Top 5 Best Android Free Games of 2015


1. Need for Speed: No Limits

This  game brings what you usually just enjoyed on console and PC to mobile – the graphics , just what you would expect from a Need for Speed game. There’s a good single player campaign, plus lots of racing action.

This is probably the first Need for Speed game on mobile where you can actually feel the same enjoyment as you played on PC or console. The graphics  are top good, and it’s free to play, sort of.

2.Star Wars: Uprising

 It is a solid action RPG. We’re looking at you strangely here if this game went by unnoticed, but let this be a reminder. Star Wars: Uprising is a must for all of you Han Solo fans . Lots of shooting, loot, and upgrade action to go around here, and best of all – it’s free to play.



3.Asphalt 8: Airborne

 The very experienced Gameloft company has created another great Android game that rightfully deserves a place in this top. Racing fans must definitely have to try out Asphalt 8: Airborne because it is one of the best Android racing game that includes high-speed aerial stunts and dynamic performances. The game offers luxury cars, exotic locations and it can be simultaneously played with your friends. The game has amazing visual effects and real-time geometry reflections and can play with up to 12 opponents. Get your dream car and enjoy this racing simulator while defeating your friends score.

4.EA SPORTS UFC

It is one the best fighting game in the category of Fighting that's why it deserves the place in the top 5 the graphics of UFC are nice and will give you the feel of [P.S] the fighting moves and other things are very nice the size is large but even than you have to play it.


5.Eternity Warriors 4

Building on the gorgeous graphics of its  previous  (Eternity Warriors 3), the RPG of course gives you a lot of new stuff, new loot, new missions – basically, a lot of new things to do.

If you’re an RPG fan, there are a lot of games out there, but not enough solid ones that are free to play. This game is one of the rare ones.

Apple Inc Opens Up Pre-Orders For New Apple TV

MacRumors reports that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has started the pre-order process for the new Apple TV. Last week at the WSDJ conference, CEO Tim Cook announced that the new set-top box would be available for sale this week. The new variant is priced at $149 for the 32GB version, while the 64GB one is retailing for $199. In the case customers pre-order the product now, the device will be shipped to them later next week, while customers who selected one-day delivery will be receiving it on October 30.

In case users want to buy added accessories with the Apple TV 4, they can buy extra Siri Remotes for $79 each, while the remote’s loop strap, similar to that of the Nintendo Wii, will be available for a $12.99 extra charge. The new Apple TV is a significant upgrade from the previous generation with new features.

The set-top box includes a full blown new version of tvOS, while the internal hardware has also been increased significantly. This includes an A8 chip, 2GB of RAM, 1080p video capabilities. Moreover, the iPhone maker has also given developers the freedom to integrate their apps with the universal search provided in the operating software.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow Adds Fingerprint Authentication For Google Play Purchases

Buying stuff on Google Play will get a lot easier with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, as the new OS brings fingerprint authentication to quickly authorize purchases.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow brings a slew of neat features to the table and one of the greatest highlights is the addition of fingerprint support thanks to its new fingerprint application programming interface (API). Even better, this support is not just for securely unlocking a device or other functionality limited to the phone's lock screen, it extends to the Google Play store as well.

With the latest version of Google's mobile operating system, users will be able to authorize Play Store purchases with their fingerprint. This new Google Play option significantly increases convenience and security, while also helping users save time when they shop.

Android Police first spotted this option in a teardown of the v5.9 client back in early September and the option is now live for fingerprint sensor-equipped handsets running Android 6.0 Marshmallow. For now, this means that only the new Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X support it.

Oddly enough, the fingerprint reader option is disabled by default, which means that users will have to specifically activate it in the Google Play store if they want to authenticate payments with their fingerprint. To do so, open the Google Play app and head to Settings > User Controls. The second option under User Controls is called Fingerprint Authentication and has a box that you can tick on or off to activate or deactivate fingerprint authorization for purchases. To enable the option, check this Fingerprint Authentication box and enter your Google password when the Play Store prompts.

Once you activate this option, you can purchase items in the Google Play store with a simple tap on the device's fingerprint sensor. If you'd rather use your password instead, you have this option as well.

As previously mentioned, only the LG Nexus 5X and the Huawei Nexus 6P support this functionality for now, but any future device that launches with Android 6.0 Marshmallow on board and has a fingerprint reader should support fingerprint authentication for Play Store purchases.

Facebook Releases Fix For iOS Battery Drain Issue, Chalks It Up To Silent Audio In The Background

Reports about the iOS version of Facebook draining batteries quickly surfaced online. The social media firm swiftly rolled out an update when it heard the news, saying that the issues have been resolved now in the latest version.

Just a few days ago, it was discovered that the Facebook app was the culprit of the battery drain issue, and it was accused of tracking iOS users. When the issue garnered more attention, Facebook engineer Ari Grant addressed it, saying that it was not "related to location."

"We found a few key issues and have identified additional improvements, some of which are in the version of the app that was released today," Grant posted on his Facebook page.

He continued to explain that one of the issues was related to a "CPU spin" in the network code, causing the Facebook app to use up more of the battery's juice than intended. Next, the second issue has something to do with the audio of a Facebook video continuing to run silently in the background even after the Facebook app is closed. This is the reason why the Facebook app stays active, and as a result, it keeps consuming the phone's resources unnecessarily.

Grant then wrapped things up by saying that the battery drain issue is not because Facebook tracks iOS phone's locations.

"The issues we have found are not caused by the optional Location History feature in the Facebook app or anything related to location," Grant continued, making things clear about the location issue.

Bugs happen most of the time, so Facebook didn't exactly commit a sin here. However, some online users suspect that Facebook was up to something, but its plans were foiled, as Apple spotted them and didn't like it one bit. Setting aside the conspiracy theory and all that, Facebook patched up the bug, and that's all that matters.

Amazon deal: Charge your Apple Watch and iPhone at the same time

You’ve got an Apple Watch and an iPhone — you might as well get a portable charger for both of your devices. Save 63% off list on the Sparin Portable Multifunctional Charging Dock now on sale for $10.99 with free shipping.

This aluminum dual stand charges all editions of Apple Watches and all modern iPhones. It is non-scratch so you won’t have to worry about it ever marking up your Apple Watch or your iPhone. The portable stand provides a convenient and variable viewing angle, both for your Apple Watch, but also for iPhones, so you won’t have  to strain to see who’s calling while it’s being charged.

Sparin’s dock also has a built-in stylus holder and comes with a premium 2-in-1 stylus pen as part of your purchase. the company provides a lifetime warranty as well.

New Apple Watch app lets you jog phone-free

The Apple Watch got a lot more useful with WatchOS 2.0, an update that let developers write apps that can run natively on the Watch without the need for your iPhone. Runkeeper's latest app update enables exactly that -- you can now use the Apple Watch to track a workout without needing to bring your phone with you, something that'll certainly be appreciated by those who don't want to have an iPhone 6 Plus strapped to their arm during a run.

When you open the app on your Apple Watch, you'll be asked if you want to start a run, walk, cycle or "other" workout. Once you give the Runkeeper app permissions to access the data stored in the iPhone's central Health app, you're good to go -- the Watch app can track time, distance, and minute per mile as well as your heart rate data for the entire run.

What's not clear yet is how the Runkeeper app will track your route. One of the iPhone app's main features is the ability to see exactly what route you take as well as the elevation you climb throughout your run -- that all comes thanks to the GPS in the phone as well as its motion processor. While the Apple Watch can certainly track steps and distance on its own, it doesn't seem possible for the Runkeeper app to show you the route you take when using it just with the Apple Watch.

Still, if you're more interested in just tracking your distance and run stats and don't need to know the exact route, Runkeeper's Apple Watch app should provide another good option compared to the built-in Apple Workout app. Still, serious runners should use caution: our testing showed that the Apple Watch's distance tracking features were a bit hit-or-miss, even when you carry your iPhone with you. Going without your phone reduced its accuracy even more, so take these readings with the appropriate grain of salt. We've reached out to Runkeeper to get more details on the new app -- and if we take it for a run, we'll let you know how that goes as well.

Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter Heads To PlayStation 4, Xbox One And PC In 2016

A new Sherlock Holmes game is headed to PC and consoles, the eighth from Bigben Interactive and Frogwares, marking the first time the world’s most famous detective will appear on the latest generation of gaming hardware. But it’s going to be a few more months before fans get their hands on Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter, considering it won’t be available until 2016.

On Tuesday, publisher Bigben Interactive and developer Frogwares confirmed plans to release the eighth game in the Sherlock Holmes series that began back in 2002. Details are surprisingly scarce, considering we’re only six(ish) months away from the project launch window for Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter. But the two companies did publish three new screenshots alongside a handful of bullet points, to build some excitement for the news.

According to a press release, Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter will see the detective in unfamiliar territory, after Holmes’ “ruthless logic is overwhelmed by family stories, irresistible emotions and an occult revenge.” The two companies also say fans can expect “state-of-the-art graphics” and “a unique blend of game mechanics” in the latest Sherlock Holmes game for PC and consoles.

There’s currently no trailer for Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter, or gameplay footage of any kind. Those interested in an early look at the project are encouraged to check out all of the screenshots in the Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter image gallery at the top of this post.

Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter is being developed for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. The game is scheduled to debut sometime next spring.

The PlayStation 4 now has a real Twitch app

PlayStation 4 owners have been able to stream their video game sessions live on Twitch for years, but unlike its rival the Xbox One, Sony's latest console only allowed users to watch Twitch broadcasts of PS4 games. That changes today with the launch of the new Twitch app, a full-featured piece of software that lets PS4 players watch broadcasts or interact with streamers of games on other platforms, bringing Sony's machine up to speed with competing iOS, Android, and Microsoft devices.

The rapidly growing company first detailed its new PS4 app last month at its first ever TwitchCon conference, explaining that in addition to the PS4, the app would be available on PS3 and Vita. While the PS4 version is available first — launching in North, South, and Central America today before rolling out to players in other regions shortly — Twitch promises the app will be available for the older consoles before the end of fall. The various versions of the app will be largely similar, but Twitch notes that the PS4 app will be the only one with full chat functionality.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow Update: Sony Xperia

Android 6.0 Marshmallow will come to Sony devices, following Motorola and HTC's moves.

Android units are loading up the latest release of Google's mobile operating system.  After Android 6.0 Marshmallow was released late last month, all Nexus phones received the upgrade almost immediately.  Motorola and HTC began rolling out the upgrade to their respective units, too. Now, Sony may follow their footsteps as they may soon roll out upgrades for their devices, straight to Marshmallow from Android 5.0.

Sony units, six of the, is set to bypass several patches of Android 5.0 to have Android 6.0 Marshmallow, a reliable source has revealed. The six flagship handsets include the Sony Xperia Z3+ or the Sony Xperia Z4 in other parts of the globe, Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet, Xperia C4, Xperia C5 Ultra, Xperia M4 Aqua and Xperia M5, Xperia Blog reported.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade could happen before the end of the year as they are rooted with Android 5.0. At the moment, Sony has not yet released any official statement for this OS jump, the blog site continued.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow speculation in the community is that, if the Japanese smartphone maker giant decides go first to Android 5.1.1, it will consume time.  An update will not definitely happen this year.  By the time Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade is ready for rollout, it will be very much late into next year, GSM Arena reported.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade reason is still unclear as well as why Sony has not yet released any Android 5.1.1 Lollipop for the said units.  The corporation has not yet released any statement about this matter, also.

Sony Xperia Z3+, Xperia Z4 Tablet, Xperia C4, Xperia C5 Ultra, Xperia M4 Aqua and Xperia M5 users should therefore wait until Sony makes an official announcement about that roll out.

HP's new Chromebooks are less colorful, but cheaper

It’s getting towards the end of the year, and that means it’s time for Hewlett-Packard’s Chromebook 14 refresh. The 2015 release isn’t as exciting as the $440 touchscreen model that appeared last December, but these are still some nice, well-priced laptops nonetheless. In fact, this year’s Chromebook 14 models drop $50 off the price tag, down to a starting price of $250 compared to 2014’s starting price of $300.

HP’s new Chromebooks dump the 2014 model’s Tegra K1 processor for Intel’s 2.16Ghz dual-core Celeron N2840. The rest of the specs remain relatively unchanged from last year. You get a 14-inch 1366-by-768 IPS display, 2GB RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, a microSD slot, one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI connection, and a headphone jack. Battery life promises remain the same as last year, at 9.25 hours.

The new Chromebook 14 line tones down the accent color spectrum to just a silver and light blue model—last year, HP offered four different colors and the year before that, three.

And for those who need a little more resolution in their lives, HP will also roll out a “full HD” 1080p version of the Chromebook 14 starting at $280.

Beyond hardware, HP’s Chromebook packs Google’s usual offer of 100GB free Drive storage for two years. The package also comes with 12 free Gogo in-air Internet passes for U.S. domestic flights, three free Google Play movie rentals, and 90 days free of Google Play music.

The new Chromebooks are slated to hit store shelves on Sunday, November 8.

The story behind the story: New consumer Chromebooks are always nice, but HP is likely far more interested in the education and small to medium business market, where Google-flavored notebooks have a small, but solid foothold. To that end HP also introduced the Chromebook 14 G4 as a sole Silver model with enhanced VPN support, Citrix Receiver 1.8 for Chrome, and 16GB more onboard storage for a total of 32GB. The G4 is expected to be available to institutional buyers in October before the consumer version rolls out next month.

Tech Times Samsung Galaxy S7 Key Specs And Features Surface Yet Again Revealing More Details

The Samsung Galaxy S7 is expected to release in the first quarter next year. Even though the South Korean tech giant is not talking anything on the Galaxy S6, the purported specifications and features of the Galaxy S7 have surfaced yet again.

According to WCCF Tech, the Samsung Galaxy S7 will be coming in different chipset variants like the Exynos 8890, the Exynos 7422, and the Snapdragon 820 for different markets. The benchmarks of the Exynos 8890 powered Galaxy S7 indicate that it will be more powerful than the Snapdragon 820 powered Galaxy S7.

The recently leaked specs also reveal that the Galaxy S7 display will be driving by ClearForce technology from Qualcomm.  The Galaxy S6 features 16-megapixel camera. Even the 2014 flagship, the Galaxy S5 came with 16-megapixel camera. However, the Galaxy S7 is speculated to house a 20-megapixel ISOCELL camera.

The Galaxy S7 will be the first Samsung handset to feature a USB Type-C connector, SamMobile reported. It will deliver stunning audio output as it will be equipped with ESS Sabre 9018AQ2M headphone amplifier system.

Rumors have it Samsung will be aiming to release the Galaxy S7 as well as the Galaxy S7 Edge in the first quarter of 2016 to stay ahead of competition from rival smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge will be launched to replace the Galaxy S6 Edge from this year.

The 3DFuture team has developed a concept edition of the Galaxy S7 Edge based on the design patents that the South Korean tech giant has applied for in the recent past, Value Walk reported. Instead of the curved display that curves on the left and right edges of the Galaxy S6 Edge, the concept model of the Galaxy S7 Edge sports a curved screen that wraps on the top and bottom side of the handset. It also reveals that the handset will be sporting a trapezoidal design.

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium Vs. Google Nexus 6p

Google  has started to roll out its Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with the new Nexus 6p equipped with the latest Android OS. Google has gone down the full-metal body route, in line with all the high-end smartphones in the market currently. Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is another top-of-the-line phablet that competes for the crown. It is the only smartphone with 4K display technology, which is a major selling point for Sony right now.

In terms of the design, Nexus 6P is a solid, sturdy design with its aluminum body and rounded corners, a fingerprint scanner at the back and three color options to choose from: frost, aluminum and graphite. Xperia Z5 Premium, on the other hand, comes with an IP68 water-resistant and dust-resistant body in three colors: gold, chrome, and black. It has a full-metal body with front and back glass panels and a gloss finish.

With Triluminous color-enhancing and X-reality technology to upscale the quality of images and videos, Xperia Z5 Premium comes with a 2160 x 3840p 5.5inch display. Nexus 6P also has an upscale display technology with a 5.7inch 1440 x 2560p AMOLED touchscreen. With a pretty low-end price, Nexus 6P has offered some really good display numbers in the smartphone. However, numbers aren’t everything, and Google will have a lot of work to do to make sure that the Nexus 6P performs as well as it looks.

The two devices are similar when it comes to processor chipsets. The latest Snapdragon 810 processor Octa-core A53 Cortex clocking at 1.5 GHz runs the Xperia Z5 and 2.0 GHz in Nexus 6P. Both devices have 3GB RAM, but where storage space is concerned, the Xperia Z5 Premium has an edge with its microSD slot and 32GB internal storage, which the Nexus 6P does not support. It does, however, come with a 128GB internal memory, so there should not be many problems as far as storage is concerned. With up to 200GB upgradable space on the Xperia Z5 Premium, here is our first major difference between these two devices.

Another feature where a huge gulf in class exists between the two devices is the camera lens. Xperia Z5 Premium has left the Nexus 6P way behind with its 23MP rear and 5MP front camera. It also has features like digital image stabilization and smile detection. Nexus 6P comes with a Dual-LED 12MP rear and 8MP front camera with autofocus, but doesn’t have the great ultra-fast lens that the Xperia Z6 Premium has.

Xperia Z5 Premium is priced at $950 unlocked, and Nexus 6P costs $500 unlocked. So what we have here is a phone which could be a cheap alternative for a premium Sony device, or a pretty similar device to the Xperia Z5 Premium, just a lot cheaper.

iMovie Updated for iOS and Mac As Apple Continues To Unify Creative Experience Across Devices

Apple just unveiled some new updates with their iMovie video-editing software for Mac and iOS that, among other things, capitalize on the capabilities of their new slew of iDevices and add some pretty major improvements to how the software communicates across platforms.

Both iterations of iMovie are also seeing upgrades to the quality of video that can be edited in projects.

Most notably, iMovie for Mac and iOS are gaining 4K video-editing capabilities, which is especially cool (if not pretty expected) given the stellar updated camera on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. In addition to 4K support, iMovie for iOS version 2.2 and iMovie 10.1 for Mac are also adding support for editing 1080p 60fps footage.



With these latest updates, the experience of editing video through iMovie is growing much more unified across platforms. A person can shoot 4K video on their iPhone 6s, put a rough stitch together through iMovie on their device, and then use AirDrop or iCloud Drive to sync the content to iMovie on their Mac where users can utilize more advanced tools like color correction and green screening to get the video ready for primetime. When a user is done working on a project, they are able to send it to YouTube in its full, glorious resolution or even export to Final Cut Pro for more advanced editing.

Also arriving with the iOS update is support for 3D Touch. The use cases are largely in keeping with the functionality that most other stock iOS apps are showing off on the iPhone, including quick actions from the home screen and peek and pop gestures within a project’s browser.

In addition to optimizing the experience for the new set of iPhones, with this latest release Apple is also getting iMovie ready for November’s iPad Pro launch. Visually, the experience on the 12.9 iPad Pro looks pretty full-featured, replicating the Mac version with some caveats to take advantage of touch controls. Video editors can also utilize the new iPad Pro Smart Keyboard to use key commands to speed up the process of stitching together a video.

Across platforms the interface is seeing some major refinements as iMovie for Mac continues to gather more iOS visual cues. Specifically, iMovie for Mac is gaining iOS’s simple three-tab layout, making the process of searching through media and clips even quicker. The new Project Media section lets you dive into the project you’re currently working on and view all of the related audio, photo and video files that compose it.

iMovie 10.1 for Mac is available as a free upgrade to existing owners and runs $14.99 for new users. Similarly, iMovie for iOS 2.2 goes for $4.99 in the App Store but is also available as a free update to those who already have it.

This isn’t a massive rethinking of the iMovie software by any means, but it is interesting to see the creative experiences grow so similar across iOS and Mac OS X hardware, suggesting that perhaps Apple’s entry-level creative tools like GarageBand may also be seeing even greater compatibility in the future, as well.

Microsoft sells out of Surface Book launch stock, updates iOS Health app for Band 2

   Visitors to the online Microsoft Store will now find shipping times for the Book ranging anywhere from 5 to 8 weeks. "We've seen strong demand for Surface Book and have sold out of pre-order supply for October 26 availability," a spokesperson informed MarketWatch.

Limited numbers of the laptop will be in stores on the 26th, the company said.

It's not clear whether demand is high, or if Microsoft was simply conservative with production. The Surface Book is the company's first laptop, announced just last week, but is also claimed to be the fastest 13-inch notebook ever made — twice as fast as a MacBook Pro. Owners can even detach the screen to use it as a tablet, sacrificing some of that performance in the process.

Microsoft Health

The Health iPhone app has been updated to support the various features of the Band 2. This includes the new barometer, and tracking functions like VO2 max monitoring or recording shots during golf. The app offers a built-in scorecard for golf games.

Health is a free download, and runs on iPhones with iOS 7.1 or later. The Band 2 is shipping on Oct. 30 for $249, and will also support Android and Windows phones.

NASA wants to send humans to Mars, but does it have the money?

NASA has released an outline for human travel to Mars in the next 20 years, but a lack of details might signify instability when it comes to a budget, according to an advocate with the Planetary Society in Pasadena.

NASA’s report titled “Journey to Mars: Pioneering the Next Steps in Space Exploration” , aligns the space agency to the goal of putting humans on Mars by the 2030s without focusing much on the costs or the feasibility.

“I think it’s a good document that lays out the idea that NASA is committed to Mars. They’re looking at it, they’re thinking about how they’re going to align all their missions — it’s just a little light on details,” said Casey Dreier, director of advocacy with the Planetary Society, a Pasadena-based nonprofit headed by scientist Bill Nye. “Are they getting the resources they need to be successful in their goal? It’s kind of hard to say.”

NASA breaks up its “Journey to Mars” in three stages of missions — Earth Reliant, Proving Ground and Earth Independent — with the first focusing on leveraging the International Space Station to research what’s necessary for long-duration space missions. The second focuses on deep space missions, with one mission redirecting an asteroid for studying. Earth Independent builds upon the earlier missions to bring the first astronauts to Mars.

NASA’s strategy for Mars is intentionally vague, as the agency wants to stay flexible, according to Stephanie L. Schierholz, the spokesperson for human spaceflight at NASA Headquarters.

“Technology advances at quite a quick pace and we don’t want to lock ourselves into making technological decisions now that we don’t need to make yet,” she said. “It’s not possible to know all the answers at this time, or to know the right answers. We fully acknowledge that this leaves room for transitions based on changing priorities, changing budgets, changing knowledge.”

NASA will build upon and learn from its the earlier missions to reach its goal, she said.

She said NASA’s strategy is implementable in the near term, but that it expects more investments from “future administrations and legislatures.”

“The intent is that it does create a sustainable way to move human exploration further out into the solar system,” she said.

Dreier suspects the report is vague because the politics behind the budget for human spaceflight don’t align with NASA’s aspirations.

“I don’t think this is necessarily NASA’s decision, I think this is coming from a lack of priority within the (Obama) administration,” Dreier said. He added that while the White House has pushed for humans on Mars by the 2030s, President Obama’s administration continues to slash the budget for the NASA divisions already studying Mars.

The Planetary Society released its own report last month — based on a study out of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory — that estimated that NASA could land a person on Mars by the end of the 2030s with limited budget increases — in line with inflation — by spreading its Mars mission out by first orbiting the planet and landing on one of its moons, then making a planet-side descent on a later mission. Their plan urges NASA to step away from the International Space Station in 2024 to make more money available for space exploration.

Schierholz said that NASA expects to free up funds as the private industry moves into low Earth orbit and into the roles NASA previously filled. NASA is also taking into consideration studies from outside agencies like the Planetary Society, she said.

“The way that we determine our Mars mission is still in the future,” she said. “I think that our leaders would say that all of these studies that are being done are contributing to our understanding of the possibilities.”

Following Apple Inc, Microsoft Corporation May Push Windows 10 Mobile Updates Directly To Users

Microsoft will control the update process for Windows 10 Mobile, to help establish the OS as a reliable platform

Microsoft Corporation has announced it will control when to roll out updates for Windows 10 Mobile.

With Windows 10 Mobile right around the corner, we might be looking at a major change in strategy, one that is, to an extent, an imitation of what Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) employs. Since Apple is responsible for both its hardware and software segments in the smartphone market, it pushes its iOS updates in a timely and direct manner. On the other hand, Google Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android updates have to go through different phases before finally reaching the end user. These updates are passed on from the search giant to OEMs and then to the mobile carriers. This means the updates take months before they reach users.

Since we are still some way off from Microsoft’s Windows 10 Mobile, nothing is set in stone regarding whether the company will actually roll out future updates directly to its mobile users. All the company stated when asked about its update policy once the new operating system is launched is, it won’t be adhering to the timelines of different carriers, paving way for many to believe that a more Apple-esque way of rolling out updates is right around the corner.

If Microsoft does start rolling out updates directly to users, it would improve the perception of Windows Mobile in the market, as users would not only be getting the latest features on time but would also be getting their hands on the most up-to-date security fixes. After the infamous Stagefright attack highlighted Android’s vulnerability due to its widespread fragmentation and diversity, the decision to roll out updates directly will help Microsoft avoid such malware attacks. More so, it will also present Windows 10 Mobile as a service, much like how the company rolls out updates for its PC platform.

Pepsi Rolls Out China Smartphone

 A new Pepsi-branded smartphone set to launch in China next week could get an initial boost from strong publicity, but will quickly fizzle due to lack of special features to distinguish it from others in the crowded market.

An entertaining new twist to China’s overheated smartphone story is coming from the soft drink sector, with word that global beverage giant Pepsi is preparing to enter a crowded space that hardly needs any new entrants. The headline looked somewhat strange to me, though nothing surprises me these days in a market where names like industrial equipment supplier Sany and air conditioner maker Gree have all jumped on the smartphone bandwagon.

Such a bandwagon approach is quite typical for China, where local companies are always quick to join the latest trends even if they have little or no experience in the business. But foreign names are usually a little more savvy, and this particular instance was the first I could recall of a major foreign brand joining this kind of silly herd mentality that often ends in failure and big losses for the associated company.

That prompted me to read beyond the headline, where I learned that Pepsi has actually licensed its name to a domestic manufacturer, which will use the brand for a new line of smartphones it will make and sell. Still, the story does show just how overheated China’s smartphone market has become, and I seriously doubt this Pepsi smartphone foray will sell very many models or do much to promote the company’s brand.

All the buzz began with a series of microblog posts on Weibo, the homegrown Chinese equivalent of Twitter, hinting at an imminent launch of a Pepsi-branded smartphone in China. (English article) The blogger teased that Pepsi would launch the phone next week, along with related accessories. The models would be distinctively low- to mid-range, selling for 1,299 yuan, or about $200.

As media flocked to the story, it gradually became clear that the phones would be made by a high-tech firm in the southern boomtown of Shenzhen. The Pepsi name and logo appear in abundance on the microblog of the company, whose name translates as Wanfeng Technology and which probably paid a hefty price for licensing rights.
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Cellphones themed with Japanese Hello Kitty brand are also prominently featured on Wanfeng’s microblog page, and other reports say the company’s partners include the likes of Konica Minolta and homegrown smartphone maker Xiaomi. After being contacted by numerous curious reporters, Pepsi finally came out with a statement confirming the move and adding the tie-up was part of a new licensing deal.

Only in China

Pepsi said the phones would only be available in China, and it had no plans to get into the smartphone business by itself. Instead, the deal was part of its broader strategy to expand its brand through licensing tie-ups. Other companies engage in similar deals, most notably Hollywood studios like Disney, which sell the rights for their various characters to third parties for use on clothing and other consumer products.

Pepsi clearly wasn’t prepared for the media storm this particular licensing agreement would create, though it undoubtedly doesn’t mind the publicity. It might feel differently when the actual phones hit the market next week, especially if they don’t get very positive reviews from consumers, which seems almost inevitable.

More broadly speaking, this story does highlight the fact that China’s smartphone market has become extremely overheated and manufacturers and brands are looking for any advantage they can find to one-up their rivals. The market has exploded over the last two years to become the world’s largest, with around 100 million units now sold each quarter. But the breakneck growth has come to a screeching halt this year, leading to bloody price wars between the dozens of smaller and big domestic players that piled into the space.

At the end of the day, this particular licensing deal is probably bound to fizzle, though perhaps the Pepsi phones could notch up to 100,000 sales due to all the recent publicity. Wanfeng is probably a capable smartphone maker. But aside from having the Pepsi name on them, these new Android-based models will have a difficult time differentiating themselves from a crowded field of phones that mostly look and perform the same.

Why Pepsi Is Launching a Smartphone in China

Pepsi Co. has announced plans to launch a smartphone in China as part of a bold new marketing strategy the company hopes will attract more customers to its long list of products.

The food giant will license its brand for use on a new smartphone available only in China "in the next few months" to market Pepsi gear like apparel, soda and food to that nation’s growing middle class, a spokesman for the company tells U.S. News. Pepsi made $67 billion in revenue last year through global sales of its brands including Aquafina, Doritos and Mountain Dew.

"Technology is a key cultural pillar at the heart of consumer interaction," the spokesman says. "Pepsi has no plans to get into the mobile phone manufacturing business, but we are committed to engaging with consumers in innovative ways to grow our brand."

The phone is an opportunity for the world’s third largest owner of food and beverage brands to promote its other products in China by showing its logo on frequently used mobile phones – and perhaps also by selling soda coupons through calling card minutes, says Ramon Llamas, a research manager at the International Data Corporation.

Google’s Android operating system will power the new device, called the Pepsi P1, which will feature a camera and 16 gigabytes of storage for a price of $205, tech blog Mobipicker reports. China-based Shenzhen Technology Co. will likely manufacture the device that will bear Pepsi’s logo, the website says. The tech blog also cites Chinese media reports that the new phone will be unveiled in Beijing on Oct. 20.

Apple has done well selling iPhones in China’s booming smartphone market, where more than 500 million people access the Internet through a mobile device. With Pepsi’s global brand name standing behind a new device, it may be able to reach even more customers in China than Apple with a price lower than the competition, Llamas says.

Apple’s iPhone 5c, which was aimed at low-income customers in emerging markets, costs more than $500 without a contract, while “in China and other emerging markets we are looking at smartphones that cost under $100 without a contract,” Llamas says.

This marketing strategy is bold in a growing mobile device market, but selling a phone with the primary goal of promoting another product doesn’t always pay off, Llamas says. Amazon recently stopped selling its Fire Phone, which it debuted last July with the goal of attracting mobile traffic to its Amazon Prime video and e-commerce service. The device cost roughly as much as an iPhone but was not as advanced, so it had lackluster sales.

Meet Acer’s new Windows 10 Aspire R 14 and Aspire Z3-700 laptops

The computer giant released a slew of new exciting laptops, the Aspire R 14 and Aspire Z3-700 that run on Microsoft’s Windows 10.

Microsoft  is not the only one who released a Windows 10 charge by announcing a range of devices that take advantage of the newly refined operating system’s capabilities.

Acer followed suit on Monday, announcing two brand new devices running on the Windows 10 OS at a press conference in Taipei.  Terry Myerson, executive vice president of Microsoft’s Windows and Devices group, said: “We worked closely with Acer to help ensure their devices would make the most of Windows 10.”.

The devices mentioned above have been optimized to work smoothly with the new functions of the Redmond giant’s latest OS such as Cortana, Continuum and Edge, the new internet browser. So let’s take a closer look at each one of the new computers:

 Aspire R 14

 The Aspire R 14 follows the latest trend of the industry, which is the two in one laptop device, where the screen can be used independently as a tablet. But what is more impressive about this laptop/tablet is its high level of performance, given that it’s only 18.5mm thick. It actually packs tremendous power with 6th generation Intel Core processors and 8 GB of RAM.

acer_aspire_r14_convertible_1

If you’re not sold yet, then you should check out its 14-inch screen, with a diamond cut edge design. “Windows 10’s Continuum function makes switching between PC and tablet mode easier than ever,” Acer said. You can also download pictures and videos at extremely high speeds with the new MU-MIMO wireless technology.

The Acer R14 comes at a starting price of $699 and will roll out in the US later this month.

 

 

 

Aspire Z3-700

 


This one is not a laptop transforming into a tablet but it’s a powerful all in one PC, with a 17.3-inch screen, Intel Pentium and Celeron processors, up to 8GB of RAM, and SSD or HDD storage options.

It also features a 10-point capacitive touch-screen, which supports input via a dedicated stylus, much like Microsoft’s Surface Pro range. The built-in battery provides autonomy of approximately five hours which could be sufficient to watch a movie but doesn’t seem like a lot if you’re planning to work on the go or want to go on a road trip.

Apple iPhone 6S Plus Vs. HTC One M9

The iPhone 6S Plus has been a huge success since its release a few days ago. Apple Inc.  latest device is considered one of the best in the market but there are a few competitors like the HTC One M9 that look just as good.

Let’s compare the two high end smartphones.

The iPhone 6S Plus looks great with its metal unibody and curved edges. Apple’s new smartphone comes with a revamped Touch ID fingerprint scanner in its home button. The iPhone 6S is a little bigger than its rival and is available in four colors. The four are: gold, silver, gray and rose gold. Apple also made sure that the phone would not bend in your pocket this time around by enforcing it with 7000 Series aluminum.

The One M9 catches the attention of people with its super shiny metal body. But it doesn’t come with a fingerprint scanner, which is definitely a disadvantage now that many high end smartphones are including it. The One M9 does offer a few combinations: gold/pink, gold/silver, grey and amber gold.

Display and Cameras

The iPhone 6S Plus features 3D touch technology, which offers a few more things when you apply more pressure to the screen. The display is 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels.

The One M9 has an LCD3 screen measuring .5 inches less than its competitor. The 5.0 display does come with the same resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. The iPhone 6S Plus features a Apple A9 chipset and the M9 the latest Snapdragon 810 chipset. The iPhone 6S Plus comes with a 12 megapixel camera and support for 4K resolution. The One M9 features a 20 megapixel camera and a front-facing camera built with UltraPixel technology to capture great selfies.

Memory and Prices

Like its predecessors, Apple’s newest smartphone does not come with a memory slot. The One M9 wins in this category, offering a slot that allows up to 128GB of external storage. The M9 wins yet again in RAM with 3GB while the iPhone 6S Plus comes with just 2GB.

The smaller version of the 6S starts at $649 for the 16GB, $749 for the 64GB and $849 for the 128GB. The iPhone 6S Plus prices are $749 for the 16GB, $849 for the 64GB and $949 for the 128 GB. The One M9 starts at $489.99 for the 32GB grey version and goes up to $520 for the amber gold model.

 Let us know in the comments , your opinion, which one is better?

The Apple Inc. MacBook Family Is Due for a Massive Overhaul

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is arguably the most successful vendor of premium laptops; indeed, it seems that not a quarter goes by without Apple gaining additional market segment share relative to its peers in the PC market.

Apple has done well in this market due to a whole host of factors including an excellent operating system, great hardware design, and strong marketing.

That being said, as I take a look at what the rest of the PC ecosystem is currently rolling out, with the latest Microsoft Surface Book standing out in particular, it seems to be high-time for Apple to do a comprehensive refresh of its MacBook product line.

The MacBook Air is in desperate need of a big refresh; MacBook needs a slight one
Although Apple has kept the internal specifications of its MacBook Air family of computers quite up to date, the design itself is quite old and the displays found on both the 11-inch and 13-inch models are really outdated compared to what other PC vendors offer in competing products.

Furthermore, even though Apple is generally among the first to transition to new Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) processors inside of its MacBook Air laptops, the company has yet to transition its products to the chip giant's latest Skylake processors, even as competitors begin to do so.

Early next year, when Intel's highest-end Skylake-based 15-watt processors should be available in robust volumes, I suspect Apple will refresh the MacBook Air family. I think it would be a big mistake for the company to "just" boost the hardware specifications as it did over the last several generations of MacBook Airs; the company needs to deliver a new industrial design as well as a substantially improved display.

I think that if Apple can deliver such a product, it should have little issue maintaining or even continuing to grow share against its competition in much of the high-end consumer PC market.

It's also worth mentioning that Apple's recently released 12-inch MacBook would benefit from an upgrade to Skylake-based Core M processors, which should deliver solid improvements over the older Broadwell-based Core M processors found in the current models.

The MacBook Pro computers could really use a boost, too
Apple's higher-performance MacBook Pro family of computers also likely need to be upgraded in order to remain competitive against the new wave of 13-inch and 15-inch premium Windows notebooks.

For example, many high-performance laptops are now transitioning to Intel's new Skylake architecture. The 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro is still using Intel's now two-generation old Haswell processors, and the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro is using one-generation-old Broadwell processors.

I suspect that the appropriate Skylake-based processors should be available by early next year to support an upgraded 13-inch MacBook Pro. The current 13-inch MacBook Pro has a nice high-resolution display and an attractive chassis. That said, an updated display (potentially a higher resolution one) and a slimmer chassis might be worthwhile improvements to go along with a hardware upgrade.

The open question, though, is whether the Skylake parts with Intel's highest-end GT4e graphics configuration will be available in high volumes by early 2016 for a 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro refresh. That said, Intel's PC Client Group chief, Kirk Skaugen, indicated at the IFA trade show in September that Skylake processors with Intel's Iris Pro graphics (i.e., the GT4e graphics configuration) would go into production this year.

This makes me hopeful that we could see a 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro refresh (with potentially a newer chassis and perhaps a 4K display), along with refreshes of the rest of Apple's MacBook lineup, in early 2016.

Apple Launches New 4K & 5K iMacs, Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2

Apple announced that it has updated its iMac lineup, introducing new 21.5-inch iMac with Retina 4K Display and 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K Display models.

The all-new desktop computers feature faster processors and graphics, two Thunderbolt 2 ports and up to 2TB of Fusion Drive storage for stock configurations. The 4K 21.5-inch iMac has a 3.1GHz Core i7 Broadwell processor and integrated Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200, while the 5K 27-inch iMacs have 3.2GHz to 3.3GHz Core i5 and i7 Skylake processors and dedicated AMD Radeon R9 GPUs.

    “From the first iMac to today, the spirit of iMac has never wavered — deliver the ultimate desktop experience with the latest technologies, gorgeous displays and cutting-edge designs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “These are the most stunning iMacs we’ve ever made. With our gorgeous new Retina displays, more powerful processors and graphics and all-new Magic accessories, the new iMac continues to redefine the ultimate desktop experience.”

Apple has also launched all-new Magic accessories, including the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2.

Magic-2-Accessories
The new Magic Keyboard, $99, features Bluetooth for wireless connectivity and a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that charges fully in about two hours using a Lightning to USB cable. The redesigned keyboard has a reengineered scissor mechanism with 33% more key stability and a lower profile for more precise and comfortable typing.

The new Magic Trackpad 2, $129, features Force Touch and a larger edge-to-edge glass design with 29% more surface area. The new Magic Mouse 2, $79, also has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery and redesigned internal structure that includes fewer moving parts. The trio of new wireless accessories are available through Apple and resellers today.

The new 4K 21.5-inch and 5K 27-inch iMac are available today through the Apple Store, Apple Online Store and select authorized resellers, with pricing starting at $1,499 and $1,799 respectively. Apple will also continue selling the non-Retina 21.5-inch iMac in two models starting at $1,099 and $1,299.

The new iMacs include a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse 2 in the box.

How to disable Windows 10's window animations to speed up responsiveness

As with many previous versions of Windows, Microsoft infused Windows 10 with a ton of animations to give it a smoother, more user-friendly feel. It's a nice touch... unless you’re running an older machine, especially one rocking a spinning hard drive. For those PCs, waiting for an animation to complete adds a few annoying seconds to your Windows experience that don’t need to be there.

The Windows 10 Control Panel.


If you’re tired of waiting just a little bit too long for the Start menu to pop-up or for windows to appear and disappear, here’s how to disable windows animations in Windows 10.
windows10system

Right-click the Start menu and select System from the context menu. This will take you to Control Panel > System and Security > System. Now click Advanced system settings.

    TIP: If you want to get there a bit faster, open Cortana, type sysdm.cpl, click on the first result, and then click the Advanced tab in the window that opens.

You’re now at a small dialog box entitled System Properties and have the Advanced tab open. Now, click Settings... under “Performance.”
turnoffanimations
                                                                 Look at all those visual effects settings.

Another window opens. Make sure the Custom radio button is selected, then uncheck “Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing.” Then click Apply and OK.

If you’d like you could also check out the rest of the options to tweak your system’s visual effects before clicking OK. Most of the options on this list are self-explanatory.

Once you’re done, close all the system windows you opened and test out the speed of your newly modified Start menu.

It should appear and disappear in a rather immediate and jarring manner. If your PC has a ton of RAM and a solid state drive, the user experience tradeoff may not be worth the hassle. On an older system, however, that faster response can offer a much better experience than the slower, animated version.

Windows 10 for Android and other Microsoft projects

We can get the Windows 10 interface on Android through different apps, but Microsoft will soon launch an app of its own. Most of the apps that are available until now, have a Google Play rating of 4 out of 5 stars. People seem to be pretty satisfied with apps like Mobile Software Solutions Knoll, one of the apps that have released a Windows interface for Android.

Microsoft is now working on a launcher which is more than a simple theme. Microsoft’s launcher will have a Start Menu system and other features like Cortana, Bing, Outlook, Office, Windows Swiping Gestures, camera apps, etc.

“To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more … at our core, Microsoft is the productivity and platform company for the mobile-first and cloud-first world.” Microsoft stated.

A Windows emulator for Mac and Linux called Codeweavers CrossOver will be released on Android tablets, a version that will run Windows 10 Universal Apps. Also, you can use Android apps on Windows devices by using Blue Stacks or “Project Astoria” which will soon be released and it will work on any Windows 10 device.

Seeing how easy it is to cross Android apps to Windows 10 and vice versa, the Windows 10 mobile brought a new feature to phones, Continuum. This unique feature allows people to use the Windows 10 system on a plugged in monitor. Practically, by using a dongle, you can connect your Windows 10 mobile to a monitor, keyboard and mouse and have your own custom made “PC” powered by Windows 10 software.

Microsoft Corporation Officially Announces Surface Pro 4

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has finally announced the newest version of the Surface series, the much awaited Surface Pro 4 with the new operating system Windows 10. It is the latest laplet, a little bit thinner at 8.4 mm and coThe American Multinational Technology Company in Redmond, Washington, seems to realize the continuous dynamic changes of technology and the needs to entice consumers with newer, better innovation.

In their pursuit to heighten their popularity among users, the company has been offering free Windows 10 upgrades to all users that have purchased the earlier operating system (OS).

Microsoft Company has made new improvements in its display, now with PixelGlass technology, with extremely high contrast and low glare, giving you a picture of rivaling real life. It consists of five million pixels with over 267-ppi and supports the 1024 levels of pressure with the new pen that comes with a new eraser. It is much faster than its previous version, the Surface Pro 3 as the new surface has 1 TB of storage and 16 GB of RAM.

Microsoft added that it is 50 percent faster than the MacBook Air as Surface Pro 4 turns from a tablet into a full-powered laptop while running all of your desktop software.

The company makes sure that it is user friendly as it is more powerful and lighter than before at 1.69 lbs (66 grams). It has a multiposition kickstand and improved type cover that can works on the go.

When it comes to workability, Microsoft has ensured that Surface Pro 4 is your mobile workstation, packed with Intel Core processors such as m3, i5 and i7 that are more powerful and allow for multiple programs to be turned on.

Aside from that, it is packed now with video conference in HD with 5 MP front-racing camera and takes stunning pictures and videos with the 8 MP autofocus rear-facing camera. Work interruption is eliminated as the battery can last up to nine hours of work.
mes with a larger 12.3-inch display.

Xbox One USB Wireless Adapter for Windows

Wireless is often a better option than wired when it comes to gaming controllers. What you lose in having a perpetual power connection, you gain in convenience—and you don't hack off your roommates by having a huge cable dragging across the living room whenever you're in front of the TV.

If you're a PC gamer, you haven't really had any options to go completely wireless with Microsoft's Xbox One. At least, you can't hang out on your bed and use an Xbox One controller to wirelessly control the content you're streaming from your Xbox One to your PC monitor—a specific setup, we know, but one that Microsoft is definitely hoping console gamers can take advantage of in the company's new Windows 10 operating system.

According to multiple reports, Microsoft is finally releasing a wireless USB dongle that you can plug into your laptop or desktop for wireless gaming with an Xbox One controller. Said dongle officially launches on October 20, and it'll cost you $25. That feels a wee expensive given that the controller itself costs $60, putting the total package for a PC user looking for some wireless console gaming at $85 (assuming you're buying a separate controller for your office or bedroom, unless you really want to walk one controller between your living room and wherever it is you keep your PC).

So far, Microsoft's specifications seem to indicate that the dongle only works with Windows 10. It will also only work with Xbox One controllers. So, if you're still holding on to your older Xbox 360 controller in the hopes that you could get some wireless gaming going on your new OS, you're out of luck. We'll be curious to see if anyone can get the dongle to work on earlier editions of Windows, but we suspect Microsoft isn't very keen on supporting a more limited use case on an older OS.

Windows 10 bandwagon: Acer jumps aboard with two new PCs

After the Windows 10 New York City hardware showcase last week, Acer has unveiled two PCs that take advantage of new features in Microsoft's latest operating system.

At a press conference on Monday in Taipei, the Taiwanese hardware vendor took the wraps off its Aspire R14 notebook and the hybrid tablet-notebook Aspire Z3-700.

"We worked closely with the Acer team throughout the development of these new devices, which ensures our customers can make the most of Windows 10," Microsoft's chief of Windows and devices Terry Myerson said in a blog entry.

"You can also see the promise of the familiar and consistent experience we are delivering with Windows 10 extending across their device lineup, from notebooks to PCs to phones," he added.

The devices showcase Microsoft's efforts to bring a common experience across notebooks, PCs, and phones with Skype; Cortana, its voice assistant; Continuum, a feature that enables a phone to act as a PC when connected to a separate display; Microsoft's new Edge browser; and the Xbox app.
Read this

Myerson noted that the Aspire R14 and Z3-700 also feature optimised audio to take advantage of Cortana's functionality, and both offer Acer's BluelightShield technology, which reduces blue light emission from the screen, reducing eye strain.

The Aspire R14 has a 14-inch screen, which can be folded over for tablet use or swivelled 180 degrees for use in a demonstration. The device is 1.85cm thick and weighs in at 1.58kg (3.5lb) with 8GB RAM, solid-state drives, and integrated MU-MIMO to speed up wireless downloads.

The Aspire R14 will be available in late October with prices in North America starting at about $699, and €799 in Europe.

The Aspire Z3-700 is Acer's device for work and play, operating as a notebook with a keyboard or just as a tablet with a large 17.3-inch display. The device comes with either Intel Pentium or Celeron processors and offers up to 8GB RAM. It will ship with either SSD or a traditional hard disk. The display has a full HD 1,920x1,080 pixel resolution and, like Microsoft's Surface Pro, comes with a stylus.

The Acer Aspire Z3-700 will be available in EMEA by the end of the year starting at €599. As noted by CNET, the device has a battery life of five hours and a kickstand to support notebook mode. Acer has yet to release US pricing or availability.

Earlier last month at the IFA trade show, Acer unveiled a few new smartphones that will be available running either Windows 10 or Android. At the higher end of the devices it unveiled was the Windows 10-powered Jade Primo, which Acer billed as a 'PC in your pocket' and which showcases Microsoft's Continuum.

Jade Primo will have a 5.5-inch super AMOLED display and will run on a Snapdragon 808 processor. The rear-facing camera will be 21-megapixels, while the selfie snapper will be eight megapixels.

There are still no details on pricing and availability yet but Acer used today's notebook launch to show off Continuum again.

Acer is the first of a slew of partners expected to announce new Windows 10 devices.

Google enables app indexing with deep linking for Safari in iOS 9

Developers will soon be able to use Google's app indexing feature to surface app content in searches conducted in Safari for iOS 9, as well as Google's native iOS apps, as the company on Friday announced compatibility with Apple's HTTP deep linking standards.

With iOS 9 compatibility, app indexing surfaces mobile app content in Google Search results in Safari, a feature previously limited to Google Chrome and Google's flagship iOS app. Safari search results and deep links should start showing up for iOS 9 users by the end of October.

In order to take advantage of Google's app indexing feature, developers need to add Universal Links to their app and integrate with Google's SDK. Once an app integrates indexed links, its content becomes searchable by users conducting Google queries. In Google's example, a search for "Cascal" returns content from within Yelp and including a deep link to open that app.

Google introduced its app indexing program to iOS in May, but only a select group of developers were allowed access to the feature, with compatibility limited to Chrome and the Google app.

With the new capability, the company said it will no longer support new integrations of app indexing on iOS 7 and iOS 8.

Galaxy Tab E Nook vs. Kindle Fire 10

The Galaxy Tab E Nook and Kindle Fire 10 go head-to-head on the touchscreen market, targeting the reading public. What book lovers – or e-book lovers, for that matter – want to know is, which one can deliver the better experience?

 To start things off, the Galaxy Tab E Nook has a 9.6-inch display, whereas the Kindle Fire 10 has a 10.1-inch screen. Neither of them really tops the other (a bigger screen doesn't necessarily mean it's better), but considering the market, their price for a pretty large screen makes them both good. They also have 1280 x 800 resolutions.

Both of the tablets come with a 16 GB built-in storage that's expandable up to 128 GB with a microSD card, which means that users will be able to fill it with an abundant amount of e-books, apps and movies. Now for their chipsets, Samsung packed in a Qualcomm APQ 8016 running at 1.2 GHz. Amazon, on the other hand, crammed in MediaTek's MT8135 SoC with two A15 and two A7 cores clocked at 1.5 GHz and 1.2 GHz respectively.

E-book readers will probably hold on to their tablets for quite a while, so Samsung fitted its tablet with a textured plastic back so that it will be easy to grip, and it only weighs 1.2 pounds and is 0.33 inches thin. Amazon went with a sort of shiny finish, which makes the Kindle Fire a bit slippery, but it is thinner and lighter at 0.30 inches thin and 0.95 pounds, boasting that it is "lighter and almost 2x more durable than the latest iPad Air."

Regarding RAM, the Kindle Fire 10 is behind just barely at 1 GB compared to the Galaxy Tab E Nook's 1.5 GB. For the GPUs, they are both fitted with satisfactory units, which means they can run games decently but not seamlessly. Their operating systems (OS) are ordinary in which the Kindle Fire 10 is installed with an Android 5.0 Lollipop and the Galaxy Tab E Nook with a basic OS.

Their cameras are so-so, but when it comes to great pictures, a tablet doesn't exactly pop up in mind, does it? Samsung equipped its Nook e-reader with a 5 MP rear and a 2 MP front camera, and Amazon used a 5 MP rear and a not-so-good front camera, so selfie takers will not be thrilled about either device's front-facing camera.

For battery life, Samsung says that its tablet can run up to 12 hours of use, and Amazon claims that its device can run for 8 hours straight with continuous use.

Aside from the specs, their built-in apps and features define the competition.

The Galaxy Tab E Nook comes with a multi-window feature, which allows users to use multiple tasks at the same time, and it is preinstalled with Microsoft Office apps. The tablet also stayed faithful to the Galaxy appearance. It is almost identical to the Galaxy Tab E in terms of appearance and specs, but the Nook version comes with a custom Nook launcher and a preloaded Nook store, which will offer personalized recommendations and allow book lovers to buy e-books from Barnes & Noble.

Now for the Kindle Fire 10, Amazon went for a more Android-like interface, getting rid of the well-known carousel; however, some people were not happy to hear about this. Its most notable improvement is probably its faster Silk browser.

The battle doesn't end there, though, because when talking about e-readers, content is king. Amazon is more experienced in this aspect, offering an extensive range of e-books, apps, movies and games, as well as bargains and services such as Amazon Prime.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab E Nook is priced at $249.99, but when you bring in an older Nook, you can get $50 off. Also, with select Kindle, iPad and Samsung tablets, you can get a discount anywhere from $25 to $200, potentially reducing the price tag and making it a $49 tablet instead.

The Kindle Fire 10 will cost $229.99, and there is a $244 model that will exclude sponsored lock screens. The device comes in orange, blue or pink, but the largest models are only available in black or white.

Here's a quick summary of the specs and differences of the two devices.  

                             Galaxy Tab E Nook                                       Kindle Fire 10
Processor             Qualcomm APQ 8016                                   MT8135 SoC
Display                9.6 inches, 1280 x 800                                  10.1 inches, 1280 x 800
RAM                   1.5 GB                                                           1 GB
Storage                16 GB, microSD up to 128 GB                    16 GB, microSD up to 128GB

The PlayStation 4 Just Got Its First Major Price Cut

The permanent $50 price cut brings Sony's game system in line with Microsoft's Xbox One in time for the holidays.

Nearly two years after its launch at $400 in November of 2013, Sony says it’s dropping the PlayStation 4’s price to $350. The permanent system cut goes into effect Friday.

While it’s not an unexpected maneuver—Microsoft launched its slower-selling Xbox One at $500 in late 2013 and wound up dropping it all the way to $350 by this summer—the timing is telling. Interest in the PlayStation 4 has been steady since launch, and with a handful of exceptions, the console has consistently outsold its rivals month to month. It’s debatable whether the system actually needed a price cut at this point.

But Sony has a tougher holiday ahead when you contrast it and rival Microsoft’s respective exclusive lineups. Halo 5: Guardians arrives on the Xbox One in just a few weeks; it’s the most anticipated holiday exclusive of 2015 according to Nielsen. Microsoft also has a timed exclusive on the next Tomb Raider game, launching mid-November. Sony has The Uncharted Collection (the first three Uncharted games in high-defintion) and an expansion pack for its high difficulty hack-and-slash Bloodborne in late November. But merits aside, the Uncharted series has never had Halo‘s star power, and the same holds for Bloodborne, however much the game has blown the lid off expectations at north of 2 million copies sold.

With Reactions, Facebook Supercharges The Like Button With 6 Empathetic Emoji

In September, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made some waves when he hinted Facebook was working on a way to expand its famous Like button — not by adding the much-fabled “dislike” option, but by making it way more empathetic, expressing sadness and other emotions. Today, Facebook is taking the wraps off what form the new Like may take. It is rolling out “Reactions,” a new set of six emoji that will sit alongside the original thumbs-up to let users quickly respond with love, laughter, happiness, shock, sadness and anger.

Facebook tells us that the pop-up feature will first start out as a test in two markets only, Spain and Ireland, before it decides whether to tweak it and/or how to roll it out further.

(The reason for those two countries? Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s director of product, says it’s because both have largely national user bases without extensive international friend networks, so they work better as closed test groups. Ireland is English speaking, while Spain lets Facebook test out how well the wordless emoji play with non-English users.)

Having more reactive set of emoji might sound familiar to you. In the wake of reports that Facebook was working on a “dislike” button in September, our resident Facebook whisperer Josh Constine suggested that Facebook might instead work on a small selection of emoji to convey a more nuanced set of responses. It turned out that Facebook had even filed a patent for how such an emoji response feature might work and look. (Those pointers appeared to be spot-on.)

More generally, a small set of reactive emoji is definitely not an unfamiliar interface for online users: social networks like Path and sites like Buzzfeed already give users the ability to respond to posts with different reactions beyond simple likes and faves.
The new set of reactions will appear across both mobile and desktop versions of the app and on all posts in the News Feed — be they from friends, Pages/accounts you follow, or advertisers.

At this point, there are no plans to put them into Messenger or other Facebook-owned products, Mosseri tells me. (Although you could see how this would make a lot of sense in a product like Instagram, too, for example.)

The reactions will work simply enough. On mobile, the emoji will come up when you touch the like button on your screen; on desktop they will come up as you hover the mouse over the like or click on it.

Facebook’s move to add in the emoji come from a few different challenges and trends that the social network was noticing.

First, there was the basic demand that users were making of Facebook to provide more than just a simple like. Sometimes a thumbs-up simply isn’t the quick response that you are looking for, if the news in question is shocking in a bad way for example.

Then there is the issue of people interacting on mobile devices.

Mobile is increasingly the default platform for more and more Facebook users, so the fact that some people don’t like to spend time tapping out responses on mobile handsets is an important thing to address for a social network that very much relies on user engagement to work as a business.

Mosseri says that some people were already using Stickers as a wordless way of registering their responses, but this will give them a quicker way to do this.

“Typing on mobile is difficult,” Mosseri says, “and this is way easier than finding a sticker or emoji to respond to in the feed.”

Offering different emoji will also mean that Facebook will start to tally and show those different responses: so, just as today you see how many people and who Liked a post, now you will see which people loved it, or found it surprising, or sad, and so on.

For Page owners and publishers, this data collection will also eventually make its way to Facebook’s analytics dashboard. So, just as today social media managers can monitor shares and likes of certain posts, they will be able to now get more granular data about how people are emotionally responding to content on the social network, which should also help Facebook in its bigger play for selling advertising and simply getting more relevant content to users.

Mosseri says that just as with the Like button or with comments overall, once these do come to your feed, you will be stuck with them — no option to turn off responses as publishers sometimes do with comments on articles in websites. Giving users the option to turn off the emoji was “somethng we considered”, Mosseri said, but they decided against it. “If you think about the user experience first, that option could become confusing, with people thinking something was broken instead.”

Microsoft Corporation HoloLens Coming Next Year, Will Be Priced At $3000

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The price will come as a shocker and dampener for enthusiasts who may have been hoping to grab a development kit to play with. Given the high-tech futuristic nature of the headset, the price seems understandable. After the impressive Minecraft demo at E3 2015, Microsoft has once again vowed the audience by demonstrating a new AR game called “Project XRay.” The game features a room with robots and the player must defend himself from the attacks by wearing a holographic weapon on your arm that can shoot lasers. The technology and its possibilities seem exciting, as the demo has showcased.

Microsoft is not alone in wearable technology war. Samsung Co. LTD (OTCMKTS:SSNLF), Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB), Sony Corp. (NYSE:SNE), and HTC are all gearing up for the future. However, Microsoft remains distinct from the competition, as the software giant is the only one to offer an augment-reality experience. Microsoft’s latest event has taken the cover off many new exciting products this evening.
t the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows 10 Devices event in New York, the company announced that its futuristic Augmented Reality headset, Holo Lens, will be available for the development community in the first quarter of 2016. The Development Edition will cost $3000; this is a pretty hefty price tag, but it should be noted that Microsoft’s headset is one-of-a-kind and is not virtual-reality technology.

Microsoft Corporation Xbox Exclusive Offer: Get Just Cause 2 With Just Cause 3

Just Cause 3, the much-anticipated iteration in Square Enix Holdings Co. Ltd.’s (OTCMKTS:SQNXF) long-running franchise, is now available for pre-order on Xbox One. According to the pre-order page for Just Cause 3 at the official Xbox web store, fans can also get a copy of the previous game in the series, Just Cause 2, as a free download via Backward Compatibility on Xbox One.

Microsoft Corporation’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Xbox One, via the Backward Compatibility feature, is enjoying an edge over rival console Sony Corp.’s (ADR) (NYSE:SNE) PlayStation 4, which does not have such support. After Fallout 4, which included a free copy of Fallout 3, and Gears of War Ultimate Edition, which featured all previous Gears of War games via the innovative feature, Just Cause is now the third major release to jump on the Backward Compatibility bandwagon.

But there seems to be a catch in this particular pre-order offer. The bottom of the pre-order page contains “Through Just Cause 3 release up to 90 days following” along with the usual disclaimers for any backward compatible title. This is a first. Does this mean that Microsoft is going toward a backward compatible rental system like the PlayStation Now service? We all know that the games we already own on Xbox 360 will not have to be bought again to play on the Xbox One via the Backwards Compatibility feature, but Microsoft has not revealed much information about the backward compatible titles that we are going to receive as pre-order bonuses. Does this mean that the pre-order bonuses will last only a set period of time? The above statement suggests so. Obviously, this is all speculation for now and until we hear an official announcement from Microsoft on the matter, we ask you not to panic and wait.

The game has always provided its players with action that seems to be adapted directly from some Hollywood action movie. The game has its fair share of stunts, explosions, gun fights, and a lot more. Just Cause 3 is set to release on December 1 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.

Apple invention brings inductive charging to iPhone without extra hardware

According to a patent application published on Thursday, Apple is actively investigating the integration of inductive charging technology into its devices using multi-mode versions of electrical coils already found in speakers, microphones and haptic engines.

In the application, published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as "Inductive power transfer using acoustic or haptic devices," Apple describes a common two-coil inductive charging system in which a dedicated transmitter coil interacts with a receiver coil in a consumer electronic device, like an iPhone. Unlike current solutions the invention does not require additional hardware, instead using existing coils from audio or vibratory feedback components.

In some implementations, the device-side coil operates in two modes, one being the operation for which it's designed and another for inductive power transfer. Exemplary components include voice coils commonly used in conjunction with magnetic elements to produce sound in a speaker by exerting force on an acoustic membrane — or detecting force to capture sound in dynamic microphones — and haptic systems like Apple's Taptic Engine.

The second coil, ostensibly attached to a charging mechanism or dock, might also serve dual purposes in a given component. As described, both the first and second coils may switch between operable and inductive charging modes or exist in both states simultaneously.

Current can be applied to each coil at different frequencies in order to enable normal operation, which in the case of coil-and-magnet systems produces or detects some manner of motive force, and inductive power transfer. For example, a current applied to a speaker's voice coil at a first frequency causes it to move an attached membrane, thus producing sound. A second frequency dedicated to inductive power transfer would either not induce substantial movement of the membrane, or move it in such a way that produced sound waves are imperceptible to the user.

Alternatively, in systems that employ a central electromagnet instead of a permanent magnet, first and second modes would see an electromagnet activate and deactivate, respectively. In other examples, the electromagnet can be activated to assist the transfer coil, receiver coil, or both, with power transfer operations.

Finally, Apple's invention calls for an elegant docking solution that mates with one or more surfaces of the device. A multi-point docking mechanism would be necessary to access an iPhone's speaker and microphone coils, for example.

As described, Apple's proposed inductive charging system meshes nicely with its existing product lineup, which sport multiple speakers, microphones, haptic feedback engines and other coil-bearing parts. However, the relatively small size of each coil could negatively impact power transfer efficiency, resulting in unacceptable charge times for high-capacity batteries.
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Inductive charging systems are sensitive to coil diameter, distance, resistance and even shape. A good example of the current state of technology is the standalone coil in Apple Watch and its mate in Apple's Magnetic Charging Cable. Even with dedicated hardware the system is slow to charge, taking roughly the same amount of time to fully juice Watch's 205 mAh battery as a 5W power adapter does an iPhone 6s' 1,715 mAh cell.

Apple's plans for inductive charging beyond Apple Watch are unclear, but if convention holds, the technology should trickle down to other products in one or two generations.

Apple's inductive charging patent application was first filed for in April 2014 and credits Justin D. Crosby, Nikolas T. Vitt, and Gary P. Geaves as its inventors.