AndroidGuys

ZTE Quartz smartwatch with Android Wear 2.0 coming soon

News

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February 8, 2017

According to the rumor mill, later today we expect LG to launch two new Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches in the form of the LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style.

But if for some reason you don’t like LG, the good news is that we’re probably going to see plenty of Android Wear 2.0 watches make a debut in the upcoming months. And one of them will come with ZTE.

According to marketing material obtained by Venture Beat, it appears ZTE is gearing up to launch its first Android Wear (2.0) watch called Quartz. If you are a fan of ZTE, you might remember the company offered a Quartz smartphone at some point in the past. But whether the two devices are related somehow it’s currently still a mystery.

For the time being, we don’t have many details about the ZTE Quartz. However, we can tell you it will feature a circular display and will take advantage of 3G/LTE connectivity which means users will be able to receive phone calls right on their wrist.

It’s not the first time we’ve heard about ZTE’s Android Wear smartwatch, but now we’re able to get a glimpse of it.

In an interview, the company promised an intelligent timepiece equipped with advanced battery life that will be sold with one of the four major US carriers.

ZTE’s Axon smartwatch does not run Android Wear

In all possibility ZTE will probably bring the Quartz at MWC 2017 in Barcelona to showcase it, but it might take a while before customers will be able to purchase it. The watch in the leaked image shows the May 31 date, which makes us think the wearable won’t be made available immediately.

Speaking of MWC 2017, apart from the Quartz, ZTE might come to Barcelona to unveil a ground breaking “concept phone”. We don’t know much about it, but we certainly hope it will feature better specs than the experimental Hawkeye.

When and Where to Buy: Honor 6X

Featured

Alexandra Arici

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February 7, 2017

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The Honor 6X was launched in the US during CES 2017 in early January. The phone is a really decent mid-ranger made more appealing by the presence of a main dual-camera.

The device comes with a 5.5-inch with 1080 x 1920-pixel resolution and a Kirin 655 processor under the hood. The Honor 6X also features either 3GB with 32GB of internal storage (with microSD card slot for memory expansion up to 256GB)

The biggest selling point of the device is probably the main 12MP+2MP camera combo with phase detection autofocus, LED flash plus an 8MP selfie camera.

The Honor 6X lives off a non-removable 3,340 mAh battery and runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, but an update to Android 7.0 Nougat is planned for the first half of 2017.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Where to Buy” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center|color:%23d70060″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

[vc_cta h2=”Honor Official” h2_font_container=”color:%23444444″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal” shape=”square” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”Shop” btn_shape=”square” btn_i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-shopping-basket” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” btn_add_icon=”true” h2_link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.androidguys.com%2F2017%2F02%2F06%2Fgrab-the-honor-5x-for-only-1-and-more-valentines-day-flash-sale%2F|||” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fstore.hihonor.com%2Fus%2Fhonor-6x||target:%20_blank|”]The official Honor US website is offering the Honor 6X in Silver, Gray and Gold for $249.99. The smartphone comes with 1-year manufacturer warranty. To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Honor is hosting a promotion – so you’ll be able to get the phone at the mentioned price plus additional accessories.[/vc_cta][vc_cta h2=”Amazon” h2_font_container=”color:%23444444″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal” shape=”square” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”Shop” btn_shape=”square” btn_i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-shopping-basket” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” btn_add_icon=”true” h2_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHonor-6X-Unlocked-Smartphone-Gray%2Fdp%2FB01MT13NNB%3Fth%3D1||target:%20_blank|” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHonor-6X-Unlocked-Smartphone-Gray%2Fdp%2FB01MT13NNB%3Fth%3D1||target:%20_blank|”]Amazon sells the Honor 6X in Silver, Gray and Gold. The phones are sold with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage and come with an US warranty. The handset is compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile networks. You can pick it up for $249.99[/vc_cta][vc_cta h2=”Newegg” h2_font_container=”color:%23444444″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal” shape=”square” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”Shop” btn_shape=”square” btn_i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-shopping-basket” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” btn_add_icon=”true” h2_link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fpromotions.newegg.com%2Fhuawei%2F16-8995%2Findex.html%3Futm_medium%3DEmail%26utm_source%3DIGNEFL010617%26cm_mmc%3DEMC-IGNEFL010617-_-EMC-010617-T-_-Honor-_-LB0B||target:%20_blank|” btn_link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fpromotions.newegg.com%2Fhuawei%2F16-8995%2Findex.html%3Futm_medium%3DEmail%26utm_source%3DIGNEFL010617%26cm_mmc%3DEMC-IGNEFL010617-_-EMC-010617-T-_-Honor-_-LB0B||target:%20_blank|”]Newegg also has the Honor 6X up for sale in all color variants. You can grab it for $249.99 and add an additional 1 Year Accident Coverage Plan for an extra $25. The phone comes with US warranty and if you order the Gray version now, you can also grab a pair of free Nakamichi Noise Cancellation headphones.[/vc_cta][vc_cta h2=”B&H Photo Video” h2_font_container=”color:%23444444″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal” shape=”square” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”Shop” btn_shape=”square” btn_i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-shopping-basket” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” btn_add_icon=”true” h2_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1305569-REG%2Fhuawei_51091brm_honor_6x_bln_l24_32gb.html%2FBI%2F20229%2FKBID%2F14505||target:%20_blank|” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1305569-REG%2Fhuawei_51091brm_honor_6x_bln_l24_32gb.html||target:%20_blank|”]At B&H Photo Video the unlocked Honor 6X in Gray can be yours for $249. The Silver and Gold models are only available for pre-order for now, but you can request to recieve an alert when the model arrives in stock.[/vc_cta][vc_cta h2=”Best Buy” h2_font_container=”color:%23444444″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal” shape=”square” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”Shop” btn_shape=”square” btn_i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-shopping-basket” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” btn_add_icon=”true” h2_link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fhuawei-honor-6x-4g-lte-with-32gb-memory-cell-phone-unlocked-gray%2F5712450.p%3FskuId%3D5712450%20_blank||target:%20_blank|” btn_link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fhuawei-honor-6x-4g-lte-with-32gb-memory-cell-phone-unlocked-gray%2F5712450.p%3FskuId%3D5712450||target:%20_blank|”]Best Buy offers the Honor 6X in all three color versions for $249.99. The unlocked phone can be also be paired with 1-Year Accidental Greek Squad Protection for $59.99.[/vc_cta]

HTC and Verizon supposedly ready to start testing Snapdragon 835 flagship

News

Alexandra Arici

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February 7, 2017

0

While yesterday’s leaked screenshot depicting the About Phone section on an alleged HTC 11 phone was a fake, it still doesn’t change the fact that HTC has indeed plans to deliver a Snapdragon 835 chipset-powered smartphone at some point in time.

In a recent interview, the company’s President of Smartphones and Connected Devices, Chialin Chang revealed some information about the upcoming flagship:

“Every time there is a brand new CPU with power that we can leverage, we’re always at the forefront doing that. Some people are talking about the timing [of HTC U Ultra’s release] but timing was determined 9 months ago. This is the best CPU out there. When the next flagship CPU comes, HTC will be one of the very first tier doing that.

When we will look back, it will be clear why HTC introduced [the HTC U Ultra] We want to have a couple of months of leadership before the next flagship CPU comes. But that will be in another period of time- not at MWC. Not for us or any other player. I can tell you that for sure. When the new CPU comes, HTC will have another flagship.”

We’ve previously told you Samsung has taken monopoly of the initial batch of Snapdragon 835 chipsets which will be going into the Galaxy S8. But once the Samsung flagship launches, the Snapdragon 835 will start becoming available to other manufacturers.

When this will happen, as mister Chialin Chang said, HTC plans to be among the first Android OEMs to offer a flagship taking advantage of the new Snapdragon 835.

Now according to a report from HTC Source, it seems that HTC is already taking some steps into this direction. According to an insider source, HTC is ready to begin testing of its upcoming premium handset on the Verizon network.

So predictions that HTC will not be launching another flagship product on the US market don’t seem to be holding up.

Going back to the upcoming Snapdragon 835-powered HTC device, we’re also told the phone might come equipped with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage and a dual camera setup composed of 24MP and 13MP sensors on the back plus a hefty 16MP selfie shooter (just like the OnePlus 3T has). A fingerprint scanner should sit on the back.

The source didn’t reveal any information about how HTC plans to call the device. We have to assume it’s either going to be HTC 11 or it will be launched under the new HTC U brand.

ZTE Axon 7 gains Daydream View support, Caller ID and call blocking feats

News

Alexandra Arici

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February 7, 2017

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Owners of the ZTE Axon 7 smartphone rejoice, as today is announcing itself to be a very good day for you.

The ZTE Axon 7 is finally getting the Android 7.0 Nougat update, a bit late – but better late than never, right? The new build brings users the option of multi-tasking on their device (running two apps at the same time on the display), improved battery, a brand set of emojis plus camera RAW added to Manual Mode and Enhanced Auto-Focus for camera.

Oh and the best part is that the Axon 7 is now officially Daydream View compatible. There aren’t many handsets out there that have earned Google’s blessing but the Axon 7 is one of them. Others members of this select club are the Pixels, the Moto Z, ASUS ZenFone AR and Huawei’s Mate 9 Pro and Mate 9 Porsche Design.

But wait that’s not all, ZTE is not done here. The company has announced that as of this week, Axon 7 users have access to a free and fully integrated called ID, spam detection and call blocking service. These featured are available to Axon 7 owners thanks to a new partnership with Hiya.

Hiya provides enhanced caller ID products and services designed improve phone experience. Now the ZTE phone will be able to access Hiya’s proprietary data set of 1.5 billion active mobile and landline phone numbers in order to detect unwanted scam calls via the auto-blocking feature. Users will also be allowed to block unwanted numbers.

ZTE claims it’s the first manufacturer to provide free caller ID and spam protection for users in the US. What do you say Axon 7 owners? Are you happy with the new changes?

Verizon offers free Daydream VR headsets to make up for tardy Pixel XL deliveries

News

Alexandra Arici

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February 7, 2017

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We’ve been telling you over the past few months that the 128GB Pixel XL proved to be quite popular with users everywhere. To the extent that it’s extremely hard to get your hands on 128GB Pixel XL these days.

We previously reported that customers who ordered a Pixel XL from Verizon in November will have to wait until March to see their smartphone arrive. But select users have already received theirs after months of waiting and are now being treated with a surprise.

Some people on Reddit are reporting to have received an unexpected gift. Apparently Verizon is trying to make up for the delay by offering customers free Daydream VR headsets.

“Ordered Pixel XL 128GB VS from VW.com on 11/24, actual ship date 1/21, just got a free Daydream View in the mail today!! Totally unexpected.”

Sanatik

When it launched, Google announced the Daydream VR headset will be sold for $79, but until February 25 interested parties can still pick it up for $49. Even if buying a Daydream won’t break your piggy bank, having the headset delivered to your doorstep free of charge – doesn’t sound too bad.

In the meantime, we don’t have any information about how a Pixel XL customer might get himself/herself on the list to receive a free Daydream VR headset. We suppose it wouldn’t hurt to call Verizon and let them know you’ve been waiting/are waiting for your Pixel XL for months.

For their part, Google and HTC are working hard to solve the demand issues and restock partners with Pixels as soon as possible.

Hopefully, the Pixel XL crisis will be resolved soon, as some third-party sellers have started taking advantage of the situation. Back in January we told you Amazon was selling the Pixel XL 128GB for a massive $1,518.

Lenovo Yoga A12 tablet offers the unique Halo keyboard on a budget

News

Alexandra Arici

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February 7, 2017

0

Remember the inventive Lenovo Yoga Book which was released last year? The hybrid device arrived with an innovating touch-sensitive surface instead of a physical keyboard that doubled as a digital sketchpad.

Well this week Lenovo has announced a more affordable variant with a slightly larger display called the Yoga A12. The Yoga Book took advantage of a 10.1-inch display, while the new comer features a 12.2-inch one and runs Android out of the box.

The Yoga A12 takes advantage of the futuristic Halo keyboard which is a flat, smooth surface that adapts to the user’s typing habits. But unlike the Yoga Book, the Yoga A12 doesn’t come with a pen or a digitzer pad, so you won’t be able to sketch on it.

The Halo keyboard learns and adapts to the user’s typing habits so the more you use it, the faster and accurate it becomes.

In the specs department, the Yoga A12 is pretty middle-range. The tablet features a 12.2-inch display with unimpressive 1,280 x 800 resolution. Under the hood lives an Intel Atom X5 processor working hand in hand with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

The new slate comes with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box – which in 2017 is pretty disappointing. We have no info whether the tablet will ever receive an update to Android 7.0 Nougat, but given Lenovo’s track record with updates we wouldn’t hold our breath.

Lenovo has embedded a huge 10,500 mAh battery under the hood fo the Yoga A12, so we’re promised a long life cycle of up to 13 hours on a single charge.

The Chinese device maker introduced the new device as an Android tablet made for productivity, hence it bundled it with a modified “multitasking hybrid UI” that makes the 12.2-inch slob more productive. Thanks to the 360-degree Yoga hinge, the A12 also adapts easily to activities throughout the day via four distinct modes of use: Laptop, Tablet, Tent, and Stand

Interested customers can pick up the magnesium/aluminum made tablet in Gunmetal Grey or Rose Gold for $299 a pop. The Yoga A12 will become available starting February 8 on Lenovo.com.

Changing your launcher is easier than you think [How-To]

Tips & Tools

AndroidGuys

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February 6, 2017

0

In case you are not aware, a launcher is essentially the “desktop” on your phone. Every phone comes with a launcher; Samsung, for example, uses their own TouchWiz launcher. If you read around the internet everyone has their own opinion about which launcher is the best, but that isn’t why we are here. The good news is there are a huge number of launchers available with tons of customization options to try and, better yet, it is much easier to do than you might think.

Step into the future:

The first thing you need to do is decide which launcher you want to use. Two very popular ones are Nova Launcher and Google Now Launcher.
Once you have decided on a launcher you will need to download it from the Google Play Store
Once the app is downloaded you will need to launch the settings app.
1. Open the app drawer and find settings, or
2. Pull down the top menu and tap on the gear in the corner
Inside the settings, tap on the apps option.
In the apps section tap on the gear or settings option in the lower left corner.
Tap the “Default app settings” option
Tap “Launcher” (could be labeled as Home) option
Select your desired launcher app.

Keep in mind this was created using Android 7. If you are running an older version of android your steps may change.

What launcher did you go with? Have you used launchers before reading this? Leave us a comment below and let us know.

NEV Privacy: Share your phone without worry (Review)

App & Game Reviews

AndroidGuys

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February 6, 2017

0

NEV Privacy is a security and privacy app for your phone that allows you to hide pictures, videos, and apps from prying eyes or would-be hackers.

Developer: Nevways
Cost: Free (With ads)

Impressions

Sharing your phone used to be a gamble, especially among nosey friends. They could rifle through your pictures or open your social media and post in your name, which can be disastrous for anyone.

Instead of clutching your phone like it’s the One Ring of Power, maybe consider some privacy protection through an app like NEV Privacy. It’s a simple, secure solution that doesn’t store your personal data outside the device, and keeps everything locked behind a password so you’re confident that those compromising photos from the Christmas party stay off Facebook forever.

NEV Privacy offers a suite of options for securing your photos and videos, as well as hiding and locking your apps so only you can access them. It’s easy to use and can grant you peace of mind when leaving your phone around or if it gets lost or stolen. Your photos and videos are hidden from access across your device, and can only be unlocked through the app and even if the app itself is uninstalled it takes the photos with it so you can be assured they won’t get around your locks that way.

NEV Privacy also has some customization options and convenience features to go along with its main function. A selection of custom themes is available to personalize your app interface and add some color. A nice, if seemingly unnecessary feature.

Also, there is a charging screen saver function that shows phone status while charging, a handy feature that is also a bit unnecessary seeing as many phones have a feature like that built in. It does show a few more stats than normal, like temperature and RAM usage but for most people, those are afterthoughts anyway.

As easy as NEV Privacy is to use, there are a few limitations that may be too much for some to consider it. As far as I can tell, you can only store 85 photos and only one video in the app, and there isn’t a premium version that I can find that increases this limit. This forces you to choose and manage your photos and videos carefully if there’s a large number of items you wish to secure. A minor issue for some, but for others, it could be a deal breaker.

Another issue I find with the app is the large amount of ads present. In the main app, setting side menu, on the login screen, the charging screen saver and also in a “Gift” tab on the main app screen there are ads present. It is a free app, but the ad presence is rather large considering this app isn’t something you’d need to open often.

Conclusion

Overall, I like NEV Privacy for the ease of use and the potential security it can provide. The options included and the extra features are a nice icing on the cake, but the ads and limited capacity for storage are definitely something to consider when looking into NEV Privacy. If you’re looking for a simple way to lock down your apps and photos then NEV Privacy is a solid choice.

Download NEV Privacy on the Google Play Store

Google Maps update makes it easier to get real-time traffic info

News

Alexandra Arici

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February 6, 2017

0

Google Maps just became better at helping you reach your destination, on time! Through today’s update, the app will be able to deliver more valuable information at the bottom of your home screen – in real time.

Swiping up now will reveal three tabs: one to help you find restaurants, one to beat traffic and one to catch the next bus.

Google wants to make sure you won’t go hungry. The Places Tab reveals all the “best dinners”, “cheap eats” or “business dining” around you or another location of your choosing. The listings are complete with pictures and description, so you know what to expect.

Tap on the search bar and you’ll also be able to start searching for ATMs, pharmacies, gas stations and grocery stores.

Google also wants to help you find the easiest route from work to home and vice-versa via the Driving tab. After you save your home and work address, the app will be able to show you real-time ETAs for your commutes and nearby traffic conditions reports and expected delays.

Last but not least, we find the Transit Tab. Once again you’ll need to have your work and home addresses saved in order to receive public transit info. Google will tell you which bus/train you can take to reach your destination and will also deliver public transit schedules and ETAs.

If you’re planning to go somewhere else, you should know the app offers info on individual stops as well, so you can plan your route ahead.

Google Maps was already able to deliver this info – but by bringing it to the forefront with the current update, Google is making sure users can take advantage of it more easily.

The update is currently available for Android users, but not for iOS ones.

Google Maps was already able to deliver this info – but by bringing it to the forefront with the current update, Google is making sure users can take advantage of it more easily.

Indulge yourself with this Superbowl 2017 tech commercial roundup

News

Alexandra Arici

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February 6, 2017

0

The Superbowl might be one of America’s most popular sporting events, but it’s also quite famous for commercials. Big shot companies compete to produce the wittiest, funniest or most interesting spots to be aired in between touchdowns and this year was no different.

We saw the Patriots win, but were also spectators to Google’s conservative Google Home commercial, T-Mobile’s funny ads (one of them featuring Snoop Dogg and Martha Steward) and much more. Now if you’ve missed the top tech ads for one reason or another, we’ve rounded them up for your viewing pleasure.

So we start off with some quality time with the Google Home connected speaker:

And here’s Google Home’s main commentator, the Amazon Echo:

T-Mobile had no more than 4 commercials during Superbowl breaks. In one of them stars Justin Bieber as a “celebration” expert. The video takes us on a tour of touchdown celebrations starting from the dawn of man.