Everything you need to know about the HTC One M9

Mobile World Congress was dominated by two new devices, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9. We pumped out a lot of content about these two heavy hitters, which means you might have missed some important stuff. In this guide we’ll be covering the One M9. The device might not look much different from last year’s model, but there is plenty of new stuff to discover. Here’s everything you need to know.

HTC One M9 Specs

On the surface the M9 appears almost identical to the HTC One M8. For the most part that’s a very good thing, considering the One M8 was one of the best-looking Android devices ever made. There are really only two things that differentiate the two. 1) The M9 has only one camera on the back, and it’s more square than round. 2) The metal on the M9 has a brushed texture to it whereas the M8 was more smooth.

Under the surface is where the M9 has many improvements. Better processor, more RAM, improved camera, the latest version of Android, etc. You can read the full spec sheet for all the inner goodies, but here are the specs you need to know:

• 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor


• 5-inch Super LCD3 1080p display


• 3GB of RAM


• 32GB of internal storage with microSD


• 20 megapixel rear camera, 4 megapixel (UltraPixel) front camera


• GPS, WiFi AC, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, 4G LTE


• 5.68 x 2.73 x 0.38 inches, 4.96 ounces


• Android 5.0 Lollipop with HTC Sense 7

HTC One M9 vs The Competition

To see how these specs stack up check out the side-by-side comparison of the HTC One M9 vs One M8, and the One M9 vs Samsung Galaxy S6.

HTC Sense 7

The HTC One M9 comes with the latest version of Sense on top of Android 5.0 Lollipop. Sense 7 has quite a few new features and improvements. Most of these new features will eventually make their way to older HTC devices, but for now they are only on the One M9.

Custom Sense Themes

Another great feature of Sense 7 is the ability to create completely custom themes. Sense has had themes for a while, but now HTC has opened them up to be much more personal. You can create a custom theme simply by taking a photo. Sense will then identify colors from that photo and change accent colors, icons, and even system sounds. There are also a bunch of pre-loaded themes, see all the HTC One M9 themes here.

Custom Nav Bar

One of the best new features in Sense 7 is the ability to customize the buttons in the bottom nav bar. Typical Android devices with software buttons have “back, home, and recents.” The HTC One M9 has these buttons as well, but there is room for a 4th user-defined button. You can set it to turn off the screen, auto rotate, show notifications, or hide the nav bar completely (swipe up to show).

Personalized Recommendations

HTC has also done a lot to make Sense 7 smarter. A new option called “Meal Time Bundles” shows local places to eat on your lockscreen, and later this year “Morning Bundle” will show news on the lockscreen. They’ve also added a “Sense Home” widget to the homescreen. The widget shows apps based on your location. Productivity apps when you’re at work, social apps when you’re home, etc. To round things out they’ve added “Smart Folders” that automatically organize apps for you.

HTC One M9 Camera

The most important aspect of the HTC One M9 might be the camera. The M8 had a decent camera, but many users were disappointed in the performance in non-ideal situations. With the One M9 they’ve finally stopped messing around with “UltraPixels” on the back and went with a traditional 20.7MP camera. They’ve also gotten rid of the “duo-camera” in favor of one big sensor.

The rear camera has autofocus, a backside-illuminated sensor, a f/2.2, 27.8mm lens, and is capable of 4K video recording.The big question is does the switch to megapixels result in better photos? The answer is “yes and no.” The good news is you can actually zoom in before taking a photo and still get a decent result, and photos in ideal situations look better than the One M8. The bad news is low-light photos are still not great.

HTC UltraPixel Front Camera

HTC may have removed UltraPixels from the back camera, but they didn’t remove them from the device entirely. The front-facing camera is now equipped with a 2 UltraPixel camera. HTC says this allows for great seflies in all conditions, including low light. We put that to the test against the iPhone 6 in the video below.

Check out our side-by-side photos of the One M9’s UltraPixel front camera and the iPhone 6 in our comparison post. The One M9 easily outperforms the iPhone 6 in low-light and even perfect conditions. UltraPixels may not have been great for the rear camera, but they seem to be doing an awesome job up front.

The bottom line with the new camera(s) is it’s too early to tell. Right now we only have some short hands-on time and HTC’s own claims to go on. We’ll need to put the One M9 up against the One M8 and other devices before we can see if there are big improvements. So far it’s looking like HTC made some much-needed improvements.

HTC Dot View 2

Most manufacturers make cases for their phones, but none put as much thought into them as HTC. The Dot View case was one of our favorite things about the One M8, and HTC made it even better with the One M9. Dot View 2 fixes a few things users complained about and adds some really neat new features and designs.

The new Dot View case sits flat now when flipped behind the device. A lot of people complained about this one. They also made the new Dot View case clear on the back so the beautiful brushed aluminum can shine through. The biggest new features come in the companion Dot View app. You can draw your own designs, convert photos, and even play 8-bit games. It’s a really great app, and easily the best case out there.

HTC One M9 Pricing & Availability

The last thing to know about the One M9 is when it will go on sale and for how much. HTC hasn’t given an exact release date yet, but they did say it will be available “mid-March,” and one major retailer suggests March 25th. They also didn’t provide pricing information. We can assume the One M9 will cost around 9-650 unlocked and 9 with a new contract from participating carriers. The device will be available in gunmetal grey, silver+gold, and pink.

Join in the HTC One M9 discussion at Android Forums

While you wait for the One M9 to be released you can chat with other fans in Android Forums. It’s a great place to ask questions and find out more information before you buy the device. Here are a few popular threads to get your started.

• Are you getting the HTC One M9?


• HTC One M9 or Samsung Galaxy S6?


• HTC One M9 camera discussion


• How to take a screenshot with the HTC One M9


• HTC One Trick Pony


• For more, visit Android Forums

Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S6

At Mobile World Congress, Samsung unveiled not one, but two 2015 flagship devices, the  Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Since the phones have been revealed, we have been diving into everything they have to offer to find out what’s new, how the S6 devices compare to the competition, and what we can expect come launch day. Here is everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S 6 Edge.

Galaxy S6 vs. Galaxy S6 Edge

When Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 4, they gave us a one-two punch that included the Galaxy Note Edge, the first widely-available device to utilize the company’s curved AMOLED technology (we’ll count the Samsung Galaxy Round as more or less a proof of concept). With the Samsung Galaxy S6, the folks behind the world’s most popular line of Android smartphones followed an identical strategy with the unveil of the Galaxy S6 Edge.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in many ways takes the concept introduced with the Note Edge to the logical next step, opting for a curved edge on both sides of the display rather than the one sloping side of the Note variant. The functionality has also been simplified. Samsung has ditched the “Edge Display” interface of the Note Edge in favor of a more subtle approach.

The curved sides of the S6 Edge in normal circumstances merely continue the flow of the main display in an aesthetically pleasing way, but they also act to provide at-a-glance information about notifications by flashing colors that can be assigned to specific contacts. Dragging from the edge opens up a menu of quick actions to respond to incoming calls and messages. A toned down information ticker is still available, but it serves a much smaller overall purpose than it did with the Note Edge.

Other than their displays, the two devices are identical in terms of hardware and other aspects of their design. The Galaxy S6 Edge’s name implies that it is secondary to the flagship Galaxy S6, but Samsung has been featuring the more unique version of the device most prominently in advertising since its launch at MWC 2015. If it wasn’t for a slightly higher price tag and potential supply constraints as a result of the curved AMOLED technology, we might imagine Samsung could have ditched the traditional S6 altogether. You can get a quick look at how they compare in our hands-on videos with each device.

Hardware

Galaxy S6 specs

Both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge feature an identical hardware compliment, offering one of the most powerful Android experiences we have seen to date. The list of specs features the following highlights:

• 64-bit Exynos 7 Octa chipset


• 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM


• 32GB, 64GB or 128GB UFS 2.0 storage options


• 16 megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization, 5 megapixel front camera with real-time HDR


• 5.1-inch Quad-HD Super AMOLED display (577 ppi)


• Dual-mode wireless charging with support for both WPC and PMA charging pads


• NFC, heart-rate sensor and improved fingerprint scanner


• Depth: 6.8mm/7.0mm edge


• Weight: 138g/132g edge

Samsung has spared no expense in outfitting their 2015 flagship with top-tier hardware, improving many of the features introduced with the Samsung Galaxy S5. This includes the holdover heart rate sensor (which now doubles as an input to acknowledge notifications) and a vastly improved finger scanner.

Galaxy S6 battery & Qi charging

One minor difference between the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge is the battery; the handsets feature 2550mAh and 2600mAh batteries respectively. In order to achieve the sleek design that makes the S6 so appealing, Samsung for the first time has opted to make the battery non-removable. One plus side to this is the inclusion of wireless charging as a standard option out of the box.

Audio enhancements

Samsung has also taken the time to improve the Galaxy S6’s onboard speakers. The company claims the device offers 1.5x the audio output volume of the Galaxy S5, and we can confirm that the S6 is a much louder phone if not measure the  results empirically. Sound quality overall was markedly improved.

What’s missing: waterproof construction, expandable storage

One area where the S6 backtracks is a lack of waterproof construction. This was a major selling point for the Galaxy S5 and one hammered home by variant releases like the Samsung Galaxy S5 Sport and Samsung Galaxy S5 Active. A lack of resistance to the elements of nature is a compromise Samsung had to make to in order to achieve the gorgeous design of the S6, but there is at least some hope the company will followup with an Active edition to satisfy the needs of the more adventurous set of users out there.

Going hand-in-hand with the design changes from the S5 to the S6, a non-removable backplate has led Samsung to leave out the option for expandable storage via microSD card. Samsung has counteracted potential storage limits by offering the Galaxy S6 with internal storage of up to 128GB.

Toned-down TouchWiz

The Galaxy S6’s hardware would imply a pretty powerful device on paper, but we have seen the performance of Samsung’s best made phones suffer under the bloat of their TouchWiz interface in the past. With the Galaxy S6 this is not the case thanks in large part to Samsung’s efforts in trimming the fat from their custom Android user interface.

While the UI looks pretty similar to that of the Galaxy S5 on the surface, the under-the-hood enhancements equate to a device that feels faster and performs more smoothly, despite their shared Android Lollipop base. Samsung has made great strides to reduce the clutter of previous TouchWiz iterations, giving the interface a refined look that should be more approachable to the user. Just take a look at this new screen-off animation:

The software also comes with a few of its own special features, including the new Samsung Pay mobile payments platform. Utilizing the built-in NFC chip of the S6 and S6 Edge, the new service will be available when the phones reach retail.

Improved fingerprint scanner

The fingerprint scanner of the Samsung Galaxy S5 offered some novel uses such as PayPal payments and Private mode for stored files, but it was awkward and clunky to use and far from reliable. With the Galaxy S6 things have changed drastically. Gone is the swiping motion needed to read a fingerprint on last year’s model, replaced by a method very similar in use to Apple’s Touch ID. In fact, Samsung’s latest fingerprint scanner is on par, if not better, than Apple’s.

The improved finger scanner is quick and accurate; rest your finger over the home button and the device will unlock in short order. Samsung has also added some intriguing functionality, such as the ability to store credentials for your frequently visited websites, using your fingerprint to effortlessly login via the browser.

Lightning-fast camera

One area where Samsung has greatly improved with the Galaxy S6 is the camera. While Samsung’s recent releases have all offered pretty solid camera experiences, the software side of things has become increasingly bloated. Samsung opted for a simplified interface to make quickly capturing photos easy.

Samsung still includes plenty of what we expect — filters, various photo modes, slow motion video, and panoramas, to name a few — but it is presented in a less cluttered way. The features are there when you want them, but won’t get in the way of taking that spur-of-the-moment shot.

When you really want to dive into a shot, Samsung offers a Pro mode that allows the user to make adjustments to a number of parameters more typically associated with standalone cameras. These include white balance, focus, ISO, and more.

But this would all mean nothing if the Galaxy S6 didn’t offer a solid camera sensor to begin with, and again Samsung has delivered. A 16MP camera is paired with optical image stabilization to make capturing shots a breeze. The OIS itself is impressive when compared to the iPhone 6, which lacks stabilization altogether. The Galaxy S6 proved to be a quite capable shooter when pitted head-to-head against Apple’s latest iPhone.

Most impressive, though, is the Galaxy S6’s ability to go from screen off to photo in under a second — 0.7 seconds to be exact. A quick home button gesture combined with the S6’s awesome hardware are what make this possible.

Gear VR, new cases, and other accessories

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will be Samsung’s second and third devices to support their Gear VR platform powered by Oculus. An updated Gear VR headset will be released that will fit the S6, giving future owners the ability to dive into the world of in-home virtual reality. We were big fans of the Note 4 version, and expect more of the same from the Galaxy S6 with Gear VR.

A new phone release would be nothing without a few new cases to go along with it. Samsung has introduced an updated S View style folio case tailor-fit for the S6 Edge. It features a translucent plastic front that pairs with a low-energy notification view to provide a quick look at incoming calls and messages. We also get some standard slim-profile cases from Samsung for the S6 and S6 Edge.

We can expect to see plenty of third party cases hit the market for the new Galaxy S phones. Speck has unveiled their lineup and other have followed suit. Expect a few first-party options from Samsung when it comes to wireless charging, though the S6 will support a number of docks already on the market.

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs. the competition

The Galaxy S6 wasn’t the only device recently unveiled. The HTC One M9 looks to be its biggest competition. The two devices stack up favorably in terms of power and performance, but the curved AMOLED of the S6 Edge really sets it apart. For those wondering whether or not the S6 is a worthy upgrade over their current S5, the below chart highlights the major differences.

The other prime competitor is Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. While Samsung has again proven they are not against aping the design choices coming out of Cupertino, they have actually done a lot with the S6 to set their phone apart. Where Samsung faltered previously (weak fingerprint scanner, software lag, and beauty in design, to name a few), they have now matched or exceeded what we get with Apple’s latest smartphones.

Pricing & Availability

When can you get your hands on what is so far the hottest Android phone of 2015? Samsung has scheduled an April 10th worldwide launch for both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung has pulled in a record 20 million reservations for their latest Android handset through retailers and carriers stocking up for launch day. The phone should be widely available for pre-order by April 1st through most carriers, including Verizon and Sprint.

A specific street price for both the GS6 and GS6 Edge have not been revealed. The closest we have come is what has been leaked in the rules of a T-Mobile contest, which put a 9 off-contract price tag on the Galaxy S6, though there is no indication of what storage configuration this price pertains to. The S6 Edge is expected to cost slightly more.

As we await more info the launch, we can take solace in the official unboxing and hands-on video posted to Samsung’s YouTube account.

Galaxy S6 Tips & Tricks

Why do you need tips and tricks for an unreleased smartphone? So you can spend less time learning about your device out of the box and more time actually using it.

Here are a few helpful tutorials to get you started:

• How to change the Edge screen to left or right on the Galaxy S6 Edge


• How to view and customize Edge information ticker on Galaxy S6 Edge


• How to quickly open Galaxy S6 camera


• How to take better pictures with the Samsung Galaxy S6


• How to take the best selfies with the Samsung Galaxy S6


• How to set custom voice commands on the Galaxy S6


• How to use Galaxy S6 Edge screen as an alarm clock at night

To read up even more on the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, head over and download the official user manuals for both phones.

Galaxy S6 forums

Then you will want to head over to Android Forums, where we have dedicated forums for both the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. There you will find a growing number of resources and discussions.

For the Galaxy S6:

• Will the Galaxy S6 right the ship for Samsung


• To Edge or NOT to Edge


• Galaxy S6 accessories


• Thinking of buying the Galaxy S6 but have a few questions


• Anyone know the release date?

For the Galaxy S6 Edge:

• Check this before preordering the Galaxy S6 Edge


• Faves, anyone?


• What is the Edge difference????


• Galaxy S6 Edge or regular, which do you plan on getting?

Be sure to head over an add your own tips and tricks, or simply join the conversation and pass the time as we await the official launch of Samsung’s latest Android flagship devices.

Everything new in Android M [VIDEO]

Android M is here, and although Google made a point of indicating its primary purpose is to polish the sweeping changes introduced in Android Lollipop, this new version still has a long list of huge improvements and entirely new features. Here is a complete list of all the changes in Android M, highlighting the 18 most important. Let’s go!

1. Google Now on Tap

In previous versions of Android, Google Now lived in its own container, accessed by swiping up from the home button. Occasionally, when Google deems it important enough, you’ll find Google Now Cards in your notifications. Google Now on Tap takes the feature several steps further by become an all knowing, always ready concierge: hold down the home button from any screen in any app and Google Now on Tap will use the context of the situation to fetch what information it believes you seek.

For more, read our article on How to use Google Now on Tap.

2. Android Pay

Android Pay is a new service that builds upon the promises of Google Wallet and adds more features. It can store all of your physical credit cards and loyalty cards so you can simply scan your phone via NFC to pay in stores. Android Pay can also be used to purchase items online. If a website supports Android Pay you won’t have to enter any credit card or shipping information. It will all be saved and ready to go.

When paying for things in the physical world you need some extra security. Android Pay checks if your phone has been unlocked in the last five minutes when you touch it to a terminal. If your phone hasn’t been unlocked recently it will ask for some sort of password, or if your phone has a fingerprint scanner you can use that. More on fingerprints later.

For more, read our article on How to use Android Pay.

3. Auto backup for apps

One feature that Google didn’t talk about might be one of our favorites. Android has always had back-up and restore functionality, but it wasn’t a complete solution. You’d still have to go into each app and sign in and set it up again. There are plenty of 3rd-party apps that fix this problem, but now stock Android will be able to do it.

In the Backup & reset settings there is a new description that explains how app data and settings will now be backed up to Google Drive. That means when you set up a new phone and restore your apps it will also restore how you had those apps set up. For example, if you had notifications disabled in the Twitter app on your old phone it will remember that on your new phone. This should make switching phones a breeze.

4. Vertical app drawer with search bar

One of the biggest visual changes can be found in the default Google Now Launcher. The app drawer is now a vertical-scrolling list with four recent apps and a search bar on top. In Lollipop the app drawer consisted of horizontal-scrolling pages. We’re not sure how we feel about this change. The icons in the new drawer are very large, so you can’t see many apps at a time. It seems to require more scrolling than the previous design.

5. Easy word selection and toolbar

This might not be a big deal to some people, but selecting text in Android M is a lot easier. When dragging your finger the selection now grows by word and subtracts by letter. A new floating tool bar appears right above the selected text with options for cut, copy, and paste. We love this subtle improvement.

6. Simplified volume controls

The volume controls in Android Lollipop were one of the most controversial new features. New modes made it hard to figure out which notifications would get through, and the removal of Silent Mode was a serious mistake. Thankfully, Google has realized the error of their ways and fixed the volume controls in Android M.

When you press the volume buttons you’ll see the familiar volume slider, but now it’s possible to go lower than vibrate. Taking the volume past vibrate now puts the phone into silent mode where only alarms can make noise. There’s also a little down arrow icon on the right side that allows you to adjust the media and alarm volumes. We’re very glad Google has backtracked on their crazy Lollipop volume controls. This makes much more sense.

Read more about the new volume controls in Android M.

7. ‘Do Not Disturb’ gets overhauled

In Android Lollipop there was Priority Mode and Do Not Disturb mode. It was confusing why these two things were separate when they had many of the same features. Google has done away with Priority Mode in Android M and focused solely on Do Not Disturb.

In the Quick Settings pull-down you’ll notice a toggle for the new Do Not Disturb mode. When you tap the toggle you’ll have options for “Total silence, Alarms only,” and “Priority only.” The first two are self-explanatory, but “Priority only” requires some set-up. You can allow only certain apps and people to break through priority mode, and a new setting called “Repeat callers” will allow someone who has called twice in 15 minutes to break through.

“Automatic rules” allow you to choose certain times for Do Not Disturb mode to be automatically enabled. For example, you could have it turn on every night when you go to bed, on the weekends, or during certain calendar events. It’s very handy.

8. Customize the toggles in the Quick Settings

Most non-Nexus devices allow you to customize the toggles found in the Quick Settings. In Android M we can see that Google is tinkering with that very same idea. In the Developer options you can enable “System UI tuner.” This allows you to drag and drop different toggles into the Quick Settings area. It’s very buggy right now, and only includes a few toggles, but in the future it could be great.

For more on customizing the Quick Settings, watch our video here.

9. ‘Doze’ saves battery life

Every feel like battery life on your Android device isn’t as good as it should be? That’s a problem many Android fans complain about, and Google is always trying to fix it. Their latest attempt is called “Doze.” In Android M apps will be put into a deep sleep when the phone isn’t in use. Doze activates when your phone is unplugged, stationary, and the screen is off. It will periodically wake up to sync data, but most things will be asleep. No more battery drain while your phone is on your desk all day.

For more about Doze, read our full article.

10. App Links removes the default app picker

Anyone that has used Android knows how often you’re asked about the app you’d like to use to perform a task. It’s nice that we have that power, but it’s also a little annoying. App links let you choose if you want an app to always open a certain type of link. For example, you can make Twitter links always open in the Twitter app without asking you every time. It just works.

11. Granular App Permissions

Why does the Twitter app need to know my location? Why does Facebook need to access my microphone? If these are questions you’ve asked you will love Android M. Instead of seeing a long list of permissions when you install an app you will be alerted when an app requests permission to do something. If Whatsapp wants to use your camera it will ask for your permission first.

That’s only half of the new features. It’s also possible to choose which permission you’d like to deny. The new App Info page in the Settings has a section for permissions. You can simply unselect which things you don’t want an app to have permission to do.

For more, read our full article on Android M App Permissions

12. Unified app info view

The App info pages in the Settings menu have been overhauled in Android M. You can now see information about storage, data, permissions, notifications, defaults, and battery on one page.

If you’d rather see app info in bulk you can go to Settings > Apps and tap the three-dot menu to select Advanced. From here you can see default apps, app links, permissions, and more from all the apps installed on your phone. It’s a great way to manage apps.

13. Direct Share makes sharing to people easy

It’s always been easy to share things on Android, but Android M will make it even easier. With Direct Share developers will be able to allow users to share deeper inside their apps. Currently, to share a photo with someone on Hangouts you would select the share icon, choose hangouts, wait for it to open, and then select the recipient. Direct Share will allow you to select the share icon and share directly to a Hangout contact.

14. Fingerprint Reader support

Android will finally have an API for fingerprint readers. This will allow manufacturers to build fingerprint scanners into Android devices without hacking on their own solutions (except Google, who hacked a fingerprint scanner onto a Nexus 5). The fingerprint API will allow you to use a fingerprint reader to unlock your device, buy things in the Play Store, and verify your identity for Android Pay. The future is now.

15. Disable “Heads Up” Notifications

A lot of people were not fans of the new “Heads Up” notifications in Android Lollipop. They pop up in front of whatever you’re doing and can be very distracting. Google hasn’t gotten rid of the Heads Up notifications, but in Android M you can disable them on an app-by-app basis. Go to the App Info page for any app and select “Notifications.” Toggle off “Allow peeking” and the app won’t pop up notifications anymore.

16. Lock screen font and voice shortcut

The lock screen has some subtle changes in Android M. The font for the clock is slightly different, but the bigger change is a new shortcut for voice search. In Android Lollipop there was a shortcut to the dialer in the bottom left corner, but now it’s a microphone icon that jumps right into a voice search.

17. Dark Theme

If Android M is any indication it looks like Google is considering adding themes to Android. Hidden deep in the Developer options in Android M is the option to change the theme from Light, Dark, or Automatic. Currently, it only adjusts how the Settings look, but we could see this controlling the entire OS in the future. See the dark theme in action here.

18. USB Type-C Charging

The hot new standard for USB connectors in computers and mobile devices is USB Type-C, and Android M will finally bring support. USB Type-C connectors are reversible, which means you’ll no longer struggle with finding the correct orientation of a charging cable. USB Type-C can also transfer data and power in both directions, and Google promises improved charging times.

Everything Else

Android M has a lot of other little changes and improvements. In total there are over 50 new things in Android M. The features mentioned above are the ones you’ll notices the most, but we’ve listed everything else below.

• Power improvements in WiFi scanning


• Chrome custom tabs


• Work contacts in personal contexts


• Hotspot 2.0 R1


• VPN apps in settings


• Flex storage


• Duplex printing


• Seamless certificate installation for enterprise


• Undo/redo keyboard shortcuts


• Data usage API for work profiles


• Material Design support library


• Bluetooth SAP


• Voice interaction service


• Battery historian v2BT 4.2


• Improved bluetooth low energy scanning


• Beta setup wizard


• Improved diagnostics


• IT admin acceptance of OTAs


• UI toolkit


• Contextual assist framework


• Enterprise factory reset protection


• Corporate owned single use device support


• Improved trusted face reliability


• Improved text layout


• Unified Google new runtime settings and permissions


• Work status notification


• MIDI support 5GHz


• Portable Wi-Fi hot-spot Bluetooth connectivity for device provisioning


• Seven additional languages


• Data binding support library


• IMAP sign-in


• Delegated certificate installation


• Flashlight/Torch API


• Simplified Share Menu


• Developer Custom Landing Page

For more news and information about Android M, click the delicious M-themed desserts below! What do you think Android M will be called at launch?

Twitter’s Project Lightning could change everything

Twitter has been heavily criticized lately: user growth is slowing, ad revenue is meager, the CEO just resigned, and even though the platform is the king of mass media, sports, and celebrity, the average joe simply doesn’t seem to care much. But when Twitter flips the switch on Project Lightning they could flip the script on the whole world and take their dominance of real-time interaction to the next level.

Here is the nitty gritty on Project Lightning:

• New “Event Pages” will turn trending topics into temporary information hubs


• Twitter employees will curate the content shown on these new all-important pages


• The pages will feature Tweets, photos, and Vines selected by staff


• Live videos from Periscope will be prominently displayed when most important


• Mobile devices will display one piece of content per screen with Tinder-like swiping to get to additional content

Imagine following breaking news stories like the Baltimore Riots or NBA Finals with these new pages. Instead of watching the news or reading blogs that reference individual tweets, Twitter will make itself the source that a user can follow by reading the curated coverage.

This takes Twitter’s already popular “Trending Topics” to the next level. Trending topics are inherently overwhelming because by the time it is trending, there is so much constant content flowing in that it’s impossible to follow any type of dialogue. Project Lightning will solve this problem by building an entirely new experience for the most important topics in real-time. And did we mention that members will be able to follow individual events, helping to attract those previously overwhelmed average joes?

This could change everything.

According to outgoing CEO Dick Costolo’s interview with Buzzfeed, Project Lightning has been in the works “for a long, long time” and will launch later this year. You’ll find these event pages on the web (logged in or out), in the Twitter app, and even find events embedded on other sites.

I’m not a big Twitterer and largely find the social experience exhausting and annoying, but when this goes live? You can count me in.