Passwords are a necessary nuisance in our modern digital lives: they help keep our accounts and personal data safe, but they're a hassle to keep track of and type out every time you need to log in somewhere. Android's Smart Lock for Passwords makes everything much easier by letting users automatically logging in on Android, as long as the password is synced to their Google account. Somewhat unfortunately, though, each app has to be updated to work with Smart Lock, so support isn't as ubiquitous as one could hope. Thankfully, many developers eventually do add support for Smart Lock, and the NBC app is just the latest one on that list.
Read MoreNBC releases its app for Android TV
Last night the US cable network NBC released an app for streaming content to the Android TV platform. It's pretty similar to NBC's other Android app, but, you know, for Android TV. The UI has been reworked to look better on a larger-format display but, presumably, offers all the same content you expect.
Read MoreNBC's Breaking News app and service will shut down tomorrow
News are all around us nowadays but quality news reporting that also happens to be fast and accurate is not easy to come by. Breaking News, a separate startup inside NBC News Digital Network, was one of the most popular and respected news aggregators that tried to solve that problem through a team of dedicated editors and a network of trusted partners. It then broadcast important news through its website, various social networks (@BreakingNews with >9M followers, +BreakingNews, and Breaking News on Facebook) as well as mobile apps including an Android app with over 500,000 installs.
But alas, NBC News decided at the start of the month that the service was not generating enough revenue to sustain itself and that it was time to shut it down.
Read MoreNBC's app gets a pretty modern design overhaul, fewer commercials, and better Chromecast support
Of the thousands and thousands of apps on the Play Store, very few get updated to meet the latest design trends and guidelines. Some developers take their sweet time, others never bother, thinking that a functional app is all that's needed and design isn't too relevant.
NBC's Android app was neither here nor there. It followed more of a Holo aesthetic, with some more modern elements like the hamburger menu. Now, however, it's taking a leap forward with a major redesign. The Holo-like dark grey and blue tabs are still there, but they're much less flagrant now, the font is changed, and the iconography has been improved throughout.
Read MoreBravo Now and SyFy Now let you stream full episodes of the two channels' shows
There are many ways to stream your favorite shows nowadays, from Netflix to Hulu to Play Movies & TV, and now you can add two more to the list. NBCUniversal Media has released dedicated apps for two of its channels: Bravo and Syfy.
The apps, not-so-aptly titled Bravo Now and Syfy Now, let users stream full episodes of their shows the day after they're aired. Previously available episodes might also be accessible, but only for select shows. This is essentially a way for you to catch up with an episode the next day if you missed it and forgot to DVR it (do people still do that?), but it is not a way to stream the live channel as it happens, unlike the "Now" in the name hints at.
Read MoreNBC's Olympics app includes scores, schedules, news, and video of everything except the actual events
The summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro should be interesting to watch this year, if only in the same sense that a burning building is hard to ignore. As it has been for decades, NBC will be the sole media outlet for the games in the United States. Sports fans can use the official NBC app to keep up with the Olympics on their phones and tablets... though keep in mind that the results of the games, including medal winners, statistics, and a general schedule, will be available in all the usual places like ESPN and Google Now.
Read MoreT-Mobile Adds Video From Spotify, Tidal, NBC, Univision, Noggin, And More To Binge On Service
Despite some technical objections, T-Mobile's unlimited video streaming option Binge On has proven to be a hit with the company's customers, just as the audio equivalent Music Freedom was before it. With these two programs, T-Mobile customers aren't charged against their data caps for watching or listening on participating services. Today Binge On expands to a few new services, and existing Music Freedom services are adding at least some video content to Binge On.
Read MoreThe Official NBC Android App Now Supports Chromecast Video Streaming
The adoption of Chromecast as a de facto streaming standard was rapid, helped in no small part by the fact that it was the cheapest streaming gadget on the market which was immediately compatible with both major mobile phone systems. But not everyone leaps to support new tech, and old media giants like the National Broadcasting Company have never been accused of being nimble. So it took NBC the better part of three years to support Google's streaming standard, so what - it's not like they're a multi-million dollar entertainment company backed by an international supercorp.
Oh wait, they are.
The Chromecast support in NBC's official network app doesn't come with any other notable changes, though video streaming appears to work with all of the live and pre-recorded video within.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
NBC's Seeso App Hits Google Play With Late Night, Stand Up, TV Shows And Other Ad-Free Comedy For $3.99 A Month
The great uncable-ing is upon us. Say goodbye to cable networks and expensive plans. Say hello to Internet streaming and an overabundance of inexpensive plans that eventually add up to something kinda expensive. NBC's Seeso is the latest video streaming service you can download from Google Play.
Read MoreInBrief
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