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The always-useful BetterBatteryStats has received a major update that brings both a new look and full functionality on Lollipop devices. The interface remains fairly minimalistic, but at the least could be described as Material-esque. No hamburger menus or anything like that, but you have the bare bones there.
We first caught wind of an in-progress visual redesign of Pandora's Android app back in September, but it hasn't reached the masses until today's update to version 5.7. Pandora, which had a very dated interface, was well overdue for some kind of reimagining. While Material Design fans are sure to be disappointed, there are several notable improvements and the overall look is much cleaner and modern.
Over a year after quietly introducing the feature in the USA, Google has added the ability to send money through Gmail in the United Kingdom. While Google likes to emphasize the fact that you're sending the money through Gmail, it's really done via Google Wallet. The main benefit is that you can embed the send/receive request within an email message and Google will do the heavy lifting for you in terms of enticing the recipient to sign up for a Wallet account, if necessary.
In what is apparently part of a bold push to take over the Mexican market, AT&T has announced their second carrier acquisition in Mexico in the past week. Just days ago, AT&T bought Iusacell, the third-largest cell provider in the country. Today, they are announcing the purchase of Nextel Mexico for $1.875 billion USD. Nextel is Mexico's fifth-largest carrier.
Just a couple weeks ago, HTC sent the Sense 6 Lollipop update to owners of the unlocked and developer editions of the One M8. Now, the kernel source for those devices has been posted to the HTCDev website. Remember, this is not the same as the Lollipop kernel source published well over a month ago for Google Play Edition devices; this is for phones running Sense.
Prepare your eyes and ears, because CyanogenMod is introducing a new boot animation in today's nightlies (for CM 12 builds). Your eyes need to be ready because this time, the background is white. Your ears, on the other hand, need to be ready for all the inevitable whining about how some users wish it was still predominantly dark. Rather than tiptoe around it, here are the goods:
Imagine the horror: one minute, you think you're finally getting Lollipop on your phone, the next your phone is soft bricked. That's the reality for owners of the 2014 Moto X on Canada's WIND Mobile, according to a flurry of reports on Reddit and elsewhere. At this point, the only surefire recourse seems to be bringing the phone to WIND to get it sent away for repair.
Reports indicate that Google has taken definitive steps towards launching their own cellular phone service, making a long-whispered rumor sound like more than just hearsay. Google is working on deals with both Sprint and T-Mobile to become a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) on their infrastructure. While details are sparse for now, this might be your surest bet to avoid bloatware if there ever was one.
Version 40 of Google Chrome went live today after a couple months in beta. There's no single headlining feature in this update, but there are a variety of genuinely useful additions and fixes. It is Wednesday, after all, and what better update than a major Chrome release?
The official mobile app of the NFL is getting a few new features in preparation for February 1st's Super Bowl. Verizon customers will enjoy live streaming of the game while anyone can access news, event maps, and a variety of content for those watching and attending the big game.
Not long after British Prime Minister David Cameron did the same, President Obama said Friday that he opposes encryption methods that are inaccessible to law enforcement. Rather naively, he advocated that the technology should still exist, but with methods of access for approved entities like police and preferred spy agencies. This is his first clear issue stance on the matter, though it is not necessarily out of step with his previous actions and statements.
If you are using data as a Verizon Wireless customer, Verizon is tracking you. Not only that, but their method to ensure that you can't navigate around it makes your unique identifier visible to every website you visit. The injected data has been called a "supercookie," a term that reflects the fact that it is not removable like a tracking cookie. Now, recent reports show that at least one third-party ad agency has been using Verizon's supercookie to track users after they have deleted cookies or opted out of data collection.
In a series of very minor updates, three of Verizon's DROID line will be getting Advanced Calling 1.0 enhancements. The Ultra, Maxx, and Mini will each receive what amounts to the same update, which is described as no more than "bug fixes and stability improvements" to Verizon's VoLTE calling service. For the unfamiliar, Advanced Calling promises far clearer voice quality by using only LTE when possible and on supported phones.
Just a day after pushing Lollipop nightlies to over 30 devices for the first time, CyanogenMod has now added more devices to the fray: the gambit of Android One phones, the LG G3 D855 (international), and the Nexus 6. Android One devices, owing to the control over software and hardware that Google has in that program, share a single ROM under codename "sprout."
While it might be hard to understand this latest change to Google Chrome at first, you will be very happy once you grasp it. On mobile, websites that have fixed elements - that is, headers or other content that stays in the same place on your screen regardless of which part of the page you are on - can be very annoying. This is especially true when you zoom in, because you often can no longer see the entire element. The update changes the way they are handled to make seeing both the fixed content and the webpage beneath it easier.
After a very short time in beta, QuickPic 4.0 is now in the process of going live. As we told you while it was being tested, this update brings a grab-bag of refinements and features. You may not notice much until you dig into your settings, but once you are there, the new theming ability will stick out the most. A variety of color schemes are available, which bring out the Material Design inspiration behind the interface.
Altec Lansing has announced a meaningful update to last year's Life Jacket speaker, which was pretty cool in its own right. This year's version is called the BoomJacket, which boasts double the battery life of its predecessor along with increased connectivity range. It can also be used as a portable charger for your other devices, though we don't have any specs on that just yet.
We have been wondering for a while when we'd see Lollipop-based builds from CyanogenMod, and now is that time. For this first round of nightlies, 31 devices will be supported with many more to come in the near future. CyanogenMod 11, based on KitKat, will now be on a weekly update schedule until its M13 release, after which development will be frozen. While some bugs are to be expected, all supported devices should have core functions working smoothly right away.
Ever wanted to take handwritten notes, but didn't want to write on a digital screen? Maybe you just don't want a Samsung device, the primary Android manufacturer to offer active digitizers (better known as the "S Pen" in their marketing materials). Livescribe's smartpens have, up to now, been just a nearly perfect solution for many. You can write on real paper* and have your notes rather effortlessly synced to select digital destinations. It is suddenly looking even better, though, because long-awaited Android support is on the way.
When you find yourself needing to use your phone as a flashlight, you usually need it quickly. Those who do not have one of the few devices/ROMs that have support for quick access to the built-in LED for use as a light end up fumbling through their app drawer looking for the appropriate app to do so. Power Button Flashlight/Torch is an app that lets you use your power button as a trigger for this purpose, even when your screen is off. And yes, this is achievable without rooting your device.