Thursday 1 October 2015

Android 6.0: The 5 best new features in Marshmallow

AndroidMarshmallow.jpg 

Google’s big fall event is behind us, and we have some great new hardware to show for it. The new Nexus 5X is the hotly anticipated follow-up to 2013’s Nexus 5, and it’s everything Android fans were hoping for. Then the larger Nexus 6P offers an all-aluminum body, a 2K display and solid performance for a surprisingly affordable price. Bold phones are set to begin shipping next month, and fans of the “pure Android” experience can’t wait.
Of course, Google also spent some time on software during Tuesday’s press conference, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow is set to begin rolling out next week.
Android fans with recent Nexus devices like the Nexus 6 smartphone and Nexus 9 tablet will be able to update their devices to Android 6.0 beginning early next week. Google hasn’t set an official date that the Marshmallow rollout will begin, but a number of reports have pinpointed October 5th as the day Google’s latest software will begin hitting devices.
If you don’t have a Nexus phone or tablet, the wait will be a bit longer. What will you be missing while your manufacturer works to update its devices to Android 6.0 in the coming months? Below, we’ll go through the five best new features coming to smartphones and tablets with Marshmallow.

Doze

First things first: Android 6.0 promises huge improvements where battery life is concerned. Using a combination of hardware sensors and software tweaks, phones and tablets running Marshmallow will know when they’ve been sitting idle for a period of time, and they will disable some background processes and other battery-hungry features while they’re not in use.
You’ll still get notifications, but battery life will be stretched out substantially by this new development. If your phone is sitting idle on your desk next to your computer all day, there’s no reason your battery should suffer like it does now.

Google Now on Tap

Google Now is already one of the best things about Android (and iOS, if you download the Google Search app), but it’s getting a huge shot of adrenaline in Android 6.0. Dubbed “Google Now on Tap, the new feature adds information from third-party apps to the pool of data Google Now will sift through and act upon.
Hold the home button while in any app and Google Now will analyze it instantly. Here’s an example of how it might be used: your friend texts you with “Hey let’s go to Dante’s Pizza tonight.” Holding the home button will trigger Google Now on Tap, which might show you the restaurant on a map, let you know what its hours are today, and link you to some reviews.
It’s an awesome feature, and it pushes Google Now even further ahead of the competition.

Cut, Copy, Paste

This might seem like a small change, but it’s going to have a big impact on the way you use your phones and tablets.
In earlier versions of Android, selecting text would open a series of buttons at the top of the screen, and many people are still confused about what each one does. In Android 6.0, selecting text or a photo will pop up a menu directly above your selection with the words “cut,” “copy,” and “paste,” just like iOS. This makes things much easier since your finger is obviously already right there as you make your selection.

New App Permission Structure

There’s another feature Android borrowed from iOS, but this time it also improved upon it.
Currently, it’s all or nothing with app permissions until you install some third-party tweaks on your Android device. In Marshmallow, however, you can pick and choose which permissions each individual app gets. So, for example, if you want to install Facebook but you never want the app to have access to your camera or location, you can do that now.
The only bad news here is that killing individual app permissions in the early days of Android 6.0 will cause some problems. Developers have to update their apps in order to ensure that they keep functioning properly with certain permissions disabled, and that will probably take a while.

App Backup and Restore

Switching to a new phone or restoring an existing phone that you wipe is a huge pain with Android devices. Beginning with Marshmallow, however, that’s going to change.
When an Android 6.0 device is idle and connected to Wi-Fi, it will automatically backup app data and settings to Google Drive behind the scenes. If you ever wipe your phone or switch to a new one, you’ll finally be able to quickly and easily restore all of your apps as they were previously.

Nexus 6P vs Nexus 6: 10 things to know

 
 For the first time, Google unveiled not one but two Nexus smartphones as part of its new smartphone line-up. Perhaps paying heed to feedback from Nexus fans who wanted a smaller device, the search giant launched the Nexus 5X in addition to the big-screen device -- Nexus 6P. Successor to the Nexus 6, which was not as popular as its predecessors because of a higher price, giant 6-inch display and some manufacturing defects, the Nexus 6P looks like a better phone, at least on paper. We take a look at what differentiates the Nexus 6P from the Nexus 6.
10.

Made by Huawei

The Nexus 6P smartphone has been manufactured by Chinese device-maker Huawei while Nexus 6 was made by Lenovo-owned Motorola.

Selena Gomez on Her New Album and Media Scrutiny: ‘I Just Don’t Care About the Noise Anymore’

https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/selena-gomez-revival-intv1.jpg?quality=65&strip=color&w=1680

The singer tells TIME about getting personal on her new album, finding her voice and FaceTiming with super-producer Max Martin


Selena Gomez is making some big changes. When her new album Revival, led by the thumping A$AP Rocky collaboration “Good For You,” arrives on Oct. 9, it will be her first full-length release outside of the Disney-owned Hollywood Records, where she first recorded as a teenager. Her mother is no longer her manager as of last year. Gomez has also stepped in the role of executive producer for the album, taking on unprecedented levels of creative control and wracking up more songwriting credits than ever. There aren’t that many 23-year-olds singing about getting a second act the way Gomez does on Revival, but not many 23-year-olds have watched their personal lives and relationships becoming tabloid fodder the way Gomez has.

“It’s not necessarily me being like, ‘Hey, I figured life out and I’m amazing!’” Gomez says of the record’s title. “It’s more like, I had so much scrutiny and had so much of my life exposed. I never intended my life to be that. I just wanted to be heard.”

TIME: This album shows off sides of your voice we haven’t really heard before: the raspier side, the lower side, the quieter side. It suits you. Tell me about finding your voice on this album—not just figuratively, but literally.

Selena Gomez: I had to really discover what was going to work for me because there were times in my career where I sang things that just weren’t me and weren’t for me. You can hear it in my voice. You can hear it when it’s inauthentic. This whole record is extremely intimate. I did executive produce it. I wanted to know that every single song meant the world to me, whether I wrote it or not. For me, I had to discover what was going to separate me. I know that I’m not the world’s greatest singer, but I do know that I have a unique tone. And I’m an actress—I love being able to translate everything I’m feeling inside through my voice and through the songs.

You do have some straightforward dance tracks on this album, like “Kill ‘Em With Kindness,” but most of what I’ve heard has actually shied away from the big, stomping club-bangers happening in pop right now. Why did you go in a slower, more mid-tempo direction?

I am a pop artist, but that was something I was so aware of. The track is important, but I needed the lyrics to be more important, and that was something I told every producer. I was talking about it to Rock Mafia, who helped create “Revival” and “Kill ‘Em With Kindness.” The messages were really important. “Good For You” wasn’t even supposed to be the first single, but I didn’t want the obvious, huge song. I wanted to set the tone. That’s what the next phase of my life and career is going to be. I was like, “How about we just put ‘Good For You’ out first?” We didn’t know it was going to do that well. We thought it was going to be well received, but it’s been insane to see how supportive people have been with the new direction.

Your personal life attracts a lot of tabloid attention. Is it liberating to open up as you did on “The Heart Wants What It Wants” or do you ever think about censoring yourself, knowing the scrutiny it’ll invite?

No, and it was such a relief for me. It would be so unrealistic for me to be in pain and then release a song where I’m like, “Life is awesome and this is great!” “The Heart Wants What It Wants,” and even the music video, was therapeutic. I felt free. I felt like a huge weight was lifted off of me. That’s basically what pushed me to create Revival. It was a feeling where I was like, “This is what great music is. It’s sharing your story.” I can’t care anymore that people are going to twist my words or talk about it. Everybody said every single thing they could say about me. I can’t let that affect me from making the music I want to make, even if it is personal.

You have more writing credits on this album than on your past records combined. What was the most challenging topic to write about?

I felt like I needed to do that. It’s hard because sometimes I’m like, “Oh my gosh, it’s going to suck.” Or, “Maybe I should just not. Maybe I shouldn’t say it like this.” There was a lot of questioning myself because it is the first time I was heavily involved. The hardest thing is figuring out how to say it, figuring out how to talk about things without it being so over the top. “Sober” is one of my favorite songs, but it’s not even about one specific person. “Sober” came from me and Chloe [Angelides], one of the writers, when we were sitting in a hall and talking about social awkwardness. I would hang out with people and they would drink and they’re so fun, then the next day it would be weird. I actually left that night and Chloe ended up writing “Sober.” There were moments like that, little gems. It wasn’t too difficult, it was just, “How am I going to say it elegantly and in a way that’s right for me?”

“Hands to Myself” is my favorite track that I’ve heard. Tell me about how that came together.

I’m so stoked about that song. It was the last song that I recorded on the record. “Good For You” was written by Justin Tranter and Julia Michaels. That was one of the first songs I’d ever recorded, which is crazy now that I’m thinking about it. I became super obsessed with Justin and Julia. I felt like we created magic. I felt like Julia was me and I was Julia. Right when “Good For You” came out and the success was happening, we were celebrating like, “We should just go in the studio for four more days.” They called my label, and [the label was] like, “We’re about to go to mixing.” I’m like, “I know, I know! Let me get four more days.”

We did three songs, and two of them made the record: “Hands To Myself” and “Me & the Rhythm.” When “Hands To Myself” started, we were just like, “What are girls not doing? I want to know what girls aren’t doing.” I feel like I tackled the love, I tackled the emotion and the heart and how I view the world, but what’s going to be super fresh? We had a cup, and Julia was banging the cup on to the desk. Then she had this Prince-y hook and was like, “What if we make it Prince-like?” I’m like, “Oh my gosh, I’m obsessed. Let’s do that.” Within 24 hours, that’s where “Hands To Myself” came from. It’s probably the best song on the album. A beautiful accident.

And [Swedish mega-producer] Max Martin worked on that song too, right?

Yes, he did. How it happened was we were in the studio working with a few producers that have worked with Max [Mattman & Robin, on Taylor Swift’s 1989]. That’s how we created the skeleton of the track in the studio. When we had the hook, they were like, “Do you mind if we send this to Max Martin?” I had never worked with Max before and was like, “I don’t know, maybe!” I just didn’t know what it was going to be. He ended up FaceTiming immediately and was like, “This is the greatest thing I’ve heard all year. I have to be a part of it.” I’m like, “Yeah! Do what you’ve got to do! What do you suggest?” He came up with the very end where it goes se-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-elf and added that little hook. He also changed some of the pre-chorus. I think it is super fresh and different for him, too.

Working with Max Martin is kind of a rite of passage for most pop stars. Why were you hesitant about working with him?

I’ve never really known him! The whole record, I’ve became family with all of my producers and Justin and Julia. It had nothing to do with me being like, “Oh my goodness, I’m too good for Max.” It was like, “I don’t know, I don’t want him to change it!” He ended up making it, obviously, a smash. I don’t even think I was questioning his ability, I was more nervous to see what it was going to be like. Once we talked, he sent all these voice memos and now we have a relationship. It’s going to grow from there.

Did you know Justin from when he was in Semi Precious Weapons?

I did not know he was in the band. Then when we went to Mexico together [to write], he was showing me all the music videos and I was like, “Oh. My. God. You are fabulous!” He’s incredible. He exudes that confidence, that energy that I really think I needed.

What song on the record do you think will surprise people the most?

I think “Hands To Myself” is going to be great. I hope that “Kill ‘Em With Kindness” has a great effect because I love the meaning of that song so much. I want them to be surprised about it all. Everyone was surprised about “Good For You,” and now we’re moving forward. Even if they’re not fans of mine, I just like being able to surprise people, fire people up and get them excited.

Charli XCX co-wrote your new single “Same Old Love.” Did you get to log any studio time with her?

No, I actually didn’t. She did some of it, I want to say, with [Norwegian producers] Stargate. When Stargate came and we started some of our songs—”Sober” and a few other things—Charli’s manager was in the studio the whole time. I sent her the nicest message. She’s super cool and funky, but we weren’t physically in person together.

First Trailer For The Forest Starring Game Of Thrones’ Natalie Dormer



The first trailer has been released for The Forest, the upcoming supernatural thriller which takes place in Aokigahara, a “suicide forest” at the base of Mt. Fuji. Many people choose to go there to end their lives, and as you might expect, it’s now become a source of inspiration for some filmmakers. Gus Van Sant recently took a crack at it with Sea of Trees, but the response to that film at Cannes was overwhelmingly negative. Whether this one will fare any better remains to be seen, but so far, it looks promising.
Starring Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones), The Forest is based on an idea by Man of Steel scribe David S. Goyer and will be directed by Jason Zada. Here’s the official synopsis for the movie:
The Forest, which is set in the Aokigahara forest at the base of Mt. Fuji, tells the story of a young American woman who goes in search of her twin sister, who has mysteriously disappeared. Despite everyone’s warnings to “stay on the path,” Sara enters the forest determined to discover the truth about her sister’s fate, only to be confronted by the angry and tormented souls of the dead who prey on anyone who wanders into the forest.
The Forest is set to be released early next January, which is not a great slot for any movie, but it certainly sounds compelling enough to at least remain optimistic about. We’ll let you decide whether the trailer is any good though for yourself in the comments section down below.

'Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt. 2' Final Trailer Release Date On Oct. 2, Virtual Game On The Way

Katniss Everdeen 

Fans eager to see the last trailer for "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2" won't have to wait for much longer.
According to the folks at Hypable, Samsung and Lionsgate plan to unveil the final trailer for The Hunger Games series on Samsung's tablets at Best Buys across the U.S. starting on Friday, Oct. 2.
Samsung's collaborative promotion with Lionsgate will also offer a preview of the new Hunger Games "virtual reality experience." The official Lionsgate and Samsung press release says that the "experience" will be a "6-minute, 360-degree immersive journey through some of the defining moments of The Hunger Games film franchise using the Samsung Gear VR headset. The VR experience takes viewers through Katniss' journey throughout the The Hunger Games series."
Paula Kupfer, who serves as the Senior Vice President, for Global Partnerships and Promotions at Lionsgate,  thinks this new promotion is a great way to bring the Hunger Games franchise beyond the big screen.
"We're thrilled to continue our partnership with a consumer technology leader and innovator like Samsung to create unique ways to engage The Hunger Games fans that extend the brand beyond the screen," Kupfer explained in a press release. "The Tab S2 sneak peek and Gear VR experiences in this promotion offer unique and engaging opportunities for fans to become immersed in the world of The Hunger Games while also building excitement for the November 20th global launch."
So there you have it fans. If you want to get the first look at the last trailer for the Hunger Games franchise, you should probably find your nearest Best Buy. Even if you can't, the trailer will likely be posted on YouTube shortly afterward anyway.
"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2" is all set to be released in theaters on Nov. 20. Be sure to check out Design & Trend for further developments!

'Need For Speed' Customization Trailer: 50+ Car List, Endless Mods Mean No Two Cars Are Alike [VIDEO]

Need For Speed 2015


The highty anticipated Need For Speed release date (Nov. 3) is just over a month away and it promises to deliver a sort of racing game we haven't seen in a very long time. Particularly, the all-new hardware in the current-gen Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles have prompted a resurgence for race sims like Project CARS and Forza Motorsport 6. Of course, there was also multiplayer-centric Driveclub and The Crew, but neither game sustained its appeal.
Meanwhile, Need For Speed decided to take a year hiatus from releasing a new game in 2014 in order to really focus on making the anticipated game as flawless as possible. Need For Speed 2015 will be a full reboot of the series so there's obviously a lot of pressure to really nail the final product.
"We took a year out from Need For Speed because we wanted to listen to what the fans were saying," said Ghost Games creative director Craig Sullivan. "So they said, 'we want a narrative, we want modified cars, we want driving in an urban environment', things that maybe have been missing from Need For Speed for a few years.
"We realised that to do that justice, we need to take a little bit of extra time," Sullivan added. "We chose to put in the extra work and effort and take that little bit of extra time and come out this year instead with the definitive Need For Speed game that we think are going to keep fans around the world happy."
Need For Speed was never meant to be a racing sim, but authenticity became a tight priority for the developers, Instead of meticulous driving physics recreation, Need For Speed intends to deliver an immersive world within an open world city filled with crazy enthusiasts that bleed tuner car culture.
Earlier today, Need For Speed shared a new Car and Customization trailer to highlight just how extensive and complex its car customization is. From over fenders, to vinyl designs, to suspension, performance bolt-ons, and NOS, Need For Speed showcases its most authentic car customization system in the history of the franchise. Check out the trailer below. Also, here's an early (unofficial) Need For Speed car list compiled by Need For Speed Wiki:


  1. BMW M3 Evolution II (E30)
  2. BMW M3 (E46)
  3. BMW M3 (E92)
  4. BMW M4
  5. Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
  6. Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06
  7. Dodge Challenger SRT8 392
  8. Dodge SRT Viper GTS
  9. Ferrari F40
  10. Ford Focus RS
  11. Ford Mustang Boss 302
  12. Ford Mustang
  13. Ford Mustang Fox Body
  14. Ford Mustang GT
  15. Honda Civic Type R
  16. Honda S2000
  17. Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4
  18. Lamborghini Diablo SV
  19. Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4
  20. Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV
  21. Lotus Exige S
  22. Mazda MX-5 (1996)
  23. Mazda MX-5 (2015)
  24. Mazda RX-7 Spirit R
  25. McLaren 570S
  26. Mercedes-AMG GT
  27. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR
  28. Nissan 180SX (S13) Type-X
  29. Nissan Fairlady 240ZG
  30. Nissan GT-R Premium (R35)
  31. Nissan Silvia Spec-R
  32. Nissan Skyline GT-R KPGC10
  33. Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32)
  34. Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec (R34)
  35. Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8
  36. Porsche 911 Carrera S (991)
  37. Porsche 911 Carrera S (993)
  38. Porsche 911 GT3 RS
  39. Porsche 911 T (1971)
  40. Porsche Cayman GT4
  41. Scion FR-S
  42. Subaru BRZ Premium
  43. Subaru Impreza WRX STI
  44. Toyota Corolla GT-S
  45. Toyota Supra SZ-R
  46. Volkswagen Golf GTI
  47. Volvo 242 GT 
Speculated
  1. Acura RSX (2001-2004)
  2. Acura NSX (1990)
  3. BMW 2 Series Coupe (F22)
  4. Ferrari 458 Italia
  5. Mercedes-Benz CLK 500