force touch

Six 'force touch' stories March 2015 - January 2016

Feature Request: Why Android Wear needs Force Touch-like features

Cam Bunton Jan 21 2016 - 1:45 pm PT

Feature Request is a new regular 9to5Google series where authors offer their opinion on how to improve popular hardware or software products.

I think most of us who have used it are aware that Android Wear isn’t exactly a complete platform yet. It feels a little beta-ish. And that’s okay for now. One of the best things about Google’s software efforts is that we get to go along for the ride as it publicly experiments and launches new features. It’s not a case of waiting for months, or years, for it to secretly ‘perfect’ its product before telling us we’re ready for it.

Android Wear is still young enough that there’s plenty Google could change without upsetting the apple cart too much. One feature I think should be implemented soon (this year if possible) is a Force Touch-like technology. In other words: Android Wear should have a deeply engrained system to take advantage of pressure-sensitive touchscreen displays…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Instagram for Android (sort of) gets 3D Touch peeks in new update [Video]

Stephen Hall Dec 8 2015 - 8:20 am PT

0 Comments

Update: Just like the multiple account support that disappeared mere hours after it appeared, this awesome 3D Touch feature is now gone.

Instagram for iOS has had 3D Touch features for quite a while, but it looks like the Instagram team wanted to experiment with bringing some of these to Android as well. While the latest version for Android obviously doesn’t take advantage of force sensitive hardware (which doesn’t really exist of this side of the mobile space anyway), it does add a nifty new pop up for quickly liking, commenting, and sharing posts…

Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Lunch Break: LG G Watch $127, Pebble smartwatch $80, May the 4th Star Wars deals, more

Stephen Hall May 4 2015 - 12:27 pm PT

0 Comments

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:

Black LG G Watch Android Wear smartwatch brand new: $127 shipped (Reg. $230) (but there is very limited stock left from this third party at $118 with Amazon fulfillment)

Pebble Smartwatch for your Android phone: $80 (Orig. $100)

Star Wars Day deals & freebies: Darth Vader and Son Kindle book $2, LEGO kits from $8, much more

Amazon free app of the day: Royal Escape (Reg. $2)

Daily Deals: Samsung Xpress Mono Laser Printer $50, Acer 27″ G-SYNC Gaming Monitor $400, Kindles, more

More new gear from today:

Price Drop: Omaker M4 Splashproof/droppable Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker with NFC: $20 Prime shipped (Orig. $70)

Canon Refurbished Digital Cameras: SL1 (body only) $300 (Orig. $550), Rebel T5 w/ lens kit $300 (Orig. $440), more

New! Games/Apps: Dark Souls II Scholar $50, GoodReader $2, freebies, more
New! Lumsing power banks: 10400mAh $19 (Orig. $90), more
New! Revogi Smart Color Bluetooth LED Bulb $35 Shipped (Orig. $50, CA Tax Only)
New! Google doubling the free trial period for new Play Music All Access members
New! Netgear N300 Wi-Fi range extender for $25 shipped (Reg. $37+)

More deals still alive:

Spotify reboots its popular 3-month $0.99 Premium plan for new subscribers

Poweradd iPhone 6/6Plus cases (variety of styles/colors) $2 shipped (Reg. $8)
‘ExoMount Touch’ Universal Car Mount $20 Shipped (Orig. $30, Tax only in CA)
Seagate’s recently released USB 3.0 Expansion drives: 4TB desktop $100, 1TB Portable $55
Wireless EarPod-style Bluetooth 4 headphones (compatible w/Apple Watch): $12 shipped
HBO NOW free trial offer drops to one week after initial promo period, sign up now
iTunes Free App of the Week: Mighty Switch Force! Hose It Down! ($2 value)
Ring Wifi Video Doorbell w/ iPhone/Android app: $189 Shipped (Orig. $229)
T-Mobile is once again dishing up free MLB At Bat access to its customers ($20 value)
JBL Control One All-Weather Indoor/Outdoor 200W Speakers Pair: $90 shipped
3.2-ft MFi Lightning cable + 2.4A Car Charger for $9 (Reg. $17)
Spigen unveils Apple Watch stand, get 15% off + 70-80% off iPhone cases
Regal’s $1 Summer Movies promo includes The Lego Movie, Paddington, more
Free Xbox Live games for May: Mafia 2, F1 2013, CastleStorm DE, Pool Nation FX, more
Free PlayStation Plus games for May: Guacamelee!, Unfinished Swan, more
New Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 4G LTE GSM unlocked 7-inch 16GB: $100 shipped (Reg. $200+)
LG G3 w/ free $100 Amazon gift card for $0.01 w/ 2-yr contract or $400 w/o (AT&T)

New products & more:

Connected Cycle’s smart pedals will track your riding and help you find a lost bicycle

IKAWA’s coffee roaster brings the experience home w/ iOS connectivity and custom recipes
Give your iPhone a shake to create exciting videos with TomTom’s new Bandit action cam
Hulu just paid $180 million for Seinfeld, get the entire series for $65
Patriot’s USB-C Flash Drives are primed for new MacBook and Chromebook Pixel owners
The ON magnetic portable charging station from RUBIX takes inductive charging on the road
Review: Omaker M4 Splashproof Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker: $25 Prime shipped (Orig. $70)

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Moto X w/ SOL Republic headphones $400, Moto 360 $180, Chromecast $25, more

Stephen Hall May 1 2015 - 12:17 pm PT

0 Comments

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:

Save $300 when you buy a Moto X w/ SOL Republic Tracks AIR headphones

Get $70 off a Moto 360 for Mother’s day, starting at $180 (Reg. $250)

Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player: $25 w/ in-store pickup (Reg. $35)

Motorola Moto G No-Contract Android 4.4 Smartphone (Verizon) $30 (Orig. $100)

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 32GB new Blossom Pink (unlocked): $420 shipped (Reg. $700)

LG G3 w/ free $100 Amazon gift card for $0.01 w/ 2-yr contract or $400 w/o (AT&T)

New Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 4G LTE GSM unlocked 7-inch 16GB: $100 shipped (Reg. $200+)

Spotify reboots its popular 3-month $0.99 Premium plan for new subscribers

9to5Toys Specials currently has a VPN Unlimited Lifetime Subscription for $39 and ibVPN Total Plan 4 year subscription for $59

More new gear from today:

Amazon is offering 20% Coins Back on in-game purchases in over 40 titles right now

New! Daily Deals: Chromecast $25, Foscam Pan IP Cam w/ Night Vision $60, more

More deals still alive:

Ring Wifi Video Doorbell w/ Android app: $189 Shipped (Orig. $229)

JBL Control One All-Weather Indoor/Outdoor 200W Speakers Pair: $90 shipped
3.2-ft MFi Lightning cable + 2.4A Car Charger for $9 (Reg. $17)
Headphones: Beats Tour 2.0 in-ears $95 (Orig. $150), AIAIAI TMA-1 on-ears $100 (Orig. $250), more
Netgear Wi-Fi extender $30 (Reg. $37), TP-LINK AV200 Powerline kit $20 (Reg. $28+)
AIAIAI TMA-1 on-ear headphones $100 (Orig. $250), more
Spigen unveils Apple Watch stand, get 15% off + 70-80% off iPhone cases
Regal’s $1 Summer Movies promo includes The Lego Movie, Paddington, more
LifeProof frē iPhone 6 waterproof case: $55 + $5 flat rate shipping (Reg. $80)
Free Xbox Live games for May: Mafia 2, F1 2013, CastleStorm DE, Pool Nation FX, more
Free PlayStation Plus games for May: Guacamelee!, Unfinished Swan, more
Samsung 40-Inch 60Hz Smart LED 4K Ultra HDTV $629 (Reg. $900)
Add AirPlay streaming w/ JBL’s SoundFly Air Wi-Fi Speaker for $39 shipped (Orig. $200)
Harman Kardon AE in-ears w/mic & remote $49 shipped (Reg. $125+), more
Griffin WatchStand Apple Watch Charging Dock $27 Shipped (Orig. $30, shipping this week)
Media: Manny rental $0.99, Boxing films on iTunes $10 ea, 8 free country music tracks, more
Your choice of two rugged Lumsing Bluetooth speakers: $20 (Reg. $24+)
Samsung 60″ 1080p 240Hz HDTV $1,100, LG 34″ UltraWide Monitor w/ Thunderbolt 2 $751
Earjax ‘Lyrics’ Noise-Isolating Earbuds: $35 Shipped (Orig. $100)

New products & more:

IKAWA’s coffee roaster brings the experience home w/ iOS connectivity and custom recipes

Connected Cycle’s smart pedals will track your riding and help you find a lost bicycle

Give your iPhone a shake to create exciting videos with TomTom’s new Bandit action cam
Hulu just paid $180 million for Seinfeld, get the entire series for $65
Patriot’s USB-C Flash Drives are primed for new MacBook and Chromebook Pixel owners
The ON magnetic portable charging station from RUBIX takes inductive charging on the road
Review: Omaker M4 Splashproof Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker: $25 Prime shipped (Orig. $70)
Rock out with this scaled down Bluetooth-connected Iron Man Mark XLIII mask
Samsung expands its smart audio lineup with new touch control on-ears, more
The Flyte levitating light bulb works like magic and looks like a dream
This voice-activated sensor turns any regular trashcan into an iOS connected smartcan

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Nexus Player w/ $20 Google Play GC $72, Galaxy Note 4 $420, Beats Tour 2.0 $95, more

Stephen Hall Apr 30 2015 - 11:56 am PT

0 Comments

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:

Get a $20 Google Play credit when you buy a Nexus Player from Amazon: $69.27 shipped (Reg. $100)

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 32GB new Blossom Pink (unlocked): $420 shipped (Reg. $700)

Headphones: Beats Tour 2.0 in-ears $95 (Orig. $150), AIAIAI TMA-1 on-ears $100 (Orig. $250), more

LG G3 w/ free $100 Amazon gift card for $0.01 w/ 2-yr contract or $400 w/o (AT&T)

New Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 4G LTE GSM unlocked 7-inch 16GB: $100 shipped (Reg. $200+)

Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone 32GB (unlocked) GSM: $630 shipped (Reg. $899)

Small States Review: Grovemade’s Laptop Stand combines quality craftsmanship & thoughtful design, giveaway

More new gear from today:

Network: Netgear’s best-selling Wi-Fi extender $30 (Reg. $37), TP-LINK AV200 Powerline kit $20 (Reg. $28+)

Games/Apps: Select Star Wars titles for Android/iOS drop to lowest prices ever, more

New! HP Envy 4500 Wireless All-in-One Printer w/ AirPrint $50 shipped (Orig. $100)
New! Daily Deals: Garmin Fitness Band (refurb) $45, Pioneer GPS Receiver $350, more
New! Regal’s $1 Summer Movies promo includes The Lego Movie, Paddington, more
New! Free Kindle books: Cooking, Travel, Health, Money, more (save up to $15 per title)
New! Connected Cycle’s smart pedals will track your riding and help you find a lost bicycle

More deals still alive:

Hulu just paid $180 million for Seinfeld, but this deal on the entire series for $65 is real and it’s spectacular

Spigen unveils Apple Watch stand, get 15% off + 70-80% off iPhone cases
LifeProof frē iPhone 6 waterproof case: $55 + $5 flat rate shipping (Reg. $80)
Free Xbox Live games for May: Mafia 2, F1 2013, CastleStorm DE, Pool Nation FX, more
Free PlayStation Plus games for May: Guacamelee!, Unfinished Swan, more
Samsung 40-Inch 60Hz Smart LED 4K Ultra HDTV $629 (Reg. $900)
Home: Dyson upright/handheld vacs from $175, Cuisinart knife set & stand $43, more
Add AirPlay streaming w/ JBL’s SoundFly Air Wi-Fi Speaker for $39 shipped (Orig. $200)
Harman Kardon AE in-ears w/mic & remote $49 shipped (Reg. $125+), more
Griffin WatchStand Apple Watch Charging Dock $27 Shipped (Orig. $30, shipping this week)
Media: Manny rental $0.99, Boxing films on iTunes $10 ea, 8 free country music tracks, more
Hours Time Tracking app from Apple Design Award winner Tapity goes free ($7 value)
djay 2 for iPhone & iPad go free for the very first time
Your choice of two rugged Lumsing Bluetooth speakers: $20 (Reg. $24+)
Samsung 60″ 1080p 240Hz HDTV $1,100, LG 34″ UltraWide Monitor w/ Thunderbolt 2 $751
Earjax ‘Lyrics’ Noise-Isolating Earbuds: $35 Shipped (Orig. $100)
Apple-certified MFi Lightning cables: 2-Pack 1.3-ft $10, 3-ft $7, 6-ft $10, 10-ft $10, more
New Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 trailer and early access to multiplayer beta
Baytek PartyMix Portable Bluetooth Speaker $22 Prime shipped (Orig. $46)
iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit Bundle $65 shipped (Orig. $110)
EC Technology portable foldable Bluetooth keyboard $27 Prime shipped (Orig. $70)
5-Pack of HDMI 6-ft cables $6 shipped (Orig. $12+)

New products & more:

Give your Android phone a shake to create exciting videos with TomTom’s new Bandit action cam

Patriot’s USB-C Flash Drives are primed for Chromebook Pixel owners

The ON magnetic portable charging station from RUBIX takes inductive charging on the road
Review: Omaker M4 Splashproof Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker: $25 Prime shipped (Orig. $70)
Rock out with this scaled down Bluetooth-connected Iron Man Mark XLIII mask
Samsung expands its smart audio lineup with new touch control on-ears, more
The Flyte levitating light bulb works like magic and looks like a dream
This voice-activated sensor turns any regular trashcan into an iOS connected smartcan
This iOS connected hybrid trash can vacuum is “the world’s first smartcan”
ElevationLab’s NightStand is a versatile charging dock for your Apple Watch
SquareTrade takes on AppleCare+ for Apple Watch with its own 2-yr protection plans
popSlate’s new case puts an E Ink display on the back of your iPhone 6
Wakē uses infrared sensors and parametric speakers to wake up one person at a time

Opinion: One thing Android Wear desperately needs to take from Apple Watch

Stephen Hall Mar 9 2015 - 1:59 pm PT

15 Comments

I love my Android Wear smartwatch—it’s a great extension to the Nexus 6 I use daily. But not many people I know have an Android Wear device, even fewer have reason to use one every day, and basically no one (outside of my circle of geeky friends) really understands why they’re useful when I try to explain what they do. My LG G Watch R is seen as cool, because I can flip between a couple dozen watch faces and reply to texts with my voice, but these things don’t really make my peers feel like they’re missing out. It’s cool, but that’s about it.

The Apple Watch was shown off again today—this time in a bit more detail—and it’s clear that the device is going to be competition to the half-dozen-or-so Android Wear devices that are on the market. It’s priced a bit higher, and that’s typical when it comes to Apple products, but there are definitely things that this device offers that Google hasn’t yet introduced. The big one—in my opinion—is Digital Touch, which Apple describes as a “fun, spontaneous way to connect with other Apple Watch wearers, wrist to wrist.”

Expand
Expanding
Close