Subscribe:

Ads 468x60px

Labels

Swipify simplifies switching between apps on Android Wear

Smartwatches have definitely made our digital lives more interesting, and maybe at times, simpler. However, it still has many limitations in terms of both hardware and software, so for now, it’s up to app developers to enhance how we’ll be able to use those devices. One such app is Swipify, which makes it easier to launch and switch between apps on the Android Wear platform.



The App Switcher allows you to easily go from one running app to another from anywhere when inside the Android Wear system. Right now, there is no easy way to do so whether through a button or through the built-in settings. With Swipify, all you have to do to switch between apps is to swipe from the right edge of the screen wherever you are on your smartwatch. You can also change your swipe edge position, either just the top edge or full edge if you want.


Meanwhile the App Launcher can start an app, again from anywhere in the system. To start the launcher, all you have to do is swipe from the left edge of the screen and it will show you a tray of the apps installed on your smartwatch. The app also has other functions like you can set it up that your watch screen is always on (if battery drainage is no problem for you). It can also give you quick access to changing some of your settings, like adjusting the watch’s brightness, checking your battery level and showing the RAM usage on your App Switcher screen.


Once you’ve downloaded the Swipify app from the Google Play Store on your Android smartphone, it will automatically install it to the smartwatch connected to your phone. Once installed, you need to launch the app from your smartwatch in order to be able to start using it. Swipify is still in beta version, so expect a few quick updates every now and then from the developer.


swipify8 swipify7 swipify6 swipify5 swipify4 swipify3 swipify2





Rovio shows Angry Birds Transformers teaser vid at Comic Con

The San Diego Comic Con is usually the territory for big game TV shows, movies and console games – that being said, the mobile gaming developers are usually pretty low key at the SDCC. Rovio is trying to change that, though, and did its job pretty awesomely by showing to the crowd a kick-ass Angry Birds Transformers teaser.



The game has been in development, with Rovio providing teasers as early as June – with the clever tag line “Birds disguised as robots in disguise.” There was no launch date announcement at the Comic Con, but this video is a sure hit with both Angry Birds fans and followers of the Transformers franchise. Take a look at the video below.




Pretty cool, huh? The game is still in the "coming soon" category, what with Rovio just recently updating their most of their Angry Birds platforms like Angry Birds Go and Angry Birds Star Wars. Rovio has even released a new game in Angry Birds Epic, so this Transformers mashup can take its time. There was a cursory mention at the Comic Con, though, of a whole new line of crossover toys. Can you imagine it now? Angry Birds and Transformers?


As with the Star Wars mashup, this would probably get eaten up by casual gamers young and old. The Transformers franchise is a pretty famous and profitable one, as proved by the movies. That is not to say that all things Transformers are always good, as proved by the movies – especially the latest one. But that aside, we will be waiting for this.





Ematic outs dual-core Kitkat tablet at low, low price point

How many tablets do you know of that can provide you a good Android 4.4 Kitkat performance for under USD$100? Not a lot, we know. But Ematic is trying to get to this specific market by launching the EGD172, a 7-inch tablet that has specs you’d probably expect from this price range – nothing to write home about, but enough to probably secure a place as a Kitkat tablet for emerging markets.



The specs are pretty straightforward – a 1.1Ghz dual-core processor with 512MB RAM and 8GB internal storage. That last part can be remedied by microSD expansion, but the main internals speak for themselves – this will be a tablet that can run most of your basic apps on Kitkat and then a little bit more. But do not expect buttery-smooth performance with specs like this.


In truth, the tablet probably isn’t intended for users who require high levels of performance from the tablet itself. The EGD172 will not put out sharp HD-quality graphics on an 800x480 resolution (although it can play those HD videos), but it will be able to connect to the internet and allow users to browse and communicate pretty easily using connectivity and communication apps like Skype, WeChat, Viber and the like. The unit has rear and front-facing cams just for this purpose (3MP and 2MP respectively).


ematic1 ematic4 ematic3 ematic2


There have been rumors that you can get this tablet for as low as USD$50 after rebates. We understand that this budget tablet is targeted at a very specific market to provide connectivity and entry level tablet usage at a very low price point – so we get that the specs allow you to do pretty much just that.


Thanks for the tip, Jennifer!





nowPaper 2.0 now has Muzei extension, new wallpapers

nowPaper, a wallpaper collection app, has announced the release of version 2.0, which now includes support for live wallpaper app Muzei, and a collection of new designs that have been inspired by the landscapes and cities from Google Now’s backgrounds. Your Android devices can now sport these amazing-looking designs on your home screen, and you can even set them to reflect the time of day.



The wallpapers were created by designer Alex Pasquarella and have been inspired by those lovely images you see when you open Google Now, featuring well-known landscapes and cityscapes from all around North America, like the Rocky Mountains, Grand Canyon, San Diego, Toronto and many more. Each place has four different papers, representing the different times of the day: dawn, day, dusk and night.


With the addition of a plug-in for Muzei, you’ll now be able to schedule the wallpapers to change depending on the time of day. You need to download both the Muzei and the nowPaper app so they will work together. To switch to the scheduled Google Now inspired wallpapers, you open muzei and then go to the customize menu. Choose the nowPaper extension and then go to the settings, where you can choose which location you want. You will be able to set the wallpapers at the following times: 6AM (dawn), 9AM (day), 6PM (dusk) and 9PM (night).


The designer is also allowing people to download the different design sets on his website. You can download Muzei for free on the Google Play Store, while nowPaper is available for just $0.99 there as well. Not a bad price to pay just to make your Android device look nicer four times a day.


rochesterbanner torontobanner tahoebanner sandiegobanner canyonsbanner conesusbanner rockymountainsbanner nowpaper2.0postscreenshotarray


SOURCE: Alex Pasquarella


Turning a Wall Into an Android "Touchscreen" With a Pocket Projector

Turning a Wall Into an Android "Touchscreen" With a Pocket Projector


Touchjet first showed off a concept version of its phablet-sized Touchpico projector at CES 2014. Now, the Android-powered Wi-Fi device is nearly ready for production. We got to play with a preproduction model at Gizmodo's office, ahead of the launch of TouchPico's crowdfunding campaign.


Read more...
















TWRP descends on LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live

Android Wear development, both mainstream and on the sidelines, seems to be well under way. After a strong influx of Android Wear apps on Google Play Store, the modding community is also stepping up its game, starting with the availability of TWRP recovery on two of the only Android Wear smartwatches in existence, the G Watch and Gear Live.



Those who are familiar with the whole custom ROM scene will know how a custom recovery such as TWRP is essential for flashing ROMs and other ZIP files, like for gaining root. That said, at the moment, there isn't much of that for TWRP to do since there is only one custom ROM in existence for the G Watch called Gohma and zero for the Samsung Gear Live. That said, a custom recovery is also required for certain other power user features, like making nandroid backups.


TWRP offers possibly one advantage to CWM, the other popular Android recovery, when it comes to smartwatches. One of TWRP's signature features is being touch-friendly, throwing out the need to fiddle with volume rocker buttons or capacitive buttons. Considering smartwatches don't haven any of those and in some instances might not even have a button at all, TWRP's feature definitely becomes an essential part of the recovery. That said, CWM also has a touch-enabled branch, but its interface is still largely text-based and developer Koushik "koush" Dutta isn't exactly keen on adding new features to CWM.


Android Wear is still in its infancy, but now we almost have all the needed pieces, including root, ROM, and now recovery, for mucking around with the platform. It will be interesting to see what the Android developer community comes up with in the near future to possibly extend Android Wear beyond the somewhat limited scope that Google has envisioned for it.


VIA: XDA





Samsung officially launches 7-inch Galaxy Tab Q in China

Ladies and gentlemen, we are now entering a time of unsurpassed phablet craziness and the push for bigger screens on devices as Samsung officially unveils a 7-inch (!!!) phablet in the Galaxy Tab Q. The device is officially under the “Tab” – which ostensibly pertains to tablets – family, but see here, the Galaxy Tab Q is also a phone! The device was launched in China this weekend.



Samsung is clearly pushing its own definition of what a phablet is – and yes, the company expects you to use this 7-inch beast as a phone. It has an earpiece and a built-in microphone, so we assume that Samsung wants you to bring this up to your face with your hand and make calls the standard way. We’re having doubts if we can.


tabQ_1a tabQ_4.jpg tabQ_3.jpg tabQ_2.jpg


This device was initially launched in South Korea as the Galaxy W, and now it’s hitting the stalls of stores in China with its 7-inch 1280x720 high definition TFT screen. Under the hood, it has an unnamed 1.2Ghz quad-core processor and a decent 1.5GB of RAM to push applications and pixels. It has an 8MP shooter and a 2MP front-facing cam. Notably, it has a 3200mAh battery to correctly power that gigantic HD screen.


tabQ_2.jpg


More importantly, the Galaxy Tab Q is 4G/LTE capable via a micro SIM card slot, which confirms that fact that it is indeed intended to function as a phone. The device is clothed in the same faux leather as the Galaxy Note 3, and while there is no info on internal storage capacity, the device is expandable to 64GB via microSD. There is also no info on what Android OS it will be carrying, but rumors say it would be Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Having renamed this for the China launch, there might be a possibility that the huge phablet will again be renamed when launched for other markets.


SOURCE: Samsung





Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)