It’s here! Google has just unveiled the followup to the relatively high-end Nexus 6 from Motorola, the Nexus 6P from Huawei. The Nexus 6P follows in the Nexus 6′s footsteps by introducing the latest version of Android in a premium, flagship device.

The Nexus 6P is a plain, aluminum slate, perfect for letting Marshmallow really shine. It comes with a 5.7-inch 1440p AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 810, 32/64/128(!)GB of storage, front-facing speakers, 12.3-megapixel camera with Sony sensor and laser autofocus, 8-megapixel front-facing camera, USB Type C with quick charging, a fingerprint scanner and a 3450mAh battery.

Google is touting the camera as being a big step-up from previous Nexus devices, and sample images look like those claims might not be totally empty. It has larger 1.55-micron pixels which should make give you better results in low light situations. The Nexus 6P also has 4k video recording, something that has become an industry standard in 2015, and slow motion video.

The fingerprint scanner on the Nexus 6P is located on the rear of the device, and is being called Nexus Imprint. Nexus Imprint will work where most fingerprint scanners do, including as a security measure for Android Pay. One unique feature of Nexus Imprint is that the more you use it, the better it will get. Your Nexus 6P will be constantly updating fingerprint data to capture your print from more angles.

Google has borrowed a page from Motorola’s book with the Nexus 6P, including something it’s calling Android Sensor Hub. There is essentially a dedicated sensor processor, which allows for things like gesture recognition. The Nexus 6P even has something like Moto Display, allowing you to act on notifications from the lock screen, while still saving battery.

Of course the biggest benefit to owning a Nexus is having software controlled by Google and Google only. The Nexus 6P launches with Marshmallow which brings with it some nice design and usability changes over Lollipop like faster access to voice actions, faster scrolling, Google Now on Tap, dynamic shortcuts in your app drawer based on usage habits and simplified permissions.

The Huawei manufactured Nexus 6P will start at $499 in three different shades of gray. It will be available for preorder starting today on the Google Store, and will work on “major carriers” across the US. There’s no official release date, but Google is saying to expect the device “near the end of October.”

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Alcatel OneTouch’s highly regarded budget phone, the Idol 3 5.5, is receiving an over-the-air update today with a handful of fixes. When we reviewed the device, we had very few complaints with the Idol 3 5.5 and no complaints with performance. We have received reports of performance issues with the Idol 3 5.5 early on after its release, but haven’t heard anything recently. I’m sure it’s super exciting for Idol 3 users to hear Alcatel OneTouch is pushing performance improvements with this latest update. Here are all the updates that come along with the latest Idol 3 5.5 build, 7SRA- UEA2:

General Performance Improvement
Overall software enhancements aimed at improving device responsiveness and overall user experience

IPv6 Support
Device now fully supports the Internet Protocol version to IPv6

Snapchat Performance Fix
Addresses crash issue when using Snapchat app that arose when users would swipe while selecting filters

Facebook Messenger Performance Fix
Users can now share recorded audio files via Facebook Messenger

Camera FV-5 Lite Application Fix
Fix that addresses the rear-facing camera functionality when using the Camera FV-5 Lite application

I find it interesting that Alcatel OneTouch specifically names fixes for issues with specific apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger. I always appreciate a clear and specific change log. This OTA update began rolling out today, so be looking for it on your Idol 3 5.5 any day now. I’m thrilled at the software support this device is getting. Hopefully we see this support continue and see Android version updates in the near future.

If you’re not familiar with the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3, you can check out our full review here. In short, it’s a budget device that has all the right hardware for a great budget experience. My favorite feature is the dual front-firing speakers. The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 can be picked up on Alcatel’s website or Amazon for the reasonable price of $249.99.

Do you own an Idol 3 5.5? What are your thoughts on the performance of the device? Excited for the update? What are your thoughts on the budget device? And how do you feel about Alcatel OneTouch’s software support? Let us know you thoughts by commenting below.

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Time to add another item to the list of things that’s been leaked ahead of Google’s September 29 event.

A full LG Nexus 5X spec list has leaked out, complete with feature highlights that look like they’re intended for use on the 5X’s product page. According to the list, the Nexus 5X will offer a 5.2-inch 1920×1080 display with Gorilla Glass 3, 12.3-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, dual flash, and optical image stabilization, and a 5-megapixel front-facing shooter. There’s also a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone.

Inside of the Nexus 5X’s frame is said to be a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor, 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM, 16/32GB of storage, and a USB Type-C connector. The Nexus 5X’s body reportedly measures 147.0mm x 72.6mm x 7.9mm, which is a bit taller and wider but also thinner than the Nexus 5, which measures 137.84mm x 69.17mm x 8.59mm.

There are a couple of details about that spec list that are sure to jump out at folks, namely the 2GB of RAM and the lack of any mention of wireless charging. First up, 2GB of RAM does seem a bit small for a new phone coming out in late 2015, but it seems like the 5X is the mid-range Nexus this year and the Nexus 6P is the flagship. Meanwhile, the lack of wireless charging is puzzling since that feature was in the Nexus 4, 5, and 6.

All will fully be revealed tomorrow at 9:00 AM PT/12:00 PM ET.

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Up until this point, the Pixel lineup has been reserved for ChromeOS and laptops, but it looks like Google is looking to shake things up a bit. According to a new report, there’s a new device coming down the pipe that will bear the Pixel name, but this one’s running Android.

A report published by Android Police says that the new tablet is called the Pixel C and that it will measure in at 10.2 inches. That screen will reportedly feature a pixel per inch count of 308, and a backlight capable of 500 nits. As far as other features go, the Pixel C will boast an NVIDIA X1 quad-core processor under the hood, but what it will be clocked at remains a mystery. It will be paired with a Maxwell GPU. There will be 3GB of RAM, too.

The build quality will still be Pixel-level, so it will still have that premium feel, and the report also suggests that the new Pixel C will look like the 2015 Chromebook Pixel, just without the keyboard attached to it. There will be a keyboard accessory, though. Two of them, in fact. One will be aluminum and the other leather, and they’ll charge automatically when they’re closed. The Pixel C will also feature a USB Type-C port.

The Pixel lightbar will be present on the back of the tablet and will glow to show the battery life remaining in the device.

As far as pricing goes, the report suggests that it won’t be cheap and that it could launch as early as this November. Just one more thing for Google to announce at the company’s media event on September 29.

If the Pixel C is real, and based on the rumored specs, would you pick one up?

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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. Clock

App info:  Clock combines all of the functionality you need into one simple, beautiful package.

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2. Fax Plus

App info: Fax sending is now made easy and absolutely secure with Fax Plus, with very competitive rates to any fax number in the world.

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3. Minimal Todo

App info: Minimal todo is a very light and useful app, allowing you to add todos easily and quickly. It follows the Material guidelines completely.

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4. Action Launcher 3

App info: Action Launcher 3 replaces your homescreen with a colorful, customizable and speedy app you’ll quickly learn to love. Try it out for free!

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5. Smart Doc Scanner

App info: A better interface, greater functionality and less limitations are what Smart Document Scanner offers for an unrivaled experience than any android scanner app you tried before.

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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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Right now, Google Play Music is one of the strongest options for a streaming music service thanks to its plethora of content and an interface that’s easily navigated. One thing it has been missing, though, is a family plan. According to a new report, though, that’s changing — and soon.

Based on information gathered by Android Police, Google will be adding a family plan option to its Play Music All Access that will allow up to six different family members to have access to all of the streaming music they can get their hands on for only $14.99 per month. If that pricing pans out, it will automatically put Google Play Music as one of the leading options as far as pricing and music availability is concerned.

Comparing Play Music to Apple Music, for example, the latter option offers six members a family plan for only $14.99 per month as well, so it’s clear that Google wanted to compete with Apple right out of the gate. Plus, Spotify currently has different options for its own family plan, where pricing starts at $14.99 per month for two members, and rockets up to $29.99 per month for only five members.

This will be a welcomed addition to Google Play Music. If it does indeed launch, will you sign your family up to it?

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In March of this year, Samsung made its own mobile payments option official with Samsung Pay. Now a few months later, the service is now available in the United States for those with the appropriate devices. Samsung’s even throwing in a free accessory offer for good measure.

As hinted at above, you’ll need a Samsung-branded Android-based device to take advantage of Samsung Pay in the United States. Specifically, you’ll need a Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, or a Galaxy Note 5 to use the service. As it stands right now, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular all support the payment option. Verizon Wireless says that it is still evaluating Samsung Pay.

Samsung Pay supports the cards you’d expect, including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. U.S. Bank, Citi Bank, and Bank of America are on board for supporting the mobile payment option as well.

For owners of the Galaxy Note 5 or the Galaxy S6 edge+, Samsung has a limited-time promotion going for you if you sign up for Samsung Pay. If you activate between today, September 28, and October 11 at 11:59PM ET, you’ll be able to choose from either a wallet flip cover or a wireless charging pad. To get enrolled in the offer, after you’ve successfully activated a card, head into the app and select More –> Announcements –> Samsung Pay Activation Offer.

Android Pay has been available for a little while now, and offers support for more devices, but Samsung Pay has a leg up when it comes to terminal support thanks to its Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology, which allows it to work at terminals that don’t offer NFC support. With that in mind, and if you have a supported device, do you plan on using Samsung Pay?

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On Tuesday, September 29, Google is hosting an event where it’s expected the company will unveil two new Nexus-branded smartphones: the Nexus 5X from LG and Huawei’s Nexus 6P. Leading up to that event, though, we’ve already seen a plethora of leaks surface out of the rumor mill regarding both devices, including the different colors each model will come in.

Now pricing has allegedly found its way online ahead of an official announcement. Based on reports published recently by Android Police, Google will price the Nexus 5X starting at $379.99, while the starting price for the Nexus 6P will apparently be $499.99. It’s worth noting that those prices likely reflect the variant with the least amount of memory available, which means the 16GB Nexus 5X and the 32GB Nexus 6P.

It’s expected that the Nexus 5X will be available in a 32GB model as well, while the Nexus 6P will allegedly offer 64GB and 128GB options.

The report also states that sales for the new Nexus smartphones will be online-only, which means there won’t be options available within carrier stores this time around, like there was for the Nexus 6.

The pricing looks to be more on the affordable side this time around, as opposed to the price tag attached to the Nexus 6 last year. That’ll more than likely be a welcomed return to form from Google, so it will be interesting to see how sales go later this year. As far as pre-orders go, it’s believed that Google will launch those tomorrow, September 29, after the handsets are announced. Based on the report, the phones will be available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and Ireland to start.

Do you plan on picking up a Nexus 5X or Nexus 6P?

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Google’s new Nexus phones may only be a couple of days away, but that’s still a couple of days that we’re without new Nexus hardware. The rumor mill has stepped in to fill that void while we wait.

Several Google presentation slides that show off the Huawei Nexus 6P have leaked, confirming many leaked details about the device and revealing a couple more in the process. In terms of raw specs, this leak claims that the Nexus 6P will have a 5.7-inch 2560×1440 display, Snapdragon 810 processor, dual front speakers, USB Type-C, fingerprint sensor, and a 3450mAh battery, all wrapped in a metal unibody design.

According to the original presentation that includes speaker notes, the Nexus 6P’s screen will be of the AMOLED variety. Those notes also suggest that it’ll have 3GB of RAM, 12.3-megapixel rear and 8-megapixel front cameras, and a body that measures 159.4 x 77.8 x 7.3mm. To compare, the Nexus 6 and its 5.9-inch display measures 159.3mm x 83.0mm x 10.1mm.

The Nexus 6P is also expected to be available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities. Color options are said to include Aluminum, Graphite, Frost, and Gold. However, that Gold color will reportedly only be available in Japan, at least initially.

One other detail about this leak that’s worth noting is that it includes another look at the Nexus 6P’s camera bump. There have been some concerns that that camera bump may be pretty large based on leaked images of the Nexus 6P, but in the slide below, the bump doesn’t look all that big.

Should these specs hold true, the Nexus 6P ought to be a pretty nice device, offering high-end specs like a high-res AMOLED display and a Snapdragon 810, wrapped in an all-metal body that’ll be a first for the Nexus line. Now we just have to wonder: How much will the Nexus 6P cost? Good thing that we’ve only got about a day and a half left before we find out and then throw that money at our screens.

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In the age of email, sending a fax might seem a tad old school. The process of faxing is a hassle — printing a document, firing up the fax machine, scanning the document through, punching in the recipients number and waiting for it to print itself out at the other end. Despite faxing being a pain, many businesses and institutions still rely on it as a means of sending documents across locations but this system tends not to play nice with our increasingly mobile- and cloud-based lifestyles.

Fax Plus, from Softxpert, aims to bridge the gap between conventional fax machines and our smartphones. The free app allows you to send a scanned document. stored PDF file or image to any fax number in the world without the need to access a fax machine yourself. The free app is easy to use and there’s no need to register for an account to use Fax Plus. When you open the app, simply hit the new fax button in the lower right and select the file PDF file or image from you gallery to send as a fax. You can select locally stored items or those in your cloud accounts with Dropbox, Google Drive, Box and the like. If you have Softxpert’s Smart Document Scanner app installed (or any other document scanning app), you can also easily scan in paper documents and fax them with Fax Plus.

Once you’ve selected the document to send, choose the destination country, add in the recipient’s fax number and hit send. Fax Plus does the rest. You’ll get live delivery status updates in the app which will show you which documents have arrived at their destination in real time, or a notification in your drawer on delivery. Operating a traditional fax machine, particularly when sending documents internationally, can be expensive. Fax Plus offers a flat-rate fee regardless of geographic location. In the app, you can purchase a “Fax Balance” — the number of pages you can send before needing to purchase more. These credits can be bought as in app purchases and are reasonable per page if you buy one of the larger packages. Unfortunately, Fax Plus does not provide a complimentary Fax Balance at all so you’ll need to purchase some pages before you can test it out for yourself. Having tested Fax Plus with a few documents, the results were exactly as expected and essentially the same as using a fax machine to send the files.

The Fax Plus app itself is fairly plain in terms of design — it’s certainly a case of function over form for Fax Plus — but its simple, Material Design-infused looks aid its ease of use.

If you need to send a fax to someone, frequently or not, Fax Plus is a useful solution and certainly cheaper than investing in a fax machine of your own. Paired with Smart Document Scanner, you can quickly and easily scan and send your documents and see when they have been delivered. If you keep all your files stored digitally, it’s just as easy to fax someone a hard copy right from your cloud account in Fax Plus. Because of that, Fax Plus comes highly recommended — it does just one thing, but does it well which will please those who need it.

Check out Fax Plus on Google Play where it is available to download for free.

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