Monthly Archives: March 2016
SCOSCHE MagicMount Pro Review – A Highly Convenient Magnetic Mount With A Couple Of Trade-Offs
Car phone mounts can be a real pain to use. Most mounts on the market use some sort of clamping mechanism to secure your phone. While a clamp can effectively hold your device while driving, it is not a very elegant solution. Access to buttons is often blocked by the arms of the clamps, phones can fall out during sudden stops, changing from landscape to portrait can be a chore, and mounting the phone is often a two-handed operation.
SCOSCHE MagicMount Pro Review – A Highly Convenient Magnetic Mount With A Couple Of Trade-Offs was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
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Samsung+ app receives major overhaul, gains Assist and Community features
If you happen to own a newer Samsung Galaxy flagship, odds are you’ve stumbled across the Samsung+ application that came pre-installed on your phone. It’s basically a help and assist application that will make sure you’re getting the most out of your Samsung smartphone. Today the app is getting a major update to version 3.0, which will bring a number of useful features to the already helpful app.
In the past, if you had trouble with your Samsung device, you’d be able to video chat with a representative via Samsung+ to help solve your problem. Now Samsung is taking that feature one step further. With the addition of the Samsung Assist feature, you’ll actually be able to share your screen with the rep and let them operate your device to see if they can fix the problem. You’ll need to grant permission to the rep before they take control. This feature will only be available for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge for now, while older Galaxy devices will receive the update through carriers in the coming weeks.
In addition, Samsung+ is getting a pretty big visual overhaul that will make the app much easier on the eyes. Separated into three different tabs, the app’s new layout will make features more easily accessible. You’ll now see a big list of tips and tricks on the homepage, as well as a personalized greeting once you open the app.
There are tons of other new improvements and features you’ll want to check out, including the Samsung Community and more. All of those details can be found in the press release attached below. The big version 3.0 update will be available starting today from Google Play. Interested? Follow the link below for more details.
Download Samsung+ from Google Play
Samsung Ups the Ante on Customer Support with New Version of Samsung+ App
Update Brings New Features including Remote Customer Support Via “Samsung Assist”
NEW YORK CITY, March 31, 2016 – Today, Samsung will release a new and improved version of the Samsung+ app (version 3.0), a one-stop destination for empowering people to get the most from their Samsung products, with additional features to further Samsung’s customer support offerings and deliver a more supported ownership experience.
Key features of Samsung+ 3.0 app include:
Customer Support:
- Live Support: With a variety of support options to meet customers’ needs, the Samsung+ app provides live support via video chat with the option to text, or phone support with a Samsung representative 7 days a week.
- Samsung Assist Feature: Brand new for Samsung+ 3.0, “Samsung Assist” feature brings users hands-on support, direct to their screens wherever they are. Samsung owners can access “Samsung Assist” feature to allow a support representative to remotely operate and troubleshoot their device. “Samsung Assist” feature can be activated once a consumer grants permission, during a video chat or phone call with a support representative. This feature is currently available on the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Other Galaxy devices and tablets will receive the “Samsung Assist” feature through carrier updates over the coming weeks.
- On Demand Answers: Understanding that some customers prefer self-guided support, Samsung+ app offers On Demand Answers, which include FAQs troubleshooting tips for users to solve issues on their own.
- Device Diagnostics: The app’s Diagnostics feature keeps tabs on your device’s battery health as well as data and security. Simple tools pair with diagnostics to quickly optimize battery life and streamline storage.
- Tips & Tricks: Samsung+ app provides a library of tips and tricks and personalized support to help you do more and get more from your device. The release of Samsung+ 3.0 makes tips and tricks available for Samsung home appliances and consumer electronics, in addition to mobile devices.
- Community: With version 3.0, Samsung adds community across Samsung+ and online at samsung.com. Content will continue to be added on a rolling basis and we are excited to see this evolve as a valuable future resource for customers.
Exclusive Access to Content and Rewards
- Galaxy Life: Samsung+ app treats owners like true VIPs, providing insider access to the latest Samsung innovations, plus personalized offers, discounts on the latest Samsung products, and even ticket giveaways for big events, which most recently occurred at SXSW.
Availability:
The 3.0 version of Samsung+ app will be available starting today on Google Play.
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Sky Kids Launches On The Play Store, Peppa Pig And Lazytown In Tow
International pay-TV broadcaster Sky has launched Sky Kids, a new app specifically designed to allow your little ones to watch their favourite TV shows on an Android device. There’s a caveat, though – it seems to be only available for tablets. Nonetheless, Sky say if you’re a Sky TV customer with Sky+ Family, Variety or Sky Q, this app is available free of charge.
The app will let users set up profiles, much like Netflix does, so each child in the family can watch their own shows.
Sky Kids Launches On The Play Store, Peppa Pig And Lazytown In Tow was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
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Google announces VR View, an open-source system for embedding 360-degree photos and videos
Google is taking the next step forward with VR content. Up until this point, it has been no easy task putting 360-degree content on the web or in an app. Google’s new open source system, VR View, may be the best solution yet.
Google’s VR View platform will allow developers to embed VR content like 360-degree videos into websites and Apps, both on Android and iOS. Google wants to make VR content more apparent, and is hoping this system makes sharing content with others quick and hassle free. VR View supports Google Cardboard and a slew of other VR headsets natively. Google believes that VR will take off only when it becomes fully adopted. That explains why Google is pushing VR to become a new standard among society.
The code for embedding VR content inside apps is now available in the Cardboard SDK. You can find it in both the Android and iOS versions. For more details, be sure to hit the link below.
Source: Android Developers
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Nest isn’t bringing in enough revenue to keep Alphabet happy
Last year, Nest pulled in $340 million in revenue, which isn’t bad for a niche market company after being scooped up by Google.
However, Google originally paid over 3 billion dollars for Nest, so it’s only natural that they’d want to see a better return on investment than that, especially considering that both companies are now owned by a more focused Alphabet.
After the original Google/Nest acquisition, the companies figured out how to best continue running Nest. This involved retaining high level employees, as well as setting up an annual budget for Nest to work with. Several sources say that budget was around $500 million per year, and it doesn’t take a math whiz to figure out that if you’re spending more than you’re bringing in, you’re going to have some financial problems as a company.
Fortunately for Nest, Google understood that the connected home device market wasn’t mature enough to support billions in revenue, so their sales target was only $300 million annually. Nest did technically hit that goal, but it only happened after buying up Dropcam for half a billion dollars.
Google and Nest’s original deal was only set up for three years, which means the end of this year means the end of that contract. Alphabet very well might extend and keep throwing money at it to see what happens, but it might also sell the company off and try to do something different.
Personally, I’d hope they’d simply fold Nest and Nest products under Google’s wing and try to sell connected devices under the more familiar brand. Whatever happens, we’re definitely going to hear more about this over the next few months.
source: re/code
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