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Nexus 6 now available on US Cellular

The Nexus 6 is now available on U.S. cellular. This one is the biggest of the family we've seen, compared to its Nexus siblings. The new smartphone comes off the line with a large 6-inch Quad HD display screen. Is it too large or are phones these days just getting bigger?



The Nexus 6 operates on the latest Android Lollipop with Qualcomm's speedy Snapdragon 805 quad-core 2.7GHz and Adreno 420 GPU. Equipped is a 13-megapixel camera with auto HDR (High Definition Resolution) that can support 4K video recording - talk about mesmerizing. Charging with the large 3220 mAh battery, it provides up to 24 hours per charge. It is not stated if thats including heavy usage of the smartphone. The smartphone only needs a quick 15 minute (turbo) charge to get up to 6 additional hours of battery life. Hitting beats harder than before the Nexus 6 has dual facing speakers to really amplify music and movies while on the go.


The Nexus 6 comes in the option of Midnight Blue and Cloud White. With a 2-year contract: the 64GB internal memory starts at $249.99 while the 32GB starts at $199.99. The dimensions are enormous as it will fill in the palm of your hand. At 6.27'' (H) x 3.15'' (W) x 0.39 '' (D), it'll be harder for those with small hands to navigate when your hand is tied up, literally.


Is it too big? Some will enjoy the tablet like smartphone, while other won't. Designing such a large phone almost takes a gamble for consumers because of the reach factor. When put to the test, the Nexus 6 comes in broader and longer than the the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus. For those who enjoy using two hands, this could be for you.


SOURCE: US Cellular





Cyanogen won’t update OnePlus Ones bought in India

It seems that Cyanogen, Inc., the commercial entity spun out of CyanogenMod's core developers (and not the open source CyanogenMod community itself) is flip flopping a bit on the issue of OTA updates on the OnePlus One in India. After reassuring OnePlus One fans and owners that it will continue to roll out updates worldwide, even in India, it now clarifies a caveat that it failed to mention before. It won't be updating Indian OnePlus One devices.



Confused? We can't blame you. This is just the latest chapter in what is turning out to be a drama involving a love triangle between OnePlus, Cyanogen, and Micromax, with India as the backdrop. Cyanogen struck up a completely exclusive deal with Micromax in India just when OnePlus was launching the OnePlus One, which runs Cyanogen's software, in India as well. While Cyanogen promised to update OnePlus One units in India, it will only cover devices in India bought outside of India. Here's the real deal:



"If a user in India purchased a OnePlus One global device in channels outside of India, they will receive our OTA firmware updates. However, this excludes OnePlus One regional devices sold directly in India."



That's a rather subtle difference that will lead to a lot of confusion, hurt feelings, and maybe even adversely affected sales. OnePlus One units bought via Amazon India, OnePlus' local partner, will not get OTA updates, but those bought directly from OnePlus or from international resellers will. This could pose a problem in the future when the lines between those two blur. Imagine someone trying to resell an Indian version posing it as an international version. Not everyone might be able to quickly tell those apart aside from scrutinizing the model numbers.


So it seems there is still indeed a need for OnePlus' own custom Android ROM after all. Instead of having very different OS versions on devices, which will definitely put a strain on their already meager resources, a single unified OnePlus OS will ensure that owners will get the same experience, especially when it comes to updates, no matter where they bought their device. In effect, Cyanogen has signed the death warrant for its OS on OnePlus devices, both current and most likely future.


SOURCE: Cyanogen, Inc.





Laserbreak Pro, an addictive and challenging puzzler

Laserbreak is a “no nonsense” puzzle game, which is not to say that it is not fun – on the contrary, it is fun and highly addictive. If you like puzzle games like Volt, XON, and Unmechanical – the latter which we featured here a while back – then Laserbreak should be right up your alley.



The premise is simple. Use your laser beam to interact with random objects in your current level – reflect the beam to shoot it around room, bounce it off multiple surfaces until you hit the target. Sounds simple enough, but the game evolves each level you get through, and it gets cumulatively difficult after every level.


The target is a box with a red X on it, but the levels will be arranged in such a way that you won’t easily be able to get to the target with your beam. “Be creative” is the mantra for this game.




Laserbreak Pro is the paid version of Laserbreak Lite. The pro version costs USD$1.50 and offers you the full game, all 75 levels, plus bonuses and unlockables. The paid version does away with the locked levels, the IAPs and the ads.


DOWNLOAD: Google Play Store


Bitcoin Billionaire makes use of your bitcoin mining skills

Noodlecake Studios, the same team who brought the hugely popular WayWard Souls mobile game, has just introduced a new game that will make you rich. Well, rich at least in the virtual world: the Bitcoin Billionaire. You know bitcoin-- that virtual money that has been controversial lately.



Bitcoin Billionaire is a new game that only requires your clicking and tapping powers plus some investment smarts. Main goal is to rake in as much bitcoins and get rich with all those money. Simply click on the screen as fast as you can to mine virtual bitcoins. Doing this will increase your wealth while in the comfort of your small office, behind that desk and dusty old computer. Tap, tap, and tap. That's all you need to do but you can upgrade the stuff in your office and make investments to get more bitcoins faster.


Spend some bitcoins on investments so you can earn while you're away (read: offline). Other investments include holographic dating to improve your social life, virtual reality, and some robot butlers to help you. From being a bitcoin miner, you can be a Bitcoin Billionairw, at least, in this game.


The best thing about Bitcoin Billionaire is that you get to satisfy your bitcoin tapping desires. You can also grab bonuses from special delivery drones, unlock achievements, and customize character. If you have time to spare, you can also adopt a kitty.




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Download Bitcoin Billionaire from the Google Play Store





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





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