Mizuu update 3.0: design overhaul, file name improvement, free

If you keep a lot of movies and tv shows on your Android device, having a pretty good media server app is a must have if you don't want to rely on your boring old built-in file explorer. One of the more popular apps of this kind is Mizuu, and the newest version, 3.0 and nicknamed "Black" brings a design overhaul, as well as a belated Christmas gift for new users.

Developer Michell Bak refuses to call the overhaul a "Material Design" update since he says that it has often been misused, but he said he has tried to follow Google's guidelines in redesigning the app, giving a new look to the movie and TV show library. The different tabs include favorites, new releases, watched and unwatched videos, collections (folders), and a watchlist (to be watched videos). The layout for the details has also been changed, giving you even more scrollable information about the movies and TV shows, like actors, crew details, synopsis, ratings, etc.

The update also allows Bak to share some developments in his life. Creating Mizuu has actually opened doors for him and he recently got a job as an Android developer for a Danish telecoms company. As a thank you and holiday present for users, he is now offering the app for free. He said he is also working on eventual support for Android TV, which he is targeting for thee next update.

If you feel like trying out the media library app (it's just a library, not a media player though), you can download Mizuu 3.0 from the Google Play Store. And if you're wondering what's with the nickname "Black", it is apparently a tribute to Bak's dog Blackie, who died late last year.

SOURCE: Mizuu

Battery Percent Enabler App needs no root

Android users who would like to have a battery percentage rather than the less descriptive battery level on most Android devices may want to look at the new Battery Percent Enabler app. The app is designed to work with any Android 4.4 or higher device.

The best news is that unlike some apps of this sort, Battery Percent Enabler doesn't require root access to your device. The developer of the app notes that you will only be able to see the percent text when the battery is low enough.

The text is white and the battery background is white as well. The dev says that it is impossible to change the text color with his app because the white color is hard coded in the SystemUI.apk file.

The last update for the battery percentage app was on December 30 and it is in version 1.1 now. It has been installed as many as 500,000 times according to Google Play. The download size is 85k.

SOURCE: Google Play

Alcatel rumored to be resurrecting Palm for new markets

Do you still remember your very first personal digital assistant, back when cellphones were still in its analog phase? Chances are, if you grew up in the late 90s, early 2000s, you probably had a Palm Pilot to help you digitally make sense of your life. Of course eventually, Palm died a quiet death, with HP (which acquired the company in 2010) dealing the final blow in the US market. But now speculation is ripe that Palm will be resurrected by Alcatel OneTouch, based on patent documents and website trails.

If you go to mynewpalm.com (which the original palm.com now redirects), there is now a looped video of the slogan "Smart move", which is what Alcatel OneTouch uses as its brand platform. The slogan is accompanied by Palm's classic orange logo, which has led others to speculate that it will be making a comeback. A Filipino webOS (the platform that Palm devices eventually used) user tried to trace who owns the website and based on archive.org records, the new incarnation started on November 12 of last year, even if it has existed since 2003. The domain owner is Wide Progress Global Limited, a shelf company registered in Hong Kong.

Wide Progress is also now the owner of the Palm trademark and service marks, which also includes other brand names like Palm Centro, Palm Pre and the original company name "Palm Computing". TCL Communications, which owns Alcatel OneTouch, has its vice president Nicolas Zibell's name included in the 18-page document posted on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website.

Aside from this connection, there are no official announcements yet as to whether Palm and Alcatel OneTouch will be merging or if TCL will be creating a new product line. But the rumors are a welcome New Year's treat for those who believe that the webOS is still the best (or at least one of the best) mobile OS and is now being used as an OS for smart TVs like LG.

VIA: MakaPalm

iPad Air clone runs Android KitKat, Windows 8.1

I'm not really a fan of clones because I feel they are violating copyright and infringes on many legal things. But then again, seeing popular gadgets being cloned is interesting because most of them can be funny. Apple gadget look-a-likes running Android are nothing new so this Android-powered iPad Air clone is not really surprising. The iPad Air is still pricey but the design is one of the best in tablets today ( not that Apple's design has really changed over the years). If you dig the iPad Air but is a hardcore Android fan, you can get this alternative from China for only $193.

Officially called as the Onda V919 3G Air, this iPad Air-like tablet is not bad for a mobile device that is under $200. The basic model already boasts of 64GB built-in storage and 3G cellular data connectivity (sorry, no 4G LTE yet). It doesn't only run Android 4.4 KitKat. It's dual booting so you can switch between Android 4.4 and Windows 8.1. Of course, it won't run iOS so don't expect to hack the tablet and run iOS apps.

Specs of the Onda V919 3G Air include a 9.7-inch 4:3 display screen, 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution, aluminum unibody, 5 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, 2.16GHz 64-bit Intel Bay Trail-T Z3736F quad-core solution, 2GB RAM, microSD card slot, and WCDMA band support. There's really no 4G LTE band support but the tablet is good enough for its affordable price.

SOURCE: Tmall

Story Timeline

• HDC One clones HTC with a quad-core and Jelly Bean for $160


• Pressy, the "almighty Android button" cloned by Xiaomi [Updated]


• iPhone 6 clone "demo" leaks, running on Android KitKat

Artists inspired by cities in limited edition Xperia Z3 series

If you're a bit bored with the original casing of your Xperia Z3 devices, the folks over at Sony have a solution for you (but probably if you live in Germany). They commissioned 3 artists to create artworks to adorn the back casings of the Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact, and the Xperia Z3 Compact Tablet, inspired by three major cities. However, these are very limited editions and will only be available in Berlin.

Called the "Stadt Talente" (translated literally means city talent), the project brought 3 artists to create artwork inspired by their respective cities, which would then be engraved in the Xperia Z3 devices. Vesa Tapani Sammalisto was commissioned to recreate Berlin through illustrations for Sony's flagship Xperia Z3. For the Xperia Z3 Compact, Shinpei Hasegawa, an art director for a Japanese ad agency, used Tokyo as his inspiration. Freelance illustrator and graphics designer Jan Feliks Kallwejt meanwhile made artwork representing Warsaw which was then used as the Xperia Z3 Compact Tablet's back cover.

The Xperia Z3 is available in four colors (white, black, gold, light green) while the Xperia Z3 Compact has four colors as well (white, black, orange, light green). The Xperia Z3 Compact Tablet meanwhile only has two colors available: white and black. Aside from the design at the back, there are no other differences between the normal version of the Xperia Z3 devices.

However, don't get over-excited yet to possess one of these beautiful babies, since Sony only produced 33 of each and it can only be bought in Germany. If you have any way of purchasing one though, you better head on over to their site (if you understand German of course) and get one.

SOURCE: Xperia Blog

Samsung to discontinue Galaxy Alpha, focus on mid-range

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha smartphone found more than a few buyers who liked the design of the device despite the high-end price tag. A report has surfaced out of Korean that claims Samsung is discontinuing the Galaxy Alpha smartphone. Rather than selling high-end devices like the Alpha, the report claims Samsung will focus on mid-range devices.

You can bet that Samsung will continue to offer the Galaxy S range of devices in the high-end, those continue to be popular with users. The rumor claims that Samsung will replace the Alpha with a new A-line starting with a device called the Galaxy A5.

The Galaxy A5 will have lesser specs than the Alpha unit for sure, but will also carry a lesser price to boot. The Galaxy A5 is tipped to sell for around $360. We don’t have a full spec sheet on the A5 at this time.

Word is that the Galaxy A5 will land in Korea next month. There is no exact launch date and rumors claim that the launch could push into February as well. Perhaps this is the time to get hands on a Galaxy Alpha if you have been holding off. It’s unclear if the Alpha will see a price cut to move leftover inventory.

SOURCE: SlashGear

This Indecisive Smartphone Can Run Android, Windows, or Firefox OS

Not sure what mobile operating system to settle down and start a life with? The new Alcatel Pixi 3 doesn't know either, so it can run everything: Windows Phone, Firefox OS, or Android.

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