While the previous version of Google Glass is dead and dying, it is still an Android device. And that means it’s hackable, mod-able, and will probably be tinkered with for years to come. Similar to how other aging devices still have developer support, Reddit user jtxdriggers has managed to install 4.4 KitKat on Glass.
Google has released the latest distribution numbers for the various shipping versions of Android, with the latest version, Marshmallow, picking up a marginal increase.
Last month’s numbers showed Android 6.0 running on only 0.3% of devices, while this month’s chart puts it at 0.5%, making it the least-used version of Android except for Froyo.
BLU has a growing reputation for admirable devices that cost very little, and its latest handset looks to continue that trend. The BLU Life One goes on sale at the end of this week, on July 17th and is currently available to pre-order for just $99 unlocked and SIM-free.
CyanogenMod today announced that it is pushing the final snapshot releases of both CM11.0 and 12.0 live. In a blog post, the company notes that both the CM11.0 and CM12.0 have seen improvements in stability and security, but not much else as focus has shifted to CM12.1.
The company defended its release of another CM11.0 build, which is based on Android 4.4 KitKat, by saying that many users have been slow to update to CM12.0 for whatever reason. Nightly builds for CM11 and CM12 will be slowly phased out as development further shifts to CM12.1, which is based on Android 5.1.
Why another CM11 build? Rather surprisingly, many users have been slow to upgrade to L – whether due to the lack of a snapshot release or adverse reaction to the Material design, we don’t know. The meager stats that we have show that there is a rather large contingency of users who are sticking to CM11 as their release channel of choice, so we felt compelled to give a release showcasing all the work that went into that branch to make it ship ready.
More details can be found in the blog post on the CyanogenMod website.
Nestle announced in a press release today that it is partnering with YouTube for a limited edition version of KitKat. No, that’s not Android 4.4 KitKat, but rather the popular candy bar. As part of the partnership, Nestle will produce over 600,000 limited edition KitKat wrappers with the branding “YouTube Break.” Nestle says this is the biggest change in package design for KitKat since its inception 80 years ago.
The infamous Amazon Fire Phone is getting a substantial update today, bringing the device from Android Jelly Bean (yes, Jelly Bean) up to the almost not-ancient Android 4.4 Kit Kat. With this version of Android, the phone is getting a plethora of new features that—almost—help bring it into 2015.
CyanogenMod has announced in a blog post that its custom ROM for Android is now available to Android One users. Android One is Google’s initiative to bring low-cost devices to emerging markets, unveiled at I/O 2014. There are currently three Android One devices available, all of which are now supported by CyanogenMod 11.
In a developer blog post this morning, Sony announced that developers can now build custom versions of Android for all 2014 Xperia devices with a Qualcomm processor. This is made possible through Google’s AOSP (Android Open Source Project), a project dedicated to keeping Android open and giving developers the power to build their own custom ROMs.
Google, as it does at the beginning of every month, has updated the Android distribution data this time reflecting data collected during the last week of November. KitKat continues its slow climb up this month, rising to 33.9 percent from 30.2 percent last month. Every other Android version, as a result, fell in usage.
The latest Android distribution numbers for a seven-day period ending November 3rd reveal that KitKat is installed on 30.2% of devices that accessed the Play Store during the last week. Meanwhile, the distribution of the over two-year-old Jelly Bean version continued to decline, but remains the leading platform, with a 50.1% share.
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Sony has confirmed in a tweet that it is rolling out the Android 4.4.4 update its older Z-series devices.
[tweet https://twitter.com/SonyMobileNews/status/509297533328584704]
Sony says there are “many improvements” in the upgrade, with better battery performance in background applications and improved email stability & performance singled out for particular note. The company recently unveiled the newest incarnations in the line, the Z3 and Z3 Compact.
SamMobile also notes that Galaxy Note 3 owners on the Sprint network should also receive a 4.4.4 update today.
The Android 4.4.4 update will bring international Wi-Fi calling, version 2.0 of KNOX, and the Kids Mode feature that debuted on the Galaxy S5, along with bug fixes and security patches from Google.
Samsung of course recently launched the Quad HD Galaxy Note 4.
arsTechnica has put together a handy look at which manufacturers & carriers are quickest and slowest to roll out an Android update on their older devices. Using the KitKat launch date of 31st October 2013, arsTechnica measured how long it took for the earliest available OTA update for devices originally sold with an earlier version of Android, starting with the previous-generation flagship devices.
The winner for update times is, of course, the Nexus line. Stock software and a head start from being Google got KitKat out the door in just 14 days.
As for everyone else, how quickly they update seems to depend on how complicated their skin is and how much they take advantage of the update mechanisms Google has created …
Following an update to Android 4.4 for the Xperia E1 and E1 Dual, Sony today announced the same update is now rolling out for the Xperia M2 and M2 Dual. Like the update has done for other Sony devices, Android 4.4 also brings Sony specific features including a new Status Bar and Quick Settings features, animations and live wallpapers similar to the PlayStation 4, and much more:
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Just recently, Samsung official unveiled its Galaxy Alpha smartphone and there’s already a full review to read through. We’ve already gone through most of the need-to-know information in our announcement article, but nothing beats pure human interaction and opinion, right?
Sony just announced that users of its Xperia E1 and Xperia E1 Dual smartphones will soon get access to Android 4.4 KitKat as the update begins rolling out today. As it has already done with some of its other devices, the update to KitKat also comes with other Sony specific features including new Status Bar and Quick Settings features, animations and live wallpapers similar to the PlayStation 4, and much more:
Sony notes that its next device to get the update will be the Xperia M2 & M2 Dual. As always, the update will hit users at different times depending on your carrier and market.
Android 4.4.4 is now available to Xperia Z1 owners on T-Mobile’s network. The new software push moves the handset’s build number to 14.4.B.0.37 and adds a few cosmetic changes, along with support for Sony’s SmartBand SWR10 and Lifelog app.
The push for Android 4.4.4 continues with UK Moto G owners receiving the latest wave of KitKat starting today. While it may not be the most feature-rich update, Motorola has provided a changelog outlining what people can expect. As seen with other devices, Android 4.4.4 patches a potential OpenSSL hole, and offers some stability improvements, however the Moto G has also managed to score a few extras.
Sony today announced it’s rolling out a new software update for the Xperia T2 Ultra & Xperia T2 Ultra Dual that brings Android 4.4 KitKat alongside other features to the devices.
You’ll also notice a few other goodies in the update aside from KitKat, including: Sony’s newly tweaked Status Bar and customizable Quick Settings, a new UI and animations similar to those on the PS4, Xperia Themes, and a number of improvements to some of the company’s stock apps:
We’re also uplifting Sony’s entire native app portfolio to the latest versions – bringing tweaked / improved / current experiences for (to name but a few): Messaging, MyXperia, Smart Connect, Small apps, TrackID, TrackID TV, Sony Select, Smart Social Camera and…Sony’s Media apps: WALKMAN, Album and Movies, with Sony Entertainment Network cloud service integration* – a more converged and full Sony entertainment experience – Sony Entertainment Network & PlayMemories integration with a more intuitive UI, better download speeds, and more!
The update also brings support for Sony’s “SmartWear Experience” with the SmartBand SWR10 and Lifelog app.
A full list of what’s new in today’s update is below:
Sony says you can expect the update to arrive for other devices, including Xperia E1 and Xperia M2 (& M2 dual variants), in the near future.
Samsung had added another smartphone to its lineup of devices that will be receiving an update to Android 4.4.2 KitKat. The software version is now rolling out for the Galaxy S4 Zoom in Russia, bringing faster performance, a redesigned status bar, full-screen album art and all other Android 4.4 features to the smartphone.
The Galaxy K Zoom could also be in the mix to receive the software update, although it has yet to be seeded for that device. Android 4.4.2 KitKat should be available for the Galaxy S4 Zoom in other regions over the next few weeks, although you can also navigate to Settings > About Phone > Software Updates to force an install.
Firmware Details:
• Model: SM-C101
• Model name: GALAXY S4 Zoom
• Country: Russia
• Version: Android 4.4.2
• Changelist: 1972456
• Build date: Tue, 17 Jun 2014 16:08:42 +0000
• Product Code: SER
• PDA: C101XXUBNF4
• CSC: C101SERBNF4
• MODEM: C101XXUBNF4
Samsung has officially announce its Galaxy S5 mini smartphone. This compact device retains everything you know and love about the original version, but with a slight decrease in specifications. The good news is, this is the best “mini” revision of a device that Samsung has released to date. Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to pick one up right away.
If you’re feeling down because your phone isn’t eligible for the Android L dev preview and you’ve been quietly drowning in a pool of jealousy, allow us to throw you a small life preserver. While there’s not yet a clean build of L for non-Nexus devices, those crafty folks at XDA Developers have managed to pull its fancy Material Design-themed keyboard and port it to other smartphones.
Reddit user Doopl has come across two screenshots of what appears to be the “L” release of Android. The screenshots come via the Chromium Issue Tracker, which has been the source of leaks many times in the past. The images show a Google login dialog box that looks entirely different than what you’ll currently see on an Android 4.4 device.
Almost immediately following the pandemonium that was the release of Android 4.4.3, Google is now rolling out software version 4.4.4 of its mobile operating system to Nexus devices via an over-the-air update. Yesterday, the company released factory images of its newest version of Android, so device updates were pretty much inevitable. The new release only weighs in at 2.5MB and is believed to squash a few bugs that were missed by its predecessor.
Yesterday, Google released the factory image of Android 4.4.3 for a fleet of Nexus devices. This was all good and well, but not everyone was comfortable with the idea of manually flashing a device. Thankfully, the folks from Mountain View didn’t leave people waiting too long and as of this very moment, Google is in the process of pushing out an over-the-air update of Android 4.4.3 for last year’s Nexus 7.
