Google has started rolling out a new update for the Maps application on Android, which adds a couple of new features.

The first and most important one is Driving Mode. With this enabled, the app will tell you information such as traffic conditions and ETAs as you drive around without having to enable the navigation feature. This would be convenient when you are driving to a location where you don’t need to use navigation but need the additional info anyway. It uses location history and web searches to assume where you might be heading and provides relevant information.

The other new feature is the ability to disable an old one. You can now easily disable the voice feedback when using navigation in your car with the tap of a button on the map instead of digging through the settings.

Lastly, Google has also updated the timeline settings, with with the option to include history from Chrome and other apps, and also to show your Google Photos in your timeline.

The update has started rolling out and should be available over the next few…

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Samsung is preparing several screen sizes and shapes for the Galaxy S7 lineup, but the launch schedule was never very clear. All at once or like last year where the large S6 edge+ arrived later? A leaked promo image listing the Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge and S7 edge+ hints at the “all at once” approach.

The S7+ is not on the list though, that’s the flat-screened, XL-sized model. That one may be delayed (launching alongside the Note6 perhaps?) or it could be just an omission in the leaked image.

It seems that regardless of size you’ll be getting the same specs – Snapdragon 820 or Exynos, 4GB of RAM, 12MP BRITECELL…

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A new deal from Oppo Oppo R7, along with a full set of accessories, including a Selfie Stick, Easy Cover and Screen Protector for only €249. Normally you’d pay €100 more for the phone without the extra goodies (outside EU the price for the bundle is $299, down from $399 outside Europe, respectively). It is called the New Year’s Pack and can be picked up for the slashed price today and perhaps tomorrow as well, if supplies last.

Just to be clear, we are talking about the original Oppo R7 handset, not the R7 Plus, not the refreshed R7s. However, it is still an intriguing mid-range device with a 5″ 1080p display a Snapdragon 615 SoC and a 13MP main, plus 8MP selfie…

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The Oppo F1 is going to be officially introduced in Europe through a series of events across different countries and it will go on sale later on. The events will be held in London, Berlin, Paris, Rome, and Barcelona.

Oppo calls those events Oppo O-Fan meetups and the entrance, food, and drinks will be free of charge. Each fan who gets a ticket will leave the event with a prize – from souvenirs and accessories, to the grand prize of Oppo F1 (1 per event).

The meetings will happen in this order:

Jan 15 – London, UK
Jan 17 – Berlin, Germany
Jan 19 – Paris, France
Jan 22 – Rome, Italy
Feb 20 – Barcelona, Spain

You can sign up now and if you are selected, a confirmation email will be sent to your email one week before the event in your country. At this meetups you will be able to meet with Oppo’s ambassadors, Oppo staff, other Oppo fans from your region, and popular local vlogers.

You can sign up by following the instructions in the source link below.

Oppo F1 went official in Vietnam just few days ago and it looks quite promising. The phone is made of thin aluminum unibody and is quite lightweight at 134g. It features a 5″ FHD display and runs on the refreshed Snapdragon 616 chip with 3GB of RAM.

Oppo F1’s highlighted features are its rear 13MP snapper and its front 8MP f/2.0 selfie shooter, which can use the screen as a flash. Android Lollipop is running point with Color 2.1 launcher on top of it.

The Oppo F1 costs about $290 in Vietnam ,but its European pricing and availability is yet to be detailed.

Source -…

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Samsung is definitely no stranger to showmanship, as evident by its grand unveiling events. However, those are usually reserved for its top of the line models, like the annual Galaxy S and Note editions. The rest of the OEM’s lineup typically gets a formal announcement as well, but it seems the Korean giant has decided to skip the formalities with the new 2016 edition Galaxy J1.

The phone went from leaks and renders, straight to sales as it’s now available at a number of electronic stores in Dubai. On the plus side, this surprise arrival does eliminate the need for any more speculation regarding the handset’s specs and price tag.

The new Galaxy J1 retains the budget-friendly nature of its predecessor. It is equipped with a 4.5-inch display, with a resolution of only 480 x 800 pixels, but still using Super AMOLED technology.

Running the show is a quad-core chipset, clocked at 1.3 GHz, probably the Samsung Exynos 3475 SoC. Memory is set at 1GB and there are 8GB of onboard storage. The camera setup of the 2016 J1 consists of a 5MP main shooter and a 2MP front one, just like its predecessor. Powering the show is a 2,050 mAh battery. The new Galaxy J1 also comes with 4G connectivity in its base version – a feature you could get with the old J1 as well, but only if you spring for the J1 4G or J1 Ace.

Speaking of which, while a bit more powerful, the new J1 2016 comes quite close to what the latter J1 Ace has to offer. The local price for the J1 2016 is AED 499, or around $135 and the J1 Ace can be found for $10 to $20 less. So, if you have your sight set on one of them, be sure to shop around for offers on either handset, as you could end up saving even more.

Thanks, Jomichan George, for sending this…

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Twitter has added the ability to stream Periscope videos in the iOS app.

Periscope broadcasts now come alive within Twitter http://ift.tt/1OqnCVa; Periscope (@periscopeco) January 12, 2016

Previously, a user would have to install the Periscope app or click on the link to open it in a browser to watch the live stream. After the update, users will be able to just click the tweet with the Periscope link and watch the video within the Twitter app itself.

The feature is currently only available in the iOS app but it is coming in future to the Android app and…

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Lenovo has launched a new budget phone. Dubbed Lemon 3, the device is powered by a Snapdragon 616 chipset and sports a 5-inch Full HD display. It comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB expandable internal memory.

In terms of camera, the handset features a 13MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter. Packing in a 2,750mAh battery, the device is 4G LTE enabled and supports dual sim functionality, as well as WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and Micro USB. It also features dual audio speakers.

As for the price, the smartphone carries a tag of RMB 699 (around $105) in China, which is the same price at which the recently launched Xiaomi Redmi 3 is available in the country. The latter packs in a large 4,100mAh battery, but sports a 720p display.

Source (Chinese) |…

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Facebook Mentions, the special app designed just for celebrities, is now available for download from the Play Store. The app was launched back in 2014, but has only been available to iOS users until now.

As already mentioned above, ‘Mentions’ is a celeb-focused app that’s only open to those who have a verified account – usually athletes, musicians, politicians and “other influencers”. It gives users a way to share things like their status updates, photos, and videos with their followers.

Back in August last year, the social media company added a live broadcast feature to the app. As the name suggests, the feature allows users to share live video with their fans.

Source |…

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Just last week, BlackBerry expanded Priv’s availability to three new European markets, including Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. And now, the Canadian company has added another country to the list: France.

Yes, the Android-powered handset is now available for purchase in France. You can buy it from the company’s official French ShopBlackBerry store. As for the price, the Priv carries a tag of €779, which is the same tag it carries in many other European countries.

Over in the US, the smartphone is currently an AT&T exclusive, although BlackBerry says it’s landing on other major carriers soon – both T-Mobile and Verizon are expected to start offering it this quarter.

Source 1…

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If you’re a Huawei fan and are planning to purchase a smartphone as well as a smartwatch, here is some good news: Google is offering new Nexus 6P buyers a $50 discount on the Huawei Watch. This is not the first time such a deal is being offered – Huawei ran a similar promo back in November last year.

However, the good thing here is that you don’t have to purchase the smartwatch at the same time. After your Nexus 6P is shipped, you’ll get a $50 coupon through email which needs to be used before September 1, 2016. So you can purchase the Huawei Watch anytime between now and September.

This being Google, the purchases need to be made from the Google Store. Also, the deal is valid on all Nexus 6P variants. For more details, head to the Source link…

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