Google increases Android app size to 100MB
Google has introduced an update to the Play Store that will have a big impact on the Android apps you use and install. The update to the Play Store means the max app size has doubled in size from 50MB to 100MB, which will allow developers to include more in the initial app size, rather than rely on post-install downloads like many games do.
While this is perfect for game developers, it also has ramifications for the normal non-gaming apps that many people use. As an example, the latest Facebook update weighs in at 44.64MB and if Facebook wanted to add several new features, it would probably hit the 50MB limit.
Android M lets you move apps to microSD thanks to “adoptable” storage
With the increased app size, app developers should now be able to create even more complex apps, that make full use of the prowess that current smartphones possess. Of course, the larger app size isn’t great news for those who have a small amount of internal storage on their handset or concerns over mobile data usage but otherwise, it’s a big step forward for Android app developers.
Are you a developer? If so, what does the increased file size mean for you and your development? Let us know in the comments below!
Google to announce Google Play Music Family Plan tomorrow, 6 devices for $15/month
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I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure somebody is going to get in a heap of trouble after basically every announcement that Google has been preparing has leaked out. One of the things Google is said to be announcing tomorrow (or today, depending on where you live) is a Google Play Music Family Plan which will allow multiple users over multiple devices to use Google Play Music’s All Access for one flat price. And how much can you expect to pay for this Google Play Music Family Plan? $15 a month for up to 6 users. Yes, you read that right.
This puts Google Play Music on par with Apple Music in terms of multi-user accounts who charges the same amount for the same number of users, and makes it one of the best options available for large families who all have Android devices. Obviously we’ll learn a few more of the specifics at Google’s press conference tomorrow, but we’re excited for this one as it’s a fantastic deal for families of music lovers.
What do you think about the Google Play Music Family Plan? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Android Police
The post Google to announce Google Play Music Family Plan tomorrow, 6 devices for $15/month appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Nexus 5X specs leak out, confirms it will have 2GB RAM
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We’re probably only a few hours away from Google announcing the Nexus 5X, but that’s not going to stop the torrents of leaks that have emerged over the last week. Next on the list is the Nexus 5X specs, which leaked out in its entirety today. The thing that will likely disappoint people the most is that the Nexus 5X is going to have 2GB RAM – while that’s not a minuscule amount in and of itself, every other flagship device released this year has released with 3 or 4GB RAM.
The rest of the specifications are pretty much exactly what we were expecting including a 5.2-inch 1080 display, Snapdragon 808 processor, 16 and 32GB storage variants, and a USB Type-C port. What you might also notice is that the Nexus 5X is going to be quite light at 136 grams – for reference, the smaller Nexus 5 came in at 130 grams, so it looks like the Nexus 5X is going to be of a similar constitution. Ultimately, it only really matters how much it’s going to cost, and if the leak earlier today is anything to go by, the Nexus 5X is going to start at $379 USD, which is very attractive indeed.
What do you think about the Nexus 5X specs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Android Police
The post Nexus 5X specs leak out, confirms it will have 2GB RAM appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Ski Safari 2 coming to Android on September 30th
Those trying to get their game on will have a fun time this week, when Ski Safari 2 is finally making its way to Android. The game has been on iOS for about a month, so this definitely comes as good news to those who have been waiting for the popular app to hit Android. Now we know it will finally hit the Google Play Store on September 30th, which is this Wednesday.
Just in case you are out of the loop, Ski Safari 2 succeeds a very popular game. The first Ski Safari has a 4.7-star rating and 500,000-1,000,000 installs in the Google Play Store. Those are definitely some numbers your average game can’t easily achieve. Furthermore, we listed it as one of the best Temple Run alternatives around, so you know it’s a game we are fond of.
With Ski Safari 2, Sleepy Z studios takes the former game and improves upon it by adding more vehicles, tricks and even animals to your races. The dynamics are pretty simple, even if the games is packed with fun elements and plenty of features. You have to make your way down a hill with either Sven or Evan. There will be obstacles and natural disasters (including avalanches, tornadoes and lava flows) that will make it hard for you to continue your rush.
You can also go down these hills with style, as there are plenty of tricks and stunts you can pull off while making your way down to safety. Gamers will gain gold coins and use them to upgrade their equipment, gear, costumes, and vehicles. Yes… vehicles! Not only that, but you can use animals to help you through your journey (including eagles and a yeti).
Ski Safari 2 truly has it all. It’s not free, but that’s good for those who would rather not deal with advertising, limitations and in-app purchases. Not to mention, it’s not a bad deal at $1.99, especially for a game this fun and well-elaborated. Are any of you getting Ski Safari 2 once September 30th comes around?
Cheap as chips: Nexus 5X will cost $379, Nexus 6P will cost $499
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Details about the new Nexus smartphones have continued to leak out. The latest leak details the exact pricing of both devices, and we have a feeling that many of you will be pretty happy – the Nexus 5X will cost $379, Nexus 6P will cost $499. The price for the Nexus 5X is likely just for the 16GB version with a 32GB version available and probably a little more expensive too – we’d predict $429 off the top of our heads. $499 is most probably for the 32GB version of the Nexus 6P, with a 64GB and 128 GB version available as well – each step up will likely be between $50-100 more.
Considering the scarring the pricing of the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 gave us last year, cheaper Nexus devices are a very nice surprise, and no doubt many Android fans are going to applaud the return to great value rather than premium devices. The report also says that pre-orders for both devices will be made available as soon as they are announced, in the US, UK, Korea, Japan, and Ireland for the Nexus 5X, and US, UK, Ireland, Canada, and Japan for the Nexus 6P. We don’t know why those lists of countries aren’t exactly the same (or why Australia isn’t featured!!!) but all should be revealed tomorrow at Google‘s press conference.
What do you think about the pricing of the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Android Police (1), (2) via Droid-life
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Samsung to close down Milk Video on November 20
It has not been even a year since Samsung launched its Milk Video app and the company is already preparing to draw curtains on it. To break the news, Samsung discreetly updated Milk Video’s listing in Play Store and revealed that the service would be discontinued on November 20, right around the same time it launched last year.
The company’s support for its music streaming service, Milk Music, will continue.
Here is Samsung announcing the shutdown on Milk Video’s Play Store listing:
Service Announcement
Thank you for using Samsung Milk Video. While we remain committed to providing premium entertainment services, we have decided to end support for the Samsung Milk Video app as of November 20, 2015.
To continue enjoying streaming entertainment, please use the Samsung Milk Music app available at: http://smsng.us/1L4Zqd3
In order to compete with established video streaming services like YouTube and Vimeo, Samsung had partnered with a number of content providers such as Condé Nast, Funny Or Die, Red Bull, Vevo and VICE. But it looks like the app failed to garner much popularity among Galaxy device owners despite offering many exclusive video clips.
Come comment on this article: Samsung to close down Milk Video on November 20
The Google Pixel C is a 10.2-inch tablet that runs Android Marshmallow, not Chrome OS
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The Chromebook Pixel is coming back, except this time with less Chromebook. According to a new report, there will be a new Pixel device called the Google Pixel C, except that it won’t be running Chrome OS – it will be running Android Marshmallow whenever it is released. And unlike the original Pixel, which was a Chromebook only, the Pixel C is going to be a tablet first, with detachable keyboard options that will give it an overall appearance (and build quality) not dissimilar to the Chromebook Pixel.
The report goes on to detail the specs of the device – you’ll be expecting a Tegra X1 processor, 3GB RAM, and a 10.2-inch display with a pixel count of 308ppi – naturally, it will still have a USB Type-C port like the original Pixel. The keyboard options mentioned earlier will be available in leather and aluminium. Although the Pixel C is technically a tablet, it won’t bear the Nexus label, simply because this is being made by Google and not in collaboration with any other manufacturer. This is all very exciting, and whether or not this move has any implicit meaning for the future of Chrome OS, we’re excited to see a new chapter for the Pixel line running Android instead.
What do you think about the Google Pixel C? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Android Police
The post The Google Pixel C is a 10.2-inch tablet that runs Android Marshmallow, not Chrome OS appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Google Now, now has offline voice commands
Before, whenever you wanted to use Google Now without an active internet connection, it was basically useless. However, Google has recently added many new offline options that make it much more usable when offline.
With the new offline voice commands you can now ask things like “turn off bluetooth”, “turn on the flashlight”, and “play music”. You can even ask it to send text messages or call people. Most of these new options shouldn’t of needed an internet connection to work before, but at least they will work now.
Via: Peter Isemann
Come comment on this article: Google Now, now has offline voice commands
Google app for Android now features some offline voice commands
Google Search is a very powerful tool for most Android users. It puts a a world of information right at our fingertips. And now that voice commands are just some pronunciations away, we can really take advantage of our smartphones without even touching them. The only issue is that voice commands haven’t really been available once that internet connection drops.
Remember, not everyone has the privilege of always being online, but some commands don’t really need the internet either. Google wants to make sure you can get the most out of the Android app, even when offline. The Search Giant has quietly turned a very interesting feature on. Offline voice commands are now supported, allowing you to do a plethora of things, even on Airplane Mode.
As you would expect, this feature is limited only to actions with no need to an internet connection. This means you can do things like open applications, change the volume, toggle WiFi, turn the flashlight on, toggle Bluetooth and more.
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Of course, you can test this for yourself now. Simply turn on Airplane Mode and try to make any search. You will get a “something went wrong” message, but right below it there will also be the “offline voice tips”. Take a look at them to see what you can and can’t do when missing a data connection.
Also worth noting is the fact that these tips are not 100% specific on all the capabilities. For example, it fails to mention that whatever one can turn on can equally be turned off. In addition, you can pretty much open any application by voice, not just Gmail. It’s also possible to call or send messages to your contacts. And keep in mind some of these commands will need some additional interaction.
Really, it seems unreasonable that many of these voice commands weren’t available offline in the past. Better late than never, I suppose! Have you guys tested any of these offline commands? Let us know how they work for you!
Microsoft will deliver low-cost broadband to 500,000 rural Indian villages
A major partnership with Google putting free Wi-Fi in 400 train stations wasn’t the only major network news coming from India today. The Indian government also announced on Monday that it will pair with Microsoft to bring low-cost broadband connectivity to half a million villages throughout the subcontinent. That should help at least some of the estimated 4 million people that go without internet connectivity every year
“We believe that lost-cost [sic] broad band connectivity coupled with the scale of cloud computing intelligence that can be harnessed from data can help drive creativity, efficiency and productivity across governments and businesses of all sizes,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said during a news conference. The plan will work the same way as Microsoft’s previous efforts in Africa, leveraging unutilized white-space spectrum to deliver a broadband connection. Further details on the plan’s implementation and rollout are expected to be announced in the coming days.
[Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Via: NeoWin
Source: Times of India
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