Tag: Android

Today the second Developer Preview of Android Oreo 8.1 was released to those in the Android Beta Program.  The update brings the November 2017 Android Security Update to the beta program and OTA updates for those with devices enrolled should start flowing today and throughout the next few days.

This will be the last Developer Preview of Oreo 8.1 before it is generally released next month.  You can read about all the major updates & changes coming in Oreo 8.1 here.

The 2nd preview more-or-less fixes bugs and other issues found in the first preview released last month.  The new Pixel Visual Core, which was not in DP1, is now enabled in this second preview.  For those that are familiar with this feature, it is Google’s first co-processor for image processing and Machine Learning.  Currently it is only available in the Pixel 2 lineup.

Following through on their commitment to get Android Oreo updates out to various devices, Sony has begun rolling out the latest Android build to the Sony Xperia XZ and the XZs today.  The build, version 41.3.A.0.401 for those keeping score at home, comes in at just over 1.2GB in size and brings all the goodness of Oreo to these two devices as well as some Sony specific features.

Xperia Actions comes with this update and it gives recommendations on the best configuration for the device based on scenarios.  They have also added Smart Text Selection which suggests actions based on the content of selected text.

Due to the size of the upgrade, it is only going to be available to download via WiFi and you will want to make sure you have at least 70% of battery life remaining prior to updating (or have your phone charging via AC).  The update will take about 15 minutes to complete including a reboot after it is done.

Good news this morning for HTC U11 owners here in the Americas, the Android Oreo update the company has promised before the end of the year has arrived.  Starting today, U11 owners will start getting the OTA update to Oreo with the process likely taking several days (or even a week or two) to complete.

This is for the unlocked variant only.  If you are locked to a carrier then the update will be later.

The news of the rollout came from HTC’s VP of Product Management Mo Versi on Twitter.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. The Oreo OS update will be available for download on the HTC u11 unlocked version starting on Monday! Enjoy!

— Mo Versi (@moversi) November 25, 2017

You will be able to manually check for the update in the System Updates area of Settings on your U11.

Microsoft has rolled out a new update to the Bing search app for Android today.  Version 7.4 of the app brings mostly under-the-hood fixes and improvements to the search app but does have two new widgets for Bing Rewards tracking.

For those who aren’t familiar, Bing Rewards are points that you accumulate as you use the app on your phone, PC or if you use Microsoft Edge on your PC as your browser.  You can then use these points for discounts in the Microsoft store.   It is a program that Bing has had for several years and remains popular.

With the 7.4 update, you will have the ability to add one of two widgets.  The first is an adjustable panel which shows you your progress and a quick link to go search using the search engine.  The second is a non-adjustable round dial style that shows your progress.  I’ve added a screen shot at the end of this post so you can see them.

Good news for readers who have the Nokia 8 flagship from from HMD Global.  The company’s Chief Products Officer, Juho Sarvikas, took to Twitter this morning to make the announcement.

O k, here we go
R eviewed your feedback
E verything is polished
O fficial update rolling out today! #AndroidOreo #Nokia8 #Oreo #Nokiamobilebetalabs pic.twitter.com/QpZeh9JTu0

— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) November 24, 2017

The beauty of the Nokia 8’s Android Oreo update is that it is completely uncluttered with bloatware or skins. It is pure Android, just what the company had indicated they would be doing for all of their devices as Oreo is rolled out.

As part of Black Friday sales today, Amazon has lowered the price on the Asus Chromebook C302 today.  Both the Intel m3 and m5 models are down by $50.  The m3 powered model is down to $449 today while the m5 unit is down to $619.  Aside from the processor, you are looking at the exact same specs for both variants.

The Asus Chromebook C302 has a 12.5″ display that has a resolution of 1920 x 1080.  It has an Intel Core M processor clocked at 2.2 GHz so it has a lot of horsepower under the hood.  Couple this with 4GB of DDR3 RAM and 64GB of storage, you have a Chromebook that can handle being your every day computer needs.