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Turkey’s tragic earthquake showed that Android’s early warning system still needs work
Google's earthquake alerts were largely ineffective in the February disaster
The technology for detecting and alerting to earthquakes has been widely praised as a vital method to lessen the impact of such disasters, and mobile phones have become a critical participant in this arena. A strong example of this is Google's Android Earthquake Alert System, a service designed to give users precious seconds to find safety before an earthquake strikes. Despite the commendable intention, the system's implementation has faced challenges, as shown by the tragic February earthquakes in Turkey.
If you didn't jump on the Sony TV sales we covered in October, your patience has paid off. In one final push up to Christmas, Sony's X950G and X900F Android TVs have officially hit some of the lowest prices we've seen on these models. You can pick up your own X950G or X900F from Amazon or Best Buy right now for as low as 8 (2 off).The Sony X950G and X900F are both Android TVs, which means they can download all your favorite apps via the Google Play Store, tap into Google Assistant for voice control, and access the hottest streaming services, like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and more. They feature beautiful 4K HDR displays, Google Home and Alexa support, and numerous outputs to connect peripherals like speakers, game consoles, and whatever else you can attach via HDMI or USB.
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- Google has officially announced this feature and said it's aimed toward users in India. It also explained what you can do when your taxi deviates from its route, namely, you can easily share your trip with others so they keep a close eye on your movements and react if something is really wrong.
When you're traveling to a new country, region, or even an unfamiliar part of your own town, and hailing a ride, you may be suspicious of the driver taking advantage of your cluelessness to charge you more or for more nefarious reasons. That's why I often keep a tab on the drive in Google Maps when riding a cab while traveling, but I have to repeatedly glance at my phone to notice any awkward routing. Maps recognizes this use case and is now offering to do the work in the background and notify you when your driver goes off the logical path.
Last year, the United States performed the first public test of the national Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), an alert system designed to send messages to smartphones, TVs, and other systems simultaneously. The test was specifically for the 'Presidential Alert,' a new category that can't be opted out of (like AMBER alerts). It turns out these types of alerts can be easily spoofed, thanks to various security vulnerabilities with LTE towers.
Prime Day 2018 is over and gone, so I hope that you got in on the deals that you wanted. Now that it's behind us, we have another round of app sales to get through. Today's list isn't too bad, with a couple of goodies in bold.
As we hit the last few days before Christmas, app updates from Google have gone from a firehose to a slow trickle. It's only natural that most of the developers don't want to ship any major updates right before their holiday plans for fear that they might be called in to fix a catastrophe. Hey, I've done it too. Nevertheless, there's a new version of Google Duo rolling out today. It probably comes as no surprise that this one isn't taking any unnecessary risks either. There are a few very minor tweaks to the interface. However, there is a little bit for a quick teardown, so let's get into it.
Update: according to this post by Punit Soni, the app is indeed exclusive to the Moto E for the time being. Other Motorola phones (Moto G, Moto X, and the Droids) will get access to Alert at some point.
[Memorial Day Weekend App, Game Sales] Yesterday, Next Launcher 3D, Dropsync Pro, And More [Updated]
Got plans for Memorial Day? If you're in the US, you're probably right in the middle of a long weekend. If you're looking for something to keep occupied,
Got plans for Memorial Day? If you're in the US, you're probably right in the middle of a long weekend. If you're looking for something to keep occupied, you're in luck – there are tons of apps and games on sale for the weekend. From utility-minded apps like Dropsync Pro to lighthearted time wasters like Cut the Rope Experiments, the Play Store's got some deals you should check out. We'll be keeping the list updated as we find more.
Deal Alert: Get A New 32GB Nexus 7 Plus Travel Case And Screen Protector For $229.99 From Adorama Through eBay
Still hunting for a bargain on the Nexus 7? Adorama might have what you're looking for. The purveyor of cameras and other gadgets is offering up a new
Still hunting for a bargain on the Nexus 7? Adorama might have what you're looking for. The purveyor of cameras and other gadgets is offering up a new 32GB Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi) with a travel case (in grey, blue or pink) for just $229.99. That's $20.00 less than the price of a new 32GB Nexus 7 from the Play Store, plus a travel case that's $19.99 (and only available in blue) in the same.
[Deal Alert] Samsung Galaxy Note II (T-Mobile) Goes Live At Wirefly.com For $279.99 On Contract
Samsung Galaxy Note II Goes Live At Wirefly.com
Samsung's latest flagship – the Galaxy Note II – which we've so far only seen on video and in international markets, is finally (officially) headed to States-side carriers, with AT&T beginning pre-orders and Sprint and T-Mobile officially launching the device today.
Have you ever wished that you could cram just a few more movies, songs, or other files onto your device? Well, now is your chance – Amazon is currently offering SanDisk's Class 4 32GB microSD card for just $22.89, a ~$68 drop from its list price (and perhaps its cheapest price to date). This deal is even better than the one we saw on a comparable Transcend microSD card last month, especially when taking into account the considerable (and well-deserved clout) SanDisk's brand carries.
A high capacity microSD card is a good upgrade for any power user, even if at first blush you don't think the space is required. From my own experience, I never thought I needed one for extra space - I always had plenty enough storage as it was, or so I thought. But then I tried rooting a tablet and realized I needed a microSD card to do so, so sure enough, I ordered one. And today, I have no regrets; I keep music on it for local playback (since music streaming can still be spotty at times) and a few movies and photos that can be swapped from device to device seamlessly. In short: if you're a power user, you'll put the storage to good use - even if you don't think you need it.
It looks like those still anxious to get their hands on Samsung's new phablet – The Galaxy Note – are in luck - Amazon Wireless is offering the Note for just $249.99 when customers upgrade or agree to a new 2 year contract. That's about $50 less than AT&T's price.
Still hunting for a hot deal on Motorola's original Xoom? Daily Steals has what you're looking for, offering a brand new Xoom tablet for just $349.99 until November 8th. That's about $150 off retail price for the original Honeycomb tablet, a great deal when you consider that most of the other discounts we've covered for the Xoom offer refurbished units.
The enTourage eDGe Dualbook is one of the more interesting devices released last year due to its 2 screens - a 7" touchscreen LCD and a 6" e-Ink. Similar to the Spring Design Alex eReader, the Dualbook lets you read ebooks on one screen while simultaneously Googling, browsing Wikipedia, checking email, and doing anything Android lets you do on the other screen. However, if you find yourself reading late at night, just throw the book over to the LCD screen, and suddenly you can read in the dark. Pretty cool, eh?
The Transformer is already a pretty great deal in the world of Android tablets - you get the same 10.1" screen and dual core processor as its competitors, for the low price of just $399.99. But if that price point isn't enough to get you to rush out and buy one, or you'd like some extra cash for that keyboard dock, you're in luck - you can get it from Target for a cool $40 off by using the code TCA27BAR at checkout.
If you head over to Amazon's Facebook page right now and press "Like," you'll find the first product in Amazon's ongoing A-Z Sweepstakes, a Motorola XOOM, is up for grabs. Eight of them - to be precise. All you have to do is give Amazon your name, email address, and phone number to enter. This is a US residents-only contest, though (unlike our super-awesome Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi Giveaway.)
I have a Nook Color and I have had loads of fun modding it. From basic rooting to Froyo, CM7, and Honeycomb, there are several options available now for those wanting to transform it from a tablet-esque eReader into a $250 entry level Android tablet. These operations range from simple to somewhat advanced, so I understand that some people are going to be a little intimidated by the prospect of hacking an expensive device. Naturally some might rather ask a more experienced tinkerer to do the job for them, and not risk messing something up. I get that. However, do I think paying upwards of $80 for an SD card that runs the port of the Honeycomb SDK preview is a wise decision? Wow - no way. That is exactly what is happening every day on eBay.
If you thought Wirefly's previous price tag for the myTouch 4G - $149.99 - was low, just wait 'til you see their new price that went live today: $79.99 (free of tax and shipping charges, as always).