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DeviantArt rebrands, finally launches mobile app

DeviantArt has long been known as one of the most popular and vibrant social networks for artists and creative people. In fact, it's considered the 9th biggest social network in the US, with an average of 2.5 billion monthly pageviews. However, for some reason, they seemed to be holding out when it comes to having a mobile app, despite optimizing their website for smaller screens. But now, they are set to launch a mobile app and rebrand their look as well.



Their major rebranding effort sees them collaborating with Moving Board, which has also helped other tech brands like Google, Flipboard, HP and Netflix. They will now have a new logo, a signature symbol, a more polished and contemporary look, plus the ambition to become a "social planet" where "Pop Culture and Fandom gravitate around". The website will be slowly revamped to match the new aesthetics and the upcoming mobile app, but it will be a slow burn so as not to "flummox its community", according to CEO Angelo Sotira.


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But even more important than the redesign is that the 14-year-old network will now finally have their mobile app. With 100,000 new pieces of art uploaded everyday on its website, you can expect even more artists and creators to post their stuff and discover other creative people now that they have easier access through smartphones. And users can expect a more "intimate" experience with the app's swiping motion rather than the point-and-click of the website.


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The app will feature a Today tab where DeviantArt staffers curate collections on various relevant subjects and topics. What's Hot of course will show you what are the most viewed images, while Undiscovered is pretty self-explanatory. Just be careful that you don't fall into a rabbit hole of browsing and discovering new images. But who are we kidding, it's DeviantArt, so it's pretty addictive especially for visual and creative people. The app will be available at the Google Play Store starting December 10.


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VIA: Fast Company


3G version of Samsung Galaxy A7 passes thru FCC

We have been talking about the Samsung Galaxy A7 for quite a bit now, even as the new super-slim metallic smartphone has already been approved by China’s Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center – which probably means it’s launching in China soon. The US FCC has also approved the same model, but curiously, only a 3G model of the phone passed FCC’s tests.



The FCC documents show that the Samsung Galaxy A7 has been certified for WCDMA 1900 (II) / 850 (V) MHz, which means that the phone will be operating on 3G frequencies. If the Galaxy A7 is going to be launched in the United States, this seems a bit odd, as most networks are transitioning to LTE at this point.


This might be the case if the Galaxy A7 will be marketed as a mid-tier phone, but the device’s other specs belie that. Apart from its premium slim form factor, Galaxy A7 sports a 5.5-inch 1080p screen, and is powered by a 64-bit octa-core processor in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 clocked at 1.5Ghz per core.


There’s also a 13MP/8MP camera combo, 2GB RAM and 16GB of non-expandable internal storage, all running Android 4.4.4 Kitkat. Did the phone not pass FCC’s LTE requirements? Will Samsung push for LTE certification for this device? Or will it be sold as a 3G device in the US? Watch this space.


VIA: Blog of Mobile





Tonino Lamborghini releases high spec luxury phone

The one thing we have noticed about luxury phones is that while they may be impeccably classy in their physical and tangible elements, they usually lack the power in the “under the hood” department, where the specs are simply way below flagship phone levels. Lamborghini – the famed Italian luxury car brand – hopes this will not be the case with the Tonino Lamborghini 88 Tauri, a high-specced luxury Android smartphone.



We dig immediately under the furnishings to see what powers the 88 Tauri – we will see a relatively current Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor running at 2.3Ghz. Not exactly the latest, but adoption of the Snapdragon 805 and 810 have been slow, so we can accept this. It has 64GB of internal storage, an ample 3GB of RAM, and a 5-inch full HD (1080p) display. It also has a humongous 3400mAh battery, which will mean that although the 88 Tauri will not be super-slim, it can probably go for 2 days without charging.


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There is also the special dual SIM package, where both slots are LTE-capable. This is highly unusual, but the Italian makers have made it possible. There is also a 20MP/8MP camera combo, should the luxury phone’s owner feel like taking some casual pictures or the odd selfie. The phone runs on Android 4.4.4, woth no word if it will be upgraded to Android 5.0. Somehow we get the feeling that it's not a big deal with this one.


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Priced at USD$6,000, you would expect all the physical furnishings to be top notch – and they are. The leather is hand-embroidered, and the metal covers and physical rims are available in gold, black, and steel models. It looks like this is one of those times where a luxury phone can hold its head high when it comes to tech specs. If you have USD$6,000 lying around, maybe you can give this a go, yes?


VIA: Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru





Next Lock Screen update: more personalization, weather status

Microsoft's experimental Garage Team came up with a bunch of pretty nifty Android apps ever since they started it earlier this year. One of the useful apps they developed was the Next Lock Screen, a time-saving quick launcher that lets you see the important things you need to see even when your smartphone is on locked screen mode. An update to the app now brings even more personalization options, which can be an alternative to the Android 5.0 Lollipop's new notification scheme.



An important new feature for the latest version of the app adds weather information to your locked screen so you won't even need to open a weather app to check if it's raining or snowing where you're going. More personalization options for your locked screen is also part of this latest update. You can make your home screen wallpaper as your locked screen backdrop as well. If the status bar is too distracting or not aesthetically pleasing for you, you can also hide it now for the app.


The Garage experiment was created for Microsoft developers to have a place to work on apps that isn't for the company, but rather for other platforms like Android or even iOS, as long as it will benefit the company. Next Lock Screen lets you see your messages, missed calls and appointments in one glance, which is handy for people who are always in a hurry and who find that life is too short to constantly unlock their screens.


For Samsung devices already running on Lollipop, the update also brings better integration with the default lock so you'll still be able to use the app if you want to. If you want to try it out or if you already have it and don't have the update yet, you can go to the Next Lock Screen page on the Google Play Store.


C Notice app features floating notifications, colored header display

There are probably thousands of productivity apps available on Google Play Store. We can't feature all of them because only a few are worth our attention and can be considered really useful. The C Notice app for Android is one program that allows the user to keep track of everything important.



C Notice app allows floating notifications from important apps without having to access the phone settings from the lock screen. Why, the app enables direct access to apps right from the lock screen. This means you can use and control some apps without having to unlock the phone. Once you get a notification, click on it to be able to use the app to read a message or view updates.


With C Notice, you'll see a floating icon in a simple floating window design. You'll notice a very unique colored header display (I'm guessing Material Design influenced this). C Notice will show a virtual reminder of the individual app as a floating icon. If there are more notifications, the icons will then float on top of the other apps. The colored header display will then make it easier for the user to access what needs immediate action and for easier identification.


Some of the floating notification icons that can be included and accessed: missed calls, unread text messages, upcoming calendar events and reminders, unread emails from different mail providers, and app notifications of popular social media apps like Google+, Twitter, and Facebook.


You can also set and use swipe gestures on icons to enable quick actions like dismiss, open, or expand. As for the customizable features, there's the custom application list, notification popup style, Auto Screen Turn On, Auto Icon Position, Direct Open App, Rounded Icon Style, Unread Count Badge Position, and Floating Window Opacity Settings. C Notice is a free app but you can avail of the Unlock and Individual Icons Popup Style as an in-app purchase.


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Download C Notice from the Google Play Store





Terraria gets massive update, over 1k new items in-game

Ever since Minecraft hit the big time, world-building games have been experiencing a renaissance not seen since the world builders in the original Warcraft and Starcraft games. Terraria is one take on the world-building genre, albeit with a side-scrolling approach. The game just recently received a massive update that should boost its playability.



The update was for both Android and iOS instances of the game app, and it has brought to the cute pixelled world-builder over 1,000 new items – which includes including more than 30 new block types, for the picky ones who have to have unique blocks for every building in their game.


The update also brings with is over 100 new enemies, four new bosses, 15 pets, and eight additional NPCs. For an endless world-building game, the possibilities for all these additions are limitless. Creating a new world will let you experiences some brand new biomes, and even your old landscapes will also be updated with new events, music, and weather.



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Sounds nice? The notification to update your game should be rolling out at this point. If you haven’t tried Terraria, you can check the download link below. Enjoy!


DOWNLOAD: Google Play Store

VIA: Pocket Gamer





Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath arrives on Amazon Appstore

The Oddworld franchise is a gamer’s treasure chest, and sadly, only people who have played the games can attest to that statement. Oddworld has never been a game that sold lots and lots of copies, but when it comes to uniqueness, the game truly delivers -- each game is different from the one before it, and each new game brings innovation to setting, story, aesthetics, and gameplay.



Kids, please take note that Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath was first released as an Xbox game – yes, the original Xbox in 2005. The game has now been re-released on a number of different platforms including the PC and iOS. Now it's coming to Android, but on Amazon's Fire devices, though it is also available exclusively on the NVIDIA Shield Tablet – hopefully only for the time being.


Since the game is being sold via the Amazon App Store, the game can also be played on the Kindle Fire HD or devices better than that. Stranger's Wrath is an action-adventure game, with the user playing the Stranger, a bounty hunter. The game shifts elements from third-person to sections where platforming is used, and into first-person when you want to use the game’s very cool weaponry – which includes a crossbow that fires slugs, bees, and exploding bats.




The Android version of this game will most likely have on-screen controls, but we hope it will have support for external controller, especially for the Kindle TV. If you have the NVIDIA Shield Tablet, you should totally go for this game.


DOWNLOAD: Amazon App Store





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