android

Cool Features on Android 8.0 Oreo

By Paul B. Kaiser on August 30, 2017

Android 8 has officially launched with the name OREO. Not a huge surprise, but everyone loves the cookie. Now will we love the Android operating system? I think so. I was a beta tester for the “O” system and I can tell you that the notifications, speed and battery life were greatly improved. I think Google has made some nice refinements to a good operating system.

My first impression is that there are not huge changes but some very nice tweaks to the system. It’s faster, extends the battery life, improves your notifications, WiFi is improved, and it’s already on Verizon for Pixel and XL – that’s the best news. There are a a few features I’d like to highlight but you can check out most of the features in the video below.

New Look for Settings Menu

The most obvious visual change is a revamped Settings menu, which features subtle dark gray text on an all-white background. Strangely, the side navigation menu introduced in Android Nougat is gone, but all of the various menus have been reorganized to make the Settings area as simple and straightforward as possible.

Notifications

Android Oreo will group notifications into channels, giving users greater control over their app notification categories. Google says:

“Users can block or change the behavior of each channel individually, rather than managing all of the apps’ notifications together.”

Another new feature will be notification dots, which are visual indicators on app icons that’ll show if you have any waiting notifications. This is a feature that iPhone users will be familiar with, as it’s been part of Apple’s iOS software for years. This could be the best feature. Being able to see whether you got email or a text or a message, this is a time saver. See the dot on my Gmail below.

Of course you can disable the notification badges with a long-press on the home screen, followed by a tap on Settings. Next, slide the switch next to All notification dots to the Off position.

Snooze that Notification

Google is also making it possible to snooze individual notifications, which is seriously useful given the persistence of some Android system notifications. You’ll be able to snooze notifications for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or one whole hour. It hides away from view, but will pop up again at a later time to remind us that we have unfinished business.

Picture-in-Picture mode (PiP)

One of Android 8.0’s flagship features, this was previously available on Android TV and has made its way to the smartphone. PiP lets you keep watching what you’re doing in a small floating window while you venture into other apps. It’s a pretty cool feature.

You can drag it around the screen and tap it to access playback controls or make it full screen. Of course, you can also disable this feature on an app by app basis if you don’t like it. Just o to the App Info page for the app in question, or visit the Special app access section in Apps and Notifications to see all apps with support for PiP.

Emojis around the house

Yes the emoji has been elevated. The stock Android blob emoji are now officially gone. The good news is that Google also released the new EmojiCompat library, which helps Android phones to “translate” new emoji and read them, instead of displaying an empty box with an X.

Wi-Fi improvements

Are you always in the habit of disabling Wi-Fi to save battery when you’re away from home? Android Oreo allows your device to automatically turn Wi-Fi back on when it detects you’re home and reconnect to your home network to save on mobile data.

Camera app improvements

Google is spending some time reworking the camera app, offering a new double-tap feature that lets you quickly get to 50% zoom. There’s also a new dedicated button that lets you switch between photo and video modes; previously, users were forced to swipe, which some may have found unintuitive.

The Android Oreo Promo Video

Google Photos Airs TV Commercial for the Oscars

By Paul B. Kaiser on February 26, 2017

Watch for this Google commercial during the Oscars on Feb 26th, 2017 (info here). It is a thoughtful and personal message. If you don’t use Google Photos, you should definitely check it out. Even if you’re on a IOS Apple device. I would argue that Google does have the best picture award.

Google’s Android 7.0 – Nougat is here

By Paul B. Kaiser on July 2, 2016

UPDATE:
Will Android 7.0 Nougat come to your phone?

The rumor is that Nougat will start rolling out in August instead of October.You can now download Android Nougat Developer Preview and test its new features that didn’t make the cut in last November’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow launch alongside the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X. Check it out!

Here are the devices getting the update in mid-December.

Samsung Android 7.0 update

Samsung is traditionally sow when it comes to Android updates. It will likely only be the Galaxy Note 6 to get it first, with the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge following a little later and the Note 5, S6, S6 Edge and S6 Edge+ after them. With any luck, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Edge will both arrive in early 2017 running Android 7.0 out of the box.

LG Android 7.0 update

LG has been pretty good with its updates for Marshmallow, so we are hopeful they will do the same with 7.0. In fact, LG was the first OEM to get a carrier-based Marshmallow update out after Google.

If this is anything to go by, the first LG Android 7.0 update could well be to theLG G5 in December 2016 with the successor to the LG V10 and the V10 itself likely being next on the list, alongside the LG G4. All looking at a mid-December roll out.

HTC Android 7.0 update

HTC also did pretty well with its first update to Marshmallow. If HTC follows the same timing this year, the first HTC Android 7.0 update should roll out to existing devices less than two months after Android 7.0 is made official. HTC’s next flagship, presumably the HTC 11, should arrive with Android 7.0 at launch.

Motorola Android 7.0 update

Moto owners will likely still get the Motorola Android 7.0 update a lot earlier than most, despite now being owned by Lenovo rather than Google. Moto owners could be the first non-Nexus owners to see Android 7.0 in 2016, even beating out the LG G5.

Original post——————-

The next major version of Google’s Android operating system, which has been known as Android N, now has its official name – Nougat. What is Nougat?

“Nougat is a family of confections made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts, whipped egg whites, and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat is chewy, and it is used in a variety of candy bars and chocolates.”

Well, now it is more than a sweet dessert. In the tradition of naming Android versions after sweet treats and desserts, Android 7.0 has been given the name Android Nougat. Nougat was one of the most popular suggestions for the mobile operating system’s name, with other fan favorites being Nerds and Nutella.

So, what can we expect from Android 7.0 Nougat when its release in the fall? The operating system will feature a VR mode that will provide additional power for smartphones when used in conjunction with a virtual reality headset. It will also a new Doze feature on the Go battery-saving feature that will save the power of smartphones while users are walking with them in their pocket.

In addition, Android 7.0 Nougat is expected to introduce a revamped notification panel, side-by-side app support, and improved speed when switching between apps. It will be interesting to see what the adoption rate is among users.

The Unwrapping of the Nougat Statue at Google

Will the New Android Wear 2.0 Update Deliver?

By Paul B. Kaiser on May 21, 2016

At the Google I/O conference this year, among the many announcements, Android Wear 2.0 is getting nods, but will it turn the tide from Apple Watch? The updates are focused on improving existing functions, and not shiny new features. Developers rejoice – check it out here.

Android Wear will have:

Smart replies
Handwriting recognition
A tiny keyboard
Stand alone WiFi access

The Verge said, Google is playing catch up with the Apple Watch, but it’s allowing for more options than Apple does with its watch faces and Apps can now offer complications that can be plugged into third-party watch faces — not just Google’s own designs. This means they can show information such as weather, calendar appointments, message previews, and more.

Watch face designers can style these complications to fit their aesthetics and themes, and they don’t require them to sign up or pay for partnerships to provide weather or other data.

Smartwatches are very good at showing “glanceable” information, providing easy access to notifications, and tracking physical activity.

Android Wear 2.0 builds on all of those features, with new information widgets for watch faces, a redesigned and more complete notification system, and smarter fitness tracking that can automatically detect various activities. In addition, Google has cleaned up the interface, provided new guidelines for developers building Android Wear apps, and given Android Wear the ability to work completely standalone from a smartphone.

Heres a summary of those features:

Stand alone is King

Lastly, with Android Wear 2.0, smartwatches will be able to connect directly to the internet, instead of having to rely on a paired connection to a phone. This connection can be performed over Wi-Fi, cellular. Battery life is always a concern with smartwatches, but Google says that the efficiency improvements that have been made to the Android platform, such as Doze and Doze Light, mean that even with these new connectivity features, battery life is the same as before.

Top Android Wear Watch Faces

By Paul B. Kaiser on March 28, 2016

If you’re in the market for an Android watch, the Moto 360, The LG Urbane, Samsung Gear, or ASUS Zenwatch, then you will be heading to the Play App store to download every App and watch face imaginable. You’ll have a variety of faces to choose from, either for free or a slight fee, and there are good ones and bad ones. It’s not always evident from the picture either. The ones you think will be good are hard to read and vice versa. So let me give a rundown of the top faces and companies I like, and then you’ll have a head start. You can start downloading the free ones, but ultimately the paid ones have better functionality and versatility. With that said, we are talking about $1.05 a face on average.

The other thing you’ll expect from watch faces are “moods”. You will want a face for different clothes and atmosphere. Something sporty and something elegant. That’s the major point advantage with a digital face. It changes when you do. Another thing I’ll suggest is that you purchase a few watch bands. On the Moto 360 they make changing the bands so easy with the quick clasp.

small_Moto-360-Watch-Band-Clasp — Clasps on the bands make it easy to switch.

Always ON Mode

The other thing you want to look at is how the face looks like in ambient mode (the mode when the watch is not active). Some do a better job than others. The ambient mode or “Always On” mode is designed to keep the watch activated and help save the battery power. But the reality is that the ambient mode is what most people will see when looking at your watch from across the room. Look below at the difference between the active state and the “ambient” mode – 2 different watches.

The same watch face in ambient mode below.

Top Watch Faces – My Picks

Number 1 Pick – The Dual Watch Face by RichFace

This is my “go to” watch face. I love the design of this face. It easy to read, it’s interesting, and the color tone goes with almost everything. It feels elegant and sporty at the same time. While I do like some of the busier watch faces, my biggest criticism of watch faces is that many are hard to read. You will find watch faces that provide the weather, battery power and heart rate info, on top of the normal date and time. These functions are helpful, but there is definitely an art on how to display this info in a readable, stylish way. This face provides that. Check it out.

One other important factor you want to consider is that not every face comes with the same settings and customization options.

Number 2 Pick – The Challenger Watch Face by RichFace

I just recently downloaded this face and the reason I like is because the face is easy to read and interact with. That is because the open space on the bottom and right allow for a comfortable amount of room to fit music controllers, or the weather, steps, and other actions. See below.

It’s a very nice readable face that displays all the info and gives you the interactivity you expect from a digital watch face. This is quickly becoming my “go to watch face” and may be number 1 soon.

One other important factor you want to consider is that not every face comes with the same settings and control of the face color, interactivity and styles. Some watch faces settings are limited, but most of these mentioned above come with extensive control. For instance, you will want to change the time that the face shows lit up, so you don’t burn out your battery. The default setting is about 3-5 seconds. I find 15-25 seconds is good for me. Below is a partial snapshot of settings for Challenger face.

It is fun to match your clothes and mood for the day with your watch face. I get many compliments on the watch faces.

Number 3 Pick – The Driver Watch Face by Thema

The controls and modifications you can make to the Driver watch face may be the most extensive I have seen on any watch customization. The color modifications, interactivity, hand styles and widgets are extensive. While this can sometimes overcomplicate the watch face, it can make a good watch face even better.

While this watch face looks similar to the Challenger above, it is a little different and comes from a different developer. Sometimes the smallest changes in design make a difference in how you view what’s going on the screen. I had downloaded this one before the challenger face and was a long time favorite.

Number 4 Pick – The Futuristic Watch Face by RichFace

This is a fun face and yet a well designed, easy-to-read face. The ambient mode on this face is excellent as well. This watch face has great customization and control of the colors and interactivity. It’s a sporty look and can have a cool “techy” look as well.

Some other watch face companies are:

BoostApp
Forza One Studios
Smartwatch Bureaux
Ustwo
Zuchanden – the one at the top of the post is from this company, called the Skymaster Pilot Watch Face

I’ll leave you with a review of the Moto 360 in case you are interested now.

Moto 360 2nd Generation Review by MKBHD

New Tricks with Old Technology at Mobile World Congress

By Paul B. Kaiser on February 19, 2016

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) held in Barcelona starts this weekend and the new phones make their entrance for the year. Not expected to be a stellar year in breakthroughs, the manufacturers are digging deep to make little improvements look like magical technology. It could be we have reached our peak in smartphone technology. There will be some cool enhancements but no major shifts. Let’s take a look at the big guys.

LG G5 is ON for Launch

The new LG G5 will be announced in its flagship smartphone line. It will have an always-on display, like smartwatches. They will play nice with some new touch-enabled flip cases. LG’s mobile division posted the GIF below on Twitter but didn’t say to much. We only know the flagship phone will have a screen that is literally always on.

Huawei Dual-Boot Tablet

Rumor also has it Huawei is planning a Windows/Android dual-boot hybrid tablet. It’s an idea we’ve seen and heard of before, though previous attempts by other companies were gashed by stringent policies from Microsoft and Google. ASUS tried launching a similar tablet and because of the licensing issues it never launched. Let’s see if Huawei somehow found a loophole to make it happen.

Samsung S7 and S7 Edge

Samsung will launch the next phones in their line. The Galaxy S7 will not sport a different look but it will have a few new tricks. The Galaxy S7 will have a retina scanner and a MicroSD card slot. If the retina scanner actually works and is reliable, maybe passwords will be a bad dream. In true Samsung spirit they will launch some “Apple-like” features: its own version of 3D touch and Live Photos.

You can now pre-order at Best Buy.