Gmail for Android puts all your accounts in a single inbox
Flipping between your multiple email accounts in Gmail has always been a bit of a pain, especially on mobile devices but that changes today with the release of Google’s new “All Inboxes” option for Gmail’s Android app. It does exactly what it sounds like: display every one of your inboxes (even accounts from Outlook and Yahoo) in a single, unified list. You’ll be able to read and reply to each email, regardless of provider, without swapping tabs or logging out.
Google has also announced that email threads from external accounts (Yahoo, Outlook, or anything that loads through IMAP/POP3) will now display with the same threaded conversation format as internal Gmail emails. These newly integrated accounts will also reportedly benefit from an improved autocomplete function, larger attachment previews and one-touch saves to Google Drive.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Gmail Blog (Blogspot)
Google Drive offers access to your Google+ photos
Google isn’t wasting much time acting on its promise to divvy up Google+ into individual services. As hinted earlier, an updated version Google Drive on Android, iOS and the web now offers access to your Google+ photos. The unified cloud storage approach not only saves you the trouble of switching apps, but gives you more control — you can move pictures from a big speech into the same folder as the speech itself. On iOS, Drive can also take over as your automatic camera backup. Only new photos will show up in the app right away, but your whole Google+ collection should be available within the next few weeks.
Filed under: Cellphones, Storage, Internet, Mobile, Google
Source: Google Drive Blog, Google Play, App Store
Easily root your device with Root Master [Review]
One feature that can be enabled on your Android device is obtaining root access – we’ve already discussed the benefits of rooting your device to enable more features on your device, and now that process gets even easier with Root Master.
This fast and secure rooting app will give you one-click root access on your Android device to get super user privileges to enable various addons and enhancements at the system level.
Not only this but Root Master can boost your battery life by optimising the system and performance of your Android device using that root access to give more granular control over your device.
Root Master gives the following features:
– One-click root access
– Unroot ability
– Install root-only apps
– Remove bloatware
– Install custom ROMs
– Backup app & game data
Root Master is constantly updated to include support for the latest devices using up-to-date methods to ensure a high success rate, including manufactures such as HTC, Google, Sony, etc.
We recently discussed how the latest Galaxy S6 comes with the most pre-installed bloatware apps from Samsung than ever, but with Root Master you’re able to fully remove these apps to free up valuable space.
With a simple to use interface and clear instructions, Root Master is a brilliant companion app to root your Android device. To download Root Master for free, simply click this link.
The post Easily root your device with Root Master [Review] appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Apple now lets you trade in some of its rivals’ smartphones
Yes, the rumors of Apple expanding its trade-in program were true — the company’s stores are now willing to take your competing smartphone in return for credit toward a new iPhone. If you live in France, Italy, the UK or the US, you can trade in certain Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices (the BlackBerry Z10, Lumia 1020 and Nexus 5 are among the examples). We can’t imagine that you’ll be too eager to use this option — you may either remain loyal to a platform, or can find a buyer who’ll offer more — but it could be useful if you’re determined to ditch an old phone in an eco-friendly way. Just be sure to call if you’re going to try this soon. We’ve reached out to a number of stores, and only a few were aware that non-iPhone trade-ins were live. It could take some time before every store is up to speed.
Photo by Will Lipman.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Blackberry
Via: 9to5Mac
Source: Apple, Brightstar
Life with the Moto 360: has Motorola’s smartwatch turned a corner?
When the Moto 360 first hit the scene, its reception was… mixed. That round display was eye-catching, but it couldn’t make up for the smartwatch’s all-too-short battery life and undercooked software. Times have changed, though. Motorola trotted out updates that addressed the 360’s early problems, and the Lollipop upgrade gave Android Wear a new lease on life through custom watch faces and a few other useful tweaks. But does that mean it deserves a second chance, especially now that rivals like LG’s G Watch R are vying for your wrist?
I’ll tackle the big question up-front: battery life wasn’t an issue. I could wear the Moto 360 throughout a typical day and still have a significant charge left when I was ready to go to bed. That was no mean feat for me, since I usually have to deal with a steady stream of Hangouts messages and work email. Having said this, I was very, very thankful for the 360’s wireless charging dock. Smartwatches needing clip-on cradles or cables are often a hassle, but Motorola’s wristwear was so easy to top up that I hardly even thought about it.
I’m also a fan of the design, for the most part. I never completely forgot about the black strip at the bottom of the display that creates a “flat tire” look, but it also wasn’t distracting (at least not on my all-black model). The leather strap makes the 360 extra comfortable, and the circular design is subtle enough that I didn’t feel conspicuously geeky most of the time. However, there’s no question that it could stand to be smaller. That 46mm-diameter case is enormous, at least on my moderately sized adult male arm. That’s true of a lot of smartwatches (the ASUS ZenWatch is particularly huge), but there’s something to be said for the discreetness of a smaller device like the 38mm Apple Watch.
The software is a tougher call, even if it’s mostly a positive experience. Android Wear is supremely handy for the basic information I like to see over the course of a day, like weather or sports scores. And in a chilly Ottawa winter, it was more than a little helpful to respond to Hangouts messages or check in to Swarm without reaching for my phone and freezing my hands in the process. The Lollipop update also added quite a few features and overall polish that were missing the first time around. It was nice to have a wide choice of watch faces, for example, and I could tune out most alerts if I set the 360 to only give me priority notifications. I didn’t have to use that last mode very often, but I was happy to know I could avoid information overload when necessary.
However, it’s all too apparent that Android Wear still needs more time in the oven. For one thing, its approach to apps is backward — unless I was launching something I had recently used, I had to go to the very bottom of a long menu just to start browsing the app list.
The interface isn’t that great at surfacing the information I need at the time I need it, for that matter. Spotify’s Android Wear card always showed up on cue, but Sonos’ controls appeared inconsistently even when there was music playing. And the watch frequently defaulted to showing apps that weren’t really relevant to the situation at hand; no, I don’t need to check out my fitness goals in the middle of the workday. Google may be right that watches are primarily about receiving passive streams of information, but that doesn’t excuse doing a poor job when I want to be more active.
Even with those quirks in mind, it’s pretty clear the Moto 360 has turned a corner in half a year’s time. It’s no longer the underdeveloped novelty that it was on launch, and it’s now my pick of the current Android Wear crop. True, it doesn’t have the G Watch R’s true circular display, the ZenWatch’s custom software or the Sony Smartwatch 3’s GPS, but I’d say of the three, it strikes the best balance between looks, functionality and price. About the only thing holding back the 360 is the software, but it’s already apparent from the Lollipop update that Google is determined to quickly improve Android Wear. If you’re happy with the current feature set, the 360 is a great buy — and I’m glad I can say that given its rough start.
HTC’s One E9+ is its latest phablet with a stunning screen
Just like that, HTC has quietly — well, maybe unintentionally — unveiled its latest phablet on its China website. With some minor differences, the One E9+ is pretty much what we saw on the certification database earlier this month. The biggest selling point of this half metal, half plastic device is perhaps its 5.5-inch Quad HD (534 ppi) display, making it the sharpest screen ever used on an HTC phone. Oddly, though, the website’s spec sheet states a 1080p resolution, which we’ll assume is actually meant for a lesser E9. Likewise with the 2GB of RAM instead of 3GB, as well as the 13-megapixel main camera instead of the 20-megapixel version mentioned on the product page.
If the rest of the specs are correct, we’re looking at a 64-bit, octa-core 2GHz MT6795M chipset from MediaTek, 16GB of internal storage, microSD expansion of up to 128GB, dual Nano SIM slots, a 2,800 mAh battery, an UltraPixel front-facing camera and the trademark BoomSound front-facing stereo speakers. And of course, you also get multi-mode LTE along with 802.11ac WiFi. All of these goodies are tucked into a 7.49mm-thick body. Alas, that’s all we’ve got so far; no price nor date just yet, so stay tuned for more.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC
Via: Engadget Chinese
Source: HTC China
Samsung Galaxy S6 is still full of bloatware
The hopeful promise that Samsung was doing away with their bloatware applications for the Galaxy S6 is unfortunately an empty one, with no less than 56 pre-installed applications on the device.
According to Gizmodo, the Galaxy S6 has six more apps pre-installed than last years Note 4, which now include Microsoft’s suite of apps. That is combined with Google’s, Samsung’s, the carriers, and even social apps like Whatsapp and Instagram.
For a comparison, the ‘near-stock’ build of the Moto G comes with 33 pre-installed applications.
This means that of the 32GB of available storage on the basic model of the Galaxy S6, only 24GB is available to the user. In addition, the mention of being able to uninstall pre-installed applications is only true for a very slim sub-set of the selection, with most only able to be disabled.
Best get that 64GB model after all.
googletag.pubads().definePassback(‘/8095840/146.androidguys.com_desktop_728x90’, [728, 90]).display();
The post Samsung Galaxy S6 is still full of bloatware appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Olio Model One smartwatch is premium and mostly round, works with both Android and iOS
If you think there are too many smartwatches on the market already, just wait until this time next year. The Olio Model One is another newcomer, but it’s not Android Wear. However, just like the Pebble and Pebble Time, it’s compatible with both iOS (8.0+) and Android (4.3+).
Let’s start with the quality and design. It sports a 316L stainless steel case that’s brushed with hand-polished accents. It has a Guilloché textured high-impact Ion-Exchange glass crystal and caseback. The case is 47 mm and weighs 81 grams with the genuine leather band or 161 grams with the steel link bracelet. It’s also water-resistant.
Olio didn’t go into the specifics of what processor they are using or the resolution of the display. As you can see in the images, the display is not fully round. It’s a flat tire at the top vs at the bottom on the Moto 360. We do know that it sports Bluetooth 4.0 and LE, along with wireless charging.
They are offering the watch in two variants. The Steel collection is silver and starts at $595 with a your choice of one of three leather straps or $645 with a silver steel link strap.
The Black collection is black and starts at $745 with a your choice of one of three leather straps or $795 with a black steel link strap.
The first run will include only 500 each of the Steel and Black collections and they will ship this summer. You can sign up to be one of the first to know when they are taking orders. Just hit up the source link below.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Come comment on this article: Olio Model One smartwatch is premium and mostly round, works with both Android and iOS
Google Keep makes to-do lists easier to find with labels
If you’re the type who maintains a massive amount of to-do lists and notes, you likely need a system to organize the things that keep you, well, organized. That’s probably why Google has introduced labels for its Keep note-taking app on Android. It’s pretty self-explanatory: you can tag files with labels of your choice (such as “Travel,” “to pack,” “shopping,” “grocery,” etc.) to make them easier to find later on. They’re not exactly folders that can keep things tidy, but tags can prevent you from wasting time finding a list that’s supposed to save you time. In addition to the new labeling system, the updated app now also features recurring reminders, which you can set to nudge you every day, week, month or year.
Filed under: Misc, Mobile, Google
Source: Android (Google+), Google Play
Create apps for your quadcopter with 3D Robotics’ free ‘DroneKit’ software
3D Robotics develops the open source software that powers a lot of home brew UAVs. Today it’s introducing a new tool to the public: DroneKit, software that allows anyone to create apps for, well, drones! DroneKit works with any craft that uses 3DR’s “APM” autopilot (a small device you add to your ‘copter), and apps can be created for Android, web and standalone “companion” devices (that you then connect to your quadcopter). What can you do with these apps? So far, mostly the same things you can do with existing flight planning software (like 3DR’s own Tower app). That means controlling fly paths with waypoints, following GPS targets and access to all the telemetry of the drone. But, of course, now you can do it in new and creative ways. That’s a good start, but its 3DRs promise to support the tool and keep adding new features that will change what we can do with these increasingly popular aerial craft.
Filed under: Misc
AIVAnet 