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Kindle app now has immersive mode,lockscreen audio playback

If you prefer the Amazon book ecosystem for your reading needs, the Kindle app is a pretty good reader to use for your Android devices. But you’ve probably wished at one point or another for bigger improvements to it, especially as compared to other reading apps like Google Books, Kobo, Aldiko, etc. The newest update to 4.6.0 now brings you some of the features you’ve always needed, particularly immersive mode and better controls on settings like brightness, orientation and audio playback.



When you’re reading an ebook, you sometimes get distracted by the other apps on your device clamouring for your attention. But with the new immersive mode, you now have the option to be unaware that there is someone mentioning you on your social networks and just concentrate on the murder-mystery story that you are reading. Controlling the orientation of your reader is also a pain at times, but this update to Kindle allows you to just tap on the bottom right corner to lock the screen’s orientation and not have you lose your concentration whenever you turn your phone or tablet.


When you’re playing an audiobook on Kindle while you’re doing other things, chances are your phone or tablet would go into lock screen mode. Now you can control the playback of the book even when your device is locked. Other changes in the updated Kindle app include easier controls for brightness through the reader settings, navigating the table of contents through the subchapters in your book and allowing it to pair with Bluetooth devices.


Amazon Kindle v6.0 is now ready to update on your devices. If you don’t have it yet on your smartphone or tablet, you can download it for free from the Google Play Store. The books of course are not for free (although some titles are available as free downloads) so you purchase the books through Amazon.


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LG G Pad 8.0 gets an LTE makeover

Trying to make headway in markets that tote LTE connectivity in every street and corner, LG is announcing a new LTE variant of the middle child of its new G Pad series. This G Pad 8.0 still carries the same goodness, or maybe lack thereof, of its vanilla counterpart, except now your Internet connection won't have to go away even if your WiFi does.



For all intents and purposes, this it the exact same G Pad 8.0, which means you get a 1280x800 8.0-inch IPS display, a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of internal storage. There's also a 5 megapixel rear camera and a 1.3 megapixel front shooter. The 4,200 mAh battery might be enough to get you through the day on the WiFi-only model, but the addition of LTE network support naturally translates to even more battery drain and a shorter time away from that wall socket.


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That said, you also get the same software features found on LG's G Pad series, some useful and some just icing on top. You have Knock Code unlocking gestures and Smart Keyboard input. QPair is definitely an interesting way to make and take calls as well as messages on the tablet itself, without having to pick up your phone. For the more frivolous uses of the tablet's cameras, you have Gesture Shot, which lets you activate a 3-second timer just by opening and clenching your fist, and Touch & Shot, which combines tap to focus and tap to shoot in one single tap.


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The LTE G Pad 8.0 will be available in black, white, luminous orange, and luminous blue flavors. The tablet will go live in key European markets next week, followed by Central and South America, Asia, and CIS territories in the coming weeks. No word on pricing yet or on availability in the US. That said, the LTE G Pad 7.0 landed on AT&T early this month and the older G Pad 8.3 also came by way of Verizon, so there is a good chance that this variant could also make its way to the country some time in the future.


SOURCE: LG





Google Update: G+ Chromecast support, minor tweaks

Ahead of Google’s normal update Wednesday, APKs of the updates to their first party apps have begun rolling in. Google+ has a pretty substantial update enabling Chromecast support while other Google products like YouTube, Chrome Beta and Google Search have gone through minor enhancements. They are not enough to warrant major announcements probably, but of course we still need to be aware of them.



Google+ has the most major update among the apps, with version 4.5.0.72928916 giving it the ability to cast its content to the TV through Chromecast. That means, if you’re viewing a pretty cool video from one of the people in your Indie Film circle, you can cast it to the bigger screen for better appreciation and enjoyment. You can even control the playback feed through a client app in your phone. So your photos, videos and other things on your G+ feed can now be viewed on your TV, in case you got bored with scrolling through just your smartphone.


The minor updates to the other Google products is as follows: Chrome Beta 37.0.2062.71 changes something in the menu animation as well as the completion arrows in the address bar; YouTube 5.9.0.12 resolved the issue of using the app together with several GAPPs packages; and Search 3.6.14.1337016 just underwent a few bug fixes.


The G+ update is account-based so be patient if you can’t cast your content yet. The other updates are also slowly rolling out through the Google Play Store. You can update them manually through the APKs provided below or wait until they roll out eventually in the GPS.


Google+ 4.5.0.72928916

Google Chrome Beta 37.0.2062.71

YouTube 5.9.0.12

Google Search 3.6.14.1337016.arm


VIA: XDA Developers


Paranoid Android 4.5 Beta 2 gives Recents a bit more polish

You can really tell how dedicated (or alternatively, obsessed) developers are with a feature when releases are dedicated mainly to the improvement of a single, but arguably major, feature. Inching ever closer, hopefully, to a final release, the Paranoid Android team has released Beta number 2 of version 4.5 with, you guessed it, another round of changes to the redesigned Recents view.



Android L's fancy new Material Design has had some pining for the look and feel of the upcoming Android version. PA started the ball rolling by introducing a redesign of the Recent Apps list, one of the more visible changes found in Android L. Of course, it wouldn't really be remarkable if they just dumped the exact same thing from Android L to Android 4.4. They of course, gave the visualization their own spin and stamp of identity, and introduced some features not yet, and might never be, found on Android L. Like, for example, the ability to throw away all but the most recent app with a tap of a button.


Each iteration of PA 4.5, which came immediately after the first stable release of PA 4.4, was dedicated to polishing up this new feature. In this round, the changes are a bit more subtle but the overall effect is more pleasing. In particular, the layout has been improved, promised to give an easier navigation experience. Animations have seemingly also been tweaked a bit, making transitions between states a bit more fluid. Animations, to some, may just be eye candy, but judicious and reasonable use of transitions is also one of the pillars of Material Design. Of course, this is all better seen in action, so take a gander at the short demo clip below.




That said, the new Android L aesthetic might not be to everyone's taste. Fortunately, PA was kind enough to give their users a way to opt out and revert to the usual style of Recents. Of course, there are other changes included in this release, mostly related to the theming system. For one, the calculator has now been made themable. And, like clockwork, changes to the upstream Theme Engine have also been merged.


SOURCE: +ParanoidAndroid





Motorola Shamu benchmarks hint at a drool-worthy Nexus 6

We're back trying to figure out Google's next move when it comes to its Nexus device line. While the jury is still out on who will be bequeathed the privilege of making what people are calling the Nexus 6, one of the top contenders is Motorola, and this latest benchmarks of a certain "Shamu" device, believed to be the Nexus 6, is trying to tell us that the former Google-owned company might have something to show indeed.



As the next Android reference device, this Motorola Shamu unsurprisingly flaunts high-end specs on GFXBench's website. Included in that shopping list of top of the line hardware is a 2.6 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, which comes with the new Adreno 420 GPU, 3 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of internal memory. The display is no joke either, with a 5.2-inch 2560x1440 screen, beating the LG G3's own 2K display in size and, therefore, pixel density. The cameras are quite run of the mill, with a 12 megapixel shooter at the back and a 2 megapixel on the front. The rear camera is noted to be capable of recording 4K video, which isn't surprising given the Snapdragon 805's multimedia bent.



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This sheet is seemingly confirmed by popular benchmark site AnTuTu, who revealed a certain "Google shamu" sneaking into its list of devices. The name alone would clue us in on the Nexus association of this device. The two agree in almost all specs except for the camera, with AnTuTu putting a slightly higher 13 megapixel on the back and 2.1 megapixels for selfies.


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Of course, benchmark sightings are never a certainty of an actual device coming to market so the door remains open for speculation and even other players. There is also word that a Motorola-made Nexus might not be possible until Motorola's assimilation into Lenovo becomes total and complete. That said, considering how Android L and, by extension, the Nexus 6 aren't scheduled to come out until later this year, there might still be enough time for all those pieces to fall into place.


SOURCE: GFXBench, AnTuTu

VIA: SlashGear





Galaxy Grand 2 in Gold shown in Samsung India website

Who doesn’t like their smartphone in the classic gold colors? Samsung has typically released a golden version for most of its flagship devices, but this time around, a mid-range phone is getting the golden treatment. In Samsung India’s website, they have listed a gold edition of the Galaxy Grand 2, the phone released late last year and which had only 3 color variants previously available in white, black and pink.



The device of course is not golden all over. It still has a black front panel, but the sides and the faux leather backing are indeed of a golden hue. It is currently listed as out of stock, but possibly Samsung will be making it available in the next few days or weeks (otherwise, why put it up there right?) We’re also not yet sure if this is something exclusive to India. But what we’re sure of is that it has the same specs as all other Galaxy Grand 2 devices.


The Galaxy Grand 2 looks like its other Grand predecessors but has slightly updated features. It’s slightly larger than the original Galaxy Grand at 5.25 inches and has a 1280x720 display. It runs on 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU and has WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS + Glonass connectivity. It’s RAM is a bit strange at 1.5GB and internal storage is at 8GB with an option to expand up to 64GB with its microSD slot. In terms of its camera, it has an 8 megapixel main camera and a 1.9 front-facing one, with accompanying apps like Best Face, Best Photo, Continuous Shot and the Sound and Shot feature as well.


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There is no indication yet if other markets will also be carrying the Galaxy Grand 2 Gold. For now, we’ll be looking at the India site to see when it will be available and if other countries will follow suit.


VIA: Sammy Hub





HTC Zoe will be launched this week for non-HTC Android smartphones

As it continues to struggle in the smartphone market, not having the power to overcome leaders like Samsung and Apple, HTC tries to turn to another business channel as they launch their new business unit, HTC Creative Labs. The first product from this new venture will be launched later this week. It’s a short video app called Zoe and while it looks promising, it would be competing in an already crowded video app market.



HTC Creative Labs is made up of around 260 engineers and designers from different HTC offices from Seattle (where they are based) to San Francisco and Taipei. The purpose is to focus on software development not just for HTC smartphones but for other Android devices as well, like for competitors Samsung, LG, Sony, etc. This is already a “third act’ for the Taiwanese OEM, according to Creative Labs head Drew Bamford. They started out in creating hardware for Compaq and Palm until they eventually shifted to manufacturing phones in 2006.


The first product from the software group is the short video app called Zoe. It has already been in existence for the past couple of years, but only for HTC devices. This time around, it will be ready for other Android-powered gadgets. The idea is to choose up to 16 pictures or video clips from your phone, choose a theme and the background music and then it will create a 30-second video from all of these media. Your friends can also collaborate on the videos by adding their own images or videos or remixing the videos of other users.




HTC Zoe on One M8




However, it is not that simple to make a breakthrough in this market, as Instagram and Vine are only the big-time success stories so far. There are a lot of other apps which are aiming to take a piece of the pie, and Zoe would have to be more outstanding in order to make a name for itself. More than making a profit, HTC is looking at Zoe to also become a social media hub where people will share and discover videos created from the app. But the beta software right now still has lot of limitations, like not being able to choose the order of the images and videos in the clip. It also has limited granular control as well as requiring higher specs for it to work. So let’s wait and see what else HTC Creative Labs can come up with.


SOURCE: Re/Code

VIA: SlashGear


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