Sponsors

Monday, December 28, 2015

Cher Wang: HTC Will Never Disappear, Big Plans for 2016

In 2016, HTC desperately needs a hit. Industry analysts have been predicting the company’s death, with one columnist going so far as to say the company is headed for extinction next year. Speaking with the press, HTC’s CEO and chairwoman, Cher Wang, says the company is not going anywhere and will continue to have a presence in the smartphone market. 

Back in June, Wang conceded that the One M9, along with the company’s overall performance over the past few years needed an overhaul. From that talk with shareholders, it was learned that HTC would make significant “improvements in innovation and design” for their flagship phone for next year. In the most recent meeting, Wang stayed on track, stating that 2016 will be a big year for HTC.

As for what consumers in the US can expect in 2016, we should have a new flagship One device, the One M10. While we have no details as to what HTC is cooking up, we can at least hope the company has learned from past mistakes and will make the One M10 a device suitable to going up against Samsung’s 2016 lineup. In addition, it is reported HTC will continue its trek to offer premium low and mid-range devices for all budgets. Not only is HTC hoping to release a blockbuster smartphone, but the company has invested heavily in virtual reality, with the HTC Vive scheduled to see a public release in April of next year.

If HTC delivers a killer One M10 device, would you be in line to check it out?

Via: Focus Taiwan

Cher Wang: HTC Will Never Disappear, Big Plans for 2016 is a post from: Droid Life



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

Google Glass for Enterprise Passes Through FCC Testing

I can’t decide if it feels like it has been years or weeks since Google announced the first Google Glass Explorers Program at I/O 2012 by jumping out of a blimp above the conference that was going on. Such drama. Such excitement. Google’s latest model of Glass passed through the FCC recently and the news just seems, not as exciting. 

To be sold in the United States with a WiFi and Bluetooth radio inside, this FCC stop is fairly routine. It needs to pass regulations, which is the cause for all the boring measurement photos of the device. Rumors of this upcoming device say that it’s going to feature 5GHz WiFi capability, increased battery life and some other improvements, but Google hasn’t officially announced anything yet. Luckily for us, stops like this by the men and women at the FCC usually mean a finished product isn’t too far down the line.

What’s surprising to us is the mundane feeling this Glass news brings. Such a fall from where it started in 2012 with the extreme sports entrance into a live crowd during Google I/O. Is this the niche that Glass has been relegated to so it can make a profit? Enterprise and business customers? Business is business I guess. After re-watching that entrance into I/O, I’m trying to imagine what could have been if Glass didn’t cost $1,500 to try.

Via: Verge | FCC

Google Glass for Enterprise Passes Through FCC Testing is a post from: Droid Life



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

Deal: Pay What You Want for the Android Expert’s Coding Bundle

For just two days more, you can pay what you want for the Android Expert’s Coding Bundle on the DL Deals Store. Inside, you will find essential guides for learning to code for Android, including Marshmallow app development and java programming, totaling more than 75 hours of content. 

If you pay below the average, you will receive the first three courses, but should you pay more than the average, currently set at $11.58, you will unlock all 5 courses. Of the price you pay, 10% of the proceeds will be donated to Save the Children.

If interested, follow the link below and become the development master you always wanted to be.

What’s Included

  • Master Marshmallow App Development Using Java
  • Java Programming for Beginners
  • Java Essentials for Android
  • Build Android Apps with the Marshmallow Studio Course
  • Learn to Reskin Android Apps for Fun & Profit

Deal Link

Deal: Pay What You Want for the Android Expert’s Coding Bundle is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1OUIX8S

My Favorite Android Apps of 2015

I’m starting to think that this mobile ecosystem that we play in every day has matured. I say that because I haven’t dramatically changed the way I use my phone from 2014 to 2015. I still use many of the same apps as I did last year (most can be found in this list), though some have improved greatly and a few have been replaced. I don’t know that that’s a bad thing, I think it just shows that it’s become harder and harder to standout with new apps or services. Or maybe people aren’t even attempting to make new products or services because the standard options are so good? Whatever the case may be, I do feel as though I’m more efficient than ever and am also able to accomplish more with the apps I continue to use on a regular basis. So that’s a good thing.

In this post, I thought I would share those apps that I continued and/or started to use in 2015. I’ve found a pretty good groove this year in terms of getting the most out of my smartphone and these apps all seem to be aiding in that.

These are my favorite Android apps of 2015. 


Inbox by Gmail

A lot of you want nothing to do with this app and I get why – it’s kind of crazy different than most email apps. That just happens to be what I love about it. I use Inbox for so much. It allows me to easily push emails to later dates, set instant reminders for some, create stand-alone reminders that work across Google, pin important items, and answer some emails without ever typing a word. It also smartly bundles all of my trip emails together for quick access when I’m traveling and maybe more importantly, lets me crush all of my morning inbox in a matter of seconds thanks to bundles of PR garbage that arrive each and every day. Inbox is awesome.

It makes this list because I couldn’t really start using it full-time until February of this year when Google opened it up to Google for Work accounts. Up until that point, I was using both Gmail and Inbox, but the minute Google gave Gapps support, I ditched Gmail for good. I haven’t even considered returning, either, which is something I never thought would happen. Inbox is the exact type of forward thinking, productivity-focused, email app that I needed and I don’t see any reason to ditch it.

Play Link


Samsung Pay

If there is an award for biggest game-changer on Android, it might be Samsung Pay. While mobile payment solutions are a dime a dozen these days, this is the only one that does something different. Well, not just different, but does something all other payment apps should be envious of and that’s Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST).

With Samsung Pay, you can walk into almost any retailer and pay using your Galaxy phone. It doesn’t have to be outfitted with an NFC terminal; all you need is a credit card swiper and a new Galaxy phone from 2015 and you can pay. With MST, Samsung Pay emulates a credit card swipe, allowing you to pay almost anywhere. This is the first step towards society being able to ditch physical credit cards. Forget what Apple and Google are doing with their payment solutions, because it’ll be years and years and years before we get NFC terminals everywhere.

Unfortunately, Samsung Pay only works with four phones at the moment (Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, and Note 5) and a pretty limited number of credit cards. I was fortunate enough to meet all of the requirements and had at least a couple of moments where I walked up to a cashier who tried to tell me I couldn’t pay using my phone because they “Didn’t have that thing here.” Of course, their mind was a bit blown when my phone worked anyway.

Play Link


Google Photos

This year, Google gave us their new Photos app. It’s f*cking awesome. Not only do you get unlimited storage for life, a slick UI, auto-awesome for photos (including animations), and availability on all platforms, but Google keeps adding incredibly useful features to it, like rediscovering photos from years ago and creating quick shared albums that others can join and add to.

My whole family and anyone else I talk to about mobile photos has been turned onto this service by me. It’s too good to not recommend over and over again. If you aren’t using Google Photos, you probably should be.

Play Link


Tapet

Tapet isn’t a new app at all, but thanks to some updates that were pushed this year, this has become my go-to wallpaper app on most days. It’s so cool and so addicting that you could spend hours on it creating wallpapers, saving them, applying them, and then doing it all over again.

We’re big into customization here, but this sort of takes all of that to a new level. With Tapet, you get to automatically create wallpaper after wallpaper with the touch of a button. They all adhere to Google’s Material Design styles, but you can also limit the output to feature colors and designs that fit your taste. It works with Muzei, is all generated on phone (no internet slow downloads here), gets frequent updates with new designs, and isn’t a live wallpaper (don’t worry, battery nerds).

Grab this app now if you are at all a fan of wallpapers.

Play Link


Google Keep

I don’t think I could even count the number of to-do list or note taking apps on Android if you asked me to. Most are pretty good too, but I keep settling on Google Keep. Actually, I’ve just stayed with it ever since Google introduced it, even as it struggled as a bare-bones app without many features during the early days. This year, though, it got easy sharing of notes (November 2014 actually), the ability to set labels and reminders, Android Wear support, quicker note taking, and drawing! It’s that first feature that keeps me coming back. My wife and I share lists and things multiple times per week.

Keep isn’t ever going to be the most robust note taking app, but it now has enough features to play with some of the big boys, while remaining minimal and quick. It also works well with other Google services, which is a big plus for someone like me.

Play Link


LastPass

I’m actually a little ashamed to admit that I finally got into LastPass during this past year. You know what I’m now using it for the most? Setting up new phones. Why didn’t someone tell me about this before? I know that use-case isn’t exactly a reason most would use it, but it has allowed me to setup new phones in minutes rather than an hour or so because I don’t have to type out login information. Plus, with fingerprint validation support built-in, you can access your LastPass locker without having to remember your ridiculously hard LastPass master password.

Sure, many will shy away from password lockers because there is always going to be an uneasiness about giving one entity control over all of your secure life, but I have found it to be a major efficiency improver on my phone. We now have to change passwords far too often with all of our online accounts because of constant threats, so a service like this that can create impossible-to-remember options that are ultra-secure, is something to consider.

Play Link


So there are my favorite apps of 2015. Feel free to share yours.

My Favorite Android Apps of 2015 is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1JEYkk2

GIVEAWAY: $250 in Google Play Gift Cards Up for Grabs!

Did you know that you can email Google Play gift cards to people in $10, $15, $20, $25, $50, and $100 increments? Well, you can! And because you can, we decided it is once again time to give a bunch away to you. In fact, we’ll hand out a total of $250 in Google Play gift cards within the next 24 hours. Sound good? 

As always this type of giveaway is as easy as it gets. We have a Rafflecopter widget below that you must enter through in order to win. There are three simple instructions for you to follow in order to enter. You don’t have to do them all, but if you do, your chances of winning go up. Once you have entered, sit back and wait for names to be drawn tomorrow morning. 16 will be drawn.

Go!


Giveaway

Prizes:

We are giving away $250 in Google Play gift cards to 16 people. Six (6) people will win $25 gift cards and ten (10) people will win $10 gift cards.

How to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners:

We’ll choose winners tomorrow (December 29) at 10AM Pacific. We’ll contact each through the email they used in the Rafflecopter widget. Once they confirm where they want the gift card sent, we’ll send over prizes.

GIVEAWAY: $250 in Google Play Gift Cards Up for Grabs! is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/22uYpCy

Report: Upcoming Galaxy S7 Could Come in Two Screen Sizes

The new year is just days away at this point and with numerous reports mentioning a January announcement from Samsung detailing the Galaxy S7, you can expect to start hearing more and more leaks. The latest information points to two different screen sizes for the Galaxy S7 and rumored Galaxy S7 Edge

Previous rumors made the not-outrageous assumption that the S7 would be using the same screen size as the Galaxy S6 Edge+. But if the latest report is to be believed, there will be two versions of the S7; a 5.2″ model with a flat screen and a 5.5″ curved-screen model for the S7 Edge.

The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge were different screens, but of the same 5.1″ size. After those two launched, the S6 Edge+ was announced a few months later. This new strategy, if true, would be something different for Samsung. It does seem that we have reached the pinnacle of enormous cellphones and are backing down toward more manageable screen sizes.

Are you interested in two separate models of the Galaxy S7?

Via: Verge | ET News

Report: Upcoming Galaxy S7 Could Come in Two Screen Sizes is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1YNhk6N

Google Play Offers Up Free, $0.99, and Other Discounted Albums

Google is currently offering up “The Year’s Best Music Deals” through a promotion on Google Play that features a handful of free or $0.99 albums, along with dozens of others that are $10.

The free and super cheap ($0.99) list includes everything from country to hip hop, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding something you’ll like. Carrie Underwood Greatest Hits is on there, as is Future’s DS2, Skrillex and Diplo’s Jack U, G-Eazy’s These Things Happen, and Jana Kramer’s thirty one. The less-than-$10 list includes artists like Michael Jackson, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Bieber, Billy Joel, Kenny Chesney, Lauryn Hill, and others. 

The sale on all of this goodness is likely only temporary, so don’t hesitate.

Play Link

Google Play Offers Up Free, $0.99, and Other Discounted Albums is a post from: Droid Life



from Droid Life http://ift.tt/1NSFLe3

DEAL: NVIDIA SHIELD TV With Free Remote and Game for $175 [$25 Off]

Assuming you have any holiday cash to burn through after the long weekend and you are interested in the best Android TV box, take a look at the deal that Gamestop is hosting for the NVIDIA SHIELD TV. For $175, you get an NVIDIA SHIELD TV box, SHIELD Controller (gamepad), and a free SHIELD Remote, which typically retails for around $50 on its own. This bundle normally sells for $199, though, so you are getting a $25 discount at that $175 price. Oh, Gamestop is also tossing in a free game called Battle of Sol, which would cost you $10 on its own.

Not a bad deal for those looking to get into an Android TV box.

Gamestop Link

DEAL: NVIDIA SHIELD TV With Free Remote and Game for $175 [$25 Off] is a post from: Droid Life



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

Verizon is Handing Out Up to $650 Per Line if You Switch Over From Another Carrier

To end the year, Verizon appears to be ready to pay for your business in a way that almost all of the other carriers have tried over the past couple of years. Big Red, the one wireless carrier who has tried to avoid this type of promo, has either given in to the new battle for wireless customers or wants to try and crush them all with through their LTE fingertips. Whatever the case, this is what’s going on in a new $650 per line switching deal that the company kicked off this morning. 

Verizon says that if you are “stuck on the wrong network” and decide to switch over to their network, they will give you “up to $650 to get unstuck.” The promo is a per line deal, though, so if your family of four were to switch, you could theoretically get up to $2,600.

The deal is sort of simple, in that you just need to port over your number to Verizon, purchase a 4G LTE smartphone on a device payment plan, and then trade-in your old device from the carrier you are leaving. Once you do that, Verizon does this combination calculation of the either your early termination fee (ETF) or device payments owed from your previous carrier, less the device trade-in and sends you a VISA prepaid card 8 weeks later for the balance.

For example, they’ll pay up to $350 on an ETF, minus the value of your device trade-in (let’s say $130), and would then send you a $220 gift card. If you have a device payment to be paid out, they’ll pay up to $650 minus the device trade-in (let’s say $325), which would get you a $325 gift card. Sort of make sense? So you know, they are giving you account credit for the device trade-in, which I’m assuming can then be used toward whatever you want on your new Verizon account.

In order for all of this to hold, you’ll need to keep your new lines active for a minimum of 6 months. Otherwise, expect to pay back whatever the value of that VISA prepaid card was.

If you want to switch to Verizon, hit up the source link below and squint for the fine print.

Via:  Verizon

Verizon is Handing Out Up to $650 Per Line if You Switch Over From Another Carrier is a post from: Droid Life



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

Related Articles

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...