WHAT’S THE GAME, ANDROID?

What’s in a game? With more than a billion people using the Android operating system, we wonder what the future holds for gamers on this ubiquitous platform. With a 75% share of the market and a billion users, Android is the MVP player in the mobile game.

The latest iteration of the Android OS continues the list of alphabetical confectionary. Marshmallow was officially released last October and improves the Lollipop experience. A new version – Android N (nougat?) – is due in May. What can we expect?

FE FI FO FUM

On the official Android blog, there is a lot of talk about Project Fi. Project Fi is all about affordable, all-encompassing, wireless connectivity. By partnering with both networks and hardware providers, Project Fi promises an even more connected experience.

For gamers, this means never having to quit that winning streak or pull out of that poker tournament. Described by Google as the ‘network of networks’, there’s a good chance Project Fi will be a ‘promoted option’ on the Android OS of the future. Google will try to consolidate the world’s networks to benefit its users.

ID ME

In a connected world, we can be exactly what and who we want to be. We think the new Android OS will enable gamers to create truly unique online identities that can be used across multiple applications and websites.

Rather than access your favourite online casino or gaming site with a specific user name and password, unique to that particular client, you will use your generic Android Gamer ID.

The advantages of this could be both simple ‘one-stop’ banking and community-based play. It will be easier to find friends and be discovered. You can also develop an online reputation for your avatar and ID. Online casinos and gaming sites would need to sign up to the system.

GAME ON THE MOVE

Mobile gaming follows the hardware. As mobile devices get more complex, and more central to people’s lives, mobile gaming follows suit and gains in sophistication and ease of access.

Android will facilitate online casino gaming and support the shift from land-based to online action. As the hunger for tax revenues increases, more and more territories will give online gaming the green light.

AND FINALLY…

Significant jumps in mobile OS technology are far and few between. What is unrelenting – however – is ‘improvement’. All the recent Android updates have been mainly about enhancing and improving what’s already on offer.

Our prediction is an evolution of all aspects of the mobile gaming experience, from better online IDs, an environment with no disconnects, and more flexible access to the gaming experience you want. That’s what we’re betting on…

Samsung do it again with the Galaxy S7

Samsung appear to have done it again with their new Galaxy S7, continuing to cut the gap between themselves and Apple's iPhone as the most popular mobile phone on the market when their latest smartphone hits the shelves on March 11. When it comes to Android phones, nobody quite does it like Samsung, and the Galaxy S7 has already been a hit for a host of reasons, from its camera to its memory slot. Both the S7 and the S7 Edge, the slimmer version of the phone, are being tipped to challenge the iPhone 6 at the top of the best selling charts over the next few months, and it's hard to find any real fault in this new release from Samsung.

People want a lot more from their phones than ever before. Whether it's creating high-quality videos for YouTube, checking the latest football scores with ESPN, booking a flight with Skyscanner or any number of modern uses for smartphones, people need their phones to capable of more functions than ever before.

Having placed a lot of emphasis on gamers, with some exciting developments in the pipeline for virtual reality, the S7 is a lot more than just a phone. And for those gaming fans who have an interest in online casinos, whether it’s playing pokies with 32Red or competing in poker tournaments, this smartphone is more than capable of juggling everything a gamer could need to stay on top of all the action. 

But as well as offering users all the latest apps and features, the public want to know the more traditionally important functions of a phone are as important as those new innovations. So, what are the main things we need to know about Samsung's latest product. 

Image Credit: the Inquirer

Image Credit: the Inquirer

 

Camera: The most obvious improvement with the S7 has to be its camera. With a clear focus on low-light settings, Samsung have reduced the camera from 16 to 12 megapixels, albeit it using bigger pixels that allow 56 percent more light - something that has clearly worked.Boasting a f/1.7 aperture with a rearranged sensor layout for quicker focus speeds, the Galaxy S7 camera could well be one of the most complete on the market. From its colour capture, to its lightning quick shutter speed, if you're only going to get hyped about one aspect of Samsung's latest design, it has to be its camera.

Water Resistant: While there was a lot to like about the Galaxy S6, the fact it wasn't water resistant didn't go down well with those that had become used to it. With an impressive IP68 rating, the S7 can survive a drop in five foot of water for up to time scale of up half an hour. It might not be advised to take the new Galaxy with you on your next scuba diving session, but the fact the S7 is water resistant does make bath-time a little less nervous.

Video Credit: The Verge

24-Hour Display: One long-standing problem when it comes to smartphones has been the quest to provide 24-hour information on a lock-screen display without milking the battery. Samsung appear to have solved this with their energy-efficient AMOLED display and Snapdragon 820 processor, which means the 'Always On' feature can show the time, calendar and notifications on the screen around-the-clock. It might not be the biggest task to check the time without having to unlock your phone, but this is yet another welcome little touch from Samsung that make this phone so impressive. 

Gaming: As well as being able to download your favourite sports and betting apps, such as 32Red or UNIBET, Samsung have placed particular focus on both gaming and virtual reality. When it comes to gaming, Samsung have created TouchWiz, a customised version of Android that comes complete with its own hub. This brilliant feature allows the user to shoot video or voice calls and text into small icons, meaning you don't have to lose your place in whatever game you're playing just to send a call from your Gran to voicemail. 

The Edge won’t frustrate you....as much: The launch of the Edge on the S6 certainly caught the attention of a lot of people, but then it definitely failed to maintain that attention due to a number of reasons. But rather than cut their losses on the feature - allowing users to swipe to favourite apps from the side of your phone, Samsung have upped it a level, adding more panels and even allowing third-party developers to get involved. So, if you're regularly emailing the same person, you can customise your Edge so that a shortcut will automatically open the email with the recipient’s details already included. 

Any good?

Aside from these nice and very welcome features, the real strength from the Galaxy S7 comes from the fact that it isn't a million miles away from the S6 - which was such a hit when it came out last year.