Nexus

349 'Nexus' stories May 2011 - December 2015

The Nexus 5X may not be the hottest phone of 2015, but one unit did spontaneously catch fire

Stephen Hall Dec 21 2015 - 8:47 am PT

The two new Nexus handsets this year have been received completely differently. While Huawei’s Nexus 6P is widely regarded as one of the best — if not the best — Nexus phones ever, LG’s Nexus 5X has been given the title “worse than the Nexus 5” on more than one occasion. I agree with that sentiment to some degree, and I would highly recommend you go with the Nexus 6P regardless of the size of your hands. There are some great advantages to a rebirth of the classic Nexus 5, but right now the phone is crippled by a software and hardware combo that leads to some unacceptable performance issues.

And now it looks like the phone is crippled by another problem in the case of one owner. Not unlike dozens of other phones over the years, it appears that at least one Nexus 5X unit had a faulty battery leading to a firey explosion…

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NewGeekGuide Gift Guide: The best last-minute deals for the Android enthusiasts in your life

Stephen Hall Dec 20 2015 - 7:33 am PT

1 Comment

If you’re looking to shop for the Google lovers in your life, time is running out if you want to receive items by Christmas. Thankfully, the Google Store is offering free overnight shipping until December 22nd, and Amazon Prime members of course have the option to go with free 2-day shipping on a huge number of items. We’ve compiled a list of the best of the best products from the gift guides that we’ve put together over the last months or so, and all of these items — should you order them within a day or two of this publishing — should make it to your doorstep in time for Christmas…

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Here’s how to manually access a public WiFi login page on Android

Stephen Hall Dec 18 2015 - 9:48 am PT

4 Comments

If you’ve ever used public WiFi before, you’re probably familiar with one common problem that just about everyone runs into every once in a while. You’ve selected the theoretically open WiFi network that you want to join and your phone tells you that you’re successfully connected, but when you head to Chrome and try to load up a page, you get nothing. In the Android WiFi settings menu, you may see a message along the lines of “Connected. No internet”. I ran into this problem myself a few times just this week, but now I’ve found the solution…

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Nexus Studio Event: how Google’s 5X and 6P were created and more

Abner Li Dec 14 2015 - 10:39 am PT

5 Comments

[Ed. Note: This is a rewrite of the original post which was the result of a miscommunication between editor and writer on coverage of an excellent Reddit writeup of an event. Apologies for the mistake]

Last week, Google hosted a Nexus Studio event open to the public in New York City. For three days, many teams that helped build the latest generation of Nexus phones were on hand giving talks and answering questions about the Nexus 5X and 6P. These included representatives from the Nexus industrial design, hardware, and engineering teams, Nexus software product managers, and the Android UX design team, among many others.

One Reddit user wrote up a very detailed post about all the things he learned from the “super friendly and surprisingly open” Google employees on hand. Below is a summary of the interesting information gleamed from numerous talks…

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Google to soon begin selling Nexus 6P via Best Buy, offer the gold variant in the United States

Stephen Hall Dec 14 2015 - 3:32 am PT

4 Comments

Before the Nexus 6P launched, it seemed — thanks to some early render leaks — that four different colors of the phone were going to be available for consumers. Come the Nexus event in September, only three colors (Aluminium, Graphite, or Frost) were available in most regions, with only Japan announced to be getting access to the last “Special Edition” gold variant. According to people familiar with the matter, the company is planning to soon begin selling the Nexus 6P via Best Buy, and finally launch the gold variant in the United States after only just recently making it available to Japanese customers through cellular carrier SoftBank…

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Google’s holiday gift to employees is a Nexus 5X, but how about Alphabet employees?

Abner Li Dec 13 2015 - 6:38 am PT

1 Comment

As made evident by their annual Santa Tracker and various Doodles, Google is a festive company during holidays. This whimsy extends to their employees who are receiving a Nexus 5X as a holiday gift this year…

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Sketchy rumor suggests Huawei could manufacture a new Nexus 7 in 2016

Stephen Hall Dec 1 2015 - 8:46 am PT

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The last two Nexus 7 tablets were manufactured by ASUS, but if a new sketchy rumor (originating from none other than Chinese social network Weibo) is to be believed, Huawei — maker of the well-received Nexus 6P — could be next in line. Rumors from random users on Weibo aren’t usually the most dependable source of information, but this particular user seems to have experience in IC design and has more than 34,000 followers (and, to boot, seems to have at least some internal knowledge of Huawei, Oppo, and other Chinese companies)…

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Nexus 6P owners on Australian Telstra now receiving OTA fix for 4G issues

Stephen Hall Nov 24 2015 - 11:47 am PT

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Owners of the recently-released Nexus 6P on Australian carrier Telstra have been complaining of sporadic 4G issues since the phone first launched, and now it appears (via Ausdroid) that these users are receiving an OTA update to fix these issues.

The update comes in at a solid 71.1 MB and specifically mentions improving “4G network connectivity for your Nexus 6P.” The build number is MMB29N, and the Android security patch level is still at November 1, 2015. Reports from Twitter suggest that the problems are indeed resolved.

You can download the OTA update directly from Google’s servers by clicking the link below, and info on how to install it can be found in our guide.

angler MDB08L to MMB29N

9to5Toys Lunch Break: SOL REPUBLIC Bluetooth headphones $70, New 64GB Nexus 6 $360, more

Stephen Hall Nov 18 2015 - 1:56 pm PT

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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Bluetooth On-ear Headphones: SOL REPUBLIC Tracks Air $70 shipped (Reg. $100), more

Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked 64GB: $360 shipped (Orig. $650) | eBay

Nexus 5 32GB Black/White in new condition: $210 shipped (Reg. $350)

7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 tablet: w/ FreedomPop: $60 shipped (Reg. $140+) | FreedomPop

Amazon’s Black Friday deals go live later this week w/ mobile shoppers getting extra perks

Top 5 ways to score the year’s best online Black Friday deals

10 can’t-miss deals for the holiday season: HDTVs, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s, more

Giveaway: mophie juice pack reserve battery case for iPhone 6/s (multiple winners)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Black Friday Magazine Deals start now from under $4/yr: Wired, Popular Science, Dwell, Rolling Stone, GQ, ESPN, more

Games/Apps: Nintendo 3DS XL Retro NES Edition $160, iOS freebies, more
MacBook felt portfolio style sleeve: $12 Prime shipped (Reg. $17)
Media: Holiday classics on Blu-ray/DVD from $4, more
Daily Deals: Panasonic LUMIX Camera (DMC-ZS45) $90, 6700mAh Power bank $12,
Beauty & Grooming Essentials up to 40% off: Braun Wet & Dry Electric Shaver $40
Apple’s 12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB (Gold): $1,149 shipped (Reg. $1,299)
Apple Watch sale at Best Buy, $50 off across the board, starting at $299 shipped (Open box $278)
20% off iTunes Gift Cards: $100 for $80, $50 for $40, $25 for $20

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/667020820980604928 align=’center’]

BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKS & NEWS:

Best of Black Friday – Streaming Media Players: Apple TV 64GB $180, Roku SE $20, 2-Pack Chromecast (2nd gen) $50, more

Best of Black Friday – Smart Home: Nest Thermostat $250 + $50 GC, Philips Hue kit $130

Best of Black Friday – HDTVs: 40-inch from $149, Samsung 55-inch Smart $580 (Reg. $1,200), more

Best of Black Friday – iPads, Tablets and e-readers: iPad Air 2 from $360, Amazon Fire $35 (Reg. $50), more

Best of Black Friday – Games: Xbox One/PS4 console bundles, deep discounts on games, more

Best of Black Friday – wearables: Fitbit Flex $59/Charge $90/more, $100 off Apple Watch, Android smartwatches, more

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on Apple Watch, Macs, HDTVs, games & more!

Walmart’s Black Friday ad leak hits with 4K UHDTV deals, iPad Air 2 $100 off, more
Target previews its top Black Friday deals, launches surprise one-day sale
Staples Black Friday Ad Revealed: iPad Air 2 from $374, mini 4 $300, more
Amazon plans dramatic Black Friday discounts for its Kindle, Fire TV Stick & Fire tablet
Amazon’s Black Friday Deals store is now open for business
eBay’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday will deliver deals on MacBooks, iPhone, iPad Air 2
GameStop Black Friday ad leak: PS4/Xbox One bundles $300, new Nintendo 3DS XL $180
Costco’s Black Friday ad includes deals on Chromecast (2nd gen), Fitbit Flex, more
Toys R Us Black Friday ad leak: Xbox One/PS4 bundles $300, more
Sam’s Club Black Friday ad leak: iPad Air 2 Cellular $175 off, Google Play $100 GC $80
Kohl’s Black Friday ad leak: more PS4/Xbox One $300 bundles, home goods, clothing
Sam’s Club One-Day Sale: iPhone 6s/Plus $100 off, iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB $150 off
HHGregg Black Friday: Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless Headphones $100, more
Sports Authority Black Friday Ad: Free gift cards w/ footwear, FitBit Charge HR $120
eBay calls on Black Friday shoppers to decide which products will get discounted this year
BJ’s Warehouse Black Friday ad hits with Samsung 4K UHDTV deals, fitness trackers
Sears Black Friday Ad: deals on Samsung 4K UHDTV’s, more
Black Friday ad leaks drop for Lowe’s, Menards, Cabela’s, and more
Grab 2 free ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ tickets during Black Friday at Kohl’s
The Office Depot & OfficeMax Black Friday ad doesn’t bring much to the table

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/666990079542484993 align=’center’]

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

SanDisk Connect 32GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive for iOS/Android: $30 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)

App Store Free App of the Week: PDF Expert 5 goes free for the first time ($10 value)

Implosion – Never Lose Hope for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($10 value)

Hitman Sniper for iOS hits its lowest price yet: $2 (Reg. $5)

Monitors: Dell 24-inch $240 (Reg. $275+), LG 34-inch UltraWide $400 (Reg. $460)
2-Pack SONOS PLAY:1 Starter Set for $349 shipped ($400 value)
Apple MFi Certified 3.1A 4ft Coiled Lightning Car Charger $12 (Reg. $20)
LG 43-inch HDTVs: Smart 4K + $150 Dell Gift Card $600 (Reg. $800+), more
Jabra MOVE Wireless Bluetooth Headphones: $60 shipped (Reg. $100)
Adobe Elements 14 w/ download: Photoshop as low as $40, Premiere $60
Sony 7.2-ch. 4K AV Receiver w/ AirPlay and Bluetooth: $298 shipped (Reg. $400)
Mackie CR4 4-inch Multimedia Monitor Speakers (Pair) $120 shipped (Reg. $150)
GoPro HERO4: Silver (Prime only): $329 (Reg. $400), Black $395 (Reg. $500)
Bluetooth: Venstart 10W Speaker $20 (Reg. $33), SoundPEATS In-ears $25 (Reg. $50)
Shoe-up with with casual shoes and Boots 85%+ off at Amazon’s MyHabit
iPhone 6/s 3100mAh MFi Apple-certified battery case: $21 Prime shipped (Reg. $43)
Apple MagSafe 2 Power Adapters from $34 shipped (Reg. $79)
12-month EA Access subscription: $25 (Reg. $30)
USB Deals w/ Prime shipping: Lumsing 10,400mAh Power Bank $13, more
Nest Cam 3-pack bundle launching this week for $497 ($100 savings)
Incase’s ‘Mystery Box’ gets you a $150 grab bag of Apple accessories worth $320
LEGO locations to offer free build sets in-store with registration
44 comic issues for free: Batman, Star Wars, Spawn, The Walking Dead, and more

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Pryme Vessyl skips the 8-cup rule for a user specific iPhone-connected recommendation

Mass Fidelity tries to solve virtual stereo sound with its new Core wireless speaker

What Watch uses Bluetooth connectivity to tab the memorable moments of your life
Pulse brings Bluetooth LE + iOS connectivity to a slew of Canon and Nikon DSLRs
Roku surprises with a new “special edition” streaming media player
Nintendo announces Zelda Twilight Princess HD remaster, more
Mophie introduces new power banks with a sleek aluminum design
Yuneec introduces its own stabilized 4K action camera

Google Camera app from latest Nexus phones now rolling out to other devices

Abner Li Nov 18 2015 - 10:03 am PT

0 Comments

As you may know the user interface of the Google Camera app was updated with the Nexus 5X and 6P. Out for over a month, the new camera update was nowhere to be found on other devices, until today…

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Hacked Android Marshmallow build now available for Nexus S, here’s how to install it

Stephen Hall Nov 11 2015 - 6:45 am PT

1 Comment

Several old Nexus devices just don’t support Android 6.0 Marshmallow (and many never will), and that has left some owners of older phones feeling left out. But now, owners of the 2010 (yep, 5 years old) Nexus S might be glad to hear that one developer has managed to put together a build of Marshmallow for the phone. It’s definitely at your own risk, but you can now install this hacky unofficial build of Marshmallow with a little know-how, and here’s how to do it…
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How to: Train your Nexus 5X/6P to recognize your finger even when you miss [Video]

Stephen Hall Nov 9 2015 - 8:03 am PT

1 Comment

I’ve had a Nexus 5X for just a few days, and one of the biggest things I love about this phone is the addition of Nexus Imprint. I like to keep my phone secure, but I really don’t like having to type a password every time I unlock (because, well, I unlock my phone dozens if not hundreds of times per day). But something I quickly noticed with Nexus Imprint on the 5X — especially since I have fingers big enough for a 6P — is that I simply miss the sensor far too often. I commonly find myself overshooting, sometimes even tapping on the camera since that’s about the distance my finger naturally lands.

So how did I fix this? Well, it turns out that it’s actually pretty simple. Thanks to the fact that you can register up to five different fingerprints in the Nexus Imprint settings, you can make your sensor almost impossible to miss. Instead of adding five different fingers, I decided to try adding five different parts of my right index finger…
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Nexus 6P’s ‘visor’ back camera glass is spontaneously cracking for some users

Abner Li Nov 7 2015 - 1:59 pm PT

2 Comments

via <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/3rwc6p/nexus_6p_back_glass_window_has_just_spontaneously/cwryfvl">Reddit</a>

It seems like smartphones can’t be released anymore without some kind of serious flaw popping up.

Nexus 6P owners are reporting that the glass panel covering the phone’s cameras are suddenly cracking, with one user reporting having left the device screen up on a table followed by a loud, spontaneous, “snap”. Picking up the device they found the glass cracked and a pile of glass shavings left on the table. Among two users who shared images, the damage looks remarkably similar…

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Here’s why images in some camera apps on the Nexus 5X are upside down

Abner Li Nov 7 2015 - 7:12 am PT

0 Comments

<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fenchtose.lenx&hl=en">LenX app</a> using older camera API

While taking pictures with third-party camera apps on the Nexus 5X, some users may notice that both the preview displayed by the phone and the image captured are upside down. While this error could easily be attributed with initial Marshmallow incompatibility on the part of the app developer, both software and hardware are to blame…

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Review: Google’s Nexus 6P is a solid smartphone worthy of your money [Video]

Dom Esposito Nov 5 2015 - 10:16 am PT

5 Comments

This year Google decided to change things up a bit and release not one, but two new Nexus devices, with different builds, and different price points to satisfy a wider range of people. So there’s the LG-made Nexus 5X that starts at $379, which I recently reviewed, and then we have the Huawei-made Nexus 6P that starts at $499. These two options aren’t very far apart in terms of pricing, but the difference between them is pretty significant in a few areas…

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You can now get last year’s Nexus Player for just $38 shipped (Reg. $100)

Stephen Hall Nov 4 2015 - 3:12 pm PT

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The Nexus Player is perhaps a great Chromecast alternative if nothing else, and now it looks like you can grab one for about the same price as the recently-announced 2nd generation Chromecast. Groupon is currently offering the device for just $39.99 — down to $37.99 with coupon code VISA5 — which is a steal for the set top box and the lowest price we’ve seen for a new unit.

We reviewed the Nexus Player last year, and had mostly positive things to say. That said, it’s clear that the Android TV platform is losing out to the Chromecast, which is less capable in terms of features but available for just $35 outright and has been much better advertised by Google. It doesn’t help that the Nvidia Shield is leaps and bounds better than Google’s offering.

You might want to act quick, because these Groupon deals tend to go fast.

Googler takes to Amazon to slam bad USB Type-C cables, commend good ones

Stephen Hall Nov 4 2015 - 7:59 am PT

0 Comments

A Google engineer by the name of Benson Leung is one of the many proponents of USB Type-C at the Mountain View company, and he’s now doing us the kind service of reviewing dozens of third-party Type-C cables on Amazon. Why? Because some of the cables coming from a variety of manufacturers could be “dangerous,” according to Leung, and are likely less-than-functional…
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Review: Google’s Nexus 5X is a great smartphone, but not the best in its class [Video]

Dom Esposito Oct 29 2015 - 12:44 pm PT

4 Comments

Google’s Nexus 5X may not the best budget smartphone you can buy, but it’s the only one that will appeal to purists out there. Google’s LG-made Nexus 5X is definitely worthy of some attention, but these days it’s a tough market out there for a flagship with a midrange price. The question is, can its $379 price tag win your heart and the cash in your wallet?

The Nexus 5X is the first budget Nexus we’ve seen in quite a while, the smallest as well, and as the name suggests, it’s the sequel to the Nexus 5. With that, you’ll find a very familiar plastic build with updated internals and a few extra surprises…

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9to5Toys Lunch Break: LG G Watch $60, Dell Venue 8 $280, Nexus 5 (unlocked) $175, more

Stephen Hall Oct 29 2015 - 12:41 pm PT

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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

LG G Watch Android Wear refurb: $60 shipped (Reg. $200) | BuyDig

Dell Venue 8 7000 Series 8.4″ Intel Atom 16GB Black: $280 shipped (Reg. $400) | eBay

New LG/Google Nexus 5 (unlocked): $175 shipped (Reg. $400) | eBay

Amazon offers over $70 worth of Android apps for free

Toshiba Canvio Connect II 3TB Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drive $100 shipped (Orig. $170)

Logitech K480 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard (refurb) $20 shipped (Orig. $50)

Giveaway: Polk Audio’s Omni Whole Home Music System – Soundbar w/ subwoofer and S2 Speaker ($880 value)

More new gear from today:

Adobe Photoshop Elements 14 (Mac/PC) is on sale for Prime members: $40 shipped (Reg. $70+)

Games/Apps: Call of Duty Strike Team & Zombies for iOS $2 ea, more freebies
Men’s Watches up to 70% off: Rip Curl Midnight Matte $140, Nixon Stainless Steel $45, more
Daily Deals: Insignia 55-inch 1080p Smart HDTV w/ Roku $450,more
AirPrint Laser Printers: Canon All-in-One $80 (Reg. $109), Samsung $55 (Orig. $160)
12-inch MacBook w/ Retina display 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,099 shipped (Reg. $1,299)
13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)
PSA: Best Buy and others launch new Apple TV pre-orders, offer potential savings
The best accessories for the new Apple TV: MFi game controllers, keyboards, cables, more
Target ad leak reveals planned Apple Watch discount for iPhone purchasers

More deals still alive:

Monoprice 15% off sitewide: MFi certified Lightning cables as low as $4, more

A Dark Room — the best-selling iPhone/iPad RPG is now available for free (Reg. $1)

Freebies: NBA League Pass + Supergirl TV episode + Toca Life: Town for iOS + More!
Free Xbox Live Gold Games for November: Pneuma Breath of Life, Dungeon Siege III, more
WD Elements 2TB Portable Hard Drive: $66 shipped (Reg. $80)
Leaf RSS News Reader for Mac drops to $1 (Reg. $8)
OLALA 6,000mAh Power Bank w/ MFi Lightning Cable $24 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)
TOTU Dual Layer iPhone 6s Case in gold, silver or gray $3 Prime shipped (Reg. $12+)
Storage: Seagate Expansion 4TB Desktop Hard Drive $100 shipped (Reg. $120), more
Ricoh Wireless Color Laser Printer $70 shipped (Reg. $149)
One year Sam’s Club membership + food coupons: $25 w/ email delivery (Reg. $45+)
9to5Toys Specials: MiFi 500 plus 1 year of LTE $149.99, more
Fashion: Gap Fall Sale up to 75% off + extra 40% – 1969 Jeans from $10, more
Media: That 70’s Show Complete Series on Blu-ray $70 (Reg. $100+), more
Fitbit Charge HR Activity Tracker $115 shipped (Reg. $150), Fitbit Surge $195 (Reg. $245)
GoPro HERO4 Session Action Camera: $249 shipped (Orig. $400)
ChugPlug External Battery Pack for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro $40 shipped (Orig. $130)
App Store Free App of the Week: Dr. Panda’s Mailman ($4 value)
Gift Cards up 20% off: JCPenney, Sports Authority, more
Fashion – extra 20% off fall athletic/outdoor shoes: Caterpillar boots $52, more
Protect your new iPad mini 4 with this folio smart case: $3 Prime shipped (Reg. $10)
proXPN VPN: Premium Lifetime Subscription for $39 ($375 value)
Best-selling Acer Chromebook 2.6GHz.2GB/16GB SSD (refurb) for $120 (Orig. $170)

New products & more:

The Altwork Station cures the standing desk blues with its reclining design

Can a $99 Windows PC that connects to your iPad be any good?

Gibson’s Neat podcasting microphones mix fun and color
Blue’s new Lola headphones drop some weight but keep the retro look
Toys R Us Holiday Catalog Leak: Apple TV for $54 in-store, much more
LEGO nailed the famous Ghostbusters Firehouse set
The eora 3D scanner uses your iPhone to create 360-degree models of anything
Belkin’s new lightweight QODE Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad Air 2 is now available
Dyson’s pricey 360 Eye robo-vac finally sees the light of day
Use your smartphone as a controller for these AirConsole Mac/PC browser games
Best Buy lands the first major blow in this year’s battle for holiday shoppers
Dell Black Friday Ad Leak: Gears of War Xbox One w/ Fallout 4 + controller $300, more
Amazon thinks leaving your house is over-rated, expands Prime free same-day delivery service
Marvel’s limited edition Phase Two Blu-ray collection arrives just in time for the holidays

Nexus 6P teardown reveals that the attractive flagship is extremely difficult to repair

Stephen Hall Oct 29 2015 - 9:13 am PT

0 Comments

There are plenty of different comparison points between this year’s Nexus phones, and in most of them the Nexus 6P is simply superior. The Nexus 6P has a larger screen, a more premium build, a better camera, and more powerful internals. But there’s one area that we now know that the Nexus 6P is clearly the loser. When it comes to repairability, the Nexus 6P is one of the worst phones ever, getting a score of just 2 out of 10 from iFixit…
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Google uploads Android Marshmallow factory images for Nexus 6P

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 1:05 pm PT

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Google has today uploaded Android Marshmallow factory images for the Nexus 6P, just as devices are starting to arrive for those who were part of the first batch of preorders. This isn’t overwhelmingly exciting news considering the 6P ships with Marshmallow, but it’s great that developers can now manually restore if something goes wrong while tinkering around.

Here they are, direct from Google’s servers:

If you need help installing one of these, feel free to check out our guide to installing Marshmallow factory images.

Hilariously, Google’s factory images site (at the time of this writing at least) has them listed as being for Android 5.1.1. Their build numbers clearly correlate with Android 6.0.0, though, so I’m going to assume this is a simple typo.

Facebook bolstering Android Notifications tab with sports scores, birthdays, more

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 11:49 am PT

0 Comments

If you’re a Facebook user, you’re definitely familiar with the Notifications tab in the company’s Android app. Although it has barely evolved from being a simple stream of your notifications since its introduction many years ago, Facebook has today come out to outline some changes on the way to make it more useful and personalized.
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Some early Nexus 5X adopters complaining of ‘yellow’ screens

Cam Bunton Oct 26 2015 - 10:26 am PT

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The latest Nexus phones haven’t been out long, and yet it seems they’ve already caused the tiniest bit of controversy. A handful of early Nexus 5X adopters have been commenting for a few days on a growing Reddit thread, and it seems some units are arriving with a slightly warmer display. A number of commenters uploaded pictures comparing the white tones (which seem yellow) against other smartphones. The one that caught our eye, however, was user graffixnyc who uploaded pictures of a Nexus 5X side-by-side with another Nexus 5X.

What’s interesting here is that you’d expect the color gamut to be exactly the same on both phones, since it’s the same device. However, the Carbon (black) model’s screen was noticeably different to the Quartz (white) one.

It’s unclear as of right now exactly what the issue might be. One seemingly obvious explanation is that it has something to do with the curing process. We’ve seen it with other phone screens in the past, where the glue isn’t dried well enough under the glass, and so gives of a yellow-ish hue. Another explanation, perhaps, is that the different models have screens made by different manufacturers, or are produced slightly differently. There’s also a chance that this is a genuine fault, and if so, Google will need to deal with it.

There are a couple of commenters who spoke to Google reps who agreed to send replacements. Others were told that the 5X does have a ‘more yellow’ screen than previous Nexus phones, and that it’s not a fault, it’s just a slightly different color temperature.

Whatever the problem or solution may be, we’ve heard from someone with knowledge of the matter that Google is actively looking in to it. Let’s hope ‘looking in to it’ leads to a solution being found and Google making a statement of some kind in the near future.

PSA: Several early Nexus 6P orders are now shipping

Stephen Hall Oct 23 2015 - 3:15 pm PT

0 Comments

If you ordered a Nexus 6P, this one’s for you. According to various reports across Twitter, Google+, and Reddit, many Nexus 6P orders are shipping this afternoon. From the looks of it (and that includes at least two different Reddit threads), those who ordered the 32 GB aluminum model are getting first dibs…

If you’re one of the lucky few who have a phone shipping this afternoon and you ordered with overnight shipping, you’ll probably see your phone at your doorstep on Monday. The rest of of the Nexus 6P variants — assuming you ordered on launch day — will likely begin shipping out sometime next week.