Cam Bunton

OnePlus first announced a couple of months back that it will be releasing a second phone this year. It confirmed that it wouldn’t be a flagship-killing OnePlus 3, but rather, a more budget-friendly smartphone. We’ve already seen some sketchy render leaks, and today further details have seemingly been revealed.

GizmoChina — which has a somewhat hit-and-miss reputation when it comes to rumors — has heard from its sources that the OnePlus ‘X’ will be powered by a Snapdragon 801 processor, the same found inside the original OnePlus One. The device could also feature a 5-inch display, although the publication seems unsure whether it’s going to be 720p or 1080p resolution. Either way, with last year’s flagship chip inside, it should easily offer fast and fluid performance, especially given how light and smooth OnePlus’ Oxygen OS is.

We’re expecting OnePlus to release the device in time for the holiday shopping season, and GizmoChina states that we could see an announcement as soon as next month. Pricing could be around $249, and we’d be surprised if it was any more than. If it’s too close to the $329 price point of the OnePlus 2, it’ll surely make the device redundant.

Samsung’s Gear S2 and S2 Classic smartwatches launch this Friday, October 2

Cam Bunton Sep 30 2015 - 7:10 am PT

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Samsung has announced that its latest smartwatch, the Tizen-based Gear S2, will go on sale at a number of retail locations from this Friday, October 2nd. The regular S2 and the S2 Classic will cost $299 and $349 respectively and will be available from Samsung direct, Amazon, Best Buy and Macy’s. What’s more, customers will be able to get their hands on the devices exclusively at Best Buy and Macy’s Herald Square on October 2, and 50 Macy’s store’s across the States from October 16.

Tag Heuer’s designer Android Wear smartwatch launches November 9 with luxury $1800 price tag

Cam Bunton Sep 30 2015 - 6:31 am PT

We’ve been waiting with anticipation to hear when Tag Heuer would officially reveal its first foray in to the world of smartwatches. In an interview with CNBC the company’s CEO, Jean-Claude Biver announced that the Android Wear-based digital Carrera will be unveiled on November 9 at the LVMH building in New York. The luxury wearable will cost $1,800, a price which Biver claims is no longer a concern after watching Apple Watch’s successful launch…

PSA: You can pre-order the Nexus 6P direct from Huawei too

Cam Bunton Sep 30 2015 - 5:05 am PT

Yesterday, when Google announced that pre-orders for the Nexus 6P would be opening immediately, it only mentioned its own online Google Store as the place to buy the latest flagship pure Android smartphone. That left us to assume that rumors of it only being available direct through Google were true. Except, they weren’t. As well as being able to order it on an installment plan from Project Fi, Huawei will also be selling the Nexus 6P direct from its own GetHuawei.com store.

There are some limitations to ordering it from Huawei. Currently, the manufacturer only lists two colors and two storage options of each as available to pre-order. GetHuawei only has the 32GB and 64GB models of the Aluminum and Graphite devices. There’s no ‘frost’ or 128GB option. Prices are the same as Google: $499 and $549 for the 32GB and 64GB models respectively, with an estimated shipping date of ‘late October’, similar to Google’s own ‘4-5 weeks’.

OnePlus founder Carl Pei’s latest baffling move (or marketing stunt?): Asking Samsung for internship

Cam Bunton Sep 30 2015 - 4:57 am PT

OnePlus’ approach to market has always been a little unorthodox. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether they’re criminally great marketers or just a little “out there”. Either way, whatever they do, it seems to work from them. Most of that seems to come from Carl Pei, the company’s co-founder, whose approach to business, and perhaps life in general, raises eyebrows…

Nexus 6P camera among the best, according to DxOMark

Cam Bunton Sep 30 2015 - 2:57 am PT

Google wasn’t shy about telling us how great it thinks its new Nexus cameras are in its product unveiling yesterday. Both the new Nexus 5X and 6P use a 12.3MP Sony sensor with pixels so big, they didn’t need to add OIS. And while we should take Google’s word with a pinch of salt, the camera testers over at DxOMark pretty much agree with them…

Google offering $5 million in funding to Bay Area non-profit organizations

Cam Bunton Sep 30 2015 - 2:22 am PT

While Google was busy showing off its latest hardware at an event in San Francisco yesterday morning, it also quietly announced something which many will think is far more important. Yesterday, Google revealed that it has chosen its 10 finalists for its second annual Impact Challenge: Bay Area…

Android Marshmallow on Nexus 5X, 6P shows the date to which your device is secured

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 2:42 pm PT

You may remember earlier in the summer, Google responded to a serious vulnerability — called Stagefright — by stating that it would commit to regular and consistent security updates for its Nexus devices. This way, customers would update their software every month or so and always be protected against any known-about vulnerabilities. With Android 6.0 and the new Nexus smartphones, Google is giving us a new, simple way to tell how up-to-date our mobile security is.

As you can see in the photo above, heading in to the ‘about’ page in settings on the Nexus 5X reveals a new piece of information: ‘Android security patch level’. This will show when your phone received its last security patch, letting you know how secure the device is. It’s a relatively small update, but one which could be very useful to consumers.

Thanks for the pic, Tom

Specifications compared: Google’s Nexus 5X vs. Nexus 6P

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 2:11 pm PT

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For the first time ever, Google announced two brand new Nexus phones alongside each other at the same launch. The two devices are clearly different, from materials and design to specs and price, and each will appeal to different consumers. But will you go for the plastic-clad, smaller LG Nexus 5X or for the more premium Nexus 6P designed and manufactured by Huawei?

It may seem an obvious choice, but there are already differing opinions among the 9to5Google staff and — judging from the poll we published — our readers too…

Roundup: Cases already available for Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 12:09 pm PT

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Google just announced its latest Nexus phones, and with new devices always comes the opportunity for accessory-makers to get busy producing cases for the shiny new smartphones. There’s no shortage of options for the Huawei Nexus 6P or the LG Nexus 5X. Whether you’re looking for official cases available on Google’s store, or cheaper alternatives, you should be able to find something to suit needs.
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Google announces Chromecast support coming to Spotify, Showtime, SlingTV, NBA, more

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 10:17 am PT

Google is bringing new Chromecast hardware to its range, as we exclusively revealed last week. But it isn’t just new hardware. Chromecast is adding native support for some new streaming services including Showtime, SlingTV, NBA, NHL and BN Sports. Perhaps the most notable of these video services is SlingTV, which lets you watch live TV using an internet connection.

But, as previously rumored, Spotify is now getting Chromecast support too. Now you’ll be able to listen to Spotify anywhere in your house using Chromecast or one of the new Chromecast Audio products hooked up to a speaker. Additionaly, Google demonstrated that two or more simultaneous uses will be able to sync playlists and control a Spotify stream.

While the support will work with the newly announced Chromecast hardware, it’ll also work with the existing 20M Chromecast devices out on the market.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow gets a release date: Rollout starts next week for Nexus 5, 6, 7 (2013) and Nexus 9

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 9:31 am PT

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At its event in San Francisco today, Google confirmed that Android 6.0 Marshmallow will be rollout out to users from next week, just as previously rumored. The update isn’t as big a design refresh as Lollipop, but brings with it a host of new features which help speed things up, and give you better battery life with ‘Doze mode’ and enhanced security.
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LG Nexus 5X officially announced, $379 gets you full HD display, Snapdragon 808 and fingerprint sensor

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 9:16 am PT

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At its event in San Francisco this morning, Google has finally taken the wraps off its latest Nexus smartphones. The smaller of the two is made by LG, and marks the third time Google has partnered with the Korean tech company on a Nexus smartphone. Looking at its design alone, this is clearly the descendent of the Nexus 5. It has a similar form factor, and is built from similar materials, albeit with a few modern twists…

Huawei Nexus 6P officially announced, 5.7-inch QHD AMOLED display, Snapdragon 810, more

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 9:15 am PT

At its event in San Francisco this morning, Google has finally taken the wraps off its latest Nexus smartphones. The larger of the two is made by Huawei, and marks the first time Google has partnered with a Chinese manufacturer for its Nexus smartphone. In every way, this is the flagship Nexus. From build quality and size, to screen quality and battery, this is the phone that all tech-hungry, pure Android aficionados will flock to…

Leaked press release reveals 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB Nexus 6P pricing across many regions

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 8:18 am PT

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We pretty much know everything we think there is to know about the Huawei Nexus 6P ahead of its launch, thanks to multiple leaks and rumors. Until Google announces it however, none of the information can be treated as gospel. Including the latest leak which seemingly shows the price for each storage model across many regions.

As revealed previously, the Huawei 6P is going to launch in USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Australia, Korea, France, Germany and Hong Kong. A leaked press release somehow made its way online and shows all the pricing information, for all the regions it’s going to be available in at launch. In the US, the 32GB model will cost $499, with the 64GB costing $549, while the highest storage option will cost a handsome $649. For a flagship device, with the spec and premium design we’ve seen leaked, the pricing is very reasonable. For those in the UK like me, prices are £449, £499 and £579 respectively for the 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models.

If those prices are still a little to steep for you, and you want a great stock Android experience, you can still snag the current generation Nexus 6 for just $349 on Amazon. Once Android 6.0 Marshmallow arrives for it (allegedly on October 5th), it’ll look and feel like an up-to-date phone.

HTC One M9+ Aurora edition official, features 21MP camera with OIS and laser autofocus

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 7:39 am PT

HTC has taken the wraps off its latest HTC One smartphone. The One M9+ Aurora edition was announced in China and comes with a few welcome improvements to the original HTC One M9. Chief among the new features is the new, revamped 21MP camera with built-in optical image stabilization and laser-guided autofocus. It also includes phase detection autofocus to further enhance the camera’s focus.

This is HTC’s first device with three methods of focus, dubbed 3-in-1 fusion focus. Sadly, it’s only going to be available in Taiwan, but we’re told we should still be expecting another announcement from HTC later today. Could it be a GPE edition HTC phone for western markets? HTC’s senior PR man, Jeff Gordon, teased us on Twitter with the following:

[tweet https://twitter.com/urbanstrata/status/648865378597076997 align=’center’]

Other specs of the M9+ Aurora Edition include:

5.2-inch QHD display
2.2GHz Helio X10 octa-core processor
3GB RAM
32GB storage (expandable to 2TB via microSD)
Ultrapixel front camera
BoomSound speakers with Dolby Audio
4G LTE and W-Fi a/b/g/n/ac
2,840mAh battery
Android Lollipop with Sense UI 7

The Aurora Edition costs approximately $630 and comes in gold, silver, black and grey. From the spec sheet alone, it seems this is the phone the One M9 always should have been. Let’s just hope the announcement later today features something just as promising.

Alongside the Aurora Edition, HTC also announced the Butterfly 3 for international markets. Like the M9+, the Butterfly 3 has a 5.2-inch QHD display, but is powered by a Snapdragon 810 processor. There’s 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage and 2,700mAh battery with Quick-Charge 2.0 support. The 20MP camera on the back also feature OIS, and is paired with a secondary camera to create added depth in photographs. On the front, there’s a 13MP camera and the trademark BoomSound speakers. For now, it’s also in Taiwan only and costs around $600.

First official BlackBerry PRIV images published

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 6:53 am PT

As device launches go, the BlackBerry PRIV’s announcement has been anything but ordinary. The first teaser was at BlackBerry’s press event at MWC in February, at which point it was assumed this would just another BlackBerry 10 OS device, albeit one with a slide-out keyboard. We then learned through multiple leaks and rumors that it would be, in fact, an Android phone.

LG Nexus 5X prototype gets hands on treatment ahead of launch (Video)

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 4:19 am PT

By now we’ve all seen and heard pretty much there is to about the upcoming LG Nexus 5X. Thanks to some detailed leaks, we’ve seen everything from specs and design to its launch date and pricing. The 5.2-inch Nexus will be LG’s third pure Android device and is expected to launch later today for less than $400.

Just in time for the official announcement, YouTube channel UNDERkg has published a quick hands on video giving an overview and tour of the design and hardware features. It’s worth noting that this is a pre-release model which is missing much of the hardware required to power it on and use it. However, even with all the missing hardware, we still get a good look at the size of the device and how it will look in real life.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF90EMInXEk]

The video shows the mint green (or ‘Icy Blue’) version of the 5X, which we’re expecting to launch alongside a black and white model, with 16GB and 32GB storage options available for all three. With the rumored 1080 x 1920 resolution 5.2-inch display and Snapdragon 808 processor, the 5X could be one of the best sub-$400 devices on the market when it’s made available to order later today.

We’ll be bringing you plenty of reaction to the announcements after the event kicks off at 8am Pacific, in the mean time, be sure to check out our in-depth guide on what you should be expecting from the Google announcement in San Francisco this morning.

LG G4 Pro spotted on GFXBench, features 5.7-inch QHD display and 4GB RAM

Cam Bunton Sep 29 2015 - 4:03 am PT

We’ve heard a number of rumors concerning upcoming LG devices over the past few weeks and months. All together, we’re not entirely clear on what LG has in store for us for the holiday quarter. Whether it’s a budget phablet with a stylus, a ‘V10’ with a secondary ticker display or the LG Class which was officially announced recently, the Korean tech company’s wares have leaked so much it’s confusing.

Android Marshmallow expected to roll out on October 5th for Nexus 5, 6, 7 (2013) and 9

Cam Bunton Sep 28 2015 - 2:49 pm PT

Google is in the final stages of preparation for its event tomorrow morning in San Francisco, and just as the company is putting the finishing touches on its presentation, it seems we have a release date for Android Marshmallow: October 5th. Android Police’s sources confirmed the date previously found in a Telus leak, suggesting several Nexus devices will get the software update on that day.

It’s expected that the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, 2013 edition Nexus 7, and the Nexus 9 will all start receiving the Android 6.0 software on October 5. Sadly, however, it seems several older generation Nexus phones and tablets are being left out of the picture. Lollipop will remain the latest (and last) software update we’ll ever see on the Nexus 4, 2012 edition Nexus 7, and the Nexus 10. Although, that really isn’t very bad for 3-year-old devices.

We’re expecting Google to confirm this release date at its event tomorrow, alongside several other updates and some new product announcements. We’ve been building up to Google announcing a pair of new Nexus phones as well as a couple of refreshed pieces of Chromecast hardware. What’s more, recent rumors have predicted we could even see a new tablet named the Pixel C with a 10.2-inch display and a detachable keyboard. You can read more about all of those in our guide on what to expect from the event.

Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P could skip carriers, be sold direct online only, pre-order from September 29

Cam Bunton Sep 28 2015 - 8:43 am PT

nexus-5x-nexus-6p

Tomorrow, Google is expected to take the wraps off its next Nexus smartphones and — if a recent rumor is to be believed — the company might return to a marketing strategy used with the original Nexus back in 2010. Android Police’s sources tell them that Google will only sell the new LG Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P direct, online only, and won’t be making them available through carriers. If true, it’s an interesting move from Google and one which might not go down so well with consumers familiar with picking up devices from their favorite carrier stores…

Some users noticing offline voice commands for some functions in latest Google app

Cam Bunton Sep 28 2015 - 7:14 am PT

Earlier this year, a release of Google’s app for Android hinted at future ability to use voice search and commands without an internet connection. Offline voice commands could be used for a number of functions, and are now already be up and running for some Android users with the latest Google app installed…

Site claims to be offering Apple Music for Android beta access

Cam Bunton Sep 28 2015 - 5:46 am PT

UPDATE: One of our readers, with experience of using Betabound commented the following: “Centercode, who runs Betabound, has been around for over a decade running software/hardware betas. I have been through numerous tests with them. I understand the skepticism but this is a legit company.” Perhaps then, we can be a little less skeptical of the beta test.

Apple shocked the tech world back in June when it announced that its music streaming service, Apple Music, would be making its way cross-platform. Up until now, the company has kept all of its mobile products in-house, and hasn’t offered anything on the Google Play Store except for the ‘Move to iOS’ app, and we all know how that turned out. In an unusual move, it looks like Apple may have signed up a third party to get early beta testers onboard its first media app for Android.

Members of Betabound.com have received emails inviting them to apply to test Apple’s music app for Android. Little detail is given in the email, except a short paragraph and a linked questionnaire which hopeful testers have to fill in. Betabound, a Centercode company, proudly labels the test as an exclusive.

We’re excited to invite you to come test Apple Music for Android. If you’re a current Android user that would like to join the beta for the new music streaming service, you won’t want to miss this opportunity. To learn more and apply, click the link below. Best of luck! The Betabound team.

There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical. First off, Apple tends to manage its beta testing in-house, even to the point of offering a public beta of iOS 9 to anyone and everyone who wanted to try it before launch. Why then would it go with a third party company, especially one which is seemingly so unknown? It definitely seems weird. Perhaps the Android community’s response to its last app prompted the Cupertino-based tech giant to try a much quieter launch of Apple Music for Android. Perhaps it only wants a small number of testers onboard, and so isn’t announcing anything. Perhaps, it’s just a way for Betabound to get their name out there and isn’t a genuine beta test.

Security-focussed Blackphone 2 now available to order, extra privacy and flagship specs at a premium price

Cam Bunton Sep 28 2015 - 3:13 am PT

Silent Circle has released its second privacy-focussed smartphone. The Android-powered Blackphone 2 boasts some of the best security features around, as well as some flagship specifications. But, all this does come at a fairly hefty price tag…