Bring some classic flair to your new Nexus with these dbrand skins
Google struck gold with its very first Nexus logo, featuring an awesome blue, red, green and yellow ‘x’ that made the design really stick out. While the company doesn’t use that logo anymore, there’s still a way to bring the classic look to your current Nexus device. Popular smartphone skin maker dbrand is currently offering limited edition Nexus skins that bring the traditional Nexus logo to your smartphone.
The Google X Edition skins are only available for current Nexus devices – Nexus 5, 6 and 9. And just recently, the company added the ability to cover up all of the letters in the logo aside from the ‘x’, giving the devices a much more sleek look.
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This deal has been going so well, dbrand decided to extend this limited time promotion for a little while longer. With that said, you might want to hurry before these skins become unavailable! dbrand is known for offering its skins for cheap, and these are no exception. The company will make your Nexus into a Google X Edition free of charge. If you’re interested in adding a bit of flair to your device, head to the link below.
At £199, Google’s Nexus 9 finally makes sense
Ever since Google launched the Nexus 10, I’ve craved a decent full-size Android tablet. Sony’s Xperia slates are nice enough, but I’ve always missed the purified software experience that comes with Nexus devices. When the Nexus 9 was announced, I thought a worthy upgrade had arrived, but it quickly became clear that the hardware wasn’t up to HTC’s usual standards. The plastic back creaked and the display suffered from light leaks, while the price, which originally started at $399/£319, felt a little on the high side.
It’s been roughly six months, and now we’re starting to see some price movement for the Nexus 9 in the UK. John Lewis and Currys/PC World, for instance, currently have the 16GB model listed for £199.99. Both deals are only temporary, but they’re still significant given how long the Nexus 9 has been on the market. There’s no word on whether the price drop will ever be made permanent, but I feel like it definitely should.
You see, I like many of the ideas underpinning the Nexus 9. The brand has never been a huge seller for Google (arguably by design) but there’s a substantial group of people that want a large, premium Android tablet at an affordable price point. With its One smartphone line-up, HTC has shown that it can design beautiful hardware, and the Nexus 9 was an opportunity to marry that expertise with the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop. (The device still hasn’t been updated to Android 5.1, incidentally.) The 9-inch display’s 4:3 aspect ratio, while not to everyone’s tastes, is great for reading digital comics, magazines and browsing the web, and the front-facing speakers are well-positioned for blasting out music.
However, the Nexus 9 does have its flaws. As we’ve said before, the device can be a little awkward to hold, and the display is good enough, but not spectacular. It’s a similar story with the speakers and performance. Both are solid, but nothing exceptional. All of this is a problem when you’re being asked to shell out £319. But £199? Personally, that makes the tablet’s drawbacks less of an issue — although of course, you could argue that a flawed product will always be flawed, whether it’s being sold for £319 or £199. Google should make this price drop official, only then does the Nexus 9 start to make sense.
Source: John Lewis, PC World
BT’s new home phone is as smart as your Android mobile
Now that smartphones have become personal companions, landline usage has understandably dropped. BT launched an Android-powered home phone, complete with smart call-blocking features and apps, in an attempt to lure people back, but because it only offered downloads via Opera’s app store, choice was severely limited. With the BT Home SmartPhone S II, it appears the company has learned from its mistakes. It’s partnered with Google to offer access to the Play Store, while Facebook, Twitter and BT Sport apps are already bundled. It means that you’ll be able to watch Premier League football if the main TV is out of action, but also download your favourite apps and games — as long as you’re connected to WiFi. At £169.99, BT’s Home SmartPhone S II is a little more expensive than Motorola’s current-generation Moto G, meaning you really must be intent on making the most of your landline for this handset to make any fiscal sense.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: BT Media Centre
Source: BT Shop
Android applications will be able to run on Windows 10
During the company’s Build 2015 developer conference, Microsoft announced that both Android and iOS applications will be able to run on the upcoming Windows 10 platform. Using the new Project Islandwood (iOS) and Project Astoria (Android) development kits, developers will be able to port their applications and games to Windows universal apps. Microsoft is letting Android developers use Java and C++ code on Windows 10, allowing applications to be quickly and easily compiled for the platform. Since the majority of the code being used by Android devs is being recycled, this will save app makers a ton of time and money in the long run.
Microsoft is urging developers to bring their code to Windows 10 with only minor changes at the start. Once the bulk of the app is built, the devs are encouraged to take advantage of some key integration points to build in Windows-specific features like Cortana, Live Tiles, Xbox Live, Holograms and more, which are all included in the Project Astoria dev kit. Microsoft has been testing its new APIs out for the past few months, specifically on the popular puzzle game Candy Crush. In fact, the Candy Crush version that’s currently on Windows is converted from iOS code using Microsoft’s new Windows APIs.
To clarify, this doesn’t mean you’ll be able to install any APK on Windows 10. This is simply just Microsoft making it much easier for Android devs to convert their applications. Microsoft has struggled over the years to keep up with the number of apps available for both Android and iOS, so for the end user, this is certainly great news. The Google Play Store will never come pre-loaded on any Windows 10 devices, but rest assured many more applications will soon make their way to the platform.
We’ll be sure to update you as we learn more.
Google pulls the Nexus 7 tablet from its online store
In case you were on the fence about grabbing one of Google’s affordable Nexus tablets, you’d better jump off it pretty soon. The Nexus 7’s been pulled from the Google Store, as spotted by TalkAndroid, and it almost assuredly isn’t coming back — especially since the Nexus 9 exists. That means if you still want one of the consistently updated 7-inch slates you’ll have to hit places like Amazon while supplies last or wallow in regret for all that could’ve been. Namely, owning a tablet that (to me at least) is more comfortable to hold than the IPad Mini 2 and is essentially just as capable.
Unless you go for the most expensive configuration — 32GB with LTE — most models will run you less than half what one of Google’s newer, bigger tablets will, too. That sound you hear? It’s opportunity knocking. We’ve reached out to Google for additional info and will update this post should we hear back.
Filed under: Tablets, Mobile, Google
Via: TalkAndroid
Source: Google Store
Say goodbye to the Nexus 7 as Google pulls listing from store page
The Nexus 7 was Google’s initiative to kick start affordable, well-performing 7-inch Android tablets. The first N7 was a fantastic device, and its 2013 successor was every bit as good at an affordable price point.
After releasing the Nexus 9 and not even mentioning the possibility of a refreshed 7-inch tablet, though, most of us could see the writing on the wall about the Nexus 7’s fate. Today, it’s finally happened, as Google no longer offers the Nexus 7 on their online store. Finding a listing for the Nexus 7 specifically says that it’s no longer for sale.
Google’s Nexus program has changed over the past couple of years, moving away from extremely affordable devices to more high-end devices that offer a flagship caliber experience without sacrificing development options and quick updates. Unfortunately, that move comes with flagship caliber price tags, too, which is evident in the Nexus 9’s doubled price tag over the Nexus 7.
It’s a sad day, but there are no shortage of excellent 7-inch tablets on the market right now. They may not be Nexus tablets, but plenty of them are still excellent, affordable options, so in that sense the Nexus 7 did exactly what it set to do before slowly fading away.
source: Google Store
Come comment on this article: Say goodbye to the Nexus 7 as Google pulls listing from store page
Google admits that Nexus devices aren’t selling so well, but that’s not what they said 3 months ago
Well how things can change in 3 months time. In an earnings conference call back in January, Google CFO Patrick Pichette stated that they couldn’t keep up with Nexus 6 demand. That implied that the demand was so unbelievably high, but as we have learned with supply and demand, even if demand is low, supply could still be an issue. When I reported that story, I titled the post….They have to be kidding: Google admits they can’t keep up with Nexus 6 demand….because it was obvious that the Nexus 6 couldn’t be selling that well.
Fast forward three months to yesterday and Patrick Pichette is singing a different tune. He is now saying that there has been a “decline in Nexus” year over year. He didn’t call out any specific device so it doesn’t mean the Nexus 6 is the culprit. The Nexus 6 is probably part of the issue becsause I seriously doubt the Nexus 9 is lighting any fires either. The Nexus 6 is priced $300 over ($649 vs $349) what the Nexus 5 went for and the Nexus 9 is a big square 4:3 tablet that is also overpriced. There is also the Nexus Player, but let’s not even talk about that because those sales figures have to represent no more than a pimple on someone’s ass.
Here’s his full statement…
“Other revenues grew 23 percent year over year to $1.8 billion, but were down 2 percent quarter over quarter, driven really by year over year growth in the Play Store, offset by decline in Nexus, and the currency fluctuations. Year over year it hasn’t been as strong given the strength of the Nexus 7 last year.”
I have been saying it for a long time and I know I am in the minority for Android hardcores, but the Nexus line has always been overrated. Everyone goes gaga over stock Android, but it’s just as buggy as anything else. In fact, I don’t think I have ever had a great experience with any Nexus device. They are supposed to be reference devices, but the batteries and cameras generally suck on them as well.
source: 9to5Google
Come comment on this article: Google admits that Nexus devices aren’t selling so well, but that’s not what they said 3 months ago
Nexus Player Wins the Android 5.1.1 Contest, Factory Image Now Available
Remember the Nexus Player? We won’t fault you if you don’t. To many, Google’s first entry into the digital media player space is an exercise in futility, with similarly-prices competitors sporting stronger specs and better UIs. Like many Nexus devices, the Player hasn’t quite made the splash Google (and Asus) might have intended, but how many Nexus devices go mainstream, anyway? The closest we’ve really come to that is the Nexus 6 and (maybe) the (subjectively superior) Nexus 5.
But now, the Nexus Player is also the first device to receive the Android 5.1.1 update. Yes, what is arguably the least-used of all Nexus devices (we’ve got our eye on you, Nexus 10) is now leading the pack in software updates. The now-passé Android 5.1 has been rolling out to a handful of devices over the past number of weeks, but now that progress has been torn asunder by proof that there is more to be had from Lollipop than mere single-decimal nomenclature.
Specifics surrounding the features of the download are scant at present, which might be further evidence that no one really owns the Nexus Player, but we’re going to go out on a limb and assume 5.1.1 consists of a handful of refinement tweaks to 5.1, but please don’t hold our feet to the fire in the event we are totally wrong and it represents the biggest Android update since Donut.
Incidentally, slower sales often result in more tantalizing offers for consumers, and it appears Amazon is selling the Nexus Player for $78.72 instead of the MSRP of $99. So if you’ve been on the fence about purchasing the underpowered media box, we’re practically in the same territory as the cost of two Chromecasts now.
Factory images are now available and ready for you to install, so get to it.
And seriously, call this an informal poll: Who owns a Nexus Player and are you glad you do? I worry the Player will go down in history as besmirched yet beloved as the Pontiac Aztek. But at least Walter White drove the Aztek.
Source: Google Developers
Come comment on this article: Nexus Player Wins the Android 5.1.1 Contest, Factory Image Now Available
5 reasons why your next smartphone should be from HTC.
Unparalleled Build Quality
HTC has been in the Android business for quite some time now (more on that later), and during that time, they have learned a great deal about what makes a great smartphone, well, great. You of course have the software, sound quality (it is a phone after all), radio quality, screen technology, camera capabilities, the list goes on and on. One of the most important features though, is the design of the smartphone itself. I mean, come on. The phone might be able to do a hundred things, and then some, but if it looks hideous and is uncomfortable to use, no one is going to want to use it. Well, almost no one. Anyway, HTC took that into account when they designed their latest smartphones, and it shows. The metal unibody of the HTC One M7, M8, and soon to be released, M9, has made HTC one of the leading exemplars of how a smartphone manufacturer should design their devices.
A Company of Firsts
When the first Android device came out, guess who manufactured it? If you guessed HTC, then you guess right. (Not too hard, since this article is primarily focused on HTC). The HTC Dream was the first commercially available smartphone to hit the market back in 2008 with the Android operating system on board. One of the biggest hits of the year, and the beginning of what would be one of the largest mobile operating systems in the world. All thanks to a Dream shared between Google and HTC. (Pun intended.) HTC was also the chosen carrier for Verizon when they decided to release their 4G LTE network to the country, and so they created the HTC Thunderbolt. It able to download and upload at speeds that, at the time, were unheard of. And lets not forget the Nexus One. After so many manufacturers took the Android OS and made countless adjustments to it, Google wanted to create something that would run vanilla Android, with no OEM tweaks whatsoever. HTC was again chosen to be the leader of the pack, and they released the Nexus One, which would be followed by various other Nexus devices in the upcoming years.
HTC BoomSound
One of the things that has befuddled many a user is the fact that OEM’s (which stands for original equipment manufacturer) have always placed the phones media speakers on the back of the devices. When you are watching a video, the sound can sound distorted, since it is moving away from you instead of towards you. HTC decided to make a change, and they moved not one speaker, but two, to the front of the device. As a longtime Android user, I can definitely notice the difference it makes having the speakers face you, instead of facing away. Sound is clearer, louder, and more defined, and makes any media experience better because of it.
No Gimmicks
After so many years, OEM’s have run into the issue of what they can do to differentiate them from the crowd. While one can say it has only made Android devices better in the long run, it has also lead to some not so useful features that look and function like they were scrapped together in an attempt to just add them into the Android OS. We wont name any names, but HTC has managed to say clear from that policy of some of its competitors and instead has focused on making features that are useful, such as HTC BoomSound and HTC Sense, which we will discus in more detail later on.
HTC Sense
HTC Sense was born of out a need to stand apart from the other smartphone makers. When everyone was scrambling to make what really were just skinned versions of Android, HTC was busy trying to compliment it, not detract from it. So out of that came HTC Sense. Though I will say it was a bit buggy and laggy when it first came out, it is now one of the best features about owning an HTC device. Most notably, BlinkFeed, which shows you FB posts, twitter posts, and news right on the homescreen. There were also some UI tweaks that just made the overall experience of owning an Android smartphone all the better.
Final Thoughts
While this is by no means a complete list of why owning an HTC smartphone is a great experience, it does cover some of the more notable features that has made the smartphone company one of the best for so many years. I have owned devices from Motorola, Samsung, Asus, and some others, and I always come back to HTC. It’s hard not too when they make such great devices. For more information regarding the various smartphones manufactured by HTC, you can can head over to Amazon using the link provided.
The post 5 reasons why your next smartphone should be from HTC. appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Is LG going to make the next Nexus smartphone? Visits from Google engineers point to “Yes”
The Nexus 6 has barely been out for 6 months and rumours are already swirling around who is going to manufacturer Google’s next Nexus smartphone. While Huawei appeared to be the leader in the early going, attention has shifted to LG, who allegedly had Google engineers visit their headquarters and factories in Korea this month. […]
The post Is LG going to make the next Nexus smartphone? Visits from Google engineers point to “Yes” appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
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