If you’ve been tempted by Chromecast but need the gadgets connected to your TV to do a little bit more – good news! Google’s Nexus Player , its first Android TV device, is launching in the UK on March 26.
The black puck’s biggest advantage over the Chromecast is that it’s a dedicated set-top box so you don’t need another device to use it. Its Google’s assault on Roku , Apple TV and Amazon’s Fire TV . Pair it with the gamepad accessory and it becomes an Android console.
The Nexus Player’s been available for pre-order in the US since October but it’s now on Amazon for £80 ($120). It hasn’t popped up on Google’s own store yet but should start shipping this week.
➤ Google Nexus Player [Amazon via Engadget ]
Image credits: Google
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Airtame HDMI streaming dongle now available for purchase worldwide
After a wildly successful Indiegogo campaign and timely delivery to backers , Airtame is now ready to make its HDMI streaming dongle available to the public.
Airtame’s stick plugs into any TV or projector with an HDMI port, and allows users to mirror their screen. Aimed at enterprise users, Airtame found favor for being OS agnostic; it works on Android, iOS, Windows, Linux and Mac.
Unlike its chief competitor Chromecast, Airtame doesn’t come cheap. For a limited time, you can pick one up for $199. Starting October 1, Airtame will cost $299.
Though it costs quite a bit more than the competition, Airtame has some unique features in addition to working on multiple platforms. For example, users can control multiple dongles from a single machine, and an app allows for casting from a mobile device.
➤ Airtame
LG outs range-topping G4 smartphone with ‘Quantum’ display and 16MP camera
LG has launched its newest flagship smartphone today – the LG G4, which picks right up where last year’s G3 left off .
Announced simultaneously at launch events around the world, the device offers a Quad-HD 5.5-inch (1,440 x 2,560 pixels) display and Snapdragon 808 processor. The display, LG says, is 20 percent more accurate at displaying colors than any other smartphone rival, and delivers better brightness and contrast than previous generations or other manufacturer’s handsets.
There’s also an f1.8 aperture 16-megapixel camera, which should result in lighter, better quality shots, LG said. The camera also has 3-axis Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).
There’s also a color spectrum sensor on the rear, to help the camera sensor adjust for ambient light more accurately, resulting in better balanced photos, in theory.
The phone will be offered in different finishes, primarily plastic or leather, available in a range of colors.
LG says the removable 3,000mAh battery should keep the phone going for at least one day, and there’s a 32GB micrSD card slot on board to allow you expand the on-board storage.
Alongside the new hardware, LG used the event to introduce a new version of its custom UI, sitting on top of Android Lollipop.
While some of the features, like Smart Notifications, aren’t completely new, they are now apparently more personal.
One of the new features here is Gallery Memories, which automatically sorts photos into albums based on the time and location they were taken. This is done without uploading them to the cloud, allowing you to keep peace of mind in terms of privacy and battery drain. Other new features include things like Calendar Event pocket, which allows you to keep better oversight of your meetings.
The handset’s notification system will also now send you reminders about apps running in the background that are draining power.
People who buy the G4 also get an additional 100GB of Google Drive storage free for two years.
Pricing hasn’t yet been announced, but the device should be available widely in June.