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Try Some Android Lollipop Applications on Your Device

Android-5.0-Lollipop

Android 5.0 Lollipop has been officially announced and lucky users of Google Nexus 5 and Google Nexus 7 have a chance to try out the final developer preview. Google will soon release the full source code and begin the porting madness. If you crave some of the Android Lollipop experience on your older devices, XDA folks have prepared something for you already.


As you may already know, Android 5.0 introduced a new file structure. System applications are now placed in folders with odex file in an arm sub-folder. This makes them a little more difficult to use on older devices. Luckily XDA Recognized Contributor marcomarinho deodexed them and posted them as flashable archives, so you can taste some of the the sweet Lollipop goodies on your device.


The collection isn’t too big, but you can find applications like the Google Now Launcher, Play Store and Play Services. In addition to applications, there are wallpapers, fonts, boot animation and media files that can be used to add some freshness to your Jelly Bean or KitKat devices.


The applications have been provided thanks to XDA Recognized Contributor vomer who managed to extract the system image and posted its elements in this thread. If you are an owner of Nexus 5, you can flash the newest developer preview from there.


If you don’t have the aforementioned Nexus devices and would like to try applications from Lollipop, head over to Android Lollipop (5.0) – Google Apps [Launcher, Keyboard, Wallpapers] to get started.


The post Try Some Android Lollipop Applications on Your Device appeared first on xda-developers.


Eye SW update for T-Mobile HTC One M8 rolling out tomorrow

With the launch of the HTC Desire Eye – the new smartphone with probably the world’s most powerful selfie camera – HTC also rolled out new features for its camera suite, called the Eye Experience software. Last week, HTC One M8 developer and unlocked versions got an OTA rolling out these new software features, and it seems like T-Mobile HTC One M8 models will be the next to get them.



HTC VP for Product Management Mo Versi announced via his Twitter account that the software update just got technical approval (most probably from T-Mobile) and that the update should start rolling out tomorrow OTA. If you’re a T-Mo user of the HTC One M8, you should expect a pretty hefty update by tomorrow.


mo_versi_tweet1


We’ve discussed the Eye Experience at length here recently, when HTC put out tutorial videos for them. If you want to check them out, go to our past post here. But we warn you, though some of these features are definitely useful, some will border on creepy and “what were you thinking?!?” Just our two cents there, but of course, you will be the final judge of that.




The update will include, specifically – Face Tracking, Split Capture, Face Fusion, Voice Selfie, Live Makeup, and Photo Booth features. Give us some feedback of you do like these features.


SOURCE: @moversi





Oppo N3 teased again with exploded camera pic

Oppo is in tease mode again for the new N3 smartphone that will be launching soon. The unveil is set for October 29, so it won't be long before we have all the details on the device. For now, Oppo has been teasing us with images here and there of the smartphone, and particularly of the camera.



Last week Oppo offered hardware details on the camera confirming that the rotating camera has a 1/2.3-inch sensor and auto rotation. The camera is also pegged to have 16MP resolution. We already know the N3 has a rotating camera that allows that camera to be used on the front and back sides of the N3.


Oppo has unveiled a new teaser shot is an exploded view of the camera. If we hadn’t seen the images of the camera with its rotating capability, the new teaser shot makes it look like a fixed rear camera. You can also see the fingerprint reader below the camera like in the G3.



oppo-n3-exploded



There are lots of parts inside that camera for sure; it's easy to forget how complex smartphone cameras are until you see an image with all the components separated like this one. We are about a week from the official unveiling when all of the details will be laid out.





Blunt + Tile tag = no more lost umbrellas

When you've misplaced the remote control or your handkerchief or your wallet for the nth time, haven't you ever wished you could ring it up or you have an app that could detect where it was? Well the advent of GPS and NFC and Bluetooth tags can actually make that possible (although putting a GPS on your handkerchiefs seem a little too extreme right?}. Blunt umbrellas have teamed up with tag marker company Tile to come up with an umbrella that you will not be able to lose (unless you misplace the tags as well).



Theoretically, you can attach any NFC marker to any object so that it will be easy to locate. But items that come with these built-in tags are really handy, particularly for something like umbrellas that are easily lost and misplaced. Blunt is one of the sturdier (living up to its name?) brands out there, but also means it is expensive so it is definitely painful to lose. With this brand new innovation from them, you will be able to locate the umbrella if it is paired with your Android device and as long as you are within 100 feet of your misplaced item.


They are offering two kinds of umbrellas with the Tile partnership. The Metro X_S + Tile is the more portable of the two, as you can easily fold it up and stick it in your bag. That is, if you remember to do so. But don't worry, that's what the Tile tag is for, if you easily forget to stow it in your bag. The other one is a regular-sized Blunt Classic + Tile which will of course not fit in your bag, but is also sometimes forgotten because of its size. But your worries may now be lessened with this partnership.


The Metro X_S + Tile will be available for a retail price of $69 while the Blunt Classic + Tile will be more expensive at $99. They will be available for shipping starting this November. Pre-orders can now be placed through the Blunt website.


XS_Metro-tile-1 XS_Metro-tile-2 XS_Metro-tile-3_0 XS_Metro-tile-4 XS_Metro-tile-5


VIA: SlashGear





NVIDIA Shield tablet software update 1.2.1 now available

NVIDIA is good about keeping its Android-powered tablet, the Shield, updated and performing well. This tablet is squarely aimed at gamers and is most notable for having a fancy controller accessory to control the games. NVIDIA has announced a new software update is now available for the tablet.



The new update brings the tablet to software version 1.2.1 and adds several new enhancements and bug fixes. The update improves WiFi performance on the 5GHz band. Better WiFi performance is something that we all want.


NVIDIA also added in performance optimizations for encrypted devices. The big fix in this update is a remedy for an intermittent charging issue that some users have encountered. The new update landed yesterday.


The last update came on September 30 and brought the device to software version 1.2. It added a lot of new features including improved touch performance and lots more. The new update can be downloaded by going to settings, about Shield, system updates.


SOURCE: NVIDIA





Samsung Galaxy SM-A300H appears at FCC without 4G LTE

The announcement of Android 5.0, codenamed Lollipop, and the impending arrival of the Nexus 6, Nexus 9, and Nexus Player, has taken up much of our attention these days, enough to distract us from rumors about Samsung's "premium only in looks" Alpha family that is yet to materialize in any official manner. To seemingly remind us that it's still in the running, one of them, particularly the SM-A300H has made its presence known at FCC, but sadly it didn't bring along with it some 4G connectivity.



This development is both disappointing and yet unsurprising. The three Alpha's, the A3, A5, and A7 were from the beginning poised to be budget versions of the real semi-premium Galaxy Alpha that recently debuted. Much of the attention has been lavished on the A5, or A500 in some places, with few given to the A3/A300 and even fewer to the A7. This FCC sighting does adds little to our repository of leaks and rumors, unless you consider confusion and disappointment as additions.


Based on a more detailed TENAA listing, the Galaxy A3, or SM-A3000, is the least and smallest of the three. It has a 4.5-inch screen only capable of qHD resolutions. This is pushed by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and, somewhat surprisingly, 1 GB of RAM. There's only 8 GB of internal storage and the camera team is made up of 8 megapixels and 5 megapixels, rear and front respectively. Of course, the selling point of this Alpha series would be its seemingly premium looks, though we have yet to know the exact non-metal non-plastic material that Samsung is said to be using for the device.



galaxy-a300h-fcc-2



That said, the TENAA page lists support for 4G networks, at least China's bands, so what gives? The answer can perhaps be found in the model numbers. TENAA lists the A3000 while FCC has the A300H. The speculation goes that the latter is the 3G-only variant of the model. There are also said to be a dual SIM versions available. It isn't yet known if these guesses are on the mark and, if true, which ones are intended for Samsung's many markets but the SM-A300H's presence in the FCC implies that, at the very least, a 3G-only model of the device is being considered for use on US networks.


SOURCE: FCC

VIA: Blog of Mobile





5-inch HTC Desire 820 Mini accidentally leaked by website

A new configuration for the recently launched 64-bit smartphone HTC Desire 820 was apparently accidentally leaked by HTC’s official Chinese language online store, but has been summarily taken down. But not before it was captured via screenshot – a 5-inch smartphone which they are calling the HTC Desire 820 Mini.



You can guess our initial reaction to this, which was somewhere along the lines of “What has this world come to if a 5-inch phone is considered a ‘mini’?” The original HTC Desire 820 – launched and released in September this year – was a big phone considering its 5.5-inch screen. In that sense – and only in that sense – would a 5-inch phone be considered a mini, as it is indeed a smaller version of the original model.


HTC_desire_820_mini_hero


But we whine too much. If HTC wants to call it that, who are we to force our purist views on them? The rumored spec list on the Desire 820 Mini includes a 1.2Ghz quad-core processor – probably from Qualcomm, although we won’t know at this point if it will also be 64-bit capable as its bigger predecessor. It will also sport a 720p HD display, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage.


HTC_desire_820_mini_leak


If this is a trend, then the word “mini” will lose all sense of definition. We rather like Samsung’s definition of what a “mini” is, and maybe Sony’s definition for its “compact” suffix. We also grant that there might not be a lot of marketable terms for HTC to use in naming a phone model smaller than the original. Given that, there is precedent for it – the OPPO N1 Mini is also a 5-inch beast, but acceptable only on the basis that the OPPO N1 was a gigantic phone with a 6-inch screen to begin with. What do you guys think?


SOURCE: MyDrivers.com





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