Google

Google today officially announced its highly rumored YouTube music subscription service and its calling it YouTube Music Key. YouTube’s Music Key service with be available for a monthly subscription of $9.99 and unlock ad-free music, offline playback and video viewing, and the ability to play music in the background when using other apps.

The service is rolling out as a beta next week with a promotional price of $7.99/month, and early adopters will be able to request access from YouTube.com/MusicKey. YouTube’s Music Key beta service will be available through the YouTube apps on Android and iOS and through YouTube.com.

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It’s hard to believe that the Nexus 6 is the Nexus 5’s successor. There’s a huge difference between these two devices in almost every department, but this year you’ll pay for those changes. Today we’re comparing the Motorola-made Google Nexus 6 to the LG-made Nexus 5.

The Nexus 5 was a steal of a deal when it was first released. In fact it’s still a great device. For the money, it’s hard to find a comparable device with the same software experience. The Nexus 5 is loaded up with Android 5.0 Lollipop (update is coming soon) and even after being outdated by better specifications and other smartphones on the market, it still runs like a boss.

With the Nexus 6, you’re getting the latest and greatest that this industry has to offer. It’s also running Android 5.0 Lollipop and overall will offer the same exact software interface and features as its predecessor. With both of these devices, you’re getting a pure Android experience, just as Google intended it to be. Does the Nexus 6 bring enough to the table to justify the difference in price? Well, let’s get right into the comparison and find out…

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It’s not always the easiest task to compare an Android device with one running iOS. Most people choose one platform or another as a personal preference or an investment into the ecosystem that provides what they need. Today we’re comparing the Motorola-made Google Nexus 6 to Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus. There are benefits to each side, but which one is right for you?

We’re going to be comparing the design, specifications, features, and camera performance between these two flagship phablets. If you’re looking for more, check out our Nexus 6 review and 9to5Mac’s iPhone 6 Plus review. There may not be a clear winner at the end of the day, but I’ll leave that discussion for the comments section below…

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At this point, it’s very clear that Google’s Nexus 6 and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 are the two hottest Android phablets on the market. These two monster-sized smartphones are both great in many ways, but what makes them so different? In this article, we’re going to be comparing the Nexus 6 to the Galaxy Note 4. This comparison won’t get too in-depth with every single feature from each device, but it’s nice to know how these two stack up against each other.

We’ll be taking a brief look at features, specifications, design, and camera performance in this comparison and hopefully give you a good idea of what each device has to offer. Also, be sure to check out our full review of the Galaxy Note 4 and Nexus 6 for more details on each device. These two Android smartphones are complete opposites in terms of features and design, but which one is right for you? Let’s go ahead and find out…

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Demand for Nexus devices has always been crazy, but this year Google took it a step further in every department and created somewhat of a super-smartphone. Most of what makes the Nexus 6 so great stems from its pure Android experience. Essentially, you’re experiencing this mobile OS exactly as it was crafted and straight from the source.

Because of Android’s openness, many smartphone makers dilute Android with their own custom skins. This is mostly great for consumers as skins add features that help create the core concepts of devices such as Samsung’s Galaxy Note line, but there’s almost always a tradeoff. You’re sacrificing overall speed and fluidity thanks to the resources being consumed.

Google’s Nexus lineup is a series of devices without all of the added bulk. This is the cleanest Android experience you can find. While it may not be as feature-rich when compared to other devices and their skins, it might be the best Android experience you can get…

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Update: It appears that Google’s DoubleClick servers are now functioning properly as ads begin to reappear across the web.

If you happen to be browsing the web and noticing fewer banner ads or slower loading times on your favorite websites, including our very own, the reason is that Google DoubleClick for Publishers appears to have been experiencing some downtime since approximately 9:00 AM Eastern. AdSense ads still appear to be loading correctly.
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Last week, Motorola began rolling out a soak test for Android 5.0 Lollipop to users of the Moto X Pure Edition, and today it appears Motorola is continuing its soak testing with the second generation Moto G. Several users have reported receiving the update already and Motorola has also published the full release notes on its website (via Android Police).

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From 9to5Toys:

As the leaked Black Friday ads continue to surface, today we got a look at what Target will be offering come the end of the month. The retailer says it will have hundreds of door busters and thousands of deals on everything from Google products and gaming consoles with gift cards attached along with deep discounts on home goods and more. Items on pages 2 and 3 of the ad are available today to order online with free in-store pickup. We’ve shared some of the standout deals we’ve spotted so far ahead, and keep checking back as we add more.

Android & Google Black Friday Deals:

• Google Chromecast $24.99 (Reg. $35)
• Kyocera Hydro Vibe 4G LTE Android phone with 4.5″ qHD display $29.99 with no contract (Reg. $149.99)
• Samsung Galaxy S5 $0.01 with new two-year contract on Verizon, Sprint and AT&T (Reg. $199.99)
• RCA Mercury 7″ Android 4.4 Tablet $39.99 (Reg. $89.99)
• RCA Apollo 8″ Android 4.4 Tablet $69.99 (Reg. $119.99)

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Google has been using NASA’s Moffett Airfield as a home and launch pad for its private jets for several years now, but today, the company announced that it has singed a deal with NASA in which it will lease the airfield for the next 60 years. Google, via its real estate organization Planetary Ventures, will contribute $1.16 billion to the facilities over the lease, reducing NASA’s operation costs by $6.3 million annually.

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Google CEO Larry Page announced on the company’s blog today that Google has donated $10 million to several nonprofit organizations in an effort to fight the Ebola virus disease. Among the nonprofit organizations Google has donated money, “InSTEDD, International Rescue Committee, Medecins Sans Frontieres, NetHope, Partners in Health, Save the Children and U.S. Fund for UNICEF” are included according to Page.

In addition to donating $10 million to assist nonprofit groups in the fight against Ebola, Google is pledging to donate $2 for ever $1 donated to its public giving campaign. Funds raised through Google’s public giving campaign will go toward the Network for Good and continue until an addition $7.5 million is raised.
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LG announced this weekend that it will begin rolling out the highly-anticipated Android Lollipop update for its flagship LG G3 smartphone starting in Poland this upcoming week. The handset maker confirmed that other key markets will receive the update in the near future, with an upgrade schedule for other smartphones to follow at a later date.
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Uber has already disrupted taxi service in metropolitan areas like San Francisco, New York and Chicago with its affordable and convenient ride-sharing service, and now the multibillion dollar startup could be planning to use its massive fleet of vehicles and drivers to take on delivery services like Amazon Prime, Google Express, FedEx and UPS.
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In addition to updating its Maps app with an overhauled design, Google has released a new version of its Drive app for iPhone and iPad users adding support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as well as some new iOS 8 features.

The Google Drive file storage app can now be secured using Touch ID so users with supported devices (iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone Plus, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3) can unlock the app using the fingerprint scanner. The new version of Drive also includes an extension to “open form and save to Drive in other apps” for iOS 8 users, and videos can now be saved from Drive to the Photos app (instructions below). Google says the new version of Drive for iPhone and iPad also includes full iOS 8 compatibility, bug fixes, and performance improvements.

Google Drive 3.3 for iPhone and iPad is available for free on the App Store. Full change log below.
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Google announced today that it’s releasing a new Chrome extension called Application Launcher for Drive that allows users to open files directly from its Google Drive service in compatible apps on a Mac or PC. The extension adds an “Open With” option that will let users launch files in apps like, for example, Mac OS X’s Preview app or third-party editing apps like those from Adobe and Microsoft.
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Google and LG have entered into a new agreement that will see both companies cross-licensing technology patents and products that covers all existing patents as well as any filed during the next decade. Google says the point of this agreement is to ensure that both companies can focus on innovating rather than worrying about who owns which technology.

Earlier this year Google created a similar agreement with Samsung in an attempt by the Mountain View-based corporation to forge tighter bonds with its Android handset makers while enabling them to take on competition from Apple.

The full press release from Google and LG is included below:

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Google’s all-new Nexus 9 announced last month has already been through an unboxing and overview video, hands-on review and head-to-head comparison with the iPad Air in the past few weeks, and now the HTC-made tablet has undergone a full hardware teardown courtesy of the team at iFixit. Take a closer look inside the Nexus 9 after the break.
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It’s been a while since we’ve seen a new tablet from Google. The Nexus 7 was released in 2013, but Google’s large format Nexus 10 has been growing old since its debut in late 2012. Well, the Nexus 9 seems to be a happy medium between the previous releases, and like it or not, it’s here to replace both of them.

Android tablets haven’t always offered the greatest experience when compared to smartphones, but there’s one word that perfectly describes the change this market needed: Lollipop. In my opinion, Android 5.0 is the best thing that has happened to the tablet space in a while, and the Nexus 9 is the first place you’ll officially get to see it in action. That being said, there are a lot of factors aside from a pure software experience that make the Nexus 9 a great device.

Welcome to our full review of the HTC-made Google Nexus 9. Has Google made a triumphant return to the tablet space, or is this just something to tide you over until another company steps up to the plate? Let’s go ahead and find out…

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