Download now: Android M Developer Preview 2 OTAs for Nexus 5 and 6
If you’re like me and absolutely want and need the latest updates, you might have already flashed Android M Developer Preview 2 onto your Nexus when it arrived last week. For those that were waiting for the OTA links, we have your back.
So far the only devices with captured OTAs are the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6:
Installing OTA updates manually is perfect for those that don’t want to wait for the OTA to hit their devices automatically and yet don’t want to bother with doing a clean install.
As for what’s new with Android M Developer Preview 2? We’ll be bringing you a post that better sums this up soon, but honestly don’t expect much different from the first preview in terms of major new features or revisions. In fact, unless you are actually a developer that needs the new version for testing out the (now more finished) M APIs, there’s not a lot here for you that makes it a “must have now” download.
So how about it, anyone flashed this yet? How do you feel about the latest preview so far?
Apple Constraining iPod, iPad Mini 2 and iPad Air Inventory Sent to Third-Party Retailers
Insider inventory constraint information from major retailer Target hints at some possible end of life timelines for various products like the iPod, iPad mini 2, and iPad Air, many of which may be discontinued in the near future following the launch of new products.
According to a screenshot of an internal inventory system shared by a Target employee, all models of the iPod are currently constrained by Apple ahead of a rumored update that could come as soon as tomorrow.
Images of unreleased iPod touches, nanos, and shuffles were first discovered hidden within iTunes 12.2, and a rumor has suggested the iPod touch could receive a processor upgrade and new color options while the nano and the shuffle might be available in new colorways.
As for the iPad mini 2 and the iPad Air, replenishment of existing stock is currently constrained, with Target aiming to have 1 color in stock at each of its stores. Dwindling in-store stock suggests Apple could be planning to discontinue the iPad mini 2 and the iPad Air following the release of new models, which is expected to happen in the fall.
The iPad mini 2 and the iPad Air may be replaced by the iPad mini 3 and the iPad Air 2 as lower-cost older-generation models following the launch of a third-generation iPad Air and a fourth-generation iPad mini. We haven’t heard much on what a third-generation iPad Air might offer, but an A9 processor and Force Touch are solid guesses.
A fourth-generation iPad mini has been rumored to be in the works, with an iPad Air-style redesign that eliminates the mute switch and introduces larger speaker holes. An updated iPad mini would also likely incorporate a much-improved processor, more RAM, and possibly Force Touch.
It is not clear when Apple plans to introduce new iPad mini and iPad Air models, but Target’s guess of fall 2015 is a safe bet. For the last several years, Apple has updated its iPad lineup in October or November, and that’s when we’re likely to see new iPads in 2015. This year’s iPad update may include an all new model, the much-rumored larger-screened iPad Pro.
ZTE sells 26M smartphones in H1 2015, still eyes top-3 handset spot in the US
Chinese smartphone maker ZTE has been on the up and up as of late, especially when taking into account the last two years of its smartphone business. Back in March, the company announced a 94-percent increase in its net profit in 2014, along with an increase in worldwide smartphone shipments by more than 50 percent that same year. Now company officials have released some numbers for the first half of 2015, giving us a good look at how ZTE is fairing in the handset market.
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ZTE has just reported that it shipped 26 million smartphones worldwide in the first half of the year, roughly 39 percent of those being high-end devices. Total shipments of smartphones, tablets and smart home products totaled around 46 million. The company has of course been focusing on international markets such as the U.S., and it looks like its hard work has paid off – ZTE has announced a 41-percent increase in its United States smartphone shipments in H1 of this year.
As it stands, ZTE plans to sell roughly 60 million units worldwide throughout the entire year, though it may run in to some stiff competition as we make the jump from H1 to H2. New flagships from popular OEMs like Xiaomi, Huawei and Meizu are expected to launch within the next few months, potentially making it difficult for ZTE to sell as many units as it originally forecasted.
ZTE’s big plans for the U.S. might not be as attainable as it once thought
In March, the Chinese device maker announced its goal to make it into the top three U.S. smartphone vendors by the year 2017. From a numbers standpoint, this is entirely possible. The company has seen major growth in its smartphone business over the past two years, and it already holds the fourth place spot in North America, behind Apple, Samsung and LG. But as time goes on ZTE is now realizing this goal may not be as attainable as it once thought. The new target date to become a top-three device seller in the U.S. has just been pushed back to 2020. In addition to the U.S.-based achievement, it also plans to become the number one Chinese brand in overseas markets by the same year.
ZTE has been making a push into the United States over the years, and we’ve already seen some fruits of its labor. Not only is the company relying on high-end smartphone sales in the U.S., it’s also going through an aggressive branding push that will hopefully court more users away from manufacturers like Apple and Samsung. Although ZTE hasn’t confirmed this information, we know that the company is behind the mysterious Axon Phone that’s set to launch in the U.S. on July 14th. This device will undoubtedly face some challenges when it launches, but maybe that’s all part of the plan to increase brand awareness.
ZTE has some big ambitions for the next few years, and that’s exactly what it has to do in order to move up the ranks.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 continues to drive the spec war with 4GB of RAM
Samsung continue to push the boundaries of specifications in mobile devices with a recent report stating that the new Galaxy Note 5 will have 4GB of LP-DDR4 RAM.
In addition, Samsung are expected to bring the first all-in-one ePoP solution to the Note 5, which will see the Exynos 7422 CPU bring a 64-bit Octa-core CPU, GPU, RAM, internal storage, and the Shannon 333 LTE modem all in one chip.
Perhaps Samsung are trying to solve the TouchWiz performance issues that have plagued generations of Galaxy devices by bumping up the RAM to 4GB? Whatever the reason, Samsung always use the Galaxy Note line to showcase the capabilities of their engineers and continue to demonstrate the powerhouse of the Note series.
Source: SamMobile
The post Samsung Galaxy Note 5 continues to drive the spec war with 4GB of RAM appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Pebble’s Time Steel smartwatch ships to backers at month’s end
While Pebble Time on its way to backers and available for pre-order, the company’s metal-clad smartwatch is also scheduled to arrive soon. Via Kickstarter update, Pebble announced that production of the Time Steel is set to begin this week with the goal of shipping the gadgets to backers at the end of the month. It’ll take some time to send out all of the units, but even the folks at the end of the line should receive tracking info by the end of August. However, due to limited availability, some backers may receive their metal bands in a separate shipment, rather than both a leather and metal band bundled with the watch itself. What’s more, when the Time Steel hits retail, the metal bands will be separate purchase, so plan accordingly.
Filed under: Wearables
Via: Android Central
Source: Pebble (Kickstarter)
Comcast’s 2Gbps internet costs you up to $299 per month
Are you determined to trump your Google Fiber-toting friends by signing up for Comcast’s 2Gbps Gigabit Pro service? You’d better have deep pockets. The telecom has revealed pricing for its multi-gigabit data tier, and it’ll cost you up to an eye-watering $299 per month. Comcast is testing a more reasonable $159 per month (on a 2-year contract) in Chattanooga and other cities, but it’s still patently obvious that Pro is aimed at the speed-at-all-costs crowd. The rate also doesn’t factor in gotchas like the activation and installation fees, which can cost up to $500 each.
As it stands, leaping on the 2Gbps option may be a bit premature unless you’re swimming in money. The more practical option may be to wait for Comcast’s early 2016 upgrade to DOCSIS 3.1, a cable standard that will make 1Gbps practical for many people, not just those lucky enough to live near fiber optic lines. You don’t even need a gigabit to stream 4K video, after all, and two may be overkill unless you regularly transfer enormous files. It’ll be a while before internet services are so bandwidth-heavy that Gigabit Pro is more than a luxury.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar]
Filed under: Networking, Internet
Via: Times Free Press
Source: Comcast
Researchers battle a deadly lung problem with meds, computer models
It doesn’t a whole lot to stop the tiny air sacs in your lungs from doing their jobs — trauma, a nasty case of pneumonia or sepsis could lead to what’s called acute respiratory distress syndrome, a situation in which your blood doesn’t get all the oxygen it should. ARDS can be a tricky thing to treat even on a good day, but that’s where the big brains at the University of Michigan come in. Researchers there have cooked up a way to model how liquid medication surges and diffuses throughout the lungs, and breathed new life into a treatment that others had all but given up on.
You see, babies are occasionally born with a similar problem: their lungs can oxygenate blood properly because they don’t have enough of a certain chemical (a “surfactant”) to keep those air sacs from collapsing. Thankfully, physicians can help those newborn lungs do their thing by pumping them up with that very same surfactant. Surely that same approach would work for adults with the same problem, right? Well, not quite – our full-grown lungs are much bigger, and other attempts to treat ARDS with medicine haven’t been very successful. The computer model cooked up by those researchers in Michigan, though, reveal that the chemical concoctions used in previous trials were too concentrated and couldn’t penetrate deep enough into the lungs’ air cavities to keep them closing up. The one time the chemical trial did work (all the way back in 1997), the team involved used a much more diluted solution. No one had pieced together that part of the puzzle until, and now doctors might be able to save a few more lives thanks to a sensational simulation.
Source: UMichigan News
Samsung patents Apps Edge, brings new software tricks
Early last week, Samsung filed a patent on a new enhancement for it’s edge devices called “Apps Edge.” At this point in time, there are not many details on the new software. We are hoping that this patent is aimed at making better use of the side displays on Samsung’s edge handsets like the ones on the Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy S6 Edge.
Some leaked details on the software have emerged. Apps Edge could be used to better organize apps in addition to allowing quick access to frequently used applications or bookmarks. This is similar to what we saw originally on the Galaxy Note Edge, but the feature was discontinued on the later announced Galaxy S6 Edge. It’s also rumored to have additional features like active task previews and other goodies.
Samsung might be bringing this capability to third-party developers. If this were to come to a dedicated section for example, apps for edge models, it could significantly enhance the experience and that could be Samsung’s goal with this patent filing.
Via: Phone Arena
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Xiaomi phones have one killer feature that impacts the overall experience
Xiaomi is a Chinese smartphone maker that may sound familiar. Although Xiaomi handsets are not popular in the United States, it is on top of all smartphone manufacturers in China. The company is mostly known for impressive devices at affordable price points.
Xiaomi started out as a software company in 2010 when it developed the very popular android skin called MIUI. MIUI offers lots of great features on top of android and has become one of the most popular customization android skins out there. The skin improves our day to day lifestyle by offering useful tools in addition to great performance and battery life.
Most importantly, the skin has one killer feature. Although it doesn’t have a specific name, the feature allows users to “lock” apps in your recent apps tray so that they’re protected whenever you attempt to free up RAM. In order to do it, all you need to do is swipe them down rather than upwards. This ensures the device has faster loading times, and allows us to lock key apps we use daily. The system doesn’t have to launch the app from scratch every time you close it out or if it’s automatically closed because the system ran out of memory. Ultimately, it results in better performance and better battery life because essentially the processor isn’t working as hard.
It may not seem noticeable unless coming from another handset, but it’s a great feature which is overseen by a lot of people. It would be great if other android skins adopted this feature into their very own skin. Or better, if Android implemented the feature into the next version of its operating system.
Via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Xiaomi phones have one killer feature that impacts the overall experience
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 aims to bring great camera like the Galaxy S6
The Galaxy S6 brought new enhancements in the camera department compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy S5. Samsung decided to ditch the 2MP front-facing camera on the Galxy S5 for a 5MP wide-angle shooter on the new Galaxy S6.
Consumers apparently care so much about selfies that hardware manufacturers are giving front-facing cameras extra attention.
According to a discovery made by TechTastic, the upcoming Galaxy Note 5 will most likely support the same 5MP wide-angle shooter on the Galaxy S6. It’s great to see Samsung has impressive things in store for its upcoming phone, but we’ll save the applause for after its official announcement in late August or early September.
Source: TechTastic
Via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 aims to bring great camera like the Galaxy S6
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