All Posts by Andrew Martonik | Android Central

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All Posts by Andrew Martonik

Motion and gesture options on the Galaxy S6

11 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 5 May 2015 12:12 pm
Motion and gesture options on the Galaxy S6
Samsung has seriously scaled back the number of gesture options on the GS6, but what's there still works. Falling back to earth after the gesture heyday of the Galaxy S4, the settings for motion and gesture control on the Galaxy S6 can be summed up to just a single page in the settings. That's an issue for the few folks who loved all of the crazy things you could do by moving the phone and...

Amzer Pudding TPU case for the Galaxy Note Edge

1 Comment
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 4 May 2015 6:51 pm
Amzer Pudding TPU case for the Galaxy Note Edge
Protecting the curves of a Note Edge isn't easy, but the Pudding TPU case is a simple way to do it. Just like its Pudding cases for other devices of any size, Amzer's offering for the Galaxy Note Edge is a simple way to add some basic protection to this big phone with a funky curve. There aren't any fancy features, but when you just need some durable rubber and plastic to protect your Note...

Lollipop closes in on 10 percent of active Android installs, KitKat and Jelly Bean each fall under 40 percent

56 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 4 May 2015 6:15 pm
Lollipop
Google has just released its May report on Android platform versions, showing growth in Lollipop. The monthly report, which shows how many active Android devices are running on each version of the software, shows that Lollipop has grown significantly to 9.7 percent of installs, up from 5.4 percent last month. KitKat dropped subtly to 39.8 percent from 41.4 percent, while Jelly Bean moved to 39...

What is Samsung Quick connect on the Galaxy S6, and what can it do?

45 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 1 May 2015 11:48 am
Quick Connect button on the Galaxy S6
Quick connect is one of those features that Samsung really wants you to use, but nobody does. Whether you're familiar with Quick connect only because your carrier has decided to plant it permanently in your notification shade or because you've gone looking for it, we won't blame you if you don't know what it actually does. This semi-ambiguous utility has been present on the past few...

It's not just you, the 'My T-Mobile' website is down for 'maintenance'

25 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 30 Apr 2015 2:26 pm
My T-Mobile
If you've been frustrated by the 'My T-Mobile' site being down for over two days, you're not alone. The My T-Mobile page, which is used to check your usage data, manage your account or pay your bill online, has been down for well over two days citing "maintenance" as the issue.

Accessibility features on the Samsung Galaxy S6

12 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 30 Apr 2015 10:53 am
Galaxy S6 accessibility
Smartphones are for everyone, and Samsung is doing its best to make its phones accessible. Even though a majority of users will never touch the accessibility features on their new Galaxy S6 or any other phone they may get, for those who do need the features they're hugely important. Those with limited mobility, eyesight or hearing can't always use a phone to its full potential the way it's set...

Project Fi app lands in Google Play, reminds us we can't use it yet

30 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 29 Apr 2015 2:08 pm
Project Fi app
Another Google app lands in the Play Store, and it just teases a Project Fi future. We're now a full week out from the announcement of Project Fi, and Google has just put the Project Fi app in the Play Store for us to drool over. And while Google has yet to send out any invitations to use the service, you can now download the Project Fi app to your phone — though there's not much reason to...

Samsung Galaxy S6 tips and tricks

58 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 29 Apr 2015 1:17 pm
Samsung Galaxy S6
When you get a new phone you want to make the most of it, and that means reading up on this fancy gadget in your hand. We've been using the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge for weeks now, and have racked up quite a few tips and tricks that we want to share that'll help you make the most of these great phones. You'll get more familiar with your new phone as you use it, but to get you started off we have a...

Samsung announces Level On Wireless and Level Link audio gear, coming to the US in May

2 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 29 Apr 2015 12:07 pm
Level On Wireless
Samsung is expanding its Level audio brand with two new models, and they're hitting the U.S. in May. The Level On Wireless is simply a cord-free version of the previously-launched Level On on-ear headphones, which now connect over Bluetooth — just like the current larger Level Overs — and come in four colors. They sport active noise cancellation thanks to an array of six microphones that can...

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs. HTC One M9: Android Central editor roundtable

206 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 26 Apr 2015 3:04 pm
Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9
The editors here at Android Central weigh in on the latest flagships from Samsung and HTC. While we've fully reviewed both the Galaxy S6 and One M9, and even gone back around for second opinions, we're always interested in having a little discussion amongst ourselves about how leading devices stack up against each other. Since we've been using both the Galaxy S6 and One M9 heavily the past...

Do I need a Samsung Account on my Galaxy S6?

88 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 24 Apr 2015 7:29 pm
Samsung Account on the GS6
For better or worse, the Galaxy S6 really wants you to have a Samsung Account. Much like a Google Account is basically required if you want to make the most of any Android phone, a Samsung Account is starting to become an integral part of owning a Samsung phone. Creating or signing into your Samsung Account is baked right into the setup process for the Galaxy S6, and while you're technically...

NVIDIA erroneously shows 500GB Shield Android TV development kit for $299

16 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 23 Apr 2015 5:10 pm
NVIIDIA Shield Android TV console
NVIDIA got some hopes up earlier today when it posted a Shield Android TV with 500GB of storage. Unfortunately, the version — which is made as a development kit — was put up in error alongside the actual shipping device, which will cost $199 and have just 16GB of storage.

Google Q1 2015 earnings: $17.3 billion revenue, $3.6 billion net income

34 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 23 Apr 2015 4:08 pm
Google Bike
Google reported its full Q1 2015 earnings today, showing yet another strong quarter. For the first three months of 2015, Google showed strong growth with $17.3 billion in revenue, up 12 percent over last year, and $3.58 billion in net income, also up nearly 4 percent. Advertising revenues as a whole were $15.5 billion, and Google's own websites made up $11.9 billion of that revenue, up 14...

Google's Q1 2015 'other' revenues segment impacted by 'decline in Nexus'

148 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 23 Apr 2015 4:55 pm
Nexus 6
Speaking in the Google Q1 2015 earnings call, CFO Patrick Pichette indicated Nexus revenues declined this quarter. Revenues from the Play Store (and now Google Store) are such a small portion of Google's business that they're clumped into an "other revenues" category each quarter, but that doesn't stop the company from reporting how they impact the bottom line. In Q1 2015 the other revenues...

Android Central Photo Contest: Refreshment

27 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 22 Apr 2015 8:14 pm
AC Photo Contest: Refreshment
When we think of "refreshment" it's usually in relation to a nice cool drink, perhaps on a sunny day, but that doesn't mean this photo contest needs to be tied down to just pictures of your glass. Try to go outside the box and think of more things that are refreshing than just that beer or lemonade you're enjoying (though we'd love to see those, too!). We can't wait to see the entries this week...

Announcing the 'AC Photo Contest: Cold' winners!

21 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 22 Apr 2015 7:13 pm
AC Photo Contest: Cold
In the first edition of our new, longer-running photo contests we came away with tons of great entries. It took two weeks to pick winners this time around, but we're super happy with all of the entries that came into this chilly photo contest. We received all kinds of shots that nailed the prompt, and after much deliberation we came down to the two winners that will take home prizes. Read...

Comparing Project Fi pricing to other no-contract carrier offerings

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Posted by Andrew Martonik on 22 Apr 2015 5:30 pm
Google Nexus 6
Google's Project Fi isn't so much a revolution in pricing as it is a rethinking of how a carrier should work. Not many people have a strong liking for the way their current mobile carrier operates. You can find the same stories about bad customer support, data speeds and phones related to all of the major carrier in the U.S., and Google's hoping to get some of those disgruntled customers to...

Box cloud storage integration is coming to Chrome OS soon

9 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 22 Apr 2015 1:39 pm
Chrome logo
Soon Google Drive won't be the only option for cloud storage on your Chromebook. Speaking at an enterprise-focused Chrome Live online event, Google announced that Box integration will soon be coming to Chrome OS. In a forthcoming release of Chrome OS users will be able to sign in and have access to their Box storage in the same way as Google Drive is currently available at a system level.

Android Wear companion app update brings fresh design, a few neat features

33 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 21 Apr 2015 10:58 pm
While we all wait for the next OS update to hit our Android Wear watches, the companion app is getting a refresh. The latest Android Wear app brings a solid design refresh and a few new features, but some of them will require you to wait for your Android Wear smartwatch to get the latest firmware update. On the design side, a new home page makes use of more Material Design with stronger...

Starbucks app brings tipping to Canada, seamless eGift purchase and redemption

10 Comments
Posted by Andrew Martonik on 21 Apr 2015 9:20 pm
Starbucks app
Starbucks is bringing its new mobile tipping feature to Canada today with a simple app update. After starting initially with iOS users and then rolling to Android users in the U.S., our neighbors up north can now add a tip to their beverage purchase. You'll just need the latest version of the Starbucks Android app, now available in the Play Store — once you make a purchase, you'll receive a...

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