Chrome OS Updated To Chrome 53 on Most Devices

September 9, 2016 Chrome OS No Comments

Chrome OS has been updated today to build level 53 for a wide range of devices.  The new build is version 53.0.2785.103 (Platform version: 8530.81.0) for those keeping score at home and it is already available to download to your Chromebook or Chromebox.  The update is for the vast majority of devices out there with the notable exception of the Google Chromebook Pixel (2015), Acer Chromebook R11, ASUS Chromebook Flip C100PA, HP Chromebox CB1, and Acer C7 Chromebook.  Those devices, as you probably already know, are running a built that includes Android apps.  This new build for the rest of the devices out there does not contain the ability to add Android apps to your Chrome device.

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Paranoid Android Now Supports Nextbit Robin

September 9, 2016 Android, Nextbit, Nextbit Robin, Paranoid Android No Comments

Paranoid Android, the name of the team and AOSP-based ROM for a number of Android devices, has announced that they have setup a partnership with Nextbit and have released a ROM for the device.

The device lineup has been updated to include yet another device – The Nextbit Robin. Huge thanks to Nextbit for hooking us up with devices and believing in the open source project. This release is only for the Robin & the OnePlus 3.

The news is exciting for those who like what is arguably one of the cleanest and more robust ROMs available for Android devices.  Having the addition of the Nextbit Robin and the OnePlus3 will give those tech savvy users an option over the stock Android builds from each manufacture.

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How To Enable and Use Multi-Window View in Android Nougat

September 9, 2016 Android Nougat, How To No Comments

It may sound a little harsh but reality is reality. The Android experience on tablets has been, well, sucky.  The problem for the most part is that Android, when it comes to larger display devices, simply “blows up” the screen to make it work for that form factor. That’s not 100% true to be fair but it is by-and-large and that means that apps, especially under KitKat and Lollipop were ugly at best on Android tablets. Marshmallow improved things a lot and developers were also developing tablet versions of apps which helped at the same time.

The other big issues was productivity. Although you have more screen real estate on a tablet, Android was never really able to take full advantage of it. You could only view one app at a time which meant you were constantly having to use the Recent button on your table to navigate between apps. Productivity, which better than on a phone, was still hamstrung when it came to reaching its full potential.

If there is a banner feature that represents the entire Android Nougat release, it is multi-window viewing. Google, in this case, is very much catching up to Apple’s iOS for iPads as those devices have had the ability to view two apps at once for about a year now. However, what Google has done is fully and properly implemented this for tablets and phones that truly makes productivity much easier than it ever has been on an Android powered tablet.

In this How To, I will show you how to enter into multi-window view in Android Nougat and how to switch between apps once you are in multi-windows mode.  Once you get the hang of it, it is pretty straight forward.

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AT&T Lets You Stream DirecTV Without Data Charges

September 9, 2016 AT&T, DirecTV No Comments

AT&T has announced that the latest update to the DirecTV app for Android (coming soon) and iOS, you will be able to stream content from the AT&T owned satellite television provider to your mobile devices on AT&T without incurring any data usage or charges.

Even better, you can stream video via your DIRECTV or U-verse App without using your mobile data when you’re on the go with Data Free TV on the AT&T mobile wireless network. It’s easy and automatic after registering and it doesn’t count against your AT&T mobile data allotment.

It is great news for those who have both services as you can watch your favorite show, game or movie on your devices over LTE without having to worry about eating up your data plan for the month.

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AT&T Updates The Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge – To Marshmallow

September 9, 2016 Android Marshmallow, AT&T, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Samsung Galaxy Note Edge No Comments

As a general rule, I try not to pick on any one particular carrier or device because whichever they happen to be, meets the need for some of the Android faithful.  But seriously AT&T, you need to get your act together.  Yesterday the carrier began rolling out the Android Marshmallow update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the Note Edge on their network.  That is nearly three months after the last carrier in the US (T-Mobile) updated the device on their network, six months after the first updates were done by Sprint and yes, a year after Marshmallow was released by Google.  AT&T is notoriously slow at getting updates out to their devices (which isn’t helped in this case as Samsung is slow as well) and this may well be one of the best cases.

Okay, enough complaining.  It’s here and that’s the good news.

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