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SwiftKey has been my go-to keyboard on every Android device I've owned for the last...long time. Google's stock keyboard keeps getting better and better, but it just can't seem to match what SK can do, and every time it gets close, the SwiftKey guys generally push an update that puts it back in the lead by a large margin.
When I switched over to Lollipop on my Nexus 5, I was too lazy to transition back to the Google Now launcher to get that Lollipop aesthetic. Instead, I stuck with Nova, knowing that eventually I'd get the look on TeslaCoil's third-party launcher. Well, today's the day, assuming you're running the beta version of the app.
I love Lastpass. I've been using it for over a year at this point, and I fear I can no longer live without it. A few months ago, the Lastpass Android app gained the ability to detect password prompts on the web and in apps and offer suggestions for autofill - much like the browser extension does. It worked well enough, though was kind of buggy. Still, the convenience outweighed the annoyance, so I think we all gave it a pass.
Whenever Google announces a new version of Android, everyone wants to know when they'll get it. If you're an NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet owner, today is your day for Lollipop. That's pretty incredible, as this update comes just days after Google started sending the 5.0 update to most of its own devices. In fact, ST is the first non-Nexus tablet to land the Lollipop update. It's worth noting that, while the update is ready for both the LTE and Wi-Fi versions of the device, NVIDIA is waiting on carrier approval for the LTE update, so it'll be pushed back just a bit later.
In the last several versions of Android, it was possible to quickly access an app's info screen (in Settings) by popping open the recents menu and long-pressing the app in question. If this is an oft-used feature and you've already updated to Lollipop, then you probably noticed almost immediately that it's seemingly gone in 5.0. That's not actually the case - it's just hidden.
If you're a Greenify user who recently updated to Android 5.0, then you may have realized something peculiar: it was broken as crap. For me, it would constantly try to hibernate apps, but that wouldn't happen. As a result, it would try again. And again. And again. It literally drained my Nexus 5's battery twice within a four hour window. I was left with only one choice: uninstall it until an update came out.
If you've got a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 (or SGN1012014, as I like to call it) on T-Mobile, you may want to head into Settings > About tablet > Software updates and see if there's something waiting for you. Team Magenta started pushing the 4.4.4 update out today, which also brings Download Booster along with it. Fun times.
I really dig Soundfreaq speakers. In my opinion, they offer some of the best bang-for-your-buck you can get in the portable speaker market. And if you're on the hunt for a good ultra-portable speaker, you'd be hard-pressed to find something better than the Pocket Kick. It's a little-bitty thing that makes not little-bitty sound. In fact, I reviewed it a while back and did a comparison between it and the Jawbone Jambox Mini. No contest.
When Google announced YouTube Music Key, we had a few questions, most of which revolved around how this would affect Google Play Music All Access subscribers. Music Key's inclusion of All Access was part of the announcement, but it wasn't stated whether or not AA subscribers would automatically get access to Music Key, or if they'd have to sign up for the service all over again. Of course, that would be a really stupid way to handle things, so thankfully Google isn't doing that.
If there's one thing I've learned about Amazon's mobile approach over the last couple of years, it's that they love to give stuff away. Free apps, free coins for downloading said free apps so you can get more free apps...and the like. I'm not the biggest fan of the Amazon Appstore, but I am a pretty big fan of free stuff, and in this situation it just so happens that my like for free stuff outweighs my dislike for the Amazon Appstore. So, here are more free apps.
Guys, it's happening (....gif). The rumored YouTube music service that we've been hearing about for months is finally a reality. It's called YouTube Music Key, and it looks pretty great.
We've been waiting for what seems like an eternity for solid information about Nexus 6 carrier availability, and AT&T just announced that it will offer pre-orders beginning tomorrow, November 12th.
Guys, it's happening. It's really happening – a real guitar amp simulator is available on Android. IK Multimedia's Amplitube is one of the most popular amp sims on iOS, and the company has been working with Samsung to bring it to Android. But, of course, there's a catch: it's only for the Note 4 and Note Edge for now.
Nexus 6 pre-orders have been a bit of a mess here in the U.S., with the majority of users still not able to throw their money at Google in exchange for this massive and elusive device. With everything running so, uh, smoothly (?), it's only logical that Google releases it to a dozen or so other Play Stores, right? Right.
Runtastic Launches Sleep Better, A Sleep Tracking App That Has Absolutely Nothing To Do With Running
If you're like most adults, then you probably don't get enough sleep. With the constant state of gogogo on everyone's mind these days, we're all so busy that it takes time from nature's way of replenishing the body, which is why it's so important to get quality sleep when we do lay down at night. Runtastic has a new app that aims to help users keep track of their sleeping patterns, appropriately called Sleep Better.
Android TV, and by association Nexus Player, are the evolution of Chromecast. It essentially eliminates the need to use a middleman device like a phone or tablet if the user chooses, and allows them to interface directly with the device and TV in many cases. While it still retains all the functionality of Chromecast, a dedicated box allows for a much more robust and feature-rich system, as well as more room for future enhancements.
Let's talk about massively huge tablets. When's the last time you said to yourself, "you know, I sure wish Google would make a Nexus 20...?" Probably never. You know why? Because as adults, we want tablets to be portable, utilitarian devices. Kids, though? Those crazy little humans don't care about utility or portability. They only care about maximum fun. So really, it only makes sense that a bigger screen = more funnerer, right? In the mind of a child, I'd say yep.
I dig my TYLT VU, and it's how I charge my Nexus 5 basically every night. Like most users who get used to never having to plug in their phone, I get slightly annoyed when I have to search for the cable and stab the microUSB port for a dose of juice. Typically, this only happens in the car, because I've been using a standard car charger for what seems like an eternity. Till now, anyway.