Pro Mode: Galaxy S6 gives full manual controls for camera enthusiasts [VIDEO]

Over the years Samsung has put a lot of work into the camera app found on their Android phones. Maybe a little too much work, considering how overwhelming the various features and filters and photo modes started to get with the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 4. With the Samsung Galaxy S6, the Korean phone manufacturer felt a different approach was in order: a more simple, streamlined camera experience.

But simple and streamlined do not mean lacking in capability, and here Samsung has done us the favor of including a Pro mode for those that wish to have more manual control over shooting parameters. Tapping “Mode” within the camera and switching from Auto to Pro enables users to adjust things like white balance, ISO, metering, and even focus.

Long-pressing an area of the screen will focus on that point, just like in Auto mode, but in Pro mode you can alternatively choose to focus on one area of the photo while base the exposure off a separate area. This is a feature we have seen in several third-party camera apps, and one we are glad to have in the Galaxy S6’s default camera.

If you checked out our comparison shots between the Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6, you probably noticed the drastic difference in white balance between the two. In Auto mode the GS6 had the tendency to lend a yellow hue to the scene. Manual white balance adjustment means we can dial that yellow out of the photo, and in hindsight would probably have us thinking differently about the results of our comparison.

Of course, the Galaxy S6’s new camera retains most of the features we have come to expect. Real-time filters, slow motion video, panorama, and more are all there at your disposal. The camera is also super fast to load and features killer optical image stabilization. Pro mode is just one more addition to your virtual photographer’s bag that could mean the difference between a typical smartphone photo and a true work of art.

HTC One M9 and its full spec sheet is on Best Buy with a $650 price tag well ahead of schedule

Needed even more evidence that HTC was announcing the HTC One M9 today? How about its sudden arrival on America’s biggest electronics retailer? The device has hit Best Buy’s listings, and yes — it looks like an HTC One M8. This listing joins another leak earlier this morning of the device being compared to the HTC One M8 and HTC One M7 on video.

Best Buy also has a pretty full spec sheet to go along with their pretty picture. It doesn’t say anything we weren’t already expecting, but in case you were curious:

• 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset


• 5-inch Super LCD3 1080p display


• 3GB of RAM


• 32GB of internal storage with microSD


• 20 megapixel rear camera, 4 megapixel (UltraPixel) front camera


• GPS, WiFi AC, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, 4G LTE


• 5.68 x 2.73 x 0.38 inches, 4.96 ounces


• Android 5.0 Lollipop with HTC Sense

More than all of that, we’re treated to an early word on its price tag: 0 unlocked. The listing only notes compatibility with AT&T, though we’re sure to see variants that are fit for the other major carriers in due time. You obviously can’t order yet, but it’s there and its early arrival to major retailers could suggest HTC won’t take very long to push this phone out of the door.

Google Keep is now a full featured app on your Android Wear smartwatch thanks to latest update

Making that monthly shopping trip to Walmart is never easy task. If you’re anything like me, you probably cruise about the aisles phone in hand, narrowly avoiding pedestrians with your cart (or occasionally bumping their heels). Today, Google is making those trips a little easier, with new and improved Keep notes now available on your Android Wear device.

Now, we’ve been able to add Keep notes for quite some time using the “Ok Google, take a note” command, but this allows you view all your notes straight from your wrist with a fresh new UI. Simply say “Ok Google, open Keep” and the app will pop up right on your smartwatch (or you can open from the app list). From here you can view all your notes, archive, add list items, or even add a reoccurring reminders. But until the latest Android Wear update arrives — which allows for always-on apps — you’ll have to keep opening the app every time the screen turns off. Not. Fun.

To get started, simply update the Keep app from the Google Play Store. Link provided below.

Download on Google Play: Google Keep

Moto 360 (2015) alleged render shows full 360-degree display, new watch strap [LEAK]

It was 3 weeks ago we got a sneak peek at what could have been a Moto 360 successor courtesy of a Lenovo exec showing off prototypes on the Chinese blogging site, Weibo. More recently, details of the device of what could be the Moto 360 (2nd Gen) — codename Smelt — were uncovered by us, with the device boasting a 360×360 display.

Today, new alleged image of the watch is making the rounds and once again, comes to us from the Weibo. Now, it’s unclear where this person obtained the image, or even if its legit, but it does show a render of a watch that looks extremely similar to what the Lenovo exec was showing off the other day.

The image shows a very similar disc/hockey puck-like design, with new watch straps that feature metal attachable arms. It’s interesting because the previously leaked photos of the prototype device also had arms, but they were attached the smartwatch’s metal frame. These are more like inserts.

Also worth pointing out is the physical button is smack dab in the center, like last year’s model and not off towards the top as in the previous leak. You’ll also notice the the “flat tire” bezel, which housed the watch’s display drivers, is also not present in this render, which we admit looks great.

As is the case with most “leaks,” take this with a huge grain of salt. It’s been a little over a year since the original Moto 360 was officially announced, so we bet we’ll be seeing more of this Moto 360 followup in the weeks leading up to Google I/O 2015.

[Weibo]

Here’s the full version of the Android “Wear what you want” ad by Google [VIDEO]

Google attempted to steal some thunder away from Apple when the Cupertino company unveiled new details about their first ever smart watch. They did so by posting a quick video urging folks to “wear what you want,” and showed a wealth of energetic beings rocking the many different Android Wear watches out there.

The full video has now been posted online in case you were wondering how the whole thing plays out. Here’s a quick summary: a lot of cool people do a lot of cool things with a lot of arms and fingers. Be sure to take a gander below if you can afford to take a quick one minute break.

HTC One M9 drop and full water submersion tests make us cringe [VIDEOS]

We still have a few more days before you can officially mosey into a store and leave with a shiny new HTC One M9 in your pocket. After we saw the Samsung Galaxy S6’s durability put to the test, it’s now time for the the HTC One M9 to suffer the same fate.

Our latest double feature is brought to you by Phil Esposito and the twisted minds over at TechSmartt who wasted no time in taking up HTC on their new Uh Oh protection policy. We know most devices these days feature some level of water resistance, normally just enough to survive a few minutes out in the rain or a quick splash into a puddle.

HTC already told us, like last year’s One M8, the One M9 is rated for IPX3. This means it’s splash proof, but isn’t meant to be fully immersed in water. But what happens if (heaven forbid) your brand new HTC One M9 takes a dive into your toilet? Well, according to the video below, it might be salvageable even if swimming around for 20+ minutes (the Galaxy S6 hit a similar time before kicking the bucket). Check out the video down below to see for yourself.

Now, we know the HTC One M9 can survive a quick dip in water — but what about when it slips out of your hand and comes into contact with cold, hard concrete. Once again, we have another video showing you this worse case scenario, illustrating exactly what happens when you drop the HTC One M9 from a series of different heights. The result? A few dings, dents, chips, and eventually… a broken display. No surprise there.

But all in all, the HTC One M9 held up rather well. Because the glass is kind of floating towards the middle of the device (thank goodness for the boom sound speakers, right?), a big drop onto its corner wont actually crack the display. It will, however, leave a nasty dent in the body.

While situations like this are enough to make any smartphone lover cringe, there’s a certain peace of mind that comes with knowing that no matter what happens to your HTC One M9 — whether it’s dropped, doused, or set on fire — HTC’s Uh Oh protection has you covered.

A group of robbers tried to hijack a truck full of Samsung Galaxy S6’s

Samsung makes popular devices. How popular? So popular that people will do anything to get them, including hijack an entire truck.

On April 1st in India a group of robbers hijacked a truck that they believed to be full of Samsung Galaxy S6 devices. The truck contents were valued at over million. The robbers disabled the GPS unit in the truck to get away without being tracked. It would have been a perfect plan except for one thing: the truck was not full of Samsung Galaxy S6’s.

The truck was indeed carrying million worth of Samsung devices, but these devices were motherboards and integrated circuits for smartphones. They could have used the loot to build their own Samsung Galaxy S6 or Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, but that’s it. The India Express reports that the four robbers, who have since been detained, did expect the truck to be full of phones. Oops.

So, kids, if you’re looking to hijack a truck you might want to make sure it’s carrying the right stuff. It would also be a good idea to not hijack a truck to begin with.

[via SamMobile]

Android 5.1.1 (LMY47V) officially uploaded to AOSP and here’s the full changelog, Nexus Player factory images also available

While some still anxiously await Android 5.1 to hit their devices, Google is onto bigger and better things. Android 5.1.1 (officially 5.1.1_r1 build number LMY47V) has just been uploaded to AOSP and as the small .1 increase suggests, looks to bring smaller bug fixes. That’s not to downplay the software update which probably maybe hopefully patches up that nasty memory leak plaguing some devices.

While Nexus devices will have to wait a little longer before an official rollout begins, a factory image is currently available for the Nexus Player (Fugul) if you feel like getting a head start. If you’re looking for exact changes, a detailed developer changelog from Android 5.1.0_r5 to 5.1.1_r1 can be found right here.

[AOSP]

Fleksy keyboard giving away free unlock to full version, but only for a limited time

We know, it’s going to be tough for anyone already invested in their favorite keyboard app to try something new, but we implore you to give Fleksy a shot. After recently adding a handful of amazing new features, it’s been fighting for the top spot in our favorite keyboard apps ever. Yeah, it’s that good.

Right now, Fleksy is allowing anyone with the free (trial) version of their app to unlock the full version for free. All you have to do is download the free version of the app (uninstall and re-download if you already have it installed) and when you sign into their cloud service, you’ll unlock the full version for free.

Normally the paid version runs about , which isn’t much, but this will encourage new users to give them a shot. Especially if all you’ve used is the official Google Keyboard or SwiftKey. Fleksy really does offer something different with aggressive auto-correct that allows you to sloppily type whatever you like and the ability to use a combination of gestures to undo corrections, delete words, or add words to the dictionary. Once you get in the swing of things it quickly becomes 2nd nature, so try sticking with it for a few days.

You can find the free version of Fleksy down below.

Fleksy Keyboard Free (Playboard) | Fleksy Keyboard Free (Play Store)

You can now upgrade your device with Verizon Edge as soon as it’s paid in full

Verizon has announced a small, yet key change to their EDGE upgrade program. The company now allows you to upgrade through EDGE as soon as your device is paid in full as opposed to having to wait a certain amount of time.

This is great for folks who want a new phone with little upfront costs, but don’t mind paying their current device off early for the privilege of doing so at their own pace. The change goes into effect May 31st, which is only a few days’ wait if you’re planning to take advantage.

[via Verizon]

Nova Launcher 4.0 brings grouped widgets, full Material Design, circular app animations and 25+ other changes

Nova’s Material Design update has been a long time coming for those who aren’t particularly crazy about beta testing, but the wait for it to hit the stable channel is finally over. Nova Launcher 4.0 is out on Google Play, and it stands to be one of the biggest updates yet for the premier home screen replacement.

The biggest changes will be a more refined Material Design user interface, including new animations, updated fonts, new material-themed wallpapers and other aesthetic-focused things. The full list is rather large, and rightfully so: this has been in the works for a few months now, with the last version — 3.3 — having been released as far back as December 2014.

Here’s a full list of changes you can expect if you haven’t been using the beta:

• Full Material Design


• Google Search from the search bar shows as an overlay


• Edit Shortcut dialog, and quick menu, tinted based on colors of the icon


• New icon


• New Nova Action icons


• Rebased on top of Launcher3


• Individual icon layout settings (size, font, etc) in Desktop, Drawer, Dock, Folder


• Max icon size boosted to 150%


• Widget Search


• Circular App animations (Settings > Look and Feel > App Animation > Circle)


• Pull to search (pull down in the drawer to open app or widget search)


• Widgets given their own drawer, removed from App Drawer


• Ability to change Page Indicator color


• Drawer Tab Bar completely optional


• Support for Android for Work managed profiles (Lollipop)


• Workaround Expand Notifications Nova Action not working on Samsung Lollipop


• Requires Android 4.1 or higher (Dropped support for Android 4.0 ICS)


• Unlimited desktop pages (previously limited to 9)


• Add/remove of desktop pages by dropping icons on the blank page, or removing all icons from a page


• Add blank desktop pages (for gestures or live wallpapers) from overview


• Improved bulk edit of folders (Folder > Menu > Select Apps)


• Added shadows to unread badges


• Unread Badge size scales with icon size


• Allow reordering drawer folders by drag/drop within window


• Added Roboto-Medium font option


• Improve handling of apps installed to sdcard

The download is sitting over at Google Play right here so be sure to grab it as soon as possible.

Google highlights their favorite Material Design apps on Google Play, here’s the full list

Hot of the heels of Google I/O 2015, Google’s Design Team is ready to talk about, what else, but design. During I/O, they gave their entire site a fresh new Material design overhaul. As most of you know, Material is Google’s new design language that was introduced last year in Android 5.0 Lollipop and bled out into all of Google’s web services.

Material design focuses on clean, minimal design with bold colors and typography that emphasize depth and are brought to life with gorgeous animations. Still confused? Simply put, it’s a lot like paper. Well, maybe the Google design team can explain it better in their latest video:

While we’re just now seeing more and more Android apps follow this design philosophy, some definitely do it better than others. There’s no better way to show what Material Design is than by simply showing you. That’s why Google’s Material Design team decided to showcase their favorite apps adhering to their guidelines in a new featured page in the Google Play Store.

There’s 18 apps total ranging from fitness to messaging and everything in between but Google hand-picked 6 which they felt excelled in specific areas for their first ever “Material Design Awards.” Here are the top picks:

B&H Photo Video Audio Pro for Immersive Imagery

New York Times for Elegant Typography

Pocket for Adaptive Layouts

Pocket Casts for Seamless Browsing

Tumblr for Delightful Animation

Weather Timeline for Crafted Simplicity

If you’d like to see all the others are featured, the full list can be found over on Google’s landing page here.

 

Oppo R7 and Oppo R7 Plus officially unveiled with full metal unibody design

Oppo sat a bunch of us tech journos down in a nice Beijing hall earlier today and revealed what you see above — it’s the Oppo R7 and Oppo R7 Plus. These are perhaps the most compelling smartphones we’ve seen from Oppo yet as they’ve gone great lengths to ensure the devices’ premium status.

One of the ways they did that was by making them full metal unibody designs, which isn’t a feat unique to them but certainly an important distinction if they want major attention in 2015. Oppo is also using 2.5D curved glass to make for a natural curve at the edges of the device.

So, what about the specs themselves? Here’s what you can expect from the base Oppo R7:

• 5-inch AMOLED 1080p display


• 1.5GHz 8-core Qualcomm chipset (MSM8939)


• 2,320mAh battery with VOOC fast charging (non-removable)


• 3GB of RAM


• 16GB of internal storage


• 13 megapixel rear camera, 8 megapixel front camera

The Plus variant shares much of the same specs, though the display size is bumped to 6 inches and there’s a bigger 4,100mAh battery inside. You’ll also get a bump in base storage to 32GB by opting for the bigger model.

We should also note that while the cameras enjoy the same megapixel count, the R7 uses a 3M2 sensor while the R7 Plus uses Sony’s IMX278 and has the added benefit of getting laser-assisted autofocus. We’re not sure if that’ll make a huge difference in terms of picture quality but we’ll certainly be looking to find out.

One other final difference worth noting is that the R7 launches with KitKat while the R7 Plus will come with Lollipop from the go. There shouldn’t be much reason to worry, though, as Oppo promises a full upgrade to Lollipop for the base R7 model down the line.

Unfortunately Oppo didn’t have much in the way of pricing and availability at the ready, but if they’re hoping to get this thing into the public’s eye before the summer smartphone wars heat up then we’re sure it won’t be long. Stay tuned for our continued coverage of the launch of the Oppo R7 live from Beijing, including hands-on and first impressions!

The full Google I/O 2015 schedule is now live, includes a 2.5-hour Day 1 keynote + hints of Android M

Google has released the full schedule for Google I/O 2015. It takes place May 28th through May 29th, as we’ve previously known, and the festivities will kick off with a whopping 2.5-hour keynote speech. That seems like a lot, but it’s important to remember that Google I/O used to be a 3-day event and Google would split keynotes between the first two days.

Regardless, they’ll be sure to have a lot to talk about as they always do. What are we expecting? There are no crazy predictions to be had just yet, but we can think of a few:

• More details about Project Fi and the future of Google’s wireless carrier experiment


• A focus on the connected home and Internet of Things.


• New features for upcoming versions of both Android and Chrome OS — we’re not necessarily expecting a huge Lollipop-esque update to be ready for some massive showing but Google will definitely want to give us a sneak peak at what they’re looking to introduce at some point in the near future. (Note: Google’s “Android at Work” session made mention of Android M, but the schedule has since been updated to remove it.)


• More details about the future of Google Glass? That would be ideal, especially since they’re sick of everyone proclaiming Glass is dead.


• New Android Wear goods to show, possibly including new product types.


• Free stuff for attendees, because history.


• Awesomeness, fun and excitement aplenty.

And, you know, your typical geeky developer sessions to help attendees understand what goes into developing for Android, Chrome and the mobile web. Phandroid will be right there in San Francisco to see it all go down so keep that in mind if you’re yearning for coverage once the day arrives. Be sure to check out the full schedule details right here.

Latest Oppo R7 details reveal full metal unibody design

We knew the Oppo R7 would have a fair bit of metal in its skeletal makeup, but new details reveal that this thing is metallic all around. The Oppo R7 will have a metal unibody design, according to recent information that has come to light. Oppo will tout the fact that the device has been put through a whopping 48 finishing processes to make for a nice metallic look and feel.

The device will also still have some slight curvature to it, we’re told. It’ll improve looks, naturally, but should also make it a lot more comfortable to hold in the hand. Oppo isn’t the first company to accomplish this, but we’re appreciative of it nevertheless.

Other known specs and features of the Oppo R7 are a 4.7-inch 1080p display, 20.7-megapixel rear camera, Octa-core MediaTek processor, 2000mAh battery with VOOC fast charging, “2.5D” curved glass and that it’ll be just 4.85mm thin. All is scheduled to be told at some point later this month.

Sony releases Android M Developer Preview for select Xperia devices, here’s the full list

While nowhere near final software, the Android M Developer Preview is a great way for devs to test drive the next version of Android before it’s officially released at the end of the year. That’s why Google introduced the program back when Android L (Lollipop) was first unveiled during last year’s Google I/O.

Normally, we don’t expect to see a developer preview running on much, not outside of officially supported Nexus devices or 3rd party custom ROMs. Today, the folks at Sony Mobile are now giving developers a shot at trying it on their Xperia devices as part of Sony’s Open Device program.

Willing developers can now create a test image for themselves and flash it onto their Xperia devices providing they have a knowledge in these things. There’s a fair amount of officially supported devices and Sony Mobile was even nice enough to provide a quick guide for those that needed a refresher. For those curious, here’s the full running list:

• Xperia Z3


• Xperia Z3 Compact


• Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact


• Xperia Z2


• Xperia Z2 Tablet


• Xperia Z1


• Xperia Z1 Compact


• Xperia Z Ultra


• Xperia E3


• Xperia M2


• Xperia T2 Ultra


• Xperia T3

We should note, Sony also cautioned users that the AOSP software isn’t certified or intended for daily use (modem and camera aren’t working), so you probably shouldn’t go flashing this on your daily driver. If that hasn’t scared you away yet, feel free to hit up the source link for more.

[Sony]

 

Dropbox for Android 3.0 brings a full Material Design makeover

Dropbox has announced a nice new upgrade to their Android app. It’s Dropbox 3.0, and the main highlight is that the app is now doused in a full coat of Material Design. We’re finally getting an excellent use of white space, drop shadows, and — oh yes — that glorious floating action button (which will allow you to easily add files and photos to whichever folder you’re in while you press it).

There weren’t many other functional changes made to the app, though you’ll notice a persistent search button throughout the app, as well as more consistent placement of sharing and file management controls throughout the app.

The upgrade should be headed to your phones and tablets shortly, so be sure to keep an eye out on Google Play throughout the course of the day. Oh, and check out the cool new user animation video they’ll be using straight ahead.

[via Dropbox]

[Update] Full Samsung Galaxy S6 Active specs leak on Samsung’s own site

Samsung and AT&T are gearing up to announce the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active soon. We’ve seen early renders of the device in camo-doused colors, and now @evleaks has delivered another shot of the thing in a more traditional color scheme of gray/black.

But that’s not all — the Samsung Galaxy S6’s full spec sheet is already sitting on Samsung’s own website, and it reveals everything we need to know about the device. The early takeaway is that rumors that this was going to be more like an enhanced Samsung Galaxy S5 were wrong.

This thing has all the same internals as the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge we’ve reviewed, except it houses all of them in a rugged case that can take a beating. Unfortunately it does lack a fingerprint sensor, but we imagine that sacrifice was necessary for a device that can potentially find itself submerged in water for long periods of time.

Otherwise, here’s the phone you can expect to get once it’s finally made official:

• 5.1-inch 2560 x 1440 Super AMOLED display


• Octa-Core Exynos 7420 chipset (2.1GHz and 1.5GHz cores)


• 32GB of UFS 2.0 storage (and we’re also hearing there will be a microSD slot, though the site doesn’t mention it)


• 16MP rear camera with 4K video recording, 5MP front camera


• Bluetooth 4.1, WiFi ac Dual-Band MIMO, GPS, NFC, Heart Rate Sensor, Infrared Blaster


• 5.65 x 2.78 x 0.27 inches , 138g


• 2,550mAh battery


• Android 5.0 Lollipop

With it appearing on Samsung’s own support site it’s only a matter of time before we see some official details. In the meantime let us know if you’ll be saving some coin to grab this one over the more stylish (yet less durable) originals.

[Update]: Someone must be in trouble. The Samsung Galaxy S6 Active page is no longer available for viewing.