Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 official with iris scanner, improved S Pen, and more [feedly]
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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 official with iris scanner, improved S Pen, and more
// Android and Me
After being the subject of a multitude of leaks, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is now officially official.
While the Galaxy Note 7 may look similar to the Galaxy Note 5, there are a few subtle tweaks that make it a very different handset. First up is the display, which is a 5.7-inch 2560×1440 Super AMOLED screen like on the Note 5, but the Note 7's display features dual curved edges. The addition of these curved edges means that the Note 7 gets the Edge UX software features found on the S7 edge. The Note 7's screen is also covered by Corning's new Gorilla Glass 5.
Above that display is an iris scanner. This iris scanner gives the Note 7 added security, letting you use it to unlock your phone, authenticate Samsung Pay purchases, and authenticate other apps that support Samsung Pass.
Finally, the bottom of the Note 7 is home to a reversible USB Type-C port. This is notable because the Note 7 is the first Samsung smartphone to offer USB Type-C. Because the Note 7 has USB Type-C, Samsung today also announced a new version of the Gear VR that supports the Note 7 and its USB Type-C port as well as the other Galaxy S6, S7, and Note 5 flagships that use microUSB. The new Gear VR will launch on August 19 alongside the Note 7.
The rest of the Note 7's feature set is about what you'd expect from a Samsung flagship in 2016. It's got a Snapdragon 820 processor in the U.S., China, and Japan, while all other regions will get a Note 7 outfitted with an octa-core Exynos 8 Octa 8890 chipset. Also included is 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a microSD slot, and a 3500mAh battery that supports fast charging over both wired and wireless methods. Rounding out the hardware features is a Dual Pixel 12-megapixel rear camera with OIS and a 5-megapixel front camera. All of those features are wrapped in a body that's IP68-rated for water resistance.
Since this is a Note device, you're also getting an S Pen. This S Pen features a smaller 0.7mm tip and improved pressure sensitivity, and like the Note 7 itself, the S Pen is also IP68-rated for water resistance.
Finally, the Note 7 runs Android 6.0.1 beneath Samsung's custom user interface. That custom UI includes several software features, including Always On Display and Samsung Knox. There are several S Pen features, too, like the ability to quickly create GIFs using Smart Select and new Air Command features, including Magnify and Translate.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will be sold in Black Onyx, Blue Coral, Silver Titanium, and Gold Platinum color options, though the gold model doesn't appear to be coming to the U.S., at least not initially. Samsung will launch the Note 7 on August 19.
In the U.S., the Note 7 will be available from AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular. The big four will kick off pre-orders on August 3, while U.S. Cellular will start on August 4. No matter which carrier you buy from, you'll be able to choose either a free Gear Fit 2 or 256GB microSD card to go with your new phone. Additionally, T-Mobile subscribers will have the option of getting a free year of Netflix instead of the other two gifts.
Here's what the Note 7's U.S. carrier pricing looks like:
AT&T: 30 payments of $29.34 with AT&T Next or 24 payments of $36.67 with AT&T Next Every Year. Buyers can get $695 in monthly bill credits to put toward a second Note 7.Sprint: No pricing announced as of this post.Verizon: $36 per month for 24 months.T-Mobile: $69.99 down and 24 payments of $32.50.U.S. Cellular: 30 monthly payments of $27.80. Also offering 20 and 24 monthly payment options.
So now that it's official, what do you think of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7?
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New Nexus phones tipped to have fingerprint reader gesture for opening notification shade [feedly]
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New Nexus phones tipped to have fingerprint reader gesture for opening notification shade
// Android and Me
The 2016 Nexus leaks continue to flow tonight with a new report regarding a software feature that may be included with both phones.
According to the folks at Android Police, Google is planning to give its new Nexuses a swipe gesture that'll let you quickly access your notification shade. This gesture will be performed with a swipe down on the fingerprint reader, which is expected to be included on the back of the phone. For a look at what the new Nexus phones may look like, check out these leaked renders.
Today's leak also appears to include a toggle so that you can disable this swipe gesture if you don't want it.
This could end up being a pretty nifty feature if it is included with Google's 2016 Nexus phones. While pulling down your notification shade may not take a ton of effort, some folks have to really stretch their thumbs to reach up to the top of their phone's screen and pull the shade down with one hand. This fingerprint reader gesture will make accessing the notification shade easier, as you'll just have to place your finger on the back of the phone, which probably isn't too far from where it normally rests when you're holding the device.
Also of note is that today's leak includes those refreshed on-screen navigation buttons that we first saw in June, though the blue and green dots on the sides of the home button appear to have glitched. Additionally, the tip shows a device with a blue back, which is said to be the Electric Blue version of the new Nexuses that we've previously heard about.
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Monday, August 1, 2016
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Android 7.0 Nougat due with August 5 security update [feedly]
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Android 7.0 Nougat due with August 5 security update
// pocketnow.com

For the first time ever, it would seem that the new version of Android will not be released at the same time as the latest Nexus hardware is announced. In fact, it might come earlier.It's only part of the story that tech leaks reporter Evan Blass is tweeting about.Android 7.0 releases next month, with the 8/5 security patch. Sorry Nexus 5 owners, no Nougat for you — Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 30, 2016We ...
The post Android 7.0 Nougat due with August 5 security update appeared first on Pocketnow.
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Thursday, July 28, 2016
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Google VR boss: ‘Hold off for a few months’ if you want a Daydream phone [feedly]
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Google VR boss: 'Hold off for a few months' if you want a Daydream phone
// The Next Web

Excited about VR for Android? We are too, but we've also got some bad news: your current phone probably won't support it. Speaking to Road to VR, Google's VR boss Clay Bayvor says we'll all need an upgrade: I can tell you that there will most likely not be any 'retroactively' Daydream-ready phones. We want to hold a very high quality bar, and for that to happen all the components need to be just right. So, to VR fans, I would say, hold off for a few months to get your next phone and get a Daydream-ready phone. ZTE recently…
This story continues at The Next Web
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Google's Dialer App Now Warns You When You're Getting a Call From a Spammer [feedly]
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Google's Dialer App Now Warns You When You're Getting a Call From a Spammer
// Lifehacker

Android: Google's just as sick of robocalls as you are, it seems. The company has just announced that the built-in phone app on Nexus phones will give you a big red warning when you're getting a call from a spammer.
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Android's new Emergency Location Service could save your life - CNET [feedly]
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Android's new Emergency Location Service could save your life - CNET
// CNET News.com
Google is rolling out a feature that will give your exact location to emergency services if you dial their number.
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You can now start sharing stuff within your Google Play Family Library [feedly]
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You can now start sharing stuff within your Google Play Family Library
// pocketnow.com

Google officially announced that content purchased on Google Play accounts can be shared with up to six people through its new Family Library feature.All possible devices that the content can be used on will be usable for each person sharing the account — from large screens to mobile ones, from iOS to PC to Android, from games to books to movies. Some content may be ineligible for sharing. The account holder can also partition some content for themselves.When members of the account want to get apps, ...
The post You can now start sharing stuff within your Google Play Family Library appeared first on Pocketnow.
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Tuesday, July 26, 2016
AT&T's chief is heading up a robocall 'strike force' [feedly]
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AT&T's chief is heading up a robocall 'strike force'
// Engadget Mobile
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson will lead a "strike force" that aims to combat robocalls. Apparently, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler didn't only remind him last week that carriers like Ma Bell can and should offer free call blockers to their subscribers, h...
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Motorola confirms it won’t be providing monthly Android Security updates [feedly]
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Motorola confirms it won't be providing monthly Android Security updates
// Android Phone Fans
Motorola has decided to leave everyone scratching their heads as the company has announced it will not be committing to the Android monthly security updates provided by Google.
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Saturday, July 23, 2016
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Here's Your First Look at This Year's New Nexus Phones [feedly]
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Here's Your First Look at This Year's New Nexus Phones
// WonderHowTo
A "reliable source" divulged specs of Google's new Nexus phones made by HTC, the Sailfish and Marlin, to Android Police, who used the information to create what they believe is an accurate render of the new phones. Render of the new Nexus phones.. There are certain aspects of the render that are particularly compelling. For one, the camera doesn't protrude from the back of the phone like on the Nexus 6P. The three holes next to the rear camera will likely house hardware for auto-focusing, and maybe even a second microphone. The front has the typical earpiece speaker, front-facing camera, and... more
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Sunday, July 3, 2016
How to Set Your Android to Atomic Time for a Perfectly Synced Clock [feedly]
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How to Set Your Android to Atomic Time for a Perfectly Synced Clock
// WonderHowTo
For most Android phones, the system clock is set using a protocol called NITZ, which relies on a connection with your carrier to ensure that the time stays in sync. The trouble here is that this feature won't work when you're outside of cellular range, and a lot of times, the carriers themselves have technical difficulties that can result in your phone's clock being minutes or even hours out of sync. I've experienced this issue several times, personally, and it always makes me wish Android's clock would simply sync with official time-keeping services like NTP or NIST. Well thanks to a recent... more
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Friday, July 1, 2016
9 Examples of How Smartphones Are Eavesdropping on You [feedly]
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9 Examples of How Smartphones Are Eavesdropping on You
// MakeUseOf.com

More and more people are becoming concerned that their smartphone microphones are being used for more than just calls. We recently investigated this phenomenon and discovered that it's possible for apps to use voice data, detected via a device microphone, and display related content on your phone. The problem is, we didn't quite appreciate the extent of it. Comments on our previous article reveal that not only have people noticed this, they're not particularly happy about it either. So, to find out just how big the problem is, we widened the net and checked a few other places where the same...
Read the full article: 9 Examples of How Smartphones Are Eavesdropping on You
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Thursday, June 30, 2016
SanDisk Announces Two 256GB MicroSD Cards, Arriving as Early as August [feedly]
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SanDisk Announces Two 256GB MicroSD Cards, Arriving as Early as August
// Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog
This morning, SanDisk joined Samsung as removable storage makers who plan to offer microSD cards in 256GB options. According to SanDisk, we should expect two new 256GB cards throughout the year, one of the Extreme variety that should be good for action cameras and 4K-ready phones, plus another of the Ultra variety that will be great for casual smartphone use.
The 256GB Extreme card sports read speeds of 100MB/s and write speeds of 90MB/s. You should be able to fit around 14 hours of 4K UHD video on this card, which SanDisk says will be great for drones, action cameras, and 4K-capable smartphones. It should be the "fastest microSD card in its class."
The 256GB Ultra card is very similar, but it tops out at 95MB/s in read speeds and must have substantially lower write speeds, since SanDisk hasn't disclosed those yet.
The Extreme card will retail initially for $200 and is expected to hit retailers in Q4 of this year. The Ultra card will start at $150 and be available worldwide in August.
Via: SanDisk
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SanDisk Announces Two 256GB MicroSD Cards, Arriving as Early as August is a post from: Droid Life
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Sunday, June 26, 2016
Google reportedly ships its first non-Nexus phone this year [feedly]
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Google reportedly ships its first non-Nexus phone this year
// Engadget Mobile
You might not have to wait long to see whether or not rumors of Google having more say over phone designs are true. Sources speaking to the Telegraph claim that Google will release a smartphone with tighter controls over "design, manufacturing and...
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Saturday, June 25, 2016
Next Note Device Likely to Bear “Note 7” Moniker, Specs Leaked [feedly]
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Next Note Device Likely to Bear "Note 7" Moniker, Specs Leaked
// xda-developers
If you are waiting for the Samsung Galaxy Note 6 to sweep you off your feet and give you your reason to upgrade, you might me waiting indefinitely. Because as current leaks and rumors go, the Note 6 is likely to never be released.
Okay, we are being a bit overtly dramatic here. The "Note 6" is what will not be released, as the next Galaxy Note device will most likely skip over to the "Note 7" moniker. Everything else about the device itself, including its launch period, remain the same — it's just the name that is different.
It was earlier reported that the next Note will feature Dual Edges like the S6 Edge does. It was also noted that the term being used by various sources for the device at that moment was Note 6/7, referring to the uncertainty of the name. Now, Evan Blass has "confirmed" (more like leaked) that the device will be called the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.
Confirmed. pic.twitter.com/jo1EF3Mp3J
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) June 25, 2016
More information follows, as the initial specs of the device have also been leaked by Evan. First up, the Note 7 will likely come with an iris scanner, though there is no more information on how exactly would this work out. The other leaked specs mention a 5.7″ QHD Super AMOLED Display, 64GB of internal storage with expandability options via microSD card slot, a 12MP "Dual Pixel" rear camera with a 5MP front camera. The last bit of info is that the Note 7 will be rated for IP68 for Ingress Protection, just like the Galaxy S7. This is a big deal because the Note lineup also features the removable S-Pen, so it is to be seen how exactly Samsung has worked this around for protection. Our guess is that the pen needs to be inserted and fit correctly for the claim, but again, it is just a guess at this stage. The Note 7 will come in black, silver and blue color variants.
Just to reiterate, these are still considered as leaks and not official information. Things could change for the future, but Evan Blass has a good track record.
What are your thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7? Do you mind the number jump on the device? How do you feel about the initial specs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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