Jump on the beta bandwagon with the Google Search App

Chances are, you love being on the cutting edge when it comes to devices. Even more so, you love the freedom that Android allows when it comes to testing out new features for applications and such. Well, Google has released started rolling out something that will definitely pique your interest.

If you love trying out the alpha’s or beta’s for apps, then you’ll want to jump on this train. Google has started rolling out a way for you to beta test the latest features that will be found in the Google Search app. Signing up is free and easy. Simply hit the link below, head over to the Beta Opt-in page, and you’ll see an update available in the Play Store within the hour or so.

Google is also showing off the ability to join the beta, through the existing Google search app on your phone. One of those Google Now Cards, will pop up, encouraging you to “Join the Google app beta program to play with experimental features before they’re released.”

This is a great way to test drive what Google is playing around with. You can already do this with the Chrome Beta, but the nice thing about the Google Search beta is, there’s no extra app to download, and nothing extra to enable. Essentially, once you’ve opted in, you’ll receive the update and be home free to test out whatever Google has up its sleeve.

If you want to stay ahead of the curve, hit the Beta Opt-in link below, and get that update rolling out to your devices.

Google App Beta Opt-in

Source: Droid Life

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Google opens up Project Fi invites to all for 24 hour period

Google is currently offering open invitations to its Project Fi wireless service, but only for a limited time. Indeed, Google is celebrating the launch of the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P with instant invitations to its upstart experience. You’ll have to act fast, though, it’s only open for 24 hours and the clock has been ticking.

Prior to today, those who were interested in signing up for Project Fi first had to signal their interest and wait for an invitation. Said invitations could take a few weeks or so, sometimes longer. Today, however, you can skip the line and get right in.

Project Fi launched in April and acts as a mobile virtual network operator that utilizes Sprint, T-Mobile, and Wi-Fi networks. Previously, the only supported smartphone was the Motorola-made Nexus 6. Both the new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P are designed with Project Fi capability.

The #Nexus5X ships today–so Project Fi is giving out instant invites for 24hrs to celebrate http://t.co/t3N7V4FaOC pic.twitter.com/qmpUVHttlS

— Project Fi (@projectfi) October 19, 2015

http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

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Google Play Store not working? Here are some possible fixes

The Google Play Store is one of those apps we take for granted, mostly because it simply works as a mediator between the user and his precious apps. Hell freezes and the sky falls once it happens to stop working, though. How will you download that new app you have been so desperately waiting for?

There’s no definite manual for fixing the Google Play Store, but we have put together a set of tips and tricks that will most likely get your precious app store up and running again. Let’s jump right into the nitty gritty, before you go crazy with no Play Store access!

Force close the Google Play Store

Sometimes a simple force close is all you need! You can do this by simply swiping away the Google Play Store on your multi-tasking app switcher. Or you could go to Settings > Apps > All and then access the Google Play Store and hit “Force stop”.

Go on airplane mode

Not sure how much this one works, but I have heard plenty of people say that switching Airplane Mode on, and then off, will help the Google Play Store get back on track. Hey, it’s not a complicated process and it’s safe. Why not try, right?

Toggle WiFi

Just like with Airplane Mode, some say WiFi could be the issue. Not to mention, your network may very well simply be having connection issues! Toggle WiFi on/off and play around with the Google Play Store for a few. It just might help. It also might be worth restarting your router, just in case.

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Restart your phone!

Like in the good ol’ times, current electronics sometimes just need a smack or two in order to work. OK, maybe not an actual smack, but you do need to put everything back in place, and sometimes a simple reboot will do. This will take a minute or two and very often fixes many problems.

Wipe the Google Play Store cache

Cache memory is an awesome tool. By storing data locally, the phone can reduce data usage and speed up loading times. This is data that would otherwise need to be downloaded every single time you access a page, which is unnecessary if there are no changes! The bad part is that sometimes older data can pile up, and it can also misbehave. This is why it’s good to clear cache from time to time.

To wipe the Google Play Store cache memory, just head over to your Settings and select the “Apps” option. From there, simply look for Google Play Store and tap on it. You will be presented with plenty of options, including a “Clear cache” button.

Delete Google Play Store data

Is clearing the cache not enough? It’s time to take out some bigger guns and really clean things up. To delete related data, simply access your Settings and go into the App Manager like you did to clear the cache. Instead of hitting “Clear Cache”, though, select “Clear Data”.

Just keep in mind this will clear the application. It will have to sign in and pick up all the data again next time you access the Google Play Store.

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Take a look at your disabled apps

Keep in mind that some apps need each other in order to work properly. Especially when dealing with system apps like the Google Play Store. Have you disabled any apps recently? That could be the cause of your Play Store woes.

Just head over to Settings > Apps > All and scroll all the way down. This is where disabled apps go when they are put down. If you see any disabled services, just enable them and see if that helps.

Check your date/time settings

It may seem like a silly suggestion, but often this can be the cause of many Google Play Store issues. This could be due to Google’s servers having trouble syncing with your date/time settings. Go back and put them on automatic, if they aren’t. If that isn’t helping, try to set your time and date as exactly as you can. Just play around with the time/date settings a bit.

Remove Proxy or VPN settings

Plenty of VPN/proxy users say they have encountered issues all over the board. Have you tried deactivating these (if you are using them)? Proxy settings are under WiFi, and you can access it by long-pressing on your router name and clicking “Advanced”. Meanwhile, VPN settings are under “More” in the Wireless & networks section.

Just uninstall it!

If all fails, your best bet would probably be to uninstall the Google Play Store. The only trick is that this is a system app and you really can’t just get rid of it. What you can do is uninstall the updates, taking the application to an older version. You can update it again afterwards, so don’t worry – this is a safe procedure.

Just go to Settings > Apps > Google Play Store and tap on “Uninstall updates”.

Could the issue be Google Play Services?

We could say Google’s apps are the motor that drives Android devices. Yes, we are talking about that weird app that needs updating every now and then, when you are trying to get another application. And many have no idea what it is, but it happens to be your phone’s backbone. Google’s applications offer some of the most exciting features available, and it’s all powered by Google Play Services.

Like any other app, Google Play Services can fail at times, so it’s worth playing around with it if you are having any type of Google-related issues. Try clearing both the cache and data by following the same steps from above. The only difference is that instead of accessing the Google Play Store, you head over to Google Play Services on the App Manager.

Remove and re-enter Google account

I don’t have much faith on this one, but some people suggest that you can reset your Google account to fix some problems. I suppose it’s worth a try before jumping on the last (and most extreme) tip. Just go to Settings > Accounts and select your Google account. Tap on the 3-dot menu button and hit “Remove”. Then add your account again and try to access to the Google Play Store.

Factory data reset

If all else fails, just wipe your device clean and give it a fresh start. At this point we have no idea what could be causing your Google Play Store discrepancies, but a factory data reset will likely fix most of your issues, as it deletes everything on the device and leaves it the way it was when you turned it on for the very first time. You can perform a factory data reset by clicking on the button below and following the instructions within that post.

How to factory reset your Android device

Wrapping up

We certainly hope all these methods were able to get your Google Play Store back up and running. If they didn’t, the problem has to run deeper than usual and you should probably consult technical support. Have any of you guys ran across Google Play Store problems? What did you do to fix it? Hit the comments and let us know if you have used these methods, or if you have any other ones.

Nexus 5X orders start shipping as Google opens instant invites for Project Fi

Today, orders of the Nexus 5X from the Google Store have started shipping after customers noticed their bank accounts being charged last week. People in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Korea, and Japan should expect to receive their Nexus 5X within the next week or so. The company confirmed that its Nexus 5X is “available for immediate order,” meaning that the wait for new orders will not be very far behind.

Pricing from Project Fi

Google also announced that invites to Project Fi will be sent instantly to anyone requesting one over the next twenty-four hours. This means that you can quickly get an invite and purchase Nexus 5X or Nexus 6P to use on Google’s wireless service backed by T-Mobile and Sprint’s networks.

Source: Project Fi, Google Nexus (Twitter)

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Your kid’s Google Doodle can win them a $30K scholarship

If you frequent the Google home page (and really who doesn’t), you’re familiar with Google Doodles; the search giant’s series of art based on the company’s logo that commemorates a date or person. Now it’s opening up its homepage to one lucky kid. Beginning today, its annual “Doodle 4 Google” competition is accepting entries from US students K-12 for the chance to win a $30,000 scholarship. The theme is, “What makes me…me.” Future college graduates can use any material they want and are encouraged to use a medium to showcases their uniqueness. The winning design will be featured on the site for one day. Entries must be submitted by December 7, 2015. So if you want to make a huge dent in your future college tuition, it’s a good idea to get those creative juices flowing.

Source: Google

Google offers up free access for limited time to businesses considering Google Apps switchover

Possibly taking a page from T-Mobile’s playbook, Google is launching a new offer to try to help business buyers make the switch to Google Docs for their enterprises. For businesses with enterprise agreements in place for software from another provider, Google will waive the normal Google Apps fees until the enterprise agreement runs out. Sweetening the pot even more, Google will chip in to cover the deployment costs and will help hook up a company with a Google for Work Partner as appropriate.

Google points out that the normal pricing for Google Apps for Work is quite a bit cheaper than other solutions on the market. They estimate their solution can save up to 70% compared to just a basic enterprise agreement.

Currently the offer is only good for customers in the U.S. and Canada, but Google says they are working on expanding the offer to other markets around the world.

source: Google for Work

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Google launches new Doodle 4 Google contest for students

Google has launched this year’s version of their Doodle 4 Google contest for students. The theme this year is “What Make Me…Me” and asks students to express what makes them unique. The contest is open to students in grades kindergarten through the twelfth grade. Participants can use any material to create their doodles like crayons, clay, food or even video games. The designs do have to incorporate the letters G-o-o-g-l-e.

Winner’s of the contest will see their creations featured as the Google doodle on the Google homepage for a day. In addition, one national winner will receive a $30,000 college scholarship. The contest opened today for entries and Google will accept doodles until December 7, 2015. Voting on the entries will take place in February 2016 with the national winner announced on March 28th.

If you are a student or know a student who may be interested in entering the contest, hit the source link for more information.

source: Google

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Google App now available for beta testing

Google has launched a new process for beta testing the Google App via the Play Store. The Google App is the software that powers several functions on an Android device like the Now Launcher, Google Now cards, Now On Tap, and some other functions. In the past users had to go through a G+ community, but now users can just visit a web page setup by Google in order to sign-up. Once a user does so, they will be directed to the Play Store where their app will get the update to the beta version.

Reports from those who have already signed up indicate the current beta build is version 5.4, which has already been out in the wild as an apk. Whenever the next update to the beta build takes place, users may have to poke around to figure out what has changed as Google typically does not post detailed changelogs.

If you are interested in trying out the Google App beta, hit the source link below. Just remember, as Google notes, a beta version may be unstable and contain some bugs.

source: Google
via: Android Police

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