KB-Technologies

A historic hoops sim.  Defense wins championships, and the improvements to AI defenses in NBA 2K16 bring this year’s iteration of the long-running basketball sim another title. Due to some big AI upgrades, the offensive tactics that I had been accustomed to using simply no longer work, so I was forced to think like a coach and constantly adapt. Running pick and rolls and calling plays finally felt like it was necessary, as opposed to a tougher option I had to enforce on myself. NBA 2K16 is a great representation of the sport of basketball, and it plays like a dream – both online and off.Not that it was suffering visually before, but NBA 2K16 looks better than ever. The player models are upgraded with new, more detailed body scans, and that has a profound effect on the overall experience. Faces, hair styles, body types, and even wingspans are true to life, but the wide variety of new signature animations bring it all together. In fact, the presentation in general has r...

Apple has announced that it will be releasing the final build of OS X El Capitan to compatible Macs tomorrow, September 30. The update will be free and will be available via the Mac App Store. El Capitan is the eleventh release in the OS X series and more of a refinement of the previous Yosemite release than a major update. Changes include things like Split View for making running apps side by side easier, improved Mission Control for better window management, smarter Spotlight search, improved Mail, Notes, Maps, and Photos, pinned tabs and AirPlay support in Safari, improved performance, and a new typeface - San Francisco - first seen on the Apple Watch and iOS. Source

One of the first things that Google announced at its big event today is that Android just keeps on growing. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said on stage that at the moment, there are more than 1.4 billion active Android devices in the wild. "Active" in this context means that they've been used within the last 30 days. This number is up 40%, from 1 billion, back in June of 2014. Keep in mind that this doesn't represent the total number of Android devices that were ever sold, it's just those that are still active, or have been so in the last month. Moving on, the Google Play Store is now being used on more than 1 billion devices. Again, this means 1 billion phones and tablets have used Google's content store in the last 30 days. So it appears that the Play Store either isn't installed or simply isn't used on a staggering 400 million devices out there.

Google has unleashed a promo video of the Huawei Nexus 6P. The video is short and sweet, but showcases the aluminum unibody of the phone from some cool angles. The phone rocks a 5.7" QHD display and a Snapdragon 810 (v2.1) chipset. For more information on the device, check out our announcement coverage. Source

Just as rumored yesterday, the Google Play Music All Access streaming service is getting a family plan soon. And the details in that leak have panned out too, including the fact that the pricing and user limits are exactly the same as the ones for Apple Music, surprisingly or not. For $14.99 per month, up to 6 family members will all be able to use Play Music All Access, each with his or her own account. Each person will have access on any device he or she owns. Tailored recommendations will be individualized for each account, so as not to confuse people with the music that other family members like. Google is apparently still working on this feature, so it won't be available immediately. Instead, look for it to be out before the end of the year.

Following the Nexus 6P promo video, Google also launched a promo clip for the Nexus 5X. The phone builds upon the foundation set by the Nexus 5 in 2013 and keeps the soft-touch polycarbonate unibody. In the video below you can check out the USB Type-C port, fingerprint sensor, IR laser-assisted autofocus and 12.3MP camera. For a full list of specifications follow up with our announcement news. Source

DxOMark Mobile has put the camera of the freshly announced Huawei Nexus 6P through the rigors of its photography test. Despite being a pre-release product sample, the latest Nexus phablet achieved the impressive score of 84, which puts it only behind Samsung Galaxy S6 edge and its 86 points in the current DxOMark rankings. As you have probably heard by now, Nexus 6P sports 12.3MP camera with 1.55µm pixels, f/2.0 aperture, 4K video capture, and dual-LED flash. The sensor is 1/2.3” in size. In the still photography section of the test, the Nexus 6P came out with a stellar 86 points thanks to impressive image details, and fast and accurate autofocus in all conditions. Still images came out well exposed and with good white balance. The camera flash also behaved well when utilized. Poorly behaving, self-activated HDR+ mode in low light situations and blown out highlights in scenes with high dynamics prevented the Nexus 6P from doing even better in the test. Anoth...

Google talked a lot about the camera on the Nexus 6P and the 5X. Both phones share the same 12.3 megapixel camera with 1.55 μm pixels, f2.0 aperture, and laser autofocus system and apparently it's a good camera; DxOMark has already placed it No. 2 on its smartphone chart right behind the Galaxy S6 edge. But while we will be doing our own testing later in the review, here are some camera samples from Google if you need to see what the images are like. Looking at the images, and hoping they aren't doctored in any way, we can see that the camera has great color reproduction, good contrast, decent dynamic range, good amount of detail, and remains relatively clean and bright even in low light. This might not be the best camera on a phone out there but it looks like it will be good enough for most people. Source

The Google Maps iOS app has received an update, bumping it to version 4.11.0, and bringing several new features as well as some bug fixes. The most prominent feature the update brings to the table is the support for Apple Watch - it adds a companion app for the smartwatch. As you can see in the image above, the app contains buttons to direct you home and work, as well as to show you recent routes. It also offers turn-by-turn directions. However, what you actually get is a very basic version of Google Maps compared to the feature-rich version you're already used to on smartphones - there's just a blue arrow showing you the direction along with distance information. Other features the update brings include the ability to call business and get directions directly from a list of places, as well as to compare ETAs across driving, transit, walking, and biking. The updated app is now available for download from the App Store. Source | Via 1 2

Apple has announced that its Apple Music streaming service, as well as iBooks and iTunes Movies services are now all available in China. The Cupertino-based company specifically noted that Apple Music in China also features music from local artists including Eason Chan, Li Ronghao, JJ Lin, and G.E.M. "Customers in China love the App Store and have made it our largest market in the world for app downloads," said the iPhone maker's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue. “One of the top requests has been more great content and we’re thrilled to bring music, movies and books to China, curated by a local team of experts.” As for the price, Apple Music will set you back 10 RMB ($1.57) each month after the initial three-month free trial period. On the other hand, Movies on iTunes will cost 5 RMB ($0.79) for HD rentals and 18 RMB ($2.83) if you're purchasing, while paid iBooks start at 0.5 RMB ($0.08). Source

As you have surely heard, yesterday Google revitalized its Nexus lineup with two new handsets – the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. Both are being marketed by the online giant with a lot of emphasis on camera performance. DxOMark Mobile rated them highly at 84 points, only two shot of the Galaxy S6 edge leader. Both new Nexus phones are equipped with identical 12.3 MP cameras, utilizing the Sony IMX377 sensor. Google also put a lot of emphasis on the huge 1.55 micron pixels in the said sensor and their virtues in catching a lot more light in the shots. This all sounds exciting on paper, but what about real life results? We already saw some images but now we bring your attention to this gorgeous 240fps sample from the Nexus 6P. In it a small humming bird is captured mid-flight, making the high frame rate really shine when capturing the 50 time per second wing flaps. 240 is truly an impressive amount of frames and that is one trick the bigger Huawei Nexus 6P has over th...

Google's Chromecast was the best-selling item on Amazon at one point and now there's a new one. There's also Chromecast Audio with multi-room support. The Chromecast app has been redesigned too. Google Chromecast With a $35/€40/£30 the Chromecast can smart up any TV – it supports video streaming and screen mirroring. There's already a great roster of apps, but now Spotify, BBC iPlayer Radio and Chrome Photos are joining the party. The Chromecast comes with a new design, new colors too (Black, Lemonade and Coral), and the much requested Wi-Fi ac at 5GHz (great for apartments with congested Wi-Fi traffic). Unfortunately, the resolution is still capped at 1080p – there's no 4K UHD video support. This is quite disappointing since 4K streaming services are picking up speed and, of course, the new Nexus phones (among many others) can shoot 4K video. As before, you can use Android (4.1+), iOS (7.0+), Windows (7+) or Mac OS X (10.7+) to connect ...

Google unveiled brand new optional premium warranty for the freshly announced Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. Dubbed Nexus protect, the plan adds two years of coverage for the smartphones, including accidental breakdowns. Nexus Protect costs $69 for the LG Nexus 5X and $89 for the Huawei Nexus 6P, though Google didn’t specify if there will be a deductible in case you total your device. For comparison, AppleCare+ for the iPhone 6s family costs $129, and requires $99 deductible in case you need a new device. For the time being, Nexus Protect will only be available in the United States. The service is expected to expand to more markets in the future.

Google's September 29 event has the new Nexus duo as its stars and will also see the official launch of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It's been a busy couple of weeks for the company with rumors flying left and right about what it's going to unveil. In short, we're in for: Two smartphones: LG Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P Android 6.0 Marshmallow official launch Chromecast 2 Pixel C tablet Play Music subscription updates including a Family plan Let's go for a deeper dive in what we know for each one of the above as suggested by the rumor mill. LG Nexus 5X LG and Google continue their partnership for a third Nexus device. The LG Nexus 5X will be slightly larger than its predecessor with a 5.2" display versus the 4.95" for the Nexus 5. The resolution will stay the same though, at 1920 x 1080 pixels. Under the hood, the Nexus 5X is expected to rock a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset with a quad-core 1.44GHz Cortex-A53 and a dual-core...

Google is livestreaming today's Nexus and Android oriented event. The company will unveil two smartphones - LG the Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P - alongside Android 6.0 Marshmallow and a couple of other gadgets. Chances are we'll see the Chromecast 2 and Pixel C tablet. Check out the livestream below and join us in the comment section as it unfolds.

Google announced the official rollout of Android 6.0 Marshmallow – there aren't any new features but soon a lot more people will get it (so far it was only available as a developer preview). Starting next week, the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 phones plus the Nexus 7 (2013) and Nexus 9 tablets will start receiving the new Android version. Nexus 4, Nexus 7 (2012) and Nexus 10 will not receive the update. As a reminder of the new features, Google really stepped up the new voice assistant game. Google Now on Tap is a full-blown digital assistant and can answer questions and understand natural language questions. Third-party app developers can tap into that too. Further, there are granular permissions, native support for fingerprint readers to help with Android Pay and Play Store payments, Doze (which improves standby battery life on the Nexus 6 by 30%). Notifications are less intrusive since you can swipe them up to hide them without dismissing them.

A year after the Nexus 6 Google unveils the next-generation phablet – meet the Nexus 6P. Despite its name it has a 5.7" screen and it's not made by Motorola this time but by Huawei instead. It's the first Nexus to feature a metal unibody, which is only 7.3mm thick (almost 3mm thinner than the previous model). Google and Huawei positioned the new Nexus against the flagship phablets with a smaller 5.7" screen. It's still an AMOLED with QHD resolution (1,440 x 2,560px), the front-facing speakers were also carried over to the new design. The whole thing measures 159.4 x 77.8 x 7.3mm, just a tad taller than an iPhone 6 Plus despite the two front speakers. The camera was spruced up as well with a new 12.3MP sensor, which boasts large 1.55µm pixels and a relatively wide F/2.0 aperture. This is in addition to the dual-LED flash for promising low-light performance. It records 2160p, naturally. The selfie camera is no slouch either 8MP sensor with 1....

Enough with the rumors, the LG Nexus 5X is finally official. The phone was just unveiled at Google's Nexus and Android event. The phone is built around a 5.2" IPS LCD display of 1080p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 424ppi. The screen is covered with a layer of Gorilla Glass 3. Google launches the Nexus 5X with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. It runs on the Snapdragon 808 chipset with a hexa-core CPU, 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 418 GPU. Internal storage is either 16GB or 32GB with no option to expand it. At the back, the 5X sports a 12.3MP camera sensor with a f/2.0 aperture and 1.55 micron pixel size. Sadly, it lacks OIS but is nevertheless capable of shooting 2160p video. LG has thrown in its IR laser-assisted autofocus and a broad-spectrum dual flash setup. Measuring 147 x 72.6 x 7.9m, the Nexus 5X is slightly thinner than its predecessor. Weight is up to 136 grams, from 130 grams for the Nexus 5 (2013). The added weight has co...

As most of you surely know, Google's Nexus lineup spans across handsets as well as tablets. All of those are created in close collaboration the online giant's partners and tend to offer the cleanest Android experience in the realm, just like Google intends it to be. However, every now and then Google also puts out products that it develops in house from beginning to end. The latest such addition comes in the shape of the Android 6.0 Marshmallow-powered Google Pixel C. Like the name suggest, this new devices comes from the very same team behind the Chromebook Pixel, so we can only expect it to be a benchmark for how far technological advancements have come. The Google Pixel is a tablet and from the looks of it, one of the most powerful of its kind to date. As far as we currently know, it is equipped with a 10.2-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1800 pixes and a density of 308ppi. It has powerful internals - Nvidia's Tegra X1 chipset with a q...

HTC will take the wraps off a smartphone with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box next month, on October 20. The announcement will take place online and will start at 12:00 noon Eastern Time. The smartphone in question is all but certainly going to be the extensively leaked HTC One A9. As you probably know by now, the handset has a metal body with iPhone-like design, coupled with mid-range hardware. Rumored specs of HTC One A9 include include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 chipset, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable memory, 13MP main camera with OIS, 4MP front-facing snapper, and 5” 1080p AMOLED display. The handset’s metal body will be available in six colors.

HTC released a list of smartphones that will receive an update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The Taiwanese manufacturer will begin rolling out the new firmware to HTC One M9 and HTC One M8 before the end of this year. In addition to the One M9, and One M8, HTC’s list includes One M9+ , One E9+ , One E9 , One ME , One E8 , and One M8 Eye . Of course, HTC Butterfly 3 is also due to get the update. As far as HTC’s mid-range lineup goes, the Desire 826 , Desire 820 , and Desire 816 will also taste Marshmallow at some point in the future. More HTC devices devices will be added to the list in the days and weeks ahead. Source

The newly-launched LG Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P smartphones, which are now up for pre-order on the Google Store from several countries, are compatible with all US carriers. Usually, unlocked devices only work with GSM carriers, such as AT&T and T-Mobile, but the new Nexus phones will also work with carriers like Verizon, Sprint, and US Cellular as the handsets support CDMA bands 0, 1, and 10. For those who aren't already aware, while the 5.7" Nexus 6P starts at $500, the 5.2" Nexus 5X will set you back $380 for the 16GB variant. Via

Google announced the Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X yesterday. The 6P has a unibody anodized aluminum construction that comes in aluminum (silver), graphite (black), and frost (white) colors. But there is a fourth color, and it's only exclusive to Japan for now. This is the gold colored Nexus 6P and as you can tell it looks quite stunning. Unfortunately, you will have to switch the website region to Japan to even see this image. As for the phone itself, there is no word on when, if at all, this color will be available in other regions. Update: The phone is officially called Nexus 6P Special Edition. Source

Sony has announced a software update though perhaps not the one you've been hoping for. Or is it? Sony Xperia M2 and M2 Aqua owners will certainly be glad to hear that finally get to see what this "Material design" business is all about with the jump to Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. The Xperia M2 duo was plodding along on 4.4.4 KitKat until now. Other than the new UI design, the update includes more customization options – you get finger control over the volume, silent and alerts functions. There's LinkedIn integration now, information about meetings and participants will show up in the Calendar. And finally, you can snap selfies remotely with the SmartWatch 3. Not mentioned officially, but the update also plugs the Stagefright vulnerability. Sony warns that the rollout is a phased process and may not reach you immediately. When it does, your Xperia M2 and Xperia M2 Aqua will go up to firmware version 18.6.A.0.175. Source | Via

We're still wheezing after yesterday's reveal that a $500 Nexus 6P that will cost €650 in Europe, now we just need to lay down after seeing the Nexus 5X prices – a $380 phone, mind you. Google Store Finland has put up the pricing info for the 5X and the 16GB model is €480. 16GB! If you want more (which you probably do) you're looking at €500+. In the UK the 16GB model is £340. That's dangerously close to the kind of cash a Galaxy S6 32GB costs - £380 on Amazon UK (you can even find it for less), in euro the situation is pretty similar. While the Nexus 6P is pretty great, the Nexus 5X is not that much of an upgrade over the Nexus 5. And the 5X isn’t really an expensive phone... if you're in the US at least. Thanks for the tip, Petri! Via (in Finnish)

Those in the UK not disheartened by the Nexus 5X ridiculous EU pricing can now pre-order the device from a range of known retailers. The 32GB version of the phone is now available for pre-order at Unlocked Mobile and Clove UK for £375 and £379, respectively. Carphone Warehouse offers the phone for a bit less at £350 for the 32GB version and £300 for the 16GB variant . The store also exclusively offers the Ice color variant. Amazon UK is yet to offer the phone, but we'll post an update here once this happens. For that money the Nexus 5X gives you a 5.2" 1080p display, Snapdragon 808 chip with a 1.8GHz hexa-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, USB Type-C, a 12.3MP camera and 16GB or 32GB of non-expandable internal storage. Check out our LG Nexus 5X hands-on here.

Virtual reality might be the path for a richer multimedia future, but, currently, most hardware kits are quite out of reach for every-day consumers, be it because of a hefty price tag, lack of content or daunting hardware and software setups. In this respect, mobile phone-based headsets sparked, like the Gear VR and other more user-friendly devices, like the HTC Vive sparked a new push towards simplification, but neither have done quite as much to popularize virtual reality as Google Cardboard. A couple of lenses, cardboard and your phone – incredibly inexpensive and straight-forward, yet loads of fun. The system has already been emulated by numerous third parties and employed in countless software projects. It seems that Microsoft is finally hopping on the same VR creative wagon as well, with its own take on a Cardboard headset, just recently spotted in some promotional banners. In all fairness, the US giant has already demonstrated impressive achievements with...

Samsung is sweetening the deal of buying a Galaxy smartphone in the US by offering to cover up to $120 towards your monthly payments for the three months until the end of 2015, up to $40 per month. Eligible devices are the Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+ and Note5, purchased on an installment plan or leased from a participating retailer, AT&T excluded. But wait, there's more. Those are the terms for the non-trade-in deal (outlined, details in the source), but there's also a trade-in offer. Surrendering your working iPhone 4s, 5, 5s, 6 or 6 Plus will net you an additional $100 Google Play store credit. Obviously, this makes sense if you're towards the left part of the above list of iPhones, or you have an iPhone 6 in a wretched state, but it still fires up. The offer can be redeemed online between today and October 16, or until November 19, should you choose to go snail mail route. Bear in mind that the actual purchase of one of the devices must take pl...

Google's event tomorrow won't be all about new Nexus hardware, it seems. The company is also set to announce a new pricing tier for its Play Music All Access streaming subscription service. According to a rumor on the matter, starting on September 29 Google Play Music All Access will also be offered in a family package. For $14.99 per month, up to 6 of your family members will all be able to use the streaming service, each with his or her own account. If you think this reminds you of something, well, it probably does: Apple Music has the exact same terms for its family plan. Oh, and the three-month free trials for Apple's service are going to start expiring soon, forcing people to make a decision about paying for it from that point on. We assume the timing of Google's family plan announcement is no coincidence then. Source

Google doubled the maximum APK file size limit for Play store apps and games. Going forward, Android developers can publish APKs as large as 100MB - up from 50MB in the past. The change will allow for the submission of considerably richer apps to Google Play. It will also reduce the necessity to download additional expansion files when launching an application for the first time. Despite the new APK file size limit, Google still advises developers to be cautious and not make their apps unnecessarily large. The search giant’s developer team points that larger apps require more data to download and install on a mobile network, as well as reduce performance on devices with limited RAM and built-in storage. Source

Samsung's YouTube competitor Milk Video, which was launched back in November last year, is shutting down. According to the South Korean company, it will pull the plug on the service in the month of November. "While we remain committed to providing premium entertainment services, we have decided to end support for the Samsung Milk Video app as of November 20, 2015," the company said in an announcement on Google Play. The announcement comes just a few months after Samsung reportedly laid off a substantial number of employees (said to be around 15% of the total strength) at the company's unit which works on Milk Video and Milk Music services. Source | Via 1 2

After long and arduous development, the ambitious Samsung Pay service is now showing a lot of promise. Despite still being in its infancy, the phone-based payment platform is already off to a flying start on the OEM's home Korean market, with over $30 million worth of transactions for a single month since its launch. All seems to have went well with this beta rollout and Samsung Pay is now officially live in the US as well. The service has already undergone beta testing in the US as well and the Korean giant is now spreading the word and trying to tempt users to give the platform a try. Samsung's latest ad highlights just how easy using Samsung Pay is, the main focus being the industry-leading combination of NFC and MTS-based technology. The video is done in a very lighthearted and wholesome tone, but it does take a few stabs at competitors. For anyone unfamiliar with the concept, here's the short version: When Samsung set out to create its mobile-ba...

Popular photographer and developer of Camera+ app on iOS - Lisa Bettany - has been doing iPhone camera comparisons since the 4s. This year, we get to see how the new iPhone 6s compares against its predecessors, that is the iPhone 6, 5s, 5, 4s, 4, 3GS, 3G, and the granddaddy of them all, the original iPhone. As a recap, the original iPhone and iPhone 3G had the same camera module, a 2 megapixel fixed focus sensor. 3GS brought with it a 3 megapixel sensor and more importantly, autofocus. The iPhone 4 bumped the sensor to 5 megapixel and the 4s to 8 megapixels. The 5 and 5s benefitted from five element lenses and bigger sensors. 6 had even bigger sensor and phase detection autofocus. The 6s gets bumped up to 12 megapixels with deep trench isolation to prevent crosstalk, improved local tone mapping, and better temporal and spatial noise reduction. And it shows. As expected, the iPhone 6s looks better in all of its predecessors in most shots. The macros have more deta...