Sponsors

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Storehouse, Winner of Apple Design Award, Hits Google Play for Sharing Photos

Storehouse, an application that groups your photos into easily sharable albums, is now available on Google Play for Android devices. The app has been previously available for iOS, even winning the prestigious Apple Design Award. 

Much like the already available Google Photos, users can share photos via Storehouse with friends after grouping them into albums. However, Storehouse allows for a bit more album customization, plus the ability to organize the pictures nicely on a sharable page. When you open the app and begin selecting photos from your phone’s gallery, you can quickly resize and crop photos to fit just right, then share links via email, direct links, or text. Users can also add videos at the time of album creation, or pull existing videos from the gallery.

In total, albums can hold up to 50 photos, all editable by users with custom text. Pages can be embedded on blogs or webpages, which could add a classy touch to your Tumblr. Additionally, do note that all created albums are private unless shared, naturally.

Again, Google Photos handles the sharing function quite well already, but if a more classy album approach is better suited for you, then definitely check it out.

Play Link

Storehouse, Winner of Apple Design Award, Hits Google Play for Sharing Photos is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1PtadRp

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Google Cardboard Viewers Arrive at Verizon Tomorrow!

We’re closing in on opening night of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, so that means Disney is going H.A.M. on the marketing opportunities. In their next move, they have partnered with Verizon and Google to release a set of special edition Google Cardboard viewers that have been designed after characters in the new Star Wars flick. The viewers arrive tomorrow (December 2) at Verizon stores. 

Verizon hasn’t said how much they cost, only that you have to be a Verizon customer in order to get one. Not just any creep off the street can sneak in and snatch one for their Star Wars collection. Of course, they are also only available “while supplies last.”

Below, you can see the fronts of the four that will be available. You have BB-8, R2-D2, Kylo Ren, and a Stormtrooper themed viewer.

Screen Shot 2015-12-01 at 2.51.00 PM

To get a better 3D view of each and to see where you can find a store carrying the special edition Cardboard viewers, hit up Verizon’s site.

Cheers Sean!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Google Cardboard Viewers Arrive at Verizon Tomorrow! is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1ltH8s6

T-Mobile Adds 11 More Services to Music Freedom Lineup

This afternoon, T-Mobile announced 11 new music streaming services that will be included in Music Freedom, the feature that grants Simple Choice customers the ability to stream music from various services, with all of the data not counting towards your monthly total. For those who enjoy rocking out all month long, it’s a big deal.

While Music Freedom already covers most of the major services available, including Play Music, Spotify, and Pandora, T-Mobile continues to add new services, making the feature that much better. Newly added music services include Aud.io, Dash Radio, SomaFM, StreamOn, TuneIn Premium, and many more. All of these services will now be able to be streamed at no data charge to you.

Below is the list in its entirety. 

  • Aud.io – High-fidelity internet radio
  • Dash Radio – DJ-driven radio, zero commercials, 24/7
  • DatPiff – Mixtapes, hip hop music, videos and underground
  • Jango – Internet radio that plays music you’ll love
  • KCRW – Music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs
  • Noon Pacific – A weekly mixtape of the best songs hand-picked from the best music blogs
  • Radio Danz – The world’s pure dance channel
  • SomaFM – Ambient, downtempo and chill beats from well-known and unknown artists
  • Spinrilla – Hip-hop mixtape downloads and streams with no downloading limits
  • StreamOn – Streaming music services powered by StreamOn. Next-level streaming products for the next era of radio
  • TuneIn Premium – 100,000 radio stations, 5.7 million podcasts, language learning and more

Enjoy, T-Mo subscribers.

Via: T-Mobile

T-Mobile Adds 11 More Services to Music Freedom Lineup is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1PZjTmy

5 Reasons the Nexus 6P is Worth Buying

We recently shared 5 reasons you should buy the DROID Turbo 2, but today, we will share 5 reasons the Nexus 6P should be your next smartphone purchase. The point is, and we emphasize this, there are a ton of great phones to choose from this holiday season. 2015 easily has the best lineup of Android devices for purchase we have ever seen, so we are making it our job to make sure you get the right phone for your needs. If you skipped our Nexus 6P review because reviews are too long, and ain’t nobody got time for that, let’s lay out what makes the Nexus 6P so darn good.

Here are five quick reasons the Nexus 6P is worth buying today. 

nexus 6p unboxing

1. It receives updates in a timely manner, straight from Google.

Android updates are a touchy subject for many. If you purchase a new device from Samsung or LG, who knows when a software update will come. It’ll likely be months. For example, the Galaxy Note 5 launched with Android 5.1.1, and is reported to receive Android 6.0 “Marshmallow” later this month. And that’s just a rumor at this point. There is hardly any transparency regarding updates from a few of the larger phone manufacturers, and when you run Android, that is no good. We need our updates and we need them ASAP. When you purchase a Nexus device from Google, you can rest assured knowing that your phone will be updated to the latest versions of Android in a very timely manner. For those who get a sense of pride from being an early adopter or “tester” of new software, there is no better way to go. If you purchase a Nexus 6P, you will be enjoying Android 6.0 immediately, while other device owners will be left waiting until 2016 for a taste of Marshmallow.

2. The camera is legit.

Finally, after years, we have a Nexus phone with a legit rear-facing camera. It took a long time, but the wait was worth it. As noted in our official Nexus 6P camera review, this Nexus (as well as the Nexus 5X), is capable of snapping excellent shots in various lighting conditions. Not only does it snap good shots, but it snaps them quickly, which is a major bonus for those with pets and children. They’re fast little movers, aren’t they? On top of the quick, well-exposed shots, Google’s software has been highly updated for devices running Android 6.0, and it is a much better experience than you will find on other devices. It’s minimal, simple to master, yet still powerful enough for you to capture just the right shot, regardless of the environment.

usb type-c nexus 6p 5x

3. USB Type-C and Rapid Charging.

On Nexus devices, Google is known for integrating future tech into devices that the Android OS supports. This year, Google worked with both LG and Huawei to incorporate USB Type-C ports on the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. On the surface, the big bonus to Type-C is the reversibility of the male end, meaning you can stick the plug into the port anyway – there is no right side up. This is great. However, Google also worked in Rapid Charging, which is essentially like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge technology or Samsung’s Fast Charging. The point is, your phone charges incredibly quick. This means that if you are running low on juice and don’t have time to hang out by a wall outlet, a compatible charger can give you 7 hours of usage from just 10 minutes of charging, according to Google.

4. It works with any carrier, including Project Fi.

Like Nexus phones before it, the Nexus 6P is compatible on a wide variety of carriers, which makes it an ultimate unlocked competitor. Even other unlocked devices, such as the OnePlus X, don’t feature enough LTE bands to make them viable options here in the US. The idea of using any carrier you want should excite you, but better yet, why not give Google’s own Project Fi service a try? Project Fi utilizes both Sprint and T-Mobile towers, as well as open WiFi connections to deliver good speeds and reception regardless of where you are. I tried the service for a month straight on the Nexus 6 and was generally impressed with my experience. I was even happier about my monthly bill. On Project Fi, you only pay for the data you use. Isn’t that the way it should always be? If you don’t use your allotted data in a month, your previously paid money is applied to next month’s bill. It’s a sweet service, as long as you don’t live in the middle of nowhere. Even if you don’t want Project Fi, the ability to carrier jump is great for those who don’t want to be tied down to carriers through contracts.

nexus 6p white

5. An awesome fingerprint experience.

Oh yes, the sweet fingerprint reader on the Nexus 6P. Unless you try it, you just won’t believe how good it is. It is quick to recognize your finger, you can use it for purchases on Google Play, Android Pay, and personally, it is placed in the perfect spot on the backside of the device. As of right now, besides unlocking your phone and making a few purchases, there are not many uses for a fingerprint reader, but I imagine other services will come along that will utilize this features. For example, additional security on file managing applications, personal data security on social networking apps, and more. The tech on smartphones is relatively new, so I imagine only more services will launch as time goes on.

Bonus Reason: The price is extremely competitive.

Starting at $499 for 32GB (all the way to $649 for 128GB), the Nexus 6P is priced well for a device that features an all-metal exterior and a fancy list of specifications. The device has a large 5.7″ QHD AMOLED display, Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM, dual front-facing speakers, and a mega 3,450mAh battery. As of right now at full retail, it is cheaper than the Galaxy Note 5, but more expensive than the Moto X Pure Edition, and it beats out both of these devices when looking at the complete package. Each phones has its pros and cons, but the Nexus 6P is still a leading contender for Phone of the Year, and since it starts at $499 with no contract or payments, that’s not bad at all.

So there you have it, 5 simple reasons why the Nexus 6P is worth buying.

5 Reasons the Nexus 6P is Worth Buying is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1XvVCsS

Samsung Launches Optimized Web Browser for Gear VR Owners, Includes Virtual Keyboard

For those looking to consume even more content through a VR headset, Samsung announced an optimized web browsing experience for owners of the Gear VR. Thanks to the launch of Samsung Internet for Gear VR, which takes place tomorrow, users can browse webpages, watch HTML5 videos, and interact with the web in all new ways. 

Utilizing voice recognition, as well as a virtual keyboard, users will skim webpages, browse through multiple tabs, and be able to view 360-degree videos all through the web. Essentially, this allows content to be made available more quickly, instead of content having to be downloaded via an app onto the device itself. In addition, a Gaze Mode allows users to simply stare at a menu object for it to be selected, instead of having to use finger input.

With webmasters still catching up to make all sites optimized for mobile, we now have more work to do to optimize our sites for virtual reality. The work never ends, apparently.

This experience will be made available starting tomorrow as a beta through the Oculus Store for Gear VR owners.

20151201J8KNGPL464LF23PFYBUI9A67 201512011QV5YZQ299VHHTAJS8GBM2AC 20151201MIXGJ0PSPUIA9HYNG7EOBJ0E 20151201OSOWNK8JFZYRMK9JXRQHL6BJ 201512013O7RWWYBV63Q6OTY7RSDP4MI

Via: Samsung [2]

Samsung Launches Optimized Web Browser for Gear VR Owners, Includes Virtual Keyboard is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1SuQvTg

Moto X Pure Edition Soak Test of Android 6.0 Marshmallow Starts

The last time we updated you on the status of the Moto X Pure Edition’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow update, we told you that it was in the works and could arrive with a “few” weeks. Well, it has been a few weeks and it looks like Motorola is getting ready to begin pushing it out to you all. 

At the end of last week, Motorola opened up invites to a soak test of a new software update for the device for US testers. Those who were accepted are starting to receive the update today, which is indeed Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The system version is 24.11.18, for those keeping track.

Assuming the test rolls out smoothly, those of us not in the test could see the update within a week or two. As we know more, we’ll be sure to pass new info along.

Anyone else a part of the soak? How’s the update so far?

Screenshot_20151201-133429 Screenshot_2015-12-01-13-13-21 Screenshot_20151201-133344

Cheers C and R!

Moto X Pure Edition Soak Test of Android 6.0 Marshmallow Starts is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1PsqDcO

Moto 360 Sport Launches January 7 in the US for $299

Motorola announced today that the Moto 360 Sport, the rubberized version of the Moto 360 (2nd Gen), will be available for US consumers starting January 7, 2016. Priced at $299, the device is marketed towards those who enjoy the aesthetic of a sports watch, plus the ability to resist sweat from your heavy workouts. 

The device will become available in a variety of colors, through a variety of different retailers. On January 7, the Moto 360 Sport will be available on Motorola’s website, as well as other online retailers. On January 10, the device will be on sale directly through Best Buy stores nationwide, as well as the Moto Shop in downtown Chicago.

For specs, the device features GPS, a music player, optical heart rate monitor, 1.37″ LCD display, Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of onboard storage, 300mAh battery, and the latest version of Android Wear.

When Motorola held a press event to announce the Moto 360 (2nd Gen) and Moto 360 Sport, they had the device on display, but no media was allowed to play with the device. We have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to get a bit of hands-on time with the watch. At least we now finally have a launch date.

Are you interested in this watch for yourself? Maybe to help with your fitness New Year’s resolution?

Via: Motorola

 

Moto 360 Sport Launches January 7 in the US for $299 is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1TrOGXO

Blackberry Priv Gets First Update With Camera, Performance Improvements

Blackberry is pushing its first update to the Priv, today, with improvements for the camera and the phone’s performance in tow. The update also should help with stability issues and further enhance security. 

During our Blackberry Priv review, we were pretty critical of the phone’s camera, mostly because of how frustratingly slow it was. It’s a major issue, even if the camera can take a decent still photo, because you often only have seconds to snap the best picture. Blackberry says that this camera update does indeed improve speed, but it has also been “re-tuned” for better low-light image quality.

As for performance, we aren’t sure if they took out the phone’s Melt Your Face Mode, but overall, “system performance” has been “tweaked.”

Blackberry said that they also tried to reduce “instances of crashing and freezing,” plus they added December’s security patches from Google.

On a related note, they are going to push a bunch of Priv app updates on December 14 to the Camera, Keyboard, Hub & Contacts, and DTEK. The Camera app is getting new filters, Keyboard will have increased language support and emoji prediction, and the Hub is getting WhatsApp support.

To grab the 475MB update, head into Settings>About>System updates.

Via:  Blackberry

Blackberry Priv Gets First Update With Camera, Performance Improvements is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1PYLS5W

LG Announces the Affordable, All-Metal ‘Zero’ for Asia, Europe and Latin America

LG announced the Zero this morning, an all-metal device that delivers premium features at an affordable price for those outside of America. Set to ship in Asia, Europe, and Latin America, the Zero includes advanced camera tech and exclusive UX features found in the G series lineup.

For specs, the Zero delivers a 5.0″ In-Cell Touch (ICT) IPS HD display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 13MP rear-facing camera, 8MP front-facing camera, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, microSD slot for expandable storage, 2,050mAh battery, and runs Android 5.1 “Lollipop.”

Beyond specs and price, the most important feature of the device, at least in my opinion, are the materials it is made of. LG states they made this all-metal design to offer a “more advanced and modern experience,” but hopefully, this device is merely a warmup for LG to offer a more expensive flagship comprised of metal here in the US. According to a report from last month, that is LG’s plan for the upcoming G5.

If this device hit our shores, would you be interested?


ALL-METAL LG ZERO BRINGS TOGETHER LUXURIOUS DESIGN WITH BEST CAMERA TECHNOLOGY

Thin and Light Smartphone from LG Delivers Premium Features at an Attractive Price

SEOUL, Dec. 1, 2015 — LG Electronics (LG) will commence the global rollout of its slim metal smartphone, LG Zero¹, starting this week in Taiwan followed by other key markets in Asia, Europe and Latin America. First introduced to Korean customers in September, the LG Zero inherits the advanced camera technology and exclusive UX features of the LG G Series and introduces a full metal body for a more advanced and modern experience.

The exceptional build quality of the LG Zero is highlighted by its solid aluminum body which gives the LG Zero a premium look and feel. This newest smartphone’s smooth metal body is enhanced by the “Arc Glass” design of the edges which create a slimmer profile. Complementing the solid aluminum exterior is a 5.0-inch In-Cell Touch IPS display which delivers faster recognition, better outdoor visibility and crisper images.

LG Zero offers best-in-class camera features adopted from the highly acclaimed G4, resulting in maximum photo resolution, shutter speed and sharpness. The 8MP front camera allows for brighter and clearer selfies while the 13MP rear camera delivers many of the same attributes of a standalone camera. Fans of popular G Series features such as Gesture Shot, Gesture View and Gesture Interval Shot will be delighted to find these options in the LG Zero as well.

“At LG, we do not believe in limiting our best technology to just our flagship devices,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG Zero exhibits innovation not only in its design but in its ability to offer premium features at a competitive price point.”

Prices and participating carriers will be announced locally at the time of availability.

Key Specifications:

● Display: 5.0-inch HD In-cell Touch (1280 x 720, 294ppi)
● Chipset: 1.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
● Camera: Rear 13MP / Front 8MP
● Memory: 1.5GB LPDDR3 RAM / 16GB eMMC ROM / MicroSD
● Battery: 2,050mAh
● Operating System: Android 5.1 Lollipop
● Size: 142 x 71.8 x 7.4mm
● Weight: 147g
● Network: LTE / HSPA+ / GSM
● Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n / Bluetooth 4.1 / USB 2.0
● Colors: Silver / Gold

¹LG Class in Germany, Korea, Russia and Singapore.
²Specifications may vary depending on the market.

LG Announces the Affordable, All-Metal ‘Zero’ for Asia, Europe and Latin America is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1NlhzQb

Google Lets You Organize Photos You Find in Google Image Search, and It’s Awesome

When I want to search for a picture of something, I go directly to Google, search for it, and then tap on the “Images” tab. It’s the best way to find an image because it uses Google’s search powers, but it also presents dozens and dozens of images in an easy-to-view way. So when Google announced yesterday that it was adding a “Saved Images” feature to mobile searches, along with a way to organize them, I about popped some champagne. 

Here is the deal. When you do a Google search for images in your mobile browser and find one you like or potentially want to save for later, you can click a little “Save” button/star in the bottom right corner of that image’s page. Once you have saved an image, you’ll see a floating box when viewing image results that says “View Saved,” which will then take you to all of the images you told Google to save. To keep you organized, Google is also allowing you to put images saved into collections.

I fired up Google Search this morning to see if this new feature was live and it most certainly is. It’s also, awesome. You can search, save, and add to collections so easily. But, you can also access them all later by going to google.com/save on your phone’s browser, edit collections, remove no longer needed images, and more.

You can see it all in action in the GIFs below, but I suggest you go give it a shot today if you are like me, a big Google image searcher.

haircuts images  groups

Via:  Inside Search

Google Lets You Organize Photos You Find in Google Image Search, and It’s Awesome is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1QbqAAu

Chrome’s Data Saver Will Now Save Even More Data by Not Loading Images

Ever heard of Data Saver in Chrome on Android? It typically pops-up across your device’s screen when you open Chrome for the first time, asking if you want to conserve on data usage by allowing Google to compress web pages before you load them. The feature was introduced around the time that carriers started ripping you off “optimizing” their network by limiting your data plans and killing off unlimited, but it now will serve a new purpose or additional purpose. 

Over the coming months, Chrome’s Data Saver will start intelligently optimizing how a page loads based on your data connection. If it’s slow enough, Chrome will actually remove (or not load) images initially to speed up performance and also reduce data consumption (up to 70% now). Once loaded, if you want to see images, you can tell Chrome to do that through a button at the bottom or by touching them individually.

Google says that India and Indonesia will get this expanded Data Saver first, before additional countries see it in the “coming months.”

If this is the first you have heard of Data Saver, feel free to give it a shot. Open Chrome, head into Settings>Data Saver to turn it on.

LoFi - English - Nov 24

Via:  Chrome Blog

Chrome’s Data Saver Will Now Save Even More Data by Not Loading Images is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1O0R3fF

Related Articles

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...