With the OnePlus 2 set to be revealed in just a couple of days, news about the device is coming out at a pretty heavy rate.

First up, OnePlus has released the OnePlus 2 Launch app, which will let you experience the launch of OnePlus’s new flagship Android phone from your own device. If you’ve got a VR headset, like OnePlus’s own Cardboard or another Cardboard-compatible unit, you can experience the virtual reality event that OnePlus has been hyping in recent weeks. If you don’t have a Cardboard headset, though, you can still watch the event unfold using the app. OnePlus says that the experience “won’t be as immersive,” but promises that it’ll still be “interactive and amazing.

OnePlus has also opened up its OnePlus 2 reservation list. Entering your email address onto the list will put you in line to eventually get a OnePlus to invitation without hunting for one throughout the internet. OnePlus says that there are “many” people on the list already, so if you’d like to get an invitation of your own, you’d be wise to sign up as soon as possible.

Finally, a video that claims to show the OnePlus 2 being subjected to an AnTuTu test has surfaced. The video shows what is allegedly a OnePlus 2 — complete with a fingerprint reader like the one shown in a recent image leak — running Android 5.1.1 with 16GB of storage and a 1920×1080 display resolution.

The OnePlus 2 finishes the AnTuTu test with a score of 49221. That may be a bit lower than some would like to see from a Snapdragon 810-equipped phone, but you should probably hold off on making any performance-based buying decisions until the OnePlus 2 is actually released to the public.

Sources: Google Play, OnePlus, YouTube

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We’re all well aware that iOS often gets apps first, despite Android being huge these days. It’s a shame, but it’s a fact of life. This was the case with Fallout Shelter, a mobile game by Bethesda Studios that was made to build hype for the upcoming game Fallout 4.

However, we finally have a release date for the Android version! It should launch on August 13th. Plenty of people are already excited, as iOS folk have very much enjoyed the game. You manage a vault of your own, trying to keep order and keep your citizens happy.

Are you going to download it when it launches? Leave a comment!

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Samsung Pay is an upcoming mobile payment service for Samsung devices that aims to replace your physical cards and wallet, something quite a few companies have attempted. And it won’t work if your device is rooted.

ISIS/Softcard did the same thing, not allowing the service to function if the device is rooted. And it makes sense, to a degree, because then the service is open to modification and that’s potentially unsafe when we’re dealing with money. But Google Wallet functions on rooted devices, so it can be done.

If you’re excited for the service to launch, we hope you don’t have a rooted phone. But honestly, I can’t see much of a reason to be excited at all. The service should launch in the US and South Korea as early as next month, so we’ll see how good it is.

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It’s hard to believe the Google Chromecast is already two years old. Yes, the little dongle that changed the way many of us stream content to our TVs is celebrating its second birthday, and the celebration benefits us all.

To celebrate, Google is offering up a free movie rental to Chromecast owners. Open up your Chomecast app, select your Chromecast, hit “check for offers” in the menu, and claim your free movie rental, which can be used anytime from now until the end of the year.

And if you still don’t have a Chromecast for whatever reason, I definitely recommend you buy one. They’re cheap and awesome!

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Welcome back to our weekly Top 10 Android App Updates column, where we take a look at the most frequently upgraded apps for the week. We’ve found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to find the ones that are actually being updated by the developers rather than selecting the apps with the most installs. As in the past, we’re going to filter out minor updates for the super-popular apps that have over 10 million installs, but we’ll make exceptions for apps that have had significant updates. We hope you enjoy this weekly feature and that you discover some apps that end up being useful.

Kodi – Version 15.0.0

What’s new in this version:

• A new chapter selector window
• Adaptive seeking (aka Skip Steps)
• Audio and Subtitle Lists
• Language Add-ons and Expanded International Preferences
• Improved Add-on Manager

Adobe Lightroom – Version 1.2.0

What’s new in this version:

• Edit images faster by copying image adjustments and pasting them onto another photo
• Crop the perfect photo with a re-designed experience on your Android device that enables you to quickly adjust, align and auto-straighten.
• Easily find your favorite images! The new Segmented view in Collections give you a different way to view and engage with your photos.

Opera Max – Version 1.1.286

What’s new in this version:

• Track data usage over Wi-Fi networks with the Wi-Fi data-usage timeline.
• Manage app data usage on Wi-Fi and mobile networks.
• Block apps that are consuming data in the background without your permission.
• Save battery by blocking unnecessary apps running in the background.
• Improve Wi-Fi speed in crowded, public hotspots.
• Navigate more intuitively with the new, user-friendly UI.

Talon for Twitter – Version 3.0.0

What’s new in this version:

• NEW: User profile layout
• NEW: Transition animations from timeline to tweet viewer (Android 5.0+)
• NEW: Material Design login
• NEW: Select font type from UI settings
• NEW: Swipe horizontally to close tweet and profile viewers
• NEW: Don’t display twitter image or quoted tweet links

YouTube – Version 10.28.59

What’s new in this version:

• Chromecast bug fixes
• The redesigned YouTube app makes it easier to find what you love. Now your recommended videos, favorite channels, and subscriptions are all just a few taps away. You can also create fun videos with new in-app editing tools.

Skype – Version 5.6.0

What’s new in this version:

• “Recent” tab update to see more chats without scrolling
• Round avatars and online status information on all screens
• Chat bubble color adjustment for added clarity
• Other fixes and stability improvements

DraStic DS Emulator – Version r2.4.0.0

What’s new in this version:

• Added high-resolution 3D mode
• Added Android TV support
• Added support for custom shaders
• Added audio volume setting
• Added more robust check for mapped memory, fixes crashes on some devices
• Fixed many graphical issues

Inbox by Gmail – Version 1.1.0

What’s new in this version:

Google Play Books – Version 3.5.0

What’s new in this version:

• Read Now has a new look
• Turn a page even when it’s zoomed in
• Fit-width option for full-screen horizontal viewing – great for comics
• Files that you upload no longer revert to the default cover
• Stability and performance enhancements

Fuelio – Version 5.1.0

What’s new in this version:

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Leaks of the upcoming Motorola Moto G have been abounding and today brings one of the biggest yet. The folks at laptopmedia.com have managed to get their hands on a working unit and have posted multiple pictures in addition to a full specs sheet for the device. The design is what we expected, with minor changes to the back including a textured shell and an oval-shaped accent surrounding the camera.

On the specs side, you’ll find a 5-inch 720p display, 1.36GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, 1GB RAM, 8/16GB storage plus a microSD card slot, 13-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 4G LTE, 2470mAh battery and Android 5.1 Lollipop with a few of Motorola’s tweaks thrown on top. The upgrades over last year’s model aren’t terribly large, but they should be enough to satisfy.

It should also be noted that even though the specs may not have significant upgrades, a primary selling point of the new Moto G will be Moto Maker support. Customers will be able to customize and create their perfect Moto G, a perk that was previously reserved for the high-end Moto X. As a whole, the 3rd gen Moto G should be a big hit that’s easy on the wallet.

We’ll keep you posted on further updates before the official event next Tuesday. In the meantime, you can check out some more pictures by following the source link.

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Google’s Chromebooks are the ultimate back to school tool. The slimmed down machines, which now feature access to popular Android apps, are perfect for taking notes and browsing the web during a lecture, and looking up triple-checked facts when writing research papers. And now, to celebrate students hitting the books again, Google is selling select Chromebook models for $30 off.

Right now, the Acer Chromebook 11 is just $159, the Chromebook 13 is $229 and the Chromebook 15 is $319. All three devices have been well received and boast more then enough power to get you through the school year. There’s no telling how long these prices will last, so if you’ve been eyeing a Chromebook, now’s a great time to buy.

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Google Voice offers an awesome feature that will transcribe your voicemails into text so you can read them at your leisure. Unfortunately, if you’ve ever used it, you know how hilariously terrible it can be. Or it how terrible it was.

Google has announced today that thanks to some willing participants sharing their voicemails with Google for research purposes, Google has cut the error rate in transcriptions by 49%. Google is using what’s called a long short-term memory deep recurrent neural network to make the improvements, which will affect Google Voice and Project Fi users.

No one’s claiming Google transcription will be perfect, but it should be much better now. Let us know if you notice any positive changes.

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Today Honda announced the details of the 2016 Honda Accord, and it looks like the car will be “among the first high-volume cars in the marketplace to feature both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.”

From the press release announcing the vehicle:

Android Auto was designed to give drivers a simple, intuitive way through touch and voice to minimize the potential for distraction so the driver can stay focused on the road. Compatible with Android 5.0 and higher, Android Auto features Google Maps, Google Now, messaging, music and numerous popular apps.Honda2016 Accura Press Release

All 2016 Accords at the EX trim level or higher will feature 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen interface for use with Android Auto. Now that the wheels are turning (heh), you can expect to see many more cars launch with Android Auto in the near future.

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Had enough leaks yet this week? Hope not, because it doesn’t look like anyone’s fixed the faucet yet. So far we’ve seen the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ pass through the FCC, seen a UA profile that pointed to the Note 5 launching with a removable battery and microSD card support and seen substantial rumors that both devices will launch by mid-August. Today, we get to see both devices in what looks to be production ready form.

Both devices look exactly as you might expect. The Galaxy S6 Edge+ is, well, a bigger Galaxy S6 Edge, and the Note 5 looks like a slightly newer Note. Boring, we know, but you can’t quite see all the details either device has to share. So maybe Samsung still has something exciting up its sleeve. Either way, we can’t see the Note 5 and S6 Edge+ unveiled in hopefully just a couple weeks time. How about you?

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