Google’s Nexus 6 prepping for release in more countries
It is a familiar refrain from around the globe whenever Google releases something new, whether it be software or hardware, the frustration with the U.S.-centric release schedules. The new Nexus 6 smartphone is no exception as early adopters are just now trying to get their orders in for the device in the U.S. while buyers in other markets merely look on. Hopefully that wait won’t be long as Google has announced availability for several countries and though no dates are indicated, it appears the Nexus 6 will be coming soon.
According to Google, the additional countries where the Nexus 6 will be available include:
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- India
- Italy
- Japan
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
Once the devices are available, there is no telling how long the stock will last, but it is some hope for buyers around the globe who want the Nexus 6 in their pockets as quickly as possible.
source: Google
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Google rolls out Material Design update for Japanese Input application
Google is in the midst of pushing out an update for its official Japanese Input application via the Play Store. This upgrade doesn’t transport much by way of new features, but it does bring Voice and Emoji input shortcut keys and an appearance transformation complying with the search engine giant’s Material Design guidelines.
Hit the break for the full changelog.
- Implemented Material Design.
- Faster access to numbers and punctuation.
- Introduced voice input and Emoji input shortcut key.
- (Lollipop) Introduced input method switch key.
- (Lollipop) Introduced new candidate window for hardware keyboard users.
- Added built-in support for hardware Japanese (JIS) keyboard (requires Android 4.1 Jelly Bean)
To install the update, simply open up the Play Store on your device, toggle the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left-hand side of the screen, select ‘My Apps’ and click on ‘Google Japanese Input’. Next, hit the update button, and the application will instantly start to download and install the upgrade from the Google Play servers. Alternatively, you can scan the QR code below to initiate the procedure.
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Nexus 6 “coming soon” to 12 new countries
Up until this point, the Nexus 6 was only known to be available in the United States (although even that has been limited until today). Well it is now known that this long-awaited smartphone will be available in 12 more countries very soon.
Nexus 6 “coming soon” to 12 more countries
These countries include:
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- India
- Italy
- Japan
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
DroidLife is reporting that some are already seeing the Nexus 6 as “coming soon” on the Canadian and UK Google Play Stores.
Ready for some Nexus 6 in your country? Is there a country that’s missing from this list?
via DroidLife
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LG G Watch R now available through the Play Store
Right now, residents in the United States can pick up the G Watch R, LG’s first ever round-faced smart watch, for $299 from the Google Play Store. The device is currently listed as ‘in stock’ and will ship within 1-2 business days, so if you order today with Standard Delivery, it should be with you by next Wednesday, November 12.
For those unfamiliar with the G Watch R, it’s the latest Android Wear smart watch to hit the market, and it certainly appears to be the most successful. The unit sports a premium design, support for a truckload of different watch faces, and a ton of dedicated applications — all available to download through its official companion app.
If you like the sound of the LG G Watch R and want to grab one up via the Play Store — hit the source link below.
Source: Google Play Store
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You can now make international voice calls with Google Hangouts in India
Google has just taken the wraps off of a cool new feature for Google Hangouts users in India. Starting today, it’s completely free to make phone calls to US and Canadian phone numbers from within Google Hangouts, and they’ve introduced some pretty low international rates if you need to call another country. Of course, Hangouts to Hangouts calls are still completely free, anyway.
Turning on voice calls in the Hangouts Dialer app will enable the feature automatically. The feature has also made its way to iOS and the web versions of Hangouts and Gmail, so whatever platform you use, you’re covered.
source: Google India
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See which apps and games are draining your phone battery and chewing up the most storage
Apps are easily the biggest draw of owning a smartphone, but unfortunately, they can also be what hinders the performance of our devices, too. AVG anonymously collected data from over 1 million smartphone and tablet users to measure just which apps drained battery the fastest and used up the most storage space, and the results are pretty interesting.
Performance draining apps were considered on a combination of battery drain, storage space used, and data consumption, and Facebook rounded out the top 10. Yep, the Facebook app that nearly everyone has installed is responsible for more performance drain than any other app. Some other culprits include Facebook-owned Instagram, Path, Spotify, and BlackBerry Messenger.
The second list just focused on which apps drained the most battery, and Samsung embarrassingly managed to snag 3 of the top 10 spots on the list. Samsung’s AllShare Cast Dongle updated took the top spot, with ChatOn at number 2 and WatchOn at number 5. While it’s technically not a Samsung app, the number 3 battery draining app was the Beaming Service for Beep’n’Go, which sometimes does come preloaded on Samsung devices. Facebook grabbed the number 6 spot on this list.
The list for which apps use the most storage spins some negative light on other pretty commonly used apps, too. The number 1 app was the New York Times Breaking News app, while Spotify sits at number 3, Facebook at number 4, and Google Chrome at number 5. Surprisingly, Google Play Music didn’t break the top 10, but Instagram showed up on this list again.
AVG separated the most performance hungry games in their own category, and it shows that games from Candy Crush Saga developer King are responsible for quite a bit of battery drain. 4 of the top 10 games were developed by King, although Minecraft snagged the number 4 spot and Angry Birds pulled up at number 10.
You can check out the full list of apps at the break. How many of these performance draining apps do you have installed on your devices?
source: Cnet
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Google puts two Nexus 6 cases in the Play Store, labeled as “Coming soon”
Purchase a new device? Its time to accessorize. Accessories, believe it or not, are a big reason a person will purchase a specific device. It is a way to personalize the device. With the Nexus 6, Google will have options available directly through the Play Store. There are two cases listed in the Play Store, both manufactured by Case-Mate.
The first, and the expensive, case is a stand folio. Called the Stand Folio Case, it props up the Nexus 6 for longer viewing sessions. It also stores things like IDs and credit cards with a few slots on the inside. The backside has a cutout for the camera but it will be blocked when the front cover is opened and folded over. The Stand Folio Case costs $40.
The other is the Naked Tough Case with a $35 price tag. It is your standard hard shell case meant for production. It is has no color as it is clear, so you can still show off just how nice your Nexus 6 is. The Naked Tough Case has an integrated stand that is somewhat unnoticeable due to the clear design.
Source: Google Play [Stand Folio Case] [Naked Tough Case]
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Google India introduces free voice calls to US and Canada through Hangouts
Today, Google has announced that people in India can now make free international voice calls to phone numbers in US and Canada through Hangouts. These free voice calls can be made through Google Hangouts apps on Android and iOS, and through the web.
Voice calls to other Hangouts users is always free over the Internet, but users can also make voice calls to phone numbers in these countries at nominal rates. Google is also offering free first minute during these voice calls.
- Australia
- Belgium
- Brazil
- China
- Dominican Republic
- France
- Germany
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Peru
- Poland
- Russia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
“Starting today, the Hangouts app on your phone will help you stay connected with your family and friends around the world in more ways than ever. Now you can make voice calls to phone numbers outside of India on Android, iOS and the web from Hangouts in Gmail.”
– Google India
It’s a great offering from Google since there are a lot of Indians residing in the US and Canada. A lot of people in India would be amazed to call their loved ones in those countries for free. You will need the Google Hangouts and Hangouts Dialer installed on your Android device to utilize it on mobile. On the web, it will be available the next time you open the app.
Due to regulatory issues, users won’t be able to call phone numbers in India. Even though Skype is offering local calls, they will be pulling out support very soon.
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Motorola now offering Nexus 6 on their website
Yesterday we reported on the fact that the Nexus 6 is quite popular as it keeps selling out, however Google is planning on replenishing their supply every Wednesday. Well, Motorola is wanting to help out with their site.
Do not pass go, do not collect $200. In fact, spend it on the Nexus 6 on motorola.com
Right now you can go to this page on Motorola’s site and pick up a Nexus 6. There’s no telling how long this will last, so it’d be in your best interest to head over to the page if you want one.
The Nexus 6 starts at $649 for a 32GB version, and comes with Google’s latest version of Android, Android Lollipop.
At any point if you want to see if the Nexus 6 is available, click the widget below that says “Is the Nexus 6 available?” and it’ll take you to a page that tells you the answer.
Why are you still reading this? GO!
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German news publishers want Google to rip their content after all
Photo: Nico Trinkhaus – Brandenburg Gate West, Berlin
At some point, we’ve all said no to an offer of help before realizing that some help would actually be rather useful. It’s a situation that German news publisher Axel Springer has found itself in after spending months lobbying Google to stop indexing stories for Google News, it’s now doing a U-Turn. As part of the original deal, Google pledged to only display the headlines from Springer’s stable of sites, including Bild and Die Welt, while rivals would be shown with a thumbnail and a snippet of text. Unsurprisingly, without the extra content, people began to take their clicks elsewhere, causing Bild’s traffic to drop like a stone with a weight problem. After a trial period, the publisher has decided that it’d really rather Google went back to indexing its stories after all. In a statement, boss Matias Doepfner admitted that the company had shot itself “out of the market,” but threw a little shade at the search engine, saying that its power was simply too great to resist.
[Original image credit: Nico Trinkhaus, Flickr]
Source: Reuters
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