android

Android Oreo 8.1 has a New Cheeseburger

By Paul B. Kaiser on December 7, 2017

The wait is over for Pixel and Nexus owners as Android 8.1 Oreo is rolling out. But what about the hype? Well there is none. But that’s ok. It’s really just a minor maintenance release. Google says the biggest feature in 8.1 is a new “Neural Networks API” which is designed for running machine-learning operations on mobile devices. Any phones with specialized machine-learning hardware can accelerate this API, while older devices can use a CPU fallback mode. In short, the Neural Networks API will likely allow the new Pixel 2 to take advantage of the “Pixel Visual Core” SOC that isn’t enabled yet. It will enhance Google’s photo apps and eventually will allow third-party photography apps to take HDR+ quality images.

Android 8.1 also marks the release of “Android Go” for OEMs. Google’s “Go” initiative strips down the Android OS and many of the Google apps to run better on low-end devices with 1GB of RAM or less. Google is chasing “the next billion users” with this move, a reference to the 3.5 billion people in the developing world that will access the Internet for the first time from a low-end smartphone.

Burn-in on the screen

Google is also adding some burn-in mitigation to the system bar. The always-on bar will turn to an inverted black-on-white color scheme in some apps like the system settings and Google Maps. The idea is that changing up the color scheme will reduce burn-in for this always-on UI component. The system buttons also dim after a second or two of idleness.

Th fun and the obvious of Oreo 8.1

The first thing you’ll notice is the home screen. Im still getting used to it but the Google search is now at the bottom, the weather and date are combined, and the folders display differently.

Screen 8.0

Homescreen 8.1

New look for App folders

And of course “CheesburgerGate”

You get the new cheeseburger, beer, and cheese emojis in Android 8.1. Google’s weird cheese-on-the-bottom hamburger went viral in October. First-world problems 😉

Check out Tim’s review

Has smartphone technology really peaked?

By Paul B. Kaiser on October 27, 2017

I have read several stories this year about the death of the smartphone, and how the technology is tapped out. I initially wrote them off as fake news or just looked the other way in denial. But after seeing the new releases of the Pixel 2, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X, I’m really beginning to think they were right. It’s not that these phones aren’t the smartest devices in the world – they are. I mean they are computers in our pocket what the brainpower to fly a ship to the moon. The failure seems to be in the “lack luster” or the interest companies put into the phones. And maybe there isn’t much technology left to pack into these devices, but it’s hard to believe that Apple and Google aren’t introducing some new cool device that beams a holographic image or scans your body for diseases.

While there is plenty of hype and glitz when these phones have launched but they seem to be riddled with issues and glitches. The Pixel 2 has had screen problems and audio issues. The iPhone 8 is really the iPhone 7 for more money.The iPhone X face just looks like a awkward design. For the money that they cost, I think we all want more, or the same for less money. I mean generally speaking were getting new phones every 1-2 years.

And are these companies listening to customer feedback? Most people still want the headphone jacks in their phones. It feels like they are doing technology for the sake of technology – and to sell us new headphones.

New technology

So are Apple and Google working on anything cool besides VR? Not that VR isn’t cool but AI seems to have more use to a consumer. Here’s a rundown of some of their ventures.

Google is working on Google Lens, which is pretty cool. It’s the best of AI and technology combined. You can scan any thing, any person or data and it tells you what that object is – and files it under people or houses or whatever it is.

They are also working on getting the internet to the rest of the world called Project Loon. P roject Loon tries to solve this problem by taking it to the stratosphere. By using balloons, Google plans to provide Internet connection to the whole world. It works by acting as a node between the base Internet Service The balloons fly 20 kilometers (around 13 miles) above the ground. And Loons, powered by solar energy, can use the wind in the stratosphere to “sail” across the land.

Apple has these gems:

Project Titan – this is the Apple car that was rumored, then killed and now seems to be a reality. Apparently, Apple becomes “committed” to a project once the company begins spending huge amounts of money on tools, company acquisitions and other processes.

“We explore things with teams of people. And that’s a part of being curious,” Tim Cook said.

Apple is looking for the holy grail in healthcare. If it could monitor diseases like diabetes, hundreds of millions would buy what Apple is selling. CNBC reported that, Apple has hired a small team of biomedical engineers to work at a nondescript office in Palo Alto, California, miles from corporate headquarters. They are part of a super secret initiative, initially envisioned by the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, to develop sensors that can non invasively and continuously monitor blood sugar levels to better treat diabetes, according to three people familiar with the matter.

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.