I’m sure many of you were pretty excited yesterday to hear that the Android 6.0 update for your beloved SHIELD Tablet was finally going to be hitting your device and delivering all of that Marshmallowy goodness. If you are like me, you probably found yourself checking for the update a few times throughout the day, and at one point I did actually get the notification that the OTA was there, but when I tapped it there was nothing there.

As it turns out, I’m probably lucky that I happened to miss my window of opportunity to download the Android 6.0 update, because some users are reporting that they are completely losing Wi-Fi connectivity following the update. For those of us that have WiFi-only SHIELD Tablets, that falls into what I would call the “catastrophic error” category.

If you never received the update, you are going to need to sit tight and wait for NVIDIA to clear up this matter and roll out a new update. To be clear, this only affects the update for the original SHIELD Tablet; the update for the SHIELD Tablet K1 is problem-free.

If you are one of the unfortunate users that did receive the update and you are experiencing Wi-Fi problems, hit the source link below for some instructions from NVIDIA on troubleshooting the problem.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1KUL4bD
via IFTTT

Samsung’s Project Beyond 360-degree camera made its first appearance in November of 2014 at the company’s developer conference. This was following the announcement of Gear VR, but still a month prior to the release of the original “Innovator Edition.” The camera was designed stream or record 360-degree 3D footage that could then be viewed by someone with Gear VR.

While the Gear VR saw a consumer launch in November 2015, Project Beyond has stayed behind the scenes. Those that got a chance to test Project Beyond when it was announced indicated that while the experience was impressive, it was lacking in a few areas with a relatively low-resolution capture and no audio.

According to SamMobile, Project Beyond is finally ready to join Gear VR as a consumer product and will be unveiled with the Galaxy S7 at Mobile World Congress later this month as the Gear 360.

The camera is reportedly a standalone device, but will pair with a smartphone over Bluetooth via a Gear 360 Connect app and seemingly requires the smartphone in order to control any of the shooting settings. The video can be streamed directly to a smartphone and, while there is no confirmation that it can stream directly to a smartphone paired with Gear VR, it would certainly stand to reason that this functionality will be included.

There’s no word on pricing for the Gear 360, but it’s probably safe to say this is going to be an lower entry point for capturing 360 video than the $15,000 GoPro Odyssey VR. Samsung is doing an excellent job capturing this mid-range VR market with performance that dramatically eclipses what is possible with Google Cardboard, but at a price point that is far more palatable than the high-end VR from Oculus, HTC and presumably Playstation.

Assuming these sources are correct, we only have a few weeks to wait until we’ll get to see how far Project Beyond has come since November of 2014 and learn if it’s a product that deliver useful VR capture to the masses.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1SW1Vm7
via IFTTT

Well, that was fast. Yesterday some good news floated to the surface of the news cycle, as word arrived that a small carrier in the United States, US Mobile, would apparently be selling Xiaomi and Meizu smartphones. But it was too good to be true.

According to a report published recently by PCMag, US Mobile has been forced to pull its Xiaomi and Meizu devices from its page. US Mobile said that it was authorized to sell the devices stateside because it had strong relationship ties with both companies’ distributors. However, Xiaomi isn’t too fond of that idea, saying that US Mobile is actually not authorized to sell its devices in the U.S. at all.

In a statement to the publication:

“Recent reports have indicated that Xiaomi products will be available in the U.S. Xiaomi only offers a small selection of accessories for sale in the U.S. through Mi.com,” the company said in a statement. “There are no plans to sell smartphones through any authorized distributors in the U.S. US Mobile is not authorized to sell Xiaomi products in the U.S.”

T-Mobile itself, which hosts the US Mobile virtual network, isn’t a fan of the plan, either. The report reads that after discovering US Mobile’s plans, T-Mobile demanded the carrier put the Xiaomi and Meizu phones through extra certification processes.

So, turns out US Mobile isn’t authorized to sell the devices after all.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/2066ucK
via IFTTT

Another week and another set of “Hot Deals” from HTC. Today only you can score a pair of Jabra Move Bluetooth headphones with the purchase of an HTC One A9.

The Jabra Move retails for $99 and can be found typically for around $85. They are over-ear style Bluetooth headphones with a built-in mic and approximately 8 hours of battery life. They’re not top-of-the-line by any means, but if you were eyeing up an HTC One A9 and don’t currently have Bluetooth headphones, this is a great place to get started.

If that deal isn’t speaking to you, then perhaps tomorrow’s offering of 60% off the retail price of the HTC RE Camera will be more appealing. While hopefully no one is making the mistake of paying retail for the RE, if you are looking for a dead simple camera that you can take anywhere and pairs well with your smartphone, the RE Camera at $79.99 is a reasonable deal.

Hit the source link below to check out the deals page on HTC. Again, the HTC One A9 with Jabra Move is live today only, while the RE Camera sale starts tomorrow.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1SqrRa4
via IFTTT

No, this isn’t a joke. This is a real product, and it’s only as bad as you want it to be. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a selfie stick that can rotate a full 360 degrees thanks to a motor and some buttons.

Overview

Price: $19.99
Batteries: 3 AAA (not included)
In the box: Selfie stick, carrying pouch
Length: 10 inches folded, 32 inches extended
Where to buy: Amazon

I’m not going to lie, I think selfie sticks are ridiculous. But they’re fun, especially with friends. And this is a motorized, rotational Bluetooth selfie stick… it’s both extra ridiculous and extra fun. At the very least, it gets people talking.

The Elivebuy selfie stick is quite simple. It has a control box above the padded handle that takes three AAA batteries and has three buttons. Two buttons control the rotation, and one is the Bluetooth remote easily connects to your device. It also has a tripod threaded hole at the bottom of its handle.

The head of the selfie stick features a soft rubber base and two arms. They can hold a device both vertically and horizontally, and pretty tight at that. It’s not all that easy to insert your device, but once it’s in, it stays in. The arms do a great job keeping your phone in place.

One cool feature of the Elivebuy’s selfie stick is the convex mirror on the back, which you can use after rotating the stick 180 degrees to take photos with your rear camera. It’s a small touch, but it’s nice.

If you’re in the market for a selfie stick, why not pick this one? I’m sure you can find a use for the rotational head. It allows some adjustment when it’s extended, and you can get yourself off center to fit some other subject in the shot. Yes, it’s kinda useless, but I had a surprising amount of fun with this thing. Just be prepared for your friends to roast you.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/20knBNE
via IFTTT

Every week we cover new Android apps with Fresh Meat on Wednesday, followed by Android Gaming on Thursday and Top 10 App Updates on Friday. When Monday rolls around, we look back to see which apps were the most appealing to our audience. Read on for the five most popular Android apps from last week. These apps are ones that are most likely new and haven’t appeared in the top five list more than three times.

1. Downwell

App info: Downwell is a curious game about a young boy venturing down a well in search of untold treasures with only his Gunboots to protect him.

//playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.js

2. Chrooma Keyboard

App info: A lightweight, fast keyboard that adapts itself to the app you are using, giving you a pleasant chromatic feeling.

//playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.js

3. Wallz

App info: Wallz is a great wallpaper app, with thousands (over 100,000 wallpapers) of high definition wallpapers to be downloaded for your android phone. 

//playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.js

4. Blade: Sword of Elysion

App info: Blade: Sword of Elysion is an infinite epic action RPG. Slash through dungeons and annihilate all evil forces. Evade and raid other heroes in a bloodstained, action-packed arena. Engage in fierce PvP battles and show no mercy!

//playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.js

5. Notepad

App info: Adler Notes is free, full-featured and easy to use notepad app for Android. You can use it as a digital notebook or diary. Our app is also perfect for recording lectures, business meetings and interviews.

//playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.js

Note:  To ensure that all apps receive a fair chance to make the list, we will retire any app that has made the list for three consecutive weeks.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1QUfWzp
via IFTTT

Google’s Nexus lineup is a brand that garners plenty of adoration and attention, as well as plenty of talk about how Google should handle its future devices. Now, a new report suggests that even Google is having conversations about what it could change for the lineup.

According to a report from The Information, Google is looking to grow its level of control when it comes to Nexus devices. Right now, Google partners with manufacturers like Samsung, LG, and HTC to bring to life its latest Nexus devices. The report indicates that Google is looking to expand its level of control over the hardware side of things, which would mean the construction of its next Nexus smartphones and tablets would be similar to its Pixel C tablet, which Google manufactured. It goes as far as to say Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, has told “colleagues and outsiders” that it will take more control over Nexus smartphones at some point in the future. When that will be, though, isn’t known.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of information about this plan. It’s suggested that HTC is still working hard to be the manufacturer that gets to build this year’s Nexus smartphone, so if that’s the case, we might not get to see this “Apple-like control” this year.

There seems to be confusion about the future of Nexus phones as far as it relates to carriers and pricing, too. The report suggests that some inside Google want future Nexus smartphones to be sold through carriers, like the Nexus 6, and that if they aren’t, they should carry a higher price tag.

What do you think? Should Google take more control over the Nexus lineup?

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1QCs865
via IFTTT

Owners of the original NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet may have been gritting their teeth at the thought of the new SHIELD Tablet K1 getting the Marshmallow update first, but a little over a month later, the tablets are once again running the same version of the OS. (Take solace in the fact that you’ll always have the integrated stylus over them.)

I’m assuming at this point that we are all pretty familiar with the advantages of Android 6.0, but just to highlight some of the most relevant pieces for the SHIELD Tablet.

• Doze mode – This might be the biggest highlight for me, as the one consistent complaint I have with the SHIELD Tablet is that I will all too frequently come back to it after a day of it just sitting on my desk and find that it is either dead or near dead. The update last September had helped this issue to some degree, but I am hopeful that Doze mode will put an end to it entirely.
• Adoptable storage – As the owner of a 16GB SHIELD Tablet, this one is an extremely close second as I can now slot in a microSD card and have it be treated as internal memory. Just remember that when you go to set up the microSD card for this, it is going to wipe the card in the process, so make sure you back up first.

If you want to check out the rest of the features, hit the source link below, but if there was nothing other than the two aforementioned features, I would still be scrambling to download this update. It’s rolling out to devices right now, but you may have to wait for it to hit your device; my personal SHIELD Tablet is still clinging to the lie that it is up-to-date on 5.1.1.

SHIELD Tablet K1 owners shouldn’t feel completely left out, you have an update coming today as well with a number of bug fixes and the January 2016 security update. Check the VIA link below for the full details on the K1 update.

What are you most looking forward to with Android 6.0 on your SHIELD Tablet?

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/20jD4gN
via IFTTT

Xiaomi and Meizu are two of the biggest and fastest-growing smartphone manufacturers in the world, yet both are virtually unknown in the US. Neither company has made an effort to expand its offerings into the US, instead sticking to the known territory of China and the surrounding region. But now, one small US carrier is becoming the first authorized US retailer of Meizu and Xiamoi devices.

US Mobile, a small subsidiary carrier that runs on T-Mobile’s network, is now selling Xiaomi and Meizu devices. The Xiaomi devices that will be offered include the Xiaomi Redmi 2 ($119), Xiaomi Mi 3 ($135) and the Xiaomi Mi 4i ($219). The only Meizu device that will be offered is the Meizu M2 Note ($149). All of the devices place an emphasis on offering big bang for your buck, with powerful specs paired with a low price.

There are some downsides, however. First of all, both Xiaomi and Meizu pack their phones with very heavy skins atop older versions of Android. As the phones were designed for the Chinese market (which doesn’t allow for Google services), the manufacturers make up for that with their own software. That may be a turn-off for many customers.

Additionally, none of the devices from Xiaomi or Meizu support LTE within the US. The phones weren’t designed to be sold in the US, and as such, they don’t include compatibility for US LTE bands.

Even with those drawbacks, the phones may still find a market on US Mobile, which is designed to offer value and flexibility to its customers. The carrier offers 150 different plan options that allow you to mix and match to find the plan that best fits your usage style. It also supports any T-Mobile phone and sells a huge array of devices itself, ranging from voice-only devices to high-end offerings such as the Blackberry Passport.

With this first entrance into the US, we’ll be sure to keep on the lookout for further US expansion from Xiaomi and Meizu.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1PMnJdq
via IFTTT

Right at the end of January, we got to see what the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge from Samsung look like from the front, not really surprising anyone in the design choices that the manufacturer went with for their upcoming flagships. And now, in another leaked image, we get to see the other side of things.

Thanks to serial leaker Evan Blass (@evleaks), we get “Part two” of his leaks focusing on the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. The new image shows the backside of both handsets, with the familiar Samsung logo in the middle, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge stamp at the bottom, the camera near the top edge, and the flash right there next to it.

Part two.

(Background: https://t.co/JT6X0g8sBu) http://pic.twitter.com/SOtHYAJexu

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 1, 2016

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

There’s not a lot to see, but it does give a good glimpse of what we should expect to see when Samsung officially announces the devices on February 21.

Are you looking forward to the Galaxy S7 and/or the Galaxy S7 edge?

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1PQ1cCU
via IFTTT