Tag Archives: android os

Mystery over: this is Andriod Marshmallow

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Android-M-01

We’re getting closer to the official release of what is going to be Android Marshmallow. Ever since March rumors started happening about this new iteration, and Google themselves confirmed in may during the Google I/O that the next Android OS would be codenamed “M”, but without any further explanation of what M stood for.

Following the tradition of naming their mobile OS’s with brands or candy names, Google have finally revealed what the M stands for in the new Android M: Marshmallow. This new version, Android 6.0, will be arriving during fall, and will again depend on phone companies if and when they update their current OSs. As of now, Google confirmed all Nexus owners will be able to flash their devices to upgrade to Android 6.0.

Android M brings forth updates that deal with security. Mainly the permissions that apps ask for, which instead of asking for all of them from the get-go, each permission will have to be granted individually whence they are needed, as to prevent malaware from getting control of the phone.

Along with the reveal of the name, Google have revealed the new Android 6.0 SDK with a Marshmallow software preview exclusive for Nexus devices. This update also brings support for Google’s Android Pay mobile app, USB Type-C support and, as always, stability tweaks all over. As opposed to Android 5.0 Lollipop, this new version doesn’t seem a substantial user interface update.

And on some related hardware news, rumors have been going around that Android 6.0 Marshmallow might make its debut on two new devices, one from Huawei and, more interestingly, a Nexus 5 sequel from LG leaked not long ago, one of the most critically acclaimed phones of the last cycle.

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Future Android Devices May Come with Waze Pre-Installed

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Pre-Installed Waze on Android Devices

Mountain View has just authorized Android smartphone and tablet manufacturers to pre-install Waze on the devices they’re making, in order to make the social GPS and traffic app more popular.

Once a remarkable Israeli startup, Waze became the property of Google in 2013, when the tech giant bought it for $1.1 billion. After the purchase, Waze and Google Maps weren’t allowed to play together, and while that doesn’t seem to change in the immediate future, at least the company has included it in Google Mobile Services and gave manufacturer the green light for pre-installing it.

Since it was acquired by Google, Waze has had a couple of low moments, the most recent of them taking place this January, when the US Police claimed that it is a stalking app, and that the company is helping criminals to avoid cops.

“I can think of 100 ways that it could present an officer-safety issue. There’s no control over who use it. So, if you’re a criminal and you want to rob a bank, hypothetically, you use your Waze,” said the executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, Jim Pasco. Waze spokesperson, Julie Mossler, replied that “These relationships keep citizens safe, promote faster emergency response and alleviate traffic congestion.”

At this year’s MWC conference in Barcelona, Mossler emphasized the benefits of offering Waze as a default app on Android devices: “If a leading telecom preinstalls Waze in his handsets, a large percentage of the population would immediately have access to blocked roads, dangerous intersections traffic and more in real time.”

Considering the sorts of bloatware some manufacturers ship with their devices, the addition of a truly useful app will seem like a breath of fresh air to Android users. However, it would be fair to allow uninstalling the app, as not all Android users are drivers and vicecersa.

While this may be great news for drivers who want to get to their destination fast and safe, there will surely be more such reactions from law enforcement agencies from all around the world.

Now that the Android version of Waze has a bright future ahead, it’s time for the Windows Phone app to get some love. On the other hand, iOS users don’t seem to care that much about Waze, as the chances of it coming pre-installed on iPhones and iPads are null.

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New Microsoft Remote Desktop App for Android Sports Better UI, Multiple Sessions

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Microsoft Remote Desktop App for Android

While this is not exactly the first remote desktop app for Android developed by the Redmond giant, it features so many changes both in the user interface and functionality that it could be considered a new app entirely.

The first remote desktop app created by Microsoft for Google’s mobile OS was launched a year ago. The new app, which is currently in Beta stage, is listed separately in the Play Store, meaning that it’s more than just an update to the older one. Despite all that, a changelog from the stable version has been included, but maybe just to point out the improvements.

One of the main changes over the old app is the user interface, which went through a major overhaul. As all changes in this department, the new UI is meant to boost the app’s functionality by providing quicker access to essential controls and settings.

While still using the reliable RDP protocol, the new app now includes support for multiple sessions. In other words, you can have remote access to your work computer, along with the ones from home, all while being on the road (even though you probably shouldn’t run remote desktop apps while driving, no matter who developed them).

User accounts have also gone through a change, their management being now much improved over the previous version of the app. Regardless of the number of users, you must rest assured, as your connection to your computers will always be secure. Microsoft employs the Network Level Authentication (NLA) technology for that particular aspect.

Microsoft also tells us what to expect in the future releases. First of all, there’s access to Remote Resources via the Remote Desktop Gateway. Secondly, there will be Azure RemoteApp preview access.

The app is fairly new, so there aren’t that many reviews on the Play Store. In fact, at the time of writing, there were only three, and only two of them were favorable. Just a piece of advice for anyone writing reviews for an app store. Please state in your comment the reason you gave the app that rating, regardless if it’s positive or negative. A single word isn’t enough for summarizing why the app is good or bad. In the end, the device on which it’s used could influence the experience dramatically, and others may not have the same problem.

To install the Microsoft Remote Desktop Beta app, head over to Google Play Store and choose to have it downloaded to your devices.

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Lollipop-Flavored Nexus 6 and 9 Get Launched by Google

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Nexus

Google’s new version of its mobile operating system, called simply Android 5.0 Lollipop, is meant to make an even more seamless experience out of using different devices. Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 are the devices used for showcasing this new platform.

Mountain View has been looking for consistency in its Android operating system across different devices even since the introduction of Ice Cream Sandwich, a version that brought together Gingerbread and Honeycomb users under the same roof. With the launch of Android 5.0 Lollipop and its even more consistent design (called Material Design, actually), switching between tablets and smartphones won’t mean that people have to learn how to go around each one’s UI. On top of that, Lollipop confers more control over the device’s settings and notifications, and improves the battery life by up to 90 minutes. In our day and age, that’s a significant improvement.

The Nexus 6 smartphone and the Nexus 9 tablet, both pictured above along an unexpected black box, are powered by Android 5.0 and are meant to give the world a taste of the Lollipop. While the Motorola-built Nexus 6 was expected to come with a 5.9″ display, Google respected the name-dimension correlation and equipped the smartphone with a 6″ 2560 x 1440 display with a 493 ppi pixel density.

In terms of internal memory, the Nexus 6 comes with either 32 or 64GB of internal storage and 3GB of RAM, which is more than enough both for holding and running some of the most demanding Android apps out there. This wireless-charging device packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset that includes a quad-core 2.7 GHz Krait 450 CPU and an Adreno 420 GPU. And just in case the Li-Po 3220 mAh battery wasn’t impressive enough, one of the main novelty factors about this phone must be its Turbo Charger, which enables you to use the Nexus 6 for up to 6 hours with just a 15-minute charge.

The HTC Nexus 9, on the other hand, with its brushed metal sides and 8.9-inch 1536 x 2048 screen, is a nice change from the 7″ gadgets. The bad thing about this is that it has a smaller resolution than the Nexus 6, and hence a lower pixel density. Apart from the 64-bit Tegra K1 SoC that’s powering this tablet, there’s really not much to say about it that hasn’t been said before, either in the leaks or the data coming from the FCC.

Google’s Nexus line used to be known for its affordable, yet great performing devices. While the performance is still there, I’m not sure we can still call these devices affordable. According to re/code, the Nexus 6 will be available in Midnight Blue or Cloud White, and will sell in the Play Store for $649. With the 16GB version starting at $399 and the 32GB retailing for $479, the Nexus 9 gets uber-expensive if you opt for the LTE version, which will sell for $699. On the bright side of things, expect the Nexus 5 to get a lot cheaper once Google’s new toy hits the stores.

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Nokia HERE Maps Come to Android, Pose a Threat to Google Maps

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Nokia HERE Maps

Android-powered Nokia X smartphones have the HERE maps pre-installed, but the Finnish company wants to expand. A recent partnership signed with Samsung will bring the maps to Galaxy phones in the first stage, with other brands to follow in the near future.

The HERE mapping app is among the leftovers that Microsoft didn’t want when buying Nokia. After toying a bit with iOS in 2013 just after the “I got into a lake because of Apple Maps” fiasco, Nokia announced that it will launch HERE maps on Android and yet once more on iOS. The Finnish company definitely has an advantage over its competitors, as it bought Navteq, which is well experienced in navigation software and digital cartography in 2007. Since 2011, Navteq has been fully merged into Nokia and has constituted a big part of what the HERE maps are today.

Exec Sean Fernback stated in an interview with the WSJ that “Google Maps is a good solution for many, their maps work very well, but it has looked the same and done the same for a long time.” In a few words, he explained what the HERE maps will focus on changing.

With Navteq in its pocket, Nokia won’t have a lot of catching up to do. In fact, some claim that HERE maps would end up on the third place after being launched, just behind Google Maps and Apple’s. However, what most seem to forget is that Nokia’s maps are available in most cars with built-in navigation, fact that makes the Finns leaders in this industry.

What more, with their offline support, HERE maps are even preferred by some people in India, South Africa and other countries. As far as I’m concerned, the GPS sensor of my smartphone could by faulty, as according to Google Maps I went off-road quite a few times. I should mention that I’m mainly talking about rural areas, and here is exactly where Nokia’s HERE maps are said to excel.

As a consequence of Nokia’s partnership with Samsung, the HERE maps will first be available on Gear S, the Tizen smartwatch that’s said to rule them all. Soon after that, HERE Maps will make their way to the Galaxy line, and if everything goes fine, we should see Nokia’s navigation app on more Android devices. Google should really give some thought to improving their maps before Nokia washes them over.

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Google Nexus 6 with Astonishing Specs to Be Launched in October

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Google Nexus 6

Neither Google, nor Nexus 6′s manufacturer has made any official announcements, but this didn’t stop the world from speculating as to what features the smartphone will have.

Even the launch date is a wild guess when it comes to Google’s next Nexus smartphone, but after analyzing the previous schedule of Google, it’s quite easy to predict that it will be launched in October. Google Android chief Sundar Pichai stated at MWC 2014 that the next Nexus will be launched later this year. This statement must have broken the hearts of all those who were hoping for a June or July launch, but all that waiting will pay off eventually, given the specs Nexus 6 is supposed to come.

First of all, people can’t be 100% certain of who is manufacturing the phone before it’s being released, as Google made a habit from using different makers for its products. Still, given LG’s recent history as a close collaborator of Google, it’s easy to understand why most fingers are pointing at this South Korean company.

Nexus 6 is said to leave quad-core CPUs behind, as it’s most likely to include a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 805 or 810. Both these options pack enough computing power to withstand even the most demanding apps out there. The latest Adreno GPU should join the party, along with 4GB of RAM, more than plenty for running a lot of apps at the same time.

As far as the display is concerned, rumor has it that Nexus 6 might sport 2K resolution. Of course, the design should include no bezel on the sides. As far as I’m concerned, I doubt it that smartphones could become any more thinner than they already are, so I don’t that the Nexus 6 will bring anything spectacular in this department.

Google might launch a new version of Android soon, which could make the perfect debut on Nexus 6. If the tech giant will continue its partnership with Nestle, there are great chances the name of the next version will be Lion Bar. Otherwise, Lollipop is as good a name as any.

Whatever innovations Nexus 6 will bring later this year, one thing is certain: the price will be ridiculously low, especially in comparison to the likes of Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 or Apple iPhone 5C.

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Twitter’s Fave People Timeline Helps Us Track Only the Best Accounts

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Twitter Android Fave People Timeline

The social network enabled a few lucky testers of its Android app to filter the tweets they’re receiving by selecting their favorite accounts using the Fave People tab.

Flipboard is one of my favorite apps in the world, both on Android and Windows 8.1, even though the latter is a bit more difficult to use on non-touchscreen displays. This being news about Twitter, my first statement might not make much sense, especially if you haven’t used Flipboard. What that magazine-style app enables you to do is add social media accounts and browse through them as if they were publications. In Twitter’s case, it even enables you to mute certain accounts, so you can focus only on the ones that matter. Do you see where I’m getting with this? Twitter has finally decided to implement in its Android app something that is extremely useful, a feature that lets you “hear” only the tweets from your favorite accounts, while silencing the rest.

That’s not to say that not everyone’s voice matters, but let’s face it, every one of us treats some of the people he interacts with or likes preferentially. In this context, it’s better to define the Fave People (as the feature itself is called), in order to make sure that you don’t miss any of their tweets. When you are following hundreds or even thousands of Twitter accounts, a feature such as Fave People could prove to be vital.

Twitter’s new feature, which will most likely go public in the not-so-distant future, was created with one goal in mind, and that is to make the tweeting experience a lot more customizable than it already is.

In terms of design and placement, the “Fave People” is right between “Home” and “Discover,” which means that at least for the moment, it plays a great role. The feature even comes with an explanatory note that shows up when tapping on the section for the first time:

“Keep track of your favorites

Tap the star icon on the profiles of your favorite people to see their Tweets in this timeline. You can also chose to receive notifications when they tweet from Settings.”

All in all, I’m glad to see that such features that enable us to tidy up our social lives get implemented in a social media app, and I wish more social networks followed Twitter’s example.

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Windows Phone and Android to meet in Normandy

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The current thinking supposedly is that the Normandy device would be a good entry-level phone for the emerging markets. Mr. Tom Warren at The Verge blog has said that he has heard from one of their...

No Tizen Smart Phones for the US market

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With a possible February upcoming kickoff date looming for a high-end Tizen smart phone slated to sell through the famous Japanese carrier NTT Docomo and the French telecom Orange SA, another new...

HP Slate6 VoiceTab phablet, Slate7 VoiceTab tablet launched in India

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The former top personal computer maker has not yet revealed the exact pricing for both of their devices, but it also notes that the HP Slate6 VoiceTab and the HP Slate7 VoiceTab can be expected to be...