Stephen Hall

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ASUS released the first devices part of the ZenFone line at CES in 2014, introducing some Intel-powered smartphones that had a decent amount of horsepower at a reasonable price. This year it looks like the company is ready to refresh its line of phones, and there’s a new video recently posted on the ASUS Facebook page teasing what one of them might look like.

We can’t see much, but there are a few seconds where we can see the light shine through and get a decent look at the back of the device:

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In addition to a quick peek at the back, the video shows off what looks to be a dual-camera set up. While it doesn’t look exactly like what appears to be on the back of the device above, there must be a reason that the company let this little image show up in the video for a fraction of a second:

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Sadly, besides these couple of images, we don’t really have much to go off. The rest of the video just sports the tagline “See what others can’t see” spread across the screen, followed by the ASUS logo. If you want to see the video for yourself and come to your own conclusions about what ASUS might have in store for us, head over to the company’s Facebook page.

Android One coming to Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in the coming weeks

Stephen Hall Dec 21 2014 - 9:34 pm PT

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Google announced an initiative called Android One earlier this year that intends to bring some affordable smartphones to emerging markets, and now the Mountain View company says that the program is expanding beyond India (where it launched earlier this year in September). As noted on the company’s Asia Pacific Blog, the next few countries that will be getting Android One are three of India’s neighbors: Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

In these countries — with a combined population of over 200 million people — a wide range of manufacturers and network partners such as Banglalink will begin to sell Android One smartphones. In addition to Micromax, Karbonn and Spice, Bangladesh’s own Symphony will launch their first Android One phone with the Symphony Roar A50. All these devices will give people a high quality mobile experience for an affordable price, running stock-Android with updates from Google.

This is the company’s first step at the “next 5 billion people” it says, with these three countries comprising more than 200 million of the world’s population. A variety of manufacturers will soon begin selling Android One devices in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, including Micromax, Karbonn and Spice. But Google also says that Bangladesh-based manufacturer Symphony will be also be launching their first Android One device dubbed the Symphony Roar A50.

Recently, Karbonn committed to a long-term partnership with Android One in India, and it looks like the company is ready to push some high quality, affordable phones to a few new countries.

You’ve heard about #AndroidOne. Watch out Bangladesh, Nepal & Sri Lanka— coming your way soon! http://t.co/BEOBLkP5c9 pic.twitter.com/4cqScdXseU

— Google (@Google) December 22, 2014

Android 5.0.2 factory image pops up for the Nexus 7 (2012), here’s how to install it

Stephen Hall Dec 19 2014 - 2:39 pm PT

Nexus 7

It doesn’t look like the 2012 model of the Nexus 7 is ever going to get updated to 5.0.1, as today Google has updated its factory image download page with a previously unseen build of Android—version 5.0.2. Not much is known yet in regards to what the update packs, or whether or not all devices will be getting it at some point, but it’s likely this is just an additional build (LRX22G) Google is pushing to fix some bugs specific to the Nexus 7.

In this case, the update is for the “nakasi” Wi-Fi model of the Nexus 7 (2012). To get your hands on the update, head over to Google’s factory image download page. And if you’re not quite sure what to do with that factory image, we have a convenient guide written up just for you—although it’s best for those who aren’t as experienced to just wait for the OTA as it will surely be dropping relatively soon.

Google adds always-listening ‘OK Google’ voice activation to Chromebooks

Stephen Hall Dec 19 2014 - 2:05 pm PT

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While “OK Google” capability has been available in the form of a Chrome extension for quite some time now, those using it had to be on a specific page within Chrome for the browser to be listening for the appropriate hot words. Now, Google has pushed—in the dev build of Chrome OS—the option for users to turn on always-listening “OK Google,” which will allow you to use voice activation from anywhere as long as your device is on and unlocked.

Google goes on offense, takes Project Goliath main player Jim Hood to court

Stephen Hall Dec 19 2014 - 10:50 am PT

The story of Goliath continues today, and this time it looks like Google is going on the offensive. The Verge is reporting that Google has today filed a lawsuit against one Mississippi State Attorney General Jim Hood, who has largely been at the center of the Goliath controversy. He has recently been facing scrutiny over his deep involvement with the MPAA’s efforts to take a stand against Google, and now Google is taking a stand of its own.

Minuum keyboard rolls out version 3.0 with Material Design, multilingual typing support

Stephen Hall Dec 19 2014 - 9:37 am PT

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If you’ve ever tried any third party keyboards on your Android device, there’s a decent chance that Minuum was one of them. Today, version 3.0 of the space-saving keyboard has begun rolling out, packing a slew of new features including Material Design and experimental support for simultaneous use of multiple languages.

Google testing new layout for Play Store app pages

Stephen Hall Dec 19 2014 - 8:13 am PT

Google - Android Apps on Google Play 2014-12-19 10-11-50

The current version of the Play Store

Some have started to notice yesterday and this morning that Google has apparently begun testing a new layout for app pages on the Play Store (via Android Police), and the new look seems to do away with the full-width layout of old, replacing it with a more traditional 3-column look. I don’t see the new version of the Play Store when using the latest stable build of Chrome, but when using the latest Beta, it pops right up.

Here’s what it looks like:

A newer version being seen by some

The new looks compacts some of the previous information into a thinner middle column, making room for a new column on the right that offers suggestions for similar apps. In addition to apps that are simply similar, there’s also a new section that shows apps that were created by the same developer. I haven’t noticed any other changes to the Play Store after clicking around for a little bit, but if you notice something else, feel free to let us know in the comments below.

Sony posts ‘Welcome to the New World’ CES 2015 teaser, hints at Lollipop and a new thin device (Video)

Stephen Hall Dec 19 2014 - 7:39 am PT

Welcome to the New World - YouTube 2014-12-19 09-40-24

Sony is definitely going to have some amount of presence at this year’s International CES in Las Vegas, and today they’re giving us a little tease of the things they have to show off. The video makes a bunch of different references, but the most obvious is the beginning cut showing what looks to be the side profile of a new tablet or smartphone. (The fact that the mysterious hand seems to grab the device at the end of the scene suggests that it’s probably not a super-thin TV or other larger device.) Additionally, it looks like the company is finally ready to show off its flavor of Android Lollipop, giving a solid few seconds of the below video to a young girl eating a bright red sucker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gC_NIVpXf4

Secret update basically copies Yik Yak, brings communities and cute new mascot

Stephen Hall Dec 18 2014 - 12:21 pm PT

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Secret was one of the first to the anonymous social network category of apps, but Yik Yak recently took the spotlight and started really catching on with the college crowd. It appears that Secret felt a bit threatened by its university-based competitor. Today, the app has been updated with a completely new appearance, a new, cuter version of its fox mascot, and a re-imagined way of communicating with those around you anonymously.

Google launches Android TV Launcher on the Play Store

Stephen Hall Dec 18 2014 - 10:48 am PT

Android TV Launcher - Android Apps on Google Play 2014-12-18 12-45-29

Google has now listed the Android TV Launcher on the Play Store, providing a much more efficient way for the Mountain View company to update the main interface of any device running the TV flavor of Android. It’s worth noting that this isn’t an Android app for your phone, but rather an official listing of the Android TV Launcher (much like the Google Now Launcher, for instance) on the Play Store.

Android TV Launcher is the jumping-off point for starting all activities on your Android TV entertainment device. The Launcher is optimized to put content at the center; from casual movie-watching, to edge-of-seat, immersive gameplay. It’s all about finding and enjoying content with the least amount of friction and providing quick access to all the features Android TV has to offer.

In this version, there’s apparently a slew of bug fixes to be had. Since this app only works with Android TV devices, you’re currently restricted to the Nexus Player and the ADT-1 developer kit. That means that, sadly, this isn’t going to work on any of Google’s older Google TV devices and most definitely isn’t going to be of any use for Chromecast owners.

You can get the Android TV Launcher on the Play Store.

Amazon Prime Now launches, offers free two-hour delivery in Manhattan to compete with Google Express

Stephen Hall Dec 18 2014 - 9:23 am PT

Introducing Amazon Prime Now - YouTube 2014-12-18 11-02-11

Amazon has launched a new service called Prime Now which, as its title suggests, hopes to bring products from Amazon to your door faster than ever. The service currently offers “tens of thousands” of items spanning a wide variety of categories, is available now in parts of Manhattan for Amazon Prime members, and users have the option of going with either one or two hour delivery.

‘Samsung couldn’t build a good OS if they tried’ says Cyanogen CEO at Yureka smartphone launch

Stephen Hall Dec 18 2014 - 8:53 am PT

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A new company being birthed from Micromax (similar to how OnePlus came from OPPO) called YU Digital has launched a new middle-tier smartphone today for the Indian market, and it runs Cyanogen OS 11—much like the OnePlus One. In fact, this entire launch seems pretty familiar, as it appears YU Digital is attempting to do with the Yureka exactly what OnePlus did with the One: launch a phone out of nowhere at a killer price and hope viral marketing does its thing.

Amazon pushes a big update to its Fire Phone, but no one really cares

Stephen Hall Dec 17 2014 - 3:19 pm PT

firephone

Amazon’s Fire Phone, announced in June, was a flop to say the least. Offering hardly anything that wasn’t already on the market, the device launched at a price of $199 on contract (and AT&T-only, to boot), but very soon became basically free (and $199 unlocked) after sales figures turned out to be absolutely depressing. But even with the device’s failures, Amazon is today pushing a relatively substantial software update to its flopped attempt at entering the smartphone market…

Hangouts in Gmail gets updated, lets you set a status message

Stephen Hall Dec 17 2014 - 10:45 am PT

2014-12-17 12_40_53-Inbox - steqheu@gmail.com - Gmail

Google has updated Hangouts in Gmail today to allow users to set a status message. The Hangouts area, if you weren’t already using it, looks much more like Hangouts in Google+, showing you a small avatar for each contact. There’s also a Hangouts icon at the bottom that will show your most recent Hangouts message, truly bringing a Hangouts-like experience to Gmail–albeit in mini form. To get the updated version of Hangouts in Gmail, just click your own contact name, where you’ll find a button labeled “Try the new Hangouts.” After that, just click your own contact again where you’ll find you can now set a status message (and even use Emoji if you’d like!).

Here’s the official announcement from Google, really bad pun and all:

Status messages for Hangouts in Gmail are “available” starting today! Status messages make it easy to tell your Gmail contacts what you’re doing – whether you’re going on a trip, working from home on Tuesday, or thinking about adopting a puppy.

You can see your friends’ statuses by selecting the “Contacts” tab on the bottom left corner of Hangouts. If you’re not already using Hangouts in Gmail, simply click on your photo above the chat list and select “Try the new Hangouts”.

Hangouts Dialer can now be used as a system dialer, replace your phone for good

Stephen Hall Dec 17 2014 - 10:36 am PT

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Before today, if you wanted to replace your phone with the Hangouts Dialer, it was a pain. The app didn’t actually identify itself as a system dialer, meaning that tapping phone numbers within other apps wouldn’t let you dial out via Hangouts. Calling out from the Yelp app or within Chrome meant using your phone’s app, and you were never prompted with the option to go with the Hangouts Dialer instead.

Today we’re launching an update to Hangouts Dialer. You’ll now be able to use Dialer to place calls initiated from other apps like your browser or Maps, directly from the Hangouts Android app. Just select Hangouts Dialer when you’re choosing your call method.

This is all changing with the latest release of Hangouts Dialer, meaning the app will finally be useful for many people. As you can see in the screenshot above, tapping a phone number within another app will now prompt you with the option to go with the standard Phone app or the Hangouts Dialer. And if you’re sure you want to always use Hangouts, you can choose “Always” and never deal with this problem again.

Keep an eye on the Play Store today for the app to be updated.

IP Cam Viewer update lets you monitor your security cameras from Android Wear

Stephen Hall Dec 17 2014 - 10:10 am PT

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IP Cam Viewer is well known in the Android community as being one of the best solutions for keeping an eye on IP cameras in live time, but the app is also known for having a really bad user interface. Today, while IP Cam Viewer’s UI is still as ugly as ever, a slew of really useful new features have been introduced, including the ability to monitor cameras on your wrist via Android Wear.

Ruggedized Acer C740, C910 highlight new round of Chromebooks set to be announced at CES 2015

Stephen Hall Dec 17 2014 - 9:24 am PT

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Chromebooks have taken the bottom of the market sub-$300 category of laptops by storm over the last couple of years, and they’re expected to continue with that trend going into 2015. One of the devices that will be heading the charge is the Acer C740, which got leaked last week (via OMGChrome), and it’s said that at least one variation of it will be sporting one of Intel’s fifth-generation codename Broadwell chips—expected to be launched at CES in January.

Google emailing select devs with invite to buy Project Tango development kit

Stephen Hall Dec 17 2014 - 8:03 am PT

project tango

Project Tango popped up on the Play Store last month, but it has since sit there unavailable for purchase for anyone except those who registered for the device development kit at I/O. These lucky humans got access to the “Add to cart” button shortly after it showing up on the Play Store, but until today, that seemed to be the only way to purchase the device. Now, it appears certain developers are being invited by email…

Moto 360 5.0.1 update delayed, some devices now receiving LWX48T build

Stephen Hall Dec 16 2014 - 12:07 pm PT

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Motorola may have originally planned to roll out the Android Wear 5.0.1 update to all Moto 360 devices by the end of the day yesterday, but it looks like the company is facing some kind of delay in the rollout. Now, some users are seeing yet another build of 5.0.1 hitting their devices, and Motorola is saying everyone should be up to date by the end of the week.

The forum page that we cited in our post from yesterday originally listed the 15th as the last day of the rollout, but today, some users on Google+ and elsewhere—even those that already had the update—are now reporting that a second build, dubbed LWX48T, is rolling out. This is probably just to fix some last minute bugs, and Motorola has since said that the new rollout schedule is that Moto 360 users should receive the update “by the end of this week.”

Have you received the Android Wear Lollipop update on your Moto 360? If so, have you received the new release also?

Google shuffles its notification interface around, puts most functionality in Google+ (Updated)

Stephen Hall Dec 16 2014 - 10:54 am PT

Google has decided to mix up the way it handles Google+ notifications, and you may have noticed the beginning of this shift yesterday afternoon when the design of the normal notification button changed suddenly. Previously a simple bell, the new button has a smaller bell within a circle (see above)…
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Upcoming 2.3 Pebble update brings actionable Android Wear notifications and more

Stephen Hall Dec 16 2014 - 10:22 am PT

2014-12-16 12_18_06-Pebble – Lights, Smartwatch, Action_ Android Wear notifications come to Pebble (

Pebble users have been left in the dust this year as Android Wear has taken hold over the smartwatch market–and offered some functionality that Pebble and other companies haven’t yet implemented. Today, Pebble has announced that they’re taking a step toward bringing their smartwatch offerings up to par with Wear, showing off a new upcoming software update that’s going to add actionable notifications and slew of other great features.

OnePlus teases “Go Further” announcement for December 17

Stephen Hall Dec 16 2014 - 9:16 am PT

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OnePlus, following a slew of rumors this morning that the company might have something up its sleeve for tomorrow, has now posted an image with the tagline “Go Further” on its Google+ page, likely teasing some kind of announcement. There’s not much we can glean from the teaser image, but the post Google+ says that they’ve “got 10,000” reasons to be excited for tomorrow.

OnePlus One to get MaxxAudio in future update, rumors of new devices swirling

Stephen Hall Dec 16 2014 - 7:49 am PT

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OnePlus has announced this morning that the One, its flagship smartphone, will soon be getting a software update that brings a new audio enhancement software called “MaxxAudio” from GRAMMY Award winning company, Waves Audio. But that’s not all that’s happening in the world of OnePlus today, as rumors have begun swirling that the company plans to introduce a couple of new devices—and hardware updates to the One—very soon.

Google posts Lollipop 5.0.1 factory image for Nexus 5, OTA rollout imminent

Stephen Hall Dec 15 2014 - 3:09 pm PT

Google Nexus 5

We had clues earlier today that the over-the-air Lollipop 5.0.1 update for the Nexus 5 would be happening imminently, but now Google has updated the factory image page on its developers website with download links to make it easy to update your devices manually if that’s something you might be interested in doing…