Kyocera to push the bar in smartphone durability with sapphire displays [VIDEO]

If Apple was planning on making people believe they were the first to use sapphire in smartphone displays for a more durable screen, Kyocera has made it a point to spoil those plans. The Chinese company has put out a video directly targeted at all the iPhone 6 rumors tipping the tech world off to Apple’s plans to use the displays.

They counter the rumors by saying that they have been doing this a lot longer than Apple has, with 41 years of experience using sapphire in everything from computer components to watch faces. And now they’re planning to beat Apple to the punch in smartphone displays.

They’re calling it the “Sapphire Shield,” and if you know anything about sapphire you’d know that it’s supposed to be virtually indestructible. Coins and keys wouldn’t be able to make scratches and dents, and it would come out looking like a champ if it were dropped flat on its face onto a slab of concrete. Sapphire is said to be used as transparent armor for many military vehicles, and if it’s good enough for a soldier it should be more than good enough for your smartphone.

The problem with sapphire is that it’s expensive — a lot more expensive than tempered glass like Corning’s Gorilla Glass being used in so many smartphones. It was only last year that sapphire displays were going for $20 to $30 a pop, whereas Gorilla Glass can be had for under $3 per unit. Kyocera says they have found a way to make sapphire-based displays affordable, though, and that we’ll be hearing something very soon from their camp.

As much as we make fun of Kyocera’s phones for being underwhelming and uninspiring, one thing we can say they’ve always done well is durable smartphones. This is a natural step forward for them, and hopefully it can be used as a barometer for other OEMs to get in line and compete — we sure wouldn’t mind a future with fully indestructible displays.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/1wEi7sS

ZTE Chooses The Google Now Launcher (GEL) As The Default Homescreen For Upcoming Smartphones

It seems like it's hard to find a non-Nexus device that uses anything close to stock Android. Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony, Asus, Acer - everywhere you look there are customizations to a greater or lesser extent. Even Motorola, formerly Google's own subsidiary, uses a custom launcher. Chinese manufacturer ZTE is looking to break that trend, however. The company is planning to launch new smartphones that use the Google Now Launcher (AKA the Google Experience Launcher) by default.

ZTE Chooses The Google Now Launcher (GEL) As The Default Homescreen For Upcoming Smartphones was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Sony Xperia Z2 Gets An Update With Enhanced Call Quality, Improved Charging, And More

Sony is beginning the rollout of a new firmware update for its current flagship, the Xperia Z2. The software (version number 17.1.2.A.0.314) doesn't bump the underlying version of Android, which was already based on KitKat. Instead, Sony is cleaning up the rough edges.

Here's the changelog for the 17.1.2.A.0.314 firmware.

• Enhanced voice call quality


• Improved touch function and performance


• Charging improved when battery is low


• Overall performance and stability improved


• And all of our latest bug fixes and improvements

As Sony is fond of pointing out, software updates happen at different times in different regions, so you might not be getting an update just yet.

Sony Xperia Z2 Gets An Update With Enhanced Call Quality, Improved Charging, And More was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Verizon Moto X soak test participants receiving invites to test new firmware

Verizon and Motorola appear to be testing out new firmware for their version of the Moto X as soak test invites are going out to the adventurous folks not afraid to sign up for these things. As usual we don’t get any idea what to expect, though we wouldn’t expect them to roll out new firmware without also jumping to a new version of Android.

You obviously won’t be expecting Android L, but Android 4.4.3 or 4.4.4 are still on the table for this phone. The latter is already confirmed to be headed to Verizon’s DROID phones so we wouldn’t be surprised if the Moto X is in line for a similar upgrade.

In either case we wouldn’t expect many sweeping changes as this is likely a bug fixing and stability improvement upgrade. As unexciting as it may be, though, we’ll be keeping an eye on it. Be sure to check your email to see if you’ve been invited (and if you aren’t signed up to test Motorola firmware, head here to figure out how you can get in on all the fun).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

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The first Amazon Fire phone commercial is all about Prime

Remember the Amazon Fire phone? We kinda forget about it, to be honest, as we haven’t really heard anything about it since Jeff Bezos showed it to the world on June 8.

With a week to go the phone’s exclusive launch on AT&T, Amazon is now beginning its Fire phone marketing push with a TV commercial that highlights one of the biggest perks that come with the device – one “free” year of Amazon Prime.

Amazon Prime, normally going for $99/year, includes free two-day shipping for many Amazon items, an ebook per month, movies, and a music streaming service. Having all these services for free for a year is a tempting proposition, but we wonder whether it’s enough to make it worth paying $199 on a 2-year AT&T contract or a whopping $649 for the unlocked version of the Amazon Fire phone.

It’s not that the Fire phone is a bad device, but, as my colleague Simon Hill put it, the Fire is expensive compared to the competition and it’s locked into Amazon’s platform, which is simply not as good as Google’s.

Amazon’s new commercial doesn’t mention some of the Fire’s other highlight features, such as the 3D effects and Firefly, which lets you identify everyday items and look them up in Amazon’s endless catalog. So expect more ads like this in the coming days.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1lbyE1O

GoTenna Lets You Create Your Own Personal Network When You’re Out of Coverage

With GoTenna, ‘No service’ is no problem. This is what there official website says about this new device named GoTenna. GoTenna is capable of connecting the smartphones even if they are not in the coverage of any cellular service provider, Satellite or WiFi. They do it, by creating a communication channel using long-range radio waves. A GoTenna which is connected to your smartphone (via a Bluetooth connection) will communicate with another GoTenna (connected with the recipient’s smartphone) available in its range to deliver your message.

GoTenna is accompanied by an app which needs to be installed on your smartphone (either Android or iOS) in order to communicate with other devices. You will be able to send a message (to an individual, or a group or broadcast it to anyone in the range with GoTenna) and share your location on detailed offline maps using this device. You smartphone should be in the range of 20 feet of a GoTenna to maintain the Bluetooth connectivity and it has been claimed that a GoTenna can communicate with another GoTenna within a range of 50.5 miles. However, this distance may vary as per the terrain in which it is being used.

So, next time you are planning to go for a trek with your friends, then this device will really come-in handy. You will be able to be in touch with your friends all the time. Once GoTenna is fully charged, it will last for 72 hours when it being used continuously and while being switched off it can hold the charge upto 1 year. Its ‘Shout’ feature is also very useful, especially when you are in a need of urgent help with anyone available in the vicinity. It will broadcast an emergency message (along with your location) to all the GoTenna users available in its range.

This device is really portable and can be really useful in case of emergency. At this point of time, you will be able to pre-order your GoTenna pair at 149.99 USD (yes, they are sold in pairs because only one is useless) and it will be available at the price of 299.99 USD after this ‘Early Supporter’ offer ends. Currently it is available in 2 pairs of colors, i.e. Green & Blue and Purple & Orange.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The post GoTenna Lets You Create Your Own Personal Network When You’re Out of Coverage appeared first on AndroidHeadlines.com |.

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Maps 8.2 brings elevation info for cyclists and voice commands in nav mode

Google is continuing to build up the feature set of its Maps Android app, with the latest update bringing elevation information for cycling routes, voice commands in navigation mode, and other smaller changes.

The biggest new feature in version 8.2 of Maps is probably the ability to see an elevation graph for routes, while in cycling mode. If you ever biked in hilly terrain, you probably understand why this feature (still in beta) can be super useful – picking the least punishing route is as simple as glancing at the graphs, though you also get a breakdown of the number of feet you go uphill and downhill respectively.

XDA

Another neat feature is the ability to interact with Maps while in navigation mode. You can ask about the traffic ahead, your time until destination, or your next turn, you can choose to turn voice guidance off, and more. You’ll have to tap on the mic button to use the feature, so there’s no voice activation like you have in Google Now.

Maps 8.2 also brings a few cosmetic changes, but nothing major. The update is now rolling out to users, but the folks over at XDA Portal have a signed APK that you can download if you want the update faster.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1mVxT1A