Buy the cloud-centric Nextbit Robin for just $169.99 from Amazon

The Nextbit Robin is on sale at Amazon

If you're looking for a unique handset to give or receive for the holidays, you might consider the Nextbit Robin. The cloud-centric device starts off loading apps to the cloud as soon as you get to within 1.5GB of the phone's storage capacity. The phone analyzes which apps you use the most, and the other apps are the first to be sent to the cloud. As soon as you click on one of the apps in the cloud, it quickly re-installs on the device.

The Nextbit Robin is available from Amazon for the price of $169.99 with free shipping. That is a 57% price cut from the original $399 price of the phone. The unlocked model is a GSM handset that will work on AT&T and T-Mobile. The device comes with front-facing stereo speakers, a fingerprint scanner, and support for NFC. The Nextbit Robin carries a Gorilla Glass 4 protected 5.2-inch screen with a 1080 x 1920 resolution. The Snapdragon 808 chipset is under the hood with a hexa-core CPU and the Adreno 418 GPU. 

The unit is equipped with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of native storage. A 13MP rear-facing camera includes PDAF autofocus, and there is a 5MP front-facing snapper for selfies and video chats. Keeping the lights on is a 2680mAh battery..

If you're interested in the Nexbit Robin, click on the sourcelink.

source:  Amazon

Facebook testing chat rooms feature for Messenger

Facebook has been caught testing public chat rooms for its Messenger app in Australia and Canada. Rooms is a bulletin board-style feature designed to let users engage with people outside their Friends circle on the grounds of a dedicated topic.

According to product manager Drew Moxon, the new chat feature was made to prevent you from being annoying to your friends with interests that they don't share. Although Messenger users can already create groups, they are limited to being private conversations between friends.

To the contrary, Rooms is about topic-based conversations where people can talk to others with common interests. But Rooms can be made private as well, so that new users must be approved by an administrator.

It's unclear when the new feature will see a wider rollout, but when Facebook is done testing it with Austrialian and Canadian audiences, it's likely to open it up to other countries as it moves along.

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source: Courier Mail

Apple Support app starts rolling out to the App Store

Apple is rolling out a tech support app in the App Store

Not everyone knows how to use the Apple iPhone in their hand. That is why Apple has launched the new Apple Support app that is now rolling out to the App Store. The app provides tips to iPhone users, including information about different iPhone models, and will even help get you an appointment at the Apple Store for an iPhone repair. Heck, it will even schedule an appointment with an authorized third party repair shop.

With the Support app, you can chat, email or speak with an Apple Support technician. The app will know all of the Apple products you have registered, so if you know your phone only as an iPhone, the app will tell you whether it is an Apple iPhone 6 or an Apple iPhone 6s. The app's home screen will list your Apple produced devices, along with links to certain articles that explain how certain features work on your Apple product.

So far, the Support app is not yet available in the U.S. App Store. It is available in the Netherlands, and clicking on the sourcelink will take you to the app's preview page. While we don't know when this will be offered in the states, the app will surely come in handy after the holidays when a number of rookie iPhone owners will need help in learning how to use their new handset. 

source: AppleSupport via TechCrunch

Bravely Default: Fairy's Effect coming to smartphones in 2017

Square Enix has just announced that the smash hit title developed by Silicon Studio for the Nintendo 3DS, Bravely Default will be launched on smartphones sometime in 2017.

The game will be released on mobile devices as Bravely Default: Fairy's Effect, the same name used by Square Enix when it launched the game in Japan. Little is known about Square Enix's plans about the upcoming mobile title, but at least we know the publisher is pretty serious about mobile gaming.

Bravely Default is a major title for Nintendo and Square Enix alike, so the decision to make it available on smaller screens might indicate that more games like this will be released on smartphones beginning next year.

Let's not forget that Nintendo announced it will launch Super Mario Run platformer on iOS in early 2017. It's even decided to delay the release of two other mobile games in order to be able to respect the deadline.

Even if Bravely Default: Fairy's Effect and Super Mario Run will be released on smartphones around the same time, they probably won't compete with each other since they're different genres.

One other thing that Square Enix mentioned about its upcoming Bravely Default game is that there will be a closed beta test in the not so distant future, so follow our news feed if you want to participate in the beta program.

source: Square Enix via Gematsu

T-Mobile soon to launch the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge in Blue Coral?

It was all the way back in June when the Blue Coral color option first entered our consciousness, thanks to a trademark application filed by Samsung. Everyone raved about the color and 67% of PhoneArena readers that responded to our survey at the time, said that they liked it. Unfortunately, Blue Coral ended up being a color without a product once the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was taken off the market. 

But the color did not die with the Galaxy Note 7. Samsung decided to take this popular hue and offer it as a color option on the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. Today, a leaked inventory report for T-Mobile reveals that the phone is close to getting launched by the nation's third largest carrier.

While a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge isn't going to make up for the huge amount of Galaxy Note 7 sales lost, it could help Samsung rack up some additional revenue that it might not have tallied otherwise. On the inventory sheet, the phone is the listed on the third line down from the top. Neither Samsung nor T-Mobile have made any announcements about the Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge coming to the carrier. AT&T is currently taking orders for the phone, and will start shipping it between November 14th and November 16th.

T-Mobile's inventory report suggests that the Blue Coral Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is close to getting launched

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source: TmoNews

Dell Stack Windows 10 phablet looks gorgeous in leaked render

Dell Stack + dock

HP Elite x3 is one of the most powerful smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile, but the recently launched Alcatel Idol 4S is not bad either. Unfortunately, Microsoft's mobile platform is no position to compete with the mighty Android and iOS, so few handset makers continue to launch smartphone powered by this particular OS.

In fact, some even canceled their Windows 10 Mobile projects, although they were pretty advanced in the development. News about such a device surfaced last week when word about a Dell high-end smartphone made headline.

The device was still being prototyped when it was canceled. Still, we've got some information on the Windows 10 Mobile device's specs. Today, we also have a picture to show you, courtesy to reputable leaker Evan Blass.

The so-called Dell Stack should have been a phablet with a huge 6.4-7.0 inch display that would support full HD (1080p) resolution. Moreover, Dell wanted to include an Intel X86 chipset inside, which could have easily turned it into a desktop or laptop device.

Dell's canceled phablet/tablet device should have been packs with a large amount of RAM, possibly between 4GB and 8GB (the first of its kind), as well as 128GB and 256GB of internal memory.

The picture leaked recently shows the Dell Stack comes with a dock that features two slots. The second one might have been filled with a second battery

Rumors about the Dell Stack date from back 2014 when it was expected to be launched on the market sometime in 2017, but now it's believed to have been canned.

source: Evan Blass

Microsoft's canceled Nokia Moonraker smartwatch shown in hands-on video

We've been having news about the so-called Nokia Moonraker for quite some time now, even though the smartwatch hasn't been given the green light. The Moonraker is a smartwatch developed by Nokia and delayed by Microsoft right after the company bought the Finnish company's mobile division.

Several pictures of the canceled smartwatch emerged in the past. We even had the chance to take a look at a UI tutorial that surfaced online last summer, so some of you might already know what the Nokia Mooraker can actually do.

However, it appears that the Moonraker was more than just a canceled project, it was actually a real device that was only waiting for Nokia or Microsoft to give it the green light. Unfortunately, that didn't happened so we're left with the documentation and pictures that show us what it could have been.

Today, we've spotted a new leak related to the Nokia Moonraker, which actually shows the smartwatch in action. The video shows the wearable has features like missed calls, messages, Facebook and steps tracker.

The Moonraker features the swipe up/down type of navigation, so it's pretty much a standard UI that many smartwatches have embraced in the past. Check out the hands-on video and share your thoughts with us.

source: NPU

Google gives their Play Newsstand app a fresh, new look

Finding the latest news has never been easier thanks to smartphones. Whether you just want curated content or need to follow your favorite RSS feeds, there are hundreds of apps out there that make these things possible. Google's own Play Newsstand app has been around for some time, and while it's always been perfectly fine, it's never been exceptionally good. However, in the recent 4.0 update that Google released for it, that could be changing for the better.

Upon first opening the app in the new update, you'll be welcomed with your very own greeting screen that will showcase the current weather in your geographical area and a section that is titled "Briefing." The weather can be expanded to view the weather for the next 5-days in your area, and Briefing will show you the top 5 stories for the day and additional news highlights as per your personal interests.

 

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In addition to the fresh, new welcome screen, all of the navigation in the Play Newsstand update has been moved to the bottom with sections for For You, Library, Explore, and Read Later. It isn't particularly revolutionary, but it does do a lot to clean up the overall look and feel of the app. There's no doubt it was starting to feel a little dated, so the new change is incredibly welcome. Couple all of this with other additions, such as a persistent search bar and a Data Saver option, and you're looking at a really well-thought-out update.

The exact version for the new update is 4.0, and it should be available for your Android device soon (if not already).

source: Android Police via PhoneDog

Reviews for GrubHub app come crashing down as a response to the CEO's internal memo about Donald Trump

GrubHub is one of the best apps out there for ordering food through your smartphone, but right now, the company has a more burning issue to deal with than hot pizza. The presidential election took place in the United States this past Tuesday, and as all of you have heard by now, the country's new president-elect is Mr. Donald Trump. This election has certainly been the craziest we've ever seen, and as such, it's ruffled a few feathers - one of those being the feathers of GrubHub's CEO Matt Maloney.

Throughout the election, there's been a case surrounding the Trump campaign that his supporters spread messages of hate and violence. Agree or disagree, some people feel this way and some people don't. Matt Maloney is one person that feels the Trump campaign has been filled with hateful words and actions, and shortly following the election that took place on November 8, he sent an internal memo to all of GrubHub's employees with the message that the company as a whole would not stand for the hate being spread from the campaign.

However, here's where things get incredibly complicated. In the email that Maloney sent out, part of it reads, "If you do not agree with this statement then please reply to this email with your resignation because you have no place here." If you read that and think it sounds like Maloney is asking his employees that voted for Trump to resign, then you'd be right along the lines of a lot of other people who've read this message. Maloney reiterated on the fact that he didn't mean this at all, and that he was referring to the fact that GrubHub as a whole would "fight for your dignity and your right to make a better life for yourself and your family here in the United States."

As much damage control as Maloney has tried to do since this news broke, it doesn't appear to be enough. Many users have taken to the Apple App Store to give the GrubHub app 1-star reviews with the hashtag "#boycottgrubhub." At the time of this writing, the GrubHub app currently has a star rating of 1 1/2 out of 5, with users saying things like, "Worst company ever!", "Not a company to do business with", and "Mat Maloney step down." Maloney posted a press release on the GrubHub website saying that the company has not and will not ever discriminate an employee because of their political or any other beliefs, but this looks to be one wildfire that has simply gotten out of the company's hands.

source: GrubHub via The Verge

SwiftKey for Android updated with a couple of keyboard layouts, Incognito mode

One of the best keyboard apps for Android devices, SwiftKey has just received a small update that brings a few new features and functionalities. If you've been using SwiftKey for the last couple of years, then you already know the developers often release meaningful update that add new features into the mix.

The most recent update adds a new QWERTZ Swiss French layout. Also, the latest version of SwiftKey comes with QWERTZ extended layout for Swiss German and Swiss Italian. These new additions to the keyboard app should make it easier for those who use this type of layouts to type easier and faster.

Next in line, the developers added the Incognito mode, which should temporarily stop SwiftKey from learning words or phrases. This way the application offers a decent level of privacy to those who absolutely need it.

Last but not least, the update includes some bug fixes as well. For example, dragging the cursor while typing in Chinese should no longer cause a crash after the update. Furthermore, themes will now download after the first tap.

The new version of SwiftKey for Android has already been pushed to Google Play store, so if you have the app installed on your device, make sure to check for the update if you want to benefit from the new features and fixes right away.

SwiftKey for Android

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source: Google Play

HTC Bolt not coming to Canada for the moment

The Bolt has already been launched in the United States, but customers can only purchase it at Sprint. It could be picked up by other carriers in the coming months, but for the time being it's exclusive to Sprint.

But what about other countries? Will the HTC Bolt be available in other regions? Well, the Taiwanese handset maker has been mum on the phone's availability in other countries, but we do know that it won't be come to Canada.

An HTC representative confirmed that “the HTC Bolt is a Sprint exclusive device and will only be available in U.S. It won't be available in Canada.” The statement makes perfect sense though customers who were looking to buy the Bolt, but reside in countries other than the U.S., might still have a chance to get it.

Back in October, there were some rumors that the HTC Bolt would eventually be launched globally as HTC 10 Evo, which will make in available in Canada as well.

We have no reason not to believe that rumor coming from reputable leaker Evan Blass, so the only thing that we need to find out now is when exactly the HTC 10 Evo, or whatever its name, will be rolled out globally.

source: MobileSyrup