After a surprise debut and being available for a couple of months as a public beta, Android 7/0 Nougat is now officially-official at long last. Currently rolling out to the Google Nexus 6P, 5X, and Pixel C (no factory images for older Nexus devices are available yet), the latest chapter in Android's lengthy history arrives with a rather impressive list of features. Make no mistake — there is close to no fluff as almost all new features and functionalities improve the most popular OS worldwide in the most essential areas, like battery optimization, various interface goodies, and better security. Sadly, it would take a lot of time for all Android users that are not using a Nexus device to experience these, but such is the state of the smartphone scene. Yet, we digress. We already have Nougat on our trusty Nexus 6P and we couldn't wait to delve in deep and see what's new, what's changed, what's good, and finally, what's bad.Sit around the campfire and let's see what's good.JIT, … [Read more...] about Android 7.0 Nougat review: refocusing on what’s truly important
Android 7 tablet review
Android One phones now receiving Android 7.0 Nougat update
It's a common fact that Nexus smartphones and tablets are the first to receive new Android OS updates. A few days ago, the Nexus 6P finally received the Android 7.0 Nougat update after it's been on hold since the release of the new OS due to some issues with battery and performance.On the other hand, Android One phones should be in the second wave of devices to receive such important updates as Android Nougat. And so they are since Google has just started the rollout of Android 7.0 Nougat to some Android One smartphones.According to a new report, the Cherry Mobile G1 is one of the first to receive the upgrade, but other Android One phones are likely to get the update in the next couple of weeks, if not sooner.Since there are quite a few Android One devices available in various emerging markets, it's hard to tell when exactly they will get Android 7.0 Nougat updates, but once Google commences the rollout it's just a matter of time until all device will receive it.Keep in mind that this … [Read more...] about Android One phones now receiving Android 7.0 Nougat update
Samsung allegedly starts work on Android 7.0 Nougat updates for the Note 5, Galaxy Tab S2
According to Samsung-centric tech blog Sammobile, the world's largest smartphone manufacturer has started developing the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy Tab S2. Historically, Samsung doesn't hold the best track record when it comes to delivering timely Android updates. In recent years, however, Samsung has dramatically improved its delivery times, and all signs indicate that Samsung is not about to slack off when it comes to delivering the Android 7.0 Nougat update to its recent flagship smartphones and tablets, although not the same can be said for the company's mid-range devices. Samsung has recently kicked off its Android 7.0 Nougat beta program for Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge users. Previous rumors have indicated that Samsung has also started developing the Nougat update for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge. In this context, it makes perfect sense for Samsung's Nougat update efforts to trickle down to older flagship devices such as the Galaxy … [Read more...] about Samsung allegedly starts work on Android 7.0 Nougat updates for the Note 5, Galaxy Tab S2
Android 7.0 Nougat review: great, but does it matter?
Google has announced that the latest version of Android, 7.0 Nougat, is rolling out to newer Nexus devices starting today. It’s a good upgrade, but only available if you have a recent Nexus device like the Nexus 6, 6P, 5X, Pixel C, or Nexus 9 tablet — and it will take some time for everybody's devices to receive the over-the-air update. I've been using the various public betas that have been running since March of this year and most of the bugs have been worked out.Nougat isn’t radically different from the last version, Marshmallow, but does add a handful of notable user-facing features. Some of them, like improved multitasking, are long overdue and really useful on tablets. The rest are tweaks around the edges — but there are bigger changes underneath that should make Android faster and more secure, too.But the story of Nougat isn't really whether it’s any good. Instead, it’s the same old Android tale: unless you have a Nexus, it could be a few … [Read more...] about Android 7.0 Nougat review: great, but does it matter?
Nook Tablet review
Exactly one year ago, Barnes & Noble made an interesting move, one no other company in the tech industry had yet been bold enough to make: it released the Nook Color for just $249.99. The 7-inch Color was positioned as an alternative to E Ink e-readers; it was a bit more expensive than the traditional Nook, but you could reach out and touch the screen, enjoy rich color publications and books, and surf the web in the Android-based browser. It was a fairly big hit, but even more interesting was that, without the assistance of B&N, the Color became an even bigger hit amongst techies — many of them turned it into a cheap tablet by rooting it and loading it up with Android apps. The Nook Tablet is the realization of the vision those techies had for the original Color — it’s a real tablet, so much so that B&N even put it in the name. With a new dual-core processor, 16GB of memory, improved app store, and a few more multimedia features, this year Barnes & … [Read more...] about Nook Tablet review