tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5986853076227423052024-03-12T19:31:29.460-07:00Android, Penguin and LifeWelcoming you to join our conversation about our favorite Android news, tools, tips and tricks. JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-13980358920081765302023-05-24T18:59:00.008-07:002023-06-20T11:39:33.872-07:00New Wi-Fi router in 2023<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLGGN4Z9?tag=jf056-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="1500" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GwNTcQywdJwY0OjKC4mjem95ArRmXIIxatprWOgez1Q6_Pxjk2wPoV5M9atyL1eLsUT4GghMsPzstzLyS96aw9wPceeI6zo-zEYZkKCok_AbuzhmTvoCNCWVRNvKivA785LR5lCFZOAvK8JgOrSDml0e0yriC1goo9taYpDU6y4E24WqcPz0Qw-F/w200-h196/ASUS%20RTAXE7800%20product%20photo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It's time for a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLGGN4Z9?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">new wireless router</a> in this household. We had been using Google's system for a while, but the change to 'Nest' hardware came with it a certain lack of reliability. The main unit remains connected, but the mesh connection flakes out just when we need it most.<p></p><p>Seeing as the selling point of Google's Wi-Fi routers are their seamless mesh capabilities, the fact that the mesh isn't holding up is a deal breaker for us. What comes next?<span></span></p><p>(TL;DR: We like this <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLGGN4Z9?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">Asus router</a>.)</p><a name='more'></a><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">What to look for in a Wi-Fi router in 2023</h2><p>There are many important features to a Wi-Fi router that you should consider. Truth is, most brands and models are pretty good, it's in the details and your exact needs that there will be one better than the other.</p><p>For this house, we desire something attractive, as it will be visible in our living room. We don't want big bright lights, nor massive spider-leg antenna....</p><p>Hold up, did we just start talking about aesthetics before any actual technical specifications? Like I said, most units are pretty good these days, it's an absolute pleasure that we can focus on seemingly inconsequential aspects of device.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Wi-Fi 6E or bust</h4><p>That's right, we're at a turning point where more and more Wi-Fi 6E devices are hitting the market, it's worthwhile to update your router to keep up. That's actually one of the reasons I upgraded early to the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLP2PY6N?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy S23</a> as my main phone, for the 6E speeds.</p><p>Make no mistake, Wi-Fi 6 is very fast, you'll do just fine for a few years on a new v6 router. Wi-Fi 6E offers more and wider bands, and updated speeds, going from beyond what your devices can manage to way beyond what your devices can manage. It's barely worth worrying about it, they're both good.</p><p>In this house, the primary reason we want Wi-Fi 6E is in conjunction with a tri or quad-band system. We have multiple people and systems in this house that require reliable connectivity. One of us can't get dropped from a work call just because another is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/primesignup?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1402131641212&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&tag=jf056-20&linkId=f768d8f37a0606081bbb9b93a69ce963" target="_blank">loading a show on the TV</a>.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">LAN ports</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpH_BQCgwcCysuejQEQnP9eQX1g4rtrdw9Vi4OChNIAwrrEFpF--28xxfgmJulZthOrOmAcrGMEoPHayQNyVPiCEsKYGjBGp4_K-5GkwkSRd2t6-2TV8hUhCzNhba_dbNOtUpCQ7Fp3VN8w6h7f8_h82tCdAEGl3Q2S8wBgy9EgOluWiE7tYx2YjKQ/s700/ASUS%20RTAXE7800%20lan%20ports.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="700" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpH_BQCgwcCysuejQEQnP9eQX1g4rtrdw9Vi4OChNIAwrrEFpF--28xxfgmJulZthOrOmAcrGMEoPHayQNyVPiCEsKYGjBGp4_K-5GkwkSRd2t6-2TV8hUhCzNhba_dbNOtUpCQ7Fp3VN8w6h7f8_h82tCdAEGl3Q2S8wBgy9EgOluWiE7tYx2YjKQ/w400-h138/ASUS%20RTAXE7800%20lan%20ports.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>In a world of wireless connectivity, we actually have a lot of RJ45 connectors sprouting out of our gear. The Google Router was always annoying to have to have a patch panel attached. It works, but every extra hop is one more point of failure.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Power</h4><p>Lastly, broadcast power is of concern for us. We have a big brick (and metal) fireplace in the house, and metal siding on the outside. These are considerations in multiple ways. First, we need enough power to blast through, or get around the brick, but too much power and we'll get signal interference bouncing back off the metal siding.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Our new router</h2><p>Considering the price of the best Wi-Fi 6E routers on the market today, we'll have to live with something a little less than the very best. Many machines are running $450 - $600 right now, we're looking to spend no more than $300 ourselves.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">ASUS RT-AXE7800 (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLGGN4Z9?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">23% off on Amazon</a>)</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBY8IKQnc3Z1VfbNE5JKmcuperQbgnzPpTBCsJWQqmW_K3Wnz3qDxx0KigGy-y_XBAU9es83a50NjqYuF-AdtC9WiUtJfsk5YI2P2zRXKG-DcTFCJdC_5NzqPMRB_F5bEZaTdwrTUvYDa5RzvF9PIvcb1fZqwbOh05EzAs1i-CdqR56vxbx6Z3oNB/s1920/ASUS%20RTAXE7800%20WiFi%206E%20router.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBY8IKQnc3Z1VfbNE5JKmcuperQbgnzPpTBCsJWQqmW_K3Wnz3qDxx0KigGy-y_XBAU9es83a50NjqYuF-AdtC9WiUtJfsk5YI2P2zRXKG-DcTFCJdC_5NzqPMRB_F5bEZaTdwrTUvYDa5RzvF9PIvcb1fZqwbOh05EzAs1i-CdqR56vxbx6Z3oNB/w640-h360/ASUS%20RTAXE7800%20WiFi%206E%20router.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p>This is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E router that usually sells for a little over $300, it's on sale right now for an all-time low price, which is nice. Promising wireless speeds up to 7800Mbps, wired speeds of 2.5Gbps, and 7 extra 160MHz-channels in the 6GHz band, we expect all of our devices will remain reliably connected.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLGGN4Z9?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">Check out the ASUS RT-AXE7800 Wi-Fi 6E router on Amazon</a> </b></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Other routers we considered</h3><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Prices on May 24, 2023)</span></p><p>ASUS ROG Rapture Wi-Fi 6E gaming router (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Rapture-Gaming-Router-GT-AXE11000/dp/B09Z792WWF?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">$599 on Amazon</a>)</p><p>MSI Radix AXE6600 Wi-Fi 6E router (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/MSI-AXE6600-Tri-Band-Quad-Core-Processor/dp/B0BTQ637LJ?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">$286 on Amazon</a>)</p><p>TP-Link AXE16000 Quad-band Wi-Fi 6E router (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AXE16000-Quad-Band-Archer-AXE300/dp/B0BCWBCY34?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">$499.99 on Amazon</a>)</p><p>Linksys Hydra Pro mesh system (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DRDWXWF?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">$279.99 on Amazon</a>)</p><p>Google Nest WiFi Pro 3-pack mesh (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BCQSYPZB?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">$399.98 on Amazon</a>)</p><p>Netgear Nighthawk AXE7800 Wi-Fi 6E router (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1LZMH78?tag=jf056-20" target="_blank">$349.99 on Amazon</a>)</p><p><br /></p>JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-26913148482856933632018-01-31T11:28:00.000-08:002018-01-31T11:28:13.985-08:00Flying drones over at Drone Rush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nS2Gb3HjZe8/WnIXZ7zIDMI/AAAAAAADa9M/Gjud5CSb9_UGiqEm61a49FvUAfQHDnsuQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/DJI%2BMavic%2BPro%2Bmt%2Bhood%2Bfog%2Bfeatured%2BDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nS2Gb3HjZe8/WnIXZ7zIDMI/AAAAAAADa9M/Gjud5CSb9_UGiqEm61a49FvUAfQHDnsuQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/DJI%2BMavic%2BPro%2Bmt%2Bhood%2Bfog%2Bfeatured%2BDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hello folks, so sorry I have not posted here in a long, long time. As you can imagine, I had to stop trying to make money here when I was hired full time into the Android Authority family. That has been an adventure, one that continues with my current role as Editor on our drones focused website <a href="https://dronerush.com/">Drone Rush</a>.<br />
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If you want to see things that fly, or, at least things that fly that you can legally own and control in your backyard, come check it out.<br />
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We tend to focus on the best of the more affordable consumer drones. Have you ever heard of the DJI Mavic Pro, or the newer DJI Mavic Air? These drones represent the pinnacle of what we cover on Drone Rush. They are smaller machines, easy to fly, take great photos and video from the sky and are less than $1000 to own.<br />
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We cover the gamut of drones, from the $30 toys up to the $250,000 professional rigs and passenger drones. However, if you have an eye on something in the $500 - $2000 range, we are dedicated to keeping you informed on the best of the bunch.<br />
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We also cover the legal side of things, after all, you need to register your drone with the FAA before you fly in the United States. And if you are looking to make some money with your flying craft, you can follow along as we explore how to get your Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.<br />
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Thank you all for your support and continued readership over the years. I hope you'll check out my work on <a href="https://www.androidauthority.com/author/JonathanFeist/">Android Authority</a> and <a href="https://dronerush.com/">Drone Rush</a>, as well as visit our other sites <a href="https://soundguys.com/">SoundGuys</a> and <a href="https://dgit.com/">DGiT</a>.<br />
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Take care and fly safe!<br />
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<br />JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-51385869146140482092015-02-01T00:18:00.001-08:002015-02-01T00:18:57.110-08:00Google is taking a more proactive approach to Android security, paying hackers to look things over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Google">Google</a> has given over $4 million to security researchers that have successfully identified security vulnerabilities in things like the Chrome web browser. Now, your <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Android">Android</a> experience will benefit from this approach as well.<br />
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Effective immediately, with more information to come, all Google built Android and iOS apps are eligible for bounty from the <a href="https://www.google.com/about/appsecurity/reward-program/" target="_blank">Vulnerability Reward Program</a>.<br />
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In addition to Google's apps, they are pushing forward with a proactive approach to enlisting researchers (hackers) to help secure the <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Google%20Play%20Store">Google Play Store</a>. Instead of passively rewarding identified flaws, Google will be offering up front as much as $3133.70 to individuals in the security community to have a look at pieces of the Google Play Store and other Google properties.<br />
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I went into <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/google-hackers-security-android-583813/" target="_blank">more detail about this topic over on my Android Authority post</a>, I urge you to check that out for more details. Or, just hit up the Google blog post on the subject.<br />
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In the end, we are very excited that more security is headed our way for the Android ecosystem.<br />
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What do you think, should Google continue to put outside eyes on their security, or should they just hire more staff in their Security department?<br />
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<a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Google">Google</a> has been attempting to disrupt the U.S. internet provider market for a few years now. They've successfully rolled out their new <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search?q=google+fiber">Google Fiber</a> internet services to a few major centers have a bunch of others on stand-by and have just announced they'll be launching in four new cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville and Raleigh-Durham.<br />
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Google Fiber is a <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/06/private-government-network-has-speeds.html">fiber optic based internet service</a>, capable of bringing speeds of up to 1Gbps up and down for about $75 / month. In contrast, one of my coworkers at Android Authority just received an advertisement in the mail from AT&T, offering up their 'High Speed' internet services with <a href="https://plus.google.com/107254147915240233302/posts/D5pcBG2ct6W" target="_blank">speeds up to 3Mbps</a>. For serious AT&T?!?! 3Mbps?<br />
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Let me illustrate those differences in another way for you. The AT&T service would allow you to download a full 3-4 minute <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search?q=music">mp3 music</a> track in just a couple seconds. Google Fiber would allow you to download a full length 90 minute SD quality movie in the same amount of time. I get that these are theoretical maximums here, but there is still no comparison between the two. Worst of all, the AT&T add offers a monthly limit of 150GB of data usage, so, you guessed it, Google Fiber could eat up that entire amount in just two and a half minutes.<br />
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Anyhow, Google pushes forward and we love them for it. We truly cannot wait until Google Fiber launches in our city. The best part is, we are on the list, which is extremely exciting.<br />
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We will look at Google Fiber in more detail later, it has been very amusing and educating to follow their progress in our city. Bottom line, it is amazing the laws invoked and lengths the existing internet providers will go to block a service like Google's. Or at least, to slow them down.<br />
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Do you think Google Fiber is a good service to offer users, or is it just too fast and available to too few users to be considered a player in the game?JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-65036803163743877102015-01-19T00:03:00.000-08:002015-01-19T00:03:54.642-08:00How to use Android Device Manager to find a missing device<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With the sometimes astronomical prices of today's Android devices, it is important to have <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search?q=security">security</a> in place - a plan to find and secure your device should it go missing. There are many great tools out there for this, including Cerberus, Lookout and more. Today, we want to look at the <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Google">Google</a> developed option, Android Device Manager.<br />
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As is usually the case around here, I've put the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/android-device-manager-579966/" target="_blank">entire tutorial over on my Android customization series on Android Authority</a>. Be sure to check it out for the full step by step to enabling Android Device Manager.<br />
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While you're here, let's discuss how you might use the tools of Android Device Manager.<br />
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It's pretty straightforward, actually. The available options are aptly named, finding your device is the default action, the remaining buttons to <b>Ring, Lock and Erase</b> your device are easy to manage.<br />
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Again, locating your device is simple stuff, with the app and service running on your device, simply log into the Android Device Manager website. Find that link in the settings of the <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Google%20Play%20Store">Google Play Store</a> on the web. If your device location does not immediately display, tap that GPS crosshairs icon to ping your device. This gives you a location within a dozen meters or so, but at least you'll know if you your phone is at home, work, in your car, or at school.<br />
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To narrow things down even further, utilize the <b>Ring</b> function to make your device make some noise. This is the tool you need if you are about to tear your own home apart looking for that little phone.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-muSzAGjyOxQ/VLy1nV0JfsI/AAAAAAABRSQ/5lnU6KjP3PY/s1600/Android-Device-Manager-Lock.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-muSzAGjyOxQ/VLy1nV0JfsI/AAAAAAABRSQ/5lnU6KjP3PY/s1600/Android-Device-Manager-Lock.png" height="200" width="192" /></a><b>Lock</b> is the kind of tool you would use when you are pretty sure you will recover your device, but not sure exactly when or who has their hands on it right now. As you see in the tutorial, provide a new password and all your data is safe.<br />
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Finally, <b>Erase</b>. This is the big times here folks. Do not hit erase unless you are certain you want all data on your device wiped for good. Erase simply triggers a factory reset, if you are familiar with what that does. In short, this is the tool you use when there is nothing left to do but say good bye to your missing unit.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Warning</span></b>. I said this in the tutorial, I'll say again, Lock and Erase do not clear the data from your external microSD card. You will want to have used a program like Airdroid or have a kill switch built into Tasker to clear your data from the card. Don't forget to clear the card before firing the Android Device Manager Erase command from above.<br />
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In addition, the features above require that your phone be both powered on and connected to the internet. Or at least to eventually power on and connect, at which time the commands will push through.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LYqnTsCes3A/VLy1yCw0GJI/AAAAAAABRSY/Rq98WOYy3n4/s1600/Android-Device-Manager-Icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LYqnTsCes3A/VLy1yCw0GJI/AAAAAAABRSY/Rq98WOYy3n4/s1600/Android-Device-Manager-Icon.png" /></a></div>
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That's really all there is to it folks. Android Device Manger is almost the only tool you'll need to recover your missing Android device. There are certainly more comprehensive tools available, but with the latest versions of Android, you are almost certain to have Android Device Manger installed and ready to roll.<br />
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Have you ever recovered a missing device using Android Device Manager or a similar tool?<br />
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-35250412428119995712014-09-26T14:39:00.001-07:002014-09-26T14:39:15.948-07:00Dynamic and custom colors on a Zooper Widget Battery indicator<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YYuHyibbZbY/VCXZ9woFTGI/AAAAAAABGiE/PChkOK9v5rM/s1600/Zooper-Widget-battery-indicator-color.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YYuHyibbZbY/VCXZ9woFTGI/AAAAAAABGiE/PChkOK9v5rM/s1600/Zooper-Widget-battery-indicator-color.gif" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
This past week on my <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Android%20Customization">Android customization</a> series over at Android Authority, I took a quick look at a way to dynamically change the color of a battery element in a <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Zooper%20Widget">Zooper Widget</a>.<br />
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The idea is simple, if your battery level is below a certain threshold, the icon or text turns red, if you have your device plugged in, it is all green and the rest of the time your icon and text is simply white.<br />
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Zooper Widget is great for this sort of advanced operation, and we didn't even need to tie into <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Tasker">Tasker</a> to get the job done. The only downside is that Zooper Widget's <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/06/zooper-widgets-advanced-parameters-this.html">Advanced Parameters</a> can be a little much to swallow the first time you dive in. That is why I not only go through the steps and the thought process, but simply give you the string that will make it all work for you.<br />
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Head on over to <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/battery-status-zooper-widget-530096/" target="_blank">my Android Authority post to get all the details</a> and see how I pulled it off.<br />
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Now, I wanted to discuss what I did over there, it was ugly code, and the results are not as smooth and crisp as they should have been. I used two IF statements and mashed them together. Don't get me wrong, my old programming mind works great with IF statements, and the logic of nesting IFs is pretty common practice for me, but <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/05/zooper-widget-your-design-guide-and-how.html">Zooper Widget</a> has some better methods that I probably should have taken for a spin.<br />
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In the article, I shared Zooper's own example for making a battery indicator that shows green above 20%, yellow between 10 and 20% and then red when below 10%. As follows:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VbX-MZUnRH8/VCXcuqw6UuI/AAAAAAABGiM/Wu2k2gXlpDw/s1600/Zooper%2BBattery%2BCode.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VbX-MZUnRH8/VCXcuqw6UuI/AAAAAAABGiM/Wu2k2gXlpDw/s1600/Zooper%2BBattery%2BCode.png" height="70" width="640" /></a></div>
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The discerning eye can make out that this is still an IF statement of sorts, but instead of calling [c] multiple times inside of an IF, this statement is wrapped inside of the [c], and just changes the value based on the conditions.<br />
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Would anyone like to take a stab at molding my example from the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/tag/Android-Customization/" target="_blank">Android customization series</a> into the Zooper Widget string format here? I'll work with you and show off my results in the comments below, later.<br />
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Thanks for checking in, be sure to check out some of my other <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Zooper%20Widget">Zooper Widget</a> and <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Tasker">Tasker</a> work, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/battery-status-zooper-widget-530096/" target="_blank">when it all comes together</a>, there is not much you can't do with your Android device.<br />
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-64704771496259436762014-09-19T14:54:00.000-07:002014-09-19T14:54:18.444-07:00It is still early days for Android Wear, here are a few difficulties you may face<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wZLk23BvoQw/U3puAHBJaJI/AAAAAAAA2Js/IoRXKDw_fVc/s1600/Kairo%2BHybrid%2BAndroid%2BWear%2BSmartwatch%2BFunctions.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wZLk23BvoQw/U3puAHBJaJI/AAAAAAAA2Js/IoRXKDw_fVc/s1600/Kairo%2BHybrid%2BAndroid%2BWear%2BSmartwatch%2BFunctions.png" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
I have been researching <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Android%20Wear">Android Wear</a> devices. As a tech enthusiast, I can't wait to get my hands on one of the latest smartwatches like the <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/05/android-wear-moto-360-and-little-teaser.html">Moto 360, LG G Watch R</a> or the ASUS Zenwatch. On the other hand, I haven't worn a watch in years, and I am worried that that trend will continue. Nonetheless, if, like me, you want to know all there is to know about the devices and systems, read on.<br />
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While I am not crazy enough to stuff all there is to know about <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/05/kairos-watches-mechanical-smart-watch.html">Android Wear</a> into a single article, I would like to take a quick look at some of the difficulties that Android Wear powered smartwatch owners are facing with their devices right now. Just a few minor things to be aware of for when you bite the bullet and dive into the wearable technology.<br />
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<b>Starting apps can be tough</b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Huz1WNrpUWw/VByh9OJcDeI/AAAAAAABFk4/bBGoJ1ej33w/s1600/Android%2BWear%2BApps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Huz1WNrpUWw/VByh9OJcDeI/AAAAAAABFk4/bBGoJ1ej33w/s1600/Android%2BWear%2BApps.jpg" height="191" width="200" /></a>Installing apps is easy enough, just plunk through from the mobile app on our <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Android">Android</a> phone, then, the next time you connect your Android Wear smartwatch via Bluetooth to your phone, the apps will sync and install. Accessing the apps from there is the problem.<br />
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On your smartwatch, your list of apps is just a long stacked list, you must swipe and swipe away, the more apps the more swiping until you find your app. This is not the end of the world by any means, nor even a deal breaker for many, but some have complained it a bit of a nuisance.<br />
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<b>Google Now chooses your cards and their order</b><br />
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Speaking of those cards, which are the basic building block of the Android Wear interface, many of them are created and controlled by Google Now. While <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search?q=google+now">Google Now</a> is a very handy service that can surface some great information in a very intelligent way, it is still rather un-configurable.<br />
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Basically, the complaint I am hearing from users is that Google Now chooses what cards will show on your Android Wear device, and it controls in what order you will see those cards. Weather may be at the top of the stack today, but sports scores could be at the top tomorrow.<br />
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<b>If you swipe it, it is gone</b><br />
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On the topic of the cards, once you swipe away a card, it is gone for good. No undo button here. This is perfectly fine for your average notification, but every once in a while you will accidentally swipe away the Weather card, for example, resulting in a little face-palm action.<br />
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Although swiping away a card is a permanent action, many apps will replace the card with a new notification for you, this is true of the Weather card, at least. Google Now on your phone and Chrome browser on your PC will refresh the weather card and regenerate it a couple times per day, this is true for your Android Wear smartwatch as well. In the end, you'll get the Weather card back, but it could take a day to get there, so be careful what you swipe.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zrqh-FTkhwY/VByh01rvp_I/AAAAAAABFkw/dE61Bn7al5A/s1600/Android%2BWear%2BMessage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zrqh-FTkhwY/VByh01rvp_I/AAAAAAABFkw/dE61Bn7al5A/s1600/Android%2BWear%2BMessage.jpg" width="100" /></a><b>No way to start a new Hangout chat</b><br />
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Full disclaimer, I have not verified the accuracy of this one. Users are reporting that Android Wear is more than capable of interacting with ongoing <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/01/android-making-video-call.html">Google Hangouts</a> conversations, however, you will be unable to start a new conversation with a user. Personally, 99% of my Hangouts are ongoing chats that have not added or removed users in quite some time, so as long as I can continue the conversation, I'll be happy. But your mileage may vary.<br />
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<b>Navigation is driving mode only and the card offers too little info</b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ukhu-CsOV4w/VByiFY0CxNI/AAAAAAABFlA/mDtLsarVbxg/s1600/Android%2BWear%2BMaps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ukhu-CsOV4w/VByiFY0CxNI/AAAAAAABFlA/mDtLsarVbxg/s1600/Android%2BWear%2BMaps.jpg" height="192" width="200" /></a>Once again, I have not confirmed this one, but users are reporting that <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/08/google-will-now-take-you-to-moon-and.html">Google Maps</a> Navigation is offered in driving mode only. In the end, "turn right onto main street" works for me no matter what pace I am traveling, but the routes do change, sometimes drastically, on foot vs on the road. I'll be sure to update you on this one when I learn more.<br />
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What about the info presented? Well, I suppose it depends on what you are looking for here. Remember that Android Wear was designed to provide the quick glance experience, so, for me, I think the card is dead on. <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/google-using-your-data-to-help-you.html">I know where I am and where I need to go next</a>. If I need more info, I should pull over (step aside) and pull out my phone for the full map. Alternatively, I support the argument for more detailed information being available on the smartwatch if you click in to see more, but as a quick glance design, I like it as is.<br />
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<b>Voice activated message send is too quick</b><br />
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This is a tough one. I've built programs before that require a timeout or delay to allow for user review and interaction, I promise you now, you'll never be able to please everyone. The absolute best course of action is to allow the user to decide for themselves in settings how long the time should be. For now, if you need more time to review a message before it sends away, you're out of luck. Might I suggest a speed reading class (I'll have to join you.)<br />
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<b>Display timeout</b><br />
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One of the most important aspects to any mobile device is the display. And one of the most important aspects to battery life is <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2013/12/android-screen-timeout.html">controlling that display</a>. Early returns show that most of the Android Wear smartwatches take the majority of display on/off management into their own hands. Sure, user input controls when things are turned on, but the watch usually decides when to turn off.<br />
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For most users, throughout the average day, it is of little issue (ignoring battery life) what the display is doing, as long as it turns on when you need it. It is at night that this is becoming a problem. Many users, especially myself, use their devices throughout the day and put them on the charger at bed time. "Aww, it thinks it's people!" <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H7MU5d_hmuM/U3Pyytl-7LI/AAAAAAAA1yg/MSzmZlyyY3I/s1600/Moto360_Leather_RGB-710x426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H7MU5d_hmuM/U3Pyytl-7LI/AAAAAAAA1yg/MSzmZlyyY3I/s1600/Moto360_Leather_RGB-710x426.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anyway, most devices for some reason have opted for a display-on approach to charging. Sure, I was a fan of DayDream on my Android phone for a few minutes. But then I not only turned it off, but also disabled the app on my device. As mentioned, I charge my devices at night. Some of those devices are in the bedroom, so having a big display blaring all night is a tad bit (very) annoying, and it sounds like the Android Wear smartwatches don't mind unnecessarily lighting the night.<br />
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Some attempts to better this can be found in the Power Saver on the Samsung Gear Live, and the LG G Watch has settings to turn your display to always on or always off. However, it sounds like these efforts just are not enough.<br />
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<b>Settings, where are they...</b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LkJwgPOBsQg/VByiLNvoY7I/AAAAAAABFlI/VvmCsqYJEfw/s1600/Android%2BWear%2BSettings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LkJwgPOBsQg/VByiLNvoY7I/AAAAAAABFlI/VvmCsqYJEfw/s1600/Android%2BWear%2BSettings.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
Did someone say settings? Well of course Android Wear devices have settings, and you can even access and control them from the smartwatch itself, but where are they? I think you guessed it, you know how you have to swipe and swipe to scroll through your installed apps? Well, keep going. Eventually, you'll find settings buried way down at the bottom of the stack. Not a problem if you only have a few apps installed, but heavy users are complaining about the effort needed to get to settings. I guess I can't blame them.<br />
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<b>Final thoughts</b><br />
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There you have it, nothing earth shattering here, nor really any issues that should prevent you from diving into the Android Wear powered smartwatch game, if you're into that sort of thing. Keep in mind that Android Wear is still young and new, I suspect that things will get better with time. On the flip side, Android itself still has a number of features missing that many consider crucial to operation, and that is why there are app developers and customization tools like <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Tasker">Tasker</a> out there.<br />
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What do you think, is this list of annoyances too long for you to want a smartwatch now?JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-33398225657514675742014-09-10T13:25:00.002-07:002014-09-10T13:25:49.409-07:00Android design guidelines - a quick overview of Android L and Material Design<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As we move ever closer to the official release of <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Android">Android L</a>, more and more developers are updating their apps with Material Design. Material Design is the name given to Google's latest design principles, which you will see in full force not only in Android L, but across most <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/new-chrome-os-interface-in-works.html">platforms</a>, at least for <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/06/what-will-googles-new-apps-look-like.html">Google's apps and services</a>.<br />
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We've talked about this before, especially when Google opened their <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/08/developers-google-updated-io-2014-app.html">Google I/O app and code</a> for all to use as a development reference.<br />
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Moving forward, one of my co-authors over on Android Authority put together a nice <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/android-design-guidelines-514918" target="_blank">post about the new Android design guidelines</a>, I think it is a great little resource for those looking to work with Material Design in their apps, for those that are curious where things are going and even for those that think design does not matter.<br />
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I am a huge fan of the ideals and tools Google has made available with and through <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/heads-up-brings-android-l-style.html">Material Design</a>. I may not be a huge fan of the aesthetics of some of the elements, especially the pastel-lite colors and some of the flat design that reminds me of Windows 2000. However, the overall direction, especially some of the subtle animations, are very good looking and should make for a pleasant experience as we move forward.<br />
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I'll not bore you anymore with my thoughts on <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/06/what-will-googles-new-apps-look-like.html">Material Design</a> and the direction that Google is headed with their apps, services and Android itself, just <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/android-design-guidelines-514918" target="_blank">check it out for yourself</a>, and be sure to place your opinions in the comments below.<br />
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-48215590525539997132014-08-25T14:36:00.000-07:002014-08-25T14:36:01.582-07:00LG G2 to get G3 UI and Android L, G3 has a flaw and G Watch 2 will be round<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aQreJYjzsh0/U_upzqHGBmI/AAAAAAAA8Qs/alvvSm_moEA/s1600/LG%2BLogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aQreJYjzsh0/U_upzqHGBmI/AAAAAAAA8Qs/alvvSm_moEA/s1600/LG%2BLogo.jpg" height="143" width="320" /></a></div>
Welcome to the <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/LG">LG</a> news hour. Let me run through things super quick: LG is launching a couple new budget line devices at IFA, the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-l-fino-lg-l-bello-513930/" target="_blank">L Fino and L Bello</a>, they will also be launching a new smartwatch, the <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/LG%20G%20Watch">G Watch 2</a> or possibly G Watch R, for 'round', be careful plugging in your <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/LG%20G3">G3</a>, you might crack the casing, the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g2-ui-update-android-l-514850/" target="_blank">G2</a> is to get an updated UI by the end of the year and LG promises the G2 will get the Android L update into 2015.<br />
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That is a lot to digest. Let's break it down:<br />
<a name='more'></a><b>LG L Fino and LG L Bello coming at IFA.</b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4dv7iCf-Du4/U_up7Fs-YmI/AAAAAAAA8Q0/z1Zc45cIZko/s1600/LG-L-Fino-LG-L-Bello-for-IFA-Berlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4dv7iCf-Du4/U_up7Fs-YmI/AAAAAAAA8Q0/z1Zc45cIZko/s1600/LG-L-Fino-LG-L-Bello-for-IFA-Berlin.jpg" height="294" width="640" /></a></div>
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LG has <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-l-fino-lg-l-bello-513930/" target="_blank">two new budget-mid range devices coming</a>, the L Fino and L Bello. (Italian, if you're interested.) They pack 4.5 and 5-inch displays, 1.2 and 1.3GHz quad-core processors, 3G Connectivity and an impressive 8MP camera. Head into my <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-l-fino-lg-l-bello-513930/" target="_blank">Android Authority post for all the details</a>.<br />
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<b>LG G Watch 2 or LG G Watch R, either way, it's new, it's round and it's coming at IFA next week.</b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWLfC-YvGlY/U_uqjNXxQOI/AAAAAAAA8RE/VjbQrgXfSYo/s1600/Screenshot%2B2014-08-24%2Bat%2B20.59.10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWLfC-YvGlY/U_uqjNXxQOI/AAAAAAAA8RE/VjbQrgXfSYo/s1600/Screenshot%2B2014-08-24%2Bat%2B20.59.10.png" height="350" width="640" /></a></div>
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IFA takes place in Berlin in in early September, we expect many new devices, including LG's new <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/05/android-wear-moto-360-and-little-teaser.html">smartwatch</a>. We've termed it the G Watch 2, but it may be named the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g-watch-2-round-video-515194/" target="_blank">G Watch R</a> on account of it being a round faced watch. This is pretty exciting if you ask me, up until now, Motorola's Moto 360 and the gorgeous but pricey <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/05/kairos-watches-mechanical-smart-watch.html">Kairos watch</a> have been the only round watches on deck. ASUS, HTC, and more should have round watches soon, and LG has released a <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g-watch-2-round-video-515194/" target="_blank">teaser video</a> for theirs due in just over a week. <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g-watch-2-round-video-515194/" target="_blank">Check it out here</a>.<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/ABnt3DZXUDS">
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<b>LG G2 is promised a major UI update and Android L. Let the wait begin.</b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0jpcPQ-N5n8/U_uqCP23wkI/AAAAAAAA8Q8/jwM2sddYGvo/s1600/lg-g3-on-g2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0jpcPQ-N5n8/U_uqCP23wkI/AAAAAAAA8Q8/jwM2sddYGvo/s1600/lg-g3-on-g2.jpg" height="378" width="640" /></a></div>
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With the issue of many devices being forgotten by manufacturers it is great news that LG has supposedly confirmed that the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g2-ui-update-android-l-514850/" target="_blank">G2 will be receiving a UI overhaul</a>, getting a port of the newer G3's interface by the end of the year. In addition, and more important if you ask me, LG has confirmed that the G2 will be receiving the update to Android L. The only thing wrong with the G2 is that there are better phones out there, these updates mean that <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g2-ui-update-android-l-514850/" target="_blank">G2 owners will have no regrets hanging onto their phones for another year</a>. Perhaps the G4(?) will be their next phone.<br />
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<b>LG G3 is a great phone, but it has a little crack issue.</b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KtraCD3v16o/U_uqpsx5eRI/AAAAAAAA8RM/osjvsKQUf5Q/s1600/LG-G3-cracked-casings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KtraCD3v16o/U_uqpsx5eRI/AAAAAAAA8RM/osjvsKQUf5Q/s1600/LG-G3-cracked-casings.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finally, the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g3-cracked-casing-514460/" target="_blank">LG G3</a> has been considered one of the best Android smartphones, well, ever. But no phone is perfect. We are learning that an issue with the phone casing cracking around the microphone is much more widespread than previously thought. So, <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/06/lg-g3-will-start-its-global-domination.html">LG G3</a> owners, please be careful while plugging in your phone, if you find that your power cord is a little tight, forcing it may snap your casing. Nothing structurally compromising, but extremely annoying to say the least. Also, if you've got the crack and a fix, let us know, most have been <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g3-cracked-casing-514460/" target="_blank">left out in the cold so far</a>. <br />
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<br />JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-6749684867197857152014-08-22T13:33:00.002-07:002014-08-22T13:33:59.754-07:00Control music and more straight from your Notification bar, Tasker is just that good<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GkoS40_B3Zo/U_eoacjY_DI/AAAAAAAA8ME/UnVUNldx78A/s1600/Tasker-Notification-bar-Task-buttons%2B-%2BEdited.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GkoS40_B3Zo/U_eoacjY_DI/AAAAAAAA8ME/UnVUNldx78A/s1600/Tasker-Notification-bar-Task-buttons%2B-%2BEdited.png" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
Are you getting tired of <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Tasker">Tasker</a> yet? I'm not. I let you know about a <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/huge-update-to-tasker-is-rolling-out.html">big update that pushed out recently to Tasker</a>, it included a lengthy list of updates and new features. One of the most up front new features that is either powerful or annoying, depending on your point of view, is the ability to place up to three buttons within the permanent Tasker notification, that fire off your favorite Tasks.<br />
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Whether you like the feature, or hate it, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/music-notification-bar-tasker-514292/" target="_blank">this tutorial will help you out</a>.<br />
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The steps are fairly easy, actually, once you have your tasks created, you just head into the settings, sorry, preferences for Tasker, find the Monitor section and add the tasks to the appropriate section. I've gone ahead and created the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/music-notification-bar-tasker-514292/" target="_blank">step by step tutorial</a> for it in my Android customization series on Android Authority, pictures included.<br />
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I am pretty straight up with my usage of this project, I have a Task in place that stops my music, one to <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/use-tasker-to-control-your-android.html">toggle the display rotation</a> settings on the phone and one to toggle on and off the LED flash as a flashlight.<br />
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Speaking to these tasks, as they all seem trivial, I must admit that they are in place to ease my mobility for my specific use cases. The most important thing to remember here is that these tasks become available to you are all times during your usage, there is no need to close out other apps or pause your games or movies, just <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/music-notification-bar-tasker-514292/" target="_blank">pull down, tap and done with minimal interruption</a>. Specifically:<br />
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Stop Music: I listen to <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/08/youtube-music-key-and-google-play-music.html">a lot of music</a> on my devices, and I spend a lot of time having to pause or stop said <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/08/make-your-music-charge-your-phone.html">music</a> to pick up other tasks of my day. I truly dislike picking up a song from where I left off, they are only a few minutes long, it is no bother to start again from the beginning either. As most music players, including Google Play Music, do not provide a stop button, I end up using Tasker.<br />
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Display rotation: This one is actually really annoying. On my Nexus 7 tablet, the quick settings menu includes a <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/use-tasker-to-control-your-android.html">toggle for display rotation</a>. That is how all Android devices should be! But, my Moto G phone does not have the option. Boooo! Once again, Tasker to the rescue.<br />
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Tesla Flashlight: So, this is my weakest use case. Thing is, I work late, but the rest of the household does not, so I use the phone as a flashlight almost daily. I actually almost never trigger the light via the Notification bar, as I am rarely playing an <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2013/12/android-44-kit-kat-few-key-features.html">immersive</a> game while walking around in the dark, but I have no better immediate need tasks to put up there at this time, so there it sits.<br />
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What Tasker Tasks would you put in you Notification bar?<br />
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-72635387491296501852014-08-21T16:17:00.000-07:002014-08-21T16:17:28.008-07:00Make your music charge your phone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wtixZnw4rIs/U_Z9omU1NXI/AAAAAAAA8Jk/WrrA3XfNjqI/s1600/Sound%2Bto%2Bcreate%2Bpower%2Bpiezoelectric.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wtixZnw4rIs/U_Z9omU1NXI/AAAAAAAA8Jk/WrrA3XfNjqI/s1600/Sound%2Bto%2Bcreate%2Bpower%2Bpiezoelectric.png" height="180" width="400" /></a></div>
While most of us are struggling to keep a charge on our phones and other mobile devices, we often turn to bigger batteries, extra power sources and software power saving measures to get through our day. While all of these measure satisfy our needs, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/charge-phone-using-sound-513398/" target="_blank">researchers in London</a> have another approach in mind, charging a device with sound.<br />
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The premise is simple, kinetic energy is harnessed to produce electricity, we've heard about this in numerous Japanese roads and walkways, and even old wrist watches that shake to charge. Sure, the tech is a little different, but the idea remains the same, physical actions performed on an object can be converted into electricity.<br />
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In the case of <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/charge-phone-using-sound-513398/" target="_blank">Queen Mary University in London</a>, the devices are made to be not much larger than a couple quarters in size, small enough to fit inside the average smartphone, and accepts the vibration from sounds to do all the dirty work.<br />
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At this scale, the power generated is not quite enough to fully power your device, but I would imagine a slow trickle charge would be an amazing thing to have to help us all enjoy our mobile devices without having to tune it down for the battery's sake.<br />
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My Android Authority post has <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/charge-phone-using-sound-513398/" target="_blank">more details and ideas</a>, I'd head over there and check it out, if I was interested in having more power for my Android device... Which I most certainly am!<br />
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The application of this tech sounds great and all, but I wonder what long term affects this would have on a battery. The life of a battery is generally calculated by its recharge cycles. Don't get me wrong, having a near constant trickle charge should not directly speed up your cycles, but I just do not know enough about these electronics, nor is there enough info available just yet, to figure out if there will be an negatives to this technology.<br />
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What do you think, do you need a little extra power boost for your mobile devices? Do you make enough noise throughout the day to keep this tech charging?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/Nrqi8rssXFv">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-48631131771670635472014-08-20T12:56:00.002-07:002014-08-20T12:56:18.483-07:00Humble Bundle adds dedicated Mobile section, launches SEGA bundle to kick it off<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LloxqxKA0VA/U_T8zSVZ6JI/AAAAAAAA8HY/lD6UxJ27sXk/s1600/SEGA%2BMobile%2BBundle%2BHumble%2BBundle.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LloxqxKA0VA/U_T8zSVZ6JI/AAAAAAAA8HY/lD6UxJ27sXk/s1600/SEGA%2BMobile%2BBundle%2BHumble%2BBundle.png" height="240" width="400" /></a></div>
Fans of <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Humble%20Bundle">Humble Bundle</a> rejoice! Well, Android users that are fans of Humble Bundle, anyway.<br />
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Continuing to rock the Android world, the folks behind Humble Bundle are topping off a whirlwind tour of a new Android app and <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/08/humble-mobile-bundle-6-is-out-best-way.html">a great mobile bundle</a> with another great mobile bundle and a full dedicated mobile section on their website.<br />
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The new bundle is called the <a href="http://www.humblebundle.com/mobile" target="_blank">Humble SEGA Mobile Bundle</a>, packed with your favorite SEGA games, so mostly just Sonic the wedgehog stuff. Sorry, hedgehog. The <a href="http://www.humblebundle.com/mobile" target="_blank">Mobile tab on the website</a> is really the exciting thing here, as it brings with it the promise of a continual stream of Android games, apps, books, comics, music and more.<br />
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Head on over to my Android Authority post to get <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/sega-bundle-mobile-tab-humble-bundle-513282/" target="_blank">my professional opinion on the matter</a>.<br />
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For now, let me just say that I was always in the Super Nintendo camp. Sure, NHL '93-'95 and Echo the Dolphin packed a punch, or whatever you call it, but Mario > Sonic, sorry.<br />
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You win, I'll get back to the <a href="http://www.humblebundle.com/mobile" target="_blank">Humble Bundle</a> stuff.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vjYcTp-C3YE/U_T6-75uWII/AAAAAAAA8HQ/y2AlQGSbSLU/s1600/Screenshot%2B2014-08-19%2Bat%2B20.25.51.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vjYcTp-C3YE/U_T6-75uWII/AAAAAAAA8HQ/y2AlQGSbSLU/s1600/Screenshot%2B2014-08-19%2Bat%2B20.25.51.png" height="80" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pay what you will gets:<br />
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<ul><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Y8ZcHV3bf4/U_T6uv7VhtI/AAAAAAAA8HI/iJ0UBa25T3Y/s1600/Screenshot%2B2014-08-20%2Bat%2B12.43.08.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Y8ZcHV3bf4/U_T6uv7VhtI/AAAAAAAA8HI/iJ0UBa25T3Y/s1600/Screenshot%2B2014-08-20%2Bat%2B12.43.08.png" height="163" width="320" /></a>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><b><i>Sonic 4 Episode I</i></b></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><b><i>ChuChu Rocket!</i></b>, and</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><b><i>Virtua Tennis Challenge</i></b></li>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tinos; font-size: small;">Pay more than the average to score:</span></div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><b><i>Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing</i></b></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><b><i>Sonic 4 Episode II</i></b>, and</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><b><i>Crazy Taxi</i></b></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><b><i>More to come later</i></b></li>
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As always, additional games will be added next week some time.<br />
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The new <a href="http://www.humblebundle.com/mobile" target="_blank">Mobile tab on the site</a> is live, it hosts the SEGA bundle now. The crew over there promises me that another bundle will immediately launch when the SEGA bundle ends, and we should expect bundle after bundle after that.<br />
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Any Humble Bundle fans out there? How is your collection of media coming along?<br />
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-23453082745011752862014-08-19T13:27:00.001-07:002014-08-19T13:27:45.844-07:00YouTube Music Key and Google Play Music Key to unite audio and video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uhkk9-7s2J4/U_Oyozr5-5I/AAAAAAAA8Fc/X4tT-h6hI7g/s1600/YouTube-Music-Key-Google-Play-Music-Key.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uhkk9-7s2J4/U_Oyozr5-5I/AAAAAAAA8Fc/X4tT-h6hI7g/s1600/YouTube-Music-Key-Google-Play-Music-Key.png" height="243" width="400" /></a></div>
It is only just a leak so far, but we have it on good authority that <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Google">Google</a>'s YouTube will be launching a service called YouTube Music Key, which will be a paid subscription service to provide ad-free, curated music videos, recorded concerts and more. In addition, <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/05/music-related-news-and-apps-from-first.html">Google Play Music</a> All Access is to be renamed Google Play Music Key and add 20 million new tracks to their collection.<br />
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The combined <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-music-key-google-play-music-key-512804/" target="_blank">YouTube Music Key and Google Play Music Key</a> is expected to sell for $9.99 per month. That's the same price as All Access runs for now. </div>
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The resulting service provided here is one that is ultimately unparalleled in the media streaming world right now. Google is effectively providing a one stop shop for all of our musical desires. No longer will we have to go to Play Music to listen to tunes, then kill it off and open up YouTube to be able to catch the video for that same artist we were just listening too.<br />
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We are not sure exactly how it will all tie together, if there will be a seamless transition between video and audio while we are consuming our favorite tunes. We do know that YouTube Music Key is set to add offline playback and audio-only playback, if the latter of which should pull in Play Music streaming, a new <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2013/11/chromecast-or-not-to-chromecast.html">media giant could be born</a> of this.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CRSR_Yr2bWE/UqtQuKAe_AI/AAAAAAAAwQ4/tr67_Gl3igY/s1600/GPMusic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CRSR_Yr2bWE/UqtQuKAe_AI/AAAAAAAAwQ4/tr67_Gl3igY/s1600/GPMusic.jpg" height="195" width="320" /></a></div>
Head on into my Android Authority post to gather <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-music-key-google-play-music-key-512804/" target="_blank">more details and see how legit these rumors are</a>. </div>
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There is much backlash as to Google providing more paid services, to which I have mixed feelings. First and foremost, Google is only able to provide 'free' content to us because it makes the money up on the advertising side of things. It makes sense on this regard that ad-free music should need some compensation, not to mention a way to pay for all the ridiculous fees I only assume Google must dish out to the record labels. The flips side remains a valid request, can we get <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-music-key-google-play-music-key-512804/" target="_blank">Google Play Music Key and YouTube Music Key</a> for free in exchange for embedded advertisements? </div>
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Be sure I will mention this again when the services are launched and available. I love my <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search?q=music">music</a> and I am sure most of you do too, but will you pay $10/month for unlimited streaming of both audio and video? </div>
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-20126183056158272342014-08-18T16:11:00.002-07:002014-08-18T16:11:49.177-07:00Should your car block you from talking on the phone behind the wheel?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vW4yFT1yQHU/U2QnjfqW1vI/AAAAAAAA09Y/9UH2TexSBW4/s1600/DSC00439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vW4yFT1yQHU/U2QnjfqW1vI/AAAAAAAA09Y/9UH2TexSBW4/s1600/DSC00439.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
MIT recently outlined research taking place in Brazil that can track and identify when you are talking on the phone behind the wheel of your car. The research is out of the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/distracted-driving-512054/" target="_blank">Santa Catarina State University</a> and is a hardware/software solution that lives in the car itself, operating completely independent of the cell phone in hand.<br />
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I think this opens a major conversation about what distracted driving laws and measures should exist.<br />
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While the general idea is that driving while using your phone is a terrible idea, vendors like Google, with their upcoming Android Auto system, are looking to integrate mobility into the car itself. Developing a custom interface that is embedded into the dashboard is accepted as a legal usage of your phone, mainly because it keeps your hands free for driving.<br />
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Embedding the experience into the dashboard may not reduce the actual attention grab, but it has been accepted by over 40 automotive manufacturers through the Open Automotive Alliance.<br />
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So, the technology in development in Brazil is simple, they place a camera in the dashboard of your car, then, using facial and skin recognition algorithms, they figure out what is your face and identify when your hand comes into view in the typical 'talking on phone' pose.<br />
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Head on over to my Android Authority post for <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/distracted-driving-512054/" target="_blank">more details on the research and tech</a>. <br />
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The story triggered many thoughts on the subject, my takeaway is that most places have Distracted Driving laws that focus on mobile phone usage behind the wheel specifically. This is generally considered an annoying power grab by local governments and law enforcement, as there are already strong reckless driving laws nearly everywhere around the globe.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-223g0HXyEFY/U_KHH7wg2tI/AAAAAAAA8FA/IpGAHwn_xKQ/s1600/Distracted-Driving-grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-android-1-Edited.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-223g0HXyEFY/U_KHH7wg2tI/AAAAAAAA8FA/IpGAHwn_xKQ/s1600/Distracted-Driving-grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-android-1-Edited.png" height="318" width="640" /></a></div>
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My opinion on the matter, although there are drastic limitations to this exact approach, is that installing limiters in the car should only be used in extreme situations. I want to treat this exactly as one would an alcohol breathalyzer ignition lock. Some parents opt to install a breathalyzer for their children that are old enough to drive, but not old enough to drink, and law enforcement mandate it for convicted drunk drivers. I cannot think of any other use-case in which mobile phone technology should be blocked in the car.<br />
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There you have it, I believe in reckless/dangerous driving laws, even in stiffer fines for accidents or driving infractions caused by mobile phone usage, but if no infractions or otherwise 'distracted' driving takes place, a user should be able to continue use. After all, the stereo and heater controls of modern cars takes enough attention to manage all their own, and they are legal, unless you are staring at them when you crash your car.<br />
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What do you think, should your car be able to block you from using your phone? <br />
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-33378342770590698062014-08-15T14:37:00.001-07:002014-08-15T14:37:02.370-07:00KeepScreen, a free tool to control your display timeout on a per app basis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PWRIa1LagG4/U-57kPyFmrI/AAAAAAAA8BY/sBSKn-iBxwU/s1600/KeepScreen-active-aa%2B-%2BEdited.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PWRIa1LagG4/U-57kPyFmrI/AAAAAAAA8BY/sBSKn-iBxwU/s1600/KeepScreen-active-aa%2B-%2BEdited.png" height="258" width="400" /></a></div>
Everyone loves <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Tasker">Tasker</a>, right? Hold on, I think I heard someone in the back say no. They think Tasker is too complicated and, well, expensive. Fair enough, over on my <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Android%20Customization">Android customization</a> series on <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Android%20Authority">Android Authority</a> I'll beginning to look at free alternatives for common Tasker task.<br />
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To that end, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/android-customization-keepscreen-418126/" target="_blank">KeepScreen is quick</a> and cheap, let's you decide which apps keep your display turned on and when to let your phone go to sleep.<br />
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KeepScreen is free, but it is really old and has had no updates in a while. It still works, and well, but if you prefer an active developer, perhaps there are other options out there for you. (Like <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/use-tasker-to-control-your-android.html">Tasker</a>... Sorry, I had to.)<br />
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Head on over to my Android Authority post to get <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/android-customization-keepscreen-418126/" target="_blank">all the details and see KeepScreen in action</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqLC93JG26A/UrnYIFoS3YI/AAAAAAAAwec/wpBh3PGh5aE/s1600/keepscreenicon.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqLC93JG26A/UrnYIFoS3YI/AAAAAAAAwec/wpBh3PGh5aE/s1600/keepscreenicon.webp" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
KeepScreen holds a special place in my <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Android">Android</a> heart. It was perhaps the first pure Android customization app I had ever installed, back in the days of Froyo. Yes, my Android usage history does not go back as far as Donut, or Eclair, but don't you worry, I was studying the core Android software stack before the first Android device hit the market.<br />
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Back on track, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/android-customization-keepscreen-418126/" target="_blank">KeepScreen</a> is used by simply specifying a selection of apps that keep the screen lit, which it does without prejudice, or regard for your battery. Nothing to be worried about here, just remember that your display is the largest battery draw of your device, getting through the day is a little easier when you don't accidentally forget your display on unnecessarily, trust me.<br />
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Stay tuned for more, next week should be an alternative to <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/08/wifi-file-transfer-pro-transfer-files.html">WiFi File Transfer Pro</a> for your <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2013/12/transferring-files-on-android-using_13.html">wireless file transfer</a> needs.<br />
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KeepScreen, Tasker and many more, what is your favorite tool for controlling display timeout?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/CpcAunjwS7W">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-14062695336079970212014-08-15T00:25:00.000-07:002014-08-15T00:25:01.345-07:00You may know ZTE as that low-end phone maker, but they are actually a big deal!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XWkegJNQnQc/U-21gQHOxhI/AAAAAAAA8BI/4l2vuH7giTA/s1600/livepro-mobile.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XWkegJNQnQc/U-21gQHOxhI/AAAAAAAA8BI/4l2vuH7giTA/s1600/livepro-mobile.png" height="201" width="400" /></a></div>
I would like to make a confession: I knew that ZTE was a fairly large company, but I didn't realize it was this large! Fourth largest phone manufacturer <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/06/how-long-until-chinese-smartphone.html">around the globe</a> is not a trivial thing, and, as a major contributor to the LTE standards that keep us connected, make for a company that we should all respect.<br />
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I had originally titled the article "<a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/zte-past-present-future-2014-416204/" target="_blank">Why I think you should love ZTE, and their low-end phones.</a>" Those words resound strongly for me, as they sum up my realizations in researching ZTE and all they've done for the industry as a whole.<br />
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Bottom line, ZTE is a major phone manufacturer, whether you like their gear or not, they are out there. They shipped their five hundred millionth device last year, not bad, and are getting more and more into the Android game as they move along.<br />
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Be sure to hit my lengthy Android Authority post on the topic to get <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/zte-past-present-future-2014-416204/" target="_blank">all the gory details</a>.<br />
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At this stage of the game, I think the biggest thing is that <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/06/how-long-until-chinese-smartphone.html">ZTE finally 'gets it'</a>, as the article puts it. Sure, ZTE started out as a friend to the people, creating budget devices for under-developed markets, but their latest lines of high-end Android smartphones could take them to the next level.<br />
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Right now, going strictly by the devices available on store shelves, ZTE feels like they do not have a focus or a mission. They have so many phones out there that it is often hard to tell them all apart. In contrast, a vendor like Motorola currently has just three phones on the market (I'm generalizing here, just go with it,) the low-end Moto E, mid range <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Motorola%20Moto%20G">Moto G</a> and the 'flagship' <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Motorola%20Moto%20X">Moto X</a>.<br />
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Now, let's ignore that the <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/06/moto-g-on-sale-for-50-for-limited-time.html">Moto G</a> has been pitted against other high-end and flagship devices and stood strong, all while running specs that could even be classified as low-end. I just wanted to say again, I think the Moto G rocks! And now back to ZTE...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RXn_YBPJtho/U-2yEP0KihI/AAAAAAAA8A4/3Xsr1cgbw4k/s1600/GrandSPro-Mobile.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RXn_YBPJtho/U-2yEP0KihI/AAAAAAAA8A4/3Xsr1cgbw4k/s1600/GrandSPro-Mobile.png" height="322" width="640" /></a></div>
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ZTE has a few new devices coming, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/zte-past-present-future-2014-416204/" target="_blank">in the article I talk about the Grand S Pro</a>, which packs a good set of specs and can somewhat stand up to the now 6 month old flagships. Better than the Grand S Pro is the Nubia Z7, which does rock specs that should rival some of the best out there right now. It's a good start, ZTE just needs to put their efforts into a single flagship device, if they build it right, as they know how to do, I think they have the footing and exposure to really make a dent in the market. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dUXtD1JjFU/U-2yMAC8DsI/AAAAAAAA8BA/29DHHD4A8Fs/s1600/5G-LTE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dUXtD1JjFU/U-2yMAC8DsI/AAAAAAAA8BA/29DHHD4A8Fs/s1600/5G-LTE.jpg" height="372" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ignoring the handsets, ZTE holds more than 16,000 patents related to their gear and the LTE standards, with more than 50,000 patent applications filed, that number could grow as we move along. ZTE is committing a ton of resources into the upcoming 5G standards as well, so, if you do not already, it may just be time to cozy up with ZTE to help them form our future.<br />
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What do you say, is ZTE worth a second look and some customer loyalty, or is the sometimes poor build quality of their handsets just too big a detractor for you?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/LYcLMvh18ti">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-70956261172631103852014-08-13T13:28:00.003-07:002014-08-13T13:28:44.888-07:00Chromebook sales are up, PC sales down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UFKRq09XxxA/U8b5hIwsW8I/AAAAAAAA6v4/B6vyueb1S14/s1600/hp-chromebook-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UFKRq09XxxA/U8b5hIwsW8I/AAAAAAAA6v4/B6vyueb1S14/s1600/hp-chromebook-14.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
Look at that, just after I go out and <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/chromebooks-hp-chromebook-14.html">purchase</a> a <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/search/label/Chromebook">Chromebook</a> of my own, sales numbers for 2013 and first quarter 2014 are hitting the web. The results are straightforward, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/pc-drop-chromebook-rise-416782/" target="_blank">PC sales continue to decline and Chromebook sales are on track</a> to possibly double over last year.<br />
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Mixed into the numbers are some dramatic numbers out of the Microsoft camp, where the Surface division is reported to have accrued losses upwards of $2 billion in the last couple years.<br />
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As for the <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/hp-chromebook-14-touchpad.html">Chromebooks</a>, they clocked in for a little over 2 million unit sales last year, not bad, but they rang up over 1 million sales in the first quarter of this year alone, on track to 4 million then?<br />
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There is no doubt that mobile and Chromebooks are taking over the majority of sales these days, these numbers only prove it.<br />
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I put together a rather lengthy <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/pc-drop-chromebook-rise-416782/" target="_blank">post on the topic over on Android Authority</a>, in which I discuss the industry, parts providers, such as <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/08/nvidia-64-bit-tegra-k1-processor.html">Intel processors</a> and more.<br />
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The funny thing here is that we keep saying 'mobile' is taking over, while Microsoft's Surface line of devices are themselves tablets. Rather nice 10-inch range tablets, if I do say so. I suppose they have two things going against them, first, they are pricey. Very pricey. Second, they run <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2010/01/lets-all-take-xp-to-farm.html">Windows</a>. Now, while Windows is not entirely a turn off for many, this new Windows 8/8.1 deviates from the typical interface so much that I believe users are confused and don't want to bother.<br />
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I can't say I've spent enough time with the Metro interface (yeah, I went there) to truly understand it, but I can say that it took me 15 minutes the other day to help a user open an email attachment. At that, I ended up renaming the file extension and opening the file as an XML doc in an HTML viewer. What?!? Proprietary email attachment files, thanks MS, my user doesn't want to purchase Office just for this once in a year need.<br />
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Cool down there me. OK, back to the numbers. Microsoft Surface tablet is for some reason being considered a laptop, it's <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/pc-drop-chromebook-rise-416782/" target="_blank">loosing money big time</a> but still rolling and Chromebooks are doing very well for themselves. While I do not wish ill for any company, I have no love lost on the new Microsoft. I miss the days of Vista and Windows 7. Sure, they were boring, but they were predictable and stable, at least from a user perspective.<br />
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What do you think can a Chromebook satisfy your computing needs?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/7MbSREibs5Q">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-84635354475946833202014-08-12T16:14:00.001-07:002014-08-12T16:14:21.541-07:00Nvidia 64-bit Tegra K1 processor information released<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OiO3GPeyCAo/U-qfIhOTEQI/AAAAAAAA7-0/Mz4zfxcVzIQ/s1600/Denver-Hot-Chips-TK1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OiO3GPeyCAo/U-qfIhOTEQI/AAAAAAAA7-0/Mz4zfxcVzIQ/s1600/Denver-Hot-Chips-TK1.png" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
The next generation of mobile devices is looking to be a powerful adventure in computing. Nvidia has just released a good bunch of information about their upcoming <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/nvidia-64-bit-tegra-k1-info-416654/" target="_blank">64-bit Tegra K1 processor</a>. If you've been following the news, you may know this processor as the beast expected in the upcoming Nexus 8 tablet.<br />
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So, what's all the hype? Before I get into the details, let's just say that Nvidia is all but promising the 64-bit Tegra K1 to produce PC-like performance. That's right, your next mobile device will have as much computing horsepower as a similarly spec'd laptop or desktop computer.<br />
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Best of all, all of this horsepower will be available to you requiring no more power to perform as your current Android powered phone or tablet.<br />
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Nvidia is building the 64-bit Tegra K1 specifically for tablets, but we're sure it will find its way to phones as well, eventually.<br />
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Head on into my Android Authority post to <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/nvidia-64-bit-tegra-k1-info-416654/" target="_blank">learn more about the processor</a> and subsequent chipsets.<br />
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I would like to note that Nvidia made a very smart move by building the new 64-bit Tegra K1 processor, with "Denver" cores, to be completely pin compatible with the 32-bit K1 processor. This means that vendors that have been building already for the 192 pin configuration at 32-bit can basically just swap parts to upgrade to the 64-bit version.<br />
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Nvidia impressed us with their first round of Tegra processors, truly stepping it up with the Tegra 3 that went into the fist <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/will-nexus-6-actually-be-6-inch-device.html">Nexus</a> 7 tablet. I have to say, I am still using my Nexus 7 on a daily basis, I have no complaints for its performance nor battery life as far as the processor goes.<br />
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What do you think, is 64-bit processing necessary to bring our mobile devices to the next level?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/gvm1ZmrReks">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-28373713683895013522014-08-11T14:40:00.000-07:002014-08-11T14:40:23.750-07:00Canada may soon be home to another smartphone manufacturer, Yota Devices<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pfnSe5PnBQQ/U-k38ql3RUI/AAAAAAAA78Q/KySRWC1BVKc/s1600/yotaphone-2nd-gen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pfnSe5PnBQQ/U-k38ql3RUI/AAAAAAAA78Q/KySRWC1BVKc/s1600/yotaphone-2nd-gen.jpg" height="272" width="400" /></a></div>
Like it or not, BlackBerry is not doing so well as a company and, if nothing changes soon, destined for complete failure. I am not here to suggest that BlackBerry is doomed for failure, just that they've never impressed me and have been shedding good employees for several years now.<br />
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The great news here is that <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/yota-devices-canada-416042/" target="_blank">Yota Devices</a>, maker of the dual-display YotaPhone, is reportedly looking to move to town and get those good people back to work.<br />
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YotaPhone, as I mentioned, has two displays, one on each side. What you see in the image above is the second generation YotaPhone equipped with e-ink on one side and a 5-inch AMOLED panel on the other. In all other regards, this is a mid-range Android phone by today's standards, due to ship by the end of the year.<br />
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Coincidentally, Yota Devices is reported to be on track to move their headquarters from Moscow, Russia, to either Toronto or Waterloo, Ontario by the end of the year as well.<br />
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If you would like <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/yota-devices-canada-416042/" target="_blank">more info on the company, the phone or the move</a>, please head over to me Android Authority post on the topic.<br />
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People seem to have impassioned mixed feelings on the YotaPhone. Some thing this is the best idea, well, ever, while others believe that e-ink is a fad that needs to have perished already. Truth is, the e-ink display affords amazing visibility in direct sunlight, super efficient battery consumption and is much easier on the eyes when reading lengthy articles or books. If these are characteristics that appeal to you, then you may just want to check out this device.<br />
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How do you feel about having two displays on one device?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/YzbFA6hXB83">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-77976158727912402572014-08-08T13:35:00.000-07:002014-08-08T13:35:16.708-07:00WiFi File Transfer Pro - transfer files between your computer and your Android device with no wires<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7q6QVmzQfB4/U-Uz8lxb02I/AAAAAAAA7uQ/5D4pSog0Fns/s1600/Android-Customization-WiFi-File-Transfer-Pro+-+Edited.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7q6QVmzQfB4/U-Uz8lxb02I/AAAAAAAA7uQ/5D4pSog0Fns/s1600/Android-Customization-WiFi-File-Transfer-Pro+-+Edited.png" height="153" width="400" /></a></div>
When it comes to transferring files between your Android devices and your desktop and laptop computers, there are a number of great tools out there. One of my favorite, and most reliable, is called <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/wifi-file-transfer-pro-414872/" target="_blank">WiFi File Transfer Pro</a>.<br />
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WiFi File Transfer Pro costs a <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smarterdroid.wififiletransferpro" target="_blank">little over $1 in the Google Play Store</a>, but I believe it is totally worth it. There is also a <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smarterdroid.wififiletransfer" target="_blank">free version</a>, it has all the same functionality, it just comes with a 5MB file size limit.<br />
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I've talked briefly about WiFi File Transfer Pro before, it was covered in my brainstorming article on <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2013/12/transferring-files-on-android-using_13.html">transferring files wirelessly</a>, but it was slightly overshadowed by <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/05/es-file-explorer-and-huge-microsd-cards.html">ES File Explorer</a> and how to use <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2013/12/android-as-ftp-client-or-server.html">ES as an FTP server</a>.<br />
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Check out my Android Authority post for <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/wifi-file-transfer-pro-414872/" target="_blank">the full step-by-step on using WiFi File Transfer Pro</a> to get files to and from your Android device.<br />
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Many of the readers over there immediately responded with mention of ES File Explorer and the WiFi direct app called SuperBeam. Now, I've talked about <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2013/12/es-file-explorer-file-manager.html">ES File Explorer before</a>, so keep your eyes peeled for SuperBeam infor and tutorials coming later.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y4HOyXylhdw/U-Uzf2of3sI/AAAAAAAA7uI/i8oIPgwBClY/s1600/WiFi-File-Transfer-Pro-Media-Gallery.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y4HOyXylhdw/U-Uzf2of3sI/AAAAAAAA7uI/i8oIPgwBClY/s1600/WiFi-File-Transfer-Pro-Media-Gallery.png" height="222" width="640" /></a></div>
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As for WiFi File Transfer Pro, I use it almost daily. Whether I am just pushing over screenshots of individual files that I do not want in my <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/06/private-government-network-has-speeds.html">cloud storage space</a>, or setting up a new machine or factory reset, I use WiFi File Transfer to handle the tasks.<br />
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If you do not know the pains of file transfers, than don't feel bad about not feeling this app and tutorial, it was not really made for you then. But for those of us that often transfer files, and perhaps run Linux and <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/chromebooks-hp-chromebook-14.html">Chrome OS computers</a> that do not have local applications for file transfers already, this is the tool we've been looking for.<br />
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What do you think - obviously, Airdroid is more fun, ES File Explorer has more features, but is WiFi File Transfer Pro in your arsenal of Android tools?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/Nnhen18VphB">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-7973486057303897732014-08-07T15:31:00.000-07:002014-08-07T15:33:46.978-07:00Google will now take you to the Moon, and Mars, if you know how to ask<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dfrrR2vZSDA/U-P992_aQ5I/AAAAAAAA7mw/wEMf2ThXBKE/s1600/Google-Earth-Maps-Moon-Mars.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dfrrR2vZSDA/U-P992_aQ5I/AAAAAAAA7mw/wEMf2ThXBKE/s1600/Google-Earth-Maps-Moon-Mars.png" height="192" width="400" /></a></div>
A long, long time ago, in a computer near you, you may have had Google Earth installed and used it to explore the Moon. Google is bringing that now to almost all of us, regardless our installed operating system and applications, through the <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/preview" target="_blank">Google Maps website</a>. If the Moon is not enough, let's explore Mars as well.<br />
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Immediately, we dream of having street view of the planets, but the NASA Mars Rover has not yest returned enough imagery that Google can get it's hands on it for our pleasure. That's ok, there is still some amazing imagery available, you can zoom in an impressive amount in your attempts to find the perfect valley to live in.<br />
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Head on over to <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/maps-moon-mars-414452/" target="_blank">my Android Authority post for the particulars</a>.<br />
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Keeping it simple, get yourself into the new <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/google-using-your-data-to-help-you.html">Google Maps</a> on your desktop computer or laptop, select the Google Earth view and zoom out. Keeping zooming. A little more. Now you have the entire globe in view, hey look, you can see what parts of the world are in the Sun right now. Cool.<br />
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Keep a look out at the very bottom of the screen, there is an Explore bar that usually houses images in the area, but now the Moon and Mars pop up. Simply click your preference and begin your space voyage.<br />
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What's it going to be, the Moon or Mars first?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/Cdu2axkCT99">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-25775738939094422532014-08-06T14:25:00.000-07:002014-08-06T14:29:53.604-07:00Google improves your security, adds SSL to Chrome Extensions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Google has improved security but ensuring your connection from your Android device all the way to the browser on your computer is secured using normal HTTPS connections. Specifically, Google has added TLS/SSL to their chrome.sockets API.<br />
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You may be wondering if all Chrome extensions are secure or not, and for the most part, I think you will find that they are. Standard websockets have been in play for years, and they are fully SSL compliant. This news simply provides developers an alternative, Google-built for Google-products, tool to secure Chrome extensions.<br />
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Head on over to my Android Authority <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/google-ssl-chrome-extension-413304/" target="_blank">discussion of this topic if you'd like a bit more details</a>, or to see how developers might use this new tool.<br />
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In my article, I use the app, Chrome extension and killer service Pushbullet to explain how it all works. Pushbullet is a great service that, if nothing else, allows you to view notifications from your Android device right on your computer screen.<br />
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In the next evolution of Pushbullet usage, you can push files, messages, web links and more back and forth between not only all of your devices, but the devices of your friends that have granted you access to do so.<br />
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But wait, there's more! Pushbullet can tie into other apps and services, primary of which, for me, is <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/huge-update-to-tasker-is-rolling-out.html">Tasker</a>. Oh, there's that <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/how-to-use-nfc-tags-to-fire-off-tasker.html">Tasker</a> again. Pushbullet is established as a Plugin to <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/custom-tasker-sleep-mode-automatically.html">Tasker</a> allowing you to perform Tasks on your device by pushing things to it, or have your Android device push things to your other machines based on actions that happen that <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/05/tasker-and-zooper-widget-integration.html">Tasker</a> captures and acts upon.<br />
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One more thing, Pushbullet has a public API for developing your own websites and extensions, I have a secret project in mind, it'll take me some time, but stay tuned to see how it goes.<br />
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Back on track, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/google-ssl-chrome-extension-413304/" target="_blank">Google has secured Chrome extensions</a>, is that a big deal for you?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/DqFPB3k5Rik">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-8776701387007767752014-08-05T11:42:00.000-07:002014-08-05T11:42:34.389-07:00Humble Mobile Bundle 6 is out - the best way to get great Android games and give to charity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today, Humble Mobile Bundle 6 was launched, the bundle comes with six <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/08/google-play-store-sale-games-up-to-85.html">Android games</a>, you get the first three no matter what price you pay, but if you pay more than the average, you'll get in on three more games, plus have access to any additional games that may be added to the bundle later in the two week offering.<br />
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<a href="http://humblebundle.com/" target="_blank">Humble Bundle</a> has a great thing going, they've been selling bundles of games, books, comics and more for a couple years now. For each bundle you purchase, you get to decide not only the price that you wish to pay, but how that money is split up. If, you wanted every last penny to go to charity, just move the sliders, but by default, charity gets some, a little goes to the developer of the game/comic/book and a tip goes to Humble Bundle themselves, just enough to keep the lights on and continue to provide us these awesome bundles.<br />
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Head on over to my Android Authority post for <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/humble-mobile-bundle-6-413990/" target="_blank">more details and a different perspective on the games</a> and of Humble Bundle itself.<br />
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Humble Mobile Bundle 6 is exciting for me. The game developer Crescent Moon Games has an app in the bundle called Mines of Mars. While I've never heard of Mines of Mars (MoM?) before, I am an absolute huge fan of Ravensword: Shadowlands, which I also got in a Humble Bundle a while back. I mean, where else do you get to defend yourself from wart hogs, polar bears giant spiders and T-Rex all in one game?<br />
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Back to the bundle. Pay anything and you get:<br />
<ul>
<li>Elliss Infinity</li>
<li>Duet Premium</li>
<li>Combo Crew Special Edition</li>
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But if you pay more than the running average, currently just over $6, you also get your hands on:<br />
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<li>Threes!</li>
<li>Mines of Mars</li>
<li>Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf</li>
</ul>
More games will be added later, so be sure to pay more than average to get in there on the whole package. </div>
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Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some games to test out. Be sure to let me know in the comments below if you would like me to specifically review any of the games listed, otherwise, be sure I'll talk about any that prove to be standout offerings.<br />
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Do any of these games look good to you? How do you feel about the <a href="http://humblebundle.com/" target="_blank">Humble Bundle</a> 'pay what you will' model for media distribution?<br />
<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/CFvKqHqEd6p">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-82023805800053932392014-08-04T10:00:00.000-07:002014-08-04T12:35:07.502-07:00Samsung Galaxy Note 4 coming soon - Update: September 3rd is official<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This could be the biggest phone of the year! Samsung looks <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-note-4-launch-412636/" target="_blank">set to launch the Galaxy Note 4</a> on September 3rd in Germany, just a few days before this years IFA technology fair in the same place.<br />
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Samsung has seen a major drop in sales so far this year. This may be because many users are gradually considering the world's largest phone manufacturer to be a producer of cheap plastic, knock-offs or even thoughtless devices in every conceivable configuration hoping to be everything to everyone. This poor opinion of the brand has been present in discussion around almost every Samsung device with the exception of the Note line.<br />
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Despite the original Samsung Galaxy Note taking flak for being too big, and not breaking any sales records, it was rarely spoken of with negativity. This has held through to the current Note 3, which is a nearly 6-inch device that is beloved by those that use it.<br />
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Head on over to my Android Authority post if you want to see <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-note-4-launch-412636/" target="_blank">what is expected of the Note 4</a>, otherwise, let me summarize below.<br />
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The Galaxy Note 4 does not look to stray from the fundamentals of the Note line. A 5.7-inch display gets a bump to QHD resolution, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/note-4-curved-display-or-not-392994/" target="_blank">perhaps with a curved display</a> configuration as well, but that is yet to be seen. The remaining specs are impressive, but realistically considered a natural progression of the technology. It should be noted that early AnTuTu benchmarks have seen the Exynos 5433 BIG.little configuration score more than forty thousand points, and that while clocked at just 1.3GHz. That's an impressive score compared to the mid-thirty thousand point scores achieved by the current line of flagship devices.<br />
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So, what we have here is a large form factor smart phone, equipped with the best hardware that can reasonably be produced today. Users can expect great things from this device, especially since, in my opinion, Samsung needs to focus on this device and make it a feasible purchase for all users. Sure, it is a premium phone, and will be priced as such, but I think it would do them well to price it competitively, especially compared to the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-s5-gear-2-fit-videos-355432/" target="_blank">Galaxy S5</a>.<br />
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I believe that the Note line should, and could, be Samsung's flagship line. There is too much bad blood around the S5, and users need help to forget about the many poor offerings that haven't stuck. The big question now, is Samsung risking failure by rushing the Note 4 to market. Sure, they need to compete with new iPhone offerings due in the same month, but to rush, and ruin, the Note 4, would be a major disservice to their image at a time when they need something good.<br />
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Don't screw it up, Samsung!<br />
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Where do you sit on this matter, is the <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-note-4-launch-412636/" target="_blank">Note 4</a>, and Note lineup altogether, too large of a device for your needs? <br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/Sdx3HkZpDxh">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598685307622742305.post-54658667525887808392014-08-02T11:22:00.000-07:002014-08-02T11:22:55.940-07:00IFTTT - If This Then That is an automation web service that has migrated to Android<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oZzY-9q--jM/U9wSTdCWaZI/AAAAAAAA7Lc/Zsg9T1-hlpA/s1600/IFTT-Promo-and-Recipe-Description.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oZzY-9q--jM/U9wSTdCWaZI/AAAAAAAA7Lc/Zsg9T1-hlpA/s1600/IFTT-Promo-and-Recipe-Description.png" height="225" width="400" /></a>IFTTT is not exactly a <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/use-tasker-to-control-your-android.html">Tasker</a> killer, but it is pretty slick in its own right. If This Then That is its name, and how it operates. Create recipes for your favorite online tasks and more based on a simple If This happens, Then do That. You can see an example in the image, when you post new images to Instagram, <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/ifttt-feed-notifications-412088/" target="_blank">IFTTT</a> can automatically get a copy of them into your Dropbox account.<br />
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I've spent a lot of time working with Tasker to automate many of the systems on my Android devices. I've also spent a good amount of time working with IFTTT through the web interface to streamline my online world. It is only recent that IFTTT released their Android app, introducing their own set of <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/tag/Android-Customization/" target="_blank">Android customization</a> tools.<br />
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Like I said, IFTTT is no <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/07/custom-tasker-sleep-mode-automatically.html">Tasker</a> killer. The tools are pretty simple, you can collect incoming calls and SMS, work off of images and screenshots, trigger notifications and a few other tricks. <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2014/05/tasker-and-zooper-widget-integration.html">Tasker</a> goes way beyond these few limited tasks, but IFTTT is still pretty powerful.<br />
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Head on over to <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/ifttt-feed-notifications-412088/" target="_blank">my IFTTT tutorial on Android Authority</a> to see a recipe in action.<br />
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I show you how to take an RSS feed and trigger an Android notification when a new post arrives. Truth told, I show you how specifically to get notifications for just my <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/tag/Android-Customization/" target="_blank">Android customization</a> posts on the Android Authority website, but the steps are easy enough to understand for any keyphrase on any RSS feed.<br />
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If you guys are interested, sound off in the comments below and I can put together something to show you more of the Android functionality in IFTTT. Otherwise, we'll just stick with <a href="http://www.androidpenguinlife.com/2013/12/tasker-for-android-basic-volume-changer.html">Tasker</a> for our Android needs. That said, perhaps I'll revisit IFTTT for their online resources, which are many and can seriously improve your online experience.<br />
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What is the best thing you have used IFTTT for?<br />
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<div class="g-post" data-href="https://plus.google.com/114298483458899933963/posts/2woEJgHyP42">
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JonathanFeisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05676810636769955932noreply@blogger.com0