Android M finally allows users to move Apps and App data to microSD cards called the “Adoptable Storage Devices”

Since long, Android users have been craving for the facility to be able to move their apps and app data between their phone’s internal and external storage or the miroSD card. Sadly, Google didn’t seem to care much about it as after Nexus One, none of their Nexus phones and Tablets have had a microSD card slot. Now finally, Google has capitulated to popular demand and the latest Android M comes with this facility.

Google introduced Android M with several new features at its I/O conference this year and the feature of “Adoptable Storage Devices” is one of them. Actually, it is the name given by Google to removable external storage or microSD cards because they are adopted to become a part of the mobile device’s internal storage. The company did not elaborate much on this new feature at the I/O but references to this feature are found in Android M developer preview documentation. According to that, users will be able to move apps and app data to the external storage only if it is specifically allowed by the app developer in the app.

Although earlier Android versions didn’t offer this feature, certain smartphone manufacturers added this feature on their own. But now Android M will officially have the microSD card support built into it. In fact Android M will now support several features such as custom quick settings, support for fingerprint reader, themes etc. which the OEMs were providing in their products on their own.

According to the official documentation:

“With this preview, users can adopt external storage devices such as SD cards. Adopting an external storage device encrypts and formats the device to behave like internal storage. This feature allows users to move both apps and private data of those apps between storage devices.”  

Here, the external device gets encrypted, so another device may not be able to read the data moved to it. Also, it is possible that the app moved to the microSD card may not work when the card is pulled out of the device.

The Adoptable Storage Devices feature of Android M will also apply to external USB sticks as this OS will have built-in USB OTG support. This feature will be useful for Android TVs and gaming consoles.

Android M finally allows users to move Apps and App data to microSD cards called the “Adoptable Storage Devices”

Android M internal code name is Macadamia Nut Cookie

Google I/O developer event is scheduled to begin on May 28 and the Mountain View giant is expected to unveil among other things, the successor to its mobile operating system Android L, which as per convention is sure to be called Android M.

After the initial Alpha and Beta, Google has been naming its Android operating systems on confectionary or desert items. They have been called Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat and the latest Lollipop. There are worldwide speculations as to what Google will name its upcoming Android M. People are guessing it could be Marshmallow, Macaroon, Muffin etc.

Well, we will not know for sure until the Android M is actually announced but what we know is that Google’s internal name for it is Macadamia Nut Cookie or MNC. This name is already being mentioned in the AOSP codes as mnc-dev. But will the Android M actually have such a long name? We don’t think so. Google may be keeping the real name as a surprise.

As for the internal code name of Macadamia Nut Cookie, Google seems to prefer three-word codenames. KitKat was ‘Key Lime Pie’ or KLP, while the Lollipop was ‘Lemon Meringue Pie’ or LMP. These internal names were then abandoned once the operating systems were released. The internal code name has never been the final name and so Macadamia Nut Cookie is also not likely to be one.

It isn’t likely that Google will announce the name of Android M at the I/O event. Most probably, Google will announce its name when it rolls out the final version of the new OS just as it did with Android L. Although Android L was announced at Google/s I/O last year, its name Lollipop was revealed only in November. Probably the same will happen with Android M.

Android M internal code name is Macadamia Nut Cookie

Google Keep allows you to ‘Take notes on the go’ on your Android Wear Smartwatch

After a major Android Wear update recently, it is now the turn of the Google Keep app which will now allow you to much more from the gadget on your wrist. The new update contains changes in the User Interface. It allows you to view your notes such as the shopping list right from your Android Wear smartwatch. You won’t have to take out your smartphone out of your pocket or purse to do it.

On top of it, you can do it hands-free. You can either start Google Keep from the app list or you can just say “Ok Google, open Keep” and the Keep will open up, allowing you to check your notes on your wrist itself.  You can browse through all your notes and reminders through Google Keep by swiping up or down and when you want to see a particular one, just tap it and it will open. You can even add a new note by tapping the plus sign and saying “Ok Google, take a note.”

The new update supports recurring reminders as well. So you can now set up recurring reminders from your smartwatch. You can even add labels to the notes in the Google Keep’s Android app and also on the web. You can use labels like “To-dos”, “Important” etc. This will help you to stay more organized. The labels will appear on your Android Wear smartwatch.

You can download the Google Keep app. from Google Play for free. It works on Android devices with Android 4.0 Ice Cream version and above. You can get the web version from the Chrome Web Store.

Google Keep allows you to ‘Take notes on the go’ on your Android Wear Smartwatch

Sony hints that Android Lollipop update for Xperia Z is “Coming Soon”

Sony may have been late in implementing Android Lollipop upgrade across its devices but it is trying to make up for it now. It is gradually updating all of its models in the Xperia Z family with Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Sony started rolling out the Lollipop updates to the newer Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact a couple of weeks ago, followed by updates to Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet the very next day. At the time it had announced that it would bring the Android Lollipop upgrades to “more Xperia Z series products” in about two weeks time.

True to its word, now after two weeks Sony begins the next wave of lollipop upgrades for the older Xperia Z series phones. The company has confirmed that its Xperia T2 Ultra and Xperia C3 are also getting the Android Lollipop.

Sony has released a teaser on its Google+ account hinting at the imminent Android Lollipop upgrade to its classic Xperia Z smartphone. The company has posted a photo of Xperia Z showing the Lollipop lockscreen with the tag line “coming soon…” beside it. It also stands to reason that since Xperia Z will be getting the Lollipop, the Xperia Z1 will also get it somewhere during that time.

The exact date of the Lollipop roll out to Xperia Z has not been mentioned though. We will let you know once we know it. So stay with us.

Sony hints that Android Lollipop update for Xperia Z is “Coming Soon”

Amazon Fire Phone Updates now available with New Features and Improvements

Although Amazon Fire phone wasn’t a runaway success, in fact it did quite poorly, there are still some people who own and use it. Well, there is some good news for them. Amazon is rolling out updates for the Fire phone that brings with it several improvements and some new features.

Both the versions of Amazon Fire phone are receiving updates. Handsets having the AT&T version are getting Fire OS 3.6.5 (125013320) and the unlocked GSM variants are getting Fire OS 3.6.8 (128003620).

Both software versions include new features and enhancements. A few major ones are given below:

* Translation of text and identification of famous artwork with Firefly

Firefly can translate text from/to: English, German, Italian, French and Spanish.  It can also recognize 2,000 famous paintings and give information about them from Wikipedia.

* Taking the perfect photo with Best Shot

The rear camera will take three photos when you click to take a photograph. You can then choose the best one you want.

* Enabling/disabling SMS and MMS settings

You can now turn on or off the character counts. You can also turn the MMS on or off.

* Selecting additional keyboard languages

There are 7 preloaded keyboard languages and 49 more can be downloaded. You can choose whichever one you want.

* Other features include blocking unwanted phone numbers, adding custom ringtones to your phone, controlling music directly from the lock screen, writing and editing documents with WPS Office, connecting to VPN (Virtual Private Network) at work, synchronizing calendars across several of your Amazon devices, reading Kindle books by scrolling without touching the screen, enhancement in phone’s battery life and many others. The update also includes several bug fixes and UI improvements.

The Amazon Fire updates will be provided OTA so it might take a few days. However, you can download them in your phone manually by selecting Settings > Device > Install system updates >Check Now. After the downloading is done, select Install System Update to install it.

 

Source Amazon (1), (2).

Amazon Fire Phone Updates now available with New Features and Improvements

Pebble’s Android App 2.3 update brings support for Android Wear Notifications on Pebble Smartwatch

As a gift for the holiday season, makers of Pebble Smartwatch have come out with version 2.3 of their Android app. The new update brings Android Wear notification compatibility to the Pebble Smartwatch and allows the users to respond or act on the notifications from the Pebble watch itself.

The update has some new features built into it that perform certain actions which even the Android Wear devices cannot. You can use an emoji to reply to a Hangouts message. You can send cash to friends who send you Square Cash requests. For these new actions, Pebble’s Android app uses actions that are already integrated into Android Wear, so whatever actions you can perform with Android Wear, you can do with Pebble too.

If you want to try out the new Android app v2.3 update, you have to join Pebble’s Beta Testing Group. No invitation is needed and you can sign up directly to the group, but to use this update, your device must be running Android 4.0 or a higher version. Your Pebble must also be running the Beta version 2.9 of the firmware to be able to use the new features in the Android app 2.3. Otherwise you will have to update your pebble accordingly.

The Android App version 2.3 takes care of issues with notifications from WhatsApp. It also includes bug fixes, stability improvements and allows installation of update apps and watchfaces on the Pebble Smartwatch when it is in charging or is otherwise idle.

Check out the two videos below:

Source Pebble

Pebble’s Android App 2.3 update brings support for Android Wear Notifications on Pebble Smartwatch

Google begins Official Roll-Out of the all new Gmail app for Android

Google has officially announced the updated more modern Gmail app for Android devices. The new Gmail APK was already doing the rounds since the past few days and many of you may have already downloaded it. The new app will be available on Google Play and will support devices running Android 4.0 and above.

According to Google, the Gmail app is “getting updated with a more modern style, sleeker transitions, and a few other handy improvements.” We have already seen the various enhancements in design and functionality in the previously leaked APK. The official version is the same.

The most important change in the functionality is that the new Gmail app supports all email providers that use POP/IMAP. For instance if you have an email account with Outlook.com, Yahoo Mail or other providers supporting POP/IMAP, you can now have separate inboxes for them. These inboxes show on the sliding out navigation menu and you can switch accounts easily.

There has also been a major change in design as the Gmail app has received Google’s new “Material Design”. Of course, many other apps such as Chrome, Play Store, Wallet and Newsstand have got it too as Google is slowly pushing its Material Design concept across various apps.

The new design gives the Gmail 5.0 a flatter look and is more bright and colorful with animations. The header is catchy red and there is a reply button below every message making it easy for the user to reply even when he is on the go.

Have you got the new Gmail app yet? How do you like it?

Check out Google’s video below:

 

Google begins Official Roll-Out of the all new Gmail app for Android