Author Archives: Derek Walter

The resurrection of the Nokia brand may happen in the fourth quarter of this year, which could make for some really nostalgic holiday gifts.

According to Chinese site ThePaper, Nokia executive Mike Wang confirmed that three or four Nokia-branded Android devices are on the way for the fourth quarter of 2016. The comeback effort would include both phones and tablets.

There is a chance, however, that the timeline could get pushed back depending upon how things progress. It wouldn’t be a terrible shocker considering we’re talking about a new company, HMD. It’s composed of former employees from Microsoft, the old Nokia, and others who are banding together to resurrect the once-iconic brand. 

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

It’s the eternal question that we all face when it’s time for a new version of Android: when will I get it?

We have the answer! Well, sort of. Android is a fragmented mess customized by many different smartphone makers, so finding out when exactly you’ll get Nougat depends on a lot of different factors.

However, a lot can be learned from previous updates as well as announcements and leaks (see this research from Computerworld for more about past update performance). Here’s what we know so far. We’ll continually update once more details about Nougat updates become official.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

It may truly be a happy Friday in the land of Android.

That’s because Android Nougat could arrive on Aug. 5. The word comes from Evan Blass, who has a secret network of elves that feed him (usually accurate) leaks and rumors.

Android 7.0 releases next month, with the 8/5 security patch. Sorry Nexus 5 owners, no Nougat for you 😢

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 30, 2016

If this goes forth, it means Nexus owners will be the first ones to sample the latest flavor of Android (except for the Nexus 5, of course). Expect over-the-air updates to come to the Nexus 6P, 5X, 6, Pixel C, and 9. Even though it’s no longer for sale, the Nexus Player should score it as well since it’s an eligible testing device for the Android Nougat beta.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Staying connected while you travel, especially internationally, is no longer something that’s just “nice to have.” The habits of looking up a restaurant, getting directions, messaging friends or family members, and backing up your photos are a part of everyday life, and you probably don’t want to surrender that convenience when you travel outside the country.

Fortunately, your ability to stay in touch rather cheaply is better than ever. But what you get for your money, especially from U.S. carriers, isn’t always straightforward. American wireless travel plans are sometimes labyrinthian in their approach. Picking up a SIM card overseas is also an option, but that comes with its own set of caveats and legwork.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Get ready for the Nexus Watch line.

A report from Android Police, which offers a pretty solid track record in the rumor department, says Google is building two such wearables that will serve as a showcase for the company’s new Google Assistant.

Both watches are said to have a circular display without the “fat tire” found on wearables like the Moto 360. It could look similar to the Huawei watch (pictured above). One watch, using the codename “Angelfish” (Google goes with fishy codenames for its Nexus line, though this one is unconfirmed) is similar to the Moto 360 and LG Watch Urbane LTE with visible lugs, a “smooth housing shape,” though without the puck-type shape of Motorola’s watches. 

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Reading your favorite website may be a whole new experience in the near future. As part of its Chromium project Google is apparently working at bringing virtual reality support to its browser.

According to Google’s François Beaufort, the Chrome Beta and Chrome Dev channels have a setting that “allows users to browse the web while using Cardboard or Daydream-ready viewers.”

There’s an an experimental flag found at chrome://flags/#enable-vr-shell that enables a browser shell for VR. He offered a peak at how this could look with 360-degree videos.