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Thursday, December 3, 2015

The Best of Everything on Google Play in 2015

This afternoon, Google published its “Best of” lists for content available for purchase/download through Google Play. The lists consist of the top selling movies, TV shows, albums, books, games, and apps of 2015.

In the “best games” category, games like Crossy Road, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Madden NFL Mobile, Minecraft, Lifeline, and Need for Speed No Limits make the list. As for apps, the “best” include the likes of Robinhood, Colorfy, HBO Now, Wishbone, YouTube Kids, Twitch, Peak, and Google Photos. 

As for albums, Adele killed everyone, followed by Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. In movies, Interstellar was king, followed by Lucy, American Sniper, The Interview, and Kingsman: The Secret Service. For TV shows, Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead topped the list.

To check out everything that made Google’s “Best of 2015” list, hit up the link below.

Play Link

The Best of Everything on Google Play in 2015 is a post from: Droid Life



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Facebook has a New Periscope-Like Live Video Feature That You Can’t Use, Android Scrubs

Facebook is the worst. For a company the size of Zuckerbergville, it is shocking to me that they continue to create new apps and services that are iPhone exclusives. But they do! Like today, they created this new live video feature, which sounds like a Periscope rip-off, that is….hold…wait for it…only available for a couple of iPhones at the moment! Yeah, iPhones! 

I’d sit here and tell you about it beyond it being a Periscope rip-off, but I don’t even care at this point. I’m basically just typing to type, because who knows if you’ll ever get this feature. Like I said, they are testing it on a “small percentage of people in the US on iPhones.” Will you ever be able to Periscope live video chat on Facebook with your Galaxy S6 or LG G4 or Turbo 2 or Nexus 6P? Probably not. Because by the time their employees, who are forced to use Android phones, but probably still are closet iPhone users, get around to installing Android Studio, you will have another phone that may or may not be supported.

Oh, they also announced a Collages feature where you can “share experiences captured with your phone’s camera by grouping photos and videos that were taken together into a scrolling, moving, collage.” It’s rolling out to iPhones today. Android users, you have to wait until some time “early” next year. So, maybe by March, you’ll have it.

screenshots-2

Maybe we should all go buy iPhones.

Via: Facebook

Facebook has a New Periscope-Like Live Video Feature That You Can’t Use, Android Scrubs is a post from: Droid Life



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Twitch Arrives on Android TV

Twitch, the leading social platform for gamers to stream their online adventures, announced that it’s Android app is now available on Android TV units.

With Twitch for Android TV, you get to watch live and recorded games from the top players and eSports events, follow your favorite channels and games, view profile pages, and watch it all in 1080p/60fps. 

Along with the Android TV support, Twitch also announced that their mobile app on Android adds Whispers 2.0 for an enhanced chat experience.

Play Link

Via:  Twitch

Twitch Arrives on Android TV is a post from: Droid Life



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Google’s Interactive In-App Ads Look to Increase App Downloads for Publishers

Beginning soon, users of apps that feature advertisements will likely come across two new ad formats aimed at increasing the chances of you downloading an advertised app. With Trial Run Ads, you can preview gameplay yourself for up to 60 seconds, and if you enjoyed your gaming experience, you can opt to install the app straight from Google Play. Essentially, you can test drive a game via the ad for a limited amount of time, with no installation required. In terms of ads, this is very fancy, and could lead to more installs for publishers.

Google is also launching Interactive Interstitial Ads, basically a blank canvas for advertisers to design their own layouts and content within an ad. For example, a developer/publisher could cut and paste an essential experience from an app into the ad, showing users how useful or good it is, without needing the viewer to install anything on their device. It’s all done via the ad.

Both of these ad experiences are currently in beta form for select marketers to try out.

If you build apps or you handle the marketing for an app maker, be sure to check out Google’s complete post on the subject by following the via below.

Trial Run Ad gif for SGN

Via: Google AdWords

Google’s Interactive In-App Ads Look to Increase App Downloads for Publishers is a post from: Droid Life



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Chrome Beta 48 for Android Adds Cast Presenting, Custom Notification Buttons

Chrome Beta 48 has been announced at Google’s Chromium blog with a couple of specific features for Android users.

In the latest beta, Google has added in “presenter mode” when Casting, which is a way of displaying websites on your phone to nearby devices using Chrome in a presentation format. It’s basically like a slideshow that is controlled from your phone or tablet by connecting through a Chromecast or other Cast-ready device.

The update is also adding functionality to the notification alerts that were introduced in Chrome 42. This latest version of Chrome gives sites the opportunity to add custom buttons to those notifications, like a button to set a reminder or to jump into settings. Below is an example.

Screen Shot 2015-12-03 at 12.37.52 PM

Google didn’t say when Beta 48 would rollout to Android, but my guess is shortly. The Beta 48 has been released for desktops already.

Via:  Chromium Blog

Chrome Beta 48 for Android Adds Cast Presenting, Custom Notification Buttons is a post from: Droid Life



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5 Reasons the Galaxy Note 5 is Worth Buying

Over the past few days, we have been listing out reasons for you to consider purchasing the top smartphones on the market. There are so many reasons and so many great phones, so we are going to keep this train moving along and deliver our 5 reasons the Galaxy Note 5 is worth buying.

With its large, gorgeous Super AMOLED display, amazing camera, and premium build quality, there are not many reasons you should not buy this phone. To us, it might purely come down to timely updates for Android and Samsung’s TouchWiz software.

Here are 5 reasons the Galaxy Note 5 is worth buying. 

galaxy note 5 unboxing

1.  One of the best displays you’ll ever see.

When considering what the human eye is capable of, I would argue mobile display technology has reached the pinnacle. What I mean is, we don’t really need anything better than QHD. Heck, 1080p is good enough for most people, who still can’t make out pixels even with the phone a few inches in front of their face. If displays keep requiring more juice to power an absurd amount of pixels, we will need bigger batteries, and apparently, OEMs want to make phones even slimmer so this all seems counter productive. My point is, Samsung’s Super AMOLED QHD display is amazingly gorgeous, and we don’t need anything better at this time. Color saturation on the Galaxy Note 5 is rich and rightly calibrated, while the panel also handles blacks and whites exceptionally well. When playing games or watching videos from YouTube, you can’t really find a better viewing experience, at least from a mobile smartphone.

2.  One of the best cameras currently available.

I love snapping photos on my phone, and I have had no better experience doing so than with the Galaxy Note 5. This thing, in the mobile photography department, is a beast. The camera features a 16MP sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS), allowing you to take clear photos even in poor lighting conditions, which is always important considering this is real life we are talking about. No one walks around with professional lighting equipment, so if your phone can’t work with what you give it, it’s pointless. Samsung’s software also allows for a ton of editing and customization options for photos, so you should always be able to tweak settings should you desire or need to. While I would say that the manual settings for photo taking is a bit more advanced on the LG G4 and V10, the Galaxy Note 5 still takes better shots overall than any other phone currently available.

You can see a few sample shots in my Galaxy Note 5 review.

galaxy note 5-11

3.  Samsung nailed the design and feel.

If we gave out awards for Most Improved in the smartphone world, Samsung would take home the gold this year. If you compare the designs of the Galaxy Note 4 (2014) and Galaxy Note 5 (2015), and even the Galaxy S5 (2014) to the Galaxy S6 (2015), Samsung definitely cut the sh*t and made a quality product from great materials. Instead of plastic and faux leather garbage with crazy bezels, we have metallic and glass exteriors, all shaped and smoothed to fit the hand beautifully. When in-hand, the Galaxy Note 5 feels like a dream phone, dipped on its backside to allow for easier holding. If there was one point to take away from this post, it’s that the Galaxy Note 5 is probably the best looking and feeling phone of 2015.

4.  Samsung Pay.

If you have a compatible bank and card provider, there is no doubt that Samsung Pay could be the king of mobile payment technology. Thanks to Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST), you can use Samsung Pay on non-NFC supported terminals, which is a major advantage over Android Pay. You just hold up the phone to virtually any credit card terminal, and boom, purchase complete. As many retailers are still upgrading their systems to support NFC mobile payments (Apple Pay and Android Pay), Samsung Pay already works at over 300,000 locations. Talk to anyone that has used Samsung Pay and they will tell you, it rocks.

galaxy note 5-19

5.  TouchWiz software that doesn’t suck.

Before the launch of the Galaxy S6, Samsung claimed that they would be cleaning up TouchWiz significantly, and in my opinion, they delivered. I was once the biggest hater of the TouchWiz skin, and after I played with the revamped skin on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 5, my opinion took a complete 180°. While I still think a bit of thinning could be done to limit performance issues, Samsung has taken big steps to make the software more usable. Of course, the software still features all of the useful things like MultiWindow and S Health, so you won’t need to worry about missing out on any of Samsung’s helpful software.

Bonus Reason: Compatibility with Gear VR.

I may not be a fan of VR, but I admit that others probably enjoy it. What could seem like a gimmick to some, may be a total joy for others, and Gear VR certainly gives a great VR experience to anyone looking for one. When I was using Gear VR, before the seasick sensation came over me, playing games and watching videos in VR was a neat experience. More importantly, Samsung continues to bring new experiences for purchasers of Gear VR, which is a prime concern for anyone looking to invest in the technology. In the beginning, there seemed to be a serious lack in content, but with a big name like Samsung working with developers and Oculus, that is rapidly changing each and every day. Gear VR is now available to all for just $99, so it’s a major advantage to have a device that is compatible with this futuristic tech.

There you have it, 5 reasons why the Galaxy Note 5 is worth buying.

5 Reasons the Galaxy Note 5 is Worth Buying is a post from: Droid Life



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Yahoo Messenger is Re-Introduced to a World Probably Not Asking for It

Yahoo Messenger is back and attempting to do its best Adele impression. In a re-introduction of sorts, Yahoo wants you to say “Hello” to a revamped Yahoo Messenger, except unlike fans of the artist who just broke week one sales records after spending a few years away, you likely moved on years ago from Messenger and weren’t exactly counting the days to its comeback. 

The new Yahoo Messenger was built with a focus on group chatting, but Yahoo included features like “Unsend” to kill off those late night drunk texts (or something along those lines), as well. It also has quick photo sharing, GIF support, “liking” messages and photos, and an offline mode that will share things you attempted to post once you get back online.

Overall, it sounds and looks like a decent messaging app. But was anyone asking for another messaging app? Millions upon millions are using WhatsApp. Who knows how many more are using Facebook Messenger. And don’t even think about ignoring Google Hangouts and Apple’s iMessage. All of those apps are great in their own right, plus all of your friends already use them, which is why you are probably using one of them.

Does anyone want to go through the pain of getting everyone to make the switch to Yahoo Messenger? I don’t. I can’t tell you how hard it was to get everyone I know to switch to Hangouts. Going through that all over again for Yahoo just doesn’t seem worth it.

If you make the switch, please sell me on it.

Here is Yahoo Messenger’s list of features

  • Chat one-on-one or in groups
  • Yes, take backs! Tap “Unsend” to remove photos and messages from a conversation
  • Instantly share lots of high-resolution photos at once
  • Swipe to view photos beautifully displayed in a carousel
  • Express yourself with animated GIFs
  • “Like” messages and photos in the conversation
  • Offline/low connectivity mode—anything you share will be posted once you’re back online
  • Optimized for use with TalkBack

The new Yahoo Messenger is available now.

Play Link

Via:  Yahoo

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Google’s Cardboard Camera App Brings Depth to Your Photos

Google’s latest app to hit Google Play, Cardboard Camera, allows you to experience photos you take in a completely new way. If you own a Google Cardboard unit, you can use this app to snap photos, then see them in virtual reality. While it won’t make you a better photographer, you can at least get a real sense of reliving the experience you had when you snapped the shot. 

VR photos are three-dimensional panoramas, with slightly different views for each eye, so close objects look close and far things look far. You can look around through the Cardboard viewer to explore the image in all directions, and even record sound with your photo to hear the moment exactly as it happened.

The app is completely free to download and use off of Google Play, so go check it out.

If you still don’t have a Google Cardboard unit, you can pick one up here.

Play Link

Cardboard_Camera

Via: Google

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Report: YouTube Looks to Secure Streaming Rights for TV Shows and Movies

According to the Wall Street Journal, in an effort to make its monthly subscription service Red more appealing to potential customers, YouTube is meeting with Hollywood studios to land streaming rights to hit TV shows and movies, in addition to possibly creating its own content (like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon) for online viewing. 

Currently, YouTube Red offers ad-free streaming of user-uploaded videos, as well as a few perks such as a free subscription to Google Play Music. If YouTube has its way, the service will look to create their own shows, thanks to the help of newly brought on executives from Netflix and MTV. As of right now, it is unclear which TV shows and movies YouTube is pursuing streaming rights for, but we can assume they are top-rated shows that would actually excite potential subscribers.

As you likely have noticed, YouTube does offer one-time rentals of movies, which are available from deals made by Google and Hollywood studios, but the next step would be to bolster what is available for streaming purposes.

Reported by WSJ, YouTube hopes to maintain a solid collection of original content and licensed content for streaming sometime in 2016.

Via: Wall Street Journal [Subscription]

Report: YouTube Looks to Secure Streaming Rights for TV Shows and Movies is a post from: Droid Life



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Temple Run 2 ‘Frozen Shadows’ Update Launched to Google Play

Frozen Shadows, an episode update for Temple Run 2, is now available to download from Google Play. Inside this latest update, players will find new adventures and surfaces to run across, including an ice luge and frozen forests. 

Not only will you see new landscapes, but Imangi has included new outfits for you to collect for your characters. Above all else, though, don’t forget why you are running. In Frozen Shadows, you will be running from Snowy Demon Monkeys, just the thing to help celebrate the winter holidays.

The update is available right now on Google Play, so if you are still rocking Temple Run, go grab it.

Play Link

Temple Run 2 ‘Frozen Shadows’ Update Launched to Google Play is a post from: Droid Life



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OnePlus 2 Ditches Invite System on December 5 FOR-EH-VER, FOR-EH-VER.

OnePlus, a company who makes iPhone cases, announced today that you will be able to buy their NFC-less phone, the OnePlus 2, without an invite on December 5. This isn’t a temporary thing, though, as the invite system will disappear forever with this phone. Yep, you’ll be able to buy a OnePlus 2 and its wrong-direction-mute-switch without a wait or the need to vote for “hot or not” girls on forums. 

The change is in celebration of their second anniversary. OnePlus is also “proud to be able to make the OnePlus 2 invite-free so soon.”

In related news, their other new phone, the OnePlus X is still living it up in invite world, but will be invite-free from December 5-7. OnePlus is also discounting a bunch of accessories during that same period, like StyleSwaps by 50%, OnePlus One accessories by 90%, and other accessories by 10%.

FOREVER

Via:  OnePlus

OnePlus 2 Ditches Invite System on December 5 FOR-EH-VER, FOR-EH-VER. is a post from: Droid Life



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Verizon Hands Out 2GB of Bonus Data Per Line for Life in New Promo

This morning, Verizon kicked off a new promotion that could land you a whole bunch of free data per month “for life.” The promo involves their new XL and XXL and a bonus 2GB of data per month for life, depending on how many people on your plan upgrade or add new lines within the next month or so. 

Here is the deal. If you and your family are signed up for Verizon’s XL (12GB) or XXL (18GB) data plans, you can receive a bonus of 2GB of data per month for life every time someone on your account upgrades or adds a new line. Verizon’s example for how this works is if you have a family of four on the XL (12GB) plan and they all upgrade within the next month, you would then see an 8GB lump of bonus data (2GB per line that upgrades) each month for life. If you stay on their XL or XXL plan for years to come, that bonus data won’t ever go away. And should you do just that, you would then have 20GB per month to use as a family (12GB XL base + 8GB bonus data).

Make sense?

The promotion runs from today through January 6.

Via:  Verizon

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