Project Fi app adds real-time data usage info for Android 7.0 Nougat users

If you are using Google’s Project Fi wireless service, and if your phone has at least Android 7.0 Nougat installed, you can now get some more accurate info on how much data your device is using. Google revealed today that a server-side update has enabled real-time data uses with the Project Fi app. See also: Google Project Fi review63According to a post on Reddit by the company’s community manager, subscribers must have at least version K.2.7.20 of the Project Fi app installed to check out the real-time data usage info. It’s available on both the main app screen, or you can check it out via the data usage home screen widget.In addition to overall data usage info, the update also lets users see which apps are using the most data on their device. This might come in handy if you are on a plan with a limited amount of data, so you can close apps that might be using a lot of your bandwidth but which might not be ones that you are currently interacting with at the time. The app will also sent out an alert if your data usage reaches a certain threshold. You also have the option of going into your phone’ settings so when it reaches a certain data cap, any cellular data on your phone will turn off automatically.It’s actually very cool that Google has added such a handy way to keep track of your Project Fi data. If you are subscribed to the service, what do you think of this new feature?Get it from Google Play

Project Fi app adds real-time data usage info for Android 7.0 Nougat users

Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge will be available in US and other select markets

The killer S-Pen features and the futuristic iris scanner weren’t the only things that differentiated the late Galaxy Note 7 from the Galaxy S7 edge: the Galaxy Note 7 came in a brand new color called Blue Coral. After the Note 7 was discontinued, Samsung sought ways to compensate for the absence of its Note flagship, and that’s how the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge was born. See also: Samsung Galaxy S7 edge review95We saw leaked photos of a Verizon-bound unit earlier this month, and just a few days ago, Samsung Taiwan officially announced that the curved smartphone in this mystical hue would be available in the country starting November 1st. Well, today, Samsung Electronics took a moment to say that indeed, the Blue Coral version of the beloved Galaxy S7 edge will be available in select markets around the world including the US:Starting November 1, the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge will be available in selected markets around the globe. Specific availability details will be announced by each market’s wireless providers and regional Samsung offices.Judging by the pricing in Taiwan, it looks like the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge will have the same price tag as the other colors. Unfortunately, Samsung doesn’t seem to have any plans to bring the new color option to the flat-screen version of the S7.Just to recap, the Galaxy S7 edge launched back in March with a 5.5-inch Quad HD display that curves on both sides. The phone is powered by Snapdragon 820 coupled with 4GB of RAM. The S7 edge boasts a 3,600 mAh battery, and quite frankly, it’s the best battery life that I’ve seen from any Samsung flagship device. Unlike the Galaxy S6, the S7 family has a microSD slot and is IP68 certified. The best feature, however, is arguably its camera – a 12-megapixel camera with f/1.7 aperture that uses the ultra-fast Dual Pixel autofocus technology.It’s not clear yet when each country or carrier will get the blue version of the Galaxy S7 edge, but we will be sure to keep you updated! In the meantime, you can check out the gallery below for more images: Will you consider buying the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge or are you waiting for the Galaxy S8? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge will be available in US and other select markets

Blue Coral Galaxy S7 Edge is Indeed Coming to the US This Year

Samsung confirmed this evening that the Galaxy S7 Edge will soon arrive at US carriers in Blue Coral.

What’s significant about Blue Coral? It’s the blue and rose gold color scheme that was an early exclusive to the Galaxy Note 7 before that phone was discontinued. Likely in attempt to help stir up end-of-year excitement and bump sales, Samsung is moving the color over to the S7 Edge. 

Samsung wouldn’t say exactly when this new colorway will arrive, but that we should expect it before the end of 2016. The regular Galaxy S7 will not get a Blue Coral option.

Related StoriesLive Chat: Samsung “Unpacked” Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge MWC 2016Video: Samsung Mobile President Shares His Vision for Galaxy S7 and 2016Here is the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge in Silver. It’s Hot.Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge May Soon Come in Blue Coral
Blue Coral Galaxy S7 Edge is Indeed Coming to the US This Year is a post from: Droid Life

Blue Coral Galaxy S7 Edge is Indeed Coming to the US This Year

ASUS ZenWatch 3 goes on sale a bit earlier than scheduled for $229

The ASUS ZenWatch 3, which was officially announced earlier this year, is now available to purchase online in the US for $229. The Android Wear smartwatch was originally scheduled to go on sale in early November. so this represents a bit of an early launch for the watch. See also: ASUS just announced the ZenWatch 38At the moment, only the version of the watch with the dark brown leather band is on sale at B&H Photo, with shipments to begin sometime in mid-November. It’s also technically on sale at the official ASUS web store, but at the moment it shows that it is temporarily out of stock. We will let you know when it becomes available directly from ASUS once again.The ASUS ZenWatch 3 includes a 316L stainless steel body and a 1.39-inch circular AMOLED display with a resolution of 400×400. Inside, the smartwatch comes with the recently launched Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, which has been optimized specifically for wearable devices. It also has 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage a 340mAh battery.  ASUS says the ZenWatch 3 will come preinstalled with 50 watch faces, which should offer more than enough customization options.Are you interested in buying the ASUS ZenWatch 3 now that it is finally on sale in the US?Get it at B&H Photo

ASUS ZenWatch 3 goes on sale a bit earlier than scheduled for $229

Google is cracking down on Play Store apps that try to illegally boost their rankings

Android owners who have seen some poorly created, but still high ranking, apps in the Google Play Store might be seeing less of them in the near future. The company says it will be cracking down on Play Store apps that try to deliberately scam customers to download them through various means. See also: How to fix common Google Play Store error codes8In a blog post,  Google stated that while the company tries to maintain a high amount of quality on the Play Store in terms of app content discovery, they have noticed that a few publishers have tried to “game” the store. Such efforts include publishers trying to generate a large amount of installs of an app through fraudulent means, or posting five star reviews of an app in the Play Store that are either fake, or have been paid for (a lot of the time, it’s both). The blog post correctly states such moves are in violation of the company’s Developer Policy, but even if they were not, such actions not only affect consumers who might download fraudulent apps, but they also affect creators who might see their legitimate apps not get noticed in the Play Store.Google says that it is currently rolling out new backend features in the Play Store that are designed to find apps that are promoted through false means. It says:If an install is conducted with the intention to manipulate an app’s placement on Google Play, our systems will detect and filter it. Furthermore, developers who continue to exhibit such behaviors could have their apps taken down from Google Play.The blog post also cautions developers to work within the Google Play Developer Policy, especially if they contract their marketing and promotion efforts to a third party. Do you think this new move will result in making it easier to find high-quality, and honestly reviewed, apps in the Google Play Store?

Google is cracking down on Play Store apps that try to illegally boost their rankings

Google Play is Sick of Apps Gaming the System With Fraudulent Installs, Fake Reviews

Google is done with apps and their developers who attempt to game the Google Play discovery systems. Starting today, improved detection and filtering systems have been implemented that will attempt to keep apps out of view that may have tried to fraudulently work their way into your Play store feed. 

Google says that the majority of developers aren’t doing things to manipulate the placement of their apps, but some are. Examples would be incentivizing ratings, posting of fake reviews, and gaining fraudulent installs to bump up numbers. If Google finds apps using any of these tricks, these new systems and filters will detect and hide them. Also, if they find developers who continue to game the systems, their apps could be “taken down from Google Play.”

Going forward, you should have much more accurately placed recommended apps that aren’t a part of a developers fraudulent scheme.

Via:  Android Developers Blog

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Google Play is Sick of Apps Gaming the System With Fraudulent Installs, Fake Reviews is a post from: Droid Life

Google Play is Sick of Apps Gaming the System With Fraudulent Installs, Fake Reviews

Today in Hip Hop History:Jay-Z released his fifth album The...

Today in Hip Hop History:Jay-Z released his fifth album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia October 31, 2000

Today in Hip Hop History:Jay-Z released his fifth album The...

Let’s look at some of the cool products coming from Samsung Creative Lab

Samsung’s Creative Lab Projects, also known as C-Lab, is a Samsung division that aims to let its employees work on more personal projects. Like Google Creative Lab, C-Lab offers a space to develop ideas that otherwise might never see the light of day and Samsung has just teased a few apps and wearables that might be coming out of C-Lab in the future. Let’s take a quick look at them.Hum On!Hum On! Turns a melody you hum into music notation that can be played back and customized. The implication is that you can create a song without actually having any in-depth knowledge of music.This is an exciting idea but also useful for musicians – at least beginners. It could help train your voice, to some extent, as well educate you on music notation principles. You can download the app now in the Google Play Store for free but expect some bugs in its early state.WaffleWaffle is a social app based on images. It encourages users to draw doodles and send photos to friends and family, which they can reply to with their own pictures, to create a personalized collage of images that Samsung calls “social art”.How interesting this app would be, ultimately, likely depends on how invested people are in creating interesting designs and patterns. Also, drawing on smartphones usually isn’t very comfortable or accurate with a finger, which could hinder its chances of catching on.ItsyWatchThis is a not an app but a wearable for children. The watch provides a child a virtual pet to care for – which sounds a lot like a Tamagotchi. Samsung says the watch is being designed to help children “build good habits”, to “relieve parental stress” and to “strengthen the emotional bond among family members”. Admirable aims, but there’s so little divulged about the product that it’s hard to judge its potential.AheadAhead is a communication device for safety helmets designed to give skiers, cyclists, skateboarders etc. a hands-free alternative to smartphones. It’s said to offer music-streaming capabilities and voice notifications.There’s certainly space in the market for such a product, especially after Skully’s demise, but Samsung appears to have ignored rule number one of creating a wearable: don’t make the person look silly while wearing it.LiConLiCon is a camera app that you point at ‘internet of things’ devices to control them. Samsung says you can “take a photo of any smart device – from toys to bottles and appliances” to then take control of it. For those with a number of connected home appliances, it could be quite useful.FITT360Finally, FITT360 is a wearable 360-degree camera that provides hands-free recording capabilities. Samsung claims it has made it easy to use to allow an individual to become “fully immersed in VR content”. Samsung has already produced a great 360-camera product this year with the Gear 360 which inspires at least some confidence in the potential for the FITT360.It’s an interesting group of ideas but there’s no telling if any of them will reach the point of being consumer-ready products. Let’s just hope that Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 fiasco doesn’t mean a C-Lab funding cut before any of them can see a full release.Which project is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

Let’s look at some of the cool products coming from Samsung Creative Lab

Latest Twitter alpha introduces shortcuts, multi-window, and more

Twitter is one of the biggest social networks in the world. It currently has over 310 million active users, that love sharing their views on different topics in 140 characters. Although Twitter is in the midst of looking for a buyer, the company still found time to release a new alpha version of its Android app which supports new features available with Android Nougat.The update brings three main new features to the table. The first one is app shortcuts. Users can now place three different shortcuts on their home screen (New Message, New Tweet and Search) that will minimize the number of gestures or taps required to finish a task and save a bit of time in the process.The second feature is multi-window support, which can increase productivity by running an additional app along Twitter in split-screen mode. But please note that it only works with Android Nougat devices. The third and last part of the update is design oriented. In accordance with the design principles of Google’s Android operating system, the Twitter icon is now round.As this is an alpha release, the update is not yet available for all users and currently can’t be downloaded from the Play Store. For the time being, it’s only available to users that have previously signed up for Twitter’s alpha program. Also as a word of warning, those running the alpha will be stuck with persistent bug report notification whenever Twitter is open.Unfortunately, there’s currently no word on when the update will hit the mass market. But if you’re feeling a bit impatient and would like to try it out right away, you can download the APK from APK Mirror by clicking here (32-bit) or here (64-bit). If you don’t want to be right on the cutting edge of Twitter features (and issues), you can always download the latest stable release from the Play Store link below.Download from Google Play

Latest Twitter alpha introduces shortcuts, multi-window, and more

Two Slot Games from Play Studios [Android Games]

Today I am starting a new feature. This is something I have been wanting to do for some time. Instead of doing an individual app or game review, this post highlights selected apps from one developer. Most developers create more than one app, so I thought it would be neat alternative. In this post I am looking at a couple of casino related apps from Play Studios. If you enjoy trying your luck and always looking for the big payout, then these two games might peak your interest. KONAMI Slots – Casino Games This is a free game for Android devices. The number one thing to know is that you do not need to spend any real money. When you play you can earn loyalty points for stays at Las Vegas hotels. This is a slots game with a number of different themed games such as Jumpin’ Jalapeños, China Mystery, Lotus Land, Lion Festival, and Masked Ball Nights. If you have played slots before you will be familiar with the…

This is an original post from Two Slot Games from Play Studios [Android Games] at App Review Central by Larry Sullivan

Two Slot Games from Play Studios [Android Games]

First real life images of Huawei Mate 9 leaked

Thanks to the growth it has experienced in US, as well as in Europe, Huawei is currently the third biggest smartphone manufacturer in the world. The company is confident that it will keep increasing its market share and revenues and hopes to one day challenge Apple for the number two spot.If Huawei has any chance of realizing its goals, it has to offer great devices at reasonable prices. We have already seen a few of these in the past such as the P9, Mate 8 and Mate S. But in a few days time, a new device will see the light of day.On November 3rd, Huawei will announce the long-awaited Mate 9 and even though we are still a couple days away from the event, a few real life images of the device have already leaked. They show the upcoming Mate 9 in the champagne gold variant and, I have to say, it looks quite appealing.The image also confirms a few of the leaks regarding the device. The Mate 9 will sport a large 5.9 screen as well as a Leica dual-camera setup at the back, probably consisting of a 20 MP and a 12 MP sensor. You’ll also find the fingerprint reader at the back as well as a dual tone LED flash.Other rumors suggest that the device will be packing a HiSilicon Kirin 960 processor and will come in two variants (Classic and Pro). The classic or regular version will boast a Full HD display, while the Pro model will offer a curved screen with a higher, Quad HD resolution. See also: (Update: Mate 9 Pro leaked too) Huawei Mate 9 render leaked93The devices should also feature 4/6 GB of RAM, 128/256 GB of storage, at least a 4,000 mAh battery, and the latest Android 7.0 Nougat with Huawei’s EMUI 5.0 user interface on top. And judging by the teaser the company posted on Twitter, it should bring quite a few new features to the table.Stay tuned for the Mate 9’s official unveiling later this week, and let us know what you think of its design.

First real life images of Huawei Mate 9 leaked

Tip: Google Assistant can share web articles on social media

Google Assistant is one of the most interesting features the newest version of Android has to offer. When officially announced, Google only showcased the core capabilities of Assistant. These include the option of opening apps, playing a song from a certain artist, making notes, or creating reminders. See also: Google Assistant: The top features you should know26As always, it seems there’s more beneath the surface than we initially thought.A user on Google Plus has recently uncovered an interesting feature of the Assistant that can make sharing on social media faster and easier. When reading an article, a user can bring up the Assistant with a voice command (“OK Google”) and say “Share this on Twitter” or “Share this on Google Plus.”The Assistant then prepares a tweet or a Google Plus post by copying the link of the article as well as its title, and then lets you share it with the world.It’s worth noting that the feature currently only works with the already mentioned social networks (Twitter and Google Plus). But we do expect to see integration with Facebook, Google Allo, and maybe even some other services in the future. We also expect to uncover a few other nifty tricks that Google’s Assistant has to offer and when we do, you’ll be the first ones to hear about them.

Tip: Google Assistant can share web articles on social media

ARM announces G51: Second GPU based on Bifrost architecture

ARM unveiled the technical specifics of its new Bifrost GPU architecture earlier this year, along with details of its first GPU to use that new architecture – the Mali-G71. Since then we have seen the Mali-G71 make its way into SoCs like the Kirin 960. The Mali-71 is aimed at the high-end of the mobile GPU market, but that left a gap for chip makers who wanted to move to Bifrost (and its native support Vulkan) but needed a GPU for mid-range phones. ARM has now plugged this gap with the release of the Mali-G51.Before I get into the specific details of the Mali-G51, here is a quick refresher about Bifrost. ARM’s mobile GPU products have been through two previous major architectural revisions. First came Utgard, which supported OpenGL ES 2.0 and was used for GPUs like the Mali-400, Mali-470 etc.Next came Midgard, which added support for the unified shader model and OpenGL ES 3.0. Midgard GPUs include the Mali-T604 found in the Nexus 10, the Mali-T760 found in the Samsung Galaxy S6, and the Mali-T880, which is found in the Exynos variants of the Samsung Galaxy S7, as well the Huawei Mate 8. See also: What is a GPU and how does it work? – Gary explains2The Bifrost GPU architecture offers support for the Vulkan graphics API and adds full GPU coherency. Full coherency makes the GPU a full partner with the CPU and not just a slave component. This means that the CPU and the GPU can read & write to the same chunks of memory without having to copy the data from the CPU to the GPU and then back again.While the G71 focussed primary on the highest possible performance within the allowed power budget, the G51 focusses on providing good performance in the smallest area of silicon. A smaller silicon area means the GPU is cheaper to include in a SoC, but since it is based on Bifrost then the GPU gains features like support for Vulkan and full coherency.Bifrost GPUs can technically support up to 32 shader cores. However things are a little different with the Mali-G51. Traditionally Mali GPUs always process one pixel per shader core for every clock cycle. But the G51 has, for the first time, changed that. Now the G51 uses dual pixel shaders. That means that each shader can process two pixels simultaneously. The trick here is that a dual pixel shader uses less silicon than two complete separate shaders, but there is a performance hit.So under this new arrangement a G51 GPU can include up to 3 dual pixel shaders, i.e. it can process 6 pixels per clock. A fully stocked G51 GPU will be known as a Mali-G51MP6, meaning it has 3 dual pixel shaders.In terms of performance and efficiency, the G51 offers a 60% boost in performance density, i.e. how many transistors you need for the same level of performance compared to the Mali-T830; and a 60% increase in energy efficiency, again compared to the Mali-T830. That means that the Mali-G51 is 30% smaller than the Mali-T830 (on the same processor node and at the same levels of performance) and is now ARM’s smallest Vulkan enabled Mali GPU.Mali-V61Along with the new GPU, ARM also announced a new video processor. When people look at SoCs a lot of attention is given to the CPU and the GPU, and quite rightly so, but there is more to a SoC than just those two components. A very important block is also the video processor. From watching YouTube to capturing video from the camera, the video processor takes all the hardwork out of working with video and puts it into dedicated, efficient hardware.The new video processor is called the Mali-V61, it was previously known under the codename Egil. The key features of the V61, besides improved efficiency and better performance, are the inclusion of a VP9 codec and important improvements to the HEVC (i.e. H.265) encoding which gives an up to 50% bit-rate saving over previous generation codecs. The new HEVC codec therefore reduces costs and the enables 4K streaming.For more details about the internals of Egil/Mali-V61 then checkout ARM shares some details of upcoming Egil video processor.Wrap-upARM works closely with its Mali GPU partners so we can expect SoCs to become available with the Mali-G51 during 2017 and we will probably see it in smartphones sometime during 2018.Are you looking forward to the power of Vulkan in a smaller and more power efficient package? What about 4K streaming of video? Please let me know below.

ARM announces G51: Second GPU based on Bifrost architecture

Google Allo themes might be on their way soon

Google rolled out its big version 2.0 update to Google Allo just a few days ago, and with it came a number of new features like support for multi-window and direct reply from the notification shade. It also included a “Monochrome” theme in the settings menu, where you opt to make the app a tad more monochrome than before. Oddly enough, the default chat interface in Allo is already mostly monochrome, so this new option isn’t all that useful right now. See also: Google Allo: Everything you need to know35Apparently that Monochrome theme will start making more sense in future versions of Allo, according to the folks at 9to5Google. The messaging app will soon begin to support a variety of colorful themes. The screenshots below, obtained by 9to5Google, show a handful of different themes that will be present in a future version of Allo. The report notes that Allo will suggest you pick a theme every time you create a new chat, though you will be able to change it from the settings menu at any time. There aren’t any details as to when Google will flip the switch on these colorful new themes, but we’ll be sure to let you know when it does.Have any thoughts on these new themes? Let us know in the comments below!Get it from the Play Store

Google Allo themes might be on their way soon

Google doesn’t disappoint with this year’s Halloween Doodle

Maybe you’re dressing up for Halloween. Maybe you’re staying in to watch the latest season of the eerie British TV show Black Mirror. Or maybe you don’t celebrate it at all. Whatever the case may be, there’s one thing you should check out, and that is Google’s Halloween Doodle for this year. Featuring Momo the cat, this simple game is a thrilling way to kill time if you’re ever bored.As Google explains, the goal of the Halloween Doodle is fairly straightforward:This year’s Halloween Doodle follows freshman feline Momo on her mission to rescue her school of magic. Help her cast out mischievous spirits by swiping in the shape of the symbols above the ghosts’ heads. And you’d better pounce fast—the ghost that stole the master spellbook is getting away!Essentially all you have to do is use your mouse or trackpad to draw simple shapes like lines, triangles, hearts, etc. Some ghosts have multiple symbols, and you have to draw each symbol in the order that you see. At the end of each level you’ll encounter a boss ghost, who has multiple shapes that regenerate. Make sure to draw as fast as you can because if you let the ghosts touch you, your HP will go down.You can head on over to Google’s official website to play, or if you’re using Google Chrome, you should be able to see it on a new tab.

Google doesn’t disappoint with this year’s Halloween Doodle