Androidifying

What’s the difference between stock Android , Android One , and Android Go ? Each is a flavor of Android, each originates from Google and all have a few things in common. But there are some big differences in the way in which smartphone makers use the open source software, how security updates are released, what pre-installed apps are included, and more. Today we’re clearing up any confusion. Note: For clarity, we’re defining stock Android as whatever Google ships on its own hardware. There are obviously differences between the Android found on Nexus phones and that found on Pixels, but given the demise of the Nexus program, we’ll be referring to the Pixels’ software as stock Android throughout what follows. The (normal) Android experience The way it works for a traditional OEM like Samsung or LG or Huawei would be that Google publishes the source code for Android – part of its Android Open Source Project (AOSP) – and then anybody can take that code and build around it for a s

If you’re a fan of quirky  mobile games  then you’ll want to check out Homo Machina — an innovative puzzle game inspired by Fritz Kahn’s famous anatomical infographics. German physician Kahn published a number of illustrations in the first half of the twentieth century which pictured the human body as a mechanical structure governed by industrial gadgets and gizmos, and controlled by a group of tiny humanoid workers. Editor's Pick Google names 20 best indie games for Android ahead of Play Store contest It’s no secret that the Google Play Store is a bit of a minefield when you're looking for a new mobile game to sink your teeth into. The charts are usually filled with throwaway freebies … French studio Darjeeling has now taken this bold concept and transformed it into a puzzler for Android and iOS devices. The indie game will hit the Google Play Store on May 17 and will be a paid title with no in-app purchases (pricing TBA). Homo Machina has already been nomina

Slashleaks Update (04/30): China’s TENAA regulatory body has uploaded images of a QWERTY-equipped BlackBerry handset, which appear to corroborate the Slashleaks renders of the BlackBerry Athena — for the most part. There are a couple of differences between them, such as the lack of BlackBerry branding on the spacebar in the TENAA image. The TENAA device is also missing capacitive navigation keys (or they might not light up when the phone is turned off). Leaked device renders can be based on early/work-in-progress products, however, so these kinds of discrepancies can appear between leaks of the same product. Nevertheless, we do spot what appears to be a “convenience” key for app shortcuts , as well as that dual-camera setup. TENAA The listing also gives us a few hard details, such as a 4.5-inch 1,620 x 1,080 LCD screen, a 3,360mAh battery, 6GB of RAM, a fingerprint scanner (presumably in the spacebar), and 64GB of expandable storage. The supplied chip is an octa-core processor

Update:   Dungeon Hunter Champions is coming to Android on Thursday, May 3, as brought to our attention by Droid Gamers . The new title, developed by Gameloft , features more than 250 champions and MOBA-like five-vs-five player battles. The company knows a thing or two about developing successful mobile titles, having made the Asphalt and Modern Combat series, so you can expect a similar level of polish from DHC . There are only a few days left to pre-register if you want a chance to win an extra 15 heroes; if you’re interested, find the link for that at the bottom of this page. After soft-launching in the Philippines in August 2017,  Dungeon Hunter Champions  is now available in the Canadian and Vietnamese Google Play Store . The latest entry in Gameloft’s action RPG series,  Dungeon Hunter Champions offers a single-player campaign where players hack and slash through different worlds and environments. The game also features a five-on-five multiplayer mode reminiscent of 

Still Here is a side-scrolling adventure for Android and iOS devices in which players jet around a dystopian world trying to find out what happened to all the humans. Despite the macabre-sounding theme, visually the game is bright and cutesy. Main character Pip spends its time befriending artificial life forms and flying around discovering new locations, leading to plenty of interesting hidden areas and puzzles for players to get their teeth stuck into. Editor's Pick 15 best Android games of 2018! Gaming on mobile has been improving at a far greater rate than any technology that came before it. Android games seems to hit new heights every year. With the release of Android Nougat and Vulkan … The platformer has been developed by David Smit in collaboration with Emie Kampen. Apparently, David decided to create his own game after becoming frustrated by “commercial design work-flows where artistic charm is often lost.” The game costs $3.99 and was released worldwid

Update (04/30):  After learning that some Sony phones have a hidden 120Hz display setting, the company has now provided some insights regarding the matter. For the XZ Premium at least, it appears the 120 Hz mode has been disabled to preserve battery life. “Please note that the [XZ Premium] supports 120Hz in terms of video decoding capability but we have opted to strike a balance between power consumption and consumer benefit (in terms of frame rate),” a representative told Android Authority in an emailed response. The setting is likely to be unavailable on the other handsets for the same reason, but it’s a rationale that might disappoint some Android enthusiasts. Smartphone users are often weighing up battery life for desirable features — be it with live wallpapers, automatic brightness, haptic feedback etc. Unless the setting completely nerfed standby times, and isn’t just another slight drain, making the setting available as an optional extra might have been a bit more consumer-

Huawei is reportedly working on an alternative to Android, and has been since 2012. The platform is apparently inferior to Android and lacks third-party app support. If released, Huawei would join Samsung in having its own chips and mobile OS. Huawei is working on an alternative mobile OS to Google’s all-powerful Android platform. According to the South China Morning Post ( SCMP ), citing “four people familiar with the company’s plans,” the Chinese colossus has been developing its own mobile OS since 2012. The news comes after reports that Huawei is under investigation  by the U.S. for breaching sanctions against Iran. If confirmed, it would mark the second time in recent weeks that a Chinese brand has been charged with selling equipment to Iran, in violation of U.S. trade laws. Editor's Pick What is 5G? 5G networking is anticipated as the next major evolution for mobile technology, empowering customers with even faster data connections, opening up avenues to ne