Romdhane Marble

So, Samsung is hard at work with the major Android 7 Nougat update for its most current flagships — the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge (sorry, Note 7, we miss you). And some lucky users have already had the chance to enroll in a beta-testing program for the new software. It is through them that we learned today of a new feature headed for the Galaxies — an options menu within Settings that allows the user to pick a resolution of their own choosing... well out of the 3 options, that is — HD (720 x 1280), FHD (1080 x 1920), and QHD (1440 x 2560). Of course, we've seen this menu before — it was on the Note 7. But its life was cut short by the minor annoyance of an exploding battery, so we didn't get to enjoy its unique features a whole lot. But back to the S7 / edge. Word is that, currently, when you update to Android 7, the phone will default to the FHD resolution (1080 x 1920), not the full, ultra-crisp QHD. This could be an overlook w...

If you are planning to purchase the 3.5mm jack-less  HTC Bolt , but still want to use your old headphones (despite HTC bundling a pair of USB Type-C ones with every purchase), then you are in luck! HTC is now offering a free USB-C to 3.5mm adapter to every Bolt owner, but you have to register for it on its Reward Center webpage. Also, keep in mind that the offer is good for HTC Bolt purchases made between November 11, 2016, and January 31, 2017 only, and that the deadline for claiming your adapter is February 28, 2017. The adapter is listed on HTC's Reward Center as “HTC Bolt USB Accessory – 57007”. You can claim yours by following the link below and filling out HTC's online form with your date of purchase, transaction number, and your Bolt's MEID number.  The audio adapters are expected to be available for shipment to consumers by the end of December, but “unforeseen” delays due to high demand and inventory shortages are not out of the question, HTC n...

Android's Material design was a bold, if a bit confusing at first, endeavour. Google was fed up with Android apps looking and functioning differently and wanted to provide a set of guidelines for app developers to follow — that way users get a streamlined experience, no matter what they are using on their phone, and developers get the weight of design decisions lifted off their shoulders. And, of course, Android was in dire need of a more modern look. While many were happy that Android is about to get a more consistent feel to it, some fans of Google's OS weren't particularly pleased with the look that Material Design was going for. The flat appearance, the vibrant, candy-like colors that were showcased — they just didn't gel with everyone, and that's understandable. And many people do need some time to get used to a certain look and design elements before they could judge whether they like them or not. It has now been a couple of years since we got ...

The fourth installment in the immensely popular Modern Combat series of first-person  shooters (FPS) for mobile devices can now be yours for just a dollar on Android, down from its usual $6.99. Modern Combat (MC) is an ongoing series of FPS games for Android and iOS, featuring some of the most influential representatives of the genre on mobile. Heavily borrowing from Call of Duty games, MC titles manage to implement a lot of what makes first-person shooters on the PC and consoles great, including online multiplayer, while scaling the experience down for smaller screens. If you haven't played any of the MC games yet, or are tired of the latest free release — MC 5 — now would be a great time to freshen things up by jumping into one of the mobile staples of the genre. Just be warned, the online multiplayer is highly addictive! Download Modern Combat 4 on Google Play

The busiest shopping weekend of the year is right around the corner, but if you like one certain brand and want a new phone, you won't care abotu all other deals: you're looking for the best Black Friday 2016 deal on the Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. We've searched high and low for the best Black Friday 2016 price on Apple's new iPhones, so that you don't waste your time staying hours in line for the wrong store. Here's where you can get the biggest discount on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus on Black Friday 2016: Apple  iPhone 7  and  7 Plus Original Price iPhone 7 at $650 for 32GB model | $750 for 128GB | $850 for 256GB From $32.41/mo. with the iPhone Upgrade Program iPhone 7 Plus at $770 for 32GB model | $870 for 128GB | $970 for 256GB From $37.41/mo. with the iPhone Upgrade Program Best offer :  T-Mobile trade-ins Customers have to remain with T-Mobile for two years on its new ...

HP and Microsoft seem to be taking good care of the $799 Windows 10-powered Elite x3. The "prosumer" smartphone with a heavyweight spec sheet has been treated to its third software update since its October release. Software version number ending with 0014.0100 has been upgraded to one ending with 0018.0105. The update itself is a small download that isn't accompanied by a change log. Thus, its exact contents are not known. So far, updates for the HP Elite x3 have included the typical device performance, hardware, and battery optimizations, along with bug fixes. This is probably the case with the current upgrade. Announced at this February's Mobile World Congress, the HP Elite x3 features a 5.96-inch, 1440 x 2560 resolution AMOLED screen and it's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. The HP Elite x3 also rocks a 16MP rear camera, an 8MP front-facing cam, and an iris scanner for eye recognition sec...

Amazon's Alexa virtual assistance is growing to be more and more powerful with every single day that passes. Alexa can be used to order a ride via Uber, check the weather, add an event to your calendar, and most recently, access 60,000 recipes and help you make dinner. In the most recent update to the AI, Alexa's helpfulness is moving form the cutting board to the vacuum with its new integration with Neato's Botvac. The latest skill for Alexa allows owners of the Neato Botvac Connected to command their vacuum to clean up their house by shouting commands at devices like the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot. In order to make the magic happen, you'll need to open the Alexa app on your smartphone or tablet, choose the option that says "Smart Home" in the left-hand menu, and then tap on the "Get More Smart Home Skills" section. From here, you'll be able to search for the keyword "Neato" and then see the new skills that relate to it. With the...

Nextbit announced it has partnered with Paranoid Team, the group that brought us so many Android ROMs, to develop Android 7.0 Nougat for the Robin, its  cloud-centric smartphone . Also, the first Android 7.0 Nougat beta build for the  Nextbit Robin  is now rolling out to community testers. If you agreed to test beta builds on your Robin smartphone, you should expect the update to hit your device in the next couple of days. Keep in mind though that if you have already modded your phone in any way, it's not recommended to flash the new Android 7.0 Nougat beta build on your Nextbit Robin. Those who have already received the update report that it's a sizable download at 1GB, so make sure you have enough storage before trying to upgrade to this Android 7.0 Nougat beta build. It's also worth mentioning that this beta build does not seem to contain any security patches, but future beta updates should add more features and improvements, including sec...

You know those little symbols on microSD cards that show you information such as their capacity (HC, XC) and speed class? There's now a new symbol, designed specifically to indicate running app performance. The new Application Performance Class logo will be used on microSD cards that offer minimum recommended random and sequential performance speeds to meet execution time requirements to run apps. This is useful for owners of Android Marshmallow and later devices, as it was in late 2015 that Google added adoptable storage support to the operating system. It requires users to own or buy a microSD memory card before running a benchmark tests, and alas, some microSD cards may not pass the test, because they were developed for optimal image and video capture instead of application running. The App Performance Class symbol will give product manufacturers a way to communicate its app-running optimization before buying a microSD card. Upon release, the SD Association has i...

QHD resolution (1440 x 2560) has become somewhat of a standard for Android flagships in the past couple of years. Ever since it became mainstream, users have been divided into two groups — those who think such a crisp resolution is overkill on a relatively small, smartphone display and places a needless burden on the device's hardware; and those who love the super-dense resolution and are all for it. With the  Note 7 , Samsung showed that it's listening to the arguments of both sides and included an option in the phone's settings for the user to  pick which resolution they prefer  — HD (720 x 1280), FHD (1280 x 1920), or QHD (1440 x 2560). Now, the Note 7 might be dead, but the option will make a return pretty soon. Those who participate in the  Android 7 Nougat beta program  for the  Galaxy S7  report that the settings menu of the phone now allows users to pick one of the three resolution choices. What's more interesting is the fact ...

Earlier this year, when it first released the  Galaxy S7  and  Galaxy S7 edge  in the US, Samsung gave away free Gear VR headsets with both smartphones. Now, the company is getting ready to bring back this offer as part of its  Black Friday series of deals . Thus, from November 24 throughout November 28, folks who purchase a Galaxy S7 or S7 edge will get a free Gear VR (2016 model), which normally costs $99.99, plus an Oculus content bonus (a $50 value).  The free Gear VR offer is available to US residents of at least 18 years old. As always, it's advisable to read the full terms and conditions before making a purchase (you'll find them over at Samsung's website via the source link below).  Compared to older models, the Gear VR 2016 is obviously superior, though we still feel there's plenty of room for improvement - check out  our review of the headset here . Nevertheless, since the accessory can be had for free, and you're also get...

Leaks passed along by German website WinFuture suggest that Lenovo is working on a successor to the Miix 510, a 2-in-1 Windows 10 tablet-laptop hybrid with a 12.2-inch display and pen stylus that's powered by Intel's Core processors. It was released in October, priced at $750 for the base model. According to the new information, the Miix 520 will have a 12.3-inch, 1920 x 1200 resolution screen and it will be available in configurations ranging between Intel Core i3-6006U / 4GB RAM and Intel Core i7-7500U / 16GB RAM, with between 128GB and 1TB of SSD storage. The processors are from Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake line-up. The device has a dual camera setup on its back, comprised of one 8MP camera and a secondary 2MP cam for augmented reality purposes. The front side will feature a 5MP camera. MEANINGFUL UPGRADES OVER THE MIIX 510 PUSH ITS SUCCESSOR INTO THE CATEGORY OF SURFACE PRO 4 COMPETITORS Other interesting additions are stereo speakers, Dolby Advanc...

Advertorial by Bluboo: the opinions expressed in this story may not reflect the positions of PhoneArena!    Smartphones with curved displays are still exotic products — there are a few of them around and the models are usually on the expensive side. However, phone manufacturer Bluboo wishes to change that. The company has now introduced its borderless Bluboo Edge smartphone — a device with a curved screen panel on the front, which goes all the way from one side to the other, leaving minimal space for side bezels, a metal frame with glass back, mid-range hardware, and very aggressive price. It may be available for $129 on pre-sale offer, but the Edge is designed to look like a special jewel. The panel under the glass on the back has a special stereoscopic engraving, which gives its shiny colors depth and enhanced glare effects. The corners of the phone's behind are arched to provide better ergonomics and a look that fits the curved glass on the front. Th...

Oppo and Vivo greatly eroded the Chinese market share of Samsung and Apple in just two years Back in the beginning of 2014, Samsung was the top dog of smartphone sales in China, commanding 20% share in the world's largest phone market. Apple was just beginning its expansion there with 9%, which ballooned to the whopping 14% in 2015's holiday quarter. Fast forward a year, and Samsung is nowhere to be seen with meaningful numbers, while Apple's share of the all-important Chinese market slumped to 7%.  Granted, Samsung's fall from grace in China was steeper, due to its much larger midrange and low-end portfolio that were easier to assault by local makers, yet Apple's slump there hurts way more in terms of forfeited profits, as the 50% slump year-on-year represents about $4 billion in operating income left on the table there. The iPhone/S7 edge mashup Vivo Xplay 6 sports curved screen, dual camera, Snapdragon 820 and 6 GB RAM So...

Although manufacturers are looking for ways to create more smart device niches and build different wearable gadgets that sync to our phones and deliver information at a glance, there is still the limitation of a display panel to deal with. It requires some space, which adds its own bulk, and constrains the device's flexibility. Of course, we are mostly talking about smartwatches, fitness trackers, or even smart glasses here. But what if displays can be imbued into fabric? Now that could unlock some crazy ideas, wouldn't it? Well, a joint research performed by a Korean automotive and life commodity company Kolon Glotech Korean and a team from the research university KAIST, led by professor Chi Kyung-chul, has managed to OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) with a textile substrate. What this means is that, given time, we could see actual displays embedded into clothing material — pretty exciting. Well, sure, Kanye West will probably custom-order a couple...