Samsung has pushed out a new update to its Web browser on Android that adds a new API using which developers will be able to build ad blocking extensions for the browser. The update will only be available to Samsung devices running Android 5.0 or up.

Once you update your Samsung Internet browser, you’ll be able to block ads by installing a content blocking software that takes advantage of the new API. One such tool is Adblock Fast, which is claiming to be the first free open-source ad blocker for the browser.

The team behind Adblock Fast for Android claims the extension allows webpages to load an average of 51% faster. The ad blocker is also available for Chrome and Opera on desktops and laptops.

Source |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1VAYvDe
via IFTTT

The Motorola Moto X Force, which is claimed to be the first smartphone in the world to come with a shatterproof display, will be launched in India on February 1 – today. The announcement was made by the company in a tweet yesterday.

Are we there yet? Almost! #1DayToXForce, launching on 1st Feb at 3 PM https://t.co/q6VpVxSNrr http://pic.twitter.com/nPyufpRhv5— Motorola India (@MotorolaIndia) January 31, 2016

The event is set for 3PM (IST) today, and you can catch the device’s live unveiling by heading to the YouTube link at the end of this story.

The launch comes nearly a couple of weeks after Motorola India started teasing the phone on Twitter, and a couple of days after it was spotted listed as ‘coming soon’ on Amazon India. There is currently no official information on its India price though – in the US, where it is sold as the Droid Turbo 2, it carries a price tag of $624 for the base model.

Source |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1WWj66v
via IFTTT

These are the best apps and games that came out this week.

Guides by Lonely Planet

Guides by Lonely Planet is exactly what it sounds like. The app has guides for popular locations, which tell you more about the place, what to see, where to shop, what to do, etc. It also has offline maps for the locations, along with useful tips. and bookmarking for locations. The app currently includes maps for Amsterdam, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Berlin, Boston, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Chicago, Dubai, Dublin, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Kyoto, London, Madrid, Montréal, Moscow, New Orleans, New York City, Paris, Prague, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, St. Petersburg, Sydney, Tokyo, Vancouver, Venice, Vienna, Washington, DC, and more will be added later.

iOS • Android

Chrooma Keyboard

Chrooma is a simple, resizable keyboard for Android that automatically changes color to match the color of the app. There’s also a night mode that changes color according to the time of the day.

Android

Mimicker Alarm

Mimicker is an alarm app by Microsoft. The app makes you do certain tasks after the alarm rings, such as snap a selfie or speak a phrase. If you fail to do that the alarm keeps ringing. If you have trouble getting up in the morning then you could give this a try.

Android

Twofold

Twofold is a color matching game, where you have to move around squares and match their colors. You have to match a certain number of colored squares to get to the next level. Use up all your moves and it’s game over. Twofold is made by the developers of rymdkapsel and has the same level of polish and finesse in gameplay and presentation.

iOS • Android

Downwell

Downwell is a fast-paced action game, which is now also available on Android. You fall down a well, shoot enemies with your Gunboots, and collect red gems. There is not much else to know nor should you need to.

iOS •…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1KjN2Yb
via IFTTT

We kicked off our review year with the Huawei Mate 8 and set the bar pretty high for the ones to come. And while we were certainly impressed with the smartphone, it’s also hard to overlook its flaws, which we made sure to point out.

And now that you’re familiar with our findings (perhaps some of you also have first-hand experience with the Mate 8), we’re determined to find out what you think of Huawei’s top-tier phablet. Our classic hot-or-not formulation sums up the question whether the good outweighs the bad.

Are supreme build, powerful chipset, fine 6-inch display, and record-braking battery life enough for you to turn a blind eye on a camera that doesn’t quite measure up to the standards of the segment and an Android overlay that’s polarizing, to say the least? Additionally, other smaller pros and cons could tip the scales either way depending on who you are and which particular bit of a smartphone’s performance is higher on your list of priorities.

And since we can’t really speak for everyone, we’re asking you to speak for yourselves and tell us what you think on the matter at hand – is the Huawei Mate 8 hot or…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/20fS4fu
via IFTTT

As MWC 2016 inches ever closer, it seems that our news section is overrun by rumors and not much else. After witnessing a sea of specs leaks and rumors about the Galaxy S7 line in the past few weeks, now we are finally starting to catch glimpses of the device as well, or at least parts of it.

Apple has also been popping up frequently in the news section.Cupertino is set to unveil a brand new generation of iPhones this year – the iPhone 7, which is definitely more exciting that an “S” upgrade. But there is also another reason why the US giant has caught fan attention so early in the year, prior to its typical fall announcement session. Everything seems to suggest that 2016 will see the resurrection of the 4-ich iPhone form factor. Information on the matter is still scarce at best, but the very prospect seems to have everybody excited.

LG and HTC also appear to be hard at work on their next flagship offer. The LG G5 is shaping up to be quite interesting and a definite departure from the OEM’s signature design and approach for the past few flagship iterations.

HTC only recently appeared back on the radar with a fresh batch of flagship rumors and despite the tardiness, it is hopefully still in the game. An upgrade to its signature “M” series is apparently on the way, but this time it might come with an entirely new look, one borrowed largely from the company’s recent One A9 model.

Lastly, we take a look towards Asia, where Xiaomi has been teasing its own crown jewel for some time now. The Xiaomi Mi 5 definitely shouldn’t be underestimated, as it could, very well play a key role in shaping the flagship scene this year.

.news-item .n-left {
float: left;
width: 28%;
text-align: center;
}
.news-item .n-right {
float: left;
width: 70%;
}
.news-item a { padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; }
.news-item .n-right h2,
.reviews-item .n-right h2 {
clear: both;
padding: 0 0 3px 0px !important;
font: 400 19px Google-Oswald, Arial;
margin-top: -4px;
}
.n-right p {
line-height: 155%;
}
.news-item {
padding-top: 10px;
padding-bottom: 0px;
border-top: 1px solid #ccc;
}
.news-item p { margin-left: 0; }
.n-right h2 a {
text-decoration: none;
color: #000;
}

Live images of the Samsung Galaxy S7 front camera and display surface
Originating from a manufacturing facility, the photos confirm that the smartphone’s production is well under way.

Samsung Galaxy S7 with S820 benchmarked, here’s how it compares with the Exynos 8890 version
This is the AT&T version, while the other result comes from a Canadian model.

Lenovo K5 Note launched with Helio P10 SoC, all metal body
It carries a price tag of RMB 1,099 in China (around $167).

Apple’s next 4-incher now tipped to be named iPhone 5se, iPhone 6/6s hardware inside
Sources say it will be powered by the A8 chip and come with the 8MP/1.2MP camera combo.

Xiaomi Mi 5 to have four versions, pricing revealed
Previous rumors had suggested that the flagship will arrive in two different versions.

First alleged image of the 4-inch iPhone 5se surfaces
The next small smartphone from Apple has reportedly been captured next to an iPhone 5.

iPhone 7 Plus again tipped to come with a dual-camera setup
A KGI analyst believes that a version of the iPhone 7 Plus will be offered with a dual iSight camera setup.

Asus Zenfone 2 Deluxe Special Edition with Intel Z3590 chip goes official
The rest of the specs remain unchanged, including the 256GB of internal storage and 4GB of LPDDR3 RAM.

Lenovo Vibe X3 launched in India for $293
Going on sale on Amazon starting tomorrow.

LG G5 dual camera design confirmed by another case leak
Farewell to the rear-mounted volume controls, alas.

Xiaomi Mi 5 photographed again, check out the rounded metal unibody
The comparisons with an iPhone 6 or an HTC One A9 are unavoidable.

HTC One M10 to follow A9 design trend
The handset is apparently still in development and heading to…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1JRrvGf
via IFTTT

A winner among droids, and now a winner among platforms – we give you the Galaxy Note5. Samsung’s latest in a line that started the whole phablet trend captivated the most of our readers in yet another poll this week. This time around the Note5 gathered more than half of the total votes for an uncontested 51% win.

In a more curious turn of events, the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL came in second, 5 points ahead of the iPhone 6s Plus. Persisting anti-Windows rants about lack of apps and the OS being bug-infested don’t seem to have affected the Lumia’s image in the eyes of loyal fans.

The iPhone 6s Plus has to settle for third place in our poll, which in all likelihood will mean zero to the company. After all, the most recent financial report out of Cupertino cited quarterly records in both revenue and profit, which isn’t something Microsoft’s smartphone division can brag…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1PIpuZh
via IFTTT

Apple’s iPhone 6s returns to our weekly Top 10 trending chart after being absent for more than a month, leaving it to the iPhone 5s to defend the company’s honor. Defend it it did, and is also present this week, the two-generations-old model in 8th, while the current one is in 10th.

In between them is the Samsung Galaxy Note5, a spot down from last week. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has dropped 3 places, and we’re finding it in 7th, but the smaller non-Note Redmi 3 has dropped off the Top 10 altogether.

Climbing up the chart, it’s a Samsung Galaxy fest, with the Grand Prime in 6th, one up compared to week 3. The J2 is in 5th, while the S6 is the one that’s made the most progress – from 9th to 4th.

The Galaxy J5 is in third and the J7 is this week’s runner-up – we’re used to seeing the two together, but the J7 used to hold the crown for a long time, only not since week 2. The Lenovo K4 Note showed up and pushed the J’s off the top and seems to set on staying there for a while.

.news-item .n-left {
float: left;
width: 25%;
text-align: center;
}
.news-item .n-right {
float: left;
width: 75%;
}
.news-item a { padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; }
#review-body .news-item .n-right h2,
.reviews-item .n-right h2 {
clear: both;
padding: 0 0 3px 0px;
font: 400 19px Google-Oswald, Arial;
margin-top: -4px;
}
.n-right p {
margin-top: 25px; line-height: 155%;
}
.news-item {
padding-top: 10px;
padding-bottom: 0px;
border-top: 1px solid #ccc;
}
.news-item p { margin-left: 0; }
.n-right h2 .phone-name {
display: inline-block;
width: 325px;
overflow: hidden;
vertical-align: text-bottom;
}
.n-right h2 a {
text-decoration: none;
color: #000;
}
.flat-button{
text-align:center;
text-decoration: none !important;
font: 400 22px Google-Oswald,Arial !important;
-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;
font-size: 150%;
padding: 20px 60px !important;
display: inline-block;
white-space: nowrap;
-webkit-border-radius: 5px;
-moz-border-radius: 5px;
border-radius: 5px;
margin: 10px 0;
-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;
-ms-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;
-moz-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;
-o-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;
transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;
color: #fff !important;
}
.flat-button-1 {
background: #0CADA7;
}
.flat-button-1:hover {
background: #0A948F;
color: #666666 !important;
}
.flat-button-2 {
background: #FF7E47;
}
.flat-button-2:hover {
background: #EE7440;
color: #666666 !important;
}
.n-right .rank-info {
display: inline-block;
font-family: “Google-Oswald”,​Arial,​sans-serif;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: 100;
}
.n-right .rank-info .current-rank {
font-size: 23px;
}
.circle {
background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #8fb28f;
border-radius: 50%;
height: 23px;
width: 23px;
display: inline-block;
margin: 0px 10px -1px 10px;
}
.arrow {
width: 0;
height: 0;
border-style: solid;
display: inline-block;
margin: 0px 10px -1px 10px;
}
.arrow-up {
border-width: 0 15px 25px 15px;
border-color: transparent transparent #0cada7 transparent;
}
.arrow-down {
border-width: 25px 15px 0 15px;
border-color: #ff7e47 transparent transparent transparent;
}

Lenovo Vibe K4 Note
RANK: 1WAS: 1

specs gallery

Samsung Galaxy J7
RANK: 2WAS: 2

specs review

Samsung Galaxy J5
RANK: 3WAS: 3

specs review

Samsung Galaxy S6
RANK: 4WAS: 9

specs review

Samsung Galaxy J2
RANK: 5WAS: 6

specs review

Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime
RANK: 6WAS: 7

specs review

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek)
RANK: 7WAS: 4

specs review

Apple iPhone 5s
RANK: 8WAS: 10

specs review

Samsung Galaxy Note5
RANK: 9WAS: 8

specs review

Apple iPhone 6s
RANK: 10NEW IN

specs…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1P53qZe
via IFTTT

Microsoft is still under a lot of heat concerning the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4. This time around, users are justifiably complaining about an improper sleep function on the devices, along with a few other battery management issues that ultimately lead to poor power performance. Sadly, this is far from the first issues that was found to plague the high-end hybrid devices and similar topics have been exploding on the support forum ever since the pair was announced in October 2015.

If you don’t recall, at a Microsoft even on October 8 2015, the Surface Pro 4 was unveiled as the bigger brother to the Surface Pro 3 and the US giant also endeavored to take things to the next level with its powerful 13-inch tablet-pc crossover device, dubbed the Surface Book. At the time, both seemed like really amazing products with lots of potential, which even managed to justify the eye-watering price tags for some users.

Since then, however, many of the early adopters have been dreading the purchase, or at least that is what a quick browse through the support forum led us to believe. It appears both models might have been outed a little prematurely, with a few notable issues reaching end users. Both exhibited a rather annoying flickering issue and a lot of power problems, one of which has become known as the infamous sleep issue we already mentioned. Yesterday, Microsoft outed a new update which is said to offer:

.refinements to improve battery charging and thermal tuning, wireless and Bluetooth performance, and to the detach-reattach experience on Surface Book.

However, the elephant in the room was still not addressed. It is at least reassuring that the bug was acknowledged, but currently disgruntle users have only a promise to hang on to:

We know some of you are still experiencing issues, including issues related to power management, and we are working to address those as quickly as possible. We’ll publish additional updates as soon as they are ready.

Interestingly enough, there are also rumors circulating that the issue lies within the Intel Skylake processor, which could mean that other non-Surface devices are prone to the bug as well. We will be sure to keep a close eye on the matter in hopes that a speedy resolution will be found and that this will be the last unfortunate set of bugs the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book experience.

Source |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1P43kRH
via IFTTT

Samsung has started rolling out the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge in South Korea.

The final version comes out after a brief beta test where users had to sign up to receive the beta build.

Looking at screenshots by SamMobile, the update brings some minor UI changes, such as the updated notification menu and power menu, along with the usual under the hood changes, such as enabling the fingerprint sensor to work in third party apps.

The update should eventually make its way outside of South Korea, and also to other Samsung…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1VxJeTJ
via IFTTT

As with any other great tech advancement in history, smartphones have developed rapidly from luxury to a necessity and as such are constantly becoming more and more affordable. OEMs, especially those operation out of China are always pushing the envelope on what is possible on a shoestring budget and it is an undeniable fact that you can now get a decent mid-range Android device from a major brand for around $200 and enjoy a modern Android experience.

But what if you want to go cheaper still? A quick search online revels that you could opt for a no-brand device or a very outdated one for as little as $40. Blueboo’s latest model, the Xfire 2 definitely goes one step beyond. We don’t typically dip our foot into the vast sear of obscure Chinese brands, but this one is definitely an eye-catcher, at least on paper that is. For $59.99, the handset offers a metal unibody design, with a nice-looking arc and even complete with a 2.5D glass and a back-mounted fingerprint reader.

That is definitely great value. The rest of the specs sheet is also decent with a 5-inch HD panel and powered by an MTK6580 quad-core processor and Mali 400 GPU. Memory is set at 1GB for RAM and 8GB for internal storage, but there is also a microSD card slot for up to 32GB more. The camera setup includes a 5MP main shooter with AF and a single LED flash and on the front there is a 2MP unit, which it also has an LED flash of its own. Powering the show is a 2150 mAh battery and the Xfire 2 boots Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box, so you are really getting an up-to-date experience for your buck.

The only real, obvious, downside of the Bluboo Xfire 2 specs-wise is the Lack of 4G LTE, but perhaps such handsets will also become reality in the sub $100 price range soon, thanks to MediaTek’s latest line of ultra-affordable chips. According to the manufacturer’s website, the Bluboo Xfire 2 is currently in pre-sale for the special price, which will later be raised to $69.99, still an amazing value. Both GearBest and Geekbuying currently have the dual-SIM variant listed for $73.86 and $79.99, respectively and shipments are expected to begin in February.

Source |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1SQdfjN
via IFTTT