Android Phone Fans
Android Phone Fans |
- Google Search knows when and where you’re traveling, can help you find stuff to do around your hotel
- Link Bubble 1.3.0 update brings Android Wear support, Pro version now 50% off
- Instagram launches Snapchat-like Bolt in select countries
- 5 hilarious Android phone pranks that are completely harmless [VIDEO]
- Android Deals: Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 for $279, super savings on super hero movies, and more
- Google issues patch for Android’s Fake ID vulnerability to AOSP and OEMs
- Blackberry no longer wants to force their awful UI down our throats
- SwiftKey update fixes bugs, introduces new themes, discount on theme packs, and more
- Dead Zebra’s Heroes and Villains 2 Android collectibles now available for $40
- Swappa adds support for buying, selling and trading Google Glass, but will Google allow it?
- NPR One app brings public access radio right to your phone
- NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet begins shipping in the US and Canada today
- Reddit News beta update shows early hint of Material Design
| Google Search knows when and where you’re traveling, can help you find stuff to do around your hotel Posted: 29 Jul 2014 06:07 PM PDT It’s not too far a stretch to say that Google — and by extension, every one of their services — is getting smarter everyday. With all the information Google has at their disposal, whether it be what we’re searching for online, or what we +1 on Google+, this latest update shouldn’t be all that surprising (but helpful none the less). Like the eye of Sauron, Google is now leverage their vast knowledge of everything in our Gmail inbox to help better serve us while traveling. In a new update to Google Search, the app will now know when and where you’re staying based on hotel confirmations sent to your Gmail inbox. Speaking commands like “show me restaurants around my hotel” or “give me directions to my hotel from here” can pull up relevant results without ever having to enter the physical address of where you’re staying. It’s this kind of power that makes Google Play Services absolutely indispensable on our Android devices. Because this appears to have been a backend update, there wont be any need to update the Google Search app from the Play Store. Too bad, we know how much you love those staged rollouts. ;) |
| Link Bubble 1.3.0 update brings Android Wear support, Pro version now 50% off Posted: 29 Jul 2014 04:12 PM PDT Link Bubble is one of the best apps to happen to Android in a long time and today, a new update is adding some fun new functionality to the app. Android Wear users (or future ones) will be happy to find the popup web browser now supports Android Wear in version 1.3.0 — but not exactly how you’d think. Link Bubble has no intention of offering a full web browsing experience on wearables. Instead — once it’s been enabled in the app’s settings — Link Bubble will merely skim out the necessary text found in a webpage, displaying it as a handy little card on your smartwatch. It’s much the same way Android Wear handles lengthy emails. Link Bubble Android Wear cards only offer 2 actions with the ability to close the bubble (tab) on your phone, or open it. There are other improvements found in the update as well, items like enhanced notification controls (hide or collapse bubbles), better support for Android L Developer Preview, a weird new animation (we don’t like it), and an improved incognito mode. If this sounds like another great app you’d like to throw on your LG G Watch or Samsung Gear Live, you have yet another reason to buy: Link Bubble Pro is now 50% off for a limited time. Download links provided below. Link Bubble (Playboard) | Link Bubble (Play Store)
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| Instagram launches Snapchat-like Bolt in select countries Posted: 29 Jul 2014 02:06 PM PDT After leaking out ahead of time via an in-app banner ad, Facebook-owned Instagram is finally ready to reveal their latest project: Bolt. Joining the current trend in the plethora of mobile messaging apps already available, Bolt looks to take on heavy weights like Snapchat, while stealing the best ideas from apps like Taptalk. The app looks to offer a way for quickly messaging friends with photos without the down time. In fact, things are handled so quickly, the app effectively replaces the shutter button with the face of your friends you’d like to share a photo with. There’s no way to share the same photo with multiple people, meaning you’d have to snap a whole new picture using the in-app camera (no gallery uploads allowed). Video is done by simply holding on your friend’s face/shutter button. Once a received photo is viewed, it’s gone forever. One particularly neat feature is the ability to “undo” a sent photo by quickly shaking your phone after a photo has been taken. This should help avoid any embarrassment should you have accidentally tapped the wrong person’s face with your junk exposed. Also interesting is accounts use your actual phone number — not your Instagram or Facebook account — meaning you should be able to quickly access everyone in your contacts. The app is seeing an official soft launch today and where we’d like to offer you guys a hands on or images, unfortunately this release is only available to Singapore, South Africa, and New Zealand. Instagram says they want to make sure they can scale things accordingly in other parts of the globe first, where 65% of their user base currently resides. A few weeks back, we saw a survery showing only a very small percentage of Instagram users taking advantage of their newly rolled out Direct Messaging feature. We’re not sure how well everyone will take to Bolt (some companies are peeved about the name), but in the search for that next best thing, you can’t really fault them for trying.
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| 5 hilarious Android phone pranks that are completely harmless [VIDEO] Posted: 29 Jul 2014 01:32 PM PDT If you’re like me you find great joy in pulling pranks on your friends. When a perfectly planned and executed prank comes together it is a thing of beauty. Nowadays everyone is carrying a device that is chock full of pranking potential. Of course I’m talking about smartphones, in particular those running Android. The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination, but here are 5 of my favorites to get you started. Your friends and loved ones are now targets. The first step to any good phone prank is to find an unattended phone without a security lock. Let the pranking begin. Contacts SwitcherooOne of the oldest phone tricks in the book is a prank that I call Contacts Switcheroo. In this prank you will trick your target into calling or texting the wrong person. All you’re going to do is change the phone number of your target’s most used contact to someone they might not want to call or text. Here is one mischievous example that could prove to be very embarrassing to your target.
Now when your target goes to call or text their parents they will instead be talking to a friend. The real embarrassing results of this prank will come if your target does a lot of texting. They could accidentally send an embarrassing text to their friend, like “can you pick up some Pepto, I have diarrhea.” This is just one example of how you can use this prank. TalkBack and Big TextThis prank will drive your target crazy, and is hilarious for you to watch as it happens. Android has some very handy options for people with disabilities in the Accessibility settings. For the purpose of this prank we will be using these options to annoy your target. Every time your target touches something on the screen, or they get a notification, a voice will narrate it. On top of that we will also make all of the text gigantic. This is going to be great.
Now sit back and watch as your target tries to figure out how the heck to use their phone. Every single tap they make will be politely narrated for your enjoyment. *In order to navigate in TalkBack mode you will need to tap once to highlight and then double-tap to actually select something. To scroll you need to use two fingers. Cracked ScreenNothing is worse than cracking the screen on your smartphone. We can use the tragedy of a cracked screen to make an awesome prank. Next time your target so much as touches their device it will look like a nasty crack has ruined it. The best part about this prank is a simple app will do all the work for us.
Next time your target picks up their phone the screen will crack when they touch the screen. Explain to them that sometimes screens just randomly crack. There isn’t much they can do, but try shaking the phone. Fake Battery Charging AppsThe last two pranks work if you know someone who is extremely gullible or a young child. These two apps will make your target think they can charge their phone by simply setting it in the sun or shaking vigorously. Of course neither of these things will work, and your target will eventually realize that. With egg on their face. This prank is all about the set up and your ability to act. It works best if your target is already low on battery and they are complaining. Here’s what to do:
Google Play: Android Solar Charger | Shake to Charge The Android Solar Charger app will actually use the light sensor to show if the phone is in sunlight. After you install the app hand it back to your target and tell them to hold it up to the sun or a window. Watch as they see the bar go up and they begin to believe it is working. Try to stifle your laughter. The Shake to Charge app will show how much battery is currently available. Hand the phone back to your target so they can shake it. Once they start shaking the battery will animate to show that the device is charging. Sit back and watch them tire out and then check the real battery level to see it has not changed at all. Tell them to try harder. *** There is nothing better than a good prank. Hopefully this list will create an outbreak of Android pranking in your group of friends. Be sure to let us know if you successfully pull off one of these pranks. But remember, every good prank comes with retaliation. Watch your back. What is your favorite prank to use when someone leaves their phone unattended? Have you ever been pranked? Let us know! |
| Android Deals: Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 for $279, super savings on super hero movies, and more Posted: 29 Jul 2014 12:40 PM PDT If you're in the market for a new tablet, today's deals might be for you. The savings start with the Galaxy Tab Pro but they don't end there. Deals abound on plenty of apps and games as well as music and movies to help round out the month of July. Speaking of rounding out the month, you'll want to check back Friday as we've got some big news and even bigger deals coming your way in the very near future. For now, all deals below were active as of the time of posting. Act quickly, they won't last forever. Hardware & AccessoriesGet the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 for $279.99 at Best Buy, though you will have to make it all the way to checkout to reveal this deep discount. Normally priced around $329 for the 16GB WiFi-only model, this deal sees $50 knocked off the standard price. [Best Buy] Snag a refurbished ASUS MeMo Pad for $64.99 at Newegg. Not the most amazing tablet by any means, but it's a killer deal for this aging 7-inch Android slate. A savings of over 50%. [Newegg] Save $80 on Beats by Dre Wireless On-Ear headphones as part of eBay's Daily Deals. These headphones normally go for an asking price closer to $300, but now you can keep some cash in the wallet and still snag a pair of great sounding Bluetooth wireless headphones that pair perfectly with your Android smartphone. [eBay] Apps & GamesThe folks at Runtastic have knocked down the pricing on several of their fitness-oriented apps. If you are feeling a bit more sedentary, perhaps you can take advantage of great savings on KING OF FIGHTERS as wells as Sprinkle Islands. Apps
Games
Music & MediaGoogle has a solid selection of super hero flicks to help ease us out of ComicCon weekend. Also, there are some great deals to be had on classic albums at both Amazon and Google Play. Music Singles
Music Albums
Movies
TV Shows
[Find any great deals not included here? Be sure to send them our way or share in the comments below!] |
| Google issues patch for Android’s Fake ID vulnerability to AOSP and OEMs Posted: 29 Jul 2014 12:13 PM PDT Another day, another Android security scare so it seems. The latest comes by way of what researchers are calling the “Fake ID” exploit. The vulnerability — found in all Android devices since 2.1 — allows for malicious applications to bypass normal Android security by faking their secure IDs, giving them access to potentially sensitive data like user credentials, emails, payment history or anything else you’d like to keep away from prying eyes. How is this possible? It’s simply because Android fails to verify the validity of an app’s cryptographic signature, something the OS uses when deciding which special privileges to grant an app (like access to NFC or act as a plugin) allowing it to bypass normal Android sandboxing. Apparently KitKat has helped curb some of what this exploit allows, but it’s still left somewhat vulnerable. Upon hearing the news, Google was quick to respond to the issue and even though there hasn’t been any recorded incidences of the malicious apps actually attacking anyone’s devices, they thanked the folks at Bluebox Security for their findings. The good news? A patch has already been pushed to AOSP and sent to OEMs for them to apply as they deem fit. The bad news? There’s no telling how long something like that can take before it hits your T-Mobile G2X. Here’s the statement Google gave ArsTechnica:
In the meantime, you may want to exercise a little caution when downloading any “special” apps not found on the Google Play Store. |
| Blackberry no longer wants to force their awful UI down our throats Posted: 29 Jul 2014 11:51 AM PDT Never mind the notion that the Blackberry Messenger ship has failed — let’s talk about the fact that Blackberry tried so hard to force a user interface on us that didn’t feel like it belonged in the first place. Even if you still value BBM as a respectable messaging service, you probably have reservations about its UI. Their goal was to build an identity and brand with their BBOS user interface. Thankfully Blackberry seems to be taking a 360-degree turn and changing their ways. The company discussed the app at the Blackberry Security Summit this week, and when asked why Windows Phone received a “homely” UI compared to the BBOS-like clones on iOS and Android they responded by saying the latest changes in their vision prompted the need to create user interfaces native to each respective platform. “You can expect to see that manifest itself in our Android and iPhone BBM apps,” said president John Sims. It’s certainly a long time coming, and we can’t wait to see what they come up with. Unfortunately Blackberry didn’t give a time frame as to when these updates would be available, but we can tell you it can’t come soon enough. [via N4BB] |
| SwiftKey update fixes bugs, introduces new themes, discount on theme packs, and more Posted: 29 Jul 2014 10:22 AM PDT SwiftKey has long been our go-to keyboard for Android and ever since going free a few weeks back, it’s probably now yours too. Unfortunately, it seems something in the coding was causing SwiftKey to misbehave recently, with the app taking unusually long to load, occasional lag when typing, and/or causing excessive battery drain on some of our devices. Thankfully, the folks at SwiftKey are back today with an update that looks to address many of these issues, while bringing a few extra goodies along for the ride. SwiftKey Keyboard 5.0.2.4 update:
Users will find 5 new themes available in the SwiftKey theme store: Spotlight Purple, Edge Green, Pulse Yellow, Pulse Pink and Hazy Pink. Each are 99 cents each, but are included in various themes packs — all of which have been discounted to only $2 for a limited time (normally $3). Anyone looking to visit the Theme Store only need to long press the “123″ key on the keyboard and select “Themes.” SwiftKey promises that moving forward, performance will be their core focus and will continue improving speed and reliability for other devices in the future. If you recently stopped using the app because it wasn’t acting up on you, now would be a good time to revisit and take SwiftKey for another test run. It’s not like it’ll cost you anything. You can get SwiftKey 5.0.2.4 by visiting the link below to the Google Play Store. |
| Dead Zebra’s Heroes and Villains 2 Android collectibles now available for $40 Posted: 29 Jul 2014 10:01 AM PDT For many of the folks unlucky enough to miss the San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend — where you had a chance to buy figurines from Dead Zebra’s Heroes and Villains 2 collection — not all hope is lost. The company has put the figurines up for sale on their website. You’ll get 4 figurines — two villains and two heroes — for $40, each coming with its own window box so collectors won’t have to break that precious seal. Of course, these things are bound to fly off their warehouse shelves so they’re limiting purchases to 2 units per household. Featured in the set are four cheekily-themed characters:
Coders, rooters and Android geeks alike ought to get a kick out of those names and the villains they take their “inspiration” from. You can order a set from Dead Zebra’s site now if you’re interested, though we’re not sure how long stock will last so don’t wait too long. |
| Swappa adds support for buying, selling and trading Google Glass, but will Google allow it? Posted: 29 Jul 2014 09:18 AM PDT Looking to buy Google Glass off a bored developer or sell your unit for some needed cash? While going through eBay might have sufficed to this point, anyone who’s used the online marketplace knows dealing with their obnoxious fees and one-sided favoritism can be a pain. Thankfully Swappa has decided to step in and be a better middle man. The company has announced that you can now buy, sell and trade Google Glass through their website. Some folks have already started the FUD train, pointing to Google’s dreaded terms of service that state they prohibit unauthorized purchases of Google Glass, and that they reserve the right to deactivate the device, refuse warranty and refuse refunds and service for that particular unit. Here’s that line in full:
But that’s negated by a very comforting line from their Google Glass FAQ document:
So wipe that doubt right out of your morning and have a go. There are only two listings right now, with one going for $1110 dollars, and the other going for $1,300 — both are the upgraded 2GB editions. And if you are looking to sell yours instead you can head right here to get started. |
| NPR One app brings public access radio right to your phone Posted: 29 Jul 2014 07:49 AM PDT Public Access Radio fans have a new app to sink their teeth into: NPR has brought their NPR One app to Android. The app feeds you daily news stories from around the world and within your community. You can specify what your interests are and the app will deliver up audio broadcasts of all the stories you can handle. Here’s a quick look at its feature set:
And it’s all free, naturally, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t take this opportunity to feel more connected and aware of the world around you. The app requires Android 4.0 and higher, but as long as you have that then you’re good to go. Grab those headphones and dig in! |
| NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet begins shipping in the US and Canada today Posted: 29 Jul 2014 06:30 AM PDT Quick heads up to anyone who pre-ordered NVIDIA’s first Tegra K1 gaming tablet: the NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet (and the wireless controller that you can buy alongside it) ships starting today! It’s an 8-inch Full HD device with a processor that features a 192-core GPU capable of desktop PC-like graphics performance. Coming in at $299, the tablet doesn’t do anything out of this world in terms of features, but it does provide a pretty good suite of internals for the money. Highlights include up to 16GB of internal storage (32GB on the WiFi/LTE version), a 5 megapixel front camera, 2GB of RAM, WiFi N with MIMI 2×2, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS w/ GLONASS, HDMI for video out and more. It’s also compatible with a stylus for those who like to write and scribble to their heart’s content. An extra $60 gets you the SHIELD controller that links up to the tablet via direct WiFi for a smoother connection than typical Bluetooth-based controllers. Want one today? Amazon, Best Buy and NVIDIA’s own site have the goods. As for those who have already plopped their money down you should be on the lookout for tracking numbers and have a plan to hunt down the mailman in the coming days. Let us know if you’ll be getting one! |
| Reddit News beta update shows early hint of Material Design Posted: 29 Jul 2014 05:54 AM PDT
White space is used to its absolute best, rich and lush advanced animations are present throughout every corner of the app, and those buttons for navigating through cheeky Reddit comments and marking posts as favorites can be moved around to fit your style and needs. Being a beta, the app isn’t without its rough edges — that’s just a circumstance of early access to these things. Don’t fret if something isn’t working quite the way it should: simply post a note in the beta community here and make sure the developer knows about it so they can knock out all the kinks ahead of a stable launch. That’s what these things are for, after all. Want to give it a spin yourself? Join the community and have a look at the About Community section on the right hand side. You’ll see handy links to opt into the Reddit News beta on either the free or paid version. The update might not make it to your phone immediately if you weren’t previously opted into the beta, so give it a few hours and it should be on its way shortly. Watch the quick video preview above to get a taste of what you’re in store for. |
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