Report No More Android Wear Devices From Samsung

Report No More Android Wear Devices From Samsung

Not that anyone was expecting to see one, but according to Fast Company, who spoke with executives of Samsung, there are no future plans for a Samsung-made Android Wear device. The only Android Wear smartwatch Samsung ever released was the Gear Live, which was made available after Google I/O in 2014. Since then, Samsung has used Tizen, its in-house operating system, exclusively for wearables. 

However, while that news should not alarm or upset anyone, the Samsung executive (no name provided), stated that Android Wear is not as battery-efficient as Tizen. No doubt, Android Wear and smartwatches in general have a ways to go in the battery department, but is Tizen really that much better?

Back when Kellen was using the Gear S2 (powered by Tizen), he never mentioned incredible battery life, which leads us to believe its not just battery life that turns Samsung away from Android Wear. Could it be that Samsung has already invested a ton in its own wearable ecosystem? That seems more likely.

Whatever the reasoning may be, don’t expect a Samsung Android Wear watch anytime soon.

Here, you can borrow my tissue to wipe the tears.

Via: Fast Company

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Google Begins Posting OTA Images for Nexus Devices the Zip Files

Google Begins Posting OTA Images for Nexus Devices the Zip Files

You know how we often spend days hunting down the over-the-air (OTA) .zip files for Nexus updates to try and get you updates faster than Google sends them? We may not need to do that any longer because Google started posting the files today. I’m not kidding – the .zip OTA files are now up on the Google Developers site, right next to the factory images. 

Google includes instructions for flashing these .zip files, which include using a bit of adb and the “adb sideload” command. We also have instructions for it here.

At this time, they are only populating the page with recent update files (Android 6.0.1) for the Pixel C, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 9, and Nexus Player.

Pretty sweet, though, right?

Nexus OTA Image Link

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Daydream is Google’s Virtual Reality Platform for Android Devices

Daydream is Google’s Virtual Reality Platform for Android Devices

Previously expected to be called Android VR, Google announced Daydream at Google I/O this morning, its virtual reality platform for Android devices. To clarify, Google already had a feature inside of the Android OS called Daydream; It was basically a screen saver that was displayed when devices would sit idle. Now, the Daydream name represents Google’s stronger commitment into VR for mobile devices.

Daydream has a few branches that you will hear more about over the next few months. For Android smartphones, specifically ones running Android N, a VR Mode has been built into the OS. This mode optimizes the device’s performance, since VR can be quite the processing hog.

Additionally, it must be noted that Google has yet to announce any competitor hardware to Samsung’s Gear VR, but has released a reference design for a VR headset and handheld controller device. This reference material can be used by 3rd parties to create actual hardware for Daydream. Daydream also brings a recreated Google Play, specially made for virtual reality.

Like pretty much everything else Google announced today, we won’t have much hands-on with Daydream until later this year, sometime around the fall season.

Via: Google

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