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Apple's new iPads, the Nexus 6 and other stories you might've missed
Get ready, ya'll. It's been a doozie of a week. Not only did Apple unveil new iPads and a Retina iMac, Google took the wraps off the Nexus 6 and its own media streamer. That's not all we have on deck, though -- click on through for the rest of our news highlights from the last seven days. Oh, and be sure to subscribe to our Flipboard magazine!
Google reveals the $649 Nexus 6, pre-orders begin on October 29th
Forget the pomp and circumstance that comes with a formal launch event -- Google just outed the new Nexus 6 on its official Android blog, and it's just about everything the rumor mill said the Motorola-made device would be. The Nexus 6 is the first phone to run Android 5.0 Lollipop, and while it might look like a super-sized version of this year's Moto X -- down to the dual speaker grilles and the lock button/volume rocker placement along the phone's edge -- it packs plenty of notable improvements over its smaller, non-Nexus cousin.
Here's what Google's giant Nexus 6 phone (probably) looks like
You may have already seen concepts and sketchy photos of Google's long-fabled 6-inch Nexus, but it now looks like the final veil of secrecy has been removed from this future Android flagship. Evan Blass (aka @evleaks) has posted an apparent leaked press image for the new smartphone that supports many of the existing rumors. The massive screen full of Android L imagery is likely the biggest giveaway, but the device also has the Moto X-style grilles and side trim that many have been expecting from the reportedly Motorola-made device. There aren't any new hints as to when this supersized hardware would arrive, and it's still not completely certain that this is what you'll eventually hold in your hands. However, Google's tendency to unveil new Nexus gear around October or November suggests that you won't have very long to wait.
Six-inch Motorola phone hits the FCC looking like the new Nexus
If you believe all the rumors that've been floating around, Motorola's hard at work on a new Nexus smartphone (codenamed "Shamu") with a 6-inch screen. Well, guess what just popped in to make an appearance at the FCC? You nailed it: a Motorola smartphone with a 6-inch screen, and with support for AT&T and T-Mobile's frequency bands to boot. As always, Motorola representatives have petitioned the FCC to keep all the really juicy bits confidential, so it's far from a definitive nail in the Nexus rumor coffin. Still, it's yet another piece of evidence that points to Motorola's role in crafting Google's latest Nexus smartphone. Why, just the other day it was spotted in Geekbench's test database putting up some particularly strong numbers. The specifics of the radio should mean the GSM model comes first (which is really nothing new), but Verizon Wireless may be getting in on the fun come launch time, too. Bear in mind, those reports and appearance came to light within the past week -- pretty soon (and if we're lucky) there won't be anything left to leak.
Philip K. Dick's estate lawyers up, says Nexus One name is 'clear infringement'
We'd been hearing that Philip K. Dick's estate wasn't too pleased about Google's riff on the Nexus-6 name from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade Runner for the Nexus One, and now it looks like they're doing something about it -- Phil's daughter Isa told the Wall Street Journal that the name is a "clear infringement of our intellectual-property rights" and that their lawyers are "dealing head-to-head" with the situation. We're not exactly sure what that means: unlike George Lucas and the Droid trademark, Dick's estate doesn't have a trademark on the Nexus name -- and even if it did, we're not sure consumers would somehow be confused into thinking there was some association between Dick and Google. That said, we're pretty sure the smart move for Google is to just cut a check and earn some feel-good PR here, but we'll see what happens.
