Deal: This retro gaming console with 600+ classic games is only $49.99

Retro Gaming Console

It’s time for some Sunday fun. If you, like me, have fond childhood memories of 8-bit gaming, then this retro gaming console in the NES style is going to bring them all flooding back. Personally, I was a Zelda man.

The console is much smaller than it’s historic lookalike, and it has over 600 pre-installed games so there’s no need for cartridges this time around. It’s so lightweight that you can throw it in your bag if you’re heading out. As long as you’ve got a TV with an HDMI port then you’re ready to play anywhere.

The console comes with over 600 pre-installed games.

The entertainment value is high, with two controllers included so you can take on your buddies at classic console games.

At a time when retro gaming consoles are all the rage, this is your chance to pick one up at a fantastic price. This console has a list price of almost $300, but this week you can pick one up for the cut-price of just $49.99.

The deal ends soon, so treat yourself to a blast from the past. The button below leads to the deal page.

The AAPicks team writes about things we think you’ll like, and we may see a share of revenue from any purchases made through affiliate links. To see all our hottest deals, head over to the AAPICKS HUB.


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Source: Android Zone

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How to use NFC on Android

Near Field Communication (NFC) is quite handy for transferring data between two devices. Whether you want to send photos, videos, files, or make a payment, NFC can make it easy to do so. But how does it work, and how do you use it? We’ll walk you through the important things you need to know about using NFC.

What is NFC?

The name for the technology gives away how it actually works. You have two NFC-capable devices, and they are able to communicate with each other if they are close to each other (i.e., “near” each other’s “fields”). Communication occurs via radio frequencies. Check out our other expanded overview of NFC and how it works for more details.

In the mobile scene, NFC is being marketed as a file-sharing or data-sharing tool. Through NFC and Android Beam, devices can swap files very quickly between each other. More than that, the presence of NFC on an Android device also allows the same device to read and/or write to programmable NFC tags. We’ll talk more about both of these things later in the post.

nfc-tagShutterstock

Do you have NFC?

Not all phones and tablets have NFC. Does yours? How do you check if it’s there? One way is to check underneath the backplate and look for any small print or other clues. On certain Samsung phones, for instance, you’ll see “Near Field Communication” printed on the battery pack. However, this only applies to older phones, as the majority of newer models don’t have a removable back.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Sport Review Burgundy-6

On some devices — especially Sony Xperia handsets — you’ll see the N-Mark on the back, the official symbol indicating that the device is NFC-enabled. The N-Mark also shows the exact location of the NFC chip.

sony xperia z5 premium aa 17

Or, you can skip all of the hardware fiddling and just check your phone’s Settings menu:

  1. On your Android device, tap on “Settings.”
  2. Tap “More.”
  3. Scroll down and you should see “NFC” and “Android Beam” options.

Depending on your device, these two options could be located in a different folder. If you can’t find them by heading to Settings > More, open up the setting menu, tap the search icon on top, and type in NFC. If your phone has it, the NFC option will show up.

Activating NFC

how to use NFC
how to use NFC
how to use NFC

If your device has NFC, the chip and Android Beam need to be activated so that you can use NFC:

  1. Go to Settings > More.
  2. Tap on the “NFC” switch to activate it. The Android Beam function will also automatically turn on.
  3. If Android Beam does not automatically turn on, just tap it and select “Yes” to turn it on.

Smartphones’ NFC capabilities operate in tandem with Android Beam. If Android Beam is disabled, it may limit NFC’s sharing capacity.

Data sharing through NFC

With NFC activated, you already use it for beaming data. For successful data sharing, take note of the following:

  • Both sending and receiving devices must have NFC and Android Beam activated.
  • Neither of the devices should be asleep or locked.
  • You’ll get both audio and haptic feedback when the two devices detect each other.
  • Do not separate your devices until the beaming has started.
  • You’ll hear audio feedback when the file or content has been successfully beamed.

NFCShutterstock

Beaming content

Whatever content or data it is you want to share via NFC (e.g., photos, contact info, web pages, videos, apps, etc.) — and regardless of whether you’re beaming to a tablet or to a phone from a phone or from a tablet — the generic way to beam content remains the same:

  1. Make sure both devices have NFC turned on.
  2. Open the content to be shared.
  3. Place both devices’ backs against each other.
  4. Wait for sound and haptic confirmation that both devices have detected each other.
  5. Notice the sender’s screen shrink into a thumbnail and display “Touch to beam” at the top.
  6. Touch the sender’s screen to begin beaming. You’ll hear a sound when beaming starts.
  7. When beaming completes, you’ll hear audio confirmation. You’ll also get either a notification that the beaming has completed, or the appropriate handler app will launch and open the beamed content.

how-to-use-nfc-0023

Sharing apps

Sharing apps via NFC does not share the app’s APK. Instead, the sender’s device just beams the app’s Play Store page, and the receiver device opens it, ready for downloading.

Read next: All you need to know about NFC Tags

Sharing web content and information

Sharing web pages via NFC does not send the web page itself. Rather, it merely sends the web page URL and the other device opens it on the default web browser.

Chrome browser teaser 1

Sharing YouTube videos

Technically, sharing YouTube videos does not share the video file. It does, however, direct the receiving phone’s YouTube app to the video.

Sharing contact info

When sharing a contact via NFC, the contact info will be automatically saved to the device’s phone book.

gmail-star-contacts-aa

Sharing photos

Sending photos via NFC is a breeze. Open the image you want to send, place both devices’ backs against each other, and tap on the screen when prompted. The receiving device will then get a notification that the transfer is completed — tap it to open the image.

Using NFC tags

Apart from sharing content with other NFC-capable devices, you can also use NFC to configure your phone’s or tablet’s settings with just a tap. You can do this by tapping an NFC-capable device against a programmed NFC tag.

An NFC tag is an unpowered NFC chip, small enough to be embedded in items such as posters, movie passes, business cards, medication bottles, stickers, wristbands, key fobs, pens, hang tags, and more. The microchip can store small chunks of data, which can be read by an NFC-capable device. Different NFC tags have different memory capacities. You can store different data types on an NFC tag, such as a URL, contact info, or even commands and settings that the reading device could execute upon contact.

nfc-tagsShutterstock

To read data from or write data to such NFC tags, you’ll need an NFC tag-reading or tag-writing app, such as the Trigger app. Tags programmed using this app can only be read by devices that have this same app installed.

Editor’s Pick

You can program an NFC tag to perform tasks such as open a web page, configure phone settings, or even send text just by tapping the device against the tag. So, for instance, you may want to program an NFC tag for use when you reach the office, where you’d need your phone set to vibration mode, Wi-Fi set to on, and Bluetooth inactive. Just tap your device’s back against the programmed tag, and the device will perform the tasks programmed onto the tag.

Using the Trigger app, you can encode NFC tags and perform tasks or adjust settings, such as the following:

  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings (including Airplane mode, auto-sync, GPS on/off, mobile data on/off)
  • Sound and volume settings (sound profile, ringtone, ring/notification volume, notification tone, media volume, system volume, alarm volume, and vibrate when ringing)
  • Display options (brightness, notification light, auto rotation, display timeout)
  • Social media (tweeting, checking in via check-in services such as Foursquare, Facebook, Google Latitude, Google Places)
  • Messages (autosync, sending email, composing SMS, send Glympse)
  • Apps and shortcuts (open app, close app, open activity, pause, open URL/URI, speak text, navigation, dock, car dock)
  • Multimedia (start/stop media playback, move to next media, play previous media)
  • Alarms (set alarm, set timer)
  • Events (create event, create calendar timestamp)
  • Security (activate lock screen)
  • Make phone call
  • Samsung-specific modes (blocking mode, driving mode, power saving mode)
  • Create Tasker tasks

To save all your selected actions/tasks onto the NFC tag, just tap the “Save & Write” button. And, to execute the actions or tasks, just tap the device’s back against the tag.

Mobile payments

Mobile payments are what NFC is most used for. There are quite a few of them out there, with the most popular ones being Samsung Pay and Google Pay. There’s also Apple Pay, but the service doesn’t work with Android devices.

To make payments with your phone, you first need to sign up for one of the payment methods available. Samsung Pay is only compatible with Samsung devices, while Google Pay works on handsets running Android 4.4 KitKat and higher. When you’re up and running, you can start making payments at supported retailers.

To do so, the first thing to do is make sure that NFC is enabled. Then hold the back of your device close to the payment terminal for a few seconds and wait until the payment is completed. If you’re using Android Pay, a blue check mark will appear on your screen when the transaction is made. Keep in mind that you may have to enter your PIN code at the end depending on the amount of purchase, or sign the receipt.

android-pay-main

There you have it — that’s how to use NFC on Android devices. What do you use usually use NFC for (sending images, making payments…)? Let us know in the comments!

Source: Android Zone

The post How to use NFC on Android appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

OnePlus kicks off stable Android Pie rollout for OnePlus 6 (Updated)

OnePlus 6

Update #2, September 21, 2018 (10:50AM ET): OnePlus has published a blog post detailing today’s rollout of the Android Pie-based OxygenOS 9.0 for the OnePlus 6.

The post, which includes the official changelog, notes that the arrival of Android Pie will spark a slight change in how the Chinese brand names its OS updates.

From now on, OxygenOS version numbers will match the Android version number. This starts with OxygenOS 9.0, which matches Android 9.0 Pie. Nice and simple!

OnePlus also confirms again the OTA will be a staged rollout. “The OTA will be received by a limited number of users today and will have a broader rollout in a few days after making sure there are no critical bugs,” reads the post.

If you have a OnePlus 6 your best bet is to manually check for the update by hitting Settings > System Updates > Check for updates.

If you’ve received the OTA update be sure to let us know in the comments!

Update, September 21, 2018 (10:41AM ET): OnePlus has confirmed to Android Authority that a stable version of Android 9.0 Pie is now rolling out over-the-air to OnePlus 6 users in select regions.

A spokesperson for OnePlus described the launch as a globally phased rollout, indicating that only users in certain countries will be getting the update today, with more regions expected to follow shortly.

So far the only officially confirmed country to receive the update is Germany, although judging from social media and the comments on this very post it appears as though other European countries, India, and Canada are also included in the initial phase.

You can see the changelog below (thanks to Android Authority reader Antonio Guerreiro for sharing!):

OnePlus 6 changelog

Original article, September 21, 2018 (09:55AM ET): The beta version of Android Pie has been available on the OnePlus 6 for a while now, but it looks like the Chinese brand is finally ready to launch the finished product.

According to a press release sent by OnePlus’s German PR agency, the firm is now rolling out Android Pie to the OnePlus 6. The agency also lists a few features enabled by the update, such as gesture navigation, an upgraded “do not disturb” mode with customizable settings, and a new “gaming mode 3.0.”

The agency hasn’t clarified any other release details, such as countries receiving the update and associated timelines. We haven’t seen any confirmation from OnePlus on social media, either, so this could potentially be a German rollout only.

Either that or someone jumped the gun on the press release. German tech media has picked up the news but we’ve yet to see any evidence that any users have actually received the update.

Editor’s Pick

In any event, the OnePlus 6 won’t be the only OnePlus device to receive Android Pie. The manufacturer has previously confirmed that the update is also coming to the OnePlus 5T, OnePlus 5, OnePlus 3T, and OnePlus 3.

OnePlus isn’t the first OEM to deliver the update either, as the Essential Phone received Pie on the day the update was launched. The update has also made its way to Google’s Pixel and Pixel 2 series, of course.

We’ve contacted OnePlus to get some clarity on the situation, and will update the article if/when we receive a response.

NEXT — ‘You’ll need it’: Huawei hands out power banks to queuing iPhone fans

Source: Android Zone

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Pie’s launch is the litmus test for Project Treble

Android Pie Statue

Android 9.0 Pie is finally here, for some smartphone users at least. It’s a familiar story for many; a new version of Android hits, Pixel users grab it right away, and the rest of us wait for roadmap announcements from our smartphone manufacturers. This can be agonizing, especially as there are often delays.

Project Treble, introduced with Android 8.0 Oreo, should alleviate this stress, making it quicker and easier for manufacturers to update phones. How quickly manufacturers get around to rolling out Pie updates will tell whether Treble has worked or whether Google wasted a lot of time.

Why Treble is so important

Fragmentation is still one of Android’s biggest perceived weaknesses, especially when rolling out more crucial security patches. It’s been a year since Android Oreo’s release, yet the operating system features on just 12 percent of all Android phones currently in use. It just takes manufacturers too long to update existing handsets, and support rarely lasts more than two years.

Editor’s Pick

Historically this hasn’t all been the fault of smartphone manufacturers. Before Project Treble, manufacturers relied on chipset manufacturers like Qualcomm for updating their platforms to work with the latest versions of Android. Older chipsets, especially non-flagship versions quickly dropped from the support list. Treble essentially defines a clear separation between the hardware and software layers, making it simpler for manufacturers to update Android software without waiting for chipset manufacturers.

Google has removed the update bottleneck. Brands don’t have any excuses to hide behind anymore.

The good news for consumers is manufacturers don’t have any excuses to hide behind anymore. Google has made providing updates much easier. Now we can see which brands actually care about providing long-term updates. Unfortunately, not all phones updated to Oreo support Project Treble, so many will still miss out on faster updates.

Android 9.0 Pie updates should generally arrive a lot faster than previous versions. Manufacturers have had the beta code for a while and can immediately begin work on their final software without the previous chipset wait. Updates should roll out before the end of 2018, rather than in the new year like last time. Any slower and Treble won’t feel like a worthwhile investment.

The situation looks promising so far

A number of Android smartphone manufacturers already appear to be making use of Project Treble to roll very quick Android 9.0 updates out to their handsets. Essential Phone customers are already good to go. OnePlus has also promised updates for its range of smartphones, although a timetable hasn’t been forthcoming. A few other phones from Nokia, Xiaomi, and others also saw Pie beta software, and therefore should get a final version soon.

If big brands delay updates until 2019, Treble won’t have been a worthwhile investment.

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Larger manufacturers are also making plans for Pie releases this year. Vivo told Android Authority it plans to release Android Pie in Q4 2018. Sony confirmed it will release the update for its XZ1 and XZ2 ranges starting in September. Huawei is also reportedly testing Android 9.0 for high-profile phones like the P20 Pro, Mate 10, and Honor 10.

Of course, we still haven’t heard a peep from a certain large manufacturer, which has historically been slower with updates. Project Treble’s success could well hinge on whether Samsung feels like keeping up with its smaller competitors’ updates.

Project Treble isn’t just about bringing brand new versions of Android to consumers though. It encourages manufacturers to roll out regular security patches and fixes as soon as they are available. For Treble to really be a success, we need to see fast updates to Pie, as well as consistently prompt security patches.

Next: Which manufacturer updates its phones the fastest? Android Oreo edition

Source: Android Zone

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