WhatsApp adds new Google Drive backup option
With the newest update of WhatsApp messenger, members will be able to back up their data to Google Drive.
As of today, Google and Facebook (owner of WhatsApp) made it official that data within the WhatsApp messenger can soon be backed up with the touch of a button to your Google Drive account. It’s nice to see Google and Facebook working together for once. As of most of you know, this doesn’t happen often.
Users of WhatsApp messenger can now backup and restore their chat history, voice messages, photos and videos. The feature will roll out in the coming months and is currently in the testing phase. So you’ll have to wait a little longer before being able to use the feature. The app update is available on Google Play now, and will be available on iOS later. While not a killer update, it’s definitely nice to have if you’re that kind of person who likes to export their data to the cloud.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: WhatsApp adds new Google Drive backup option
[Deal] 32GB Nexus 6 is back on eBay for just $299
If you weren’t a fan of the LG-made Nexus 5X and the Huawei-manufactured Nexus 6P announcements, the Nexus 6 is back on eBay for just $299. It comes in the 32GB variant and is factory unlocked.
This device is guaranteed to work on Verizon and Sprint, according to the seller. However, being the US model, it does have the CDMA radio that is compatible with both carriers. Otherwise, it’ll work great on AT&T or T-Mobile.
Get ’em before they run out!
source: eBay
Come comment on this article: [Deal] 32GB Nexus 6 is back on eBay for just $299
Google is purging hacked spam from your search results
It’s bad when your web searches include sites that are mainly marketing fluff, but it’s much worse when that fluff has been hacked into legitimate sites that you wouldn’t visit otherwise. Well, Google has had enough of this attempt to game the system. It’s tweaking its algorithms to “aggressively” cull hacked spam from results, leaving you only with sites that intended to include the content you’re looking for. While the changes will only affect about 5 percent of searches when all is said and done, that could mean a lot if it helps you avoid compromised pages and the malware that might be lurking inside.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan]
Source: Google Webmaster Central Blog
Google introduces the Accelerated Mobile Pages Project
Google is taking on the problem of slow loading mobile web pages. One would logically think with faster LTE and WiFi speeds that web pages should load faster as speeds increase, but more often than not we find ourselves running into slow loading websites on our mobile devices. With plug-ins, videos, advertisements and other content many websites are being bogged down creating an unpleasant experience.
No one wins when web pages take too long to load. Readers simply go to another website and miss out on content that could be of value while advertisers lose out on potential customers.
In order to fix this problem, Google has been in discussions with publishers and tech companies globally and has joined an open source initiative called the Accelerated Mobile Pages(AMP). The purpose of the AMP is to dramatically reduce slow web page load times and improve the performance of the mobile web.
Instead of creating proprietary software, this initiative is an open source project using existing web technologies(AMP HTML) which in turn will allow others to use the standards and hopefully increase the adoption rate benefitting everyone. To kick off this project Google has announced that 30 publishers will be taking part in giving us a better mobile experience. Some of the companies include Twitter, Pinterest, WordPress.com, BBC, The Huffington Post, The New York Times and LinkedIn.
Google used the video below as an example of how fast web pages can load on a mobile device using the Accelerated Mobile Pages HTML:
Google is planning to add more features listed below:
- Content: Publishers increasingly rely on rich content like image carousels, maps, social plug-ins, data visualizations, and videos to make their stories more interactive and stand out. They also need to implement ads and analytics in order to monetize the content and to understand what their readers like and dislike. The Accelerated Mobile Pages Project provides an open source approach, allowing publishers to focus on producing great content, while relying on the shared components for high performance and great user experience. The initial technical specification—developed with input and code from our partners in the publishing and technology sectors—is being released today on GitHub.
- Distribution: Publishers want people to enjoy the great journalism they create anywhere and everywhere, so stories or content produced in Spain can be served in an instant across the globe in, say, Chile. That means distribution across all kinds of devices and platforms is crucial. So, as part of this effort, we’ve designed a new approach to caching that allows the publisher to continue to host their content while allowing for efficient distribution through Google’s high performance global cache. We intend to open our cache servers to be used by anyone free of charge.
- Advertising: Ads help fund free services and content on the web. With Accelerated Mobile Pages, we want to support a comprehensive range of ad formats, ad networks and technologies. Any sites using AMP HTML will retain their choice of ad networks, as well as any formats that don’t detract from the user experience. It’s also a core goal of the project to support subscriptions and paywalls. We’ll work with publishers and those in the industry to help define the parameters of an ad experience that still provides the speed we’re striving for with AMP.
Cheers to Google for tackling a problem that is getting out of hand.
Source – Google Blog
The post Google introduces the Accelerated Mobile Pages Project appeared first on AndroidGuys.
What could have improved the Nexus 5X?
The Nexus 5X is manufactured by LG and acts as the successor to the Nexus 5. The device comes with a lot of improved specifications and new features.
Even though it may not have flashiest specifications of any phone, the Nexus 5X packs mostly premium components and a design that impresses at the $379 starting price. And who doesn’t want that? With stock Android and rapid updates coming directly from Google, you can’t go wrong. Here are features that Google and LG should have considered to make the Nexus 5X even better.
Wireless charging
A multitude of Nexus devices — the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, and Nexus 7 (2013) — included support for wireless charging. Even though wireless charging is yet to become the norm, it would still be appreciated by many considering lots of Android competitors have it built directly into their flagship phones. The new included USB Type-C port is likely the culprit here. Since USB Type-C is reversible, Google may have found it a worthy replacement for wireless charging. It may also be a factor that keeps the price down low.
Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
Optical image stabilization (OIS) is used to stabilize your device when taking pictures or recording video to avoid blur and movement while holding the phone. Rather than including OIS, Google decided to increase the camera sensor size on the Nexus 5X to 1.55 μm-sized pixels. According to Google’s, this will make up for the lack of OIS and work just as well if not better. But we’ll have to wait for samples to be sure.
Gorilla Glass 4
Most presumably, in order to keep the price low, Google decided to use Gorilla Glass 3 rather than the new and more durable Gorilla Glass 4. If you like to throw your device around a lot, you might want to consider the Nexus 5X’s larger sibling, the Nexus 6P, for its increased durability. If you are fine with using protective accessories, this should be nothing to worry about. As far as I’m concerned, the difference between Gorilla Glass 3 and Gorilla Glass 4 is barely noticeable and won’t make much of a difference when your device goes face first onto the concrete.
Expandable storage
Okay, you didn’t think Google was going to actually include expandable storage right? Recent Nexus devices have hinted that Google has strong feelings against expandable storage mainly due to the cloud services it provides. Google Drive supplies 10GB of space for free to everyone and more is available to purchase at a very low cost. If you’re lucky, Google often runs promotions giving away additional Drive space for free. If 16GB or 32GB isn’t enough for you, consider those options.
Front-facing speakers
Unlike its big brother the Nexus 6P, the Nexus 5X only has one front-facing speaker. Sound quality of recent Nexus handsets hasn’t disappointed, though, but many would still love to have two front-facing speakers blasting sound out of the device. The only time you would notice a significant difference is when watching movies or video clips. Other than that, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal-breaker.
Additional, faster RAM
Those obsessed with specs will be very disappointed to know that the Nexus 5X only includes 2GB of DDR3 RAM. An increase in RAM allows for better performance and enables the device to keep multiple apps running in the background without having to reload them. Most Android flagships are currently backed with 3GB or even 4GB of RAM, so the Nexus 5X’s 2GB can be seen as a disappointment. On the good side, Google has made significant improvements to RAM management in Marshmallow. So maybe, just maybe, the Nexus 5X won’t need it.
Closing
The Nexus 5X has some room for improvement but not every smartphone is perfect. It really depends on your personal needs and wants for a device. The Nexus 5X definitely improves upon the original Nexus 5 but it’s up to you to upgrade.
Come comment on this article: What could have improved the Nexus 5X?
Google is working on a way to speed up mobile websites
Everyone likes being able to browse the internet using their phone, but no one likes waiting for the pages to load. Google realizes this as well and are working on what they call Accelerated Mobile Pages. This is said to drastically speed up mobile web browsing.
It uses a AMP HTML, which is a new type of open framework that is said to allow websites to build webpages that load faster. A huge amount of mega size companies are already getting in on the action. Just some of the companies involved are Twitter, Pinterest, WordPress and many more. All of them plan on adding AMP HTML pages to their websites.
Google says in the coming months they will be working with other participants in the project to build more features and functionality focused on some key areas:
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Content: Publishers increasingly rely on rich content like image carousels, maps, social plug-ins, data visualizations, and videos to make their stories more interactive and stand out. They also need to implement ads and analytics in order to monetize the content and to understand what their readers like and dislike. The Accelerated Mobile Pages Project provides an open source approach, allowing publishers to focus on producing great content, while relying on the shared components for high performance and great user experience. The initial technical specification—developed with input and code from our partners in the publishing and technology sectors—is being released today on GitHub.
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Distribution: Publishers want people to enjoy the great journalism they create anywhere and everywhere, so stories or content produced in Spain can be served in an instant across the globe in, say, Chile. That means distribution across all kinds of devices and platforms is crucial. So, as part of this effort, we’ve designed a new approach to caching that allows the publisher to continue to host their content while allowing for efficient distribution through Google’s high performance global cache. We intend to open our cache servers to be used by anyone free of charge.
-
Advertising: Ads help fund free services and content on the web. With Accelerated Mobile Pages, we want to support a comprehensive range of ad formats, ad networks and technologies. Any sites using AMP HTML will retain their choice of ad networks, as well as any formats that don’t detract from the user experience. It’s also a core goal of the project to support subscriptions and paywalls. We’ll work with publishers and those in the industry to help define the parameters of an ad experience that still provides the speed we’re striving for with AMP.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: Google is working on a way to speed up mobile websites
Nearly a quarter of Android users are running Lollipop
Android Lollipop is enjoying its last, shining moment in the sun before Marshmallow arrives in earnest. Google’s not-quite-current operating system now accounts for 23.5 percent of active Android users, a healthy 2.5-point boost from what you saw just one month ago. That’s still trailing behind Jelly Bean (30.2 percent) and KitKat (38.9 percent), but it’s clear that all those new devices and upgrades are starting to add up. The real question is whether or not that momentum will last. Marshmallow is arriving relatively quickly, and shouldn’t suffer from the early performance and battery life woes that kept some people from upgrading last year. If the newer release catches on quickly, Lollipop might not reach the lofty adoption rates of its predecessors.
Via: Android Community
Source: Android Developers
WhatsApp for Android will use Google Drive to back up your data
The more we rely on our smartphones for every facet of our lives, the more risk there is of losing important data if your phone gets lost, stolen or destroyed. Android already has some backup services built in, but the massively popular chat client WhatsApp has just announced a partnership with Google to make sure its 900 million users don’t lose anything important to them. Starting today, WhatsApp users on Android will have the option to back up their entire WhatsApp history right to Google Drive. The backup will include chat histories, voice messages, photos and video, and you’ll be able to restore all of that data to a new phone when you set up WhatsApp.
Unfortunately, as with many new Google features, this one will be coming by the ever-popular gradual rollout. This is a particularly long one — Google says the feature will become available over the next few months. Once it’s available, you’ll find the option in WhatsApp’s settings. Why it’ll take so long isn’t clear, so you’ll have to just start checking your app periodically if you want to take advantage of the new feature.
Google’s new Accelerated Mobile Pages initiative aims to make the mobile web much faster
Google is well aware that browsing through the mobile web can be quite the hassle, especially when your favorite websites don’t load as fast as you’d like them to. This is why Google today announced a new initiative called Accelerated Mobile Pages, which aims to drastically improve the performance of the mobile web. If all goes well with the project, Google says webpages will be able to load rich content like video, animations and graphics alongside smart advertisements without a hitch.
And in a perfect world, the same code will be able to work across multiple platforms and devices so content will be able to appear everywhere in an instant. The project relies on AMP HTML, which is a new open framework built out of existing web technologies. This new framework will allow websites to build light-weight webpages.
Part of what makes this new project so big is all of the partners that are already on-board, including Twitter, Pinterest, WordPress, Chartbeat, Parse.ly, Adobe Analytics and LinkedIn, as well as about 20 others. These partners are already planning to integrate AMP HTML pages into their websites. Google says that it will work with these partners to bring more features and functionality to the project in a few key areas. Currently, those areas include:
- Content: Publishers increasingly rely on rich content like image carousels, maps, social plug-ins, data visualizations, and videos to make their stories more interactive and stand out. They also need to implement ads and analytics in order to monetize the content and to understand what their readers like and dislike. The Accelerated Mobile Pages Project provides an open source approach, allowing publishers to focus on producing great content, while relying on the shared components for high performance and great user experience. The initial technical specification—developed with input and code from our partners in the publishing and technology sectors—is being released today on GitHub.
- Distribution: Publishers want people to enjoy the great journalism they create anywhere and everywhere, so stories or content produced in Spain can be served in an instant across the globe in, say, Chile. That means distribution across all kinds of devices and platforms is crucial. So, as part of this effort, we’ve designed a new approach to caching that allows the publisher to continue to host their content while allowing for efficient distribution through Google’s high performance global cache. We intend to open our cache servers to be used by anyone free of charge.
- Advertising: Ads help fund free services and content on the web. With Accelerated Mobile Pages, we want to support a comprehensive range of ad formats, ad networks and technologies. Any sites using AMP HTML will retain their choice of ad networks, as well as any formats that don’t detract from the user experience. It’s also a core goal of the project to support subscriptions and paywalls. We’ll work with publishers and those in the industry to help define the parameters of an ad experience that still provides the speed we’re striving for with AMP.
Google hopes that the open nature of the project will help protect the free flow of information by ensuring the mobile web will work faster for everyone, no matter which platform or device they’re using. For more information on this big initiative, head to the Accelerated Mobile Pages Project website.
Google wants to make mobile web browsing faster
Let’s face it: a lot of those beautifully-designed websites, feature articles and media don’t translate well for those browsing on a mobile device. To improve the speed and efficiency of the mobile web, Google has announced the Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) Project. Through the initiative, Mountain View is looking to leverage existing HTML tech to help publishers build “light-weight” sites that load faster, even if they contain video, animations, slideshows and other items that typically require significant bandwidth. “We also want the same code to work across multiple platforms and devices so that content can appear everywhere in an instant,” a blog post announcing AMP explains. Google has already used AMP’s HTML open framework for Search and its other apps/services (like News) could see the tech as well. The company already has around 30 publishers on board, including Twitter, Pinterest, WordPress and LinkedIn. Of course, Google isn’t the only one improving mobile browsing as Facebook varies how your News Feed loads based on your connection.
Source: Official Google Blog
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