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Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed has finally launched worldwide

It has definitely been a long time coming for this worldwide release. Over a month ago I wrote up a piece about Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed having had a soft launch in a few limited regions. Well, today gamers around the world can download the latest offering of this well-known slash 'em up franchise.

Brought to us by the ignominious developer Nexon Company, Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed is undoubtedly a free-to-play title.

Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed has finally launched worldwide was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 11:14 PM No comments

Android O feature spotlight: Android tells you if an app is displaying a screen overlay

Being able to run apps that draw on top of other apps is a powerful feature of Android. Apps like Twilight take advantage of that to add a filter to the display, but other apps just show a floating UI element. However, this can also be a security concern. Android O offers a handy alert when an app is showing an overlay with a link to turn it off.

Whenever you start an app with an active screen overlay, Android O generates a notification that tells you "[App] displaying on top." This notification is collapsed into a single line, but you can expand it for more detail.

Android O feature spotlight: Android tells you if an app is displaying a screen overlay was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 10:29 PM No comments

5 tips for indie game success, from indie game developers

Posted by Sarah Thomson, BD Partnerships Lead, Indies, Google Play Games

Mobile gaming is a fun place to be right now. It's a landscape seeing tremendous success year after year with great potential for additional growth and innovation. It's also a space where developers can express themselves with creative game styles, mechanics, design and more. This is what the indie community does best.

Here are 5 tips for indies by indies, shared by our gaming partners at 505 Games, About Fun, Disruptor Beam, Klei Entertainment, and Schell Games.

1. Embrace being indie

Indies are inherently smaller operations and should embrace their agility and ability to take risks. Petr Vodak, CEO at About Fun, recommends getting your product out there so you can start taking feedback and apply your learnings to future projects. Don't be afraid to fail! Remaining flexible and building in modularity so you can evolve with the business needs is a strategy embraced by Pete Arden, CMO at Disruptor Beam. For instance, with their game Star Trek Timelines, the initial user experience was tailored to avid Star Trek fans. Over time, as user acquisition costs increased, they've changed the new player experience to appeal to their evolving user base of gamers looking for a fun entertainment experience and less the specific Star Trek IP.

2. Find a way to stand out

To help stand out in the ultra competitive mobile space, Jesse Schell, CEO of Schell Games, recommends doing something clever or very different. This strategy has led them to explore the growth areas of new platforms such as AR & VR. While new platforms present a field for opportunity and creativity, they're best to be approached with the long term in mind allowing you to sustain the business until critical mass is reached.

3. Build a community

There are many ways to build communities. If you have an existing fan base on other platforms, cross-promote to drive awareness of your mobile offerings. You can also look at porting titles over, but be aware of the differences in mobile gaming habits and ensure you adapt your game accordingly.

4. Engage after install

Both 505 Games and Klei Entertainment recommend running your premium titles as a service. Through monitoring user reviews you can gain invaluable feedback and trends helping you better understand user pain points and desires. In addition, by releasing regular content updates and in-game events you create reason for users to get back in the game. This not only drives reengagement, but 505 Games also sees strong spikes in new installs aligned with major game updates.

5. Monetize in different ways

Similar strategy to above, dropping regular content refreshes and game updates while offering a variety of monetization options gives users more ways to engage with your game. Keeping your games fresh gives users reason to come back and builds loyalty so you can cross-promote to your users with future game launches.

If you're looking for a fun new game to play, check out the great selection on Indie Corner on Google Play. And if you're working on a new indie game of your own, nominate your title for inclusion.

Watch more sessions from Google Developer Day at GDC17 on the Android Developers YouTube channel to learn tips for success. Visit the Android Developers website to stay up-to-date with features and best practices that will help you grow a successful business on Google Play.

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Android Developers Blog 10:27 PM No comments

T-Mobile ONEsie launches for $40

Wearables are still a big focus for companies, from smartwatches to fitness accessories. And now T-Mobile has really gone all-in with the idea.

It’s the T-Mobile ONEsie, and, yes, it’s real. This is one part April Fool’s Day joke and one part an actual thing you can buy and put on your body. As you can see from the image, it’s a giant onesie, it’s magenta in color (to match the Uncarrier’s signature shade), and T-Mobile says it is designed “for a relaxed fit and runs slightly large.” And you can have it for $40.

The commercial that T-Mobile put together has the ONEsie doing a lot of things, like working as a mobile hotspot and monitoring all your exercises. However, none of those things are actually part of the ONEsie. You do get two front pockets and a sleeve pocket for your smartphone, though,

T-Mobile also notes that orders for the ONEsie placed between March 31 and April 6 will begin shipping on April 7.

So, welcome to the April Fool’s Day weekend celebration, apparently. Who’s buying a $40 T-Mobile ONEsie?

Android and Me 9:26 PM No comments

Time Warner will offer classic cartoon addicts an ad-free Boomerang subscription for $5 a month this spring

Update 1: 2017/03/31 6:59am PDT
The Boomerang app has released in an early access form in the Play Store. Subscribers can get a 7-day free trial if they sign up for the $4.99/month plan or

If were lucky enough to have cable TV back in the 90s (and you were around the right age and/or state of mind) you probably remember countless hours of Cartoon Network. The fledgling channel was nothing less than a classical education in the golden age of Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera shows.

Time Warner will offer classic cartoon addicts an ad-free Boomerang subscription for $5 a month this spring was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 9:04 PM No comments

Gmail adds GBoard keyboard GIF support

Plenty of apps have been updated recently to add a feature wanted by every meme lover and person who finds emojis dull and can't express themselves with anything less than an animation: GIF keyboard support. The latest to join the fold is Gmail.

You can now search for the GIF your heart desires and insert it right from your keyboard without having to mess with third-party apps. Of course, for this to work, you will need a keyboard that offers GIF insertion like Google's own GBoard.

Gmail adds GBoard keyboard GIF support was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 6:19 PM No comments

Android Pay v1.19 prepares to show full transaction histories even when Pay isn't used, adding support for Nanaco cards in Japan soon [APK Teardown]

Android Pay v1.19 began rolling out last night, but like many of the its recent updates, there aren't any obvious new features to see after updating. However, a teardown of the app does show there are a few things in the works, or maybe even ready to launch in the near future. Supported cards will soon allow Android Pay to show full transaction history, even if the purchase was made outside of Android Pay.

Android Pay v1.19 prepares to show full transaction histories even when Pay isn't used, adding support for Nanaco cards in Japan soon [APK Teardown] was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 5:59 PM No comments

YouTube app is testing another revamp that makes comments both more and less prominent

Out of all the Google apps that receive server-side changes, YouTube is one of the most prominent examples. It seems like YouTube is always experimenting with some sort of revamp, whether the changes be large or small. In this case, the changes are rather large; the comments section, which has been made a pop-up instead of a permanent part of the UI, now has an icon alongside the 'like' and 'dislike' functions.

YouTube app is testing another revamp that makes comments both more and less prominent was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 2:54 PM No comments

The new Samsung Gear 360 records 4K and works with iPhones

The Samsung Gear 360 was an interesting addition to Samsung’s accessory lineup. It was a 360-degree camera that worked with Samsung flagships and could take both photos and videos of everything around you.

This year the Gear 360 gets an upgrade. The new generation now offers 4K video recording at 24 FPS, 15MP photos, live streaming support, and an upgraded design with a grip.

Shockingly, the device is also getting iPhone compatibility. On top of compatibility with the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, and Galaxy S6 edge+, it will work with the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, and SE if they’re running iOS 10. Even stranger is that it Samsung hasn’t said if it will work with any Android devices outside the Samsung ecosystem.

If you own a compatible device, this could be a neat accessory to go along with it. Unfortunately, we don’t yet know how much it will cost. Hopefully it will be less than the previous generation device, which retailed for $350.

Android and Me 6:36 AM No comments

Samsung announces DeX dock pre-orders for $150

The Samsung DeX dock is an intriguing accessory for the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+. The phone inserts into the dock via USB Type-C and is transformed into a PC of sorts.

The dock features two USB ports, an HDMI port, a USB Type-C port for power, and an Ethernet port to give you the full PC setup with keyboard and mouse. There’s also a fan behind the phone to keep it cool. With the DeX interface open, you can open multiple apps in different windows as well as access a virtual desktop of your main computer.

The dock is now up for pre-order for $149.99 and will launch late April, probably around the same time as the S8 itself. Samsung isn’t the first to try something like this (the Motorola Atrix comes to mind), but it might be the first to make a successful product. What do you think of the DeX? Will you be picking one up? Leave a comment!

Android and Me 4:36 AM No comments

Google App v6.16 beta prepares to add authentication to purchases with Assistant, video previews in search results, and more [APK Teardown]

A new version of the Google app began rolling out earlier this week, but there don't appear to be any major changes going live quite yet. However, this version does bring some big clues about upcoming changes. On the docket for this teardown is a new authentication step for purchases made through Google Assistant, video previews in search results, user-defined actions take form through IFTTT, and some people will be happy to find out that Google's launcher won't always add icons for newly installed apps.

Google App v6.16 beta prepares to add authentication to purchases with Assistant, video previews in search results, and more [APK Teardown] was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 3:44 AM No comments

Android Wear 2.0 rollout delayed to fix bugs

Back in early February, Google announced the upcoming rollout of Android Wear 2.0 to a number of available smartwatches. However, not many devices actually received that update.

The reason for that delay has finally been revealed. Google has confirmed to Wareable that it discovered a bug in the final stages of testing the Android Wear 2.0 update. As a result, Google is delaying the final rollout to address and fix the issue. However, it’s worth noting that the Fossil Q Founder, TAG Heuer Connected, and the Casio Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 are now getting the Android Wear 2.0 update, despite the delay.

Here is Google’s statement on the matter:

“We have started rolling out the Android Wear 2.0 update to Fossil Q Founder, Casio Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 and Tag Heuer Connected. For other devices, the update is currently being delayed due to a bug found in final testing. We will push the update to the remaining devices as soon as the issue is resolved.”

There are plenty of new additions to Android Wear 2.0, many of which make the update a worthwhile one for those who are running a compatible smartwatch. While the delay isn’t the best news, hopefully it doesn’t last too long.

Android and Me 2:26 AM No comments

Samsung Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition comes with extra apps

Yesterday, Samsung officially announced its newest pair of flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

To capitalize on the new devices, Microsoft is going to sell its own variant of the GS8 called, appropriately, the Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition. As far as specifications go, the Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition is the same as the regular version being sold by Samsung.

There are some new additions to the GS8 Microsoft Edition. That includes the Microsoft Office suite of apps, like Word, Excel, OneDrive, OneNote, Skype, Groove Music, MSN News, Outlook, Bing, and more. Microsoft is also throwing in Cortana in the mix as well, which means owners will be able to select Microsoft’s digital personal assistant right out of the box.

The customization options will be available on the devices after they are taken out of the box and first connected to WiFi. From there, the custom software and extra apps will be downloaded and installed. Microsoft will put most of these apps on the home screen after installation, and apparently will also include “additional accessibility” to apps like Wunderlist, LinkedIn, and other apps.

Pre-orders for the Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition are already open at Microsoft retail stores in the United States, and the device will launch on April 21, just like the standard Galaxy S8.

Do you plan on picking up the Microsoft Edition of the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+, or do they have too many pre-installed Microsoft apps?

Android and Me 2:26 AM No comments

The CrossOver Preview for Android now supports Office 2013, multi-window, and more

CodeWeavers is well-known for its CrossOver software, which allows some Windows programs to run on Mac and Linux. Back in August of last year, the company released a preview of CrossOver for Android, designed for Chromebooks with the Play Store and x86-based Android devices. Now CodeWeavers has released an update to the Preview, bringing several major improvements.

Firstly, the new Preview adds support for Microsoft Office 2013 and Steam, along with all the other improvements that WINE 2.0 adds (CrossOver is based on WINE).

The CrossOver Preview for Android now supports Office 2013, multi-window, and more was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 1:59 AM No comments

From the Cut the Rope devs, CATS: Crash Arena Turbo Stars is up for pre-registration

It feels as though it has been a while since we have seen a new release from the Cut the Rope developer ZeptoLab. Well, today there is some movement on the Play Store with a pre-registration going live for their newest game CATS: Crash Arena Turbo Stars.

What is known so far is that this will be a PvP focused game where you build your own robots to then wage war against your friends, family, and internet strangers.

From the Cut the Rope devs, CATS: Crash Arena Turbo Stars is up for pre-registration was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 1:59 AM No comments

Usernames no longer count against the 140 character limit on Twitter

There was some consternation last year as rumors swirled that Twitter was set to drop its long-standing 140-character limit. The company ended up keeping the limit, but it's been working to make sure you can actually use all 140-characters. For example, Twitter decreed a while back that photos and videos no longer count against the limit. Now, it's doing the same for usernames. Finally.

To understand why this is a big deal, consider the following scenario: You reply to someone on Twitter, then a different person jumps in with a reply, and another person replies after that.

Usernames no longer count against the 140 character limit on Twitter was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 1:39 AM No comments

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ Microsoft Edition Announced

Yes, what you’re about to read is real life. Microsoft just announced it will start taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition. Interested customers will be able to grab the phone starting with April 21 from brick-and-mortar Microsoft Stores in the US.

While details about the exact level of customization we should expect to see on the two phones are pretty scarce at the moment, it seems quite likely Microsoft is going to offer these phones with a bunch of its proprietary apps pre-installed including Office, OneDrive, Cortana, Outlook and more.

Microsoft also announced the prices for two phones. The Galaxy S8 will retail for approximately $995 CAD ($749), while the Galaxy S8+ will go on sale with a $1,128 CAD ($849) price-tag attached to it. It’s unknown whether the Redmond giant will expand availability of the phones beyond the US or not.

Microsoft and Samsung have had a close partnership for the last years. Back in 2016 at CES the two companies pulled the wraps off the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S tablet which run Windows 10 out of the box.

Samsung is not the only Android OEM playing nice with Microsoft. For example, the Xiaomi Mi MIX also ships with pre-installed Microsoft apps.

The post Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ Microsoft Edition Announced appeared first on Android in Canada Blog.

Android in Canada Blog 1:38 AM No comments

Samsung Galaxy S8 from Freedom Mobile is Coming

The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ were announced yesterday and naturally the Android world is in awe. You’re probably quite excited to get your hands on one of the two devices too, even though they will certainly not come cheap.

Shaw-owned Freedom Mobile has confirmed the Galaxy S8 will be compatible with the its own Band 66 LTE. Back in November, Freedom Mobile went through a few changes. First off it re-branded, changing its name from Wind Mobile to Freedom Mobile and also launched its own LTE network. However, the carrier only operates in Ontario, Alberta and B.C, at the moment.

Given that Band 66 LTE is not widely deployed worldwide, there are currently only a handful of compatible devices in Canada including the LG V20, ZTE Grand X 4, Samsung Galaxy A5 and LG G6. Since Freedom Mobile was quick to add the new LG G6 to its portfolio, it doesn’t surprise us the carrier confirmed it will be offering the Galaxy S8 soon enough.

We’re yet to find out whether both the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will become available for purchase from Freedom Mobile and for exactly which prices. However, as soon as we find out more, we will let you know.

The post Samsung Galaxy S8 from Freedom Mobile is Coming appeared first on Android in Canada Blog.

Android in Canada Blog 1:38 AM No comments

Facebook introduces personal fundraisers for medical, education, and other needs

Raising awareness for a cause, and also raising money to help that cause, is something Facebook wants to be a part of. The social network has unveiled personal fundraisers to help with that initiative.

Facebook says that personal fundraisers will initially be available in beta form, rolling out to users that are 18 years old and older in the United States over the next several weeks. With this new feature, Facebook users will be able to raise money for themselves, friends, family members, or others that might not be on Facebook at all.

Personal Fundraisers are available in several specific categories, and require a 24-hour review process. Here are the covered categories for now:

Education: such as tuition, books or classroom supplies
Medical: such as medical procedures, treatments or injuries
Pet Medical: such as veterinary procedures, treatments or injuries
Crisis Relief: such as public crises or natural disasters
Personal Emergency: such as a house fire, theft or car accident
Funeral and Loss: such as burial expenses or living costs after losing a loved one

Facebook says it is aiming to automate “more of the review process” and that it plans on expanding to more categories in the future. On top of that, Facebook is also adding a “Donate” button to verified Facebook pages, so that users can donate immediately to a cause while watching a Facebook Live video.

Android and Me 12:26 AM No comments

Twitter usernames no longer count against character limit

Twitter has been steadfast in keeping its 140-character limit in place, but at the same time making changes to to help prevent users from going over that limit.

In September of last year, the social network rolled out changes that saw the 140-character limit no longer impacted by photos, videos, GIFs, and more, which meant more content for users to share. And now Twitter is making another change.

Today Twitter announced that it will no longer count usernames against a tweet’s 140-character limit. Replying to an individual, or including multiple usernames in a group tweet, will no longer see the usernames take up space for your message.

Twitter is also simplifying conversations, making it so that the usernames now appear above the text in a tweet rather than part of the tweet’s text. There will be a new “Replying to…” that users can select, which will make it easier to control who is part of the conversation at hand. Reading tweets should be easier in general as well, as they won’t include a ton of “@usernames” in the mix.

Twitter says the new changes are rolling out beginning today on Twitter’s website, as well as the official Android and iOS apps.

What do you think of this latest change?

Android and Me 12:26 AM No comments

Gangstar New Orleans OpenWorld is celebrating Mardi Gras a little late with its official release

You have to love Gameloft's persistence. A company that exists solely to bring generic copies of popular games to mobile, their new game Gangstar New Orleans Open looks to fill the shoes of the wildly more popular Grand Theft Auto franchise. Despite GTA already having numerous releases on Android, Gameloft is still going to try and compete in the market with their inevitably half-hearted attempt.

At least the narrator of the video pronounced New Orleans correctly despite their ridiculous accent.

Gangstar New Orleans OpenWorld is celebrating Mardi Gras a little late with its official release was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 11:44 PM No comments

Top 10 New Android Games This Week: Crash of Cars, Temple Jump

Welcome back to Android Gaming Weekly, our weekly recap of new game releases. We still plan to cover upcoming releases and games we’re playing, but this column is dedicated to new games that you can start playing right now. Check out our top picks and let us know in the comments section if you have any suggestions for next week’s post.

Crash of Cars

Description: Welcome to Crash of Cars, a REAL-TIME MULTIPLAYER game where your goal is to collect as many crowns as possible before getting destroyed. Collect power-ups, destroy other players, steal their crowns, and climb the leaderboards!

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

Erin: The Last Aos Sí

Description: Erin: The Last Aos Sí [e:s 'ʃi:] is a challenging experience that combines tactical turn-based combat with RPG elements. Set in mythical Scotland, the game follows Erin on her quest to defeat Balor, The God of Blight and save the world from ultimate destruction.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

Temple Jump

Description: Jump for your life in a lava filled temple of doom as you collect precious gems.Hold down your thumb to make your jump bigger and let go to start falling down. Jump from pillar to pillar, while avoiding classic dangers like shooting fireballs and spikes.Find the golden wings and tap to flap your way through deadly obstacles.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

YO-KAI WATCH Wibble Wobble

Description: YO-KAI WATCH has “wobbled” its way into an exciting puzzle game available on mobile devices! Jibanyan, Komasan, and all your favorite Yo-kai have turned into adorable little Yo-kai Wib Wob! Connect them! Tap them! Pop them! Befriend them! Once you catch the fever, you’ll feel wibbly wobbly, too!

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

Hyper White Blood Cell Dash

Description: Johnny is sick and the only thing you can do is heal him! Where the rest of the immunologic system have failed, the amazing Hyper White Blood Cell have a real chance of success.Immerse yourself in a microscopic adventure inside the human body, dive across Johnny’s bloodstream and defend him from the evil GERMS!

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

Power Rangers: Legacy Wars

Description: Strategize, dodge and fight against real players in real-time PvP and unlock different arenas from famous locations in the movie and TV Show! Unlock new Rangers and collect 40+ warriors ranging from the new movie Power Rangers to classic Rangers to villains from across the Power Rangers multiverse!

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

N.O.V.A. Legacy

Description: N.O.V.A. Legacy brings you the best sci-fi FPS experience from the epic first episode of the critically acclaimed N.O.V.A. saga — all in a compact 20 MB version. Kal Wardin, our hero, is a retired N.O.V.A. veteran summoned once again to don his Mobile Armor Suit in defense of the Colonial Administration forces.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

ArcheAge BEGINS

Description: ArcheAge Begins. World-wide renowned PC MORPG enjoyed by 1.6 million players is now on mobile! Experience epic siege battles in the massive open world of ArcheAge. Immerse yourself in Auroria to reveal the mystery that led to the era of ArcheAge.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

One Finger Death Punch 3D

Description: One Finger Death Punch’s Authentic Sequel, Re-Innovated in 3D Style! Do you want to experience the many martial arts that exist in the world? Let’s defeat many villains by manipulating martial arts! With your finger, you can become the best martial artist in the world!

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

Gangstar New Orleans

Description: The gold standard for open-world action-adventure series is back, in the fascinating city of New Orleans. With hundreds of vehicles, an outrageous arsenal, and complete freedom to roam this vast city, you have all the tools to become a criminal legend.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

Android and Me 11:26 PM No comments

[Deal Alert] Here are some free and discounted apps from the last few days

We're back again with some more free and cheap apps for your enjoyment and perusal. I've taken great care to note how much longer the free ones are... free, so pay attention. Remember that adding the freebies to your Google account means they're permanent, unless you uninstall in the usual refund window.

Free Apps

Speedometer GPS Pro

My very first car had a speedometer that didn't work. I was constantly doing math in my head and matching the flow of traffic to keep from getting a ticket.

[Deal Alert] Here are some free and discounted apps from the last few days was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 9:34 PM No comments

Telegram v3.18 adds new voice calls and video compression options

Users of the messaging app Telegram may have noticed an update waiting for them today. This new version, 3.18, adds in five compression options for videos and the much-requested voice calls. But before we get too carried away on that last one, let's look at the changelog.

Telegram Calls are here: secure, crystal-clear, constantly improved by artificial intelligence. We are rolling them out in Europe today, the rest of the world will get calls within a few days.

Telegram v3.18 adds new voice calls and video compression options was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 7:29 PM No comments

These are all the apps and services that will work with Google Home [Continuously Updated]

Google first talked about Google Home back at I/O, but the device became official at the recent October hardware event. The speakers didn't go into detail on all the apps and services that Home would work with, preferring instead to focus on a few specific demos. Now, Google has published a list of everything that works with Home, and we expect this will grow over time.

Here's what Google has published so far on its support site for Home.

These are all the apps and services that will work with Google Home [Continuously Updated] was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 6:49 AM No comments

New Urbanears Stammen, Baggen Bluetooth speakers come with Chromecast support

Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen these days, but the new Stammen and Baggen from Urbanears are meant to stand out from the crowd. Color options include Dirty Pink, Vinyl Black, Plant Green, Concrete Grey, Goldfish Orange and Indigo Blue, allowing the speakers to perfectly match your space and style. But the two speakers have more to offer than just their looks. In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, Urbanears has given the Stammen and Baggen the full built-in Chromecast treatment, allowing you and anyone on your WiFi network to instantly stream music from any app which supports the Chromecast streaming protocol.

But that’s not all.

If you have more than one, the speakers can also be synced, allowing you to play the same music in multiple rooms around your house. The Stammen and Baggen speakers also work with the Urbanears app, giving you full control over speaker grouping, equalizer settings and more. The speakers themselves have two physical dials which give you the ability to quickly stop and start your music, switch between Solo to Multi Mode, adjust the volume or select between seven different presets.

Gallery

The $350 price point of the Stammen and $450 price of the Baggen may seem a bit high, but the price is in line with other speakers on the market which offer similar functionality.

Android and Me 4:31 AM No comments

Not one to let a franchise sit on its laurels, Ubisoft is bringing its Tom Clancy series to Android

Ubisoft has just announced a new Tom Clancy game for Android titled Tom Clancy's ShadowBreak. Something that has been noticeably absent from the Play Store, it was only a matter of time before Ubisoft brought the Tom Clancy series to mobile. From what I have seen, this looks to be an online multiplayer title that mixes sniper combat with Clash Royale lane-based combat. An odd mix for sure that only time will tell if it pans out for them.

Not one to let a franchise sit on its laurels, Ubisoft is bringing its Tom Clancy series to Android was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 4:09 AM No comments

Samsung’s New DeX Dock Turns the Galaxy S8 into a Full Desktop

Like anticipated Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ arrive with a slew of accessories. And by far the most interesting is the DeX dock which will allow Galaxy S8 owners to turn their smartphones into a desktop.

Samsung explains that all proprietary apps have the ability to expand in order to offer a full-screen experience. The Korean tech giant is working hand in hand with app creators like Microsoft to populate the new DeX Android interface. So users will be able to run multiple apps at the same time and also resize them in order to fit their current desktop display.

The company offers us a taste of what’s to come by saying that Adobe’s host of mobile apps will eventually land on DeX, as well as the company’s own Knox security suite. The dock features a USB-C port meant for plugging the phone in and a HDMI output to connect the external display with. On top of that there’s two USB 2.0 ports and an Ethernet jack. A standard keyboard and mouse can be connected via Bluetooth.

Samsung hasn’t unveiled the official pricing for this accessory, but based on recent leaks you should expect to pay around $213 CAD. We’ll update you when we know for sure.

The post Samsung’s New DeX Dock Turns the Galaxy S8 into a Full Desktop appeared first on Android in Canada Blog.

Android in Canada Blog 2:51 AM No comments

Samsung Launches the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+

They are here, they are here! Samsung finally officially launched the long rumoured Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. And at first contact, there’s only one thing that we have to say – these handsets look absolutely fantastic.

With these two Samsung has changed the design language completely. Say goodbye to the home button and side bezels and hello curved displays and extremely sleek profiles.

The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ bring a lot of novelties in the feature and software department as well, including Bixby – the virtual assistant and Samsung’s new cleaner approach to Android dubbed Samsung experience. This is what you can expect:

Samsung Galaxy S8

5.8-inch double curved display with 2,960 x 1,440 resolution (570ppi)
Snapdragon 835 (in Canada)
4GB of RAM
64GB (microSD card slot available for expansion up to 256GB)
9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm
152 g
12MP main camera OIS (f/1.7)
8MP secondary camera AF (f/1.7)
3,000 mAh battery (Fast Charging on wired and wireless Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA)
4G LTE Cat. 16, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM Bluetooth v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC
Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor
Bixby, IP68 certified water-resistant, stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C.
Android 7.0 Nougat
Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Artic Silver, Maple Gold and Coral Blue

Samsung Galaxy S8+

6.2-inch double curved display with 2,960 x 1,440 resolution,529ppi
Snapdragon 835 (in Canada)
4GB of RAM
64GB (microSD card slot available for expansion up to 256GB)
5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm
173g
12MP main camera OIS (f/1.7)
8MP secondary camera AF (f/1.7)
3,500 mAh (Fast Charging on wired and wireless Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA)
4G LTE Cat. 16, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM Bluetooth v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC
Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor
Bixby, IP68 water and dust resistance, stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C.
Android 7.0 Nougat
Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Artic Silver, Maple Gold and Coral Blue

The two phones also come with a bunch of nifty accessories including a new nifty Samsung Gear VR with Controller powered by Oculus and the new Gear 360 (2017) camera which will allow users to create 4K 360-degree videos and 15MP photos.

The Samsung DeX dock allows users to connect their Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ to a display and peripherals in order to get a desktop experience. A new high-performance earphones tuned by AKG by Harman will also be available for sale alongside the two flagships.

But the big question is – when will Canadians be able to get it? Well we have the answer for you right here. The two phones will become available in Canada starting April 21 in Midnight Black and Orchid Grey. As for pricing the unlocked Galaxy S8 will sell for $1,035 CAD, while the Galaxy S8+ will become available for $1,115 CAD.

So are they everything you ever wanted and more? Are you hoping to get one?

The post Samsung Launches the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ appeared first on Android in Canada Blog.

Android in Canada Blog 2:51 AM No comments

CRPG fans rejoice, Planescape Torment will see an enhanced edition release on April 11th

Much like Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II and Icewind Dale have received enhanced edition ports to Android, classic CRPG Planetscape Torment is receiving the enhanced edition treatment as well. To be more specific, the developer Beamdog will be releasing Planescape Torment: Enhanced Edition as a cross-platform release on April 11th of this year. That's right, all of you Planetscape fans out there, you will soon be able to play the game on the go.

CRPG fans rejoice, Planescape Torment will see an enhanced edition release on April 11th was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Apps , Apps/Games – Android Police – Android News , Games , Phones , Tablets 1:49 AM No comments

Samsung Galaxy S8 U.S. carrier launch round-up: Pre-orders start March 30

Today, Samsung made official the latest generation of the Galaxy S flagship smartphone lineup, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Now it’s time for carriers to jump on the information bandwagon and unveil their own launch timing for Samsung’s new flagship handsets.

Verizon Wireless has confirmed that it will have the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ available in its physical retail stores and its online store beginning April 21. Pre-orders for the two devices will go live beginning at 12:01 AM ET Thursday, March 30.

Verizon has priced the Galaxy S8 at $720 full retail, but customers can opt to pay $30 per month for 24 months. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S8+ is priced at $840, and subscribers can pay $35 per month for 24 months.

T-Mobile is also opening pre-orders at 12:01 AM ET on Thursday, March 30, for both the new flagship smartphones. The handsets go on sale beginning April 21. As far as pricing goes, the Galaxy S8 has a $30 down payment and costs $30 per month for 24 months on the T-Mobile Equipment Installment Plan. JUMP! On Demand customers can snag the device for $0 down and just $33 per month. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S8+ will be available for $130 down and $30 per month for 24 months on EIP, with the same down payment and monthly payment amount for JUMP! On Demand customers.

The Galaxy S8 will be available for MetroPCS customers beginning April 21 as well, and it will be priced at $729.

AT&T opens pre-orders for both the GS8 and GS8+ on March 30 as well, and select AT&T physical retail stores will have “sneak peeks” of the Galaxy S8 beginning March 31. With AT&T Next, the Galaxy S8 can be yours for $25 per month for 30 months, while the Galaxy S8+ will be available for $28.34 for 30 months.

U.S. Cellular has announced that the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ can be had for free with an eligible trade-in and that pre-orders begin on March 30. The regional carrier will have each device in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, and Arctic Silver.

We’re still waiting for Sprint to announce its own Galaxy S8 and S8+ release plans.

Android and Me 12:29 AM No comments

Update your app to take advantage of the larger aspect ratio on new Android flagship devices

Posted by Neto Marin, Developer Advocate, Google Play

To deliver more engaging viewing experiences to their users, many Android OEMs are experimenting with new, super widescreen smartphones. Samsung has just announced a new flagship device, the Samsung Galaxy S8, featuring a new display format with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. At the Mobile World Congress earlier this year, LG also launched their new flagship device, the LG G6, with an expanded screen aspect ratio of 18:9.

(Left) An app with a maximum aspect ratio set at 16:9 on an 18.5:9 device

(Right) An app with a maximum aspect ratio set at or over 18.5:9 on an 18.5:9 device

In order to take full advantage of the larger display formats on these devices, you should consider increasing your app's maximum supported aspect ratio. To do so, simply declare an android.max_aspect <meta-data> element in the app's <application> element:

<meta-data android:name="android.max_aspect"
    android:value="ratio_float"/>

ratio_float

Maximum aspect ratio your app can support, expressed as (longer dimension / shorter dimension) in decimal form.

We recommend that you design your app to support aspect ratios of 2.1 or higher. For this, you would add the following to the <application> element:

<meta-data android:name="android.max_aspect" android:value="2.1" />

Note: if you don't set a value, and android:resizeableActivity is not true, then the maximum aspect ratio defaults to 1.86 (roughly 16:9) and your app will not take advantage of the extra screen space.

As more super widescreen Android devices, like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the LG G6, become available, you'll have more opportunities to display more content and create more engaging experiences with your app.

Android Developers Blog 12:15 AM No comments

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