We see a fair number of iTunes gift card deals around these parts, but discounts on Android app credit are basically nonexistent. Today though, Amazon is filling the void with $100 in Amazon Coins, valid for the purchase of apps and in-app purchases from the Android Appstore, for just $75.
Have you ever gone on a vacation on your own, was too embarrassed to ask strangers to take your pictures and so ended up with crappy selfie shots? Or are you tired of taking actual selfies with your friends because people are starting to call you the selfie queen? A new product is trying to solve all of the world’s selfie-related problems by creating something that we’ve probably thought of but never thought of actually creating: a magnetic monopod.
Monopods have been a very popular mobile phone accessory the past few months since the advent of the selfie culture. But GripSnap is a bit different as it is a portable but magnetic monopod that will supposedly stick to any metallic object like a lamppost, a fire hydrant, a street sign and even a car. As long as you have something metallic around you, then all you need to do is screw on your mobile device, stick it to the metal object and voila, strike a pose.
But wait, how will you be able to control the camera from afar. As with a lot of problems nowadays, the answer is simple: there’s an app for that. GripSnap can work with any camera timer apps like Camera+, CamMe, TimerCam, etc. There are even some that are voice and sound activated, like vapp, where all you need to do is clap your hands for the smartphone to take your picture (Of course, sometimes you’d look a bit silly doing it, but hey, it’s for a nice picture!)
GripSnap works not just with mobile phones, but also with small point and shoot cameras and GoPros. So if you think this is something you can get behind (or, in front of) , then you still have 40 days to support this Kickstarter project. They’ve already gotten 60% of their target $16,000 and are planning to start shipping by fall.
SOURCE: Kickstarter
Wireless charging, once seen simply as an eccentricity, is becoming more common as more devices and accessories advertise the feature. Taking the widely-used Qi standard to the next level, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) revealed what's in store in the upcoming version 1.2 of the specification: resonant charging or the ability to charge a device without having it lie directly on the charging plate.
The current Qi v1.1 specification only has support for a gap of 5 to 7 mm between the power transmitter, like a charging pad, and the receiver, like a smartphone. The WPC, however, believes there is definitely room for improvement and so has invested in resonant inductive technology to take wireless charging even further, literally. Last month, the WPC met at Leeuwarden to give an update on the planned v1.2 of the specification and the results they are now sharing are quite impressive. Regular v1.1 receivers are now able to extended the charging distance from 7 mm to 30 mm. But with v1.2 prototypes, it can be extended even further to 45 mm.
Before you write this off as a minor improvement or a simple gimmick, imagine the implications of this distant charging. The first is that wireless chargers will no longer be limited to the present forms they take today, basically flat or inclined plates that require users to place their devices directly on the surface. Now power transmitters can be embedded deeper into everyday household objects, like furniture, desks, and other structures. Second, charging multiple devices will also be easier. Qi v1.1 actually already supports charing multiple devices at the same time but, given the spatial restrictions above, it is hardly ideal, practical, or cheap. In v1.2, a single transmitter can charge multiple devices no matter where they are placed, as long as they are within a 45 mm radius.
Users and manufacturers of current Qi-compatible devices and accessories need not worry about the new spec, as the WPC is making sure that both versions will be compatible with each other. That is, a v1.1 receiver can be charged on a v1.2 transmitter, and a v1.2 receiver can be charged on a v1.1 trasnmitter, albeit withouth the maximum benefits of the new distance. It almost does sound like a dream come true, except that the WPC will still need to actually finalize this new version of the specification before manufacturers can even start applying it to products that we can all actually buy.
SOURCE: Wireless Power Consortium (1), (PDF)
Let the guessing game begin! Over at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Motorola has filed for a trademark for a certain "Moto Maxx" name. Though the exact nature of the device is still unknown, the name has usually been applied to a smartphone. But what kind of smartphone will bear this already familiar brand?
This new-old name is actually a bit amusing, as it mixes up two of Motorola's smartphone lines. The "Moto" part has recently been reserved for Motorola's most recent standard bearers: the talented Moto X, the budget Moto G, and the "feature phone" Moto E. On the other hand, Motorola has this whole other world of Android devices with the DROID prefix, exclusive to Verizon's catalog. This includes, of course, the DROID MAXX and the DROID RAZR MAXX (HD).
That DROID line and particular the MAXX models have been known for their bigger than normal battery capacities. The DROID RAZR MAXX HD, for example, has a 3,300 mAh battery while the DROID MAXX has 3,500 mAh. The speculation is that this new Maxx will similarly brandish a long-lasting battery. The "Moto" part, on the other hand, could mean that this won't just be available from Verizon only and could be launched elsewhere too.
There seems to be many signs of activity from Motorola, but the company has been very silent about new devices. The Moto X is a year old now, uncontested in its position as flagship, a rare privilege for a smartphone in this day and age. There has been rumors of a Moto X+1 that has yet to materialize. And now we have this Moto Maxx trademark to stoke the fires. We could, however, be counting the days to Motorola's big announcement, if not this month, perhaps next at IFA in Berlin.
VIA: Droid Life
People who love word puzzles, are highly-competitive, and who have Android smartphones, listen up: Microsoft Studios has a new game especially for you. Snap Attack is the newest word-building tournament that doesn’t just let you prove that you’re a wordsmith that types fast but even lets you compete with people from around the world, who like you, would like to prove that they’re the best at this mobile game.
Snap Attack lets you play on one board with the same set of letter tiles and compete with players from around the world and see who can snap together the most words in two and a half minutes. You can rearrange and swap tiles out as many times as you want. The words can be read left to right or top to bottom and they of course have to be valid English ones to be able to get points. The more tiles you use to form a snap, the higher the points that you get.
After each round, the scores of all who joined in that board will be ranked and posted on a leaderboard, with the username and country of origin included. If you want to keep track of your scores and how you rank against others, you can sign in through Facebook or your Xbox account, if you have one. The app can also track your best statistics, like what was your highest score, your over-all points, what was your best Snap and other figures.
While some players are not that crazy about the 2.5 million points achievement goal, we’re pretty sure the more competitive ones will be dying to reach that level. So if you want to get addicted to another word game, you can download the app for free from the Google Play Store.
Chances are, most of the video that you consume everyday very rarely come from a real movie screen or an actual television. With video-streaming services (both legit and the spurious ones) available left and right and for all kinds of gadgets, you would of course prefer to be in control of what you consume. Hulu has been one of the pioneers in on-demand video and now, an update for its Android app is offering users a chance to sample some content for free.
With thousands of classic, past and current videos on their database, Hulu has a veritable banquet of content just waiting to be gobbled up by pop culture enthusiasts. Selected content from latest and past episodes of current TV shows showing on networks will be offered for free when you download the Hulu app on your Android smartphone or tablet. Some of the free content also comes from other Hulu channels like Originals, Anime, Kids, Latino and Movies.
Aside from watching on your device, you can also stream the content on to other connected devices like smart TVs, game consoles and streaming players. You can also cast the videos from your phone or tablet to the larger TV screen by using devices like Chromecast, Xbox One, PS3 and PS4. Just like other streaming services, you can favourite videos you want to watch later, and if ever you had to stop watching, you can resume from where you stopped later on.
If you’ve had your fill of free content and want to move on to binge-watching complete seasons of your favourite TV shows, you can easily upgrade to Hulu Plus for $7.99/month. However, Hulu still limits its availability to the United States, so if you’re outside the country, you’d have to be content with using other video-streaming services (hopefully, legit right?) You can download the Hulu app from the Google Play Store.
SOURCE: Hulu
August is here and that means ... starting the countdown to IFA 2014! Manufacturers are lining up to book their press events for one of the mobile world's biggest annual gatherings. Sony is definitely not going to pass up this occasion and has scheduled its conference well ahead of IFA week. Plus, a latecomer to this quarter's photo leaks. But is this the Xperia Z3 Compact or something totally different?
The rumored Xperia Z3 Compact is a rather curious device, if only for the fact that, if the device turns out to be real, Sony would have completely skipped one generation of "mini". However, considering how late it is already, it is almost more probable that an Xperia Z2 Compact will really never arrive. There have been various leaks, both of specs and photos, that point towards that possibility, but this new batch for the supposed upcoming compact flagship has us scratching our heads a bit.
The device showcased in this photoset does look small-ish, but some design details do not seem to match what we've seen before. The placement of the front-facing camera is different, for one, and the sides also look different. Could this simply be a variant or a completely different device altogether? It is possible though perhaps unlikely that Sony also modified the final design a bit. The specs that go with this leak are also quite different and almost sound to good to be true. The screen is a bit larger at 4.6 inches instead of 4.5, but the resolution is also considerably higher, jumping to 1080p from 720p. RAM has also been taken up a notch, now at 3 GB. These are definitely very high end specs, especially for a mini version of a flagship. Though considering how the Xperia Z1 Compact compares with other OEM's mini devices, it sounds almost plausible.
We might not have to wait too long to get the answers to all these questions. Sony has booked a September 3 event, most likely to reveal its second flagship for 2014, as well as, hopefully, this compact variant. Other awaited announcements include a next gen smartwatch. Maybe there's hope that this one will be using Android Wear, but that is quite unlikely as Sony has heavily invested on its own SmartWatch platform.