Go! Go! Go!
The Android M Developer Preview 2 is now available for the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, and Nexus Player.
The Nexus 5, 6, and 9 are getting build MPZ79M, while the Nexus Player gets MPZ79N.
Android M Developer Preview 2 Now Available! is a post from: Droid Life
During yesterday’s #updatewednesday, where we didn’t see the update to Hangouts 4.0, we did get updates to Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets that should improve the experience for those who spend days in documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Google made it easier for users to edit titles or rename files directly from the overflow menu, added the ability to change slide layouts to predefined layouts on mobile, and gave people the commenting power when in “Office Compatibility Mode” in the Docs app.
Here is the full list of changes:
Play Links: Docs | Sheets | Slides
Google Makes Editing and Reviewing Easier in Docs, Sheets, and Slides on Android is a post from: Droid Life
Mayur Kamat, the product manager of Hangouts and Google Voice, shared some non-Hangouts 4.0 news with us this morning that still should bring some of you some pleasure. You can now drag and drop photos in Hangouts conversations in Gmail and the Chrome extension!
I’m trying not to overdo my excitement here, but if any of you have ever tried to share photos in a Hangouts conversation, you know that this is a big deal. Before today, if you dragged a photo into a Hangouts conversation, it would wipe out your entire page, replacing it with a massive preview of that image in your browser. In order to share, you had to tap the little photo sharing icon, then drag and drop to that window. It was tedious, at best.
Sooooo, as Kamat mentions, all you need to do is refresh your Gmail or reload your Chrome extension and the drag/drop goodness should start working.
Tip: You Can Now Drag & Drop Photos Into Hangouts in Gmail and the Chrome Extension is a post from: Droid Life
I reviewed the Nexus 6 some eight months ago now, saying that it was the best Nexus yet and that everyone should try to get their hands on it at some point to see if they could handle the whale-like size. That was one of the last times I spent serious time with “shamu,” because for me, this big of a phone is just too much to handle. And not only that, but the Galaxy S6 arrived shortly after, a phone that I still would consider to be the best phone you can currently buy.
Over the last couple of weeks, though, something happened to my T-Mobile Galaxy S6. It has become a total lagfest of a disaster that needs constant reboots and RAM wipes and task kills in order to function. I don’t know why this is happening, but I’m leaning towards blaming the Android 5.1.1 update that it received in mid-June. My unlocked Galaxy S6 that is still on 5.0.2 seems to be fine.
Because of the recent frustrations that the Galaxy S6 gods have pushed down upon me, I’ve found myself firing up a Nexus 6. I couldn’t tell you what brought me this way instead of to the G4 or Moto X or variety of other phones on my desk (that’s a lie, I’m about to tell you why), but this is where I’m at. And you know what, as big of a sea creature as this may be, I’m kind of liking it at the moment. Like, really liking it.
Samsung did its best to tone down TouchWiz on the Galaxy S6, but there is nothing like stock Android. The Nexus 6, with its Android 5.1.1, runs so incredibly well, without a stutter or, as Tim would put it, jank. The animations and transitions and swiping gestures all look so good and are so fast. We know that Google built Lollipop with the Nexus 6 in hand, but man, it’s so obvious when you use this phone for five minutes.
The little things like notification expansion in the notification shade or lock screen work like they are supposed to. You don’t need extra swipe ups or downs or taps like you do in TouchWiz or on whatever garbage LG skin is on the G4. The settings aren’t in some odd place, buried underneath pages or other settings that are impossible to find.
And let’s not forget about how much Google seems to have improved features like Ambient Display, which is their take on Motorola’s Moto Display. It actually works properly and regularly now! Notifications that come in with your screen off show up and give you info, unlike on the Galaxy S6 or G4. You know how much I love Moto Display, so to have something like this back in my life has been such a reminder of how little tweaks to Android phones can make such a big difference in experience.
I haven’t even mentioned the fact that this is already running the newest version of Android 5.1.1 because that’s sort of a given with Nexus phones, but hey, it’s important. It’s also really important when you think about what I just said about the T-Mobile Galaxy S6 and the fact that I think its recent update has taken its toll on the phone. With this Nexus 6, I’d expect an update pretty quickly to address any issues that came in the last update. With that Galaxy S6, who knows when it’ll get its next update. The Nexus 6 has basically already received four or five updates since its November launch to address bugs. That’s incredible.
A whale is a whale, but I’d be lying if I couldn’t admit that the hardware that Motorola has built here is top notch. From the soft touch back to the metal frame to the dual speaker setup on the front to the ergonomics of its body, this phone feels great in your hand. It feels like a premium device. Again, it might be too large of a device for 50% of the world, but there is no denying the quality.
And look, they even managed to put the power and volume buttons in non-annoying places. How about that, HTC and LG?
If I’m going to spend some serious time with the Nexus 6, the hardest part (outside of curling a 5lb phone every time I need to use it) will be leaving the Galaxy S6 camera behind. That camera, as we have said on numerous occasions, is the best in the business. But the Nexus 6 camera is quite capable. I said as much in my review and would tend to stand by that idea even today. It’s not ultra fast, but it can take a good photo. When you need a picture of a crab tater tot in low light, it can deliver good enough results.
With a phone like the Moto X, you go in knowing that your photo will suck. With the Nexus 6, you at least can have confidence in knowing that there is at least a chance.
Beyond the stock Android experience and nice hardware design, I can’t help but think about the other goodies here that make this phone a joy (at least at the moment). I’m talking about turbo charging, wireless charging, front facing dual speakers, a beautiful QHD AMOLED display, on-screen navigation buttons, and a phone that is fully unlocked, with support for almost every damn carrier on the planet. It’s even ready for Project Fi…assuming Google likes you enough to send you an invite.
So is this my new “best phone you can buy today?” No. Come on. It’s still a whale. But dammit, I like this whale right now. I went back and read my review and still feel like I did then all these months later. This phone is fun to use because it’s so big. It’s also a pain in the ass at times, because it’s so big. But with stock Lollipop running this good, while other OEMs muck up Android with their different variations of lag-by-bloat, this phone is worth another look still today.
I’m Using the Nexus 6 Right Now…and Dammit, I Kind of Like It is a post from: Droid Life
Late last night, LG announced the G4 Beat, the “newest variant of its widely praised LG G4 flagship smartphone.” The G4 beat, like others in the mid-range category from LG, sounds like a decent device, except that it won’t ever come to the US. This is a phone destined for Europe and Latin America and other “key” markets.
The G4 Beat sports a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS display, Snapdragon 615 (octa-core) processor, 4G LTE, 8MP (or 13MP depending on market) camera with Laser Auto Focus and Color Spectrum Sensor, 5MP front camera, 1.5GB RAM, 2300mAh removable battery, and Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. See, not bad for a mid-ranger.
The phone comes in silver, white or gold, and looks a lot like the regular G4, only smaller. Yes, that still-can’t-get-used-to back button situation is included.
Interested? Move to Canada.
LG G4 BEAT DELIVERS PREMIUM DESIGN, SUPERIOR FEATURES IN A MID-TIER PACKAGE
Advanced Display, Advanced Camera and Striking Design Come Together to Create an Exceptional Phone Without the Exceptional Price
SEOUL, July 9, 2015 ― LG Electronics (LG) officially unveiled its newest variant of its widely praised LG G4 flagship smartphone. The LG G4 Beat1 retains the best features and functions of the LG G4, delivering value without compromising performance or usability. The LG G4 Beat will make its debut this month in key markets in Europe and Latin America, including France, Germany and Brazil before rolling out globally in markets such as Canada, India, Russia, Singapore, South Africa and Turkey, among others.
The LG G4 Beat comes with a 5.2-inch Full HD IPS Display, which is clearer, sharper and more responsive than anything offered by LG before in this category. A powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 615 processor running eight cores at 1.5GHz with integrated 4G LTE delivers an optimal balance of power, performance and battery life.
LG G4 Beat’s camera features are equally as impressive as the hardware. On the back is a 8MP camera 2, supported by LG’s exclusive Color Spectrum Sensor and Laser Auto Focus. Manual Mode, one of the most acclaimed features in the G4, allows full creative control over every detail in each shot. LG also enhanced the 5MP front-facing shooter with Gesture Interval Shot to allow users to take four consecutive selfies with a single hand gesture, increasing the odds of capturing that perfect shot.
“Too often, mid-tier phones sacrifice overall usability in order to include that one killer feature,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Our goal with the LG G4 Beat was to create a phone that was not only well- balanced in terms of display, camera, performance and design but delivered terrific value and satisfaction.”
Highlights and Features of the LG G4 Beat are:
- High Performance Multimedia made possible by a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 615 Processor with Octa-Core performance and speed, which can handle Full HD 1080p playback at 60fps and capture at 30fps.
- Color Spectrum Sensor to measure the exact RGB and infrared values of ambient light and objects, resulting in colors that are truer to nature.
- Manual Mode to give users fine control over every detail of a shot, including shutter speed, ISO, exposure and white balance.
- Gesture Interval Shot improves on the original Gesture Shot by increasing the chance of getting that perfect shot even under challenging conditions.
Prices and details of availability will be announced locally at the time of launch.Key Specifications:
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 615 Processor
- Display: 5.2-inch Full HD IPS LCD (1920 x 1080, 423ppi)
- Memory: 8GB eMMC ROM / 1.5GB RAM
- Camera: Rear 8MP LDAF (13MP in Latin America) / Front 5MP
- Battery: 2,300mAh (removable)
- Operating System: Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- Size: 142.7 x 72.6 x 9.85mm
- Weight: 139g
- Network: 4G LTE / HSPA+ 42.2Mbps (3G)
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n / Bluetooth 4.1 / NFC / A-GPS / Glonass / USB 2.0
- Colors: Metallic Silver / Ceramic White / Shiny Gold
- Other: In-Cell Touch / Color Spectrum Sensor / Gesture Interval Shot / Full HD 1080p Video
# # #
LG Announces the G4 Beat, a Decent Mid-Range Phone That Hates the US is a post from: Droid Life
Facebook announced this morning that it is ready to give you more control over what shows up your feed on a daily or hourly basis. The social network wants to “show you the stories that matter most,” but because algorithms can only do so much, they want you to fine-tune the whole experience through new News Feed Preferences.
Starting today on iOS, then Android and desktop in who knows how many weeks, you will see a new News Feed Preferences screen that gives you options for prioritizing people to always see first, another two for unfollowing or reconnecting with people, and even one for discovering new pages.
The video below shows you how this simple interface will work, but basically you get screens with your friends or recently unfollowed foes that can be quick tapped for multiple selections. If you prioritize someone, their posts will show up at the top of your feed with little stars next to them as proof that they are a priority.
Of course, Facebook refuses to let you set the option we all want as the default – Recent Posts. For whatever reason, Facebook views algorithms and fine-tuning as king over the simple idea that you may want to read things in order that aren’t randomly at the top of your feed from three days ago.
Again, these new customizable options are available on iOS today. Android users, whatever.
Facebook is Giving You More Control Over Your News Feed, Just Not a Default “Recent Posts” Setting is a post from: Droid Life
T-Mobile’s Uncarrier Amped is back this morning with an announcement called “Mobile without Borders.” What’s that, you ask? According to T-Mobile, their Simple Choice plans now include talk, text, and 4G LTE data without extra cost when in Mexico or Canada. This is a “first-of-its-kind” move, because US carriers tend to rob you of every last penny when you take your phone across one of this country’s borders.
So how does this all work? Well, we are diving into this as deeply as we can today to try and explain all of the quirks (if there are any), but the basics are this. Starting July 15, calls and texts to, from, and between the US, Mexico, and Canada are included in the “latest” Simple Choice plans at no extra charge. If you are already a Simple Choice customer (prepaid or postpaid), you can opt-in online, by phone, or in-store by switching over to one of the new plans that is a part of “Mobile without Borders.”
You can use 4G LTE data when in Mexico or Canada as well, with data coming straight out of your plan, not through some add-on package. At this time, you won’t be able to pull from your Data Stash when in Mexico or Canada, but T-Mobile says that you will be able to later this year.
Wondering where exactly in Canada and Mexico this will all work? Here you go. This is a list of cities/areas.
And here is T-Mobile CEO John Legere talking about it all. The video is lengthy, probably includes swearing and bad hair, and may or may not be worth a watch. It’s up to you.
Again, we’ll see what we can find out. Where are the footnotes? What’s the difference between the new Simple Choice plans coming July 15 and the current ones? That sort of thing.
T-Mobile Uncarrier Amped 2: Talk, Text, and 4G LTE in Canada and Mexico at No Extra Cost is a post from: Droid Life
