Gadget Hacks News

News: For the First Time, You Can Help Name Android

Google switched things up this year by releasing a developer version of Android N far ahead of I/O, but that's not the only convention they've done away with this year. For the first time, Google will accept name suggestions from the public.

News: Google's New Assistant Lets You Have Conversations with the Internet

Google kicked off I/O 2016 by debuting Assistant, a next-level version of Google Now. While you could search the web by voice before, now you'll be able to have a conversational interaction with Google. In short, it's a smart chat bot.

News: 3 Big Virtual & Augmented Reality Announcements We're Expecting from Google This Week

Google I/O is right around the corner, and everyone's expecting new virtual and augmented reality news. Here's what to expect from this week's announcements.

News: This Launcher Lets You Zoom Through Apps & Open Them with One Touch

Lens Launcher was one of the winners of 2106's Android Experiments I/O Challenge a few months ago, and with good reason—it gives us a new way to browse for apps on our Android phones. It's slightly reminiscent of how the Apple Watch does it, but even better.

News: Sony's New Xperia Comes with the Best Selfie Camera Ever

Sony just announced a new phone in its Xperia line that is equipped with what is quite possibly the finest front-facing smartphone camera ever. Dubbed the Xperia XA Ultra, the handset features a 16 megapixel "selfie" shooter with optical image stabilization to give you crisp, blur-free selfies even in low light. The front camera is also gesture-activated, starting a timer when you raise your hand; This should help keep your hand a bit steadier as the phone won't wobble as you tap the shutter....

News: Sign Up Now to Join the Exciting Pokémon Hunt in Augmented Reality

Want to actually catch 'em all? Pokémon GO has long-teased the opportunity to hunt for Pokémon in the real world through augmented reality, but few have had the opportunity to actually see it in action.

News: How to Get Google's Gboard Keyboard on Your Android

Google released an amazing swipe keyboard a few months ago called Gboard that has Google Search built right into it; This makes adding pics, GIFs, videos, and links to articles, restaurants, and shops a breeze. It even helps you search for emojis! The only problem is that Gboard is for iOS devices only, meaning only an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch can use its magical powers.

News: Google's New Group Messaging App Is Like Pinterest & Hangouts in One

Google is launching a new app called Spaces that lets you share things from the web with small groups of people. The aim of Spaces appears to be granting you a forum with like-minded people to help cut down on off-topic comments that can steer a conversation off the rails. Spaces comes with Google Search, Chrome, and YouTube built in, so you won't need to switch apps to go hunting for interesting content to share. You can invite people to your groups—or "spaces" as they're called in the app—b...

News: After Months of Waiting, Android Users Can Now Add Video Facebook Profile Pics

A few months back, Facebook gave iOS users the option to record or upload a video to use as a live profile picture. It's taken a little longer than we'd like, but the feature is finally now available for Android users as well.

News: Google's Camera App Is Getting a New Feature Photographers Will Love

Google Camera, the default shooting app on Nexus devices, is finally getting a feature we've been anticipating for years. As evidenced by a recent APK teardown done by Android Police, the beginnings of a new RAW capture mode have already been baked into the latest version of the app, which indicates that Google Camera will soon have the ability to store an unprocessed copy of the exact image your camera sensor captures.

News: New Lenovo Phone Augments Reality from the Palm of Your Hand

Lenovo is teaming up with Google to debut the first Project Tango smartphone, which uses 3D sensors to map the world around it. The Tango phone will be able to give directions without the need for GPS, and it can augment reality to bring things like dinosaurs and cars into your environment.

News: iPhone 7's New Dual-Lens Camera Indicates a Big Jump in RAM

As we get closer to the release of the iPhone 7 this September, more and more details are emerging about the features the new smartphone could have. The well-regarded analyst Ming Chi-Kuo of KGI Securities, who has an uncanny ability to predict new Apple features, has reported another detail involving a dual-lens camera on the upcoming iPhone 7 Plus model.

News: Use Android's Airdrop-Like Nearby Service to Share Things More Easily

Google has an intriguing feature called Nearby that lets users share content without being on the same Wi-Fi network, or without even exchanging contact info first. Instead, the function uses an array of standard smartphone features, as well as subsonic sound, to identify other devices that are in the room, then makes a secure connection to transfer any data.

News: If You Want a Samsung Galaxy S7, Don't Buy It on Verizon

Verizon customers who use the Samsung Galaxy S7, beware: a recent update installs new bloatware over your existing bloatware that installs new bloatware. Confused or pissed off? You should be, as this app can install new apps onto your phone without you knowing.

News: These Dots on Motorola's New Phones Are a Game Changer

Images of the newest Moto X flagship phones surfaced over the weekend, and it looks like Motorola has a cool new feature in store for the handsets, which are tentatively titled Vertex and Vector Thin.

News: Apple Is Using a Sneaky Gimmick to Get You to Share Their Mother's Day Ad—Don't Fall for It

Celebrating Mother's Day just got more exploitative with Apple's Mother's Day ad. Their original Mother's Day ad shows photos and videos of mothers shot on an iPhone and uses the “Shot on iPhone” marketing line:

News: Do the Absolute Bare Minimum This Mother's Day with These Hangouts Easter Eggs

Google adds Easter eggs to Hangouts from time to time, and they're marking Mother's Day this weekend with the addition of three pop-up animations.

News: Big Changes in Apple Music Will Fix Some Annoyances (But Not All)

Apple is planning to completely overhaul its Apple Music streaming service this summer, and is expected to unveil the changes at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, according to reports from Bloomberg and 9to5Mac.

News: Opera's Android Browser Just Got Native Ad-Blocking

Opera's web browser for Android, Opera Mini, now comes with integrated ad-blocking technology for a less cluttered browsing experience. More importantly, it decreases the amount of data being loaded, which Opera claims increases webpage loading times by 40 percent. This is in addition to the 90 percent data reduction from Opera Mini's compression technology.

Deal Alert: Unlocked Nextbit Robin $100 Off for a Limited Time

The Nextbit Robin, the world's first cloud-oriented smartphone, is on sale at Amazon for $299 plus tax, a savings of $100. You'll have to act quick though, as the deal only runs through May 10th while supplies last. Nextbit Robin, an unlocked SIM phone, was just updated last week, and now runs Android Marshmallow 6.0.1. It also has a unique storage system, with 100 GB of cloud space, as well as 32 GB of built-in storage. You can snag it in midnight or mint colors. Amazon Prime members will al...

News: Someone Just Hacked a Way to Use iMessage on Android

Android phones may soon be able to send and receive iMessages thanks to a new open-source app called PieMessage.

News: Rumors Are Swirling That the iPhone 7 WILL Have a Headphone Jack, but We're Not Buying It

If you've been keeping tabs on the rumor mill for the iPhone 7, one of the most discussed elements of Apple's upcoming device is the possible elimination of the headphone jack in favor of a Lightning connection.

News: 10 Great 99 Cent Apps You Need on Your Android Right Now

These days, there are Android apps for every budget—forgive me if that sounds like a car commercial, but that's just the way things are in the age of the smartphone and tablet. You've got apps that require monthly subscriptions, paid apps that will run you a $30 one-time installation fee, and even games that start at 99 cents, but quickly skyrocket in price with in-app purchases.

News: Google Keyboard Just Got a Big Update Adding One-Handed Mode, Adjustable Keys, & More

Google has added a number of new features in the latest update to Google Keyboard including a one-handed mode and a setting that lets you adjust the height of the keys. The update hasn't gone live on the Play Store yet, but you can download the APK right now for both 32-bit and 64-bit phones.

News: Facebook Is Taking Snapchat Head-On with Disappearing Messages & Pictures

Facebook Messenger is getting ready to roll out a Snapchat-esque feature that will let users send messages that self-destruct after a certain amount of time, so you'll have an extra level of security when you need to send sensitive financial information or, more likely, risqué texts or images.

News: Samsung's Galaxy Note 6 May Let You Scan Your Eye to Unlock

Samsung's next Galaxy Note smartphone is expected to contain some nifty new additions that the company hopes will give it the long desired edge it has been seeking over Apple. One of those features that might make the difference? An iris scanner, which could make it the first major smartphone on the market to have that technology included.

UnaPhone Zenith: The No-Google, Super-Secure Android Phone

With the FBI getting access to iPhones, and apps like Waze being used to track people's locations, you've got to wonder just how safe and secure your smartphone is... or isn't. When you consider everything you do on your phone, from taking and sharing pictures to mobile banking, keeping your information safe is a crucial step that may seem out of your hands.

News: Google Trips Is Like Yelp, TripAdvisor, & Your Itinerary All Rolled into One (Download Inside)

According to sources, Google has been working on a travel app for some time, and now it has a name: Google Trips. Google Trips aims to be the all-in-one place to go for travel information about your trip. It hasn't been officially announced, but from the leaks that have come out so far, think of it like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and your itinerary in one.

News: How to Use BlackBerry's Video Calling on Android & iOS

BlackBerry announced in April that they included a beta of their video messaging service in BBM for Android and BBM for iOS for users in the United States and Canada. Well, it's finally spread to other parts of the world. Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region all have access to BBM video calls.

News: There's a Flaw in Waze That Lets Hackers Spy on Your Movements—Here's How to Fix It

It's a given that if you're driving, you or someone you know has Waze as a go-to on their smartphone. The Google-owned crowdsourced navigation app is one of the best for avoiding traffic, roadblocks, and even cops.

News: Your First Look at the HoloLens Development Edition

We received our HoloLens Development Edition from Microsoft, and well, we're pretty giddy. But before we set everything up, we wanted to give you all a look at just what you get for $3,000. Let's get the plastic off and pull this baby out. And what do we have here? A fabric-laden orb of sorts. Alright, alright, enough of the box. Unzip the casing you get to the real deal. There's a hole, let's see what's under it. Waiting for us was the instruction manual, a cleaning cloth, charging cable and...

News: Leak Shows Us BlackBerry's Next Android Phones

Images of BlackBerry's two upcoming Android phones have surfaced. Reportedly named "Hamburg" and "Rome," keeping with the company's tradition of using cities as code names for its devices, the images come from BlackBerry Central founder Dylan Habkirk (via Times News UK/GSMArena).

5$ Voice Modulator / Changer : Batman Arrow

Its a voice modulator which can be used to change your voice instantaneously so you can disguise and pull pranks etc.

News: Oculus Releases Minecraft for the Samsung Gear VR

The team behind Minecraft, the popular open-world game beloved for its freedom to create and build, has teamed up with Oculus to release an official edition that takes you even further into the block-based world using a Samsung Gear VR headset. While the Oculus Rift version itself is still forthcoming, Gear VR users can play right now.

News: HTC to Make This Year's Nexus Devices

HTC is developing the latest Nexus phones for Google, according to a recent tweet from Evan Blass, a well-known phone leaker. Blass reported that the new Nexus phones will run Android N, and are being referred to as the M1 and S1. Android Police backed up Blass's tweet and added that a source told them the new handsets will be named "Marlin" and "Sailfish."

News: Samsung's Amazing Music-Making Tool Soundcamp Is Coming to All Androids

Soon all Android users will be able to use Samsung's cool Soundcamp app to write and record music. The announcement was made at the Samsung Developer Conference 2016, stating that the app, which was released last year for Samsung devices only, will become available to all phones and tablets running Android 5.0 or higher very soon.

News: Nextbit Robin, the Phone That Never Runs of Out Space, Now Available for Everyone

The world's first cloud-oriented smartphone, Nextbit Robin, is now available to the masses via Amazon with free one-day shipping for Prime members.

News: Could This Be Our First Look at the iPhone 7 Pro?

There's been a lot of speculation as to what Apple's next iPhone models will have in store for us. There's a lot of credible rumors about the iPhone 7, but is there also a Pro model in the works? We may actually have a legitimate sneak peek at what that device could look like.

News: You Can Now Use Your iPhone as an Android TV Remote

You may not own an Android TV device, but your current smart TV may have Android TV functionality built-in already. If not, your next TV could. Either way, you won't need an Android phone or tablet for a remote, because there's a new iOS app for iPhone that'll let you control the service with a D-pad or voice. Google has just officially released Android TV to the iOS App Store, specifically for the iPhone and iPad running iOS 8 or higher. With the app, you can control your Android TV with the...

News: New Apps Let You Sign into Bank of America, Chase, & State Farm with Your Fingerprint

Applications are finally beginning to make use of Android 6.0's fingerprint authentication, letting users access sensitive information without having to enter (or unsafely store) complicated passwords on their phones.