Google updates YouTube app with Cardboard VR support

If you’re the owner of Google Cardboard, it’s about to get a lot more useful. Google has updated the YouTube app with virtual reality support, specifically for Google Cardboard. Now you’ll be able to watch VR YouTube videos in your Cardboard.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many VR-supported videos on YouTube. Another new feature in the YouTube app is to watch any video in VR mode, though, which will give you a theater-like experience (the video will be surrounded by darkness, like a theater screen).

For some VR video suggestions and more details, hit the source link! How many of you still have your Google Cardboard?

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1RZ5G6k
via IFTTT

Google posts Nov. 2015 Android distribution stats, Marshmallow makes its first appearance

The November 2015 Android distribution stats are in, and with ‘em come the first appearance of Marshmallow!

Google surveyed Google Play during a 7-day period ending on November 2, and it found that 0.3 percent of all devices were running Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Meanwhile, Android Lollipop (5.0 and 5.1 combined) was on 25.6 percent of devices, an increase from the 23.5 percent adoption rate that it saw last month.

Meanwhile, all other versions either fell in adoption or held steady. Android 4.4 KitKat dropped from 38.9 to 37.8 percent from October to November, while Jelly Bean (Android 4.1-4.3) had an adoption rate of 29 percent, down from 30.2 percent in October. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich fell 0.1 percent to finished at 3.3 percent.

androiddistributionnov2015

Finally, Android 2.3 and Android 2.2 finished November’s survey period with 3.8 and 0.2 percent, respectively. Those are the same numbers that those desserts put up in October.

So there are your November 2015 Android stats. It’s no surprise to see Android 6.0 debut at such a low number given that Marshmallow is pretty much only available on Nexus devices so far, though the imminent arrival of the HTC One A9 will change that. Meanwhile, continued launches of Android 5.0 and 5.1 phones have helped to push Lollipop’s adoption rate up.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1XTcyX5
via IFTTT

The Pebble Time Round begins shipping November 8; sales in Best Buy and Target begin same day

The Pebble Time Round is Pebble’s first round smartwatch, and the company originally announced it in late September. At the same time they kicked off pre-orders, with expected ship dates starting some time in November. Turns out the company was able to keep to that goal.

Today Pebble confirmed that it will begin shipping pre-orders for the Time Round on Sunday, November 8. However, at the same time, Pebble has good news for those that didn’t pre-order: In-store sales begin in the United States on November 8, too. For those that want to go into a store and buy the watch the old-fashioned way, you can head into Best Buy or Target locations and pick it up for $249.99.

If you didn’t pre-order a Pebble Time Round, do you plan on heading into a store and picking one up?

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1ML8o1A
via IFTTT

Year-over-year numbers down, but HTC’s October revenue increases 26% over September

HTC has released its financial summary for October, posting NT$8.95 billion (roughly $276.8 million USD) in revenue. The number comes in 43.2% lower than what HTC posted for the same month in 2014, but there is a silver lining. Month-over-month revenue was up 25.92% and was the highest we’ve seen from HTC is six months.

There’s no telling what November and December will look like for HTC, but the company has stated that is expects sales of the HTC One A9 will help the company return to profitability in the last quarter of 2015. The phone has received mixed reviews so far, but if HTC does back the phone with a substantial marketing campaign, it could easily outsell the HTC One A9 and before the best-selling HTC phone in 2015. No matter what you think of the HTC One A9, HTC needs it to be at least a reasonable success so that it can start 2016 off on the right foot.

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

Google’s Project Zero teams find 11 exploits in Galaxy S6 edge in 1 week

Google’s Project Zero teams set out to find the security differences between stock Android devices and devices made by various OEMs. Modifying stock Android software just adds more potential for security holes, so they took a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge and decided to see how many exploits they can find.

After a week, they managed to find 11 different exploits in the device. Contacting Samsung resulted in 8 being patched, with 3 less important ones being saved for a later time. While it shows that Samsung takes security seriously, which is good, it also shows that Android skins can cause more security issues than when stock Android is used.

If you want more details on the exploits found, hit the source link and start reading. And don’t take this as something negative about Samsung, because this can apply to any device maker.

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

Nexus 6P features double tap to wake feature hidden in kernel

Double tap to wake is a feature a few modern phones have out of the box, and I’m sure it’s a feature you get so used to that you can’t live without it. Unfortunately, most phones don’t have it. But the Nexus 6P does, to an extent.

The feature was found hidden in the kernel, though unfortunately it’s disabled. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to enable if you’re rooted (which, with a Nexus device, is almost expected). Just enter this line of code into a terminal emulator:

echo 1 > /sys/devices/soc.0/f9924000.i2c/i2c-2/2-0070/input/input0/wake_gesture

It won’t survive a reboot, but it’s easy enough to enter every boot, or have a script run if you’re fancy like that. Developers are looking into enabling the feature with a custom kernel, but until then, this is a great solution for getting a nice feature.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1KY4jQ5
via IFTTT

Google Drive updated with easier sharing and more notifications

Google Drive has been updated to make it easier to use in a few big ways, and these are changes that have been needed for quite a while. Thankfully, they’re rolling out to everyone now, including to the mobile apps for Android and iOS.

One of the big updates to the service is additional notifications. Instead of relying on email, the updated apps will display notifications when something has been shared with you, allowing you to go straight to the file or folder that’s been shared.

Notifications also allow for easier sharing. When sharing a link, you would usually have to enter a person’s email to allow them to see the files. Now, sending a link will allow the person to request access with one click, and a notification will allow you to grant it. It’s a much better system than before. You can also view files without a Google account, like you can on the web.

Some of these features are available now, and some are still rolling out to everyone. But check for an update to your Google Drive app to see if you can take advantage of it!

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

V-MODA announces Zn in-ear headphones, the perfect daily driver for audiophiles

V-MODA produces some of our favorite headphones, but they usually stick to the larger on-ear or over-ear variety. While we love these style of headphones, and options like the V-Moda XS sound fantastic and pack down to a reasonably small size, there are times when you want something pocketable or more suitable for exercise.

This isn’t completely new territory for them — V-MODA has released two previous in-ear offerings that garnered dozens of awards with praise — but with the Zn it looks like they have taken things to a new level.

For fans of the periodic table (I’m assuming there must be some of you out there), you will have probably already guessed that the Zn are constructed using a zinc alloy. V-MODA found that zinc provided some unique characteristics in terms of both construction, hardness, and resonance that made it the perfect choice to deliver the sound quality and durability they were looking for.

Inside the zinc alloy housing are 8mm dynamic drivers that, unlike many other headphones, are tuned to give the midrange its due and ensure that your music sounds as true as possible to the source material.

V-MODA doesn’t shirk on their cables, and the Zn is no exception. It is laced with Kevlar and, according to V-MODA, is 20 times stronger than the industry average. As someone that has gone through a dozen pair of headphones in a year thanks to failing cords, this is crucial to me. V-MODA backs this up with a 60-day test drive guarantee and a lifetime “Immortal Life Program” that offers you 50% off should you ever need to replace the Zn.

V-MODA-ZN-remotes

The cord also features either a 3-button remote with mic for iOS users or a 1-button remote with mic for us Android folk, should you need to pause the action, use voice commands or take a call.

While V-MODA prides themselves on the audiophile-grade sound quality of the Zn, the durability is of paramount importance to them as well, and these headphones should be able to take whatever you can dish out.

The Zn have fitness buffs in mind, too, with included sport earhooks that can be easily attached when you are subjecting them to a run or working out at the gym. I really appreciate that these are an optional attachment, because while I absolutely love these kind of hooks when working out, they are overkill for daily wear.

The V-MODA Zn are $180, which is no doubt more than you paid for whatever earbuds you are sporting now, but they stand up to in-ear headphones ranging from $300 to $1,000+ in testing and offer unmatched durability, so they will be with you for life.

The 3-button remote version of the Zn is available starting today at V-Moda.com, and the 1-button remote version will be available before the holidays.

We’ll be putting these headphones through their paces as soon as we can, so if you have any questions you’d like us to address let us know.

V-MODA-ZN-Packaging

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1H93XuO
via IFTTT

Fresh Meat: 10 new Android apps worth checking out

New apps need lovin’ too, right? Every day there are thousands of additions to the Google Play store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. We’ve shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and propel them to new heights. Our weekly Fresh Meat column highlights new apps with fewer than 100,000 installs. Browse our new Android app picks below and let us know which ones you enjoy.

Who’s Down

Who's Down

Description: Instantly see which of your friends are free to hang out, right when you are. And with one slider, you can let your friends know you’re down to hang out too. It’s that simple.

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

 

 Roundme

Roundme

DescriptionThe best 360 panoramas and immersive stories from Roundme (https://www.round.me) coming to Android with VR headsets support!

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

 

Alto Mail

Alto Mail

DescriptionAdd all your mail accounts to our app and you can see everything in one place, including Gmail, Outlook.com, AOL Mail, Yahoo!, iCloud, and others. Beyond the typical inbox display, Alto provides organizational tools that automatically highlight important information so you can find what you need, when you need it.

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

 

Perch

Perch

DescriptionPerch turns your phone or laptop into a live home monitoring service. Set up your laptop or webcam – or a spare phone or tablet — to record what’s happening in your home.

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

 

Reflexion

Reflexion

DescriptionReflexion app is about exploring contrasts and harmony in everyday moments. Capture your world, express your unique personality and share it with those you care about.

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

 

Backdrops – Wallpapers

Backdrops - Wallpapers

Description: Sift through hundreds of original wallpapers hand crafted in house by the the Backdrops team. Enjoy exclusive walls designed specifically for your devices.

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

 

Texpand

Texpand

DescriptionTexpand is a text expansion app and it helps you do just that. Define a shortcut for your frequently typed texts for example ‘@cell’ for you cell number.

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

 

WON – Wake On Notification

WON - Wake On Notification

DescriptionWON turns your screen on for a short time upon receiving a notification. Features: Wake On Notification, turns your screen on for a short time, Pocket detection, prevents the screen from turning on in your pocket, Downtime, prevent the screen from turning on for set period. 

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

 

Pulsar Music Player

Pulsar Music Player

DescriptionPulsar is intuitive, lightweight and full featured music player for Android. Pulsar support standard music file types including mp3, aac, flac, ogg, wav and etc. If you cannot find your music in Pulsar, please click “rescan library” menu item from action bar to rescan device.

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

 

Arrow Launcher

Arrow Launcher

DescriptionArrow, a Microsoft Garage project, is the simple, personal launcher for Android that offers a radical simplification of the Android experience. No more wasting time finding the app you need – your apps are automatically arranged based on your usage.

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

 

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

Pebble Time gets a temporary $50 price cut, now just $149.99

While it can’t offer the more robust feature set of Android Wear or Samsung’s Tizen-powered Gear S2, the Pebble Time remains an excellent option for Android (and iOS) users that are willing to trade some functionality for a full week of battery life.

While the typical $199 price point for the Pebble Time leaves it in fairly close competition with at least lower-end Android Wear pricing, Pebble is slashing the asking price by $50 for a short time, making it a much more palatable $149 for prospective smartwatch owners.

You will find the discount wherever the Pebble Time is available: Amazon, Best Buy or, of course, direct from Pebble.

If you have been sitting out the smartwatch wars thus far and want to dip your toe in the water, this would be a great way to get in at a reasonable price.

from Android and Me http://ift.tt/1PmKN67
via IFTTT