This week Visa and MasterCard announced new specifications for NFC mobile payments using host card emulation (HCE) . Until now mobile payment systems needed a special piece of hardware, normally in the SIM card, known as the secure element. It is used by the mobile payment system to perform certain authentication tasks. Because it was part of the SIM card these systems only worked with cooperation from the carriers. That’s why Google Wallet only works with a few carriers in the U.
Photo enhancement applications are gaining popularity these days as Android smartphones are getting huge hardware boosts in terms of their camera. With Instagram already wooing the hearts of many Android users with its easy-to-use interface, Cymera is also making its debut with its own set of unique features. Cymera is the latest addition to the ever-growing photo editing and enhancement apps setting the Google Play Store on fire.
Cymera is basically one of the many camera replacement apps that makes any Android user become a professional photographer in an instant.
The Samsung Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 haven’t been fully revealed yet, but the wallpapers have already made their way onto the internet.
Unlike the Galaxy flagships’ color swirls, the Galaxy M images are largely mountain-themed (with a desert option too). These images, coming in at 2340 x 2340, don’t seem to offer much in the way of OLED-friendly blacks either. Nevertheless, they seem like a vibrant departure from the usual colors.
TL;DR
Mobvoi has unveiled the TicWatch Pro S, an update to last year’s TicWatch Pro. You’ll find better durability, VO2 Max tracking, and swimming support. However, it’s also selling for $259.99 with a Snapdragon Wear 2100 from 2016. Mobvoi is giving last year’s TicWatch Pro a (mostly) welcome update. The company has introduced the TicWatch Pro S, a refresh to improve health and fitness features. The Wear OS device is available now in the US, UK, and Europe from Mobvoi’s site and Amazon for $259.
Vivo V15 Pro
The Vivo V15 Pro is a great phone for heavy social media users. It strikes a good balance between performance and design. While the design decisions with the operating system are somewhat questionable, the phone should please all but the most demanding gamers and smartphone photographers. Vivo has had an interesting year. From the Apex concept to the Vivo NEX, and then the Vivo NEX Dual Display, the company has surprised us with its ability to innovate and offer something different.
Update (05/18/2018): Google originally announced that Google Play Music subscribers will get YouTube Music’s premium tier. However, Google Play Music subscribers in markets with YouTube Red usually received Red for free as well (and vice versa). Now, it seems like this tradition will continue.
“If you’re already a Google Play Music subscriber, you’ll get YouTube Red (soon to be YouTube Premium) along with YouTube Music Premium,” the Google Play Music Twitter account said in response to a query.
Update, January 17 at 11:56 a.m. ET: As promised, Hothead Games has launched its newest mobile game, the fantasy-themed action-RPG, Forged Fantasy. You can download the free-to-play game now from the Google Play Store.
Original article, January 10 at 9:01 a.m. ET: Hothead Games, the studio behind the Google Play award winning Hero Hunters, is back with another hero-based action RPG, Forged Fantasy, that officially launches on Jan. 17.
Forged Fantasy swaps the post-apocalyptic sci-fi of Hero Hunters for a more traditional fantasy style with mages, druids, archers, and everything else you’d expect to find in a Tolkien-esque adventure.
WhatsApp rolled out its view once messages feature in mid-2021 giving users the ability to send disappearing media to others on the platform. WhatsApp believes the feature will benefit users sending sensitive or personal info like a “Wi-Fi password,” or “new clothes you’re trying on.” But how do you use WhatsApp’s View Once messages feature? Find out more below.
QUICK ANSWER
In a private or group chat, tap the paperclip icon to add media, tap the 1 icon to set the media as view once, then tap Send.
Admit it–at one point or another, you’ve wanted to sport an iOS feel on your Android device, most especially some features of iOS that are currently not available on the Android platform. Apple and Google had already been in a fierce competition before. They even went to court, with Apple protesting that Google copied some elements of iOS user interface. Google, on the other hand, also filed a copyright infringement stating that Apple did the same.
TL;DR
Nokia is releasing the 5.4 in the US on February 15. The budget phone packs a Snapdragon 662, a 48MP main camera and some style for $250. It ships with Android 10, but Nokia is promising two years of OS feature updates. You won’t have to wait long if you’re looking for a budget phone in the US that still delivers reasonably brisk performance. HMD Global is bringing an unlocked version of the Nokia 5.