Author Archives: Derek Walter

As much as I love Google Docs, I’ve come to accept it’s still largely a Microsoft Office world. So many businesses still run on Office, particularly with an Office 365 subscription as a popular choice for all of one’s cloud storage needs.

If you’re in the same boat, inhale a couple of times and take heart from knowing that you don’t have to abandon the ease and save-as-you-type convenience of Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for Microsoft’s Office suite.

By changing up some of the default settings, and making other adjustments, you can get Google Docs to look and work more like Word, which will take much of the pain out of converting files to Microsoft formatting to share with others who live in and expect others to use Office. If you also set up your apps to save your work offline and make a couple of other adjustments you’ll ensure that your files don’t need numerous formatting or conversion tweaks when shared with Office users.

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Microsoft keeps plugging away at its Office suite for Android. There are several key updates in the latest version that should help round out features you might have been missing.

One major catch-up is in the ability to pin a file to your home screen. It’s been a longstanding capability within Google Docs, and it’s definitely a good one to have if there’s a particular file you need to access regularly. 

We may soon see a true Google phone. 

Yes, there’s the Nexus line, which are phones that Google sells in close partnership with a rotating cast of hardware makers. But according to a Telegraph report, Google is going to build its own smartphone from scratch, just as it’s done with the Pixel Chromebooks and tablet. 

The thinking is that this would allow Google to more directly compete with Apple for the high end of the smartphone market, which is still dominated by the iPhone in many Western markets. The Telegraph claims that “a senior source” tells it to expect the phone by the end of the year.

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For those times when a 140-character text tweet just won’t do, Twitter is making it much easier to broadcast your thoughts live.

After an initial beta test, the social network is rolling out a new Periscope button inside the Twitter app on Android and iOS. When you go to compose a tweet, and then choose to insert media, you’ll see a new “live” option. 

Ready to go live? Now everyone can tap a new button on iOS & Android to easily broadcast on #Periscope from Twitter! pic.twitter.com/tedpUN1QMA

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If you’re a dedicated Android fan, you don’t need to storm the gates of Mountain View with torches and pitchforks just yet over Google’s new iPhone-only keyboard Gboard.

That’s because Google plans to bring over the slick search features, though we just don’t know exactly when. A member of the Gboard team offered this detail when asked during a Producthunt chat. 

Google Product Manager Bri Connelly said, “Working on the best way to bring the same functionality to Android right now!” in response to a question about whether the features would end up on Android.

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Google has thrown open the door for Microsoft Exchange accounts in Gmail. Previous support was limited to Nexus devices, but an update now lets anybody add their corporate email address to the Android Gmail app.

All your mail in one place. An update to the Android Gmail app is now rolling out with support for Exchange accounts pic.twitter.com/yV6zjI0e6U

— Gmail (@gmail) April 25, 2016

This move now allows Google to position Gmail as the all-in-one solution for your email needs. Most recently Google said you could ”Gmailify” your Outlook.com/Hotmail or Yahoo address, which meant advanced features like spam blocking and Google Now would talk to your non-Google email.

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Google I/O may be a conference for developers, but what happens there will have a major impact on how you interact with Android and Google’s other services in the near future.

The conference covers all of Google’s projects, but Android is definitely the star of this year’s show, which will be held in Mountain View from May 18 to 20. Some of the focus will be on better app performance and design, which is always in demand. Google will also have plenty to say about how Android will usher in a future of virtual reality and connectedness across your phone, car, television, and other devices that may not even be here yet.

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One company’s rose gold is another’s pink gold. Whatever you call it, a Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will soon be available in the season’s trendy color scheme.

Samsung announced Wednesday a new “Pink Gold” model will first come to South Korea before it heads to other markets. It didn’t specify if the model would make it to the U.S., though it would make sense given Samsung’s large footprint here. 

The option joins Black Onyx, Gold Platinum, White Pearl, and Silver Titanium as the other options. If this has piqued your curiosity, check out our full review of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.

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Here’s your chance to get Marshmallow on your BlackBerry Priv before it’s sent out to the masses.

The beleaguered smartphone maker just launched a beta program that lets you queue up for a chance to install the beta build of Google’s latest OS. And wait you will, as the BlackBerry Beta Zone shows the program is already full.

If you sign in with your BlackBerry ID you’ll be able to join the waitlist, though there’s no guarantee of when your name may be called. Even if you don’t gain access, Marshmallow should be right around the corner. BlackBerry says in a blog post that testing is to take around four to eight weeks, so you should see a final build of Marshmallow around the end of May. 

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Google is never one to shy away from a good experiment. It looks like the latest is a new group messaging app called Spaces.

According to Android Police, the app appears to be a mini-social network that a group of friends or family members could use for shared conversations inside of a splashy interface. 

Android Police