+101 - Vote for the best Android Applications

• Google may release its own headphones with Assistant built-in
  

  A recent teardown of the Google app suggests the company on its own wireless headset.

  While a lot of headphones have the ability to activate Google Assistant, what this really does is activated Assistant on the phone. While that’s all well and good, being able to process commands on the headphones would also be useful. According to 9to5Google, some Assistant headphones may be on their way.

  9to5Google decompiled the APK file of the most recent version of the Google app. In it, they found references to the ability for the user to hear and reply to notifications, how to app will handle the Assistant button on the headphones being toggled, and the ability for the headphones to receive firmware updates.

  Given that the next Pixel phones won’t include a 3.5mm headphone jack, it’s safe to assume the headphones would connect wirelessly via Bluetooth. Other than the inclusion of Assistant, there’s not much that would separate Google’s headphones from more established devices like the Bose Q…

• Microsoft Office Lens updated with ability to scan multiple images
  

  Like many of Microsoft’s apps, Office Lens displayed some cool technology at launch but was lacking in features. With today’s update, Microsoft is addressing one very obvious shortcoming of the app. You can now capture multiple items at once and merge …

• Google to revamp Chromebook Pixel lineup with new convertible this year
  

  Google will likely announce the next Chromebook Pixel at the same time as this year’s Pixel phones.

  While there are plenty of great Chromebooks out there from third-party partners, Google looks to be gearing up to release another Chromebook Pixel. The first Chromebook Pixel was released in 2013, refreshed in 2015, then put on hold earlier this year. It seems the line is no longer on hold, because a new Chromebook Pixel may be just around the corner.

  Android Police reports that Google will be announcing another first party Pixel laptop at the same time as the next Pixel phones. The device might be related to Google’s earlier Project Bison, which allegedly featured a 32GB or 128GB of internal storage, 8GB or 16GB of RAM, a 12.3-inch screen, and a Wacom stylus.

  The laptop may also feature the wacky keyboard that showed up in recent patents. Those patents showed a second hinge for the keyboard area, so there would be a smooth surface when you first open the laptop. The patents didn’t …

• Hell has officially frozen over, Taito just released a premium Bust-A-Move game onto the Play Store
  

  I thought I would never see the day. There is an official Bust-A-Move game from Taito Corporation on the Play Store, and it’s a premium release. While some of you may know the franchise by its Japanese name Puzzle Bobble, this classic bubble shooter i…

• The Nest Cam indoor security camera works great with smart homes and is down to $144
  

  Our friends at Thrifter are back again, and this deal on the Nest Cam is a doozy!

  Get this Nest Cam indoor security camera for just $144 at Lowe’s with the ridiculous coupon code 470000000074228. Lowe’s has discounted the Nest Cam down to $169 this week, which puts it just a little higher than other retailers like Amazon. The coupon code drops it down to its lowest price anywhere since last year’s Black Friday sales. Be sure to select “Parcel Shipping” for free 1-3 day shipping.

  In the world of indoor security cameras, Nest Cam is one of the best if you’re into the whole Smart Home thing. It has 1080p HD video quality with 8x digital zoom, two-way audio, 24/7 live streaming capability, low-light capabilities, all kinds of customized alert settings, and easy setup. Add all that to the Works with Nest program, which ensures Nest devices are still compatible with more services than other devices, and you won’t find a better security camera to connect to your Smart Home hub.

  On Amazon…

• Exclusive: Google plans to launch a new Chromebook Pixel, mini version of Google Home alongside new phones
  

  According to a source familiar with the company’s plans, Google will launch not just two new Google Pixel phones at a hardware event this fall, but an all-new Pixel-branded Chromebook – the first since the 2015 Chromebook Pixel pictured above – as wel…

• VitalSines’ iHeart health devices now compatible with Android
  

  The iHeart health-monitoring devices now have an Android companion app.

  VitalSines’ iHeart health monitoring devices now have an Android companion application, after the company released an iOS application near the end of last year. Rather than calculating exercise data that Android Wear would collect, the iHeart devices focus on calculating the internal age of a user’s body.

  The sensor itself clamps around a user’s index finger and displays an approximate internal age, an average heart rate, blood oxygen level and other statistics. The data can be used to predict whether a user will suffer from heart diseases and dementia, so the user is able to adjust their daily patterns and stave off those diseases. The iHeart was released after a successful Indiegogo campaign for iOS users, and now Android users can get in on the action.

  The iHeart monitor is available on the company’s website for $195.

  Are you interested in the VitalSines iHeart? Let us know down below!

  See at iHeart
  …

• Android 8.0 OTAs are starting to roll out to devices in the beta program
  

  Google released final system images of Android 8.o earlier today, and now OTAs are starting to roll out. Although, I’m placing strong emphasis on “starting.” The first wave of OTAs are targeting devices in the Android beta program, but already there h…

• Google says Oreo will roll out to some partner devices by the end of the year
  

  Google has been working with its partners to get the Oreo update out by the end of the year.

  While Google’s first party devices get new Android releases immediately, the same can’t be said for partner devices. Since these devices comprise the vast majority of Android devices, we run into situations like Nougat only being available on 13% of all Android devices a year after release.

  But there may be cause for hope: tucked in the Android Oreo announcement post was this quote:

  We’ve also been working closely with our partners, and by the end of this year, hardware makers including Essential, General Mobile, HMD Global Home of Nokia Phones, Huawei, HTC, Kyocera, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp and Sony are scheduled to launch or upgrade devices to Android 8.0 Oreo.

  Google has made vague promises like this before, but the fact that the company is naming specific partners is new. Google caveats that by stating the partners may be launching new devices with Oreo, not necessarily upgrad…

• One of these Android Oreo statues is not like the other
  

  Google ordered two Android Oreo statues from two different companies this year.

  There aren’t many Android faithful who have been able to make the trip to Mountain View to see the impressive gathering of statues Google has commissioned to commemorate each launch of its OS, but those who have been are in for a treat. These larger than life statues are an amazing journey through the history of Android, and are a ton of fun to grab a photo while standing next to your favorite.

  The new Android Oreo statue will make a nice addition to the collection, but this year some statue selfies will be different from others. That’s because there are actually two different Android statues this year, and they are not as similar as you might think.

  Get more Android Oreo in your life with our full 8.0 review!

  Google’s New York unveiling of Android Oreo revealed a statue that slid open and animated. The eyes were glowing, the head seemed to glide into place, and it was on a single pedestal to make the…

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