Bugs are fixed and new features have been added in Hangouts update

News by:  Hamad Shaikh 7th June 2014

Reportedly Google hangouts has a new feature called "sketch a message", and with this feature you can sketch anything in hangouts app and send it in message but this feature is not rolled out yet but according to android police many people reported that they have already saw this feature.But it is not the only thing to tell you, also hangouts update 2.1.233 came up with the bug fixes and also with some other features. As I posted before that hangouts was crashing on reload of emojis and battery drain issue is also resolved in this update.

  There’s also a hidden contacts area in the settings menu separate from blocked people allowing you to hide people, while still being able to see those conversations. Even though Hangouts has allowed users to block people for a while, this is the first time you've had access to the people you've blocked. Another new feature includes the ability for users to change notification sounds for individual chats.

So you can wait for this update by playstore which have feature of staged update or can download now from this link hangouts thanks to XDA Otherwise you can download app from Playstore.

Read More

Elevation Levels for Bikers and Hikers has been added to Google Maps 8.1.0

News by:  Hamad Ali 31st May 2014

The Maps app for Android has been updated to 8.1.0 bringing the elevation levels feature for Bikers and Hikers so that they can also avail the Maps features, so if you are a biker or a hiker, you will now be able to see exactly how hard you will need to work to get to where you’re going.

As usual, this update is rolling in stages, but Thanks to XDA you can download the APK , as well as the old fashioned Play Store links.

Download APK From XDA

Playstore APK download link

news source: talkandroid

Read More

Google Now can handle timer and reminder queries with voice

News by:  Hamad Ali 24th May 2014

As we saw earlier this month Google updated the offline support in Google now, after that update Google Now notify you for your day appointments if you are not connected to internet.

Also Google Now’s latest update, will help users to set timer using voice commands like users can say “set a timer for [time]” and a card will appear letting users know that the timer is about to begin, and you will then be directed to your native timer application.And before this update Google Now was previously able to handle time queries, but all timers were run through the Google Now application, and not through your phone’s native timer application until now.

It is not finished yet, there is one other new feature, that is reminder update. Well it’s partially new. You could already set a reminder with Google Now, but it just got a little easier.

With the latest update, you can do it all with your voice. Before, you could only make the request with your voice, and you had to confirm things with your fingers, as in tapping. Now you can simply say “yes” or “set” to confirm Google’s interpretation of your request.

According to various users, this is currently working for a number of phones not running stock Android, including the HTC One M7 and M8, the Moto X and Moto G, the LG G2,  and most Galaxy devices.

news source: talkandroid, androidpolice

Read More

Don't Worry About Internet Connection Google Now Will Even Work Offline

News by:  Hamad Ali 3rd May 2014

Although its not big update, but not the bad even.So now you can use Google Now even if internet connection is not available.It means now if you are using any type of game or an application you will be notified for your day's appointments (make sure you update your GoogleSearch Application for Android ) your Google Now cards stay loaded even you are not connected to internet. I think its really a good update what do you think ?

news source: Google+

Read More

update brings New commands and Olympics cards to Google Search

News by:  Justin Herrick 8th Feb 2014

We are finally starting to see some more additions to the Google Search app. While Google Now currently alerts users when a set event is approaching, it will now notify when the best time to leave to arrive on time. So Google Now will make sure you make it to a doctor’s appointment, dinner reservation, or airport in a timely fashion. Also added to Google Now is the voice command to call or text contacts. Say “Call Hamad” and the device will do so. If you have contacts with overlapping names, it will ask you to clarify.

With the Olympics taking over the world for the next few weeks, Google has added cards pertaining to the games. French, German, Japanese, and Korean languages are all supported. So if you are away from a TV or computer, cue Google Now and check out what’s going on in Sochi easily.

news source: talkandroid.com

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S 4, Note 3 getting KitKat at the end of January, according to French carrier

News by:  Justin Herrick 18th December 2013

According to French carrier SFR, the Samsung Galaxy S 4 and Note 3 will be receiving the Android 4.4 KitKat update at the end of next month. This matches with a schedule that was leaked a few weeks ago. Considering the GS4 received Android 4.3 last month, it seems that Samsung is working at a decent pace to make sure its smartphone owners get the latest version of Android. So keep an eye out next month for the update.

news source: talkandroid.com

Read More

BBM updates v1.0.2 with bug fixes and with new filtering and sorting features

News by:  Aditiya Thawardas 14th November 2013

BBM received an update to version 1.0.2. With the new version comes a few requested features, along with bug fixes. Contact Categories are now supported, which allow you to create categories in your contacts list in order to help organize your friends. Also, list sorting and filtering is possible. The entire change log includes:

• BBM Contact Categories allows you to create categories in your contact lists to help you organize your BBM contacts

• List sorting and filtering in BBM Groups provide new options to organize lists shared within BBM Groups

• Invite BBM contacts to BBM Groups by Email makes it easier to add friends to a BBM Group. If you don’t know their PIN, invite them by Email.

• “Tell your friends’ feature helps you connect with friends on BBM using the sharing tools BBM has created at www.BBM.com/share

• Share Your PIN feature helps you quickly share your BBM PIN and PIN barcode to your social networks like Facebook and Twitter

• Addresses an issue where some users were experiencing higher battery use

• Other bug fixes and performance improvements

Download: Mirror1

news source: talkandroid.com

Read More

Google Search update (3.1.8) with the availability of Google Experience Launcher to Android 4.1+

News by:  Christian de Looper 13th November 2013

The day finally comes when we also experience Google Experience Launcher.Update of Google Search 3(3.1.8) is rolling out to all Android devices running Android 4.1 and above. This update is really big for a number of reasons.

First of all, the update brings Google Search version 3 (or 3.1.8) to all devices running Android 4.1 and above. This is the version of Search that comes with KitKat, and brings a new UI, as well as a new refreshed animation. The update also allows the Google Experience Launcher APK to work properly when installed. Hit the break for more information on Search 3.1.8.

Problem Fixes:

On certain tablets, the Google Experience Launcher had a number of bugs. For example on the Google Nexus 7, the Search box was off center, the keyboard loaded when you tapped home, and so on. The new Search update fixes all of those problems.

New Google Cards:

Not only that, a number of new Google Now cards are now available including a website update card, a news topic card, and a what to watch card. Other updates include Waze traffic incidents on maps, real time rugby scores, the ability to check when your packages are ready to be picked up in stores, and the ability to undo dismissing cards.

This is a big update because of the fact that we previously thought that the new Google Experience Launcher (GEL) would only be available to Google Nexus 5 owners. Instead, with the help of an APK (download link below), the Launcher is available for anyone on Android 4.1 or higher. Once you have installed Google Search 3.1.8 via the APK below or from the Play Store, you can install the Google Experience Launcher APK. 

Download: Mirror1,Mirror2

 news source: talkandroid.com

Read More

Waze traffic incident reporting to several new countries in Google Maps

News by:  Jeff Cause 11th November 2013

As we all know that Google completed their acquisition of Waze earlier this year (Waze), one of the first benefits users saw was the ability to access incident reports coming in from Waze users. Google announced today via a tweet that they are expanding the service to 46 new countries and territories throughout the world on both the desktop and mobile client.

Unfortunately, due to the space limitations, a list of all the countries was not provided and thus far Google Maps has not provided a list. The original rollout of the feature covered Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Switzerland, UK and the US.

news source: talkandroid.com

Read More

Google Maps Updated To 7.4

News by:  Jeremiah Rice 8th November 2013

Google has updated the app from version 7.3 to 7.4. There's not a whole lot of new stuff going on inside, certainly not compared to the cavalcade of UI changes that happened earlier this year. A few tuned gestures, a few refreshed UI elements, and that's about it. APK downloads below.

Left: Old Right: New

Google map gestures are common, If you're a regular Maps user, you'll notice that the one-finger zoom gestures have been reversed. In the newly-updated app you double-tap, hold, then drag down to zoom in (the reverse was true before now). It makes a little more sense than previously. The same is true for the double-tap and drag gesture which adjusts the vertical view: now dragging down with two fingers will give you a bird's eye view, while dragging up will adjust the view to about 45 virtual degrees.

The Explore menu has had a few very slight visual changes, capitalizing the categories and adding a few icons, with a new "More button" below. There's also a background image for Explore, which puts the focus on the icons rather than the view.

Under the hood a few of the icons for Offers have been updated with a slightly more modern look. That's about it - there's nothing in here that warrants rushing to download the new APK.

Of course if you want to, we're not going to stop you. The API 18+ download below is for Android device running 4.3 or higher, while API 15 is for devices running Android 4.0.3 or higher.

news source: androidpolice.com

Read More

Android 4.4: Photo Sphere Improvements

News by:  Hamad Shaikh  2nd November 2013

The Photo Sphere team made exciting improvements in Camera app,As we are seeing many improvements in all the apps.One of them is Camera app,they improved most popular camera mode, the Photosphere,and it also receiving a bit of tune up itself. The update improves both the quality and image stitching, And they have also improved rendering faster by using multi-threading. but it appears that the stitching is the most notable fix in KitKat.

The most notable addition in this release is a technique called "optimal seam finding", which looks for the ideal place to stitch the individual images together to avoid moving objects, people, or otherwise difficult spots. In our testing, we've seen a big reduction in stitching errors on people in the scene.On top of that, indoor environment stitching has been improved. So look for that on your newly purchased Nexus 5 or your soon-to-be updated Nexus devices.

Via: talkandroid.com

news source: Evan Rapoport google+

Read More

Android 4.3 last and major update for Sprint Galaxy Nexus will receive soon

News by:  Hamad Shaikh  1st November 2013

Android 4.3 would be tha last and major update for The Sprint Galaxy Nexus.This update wasn’t as quick as the Play Store GNex, but I guess they didn’t do too bad here.As Google already announced that Android 4.4 will not hit any Galaxy Nexus. The build for this update is JRO03U.L700GJ04 and will rollout over the next 10 to 21 days.

Galaxy Nexus Software Update - GJ04

Enhancements/Fixes:

- Updates the device to Jelly Bean version 4.3

Important Notes:

- Software version is: GJ04

- Updates are available OTA (over the air) only and are 'pushed' to devices in stages over a 10-21 day period.

  Device selection is random

news via: talkandroid.com
news source: Sprint

Read More

Google Voice will take some time to be integrated with Hangouts

News by:  Justin Herrick  31st October 2013

Now a Days Google Hangouts received many updates Status indicator in Hangouts and the largest update Hangouts with sms and mms,still users ask one question: where’s Google Voice integration? Google employee Nikhyl Singhal took to Google+ to say that it is on its way, but you’re going to need some patience. For now, only Sprint users can have the two services work with one another. But for everyone else, it should be ready by early next year. The major hindrance is that third party apps are using Google Voice and violating the terms of service, causing a potential security threat.

post by Singhal:

We are rolling out a new version of the Google+ Hangouts app ( goo.gl/XkHn03 ) for Android, which includes support for SMS and MMS messages. While this is a great step forward, we still have a lot of work to do, specifically around Google Voice: 

– Unfortunately, today’s update does not work with Google Voice numbers unless you’ve enabled Google Voice on your Sprint phone. But rest assured, we’re working to support SMS messages for all Google Voice phone numbers by early next year. And don’t worry, your Voice number will go unchanged. 

– We hear you loud and clear: you want Google Voice phone numbers outside the US and to support MMS. We are listening and working hard to make this happen, but we need to work with carriers and this can take some time. 

– Finally, we want to make Google Voice as secure as possible. There are a few third-party applications that provide calling and SMS services by making unauthorized use of Google Voice. These apps violate our Terms of Service and pose a threat to your security, so we’re notifying these app developers that they must stop making unauthorized use of Google Voice to run their services and transition users by May 15, 2014.  

We know that communicating with your friends and family should be easy and that you want one app that can do it all. We’re working hard to deliver that experience for everyone.  It will take some time before Google Voice is fully integrated into Hangouts, and we appreciate your patience along the way.

news source: talkandroid.com

Read More

Latest Hangouts with SMS and MMS integration now available for download

News by:  Robert Nazarian  31st October 2013

Good news guyz now you don't have to wait for the new Hangouts update that brings SMS and MMS integration because it’s now available to download. This update is version 2.0.0.012 and gives you all the goodies including the ability to share your location. Just grab one of the download links.

Download: Hangouts_mirror1,Hangouts_mirror2

news source: talkandroid.com

Read More

Everything you need to know about Android 4.4 Kit Kat

News by:  Robert Nazarian  31st October 2013

As we all know that Google has officially taken the wrapper off the newest version of their operating system, Android 4.4 KitKat.this will be rolling to devices soon. Google is calling it Beautiful and Immersive and says it has a more polished design, improved performance, and new features. What are those features. Well lets get started.

You can now say “OK Google” from your home screen or in Google Now. This will launch voice search and also allow you send a text, get directions or play a song. For now, this will only be available on the Nexus 5

When your device is locked, you will see full-screen album art when you are listening to music or projecting movies to Chromecast. You will also get Play, Pause, and Seek.

Immersive Mode: Automatically hides your navigation buttons and status bar when playing a game or reading. Developers need to implement this with their app. When you’re ready to navigate, just swipe the edge of your screen.

Faster Multitasking: Android 4.4 has optimized memory better and improves the touchscreen.

New Phone App: automatically prioritizes your contacts based on how frequently you talk to them. Searching for nearby places, contacts, or people in your Google Apps domain has been added. Google will search through local listings in Google Maps for those callers that are not in your Caller ID. 

Hangouts updated: SMS and MMS integration within Hangouts. You can even share your location as well as send animated GIFs. 

Emoji support now available in the Google Keyboard

Print whenever or wherever: Print photos, documents, and web pages directly to Google Cloud Print, HP ePrint printers, or to other printers that have apps in the Google Play Store.

Quickoffice has been redesigned: 

You can now open and save files on Google Drive, other cloud storage services, or your device.

And Also:

Bluetooth MAP support: Android now supports the Message Access Profile (MAP) so Bluetooth-enabled cars can exchange messages with your devices.

Applications that embed web content now use Chrome to render web components accurately and quickly.

Closed captioning now supported

The Downloads app has been redesigned, giving you new sorting options and list and grid views for all the files you’ve downloaded.

Easy home screen switching: If you love to customize your device and have installed one or more home screen replacements, you can switch between them easily in Settings > Home.

Email app refresh: The redesigned Email app has a fresh new look with nested folders, contact photos and better navigation.

Full-screen wallpapers with preview: Your wallpaper now extends through the notification tray and system buttons. And when you change your wallpaper, you can preview just how it will look before you set it.

Camera – HDR+ mode on Nexus 5 automatically snaps a rapid burst of photos and combines them to give you the best possible single shot. Daytime pictures are vivid with clean shadows, and nighttime photos are sharp with less noise.

Infrared blasting: On devices with an infrared (IR) blaster, Android now supports applications for remote control of TVs and other nearby devices.

Location in Quick Settings: Access your location settings from anywhere with a new tile in Quick Settings.

Location modes and monitoring: If you want to conserve battery, go to Settings > Location to switch between high accuracy and battery-saving location modes. There’s no need to toggle GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile network settings. And to see which apps have recently requested your location, go to Settings > Location.

Low-power audio playback: Android 4.4 on Nexus 5 lets you listen to music for longer – up to 60 hours of audio playback.

Secure app sandboxes: Application sandboxes have been hardened with Security-Enhanced Linux.

Step counting built-in:  When you use fitness apps like Moves on Nexus 5, the phone acts as a pedometer to count steps. Android 4.4 and updated hardware make this a more battery-friendly way to measure your activity.

Tap to pay, built a new way: Android 4.4 introduces a new, open architecture for NFC payments that works with any mobile carrier, and lets apps manage your payment information in the cloud or on your device. Now you can tap to pay with Google Wallet or other apps at more than a million stores.

news source: talkandroid.com

Read More

Android 4.4 KitKat for designers and developers

News by:  Harrison Kaminsky  31st October 2013

Android 4.4 for developer and designer:

Videos are available for android developers and designers, you should know about some of the changes being made in the latest version of Android OS, 4.4 KitKat-this includes new guidelines, orientations, and workflows for user interaction and experience. For development, this includes access to new tools or APIs.

What's new in android 4.4:

Android design in action:

Android 4.4 transition:

Immersive mode:

news source:  android develipers,talkandroid.com

Read More

Finally the Background Audio support is coming to Youtube

News by:  Artern Russakovsskii  23nd Sep 2013

 After many updates of YouTube application here is the new update which i like most Background Audio, we’ve always desperately wanted one feature – the ability to listen audio in the background. That would make it possible to listen to music via YouTube while still multitasking on your device. It seems like our wish is going to be granted.This feature will actually appearingly allow you to not just listen in the background, but even keep music playing with the screen off.

By setting a playlist of music to play through, this feature could actually be a viable rival to music streaming services like Spotify. There’s no word on when this feature will actually launch, but we’re excited, and hope that it will come soon.

news source: androidpolice.com

Read More

Outlook Android Application is Updated with Server-Side Search, Alias Support, New Themes and other new features

News by:  Bertel King,10 OCT 2013

 Outlook Android application is updated with new features , and the most notable Feature is server-side search. This new functionality allows you to search through all of your email, even messages that aren't on your phone. But Microsoft must have doubts about the app's reliability, because they've included a link to search for more messages at outlook.com if things don't work out.

   And now Users can also search for aliases and set vacation replies.also you can change the theme's color and few themes too.

New features in this update are:

• Server-side search for easy access to all email, not just the ones synced to your phone
• Unlimited sync of all email history for full off-line access
• Capability to send emails from Outlook.com aliases
• Eight new colors to customize the app interface
• Ability to set and manage vacation replies
• and Traditional Chinese language support

 news source: androidpolice.com

Read More

Updates in Youtube,Google Search,Play Books for android

News by: Liam Spradlin,,25 Sep 2013

Youtube

• new permission for receiving data from the internet, which it uses to give you new video notifications.

• front page also shows a promoted video front and center now.

• new contextual menu that allows users to share and add to select lists, rather than simply adding to "watch later."

• Users can also clear their watch history right from the overflow menu up top.

news source: androidpolice.com

Google Search

Left:old Right:new

•  better language processing.

•  wider recognition for TV programming.

• Search added the ability to detect when you're watching live television on an internet-enabled TV.

• the TV detection card has switched from asking "Watching live TV?" to "Watching TV," adding that "Live TV broadcasts and some recorded programs can be detected," versus the previous "Only live TV broadcasts can be detected."

• the latest update also has a subtle tablet UI tweak. Namely, there's a smaller margin on either side of cards when viewing them in portrait mode. This gives the cards a slightly more spacey feel, but opens up the potential for more dense cards in future iterations, and brings the tablet experience closer to its phone-bound counterpart.

news source: androidpolice.com

Google Play Books

• Google bringing Play Books availability to nine new places: Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and New Zealand.

news source: androidpolice.com

Read More