The Galaxy Alpha looks good, but it isn’t the success Samsung was hoping for. Photo: Samsung
Samsung is already giving up on the Galaxy Alpha, its first Android-powered smartphone made of metal, according to reports from South Korea. Sources say production will cease as soon as the existing inventory of materials runs out, and Samsung is expected to put more focus into the Galaxy A5 instead.
Amazon gives away paid Android apps every day as part of its Free App of the Day promotion, but for the next few days, the retail giant is really going all out to ensure this Christmas is a good one for Android users. You can now get $220 worth of paid Android apps completely free, and there are many you definitely don’t want to pass up.
The aftermath. Photo: S-blade/Reddit
Like a lot of smartphones, the LG G3 gets pretty warm under heavy use — that’s just normal. What isn’t normal is spontaneous combustion, which is exactly what happened to one G3 before it burned a phone-shaped hole right through its owner’s mattress.
The back of the new ZenFone. Photo: Asus
Asus started teasing its new ZenFone earlier this week, ahead of a full reveal at CES 2015 in Las Vegas next month. We were expecting a high-end device with new camera technology that would allow for better low light photos — thanks to its “see what others can’t see” tagline — but what we may end up with could be a lot less exciting, according to the handset’s leaked specifications.
Smart Unlock is just $0.99 on Google Play. Photo: Hazex
Still waiting for Android 5.0 to come to your device? You don’t need it to enjoy Smart Lock, one of Lollipop’s best new security features, thanks to a new third-party app called Smart Unlock that delivers the same functionality.
Compatible with any device running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and above, the $0.99 download automatically disables your lock screen security when a trusted wearable is nearby. What’s more, Smart Unlock has an advantage over Google’s own Smart Lock feature by allowing you to add trusted Wi-Fi networks, too.
