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Android 5.1.1 OTA image for Nexus 4 is now available, here’s how to install it (Update: Nexus 5, too)

Update: The OTA download link is now available for the Nexus 5 as well.

Android 5.1.1 been making its way to most Nexus devices over the last few weeks, and now it’s time for the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 to get a chance at the fun. The factory images still haven’t been uploaded to Google’s developers’ website, but some Nexus 4 and 5 owners are already receiving the update to 5.1.1 over-the-air and have kindly shared the download links—meaning you can get the update right now straight from Google’s servers and sideload it via ADB.
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Verizon employee says Android 5.1 coming to Droid Turbo in ‘mid-June’

A Verizon employee has taken to his Google+ profile to share that the Motorola DROID Turbo (which is exclusive to the red carrier) will be getting its update to Android 5.1 Lollipop at some point in “mid-June.”

He also opened up about why updates to Verizon phones can sometimes take a while:

Verizon delays on latest smartphones are due to Nationwide HD Voice. We want to make sure Software updates for HD Voice service is acceptable and does not impact voice quality. Verizon is the only company that has nationwide HD Voice in the USA. AT&T just has most metro cities here and there. T-Mobile and Sprint are way behind.

Apparently, the fact that Verizon has Nationwide HD voice sets some of the company’s software updates back a bit. Android Lollipop as a whole, though, has been very slowly rolling out to several devices across various carriers for just about 6 months now, so this isn’t exactly surprising.

We’ll let you know when the update is rolling out.

 

Android Wear 5.1.1 OTA download links now available, here’s how to install them

Android Wear 5.1.1 is now rolling out to smartwatches everywhere, but as is the case with Google’s over-the-air updates, it might be days before you actually see the latest version pop up on your device. Rollouts start slowly, but thankfully there’s a way around Google’s careful and incremental rollout: OTA download links. It takes a little know-how to capture one, but once they’re discovered, anyone can simply download them to their computer and sideload them via ADB.

The over-the-air download links are now starting to show up for the most recently-released Android Wear 5.1.1 update, and you can find them organized below…
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Google says that Android Wear 5.1.1 rollout should (actually) be starting now

Google first announced Android Wear 5.1.1 back in April, and said that the update should be rolling out over the “coming weeks.” It looks like “coming weeks” has finally arrived today, as the company just took to its Product Forums to announce (again?) that the update to 5.1.1 should be rolling out “gradually in the coming days and weeks.”

In order for you to receive this update on your watch, please make sure you have the latest version of the Android Wear app on your phone, by opening the Play Store, searching for “Android Wear”, and opening the app’s Play Store page. If an [Update] button is visible, make sure to update the app.

We hope you are as excited about this update as we are.  The release will roll out gradually in the coming days and weeks. Please feel free to ask questions, share feedback, and let us know if you encounter any issues!

While many of the Android Wear OEMs at this point have already confirmed the features that are (or aren’t) coming to their devices, Google also took this opportunity to finalize the devices that would be getting much sought-after WiFi support. It looks like it’s only four devices for the moment, including the LG Watch Urbane (obviously), the Moto 360, the Sony Smartwatch 3, and the Samsung Gear Live.

For the full rundown of the features coming with 5.1.1, see the original announcement.

Google pushes Chrome version 43 to the stable channel w/ Web MIDI support, more

We told you about Chrome 43 beta back in April, but now Google has pushed it to the stable channel. Not many groundbreaking new features are included with this version, but it does pack Web MIDI support, new security and compatibility fixes, and “a number of small changes to enable developers to build more powerful web applications.”

The Chrome team is happy to announce the promotion of Chrome 43 to the stable channel for Windows, Mac and Linux. Chrome 43.0.2357.65 contains a number of fixes and improvements.  A list of changes is available in the log.

Security Fixes and Rewards
Note: Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix. We will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third party library that other projects similarly depend on, but haven’t yet fixed.
This update includes 37 security fixes. Below, we highlight fixes that were contributed by external researchers. Please see the Chromium security page for more information.

The update should be rolling out now.

Microsoft launches Word, Excel, and Powerpoint for Android phones in beta

Microsoft has this morning launched the smartphone counterpart of its previously tablet-only word processing suite for Android. Microsoft’s Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps on the Play Store have now—appropriately—ditched the “for Tablet” part of their name, and beta testers now have access to these apps with smartphone support baked right in…
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Google App updated with transparent status & navigation bars for all users

via <a href="http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/05/18/google-app-v4-6-enables-translucent-status-and-navigation-bars-for-google-now-screen-on-custom-launchers-apk-download/">Android Police</a>

With Google I/O right around the corner, the company is prepping its apps with minor updates ahead of the expected larger changes to come later this month. This evening, the Google App on Android received a minor update with a few visual changes. For users of custom launchers, the update enables full screen mode for Google Now.


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Android Wear rumored to be getting speaker support and on-watch calling features

It wasn’t that long ago that Android Wear got its big update to Android 5.1.1, but now rumors about the next revision of the smartwatch operating system are starting to pop up. According to the well-connected Artem Russakovskii, the Android Wear team is currently cooking up support for watches with built-in speaker hardware, as well as planning to introduce on-watch calling…


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T-Mobile’s Galaxy Tab S 10.5 receiving OTA update to Android Lollipop (Update: Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular too)

Update (Verizon): If this page on Samsung’s support website is to be believed, 5.0.2 should soon begin rolling out to users of Verizon’s Galaxy Tab S 10.5 as well. The page includes no additional info on the update, like download size or enhancements beyond those included in Lollipop itself, save for the date released (5/20/2015) and the software version number (T807VVRU1BOD2).

Update 2 (Sprint): Now the changelog for Sprint’s variant of the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 has been updated to reflect an upgrade to 5.0.2 as well, so it should be rolling out soon. Separate from the enhancements and bug fixes included in 5.0 Lollipop and those added by Sprint, this update also removes the Lumen Toolbar which most Sprint users consider to be crapware.

Update 3 (US Cellular): And now we have the changelog for U.S. Cellular’s variant of the Galaxy Tab S 10.5, so 5.0.2 should be going out over air for those devices soon. The description includes nothing more than the list of enhancements and bug fixes that are included in standard 5.0.2 Lollipop. The release date is listed as today and the software version number is T807R4TYUBOE5.

Owners of the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 on T-Mobile’s network may fret no more. If you haven’t already, you should soon see an over-the-air update come to your device updating it to Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.

The device has up until now run Android 4.4 KitKat, with the AT&T model receiving an OTA update to Lollipop last week and the WiFi variant having received it back in March. It would be nice if this update would have been to a newer, more stable version of Lollipop like 5.1.1, as earlier versions including 5.0.2 have been known to cause a bevy of problems for many devices.

But alas, as the picture above shows, the update bumps the software version of the T-Mobile Galaxy Tab S to T807TUVU1BOE1. The full download comes in at a whopping 1.1 GB.

 

Samsung launches new ‘Blue Topaz’ and ‘Green Emerald’ Galaxy S6 color variants

Neither of these are the rumored (and more recently, teased) Iron Man-themed red-and-gold Galaxy S6 Edge, but Samsung is now launching two new color variants for its current-generation Android flagship. The first of which is a shiny “Blue Topaz” Galaxy S6 and the second is an equally as vibrant “Green Emerald” Galaxy S6 Edge.


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Xiaomi’s Mi Store ‘beta’ to open in US, UK, France and Germany on May 19th

Xiaomi is going to very slowly start its entry into Europe and the United States next week, according to a post from the company’s Facebook page. Starting on the 19th of May, the company will offer a small selection of accessories—including power banks and headphones—to buyers in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany…
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Motorola starts soak testing Android 5.1 for the first-gen Moto E

We told you a couple days ago that Android 5.1 had started rolling out to the 2015 Moto E, but now it looks like Motorola is soak testing the same version of Android for its much older first generation Moto E.

As per the change log on the company’s Indian support website:

We are excited to announce a new software update for Moto E (1st Gen.) by Motorola. This update brings Android™ 5.1  Lollipop to your phone along with other improvements.

For now the update is only hitting devices in India, but this means that it will almost surely be hitting other locales around the world soon. Android 5.1 includes support for multiple SIM cards, new device protection features, high definition voice calling, and more.

Google Chrome team says there are ‘no plans’ to bring extensions to mobile

According to a statement from a member of the Google Chrome team, there are currently “no plans” to bring extensions to the mobile version of the browser. It’s a feature that has long been wanted, but the Chrome for Android Technical Program Manager says that they haven’t been able to implement them and still provide a good UX.

As per the AMA from yesterday:

There are no plans to add extensions support on mobile. We haven’t been able to implement these on mobile and still have it be a good user experience.

This seems a bit like the team is dodging the question here, and they don’t provide any details as to what exactly it is about the mobile experience that gets worse with extensions in the picture. One of the most popular extensions, AdBlock, would put an end to mobile ads—many of which Google themselves serves. Maybe this is what’s keeping extensions from allowing a “good user experience.”

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PSA: WhatsApp stable channel updated with Material Design

WhatsApp got Material Design in beta a few versions ago (and most avid users of the service have probably been on that version for a while), but now the official Play Store listing has been updated to version 2.12.84, bringing Material Design with it.

Other than a visual overhaul, this version doesn’t appear to pack any substantial changes. It was just recently, however, that the app was updated to bring voice calling to all users—another feature that WhatsApp had been testing for months before it was pushed to the masses.

You can grab the latest version of WhatsApp on the Play Store for free.

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Google Drive for Android gets updated w/ performance improvements, PDF enhancements

Google is rolling out an update for the Google Drive for Android app today that it says brings a long list of performance improvements and polish.

Google says the update also includes enhancements to PDFs with “the ability to see completed form data.”

The updated Google Drive for Android app, version 2.2.183.15, should be available to all through Google Play over the coming week.

Google released updates to other Android apps today including new features for Google Docs and Slides and improvements for Gmail.

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Improvements to Gmail for Android incoming

Google is rolling out some improvements to Gmail for Android that it says are based on recent feedback from users.

Updates include quick access to recent conversations, contact info and more by tapping on avatars, and improved support for non-Gmail addresses:

– Tapping on people’s avatars now lets you see recent conversations, contact info, and more.
-Support for non-Gmail addresses (IMAP) is now more reliable and adding additional accounts is a smoother experience.

The updates will be available in the latest Gmail for Android app for all in the coming days.

Earlier today Google rolled out updates to its Android apps for Google Docs and Slides

YotaPhone 2 adds white color option to AMOLED + E-ink display hardware, Lollipop update rolling out

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The intriguing and unique YotaPhone 2 may not be quite ready for the United States just yet, but there will be a new color option and a significant software update for the half AMOLED, half electronic paper display smartphone when it arrives…
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Official Google I/O app beta channel updated for 2015, download it here

Update: Google has now updated the I/O app in the Play Store with the changes below ahead of May 28 – May 29 event. Grab it on the Play Store now.

The Google I/O app has received a few major updates over the last few years, each one landing right around the time of Google’s huge developers’ conference taking place in San Francisco, California. Now, some users who joined the beta channel of the Google I/O app last year have started receiving the update to its Google I/O 2015 version, and it packs a nifty super-Material redesign…


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Motorola begins testing Android 5.1 update for 2013 Moto X, rollout to start in a few weeks

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In a post on Google+, Motorola this evening announced that the long-awaited Lollipop update for the 2013 Moto X will begin testing this week in both the United States and Latin America. Motorola’s Senior Director of Software Product Management, David Schuster, made the announcement and noted that the after testing via TestDrive is concluded, the update will start full deployment. Schuster anticipates that the full rollout will commence in a “few weeks.”


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