HTC One M8 EYE unveiled in China

HTC has been busy of late with the unveiling of some new digital imaging products like the HTC RE camera and the Desire Eye digital camera. This week a new smartphone from HTC has been unveiled in China called the HTC One M8 Eye. Interestingly the smartphone was unveiled in China with no fanfare.

Essentially the HTC One M8 EYE is the same device as the standard HTC One M8 smartphone, and this is the device that we spied passing through TENAA earlier this month. You get a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and a 5-inch full HD resolution display.

The main difference between the new EYE device and the normal M8 comes in the camera. The One M8 EYE has a duo camera system with a 13MP sensor for the rear camera and a 5MP camera in the front that lacks LED flash.

The camera on the EYE versions of the device has a suite of special features, and those features will be coming to the normal One M8 as well. The reality of this device is that it is available now rather than having to wait for those EYE features to land for the standard One M8. That explains why HTC made little noise about the device. HTC fans who want the One M8 EYE in China can get it for 3,999 RMB ($652) and it will be available officially on October 15 with pre-orders underway now.

SOURCE: SlashGear

Story Timeline

• New HTC One (M8) Eye passes through China’s TENAA


• HTC Desire EYE has your selfie needs covered on both sides


• HTC RE camera re-imagines the mobile camera experience

Samsung releases two new Galaxy Note 4 videos

It’s not hard to convince people to buy a Galaxy Note 4. Hardcore fans of Samsung are just waiting for the next model to come along and then upgrade. One of the highly anticipated phablets in the market today is the Galaxy Note 4. Samsung is trying to convince you again why you should get one by releasing two new videos on YouTube.

The first 30-second video shows off what the Note 4 is and isn’t. It’s not quite a screen but a window. Two windows actually because of the Multi-window function similar to what Google has been experimenting on for Android. With the Quad HD Super AMOLED screen, you can watch your favorite film as if inside a movie theater. The Photo Note feature allows business people and students to take photos of notes and digitize them—using the phone as a notebook. And for the selfie addicts, you can take photos even in dim areas with the phablet’s bright camera.

The second video says that the Galaxy Note 4 is not a pen. It’s actually a pair of scissors that allows you to cut the photos. It also works as a gluestick to paste the photos anywhere on the screen as you wish. For some, it’s a head scratcher. Actually, the Galaxy Note 4 can be anything you want it to be in your mobile life.

Samsung is trying to convince us to get a Galaxy Note 4 with all the videos we’ve seen lately. It’s a pretty neat phablet actually with good results in a recent benchmark test. Pre-orders have started and will be available on October 17.

Samsung insist’s it’s neither a screen nor a pen. It’s Galaxy Note 4. Remember that.

SOURCE: Samsung Mobile

Story Timeline

• Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release dates revealed


• Galaxy Note 4 three-point bend test uses a robotic butt


• Samsung Galaxy Note 4 gets dropped over and over and over

HERE maps app now available for Samsung Galaxy devices

It's now, uhm, here! We're talking about a great alternative to Google Maps, but only if you're on Nokia X and now Samsung Galaxy devices. It's called HERE and it seems to be a great-looking map app, although for now, access to it is still pretty limited. But if you own any of those devices and would like to have another app to look for places or explore the area around you, then this one looks like a good option for you.

Once you've downloaded the app from the Samsung Galaxy Apps store, you have three options: sign in with your existing HERE account (if you've previously had a Nokia X device and enjoyed this app already), create a new account or don't register at all and start using it. The advantage with signing in or creating an account is that you can save several maps for offline use and it will make even your online use of the app faster. Where you are now is shown on the app with a green dot with an arrow. If you see a big green circle around you, then it means you need to turn on your GPS because it can only see you through your mobile network or your WiFi connection, which isn't always accurate.

You can now explore the area around you, just like you would use any digital map on your phone. One finger means panning, pinch for zooming in and out, two-finger twist will rotate the map, two-finger swiping will tilt the map to different angles, etc. As we mentioned earlier, you can download the map so you can use it even when you don't have Internet connection. You can also search for the place you need to go to or explore the category lists (shopping, hotels, etc) if you have no idea what place you should be going to. It will then give you options, whether you're driving, taking public transportation or walking towards your destination.

The Android version is still in beta version so expect a few kinks and bugs for now. But if you have been annoyed with Google Maps as of late and you have a Samsung Galaxy device running on Android 4.1 and higher, with a 1GB of RAM, then head on over to the Galaxy Apps Store to download the HERE app. There have been several comments though that it can only work with Galaxy S3, S4, S5 and Note 3 and Note 4. But the folks from HERE said that it means it is still propagating its way to the Apps Store for other Galaxy devices and that you need to update the Galaxy Apps Store for you to find it.

SOURCE: HERE

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 gets dropped over and over and over

One of the constant nightmares of expensive smartphone owners is that they drop their phone, crack the screen, make it non-functioning and just make their life miserable, not to mention how much it would cost to have it repaired. And with the whole hullabaloo about a certain OEM that released a highly-anticipated smartphone only to have complaints about breaking and bendability, owners are now even more careful about their next big gadget purchase. Samsung decided to put your minds at ease by dropping their new Galaxy Note 4 over and over again and show how tough it is.

The extensive drop test they conducted on the poor Galaxy Note 4 showed that no matter how many times they dropped it, the phablet still worked properly. And from the video (or maybe the angle they shot it), there didn't seem to be any cracks. It showed three different kinds of tests on the gadget. The drop test showed the phablet being dropped from different heights, waist-level and up onto a solid granite floor with a rough surface and solid metal floors with a smooth surface. They even dropped it alongside a ceramic coffee cup, which wasn't as lucky to come out unscathed as the Galaxy Note 4.

The automatic drop test showed several phablets being dropped from different angles at different heights onto a hard metal floor. They say that they did this several hundreds of times, all without an effect on the devices. Probably the most grueling is the tumble test, which wants to simulate the gadget falling tumbling down the stairs (which of course happens quite often to be honest). The Galaxy Note 4 is put into a tumbling device, and a soda can in another machine. After 14 revolutions, the soda can looks pretty beat up but the phablet was still functioning properly.

Now of course this is no guarantee that your Galaxy Note 4 will survive every single time you drop it (why are you constantly dropping it anyway?) but it does give a level of security that it isn't as breakable as glass. Now let's wait and see if some third-party tests will confirm its strength as well.

SOURCE: Samsung

Story Timeline

• Samsung Galaxy Note 4 gap is a feature, not a defect


• Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release dates revealed


• Galaxy Note 4 three-point bend test uses a robotic butt

Chromecast 1.8 Custom Wallpapers, Chrome Updated to 38

Last Friday, we saw the release of Google+ version 4.6, which brought Google’s Facebook competitor a bit more inline with the latest Material Design UI guidelines. Now just a few days later, Google is gracing our Android devices with two new updates, Chromecast 1.8 and Chrome Stable v38.

First up, we have an update to the Chromecast companion app, bringing us to version 1.8.22. The Google Chromecast has always been lauded for its aesthetically appealing backgrounds. But now with today’s update, users are finally allowed to personalize their Chromecast devices with custom backgrounds. You can also enable weather updates, satellite images, and news headlines, just like what was mentioned back at I/O earlier this year.

Next, we have an update to Chrome Stable, which brings us to version 38.0.2125.102. Much like we saw in last month’s Chrome Beta v38 release, we have new Material Design UI tweaks, as well as the new highlight to search feature that is activated when highlighting a word in the browser and clicking on the new G icon.

As always, both of these updates will begin rolling out to consumer devices over the next few days. However, we’ve gone ahead and mirrored the APKs on our Google Drive for your early access, sideloading pleasure. Head over to the links below to get started:

• Google Chrome 38.0.2125.102


• Google Chromecast 1.8.22

The post Chromecast 1.8 Custom Wallpapers, Chrome Updated to 38 appeared first on xda-developers.

HTC’s Double Exposure event now up on YouTube

HTC just recent concluded their awaited media event and, while its new products didn't exactly take the mobile tech world by storm, it still managed to earn a few accolades and praises from tech pundits. And perhaps a few raised eyebrows from the fashion world as well. HTC is entering into a whole new world with its RE camera, the Desire EYE selfiest smartphone, and EYE imaging experience. And now you can watch the whole hour-long show on YouTube at your convenience.

HTC was noted to be embarking on new business ventures, which might also include home healthcare products. But while we wait for an HTC Breath or HTC Heart to take the stage, the company has revealed its first diversion, one that plunges into the world of imaging and digital photography so far cornered by the likes of Sony, Samsung, and Apple. The first, and probably most eye-catching, is the RE camera, an odd and yet simple handheld device that removes the barriers of viewfinders, screens, and lenses that stand in the way of enjoying a breath-taking view, while at the same time capturing that once in a lifetime moment digitally. It isn't probably going to replace your dedicated digital camera any time soon, but the rather decent camera specs plus IPX7 waterproof rating could very well endear itself to more active types.

Less unorthodox but still a head-turner is the new HTC Desire EYE. Sporting the same premium specs as the HTC One M8 but in a less premium plastic coating, the Desire EYE takes smartphone photography to a whole new level by putting the front-facing camera on the same level as the back one. With a 13 megapixel shooter, 22 mm wide angle lens and a dual LED flash on the face of the device, this is a selfie lover's dream come true.

And it isn't all about hardware either. Version 1.0 of HTC Zoe, which you can download now from Google Play Store, puts a social twist to the video editing experience, allowing users to take and remake photos and video clips into an almost infinite collage of experiences and memories. There's also the new EYE Experience, a collection of camera features that make photography more fun and which will soon be available on HTC's latest One and Desire devices.

All of that and more can now be viewed on YouTube. And by "more", we mean the totally unexpected and totally perplexing fashion show that HTC has prepared, perhaps to go with the theme of breaking new ground. After all, nothing shouts bold and daring louder than a parade of out of this world designs.

Verizon DROID Turbo gets detailed in leaked manual

We've heard and seen leaks about Motorola's new DROID device heading for Verizon and so far it has painted a rather surprising picture of a smartphone that could very well have been Motorola's flagship. Now a leaked manual supposedly for the Verizon DROID Turbo has popped up that seemingly confirms that more than premium image of the device. But despite being a carrier-exclusive (at least as far as we know), it seems that the DROID Turbo still offers that same "vanilla" Android experience as the Moto X.

Of course, manuals rarely detail technical specs of a device, but it does mention a few things. In particular, it mentions the "5.2" ultra high-definition display", meaning at least 2560x1400. While the new Moto X does have that same screen size, it was only limited to a resolution of 1920x1080 Full HD. There is also noted to be a 21 megapixel dual LED flash camera at the back, versus the 13 megapixels on the Moto X. That said, it does share some traits in common, like support for Moto Turbo Charging for super fast charging in a pinch.

As to the physical design of the device, the DROID Turbo might disappoint in some aspects. First is the rather unfortunate return to a single front-facing speaker, versus the dual setup that the new Moto X sported. Capacitive navigation buttons also take up bezel space (which could have probably been given to a second speaker) instead of the Google-preferred software ones. One rather interesting detail about the phone's design is that the volume rocker actually doubles as a nano (yes, not mirco) SIM card slot, an ingenious way to economize on space.

Hardcore Android fans might be happy to know that the same OS experience on the Moto X remains unchanged on the DROID Turbo, at least based on this manual. While there will of course be an amount of bloatware from Verizon, the overall user interface looks largely untouched, aside from a different wallpaper and a new cicular clock homescreen widget. The now staples of the Moto software experience are happily also here, including Moto Voice, Moto Assist, Moto Display, and even Moto Actions.

It still boggles mind why Motorola would have a smartphone that practically unseats its own flagship just a few months after unveiling it, and especially one that's exclusive to a carrier. Conspiracy theorists might see some plotting by Verizon behind the scenes. That is presuming this manual is accurate. But even without it, previous leaks have already suggested that the Verizon DROID Turbo is probably what the new Moto X could have been.

VIA: SlashGear

SOURCE: @MotoFirmware

Story Timeline

• Possible new Motorola DROID seen in FCC, Verizon-bound


• Verizon DROID Turbo details get leaked, Moto S cover appears


• Motorola’s new DROID Turbo appears at GFX Bench


• Motorola device in FCC might be DROID Turbo for AT&T, T-Mobile