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Maru OS brings wireless desktop streaming via Chromecast to the Google Nexus 5X
Version 0.6 of Maru (dubbed Okinawa) adds a wireless desktop streaming feature to the Nexus 5X by using the Chromecast technology.
We've seen a number of teams work on taking the Android OS and making it usable on a desktop environment. There are even some big money OEMs that have devices which let people connect their smartphone to the PC and use the software as if it was their desktop. You're probably thinking of Samsung's DeX feature, but this capability has been around for years with the custom ROM Maru (on select devices). The folks behind this particular project have just announced version 0.6 of Maru (dubbed Okinawa) and it adds a wireless desktop streaming feature to the Nexus 5X by using the Chromecast technology.
Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P reach end-of-life, may no longer get updates
The last Nexus-branded devices, the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P, are now receiving the November 2018 security patch, and possibly their last update ever.
The Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P were announced way back in 2015. Both of these phones had their own series of issues, but more importantly, they marked the end of an era. The LG-built Nexus 5X and the Huawei-built Nexus 6P were the last Nexus-branded devices to ever be released to the market: they were succeeded by the original Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL, which served an entirely different market segment and targeted average consumers rather than just power users. Despite issues arising on both the 5X and the 6P, they both chugged along, receiving Android Nougat and Android Oreo officially as well as timely security updates. However, support for these phones is possibly ending now.
Google Nexus 6 and Nexus 5X get AOSP Android Pie ports
The Google Nexus 6 and the Nexus 5X have gotten AOSP Android Pie ports thanks to the work of talented developers on our forums.
As lots of devices get Android Pie ports on our forums, the Nexus 6 and the Nexus 5X are the next up to receive them. Both of these devices are pretty old and have had their official support cut-off. The Nexus 6 finished at Android Nougat, while the Nexus 5X finished off at Android Oreo. Android Pie has only been out for two weeks now, yet so many of the community's most popular devices have already gotten working ports. The list is growing every day, thanks to the work of some of the talented developers on our forums.
How to flash a monthly security update on Google Pixel without wiping data
Do you dread waiting for an update to roll out to your Google Pixel? Is your device's bootloader unlocked and you can't install an OTA? Here's a tutorial on how to manually flash a monthly security update (or major update) without having to wipe data!
One of the biggest reasons why people buy Google Pixel phones is the timely updates, whether it's a monthly security update or a major one that bumps the system’s version. But Google likes to roll out updates in waves, so you may have to wait a couple of days before getting your monthly security update. You didn't buy a Pixel to wait for updates, right? You want to have it on your phone as soon as they're released.
LineageOS 15.1 Changelog 18: Reader Mode, "Chrome Home" in Jelly, Per-app network restrictions, and more
Since the last release of LineageOS 15.1, a ton of new features and devices have been added. We go over what's new in LineageOS including features like Reader Mode, a new reachability Chrome Home-like feature in Jelly browser, per-app network restrictions, and more.
On all supported devices, LineageOS 15.1 is released on a weekly basis. It can be hard to keep up with what's new in the popular AOSP-based custom ROM unless you religiously follow their Gerrit, so the team has put together a changelog to keep you updated on what's new in the ROM. Today, the team has published their 18th changelog, and there's a lot of features to cover since their last changelog post on April 1st. Here's what's new:
LineageOS 15.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo has been officially announced
At long last, LineageOS 15.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo has been officially announced. The popular custom ROM brings a plethora of cool features to many devices. Come check out the full list of supported devices!
Following the demise of CyanogenMod at the end of 2016, its successor, LineageOS, has seen a meteoric rise in popularity. The project grew to support over 180 devices reaching over 1.8 million users thanks to the help of 700+ contributors. Now, the team is ready to move on to its next big milestone: re-basing on Android 8.1 Oreo. After teasing us back in December, the team has today announced that LineageOS 15.1 is ready.
LG Extends Warranty for Customers Affected By Bootloop Bugs
LG has settled arbitration claims stemming from a lawsuit over bootlooping devices. It's agreed to extend the warranty to 30 months for affected customers.
The long-running bootloop dispute against LG has come to an end. Ars Technica reports that the company has settled arbitration claims stemming from a lawsuit over faulty LG G4, LG V10, Nexus 5X, LG G5, and LG V20 smartphones.
Get Google Pixel 2's Portrait Mode on the Pixel, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P
Get the Google Pixel 2's Portrait Mode feature on the first generation Pixel & Pixel XL, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P courtesy of Camera NX mod by Chromloop.
The camera on the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is seen as one of the best smartphone cameras this year. Google put a lot of thought into how to tweak their camera software, and it really shows. Google Camera and its HDR+ algorithm is highly sought after, prompting some developers to go as far as porting it to other devices. Other Pixel 2 camera features such as Motion Photos and Face Retouching have also been ported to some devices, and now, the most popular camera feature, Portrait Mode, is now available on the first generation Google Pixel & Pixel XL, Google Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P.
Android 8.1 Oreo now available for the Google Pixel, Pixel 2, & Pixel C
Android 8.1 Oreo is nearing final release, with factory images likely being released on Tuesday, OTAs on Wednesday and source code on AOSP either day.
Google's pushed the final release of Android 8.1 Oreo live this afternoon.
Google Camera NX Brings Motion Photo, Face Retouching, and more to the Nexus 5X/6P
Google Camera NX V7 brings Pixel 2 features like Motion Photo and Face Retouching to the Google Nexus 5X and Google Nexus 6p.
The unofficial Google Camera HDR+ has proven popular for non-Pixel devices, as it improves image quality in many cases. However, it's worth noting that HDR+ wasn't actually launched with the Google Pixel - instead, it's been a mainstay of Google Camera ever since the release of the Nexus 5 in 2013. The major change with the Pixel was ZSL (Zero Shutter Lag) mode, which solved the major problem of HDR+: the speed. It made it possible to take photos quickly one after the other, without the camera UI freezing, and therefore it made HDR+ usable even for fast-moving subjects.
Download Google Camera App with Motion Photo + Face Retouching on the Google Pixel
Get the latest Google Camera app from the Google Pixel 2. It adds Motion Photo and Face Retouching features to the Pixel, and speed improvements for Nexus.
Google-branded smartphones weren't always known for their stellar camera quality. The Google Nexus smartphone series featured generally average picture-taking quality (though the Nexus 6P was a step above the rest). It wasn't until the company started to take a more hardware-centric focus with the Google Pixel line-up that their smartphones' camera quality would noticeably improve. Part of what makes the Pixel smartphones excel at taking photos is the Google Camera app with Google's HDR+ technology. It's a great way to take beautiful pictures without learning how to edit RAW images. Google wants to give users more options to capture the precious moments in their lives, so they've added a few new features to the Google Camera app in the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Motion Photo, Face Retouching, and Portrait Mode among others.
Bluetooth Battery Level Indicators are Finally Coming to Android
Bluetooth battery level indicators may finally come to stock Android so Google, Motorola, and Sony devices can get the battery level of connected devices.
A really useful feature for those of us with Bluetooth headsets and other devices is finally making its way to AOSP: Bluetooth battery level indicators. This means that users of Google, Motorola, Sony, and other devices with near-stock Android software should be able to tell the battery level of their Bluetooth connected devices without the need of a third-party application. There's no telling exactly how this Bluetooth battery level indicator will appear in its final state, but the existence of this new API in AOSP means that developers can implement Bluetooth battery indicators however they like.
Despite Removal, You Can Still Customize Nav Bar & Lockscreen in Android O DP3 -- Here's How
Android O Developer Preview 3 removes nav bar and lockscreen shortcut customization; here's how you can still customize them.
The Android O Developer Preview has now reached its third release, meaning the final APIs are ready and Google is readying up for an imminent and proximate release with only minor bug fixes to be expected in the remaining Developer Preview. With previous Android O previews, we saw tons of refinements to the user interface as well as some additional customization features, some of which were likely being tested and might not be available in later releases.
Paranoid Android returns with Android 7.1.2 Builds: Pie Controls, Color Engine, and More!
Paranoid Android has returned with new builds on Android 7.1.2, bringing along Pie, Color Engine, Substratum support and much more! Read on to know more!
Paranoid Android's recently teased a return to form with a revamped Pie control and Android Nougat on board, and while a few users are skeptical of their return, the team is ready to unveil that what they've been working on in the shadows. The wait is finally over - Paranoid Android has returned with Android 7.1.2 Nougat builds for a bunch of devices.
How to Add more Tiles to the Quick Settings Header on Google, OnePlus, and Sony Phones [No Root]
A tutorial on how to add more tiles to the quick settings header on Google Nexus and Pixel phones, OnePlus 3/3T, and Xperia phones running Nougat.
If you pull down on the status bar of your Android phone, you'll likely see a few notifications below a single row of Quick Settings tiles. This row is called the Quick Settings header as it only shows the first few tiles that are available in the full set of QS tiles. By pulling down one more time, you'll see the full list of QS tiles that you've added. Quick Settings were officially added to AOSP starting with Android 5.0 Lollipop (though OEMs such as Samsung have had their own form of notification toggles available for several versions before Lollipop).
How to Add Media Playback Controls to the Nav Bar when Playing Music
Tasker Profile that adds media playback controls to the nav bar when playing music. Works on Android Nougat (7.0+) devices like the Google Nexus and Pixels.
Ever since Google first introduced the concept of software navigation keys to Android, users have been asking for a way to customize what keys are available to users. Although custom ROMs have offered this level of customization for years, it's only in the first Android O Developer Preview do we find an official method from Google to modify the nav bar. However, like many features before it, this nav bar tuner did not appear out of nowhere, and was actually secretly in testing for Android Nougat. It was only recently, though, that we discovered that this hidden nav bar tuner in Android Nougat can actually be accessed without needing root access, a custom ROM, or System UI mods. Hence, a new avenue of rootless customization has opened up for many users, and today we'll be guiding you through one popular request: how to add media playback controls to the nav bar when playing music (Android 7.0+, no root needed!)
Halium is an Open Source Project Working Towards a Common Base for Non-Android Mobile Operating Systems
Project Halium is an open source project that aims to build a common working base for all non-Android, GNU/Linux based operating systems.
If you are an Android enthusiast who has also explored beyond the world of purely Android-based custom ROMs, you have probably heard of projects such as Ubuntu Touch, Sailfish OS, and the like.
Nav Bar Customization was Hidden in Stock Nougat All Along...and it never needed Root
Android O's nav bar customization was actually hidden all along in Android Nougat. Well, we all knew that, but it turns out it never needed root!
Show of hands here: how many of you are actually running the first Android O Developer Preview? Not only is the Developer Preview only available to a handful of Google devices, but it's really not suitable as a daily driver. Of course, it was never intended to be used by the average user, but rather as a test-bed for developers to ensure their applications will work when Android O officially does release. However, that doesn't mean we can't have some fun for ourselves and take a look at what's inside. One of the most exciting features coming to Android O devices is the nav bar customization located in System UI Tuner. But what if we told you that this awesome nav bar customization isn't only available to users on the Android O Developer Preview? That's right, this feature actually already works on Android 7.X Nougat, and it doesn't need root access either.
How to Automatically Disable Do Not Disturb Mode during Phone Calls
The Google Phone app that came with Android 7.1 automatically enables Do Not Disturb mode during phone calls. Here's how to automatically disable that.
For an Android enthusiast like the users on our forums, receiving a major software update can be an exciting event due to the enhanced performance and new features that they often bring. While some brave users are running the first Android O Developer Preview as their daily driver, most owners of the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Google Pixel, and Pixel XL are likely still on Android 7.1 due to its stability. Although Android 7.1 introduced many awesome new features such as app shortcuts, keyboard GIF insertion support, and round icon framework support, it also introduced a rather annoying feature in some people's minds. With Android 7.1's roll out came an updated Google Phone application that automatically switches the phone to Do Not Disturb mode while in the middle of a phone call.