Google just released the biggest update to its stock Google Keyboard in quite some time, and it’s rolling out on the Play Store now. If you haven’t had a chance to try it out for yourself quite yet, we put together this quick video rounding up the biggest new features. Among them are a one-handed mode, new emoji suggestions, and the ability to show key borders…
Owners of the super-selfie-shooting HTC Desire Eye on AT&T are about to throw a party. HTC’s Mo Versi has announced on Twitter today that the phone received technical approval yesterday and that the rollout of its OTA to Android 5.0 is to start rolling out today.
I actually own an HTC Desire Eye, and I have yet to see the update hit my device. It’s rolling out in stages over the next couple of days, though, so it probably won’t be long. In other Lollipop news today, Sprint’s Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge seem to be getting Android 5.1.
Great news for HTC Desire Eye AT&T owners! We've just received technical approval for Lollipop update! OTA to start tomorrow!
— Mo Versi (@moversi) June 30, 2015
The Xperia Z4 smartphone isn’t exactly a secret, but now Sony has come out to officially announce the device in Japan. It’s basically the smartphone version of the Xperia Z4 tablet that was announced in March, and like that device, it doesn’t seem to be much of a visual overhaul compared to its predecessor. It does pack some pretty hefty upgrades on the inside, though, including an upgraded SoC and front-facing camera…
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The Android Lollipop updates just keep rolling in, and today’s no exception. Sprint has just published support pages documenting the release of Android Lollipop for the carrier’s Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note Edge smartphones…
Many users are already reporting that the update has hit their device, so you should go check System Update > Update in Settings to see if it’s available for you yet. “Software updates may be released in stages and can take several days for delivery,” Sprint says, though, so don’t get nervous if you don’t see it yet.
Google just yesterday updated its distribution numbers for Android Lollipop, revealing that the mobile OS just recently managed to pass 5% in adoption. Hopefully as more and more Lollipop updates are released (like these), that number will slowly start to make its way up.
Google has today updated the Android distribution data, and it looks like Android Lollipop—the Mountain View company’s latest mobile OS, which was released in November of last year—has now passed the 5% milestone in terms of adoption. In February we saw that number hit just 1.6%, and last month the data was updated to show usage at 3.3%…
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Android Lollipop is definitely taking its time rolling out to the myriad of Android devices on the market, and until today it wasn’t even included on Google’s developer dashboards page. Today, though, reflecting the week preceding February 2nd, 2015, the page has been updated to show that Android 5.0 Lollipop now accounts for a tiny 1.6% share of the current Android install base.
The team behind the second most popular custom Android ROM, Paranoid Android, has today updated the software to have a baseline AOSP Lollipop 5.0.2. Along with this first Lollipop-based build, the team has included a bunch of new improvements and features.
Today’s update is “ready to be used in public,” according to the Paranoid Android team. But keep in mind that this release is still an alpha build. “Hope for awesome buttery smoothness, be ready for a bumpy ride,” the announcement post says.
Here’s what new in this version:
- Update the baseline to AOSP Lollipop 5.0.2
- Improvements to Heads Up, such as an option to disable heads up interruptions completely
- Add Quick Unlock
- Extend the power menu
- Animate the volume panel in a more material manner
- Make it possible to skip songs using volume buttons when the device is locked
- Add CM12 Theme Engine
- Fix various small annoyances from AOSP
The last version of Paranoid Android was released four months ago, version 4.6 beta 5.
OnePlus has today rang in 2015 with an exciting surprise for owners of its One flagship smartphone. An early alpha build of the company’s official Lollipop ROM—with no mention of Cyanogen to be seen—has been released to the public, and you can download it right now.
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The Samsung Galaxy S5 started receiving Android Lollipop in Poland early this month, but now it appears (via SamMobile) that the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system is now hitting the device in one more European country. Specifically, model SM-G900F of the Galaxy S5 is now receiving the update in Spain.
Following the announce of the next major version of Android Wear this morning, Google has today announced that the official API for Android Wear watch faces is available to developers. The company has also published a video to help give some guidelines to developers on how to take advantage of the API and help them get started.
We’re pleased to announce that the official Android Wear Watch Face API is now available for developers. Watch faces give users even more ways to express their personal style, while creating an opportunity for developers to customize the most prominent UI feature of the watches. Watch faces have been the most requested feature from users and developers alike, and we can’t wait to see what you build for them.
Google asks that developers have their watch faces transitioned to the new API by January 31st, 2015, after which point Google says they plan to completely remove support for watch faces that aren’t built with the API.
You can check out the official watch face API over at the Google Developers website. You’ll need Android Studio 1.0.0 or higher, an Android device with version 4.3 (API level 18) or higher, and an Android Wear watch with version 5.0 (API level 21) or higher to start building faces.
Download links for the OTA update release of Android 5.0.1 are popping up on the internet following last night’s release of the AOSP download links for WiFi-only devices. Last night’s release was for the Nexus 9, 2013 WiFi-only Nexus 7, and Nexus 10, and the links that are popping up tonight are for much the same. But rest assured, if you’re waiting to update your cellular-enabled device, it’s most likely not going to be too long before you can grab the latest build. Below you’ll find the download links for the 5.0.1 OTA and a couple guides to get you started…
Sony announced on Wednesday that Android 5.0 Lollipop is rolling out this week for the Xperia Z Ultra Google Play Edition, while confirming that other devices in the Xperia Z lineup will receive the latest software version in early 2015. Sony pledged in October that it would bring Android Lollipop to its entire lineup of premium Z-series devices.
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As expected, it appears that Google is now slowly rolling out Android Lollipop for the Nexus 4, 5, 7 and 10. A number of users have turned to Twitter to report that their Nexus smartphones and tablets are now beginning to receive Lollipop as an over-the-air software update.
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As we told you about earlier today, Phandroid seems to have gotten their hands on some unreleased Google software, and the leaks started with a new Material Design overhaul for the Android Wear companion app. This afternoon, we’ve now had a chance to peek at some of the more interesting ins and outs of the upcoming Android 5.0 Lollipop overhaul for the Android Wear OS, and with it is coming the long awaited watch face API, new brightness and accessibility features, and more.
It was up in the air whether or not the LG G2 would be getting the update to Android 5.0 Lollipop, but LG has now taken to Facebook to confirm that the device will be at some point getting the update. The company also made note of the G3, which will supposedly be getting the update faster than most. Asus, yet another manufacturer of Android phones, has also announced some of the devices that it is currently planning to grace with Lollipop, with the ZenFone and PadFoneS making the list.
Following several rumors of a possible November 3rd release for Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google today confirmed the release date in a note to developers (via AndroidPolice).
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It’s been nearly four months since Evernote was updated to version 5.0 on iOS, and today Android will reap in the benefits of the update. Evernote 5.0 for Android brings a bunch of new productivity and utility features to the popular note-taking app.
One of the niftiest features of the update includes something new from Evernote called ‘Page Camera’. Page Camera allows the user to take a picture of a written (or typed) paper document and save the photo to Evernote. The camera automatically detects the text and enhances it to make reading it on a device easier. Another feature, which was released on OS X in January, titled ‘Shortcuts’, allows the user to access notes faster and easier than before. Finally, if you use Evernote to save pictures that you take, then ‘Multi-Shot Camera’ may be your new favorite feature. The camera update allows users to take multiple photos and save them in bulk, rather than the old method of taking shots individually.
The update is available today via the Play Store, or you can download Evernote right here.
It’s all but confirmed the HTC One is launching in New York today, but that didn’t stop French website NowhereElse from leaking a press shot of device today. The leak shows both sides of the phone, in both black and white, with a few apps running on the screen. On one phone, a video camera app is running while a photo gallery app seems to be running on the other. The phone in the middle is presumed to be the home screen with what looks to be a new version of Sense. It’s been rumored that Sense 5.0 is going to launch today, and that may in fact be true with this new leak. While the shots don’t seem to be Photoshopped, we’ll be sure of what is announced today, as we will be there live blogging the event at 10 a.m. EST.
Update: DroidLife has two videos of the phone, with one being sourced from Phandroid.
Update 2: Engadget spotted the HTC One. The shot is a close up of the back of the device. A red band that adds a nice accent is also shown on the device, but the red band is not shown in the reported press release photos above.
