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mardi 1 novembre 2016

Google Daydream View VR headset confirmed for Nov. 10 launch in five countries

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This post originally appeared on our sister site, VRSource.

Google's biggest push yet into the virtual reality market, the Daydream View smartphone headset, is now confirmed for a November 10th launch in five countries. The company previously said the headset would be available sometime this month but now we have a specific date.

See also: Google Daydream – everything you need to know

Pre-orders for the Daydream View are already live at the Google Store and Verizon Wireless. On November 10, the following countries, carriers and retailers will officially begin selling the headset:

  • United States: Verizon, Best Buy; $79 (USD)
  • Canada: Bell, Rogers, Telus, Best Buy; $99 (CAD)
  • United Kingdom: EE, Carphone Warehouse; £69 (GBP)
  • Germany: Deutsche Telekom; €69 (EUR)
  • Australia: Telstra, JB Hi-Fi; $119 (AUD)

The Daydream View currently works only with Google's own Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, but other Android devices are supposed to add support for the headset in the future.

In its blog post, Google also pointed out a number of VR apps and games that will work with the Daydream View. Not only can Daydream View owners watch the full library of movies and TV shows on Hulu through the headset, there will be two exclusive VR shows just for Daydream owners. One will be a news program called "The Big Picture: News in Virtual Reality", while the other will be the VR comedy show "Virtually Mike and Nora".

Some of Google's own apps, such as YouTube and Street View, will be optimized for the Daydream View. Other apps that will work with the headset include games like CCP's space shooter Gunjack 2 and EA's racing game Need for Speed: No Limits VR.

Of course, the number of people who will be getting the Daydream View will be highly limited at first, but Google could sell a lot more of the headset in the future as more smartphones add support for it. Are you interested in getting the Daydream View?

Pre-order from the Google Store


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Google could still add Pixel fingerprint gestures to Nexus phones (maybe)

google pixel xl vs nexus 6p quick look aa-6

Google Nexus 6P and 5X owners who have been unhappy about not having access to the new fingerprint gesture feature found on Google's new Pixel phones may have a little bit of hope today. According to a new report, a Google spokesperson has stated the company is "evaluating" plans to release a future firmware update to the 6P and 5X that would add support for fingerprint scanner gestures.

google pixel xl initial review aa (18 of 48) fingerprint nexus imprintSee also: This app brings Google Pixel fingerprint scanner gestures to any device39

Not too long ago, Google team member Ian Lake posted on his Google+ account speculating that the 6P and 5X likely wouldn't get the Pixel and Pixel XL's fingerprint sensor gestures due to missing hardware. Then, earlier today, he stated that it was likely a firmware issue, not necessarily limitations caused by missing hardware. Now, Google has come out with this new statement, possibly indicating that the hardware issues may not be as big of a barrier as first thought.

However, Google's statement also is not a 100% confirmed commitment to adding these features to the Nexus phones, either. The report said that Google did not offer any timeline for when this firmware update would be released, or if it will be released at all. Google stated that we should "stay tuned" for more information on this topic.

In other words, Nexus phone owners should definitely not hold their breath on Google adding the Pixel fingerprint gestures. Google's carefully-worded response to this latest development on updating its older phones indicates it definitely hears the feedback from Nexus fans, but it remains to be seen if this Pixel feature will make its way to the Nexus devices.

Do you think that Google should have made a better effort in supporting the Nexus phones or is it just more efficient to let the new Pixel phones get some new features that won't be on the Pixel?



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OnePlus 3T: all the rumors in one place

oneplus 3 gold aa (5 of 22)

Those persistent rumors of an upgraded OnePlus 3T with a better processor and camera module just won't go away. OnePlus is remaining quiet on the rumors – as most OEMs do in these situations – but the frequency and consistency with which these leaks keep coming are starting to make the OnePlus 3T look legit. Here are all the rumors in one place.

OnePlus-3-1See also: Best OnePlus 3 cases1

OnePlus 3T: name

We first caught wind of the OnePlus 3T on October 8 when Chinese analyst Pan Jiutang warned Weibo readers against buying a OnePlus 3 because the OnePlus 3 Plus was on its way.

On October 10, GizmoChina, citing an unnamed source, declared that production of the OnePlus 3 had been halted in order to make way for an upgraded OnePlus 3S/OnePlus 3 Plus with an LCD display.

OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei later addressed the stock shortage, confessing there had simply been AMOLED supply chain issues that were delaying OP3 production. Pei later confirmed that OnePlus would be sticking with AMOLED displays for the foreseeable future.

Then, on October 13, a OnePlus device with the model number A3010 appeared in a Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China (CNCA) listing. That listing did little more than fuel the fires claiming an upgraded OnePlus 3 was in the works. The CNCA listing contained no specs, no name, no anything other than a familiar-sounding model number (the OnePlus 3's model number is A3000).

cnca-oneplus-3t-a3010

Then, a little while later, a "OnePlus designer" posted on Chinese microblogging site Weibo from a device listed as a OnePlus 3T. The post was later deleted but the cat was officially out of the bag: the OnePlus 3T was a real thing. It was soon surmised that the OnePlus 3T would feature the Snapdragon 821 chipset and that the T might stand for Turbo.

OnePlus 3T: specs

The OnePlus 3T will reportedly look just like the OnePlus 3, but with a couple of improved internals. The Snapdragon 820 found in the OnePlus 3 is to be upgraded to a Snapdragon 821 and another Weibo leak declared the OnePlus 3T specs would also feature an upgraded Sony IMX395 sensor for the camera.

The Sony IMX395 is the same sensor found in the OPPO R9s and R9s Plus, featuring 16 MP, dual-core autofocus and f/1.7 aperture. 6 GB of RAM is again meant to be on board, as is Android 7.0 Nougat right out of the box.

OnePlus 3T: price

Evan Blass eventually chipped in suggesting an $80 price hike between the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T, but provided no proof of the claim. If the rumored specs are indeed true though, a 20 percent price hike might be in order. OnePlus famously makes razor thin profits on its devices, so increased component costs couldn't be easily absorbed. This would put the 64 GB OnePlus 3T price at $480.

OnePlus 3T: release date

This one is anyone's guess. The only rumor I've heard regarding a OnePlus 3T release date is "December". But yet again, no source or proof has been cited. At the very least a December launch date makes sense if the OnePlus 3 launched in mid-June, putting OnePlus in the six-monthly upgrade cycle that worked such wonders for Sony.

Are you interested in a possible OnePlus 3T? Or would you prefer to wait until the OnePlus 4?



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90% of headphone buyers prioritize sound quality over price

audio-gear-aa

This post originally appeared on our sister site, SoundGuys.

Qualcomm aptX has just published a detailed report into the state of consumer audio. The company spoke to over 3,600 consumers who own and use a smartphone, and who identified themselves as being music lovers or listeners, with the data revealing some important trends. According to the results, consumers are itching for the best sound quality, want better connected audio devices, and aren't quite convinced about the quality of Bluetooth yet. If that sounds familiar to you, I'm not surprised, but there are some interesting titbits buried in all the data.

Despite the fashion statements offered by some audio brands, Qualcomm's data indicates that a whopping 90% of headphone customers prioritise sound quality over any other factor when picking out a new pair. In fact, 71% said that quality is even more important than cost, so consumers are certainly willing to pay for good headphones.

Questions of quality

wired-v-wireless-headphone-satisfactionFurthermore, while Qualcomm, and much of the broader industry for that matter, maintains that wireless headphone sales are on an upward trajectory, a 58% majority of customers are holding off on wireless headphone purchases because Bluetooth sound quality just isn't good enough.

When asked about quality, 81% of wired headphone owners said they were quite or very satisfied with them, compared with only 59% of wireless headset owners. Revealingly, 46% of respondents said they are concerned that wireless headphones may compromise sound quality. The other major reasons for avoiding wireless are concerns about a lack of compatibility, the expense, and how easy/difficult it will be to pair them up with other gadgets.

Of course, some elements of quality are quite subjective and there do appear to be a few contradictions in the data, at least from an audiophile's perspective. While 90% of customers believe that audio quality is important when selecting headphones, 83% of respondents stream music as part of their everyday listening experience, and we know that they're not all using lossless services like Tidal.

That being said, 33% of consumers stream music as their main source of audio, while 40% are still using downloaded files as their preferred format. Of course, most of these are likely to be lossy MP3 downloads or an equivalent, but the quality is still likely to be higher than a typical streaming service. Just 1% listen to vinyl, and 9% are still primarily listening to their CD collection.

Just 1% surveyed listen to vinyl, and 9% are still primarily listening to their CD collection.

Axon 7 vs Galaxy S7-7 (bottoms charging ports microUSB USB Type-C)

81% of those surveyed are either streaming music or playing back audio files on their smartphone.

Smartphones dominate

When it comes to what consumers are listening on, it probably won't come as a surprise to hear that smartphones are almost universally used. 81% of those surveyed are either streaming music or playing back audio files on their smartphone these days, followed by 70% on laptops and PCs. Ease of use was found to be the reason behind this trend at 67%, while sound quality and format takes a back seat at just 18%. However, three quarters of those questioned listen to music on multiple devices.

Three quarters of those questioned listen to music on multiple devices.

This year, smartphone manufacturers have been paying increased attention to the audio quality of their handsets. LG and ZTE's Axon brand are happy to boast about the quality of their DACs, and a number of consumers have become fond of front-facing speaker setups.

audio-purchasing-habbits

Compatibility

The last major point raised by Qualcomm's report is one of cross compatibility, specifically when it comes to the growing market for wireless speakers. 75% of consumers seem keen to own a wireless speaker system, but 50% of people aren't buying one yet. It seems that customers are being very picky about ensuring compatibility with the various wireless connection standards out there, and want to be certain that devices are compatible with each other before taking the plunge.

A majority of potential customers are put off the various wireless connection standards.

With different speaker systems offering up a range of wireless options, including Bluetooth, Qualcomm Aptx, AirPlay, and Wi-Fi, and manufacturers like Sonos offering up superior Spotify Connect integration and varying levels of support for different software platforms, it's certainly a good point that it can be hard to know exactly what to look for. Qualcomm notes that customers are prepared to pay extra for hardware that works well with technology from other companies right out of the box.

Going back to smartphones for a minute, there's nothing directly asked about USB Type-C in the report, but we can probably extrapolate people's feelings about wireless speaker compatibility to other connectors too. The report's findings don't make great reading for phone manufacturers that are dropping the 3.5mm audio jack, especially when it's clear that customers are yet to be won over by Bluetooth.

grovemade-speakers6

Wrap up

To sum up, music streaming and mobile have become increasingly important, and the latter is now the most popular way of listening to audio, including music, audiobooks, and podcasts. The trend towards wireless technologies has certainly piqued consumer interest, but they're not entirely satisfied with the audio quality and features of some of today's products. Consumers seem to be holding out for better alternatives to Bluetooth and, more importantly, want to ensure that all of their audio products play nicely together.

There's an awful lot more data in Qualcomm's State of Play report, which you can check out in full here. What are your thoughts on mobile and wireless audio products?

ZTE Axon 7 NC 3-18Up next: Audio file formats explained and where to get them19


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Verizon offering 20% off Google Pixel and other phones with promo code

google pixel xl initial review aa (24 of 48) back

Verizon Wireless is currently running a promotion that lets buyers use a promo code on its website to get 20% off most of its smartphones. The best thing about this deal is that the code can be used on the brand new Google Pixel and Pixel XL, which are exclusive to Verizon in terms of U.S. carriers.

verizon logoSee also: Best Verizon Android phones56

The code itself is  "SAVE20", and is applied at checkout on the carrier's website. This will cut the price of the Google Pixel with 32GB of storage down to to $519.99 without a contract. That's large $130 discount off its normal price. The promo code can also cut down the phone's monthly payment plan down to $21.66 a month for customers who decide to go that route. The price of the Pixel XL 32GB goes down to $615.99, a bigger $154 discount, or $25.66 a month, with the promo code applied. Verizon is already offering up to $300 off the Pixel phones for current customers who turn in their older smartphones, or up to $400 off for new customers.

There's no word on when this promo code will expire, so if you want to use it you might want to act quickly. Droid Life points out the code might not work for Verizon customers who are already getting a corporate or employer discount. However, they can still use another code, "SAVE100", on the web store that will cut the price of the carrier's smartphones down by a flat $100.

Check it out at Verizon


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Nexus 6P mod brings back Night Mode for Android 7.1.1 Nougat users

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A new third-party mod for the Google Nexus 6P offers a way to enable Night Mode for people who have the Android 7.1.1 Nougat Developers Preview installed on the phone.

Android 7.0 Nougat logo AA 2See also: Bring back Nougat's Night Mode with this app35

Night Mode is supposed to offer smartphone owners a way to use them more easily in the dark by applying a blue-light filter toggle. Google decided to remove Night Mode from the first Android 7.0 release, due to what the company said were performance issues with the feature. However, some enterprising developers released an app called Night Mode Enabler that allowed some, but not all, phones with the OS to use the feature.

Unfortunately, when Google released the Android 7.1.1 Developers Preview, it also disabled the Night Mode Enabler app and similar third-party apps. Now, another developer says he has managed to release a mod that will enable Night Mode again on the Nexus 6P with the Android 7.1.1 Developers Preview. His files can be found on the XNA Developers forum.

night-mode-mod

Keep in mind that this is a third-party mod and that it has not been widely tested, so there are sure to be some bugs in this release. Also, you should always download and install files like these at your own risk. However, if you really, really want Night Mode on your Nexus 6P with the latest Android 7.1.1 Developer Preview, this might be worth checking out. Are you disappointed that Google has removed Night Mode from Android 7.0?

Get it from XDN Developers

 



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ZTE Axon 7 receives another OTA update, but no Nougat yet

ZTE Axon 7 NC 2-1

ZTE is back with another update for its Axon 7 flagship this week, which comes just one and a half months after the previous batch of software tweaks. The OTA update is already rolling out and should land on handsets the next 24 hours or so, if you haven't spotted it already.

The latest software version comes with the build number B29 and features a selection of fixes for a number of persistent Axon 7 issues. Sadly, there's no Android Nougat upgrade yet. That particular update has been teased yet again in this latest changelog, with ZTE confirming that a Nougat build is in the works. But no release window has been given yet.

As for this update, here's the full change log from ZTE's US website:

  • Notification bell is now optional (hooray!)
  • New application management policy to enhance battery life
  • Optimized video camera focus on moving objects
  • Resolved .FLAC file playback issue
  • Visual Voicemail optimized for dual SIM
  • Updated fix for Mute Call issue
  • Other general enhancements
ZTE Axon 7 Final-31See also: Problems with the ZTE Axon 7 and how to fix them59

ZTE suggests that users head on over to "Settings -> Updates" to force a manual check for the OTA update if they don't spot the notification in the next day or two.



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