News

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review second opinion: Perfectly boring

Since the launch of the first “Ultra” phone in Samsung’s lineup, the moniker has stood for the best-of-the-best. When you see that word in a product name from the South Korean giant, you know you are getting the most advanced device in its class available right now. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, as its name suggests, is the premier phone from Samsung in 2022 so far. When it comes to internal specs, camera hardware, and software support, it is the top dog.

Andy Rubin's Playground Global invests $15 million in CastAR augmented reality startup

We haven’t heard much about the company’s ventures since its inception, but today we are learning about a major investment they are making into CastAR. And they are getting no chump change; Rubin is investing a whopping $15 million on the augmented reality-focused startup. This funding comes in the form of cash, office space, knowledge and more. So what does CastAR do? The company creates a set of glasses that can project holographic images in front of you, using your surroundings as a base.

Facebook bringing ads to Messenger's home screen

Messenger is a very popular messaging app, as it is used by over 1 billion people across the globe every month. That’s why Facebook wants to monetize it as much as possible, and that’s why it is now bringing ads to the app. The company recently announced that it is launching a small test in Australia and Thailand that will bring ads to the Messenger home screen. Luckily, these won’t show up in a conversation.

Xperia Marshmallow Concept launcher ported

Sony’s Concept for Marshmallow software has introduced a number of interesting new features to the Xperia line-up. One of the most popular seems to be the customized launcher, which offers a number of new features above and beyond Sony’s stock option. Fortunately more of us can now try it out, as the launcher has been ported. Any device running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop or newer should now be able to try out the software, known as the “xMarshmallow Concept Launcher”.

Amazon Maps API arrives on Amazon's Mobile App SDK, currently in Beta

Have you ever used one of Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets? If so, you probably quickly started to realize that the Fire OS is so customized and skinned that it essentially feels like its own OS. That being said, at the root it is still just an app-compatible fork of Android. Amazon continues to try and push what the Fire is capable of. Today that includes launching its own Maps API. Rumors previously suggested that Amazon would be partnering up with Nokia for its mapping solution.

ARM's CEO reveals his IoT wishlist

There is a 99 percent chance that your smartphone is using a processor based on a design from ARM. Qualcomm, Samsung, MediaTek, even Apple all make processors based on ARM’s designs and/or compatible with the ARM Architecture. But ARM isn’t just into complex CPUs and GPUs. It also designs a range of microcontrollers, and they are proving to be just as popular. In 2014 alone, ARM’s partners shipped some 4.4 billion microcontrollers based on ARM’s Cortex-M designs.

iPhone users older, richer, better-educated

Image credit: Shutterstock Media consumption differs according to platform, a study by the Reynolds Journalism Institute has found. This is also influenced by demographics, including age, education and earning capacity. In the recently-released 2012 RJI Mobile Media News Consumption Survey, researchers have determined that Apple iPhone users are generally older, better-educated and earn higher than those using Android. This may account for Apple’s market dominance over Android since the beginning. RJI’s Roger Fidler has found that — surprise!

Motorola Update Services app updated to ready Moto G (1st Gen.) for Lollipop

When it comes to device manufacturers, Motorola is likely the one we think of when we hear the term “quick updates” right now. It looks like the Lenovo-owned company isn’t slowing down, as it recently updated its Update Services app for the Moto G (1st Gen.) in preparation of Lollipop. How do we know this update will help bring Lollipop in the future? It’s spelled out in the changelog: “this update is necessary to enable a future upgrade of your device to Android 5.

Red Hydrogen One specs leaked by Google ahead of launch

TL;DR The Red Hydrogen One has appeared on Google’s Android Enterprise page. Google’s page reveals that the phone will have 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The phone also has Android 8.1 and an NFC chip, according to the listing. The Red Hydrogen One will be shipped out to pre-order customers next week, but we still don’t know much about the new smartphone. Fortunately, Google’s Android Enterprise page has yielded a few more key details.

Square’s runner game Mini Ninjas is out on Google Play for “free”

We know Square Enix mostly for its engaging RPG titles, but the game developer is eager to break out of its comfort zone as it unleashes Mini Ninjas on Google Play. Before you get too excited, bear in mind that this is not the same Mini Ninjas that’s being released on consoles. At its heart, the Android version is a runner game that features the characters and story from Mini Ninjas.