LightBlog

vendredi 5 août 2016

Spotify will help introduce you to more new music with Release Radar

Spotify-2

There's no denying that Spotify is already a pretty handy app for discovering new music, what with recommended artists and new playlists curated to your tastes. But Fridays are set to become even more exciting for the new music enthusiasts out there, with the launch of Spotify's new Release Radar feature.

Release Radar is a personalised playlist that appears every week. It's packed with new releases from your most listen too artists, along with a selection of new discoveries based on your listening habits. The aim is simply to help listeners keep up with the latest releases that they might like without having to keep searching through lists they might not be so keen on.

"With the huge amount of new music released every week, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest tracks … with Release Radar, we wanted to create the simplest way for you to find all the newly released music that matters the most to you, in one playlist." – Matt Ogle, Senior Product Owner at Spotify

Along with New Music Friday, Spotify listeners certainly have plenty of tools to discover new tracks and artists. The feature is now live for Spotify across all platforms. If you haven't tried the app out yet, you can download it for free from the Play Store.

Get it now from Google Play!


from Android Authority http://ift.tt/2b8h7en
via IFTTT

How to print from your Android phone or tablet

cloud-printer

Android devices can do just about anything these days (though I'm still waiting for the one that makes coffee), from storing music to handling massive Word documents. Another great feature is the ability to print from Android.

Don't have a Wi-Fi enabled printer? That doesn't mean you can't print wirelessly. In fact, Google has created a way to link your printer with your Chrome account and your phone to move and print with ease. The setup can be a bit confusing, so we've compiled a helpful guide that will get you up and running within minutes.

Connecting to Google Cloud Print

Screenshot 2016-08-04 at 10.45.51

 

While most printers are capable of printing through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or another quick method, not everyone has a printer that supports this. And some just like the idea of running it all through the cloud. That's where Google Cloud Print comes in. By registering your printer, you connect it to the Internet by which you can operate it from anywhere so long as you have a good connection.

Bear in mind that while most printers are capable of working through Google Cloud Print, there are some that cannot. To save you the trouble of trial and error, Google compiled a list of printers that work with Cloud Print.

  1. Launch Google Chrome on your computer.
  2. Log in to Google Chrome if you're not automatically logged in.
  3. Click the Menu button (represented by an icon showing 3 horizontal lines; 3 little dots if you're running a Chromebook) at the upper-right corner of the window.
  4. Select Settings.
  5. Click Show advanced settings.
  6. Scroll down to the Google Cloud Print section and click Manage.
  7. Click Add Printers
  8. You will be taken to a shortlist of all available printers. Just check the ones you want to add, click Add Printers. It should detect your printer, and the task is done.

Print from phone: how to do it in Android

Screenshot_20160804-103555

Some phones come with Google Cloud Print already built into the software (largely the ones that run stock or near-stock Android). If that's the case, then don't worry about the download. If your phone doesn't include the app, you can get it here.  Download the app and follow its installation instructions.

After you have Google Cloud Print, you don't have to run the app itself in order to print; think of it like an add-on to your phone software. It's convenient once you get the hang of it. Make sure however that the Google account linked with your phone is the same account that you used on Google Chrome in the previous step.

  1. Open a document you'd like to print (this can be anything from Google Drive docs to pictures saved on your phone).
  2. Select the Menu button (the 3 dots in the top right corner).
  3. Click Print, and it will take you to a new page.
  4. Click the down arrow that sits just to the right of Save as PDF.
  5. Select the printer you want print from. If you can't find it off the bat, click the All printers… to get a list of every printer you have connected.
  6. Once you're all set, click the print button (the light blue circle that looks like a printer).

Printing web pages and Gmail messages

Screenshot_20160804-103613

You can even print web pages and Gmail messages through Google Cloud Print. The process is largely the same, so you'll have no problem figuring it out.

  1. Open Gmail or Google Chrome.
  2. When you find the page you want to print select the Menu button (3 dots).
  3. A list of options will drop down. Select Print.
  4. It will take you straight to the printing page, where you can select the right printer.
  5. Click Print when you're all set.

Does it work for you?

Are you a proud user of Google Cloud Print? What is your experience with it like? Is printing from Android something you find useful? Let us know in the comments!



from Android Authority http://ift.tt/17GVVYc
via IFTTT

Best Kickstarters of the month – July 2016

If you always on the lookout for the latest tech, there is no place better than Kickstarter to find some fun, innovative products. If something does catch your eye, your backing will not only help the developer see his dream come to fruition, but you'll also be one of the first to get your hands on some cool gadgets.

There's always something new and interesting to check out, and there are a lot as well. So, to help make your search easier, we highlight some products that we feel are worth a special mention, in this roundup of some of the best kickstarters of the month – July 2016!


Superbook

best-kickstarter-july-superbook

The Superbook is a device that will let you transform your Android smartphone into a laptop. This isn't just something that acts as a middleman between your phone and laptop, but is actually more of a laptop shell. You get a display, a trackpad, and a keyboard, and on the surface it looks like any other laptop, but internally, there is no processing hardware. All of that comes from your phone, by simply connecting it to the Superbook via USB.

This is all possible courtesy of the Andromium app, that has been developed by makers of the Superbook, Andromium. Once the phone is plugged in, the app launches, and mimics a desktop setup on the Superbook, which includes your wallpaper, apps, icons, a folder management system, and even a cursor. It makes it much easier to do things like write code or edit documents, with you now able to use a full, physical keyboard and a large display, instead of a touch screen and a small smartphone display. Of course, you can also play games and do anything else that you would normally do on your smartphone as well.

You can get online using your phone's Wi-Fi or data connection, and you can even access its Bluetooth capabilities. The Superbook will be priced at $99 when commercially available, and if you've already spent a lot of money on the latest and greatest smartphone, the Superbook offers a great alternative to buying a far more expensive laptop.

Andromium was looking to raise just $50,000, but they blown well past their goals, having raised over $1.5 million, with still another 16 days to go.

Fund this project

ZEEQ Smart Pillow

best-kickstarter-july-zeeq-smart-pillow

We spend close to 30%, if not more, of our time in bed, and as depressing, or fun, depending on your point of view, as that may sound, it makes you realize how important it is the we aren't wasting that time with having disturbed sleep and being uncomfortable. That is where the ZEEQ Smart Pillow comes in, and this is a product that can do it all, including stream music, help you stop snoring, analyze your sleep, and also gently wake you up.

To start, the ZEEQ Smart Pillow can help you fall asleep by actually streaming music from your phone out of speakers that are inside the pillow. Since your ears are going to be resting on the pillow, you will be the only one able to hear the music, and this won't disturb your bed mate either. There's even relaxing tracks that come with the pillow, that are based on binaural beats, to help you achieve sleep faster.

Once you are asleep, ZEEQ will monitor your sleep cycles by tracking your movement, and determining when you're in a deep or light sleep. It will also vibrate to wake you up if you have set an alarm, but it will do this intelligently, by waking you up a few minutes before your alarm if you happen to be in a light sleep cycle at the time. This helps avoid the grogginess that comes with waking up suddenly from a deep sleep. In addition, ZEEQ can listen for snoring, and it's very precise with its measurements, down to the decibel. If ZEEQ catches you snoring, it'll gently vibrate to encourage a new sleeping position.

Of course, a pillow can be as smart as it wants, but wouldn't be a great pillow if it wasn't comfortable, and the ZEEQ Smart Pillow seems to be so. Warrick Bell and Miguel Marrero, the creators of ZEEQ,  were seeking a goal of $50,000 and even though they still have three weeks to go, they have comfortably surpassed that goal, having raised close to $250,000.

Fund this project

TLS Connect

best-kickstarter-july-tls-connect

The TLS Connect is a backpack made by Twyst, that lets you keep tracking of everything you keep in your bag, and more importantly, informs you when something is removed or missing. You use a tracking app, that lets you add an inventory of up to 50 items, and by using RFID stickers, you will always know where your items are.

The stickers communicate with sensors in the backpack thanks to radio frequency identification, and uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track objects through a radio signature. You can then name each tracker depending on what item it's on. The backpack will then monitor when each tracker is removed and send you an alert if an item is missing. You can travel back and forth with peace of mind, and avoid that paranoid last minute check to see if everything is there, without needing to even open your backpack. It also helps that the bag looks good, and has a lot of small pockets and sections to keep a lot of your things.

Twyst, the creators of TLS Connect, are looking to raise a substantial amount of money, with a goal of $375,000. They've raised only close to $40,000 so far, but with 25 days to go, there is still plenty of time.

Fund this project

Das Keyboard 5Q

best-kickstarter-july-das-keyboard-5q

The Das Keyboard 5Q is a premium feeling, Open API, RGB mechanical keyboard, and the idea behind this product is that, instead of having tons of alerts, reminders, and alarms popping up on your phone or other websites, you can simply keep track of notifications by using the color of the keys.

This alert can be anything on the internet, including emails from your boss at work, or even a new upload from Android Authority on YouTube. You can link this alert to a key or multiple keys on your keyboard and then customize the color of it. You can also set up calendar events and notifications, and using this system, you can keep track of exactly how far away an upcoming event is, without really thinking about it.

You can do this for messages from certain contacts, or even fun things like have the keyboard light up in celebration when your favorite sports team scores, and the possibilities are endless. The funding period for this project is already over, with the developers raising over $530,000. That goes far beyond the original $100,000 goal that they had, and the great news is that we can hope to this keyboard be available commercially quite soon.


So, there you have it for this roundup of some the best kickstarters this month! If these products, or any others, have piqued your interest, do let us know in the comments section below.

SEE ALSO:



from Android Authority http://ift.tt/2b8cuB0
via IFTTT

97% of smartphones in India run Android

Smartphone-Camera-Shootout-early-2016-thumb

The latest report from Strategy Analytics has revealed that 97% of smartphones in India ran the Android operating system in Q2 2016, up from 90% in Q2 2015, while iPhone sales in the country fell by a whopping 35% from 1.2 million in Q2 2015 to just 800,000 in Q2 2016. That leaves Apple with a share of just 2.4% (down from 4.5%) of the Indian market. The overall market has also grown by 19%, making India the the world's third largest smartphone market, after China and the US.

Apple's premium pricing strategy and lack of network carrier subsidized plans in the country make the latest iPhones a little too expensive for the average Indian consumer. Apple had attempted to counter this by trying to bring refurbished iPhones to India, though the move was blocked by local manufacturers and environmental agencies. Apple's bet on the Indian audience warming up to its 4-inch iPhone SE also failed to pay off, and even its corporate leasing program, starting at a monthly fee of Rs 999, couldn't find many takers.

Chinese Roundup (S 2015)-8

While Android's domination in India, where consumers are always on the lookout for high quality but affordable smartphones, makes sense, it's not all good news for the major players in the Android game either. Samsung, while still owning the majority of the market, saw their market share fall from 29% to 25.6%, with Chinese OEMs like Xiaomi, Lenovo, OPPO, Vivo, Huawei, and Gionee, and even new arrival Le Eco, nipping at their heels.

Chinese smartphone manufacturers first entered the market with the aim to disrupt the domination of Indian OEMs like Micromax, but they now have their sights set on bigger fish, and continue to introduce smartphones with flagship specifications and features, at a fraction of the price, when compared to the Samsungs and HTCs in the country. Not surprisingly, the share of Chinese smartphone brands in total, increased from 21% in the last quarter to 27% in Q1 this year.

Do you think Apple will be able to regain its share in the Indian market? Can Samsung survive the Chinese onslaught in India? Hit the comments below to let us know!



from Android Authority http://ift.tt/2aA6DIO
via IFTTT

Google Search update helps you find the best spots to dine

Google-Local-Food-Search-768x640

Google has just released another update for its Search app for Android, adding in the option to view "best of" lists and reviews of local restaurants that appear in your search results. Google's localized search results were already pretty handy for exploring new areas, and this latest update should help wanderers find the best local grub around.

As well as displaying new critic reviews along with existing user reviews, the new Google Search feature will show you which, if any, restaurant or local tour lists the place you've searched for shows up on. That way you can check if the eatery is on a best or worst places to visit in X list, or see if it's known for something a little more specific, such as "where to eat on Christmas Day". Google has also included 10 best-of lists from the likes of Eater, CBS Local, and Refinery29.

One of the more interesting new features is the inclusion of data that also shows roughly how long customers stayed at a particularly location. A short trip might suggest fast service, or perhaps warn you to stay away, while you'll also be able to see places to sit down for a nice long meal.

You won't have to update your Google Search app either, as the new features appear to have been introduced on the back-end.



from Android Authority http://ift.tt/2aA2zs3
via IFTTT

Action Launcher 3 implements everything from Nexus Launcher already

Action Launcher 3 Nexus Launcher features

Chris Lacy is the man. I embarrassingly told him that at last year's I/O party, but when a developer can take something as brand new as the leaked Nexus Launcher and in two and a half days release a beta of Action Launcher 3 that incorporates all those new features on top of the already impressive functionality of AL3, then that man deserves all the praise he receives.

Nexus Launcher wallpaper pickerSee also: Fix the Nexus Launcher force close bug with this wallpaper app17

Lacy has added the slide-up app drawer and caret (little arrow) above the semi-transparent dock. The date widget appears (but it is movable in AL3 and not part of a screen-width block like on the Nexus Launcher), and you can also add the Google 'pill' button on its own or as part of the date widget.

You can still use AL3's covers and shutters in the dock, but obviously a swipe up gesture will launch the app drawer instead, so you'll have to reverse your cover/shutter swipe direction. QuickTheme and QuickPage work fine with the Nexus Launcher features, but for obvious reasons you don't have Google Now integration in AL3.

You'll need to enrol in the beta testers group for AL3 (available on the Google Play page below) and you'll have to own AL3 plus ($4.99) to enable the Nougat-style features. Lacy has already fixed a few bugs and promises more features and improvements will be made in the coming weeks.

GET ACTION LAUNCHER 3

What is your favorite Nexus Launcher feature? Favorite AL3 feature?

Don't miss: Download the leaked 2016 Nexus wallpapers



from Android Authority http://ift.tt/2aqNJhI
via IFTTT

6GB RAM Galaxy Note 7 could be heading to China

Samsung-Galaxy-Note-7-hands-on-first-batch-AA-(25-of-47)

A number of rumors in the build up to the Galaxy Note 7's launch suggested that the phone would feature 6GB of RAM, but in the end the handset shipped with just 4GB. Still, that's plenty of RAM in the world of Android, but now a couple of new listings suggest that a 6GB model could actually be on the way, at least for the Chinese market.

A benchmark result from Geekbench and a listing over at the Chinese Industry and Information Technology Ministry both point to a Galaxy Note 7 model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Slightly different memory configurations for an Asian market wouldn't be a first for Samsung, last year a 128GB Note 5 was launched in South Korea.

note-7-6gb-china

It's not entirely clear why Samsung would want to launch a model with additional RAM and storage in China. The extra memory is unlikely to improve performance in any meaningful way, but perhaps the company believes that Chinese consumers would be more susceptible to the marketing leverage. After all, the Chinese OnePlus 3, LeEco Le Max 2, and the Vivo Xplay 5 Elite all offer 6GB/128GB memory options. So there is likely pressure to keep up with the spec wars to maintain Samsung's reputation as a high-end manufacturer.

Of course, this far from confirms that Samsung is actually going to launch a 6GB Galaxy Note 7 model, we still have to wait for an official announcement. Even so, do you feel that a 6GB Chinese model would undermine the 4GB version that the rest of the world will see?

  • Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Nex...
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs App...
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Gal...


from Android Authority http://ift.tt/2aX8kyl
via IFTTT