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mercredi 30 novembre 2016

Google Play Store rolling out new search result interface

goolge-play-store-app-icon-2

goolge-play-store-app-icon-2

While we haven't seen any changes yet, plenty of online reports claim the Google Play Store is rolling out a server-side update. This is said to bring forth a new card-based layout for your search results.

The new UI seems to focus more on each app that shows up in the results. Upon searching for any app, you will get large cards that you can swipe through (left and right). They include the option to install, uninstall, descriptions and more. It's pretty much a preview of the app's page.

There's not much evidence of these changes, but we do have plenty of user reports and a video created by user Rony Mishchuk, who claims to have the update and has a video of the new improvements.

We are liking the new changes, but so far we have no idea what's going on with this update and choose to treat it as a rumor. As always, don't hold your breath on it. We will definitely keep our eyes open for any more details that may show up.



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Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) photos and video reportedly leaked

samsung-a7-leaks

samsung-a7-leaks

A few weeks ago, we posted some exclusive renders and information, in collaboration with @OnLeaks, for the upcoming 2017 version of the Samsung Galaxy A5. The company has not yet officially announced this phone but today some new photos, and a hands-on video, have made their way onto the Internet that allegedly show off the smartphone.

See also:

Report: Samsung Electronics considering splitting into two companies

3 days ago

The video and renders come from a person named Neil Potgieter, who in the clip says he is doing a "review" of the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A5. However, since the phone hasn't even been announced yet, let alone released, this "review" is likely of a pre-production prototype for the phone.  For example, the video shows the phone running on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, but it's more than possible the final 2017 Galaxy A5 could have Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

The video does seem to jibe with what we have learned about the phone, including that it will be nearly identical to the current Galaxy S7 in terms of its design, complete with rounded corners. It also seems to show that it will indeed have 3GB of RAM and an octa-core processor. The video shows that this model has 32GB of storage, but again it's possible that Samsung could release models with even more onboard storage.

In any case, Samsung is expected to officially announce and launch the new Galaxy A5 sometime in December. Are you interested in getting the new version of this mid-range smartphone?



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The Moto Z Hasselblad camera mod is used to create SI magazine cover

moto-z-camera-mod

moto-z-camera-mod

While smartphone cameras have come a long way in the past few years, they still lag behind professional stand alone cameras for serious work. That gap may be getting smaller, however, thanks in part to Motorola's support of Moto Mods for its Moto Z family of smartphones. Indeed, the Moto Z was used with its Hasselblad True Zoom camera mod to take the cover photograph for the latest issue of Sports Illustrated's print magazine.

See also:

Moto Mods Review: Blast, Power and Project in a snap

July 27, 2016

The subject of the latest SI cover just happens to be Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who started as a college football player and pro wrestler and is now arguably the most famous movie star in the world right now, not to mention People magazine's latest "Sexiest Man Alive"

si-moto-z-cover

si-moto-z-cover

The photo shoot itself was taken on Nov. 14 in Beverly Hills by photographer Mike LeBrecht. Motorola says that he was able to use the Hasselblad Mod's professional settings with the Moto Z to create an image that looks as good as one made with a high-end camera. Of course, LeBrecht already knows his way around a photo shoot, and there are also other factors in this image such as lighting that the normal smartphone owner would not have. However, it does show that Motorola's support of Mods to add extra functions to smartphones may be getting some traction.



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Hatch, a spinoff of Rovio, will bring free streaming games to Android in 2017

hatch-screenshot

hatch-screenshot

A new company that has been spun off from Rovio, the creators of the Angry Birds franchise, wants to offer a way for Android device owners to stream and play games without downloading them onto their phones. The new company, Hatch, says the service will also include some unique social features.

See also:

Best free Android games

3 weeks ago

Hatch says that the service will allow anyone to play games for free, with no updates or in-app purchases. Instead, the service, and game developers, will get revenues from "integrated, unobtrusive advertising and brand storytelling". Hatch also plans to launch a paid subscription option that will offer unnamed additional features for gamers.

In addition, the service will allow players to compete, or even help, in online gaming, along with support for sharing and broadcasting gameplay footage. Even single-player games can be altered so that players can receive online assistance from others. The service will use cloud-based servers in a partnership with Huawei Technologies.

When Hatch does launch to the public, it will have over 100 games to play such as Badland, Leo's Fortune, Monument Valley, Pac-Man CE DX, République and many more. It will also release games that will be exclusive to the service, such as IslaBomba: Ready To Boom, that will be able to use the service's multiplayer and social features. The company plans to launch via an invite-only beta sometime in the first half of 2017.



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Build your own LEGO characters with the new LEGO Brickheadz VR app for Daydream View

lego-brickheads

lego-brickheads

This post originally appeared on our sister site, VRSource.

More and more VR apps are being released in the Google Play Store that support the company's Daydream View smartphone headset. The latest example is LEGO Brickheadz, a free app that lets children of all ages make cool LEGO-based figures in a virtual world.

See also: Launch day: Daydream VR apps roundup

The Brickheadz brand from LEGO was first announced earlier this year, and will offer people a way to own buildable figures based on pop culture characters from Marvel and DC's superhero universes. The real-world Brickheadz won't go on sale until 2017, but this new VR app offers something of a sneak peek at what this LEGO spinoff is like.

The game gives you the option of building your own Brickheadz figures. You can also unlock new characters and combinations by putting together pre-arranged figures via special diagrams. All in all, this app would seem to be targeting young kids, but we would imagine older folks might get a kick out of playing with virtual LEGO bricks as well.

One word of warning: The app is listed in the Google Play Store as "Unreleased", which likely means that there could be more than the usual number of bugs in this version.

Get it at Google Play


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Moto Z is “likely” to get a Tango 3D camera Moto Mod

moto mods review projector aa (3 of 8)

moto mods review projector aa (3 of 8)

The biggest feature in Motorola's Moto Z family of smartphones is their support for Moto Mods, which are modular add-ons that can be quickly connected to the back to add extra features to those devices. Today, Motorola CEO Aymar de Lencquesaing said the company will "likely" release a Moto Mod in the future that will add support for Google's Tango 3D camera technology to the Moto Z.

See also:

Moto Mods Review: Blast, Power and Project in a snap

July 27, 2016

Of course, this is one of the exact reasons why Lenovo and Motorola created Moto Mods in the first place. If an up-and-coming technology comes out that may be of interest to users, creating a Moto Mod with that functionality is much easier than building it into a smartphone. de Lencquesaing stated that the augmented reality features that can be used with the Tango camera will fit well within Motorola's smartphone plans:

Augmented reality on a phone is a technology that's likely to stick. Of course we'll follow, or lead, the market in this area.

Motorola's parent company, Lenovo, launched the first Tango-enabled smartphone, the Phab 2 Pro, earlier this month. The large 6.4-inch unlocked device is currently priced at $499.99, and there are over 35 apps in the Google Play Store that specifically support Tango's AR features. There are rumors that ASUS could announce its own Tango-based smartphone in January during CES 2017.

Currently, the Moto Z family of Moto Mods directly from Motorola include an external speaker, an extra battery and projector. More recently, Verizon began selling a Moto Mod battery pack made by Mophie. Motorola has also partner with the Indiegogo crowd funding website to help hardware developers fund the creation of even more Moto Mods.



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DirecTV Now streaming TV service launches for Android and Chromecast on November 30 (Update: Google Play link)

AT&T logo

AT&T logoShutterstock
Update (11/30: AT&T has brought its DirecTV Now app to the Play Store. If you're interested, head to the link below to give it a shot!
Get it from Google Play

Original post (11/28): AT&T officially enters the already crowded streaming TV service market on Wednesday, November 30 with the launch of DirecTV Now. Among many other platforms, the new service will be available on Android smartphones and tablets, along with support for Google Chromecast.

See also:

Best AT&T Android phones

2 weeks ago

Here's the breakdown of the four channel packages and prices that will be available for interested DirecTV Now customers:

  • Live a Little – $35 / month (60+ channels)
  • Just Right – $50 / month (80+ channels)
  • Go Big – $60 / month (100+ channels)
  • Gotta Have it – $70 / month (120+ channels)

AT&T's 'Go Big' package will be just $35 for a limited time

However, for a "limited time", AT&T will offer the "Go Big" package, which normally costs $60 a month for over 100 channels, for the price of just $35 a month. Customers who sign up for that promo price can continue to keep it for as long as they stay signed up for that package. In addition, customers can also add the HBO and Cinemax pay-TV networks to any of the four DirecTV Now plans for $5 a month each.

AT&T also announced that starting on Tuesday, November 29, LeEco will offer three months of free DirecTV Now service for people who purchase its Le S3 and Le Pro3 smartphones from the LeMall website. It will also offer a number of free months of service for people who purchase the company's smart TVs from the same site, with the amount of free time depending on the model of TV.

DirecTV Now joins Sony's PlayStation Vue and Dish's Sling TV in the streaming TV service market in the US. Hulu has also announced plans to offer a similar service sometime in 2017.

AT&T also announced that its previously launched Fullscreen streaming video service, which normally costs $5.99 a month, will be free for any of its wireless phone customers for a year starting on November 30. Finally, AT&T will launch FreeVIEW, a free, ad-supported video service that will offer samples of its content from DirecTV Now, Audience Network and more.



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