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Monday, August 10, 2015

Alphabet is the New Google…If That Makes Sense – Sundar Pichai is Google’s New CEO!

OK, hang with me for a moment as I try to explain what Google’s Larry Page just announced.

Through the official Google blog, Larry announced that he (as CEO) and Sergey Brin (as president) are creating a new company called Alphabet. That company, should basically be thought of as you once thought of Google. In fact, Alphabet “will replace Google Inc. as the publicly-traded entity and all shares of Google will automatically convert into the same number of shares of Alphabet.” With me so far? 

Google is now a company underneath Alphabet, as are Life Sciences, Calico, X lab, Ventures, Capital, and Wing. The new Google is “a bit slimmed down, with the companies that are far afield of our main internet products contained in Alphabet instead.” In other words, Google gets to operate as the internet god, while the rest of Google’s initiatives are fully separate under Alphabet. Still with me?

With Page and Brin now running Alphabet, someone needs to take over as the CEO of Google. That man, as you probably guessed, is Sundar Pichai. His growth in the company has been quite impressive and Page had a whole bunch of fantastic things to say about him in the blog post explaining Alphabet. I’ll let you read that all there if you’d like.

What does this mean for Android and Chrome? Good question! Neither was mentioned even once in the post, so we are more than likely about to learn all of that over the coming days.

In short, Alphabet is now Google, sort of. Alphabet is a new company that overseas all of Google’s products so that Google itself can get back to focusing on internet.

You can visit Alphabet’s site at abc.xyz.

Annnnnnd…thoughts?

Via:  Google


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Download: Nexus OTA Stagefright Patches

Last week, Google released factory images for most of its Nexus devices that were supposed to address Stagefright vulnerabilities. While those images are there for the flashing and will get you all patched up, we know that many of you like to wait for over-the-air (OTA) updates to hit your devices. If you are still waiting for those and are willing to sideload the updates instead, we are compiling them in a list below.

Before long, we should have .zip files for the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 (2013) WiFi, Nexus 9 WiFi and LTE, and Nexus 10.

We will continue to update this post as we have more URLs. 

Download Nexus Stagefright patches:

  • Nexus 4 – [LMY48I from LMY47V, 20.1MB] – Download Link
  • Nexus 5 [LMY48I from LMY48B, 10.1MB] – Download Link
  • Nexus 6 – [LYZ28J from LYZ28E, T-Mobile, 24.8MB] – Download Link (via)
  • Nexus 6 – [Non-T-Mobile] – Link incoming!
  • Nexus 7 (2013) WiFi – Link incoming!
  • Nexus 9 WiFi – Link incoming!
  • Nexus 9 LTE – Link incoming!
  • Nexus 10 – Link incoming!

*Note – In order to flash a .zip file in adb, be sure to match up the build number on the file to your current or the update will fail. For example, look at the new build number in brackets followed by the build number that it’s coming “from.” In your Settings>About screen, you will want to match up to the “from” build number.

For instructions to sideload using adb, check here. For instructions on how to grab an OTA file, check here.



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New Details on Verizon’s New “One Plan. Four Sizes”: Keeping Current Plans, Upgrades, and Other Data Options

On Friday, Verizon surprised most of the wireless industry with an announcement of new S-M-L-XL data plans and a move away from 2-year contracts for new customers. Now that the dust has settled a bit and we move closer to their August 13 launch, we have some additional information to share that should clear any remaining questions up, courtesy of our sources. 

Current Customer Upgrades

Our current understanding is that current customers will have two options when they are ready to upgrade. The first, and the one Verizon will try and push them towards, is to go with the new S-M-L-XL plan and upgrade to a new device through the new device payment plan. If that doesn’t sound appealing, current customers can “keep their (current) plan and upgrade, add a line, or move up or down within the plan.”

Should you decide to upgrade phones, Verizon will try their best to get you into a device payment plan. “After evaluating alternatives,” and should none of those sound like your best option, they will let you sign a 2-year contract with subsidized pricing.

Changing to New Plan

If you decide to change to the new S-M-L-XL plan, your line access fee will change depending on your current phone status. If you purchased a phone with device payments, at retail price, are upgrade eligible, switch from prepaid to postpaid, or brought your own device, you will pay a line access fee of $20, which is the price Verizon announced last week. If you purchased a phone at a discount (subsidized price) and are not at your upgrade date, Verizon will charge you a $40 per month line access fee because that phone you bought was at a “deeply discounted price.” Thankfully, once you hit your upgrade date, Verizon will automatically drop your line access fee from $40 to $20.

Additional Data Options

S-M-L-XL is Verizon’s attempt at simplifying the entire wireless service process. For the most part, they have done it with four data buckets and a flat $20 line access fee. But what if you want more than 12GB of data (XL package)? Well, Verizon has options for you. They are as follows:

  • 20GB – $120
  • 25GB – $175
  • 30GB – $224
  • 40GB – $300
  • 50GB – $375
  • 60GB – $450
  • 80GB – $600
  • 100GB – $750

The Name

Verizon is apparently officially calling these new plans “One Plan. Four Sizes.” But they may also refer to as “The Verizon Plan.”

Cheers the rooster!

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Google Announces Plan to Bring Vulkan 3D Rendering API to Android

Today at SIGGRAPH 2015, Google announced plans to bring the Vulkan 3D rendering API to Android. Ultimately, this move will give app developers more explicit control over rendering a scene. Vulkan provides applications direct control over GPU acceleration for maximized performance and predictability. 

In a blog post on the official Android Developers page, Google states, “Vulkan is being designed from the ground up to minimize CPU overhead in the driver, and allow your application to control GPU operation more directly.” Like OpenGL ES, Vulkan is an open standard for 3D graphics and rendering maintained by Khronos.

As end users, this introduction of this API won’t mean too much until developers have time to begin building with it. But when they do, we should see performance increases when running games that require heavy lifting from the GPU.

Google states this initiative is still under development, but developers will be able to find specifications, tests, and tools once they are released at over on the Khronos website.

Via: Android Developers

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T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4, AT&T Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge All Get Stagefright Patches

Samsung continues to dominate in pushing out Stagefright patches before any other Android OEM. After handing out updates to a variety of its devices through Sprint and AT&T at the end of last week, they added the T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 and AT&T Galaxy S6/S6 Edge to the list late this morning, along with the Verizon Note Edge and Note 4. 

The new build numbers are as follows:

  • T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 – N910TUVU1COG2
  • AT&T Galaxy S6 – G920AUCU2AOF3
  • AT&T Galaxy S6 Edge – G925AUCU2AOF4

To check for updates on your phone, head into Settings>About device>Software update.

Via:  T-Mobile | AT&T [2]


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Cortana Can Technically Replace Google Now on an Android Device

Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant, can now replace Google Now on an Android smartphone, technically. While complete integration is not there, users can set the default app used to Cortana for when you long press or swipe up on the Home button. This will allow you to use Cortana in a more seamless way, with setting timers and asking questions made a bit easier. 

Cortana as an app is a lot like Google Now or Apple’s Siri. With it, users can check flight statuses, news, weather, or even get nearby showtimes for movies.

In order to get this running, you will need the latest update to Cortana, which is only available to those inside of Microsoft’s group of testers. The Cortana app has yet to hit Google Play officially.

If you would like to try Cortana out for fun, you can find an earlier build of the Cortana APK for Android right here.

Via: PC World


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OnePlus 2 Shipments to the US and Canada Delayed 2-3 Weeks

The OnePlus 2 will be available for purchase starting tomorrow, August 11, assuming you have an invite. While that’s great news for those interested in the device, customers in North America (US and Canada specifically) will have to wait a couple of extra weeks in order to receive their orders. 

According to a post to OnePlus’ official forums, OnePlus has announced that a 2-3 week delay has hit shipments to the US and Canada. They insist that you will still be able to order your phones tomorrow, but you won’t get them until a couple of weeks after shipments to Europe.

OnePlus is blaming “production schedules” on the delay.

Via:  OnePlus


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Deal: Purchase a PNY 128GB MicroSD Card for Just $52 on Amazon

For a limited time over on Amazon, you can shop the site’s sale on PNY memory, where you can grab a 128GB microSD card for just $52. Down from $100, this card allows you to max out most flagship devices’ storage with countless photos, videos, documents, or whatever else you may want. 

If 128GB may be a little too much, there are plenty of other options, including cards for 16GB, 32GB, and even 64GB, all heavily discounted on Amazon.

If you need a bit of mobile storage, follow the link below.

Amazon Link



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Google Voice Group SMS Receiving Works in Hangouts, Composing Will “Within Days”

If you are a Google Voice user, then you have to be excited about the fact that you can now receive group SMS through Hangouts on Android, the web, and iOS. As Google Voice’s Alex Wiesen puts it, this has been a “top feature request for Google Voice users for years.” With that said, the entire process isn’t quite complete, even with today’s update. 

According to Wiesen, group SMS through Google Voice and Hangouts is a 2-part process. The first part, which was included in today’s Hangouts 4.0 update, enables receiving of group SMS everywhere I just mentioned. But part 2 needs to wait until Hangouts 4.0 is fully released to everyone. Once that happens, Google will turn on the ability to compose a group SMS as well.

With staged rollouts of app updates like this, Wiesen says that composing of group SMS should arrive “within days.”

We are almost there!

Via:   +Alex Wiesen


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HTC One M8 Apparently Won’t Get Sense 7 Until Android M

Over the weekend, owners of the One M8 learned some frustrating news, as HTC’s Mo Versi tweeted that the Sense 7 update will be tied directly to the release of Android M. Back in April, HTC UK declared on Twitter that Sense 7 would roll out in August.

From what we can gather, it appears HTC will not be updating the One M8 to Android 5.1, and instead, will wait for Google to ship out final code of Android M to OEMs and then bake Sense 7 into that. For users, this is bad, as HTC was once extremely transparent on updates, even promising updates to the latest versions of Android within 90 days.

Even though waiting for Android M is not a bad thing technically, Android 5.1 included a few important security fixes for Android, as well as battery optimizations. To skip over it completely comes off as a weak move, in the eyes of consumers.

Sense 7 is currently available on the latest device from HTC, the One M9. It appears One M8 owners will need to show a bit more patience until they receive it, especially if it means having to wait for Android M. Strap in, folks, it could be a long ride.

Mo_Versi_on_Twitter____harshitsharma04_Will_be_tied_to_the_M_release__Thanks__

Via: @moversi


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Verizon Galaxy Note Edge Receives Stagefright Patch Via Update

Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge on Verizon is set to receive its Stagefright patch via an update this week. Once updated, users will no longer need to worry about malicious MMS messages destroying your world. 

If you own another device on Verizon, it’s likely a safe bet we will see Stagefright patches rolling out quite often this week, as Sprint and AT&T already began their mass updating push last week.

If you have yet to do so, go grab that update, Note Edge owners.

 

www_verizonwireless_com_dam_support_pdf_system_update_benefits-note-edge-8-6-15_pdf

Via: Verizon


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Hangouts 4.0 for Android Rolls Out Today!

Oh boy, Hangouts 4.0 is official and rolling out today on Android. Google decided that Monday morning would be a great time to announce the big news and we couldn’t agree more.

The update introduces Material Design to the app, makes it simpler with a FAB compose button,  allows you to attach pictures and stickers and fun things easier, and should be faster all around.  

Outside of the design, Google added in group MMS in Hangouts using Google Voice(!!!!). They also made it super easy to send Hangouts messages through Android Wear with your voice and brought back custom status messages. This is a big one.

Here is the full list of changes according to Google:

  • Hangouts is sleeker. Now updated with material design, Hangouts has a new look and feel: items respond to your touch in more intuitive ways and transitions between tasks are more fluid.
  • Hangouts is simpler. The new Compose button makes it easier for you to start a new group or conversation. Our streamlined contacts list helps you find the right person quickly. And attachments have been revamped and simplified, so sharing—of emoji, GIFs, your location, even multiple photos at once—is a snap.
  • Hangouts is faster. Whether you’re sending a quick message or video chatting with family, you don’t want hold-ups. We’ve been obsessively fixing bugs and speeding up message delivery to make Hangouts faster and more reliable. Bonus: less battery consumption.
  • Make affordable calls from the Hangouts Dialer, now with Outbound Caller ID (so your friends won’t get any more calls from the great “Unknown”).Use Hangouts on Android Wear when you really have an eye on the time (just say, “Ok Google, send a Hangouts message,” into your watch).
  • Receive and reply to group MMS messages in Hangouts using Google Voice.
  • Use Hangouts on Android Wear when you really have an eye on the time (just say, “Ok Google, send a Hangouts message,” into your watch).
  • And if you’re not around but want friends to know what’s on your mind? Custom status messages are back.

The update hasn’t hit Google Play just yet, but once it does, we’ll be sure to share that .apk.

Play Link

Via:  Google Blog


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