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Google Opinion Rewards, the app that pays you Google Play Store credit for your opinion, has been updated and expanded.  Now Android users in Denmark, Norway and Sweden can take part in the program just by downloading the app and answering opinion questions as they are sent to you.  For those outside of these new countries, there is an app update available which has some stability fixes and other under-the-hood improvements that you’ll want to get.

If you aren’t familiar with the program, Google Opinion Rewards sends a survey once a week or so (sometimes more, sometimes less) that asks your opinion on anything from branding to places you visited to products and services.  Answering the survey’s will give you credit, up to $1, in the Play Store which you can spend later.  Most surveys are just a few questions so they are quick and easy to complete.

Microsoft has rolled out a nice update to their Android lock screen app, Next Lock Screen.  The update brings full integration of the company’s Bing search engine (which has had a big resurgence as of late) into the app so you can do search while your phone is still locked. The updated build is version 3.7.1 for those keeping score at home and if you have the app installed, the OTA update for you should be coming over the next day or two.  Once you have it, you will be able to tap on the Bing logo on the lock screen and do a search without having to unlock your phone.  It is a handy feature if you are searching while on-the-go.

Due to 35 reported cases of batteries exploding, Samsung has voluntarily stopped sales of the Galaxy Note 7 effectively immediately and are issuing a recall on all those sold.  The European launch of the device has also been delayed.

To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note 7.

The announcement will be a huge financial blow to the company but clearly is the right thing to do.  Demand for the Note 7 has been high but equally, the cases of battery issues has caused many to pause.  It is good to see the company responding in a proper way.

If have a Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge on the Verizon network, there is a new software update waiting for you.  The new build of Android Marshmallow addresses some call quality issues as well as enabling the FM radio built into the device.  Specifically, you are looking for Verizon’s software version MMB29M.G935VVRU2APG5 for those keeping score at home and it is currently rolling out to customers.  You can manually check for the update by going to Settings>System Updates.  It is a small one as Verizon is allowing users to download it over LTE but you can expect about a 10 minute download and another 10-15 minutes to install and reboot your device.