Top 10 Android Stories of the Week (May 27th)
There amount of Android news each week can be overwhelming, but you can follow the best of the best with an app called EarlyBird – News for Android. It includes ALL of the Android news you crave and lets users decide what matters most to them.
You can download the app on the Google Play Store or for desktop users, find related discussion in the Android Forums News section.
Here’s what you picked as your favorite news stories for the week:
#10 – The Developer Edition of Project Ara will be available in Fall 2016
36 likes – Project Ara has been under wraps for quite some time, but the Google ATAP team decided to surprise everyone on the last day of Google I/O 2016. The Google division revealed some more information as to when we’ll see this device, with developers getting their first look later this year.
#9 – Hands-on with Google’s modular phone prototype, Project Ara
37 likes – Although developers will be getting their hands on Project Ara devices this fall, The Verge was able to go hands on with the Google team. The walk-through shows us how Project Ara has changed over the past year, and what’s in store for the future.
#8 – Google seems to be working on a new OS update animation for Android N
37 likes – Android N is still in the works with new features being found and worked on every day. The guys at Android Police were able to spot a new animation being used during the Android OS update process. Some folks are still seeing the old animation, but Google is working on something new, nonetheless.
#7 – Levi’s Commuter Jacket is the first smart clothing item using Google’s Project Jacquard
38 likes – Introduced last year, Project Jacquard is another one of Google’s projects that has been kept under wraps until Google I/O. The company took to the stage to announce that the first piece of smart clothing would be introduced in beta-form, this fall with full availability in Spring of 2017.
#6 – Google will reportedly put pressure on Android OEMs who are slow at pushing out updates
39 likes – Google is tired of seeing updates lag so far behind that customers are left open to vulnerabilities weeks after a patch has been integrated. A new report suggests that Google will start putting pressure on OEMs to issue timely security updates and keep customers safe.
#5 – Google adds a battery quick settings tile to the Android N Developer Preview 3
41 likes – Another feature that has been added to the latest version of Android N is a battery quick settings tile, in the notification bar. You will see the remaining battery percentage on the tile, and when tapped, a battery graph will appear showing you some detailed info regarding your battery life.
#4 – You can view Chrome windows side by side in the latest Android N developer preview
41 likes – A big feature within Android N is the baked-in multi-window support. While diving into the 3rd Developer Preview for Android N, it was found that you can actually use Chrome windows side by side, instead of having to use two different internet browsers.
#3 – Check out Android N in all its glory in slow-motion
41 likes – Android N is getting a lot of attention these days, as we are inching closer to the full release. Now that Android N has moved from its alpha state to beta, one YouTuber decided to make an awesome video that showcases all the new animations in slow-motion.
#2 – Google says 90% of Nexus owners are using a secure lock screen because of the fingerprint scanner
42 likes – Fingerprint scanners are here and just about every manufacturer is creating a device with one built-in. A recent report states that, due to the inclusion of a fingerprint scanner on the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, more than 90% of Nexus owners are now using a secure lock screen.
#1 – Google Play is now rolling out its new “beta” feature
47 likes – At Google I/O 2016, Google announced that the Google Play Store would be introducing a new feature to easily view the beta apps that you are a part of. While the Play Store has been updated, it seems that there is a back-end switch that is still needing to be flipped for everyone. Regardless, the update has started to appear and allows you to join and leave any beta programs you want.
What’s YOUR top news item for the week?
Disagree with the Top 10? Let us know in the comments and vote for yourself everyday by downloading EarlyBird on Google Play!