JerryRigEverything tears apart the Razer Phone, finds some major flaws

The Razer Phone is the first smartphone from the gaming company, but technically it's the second from Nextbit. Razer bought the company out and it's easy to see the resemblance of the Razer Phone to the Nextbit Robin. Everything from the speaker grills to the buttons are nearly identical. JerryRigEverything previously bend tested the Nextbit Robin and the results were frankly hilarious. It folded right in half with little resistance. With the Razer Phone being so similar, Zack's video on the Razer Phone was a welcome surprise. Yes, his name is not Jerry. The Razer Phone survived Zack's usual tests, including the bend test. Unfortunately, the Razer Phone succumbed to the same problem as the Robin.  With the body being made out of metal instead of plastic, it proved to be much more resilient but the device still suffered a major kink when bent, as well as a big bend in the area near the power button and a crack at the volume buttons. The camera lens and anodized finished back are also a lot more delicate than most phones, with a razor blade scratching the glass camera lens and keys leaving permanent marks on the anodized back. Inside he found a very messy design, though this won't affect usability, and a tiny, weak vibration motor. Taking the device apart also means ruining the speaker grills, which need replacement after repairs. None of this makes the device bad. It survived the bend test while remaining perfectly functional so it's not a huge concern. Nonetheless, it's interesting to see how similar the design is to the Nextbit Robin and how Razer made the new device stronger. Let us know what you think in the comments! Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Google Play Store has banned apps showing ads on your lockscreen

There are some apps that decide to be completely evil and show ads on your lockscreen. Sometimes it's a spam app, and other times it's a good app that is updated to be malicious. Nonetheless, I think everyone agrees that lockscreen ads are the worst. Google seems to agree, because the company has now banned apps from showing lockscreen ads from the Play Store. The exact wording exempts apps designed to replace your lockscreen, meaning apps that serve any other purpose can't show lockscreen ads. Here is the new rule: Unless the exclusive purpose of the app is that of a lockscreen, apps may not introduce ads or features that monetize the locked display of a device. We have yet to see how Google will enforce this. Hopefully it will result in apps violating this rule being pulled from the Play Store until they are changed. While the apps that did this should no longer be used even if lockscreen ads are removed (we have to prove a point, don't we?), this should make the Play Store a bit safer for the everyday user. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Twitter Lite app is coming to 24 more countries via the Play Store

Twitter Lite was first introduced around eight months ago as a Progressive Web App, but it turned it into an Android application and published it on the Play Store for users in the Philippines back in September. Now an additional 24 countries will also be able to download it through the Play Store, even though the app is functionally identical to the PWA. We're bringing Twitter Lite to the Google Play Store in 24 more countries! Read More Twitter Lite app is coming to 24 more countries via the Play Store was written by the awesome team at Android Police. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Google Assistant will soon be able to suggest home services

When you have a problem with your home, the rush to find a reputable company to fix it in a reasonable amount of time is a huge pain. Google Assistant will soon be able to help you out. You'll be able to say "OK Google, find me a plumber" or similar phrases to your phone or Google Home and you'll get a reply with some more questions about what you need. Then you'll get a list of different options near you. This list is curated by Google, HomeAdvisor, and Porch in supported cities as well, so if you live in a supported city, you can feel safer knowing that the business is reputable. If not, you'll just get a list of local businesses. This new features is rolling out over the coming week for US users, so give it a shot sometime soon! And when the next problem strikes, you'll be able to find help quickly. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Google and Nest may merge to build more smart home devices

Making products for a smart home, where even the ceiling fans are connected, is a lucrative business that Google wants to take advantage of. The Wall Street Journal reports that Google is considering folding Nest back into its ranks, all in an effort to build more smart home products. Google acquired Nest back in 2014, but in 2015, the two separated under the parent company Alphabet. According to the report, Nest's teams would be brought into Google's hardware division, the focus being on developing even more smart home devices. Google apparently wants a more concerted effort in competing against Amazon's Alexa smart home products. The idea isn't too far-fetched by any means. Despite being two separate companies now, they are pretty close. Nest engineers found their way over to the Google hardware team last year, and as a result, Google Home owners can use their voice to control a variety of Nest-branded products. That includes being able to use your voice to control the thermostat and other pieces of hardware. When this merger might go through isn't known. What do you think of the possibility? Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Google Home Max may launch on December 11

Back in October, Google added to the Home family of smart speakers with two new models, including the Home Max. This is not a cheap smart speaker, but Google has put audio quality at the forefront of that decision. Priced at $399, it's even more expensive than Apple's forthcoming HomePod (at $349), but it packs all of the power of Google's Assistant an improved listening experience for folks who want to listen to music more often than not. Google hasn't announced an official launch date for the Home Max just yet. We know it's going to arrive in December based on what the company announced earlier this year, but no specific date to circle on the calendar. Thanks to Best Buy, though, we may have an idea. According to the big box retailer's online listing for the Home Max, we could see the device launch on December 11. You can't pre-order the Home Max or anything, and it's possible that Best Buy is just throwing up a listing with an expected date without actually knowing anything for certain. But a December 11 release date would give enough leeway for customers to pick one up in time for the holiday gift exchange later that same month. Are you planning on buying a Google Home Max when it does launch? Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Essential Phone camera app now offers Portrait Mode

Portrait Mode is all the rage these days in smartphone cameras, so it's not surprising to see that Essential is adding the feature to its flagship device. Essential has pushed out an update for the Essential Phone camera app which adds the ability to take a photo using Portrait Mode. With it, Essential Phone owners will be able to apply a blur to the background of their photos, bringing more focus to the subject in the foreground: We're excited to roll out a new camera update that includes portrait mode, reduced compression to improve image quality, and more. Download the update here: https://t.co/zXoZ765GHF http://pic.twitter.com/rCFJlLCYAm — Essential (@essential) November 30, 2017 But that's not all, Essential Phone owners. The camera app update also includes reduced JPEG compression for improved image quality and exposure compensation in all regular camera modes. In addition to all that, the update adds stability fixes for good measure. Essential continues to improve the experience for the Essential Phone. Some might say that features like Portrait Mode should have been available since launch, but at least the company is adding them at all. If you own an Essential Phone, how are you liking the smartphone so far? Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Microsoft Edge mobile browser for Android leaves beta

Microsoft launched a beta of its Edge web browser for Android back in October, and it turns out the company didn't need long to get the app ready for public consumption. Today Microsoft Edge is dropping that beta label and rolling out to the public. It's available for both Android and iOS users. Thanks to the beta, Microsoft even added some new features, including what it calls Roaming Passwords. This will make sure that passwords you input on mobile will follow you to a Windows PC for easy log-in. Microsoft added a dark theme, too, and the app also includes a Reading List, Reading View, and Favorites. For Windows PC users, Microsoft bringing its Edge browser to mobile is certainly a welcomed addition. Do you plan on downloading the app? Via: Microsoft Blog Sources: Microsoft Edge for Android,  Microsoft Edge for iOS Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Nokia 2 launching in the U.S. for $99.99

Before the end of October, Nokia and HMD Global officially announced the Nokia 2. A mid-November launch date was expected for the new device, but that window came and went without a release. It looks like Nokia and HMD were able to get the Nokia 2 out in the U.S. before the end of the month, though. Beginning today, the Nokia 2 will be available from Amazon and Best Buy. The device is now available from Best Buy, but it's not currently in stock at Amazon. That should change soon enough. As a refresher, the Nokia 2′s spec list includes a 5-inch 720p HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of built-in storage. It also has a microSD card slot that supports cards up to 128GB if you need more storage. There's an 8-megapixel camera on the back and a 5-megapixel camera on the other side, too. The Nokia 2 is running Android Nougat out of the box, but HMD says that it will be updated to Android 8.0 Oreo in the future. The Nokia 2 also features a 3.5mm headphone jack. The primary selling point here, though, is the 4100mAh battery. If you're in the market for a smartphone without a huge price tag, the Nokia 2 might fill in the blank. Sources: Amazon, Best Buy Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Android Things Developer Preview 6

Posted by Wayne Piekarski, Developer Advocate for IoT The next release of Android Things Developer Preview 6 (DP6) is here with lots of new features and bug fixes. Android Things is Google's platform that enables Android Developers to create Internet of Things (IoT) devices with support for powerful applications such as video and audio processing and on-board machine learning with TensorFlow. For the specifics on what is new, visit the release notes. Here are a few of the highlights of what is in DP6. IoT launcher DP6 includes a new IoT launcher that allows the user to see the current state of the device and change settings using a touch screen or USB input devices. Settings such as configuring the WiFi, finding the build ID, and checking for updates is now something that can be done interactively, making it even easier to get started. This launcher is visible when no other developer-provided IOT_LAUNCHER Activity is present. Graphics acceleration defaults Android Things uses the open-source SwiftShader library, a CPU-based implementation of the OpenGL ES APIs. This enables common OpenGL support across all platforms, even those with no GPU hardware. However, many simple 2D UIs render faster if the drawing is done directly to the framebuffer and OpenGL emulation is not used. In DP6, OpenGL rendering is disabled by default to ensure that most apps run with the fastest UI possible. If you need OpenGL support for 3D rendering, WebView, or TextureView, then explicitly enable it in your AndroidManifest.xml according to the documentation: ... android:hardwareAccelerated="true"> API 27 and Google Play Services DP6 is now based on the latest Android 8.1 developer preview, with API level 27. Most of the standard Android samples now work on DP6. For example, the Camera2Basic sample using the Camera2 API and TextureView now works on both NXP and Raspberry Pi based devices (with the hardwareAccelerated flag set to true). Google Play Services has been updated to support SDK version 11.6, supporting all the latest features. Command-line flashing tool We heard from developers that flashing and configuring a board using fastboot can be tedious, so the Android Things Console now brings a new and simpler way of flashing device images. Instead of using fastboot and adb commands manually, a new interactive command-line android-things-setup-utility is now provided. This tool makes it much easier to get started with Android Things, and automates the download and flashing process. Android Things Console updates DP6 introduces the new partition scheme that will be used for the upcoming production release. Due to the new partition layout, the over-the-air update (OTA) system cannot update existing DP5.1 or earlier devices. Developers will need to go to the Android Things Console, and download and flash a new DP6 build. The Console UI has also been changed for DP6 features, and will only allow you to create new builds based on DP6. If you have any older existing builds, they are still available for download but will not support OTA updates. Developers are encouraged to move all work to DP6. GPIO pin naming The interactive IoT launcher shown at boot now i ncludes an I/O pinout section where you can discover the labels of all the pins. The pin naming used by the i.MX7 has been changed, and you should update your code to use this new naming convention. See the i.MX7 documentation for the complete list of pin names. Settings and Device Update APIs New APIs have been added to Android Things that control the configuration of the local device and device updates. UpdateManager gives developers control over when updates and reboots can be performed, ensuring the device is available for the user when needed. DeviceManage r controls factory reset, reboot, and device locales. APIs are also provided for settings such as ScreenManager to control the screen, and TimeManager to control the clock and time zone. Peripheral command-line tool We now provide a command-line tool pio that gives developers access to the Peripheral API via the adb shell. Developers can interactively test GPIO, PWM, UART, I2C, SPI, and future interfaces from an adb shell, which is useful for debugging and automated testing. Feedback DP6 includes significant changes and improvements to the platform. Please send us your feedback by filing bug reports and feature requests, as well as asking any questions on Stack Overflow. To start using DP6, use the Android Things Console to download system images and flash existing devices, or use the android-things-setup-utility. More information about the changes are available in the release notes. You can also join Google's IoT Developers Community on Google+, a great resource to get updates and discuss ideas. Also, we have our new hackster.io community, where everyone can share the amazing projects they have built. We look forward to seeing what you build with Android Things! Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Duo v23 hints at new 'Drishti' camera mode, extends video messaging with re-record, and removes some previously spotted camera effects [APK Teardown]

The latest version of Duo began rolling out to users this morning, but there haven't been any visible changes popping up in the live app. As is tradition, especially with Duo, a teardown does turn up a few of the changes we can look forward to in the future. This time, we're looking at yet another camera effect, but this one may actually stick around and make it to users. There is also follow-up on some previous camera effects and the voicemail / videomail feature discussed in previous teardowns. Read More Duo v23 hints at new 'Drishti' camera mode, extends video messaging with re-record, and removes some previously spotted camera effects [APK Teardown] was written by the awesome team at Android Police. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Unlocked HTC U11 Life Android 8.0 Oreo update arrives today

Hot on the heels of the unlocked HTC U11 getting its update to Android 8.0 Oreo, another HTC device is getting a cookie. HTC Vice President of Product Management Mo Versi has confirmed that the unlocked HTC U11 Life is now receiving its Android 8.0 Oreo update. The new software should be available to download beginning today. With this update, you'll get the new features built into Android 8.0 Oreo like picture-in-picture support for videos, the ability to autofill passwords for apps, notification dots, and more. Do you have an unlocked HTC U11 Life? Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

You can now assign Android TV devices with Assistant to specific rooms

Early last month, we started seeing the option to include Google Homes and Assistant-enabled speakers in rooms inside the Home app, just like you would for your lights and switches and thermostats. Now it seems that option has propagated to Android TV devices as well. Artem spotted it this morning: in his Google Home app, his two SHIELD TVs appear in the Home control tab, under the Assistant section. Tapping on them lets him assign them to a room. Read More You can now assign Android TV devices with Assistant to specific rooms was written by the awesome team at Android Police. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default