Nextbit Releases a Nougat Beta with Help from Paranoid Android

The folks behind the Nextbit Robin have announced they've begun beta tests for their upcoming Nougat release. For anyone who wants to participate, the company asks that you fill out this form to send in your request. However, they warn anyone who has made any type of modification to their phone to stay away from this Nougat beta. If you have made such modifications to your phone, you will want to revert back to stock before trying to install this update.

The interesting part about this Android 7.0 Nougat beta for the Nextbit Robin is that they didn't do it alone. In fact, the company says their developers worked very closely with current members of the current Paranoid Android. Nextbit says they have "joined forces" to work on this new OTA update, and the result is a "faster, less power-hungry OS." The Paranoid Android brand is well known with the developer community, and Nextbit appreciates what they've been able to create.

If you remember, certain team members of Paranoid Android had to stop working on the project at one point in time when they were hired by OnePlus. This helped lead Paranoid Android to stop pushing out new releases, but then in June it was announced the AOSPA custom ROM would be relaunched. The current team has been releasing builds of Paranoid Android for the Nextbit Robin for a couple of months now.

Nextbit tells us they've been working closely with the Paranoid Android team by providing them with "kernel source code and system images" so they can test their custom ROM. This turned into discussions about how they could work closer together on the company's upcoming Nougat release. Nextbit was having some issues and the teams started to exchange "ideas, code, and resources" to help get NextbitOS running smoothly on Nougat.

So be sure to fill out the beta request form if you want to try out a beta version of Android 7.0 Nougat on your Nextbit Robin.

Source: Nextbit

from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2frDxuC
via IFTTT

Google is Reportedly Rebranding “Google Cast” to “Chromecast Built-in”

In what is said to be the result of the company's newly formed hardware division, it's being reported that Google is currently in the process of phasing out the Google Cast brand. This comes as a surprise since they recently started pushing this name once 3rd-party companies started selling products with the streaming technology built in. Now, we're seeing multiple places where the term Google Cast is being phased out and replaced with the Chromecast branding.

It was back in March of this year when Google officially launched the Google Cast branding. The move seemed like a way for the company, and consumers, to know the difference between a Chromecast (which is a product) and the streaming technology it used (which was then labeled Google Cast). This made sense from an technical perspective, but this new report from Variety seems to indicate that Google wasn't happy with the changes.

The evidence given in this report starts by saying hardware partners like Vizio, Toshiba and Philips are now advertising their products with the new "Chromecast built-in" term. Then they cite a Twitter post from Google that says "From Google Cast to Chromecast. New name on Twitter, same device you know." Google has even started using the "Chromecast built-in" name on their own Google Cast page.

However, there are still some places, like the Android TV landing page, that still references it by the Google Cast name. So this whole thing seems to be a slowly phased out process that Google is currently in the middle of. The whole thing just seems confusing from a consumer standpoint. The quicker Google decides on, and sticks to, a name for their streaming technology, the better it will be for them and for consumers.

Let us know what you think is best? Were you a fan of the Google Cast name, or do you think Chromecast built-in is better since it helps to tie it to their Chromecast products?

Source: Variety

from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2gm993L
via IFTTT

Pixel XL Audio Mod Turns Ear Piece into Speaker

A lot of people were disappointing with the lack of front facing speakers on the Pixel XL. In this video, Miles shows us how this simple mod can turn your ear piece into a front facing speaker, on your rooted Pixel XL.

Check out this mod from the XDA forums here.

from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2foWb34
via IFTTT

SD Association Announces an App Performance Class for Smartphones

Last year, Google release Android 6.0 Marshmallow a little more than one year ago. This update introduced a new feature that let you virtually add the amount of storage you had on a microSD card with your internal storage capacity. This was a surprising move as Google has generally not been a fan of SD cards. They removed SD card slots from their Nexus phones and didn't include one in the Pixel or Pixel XL.

Google's reasoning behind this move was due to performance issues. They don't want the customer to blame the phone or the operating system because of slow performance from an SD card. The people at the SD Association have acknowledged this issue and have just announced a new class of SD cards. The Application Performance Class was introduced in the organization's SD 5.1 specification and this comes with the first App Performance Class1 (otherwise known as A1).

This new Application Performance Class will evolve over time as hardware improves, but it serves as a way for consumers to know their microSD card is fast enough for applications. The A1 app Performance Class comes with minimum random read performance inputs/outputs per second (1500 IOPS), minimum random write performance (500 IOPS) and minimum sustained sequential performance (10 MB/sec).

It's unclear if this move will push companies like Google to offer better support for SD cards, but it's a great move for consumers who know what they're looking for. The SD Association is even taking steps to make it easy for the customer to know if they have the right SD card or not. In the video, they explain that the recommended App Performance Class will be printed on the box of their smartphones.

So if the OEM recommends you get an A1 class microSD card, then it will be placed right on the box. This way the customer knows to go into a store and buy a microSD card with the A1 rating.

Source: SD Association

from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2fp1Q9f
via IFTTT

Today Only: $199.99 for UMi Plus E with 6GB RAM

The new Umi Plus E can be yours for only $199 for a limited time. This sale will last throughout the day on November 23rd.  This is a rare opportunity to get a speedy 6GB RAM phone for such a low price. This sale is limited to 999 phones, so make sure you don't wait too long to decide.

Umi Plus E

The Umi Plus E has the fast Mediatek Helio P20 CPU. This processor is built on a 16nm process node and offers 25% better power efficiency. The full HD display is packed into an awesome 5.5-inch screen. With 6GB of RAM and 64GB ROM, you are getting flagship specs for a fraction of the price. The storage is even expandable to 256GB with the microSD card reader. When it comes to battery, a 4000mAh power pack provides juice that will keep you charged up throughout the day. When you do need to charge, a fast charging system called PumpExpress with ensure you can get charged back up with little down time.

Gaming	Video Playback	4G Call	Music Playback
15Hours	17Hours	48Hours	121Hours

Ultra-fast PDAF focusing	Shutter speed	0.1s High-speed	Video recording
13MP camera	0.1s	PDAF	4K

New Generation	Full HD display	NTSC color gamut	Real-time contrast adjustments
SHARP	5.5'' 1080P	95%	Sunlight Display

The specs are just the beginning when it comes to the value that this device has to offer. The build quality of this phone is what you would expect from one of the much higher-priced flagships out there. The full black look on the Umi Plus E is called Onyx Black. This is built using 6000 aerospace-class aluminium to create a deep matte finish. Another thing we like about this phone is that it's running near-stock Android Marshmallow, with a planned upgrade to Nougat at the end of December.

With 6GB of RAM, you can do some serious multitasking.  The new LPDDR 4X memory lets you run many apps at the same time, without interruption. Check out this video to see it in action.

Having all of this at the price of $199 is a great deal. Here's how you can get it.

Availability

UMi Official Aliexpress shop

Banggood

Coolicool

efox-shop

Official UMi Website

This post is sponsored by UMi to bring you a great deal on an awesome phone this holiday season.

from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2fpJx79
via IFTTT

What Do You Think of Enhanced Re-Releases of Smartphones?

The launch of the OnePlus 3T has caused an uproar among existing OnePlus 3 users. On one hand (objectively speaking) OnePlus has taken their best product yet and made it even better to stay ahead of the flagship market competition. On the other hand, the timing of the launch undermines the greatness of what the other flagship once was.

Similarly, other OEMs like ZTE have also taken to releasing second iteration of their flagship, with the launch of the ZTE Axon 7 Enhanced (which, to be fair, was available in other regions before). Other Chinese OEMs are also releasing different variants of the same phone with differences in processor, memory, storage and more right alongside the main launch, often denoting said differences with monikers like "Premium" or "plus". So our question to you is,

When is it alright to release an "upgraded" version of a flagship? After a particular amount of time, or at any time? How long should an OEM ideally wait to release an enhanced re-release? Should Android OEMs hold onto significant enhancements for a proper release cycle?

Let us know in the comments below!

from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2fCAAoM
via IFTTT

Android 7.1 Dev Preview 2 Images are Live for Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 9 and Pixel C

Not too long ago we received hints that we'd see a second 7.1.1 developer preview for Nexus devices, as the rollout process had reportedly begun yesterday. Now, we finally see the system images become available for select Nexus devices!

This is the final update to the Android 7.1 Developer preview before the final release, and it includes the developer features available on the Pixel and Pixel XL as well as extra optimization and bug fixes. If you are a developer, using this preview you will be able to make sure your apps are ready for 7.1.1 once it reaches consumers.

The update includes the features and APIs (level 25) included in the first developer preview, and Google is also updating the SDK build and platform tools in Android studio. The latest version of the support library (25.0.1) is available as well for you to add image keyboard support, bottom navigation and more to your apps running on devices running lower API levels.

Below you can find links to install the update on your Nexus or Pixel C. Alternatively, you can follow this link to find the same links and instructions. Finally, you can enroll for automatic OTA system updates in the Android Beta Program as well.

Device	Download
Nexus 5X "bullhead"	bullhead-npf26f-factory-0e9ab286.zip
Nexus 6P "angler"	angler-npf26f-factory-0cd1829d.zip
Pixel C "ryu"	ryu-npf26h-factory-caed9427.zip
Nexus 9 "Volantis"	volantis-npf26f-factory-c0591bf3.zip
Nexus 9 LTE "volantisg"	volantisg-npf26f-factory-412bba4a.zip

You can also find the list of big fixes in Android DP2 here, but keep in mind many of these won't be present in this release. We'll keep you updated with the changes we find!

 

from xda-developers http://ift.tt/2fCzKrX
via IFTTT