Google will start suggesting apps to remove when you run out of space on your Android phone
With the size of apps and games spiralling upwards faster than the amount of storage increases in phones, it's very easy to run low on space. To help overcome the problem of not having enough room to install a new app, Google is starting to suggest rarely used apps that could be installed.
The feature has not appeared completely out of the blue, with references having been spotted to it in APK teardowns some months ago. But now Google Play's intelligent uninstall manager has been spotted in action.
Lost your Android smartphone or iPhone? Google will help you find it
There are lots of services that help you find your lost smartphone, but nothing beats the convenience of a built-in tool like Android Device Manager or Find My iPhone. However, Google might have something that's even better.
Google believes that locating a smartphone should be as simple as a Google search, so the company has introduced a new feature in My Account that lets you do just that. And it works no matter if you have an Android smartphone or iPhone.
MEEM memory cable automatically backs up your phone every time you charge it
While most smartphones can backup photos and other content to the cloud on a regular basis, there are downsides -- backups handled by third-party apps might not always happen, free storage can quickly become full (I’m looking at you, iCloud) and of course cloud services could be compromised.
MEEM memory cable offers a low cost solution to all of those problems -- automatically, and securely backing up your iPhone or Android device every time you charge it.
Oukitel’s K4000 gets maxed out
When we reviewed the Oukitel K4000 Pro toughphone last month it came with a pretty standard Android UI.
Latest versions of the K4000 though will come with a new 'max' interface that puts fewer but larger icons on each screen. It also offers a bigger dial pad, so the phone should appeal to older users and to others who struggle to cope with smaller icons.
How to delete all of the illicit recordings Google has gathered from you over the past year
One of the concerns -- for those focused on privacy, at least -- with the likes of Siri, Cortana and 'OK, Google' is that the way these features works means they are constantly listening to what you say. In the case of Google, these recordings are stored in the cloud for the company to use to improve the service.
But voice recognition is an art rather than a science, and your phone is not always able to distinguish between commands you direct at it and ordinary conversation. As such, Google may well have recorded audio of you going about your day to day business. The good news, however, is that you can review these recordings and delete any of them -- or all of them if you want.
Facebook launches updated emoji for Messenger with diversity in mind
Tech companies are falling over themselves to embrace diversity both in the workplace, and in products. The latest example of this comes courtesy of Facebook which today releases an update to Messenger complete with hundreds of diversity-friendly emoji.
As well as bringing in the full (well, fuller) gamut of skin tones, the new emoji also nod to gender equality, as well as including redheads for the first time. On top of all this, Facebook is also standardizing its emoji set so the same selection is available to everyone, regardless of the platform they might be using.
ASUS unveils new ZenFone 3 smartphone line -- here is everything you need to know
If you are looking for a smartphone that offers great value for money, the ZenFone family includes some of the nicest Android handsets that you can get today. The devices are attractively priced and offer specs that can appeal to just about anyone shopping in their segment. However, a lot has happened since the introduction of the second generation, so now it is time for ASUS to take the wraps off the ZenFone 3 line.
ASUS has chosen Computex 2016 to unveil three new ZenFone 3 devices: the ZenFone 3, which is the base model featuring mid-range specs, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe, the flagship in the family, and the ZenFone 3 Ultra, a massive phablet which borrows features from the other two handsets.
Microsoft says it will stop spamming Android users with Office ads in the notification tray
It feels like we complain about Microsoft a lot here. We do; in recent months there has been a lot to get upset about. There has been a lot of negativity surrounding Windows 10, so let's have a change of subject. Now Microsoft is spamming the Android notification tray with ads for Office.
The notification tray in Android serves a very specific purpose. There's a clue in the name -- and it's nothing to do with advertising. Android user Thom Holwerda was upset this week when Microsoft Office for Android starting to spam him with ads for apps he already had installed. There are many questions here, one of which is why is Microsoft ignoring Google's guidelines and using the notification tray to display ads?
Samsung unveils Batman-themed Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition
If you're a Batman fan and like the Galaxy S7 edge then you're in for a treat. In celebration of the third anniversary of the Injustice: Gods Among Us game, Samsung has teamed up with Warner Bros. to release a Batman-themed, limited-run version of its latest Android flagship phablet.
Known as the Injustice Edition, it features a black Galaxy S7 edge with a gold Batman logo on the back and matching accents and a number of attractive extras which include a black Gear VR headset and what appears to be a gold-plated batarang.
Google wins trial against Oracle -- Java APIs in Android are 'fair use'
Google has won a case brought against it by Oracle in which it was accused of infringing on copyright by using Java APIs in Android. But at the end of a two-week trial, the jury found in Google's favor saying that 'fair use' was an acceptable defense.
Had Google lost the case, it could have cost the company billions of dollars and would have set something of a precedent. This was the first major case in which a company tried to use copyright law to control the use of APIs.
Google plans to replace your Android password with a 'trust score'
Google wants to do away with traditional passwords on Android and replace them with "trust scores".
The company outlined how it is planning to make the transition away from passwords on its mobile platform by 2017 during its I/O conference last week. By using a variety of different metrics, Google’s Trust API technology would be able to replace traditional passwords and pins used to unlock its smartphones.
TripAdvisor and Google Play Music deliver regional playlists to Android listeners
While there are many great streaming music services nowadays, such as Spotify and Apple Music, the best value is Google Play Music. Why do I say this? Well, it costs $9.99 monthly for an individual, but the real killer-deal is the $14.99 offer for the six-person family plan. The icing on the cake is free access to YouTube Red, delivering an ad-free video-watching experience, plus exclusive content.
Today, Google Play Music on Android is getting even better, thanks to a partnership with TripAdvisor. The popular travel-planning app can now deliver regional playlists, meaning you can hear the music popular with locals when you travel. Best of all? If you do not already subscribe to Google's streaming music service, you will be awarded two months free for just downloading the TripAdvisor Android app. This is absolutely brilliant for the upcoming summer season.
Ulefone Vienna: A competitive phablet that doesn't break the bank [Review]
Up and coming Android manufacturers are proving that you do not have to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars to get a good smartphone. The Xiaomi Mi4c, which I reviewed late last year, is a fantastic alternative to big-name devices from the likes of Samsung and LG that does not break the bank. The new Mi4s is shaping up to be even better, and the Mi5 looks to be more impressive still.
But, say you prefer something that's a bit larger that is also relatively inexpensive. Well, in this case, you should take a look at the new Ulefone Vienna, which packs a big display, large battery, nice camera, and competitive specs, all at a sub-$200 price point. You can read my impressions below.
Google 'Science Journal' Android app is a digital notebook for STEM education
While all jobs and careers are important to society, scientists are arguably the greatest drivers of change. These professionals are responsible for curing diseases, improving our quality of life, and advancing our knowledge of the world.
In order to keep a steady crop of quality scientists coming out of universities, it is important to create ways to foster interest in STEM -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- at a young age. With this in mind, Google releases an Android app, called Science Journal, aimed at helping young students record and trend scientific experiment results.
Why is Google bringing Android apps to Chromebook?
Answer: Your kids. Chromebook leads laptop and desktop sales through U.S. commercial channels to schools, according to NPD. Education is overwhelmingly the primary market for the computers. The institutions can't buy enough of the thangs, for their utility and low-cost compared to notebooks running either OS X or Windows. That cost is as much about extended webapps and services from Google (or its developer partners), available for free or comparatively next-to-nothing, set against software for the other platforms.
Wrinkle in the Google firmament: iPhone and Chromebook are like water and dirt. The sediment settles unless shaken up. Sure youngsters can do all their Googly things—Docs, Gmail, Maps, Photos, YouTube, etc. -- on iOS but the experience is smoother and more homogenous when mixed Android and Chrome OS. What the kiddies lack, and their educators, is a swath of useful apps like the Apple kids get.
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