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Live from Google's Nexus event!
Now that Apple had its day in the sun, Google's ready to take the stage for an event of its very own. And just like how the folks in Cupertino announced a couple of new phones, we're expecting the Alphabet company to reveal two of its own handsets as well. Leaks suggest we'll see the Nexus 5X and 6P -- the 5X appears to be made by LG and features a 5.2-inch display, while the 6P seems to be a Huawei handset with a larger 5.7-inch screen instead. Both are purported to have fingerprint sensors and will ship with Android Marshmallow, which, whaddya know, has support for fingerprint sensors right out the gate. We're also expecting a couple of new Chromecast announcements; it looks like a second-gen Chromecast could make an appearance tomorrow along with a brand new Chromecast device for audio (Intriguing!). Check out all those details in our preview and join us right here at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET for our liveblog to see if it all turns out to be true. [Image credit: Shutterstock]
What to expect from Google's Nexus and Android event
What better way to close out the busy month of September than with a Google event? Nearly three weeks after Apple announced its latest smartphones, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the search giant is preparing to do the same, with a keynote of its own tomorrow in San Francisco. But while the event will likely focus on a refreshed set of Nexus handsets and the upcoming public release of Android Marshmallow, there are signs that Google is also planning to deliver a couple new Chromecast products -- including one that's all about audio. We also wouldn't be surprised to hear more about Android Wear, especially since we've seen a number of new devices introduced over the past month, like Motorola's second-generation 360 and the Huawei Watch. All will be revealed tomorrow, but for now, let's break down the leaks and rumors.
Google's Nexus 5X hits the FCC with support for all big US carriers
Google's Nexus phones haven't had the best cross-carrier support in the US (ahem, Verizon), but that might change when the Nexus 5X and 6P roll into town. The Nexus 5X has just swung by the FCC for approval, and one filing is for a model that appears to support all four major US carriers in at least some capacity -- there are concerns that it might not handle T-Mobile's existing 3G, but this does include Verizon support. There's also a second variant of the LG-made device that removes some frequency bands and appears destined for other countries. There's not much to see beyond this, although the FCC's measurements back rumors that the 5X will have a 5.2-inch screen. Will this Nexus actually work with every major US network when it launches? It's hard to say for sure, but you'll likely get the full scoop at Google's event in a few days. [Image credit: Android Police]
Nexus '5X' and '6P' boxes leak out ahead of Google's Android event (update)
Names, specs and pictures of the next Google-brand phones have already been floating around, and now Android Police has what it says are the retail boxes for the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. If you'll recall, these are the rumored LG (5X) and Huawei (6P) devices that Google will introduce at its Android-flavored breakfast meeting one week from today. Of course, most of our speculation is about what else might be there (new Chromecast?), but this peek can help you get an idea of how the eventual unboxing process will begin. Update: Need a better look at the actual phones? Android Police has also obtained a fairly clear render of the Huawei-built 6P, with its odd back and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Google's likely Nexus/Android event is happening September 29th
Google just sent over an invite for "some tasty new treats and much s'more" September 29th in San Francisco. It didn't say what will be revealed but based on the timing, we're thinking Android Marshmallow release, plus new hardware in the Nexus and Chromecast families? Recent leaks have pointed to Nexus phones from both LG and Huawei, while the Chromecast family may be expanding and getting rounder. Amazon and Apple debuted new devices for the TV this month, and we can't see the folks at Google/Alphabet letting that go without a response. Whatever desserts Google is bringing, we'll be there at 12PM ET / 9AM PT on September 29th to find out. [Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Google's next phones will reportedly be the Nexus 5X and 6P
We've seen a few snapshots of the upcoming Nexus phones and now we may have an idea what they'll be called. Droid Life reports that the pair of Google phones, one made by LG and the other by Huawei, will carry the labels of Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P (yes, six pee), respectively. The LG device is said to house a 5.2-inch display while the Huawei handset is rumored to carry a 5.7-inch inch screen, hence the 5 and 6 designations. We won't have to wait too long to find out, though, as reports indicate that Google is hosting event on September 29th where the duo is expected to be revealed alongside a new Chromecast. And, of course, a look at the latest version of Android Marshmallow. Hopefully we'll also find out what Huawei has tucked under that camera hump, too.
'Stagefright' vulnerability files released to the wild
On the heels of its Stagefright detection app, Zimperium (the outfit that discovered the Android security flaw) has released its exploit to the public. But before you get your hands dirty tinkering with it to find a fix there are a few things you need to consider. Zimperium says that it was tested on a Nexus device that was running Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.4 and that "due to variances in heap layout" this exploit isn't entirely reliable. The Python script does work to take advantage of "one of the most critical" vulnerabilities the outfit discovered in the security flaw's library, however. Perhaps the biggest caveat, though, is that since the file was tested with Ice Cream Sandwich, Zimperium says that elements of Android 5.0 Lollipop, the fast-growing OS of choice for Android users, basically nullify its attempts to address the problem.
Huawei Nexus leak reveals a weird camera hump
Google's Nexus phablet from Huawei looks like a steamroller ran over a periscope, if a leak from China's iNexus.co has any merit. Google is reportedly releasing two new Nexus models with Android M, a 5.2-inch model from LG and 5.7-incher from Chinese manufacturer Huawei. The LG version already leaked, but the above photo is the first we've seen of the Huawei variant (other than a render). We're not quite sure what to make of it -- there appears to be a large, oval cutout at the top for a camera module, a decidedly odd design choice.
Google's Nexus devices are getting monthly security updates
Samsung isn't the only Android device maker promising monthly security updates in light of huge exploits like the Stagefright flaw. Google itself is vowing that Nexus devices will get monthly over-the-air patches, starting with software arriving today. If you own a Nexus 4 or any newer model, you won't have to wait ages for these fixes to come as part of a point release. The duration of update coverage remains the same. You'll get major OS updates for at least 2 years, and security fixes for either 3 years after launch or 18 months after your device leaves the Google Store.
Google's Nexus 9 tablet slashed to £200 in the UK
If you'd had your eye on a new Nexus device but missed out on the recent round of smartphone sales, today's new Google tablet deal might be of interest. Just days after the Nexus 6 price was slashed to £304 (normally £479), the WiFi Nexus 9 is enjoying similar treatment, with the 16GB model now setting you back £200 instead of the usual £319. Amazon and Argos are both hosting the deal, which also includes a £100 discount on the 32GB model, but Google has not reflected the price change on its own store.
Google further embraces custom Android with standalone clock app
Google released a standalone clock in the Play Store this week. While Mountain View has been keen on serving up pieces of the Nexus experience (read: unskinned Android) for a while now, this latest release provides more evidence that the company is going all-in on a la carte apps. For users of devices other than a Nexus or Moto X -- which also offers a nearly bloat-free OS -- this means they can take advantage of the core pieces of Android and the larger Google ecosystem. In other words, you can customize a Samsung or HTC device how you see fit. It's like Google is making what we commonly refer to as "stock" Android another skin, but in separate apps so that users can choose exactly what they want. Since last April, users have been able to install a standalone Camera app built by Google, while Gmail, Maps, Messenger and Calendar have their own individual software, too.
The Android M Preview makes for a surprisingly usable daily driver
Late last week, I fired my up Mac's Terminal, pecked out a few half-remembered commands, looked them up, typed them out more slowly and that was that. After a few moments of silent finger-crossing, I was the proud owner of a Nexus 6 running the Android M Developer Preview. I then did something I didn't really expect to: I turned off my iPhone and made the snap decision to use Android M -- unfinished as it is -- as my main squeeze until Google I/O came to an end. The show's long over by now, but I've still (mostly) left my iPhone off to see how this highly incomplete version of Android stands up in day-to day-use. And you know what? For something that's very clearly a preview, it doesn't make for a bad daily driver.
LG and Huawei are reportedly making Google's Nexus phones this year
If you were disappointed that your only choice for a new, official Google phone last year was the gargantuan Nexus 6, you'll be glad to hear that 2015 could be very different. Android Police sources have elaborated on previous rumors with word that both LG and Huawei are working on Nexus handsets this year. The LG device, nicknamed Angler, would have a 5.2-inch screen and might borrow the G4's six-core Snapdragon 808 processor -- effectively, it'd be a modernized Nexus 5. Huawei's phone, Bullhead, would pack a bigger 5.7-inch display and could step up to a Snapdragon 810 chip. Think of it as a not-so-ungainly Nexus 6.
At £199, Google's Nexus 9 finally makes sense
Ever since Google launched the Nexus 10, I've craved a decent full-size Android tablet. Sony's Xperia slates are nice enough, but I've always missed the purified software experience that comes with Nexus devices. When the Nexus 9 was announced, I thought a worthy upgrade had arrived, but it quickly became clear that the hardware wasn't up to HTC's usual standards. The plastic back creaked and the display suffered from light leaks, while the price, which originally started at $399/£319, felt a little on the high side.
Google pulls the Nexus 7 tablet from its online store (updated)
In case you were on the fence about grabbing one of Google's affordable Nexus tablets, you'd better jump off it pretty soon. The Nexus 7's been pulled from the Google Store, as spotted by TalkAndroid, and it almost assuredly isn't coming back -- especially since the Nexus 9 exists. That means if you still want one of the consistently updated 7-inch slates you'll have to hit places like Amazon while supplies last or wallow in regret for all that could've been. Namely, owning a tablet that (to me at least) is more comfortable to hold than the IPad Mini 2 and is essentially just as capable.
Google's 'Nexus' phone network might only be for Nexus 6 phones
This week at MWC Google exec Sundar Pichai confirmed rumors that the company plans to launch its own wireless service, but a Wall Street Journal report claims it will only work with Google's Nexus 6 smartphone. Pichai stressed that the service would not operate on a large scale, and restricting it to a single device (even older Nexus phones are reportedly out), would just about fit that. We should've seen this coming once Pichai said it would be the "Nexus" of virtual phone networks, but according to the WSJ it will also combine WiFi connections with the cell networks of Sprint and T-Mobile for service. As the paper points out, other Motorola-built phones are already in use for primarily-WiFi carriers like Republic Wireless and Cablevision's new Freewheel. The newest Nexus 6 and Android Lollipop form the right combination for network-hopping, which could lead to the service launching within the next few weeks.
Verizon's Nexus 6 could arrive very soon
Are you a Verizon subscriber holding out for a Nexus 6 on Big Red? Well, your wait might be over pretty soon. Leaked in-store marketing materials are starting to float about and Verizon auto-uploaded a promo video for the handset (now made private) to its YouTube channel, as spotted by Phandroid. Apparently those banners and related items are set to display come March 11th with the device releasing the next day. What's more, Phandroid's sources say that when the launch does happen, Moto's big-screen device'll pack Verizon's enhanced LTE service (voice over LTE) and Lollipop 5.1. Until the Nexus 6 actually hits your local Verizon store, maybe watch our video review (below) again -- it'll make the wait exactly 3:48 shorter.
The Game Archaeologist travels to Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds
I confess that I have a particular fascination for MMOs that came into existence in the 1990s. It's not only the fact that I was oblivious to them at the time (er, wild college days?) but that practically each and every one of them were true pioneers in their own fashion. And while your standard MMO fan might think that there were only three such games in that decade (four, if they are gracious and include Meridian 59), the truth is that there were far more of them. Today we are going to look at one of the most important MMOs to emerge from that time period, Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds, although its influence was primarily located in Korea while being vastly downplayed in North America. Still, here's a successful MMO that not only beat Ultima Online out of the door by a year but has since won a Guinness World Record for longevity!
The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar's past year and future
A year ago, I was excited for WildStar's future. Now I'm sitting here wondering how things went so very, very wrong. That's not true, though; I know exactly how things went wrong. I don't like thinking about it, but I do know. And so here I am, with a game I was hugely excited to play out and in the wild, and so much has gone wrong. It's easy to think that I've pretty much clocked out altogether. But that's also not true. I'll be the first to point out that I've said some decidedly unkind things about the state of the game and the choices that have been made thus far in terms of fixing them. The last column I wrote even posited that it might be too late for several of the changes being proposed to make any sort of impact when it comes to the game's image. This is why I really want the game to prove me wrong.
T-Mobile's Nexus 9 comes with LTE and a $600 price tag (update: AT&T too)
The Nexus 9 didn't completely knock our socks off, but HTC's inaugural Lollipop tablet just got a little better... if you're willing to pay a premium, anyway. T-Mobile's now selling an LTE-enabled version of the tablet on its enthusiast-only Underground store for $600, or $25 a month for the next two years if smaller, drawn-out payments are more your speed. Other than its compatibility with T-Mobile's LTE network, this version of the tablet is identical to the $479, 32GB WiFi model we reviewed last month, but we're still curious what those faster data speeds mean for this little guy's battery life. Nothing good, we'd wager. And if you're not the biggest fan of T-Mobile's posturing? Fair enough: It shouldn't take too long for an unlocked model to pop up in the Google Play Store, though the tab will make an appearance there before the holidays is anyone's guess. Update: Not ready to go magenta? AT&T writes in to note that this slate is compatible with its LTE network as well, and available via the Google Play store for the same $600 price. There's a $100 credit available if you're willing to lock things down with a two-year contract, and prices start at $10 per month if you're adding it to an existing plan.