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iRBeacon makes controlling home devices easier and smarter

Multiple remote controls at an average house is pretty common nowadays, and so is the pain and frustration of using them and misplacing them. A new crowd-funding product called iRBeacon wants to put an end to your agony and bring a universal remote that is smarter and more adjustable as it uses infrared, Bluetooth and your smartphone to make it easier to control your electronics at home.



How it works is pretty simple. You place the tiny iRBeacon, available in four colors (aluminium grey, brilliant white, matte black, piano black), on any appliance or device at home that has an infrared receiver, be it your plasma TV set, Blu-ray DVD player, air-conditioning system, etc. Then you download the iRBeacon app to your smartphone or tablet, as long as it runs on Android 4.3 and above and has Bluetooth 4.0. Now you can start controlling those that are connected to your devices, even setting timers and editing personal preferences through the app as well.


The little iRBeacon devices you placed on your electronics communicates to your smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) so it is supposedly energy-efficient and will not drain your gadgets. But then it uses infrared to actually talk to the appliances that you connected it to. The developers also say that you can actually control your appliances from anywhere in the world as long as you have Bluetooth connection.




The project has already achieved 85% of its $20,000 goal on IndieGoGo. If you believe in the product, you have 37 days left to make up your mind to support it. Its target shipping date to backers is December this year, while they are targeting it to reach web retail stores by January 2015.


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SOURCE: Indiegogo


ASUS PadFone Infinity, Fonepad Note 6 get their Android 4.4 due

Better late than never, we always say, so we welcome with open arms the very late arrival of the promised Android 4.4 update for the ASUS PadFone Infinity A80, as well as its descent on ASUS' stylus-wielding Fonepad Note 6. But while the update of last year's devices to the latest Android version is definitely a good thing, ASUS' update methods might make some wonder if they're really worth the trouble.



When the PadFone 2 got its promised KitKat update on schedule last June, it revealed a rather irksome quirk to ASUS' procedure. While most manufacturers have embraced Firmware Over The Air (FOTA) methods, this particular device requires the assistance of a PC software to update. But worse than that, it was noted that the update will wipe the device clean, forcing users to start from scratch, at least without a properly made backup.


Unfortunately, that is also the case here with the older PadFone Infinity, model number A80. Users will have to manually download the new firmware and follow ASUS' update procedures to a T. And yes, it will reset the device, so users are advised to create a backup beforehand. But even more than that, this upgrade will also remove previously pre-installed apps from the device, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on how users have grown habits around those apps. Some apps like Watch Calendar, ASUS Sync, Birthday Reminder, Device Tracker, and more are listed to be removed while some like ASUS Studio and ASUS To-Do are simply renamed.


The update for the Fonepad Note 6 is presumably less involved, though the lack of instructions or notes don't really inspire confidence. Users still have the option of downloading the new firmware, but ASUS doesn't mention whether a FOTA method is available or whether it will result in a total wipe. The update, aside from bumping the Android version from Jelly Bean to KitKat, will also introduce ASUS' new ZenUI to the device. It will also remove some apps that either no longer work on Android 4.4 or are supplanted by native Android functionality. If you own any, or both, of these devices, hit the source links below for the update announcements and links.


SOURCE: ASUS (1), (2)





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.


motorola-shamu-antutu


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





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