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.

Google finally gives us a changelog for Android 5.1, headed to T-Mobile Nexus devices today

We’ve been seeing Android 5.1 Lollipop appear on a few Android One devices for quite some time, but Google has remained quiet about it. We heard about a couple of changes early on, and now Google has come out to detail them in an official changelog.

For starters, they’ve confirmed the addition of new WiFi and Bluetooth dropdowns in the quick settings menu in the notification pane. We also know that a ton of bugs were fixed, though Google didn’t care to detail any of them.

So what about the stuff we didn’t already know? For starters, Android 5.1 Lollipop finally brings native support for dual-SIM devices, which is sure to be great news for those in markets where dual-SIM devices are the norm. Google’s also bringing proper HD Voice support, with the first devices getting HD Voice love being the T-Mobile and Verizon Nexus 6.

Finally, Google’s new Device Protection feature will make it so that a phone you mark as lost or stolen will need your Google password to get into, even if the person with the phone somehow performs a factory reset. Neat stuff, there.

So who’s getting it? And when? We’re sure Nexus devices are first in line, and we already know T-Mobile’s Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 -are slated to receive rollouts as soon as today (with all of them having the same build number of LMY47D).

If you have one of those devices you’ll do well to charge your battery and get on WiFi to start checking for the upgrade. Others will have to wait until more rollout information is shared by Google and carrier partners, and we’ll be sure to report anything as soon as we hear more.

[via Google, T-Mobile 1|2|3]

Sony gives developers an official path to bootloader access on select phones

In Sony’s ongoing quest to make their phones more developer friendly, the company has opened up bootloader access for a handful of their current Android smartphones. FXP has found that Sony’s official Mobile Flash tool now offers up an “Open Devices” bootloader option alongside the standard consumer-shipped bootloader.

What will this enable? It’ll allow developers to install custom recoveries right to the devices’ recovery partition. This enables the use of custom ROMs and operating systems without the need to use tricky and clunky bootstrap solutions. In fact, it’s so open that it would be possible to flash recoveries and ROMs for non-Android operating systems such as Ubuntu and Firefox OS (if one has the wherewithal to figure that out, of course).

Sony has only rolled out support for devices with chipsets based on ARM Cortex-A7, so that effectively limits it to the Sony Xperia T3, Sony Xperia M2, Sony Xperia T2 Ultra and the Sony Xperia E3.

That’s not to say more won’t come down the line, though, and we hope to hear something official from Sony soon. In the meantime, you can find the mobile flash tool right here. We wouldn’t recommend using it to do anything immediately, but you’ll likely want it on-hand once the development community takes proper advantage of this new level of access.

Verizon gives Lyft drivers discounts in wireless service, app to come pre-loaded on select Android devices

It’s not easy being a Lyft driver. Aside from dealing with questionable law enforcement and the occasional spurt of throw up in their back seats, having access to a fast and reliable network is an absolute must when navigating around town.

Well, Verizon is about to make it a little easier on drivers, announcing today a new partnership with Lyft to give some of their drivers a discount in monthly service. While that’s great for drivers, the deal also means the Lyft app has been added to the usual assortment of bloatware that comes pre-loaded on Verizon’s Android devices. Yay.

The discount in monthly service charges doesn’t go into effect until May 11th and only includes frequent Lyft drivers who are apart of the ride-sharing company’s “Accelerate Premier Driver Rewards” program. Whether you’re a current driver, or thinking about signing up, you can register for the discount through Verizon’s secure web portal.

[Verizon | Lyft]

Huawei gives some Honor 6 owners a chance to beta test Android 5.1 Lollipop before official rollout

It’s not the first OEM that comes to mind when you think of software updates, but Huawei has been making a better effort at supporting some of their flagships with newer versions of Android. A few weeks back they kicked off a new community forum where members could test out new software updates and even try out devices before they’re released to the public. Earlier this month, the allowed community member to test drive Android Lollipop on the Huawei Mate 2 and now they’re doing it again, this time with the Huawei Honor 6.

Huawei UK announced the news on their Facebook page, letting Honor 6 owners in Europe know they could test drive the new update which will bring the Honor 6 up to Android 5.1 along with EMUI 3.1 (Huawei’s custom user interface). When the Honor 6 launched in August of last year, it was running Android 4.4.2 KitKat so this new update is sure to make users happy (well, once it officially rolls out).

To get started, you’ll first need to sign up for Huawei’s “Honor Club” and drop them an email here with the subject ‘’Beta Test Honor 6” along with the IMEI number on your device and a short statement on why you should be the one to test the new update. Huawei will be hand-selecting 100 applicants in the UK, Germany, and France up until June 30th and you’ll need to remain in contact with Huawei to report any bugs.

Once again, this is beta software, so weirdness and general instability are almost certain. If that hasn’t scared you away then godspeed. Applicants will be notified by next week if they were selected to test the new software update. Cheers.

[Facebook]

Google’s location-aware search gives you context-driven information about where you are

Google has quietly released a cool new feature for Google Search that will make life a whole lot easier for many of you. It’s location-aware search, a feature that’ll allow you to ask the search engine about a place around you without having to dive into specifics.

Location Aware Search is live unannounced feature in Google Search App. Ask about things nearby without naming them pic.twitter.com/ML7APC6Msc

— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) June 9, 2015

It uses your location to figure out where you are so you can use generic terms like “what’s the phone number for this place”or “when does this restaurant open?” While we’ve always gotten by just fine typing specific terms into Google Search, this advancement in natural language search will make lives easier than they’ve already been.

There’s one thing to note: this is not Google Now on Tap (read up on that bit of awesomeness here), though it appears to use the same natural language engine Google will use for that service. This is strictly for Google Search, and it’s actually available to try right now for many folks in the US as long as you’re on the latest version of Google Search. Give it a go yourself the next time you’re curious about a place (even if it is just a convenient excuse to try this new feature out).

[via SEL, Twitter]