Google Wallet goes all-in on Material Design in latest update

Posted on by Stephen Schenck

Google Wallet has found itself in the news a bunch lately, but more as a secondary player in stories than the primary focus. Instead, it’s been Apple Pay taking the spotlight, and when retailers reacted to the launch of Apple’s mobile payment service by shutting off the NFC readers at their POS terminals, Google Wallet ended up suffering collateral damage. It’s almost an indignity to Google’s service that its use was just as much in violation of agreements between merchants and MCX, ...

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When will your phone get updated to Android Lollipop?

Posted on by Taylor Martin

Google teased its new software update, previously known as the Android L Preview, back at the I/O 2014 developer conference back in June. It showed off new features a new and improved recent apps menu, lock screen notifications, and Project Volta, meant to improve battery life. Among the most important changes, however, is the all new design language, called Material Design.This new interface design is meant to make the UI react to the user’s input the same way their analog – ...

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Fully assembled Project Ara prototype shown booting Android

Posted on by Stephen Schenck

It’s been about a month since we last checked in with Project Ara, that Google effort to create a fully modular smartphone built around a set of interchangeable hardware modules. Even in the absence of a lot of updates, this is one phone we’ve been keeping in our thoughts, especially as we approach the end of the year; after all, we’d previously heard that Ara hardware could go up for sale in very early 2015. Today ...

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Nexus 6 pre-orders open, Google already out of inventory

Posted on by Stephen Schenck

It’s October 29, so you know what that means! Throwing together a last-minute costume from old clothing, pipe cleaners, and hot glue? Well sure, but more importantly, today’s the day when you get your first chance to snag a new Motorola Nexus 6, as Google gets the phone’s pre-orders started. Or, at least, this would be your first chance if they weren’t gone already.We’re not sure just when it happened, but sometime between when Google opened Nexus 6 pre-orders earlier today and the present moment, ...

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Samsung Galaxy A-series launch rumors sharpen focus on November

Posted on by Stephen Schenck

The idea of Samsung releasing a bunch of new Androids that take some heavy inspiration from its Galaxy Alpha handset is one that’s been building momentum since late August, and last month we saw such rumors really take off in full force, as leaks started providing new evidence for the existence of a Galaxy A3, A5, and A7. Recently, we’ve been hearing that these phones could be nearly about to drop, and that a ...

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OnePlus sets the date for next round of One pre-orders

Posted on by Stephen Schenck

Earlier this week, OnePlus opened a new chapter in the story of its One smartphone, moving beyond an invite-only ordering system to give the public at large a chance to place pre-orders for the hardware. Even taking that big step, the ordering system is still a little unusual, with pre-orders only opening for very limited time periods; Monday’s was only supposed to be open for a single hour, though OnePlus ultimately extended that to three. If that still wasn’t enough time to get your order ...

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Freebie Wednesday: get TowerMadness, Blinkist, Skillfeed, and more for zero cash

Posted on by Pocketnow Deals

If you like free stuff (who doesn’t?), then head on over to the Pocketnow Deals Store and check out the awesome free offers available right now.You pay nothing to learn how to design iPhone games, how to be a web developer, to speed read through a book in under 15 minutes, plus a whole bunch more.Learn To Build Your Own iPhone Game For FREE!Flappy Bird and Angry Birds: these are iPhone gaming sensations. You could design the next big thing in iPhone gaming with

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Motorola invite sure looks like an international Droid Turbo launch

Posted on by Stephen Schenck

Yesterday saw Motorola and Verizon introduce US audiences to the Droid Turbo, the latest Android smartphone to wear the Droid label, and one heck of a piece of solid hardware. Even before the handset was finally confirmed we were hearing questions from our international user base: how can I get my hands on the Droid Turbo? This can’t really be a US exclusive, can it? Evidence had already been building for the possibility of an international GSM version of the Droid Turbo, and now we’ve got an ...

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What is your favorite Android skin?

Posted on by Adam Doud

Android is everywhere, but sometimes it’s a little hard to tell. Samsung’s Android is not the same as HTC’s which is not the same as Alcatel’s. Every OEM pours a little of their own flavor into its version of Android. Some for the better, others…well, not so much. But in a world where 80% of the market is using the same platform and you have no less than two dozen competitors all touting the same OS, what can you do to make your product stand out and shine? Skin it of course!Which leaves us, the consumer, in an odd and sometimes confusing place. Android is ...

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Oppo R5 hands-on (Video)

Posted on by Rithvik Rao

Its bigger brother may be capturing all of the attention in the limelight, but that doesn’t mean the Oppo R5 doesn’t hold a candle to the N3. We’ve already covered the basics of the phone in a news post, but now it’s time to give you a look at the phone itself. This is our Oppo R5 hands-on.The design isn’t as remarkable as that of the N3, but there is something to be said about the R5′s looks. It’s ultra-thin, just 4.8mm at its thickest, and boasts a “macro-arc ...

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Oppo N3 hands-on (Video)

Posted on by Rithvik Rao

Now that it’s official, the time has come for a video showcase of Oppo’s latest smartphone, the N3. We have Jaime Rivera on the ground in Singapore bringing us the latest from the company’s unveiling event of the N3 and the lower-tier R5, and he’s supplied us with an Oppo N3 hands-on video for your consumption.The N3′s beauty begins with the design. The use of what Oppo refers to as “aircraft quality steel” gives the phone a unique, bold, and premium look and feel, something we’re glad to see is becoming a trend these days (as phones like the ...

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Oppo R5 specs: eyeing the internals

Posted on by Rithvik Rao

Reading the name “Oppo R5″ might bring into your mind the thought “just another midrange option.” And that’s only partially true – with a careful examination of the specs of the R5, it becomes clear that this actually isn’t just a new mid-range offering, but instead a flagship in its own right (what is a flagship, anyway?)… or is it? We’ll answer that question when we put the Oppo R5 through its paces ...

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Oppo N3 specs: the metal monster goes under the microscope

Posted on by Rithvik Rao

So the Oppo N3 has gone official, but you need a set of A-grade specifications to push you over the edge and grab this phone. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered, with a full list of Oppo N3 specs at your disposal right down below!Sure, the N3 might not stack up just as well as the Galaxy Note 4 or

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Oppo announces N3 and R5 smartphones at Singapore event

Posted on by Rithvik Rao

After many long weeks of anticipation, Oppo has finally gone official with its two newest Android smartphones, the N3 and R5. We’re live in Singapore with the scoop on the phones, so read onward to find out more about both the high-end Oppo N3 and lower-end Oppo R5.The N3 is a follow-up to the N1 of yesteryear (and don’t ask us why it’s not called the N2; we’re just as confused). It features a premium-looking body and top tier specs, along with a long-rumored motorized camera. Let’s begin with the build – there’s industrial-grade steel for the body of ...

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DROID Turbo vs Nexus 6: which oversized Android is right for you?

Posted on by Joe Levi

Based on how 2014 is stacking up, I think it’s safe to say this year will be remembered as the year of the phablet. We saw Apple’s mammoth iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung released its Note 4, Google is set to begin taking pre-orders for the Nexus 6, and others like OnePlus and ZTE even threw their hats in the ring. Now Motorola has thrown another big phone into the race, and it’s being called the DROID Turbo. Interestingly

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