Stephen Hall

• Android
• Google
• iFixit
• onhub
• repair

Google’s OnHub router gets an iFixit teardown, scores 4/10 in repairability

In case you didn’t know, iFixit, known for its disassembly instructions and teardowns, does more than just smartphones. We may find the repairability of of our handsets to be just one more benchmark to compare different brands, but who says we can’t do that with routers too? Google’s OnHub router is one of the first of its kind, and it turns out that it’s not super easy to repair…

Hardware over the years has definitely become more attractive to the eye, but repairing these devices has gotten a lot more difficult at the expense of unibody designs and huge glass screens. The OnHub is kind of similar. Unlike the routers of old that were basically just a couple of screws away from full disassembly, the OnHub is held together with clips and has fragile parts.

To give you an idea, iFixit only listed one thing clearly positive about the OnHub: The device’s speaker is replaceable. But it’s all downhill from there. Assembled mostly with clips that iFixit found to be easily broken, the OnHub has most ports on one board (meaning solder will likely be needed), tiny fragile antenna connectors, and its build is overall fairly complex.

If you want to read more about the details of the OnHub’s hardware, head over to iFixit.

• Android
• Nextbit Robin
• Kickstarter
• Nextbit
• 1 million

Nextbit’s Robin passes $1 million in funding in just 2 weeks

Just a couple of weeks ago, we told you about the Nextbit Robin, a new smartphone that wants to help you become one with the cloud via an innovative new user experience. It appears that the phone is certainly popular, managing to pass $1 million in Kickstarter funding. And that amount was the campaign’s stretch goal, meaning that everyone that has ordered one will now be getting a quick charger as a bonus…

There are a lot of really intriguing offerings with the Robin, so it’s no wonder that it has managed to catch the eye of the most dedicated Android enthusiasts. For instance, with the Robin, you’ll find that the phone dynamically offloading apps and other content to make room if you’re in a crunch. Bringing them back is just a few taps away. The theory is that running out of storage space should be history with this phone.

On top of its fancy cloud features, the phone sports the popular Snapdragon 808 system-on-a-chip, a 5.2-inch IPS LCD 1080p display, and 3 GB RAM. You’ll find a 13-megapixel main shooter with phase detection autofocus, a dual tone flash, and a 5-megapixel sensor around front. All of this is powered by a hefty 2680 mAh battery. The phone has 32 GB of onboard storage, but the Robin also brings 100 GB of online storage.

If this sounds interesting, be sure to head over to Kickstarter and pledge $349 to grab one (although this is a Kickstarter campaign, so technically anything could happen). If nothing else, the phone seems to have Nexus 5 (2015)-level specs and a price tag that’s more than reasonable.

Wow! We made it to $1 million! Thank you so much for your support, now every Robin comes with a quick charger! pic.twitter.com/5mmX2CFdyR

— Nextbit (@nextbitsys) September 16, 2015

• Samsung
• 9to5Toys
• Tech Industry
• Smartphone
• Android deals

9to5Toys Lunch Break: LG G3 (unlocked) $250, UP3 by Jawbone activity tracker $120, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

LG G3 D850 32 GB unlocked new 32 GB: $250 shipped (Reg. $450) | eBay

Daily Deals: UP3 by Jawbone Activity Tracker $120, 1-4 Outlet and Dual-USB Wall Charging Station from $14, more

Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone 32GB (unlocked): $430 shipped (Reg. $800) | eBay

Download 10 tracks of Latin Vibes for free over at Google Play

Amazon 32GB Unlocked Fire phone w/ 1-yr Prime: $120 (Orig. $545)

Amazon Gold Box – TP-LINK Networking up to 30% off: Portable pocket router $10, Powerline starter kit $35, more

Giveaway: Schoolhouse Electric makes the clock cool again, $290 value

More new gear from today:

Portable Bluetooth Speakers: Bose SoundLink Mini $159 (Orig. $200), Sony SRSX3 $60 (Orig. $140)

• Headphones: Beats Solo2 on-ears (open-box, multiple colors) $100 shipped (Orig. $200), more
• Games/Apps: Disney Infinity3 Star Wars Bundle $81 (Reg. $115), Xbox One + $50 credit $350, more
• Wireless Laser Printers: Canon Monochrome $50 (Reg. $66), Dell Color $120 (Reg. $180), more
• 10-ft MFI Apple-Certified Nylon Braided Lightning Cable $11 Prime shipped (Reg. $17), more
• Monoprice MHD 2.0 1080p Action Camera: $50 shipped (Orig. $90)
• Samsung 850 Pro 1TB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive: $400 shipped (Reg. $470)
• Buy D-Link DCS-5009L IP Surveillance Camera, get a free Smart Plug: $70 shipped (~$115 value)

More deals still alive:

GoPro HERO4 Silver Edition Action Cam $315 (Reg. $400), HERO4 Black $379 (Reg. $500)

• USB chargers w/ Prime shipping: Aukey Dual Car Charger $6, 3200mAh power bank $6, more
• Belkin WeMo iOS connected LED Lighting Starter Kit + extra bulb: $40 shipped ($75 value)
• proXPN VPN: Premium Lifetime Subscription $39 ($375 value)
• Pandora One: 6-Month Subscription $24 (Reg. $30)
• Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Over-Ear + FiiO E17K DAC $200 ($300 value), more
• NERF Buy 2 Get 1 Free: N-Strike, Mega Series and Modulus Blasters, more
• Apple-Certified braided nylon MFi Lightning cable (black or silver, 3 ft): $7 Prime shipped, more
• Mpow 3.3-ft MFi Apple-certified Lightning cable: $5 Prime shipped (Reg. $8)
• Bluetooth Headphones: Beats Studio Over-Ear $264 (Reg. $300+), In-Ear $16 (Reg. $24), more
• Disney is giving out copies of Monsters Inc. to users of its free digital movie locker service
• M-Audio BX8 D2 8-inch Active Studio Monitors (pair) $349 shipped (Reg. $499)
• DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter Drone w/ 2.7K Video Camera: $699 shipped (Reg. $799)
• Radiation Island for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($3 value)
• Kingdom Rush goes free for iPhone and iPad (Reg. up to $3)
• Two months of Audiobooks Free from Audible for new subscribers
• ASUS Chromebox 1.7GHz/4GB/16GB Desktop PC: $200 shipped (Reg. $230)
• Scrivener, The Award-Winning Writing App: $20 (Orig. $40)
• Download The Very Best of Britney Spears 14-track compilation album for Free ($18 value)
• Google Play offers free downloads of Sia’s 1000 Forms Of Fear album ($10 value)

New products & more:

Devon and Nixon reveal new luxury Dark Side-inspired Star Wars watches

Kickstarter veteran launches new HiddenHUB smart omnidirectional whole home audio system

• The new Westinghouse Nucli combines a deadbolt, door bell and FaceTime
• Review: Monoprice’s new action camera is loaded with value for a fraction of GoPro’s price tag
• The new Bluetooth Seaboard Rise looks to modernize the typical MIDI controller like never before
• The new Gamevice MFi game controllers will fit your iPad Air and iPhone 6s just right
• A new Star Wars merch subscription service launches while Amazon discounts Force Awaken toy
• Camera+ launches its first free version w/ in-app upgrades for advanced shooting features
• Pokémon Go brings the game to real life on iOS and Android with new wearable device
• Jawbone reformulates its UP2 fitness tracker with a new fashion-forward design

• Apps & Updates
• Android
• Wear OS
• update
• apps
• Spotify

Spotify’s Running feature lands on Android after 3 months in beta

Spotify Running, which originally launched on iOS a whole 4 months ago, has finally made it to Android. From today, Android users will be able to fire up the Spotify app, open the Running feature, and have the music streaming service find music that matches tempo with the pace of their jog…

It’s yet another example of Android support getting put on the back burner, but at least it’s here, right?

As per the official Spotify blog:

Since the launch of Spotify Running, millions of you have laced up and hit the road together with the best musical motivation out there.

Today we’re thrilled to be bringing the same great experience to our Android users.

With Spotify Running, we’ve combined the best music on the planet with recommendations based on your listening history, multiple-genre playlists as well as original running compositions.

Simply select your tempo and start running. We’ll match the perfect music in time to your step to help you go the extra mile.

Spotify Running has been available in the beta version of the Spotify app on Android for a few months now — it’s somewhat odd that it took that long for the feature to be graduated to the full version of the app. Nonetheless, users of the main Spotify app should start seeing the feature roll out today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fZBqV_yMq4

• Android
• OnePlus
• OnePlus 2
• Apple
• case

OnePlus now sells a $100 handmade leather case for the OnePlus 2

OnePlus came out on Google+ a couple days ago to tease “something luxurious” (and no, we didn’t cover it at the time because we aren’t going to simply regurgitate all of the company’s endless marketing ploys), and now that “something” is available for purchase. Apparently, it’s a $100 leather case, handmade and built specifically to fit the OnePlus 2…

The case comes from a company by the name of Hard Graft, known for its premium accessories for a variety of smartphones. It’s “handmade in Italy,” built with “buttery soft leather,” and comes with a couple pockets for storing credit cards and cash. And while it’s currently “Out of Stock,” you’ll be able to grab one from the OnePlus store for $99 + shipping.

My first instinct is to criticize OnePlus because, well, it’s really easy to do. But this isn’t the kind of thing that OnePlus deserves criticism for. These kind of cases are more than popular in (majority) iPhone part market, and it makes sense that OnePlus would try to capture some of those kind of buyers on the Android side. The company’s website definitely looks familiar, too.

• Samsung
• 9to5Toys
• Tech Industry
• Smartphone
• Android deals

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Samsung Galaxy S6 $430, Fitbit Charge activity tracker $100, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone 32GB (unlocked): $430 shipped (Reg. $800) | eBay

Fitbit Charge wireless activity + sleep tracker: $100 shipped (Reg. $150) | eBay

Download 10 tracks of Latin Vibes for free over at Google Play

GoPro Hero 4 Silver Edition Action Cam $315 shipped (Reg. $400)

Amazon Gold Box – Cut the cord w/ Mohu’s Leaf 50 Indoor HDTV amplified Antenna for $38 shipped (Reg. $70)

Giveaway: Schoolhouse Electric makes the clock cool again, $290 value

More new gear from today:

USB chargers w/ Prime shipping: Aukey Dual Car Charger $6, 3200mAh power bank $6, more

• Games/Apps: Rare Replay $20, Tomb Raider Underworld $5, Logitech G700s Mouse $50, more
• Daily Deals: JBL Charge 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker $100, Samsung 48″ Smart HDTV $478, more
• Marshall Stanmore Bluetooth Speaker in black $286 shipped (Reg. $400)
• Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Over-Ear + FiiO E17K DAC $200 ($300 value), more
• NERF Buy 2 Get 1 Free: N-Strike, Mega Series and Modulus Blasters, more

More deals still alive:

App Store Free App of the Week: Infinity Blade III goes free for the very first time (Reg. $7)

• Apple-Certified braided nylon MFi Lightning cable (black or silver, 3 ft): $7 Prime shipped, more
• Mpow 3.3-ft MFi Apple-certified Lightning cable: $5 Prime shipped (Reg. $8)
• Bluetooth Headphones: Beats Studio Over-Ear $264 (Reg. $300+), In-Ear $16 (Reg. $24), more
• Disney is giving out copies of Monsters Inc. to users of its free digital movie locker service
• M-Audio BX8 D2 8-inch Active Studio Monitors (pair) $349 shipped (Reg. $499)
• Anker iPhone 6 3100mAh MFi Apple-Certified Battery Case: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $70)
• DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter Drone w/ 2.7K Video Camera: $699 shipped (Reg. $799)
• Radiation Island for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($3 value)
• Kingdom Rush goes free for iPhone and iPad (Reg. up to $3)
• Charge a 12″ MacBook w/ this RAVPower 26800mAh Battery: $53 shipped (Reg. $80), more
• OontZ Bluetooth Speakers: Angle3 $30 (Reg. $50), Angle Plus $25 (Reg. $35)
• Two months of Audiobooks Free from Audible for new subscribers
• ASUS Chromebox 1.7GHz/4GB/16GB Desktop PC: $200 shipped (Reg. $230)
• Scrivener, The Award-Winning Writing App: $20 (Orig. $40)
• Download The Very Best of Britney Spears 14-track compilation album for Free ($18 value)
• Google Play offers free downloads of Sia’s 1000 Forms Of Fear album ($10 value)
• 49-inch 4K Smart Ultra HDTVs: Vizio 120Hz $600, LG 60Hz $550, more
• PlayStation 20th anniversary sale up to 80% off: Final Fantasy Realm Reborn from $10, more

New products & more:

Review: Monoprice’s new action camera is loaded with value for a fraction of GoPro’s price tag

The new Westinghouse Nucli combines a deadbolt, door bell and FaceTime

• The new Bluetooth Seaboard Rise looks to modernize the typical MIDI controller like never before
• The new Gamevice MFi game controllers will fit your iPad Air and iPhone 6s just right
• A new Star Wars merch subscription service launches while Amazon discounts Force Awaken toy
• Camera+ launches its first free version w/ in-app upgrades for advanced shooting features
• Pokémon Go brings the game to real life on iOS and Android with new wearable device
• Jawbone reformulates its UP2 fitness tracker with a new fashion-forward design
• Review: JBL’s new Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker slims down for an ultra-portable form factor
• The Raspberry Pi touchscreen display we’ve been waiting for is now available
• V-MODA goes wireless with its premium-grade leather and steel headphones
• Minecraft: Story Mode gets a release date as pre-orders ramp up

• Android
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Sony
• Xperia
• Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

Sony Xperia Z1, Z Ultra, and Z1 Compact now getting Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

If you’re still using one of Sony’s Xperia Z1 handsets from 2013, this little tidbit is for you. Apparently, Xperia Z1, Z Ultra, and Z1 Compact handset are getting updated to Android 5.1.1 in some countries (via XperiaBlog). Alongside some really neat updates like richer Xperia themes, several Camera improvements, and new SmartWatch 3 functionality, the update also fixes the vulnerabilities in Stagefright…

Along with the above changes, this update to Android 5.1.1 includes new settings menu icons, “additional options” for WiFi and Bluetooth in the notification pull-down menu, new icons in the Settings menu, LinkedIn integrations for Calendar and Contacts, enhanced enterprise features of some kind, and more. As mentioned, the Camera has also been updated including improvements for focus, speed, and accuracy in “Superior Auto” mode.

Here’s the full change log:

– Improvements to volume and silent mode control, more control of your alerts, simplified and enhanced design
– Integration of LinkedIn with your Calendar and Contacts
– Camera focus, speed and accuracy improvements in Superior Auto mode
– Many new features for Xperia in Business, enhancing enterprise support for Xperia
– Now take pictures from the camera using Sony SmartWatch 3; use the SW3 as a remote shutter button
– Instant calendar events – create & share smart events directly from any email
– Calendar agenda in Email – no need to switch apps to check upcoming events
– Richer Xperia themes
– New Settings menu icons
– Additional options for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in notification menu

• Google
• Search
• Nintendo
• Easter Egg
• birthday

Google celebrates the birthday of Super Mario Bros. w/ new Easter egg [Video]

It was the birthday of Super Mario Bros. yesterday, and Google is celebrating with a new Easter egg in search. It’s not as extravagant as some other permanent jokes (like the infamous “Do a barrel roll”), but it’s pretty cute nonetheless.

Head over to Google and search for “Super Mario Bros” and then check out the right hand side of the page. Right below the box art and screenshots, you’ll find a familiar question mark box. Of course, clicking it will get you 200 points.

Check out the video below:

• Apps & Updates
• Android
• Google
• Apps and Updates
• update
• iOS

Google AdSense for iOS hits 3.0 w/ iPhone 6 & 6 Plus support, Material Design, more

Google has this morning pushed an update to AdSense for iOS, bringing many features that other apps in the Mountain View company’s catalog received months ago. While it may not be the most popular app outside of publishing and creative circles, the AdSense app has today been updated with support for Native iPhone 6 and 6 Plus resolution, Material Design, and more.

Rounding out the update is support for Hindi and Malay, a new icon for the Home Screen, more metrics, and a today center widget. The last of these, in case you aren’t aware, is a new widget for the Today section of Notification Center. On it, you’ll find four metrics for quick access: Today so far, Page views, Clicks, and Page RPM. It also tells you when the widget was last updated.

While Google’s apps for iOS have always been known for being well-polished (and sometimes just generally better than their Android counterparts), they usually come at a much slower pace. AdSense 3.0 for Android with many of the same new features was released on Android four weeks ago, and you can read more about that update here.

Here’s the full change log:

What’s New in Version 3.0

This time we’re bringing you:
– Support for Hindi and Malay;
– Native iPhone 6 and 6+ resolution;
– A today center widget;
– Our lovely new AdSense logo;
– More metrics!
– A little something we like to call Material Design.

Head over to the App Store to grab the latest version for free.

• Android
• Google
• Smartphone
• leak
• BlackBerry

BlackBerry ‘Venice’ running Android’s stock Messenger app spotted in the flesh

More evidence that an Android slider from BlackBerry in on the way — probably the “Venice” device that we’ve been telling you about for quite a while — has now surfaced . As seen in a new spy shot originally shared by BerryFlow, BlackBerry looks to be pushing the “Venice” slider running some build of Lollipop out into the field for testing. This time, we’ve caught the phone running what looks to be the stock Messenger app…

The above blurry cam picture taken at the Toronto Film Festival, which assumably was snapped very quickly as to not make its photographer seem too stalk-ish, shows the Venice phone we’ve seen before, but with what looks to be case attached. Along the right side of the device, you can see two buttons aligned just like the ones of the Venice images that just surfaced two weeks ago.

And while the most recent imagery has shown the device running a full-fledged Android OS (meaning there’s not any real reason to doubt that this is the real deal), this is the first image we’ve seen of the phone in public. It’s not perfectly clear, but the app that’s running on-screen looks just like Android Lollipop’s stock Messenger app — with its blue navigation bar and all.

With the leaks continuing to stream in, it’s probably not going to be long before we see the announcement of what might be BlackBerry’s last ditch effort to catch at least a tiny part of the consumer smartphone market.

• Android
• Google
• Google Store
• Nexus
• nexus protect

References to ‘Nexus Protect’ appear on the Google Store

While Google is set to announce a new set of Nexus devices at the end of the month, some new references to something called “Nexus Protect” have started appearing on the online Google Store’s web page source code (via Android Police)…

It’s not clear quite yet what Nexus Protect might be, but it’s possible that Google could be preparing to launch an Apple Care or HTC “Uh Oh!”-like program for protecting accidental damage to your Nexus device. That would be interesting, especially considering that Google has been known to sometimes absorb the cost of accidental damage replacements for the Nexus 5 and other devices.

Clearly, Google is implementing some kind of limitation on the phones you’re ordering when purchasing Nexus Protect. As can be seen in the above image — which shows a pop up surfaced thanks to some page source tinkering — you can’t add a phone to your cart unless it has the same “Nexus Protect choice” as other phones currently in your Google Store cart.

While details are definitely a little light at the moment, we’ll probably be hearing more about Nexus Protect at Google’s Nexus event — which is reportedly scheduled for September 29th.