Home Blog Page 1091

Amazon Underground and Boingo offering up six months of free Wi-Fi

AndroidGuys
-
0

Amazon Underground and Boingo Wireless today announced a deal which provides customers with six months of free Wi-Fi. Starting immediately, and running through December 31, it’s a simple way to obtain a half year’s worth of Wi-Fi for use when traveling.

amazon_underground_devices

To get started, all you have to do is download and install Boingo’s Wi-Finder app in the Amazon Underground store. Free in and of itself, the app helps users to identify and access thousand’s of Wi-Fi hotspot locations around the globe.

boingo_wifinder

Amazon Underground is available to Android devices and can be installed to phones or tablets directly from Amazon’s web site. Introduced last summer, Amazon Underground offers free versions of games and other apps which typically carry a price tag through other channels. The titles are essentially the exact same experience except that they are supported through advertising.

A concept image of a 2016 Nexus phone has been revealed

Andrew Orr
-
0

First, let me hasten to say that this is a rumor, and it has not been confirmed in any way. Got it? Great!

As reported by AndroidPolice, a supposed “leak” of the 2016 Nexus phones, dubbed Sailfish and Marlin, has been revealed. The website gives it a confidence level of 8/10 while expecting you to take their word for it. AndroidPolice even say:

“We do not at this point have a reliable secondary source for information about the phone’s design. But as I’ve said, we trust our source for this information very highly.”

The image revealed below is not even an actual press render. Someone over at AP just created the image based on “evidence” from their source. So instead of judging it as an actual leak, let’s judge it as a concept image.

nexus2cee_nexuswm-1

It’s interesting to note the lack of a Nexus logo, with a G for Google at the bottom. This is similar to the other rumor that Google plans to make its own branded phone this year. It’s likely that the Google phone wouldn’t fall under the Nexus brand but exist in addition to the brand.

Since it’s almost certain that HTC will be making both phones, you can compare the design of this concept, like the antenna lines, to other HTC phones like the A9.

Similar to the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, the fingerprint reader is in the same position on the back. Also note the matte body of the phone and the enlarged glossy area on the top. This looks worse than the Nexus 6P camera hump. AP speculates that the new Nexus phones will both have aluminum bodies.

Other “leaks” that AP have written about include specs for each model. Such things as 4GB of RAM, 12MP rear camera, 1080p AMOLED screen and up to 128GB of storage have been detailed.

Of course we need to take these with a grain of salt, but it’s worth mentioning that AndroidPolice believe there will only two storage capacities: 32GB and 128GB. This seems even worse than Apple leaving out the 32GB from their iPhone line.

What do you think about this concept image? Let us know your thoughts of this design and of a supposed Google-branded phone in the comments below.

 

MetroPCS launches two offers with families in mind

AndroidGuys
-
0

MetroPCS, a prepaid brand of T-Mobile, is today announcing a pair of promotions which should attract customers looking for multiple lines of service. One rewards buyers for switching from another service provider while the other makes it less expensive to add lines to a family plan.

Subscribers who port their phone number from another carrier will receive $60 credit to spend on any handset offered by MetroPCS. As of now this means you could walk away with one of nine models for free. All that’s required is that you pay the sales tax at time of purchase.

Adding a line to an existing family plan is more attractive with the new deal that gives 5GB of data for only $25. The catch is that you’ll need another line on your plan which has at least 5GB of data or more.

Coloud’s new headphone lineup: Great on the go headphones (Review)

AndroidGuys
-
0

I love finding a great pair of headphones, especially ones that have style, durability, great sound, and most importantly an affordable price tag. We all know they are rough of their stuff. On June 1st, Zound Industries gave us a new line of Coloud headphones that are affordable, fit comfortably, and target the busy lifestyles of today’s youth.

Design

While all three headphones have different builds, they all share some similarities. This is no surprise since they are from the same line. Let’s look at some of the same features they share.

https://www.androidguys.com/buyers-guide-headphones/

The cords measure in at just over four-feet long, which gives you plenty of length when you carry your device in your pocket. They also sport the newest flat design most companies are using today, which helps ensure your cord will remain tangle free.

coloud165

Coloud’s new line also features a triangle-shaped inline microphone. The microphone has one button that has only two functions; answer/hang up calls and play/pause music. The call quality is crystal clear leaving you with fewer hiccups when talking.

At the end of the cords, there is a 3.5 mm plug. This is no ordinary plug as it the entire length of the plug is two inches and the casing of it is made of flexible rubber. The best thing about the set-up, as you can see in the picture, they feature Zound Industries proprietary ZoundLasso. Basically, you can wrap the cord around the plug and insert the actual plug into a hole, and you have a tangle free wrapped cord.

Coloud No. 4

coloudno4

Coloud No. 4 is an incredibly sporty looking pair of in-ear headphones that scream “Take me for a run”. The ear tip area of the headphones has a design that contours to the ear, which gives it a more comfortable fit. The buds don’t go too deep, and with the tight fit, they are hard pressed to fall out. You are provided with four different size tips, so you will likely find one that fits you.

Let’s not forget that these headphones also are rocking magnetized earbuds that can easily hang from your neck when not in use. This is becoming a common feature that all in-ear headphones should adopt.

Available in Black/Gray. Blue/Yellow, Grey/Splash

Coloud No. 8

coloud8

These sleek looking on-ear headphones are ultra lightweight with a comfortable angle that fits nicely on your head. They feature cloth on the ear cups, which gives it a nice plush feeling against the ear. You don’t have to worry about that weird vinyl feel that most headphones have.

Adjusting the headphones is no problem with the metal adjustments at the bottom of the headband. It adjusts to almost any head. However, the metal adjuster does concern me a little. I get a feeling if you’re not careful they could get bent sticking them in a bag.

Available in Black/Gray. Blue/Yellow, Grey/Splash

Coloud No. 16

?

 

The No. 8 and 16 share some similarities as well. They both are on-ear headphones and have the cloth design on the ear cup and headband. But that’s where it ends. Instead of the angle that the No.8 features, this one has a more traditional headband. It has a comfortable fit that won’t make the outer portion of your ear hurt like some do with prolonged use.

Putting these away is easy since it features hinges that allow them to fold in. These headphones are built solidly and will survive any hectic lifestyle.

Available in Black/Gray. Blue/Yellow, Grey/Splash

Sound

Sure, headphones can be tough and durable. They can even look nice. But if you don’t have good sound quality, then you don’t have a good product. Let’s see how these tested.

Coloud No. 4

?

The Coloud No. 4 headphone’s sound is best described as bright. That means there is an emphasis on the upper midrange and lower treble. This becomes more apparent in the Rock genre more than any other. Hip hop and R&B, where the bass is a more prominent feature, do have a little more bass; however, they still have a brighter sound.

Coloud No 8

coloud82

These smaller on-ear headphones feature a slightly different sound. I feel when there is an inline microphone involved sound seems to degrade. This is not the case with the No.8’s. When listening to songs like Lucky by Daft Punk, it has has a clean, crisp sound. Nothing overpowers anything else. It’s great for sitting back and listening to some easy going music like Jazz or even Bluegrass, and of course, Daft Punk.

Coloud No. 16

coloud16

Stepping out from its sister headphones, these larger headphones have a much different sound. It comes off as slightly muffled, but not in a way that makes them sound bad. They still maintain a balanced sound. I found listening to music such as the Foo Fighters to be quite enjoyable.

Price

Summary

Coloud’s new line of headphones is a great investment for this price range. I have had many headphones and the majority just doesn’t stack up. You can’t lose with any of these headphones.

Buy Coloud Headphones

Google’s Allo and Duo are due out soon: Pre-register to ensure you are notified first

AndroidGuys
-
16

Back in May, Google introduced two new big apps it is releasing with Duo and Allo.

For a quick refresher, Duo is Google’s all new video calling app for one-to-one conversations no matter if you’re on iOS or Android. It will work for both platforms. A major benefit is that it will work even if you have a slow connection.

Allo is the app that most of us are waiting for, as it should improve upon our text messaging habits. Its main feature is that it is smart which will allow for better conversations between users. It’s a fact that most of us text more than we call these days, and communication can easily be confused over text.

Allo’s new features will include:

  • Built in Smart Reply, similar to Inbox where you can reply without typing a single word
  • Google assistant directly in your chats
  • Language pattern recognition
  • Incognito mode for private conversations

3-Gbot_animation_v4-GIF_abbrev (1)

Google stated both apps will be available sometime this summer which means their release can be any day now. In order to stay on top of the release date you can head on over to the Google Play Store and Pre-Register for each app. Once released you will be notified immediately so you can be one of the first users to experience Google’s all new apps. Simply click “Pre-Register” and you will be the first to know.

Blu Products reveals Energy XL with downright insane battery

Scott Webster
-
0

You have to hand it to Blu Products. It seems like just about every few months the Miami-based company reveals another smartphone that moves the needle in the bang-for-buck department. Such is the case today as it unveils the Energy XL, a $300 unlocked phone that touts an incredible battery.

Powered by Android 5.1 Lollipop, the Energy XL is promised to receive an update to the 6.0 Marshmallow build before 2016 runs out. This is good, but not fantastic stuff with an even newer release coming from Google in the coming months. Nevertheless, the hardware is what most users care about.

385836

The BLU ENERGY XL offers everything someone can ask for in terms of specs and performance in a high-end smartphone. All while resolving the single biggest problem smartphone user’s face today, which is battery life. -Samuel Ohev-Zion, CEO BLU Products.

The Energy XL draws strength from a 1.3GHz octa-core MediaTek processor and 3GB RAM; storage is pegged at 64GB internal memory. Display size is a massive 6.inches with HD resolution coming in at 1080 x 1920 pixels. Keeping the picture nice and protected is Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3.

In terms of camera, the rear offers up a 13-megapixel shooter (F/2.2 aperture, 1/3 inch sensor) capable of 1080p video at 30 frames per second. Around front we find a 5-megapixel camera with an 84 degree wide angle lens, perfect for group selfie shots.

Getting to that battery, the Energy XL touts a 5,000mAh unit which promises “30 days stand-by, or up to 3 days of standard usage on a single charge.” We’ll have to wait to see it in the real world but we’re expecting big things out of it. By comparison, today’s key phones pack around 2,800mAh-3,100mAh. In other words, we’re down with it.

385834

Other specifications for the phone include a fingerprint reader, a microSD expansion card slot, DTS Surround Sound, and USB Type-C charging port with support for quick charging. Ten minutes on the charger should be enough to pull in four hours of talk time.

The Blu Energy XL comes in Solid Gold and White-Silver options and is offered unlocked. This means it’s equipped to support AT&T and T-Mobile as well as their respective pre-paid brands and MVNO’s.

NBA LIVE Mobile: Basketball in your pocket (Review)

AndroidGuys
-
0

The confetti has fallen, the fans have celebrated and the NBA Finals are over. The Cavs have been crowned champion and now that it’s all over what do you do next? Well, I’ll give you one option. Head over to the Play Store and register download for the new NBA LIVE Mobile app. The fast-paced NBA action in the palm of your hands is sure to get you ready for next season.

Developer: Electronic Arts
Cost: Free with in-app purchases

Getting started

Like all apps, the first thing you have to do is go through a set-up process. This includes setting your age, login preference, username and favorite team. Afterwards, you go through the tutorial that includes teaching you how to shoot, pass, you know the basics. And of course, they will walk you through the app itself. After all, that you’re ready to play.

NBA2

Game Play

NBA LIVE Mobile isn’t too far off from another EA game called Madden NFL Mobile in terms of gameplay. While I won’t go into great depths explaining all the ins and outs, I’m going to give you the brief overview of how to get started in building your dynasty.

You are given four modes of play that include live events, head-to-head, season, and leagues. In order to play these modes, you have to build a team. You are given starter packs of players in which to play. These players have divided up automatically into different lineups based on different skills.

When playing a game of any kind you will choose which lineup you want to use unless otherwise noted. Some games require certain lineups for the challenge presented. Once you buy new player cards the are inserted into the appropriate lineups.

NBA13

Let’s touch on the different modes of play. Live events consist of your season games and various skill challenges that help you improve your skills. Some may be locked until you reach the appropriate skill level. Head-to-head games show all the people who are playing those games. You may challenge anyone to match-up.

NBA LIVE has an interesting take on head-to-head. Each player takes control of a quarter. Meaning, if you start a game with an opponent, you play the first and third quarter vs the other team’s AI team, and they take the 2nd and 4th quarter vs your AI. With this style of gameplay, there is less chance of lagging and ruining a game which makes it more enjoyable.

Playing a season is not much different than playing a season on traditional consoles. The exception being you don’t play as many games and each quarter last two minutes. But you do play the finals, but I couldn’t tell you what that’s like since I’m not very good. That means you’ll need to play and tweet me the experience. That’s a joke of course, except the part where I suck at the game.

NBA17

Finally, the last mode of gameplay is leagues. There are already a number of leagues that you can join or for 5,000 coins you can create a league. I would suggest joining a league to start.

You should also note that all events cost you stamina to play. You start off with 15 stamina and with each level you gain, you gain the ability to have more at one time. So after level ten you may be able to have 16 stamina instead of 15. After you use your stamina up it replenishes after a certain amount of time, or you can buy more with in-app purchases.

Controls

Controls are a short area to go over but let’s get through it quickly. At the bottom left you’re going to have your “joystick” to move your player around. Over on the right, it’s broken into two categories, offense and defense. Offense consist of pass, drive (sprint) and shoot while defense has two controls, guard, and block. Going through the tutorial will explain how to use these.

Here is a quick tip they don’t tell you that I learned while playing. When you hold down the guard button while on defense, letting go of the button and tapping it will help your player steal the ball.

NBA10

Everything else

To acquire all the extras, head over to the store and purchase various random player packs. You can use real money, or money you’ve earned by leveling up after games or beating certain challenges. The better you play, the more experience you get and faster you level up. If you want a specific player or want to get rid of excess players you can use the auction section. This is the feature they have that I didn’t even know I wanted but makes perfect sense.

NBA14

Review

EA has certainly stepped up its game with this amazing pocket version of basketball. The graphics are very smooth showing no signs of lag or hiccups. You can only do so much with graphics on mobile, but the movements and look of the players are exactly how they should be and not all, for a lack of a better word, janky.

I personally believe where most games like this fail are the controls. Developers seem to forget no matter how much you want it to be, it’s just isn’t a normal control pad. EA stepped up and made the controls the right way for mobile. Don’t think you’re going to get the same experience as a Playstation, after all, it’s still a phone.

Summary

NBA LIVE Mobile is an overall fun game to pick up and play. It’s simple enough for a novice to understand yet elegant enough for a seasoned gamer to enjoy on the go. I don’t normally see these games translating to mobile this smoothly.

It is still in beta but expected to come out this week. So head on over and preregister to get notified when it releases download NBA LIVE Mobile.

Down NBA LIVE at the Play Store

Excellent free games for Android (Summer 2016) (PROMOTED)

Guest Blogger
-
0

Gaming on mobile and tablet has been improving at a rapid rate. Now the graphics are fast catching up on those of regular consoles. The Google Play Store is full of Android games, but it can be hard to know what to download. Here, we’ve put together some of the better free Android games for your smartphone or tablet available today.

Candy Crush Saga

candy_crush_sagaIt’s hard to talk about Android games, without mentioning this classic. Travel through wondrous lands with Tiffi and Mr Toffee as they make their way through the Candy Kingdom. Switch and match candies to move through the levels and meet some interesting characters in this puzzle adventure. You can enjoy Candy Crush Saga alone, or compete with friends to see who gains top score. The game is free to play, but there are optional extras which can be purchased.

Candy Crush has a host of features with some levels being time and others being dependent on you reaching a target score. A spin of the Daily Booster Wheel will gain you bonus prizes. New levels are added each week and you can watch the leader boards to see how your competitors are doing. This game is easily synched between devices and can be played on or offline.

For more playing with friends fun check out the Top 5 Android Word Fix Games.

Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes

Star Wars lovers of all ages must have this game. It features all the old favourites such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Darth Vader as well as new characters from The Force Awakens and you can download it for free! You can build your dream team and craft strategies to win epic battles, becoming the most legendary hologamer in the galaxy. It is up to you to train and equip your heroes so that they never lose a fight. You can unlock special leader abilities, which add power to your team. Join a Guild, earn rewards and watch what happens on the Guild leaderboards.

star_wars_galaxy

This game is visually striking and that well known Star Wars music creates a unique experience. Guild Chat allows you to connect with friends to plan your next move. Don’t miss this chance to embed yourself in the Star Wars experience.

BADLAND

BADLAND has been around for some years now and may not seem like the most exciting of games at first, but it is an award winning, side-scrolling game, set in a fairy-tale forest. By controlling one of the forest dwellers you need to navigate traps and obstacles to find out what lurks beneath this beautiful facade. The graphics are atmospheric and the audio track enhances your experience. Single players can play over 100 unique levels, with more being added by updates. There is a real-time multi-player level, which gives access to 23 levels, for four players on the same device, as well as Co-operative mode for up to four players a sizeable adventure mode and updates towards the end of 2015 even let players create their own levels. In a land where time wasters get boring early, this one just seems to keep on going.

badland

Updates at the end of 2015 mean that you can now create your own levels in BADLAND, or modify existing ones. You can then publish and share your levels, with fellow gamers as well as playing and rating their levels. Immerse yourself in this unique and innovative game available free at the Google Play Store.

If you would like to create your very own Android games, don’t forget to check out our amazing deal on how to build Android games.

Free Android Casino Games

If casino gaming’s your thing, why not try out some great free slots games based on some of our top Android titles over at GrizzlyGambling.com. Here are some of their most popular games to get you started. You can play their demo titles for as long as you like with no download and no registration required too which is always a bonus.

Bejeweled

As a gamer you’ve probably already heard of, or played Bejeweled. This classic video game stands the test of time and remains as popular as ever today. The slot machine version lives up to all that you already know about this game. It has awesome sound effects and stunning graphics, but it’s not all looks and no substance. There are plenty of bonus features, making it an interesting and fun game to play. You’ll find all your favourite characters here including Captain Kirk, Spock, Scotty and Uhura.

Star Trek

The Star Trek slot machine game features the main characters from the films, along with amazing graphics and audio. If you are a devoted Trekkie, this is the game for you. All the characters are assigned their own color hue, with the Star Trek logo being the wild symbol in the game. The game is user-friendly and the graphics will impress, particularly on the bonus round.

Racing for Pinks

Like racing games? If so you have to try out Racing for Pinks. High octane street racing is presented with a booming soundtrack that lets you experience the racing atmosphere. This game comes with a host of features which will engage the beginner and keep the veteran player entertained. So get your motor running race into non-stop action.

Inateck’s ultra slim 4-port USB hub: Great for small spaces (Review)

AndroidGuys
-
0

Sometimes it just doesn’t feel like we have enough USB ports on our laptops and PCs. We do have lots of USB devices like thumb drives and the other countless accessories that we charge. If you’re in the market for a USB hub for your computing device then you should take a look at Inateck’s Ultra Slim 4-Port USB Hub.

Review

Inateck has a large portfolio of great products to choose from and this one couldn’t get any simpler. As the name implies, Inateck’s hub gives you four extra ports for any laptop or pc and provides 5Gbps of data transfer speed, depending on your device’s capabilities.

This portable hub measures in at almost four inches long and is not even one inch thick. Needless to say, this thing is small. I have a small work space where I do my writing. I barely have enough room for a mouse at my workspace. Since the Inateck hub is not so big and clunky, I don’t have to worry about my limited space.

usbhub2

As a kid, I never really understood voltage and the like. Frankly, I was curious and would experiment by attaching different adapters to my devices, and the next thing I would smell is something burning due to being fed to much voltage. Since this has the built-in overvoltage protection I don’t have to worry about my curious kid doing the same things and ruining all the expensive gadgets I own as an adult.

The final thing I want to talk about with Inateck’s Hub is compatibility. You can attach any USB 1.1, 2 or 3 devices to any USB 2.0 or 3.0 capable PC or laptop. The 5Gbps data I talked about works on any USB 3.0 devices. So keep that in mind when using this hub.

Summary

With the excess of USB ports we need, it’s essential that we make sure the adapters we use are compatible with the devices we hook them up too. It’s important to make sure you’re not getting some knock off product that can cause damage. I’m confident Inateck’s Ultra Slim 4-Port USB Hub will do the job for you safely.

Buy Inateck’s Ultra Slim 4-Port USB Hub

How the telecoms sector is leading the way in the Middle East

AndroidGuys
-
0

Despite the many challenges facing the nations of the Middle East, there is enormous economic potential in the region, and a crucial factor in the region’s development will be the continuing growth and success of the telecoms sector.

In our fast-moving global economy, access to digital communications is vital for any nation to thrive. This is not just a question of being able to trade electronically but also of forging links with other parts of the region and the wider world, which is crucial if businesses and economies in the Middle East are to continue to expand and fulfil their potential.

Mobile phone use

In recent years, mobile phone use has been increasing dramatically throughout the Middle East, and it remains one of the world’s fastest growing telecoms markets. Mobile penetration rates have already passed the 100% mark in many of the Gulf states, and the mass markets of Turkey and Iran are leading the way in terms of volume of mobile phone users.

The rapidly growing demand has resulted in a steady decline in the cost of mobile phones,making the technology even more accessible, and has presented a challenge in terms of mobile infrastructure for governments throughout the region. Individual telecoms companies are responding to the increasingly competitive environment by offering a wider range of contracts or by moving into new countries with markets at an earlier stage of development, such as Iraq, where mobile phone companies are leading the way in rebuilding the economy, helping to fill the communications gap caused by a shortage of landline connections.

Smarter economies

A key trend in the Middle East is the move towards smartphone use, with a dramatic increase in the uptake of the technology in recent years, and this is one of the other areas into which telecoms companies are increasingly diversifying. In Jordan, for example, all three of the nation’s mobile companies have set up 3G networks, which has fueled rapid growth in broadband usage, and in Israel, infrastructure sharing agreements, full number portability, and regulatory reform have enabled telecoms companies to meet this increasing demand.

Bringing societies together

The telecoms sector not only offers direct potential for business and the economy, but can also help to transform and enrich the lives of ordinary people. Across the region, telecoms entrepreneurs are bringing educational and training benefits to local economies and helping to bring people together. For example, the work of Ehsan Bayat in Afghanistan has been particularly notable. Bayat is a business executive, philanthropist, and Chairman of The Bayat Group. Together with the Afghan Ministry of Communications, he created the Afghan Wireless Communication Company, which helps millions of Afghan citizens to keep in touch with one another. Bayat was also responsible for the setting up of the Ariana Radio and Television Network, which broadcasts in three languages and provides a range of programming that offers training, education, and health advice to the people of Afghanistan, across all ethnicities and religious backgrounds.

Prospects

There is no question that the region will continue to face serious challenges in the future, but the rapid growth of the telecoms market has been one of the great success stories of the Middle East in recent years. For the coming decade, the challenge for telecoms companies, entrepreneurs, and governments will be to continue to encourage demand and to put the infrastructure in place to meet that demand, enabling the people and economies of the region to thrive and to take a full part in the global economy and the worldwide exchange of ideas.

1...1,0901,0911,092...1,315Page 1,091 of 1,315