Google has released a free Motion Stills app that allows any Android phone with a built-in gyroscope that runs Android 5.1 or higher access to the latest augmented reality technology. Google's latest app was built with editing videos and GIFS in mind. It allows the user to capture short videos and change them into stunning cinemagraphs or sweeping cinematic pans using their advanced rendering and stabilization technology. Now you can combine AR stickers and clips into movies or create looping GIFS that you can easily share with your friends.

Not Just For Pixel 2

Google Pixel 2 owners have already been enjoying adding a host of fun AR stickers, including R2-D2 and Stranger Things characters, into the real world using the device's built-in ARCore technology. Pixel 2 owners with the Android Oreo 8.1 update received early access to Google's library of AR stickers since December last year.

This is no longer an exclusive club of AR aficionados as Google's Motion Still app is opening the market by making it easier to access. The latest version of the Motion Stills app brings all the fun of these AR stickers to a decent cross section of Android devices, making it easy for anyone to insert 3D objects into the surroundings before recording.

Motion Still Features

With Motion Still, you can:

●        Use the AR mode to add fun characters to your surroundings.

●        Create a short, 3 second clip with a simple tap of your screen.

●        Condense up to a minute of video into a short clip by using the Fast Forward mode.

●        Combine clips to create movies with a simple swipe to the right.

●        Share your Motion Stills as short videos or cool looping GIF's directly with your friends.

The AR functionality is by far the most appealing feature of the app. Using this function you can stick an animated 3D object on any surface, even if it is moving. You can then record a video or GIF of the animated character's actions in the real world and share your Motion Stills clip directly with your friends. Sounds pretty awesome!

How Does the App Work?

You can get into the finer technical details of the app on Google Research's blog but the short explanation is that the app will track your phone's 3D rotation and location in relation to the ground or any flat surface that is in view. With this data, it is able to insert a 3D object into your real world surroundings and will scale up and down proportionally as you move closer or further from the AR character. This could be implemented in many ways and would also making playing at River Belle casino and any other gaming site so much more interactive.

Accessing AR Technology is Becoming Easier

Google is paving the way in terms of making the wonders of augmented reality technology more accessible to a wider audience. You'll probably have noticed that some of the best and most recent apps in the augmented reality category are confined almost exclusively to more advanced phones that run the latest operating software. So it's a great thing that Google is trying to grow the market by making these AR features available on any Android device that runs Android 5.1 or higher. Of course, the hope is that these new users will enjoy the taste of AR so much that they'll be more inclined to upgrade to the Pixel 2 which comes standard with the more advanced ARCore tech.

Android smartphones continue to get better each year with better cameras, faster processors and new apps.  Many of these phones are also much cheaper.  This does it make it difficult when choosing an Android smartphone.  This article will look at some of the top Android phones to buy.

 

Samsung Galaxy S8

 

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is considered the best Android smartphone and comes with a 5.8 inch screen.  The display is large and fills almost the entire face of the phone.  It has a great processor, loads of storage space, a slot for an SD card and it is fully waterproof.  The camera takes high quality photos and videos.  Some reviews have said the phone may be a bit overwhelming, but Samsung has added many features into this phone which means there is a feature for everyone.  The phone is aesthetically appealing filled with great features and is a great choice for a wide range of users.  It may be advisable to spend a bit more to get the Galaxy S8+, which is a bit bigger and has more battery life.  A drawback of this phone is that the fingerprint scanner is located on the back of the phone and the facial recognition does not work as well as expected. 

 

LG V30

 

The LG V30 is a great phone and takes over from the G6.  The V30 is designed using metal and glass, but is slimmer and has subtle curves.  The phone is easy to hold even though it has a 6 inch display.  Internally the phone is well made, comes with a great camera and is ideal for playing the online Blackjack Canada has to offer.  Even though the pixels are small the standard shooter takes exceptional photos and the secondary shooter comes with a wide angle camera.  The LG software is easy to use and this phone does all the necessary basics really well and looks good.  There is also a V30+ available which has more storage space which makes it more value for money.  The built-in quad DAC makes great sound, better than most phones.  It's a pricey phone, but offers good value for money.

 

OnePlus 5

 

The OnePlus 5 comes with the latest Android OS, 7.1 Nougat and Snapdragon 835 CPU and has been compared to the iPhone X.  It has a rear and front camera.  It has received rave reviews for being the best Android phone and the Chinese manufacturer of this phone has made improvements from the OnePlus 3 and 3T.  The OnePlus 5 comes with a slick design and loads of power.  The display, AMOLED, is vibrant and bright and has a fast fingerprint scanner.  It does not have a micro SD card and the battery life is not great, generally lasts for about a day, but the price is worth it considering the features. 

 

HTC U11

 

The HTC U11 comes with a 5.5 inch 2 K display which allows for great quality videos and has 4GB RAM and a Snapdragon 835 CPU.  It has squeezable sides that allows for quick launching of apps.  The camera, although only a 12MP takes good quality photos from the back and the front camera has a 16MP camera. The HTS U11 has Liquid Surface design and offers two colours at the same time, a unique and fun feature of this phone.

 

Blackberry KEYone

 

The BlackBerry KEYone may be a strange inclusion on this list, but this phone is efficient and has great battery life.  It has a 635 Snapdragon chip and it has a keyboard which will appeal to some users.  It is a great phone and also comes with a good camera.

Samsung did not have the best of starts this year when the OEM started to roll out Android 8.0 to some of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ devices in a lot of the regions. Apparently, the roll out had some bugs which caused certain devices to restart on their own and Samsung had to halt the process in order to fix the bug.

Reports from multiple sources indicate that the rollouts have started again and hopefully, Samsung has managed to fix the issue this time around. Fans are not exactly happy, but we are glad that Samsung managed to address the fault quickly enough. Once can argue though that the bug shouldn't have been there to begin with, given how much time Samsung took to release the update. In any case, look out for firmware version G950FXXU1CRB7 and G955XXU1CRB7 for the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ respectively, if you own any of the two handsets of course. The OTA packages should come in a at a size of roughly 531MB so you better fire up that Wi-Fi before starting the download.

Check out our firmware section to find all the latest updates for your Samsung smartphones and tablets.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

It has finally happened; mere days away from the official launch date, a new leak has revealed live images of the Galaxy S9. It may not have been a big deal last year, but it is a big deal this year because unlike the situation with the Galaxy S8 in 2017, there has hardly been any reliable live photos for fans to have a look at pre-release. Although, that has not kept the internet from finding out and leaking all the details about the Galaxy S9/S9+ and if these live images are anything to go by, the leaksters were pretty much spot on with their reports!

The photos you are seeing comes from Vietnam and was leaked on Twitter by SamsungMobile.News (@Samsung_News_). The single camera module on the back confirms that this is indeed the Galaxy S9 and not the S9+. So, do you like what you see? Or do you think it looks way too much like the S8? Is the 3D emoji feature, a more powerful SoC and the f/1.5 camera enough to make you switch from your S8? Do let us know all this in the comments.

Via: SamMobile

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

It's hard to believe but the second month of the new year is about to come to an end in just a week's time! Time does fly and as always, we advise our readers to make the best of that time by playing as many games as you possibly can!

 

 

These eight will likely keep you busy for the entire month of March as well, but in case you are looking for some online casino games, we recommend that you check out the reviews of the best online casinos first, before actually playing on any of them to make sure that, you are getting the best online gaming experience that you possibly can. Nowadays online casino canada offers you quality reviews written by real players, so you will know for sure which game to play on your smartphone or tablet and win big bonuses.

On a serious note though, here are eight of the best Android games for the month of February that you should definitely check out on your tablet or smartphone.

Geometry Dash SubZero

 

 

Geometry Dash is not a new game and the latest addition to the series is more about a refreshing new look, different levels and a new soundtrack than a sequel really. Nevertheless, the completely free-to-play (No in-app purchases) platformer/runner is one of the better releases of the month.

Jellynauts

This little MOBA/hack-n-slash title comes from Yodo1 aka the publisher of Crossy Road, and although it's still in beta, this one looks like it could shape up to be one of the better games in the genre.

Portal Knights

 

 

Portal Knights looks quite amazing for an Android game, so that's an instant plus, but there's more to it than just looks. The sandbox RPG features crafting, loot, combat mechanics and even local multiplayer via Wi-Fi.

Prizefighters

The pixelated art style and the seemingly linear gameplay may seem boring but once you start playing it, it's actually quite an engaging arcade fighting game that simulates the boxing games of the 1990s quite accurately.

Rusty Lake Paradise

We do prefer games that ask for one-time upfront payment rather than milk the free-to-play but pay-to-win model, and Rusty Lake Paradise is a fine example of that done well. It's the latest story heavy, point-and-click adventure game in the Rusty Lake series that's easy to play and nice to look at.

Gunstar Heroes

 

 

Do you like SEGA Forever games? If you do, then you will really like Gunstar Heroes. The action-platformer is a classic and since most of the modern games in the genre are inspired by games such as these, you can expect to have a wonderful time with it. Just hook up a controller though because that's how it was meant to be played.

Lord of Dice

Lord of Dice mixes up both MMORPG and strategy elements together and it executes both pretty well. The anime-style artwork is nice to look at and the gameplay is satisfying enough.

Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia

Another RPG makes its way onto this list as Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia was released for Android smartphones this month. As it is with most Final Fantasy games, there's quite a bit of backdrop to all the characters and there's definitely a strong story for the player to follow while levelling up in single-player and occasionally battling it out on the multiplayer mode.