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Windows 95 on your Android Wear, if you have nothing better to do

YouTube user Corbin Davenport is gaining a bit of Internet notoriety, although we’re not exactly sure if this is the good or the bad kind. You see, he has tried to run some programs on Android Wear devices that, err… are not really normal nor useful to say the least. He has run Minecraft on his Samsung Gear Live, and has also ported classic PC shooter Doom on the same device. Now he has, for whatever reason unknown, managed to run a full Windows 95 operating system on his Android Wear device.



We say “run” in the flimsiest sense of the term, as you would imagine, a lot of things won’t work on the Android Wear device (if you were even thinking of it, don’t). Davenport is running the program via “ADosBox”, a free DOS emulator app available at the Google Play Store. It’s a relative miracle that the desktop of the venerable Microsoft operating system is even usable – and it surprisingly is, with a less than intuitive cursor emulation.




Also, the OS bogs down with errors when you try to run apps – the lack of VRAM, or virtual memory, is the culprit here. You will notice in the video as well that it takes a long time for the whole thing to start running, and not without a few of its own startup errors. Still, for the heck of it, we have to give props to Mr. Davenport who thought of something most would not even dare think of.


Hardware-wise, any Android Wear device you might buy today is leagues away from that machine that you ran Windows 95 on, complete with 133Mhz processor speed and 16MB of RAM. So in theory, your Android Wear device could actually run this operating system, and then some. The next question is of course, why you would do it in the first place.


SOURCE: YouTube





Disney pulls the plug on Tiny Death Star, Star Wars Assault Team

Fans and gamers may be enjoying the Star Wars Commander app from Disney but looks like it will only be the official Star Wars game downloadable from the Google Play Store. Why, Disney has pulled out Star Wars Assault Team and Tiny Death Star permanently to focus on the recently introduced strategy game.



This pullout of the apps means Disney and Lucasfilm will release no more updates for the games in the future. The two games have been out for only less than a year but Disney decided to pull the plug to concentrate on Star Wars Commander. To make things worse, Disney did not notify Tiny Death Star’s developer Nimblebit about it.


Disney may only have good intention for its new mobile game release but at the expense of the other developer, Nimblebit. Pocket Gamer reported that Nimblebit’s Ian Marsh was disappointed by the move and that he wasn’t told about the removal. Marsh said that Tiny Death Star was a "significant source of revenue for us, so it stings that much more". He also said, "my assumption is they don't feel it is worth it to maintain the game any longer."


The games can still be played on Android devices but will no longer receive official app updates. No new players can download the game too. If you want an official Star Wars game, you only have the Star Wars Commander to try.


VIA: Droid Gamers


SOURCE: Pocket Gamer





Netfix app update: grid search, multiple account management

To match with the changes in its web version, Netflix has updated its Android app, showing off a new (and more pleasing) way to search for the movies and TV shows you want. It has also added other new helpful features, like a quick resume notification as well as the ability to manage multiple accounts (well, at least in its most basic function).



When dealing with something as visual as videos, it's just logical that you'd want a search function that will not just be a list, but something visually stimulating and helpful as well. The new Netflix app update now shows off grid-like search results, instead of the previous vertical list only. So when you search for a movie or TV title, or an actor or director's body of works, you get to see the visual, poster version in grid presentation which will make it easier for you to queue it up or add it to your My List or start streaming it through your Chromecast or whatever video casting device you use.


Another new feature is the quick resume notification which will come in handy when you're watching a Netflix video, then you switch to another app or to your device's homescreen. It will not be playing your video in the background, but will allow you to quickly get back to what you were watching. You can also now manage multiple Netflix accounts on the app, where you will be able to change the profile name, change the avatar photo and assign restrictions on the account (like setting it for kids to keep out the "for adults" only videos).


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The update should have rolled out by now on all Anrdoid apps. But if you still haven't yet discovered the joys of accessing your Netflix subscription on your mobile device, you can download the app for free (the subscription isn't free of course) from the Google Play Store.


VIA: Android Police





Redbox Instant to shut down by October 7

You've probably heard of Redbox Instant, the video streaming service from DVD-rental chain Redbox and Verizon right? No? Well, you're not alone. Apparently, not a lot of people heard of it too or were interested in getting the service, hence the announcement that it will be shutting down for good by October 7, just barely a year and a half old.



Redbox Instant was created in partnership with carrier Verizon and tried to offer cheaper streaming services combined with DVD rentals (who knew people still rented actual DVDs???). But it looks like this business model was a spectacular failure, as the official statement was honest enough to admit that the service was not as successful as they initially hoped it would be. They will be offering possible refunds to subscribers after the official closure on October 7.


This comes as no surprise to those who were aware that for the past three months, Redbox Instant hasn't been able to accept new customer sign-ups, although that was for a different reason at the time. There were some issues with credit card fraud, not a good sign for a business that relies on credit card payments right? The $6-$8 a month fee gave subscribers access to around 4,500 movies, which is not a lot as compared to competitors like Netflix with its unlimited access to a huge library of videos or Hulu with its TV shows streaming service.


Subscribers will only be able to access the streaming service and use their coupons at the DVD-rental kiosks only until 11:59PM Pacific time on October 7. More announcements will be made regarding the refund and other details by October 10 on the official Redbox Instant site.


VIA: SlashGear


Probable Nexus 9 sighting as new HTC tablet passes thru FCC

A lot of people are hyped about the new Nexus tablet that Google is producing with HTC – quite possibly the Nexus 9. The tablet has been rumored to launch around mid-October, and those dates are just a few days away, so we expect the rumor mill to be buzzing with a lot of Nexus 9-related stuff. First up is this new HTC tablet that appeared at the FCC which carries the model number 0P82100 – which people say should be the Nexus 9.



Firstly the documents do confirm that the new model is in fact a tablet – this we know for sure. But the FCC is mainly concerned with the radio and WiFi antennas on the model, so we don’t really get a good handle on the tablet’s specs from these documents. If you want to take a gander at said documents, click on over to the FCC website here.


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We can confirm that the tablet has been FCC certified for most WiFi standards (802.11 a/b/g/n), and there is also a feature on the tablet for WiFi communication on the 5.x Ghz frequency, not just on the normal 2.4Ghz line. The tablet also passes tests for RFID which should mean that the tablet will have NFC available.


The rumored specs for the Nexus 9 point to a pretty powerful tablet. It may carry NVIDIA’s top of the line Tegra K1 chip while sporting a 9-inch Full HD 1080p display. Rumors also point to the new tablet running Andoid L, the yet unreleased new version of Android OS. That last bit will hinge on when Google will be making Android L available.


VIA: Blog of Mobile





New pics of HTC Desire Eye and its selfie cam leaked

One of the facts of digital life that we might not like but would probably have to accept is that this really is the age of the selfie. Just a few days away from its supposedly official reveal, new pics of HTC's new "ultimate selfie" phone, the Desire Eye, have been leaked once again. This comes on the heel of reports that the OEM's newest product (or products) will be focusing on the photo and video taking capabilities of the smartphone/s.



Late last week, details about the HTC Desire Eye were leaked by Upleaks, which have had a good track record when it comes to HTC devices. While reports show that it does have some serious hardware (Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.3GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal memory, 5.2-inch Full HD 1080p screen), the ultimate feature of the smartphone is definitely the front-facing camera, or what is now known as the selfie cam. Both the rear and front camera will have a 13 megapixel resolution. The selfie cam will also have all the other features that the (formerly main) rear camera has, including auto-focus, flash, etc.


The new leaks also reveal that the HTC Desire Eye has IPX7 meaning it has protection from dust and moisture and can be immersed in about 1 meter of water for about 30 minutes. Of course the new smartphone will be running on Android 4.4.4 but it will also have a modified version of HTC's own Sense software suite, this time with version 6 already. They will also be releasing a new software that is specially made to create high-quality selfie photos and will also be available for other HTC products like the One E8, Desire 816 and the flagship M8, among others.


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In keeping with the new focus of HTC products, there will be a new camera-related product that will also be reportedly unveiled on October 8. This will supposedly compete with the hugely popular GoPro mobile camera. We just have to wait a few more days to see if this is indeed the direction that HTC is going.


VIA: HTC Family





Our Favorite Android, iOS, and Windows Phone Apps of the Week

Our Favorite Android, iOS, and Windows Phone Apps of the Week


As the weekend winds down, there's no better time to see what new apps can give your smartphone new superpowers. Here are the best candidates from the past week.


Read more...
















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