January, 2016 - Softonic English

Is your Android slow? Blame Facebook!

There are many apps that slow down the Android operating system, however one of the worst is Facebook. It is not a personal judgement, but in fact the shared experience of various users on Reddit. These users have measured the device performance both with the Facebook app installed and without, and the results are plain and simple!

After analyzing their mobiles with a benchmark app, users have identified that by having Facebook installed on their Android, their device takes longer to open and close other applications than usual while making the system performance slower in general:

Here you can clearly see that mobile devices run 15% faster when Facebook and Messenger is uninstalled.

But, why does Facebook slow down Android performance? In another thread on Reddit regarding the internal programming of the app, it mentions that the app’s updates are usually very complex, and they are implemented without revising and fixing previous issues. That could certainly make a lot of sense!

Source: Reddit

Could Spotify be the next YouTube or Netflix?

Apparently we may shortly have another reason to use Spotify: to watch videos.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the Swedish music app plans to launch its first video services, as a way to build up a bigger audience in the already-competitive sector.

The service will start streaming videos for both Android and iOS by the end of next week in the U.S.A., U.K., Sweden and Germany markets only. The company are yet to mention anything about the PC version.

Spotify currently has over 75 million users, with over 20 million of them paying for the ad-free version.

Although the specific content the company plan to work with is not yet clear, they have confirmed contracts with TV channels such as BBC, Comedy Central, ESPN, MTV and Vice News. They have also stated that they plan on offering more of “playlist-style content” in the form of shorter snippets.

Stay tuned for more info!

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Adele breaks the internet

It was big news for British artist Adele this month as her single “Hello” became the fastest video ever to reach one billion views on YouTube.

Of course, this meant bad news for the previous king of YouTube, Korean singer Psy and his creation “Gangnam Style,” which was the very first song to reach one billion views on the popular site. The catchy tune has now in fact reached over double that, which is not surprising as it was released nearly four years ago.

“Hello” was first released back in October 2015, and was the first single from her much-awaited album 25. The 27-year-old singer from London has been overwhelmed with the incredible success of her latest album, and the debut video managed to make the billion mark just 88 days after its release.

If you haven’t seen the video yet (slightly impossible), here it is.

Can’t view the video? Click here.

As you can see, it’s nothing spectacular, and they even kept the costs down by using an old flip phone (from the 90s?. You’d think after earning a whopping $75 million over her short career, she’d at least fork out for an iPhone 4 at the very least. Let’s hope she was being ironic.

The first sign of Facebook and WhatsApp integration

It’s been almost two years since Facebook bought WhatsApp for a whopping $16 billion, and only now can we begin to see how they may start to become more and more involved with each other.

As WhatsApp recently announced that it was dropping its small annual fee, we can possibly expect that Facebook is on the search for additional data in order to improve the adverts we see on our Facebook feeds. WhatsApp have already announced that the intend to change the way we communicate with businesses and services that matter to us, however it is still yet to be determined of how they plan on doing so.

As you can see from the screen shot above, WhatsApp now offers (part of the latest update) the option to share your account info with Facebook in order to “improve your Facebook experience.”

What does this mean, and how would you feel sharing even more information about yourself through WhatsApp?

One thing is for sure, is that it’s all about to change. Will it be a change for the greater good? We’ll have to wait for the next update and find out!

Read your WhatsApp messages without them knowing

A new WhatsApp trick that’s currently swarming social media: how to read your WhatsApp messages without the sender getting the blue double-tick confirmation.

So how could this help you? Well, maybe it could help you to avoid those awkward moments when your partner asks why it took so long for you to reply, even though you had obviously seen the message.

The trick is very simple, all you have to do is put your phone into Airplane Mode before opening your WhatsApp. This disables your 3G, 4G and WiFi and enables you to read the message without being online.

A word of warning – before taking off the airplane mode you must make sure that you have closed down the app or you will get those dreaded two ticks. This means double-clicking the Home button on an iPhone and sliding the app window up, or closing the app on the multitask display on Android.

Obviously this trick is only going to work if your other half doesn’t find out about it first. Or maybe, they already do….

Top 5 battery saving apps for your smartphone

Low battery again? It’s a daily problem for many of us. And while generally your phone dying is just an annoyance, occasionally it can prove a real problem. Stop worrying though, because today I have five applications to lengthen the battery life of your smartphone.

Greenify (Android)

Greenify makes all those apps that run in the background “hibernate”. When you’re are not actively using your phone, Greenify puts these sneaky apps to sleep preventing them from draining any power. Its various options include automating its processes and the ability to avoid losing notifications from suspended apps.

Battery Doctor (iOS|Android)

Coming from the creators of Clean Master, Battery Doctor diagnoses your battery’s percentage of remaining power, voltage, and even temperature. It then provides a full troubleshoot to discover ways to extend its life.

Avast Battery Saver (Android)

It may have the most predictable name, but Avast’s Avast Battery Saver does promise to deliver 20% more battery life per charge. The app automatically creates profiles to improve your power consumption based on the situation, altering screen brightness, Wi-Fi connection, notifications, and other setting to maximize battery life with a tap.

DU Battery Saver (Android)

DU Battery Saver prevents battery waste on two levels. Firstly, it allows you to select and limit push notifications to your Android phone, while also letting you know how much energy is saved. Its other function is to close off apps that are causing your phone to overheat – which is a huge drain on battery.

Juice Defender (Android)

It is the oldest and ugliest app on the list, but that doesn’t stop Juice Defender being a great way to save your phone’s battery. One of the most trusted and highly ranked battery apps among users, both the Ultimate and the Free versions are remarkably effective. Just pick between the balanced, aggressive, or extreme profiles and watch your phone live longer.

Next show I’ll be back to bring you the five best office apps. Remember to like and share this video if you enjoyed it, and I will see you next week!

Is this the ultimate accessory for Netflix?

Check it out! You’re looking at your very own private cinema of the future and the perfect addition to your Netflix rituals.

It’s called the Goggle Box, a piece of VR equipment that’s basically a larger version of the Google Cardboard.

How does it work? First you place your device in the given space to turn it into a mini-cinema screen. Then, you lie down and put your head into the hole. If all goes well, you should be able to watch movies as if you were in the cinema. They even have silhouettes of fellow cinema-goers to really bring that at-the-movies experience to life!

The Goggle Box is currently on sale on the online store Firebox for just under €33, and is a product imported from Japan.

So, would you pay €33 for a Goggle Box?

Source: Trusted Reviews

How much does it actually cost to charge your cell phone?

It’s no secret – smartphones are not cheap. We can end up paying anything from the $100 mark, up to as much as $1,500, and if you’re currently in a pre-pay contract, it’s better you forget about the math. But, as our lives pretty much revolve around smartphones these days, many of us have never stopped to contemplate just how much they’re actually costing us electricity-wise.

Well, you’re in for a shock my friends.

It should cost no more than $0.50 a year to charge your phone, and this is why.

Let’s take an iPhone for example. The battery of a standard iPhone 6 takes about 10.5 watt-hours of electricity to fully charge. If we’re going by the average retail price of electricity in the United States, which is around $0.12 (0.11 EUR) per kilowatt-hour, then doing this on a daily basis for a full year would cost around $0.47 (€0.43) to charge your cell phone. Tablets are said to cost around three times as much as phones, so let’s say about $1.41 (€1.29), and laptops around $8.00 (€7.34).

This information basically means that keeping all your technology fully charged throughout the year should cost you no more than $10.00 (€9.20)!
A standard fridge-freezer is believed to cost around $90 a year to run – that’s almost 200 times more than your cell phone!

Is this what we can expect from the iPhone 7?

There’s always a bunch of rumors circulating the internet nearing the launch date of the new iPhone, and the iPhone 7 is proving to be no exception. Obviously, the new designs are super-secret and Apple do tend to do a great job to keeping any potential product exposure on the hush-hush, yet sometimes (yes, sometimes), some theories turn out to be very similar to the finished article.

The clever people at iPhone-tricks.com have come up with what they think the new design will be like, which to be honest, if it does turns out anything near to what is depicted in the video – we’ll all be in for a treat. What do you think?

Can’t see the video? Click here.

Source: iPhone-tricks

2016’s most anticipated games

It is fair to say that 2015 was an incredible year for gamers, with amazing games released on every platform throughout the year. But, if you are feeling the January blues, fear not! There are lots of great titles slated for 2016, and here are our three most anticipated.

XCOM 2

First up, and out on February 5th, is XCOM 2. The latest installment in this turn-based strategy series picks up 20 years after the events of 2012’s XCOM: Enemy Unknown. It seems that humanity lost the war to its alien invaders and must now battle to take back the Earth, one turn at a time.

The second chapter in this story has the aliens firmly in charge of the planet’s governments and media. Taking control of a hijacked spaceship, known as The Avenger, you must rebuild XCOM and fight back from the shadows: regaining the public’s trust and defeating invading forces all over the globe.

Fighting alongside the aliens, you must also take on The ADVENT: the invaders puppet government. With their own genetically modified army – and new alien classes to battle – even experienced XCOM fans will find plenty of challenges to face.

Mafia 3

The Mafia franchise was never that exciting to me, but the announcement of Mafia 3 at last year’s E3 changed that. Featuring a chilling monologue from protagonist, Lincoln Clay, the initial trailer set out a brutal story of family, loyalty, betrayal, and – above all – the most organized of crime.

Featuring open-world gameplay that allows you explore the unique setting of 1960’s New Orleans and its surrounding bayou, you get to plan Lincoln’s revenge against the Mob in an action packed game of chess. Period appropriate guns and cars will be my tools of choice for this task, but there is always the options of stealth and good old fashioned fisticuffs if you would rather.

Moving the gangster action from 50’s New York and Chicago to New Orleans is an interesting move that allows the developer to experiment with a fascinating period of America’s cultural history. Plus, the music should be fantastic.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided promises to return you to the future dystopia of Deus EX: Human Revolution. Once again playing the part of the gruff-voiced, cybernetically-enhanced Adam Jensen, as he tries to stop augmented terrorists and uncover the truth behind shadowy government departments.

Now part of an anti-terrorism unit, Adam has access to new powers and equipment to help him in his mission. These include new augments, such as a nano-machine shell that can construct itself to protect him from harm, and a gun that looks almost as customizable as Adam himself.

Trailers have focused a lot more on cover-based shooting than previous Deus Ex games. However, we hold out hope that Mankind Divided will offer the same amount of RPG style choice and conversations as Human Revolution when we finally get to play it.

Our three picks are just a fraction of what is coming this year though, and – as the above video shows – the first three months are already packed. I, for one, can’t wait for Dark Soul 3 and Rise of the Tomb Raider.

That’s it from Click-Swipe-Play for this week, but do let us know in the comments if we missed any games that you are excited for in 2016.

Month: January 2016