APK BRO™ - Download APK Android Apps: 07/14/15

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Google Intros Nearby APIs for Android, Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons

Google introduced two things earlier today, being Nearby APIs which will enable enhanced device-to-device communication — even with iPhones — and Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons for everywhere you may go.

First, let’s talk about the Nearby APIs. Already in development and deployment through apps such as Trello and Pocket Casts, this feature allows developers to build in real time sharing options via a smart device’s Bluetooth or WiFi connection. As an example, if you and your team utilize Trello, you can share boards with each other if you are close by, all through a single press of a button. As shown in the header image, you simply press “Share Board Nearby,” and off it goes to another user.

As another example, Pocket Casts lets you see and share your list of favorite podcasts with other users around you. Say you are friends with Ron Offringa, and you want to see what he has been listening to. You hit on “Nearby” tab at the top of the page, then view whatever it is he may be listening to. And the same can be done by him to view your tastes in podcasts.

These changes are available to all developers using Google Play Services 7.8.

Second, there is Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) beacons. Google wants to connect the world, allowing for easier access to information by anyone who owns a smartphone. These beacons, called Eddystone, can go basically anywhere, containing whatever data the developer wants to program into them. For example, if you come to your bus stop, it can display arrival information for your bus on a smartphone. If your usual bus happens to be running late, it could even give you an alternative method to get home.

These beacons can even go in your home, displaying on your phone whatever might be on TV at the time, if it matches up with shows you watch. And as a last example, say you head into a restaurant, a beacon could notify you of delectable menu items.

In the below video, Google goes over what these BLE Beacons are all about. Info from these beacons, plus the Nearby API for improved phone-to-phone communication, will be hitting your smartphone soon.

Via: Android Developers [2]

Google Intros Nearby APIs for Android, Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons is a post from: Droid Life

Twitter to Rethink 3rd-Party Developer Strategy, May Soon Welcome Them Back With Open Arms

If you are an Android user who also scrolls through Twitter from time to time, it is possible you do so on one of many 3rd-party applications built for the service. Back in early to mid-2013, Twitter began a war on 3rd-party developers, limiting the amount of information an app could gain from the network, and even going so far as to limit the amount of users an app could have thanks to “login tokens.”

Falcon Pro, one of the more popular clients, was severely hindered by this move. Now, with Twitter in search of a new CEO, it appears the company has come out and said this move was a “strategic error,” and may soon welcome developers back to the platform.

Twitter’s Evan Williams, co-founder and board member, stated in a recent discussion that the move to block 3rd-party development was, “One of our strategic errors we had to wind down over time. It wasn’t a win/win for developers, users and the company.” Moving forward, Twitter wants to become a real time information network, and with a need to grow revenue to keep investors happy, the company may soon allow for a more open platform for developers to work on, as long as Twitter can get a cut.

“Twitter should be more of a platform than it is,” Williams continued. “There are a lot of things going on. New products, new source of revenue.”

As an avid Twitter user, I only use 3rd-party applications released to Google Play, as I find the official Twitter app to be quite poor in terms of features I want. I use Fenix, personally, but as stated previously, there is a gang of apps to choose from.

From a user’s standpoint, should Twitter’s welcoming of 3rd-party development be celebrated, or is too late?

Via: Business Insider

Twitter to Rethink 3rd-Party Developer Strategy, May Soon Welcome Them Back With Open Arms is a post from: Droid Life

Deals: REMXD On-Ear Headphones for $36 and Air-Fi Metro2 Headphones for $48

Two deals on the DL Deals Store can get you rocking very quickly, with the Air-Fi Metro2 stereo Bluetooth headphones and REMXD On-Ear headphones on sale, plus free shipping. Regularly priced at $50, the REMXD On-Ear headphones feature a large 33-foot range via Bluetooth to your smart device, meaning you won’t need your phone attached to the hip in order to listen to your jams.

The headphones allow for making and receiving calls, plus feature built-in controls for audio playback. As for battery life, the REMXD headphones feature 15 hours of listening time or 160 hours of standby time with a single charge, which should be plenty of juice to get you through your next gym routine.

Priced at $36, they can be purchased by following the link below.

Features

Enjoy the 33-ft Bluetooth range capability
Answer calls, adjust volume or switch songs w/ controls located on the headset
Customize the fit w/ the adjustable headset
Utilize the simple controls right on the headphones to easily change tracks & set your volume
Get 15 hours of listening time or 160 hours of standby time on one charge

Deal Link

Air-Fi Metro2 Headphones

Regularly priced at $60, the Air-Fi stereo headphones can be had for just $48, featuring ‘crystal clarity’ and impressive bass tones. Thanks to their compact design, they offer great portability for those who would like to use them during a run or at the gym, featuring ‘all day listening’ with 5+ hours of battery life.

A built-in microphone and controls allow you to make and receive phone calls, as well as control audio playback from your connected smart device. Included with the headset is a protective case, plus 3 sets of eartips and ear fins.

Features

Listen to your favorite tunes w/ crystal clarity & impressive bass
Carry these compact headphones anywhere
Enjoy all-day listening w/ 5+ hour battery life
Block outside noise w/ in-ear design
Utilize the built-in microphone & controls to make phone calls, adjust the volume & initiate music playback
Connect w/ advanced Bluetooth 4.0 technology & multipoint functionality
Get maximum comfort & convenience w/ protective carrying case, 3 sets of eartips & ear fins

Deal Link

Deals: REMXD On-Ear Headphones for $36 and Air-Fi Metro2 Headphones for $48 is a post from: Droid Life

ZTE Announces the Axon, 5.5″ QHD Display and 4GB of RAM for Just $450

ZTE announced a new smartphone called Axon this afternoon, scheduled to hit the US market very soon. Now, brace yourselves, as this phone may leave you somewhat breathless once you hear what specifications it is packing. For starters, it features a 5.5″ WQHD display (2560 x 1440), Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, Android 5.1, dual rear-facing cameras (13MP + 2MP and 4K shooting capability), and a 3,000mAh battery. And yes, this phone actually exists, unlike those “dream phones” you see on Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

Other specifications include Gorilla Glass 3 to protect that 5.5″ display, 32GB of internal storage, Quick Charge 2.0 compatibility, Unlocked LTE connectivity for GSM networks here in the US (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.), 8MP front-facing camera, Hi-Fi AudioPlayback, and more.

The Axon is available in three colors – Phthalo Blue, Ion Gold, and Chromium. Priced at just $449, some may think this device is simply too good to be true, but don’t worry yourself, it is available right now for pre-order on ZTE’s website, and will soon hit Amazon, Newegg, and eBay. And, when you pre-order, a free clear TPU case is included.

Pretty sweet phone, right?

Pre-Order

ZTE Announces the Axon, 5.5″ QHD Display and 4GB of RAM for Just $450 is a post from: Droid Life

2015 Phone Design.

Welcome to 2015, where your brand new phone will probably look like that guy’s brand new phone and your mom’s brand new phone and your co-worker’s new phone and the bus driver’s new phone and the homeless guy’s new phone, all of which are made by different manufacturers.

Design.

Such design.

Good job, OEMs.

2015 Phone Design. is a post from: Droid Life

T-Mobile Goes Uncarrier Amped on the Family Plan – 4 Lines and 10GB Per Line for as Little as $120

T-Mobile continued its Uncarrier Amped movement this morning by going after its own family plan. Starting tomorrow, T-Mobile customers will be able to choose a new family plan that can get a family of four up to 10GB per line for just $120.

The deal works like this. The first two lines that sign-up for a family plan get 10GB of 4G LTE data each at $50 per line (so $100). From there, each line you add on costs $20, but that includes another 10GB of data and unlimited talk and text. If your brain is doing the math, then you are probably wondering how we came up with $120 for a family of four. That’s a promotional price currently set by T-Mobile for a limited time. A family of four would normally run $140, but T-Mo is tossing in the 4th line for free at this time.

Keep in mind that each line gets 10GB of data, which totals 40GB for the family, but there isn’t data sharing here. Each line gets 10GB – this isn’t a 40GB bucket to be shared. Carriers like Verizon and AT&T are into the bucket thing.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a T-Mobile announcement without taking a look at how this deal compares to one of the big two carriers’ equivalent plans. This time around, T-Mobile focused on Verizon’s 10GB bucket, that would cost a family of four $140. That’s 10GB total to be shared with the family, not 10GB per line like with T-Mobile’s deal. They also tossed in pricing for a 40GB bucket as well, to show its enormous $360 price tag.

The new family plan goes live tomorrow, so if you are already in one of their 2.5GB/line family plans, feel free to switch over.

Via: T-Mobile

T-Mobile Goes Uncarrier Amped on the Family Plan – 4 Lines and 10GB Per Line for as Little as $120 is a post from: Droid Life

AT&T HTC One M9 Update to Android 5.1 Approved for Rollout, Brings Camera Improvements

According to HTC’s Mo Versi, the Android 5.1 update for AT&T’s One M9 has received technical approval, meaning all owners will see it begin to rollout soon to their devices.

Inside, users can expect to see improved camera performance, as well as the changes that Android 5.1 has over Android 5.0. Of course, with Sense running on top, a few things may go unnoticed, such as system toggle UI changes.

Versi states that the rollout is scheduled to begin tomorrow on July 15, so get your phones ready for it.

Via: @moversi

AT&T HTC One M9 Update to Android 5.1 Approved for Rollout, Brings Camera Improvements is a post from: Droid Life

Report: Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus Unveiling Set for August 12, Release on August 21

A date has been reportedly set for the announcement of the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, scheduled to be unveiled on August 12, then going on sale a week and a half later on August 21. The push-up in unveiling and release is said to be in relation to Apple, as Samsung wants to hit the market before Apple has time to announce any new iPhones.

Both, the Note 5 and S6 Edge Plus, are larger-than-average devices, but both offer something quite different. Of course, the Note 5 is for those who enjoy having a stylus onboard, plus all of the in-house software Samsung bakes in to make a stylus useful for buyers. The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, on the other hand, is basically just a larger S6 Edge, with 3GB of RAM and Exynos 7420 processor.

SamMobile again claims that the Galaxy Note 5 will not feature a microSD slot, as in there will be no expandable storage, leading the device to be sold in storage tiers, exactly how we see the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge sold today. If you want more storage, then you have to pay.

On top of these two phones, Samsung will announce availability of Samsung Pay for North America, a mobile payments platform Samsung device owners have been waiting for since the launch of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.

August 12 falls on a Wednesday, so go ahead and pencil this event down on your digital calendars.

Via: SamMobile

Report: Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus Unveiling Set for August 12, Release on August 21 is a post from: Droid Life

Android M Feature: Floating Toolbar for Text Selection is Showing Up More and More

During the Android M introduction portion of the Google I/O keynote in May, Google talked briefly about better text selection and a floating toolbar that accompanied it. Since then, though, we haven’t seen it implemented in that many places, so we had not yet really mentioned it. Now with the Android M Preview 2 out, it seems that the handy little feature is showing up more and more.

As a recap, Google introduced a floating toolbar for when you select text. This floating toolbar shows itself just above the text you are selecting, so that you can quickly select all, copy, share, etc. without having to reach all of the way up to the top of your phone or tablet. The floating toolbar even includes an action overflow menu that allows you to search the web with the text you have selected.

But not only does it make cutting, copying, selecting all, and searching easier, Google also made it easier to select specific text or words while dragging. Instead of having to go character by character to select a word, Google now jumps the selection tool out to the end of words, since most typically select entire words rather than a couple of characters at a time.

Sometimes it’s the little things that add up to a great experience.

Be sure to catch up on all of the other new Android M features!

Android M Feature: Floating Toolbar for Text Selection is Showing Up More and More is a post from: Droid Life

Android M Feature: Voicemail Tab in Dialer App, Listen to Your Voicemails on the Fly

You call your voicemail, type in your password, wait for the slow voice on the other end to read out the options, listen to voicemail, press “7” to delete it, then hang up and hope that little voicemail notification disappears and never returns again. This is the basic steps to working voicemail. Sure, there are other ways to go about it, but thanks to a new feature in the Preview 2 build for Android M, which began rolling out to Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 owners who had Preview 1 installed, managing your voicemail has never been easier.

If you happen to be running Preview 2, open up your Dialer app. On the right side, a new tab with a voicemail indicator should be there. Inside, a preview of your voicemails will be listed out, each of them able to drop down into their own separate card. On the card, you can listen to the voicemail, delete it, call back whoever left the message, text the contact, view the call details (time it took place, date it happened, etc), and add the contact to your contacts list.

Do note, if you use Google Voice to handle all of your incoming and outgoing calls, your voicemails should already be handled through the Voice app or from your email associated with the account. For me, I am running Project Fi on my Nexus 6, so any calls I receive and voicemails I get are handled directly through my Google account. As of right now, since this is only a Preview build of Android M, we don’t know exactly how voicemail managed by your carrier will sync with this new Android M feature. However, in the Settings menu for the Dialer app, a “setup” section is dedicated under the voicemail options.

All features shown in these preview builds are subject to change, but we do hope Google decides to keep this one intact. As of right now, it works like a dream.

Android M Feature: Voicemail Tab in Dialer App, Listen to Your Voicemails on the Fly is a post from: Droid Life

Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Now Receiving OTA Update

The massive 2GB update for the Verizon Galaxy Note 4 that we told you about last week is now rolling out over-the-air (OTA). The update was originally only available via Kies, but readers of ours are now seeing it pop-up for installation.

Curious what’s in a 2GB update? Not much it seems. The update is VRU2BOF1, but it only includes Exchange Active Sync fingerprint authentication, preloads Milk Music on your home screen, and auto installs Galaxy Apps. Yeah, that sounds like a bunch of “No thanks, Samsung.”

The update could be live for all, so feel free to head into Settings>About phone>Software update>Check for updates.

Via: Verizon

Cheers Justin!

Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Now Receiving OTA Update is a post from: Droid Life

Moto G (3rd Gen) to be Customizable on Moto Maker, According to Leak

Evan Blass, better known on Twitter as evleaks, has reawakened to give us info regarding the upcoming Moto G (3rd Gen) from Motorola. According to Evan, the new Moto G will be customizable through Moto Maker, which is Motorola’s online custom shop for smartphones. Currently, only the Moto X (2nd Gen) and Moto 360 are customizable via the service, and if the Moto G does in fact hit Moto Maker, it would be the first mid-range (non flagship) smartphone you can customize.

Along with the info, Evan posted a photo of a few options you can expect to see when the device is available on Moto Maker. As we can see, there are plenty of backplate color options to choose from, but as of right now, it looks like plastic is your only option – no leather, no wood. You can also change the back strip piece that folks seem to be on the fence about, as well as the front color to Black or White.

Currently for the Moto X, you can also decide how much internal storage you would like, but for a mid-range phone, we don’t know yet if Motorola will offer that level of customization. We will have to wait and see what Motorola officially offers at time of announcement.

Ready to get your customization on?

Via: @evleaks

Moto G (3rd Gen) to be Customizable on Moto Maker, According to Leak is a post from: Droid Life

This Could be the New Moto X (3rd Gen), Plus Other New Moto and DROID Phones

Yesterday, the folks at HelloMotoHK gave us a look at what they described as the back cover to a new DROID phone from Motorola. This morning, they posted at even bigger image, this time with four different phone backs said to be of (in order, left-to-right) a new DROID Mini, Moto G (3rd gen), the DROID from yesterday, and the new Moto X (3rd gen). While we have no proof as to what any of these phones may or may not be, one thing is for sure, Motorola appears to have settled on a similar design theme for 2015.

If we look to the far right at the phone said to be the next Moto X, we are certainly getting a phone that looks a lot like the last couple of Moto Xs, only with that new single metal piece that houses the dimple and camera. This is that design theme I was referring to that all of these phones seem to have in common. Outside of that, we are seeing a metal frame around the outside of the phone, along with that swooping boat neck-like top that features the headphone jack. The backside looks like a grippy matte black and the power and volume keys are in the same spot they were last year. That’s pretty much it.

As for the new Mini and DROID, well, I don’t see how this “Mini” is any sort of mini. It looks to be the same size as yesterday’s DROID and bigger than what should be the new Moto G. Otherwise, it too has a design and texture on its back that could very well be something we would see in a DROID branded phone.

With the supposed picture of the Moto G (3rd gen), we are seeing a phone that looks like the black version of the white model we saw leak a couple of weeks back.

Overall, this style is familiar to the last couple of Motorola lines, so I wouldn’t say it’s disappointing or super exciting, either. I liked the last couple of Moto Xs (obviously) and wouldn’t be mad if this was the new version. In the end, all we really want us a similar Moto X to last year’s, only with a real camera inside. But then again, that’s always been the complaint about Motorola phones and they have yet to deliver.

Thoughts?

Via: +HelloMotoHK

This Could be the New Moto X (3rd Gen), Plus Other New Moto and DROID Phones is a post from: Droid Life

MKBHD Gives Us the First Photo Taken With the OnePlus 2

OnePlus may have told us that they plan to stop the (t)rollout of features for the OnePlus 2 until the phone’s unveiling on July 27, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways for them to keep it in headlines. Take today’s appearance as an example, which comes courtesy of Marques Brownlee, the man you probably know as MKBHD. Marques has a OnePlus 2 at the moment and posted what may very well be the first public photo taken with it.

The photo is somewhat of a macro of a viewer with cityscape in the background. Of course, we get to see the fine details of the viewer as the point of focus, along with the soft bokeh in the background.

While I’m no photographer or image analyzer, I personally think the photo looks good enough and doesn’t appear to be heavily processed in a bad way, like we saw with photos taken on HTC’s One M9. It comes off a bit yellowish or warm, but that could be from the lighting at the time and location this photo was taken (at least I hope that’s its excuse). If you zoom into something like the actual binoculars, details are preserved long enough for a phone camera, in my opinion.

Outside of the actual photo, though, the EXIF data from the image does reveal some new info. This photo was taken at a 13MP resolution (4:3 ratio) and f/2.0. Who knows if Marques tweaked anything before he shot it or if he left it in auto, but f/2.0 certainly isn’t the f/1.9 we saw on the Galaxy S6 or f/1.8 from the LG G4. The 13MP resolution doesn’t bother me, but I’m sure people will point out that others in the industry are settling into 16MP and 20MP shooters.

Finally, we are getting confirmation on the model number we spotted a couple of weeks back. The OnePlus 2 is indeed the A2001.

Here is the full resolution photo, along with download link.

Download Link

What else? Photogs in the building, please weigh in.

Via: +MarquesBrownlee

MKBHD Gives Us the First Photo Taken With the OnePlus 2 is a post from: Droid Life

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Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Via: Android Developers [2]

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Cheers Justin!

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