I’m a writer for 9to5Google with a background in IT and Android development. While I have a soft spot for stock Android, I’m typically juggling two to three devices at once running both Android and iOS. My previous work can be seen on Phandroid, Android Central, and AndroidMeter. Email me at justin@jaduino.com. Tips are always welcome.
Today marks the 2017 Chinese New Year also know as the Lunar New Year. This holiday — known in mainland China as the Spring Festival — marks the end of winter and the start of spring. Plus, 2017 is the Year of the Rooster!
When it comes to protecting your smartphone fully, LifeProof has long been one of your best options. By simply installing this case, you’re not only adding drop and screen protection, but also waterproofing it for up to two meters of water. At $90, this is definitely one of the most expensive, but maybe one of the best, premium cases you can get for complete Pixel protection…
Google is currently rolling out an update to Google Docs on Android which gives you a lot more editing power when working on documents while mobile. These include the ability to resize, move, and rotate images, drag and drop text, and even insert headers and footers straight from your phone or tablet…
Last week, Nvidia’s website accidentally stated that the 2015 Nvidia Shield TV would be receiving Nougat, but the release notes were quickly pulled from the website. Now, a week after the release of the brand new Nvidia Shield TV, the Shield Experience 5.0.2 upgrade is rolling out to the original set top box from Nvidia…
Daydream is Google’s newest VR platform that is a step up from Cardboard, but not as feature-rich as something like the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. This is because everything is run off of a mobile phone, however, Daydream can still provide an immersive experience. Starting today, Google is allowing all developers to create and publish Daydream VR apps to the Play Store…
Several days ago former Google executive, Hugo Barra, announced that he would be stepping down from his position as Global Vice President of Xiaomi. In his post on Facebook, Barra said that he had plans to come back to Silicon Valley but did not give any specifics. Tonight, Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of Facebook, has announced that Barra will be joining Facebook and leading its VR efforts…
In a world full of fake news, clickbait headlines, and online scammers, Google is working hard to only display legitimate and trustworthy advertisements on its massive ad network. To achieve this, Google removed over 1.7 billion “bad ads” in 2016 — more than double the number of ads taken down in 2015…
Earlier this month at CES 2017, we got to go hands-on with the latest Blackberry handset codenamed “Mercury.” Even though we were able to take a look at the phone, we weren’t given any specific details about the device — including its official name. In a Tweet, Blackberry has confirmed that the “Mercury” will be announced on February 25th at Mobile World Congress…
One of the newest features to come to the Netflix application on Android is the ability to download content for offline playback. This is useful so you can watch your favorite TV shows or movies without using your data. With the release of version 4.13, you can now download content to an SD card if your phone or tablet supports it…
When it comes to calculator applications, they’re almost all more or less the same. They can add, subtract, and possibly even get fancy and work out some logarithmic equations. The latest version of Google’s Calculator app is adding a long-awaited feature, though, and that’s calculation history…
Android applications are made up of many different files which are then compressed into a format called ‘APK.’ Typically, developers then upload these files to the Google Play Store and then users can download them. This usual method hides all of the technical work in the background.
Sometimes, though, you might want to install an app that isn’t in the Play Store. The steps below will walk you through the process of setting up your device to install APKs…
Late last night in a Facebook post, Hugo Barra announced that he will be stepping down from his position at Xiaomi. In his time there, Barra has helped grow Mi from a simple startup to one of China’s leading Android handset manufacturers…
The Galaxy Note 7 was very short lived after handsets began to explode. There have been reports and rumors that the battery was the root cause but results of an official investigation had yet to be announced. Today, Samsung has confirmed that the Note 7’s issues were indeed battery-related, specifically due to positive and negative battery cells making contact…
It has been months since we have heard anything official from Nvidia when it comes to their two gaming tablets. Now, Nvidia has confirmed on Google+ that Nougat should be arriving for the Shield Tablet and Tablet K1 in the coming weeks…
Verizon started rolling out Android Nougat to their Moto Z and Z Force handsets back in November. This fit with a statement given by a Motorola spokesperson which said that the entire line would be updated in Q4 of 2016.
The issue now is that the unlocked variants of the handset — sold directly from Moto themselves — have yet to receive any sort of update. A new statement from the Lenovo-owned company says that these updates should be coming soon…
Petra is an ancient city found in southern Jordan that is known for its architecture. What’s unique about the city is that all of the buildings and water systems were carved right into the surrounding rocks. Last year, Google released a virtual tour of the city within Maps but now they have created a full 360-degree experience for Cardboard.
YouTube has been testing a new conversation feature which allows users to share videos and have conversations with their friends and family directly within the video network’s application. Today, Google has officially launched the new feature, but only in Canada…
The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are two of the newest phones to run the latest version of Android and with the upgrade, there are several new features being added to the handsets to make the experience even better. The first of which is the ability to lower the screen resolution to save battery life…
Last year, a report surfaced stating that the Lenovo-owned Moto would no longer be making new Android Wear hardware. This would mean that the second gen Moto 360 would be the last watch available from the manufacturer. As of today, the 360 which was announced back in September of 2015, is no longer for sale on the Google Store.
Since the official recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, phone manufacturers have been assuring customers that their devices are safe to use. Some, like LG, are even testing their batteries in extreme conditions to make sure that they don’t overheat or catch on fire. Thanks to a research team at Stanford University, we may have less to worry about when batteries explode…
Update: Nvidia has removed the Upgrade 5.0 release notes from the Shield TV (2015) and has added them to the listing for the newly release Shield TV. The original unit will still receive an upgrade to Android 7.0 but it might not be as soon as we thought.
At CES 2017 we got our first look at the brand new Nvidia Shield TV (2017) which brought with it Android 7.0 Nougat and a slew of new features. Shortly after, we received word that many of these new additions would make their way to the current Nvidia Shield TV (2015).
Starting today, Nvidia is rolling out the “Shield Experience Upgrade 5.0” to the older model of the set-top box, which brings with it Android Nougat, Amazon Video, and much more…
In the aftermath of last year’s Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall, hardware manufacturers are doing everything they can to ensure that their smartphones are as safe as possible. LG is now taking extra steps to test the safety of the batteries going into the G6 as well as adding hardware to help disperse heat…
With how much our lives reside on the internet either through a web browser or an application on our phones, it is important that everyone’s private data stays secure and of course, private. To do this, companies and developers are implementing encryption into their programs. The issue, according to Google, is that there is no easy to use, generic way to identify and authenticate a user’s public encryption keys…
The Google Pixel has been plagued with issues ranging from early battery shutdowns, freezing issues, manufacturing defects, and much more. Lately, users have also been reporting an issue when transferring files from their Apple MacBooks using the stock Google Pixel USB-C to USB-A cable.
After looking into the issue extensively, it would appear that it likely stems from Google’s Android File Transfer program which hasn’t been updated since 2012…