Android Marshmallow reaches devices next week
Anxious to know when Android 6.0 Marshmallow will reach your existing devices? Google is more than happy to oblige. Existing Nexus devices will start getting Marshmallow next week, including the 5, 6, 7, 9 and Player. And of course, if you spring for the shiny-new Nexus 5X or 6P, you’ll get Marshmallow right out of the box. There’s no word on third-party device updates just yet, but we’d expect news from some manufacturers in the near future. Be prepared to wait longer than Nexus owners, though — other companies’ customized takes on Android typically require more time in the oven.
Android Marshmallow lets you use your voice to control apps
We’ve been testing Android 6.0 “Marshmallow” for months, but Google has saved some of its more interesting features for today’s big Nexus launch event. Most intriguing is the operating system’s bigger focus on voice interactions: Google Now voice commands work a lot faster than before, and you can now also control apps with your voice. For example, asking an Android Marshmallow to “Play NPR” pops up the NPR One app, which prompts a followup question about what specifically you’d like to hear. Any developer will be able to plug in similar “hands free” voice features in their apps. Both Google and Apple have been racing to add more voice features to iOS and Android, but if developers actually warm up to the new voice commands, Google might once again have the leg up (sorry, Siri). Slideshow-323596
Among other new features, Google has also revamped notifications to drop down from the top of the screen (yes, similar to iOS), and the home screen now scrolls and searches faster. (Other Engadget editors have noticed some of the new home screen features on their current Android Lollipop phones.) The new Doze feature also brings some much-needed battery improvements to Android by placing your phone into a deep “sleep” mode when it’s not in use. Google claims the addition of Doze will give the Nexus 5 30 percent more battery life.
Android Marshmallow will start rolling out to Nexus devices next week. As always, owners of other Android devices will have to wait patiently for their phone manufacturers and carriers to approve the update.
Google’s Chromecast 2.0 is faster and more colorful
Google has just announced its next-gen Chromecast streaming stick, and just like earlier reports said, it’s taken on a smaller circular form and has donned more colorful shells. The company says its antenna system allows it to stream higher-resolution videos significantly faster, with less buffering. It even comes with a feature called “Fast Play” that gives it the ability to establish a connection with your TV more quickly than the original version can. Fast Play works by preloading content — it can, for instance, start downloading a series episode — the moment you fire up the media player’s app. In addition, Mountain View has redesigned the Chromecast app (for both Android and iOS) to list Cast-enabled applications installed on your device, find content within them and to display its latest offers and updates.
According to Google, the streaming stick’s new design (smaller, with an integrated HDMI cable) makes it easier to plug into the HDMI port even if you have other devices plug in. It will be available in lemonade, coral and black starting today in 17 countries and will set you back $35. By the way, the company has also confirmed that you can now Cast Spotify on your TV, as well as Google Photos, BBC iPlayer Radio, Showtime, NBA and MLS.
Get all the news from today’s Google event right here.
Chromecast Audio connects your existing speakers
One of the biggest draws of Chromecast is its ability to easily push audio to your home audio system. Google is taking that one step further with the introduction of Chromecast Audio. From the sounds of it (no pun intended, or was it?), ease of use is going to be the main draw here. Mountain View says that Audio will support a standard 3.5mm auxiliary input, RCA jacks and an optical input. What’s more, it’ll mirror the audio of most Android devices — not just music, if that’s the sort of thing you’re into. Same goes for “any” music streaming site’s output from your computer. Just like the rumors said, Chromecast Audio will support longtime holdout Spotify as well as Google Play Music, Deezer and the BBC iPlayer. Much like the original Chromecast made dumb TVs smart, the Audio version wants to do the same for the speakers you already own — a direct shot at companies like Sonos.
Setup doesn’t stray far from its forbearer, either. Download the app, plug the device into your speaker and a power source, connect your device and Chromecast to the same WiFi network and you should be good to go.
Nexus Protect is Google’s answer to AppleCare
Alongside the Nexus 5X and 6P smartphones Google unveiled today, the company announced a new program intended to give butter-fingered customers a little peace of mind. In addition to the one-year warranty every Nexus smartphone is covered by, the Nexus Protect program covers repair and replacement costs for mechanical breakdowns and accidental damage for two years. Basically, it’s Google’s version of AppleCare, and should the extra-clumsy destroy their phone somehow, they can expect a replacement as early as the next business day. Obviously, these guarantees come at a price, but if you’re a serial screen smasher, then it could be worth your while to Nexus Protect your 5X for $69, or your new 6P for $89.
Get all the news from today’s Google event right here.
Google Photos gets updated with improved sharing features
Google is adding three big new features to Photos to make sharing pictures significantly easier than it is right now. For instance, if you want to show your friends a cool image, you’ll probably be forced to pass the device from person to person across the lounge. Now, however, the search engine has tweaked the app so that you can push the shots straight to a nearby TV as long as it’s got a Chromecast plugged in. But rather than just mirroring the smartphone’s display, this feature actually enables you to choose what you want your friends and relatives to see. That way, if you’ve got a not-safe-for-work background picture, or don’t want anyone seeing the notifications pop up, you can simply run the show like an old-school slide projector.
Secondly, Google is letting multiple Photos users subscribe and contribute their images to a single album. That way, if two people are all snapping away at a local concert, they can pool their resources into one directory. Even better, is that third parties can then subscribe to this feed and get notifications when new pictures have been added. The example that was given at the show was that far-away relatives can see their grandkids grow up, their devices buzzing every time more snaps are added.
Thirdly, the firm is enabling users to tag the important people in your life and search for them with tags, which is hoped will make finding that one great image a piece of cake. The first and third features will be hitting Android this week, with web and iOS variations expected to land at some point in the near future. Shared Albums, meanwhile, is tipped to launch “later in the year,” which we’d take to mean shortly before the holidays.
Developing…
OS X El Capitan Reviews: ‘Solid as a Rock’ and a Worthy Update Thanks to Performance Improvements
Following the release of the golden master version of OS X 10.11 El Capitan to developers earlier in the month, the first reviews for the newest iteration on Apple’s desktop operating system have begun to hit this morning, ahead of the wide public release tomorrow, September 30. After testing El Capitan for a few weeks, most sites agree that while OS X 10.11 isn’t a massive overhaul, its performance enhancements and speed boosts make upgrading to the free new OS essentially a no-brainer.
Macworld calls El Capitan “solid as a rock,” noting improvements to features like Mission Control and the introduction of Split View as big positives. Overall, Macworld views the upgrade as “routine”, a welcome refresh amid Apple’s continued push towards performance and security improvements.
Should you update to El Capitan? Unreservedly yes—I’ve found it to be stable, it’s free, it’ll download and install itself on your Mac with nearly no intervention, and it’ll bring with it improved security, speed, and functionality.
The days of dramatic operating-system updates are over. El Capitan is as solid as the giant granite monolith that towers over Yosemite Valley. Upgrade, and get an improved Mac. It’s really that simple.
Engadget gives El Capitan an 87/100 score, calling it a “modest update” after Yosemite last year, but with solid new introductions like multitasking and noticeable improvements to Spotlight, Safari, and Photos. In particular, the site points out the exciting possibilities that will come from the addition of third-party extensions for Photos, allowing users to take advantage of the editing tools of other photo apps within Apple’s own Photos experience.
While Apple promised third-party extensions when it first unveiled the new Photos app earlier this year, extensions won’t actually be available to download until tomorrow. Extensions can be downloaded from the Mac App Store, either bundled with an app or distributed on their own. Although some developers, like the folks behind Pixelmator, have gotten a head start, most developers are only just getting the chance to access these tools for the first time. So, we should be seeing more extensions hit the App Store as the season wears on. Personally, as an Engadget editor posting lots of hands-on photos, I’d really like to see one for batch-watermarking.
The Verge commented on the small but noticeable improvements brought by El Capitan, such as the ability to pin tabs in Safari and even mute them from the address bar, which the site says should cause Google Chrome users to give Apple’s browser another look. Overall, The Verge views OS X 10.11 as Apple’s evolutionary in-house solution for a handful of problems and shortcomings third-party software has addressed over the years, making the update feel both minor and substantial at the same time.
El Capitan takes the sorts of things that experts have been doing with third-party apps and utilities for years on the Mac and builds them right into the OS. Spotlight is becoming more than just a simple file search box. Window management is becoming easier. Notes is more than just a raw text box. Most of it left me nonplussed because all of these things didn’t feel new and different to me — I’ve been finding ways to fix all of those problems for years with third party apps and add-ons. But with El Capitan, Apple’s made the learning curve you usually have to climb to become a “power user” (whatever that is) much more gradual.
Everyone will be able to get in on experiencing El Capitan for themselves starting tomorrow, when the new version of OS X launches for the public. Before the update goes live, a handful of other sites have posted reviews for El Capitan, including: The Wall Street Journal, The Next Web, CNET, Ars Technica, and SlashGear.
Updated HTC One M9+ Aurora Edition with 21MP camera, OIS, and Laser AutoFocus set to hit Taiwan in October
It’s getting closer to Google’s announcement on all things Nexus and maybe a device that isn’t, but let’s not forget that HTC also unveiled a couple of handsets today at a press event held in Japan. Besides announcing that the Butterfly would be released from captivity and re-branded as the Butterfly 3 before spreading its wings to international markets, HTC also announced an updated One M9+ Aurora Edition, the specs of which are after the break.
Basically, the HTC One M9+ Aurora Edition is pretty much the same as the M9+ that was announced earlier in the year, albeit with an updated camera. Whereas the original version had a 20MP rear camera, the M9+ Aurora Edition now carries a 21MP sensor, along with OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) and laser autofocus.
Specifications:
- Android Lollipop with HTC Sense
- 5.2-Inch LCD with QHD resolution (2560 x 1440)
- MediaTek MT6795T (Helio) Octa-core processor @ 2.2GHz
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB Internal Storage
- UltraPixel Front camera
- Fingerprint sensor
- HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio
- LTE
- Bluetooth 4.1/NFC/WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/N/ac (2.4GHz & 5GHz)
- 2,840mAh battery
- Dimensions: 150.99 x 71.99 x 9.61mm
- Weight: 168 grams
The HTC One M9+ Aurora Edition will be available to order in Taiwan from October 5 for NT$20,900(+-$630). Let us know your thoughts on the HTC One M9+ Aurora Edition in the comments below.
Source: Engadget (China)
Come comment on this article: Updated HTC One M9+ Aurora Edition with 21MP camera, OIS, and Laser AutoFocus set to hit Taiwan in October
Watch Google’s San Francisco event live stream right here!
It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for all day, the live-stream coverage of Google’s Nexus announcement. This is where we will see the LG Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P handsets revealed, the second-generation Chromecast devices and app, and, if that isn’t enough, the new Pixel tablet. And who knows, maybe Google has a surprise up its sleeve that didn’t leak yesterday. You can check out the live stream coverage of the Google announcement right here.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Let us know which Device you are more excited about in the comments below.
Come comment on this article: Watch Google’s San Francisco event live stream right here!
Nexus 6P will cost just $500 in US, 650 Euros in Europe!
We already knew that the Nexus 5X would be a more affordable option when compared to last year’s Nexus 6. Now it seems that the Nexus 6P is also pushing affordability as one of its key selling points, at least according to a number of new leaks that have surfaced this morning ahead of the official announcement.
The Nexus 6P is expected to set US buyers back just $499, with the highest configuration (128GB) priced at just $650. That’s pretty impressive for an all-metal high-end flagship device. As for the Nexus 5X, all rumors indicate it will cost around $379.
Unfortunately for European buyers, the situation isn’t quite as rosy. European pricing tends to be higher due to import taxes and other related factors, but the premium here is way higher than anyone probably predicted. The Nexus 6P is will reportedly cost around 650 Euros for the base model, which translates out to about $729. That’s a difference of $229! The situation is similar with regards to the Nexus 5X, which will reportedly cost around 479 Euro for the base 16GB model. That translates out to about a premium of $158.
We have to wonder what Google was thinking here. In the past, Nexus phones have often cost more in Europe than in the US, but the gaps here are pretty massive. Missing features like OIS, wireless charging, and a few other things found in phones that offer similar prices in Europe, the latest Nexus family is probably going to be a much harder sell for those across the pond.
What do you think of the pricing, if all this proves accurate? Will you still buy the Nexus 5X or 6P in Europe or do these prices turn you off? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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