Spotify for Android gets a new look, adds a few other changes

Earlier this month the web, desktop and iOS versions of Spotify saw a redesign that featured a darker theme and a simpler interface. At the time, Android users were left out of the dark (see what I did there?), but no longer.

As of today, the new Spotify experience is rolling out to Android users. That said, this is a staged rollout and may take a few weeks to reach everyone. For those that don’t wish to wait any longer than they have to, Spotify is offering the APK directly from their website.

So what exactly is new here, aside from a redesigned look? Probably the biggest change outside of the new design language is the addition of “Your Music”, which replaces “Collections”. This is more than just a name change, as the new music section allows you to directly save albums to your music list, something you previously couldn’t do.

There’s also improvements to the “Browse” feature, offering better, more relevant content according to Spotify. This change includes a new “Genres & Moods” section that has things like mood, party, pop, workout and several other categories.

Overall, Spotify feels less cluttered and easier to use then before. Of course it also is a bit of an adjustment for regular Spotify users. To check out the app update for yourself, you can either grab it via Spotify’s website or through Google Play. What do you think of the new look? Like it, or do you prefer the original UI?

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1iEGFz4

Sony Z Ultra Play edition is now $449 in the Play Store, $200 off

Looking for a nice deal to lighten up your mood after news broke that the Nexus line is on its way out? Look no further, as Sony’s mighty Z Ultra Google Play edition is now on sale for just $449.

Normally going for $649, the half tablet/half smartphone device from Sony features a beautiful 6.4-inch Full HD LCD display, a Snapdragon 800 SoC, and two gigs of RAM. If the 16GB of storage onboard isn’t enough, the microSD card slot will surely come in handy. Filling up the spec sheet are the 3,000 mAh battery and 8MP rear camera, though sadly there’s no flash.

The Z Ultra Play edition is also waterproof, though that doesn’t show on its girth, at just 6.5 millimeters across. Overall, the device looks like a great choice for anyone pining for a large smartphone or a compact tablet.

As with any Play edition device, you get the guarantee that updates will come to its stock Android OS in a timely manner.

The deal only seems to be available in the United States for now. Check it out here. No indication if this is a permanent price cut or a temporary sale.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1o0kUd9

Paranoid Android 4.3 beta 1 brings Hover, and it looks very promising

Back in early March, the Paranoid Android team announced that Halo, the signature multitasking feature of the custom ROM, would be reinvented into a new feature called Hover. Now the latest beta release of PA brings the initial release of Hover, and it looks very promising.

Now available in Paranoid Android 4.3 beta 1, Hover gives you a way to quickly interact with your notifications without leaving your current app.

Let’s say, for instance, you receive an email while watching YouTube. Hover will show a sliding notification card at the top of the screen for about three seconds. If you want to see more, you can swipe down on the notification to expand it with a bit more info, or, you can tap it to open Gmail in a window that floats on top of YouTube, hence the name Hover. YouTube stays open, so you won’t need to pause it or close it to read your message.

To activate Hover, you need to slide down the notification bar and tap on the Hover button near the Settings shortcut. From there, the feature takes over all your notifications.

Hover looks like a very promising feature that will really set PA apart from stock Android and other custom ROMs. The ability to open up background apps without leaving whatever you happen to be doing can greatly improve multitasking on mobile devices. And that’s especially useful when playing full screen games, like demonstrated with Temple Run in the video below.

The feature already looks pretty solid, but the Paranoid Android team promises it’s only the “first step” towards adding more functionality to the ROM’s notification system. Of course, as with any initial release, some bugs and inconsistencies are to be expected.

Besides Hover, other features and changes in the release include the ability to pause and resume downloads and to open the last used app by long-pressing the recent apps button. There are also some tweaks and bug fixes, that you can learn about here.

Paranoid Android 4.3 beta 1 is currently available for modern Nexus devices from the official downloads page.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/QU8ska