This video does an excellent job of nailing one of the technical criticisms I had with Man of Steel, and something which I feel will continue to be an issue with Batman v Superman. It would seem that DC learned the wrong lesson from Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. That because the Dark Knight franchise was successful, and they were dark and gritty with muted color, then ALL superhero films should be dark and gritty with muted color.
Rumors have been swirling that Google would launch their own phone service, and today we have official confirmation on their plans.
Project Fi
Instead of building their own towers, Google will lease their connection on partner networks, Sprint and T-Mobile at launch. This makes Google an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), and brings them the advantage of not having to build out a competing network. The trick to Project Fi will be in delivering consumers a seamless transition between data and calls over Wi-Fi and on partner networks.
In subscribing to Fi, you will automatically be connected to the best possible network in your area. If Sprint has the best connection, your phone will connect to that network. Move to an area that’s rich for T-Mobile, you’ll jump ship to the UnCarrier. The consumer no longer has to mess with coverage maps or swapping SIM cards.
Low Cost
Pricing seems reasonable for an MVNO. There’s a base $20 a month fee for unlimited Talk and Text, with coverage for 120+ countries. Data costs $10 per GB. Want 4GB of LTE data, that will cost you $40. As the service moves between different carriers, it’s not very easy to do rollover data, instead Google is opting for cash back. If you pay for 4GB, but only use 2GB, you will receive a bill credit for $20.
Project Fi will start as an invite only service, and will only be compatible with the Nexus 6 at launch. It’s unclear how Google will move forward with other handset manufacturers, or what the certifications process for Fi compatible handsets will resemble.
Good news for bendy phone fans on AT&T, as this LG smartphone will be landing on Big Blue for $299 on a two year contract, or purchased outright for $708.99. Expect to see the G Flex 2 online and at select AT&T stores starting April 24th.
Are you looking forward to a curved screen phone? Drop us a comment, watch our comparison between the G Flex 2 and its predecessor, or read AT&T’s full press release below!
Snapchat recently started aggressively policing 3rd party apps over privacy concerns, that some apps could intercept images which were meant to be disposable. This has been supremely frustrating for Windows Phone users however as Snapchat still has not developed a native client for Microsoft’s OS.
6Discover was meant to interact with one specific aspect of the Snapchat service, media and news distribution, and while Rudy Huyn is correct that his app likely does not interact with any sensitive or private user information, but he might be underestimating the nature of the licensing agreements that Snaphat had other companies sign in order to participate.
More phones are arriving with wireless charging built in. Nokia pioneered the tech in the Lumia line, Samsung has made specialty back plates and built it into the GS6, and several Nexus phones have incorporated the technology.
Even with growing support from phone manufacturers, it’s still largely regarded as a “geeky” tech, and utilizing it means buying a special charging pad. IKEA is looking to make the adoption of wireless charging easier with a surprisingly comprehensive live up of products.
Lamps, desks, end and bedside tables, stand alone pads, they’re even providing a kit to help consumers drill holes in existing furniture to build in their own charging pads. This is not a company dipping a toe into the tech market, they’re betting big on being first to market.
Each product will feature a small circle with a + sign on it. Plop your phone down on that and it’ll start charging. No more fuzing with charge cables.
Based on the Qi standard, this line of products should be compatible with most of the phones that have wireless charging built in, and for iPhones and Galaxy S phones that lack wireless charging, IKEA will have cases available that will add the charging coils.
It sounded like a joke at first. Google built a template that allowed users to cut out a cardboard headset which turned their phone into a Virtual Reality display.
What started off as a proof of concept for VR applications on mobile devices, has exploded as it’s one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to try out VR content. App developers are paying attention as there’s a growing list of services being developed for VR with Google Cardboard in mind. While you can create your own headset using Google’s template, there are also a number of companies building pre-assembled headsets out of cardboard or plastic. Even the Viewmaster will be returning this Fall as a Cardboard inspired VR experience.
With a growing community, it would only make sense that Google would continue investing in this project, and they’ve now announced a “Works With Cardboard” program for better hardware and software compatibility moving forward.
Developers will receive better tools for migrating existing apps and services into a VR environment, Manufacturers will get a new tool which helps customers automatically configure the app for different hardware builds, and consumers will have access to a better organized app store experience.
It’s a very positive development to see Google taking this sector seriously, as VR is primed to be a hot industry as Oculus, Razer, Samsung, and HTC are all moving to get solutions into consumer’s hands. Google is betting on your first taste of VR coming from the (Android) phone you already own.
On a video released yesterday, LG claims “You deserve this”.
What you deserve is apparently a brighter and more colorful phone display, which would be a welcome addition to one of their flagship phones. It’s been one of my more consistent criticisms of LG devices, that while their screens are high resolution, they’re a bit dimmer than their Samsung, HTC, and Lumia counterparts which affects outdoor view-ability.
Is this a killer app for you? Are you looking forward to the G4 reveal on the 28th? Drop us a comment and watch LG’s teaser video below!
My Note 4 just got an app update this morning for the pre-installed Softcard service, which now labels “Google Inc” as the developer. Upon opening the app, what did I find? You are no longer able to create a new Softcard account, and are now directed to use Google Wallet.
It’s dead Jim, and I can’t say I’m sorry to see it go.
