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Oppo on Wednesday took the wraps off its latest creation, the Find 7 Android smartphone that was spotted in many leaks before the official announcement. One of the recent Find 7 reports said the phone can take 50-megapixel photos, an impressive feature for a smartphone, but it turns out the device doesn’t actually have a 50-megapixel sensor on board. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Google on Tuesday confirmed that the Chromecast will be available in other international markets, many more than initially believed. The device will be on sale in an additional 11 countries including Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the U.K. – recent reports only mentioned France, Germany and U.K. availability for the dongle. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Apple might be the most valuable haunted empire the world has ever seen. 9to5Mac points us to a new study from Brand Finance that estimates Apple's brand is worth $104.7 billion, by far the most of any company in the United States. For comparison, second-place Google's brand was valued at $68.6 billion, third-place Microsoft's brand was valued at $62.8 billion and seventh-place Amazon's brand was valued at $45.1 billion. Silicon Valley Business Journal says that Brand Finance reached its figures "by estimating the royalty rate that would be charged for use of the brand and factoring in future revenue." Interestingly, the top three most valuable brands also happen to the …

Beautiful Widgets has always had some of our favorite widgets to customize our devices, and today’s update brings a few more beautiful widgets to the fold. Update 5.6 brings new “Color Widgets,” one of which you can see above. In addition to the new widgets, bug fixes and a new “color picker” is included in this version. Check out download links for both the Pro and Free versions after the break. Play Store Download Link (Pro) Play Store Download Link (Free) Come comment on this article: Beautiful Widgets update brings new Color Widgets Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! News via TalkAndroid

While you may not specifically buy your tablet to be a digital photo frame, if you want to that option is still there thanks to Dayframe. The last update of the app offered Chromecast support, allowing you to also turn your TV into a digital photo frame. Well that latest update takes that to the next level, allowing for the free version of the app to do that out of the box. Before, users had to buy Dayframe Prime for $2.99. Dayframe Prime will also be available for 99 cents for the next few days. Other additions in the update allow the ability for users to add more than one Facebook friend at a time. It’s also easier for users to create playlists, and there are a numbe…

Google’s going global today. Following Chromecast’s release in 11 new countries, the Nexus 5 and 7 are also available in a plethora of new countries. The Nexus 5 is now available in Austria, Belgium, Portugal and Sweden, taking the total number of countries where it is available up to 20, while the Nexus 7 is available in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden, also bringing the number of countries to 20. The LTE-enabled Nexus 7 is still available in just 12 of the 20 total countries. Prices for the devices obviously range from country to country, but in European countries, we’re seeing 349€ for the 16GB and 399€ for the 32GB Nexu…

Motorola today released the Android 4.4.2 Kitkat update for Moto X phones on AT&T. The update includes a few minor updates as well as some minor bug fixes. Google Cloud Print was also added, and users should also experience better battery life. The update will be rolling out over the next couple days, but you can also install it manually by heading to “Settings”, “About Phone” and then “System Updates”. Source: Motorola Come comment on this article: Android 4.4.2 update released for Moto X on AT&T Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! News via TalkAndroid

With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That’s why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day’s hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!! Apps Facebook introduces beta program for Messenger New Swiftkey Beta includes Evernote and Google+ personalization Motorola Care app updated to become Motorola Help Sonos details new music controller app to be released later this year, Android beta available now Updated Skype application promises to save more battery life Beautiful Widgets update brings new Color Widgets Dayframe 2.3 updated to m…

Microsoft on Wednesday announced new Xbox One launch plans for many international markets on top of the 13 countries the console is already available in, but the company is not exactly in a hurry to release its console in those markets. Microsoft said that 26 additional countries will get the Xbox One, but that will happen only at some point in September. “We’ll have much more to share at a local level towards the end of April, so stay tuned,” the company wrote. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

The National Security Agency is able to collect a nation’s “every single” phone call and store the voice recordings for a month, according to a new Edward Snowden leak that reveals further details on the NSA’s bulk data collection practices for intelligence operations. The Washington Post has learned that the NSA’s MYSTIC voice interception program began in 2009, with the agency developing a RETRO tool that can access any voice calls from the targeted nation for a period of 30 days. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

http://androidforum.us/data/MetaMirrorCache/bd566f416638d0de832f208834b58a87.jpg Samsung just released a new version of its Galaxy SIII in Brazil, and it is called the Galaxy S3 Slim. It’s not a fancy new phone like the recently announced Galaxy S5, but a cheaper alternative that is meant to appeal to those on a budget. It looks just like the SIII, but is a tad slimmer and has worse specs. The Slim, which was spotted by Sam Mobile, has a 4.5-inch screen, a 5 MP camera, and will run the out-of-date Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The device will come with 1 GB of memory and 8 GB of storage. Despite its slimmer shape, the device will be heavier than the SIII, weighing in at 139 gr…

The rumors were true: Sony really has developed a virtual reality headset and it unveiled it at the Game Developers Conference on Tuesday. Computer and Video Games reports that Sony officially took the wraps off its Project Morpheus VR headset that it said represents "the next innovation from PlayStation that may well shape the future of games." Sony will demonstrate a prototype of the headset at GDC on Wednesday and it will serve as the first virtual reality software development kit for PlayStation 4 developers. Richard Marks, Sony's head of research and development, said that Project Morpheus "is special because it gives you a feeling of being somewhere else." Sony has …

Author Yukari Kane, whose work we've touched upon before, has done an interview with The New York Times to promote her new book Haunted Empire: Apple After Steve Jobs and she drops some interesting insights into the differences between current Apple CEO Tim Cook and late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs. Kane says that it's just not true that Cook is laid back and she says that he's a very intense person who is simply quieter than his famous predecessor. However, she also says that Cook has definitely eased up in some key areas and that unlike Jobs he "understands people need to take vacations." Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

This past January rumors surfaced, as they tend to do on a fairly regular cycle, indicating Amazon was finally ready to launch a streaming media device during 2014. Things got quiet until recently when we’ve witnessed a significant uptick in rumors about the device. This includes indications that a variety of services would be available, not just Amazon’s Prime Instant video, and the potential for games to stream aided by a console-esque controller. Sources speaking to the WSJ are saying the device could be released as soon as April. According to these sources, Amazon plans to not only sell the new device through its own web site, but through retailers like Best Buy an…

Samsung is the king of throwing things against the wall to see if it sticks. They just announced the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, but they might be already readying another variant. According to the Korea Herald, a third Gear 2 model is on the way. It will sport a USIM module, which means it would be able to make calls on its own. Word is that it will debut in South Korea with SK Telecom, and it’s unknown whether it will land in other markets. Does this excite anyone? If you want to make the watch a speaker for your own phone, fine, but why would anyone want to pay extra for service dedicated to a smartwatch? source: Korea Herald via: G4Games Come comment on th…

The Oppo N1 was announced about 6 months ago and was released the next month, in October. While it isn’t the most powerful device on the market, it certainly has a lot to offer, including the swivel 13MP camera, the O-click accessory, and so on. Well now it seems that Oppo is preparing to release a mini version of the device with a similar design. The device will be called the Oppo N1 Mini, and will offer a 5″ display, and will also likely have an octa-core processor. It’s also rumored that the device will be available in both LTE and non-LTE versions, and that it will launch in either May or June. We may even see an announcement in the next couple weeks. Source: GS…

Since its release last year, Chromecast had been available only in the United States. Until now that is. We heard murmurs that the Chromecast was making its way to the UK, and it is, along with 10 additional countries. According to Google, Chromecast will be rolling out in Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the U.K. Some countries will receive region-specific apps, like BBC iPlayer for the UK, France TV Pluzz and SFR TV for France, and Watchever in Germany. If you’re in one of these 11 countries, look out for the dongle to be available for purchase on Amazon, Google Play, Currys PC World, Elkjøp, FNAC, Saturn, Media…

Google announced earlier today the new Android Wear platform for wearable devices and mentioned a variety of manufacturers and chip makers promising to support further development. Qualcomm has released a statement letting fans of their Snapdragon line of chips know they have been “working behind the scenes” with Google and other OEM customers to develop devices powered by Snapdragon chips. Qualcomm mentions they have experience with the smartwatch platform already thanks to their own in-house Toq product. Combining that experience and their collaborative efforts with Google, Qualcomm says their chips will enable manufacturers to deliver “outstanding performance and us…

We're all aware of just how insanely profitable Apple is, but thanks to WorldPay, you can now watch the profits accumulate in real time. Global payment provider WorldPay has put together a website that shows how some of the biggest tech companies in the world compare to each other in terms of profit and revenue over the course of a second, a minute or however long you sit on the page. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Tim Cook may come across as outwardly calm and collected but he definitely has fire in his belly when the time calls for it. Business Insider notes that the Apple CEO was asked during a CNBC interview on Tuesday about Yukari Iwatani Kane's new book about Apple after the death of Steve Jobs and he didn't mince words. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

One of the ways Microsoft hopes to retake the lead from Sony in the latest console wars is through the quality of its console-exclusive games. With titles such as Titanfall already paying huge dividends and with future Halo games promising to rake in even more cash, it looks like the Xbox One is off to a good start. However, Microsoft's plan to bring killer exclusive games to the Xbox One goes well beyond relying on big-name studios — it also wants to encourage anyone with a great idea to develop for the platform. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Although the tech industry appears to be doing everything in its power to make wearable devices the next big thing, the concept of the smartwatch is actually quite old. Looking back, we've come across ZDNet's pictorial history of the smartwatch, from IBM's bulky, blocky WatchPad to the crowdfunding phenomenon that is Pebble. Sony, Microsoft and even Fossil make appearances on the list, each in an attempt to start a trend that still hasn't caught on years later. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Not only will the Amazon “set-top box” look more like a Google Chromecast than an Apple TV, but the device will actually run a version of Android just like Amazon’s tablets when it launches early next month, The Wall Street Journal has learned. Furthermore, the device will carry the “Fire” name the company also uses for its Kindle tablets, although it’s not clear whether that’s the complete name for the device. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

My little sister used to have tons of little slap bracelets around the house which she used on her hair to create different hairstyles. It seems as though LG thought that the same technology could be used to create a convenient way to make sure you never lose your stylus. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s pretty awkward and even bizarre. I prefer the sleekness of a stylus that can be inserted into the top of a device, but hey, maybe they’re on to something. We’re not sure whether this is something LG intends to really sell on the market or just give out as “party favors” at trade shows, but we’ll know soon enough. Hit the break for another photo. Source:…

Swiftkey has issued a new beta update, and it’s including a few new personalization features as well as typical bug fixes and optimizations. Swiftkey has always been able to learn predictions and typing patterns from some social media sites and your personal texts and emails, but the keyboard will now be able to check your Google+ posts and Evernote notes and archives in order to create better predictions based on how you type. It’s not a new feature, but it’s a nice refinement of one of Swiftkey’s best features. On top of the new personalization options, there are also tweaks and optimizations for the emoji system implemented in the last beta update. If you’r…