Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Apple Releases iOS 11.4, macOS 10.13.6, watchOS 4.3.1, And tvOS 11.4

Image result for ios beta 11.4

Apple pushes updates to iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS. Bring with it AirPlay 2, stereo pairing for HomePod, Messages in iCloud, and more.

Below is a rundown of what's new in iOS 11.4. 

AirPlay 2
Originally announced at WWDC 2017 AirPlay 2 is Apple's latest update for streaming audio and video from an iOS device or Mac to compatible receivers. AirPlay 2 allows for play audio through multiple AirPlay 2 speakers at once.

Apple's HomePod speaker will gain support for AirPlay 2 and multi-room audio with iOS 11.4. Other speaker makers including Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, and Libratone will be offering AirPlay 2 compatible speakers and releasing software updates to bring the technology to compatible older products.

Messages in iCloud
Another feature originally announced back at WWDC 2017, Message in iCloud securely stores your  iMessages or standard SMS texts in iCloud, preserving and syncing your Messages history between your iOS and macOS devices.

In addition to keeping everything in sync Messages in iCloud has a couple of other benefits. First, you only have to delete a message thread once, no more deleting on every individual device you have. Also, when setting up a new device, all of your messages will be there for you whether or not you want to restore from a backup.

HomePod improvements
iOS 11.4 adds new HomePod specific improvements.

Also available with iOS 11.4 is the ability to link two HomePods as a stereo pair. This will allow an even larger soundscape for your audio as well as more immersive audio for pairing your HomePod with your Apple TV.

You can now create and interact with calendar events using Siri on your HomePod as well.

Other updates
Teachers can now assign reading activities to their students in iBooks using the Schoolwork app
Fixes for CarPlay audio distortion
Fixes for problems encountered when trying to access files in Google Drive, Docs, and Gmail in Safari.


Source: Apple

Monday, May 28, 2018

Motorola Nexus 6 Gets New Android 7.1.1 Update, For Those On Android 7.0


Primer plano Google Nexus 6

Google had an issue with an Android update for the Motorola Nexus 6. The device was being updated to Android 7.1.1 but issues with the update is that Android Pay was broken. In order to quickly fix this problem Google pushed an OTA update that simply reverted users back to Android 7.0.


More than a year later, Google has pushed a new OTA to Motorola Nexus 6 users that brings the phone up to Android 7.1.1. 

Even so, the discontinued Motorola Nexus 6 is no longer receiving updates from Google, it now known the Motorola Nexus 6 will not be updated past the new Android 7.1.1 update and no longer receives security updates.


Source: Motorola Nexus 6 OTA images

Thursday, May 24, 2018

We're Looking For Follower's On Our Google+ Communities Page...

Community cover photo

Hey, Give us a like... We're looking for Google+ Communities follower's! Click on the source link below to follow our Google+ Communities page.


Source: Google+ Communities

Essential Reportedly Cancels Second Phone, Potentially Up For Sale

Image result for essential ph-1

Essential Products is not currently for sale, however cancels plans to develop a new phone. The company has hired a financial firm in order to help advise it on a potential sale or merger. 

Rumor's say Essential has already received interest from one possible buyer. Essential, part of Andy Rubin's Playground Global announced the Essential Phone at about this time last year. The phone was unique thanks to its ceramic design, all screen face, and magnetic mod system. The phone was sold by Sprint in the U.S., and unlocked directly from Essential. 

The $700 device struggled to find buyers due to poor camera and call performance. Bloomberg's sources suggest as few as 150,000 Essential phones have sold since its August 2017 launch. Essential raised around $300 million in funding and spent about $100 million of it developing the Essential Phone. The company is exploring a sale of the entire company, including hardware, patents, a smart home product, and a camera attachment for the phone. 

It's not clear what might happen to Essential's employees. Andy Rubin is known for developing the initial Android platform. In the email, obtained by The Information, Rubin said his company Essential which recently canceled plans for developing a new smartphone in favor of developing other products such as a smart speaker said the company is “working with bankers to raise money.” 

He suggested an acquisition might be part of such discussions. Essential has raised more than $300 million.


Source: Twitter

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Google Introduces Google One, Google Drive Replacement


google one google drive

Google announces Google One, a new paid storage service that will replace paid Google Drive storage plan. With Google One, Google will introduce new features as well as new pricing options.

Google One plans will start at 100GB for $1.99, 200GB plan for $2.99. The current 1TB plan for $9.99 will be doubled to 2TB. Plans larger than 2TB won’t change.

Google says that Drive storage will switch to One storage automatically “over the coming months.” This is said to not affect G Suite customers. However new customers will be able to join Google One “later this year.”


Source: Google blog

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Google Rumored To Announce Pixel Branded Wear OS Watch

Image result for wear os
Famous leaker Evan Blass is reporting that Google will continue with the tradition of releasing the Google Pixel 3 in two sizes, regular and XL. This year Google will also bring a second generation Pixel Buds, and Google may also release its own Pixel branded Wear OS watch. 

Anyone familiar with Evan Blass, knows this guy is on point...


Source: @evleaks


Android P Beta Now Available

How to download the Android P Beta, available now on 11 devices

Google's Android P Beta is now available, including new features now available in the first developer preview. The Android P beta is available at the source links below.

In the past Google has typically only launches its latest operating system previews on its own Pixel line of device, but this time around Essential, Sony, Nokia, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and OnePlus have joined the party…

OEMs are handling their own Android P beta updates, Android P is coming to a huge list of phones. That includes:

Sony Xperia XZ2
Essential Phone
Nokia 7 Plus
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
Oppo R15 Pro
Vivo X21
OnePlus 6


Source: Android P Beta Devices, OnePlus

Google Announces ADT-2 Android TV Dongle For Developers


Google has announced the successor to the ADT0-1... You guessed it, it's called the ADT-2 and serves as the latest hardware for Android TV developers allowing for Android TV app development and testing.

The Android TV ADT-2 runs the latest developer preview of Android TV based on Android P, has Google Assistant enabled.

You can sign up to receive one at the source link below, and Google will reach out to you if they deem you worthy.


Wednesday, May 2, 2018

T-Mobile And Sprint Agree To Merge, Valued At $26 Billion

Image result for sprint t-mobile

T-Mobile and Sprint today announced plans to merge in an all stock deal that will create a "New T-Mobile" worth $146 billion. The new company's combined radio spectrum assets will allow it to accelerate deployment of 5G technology. 

The new T-Mobile plans to spend up to $40 billion on its new combined network in the first three years, 46% more than T-Mobile and Sprint spent combined in the past three years. The new company will assume both the T-Mobile brand and most of the T-Mobile leadership. 

John Legere current President and CEO of T-Mobile US will serve as CEO of the new company and Mike Sievert current COO of T-Mobile will serve as President and COO. 

Tim Höttges, current T-Mobile Chairman of the Board will serve as Chairman of the Board for the new company. 

Current Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure will serve on the board. Following closing the company will be headquartered in Bellevue, Wash. with a second headquarters in Overland Park, Kan. The combined company will have lower costs and greater economies of scale expected to result in run rate cost synergies of $6+ billion. 

The transaction is expected to close no later than the first half of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.


Source: T-Mobile, Sprint