Google Android 5.0 Lollipop Source Code being pushed to AOSP!

Well what do we have here, Android Lollipop being uploaded to AOSP as we speak! As you can imagine, a code dump like this takes a great deal of time, and it could be hours before everything is completed. At the moment, the branch is being referred to as “lollipop-release” and it carries a build number of LRX21M, though its official release tag should be android-5.0_r1 when it ‘fully hits’.

Even more exciting, it’s also only a matter of time before device-specific repositories for all Nexus hardware shows up, and at least a few have already surfaced including the Nexus 7 (2013) LTE ‘deb’ and Nexus 7 (2013) Wifi ‘flo’. It is worth noting that a new repository for Android TV is also available now, though it is hard to say whether or not the full code will be uploaded.

Once everything is uploaded, it’ll only be a matter of time before developers and many others begin playing around, bringing us hidden goodies and so much more. And before you ask, no the Nexus factory images are not up yet. Patience my friends, all in good time.

Gmail 5.0 is rolling out to Google Play, grab the APK now! (update)

Update: While we reported on Gmail 5.0 rolling out to Google Play over the weekend, and even included an APK for download, it turns out we were a little premature. The app had not in fact hit Google Play for anyone, and the APK was simply a very far along (essentially finished) copy. We don’t have the final Google Play APK yet, though hopefully it is only a matter of days before it hits your device. We’ll be sure to update if/when we get our hands on the officially ‘final’ version of Gmail 5.0. 

Last night Gmail 5.0 apparently began to rollout, bringing Material Design goodness and even support for email accounts from other providers including Yahoo, iCloud Mail, Outlook and basically any account that supports IMAP/POP or Exchange.

Having the ability to place all your accounts under one roof is a welcome change, and means that you no longer need to juggle multiple email clients. Of course the existence of Inbox (which doesn’t support other account types) kind of gets in the way of this “one email-app to-rule them all” philosophy — but I digress.

As for the Material Design changes in Gmail 5.0? Gone is the gray coloring that was pretty everywhere in the previous version of Gmail, and the usual (for MD) splash of red coloring has also made its way to the header and status bar, as well as the circular button for composing new emails. Another big change is the redesigned navigation drawer, which looks sharper and has a new interface for switching accounts that works better (and is faster) than before.

As for the way emails work, unread messages are now bolded. Once you’ve read the messages they are then unbolded. You’ll also notice that the emails themselves now have circular images, instead of the old square pics. Those are some of the biggest changes you’ll find here, but the bottom line is that Google has revamped the entire Gmail look and feel in order to fit in with Android 5.0 Lollipop and Material Design.

If you are interested in picking up the app, you can grab it for manual installation from GappsEarly, or you can wait until the full rollout on Google Play. For those that have tried the latest version of Gmail, what do you think of the new look?

Google updates its Material guidelines for developers

Android 5.0 Lollipop is almost here, and that means more developers are (hopefully) preparing for the biggest changes to Android yet but updating their own apps to better fit Google’s new look. While I personally liked Holo quite a bit, it took a long time for many app developers to follow suit with Google’s direction and some never did. So what will be different this time around? For one thing, Google seems to be doing more to reach out to developers and show them “the way”. This includes actively updating Material Design guidelines so developers know exactly what Google wants and expects when it comes to the standard.

With that in mind, Google took to its blog today and announced a big set of improvements to its guidelines. Some of the changes are the addition of links to Android developer docs, a new “What is Material” section that gives app developers a deeper look at what exactly Material Design is all about and a ‘what’s new section’ for highlighting the changes in the specs along the way.

That’s not all, Google is also providing more details on how to better design launcher icons and more:

• A new section on product icons (launcher icons for Android apps).
• New patterns like the navigation drawer, navigational transitions, scrolling techniques, swipe to refresh, date/time formats, and errors.
• New and updated components including pickers, dialogs, and menus.
• A new usability section on bidirectionality.

Obviously these guidelines are really meant for developers, but they are important for end users too. Why’s that? For one thing it helps further illustrate Google’s commitment towards making Material Design accepted by developers. In turn, that means we should see more app developers bring this unified look to their apps and hopefully that means less ‘rogue’ apps that follow their own thing (in an ugly way..) and ignore Google guidelines completely.

For more details on the guideline changes, check out Google’s blog. What do you think of Material? Like the changes being made or not? Do you think developers will actively embrace it?

Google Calendar getting Material redesign and smart new features

Google Calendar will get a massive update soon, bringing some much needed love to one of Google’s less flashy, yet very important applications.

The update is available today on Lollipop devices (read the Nexus 9), while less lucky users can expect it “in the coming weeks.” For now, all we have is Google’s blog post describing the update and some cool animations, but from them alone, this looks like a great release.

The new Calendar is drenched in Material design, with the signature action button allowing you to quickly create new events. The bold color palette and the smooth animations are complemented by maps, thoughtful graphics, or even imagery displayed based on your events. For instance, an event set in New York will show the city’s iconic skyline, while a night out event may show a “drinks” graphic.

But not all changes are skin deep – the most exciting addition in terms of functionality is Events. Basically, Google is bringing some of the smarts of Google Now to Calendar – when you receive emails confirming dinner reservations, concerts, or just a meeting, entries will be automatically created in Calendar. That should really remove much of the friction of using Gmail and Calendar together, assuming the system works reliably. Even better, Calendar will automatically update entries when you receive subsequent emails changing details of an event.

New Calendar also introduces Assists, which is basically a smart autocomplete that lets you quickly fill out names and places, as well as event entries like “running in the park” based on your previous usage.

The new Google Calendar is coming over the next weeks (probably sooner, rather than later) to all devices running Android 4.1 and higher. In the meantime, check out Google’s Calendar page for a closer look at the new design.

Blaming Nokia deal, Samsung doesn’t want to pay Microsoft royalties anymore

If I told you that Microsoft makes 5 times more money annually off of Android than it does Windows Phone, many would probably wonder “how/why/huh?”. Not only is it true that Microsoft ironically makes a whopping 1.6 billion dollars a year off of Android (about 5 times more than it does from Windows Phone), it’s also pretty safe to say that Samsung, the reigning Android market leader, is paying quite a large bulk of that amount to Microsoft. But maybe instead of “is” I should now use the word “was”, as Samsung has recently declared that they will no longer pay Microsoft royalty fees for Android. The reason? Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia.

MICROSOFT IS RAKING IN BILLIONS OFF ANDROID

Back in September of 2011, Samsung and Microsoft reached an agreement on a cross-licensing deal for Android phones and tablets, which included Samsung agreeing to pay Microsoft a set amount of royalties for specific patents used. Fast-forward to the end of 2013, which is when Microsoft announced that they would be purchasing Nokia’s mobile division for 7.2 billion dollars. Interestingly enough, Nokia went with Microsoft instead of Android because they feared Samsung would dominate the market if Nokia also ran under the Android name. Samsung did however did go on to dominate the market, Nokia didn’t do so well, and here we are now. So why exactly is Samsung refusing to pay previously agreed upon royalty fees?

To understand the reason behind this, you have to keep in mind that back in 2011 when a cross-licensing deal was reached, the two companies also reached an agreement on something else: To cooperate in the marketing and development of Windows Phone. That naturally would involve Samsung sharing some sensitive information with Microsoft. The deal also stated that royalty fees for Android would be reduced, provided that Samsung could reach specific sales targets for Windows phones.

Crying foul

Samsung is now crying foul, stating that the purchase of Nokia has now made Microsoft a direct hardware competitor. Because of this, Samsung feels that cooperating with Microsoft and openly sharing sensitive information is no longer possible, and that it directly violates the terms of the original 2011 agreement. Samsung also stated that it could create US antitrust issues, and filed that “The agreements, now between competitors, invite charges of collusion”.

THE AGREEMENTS, NOW BETWEEN COMPETITORS, INVITE CHARGES OF COLLUSION

Microsoft is so far very confident that the original agreement will stick, and stated that they feel they have a very strong case. The Redmond company is also seeking around 7 million dollars in damages as punishment for Samsung’s late payment of the billion dollar royalty fee from last year.

I can certainly understand both sides in this issue. Microsoft is entitled to royalties, as there are Microsoft patents in use with most Android devices. But did the original agreement reached in 2011 stipulate that Microsoft becoming directly involved in mobile hardware would be grounds for voiding the deal entirely? Samsung, who currently has their fair share of problems, also has a point. How can Samsung, the most dominant Android manufacturer in the world, share hardware secrets with a partner/now competitor company that develops their own hardware and software within the mobile sector?

Samsung will ‘fundamentally reform’ its smartphones going forward

Wikipedia

Samsung has announced that their earnings this past quarter were as bad as the some had predicted with profit from smartphones diving to the lowest in more than three years. With their operating profit down 60 percent and income from sales is down 20 percent than a year ago, Samsung’s revenue is and has been heading downwards.

Samsung’s head of investor relations, Robert Yi, told an earnings conference call that Samsung was lagging behind changing market conditions and that their response “was not quick enough.”

Now, Samsung is vowing to to “fundamentally reform [its] product portfolio.” According to Senior VP Kim Hyun-joon, Samsung will look to compete for “each price tier.”  This is in contrast to Sony who recently announced their own plans to focus on more premium, high-end devices. Kim also admitted that Galaxy Note 4 sales were only “marginally” successful and that Galaxy S5 sales were lukewarm.

“High-end smartphone sales result was somewhat weak,” said Kim Hyun-joon, senior vice-president at Samsung’s mobile communications business. “We will fundamentally reform our product portfolio.” - Guardian

It isn’t hard to see why Samsung would feel the need for radical change. While Apple, Xiaomi, Lenovo and LG Electronics all had more than 15% growth, Samsung’s shipments fell 8% to 78.1m smartphones in the third quarter and its market share fell from 33 percent to 24 percent.

Amazon jumps the gun, reveals champagne Moto 360 and new bands

Back in September Motorola first inadvertently revealed its plans for an eventual gold-colored version of the Moto 360, but since then there’s been no official word about this model. While Motorola has still yet to confirm its existence, today the “champagne gold” Moto 360 hit Amazon with the choice of a slimmer 18mm metal band or a 23mm that’s even slightly wider than the standard 22mm band found on current 360 straps.

The champagne gold Moto 360 was listed at $299, regardless of the version. Amazon also listed natural (brushed steel), black and champagne bands for $80 a piece, for those looking to add them to their existing watches. And finally, they even revealed a new Moto 360 model with the existing silver body and a brown ‘cognac’ leather strap for $250.

One thing you might notice is that I mention all the above in the past tense, and for good reason: all the above listings have since been pulled down. Of course, this is the Internet, and so many sites have since posted up screenshots showing off the new bands and champagne-colored body in detail (seen above and below).

So why did Amazon pull everything down? Considering Motorola has yet to reveal their plans for metal bands, the Champagne Moto 360, or the new brown leather strap — it’s likely that Amazon jumped the gun and pulled things down when they realized their mistake. Evidence of this comes from the fact that the shipping dates on the listings were about 1 to 2 months out.

What do you think of the new bands, and the new golden 360? Do you currently own a 360, if so, will you end up getting a replacement band once they officially arrive?

Lollipop will try to make it easier to control pre-installed bloatware

Several months ago, Strategy Analytics released the results of a study which showed that few, if anyone, use the large amount of bloatware that companies like Samsung include on their handsets. As the study showed, US users spent just six seconds on Samsung bloatware and many times that number was due to people accidently clicking on the bloatware app.

Just last year, Verizon received criticism for issuing an update to the Galaxy S3 that also involved installing a bloatware application called “Caller Name ID” which allowed people to change what name others see for a $2.99 monthly fee. Going back to 2010, Verizon received even more criticism for forcing some (not everyone) to use the Bing search engine when using the Samsung Fascinate. It didn’t help things that select phones were also configured to use Verizon’s VZ Navigator service for $10 a month rather than the free and better Google Maps.

Now, we are learning about a new feature that will be found in Google’s Android 5.0 Lollipop for several Nexus and Google Play Edition devices. Lollipop will have a “Play Auto Installs” feature that controls carrier carrier bloatware. In an interview with Ars Technica, Google’s Gabe Cohen stated that bloatware apps will not be on the system partition and that they can be removed by the user.

Burke: So the idea is as part of setup, Verizon might have some apps that you want like an app that tells you how much you used that month in terms of charges. There’s legitimate use cases where you want apps, but you also want those apps to be treated like any other app. What happens now is when you’ve got a Verizon SIM in the device, it actually installs Verizon apps as part of the setup flow, and then you can remove them if you want as part of the Play Infrastructure. And Verizon can update it.

Cohen: They’re not on the system partition.

Ars: Oh ok, so you can remove them?

Cohen: Yes.

Granted, this does not mean that users will be able to completely delete any apps that they want. Carriers still will have a say in this matter which should worry us as they likely will not want customers to take advantage of this feature.

Oh, and that’s Queen Cersei in the background

Let’s remember that Verizon is the same carrier who in 2012 spent months proclaiming how they loved open devices and platforms and followed that up by being the only carrier to lock the Samsung Galaxy S III boot loader, which restricted a consumer’s ability to remove the bloatware Verizon placed on it. To make matters worse, Verizon’s Support Twitter account tried to blame Samsung for the locked feature but then eventually deleted the tweet.

Samsung Gear S to launch in the US on November 7

Math is a funny thing: according to Harry Nilsson, One is the loneliest number; according to Samsung, it’s the busiest. One is, after all, the number of years that have passed since the Korean chaebol began the most aggressive onslaught on the consumer market in the company’s history. Since fall 2014, Samsung has put forth an astonishing 7 tablet lines, and 5 smartwatches. (For those keeping track: Note 10.1 2014, Note PRO, Tab PRO, Tab 4, Tab S, Tab Active, Tab 4 Nook, Galaxy Gear, Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, Gear Fit, and the Gear Live). Begin to count the mind boggling number of variants and chances are Samsung will have a new one out before you’re done. Ah wait, it already does.

Set for release in the USA next Friday (November 7th), the Gear S represents many things: Samsung’s first SIM-enabled smartwatch, Samsung’s first smartwatch with a virtual keyboard, and perhaps Samsung’s last venture into territory unneeded given its now epic financial problems.

Don’t let the pedigree fool you however, as the Gear S is in many ways what the original product should have been. Featuring a 2 inch curved SAMOLED display, an active mobile data connection via SIM (3G), an accelerometer, QWERTY keyboard software, UV sensor, barometer, S-Voice, a heart rate monitor, GPS and IP67 for dust- and water-resistance, and 4GB of on-board memory, literally the only thing it is missing is a camera.

The watch will be available in black and white from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile,Verizon, and at Best Buy’s Samsung Experience Stores. Pricing is yet to be announced, however the watch is already available here in Japan and retails for roughly $300 so expect something close to it.

Motorola is now a Lenovo company: $2.9 billion acquisition complete (Updated)

 

Update: In a blog post titled “Hello, Lenovo” Motorola had this to say about its new status:

As excited as we are about what’s changing, we’re also pleased with what we are carrying forward with us. We will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Lenovo and remain headquartered in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart while maintaining offices around the world, including in Silicon Valley. The iconic Motorola brand will continue, as will the Moto and DROID franchises that have propelled our growth over the past year. We will continue to focus on pure Android and fast upgrades, and remain committed to developing technology to solve real consumer problems. And we will continue to develop mobile devices that bring people unprecedented choice, value and quality.

Original post:

Google and Lenovo announced today that the $2.9 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility has been completed. Starting today, Motorola, the pioneer of mobile phones and one of the most iconic brands in consumer electronics, is a fully owned subsidiary of Lenovo.

Announced on January 29, 2014, the sale sees Lenovo taking over Motorola’s brand and smartphone portfolio, around 3,500 employees (most of them in the US), as well as some of Motorola’s patents and patent licenses. Google, however, will keep “a majority” of Motorola’s patent portfolio. Google paid $12.5 billion for Motorola back in 2011, in a move that most analysts called a patent grab.

Lenovo is paying about $660 million in cash and $1.5 billion in a 3-year promissory note, and Google will also receive shares of Lenovo stock worth approximately $750 million.

Rich Osterloh will continue to lead Motorola as President and CEO, and the company will keep its Chicago headquarters.

“CHOICE, COMPETITION AND A NEW SPARK OF INNOVATION”

“Today we achieved a historic milestone for Lenovo and for Motorola – and together we are ready to compete, grow and win in the global smartphone market. By building a strong number three and a credible challenger to the top two in smartphones, we will give the market something it has needed: choice, competition and a new spark of innovation,” said Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO, Lenovo.

Lenovo claims it can bring Motorola back to profit within four to six quarters from the completion of the takeover. With Motorola in the fold, Lenovo hopes to sell 100 million mobile devices this year, for the third place in the market, behind Samsung and Apple.

In the past, Lenovo said Motorola would operate autonomously and that it will be its main presence in the Western markets, where the company still has great brand recognition.

Google’s new Chrome extension is a Bookmark Manager for the modern age

Remember Google Stars, the cloud-based bookmark manager replacement that leaked in “dogfood” form back in May? It looks like it’s finally ready for the spotlight, albeit under a different and less inspiring name – Bookmark Manager.

Now available for free in the Chrome extension catalogue, Bookmark Manager replaces Chrome’s drab default bookmarks tool with a fresh card-based interface featuring bold colors and a touch of Material design.

Once installed, you can click on the star icon displayed on the right side of the address bar – a.k.a the omnibox – to instantly add a web page to your bookmark collection. Alternatively, you can simply hit Ctrl+D on Windows or Cmd+D on Mac.

In essence, the new Bookmark Manager delivers the same functions you get from the default bookmark tool, with a couple of extra niceties, like Auto Folders. This feature groups your bookmarked pages based on topic – for instance, if you have lots of pages about Google, Bookmark Manager will create a “Google” auto folder. There’s also a Google-powered search box for digging deeper into your collection.

It’s not clear yet how does this revamp fit in the larger picture. Does Google has bigger plans for bookmarks? Nevertheless, it’s good to see Google giving some attention to this long-neglected aspect of Chrome.

Check out Bookmark Manager in the Chrome extension store.

LG Display announces world’s narrowest 0.7mm bezel LCD display

LG Display is having a good year so far, having seen profits increase last quarter, and the company has just made another important breakthrough in its smartphone display technology. LG Display has announced a 5.3 inch Full HD LCD panel which has the world’s narrowest bezel – just 0.7mm. For a little perspective on just how crazily thin this bezel is, the thickness of a credit card is 0.8mm.

LG managed to accomplish this through a combination of two new manufacturing techniques. Its Neo Edge module processing technology uses an adhesive to seal the edges of the circuit board, rather than double-sided tape. This helps cut down on bezel width by removing the need for a plastic guide to attach the panel to the LCD backlight. The tight seal also helps to reduce light leakage, as well as making the panel water and dustproof.

LG’s Advanced In-Cell Touch (AIT) technology is used to squeeze the display’s touch panel inside the LCD module, helping to cut down on space requirements and also keep costs down as it requires fewer components.

Remember, LG isn’t the only company working on ultra-thin bezel technology. Sharp already has its almost bezel-less Aquos Crystal smartphone on the market. LG Display will begin mass production of its new smartphone panel in November and will be supplying customers in China first