[Deal] You can now pick up a brand new, factory unlocked Nexus 6 for $299.99 on eBay
If Google’s recently-announced Nexus 5X or Nexus 6P didn’t tickle your fancy and you find yourself still drawn towards bagging yourself the original Nexus 6, you’re in luck as independent retailer, QualityCellz, has just taken to eBay to kicked off a fantastic sale on the device. For a limited time only, you can pick up a brand new, factory unlocked 32GB LTE model of the handset for just $299.99.
For those thinking that the Nexus 6 is old hat now because it has a couple younger siblings on the way, it’s not. It’s a very powerful device that’s still able to compete with many of the flagship smartphones currently on the market. This is a direct result of its beefy internals, which include a 6-inch qHD display, a 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM, Adreno 420 GPU and a 3,220mAh battery.
It’s important to bear in mind that as this is an unlocked variant of the Nexus 6, it will only work on GSM carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T and not with CDMA carriers like Verizon and Sprint. A full list of supported carrier bands can be seen below:
- 2G : 850/900/1800/1900
- 3G : 850/900/1900/2100
- 4G LTE : 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 17(700), 20(800), 28(700)
If you like the sound of the Nexus 6 and would like to take advantage of this deal – hit the source link below.
Source: eBay
Come comment on this article: [Deal] You can now pick up a brand new, factory unlocked Nexus 6 for $299.99 on eBay
Google Photos newly updated with Chromecast support and other features
Google promised some new features for its Photos app, and today they delivered by updating the Android application.
The biggest new feature is Chromecast support for getting your photos on a television or other big screen. This seems like a long overdue feature, but it goes hand in hand with the announcement of Google’s new Chromecast devices yesterday.
Aside from casting support, the app also now has custom labels for people in your photos. You can tag certain people with a specific (private) tag that makes it easier to find pictures with that person easier in the future. It’s a step beyond the traditional tagging system that tons of photo backup options offer now.
This update also lays the groundwork for Google’s upcoming shared albums feature through Google Photos. Anyone with a smartphone and the app can add photos to these albums, which will be extremely useful for friends, families, and any group of people that typically share pictures around.
Hit the link below to grab the update.
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Google updates Android Studio to version 1.4 with new Nexus device emulators and a theme editor
Google has updated their Android Studio toolkit to version 1.4, bringing several new features on board. The biggest thing includes emulators to the recently unveiled Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, but there are a few other things that are worth updating for.
For app design, Google has included a Vector Assets Studio to make it a little easier to manage your app icons, and there’s a brand new theme editor for tweaking assets and colors in the user interface of your app.
Google is also leveraging its ownership of Firebase and integrating it directly into Android Studio as opposed to using it as a dependency for Gradle as they’ve done previously. This is very useful for anyone looking to use Firebase as a backend service in their applications.
Last but not least, there are also improved tools for monitoring GPU and network usage on your app, which will certainly be handy for fine tuning performance.
source: Android Developers
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Google’s commitment to Rich Communications Services (RCS) furthers with new acquisition
Today, Google acquired Jibe Mobile in an effort to keep up with the Rich Communications Services (RCS) standard for carrier messaging. The current state of carrier messaging around the world is outdated and unreliable, leaving many people without core features; therefore, Google acquiring Jibe Mobile, a leading provider of RCS, is meant to bring the updated standard to a global audience. This will bring group chatting, high resolution photos, and other features that are expected from messaging services to more people and devices.
Google commented on the future of messaging:
Many leaders in the wireless industry have already put great work into laying the foundation for RCS, and we’ve heard from many of them that there are ways Android can help. We’re excited to team up with mobile operators, device makers and the rest of the Android ecosystem to support RCS standards and help accelerate their deployment in a more consistent way. We’re already working closely with many of our partners on implementing RCS, and look forward to growing the RCS ecosystem together.
And here is some of what Jibe Mobile CEO Amir Sarhangi had to say:
“As a good friend once told me, if you want to do something big, start with something small — a single, singular challenge you can lead, and rally others to support.
For Jibe — a company we founded in 2006 — that lesson came true today with the announcement that we’ve been acquired by Google. The big opportunity we saw at the start: to change the way people communicate using their mobile phones.
The ‘small’ challenge we focused on: the future of messaging, the super simple mode for communication that’s favored by billions of people, all over the world.”
Mike Dodd, Android’s RCS Software Engineer, noted that it will “take time and collaboration throughout the wireless industry” to successfully deploy RCS on a grand scale.
Source: Google, Jibe Mobile
Come comment on this article: Google’s commitment to Rich Communications Services (RCS) furthers with new acquisition
Google Maps for iOS shows you the fastest way to travel in one page
Google Maps for iOS has become a lot easier to use when you’re in a hurry and quickly need to check how to get to your destination. The app now shows you all the possible ETAs for all the transportation types it supports in a single page, just like its Android counterpart. Simply ask the app for directions by typing in your location and where you want to go to whenever you need help in deciding whether you should hoof it, pedal it out, take the car or catch the next bus/train. The feature’s live on the iOS app, and you can get it as soon as you download the latest update. By the way, if you have an Apple Watch, you can now also get directions right on your wrist.
Source: Google Maps
Google and Microsoft end their years-long patent war
And just like that, another one of the tech industry’s epic patent battles is coming to a close. Google and Microsoft have dropped all 20 (!) of the lawsuits they’ve filed against each other, ending their five-year dispute over everything ranging from phones (Microsoft’s main gripe) to Xbox video playback (Google’s gripe, and formerly Motorola’s). The two will now partner both on technology as a whole and on “certain patent matters,” such as building a royalty-free video format that prevents these kinds of legal fights in the first place. The truce is no doubt a relief if you’re tired of seeing endless stores about the lawsuits (guilty!), although it’s not a complete shock if you’ve been following changes in corporate culture.
You see, Microsoft is in a very different place than it was when it first sued Motorola in 2010. Back then, the company under Steve Ballmer was bent on containing Android’s growth wherever possible and giving Windows Phone a shot at recreating Windows’ desktop monopoly. Flash forward to current CEO Satya Nadella and it’s a different story. He’s less interested in operating system dominance (in part because that’s no longer realistic) and more in putting Microsoft’s apps and services in front of as many people as possible, even if that means supporting Android ahead of Windows. We’d add that Google isn’t facing nearly as many threats as it has in the past — there’s less incentive to countersue and push for settlements. In either case, the hot-blooded competition that fueled the lawsuits has long since cooled down.
Source: Bloomberg
Google Now on Tap quick look
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Back at Google I/O, we got our first glimpse of Google Now on Tap. The simple, but very powerful functionality promises to scan your screen for stuff and then deliver valuable information on that stuff such as directions to places, information on movies, and a whole lot more. We’ve got our hands on it so let’s take a quick look!
How does it work?
Google Now on Tap is actually very easy to use. To engage it, simply pull up the information you want Now on Tap to analyze and then press and hold the home button. This will bring up Now on Tap which, after a few moments of loading, will display any information it can about whatever it is that’s on your screen in card format. Below that is a Google button that will simply open Google Now.
Once the card pops up you have a few options and they’re all listed as icons across the bottom of the card. You can Google it, find images, open Maps, open social media pages, and a lot more. How much information that’s available depends on the subject. Hockey players generally have a Google Search button and images while restaurants will have plenty of other options.
It works well most of the time and you can use it inside of applications. During our testing, we used Google Newsstand, Google+, Hangouts, Slack, Google Chrome, and a few others. Now on Tap had no issues parsing the information from each one and delivering results.
How well does it work?
Results are generally easy to pull up as long as the subject is clearly written. For instance, a friend was talking about his Galaxy Nexus and Google Now was able to pull up a card. However, when Nirave asked about “Marvel’s Avengers”, Now on Tap couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to be searching for. Hilariously, when you go to the IMDb page for The Avengers, Now on Tap has no issues pulling up a card about the movie.
We found that there really are a ton of results. We found hockey players, movies, actors, fictional characters, little Chinese restaurants in New York, landmarks from Europe, and a bunch more. There really is a lot more here than we originally envisioned.
On the other side of the spectrum, there were things we expected Now on Tap to be able to find easily to no avail. It was able to find the Galaxy Nexus from a text message, but nothing about the Nexus 6P from an article title.
Really, your mileage may vary. If you only use it for certain things then cards will almost certainly pop up every time. Pulling up Now on Tap on every page that pops up on your smartphone will likely not work the majority of the time.
Wrap up
Google Now on Tap is, for the most part, impressive. Having the ability to instantaneously glean information on whatever happens to be on your screen is both enjoyable and functional. Of course, there are some issues here and there and the service will likely get updated over time to overcome these early flaws. We imagine many of them will be ironed out by the time stable Marshmallow starts making its way around.
If you’re interested in getting Now on Tap, you’ll need a device running Marshmallow and you’ll need to be updated to the latest version of Google Play Services as well as the latest version of the Google App. It should start working from there. Everyone else will have to wait.
The ‘X’ in Nexus 5X and ‘P’ in Nexus 6P actually have meanings behind them
Googler Hiroshi Lockheimer and other members on the team that brought us the latest Nexus devices took to a Reddit AMA, revealing that the “X” in Nexus 5X and “P” in Nexus 6P actually aren’t just meaningless characters.
Lockheimer says that “X” stands for the core of the Nexus brand and that the “P” stands for premium, thus the Huawei 6P being the higher-end model of the two devices. And now, the mystery has been solved!
If you’re interested in checking out all of the other awesome details Lockheimer and the Nexus team are giving out on reddit today, be sure to hit the source link below!
source: Reddit
Come comment on this article: The ‘X’ in Nexus 5X and ‘P’ in Nexus 6P actually have meanings behind them
Google’s Hiroshi Lockheimer details why the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P lack wireless charging
There’re a few frustrating aspects about the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, with a lack of wireless charging being one of them. Google’s Hiroshi Lockheimer has taken to “the front page of the Internet,” or reddit, to reveal the thought process behind that decision.
The decision to bring wireless charging to the Nexus lineup in 2012 was that microUSB was frustrating, and wireless charging was a way around that. With the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P equipped with a USB Type-C port, that frustration has been dealt with, and thus, no need for wireless charging.
That brings up another question: why not just leave wireless charging in? Well, it also has to do with the Z axis–the thickness of the device. Basically, Google saw USB Type-C and wireless charging as redundant, and thus, opted for a thinner device. When it comes down to it, the crowd that Google is aiming the two new Nexus devices at probably wouldn’t have minded a little more thickness in trade for wireless charging, but Google didn’t see it that way.
And that’s how wireless charging was left out. Head on over to the AMA for more juicy Nexus details!
source: Reddit
Come comment on this article: Google’s Hiroshi Lockheimer details why the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P lack wireless charging
First camera samples of the Nexus 6P appear on Google+
Google used a chunk of time in its presentation on Tuesday to emphasize the improvements made to the camera sensor on the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. Today on Google+, we found the first camera samples of the Nexus 6P.
With the camera sensor on the new Nexus devices, Google included a megapixel boost to 12.3. In addition, the company raved about the handset’s ability to take good low light shots and focus faster than ever. Rather than including optical image stabilization (OIS), the company increased the size of the camera sensor to 1.55 micron pixels, which will make for the majority of improvements. Many were upset with the lack of OIS, but Google promised photos taken on these devices will be like no other. Earlier today, the Nexus 6P camera landed a top 3 spot on DxOMark. We found this to extremely impressive. Here’s a first look of some shots taken on the new Nexus 6P, courtesy of Romain Guy on Google+.
Source: Romain Guy (Google+)
Come comment on this article: First camera samples of the Nexus 6P appear on Google+
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