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Monday, June 1, 2015

Android M Feature: Light Colored Status Bar Could Mean Dark Notification Icons in Apps

I know I said we were done with the Android M features for today, but this one just popped up courtesy of Googler Roman Nurik. According to a post of his over on Google+, in Android M, we could see things like notification and system status icons flip from white to dark depending on the app and the color of the app’s status bar. 

If a developer turns on “android:windowLightStatusBar” in the theme of their app, the system will be prompted to switch to a “dark foreground.” This is useful in situations like you are seeing above, where a status bar is light and wouldn’t show the white notification or system status icons very well.

In his post, Roman did mention that there is currently a bug in the Android M preview that only changes the status icons to dark, leaving notification icons white. That will surely be fixed before long for those interested in lighter themes that would look better with darker notification icons.

Via:  +Roman Nurik

Android M Feature: Light Colored Status Bar Could Mean Dark Notification Icons in Apps is a post from: Droid Life



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Android M Feature: Google Added a Split Keyboard for Tablets

This last Android M feature for today isn’t exactly a big one, but for tablet owners, it could come in handy depending on how you like to hold your big-screened device and tap out messages or emails. In Android M, Google appears to be ready to introduce a split keyboard. 

As you can see in the images here, a quick toggle turned to “on” in keyboard settings for the Google Keyboard gives you a keyboard that is much more easy to type on in landscape or almost any large screen. The keyboard breaks into two, making it easier for your thumbs to be the primary key presses without a lot of stress.+

Split keyboards like this have been around for years from third party keyboard makers, but (as far as we can tell) this is the first time Google has done it with its own keyboard.

To access the split keyboard, long-press on the comma, then swipe up into settings. From there, choose “Google Keyboard settings,” Appearances & layouts, and then Enable split keyboard.

android m split keyboard


Be sure to checkout all of our Android M feature highlights!

Android M Feature: Google Added a Split Keyboard for Tablets is a post from: Droid Life



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Deal: Get a HTC Desire 510 and 1-Year Unlimited Talk-and-Text From FreedomPop for $249

Over the course of the next 6 days, you can grab a HTC Desire 510 coupled with a 1-year subscription to FreedomPop for just $249 on the DL Deals Store. With FreedomPop, customers receive 500MB of 3G/4G LTE data per month, plus unlimited talk and text. 

In addition to your basic voice and data plan, you also receive 1 year of visual voicemail, 1 year of tethering, and 1 year of usage alerts. This is all coupled with no contract or early termination fees.

The HTC Desire 510 phone features a 4.7″ FWVGA display, Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of onboard storage, removable 2100mAh battery, 5MP rear-facing camera, and runs Kit Kat out of the box.

Features

  • Unlimited text & talk, plus 500MB 4G/3G LTE data per month for 1 year ($131.88 value)
  • 1 year of visual voicemail – $30 value
  • 1 year of tethering – $47.88 value
  • 1 year of usage alerts – $23.88 value
  • No contracts or early termination fees
  • Sleek, durable design
  • Free international calling
  • Dependable performance

If this deal interests you, follow the link below.

Deal Link

Deal: Get a HTC Desire 510 and 1-Year Unlimited Talk-and-Text From FreedomPop for $249 is a post from: Droid Life



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Android M Feature: Apps Manager is Simpler, Yet Insanely More Powerful

One of those back-end sets of changes in Android M that I think you are going to really love has to do with the new App Manager or “Apps” section in Settings. In previous versions of Android, this section included three columns of “Downloaded,” “Running,” and “All” apps. These three columns could be navigated easily, but always seemed a bit convoluted. Now, the upfront interface of “Apps” is much simpler, but man, are there are all sorts of new tools and options to tweak should you really want to dive into how your phone runs. 

For one, the three columns are now gone. Google has simplified everything down into a single column of apps. Downloaded apps and others that may be pre-loaded that you will use regularly will all show in this list, but if you want to see things like “Nfc Servie” or “Print Spooler,” you will have to tap the action overflow menu in the top right and tell it to “Show system.”

You will also see an option for “Advanced,” but hold onto that thought as we have a whole bunch of other items to address. Let’s first tap on an app to see what has changed in app info pages. We’ll use Android Wear for this example.

Screenshot_20150601-144755 Screenshot_20150601-145455 Screenshot_20150601-144852

The first thing you should notice is how clean and simple the app info pages are now. They are no longer broken up into big, extensive sections on a single page that allow you to clear data or defaults or check permissions. Instead, Google has given each section a shortcut which takes you to a new page filled with additional options. When you see all of your new controls, you will understand why Google went this route.

Screenshot_20150601-144856 Screenshot_20150601-144900 Screenshot_20150601-144904

If we start tapping on items, this is where things get fun. As you can see above, you now have a separate page for “Storage” management under this specific app. In there, you will see familiar options for clearing data or cache and how much storage an app is gobbling up. You can check the data usage of an app by tapping on the “Data” option, where you will see a page fitted with a graph, date range, and whether or not it is using data in the background or foreground. If you want to start controlling permissions for a single app, something that is new in Android M, you would tap on the “Permissions” section. In here, as you might expect, you will find quick toggles for turning off individual permissions. Before you dive in a start doing this, remember that most apps aren’t currently built to function under this feature, so some may break. And don’t worry, Google will remind you.

Screenshot_20150601-144909 Screenshot_20150601-144914 Screenshot_20150601-152550 Screenshot_20150601-144933

Should you choose the “Notifications” option, this is where you will find full notifications controls for an app, with toggles for outright blocking to treating as priority or allowing peeking (formerly known as heads-up notifications). The next section would be “Open by default,” which is your control page for system defaults you have set for that particular app. One new thing Google has added is “App links,” or giving a specific app permission to automatically open select types of links. For an app like Drive, you can see in the third image above that something like “docs.google.com” or “drive.google.com” would have permission to open. Finally, there is a section for battery, so you can see how much battery an app has been using with breakdowns of CPU total, keep awake time, WiFi packets received, and WiFi packets sent.

apps manager

So those are all of the individual app info page options, but there are even more if you are looking at your list of apps and choose “Advanced” in the top-right menu. In the Advanced section, we now have system controls over app groups or links or permissions, along with a way to force apps out of being battery optimized by the system.

Screenshot_20150601-145500 Screenshot_20150601-145523 Screenshot_20150601-153313 Screenshot_20150601-145605

In the “Default Apps” section you will see a list of apps that have defined defaults. In the image above, there are listing for the browser, phone, and SMS app, along with the current default. If I want to change that, I can tap on one and the system will then show me other options that I may want to set as the new default.

If you want to control all of the default app links permissions per app on a single page, tapping on the “App links” section will get you there. As you can see in the image above (far-right), this shows me an entire list of apps and whether or not I have associated approved links with them. From there, a single tap gets me into their “Open by default” page to adjust anything I choose.

Screenshot_20150601-145610 Screenshot_20150601-145613 Screenshot_20150601-150930

Now, we also have another way here to dive into mass-permissions control. By tapping on the “App permissions” section under Advanced, you have all of your high-level permissions laid out in front of you. With this, you can tap something like Calendar and then see every single app that has been given access to the Calendar permission. If you don’t want an app to have that access, you can start turning them off one by one. Pretty sweet, right?

Screenshot_20150601-145620 Screenshot_20150601-145624

Finally, you have two more choices of “Ignore optimizations” and “Memory.” At this time, the Ignore optimizations section only allows you to tell apps to ignore the system battery optimizations, which could end up ruining your battery life. In the Memory section, you get to see which apps are running, how much RAM is being used, etc.

As a geek on any level, this type of control in the Apps manager has to get you excited.


Be sure to checkout all of our Android M feature highlights!

Android M Feature: Apps Manager is Simpler, Yet Insanely More Powerful is a post from: Droid Life



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Google Intros My Account Page, Your One-Stop Shop for Security and Privacy Settings

To give Google users one simple place to manage everything on their account, the company has introduced the My Account page. Here, users can tweak settings from device activity and notifications, to account history and ad settings. 

Right on the homepage for My Account, Google describes the page as, “My Account gives you quick access to the settings and tools that let you safeguard your data, protect your privacy, and decide how your information can make Google tools and services work better for you.”

In addition to all of that, Google even offers a quick Privacy Checkup and Security Checkup, making sure all of you folks are browsing safe out there.

If you want to go over all of your settings, check out My Account.

Via: @Google

Google Intros My Account Page, Your One-Stop Shop for Security and Privacy Settings is a post from: Droid Life



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“Ok Google” Detection From Any Screen Fixed on Galaxy S6

For whatever exact reason, “Ok Google” hotword detection from any screen on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge has been broken for the past couple of months. But according to one Google community manager, the issue has been fixed, and Galaxy S6 users can go back to saying “Ok Google” from whatever app they may be in. 

It is reported that the cause of the issue stems from Samsung’s own voice-reliant S Voice software. Once the fix rolls out to your device, it appears some S-Voice functionality will be limited, but if you had to choose between Google and Samsung’s assistant, we would recommend Google.

Here is the statement from Google’s community manager.

Now, we are happy to share that the “From any screen” function has been fixed for S6 and S6 Edge devices on the Google Search App (GSA), and the fix is actively rolling out to users. To ensure that this feature becomes available to you soon, please ensure that you are running the most up-to-date version of GSA (4.5+). Please note that “Ok Google” from any screen will be available, however remaining compatibility issues mean that turning on the feature will limit the availability of S-voice hotwording to only when the screen is off. Users who prefer to avoid this can turn off “Ok Google” from any screen.

Happy searching, Galaxy S6 owners.

Via: Google Product Forums

“Ok Google” Detection From Any Screen Fixed on Galaxy S6 is a post from: Droid Life



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Deal: Nexus Player is Just $69 at Best Buy ($30 Off)

Forget the $20 off deal that Google was hosting for the Nexus Player, Best Buy is currently selling the Android TV box for $30 off. We aren’t sure how long the deal will last, but at just $69.99, you are looking at a heck of a deal on a device that not only brings you streaming goodness from most of your favorite services, like Netflix, Play Movies & TV, Plex, etc., but it also is capable of playing a number of popular games, like The Walking Dead series from Telltale Games.

The deal includes free shipping.

Best Buy Link 

Screen Shot 2015-06-01 at 12.50.15 PM

Cheers Alan!

Deal: Nexus Player is Just $69 at Best Buy ($30 Off) is a post from: Droid Life



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Giveaway: Win a Nexus 9, Chromecast, and $100 Google Play Gift Card From the DL Deals Store

A new giveaway is up on the DL Deals Store, giving you a chance to win a brand new Nexus 9 tablet, Chromecast HDMI dongle, and $100 Google Play gift card. Entering is very easy, with all you needing to do is enter an email address. That’s it. 

To help increase your odds of winning, there are a few extra steps you can perform. Once you have entered, you can share the giveaway on Twitter and Google+, plus you can even follow us on Twitter or Google+. But no, you don’t need to perform these actions to win.

If you want a new tablet, dongle and gift card, enter below.

Enter Here

Giveaway: Win a Nexus 9, Chromecast, and $100 Google Play Gift Card From the DL Deals Store is a post from: Droid Life



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Android M Feature: New Vertically Scrolling App Drawer and Widget Picker are Greatly Improved

If you flash the Android M developer preview images (our tour!) on the Nexus 5, 6, or 9, one of the first things you will undoubtedly notice is the new app drawer. With a change in direction of how it scrolls, you might be thrown off at first, but trust me, it’s not as bad as others have made it out to be. Along with that new app drawer, we are also getting a greatly improved widget picker that makes it much easier to find the widget you intended to find.

Let’s start first with the app drawer, because well, it scrolls vertically and that is a pretty drastic change from the horizontal scroll you have enjoyed since Ice Cream Sandwich. So, yes, when you pop open the app drawer from the white circle on the home screen, you get a pretty white animation into a drawer that will no longer look all that familiar. It scrolls vertically, showcases alphabetical grouping of apps (with letter indicators), a search bar, and the four most-recently used app shortcuts. As you scroll, the letter indicators knock one-another out of the way and Google tries to smartly combine letters with few app choices into others so that your drawer doesn’t look completely empty and awkward. It even uses an endless scroll instead of a paginated approach, so one flick can get you from the top of your drawer to the bottom.

Is the new app drawer ridiculously bad? No. Is it a change from what you are used to? Yep! At first tour, I can admit that I was quite thrown off. But now that I have spent the weekend with it, I am already mostly used to it and no longer get frustrated when opening it. While I would still prefer a horizontal scroll, a vertical scroll won’t kill me. Plus, if I start to amass a couple of hundred or so apps in my app drawer, searching, faster scrolling, and categorization might come in handy. If you think about it, outside of the change in direction, this app drawer as greatly improved over the Lollipop release on numerous levels.

Outside of the new app drawer, you will find a new widget picker that (as you may have guessed) scrolls vertically too. Along with the vertical scroll, the entire UI has been revamped to make it easier to find the widget you want to find. There are app indicators (with app icons) separating widgets, letting you know exactly which widgets each app is for. In the previous widget pickers, you had big boxes that showed previews of apps set above tiny little identifiers. Finding widgets was a pain in the ass, if I’m being honest. Now, it’s super easy to do. Google is also now grouping together widgets on a per-app basis in side-scrolling rows.

Overall, I would say that the app drawer and widget picker in Android M have been greatly improved, you just may have to get used to a change in direction.

android m app drawer-2


Be sure to checkout all of our Android M feature highlights!

Android M Feature: New Vertically Scrolling App Drawer and Widget Picker are Greatly Improved is a post from: Droid Life



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New Humble Bundle Posted With Hellraid: The Escape and More, Average Currently at $2.74

Humble Bundle, the service that lets you pay what you want for games, while also helping out charities, is back yet again with a new set of games for you to check out. 

Inside this bundle, users can pay whatever price for Timeline: Assault on America, The Ministry of Silly Walks, and Hellraid: The Escape. If you pay more than the average, currently at $2.74, you also gain access to Worm 3, Puzzle Retreat, and Twisty Hollow. As a reminder, if you pay more than the average now, you will get additional games for free next Monday when the bundle is updated.

A portion of proceeds from this Humble Bundle support Electronic Frontier Foundation and Worldreader.

Go get some cool games and support a few great charities.

Humble Bundle

New Humble Bundle Posted With Hellraid: The Escape and More, Average Currently at $2.74 is a post from: Droid Life



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Android Distribution Updated for June 2015 – Lollipop Now on 12.4% of All Devices

Android Distribution numbers have been updated for June, showing a somewhat small increase in the number of devices running Lollipop. Last month, Lollipop was at nearly 10% of devices, and one month later, it sits at 12.4%. It’s not a huge jump, but hey, it’s an improvement. 

Jelly Bean and Kit Kat still claim the two largest chunks of the pie, with Kit Kat having a very slight advantage at 39.2% over Jelly Bean’s 37.4%. And yes, DROID Turbo owners represent a nice little share of that Kit Kat usage.

The rest of the versions of Android all dropped, just like they have been for months. Ice Cream Sandwich is down to 5.1% from 5.3%, and Gingerbread to 5.6% from 5.7%. Froyo is continues to sit at 0.3% devices. Impressive lifespan.

Last month’s numbers can be viewed here.

Via: Android

Android Distribution Updated for June 2015 – Lollipop Now on 12.4% of All Devices is a post from: Droid Life



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HBO Go, Twitch, FX Now and More Apps Coming Soon to Android TV

Your Android TV will soon have a few more apps to play with, including HBO Go, HBO Now, CBS News, Twitch, and FX Now. As detailed by NVIDIA, Android TV is a growing platform with an already healthy assortment of apps, but soon, more standalone applications will come, making an Android TV set-top box or Smart TV with Android TV built-in an even better purchase. 

Many of the aforementioned apps already allow for Cast functionality for streaming, but Android TV lacks many standalone blockbuster apps. One large name is HBO, and at this time, you still have to cast from HBO Go to bring any Game of Thrones action to your big screen. However, this summer, HBO intends to launch its HBO Now subscription service for Android users, and hopefully before that, HBO Go will be made available as well for those who already pay their cable provider for access.

There are no dates set for the release of these apps onto Android TV, but as more information is made available, we will update you. To see what apps are already available for Android TV, check them out on Google Play.

Apps Coming to Android TV

  • HBO Now
  • HBO Go
  • CBS News
  • CBS Sports
  • Fox Sports
  • FX Now
  • Fox Now
  • Fox News
  • EPIX
  • WWE
  • UFC
  • USA Today
  • Vimeo
  • Qello
  • Vudu
  • Twitch
Via: NVIDIA

HBO Go, Twitch, FX Now and More Apps Coming Soon to Android TV is a post from: Droid Life



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Android M Feature: Do Not Disturb Mode Returns With Automatic Rules, Repeat Caller Settings

In the Android L developer preview, Google introduced a Do Not Disturb to Android for the first time, then randomly changed its name to “Interruptions” when it went stable as Lollipop. “Interruptions” never really made much sense as an adoptable or recognizable name, so now in the Android M preview, we are back to Do Not Disturb (hopefully, for good). And with that name change, we have new features and a different setup to it all, so let’s talk about it. 

First of all, Do Not Disturb (DND) mode is now no longer a part of the volume controls. Well, for the most part. Instead of showing options for None, Priority, and All when adjusting the volume, like you saw in Lollipop, the volume slider is now without DND options unless you had previously set some sort of DND mode. If you have, the slider will let you “end” whatever DND mode has been set. Otherwise, volume is volume and DND is a separate entity altogether.

do not disturb android m

In order to access Do Not Disturb in Android M, you have a quick settings toggle that when pressed, shows you options for “Total Silence,” “Alarms only,” and “Priority only.” “Total silence” and “Alarms only” are pretty self explanatory, but if “Priority only” is throwing you, just think of it as a DND mode that only lets notifications through from apps you set as “Priority” in the notifications control section of Sounds & notifications.

Depending on the option you choose, you can set each to stay until you “turn this off” or specify a time through hourly increments. If you need more settings then that, you can tap “More settings” and get into a deeper view of Do Not Disturb. This is also where we are seeing new features arrive.

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Once in “More settings,” you have two areas to jump into – “Priority only allows” and “Automatic rules.” In “Priority only allows,” you get a familiar set of settings for DND that let you decide what comes through when in Priority Only mode. There are options for reminders, events on your calendar, or messages/calls from select groups of people. One new entry has arrived with Android M and that’s “Repeat callers.” Repeat Callers is as it sounds, a feature that lets someone who calls you over and over again a pass through your DND mode as it may be an emergency.

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Finally, with “Automatic rules” you get a designated area for setting up automatic DND profiles. There are pre-set rules for Weekend, Weeknight, and Event, to help get you started on automating your Do Not Disturb settings. As you know from Lollipop, these rules try to automate DND by letting you decide set times or days (or based on events) when your phone will remain silent. If none of those work, you can manually setup your own automatic rules based on either time or events.

And that’s the new Do Not Disturb mode in Android M.


Be sure to checkout all of our Android M feature highlights!

Android M Feature: Do Not Disturb Mode Returns With Automatic Rules, Repeat Caller Settings is a post from: Droid Life



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TAG Heuer Names Its Android Wear Device, Will be Upgradable as Technology Matures

TAG Heuer, the Swiss watchmaker who has been making headlines with its upcoming $1K+ Android Wear smartwatch, has revealed the name for the device. As stated by Jean-Claude Biver, TAG’s CEO, the watch will be called the Carrera Wearable 01, symbolizing the similarities between the wearable device and TAG’s current Carrera Heuer 01 watch, pictured above. 

As previously announced, the watch will indeed run Android Wear, while being powered by Intel silicon. The powerful ‘Swiss Made’ certification is still up in the air, though, as TAG appears to be ready to go on without it, which may be a big deal for potential buyers. TAG’s Biver states, “For a traditional mechanical watch, ‘Swiss Made’ is a reference and criteria of reliability and quality. For a connected watch, Android from Google and Intel Inside are the criteria of quality and reliability.”

Even for us American buyers, I would not go so far as to say Android Wear and mobile Intel processors are the criteria for quality and reliability. Quality, maybe, but reliability seems to be pushing it. To me, if I am paying nearly $1,400 for a smartwatch, the hardware better be the selling point, and it better last a long time. To combat the notion that its smartwatch will be outdated in only years, TAG claims the watch will be upgradable as time goes on and technology matures. For example, if you gave the watch as a gift, TAG will make sure the watch will last a lifetime.

“We want to be able to change the technology but keep the watch elements. If your child completed their Masters degree, you might want to give them a watch. We want to create something that will stay on your watch for a lifetime, that’s what TAG Heuer does. And as the technology changes, it will change,” claims TAG’s UK communications manager Alexandra King.

TAG’s smartwatch is set to release in Q4 of this year, featuring a price tag of around $1,400.

As you hear more about it, does it interest you?

Via: Forbes

TAG Heuer Names Its Android Wear Device, Will be Upgradable as Technology Matures is a post from: Droid Life



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Android M Feature: Be Gone Terrible Lollipop Volume Controls!

You know how the volume/do-not-disturb combination of things in Lollipop drove almost all of you nuts? Google heard you loud and clear and have attempted to fix the volume situation with Android M. We now have simplified volume controls that actually make sense and work like they used to.

As you will see in the video below, you can once again press the volume down button on your phone to take you all the way to vibrate, but another tap then jumps into silent mode, which really is now Do Not Disturb mode (again). That mode makes everything quiet, outside of alarms, which is exactly how it should be and should have been. 

Outside of the silent mode returning, you can drop down the volume pop-up to reveal quick access to individual controls for media and alarms.

Do Not Disturb mode has changed quite a bit, though, so we’ll be back shortly with more detailed info on how it works. Until then, rejoice over the return of volume controls that make sense!


Be sure to checkout all of our Android M feature highlights!

Android M Feature: Be Gone Terrible Lollipop Volume Controls! is a post from: Droid Life



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ASUS Announces ZenWatch 2, Comes in Two Sizes With IP67 Rating

At the annual Computex exhibition for manufacturers, taking place in Taipei, ASUS unveiled the ZenWatch 2. Running the latest Android Wear software, the ZenWatch 2 will come in a variety of finishes, along with a large collection of straps. To start it off, the ZenWatch 2 will come in two sizes, presumably for big and small wrists, with Stainless Steel casing in either Rose Gold, Silver, and Gunmetal.

When compared to last year’s ZenWatch, there are only a few major differences, but it is clear that ASUS thought quite hard about how they could make the design and usability much better. To start, ASUS added in a dedicated Power button on the side of the device, with ASUS stating that it allows for users to interact with their device in an all-new way. 

Additionally, the ZenWatch 2 features a water resistance and dust resistance rating of IP67, meaning users can even wear their watches in the shower if they so choose. And lastly, ASUS designed a magnetic charger that snaps onto the ZenWatch 2’s backside for quick charging. No more obnoxious dock that renders the device untouchable during charging.

As of right now, there is no release information or timeframe for the device, or a price. The original ZenWatch costs $199, so it could be likely ASUS will aim to stick around that price point. The ZenWatch also launched in November, meaning we could have a few months to go before ASUS is ready to launch.

Thoughts?

ASUS ZenWatch 2 Leather

Via: ASUS

ASUS Announces ZenWatch 2, Comes in Two Sizes With IP67 Rating is a post from: Droid Life



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Android M Feature: Auto Backups of Apps to Google Drive, Plus Auto Restoring

If you happen to change phones a lot or wipe your device often enough, you probably know that the backup and setup process on Android has been pretty brutal for, well, ever. That should change a bit in Android M thanks to auto backups of all apps installed on your phone. Because Google wants to “ensure a good experience” for those who do setup phones more regularly than others, all of this behind-the-scenes magic will happen without any work from users or developers. 

According to Google, app data and setting preferences in those apps will be automatically backed up to Google Drive in Android M. On a user side, this option can be toggled on or off at the system level, but on the developer side, developers simply need to decide if they want to limit what data is backed up. That’s it. Otherwise, Google is automatically backing up app user data and setting preferences to Google Drive, then encrypting it all. No work is needed from anyone for the most part to make this all happen.

The Android M documentation on “Auto Backup for Apps” states that there is no charge to developers or users for the data storage saved, plus it doesn’t count towards their user’s personal Drive storage quota. During the Android M Preview, users can store up to 25MB of data per Android app.

Google says that these automatic backups occur ever 24 hours, but only when the “device is idle, charging and connected to a WiFi network.” As for restores, (setting up a new device or uninstalling then reinstalling a backed up app), a “restore operation copies the backed up data into the newly installed app’s data directory.”

As I mentioned, the only thing that need to be configured on the developer is whether or not a developer wants specific files limited from backup. Google is doing the backup automatically for all apps, but developers can decide to exclude files. Keep in mind that Google won’t backup temp files or caches.

So yeah, auto backups of apps! I can’t tell you how excited this makes me as someone who sets up a new device every couple of days.

Via:  Google Developers

Be sure to checkout all of our Android M feature highlights!

Android M Feature: Auto Backups of Apps to Google Drive, Plus Auto Restoring is a post from: Droid Life



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Hey Look, a Nexus 5 With a Fingerprint Sensor!

At last week’s Google I/O, Google made a big push in the world of fingerprint scanning for authentication purposes by introduces a fingerprint API in Android M. Going forward, manufacturers who choose to include fingerprint sensors in their phones will no longer have to work around Android and can instead use the native API to make for tighter integration.

To show off how fingerprint scanning can work in Android M, Google put out a short video on using your fingerprint to make payments. The video shows you how a payment situation would likely unfold when running Android M, something can more than likely envision without the need to see a video. After all, there have been fingerprint-powered payments on iPhones for some time. But what’s interesting about the video is the fact that the presenter randomly pulls out a Nexus 5 that has been outfitted with a fingerprint sensor to show how it all works. 

nexus 5 fingerprint scanner2

So we are clear, she states in the video that she has a “phone which has been modified to add a fingerprint sensor.” In other words, this is not the rumored LG Nexus 5 (2015), but is instead what really looks to us like a red Nexus 5 (2013) with a square fingerprint sensor added up near the camera sensor. There is an odd black bar hiding something under her hand, though.

While hypebeasts clickbait title enthusiasts will want to suggest that this is a sneak preview of the next Nexus 5, that’s probably pretty unlikely. I guess there is always a chance this could be some early prototype of that rumored phone, but I for one am hoping Google doesn’t think that top-rear-centered fingerprint sensors are in a good location and re-thinks that type of setup.

Your mind is turning like crazy, though, isn’t it?

Via:  reddit

Hey Look, a Nexus 5 With a Fingerprint Sensor! is a post from: Droid Life



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OnePlus One Drops to $249 for the Next 7 Days During Limited Flash Sales

Last week, OnePlus told us that they were going to shake up the industry come June 1. Today is now June 1 and well, they have slashed the price on the OnePlus One for a limited time each day in a series of flash sales. That is apparently how you shake-up the industry. 

For those interested in this over-a-year-old phone, this is the deal. From June 1-7, OnePlus will host a flash sale that will drop the price of the OnePlus One by $50. So you will be able to get the 16GB white model for $249 or the 64GB black model for $299. Supplies are limited (of course they are), so you will have to hurry each time the sales go live in order to snag one. Actually, the first sale went live three hours ago and the promo pricing is still listed as active – maybe you won’t have to hurry after all.

Here are the times that each flash sale will run:

  • June 1 – 12:00 GMT (8 am EST)
  • June 2 – 2:00 GMT (10 pm EST -1 day)
  • June 3 – 12:00 GMT (8 am EST)
  • June 4 – 2:00 GMT (10 pm EST -1 day)
  • June 5 – 12:00 GMT (8 am EST)
  • June 6 – 2:00 GMT (10 pm EST -1 day)
  • June 7 – 12:00 GMT (8 am EST)

More info.

OnePlus One Drops to $249 for the Next 7 Days During Limited Flash Sales is a post from: Droid Life



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