Adobe Lightroom Mobile is Now Available on Android

by Kellex on Jan 15, 2015 @droid_life Apps News

Adobe’s Lightroom, one of the most popular and powerful image editing and organizing tools, is now available on Android.

With Lightroom Mobile, users can manage workflows “beyond the desktop” by utilizing an Android device to review and edit images that are then synced back to home catalogs, thanks to cloud sync architecture. Adobe claims that Lightroom is the “most efficient way” to manage your image collections, and I wouldn’t necessarily disagree, assuming you know what you are getting into. This is professional level image editing if you want it to be, but it is also very fun to use. (more…)

Deal: Groupon is Still Selling Brand New Nexus 7 (2013) 16GBs for $149

by Kellex on Jan 14, 2015 @droid_life Deals News

I can’t believe this deal is continuing to be available over at Groupon. Google’s last 7-inch tablet, the Nexus 7 (2013), after being featured by the deal site for almost two months, can still be picked with 16GB of storage for just $149. We are talking a brand new device, as well, not the refurbished kind that most deal sites are hawking these days. This is a unit that retailed for $229 when it was first released.

Still in search of a tablet? As odd as this may sound, the 2013 Nexus 7, even at $149, is still a heck of a deal.

Deal Link

Project Ara Developers Conference Starts Today, Watch It Live!

by Kellex on Jan 14, 2015 @droid_life News

It has been over a year since Motorola originally introduced Project Ara, its modular phone concept. Since that introduction, we have seen the project and team behind it move over to Google, with demos shown here and there, but with very few sightings of working, stable models. That may change today, at least we hope it will. Project Ara is hosting its 2nd developer conference just days after introducing a new MDK. All of the festivities will be live streamed (embedded below). (more…)

Google Translate Update Brings Instant Image Translation With Word Lens, Easier Real-Time Conversations

by Kellex on Jan 14, 2015 @droid_life News

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that Google Translate would soon receive a massive update to include an easier real-time conversation mode, but also real-time, instant translation of signs or menus or other printed or plastered text, thanks to Word Lens. Well, that update has now been announced by Google. (more…)

How to: Sign a PDF on Android Without Printing a Thing

by Kellex on Jan 13, 2015 @droid_life Android Beginners' Guide Apps News Tips

Now that it is 2015 – hell, even dating back to 2012 – you should know how to sign a PDF document without having to print a piece of paper. If you don’t yet, that’s OK, because the inspiration behind this post is the fact that almost the entire Droid Life team had no idea how to do this until a day or so ago (you know who you are). Thankfully, we can teach you in the easiest of ways, because Adobe Reader has signature support built in. Didn’t know that either? Well, good, now you do. (more…)

Falcon Pro 3 is Now Available on Google Play

by Kellex on Jan 12, 2015 @droid_life Apps News

Falcon Pro 3, the much anticipated re-write of one of the most popular, well-put-together Twitter apps in Android history, has arrived. At this time, you have a UI that will look somewhat similar to users of the previous app, in terms of the color scheme. Outside of that, though, the column-based navigation is completely different this time around (think Tweetdeck), there are no settings to be tweaked (yet), DMs are completely missing, and overall, it seems pretty barebones at this time. (more…)

Reminder: DL Deals Double Nexus Giveaway is Only Open for 2 More Days!

by Kellex on Jan 9, 2015 @droid_life Deals News

As a quick reminder, we wanted to point out that the Double Nexus Giveaway through the DL Deals shop ends in two days. If you have yet to enter or increase your chances of winning by entering in all of the social-sharing-ways possible, you should do so soon. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM CDT on 1/12/15.

To recap, the Double Nexus Giveaway is your chance to win both a Nexus 6 and Nexus 9. To enter, you only need to sign-up to receive emails from the DL Deals shop, but can also enter in additional ways by sharing on Twitter or Google+. And that’s it!

Giveaway Link

5 Things Android Enthusiasts Care About Today

by Ron on Jan 9, 2015 @ronoffringa Featured News Opinion

Last week I had the chance to hang out with Kellen and Tim while I was visiting family in Portland. One of the things that we talked about was what it was like to be an Android enthusiast back in 2009 and on. Back then, Android was about rooting, installing custom ROMs and kernels, customizing your device, and pushing the limits of the hardware.

It was also about not using an iPhone; at the time the iPhone was considered the state of the art device, and it would arguably continue to be a superior overall package for several years. While the iPhone had more apps and a more established ecosystem, the Motorola Droid boasted both a physical and software keyboard, real multitasking (it’s hard to remember now, but the iPhone didn’t get real multitasking until iOS 4), a higher resolution camera with a flash, customizable home screens with widgets, expandable storage, and a user-replaceable battery. It was the antithesis of the iPhone in so many ways, and those of us that used it were proud to say we didn’t use iPhones.

As I was reflecting on this, I began to wonder what it means to be an Android enthusiast today. How much has changed and how much has stayed the same? Read on for my top five things Android enthusiasts care about in 2015. (more…)