Daily Archives: March 9, 2016

Android N Developer Preview is out with multi-window mode built-in

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Today Google has released the first Developer Preview of the upcoming Android N release. And yes, this is just called “N” for now, expect the official desert name to be outed alongside its final build many months from now.

It’s a surprise, this, because Google has so far introduced developer previews of its new Android versions at the annual I/O conference, which generally takes place in May. This time, however, the search giant is giving developers a taste of a build that’s even earlier in the development cycle than usual, which means it should have more time to incorporate feedback into the final thing. It will also let Google “hand off the final N release to device makers this summer, so they can get their hands on the latest version of Android earlier than ever”.

What’s new

The big new headline feature in Android N, at least so far, is the addition of a multi-window mode. Or call it split-screen multitasking if you want, it’s the same thing. This will be incorporated by developers into their apps by using a new manifest attribute. Once engaged, multi-window mode will look like you can see in the screenshots below. Notice that it’s not limited to tablets, but will also work on phones, and even TVs – where you’ll even get a picture-in-picture mode.

Next up, in Android N you are able to reply to incoming stuff directly from the notification. This uses the same API as Android Wear, so any app that works with Wear will work with it without the need for any code changes at all.

While we’re on the subject of notifications, the new release also lets developers group notifications from the same app together. The bundled notification can be expanded into individual ones by tapping a newly-introduced expansion button or by using a two-finger gesture.

Doze Mode was put into Marshmallow in order to enhance standby battery life. But while that only works when your device has been stationary for a while, the new revamped Doze Mode in Android N also sometimes kicks in when the screen is off and the device isn’t stationary. Project Svelte has also been worked on some more – it’s an effort to reduce the operating system’s memory use so it can be more usable on low-end hardware.

And in a bit of news that will surely only concern actual developers, Java 8 language features have now come to Android, and you can use them through the Jack compiler.

Download

Google has already posted factory images for the Android N Developer Preview on its dedicated website. These are available for the Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, and Pixel C. The company stresses that this initial release is only intended for developers to fiddle with, and not for daily use or consumers.

It is however making it easier than ever before to test it. Later today a special page will allow you to sign up for the new Android Beta Program. And once you’ve done that you’ll get this Developer Preview build, along with all the others that are coming in the future as over-the-air updates. So you won’t have to flash those factory images to take a peek at Android N.

Google says that it will invite consumers in to have a look the new Android version once it gets closer to a final…

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Goldgenie already has a 24-karat gold-plated Samsung Galaxy S7 on offer

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Nothing speaks status more than a golden phone right? If you share this opinion then you have surely heard of Goldgenie – the company enjoying the plentiful financial support of millionaire James Caan. Now, as Samsung is preparing for the first wave of mass shipments of its latest flagship duo, Goldgenie has already gotten its hands on the devices and is offering them with a golden exterior.

Currently, there is only one modification of the S7 family on offer, complete with a sparkly golden dust effect on its curved back. The 24-karat gold also extends to the frame and buttons, even the camera and flash frames, leaving only the front it its original black color and Gorilla Glass finish for protection. The design is quite reminiscent of the Galaxy S6 edge Stardust model, also currently on offer at Goldgenie, but we hardly think it’s wise to splurge for a full gold treatment and not get the latest tech at hand.

Goldgenie is offering the service with the purchase of a new Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, or your own unit, if you have somehow managed to already get one. The former options come with 64GB of storage and will set you back GBP 2,097.00 for the S7 and GBP 2,297.00 for its edgy sibling.

Source 1 | Source…

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Android N Developer Preview available for download now

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Surprise! There had been some rumblings about this previously, but we’d be lying if we said we were expecting to see a public preview of Android N available for download today, but that is exactly what Google has delivered.

If you are the proud owner of a Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Nexus 9 or Pixel C, you will be able to join the new Android Beta Program later today and you will receive the latest developer previews directly to your device by OTA.

This is an awesome change for both sides as developers get an earlier look at the new OS, which should in turn get Google feedback at an early enough stage to make a real difference in Android N before Google needs to get it to OEMs.

While you are waiting for the Android Beta Program page to go live you can hit up the Android N Developer Preview page to read up on the details and check out this Medium post by Android and Chrome OS head Hiroshi Lockheimer for more on Google’s thoughts regarding this new philosophy.

Here’s a few of the highlight features for the Android N preview:

  • Multi-window 
    Pixel C users in particular are going to be rejoicing over this one, it is a sorely needed feature to take advantage of the larger tablet screen.
    Multiwindow_N6P_N9
  • Direct reply notifications
    Very much as it sounds this will allow you to quickly reply directly from the notification shade.
  • Efficiency
    This is an evolution of Doze mode that helps battery life as soon as the device is turned off rather than requiring that the device be lying still.

We’ll definitely be downloading the preview ASAP, but let us know how things go if you join in the fun too.

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Fresh Meat: 10 new Android apps worth checking out

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New apps need lovin’ too, right? Every day there are thousands of additions to the Google Play store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. We’ve shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and propel them to new heights. Our weekly Fresh Meat column highlights new apps with fewer than 100,000 installs. Browse our new Android app picks below and let us know which ones you enjoy.

Xcerpt for Twitter

Xcerpt for Twitter

Description: Do you want to make the articles you share on Twitter more eye-catching – and more likely to be read? Do you wish you could share a passage from a web page AND comment on it in 140 characters?

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

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Clink

Clink

Description: Clink is a savings and investing application which facilitates your savings by making you save every time you dine out. When you register for Clink you are basically filling out all the required information to open an investment account. 

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

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TimeSet: Places to GO

TimeSet

Description: TimeSet is a world of unlimited images posted in time and all over the world. The app lets you upload photos at a particular time and place and see what has taken place in the past and present.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

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Docady

Docady

Description: Easily discover and securely manage all of your (and your family’s) important documents. We even find your documents automatically in online services (Such as: Dropbox, Gmail and more) and put them in the right place for you! Cool, right?!

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

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Sniff – Pet Social Network

Sniff

Description: Sniff is a social network dedicated for pet owners, pet lovers and brands, providing a fun, personalized and interactive experience within the pet community. The application enables users to socialize experiences of their pets’ lives with other pet owners by exchanging posts, pictures and videos through an appealing approach.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

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Sidewire — Live News Analysis

Sidewire

Description: Sidewire cuts through the noise to help you easily find the most important political news and what insiders are saying about it. Instead of relying on social networks and piles of content to understand the day’s political news, quickly read trending news and valuable insights from the community of insiders working in the news cycle.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

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Tapete

Tapete

Description: Tapete’ is the German word for wallpaper. Tapete enables you to create wallpapers according to your wishes – making yourself a graphic artist. In a few steps unique wallpapers will arise out of geometric shapes and colors.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

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VideoMeeting+ Better Meetings

VideoMeeting - Better Meetings

Description: Add freedom and flexibility to your video meeting by turning your phone into a second video camera! This free video chat app, designed for Skype and Hangouts, will enable you to display visuals like whiteboards and demonstrations more effectively, and give video conference participants up-close views of documents and other materials.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

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DC All Access

DC All Access

Description: DC ALL ACCESS is your daily DC. Anytime. Anywhere. Get official news, real time social updates, daily rewards, deals an upcoming exclusive DC emoji keyboard and much more!

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

//playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.js

 

MSQRD

MSQRD

Description: MSQRD now in beta. Update with new masks will be soon! Record video selfie animations, change the way you look and send it to friends via your favorite messengers and social networks.

(Playboard) | (Play Store)

//playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.js

 

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New OTA update rolling out to Nexus 5X; bug fixes, security patches and more

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Yesterday brought forth a bit of a stir when new factory images were posted on the Google Developers site. The reason? These factory images were specific to the Nexus 5X, piquing the interest of many owners who weren’t expecting an update. Google has come forward with official word on the new factory images, letting customers know that they were the precursor to a new OTA update that’s rolling out as of today.

This new update is based on customer feedback and addresses many of the issues that users were encountering. As such it will include “a number of bug fixes that will improve overall stability, connectivity, and performance on the Nexus 5X.” Additionally, the monthly security update for March will be bundled along with this, knocking out the need for two small updates during the month.

Check out the source link for more discussion on the Nexus 5X Reddit page.

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Google introduces Destinations to simplify trip planning

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Google is a company that’s constantly working to make things easier, simpler and more intuitive for its customers. Today, Google is taking the wraps off of its latest creation, Destinations on Google. Destinations is a new feature of Google Search that aims to simplify trip planning, allowing you to take advantage of a simple, straightforward planning process right from within Google Search, saving you the hassle of switching between tabs to compare different info.

Destinations is simple enough to utilize: just add the word “destination” to your search for a travel spot. By using that keyword, Google will instantly combine the information gathered from Google Search, Google Flights and Hotel Search to provide you with a comprehensive way to plan your trip.

You can also search for activities at your destination, and Google will provide the best results that tie into when and where you’re looking to go. To aid in the when question, Google is offering a flexible dates filter, which allows you to look at prices and activities over a range of dates, without choosing the exact dates that you’ll be at your destination. You can also tap on the Explore Tab within destinations, which will inform you of the usual weather and the level of business during your selected date range.

Once you’ve decided on a destination, you can tap on Plan a Trip, which will show the highs and lows of trip planning over the next six months. As you slide left and right over the date range, Google will show you an estimated price for your trip and will instantly update the price to match real-time fares and rates, all based off of the data that the company handles through Google Flights and Hotel Search. Users can further customize the results through a number of variables, such as flights with or without stops, hotel class, and more.

To cap it all off, Destinations can help you find the best things to do while you’re on your trip. Simply type in your destination’s name plus the word travel and it’ll bring up the best suggestions based on past itineraries by users. It’ll also take into account the time of year that you’ll be traveling and keep that in mind when providing you with results.

Destinations is a fantastic new tool from Google that’s going to make travel planning far easier for many. For more info and .GIFs of all the features in action, just follow the source link below.

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T-Mobile offering BOGO deal on Galaxy S7, S7 edge

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With this year’s crop of flagship Android devices arriving, it’s time for carriers to start rolling out the deals on these new devices. T-Mobile is kicking things off with a superb deal on Samsung’s newest flagships, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. T-Mobile customers who buy one Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge can get another one for free, after a rebate card is applied.

Full retail price for the Galaxy S7 is set at $669.99, which converts to $28/month for 24 months. The Galaxy S7 edge is slightly pricier at $779.99 FRP, which comes to $30/month over 24 months. With this deal, you could purchase two Galaxy S7s and only have to pay $28/month for one of the devices.

This deal can also be combined with other T-Mobile deals. These include switching costs covered, fourth line free data promotions and even a special bundle for the Galaxy S7, which includes a Gear VR, six free games and a free year of Netflix. Most of these deals are limited time and will end fairly soon, but if you act quickly, you could score some great deals.

Follow the source link for more details from T-Mo itself.

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