Tag: Android

The Android Oreo update for the 2016 HTC flagship phone, the HTC 10, has been released for the unlocked variant.  The update is build 3.16.617.2 for those keeping score at home and it is a hefty 1.5GB download.  You’ll certainly need to download it via WiFi.

The update brings all the goodness of Android Oreo to the HTC 10 with things such as Picture-in-Picture, App Notifications and Notification channels just to name a few things.  The update also represents the last major update to the 10.  It shipped with Android Marshmallow in 2016 and was upgraded to Nougat last year.  Kudos to HTC for offering the upgrade on the two year old phone when many other manufactures don’t do so.

The unlocked variant of the HTC U11 here in the United States has a new update rolling out starting today.  The update is build 2.42.617.1 for those keeping score and brings the December 2017 Android Security Update patch to the phone along with other system improvements.  The update is just over 730MB in size so users will need to download it via WiFi before installing it.

HTC highlighted in the release note the December Android Security Update patch but everything else in the note falls under “system enhancements”.  No details are given on what exactly was enhanced but given the size of the download, it is likely a significant number of fixes and performance improvement tweaks to the phone.

If there is a flagship app from Microsoft on Android, outside of the Office 365 apps, it is Microsoft Launcher.  The launcher has proven to be very successful for the Redmond company, especially for those who are tied closely to the Microsoft ecosystem of other apps.  Now the company is rolling out an update to Launcher that brings more enterprise ties and other creature comforts to let you customize things more in it.

The update is version 4.5 for those keeping score at home and is rolling out now in the Google Play Store.  From an enterprise perspective, if you work for a company that leverages Microsoft Intune for data protection policies, you can now configure Microsoft Launcher to view that corporate data.  While you have always been able to add a corporate Office 365 account to the launcher, this new addition will give users with more strict data protection policies to leverage it on their phones.

Today’s Deal is on the Google Pixelbook and lets you score a free Pixelbook Pen.  Now through February 1st, if you order a Pixelbook from Amazon or the Google Store, you will get a free Pixelbook Pen, a $99 value.  There is no special code required on either site.  On Amazon, visit the Google Pixelbook page, select the configuration you want and make sure you select the Pixelbook + Pixelbook Pen option.  It will be added to your cart at no charge.  At the Google Store, add the two to your cart and you will see a $99 credit applied to your cart at checkout.

The Pixelbook Pen allows you to access Google Assistant with a press of a button on it, so you can circle something on the screen and get information about it.  It also allows for digital writing and other editing features you would expect from a digital pen.

For the second time in less than six months, it looks like Google is going to be revamping the online Google Store.  A report from Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources within Google, suggests that the revamp will have Google Assistant front-and-center in the redesign where Google will sell their devices and those of sister Alphabet companies like Nest.

The move is in response to Amazon and their own digital assistant, Amazon Alexa.  Amazon had a two year start on Google when it came to personal AI-driven assistants, with Amazon still holding an estimated 68% market share with their Amazon Echo devices compared to the 25% for Google with Google Home.  The disparity has the Mountain View company worried and they are going all out to meet Amazon head on in the space.

With all of the news coming out around Huawei this week at CES, there was a point that got missed by many.  That is, the new Huawei Mate 10 Pro will be sold in Microsoft Stores.  The news of this was actually in the official press release about the Mate 10 Pro coming to Best Buy, Amazon, B&H and Newegg.  But in there was also Microsoft and it got missed by a lot of folks.

Like other retailers, the Mate 10 Pro will be available from Microsoft for $799.

The news of this should not come as much of a surprise for those who keep tabs on Microsoft and Android.  Earlier this month I posted about the fact that there are now more Android phones in the Microsoft Store for you to buy than Windows 10 Phones.  Given that the company has essentially stopped development on Windows 10 Phone, it is hardly a surprise that the focus is now on Android.