Category: Android

The Google Apps team have announced some new editing features for both Google Docs and Google Sheets.  These new features are coming to the apps on both Android and iOS and should be rolling out to devices over the course of the next few days via an OTA update.  Both features are aimed at bringing more desktop-like editing features to the mobile device so you don’t necessarily have to be at a Chromebook, PC or Mac.

For Google Docs, you can now edit documents while you are in Print Layout view within the app.  To edit the doc, just tap on the edit pencil icon and you can make your edits without having to leave Print Layout view.

The Google Play Movies & TV app has been updated with several small but important improvements.  The update build, version 3.15 for those keeping score at home, brings improved movie watching controls that are more intuitive and similar to other apps.  Gone is the banner style controls that were on the bottom of the display and it is replaced with a progress style bar that indicates how far along you are in a movie.  To fast forward, simply slide your finger across that progress bar and a single frame will pop up above your finger to show you that scene.  To start playing again, simply lift off the screen.

The forth and quite possibly the final Developer Preview of Android N is now available for developers and those who are in the Android Beta program.  The updated build number is NPD56N and while the OTA update for those enrolled in the Beta program hasn’t started rolling yet, it should be by the end of the day.  Perhaps the biggest news in this update is that it contains what will be the final shipping version of the APIs (API 24) for the release.  That means developers can start in earnest getting their apps updated for N.

Microsoft has once again updated their Android launcher app, Arrow Launcher, with some nice improvements.  The update, version 1.4 for those keeping score at home, brings several improvements in user controls.  For example, you can now hide page headers, a feature that many users of the launcher had requested.  Users can also hid SMS preview on the People and Recent page.  This change is done in the Settings of the launcher.  Both of these changes represent the fact that Microsoft is indeed listening to users of their apps as both were heavily requested changes.

Good news for those of you who have an unlocked HTC 10 here in North America.  A new software update is rolling out to you that brings several fixes and improvements along with the June Android Security Update.  The new build, version 1.80.617.1 for those keeping score at home, is rolling out now and should be hitting all devices over the course of the next few days.  The update is actually pretty big all-said at just over 300MB and as most users will know, after you download it and install it, your phone will be restarted.

Today is a good day Blackberry Priv owners on T-Mobile.  The carrier has just updated their support page for the device and the OTA update to Android Marshmallow is starting to roll out to devices today.  The update you are looking for is build AAF153 and users will be prompted to update to this build between now and Friday, June 17th.  Once the update is available to you, you will need to make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi to download the 1.3GB update and you can expect the install time to take 20-30 minutes including a reboot in the process.