Home Blog Page 1234

Google introduces the Accelerated Mobile Pages Project

AndroidGuys
-
0

Google is taking on the problem of slow loading mobile web pages. One would logically think with faster LTE and WiFi speeds that web pages should load faster as speeds increase, but more often than not we find ourselves running into slow loading websites on our mobile devices. With plug-ins, videos, advertisements and other content many websites are being bogged down creating an unpleasant experience.

No one wins when web pages take too long to load. Readers simply go to another website and miss out on content that could be of value while advertisers lose out on potential customers.

In order to fix this problem, Google has been in discussions with publishers and tech companies globally and has joined an open source initiative called the Accelerated Mobile Pages(AMP). The purpose of the AMP is to dramatically reduce slow web page load times and improve the performance of the mobile web.

Instead of creating proprietary software, this initiative is an open source project using existing web technologies(AMP HTML) which in turn will allow others to use the standards and hopefully increase the adoption rate benefitting everyone. To kick off this project Google has announced that 30 publishers will be taking part in giving us a better mobile experience. Some of the companies include Twitter, Pinterest, WordPress.com, BBC, The Huffington Post, The New York Times and LinkedIn.

Google used the video below as an example of how fast web pages can load on a mobile device using the Accelerated Mobile Pages HTML:

Google is planning to add more features listed below:

  • Content: Publishers increasingly rely on rich content like image carousels, maps, social plug-ins, data visualizations, and videos to make their stories more interactive and stand out. They also need to implement ads and analytics in order to monetize the content and to understand what their readers like and dislike. The Accelerated Mobile Pages Project provides an open source approach, allowing publishers to focus on producing great content, while relying on the shared components for high performance and great user experience. The initial technical specification—developed with input and code from our partners in the publishing and technology sectors—is being released today on GitHub.
  • Distribution: Publishers want people to enjoy the great journalism they create anywhere and everywhere, so stories or content produced in Spain can be served in an instant across the globe in, say, Chile. That means distribution across all kinds of devices and platforms is crucial. So, as part of this effort, we’ve designed a new approach to caching that allows the publisher to continue to host their content while allowing for efficient distribution through Google’s high performance global cache. We intend to open our cache servers to be used by anyone free of charge.
  • Advertising: Ads help fund free services and content on the web. With Accelerated Mobile Pages, we want to support a comprehensive range of ad formats, ad networks and technologies. Any sites using AMP HTML will retain their choice of ad networks, as well as any formats that don’t detract from the user experience. It’s also a core goal of the project to support subscriptions and paywalls. We’ll work with publishers and those in the industry to help define the parameters of an ad experience that still provides the speed we’re striving for with AMP.

Cheers to Google for tackling a problem that is getting out of hand.

Source – Google Blog

The inability to adapt is why Samsung will fall

AndroidGuys
-
4

Samsung, along with just about everyone else, continues to push out high end flagships with the latest Snapdragon 800s (Exynos for Samsung) processor and other competitive specs like 3 to 4 gigs of RAM and monstrous 2K, even 4K (Sony), displays. What they aren’t manufacturing is high performing middle ranged devices.

Alcatel, Asus and Motorola have made radical advancements with their mid-range devices. The Idol 3, Zenphone 2 and Moto G have been making huge strides in narrowing the performance gap between mid-range and high-end phones without narrowing the price gap. Even so, Motorola’s own Moto X and the OnePlus 2 do lower that price gap by offering high-end specs for more affordable prices.

Samsung, as well as other manufacturers like Sony and HTC, haven’t had strong offerings in the mid-range level. Ever. Samsung is the king of the flagship and the entirety of the sea of the low-end devices, but their “mid-ranged” devices are just low-end devices in disguise.

With the rumors of the HTC One A9 (Aero) being a mid-ranged handset, HTC might be adapting. There were cries of disgust when people realized that HTC’s “saving grace” wasn’t going to be a super-powered flagship, but it might not have to be.

Three years ago, Motorola released the Moto X and the Moto G. The Moto X was a great phone, but the Moto G was even better. The Moto G was a mid-ranged device that did everything right. Sure, its specs were sub par, past yesteryear, but the experience was still there.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/motorola-moto-g-2015/”%5D

The problem with most low-end to mid-range phones is that they provide awful user experiences; they are slow, sluggish, and borderline unusable after a six months. The Moto G fixed all of these problems with a snappy feel to it that worked great for everyone besides power users.

Samsung keeps its grip on the market through relentless campaigning. Their strength is marketing. Samsung’s game is to produce the best flagship device and advertise it until they make the next big flagship device. With this, they grow in brand recognition and pick up the low end sales on account of their recognizability from the flagship device.

There are plenty of phones out there at similar price points that offer way more in terms of specs and experience, but nobody knows about them because they are buried in the sea of Samsung. However, that is all starting to change.

Last year, we saw the rise of OnePlus. They offered a flagship device for a mid-ranged price, and the world took notice. It is unfortunate that the company’s marketing team got overzealous and self-destructed, but that is another story for another time.

[row][double_paragraph][df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/oneplus-one/”%5D [/double_paragraph][double_paragraph] [df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/blu-pure-xl/”%5D [/double_paragraph] [/row]

This year, we have seen the Blu Pure XL rock the tech world with another flagship phone for a mid-ranged price. Cheaper phones are making an appearance. Soon, they will break into the market and topple Samsung, the king of Android. That is unless Samsung adapts.

Samsung has always made premium flagship devices, and that was okay. The world wanted that premium flagship. However, people are changing, and they are becoming increasingly concerned with bang for their buck value over raw power regardless of cost. There is an increasing interest in cheaper phones and a declining one in the flagships.

People are soon going to realize that Samsung’s premium attention to their flagship devices doesn’t translate into their low-end and mid-ranged devices. They are going to figure out that there are other options out there that better suit their needs. When they do, Samsung’s reign will end, and a new king will rise to take the crown. A cheaper king.

GoGroove RCV Bluetooth Receiver review: Bring your wired setup into the wireless world

Josh Noriega
-
0

GoGroove produces a multitude of accessories that nicely complement your smartphone experience. One of these that caught my eye was the RCV Bluetooth Receiver. You see, the wireless world is a growing one. Like with the move of cars to electric power, we have hybrids to help the transition.

DSC03854

The RCV is a small device that adds wireless capability where it is lacking. And you want to know the cool part? It can route the signal either way, to or from. What does this mean?

Well, you’d probably guess the typically use case for the RCV would be to plug into a computer, speaker, or even car audio and receive tunes to your Bluetooth headphones. You’d be right, that’s the primary purpose of the RCV. But what if you didn’t have Bluetooth headphones?

You can actually interface your wired headphones into the RCV (using a 3.5mm coupler) and the RCV will pick up the audio signal from your smartphone and transmit it to the headphones. Pretty cool, huh?

gogroove_RCV

[spacer color=”264C84″ icon=”fa-android”]

Design

The RCV has a specific purpose, so there isn’t much to it. It’s a small, egg-shaped device, a little bigger than an average thumb. The build is a fairly standard affair. It’s a common plastic, neither cheap or expensive feeling. It does the job.

DSC03832

There’s a single button on the front (to power on/off and pair). We have tiny rubber feet on the bottom, to help the device stay in place on a surface. However, the RCV is so lightweight that if it wants to move, it will.

DSC03835

A 3.5mm plug extends out of the device, ready to plug into an audio source. The attached cord is a flat cable, which is nice to avoid annoying tangles. The cord length is only 4 inches, but GoGroove supplies an extension cable if that’s too little reach for your particular source.

Usability

The one button provides two functions, either turning the RCV on/off or triggering it to pair via Bluetooth. It was easy to get set up on my Note5. The RCV flashes red/blue rapidly when you initialize Bluetooth pairing, and then just select it on the phone.

The package for the RCV comes with a few helpful accessories.

gogroove_rcv_accessories

There’s a 3.5mm coupler (3.5mm-to-3.5mm jack, to transmit audio to the connected headset or speaker), a 3.5mm extension cord (42in. length), an RCA adapter, microUSB cable (for charging via a USB port), and Velcro to stick the RCV on a wall or car dashboard.

GoGroove rates the battery to last through 15 hours of playback. The Bluetooth range starts cutting off at about 40ft.

I was pretty impressed by the sound. It is generally understood that the Bluetooth audio signal is not as good as wired, but I didn’t notice much of a difference in audio quality (streaming via Google Play Music, high quality). I did get a hint of veil-ness in the overall sound clarity when comparing wired to wireless. But the difference was so slight, you shouldn’t notice it unless you’re looking for it.

[spacer color=”264C84″ icon=”fa-android”]

Final Thoughts

DSC03839

The RCV is an excellent offering by GoGroove. It’s a simple device that has many applications: Bluetooth audio transmission to your car speakers, or from your TV or laptop to your Bluetooth headphones. I can wirelessly transmit audio to my wired earphones and just tuck the RCV in my front shirt pocket.

The RCV also does it’s job well. I barely noticed any degradation in audio quality and the battery lasts a long while. And the Bluetooth range is decent considering its size.

On Amazon, the RCV runs for $30, here. This isn’t a bad price when you consider the extra we typically pay for the convenience of being wireless.

Move over Bose. Fugoo’s entire line of portable speakers are now at Best Buy

Derrick Miyao
-
3

Back in May I had the opportunity to test the best portable speaker I have ever used – the Fugoo Tough speaker. It was not only mud-proof, water-proof, and shock-resistant, but it was also loaded with speakers that sounded incredible. There was no trade-off in any area and blew the competition out of the water.

Now in time for the holiday season, Fugoo has partnered up with Best Buy to sell their entire line of speakers in store and online.

For many people, they like to touch and hear speakers before they make a purchase. Being in Best Buy stores will give credence to the rave reviews that are on the web about the Fugoo speakers. Go listen to one for yourself and decide if you want portability, excellent sound quality, best in class battery life, and unmatched durability with style. The Fugoo speakers offer true 360 degree sound and are perfect both both indoor and outdoor use. Read about both below.

FUGOO Style XL, Sport XL, Tough XL – Bigger, Badder and Louder

Jr8FYwVwnKg3yOCpZBLi2d_HMd4rQEgBv7WBXvkJad4

FUGOO’s newest speakers, the Style XL, Sport XL and Tough XL, deliver 38 watts of audio power via eight acoustic drivers; four neodymium tweeters, two neodymium aluminum domed mid-woofers and two passive radiators.  To get true 360-degree audio, the drivers are strategically placed on all four sides at an eight-degree upward angle to deliver a 360-degree sweet spot. They easily fill an indoor or outdoor space in all directions with rich full bass, solid midrange, and crisp distinct highs.

The perfect companion for those who don’t want to be tethered to an electrical outlet or power bank, FUGOO XLs deliver 35 hours of battery life, easily outlasting any other speaker of its size – and even smaller ones – two or three times over. For added convenience, they can also fast charge a smartphone or tablet directly from the USB charge port, and six dedicated control buttons (which glow on the Sport XL) make it easy to control the music directly from the speaker. In addition, the Style XL and Sport XL float in water, making them the perfect speaker for open water expeditions.

FUGOO Style, Sport, Tough – Small and Powerful

FUGOO’s smaller award-winning speakers, the Style, Sport and Tough, are lightweight and highly transportable, making them ideal for travel. They feature six drivers: two tweeters, two mid-woofers and two passive radiators, also placed on all four sides at an eight-degree upward angle for 360-degree audio. And with 40 hours of battery life, they’ll often last a week or two of normal use without needing a recharge.

Availability and Prices

Best Buy is Fugoo’s exclusive retail partner on the Style XL and Tough XL until Jan. 31, 2016. The Fugoo Style XL and Tough XL as well as Fugoo’s complete line of smaller speakers, the Fugoo Style, Sport and Tough, and accessories are available now in Best Buy’s U.S. stores and on BestBuy.com. The Sport XL and additional accessories are available at BestBuy.com. They will be in Best Buy’s Canadian stores and on BestBuy.ca by mid-October.

The MSRP for the Style XL is $279.99, the MSRP for the Sport XL is $299.99, and the MSRP for the FUGOO Tough XL is $329.99. The MSRP for the Style is $179.99, the MSRP for the Sport is $199.99, and the MSRP for the Tough is $229.99.

 

US Cellular rejiggers its Shared Connect rate plans

Scott Webster
-
0

US Cellular is offer customers better pricing on its Shared Connect rate plans starting today. Moreover, it has streamlined the number of offerings, removing three options and adding a new one.

Generally speaking, the rates have dropped by $5-$30 per month with the biggest discounts coming from the top. Under the new option, prices start as low as $25 per month for 1GB high speed data.

Gone are the 8GB, 14GB, and 16GB plans with a new 15GB option filling in.

  • 1 GB down from $30 to $25
  • 3 GB down from $50 to $40
  • 6 GB down from $60 to $55
  • 10 GB down from $100 to $70
  • 12 GB down from $110 to $80
  • 15 GB is $90 NEW
  • 20 GB down from $140 to $110

Note that these prices do not reflect the full cost of the plan. Indeed, you’ll have to add smartphone access fees as well. For plans at 10GB and higher the cost is $15 per line, per month. Those at the 1GB, 3GB, and 6GB have a $20 fee per line, per month.

Alleged set of OnePlus Mini specs surfaces

AndroidGuys
-
0

OnePlus, the famous “Flagship Killer” company released their second generation smartphone just this past summer. OnePlus may not be the best at not creating controversy through their awkward marketing campaigns, and they might annoy many through their invite system, but they do know how to make a killer smartphone at a great price. The OnePlus 2 comes loaded with high end specs like the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, 5.5″ HD LCD display, Lollipop, 3GB of RAM and 16GB of memory for the base model. Not bad for a device with a price tag of just $329.

OnePlus is planning on expanding its reach with another smartphone this year. Many point to the name the OnePlus Mini. More rumors come to light as time progresses and this time around an email surfaced, from an anonymous source according to gforgames.com, with almost all of the details of the device including the $250 dollar price tag.

According to the source the specs are as follows:

  • MediaTek Helio X10 (MT6795T) SoC
  • 2 GB of LPDDR3 RAM @933MHz operating in dual-channel
  • 32 GB of eMMC 5.0 storage expandable via microSDXC
  • 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080
  • 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3 or 4
  • 13 MP Sony IMX258 primary sensor with a f/2.0 aperture, 4K @ 30fps video recording capabilities, and a Dual-Tone LED flash
  • 5 MP front-facing wide-angle sensor with 1080p video recording capabilities
  • 3,000-3,100 mAh non-removable Li-Po battery
  • USB Type-C connector with Quick Charge 2.0 capabilities
  • FM radio
  • MT6630 wireless SoC
  • Bluetooth 4.1
  • IR Blaster
  • 1.2W front-facing speaker
  • NFC chip which will support Android Pay in conjunction with a back-fitted fingerprint sensor
  • IP67 dust and waterproof certificate
  • Launch date expected in November or December of 2015

If you read through the specs, this device comes with NFC built-in which many enthusiasts moaned over because they demand a “flagship killer” have every single feature under the sun. For the OnePlus 2 starting at $329, I just think people like to whine because they have nothing better to do. They could go buy a Galaxy S6 Edge for $649.99 and have NFC, but I am sure when it comes to putting their money where their mouth is, they’ll most like go with the OP2 when it comes down to it. Price wins over NFC.

For $250 this might turn out to be the real flagship killer of 2015 as phones in this price range don’t offer a ton of features like this OnePlus Mini. The days of people rushing to buy 800-900 dollar smartphones are generally over.

Buyers are getting smarter and wiser and are finding great alternatives to high-end devices like the Samsung Note 5 and Samsung Galaxy S6. Samsung phones simply do not justify the price especially when they fail to update their Android version after just six months of usage there by cutting the lifespan of that premium device to less than a year.

With devices that are well known like the Moto X which is selling direct to consumers as well as the Nexus line from Google, and especially phones like the OnePlus 2 and Mini there simply is no reason not to go with these devices. The OnePlus Mini may be the dark horse of 2015 and could shock the market. I just hope that OnePlus make this device much easier to get this time around and says farewell to invites before they even start.

farewell_oneplus

Source 

 

T-Mobile lets you track the progress of your Marshmallow update

Josh Noriega
-
1

Many Android fans who aren’t yet ready to switch phones are craving to get a taste of that tasty Marshmallow (Android 6.0). It can be frustrating to have no idea when it’s coming, even when we’re reassured that it’s on its way.

Fortunately for T-Mobile customers, you’ll be able retrieve a little more information about the status of your update. The Un-Carrier has launched a Software Update reporting page, which currently tells you at what stage in the process Marshmallow is to rolling out on your specific device.

Here’s the list of supported devices:

tmobile_update_devices

There are three steps in the process before the update gets to you:

  1. Manufacturer Development – The update is agreed upon for that device by T-Mobile and the OEM.
  2. Testing – T-Mobile runs the update through its certification process and gets it up to snuff.
  3. Completion – The update is approved and the roll-out process is begun.

Are you glad to hear that T-Mobile is giving you a bit more information than “it’s coming soon”?

Source: T-Mobile

Add custom shortcuts to your notification tray with TUFFS (app review)

Austin Hyde
-
0

TUFFS has a fairly simple premise. Add custom shortcuts to your notification tray. You can add shortcuts, apps, contacts, and basically anything else that can be added to the home screen that’s not a widget. If you have an Android phone, then there is a very good chance that you’ll want to take a look at this app.

TUFFS setup

Aside from downloading and installing the app from the Google Play Store, there are quite a few things that you’ll need to do to get the app working.

First you’ll need to add your shortcuts to the tray and select your options. It’s a fairly simple ordeal. All you need to do is to open the app, select home, and then tap on the space that you want to use to save your shortcut. From there a window will open giving you the opportunity to select from an app or custom shortcut.

All other setup options are in the settings of the app. They will allow you to change the colors, shape of the icons, etc.

TUFFS usage

I found that the app was fairly easy to navigate, but I thought that the home button and the settings button were a little confusing. The settings are actually split between the home and settings sections. It seems to me that the settings found in the Home section of the app should just be moved to the settings section of the app in order to simplify things.

Once I figured out where all the settings were, I proceeded to customize the app to my liking. It was fairly easy, but it seemed like the app and shortcut selector took a while to load. This would not be a problem if it was only slow the first time it loaded, but it took a while to load every time I wanted to select a new shortcut. This made the process unnecesarily long.

Some of the non-app shortcuts I liked were the shortcuts to direct dial contacts, launch a particular playlist, and gravity box options. Of course, the shortcuts you can place within the tray will depend mainly on the apps that you have and the support that the developer gives for custom shortcuts.

Most of the features are included in the free version of the app, however, you will need to pay $0.99 to unlock all the features. One feature in particular that I think would be worth the money alone is the auto start on reboot option. The free version of the app has to be manually activated after every reboot. The only other paid feature that you can unlock, is a second row of shortcuts.

What we liked

  • Shortcuts in the notification tray
  • No adds
  • Customizable

What could be better

  • Faster loading shortcuts in shortcut selector
  • Home screen button

4.03 out of 5 stars

This is a really useful app that doesn’t require a floating launcher or anything else to be on your screen. Everything stays nice and hidden in the notification tray until you need it. I think that anyone looking for a faster way of launching certain apps or shortcuts will enjoy using TUFFS. People who don’t like having a clean notification drawer may want to pass.

What do you think? Are you going to give TUFFS a shot? Let us know in the comments below.

[pb-app-box pname=’com.bhanu.appsinnotification’ name=’TUFFS Notification Shortcuts’ theme=’discover’ lang=’en’]

Sony announces 14 devices will receive Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Matt Adams
-
0

In a blog post today, Sony has announced that 14 of their devices will be updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow. No ETAs were promised, but 14 devices is an ambitious list of devices to support. Part of the reason there are so many devices to support is that Sony releases two flagships in their Z lineup every year. The Sony Xperia Z2 was released in April of 2014, and the Z3 followed in September. The “Z3+” (Z4) came onto the market in June of 2015 and now the Z5 in October 2015.

The Japanese technology giant promises to deliver “as quickly as we can” and goes on to say they’re excited about the “new Sony features & functionality and the improvements we’ve made to the user experience”. No details on what those improvements are but more details are surely to follow.

Complete List of Sony Devices to receive Marshmallow:

Sony doesn’t have the most sales among OEMs; in fact, they’re were bad enough to be rumored to leave the mobile space. That rumor has since been refuted by their mobile CEO, but they need to quickly turn their operation around. Sony makes great hardware and close to stock software, so a quick update to Marshmallow might see a return of customers interest in Sony’s phones. They’re pretty hard to find right now. Currently, no carriers have committed to carry the new Z5, but Verizon recently cancelled plans to carry the Z4v. Hopefully, it’s to carry the Z5.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/sony-xperia-z5-premium/”%5D

Source: Sony

Android 6.0 Marshmallow source code hints at a “Night Mode”

Matt Adams
-
0

If you’re a Nexus user, or follow Android closely, you are probably familiar with the dark theme that popped up in the Android M Developer Preview. Unfortunately, it didn’t make the cut to the final release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but Hernán Castañón, a developer and CyanogenMod contributor, has found traces of the dark theme, which has been renamed to “Night Mode”, in the code for Android Marshmallow.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow Night Mode

We all know some features that show up in developer previews may not make it to prime time, but this one was a particular favorite among Android fans, especially those with AMOLED screens. Could we eventually see a Night Mode that changes the color of your phone’s theme based on the time of day, or possibly a schedule you set up? We’re hopeful, but cautiously optimistic. Other features that would logically make sense to include into Android (we’ve previously seen Multi-Window and App Ops removed) have still not been released after being spotted in previous builds of the worlds most popular mobile OS. A new permissions system that builds on App Ops was, however, debuted in Android Marshmallow.

This is something we’ll be keeping our eye on for future versions of Android. It doesn’t seem like Google’s style to release a feature like this in a small update, as this is something they could market with new devices or software. But perhaps developers can work to enable it, much the same way they were able to bring back App Ops in 4.4.2. after Google disabled it. In any case, we’ll keep our eyes on it and have an update for you if one becomes available.

Is a system-wide dark theme something you’d be interested in? Let us know in the comments what you think about this feature.

Source: AndroidAuthority

1...1,2331,2341,235...1,315Page 1,234 of 1,315