LibreOffice is a nice alternative to Microsoft Office which is commonly used on Linux. Today, the LibreOffice team announced its viewer for Android. It’s still in the early stages but should open your LibreOffice files without problems.
The post LibreOffice Viewer (Beta) Now Available for Android appeared first on xda-developers.
We've seen Google Play Edition devices come and go from Play Store, usually in order to pave way for newer models. Today, the HTC One M8 GPE silently left the Play Store shelves just as had others before it. But this removal is quite noteworthy because of what it could imply. With the One M8 GPE's exit, there are no more Google Play Edition devices left on Play Store, leaving only the Nexus line to hold the fort and calling into question the survival of the GPE idea.
If some consider Nexus smartphones and tablets to be niche, the GPE models are even more so. They straddle the very thin line that separates regular OEM devices from Nexus ones. Their primary purpose was to offer the same juicy hardware as manufacturer flagships but with a vanilla Android experience, without the OEM or carrier bloat. Sounds reasonable enough, except probably when you factor in profits.
LG revealed before how Nexus devices, though hot items, aren't exactly big money makers. We can imagine that GPEs fare even less. Especially with the large and mature modding community on Android, even closed devices are easy work. Perhaps there isn't just enough incentive anymore for a Nexus-like open experience on a flagship device as there was a few years back. And without incentive or market demand, there is likely not enough money to continue making such devices.
So was the HTC One M8 really the last GPE device? At this point, it's still unclear without an official statement from Google. In the past, older GPE devices would be removed to make way for new ones, and we are expecting some new ones to be announced in a month or so. We will most likely hear more about this developing situation as we slowly trek the road to MWC 2015 in March.
SOURCE: Google Play Store
VIA: Android Central
For something that is as private (and should be secure) as personal messaging, there are still some users that use unofficial 3rd party apps of their free messaging service of choice. Chances are, those apps probably don't use the official API of the real one, and might be subject to either viruses or security breaches. WhatsApp has now already started cracking down on those unofficial apps and in the process, punishing users that use them.
The appeal of the unofficial apps is probably because it sometimes has features that we would like the official app to have. But nevertheless, WhatsApp started giving out 24-hour bans to users of WhatsApp Plus, one of a few side-loaded apps based on the popular messaging service. There have also been reports that WhatsAppMD users have also received punishment for their use of the said app.
WhatsApp stated in their FAQ that they did not in any way develop or authorize WhatsApp Plus, nor do they have a relationship with the makers of said app. They also emphasized that the source code it uses cannot be guaranteed as safe since it did not officially come from the developers of WhatsApp themselves. They warned that the stored information, including contact details and actual messages, may actually be passed on to other parties without your knowledge and authorization.
Of course WhatsApp will not claim any responsibility to that since apps like them are not official. They are not even on Google Play Store and can only be installed in Android devices by sideloading the APKs. So even if they have features that aren't on the official app yet, this is something that you use at your own risk and also risk getting punished by WhatsApp.
VIA: Android Central
If you like tower defense you will want to check out the new game called Defenders of Suntoria. This tower defense game promises challenging game play with lots of missions to enjoy. Defenders of Suntoria features 20 different missions with three different game modes for gamers to play.
The three game modes include first battle, one life, and one wave. Players can choose from four different characters- the wizard, barbarian, archer, and knight. The characters can be upgraded and there are multiple weapons to choose from.
Players can use different tactics to beat bosses, bandits, and archers as the game progresses. Players can also set traps to maximize defenses. The game is 88MB in size and requires Android 2.3 or higher to play.
This isn’t a free game it sells for $1.99. Annoyingly while you have to purchase the game, there are still in-app purchases. The game has up to 50 installs so far according to Google Play and is rated at 4.4 with only ten reviews in.
SOURCE: Google Play Store
With more and more people trying to break away from being forever stuck with their mobile phones, new apps to help people overcome smartphone addiction are coming out. One such app is QualityTime, another tool launched today which hopes to make you more aware of the time you spend face-to-face with your device.
This cool new app tracks your usage habits – everything from time spent on apps to the number of times you access your phone. The data it collects helps paint you a picture of how much you use your phone throughout a specific week. The longer QualityTime spends collecting data after installation, the more data will be available for you – such as the day you use your device the most, drilling down into what apps you use at particular times during the day. Pretty cool.
If you’re trying to control how much you use any particular app and boost your productivity, you can even set QualityTime to warn you that you’ve reached the boundaries you set for yourself. There’s also a cool “take a break” mode – this locks you out of certain apps for certain periods of time that you select. Of course, you can exclude pre-approved apps just in case there’s an emergency.
So this looks like a cool tool to help you be aware of just how long you are on your phone – just in case you’re one of those people who are still unaware of the huge amount of time we spend on our mobile devices. Download it via the Google Play Store below.
DOWNLOAD: Google Play Store
Are you having problems with playing various video files? VXG Video Player plays them all and gives you plethora of configuration options to customize the application to your liking. Give this video player a try and certainly you won’t be disappointed.
The post Play Videos with VXG Video Player appeared first on xda-developers.
The SHOT Show Industry Day at the Range became the launching pad of the new Seek XR thermal smartphone camera accessory. The company who made this was quick to followup the Seek Thermal which was launched only last September. The latest version of the add-on camera is ideal for those who like outdoor adventures and those who want to see heat in action. What's the point of this thermal camera? It helps spot animals, people, and more even when in total darkness with the heat the thermal camera detects.
What's good about the Seek XR is that it can also be used in obscured visibility conditions and during daylight. Hunters can greatly benefit from this as it can help in their hunting game, bloodtrailing, and scouting. Other activities where the Seek XR can be used include boating allowing you to detect objects on the water and or home improvements as the camera can detect leaks and plumbing or electrical problems, trace water damage, and identify leaky doors and windows.
The company behind the Seek thermal camera also added some new improvements to this model. Optical zoom has been added. It has a new a manual focus lens to view objects at very close range or as far as 2,000 feet. This makes the Seek XR camera more useful than ever because it can detect heat even at a far distance.
The Seek XR will be ready for Android and iOS devices for only $299. That's a bit pricey for a smartphone accessory but considering real and professional thermal cameras command hundreds to thousands of dollars, the latest Seek XR camera is still affordable.
Seek XR Thermal Camera will be available from Amazon and thermal.com this month.
VIA: SlashGear
SOURCE: Thermal