Google Drive Update Bringing Better Duplicate File Management

Google has announced that a change is coming to Google Drive to help cut down on duplicate files.  The update is currently in Rapid release mode with a full roll out happening in a few weeks.  Once it does, if you have file that you are trying to upload to your Drive with the same user name, that older version will be made a part of your revision history and not a separate file.

A common use case for Google Drive users is to download a file from their Drive to modify it locally, and then to re-upload the new version. In the past, this would result in duplicate files (the original and the new one), and users would have trouble finding the latest version. That’s why we’re introducing a change in Drive to deduplicate files which were uploaded in this way.

Once launched, when users upload files that have the same filename as an existing file, they’ll be deduplicated, and the old file will be in revision history. This is so that if any mistakes are made, users can get back to the previous version. Similarly, uploaded folders will be merged with folders of the same name.
For heavy Drive users and for those of us who work on files offline a lot, this will be a very welcomed feature as it will cut down on the duplicate files and subsequent having to clean the up.

Microsoft Updates Arrow Launcher with IM Support

Microsoft has rolled out yet another update to their Android launcher, Arrow Launcher.  The update marks the third significant update to the launcher over the course of the past three weeks as the company continues to improve the performance and information in the app.  This latest update, version 2.3.0.26056 for those keeping score at home, brings a handful of changes with the most notable being IM support on the Recent tab.  Now that tab will show you recent Instant Messages that you have received from Facebook Messenger, Skype and other messaging apps.  Now you don’t necessarily have to open each app to see your latest interactions on those apps.

How To Configure Emergency Information in Android Nougat

For most people, user profiles in Android is a rarely thought of or configured feature of the platform.  To be fair, in Android Lollipop and Android Marshmallow, outside of a work environment configuration, profiles did not have a lot of bang or, frankly, use.  That changes for the better in Android Nougat.  Like many features in this evolution of Android, the team at Google took something already in the Operating System and improved it.  In this case, significantly.

For those who aren’t familiar, User profiles allow you to have different users use the same device.  Let say you want to have a profile for the kids and one for yourself that has different apps installed.  It is a pretty cool feature but just not something most people need.

In Nougat however there is a good reason to go and fill out the Owner user profile for your phone or tablet.  You can now add emergency information to your profile and that information can be accessed through the emergency dialer on the phone should you be incapacitated.  In this How To, I’ll show you where to access this information, how to fill out the details and how to access it in an emergency.  It could make a big difference for first responders should you be unresponsive.

Today’s Deal – Sony Xperia M4 Aqua Down to $149 at Amazon

Today’s Deal over at Amazon is on the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua.  This 5″ Android phone is down to $149 over at Amazon, a savings of over $50.  The phone is unlocked and is compatible with GSM carriers here in the US (AT&T and T-Mobile), it has 16GB of storage which can be expanded thanks to the MicroSD slot and is water IP68 certified against dust and water.  That means this phone is dust and water proof up to 1.5 meters deep for up to 30 minutes.  Powering the Xperia M4 is the Snapdragon 6.15 processor clocked at 1.5GHz with 2GB of RAM installed.  If you are looking to pick up a solid performing phone at a great price, this could be a good option for you.

Google 7″ Android Tablet Likely On Its Way

Based on a leak from the ever reliable Evan Blass, it looks like we could well see a new 7″ Android tablet from Google coming very soon.  In fact, it could be as early as next month with the October 4th event slated to announce the new Pixel phones, a 4K Google Cast device, Google Assistant and Google Home.  Adding a tablet to that mix wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.

If the rumor is true, this would be a welcome device by many Android fans.  The very popular Nexus 7 (2013) tablet is no longer available or supported as far as major releases are concerned and the only real Google branded tablet option is the Pixel C.  That’s a nice device and Android Nougat has certainly made it more usable, but at 10″, it is bigger than what some people will want or need.

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