CyanogenMod Unearths Floating 'Heads Up' Notifications In AOSP, Enables Them In Latest CM11 Nightlies

Here at Android Police, we're no strangers to digging around in Google's code and finding surprising stuff inside. Apparently some members of the CyanogenMod team did the same, and found a hidden feature in KitKat: Heads Up notifications. These floating notifications are meant to be used in full-screen apps or Immersive Mode, but for whatever reason, they aren't switched on in AOSP code. (Perhaps they're intended for the next major Android release.) You can probably guess what happens next.

CyanogenMod Unearths Floating 'Heads Up' Notifications In AOSP, Enables Them In Latest CM11 Nightlies was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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HTC’s 9-inch Nexus Tablet Leaks Out Ahead of Google I/O

This afternoon, Android Police posted an article about HTC’s new 9-inch Nexus tablet, which is named the Volantis. Many of us had heard that HTC was working on a Nexus tablet with Google and even saw the device in the changelog for Android 4.4.3. Now we finally have a look at the device in all it’s glory. We even have some specs to go along with it. According to the leaked screenshot that Android Police was able to get their hands on, it has a 8.9-inch 2048×1440 resolution display, which has a 4:3 aspect ratio. Dimensions are 8.91 x 5.98 x 0.31 inches, and weighs 418 grams for the WiFi model. The LTE model weighs in at about 427 grams, probably won’t be noticeable. We’re looking at an Aluminum zero-gap construction with tapered sides here. Additionally it has the NVIDIA Logan processor, which is 64-bit, along with 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB of storage, front-facing stereo speakers and a 3MP camera on the front, 8MP on the back. What’s interesting is that the rear camera has OIS.

As far as design goes, it does look a lot like the Nexus 7 (2013) and the Nexus 5, so this looks like it’s the way that Google is going with design for the Nexus line of devices. It also has a hint of Apple’s iPad Mini in there, especially if you look at the front of the device. From what we’re hearing the 16GB model will be $399 and the 32GB for $499. There’s no word on pricing for the LTE model just yet, but it’s likely going to be around $600, as it is typically a bit more expensive than the WiFi model due to the radio.

We don’t expect to see this at Google I/O, as Android Police is quoting a Q4 2014 launch along with it releasing with Android’s L release. Which would likely be in the fall as well. That’s about all the details we have for now. Once we learn more, we’ll be sure to share those details with you.

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This Is Volantis, HTC's Nine-Inch Nexus Tablet

With Android Silver rumors brewing, and LG's Ken Hong indicating that the manufacturer doesn't have a Nexus phone in the cards, the fate of the Nexus line as a whole has been sort of up in the air.

We don't have news about whether a Nexus phone exists, but we do have information related to HTC's Volantis (or Flounder), an 8.9" Nexus tablet. The information provided to us indicates possible specs, features, and pricing, as well as an early look at the form factor, though the images we have don't appear to be final renderings of the device.

This Is Volantis, HTC's Nine-Inch Nexus Tablet was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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[Deal Alert] eBay Has The Unlocked HTC One M8 For $550 ($150 Off) With Free Shipping

HTC's new One M8 flagship has been out for three months. At this point in its product cycle, we wouldn't expect to see any dramatic discounts, except perhaps for on-contract phones. But one eBay vendor is bucking the trend, selling a new, factory-unlocked M8 for $549.99, a full $150 off the list price from HTC's own website. You can grab the phone and get free shipping to the United States, and unlike many eBay deals, the seller is shipping to a variety of countries around the world.

[Deal Alert] eBay Has The Unlocked HTC One M8 For $550 ($150 Off) With Free Shipping was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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HTC Giving away an One M8 Made of 24 Carat Gold

HTC isn’t in the best of financial terms right now, they’ve been losing money for quite some time and have overhauled just about everything in the company. Their software is now much lighter, they get updates out a whole lot quicker, and they’ve shifted the focus to the camera, which is a good camera but not the best. Now HTC is giving away a 24 carat Gold HTC One M8 in the UK. Great to see this update in the UK as most giveaways are US only. So great to see our friends in the UK able to get in on a nice giveaway from HTC. For those interested, HTC has posted the official rules on their Facebook account here.

For those unaware, the HTC One M8 comes with a 5-inch 1920×1080 SuperLCD3 display, 2GB of RAM, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, along with a microSD card slot. There’s also a 4MP UltraPixel camera on the back with a 2MP camera as well for depth information. On the front, we’re looking at a 5MP camera. There’s also a 2600mAh battery inside along with Android 4.4 and Sense 6 for software. It’s a really nice device, and one that many of us here at Android Headlines love and would recommend to everyone. Although the thing to remember with the HTC One M8, is that the metal unibody does affect the signal, so there’s that.

We reviewed the HTC One M8 earlier this year and fell in love with it. I can’t say it’s the best phone of 2014, but it’s one of the best, right up there with the Galaxy S5 and the LG G3. Wonder what else we’ll see from HTC this year? For those in the UK, make sure you enter this giveaway, as this is a once in a lifetime giveaway here. Let us know if you win.

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Sponsored Game Review: Dubstep Hero

Description: Dubstep Hero is a rhythm game much like the popular Guitar Hero franchise was, except this is all about electronic tunes and dubstep. Working on the same sort of premise as the Guitar Hero and Tap Tap Revenge games did, you need to hit the corresponding buttons in time to the music. This gives you your score and if you get really good you might be able to hit all the notes in a song. Dubstep Hero has tracks from the likes of Skrillex and Breaking News built-in ready for you to play, along with a bunch of others to try your hand at as well. Take a look at the trailer below to get a quick taste.

How it Works: In order to start jamming on your smartphone or tablet, you’ll need to download Dubstep Hero from the Play Store. Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to play some songs.

To choose a track to play just hit the Game button.

When you start playing your chosen track, you’ll see notes – or beats – appear running down towards the corresponding buttons.

As you hit the right buttons, you’ll see some encouraging words appear and when you see a longer note, you need to tap and then hold on that color.

Don’t forget, there’s a variety of songs available to play, so why not take a look at them all?

Opinion: I was – and still am – a huge fan of the Guitar Hero games, and I still play Guitar Hero: Metallica with my friends every now and then. Back when I was using an iPhone, I was happy to see Tap Tap Revenge hit the smartphone, but the art style never took me and it just didn’t feel right. Dubstep Hero follows very closely in the footsteps of Guitar Hero in looks and its gameplay, but it works well and the five buttons that you have to hit are tricky to get right. Holding on as beats ring out is a nice touch and overall, Dubstep Hero is a simple and modern take on the failed game that many of us still love.

Ratings

• Speed (4/5) – Dubstep hero works well on smartphones, but at times the timing can feel a little behind.


• Features (4/5) – A nice, simple, modern take on a game that many of us wish was still around, Dubstep Hero brings a new genre of music with it and it’s a lot of fun to play.


• Theme (4/5) – It sure sticks closely to the blueprint that Guitar Hero gave us, but the menus are simple to navigate, nothing gets in your way and it just works.


• Overall (4/5) – A cool and fun new take on what we could call an old classic, Dubstep Hero is a sweet game for Dubstep fans and younger players to take a look at.

Pros

• Easy to pickup and play, most people have played some sort of rhythm game by now after all.


• Menus are a little plain, but these get them out of your way and help focus on getting your tune played through.


• Puts your device in landscape to make sure you have enough room to hit all the buttons.


• Lots of cool tracks to sink your teeth into, including those from Skrillex.

Cons

• Timing feels a little beyond, making it easy to miss notes when you feel like you hit them.


• Core mechanics play great, but the overall game could feel a little empty.

Conclusion: While it’s not going to be everyone’s ideal game to play on their smartphone, Dubstep Hero is a lot of fun. Those that have played Guitar Hero will instantly take to this and thanks to the fact it’s Dubstep pumping out of your phone, it’s catchy, has awesome beats and will appeal to modern listeners. It’s not perfect, as the timing could do with a little work, but for a free game that’s got some cool tracks built-in, this is something people will find a lot of fun.

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Google adding native “help page” interface on its Android apps

If you’ve ever needed to go to the “help” section in an Android app by Google, your usual course of action would be to head to the hamburger menu on the left side of the screen, and click on the “Help” tab. Once you tap on it, you are directed to a web page.

It’s a bit old-fashioned to be directed to a web page from an app, and it’s especially old-fashioned if Google is the company that developed the app. In an effort to update things, Google will soon direct users to a native help page within both the Google Wallet and YouTube applications.

How do we know this? There are some relevant strings found in the APK files of the apps:

<string name=”gh_help_suggestions_title”>Suggestions</string>

<string name=”gh_help_browse_all_articles_title”>Browse all articles</string>

<string name=”gh_help_recent_articles_title”>Recent Articles</string>

<string name=”gh_help_search_title”>Search results</string>

<string name=”gh_help_topics_all”>Help Topics</string>

<string name=”gh_menu_phone”>Call support</string>

<string name=”gh_menu_click_to_call”>Request a call</string>

<string name=”gh_menu_email”>Email support</string>

<string name=”gh_menu_help”>Help</string>

<string name=”gh_menu_feedback”>Feedback</string>

…

<string name=”gh_menu_play_store”>View in Google Play Store</string>

<string name=”gh_menu_print”>Print…</string>

<string name=”gh_menu_clear_history”>Clear help history</string>

<string name=”gh_search_on_web”>Search the web</string>

…

<string name=”gh_cuf_rating_selection_prefix”>Your rating: </string>

<string name=”gh_cuf_required_field_description”>* Required field</string>

<string name=”gh_cuf_add_additional”>Add Additional</string>

<string name=”gh_cuf_confirmation_message”>Your message was received. Thanks for contacting Google!</string>

We don’t know when the functionality will be added, but you can expect it to come soon, and also expect similar functionality to come to all Google apps. It’s not a major change but it’s nice nonetheless.

Source: Android Police

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