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Showing posts from September, 2016

Type in 5 different languages at once with latest SwiftKey Beta

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SwiftKey has been on the news a lot as of late: it got itself in a bit of an awkward situation a few months ago and had to suspend its cloud syncing, and just a few weeks ago, it announced that the keyboard will now be powered by a neural network to improve suggestions. With the latest beta, SwiftKey takes that even further by adding more languages, and now you can even type in five different languages at once! Among the new additions that are coming with the latest beta, the biggest one might be its support for five simultaneous languages. Yes, five. If you are multilingual – and especially if you speak more than two languages – switching back and forth between languages can be very annoying. SwiftKey already supported two languages to be typed at once, but now the company has increased that number to five. No more tediously searching for the right language! Another is the expansion of its neural network support. Earlier in September, SwiftKey introduced us to its new word predi

iPhone 7 Plus vs Galaxy Note 7 Camera Shootout

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This post originally appeared on our sister site TabTimes.com It’s the battle of the beasts, with the iPhone 7 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fighting over the title for the best over-sized smartphone in the market. But let’s put all other features and capabilities aside to focus on the camera, easily one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a good smartphone. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review Apple iPhone 7 Plus Review Apple iPhone 7 review Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 7 / 7 Plus Drop Test We have been playing around with both devices for some time and decided to put their shooters against each other in a feisty encounter in Sydney. Which will come out victorious? Let’s compare some images to find out. In the galleries below, images captured by the Apple iPhone 7 Plus are on the left, while images from the Galaxy Note 7 are on the right. All images have been compressed to 1440 pixels wide and you can see the full, unedited images in our Flickr gallery .

Burly Men at Sea is a storybook-esque adventure worth having, now out for Android

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Looking for something a little different to check out this weekend, now that the work (or school) week is over? Burly Men at Sea might be exactly what you’re looking for. This unique storybook-esque game is the brain child of Brain&Brain (pun intended), a husband-and-wife developer team, and it’s now out on Android. Based on a 20th century Scandinavian folklore, the game’s storyline revolves around the three brothers named Brave Beard, Hasty Beard and Steady Beard who set out to find a map in a bottle, only to end up awash on a shore. What makes the game standout is its storybook structure.  Each playthrough is designed for completion in a single sitting, but once that story is over, there are plenty of new playthroughs waiting for you the next time you start up the game. Burly Men at Sea draws its strength from a lot of factors such as its minimalist design, outlandish characterization and some elements of surprise. The simplicity in particular is, perhaps, what will appeal

A beginner’s guide to video chat

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It finally happened: With a few quick swipes and taps, our mobile devices become conduits of live two-way video through which we can speak face-to-face with family members, significant others, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. Video chat is no longer science fiction and can be part of our daily communications. However, it seems that only a relative few are actually using this game-changing technology, According to a study from last fall, about 68 percent of all American adults own a smartphone, which is roughly two in three American adults. Of those people, less than half ( 47 percent ) have ever used video chat platforms on their smartphones, and this represents a sharp increase from 33 percent in 2013 and 19 percent in 2011. Obviously, there are more and more people using video chat on their smartphones. On the other hand, with several capable video chat platforms from which to choose, why are only a minority of smartphone users using them? One reason could be that it can

Facebook’s ‘Messenger Day’ is yet another Snapchat Story clone

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Texting? That’s so 2010 . Snapchat is how millennials communicate with one another, and its popularity is so huge that it seems like everyone wants to get in on the action. We have blatant clones like Snow , but we also have Facebook, a company’s that has been subtly and steadily experimenting with some Snapchat-esque features as of late. First it was Instagram Stories : just like Snapchat, users could upload a picture or a short video to show a snippet of their lives, which would then disappear after 24 hours. After that, Facebook launched Lifestage , which is essentially a creepier version of Snapchat with an age restriction. Now, according to reports, Facebook is testing “Messenger Day” within its messaging app, which functions very much like Snapchat Story. TechCrunch Messenger Day seems to be available only in Poland for now, which makes sense given the fact that Snapchat hasn’t gained much momentum there yet. According to Facebook, this is a small test and may or may not co

Deal: Get an LG G5, Garmin Vivofit 3, and $70 worth of accessories for just $479

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While the LG G5 never quite caught on quite like the OEM had likely hoped, it still remains a solid, generally underrated device. This is especially true if you can find it for the right price. In the past we’ve seen the LG G5 as cheap as $409.99. The latest offer might not be quite as impressive at $479, but when you factor in the added $170 in freebies, it’s actually a pretty solid offer. In addition to the LG G5, B&H is offering an extra battery, battery charging cradle, and a Garmin vivofit 3 , which happens to rank on our best fitness tracker list  and is valued at $100. As a reminder, the LG G5 comes with great specs, including a 5.3-inch QHD display, a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4 GB of RAM, 16MP/8MP cameras and a 2800 mAh battery. All inside a modular body that gives access to its removable battery and lets you potentially add on extra capabilities. It’s also worth noting this is the North American version of the LG G5, and therefore is said to be compatible with both CDM

Latest Oculus VR update linked to heavy battery drain on Samsung phones

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In theory, app updates are meant to bring bug fixes and performance improvements, as well as new features. Unfortunately, for all the fixes added, updates tend to sneak in at least a few bugs as well. That’s unfortunately what appears to be happening with the latest version of the Oculus app for Samsung devices. A number of Redditors have been complaining about poor battery life that started around last night, when the new update arrived. I actually noticed this myself, as I left my Galaxy S7 Edge off the charger last night to wake up with it much lower than it typically would be when left off the charger overnight. From the sounds of it, the problem sorrounds the new Oculus Rooms addition to the app, with the Oculus VR app getting stuck in an installation loop that continuously downloads and reinstalls the app. While a new update is probably not too far off, it is probably not a bad idea to uninstall Oculus VR (or at least disable it) in the meantime. Are you affected by this batt

Third party speakers may help Google Home take on Amazon Echo

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As we gear up to Google’s launch event in San Francisco next week , eyes are not only on the company’s new line-up of Pixel phones, but also on the extended range of smart home accessories expected to be on display. Google Home , a WiFi-connected smart speaker, could turn out to be one of the more important announcements made at the event, as Google prepared to ramp up its efforts in the smart home space and prepares to take on the increasingly popular Amazon Echo . HiFi audio sales have been rejuvenated by the introduction of wireless Bluetooth and WiFi systems, and the early success of Amazon’s Echo suggests that there’s a growing consumer appetite for tying these systems in with virtual assistant and smart home products. Amazon has reportedly already sold 3 million Echo speaker systems this year, and is aiming to ship 10 million units in 2017. Google clearly does not want to be left behind, and already has an extensive ecosystem of virtual assistant based technologies, including

Google Pixel XL dimensions and 360-degree renders leaked ahead of October 4 event

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A salvo of leaks and rumors surrounding the upcoming Google Pixel smartphones keeps cropping up as October 4 draws near. The latest shot has been fired by the usual suspect @OnLeaks , who revealed Google Pixel XL’s dimensions and 3D images in a 360-degree rendering. Google Pixel phones will be unveiled October 4 Leaked: New image of the Google Pixel (Update: Pixel XL, too) The 3D renders show what seems to be a factory CAD result for the Pixel XL, meaning the measurements on all sides and corners are accurate. That is not to say the leak isn’t to be taken with a grain of salt. The leakster shared on Twitter that Google Pixel XL (codenamed Marlin) is said to measure 154.72 x 75.74 x 7.3 mm (on the bottom), though the handset appears thicker at the top at 8.5 mm. #Google #PixelXL aka #Nexus #Marlin dimensions = 154.72mm x 75.74mm x 7.3mm (top) / 8.5mm (bottom) http://pic.twitter.com/GNVHNnwFMX — OnLeaks (@OnLeaks) September 29, 2016 Google Pixel XL appears larger than

How we got Pokemon Go running on this lower-end device with DU Speed Booster

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  If you have a brand new, high-end Android device, your mobile life tends to be pretty easy. After all, just about everything you run on it will work smoothly, from games to apps. Of course, not all of us have top-of-the-line brand new devices, and that’s why sometimes it’s nice to have a little help. That’s where utility apps can lend a hand. There are a handful of such apps out there, including DU Speed Booster, Greenify, Clean Master and others. For this article, we’ll be checking out DU Speed Booster to see just how well it can bring the speed — specifically in terms of Pokemon Go . The mobile world continues to evolve at a frantic pace, and that means the processing power required to handle your favorites apps and games is steadily on the rise. This is especially true for popular games like Pokemon Go, which not only require a reasonable amount of graphical prowess, but also utilize a variety of sensors as well. All of this can take a pretty big toll on your handset. Can a fr