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How to get Nokia’s Bothie camera effect on any Android phone

Alexandra Arici
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Introduced back in later 2017, the Nokia 8 marked the culmination of efforts to bring the Finnish telecom’s brand back to the mainstream market. Designed to compete with the likes of the iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S8, the Nokia 8 came equipped with a polished aluminum body, Carl Zeiss cameras, and a high-resolution display.

With the Nokia 8, HMD also started pushing what it calls the Bothie as the next evolution of the selfie. The feature allows users to snap a shot using both the front and the back camera at the same time.

Originally an exclusive feature of the Nokia 8, the Bothie camera is now available on other models including the more budget Nokia 6 2018, Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 8 Sirocco.

Even so, you don’t have to purchase a Nokia phone to give the Bothie camera experience a go. Actually, you can easily install an app and get similar results on your Android phone. So below we’ve assembled a list of apps which mimic Nokia’s Bothies.

Frontback – Social Photos

Frontback is an easy-to-use app which lets you capture multiple sides of the same story at once. Get started by taking a picture using the main camera. Then the app will immediately switch to the selfie camera for the second snap.

You can edit your snaps and re-arrange them in the order you prefer (selfie first and panorama second, or vice-versa).

The camera app quality is not too stellar, so although I used the OnePlus 5T which tends to produce decent results in bright light, the photos taken with Frontback don’t look as good (especially the selfies).

Nevertheless, if you want to see the Bothie camera in action, you can give this app a try. Unlike other similar apps we’ve seen, it produces pretty neat results.

Install Frontback

phoTWO

PhoTWO offers a slightly different perspective on the Bothie camera. Users can take a picture with the main camera and then a smaller, superimposed second pic with the selfie camera.

Naturally, you can edit the secondary pic and arrange/move it in the position you see fit. Picture quality is ok, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Install phoTWO

Split Lens 2

Split Lens 2 offers a bit more variety when it comes to shooting your Bothies in either video or image format.

Once you open the app you will be asked to pick a certain layout for your collage. It can be anything from a screen split in two, three or a heart shape superimposed on a background.

You start by snapping a picture using either camera which fills out one portion of the screen. Once you’ve captured the first image, another portion of the screen will become active, and so on.

The app allows you to adjust and blend your results. It also contains interesting features and effects such as Swapping Your Body Parts, Make Your Own Ghost or Make Yourself Float in the Air.

Install Split Lens 2

Take into consideration that none of these apps have both cameras working at the same time when you shoot. First, the main camera will work and then the selfie one, or vice-versa. This is not the case if you use a Nokia phone, which offers a more advanced Bothie experience.

But if for some reason you don’t like Nokia, using one of these apps provides a quick solution to satisfying your Bothie curiosities.

Infographic: Six tips on how game developers can market their game into profitability (Promoted)

AndroidGuys
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Top video game designers are introducing their games into the market every other day. Even though the video game industry has a large market base, it doesn’t make the launching of a new game any easier.

The industry is very competitive and doing effective marketing is the only window to having a breakthrough. The impression you make in the market on the first attempt will go a long way in determining your level of success and the game’s profitability. It is therefore essential to storm into the market and make the most of this stage as it will make it easier for you to maneuver the market as everything else will fall into place.

Less than 25% of games in the market are generating profits; here is an infographic of the six tips that can help you market your game into profitability, including doing the best adverts of your game within the correct timing.

OnePlus intros revamped trade-in-program ahead of OnePlus 6 unveil

Alexandra Arici
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To celebrate the launch of the OnePlus 6 next week, OnePlus has unveiled a new and improved trade-in program to help you upgrade to the latest device.

Devices from any manufacturers can be used in the trade-in, but higher values will be given to products from Samsung, Apple, Sony, Huawei and Google.

Obviously, OnePlus will also be favoring those who turn in a OnePlus 3 or newer model, so it will award them a bit more cash. The smartphone maker is offering as much as €280 / $332 for an old OnePlus model. However, you’ll have to sign up by the end of the month to be able to benefit from the maximum sum.

Sign-up to receive a voucher now

When you sign-up for the program, OnePlus will ask you a series of questions about your device. Depending on your answers, you’ll be given a price for that device. Once you’re done with this step, you will need to pack the device up and send it to OnePlus. You will receive your voucher within 2 weeks.

Yet, there’s a caveat you need to be aware of.  The revamped trade-in program is only available for those who live in Europe and use Euro, the British Pound or Swedish Krona as their default currency.

OnePlus 6 concept

Anyway, if you’re based in Europe, you should also know you have the possibility of buying the the new phone first and then sending your old phone in and get cash back. It’s not clear at the moment, how you’ll be getting your money back as this particular section is not yet available. It will go live once the OnePlus 6 launches.

The OnePlus 6 is due to launch in a week on May 16, and will probably be the company’s most expensive phone to date. So the updated trade-in program is a welcome addition for those who are eagerly waiting for the new flagship.

Learn more about the upcoming OnePlus 6 here.

Got a Huawei Watch 2? Wear OS Android P Developer Preview 2 is now live

Alexandra Arici
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Google pushed out the first Android P developer preview for Wear OS (the new rebranding for Android Wear) back in March. Now, during I/O 2018, the company has released the second developer preview, also based on Android P.

The new release will enable the Google Assistant on your wrist to show you visual cards, follow-on suggestions, and do text-to-speech translation. There’s also a new enhanced battery saver mode.

When the watch is in this mode it will switch to a new power-efficient watch face and will turn off the touchscreen, as well as the radio and tilt to wake function. To see the time, users will need to press the side button. To switch back to full mode, a long press on the same button will do that for you.

The new DP2 fixes the Wi-Fi connection complaint

You also get Actions on Google, although this is being rolled out to all Wear 2.0 users and is not connected to the Android P base in the new developer preview. Furthermore, Smart Reply, which provides bridged notifications from the user’s smartphone, has now gained support for simplified Chinese.

The new release also undoes a controversial change from the previous preview. Wanting to save power, Google said the watches will not connect to Wi-Fi if disconnected from their smartphone Bluetooth pairing. Well, it seems the community wasn’t too happy about that, so in DP2 Google has reverted the change.

If you want to check out the novelties yourself, you can grab the Wear OS’ Developer Preview 2 from here. Although, it will work only if you have a Huawei Watch 2 or Huawei Watch 2 Classic.

In related news, it seems like Huawei might be in the process of developing a gaming smartwatch of sorts. Apparently, the manufacturer is working on a new operational method that will let users control the device by rotating and stretching the strap itself!

Download the Android P launcher on your smartphone today!

Andrew Myrick
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Yesterday was chock full of new announcements out of Google I/O 2018. One such announcement was the release of the Beta Program for Android P.

READ MORE: Best Announcements from the I/O 2018 Keynote

With the first beta update, there are a lot of new features, including an updated way to navigate. However, another new addition is a slightly-updated launcher which is available now.

Thanks to the world of Android, a port of the Rootless Pixel Launcher is now available to download. The only catch with this is that the launcher is only available for Android Oreo handsets.

How to download

If you want to download this new launcher, there is some preparation you need to do.

  1. Open Settings
  2. Select Apps
  3. Scroll down and find your browser, in this case, Chrome
  4. Scroll down and toggle Install Unknown Apps

These steps enable the ability to download the APK file for the Pixel Launcher. From there, you’ll need to head over to XDA Developers in order to download the file.

After it has been downloaded, simply open up your file manager and find the proper file. Then you can tap on the file to install the new Pixel Launcher.

What’s next?

As expected, you will be given a completely fresh start on your device. This means you will need to rearrange your home screen with your various apps and widgets.

But the great thing here is that your device will now have the look and feel of stock Android. While there is another version of this launcher with many customization options, this version does not.

This Android P launcher allows you to toggle notification dots off and on, change the icon shape, have the Google app when you swipe to the left and more. If you were hoping for custom icon packs, then you will likely have to just hang tight as this is updated.

Grim Soul – Don’t Starve meets Dark Souls, in the worst possible way.

Donovan Jeska
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I wanted to like Grim Soul; really I did. It sounded great. The dark, gothic fantasy of Dark Souls mixed with the crafting and survival mechanics of Don’t Starve – what could go wrong?

A lot, as it turns out.

Starting Out

The first thing one does when loading up the game is log in to Play Games – so far, so good. Then you load into a grim, foggy forest next to the corpse of the last unfortunate adventurer that played this game. You get some loot from his body, and then you’re turned loose into the region. This first area is your “Stronghold.” There are a couple minor enemies, as well as wood, stone, and fiber you can loot or harvest. This lets you build tools and a rudimentary shelter – and not much else.

To progress any further into the game you need to explore other areas by running into the mist surrounding your Stronghold. This brings you to a world map, filled with other, randomly generated areas, as well as the Strongholds of rival players. And it’s here that the game falters. As with many mobile games these days, you have an Energy Meter that limits the number of things you can do before you have to wait for the meter to recharge.

In this case, that meter drains when you travel from one area to another. These areas are populated much like your starting one – enemies, wildlife, and natural materials. So similar, in fact, that it doesn’t feel like you’re doing much of anything. You find a baddie, you swing at him a few times until he dies, and you go back to collecting.

Eventually – after perhaps two or three enemies and a lot of farming – you’ll level up, and gain access to a new research point to craft a new item. But frankly, the amount of time you invest into leveling isn’t worth the payoff of actually getting there. It doesn’t feel fulfilling or gratifying – it’s a grind in the truest sense of the word.

Graphics

It’s tough to really evaluate the quality of the graphics in this game. It’s too dark, drab and foggy to see much of anything at all. The weapons, armor, and enemies in the game are distinctly reminiscent of the Dark Souls games. It can be a little tough to distinguish between enemy types at times, especially between the standard Leper enemies and the faster, more dangerous Damned.

The color palette is painfully drab. All grays, browns, and blacks, with barely any color to speak of. While clearly inspired by Dark Souls, that franchise knows when to inject brilliant moments of beauty into its games to break up the utter hopelessness of the environment. Grim Soul, however, does not. Every part of the game is as gray and wretched as the next.

Mechanics & Economy

Grim Soul teases you with the future – you can see your entire skill tree at any time. It teases you with the prospect of riding a horse, of building a castle, of sailing to another land. But the time investment required to attain these things is prohibitive, at best. It took me hours upon hours just to reach level 7. To build that ship to sail across the seas? Level 75.

Time waste and intentional grind aside, the game plays pretty well. The crafting is decently balanced, with challenging but attainable requirements to craft each item. As is typical with survival games, there’s very little tutorial or guidance. But this one seems a little more casual and lenient than most, presenting you with plentiful resources in your starting region and marginal threats.

One problem you’ll run into right off the bat, though – inventory space. There’s not enough of it, and it looks like a bigger bag is hidden behind an IAP. You can craft one pretty early on – it provides you a whopping six more slots. It’s rough. When you die – and you will, often – you drop everything you were carrying, and it’s lost forever. So when you go to explore, it’s best done with an empty bag, everything else safely stored in a chest in your Stronghold.

Combat is a bit of a slog. There’s one attack button, no special abilities to speak of, and only rudimentary sneaking mechanics. As such, it seems like the game has a bit of an identity problem. Does it want to be an action game? A survival game? A stronghold-building game? An exploration game? It does a little bit of all these things, but none of them particularly well.

Value

Honestly, I got bored of Grim Soul after my first couple sessions. You can’t level up in the amount of energy you’re given, even at low levels, and there aren’t enough crafting options to make that grind worthwhile. This is a simple case of a game with potential, ruined by IAPs and bad economy/tuning.

Download Grim Soul on the Google Play Store

XGIMI CC Aurora review: Android smart projector that falls short in important places

AndroidGuys
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Chinese manufacturer XGIMI has its share of expensive smart projectors, but the company is back with a more affordable projector: the XGIMI CC Aurora. “Aurora” means “dawn,” and I don’t think the name is a surprise when you consider all the device does (and doesn’t) have to offer. It’s a start, a leap into a market that few have considered worthy of such an endeavor, and XGIMI both surprises and underwhelms.

Hardware

The XGIMI CC Aurora comes in a compact CNC Alloy case at 5.43 inches x 5.31 inches x 4.69 inches. The device resides in a stylish gray box with a zipper across it and a space at the top for the brown leather, XGIMI-branded strap to sit.

Upon opening the box, one discovers a pair of rechargeable, 3D glasses for content viewing alongside the CC Aurora smart projector, warranty information, and projector manual.

A separate, rectangular box provides an adjustable tripod stand for projector mounting on flat surfaces that you can turn in various directions. The front of the 1.5kg or 3.3-lb. device, a small door with “JBL by Harman” branding, slides down to reveal the projector lens.

The top of the CC Aurora features a brown leather strap that attaches to the projector by way of cylindrical, silver knobs.

The top back of the device features four dots that serve as the CC Aurora’s battery charging indicator. Directly beneath the dots are large volume indicators on the far left (volume down) and far right (volume up), and three audio buttons for rewind, fast forward, and pause/play options. The back of the device features the charging adapter port, two USB ports, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack.

Two audio speakers sit horizontally beneath the connection ports and provide excellent sound.

There’s one piece to the equation that I can’t leave out: it concerns the CC Aurora’s projector XGIMI-branded, rectangular remote along with two AAA batteries. The white remote contains black, functional buttons for power, voice command, projector settings, scrolling and selection, back, home, and volume up and volume down.

Setup

To set up the CC Aurora, you need only slide the small door down the front of the device to uncover the lens. Give it a minute or so to run through some initial projector presentation images. Connect the Aurora projector to your home Wi-Fi network to get started.

Once you complete the initial setup, the Android-powered smart projector’s desktop will appear. Use the hardware remote to navigate the desktop, and click “ok” when you want to open an app or access a service.

My first recommendation to get the most out of the CC Aurora is to first visit System Setup > About > System Update and download any system updates available. If you don’t see an “Aptoide TV” on your desktop where YouTube is, then you need to install a system update. Without Aptoide TV, there’s little to do.

Software and Services

Once at the desktop, you’ll first be greeted with four pre-installed apps: YouTube, Web Browser, WPS Office, and FileManager. YouTube is a welcome app here, as so many Android users love the service.

The hardware remote works fine if YouTube is the only reason you’ll use the projector, and WPS Office should be okay too. However, if you want to use the Web browser or Aptoide TV you’ll need to download XGIMI’s “XGIMI Assistant” app from Google Play on your smartphone to type words, letters, and search terms in Aptoide TV, among other things.

YouTube

The YouTube experience works here on the CC Aurora as it does on your smartphone, tablet, and smart TV, so you need not worry about the unexpected. You’ll be able to use the hardware remote without trouble, but you’ll need the VControl app (XGIMI provides this on the Aurora’s main desktop) to access voice commands and voice search for videos. YouTube remembers search terms and brings up your favorite videos with one letter typed.

XGIMI Assistant

The XGIMI Assistant app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, and it provides a virtual remote control on your smartphone from which to navigate the user interface of the CC Aurora.

You can use your Android smartphone as a remote control when you don’t have the hardware remote nearby or the remote batteries die out.

The XGIMI Assistant app has a few modes that you’ll need to get a handle on so as to navigate web browsers, Netflix and Hulu logins, and so on. One mode is the virtual remote, while another mode, “TouchPad,” allows you to use the remote as a computer mouse. This will come in handy with regard to Google’s search engine, the in-built Google web browser, as well as privacy-friendly web browsers (you can find these private web browsers at Aptoide TV).

Some games in the Aptoide TV app store demand a mouse, while others demand a gamepad. While the “TouchPad” mode on the XGIMI Assistant app provides the mouse you’ll need, XGIMI doesn’t provide a virtual gamepad whatsoever. Real Racing 3 and the original classic Sonic the Hedgehog can’t be played with the virtual TV remote.

Aptoide TV (Smart Projector App Store)

With access to YouTube on an Android-powered smart projector, you’d expect the CC Aurora to dazzle users with Google Play Services and Google Play Store integration. Sadly, I have to inform you that it does not.

There is no Google Play Services integration here, so the best you can hope for is app selection by way of XGIMI’s third-party app store, “Aptoide TV.” Once you download an app from Aptoide TV, it will appear on your desktop automatically.

 

Aptoide TV has some options, including FreeCell (Solitaire), Real Racing 3, Mahjong, old Sega Genesis games such as Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and 2, and newer games such as Candy Crush and Clash of Clans, but the app selection is rather underwhelming.

Some sections of the Aptoide TV app store have nothing in them, many with only 5-6 titles (max) available for purchase. Skype and Facebook are here, but you don’t get Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or Google Duo, if you’re wondering.

 

You do get CBS, ABC, NBC, and even popular services such as Netflix, Hulu, and CBS All Access, but you don’t get YouTube TV because, as the screen popup says, “YouTube TV won’t run without Google Play services, which are not supported by your device.” Of course, the same popup appears for Mahjong Village but you can still play Mahjong (it even has Facebook social sharing integration).

If you’re a parent looking for cartoons and kid content, PBS Kids is an excellent choice. I was able to go online to PBS Kids on my smartphone and enter an access code and immediately gain access. I’ve watched “Ready Jet Go!,” “Arthur,”

Do note that you only have 16GB of internal storage with the CC Aurora, so don’t get too program-happy when selecting programs to view. XGIMI says that its 16GBs of storage can hold 4,000 songs and 10 movies, so you can download music to your heart’s content.

Charging and Battery Life

The XGIMI CC Aurora smart projector charges by way of the supplied adapter, but it takes about 4 hours for the device to charge. It’ll charge up to three of the battery “dots” in about 2.5 hours, but don’t expect the remaining battery dot to charge quickly.

Four hours of charging is quite a lot, but the additional misfortune is that the CC Aurora will only last 4 hours on a single charge. XGIMI says that the short battery life of the CC Aurora is “enough for an outdoor party,” and the CC Aurora still outlasts the 2.5-hour battery life of the LG MiniBeam Projector, but the battery life is a disappointment.

Price and Availability

 

The XGIMI CC Aurora costs $699 at Amazon.com, but you can get it for either the typical $699 price at eBay or the discounted price of $625 at eBay. The MSRP is $569, so you’ll likely pay a slightly steeper price for access to the smart projector that can do a little of everything.

What the XGIMI CC Aurora smart projector does right

 

The following are strengths of the XGIMI CC Aurora smart projector:

  • Easy Setup: The XGIMI CC Aurora is easy to set up and easy to use
  • Audio by JBL (Harman) is excellent: The audio quality in internet TV streaming is where the JBL/Harman audio shines
  • Multipurpose: The CC Aurora is many things at once: a Bluetooth speaker, music player, internet browser, TV/movie-watching machine, game console, etc., all in one device.
  • Price: While some may not want to pay around $600 (around $569) for a smart projector, I think the price is acceptable for its capabilities.
  • Connect to other devices:  One doesn’t need a smart projector to watch Netflix and Hulu, but might want to stream Spotify or Pandora through the CC Aurora.

Where the CC Aurora smart projector could improve

 

  • Size: The CC Aurora isn’t terribly heavy but it isn’t as lightweight as, say, the one-pound ZTE Spro2 smart projector from 2015. A more compact feel and look would sell the device even more.
  • Battery life: The CC Aurora only provides about 4-4.5 hours of battery life.
  • Resolution: 720p content viewing is acceptable at times but appears washed out at other times. The CC Aurora projects 180 inches across walls; I’d like to see 720p become 1080p or 2K (4K viewing is ideal).
  • Storage: 16GB of storage is okay for music because you can store up to 4,000 movies, but 10 movies (max) on a home theater device is insufficient.
  • Controller: XGIMI includes a pair of 3D glasses in the box of every CC Aurora smart projector, but some games in Aptoide TV “require a GamePad”. I think that XGIMI should either add a GamePad.G
  • Google Play Store and Google Play Services: This is one of the biggest drawbacks that XGIMI must fix. It seems odd that the company offers an Android-powered smart projector that has YouTube, Chrome web browser, Google Translate, and the Google search engine but doesn’t include Google Play or Google Play Services.
  • Water and dust resistance: Water and dust protection would make the smart projector more kid-friendly.

Final Thoughts

 

The XGIMI CC Aurora deems the smart projector to be an all-in-one substitute for TV, music player, Bluetooth speaker, computer, tablet, and smartphone. As an ambitious device that looks to supplant all others in the coming years, the CC Aurora must do more to meet the needs of consumers who might expect a “galaxy” device for $600.

The nature of the smart projector creates the “everything” problem. If a product promises to be “several devices into one,” then the product must make good on that claim. The CC Aurora fails on some important fronts, and this must change if XGIMI has ambitions to corner the American smart projector market.

How to enable the swipe gesture navigation in Android P

AndroidGuys
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Among all of the great things introduced in Android P at yesterday’s Google I/O, the swipe navigation was perhaps the most exciting. Internally, at least, it was one of the changes which had us anxious to try out. So we did.

We installed the Android P beta on our Pixel 2 and started kicking the tires. Interestingly enough, our navigation was the same as before, even after the update. Indeed, the swipe gesture was not enabled by default. Not to worry, though, it’s quite easy to turn it on.

Don’t Miss!

If you’re just getting started with a Pixel 2 or Pixel XL 2, you might not be familiar with some of the customization and tweaks at your disposal. For more seasoned and savvy users, you might know where to look first. The option is, logically, found tucked away with other gestures.

Traditional navigation (left) and Android P swipe (right)

Here’s how to enable the swipe gesture navigation in Android P beta (on a Google Pixel 2). Note that if you are using a different device, it might be a little different.

How To

  • Open Settings
  • Tap on “System”
  • Tap on “Gestures”
  • Tap on “Swipe up on Home button”
  • Enjoy!

How to speed up and customize your Google Pixel 2

Here are the devices that support the Android P Beta Program

Andrew Myrick
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During the Google I/O 2018 Keynote, the company announced that Android P would be coming to new devices through a beta program. With the update to Developer Preview 2, there is a slew of new features.

New Android P Beta

These features range from new system-wide gestures, machine learning enhancements, and more. However, the fun didn’t stop there as Google made a rather surprising announcement.

READ MORE: What’s new in Android P

For the last few years, the beta program for new Android versions has been limited to Google’s Nexus or Pixel devices. That has all changed as an array of OEM’s have partnered with Google for the Android P beta.

Here’s a list of all of the devices:

As you can see, there are some popular devices on this list, along with a rather curious one. The OnePlus 6 has not even been announced yet but will take part in this beta program.

READ MORE: Everything we know about the OnePlus 6

The handset is slated to make its debut next week on May 16th. But OnePlus has already confirmed that owners of the device will be able to join the program the same day.

As you can expect, the process to join the beta program on other devices is not as simple. So in order to get the proper instructions, you’ll need to follow the links listed above for each device.

If you are able to join the beta program on your non-Pixel device, let us know how it’s running for you. Be sure to stay tuned to AndroidGuys as more announcements come from Google I/O 2018.

You can now buy movie tickets in Instagram

Alexandra Arici
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It’s no secret that Instagram is constantly adding new features in a bid to make the app more compelling to use.

Well starting this week, Instagram users will be given a new option and that is buying movie tickets without leaving the app. Both Fandango and Atom Tickets announced ticketing integration into Instagram.

A new “Buy Tickets” button is now available when you visit Fandango’s and Atom Tickets’ Instagram profile. Additionally, the latter also gets an additional “Shop” button that will allow users to check out movie merchandise directly from Instagram.

Instagram aims to become a shopping app?

Clicking on Buy Tickets will open up the Fandango or Atom Tickets’ homepage within Instagram. From there you can quickly book the desired movie, reserve the seats and even buy your favorite popcorn in advance.

To clarify, Instagram does include featured ads that users can tap and purchase items. But the new initiative with Fandango and Atom Tickets is housed entirely on the company’s profile page. So it’s not a sponsored Instagram post.

The new integrations are a continuation of Instagram introducing native shopping and appointment booking over the past year. For example, retailer Kate Spade New York has been using shopping on Instagram since November with great results.

Now Fandango and Atom Tickets are making it easier for Instagram fans to purchase movie tickets from their favorite app.

In related news, Instagram earlier this month announced a host of new features which will be coming to the platform soon.

For example, the app is gearing up to roll out a much-requested fan feature, video chat. The feature will allow users to enhance in real-time video chats in a small group or one-on-one.

On top of that, Instagram wants to help users discover things more easily. With this in mind, it will soon roll out a redesigned Explore interface, which will be organized into topic channels. This way you will be able to explore your favorite topics unhindered.

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