How To Get Android Notifications On External Bluetooth Hardware

Driving comes with enough possible distractions without throwing a smartphone into the equation, but unless you turn the thing off then there’s a pretty good possibility that you’ll get a few alerts through when you’re driving. With Twitter, Facebook and other apps constantly pushing alerts to us alongside good old fashioned text messages and phone calls, there’s never any shortage of things trying to grab our attention. When you’re behind the wheel though, it’s not the kind of thing you want!

If your smartphone of choice happens to sport a recent version of Android – 4.3 only – then you might want to give Botifier a whirl. It’s free, and if you have the required hardware to make it work, then it’s possibly one of the coolest ideas we’ve seen in a while.

Dubbed as push notifications for Bluetooth devices, Botifier will send notifications from your smartphone to a device that supports AVRCP 1.3, such as a Bluetooth-enabled car sound system. The result is notifications being pushed to that system with the app name showing as the artist, the summary as the album name and the notification text being displayed as the track title. That text can also be split across multiple track names, too.

Users can control the notifications using their sound system’s next/previous track controls to navigate through notifications as well as the play/pause buttons to remove them.

The app, created by XDA-Developer forum member Grimpy is completely free and, importantly, open source. If anyone has the means or the interest to fork Botifier they can do so via Grimpy’s Github page.

Little apps like this are the kind of thing that Android is known for, and it’s certainly not an app that would, or indeed could be made to work on iOS. That is, unless we’re talking about jailbroken devices, that is.

Still, if you fulfill the requirements of running the app – Android 4.3 in particular – and supporting hardware, then it’s highly recommended that you give the app a shot. Face it, it’s never any harm to try out free software, now is it? There really isn’t, so head over to the source link below and get started!

(Source: XDA-Developers forum thread)

Make sure to check out our Android Apps gallery to explore more apps for your Android device.

Sony QX Smart Shot Camera Accessory Will Have A iPhone 5S-Like Champagne Color Option [IMAGES]

We’re inching closer and closer to the impending announcement of the supposed iPhone 5Sand 5C, and while it may just be a speed bump of the existing iPhone 5, the 5S is currently the one that everyone is shouting about thanks to that rumored champagne colored option.

If Apple is indeed set to bring a silvery-gold iPhone to market after its September 10th announcement then it will have some company if reports of a similarly colored camera attachment from Sony prove to be accurate.

Dubbed the Sony QX Smart Shot, the camera lens will apparently be available in three colors for both the iPhone and Android devices. Those three colors are white, black and, you guessed it, champagne.

The camera itself will support lens stabilization as well as making it possible to record 1080p video even in situations where a lack of light would potentially be an issue normally. The device will also allow the controlling of zoom, exposure, white balance and focus on your choice of device, with the camera accessory apparently connecting to the smartphone via either Wi-Fi or NFC, depending on what phone you happen to be using.

Sony is expected to make the Smart Shot official at the IFA event on September 4th, at which point we will also get an idea as to how much we will need to hand over in order to get our hands on one. We’ll be keeping an eye on IFA anyway, but Sony just got hold of our attention even more than it already had.

While the news that Sony will be announcing a champagne colored accessory certainly doesn’t confirm a similarly colored iPhone is on the cards, it does add fuel to the fire that there will be more than just a black and white offering this year. We’ll find out inside two weeks though, so all the speculation isn’t too far away from ending!

It would be also interesting to see whether if this accessory gets any sort of limelight from Apple at their event. Think about it, a big name attached to a launch of a flagship device, sounds like a match made in heaven.

But our gut feeling tells us otherwise. Apple would want the stage to itself to flaunt the image snapping capabilities of its newest device, not Sony!

(Source: SonyAlphaRumors)

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• iPhone 5S And iPhone 5C Release Date Set For September 10th Announcement

How To Enhance Display Quality Of Nexus 4 [VIDEO]

Despite being relatively old when compared to many devices currently on the market, the LG-made Google Nexus 4 continues to sell in strong numbers. Moreover, the recent price-drop, which saw significant amounts slashed from the cost of the Big G’s already cheap-and-cheerful device, will have done its popularity no harm at all. But due to its age, the technology is not quite as fledgling as this time last year, and if you’ve checked the displays of devices like the Galaxy S4 or the HTC One, you’ll know that the Nexus 4′s screen looks a little washy by comparison. Thanks to the work of the guys over at XDA-Developers, notably memberfranciscofranco, you can inject a little much-needed life into your Nexus 4′s display.

The root-only app, which is appropriately entitled Nexus 4 Display Control, lets you tweak such elements as gamma and color, helping you bring a healthy glow back to what is looking an increasingly tired panel. Of course, it’s not going to bring the crisp liveliness offered by the aforementioned, but as far as helping you continue to love your Nexus 4 without looking too longingly at some of its more recent competitors, it does a good job.

At I/O this year, the search giant unveiled the all-new Nexus 7, which once again delivers on the Nexus ethos to bring strong features, a pure Android experience, and a reasonable price. But a mention of the Nexus 4′s successor never came, and while rumors of a “Nexus 5″ have been aplenty, there’s still no sign of the device. Thus, Nexus 4 owners will simply have to make do with their current side-kick, and while the likes of Nexus 4 Display Control are still available, the wait for the next edition mightn’t seem so tantalizing.

While the app costs a cent shy of two bucks over at the Google Play Store, it can be had from the XDA-Developers forums free of charge, for a limited time only. So if your Nexus 4′s display is in need of a little lift, be sure to hit up the source link below and give it a try.

Please remember, however, that you will need root access in order to proceed.

(Download: Nexus 4 Display Control for Android on the Play Store)

Make sure to check out our Android Apps gallery to explore more apps for your Android device.

Mophie Juice Pack Plus For iPhone 5: A Protective Case With A Stellar 2100mAh Battery

Mophie, the king of additional power packs and fancy cases with batteries built into them, has announced another new product today, swelling its iPhone lineup.

Built for the iPhone 5, the Mophie Juice Pack Plus is for people who mean business when out and about with their smartphone. Similar to Mophie’s other Juice Packs such as the Helium Battery Case and the Air Case, the Plus is a case that also houses an additional battery with the aim of not just powering an iPhone, but also protecting it from all manner of bumps and scrapes when it goes through our every day routine. It’s a great idea, that means you’ve always got the extra juice with you should you need it, and your new smartphone’s kept nice and safe in the process. Genius.

The Juice Pack Plus is the Big Daddy of Juice Packs, with a whopping 2100mAh battery pack doubling an iPhone 5′s battery life in one fell swoop. If you really need an iPhone 5 which would last the entire weekend without any additional power going into it, then this is for you.

Stats wise, the Juice Pack Plus will give users an additional 12 hours of Wi-Fi internet use, or 10 hours of 3G talk time. If you just need the phone to sit in standby, then it may never actually die! Well, maybe not, but you get the picture.

Mophie is shipping the Juice Pack Plus in three colors; black, white and Product (Red) and it will cost punters $120. The black version is shipping now, with the white one following next week. If the Product (Red) model is more your particular bag though, you’ll need to wait until the end of the month to pick one up. Face it, good and striking colors have always made the last entry into the scene.

We’re fans of Mophie’s products here at Redmond Pie and if you’re a heavy iPhone user then we suspect you are too. The biggest name in cases that are also battery packs, Mophie’s done it all. They know what they’re talking about when it comes to making a smartphone last longer, so if you’re in the market for a case that also gives your iPhone 5 some additional oomph, then look no further than the Mophie Juice Pack Plus.

Mophie Juice Pack Helium Spectrum Collection For iPhone 5 Adds Vibrancy To An Already Awesome Accessory [VIDEO]

Mophie has added a new range of colorful battery extending iPhone 5 cases to its growing collection of gorgeous ways to both protect and improve the longevity of your Apple smartphone.

Dubbed the Juice Pack Helium Spectrum Collection, and possibly possessing the world’s longest product name, the range of five differently colored cases add a touch of panache to any iPhone 5 while also improving its battery life by 80% – it wouldn’t be a a Mohpie case otherwise now, would it?

Available in blue, red, green, purple and pink, the case packs a 1500mAh battery that almost doubles the battery life of the device that it protects, which after all is probably the main reason anyone would go out and buy a Mophie case in the first place. The case itself is apparently 13% thinner than previous models and we’re told that we just won’t believe how good it feels in the hand. We’re intrigued by such a claim, and if the final release of iOS 7 doesn’t improve on the betas, we have a feeling that we’ll all be jumping at anything that can make our iPhone’s battery last longer than half a day.

Mophie is currently taking orders for its new Spectrum Collection of Juice Pack Air cases and you’ll need to hand over $80 in order to get your hands on one. Select colors will also be available to purchase direct from the Apple Store, too.

Mophie has long been the defacto standard when it comes to both protecting and powering iOS devices while managing to look good in the process. The new lineup sure looks like it’s going to carry on Mophie’s history of hitting home-runs. While it’s true that releasing a new case on the eve of Apple announcing a new device may seem odd, we can’t help but expect that Mophie has some ideas up its sleeve for when the new iPhone is announced, and considering the iPhone 5S is likely to look the same as the iPhone 5, case makers should be good to go regardless.

Of course, the iPhone 5C is an entirely new matter at this point.

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•  Mophie Juice Pack Plus For iPhone 5: A Protective Case With A Stellar 2100mAh Battery

Apple launches iPhone trade-ins

Apple's New York City Upper West Side retail store.

(Credit: Apple)

Apple has begun a long-awaited iPhone trade-in program at its retail stores, ahead of an event that is widely expected to include the unveiling of the new iPhone on September 10.

Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette told CNET that the program launched Friday in Apple's US stores only. "iPhones hold great value," she said. "Customers will be able to receive a credit for their returned phone that they can use toward the purchase of a new iPhone."

She couldn't comment on a range of values Apple would ascribe to phones its customers swap for credit. CNBC said the service would give customers a trade-in value for the handset estimated at $125 for an iPhone 4, $200 for an iPhone 4S, and $250 for an iPhone 5 -- with a fresh contract. An unnamed source told The Wall Street Journal that the most Apple would be willing to credit customers would be about $280. ABC reported a figure closer to $300, also according to an unnamed source.

With Apple on the sidelines of the iPhone aftermarket for years, other trade-in options have cropped up to meet the need -- sometimes at values much higher than those being reported for an Apple program. People who want to ditch their phone when a new one comes along, without eating the full cost, found other companies willing to welcome them with open arms.

Devices traded in on sites like Gazelle and NextWorth are sold internationally in places where iPhones are very expensive. Right now, a 64GB iPhone 5 can snag a customer $370 on NextWorth.

Retailers like Best Buy and Target also offer trade-in options when new phones emerge, in addition to discounts -- like a deal this weekend at Best Buy giving iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S owners who trade in a working handset at least 50 percent off the purchase of an iPhone 5.

And, of course, there's always eBay.

With more lucrative options available, the biggest draw for an Apple program is convenience for people who buy directly through the computer maker, especially those who line up for days to be among the first to get hold of the latest iPhone.

Word of such a service cropped up in June, when Bloomberg reported that Apple was working with Miami-based trade-in company Brightstar on a program that would let consumers bring in their used iPhones for a discount on newer models and potentially for credit on other items in Apple's stores.

Next month's Apple event has the rumor mill churning out speculation at top speed, but the computer maker is generally expected to be introducing a high-end flagship iPhone, called the iPhone 5S, along with a lower-cost option, called the iPhone 5C.

Reports Monday indicated the company was close to firing up a trade-in service for its flagship smartphone. Apple was said to be preparing retail workers, giving first trainers their instructions Monday for them to start teaching other employees, and may have even started piloting the program in some stores.

Google plunges deeper into smartwatch wars with WIMM

(Credit: Sarah Tews/CNET)

Google, oft rumored to be working on a smartwatch, quietly bought WIMM Labs last year to light a fire under the effort.

A Google spokeswoman confirmed to CNET that Google has acquired smartwatch maker WIMM. The takeover was first reported by GigaOm.

Smartwatch maker WIMM went dark last year, posting a cryptic thank-you message on its Web site citing "an exclusive, confidential relationship" for its technology.

Similar to previous reports of a coming Google smartwatch, the latest says the company has the work on the product -- including WIMM's employees -- centered in the Android unit, rather than its X Lab. That could mean a Google watch comes to market faster than the wearable Google has been trumpeting all year, Google Glass, which was a product of X Lab.

Though upstart tech companies have already introduced a slew of watches, giants are lumbering into the field too. Samsung is expected to unveil a smartwatch on September 4 calledGalaxy Gear, and Apple has been rumored to be coming out with one.