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Google nixed the fingerprint scanner on the Nexus 6

On one of the earliest rumor articles regarding the recently launched Google Nexus 6, a number of things were predicted that have been realized by Motorola (the maker of the phone, if you didn’t know) – this includes the gigantic 5.9-inch screen, the codename “Shamu” (the whale), the November release, and that it would come with what is now Android 5.0 Lollipop. But one prediction got nixed – the plan to have a fingerprint scanner with Google’s newest flagship Android phone.

There are evidences of this in the code for the Android Open Source Project, and there are people out there who have nothing better to do than to pore through the lines of code in the AOSP. The commit that removed the fingerprint support can be seen here on the Android source website, and it shows the lines of code that tells a lot about what could have been.

The code line that says "system/vendor/lib/hw/ValidityPersistentData:synaptics" may tell of hardware being supplied by Validity Sensors, Inc. It is, quite tellingly, a fingerprint sensor company that was acquired by Synaptics a year ago. The plan – evidently, from the lines of code – was to have a swipe scanner, where the user would have to swipe a finger across the screen, quite unlike the iPhone’s static fingerprint scanner.

We now know that Motorola ultimately chose an outfit called Atmel to supply the Nexus 6’s touchscreen sensors. All of this are in the bounds of what could have been, and the Android world is still waiting for a Nexus that can provide good fingerprint security. Will the next generation of finally have it?

VIA: Ars Technica

Stance compact tripod helps your smartphone stand on its own

While your smartphone may fit snugly into your hand (well, maybe except for those bigger phablets) for most of your purposes, there are times when you need it to be able to stand on its own. But bringing along a tripod wherever you go is a hassle. Stance compact tripod might just be the solution to that problem.

A tripod that is smaller than a pack of gum? Yep, Stance definitely is, weighing in at just 34 grams and having dimensions of 24 x 12 x 79 mm. But more important than its portability is its actual usability. It mounts directly into your smartphone's charging port (and they claim they won't damage the port, so you can breathe easy there) so you can use your device properly, either to take pictures remotely or to watch a video without your arms aching from holding it. It uses MicroMount that is made up of Grilamid, a "durable, resilient composite material" to ensure that it will definitely hold.

Stance has a ball-and-socket joint that makes it easy to manuever your phone into whatever position you would like it to be in whether you're watching your favorite show's latest TV episode or taking a picture with a self timer. You can also use it when doing time-lapse videos or long exposure photography. Its base has a premium zinc-alloy, non-slip feet to make it more stable as you go about your business.

The Stance compact tripod is available for only $29.95 on the Kenu website. Oh, and one more thing that it can do? It can open a bottle of beer for you when you're not using it to prop up your smartphone.

SOURCE: Kenu

Facebook improves search parameters for desktop, soon on mobile

Even though you're probably on Facebook about 3-4 hours a day (maybe even more), chances are, you're probably frustrated about some things about it. One of the things that has constantly irritated users is that it will let you search people, pages, groups, places, but sometimes those are not the things you're looking for. But the social media giant has now announced they are changing all that with their new search parameters.

On their Graph Search beta, you will now be able to look for posts that have been shared with you. Want to browse through your vacation photos that your friend posted? Forgot to read that important scientific discovery link that your classmate shared with you? Looking for that angry post that your ex-boyfriend posted on your wall? Theoretically now, you can search for them on Facebook's search bar.

But lest you think that other people would also be able to search for those posts, the search results are personalized to you, because these are just things that your Facebook friends have shared with you or tagged you in. So those embarrassing photos you're searching for will only show up in your results page and not for anyone who looks for "drunk spring break party pictures".

Unfortunately for mobile people, the search update will be rolling out on the desktop version first (and also if you're using the Facebook app on iPhone). But we're pretty sure that it will also be coming to the Android app soon. So, just be content with scrolling through your endless timeline to look for that specific post in the meantime.

SOURCE: Facebook

VLC exits beta, outs stable version

We have much love for the VLC media player – it’s an app for people working on desktops and laptops who want a media player that works with just about any media format you throw at it. It just works, and we were pretty excited when VLC wanted to bring its goods over to Android some two years ago. All that time, the VLC app for Android stayed in beta – until today, when we finally have VLC 1.0 in our hands.

There are still stuff to tweak with the rollout – the URL for the Google Play Store listing betrays the fact that it has been in beta for a while, and they have not changed it yet. Ditto with the Play Store description. But other than that, we have VLC 1.0 in all its glory – with a host of bug fixes and performance updates, of course.

Primarily, VLC 1.0 fixes the issue with ARMv8 processors and the instances when it crashes when used in Android 5. The interface is also available in dark or white colors, and it comes with DVD iso and menu support, an equalizer, and better playlist management. The new version also has an updated SD card detection feature. Lastly, hardware acceleration for video and graphics is now enabled by default, hopefully the code is now more stable to handle it.

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VLC for Android media player is free to download – check the link below – and will (mostly) work with any device sporting Android 2.1 or higher. Of course, the better the specs, the better chances you have of running the app smoothly.

DOWNLOAD: Google Play Store

Kindle for Android update: X-Ray, flashcard support

If you use Amazon's Kindle app on your Android device, you might have noticed some features on another platform that you don't have yet on your device for the past two years. Well, you need not be envious any longer as version 4.8 brings features like X-Ray and flashcard support, as well as several other enhancements to the ebook reading app. Better late than never right?

The X-Ray feature lets you get more information about specific characters, places or even words in the book or textbook that you're reading. And if you're reading or reviewing a book for school or for work, you'd need to remember these kind of information. That's where the flashcard feature will come in handy. It lets you create a bookmark that is outside of the book you're reading using the data from the X-Ray feature to create these flashcards.

Other new features with the latest update includes getting push notifications from the app, which you can manage in the settings. It also now has an improved library search to make it easier for you to look for the books in your collection, especially if you have hundreds of titles in your Kindle (as all self-respecting book nerds should). If you also read, or rather, listen to the audiobook version on your Kindle app, you can now control the playback with this latest update.

It might have taken years before Amazon finally brought these features to the Android app version, but fans of the app and the retail giant would of course welcome these new goodies to their devices. If you don't have Kindle yet on your smartphone or tablet, you can download it for free from the Google Play Store.

LG G Pen trademark filing sparks hope of a Galaxy Note rival

LG has just filed for a new trademark that has some people speculating and probably even hoping for the Korean OEM's next move. Simply called the LG G Pen, some have taken this to be signs of a stylus-enabled device from LG, similar to rival Samsung's Galaxy Note family. But the trademark is so generic and vague that it remains open to interpretation, and LG's latest stylus attempt doesn't exactly inspire confidence either.

LG's last attempt at a smartphone with a stylus was the LG G3 Stylus, pictured above, last August. Initially leaked, accidentally or otherwise, there was a short burst of interest around the device that was presumed, or hoped, to become a Galaxy Note rival. After all, it bore the "G3" name. That turned out to be a disappointment, however. Not only was the G3 Stylus an underwhelming mid-range phablet, its stylus was also simply a capacitive one. The only advantage it offered was the silo dedicated to that stylus.

And so it is with a bit of caution that we approach the LG G Pen, whose trademark filing doesn't really clue us in on what this device will be. The closest we can get is that it is a mobile device, particularly a smartphone. One that will be used for "for the wireless receipt, storage and/or transmission of data and messages;" Whether that actually involves a stylus is yet unknown, but the "Pen" in the name does hint at that possibility. We're just not sure how this will turn out to be.

Somewhat unrelated to the device itself, the trademark filing seems to also hint at future LG products, especially in the realm of wearables. Aside from smartwatches, of which LG already has two, the document also makes mention of "Necklaces of precious metal; Bracelets of Precious metal; Key rings for precious metal; Rings of Precious metal.", seemingly implying that the manufacturer is also looking towards other forms of wearable devices, which admittedly might be a bit more interesting if the LG G Pen turns out to be another dud.

VIA: SlashGear

SOURCE: USPTO

RPG Chain Chronicle from Sega now available for Android

If you're into role-playing games (RPGs) on mobile, then you may want to try this new game from Gumi. It's not really new because this game from Sega has been available in Japan since last year. Now, Gumi is bringing the popular RPG to the US, UK, Australia, and Canada on mobile platforms like Android and iOS. More countries will get the Chain Chronicle soon but we'll have to wait for announcements.

We know this game will be a bestseller because it has already reached 4 million downloads in Japan. That's a lot so imagine how many more millions of Android (and iOS) users from all over the world will go crazy over this game. Goal of the game is to prepare your tower defense, train a perfect army, and go into battle to protect Yggdra. A Black Army is the enemy, trying to invade your world.

The main player is a soldier who is required to gather a Volunteer Army of Knights, Soldiers, Archers, Clerics, and Wizards. You'll be in command and in-charge to unleash their full potential. You, as the soldier, and the other volunteers will work together to protect the world of Yggdra in a tactical, real-time strategy battles. The game has an epic story but you can change it if you want. As you journey through the game, you will meet more than 150 new allies armed with different skills and powers.

The game boasts of simple and intuitive controls so it's very easy-to-learn. To make this one more exciting, Sega featured different artworks by top artists in Japan--the best illustrators in manga, video game, and anima industries. Each portrait is specially drawn in card form by these great artists. And if artists' illustrations are not enough, high-profile anime voice actors were hired to make this game more epic. We're not Japanese but anime lovers would be glad to know voices of Akira Ishida, Ayane Sakura, Maaya Uchida, and Kotori Koiwai were used in the game. Now that makes the game more interesting to play.