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Google drops minimum premium app and IAP price in 17 countries

Avatar for Cam Bunton Nov 17 2015 - 9:31 am PT
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Google has announced today that — following a successful trial in India — it will allow developers in 17 more countries to charge a lower price for its premium apps and in-app purchases. This news comes a couple of weeks after the company raised the maximum price, now giving developers much more flexibility in what they can charge customers, and hopefully enabling them to reach more customers.

The full list of countries this reaches, and the minimum prices:

  • Brazil: R$ 0.99 (was R$2.50)
  • Chile: CLP $200.00 (was CLP $500.00)
  • Colombia: COP$ 800.00 (was COP$ 2000.00)
  • Hungary: Ft 125.00 (was Ft 225.00)
  • Indonesia: Rp 3,000.00 (was Rp 12,000.00)
  • Malaysia: RM 1.00 (was RM 3.50)
  • Mexico: MXN$ 5.00 (was MXN$ 9.90)
  • Philippines: ₱15.00 (was ₱43.00)
  • Poland: zł1.79 (was zł2.99)
  • Peru: S/. 0.99 (was S/. 3.00)
  • Russia: руб 15.00 (was руб 2.00)
  • Saudi Arabia:﷼ 0.99 (was 2.00﷼)
  • South Africa: R3.99 (was R10.00)
  • Thailand: ฿10.00 (was ฿32.00)
  • Turkey: ₺0.59 (was ₺2.00)
  • Ukraine: ₴5.00 (was ₴8.00)
  • Vietnam: ₫6,000 (was ₫21,000.00)

If you’re a developer in one of these countries, you can lower the prices of your app by going to the Google Play Developer Console and clicking “Pricing and Distribution” or “In-app Products” for your apps.

Chrome Dev Summit 2015 is kicking off at 9 AM PT, tune in here [Livestream]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 17 2015 - 8:39 am PT
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If you’re a Chrome or web developer, you’re probably already aware that the Chrome Dev Summit is set to take place today and tomorrow. The event brings Chrome engineers and web developers together for a two-day “exploration of building beautiful and fast mobile web applications.” This is an important event for many people, especially considering the growing relevance of web apps.

This is a two-day event, as I mentioned, and day 1 is set to start at 9 AM PT on November 17th. Google has provided livestreaming video of the entire event, and you can tune in below…

Opinion: The Nexus 5X is excellent, but performance is its one inexcusable flaw

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 16 2015 - 3:54 pm PT
15 Comments

I’ve been feeling up the Nexus 5X for about a week now, and I’m undoubtedly impressed. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a Nexus phone in this size range, and — as someone who used the Nexus 6 as his daily driver for a year — it’s really refreshing to once again have a handset to match my hands. That was the first thing I noticed about the Nexus 5X. I have little-to-no tolerance for third-party bloatware, skins, and gimmicks, and stock vanilla Android is almost a non-negotiable for me. And in this one area, the 5X — the 6P, as well — delivers, and that alone puts it in a league of its own in my eyes. That alone makes this phone, for me, one the cream of the Android crop.

But there’s one thing that has been a recurring theme in my first week with the 5X: performance. It’s just simply not good enough, and in 2015, OS stutters, frame rate drops, and lag while switching apps is quite simply inexcusable, (but especially in any phone that costs more than $100). It’s not that the 5X is a crippled experience — no, I’m sometimes in buttery smooth Android heaven. But in those times that my phone just slows to a crawl in the middle of my day, whatever the reason may be, I can’t help but want to throw the 5X at a wall…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: New 32GB Nexus 5 $210, Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 w/ FreedomPop plan $60, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 16 2015 - 1:28 pm PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Nexus 5 32GB Black/White in new condition: $210 shipped (Reg. $350)

7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 tablet: w/ FreedomPop: $60 shipped (Reg. $140+) | FreedomPop

TRACFONE Alcatel Onetouch Pixi GLITZ smartphone: $10 shipped (Reg. $20) | Best Buy

Amazon Gold Box – PNY storage up to 60% off: 128GB microSD $40, 64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive $16, more

Best of Black Friday – HDTVs: 40-inch from $149, Samsung 55-inch Smart $580 (Reg. $1,200), more

Best of Black Friday – iPads, Tablets and e-readers: iPad Air 2 from $360, Amazon Fire $35 (Reg. $50), more

Best of Black Friday – Games: Xbox One/PS4 console bundles, deep discounts on games, more

Best of Black Friday – wearables: Fitbit Flex $59/Charge $90/more, $100 off Apple Watch, Android smartwatches, more

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Daily Deals: Seiki 39-inch 120Hz 4K 2160p HDTV $250, Aukey 3-Port USB Hub w/ ethernet $16, more

LG 43-inch HDTVs: Smart 4K + $150 Dell Gift Card $600 (Reg. $800+), 1080p $300 (Reg. $350), more

BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKS & NEWS:

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on Apple Watch, Macs, HDTVs, games & more!

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

LG Google Nexus 5 16GB Unlocked GSM (Refurb) $150 (Reg. $300)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

What Watch uses Bluetooth connectivity to tab the memorable moments of your life

Pulse brings Bluetooth LE + iOS connectivity to a slew of Canon and Nikon DSLRs

 

Samsung’s huge Galaxy View tablet to be available at AT&T on November 20

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 16 2015 - 12:37 pm PT
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Samsung’s new Galaxy View tablet was announced a few weeks ago, and now we have word that the gigantic device is going to be available at AT&T starting November 20th. AT&T is also announcing a promotion with DIRECTV that can land you a View for just $100.

The Galaxy View is a behemoth of a tablet, so much so that some are referring to it as a TV. I have to agree with this sentiment, because even compared to Apple’s very-large 12.9-inch iPad Pro, this thing is just plain massive.

The Galaxy View has an 18.4-inch Full HD 1080p display, a 2.1-megapixel camera on the front, and is powered by a 1.6 Ghz octa-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, and a 5,700mAh battery. There are two 4W speakers on the back, and a MicroSD card slot to go with 32GB or 64GB internal storage.

Keep reading for the details on the DIRECTV deal…

WALK OUT WATCHING DIRECTV® WITH THE ONE OF A KIND SAMSUNG GALAXY VIEW FOR $99.99, ONLY AT AT&T
Built for streaming entertainment on your terms, you can walk out watching DIRECTV

DALLAS, NOV. 16, 2015 – Available first from AT&T on Nov. 20, experience the latest LTE device from Samsung with the entertainment-centric Samsung Galaxy View. The Galaxy View is more than a tablet. It combines the entertainment features of a TV with the mobility and engaging design of a tablet. You can buy the Galaxy View in retail stores nationwide and online at www.att.com. DIRECTV customers can walk out watching over 100 live channels.d For a limited time, customers that sign up for new DIRECTV service (24-month agreement required) can buy the Samsung Galaxy View for $99.99, with a two-year wireless agreement.3 Existing DIRECTV customers that activate a new line with a smartphone on AT&T Next can also get the Galaxy View for $99.99, with a two-year wireless agreement.4

Additional key features on the Galaxy View tablet include:
• Display: Streaming video is brought to life on the Galaxy View’s 18.4 inch, Full HD 1080p screen.5
• Storage: AT&T’s Galaxy View comes with 64GB6 of storage, with expandable memory up to 128GB7, so you can download your favorite videos, music and more.
• Portability: Use the Galaxy View’s built-in kickstand in TV-mode to watch the game while you grill, or stand upright into Lap-mode to read comfortably. Turn up your music’s volume while its powerful speakers provide serious sound.
• Long-lasting Battery: With up to 8 hours of continuous play or watch time8, you can binge-watch, game and browse for hours without having to pause the action.

Samsung Galaxy View will be available in Black from AT&T for $0 down for well-qualified customers and $30 per month for 20 months with an AT&T Tablet Installment Plan9 or $499.99 with a two-year agreement.10 Add the Galaxy View to a new or existing Mobile Share Value Plan for an additional $10 per month access charge.11

“The Samsung Galaxy View is the best parts of a TV and tablet, designed with entertainment as its primary focus,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Device Marketing and Developer Services, AT&T Mobility. “We know our customers are watching video in ways they never used to, and with this tablet you can shift where and when content is consumed. No other Samsung device provides this combination of integrated entertainment experience and value.”

The Samsung Galaxy View earned 4 of 5 stars, on AT&T’s Eco-Rating 2.0 system. The 2.0 system rates the social and environmental factors of AT&T branded handset devices and tablets. AT&T created the Eco-Rating 2.0 system to empower consumers to make better informed decisions when selecting a device. For more information about this device’s rating, AT&T’s Eco-Rating 2.0 System, and how you can join AT&T in making a difference, please visit http://att.com/ecospace.

For more information on the Samsung Galaxy View, check out this Mobile Minute video and visit: att.com/GalaxyView. Follow the conversation on social media by using #GalaxyView.

Google Search can now answer a variety of much more complex questions

Avatar for Abner Li Nov 16 2015 - 12:03 pm PT
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Recent updates to Google Search allow it to better understand complex queries and provide more accurate answers, meaning users can now Google questions involving superlatives, order, complex combinations, and get answers from a specific time period. This update comes thanks to Google being better able to understand the intent and different pieces of a question.

“We can now break down a query to understand the semantics of each piece,” Google says.


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Google Search on mobile now has deep links into Facebook’s app

Avatar for Abner Li Nov 16 2015 - 9:19 am PT
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According to a report this morning from The Wall Street Journal, Google will now be able to show publicly available info from the Facebook app in mobile searches. Clicking on such a link while on your smartphone will take users directly to the relevant part of the Facebook app. The agreement between Google and Facebook went into affect last Friday, according to an Alphabet spokesperson.


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Motorola proves that we’re physically incapable of not touching our phones [Video]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 16 2015 - 8:56 am PT
1 Comment

In a clever new video, Motorola has proven — albeit while also advertising its Moto X — that we just can’t keep our hands off of our phones for as much as one minute. It’s perhaps not the most well-designed scientific experiment, but it’s interesting nonetheless the temptation we have to reach for our phones when they start buzzing, even in situations where we probably shouldn’t.

In this case, Motorola (or, more accurately, Ashton Kutcher) told unknowing victims that they were “running an experiment” that required them to keep their hands in two circles on a table. After they closed the door to leave the suspects in the room by themselves, they started sending notifications to their phones. As might be expected, the participants just couldn’t wait to check them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qUZai-kGgA

Google adds parts of Bolivia and Ecuador to Street View

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 16 2015 - 7:41 am PT
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Street View has been slowly getting more locations since it launched in 2007, and now the company has added many of parts of Bolivia and Ecuador to the list. These two South American countries are full of history and beautiful imagery, and now they can be explored from the comfort of your Chrome browser.

Google is even featuring some of the best imagery from Bolivia and Ecuador on its Street View site.

Just a couple of months ago, Google launched a standalone Street View app for Android and iPhone. Android users will find it on the Play Store, and iPhone users can download the standalone Street View app on the App Store. And if you’re interested in exploring Bolivia and Ecuador in VR, you might be interested in the fact that the Street View app recently added support for Google Cardboard.

PSA: Google has made international phone calls to France free on Hangouts

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 13 2015 - 8:00 pm PT
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In the wake of some absolutely tragic and terrifying events tonight in Paris, Google has made international phone calls to France free on Google Hangouts. In other tragic past events, many companies that offer calling services have offered similar opportunities.

In a related initiative, Facebook has tonight launched a feature called Safety Check, which allows you to “quickly find and connect with friends in the area” and mark them safe if you know they’re safe. You can also let your friends know if you’re in the affected area.

You can head over to the Play Store or the App Store to grab the app for free, or head to hangouts.google.com to make free international calls to France straight from your browser.

Google expands Local Guides in Maps with new rewards

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Nov 13 2015 - 10:22 am PT
1 Comment

Google announced today that it’s expanding the Local Guides feature it has for Google Maps that aims to act as a community-driven virtual guide for points of interest with an integrated rewards program (which it could position as a Yelp competitor).

Among the biggest update for the expansion is new rewards for users, allowing access to upgraded Google Drive storage, early access to Google products and features, and more.

Google detailed the new rewards, which include the ability for users to earn a free 1 TB upgrade of Drive storage by accumulating a certain number of points. The top reward will make users eligible to attend Google’s inaugural summit in 2016: “… you’ll be able to meet other top Guides from around the world, explore the Google campus, and get the latest info about Google Maps. Look out for details early next year.”

Here’s a look at the new rewards:

Level 1 (0 – 4 points): Enter exclusive contests (think new Google devices!) in select countries.

Level 2 (5 – 49 points): Get early access to new Google products and features.

Level 3 (50 – 199 points): Show up in the Google Maps app with your official Local Guides badge.

Level 4 (200 – 499 points): Receive a free 1 TB upgrade of your Drive storage, allowing you to keep all the stories, photos, and videos from your travels in one safe place.

Level 5 (500+ points): The very top Local Guides will become eligible to apply to attend our inaugural summit in 2016, where you’ll be able to meet other top Guides from around the world, explore the Google campus, and get the latest info about Google Maps. Look out for details early next year.

Users can earn points by using the feature in Google Maps to do things like leaving a review, answering questions, uploading photos, and submitting fixes.

The expansion also includes an update that makes it easier for contributors to view and track local guides they’ve submitted.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puDNfWfILl4]

Opinion: Android OEMs have power, but Google making its own phone might be worth the risk

Avatar for Abner Li Nov 13 2015 - 9:53 am PT
2 Comments

At the beginning, OEM partners were vital in order to spread Android. Google would handle the hard work of creating the operating system, while OEMs would manufacture and deal with carriers. This approach worked and Android is now the most used mobile OS and Samsung is the largest smartphone vendor in terms of shipped devices. But how is Google going to keep Android growing into the future?..
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Google quietly launches Chrome beta for iOS through Apple’s TestFlight

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Nov 13 2015 - 8:52 am PT
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Google has quietly launched a Chrome beta for iOS through TestFlight, the beta distribution service Apple acquired last year and integrated into its own developer services. Google has yet to make an official announcement for the beta release, but users can already sign-up and download the beta when visiting Google’s Chrome beta download page on iOS.
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Updates arrive for Google Docs & Sheets for Android, Drive on the web

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Nov 13 2015 - 8:11 am PT
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Google is rolling out updates this week for Google Docs and Sheets for Android as well as Google Drive on the web, the company announced in two separate blog posts today.

For Sheets, the update brings the ability to “add new and reply to existing comments,” while the updated Google Docs for Android app gets the ability to see suggestions and comments when in the app’s Print Layout view. “resolve, close, accept, or reject those comments and suggestions—making it simpler to move between their desktop and mobile devices.”

Google also highlighted improvements to editing charts in the Sheets app on Android:

…if a user a selects a single cell and inserts a chart, we’ll automatically expand that data selection to include the immediately surrounding cells. This will make it easier for users to create robust charts with relevant information. In addition, when an employee creates a new chart, they’ll now see three recommended chart types, which we’ll suggest based on the data they’ve selected.

And lastly for Sheets, users will start to notice the 400 new fonts Google began rolling out to Sheets on the web this week.

As for Google Drive, the web app gets improved organization with new smarter sorting in the app’s ‘Recent’ view:

The new sorting experience removes the existing sorting dropdown options (‘Last modified,’ ‘Last modified by me,’ and ‘Last opened by me’) and replaces them with a dynamically-generated view based on the actions of the person using Drive. Items will continue to be segmented into time-based sections (‘Today,’ ‘Earlier this week,’ etc), and will now indicate whether each item was opened, modified, or uploaded by the user directly in the UI. The smarter sorting ensures that items acted upon by the user are more likely to be shown than items acted upon by other collaborators.

The updated Google Sheets and Docs apps are rolling out now.

Sony’s PlayStation Vue Internet TV service is coming to Google Chromecast

Avatar for Zac Hall Nov 13 2015 - 8:06 am PT
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Sony announced today that it’s PlayStation Vue Internet TV service will soon be expanding to support Google’s Chromecast HDMI streaming hardware for the first time. The news comes as Amazon’s Fire TV and Fire TV Stick streaming devices become the first devices beyond PlayStation consoles to support Vue. While Amazon’s hardware is getting support today, Chromecast support will follow as it’s coming soon.


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Google self-driving car pulled over for driving too slow, doesn’t get a ticket

Avatar for Chance Miller Nov 12 2015 - 7:16 pm PT
3 Comments

Google’s ongoing self-driving car project has recorded more than 1.2 million miles of autonomous driving so far and like most drivers it’s picked up a few interesting stories. Today, the Google self-driving car team shared a post on Google+ showing that one of its cars had been pulled over while driving though California.


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Nest Cam 3-pack bundle launching this week for $497 ($100 savings)

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Nov 12 2015 - 6:51 am PT
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Update (11/18 12:55pm): The new Nest Cam 3-pack bundle (and a 4-pack!) is now available on Amazon.

Nest Cam, the smart security camera that Google acquired and rebranded under its Nest company after acquiring Dropcam last year, is one of the best of these new breed of Wi-Fi connected, smartphone-controlled home security products. Today Nest is making decking out your home even easier and more affordable with a new 3-pack bundle of Nest Cams that will allow you to save $100 over the normal retail cost of individual units.

The new Nest Cam bundle will sell for $497, representing a $100 total savings on the bundle when considering Nest Cam on its own will run you $199 each (or $185 each currently on Amazon).

I took the Nest Cam for spin in recent months following its launch, and despite a few software shortcomings that Nest will inevitably catch up to in future releases, I overall had an excellent experience with the device and recommended it to just about everyone except diehard HomeKit users.

The new 3-Pack Nest Cam bundle will be available this week online for $497, as well as retail stores including Home Depot and Best Buy.

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Google expands its Nexus Protect warranty program to Canada

Avatar for Chance Miller Nov 11 2015 - 4:15 pm PT
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Google’s AppleCare-like warranty protection program Nexus Protect is now available in Canada. The company announced the expansion in a post on Google+ more than a month after the program launched in the United States alongside the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X.

Nexus Protect, for those unfamiliar, offers an additional year of coverage for mechanical breakdowns within your Nexus phone, as well as two years of protection from accidental damage like water damage and shattered displays. Google touts that, after you file a claim and it is approved, you’ll receive your replacement device as soon as the next business day, with shipping both ways covered. Nexus Protect coverage is attached to the phone itself, so if you switch carriers or give the phone to someone else, the coverage stays with it.

Nexus Protect runs $69 for the Nexus 5X and $89 for the Nexus 6P. It’s also important to note that claims are subject to a $79 deductible and that Nexus Protect only covers 2 incidents of accidental damage every two-years.

If you reside in Canada, you can find out more about Nexus Protect on Google’s webpage for the program here.

Google reportedly planning a ‘watershed’ quantum computing announcement for December 8

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 11 2015 - 10:32 am PT
10 Comments

According to Steve Jurvetson, venture capitalist and board member at pioneer quantum computing company D-WAVE (as well as others, such as Tesla and SpaceX), Google has what may be a “watershed” quantum computing announcement scheduled for early next month. This comes as D-WAVE, which notably also holds the Mountain View company as a customer, has just sold a 1000+ Qubit 2X quantum computer to national security research institution Los Alamos…
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Google shows off new paint jobs for its self-driving car prototypes

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 11 2015 - 7:46 am PT
1 Comment

Earlier this year, Google called on community artists in San Francisco to design the doors to some of its cute prototype self-driving cars. The contest’s winners were announced in late September, but now Google has come out on Google+ to post the first picture of some of the custom paint jobs now mostly finished and ready to hit the road.

We’ve been following the self-driving car program pretty closely as of late, and told you just last week that the cars haven’t seen an accident in over two months despite driving 100k miles. Also of note in recent weeks, Nest CEO Tony Fadell came out to say in an interview with Bloomberg that riding in the cars feels like being taxied by a professional driver.

Here’s how to see the personal information Google shares about you on the web

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Nov 11 2015 - 3:55 am PT
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Google has launched a new ‘About Me’ page, which lets you see and change what personal information is visible to others when you use any of Google’s services. The company has most likely introduced the service in an effort to counter concerns about data privacy.

Don’t expect too much from it: it’s essentially the same information you can see on Google+, and mostly appears to be an alternative for those of us who long ago consigned Google+ to history. When I checked my data, it showed only my name, gender, birthday and occupation. But if you shared contact details with any Google service, those may also be visible, so it’s worth a quick look.

You can edit the information shown, as well as choose who can view each piece of data. Personally, I always enter a false date of birth on web forms, as it’s a key piece of information used by identity thieves. I set it to private simply to ward off any mistaken birthday wishes.

You can check your own data at aboutme.google.com, where you’ll also find a link to Google’s existing privacy checkup.

You can now try Firefox OS 2.5 on your Android device with a quick APK install

Avatar for Abner Li Nov 10 2015 - 3:35 pm PT
0 Comments

Bored with your current flavor Android, but don’t want to flash a new ROM? You’re in luck. Firefox has today released an interesting “Developer Preview” version of their web-based Firefox OS.

The Firefox OS 2.5 Developer Preview is an experimental app that lets you use an almost-complete version of Firefox OS your device — without having to flash anything. The 88 mb APK behaves like any launcher you would find on the Play Store. However, it also has several system apps for making phone calls, messaging, sending emails, an app store etc. Of course, you can still launch your regular apps.

It’s a Developer Preview for a reason and the animations are rather slow on the device I was testing on (but it is much stable than you’d expect). There are some interesting UI ideas and features in Firefox OS, and since Firefox OS is catered towards lower end devices, it’s unlikely most people have tried Firefox OS. It makes for an interesting exploration. Head on over to the site to download the APK. There’s also an option to flash the OS if you want the full experience.

PSA: Android Studio 1.5 is now available in beta

Avatar for Stephen Hall Nov 10 2015 - 2:54 pm PT
0 Comments

If you’re a developer and you use Android Studio in any capacity, you might be happy to hear that Google has today launched Android Studio 1.5 in beta. Google says that the beta release isn’t that much different than Preview 2 (except a few bug fixes, of course), and it’s worth mentioning that Preview 2 wasn’t all that different than Preview 1.

You can update your current 1.4 installation to 1.5 beta by using the built-in patch mechanism, Google says, but you may not want to do that as it will completely replace your stable installation with a potentially less-reliable beta version. If you download from the Preview 2 page, you can keep 1.4 and 1.5 installed side by side — which might be best option regardless.