With the new design direction that the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge have taken, many of us have been interested in what the company will do with the Galaxy Note 5. And thanks to these latest leaks, we can now check the device out in clear, sharp photos. Spoiler: It looks just like a big Galaxy S6.

It’s really nothing we didn’t expect, but it’s a good looking device. One thing to note is that the S Pen has no fancy ejection mechanism that was rumored to show up. It’s probably for the best.

Are you interested in the Galaxy Note 5? Leave a comment!

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Every week we cover new Android apps with Fresh Meat on Wednesday, followed by Android Gaming on Thursday and Top 10 App Updates on Friday. When Monday rolls around, we look back to see which apps were the most appealing to our audience. Read on for the five most popular Android apps from last week. These apps are ones that are most likely new and haven’t appeared in the top five list more than three times.

1. Google Photos

App info: Google Photos is the home for all your photos and videos, searchable and organized by the people, places, and things that matter.

2. Microsoft Hyperlapse Mobile

App info: Microsoft Hyperlapse is a new technology that creates smooth and stabilized time lapses from first-person videos. Want to show your friends what you saw on that 12-mile hike you took last weekend, or let them experience how it felt to fly down the mountain on your recent ski trip? 

3. OnePlus 2 Launch

App info: Product launches tend to be the same. An auditorium, a keynote, and a seated audience. For the OnePlus 2 launch, we didn’t want a barrier between us and our community; we want to invite you into our world, because you’re a major part of it.

4. JustWatch

App info: JustWatch is the easiest way to browse through your favorite movies or tv shows to see if they are available at any streaming providers.

5. WifiMapper

App info: The world’s largest free Wi-Fi database, based on over 650 million hotspots.

Note:  To ensure that all apps receive a fair chance to make the list, we will retire any app that has made the list for three consecutive weeks.

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After months of speculation and rumors, Razer has made it official: the company has purchased Ouya.

Announced in a press release, Ouya, the Android-based home video game console, is now a part of Razer, the peripheral company who has had an interest in Android for some time now. As a part of the acquisition, Ouya’s CEO is now gone and Ouya hardware is officially dead. Razer apparently saw value in Ouya not for its hardware but for its software and distribution channels.

While the Ouya Store will be re-launched as Cortex for Android TV, Razer does plan on still releasing some software under the Ouya moniker. As for current Ouya owners, Razer has a plan on action in the works:

In the near future, Razer will be providing existing OUYA users with a clear path of migration to the more advanced Forge TV micro-console and Serval controller bundle. Razer’s intention is to allow OUYA users to bring their games, controllers, and accounts to the Cortex TV platform on the Forge micro-console, advancing the experience of Android gaming on TV that they have previously enjoyed. Additionally, Razer is planning deep product discounts for incoming OUYA users to purchase Razer hardware, and a spate of freebies, giveaways, and promotions to enjoy on their new Forge consoles.RazerOuya acquisition announcement

It’ll be interesting to see what Razer is able to do with Ouya as Android TV matures. Razer is ready to make the commitment, hopefully it will pay off.

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The official unveiling of the 2015 Moto X is just a day away now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have time for a few last minute rumors. According to HelloMotoHK, who has a good track record of reporting on Motorola rumors, the new Moto X could boast ridiculous battery life.

In a Google+ post, HelloMotoHK details the new Moto X as having a 5.5-inch FHD (as opposed to QHD) display, Snapdragon 808 processor and a 3600+mAh battery. The choice to go with 1080p and use a new, optimized Snapdragon, combined with that huge battery, means there is a very good chance that if these specs are true, the new Moto X should easily last a couple days on a single charge.

Other details on the device shared today include a 21MP main camera, 5MP front-facing camera, dual-SIM capabilities, SIM + MicroSD and Android 5.1.1. But we gotta admit, all we can think about is that sweet, sweet battery life.

In just over 24 hours now, we’ll know just how much of this rumor is true. We can’t wait.

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Good news, T-Mobile HTC One M9 users. Starting today, an OTA update is headed your way that should breathe some new life into your device. That’s right, it’s Android 5.1 time.

Weighing in at 833MB under the software build 2.7.531.6, the T-Mobile branded HTC One M9 is getting Android 5.1 today. Other than Android 5.1, the update also comes with anti-theft support, improvements to battery life, and Google Wallet support.

According to T-Mobile, the update should hit your handset sometime between July 27, today, and August 20. If you don’t want to wait, head on over to Settings > About > Software updates > Check now to see if you can snag the update now.

Be sure to share you update experience in the comments below.

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So long, Google+. It was nice knowing you. Since its inception, Google has had a rough time fitting Google+ into your daily web-surfing routine. It was supposed to be the hub for all of your Google activities, from YouTube to photo storage, all while functioning as a Facebook and Twitter replacement. But after years of seeing Google+ fail to catch on, it would appear Google is finally giving up.

Google Photos, the company’s incredible useful photo storage solution, has taken on a life of its own outside of Google+, where any trace of the social network has been stripped away. Next up on the chopping block is YouTube. Requiring and linking together YouTube and Google+ accounts was one of the most controversial moves Google has made in social to date, with the general attitude towards it being overwhelmingly negative. From YouTube today:

In the coming weeks, YouTube will no longer require a Google+ profile when you want to upload, comment, or create a channel. If you’re happy with everything as it is now, then just keep on keepin’ on. If you want to remove your Google+ profile, you’ll be able to do this in the coming months, but do not do it now or you’ll delete your YouTube channel (no bueno).YouTubeThe official YouTube Blog

Google has released its own blog post today on the Google Blog hailing Google+ as a hotbed for sharing similar interests and social interaction, but follows that up by saying it doesn’t make sense for your Google+ profile to stand as your single identity in Google-land. While this won’t change the need for a master Google services account, it does mean that if you don’t want to use Google+, Google won’t make you. It’s hard not to read that as the beginning of the end.

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Qi wireless charging support is almost certainly not at the top of anyone’s list of priorities when buying a new monitor. But Samsung is hoping to change that with the SE370, the “world’s first wireless mobile charging monitor.”

The Samsung SE370 is a 1080p PLS monitor that comes with either a 23.6 or 27-inch display. Other features include a 4ms response time as well as energy efficiency and eye-strain reducing modes, but that’s not what makes the SE370 unique. In the base of the monitor, Samsung has embedded a Qi wireless charger for charging all compatible smartphones.

Samsung is selling the wireless charging feature as convenient — which it is. And as an organizational tool, helping to keep cords off your desk — which it does. So if your prioritize those two features in a monitor or home office setup, be sure to keep the SE370 in mind. Complete release details on the SE370 have yet to be released, but we’ll be sure to update you once they have.

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Just hours before the OnePlus 2 officially makes its debut, it appears that a leaker has spoiled part of OnePlus’s announcement.

Several high-quality photos of the OnePlus 2 have been posted to the XDA-developers forums by user “chinaleakking.” They claim to be a beta test that’s had the OnePlus 2 for “a few week,” and they share some of their early impressions of the device too. For example, the OnePlus 2 is said to “feel good in hands,” but it’s fingerprint reader is described as being “not quite sensitive.”

The images show off just about every corner of the OnePlus 2. The back of the phone has a new camera housing with the sensor itself (which chinaleakking says is not a Sony sensor), as well as a flash and another mysterious sensor. Around front is the OnePlus 2’s display and fingerprint reader, and the bottom holds a USB Type-C port and some new-look speaker holes. Finally, the sides of the phone have a volume rocker, power/lock key, and a mysterious switch or button. Perhaps a mute switch?

The OnePlus 2 will make its official debut during an event that starts at 7:00 pm PST tonight. It’ll have features like a Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 3300mAh battery, and a 13-megapixel sensor. And while we’ve gotten a good look at the phone’s design this afternoon, we’ll have to actually spend some hands-on time with the phone before making any judgments about its looks or performance.

Based on what we’ve seen of the OnePlus 2 so far, what do you think of OnePlus’s next Android flagship?

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Google today welcomed a new “bundle of joy” to the Android One family, dubbed the Lava Pixel V1.

The Pixel V1 is the very latest Android One smartphone, and with its slim bezels and attractive design, we’d say that it’s one of the best-looking Android One phones to date too. In terms of specs, the outside of the Pixel V1 holds a 5.5-inch 1280×720 display covered in scratch-resistant Asahi Dragontrail glass. There are also 8-megapixel rear and 5-megapixel front cameras that produce software-enhanced 13-megapixel and 8-megapixel images, respectively.

Inside of the Lava Pixel V1’s 8.5mm-thick body lives a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage (25.47GB of which is user-accessible), a microSD slot, 3G connectivity, and dual SIM slots. There’s a 2650mAh battery powering the whole package. The Pixel V1 comes with Android 5.1 out of the box, and as with other Android One phones, Google says that it’ll be updated to the next version of Android shortly after the update’s release.

Like what you see? Good news! The Lava Pixel V1 can be bought right now from Indian retailers Flipkart and The Mobile Store for Rs. 11,349, or approximately $177 USD.

Overall the Lava Pixel V1 looks like a solid addition to the Android One family, combining respectable features with a quality design. And since it’s an Android One device, buyers can rest easy knowing that their V1 won’t come loaded with bloatware and that it will get the next big Android OS update, likely before many other devices in the same price range.

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Looking for a new smartphone that’s a bit different than the big slabs that we’re used to seeing? Enter the LG Gentle.

LG’s newest Android phone offers a flip form factor, something that we haven’t seen much of in recent years. The Gentle runs Android 5.1 on a 3.2-inch touchscreen and offers 4GB of storage, a microSD slot, 3-megapixel rear and VGA front cameras, and 4G LTE connectivity. It’s also packing 1GB of RAM, a 1.1GHz quad-core processor, and a removable 1700mAh battery.

In addition to those traditional specs, LG has included some extra goodies to make the Gentle easier to use. Those include a soft, rounded body, a large keypad, a dedicated camera button, and a “Q” button to launch specified apps.

The LG Gentle will cost ₩200,000, which is around $171 USD. That low cost isn’t terribly surprising considering the Gentle’s modest spec list, but hey, the Gentle does have both a microSD slot and a removable battery, which is a combination lacking from some recent flagship smartphones.

The Gentle is an interesting smartphone, running Android 5.1 and offering dedicated Android navigation buttons, all in a flip phone form factor. Unfortunately, it’s likely to be released in just a few countries, as these devices don’t have quite the widespread appeal as smartphones with a more traditional form factor.

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