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The Toast 100% real wood skin for the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge review

Derrick Miyao
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Back in February I reviewed a real wood skin, by Toast, that covered the metal exoskeleton of my Huawei Nexus 6P. It was one of the coolest accessories I had used to date, and now I have another skin from Toast for my Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

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Most accessories that are designed to cover smartphones are usually hard plastic cases, like those from Spigen, or Urban Armor Gear.

About Toast

Toast is a relatively new company getting its start in 2012 by a man named Matias Brecher to which I had the pleasure of meeting him in person at CES 2016. My first impression was a good one. Similar to other people I know who own their own businesses, I could tell he took great pride and passion in his work. He was standing at the CES booth and actually applying real wood Toast skins to people’s personal phones.

In the 15 minutes I was at the booth, I did get a chance to speak with Matias. Even though he was tired from being on the CES floor for three days straight, he took the time to tell me about his company. He even told me he was the one who designed and cut my custom AG skin for the Nexus 6P.

Toast got its name by the process in which the designers engrave and cut with a laser that burns in a very precise manner. So Matias named his company after toast which also burns.

Toast is a true U.S. based company which does all of its business in Portland, OR. In just four quick years, they have already grown to a company of 10 where they handle every step of the skin creation process. They are very good people. Toast takes part in the 1% for the Planet program in which a minimum of 1% of Toast’s net proceeds are donated to help save the earth. It’s a rarity for such a new company to have a social conscience, but it does and I am happy to support a company like Toast.

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Toast skin

Toast skins can be fully customized at www.toastmade.com where you can select from four different woods: Ash, Walnut, Ebony or Bamboo.

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You first pick with the wood of your choice, followed by engraving options which costs an additional $5. If there is something you want designed that isn’t in the list, you simply need to let the designers know, and they can pretty much laser etch anything you want. For my skin, I went with Ash engraved with a skull and crossbones since I work with chemicals, and see that symbol on a regular basis. To round out the look of my skin, I added a front cover for an additional $10.

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Installation, Fit and Usage

Skins and screen protectors are things I usually dread installing, because they’re a pain in the butt. The Toast skins are stiff since they are made from real wood, and they also have laser etched cutouts for areas where the phone curves. If you have the S7 edge, you know there are a lot of curves on the phone. The laser etching and high quality wood make installation of the Toast skin a breeze. All I had to do was wipe my device clean to remove oils and dirt, then peel off the backing to expose the glue, and wrap it around my phone. The whole process took less than five minutes.

In both of my experiences with Toast skins, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the skins fit perfectly. Every single cutout properly aligned with the volume buttons, SIM card slot, power button, 3.5mm audio jack, speaker, and charging port. The front skin matched up with the rear skin, and fit around the edges of the front display like a glove.

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The Toast skin is about twice as thick as vinyl skins, which gives a little extra protection against drops and deep scratching. Wireless charging still works with this skin, and there are no issues with the fingerprint reader, or capacitive buttons on the front of the S7 edge.

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The wood skin gives my slippery glass S7 edge more grip, and it helps protect against random scratches. A few of my friends who saw the skin, made comments about how cool and unique it looked. One even placed an order for a Toast skin for her iPhone. She loved that it looked different from anything else she had ever seen before. I agree with her assessment, and also love this skin by Toast.

Conclusion

If you want to be different from the crowd, I suggest you check out the real wood skins by Toast. I have two wood skins now, one for my Nexus 6P and one for my Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. I go through quite a few phones, but the ones with the Toast skins are my favorite. They look nothing like what everyone else uses to cover their phones.

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Toast makes skins for a wide range of Android devices, including most Apple products. Learn more at www.Toastmade.com.

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Roundup – Absolutely Essential Android Keyboards

Donovan Jeska
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One of Android’s biggest draws used to be the ability to use whatever keyboard you wanted to your heart’s desire. While Apple may have caught in that field, Android still has a huge library of keyboards available to users. What follows is my personal list of favorite Android keyboards.

Spoiler Alert: #4 is my personal favorite.

SwiftKey

If you’ve been on Android for more than a few days, the inclusion of Swiftkey on this list should be of no surprise to you. SwiftKey is perhaps the most well-known third-party keyboard on the market, and with good reason – in a world of autocorrect and predictive text input, SwiftKey is King. With a feature list as long as it is robust (Auto-Correct, Gesture Typing, Themes, Predictive Text, etc.), SwiftKey is a must-have for any Android-user.

Fleksy

Originally backed on Fundable on the tenants of blind texting, gesture navigation (manipulating text, entering spaces and adding punctuation via gestures), and a revolutionary, error-tolerant auto-correct algorithm, Fleksy is a unique and powerful texting platform. If you frequently find yourself typing while walking (or doing anything without looking at your phone), Fleksy is probably worth your time to try.

Minuum

This minimal, tiny Keyboard originally raised over $85,000 on IndieGoGo back in 2013 with the goal of bringing space efficient texting to screens of any size. The biggest draw of this quirky keyboard is obviously it’s tiny, two-row design, in which letters are crammed together and an algorithm sorts out which word your taps form. A series of gestures allow for spaces, punctuation and deletions without tapping the screen. I found this keyboard to be delightfully innovative and a real life-saver on smaller screens, where display real-estate is crucial. Experience it for yourself.

Clarity

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If you try only one keyboard on this list for an extended period of time, it’s Clarity. This keyboard is a (now expired) Greenhouse project from SwiftKey, whose big feature is multi-word auto-correction. If you’ve ever typed “in” when you meant “on,” (or vice versa), most keyboards won’t notice because both are words. Clarity, however, notices the context in which you’ve typed a word and corrects it for you. For me, a clumsy tap-typer, this feature is an absolute must. This has been my daily driver keyboard, and I’ve never looked back. It’s basically a one-trick pony – no gesture typing, no themes, no predictive text – but that one trick really is amazing, in my experience. Trust me on this one. Try it.

Google Keyboard

Similar to the AOSP Keyboard, Google Keyboard offers a versatile, feature-filled – if slightly bland – typing experience that is proficient in almost every way, but excels in none. Keyboard offers Autocorrect, Emojis, Gesture Input, Custom Input Styles (QWERTZ, AZERTY), and a few themes consistent with Google’s aesthetic. In my personal experience with this keyboard, I’ve found all the features to be solid, but not particularly amazing in any way. It doesn’t have the text prediction of SwiftKey, the multi-word corrections of Clarity, the clever layout of Minuum or the error-tolerant nature of Fleksy, but does all of these things perfectly competently.

Yahoo is launching an eSports app for Android

Andrew Orr
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Yahoo is going through some growing pains…or maybe death throes? In any case, despite having some parts of its digital media business shut down, one of the areas in which it remains strong is eSports. Last month Yahoo Sports Media Group introduced an eSports website, and now it’s following through with an app.

Right now, the only titles available in the app, as well as the website, are League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Heroes of the Storm and Street Fighter V, but more games will be added moving forward.

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The app will provide coverage, stats and commentary, and use push notifications to alert you to updates about your favorite games and events, in addition to breaking news, new strategies and analysis of tournaments.

The Android app is available now, so hit up the link below:

Yahoo eSports Google Play Link

Let your music power the world with Groove Planet (review)

Gerson Noboa
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As an iOS app developer, I can’t imagine my life without music. I open Spotify before Xcode and Google Chrome to make sure I don’t go crazy. Music is an integral part of our lives, and several games have tried to capitalize on that importance. The most obvious examples are Activision’s Guitar Hero and Harmonix’s Rock Band. These titles were game-changing back in the days, and their success ignited several related series on mobile. Remember Tap Tap Revenge back in the App Store’s early days? Now, several years after that initial boom, Aminoca Brands presents Groove Planet, a different take on the genre with an interesting premise and amazing features.

Gameplay

Groove Planet Gameplay
Good guy DJ Keith.

After the usual Google Play Games integration, you’ll receive a welcome message by DJ Keith, a character similar to that guy who walked you through basic aspects of the game in Pokemon Red. He will make some (bad) music-related puns, and then ask you to name your planet. Yes, your planet. In Groove Planet, you’re the mayor of an uninhabited planet, and it’s your task to populate it through music.

DJ Keith will return to teach you the basics of the game. In fact, every time you need something, DJ Keith has you covered. Everything is actually pretty simple. Tap anywhere on the screen and you’ll get points. Tapping along to the rhythm of the song will make you perform combos.

Extending your combos will increase your bonus, which is a multiplier for the points you get with each tap. You can also slide your finger through the vinyl at the bottom to watch your city as it grows. If you slide to the beat, it will also count as a part of the combo, so you can mix your taps with swipes in order to check out the rest of the land.

These points, called notes, can be used to construct new buildings, which can generate new notes for you automatically. Each building in the game can be upgraded, and they generate more notes per second in the process. Upgrading your buildings will make people flock to your ever-growing planet, and you’ll start seeing more and more of them dancing to the tunes.

Groove Planet Gameplay
Winter is coming.

However, not all buildings are accessible from the start. One of the situations that I don’t like about this game comes from this fact. When your planet is full of buildings, you won’t be able to construct more. In order to progress in the game, you’ll have to create a completely new branch, which forces you to start the game from zero, albeit with a 100% multiplier bonus for the notes each building generate.

Although this is made to improve the game’s replayability, I don’t like deleting all of my previous work and start over just after some minutes. At least, the multiplier makes it easier each time you have to reset your game.

You also have a base (think of it as a town hall) that can be upgraded to get more notes with each tap. There’s also a hidden building called the Recorder, which will gather notes for you while you’re not playing. Pretty cool stuff!

To make things a little bit harder, there are UFOs that appear and kidnap your villagers. To protect your people, simply tap on the UFO and it will fall to the ground. There are also yellow satellites that work the same way, but, after being destroyed, show you a popup asking you to watch a video ad and increase your current amount of notes.

Groove Planet Gameplay
Upgrade your buildings to get more notes.

Sometimes, destroying these ships will earn you gems in the process. These gems can be used to buy notes, super charges or skip the effects of the chance roulette.

The chance roulette… I have a love-hate relationship with it. After a certain amount of time, a purple disk will appear from the bottom, letting you access the chance roulette. You’ll have to choose between three characters, and your choice can either yield you additional notes immediately, enter a 30-second period where each of your taps will earn an insane amount of notes, or lose notes/buildings. You can either watch a video ad or spend two gems to double the effect if it’s positive, or skip it if it’s negative.

Also, to spice things up, the game will give you a mission, which will be at the top of the screen at all times. These include destroying a certain amount of UFOs, tapping a specific number of notes, and construct a new building. Completing them will give you a significant amount of notes, so make sure you complete them.

Options

Groove Planet Options
Not many options to choose from, but cloud save is a welcome addition.

Even though the game itself has a lot of features, it doesn’t have a lot of options. You will be able to turn on or off the music (seriously?), sound effects and a notification that tells you when the recorder has its notes ready. It is important to note that the game supports saving to the cloud, which is a big plus for people who game on multiple devices.

Graphics

Graphics for the game are never complicated or overdone, but they follow the same dark, neon-lights, vibrant style at all times. When performing combos, your villagers will start dancing and there will be fireworks in the background, which is a nice and charming addition.

Buildings have very intricate designs and are a joy to look at, and special effects, such as when you tap the screen or upgrade buildings, are very pleasant. Unfortunately, when there are a lot things going on, such as building upgrades, long combos, and people dancing, some performance hiccups occurred. Nothing serious, thankfully, but it is worth mentioning.

Music

A music game without a good soundtrack is like a Netflix session without pizza. There are eight included songs, all with an electronic, dance club vibe. Even though I’m not fond of that music style, there is no denying that the soundtrack is outstanding and catchy, and does a great job in immersing you into the gameplay.

One of the greatest aspects of the app is, without doubt, the ability to import your own music into the app. I frankly didn’t expect much when I first read about the feature. However, after trying several songs made by several artists and with different tempos, I can say that this aspect of the game works almost flawlessly.

Groove Planet Gameplay
Graphics are nice and follow the same theme throughout the game. Also, music is outstanding and integration with your own library works without hiccups.

The app somehow analyzes your track and adjusts its gameplay accordingly. You need to actually go with the beat of each song to rack up points. Jamming along Delain’s newest single “Suckerpunch,” Dragonforce’s fast-paced “Through the Fire and Flames,” and Queen’s classic “Don’t Stop Me Now” was a pleasant, smooth, and almost-native experience.

It is important to know that there’s no way to tell the game which folders to scan when it’s searching for music, so, if you have other music files (such as voice notes), unfortunately, they will appear in your library too.

Achievements and Leaderboards
Groove Planet Leaderboards
Google Play Games integration gives you access to leaderboards and achievements.

Thanks to its Google Play Games integration, you will be able to complete achievements to increase your level. Many of these achievements are pretty hard, so you’ll definitely need some time to complete them. Curiously, the game also offers its own implementation of achievements. Some of them coincide with the ones offered through Play Games, some don’t.

Leaderboards will let you compete with people around the world in aspects such as UFOs destroyed, population, number of taps, and completed tasks.

What we like

  • Many features to improve gameplay
  • Charming graphics
  • The option to add your own music works flawlessly

Room for improvement

  • An option to unlock more buildings without having to start over
  • Less intrusive ads

Conclusion

With its captivating graphics, strong gameplay, and the option to add your own music to the game, Groove Planet manages to tick all the boxes. Although there are some minor annoyances, such as having to start over to unlock new buildings, and mildly pesky ads through chance satellites, the top-notch execution of the music library import is one of the best I’ve seen in a game. If you enjoy music (and who doesn’t?), then you’ll love tapping along to the beat with Groove Planet.

Download and install from the Google Play Store.

Satechi’s Bluetooth Gamepad makes mobile gaming fun for a console gamer (Review)

Matt Adams
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I have a shocking confession. I don’t play mobile games. I think it’s mostly for the same reasons I play very few games on my desktop. I grew up playing games on a console with a controller sitting on my couch. It’s what I’m used to. I don’t like tapping a screen repeatedly or using virtual buttons. It’s just not a rewarding experience.

But, I really want to like mobile gaming. I love Pokemon, and while I’m not as obsessed with it as I used to be as a kid, I love to sit down and bust out some game time and relax. Now with the combination of Satechi’s Bluetooth Wireless Game Controller and apps from the Play Store, I can easily catch up on some of my favorite games and explore new ones.

Physical Overview

The Game Controller looks almost identical to an Xbox One controller. The joystick, D-Pad, bumpers, and button placement are all identical. In the center of the controller, you’ll find five buttons: Link, Select, Mode, Start, and Mouse.

Satechi Gamepad middle buttons

 

The bottom of the controller you’ll find a micro-USB port to charge the internal 220 mAh battery and a power switch you slide left to right to turn the controller on and off. Luckily, there are some power-saving features if you forget to turn your controller off.

Satechi Gamepad power

One of the best innovations in the Satechi Bluetooth Wireless Game Controller comes in the way of a mount that pulls up from the top of the controller. It’s spring loaded so it will stay closed until you extend it and place your phone in it. Due to the spring, your phone stays securely attached inside the gamepad. The opening gets just big enough for my Nexus 6P (3.06 inches) with a slim case on it. With a slightly thicker Speck case, my Nexus won’t fit at all.

Satechi Gamepad with phone side

 

I’d really suggest using a case with your phone placed in the controller. The controller is made of hard plastic, so if your phone is moving around much, there’s definitely a risk it could scrape the paint of an aluminum phone or scratch a glass body. There’s also an issue of the arm squeezing the phone hard enough to press the volume and power buttons depending on placement. A case alleviated these issues on both the Nexus 6P and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

Buttons and Sticks

I wish I could say that Satechi knocked it out of the park with its buttons and sticks, but I do find some issues here. I will again be comparing the controller to an Xbox One controller, as that is obviously what Satechi based its design upon.

Satechi Gamepad with xbox controller

First off, let’s address the joysticks. The button placement, length, and width are almost identical in every way to the Xbox controller. They extend only slightly less (millimeters) from the gamepad than the Xbox controller and the surface is almost the exact same width.

Where they differ is the design on top of the joystick. The Xbox One controller has a concave design to cradle your thumb, Satechi, however, went with a flat design. This certainly leads to more thumb slipping while playing games, especially because of how stiff the sticks are. They can be a bit of a pain to move. I don’t have any doubt that due to their solid construction, these sticks will hold up over time.

The D-Pad is a bit of a mushy mess. There’s no tactile click to indicate when you’ve activated the press, you just bottom out. If the Xbox controller can be compared to a Cherry MX Blue switch on a mechanical keyboard, the Satechi Wireless Gamepad would feel much closer to the Dell keyboard that came with your pre-built desktop. Running around in Pokemon was a bit of an adventure because I never knew which way I was actually going to go unless I was looking at what I pressed.

Satechi Gamepad DPad

The A, B, X, and Y buttons are a different story altogether. They feel nice to press like the glassy/plastic buttons on the Xbox controller. There’s no stiffness in these buttons and they’re easy to bottom out. The buttons share the same layout and color combination with the Xbox controller so there will be no confusion if you’re already used to one.

Satechi Gamepad ABXY

The five buttons located in the center of the controller are all fine. They offer no resistance and feel exactly like you’d expect them to.

Pairing and Gameplay

I have to give Satechi very high marks on how easy it was to pair the Wireless Gamepad to my phone. It took me about 13 seconds to open the Bluetooth settings on my phone, press the link button and tap the “ST-UBGC” listing. It paired instantly with no issues.

After pairing, I opened up the Gameboy Advanced emulator I use and entered settings. From the input menu, I selected the input method and chose the controller as an external keyboard. Everything worked perfectly from then on.

There is no software to control the gamepad, but most emulators or games that support gamepads will allow you to rebind keys.

As I said earlier, the D-Pad is a bit mushy and the joysticks are a bit stiff which interfere with gameplay a bit, but once you get used to them, you’re good to go. Gaming is responsive and free of any Bluetooth lag.

Where the sticks will really cause you issues is if you’re playing any kind of first person shooter games. It will NOT be easy to aim. I hope the sticks loosen up in time, but as of this review, they haven’t yet.

Conclusion

I love the world of gaming that the Satechi Wireless Bluetooth Gamepad has now opened up for me. My wife, however, is going to hate me mirroring Pokemon (or any other game) to our television with screen sharing and Chromecast, but, I get to play Pokemon in 65 glorious inches so I’ll deal with the flak.

There are certainly improvements that Satechi can make in a hardware revision, but I do believe that the gamepad is perfectly usable in its current state (but, it could get better). You can grab one from Amazon for only $30 with Prime shipping!

Product Link: Satechi Bluetooth Wireless Gamepad

Google Workshop Live Cases are finally a reality

Andrew Orr
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Google’s Live Cases for Nexus phones is something that has been rumored about for almost two years. We got an official taste of them last year when Skrillex launched his limited edition cases featuring live satellite images.

Now, the official Google Workshop is open for business. Users can upload their own photos to create a case, or choose from a selection of “Places Live Cases” based on locations you choose in Google Maps.

Each case also has an NFC tag built-in to send you to the Live Cases app on the Google Play Store. The tag is connected to a hardware button on the back of the case, and offers customization through the Live Cases app, such as open a specific app or toggle Wi-Fi on and off.

Check out the video below, and head over to the Google Store.

 

Phone Showdown: Meizu Pro 6 vs HTC 10

Andrew Orr
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The Meizu Pro 6 is a beast of an iPhone-lookalike, with insane specs and a thin, sleek body. Boasting a deca-core (10) processor, a whopping 4 GB of RAM and a 21 MP rear camera, if there was an Android phone that could tempt me from using an iPhone, this is probably it.

Also recently released, the HTC 10 is considered the evolution of the HTC One line, starting with the M7, M8, M9 and now the 10 (no M this time). With a bezel you could skateboard off of, the HTC 10 is a refinement, rather than a leap. Contestants, are you ready?

[graphiq id=”fZVQkNwnds1″ title=”Meizu Pro 6 vs HTC 10″ width=”600″ height=”403″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/fZVQkNwnds1″ link=”http://smartphones.specout.com” link_text=”Meizu Pro 6 vs HTC 10 | SpecOut” ]

Features

RAM: With 4 GB of RAM on both phones you’ll be able to multitask with ease, game like a pro and kiss lag goodbye. Users truly win in this category, regardless of phone choice.

Battery: The Pro 6 comes with a 2,560 mAh battery, whereas the HTC 10 has a 3,000 mAh battery. The Pro 6 features mCharge 3.0, which boasts a charging time of one hour. The HTC 10 comes with Quick Charge 3.0 which has a similar charging time.

Storage: Both phones come with a microSD slot, and both also have storage options of either 32 GB or 64 GB.

Camera: Cameras are tricky. Megapixels don’t matter as much as lens quality and sensor quality. With the Pro 6, you get a 21 MP rear with f/2.2, 32mm, phase detection and laser autofocus, ten-LED (dual-tone) flash. The 5 MP front gives you f/2.0, 1.4 µm pixel size and 1080p quality. The Pro 6 doesn’t seem to have a DxOMark score yet.

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On the HTC 10, you get a 12 MP rear camera with f/1.8, 26mm, OIS, laser autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash. The 5 MP front camera gives you f/1.8, 23mm, OIS, autofocus, 1.34 µm pixel size, and 1080p quality. You’ll notice that both of the 10’s cameras has optical image stabilization (OIS), which HTC claims is a first for a smartphone. DxOMark Score: 88

Processor: The Pro 6 has a ten core Mediatek Helio X25 CPU, 2.5 GHz dual-core Cortex-A72 & 2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 & 1.4 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53. The HTC 10 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, dual-core 2.15 GHz Kryo & dual-core 1.6 GHz Kryo.

Sound: HTC has been known to have pretty good speakers for their smartphones, with dual BoomSound speakers. The HTC 10 is also the first Android phone to be fully compatible with AirPlay speakers, as opposed to third-party workarounds. Meizu hopes the Pro 6 will stand out in terms of audio quality, with a Cirrus Logic CS43L36 chip, making special consideration that this is the same chip as the iPhone.

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Extra Features: Both phones have USB-C ports, fingerprint sensors and Android 6.0 Marshmallow. If you’re a heavy user of Google Drive, you’ll be pleased to know that the HTC 10 comes with 100 GB of Drive storage although it’s unknown how long the promotional storage will last (generally one year). The Meizu Pro 6 has a 3D Long Press feature, similar to the iPhone’s 3D Touch.

Price: The Pro 6 starts at $390 for 32 GB and $430 for 64 GB. The HTC 10 is pricier, starting at $699.

The Verdict

Based entirely on specs, it’s hard to give a victor, since each phone has strengths and weaknesses in multiple categories. The Pro 6 has a better processor and better design (in my opinion) while the HTC 10 has an ugly design, but better speakers, a better camera and a better battery. In this instance, I think the HTC 10 wins.

What are your thoughts on these smartphones? Do you agree with the verdict, or do you have a different opinion? Let us know in the comments.

Samsung is pushing VR onto Google Play with Milk VR

Andrew Orr
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In an effort to get VR into the eyes of more Android users, Samsung released a virtual reality app called MilkVR on Google Play. Even if you don’t have a Gear VR headset, the app will place content into “magic window mode”, letting people look at the video content by moving their phone around (which is already a fairly standard method).

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Most of the content that Samsung puts into the MilkVR app on the Gear headset will be the same as the Google Play version although some of the more interactive videos won’t be available due to needing the Gear VR’s touch pad controls.

MilkVR mobile will let users download VR videos for later, offline viewing. Unfortunately, users will still be limited by the hardware they choose: MilkVR will only be available for the Galaxy S7/S7 Edge, Note 5, Galaxy S6/S6 Edge, and the Galaxy S6 Edge+.

Samsung Milk VR App Link

Take the hassle out of charging with these fully reversible USB 2.0 accessories

AndroidGuys
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You see USB Type-C trying to gain a foothold as the next generation of chargers, but Android’s largest manufacturer, Samsung, stayed with the current charging standard in USB 2.0.

One of USB Type-C’s biggest advantages is the uniform plug and port. USB 2.0 (micro USB) on the other hand, has a plug and port which must be aligned properly due to the awkward shape. Apple standardized its chargers with the lightning plug and all third party manufacturers were forced to swap their plugs if they wanted to stay in the game.

Android on the other hand has a wide variety of manufacturers with the freedom to do what they want. That means Samsung can stick with USB 2.0 which is the current standard that most wireless headphones, speakers, battery packs, and Qi wireless charging pads are compatible with.

Fortunately there are some third party manufacturers who took the greatest feature from USB Type-C and enabled it on USB 2.0 (micro USB) by making a fully reversible plug.

Here is a roundup of cables and chargers with built fully reversible microUSB plugs.

Omaker 2 Pack Reversible Micro USB Cable High Speed USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B Sync and Charging Cord – $12.99 at Amazon.com

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  • Reversible: World’s first reversible Micro-USB cable. And it’s reversible at both ends, not just the USB Type-A side.
  • Durable: Rugged fabric interior with soft TPE housing made this cable last several times longer than original device cables.
  • Sturdier: Featuring with extra Strong Aluminum Plugs with Gold Coated Plugs ,it is corrosion resistance.
  • High Speed: Industry leading high speed charging & data transfer, up to 480 Mbit/s (Use with Omaker Quick Charger 2.0 to get fastest charge speed )

SCOSCHE Eztip Car Charger for Universal/Smartphones That Use A Micro USB – Retail Packaging – Black – $19.99 at Amazon.com

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  • Equipped with the new SCOSCHE eztip, you can plug into your Micro USB port devices either way for the fastest charge possible across all devices including Samsung Galaxy S7, S6, LG, Nokia, HTC and more
  • Flexible over-molded strain relief is super-sized for maximum bend durability and ridged for positive grip and prevents the charge and sync cable from breaking at the base
  • Illuminated USB port charger has a low profile design that fits flush in most vehicles and provides a single 5V (12 watts/2.4A) power Source
  • The eztip micro-USB is a new symmetrical connector cable that eliminates the hassle of worrying about finding the correct side of the micro-USB plug to prevent damaged cables
  • Perfect mobile charging solution for all vehicles and provides the fastest possible charge for tablets such as Galaxy Tab 4, S2, Kindle Fire HDX, HDX 8.9, HD 10, HD 6, and other Android devices

USB Cable,iOrange-E™ 6.6 ft(2 M) Reversible USB 2.0 A Male to Micro USB Male Cable Braided, Quick Charge and High Speed Data Sync for Android, Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Nokia and More,Grey – $6.99 at Amazon.com

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  • USB 2.0 A Male to Micro B, supports maximum 2.4A current transport and quick charge 2.0 technology, high speed data snyc at 480Mbps.
  • Reversible compatible, the reversible design of the connector helps you plug into the USB port in the right way on either side all the time.
  • Sturdy and Tangle-Free design, covered with braided jacket and anodized aluminum housing which is more durable and sturdier than the normal usb cable.
  • Perfect 6.6 feet (2M) length, is ideal for various usage, you can still use your devices while charging in your bedroom, sofa, office, even when you are on the backseat of the car.
  • Well compatibility, compatible with smartphones, tablets, MP3 players, cameras, hard drives, e-readers, external batteries, handheld game consoles and all other Micro-USB connecting devices from brands including Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Nexus, Nokia, LG, HP, Sony, Blackberry and so on.

Reversible Braided Micro USB Cable, BlitzWolf 3ft Double Sided Plugable USB Micro B Charger and Data Cord for Android Phone, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, Note 5 Edge, HTC M9, Xperia Z3 Z2, Moto X (Red) – $7.99 at Amazon.com

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  • [Reversible for Both Heads] Leading double sided USB plug and micro plug, allow you to plug it in like an Apple cable, no need to recognize up side and down side.
  • [Durable Connectors] No damage or weakening after 5,000+ times bent in the swing test, the cable that will live along with your phone.
  • [Braided Construction] Skinned by high density nylon braided, 24AWG power and 30AWG data tinned copper wire cores, more durable than normal TPE jacket.
  • [Deliver 3A Current] Deliver up to 3amp (Rated 2.1A), data sync up to 480Mbps to Samsung Galaxy S6, Note 5, Note 4, Sony Xperia Z4, Z4 Tablet, Z3, Z3 Compact, Z3 Tablet Compact, Z2 Tablet, Motorola Droid Turbo, Moto X 2014, HTC One, HTC Butterfly 2, One Remix (Verizon Mini 2) and more.
  • [Lifetime Quality Care] BlitzWolf offers 18 months warranty and lifetime dedicated consultancy to assure your long term enjoyment.

Type C, iOrange-E™ 6.6 Ft (2M) Braided Cable with Reversible Connector for New Macbook 12 inch, ChromeBook Pixel, Nokia N1 Tablet, Asus Zen AiO and Other Devices with Type C USB, Black – $10.99 at Amazon.com

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  • Conforms to the USB Type C Specification version 1.1, standard 56kilohm identification resistor, which ensures a safe charging at 2.4A Maximum and the speed of data sync up to 480 Mbps. No damage to your legacy USB hub.
  • USB C to USB A cable, universal charging with your legacy USB Hub, PCs and chargers, no need to change another charger adapter for your new USB C devices.
  • Compatible with the new USB C devices such as the Apple New Macbook 12 Inch (2015), OnePlus Two, Google Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Pixel C, New Nokia N1 tablet, Lumia 950, Lumia 950XL, ChromeBook Google Pixel, Asus Zen AiO, Lenovo Zuk Z1, HP Pavilion X2, ASUS ZenPad S 8.0 and other devices with USB C connector.
  • Premium Aluminum housing and sturdy nylon fiber jacket adds the durability of the cable and reversible design of the USB C helps you insert the connector to your devices in a right way all the time.
  • 6.6Ft long Cable, you can lie on the couch and use your devices while you are charging at the same time. And you can still use freely in in your bedroom, office and even in the backseat of your car. One year warranty and friendly easy-to-reach customer service available.

Type C Cable, Cambond 1ft Short Braided Reversible USB C Cable for LG G5, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, OnePlus Two, New Macbook 12 inch, Google ChromeBook Pixel, Lumia 950 / 950XL, Pixel C, More (Gray) – $10.99 at Amazon.com

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  • Reversible Type C Connector: USB C with a reversible design lets you insert the connector the right way, every time.
  • Within Spec for CC Termination: 1.Voltage: 5V; 2. Voltage Drop < 0.55V; 3. Pullup Resistor: 56k ohm; 4. Support fast charge with max 2.4 amp charging capabilities from the 2.4A output USB port on wall chargers or car chargers.
  • Stylish Design: High quality stylish nylon fiber jacket makes it stand out from bunch of cables and provides higher durability and increased flexibility with tangle-free.
  • Compatible Devices: Latest style USB Type C to Type A Male can connect the new Apple MacBook (12 inch, 2015), Nokia N1 Tablet, the Google ChromeBook Pixel (2015), OnePlus 2, Asus Zen AiO, LG G5, Google Nexus 5X, Google Nexus 6P, Lumia 950, Lumia 950XL, Lenovo ZUK Z1, HP Pavilion x2, New Apple TV 4 with App Development, ASUS Zenpad S 8.0 and Other Devices with Type C USB for transferring data or charging.
  • Warranty: At Cambond, we believe in our products. That’s why we back them all with an 12-month warranty and provide friendly, easy-to-reach support. Kindly Remind: If you need extra long USB C Cable, you can search “6.6ft USB C Cambond” or “10ft USB C Cambond”.

KMASHI 15000mAh External Battery Power Bank, Portable Charger Backup Pack with Powerful Dual USB Output and 2A Input For iPhone 6s 6 Plus, iPad and Samsung Galaxy and More (Black Red) – $16.99 at Amazon.com

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  • 15000mAh Power bank Monster capacity (15000mAh) 2A input significantly shortens charging time for your iPhone with ultra high capacity Lithium battery charging two mobile devices conveniently
  • Super-fast charge output through dual USB ports (5V / 2A and 5V / 1A) allows for simultaneous charging of your iPad, iPhone, Android, and more at high speed.
  • Smooth, classical black design allows you to power up in style, while 4 status LEDs keep you informed of remaining capacity.
  • Very Practical Charger: Perfect for indoor or outdoor activities like travel, camping or hiking, emergencies, commuters and families.
  • Package contents: 1*Kmashi 15000mAh External Battery, 1*Micro USB cable,1*instruction manual,1 year warranty.

KMASHI 10000mAh External Battery Power Bank, Portable Charger Backup Pack For iPhone 6s 6 Plus, iPad and Samsung Galaxy and More – $13.99 at Amazon.com

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  • 10000mAh Power Bank :Smooth varnish allows you to power up in style, while 4 status LEDs keep you informed of remaining capacity.
  • Ultra-high density battery cells make this compact 10000mAh external battery. Use a 5V adapter (not included) for fastest charging.
  • Super-fast charge output (5V / 3.1A total) through dual USB ports (5V / 2.1A and 5V / 1A) allow for simultaneous charging of your iPad, iPhone, Android, and more at high speed.Input: 5V/ 2A.About 6.5 hours fast charging.
  • Intelligent power manage IC, overcharge protection, short circuit protection.With such massive capacity, in such a compact package,perfect for flights, road trips or just any time you’re away from an outlet.
  • Package includes: 10000mAh 2A input Fast Charger External Battery,1 Micro USB charger cable(iPhone/Samsung Galaxy S5 Note 3 cable not included),1 user manual.

KMASHI 20000mAh Quick Charge 2.0 Portable Charger External Battery Power Bank Backup Battery Fast Charger (LG Polymer Li-ion Battery, Dual USB) for Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and More – $32.98 at Amazon.com

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  • Advantage: 20,000mAh Polymer Li-ion LG battery provides enough and stable power to your devices; Quick Charge 2.0 output port charges smartphones which support QC 2.0 tech 75% faster; Dual USB output ports charge two devices simultaneously; Flashlight for emergency situation.
  • Quick Charge: Quick Charge 2.0 output port compatible with all Qualcomm QC 2.0 devices to reach at the fastest charging speed, supports 5V/2.4A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A output. Automatic detection: QC 2.0 indicator light shows orange if your device supports QC 2.0 tech.
  • Excellent Design: Ultra-slim body – only 0.63in thickness easy to carry and store. Cool black and exquisite style perfect for business trip or outdoor using.
  • Full Compatibility: For all Quick Charge 2.0 compatible devices, iPhone 6 6s Plus 5S, iPad, iPod, Samsung, HTC, Sony, Nexus, LG, Tablets, digital cameras, bluetooth speaker and more digital devices.
  • What You Get: 1*Kmashi Quick Charge 2.0 20000mAh External Battery, 1*Micro USB Cable, 1*VIP Card, 1*User manual. 1-Year Warranty and Friendly Customer Service.

KMASHI External Battery, Compact 5000mAh Portable Charger Power Bank Pack for iPhone 6S 6 Plus iPad Nexus Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Smartphones – $8.59 at Amazon.com

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  • Ultra Compact: The 5000mAh power bank is stylish and small, but fully functional, pocket-sized and slim design fits easily into any bag, or your pocket. Best for travelor outdoor.
  • High Capacity: Provides almost two full charges for an iPhone, and a one-plus charge for a Samsung Galaxy S4. Fast charging: 5V/2.1A(MAX) output and 5V/2A(MAX) input to deliver the fastest charging speed to your devices and portable charger.
  • Superior Quality: Constructed using Grade A cell to ensure the highest quality and safety, and worry-free operation. 5000mAh capacity, it may be a necessary assistance to keep your phone active for as long as possible.
  • Save Time Recharge: KMASHI 5000mAh Portable Charger can be recharged approx 3 hours.
  • What You Get: 1*Kmashi 5000mAh External Battery, 1*Micro USB cable, 1*User Manual. 1 Year Warranty and Friendly Customer Service.

Unifun 10400mAh Waterproof External Battery Power Bank Charger with Strong LED Flashlight and Strap Hole for Tablets, Smartphones and 5V Devices – $16.99 at Amazon.com

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  • Creative design: Waterproof (IP66 rating), dustproof, anti-shock, skid resistance. Perfect for campers, hikers, skiers, construction workers, and many other outdoor enthusiasts.
  • 10400mah of capacity charges all iPhone 5 times or large-capacity phones like the Galaxy S4 more than three times.
  • Dual USB output: Fast charge two devices simultaneously (USB Output 1: 5V/1.0A, USB Output 2: 5V/2.1A). Input 5V/2A
  • 4 Integrated LED Power status indicator. Auto power-off no energy loses when not in use. Reliable lithium polymer core ensures quality and supplies up to 1000 lifetime charge cycles
  • Package include:1xUnifun 10400mAh Heavy Duty Waterproof LED Torch Power Bank,1xMicro USB charge cable ,1xUser guide

Anker PowerCore 13000 Portable Charger – Compact 13000mAh 2-Port Ultra Portable Phone Charger Power Bank with PowerIQ and VoltageBoost Technology for iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy (Black) – $25.99 at Amazon.com

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  • The Anker Advantage: Join the 10 million+ powered by our leading technology.
  • Upgraded Capacity: The successor to PowerCore 10400-identical compact size but packed with even more power. Charges an iPhone 6s 5 times, a Galaxy S6 3.5 times or an iPad Air 2 once.
  • Light and Compact: A super-high 13000 mAh capacity with two fast-charging USB ports is all contained in a portable charger smaller than a wallet.
  • Fast Charging Technology: PowerIQ and VoltageBoost combine to deliver a max speed charge to any device (up to 3A – Qualcomm Quick Charge not supported). Input: 5V / 2A.
  • What You Get: Anker PowerCore 13000 Portable Charger, Micro USB cable, travel pouch, welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty and friendly customer service.

[Upgraded Capacity] Anker Astro E7 Ultra-High Capacity 26800mAh 3-Port 4A Compact Portable Charger External Battery Power Bank with PowerIQ Technology for iPhone, iPad, Samsung and More (Black) – $49.99 at Amazon.com

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  • The Anker Advantage: Join the 10 million+ powered by our leading technology.
  • Exclusive PowerIQ Technology: Detects your device to deliver its fastest possible charge speed up to 3 amps per port or 4 amps through three ports.
  • Giant Capacity: Charges the iPhone 6 ten times, the iPhone 6 Plus or Galaxy S6 over six times or the iPad Air twice. Safely recharges with a 2 amp or higher output charger (please note most phone chargers only have 1 amp).
  • Superior Quality: Premium cells, cutting-edge circuitry and a sturdy gloss exterior ensure reliability and safety. To activate the LED flashlight, hold or double click the power meter button.
  • What You Get: Anker Astro E7 Portable Charger External Battery Power Bank, Micro USB cable, travel pouch, welcome guide, our fan-favorite 18-month warranty and friendly customer service.

What exactly is an APK?

AndroidGuys
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The deeper we dive into the Android ecosystem, the more and more jargon we begin to see. Sometimes we find ourselves scratching our heads and wondering, “What the heck did they just say?”

Today, we’re going to help close that knowledge gap a little more and teach you about a very important part of Android and an acronym you’ve probably seen a bazillion times: APK.

apk

So what is it!?

APK stands for “Android application package.” Basically, it is an archive file that contains every component needed for an Android application to install. Think of it like a giant cookie jar and all of the different cookies you would put in the jar can be analogous to all of the components needed to install an application on your Android device.

Why is it important?

An APK is at the heart of every application you have  on your Android device. When you download an app from the Google Play Store, an APK file is what’s being installed. Thankfully, most of users will never have to worry about dealing with them directly unless they decide to dive deeper and root their device and install a custom ROM.

If you do happen to run into a situation where you must handle an APK file directly, have no fear. We have a how to article on how to install an APK file to your device.

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