Tag: Android

A small update to Gmail is currently rolling out to the Google Play Store that brings support for GIF keyboards from within the app.  The update is build 7.3.13.151698241.release for those keeping score at home and who like to play Google version Bingo.  When it is installed, you will be able to insert GIF animations directly from the keyboard instead of having to go to another app, then copy-and-paste it into your message.  In order for it to work, you have to be using a GIF supporting keyboard like Google’s own Gboard.

Once you have the update, inserting GIFs is done like it is any other app when using a supporting keyboard.  You can search for GIFs from the keyboard, tap them, and they are inserted into your messages.

Twitter continues to tweak their service to give you more space in your replies on the service.  Starting today, the company is rolling out an update to users that eliminates the username of those to whom you are replying to from your 140 character limit.  This means you will have those characters to formulate your reply and, hopefully, not have to do so in multiple Tweets.

How this works is pretty straightforward.  When you reply to a Tweet, the @username part is removed from the tweet but you are shown who you are replying to at the top of the page on your Android phone.  While this isn’t a big deal for individuals you are replying to, for large groups, it is a big space saver.

With the release of the Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ and the LG G6, a new 18:9 (in the case of Samsung, 18.5:9) is making its way to Android devices and Android developers will need to support it.  If developers don’t update the maximum aspect ratio of their apps, their apps will be rendered at 16:9 on these devices.  That means that users will have a black bar at the top and bottom of the display.  It’ll work, but won’t be so pretty.

In a blog post on the Android Developer blog, Google has posted on this and is encouraging developers to increase the maximum ratio of their apps to support this new 18:9 view so their apps can take full advantage of the screen size.

Good news for those of you who are wanting to get your order in for the new Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8+.  All four of the major carriers here in the US have them available to order as well as Best Buy and Amazon.  If you do place a pre-order, you can expect your new Galaxy to be at your doorstep just before or on April 21st when the phone will be available in stores.  Demand for these phones is expected to be extremely high so pre-ordering is not a bad option.

All of the major carriers are pretty much around the same price for the phones which will be locked to their networks. AT&T will be offering the S8 for $749.99 outright or you can pay $25 per month for 30 months.  The S8+ will be $849.99 or $28.34 per month for 30 months.

Sprint will be offering the S8 at $744 or $31.25 per month for 24 months.  The S8+ will be $844 or $35.42 per month for 24 months.

For those of you who have the Huawei Mate 9, there is a significant software update waiting for you today.  The update brings a lot of performance and battery improvements to the 5.9″ phablet that is recommended for all users.  Specifically, you are looking for build MHA-L29C185B172.  It is just over 500MB in size so you will want to make sure you can download it via Wi-Fi and have plenty of battery left on your phone if you are not connected to AC.

The update primarily focuses on performance improvements on the Mate 9, particularly around the touchscreen.  It also improves the battery optimization which, based on my review, were already pretty solid.  This update will only improve them.

Based on postings on Google+ and reports from other sites, it looks like many of those who pre-ordered the new LG G6 have started to receive their new phones.  The official launch date for the phone here in the United States is April 7th but AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint users are reporting they are already receiving the new phone.  Verizon? Not so much.

Pre-orders for LG’s latest flagship started just last week and if you did pre-order, you would also receive a Google Home too.  Remember that the LG G6 is the first phone to launch with Google Assistant built in outside of Google themselves so the promotion, which goes through orders made until April 30th, makes sense.