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Rumor Roundup: no more flat Galaxies and 900 million Android devices at risk

Matt Adams
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Welcome back another wonderful week! Last week was filled with a huge Samsung event where the Korean conglomerate unveiled the new Galaxy Note 7, rumors about the LG V20, OnePlus 3, and the next Nexus. What big news will this week bring? Well, we start with news about the future of Samsung’s phones and a security vulnerability for almost a billion phones.

No more flat Galaxy S phones

s7 edge front

Sammobile is reporting that Samsung may be doing away with flat phones in their Galaxy S lineup for good! For the past two years, Samsung has released curved models, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, alongside its standard flagship.

“Samsung has considered that it would make the edge display as the identity of the Galaxy S smartphone lineup” -Dong-jin Koh, Samsung’s Mobile Chief

So far, the curved versions have outsold the phones solely with a flat display, and Samsung can charge more for the curved phones so the logic seems to be sound for Samsung. Whether removing the least expensive option hurts or helps Samsung’s bottom line remains to be seen.

Almost a billion phones at risk

pandasecurity-android-antivirus

Due to four flaws found in all Qualcomm chips, almost a billion phones are now at risk of being taken over by hackers due to the new “Quadrooter” vulnerability. That sounds a bit scarier than it actually is, but if hackers trick a user into installing a malicious application onto their phone, their security could be at risk.

Four flaws were found in Qualcomm’s code, even though three are now patched, one issue is outstanding and won’t be patched until the September Android security update. Qualcomm has given the patches to “customers, partners, and the open source (sic) community” since April, so updates may be coming faster than the September update depending on if your manufacturer pushes an update.

That wraps it up for today. What do you think of Samsung possibly only releasing curved displays? Are you concerned about your device’s safety in the face of the “Quadrooter” flaw? Let us know down in the comments.

Samsung Pay could be exposing you to hackers

Matt Adams
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Samsung Pay, like Android Pay and Apple Pay, is a mobile payment solution designed to let you make purchases using nothing but your phone. The Samsung Pay application saves your credit card information and securely turns the information into tokens that can only be used one time. But, that process may not be as secure as you thought.

At a Black Hat talk in Las Vegas, security researcher Salvador Mendoza presented evidence that the tokenization process that Samsung uses can be predicted. Mendoza says that once the first token is generated for a specific card within Samsung Pay, it becomes easier to predict future tokens due to the limited nature of sequencing being done. To demonstrate this process, Mendoza provided a friend in Mexico with a token who was then able to use that token and a magnetic spoofing tool to make a Samsung Pay purchase despite the service not having launched in Mexico yet.

Samsung hasn’t yet commented on the matter but issued a statement saying, “If at any time there is a potential vulnerability, we will act promptly to investigate and resolve the issue.” Check out Mendoza’s video below to watch the process take place.

For a limited time you can get a FREE pair of USB type-C headphones with your HTC 10 purchase

Matt Adams
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USB type-C is taking over as the new standard port for phones in 2016. We’re now starting to see companies leverage it for more than just quick charging speeds and reversible cables with more and more type-C accessories hitting the market.

Today, HTC has announced that with an order of an HTC 10 on HTC.com you will receive a free pair of JBL Reflect Aware C. The Reflect Aware C are a pair of sport headphones with the aforementioned USB type-C connector. Not only will you receive a pair of JBL headphones, but you will also pick up a $100 credit for accessories on HTC.com. That’s a pretty sweet deal on one of the best phones this year.

Combining industry-leading High-Res Audio in HTC 10 with best-in-class
noise cancellation and adaptive noise control, the JBL Reflect Aware C is
the world’s most versatile sport headphone. Featuring a USB Type-C
connection, the JBL Reflect Aware C eliminates the need for a battery by
delivering power and digital sound directly from a smartphone, without
draining the headphones’ battery.

The JBL Reflect Aware C are headlined by Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Noise Control, USB Type-C Connection, JBL’s Signature Sound, and are sweat proof. They have ergonomic Ear-Tips, a reflective cable, and will come in either white or black. The Reflect Aware C also features 14.8mm dynamic drivers and a frequency response 10kHz-22kHz.

JBL-Reflect-AwareC-Black_002_dvHAMaster

With an MSRP of $199.99, the JBL Reflect Aware C’s are nothing to sneeze at. This combined with the $100 for accessories makes the HTC 10 even more appealing. If you’d like more information on the HTC 10, check out our full review here.

Editor’s Picks: 11 apps we think you should try!

AndroidGuys
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Hey guys, back again this week with another edition of Editor’s Picks. This week we’re featuring a bunch of awesome games along with some handy apps that we use every day and think you guys should definitely check out!

Dots & Co.

dots-and-co-game-796x472

From the makers of Two Dots comes another casual game that’s oh so easy to learn but oh so hard to put down. The premise remains unchanged: connect one dot to another, stringing together as many as possible. Players are asked to get rid of a set amount of colored dots, break ice, and other increasingly difficult challenges. To help you out, though, are a number of companions who hop in along the way. Each of your pals offer their own powers to overcome obstacles and do their part to get you through the 155 levels. Give it five minutes and you’ll be hooked.

Download Dots & Co from the Google Play Store

 

Curiosity

curiosityapplogodark (FILEminimizer)

“The Curiosity.com Android app has inspired millions of people all over the world to get smarter every day with daily “Smart Facts” that help them improve their knowledge while having fun!

For curious, lifelong learners of all ages looking for impossible answers to challenging questions, we share amazing topics in visual, short-­form, mobile-­friendly experiences. We make learning curious facts easier and more fun than it’s ever been!
Are you one of those inquisitive minds always looking for enigmatic quotes, challenging quizzes, and unique books? The Curiosity App for Google Play gives you all of that plus the most interesting topics and learning content from the whole web, hand­-picked by our editors day by day.

Every 24 hours we release new, engaging content for you to digest including mind-blowing science, history and technology facts, and a fascinating dose of knowledge for smart brains and curious minds. Imagine having the best museum and the most fascinating library at your disposal…in your Android device.”

Download Curiosity from the Google Play Store

 

ProtonMail

protonmail (FILEminimizer)

ProtonMail is the world’s largest encrypted email service with over 1 million users. The ProtonMail secure email app for Android brings easy-to-use email encryption to your mobile device by seamlessly integrating PGP end-to-end encryption. ProtonMail also provides a modern user interface with a full set of innovative features such as customizable swipe gestures and the ability to send expiring emails.

With ProtonMail, you can ensure your emails stay private and cannot be intercepted or disclosed to third parties. There’s easy-to-use, open source end-to-end encryption, that’s OpenPGP compatible. The service is totally free, under Swiss privacy law protection.

With the ProtonMail app, you can:

• Create a new protonmail.com email address with automatic PGP key creation and management
• Send and receive encrypted emails and attachments automatically
• Set timers for messages to self-destruct after sending
• Quickly organize emails with customizable swipe gestures and labels
• Get push notification of new emails
• Send password protected encrypted emails to non-ProtonMail email addresses

Download ProtonMail from the Google Play Store

 

Ishtar Commander

Ishtar Commander Weapons

“I use Ishtar Commander every time I play Destiny. While that isn’t as much as I may like these days, I can usually get in a couple hours with friends during the week and run the raid. Ishtar Commander saves me so much time and frustration. I no longer have to run back to the Tower and switch between characters to move guns, materials, and consumables.

The devs have been excellent communicating with the community and pushing constant updates. When something breaks, it’s immediately addressed. You rarely see dev support for a free app like this.”

Download Ishtar Commander from the Google Play Store 

 

WordPress

wordpress-for-android-version-2-3-menu-drawer-on-samsung-galaxy-s3-update

“The WordPress mobile app is an excellent tool for viewing and editing your WordPress site, as well as following your favorite blogs and sites. The app is fully featured, and allows you to basically do everything just as easily as on the full site. Post and edit pages, view page statistics, and update content wherever you are.

I use it to update and check up on work while away from my computer, and make sure that I’m always on top of my multiple WordPress powered sites and blogs. If you are a heavy user of WordPress, then this one is definitely worth looking at!”

Download WordPress from the Google Play Store

 

Habitica: Gamify Your Tasks

habitica (FILEminimizer)

Input your Habits, your Daily goals, and your To-Do list, and then create a custom avatar. Check off tasks to level up your avatar and unlock features such as armor, pets, skills, and even quests! Fight monsters with friends to keep each other accountable, and use your gold on in-game rewards, like equipment, or custom awards, like watching an episode of your favorite TV show. Flexible, social, and fun, Habitica is the perfect way to motivate yourself to accomplish anything.

Download Habitica from the Google Play Store

 

HBO NOW

hbo-now-logo

Since I cut the cord last year, keeping up with my favorite shows Game of Thrones, VEEP, and Silicon Valley can be costly. Instead I get unlimited access to those TV shows and a ton of movies with a $15 subscription to HBO NOW. A subscription gets you unlimited access to all of HBO’s TV series, so if you have not watched The Sopranos, The Wire, or the Pacific, you need to take advantage of HBO’s 30 day free trial to take advantage of these award winning series.

Download HBO Now from the Google Play Store

 

T-Mobile Tuesdays

t mobile tuesdays

T-Mobile Tuesdays is a new rewards program exclusively for T-Mobile customers. Just for being a customer, T-Mobile gives out rewards such as free stuff, discounts, and even a share if T-Mobile stock. It’s a great little incentive to consider switching carriers, as some of the rewards are pretty sweet. Recently, they gave out free tickets to Suicide Squad, as well as unlimited data for players of Pokemon Go so you don’t burn up your data Catchin’ em all.

Every week the rewards change, and if you miss them, they’re gone, so be sure to check back every Tuesday for more rewards and deals. If you’re a T-Mobile customer, this one is a must=have app!

Download T-Mobile Tuesdays from the Google Play Store

 

Mobius Final Fantasy

mobius-final-fantasy-logo

“The definitive high-definition FINAL FANTASY game for mobile phones! Featuring a deep story penned by Kazushige Nojima of FINAL FANTASY VII and FINAL FANTASY X fame, and stunning visuals with 3-D graphics never before seen in an RPG for mobile phones! Mobius Final Fantasy offers episodic content that is released over time, so the game is always growing

The game has a new and refined RPG turn-based battle system specifically designed for mobile devices, creating highly tactical battles where each action flows into the next, chaining attacks and abilities in a rhythmic flow that brings destruction to your foes! Also, FINAL FANTASY’s vaunted “Job System” returns, bringing a deep character customization system allowing for a near limitless number of combinations between job classes and specialized elemental abilities. Choose your job, build your “deck,” and destroy your enemies!”

If you are a big time mobile gamer, or a big fan of RPGs and Final Fantasy, I would highly recommend this one.

Download Mobius Final Fantasy from the Google Play Store

 

Escaping the Prison

escape (FILEminimizer)

“This is a classic Flash-style game from the Newgrounds era brought to mobile. Escape the Prison is a surprisingly deep and fun game that features simple, yet hilarious animation and clever humor. Branching gameplay and multiple endings mean that it has a lot of replay value as well.

Escape the Prison is smart, yet simple and will never fail to bring a smile to your face! If you have fond memories of playing browser-based Flash games in school like I do, then this one is right up your alley!”

Download Escaping the Prison on the Google Play Store

 

Agar.io

agasr (FILEminimizer)

“Agar.io is the quirky little game that has taken the internet by storm. Play online with players around the world as you try to become the biggest cell of them all!
Control your tiny cell and eat other players to grow larger! But watch out: players bigger than you will be trying to make you their lunch. Survive and eat long enough to become the biggest cell in the game!

With new controls developed especially for touchscreens, agar.io offers the same addictive gameplay that millions have already enjoyed on PC. Play online in free-for-all action and use splitting, shrinking and dodging tactics to catch other players – or avoid them! Use a variety of special secret skins with the right username!”

Download Agar.io from the Google Play Store

 

Thanks again for checking out Editor’s Picks for this week! We hope you enjoy the apps we recommended this week!

First app store for virtual reality is rolling out

Andrew Orr
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Today at VRLA, the world’s biggest virtual and augmented reality expo, Vive announced the Viveport app store, which it says is “the destination for VR content and experiences.”

VRLA

Virtual Reality LA (VRLA) is August 5 – August 6 at the LA Convention Center West Hall B. It will have demos of projects in development for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Playstation VR, Google Cardboard, Samsung VR and more.

viveport01

Viveport

Viveport is the first app store specifically for virtual reality. It will launch this fall for the public and a developer beta will be released “soon”. Viveport brings with it an update to Vive Home, which is the VR space where users can store VR apps and 3D shortcuts.

Cher Wang, CEO of HTC said,

“Our mission is to unleash human imagination from the limitations of reality, and Viveport will be an important cornerstone in democratizing access to the world’s most diverse selection of immersive experiences.”

viveport02

App categories will include education, design, art, social, video, music, sports, health, fashion, travel, news, shopping and creativity tools, to name a few. The app store will be available in Vive headsets, web browsers and as a PC and mobile app.

The store will have monetization features like other app stores, like paid apps, in-app purchases and subscriptions. Developer features like content creation, distribution and customer engagement tools will be rolled out too.

Developers can register here.

Follow the 2016 Olympics with these Android apps

AndroidGuys
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As most of you know, the 2016 Olympics are kicking off this weekend and things are about to heat up in Rio. The next few weeks will see athletes from all over the world taking on the best in their respective sports and vying for medals. If you’re like us, you’re going to want to pay attention. You’re going to need to stay connected to goings-on and events.

With this year’s games being the most connected ever, there’s plenty of ways to follow along. A lot has changed since the last Olympics; smartphones and apps have evolved tremendously. Now, we have more ways than ever to keep up with our countries and athletes.

We’ve gathered up a collection of apps from the Play Store which can help you keep informed of the Olympics. Between these you should have everything you need to stay up date, watch live, and more. Moreover, you’ll also find a few other apps and games which will also enhance your experience over the coming weeks.

rio2016app

Stay Connected

  • The Official Olympics App: In addition to Rio, you can use this app to relive previous games, including Sochi 2014, London 2012, Vancouver 2010, and Beijing 2008. Not only that, but you’ll have what you need for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, too.
  • Rio 2016: The official Rio 2016 app gives users up-to-date info on the schedule and results as well as medals, sports, athletes and teams. In Rio? Use this one to track venues, maps and spectators guides.
  • NBC Olympics – News and Results: Offers real-time results, medal standings, TV and live streaming schedules, and links to the NBC Sports app for live coverage.

nbcsports

 

  • NBC Sports: Watch all of the 2016 Rio Olympics and thousands of live sporting events airing on NBC, NBCSN, and more. Keep this one installed for after the games and enjoy NFL, NASCAR, and other sports.
  • Rio 2016 Social Hub: Discover and follow the verified accounts of Olympians across various social media networks, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The true way to see the games through the eyes of those participating.

See Also

Each of these titles offers up something unique and interesting as it pertains to the Olympics, be it photos, virtual reality content, or something else.

Olympic-related games

These are the best discounts and promos you can get from wireless carriers

AndroidGuys
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Time to purchase a new smartphone? Is this an upgrade from an existing device? Or, are you brand new to these sort of things? Actually, scratch that, it doesn’t matter. We want to help you out either way.

To save you money, we’ve gathered up all of the promotions we could find from the various wireless providers. Regardless of where you’re thinking of going for service, or what phone you are looking to pick up, you owe it to yourself to check below. Don’t be the guy who says, “I didn’t know I could get more for my money.” Or, worse, you don’t want to be the one who could have kept some of that money in his wallet.

We have no idea how long some of these deal will last. Sure, some are ongoing in a semi-permanent manner, but others could disappear overnight.

verizon_trade_in

Verizon

att_s7_deal

AT&T

hp-mq-note7-dsk-1240x600-pre-order-netflix

T-Mobile

sprint_deals_s7

Sprint

Other Carriers

Polar announces its first Sports Watch powered by Android Wear

AndroidGuys
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If you’re a fitness fanatic then you definitely know who Polar is. It is a company that helps athletes monitor their fitness goals through its wearables and has been doing it longer than anyone else in the industry.

Polar just announced that it will be releasing its first Android Wear powered smartwatch this year. While other companies have made fitness trackers and smartwatches, Polar is definitely aiming for the fitness crowd with this one and it makes sense.

polar

Smartwatches have not replaced our smartphones like we hoped for, but they still offer limited features that can help improve our lives, especially when it comes to fitness tracking and monitoring. Who better to make a fitness smartwatch other than Polar? Polar is releasing the all new M600 later this year. It will use proprietary optical heart rate monitoring which is one of the most reliable ways to track it. The watch will also be able to track your movements using GPS, and will monitor all of your fitness activities where it will be displayed through Polar’s app for Android Wear.

Because the M600 uses Android Wear, you will still get notifications, updates, ability to install apps, just like other smartwatches.

“Polar created the first heart rate monitor, the first activity tracker and now we’re the first true sports wearables company to announce a smartwatch truly made for sports. Powered by Android Wear, Polar M600 offers our customers countless opportunities to customize their smartwatch and still rely on the unique Polar sports wearable experience that is at its core.” –  Marco Suvilaakso, Chief Strategy Officer at Polar

Specs:

  • OS – Android Wear
  • Processor – Mediatek MT2601 dual core processor
  • 4GB internal storage plus 512MB RAM
  • 1.3″ Gorilla Glass 3 display
  • Battery – 500mAh
  • IPX8 water resistance – suitable for swimming
  • Price – $329.95
  • Colors – Charcoal Black, Powder White

If you’re a fitness buff this smartwatch is made just for you. Learn more at Polar.

The post Polar announces its first Sports Watch powered by Android Wear appeared first on SmarterWatching.

Source: SmarterWatching

Ting data now only $10 per gigabyte after first

AndroidGuys
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Wireless service provider Ting today dropped the price of its data to a mere $10 per gigabyte, making plans more affordable for its customers. Specifically, this is the cost of data after the first gigabyte.

At just $10 a gig beyond the first, Ting’s pay-for-what-you-use approach is the best choice for most American cell phone users. – Michael Goldstein, VP of Sales and Marketing for Ting

Starting today, it’s cheaper than ever for current and potential subscribers to sign up for Ting. Nearly every rate plan is getting a slight shakeup which benefits the user. Here are the affected plans and their respective pricing.

  • Medium (Up to 500 MB): Was $12 Now $10
  • Large: (Up to 1 GB)Was $19 Now $16
  • XL: (Up to 2 GB)Was $29 Now $20
  • XL+: Was $15/GB Now $10/GB

For those who already have Ting, the new plans are more aligned with how the rest of the wireless industry sets plans. By adopting the new setup, it is easier for potential customers to make comparisons with other carriers.

Ting is a no-contract service provider who supports devices that run on Sprint (CDMA), AT&T (GSM), T-Mobile (GSM) and Verizon’s (CDMA) cellular networks. The carrier offers phones from a variety of hardware makers (Samsung, Alcatel, BLU, HTC, Huawei
Kyocera, LG, and Motorola) but also has a Bring-Your-Own-Device policy, too.

6 new things in the Note 7 and reasons you may want to upgrade

Josh Noriega
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No one can deny that the new Note 7 looks a bit too much like the S7 Edge from earlier in the year. They’re 0.2” apart in display size and both have dual curved edges, about all the same specs, and the same build. A big differentiating factor is of course the stylus, but we could argue that it’s more of a novelty feature.

Has Samsung pulled a fast one on us? Well, not completely. While there aren’t many, some worthy additions are in fact present. You just have peek closer. Let’s run through them.

1. Iris scanner

The most standout new feature in the Note 7 is definitely its biometric reading ability, from the addition of an iris scanner on the front of the phone.

Some may argue that the fingerprint reader already gave us a way to quickly unlock our phones or skip through passwords. But there’s just something really cool and futuristic about having the phone perform a retinal scan for access. Plus there’s the convenience of not having to shift your grip to touch the fingerprint spot. With iris, just look at your phone (which you’re already doing) and you’re in.

2. USB Type-C port

Type-C is the new USB standard and everyone is jumping in this year. For some reason, Samsung didn’t get the memo on the Galaxy S7, but it’s finally caught up on the Note 7.

The most glaring benefit of Type-C is that the port is symmetric, so you can plug in the charger without looking to make sure that the correct side is up. The USB 3.1 support also means quicker data transfers and more power output (including being able to use your phone to charge another device).

3. Gorilla Glass 5

There’s a new Gorilla Glass panel in town, and its release lined up nicely with the timeframe of the Note 7. Corning’s biggest focus on Gorilla Glass 5 was durability against drops. The company claims that the new panel is likely to indure a 1.6 meter (or roughly shoulder-height) drop onto “hard, rough surfaces” without turning into the dreadful series of spiderweb cracks.

4. 64GB is standard

In a move that seems to throw a bone to the Note’s legacy power users, Samsung’s base storage has been doubled to 64GB on the Note 7. It was a pleasant and generous surprise.

While the Galaxy S7 also had microSD expansion, it was iffy on adoptable storage (in which the OS treats the separate storages as one bucket). We’re not sure the Note 7’s stance on the matter, but the fact that its internal storage is plentiful should alleviate the concern for many folks.

5. HDR video

One of the Note 7’s important features that could easily slip by is high dynamic range (HDR) playback. HDR capability is the new wave in televisions today, and the Note 7 has become the first mobile device to sport it. This technology targets image quality, by producing better colors and wider contrasts (bright whites and deep blacks).

The catch is that the content needs to support it for you to see the benefit. Fortunately, Amazon is already on it. The company has already announced that Amazon Prime will provide HDR video streaming for the Note 7. That doesn’t cover everything, but at least you’ll be future proof.

6. New software

The Note 7 is certainly not without some new software features. Samsung tends to throw tricks into TouchWiz, just for the sake of it, but the ones on the Note 7 may actually be worthwhile for a lot of users. The standout feature is the ability to create a gif from a snap from any video that’s playing.

You can also use that fancy S-PEN to highlight text for a quick translation to a different language, magnify any content on the fly, or pin notes to the Always-On display. These nice additions give the stylus more purpose, but then again, you shouldn’t need it to do these things.

Final Thoughts

Are these updates enough to make you salivate over the Note 7 and want to chuck your current Samsung phone? Probably not for Galaxy S7 users, but if you have an S6 or Note 5, keep in mind that you’ll get water resistance, microSD expansion, a much bigger battery, and an improved camera on top of that. Let us know where you stand in the comments below!

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