Android Phone Fans
Android Phone Fans |
- Nexus 6 heads to 12 new countries via Google Play, still can’t pre-order it (yet)
- Amazon Echo is an always listening ‘smart’ Bluetooth speaker that’s part Siri, part Google Voice Search
- It’s never too early for Galaxy Note 5 rumors, will reportedly come equipped with 4K display
- 7 things I hate about Android Wear
- Sony shows off Xperia Z3 runing Android 5.0 Lollipop AOSP [VIDEO]
- Primecast app lets you watch Amazon Instant Video on Chromecast for $3
- Nexus 6 Stand Folio and Naked Tough case accessories hit the Google Play Store
- You can now buy an LG G Watch R on Google Play for $300
- Moto 360 slim metal watch bands announced, Motorola starts selling regular sized metal bands
- Hurry: Nexus 6 now available for pre-order from Motorola.com!
- Deal: 90% off an Android development course that shows how to make 10 complete Android apps
- Microsoft makes Office Mobile free; sign up for the Office for Android tablets preview
- One user’s Nexus 9 unit looks like it was assembled in 2 seconds
- Lollipop on LG G3 revealed in leaked screenshots
- Check your inbox: Nexus Player now shipping and arriving as soon as today
| Nexus 6 heads to 12 new countries via Google Play, still can’t pre-order it (yet) Posted: 06 Nov 2014 06:05 PM PST Google (and Motorola) have a hard enough time keeping up with demand for the Nexus 6 here in the states, so we’re hoping opening up availability to 12 new countries wont further hurt our chances picking one up. But soon, the Nexus 6 will be available for sale in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. We say “soon” because the phone hasn’t officially launched anywhere yet and even when it comes to pre-orders, the Nexus 6 is still listed as “coming soon” in the 12 new regions. Google says the Nexus 6 will be hitting carriers like AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and US Cellular later this month. If we had to guess, that’s where the majority of their stock is going, considering not too much people have the money to throw down on a $650 smartphone. [Google] |
| Posted: 06 Nov 2014 05:21 PM PST Available only by invitation, earlier today Amazon took the wraps off their latest hardware project a Bluetooth speaker and voice recognition system they’re calling Echo. It’s actually pretty interesting. The Amazon Echo mimics the always-listening functionality found in Motorola’s smartphone (or charging iPhones) and allows you to speak commands, search queries or create lists by speaking voice commands. Because have to re-speak commands is never fun, the Echo is actually outfitted with 7 microphones to hear you no matter where you are in the room — near or far. And it’s smart too. Because it’s internet connected, Amazon says the Echo will continually learn, adding additional functionality over time. As of right now, here’s what the Echo can do:
The Echo will also have a companion app for Android devices to help manage things like alarms, shopping lists, music and all that stuff listed above. There’s no solid release date, only a vague “in the coming weeks” launch was given. Pricing is $200 or $100 for Amazon Prime members, but only for a limited time and you’ll need to request and invite here. Overall, it’s not a bad speaker for what it offers, of course we’ll need to hear how well it performs in person before we pull the trigger on a purchase. What do you guys think?
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| It’s never too early for Galaxy Note 5 rumors, will reportedly come equipped with 4K display Posted: 06 Nov 2014 03:41 PM PST A beautiful Samsung Galaxy Note 4 concept (in other words, this is not the Note 5) We’re fresh off the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (check out our in depth review here) and not even a full month after its release, we’re already hearing rumors about next year’s Samsung Galaxy Note 5. We’ve said it before in reference to the Android hardware: things move fast around here. The folks at PhoneArena have, what they believe is a solid tip that next year’s Note 5 will carry a 5.9-inch UHD 4K (2,160 x 3,840) resolution AMOLED display. The display panels, which Samsung seems to have confirmed last November in their own roadmap, will go into production by August. This will, in theory, give Samsung more than enough time to slap them on the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 before it launches towards the end of the year. Throwing around some numbers, a 5.9-inch display with a resolution of 2,160 x 3,840 would return close to 746ppi. While 2K displays are plenty sharp enough for devices like phablets (tablets, that’s another story), we can’t help but feel this would be more than overkill on anything smaller than 10-inch tablet. We suppose Samsung’s motivation for breaking hardware records could have more to do with rival OEM LG talking about 600 and 700ppi mobile displays back in May. Competition is fierce. Meanwhile, I’m just sitting here watching movies on my 1080p television like an animal. Concept images: My Gadgetic |
| 7 things I hate about Android Wear Posted: 06 Nov 2014 03:08 PM PST Android Wear has already improved a lot since it was first announced. There is still a lot of room for improvement. Now that the hype and excitement has worn off I can look at my smartwatch more critically. I like Android Wear a lot, but it’s far from perfect. There are several things that really annoy me when I’m using my Android Wear device. Here are 7 things I hate the most about Android Wear. 1. Card/Notification ManagementThe biggest thing I hate about Android Wear is card management. Cards can be notifications from your phone, Google Now cards, or prompts from Wear apps. No matter where the card comes from interacting with them is the same. Swipe from the left to remove it, or swipe from the right to get more options. It’s a rudimentary system that desperately needs more. Can’t Undo – If you accidentally remove a card there is nothing you can do. It’s gone forever. Sayonara. That’s a major problem. Swiping away cards in the Google Now phone app has had a solution for this problem for a while. A simple toast notification pops up and asks if you want to “undo” removing a card. Android Wear needs something similar. Viewing Old Cards – Seeing old cards/notifications would also be nice. For example, when using your phone you can open Hangouts to reference an old text message. I should be able to do the same on my watch. It would be nice if there was a sort of “notification center” that showed a history of dismissed notifications. Card Order – As it is now, the stream of cards is pretty much decided by Google. Most of the time it’s not an issue, but there are certain occasions where I want the control. I wish I could pin certain cards to the top of the stream, or send other cards to the bottom. There are also times where I would like to remove a card from my watch, but keep the notification on my phone. Cards and notifications management needs to get a lot better. 2. Card “Peek” Size is InconsistentOne little thing that annoys me is the inconsistent size of cards in their “peek” state. This is what you see when a card is sticking up over the top of your watch face. On some watch faces the card is small and discreet, but on others it takes up half of the display. The latest Android Wear update made the situation even worse, as you can see in my Google+ post above. I would love to be able to choose what size is used. Right now it’s determined by the watch face you use, but I think it should be a universal setting in the Android Wear companion app. The best solution right now is to choose “None” in the “Card preview” settings. 3. Launching AppsThis one is tricky. I can recognize that launching apps without your voice is a pain, but I don’t think the current 3rd-party “launchers” are the answer. A launcher just doesn’t feel right on a watch. But still, the process for launching apps needs to be better. It can even be difficult to use your voice if the app you’re trying to open has a strange name (such as IFTTT). What’s the answer to the problem? I’m not sure. I’d like to see more functionality from the hardware button the Moto 360. Maybe a double-click goes straight to the app list? 4. Built-in speakerSpeaking of talking to your watch, one thing I really miss is the ability to hear answers aloud. When you perform a voice search with Google Now on a phone you usually get a nice spoken reply. Android Wear devices don’t do this. Granted, this is not so much a problem of the software as it is the hardware, but we haven’t seen any manufacturers add speakers. I’m wondering if that is due to a limitation set by Google or a product of trying to make tiny devices. It would be nice to have the option to hear responses. 5. Can’t Choose Default Messaging AppsThe Android Wear companion app allows users to choose default apps for navigation, playing music, setting a timer, taking notes, and much more. One thing that is missing is the ability to choose a default app for sending messages. If you want to send a text message you are stuck with using Hangouts, and if you want to send an email you have even fewer options. Android allows users to choose a default SMS app, and it uses that app when you use Google Now to send a text with your voice. Why can’t Android Wear do the same thing? 6. Muting Google Maps Navigation mutes it foreverOne of the coolest features of an Android Wear device is getting Google Maps navigation instructions right on your wrist. The device will vibrate your list every time a new direction comes up, and you can still hear instructions from your phone if you wish. It’s really cool. However, a few weeks ago I found a really annoying bug. I was using the awesome Google Navigation instructions on my watch when I decided to pull over to stop for food at McDonald’s. As I’m walking into the building my phone continues to shout at me to make a left turn. I tap the “mute” button from my watch expecting it to silence the navigation until I’m ready to drive again. Little did I know that I was actually adding it to the list of apps that can’t send notifications to the watch. This was very confusing to me when Navigation suddenly stopped appearing on my watch. 7. Content Gets Cut Off on Round DisplayWhen Google announced Android Wear they were very proud that it could work on both square and round displays. It does indeed work on both shapes, but the experience is not the same. I assumed that Android Wear would show content slightly differently to accommodate for less screen real estate on round displays. I was wrong. Some content gets cut off by the round shape of the Moto 360 display. If Google wants OEMs to continue making round displays they need to make the software adjust accordingly. *** Overall the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to Android Wear. I’m very happy with my experience, but it would be even better if these things were fixed. What things do you hate about Android Wear? Do you agree with the list I’ve made? Let me know below if these things annoy you too, and share your other complaints about Android Wear as well. Google, are you listening?
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| Sony shows off Xperia Z3 runing Android 5.0 Lollipop AOSP [VIDEO] Posted: 06 Nov 2014 01:38 PM PST I think it’s safe to say most Android fans are salivating over the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop. But unless you have a Nexus device — or a rooted device — you wont be seeing it for at least a good few months. Enter Sony who is borderline trolling the Android community be uploading this video of the Sony Xperia Z3 running stock Android 5.0 Lollipop built from AOSP.
The purest form of Android, you wont even find any Google apps on this bad boy. Instead, it’s more a less a proof of concept, just a test to show what stock Lollipop would look like on the Xperia Z3 (and making us curse the Android gods for not launching an Xperia Nexus device). For brave souls looking to get this up and running on their unlocked Xperia devices, you can head to Sony Developer World for more info. Sony also revealed an exclusive pilot program they’re launching in Sweden called 3Beta. The program looks to give willing participants the chance to test drive Sony’s version of Android 5.0 Lollipop (with Sony’s usual UI skin, of course). Sony hopes to gain as much feedback as they can, ensuring the release is as bug-free as possible before they commence the Lollipop rollout next year. FOr more info The premise is pretty simple – gather as much early feedback as humanly possible in order to make the Sony User Experience on Android Lollipop as good as it possibly can be, before commercial rollout early next year. If there’s enough interest, Sony even says they could bring the program to other markets as well.
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| Primecast app lets you watch Amazon Instant Video on Chromecast for $3 Posted: 06 Nov 2014 12:31 PM PST It took Amazon years to bring Instant Video to Android users. The app has technically been available for Android for quite some time, but the only “Android” device you could use it on was the Kindle Fire and Fire Phone. Why did it take them so long? We can’t say, but whatever the case it’s here. And now that it is, Android users have been starved of a key feature that many have been asking for — Chromecast support. While we wait for Amazon to serve that up, one knight in shining armor may have saved the day. A new app called Primecast has made its way to the Google Play Store, and its functionality is simple — log into your Amazon account and easily cast instant video to your Chromecast. That functionality comes with a price tag of $3 and a warranted amount of certainty. For starters, its requirement to login using your Amazon username and password might be a bit unsettling for folks who don’t like to trust unknown developers. The pair of guys who put this together said they’d used it privately for quite some time, but realized that there was real demand for something like it. They claim (on their refreshingly informative website) that your username and password go directly to Amazon’s servers for authentication and nowhere else. This claim might be strengthened by the fact that you have to manually enter your username and password every time you want to refresh the app’s list of videos (in the event that you rent or buy a new video) but it certainly isn’t enough to rest our nerves. The other concern is that Amazon may eventually get the app shutdown. The developers claim Amazon’s open policy of streaming Amazon Instant Video in a web browser as a loophole for their app being safe as the Chromecast is technically a web browser on an HDMI stick, but who’s to say Amazon won’t make an exception for this case? (Especially considering they’re likely trying to push their own similar product.) That $3 for this app suddenly becomes a lot more hard to swallow than it initially seems. If you want to take the plunge, go straight ahead — it’s in the Google Play Store, and you can get a refund for 2 hours after purchase if it isn’t to your satisfaction. In the meantime we’ll be contacting the developers to see if we can get more information on the app, any potential security risks and why they’re so confident it won’t get busted in the near future. [via Reddit] |
| Nexus 6 Stand Folio and Naked Tough case accessories hit the Google Play Store Posted: 06 Nov 2014 11:17 AM PST Google has just listed the official accessories you’ll be able to buy alongside your Nexus 6 once it makes its way to doorsteps later this month. First is a Stand Folio case, which offers your standard folio-style protection for both the front and back of the phone. Front flap will protect the display while not in use. On the inside is a micro fiber lining and slots for credit and identification cards. The case can also be used to prop the Nexus 6 up at a comfortable viewing angle in the absence of a kickstand. For those who prefer something a bit more revealing, the Naked Tough case provides a clear, impact-resistant hard shell and bumper protection to make sure the phone can survive most falls. Chrome-like buttons cover the device’s volume rocker and power button, while a built-in kickstand will get you the same comfortable viewing angle as the Stand Folio case mentioned above. Ready for pricing? Me neither — $40 for the Stand Folio, while the Naked Tough case is $5 cheaper. You’re sure to find quality cases for much cheaper on Amazon and other sources once the device is finally available, but if you only deal with official accessories then you’ll have to pony up that much coin. Unfortunately the cases are still listed as “coming soon” as of the time of this writing, but they should be made available at some point before the Nexus 6 begins shipping. Let us know if you’ll be looking to get either of these once they land. |
| You can now buy an LG G Watch R on Google Play for $300 Posted: 06 Nov 2014 10:50 AM PST Yesterday, we saw the LG G Watch R officially become available for sale in the US courtesy of AT&T. Today, the smartwatch we’re sure many of you have had your eye on is now available on Google Play. Still priced at $300, the G Watch R takes a more traditional approach to the Android Wear smartwatch, thanks to a design not too unlike the sports watches you’ll find at your local mall. Get via the Play Store link below |
| Moto 360 slim metal watch bands announced, Motorola starts selling regular sized metal bands Posted: 06 Nov 2014 10:46 AM PST Motorola has officially revealed new metal watch bands for the Moto 360. Ahead of the Moto 360’s launch we already saw 23mm metal versions in both silver and black. A blog post on Motorola’s website confirms that those editions of the Moto 360 will be going on sale for $300 today. [Update]: Motorola’s site now lists the 23mm metal editions as available. Motorola’s online storefront has been updated with a new 18mm metal watch band for those who prefer something more low-key. This would be great for ladies who feel the current watch bands are too thick. Unfortunately these are not planned to go live today, though Motorola says you’ll be able to get them in time for the holiday season. The light metal version will go for the same $299 as the 23mm bands, while a special champagne gold finish can be had for $30 more. For folks who are already rocking a Moto 360, Motorola says they will have interchangeable stone, black and cognac-colored leather bands available, as well as the aforementioned metal bands. No word on pricing for the accessories just yet, but we’ll be digging for that information and will make sure to deliver it as soon as we get it. |
| Hurry: Nexus 6 now available for pre-order from Motorola.com! Posted: 06 Nov 2014 10:22 AM PST Google Play Store not offering enough Nexus 6 units for ya? Motorola’s got you covered as the company has just published a listing for the Nexus 6 in their online marketplace. Nothing seems out of the norm here. They have 32GB and 64GB models in both Midnight Blue and Cloud White available. There appears to be a healthy amount of stock available as of the time of this writing as we were able to move through checkout with ease. We’re not sure how long that’s going to last, but this is yet another avenue to ordering a Nexus 6 if the Google Play Store hasn’t been so nice to you. Hurry and get your order in before stock is depleted. |
| Deal: 90% off an Android development course that shows how to make 10 complete Android apps Posted: 06 Nov 2014 09:38 AM PST Another great deal on an Android development course is on tap from AndroidArea.com. This collection of lectures — totaling more than 11 hours of instruction — normally costs $200, but today’s deal brings it down to $19. That’s a 90% discount, and one you should definitely take advantage of if you’re looking to get into Android development. The course is unique in that it not only teaches you the fundamentals of Android development, but by the end of it all you will have developed 10 practical, full Android apps. That ought to be enough hands-on training to get any budding developer well on their way to creating the app they’ve always wanted. Who’s it for? Well, the course suggests you should have experience with Java programming and light knowledge and experience with Android APIs. This certainly isn’t a course meant for beginners (you’ll want something like this if that’s what you consider yourself to be), but for any lightly seasoned coder it should be enough to get well acquainted with all of Android’s powerful tools and features. Here’s everything you’re set to get for your money:
Not a bad way to spend $19 for a hobby that could potentially earn you much more. Head to AndroidArea.com to take advantage, and be quick because there are only 7 days left on this great deal.
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| Microsoft makes Office Mobile free; sign up for the Office for Android tablets preview Posted: 06 Nov 2014 08:06 AM PST Microsoft has just announced some major moves for their mobile Office efforts. Much of today’s news concerned folks on the iOS front, though Android users were thrown a pretty decent bone, as well. The company is now accepting sign-ups to specifically test Microsoft Office for Android Tablets. The signup form notes a couple of prerequisites:
Those are some very stringent requirements, but it is a preview and we expect Microsoft to be able to reach as many people on Android as they can once the final product is finally available. So what’s on tap when you’re finally accepted? Well, it looks like Microsoft wants to place a bigger emphasis on making user interfaces that look and feel more native to the platform they’re on. The iPhone and iPad apps have gotten such love today. Oh, and it’s now free to create, edit and view documents on the mobile apps without the need of a Microsoft Office 365 subscription. That functionality previously required you to pay for one of Microsoft’s monthly plans, but thankfully that is no longer the case. You will still need to pay for advanced features like cloud collaboration and unlimited OneDrive storage, but it’s nice to get the base experience without having to pay an extra dime. You can head to Microsoft’s sign-up form if you meet the prerequisites and are interested in testing this out. Otherwise, we’ll have a little while yet before we can indulge in the goodness announced today. [via Microsoft] |
| One user’s Nexus 9 unit looks like it was assembled in 2 seconds Posted: 06 Nov 2014 07:43 AM PST With HTC’s awesome track record in the area of build quality over the past couple of years and the fact that the Nexus 9 is a $400 tablet, you’d expect a device to be pristine, clean and crafted to near perfection out of the box, right? Well, one user had no such luck — his Nexus 9 unit came out of the factory looking like poorly assembled demo unit. Reddit user osloboy documented his device’s condition, noting that the edges were rough as if it were being used for a couple of years’ time. Indeed, the photos he posted (which you can see above and below) do show some concerning build issues. We’re willing to strike this off as a one-off occurrence as this is the only report we’ve seen of shoddy build quality for the Nexus 9. We’re not sure what happened at the quality assurance portion of the assembly process, but humans are capable of missing this sort of stuff and, unfortunately for osloboy, this unit was thrown into a box without second thought. Let’s hope we don’t see many more of these reports as more users begin to receive their devices in the days and weeks to come. How is your Nexus 9 holding up? |
| Lollipop on LG G3 revealed in leaked screenshots Posted: 06 Nov 2014 06:52 AM PST Many arms of LG’s mobile division have confirmed that the LG G3 was on track to receive Android 5.0 Lollipop by the end of this year, but in case you needed proof that they were well on their way to meeting those estimates then here it is. Newly leaked screenshots show Android 5.0 in its early stages with a bit of LG’s flavoring sitting on top. The user interface still employs a pretty heavy dosage of LG influence, though the white-backed notifications and the circular profile icon in the upper right corner show a bit of Google’s Lollipop flair shining through. The rest is pretty much standard affair, though it’s possible these screenshots could be very early on in the development process and that LG has more to do by the time the official update is scheduled to roll out. If anything, take this as a good sign that they’re set to meet their “end of 2014″ schedule for getting the update out for their best flagship smartphone yet. |
| Check your inbox: Nexus Player now shipping and arriving as soon as today Posted: 06 Nov 2014 06:06 AM PST Unlike the Nexus 9 that launched on November 3rd, the Android TV flagship Nexus Player didn’t quite hit its November 3rd shipping estimate for many people. Two Phandroid staffers in particular were told to expect shipment on November 14th, but one of them — developer Steve Albright — was surprised to find out that his order had been updated late last night to show a shipment label. Much to his surprise the shipment is scheduled to arrive as soon as today. Unfortunately it still appears some orders are in limbo. Derek Ross and Rob Jackson, for instance, still show shipping estimates of November 14th. That said, it’s entirely possible that many orders will be updated today or in the very near future to show that the device has shipped. Be sure to check your inbox, your Google Play orders or even your doorstep today as there might be a very nice early Christmas gift waiting for your TV. Let us know if you’ve ordered a Nexus Player and whether your order has shipped in the comments below, and be sure to discuss it with many of the other folks waiting for their device over at the Nexus Player section of AndroidForums! [via AndroidForums.com] |
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