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Monday, May 9, 2016

New 2016 Moto X, Motorola DROID Phones Surface and Look Mighty Familiar

Alright, so remember back in December when a photo surfaced of a supposed Motorola phone we dubbed the Franken-iPhLumia360 (that’s pronounced eye-floom-ee-uh-360)? It was of a phone so distant in design from Motorola’s previous efforts that we stated something that didn’t seem all that outlandish at the time – that we were going to be beyond shocked if it was on any level real. Welp, it might be real! Check out all of these fabulous new renders that were posted by the folks at hellomotoHK over the weekend that look identical to that phone.

My, oh my.

So what are we looking at? Well, there is a lot to talk about here. 

First, the phone up top has both DROID branding and Verizon’s new check mark, so we are just assuming that it is the next Turbo or some new DROID phone that you shouldn’t buy if you like software updates or security. The phones pictured below look almost identical, but lack the Verizon and DROID marks and could very well be the next Moto X (2016).

In terms of style, these phones look thin, really thin. They have fingerprint sensors situated on their bottom chins, lower IR sensors next to them to activate Moto Display, rear-facing speakers, and metal-ish looking exteriors. The fronts also have cameras with accompanying flashes and potentially more robust Moto Display capabilities, with options for wallpapers and/or colored widgets.

There are a variety of designs at play here, so it doesn’t seem like Moto Maker is going anywhere, even with the drastic changes from last year’s Moto X Pure Edition to what we are seeing in these new images. We have white or black fronts, along with white, gold accented, and multi-colored backs. I’m going to guess there will be even more, though I’m not sure if the leather or nylon backs can return with this design.

new moto x 2016

Each phone has a bulging disc camera setup that seems to be taking a playful approach to the Moto 360’s famous flat tire. I don’t even think we can call this a “hump” as it really does just look like a hockey puck slapped onto the back of a phone, ignoring any thought of a non-wobbly table presence. Obviously, the camera isn’t a dual setup like we have seen from Huawei and LG recently, but does appear to have a flash and a couple of other sensors, potentially a laser autofocus system.

As for other highlights, the bottom USB port seems to have some sort of cut-out on the backside. Is that something to keep an eye on or just an odd design choice? Tough to tell. Also, check out the terrible volume/power button situation. Ugh. Remember when HTC thought it was a good idea to put volume in two separate buttons and located them right up against the power button? Yeah, well, apparently Motorola didn’t get the memo on “How to Fail in Smartphone Button Setups” and is going that route here. Good luck ever figuring out which is which on the fly, in the most important of times.

new moto x 2016

See, there is a lot going on here. I’m still trying to take it all in on whether or not I like the new design or dislike it. There is a lot to like, but also plenty to raise an eyebrow or two at. Like, the lovable Moto dimple is gone and a fingerprint sensor has been placed on the front chin. For years and years and years, we have talked about the dimple being the perfect spot for a fingerprint reader and likely was going to be at some point, yet here it is gone and switched. I, obviously, hate that button setup and am not excited about a puck hump thingy on the backside. But the phone does look thin, appears to have an improved Moto Display experience, and Moto Maker will be back.

Man. Thoughts?

Via: +hellomotoHK

New 2016 Moto X, Motorola DROID Phones Surface and Look Mighty Familiar is a post from: Droid Life



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Friday, May 6, 2016

Don’t Miss These Android Stories: May 6, 2016

Before you head into the weekend or as you consume the weekend, we have the top stories of the week for you below to catch up on. That’s right, we love you so much, we left out all of the fluff to help you gobble up all of the stuff that actually matters.

You will find the latest episode of the DL Show, check in on how everyone’s S7 and S7 Edge are holding up after two months, see why the LG G5 is still a decent option, and deal with our thoughts on the Huawei P9. Other stories include highlights of the new Google Keyboard 5.0, Galaxy S7 Active, new Samsung Pay banks, and LG’s new button-less fingerprint reader.

Enjoy! 

Pallet Jack is my current favorite beer.

Don’t Miss These Android Stories: May 6, 2016 is a post from: Droid Life



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Google Opinion Rewards, an App You Better Have Installed if You Like Free Money, Got an Update Today

One of our favorite apps of all time, Google Opinion Rewards, received an update today, which means we have an excuse to talk about it and remind you that using it is a probably a good thing. The update introduces availability to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, in case you were wondering, along with a slightly different UI that may even have been a server-side switch.

What is Google Opinion Rewards? It’s an app that wants to give you free money (in the form of Google Play credits) to spend by asking you to answer short 1-4 or 5 question surveys. It probably – because it’s tied to Google and your Google accounts – knows far too much about you and may creep you out with some surveys, especially the location-based ones, but it’s worth it for most of us who don’t mind a little Google stalking. In a few years worth of surveys, between two accounts, I’ve totaled over $50 in Play credits. Some of our readers have hit much higher numbers than that. See for yourself

The surveys are often very short, some even only a question or two long. I typically get surveys that are based on places I have visited in the past, asking if I would rate the place. Some people see surveys related to upcoming or future products as well. It’s also kind of fun to see how much you get paid for each short questionnaire.

So yeah, if you don’t mind feeding Google and its advertisers even more of your life’s info to earn some free credits, be sure to download this.

Play Link

Google Opinion Rewards, an App You Better Have Installed if You Like Free Money, Got an Update Today is a post from: Droid Life



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WhatsApp Update With Quick Reply, Other Features Exits Beta

Back in late March, the beta for WhatsApp received a sizable update, one that included quick reply from notifications, wallpapers for chats and multiple contact selection. At last, that update is now rolling out to everyone, exiting the beta stage.

As previously stated, this update includes a quick reply feature, allowing users to rapidly reply to incoming messages directly from the notification pulldown. Additionally, users now have a few color choices to choose from to revamp the look of their chat windows, as well as quickly add photos or video from your camera roll by tapping the quick camera button. 

For those who want to get in on the WhatsApp beta action, you can sign yourself up right here. Simply click, “Become Tester,” then download from Google Play. Super easy.

Here’s the complete changelog.

What’s New

  • Reply to new messages right from notifications
  • Tapping the quick camera button in a chat lets you pick a photo or video from your camera roll
  • Pick from a set of solid colors for your chat wallpaper
  • Quickly archive, delete, or mute multiple chats at once. Just tap and hold a chat in the chats tab and tap on other chats to select them.
  • Format text in your messages by surrounding your text with special characters: *bold*, _italics_, or ~strikethrough~

Play Link

WhatsApp Update With Quick Reply, Other Features Exits Beta is a post from: Droid Life



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The Droid Life Show: Episode 108 – HTC Nexus?

We took last week off from the Droid Life Show to recover from weeks and weeks of smartphone reviews in a row, but are back this week to catch up before we get to Google I/O. So on this episode (108), we’ll walk through the latest Nexus rumors involving HTC and a couple of codenames. We’ll also talk about why we think it’s a mistake to buy DROID phones at Verizon, check in on your Galaxy S7 after two months, talk must-have smartphone features, and share initial impressions of the Huawei P9.

Join us at 1:00PM Pacific (4:00PM Eastern) for the fun.

If you miss us live, feel free to subscribe to us by following one of the links below. We have a video embed as well and will be chatting it up over at the YouTube page for the show. You can find it here.  

Subscribe | Google PlayiTunes | Stitcher | Show Page

The Droid Life Show: Episode 108 – HTC Nexus? is a post from: Droid Life



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DEAL: All Samsung Gear S2 Models are $50 Off at Best Buy and Amazon

Need a smartwatch? How about one of Samsung’s Gear S2 models? As of today, the Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic have been discounted by $50 at Best Buy and Amazon. And we are talking about all models, including the new platinum and rose gold Classics.

At a $50 discount, you can get into the regular Gear S2 for $249, the Classic for $299, or the platinum and rose gold Classic versions for $399.

Months ago, when the Gear S2 was first released, I spent a good amount of time with it to see if it could become my smartwatch of choice. While I prefer Android Wear devices to Samsung’s wearables, there is no denying the attractive hardware here, really cool rotating bezel, and somewhat robust software experience. If anything, the Gear S2 is a solid alternative to Android Wear.

Amazon Link | Best Buy Link

DEAL: All Samsung Gear S2 Models are $50 Off at Best Buy and Amazon is a post from: Droid Life



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Question of the Day: How is Your Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge Holding Up?

We are closing in on the two month anniversary – if you can believe that – of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge launch. That means you have all had a substantial amount of daily usage to weigh in on whether or not you made the right decision in buying one. You have spent days and nights, dates and couch surfing sessions, travel and backyard BBQs, all with the S7 or S7 Edge by your side. At this point, you probably should have done it all.

So now it’s time to share your thoughts.

Has your phone maintained day one or week one performance? Is battery life good or bad or just OK? Are you satisfied with the camera? Has Samsung’s TouchWiz lived up to its “jank” reputation of slowing down a high-end phone after just a short amount of time? How has the glass held up on the front and back?

How is your Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge holding up?

Question of the Day: How is Your Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge Holding Up? is a post from: Droid Life



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