Netflix profiles: Keeping Glee out of your recommendations since 2013
Netflix users who shareaccounts with friends or family have become accustomed to accessing their personal profiles on multiple devices, but until now that privilege has eluded Android owners.
Not anymore though, as multi-profile support has finally landed on Google-powered smartphones and tablets thanks to an update dropping this weekend.
This means users won't see shared libraries and lists, while the recently watched and recommendations sections will only feature personalised content.
The update can be downloaded from the Play store now, so have at it, folks.
More blips!
Sadly, reading these blips won't prevent Glee showing up in your library
Microsoft to offer on-screen buttons in Windows Phone 8.1
Microsoft is set to borrow a page from Android's playbook, by moving its capacitive physical buttons within the touchscreen display on the forthcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update.
A leaked screenshot published on Twitter by @evleaks (who else?) revealed the Back, Windows and Search buttons within the display, rather than the physical buttons beneath the touchscreen.
It's a feature Google adopted within Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich a couple of years back and now it seems Microsoft is ready to jump on board.
According to reports, Microsoft believes the the option to ditch the capacitive buttons will lower costs for Windows Phone handset manufacturers as simpler hardware designs will be possible.
A Galaxy with Windows Phone?
It's not just the removal of the physical buttons that would lower costs for manufacturers, it would also allow them to launch more similar versions of their Android-based handsets for the Windows Phone OS.
Could we see the likes of HTC and Samsung launch versions of their popular One and Galaxy hardware ranges running Windows Phone 8.1?
Microsoft is set to reveal more about Windows Phone 8.1 at its Build conference in April next year, so it'll be a while before we find out for sure whether this weekend's leak will come to fruition.
The HTC M8, otherwise known as the One 2, has surface again this time appearing with its Wi-Fi certification.
According to the Wi-Fi certification it just received, the HTC one will indeed come with a Wi-Fi antenna capable of switching between the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. It will also support all the Wi-Fi standards (a, b, g, and n) including the latest ac variety.
Also known as 5G Wi-Fi, 802.11ac can deliver ludicrously fast wireless connections with better everything in terms of range, reliability and power consumption.
Everything we know about the HTC M8
It's not the most exciting tidbit we've learned about the HTC One successor, but it another piece of the puzzle we'll take.
So far, we know the M8 will come with a punchier 2.26GHz Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor paired with the Qualcomm Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM. Less verified rumors suggest HTC was looking to boost the M8 to an octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM.
On top of this, the screen is going to a solid 5-inches with the same 1920 x 1080 resolution and will come running Android 4.4 KitKat.
Externally, we posit the phone will look relatively the same and be made with a metal body. Flip the phone over and it seems as though HTC is skimping out on the once newfangled Ultrapixels for simply a lot more megapixels.
Phones going next gen
We hope everything we've heard about the S5 is true
The late release of the Google Nexus 5 pretty much wrapped up the new phone season for this year, but soon we'll have much to look forward to including the consistently rumored Samsung Galaxy S5.
Samsung's next phone could be the next generation benchmark setter complete with a metal frame and the first 64-bit processor for an Android smartphone. The slated chipset is rumored to be a Snapdragon 800 quad-core chip clocked at 2.5GHz alongside an Adreno 330 CPU with another first, 4GB of RAM.
If Internet speculation is right, the S5 very well could also be the one of the first smartphones to come equipped with a whopping 560ppi and 2560 x 1440 resolution screen.
Again, there are still a lot of unknowns and rumors flying about, but if these are true the HTC M8 will look awfully dull next to the Samsung Galaxy S5. Stay tuned to TechRadar as we are more than likely to see both phones at the Mobile World Congress if not before at CES 2014.
The Samsung Galaxy NX could be just the first in a long line of Andorid cameras
After creating smartphone-camera hybrid oddities such as the Samsung Galaxy NX and S4 Zoom, it seems the Korean electronics maker is doubling down by placing its camera division under the guiding wing of its Mobile division.
Samsung Electronics announced it would be integrating its Digital Imaging Business Division, which is in charge of cameras, with the Wireless Business Division. Korea IT News reports, the Galaxy phones maker hopes this move will create synergies between the two divisions in bid to capture the largest share of the global mirrorless camera market in 2015.
Samsung expects the mobile segment will share its knowhow to create better, wirelessly connected digital cameras. Like all partnerships that go both ways, there are also hopes this mash up will help "differentiate" its smartphones with better cameras.
Adapt or die
Hopefully photo serious Samsung smartphones will have thinner lenses
For years Samsung has mainly been pitching its Galaxy S line in direct competition with the iPhone. Meanwhile, the rest of the smartphone world caught up with phones that were just as impressive like the LG G2 and HTC One while the two giants duked it out.
This latest move is a smart one, for sure, and builds on what the company has already done with its smartphone-camera amalgamations.
Samsung only needs to look towards Nokia for a somewhat successful example of what doubling down on better cameras can do. Only time will tell if this corporate mini-restructuring will dramatically improve the quality of smartphone cameras for the Android market or creates a whole new line of smart and connected cameras.
We doubt we'll see any new products come out of this closer partnership until Photokina, the big photo gear show in September. But the tech industry has always held surprises before and we'll snap up anything we see at CES 2014 and Mobile World Congress.
Santa Claus may not be due to slide down the chimney for another 12 days, but the elves at Slingbox are bringing a little holiday cheer to PC and tablet users on the Windows platform.
Sling Media announced today the release of SlingPlayer for Windows 8, a native media player app first announced last month and now available for PC users running Microsoft's latest and greatest operating system.
Available globally from the Windows 8 Store, the SlingPlayer app offers a unified experience across all Windows 8 devices, including laptop or desktop computers, convertibles and tablets.
Although Intel-powered Windows 8.1 devices could previously access Sling's web-based player, the Windows 8 app delivers support for ARM-based Windows RT devices like Surface 2 and the Nokia Lumia 2520.
Sling it, touch it
SlingPlayer for Windows 8 app works equally well with a mouse or fingers, thanks to the touch-enabled user interface that offers universal support for all devices.
The app also includes an intuitive gallery view in keeping with the look and feel of other Windows 8 apps for easy discovery and navigation of live or recorded programs.
Should you need another incentive to upgrade to Windows 8.1, the SlingPlayer native app is as good as any, since it requires the latest version.
SlingPlayer for Windows 8 offers a free 24-hour test drive and is priced comparable to other versions at $14.99; a separate version is also available for Windows Phone 8 devices.
No luck buying an Xbox One yet? Check out our extensive review instead!
