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Monday, April 27, 2015

Forget the Trolls, Sell Your Patents Directly to Google Thanks to New Promotion

To combat the trolls that plague the patent industry, Google announced the Patent Purchase Promotion today, a platform to allow patent owners to easily sell their patents to Google. 

Google knows that in the wrong hands, a set of patents can cause serious issues for businesses all over the place, including lawsuits and wasted efforts. Seriously, when was the last time you ever heard anything good come from patent trolls?

The process of selling is rather simple, but since we’re talking legal mumbo jumbo and lawyer-centric happenings, read what Google states below regarding potential sellers of patents.

From May 8, 2015 through May 22, 2015, we’ll open a streamlined portal for patent holders to tell Google about patents they’re willing to sell at a price they set. As soon as the portal closes, we’ll review all the submissions, and let the submitters know whether we’re interested in buying their patents by June 26, 2015.

If we contact you about purchasing your patent, we’ll work through some additional diligence with you and look to close a transaction in short order. We anticipate everyone we transact with getting paid by late August.

As you just read, the process is extremely straightforward, at least from the outside looking in. I’m no expert in patents, so Google offers a very helpful FAQ right here for more details on the promotion.

If you don’t want to deal with patent trolls, and would rather get a nice little check from Google, get your submission ready.

Via: Google | Patents Site

Forget the Trolls, Sell Your Patents Directly to Google Thanks to New Promotion is a post from: Droid Life



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Other Google Store Goodies: LG G Watch R Drops to $249, Moto 360 to $179

With the introduction of the LG Watch Urbane to the Google Store moments ago, Google has also gone ahead and dropped pricing on the LG G Watch R and the Moto 360. The G Watch R dropped from $299 to $249, and the Moto 360 was slashed from $249 to $179.

Pretty solid savings on two of the top Android Wear devices available. Hopefully, these discounts actually stick around for more than a couple of days. 

Free shipping is included with all orders.

Google Store Links:  G Watch R ($249) | Moto 360 ($179)

Other Google Store Goodies: LG G Watch R Drops to $249, Moto 360 to $179 is a post from: Droid Life



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LG Watch Urbane Now Available From the Google Store for $349

Yep, just went live! Well, sort of, we found the public link to it which Google hasn’t yet provided a direct link anywhere to (Edit: They went live with it now). Be the first to own LG’s Watch Urbane!

The watch, which is arguably the most premium Android Wear device to date, comes in either silver or rose gold for $349. It features a 1.3-inch P-OLED display with Gorilla Glass 3, 512MB RAM, stainless steel cover, genuine leather strap, a 1.2GHz processor, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, IP67 water resistance, and a 410mAh battery. It’s also the first Android Wear device to run the new Android 5.1.1 update, which will help it take advantage of that WiFi chip.

On a related note, the regular LG G Watch is now no longer available.

Google Store Link ($349)

LG Watch Urbane Now Available From the Google Store for $349 is a post from: Droid Life



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Deal: Buy a Nexus 5 With Year-Long Data Plan From FreedomPop for $199

If picking up a certified pre-owned Nexus 5 16GB, that also comes with a year-long subscription to 500MB of high-speed 4G LTE data a month from FreedomPop sounds like a good deal, a new listing on the DL Deals Store should interest you. 

The Nexus 5, as you all should know, is the Nexus device that launched a year before 2014’s Nexus 6 from Google. It is a low-priced, hardworking smartphone that for $200, is a pretty good deal.

Now, the FreedomPop connectivity that comes with the device is on Sprint’s LTE network, with 500MB of 4G LTE data per month. The service also includes 1 year of visual voicemail, 1 year of tethering, and 1 year of usage alerts. You pay nothing extra for this service, as it comes coupled with the device thanks to a SIM card right out of the box. For more info on FreedomPop, or if you have any questions that need answering, check out their support page here.

If paying just $200 for a Nexus 5 and a year of service sounds agreeable, go grab it.

Features

  • 1 year of visual voicemail – $30 value
  • 1 year of tethering – $47.88 value
  • 1 year of usage alerts – $23.88 value
  • Unlimited text & talk, plus 500MB 4G LTE data
  • No contracts or huge early termination fees
  • Sleek, durable design
  • Dependable performance

Deal Link

Deal: Buy a Nexus 5 With Year-Long Data Plan From FreedomPop for $199 is a post from: Droid Life



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Swiftkey Introduces Clarity Keyboard Beta

Swiftkey announced a new keyboard this morning as a part of its new Greenhouse arm, which is a hub for them to test experimental software. The keyboard is called Clarity and it aims to be a distraction free typing experience that helps you focus on “what you’re writing and nothing else.”

The new Clarity keyboard is currently in beta for all to try if interested. You will see features like multi-word autocorrect, automatic learning of your slang (nicknames and phrases too), and the ability to quickly undo autocorrections you didn’t want. As you continue to use Clarity, Swiftkey will gather feedback and test additional ideas they have about the way people type. In other words, your use of Clarity could be influential in the future of Swiftkey’s products. 

I was hoping to give you some immediate feedback after some time with it, but unfortunately, it has been stuck on a “Please wait for the application to load…” screen for the past 30 minutes on my Galaxy S6. If it ever decides to load, I’ll be sure to update this post. In the mean time, I’ll have to rely on you all to tell the DL community if this keyboard is worth an early look or not.

Play Link

Via: Swiftkey

Swiftkey Introduces Clarity Keyboard Beta is a post from: Droid Life



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Droid Life Q&A Sessions: Volume 29

A lot is about to happen over the next few weeks in the world of Android, with three of the big things being the G4 from LG (that happens tomorrow), Google I/O next month, and Google’s announcement of Project Fi. We also just got done reviewing the Galaxy S6s and One M9, in case you needed more.

With all of this going down, it’s a good time to see if anyone here has questions for the DL staff, and like all previous volumes of the Q&A Sessions, we would be more than happy to answer them. 

On Friday, we will compile a list of our favorite questions, then let the team have at them. Until then, shoot your questions below in the comments section. And as a reminder, your questions can be about anything, even if it’s non-tech related.

To see all of our previous Q&A’s, check them out here.

Droid Life Q&A Sessions: Volume 29 is a post from: Droid Life



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Giveaway: Win 1 of 5 Huawei TalkBand B2 Devices Before Anyone can Buy It

As Huawei continues its big push this year into the US, they want you to realize that they are about more than just smartphones. While their smartphones are certainly grabbing our attention (Huawei P8 for example), as are the rumors of them possibly creating a Nexus phone, their line-up of accessories shouldn’t be ignored either. And I’m not just talking about the Android Wear-powered Huawei Watch that stole headlines at MWC. Huawei also has a smart wearable/Bluetooth earpiece called the TalkBand B2 that is worth a look.

Before we get into why it’s worth a look, we should probably mention that we are giving five (5) of them away. Oh, it’s also not available yet for purchase, so should you win one, you will be one of the first in the world. Cool, right? 

OK, so the TalkBand B2 is Huawei’s smart wearable that doubles as a Bluetooth earpiece. It sits on your wrist for the most part with its waterproof self, making sure you hit fitness and sleep goals, are seeing notifications as they arrive through its touch screen, and acting as a timepiece with either TPU or leather strap options. But should you want to take a call, you can detach the TalkBand B2 from the wrist strap and toss it on ear for a hands-free call. See, it’s a hybrid of sorts, which is why we don’t know exactly how to describe it as an individual product. It’s a pretty cool concept.

Ready to win one?

Contest

Prizes: Five (5) Huawei TalkBand B2 devices for five (5) winners.

How to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You also have another chance to enter by visiting the Huawei Community.

Winners:

Our five (5) winners will be chosen Wednesday, April 29, at 12PM Pacific.

Giveaway: Win 1 of 5 Huawei TalkBand B2 Devices Before Anyone can Buy It is a post from: Droid Life



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Facebook Messenger Gets Video Calling

Video calling is now a part of Facebook Messenger, the social giant announced this morning. Available on both Android and iOS today in Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Laos, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, the UK, the US and Uruguay, you can call someone via video with the touch of a video icon at the top of your conversations.

Once you have the latest update, which again, should be out today, you should see a video icon at the top of your individual conversations that lets you know if the person on the other end is ready to take a call. Calls can also be made between Android and iOS devices. 

Video calling joins other recently introduced Messenger features like payments, a GIF store, and integration with the Facebook’s new Hello dialer. While I wouldn’t consider myself to be a Facebook user, I can’t help but tip my hate to Facebook’s Messenger application as one of the better messaging apps around.

Play Link

Via:  Facebook

Facebook Messenger Gets Video Calling is a post from: Droid Life



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Instagram Update Brings 3 New Filters, Emoji Hashtags

Instagram announced this morning that a new update for both Android and iOS will bring three new filters, as well as a new take on hashtags, ones that include emoji. 

With the new filters – Lark, Reyes and Juno – you get what Instagram considers to be a “family of modern, subtle filters that brighten and enhance your photos in refined, beautiful ways.” According to a blog post detailing the the three, you will find that “Lark desaturates reds while punching up blues and greens to bring your landscapes to life,” that “Reyes brings a dusty, vintage look to your moments,” and “Juno tints cool tones green while making warm tones pop and whites glow for vibrant photos of people.

As for the new style of hashtags that include emoji, you really are now able to hashtag smiley faces or waves or cats or any other emoji. Just type “#” and the emoji you want. As you can see from the image above, they are already live in the beta, but may be live for all without it.

The new build for Instagram is 6.20.0.

Play Link

instagram update

Via: Instagram

Instagram Update Brings 3 New Filters, Emoji Hashtags is a post from: Droid Life



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Sprint LG G2 Receiving Android 5.0 “Lollipop” Update

An update is rolling out to the LG G2 on Sprint, bumping it up to Android 5.0 “Lollipop.” Marked as version ZVG, users will get all of the new features that come with Android 5.0, such as lockscreen notifications, sweet new animations, and the updated navigation buttons. 

Beyond the overall OS getting updated, Sprint states in the changelog that they are adding in an update to FM Radio software, hopefully bringing an enhanced radio experience to users.

If you happen to still rock a G2 on Sprint, get that update.

Via: Sprint
Cheers DimStyle!

 

Sprint LG G2 Receiving Android 5.0 “Lollipop” Update is a post from: Droid Life



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Set an Alarm or Send a Note to Your Android Phone Straight From the Desktop

Google highlighted a few more functions you can perform when your Android device is linked up to a desktop late last week, those being Set a Reminder, Set an Alarm, and Send a Note.

Previously, we wrote up how you can send directions and even find your misplaced Android device from Google’s powerful Search bar, but it appears you can do even more with it, making the connection between your desktop and mobile phone that much more useful. 

To perform these basic commands, head over to Google’s main page or anywhere you see a Google search bar. From here, type in “Set an alarm,” or “Send a note.” You will see a prompt at the top of the search results, allowing you to perform the action you asked for. It’s very basic, but could be very useful.

As a note, if you have multiple phones linked up, there is a dropdown for you to select which device you want the action performed on.

send_a_note_-_Google_Search set_an_alarm_-_Google_Search

For basic instructions on how to perform these searches, plus more interesting tidbits about linking your phone to a Google account for access through desktop, check Google’s support page linked below.

Via: Google

Set an Alarm or Send a Note to Your Android Phone Straight From the Desktop is a post from: Droid Life



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Apps Crashing Like Crazy on Your Android Phone? Could be Latest Android System Webview Update

At the end of last week, Google pushed an update to its Android System Webview service through Google Play that seems to be causing some pretty major issues on a number of handsets. At least, that’s the general consensus on why phones over the weekend began to notice all sorts of app crashes. If you jump into the Play listing for Android System Webview, you will see dozens of 1-star reviews for the service, many of which mention it specifically as the cause for recent problems. 

What is Android System Webview? Android’s Webview, as described by Google, is a “system component powered by Chrome that allows Android apps to display web content.” In other words, Webview allows 3rd party apps to show content in an in-app browser or in an app screen that pulls from the web. It’s pretty important, and has only recently (with Lollipop) been decoupled as a stand-alone system component that can be updated as Google sees fit. And that’s important, because it allows Google to push security fixes and other enhancements without the need to push an entire system update.

What’s the problem then? As I’m not a developer, I can really only speculate, but my guess is that Google issued some sort of security fix in the latest update that is not playing nicely with 3rd party apps that are trying to access web content. Apps are crashing like crazy, freezing phones, and requiring regular reboots in order to work, even if temporarily. The official changelog for the latest update mentions that it “adds support for ES6 classes and provides stability and security fixes.” Whatever the exact cause, it has been a nightmare for those not realizing that it was Webview doing the damage.

So what’s the fix? Uninstall the most recent update of Webview. On most phones, that means jumping into Settings>Applications (Manager)> and then finding Android System Webview, tapping on, and then uninstalling the latest update. You can see a picture of this screen at the top of this post. While that’s not exactly the greatest fix, because this latest update did introduces “stability and security fixes,” it might save your phone in the interim.

We’ll let you know if Google pushes another update that fixes things.

Play Link

Apps Crashing Like Crazy on Your Android Phone? Could be Latest Android System Webview Update is a post from: Droid Life



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Deals: Galaxy S6 Official Wireless Charger for $35, Moto X for $180, Sonos Play 5 for $342

Looking for a whole bunch of electronics to blow last Friday’s paycheck on? We’ve got you covered, thanks to a 2-day sale over at Groupon. By using coupon code “SALE3” at checkout, you can save 10% on your orders, up to $50 off. After cruising through their pages and pages of deals, we actually found a handful that are worth considering.

Items like the official Samsung Galaxy S6 wireless charger can be had for $35 (normally $50). The 1st gen Moto X on Verizon is also as cheap as $180 after the discount. But maybe the best deal of all, if you are in the market for home Hi-Fi speakers, is the discount on Sonos’ entire line-up. You can grab a Sonos Play:5 for just $342 (usually $399) or the Play:1 for $171 (usually $199). Sonos products are almost never discounted, and if they are, never to these levels.

There are other deals as well, all quick-linked below.

Again use code “SALE3″ at checkout.

Groupon Links:

Deals: Galaxy S6 Official Wireless Charger for $35, Moto X for $180, Sonos Play 5 for $342 is a post from: Droid Life



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Lollipop Now Rolling Out to T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4

On Friday, we told you that T-Mobile had received “technical approval” on the Lollipop update for the Galaxy Note 4 and was planning to push the update to users starting today. Sure enough, it’s happening. A couple of our readers, along with many more in various forums throughout this vast Android-filled internet are all receiving the update.

T-Mobile hasn’t yet posted their own details for the update, but I’m guessing that will happen soon, whenever their community manager wakes up and starts work for the week. 

To check for the update, head into Settings>About phone>Software update.

As we have more, we will update this post.

Cheers Tyrone, Randy, and @Timbahhh!

Lollipop Now Rolling Out to T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 is a post from: Droid Life



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