, the date for pre-orders has been confirmed as tomorrow March 27th for all most all major carriers.
For those wanting Samsung's latest flagship devices the company made it official that the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge will go live in the US on March 27. Sales will begin nationwide on April 10 with all three device storage variants; 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB being available. The devices will be available in three colors at launch: Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum and White Pearl. The Blue Topaz and Green Emerald colors exclusive to the S6 and S6 edge are expected to be available later on, presumably for different carriers. Keep in mind these are just general dates, and actual carrier pre-order/shipping dates (and even colors and capacities available) may vary a little.
AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless will offer both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, while Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless and MetroPCS will carry the Galaxy S6. Samsung Experience Shops at Best Buy BBY, Amazon, Costco, Sam’s Club, Target, and Walmart will also carry the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge and should have demo units available for anyone wanting to review the new devices.
Update: Verizon has confirmed that it will not begin offering pre-orders to its customers until April 1st and they will be offering both devices Black Sapphire and White Pearl – in 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB models. Pricing for the Galaxy S6 is $599, $699 and $799. Pricing for the S6 edge is $699, $799 and $899.
Again at this time it is still unclear which variants each carrier will be offering though AT&T's pre-order information page does confirm they'll be offering all three colors and memory capacities.
For those geeks out there that are clamoring to get their hands on the newest offering from HTC, we now know the company will be putting the new HTC One M9 up for pre-order and sale on the same dates March 27th and April 10th. This goes for the HTC online store as well as most major carriers. From April 10, the One M9 will be available from all four major US carriers, as well as retailers Amazon, Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile specialty stores, Costco Wholesale and Target.
Both devices will carry similar price tags with the unlocked 32gb HTC One M9 costing you $649, and the 32gb Galaxy S6 fetching somewhere around $679. The Galaxy S6 edge will be price significantly higher at $750+. (Exact pricing details for each variant are expected tomorrow)
Now that we have the dates set in stone, one question remains. Which one of these three new devices will you be buying? Or will you go a different route entirely? Let us know with a comment below.
Cellphone unlocking has gone through many trials and tribulations over the past few years. Originally, carriers used the option of SIM locks to keep tight reigns on customers by locking their phones to only work on their networks. This left customers with few options and resulted in many turning to cellphone unlocking sites and the use of various hacks.
Fortunately times have changed! Last summer, President Obama signed the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act into law. The law repealed previous rulings that had originally made it illegal for consumers to unlock their cell phones on their own. With the passage of the new law customers were given the choice, but until now, carriers haven’t been required to sell unlocked phones or honor unlock requests (although most did anyway).
According to reports from Android Police, as of February 11th, that will all be changing. CTIA-The Wireless Association which represents the international wireless telecommunications industry is laying out a set of phone unlocking (covering both SIM and network unlocking) principles that AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular have agreed to abide by. You can view more details on CTIA's changes right here.
There are a few stipulations to having your device unlocked and each carrier has a slightly different processes and policies. First and foremost in order to have a carrier unlock your phone, you’ll need to be either paid off in full or have completed your contract term. So no you can't just go out and buy a new phone on the cheap with a two year contract and expect to be able to swindle the phone company.
Second, you may be required to pay a nominal fee. This would usually only apply if you are not a current customer. However, the report from Android Police states carriers may charge a "reasonable" fee. Third, the phone must meet all eligibility requirements which also includes not be 'blacklisted' as being stolen or having a bad IMEI.
If you want to see the full unlocking policy for each carrier, you can check the links below:
For more information about how to unlock your device as well as a few more details we haven't covered, be sure to check out Android Police’s very thorough post on the subject. If you have any questions please feel free to comment below and we'll help you out as much as possible!
Google Now is widely considered one of the most popular features of the Google platform. The mobile assistant for Android devices (and Chrome) offers users quick views of relevant information they need the most.
Starting today Google is rolling out an update that will make Google Now an even more important part of your day by allowing third-party apps to integrate directly with the service. With this new update, apps like Airbnb, eBay, Lyft, and as many as 40 others will directly deliver information to you via your Google Now cards without you having to actually open up the app.
The entire list of the 40 different apps that Google Now currently supports can be found here, but some of the most noteworthy inclusions are Kayak, Pandora, TripAdvisor, Zillow and Ford. In addition to app integration you'll also see more Now cards from emails directed to you from your favorite sites that are utilizing Gmail and Google Now mark-up. This means you'll never miss those emails from sites like CheapTickets, Booking.com or UrbanSpoon.
In order to see these new Google Now cards you'll still need to have the app installed, and for now this third-party app integration will only work on Android. However, Google has said they are working to expand integration with more 3rd party apps and they are likely looking to expand availability beyond Android.
Yesterday Nokia sparked everyone's interest when the company tweeted 'We're up to something', with a photo of a mysterious black box. Speculation quickly spread as to what the company might have up its sleeve for its first major product release since leaving the smartphone business.
Today we have our answer as Nokia has announced the N1, the first Nokia-branded Android tablet. The N1 offers the innovative, predictive Nokia Z Launcher interface, and a carefully crafted industrial design by Nokia with a focus on simplicity.
"We are pleased to bring the Nokia brand back into consumers' hands with the N1 Android tablet, and to help make sophisticated technologies simple," said Sebastian Nyström, Head of Products at Nokia Technologies, who announced the N1 at the Slush technology conference in Helsinki. "The N1 has a delightfully intuitive interface and an industrial design to match it. This is a great product for Nokia fans and everyone who has not found the right Android tablet yet."
The Nokia N1 features a 7.9" 2048×1536 (4:3) IPS LCD with Gorilla Glass 3 laminated display. A 2.4Ghz Intel Atom Z3580 processor, plus PowerVR G6430 GPU. On-board will be 2GB of system RAM and 32GB of internal non-expandable storage. It will also include an 8-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera.
For software the Nokia N1 will feature Nokia’s custom Android skin called Z Launcher that sits on top of Android 5.0 Lollipop. Said software is described as intuitive and super easy to use with adaptive learning, so it will adapt to you and what you’re doing to bring you “what you need, when you need it.”
The N1 is planned to be available for purchase in China in Q1 2015 for an estimated USD 249 before taxes, with the anticipation of expanding sales to other markets.
For smartphone platform switchers changing to a new operating system can often been an overwhelming experience.Often times we just don't know where to get to started and what to do to make the transition any easier. Thankfully there are some great resources out there that make the move easier and what better resource could you ask for but one directly from Google itself?
Google has published a new site with a very helpful guide to help you switch from iOS to Android without losing any of your important things like contacts, photos or music.
The Android Switch site walks you through all of the basics. Offering step by step instructions on
how to upload photos stored on iPhones and iPads to Google+, transfer
music from iTunes to Google Play Music, and even keeping all your contacts.There are also links for further assistance for new Android users to get started with their new device and get the most out of the new operating system.
Google guide will help anyone on any Android device. However, for those of you that are making the switch from Apple to a Samsung or Motorola device there are even more alternatives. New Samsung owners can download and use Samsung's Smart Switch App which will allow you to transfer existing content from your iPhone and iCloud account to any new Samsung phone. You can even use it to transfer content between existing Samsung devices. Motorola offers a similar solution with its Motorola Migrate App which also allows for switching directly from an iCloud account or another Android device.
