Android 6.0: The 5 best new features in Marshmallow

Google’s big fall event is behind us, and we have some great new hardware to show for it. The new Nexus 5X is the hotly anticipated follow-up to 2013’s Nexus 5, and it’s everything Android fans were hoping for. Then the larger Nexus 6P offers an all-aluminum body, a 2K display and solid performance for a surprisingly affordable price. Bold phones are set to begin shipping next month, and fans of the “pure Android” experience can’t wait.

Of course, Google also spent some time on software during Tuesday’s press conference, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow is set to begin rolling out next week.

Android fans with recent Nexus devices like the Nexus 6 smartphone and Nexus 9 tablet will be able to update their devices to Android 6.0 beginning early next week. Google hasn’t set an official date that the Marshmallow rollout will begin, but a number of reports have pinpointed October 5th as the day Google’s latest software will begin hitting devices.

If you don’t have a Nexus phone or tablet, the wait will be a bit longer. What will you be missing while your manufacturer works to update its devices to Android 6.0 in the coming months? Below, we’ll go through the five best new features coming to smartphones and tablets with Marshmallow.

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Apple's Victorious iPhone 6S Can Cripple Android

Anyone looking at Apple’s event on September 9th will have seen the near-future of smartphones being defined by Tim Cook. Apple may not be winning the market share battle against its Android powered competitors but the presentation of the technology and the decisions behind their adoption in Apple’s latest hardware will echo through the market.

Because of Apple’s position in the media, the ideas that were on stage at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium will influence smartphone hardware and software for the next few years, no matter where they originated. The public will expect their smartphones to do the things that Tim Cook and his team talked about. And there lies the trap for Android. To follow Apple’s lead will take time, energy, and resources to play catch-up to Cupertino. To not follow Apple’s lead risks stagnation and irrelevance in the market place.

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Did Huawei just reveal that Android smartwatches will pair with iPhones?

Wear iOS Android getting support could be the shot in the arm Google's SmartWatch platform needs.

Did spill the beans about Amazon just a major Android update Wear? Huawei's Long-awaited SmartWatch briefly Went up for preorders on Amazon on price and other details Friday was taken down Eventually all before.

Theo listing, the Huawei Watch has a 1.4-inch screen round, comes in four color and band combinations other, starting at $ 349.99 and going up to $ 799.99 for a gaudy gold version. It's running Android Wear, Google's SmartWatch operating system compatible with smartphones running nên Android or iOS or nhất.

Wait a minute. Android does not work with iOS Wear. It only works with smartphones running Android. There are workarounds, but at the moment, if you're one of the Millions with an iPhone, Huwaei Watch - and other android smartwatches wear - Easily sync the phone with your Flickr Flickr Flickr.

Huawei_iOS_Screenshot

So jump the gun on a major announcement Huawei did? Reports from earlier this year Google was close to mà indicated in an Android app creates Wear That would pair devices with iPhones, Google Now cards gồm, voice search, and notifications. Several new Android devices Wear is hitting shelves before holiday season will, and cross-platform support would be a headline feature.

It's cũng thể The Huawei has built The workaround to support riêng mà watch Into iOS, would give it an edge mà over other android models wear. Pebble's work with iOS and Android smartwatches all, considering it's a manageable challenge.

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iPhone owners eat more healthily than Android owners, study says

I had feared that the Apple vs. Android rivalry was dying.

I had worried that there was a peculiar detente between the two parties.

Perhaps it's got something to do with their diets. Perhaps fans of Apple's iOS mobile software have suddenly turned healthy, even in their attitudes towards people who prefer devices that run Google's Android software.

I wonder this after reading a report from food delivery site Eat24. The company's boffins culled data from its Android and iPhone apps over the last three months and unearthed some contrasting results.

Before they even consider their food, 27 percent of those using the Eat24 iPhone apps click on the "healthy" tab. Only 17 percent of Android users do the same.

What does this tell us? That Apple users are more self-conscious about their figures and entrails? That Android users mainly live in the south?

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Android update roundup: Verizon pushes Android 5.1 and Stagefright fix to HTC One M9

The Verizon HTC One M9 got a double gift this week: a bump up to Android 5.1 and a patch for the Stagefright vulnerability. It joins another batch of devices to get some relief from this major Android headache.

Each week, we compile all the major software updates to hit the ecosystem, including phones and tablets on U.S. carriers, unlocked phones, Android Wear smartwatches, and Android TV devices. Making sure your device is running the latest available software is a good housekeeping practice, ensuring you have the latest features with fewer bugs and gaping security holes (like Stagefright!).

Verizon

HTC One M9: When it rains it pours for the HTC One M9. The company’s Mo Versi took to Twitter to announce that Android 5.1, a Stagefright fix, and support for more LTE bands are coming in an over-the-air update. While the device already supports all of Verizon’s bands, the new additions connect to overseas networks.

Galaxy S4: Samsung hasn’t forgotten about its flagship from two generations back. A Verizon update is out that patches Stagefright and performs several other bug fixes.

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Blackberry's first Android phone rumoured to come in August

A few days ago, there were rumours that the Blackberry's first Android-powered smartphone - codenamed Venice - might arrive in November. However, a new report is suggesting that the Venice might not run Android at all.

As per the report, the Canadian company's debut Android phone will instead be called Prague. Aimed at emerging markets, it will be a low-end, all-touch device, with form factor similar to that of the BlackBerry Z3 (shown in the image above). The handset is expected to be released in August this year, the report notes.

Needless to say, none of this has been officially confirmed by the company, so take it with a pinch of salt.

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Apple vs. Android: Does The Technology We Use Influence The Way We Travel?

When it comes to phones and tablets, there are die-hard Apple users and those who swear by Android. But do their differing tastes in technology influence other parts of their lives? To find out, hotel search trivago.com analyzed travel differences between Apple and Android users in the U.S. who have searched for hotels via the trivago app over the past year.

Apple users spend 24% more on hotels than Android users

On average, an American Apple user is willing to spend $32 more per night on accommodation than an Android user. The average price selected by travelers using iPhones and iPads is $166 per night. For Android users, the average price for a searched hotel is $134 per night, a difference of 24%.

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Here’s what Microsoft Cortana will look like on iPhone and Android

Microsoft quietly confirmed today what Cortana will look like on iOS and Android devices later this year in a YouTube video introducing the “phone companion” app.

Cortana on both Android and iOS will look similar to their Windows counterparts and can answer the same queries across devices. On Android, you’ll also see integration with the operating system for reminders and other alerts.

A companion app on Windows 10 PCs will offer to help users install Cortana on their devices.

Cortana on iOS and Android can’t do things that are possible on Windows Phone, however, like toggle settings.

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Factory reset FAILS in 500 MEEELLION Android phones

Cambridge University boffins Laurent Simon and Ross Anderson say half a billion Android phones could have data recovered and Google accounts compromised thanks to flaws in the default wiping feature.

The gaffe allows tokens for Google and Facebook among others to be recovered in 80 percent of cases. Encryption keys can also be recovered and can with some brute-force password guessing allow attackers to access previously wiped data.

Those keys, along with a host of data including SMS, photos, and videos, can be recovered because the factory reset process in Android 4.3 Jellybean and below is flawed, the pair say in the paper Security Analysis of Android Factory Resets (PDF).

Here's the gist of it:

We estimate that up to 500 million devices may not properly sanitise their data partition where credentials and other sensitive data are stored, and up to 630 million may not properly sanitise the internal SD card where multimedia files are generally saved.
We found we could recover Google credentials on all devices presenting a flawed factory reset. Full-disk encryption has the potential to mitigate the problem, but we found that a flawed factory reset leaves behind enough data for the encryption key to be recovered.

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Be among the first to download the Periscope Android App

The latest social app sensation, a creation by Twitter called Periscope, let’s users share live video with people around the world. The good? The app is supposedly awesome and seeing record adoption rates. The bad? The app has thus far eluded the Google Play Store and is currently only available on that pesky iPhone.

That all will soon change and you can be among the first to download the new Periscope for Android App from the Google Play Store.y

If you follow a link to a  Periscope live stream from your Android phone, you’re now directed to an e-mail sign up form offering instant notification when the Periscope Android app is available on the Google Play Store.

In reality you can visit any link to a specific Periscope live stream, the above being just one of them. But doesn’t somehow knowing that Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Genevieve was Periscoping while she cooked make you want to download the app that much more? Us too. And if not, we’re sure you can find your own excuse with enough browsing.

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The Week's Best Android, iPhone, iPad, and Windows Phone Apps

It always seems like a hassle when you buy new tech, doesn't it? I mean the pay off is great, but you have to spend time setting it up and making sure it's got everything you had on your old device. Especially if you're switching browsers and need your bookmarks copying across. Blimey, that's annoying.

Speaking of installing software, here are a few things you should be plonking onto your phone/tablet this week.

Iphone apps

Santander Cycles: London's bike hire scheme was rebranded a couple of months ago, and that rebrand has made it to the apps world. Not only can you pay and release your bike from the app, without having to deal with the terminals – you can also find the nearest hire station, and plan your journeys. The only thing it won't do is reserve you a bike, you'll have to find one yourself. 

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Android M Might Be Unveiled At Google I/O: Here Are Some Features To Expect

There's no official word on when Android M will be officially revealed, but the 2015 Google I/O conference schedule hints at a number of features users can expect from the newest iteration of the Android operating system.

Set for May 28 and 29, the Google I/O conference will be held in San Francisco at the Moscone West Convention Center. There, Google will be bringing together developers to showcase product and platform innovations the company has been working on, potentially including Android M.

What can be expected of Android M?

First, there's "Voice Access." As its name implies, the feature will be adding a voice component toward accessing apps, a likely support for Android M services offering hands-free convenience. Other details about the talk are not detailed in the I/O schedule but it is described as "Your app, now available hands-free," making it obvious that voice actions may soon be in the picture for Android users.

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TestDrive Of Android 5.1 Lollipop Update For 2013 Moto X Ongoing: Possible Release In A Few Weeks

Motorola has started testing Android 5.1 Lollipop for the Moto X 2013, which means an official Lollipop upgrade for the two-year-old smartphone is just around the corner.

In a Google+ post, Motorola senior director of software product management David Schuster announced that the Lenovo-owned smartphone maker has started testing Android 5.1 for the first-generation Moto X for some users in the U.S. and Latin America via its early testing program TestDrive. This will be followed by the full release of Android 5.1 for all Moto X 2013 owners a few weeks after testing.

"I am glad to announce that we are starting TestDrive in both the U.S. and LatAm," Schuster says. "If all goes well, we should start full deployments in a few weeks."

Owners of the Moto X 2013 have been complaining about the length of time it has taken Motorola to upgrade the smartphone's software to Android Lollipop. Schuster did not specify the reason for the delay but pointed to the "lack of support from some of our partners," implying that it is not all Motorola's fault.

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Android 5.1 Lollipop Release Date Update For Sony Xperia Z3, Z2 and HTC One M8, M7

While Android Lollipop OTA updates are already available for the Sony Xperia and HTC One series devices, users are now anticipating the inevitable Android 5.1 roll out. In the sections below, we will look at the Android situation for the following devices - Sony Xperia Z3, Z2 and HTC One M7, M8.

 Sony Xperia Z3, Z2 

Recently, Xperia Blog reported that Australia carrier Telstra may be rolling out Android 5.1 Lollipop for the Xperia Z, Z1, and Z1 compact in August. If the report is to be believed, that could potentially mean that the Z2 and Z3 will get the Android 5.1 Lollipop in a similar time frame. However, there have been no official announcements from Sony as of yet. 

The Xperia Z3 and Z2 smartphones are currently running on the Android 5.0.2, which Sony recently rolled out. Oddly, the Japanese tech giant decided to not wait for the Android 5.1 Lollipop release. A number of manufacturers have decided to withhold an Android 5.02 Lollipop update in favor of Android 5.1.

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Microsoft slams Android updates, claims Google ships a ‘big pile of... code’

Microsoft's Windows chief, Terry Myerson, isn't pulling any punches against Android this week. Speaking during a keynote appearance at Microsoft's Ignite conference in Chicago, Myerson knocked Google's Android update plans. "Google ships a big pile of… code, with no commitment to update your device," Myerson said, with an intentional pause that left the audience laughing. "Google takes no responsibility to update customer devices and refuses to take responsibility to update their devices, leaving end users and businesses increasingly exposed every day they use an Android device."

While Myerson was quick to knock Android, he didn't really reveal how Microsoft plans to bypass carriers and deliver regular updates to its Windows 10 phones in future. Microsoft first unveiled a developer preview for Windows Phone back in 2013, but unless you sign up to this as a consumer then it's not a true way to deliver updates to devices. Updates have also been a mixed experience for Windows users. There were no upgrades from Windows Phone 7 to Windows Phone 8, and those stuck with Windows RT won't get Windows 10 in the future.

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Google Faces Enormous Forces In Fight Over the Future of Android

GOOGLE AND ITS Android mobile phone operating system are facing an antitrust investigation in Europe. But the roots of the probe stretch across the Atlantic and well into the past.

In 2010, enterprise software giant Oracle sued Google over the way Android made use of the Java programming language. Oracle had assumed control of Java a year earlier, after purchasing one-time tech powerhouse Sun Microsystems, and its suit claimed that Google had infringed on Java-related patents and copyrights. But the case turned up documents that would help spark a very different investigation in the Europe.

The trial revealed various contracts in which Google required phone makers to bundle certain Google services when using its Android operating system, such as Google Search, Google Maps, and the Google app store (a.k.a. Google Play)—and bundle them at the expense of other services from third parties. These contracts—which had been discussed in the press and behind closed doors for years—became the basis for an antitrust complaint brought to the EU by FairSearch, a consortium of companies that includes Oracle, Microsoft, Nokia, and many others, alleging that Google’s Android practices are anti-competitive.

“One way in which this case was helped forward was the trial between Oracle and Google,” says Dieter Paemen, a Brussels-based lawyer with the multi-national law firm Clifford Chance, who represents FairSearch and was part of the team that filed the complaint in the EU. “The core evidence comes—originally—from there.”

Paeman and FairSearch filed their complaint in April 2013. A Portuguese company called Aptoide lodged an additional complaint more than a year later. And this month, the European Commission announced that it’s opening a formal investigation into Android, indicating that it’s probing the kinds of contracts that surfaced during the Oracle trial.

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Android's System Bars And Your Interface - Whether And How To Theme

Google updated its design spec recently. The material spec, which Google says is a living document (as evidenced by its ongoing updates), gained further guidance on floating action buttons, dialogs, updates on typography, and a lot more.

One less-advertised update was a change to the section in "Structure" concerning the navigation bar in Android. The "color variants" text is still identical to that from the "status bar" subsection, but an image showing nav bars themed to match your device's hardware was removed. Here's the image in question:

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Android 5.1.1 (LMY47V) officially uploaded to AOSP and here’s the full changelog, Nexus Player factory images also available

While some still anxiously await Android 5.1 to hit their devices, Google is onto bigger and better things. Android 5.1.1 (officially 5.1.1_r1 build number LMY47V) has just been uploaded to AOSP and as the small .1 increase suggests, looks to bring smaller bug fixes. That’s not to downplay the software update which probably maybe hopefully patches up that nasty memory leak plaguing some devices.

While Nexus devices will have to wait a little longer before an official rollout begins, a factory image is currently available for the Nexus Player (Fugul) if you feel like getting a head start. If you’re looking for exact changes, a detailed developer changelog from Android 5.1.0_r5 to 5.1.1_r1 can be found right.

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Sony prices 2015 4K and Android TVs

We've known about Sony's 4K-heavy 2015 lineup of TVs since CES in January, when the company announced their existence and posted detailed specifications on their features and differences.

In February when the prices leaked Sony neither confirmed no denied their accuracy, until now. A couple weeks before the first models start shipping, Sony has announced official pricing and put the TVs up for preorder on its site. It also gave CNET a hands-on peek at the new sets, complete with details on its HDR (high dynamic range) strategy.

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Cyanogen takes the Google out of Android

Cyanogen Inc. and Google one thing in common – they both develop Android. In the latter case, it is more as a thinly disguised delivery vehicle for Googles advertising and services.

Cyanogen OS evolved from CyanogenMod in late 2013 and has been looking for funding since – more on that later. Its stated aim is to be an alternative to Google’s Android and a more pure version of stock standard Android Open Source Project (ASOP). It has become popular with many OEMs, especially in countries where Google is not welcome or supported.

Market share is unknown as it appears under the Android heading. Android shipped over 1 billion handsets in 2014 and there are vague references to it having about 5% of that market and growing.

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Android 5.1.1 references surface on Google’s own site

Google just recently began rolling out Android 5.1 Lollipop within the last few weeks, but there may be another software version already on its way sometime soon. The next version is Android 5.1.1, and it was recently found running on the Nexus 9 and Wi-fi Nexus 7 (2013) model on Google’s Android Audio Latency information page. The Nexus 9 is running build number LMY47S and the Wi-fi Nexus 7 (2013) is shown running build number LMY47W. We’ve attached a screenshot below so you can see for yourself.

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Use this new Google search trick to find and install the best Android apps

Google on Thursday announced a new app discovery feature that developers can use to further drive up app installs. However, this new developer tool is also a neat trick every Android user should know, as it could significantly improve the overall app install experience.

Google now lets you install any app from the Play Store on your smartphone or tablet directly from Search. Simply searching for certain things on a mobile device might lead to results that include direct links to apps that can be then installed from the Play Store, assuming you haven’t downloaded them on your device yet.

App indexing is not a new feature, as Google introduced it back in 2013. What essentially happens is that the app content index may appear in searches if a developer chooses to have his or her app indexed by Google. However, Google tweaked the feature so that an app install button also pops up in search for indexed apps, as long as that app is not installed on the device. After getting the app, the user is then redirected straight to the content in it that was found to be relevant to the search he or she performed.

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Europe Opens Probe of Google’s Android

European regulators opened a second front in their antitrust probe of Google Inc., launching a formal investigation of whether the U.S. Internet company used its position as the maker of Android, the most popular software operating system for smartphones, to favor other Google apps and services.

“Smartphones, tablets and similar devices play an increasing role in many people’s daily lives and I want to make sure the markets in this area can flourish without anticompetitive constraints imposed by any company,” said the European Commission’s antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager.
The new investigation of Android came as the commission filed formal charges against Google for allegedly abusing its position as the leading search engine by favoring its own Shopping service, after a separate five-year investigation.

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5 Things to Know About the Nexus 4 Android 5.1 Update

Google’s Android 5.1 Lollipop update is missing for a number of Nexus devices though it looks like we can finally take the Nexus 4 Android 5.1 update off of the list. With an OTA in sight, we take a look at what users need to know, right now, about the Nexus 4 Android 5.1 Lollipop update.

In March, Google released an Android 5.1 update for its Nexus smartphones and tablets. The update, the third incremental update for its new Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system, brought feature tweaks and a collection of bug fixes for select Nexus users. Owners of the Nexus 6, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 2012, and Nexus 10 were the first in line though the Android 5.1 update is finally starting to make its way to other devices.

Earlier this month, Google started rolling out Android 5.1 to the cellular version of the Nexus 7 2012, also known as the Nexus 7 3G. Up until today though, the Android 5.1 Lollipop update remained missing for the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 2013, Nexus 7 LTE, and Nexus 9. Today, we can confirm another Android 5.1 roll out, this one for a popular Nexus smartphone called the Nexus 4.

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Google Inc’s Android for Work partners up to crack the enterprise market

As BYOD becomes more entrenched in the enterprise, the Android operating system becomes more of a challenge. Android devices are often the phone or tablet of choice for consumers, and they’re bringing those choices into the office.

Google’s February launch of Android for Work showed businesses that Google was finally taking their needs seriously. “We want to make Android great for the enterprise,” said Rajen Sheth, director of product management, Android and Chrome for Work.

Until now, he acknowledged, there was no way to say “yes” to Android in the enterprise. But Google couldn’t go it alone – it had to look to its partners.

“The strength of Android is the people building on it,” said Mr. Sheth. “Devices don’t matter unless people can do great things with them. Partnerships bring enterprise apps to Android.”

With Android for Work, added Nicholas Barretta, Android sales engineer at Google, the company is making Android a first-class citizen in the enterprise.

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One Android fan’s righteous rant: He owns 6 Android devices and none of them have Lollipop yet

We all know there are good reasons why Android will never be rolled out as efficiently as the way Apple rolls out new versions of iOS. That said, surely the process can be better than it is right now… can’t it?


TechRepublic’s Jack Wallen recently published a righteous rant about the state of upgrading on Android devices that basically boils down to this: It’s been nearly half a year since Google released Android 5.0 Lollipop and none of his six Android devices have received the update.

This isn’t just a problem with one Android fan, either — the latest numbers show that only 3.3% of Android devices worldwide run on Lollipop while 42.6% of active Android devices still run on 2012’s Jelly Bean release. Even the positively ancient Gingerbread release still accounts for more than twice the number of Android devices than Lollipop does.

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Apple iOS 8 v Android 5.1 – which is best?

The phrase “Android vs. iOS” is usually linkbait fodder, quickly dissolving into an argument amongst warring factions who who put way too much emotional investment into their favorite mobile operating system.

There’s a better approach. Both iOS 8 and Android 5.1 are compelling platforms, offering both divergent and similar approaches in design, utility, and function. A nuanced analysis of both operating systems reveal where both Apple and Google are headed.

With mobile devices, smartwatches, connected TVs, and soon extensions to the car, choosing a platform is an important decision. So whether you’re on the fence or just want to find out more about what Apple and Google are up to, here’s our deep dive into.

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11 of the best Android apps from March

With voice calling on WhatsApp, the first sighting of Meerkat on Android and a number of other notable names hitting the virtual shelves, March was a busy month in the the Google Play store.

Here, we’ve got the best new and updated apps from last month in one place for your easy perusal. We’ve split this story over two pages to make it easier for you, but if you’d rather read it all as one, just click here.

Caviar

Square’s food delivery app for people living in certain US cities has been available on iOS for a while now, but it was only last month that it made the jump across to Android.

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ARC Welder Lets Devs (And You) Test Android Apps in Chrome

Strictly speaking, ARC Welder was designed as a developer tool, but as we’ve mentioned before, packaging Android apps for Chrome isn’t the most complicated affair in the world. It also simplifies much of what our previous guide covered. As a bonus, when you download ARC Welder, it will automatically install the app runtime that’s needed to make Android apps work. This process will work on any platform Chrome is on, including Windows, OS X, Linux, and Chrome OS (obviously).

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WhatsApp for Android now lets all users make voice-calls

WhatsApp’s much-discussed move to support voice-calls is nearing completion, as news emerges that anyone on Android can now make calls in-app to other WhatsApp users.

The Facebook-owned mobile messaging company first revealed its plans to introduce voice-calls way back in February last year, but it wasn’t until the past few months when the feature first started showing up in some Android users’ apps. Things subsequently opened up a little, with the feature being made available to anyone who received a call from another WhatsApp user who had voice-calls unlocked.

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LG Spirit With Android 5.0 Lollipop Launched at Rs. 14,250

LG has launched one of its new curved mid-range smartphones in India, the LG Spirit, listing it on its country-specific website at Rs. 14,250. The company has not yet announced availability details for the smartphone.
The LG Spirit was globally unveiled in February along with three other smartphones LG Magna, LG Leon and the LG Joy. The firm had showcased all the smartphones during MWC 2015 this month.

As per specifications, the dual-SIM (Micro-SIM) LG Spirit (LG H-422) runs Android 5.0 Lollipop and includes 4.7-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) resolution display with pixel density of 312ppi. The display is curved slightly, with a 3000mm radius curvature. In India, the smartphone packs a 1.3GHz quad-core processor coupled with 1GB of RAM.

The LG Spirit features an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a 1-megapixel front facing camera. The 8GB of inbuilt storage is expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB). Connectivity options on the LG Spirit include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/ A-GPS, and Micro-USB. The handset measures 133.25x66.12x9.95mm and is backed by a 2100mAh battery.

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Nexus 9 Android 5.1 Lollipop Update: What to Expect

Roughly five months after the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop and the Nexus 9, and Google’s now released a few small updates as well as a bigger bug fixing Android 5.1 Lollipop update. We’ve seen countless Nexus devices all get updated to Android 5.1 Lollipop, but those with the latest Nexus 9 tablet are still stuck waiting, but it should be coming soon.

Back in June Google debuted Android L, which is now known as Android 5.0 Lollipop that the company fully revealed in October and launched in November on the new Nexus 9, Nexus 6, and Nexus Player. They quickly released Android 5.0.1 and Android 5.0.2 with fixes, but then this month released a big Android 5.1 Lollipop update. One that is fixing many key bugs.

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Android fans confess what they envy most about iOS

Android fans are a proud bunch who don’t like admitting things they envy about other platforms, especially those made by (*spit*) Apple. However, open-minded Android and iOS fans alike can see things in other platforms they like and Reddit’s Android community recently had a confessional session in which they admitted what iOS features they’d most like to see Android adopt in the future.

The most popular response had to do with having more granular app permissions on the Google Play store. While Apple lets users grant individual app permissions to apps while rejecting others, app permissions on Google Play are an all-or-nothing proposition where you either grant all permissions or not use the app.

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Cyanogen wants to seize Android from Google, and now it has the cash to do it

In just 18 months, Cyanogen Inc., the commercial arm of the popular CyanogenMod Android variant, has raised over $110 million.

The latest round was for a whopping $80 million, and included investors such as Twitter Ventures, Qualcomm and Rupert Murdoch.

SEE ALSO: Cyanogen versus Google: Biting the Android that feeds

Investors are betting on Cyanogen because they believe it has the best shot at being the third biggest mobile OS, after Google's Android and Apple's iOS.

But wait, you're saying. Isn't Cyanogen based on Android? It sure is. But as Mashable contributor Evan Blass outlined last month, Cyanogen has aspirations for building a mobile ecosystem with no trace of Google.

In fact, Cyanogen CEO Kirt McMaster has said that Cyanogen is "attempting to take Android away from Google."

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The latest move in Microsoft’s quiet Android coup

With Windows Phone still stuck in neutral, Microsoft has come up with some extremely clever ways to make its mark on Android, including most recently a way for Android users to install a Windows 10-based ROM onto Android devices that essentially would take them over and offer Windows-based software offerings such as Cortana, Office and Skype. Microsoft on Monday made another announcement that could go a long way toward boosting its presence on Android by signing deals with OEMs such as Samsung and Dell to preload Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive and Skype onto their Android-based devices.

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Android 5.1: Top 5 Features That'll Make You Want To Lick Lollipop Now

Android 5.1 is rolling out, boasting a number of new features and improvements over Android 5.0.

While it is a rather minor update, there are some worthwhile additions in Android 5.1 Here are the top five features.

1. Device Protection

Android 5.1 adds a number of device protection features designed to help users better secure smartphones. Device Protection will be automatically activated for users that use security methods like a PIN code.

The feature essentially makes it much harder for someone to break into the user's smartphone. An example is the fact that a device will stay locked even after being factory reset, unless the user's Google password is entered.

It's important to note Device Protection is only available to the Google Nexus 6, Nexus 9, and new Android 5.1 devices.

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Android 5.1 Lollipop Update for Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7, Nexus 10 Devices; But Users Report New OS Problems

Following the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google announced that it has now rolled out the newest Android 5.1 Lollipop for a slew of its Nexus devices like the Nexus 6, 5, 7, and 10.

Presently in various stages of receiving the update, a report from GSM Arena pointed out that the tech giant had recently put up the factory images of the latest mobile operating system for the Nexus 5.

Released globally this week, the Lollipop Over-The-Air OS upgrade measures about 220.7 MB of file. One of its most significant features includes the Device Protection which, as reported, offers maximum security for owners who might lose their devices.

It has been said that unless the user signs in with their Google account, the device remains locked even after a factory reset.

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Motorola Is Already Testing Android 5.1 For The 2014 Moto X, And Here's The Changelog

Motorola got Android 5.0 out the door to the 2014 Moto X Pure Edition within a few weeks of Nexus devices, and now the company is already testing Android 5.1. This is just a soak test, but the changelog has been posted on Motorola's customer support portal. They might take it down, but we've got all the details.

Here's what Motorola says is coming in the Android 5.1 update (version 23.1.38).

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The five things Android finally got right with Android 5.1

Google is finally delivering a few perks that didn’t make the cut when it rolled out Android Lollipop.

Android 5.1 is here (at this time only for Nexus devices), and it tidies up Google’s operating system with some extra niceties that help you zip through various tasks. Here are the details as to what’s new and how it spruces up the overall utility and performance of Android.

Quick toggle settings for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

You you can now change which Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth device you’re connected to without the need to maneuver through the settings menu.

When you swipe down with two fingers to the Quick Settings panel, you’ll notice tiny arrows below the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sections. These indicate a pop-out menu is available. When you touch there, you’ll see a list of available Wi-Fi networks or Bluetooth networks that you’ve previously paired with. Just touch the one you want to switch to it.

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TAG Heuer’s Android Move Means Switzerland Is Embracing The Smartwatch

Today the Swiss watch industry makes a major leap into embracing the smartwatch. LVMH Watch Group head Jean-Claude Biver is not a man to ignore pop culture and all that is modern even though he made his money running companies that sell traditional, mechanical watches. Today, sitting as the CEO of Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer, he stands with representatives from Intel and Google announcing the first ever Android Wear-powered Swiss smartwatch. As recently as 2014 Jean-Claude Biver was an outspoken critic of smartwatches and what he felt was a slim value proposition to consumers of “traditional” watches whose marketing strategy often falls on offering a product that consumers can wear for many years. Biver and some of his colleagues have been extremely quick to point out that in their opinion the major failing of smartwatches is that consumers are asked to buy something potentially expensive that they will feel inclined to shelve as soon as something better comes out. Jean-Claude Biver is regularly referred to as one of the smartest and most dynamic people in today’s luxury watch industry and he has been able to open the entire industry up to new ideas.

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Microsoft cooks up way to run Windows 10 on Android devices

Microsoft has crafted its own technology that can transform Android phones into Windows 10 devices.

While announcing the summer launch of Windows 10, Microsoft also revealed on Tuesday an agreement with Chinese mobile device maker Xiaomi. Under the plan, some owners of the Xiaomi Mi 4, an Android smartphone, will be able to install and test the Windows 10 Technical Preview in order to provide feedback to Microsoft.

So just how will people be able to install Windows 10 on an Android device? Through a custom-based ROM, TechCrunch reported Wednesday. Such ROMs (read-only memory), which are essentially installable images of an operating system, are typically used to overwrite a device's existing OS with a customized one. For example, CyanogenMod offers a customized Android ROM that can replace the Android build that comes with a device. In this case, the flashed ROM would override Android, thereby transforming the device into a full-fledged Windows 10 phone outfitted with the necessary Microsoft services.

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Android Circuit: Supercharged Galaxy S6 Active Leaks, Android 5.1 And Bloatware, Google Attacks iOS

Taking a look back at the week’s news across the Android world, this week’s Android Circuit highlights a number of stories including the cost of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, pre-orders for Samsung’s new phones, the S6 Active leaks, the release of Android 5.1 by Google and 5.0 by Sony, Android Wear’s new features, the Chromebook Pixel’s USB-C update, Google Calendar on iOS, and the upcoming rise of bloatware on Android.

Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many things that have happened around Android over the last seven days (and you can read the weekly Apple news digest here).

How Much For The Galaxy S6?

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 (and to a certain extent the Galaxy S6 Edge) continues to dominate the Android news. Ahead of its public availability in April, Forbes’ Gordon Kelly has been looking at the potential price of the handset. While subsidised costs will probably sees the handset available for $199, the true price is much higher and it feels like a bad piece of strategy:

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Here’s what changed in Android 5.1 Lollipop

Google has finally announced the long awaited Android 5.1 update after its not-so-secret debut on Android One devices in the Philippines. This new build of Lollipop is rolling out to Nexus devices right now, but what’s in it? The official changelog was severely lacking in detail, but now that it’s hitting devices we can see all the tweaks to this version of Android. Let’s check it out.
Improved Interruptions

Google implemented a new system of notification modes in Android 5.0 known collectively as Interruptions. You can choose, all, priority, and none as notification modes. This is independent of the volume, but it can be a little confusing. Android 5.1 cleans up the feature a bit and adds some much needed options.

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Android 5.1 arrives with HD calling and safeguards for stolen phones

After weeks of teasing, it's here: Google has officially unveiled Android 5.1 Lollipop. The new release focuses on support for features that usually depend on extra software to work, such as multiple SIM cards (handy for prepaid service in countries like China and India) and higher-quality HD voice calls on networks like T-Mobile or Verizon. You can control your WiFi networks and Bluetooth devices from the quick settings area, too.

However, the biggest deal may be something you'll hopefully never have to use: Device Protection. Android 5.1 will let you require a Google account sign-in if your device is stolen, even if it's reset to factory settings. In other words, a thief can't simply wipe the storage on your phone and pawn it off. The feature will only be available on hardware shipping with Android 5.1 as well as the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9, but it could reduce the incentives to swipe your stuff in the long run.

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Android 5.1 Lollipop Update Breakdown

With an Android 5.1 Lollipop update supposedly imminent for Nexus users, we want to take a look at everything there is to know, right now, about the Android 5.1 Lollipop update and the Android 5.1 Lollipop release.

Google has stayed extremely busy since its initial Android 5.0 Lollipop release back in November. In the weeks since the company’s first roll out, we’ve seen the company dish out two new Android 5.0 Lollipop updates in Android 5.0.1 Lollipop and Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. Both brought bug fixes to Nexus users and owners of other big name devices including Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones.

While the two updates squashed some Android 5.0 Lollipop issues, many Nexus users are still complaining about Android 5.0 Lollipop problems. One visit to Google’s Nexus Help Forum and you’ll get a feel for some of the issues that remain on board. Fortunately, it looks like Google will try and fix some of these problems as well.

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Google’s MDM program for putting Android to work

In what might be good news for government IT managers, Google’ recently announced Android for Work program provides mobile device management (MDM) options for organizations supporting growing numbers of Android devices. Android for Work is an MDM platform that supports Android applications and a partner program for Google's hardware and software vendor partners.

In introducing the program, Google said it wanted to tap into the potential for the use of smartphones and tablets that so far as been “largely underutilized in the workplace.”

IT departments will get the benefit of having a consistent management approach for Android devices via the program's standardized management APIs, Google said in unveiling the platform. Developers will be able to, "create a single version of any Google Play app that can be securely deployed to any Android device without alterations or wrapping," Google promised, in its announcement.

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Google confirms Android Pay: a mobile payments layer 'anybody can build on'

Google has announced that it's working on a new mobile payments framework named Android Pay. Speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Google exec Sundar Pichai confirmed that this would not be a new product for users, but an "API layer" that allows other companies to support secure payments on Android in both physical stores and via apps.

"We are doing it in a way in which anybody else can build a payments service on top of Android," said Pichai. "So, in places like China and Africa we hope that people will use Android Pay to build innovative services."

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Lenovo brings 64-bit Android to its $129 tablet

Tablets running 64-bit Android haven't been out for long but prices are already set to fall fast.

Lenovo's 8-inch Tab 2 A8 will ship in June starting at $129, with a 64-bit version of Android 5.0 and a 64-bit quad-core processor from MediaTek. It was one of three tablets Lenovo announced ahead of the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.

Sixty-four-bit tablets have a few advantages. They can support more memory and therefore make light work of multimedia-intensive apps such as games, as well as apps that use encryption for security. More 64-bit Android apps are in development, so a 64-bit tablet also provides some future-proofing.

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Top Android news of the week: Android for Work, Android Pay, owning the market

Android for Work launched

Google is making a push into the enterprise with the launch of Android for Work. The initiative is aimed at the BYOD crowd, enabling work profiles for smartphones and tablets. This allows IT departments to deploy approved apps to workers in a controlled and secure manner.

Android for Work allows employees to use personal apps alongside the work apps, while keeping personal data safe from employer access.

Android Pay coming to compete with Apple

Apple Pay is growing at a fast pace, and Google is taking aim at it with Android Pay. The upcoming system will use APIs to allow companies to add the new mobile payment system to their apps.

Android Pay will work like other mobile payment systems, allowing Android phone owners to store credit card information and pay with a single click at checkout time.

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Google kills us with cuteness in its latest Android ad

Google understands that the best way into a consumer's heart is by showing adorable animal video clips.

The company released a new Android commercial Thursday that plays on its new slogan "Be Together. Not the Same" by showing different species having a rollicking good time together.  

Honestly, the ad, which Google titled "Friends Furever" (guh!), is almost painfully cute. 

Here's a sneak peek of what you'll see when you watch:

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Sprint users: These Android phones are about to get updated to Lollipop

Android fans looking to get the official Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade on their Sprint handsets should know the carrier is already preparing to release the software update for no less than four flagship Android handsets released in the past couple of years,Android Police reports.

Specifically, Sprint on Thursday released Android 5.0 builds for the Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M7, while the HTC One M8, including the Harman Kardon version, and the LG G3 are supposed to get their Lollipop updates on February 13th and February 16th, respectively.

Galaxy S5 and HTC One M7 owners can already grab their respective Lollipop updates, which should be available as over-the-air (OTA) downloads. Lollipop brings over several interesting features, including Google’s new Material Design interface and interactive notifications. Android fans who are looking to see what Android 5.0 has to offer on the Galaxy S5 can check out this video.

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Malware alert: If you downloaded these 3 Android apps, remove them immediately

If you’ve downloaded a card game called Durak from Google Play, you may want to delete it from your phone or tablet. Durak has been identified as one of three malicious Android apps hiding in plain sight inside the app store, which have now been removed from sale by Google. Security firm Avast identified Durak as the most widespread of the three, and notes the Play Store stats showed it had been downloaded more than five million times.

The app contains adware, but to catch people out, it remains dormant for a short period of time and until the phone on which it’s installed is rebooted. A series of pop-up ads, sometimes presented when the device is unlocked, will then start to appear, leading the unaware to third-party app stores. Here, according to Avast, apps which try to send premium SMS messages and collect personal data can be found.

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