Google Launches New Limited Edition Skrillex Live Cases For Android Devices

Google Launches New Limited Edition Skrillex Live Cases For Android Devices

If flagship Android devices are you thing, and keeping them looking fresh and scratch-free is on top of your agenda, then this latest project from Google and its partners is something you may want to pay attention to. As part of a collaboration with musician Skrillex, Google has introduced a limited number of cases for popular Android devices known as the “Edition” range. This isn’t just an ordinary protective case however. The accessory also comes with an accompanying live wallpaper beamed directly from above the earth by a satellite ballon named after the musician’s dog. Yep, you read that right. We couldn’t make this up.
Let’s talk about the cases first. Any purchase of one of the limited run of Edition cases will also come with a stunning live wallpaper to match the aesthetic of the purchases case. Unlike other live wallpapers that we’ve seen, this particular purchase will introduce a live feed of images of the earth at night as captured by the satellite “Nanou“. Nanou, named after Skrillex‘s dog, will also serve up constellation images for a particular location that is derived from the GPS data of the device that the case is used on.

The limited edition cases will be offered up in sizes to offer compatibility with the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy S6, and the soon-to-be-replaced Galaxy Note 4. Google is clearly hoping that this little side project will appeal to the younger generation due to the involvement of Skrillex, an electronic dance music producer who is extremely popular around the global club scene. In addition to offering compatibility with a fairly decent range of popular Android devices, the cases will also feature a choice of three unique designs that have been put together by Skrillex himself. Clearly a man of many talents. If you’re into that sort of thing.
If you aren’t excited enough by what’s been offered so far then hold on, there’s more. Every purchase of one of the Edition case will also come with a free-of-charge album download as well as the ability to navigate directly to Skrillex’s YouTube channel via a hardware button on the case itself. And, to top it all off, if you purchase a case and follow the @Android Twitter account then there’s a chance you could also win the actual Nanou satellite balloon that is feeding the images back from above the earth.
The Edition cases are available via the Google Play Store – here – and will be offered until the end of June or until supplies are depleted.

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Read More

Every Android Wear Announcement From Google I/O 2015

Every Android Wear Announcement From Google I/O 2015

Thursday, May 28, Google took to stage at the I/O 2015 conference to unveil some upcoming new features for Android wear, including WiFi support, always-on apps, new launcher, emojis, wrist gestures, glance-able apps, and much more. All in the hopes of making Android Wear much better than what it is already. And all that you’d find on the LG Watch Urbane and with the latest update for the ASUS Zen Watch.

Here’s a quick round up of what Google announced for Android Wear today.
Always-On Apps

Taking cue from the most basic functionality of watches – checking time – Google is introducing the concept of always-on apps, which means that certain apps will remain active even in the low-energy display mode, providing information that you can glance on your wrist as you go. Examples include a shopping list that you want to refer to continuously without needing to pull your phone out, or, even better, navigation directions using Google Maps.
WiFi & GPS

The new Android Wear version will be able to take advantage of WiFi connectivity to deliver notifications to your wrist even if you don’t have your phone with you. This means that if you were to forget your phone home, your Android Wear smartwatch will continue to bring you notifications as long as it has a WiFi connection, through the cloud.
New App Launcher
Similar to how Apple Watch allows launching apps specifically made for your wrist-companion, the new Android Wear version will feature a launcher that will make it easier to launch apps on your smartwatch as opposed to going through menus upon menus to find that Start function. Of course, voice support is still there, so you can speak an app’s name to launch it, too.
Wrist Gestures
This is one feature that is really slick. Wrist gestures allow you to navigate through notifications and check them in more detail through flicks of your wrist. Flick outward for next, and toward yourself for previous. There are multiple gestures supported that take full advantage of the several sensors onboard your smartwatch.
Draw Emoji Characters

In another move that highly mimics Apple Watch, Android Wear’s new version will let you draw emojis on your watch face that will be recognized by Google and converted from your poorly-drawn images to proper graphic art. Based on my own testing, it works pretty well, and is a neat gimmick.
4,000 Android Wear Apps + Better Apps
According to Google, there are 4,000 Android Wear apps out there on the Play Store after almost a year since launch. To put things into context, the Apple Watch had 3,500+ on launch day itself, and the list is growing like wildfire till this day.
Google also announced today that it would be stepping up the quality of the apps available on Android Wear, and they proved their point by showing off Uber and Foursquare for the platform.
This pretty much covers the major updates/features for Android Wear. Of course, there are several under-the-hood kind of improvements that will make the whole experience all the better. Since my ASUS Zen Watch has already received the update, it has considerably improved battery life, by almost twice as much. As of now, unfortunately Zen Watch and Urbane are the only smartwatches that have been on the receiving end. For all others, we’re waiting on Google for more information.
You may also like to check out:

• Apple Watch Vs Android Wear: 16 Features Apple’s Offering Has That Google’s Doesn’t

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web

Read More

Download Android M Developer Preview For Nexus 5, 6, 9, Nexus Player [Direct Links]

Download Android M Developer Preview For Nexus 5, 6, 9, Nexus Player [Direct Links]

With Google I/O 2015 now in full swing following the conclusion of the opening keynote, developers the world over are eager to get their first taste of the newly announced version of Android – Android M. The new update is still in its early pre-release stages, but developers need to try it out for a variety of reasons, not least to ensure their apps work with what will soon enough be Google’s newest version of its mobile operating system.
Google today said that it would be making developer previews of Android M available and that has now happened, with developers able to download the preview of Android M for devices across the Nexus smartphone and tablet ranges.

Those wishing to give Android M the once over can now download an image for the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and even the Nexus Player which should be enough for most developers to at least get started on their compatibility work. The aforementioned downloads are obviously free, and can be grabbed right now – links at the foot of this post.
Of course, it’s possible that non-developers will also want to install these previews, with Android enthusiasts keen to try out what new enhancements and bug fixes have been included in this new release. With Google still some way off having Android M ready for primetime even before carriers and hardware makers get their hands on it we suspect Google’s new version of Android could be quite a way from being ready. With that in mind we suggest you don’t rush out to install Google’s Android M images just yet unless you have a valid reason. And if you do decide to give it a try, just remember that this is the first developer release of a new version of a highly complicated mobile OS. Expect bugs. Expect strange goings on. Expect crashes. It’s all part of the game.

Google’s I/O developer conference kicked off today and the fun is only just getting started. We’ll keep our eyes on the event and our ears to the ground for more tidbits over the coming days.
The direct download links of the Android M developer preview images are as follows:

• Nexus 5
• Nexus 6
• Nexus 9
• Nexus Player

You may also like to check out:

• Android M Announced: Features And Release Date [Everything You Need To Know]

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Read More

Google Cardboard App For iOS Released, New VR Model Supports Larger Phones

Google Cardboard App For iOS Released, New VR Model Supports Larger Phones

With Google I/O 2015 currently underway we can be sure of plenty of big announcements coming out of the developer event, but there will also be one or two smaller ones that while not likely to change the world nevertheless should not be underestimated. One such announcement is the availability of Google Cardboard for iOS.
For those not up to speed on Google Cardboard, this is the, well, cardboard accessory which was originally announced last year at I/O 2014. It has a slot for a smartphone to be put into it. The phone then drives what is now essentially a virtual reality headset of sorts, and while it may not be up to the standards of Oculus, it’s definitely better than nothing. Until today Google Cardboard was only available to those using Android smartphones. Now though, those with an iPhone 5c or above can take advantage of the little box that could.

Google Cardboard app for iOS allows iPhone users to configure Cardboard and it even has a few little virtual reality experiences for Cardboard owners to try out. Right now the app is only available in the U.S. App Store which is probably related to the fact that you need to get Google to send the actual Cardboard portion of the headset out to you before the app is of any use.

Google is pushing Cardboard once again at this year’s Google I/O, with a slant towards education currently seeing Cardboard used to help students go on virtual field trips. No more going out in the cold and rain to see some architecture, or at least that’s the theory.


The Google Cardboard app is free and available to download now. The Cardboard itself can be bought from Google’s partners, though you might want to get the refreshed version which was announced today as it is easier to assemble than last years model, includes support for smartphones up to 6-inches and has a button that now works with any smartphone as well.


(Download: Google Cardboard for iPhone on the App Store)
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Read More

Google Announces Project Brillo: A Baby Version Of Android For Internet Of Things

Google Announces Project Brillo: A Baby Version Of Android For Internet Of Things

The Internet of Things is one of those ideas that has been around for a while but hasn’t really come to proper fruition yet. Google seems to think that it can be the one to sort that problem out, even though it already tried back in 2011 and then quietly killed the project off. Maybe the second time is a charm.
Speaking at today’s opening of the Google I/O 2015 developer conference, Sundar Pichai, Senior Vice President at Google, outlined the company’s plans for Project Brillo. The idea behind the new project is to give third-party devices such as baby monitors, lights, door locks and other in-home gadgets a way to communicate thanks to a pared down version of Android that they would theoretically all be running – sort of like Apple’s HomeKit. It’s Android Jim, but not as we know it – after all, not everyone can get Android running properly on a smartphone so can you imagine the chaos of trying to squeeze it into a garage door lock?

While actual details on how any of the Project Brillo stuff will work for the end user are scarce, developers were treated to some information on what Google is calling ‘Weave.’ Designed to be the technology that allows all of this kit to talk to each other, Weave will give devices a way to tie tasks and events together. Imagine having a coffee machine that kicks into gear as soon as you open your front door, or a house alarm that arms itself up whenever your car leaves the garage. The possibilities are quite endless, but with Google not ready to ship the developer tools needed for Project Brillo until Q3 of this year and Weave not ready until a month or two after that makes an appearance, you’re going to have to wait before the Internet of Things finds a way into your living room.



The Google I/O event is just getting started so expect to hear more information about Project Brillo and the latest version of Android over the coming days. These are interesting times for Google, let’s see where they take us.
If you’re a developer and are eager to learn more about Project Brillo then simply head over to this link in your Web browser: developers.google.com/brillo/
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Read More

GoPro Announces Insane 360-Degree 16-Camera Rig For Capturing VR

GoPro Announces Insane 360-Degree 16-Camera Rig For Capturing VR

Google has announced a new collaboration partnership with GoPro – the makers of extremely popular high-definition video cameras that have become the module of choice for motorcyclists, divers and extreme sports fans around the globe. The recently announced collaboration has been struck as part of an effort to build a virtual reality filming rig using multiple GoPro cameras that will then be partnered with Google’s Jump software that was introduced as part of this year’s I/O conference.
Google’s new Jump virtual reality platform certainly looks impressive enough, but just check out what GoPro has created as part of this formidable team. In an effort to capture the content that will ultimately be rendered and shared using the Jump software GoPro has designed and developed a 360-degree camera rig that looks like something straight out of Star Wars and comes equipped with a hugely impressive 16 GoPro high-definition cameras. As you might expect, the device itself is a fairly impressive piece of kit built on top of GoPro’s technology with an additional array of functionality.

As part of the 16 camera setup the new 360-degree GoPro rig will offer camera synchronization, the ability to control cameras individually, and perhaps most importantly, an extremely long battery life built with the sole aim of capturing as much insane footage as possible. When the video has been captured, Google will then use its Jump software to adapt and splice the footage into something truly seamless and exceptional. After this process, users will then be able to upload the video directly to YouTube, Google’s video sharing site, for individuals to view on virtual reality headsets, such as Cardboard, Google’s very own low-cost VR headset.

The GoPro announcement features one of three parts that are actually necessary to capture, render and then view the virtual reality video, as outlined by Clay Bavor, Google’s Vice President of Product Management:

Jump enables any creator to capture the world in VR video. Video that you can step inside of and make it available to everyone. It has three parts − a camera rig with very specialised geometry, an assembler, which turns raw footage into VR video, and a player.

Early speculation suggests that Google and GoPro will be seeding early builds of the 360-degree rig to prominent YouTube channel owners in an effort to get initial content up and running before it eventually goes on general sale.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web

Read More

Google Project Tango Tablet Now On Sale For $512

             Google Project Tango Tablet Now On Sale For $512

Google managed to turn a lot of heads with its Project Tango initiative last year which was coupled with a tablet introduced as the test-bed for the project. The tablet has always been touted as a developer oriented gadget and was only available to buy through an invitation. This has now changed, as the Mountain View-based company releases the mysterious device for anyone willing to pay for it.
The powerhouse of a tablet has walked out of the invitation stage and has arrived straight into the Google Store while its retail price remains cut by almost fifty percent. Earlier, Google had brought down the price to $512 to all invitees, and that very price tag has been carried over to the store units as well. Meanwhile, the tablet continues to carry some of the best hardware specs money can buy, with the NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor at the heart of the machine, which despite being older than the Tegra X1, still packs a mean punch. 4GB of RAM is rather enviable for existing Android fans, and 128GB of onboard storage is simply plentiful. The display? A 7-inch 1080p panel.

However, what sets this apart from the rest of the tablets around right now is that 4MP camera with a massive module coupled with a motion and depth sensor giving the tablet a “human’s perspective” of the 3D world around it. The tablet is no consumer device by a long shot, and even through its much broader availability, the machine is pegged as a Tablet Development Kit. “These tablets are designed to enable software professionals to develop for the platform. The tablet has known issues and will receive regular updates which may modify the device’s functionality as the platform evolves. By purchasing this device, you acknowledge you understand this risk,” says the Android giant.


Interestingly, Google did not say a word about the tablet’s availability a day later at the Google I/O 2015 event, despite it announcing at the 2014 event that it was looking to team up with LG for a consumer tablet to be released in 2015.
Here’s our hands-on with Project Tango tablet from I/O 2014.

If you want to grab yourself a Project Tango developer tablet, then simply head over to this link.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web

Read More

Nexus 5 Is Making A Comeback With A Surprise New Feature [Video]

Nexus 5 Is Making A Comeback With A Surprise New Feature 

At Google I/O this past week, the search giant made it abundantly clear that it’s serious about pushing ahead with fingerprint sensor technology, so much so that Android M – the next iteration of Google’s open-source smartphone and tablet operating system – will carry a native fingerprint API that manufacturers can make use of for better integration. To drive the point home, the company showcased a video that exhibits how fingerprint-enabled devices will work on Android M, once the feature is fully implemented. What we found interesting however, was the fact that amid the video, the lady pulls out what appears to be a Nexus 5 carrying a fingerprint sensor.
In all fairness, she does clarify that she’s using a standard-issue Nexus 5 that has been modified and fitted with a fingerprint sensor for the sake of this demonstration. Hence, we shouldn’t be confused that this is some new device that Google is hinting towards, but rather, just a demo unit. Who knows, maybe even the fingerprint sensor is just a gimmick, and not a fully-functional piece of hardware.

There have been rumors circling the blogosphere about an upcoming Nexus 5 iteration which will be a product of LG, to see the light of day in 2015. However, there hasn’t been any hard evidence to support it just yet. When Google put out this video, it got some people – us included – excited, that this might be it. However, if we were to put stock in the disclaimer that’s expressed within the video, our hopes dwindled fairly quickly.
Another interesting aspect of the video was the black bar at the bottom of the device that the lady was cleverly covering with her hands. In fact, you don’t get a single clear look at it, so there isn’t much to say here except speculation, which we’ll refrain from at this point.
While it’s possible that this is an early prototype of the rumored 2015 Nexus 5, we wouldn’t infer too much from this video. What this demo clearly exhibits is that Android M’s fingerprint API works flawlessly, and when it finally catches on with mainstream devices, we’ll be able to enjoy fingerprint-enabled payments as smoothly as iPhone customers have been able to do for quite some time now – using Android Pay.

You may also like to check out:

• Android M Announced: Features And Release Date [Everything You Need To Know]

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Read More

New ‘My Account’ Hub Tells You Everything Google Knows About You

New ‘My Account’ Hub Tells You Everything Google Knows About You

Google has historically been chastised for its lack of transparency and ease of configuration as far as it comes to privacy and security of accounts, which is why at this week’s Google I/O the company announced My Account, a new Web page that aims to put all of Google’s account-based ills right.
Starting today, My Account is live for all Google accounts and from initial inspection it is certainly a step in the right direction. Right from the My Account page, users can edit their personal information as well as close their Google account completely should they so wish. If not though, settings can be changed that alter how targeted ads are displayed and users can see just what other information Google has about them – including location data collected by mobile devices.

If a user isn’t quite sure how secure their account is, Google’s new Web page allows them to perform both privacy and security checkups, allowing users to make informed decisions about what data Google does, or does not hold about them.
If that’s not enough to clear any confusion then Google has also launched a new privacy page that explains why Google collects the information that it does, and how it will use it going forward. If you are the kind of person that lets Google do its thing while squeezing its fingers into as many pies as possible then you may be a little surprised by just how much Google knows about you, especially when it starts drawing maps of where you have travelled over the last 30 days. We think that’s pretty impressive technology, but we know we’re in the minority here.

Alongside new app-specific security and privacy restrictions in the newly announced Android M, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Google is all too aware of its poor reputation in certain areas, and with the new products and features coming out of the company it at least looks like it may be starting to put things straight.
Head on over to my account.google.com to see what Google knows about you today.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Read More

Deal Alert: Google’s Flagship Nexus 6 Currently $150 Off

     Deal Alert: Google’s Flagship Nexus 6 Currently $150 Off 

  If you’ve been toying with the idea of picking up a brand new Nexus 6 smartphone then there has never been a better time to make the jump, with Google now offering its own 6-inch monster for a discount as part of its ‘Dads and Grads’ promotion.

Those looking to pick up a new Nexus 6 will currently be able to do just that for only $499 which represents a $150 saving on its usual price if 32GB of storage is enough for you. If it’s not, the 64GB version will set you back just $549, and both of the smartphones are currently available with free shipping which means there has never been a better time to buy. And both the devices are completely unlocked, ready to take a SIM card of any carrier you wish to throw at it.

Google’s Nexus line of smartphones and tablets run the purest flavor of Android available, and if you are something of an Android purist and want to experience the mobile operating system just as Google intended without any of the cruft that carriers and manufacturers like to add, then the Nexus hardware is rightfully for you. Right now, and with the sale outlines above, the Nexus 6 is well worth considering regardless of your Android affiliations as well.
Google has plenty of other hardware on sale right now too. At the moment, the Nexus 9 is shipping with a full $50 of Google Play credit while a Nexus Player will set you back $79 which is a discount of $20. Those looking to pick up a stylish Android Wear smartwatch should check out the Moto 360, which is currently available for just $150 from Google’s online store. All the offers are likely to be popular, and with good reason. The Nexus 6 is probably our favorite of the items that are on sale though, so if you need a new smartphone, have large hands and even larger pockets and have a yearning for stock Android then the Nexus 6 may well be for you.

We’re pretty sure that this is a limited time offer, and prices are bound to go up in a short while. So, take out that credit card and go ahead with the purchase!
You can buy the Nexus 6 on discount from here.

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web                         

 

Read More

The Secret Hidden Features Of Android M

                   The Secret Hidden Features Of Android M

When Google announced Android M at its recent Google I/O developer conference, it did so with relatively little fanfare when compared to some of its other releases. That doesn’t mean that Android M isn’t full of surprises though. With plenty of new tricks and features to show off, Android M should have something for everyone.
With that in mind, we’re sharing a list of 10 relatively hidden secret, or at least less than obvious features that users will find in Android M either when they update their Nexus device or wait for their hardware makers to catch up.

Let’s get started.
New Theme Mode

A handy way of either lightening or darkening Android, the new theme mode allows anyone to select either a dark or lighter looking Android interface. Those who don’t want to have to think about it can choose to have the theme switch automatically, though it only appears to change the color in system menu, doesn’t work system-wide, as shown in the screenshot below.

To enable this new feature, first unlock Developer options menu by following our guide here. Once done, head to Settings -> Developer options and choose your new theme.
Multi-Window Mode And Tablet-Only Split-Keyboard

Being able to run more than one app a time is no longer something that only people with certain smartphones or tablets can do now that multi-window support is baked into Android M. You’ll need to jump through a few hoops to get it enabled at the moment though, so here’s what you need to do.

• First, edit the build.prop file and change the user type to ‘userdebug’ which should give you the multi-window option inside Developer options. Check the instructions here on how to do this.
• Once done, head on over to those Developer options in Settings and enable the Multi-window mode.
• If you want to edit the layout of the windows, tap the squarish icon next to the ‘X’ that appears for each app in multitasking view. This should give you different layouts that you can choose.

Also added is a split-keyboard for tablets, found under keyboard settings. This looks and works exactly like Apple’s split-keyboard for iPad, added in iOS 5. Both of these options can be seen in action in the video embedded above.
System UI Tuner: Customize Quick Settings Tiles

There’s a new feature called System UI tuner which finally enables users to customize the Quick Settings tiles, Head over to Settings -> System UI tuner. Now tap and hold any tile and move it around anywhere you like. You can also rename or remove any of the tile you don’t want.
New RAM Manager

If you find yourself needing to manually manage the amount of free RAM available to your Android M smartphone or tablet then you can head to Settings, and then tap Apps before opening the hamburger menu, choosing Advanced and finally Memory. Now behold, the new memory management tool shows how much RAM is being used while allowing you to force stop apps to get more memory back.
Doze Mode On Per App Basis

Need to reduce the amount of battery power and system resources an app is using? You can now do it on an app-by-app basis by going to Settings -> Battery. Now tap on hamburger menu and then tap on Ignore optimizations. Here you can choose apps that will not abide by Android M’s Doze feature’s rules.
Dual Band 2.4GHz / 5GHz Hotspot Tethering

Now up to version 2, the Hotspot feature of Android has now gained support for creating 5GHz networks depending on the hardware being used. If you can create a 5GHz network with your phone, you’ll see the option when configuring your Hotspot. Just choose 5GHz in the ‘Config AP Band’ section and you’re done.
Uninstall Apps From Home Screen Launcher

With Android M you can finally uninstall apps directly from the home screen Google Now launcher by dragging them to the top/right of the screen. So simple, so useful.
Quick Scroll For Apps In App Drawer

Android M has a brand new App Drawer which scrolls vertically, unlike the one found in Lollipop. So if you have a lot of apps installed like we do, then scrolling through them all quickly can be a real pain. With Android M though, you can quickly scroll through them using the letters that appear on the right side of the screen. Just tap and hold and scroll vertically up and down to find your favorite app.
Also worth mentioning is the presence of a text search box for finding apps followed by your most recently used app shortcuts in first row.
Separate Volume Controls For Ringer, Music And Alarms

One thing that can be a real pain is when you set the volume of a smartphone high so that you can hear an important phone call and then blow your ears out the next time your phone play any other music or sound. Now, with Android M, you can set the volume for different situations independently. Simply press the disclosure arrow when the volume controls are on-sreen to see the additional sliders.
Google Voice Search From Lock Screen

A simple one, this. Swipe from the left to right on Android M’s lock screen for quick access to Google Voice. Great if you’re a user, useless if not.
And that’s it for now. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for more Android M goodness as we use it more.
You may also like to check out:

• Download Android M Developer Preview For Nexus 5, 6, 9, Nexus Player [Direct Links]
• How To Download And Install Android M [Tutorial]

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Advertisements

Read More

Download Android M Home Launcher With New App Drawer On Any Device

Download Android M Home Launcher With New App Drawer On Any Device

Here’s how to download and install Android M home launcher with app drawer on any Android device right away in a few simple steps.

Step 1: Download the ‘Google Now Launcher’ from Play Store and install it on your Android device if you haven’t already.
Step 2: Once the app is downloaded and installed, hit the Home button on your Android device to exit the Play Store.
Step 3: You would have been prompted by now to choose a default launcher. Choose ‘Google Now Launcher’ and tap ‘Always’ to set it as the default home launcher for your device.
Step 4: With the launcher set, you now need to download and install the Google app apk file from Android M from here. You can either follow that link to download the apk file to your computer and install it via the sideloading method, or alternatively you can simply open the link from your Android device and download it directly to your phone or tablet.
To enable sideloading of apps navigate to Settings > Security and toggle the Unknown Sources option to ON.

Step 5: Once the download is complete, install the new Google app apk on your device.
Step 6: With the Google app installed, we need to clear Google Now Launcher’s cache. Navigate to Settings > Apps and look for Google Now Launcher.

Step 7: Tap Google Now Launcher and hit the Clear cache button.
Step 8: Go back and look for the Google app. You need to clear the cache for this app as well.
Step 9: Hit the Home button and Voila, you’re good to go.
It is important to note that clearing the cache helps you avoid a nasty bug associated with the launcher and Google app. If you do not clear the cache, the icons in the app drawer and the home screen will literally be a mess and you don’t want that.

If for some reason you decide to revert back, here’s what you need to do:
Step 1: Launch the Play Store and search for the Google app.
Step 2: You should see the uninstall option so tap that once.
Step 3: Once the app is uninstalled, repeat steps 1 and 2, but this time hit Update.
Step 4: Head over to Settings > Apps and uninstall Google Now Launcher.
You will now have reverted back to the launcher you were using prior to installing the Android M’s with the all new app drawer.
You may also like to check out:

• The Secret Hidden Features Of Android M

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Read More

Google Chrome Beta Brings Improved Battery Life For Laptops, Update Now

 Google Chrome Beta Brings Improved Battery Life For  Laptops, Update Now

Google Chrome may be almost every user’s go-to browser given the obvious advantages, but the piece of software does leave some improvements to be desired, especially on the battery consumption front if you’re using a notebook. This is exactly what the team at Google has targeted to fix, as Chrome gears up to offer smart Flash content playback, improving the battery life of your notebook.
Adobe Flash may be, for some at least, eye-candy and seem ‘flashy’ given the variety of content it can display giving life to a webpage, but the platform is a swinging hammer when it comes to battery life performance. According to Google, there was a need to eliminate all non-webpage-centric Flash based content and only focus on what is central to the site the user is visiting.

The new update will “intelligently pause Flash content (like Flash animations) that aren’t central to the webpage,” but will allow the browser to run content central to the webpage. This means, if you’re watching a Flash based video in Chrome, the browser will pause content like ad animations but continue to play the video you’re watching. This however, could mean that the feature pauses some content you’re interested in as well, but luckily the Big G has the answer for that too.

In case you come across content that is paused on a webpage, simply click it once to resume playback. I’m sure some of you may have already experienced such content that you have paused and played before, only this time Chrome will be pausing these automatically and intelligently. Needless to say, this should definitely improve the battery life on different laptops, especially on a MacBook, where battery retention issue is quite prevalent when it comes to Flash. “This update significantly reduces power consumption, allowing you to surf the web longer before having to hunt for a power outlet,” says Google.

The update will be enabled by default on the latest Chrome Beta for desktop, and is already available for download. For those on the Chrome desktop, the update should start rolling out soon enough for users. Chrome users can also manually enable or disable the feature by heading into Chrome’s content settings and selecting “Detect and run important plugin content.”
You may also like to check out:

• How To Tweak Google Chrome Browser To Use Less Memory

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web.

Read More

Download Google Play Store 5.6.8 APK

                       Download Google Play Store 5.6.8 APK

Google Play APK 5.6.8 Update:: You can now download the latest version 5.6.8 of Google Play Store APK which brings with it a bunch of changes and bug fixes that users have been facing for quite a while. This release also adds more Material Design, Details Page, Wearable sensors/activity data, Enterprise apps support, among other things. The download link below has been updated with latest version.
Google Play Store APK version 5.6.8 is now available to download. The all new Google Play Store 5 carries more elements of Material Design as has been seen earlier in the Android L Developer Preview releases. Google Play Newsstand was also updated with a complete Material Design overhaul, and a day later, Google+ was updated with additional Material Design elements. So what does the new Play Store 5 make its play on? Read on after the jump to find out!
Straight away, you will notice that the app icon for the new Play Store carrier the new, flatter look, keeping itself in line with Material Design’s new aesthetics.

Apparently, apart from the design language, things have changed under the hood. Fire up the app and you will instantly recognize the subtle changes in animations for say, when accessing the slide-out drawer menu, along with changes in the iconography.
The What’s New section has been moved to the top and is now visibly highlighted in green, allowing for it to be prominently visible in each application listing.

Even the Widget Suggestion icons for the home screen have changed, maintaining the flat, paper like design, as was expected. Google went to the extent of changing the notification icon for the status bar as well, after all, it is this attention to detail that ultimately counts.
This version of Play Store should start rolling out to users over the course of the next few days, but, we can’t be entirely sure, and it may take longer. Regardless, if you do not want to wait for that update to hit your device, you can download the APK of Google Play Store 5 from the link at the foot of this post, side-load it, and give it a run.

Please note that this APK is not quite ready for Android L Preview or ROM ports based on the Preview images. If you did not pay heed to this warning, and your Play Store is crashing, you will need to revert to an older version to get things up and running again.
If you happen to have tried the new Play Store and are running it on your device, do share your thoughts and opinions on the changes and any other improvements that we may have missed.
Download Google Play Store APK version 5.6.8 from here.
Make sure to check out our Android Apps gallery to explore more apps for your Android device.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Read More

Forget 4K, YouTube Now Has A Video In 8K Resolution

       Forget 4K, YouTube Now Has A Video In 8K Resolution

The world of high definition video is always changing, but with 1080p video, the current standard as far as Blu-ray and most streaming services are concerned, things have settled down a little after years of HD content scrambling to get a foothold. Nowadays that battle is being fought by 4K video, and while televisions are available that offer such a high resolution – some of which are even curved and feature OLED displays – 4K video is still some way off being the norm for the vast majority of people.
Which is why the news that YouTube now supports 8K video may not have too many of us getting up and dancing with joy. According to YouTube, it has been offering 8K video uploads for as long as five years, with 2010 being the year that 8K uploads became possible on the video streaming site. Google says that it started badging content as 8K earlier this year, and while content isn’t exactly widespread, one video in particular is a good example of what 8K video is capable of, assuming you can actually watch the thing. That video is a Neumann Films’ short, filmed on the RED Epic Dragon 6K camera. That’s a very, very good camera in case you hadn’t figured that out for yourselves at this point.

See, moving 8K, or 4320p-worth of pixels around a computer screen is not something for the faint of heart, because you’ll not only need a monitor that is capable of showing you all those lovely pixels but you’ll also need a computer that is capable of running it as well. Oh, and you’re not going to be streaming much 8K video over that old dial-up modem either, so make sure you’ve got enough bandwidth going spare before even starting to try this.
The result though is predictably stunning. We’re not sure that 8K, or even 4K video is strictly ready for primetime on everyone’s television screens but when 8K does take over the land, it’s going to look lovely as it does it.
So long as you’ve got the kit to enjoy it, of course.

You may also like to check out:

• Watch The First YouTube Videos In 4K, 60fps Here

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

Read More