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Showing posts from August, 2015

All four major US carriers will reportedly sell the Samsung Gear S2

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Samsung’s Gear S2 smartwatch , previously referred to as Project Orbis or the Gear A, has finally been formally announced . Two main models will be released, the Gear S2 and the Gear S2 Classic to allow consumers more choice in what they wear. There will also be cellular models that can make use of 3G network services, and according to a report by SamMobile, all four major U.S. carriers will sell them. While AT&T and Sprint have yet to actually post their plans, both Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile have already taken to Twitter to tell the world what is in store for their stores: Samsung Gear S2 (both Bluetooth & 3G connected models) will be avail from Verizon. Availability & pricing will be announced at a later date — Verizon News (@VerizonNews) August 31, 2015 Note that Verizon in particular, mentions selling a “Bluetooth” model – which probably refers to the Wi-Fi only variant – thus indicating even greater choice will be provided to shoppers of Big Red.

AT&T rolling out Stagefright patch for LG G4

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Still worried about the Stagefright vulnerability that could grant attackers control over your device with a simple MMS message? This issue left 95% of all Android users susceptible to attacks, but carriers and manufacturers have been quick to patch it up. It’s taking some companies more time than others, though. Life is finally good again fore LG G4 users on AT&T. The carrier has started pushing out the Stagefright patch, taking many of you back to digital safety. It comes in the form of an OTA software update and seems to feature no other extra improvements. All you need is enough battery life to go through the process and a stable WiFi connection for downloading the data. Got that set up? Simply wait for the upgrade notification to show up. You can also go ahead and check for updates in the settings, just in case the device is taking a little longer than it should. Do keep in mind these updates tend to roll out periodically, though, so try not to smash your screen. Once al

Google Maps v9.14: improved Navigation UI and ‘Popular times’ charts added

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The Google Maps team seems to be pretty busy lately. It has been only about a week since version 9.13 hit the Play Store , and today we are already starting to see v9.14 hitting Android smartphones. The latest update to Maps brings forth a couple main changes to the application. A revamped interface will help you better plan your trips, and the new ‘Popular times’ chart will keep you posted on the best times to hit up your destination of choice. Let’s start off with the new Navigation UI, shall we? The design of said section is likely the biggest change we have seen coming to the Google Maps app in a while. Upon requesting a route, the user will be presented with a large map, as opposed to the small thumbnail that really didn’t help much in the past. The different modes of transportation have been moved right below the location fields, making them more accessible and informative, as they also show the travel time without having to access each option. Those who need to acc

10 best new Android apps and games from August 2015

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3vkEai-hks August has come and gone and with it marks the beginning of the end of the season. It also left us with a bunch of awesome new Android apps and games! Let’s take a quick look at the best ones released this last month. Fallout Shelter [Price: Free with in-app purchases] Fallout Shelter turned a lot of heads when it was released on iOS back at E3 2015 and turned even more once it was released on Android. It’s a sim builder where you must create a Vault for survivors and help coax the new community into thriving. It comes packed with things to do including building rooms, exploring the wasteland, and even making babies. There is plenty of that classic Fallout quirkiness to make it feel authentic. Get it now on Google Play! Final Fantasy Portal App [Price: Free with in-app purchases] Fans of the Final Fantasy series got a new application this last month that lets them stay up to date on the latest Final Fantasy news. On top of that,

Podcast 029: The S Pen doesn’t go both ways

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Josh leads the crew through conversations that continually devolve into childish humor, you may laugh at us, but you are sure to laugh. Andrew, Joe and Jonathan are along for the ride discussing the S Pen concerns with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 , talk about their expectations for IFA and tablets, then discuss the frustrations of giving technology advice that is ignored. In one of our more entertaining episodes, join us for the Android Authority Podcast – discussing topics in Android every week. Links to Podcast RSS Feed iTunes Stitcher SoundCloud Direct Download Relevant Links Samsung Galaxy Note 5 S Pen issues and how to fix them IFA is coming next week Follow our Hosts Joshua Vergara Twitter  |  Google+ Joseph Hindy Twitter | Google+ Andrew Grush Twitter | Google+ Jonathan Feist Twitter | Google+ Nirave Gondhia Twitter | Google+ Lanh Nguyen Twitter | Google+    Recorded on August 28th, 2015 – Hosted and Produced by Joshua Vergara

LG’s new SmartThinQ Sensor will bring some smarts to your everyday appliances

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Smart appliances are everywhere nowadays, but it can be really tough to find connected products that don’t cost an arm and a leg. To help solve this problem, LG today announced some new sensors that will breathe some life into your older, non-connected household items. The new connected gadget to come from the company is called the SmartThinQ Sensor, which can be used to communicate with the SmartThinQ application by sensing feedback such as vibration and temperature. For example, attaching one of these sensors to a washing machine door will allow the app to notify you when your laundry is finished. Or if you place it on a refrigerator, the new sensor can send you a notification when a particular food item is about to expire. You can also keep track of how many times the door is opened, even if you aren’t at home. LG says you can even connect it to an air conditioner that will let you remotely control it through the SmartThinQ app. Pricing and availability information is still unkno

Lara Croft GO review

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At this point, I think it’s fair to say that Square Enix as a whole is one of the more popular game developers in the Android space. Aside from the extremely popular Final Fantasy , Dragon Quest and Chaos Rings franchises, the developer’s Montreal-based offices have brought us hit titles such as the original Tomb Raider , Lara Croft: Relic Run and Hitman GO . Square Enix Montreal released the turn-based puzzler Hitman GO to the Play Store last year, and for many, it quickly became one of the most popular titles available on mobile devices. So in an effort to marry two of the developer’s most successful franchises – Hitman GO and Tomb Raider – Square Enix has just released a new game called Lara Croft GO . I’ve spent some quality time with this new game, and I think there are some important things you should know about it. Here’s everything you need to know about Lara Croft GO. Be sure to check out a recording of Joe Hindy playing Tomb Raider Go and giving his impressions on Twi

Samsung officially announces Gear S2 and S2 Classic

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After plenty of leaks, hints, and teasers, Samsung has now formally announced the round Gear S2 smartwatch ahead of IFA 2015. As the FCC listings previously alluded to , the Gear S2 will launch in both a regular and classic edition. The Gear S2 has a more sporty and modern look in either dark gray or silver with a white band, while the classic has a black finish and matching leather band that gives it a more elegant and traditional aesthetic. Both models of the Gear S2 feature the same specs, including a dual-core 1GHz processor, a 1.2-inch circular display with a resolution of 360 x 360, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage, IP68 dust/water resistance, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC for mobile payments, and a variety of sensors such as an accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, ambient light, and barometer. Samsung says the 250mAh battery will last about 2 to 3 days and will recharge using wireless technology. As for the controls, the Gear S2 offers a rotating bezel, as well as a ho

Check out the first trailer for EA’s upcoming card-based RPG, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes

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Electronic Arts first revealed its plans to bring a new card-based RPG, called Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, to Android back at E3 2015 in June , though up until now, details have been quite scarce regarding the new mobile title. Today that changes, as the popular video game developer has just released the first trailer, giving us a good look at how exactly the game will function. The trailer shows off some gameplay clips, featuring iconic characters such as Luke Skywalker, Boba Fett, Darth Vader, Mace Windu and even Ahsoka Tano. For those who aren’t able to check out the video at this time, here are a few screenshots taken from the trailer: EA plans to bring Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes to Android sometime this holiday season, though exact availability details are still unknown at the moment. We’ll be sure to let you know when we learn more.

Will uniqueness, nostalgia, and pricing drive the industry going forward?

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In the early days of Android, six months of tech progress would yield a massive jump in technical prowess that would make consumers instantly covet the next big thing merely for its spec juice. Over the last couple years however, these jumps have turned into smaller leaps, and eventually into what seems more like short, calculated steps. Case and point, in earlier 2015 we were given the LG G Flex 2, a Snapdragon 810 powered device with a 1080p display. In late-2015, we are still seeing Snapdragon 810 phones and the recently unveiled OnePlus 2 happens to be 1080p, even though most flagships have admittedly moved over to the QHD game. Heck, even Samsung’s first half and second half 2015 flagships are largely the same devices as far as specs are concerned, with extras like a bigger screen and S-Pen support being the only things that really differentiate the Note 5 from the Galaxy S6 family. What’s holding back these leaps and bounds? Simply put, tech just isn’t moving at the speed