Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime leaks with a serious focus on selfies

The latest in Samsung’s Galaxy Grand lineup looks like it’s going to try to tackle the selfie-crazed market. The recently leaked Galaxy Grand Prime features a 5 megapixel front facing camera, which is one of the highest resolution shooters we’ve seen Samsung put in any of their devices. Previous devices in the Grand series have only had 2 megapixel cameras, so this looks like it will be a noticeable bump in image quality.

Other specs on the device look fairly mid-range, which is in line with the previous Galaxy Grand models. There’s a Snapdragon 400 CPU with 1 GB of RAM on board, plus an 8 megapixel, 1080p shooting rear camera. You’ll get a qHD 5-inch display, Android 4.4, and dual SIM card slots. The focus of the device is clearly on the selfie-shooting front camera, but since other manufacturers are pursuing the same market, there’s clearly some demand there.

No word on pricing just yet, but expect the device to be made official sometime in October.

source: GSM Arena

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Google’s Material Design wins award for best contribution to UX

Google IO 2014 brought a multitude of new devices and services. Among them was Android L, the upcoming version of Android. With Android L, Google introduced a whole new design language – Material Design. One that not only makes the UI more fluid, good-looking and simple, but also blends the experience across all devices and screen sizes.

It’s truly a first-of-a-kind and an innovative design that will change the future of the industry. It’s so great that it has actually won a gold award for the best contribution to UX. The UX Awards have been going since 2011 and only the best software of the year gets to be part of it.

Of course, Google goes over on all the Material Design advantages and the changes they are introducing. Its multi-platform flexibility and dynamic UI are a huge focus, as are the new design guidelines. These open the door for a future where a smaller screen doesn’t have to mean less… it’s just smaller.

Mobile devices have been evolving and now we can have a full experience even in a 1.5-inch smartwatch display, jsut as we can on a 50-inch TV. Material Design will make this possible and the industry recognizes that fact.

Source: UX Awards;



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Google looking into utilizing drones to provide internet access in remote areas

As 2014 nears its end and the new year approaches, it is very clear that 2015 will be filled with headlines involving drones. Everyone from the government to technology companies are utilizing them (for different reasons). According to a request for permission sent to the FCC, Google would like to use drones to bring internet access to remote areas that would not otherwise have a connection.

The request submitted by Google is specifically to start testing its drones on October 6, 2014. The location for the testing would be outside of Albuquerque and Santa Fe in New Mexico in an unincorporated community. It will be transmitting at 910MHz to 927MHz and 2.4GHz to 2.414GHz. Some of this is to be used by a more sophisticated 911 location service, but Google is noting that that service is not yet live.

And, like Amazon, Google is working with drones for a future delivery service.

Source: FCC [PDF Download Link]

Via: Ars Technica

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Get answers to your questions much faster in Chrome for Android with hidden experimental feature

By now you have noticed that whenever you start typing a query in Google, auto-suggestions appear below. If you’re using the Chrome app on Android (and you should be), you will also get answers in this auto-suggestion area meaning that you don’t even need to complete the search. You will have to enable a flag within your app since it’s not set by default, but trust me, it’s easy.

1. Open a new tab and go to chrome://flags


2. Find the ‘Answers in Suggest’ flag (quick tip: hit the three dot menu, select “Find in Page,” and type “answers” to find it quicker.


3. Tap on the drop down box


4. Set it to ‘Enabled’


5. Relaunch the browser when prompted (at the bottom)

Now try asking a question. I find it hit and miss. For example, it works great with the weather, but didn’t work so well with game scores. Remember it’s an experiment, so it’s not a final product and could contain bugs.

source: omgchrome
via: 9to5Google

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Tip: Chrome 'Answers In Suggest' Flag Enables Answers To Simple Questions Right In The Omnibar

Those willing to venture into chrome://flags can often enjoy experimental treats that haven't made it into default circulation yet. One flag in Chrome, brought to our attention by a tipster, enables "answers in suggest," giving users answers to simple questions right in the omnibar. So if for some reason you're wondering what the capital of Maryland is, or the population of the world, you can get the answer without actually performing a search.

Tip: Chrome 'Answers In Suggest' Flag Enables Answers To Simple Questions Right In The Omnibar was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime leaked – selfie lovers rejoice

Samsung will cover any niche market it can find, and the recent onslaught of selfie-focused smartphones is definitely a party they were to join. Recent leaks show what could be the latest iteration of their Samsung Galaxy Grand series, which could very well be one of their main selfie phones.

The Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime has shown up in a Vietnamese website. We have pictures, specs and even an estimated release window.

As you can see, the Galaxy Grand Prime looks much like its predecessors. It’s large and follows that traditional Samsung design we can all recognize from a mile away. Its 5-inch screen sports a qHD (960x540p) resolution, which happens to be a substantial downgrade over the Galaxy Grand 2’s 5.25-inch 720p display. A bit of an odd situation, since all other specs are near identical and this should be meant to be a better phone.

The Galaxy Grand Prime does get that 5 MP front-facing camera, though, making it a great device for those selfie shots. Other specs include an 8 MP rear camera, a Snapdragon 400 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal storage and Android 4.4 KitKat.

Rumors also say the device will be launching in Vietnam this coming October, so it shouldn’t be long before it reaches other markets.

Via: GSM Arena;

Source: thegioididong;



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LG G3 Vigor joining Sprint portfolio this Friday

The LG G3 Vigor, a smaller, less powerful version of the LG G3 for users looking for a less expensive phone, will join the Sprint portfolio starting this Friday. The hardware for the LG G3 Vigor is basically the same as the LG G3 Beat sold in some foreign markets. The smartphone comes with a 5-inch 720p resolution display, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal storage expandable via microSD, an 8MP camera, and a 2,540mAh battery.

Despite the downgrades in hardware necessary to achieve a lower price point, the LG G3 Vigor still gets software features that LG provides on more expensive devices like Knock On, QSlide, and QuickMemo+. The device also gets LG’s rear of the device button placement. Thanks to Sprint, buyers can access the Sprint Spark network where available as well as HD Voice service.

The LG G3 Vigor will be available in Burgundy Red and Metallic Black. List price for the phone will be $299.99 off contract.

source: Sprint

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Deal: Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 – $219

A refurbished Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is on sale for just $219 right now. This is a refurbished model, but it’s manufacturer refurbished so that there shouldn’t be any issues. The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is typically $400. It features a 2560×1600 resolution display, 2GB of RAM, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 16GB of storage. You can buy it from the link down below.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 – eBay

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[Deal Alert] Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 (16GB) On Sale For $219.99 With Free US Shipping, Down From $400

There's supposed to be a Nexus tablet at some point, but what if your fingers are aching to tap on a new tablet right now? Well, you have a dilemma. There's no reason you have to spend big to get your gadget fix. The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is usually a $400 device, but you can pick up a refurb for a mere $219.99 on eBay Daily Deals.

This is the 16GB version of the device, and you get it in your choice of black or white.

[Deal Alert] Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 (16GB) On Sale For $219.99 With Free US Shipping, Down From $400 was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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After departure of project lead, Google’s Android@Home may be in trouble

A new report from The Information claims several changes have occurred inside Google’s walls involving the Android@Home project. That project has been trying to put together a marketable consumer entertainment device, rather unsuccessfully thus far. The closest the team got was the Nexus Q, which was scuttled after negative reviews. The most recent effort was a Nexus TV, also known as the ADT-1 Android TV developer reference platform.

The ADT-1 hardware was recently handed out at Google I/O and mailed to others who requested one. The ADT-1 was based on a project that had been known internally as the Nexus TV. The hardware that Google recently shared as the ADT-1 is supposed to serve as reference hardware for other manufacturers wanting to produce Android TV hardware. It can also be used by software developers to test their apps.

Reports indicate that Joe Britt, the head of the Android@Home team, has departed Google. It is not clear on what terms Britt’s departure occurred. The sources report that Scott Bartlett, a key architect of Google’ Nexus hardware, also left. With these departures, most of the Android@Home team has apparently been re-assigned to the Chromecast team.

For now, the future of Google’s Android@Home project is murky at best. The ADT-1 was supposed to be a platform for movies, TV, gaming and apps on a television. With the team seemingly moving on, both internally and externally, and Google focused on other, non-entertainment related consumer projects like Nest and Dropcam, it may be up to other companies to fill the hole left by the Android@Home team.

source: The Information

via: Android Police

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Google Report Increased Number Of User Data Requests From Worldwide Governments

With Google so dominate nowadays in terms of user information it is no surprise that reports keep coming in on various governments and Courts asking Google to hand over data on its users. However, what is alarming is the continued rise and escalation of requests Google are receiving. Requests from governments and other institutions have become so widespread that Google some time ago started to release its Transparency Reports. These reports detail the number of times over a given period (typically six months) how many requests Google have received. Today, Google released their newest Transparency Report (its tenth incarnation) which again shows an increase in the number of requests received highlighting the increased pressure Google is under from various Worldwide governments.

The current report details request activity over the first six months of this year and compared to the previous half-year (latter half of 2013), Google report a 15% increase in the number of requests for user data. This is also a 150% increase since they first began publishing this information in 2009. If you think the continued rise is quite unsettling then it is worth noting the figures reported by Google for the US (alone) are higher than the noted averages. In the US the current Transparency Report states an increase of requests for the first half of 2014 being 19% higher (compared to the overall 15%) compared to the previous 6 month time frame. In addition, this accompanies an overall increase of 250% in the US since Google started reporting the information (compared to the overall 150%). It is also worth remembering that these figures do not include any requests made, but protected by the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) or by an NSL (National Security Letter) which is basically an administrative subpoena issued by the FBI.

As well as reporting the information, Google also used the Transparency Report to highlight the issues of data collection by drawing attention to the ‘USA Freedom Act’ which according to Google would “allow us to be more transparent about the volume, scope and type of national security demands that we receive”. In addition, Google also highlights the need for the ‘Electronic Communications Privacy Act’ to be updated “to make it clear that the government must obtain a search warrant before it can compel a service provider to disclose the content of a user’s communication”. Anyone worried about the continued rise in government requests or just feels it’s the nature of the technological world we now live in?

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Textra SMS App Gets Updated With Material Design Makeover And Android Wear Support

Texting from Android Wear devices is still somewhat limited, and on that note, even replying to anything in general using your Android Wear devices is still a little more limited than one might hope. Although messaging apps seem to be updating them more quickly than before. If you find yourself keeping in touch with friends and family members through SMS and messaging applications more often than anything else and you own an Android Wear smartwatch, it’s only natural that you should want to see your favorite messaging app support the hands free voice enabled capabilities that your brand new smartwatch has to offer.

Hangouts has allowed SMS integration from your mobile carrier for a while now, and they have supported replies via Android Wear since the first two watches hit the scene. If you’re like me, you have probably ditched using the stock messaging application ages ago and are using a third party application. There are lots to choose from, and one that has some pretty compelling features is an app called Textra SMS. Forget that you’ll end up getting more options with Textra than with the standard SMS app that came on you phone by default, Textra just recently went through some updates and has added in not one, but two really awesome changes that are setting it up for the future.

The first is the new Material Design like styling that comes from the next version of Android which many people are already experiencing through the Android Developer preview. This is one really good reason to at least check out Textra, as it offers a UI that is based off of the design guidelines from the next version of the OS, the second and probably the better option of the two, or at least more convenient, is the fact that with the latest update Textra now supports Android Wear devices. It isn’t the first messaging app to add Android Wear support for quick replies, but adding the feature on top of the Material Design style UI just somehow seems to elevate it a little more. Textra is free, and it offers no in-app purchases, and it looks beautiful and seems to function very nicely judging by the positive reviews. You can grab Textra from the Play Store if you want to give it a shot.

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Android One phones can’t take pictures or save media without a micrSD card?

Android One is meant to be the catalyzer that brings affordable smartphones to emerging markets. The first partners include Micromax, Karbonn and Spice. Nearly 3 months after the Google IO announcement, these devices are finally launching in India for only $100. We have compared these with the competition and they seem to win in the price/quality balance, but there is much more we need to see before we pass judgement.

We haven’t tested these yet, but the guys at BGR have and they found a huge flaw in Android One. It seems a microSD card is paramount for these devices’ basic functionality. Apparently one can’t even take a picture if there is no microSD card inserted. It’s not even possible to save a file or download an attachment without external storage!

We do understand that Android One devices come with a limited 4 GB of storage (about 2.3 GB are free), but that is still storage we should be able to use.

Is Android One local storage really limited to apps and system files? It very well may be. And if that is the case, we sure hope the manufacturers are giving customers at least low storage cards with the purchase of an Android One device. We do know Spice and Micromax hand out a microSD card, though, so it may be required.

Regardless, these limitations should not be placed. Your storage, as limiting as it may be, should be freely available to save whatever files you prefer.

Source: BGR;



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LG G3 Vigor reaches Sprint with affordable price, great design

Sprint subscribers looking for an affordable smartphone can now add the LG G3 Vigor to their lists of options. This neat device offers a great design, modest specs, good performance and most features you can find on the LG G3. Want it? It will be launched this Friday, September 19th in all Sprint sales channels.

LG G3 Vigor specs

• Android 4.4.2 KitKat


• 5-inch 720p IPS LCD display


• 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor


• 1 GB of RAM


• 8 GB of internal storage


• 8 MP rear-facing camera


• 1.3 MP front-facing camera


• 2540 mAh battery

The LG G3 Vigor looks much like the flagship G3, but it takes some hits in the specs in order to reduce the price. You will definitely notice the reduction in screen size and definition. Performance should be good with a Snapdragon 400 and 1 GB of RAM, but it will definitely lose when compared to high-end smartphones.

What I do love about LG is that they bring nearly all their software features to their low-end devices, a practice that is not very usual in the industry. Most manufacturers leave the coolest features for the high-end smartphones, even when there are no real hardware limitations.

LG G3 Vigor users will get Knock Code, Knock On, Smart Keyboard, Smart Cleaning, QSlide, Quick Memo and more. By the way, the device also supports Sprint’s Spark 4G LTE technology and WiFi calling.

Price and availability

Now, let’s jump into the most important factor – price. The LG G3 Vigor will cost you $299 off contract, which definitely not bad, even if similar phones out there come with similar (or lower) prices. The LG G3 Vigor may look and feel better to you, though.

You can also get it on payments with a $0 down payment and 24 monthly $12.50 payments. Are you signing up for one of these come September 19th?

Source: Sprint;



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23 Best New Android Games From The Last 2 Weeks (9/2/2014 - 9/15/2014)

Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.

Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the widgets, which include ratings and pricing info.

Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Games

CounterSpy™

Android Police coverage: Stylish Stealth Platformer CounterSpy Mixes Metroid And Metal Gear Solid In A Cold War Caricature

CounterSpy is an intriguing little console port, a game that combines the 2D platforming elements of Metroid with the sneaky-sneaky gameplay of Metal Gear, all in a shiny 60s Cold War aesthetic.

23 Best New Android Games From The Last 2 Weeks (9/2/2014 - 9/15/2014) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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