Author: Clinton

Wednesday if you caught up on the site I posted that there is a new version of Chrome for Android that has been released.  You can read that post for some of the nitty-gritty but it is mostly aimed at security fixes, performance enhancements and other under-the-hood updates.  There was however one new feature and it is one that I suspect a lot of readers will appreciate.  The bookmarks and recent history tabs have moved out of the menu and onto the main screen when you start the app.

Previously, when you want to open up your bookmarks or you want to find a site you had visited in your history, you had to use the menu in the upper right corner of the display.  It was a bit of a pain honestly as it put you a step removed from quickly being able to access them.  The Chrome team apparently felt the same way.  In this update they have both moved to the bottom of the screen so you can access either with just one tap.

Chrome for Android – Free – Download Now

If you own a Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X or Nexus 9, the latest update to Google Camera is for you.  Google has released an update to the app, bringing it to version 4.0 for those keeping score at home, and it is squarely aimed at Nexus owners as the updates all have to do with the user experience and features for those devices.  That is not to say non-Nexus owners won’t get this update but the benefits of the new features are only going to be seen on Nexus devices.

Depending on the device you have will depend on the features you get or see.  For Nexus 5, Nexus 6, and Nexus 9 owners, you will now have the new user interface that was part of the release for the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.  That user interface is cleaner and features a fast switching ability to go from photo to video with just a swipe across your device’s screen.  All owners of these devices will benefit from improved startup times of the app as well as easier access to photo modes through a top-left menu (Lens Blur, Panorama, Photo Sphere, etc).  It is a far easier and intuitive interface compared to the old one in the app and after updating last night and playing with it, I like it a lot more than the old user interface.

Google Camera – Free – Download Now

In our battery driven consumer world, making sure you have enough battery on your mobile device is key to getting through the day. Sometimes however that is a bit tricky depending on how busy the day has been for you. To meet that need, many companies have developed battery packs that you can plug your phone into so you can recharge without having to dive for that one electrical plug in the airport terminal. Some of these battery packs are nice and aesthetically pleasing while others are… well less so.

When I was contacted by EasyAcc about their PowerBank and they sent me a review unit, I knew that power wise it was going to be fine. What surprised me was the sleek design. This device does not look like a lump of battery sitting next to you at the airport. It’s rounded corners, plastic shell and color band around it make it look really sharp while still maintaining functionality. After all, the point of the PowerBank is to charge my Nexus 6 and Nexus 7 while I’m on-the-go. To that end, it performed flawlessly.

After using an invitation system on all three of their devices, OnePlus has announced that starting Saturday, December 5th, an invite will no longer be required to purchase a OnePlus 2, the companies 2016 flagship device.  The news came via the OnePlus forums and it certainly welcome news.  As I put in my article on why the OnePlus 2 needed to be successful for the company, I pointed out that the invite system had to go smoother than it did with the OnePlus One. It didn’t really and in fact many people found it quite frustration.  I get it though as it was a great way for the company to determine their production needs.  That, unfortunately and by their own admission, messed up (again) and that has not helped the nearly 2 year old startup phone company.

The OnePlus 2 has had good reviews and most users seem to be very pleased with the device.  For a 3GB RAM/64GB Storage device at only $389, it is a great value and should make everyone’s short list of device to consider for the holidays.  One key feature to be aware of however is the lack of NFC, something the still invite-only OnePlus X does have built in.

Google today announced their strongest commitment to the environment and renewable energy with the purchase of 842 megawatts of power, the largest purchase ever by a non-utility company.  The purchase, a combination of wind and solar sourced energy, will power the companies data centers and goes towards their goal of having all of their energy use as a company come from renewable resources.

Purchases and commitments like this are not new for Google.  They have been using & promoting renewable energy sources since they opened up their first company owned data center in 2006.  With the purchase the company made today, they now have 2 gigawatts of energy from renewable resources.  As they put it, that is the equivalent of taking 1 million cars off the road.

Yesterday’s news of Google Play Music now offering ad-supported streaming music in Canada was certainly welcome news.  But at the end of that announcement there was a passing mention around podcasts.

We thought that would be awesome, so today we’re announcing that we plan to start offering podcasts on Google Play Music, giving podcasters access to millions of new listeners on Android phones and tablets.

Now this in itself isn’t new.  Google announced this same thing when they launched the streaming service here in the US.  In fact, it is the exact same language. Interestingly however, as I researched this last night (after building my Fi Lego set of course), there is surprisingly little information on this or when it will be coming to Google Play Music.  The one clear thing that is known is that content is needed and if you have a podcast you want to offer up then it is time to get registered with Google on it.