Monthly Archives: October 2016
Opera Max turns to nagware, now prompts users to re-enable it every 12 hours
If you’re not familiar with VPNs, a Virtual Private Network allows users to access the internet as if they were on another network. VPNs are often used to access services only available in another country, access content blocked on a restricted network, or avoid privacy concerns that come with using free Wi-Fi.
Opera Max has been available on Android for a while now, allowing users to save data usage through apps like YouTube and Netflix.
Opera Max turns to nagware, now prompts users to re-enable it every 12 hours was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
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Chrome Dev and Canary builds include a way to move address bar to the bottom of your display
The pre-stable public builds of Google’s Chrome web browser for Android sometimes show off features that don’t get a lot of attention. It appears that the latest builds for the Chrome Dev and Chrome Canary channels include a way to place the website address bar on the bottom of the browser.
See also: The best Android browsers
As spotted by Android Police, the new option is available with a flag that’s oddly called “Chrome Home”. This feature can be checked out by pasting chrome://flags/#enable-chrome-home into Chrome Dev or Canary and then tapping the highlighted select menu. After that, tap Enabled, and restart the browser.
This feature is actually very similar to Microsoft’s Edge browser in Windows 10 Mobile, which also has the address bar on the bottom. Many users prefer this layout as it lets them see more of the top part of a webpage. Android Police mentions this feature is still buggy, as the place where the address bar used to be on top is blank. Then again, that’s what these early Chrome builds are for; to test new features and fix any bugs.
What do you think of having the address bar in Chrome on the bottom? Do you think you will enable this feature when it is made available on the Chrome stable channel for Android?
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Would you buy the Xiaomi Mi MIX if it came to the US? [Poll of the Week]
Xiaomi recently took the wraps off its latest flagship smartphone, the Mi Note 2. While the new device might be a decent, less explosive alternative to the Galaxy Note 7, another smartphone was unveiled that might be worth your time – the Xiaomi Mi MIX.
With a crazy 91.3% screen-to-body ratio, the Mi MIX is truly a sight to behold. It features a 6.4-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2048 x 1080, and basically no bezels on the top, right or left of the device. Anyone looking for extra screen real estate will certainly have no complaints about this device.
It’s not all just a crazy screen, though. The Mi MIX is packed full of top-of-the-line internals that are on par with most other high-end flagships out there. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, 4 or 6GB of RAM, 128 or 256GB on on-board storage, and a massive 4,400mAh battery. It also comes with a 16MP rear camera and 5MP front sensor, which is housed on the chin of the device, of course.
Unfortunately it doesn’t look like Xiaomi plans on bringing the Mi MIX to the US. Replying to comments on Reddit, the product manager for MIUI India, Jai Mani, told readers that it doesn’t make sense to launch the device in other markets, since it’s still very much a concept phone. “We have to consider each product very, very carefully given our limited resources,” he said.
Even though it’s considered a ‘concept’ at the moment, it’s still being sold in China for around $500.
So, tell us – considering the device launched at roughly the same price point, would you buy the Xiaomi Mi MIX if it came to the United States? Or are you not sold on this new concept phone? Be sure to cast your vote in the poll below, and if you have anything to add, feel free to leave a comment below. We look forward to hearing what you have to say!
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Halloween app and game sales: Goat Simulator, HD Widgets, Crimsonland, and more
It’s Halloween, so that means we’ve got some spooky app and game sales from the haunted Play Store. OoooOOOoooo, scary. The cursed deals below will only be available for a limited time. Don’t be afraid, grab your goody bag and come on in. Certainly nothing terrifying will happen to you!
Apps
iCountTimer Pro: $0.99 from $4.99
Millimeter Pro: $0.99 from $1.99
WiFi Mouse Pro: $1.99 from $3.99
Hydro Coach PRO: $1.39 from $4.49
HD Widgets: $0.10 from $0.99 (non-US)
AntiVirus PRO Android Security: $7.19 from $11.99
Games
Samurai II: Vengeance: $1.99 from $2.99
SHADOWGUN: $2.99 from $4.99
Crimsonland: $0.99 from $9.99
I Have No Mouth: $1.99 from $3.99
Sanitarium: $1.99 from $3.99
Thomas Was Alone: $1.99 from $4.49
Goat Simulator: $0.99 from $4.99
Goat Simulator Waste of Space: $2.99 from $4.99
Goat Simulator GoatZ: $1.99 from $4.99
Kingdom Rush Frontiers: $0.99 from $1.99
Assassin’s Creed Identity: $2.99 from $4.99
Eclipse: $4.99 from $6.99
Aurora: Quarantine: $0.99 from $2.99
Whispering Willows: $0.99 from $4.99
Sparkle: $0.99 from $2.99
Sparkle 2: $0.99 from $6.99
Azkend: $0.99 from $2.99
Azkend 2: The World Beneath; $0.99 from $6.99
Trouserheart: $0.99 from $2.99
King of Dragon Pass: $4.99 from $9.99
The Tiny Bang Story: $1.49 from $2.99
Majesty: Fantasy Kingdom: $0.99 from $1.99
Majesty: Northern Expansion: $0.99 from $2.99
Elder Sign: Omens: $1.99 from $3.99
One Day : The Sun Disappeared: $0.99 from $3.99
Halloween app and game sales: Goat Simulator, HD Widgets, Crimsonland, and more was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
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Let’s look at some of the cool products coming from Samsung Creative Lab
Samsung’s Creative Lab Projects, also known as C-Lab, is a Samsung division that aims to let its employees work on more personal projects. Like Google Creative Lab, C-Lab offers a space to develop ideas that otherwise might never see the light of day and Samsung has just teased a few apps and wearables that might be coming out of C-Lab in the future. Let’s take a quick look at them.
Hum On!
Hum On! Turns a melody you hum into music notation that can be played back and customized. The implication is that you can create a song without actually having any in-depth knowledge of music.
This is an exciting idea but also useful for musicians – at least beginners. It could help train your voice, to some extent, as well educate you on music notation principles. You can download the app now in the Google Play Store for free but expect some bugs in its early state.
Waffle
Waffle is a social app based on images. It encourages users to draw doodles and send photos to friends and family, which they can reply to with their own pictures, to create a personalized collage of images that Samsung calls “social art”.
How interesting this app would be, ultimately, likely depends on how invested people are in creating interesting designs and patterns. Also, drawing on smartphones usually isn’t very comfortable or accurate with a finger, which could hinder its chances of catching on.
ItsyWatch
This is a not an app but a wearable for children. The watch provides a child a virtual pet to care for – which sounds a lot like a Tamagotchi. Samsung says the watch is being designed to help children “build good habits”, to “relieve parental stress” and to “strengthen the emotional bond among family members”. Admirable aims, but there’s so little divulged about the product that it’s hard to judge its potential.
Ahead
Ahead is a communication device for safety helmets designed to give skiers, cyclists, skateboarders etc. a hands-free alternative to smartphones. It’s said to offer music-streaming capabilities and voice notifications.
There’s certainly space in the market for such a product, especially after Skully’s demise, but Samsung appears to have ignored rule number one of creating a wearable: don’t make the person look silly while wearing it.
LiCon
LiCon is a camera app that you point at ‘internet of things’ devices to control them. Samsung says you can “take a photo of any smart device – from toys to bottles and appliances” to then take control of it. For those with a number of connected home appliances, it could be quite useful.
FITT360
Finally, FITT360 is a wearable 360-degree camera that provides hands-free recording capabilities. Samsung claims it has made it easy to use to allow an individual to become “fully immersed in VR content”. Samsung has already produced a great 360-camera product this year with the Gear 360 which inspires at least some confidence in the potential for the FITT360.
It’s an interesting group of ideas but there’s no telling if any of them will reach the point of being consumer-ready products. Let’s just hope that Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 fiasco doesn’t mean a C-Lab funding cut before any of them can see a full release.
Which project is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
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