Home Blog Page 969

NBA VR app launches as an exclusive to Google’s Daydream platform

Alexandra Arici
-
0

Google’s Daydream VR ecosystem just got a new addition. In a partnership with Google, the NBA recently announced its first virtual reality app.

With the NBA VR app installed users will be able to watch highlight videos from recent NBA games on a virtual big TV screen and view team statistics from games.

But wait that’s not all, the new NBA VR app also arrives with an original weekly interview series called House of Legends. The first episode of the series welcomes fans into a virtual sports lounge where ex-NBA player Robert Horry will be discussing a wide range of topics, all for your enjoyment. Future episodes will include players like Chauncey Billups, Baron Davis, Bruce Bowen or James Worthy.

The app is a Daydream exclusive, so if you’re the owner of a Samsung Gear VR headset you won’t be able to use it. NBA VR is currently available for users in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Germany.

The app is free to download and more 360-degree video content plus new episodes from the House of Legends will be added in the upcoming months.

Google’s Daydream platform is starting to get more and more populated. Back in December a few dozen compatible titles were introduced including HBO, Netflix, LEGO, EA, NextVR, Underworld Overlord and Layers of Fear: Solitude – to name a few.

Speaking of which NextVR can offer access to a live NBA game every week, but you will have to pay a pretty consistent fee of $199.

 

7 apps to help you look gorgeous on the cheap

Alexandra Arici
-
1

Want to look flawless on your next night out in town? You will need to invest in acquiring some decent makeup products and accessories. But as all lovers of beauty might know, buying makeup can get extremely expenses.

Luckily there are ways to buy these essential products at more affordable prices. Like constantly being on the lookout for deals and discounts. And your smartphone/tablet can easily be turned into the tool you need to hunt for these bargains. All you need to do is install the right apps and remember to check them on a regular basis.

And here’s a few applications for Android that might help you buy your high-end eyeshadow palettes at more acceptable rates:

Cute

Find the lipstick that will make you look super cute on your next date with the “Cute” app. Cute is a database of trending makeup and beauty products sold with discounts of 50% to 90% off. Beauty addicts can find anything from skin creams to makeup brushes. Cute works directly with manufacturers in order to make sure it delivers the best kind of discounts. You can download it for free.

Sephora

Sephora is one of the best known retailers that specializes in makeup products. So naturally there’s a dedicated application that lets you browse Sephora’s products from the comfort of your home.

The app includes a lot of useful features like allowing beauty trend followers to virtually try on products, get expert advice and access step-by-step makeover tutorials. But the reason we included the Sephora app in our list is that you’ll be able to get information about the latest product discounts in-shop and online.

Some Sephora products might be a bit too expensive, but if you regularly check the app you might find that the lipstick you set your eyes on is available with a discount.

Avon

Avon has been in the business of beauty products for more than 125 years. They offer anything from skin care products to makeup items and perfumes. And now it’s a lot easier to shop for your favorite Avon products. The catalogue is conveniently available at users’ fingertips, so they can shop for the latest products and deals on-the-go. You’ll get a wide range of products to choose from affordable prices – which is what Avon is best known for.

Think Dirty

We’re only listing this particular app because it is based on a great concept. Other than that, the app doesn’t work too well, so it does not come to highly recommended from the users who already tried it.

Think Dirty is not designed to offer information about deals and discounts, but it will still help you save money. Think Dirty was created to provide an easy way to learn about the potentially toxic ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products.

Users need to scan the product’s bar code in order to get the relevant info, but as it turns out the app doesn’t recognize most of the products although it boasts a database of 350,000+.

Once you have identified the product as safe, users can purchase from brand partners such as Amazon.com directly from the Think Dirty app.

So don’t spend your money on something just because it looks good in the commercial. Try and use the Think Dirty app to learn whether the desired item is made using potentially harmful ingredients. The concept is a good one, so hopefully the team behind the app will continue to update it.

Spurce

Once again you won’t find any deals here, but keeping your skin healthy might also require going to see the dermatologist once in a while. This app offers online consultations with board-certified US dermatologists. Embraced by the eruption on your face? You don’t have to go out, with Spurce you need only pay a $40 fee to get in touch with a dermatologist. This includes diagnosis, personalized treatment plan and 30 days follow-up messaging. Save money and time by using the online Spurce diagnostic tool.

YouCam Makeup

Not sure which make up products to buy? Avoid purchasing products you will end up never using by trying YouCam Makeup. Try different combination of colors and styles and see what fits and what doesn’t. Change eye shadow or lipstick color in an instant or add blush – all by virtue of a simple tap. Don’t spend money on something you’re not sure will look good on you. With this app you can give a certain look a go without having to take out your credit card.

Little

Pamper yourself a little bit with Little. The deal app offers spa and salon deals for those looking for an affordable hair treatment or full body massages. Just access the Spa & Salon section and check the available promotions. Then all you need to do is purchase and coupon and make an appointment.

 

Soundcast VG1- A little Bluetooth Speaker with real punch

Matt Adams
-
0

I love Bluetooth accessories. The Bluetooth standard is used in far different than it was originally developed for, but the result has been an array of mobile accessories that many of us would never have dreamed up a decade ago. Smart watches, alarms, headphones, earbuds, fitness trackers, speakers… All have been adopted into our daily lives. The search has turned from trying to find an accessory we can afford to finding the best accessory for our money. These accessories are so pervasive, where do you start your search?

Well, Soundcast recently sent over the VG1, a heavy-duty IP-rated Bluetooth speaker for us to take a look at in hopes we may agree its worth the $150 price tag.

When I took it out of the box, I was initially very impressed with the build quality of the speaker. It’s pretty heavy, but there’s a good reason for that. The body is made out of heavy-duty materials that will resist most falls.

The rubber body of the VG1 seems to be your standard hard, black rubber we’ve seen on many speakers that are designed to be used outdoors. The metallic looking grill is actually a hard plastic and I was pretty disappointed how the grill held up to my drop test. A drop from about five feet onto the corner of a wooden table left a pretty significant dent in the grill but did not damage the internals. Higher quality materials might have made the speaker a little heavier, but would pay off in the longer term health of the speaker.

That dent is ugly.

Disappointment over the grill aside, I did like the inclusion of a carabiner bar on the right side of the device. This allows you to easily hook your speaker onto your bag or your belt if you happen to be climbing and the solid construction of the bar means it’s going nowhere.

Another smart decision on the part of Soundcast is the inclusion of an IP rating on the VG1. The speaker is rated at IP67 which means the speaker is protected from harmful dust (6) and immersion in water up to 1 meter deep (about 3 feet) for up to 30 minutes. If you’re running to catch the bus while it’s pouring rain, you’re good, though I wouldn’t take it deep sea diving.

One of the biggest things that the VG1 has going in its favor is the small and angular design of its body. The speaker is just big enough to hold in one hand comfortably while the rubber body provides some decent grip. Soundcast is quick to point out that while the speaker is angular, it is important to keep the speaker on its feet. If you tip it back then the speaker “won’t produce the optimal listening experience”. The quality of the audio does drop when the speaker is put at an angle but nothing to write home about.

Don’t do this.

Speaking of audio quality, I was pretty pleased with what the Soundcast VG1 was able to produced based on the small body it’s housed in. Bass is about on par with other decently expensive speakers. It won’t blow you away and rattle your windows, but it does offer some really nice bass will make rock, rap, and EDM a pleasure. At higher volumes, the bass really kicks in and you can feel the backward-firing passive bass radiator really notch up and provide some awesome bass.

Where the VG1 really shines is in its clarity. The lows don’t step all over the mids, and the mids and highs are very well represented. Spoken word and instrumental shine here with this being the perfect speaker to listen to comedy albums or podcasts. I was really pleased that at higher volumes that the mids and especially the highs, maintained their integrity.

The VG1 has the ability to deliver that high audio quality partly due to high-quality parts, but also support for AAC and aptX codecs, but if you want true stereo audio, you can pair two VG1’s together. Now, that’s going to cost you about $300 and at that price, you may want to look at other options, but the ability to pair two speakers together is pretty enticing. Unfortunately, Soundcast only sent one speaker so I wasn’t able to try out this functionality.

All-in-all, I think the Soundcast VG1 is really an excellent speaker for the money you’re spending. It has all of the speakers you’d expect including Siri support (sorry, no Google Voice Search support), water resistance, and speaker phone, with the added ability to pair an extra speaker which most devices can’t do.

I would like to see the build quality be just slightly better to avoid those dented grills, but I can’t complain too much. My drop test is supposed to simulate the worst of what would be a “normal” drop and it survived up until that point. Still, I can’t get that dent out and it’s really bothering me.

Is the Soundcast VG1 worth your money? Yeah, I think it is. There are definitely other contenders out there that offer pretty enticing alternatives, but they generally cost anywhere between $50 to $150 more.

Project Fi subscribers will get LTE calls soon

Alexandra Arici
-
2

Are you a Project Fi subscriber? If that’s the case, we have a piece of good news we want to share with you. Google announced that for the past few weeks it has been testing Voice over LTE (VoLTE) calls for select users of Project Fi.

The most noticeable benefit consumers will experience with VoLTE is improved voice quality. On top of that users can expect to see faster mid-call data speeds and improved connection times.

It’s sounds all very promising, but there’s a few things that need to be taken into consideration. For starters, Project Fi relies on existing networks from Sprint, T-Mobile and US Cellular. Out of these three, only T-Mobile currently supports VoLTE.

So Google has been testing the feature for Project Fi subscribers that are located somewhere they can take advantage of the T-Mobile network.

Project Fi might come with its perks, but established carriers like AT&T and Verizon have been offering VoLTE for a while now, while Google is barely getting started. And not all its users will be able to take advantage of this feature. At least for the time being.

Google notes that users will be able to tell they are making a VoLTE calls because the signal indicator will continue to display LTE instead of H [HSPA] when making or receiving a call.

The search giant hasn’t pinpointed an exact date of when it plans to roll out LTE calling for its subscribers. But given that Sprint and US Cellular are also expected to make available VoLTE calling sometimes later in 2017, Google might put off the launch until then.

Vinci smart headphones put a Virtual Assistant on your head

Alexandra Arici
-
0

Virtual assistants are slowly becoming ubiquitous. You probably have one living in your phone, one on your desk (in your Google Home or Amazon Echo) and if you’re really fancy you might even have on hidden in your refrigerator.

But what if we told you that virtual assistants have also made it to headphones? Introducing the Vinci smart headphones – which offer an atypical mix of features borrowed from smartwatches, music players and phones.

The Vinci headphones are pretty sweet as they don’t need to be connected to a smartphone to be able to play your favorite music, act as an activity tracker, offer direction or read back text messages.

The headphones feature a touchscreen on one side which users need to use to set up the device. In order to ask the AI living inside a question, just tap and hold on the display and start talking. Or you can simply say “Hey Vinci”. You can ask it to play your favorite Linkin Park song, inquire about the weather or request to be told a joke.

Vinci also features dual-mic noise reduction technology to filter out ambient noise, which improves its voice recognition features.

The more you use Vinci, the more it learns you habits and preferences (like any self-respecting virtual assistant, right?). So your intelligent companion will be able to pick out songs to match your pace and preferences.

While all this sounds quite good on paper, to me Vinci seems like you’d be walking around with a smartphone strapped to your head.

The touchscreen on the side even features an audio visualizer (the default one features a circle of dots that flows with the music) that reacts to the music you’re playing. So basically you’ll be putting on a show for onlookers. The benefits of that? I’m not really sure. Maybe the visualizer might encourage others to start talking to you.

But if you’re open minded about new technology, the Vinci intelligent headphones are up on Indiegogo. The Early Bird bundle comes with a $129 price tag. For this amount of money, you will receive one pair of Vinci headphones in Black/White/Silver/Red or Lime Yellow. Estimated delivery date is listed as April 2017.

Congressman requests investigation into why Donald Trump is still using his Galaxy S3

Alexandra Arici
-
4

Last month we told you that before his official inauguration, President Donald Trump traded in his unsecure Android device for a locked-down, secure device which was approved by the Secret Services.

But as it turns out, President Trump continued to hold on to its trusty Android handset, which according to a body of evidence appears to be a Samsung Galaxy S3. Trump uses the phone mainly to post on Twitter, a pass-time activity he seems to be very fond of.

However, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is almost five years-old which means it is no longer getting updates of any kind. This makes the device pretty unsafe to use, which raises a lot of security concerns.

Trump is still devout to his Galaxy S3

That’s why a US Congressman has requested the US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to investigate the matter. A Democrat from California, Congressman Ted Lieu has sent out a letter which was also signed by fourteen other Congressmen.

In it, mister Lieu states that “the use of an unsecure phone risks the President of the United States being monitored by foreign or domestic adversaries, many of whom would be happy to hijack the President’s prized Twitter account causing disastrous consequences for global stability.”

Congressman deems Galaxy S3 unsecure

More particularly, Lieu wants to know if Trump is actively using his Android handset and if is how it is being used and whether or not he is actively being monitored. Additionally, Lieu also wants to investigate the administration of insecure email accounts.

This will certainly not be the last time we’ll be hearing about Trump’s unreliable but beloved Galaxy S3 handset. Last week, Democrat Sens. Tom Carper and Claire McCaskill sent a letter to Secretary of Defense, James Mattis asking to know whether the President was using a secure phone to place phone calls and Tweet.  What’s keeping Trump from upgrading to a newer Galaxy S7? We might never know.

The Mophie Power Capsule ensures your Bluetooth headphones are protected and charged

AG Deals Team
-
0

We’ve all been there before. You’re either at the gym or out and about listening to your favorite music with your Bluetooth headphones, and then suddenly the music stops. Crap. You forgot to charge your headphones or thought there was more juice left.

One option is that you could pack a portable charger in your gym bag or plug them into your car charger. But that doesn’t help keep your expensive headphones protected. That’s where the Mophie Power Capsule comes into play.

Design:

Mophie is well known for providing some of the best high-quality portable chargers for numerous devices, whether they are cases or the good ole’ charging blocks. The Power Capsule is a bit different as it provides a case for your headphones, while making sure that you can charge your headphones or fitness trackers on the go.

As a fan of high-quality products, I became more and more enamored with the Power Capsule as I used it. The matte feeling on the outer casing makes for easy handling, and I have yet to have it slip from my hands.

Inside the zipper, the Capsule features the same matte texture, while providing enough room for your headphones to be plugged in. If you have a super long cable, like what’s found on the Jaybird Freedom’s, you may run into some issues keeping everything contained. However, that wasn’t the case here with the Jaybird X3’s.

Looking at the bottom of the Power Capsule, you’ll see one button, along with 4 white LEDs. This will allow you to check out the remaining battery life on the charger, so you’ll know when you need to plug it in.

Of course, the Power Capsule won’t be able to withstand being driven over by a truck, however, it will withstand much of the day-to-day damage that our accessories receive. Meanwhile, it will do an excellent job at protecting your headphones or portable accessories while charging.

Battery Usage:

Packed into the Power Capsule is a 1,400mAh battery, which will charge your devices via the built-in USB charger. Now, if you look past your Bluetooth headphones and focus on your fitness tracker, you may have some issues using the Power Capsule. This is because of the design, as you can plug in your USB cable, but are provided with a limited amount of space.

To put that 1,400mAh battery into perspective, let’s take a look at the battery of the Jaybird X3 Bluetooth headphones. I was able to charge the X3’s to 100% at least 3 times, with a little bit of battery left over. Of course, you can use an portable charger to do the same thing, but if you want to keep your Bluetooth headphones protected, the Power Capsule is the best option.

Once the 1,400mAh battery has been drained in the Power Capsule, you’ll need to recharge it. That’s where the built-in microUSB charger comes into play. This is placed on the side of the outer case, and can recharge in about about an hour or so.

Overview:

If I’m honest, I never knew there was an accessory which would double as a case for either fitness tracker, smartwatch, or Bluetooth headphones. So needless to say, I’ve been rather impressed with this little charging case. If you’re like me and do a fair amount of traveling and don’t want to risk ruining your headphones, the Mophie Power Capsule will be your best option, hands down.

If you’re looking for something to keep your Bluetooth headphones or wearables protected while charging, you won’t have to worry about breaking the bank. The Mophie Power Capsule is just $40 from Amazon with free Prime shipping.

ZTE Hawkeye might swap the Snapdragon 625 for the Snapdragon 835

Alexandra Arici
-
0

ZTE’s Hawkeye smartphone was born out of a daring idea – ask the community to come up with an atypical phone prototype and then make it happen. ZTE even asked fans to help name the device, but when the company finally announced the handset the masses were gravely disappointed.

But what happened? The eye-tracking, self-adhesive phone’s specs were only middle-range and as it turns out the community expected more – it expected a flagship device.

Hence ZTE’s Hawkeye Kickstarter campaign proved quite disastrous. Now according to new information coming our way via Engadget, ZTE has finally admitted defeat and cancelled the campaign for its $199 handset.

The company’s CEO, Jeff Yee explained ZTE took the decision to make the Hawkeye a mid-range affair, so the phone could become available to a wider audience. But the company is only now discovering what the community truly wants.

It’s a bit puzzling that ZTE didn’t think to poll users on Hawkeye’s specifications before making the announcement, when it did about (almost) everything else. Yee now says users still seem to be interested in the device’s main features – which can only mean self-adhesion and eye-tracking – so the company hopes to be able to release it on the market until the end of the year.

Here are the Hawkeye’s current specs:

  • OS: Android 7 Nougat with OTA updates
  • CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (Octa-core 2.0GHz)
  • Display: 5.5″ FHD 1920 x 1080 resolution
  • Camera (Rear): Dual Lens 13MP + 12MP with optical zoom and OIS
  • Camera (Front): 8MP
  • Memory: 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM (expandable with additional 256GB microSD)
  • SIM: Dual SIM slot
  • GSM: 850/1900/900/1800
  • UMTS/HSPA: 850/1900/AWS/2100
  • LTE: B2/B4/B5/B7/B12/B13/B66 CAT6
  • Battery: 3000 mAh
  • WIFI 802.11 b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz/5GHz • BT4.2 / HFP1.6
  • Other Features: Fingerprint sensor, Senseye Hi-Fi audio, NFC, USB Type C, Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, Voice Navigation

For the time being, ZTE is talking to fans so it can get a better idea of their expectations, but so far it seems the Hawkeye will get at least a Snapdragon 820, if not a Snapdragon 835. The latter option would be a better idea, especially if ZTE plans to postpone the launch of the phone for later in 2017.

So far 47% of the users taking the poll on ZTE’s website have voted for a Snapdragon 835 processor, while 19% said the OS should be Stock Android with added software for eye tracking.

Would you consider the ZTE Hawkeye if it were launched as a premium device?

Android Auto: A driver’s dream app

AndroidGuys
-
8

Overview:

Android Auto is an app that enables “driving mode” for your android device, simplifying the UI and granting quick and easy access to music, maps, and phone functions so you’re not distracted swapping apps while driving.

Developer: Google Inc.

Cost: Free

Impressions:

Driving while distracted is very dangerous, no doubt about that. However, life doesn’t stop just because you’re in the car, calls, texts, and tons of other messages on your phone will come through regardless. So, instead of reaching for your phone and fumbling through those apps, endangering yourself and others, use Android Auto instead. Phone calls, GPS, text messages, and music control are all displayed on the app in a simplified and intuitive UI that reduces the time spent looking at the screen and allows you to focus on driving while still being connected to your phone.

Android Auto is probably most popular as a built-in feature on many new cars today, where you just plug in your compatible phone and the car’s infotainment system is converted to Android Auto, with your phone as the car’s UI. Recently, Google has made Android Auto a standalone app on the Play Store, allowing those of us with older cars or those who are unwilling to splurge on a new Android Auto-enabled head unit to gain access to the experience. The app on your phone is identical to the in-car equivalent, with the simple unified UI and voice and touch controls. Auto makes using your phone while driving a dream, allowing you to control phone calls, Google Maps directions and music playback from any app without fumbling with the main app versions. The home screen for Auto provides a “recents” list of calls, locations, and music you were using last, for quick access. The app has three sections for each of the main functions, and a sub-menu for each one for more options in each. It’s an easy to navigate and elegant solution for those of us who juggle multiple apps on long car trips.

Android Auto is also fully voice-controllable, allowing full hands-free control using the familiar “OK, Google” commands. My favorite feature is voice texting; Text messages are read aloud to you, and you can reply using your voice or set a “driving mode” auto response. Speech detection is excellent, as long as you speak clearly, and I’ve had zero issues with my dictated messages so far in my weeks of use. Voice control also works for music playback, simply request an artist or playlist and it’ll queue right up.

There are a few quality-of-life settings in the app that make the transition to Auto really easy, including auto-on for Bluetooth connection so when you connect to your car’s Bluetooth the app will launch. Also, “wi-fi suspend” mode will disable wi-fi while in the car so you don’t have to worry about wasting battery searching for signal. You can also choose to keep the screen always on, so you don’t have to worry about sleep mode during a long trip. These settings make it a rather seamless transition when getting in and out of the car.

Conclusion:

Android Auto is a very solid experience and I’ve had very few problems with it in my time using it. I do wish there was a way to get some more in-depth control of the music app for selecting a specific song in a playlist without having to search through the queue but I suppose that it’s better that I look at the road rather than my phone. Also, Android Auto is really best used with a phone mount in your car, so there is that additional cost for the best experience.

Besides that, Android Auto is an excellent app that I would recommend to everyone for driving. The convenience and added safety it gives you are second to none and if you are a heavy phone user in the car you really can’t afford to not use this app.

Download Android Auto from the Google Play Store

Help Google deliver a better Pixel this year

Alexandra Arici
-
2

The Google Pixel is unarguably one of the best phones of 2016/2017. But in a few months Google will roll out the next-gen Pixel and the company wants to make sure it will be able to truly deliver the phone of your dreams.

Now product lead for the Pixel, mister Krishna Kumar is asking Pixel owners for feedback regarding the phone. The thread is open in the Pixel User Community:

“What do you like about the design? What do you hate about it? What did we get right? What would you like to see us improve?”

It’s the chance Pixel users have been waiting for to speak their minds.

One aspect the Pixel didn’t wow us with was design. With more and more phones sporting so-called edge-to-edge displays, the Pixel’s bezels looked pretty chunky in comparison. So naturally the majority of users responding to the query have requested smaller bezels, as well as front-facing speakers and water-resistance.

Users have also asked Google to find ways to be able to meet demand in 2017. Some models of the Pixel XL, especially the 128GB version have been incredibly hard to find. Some third-party resellers (including Amazon) have taken advantage of the situation by attempting to sell Pixel XL models with 128GB at almost double the cost.

Anyway, if you too have some ideas of how Google can make the Pixel better, head on to the forums and speak your mind.

Rumors about the Pixel 2 have already appeared online indicating the phone will indeed be waterproof. We’re also told a more affordable Pixel 2B variant might also be in the cards this year.

1...968969970...1,315Page 969 of 1,315