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Cam Bunton

@CamBunton

Cam Bunton, Editor at NewGeekGuide – Cam has been passionate about tech since his dad bought the family’s first Commodore AMIGA back in the late 80’s. He’s been in the tech industry (writing and making videos) since 2010, and joined NewGeekGuide as the resident video producer and product reviewer in 2015. He sometimes writes news and reviews for 9to5Mac too.

You can follow Cam on Twitter, add him on Google+ and subscribe to our YouTube channel to be the first to watch his videos about all things Google.

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Oukitel’s latest smartphone has a humongous 10,000mAh battery, lasts 15 days and costs just $239

oukitel-k10000

In this day and age, if an Android smartphone can get you to the end of a second day on a single charge with mixed use, we’ll rave about how incredible the battery is. Normally, that means having a battery with at least 3,000mAh of juice. Now, there’s a Chinese manufacturer with a phone that it says will last up to 15 days because it has an enormous 10,000mAh battery.

While we doubt the 15-day usage claim, given our experience with many Android devices, the Oukitel K10000’s battery should be able to manage at least 5 days quite comfortably. I haven’t had a phone last that long since my BlackBerry Bold in 2010, and even then, that was with 3G switched off. Whatever the actual usage statistics, it’ll blow almost every other flagship out of the water, including ASUS’ 5,000mAh ZenFone Max.

Of course, with great power comes great thickness. Although even in that regard, it’s not terribly bulky. It measures in at 9mm thick, 77mm wide, 143mm tall and weighs 184grams.

Size isn’t the only downside of having such a high-capacity battery. It also takes considerable time to fully charge. Even with its Quick-Charge support, the huge battery takes 3.5 hours to go from 0-100. Still, it’s worth remembering that even if you only charge it to 20%, that’s still almost a day’s worth of power. It can also reverse-charge other products, and claims to be able to charge up three iPhone 6s Plus units and still have 10% power left.

Other specs aren’t quite as mind-blowing, but decent nonetheless. It has a 5.5-inch 720p display, 64-bit quad-core processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB storage (expandable to 32GB). There’s also a 13MP camera on the back with HDR, panorama and an anti-shake feature as well as a 5MP camera on the front. It also has a bunch of the usual software tweaks added to the Android 5.1 Lollipop OS interface, like the ability to launch apps by ‘writing’ a letter on the lock screen, or a three-finger swipe down for taking screenshots.

If you want to snag one, you can pre-order from GearBest for $239. It’s worth noting that its network support is a little limited. Its product page lists support for 800/1800/2100/2600 MHz 4G LTE bands and 1900/2100MHz WCDMA 3G bands. Before you order expecting super-fast cellular speeds, be sure to check with your carrier which network bands need support.

Google expands Project Sunroof, can now check for ideal solar panel locations in more metro areas in New York, California, Arizona, more

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Just as the Climate-focussed COP21 conference in Paris is drawing to a close, Google has expanded its Project Sunroof tool to cover more metro areas across the US. If you’re thinking of installing solar panels on your home roof, you can now check Project Sunroof in a number of metro areas in California, Massachusetts, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Connecticut, Colorado and North Carolina. Although no specific cities have been mentioned in the announcement, it’s safe to assume that any major cities in those states should now be covered…


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BLU Life One X is official, 5.2-inch full HD $99 Moto G competitor with octa-core MediaTek chip

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As low-end smartphones go, few are as popular on Amazon as BLU’s unlocked budget-friendly Android phones. If it already had a reputation for offering great bang for your buck, it will only get stronger with the newest device in its lineup. The BLU Life One X has just been launched, it costs under $100 (for a limited time) and comes with a full HD 1080p display…


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Exclusive Star Wars edition DROID Turbo 2 models will be available from Moto Maker [Update: They’re here]

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Update: You can order the Star Wars editions of the DROID Turbo 2 from Verizon’s Motor Maker page from today.

With the upcoming premiere of the first Star Wars movie since the 90’s abominations we can’t mention by name, every brand on the planet is seemingly teaming up with Disney to produce their own Star Wars themed merchandise. Whether it’s LEGO, lampshades or mineral water, you can now get it with Star Wars branding all over it. Episode VII is launching in theaters next week, and Verizon and Motorola are the latest companies to jump on the bandwagon…


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Google Wallet gains ability to send money to any contact using just a phone number

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While Google has shifted its focus to Android Pay for contactless payments, Google Wallet has needed to reinvent itself somewhat as a peer-to-peer payment system. With the latest update, it’s become a whole lot easier to send money to your friends, family and contacts.

From today, the updated app on both iOS and Android will let you send money to anyone on your contact list, even if you don’t have their email address. You can send money to them using their phone number, and it’s secure and fast.


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Huawei to open smartphone factory in Egypt to serve African/Arabian markets

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Huawei is set to open its first smartphone market in Egypt according to a report from Daily News Egypt. Hala Aranda, the company’s regional Senior Manager of Public Relations and Government Affairs Department stated that they are currently in negotiations with the Ministry of Investment. Although a final agreement hasn’t been reached yet, the country’s government has promised to be a ‘strategic partner’ in getting the project(s) up and running in the Suez Canal Area…


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PSA: 2nd Gen Moto G is now just $99 on Amazon

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With the ramp up to Christmas well and truly underway, retailers will spend the next couple of weeks offering discounts on some great products. Even though Black Friday weekend has come and gone, there are still some noteworthy discounts out there. On Amazon, right now, you can pick up the 2nd generation Moto G for just $99, unlocked. That’s a discount of $80 on the original $179 price-point. Incidentally, that’s the same price it’s being sold for at Motorola and Best Buy currently.

As specs go, it’s a respectable smartphone, especially given the outlay. It has a 5-inch 720p display, 2070mAh battery, quad-core processor and runs an almost-stock version of Android. What’s more, Motorola has committed to bringing Android 6.0 Marshmallow to it at some point over the next few weeks.

At this price, I can’t imagine anyone will regret buying it. For the past few years, the Moto G has set the standard for other budget smartphones to follow. That’s why the most recent model, the 3rd gen Moto G, made it on to my list of 2015’s best budget smartphones.

Pebble

Pebble bringing new timeline to old watches this month, Android beta test open now

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When Pebble announced its new Pebble Time watches and (later on) the Pebble Time Round, it also released a brand new operating system for its popular wearable. This new Timeline was a drastic departure from its original user interface. Sadly, it was a UI only available to those with the new Time models, although the company did promise that the new OS would make its way to older devices too.


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SwiftKey launches Symbols, an AI-powered tool to help non-verbal people communicate through images

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SwiftKey is no stranger to releasing innovative communication products. In fact, its original keyboard for Android (at time of launch) was arguably the smartest and best virtual keyboard for word prediction and customization. The app it launched this week has potential to be even more innovative, even if only a small percentage of people actually use it. SwiftKey Symbols has been designed to help people on the Autistic Spectrum, particularly non-verbal people, to communicate using images to build phrases…


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ASUS and LG mock Apple’s ‘bumpy’ iPhone battery case

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Earlier this week, Apple launched its very first official battery case for the iPhone 6/6s. It’d be an understatement to say that it got some attention on social media, mostly from people who couldn’t believe the design-focused company released something so hideous. In fact, you’ll be hard pushed to find someone who has something good to say about the way the case looks.

Not to miss a good marketing opportunity, ASUS and LG were among those mocking the battery case and using it to sell the benefits of its own products. ASUS was keen to point out that, even with the battery case attached, the iPhone 6 is still no match for the ZenFone Max. ASUS claims its 5000mAh battery-powered smartphone can handle 2 hours more video playback, 2 hour more internet use and 12 hours more talk time than a case-equipped iPhone.

[tweet https://twitter.com/ASUS/status/674561517639958529 align=’center’]

Meanwhile, LG took a slightly different line with the V10, ribbing the Apple case’s ‘bumpy’ design. Incidentally, LG’s V10 has a 3,000mAh battery which you can fast-charge up to 50% in just 40mins. :

[tweet https://twitter.com/LGJordan/status/674631588894806016 align=’center’]

It’s no surprise to see the companies exploiting a weakness in Apple’s armor to fuel their own marketing efforts, and the Cupertino-based company could certainly have tried to make it a little harder. Right now, the humped battery case is an easy target.

One thing no company has mocked is perhaps the one thing that has impressed all of us: iOS integration. When an iPhone has a Smart Battery Case attached, it displays both the phone and case’s battery levels in the notification drawer’s ‘Today’ view. What’s more, it charges the iPhone automatically and charges via Lightning cable. Those are some convenient features, for sure. Whether or not you’d want a ‘bumpy’ case in your hand to gain those features is another matter entirely.

Chrome to Phone app marked deprecated, will be disabled in March 2016

chrome-to-phoneHistorically, Chrome to Phone has been one of the most useful apps and extensions to be launched by Google. Using it, Android users could send links from web pages direct to their Android phone from the Chrome browser. It made its official entry in 2010 with the aim to bridge the gap between desktop and mobile. Earlier this year, Google announced that it would be discontinuing the extension.

As spotted by Android Police — to add the final nail to the coffin — the company has marked the Android app as [DEPRECATED] on the Play Store, and intends to shut it down by March 2016.

Chrome to Phone was launched in 2010 to help bridge your desktop and phone experience by making it easy to send Web links to your phone. Over the years, Google’s core products have evolved to be more integrated across different form factors. As of today, Chrome to Phone is deprecated. The app will continue to work until Mar 31st 2016 after which it will no longer work.

If you’re still using the service, there are several alternatives. One of which — of course — is Google’s very own Chrome tab-sync which synchronizes tabs across all of your devices with Chrome installed (assuming you’re signed in to all with the same account). Another third party option is Pushbullet which lets you sync notifications from Android to desktop, send SMS messages, share links and even remotely access files.

Google Play Music family plan now available, $14.99 gets 6 people unlimited streaming + YouTube Red

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Having announced its intention to do so earlier this year, Google is now rolling out its up-t0-6 person family plan for its popular music streaming service. Starting today, you can sign up to the Google Play Music family plan for $14.99 per month and you and your family can listen to as much music as you like without ads. Over the next few days, Android devices in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, France and Germany should see the option to sign up become available in the Play Music app.


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Pushbullet update lets you browse Android and PC files remotely, available to free and Pro account users

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Just when you thought Pushbullet couldn’t get more useful, the company has updated its popular cross-platform app to include remote file browsing. With the new update you’ll be able to access files on your phone from your computer, or vice-versa, even if you don’t have one of the devices with you. It’s a pretty great feature if you’re known to accidentally leave your phone at home, or leave a file on your work computer that you need at home…


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4G LTE Moto E will be updated to Android Marshmallow in select markets, along with DROID Turbo 2, Maxx 2 and X Force

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Motorola first announced its Android 6.0 Marshmallow rollout plans in October. At the time, 11 devices were included in the list that was mostly made up of devices from 2015 and 2014. One notable absence was the Moto E, the company’s entry-level smartphone. Thankfully, the list has since been updated and now includes the budget device, although if you have one in the US, you’re out of luck. The update seemingly won’t grace US shores.

Puzzlingly, Motorola has left the States and China out of its list of markets due to receive the Marshmallow update. The 2015 Moto E with 4G LTE will get Android 6.0 in Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia (excluding China). Moto could still change its plans, and does state in the list that the China upgrade is still being evaluated, although no such statement is made about the US market.

Other handsets added to the list are those which were announced and released after the original list was published. As well as the Moto E, Motorola will bring Android 6.0 Marshmallow to the Moto X Force (which is currently part of a soak test), and the Verizon-exclusive DROID Turbo 2 and DROID Maxx 2. The full updated list of devices runs as follows:

  • 2015 Moto X Pure Edition (3rd gen)
  • 2015 Moto X Style (3rd gen)
  • 2015 Moto X Play
  • 2015 Moto G (3rd gen)
  • 2014 Moto X Pure Edition in the US (2nd gen)
  • 2014 Moto X in Latin America, Europe and Asia2 (2nd gen)
  • 2014 Moto G and Moto G with 4G LTE2 (2nd gen)
  • DROID Turbo
  • 2014 Moto MAXX
  • 2014 Moto Turbo
  • Nexus 6
  • Moto X Force
  • DROID Turbo 2
  • DROID Maxx 2
  • 2015 Moto E with 4G LTE in Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia excluding China (2nd Gen)

Android 6.0 Marshmallow now rolling out for Moto X Pure, soak tests for X Play and X Force

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Moto X Pure owners, rejoice! If you’re in the US and have the new 2015 Pure Edition running on Sprint, Verizon or US Cellular, you should find Android 6.0 Marshmallow landing on your phone relatively soon. David Schuster announced on Google Plus yesterday evening that the full rollout for those devices has begun…


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Android TV launcher update lets you reorganize your home screen apps

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If you’re using a smart TV running Android TV or using a set-top box like the NVIDIA Shield TV, you’ll be glad to know the launcher has been updated to include a much-needed feature. With the latest software version, you’ll be able to reorganize apps on your home screen so they’re laid out exactly how you want them to be.
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Age of Empires finally makes its way to Android, available on the Play Store now

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If, like me, you grew up in the 90s there’s a very good chance you came across a certain strategy PC game called Age of Empires. In it, your mission was to explore territory, build your kingdom, defeat enemies and make allies. In a lot of ways it was similar to Sid Meier’s Civilization franchise, and it was awesome…


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Android 6.0 Marshmallow shown running on Galaxy Note 4 [Video]

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Yesterday we published an article pointing towards what looked like a sketchy collection of screenshots supposedly showing Android 6.0 running on the Galaxy Note 4. Samsung hasn’t yet pushed the update officially, and given the fact that the images were just screenshots, it was very difficult to confirm their authenticity.

Today, the same person who originally took those screenshots is back with a hands-on video showing the software up and running on last year’s flagship phablet. From the video alone, and its distinct lack of production values, it certainly seems like the real deal. Although, as the video-maker suggests, we think that this is an early pre-release version of software which was accidentally pushed to the user’s device.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaX7j5zMiGE]

Apart from the obvious fact that no one else seems to have the update (as far as we know), there are a couple of indications that this isn’t the final, polished version of Marshmallow which will eventually make its way to all Note 4’s. Perhaps the biggest indicator is that performance is severely hampered. At many times during the video, the phone is stuck showing a blank screen for a few seconds, and there are noticeable instances where animations aren’t at all smooth.

As we noted yesterday, the new software — when released officially — will have a couple of new user interface tweaks. Most notably, the Note 4’s S-Pen feature list will be upgraded to include a number of the Note 5‘s tricks. Those include the new Air Command menu, and the ability to scribble notes on the phone’s screen when it’s locked and in standby. On a more minor note, the settings ‘About Phone’ menu will include information indicating how up to date the phone’s security is.

Fossil Q Founder Android Wear watch now available from Google’s Play Store

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Fossil officially released its very first Android Wear watch a couple of weeks ago. The $295 smartwatch is powered by an Intel Atom processor and has a round display complete with ‘flat tire’, and has now been made available to order from Google’s devices store. What’s more, because it’s on Google’s tech-focussed store, we get a much better idea about the watch’s internal specifications. As Android Wear devices go, it looks set to compete with the best of them…


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Sketchy post suggests Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for Galaxy Note 4 is rolling out, with Note 5 S-Pen features in tow

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File this under ‘sketchy’: One of NapiDroid’s editors has apparently managed to get his hands on an early release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The Hungarian blog posted a number of screenshots showing some of the anticipated changes. Among them, the one which really stands out is the revamped selection of S-Pen tools.

What’s unclear is how widespread this software release is or if it’s genuine. A major update happening to land on an Android blogger’s phone is a little too coincidental, and there’s no knowing if other Note 4 users in the same country have seen it too. Perhaps it’s blind luck, or perhaps it’s been fabricated. There are no images of the actual device running the software, and the ‘about phone’ screenshot could quite easily have been altered to show the Galaxy Note 4’s details.

As shown in the screenshots below, you’ll notice the new multi-colored Air Command menu redesign, which comes in from the side of the screen, rather than floating on top. What’s more, it looks like the Note 4 will also be receiving the Note 5’s ability to scribble notes on the lock screen, even when it’s in standby.

As well as that, we see one of Android Marshmallow’s settings menu features, which shows when your device last received a monthly security update. In this case, the Note 4 received the December security patch. The screenshots also suggest we’ll see a slight TouchWiz redesign, although the drop-down notifications/settings drawer is largely the same.

Amazon launches New Kindle Fire HD 8 ‘Reader’s Edition’ w/ better night time reading, case bundle, Kindle Unlimited subscription

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Amazon, today, launched a brand new version of its 8-inch Android-based Kindle Fire tablet. The Kindle Fire 8 Reader’s Edition comes with some software and service benefits bookworms will love, and ships with an attractive leather case. It’s available to pre-order for $249 from Amazon now


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Google’s VR football videos take you behind the scenes at NFL and college games

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Google has found all kinds of uses for its 360-degree images and video since launching it. Now that YouTube supports VR and Google Cardboard as standard, it’s ramping up its efforts to make it more relevant to the every day viewer.

One such effort is its ‘Inside The Game’ video, featuring a behind the scenes look at New England Patriots’ pre-game practicing. But the NFL team isn’t the only one to get in on the VR game, Stanford’s college football team has made a similar video experience, and even offered Cardboard headsets to those in the press-box for its weekend game…


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Samsung’s latest Android Lollipop software ‘About Phone’ screen now shows most recent security patch info

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Many manufacturers have committed to keeping up with the monthly security patches being released by Google. The move came after a major security threat, dubbed ‘Stagefright’ was discovered a few months ago. Among them, Samsung stated that it would release security updates to its high-end devices. Up until now, however, you haven’t been able to see how up-to-date the security is on your Samsung flagship.

In its latest round of firmware updates, Samsung has updated the ‘About Phone’ section within the settings menu to show when the last security patch was delivered. Spotted by Android Central, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ builds in Europe and Galaxy Note 5 builds in the Middle East are seeing this new information. The builds specifically mentioned are G928FXXS2AOK9 for the S6 Edge+ and N920CXXU2AOK6 for the Note 5.

Like in Android Marshmallow, the new Lollipop firmware on these Samsung phones shows a new field with the label, ‘Android security patch level’, followed by the date when it last received a security update. If you have recently downloaded a new version of firmware, you can check for yourself by heading to Settings, scrolling down to ‘About Phone’ and the new security patch level field could be there.

security-level_0

Up until now, Android Marshmallow was the only software which showed how up-to-date security is on a particular device. This development could signal a couple of things: Either Google has mandated that manufacturers need to start showing this information, or that Samsung is genuinely attempting to keep users in the loop, and being transparent about its software delivery. Either way, this can only be a good thing.