SwiftKey Beta adds new slide out settings menu straight from the keyboard, throws logo on space bar for kicks

Keyboard competition in Android is fierce. With so many virtual keyboards options out there looking to become your default, SwiftKey has long been the keyboard we trust to handle our erratic screen taps. It was nearly a year ago, SwiftKey went full-on free in the Google Play Store, offering up instead paid themes users could download to change up the look of the keyboard. It was a great move to be sure and — despite having already paid for the app years before that — one we had no problem getting behind.

But new changes headed to SwiftKey are leaving us feeling… well, not quite as enthusiastic. As detailed on their blog, the keyboard replacement is now adding “SwiftKey Hub,” their all new slide-out settings menu that essentially replaces the previous settings interface by making it available straight from the keyboard itself.

It’s broken up into 3 man tabs: Personalize (stats, support, SwiftKey Cloud login), SwiftKey store (themes), and Settings Menu (resize keyboard, advanced settings, etc.). We also noticed the SwiftKey logo appearing on the space bar. Ew.

SwiftKey also briefly talked about Dashlane integration for the secure storage of passwords. Dashlane uses AES-256 encryption and works with SwiftKey (Beta-only for now) to auto-insert passwords. Since all your passwords are store in Dashlane, you wont have to worry about SwiftKey having access to them. But in order for everything to work, you’ll need to also have the Dashlane Android app installed.

We’re not entirely sure if adding a slide-out settings menu makes the most sense for a keyboard, but SwiftKey says additional features will arrive at some point in the future. In the meantime, you can grab the latest beta here to try out the new settings interface for yourself, or simply wait until it goes live in the Google Play Store after it’s been tested for a bit.

SwiftKey Keyboard + Emoji (Playboard) | SwiftKey Keyboard + Emoji (Play Store)

The latest Chrome Beta adds support for push notifications from websites

Google loves the web. They want everyone to do everything inside of the Chrome browser. We’ve seen them add more and more features to Chrome that allow websites to act like apps. Chrome in Android 5.0 treats tabs like apps when you press the “Recents” button. Websites can even change the color of the status bar. Google’s next step is to allow websites to send notifications through Chrome.

In the latest build of Chrome Beta (42) they’ve including two new APIs that allow sites to push native notifications to users even if the website is not currently opened. Here’s the tech-speak behind how it works:

After the user has granted permission, a developer can use the new Push API to remotely wake up their service worker using Google Cloud Messaging. Once awake, the service worker may run JavaScript for a short period but in this release it is required at minimum to show a user-visible notification. Each notification includes a ‘Site Settings’ button, allowing users to easily disable notifications for a site.

This is a really big deal. As mobile sites and browsers get better there is less reason to download apps. Some mobile sites are already better than their app counterparts (*ahem* Facebook), but we stick with apps because they offer a native experience. If websites start adopting these new APIs it could change the way we use apps.

Another notable feature in Chrome Beta 42 is promoted home screen shortcuts. If Chrome detects you visit the same site a lot you will see a pop-up suggesting you add a shortcut to the site to your home screen. Once again, this is a direct shot at apps. Google will be actively urging users to treat websites like apps by placing them on the home screen. More info about Chrome Beta 42 can be found on the Chromium Blog.

Nova Launcher gets some Material Design love in latest beta

One of the most popular 3rd-party launchers is getting some Material Design love today. Alpha testers have been using the Material Design version of Nova Launcher for a little while now, and it’s ready to graduate to public beta. There are plenty of new Material goodies for Nova fans to enjoy.

First and foremost is the brand new look and feel of Material Design. You might not notice it immediately on your home screen (depending on your set up), but diving into the menus and settings will show a brand new look. A long-press on empty home screen space will bring up a more modern dialog instead of the old 2.x style pop-up. You’ll also notice a new red and white theme in the settings with smooth Material animations.

A new feature that I really like can be found in the app drawer. When the app drawer is opened you can swipe down from the top to bring up a search bar and list of recently installed or updated apps. This is super handy for trying to find apps quickly. Another new feature is the awesome app icon layout editor (seen above). You can also now adjust icon size and font size independently for desktop, drawer, dock, and folders.

All of these new #materinova features will eventually come to the stable version of Nova Launcher. If you don’t want to wait for that you can opt-in for Nova Launcher Betas from Google Play by following these steps. Check out the full changelog for below.

1. Join the Nova Launcher Beta G+ Community (This is not optional)


2. After joining, Opt-in for Nova Launcher


3. When a new beta update is available you will get it through the Play Store

#materinova.14 public beta 1

• Full Material Design


• Google Search from the search bar shows as an overlay


• Edit Shortcut dialog, and quick menu, tinted based on colors of the icon


• New icon


• New Nova Action icons


• Rebased on top of Launcher3


• Individual icon layout settings (size, font, etc) in Desktop, Drawer, Dock, Folder


• Max icon size boosted to 150%


• Widget Search


• Pull to search (pull down in the drawer to open app or widget search)


• Widgets given their own drawer, removed from App Drawer


• Ability to change Page Indicator color


• Drawer Tab Bar completely optional


• Support for Android for Work managed profiles (Lollipop)


• Workaround Expand Notifications Nova Action not working on Samsung Lollipop


• Requires Android 4.1 or higher (Dropped support for Android 4.0 ICS)


• Unlimited desktop pages (previously limited to 9)


• Add/remove of desktop pages by dropping icons on the blank page, or removing all icons from a page


• Add blank desktop pages (for gestures or live wallpapers) from overview


• Improved bulk edit of folders (Folder > Menu > Select Apps)


• Added shadows to unread badges


• Unread Badge size scales with icon size


• Allow reordering drawer folders by drag/drop within window


• Added Roboto-Medium font option


• Improve handling of apps installed to sdcard

Meerkat’s Twitter-driven live streaming service is now in open beta and in the Google Play Store

Meerkat is the newest quick live streaming platform that allows you to quickly launch a live stream from your phone and broadcast it to your followers on Twitter. It’s been in closed beta to this point, but the company has made it available to anyone able to download apps from Google Play as of today.

Meerkat’s schtick is that they don’t allow folks to rewatch broadcasts after the fact — once it’s over, it’s over (though you’re free to save a copy on your end and upload it to YouTube if you want). Other than that, there’s nothing really over the top or out of the ordinary about it.

It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s free and it’s now available for anyone to download. Oh, and it’s also in beta so expect some weird quirkiness as they work out the kinks — otherwise you might find yourself turned upside down like Derek did when he gave it a spin for himself. Head here for the download.

Samsung Flow beta launches in the US, but only for 7 of their Galaxy phones and tablets

Remember Samsung Flow? It was their response to Apple’s Continuity, a feature that allows you to take what you’re doing on one Samsung device and pick up where you left off on another. Whether you’re working on a document in an office app or in a video call with friends and family, you can seamlessly move what you’re doing from one device to another with little interruption.

The good news today is that Samsung Flow is now in open beta, though there are a couple of catches. For starters, the service is only available to folks in the US at the moment. Samsung also only opened up initial support for just 7 of their devices:

• Galaxy S5, S6, and S6 Edge


• Galaxy Alpha


• Note 4 and Note Edge


• Galaxy Tab S (we’re assuming it’ll work for all sizes)

It’s that reason that the app is getting a large quantity of one-star reviews over at Google Play. It’s important to remember that this is only a beta, and as such Samsung expects to be able to add more of their devices over time (including support for Flow on Samsung’s Smart TVs, Gear smart watches and computers).

Beyond that, Flow should seemingly provide a pretty robust experience to start. Samsung built the service based on Android’s pre-existing intent-based share API, so many apps in Google Play already support the use of Flow at a basic level. More advanced functionality can be added by developers if they so choose, and Samsung’s development page has all the details on how to do that.

If you have more than one of the supported devices be sure to give it a try. Otherwise you’ll have to wait for Samsung’s beta program to expand before you’ll be able to take advantage.

Microsoft confirms Cortana for Android beta will be here as soon as July

Microsoft has announced that Cortana for Android will be here in July just in time for Windows 10’s launch. To be clear, it’ll be unleashed as a beta, and as such you should expect that things aren’t fully functional from the start. We won’t get full Cortana love until later in the year.

Cortana, if you don’t know, is Microsoft’s digital assistant. It got its start on Windows Phone, but the company is looking to make it your go-to service no matter which device you’re on. Cortana will integrate with Microsoft’s suite of apps, with a Notebook feature allowing you to have her jot down notes and details important to you.

You can also use it to do things like set reminders, and once that reminder arrives it will alert you on any device where you have Cortana enabled (including other Android phones or tablets, Xbox One, or your Windows 10 PC). You can ask it things about sports, weather, movies, music and more.

Google Now is awesome and it always will be, but Cortana has enough going for it that it’ll at least be worth a try once it makes its way to more devices later this year. We’ll surely be on the lookout for the app’s release date as we inch closer to Windows 10.

[via Microsoft]

Huawei gives some Honor 6 owners a chance to beta test Android 5.1 Lollipop before official rollout

It’s not the first OEM that comes to mind when you think of software updates, but Huawei has been making a better effort at supporting some of their flagships with newer versions of Android. A few weeks back they kicked off a new community forum where members could test out new software updates and even try out devices before they’re released to the public. Earlier this month, the allowed community member to test drive Android Lollipop on the Huawei Mate 2 and now they’re doing it again, this time with the Huawei Honor 6.

Huawei UK announced the news on their Facebook page, letting Honor 6 owners in Europe know they could test drive the new update which will bring the Honor 6 up to Android 5.1 along with EMUI 3.1 (Huawei’s custom user interface). When the Honor 6 launched in August of last year, it was running Android 4.4.2 KitKat so this new update is sure to make users happy (well, once it officially rolls out).

To get started, you’ll first need to sign up for Huawei’s “Honor Club” and drop them an email here with the subject ‘’Beta Test Honor 6” along with the IMEI number on your device and a short statement on why you should be the one to test the new update. Huawei will be hand-selecting 100 applicants in the UK, Germany, and France up until June 30th and you’ll need to remain in contact with Huawei to report any bugs.

Once again, this is beta software, so weirdness and general instability are almost certain. If that hasn’t scared you away then godspeed. Applicants will be notified by next week if they were selected to test the new software update. Cheers.

[Facebook]

Gmail’s ‘Undo Send’ feature is out of beta, will eventually make its way to mobile

“Undo send” is one of the better Gmail features that we have to admit, has saved our asses more than a few times. It recently made its way to Inbox by Gmail only last month and is almost hard to believe that, like most things Google, it was in beta this entire time. After 6 long years, the feature has now been added to Gmail proper, with the setting making the move out of Gmail’s Labs section, to the regular ‘ol “General” tab.

There’s can now also change the cancellation period, choosing between 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds before an email is sent and can no longer be undone. For those that didn’t already have the setting enabled, you’ll have to jump into the General tab to turn it on. Those already using undo send will find it’s already been turned on so no need to rush out and change anything.

Right now the feature is only available for Gmail users on the web, but according to Mashable, Google says it will be arriving on mobile at some point in the future. We’re hoping now that it has officially dropped that beta tag, it will happen sooner rather than later.

[Google Apps Updates]