Jacob Long
Contributing since December, 2014
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394articles
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About Jacob Long
Jacob is a technology writer and researcher. He's also an avid sports fan, especially when it comes to the Chicago White Sox. When not working, you can usually find him tweaking his Android devices or reading political news.
Latest Articles
[Update: Winners, coupons for everyone else] Giveaway: 15 lucky readers will win a premium car charger and 10,050 mAh portable battery with QC3.0 input/output ($41 total value) from CHUWI [US]
While we all wait for the next big battery life breakthrough, a lot of us find ourselves in need of a recharge while on the go. And if you're like me, you aren't a fan of searching for an outlet when you're out and about.But when there's a charger in your car and a high-capacity portable battery charger in your backpack or purse, your problems are pretty much solved. If that sounds appealing to you, we have a deal: 15 of you will get both of those from our friends at CHUWI.CHUWI has a lot of stuff you'd like, but let's take a closer look at what you're getting in this giveaway.The CHUWI Ublue car charger features two 2.4A output USB ports in a handsome, brass package. It features a signature blue light specifically designed not to distract or strain you when driving at nighttime. Learn even more at Amazon.The other thing you will win is CHUWI's 10,050 mAh portable battery. This battery will give most flagship phones up to 3 charges, so you won't need to recharge the battery after every use. But when you do, it won't take long; it supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 input. Just as important, it will charge your devices via QC3.0 as well, making it both portable and fast. It would run you $25 at Amazon, where you can check out some of its other specs.
[Update: Winners] We are giving away two AUKEY WatchTower 1080p security camera systems (over $800 in value) [US only]
We are living in wonderful times. An average person can now afford, install, and operate a high-tech home surveillance system thanks to the advance of technology and the good people at AUKEY. What's the only thing better than an inexpensive security camera system? A couple of free ones!The Aukey WatchTower system includes a number of "bullets," the individual cameras that do the dirty work for you. They all connect to the XVR, where the video feeds are recorded and streamed for your use. You can then watch the stream and manage your recordings from your desktop or Android device.
[Update: Winners] We are giving two lucky readers a Jabra Speak 710 ($300 value), a portable Bluetooth speaker for your conference calls and your jam sessions
Have you ever tried to hold a conference call with your phone laying on the table? It's generally unpleasant. Some people can't be heard or sound far away, the sound quality is bad, and depending on the phone, it can be hard to hear the people on the other end, too.
[Update: Winners] We're giving away two new 4K-capable NVIDIA SHIELD TVs plus $25 Google Play gift cards to help you enjoy them [US]
The NVIDIA SHIELD, arguably the best Android TV device on the market, gained support for 4K streaming of Google Play Movies yesterday. To commemorate the occasion, we're teaming up to give away two of them to lucky Android Police readers. Even better, each winner gets a $25 Google Play gift card to help stock up on 4K content.
[Update: Winners] Giveaway: Win one of three NCAA football helmet shaped Bluetooth speakers from Nima Athletics - total value $700
If you love your team, you know that there's no such thing as too many logos around your house or tailgate. That's why I know you are going to love this giveaway if you're a big college football fan. Nima Athletics and Android Police are giving away 3 of Nima's awesome football helmet Bluetooth speakers. And even if you're not big on college football, a high-quality Bluetooth speaker comes in handy all the time.[EMBED_YT]https://youtu.be/efiGjJkLsXI[/EMBED_YT]Once you think about it, it kind of makes sense that the frame of a football helmet makes a nice shape to engineer a speaker that really delivers. And if you find yourself wanting even more of these speakers, don't worry—you can sync them up to give you multi-point output.To see all available teams and learn more about the features, check out Nima's Amazon storefront. While not in time for this particular giveaway, Nima will soon have more NCAA teams, each NFL team, and an MLB line in the shape of a baseball along with NBA teams in a basketball.The speakers come in three sizes: small ($99; 7.6" x 6.0" x 7.4"), medium ($199; 11.6" x 10.9" x 9.0"), and large ($399; 15.0" x 13.6" x 11.2"). We're giving away one of each size and you get to pick the team (it must be one of those currently available on Amazon). To win, just enter below—the contest closes on Monday, April 24th at 11:59pm Pacific Time.
[Update: Winners] Win up to 8 Android Foundry Progress Administration prints from Dead Zebra for your office propaganda needs
Our friends at Dead Zebra have released two sets of their Android Foundry Progress prints, this time in a 5" by 7" format that will fit on your desk or just about any other place you might want. 4 lucky Android Police readers who enter this giveaway by Friday evening will win both sets while 8 more will win one of the two sets of prints.
Sprint buys 33% stake in Tidal, will offer exclusive Tidal content and deals to Sprint subscribers
Sprint and Tidal announced today in a joint press release that the cellular provider has bought a 33% stake in Jay Z's streaming service. It is an interesting marriage, considering that both are industries in which competition is wanted, consumers fear consolidation, and the companies are far behind the market leaders in terms of subscriber counts.
The LG V20 has a 3200 mAh, replaceable battery. For a lot of people, that will get you through the day. But what if you need more? Well, you could buy an extra battery or two and just swap them out as you go along. Or, if you'd prefer to improve your forearm strength while you operate your phone, you can buy ZeroLemon's monstrous battery case for the V20 that more than triples its battery life.And if you like things being multiplied, the fun with ZeroLemon's case does not stop there. It also will double the weight of the V20 to over 14 ounces (not even a whole pound!). The phone's thickness will nearly triple too, giving you a bold new way to tell Jony Ive and all those Apple enthusiasts to shove off. A case like this can make you wistful for the good old days when a phone could be a crime deterrent.
Every now and then, we all can't quite make out what somebody just said. Sometimes, you fill in the blanks with whatever it is you've been thinking about. If Amazon's Alexa works the same way, this video will really make you wonder what's been on her mind.
The post-Christmas deals are rolling in, this time with a best-we've-seen-it price on the LG G5. If you're on Verizon, Sprint, or AT&T, Best Buy has a carrier-branded model available for you with free shipping or store pickup in the US. On Black Friday, we told you about a $400 deal for this phone, but now it's another $50 cheaper than that.
The LG V10 is a bit over a year old now, but it's still a more than capable phone that probably never got the attention it deserved. More important, you'll have a hard time finding many better phones for $259, its current sale price at DailySteals.
[Deal Alert] Start learning Android development from scratch with Android Programming for Beginners ebook for free today only
For a lot of Android fans, intense interest in the platform can lead to more questions about the technical underpinnings. And when you're so attuned to Android and its ecosystem, you might even have some original ideas for apps that haven't been made—yet. With this one-day offer from Packt, you can get a free ebook to take you from zero to...well, not hero, but well on your way to making Android apps.The book is called Android Programming for Beginners and is by all accounts exactly what the title suggests. The paperback version over at Amazon goes for $50 and is quite well-reviewed.You will begin by learning some Java, which is the lingua franca of Android development, but the focus is learning by doing in Android-specific examples. Don't expect to be making bank off of an app right after you breeze through the book, but if you've been needing a resource or a motivation to get started, this might just be it.Follow the source link to claim the free copy. This deal ends at 7PM ET/4PM PT, so don't spend too much time deliberating over whether or not to pick up something that's free!
AT&T announces satellite-free streaming TV service called DIRECTV NOW with no data cap for AT&T mobile customers
AT&T announced a major development following its merger with DIRECTV, adding to what is quickly becoming a byzantine mixture of offerings for those who want a cable channel package. The latest service, called DIRECTV NOW, can best be described as a streaming version of DIRECTV's satellite channel lineups. In other words, DIRECTV NOW is a bit like a beefed-up Sling TV.
Samsung will offer South Korean Note7 owners a chance to buy Note8 or S8 at half price
As part of Samsung's continued efforts to make amends with disappointed customers, the company is offering a big incentive to South Korean Note7 owners to stick with the brand. Those who exchange a defective Note7 for a Galaxy S7 will be able to trade the S7 in and get a Note8 or S8 when those phones come out; the total price paid by the customers will be half of the price of the S7 model they choose, with no charge for upgrading.
Facebook introduces Recommendations, a formal way to get suggestions from your friends
As I have moved on from sharing my every move via Facebook, one of the most useful things I do on the platform nowadays is take advantage of the expertise of my friends. Finding a place to get lunch, identifying a dentist covered by my employer's insurance, and all manner of similar problems can be solved in part by soliciting suggestions from my social network. Facebook is now rolling out a feature called Recommendations that helps you make sense of your friends' input.
A feature that we first associated with the Pixel Launcher was the wallpaper picker. And since the Pixel Launcher is exclusive to Pixel phones, you might have thought the same would go for its wallpaper feature. Well, in that case, you would be wrong. Google has broken it off into an app called Wallpapers and it is now in the Play Store, available for download on all manner of non-Pixel, non-Nexus devices.
Though Samsung's Note7 is now officially off shelves, the headaches are not yet over. Beyond the continued, embarrassing efforts to keep the phones off of planes and the expected loss of over $3 billion, Samsung will now be dealing with legal troubles related to the Note7 as well. Consumers in the United States and South Korea have just announced their intent to file class action lawsuits.
Microsoft is bringing 'interesting calendars,' event icons, maps, and other Sunrise goodies to mobile Outlook's calendar
Microsoft has announced a series of upgrades to the calendar portion of the mobile version of Outlook. These are mostly borrowed features from the now-defunct Sunrise Calendar, which Microsoft acquired over 18 months ago.
[Update: Live in SF, others 'soon'] Lyft announces Scheduled Rides, soon users will be able to plan their trips ahead of time
Lyft, the definitely-not-a-taxi service that is not Uber, is adding a useful feature: scheduled rides. This means exactly what you think, giving the option to call for a, well, Lyft for some future time. With that said, you probably can't use scheduled rides just yet as it is currently being piloted in San Francisco.
Samsung announces Exynos 7570, a budget SoC with 14nm process and integrated WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS
Samsung announced a major upgrade to their budget SoC offering today, which will go by the name Exynos 7570. It will be the first of its kind—targeted to IoT devices and lower market smartphones—to be built on the power efficient 14nm FinFET process. Also noteworthy is that this new model will have built-in connectivity hardware for WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS rather than relying on third-party vendors to provide those components for end user devices.