The Best Android Moto X Pure phone

The Best Android Moto X Pure phone

It's everything a great smartphone should be: It's thin, beautiful, fast, has a battery that will get you through the day no more Power Bank, it has an awesome 5.7-inch display, a great camera, a super-fast turbo-charging battery, yadda yadda ... yawn.

The Moto X Pure Edition is not just the best giant Android smartphone or the best Android phone for the money. It is the best Android phone ... period.

Every high-end smartphone has all of those features. But there are three things that make the Moto X Pure Edition particularly special and worthy of the "best ever" recognition.

1. It is the most customizable phone on the market
 
Smartphones are deeply personal items -- they're with us all the time. More than any other smartphone maker, Motorola gets how important it is to tailor its smartphones to its customers.

Like Motorola's two previous Moto X phones, the Pure Edition comes in a huge variety of colors and materials. There are hundreds of different options to choose from, including grippy silicone models in a dozen colors, multiple wood grains and differently styled leather backs.

Motorola's software is also personal. It's mostly Android as Google (GOOGL, Tech30) intended it, with just a few welcome tweaks that make your phone your own. For example, the Moto X Pure Edition can change its settings depending on when and where you are. It can go into vibrate automatically when you're at work, read texts aloud when you're driving, announce who's calling when you're home and silence itself when you're asleep.

It even comes with an increasingly rare SD card slot, allowing customers to cheaply add storage to their devices and avoid the single biggest ripoff from cell phone companies.
 
2. It will work on any carrier
 
The Moto X Pure Edition will only be offered unlocked and without a contract, meaning you won't be able to buy a subsidized Moto X directly from your carrier. But it will work on any of the four nationwide cell phone companies. You can use the same exact phone on Sprint (S), T-Mobile (TMUS), AT&T (T, Tech30) or Verizon's (VZ, Tech30) networks.

That will give you so much more freedom than you're likely used to. If T-Mobile is offering you a great deal in October, and Verizon gives you a better offer in November, you can switch with no strings attached.

Motorola also believes that software updates will come in more quickly, since they won't be subject to the traditional carrier approvals that can severely delay even the most crucial updates.

3. It costs just $399

What makes Motorola's new phone really stand out is the price. The Moto X Pure Edition costs about $350 less than the similarly sized Apple (AAPL, Tech30) iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Think about that: It compares equally or favorably in hardware specifications to its top-selling rivals, but you can get the Moto X for about half the price.
At $399, the Moto X Pure Edition is not only the best Android smartphone but the best phone deal as well.

Caveat: It's not perfect
 
Though the new Moto X is the best Android smartphone, it's important to note that doesn't mean it's perfect. (No phone is.)

The battery is big enough to get you through the day, but it feels like it could have -- and should have -- been even bigger. The Moto X Pure Edition is slightly thicker than the Galaxy Note 5, yet they have the same-sized battery. Notably, the Moto X makes up for it with the fastest-charging battery on the market, giving you an insane 10 hours of battery life with a 15-minute charge.

Also there are a few design quirks: There's no fingerprint sensor, which is a drag. The trademark Motorola finger rest "dimple" on the back isn't positioned where it should be: It's too low on the phone to comfortably place your finger there. And the front "selfie flash" is unattractive on black versions of the phone.

Still, you're not going to beat the Moto X Pure Edition's best-on-the-market combination of personalization, freedom and price. It's a stunning achievement by Motorola.

The Moto X Pure edition is available for pre-orders on Wednesday on Motorola, Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) and BestBuy's (BBY) website. Motorola says the phone will begin shipping in the next few weeks. 

Cr.CNN ,bangkok21st ,e-news ,Synergy | Google+ ,

 

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Android Marshmallow Google Now Launcher

Google surprised Android fans earlier this week by finally confirming that the final name of Android M will be Marshmallow, but the company is not quite ready to roll out the finished build of Android 6.0 just yet.

Instead, Google only released the third and last developer preview version of Marshmallow, which can be installed on any of the supported Nexus devices or Android TV Box by anyone looking to try it out.

Other people looking to experience parts of Android 6.0 have a few options though, including the new official wallpapers, the new boot animation and now the new Google Now Launcher app.



Before you get too excited about the new Google Now Launcher, especially if you’re using the launcher on a regular basis already, you should know that the developer preview version doesn’t come with that awesome Google Now on Tap feature built into it.

Google Now on Tap should be available in the final Marshmallow release later this year, though.

According to Phone Arena, the Google Now Launcher version 1.2 doesn’t introduce any significant features either. The blog says that the launcher doesn’t feature the vertical app sorting layout on non-preview ROMs, but you can expect performance improvements and new wallpapers to choose from.

Assuming you want to give this Google Now Launcher a try for yourself and get a small taste of Marshmallow, you can download the APK from the Reddit source link below and install it manually on your device such as Android GPS device, Android Box,Android Smartphone.

Cr.BRG ,e-news ,Synergy | Google+ ,

Plex for Android 4.8

Plex for Android 4.8

Plex is a tool that a lot of users probably love for managing their media libraries, whether they be legitimate or completely pirated, and now that tool has gotten even better, particularly for those of us who’ve been craving 4K ultra HD video playback on Android TV Box devices.

This is because Plex’s version 4.8 for Android has now added in three new features that all have some importance for 4K video lovers and other types of users.

The first of these features, and the most important for 4K is the inclusion of HEVC version H.265 for decoding compressed 4K video inputs. This now gives playback support to 4K UHD videos.

Basically, devices with Android TV that are connected to a 4K display can now decode 4K content that has been compressed through HEVC, which is now used almost everywhere 4K videos are involved. Thus, if you have a 4K TV, you can now also feed 4K content from Plex to it.

Next on the list is MKV playback support. This new addition is possibly even more useful to most Plex users (the majority of them likely still don’t have 4K TVs or display devices with UHD).

MKV playback support wasn’t previously supported on Android with Plex and now, just like that, it is. However, there is a catch: it has to be activated manually within an experimental player mode under the app settings control in Plex, at least on tablets and phones. However, with Android powered ultra HD TVs, the new MKV feature works natively, with nothing to manually adjust in any menu.

Last of the three is AC3 passthrough. This new feature is specific to Android TV and will let videos that use Dolby digital surround (AC3 or also called E-AC3) audio codecs to pass raw unaltered digital audio directly to a TV or stereo receiver instead of being streamed to an Android TV in the form of a re-encoded stream from Plex’s own server.

What this also means is that true surround sound is now possible through Plex on your Android TV, as long as you’ve got the right audio equipment.

Cr.4K,bangkokthailand ,bangkok21st ,e-news ,

Samsung Announces New IP SmartCam

Samsung Announces New IP SmartCam

We recently reviewed the Samsung SDH-B3040 4 Channel DVR home security camera system. We found it was able to provide a great overview of your home or business security, but for some users, the advanced features on offer with that system may feel like overkill. 

Samsung has now announced an entry-level home security system (IP Camera) that may be better suited to those who just want to keep an eye on things when away home – without the cables, installation hassle, and cost of a high-end surveillance package.

The Samsung SNH-E6411BN IP SmartCam is the newest and cheapest addition to the Samsung home security range. It joins Nest, UCAM and Netgear in the home security marketplace, providing users with 1080p Full HD streaming and recording playback via an additional SD card.

Supported by a dedicated SmartCam app or a web portal for PCs/Macs, this small and compact camera (IP Camera) includes a ultra-wide angle 128 degree field of vision, motion alerts, two-way talk via a built-in microphone/speaker and night vision up to 16 feet.

Operating on the 2.4GHz WiFi band, the simple wireless installation will allow 7 days of continuous video even in the event of a network failure via an optical Micro SD card.

• Full HD streaming. 1080p Full HD resolution
• 128 degree Ultra-wide angle (Conventional cameras usually cover about 68 degrees)
• Motion and audio detection and notification
• Free smartphone app integration (Android & iOS) allows more than one user to access the camera so the whole family can feel safe in the knowledge that their belongings or house sitter are being watched over
• Motion Zone Select – option to designate up to three areas of interest to detect motion
• Two-Way Talk with built in microphone and speaker
• Night Vision up to 16ft
• Single Band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)
• Records and plays up to 32GB of video with an optional Micro SD card
• Records more than 7 days of continuous video even if network fails
• Flexible recording options: Continuous Recording, Manual Recording and Event Recording
• Once activity is detected, the SmartCam can be calibrated to save the footage directly to an SD card

We’ll soon be taking a look at the Samsung SNH-E6411BN IP SmartCam and letting you know exactly what we think. It’s priced at $199/£99 and available now from your favorite online tech shop.

Cr.wegotserved,bangkok21st ,e-news

Huawei Watch : Android wearable

Huawei Watch : Android wearable

Despite showing off the watch at Mobile World Congress back in February, we still don’t have a solid launch date for the upcoming Huawei Watch. The surprise breakout hit of the show, last we heard the watch was delayed until sometime in September or October of this year.

That’s not too far off and as so often is the case, the closer we get to a launch, the more leaks start pouring out onto the web.

The Huawei Watch is one of the better looking Android Wear watches we’ve seen, mixing together high-end hardware, with a fully round watch face (sorry, Motorola). It’s almost crazy to think Huawei was the one behind it.

There was little doubt, in our minds, this classy looking tech would be billed as something more luxurious to compete with the Apple Watch Edition and if this recently leaked packaging is any indication, expect the Huawei Watch to carry a higher-than-usual price tag to match.

Italian website HDblog has the scoop, showing off the sleek leather box with gold trim throughout. We have to say, it’s a stark contrast from the cardboard packaging that normally accompanies Android Box , especially Android Wear watches.

Now, we’re not saying the packaging or box is some kind of selling point, just that this could be a hint that pricing — which still hasn’t been revealed — might be a little higher than we initially expected. Oh, and don’t forget to check out our hands-on video from MWC down below.

Cr.Phandroid,e-news , Synergy Channel - YouTube

Excellent Android Projector

What Is It?

A jack of all trades and a master of none. The ZTE Spro 2 is a tiny, kind of awkward Android tablet (running Android 4.4.4, if you must know), a sort of large and bulky 4G LTE hotspot and a portable, 200 Lumen projector. It’s pretty awesome, but also completely awkward and weird. It’s very much a “sometimes” gadget, something that doesn’t have a regular place in my day-to-day life, but can be handy to have around.

Using It

OK, let me level with you: I called the ZTE Spro 2 part tablet, but that’s not completely true. Yes, it has a landscape-oriented touchscreen with an Android interface, but using it for more than a few minutes is kind of uncomfortable.

You can blame the chassis — the Spro 2 is primarily a Mini Projector, and it’s shaped like one: It’s a big, heavy, inch-thick brick. You aren’t going to use it to check your email, play touch games, browse the web or anything like that: this device’s screen is just a means to end… and that’s ok! This thing exists to project movies, and it’s surprisingly great at that.

Getting started is easy: The typical viewing session consists of tapping the smartphone-sized touchscreen a few times to launch a streaming app (Netflix, Hulu, Google Play, whatever), picking your programing and tapping a floating “projector” icon that’s always hovering in the screen’s upper right hand corner.

That’s it. The projector focuses automatically, the quick menu lets you adjust brightness (between low, medium and high, although only low and medium are available if you’re running on battery) and it’s pretty great.

If you want to get really advanced, the options menu lets you manually adjust the focus or digitally tilt the projection to match the angle of a wall or ceiling. You can manage Android projection, Miracast or HDMI inputs — more than enough options to provide a deeper projection experience, if you need it.

The problem I had was figuring where it fit in my life.

What I Actually Used It For

As a portable projector, the ZTE Spro 2 doesn’t fit easily into my life. At home, I already have a 40-inch television and a dozen other screens on which I can enjoy content. If I’m going over to a friend’s house for movie night, they probably also have a TV, a solid internet connection, or sometimes even a high-end home theatre projector. For the Spro 2 to make sense, I had to put myself into a situation where I needed a large screen and a stable internet connection in a place where I would normally have neither. That was hard.

See, the projector has its limits: It can only go up to medium brightness on battery, which makes it pretty worthless outdoors during daylight hours (though it was perfectly usable indoors, with the lights on, as long as the projector was within four or five feet of the target surface). I tried using it to watch a movie in my backyard BBQ pit, but it was pretty hard to see until the sun started setting.
The best use I can imagine the Spro 2 is camping. Maybe it’s late at night and you can’t sleep — it’s already dark and tent material makes a great makeshift projector screen, why not watch a movie? But… I’m not going camping anytime soon.
I did manage to watch a few movies on the Spro 2 while my TV was unplugged over the weekend (I was rearranging the furniture), but that doesn’t happen on a regular basis — and while the Spro 2 is technically a full Android tablet, it’s too awkward to use for more than a couple of minutes. So what did I use it for? Well, it turns out it’s a pretty good LTE hotspot. When my internet died last week, the Spro was there — pumping fast, reliable LTE wifi to all the devices in my house. It’s absurdly large for a LTE hotspot, true — but the functionality made it useful to me on a more regular basis — power outages, train rides, airport layovers. That’s a big deal.

Like

The projector is smart enough to know if its projecting on a slanted surface, and will automatically adjust the angle of the projection to compensate for the surface. It made watching TV on my ceiling much nicer.
Battery Life: The projector was able to Stream Netflix over LTE for 2:40 minutes, enough to watch almost any film.

In addition to mirroring its own screen and projecting Miracast devices, the ZTE Spro 2 has a full-sized HDMI input.

No Like

The audio quality is iffy at best. Yeah, you can hear everything just fine, but it’s not particularly loud and there’s no discernible stereo separation. I didn’t expect much more from the tiny box’s speakers, but the disconnect between where the screen was and where the audio coming from was noticeable. Pair it with a bluetooth speaker if you want a better audio experience.
Battery Life: The projector was able to Stream Netflix over LTE for 2:40 minutes, not quite enough to watch any movie in my library.
HDMI input (and projection) is capped at 720p. Hardly a dealbreaker, but definitely a bummer.
You know that micro USB cable you use to charge every phone and tablet you own? It won’t work with the Spro 2.

Cr.Gizmodo,bangkok21st ,e-news

Android smartphone : 10 unknown features

 

Android smartphone

Nobody know before ,10 best unknown features of your Android smartphone

Android has always been known for their incredible functionality. While many people have gotten caught up in the Apple vs. Google war between the two tech giants, one thing hasn’t really been contestable to this point. Google has by far produced a superior functioning product to this point.

There have been features on both that seem to be shots fired at the competition, but at the end of the day, it is all about Android and how it performs. There is an incredible amount of customization, and the sheer volume of features that exist on Android is something that really can’t be compared.

That being said, it’s important to see what features are the best. We have compiled some of the best features in Android to this point – that every user can take advantage of, as long as their device is up to speed.

Mobile Pay
Long before Apple was shocking the world with Apple Pay, Google had already created a dominant NFC payment method. Now, it’s getting an update this year and should be better than ever before. As Apple Pay continues to climb in the world of technology, Google’s Wallet has been performing very well, and allowing users to pay for their bagel, coffee, or fast food meal since before Apple got trendy and jumped in the mobile payments space.

Hotspot
Your Android smartphone can be your saving grace when it comes to connecting other devices that aren’t connected to a plan. If you have a tablet that isn’t a part of your data plan, then don’t worry because Android will have you covered. Virtually every Android smartphone on the market can become a mobile hotspot, and that is perfect for those who love to be on their tablets when they’re in the park, or out someplace where connectable or trustworthy Wi-Fi is available.

Charging Fast
Everyone wants to charge their device as quickly as possible. When it comes to charging your device quickly, there are two things to keep in mind. One, you’ll be able to use a quick charge cable if you have a newer smartphone. If you don’t though, putting your device into airplane mode while you charge it will allow the device to charge insanely quickly.

Get Driving
Alright, so you won’t be able to drive your car with your Android smartphone, but you will be able to at least start it if you have a newer device. That has become a focus of the Android team, and home automation, along with vehicle automation is atop the list of priorities for this company. So, take advantage, and if possible – get connected to your device. Especially if you live in the Northeast, and are sick of those terrible winters.

Change the Channel
Don’t like what’s on TV? No problem. Android smartphones have a built in application that will allow you to program any TV, DVR, cable box, DVD player, VCR, or whatever – you might need connected to it. Then, you can save those double-A batteries for something more important than a remote that only is used when you want some background noise.

Take a Bite out of Apple
Most of us have experienced the rage associated with using an Android smartphone, while you maintain a MacBook for traditional computing. The truth is that there are actually a lot of apps out there, as well as a lot of traditional functionality that will allow users to take control of their MacBook from their Android smartphone.

Get Healthy
You can get healthy by checking your pulse, blood pressure, and more with your Android device. For those with conditions like high blood pressure, that is especially handy. However, it’s also really handy for those who are just looking to take advantage of some interesting health features that will make you a better person with the ease of checking the numbers.

Straighten that Picture
There might not be anything out there that is more frustrating than trying to straighten a picture on the wall. It’s hard to tell what is perfectly straight – and not everyone has a level handy at all times. Thankfully, your Android smartphone has one of those.

Measure Distance
This unique feature allows Android to harness the technology inside of it and tell you how fast you’re moving, how far you’ve moved, and it can even help you golf game. Well, that last one will only happen within reason. Android will allow you to see just how fast something like a ball is moving, which is really unique.

Travel like a King
Use Google Now in Android to travel like a king. Forget about your boarding passes, printing them, or carrying you itinerary. Let Google now navigate all of that for you, as those things come to your email address that is linked to your Android smartphone.


Cr. The Hoops News,ข้อมูลอัพเดท

Abbey Road Studios By Google

Abbey Road Studios By Google

Let it be known that Abbey Road Studios can now be seen across the universe via a new interactive website presented by Google and Android Box.

Inside Abbey Road lets you take a virtual tour of almost every inch of one of the most famous recording studios—host to sessions by everyone from the Beatles to Kanye West—in the world.

Guided by Giles Martin, son of Beatles’ producer George Martin, you will experience the studio where the London Philharmonic works, studio two where the Beatles created several of their records, and studio three where Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon was born.

You will also find videos about important events and music developed in the studio, the processes behind recording, and little interactive pieces like an up-close look at the studios vintage microphone collection and four-track digital mixing console.
We know, all your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Cr.EW Post

Android apps in Chrome on TV

Google Chrome logoGIVEN THAT MOST of this week's Google updates revolve around April Fool's jokes, up with which we shall not put, especially as it's 2 April now, it has been a relatively quiet week for Google news.

However, a quiet week for Google is a busy week for just about anyone else, so there's still plenty to talk about. Coming up: some retro games are coming to Android, every Android app is coming to Chrome, and Chrome is coming to your Android TV Box.

But first, as we reported yesterday, Google For Work products are getting bolstered security including monitoring of events on domain machines and the ability to block features like downloading, sharing and printing.

The company has also banned security certificates issued by the China Internet Network Information Centre (CNNIC) meaning that websites using them for 'secure' credentials will have to rethink, after it was discovered that they may not be as 'secure' as you'd like. CNNIC has branded the decision "unacceptable".
Not strictly Google, but worth noting that a whole bunch of titles are about to get Android ports. Specifically Tomb Raider I, which is available now, and the Nintendo world will be breaking out of its proprietary bubble as the Japanese company confirmed that ports of Mario, Zelda and co are in the pipeline.

While we're off-on Google, another app worth mentioning is WhatsApp, which is getting a full rollout of its VoIP service this week.

Back at Google Towers and there's big news for Android developers as Google finally releases an Android Runtime for Chrome kit, meaning that, for the first time, any Android app can be ported to any operating system capable of running Chrome.

The initial test apps released over the past six months were a little less than inspiring, and there have been many homebrew attempts to introduce other apps to the ecosystem (we successfully got Skype working on a Chromebook), so this should be big news for a lot of brands that want to support Chrome OS without coughing up the extra to develop for it.

To support this, a Chrome Stick has been announced by the good folk at Asus. Quite separate from the Chromecast an the myriad of cheap Chinese Android sticks already on the market, the Chrome Stick will create a full Chrome OS powered environment on any screen with an HDMI port.

Expect to see that later in the year. Before we go, a quick reminder. From 21 April  it is believed that Google will change its algorithm (yes, again) to penalise websites that aren't mobile friendly, lowering their appearance in search results. Web teams, you have been warned.

Finally, it's happy birthday to Gmail which was 11 years old yesterday. You don't look a day over 10.

As part of the birthday celebrations, the Android app has had a tweak which creates a Universal Inbox view across all your accounts, POP3 and native. That's this Week in Google. More next Thursday.

Cr. The Inquirer

S6 & S6 Edge : Samsung Gatecrashes Apple

Galaxy S6, S6 Edge and iPhone 6 – proportional comparison

This is the big one. The big kahuna. The ultimate smartphone showdown in 2015. The iPhone 6S? It will arrive too late. The HTC One M9? Loved or loathed it won’t come close to generating the same cultural awareness or sales figures. For better or worse, the iPhone 6, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge are the phones that will dominate smartphone sales in 2015.

So let’s put them head-to-head.

Design – Luxury And Style Meets Luxury And Style

The first place to start when looking at the iPhone 6, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge is their design. Why? Because what we have is not the battle many would have expected a few years ago.

In 2014 Apple took a sizeable leaf out of Samsung’s book with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus stepping up to compete head-on with the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note ranges. It paid off in spades.

Now in 2015 it is time for Samsung to take a leaf out of Apple’s playbook. The new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge have joined the Apple design school and it is a decision which has split Samsung fans right down the middle.

The first inklings of change come from looking at the size and weight of these devices compared to their predecessors:

    Galaxy S6 – 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm (5.64 x 2.77 x 0.27 in) and 138g (4.86 oz)
    Galaxy S6 Edge – 142.1 x 70.1 x 7 mm (5.59 x 2.76 x 0.27 in) and 132g (4.65 oz)
    Galaxy S5 – 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm (5.59 x 2.85 x 0.32 in) and 145g (5.11 oz)

    iPhone 6: 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm (5.44 x 2.64 x 0.27in) and 129g (4.55oz)
    iPhone 5S: 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm (4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 in) and 112 g (3.95 oz)

Yes the Galaxy S6 range has got thinner and lighter while the iPhone 6 has got larger and heavier (though also thinner). As such whereas the iPhone 5S and Galaxy S5 were miles apart, now the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and iPhone 6 are all similarly sized.


But more than that, they are also now similarly styled. With the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, Samsung has seemingly done the unthinkable and ditched its trademark plastic finish for the same aluminium unibody appearance as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. They also now feature glass backs.

The positive here is this puts Samsung right up with Apple in the design and build quality stakes. The negative is the switches mean Samsung has had to compromise on its earlier principles: no removable back, no removable battery and no expandable storage.

If you’re coming from an iPhone then the fuss about this will baffle you, but to hardcore Samsung owners the loss of these features – plus the water resistance of the S5 – is an outrage. As such Samsung is clearly desperate to win new iPhone customers, possibly at the expense of some of its existing users.

If you don’t care about these missing elements then all three of these phones remain in the running for your affections. Otherwise I’m afraid things are looking grim. Elsewhere LG still offers a removable battery on its G3 while Sony’s Xperia models have waterproofing, but there’s no-one now providing them both – and that’s a great shame.

Displays – Everyone Levels Up

While Samsung’s design shift was clearly meant to close the style gap to the iPhone 6, where it hopes both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will stride clear are their displays. Most notably with the Galaxy S6 Edge.

    Galaxy S6 – 5.1-inch QHD flat panel, 2560 x 1440 pixels, 577 pixels per inch (ppi), Super AMOLED display
    Galaxy S6 Edge – 5.1-inch QHD curved panel, 2560 x 1440 pixels (577 ppi), Super AMOLED display
    iPhone 6: 4.7-inch, 1334 x 750 pixels, 326 ppi, LED-backlit IPS LCD
    iPhone 6 Plus: 5/5-inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels, 401 ppi, LED-backlit IPS LCD

On paper this looks like a typical Samsung Vs Apple battle: the former throwing a super high resolution at Apple’s seemingly more modest panels. The reality is the iPhone 6 (and the largest iPhone 6 Plus) punch far above their weight with superb brightness, contrast ratio and viewing angles.

That said the competition just got stiffer. DisplayMate gained early access to both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge and its respected benchmarking process saw it proclaim them as the greatest ever smartphone displays. Crucially this isn’t only about resolution but increased brightness, colour accuracy and a low level of reflectance which makes them easier to use outdoors.

But the real head turning aspect in these three phones belongs to the Galaxy S6 Edge and its so-called ‘three sided screen’.

Galaxy S6 and S6 glass backs are non-removable

What this amounts to are curves on both sides which not only look great, but also offer additional functionality akin to the Galaxy Note Edge. Out the box this will mean services called: ‘Information Stream’, ‘Night Clock’, ‘Edge Lighting’ and ‘People Edge’.

The first two are on the Note Edge and, as their names suggest, scroll information or the time along the edge. Meanwhile People Edge is triggered by a swipe from the top right side and brings up most frequent contacts while Edge Lighting can tie calls from those people to a colour which lights up on the side of the phone when it is face down.

Interesting, yes. Revolutionary? No. Consequently the success of the Galaxy S6 Edge as functionality-based rather than aesthetic purchase will largely depend on how many third party developers embrace it. The potential is certainly there and Samsung has made a brave move that I hope pays off, but finding critical mass will be crucial to deciding whether the Edge display amounts to anything more than a cool gimmick.

Cr.Forbes, Android TV

Samsung Galaxy S6 & Galaxy S6 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge (left)  with curved  &. Samsung Galaxy S6 (right)

It's been rumored for months, but it's finally here: Samsung has unveiled its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S6. But this time it's accompanied by a cooler, better-looking brother — the Galaxy S6 Edge — which features an eye-catching design with a screen that curves around both sides.

Yes, we've seen this before, sort of: The Galaxy S6 Edge borrows heavily from the Galaxy Note Edge, which came out last fall and had a curve on just one side. But where the Note had a versatile side screen that doubled as an app launcher, news scroll and occasional ruler, the S6 version is more limited: The curves are mainly a design ornament, and there are no "panels" to swipe through.

So what good is it? Besides giving you something to brag about to your friends, the S6 Edge still has the side clock and news scroll, although you can only call them up in standby mode. You can also instantly call up a list of recent contacts with a swipe of your thumb, and if the phone is face-down, the sides of the phone will light up when someone calls you.

And, yes, also its hotness. The phone's design will definitely turn some heads, and I have to admit it looks and feels pretty sweet. I thought the curves might make videos or photos look warped, but that wasn't the case; Samsung letterboxes media ever-so-slightly in landscape mode to avoid this.

The "regular" S6 is no slouch in the design department, either. The Samsung Galaxy S6 is the most beautiful phone to ever exist in Samsung's S series — and possibly its entire smartphone lineup. Although the metal rim certainly evokes the same design language as Apple's latest iPhones, there's no question it's a great choice, and the subtle edging actually makes it grippier than the iPhone 6.

Specs and new features

Design aside, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge reclaim the flagship crown from the Galaxy Note 4. Each has a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution, the same 2,560 x 1,440 resolution as the LG G3 and Google Nexus 6. It runs Android 5.0 "Lollipop." The global model packs Samsung’s latest octa-core processor, and it felt pretty nimble switching apps and surfing the web (I tried out the global version; Samsung usually uses Qualcomm chips for the U.S. models, although it hasn't said it will for the Galaxy S6)

The fingerprint scanners in Samsung’s phones have never been the most reliable, but the Galaxy S6 improves on the feature by ditching the “sliding” of your fingerprint across the button. Instead, you just press (wonder where they got that idea?).
Press the home button twice really fast, and you’ll launch the phone’s camera. Samsung worked hard to cut down the "quick draw" time — the interval between the phone being in your pocket to snapping your first photo — and it claims to have reduced it to 0.7 seconds. I couldn’t verify that exactly, but it certainly felt much faster than the Galaxy S5, which was a slowpoke in this department.

The S6 also has several high-end features you usually only find in real cameras or larger phones: The 16-megapixel imager has optical image stabilization, which can help reduce motion blur, as well as continuous autofocus, so you can track an object through the frame, keeping it in focus no matter how it moves. The continuous autofocus isn't that intuitive to engage, but it appears to work as advertised: I shot clear video of my hand, a moving wind-up car and a person moving around a crowded room, and each time the subject was kept in focus. It also has a wide aperture of f/1.9.
The front camera is 5 megapixels with an f/1.9 aperture. Both have real-time HDR shooting, which means you can select an HDR photo (which can sometimes improve exposure) after you take the pic.

Samsung has also built wireless charging into Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge. Not only that, but it's compatible with both major standards: Qi and PMA, which means you'll be able to juice up your phone almost any place that provides charging stations (e.g. Starbucks, airport lounges, etc.). Previous Samsung phones needed a special back plate for wireless charging — now the phone supports it natively.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge are the first Samsung phones to support the company's mobile-payments system… which hasn’t launched yet. But when it does, in the next few months, the phones will be ready. Samsung says its payment platform will support both NFC and old magnetic-stripe readers (thanks to technology it acquired from LoopPay); this means it will work with potentially many more machines than Apple Pay.

Simplified menus and easy-to-use tools

Simplified approach

Although it sounds like Samsung threw everything but the kitchen sink into the Galaxy S6, the company says it worked hard to reduce complexity. Menus (particularly the camera's) no long pepper you with too many options, and there's a simple manager tool to let you keep track of which apps are hogging RAM or draining your battery.

One feature that Samsung actually downgraded from the Galaxy S5 is its water resistance. Neither the S6 nor the S6 Edge is rated for dunks in the tub; I guess Samsung, like Sony, discovered people don't care that much about how waterproof their phone is.

After handling the phone for several minutes, I already like the Galaxy S6 a lot more than last year's Galaxy S5. It’s disappointing that the S6 Edge doesn’t have the same utility as the Note version, but I can understand why since the device is targeted at the mainstream. As much as I was impressed by the Note's Edge panel, it's really a geek feature.

It doesn't hurt that the S6 Edge looks fantastic. With an emphasis on simplicity, design and restraint (there are just a few new features, but they're extremely relevant), Samsung is moving in the right direction with its flagship — even if that direction was largely trailblazed by Apple.

No word on pricing of either model yet, but you can bet the S6 Edge will cost more. It takes a lot of money to look this good.

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WhatsApp Bans Users

WhatsApp Bans Users for Using Third-Party Android App

WhatsApp Bans Users for Using Third-Party Android App

Some users are reporting WhatsApp banned them for 24 hours because they violated the app's 'terms of service' by using a third-party client.

Users are reporting about the ban via different social networks (Facebook, Google+ and Twitter) revealing that the ban is only for those Android users who are using the popular third-party client WhatsApp+ or WhatsApp Plus.

WhatsApp has also pointed out the same reason in their FAQ section, stating, "WhatsApp Plus is an application that was not developed by WhatsApp, nor is it authorised by WhatsApp. The developers of WhatsApp Plus have no relationship to WhatsApp, and we do not support WhatsApp Plus. Please be aware that WhatsApp Plus contains source code which WhatsApp cannot guarantee as safe and that your private information is potentially being passed to 3rd parties without your knowledge or authorization."

The company is now asking users to uninstall WhatsApp+ and install an authorised version of WhatsApp from official website or Google Play to reuse the service, although the 24-hour ban period will reportedly remain in effect for the full duration despite replacing or uninstalling the app.

Web client : WhatsApp

Meanwhile, some purported screenshots of WhatsApp's anticipated official Web client have surfaced online. According to GSMArena, the screenshot images were shared by a Google+ user and were shortly removed.

Though the images don't show a Web client, it is seen that WhatsApp for Android in its settings screen is prompting users to pair the device with a Web browser and a trusted computer for a secure connection.

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