Google Drops The Entry Level Chromebook Pixel From the Google Store

Google, much like what that did with the Nexus 9, have quietly dropped the entry level Chromebook Pixel from the Google Store.  The $999 premium Chromebook is gone although you can still pick up the beefy $1200 model in the store.  The timing of the removal from the store is not coincidental.  Just last week Google and HP announced the far more affordable, yet premium, Chromebook 13 G1 that has an all metal body and starts at $499.  That’s half the cost of the base Chromebook Pixel with an improved processor and essentially the same high resolution display.

OneDrive for Android Update Adds Document Scanning Function

Microsoft has released an update to the OneDrive app for Android that brings several new features.  The updated version is build 4.1 for those keeping score and out at the Google Play Store now.  The biggest feature change in this update is the ability to “scan” a document from within the app directly to your OneDrive account.  The new feature leverages the Office Lens functionality which, if you haven’t tried it, is mighty impressive in its own right.  Now OneDrive will leverage that technology and give you a clean, crisp image of a document.

Sony Releases Marshmallow for The Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact

Adding to the releases that the company made last week, Sony has released the Android Marshmallow update for another of their devices.  If you are an Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact owner, Marshmallow goodness is coming your way via an OTA update that should be hitting your device any time now.  The update you are looking for is build 23.5.A.0.570 which, if you remember, is the same build number across several other Xperia devices that have received the latest version of Android.

Apple Music for Android Update Brings Family Plan Support

Apple has released an update to the Apple Music app for Android today, bringing with it support for those subscribers with Family Plans as well as support for playing music videos within the app.  The update brings it more inline with Google Play Music for Android as the streaming music and video content battle (not really a war – yet) continues to heat up between the two tech giants.  Google has had Google Play Music for iOS for some time.

Google Launches Google Play App Security Improvement Program

Google’s commitment to security on Android is taking on a new angle.  They are making huge strides making the platform and apps running on them more secure.  To that end, Google has announced a new Google Play App Security Improvement Program which will not only point out security issues with apps that are published to the Google Play Store.  Not only will they point out security issues with an app being uploaded into the store by a developer, they have a whole set of security tips for developers to implement in their apps.

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