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News and notes from Android team
Google Keep: Take notes on the go
Thursday, April 23, 2015
At the grocery store, juggling your shopping list with a gallon of milk, a basket of food, and your phone usually ends up with a “Spill in aisle 4.” Starting today, you can leave your phone in your pocket and view notes on your
Android Wear
device. Just start Keep from the app list or say “OK Google, open Keep” to begin browsing notes on your wrist. To take a new note, you can still use “OK Google, take a note.”
Swipe up and down to browse through notes, tap to view a particular note, or just tap the plus sign and speak to create a new note. You can also add reminders to notes directly from your Android Wear watch. With this update, Keep will support recurring reminders too!
We also recently launched the ability to add labels to notes in the Keep Android app and on the web to help you stay organized. Use labels like “Inspiration” and “To-dos” to never miss an idea or task.
So whether it’s taking notes on Android Wear, setting reminders, or adding labels to notes, use Keep to make sure you never lose a thought.
Google Keep is available for free on
Google Play
for your Android devices (Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich and above), the
web
, and the
Chrome Web Store
.
Posted by Ranna Zhou, Product Manager and Chief Notetaker for Google Keep
Android Wear: wear what you want, get what you need
Monday, April 20, 2015
Architect and artist William Morris once said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” Turns out that’s also good advice for deciding what to wear. So
Android Wear
offers a range of watches and apps that are fashionable as well as functional.
Over the past few months we’ve added lots of ways to express your style—from
custom watch faces
to a
rainbow of bands
. Today we’re making Android Wear more helpful as well—getting you what you need, right on your wrist.
Always-on screen, always-on apps
When you buy a watch you want it to, well, tell the time. So most Android Wear watches include an always-on screen—no tapping, twisting or shaking required to see what time it is. Now we’re expanding this option to apps, so they can stay visible as long as you need them, instead of disappearing when you drop your arm. In either case the screen is only full color when you're actively looking at it—so you get the info you need, and you save on battery life.
Wi-Fi support
With GPS and offline music support, you can already leave your phone at home, then go
jogging and jamming
like normal. Now Android Wear supports watches with built-in Wi-Fi. As long as your watch is connected to a Wi-Fi network, and your phone has a data connection (wherever it is), you’ll be able to get notifications, send messages, and use all your favorite apps. And if you really do forget your phone, you can always
ask your watch
where it is.
Simpler, faster, and more smiley
When it comes to your watch, using apps should be as simple as checking the time. So today we’re making a number of Android Wear improvements to help you access your info, and express yourself more easily:
Got your hands full? You no longer need them to check your news and notifications. Instead you can just
flick your wrist
to scroll through the stream.
Your apps and contacts are now just a tap away from the watch face. Just touch the screen, and you’ll be able to start apps and send messages immediately.
: Can’t talk? Now you can draw hundreds of different emojis, directly on the watch screen. We’ll recognize your work (no art degree required) and send it via message or text.
These updates are coming to
all seven Android Wear watches
over the next few weeks, starting with the new
LG Watch Urbane
. In the meantime, there are plenty of
useful apps
and lots of
beautiful watch faces
—so find your favorites, and wear what you want.
Posted by David Singleton, Director of Engineering, Android Wear
Android Wear: even more ways to wear what you want
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Function and fashion. The watch has always been a great mix of both, and with
Android Wear
, we’re working with an ecosystem of manufacturers and developers to help you
get more done
and
dress things up
, right on your wrist. Today we’re adding even more ways to express your personal style.
A watch face for everyone
There are now more than one thousand different watch faces available for Android Wear—from ones that
match your clothes
, to ones with
napping cats
, to ones that
show the stars
. To help you find your favorites, we’ve expanded our
hand-picked collection
on Google Play. So try a watch face on for size, and change things up as often as you want.
Mosaic of Android Wear watch faces—larger image available
here
A wider selection of straps
Most Android Wear watches use industry standard 22mm bands, so you can choose almost any strap for your device. Starting this week, you can also explore a curated set of options from
E3 Supply Co.
,
Worn & Wound
, and
Clockwork Synergy
.
Sample watch straps for Android Wear
So
choose your favorite watch
, then select a face or strap. With Android Wear, you’re always free to wear what you want.
Posted by Jeff Chang, Senior Product Manager, Android Wear
Keep a watch on your phone
Thursday, March 19, 2015
In 2013 we introduced
Android Device Manager
to help you locate and secure your Android devices. Since then Android Device Manager has helped reunite almost 30 million users with their wayward phones and tablets.
Today we’re making Android Device Manager even more useful by introducing support for
Android Wear
to help you find your lost device. Misplaced your Android phone? No problem! Android Wear connects your phone to your wrist, and together with Android Device Manager, you can make sure it stays that way.
To use this new feature, just say ‘Ok, Google. Start. Find my phone,’ or select the ‘Find my phone’ option in the Start menu. Your phone will ring at full volume, and you’ll be that much closer to, well, finding your phone.
Best of all, you won’t need to do anything to enable this new feature. It’s rolling out to all Android Wear devices over the next few weeks.
Posted by Andrew Flynn, Software Engineer, Android
Android 5.1: Unwrapping a new Lollipop update
Monday, March 9, 2015
Today we are rolling out Android 5.1 - an update to Lollipop that improves stability and performance and offers a few new features like support for multiple SIM cards, Device Protection and high definition (HD) voice on compatible phones.
Whether you want to share your phone with a family member or better manage your mobile costs, Android Lollipop 5.1 now lets you use more than one SIM card on a device with multiple SIM slots.
With Device Protection, your lost or stolen device will remain locked until you sign in with your Google account - even if someone resets your device to factory settings. This feature will be available on most Android phones and tablets shipped with Android 5.1 in addition to Nexus 6 and Nexus 9.
High Definition voice calling is now on your mobile phone. Get crystal clear calling with HD Voice between compatible Android 5.1 devices like the Nexus 6 on T-Mobile or Verizon.
Android 5.1 Lollipop also provides enhancements such as the ability to join Wi-Fi networks and control of your paired Bluetooth devices directly from Quick Settings.
We hope you enjoy these tasty additions to Android Lollipop as you get more out of your Android phone and tablet.
Posted by Dave Burke, VP, Android Platform
Android Wear: apps and watches for every occasion
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Android Wear has a device for just about everyone, with watches that range from traditional and round, to sporty and square. Throw in custom
watch faces
and
apps
that accentuate your style and you’ve got countless ways to express who you are, right on your wrist.
Today, there are now even more ways to show people what you’re about, including a new batch of apps, a growing ecosystem of partners, and new watches coming from LG and Huawei.
All kinds of apps for all kinds of interests
Life is about doing, not just viewing, and with Android Wear there are now thousands of feature-rich apps for nearly any activity.
Time to start the day. Want to color coordinate your outfit?
DressWatch
lets you take a picture of what you’re wearing and set your watch face to match your clothes. Or, if you happen to be eating a kiwi, you can use
Fruity Slices
to match your breakfast.
Once you’re feeling stylish,
PixtoCam
lets you take a high-tech selfie, using your watch as a remote viewfinder to zoom and click. You can review all your photos with
MyRoll
and share them right from your watch.
Waiting for the bus with time to kill? Leap from building to building with
Skyscraper Jumper
, dig for gold with
Mineshaft
, or check up on news from your favorite sites with
Palabre
.
If you need to send a quick text during the day,
Coffee
includes more than 100 customizable messages. You can also jot down a task on
Todoist
by
saying “OK Google, take a note.”
When it’s time for a run,
Google Play Music
can turn your watch into a music player, so you can leave your phone at home. If you need a little extra motivation,
My Fitness Racer
lets you unlock speed boosts with the more steps you take.
Golf Swing Analyzer
uses the watch’s accelerometer and gyroscope to measure the tempo, speed, and angle of your swing. And if (when?) you run out of golf balls, you can grab a few more with
Amazon Shopping
.
If you’re more the musical type, you can install
atHandTuner
to precisely tune your guitar, ukulele, or didgeridoo using the watch’s built-in microphone. And if you come across a song that inspires, you can use
Musixmatch
to identify it in seconds.
Before you call it a night, you can check in on the baby with
tinyCam
, right from your watch.
And when it’s finally time to turn in, you can track your sleep cycle—and even detect your snoring—using
Sleep as Android
.
Android Wear makes your everyday life easier. Why dig around your purse or pocket to answer a call when you can see (and ignore) the caller directly from your wrist? ;-) And why interrupt a perfectly good conversation when you can just glance at your watch for updates? Many apps on Google Play include these Android Wear notifications, so you can stay connected
and
stay present.
Whatever you’re into, and whatever you’re up for, you’re bound to find an app that fits your wrist. Browse any one of our hand-picked collections on Google Play
—including
Health & Fitness
,
Travel & Local
,
Communication
, and
Watch Faces
—
and try one on for size. And if you’re a developer, keep taking advantage of the
flexibility of Android Wear
to build more awesome apps.
More watches, more choices
Making an Android Wear device your own is made possible by an amazing community of partners
—from manufacturers like ASUS, HTC, LG, Motorola, Samsung, and Sony, to chip makers like Broadcom, Intel, Mediatek, MIPS, and Qualcomm, to fashion brands like Fossil.
The
ASUS ZenWatch
, which went on sale in November, recently won an
iF Product Design
Award - congratulations ASUS. Sony just announced swappable metal, brown leather, and black leather straps for the
SmartWatch 3
. In March, Motorola will introduce the ability to design your own personal Moto 360 using their
Moto Maker
design studio. LG recently announced their latest watch, the
LG Watch Urbane
, the first all metal luxury Android Wear watch.
And just today, Huawei announced the
Huawei Watch
, featuring a beautiful 286 ppi circular AMOLED display.
So choose your favorite watch, add a beautiful watch face, install a great app, and voila. Dress code: wear what you want.
Posted by Jeff Chang, Senior Product Manager, Android Wear
Android is ready for work
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Over a billion people today carry Android smartphones—devices that are more powerful than the computers we used just a few years ago.
For many, these phones have become essential tools to help us complete important work tasks like checking email, editing documents, reviewing sales pipelines and approving deals. But for the majority of workers, smartphones and tablets are underutilized in the workplace. Their business and innovation potential remain largely untapped.
Today we're announcing the
Android for Work
program to tap into that potential. With a group of partners, we're helping businesses bring more devices to work by securing, managing and innovating on the Android platform.
Android for Work features four key technology components:
Work profiles
– We’ve built on the default encryption, enhanced SELinux security enforcement and multi-user support in Android 5.0, Lollipop to create a dedicated work profile that isolates and protects work data. IT can deploy approved work apps right alongside their users personal apps knowing their sensitive data remains secured. People can use their personal apps knowing their employer only manages work data and won’t erase or view their personal content.
Android for Work app
– For devices running Ice Cream Sandwich through Kitkat, or that don’t run work profiles natively, we’ve created the Android for Work app. The app, which delivers secure mail, calendar, contacts, documents, browsing and access to approved work apps, can be completely managed by IT.
Google Play for Work
– It allows businesses to securely deploy and manage apps across all users running Android for Work, simplifying the process of distributing apps to employees and ensures that IT approves every deployed app.
Built-in productivity tools
– For everyday business tasks, we’ve created a suite of business apps for email, contacts and calendar, which supports both Exchange and Notes and provides document editing capabilities for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
We’re joined by a number of partners as part of the Android for Work program, including many familiar names within the Android ecosystem:
Our partners bring IT:
Consistent management
– Enterprise mobility management (EMM) providers integrate with standardized management APIs to create a simple way to manage all Android devices, new and old, from one dashboard. All Android for Work capabilities are delivered through EMM partners, with more providers available soon.
Secure business apps
– Software vendors and developers can create a single version of any Google Play app that can be securely deployed to any Android device without alterations or wrapping. And they can create standard management configurations that allow IT to apply policies per app.
Innovative devices
– Android smartphone and tablet makers are a key part of the Android for Work program, as they create devices and experiences that add additional value for customers.
Together with a wide range of management, application and device makers, we believe the Android for Work program provides businesses and workers with the choice and flexibility they need to get things done at work.
Learn more by visiting
google.com/work/android
.
Posted by Rajen Sheth, Director of Product Management, Android and Chrome for Work
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