Android Apps on Chrome: How to give your Chromebook an app-vantage

At its I/O conference in June this year, Google finally confirmed plans to bring Android apps to Chrome OS products. That means that soon you’ll be able to fling Angry Birds from a catapult on your Chromebook and download a shedload of other apps you’d normally find on your smartphone or tablet.

What is it?

Put very simply, it’s the ability to download and install apps from the Google Play Store onto your Chromebook. Once enabled, Chromebooks with the capability to support Android apps will have a Google Play Store app. Opening that reveals an app store that looks virtually identical to the one on your phone.

Which apps can I install?

Once the Android app support for Chrome moves out of its beta/development phases, you’ll be able to download and install almost any Android app. Some apps, of course, are restricted by hardware and won’t run on a Chromebook. SMS apps or any apps that need access to carrier-provided text messaging (WhatsApp as an example) won’t run on a Chromebook. Neither will apps that need GPS or apps that need a rear camera. Thankfully WhatsApp does have a web version which you can access from any browser, which connects to your phone.  

Still, you’ll be able to download apps like Microsoft Word, Netflix, Skype and many others that don’t run natively on Chromebooks currently.

There are perhaps a couple of downsides here. In its current state, Android apps can’t be resized onscreen, so you end up with a full screen single app a lot of the time, just like you do with most Android smartphones. Secondly, Chromebooks aren’t known for having much storage space, so having apps installed will undoubtedly take up some valuable space on some of the lower capacity models.

Which Chromebooks are compatible?

As of right now, the only Chromebook with Android app support is the Asus Chromebook Flip, and even then it’s only supported if you are on the developer channel of Chrome OS and have the latest version installed.

Within the next few weeks, Google will add support for the 2015 Chromebook Pixel as well as the Acer Chromebook R11. Later on this year, and on to next year, support will be added for dozens of other Chrome OS powered laptops. You can find the entire list here and it contains Chromebooks from all of the most popular manufacturers – including Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, Toshiba and HP among many others.

How do I get it?

If you’re a regular consumer running the public version of Chrome OS on your Chromebook, the short answer is: you can’t, not yet.

Android apps on Chromebook is still very much in its development stages and you can only get access if you have a specific Chromebook running on the developer channel of Chrome OS. You can switch, but it’s not recommended for someone who uses their Chromebook day-in and day-out for the majority of their computing work.

If you’re a developer and you have Chrome OS version 53, you just head to the “About Chrome OS” page in your settings and make sure the “Android Apps” option is selected.

How do I join the developer channel?

As mentioned, the only way to get access currently is by joining the developer channel on Chrome OS. Before doing so, remember that developer channel software is pretty unstable. It’s very experimental, and is what comes before “beta”, meaning there is a much higher chance something won’t work properly.

If you want to switch to the dev channel despite the likely instability, you can do so by heading to the bottom right corner of your home screen, and open up the settings. You’ll see a small link on the settings page that says “About Chrome OS”.

On the About page, if you look closely, you’ll see a “More info…” link, you should click that and then you’ll see new options show up on screen. One of the new buttons says “Change channel…”, click that and select the “Developer – unstable” option, and click “Change channel” to confirm.

Once you’ve gone through all these steps, the Chromebook will begin downloading the latest developer channel version of Chrome OS for your device. It takes a couple of minutes, and then you can reboot.

Once again, the developer channel is unstable, so please be sure you’re okay with the risk. If you’d rather have a stable, completely consistent Chromebook, just wait until the apps are supported on the stable channel. You may have to hang on for a few months, but it’s worth it if you like things to work properly.

If you try it and find that it is too unstable for you liking, changing it back to the stable channel is achieved by following the same instructions as above, but select “Stable” instead of “Developer – unstable”.

Impressions

It’s clear from looking at the current state of Android app support on Chrome OS that we’re still some way from it being a publicly available, consistent feature. It’s not ready for the public and only works on one device running a very temperamental version of the operating system. It’s probably going to be a few months at least until you get your hands on it, but it’ll soon come around, and when it does, Chromebooks will suddenly become far more useful.  

Google Play Music adds proper podcast section for Android Auto

One missing ingredient for podcasts in Google Play Music has been when you get in your car and fire up Android Auto. A recent update has changed that.

You’ll now find a “Podcasts” section at the bottom of the top level of menu items. Tap it and you’ll see the shows you’re subscribed to, in order of what was most recently updated. Top a show to start playing the most recent episode. And … that’s it. To get to a different episode you’ll have to hit the track list. It’s a little clunky maybe, but it’s a welcome addition.

And while we’re here, may we suggest a certain Android podcast you should subscribe to …

All About Android Auto

• Getting started with Android Auto
• List of compatible phones and cars
• Android Auto news
• Apps that work with Android Auto
• Join the Android Auto discussion!

Unicode 9.0 is now official with 72 new emoji

Unicode 9 is now official, making standard a whole new set of characters and — yes — new emoji. In fact, in addition to 7,500 new characters, Unicode 9.0 has added a total of 72 new emoji to the standard. New additions include emoji ranging from an avocado and a clown to animals like a gorilla and bat. In the graphic below, put together by the folks at Emojipedia, you can take a look at all 72 new emoji.

In addition to the new emoji, Unicode 9.0 brings character support for “lesser-used languages” that include:

• Osage, a Native American language
• Nepal Bhasa, a language of Nepal
• Fulani and other African languages
• The Bravanese dialect of Swahili, used in Somalia
• The Warsh orthography for Arabic, used in North and West Africa
• Tangut, a major historic script of China

For much more, you can check out the different variations of each new emoji glyph added in Unicode 9 at the Unicode website. And keep in mind that these have only been finalized as part of the Unicode 9.0 standard, and you’ll have to wait until Google brings them to Android.

VLC 2.0 is here with network playback, reduced permissions, and so much more

Popular cross-platform media player VLC has picked up a major update to version 2.0 that brings a slew of new features. Network playback is now live, with support for DLNA, Windows network sharing, UPnP, NFS, FTP, and SFTP protocols. The media player has also cut down on the number of permissions it requires, only needing access to media files.

VLC is also a unified package now, allowing you to switch between phone, tablet, or the Android TV interface according to your liking. Other features that have made their way into version 2.0 include multi-window support, video playlists, playback history, ability to download subtitles, pop-up video view, and compatibility stretching back all the way from Android 2.2 to Android N:

• 2.0 introduces a large number of features, notably network disk browsing (Windows shares, UPnP, NFS, FTP, SFTP…), favorite folders and URLs, video playlists, popup video, new permissions support, subtitles download, rewritten notifications and control, and a rewritten history.
• The Android TV and Android versions were merged, so that every device can optionally get the updated Android TV interface.
• Finally, it should be faster to decode and playback all video types.

The laundry list of changes make what is already a feature-rich media player one of the best available for Android. Hit up the badge above or head to the Play Store to download VLC 2.0. What’s your preferred media player? Let us know in the comments.

Here’s when your Nexus phone or tablet will stop receiving Android updates

Last year, Google said that it will roll out monthly security updates to Nexus phones and tablets for three years from their respective launch dates, and platform updates for “at least two years.” The search giant is now listing concrete timelines for when support will end for each Nexus phone and tablet, including the Nexus 6P and 5X:

The Nexus 6P and 5X will continue to get updated until September 2017, which is when we should we be starting to see Android O. Google has also talked about software updates for Android One phones, stating:

All partners have committed to giving software updates for at least 18 months after the phone’s launch. All Android One phones will get at least one major software update and several smaller security updates.

OnePlus 3 vs. Xiaomi Mi 5: A thoroughly one-sided contest

It’s time to see if the OnePlus 3 has what it takes to beat Xiaomi’s Mi 5.

Xiaomi announced the Mi 5 at Mobile World Congress to a lot of fanfare, with the phone offering incredible hardware for the equivalent of $370 (₹25,000). With curved edges and a glass back and strong hardware in the form of a 1.8GHz Snapdragon 820 SoC, 3GB of RAM, and a 16MP camera, the Mi 5 offers incredible value for money.

With the OnePlus 3, we’re looking at a new direction in terms of design that sees OnePlus eschewing the Sandstone back for an all-metal look. NFC is back, and the phone offers even more bang for the buck with 6GB of RAM, a 2.15GHz Snapdragon 820 SoC, and much more.

If you want the latest hardware for half the cost of a “true” flagship, these are the phones to consider. Read on to find out which handset is worth your time.

Hardware

The OnePlus 3 is an all-metal affair, while the Mi 5 sports a glass back. Both phones feature curved sides and rounded edges, but the OnePlus 3 feels much more durable and sturdy. The minimalist design of the phone — with the antenna lines at the top and bottom — isn’t anything new, but OnePlus’ execution is commendable. Everything from the placement of the 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C port, and the speaker — which are all located at the bottom — to the gently sloping curves at the front speaks volumes to the amount of thought put in by OnePlus on the design of its latest handset.

Meanwhile, the 3D glass at the back of the Mi 5 curves along the sides, which as you can imagine leads to great in-hand feel. The smaller 5.15-inch Full HD screen facilitates one-handed usage, but the sharp curves at the front — where the screen meets the metal frame — make it slightly uncomfortable to use the phone one-handed for a prolonged duration.

In terms of hardware, you’re getting a lot for your money, particularly so with the OnePlus 3. Both phones offer the Snapdragon 820 SoC, but the one on the Mi 5 is clocked at 1.8GHz, whereas the variant on the OnePlus 3 is the fully-enabled 2.15GHz version. The OnePlus 3 also offers 64GB storage and an astounding 6GB of RAM, whereas the Mi 5 comes with 32GB and 3GB of RAM. The added RAM makes a lot of difference when juggling between several apps and games.

When it comes to day-to-day performance, you’re not going to see any slowdowns from either phone, although the Mi 5 still has lingering software bugs. The weight of the Mi 5 at 129g is also an issue, as the phone feels too light and flimsy. It stands up to tumbles and knocks very well though, but when it comes to the overall fit and finish, it doesn’t match what’s on offer with the OnePlus 3. That’s nothing to say of the buttons on the Mi 5, which have gone mushy in just over a month’s worth of usage.

As for the OnePlus 3, the power button and the SIM card slots are located on the right, and the volume rocker as well as the three-stage Alert Slider are to the left. The Alert Slider lets you quickly switch between all, priority and no notifications, and needs to be implemented by other manufacturers.

The OnePlus 3 comes with a 5.5-inch AMOLED display covered by Gorilla Glass 4, which is significantly nicer than the washed-out IPS panel that was used last year. Colors are vivid, with deep blacks and great contrast levels. The calibration is off, and the screen does not do sRGB (yet), but you can adjust the color temperature of the screen from the settings. There’s also an ambient display mode that lets you glance at incoming notifications without having to switch the display on.

The Mi 5 wins out in terms of overall brightness thanks to its 16 LEDs. The Full HD panel on the phone is one of the best LCD’s available in the market. If you’re in the market for a phone with a great screen, you cannot go wrong with either phone.

The OnePlus 3 has class-leading hardware.

The other area where the Mi 5 stands out is the fingerprint sensor, which is a physical button that doubles up as a touch-sensitive key. The OnePlus 3, on the other hand, features a capacitive button that’s slightly recessed. While having a physical button is great, the sensor on the Mi 5 isn’t as fast or accurate as that of the OnePlus 3. It’s still a great sensor, but the unit on the OnePlus 3 is one of the best I’ve used on any phone to date. It is lightning-quick and always active, which means that you can put your finger on the sensor even when the phone is sleeping and unlock to the home screen.

If you were to remove fingerprint security for some reason, you won’t have to re-register your fingerprints should you wish to enable the feature once again on the Mi 5. The phones stores your fingerprint information even after you’ve removed biometric security, and there’s an option to manually remove the data. That isn’t the case on the OnePlus 3 — if you get rid of fingerprint security and are looking to enable it again, you’ll have to start afresh.

Software

Both phones come with Marshmallow out of the box, but the implementation couldn’t be more different. The OnePlus 3 sticks to a stock Android user interface layered with a few custom features in OxygenOS 3.1.1, whereas Xiaomi offers a heavily customized skin in MIUI 7.

OxygenOS 3.1.1 is based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and OnePlus has added several customization options, such as the ability to enable a system-wide dark mode, choose accent colors, edit quick toggles and status bar icons, and so much more. You can customize the LED notification light for individual apps, alter icon and app drawer sizes, and enable gestures for launching the camera, music controls, waking up the screen, and toggling the flashlight. You can also choose between on-screen or capacitive navigation buttons, change the layout of the recent and back buttons based on your preference, and assign actions for each navigation button.

A new feature is Shelf, which takes up the leftmost home screen by default. Shelf gives you quick access to your frequent apps and contacts, and can be customized by adding widgets. You can also quickly jot down notes and add reminders to them.

OxygenOS 3.1.1 offers the best of both worlds.

The Mi 5 also runs Marshmallow, but you’ll be hard put to notice that given the customization. There’s no app drawer, and while you get dozens of customization options, there are a few basic services missing. MIUI 7 doesn’t include Now on Tap, app permissions are not enabled by default, and the notification shade has remained the same since the KitKat days. MIUI in itself feels very bloated, and comes with several pre-installed apps that cannot be removed.

In that regard, the OnePlus 3 does a better job. There’s not a whole lot of bloatware, and you get an interface that’s vanilla Android along with enough options to customize the phone to your liking. That said, the issue of software updates is a point of contention. Marshmallow has just started rolling out to the OnePlus 2, eight months after becoming available. The OnePlus X — which made its debut in November — is yet to pick up the Marshmallow update.

Xiaomi isn’t any better when it comes to software updates, as the Mi 5 is yet to make the switch to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. Both vendors are doing better in terms of security patches — the Mi 5 and the OnePlus 3 are on the June security patch, but platform updates need to get the same amount of attention.

Camera quality

You don’t have to shell out big bucks to find a phone with a great camera anymore. Even budget phones like the Moto G4 Plus offer a very capable shooter, which sets the bar higher for mid-range phones. The OnePlus 3 comes with a 16MP imaging sensor (IMX298) with 1.12-micron pixels and an f/2.0 lens along with optical image stabilization, PDAF and Auto HDR. You can shoot 4K video at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps, and 720p video at 120fps. At the front, there’s an 8MP shooter.

Both phones have the same camera sensor, but the OnePlus 3 produces better shots.

You can quickly launch the camera with a double press of the power button, and the camera app itself is similar to Google’s stock camera offering. You’ll find toggles for Clear Image, flash, and HDR up top, with the timer, grid lines, and image aspect controls located in the settings icon at the bottom. A slide-out menu from the left lets you toggle time-lapse, slow motion, panorama, and manual shooting modes, as well as switch between stills and video recording. The manual mode offers settings for white balance, ISO, shutter speed, and manual focus.

The Mi 5 also offers the same 16MP camera sensor (IMX298) with 1.12-micron pixels, an f/2.0 lens, and OIS. You also get PDAF, Auto HDR, and 4K video. The camera app is loaded with features, and you get options to beautify images, and select from 12 filters.

Both phones are extremely quick at taking photos, although there is a noticeable difference between the images as you can see below. The OnePlus 3 manages to produce more detail in daylight and artificial lighting, and blows the Mi 5 out of the water when it comes to low-light imagery.

OnePlus 3 on the left, Mi 5 on the right.

Even in bright conditions, images taken using the Mi 5 lack the same amount of detail as those from the OnePlus 3. As for front cameras, the 8MP unit on the OnePlus 3 manages to outshine the Mi 5’s 4MP camera. The front camera on the Mi 5 has larger 2-micron pixels, but when it comes to overall clarity, the OnePlus 3 wins out.

Battery life

The battery on the OnePlus 3 has seen a decrease in the capacitive from 3300mAh on the OnePlus 2 to 3000mAh. However, battery life has improved from its predecessor, as the phone runs an entire day on a full charge. Even with a whole day on 4G and SOT of around three hours, the phone made it to 10PM with about 30% of its charge intact.

Meanwhile, the Mi 5 has very fickle battery life. The phone runs a day on Wi-Fi, but as soon as it switches to 4G, battery life deteriorates rather alarmingly. While testing battery life on 4G against the OnePlus 3, the Mi 5 switched off at 6PM, with just over eight hours on 4G and an hour and a half of screen-on time.

You’ll love Dash Charge on the OnePlus 3.

Talking about quick charging options, Dash Charge on the OnePlus 3 is awesome. The ability to charge up to 60% of the phone’s battery capacity in 30 minutes is a massive advantage. The downside is that Dash Charge only works with the bundled charger and cable, as the technology behind it — OPPO’s VOOC flash charge — has the power control circuitry and heat management built into the adapter. In doing so, the phone doesn’t heat up while charging.

The Mi 5 is no slouch when it comes to fast charging either as the phone supports Quick Charge 3.0, although the bundled adapter runs Quick Charge 2.0. Although both phones have 3000mAh batteries, the OnePlus 3 manages to deliver battery life consistently.

The bottom line

Both the OnePlus 3 and the Mi 5 push the limit for what’s possible in the mid-range segment, and both handsets have a lot going for them. However, the OnePlus 3 is the standout winner with its impressive design and build quality, as well as the stellar hardware on offer.

The phone not only beats out every other handset in the mid-range segment, but takes the fight to flagships priced nearly twice as much. If you’re in need of a powerful phone for under $400, there isn’t anything better.

Thankfully, you can get either handset without waiting for flash sales or going through an invite system. The OnePlus 3 is available direct from OnePlus, but the Mi 5 doesn’t look like it will be available outside Asia anytime soon.

See at OnePlus

In India, the OnePlus 3 is available from Amazon for ₹27,999 ($415), and the Mi 5 can be purchased from Xiaomi’s website in India.

See at Amazon

OnePlus 3

• OnePlus 3 announced!
• OnePlus 3 review: Finally, all grown up
• OnePlus 3 specs
• OnePlus 3 vs. the flagship competition
• Latest OnePlus 3 news
• Discuss OnePlus 3 in the forums

OnePlus

Honor 5C debuts in India for ₹10,999; plans to beat the Moto G4 at its own game

After launching in Europe earlier this week, the Honor 5C has made its way to India. The budget phone is priced at ₹10,999, and will go up against the Moto G4, which also made its debut in the Indian market for ₹12,499. The Honor 5C is powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 650, an SoC with eight Cortex A53 cores that’s built on a 16nm node. The Indian variant also comes with a fingerprint scanner located at the back.

The phone certainly offers a lot for its asking price, and the metal build is a definite bonus. While Motorola has led the way on the software front, the Moto G4 Plus’ design isn’t anything to get excited about.

Here’s what’s on offer with the Honor 5C:

The handset will be sold exclusively on Flipkart. Head to the link below to register for the sale.

See at Flipkart

MORE: Honor 5C hands-on

Honor decides it’s okay to launch a tablet with KitKat in 2016

At a media event in New Delhi, Honor rolled out the 5C, a budget phone with a metal-backed design and impressive hardware. The vendor also launched the T1 7.0, a 7-inch affordable tablet with a WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600), a 1.2GHz quad-core Spreadtrum SC7731G processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB internal memory, microSD slot, 3G, and a 4100mAh battery. The pièce de résistance? The T1 7.0 runs EMUI 3.0 out of the box, which is based on Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

From the hardware, the tablet looks like a rebranded Huawei MediaPad T1 7.0, which was horribly outdated when it was unveiled in March 2015. The tablet will retail for ₹6,999 and will be available exclusively on Flipkart, but honestly folks, stay as far away as you can from this one.