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Thursday, March 24, 2016

Question of the Day: What are Your 3 Most Used, Non-Google Apps?

Talking about LauncherPro earlier today got us thinking about apps in general. More specifically, that #TBT moment got us thinking about the apps we use the most these days, because there is a good chance they have changed in recent months or years or since the last time we asked a similar question.

So for today’s question, let’s just keep it simple and share some of our favorite apps. If you were to look at your phone and think about the 3 apps you use the most that aren’t Google apps, which would they be?

For me, it’s the 3 you are seeing above: Instagram, theScore Sports, and Fleksy. Why? Well, Instagram is about the only social network I can stand, theScore is a solid sports app that isn’t ESPN, and Fleksy somehow, some way, drew me back in after dedicating so many years to Google’s keyboard.

What about you? What are your 3 most used, non-Google apps?

Question of the Day: What are Your 3 Most Used, Non-Google Apps? is a post from: Droid Life



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DEAL: Limited Edition 32GB Moto X Pure Edition is Just $349 ($125 Off)

I don’t necessarily know who Jonathan Adler is, but I do know that he is a designer hired by Motorola to create a line of limited edition Moto X Pure Edition phones. The phones by Adler feature 32GB storage and carry slightly elevated prices of $475 on most days. But today, you can grab any of the three designs at a $125 discount, which brings the price to $349.99.

If you compare the $349.99 price to the 16GB base model Moto X Pure Edition, you are still saving $50 while doubling the storage. 

As for the designs, well, you can see them above. One features a honeycomb back, while the others use half circles and something called a “Bridget” design. All I know is that they are unique and are actually kind of fun, should you be in interested MXPE and want something few will have.

Feel free to read our Moto X Pure Edition review or these 5 reasons why you should buy one if you need some convincing.

The deal is live through April 28.

Motorola Link

DEAL: Limited Edition 32GB Moto X Pure Edition is Just $349 ($125 Off) is a post from: Droid Life



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Deal: $89 for Lexar 128GB MicroSD Card 2-Pack, $39 for 64GB 2-Pack

Regularly priced at $165, you can grab a 2-pack of Lexar 128GB microSD cards for only $89, usable in any smart device that supports expandable storage. This includes the Moto X Pure Edition, Galaxy S7, and upcoming LG G5. If that much mobile storage is not needed, or you don’t feel like blowing that much dough, a 2-pack of 64GB cards is available for $39. 

The cards are rated at Class 10, featuring UHS-I technology with a max read speed of 95MBps, with a slightly lower write speed. Your speeds will also depend on the size you choose, according to Lexar. Additionally, the cards also come with a USB 3.0 reader for high-speed file transfer.

To take advantage of the SD card slots that are available on all of the latest flagship devices, follow the links below.

eBay Links: 64GB 2-Pack | 128GB 2-Pack

Deal: $89 for Lexar 128GB MicroSD Card 2-Pack, $39 for 64GB 2-Pack is a post from: Droid Life



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Niantic Labs, Makers of Ingress, Provides First Look at Pokémon GO

We are still a ways from launch, but Niantic Labs, best known for Ingress, gave us our first early look at Pokémon GO this morning. Played the same way Ingress is, which has you walking all over town, Pokémon GO allows players to explore the world around them in search for new Pokémon.

To discover your Pokémon, you may need to visit their natural habitats. For example, to collect a water type, you may need to visit your local lake, river, or pond. As you walk around, previously acquired Pokémon eggs will hatch, leading to the potential of new Pokémon in your arsenal. In addition, dedicated PokéStops are where you can acquire Poké Balls and eggs. But, what would a Pokémon game be without battles? 

In the game, players will be encouraged to join one of three teams in order to compete over the ownership and prestige of Gyms. They will do this by placing their captured Pokémon in a friendly Gym or by battling with an opponent’s Pokémon in another team’s Gym. Gyms, exactly like PokéStops, are also found at real world locations.

Niantic states that the first field tests of this game will soon occur in Japan, but gave no word on when we can expect a complete US launch.

While Ingress never quite intrigued me, I could see myself strolling around my neighborhood in search of Pokémon. How about you?

Via: Niantic Labs

Niantic Labs, Makers of Ingress, Provides First Look at Pokémon GO is a post from: Droid Life



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Report: Google is Making an Amazon Echo Competitor, While Nest Focuses on Home Security

The crew over at The Information released two pretty wild articles today that paint a not-so-flattering picture of the current corporate atmosphere at Nest, the one-time darling smart home product maker that Google acquired a couple of years back for $3.2 billion dollars. The drama side of things isn’t necessarily a subject we focus on – though this stuff is quite juicy and entertaining – so we’ll instead take a look at the other side of the two reports, which is the company’s product line-up going forward. The product-related information also includes a future product for Google, that may be a direct Amazon Echo competitor. 

According to sources of The Information, Nest is going to take on home security with its next series of products. Those products, for one, will include a product under the codename “Flintstone,” which will be a wireless hub and the “brains” behind it all. Think Piper or Canary, two products that act as both security cameras and a hub for notifying you of other happenings in your home like relaying back information for temperature and other alerts.

Flintstone works with Thread, a wireless standard that Nest created to take over home communication and relay information back and forth between other smart home products. Unfortunately, because Thread isn’t a standard, they have struggled to get it to play nicely and have been working on Flintstone for roughly three years. Woof.

Anyone remember Dropcam Tabs? They were a product that Dropcam was planning to release  in August of 2014 just before Nest acquired them. The idea was that you could place little security tabs on the windows, doors, or fences around your house and receive notifications on your mobile devices if those windows, doors, or fences were opened. They were a brilliant little idea that used Dropcam Pro cameras as a hub. Nest killed Dropcam Tabs before they could ever ship because, at least according to this report, they were already working on their own similar solution. Again, that was in 2014 and Dropcam was ready to ship, yet it’s now 2016 and Nest hasn’t introduced a single thing.

Nest’s Dropcam Tabs-like product is supposedly called “Pinna” and they are wireless security sensors. They of course, use Thread to communicate, but since Nest can’t figure out how to properly implement Thread, they also seem to be delayed, probably because Flintstone, the hub that allows everything to communicate over Thread has been in the works for three years.

Finally, Nest is said to be working on a product called “Keshi,” – no not Ke$ha – that are Bluetooth tags that could be attached to your keyring or bag or tossed in a purse to automate some of your Nest system. Think locking or unlocking home doors or turning your Nest security system on and off as you leave or come home. You get it.

Outside of Nest products, Google is said to be working separately on a product that will be very much like Amazon’s Echo. For those new, Amazon Echo is a cylindrical tube-shaped speaker that acts as a smart hub for your home. You can give Echo commands for setting timers, playing music, checking the weather, reading today’s headlines, and controlling your Nest thermostat, all with voice. The home is largely thought to be a major area for growth for tech companies and so it makes sense that Google would want to do whatever they can to compete with Amazon’s early lead in the space.

According to The Information, Nest wanted in on this project, but the lead of it on Google’s end “rebuffed” that idea.

Any of this excite you? I, personally, am ready for some new smart home products from Nest. It’s been years since they released anything new, outside of next-generation models of their Thermostat and smoke detectors. And no, we don’t count the repackaged Dropcam Pro as the Nest Cam as a new product.

Via:  The Information (subscription)

Report: Google is Making an Amazon Echo Competitor, While Nest Focuses on Home Security is a post from: Droid Life



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#TBT: It’s 2016 and We Still Want a LauncherPro Rewrite

Sure, it’s 2016, but my fingers are still crossed for a LauncherPro rewrite. Oh, who am I kidding, it’s not coming, folks. Back in late 2010, we hyped the LauncherPro app more than anyone, talked about updates, and even interviewed the developer, Federico Carnales, for the Tato Series.

What ever happened to LauncherPro? Well, it’s still available for download on Google Play, but as you can guess, it doesn’t see any support. Having recently used it, I can actually attest that it’s still pretty smooth, unsurprisingly. Near the end LauncherPro’s life, we were told a rewrite was coming for the app, which would include new features and tons of goodies. As we all know now, that rewrite never came and the developer essentially vanished. 

With that said, we probably all have fond memories of LauncherPro, but we’ve moved on. It’s all about Nova Launcher now, at least for us at DL.

Like I said, LauncherPro is still available on Google Play. Give it a download and spin for old times’ sake.

Play Link

#TBT: It’s 2016 and We Still Want a LauncherPro Rewrite is a post from: Droid Life



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GIVEAWAY: Win a SHIELD Android TV Bundle in Celebration of Super Mega Baseball Launch

To help NVIDIA celebrate the launch of Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings for SHIELD, we have teamed up with them to give away a SHIELD Android TV bundle. Included in this bundle is a SHIELD console (16GB), SHIELD Controller, SHIELD Remote, SHIELD Stand, and a copy of the Super Mega Baseball game. 

Super Mega Baseball offers gamers on SHIELD a very comprehensive baseball experience, complete with in-depth statistics (that’s what baseball is all about, after all), enjoyable graphics, and a complete multiplayer co-op experience. The game is priced at $20 on Google Play, but with this giveaway, you have a chance to not only win the game, but win a complete Android TV gaming setup.

If you want even more chances to win a SHIELD, NVIDIA is hosting a stream with Streamer House on the official NVIDIA Twitch channel tonight, with the first pitch scheduled to be thrown at 6PM Pacific. During the stream, folks will have a chance to win NVIDIA SHIELD prize packs, game codes, and much more. You can access that stream here. Don’t miss it.

Let’s get to the giveaway.


Contest

Prize:

One winner will receive a NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV (16GB), SHIELD Controller, SHIELD Remote, SHIELD Stand, and a copy of Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings.

How to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner:

We will select our winner on Monday (3/28) at 10am Pacific.

GIVEAWAY: Win a SHIELD Android TV Bundle in Celebration of Super Mega Baseball Launch is a post from: Droid Life



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Sprint Galaxy Note 5, Note 4, S6 Edge+ Receiving Marshmallow Updates Today

Marshmallow updates are flowing today, with Sprint’s Galaxy Note 5, Note 4, and Galaxy S6 Edge+ as the latest to join in on the party. The updates appear to be live for those on Sprint, so be sure to check, assuming you have ample battery life. To do so, head into Settings>System update>Update now. 

Both the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ are receiving software version VPU2BPC3 (Android 6.0.1), which is accompanied by a changelog from Sprint that only notes the update including an “OS Upgrade to Android 6” and “Security Updates.” The Note 4 should be seeing software version VPU4DPC1.

You know what’s in Marshmallow by now, right? If not, here is a short video tour of the first Android M preview, along with a feature-by-feature breakdown here.

Via:  Sprint [2] [3]

Sprint Galaxy Note 5, Note 4, S6 Edge+ Receiving Marshmallow Updates Today is a post from: Droid Life



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Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings Now Available for SHIELD Android TV, Priced at $20

With MLB’s spring training in full swing, Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings could not have picked a better time to launch onto Google Play. Made for use on the SHIELD boxes from NVIDIA, Super Mega Baseball brings a comprehensive, yet easy-to-learn baseball game system. If you care about things such as complete pitching and batting stats, while also getting the sense that you are playing a game made for the Nintendo Wii, this is the game for you. 

Once you fire this game up, you can choose between a few modes. The game does support multiplayer, so if you have an extra SHIELD Controller available, you and your buddy can go head-to-head, or play co-op on the same team against the CPU. In total, up to 4 players can play simultaneously. To get started, you will choose between a complete season (short, medium, long options available), or simply a one-game exhibition match. If a season is selected, you will go up against the league’s best, with all of your opponent teams going through simulations to work out the standings.

As you progress in a season, you can unlock new gear for your players, new workouts to help them improve as players, and you can even fire your staff members. I’m serious, this game is extremely comprehensive. Thanks to an Ego Mode, which is code for the game’s difficulty, you can pinpoint exactly how comfortable you are at the game. If you want the opposing pitchers slowing down or not throwing as much junk, lower your ego. If you don’t mind having your pitches cranked out of the park consistently, then up your ego.

Now, for all of this baseball action, Super Mega Baseball carries quite a price tag, listed at $20 on Google Play. While that certainly is steep, having tested the game myself for a couple of days, I can vouch for its awesomeness. If you really enjoy baseball, diving into stats and improving your players in almost RPG-like setting, it’s worth the price. Additionally, the performance and overall appearance of the game is quite enjoyable, with batters throwing their bats and even crying when you strike them out. So worth it.

The game is available now on Google Play.

Note: To help celebrate the launch of this title, NVIDIA is teaming up with Streamer House, as two residents will dual it out live on Twitch. If you are interested, NVIDIA will be giving away prizes including SHIELD Android TV sets, game codes, and more. The stream will begin tonight on NVIDIA’s Twitch channel here.

Play Link ($19.99)

Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings Now Available for SHIELD Android TV, Priced at $20 is a post from: Droid Life



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Verizon Adds Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE to Line-Up as Well, Now Up for Pre-Order

The LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE, after returning from the dead on AT&T this week, is also now up for pre-order at Verizon. Priced at $449 with a 2-year contract or $499 at full retail, the WU2ELTE is an expensive product, likely because its the first LTE watch.

With that LTE connectivity, Verizon is pushing its ability to connect to your phone number to send text messages through their Verizon Messages app, place calls to family and friends, search for nearby restaurants, and listen to music. Because of that LTE chip inside, you don’t need to be tethered to a phone at all times – it’s very much a stand-alone device. 

For a limited time, if you buy an LG G5 or V10, Verizon will slash $100 off the Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE.

Pre-order Link

Via:  Verizon

Verizon Adds Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE to Line-Up as Well, Now Up for Pre-Order is a post from: Droid Life



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Verizon LG G5 Pre-Orders are Now Open, Includes Free 360 CAM

The LG G5 is now up for pre-order at Verizon starting at $26 per month for 24 months. You can buy it without a contract, as well, for $624. Verizon is selling the silver and titan versions, so no gold or pink, my friends.

Verizon says that if you pre-order you will have your phone in time for the April 1 launch. But also, if you pre-order, Verizon is tossing in a free battery and charging cradle, along with a free 360 CAM, so you can be come the VR master of the G5.

Go get it. 

Pre-order Link

Verizon LG G5 Pre-Orders are Now Open, Includes Free 360 CAM is a post from: Droid Life



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