Up until now remote play has been exclusive to certain Sony devices only. A feature that I assumed was exclusive, due to certain hardware compatibilities between Sony devices... I was obviously terribly wrong as thanks to the folks over at the XDA forums you can now use remote play on most Android devices running 4.0+.
It is as simple as downloading and installing the APK but unless you have previously rooted your Android device to allow for wireless use with a ps4 controller, you will have to stick to the tedious touch controls.
A full list of instructions and downloads can be found on the official XDA page here.
Currently my daily driver is the Oneplus One which has proven to be capable enough to run the ported Remote Play app relatively well over a local network connection.
However as any Wifi based streaming their are limitations which may be noticeable when playing fast paced games where low latency and high reaction times are necessary.
My phone is not rooted so in order to use the remote play comfortably I simply plugged my PS4 controller into my phone via an OTG cable and everything worked as it should. Granted I had installed a key re-mapper some time ago so that may have something to do with the great compatibility.
Here are a couple of (average) pictures of Destiny running on my phone
Yesterday my Pebble Time arrived, and after a modestly short unboxing i strapped it to my wrist and set off into the world.
No not quite as gracious as it sounds, however over its life i should truly find out whether or not the Pebble Time is a viable smart watch.
The Pebble Time is my first Smartwatch, I have briefly looked at both the Moto 360 and Apple Watch and was impressed by the build and function of both these watches. So why did I not choose either one of these?
First things first I own an Android phone, the Oneplus One to be specific so that immediately eliminates the Apple Watch. As for the Moto 360 I did nearly buy one at my local Harvey Norman but being a first generation device I wasn't so keen on investing in it.
Now back to the Pebble Time
The construction of the watch is a sturdy plastic with a metal frame surrounding the screen on top. The metal frame is very sensitive to fingerprints but easily cleaned with a small cloth.
All 4 buttons are solid and tactile, giving you confidence when navigating through the menus quickly. The rubber band is nice and thick and uses a metal buckle which is a nice touch. The watch is very comfortable and shouldn't be a pain when worn all day. I will be picking up a leather band for it to make the watch look a bit more 'trendy' and hopefully less sweaty on hot days.
When a text message comes in I can reply to it with my voice or from a list of presets or I can simply dismiss it. When a notification comes in that can't be replied to using text, the watch displays an option to open the app in your phone which can be handy. Every notification vibrates the watch gently and stays stored in the notification app if you don't dismiss it fully, allowing you to go back and check on anything you may have missed.
On the main watch face section of the UI you can hit the top button to see past events on your calendar or press down to see future events. Note this doesn't show you notifications, only alarms and calendar appointments.
If you press the middle button it takes you across to your installed apps. Pre installed are Settings, Music, Notifications, Alarms and Watchfaces. All of which can be accessed and re-arranged from the Pebble Mobile app. The last button to cover is the back button on the left side of the watch, which does exactly as described it takes you back (or left) through the menus.
All in all the Pebble watch delivers notifications from your phone whilst offering some limited features that any smartwatch should. The Pebble is appealing to me as it is less gimmick and more function making it a real contender as a viable smartwatch. Oh and it won't need charging every night which is was a big part of why I went for the Pebble.
For a quick unboxing video check out this one here.
