Google’s Android Developer team explains everything new in Android 7.1 Nougat

See the changes in Android 7.1 straight from the people who built it.

Android 7.1 is on the Google Pixel and the Android Beta Program can install the Developer Preview on the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, and Pixel C right now. But that means most phones aren’t running it, and most of us can’t play with it. We’ve talked about the highlights — support for round icons, image keyboards (emojis FTW) and app shortcuts — but for folks curious about everything that’s new in 7.1 Nougat or want to see examples, Google’s Android Developer team has you covered.

With great animations and screen overlays, we can all see app shortcuts in action, how round icons are created on the launchers that support them and see the new enhanced wallpaper gallery. We even get to learn a little about how these things work.

Some of the language in the five-minute video is geared towards developers (this is the Android Developer channel after all) but anyone can get a good feel on changes coming when your phone gets updated, or see some things your phone can do now if you’re running Android 7.1. Give it a watch!

Android Nougat

• Android 7.0 Nougat: Everything you need to know
• Will my phone get Android Nougat?
• Google Pixel + Pixel XL review
• All Android Nougat news
• How to manually update your Nexus or Pixel
• Join the Discussion

Trader pleads guilty to sparking stock market ‘Flash Crash’

If you were trading on an American stock market on May 6th, 2010, you probably had a minor heart attack: the “Flash Crash” that day sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 1,000 points (600 in the first 5 minutes) and recovered virtually all its value in the space of just 15 minutes. However, investigators eventually discovered that the crash was the result of intentional manipulation… and now, investors are getting some justice for that manufactured crisis. Navinder Sarao (above), a British trader extradited to the US, has pleaded guilty to charges of both wire fraud and spoofing that came from using automated trading software to make “at least” $12.8 million in illegal profit from the crash and beyond.

Sarao says he used the program to make thousands of bogus orders for E-mini S&P 500 futures contracts (including 85 sell orders on the day of the crash), creating an illusion of supply that fooled others into trading when they otherwise wouldn’t. When that happened, he’d make real trades to capitalize on the artificial values. Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell claims that Sarao not only hurt “countless” traders with these money grabs, but risked ruining the “integrity” of American stock markets in the process.

Sentencing has yet to take place. With that said, Sarao’s actions might have headed off some attempts to game the system with rapid-fire, software-based trading. While these sorts of incidents still happen, the “Flash Crash” raised awareness of the problem and helped foster concepts like circuit breakers, which automatically halt trading when there’s a sudden and dramatic spike in activity. The guilty plea may close a key chapter in financial history, but it’s also a reminder that safeguards are still important for preventing digital scams.

Source: Department of Justice

Target Black Friday Deals Include iPad Pro, Apple TV and Beats

Target has posted its Black Friday ad for 2016, listing several deals on Apple products. The promotions include 25% off all Apple TV models, $150 off the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and $180 off the Beats Solo2 Wireless.

The retailer is offering discounts and promotions in two waves: there’s an Early Access period that begins today and runs until November 24 both in-store and online. Then, on Thanksgiving Day at 6 P.M., Target will open its stores for further Black Friday deals.

Early Access deals on Apple products include three Apple TV models — the 32 and 64GB fourth-generation Apple TV and a third-generation Apple TV — and Beats Solo2 Wireless headphones and Beats Tour 2.5 in-ear headphones.

– 25% off 32GB Fourth-Generation Apple TV
– 25% off 64GB Fourth-Generation Apple TV
– 25% off Third-Generation Apple TV
– $180 off Beats Solo2 Wireless (Reg. $299.99)
– $65 off Beats Tour 2.5 in-ear headphones (Reg. $129.99)

Regular Black Friday deals include $71.99 off Apple Watch Series 1, iPad discounts and iPhone 7 and 7 Plus deals.

– Save $71.99 Apple Watch Series 1 (Starting at $198)
– 20% off all iPods
– $0 Down and Free $250 Target Gift Card on iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models
– Save $150.99 on 9.7-inch iPad Pro
– Save $129.99 on iPad Air 2
– Save $70.20 on iPad mini 2
– Save $180 on Beats Solo2 Wireless (Reg. $299.99)
– Save $65 on Beats Tour 2.5 in-ear headphones (Reg. $129.99)

In addition to discounts on Apple and Beats products, Target is offering 40% off all Otterbox Commuter cases.

Tags: Target, Black Friday
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Catch AC’s Daniel and Florence on this week’s All About Android!

Catch up with our friends at AAA!

We love our podcasts here at Android Central, but sometimes it’s great to be invited to spend time with some great friends. That’s what happened last night when I joined Jason Howell, Ron Richards, and our own Florence Ion, who moonlights as a TWIT host on Tuesdays, for All About Android.

I love being on this show — I think this is my fifth or sixth time in the last four years — and it made election night a little bit less nerve- wracking.

For anyone who’s clamoring for more video podcasts on AC, this is about as close as you’re going to get right now! In episode 291, we talk about Google Home, the Huawei Mate 9, early Daydream impressions, and Google’s renewed attempts to build a single messaging service through RCS. I also attempt to win my first Android App Arena!

All About Android 291: The Guilt-Train

Brain.fm lets you stream calibrated audio tracks to boost your productivity (80 per cent off)

When we need to buckle down and tackle our to-dos, the first thing many of us do is reach for our headphones.

While today’s pop hits make for easy listening, there are better options for tuning out distractions. Brain.fm uses a wealth of neurological research to stream music that’s designed to boost your productivity. Get a lifetime subscription for just £31.22 ($39 USD).

One of Product Hunt’s Top 50 Most Up-voted products, Brain.fm carefully curates the best background music for studying, sleeping, or relaxation. Calling upon groundbreaking AI and neurological research, Brain.fm uses proven science to make sure your listening experience is as productive as possible.

Simply select whether you’re trying to work, relax, or sleep, and Brain.fm will generate an original composition designed to enhance that scenario. You can adjust your stream to play for 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or even indefinitely if you’re looking to listen for a while.

Brain.fm lets you explore different recordings and audio tracks for each category, so you can find which ones are right for you. Plus, a subscription to Brain.fm gives you access to premium-only content and lets you track your work progress, so you can stay on top of your assignments.

A lifetime subscription to Brain.fm usually retails for £159.29 ($199 USD), but Pocket-lint readers can get it on sale for just £31.22 ($39 USD). Alternatively, you can get a three-year subscription for only £23.21 ($29 USD) or a single year for £15.21 ($19 USD).

HomeSpot’s Rugged Bluetooth Speaker lets you take your soundtrack anywhere (62 per cent off)

Bluetooth speakers aren’t known for their durability, but HomeSpot is looking to change that.

Shockproof, weatherproof, and powerful, the HomeSpot Rugged Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker can play your favorite music in virtually any environment. For a limited time, you can score your own for only £23.99 ($29.99 USD), or 62 per cent off.

Built to keep up with your adventures, this speaker can withstand dust, water, and even heavy impacts thanks to its rubberized exterior. While other speakers scratch or break at the slightest blow, this speaker is designed to shrug those hazards off effortlessly.

It boasts two high performance 6W acoustic drivers and a passive bass subwoofer, so you can enjoy crisp and powerful audio on the move. Whether you’re camping in the great outdoors or partying by the poolside, you can use this speaker fill your surroundings with your favorite music.

Wires would make for a cumbersome speaker, so HomeSpot cut them out when designing this portable powerhouse. Boasting top Bluetooth technology, HomeSpot’s speaker quickly pairs with either Bluetooth or NFC devices and lets you stream from sites like Spotify with ease. This handy speaker also comes with a built-in noise-cancelling speakerphone, so you can tune in to calls no matter how loud your surroundings get.

The HomeSpot Rugged Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker normally sells for £63.99 ($79.99 USD), but Pocket-lint readers can save big and get it on sale for over 60 per cent off, making the final price just £23.99 ($29.99 USD).

Samsung might bring its edge display to both Galaxy 8 models

It should be even harder for you to decide which Galaxy 8 to buy next year.

According to The Bell (via Droid-Life), next year’s Android flagship from Samsung, thought to be called Galaxy S8, will come in two different sizes, just like the last couple generations that preceded it, but they’ll both feature edge displays, which is the glass curve on the side that begun with 2015’s Galaxy S6 smartphone. This edge makes the phone appear bezel-less and provides more touch functionality.

Not only will both sizes of the Galaxy S8 have an edge display, but there won’t be a flat model, according to the report. So, what will be the difference between them? Well, one will have a 5.7-inch screen, which will make it larger than the Galaxy S7, and one will have a 6.2-inch screen. The larger phone might also sport on-screen buttons instead of physical and capacitive buttons.

If Samsung follows previous release patterns, chances are we will see a Galaxy S8 launch at Mobile World Congress next year. The show takes place from 27 February to 2 March 2017, which would mean the potential launch date could be 26 February. Although there has been claims that the launch could be brought forward to regain consumer confidence after the issues with the Note 7.

Check out Pocket-lint’s Galaxy 8 rumour round-up for more details on the upcoming flagship from Samsung.

Planet Earth might be the biggest loser under President Trump

Deny it all he wants, Donald Trump did in fact tweet that global warming is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese to damage American manufacturing. But, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and say that since 2012 his opinion on the matter has evolved. Even if he no longer considers the concept of climate change to be a conspiracy cooked up by China, he still clearly doubts the science, and that will have significant consequences.

The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012

In our election guide, we drew a line in the sand over climate change, and we stand by that. More than 97 percent of climate scientists believe that average global temperatures are rising and that human activity is at least partially responsible for that. At every turn Donald Trump has rejected the scientific consensus, often with odd answers that exposed his misunderstanding of the issue: “I believe there’s weather. I believe there’s change, and I believe it goes up and it goes down, and it goes up again.”

He even once dismissed the notion of global warming by saying, “We have much bigger problems.” So don’t expect climate change to be taken seriously by this administration. What does this mean in the short term? He has specifically said he would do away with the Waters of The US Rule and the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. The former protects rivers, lakes and other wetlands while the latter set standards on carbon pollution produced by power plants. If that wasn’t far enough, he has also suggested he might want to do away with the EPA entirely. Though, such a dramatic move would require some cooperation from Congress who would also have to figure out what to do with the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, which the EPA is tasked with enforcing.

Things get worse when you look at his potential cabinet appointments. Reports are that Forrest Lucas, the co-founder of Lucas Oil, is the front runner for Secretary of the Interior. In that position, Lucas would be in charge of national parks and wildlife refuges, and have serious influence over policies regarding offshore oil drilling, fracking and endangered species.

President-elect Trump’s efforts to weaken regulations and set industries free to police themselves doesn’t end with domestic programs. He has also threatened to pull out of the Paris Agreement, in which 200 nations agreed to greatly curtail greenhouse gas emissions. The goal of the agreement is to slow the rise of global temperatures, and keep them from climbing by more than 2 degrees celsius by 2100.

These efforts would certainly save America billions of dollars up front. But they will potentially come with dramatic price tags in the future. Trump’s policies could have lasting impacts that will cause temperatures to continue to rise at an alarming rate. Some analysts suggest his plans will pump billions of tons more of carbon into the atmosphere than existed under President Obama. Increases in global temperature have been linked to everything from failing crops to shifts in fish populations.

This is bad for the planet and the country, but some places will feel the pain worse than others. With the federal government taking a hands-off approach to pollution and regulation, it will put increased pressure on states to pick up the slack. In liberal-leaning areas like California, it’s likely that laws protecting the environment and restricting greenhouse gasses will pass. But in other parts of the country such efforts could face serious opposition.

This patchwork of rules could essentially create environmental ghettos where lax local laws cause the worst polluters to concentrate in particular areas. That could lead to increased health problems in pockets of the country that might already be under extreme economic pressure. And those issues could be compounded by increased pollution and the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act.

Under a Trump presidency, it’s almost impossible to fathom how a public health crisis like the one in Flint, Michigan, might play out. Trump has said we should use our “limited financial resources” to ensure that “every person in the world has clean drinking water;” it’s hard to see how he plans to accomplish that goal with a host of toothless government agencies.