Home Blog Page 1229

How to manually install app updates with APK files [Android 201]

Jack McNenny
-
2

Waiting for app updates can be a drag, especially if other phones are receiving the update before you. Automatically updating your apps through the Google Play Store is the standard and most reliable way, but sometimes you have the option of updating apps by downloading the update file from a 3rd party site, such as the popular APKMirror.com. The file we are referring to is called an APK file, or Android Application Kit. These are the types of files on your phone that are the base of applications.

AndroidGuys will typically post important app updates such as Google Chrome, Hangouts, Play Store, etc… and include the link to APKMirror to download them, but if there is a different app you’re looking to update, Googling it will definitely give results.

  1. Find the app update article you’re looking for, or go right to the APK website that holds it (such as APKMirror)
  2. Once there, be cautious that the file you are attempting to download is legit by checking the version number and app description.
  3. As with any download from an unfamiliar site, finding the right download button can be a chore. It’s just the way the internet is. APKMirror presents the download button with a bold, teal button labeled ‘DOWNLOAD’
  4. Your phone should confirm with you whether you want to download this file. Make sure you at least see the name of the app in the file name you are trying to download.
  5. Once downloaded, tap the file to bring up the installation prompt. This should show you permissions the the app wants, if applicable. Hit the install button.

Warning: You’ll have to do a small bit of research before installing an APK file if you’re using an older phone, as the update may not be compatible with your device or version of Android. Worst case scenario is the app will simply not open.

New Droid phones to be announced on Oct. 27th

Josh Noriega
-
0

Verizon and Motorola are in fact joining forces once again for another sweet Droid smartphone. And not just one device, actually. The companies have just sent out an invite detailing the announcement on Oct. 27th (in New York City), specifically saying that new “Droids” will be unveiled.

We have previously suspected that a Droid Turbo successor would drop in late October, assumed to be named the Turbo 2. We haven’t seen murmur on any additional devices. Maybe it’ll be a successor to the battery-hefty Droid Maxx? Or a Droid tablet?

[blockquote author=”Motorola & Verizon”]Everything you expect from a phone will change.[/blockquote]

It won’t be too long until we know what that means. From the leaks, the Droid 2 is expected to have a 5.43″ QHD display, a 21MP rear camera, 3,760mAh battery, and will be powered by the Snapdragon 810 with 3GB of RAM.

This sounds like a pretty typical affair for a flagship phone. Fortunately, the Droid 2 is said expected to get the same customizability perk that the Moto X has via Moto Maker. But expect some Droid flare in there. Also, the display glass is said to have considerable reinforcement, being referred to as “Shatterproof”.

Are Verizon customers excited for some new Droid devices?

Pre-Registration for the BlackBerry Priv has begun

Matt Adams
-
0

Are you one of the many Android fans who values high end hardware? Are you interested in a physical keyboard? Well, the new BlackBerry Priv features both of those things and is now up for pre-registration on their website.

The Priv is supposed to be released some time this year, and now, BlackBerry is letting you in on some of the details. On their pre-registration page, you can sign up to be notified of all the details when they become available and be one of the first to know when the launch date is set. But let’s face it, due to the leak culture we live in, the exact release date will probably be leaked long before BlackBerry releases it.

Also on the page, we’re getting some confirmed specs. The BlackBerry Priv will have a 5.4″ dual curved screen, 3410mAh battery, on screen keyboard as well as a physical slider keyboard, Schneider-Kreuznach certified camera (Schneider-Kreuznach is a company is known partly for its many innovative lens designs) and premium audio quality, although no details were given on exactly what that means.

Also, according to BlackBerry, the Priv will have a DTEK security system to keep your phone safe. We’re going to assume that this is going to be much like Samsung’s Knox that allows personal and business content to exist securely on the same handset. BlackBerry has long been a corporate favorite due to their security features and physical keyboard, and they’re not leaving those folks in the past. Interestingly enough, there’s actually a tab to indicate whether you’re interested in buying 10 or more devices on the sign-up page.

While there will be a big push for business users, interest among Android enthusiasts remains high. For many, it will come down to price with some users even going as far as to say that they’ll be cancelling their Nexus 6P pre-orders to pick up a Priv, if the price is right.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/blackberry-priv/”%5D

 

[graphiq id=”bWI3b9YclCt” title=”BlackBerry Priv” width=”600″ height=”400″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/bWI3b9YclCt” link=”http://smartphones.specout.com/l/3626/BlackBerry-Priv” link_text=”BlackBerry Priv | SpecOut”]

Source: BlackBerry

OnePlus X should launch October 29

Scott Webster
-
0

The third smartphone from OnePlus is expected to launch in but two week’s time. That is, of course, provided a recent tweet and Facebook post from the handset maker is to be believed.

Rumored as the OnePlus Mini and the OnePlus X, the phone should make its formal debut on October 29. Specifications tossed about over the last few weeks include a 5-inch display with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. Internally, we’re looking for 2GB RAM with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, and a 2450mAh battery.

Other details for the OnePlus X could entail a 13-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, and the latest version of OxygenOS.

OnePlus

ZTE targets affordability with new lease-to-own purchasing option

Josh Noriega
-
0

ZTE smartphones have historically been more prevalent in the budget space, however, this year the company has kicked it up a notch. The Axon phone was a well received flagship contender. But as it typically goes, as quality increases, so does price.

Therefore, ZTE wants to make sure its devices are still within reach. Today, the company has announced a lease-to-own purchasing option. It applies to any unlocked ZTE device offered in the US.

zte_devices

Interestingly, the payment plan won’t be managed by ZTE. It will be provided by a third-party company, SmartPay. ZTE says that when you apply, you can choose monthly payments between a range of 6 to 24 months. Once all the payments are made, you will of course own the device.

And when you want to upgrade, the process sounds pretty simple. As long as you’re up-to-date on the monthly payments, you can cancel your lease and return the device. Once it’s received, you’re free to restart the financing plan again with a new ZTE device.

What do you think about ZTE’s approach to a payment plan option? Would you do it?

[toggles title=”ZTE Press Release”]

ZTE INTRODUCES NEW LEASE-TO-OWN OPTION FOR SMARTPHONES AND MOBILE DEVICES

ZTE customers can now get a mobile device and pay for it over time

Richardson, Texas – October 14, 2015 – ZTE USA, the fourth largest smartphone supplier in the U.S. and second largest in the no-contract market*, today introduced a lease-to-own payment plan for customers who want to pay for their phone or other mobile device over time and spread out their payments to make it more affordable.  This lease-to-own payment option is provided through SmartPay ™ Leasing Inc. and will be available online for all customers beginning soon at www.zteusa.com.

Lease-to-own is available for unlocked devices such as the recently launched Axon Pro and other mobile devices such as the ZTE Spro 2 Smart Projector.

“We are introducing leasing options because we believe advanced mobile technology should be available to everyone. We also want the experience of purchasing and using a ZTE device to be easy for any consumer,” said Lixin Cheng, CEO and chairman of ZTE USA. “How customers want to pay versus the amount they are comfortable paying are equally important – and ZTE can provide the best of both worlds.”

Leasing options for credit scores of all types

With SmartPay, you can get an immediate approval to lease ZTE devices. If approved, simply select the ZTE device you want, make your first payment at checkout and make scheduled monthly payments thereafter**.

No long-term contracts

The length of a lease plan is determined when you apply and can range from 6 to 24 months. Once all payments are made, the lease is complete and you own the device. You can also pay off your lease early without any penalties or future fees***.

Upgrade your phone when ready

If you’re up-to-date on your monthly payments you can cancel your lease at any time and upgrade your device by simply returning your current device in good working order to SmartPay.  Once your phone is received your lease is cancelled and you’re free to get the new device you want.

[/toggles]

Source: ZTE

Satechi releases a new wireless gamepad to turn your smartphone into a gaming device

Derrick Miyao
-
0

Satechi, founded and headquartered in San Diego(America’s Finest City and also my hometown), announced a new Wireless Gamepad to help turn your tablet or smartphone into a real gaming machine. Our mobile devices usually fill our desire to game while we are out and about, but are still far away from replacing our home gaming systems. Part of the problem with tablets and smartphones is touchscreen controls lack the accuracy of a real gamepad. Also your fingers get in the way of the display ruining your total gaming experience.

51kQV3c19TL._SL1000_

Leave it to Satechi to release a reasonably priced($39.99) Wireless Gamepad, now available at Amazon.com or Satechi.net, which will replace your touchscreen controls with a 14-button gamepad. The gamepad has two joysticks, a directional pad, A, X, B, Y, R1, R2, L1, L2 buttons as well as the standard Select and Start buttons commonly found on console system controllers. To keep you from fiddling with balancing your smartphone on a table or your lap, Satechi intelligently designed a spring-loaded holder to keep the action in your hands.

Maximizing value for your dollar, Satechi also made the controller compatible with not only Android but iOS and Windows as well. Competitors usually have separate controllers for different operating systems. That might not be a good thing though because I can imagine someone with an iPhone asking to borrow your controller and not giving it back.

  • Android/Mouse Mode is compatible with a wide range of free apps from the Google Play Store including Angry Birds, Grand Theft Auto 3, MC4, Wild blood, Dungeon Hunter, Zombie, FC simulator, GBA emulator arcade emulator, SFC simulator, N64 emulator, Shadowgun, Sonic CD, Cordy, soulcraft, Zenonia4, 9 Innings 2013, Riptide GP, and more.

If you’re interested in making a purchase head on over to Amazon.com or Satechi.net.

51yNPkUVsIL._SL1000_ 51pIMOzGHgL._SL1000_ 51CAstFzwqL._SL1000_

AT&T NumberSync feature to share one mobile number across multiple devices

Scott Webster
-
0

AT&T today announced NumberSync, a new feature that will let users share one phone number with other connected devices.

Because it stinks to give friends and family a new phone number for your smartwatch, NumberSync will will extend your standard mobile phone number to the wearable. Moreover, it also works for tablets and other devices connected by the AT&T network. This means you can make and receive phone calls or send messages across all of your AT&T gadgets.

The best part is that you won’t have to be in range of the phone; it doesn’t even have to be powered on or actively connected to the network. The connection doesn’t rely on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, either. AT&T will handle things at the network level, spoofing the number to all of your products.

The NumberSync feature will work across various operating systems. In other words, you aren’t confined to using only Android or iOS products to keep the seamless experience intact.

[blockquote author=””]We’re taking a standards-based, network approach that will make connecting a wide variety of devices easier to give you a better user experience. Our plan is for NumberSync to become the norm on a variety of our future connected “devices.”[/blockquote]

Although NumberSync is not available just yet, it will be coming to the first AT&T device “fairly soon”. And, according to the carrier, more supported products will be announced before we get into the holiday shopping season.

AT&T

Download Google Photos 1.7 update APK

Jack McNenny
-
0

The 1.7 update for Google Photos is mainly small big fixes and performance increases. It’s hard to tell right off the bat what is fixed, but one thing I noticed is scrolling speed when using the side scrolling is noticeably smoother, where I noticed more lag earlier. Also, simply tapping on a picture thumbnail to bring it up to fullscreen is slightly faster and smoother.

[Update]: This 1.7 version looks to fix various issues with Chromecast 1st and 2nd generation, but there are still some users experiencing black screen problems when casted. Let us know if Google Photos works for your Chromecast

Besides the very small bug fixes, we’ll be updating this article as soon as we find more changes in the update. But for now, hit the link for the download at APK Mirror.

Google Photos 1.7 APK Download

Version 1.7.0.105329634

For those new at installing apps and updates manually via APK files, it is very simple process. The benefits of installing manually include not having to wait for the automatic update to hit your phone via the Google Play Store. First, you’ll download the APK file by hitting the teal DOWNLOAD button on APKMirror, and this will download the file to your phone. Once downloaded, tap the file to bring up the installation prompt. You can read the app permissions if applicable and then tap ‘Install’. The app is now ready to use!

T-Mobile revives 10GB shared promo plan, limited-time only

AndroidGuys
-
0

T-Mobile just brought back one of its best promotions to date, the family plan for families who don’t like to share data. The promotion is listed as a “Limited-time offer” but T-Mobile has not listed when the promotion will end. I’m not sure why they would do this, maybe to create a sense of urgency in potential customers, but I find it a little annoying for a company to keep information back, especially when they tout themselves as being up-front.

T-Mobile

Anyways, for a family of four, the first two lines get 10GB of data each for $50 per line. The third phone will cost $20 per month which opens up a fourth phone for free. The total cost of $120 averages out to $30 per line for a family of four. In addition to 10GB per line, each user gets the standard unlimited talk and text with unlimited music streaming and Data Stash. If you are currently under a contract now under a different carrier or under a phone payment program, T-Mobile will pay up to $650 dollars in fees once you show proof of payment.

If you’re interested in learning more, head on over to a T-Mobile store, or call telesales at (1-844-222-1941).

Source

3Coins is a simple, challenging and addictive game (App review)

Jack McNenny
-
0

One of the joys of mobile gaming is the ability to open it right up in the palm of your hand and get started. 3Coins is one of those games you can jump right into in and start playing in under five seconds from the time you launch it. The strategy of it is what caught my interest right away.

Overview

3Coins_screen3Coins_screen23Coins is a game that uses your phone’s full screen as an open white field containing three circles; two red and one blue. The objective is to shoot the blue circle in between the two red ones, which are connected by a line. To shoot, the player must pull back on the blue circle like a slingshot and release. The player will get a point for every time the blue circle passes through the connected line of the red circles, either on the same try or the next shot. The circle will also get bigger for every time it passes through the line on the same shot. The player can lose the game and have to restart if they don’t pass through the line at all on a shot.

Typically, I was getting 1-2 points per shot and losing around 6 points in. This was because the red circles would either become too close together or aligned in a way that was near impossible to make the shot. This is where the real strategy comes in.

The red circles do not randomly change position every time you make a shot. Where the blue circle ended up after you shot last is where it turns into a red circle, and forming a new line. So if you get good at this game, you’ll want to strategically place your shots that won’t screw you over the next round, like the picture on the right.

Features

Google Play Games is integrated into the game, allowing the player to save their high scores to the cloud and view online leaderboards. With a high score of 18 for me, I was no where near the top. A total of seven achievements are included with the game too, which are fairly hard to get, as I only “achieved” one of them. While there are some games out there that I truly care about saving my progress and scores across devices, this is not one of them. It doesn’t need to be either. 3Coins is a simple game on purpose, and not one I currently care to brag to my friends about.

Conclusion

3Coins provides a fast-paced experience that can either be played for fun to pass the time, or used to implement strategy and gain the highest amount of points possible. It is by no means a slow game, as you are being timed per shot. Keep shooting before the time runs out.

What we liked

  • The quick launch of the game gets you right into playing.
  • The simplicity of it can be quite addicting.
  • Yet there is a strong hint of strategy that suggests the player needs to be careful where to place the circle.

What could be better

  • The option of raising or lower the difficulty could attract more audience.
  • Needs more game modes. I started to lose interest.

3Coins can be downloaded for free on the Google Play Store 

 

 

1...1,2281,2291,230...1,316Page 1,229 of 1,316