Not so long ago Cyanogen Inc. CEO Lior Tal announced in a sketchy blog post that the company is closing its Seattle office and moving to Palo Alto, California – presumably to be closer to where all the action happens, while leaving co-founder Steve Kondik behind.
Kondiak apparently wants to move on with the CyanogenMod project, but things might not be so easy due to legal issues. Let’s elaborate on that.
New rumors have emerged online saying that CyanogenMod might be renamed in the near future to LineageOS or Lineage Android Distribution.
(Dictionary definition: linage – direct descent from an ancestor; ancestry or pedigree)
In his last official statement before parting ways with Cyanogen Inc, Steve Kondik asks the community if they should keep going. But he warned against intellectual propriety issues CyanogenMod might be confronted with if it were to “fork and rebrand”, which sparked talk of re-naming possibilities.
Kondik explains that the main IP is brand and trademark and he confesses he is not sure he can get it back without a fight, which is why renaming the custom firmware makes sense.
With that being said, a repo called “Lineage Android Distribution” has been spotted on GitHub hinting LineageOS (or Lineage Android Distribution for that matter) is already being considered as a serious alternative to CyanogenMod.
The repo is said to be very active, although the status of this mystery project currently remains unknown. So for the time being it’s quite uncertain whether CyanogenMod will indeed transition to LineageOS or not.
Even if the naming scheme changes, it’s very unlikely the functionality of the firmware will also be changed, so rest assured that the potential LinageOS will deliver the same goodies you have been accustomed to expect.
As for CyanogenOS, the company announced a few months ago it is focused on developing the so called ModularOS – an initiative designed to provide device manufacturers with a customizable version of Android.
Smartphones are a wonderful way of keeping all our data and entertainment in one convenient package, but they also carry some risk. As a single, easily stolen device, they represent a way for criminals to get away with huge chunks of your personal information in one fell swoop. Here are some tips to keep that fate from befalling you.
The first step to phone security on a new smartphone is to set up the lock screen. Lock screens hold the smartphone’s functions behind a numeric access code. Many phones will prompt you to create one during setup; if yours does not, don’t forget to find the lock option in your settings menus. And if you have any reason to believe the passcode is out on the web, change it immediately.
Use a Strong Password
Of course, locking your phone isn’t going to do a lot of good if your password is easy to guess. Common numeric passwords include parts of your social security number or your birthdate, either backwards or forwards. Someone who has access to both your phone and your wallet or purse could conceivably break that code very quickly. Instead, try to find a string of numbers and letters that are unrelated to you and your interests. Ideally, this should be a code that means something to you, but random characters are acceptable if you can remember them. Don’t write your passwords on anything you carry on your person.
Block Your Number
Unless you like the idea of handing out your phone number to any person you need to call for any reason, you should know how to block your phone number when dialing out. The most time-honored way to do this is to dial *67 before dialing the number you want to call, which will make your phone show up as “unknown” on the other end. Some phones or service providers offer more complex number blocking schemes.
Use VPNs to Transmit Data
If you are concerned with your online activities being traced to your device, you should consider setting up a VPN. This stands for Virtual Private Network, and a properly set up VPN connects to the internet indirectly, moving through several web sites and obfuscating your IP address in the process. At the same time, a VPN can slow down your web browsing, since moving between all those servers is not instantaneous. Several commercial VPN programs exist, though you should pay close attention to the terms of the software, as some of them keep a log of your activities.
Use Android Device Manager
Nobody wants their expensive technological devices stolen, especially when they carry as much potentially salable personal data as a modern smartphone does. If you are worried about your phone or other Android device being stolen by the unscrupulous, you should make use of the Android Device Manager, an online service provided by Google. The device manager tracks all associated Android devices as long as they are currently connected to the internet. You can use the manager to find the location of a missing phone, to activate the ringer in case you need to dig it out of your couch, or to lock and erase the phone, rendering it useless to a thief.
Find an Encryption Scheme
Secure transmission is a nice idea, but sometimes even the most secure network is not enough. If you need even more peace of mind than that provided by VPNs and trusted networks, you can use encryption to protect your valuable data in transmission. Encryption translates your data into a set of cipher text, encoded in such a way as to make it unusable to anyone who does not have the key to the encryption scheme. Most forms of messaging use some type of encryption, but it is usually of the server-based variety. Apps that encode your communications with end-to-end schemes will provide more security.
At the end of the day, no protection scheme makes up for a careless user. Pay attention to your situation, and then use any or all of these methods to add to your privacy protection.
Android phones are the most popular smartphones. According to Time Magazine, they account for more than 50% of smartphone usage worldwide. One reason is that they don’t cost nearly as much to purchase or upgrade as an iPhone does. Another reason is that they are versatile and don’t bog down users with proprietary cables and expensive add-ons.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of online business owners on the go rely on their smartphones to operate during the day. Certainly, tablets and laptops come in handy, too, when the back office computer is not accessible. While one may not necessarily want to post new products to their store from a smartphone handset, there are a surprising number of things that you can do to keep your online business in tip-top shape, and all from your Android phone.
Use the Right Storefront
If you want true mobile access to your online store, then you have to consider the shopping cart service that you are using. Not all of them offer a mobile-accessible storefront that you can just tap into at any time when on the go. But the good news is that plenty of them do.
Popular shopping cart providers that feature mobile management include the likes of Shopify, 3dcart, BigCommerce, Volusion, eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Newegg and others. Certainly, these are not the only ones. Make sure you conduct your own research before choosing a shopping cart or marketplace provider to assure that you have unfettered mobile access.
Lock Down Your Fulfillment
Fulfillment can easily be the most the time consuming aspect of your already busy day. A lot of online retailers use a tedious two-system method. This involves printing your shipping labels from one system and your packing lists from another. More time is involved because you also have to match up packing lists with labels and manually fulfill packages.
But newer e-ecommerce shipping software applications eradicate this tediousness. They instead let you generate your packing list and shipping label from standard printer sheets (inkjet/laser). You then just peel and stick the label onto the package and slide in the packing list. What’s more, newer shipping software solutions offer mobile access and some even feature mobile scanning. You should look for a solution that offers mobile accessibility, complete with shipment status, tracking number access and returns for when you are roving.
Track Everything in the Cloud
Cloud based software solutions are generally the most accessible of the bunch. When pursuing the next big online retailing success story, you always want to make sure that you are connecting with your customers and nurturing the relationship. Doing so helps you procure revenue-producing campaigns that feed your bottom line.
Newer e-commerce CRM software solutions are both cloud-hosted and mobile accessible, helping you expand the relationship you have with customers in ways you never thought possible before. Some feature cross-channel integration as well as shipping and returns solutions, all hosted under a cloud banner, featuring a solitary and user-friendly interface.
Project Management is Your Best Friend
Lastly, don’t forget to connect your team using a mobile-friendly Project Management System (PMS). Without dropping any big names, a simple online search will reveal that there are five quality systems that you can choose from at any time. Most offer integrations into CRM and into your shopping cart or online marketplace.
These systems give you broad administrative control over your back office workers, so you can always be in the know. It can be as simple as overseeing tasks and watching your numbers while you are traveling for business. Or it can be as dreamy as sipping on a margarita on the beach while vacationing, and enjoying having complete access to your online business, digitally nestled in the palms of your hands as you soak up the sun.
HMD is the company which currently holds the rights to use the Nokia brand on smartphones and tablets. We recently told you the Finnish company is gearing up to unveil the first Android Nokia smartphones in a while next year at MWC 2017, but while we wait on that HMD has already pulled the wraps off its first Nokia.
The caveat is that the new Nokia 150 isn’t really a smartphone but only a feature phone. You know like the good old Nokia 8210.
HDM offers two variations of the phone, the Nokia 150 and Nokia 150 Dual SIM, but both phones will come bundled 2.4-inch display, built-in FM radio, MP3 player and an “outstanding battery life”.
Those of you who are nostalgic of the past, will probably be very excited to know that the Nokia 150 comes bundled with the host of games including the all-time popular Snake Xenzia.
The new feature phone also comes with a camera with LED flash which will allow users to snap the occasional shots and a microSD card slot up to 32GB.
HMD doesn’t specifically tell us, but recent feature phones like the Nokia 216 (Asha) allow users to access popular applications like Facebook.
Nokia is known for its long lasting devices, so the Nokia 150 is no different. HMD promises users will be able to enjoy talk time up to 22 hours and a standby times of up to 31 days (for the single SIM unit).
The Nokia 150 and Nokia 150 Dual SIM will be sold for $26 a pop. HMD plans a global roll out for the devices, so the feature phones might land in the US as well. However, the phones will be initially sold in Europe, Asia and Africa.
HMD will continue its Nokia love affair at MWC 2017 where we expect to see two affordable handsets go live. Nokia premium Android smartphones are also in the cards, but will probably arrive later in 2017.
Interest in the wearable market has started to decrease drastically, as more and more users realize they don’t really need a smartwatch (including our own Henry).
But Google doesn’t want to give up on Android Wear, not by a long shot. The company is looking for new ways to make wearables relevant (again!?). Its latest initiative involves purchasing Cronologics – a startup that was created back in 2014 by a bunch of ex-Google employees. The company created its own smartwatch OS plus a wearable product called CoWatch.
The details of the acquisition are yet to be revealed, but Cronologics’ CEO already announced on Twitter it will be joining Google.
“We see strong alignment with Android Wear’s mission and look forward to working with our new colleagues at Google to continue pushing the frontier of wearable technology and smartwatches with Android Wear 2.0 and beyond.”
The company’s first product, the CoWatch is still up for grabs via IMCO Technology’s website. The wearable features a 1.39-inch Super AMOLED display with 400 x 400 pixel resolution and a dual-core MIPS processor under the hood.
There’s also 1GB of RAM and 8GB of flash storage, alongside an accelerometer, gyrometer, heart rate sensor and vibrating motor. Naturally the CoWatch takes advantage of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
The CoWatch gives us a glimpse of Cronologics’ attempt at building its own wearable OS. The platform comes bundled with a host of native apps arranged in categories such as communication, fitness tracking an entertaining. The watch offers support for iOS 9 and Android 5.0 Lollipop+ devices.
But what really makes the Cronologics’ operating system special is the Amazon Alexa support. CoWatch users can do things like order sushi or dictate a memo via a voice command. Is it possible that Google is also looking to make Android Wear more voice-enabled? It’s a possibility.
Recently Google unveiled the “Magic Minute Project” in a bid to remind users Android Wear is still present and really cool. A new Android Wear watch, the Michael Kors Enter Bradshaw has also recently popped up in the Google Store, replacing the uber expensive Huawei Watch.
So Google is taking small step that let us know Android Wear hasn’t been forgotten. Android Wear 2.0 is scheduled to make an appearance sometimes in early 2017, alongside two rumored Google Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches.
Are you a Project Fi subscriber who knows someone who is using a Nexus or a Pixel phone? Then why not recommend they join Project Fi, as well? Google is going to make it worth for you.
The search giant has just introduced a new referral program for Project Fi, which aims to bring more subscribers on board.
The new “Refer a Friend” option should be found in the Account tap of the Project Fi app. From there you can generate a code which in you need to send your contact. What’s in it from you? Google will award the referrer $20 credit on their next bill which each new subscriber they send into the loving arms of Project Fi.
Google limits the number of referrals to 10, so if you take advantage of all the open slots you’ll be able to shave off up to $200 from your next bill. However, be advised that the Refer a Friend program will only be active between now and January 11, 2017.
Naturally, there are some rules that apply. The person you are referring needs to be a brand-new customer who hasn’t previously signed up with Project Fi. More than that, the account has to be in good standing and the referee needs to have paid for two months of service in advance.
Referrals aren’t eligible for the family plans, so people who are joining Project Fi as part of someone else’s family plan will not be taking into consideration for this deal.
It’s the perfect moment to join the Project Fi family. Google has just introduced a new holiday themed website filled with hidden gifts like $10 Google Play gift cards. And in the following weeks more surprised will be unveiled.
Low-cost prepaid provider TextNow has announced today it is expanding by adding the “Bring Your Own Device” to its list of services.
The company claims 50% to 70% of traditional wireless customers overpay for their plan, but luckily their new SIM program represents a great alternative to costly carrier plans.
The “Bring Your Own Device” program encourages customers to plug in and activate compatible phones including the latest Android devices like the Galaxy S7 or LG V20, onto the TextNow Wireless services. The company offers unlimited talk, unlimited texting and unlimited data for $13.99 a month.
To get started users are required to download the TextNow app for their compatible device for free. Then TextNow gives you a dedicated phone number that can be used for texting and calling your friends and loved ones.
Calls are made via Wi-Fi, but when the connection falls out of range TextNow defaults to making voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls using Sprint’s data network.
“TextNow is experiencing tremendous popularity and momentum as customers look for more affordable phone plan options. We’re really pleased to extend our wireless offerings to customers who want to bring their existing mobile device to our network, so that they can have an easy and cost effective alternative to traditional carrier plans.“
Derek Ting, CEO of TextNow
TextNow boasts that while traditional carrier plans cost an average of $1,000 per year, the company offers annual prices as low as $168 with no additional contracts involved. And now users are given the chance to leverage these benefits on compatible devices.
So if you are ready to break free from our expensive cell phone/data plan, maybe you should consider taking your device to TextNow.
Interested parties can purchase a TextNow SIM Card for $5 which comes with a full month of free service.
It was back in May that google released its GBoard keyboard for iOS phones. This was a huge leap in technology for iPhone users who had little to no app or search integration within their stock keyboard. Today, over six months later, Google is quietly releasing this as an overlay to its already popular Google Keyboard.
In case you missed it the first time, GBoard brings with it integration for google searches right form the keyboard as well as gesture typing and GIF integration. To access any of the search features you simply tap the google logo in the upper left of the keyboard. The search feature is easy to integrate into any application. Simply search for your topic, tap the link and quickly insert the link into your keyboard.
GIF integration, while AMAZING, is limited in some applications. For example it is currently blocked on applications like Slack and Twitter.
Currently, the update is available only as an APK which overlays on top of Google Keyboard but I expect it to hit the Play Store soon.
Welcome back! Last week we showed you how to automatically backup your precious pictures. Today, we are going to show you how simple it is to use the Photos app to quickly edit those pictures before you share them with all your friends.
Prerequisites:
Before we can edit Photos, there are a few things that must be completed.
You must have a google account linked to your mobile device
This can be as simple or as complex as you want. Google has built in some fairly extensive tools for a mobile, cloud editing tool.
Launch the Photos application
Tap on the image you would like to edit.
Once you have the image open, tap on the image of the pencil at the bottom of the screen.
There are three options at the bottom of the screen
The default option is filters. With 13 different filters to choose from, there are a lot of quick options to give your picture that perfect look for social media.
The next option gives you three sliders: light, color, and pop.
The light slider simply brightens and darkens the image. If you want more options, tap the arrow on the right to reveal more options to more refine your image.
The color slider is next. As you can image this will take you from black and white to overexposed color. Again, pressing the arrow to the right will yield additional options to refine your images.
The pop slider will finalize the image by making the whites just that much brighter.
The last option is crop. This not only lets you crop your images to their desired size, but it allows you to rotate the images 90 degrees or skew them up to 45 degrees in either direction. When you are finished, tap the done option.
Once you are finished with your edits, simply tap the word save in the upper right hand corner to keep the changes to your image.
What tools to you use to edit your photos on the go? Are there any tools you would like us to do a walk through on? Leave us a comment below with your suggestions.
Established software maker Nero AG has been around for over 20 years–and over those years Nero has made a large variety of unique software. Starting with media software for PCs in the mid-to-late 90s, and eventually moving to mobile platforms, Nero knows how to build smart and stable software.
Nero’s solution to Android users is Nero TuneItUp Boost & Clean. While the name doesn’t quite roll off the tongue with ease, it does do a good job of explaining what the application offers. This Android app for smartphones and tablets is designed to quickly and effectively free memory and boost battery life. But how well does it work?
The overall look of Nero TuneItUp is clean with basic colors overlaying white tiles. This makes it easy to understand what each tile is used for while navigating about the main screen. I found it to be so simple that almost any basic user should understand the layout of each section.
The overall design leaves a lot to be desired
The main screen has four options to choose from upon booting the application. Here you can choose to ‘SPEED UP SYSTEM’, ‘CLEAN UP STORAGE’, ‘DELETE TRACES’, or ‘SPEED UP PC’. As you can see, one of these options doesn’t quite belong here. The last option (SPEED UP PC) is essentially an ad, or more appropriately, a link to Nero’s website that allows you to purchase Nero TuneItUp for your PC.
SPEED UP SYSTEM
Upon opening the first selection titled ‘SPEED UP SYSTEM’ you will see the current “processes” that are running on your device. At the top of the screen, Nero TuneItUp will indicate how “limited” your system currently is. What Nero is looking for here is how many applications (or processes) are currently running and how much resources are being used by these applications. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a button that will show ‘SPEED UP SYSTEM (CLOSE ALL PROCESSES)’ followed by the number of processes that will be closed.
Nero TuneItUp will warn you if your speed is severely limited–but is it right?
Here’s where things get tricky. If you ask Google (the creators of the Android operating system) if you should consistently close processes, they will tell you are only hurting your device in the long run. Closing processes can actually slow down your system and drain your battery. Android, and iOS for that matter, both use algorithms to determine which applications and processes should lie dormant and which ones should remain in memory. If you are stopping processes that may be used in the future, you may just use more time and battery to reload them back into memory. This is counterintuitive and not recommended. So, what else does Nero TuneItUp offer?
CLEAN UP STORAGE
The next tile available on the main screen of TuneItUp is ‘CLEAN UP STORAGE’. Like the previous option, this section of TuneItUp will indicate how “healthy” your device is. Once you open the ‘CLEAN UP STORAGE’ submenu, you will see different options to clean up storage space on your device. Options can include ‘App Data’, ‘Downloads’, and ‘Large Files’, and each option will show approximately how much storage is being used in each category.
Here you can see what is using the most of your storage space
A lot of this data that is being used is cache data. If your phone or tablet is low on storage, you can delete cache data off of your device to give you more space for music, apps or videos, etc., but again, it is not recommended to delete cached data. Removing cache data may slow down applications in the future as it is intended to reduce internet fetching of basic information. Regardless, always use caution when deleting data off of your Android device, as recovering lost data can be a little tricky.
DELETE TRACES
So, the final feature of Nero TuneItUp is ‘DELETE TRACES’. Upon opening this menu you will be given a handful of options to clear out history, location and call data. This will not necessarily offer any speed or performance gains, but is more geared towards users that are paranoid about another person or agency accessing identifiable personal data. I can see where some might find these features handy, but I don’t believe most general users will find many benefits in clearing their call histories.
Feel like someone is watching you? Use Nero TuneItUp to erase your tracks!
Nero TuneItUp is an interesting piece of software. No part of it can be highly recommended in use on a regular basis. However, where TuneItUp may come in handy is in a specific use. For example, if you were looking for a large file that you downloaded, Nero TuneItUp could possibly find it in your downloads folder faster than digging through your download history or file system. Or maybe you have a process that is causing stability issues on your device and you want to try to isolate it. The possibilities are there.
Overall, all things work as intended within TuneItUp. The app is fairly bland in design, which is fine but does nothing for the loading speed of each function. I was surprised at how slow some functions took to gather initial data. Once loaded, it was quick to switch between functions but left me unimpressed. Nero’s TuneItUp | Boost & Clean looks to be somewhat of a trojan application designed to push users to use the PC version of TuneItUp. Nero identifies TuneItUp as ad free, which is not entirely true. Save your time and storage space and skip this application, unless you really need it for a quick solution to a small problem.
