Marshmallow is here for the BlackBerry Priv: Here’s everything you need to know

Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow rolls out to the Priv today. Here’s what you need to know.

After an interminably long wait for most — and a relatively short beta period for some — some Privs will be updated to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow today. Curious about what’s in the update? Here’s everything you need to know, with the help of Michael Clewley, BlackBerry’s Director of Software Product Management.

When is it available?

The Android 6.0.1 update will be available starting April 26 to BlackBerry models purchased directly from ShopBlackBerry. Those models include:

• STV100-1 in the U.S. and Canada
• STV100-4 in the UK, France

The update will roll out to STV100-2 and STV100-3 models (sold through carrier channels) beginning May 3.

What’s the big deal?

Aside from the fact that it brings the Priv up to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and all it entails, there are some pretty nice features added to this build.

On a high level, BlackBerry has added improvements to security, to the Hub, to the keyboard, and to the camera. We’ll get to specifics in a moment.

But more than that, after using the Priv on Marshmallow for about a week, it’s clear that the phone’s software has matured; already a fast device on Lollipop, the Priv now screams. Moreover, the UI’s rough bits have been smoothed over, and the whole experience, from the Hub to the camera, feels just a little bit more cohesive.

About that security

“We are the world’s most secure smartphone,” says Clewley during an interview with CrackBerry. “We have all the native Marshmallow underpinnings from a security perspective on Priv, and we have only enhanced that now.”

Clewley notes that BlackBerry spent a long time ensuring that its hardware-based security advantages — kernel hardening, including the application of Linux patches ignored by other OEMs and even Google itself; and on-device encryption — were equalled by improvements to Marshmallow.

Of particular note is the integration of DTEK, BlackBerry’s app for overseeing the Priv’s security status, with Marshmallow’s new app permissions model. As in Lollipop, it’s possible to see which apps requested access to specific parts of the hardware, but now, thanks to Google, users can actually disable those permissions.

Clewley points out that BlackBerry is practically the only OEM to keep up with Google’s pace of monthly security updates. “I just don’t think other OEMs care as much about security as much as we do,” he says, pointing out that carriers more often than not make things too difficult for manufacturers to roll out regular updates, so they just don’t bother.

“We’ve done a lot of work with carriers to make sure users get these security patches monthly, and many carriers welcomed that hands-on approach,” he says. He also tacitly acknowledges that many of the bigger U.S. carriers have less incentive to push out regular updates, and that while the Priv is still the most frequent, getting a phone direct from the manufacturer is the best way to ensure regular updates.

On one hand, it’s great to see BlackBerry so committed to regular software patches. On the other, though, given that Android N is only a few months away, its advantage over, say, a Nexus 6P with the latest version of Google’s software may disappear overnight.

To that end, I ask Clewley whether, with Google releasing an N Developer Preview so early, we’ll see the next version of Android more quickly on the Priv. He hedges, saying, “Updates are very complex for OEMs. They don’t just have to wait for Google; they have to wait for chip manufacturers to certify their parts, generally after Google declares their latest software as gold.”

In other words, “it would require bigger changes to how Android is effected.”

More Hub to love

On the software side, BlackBerry has made the Hub even more impressive. Not only does it now support S/MIME email signing and encryption (you’ll know if that’s important to you), but for regular consumers there is now Instagram, Slack, Skype and Pinterest integration, along with the existing hooks for Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

According to Clewley, many of these integrations came from direct user feedback (I begged for Slack integration on more than one occasion), but most were the logical continuation of the Hub as a platform.

Of course, unlike BlackBerry 10, the Hub is still a separate app that must be opened, and it still conflicts with Google’s own Gmail app, but with Marshmallow is has become an indispensable part of my Priv life, and I wish it were usable on other Android devices.

Keyboard swiping

BlackBerry has added, for better or worse, swiping support on not only the virtual keyboard but the physical one.

What this means in practice is that if the Priv’s width doesn’t strain your thumb’s reach while using it in one hand (I have stubby digits, so it doesn’t quite work for me), it’s now possible to enter text without lifting your finger. In practice, the swipe isn’t nearly as accurate or reliable as Swype or SwiftKey, but BlackBerry has done an admirable job in its limited time.

More impressive, and equally strange, is the feeling of swiping on the Priv’s physical keyboard, the act of which was previously reserved for moving the cursor around the screen while selecting text. It’s likely not an everyday use case, but I can see it being used to impress friends — and occasionally enter a line or two of text.

But hardware and software keyboard lovers alike will appreciate the 200-odd new emoji, along with improved word prediction.

Can’t fix a camera through software

Even when the Priv was released late last year, its 18MP camera, while good, didn’t match up to the industry’s leaders. Today that is even more pronounced as a new lineup of Android flagships, led by the Galaxy S7, show what is possible with a smartphone camera.

But BlackBerry has not stopped improving the software experience, adding two new video modes — 24fps capture at 4K, 1080p and 720p; and 120fps slow motion — to the phone’s repertoire. The latter feature is found on nearly every device on the market, but the former, a so-called “cinematic” mode, according to Clewley, is relatively uncommon.

With Marshmallow, the Priv’s shutter is slightly faster, but still below what you’d want from a flagship, while image quality seems to be about the same. As we’ve learned with many devices over the years, you can’t fix a poor sensor through software.

A launcher to remember

BlackBerry’s Priv launcher, with its support for custom icon packs, pop-up widgets and an array of app shortcuts, separated itself from the largely derivative feature sets found on most competitors’ devices, when it launched last year.

With Marshmallow, that launcher has received a host of improvements, including better ways to organize apps into categories. They’re small changes, but I still haven’t reached Action Launcher, my go-to on most other devices — and that’s saying something.

A longer-lasting conversation

As with all Marshmallow-based devices, the Priv benefits from Google’s implementation of Doze and App Standby, which extends the uptime by around an hour in my findings. The 3,410mAh battery already lasted all day (and then some, most of the time) so it’s a well-appreciated bonus that it gets better with Android 6.0.1.

While Clewley says that BlackBerry had to find the right balance between performance and battery optimization, he thinks that Google will continue to improve on Doze — as it has promised — and that there were some issues OEMs didn’t take into account. Specifically, apps like BBM that rely on push notifications rely now more than ever on persistent notifications to ensure thats service doesn’t get killed in the background.

Practice makes perfect

With BlackBerry poised to release at least two more Android-powered handsets in 2016, it’s good to see the company iterating on its software in meaningful ways. Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow for the Priv is an example of a company taking its time to make sure everything is in its right place before pressing the big red button.

And while we’re on the verge of yet another Android version, with its own set of user-facing security and privacy improvements, there’s no question that on the face of things BlackBerry has a commitment few others OEMs have shown.

That said, questions still remain about just what changes BlackBerry has made to the Android kernel, with Clewley mentioning proprietary “special sauce” that, for competitive reasons, will remain private. And with most new Android 6.0-based shipping with encryption on by default, and companies like HTC and Samsung stepping up their monthly security update game, it’s unclear just how much of an advantage, if at all, the Priv has over, say, the Galaxy S7 or HTC 10 when it comes to security.

BlackBerry would have you believe that the Priv’s combination of hardware and software-level security improvements separate it from the pack, but many of these advantages are subjective rather than quantifiable.

In the end, the BlackBerry Priv is a great smartphone, made better by its latest software update.

More on the Priv’s Marshmallow update at Inside BlackBerry

Twitter now allows you to report harassment with multiple tweets at a time

Twitter is adding another improvement for people who want to report harassing messages on their social network. The company is rolling out a feature that will allow users to send multiple tweets in one report, rather than just sending them one at a time.

In a blog post, Twitter stated:

This update makes it easier for you to provide us with more information about the extent of abuse and reduces the time it takes to do so. That added context often helps us investigate issues and get them resolved faster.

Report abuse on Twitter more easily than ever. Find out how to protect yourself and others.https://t.co/1MEfTzkfFL

— Safety (@safety) April 25, 2016

This new update is currently rolling out on iOS, Android and the web versions of Twitter and will be available for all users “in the coming weeks”. Twitter added that it will launch even more safety improvements and features soon.

Amazon further bolsters its FreeTime Unlimited content catalog for kids

Amazon has bolstered its FreeTime Unlimited service for kids with new additions. The online retail giant has added content specifically catering for older children, aged between 9 and 12. There are new videos, education-based apps, games, books and more bringing the total number of catalog items up to 13,000.

The service itself starts at $2.99 a month for those with Amazon Prime membership, or $4.99 for those without. All Kindle Fire devices are supported by the all-you-can-eat catalog of media. As well as the new content, Amazon has also introduced new Smart Filters, which provide parents with more control over what kids consume on the FreeTime service.

The filters will be available for 4th and 5th generation Fire tablets, starting from April 27 with an OTA update.

Press Release

Amazon FreeTime Unlimited Adds New Content Lineup for Kids Ages 9-12

Amazon FreeTime Unlimited provides all-you-can eat access to over 13,000 age-appropriate videos, educational apps, games, and books, including new additions from Disney, Nickelodeon, Mattel, Monument Valley, SEGA, and More

Introducing FreeTime Smart Filters, a new parental control feature that gives parents the ultimate say in what their children can see

SEATTLE—April 26, 2016—(NASDAQ:AMZN)—Amazon today announced that FreeTime Unlimited—the all-you-can eat subscription designed from the ground up for kids and their parents—is getting even better. Amazon is adding thousands of new videos, educational apps, games, and books to FreeTime Unlimited—without raising the price. FreeTime Unlimited starts at just $2.99 per month for Prime members and $4.99 per month for customers who are not yet Prime members. FreeTime Unlimited previously offered titles primarily for kids ages 3-8 but has now added thousands of videos, educational apps, games, and books for kids ages 9-12, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Monument Valley, iCarly, Star Trek, and much more—ensuring FreeTime Unlimited content grows as your kids grow.

“Today, FreeTime Unlimited offers over 13,000 videos, educational apps, games, and books, plus over 40,000 YouTube videos and websites—for kids from preschool to preteen,” said Nate Glissmeyer, Director, Amazon Kids and Families. “To help more easily manage all that awesome content, we’re introducing FreeTime Smart Filters to give parents the ultimate say in what their kids are seeing—younger kids still have the freedom to explore the titles that are appropriate for their age group while older kids get to play Monument Valley and see other cool videos, apps, games, and books that are just right for them.”

Amazon FreeTime Unlimited now offers over 13,000 titles, including:

• Thousands of hand-curated videos, including Legend of Korra, Gortimer Gibbons, Thunder Birds Are Go, Just Add Magic, iCarly, Star Trek, RL Stein’s The Haunting Hour, Superman the Animated Series, Design Squad, and Big Time Rush.
• Hundreds of age-appropriate apps and games without any in-app purchasing or advertisements, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Monument Valley, Slugterra, Lightbot Programming Puzzles, Star Wars Rebels, Winx Bloomix Quest, Temple Run: OZ, American Girl, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Monster High, and Ever After High.
• Thousands of books, including titles like The Witch of Blackbird Pond, The Black Pearl, The Sign of the Beaver, Harry Potter, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, Big Nate, DC Super Heroes, and Scooby Doo.

FreeTime Unlimited is also adding new titles for preschool and younger kids with popular apps like The Good Dinosaur, Inside Out, Big Hero 6, and Disney Junior Appisodes; new books The Polar Express, Sleep Like a Tiger, Tuesday,and Mr. Wuffles; and new videos from Dino Dan, Zoboomafoo, Thomas and Friends, Wishenpoof, and Tumble Leaf.

Families can also discover kid-friendly content using the Amazon FreeTime web browser, which provides kids with controlled access to over 40,000 hand-curated, age-appropriate YouTube videos and websites. All YouTube videos and websites included in the FreeTime web browser are selected and approved by Amazon experts to ensure they are appropriate for kids.

Introducing FreeTime Smart Filters

Because no two kids are exactly alike—individual development and preferences vary—Amazon FreeTime now includes FreeTime Smart Filters. Using a blend of input from Common Sense Media, Amazon experts, and parents like you, FreeTime Smart Filters is a proprietary feature to help parents sort through and manage FreeTime content. FreeTime Unlimited begins by recommending age-appropriate videos, educational apps, games, and books for kids to enjoy. Parents can then use FreeTime Smart Filters to adjust the library so that older kids are only seeing the content that’s applicable to them, and parents can be confident younger kids aren’t seeing content deemed too old. FreeTime Smart Filters will be available for 4th and 5th generation Fire tablets, including Fire Kids Edition, via a free, over-the-air software update rolling out starting April 27.

Amazon FreeTime and FreeTime Unlimited are available exclusively on Fire tablets, including Fire Kids Edition, as well as on Kindle e-readers—learn more about FreeTime Unlimited at http://www.amazon.com/freetimeunlimited.

Google, Uber, Ford, and others team up to push for U.S. self-driving car regulations

Google is teaming up with a number of other companies to try to push U.S. lawmakers to pass regulations for self-driving cars. The company, along with Uber, Ford, Lyft and Volvo have now formed the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets coalition.

Reuters reports:

The group said in a statement it will “work with lawmakers, regulators and the public to realize the safety and societal benefits of self-driving vehicles.” The coalition said David Strickland, the former top official of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the top U.S. auto safety agency that is writing new guidance on self-driving cars, will be the coalition’s counsel and spokesman.

Google has been testing self-driving cars in several locations in the U.S, including parts of California, Texas and most recently in Arizona.

BlackBerry Priv gets Android Marshmallow, more battery life and data control

BlackBerry fans have had a tough time of it lately with app support abandonment. But they can rely on the flagship Priv handset to keep pushing forward with the latest update bringing Android 6.0 Marshmallow to the phone.

While WhatsApp and Facebook support were dropped for the BlackBerry OS, and since then BB10 was announced as killed off all together, the Priv is still up to date thanks to its Android operating system. It looks like Android support is going well though, relatively, since this update only appeared on the likes of Samsung phones a few months back.

The Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for the BlackBerry Priv brings with it a host of features, some of which are designed for BlackBerry only.

There’s customised personal data permissions, allowing users determine what information an app can access. This can be controlled for each app allowing control over personal data. S/MIME support is included for a deeper level of security thanks to offering digital signatures and encryption options for emails. The BlackBerry Keyboard has been enhanced for better accuracy. Finally there’s more battery life thanks to Android’s Doze feature.

The BlackBerry Priv Android 6.0 Marshmallow update is out now and can be downloaded the software now.

READ: Android 6.0 Marshmallow tips and tricks

T-Mobile continues the good times with 2.2 million new customers

T-Mobile’s hot streak isn’t ending any time soon. The magenta-hued carrier has posted results for the first quarter of 2016 that suggest its strategy of loading on perks is paying off. It racked up 2.2 million total new customers, over 1 million of which were highly coveted postpaid (regular subscription) users. For context, Verizon added “just” 640,000 postpaid users in the same quarter — although T-Mobile’s 65.5 million total customers still pales in comparison to Verizon’s 112.6 million, it’s catching up. The jury’s still out on AT&T and Sprint, which respectively post their figures later today (April 26th) and on May 3rd, but they’ll have a high bar to clear.

Its bottom line is doing well, too. Its total revenues are up over 10 percent to $8.8 billion, and it made a tidy $479 million in profit. That’s peanuts next to the profits of its biggest competition (Verizon took in $4.4 billion this quarter), but no mean feat for a carrier that still thrives on cost-conscious prepaid users.

And crucially, T-Mobile is predicting a rosy future. It’s dramatically increasing its expected postpaid subscriber additions this year from a minimum of 2.4 million to at least 3.2 million, and now expects to rake in at least $9.7 billion in earnings for 2016 compared to its previous estimate of $9.1 billion. Whatever you think of T-Mobile, it’s clear that the network doesn’t expect anyone to slow it down for a long, long time.

Source: T-Mobile

Dining with the electric fork that could save lives

This prototype fork can help you eat less salt and could save lives. It sends a gentle electric current to your tongue as you eat, fooling tastebuds into experiencing a salty, (sometimes sour) taste — even when there’s little to no salt in the food itself. Despite the awkward notion of willingly putting an electric current into your mouth, the “electro-fork” can potentially tackle some legitimate health issues. According to the World Health Organization, we consume 10 grams of salt a day — double the amount it recommends. This increases one’s chances of hypertension, heart disease, strokes and more. So, in the interest of my health (and morbid curiosity), I went for a taste test.

The fork isn’t particularly high tech, with the parts costing less than 20 bucks total, including a battery to power it. At the base, there’s a dial allowing you to toggle between three intensity levels. At the prototype stage, there’s remit here for a greater range of sensations, but even so, three settings is enough for my uneducated palate. There’s definitely a “your mileage may vary” caveat here, because even without electric cutlery, what’s salty for one person might seem barely seasoned to someone else.

The metallic handle is a necessity. To complete the circuit for the fork, you need to strongly grip it while depressing a button closer to the fork head. It means you have to hold it kind of like a shovel, which makes things slower. It’s awkward to grip and the button is in the wrong place. If or when the device gets a redesign, I hope the company puts the button on the side of the fork instead. If development continues, the device should hopefully get even slimmer. The team behind the project says it’s also looking into metal chopsticks with a similar concept, if the technology can be made to fit such a narrow device.

According to tests so far, one of the biggest challenges is getting diners to put something with an electric current in their mouth. Me? I had no such problem.

The fork (or whatever utensil the tech goes inside) isn’t a solution just by itself. For anyone with hypertension or other conditions that require little or no salt in their diet, you have to start with no-salt food. The fork — and the current it carries –merely help substitute for the salty deliciousness your tastebuds are missing. When its inventor, Hiromi Nakamura, began her research around six years ago, it was aimed at augmenting or changing taste with electric current. The health angle only became obvious later, adding a more serious reason to continue the project.

Researchers have teamed up with a clinic which is helping to test the fork with those that would benefit from consuming less salt. (However, given the small amounts of electricity involved, it’s not recommended for anyone who’s pregnant or has a pacemaker.) According to tests so far, one of the biggest challenges is getting diners to put something with an electric current in their mouth. Me? I had no such problem.

A video posted by Mat (@thtmtsmth) on Apr 17, 2016 at 8:39pm PDT

I sat down to eat chicken breast and fish sausage. It’s not a perfect test because both contained some salt to begin with, but even at the lowest “level” on the fork, the charge added a sharpness and strength to the taste. Aside from holding the fork like maniac, you have to ensure that the the fork connects with your tongue to complete the taste circuit.

It’s another weird quirk to the eating experience. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to sample foods with zero salt, but the salty sensation is there when I put the fork in my mouth without any food. (Of course I did such a thing.) Naturally, there’s that metallic taste that comes with doing so, and the utensil also helps add a certain sourness to cuisine.

The team has already arranged several short-term “No Salt Restaurant” pop-ups to demonstrate the fork. Everything in the menu had little to no salt, but still included items you’d actually want to eat, like pork cutlet, curry and even a dessert. In fact, researchers have developed hundreds of no-salt recipes for foods that usually contain it. Garlic, ginger and pepper also helped to augment taste when there’s no savory NaCl to assist.

While testing continues, there will be more pop-ups, and as the creative team at J. Walter Thompson explained to me, while they aren’t demonstrating the fork outside of Japan yet, it’s definitely a global problem: New York City has had its own salt reduction initiative since 2010, while in India high sodium is the cause of over one quarter of all deaths by disease. It’s early days, but the electro fork could help.

Source: Lab Tokyo

YouTube will soon show six-second ‘Bumper’ ads before videos

Unless you employ an ad-blocker, you’re probably used to seeing pre-roll ads on YouTube videos. You can normally skip the longer spots if they’re not really your thing, but a new format launching today, which Google calls “Bumper” ads, will bypass that reflex by keeping things short. Like, six seconds short. They’ll launch in May and are designed to appear before videos that you watch on your smartphone or tablet.

Google Product Manager Zach Lupei refers to the new Bumper ads as “little haikus of video ads.” With Vine stars now posting six-second sponsored placements to their accounts, YouTube is adopting a similar strategy to engage with younger, mobile-first audiences. Audi Germany and Atlantic Records are already on board and have been testing the new format (we’ve included an example below).

Given that some of Atlantic Records’ videos were uploaded more than six months ago, it’s safe to say that YouTube has spent some time putting the finishing touches on its new service. The company tells potential advertisers that Bumper ads work best when combined with other YouTube ads, suggesting that brands will soon place ad spots of varying lengths in an attempt to grab your attention.

Source: Google Adwords Blog

Sonos gains Amazon Prime Music streaming in Europe

After a six-month beta period in the US, Sonos has integrated Amazon’s Prime Music service into its Sonos Controller app in Europe. That means if you’re a Prime subscriber in the UK or Germany, you can now access and stream Amazon’s library through the Sonos speakers in your home. It joins Spotify, Apple Music and a mixture of other streaming services that have already partnered with the high-end speaker brand. Amazon will be hoping its own integration can be the tipping point that gets Prime subscribers to ditch its rivals and rely solely on its own music streaming chops.

Nokia bought Withings to take on Apple’s Healthkit

Nokia just re-entered the consumer market by acquiring well-regarded fitness tracker manufacturer Withings, but why now, and why wearables? Nokia President Ramzi Haidamus explains that Nokia has been developing a digital health strategy called WellCare, something that sounds similar to Apple’s HealthKit. He says that the acquisition of Withings — which makes not only wearables, but also scales, blood pressure monitors and other medical devices — will accelerate its plans.

“WellCare is a trusted, secure and simple-to-use experience built around data and insight that are pulled through tracking devices. And it is this insight that informs patients, physicians and caregivers about their health,” says Haidamus. Nokia has been researching the initiative for the last two years, but the acquisition gives it an instant boost into the market. The Finnish company will get Withings’ broad lineup of fitness trackers, but also gain its medical expertise. “We’re paying for the company, but in reality it’s Withings that’s going to be running the entire digital health business at Nokia,” says Haidamus.

The Withings Aura sleep sensor

Nokia seems to be borrowing strategy from both Apple and Fitbit, but Haidamas emphasized that tracking is just a piece of the puzzle. “The tracker [alone] is just something that’s not interesting, frankly. So that’s what’s so attractive about Withings … they have the blood pressure stuff, they have regulated products that are essential to the true monitoring of your health.” Of course, it will have a huge job playing catch-up with Apple in medical research, as over half of the top US hospitals are trying out HealthKit.

Nokia will also pursue environmental monitoring to boot, a la Nest. “There’s much to be said about people’s lives by monitoring their environment as well as their body, whether it be air or temperature monitoring, a sleep monitoring system or a security camera,” says Haidamas.

The Withings name has a huge cachet in health and wearables, so it’s not necessarily a given that the brand will disappear. “That’s too early to tell, but it’s certainly a key question,” says Withings CEO Cedric Hutchings, who will lead Nokia’s new digital health business. Haidamus added that the company is conducting a “thorough and broad brand research” project. However, given Nokia’s much more recognizable brand, it stands to reason that the Withings name might fall. That might not please its fans, but the company isn’t broadly known like Nokia — for most people, the only fitness tracker that likely comes to mind is Fitbit.

The purchase price seems low for a company like Withings — suggesting that it was experiencing cash-flow problems that precipitated a rescue purchase. Hutchings refuted this, saying that the sale to Nokia wasn’t forced, but a decision taken on what was best for Withings. “[The acquisition] is about accelerating our roadmap of products and solutions for digital health,” he says. However, he wouldn’t disclose the state of the company’s finances or the number of wearables it has sold to date.

We’re told there will be no layoffs or other effects on Withings’ 200 employees located in France, the US, UK and Hong Kong. “We’re adding our team onto theirs, and we’re going to invest on top of it. So this is more a growth story,” says Haidamus. Hutching adds that his team is “enthusiastic and optimistic” about the acquisition. “We’re highly proud of being a pioneer in this field and with more resources, we’re motivated about what’s coming next.”