Googlers share impressive 240-fps slow-mo video and photos shot with Nexus 6P
The new Nexuses check a lot of the right marks, including an attractive design, a fast fingerprint sensor, and a friendly price tag (well, not so much in Europe or India). But the feature that’s got us really excited is the camera shared between the Nexus 5X and 6P, featuring a 12.3 MP sensor with large 1.55-micron pixels and laser-assisted autofocus.
We already knew that the Nexus 6P camera does a great job in real world testing, thanks to the experts at DxOMark, who ranked the Huawei-made smartphone on the second place in their top of the best smartphone cameras. DxOMark praised the “impressive detail preservation in low light conditions,” calling the Nexus 6P the best device it ever tested in this regard.
But how about some real samples of the Nexus 6P in action? Googlers to the rescue.
Former Android engineer Romain Guy, who is currently working on a different, undisclosed project at Google, shared a gallery of shots he took with the Nexus 6P.
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Romain is a skilled and gifted photographer and these images have been post-processed to a degree, but the quality of the Nexus 6P camera definitely shines through. Some of the low light shots do show some graininess, but the scenes are never smudgy or blurry. Plus, Romain explained in this Reddit thread that he boosted the brightness of some of the shots in the phone’s photo editor, which caused some of the noise.
Asked about his overall impression of the Nexus 6P, Romain Guy said it’s “a camera that makes me want to go out and take pictures.” Sure, he’s not exactly a neutral source, but looking at Romain’s amazing photography portfolio, his endorsement is very encouraging.
Next up, the head of Android engineering, Dave Burke (who introduced the Nexus 5X and 6P on stage yesterday), shared a video of a mid-flight hummingbird shot in slow motion at 240 frames per second. This video (even if it’s filmed in ideal conditions) is really an incredible achievement and a testament to the advances of technology that we rarely remember to acknowledge.
And here’s a GIF if you can’t play the video (via Clien.net):
Thoughts on these samples? Are you excited for the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X?
TrueCrypt Windows encryption app has critical security flaws
If you’re still using TrueCrypt to protect your Windows disks, even though its developers abandoned it and said it was “not secure” last year, you may want to stop that. Google Project Zero researcher James Forshaw found two “privilege elevation” holes in the popular software that would give attackers full access to your data. Worse yet, TrueCrypt was audited earlier this by a crowdfunded team of iSec security researchers and found to be error-free. Google’s James Forshaw said on Twitter that the miss was understandable, though: “iSec phase 1 audit reviewed this specific code but Windows drivers are complex beasts (and) easy to miss.”
Forshaw hasn’t disclosed the bugs yet, saying he usually waits seven days after a patch is released. He and other researchers agree that the vulnerabilities — which can reportedly be exploited by “abusive drive letter handling” — weren’t deliberately installed. And they won’t, of course, be fixed in the original program’s code.
@v998n @VeraCrypt_IDRIX I don’t tend to open up security bug reports until 7 days or so after the release of the patch, just in case 
— James Forshaw (@tiraniddo) September 27, 2015
However, if you’re using TrueCrypt because “free” is a good price, there are other options –VeraCrypt and CipherShed are open source forks of TrueCrypt, and VeraCrypt has already patched the bugs. Suffice to say, you should stop using TrueCrypt within the seven day window before Forshow releases the exploitable code. Even if you do, however, we likely haven’t heard the end of this type of Windows vulnerability. VeraCrypt’s Mounir Idrassi gold Threatpost that “These are the kind of vulnerabilities that exist in (lots of) software on Windows,” and that will be (and have been) used by hackers for years.
Via: PC World
Source: James Forshaw (Twitter)
Nexus 5X will start from Rs. 31,900 in India, Nexus 6P Rs. 39,999
The Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P certainly look great, but let’s face it, the price of the new devices will play a huge role in their reception. We already learned about Google’s curious pricing decisions in Europe, and now we have a solid idea of the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P prices in India.
Google hasn’t officially announced any availability details for the Nexus 5X and 6P in India, but we did get the price details for the two devices.
Specifically, the Nexus 5X 16GB (which starts from $379 in the US) will cost Rs. 31,900 in India (about $485). The 32GB version will cost Rs. 35,999 ($550).
Meanwhile, the Nexus 6P 32GB ($499 in the US) will be available for 39,999 (a little over $600), while the 64GB version will cost Rs. 42,999 (around $650).
Now watch
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Google slashed the price of the 2014 Nexus 6 to Rs. 33,800 (32GB) and Rs. 37,600 (64GB).
A number of accessories for the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P have been listed as well, and they are pricey. A Nexus 5X folio case goes for Rs. 3,200, for instance, while the same product for the Nexus 6P will set you back Rs. 3,900.
To be fair, Indian customers have it better than their European counterparts, where a Nexus 6P starts from a whopping €649 ($730)! That said, at least outside the US, the Nexus duo is definitely more expensive than we were hoping, especially given the excellent competition that is available in the same price bracket.
What do you think of these prices, Indian readers?
Android Marshmallow will arrive on the Nexus 5, 6, 7, 9 and Player next week
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A lot was announced today by Google, but there is really only one thing that Google promised it would be announcing the availability of at its press conference – Android Marshmallow. For many a Nexus device owner, the real question is when they can expect the latest version of Android to arrive on their devices, and Google was happy to oblige with a relatively vague answer. That answer was “next week” and would encompass the Nexus 5, 6, 7, 9 and Player, which roughly fits in with what we’ve heard about Nexus device update schedules from carriers like Telus.
We’d also expect factory images to go up very soon too, so if you’re the type of person who likes to get ahead of the game – or at least, ahead of over-the-air updates – then keep a look out for those. We’ll let you know as soon as we know something.
What do you think about Android Marshmallow’s schedule for updates? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: engadget
The post Android Marshmallow will arrive on the Nexus 5, 6, 7, 9 and Player next week appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Nexus 6P has the second best mobile camera (according to DxOMark)
The Nexus line-up has never been famous for its cameras. In fact, some of us are willing to say a few of their devices have had significantly disappointing photographic results. This is why most of us weren’t expecting much out of the Nexus 6P camera technology (and let’s not even mention the Nexus 5X). Furthermore, things started getting worrisome to some of you once Google started talking about the lack of OIS (optical image stabilization). Is this going to be a huge fail?
Google spent a good deal of time talking about the new camera in the Nexus 6P, and they swore it didn’t need OIS, as the new device uses 1.55 micron pixel technology. This new system allows for more light to be registered by the sensor, something similar to what we have seen with HTC’s UltraPixel method. This, along with the f/2.0 aperture should help make for good results. But how good? That was the question we were all asking ourselves during the prolonged announcement.
We will have to wait until our own review to pass judgement on this matter, but if you are to believe camera experts DxOMark, the Nexus 6P camera is much better than we expected. In an extensive review of the smartphone’s shooter, the team’s results show that this camera is actually the second best in the industry, beaten only by the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
The Nexus 6P and its 84 rating now sit above devices like the LG G4, iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4 and many others. DxOMark used pre-production samples to perform its review, putting it through a series of unspecified tests. Here’s what they found.
Photo
Pros
- Impressive detail preservation in low light conditions, by far the best tested to date.
- Good detail preservation in outdoor conditions.
- Accurate and fast autofocus in all conditions.
- Good white balance and color rendering in outdoor conditions.
- Flash: Good flash behavior with good detail preservation, white balance and color rendering.
- Images are well exposed.
Cons
- Visible irregularities in exposure, color, texture and noise due to HDR+ mode activation in low light conditions.
- In high dynamic scenes, the highlights of the images are occasionally blown out.
- When triggered, the shot is taken before the autofocus has converged.
Video
Pros
- -Good global exposure, white balance and color rendering.
- -The autofocus is fast and accurate.
- -Low noise level in all conditions.
Cons
- The strong jello effect due to the stabilization provides unpleasant videos during motions scenes.
- Refocus are visible under illuminant changes and thefocus is lost during tracking movement.
- Fine details are lost in low light conditions.
- Color shading is visible in low light and indoor conditions.
Those are some impressive results, but keep in mind this is only one source’s opinion. Regardless of how credible DxOMark may be, we would rather wait until more details start showing up. You can be sure we will be taking care of a full review of the phone, so keep your eyes open for more details on this camera.
Google’s new Nexus devices offer specific details on security updates
The Stagefright vulnerability was no joke! It gave attackers control over your device with a simple MMS message and affected about 95% of all Android devices. Let’s just say it was a pretty frightful incident and Google wants to make sure it doesn’t happen again. This is why the Search Giant promised monthly security updates to its Nexus line-up.
How do you know where your phone’s software stands, though? So far all you could do was take a look at the version number, but that means nothing to most people. The only way to get any details would be to search the software version and research your way around complicated specs and confusing forums.
With the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, Google introduces a much simpler way to see if your phone is up-to-date. Just head over to the Settings app and access your “About” screen. Look under “Android security patch level” and you will see when your device was last updated. If the date is over a month old, it likely means your phone needs to be patched.
It can be assumed that this is simply an Android 6.0 Marshmallow improvement, so we might see it coming to other Nexus handsets in due time.
So there you have it, guys. This is probably not a game-changer, but it’s definitely a neat little tool to see if your smartphone is secure or not. In the meantime we will have to continue searching those annoying long strings of characters.
Nexus 5X and 6P: Moving forward with a couple steps back
What would a phone launch be without an AndroidGuys impression? Even more so, a duo Nexus phone launch. Everyone now knows the full scoop (and the barrage of leaks can thankfully stop). As the dust settles, I’d like to know to how Nexus fans received the news. I know one thing: everything wasn’t perfect in Nexus-land, and it still isn’t.
Don’t get me wrong, we did get some stellar devices. And the Nexus 5 sequel happened, which means that Google listened! That in itself is such a good thing.
Each new Nexus phone is a top-performer. The Huawei-made Nexus 6P has a more-reasonably sized 5.7″ display (compared to the monstrous 6″ screen in last year’s Nexus 6). It has a considerable battery at 3,450mAh. The latest USB Type-C port includes super fast charging (unlike the OnePlus 2). The fingerprint scanner is speedy and doesn’t require you to turn the phone on first (unlike Galaxy devices).
The LG-made Nexus 5X scales very nicely for it’s cheaper pricetag. The inferior Snapdragon 808 SoC will make little difference compared to the 810 (although, the 2GB of RAM is a little tough to swallow). We have the same important features of the Nexus 6P: 12.3MP (1.55 µm pixels) rear sensor, USB Type-C port, and fingerprint sensor.
All this is fine and dandy, but I just can’t get past the fact that Google stepped backwards in a couple ways. One of those is minor (at least I hoping) – the exclusion of OIS on the rear camera. Google claims that the larger pixel size of the sensor (which lets in more light, not unlike HTC’s Ultrapixel approach) negates the need for OIS. I’m not completely convinced on that, but I will give Google the benefit of the doubt until we get a review unit.
The other nag is a bit more bothersome. Did you hear any mention of wireless charging in the Nexus announcement? It’s because neither phone has it. If this is the first time you’re hearing this, I’ll give you second to collect your jaw from the ground.
Google created the wireless charging phone, with the Nexus 4. And every Nexus phone had it since then. Why on Earth would Google abandon the future?
You may argue that fast wired charging makes wireless charging pointless, because it’s slow. That doesn’t mean you abandon it. That means you work to improve it. Look at what Samsung did recently, the Note5 and S6 Edge+ have fast wireless charging.
And what are you supposed to tell everyone that invested in wireless chargers everywhere in their home, car, and work?
/rant
Do you agree with my view of the launch? Are you satisfied or disappointed with the Nexus of this year? Sound off in the comments below!
The post Nexus 5X and 6P: Moving forward with a couple steps back appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Gold variant of the Nexus 6P shows up on the Play Store in Japan
It was only a few hours ago that Google took the wraps off its brand new Nexus 6P. During the event, the search engine giant announced that the device will be available to purchase in Aluminium, Graphite and Frost. However, it’s currently showing up on the Japanese division of the Play Store anodized in gold.
Unfortunately, it appears that this is a Special Edition of the Nexus 6P that won’t be making its way to other markets any time soon. There’s also a chance that it may not launch at all seeing as it’s not actually available to order just yet. Potential customers can only register their interest.
Source: Play Store
Come comment on this article: Gold variant of the Nexus 6P shows up on the Play Store in Japan
AT&T starts rolling out Lollipop update for the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
It would appear that AT&T is attempting to steal the spotlight from Google today as it has now started rolling out the long-awaited and very much-anticipated Lollipop update for all its carrier-branded models of the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 located in the United States.
The full changelog can be seen below:
- Android Lollipop 5.1
- Data Performance Improvements
- Call Drop Improvements
- Battery Life Enhancements
- Temperature Management
- Camera Enhancements
If you live in the United States and have not yet received the OTA update, you can head into “Settings,” then “About Device,” and select “Check for Updates” to manually scan for the upgrade. Alternatively, you can wait until you receive a push notification informing you that an update is ready for your handset.
Come comment on this article: AT&T starts rolling out Lollipop update for the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
T-Mobile states new Nexus phones won’t support band 12 LTE, at least at first
We are wrapping up Google announcement day and simply couldn’t close the cycle without some distress. This time the bearer of bad news is T-Mobile, which states the new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P may not be supporting 4G LTE bands as much as everyone believes.
While the specs seem to show all relevant bands are supported, there’s a little hidden caveat with T-Mobile. Unlocked device manufacturers now have to block access to band 12 LTE or get certified for VoLTE. This is something Google, LG and Huawei apparently haven’t done with the new Nexus phones. Well… at least that is what T-Mobile’s Twitter account is saying.
@bickman2k Great questions Adam! They are not going to support Band 12, but we will continue to work with Google to enable this… 1/3
— T-Mobile (@TMobile) September 29, 2015
@bickman2k …feature in the future. That’s a big “yes!” to WiFi calling. While not enabled by default, once you get that sucker… 2/3
— T-Mobile (@TMobile) September 29, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
@bickman2k …on our network, you’ll be able to enable it. Thanks again for reaching out! *MaxD 3/3
— T-Mobile (@TMobile) September 29, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
As it turns out, the involved companies can still work on getting certification. Some smaller phone makers usually skip this, but it’s imperative that Google takes care of this. The Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P will be very important devices in the USA.
But why does T-Mobile have to do this? As it turns out there are very valid reasons to block non-certified Band 12 users. There seem to be areas where T-Mobile only has support for band 12 LTE. This would mean that even basic calls will need to use VoLTE, which is fine for many users, but remember things can get touchy if those phones can’t make emergency calls, which would be the case here.
But why not just switch to roaming in these band 12-only spots? There are complications for doing that. So much that T-Mobile would rather block Band 12 from these devices, sending them straight to roaming where other LTE frequencies are absent. It sure is bad news, but Google and company should have already taken care of this. We can assume they will at some point, it would be too big of a fail not to.
Who is thinking about using a Nexus phone on T-Mobile. Would this make a difference to you?
AIVAnet 