Phandroid
Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini specs leaked, and it doesn’t sound half bad
We aren’t quite ready to see 2014′s Mini variants considering the devices they’re based on haven’t fully launched yet, but it’s always nice hearing about them in advance. This time, the rumored Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini — the existence of which was almost guaranteed if you’re going based on trends of the past few years — has had an early spec leak.
The folks at SamMobile have it on good authority that the device, which reportedly sports the model number SM-G800, will be comprised of the following internals:
- 4.5-inch 720p HD Super AMOLED display
- Snapdragon Processor (Snapdragon 400?)
- 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of Internal Storage
- 8MP rear camera with 2MP front camera
- 2,100mAh battery
- IR Blaster
- IP67 certification for waterproof and dust proof
- Android 4.4 KitKat
It’s been easy to write off most Mini variants as OEMs have a history of stuffing aged internals inside of them. It looks like Samsung wants to keep their latest concoction somewhere within the 21st century, though, and we’re definitely glad about that.
Unfortunately that’s the length of our knowledge, as details about potential release dates and pricing have yet to be revealed. We imagine it won’t arrive for a couple of months after the Galaxy S5′s planned mid-April launch, though, so “Summer” is a safer bet than any.
Xiaomi clones Pressy, and charges less than $1 for it
It wasn’t long ago that Pressy created something we all thought we needed. Here it was, a tiny button that fit itself into your 3.5mm headphone jack, and can be configured to do anything you need with certain button presses. Each action is user configurable to do nearly anything you could want on your phone, and promised Tasker integration took it to another level. Where has this been all our lives?
And then came Xiaomi, who has come up with a “Pressy” of their own. The device is tentatively named (they’re toying around with names like MiKey or MiButton), but this thing is almost identical to Pressy’s design, save for the “holster” the button fits in. It can be configured to perform 10 different actions, which are activated using Morse Code-like short and long clicks. Says ex-Googler-turned-Xiamoi-exec Hugo Barra:
You can plug it into your Xiaomi phone headset jack and turn it into a clickable button to take quick pictures, turn on the flashlight, record phone calls and so on, all without unlocking your phone.
The kicker? This thing will eventually cost less than $1 once it makes its way to retail, a far cry from the $27 Pressy will cost. It’s even more alarming to know that those who’ve backed Pressy on Kickstarter haven’t even received their unit yet, as project creator Nimrod Back has had the displeasure of announcing delays to their original March 2014 ship date.
There might still be some appeal to Pressy, though. For starters, there’s no telling whether this gadget will be compatible with anything but Xiaomi devices. Pressy also seems to be more open, with the developer working to add more functionality based on community requests and suggestions.
Pressy’s Tasker integration alone means it has potential to be infinitely more useful. Whether that level of integration is worth $26 more is up to you, but those are your options for these types of products right now. That, or you could save yourself money and use the QuickClick app to do everything you need with the use of your phone’s volume buttons.
[via Xiaomi, TechInAsia]
You can finally test out the new Facebook for Android UI (if you want to)
It’s no secret the official Facebook for Android app could use a bit of a facelift after years of ducking and dodging design guidelines. First murmurings of a redesign spawned months ago after several users noticed they were treated to a new user interface, but it seemed to be a server-side switch that Facebook controlled. Many are often whisked back to the old user interface after seeing a single glimpse.
But it looks like Facebook is finally getting a move on getting the UI to everyone, as they have enabled it by default for anyone who is signed up to be an alpha tester for the app. You’re likely salivating at the chance to use the new user interface, so let’s cut to the chase on what you need to do:
- If you’re not part of the beta group, you can skip to step 3.
- If you’re part of the beta group, you’ll need to leave it. Do so by heading to the Facebook Beta Group here, and selecting to leave the group.
- Once you are no longer part of the beta group, you’ll need to sign up for the alpha group. Do so by heading to the Facebook Alpha Group here, and selecting Join Group.
- Once you’re confirmed to be in the alpha group, you should be able to go to to the Play Store on your phone and install the latest alpha version of Facebook over your existing installation.
- Your app might have problems launching at this point. Simply go into the app’s settings (Settings > Applications > Find Facebook) and clear cache and data. You will be logged out of Facebook so make sure you remember your password.
From there you should be treated to an awesome new user interface, featuring flat iconography and swiping gestures to make Facebook for Android feel more “at home.” It isn’t full-on #HOLOYOLO, but we’ll take anything we can get at this point.
Quick disclaimer: by joining the alpha group, you’re accepting that there may be some nasty bugs. Said bugs are fixed often, which also means you’ll have frequent app updates compared to the stable version.
The alpha build is considered to be so cutting edge that features might work in one update and be completely broken in the next. As long as you understand all of that, then go wild. Let us know how you’re liking the new drags in the comments below!
[via Reddit]
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