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Today’s Links March 23, 2015
Halo: Nightfall Now Available On Xbox Video Taking place between the events of Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, Halo: Nightfall follows the origin story of legendary manhunter Jameson Locke (Mike Colter) and his team as they are caught in a horrific terrorist attack while investigating terrorist activity on the distant colony world of Sedra. Led by Locke, the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) agents are forced to coordinate with a Sedran commander with a remarkable history and deep-rooted mistrust of ONI. As the plot unravels, they’re drawn to an ancient, hellish artifact where they’re forced to fight for their survival, question everything, and ultimately choose between their loyalties and their lives. Agent Locke is a new character in the Halo universe poised to play a major role in Halo 5: Guardians. This five-episode series, produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, was aired on Xbox 360 and Xbox One between November and December. Now, this series was released on DVD, Blu-ray and Video-on-demand services from March 17, with all episodes merged together into a feature-length film. Watch it on Xbox Video here. Sony AX500 Picture Gallery I just got a review sample of the Sony AX500 and so far I am loving it. You might have sen my unboxing here but I also wanted to share some pictures with you that I have so far taken with the camera. If you have any questions or thoughts let me know in the comment section. Give Your MacBook a baseelift Twelve South unfolds its newest accessory just for MacBook. Introducing BaseLift, an ultra-thin, folding pad + stand that goes everywhere your MacBook goes. BaseLift attaches to the bottom of your MacBook and folds into a wedge, elevating your screen and bringing your keyboard to a much more comfortable typing angle. Folded flat, BaseLift is a soft pad that protects your lap from the heat or cold of your aluminum MacBook. Compatible with all MacBooks (11-inch Air to 15-inch Pro), BaseLift is available now at Twelve South for $39.99. More info and images can be found at twelvesouth.com. Xperia T2 Ultra Lollipop firmware gets certified by Bluetooth SIG Earlier this month we reported that the Android Lollipop update had been certified by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, well the Xperia T2 Ultra has now seen the same. Bluetooth SIG has certified the “Tianchi Update to L”, signifying the ‘L’ for Lollipop update for the Xperia T2 Ultra (codenamed Tianchi). Sony has not made it clear whether it plans to update select 2014 non-Xperia Z series handsets to Lollipop, but these certifications are promising and shows that Sony is at least internally doing some testing. As soon as we have word one way or the other, we will let you know. “Close all” mod for Recent Apps in Xperia Lollipop One of the KitKat features missed by some in the Sony Xperia Android 5.0.2 Lollipop build is the “Close all” button when accessing recent apps. Well XDA-developer niaboc79 has come up with a mod that produces a floating material button when accessing recent apps, allowing you to clear all with ease. The mod currently works on the Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact and Z2 providing you have root. For the download and full instructions hit the source link below. Close All Lollipop Via XDA. Today’s Links March 22, 2015 Unboxing of Sony AX 500 Camera Unboxing the Sony AX 5000 camera, that Sonys PR firm sent me earlier this week and so far it is an impressive camera just by looking at the hardware. What suprised me is that there is no lense cover but that could be to it is PR sample but it is something that I have to look into some more. Have any questions, let me know in the comment section. Lumia Icon Only One Cent on Amazon (with 2 Year Contract) With Microsoft making the Lumia Icon available once again through their site, Amazon has done one better and dropped the price of the phone to only a penny when you purchase it through their store. Of course you’re still tied in with the same 2 Year Verizon contract, but if you’re planning on getting one either way, you can save yourself some money by buying through Amazon. Grab one at the link below if you’re interested: Nokia Lumia Icon, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless) Harmonix announces new Rock Band game, and the world rejoices! Im a huge fan of Harmonix, for pretty obvious reasons. They, as a company, are pretty on-par with what Tech N Burgers is about – music + games. They have done so much to blend the two and help people not only enjoy games together, but discover music. It’s been a Trojan Horse, if you will, getting people to find out about new artists, classic songs, and possibly discover music they wouldn’t have otherwise. They rock (no pun intended) at this sort of thing. So it’s great news to hear, that they are bringing back the Rock Band franchise in 2015. Rock Band 4 will be available for Xbox One and they plan to allow for previous DLC to be used within the game (much the same method as Dance Central: Spotlight does now). I would hope that Rock Band 4 has a better system for letting you know, at a glance, what songs are part of your DLC history. I’m looking forward to hearing more great things about this new addition to the franchise in the later months. I’m expecting E3 to be a pretty amped show, at this point. For more information on the Rock Band 4 news, check out Harmonix blog post. Album Beta (7.1.A.0.12) brings 4K output over MHL and more Sony Mobile has released a Beta of its Album application to testers, moving the build number from 7.0.A.0.26 to version 7.1.A.0.12. The move from 7.0 to 7.1 brings some big changes including the ability to output 4K images via MHL – particularly useful when connected to a 4K screen. Other changes include the option to now choose exactly what items in the nav menu that you want displayed. Previously, this was limited to Facebook, Picasa and Flickr, but now you can choose whether you want Videos, Folders, Camera effects etc to also be displayed. Within the settings menu, you can now also check to see how much of your PlayMemories Online storage quota you have used. Lastly, the location is now shown for PlayMemories Online photos. If you are keen to try the Beta for yourself, head over to the “Sony Album Beta” Google+ community to download the update and provide feedback. Nokia’s Z launcher updated, Microsoft OneDrive and Next Lock too Couple of updates for OneDrive and Z-launcher on my Note 4. It was also requesting for an update for HERE maps but it doesn’t download anything upon clicking. OneDrive supposedly has some visual changes. Next Lockscreen also seems to have a minor update. Facebook Appears To Be Testing A Dialer And Caller ID App For Android, And It’s Called… Phone Facebook, that company that is constantly trying to confuse you by naming its own branded apps after system apps, may launch another app it would now like to confuse you with, and it’s called -wait for it – Phone. At least, that’s what screenshots from a couple of folks who tipped us seem to say. Facebook, as we know, generally does major interface updates to its application server-side, so users occasionally get seemingly random glimpses of new features or UI designs before they launch. The [FB-ONLY] tag on this button for Phone would seem to indicate somebody flipped the wrong switch, and this element went live before it was supposed to. Tapping the button to install or update it does nothing but throw you to a ”no page found” error, which is probably because the application is stored internally on Facebook’s intranet for security purposes. What we can divine from this button is, well, not a huge amount – but then again, it does just seem to be a dialer replacement. Phone will block calls from commonly blocked numbers and show you detailed information about incoming calls, a lot like the Whitepages Caller ID app. Presumably, Facebook will also be anonymizing your incoming call data for marketing and research purposes, because why else would they want to release an app like this? We don’t know if or when Phone will come to exist as a thing publicly, but it does seem like Facebook is at least testing it. Today’s Links March 21, 2015 OneDrive Music Lockers Go Live; Access your Music Anywhere As promised by Microsoft, their music locker storage via OneDrive has just gone live; meaning that users can store their music on their OneDrive account and access it anywhere on the go, be it from another computer, smartphone, or their Xbox console. To access the songs in your OneDrive locker you’ll need to run the Xbox music app, available on Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox; after which you’ll automatically view a list of all the music stored in your OneDrive music locker, and can stream them back. Best of all you don’t need an Xbox Music pass to enjoy the service, so it’s absolutely free to use; check it out at the link below: https://music.xbox.com/Onedrive HTC New Female CEO Cher Wang; Signals New Focus Shifts Today HTC announced that their long-time CEO Peter Chou (and their only CEO since they were established in 1997) will be replaced by head chair-woman Cher Wang (seen below). It’s no secret that HTC have been struggling to market their phones against the mobile juggernauts Apple and Samsung, even when their devices are pretty amazing. However with many criticizing their latest flagship, the HTC M9 to be simply “more of the same”, it seems a change was needed. HTC’s new CEO Cher Wang mentioned a new focus for the company, evolving past just smartphones and moving on to “connected products and services”, these connected products and service no doubt include more wearables and smartwatches as well as whatever the industry has ins tore for us. “We are seeing rapid changes in the industry, with the smartphone as our personal hub connecting us to a growing world of smart devices. We pioneered the smartphone industry; now we are applying that thinking to realise the potential of a new generation of connected products and services.” Via Lots of bug fixes and improvements to VLC for WindowsPhone Thomas tweeted that videos should play way better on VLC for WindowsPhone in their recent update. They’re aware that the UI is not yet final. Small Xperia Z3 Dual update (23.0.1.F.0.102) rolling in Portugal We would love to be able tell Xperia Z3 Dual (D6633) owners that Lollipop has landed, but unfortunately the wait continues. However, minor build number 23.0.1.F.0.102 that was recentlycertified has now been released – at least in Portugal for both the Generic and Optimus (NOS) builds. We’ll keep you posted as soon as Lollipop starts seeding for the Xperia Z3 Dual. DOWNLOAD FTF: Xperia Z3 Dual (D6633): 23.0.1.F.0.102 New leaks of the Xperia Z4 front panel – could it sport a 1440p display? A few more pictures supposedly of the LCD panel of the Xperia Z4 have leaked, confirming all that we have seen so far. The image comes from a supplier who claims it will have a 5.2-inch display with a WQHD resolution (1440 x 2560). For many months now, rumours of the Xperia Z4 display resolution has fallen into two camps – some say that it will sport 1080p resolution, while others have spoken of perhaps an additional model with 1440p resolution. Our sources indicate that the former is more likely, which certainly will benefit the battery side of things. Which resolution would you want on the Xperia Z4? Is 1440p even necessary on a device with such a small display? We’d love to hear your thoughts below. Via Esato. Today’s Links March 20, 2015 Xperia E4 Dual now on sale in India The Sony Xperia E4 Dual is now in stock in India. The Xperia E4 Dual is available for INR 11,605 (£125, €172, $186) through Infibeam, with both black and white colours available. Infibeam will also include a free case worth INR 1,990 too. The Sony Xperia E4 has a 5-inch qHD (540 x 960) IPS display, a MediaTek MT6582 chipset (1.3GHz quad-core processor and ARM Mali-400 MP2 GPU), 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage (plus microSD card), 5MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, and a ‘two-day’ 2300mAh embedded battery. Xperia J1 Compact (D5788) announced – Sony’s first SIM-free Xperia for Japan Sony Mobile Japan has unveiled a new model this morning called the Xperia J1 Compact (D5788). It is the company’s first model to launch unlocked in the country, allowing users to use it with a service of their choice such as So-net. Pre-orders start on 27 March for 54,800 yen + tax, with the phone expected to launch on 20 April 2015. The Xperia J1 Compact is similar in specifications to the Xperia A2 (for NTT DoCoMo), which itself was based on the Xperia Z1 Compact. The handset has a 4.3-inch 720p display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) chipset with 2.2GHz quad-core processor and Adreno 330 graphics. Other features include 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, microSD memory card support, a 20.7MP Exmor RS rear camera, a 2.2MP Exmor R front-facing camera, 2300mAh battery and IP58 certification for dust/water resistance. The handset has dimensions of 128mm × 65 mm × 9.7 mm and weighs 138 grams. The handset will launch with Android 4.4 KitKat. Via Sony Mobile Japan. Today’s Links March 19, 2015 Today’s Links March 18, 2015 Today’s Links March 17, 2015 Today’s Links March 16, 2015 Microsoft to bring Cortana to iOS Microsoft plans to bring Cortana, its Windows phone personal assistant technology, to both Apple and Android devices, Reuters reports. The company is reported to be developing an advanced version of its Siri competitor based on an artificial intelligence project it has dubbed “Einstein.” Microsoft’s new CEO, Satya Nadella, has been more aggressively opening up the company’s software to non-Windows platforms, eschewing Microsoft’s traditional approach of forcing customers into using its Windows operating system. Cortana debuted on Windows phones last year, and will be coming to the desktop with Windows 10 later this year. According to people familiar with the project, Microsoft also plans to release a standalone iOS app version of the technology. New technology in Cortana to be rolled out this fall is expected to incorporate more advanced features, such as the ability to read and understand e-mail and more accurately anticipate user needs, rather than simply responding to requests as Siri does. Weekend Watch: World’s first crowd sourced tablet – Jolla Tablet Hands on Michael Fisher from PocketNow has given the Jolla Phone a fair go given the time constraints. Here he takes a look at Jolla’s second and upcoming Sailfish OS device, their first ever tablet. Unlike the JollaPhone which was not the highest end specs at launch despite the high price (because it wasn’t meant for the masses but tinkerers) this one seems built for today’s market. The gestures look even nicer on this bigger display. Another thing noted by Fisher is Jolla’s aims to be the private and secure alternative to Android. Out around Q2, congrats to the crowd who funded this and all the team behind working on it. Nokia Enters Multi-Million Dollar Agreement with Wired Magazine to Remind You Nokia’s Still Alive and Kicking Nokia is trying to remind the world that there’s more to the company than making phones; in their latest attempt to do so, Nokia has entered a year long multi-million dollar agreement with Wired magazine. The deal revolves around Wired adding a new editorial style article into their magazine revolving around the usage of technology in our daily lives, and how it changes our lives. The editorial series titled “Make Tech Human” is aimed at creating conversation and debate to raise awareness about technology in our lives, and of course Nokia’s role in it. The year-long, multi-million dollar campaign — which includes print ads and events — is “really both about showing that Nokia is still not just alive but strong and also contributing to resolving some big global issues,” according to Barry French, head of marketing and corporate affairs at Nokia Via New “Xperia Cosmos” selfie phone leaks with front-facing flash It appears that Sony Mobile may be looking to launch a successor to the Xperia C3, which had a 5MP front-facing camera and front-facing flash – the only Xperia device so far to sport one. A new phone has leaked by tipster @upleaks that shows what looks like a mid-range device with large front-facing camera and front LED flash. Within the settings the phone is dubbed the “Xperia Cosmos”, however since anyone can change the name of their Bluetooth device, we won’t read too much into this. The phone has a relatively small bezel and is running Android Lollipop. The Xperia C3 saw a very limited regional release, mainly targeted to the Asian markets. Would you like to see a wider launch for this selfie phone, assuming Sony does launch it? Today’s Links March 15, 2015 Beta: MixRadio for Android Checking out the MixRadio Beta for Android, so far I like it. There are a couple of quirks but I do enjoy how they have built it and looking forward to seeing more about the software and how they have built it. OneNote Clipper 2.0 released by Microsoft The OneNote Clipper tool, which is a browser utility for saving web based content into your OneNote notebooks for future use and reference, has received a significant update and added several new enhancements. I have tested OneNote Clipper with Internet Explorer, FireFox and on Chrome using a special OneNote Clipper extension and it is very handy for quickly grabbing and saving interesting content I find online. In Windows 8.1 it is easy to share webpages to OneNote using the Charms Bar and the Share option. However, one limitation is that you must be using the Modern version of Internet Explorer because the desktop version of IE, as well as FireFox and Chrome, do not have the same access to that Share Charm for sending items to OneNote as it does not work with desktop browsers. That is where the OneNote Clipper comes in and can be used by adding a simple shortcut to your browsers Favorites Bar or, in the case of Chrome, install the OneNote Clipper browser extention. In a post over at the Microsoft Office blog Microsoft details this 2.0 update. Here is a quick summary: – New user interface which has been cleaned up, occupies much less screen space and has new animations. – The new Location Picker is in direct response to one of the biggest feature requests from users and now, instead of defaulting to your Quick Notes section, you can pick the notebook and section to store the web clipping in. The location picker also remembers the most recent notebook and section you saved a clipping to in OneNote to make multiple clips to the same spot easier. This is great when you are collecting info for a project in quick succession that all needs to be saved in the same notebook and should save a few steps along the way. Shared notebooks can also be used as destinations in the location picker improving your ability to save items and share them directly with friends who have access to that same shared notebook. This is a feature I would really like to see in OneNote MX – the modern app version of OneNote. – Clipper can still grab the entire page you want to save and send it to OneNote however, now the Clipper has an option to just clip the segment of the page you want to keep and get rid of all the extra stuff around the edges such as ads, sidebars, etc. Just click the Article, Recipe or Product button in the Clipper interface to preview what will be clipped and then send it to OneNote. – Clipper 2.0 now supports region clipping on Chrome with the OneNote Clipper Chrome Extension. You can visit www.onenote.com/clipper to see more about the new update and get started using it with OneNote and your favorite web browser. Interested in providing feedback on the product? Visit www.onenote.uservoice.com to give the OneNote team input on any of these new features for the Clipper tool or any other part of OneNote. GoneMAD Music Player Goes 2.0 With Material Design And Over 1,000 New Themes The GoneMAD music player has recently (stop me if you’ve heard this one before) gone mad for material design in its big jump to version 2.0. The app isn’t the glossiest or prettiest of the bunch, but it’s a fresh upgrade that has spent the better part of a year in development. The material theme provided out of the box is kind of basic, but the developers have seen fit to throw in over 1,000 themes to choose from. Some are material. Some are holo. Surely you can find something that pleases your aesthetic taste buds. The changes aren’t all surface level. Widgets have been overhauled, indexing should go along faster, and code has been cleaned up across the board. What’s new: Massive UI Overhaul Added 1000+ themes (both material and holo) Widget overhaul with much more customization Multiple select Major code cleanup Fast scroll indexer Much more. See changelog for large list of changes Those of you reading this who have yet to give GoneMAD a try may find now a good time to do so. Developer GoneMAD Software has placed the paid version on sale for just 99 cents. With a price like that, clearly it has gone mad (okay, something tells me you’ve heard that one already). Lumia Icon Now Back in Stock at Microsoft Store A while back Microsoft seemingly pulled the plug on the Lumia Icon, with Verizon no longer selling it in stores, and being listed as “out of stock” online. Now it seems Microsoft have though better of leaving users without a flagship device until September, as you can now order one online at the Microsoft store. You can grab the Lumia Icon in white or black from the Microsoft store at the link below: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Verizon—Nokia-Lumia-Icon/productID.306508100 Via: reddit Today’s Android Wear Watch Face on my Moto 360 Today’s watchface is Relaxing Thoughts which can be found on Google Play for .99 cent. In fact you can switch the watch face since they ship several different with the devices so that you can ejoy them on your Android Wear device of choice. If you are looking for a new watch face for your Android Wear device of choice I highly recommend this one for you. DAT DEAL: Brand New Nexus 7 (2013) for $149 From Groupon I still don’t get how Groupon has this many brand new Nexus 7 (2013) tablets lying around their warehouses, but they do, even after all these months. We are talking about a tablet of Google’s that is almost two years old and hasn’t been sold by Google in I don’t even know how long. We wrote up a similar deal from Groupon two months ago, yet here we are in mid-March, telling you about the same discounted tablet of Google’s. But hey, the tablet is still solid for an Android tablet! Why not buy one? The deal is this – a brand new 16GB Nexus 7 (2013) for just $149. This tablet originally sold for $229, so that’s a decent $80 discount. It’s already running Lollipop, has a solid high-res display, and is compact enough that you may even be able to toss one in your JNCOs at Marilyn Manson shows. Still need an Android tablet, but don’t want to dent the bank account? Here you go. Deal Link @MixRadio on the @hp Stream 7 As you may have seen on my instagram I recently picked up an HP Stream 7 and one of the first things that I tried on it was to see how well does my favorite musicservice MixRadio work on it? And to my suprise I was blown away I thought the speakers would be a bit so-so but for a casual listening they are really good. Not something that would replace my Bose speakers but the casual everyday listening it is really good. One thign I have always enjoyed with MixRadio was to see the artists background when playing music so I was curious to see how well the screen is ? Indoor I really do enjoy it but there is another factor that I had the oppertunity to test out and that as to see how well it worked under the great spring weather that we are currently having here in Sweden. Another factor that I wanted to test out how is the batterylife with the Stream 7 when I am playing MixRadio on it? Surprisingly good to be honest. I can use it during my work day without having to worry about the battery life. If you want a portable solution to easily listening to music you can not go wrong with the HP Stream 7. Today’s Links March 14, 2015 Google Messenger Updated With GIF Support and a Widget Google’s Messenger app, a new-ish SMS app that exists outside of Hangouts even though Hangouts was supposed to be the future of messaging for Google, received an update this week that introduces GIF support and a widget. Oh, it also should perform better and have less bugs. That’s it! Is anyone using this app? Clearly, a few of you are, as our inbox was tipped a handful of times with news about the update. I’m just wondering why you aren’t using Hangouts? Is it because Hangouts is mostly terrible or does Messenger just work better as an SMS app? Would love to know! Play Link Lifelog update (2.6.A.0.10) allows you to share progress through social media Sony Mobile has updated the Lifelog tracking application that moves the build number from 2.5.A.0.10 to version 2.6.A.0.10. The main new feature is the ability to share progress of your physical activity with friends via social networking channels. When you click into a particular activity, you should now notice the share icon in the top right of the screen. This will provide a text overlay against one of your chosen pictures that can then be shared. The update is live on the Play Store right now. Thanks Armaan and Joel! Nokia – What is #maketechhuman about? Stacey Brierly (ly cut off by the YouTube logo), Global Head of Brand and Corporate Marketing, talks on Nokia’s youtube channel about what is #maketechhuman. Looking back at Nokia’s 150th year, they really have been driving innovation that helps humans (connecting them). Hear what Stacey Brierley, our Global Head of Brand and Corporate Marketing, has to say about our #maketechhuman collaboration with WIRED. We’re excited to see where the discussion takes us all! Weekend Watch: Lumia Light Painting – Tutorial and Lumia Camera Review Mattias Burling shows us how to take advantage of the exposure control and do some light painting on your Lumia. You get 4 seconds to play with (hopefully a bit more in future Lumias for more options) Yves Das is recommended for taking this to the next level. Check out the LED stick which can automatically change the light position and provide the required image or text in whatever font! CJ Reviews the Microsoft Lumia 532 Here’s CJ from unleashthephones.com reviewing the recently launched (Jan 2015) Lumia 532 from Microsoft. It’s a good phone for the price range but how does this fare in comparison to the other budget/entry level Lumias? Powers Xperia Theme released to celebrate the PlayStation Original Series Powers is a new TV show from Sony, with the first episode of the sci-fi original series launching earlier this week. To capitalise on this new show, Sony Mobile has just released a new “Powers” Xperia Theme. See some screenshots below and if you see what you like you can download the theme from the Google Play Store. Today’s Links March 13, 2015 Today’s Links March 12, 2015 Today’s Links March 11, 2015 Sony SBH70 Stereo Bluetooth Headset priced in UK, Germany Sony announced another headset to its collection at MWC last week. The Sony SBH70 Stereo Bluetooth Headset is a water-resistant (IP57 certification) wireless headset, which includes voice commands (such as adding an audio bookmark in Lifelog). It includes a 125 mAh battery good for six hours of streaming time. The Sony SBH70 headset is now available to pre-order in the UK through Handtec where it is priced at £45.59. In Germany,Amazon.de has most colours available to pre-order at a more expensive €80.98. The headset will be available in five colours (Black, White, Blue, Pink, Lime) and is expected to land in April 2015. Today’s Links March 10, 2015 Day 2 of 30 days with @MixRadio the setup Day 2 of 30 days with MixRadio, the setup. The phone that I am using is the green Lumia 930 (named it after Luigi in Super Mario ) paried with a Senheiser in ear earphone.s These ones I have used for a couple of years and so far not found anythign to replace them. The only downside with them is that I can raise and lower the volume but the microphone won’t work with Windows Phone.. If you have any recommendations on decent headphones to use I am happy to accept them. The speaker solution that I have been using is the Coloud Bang Portable speaker solution which I reviewed here. For the price they are really good and I highly recommend them. In fact rthey work with other phones such as the Motorola X 2nd generation also. Tough there is another thing that I need to talk about the built in speaker… It is really good while you are listening to music and want to share certain tune with your friend. What’s your setup? Let me know in the comment section! Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Unboxing Unboxing of the Galaxy Note 4. Let mw know if you have any questions. Weekend Watch: World’s first crowd sourced tablet – Jolla Tablet Hands on Michael Fisher from PocketNow has given the Jolla Phone a fair go given the time constraints. Here he takes a look at Jolla’s second and upcoming Sailfish OS device, their first ever tablet. Unlike the JollaPhone which was not the highest end specs at launch despite the high price (because it wasn’t meant for the masses but tinkerers) this one seems built for today’s market. The gestures look even nicer on this bigger display. Another thing noted by Fisher is Jolla’s aims to be the private and secure alternative to Android. Out around Q2, congrats to the crowd who funded this and all the team behind working on it. Today’s Links March 9, 2015 Google reportedly working on Android for virtual reality According to a new report out of The Wall Street Journal, Google is working on a version of Android that would power virtual-reality applications. Much like Android operating system that powers smartphones, the report claims that Android for virtual reality would be distributed to hardware manufacturers for free. The Wall Street Journal report cites two unnamed sources, stating the following: Those people said Google has ”tens of engineers” and other staff working on the project. Google plans to freely distribute the new operating system, they said, mimicking a strategy has made Android by far the most popular operating system for smartphones, powering more than one billion phones. If the report is true, an Android for virtual reality applications would join Android Wear, Android TV, andAndroid Auto as the latest entry in the line of Android versions tweaked for specific devices and scenarios. Google has already flirted a bit with virtual reality — albeit on a much smaller scale — with its Google Cardboard headset that allows users to experience virtual reality scenarios using an inexpensive cardboard viewfinder and their own smartphone. However, with the virtual reality market heating up with offerings from Samsung with its Gear VR headset, and HTC with its recently-announced Vive, it would make sense that Google might be experimenting with an increased push into the territory. Source: The Wall Street Journal Waterfield designs unveils ultra thin spike wallet WaterField Designs has introduced their latest slim wallet, the Spike. As Apple Pay gains popularity, and loyalty cards and receipts can be accessed from smartphones, it may be time to downsize the typical wallet. San Francisco’s WaterField Designs introduces the leather Spike Wallet—an ultra-minimalist, all-leather case ideal for carrying the remaining bare essentials: driver’s license, transit card and a few bills. The super-thin Spike fits easily into a front pocket in a “barely there” fashion, and its grizzly distressed leather develops a beautiful patina with use. “Our wallets have always been minimal, even those that carry iPhones, smartphones, and passports,” shared Gary Waterfield, company owner. “Now with Apple Pay gaining ground, we’ve designed this new Spike, our most minimalist wallet yet. Its straightforward design highlights two of our core competencies—quality materials and workmanship. The Spike’s carefully-chosen leather withstands rugged use and just keeps getting better looking over time.” The Spike is available in two sizes—one for essential cards and one for cards plus cash (and even a house key). Each is laser cut and solidly stitched for durability. The Spike’s grizzly, distressed, full-grain leather is culled from the most durable top layer of the hide, where the grain is tightest and most water-resistant. Shaped like a mini envelope, the Spike’s cover closes by inserting its tip into a cut out slot on the front of the case. The Spike retails for $25, and can be picked up on WaterField Design’s website. Hangouts For Android Gets Easy Video Chat Invitation Links Hangouts video chats are pretty good in terms of handling multiple up and down streams, but the invitation and verification system leaves a lot to be desired – there’s something of a traffic jam when we start the Android Police podcast video, for example. Today Google is making that a little easier by allowing mobile users to join a Hangouts video session with a simple invitation link, instead of needing an explicit, personal invitation via the Hangouts/Google+ system. This has been possible on a standard desktop or Chrome OS device for a few months, but now it’s enabled for Android connections as well. If you’re hosting the video Hangout on the web, you’ll be given the shareable link in a window before you begin. Just send that to anyone who might want to join (instead of manually adding them to the Hangout) and they’ll be able to hop on via the web or an Android-powered device. If you’re on the receiving end, just click the link and you’re good to go. You shouldn’t need to do anything on Android to use the new invitation system, aside from be on the latest version of Hangouts. It appears to be a server-side switch. And in case you’re wondering, no, you can’t start a video Hangout on Android and distribute an invitation link; the Android app only supports creating a new Hangout with at least one invited guest. Microsoft Band Coming to 765 Best Buys in the US With Microsoft’s plan to bring the Microsoft Band back to online sales, it seems they’re also expanding their reach by bringing the Band to more physical locations thanks to a new partnership with Best Buy. According to WindowsCentral Microsoft’s partnership is set to kick off sometime this month, meaning that Microsoft’s Band could beat Apple’s watch to the more 3rd party stores. Of course Best Buy has a much wider reach than Microsoft’s 1st party locations which are only available in several major cities at the time. Anyone planning on getting one if they’re available at your local Best Buy? Via: WindowsCentral Today’s Links March 8, 2015 [Deal Alert] New Subscribers Can Get 3 Months Of Google Play Music All Access For $3 Google is always coming up with deals to get people to try its All Access music subscription (which now includes YouTube Music Key as well). After offering free trials when the service first launched or with every Chromecast purchase, it’s now discounting a 3-months subscription to a total of $3, i.e. a mere Washington per month. As the deal’s terms state, this offer is only valid for new subscribers, but exactly who qualifies as a ”new subscriber” remains up in the air. Obviously, if you’re completely new to GPMAA, you will get the deal, but it seems that if you trialled the service for free before, you don’t. However, a SlickDeals user reported canceling his current subscription and making use of the discount. So if you’ve previously used GPMAA, you can click the promo’s link and just hope for the best. As stated above, this gives you access to Google Play Music’s entire catalogue of songs as well as YouTube’s music background playback and offline downloads. When the 3 months are over, your subscription will be renewed at the regular rate of $9.99 per month (unless you cancel it beforehand). Google Play Music Logitech unveils the g303 daedalus apex gaming mouse Logitech introduced its newest Logitech G mouse, the Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex Performance Edition Gaming Mouse. Designed based on feedback from the gaming enthusiast and eSports community, this mouse features the Logitech G exclusive Delta Zero optical sensor technology for precision targeting, and metal spring button tensioning system in a lightweight, compact form. It also incorporates RGB customizable lighting color and brightness to match your style, system, or environment. The Logitech G303 delivers the utmost accuracy, responsiveness and performance, and reflects Logitech’s ongoing commitment to leveraging science to design products that help gamers win. “The community sent us a clear message that they wanted the lightweight, symmetrical design of our G302 combined with the amazing sensor in our G502,” said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager of the Logitech gaming business. “We took this feedback and built a mouse that was tuned and tested by pros to help ensure improved accuracy, comfort and performance. Thanks to you and this feedback, we’ve built an amazing product.” The Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex Performance Edition Gaming Mouse is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in March 2015, for a suggested retail price of $69.99. For more information, visit Logitech G’s website. 30 days of @MixRadio – witness the fitness When my Lumia 930 arrived I quickly decided that I wanted to try MixRadio to really see could it replace all of my other music services? Can I finally stop using my locally stored music (right now it’s about 25000 songs) and would I give up my favorite Google Music Player? In my ongoing aspire with my health issues I figured the first thing was to check out what playlists can I listen to at the gym? The first one that I found was ”Witness The Fitness” and so far I found it to be a really good playlist which allowed me to focus on my training and yes I actually did enjoy listening to Dark Horse by Katy Perry. The only downside I have found so far was that I could only forward six times, which has me subscribing to the premium service. One thing that I have noticed so far is that I have barely started scratchign the surface on listening to music with MixRadio there is alot more to learn here then what I had imagined. Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicates Nokia Chennai plant to start functioning in the coming days There’s been a lot of drama surrounding Nokia’s Chennai plant. The last we heard though were some positive insights from Nokia CEO that things would get moving once again. TimesofIndia reports that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi suggests the Nokia Chennai factory will begin functioning again soon – in fact the quote is “in the coming days”. In the time of closure however, 25,000 became jobless as of November last year. It won’t be a simple flick of a switch. But efforts have already started and people will be in employment again. Source: TimesOfIndia Cheers Alvester for the tip Revamped Apple music service not coming until WWDC; new Apple TV later this year? Following on earlier rumors that Apple’s new streaming music service may have been ready for a March launch, a new report from 9to5Mac indicates that the new service likely won’t be unveiled until at least June, when the company holds its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Citing music industry sources that have been briefed on Apple’s timeline for the new service, the report confirms that the new iTunes music streaming service is being developed, but notes that the company plans to introduce the new service as a beta at WWDC in early June. The same report also notes that Apple is still working on a new Apple TV as well, which is expected to be a slimmer set-top box with an improved remote control and a redesigned operating system. It’s also expected that Apple will introduce an App Store with the redesigned OS — a feature which has been long-awaited by many Apple TV users. Apple had apparently hoped to debut the new Apple TV as early as this month, however, the company is still experiencing issues negotiating with content providers. Socialife News app supports screen rotation; icon updated for Material Design Sony’s Socialife News application was updated earlier this week and a new Material Design icon introduced. We didn’t notice any big changes in the UI of the app itself, however another change is that the app now supports screen rotation so that news can be consumed in landscape view. The update is live in the Play Store right now. Socialife icon changed Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac Preview While there are no shortage of options for office productivity apps among Mac users, ranging from Apple’s own iWork suite to more cloud-based solutions like Google Docs, it’s pretty hard to argue that Microsoft’s Office suite remains the 800-pound gorilla in the room when it comes to features and compatibility for exchanging documents with others. Even though Microsoft tends to lag a bit behind in their Mac versions, they provide reasonably good support for the Mac platform, making it easier for users to work on files from their own computers, or even to use their Macs at work. With Microsoft’s Office 2016 for Mac Preview (free), the company is basically giving away preview versions of its latest Office apps, a bundle that now adds Microsoft OneNote alongside updated options of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Although Office 2016 will have a price tag attached once it’s ultimately released later this year, these preview versions give you an early look into what the new versions will deliver, and while the FAQ notes that some features may still be missing, it works remarkably well even at this early point. Users with Office 2013 on their Windows side will appreciate a look and feel that brings the apps closer to their Windows counterparts while not compromising the Mac design ethos. Keyboard shortcuts are now more aligned with the Windows versions, Excel 2016 for Mac gains more functions from Excel 2013 for Windows, and the Ribbon is now designed more consistently across both platforms. In addition, Microsoft has packed in a lot of new Mac-specific features, including Retina Display support. In fact, the preview is only officially supported on OS X Yosemite. Microsoft has also tightened up its own OneDrive cloud support, and has expanded Outlook to make it more useful in corporate Exchange environments. Asphalt 8:Airborne 1.8, Calcbot 2.0, Gmail 4.0, Real Steel Champions, SimCity BuildIt Tokyo Town Asphalt 8: Airborne (free) — Still one of our favorite racing games for the iOS platform, this latest update pushes the envelope even further by adding five new Ferrari models, including the Enzo Ferrari, and the 612 Scaglietti, along with much-requested decals for customizing your rides, and a garage redesign and new car collection. Calcbot (free) — Tapbots is well-known for its distinct iOS app designs, and the makers of the very popular Tweetbot have given the calculator app a complete iOS 8 overhaul and made it available for free, while also rolling in the capabilities of Convertbot as an in-app purchase. A new favorites system replaces the classic memory keys, and the history tape now appears in landscape mode to the side of the calculator. The app can also now sync across multiple iOS devices and Calcbot for Mac, and with the $2 in-app Calcbot Pro purchase you gain access to 500 different unit conversions across 22 different categories and a ‘Pro’ theme. Nine other new purchasable themes are also available. Gmail (free) — If your’e a hard-core Gmail user, chances are that the built-in Mail app just doesn’t quite cut it for you. Although Google’s native Gmail app has traditionally been a trade-off due to its lack of some of the nicer iOS integrations, Google’s working to change that with this latest update. Version 4.0 adds interactive notifications – so you can swipe a notification to archive or reply right from your lock screen or banner – and Sharing Extension support that allows you to e-mail out photos and documents from other apps directly through the Gmail app. The attachment viewer has also been updated to allow you to more easily do the reverse as well – open attachments from Gmail into other third-party iOS apps. Real Steel Champions (free) — Build a killer robot champion and use it to take out other robots in a futuristic arena. That’s basically the premise of the Real Steel franchise, and this sequel to Real Steel World Robot Boxing takes it up to the next level with the ability to build thousands of unique robots from a combination of unique robot parts including heads, torsos, hands, and legs. The game starts you out with the basics and throws you into the ring, and as you work your way through 20 fights and 30 challenges across the tournament series, you gradually build up your roster of ultimate robot champions. Unlimited free sparring lets you hone your skills across ten different arenas. SimCity BuildIt (free) — We’ve generally been impressed with EA’s new freemium approach to the venerable city-building game – as freemium games go, it remains quite playable without making you feel forced to actually spend real money to get ahead – and this latest update delivers a nice game expansion. Dubbed “Tokyo Town,” the update allows you to build an international airport once your city reaches a large enough population threshold, from which you can then ship cargo to earn Tokyo Town items that will in turn allow you to build a whole new style of buildings and even the famous Himeji Castle Tokyo landmark. Hot air balloons and blimps have also been added to the sky, and a new mailbox provides access to rewards, gifts, and game update news. “Never Again” Siilasmaa interview in Finnish Kauppalehti Nokia’s Chairman, Risto Siilasmaa recently spoke to Finnish business newspaper, Kauppalehti regarding Nokia. I’ve only got the translated version so there may be a few things missed. Nokia paid a heavy price. The gist seems to be that the past falls of Nokia are learning points never to be repeated again. Back in 2012 some expected Nokia to go bankrupt but they’re now heading in a different direction. It appears that they didn’t have many options at hand, and the Microsoft sale seemed the best option at the time. Source: kauppalehti.fi Cheers capedonut for the tip! 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