Category: Android

Google has updated their news and magazine reading app Google Play Newsstand with several improvements that all users of the app will benefit from having on their device.  If you aren’t familiar with the app, it is a news curation app that allows you to see articles from a wide range of news sources in one app on a variety of different topics.  This latest update, version 3.4.1 for those keeping score at home, also has improvements for the widgets you have display on your home screen on your Android phone.  The app is free and free to use.

The Google native keyboard alternative, Google Keyboard, has received a significant update today that brings several improved features along with the standard bug fixes.  If you haven’t tried Google Keyboard, it is a free download and is a great alternative keyboard to those built into many ROMs of devices out there.  It allows for swipe typing (drag your finger across the letters to spell a word) and has auto completion – a feature that is significantly improved in this update.  The new version is, wait for it, 4.1.22063.1974169 for those keeping score at home and for those who like large build numbers. 🙂

Along with the new Life One 2015 Edition, BLU announced the new 5.5″ display Life One 8 XL today.  This dual-SIM, 8-core powered phone features 8GB of on-board storage which you can expand an additional 64GB with a Micro-SD card, 1GB of RAM, a 8MP rear facing camera and will be upgradable to Lollipop in the July time frame.  This new phone will be available starting July 1 and is available for pre-order for only $129.

Built inside the Life 8 XL is a 5.5-inch HD display with 268 ppi, utilizing full lamination, IPS, and OGS technologies with an incredible color reproduction, brightness and quality for a perfect viewing experience. Camera options include an 8.0 mega pixel main camera plus 2 mega pixel front facing camera. The LIFE 8 XL’s memory configuration includes 8GB built in storage plus 1GB RAM, with an expandable Micro SD slot of up to 64GB. Additional features include Dual SIM Dual Active technology for multiple SIM card support.

BLU Life One 8 XL – Pre-Order for $129 from Amazon

Today, US-based BLU announced the updated Life One for 2015 which will be available on June 19th and are offering an amazing pre-sale price of only $99 for this dual-SIM Android phone.  The updated version of the Life One for this year sports improved specifications and features and certainly makes a splash on the mid-range of devices that are out there.

The Life One has also improved in every way when it comes to performance. Powered by a 64-Bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 Processor that is designed to provide blazing 4G-LTE speeds, high performance capability, and long lasting battery efficiency. There is also improved performance and quality on cameras, including faster autofocus and clearer images, with a front facing 5.0 mega pixel front camera, and 13 mega pixel autofocus on the back with a Sony IMX135 sensor, 8GB expandable memory and 1GB RAM.

The Display includes a brighter than before 5-inch HD display for the New Life One, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, shipping at launch with Android v4.4 KitKat and upgradable to v5.0 Lollipop in July.

That last bit is important:  Lollipop will be available for this device and likely on nor near the release date.

BLU Life One 2015 Edition – $99 through June 19th on Amazon

There was a point not so many years ago that there were data plans from mobile providers that were unlimited data consumption.  Then the Internet got big and apps came into being and suddenly the mobile providers were having their networks crushed under the onslaught of data being pushed to mobile devices.  The solution was to limit the amount of included data or, in some cases, cap at a certain level.  That is where an app like My Data Manager for Android comes in handy.

My Data Manager is an app that allows you to set your weekly or monthly thresholds on your data plan and keeps track of how much data you are using.  But it even smart enough to monitor how much WiFi you are using (because there are places you still have to pay for that for some reason – you reading this airports and hotels of the world?) and even your roaming amounts which can be really expensive if you over use while abroad.  It’s an impressive little app that is easy to use and configure and gives you alerts when you are getting close to your data limit.  If you have a limited amount of data you can use each month, My Data Manager for Android.

AT&T has announced that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active will be coming to the carrier this week on June 12th.  For those who aren’t familiar, the Active is a more durable version of the Galaxy S6 lineup and follows in the footsteps of the Galaxy S5 Active from last year.  This new, updated version sports dust and water resistant design (but not waterproof) for those who are on the go.  The Galaxy S6 Active sports some nice features including a 5.1″ HD AMOLED display, a 3500 mAh battery for all day performance and a 16MP rear facing camera.