Tag: smartphones

Google releases its Android file storage manager to all

Google has filled a big hole in its Android system by releasing Files Go! , its mobile file organization and sharing app. Launched in beta last month , the app makes it easier for Android users to free up space, find files, back them up to the cloud, and share them with other smartphones, even offline. It’s one of the linchpin apps of Google’s Oreo 8.1 (Go edition) , a slimmed down version of Android meant for the less-powerful devices in developing nations. Files Go! will also be handy for power users who currently lean on third-party file organization apps, which are often paid or ad-supported . On top of giving you direct access to your downloads, received files, apps, images, video, audio and documents, it will offer suggestions for freeing up space. For instance, it can tell you how much you can free from your app cache, unused apps, large files and downloaded files. It’ll also offer to move files to an SD card, if you have one. Another long overdue feature is the ability to share files offline, Airdrop-style. When you enable the feature, it lets you create a “hotspot” to connect and transfer files via Bluetooth. If a friend also has Files Go and file sharing enabled, it’s simply a matter of hitting send or receive. “The file transfers are encrypted, fast (up to 125 Mbps) and free, ” says Google. The app can also remind you when you’re low on storage and let you backup files to Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and other apps. Google says it has been testing the app for a month and has saved users an average of 1GB space. It’s now available for all on the Google Play Store , assuming you have Android 5.0 or higher. ” Source: Google

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Google releases its Android file storage manager to all

Samsung’s world-first UFS memory cards are crazy fast

We’ve heard arguments for and against removable storage on smartphones, but we can all agree on the fact that the more the merrier. And we’re not just talking about memory space here, as the speed becomes more crucial when it comes to capturing higher video resolutions on our smartphones and drones. To satisfy our need for speed, Samsung is the first to announce a series of UFS (Universal Flash Storage) removable memory cards, with its 256GB flavor boasting an SSD-like sequential read speed of 530MB/s — that’s about half a gigabyte per second and almost five times faster than the top microSD cards these days. It can also do 170MB/s sequential writing, which is almost two to three times faster. More importantly, Samsung claims that its upcoming 256GB card is rated with a random read rate of 40, 000 IOPS, which is 20 times higher than that of a typical microSD card; and likewise, it has a random write rate of 35, 000 IOPS, which is a whopping 350 times higher. But of course, we’ll believe it when we see it, which may be a while since we’ve yet to come across devices that support this new standard . It’s also worth noting that even though UFS cards closely resemble their microSD counterpart, you can see that the new pin layout means the two aren’t cross-compatible. We’ll just have to keep an eye out for future announcements — here’s hoping that the upcoming Galaxy Note 7 will be one of the first devices to support these awesome memory cards.

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Samsung’s world-first UFS memory cards are crazy fast

HP’s Elite x3 Is a Beastly Smartphone…Running Windows

When Microsoft announced its goal of unifying Windows 10 software across PC, tablets, phones, game consoles, and even Pi-powered micro computers, the future seemed promising. But there was one big problem with that vision: no one really wants a Windows smartphone. Read more…

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HP’s Elite x3 Is a Beastly Smartphone…Running Windows

Android 6 Vs. iOS 9: The Showdown

It wasn’t too long ago that we put the major mobile operating systems head to head, but with big updates from both Google and Apple in the meantime, we think it’s worth another look at where they both stand. Is there a clear winner? Or are they barely distinguishable any more? Read more…

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Android 6 Vs. iOS 9: The Showdown

14 Things You Can Do in Android Marshmallow That You Couldn’t Do in Lollipop

Whether you’ve put in an order for a Nexus 6P or you’re patiently waiting for Android version 6.0 to reach your Galaxy S6 , you’ll want to know what Marshmallow can do for you. It’s not a dramatic leap forward for Google’s mobile OS, but there are still a number of useful new features you’re going to want to know about. Read more…

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14 Things You Can Do in Android Marshmallow That You Couldn’t Do in Lollipop

Compared To the Rest of the World, US 4G (Unsurprisingly) Sucks

We’re always being told the U.S. is now lagging behind other, more industrious nations in science and technology and basically anything that isn’t spending on the military. How much are we lagging? Here is a depressing graph to help quantify that. Read more…

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Compared To the Rest of the World, US 4G (Unsurprisingly) Sucks

T-Mobile Will Stop Customers Abusing Unlimited Data

T-Mobile’s ‘unlimited means unlimited’ policy is good for consumers, but it’s also a boon for less scrupulous users who use cell data to replace broadband, with the help of a few dubious workarounds. Starting today, the endless data gravy train is going to stop . Read more…

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T-Mobile Will Stop Customers Abusing Unlimited Data

LG bets big on flexible displays for cars and phones

More and more smartphones , TVs and wearables like Apple’s Watch now use OLED displays, but only two companies mass produce them — Samsung and LG. LG is trying to stay on top of demand by building a new 1.05 trillion won ($900 million) flexible OLED plant in Korea. Starting in 2017, the 6th-gen line will spit out four times as many screens as the current-gen plant thanks to a larger “substrate” sheet size. The plastic-based displays are aimed at smaller next-gen devices that can benefit from the bendability like automotive displays, cellphones and wearables. Most of LG and Samsung’s high-end smartphones and smartwatches already use OLED displays (P-OLED and AMOLED, respectively). Some — like LG’s G Flex 2 “banana” phone and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge — specifically take advantage of the flexibility. But, it’s other companies — the Vivo X5 , Oppo R7 and 2nd-gen Motorola Moto X all have OLED-based displays, for instance — that are creating demand for the technology. LG said it will eventually build another plant for larger, TV-sized displays that uses the same 6th-gen tech. Samsung also recently pledged $3.6 billion toward OLED production. Filed under: Displays , LG Comments

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LG bets big on flexible displays for cars and phones

Feds Use 18th Century Law To Force Apple to Unlock Encrypted Phones

The Department of Justice is going to absurd lengths in order to unlock encrypted smartphones. It’s using a law from the 1700s to force Apple and at least one other company to cooperate with law enforcement officials in investigations dealing with locked, encrypted phones. And the courts, so far, are letting it happen. Read more…

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Feds Use 18th Century Law To Force Apple to Unlock Encrypted Phones