Google's Android Enterprise Program Recommends Best Smartphone for Businesses

 By Vaibhav Jain on February 21, 2018       

Google today announced the Android Enterprise Recommended program, a Google-led global initiative that raises the bar of excellence for enterprise devices and services.

Devices in the program meet an elevated set of specifications for hardware, deployment, security updates, and user experience to help organizations handle the most challenging and diverse business environments. In addition, OEMs in the program receive an enhanced level of technical support and training from Google.

Google has also listed system requirement for an Android Enterprise Recommended Smartphone:

• Minimum hardware specifications for Android 7.0+ devices
• Support for bulk deployment of Android devices including zero-touch enrollment
• Delivery of Android security updates within 90 days of release from Google, for a minimum of three years
• Availability of unlocked devices, direct from manufacturer or reseller
• Consistent application experience in managed profiles and on managed devices

The first phones in the Enterprise Recommended program include devices from Motorola, Nokia, LG, and others. Here's the full list:

• BlackBerry KEYone and Motion
• Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL
• Huawei Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro, P10, P10 Plus, P10 Lite, and P smart
• LG V30 and G6
• Motorola X4 and Z2
• Nokia 8
• Sony Xperia XZ1, XZ1 Compact, XZ Premium, XA2, and XA2 Ultra

Google says that they'll add more models in the coming weeks. 

Source: Android

New Google Play UI is Rolling Out [Screenshots]

 By Vaibhav Jain on February 20, 2018       

It seems that Google is updating it's Play Store with brand new User Interface. The update is already rolling out to selected users. If you haven't recieved the new update, you can download the latest Google Play from the below link.

Google just made it easy to access the Categories (Tabs under Tabs). Below are some screenshots showing the UI changes of the new Google Play.


Download: Play Store (APKMirror) | Screenshots: u/cooperpell (Reddit) Thoughts?

Google I/O 2018 starts on May 8th | Android P Launch Expected

 By Vaibhav Jain on January 24, 2018       

Google I/O, which is Google’s yearly developer conference, we get to find out just what Google has been working on and what their plans are for the near and distant future. This year's Google I/O will take place from May 8th to May 10th at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.

This news isn't official yet, but the company tweeted out a few puzzles, when solved, confirmed the details.

Last year Google announced Android Oreo, Google Photos, Google Assistant, and Daydream standalone headsets. Just like every year, Google is expected to reveal the next version of Android OS, "Android P" followed by Multiple Developer Previews and a Full launch. This latest Android OS will reportedly come with new "smart features."

The latest commits in AOSP (Android Open Source Project) reveals that the next Android version will be called as "Android Pi", which is shorthand used for Android Pie. Stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter page to get the first News.

January Security Patch OTA Update now live for Pixel 2

 By Vaibhav Jain on January 10, 2018       

After releasing the January Security Patch OTA Files and Fimrware Images back on January 2, Google is finally pushing OTA Update to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

If you own a Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL you should have received the over-the-air update notification for January 1st, 2018 Android security update. The Software brings along Security enhancements, Fixes for Meltdown and Spectre security flaws.

The update weighs in at around 51MB. Google’s instructions explain that for a successful installation, the battery in your phone should be at least 50% charged and your device should be connected to a Wi-Fi network or LTE.

If you haven't got the notification of this new software update yet, Just go to Settings - About Phone - Software updates, and It will automatically start downloading the latest update. The update will take around 10-15 minutes to get Installed on your device.

Via: Droid-Life

Android Oreo Go announced for entry level Smartphones

 By Vaibhav Jain on December 05, 2017       

Back at Google I/O, Google promised a version of Android for low-end devices. Today, Google announced the "Android Oreo Go" with Light weights applications and interface. The Software is readily available for developers and device manufacturers.

Android Oreo Go features a handful of Google apps including the GoogleGo, Google Assistant Go, Maps, Gmail, YouTube Go, and other light-weight stuffs.

The Android 8.1 Oreo Go is designed to run better on phones with either 512MB or 1GB of RAM. However, that doesn't mean it will be available for every low end device.

"With the launch of Android Oreo (Go edition) in Android 8.1, partners will soon be able to ship this new release on their entry-level devices around the world. We can’t wait for our partners’ devices to hit shelves in the coming months.  - Google"

Google Play Reveals 'Best of 2017' Apps, Games, Books, Movies, TV Shows

 By Vaibhav Jain on December 01, 2017       

Towards the end of every year, Google announces the list of the Best applications, games, songs, movies, TV shows, and books on Google Play, and continuing its tradition, the search giant has now announced its list for 2017.

At the top of “Popular Games” is Super Mario Run. Not a huge surprise, given how popular the game was, even though it has fallen in popularity since it launched. Other games on the list include Bubble Witch 3 Saga, Magic Tiles 3, CATS: Crash Arena Turbo Stars and Ballz. Moving onto apps, these are the ones that made the list: Photo Editor - Beauty Camera & Photo Filters, What The Forecast?!!, Boomerang, TopBuzz Video: Viral Videos, Funny GIFs &TV shows, and Yarn - Chat Fiction.

The top movies of 2017 are dominated by animated and super hero films. Coming in at #1 we have Moana, followed by Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Wonder Woman (2017), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Doctor Strange. When it comes to the most streamed songs of the year, we have HUMBLE. by Kendrick Lamar on #1, followed by Shape of You by Ed Sheeran, DNA. by Kendrick Lamar. Mask Off by Future. and Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt.

For TV shows, Game of Thrones took the top spot followed by Rick and Morty, Walking Dead, The Big Bang Theory, and Doctor Who. For the top books of the year, It was The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson, It by Stephen King, The Battlemage by Taran Matharu, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Google Blog

Google Pixel 2: Fix For Buzzing Sound During Phone Call Coming Soon

 By Vaibhav Jain on November 20, 2017       

Google had a promising start to their new smartphones, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL impressing everyone right from day one. However, it was from software side where several users of both the phones complained to have issues.

That said, here comes another issue. From the last week or more than, most of Pixel 2 XL users are complaining about an issue which causes faint clicking/buzzing noise during phone calls.

However, turning off the NFC temporarily fixes the problem, but that's annoying.

Finally, a Googler posted in the product forum that the Buzzing Sound fix would be rolling out to the affected Pixel 2/ Pixel 2 XL users in the coming weeks.

We're rolling out a software update in the coming weeks which eliminates a faint buzzing sound on some Pixel 2 devices when the phone is placed to your ear during a phone call.

Google

Files Go Application from Google [Screenshots]

 By Vaibhav Jain on November 07, 2017       

It seems that Google is planning to launch a File manager on the Play store for all the Android Smartphones. Named Google Files Go, the app went live in the Play Store a few hours back, but it's taken down as of now.

The Google Files Go will be able to offer suggestions to users for apps they can delete that they no longer use, and it can also help find and remove any duplicated images or files that you have stored on your drive. The Application will also help user transfer files while offline.

Play Store

Pixel 2 gets Color Profiles and Nav Bar Dimming with November Update

 By Vaibhav Jain on November 07, 2017       

November Android Security update is now live for the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Pixel C, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel and Pixel XL.

Google has also added new Colors section in the display settings for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL that lets you adjust phone's color profile. The new Display menu includes Boosted, Natural, or Saturated color options. Boosted is likely for Vibrant colors, Natural for sRGB, and Saturated for not so intense color.

The update also includes burn-in protections through a fading navigation bar. We've already seen fading navigation bar for both Nexus and Pixel devices in Android 8.1 Dev Preview 1.

Google plans to add more features in December update. "Further enhancements will be included in our planned December software update." Stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter page to get the first News.

Download: Pixel 2 Ringtone and Notification Sounds

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 24, 2017       

You can now download the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL new alarm, notification, and ringtone sounds for your own device.

If you want to try these sounds, all you need to do is place the files into the specific Alarms, Notifications, and/or Ringtones folders in your phone's storage and select them from the sound picker.

Also Check:

Google Pixel 2 Launcher now available to Download

Download Pixel 2 Camera App with Motion Photo for Google Pixel and Pixel XL

Downloads:

• Pixel 2 notification sounds
• Pixel 2 alarm sounds
• Pixel 2 ringtones
• Pixel 2 UI sounds

Source: Android Police

Leak Reveals 2018 Google Pixel Codenames

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 24, 2017       

It's not even been a month since Google officially revealed the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL in San Francisco and we already have the leaks about 3rd Generation Pixel devices.

As we all know that the Nexus and Pixel line has a long history of fish or aquatic life inspired device codenames, and the same have an equally long history of getting leaked via rumors and AOSP commit comments. According to Droid-Life, the codenames for the 2018 Pixel devices are “Crosshatch,” “Albacore” and “Blueline.”

Additionally, these devices will come with huge design and hardware upgrades over the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. The report alleged that Google may end up referring to these devices simply as A, B, and C just to keep them secret. The report further claims that two of these devices will be considered premium, while the third could be a high-end variant

Confirming the codename, Crosshatch has already made its way to the AOSP gerrit. There's also a listing of mystery device named "Wahoo". The report alleged that "Wahoo" is probably the leftover from 2017 Google devices and may not necessarily in the 2018 group.

Source: Droid-Life | Image: Concept Creator

Pixel 2 XL Gets the Teardown Treatment, Receives Decent Repairability Score

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 20, 2017       

The recently announced Google Pixel 2 XL with 18:9 3D display gets the teardown treatment from IFixit with decent repairability score. A teardown is important as it will tell us if it is well-built or if it is easily repairable.

The Pixel 2 XL is water-resistant, which makes the phone hard to open. Once inside, you will see the fingerprint sensor cable attached to the motherboard, LG Battery and new heat pipe to keep the internals from overheating.

The phone may remind you a lot of the 2016 Pixel XL but this one has ditched the audio phone jack. Completing the camera system is an 12.2 MP, f/1.8 rear and 8MP selfie camera and a dual camera module with optical image stabilization.

Checking out the motherboard, you will see inside the RAM, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 64GB or 128 GB internal flash storage, and USB C port. Most of the parts are easy to repair so IFixit gives a score of 6 out of 10, which is better than many other devices.

IFixt | YouTube

The Google Pixel 2 has a new tiny power menu

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 16, 2017       

The new Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL comes with a lot of Pixel Exclusive stuff including the new Launcher, Live Wallpaper, an updated Google Assistant, and a brand new power menu.

Yes, Google just added a new look to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL's power menu. This is shown off in a new video surfaced online today. As seen in the video, the new Pixel 2 tiny power menu appears on the top left side making it easy to access.

There's no information if this new "Easy to Access" Power menu is coming to other devices or not. But Google Pixel and Pixel XL (2016) will surely get this feature. Also Read: The Google Pixel 2 has a hidden LED.

Until then enjoy the Pixel 2 Launcher which comes with Bottom Search bar, Google Pixel 2 Motion Camera Application, Pixel 2 Live Wallpapers, and other Pixel 2 goodies.

YouTube

Android 8.1 is Coming Soon!

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 14, 2017       

It seems that Google has already started working on next iteration of Android OS i.e. Android 8.1 Oreo.

The confirmation came from a Reddit user, who noticed that the Android SDK Build-Tools 26.0.2 added the support for Android 8.1.0. Another thing worth noticing is that few Google Apps are already targeting API 27.

Also Watch:


//Reddit

Yes, the Google Pixel 2 has a notification light

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 12, 2017       

Recently announced Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL comes with an always-on display which can be enabled via Settings. But, Did you know that the Pixel 2 (duo) has a notification light? It does. We don't think it's on by default, but it's a nice addition to the phone's always-on display.

Twitter user Darren Gloster uploaded an image confirming the feature (notification LED) for Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. As you can see in the above image, there's a greenish-blue color LED.

Just like the 2016 Google Pixel(s), you can enable the notification LED by following the below steps:

• Go to your phone's Settings. 
• Tap on Notifications. 
• Tap on the Gear icon in the top-right corner. 
• Tap on the toggle next to "Pulse notification light".

It could be a multi-color LED, so if you want to test it, you can install Light Flow from Play Store.

Also Read: Google: The Pixel 2 still comes with a headphone jack, but..

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL Specs: With the regular Pixel 2, you get a 5.0-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB/128GB storage, 12.2MP 1.4 micropixels at f1.8 (OIS/EIS) for the best low-light, zoom and anti-blur photos with enhanced image processing, 8MP front camera, 2700mAh battery, fast wired and wireless charging, IP67 water and dust resistance, and Android 8.0 Oreo.

The Pixel 2 XL isn’t much different, but it does have the bigger and almost bezel-less 6-inch pOLED Quad HD+ display and a bigger 3520mAh battery. The rest is the same.

Source: Darren Gloster

Google Nexus 6 finally receives Android 8.0 Oreo via Custom ROM

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 11, 2017       

How to Download and Install Android 8.0 Oreo on Nexus 6 (Shamu) | Unofficial AOSP Android Oreo Custom ROM for Motorola Nexus 6

Now that Google has released the next version of Android, Android 8.0 Oreo, the wait for the devices to get the update has already started. Additionally, Android Oreo is already available for Google Pixel and eligible Nexus devices.

However, Older Nexus phones like the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 will not get the official update. But you can still install Android Oreo right now via SIX AOSP ROM. Developer "Frankie T (R3Ds)" has successfully ported Android 8.0 Oreo for the Nexus 6. Additionally, most major aspects of the phone are working as expected.

With Android 8.0 Oreo, you'll get new Settings and Notification panel UI, latest features including Picture in Picture (PIP), Adaptive icons, Autofill, Notification timeout, and new emojis.

You'll need to Unlock Bootloader and Install TWRP Custom Recovery in-order to Install the SIX AOSP Custom ROM based on Android 8.0 Oreo on Nexus 6 Shamu. You can grab the Custom Rom ZIP file from below.

Stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter page to get the first News.

Download Nexus 6 Shamu

Direct Download: SIX ROM (// +FrankieTR3Ds)

Android 8.0 Oreo Gapps

These Photos were shot with the Google Pixel 2

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 09, 2017       

Google announced its new Pixel 2 smartphones this month, boasting that it has “the best smartphone camera ever.” DxOMark agreed, giving the phone’s camera a record-breaking score of 98.

Googler Isaac Reynolds has published "Unedited" sample photos and videos showing how the Google Pixel 2 performs in the real world.

"We showed a few photos taken on Pixel 2 during the keynote, and we know some our our most enthusiastic fans will want to see them up close for themselves. Go ahead — take a look at some of our favorite unedited Pixel 2 photos and videos. There are also two videos edited to show side-by-side comparisons of video stabilization."

Here’s a selection of sample photos shot in a number of environments and lighting situations with various camera settings.

You can find larger sets of higher-res Pixel sample photos and videos in Reynolds’ album

Google: The Pixel 2 still comes with a headphone jack, but...

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 07, 2017       

Just a little few days back, Google announced the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, both of the devices have unique design, best-in-class camera, and top-notch specs. They also don’t have headphone jacks.

In the Google support forum, Pixel/Nexus Community Manager Orrin Hancock explained that "The Pixel 2 still comes with a headphone jack but we have moved to USB-C, a standard that is becoming commonplace in the best phones and laptops of today. Moving to the USB-C audio port with Pixel 2 allows us to provide a better audio and digital experience, as we move towards a bezel-less future."

Hancock’s also listed the Made For Google headphones that have been verified to be compatible with the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

Hancock also confirmed that the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will come with an adapter in the box which can be used with existing 3.5mm headphones.

At last he says that Other USB-C to 3.5mm adapters/splitters or USB-C headphones should work, but please be sure they are compatible with digital audio and support the proper audio standards. Thoughts?

Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: 3 key differences

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 06, 2017       

The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are now official with Best rated Smartphone camera, enhanced features such as an Active Edge, and front facing stereo speakers. The Pixel 2 XL is exactly a carbon copy of the Pixel 2 with few upgrades. In this article we will talk about Key differences that you will find in Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL.

Display: The Google Pixel 2 comes with 5.0" FHD AMOLED Display with 2.5D Curved Gorilla Glass 5 Protection. However, the Pixel 2 XL features a FullScreen 6.0" QHD+ pOLED with 3D Curved Gorilla Glass 5 Protection

Color: The Google Pixel 2 is available in three rich color variants including Just Black, Clearly White, and Kinda Blue. The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand is only available in Just Black, and Black-White color options.

Battery: You get 2700 mAh battery with the Pixel 2 and 3520 mAh battery with the Pixel 2 XL. Both of the Smartphones provides 7 hours of go with 15 minutes of charge.

That said, these are few of the key changes you'll find between the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Which one would you choose? Let us know in the below Comment section.

Pixel 2 vs OnePlus 5: Specs Comparison

 By Vaibhav Jain on October 05, 2017       

Pixel 2 vs OnePlus 5
OS And Hardware
OS	Android 8.0 Oreo	Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Processor	2.35Ghz + 1.9Ghz, 64Bit Octa-Core	2.45 GHz Octa-Core CPU
Chipset	Snapdragon 835	Snapdragon 835
GPU	Adreno 540	Adreno 540
Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Type	AMOLED	Optic AMOLED
Screen Size	5.0 inches FHD	5.5 inches FHD
Memory
Internal	64/128 GB	64/128 GB
RAM	4 GB	6/8 GB
Camera
Primary	12.2MP, f/1.8, OIS, EIS	Dual 16MP, ƒ/1.7, DCAF
Secondary	8 MP	16 MP
Battery and Power
Type	2700 mAh | Quick Charging	3300 mAh | Dash Charging
Other
3.5mm Jack	No	Yes
IP67	Yes	No
Stereo Speakers	Yes	No
Price
USD	$649	$479

Which one would you choose?