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If all you need is basic information submission, you could use Google Docs to create a Form and embed it into a page or post. You can also j...

Drivers urged to watch for terrapins on roadways

SUSSEX COUNTY — Drivers are urged to use extra caution when traveling Delaware’s coastal highways through June and July as female Diamondbac...

An anonymous millennial known only as just translated The Bible into emoji

<img src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/06/giphy-2.gif">
God created the world in six days, rested the seventh and on the eight he discovered emoji.
Fast forward about 6,000 years (if you’re a Christian), or 4.5 billion years (if you’re not) and God’s supposed word has just been translated into the language of the millennial — emoji. There were things that happened between the first thing and the last thing, but let’s not get too caught up in the details.
Jumping ahead again, a devout millennial Christian just created an application for iOS called ‘<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bible-emoji/id1114722991?mt=11">Bible Emoji: Scripture 4 Millenials</a>,’ that features all 66 books of the King James Bible, 80 emoji icons and 200 corresponding words. For those keeping score at home, yes, ‘millennials’ is misspelled in the title of the app, but let’s focus here — words aren’t important when you have emoji, or Jesus.
A passage from Genesis, for example, looks like this:
<blockquote>“The Lord saw the light, that it was good. And the Lord divided the light from the darkness” 

</blockquote>
 
The app’s anonymous creator, who goes only by the <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/72x72/1f60e.png"> emoji to avoid projecting “race, gender or agenda” is already working on an Android version, but wants to point out that readers of all faiths can translate their favorite verses at<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/bible-emoji-translates-scripture-pictures-millennials-article-1.2654804">Bibleemoji.com</a>
<a href="http://fortune.com/2016/06/01/bible-emoji-translation/">These Millennial Christians Translated the Bible Into Emoji on Fortune</a>

An anonymous millennial known only as just translated The Bible into emoji

God created the world in six days, rested the seventh and on the eight he discovered emoji. Fast forward about 6,000 years (if you’re a C...

Facebook wants to force mobile users to use ‘Messenger’ by disabling in-app messaging

<img src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/04/facebook-messenger.jpg">
Facebook is beginning to force users into downloading and using its ‘Messenger’ app if they want to continue messaging and real-time chatting with their friends on the network.
Currently, the message acts as a sort of soft warning (that you can just click to close), stating: “Your conversations are moving to Messenger,” but it’s clear that the future of in-app messaging on Facebook is pretty bleak for users that refuse to make the switch. This summer, however, that will all change as the message forces users to make the switch, or give up the messaging functionality they’re accustomed to.
Personally, I enjoy the Messenger app, but I could see why some would prefer not to have a second application to do everything the first one provided. Of course, Facebook would probably (correctly) argue that the additional app provides a better experience and is worth the download.
Oh, and stickers, video, chatbots and all that jazz… Messenger only.

Facebook wants to force mobile users to use ‘Messenger’ by disabling in-app messaging

Facebook is beginning to force users into downloading and using its ‘Messenger’ app if they want to continue messaging and real-time chatt...

Google secretly launch Save To Google

<div style="text-align: center; padding: 5px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IfWPx8KWTASgKKmUObJRpq4CDV5Yqyjphn5yM-LPrf7xOgduZl9UIVyn-IJ8XmihWZTXjqTPPd9OY-665zDQ3_ihH5wHVoA6QwX2sfAoUFanNcoI61nzLhzGEQfl-VU8nzZpHJ_6rL0/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IfWPx8KWTASgKKmUObJRpq4CDV5Yqyjphn5yM-LPrf7xOgduZl9UIVyn-IJ8XmihWZTXjqTPPd9OY-665zDQ3_ihH5wHVoA6QwX2sfAoUFanNcoI61nzLhzGEQfl-VU8nzZpHJ_6rL0/ cursor: pointer;" style="border: 1px solid; border-radius: 2px;padding: 5px; max-width: 320px " width="320px" /></a></div><div class="blogaway-section"><img src="http://phandroid.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Save-to-Google-640x335.png"><a href="http://phandroid.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Save-to-Google.png"></a> 
 The internet is filled with all kinds of great content and while Google is probably the first place you go in your search for everything online,saving those things has never been their strong suit. While you can bookmark the really important stuff, sometimes you just want to save an article you come across to revisit later. 
 “Save to Google” is a new feature the internet search giant has quietly launched and you’ve probably already seen it while performing a Google Image search, but it’s more than just images. Save to Google is also a direct competitor to services like Pocket or the recently announced “Save to Facebook” button for saving articles or other web pages you come across. 
 While saving images from an Image Search work fine on any mobile device, currently the only way to save web pages is by using the Chrome extension on your desktop. From there, you can change the thumbnail image, edit the title, and add tags — yup, everything you could already do with 3rd party services like Pocket. Saved images and pages are kept at<a href="https://www.google.com/save/">google.com/save</a> which has a clean, Material Design UI, with the ability to view everything, or sort by tags. That’s pretty much. 
 Save to Google is super simple and straight forward and our only real question is how Google never got around to launching this sooner. That and when/how they plan on implementing this into Android. You’ll find the Chrome extension at the link below. 
<blockquote> Download on the Chrome Web Store: <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/save-to-google/meoeeoaohbmgbocpdpnjklmfmjjagkkf">Save to Google</a> 
 
</blockquote>
 
</div>

Google secretly launch Save To Google

The internet is filled with all kinds of great content and while Google is probably the first place you go in your search for everything on...

You'll never guess what that emoji means

<div class="blogaway-section">If verbal communication is a minefield, then nonverbal communication is an intercontinental ballistic missile. In the cold war of emoji, there is one seemingly innocent character in particular that can threaten catastrophe, especially when viewed on two different devices. 
 <a href="https://www.androidpit.com/whatsapp-tips-tricks">WhatsApp tips and tricks</a><a href="https://www.androidpit.com/best-icon-packs">Best icon packs</a> 
 You may have noticed that the same emoji appears differently if you use it in on Facebook or Twitter, but there’s more to it than that. Outside of these applications, which offer uniformity across their own platforms, the emoji are rendered differently depending on the manufacturer of your device. This means that an emoji sent via SMS from a Nexus looks different when an iPhone displays it. And this isn’t just an aesthetic difference, the meaning of the emoji changes. 
 The <a href="http://grouplens.org/blog/investigating-the-potential-for-miscommunication-using-emoji/">GroupLens Research team</a>, from the University of Minnesota, recently published their findings from a curious study to see how emoji are displayed and interpreted on different devices. 
 <img src="https://fs02.androidpit.info/userfiles/7008032/image/emoji-several-manufacturers-w596.png">The same emoji as displayed on different phones. / © GroupLens 
 As you can see in the picture, the emoji presents a rather strained expression on iOS, Twitter and Facebook, while on other platforms it is clearly a positive, smiling face. 
 Appearance is one thing, but GroupLens took things further and investigated the impact the characters have on people’s emotions across five major platforms: Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung and LG. Participants were asked to assess the positivity or negativity of the emoji’s expression on a scale of -5 to 5. 
 <img src="https://fs01.androidpit.info/userfiles/7008032/image/same-emoji-several-reactions-w596.png">Apple's character is perceived as negative, ranking four points below Google's  / © GroupLens 
 The results shows that, across a scale of ten, the emotional impact of the “grinning face with smiling eyes” emoji differs by five points, ranging from -1 on Apple to +4 on Google. The way this emoji appears on Apple devices is the same as it appears on WhatsApp and is therefore the most widespread form of the emoji. Within these boundaries, interpretation won’t vary much, but as soon as you send it via SMS to a Nexus or LG device, you’re in trouble. 
 The misunderstanding becomes immediately clear when looking at the different representations side by side. Apple’s creation squints with gritted teeth, presenting, with intense effort, a mix of fear, anxiety and frustration. It’s a long shout from the gleeful Google attempt. 
 Indeed, a quick consultation with<a href="http://emojipedia.org/grinning-face-with-smiling-eyes/">Emojipedia</a> reveals that, although there is an <a href="http://emojipedia.org/unicode-6.0/">official code of emoji character names</a>, provided through the Unicode Standard, “grinning face with smiling eyes” is commonly used as a grimace by Apple users. 
 “Grinning face with smiling eyes” has the widest variation in emotional impact, but plenty of other emoji also change their meaning across different devices. The findings of this extensive study are spread across ten pages, and you can<a href="http://grouplens.org/site-content/uploads/Emoji_Interpretation.pdf">read the full report here</a>. 
 <img src="https://fs02.androidpit.info/userfiles/961953/image/whatsapp-emoji-w596.JPG"> 
 It’s both a humorous and meaningful study. Emoji continue to occupy more and more space in conversations both private and public, so the way they are received could be something more people begin paying attention to. If an innocent attempt to express joy comes across as a cringe or grimace, you might find your friends beginning to respond less to your emoji-riddled messages. 
 Have you encountered an emoji-related problems in your chats? Let us know in the comments.</div>

You'll never guess what that emoji means

If verbal communication is a minefield, then nonverbal communication is an intercontinental ballistic missile. In the cold war of emoji, the...

Android 6.0 Marshmallow: all the key features explained

Android 6.0 Marshmallow: all the key features explained

Update: Android N Developer Preview 2 now

Android Marshmallow isn't an overhaul of everything you thought you knew about Android. Rather, it's a refinement and extension of the core features and functionality of Android Lollipop. In this Android Marshmallow review, I take a look at the major features of Google's latest OS version to let you know where it hits, where it misses, and where it has room to improve.

Android Marshmallow update newsAndroid Marshmallow tips and tricks

Highlight recent changesYes No

The number of devices on Marshmallow is slowly beginning to stack up. / © Google

Update: Google surprised everyone on March 9 by dropping the Android N developer preview without any prior notice, and, on April 13, Developer Preview 2 was released. You can sign upto Google's Android Beta Program, if you have an eligible device, and you can download factory images directly from Google. Find out the full story on ourAndroid N page.

I know that not everyone even has Android Lollipop yet, so I won't just concentrate on the differences between the two most recent versions of Android. Instead I'll look at the major areas of the new OS, whether they are new, improved or missing in action. I'll break the review down into the following sections: the visual appearance of Android Marshmallow; integration of new Google products; core features of the system; security; and improvements to usability.

We've added some features that saw light with the update to Android 6.0.1, including a host of new emoji and adouble-tap camera quick-launch featurethat has been added to Nexus 5, 6, 7 and 9 devices. Find out more about these below under 'Design and visual changes' and 'Usability', respectively.

You can also keep up to date with the latest additions to Marshmallow through our dedicated page:

Android Marshmallow: features and patchesAndroid Marshmallow is more of a refinement than a revolution. / © ANDROIDPIT

Jump to a section:

Design and visual changesGoogle integrationPerformance and system featuresSecurityUsabilityThe verdict

Android Marshmallow release date

Android Marshmallow was initially announced at Google I/O on May 28, when it was released as the Android M developer preview. Several updates to the preview came out before Marshmallow was officially named on August 17. Google finally unveiled Android 6.0 Marshmallow, alongside the 2015 Nexus devices, on September 29, 2015.

As usual, Google's Nexus family was first to get the goods, and the brand newNexus 5X and Nexus 6P were the launch devices for Android 6.0. Factory images for most of the existing Nexus range – the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player – appeared on October 5.

To see when your device will get Android 6.0, check the following guide:

When will I get Android Marshmallow?Google's voice shortcut is right there on the lock screen, replacing the dialer. / © ANDROIDPIT

Android Marshmallow design

Android Marshmallow is visually similar to its predecessor, Lollipop, in many ways. Google’s Material Design language is now more pervasive than ever before and the main areas of the UI – settings, notifications shade and navigation – remain the same. But Marshmallow does have some differences in appearance and new features.

Settings shortcuts

Android has let you create shortcuts to particular settings, such as the battery or display, for a while, but until Marshmallow, the icons for these shortcuts all looked the same. Now, the standard cog widget shape contains an icon depicting what that particular shortcut goes to, as shown in the screenshot below.

Settings icons now have another layer of visual representation. / © ANDROIDPIT

Lock screen

The Marshmallow lock screen is almost identical to Lollipop's, complete with expandable notifications and app shortcuts. But where Lollipop had shortcuts in the bottom corners that took you to the camera and dialer, Marshmallow replaces the dialer shortcut with one to Google’s voice search. This small update is the first clue as to just how integral voice commands are to Marshmallow.

Google Now voice commandsGoogle's voice assist is the default voice solution for all apps in Marshmallow. / © ANDROIDPIT

Voice search has a completely new look too. Four colored dots float, become a waveform and then rotate as your voice request is picked up and processed. The response rate varies, depending on the complexity of the search terms and your internet speed, but the results are generally accurate. You can also launch apps from the lock screen using your voice.

Home screen

The same voice command functionality appears on the home screen via Google’s dedicated search bar, complete with the colorful, post-Alphabet Google logo. The home screen itself is essentially the same as it was in Lollipop (the changes to Google’s search bar and app icons have rolled out to all devices via updates).

The new branding in Google's persistent search bar. / © ANDROIDPIT

Google Now, assuming you have signed up for it, returns to its dedicated position to the immediate left of the default home screen. This area has also been updated but again, this is not a Marshmallow exclusive. Google Now on Tap (more on this later) is now launched by a long press on the home button in the navigation bar.

You have a few options for launching apps: from voice commands, app icons, the 'recent apps' multitasking cards or the new-look app drawer. You can also jump straight into the app drawer search bar by long-pressing the app drawer icon. This shortcut will also launch your keyboard, just as it did in Lollipop.

Download the new Android Marshmallow wallpapersGoogle Now has lost its long-press shortcut to Google Now on Tap. / © ANDROIDPIT

App drawer

The app drawer in Marshmallow went through a couple of changes during the developer preview process and appears in the final version as a vertical scrolling list as opposed to the paginated horizontal list that Lollipop had. You can scroll through the list or use a new scrubber bar on the right to jump to a particular letter of the alphabet.

An endless vertical list means it's easy to swipe right to the end of your app list – certainly moreso than swiping through multiple cards in Lollipop. Predictive apps, based on the time of day, frequency and so on, appear in a special area at the top of the app drawer and you also have the added bonus of the dedicated app search bar that's accessible via the keyboard or voice, as well as the scrubber bar.

The app drawer scrolls vertically with a scrubber bar for rapid scrolling. / © ANDROIDPIT

As always, you can drag app icons from the app drawer to the home screen, but when dragging apps, you’ll now see the option to uninstall them at the top of the screen, alongside App Info or the Remove options. System apps are excluded, but it’s a much more convenient way to uninstall apps.

The best thing is that these changes are part of the Google search app, so an update to that will deliver these features to all older Androids as well. The update adds the new search bar, voice interface, search bar and alphabet scrubber in the app drawer, and vertical app drawer orientation, as well as the uninstall shortcut.

How to install Android Marshmallow on a NexusIt's never been easier to find or uninstall apps in Android. / © ANDROIDPIT

Notifications and Quick Settings

As with Lollipop, Marshmallow has a two-part notifications/Quick Settings area. A single swipe down from the top of the home screen will pull down the notifications shade, where your expandable notifications live. A second swipe down on this screen reveals the Quick Settings panel. A two-finger swipe down from the home screen will take you straight there.

The notifications area displays app notifications, which can be expanded or tapped to launch the full app. This area also shows persistent system notifications, such as when a Bluetooth device is connected or other system features are enabled. The 'dismiss all' button now faces the other direction compared to Lollipop, but it does the same thing.

The Quick Settings area displays your screen brightness slider as well as toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile data and so on. As with Lollipop, these features can either be toggled on or off with a tap, or accessed further through a Quick Settings mini-menu or the relevant area of the full settings menu.

The notifications and Quick Settings areas look the same. / © ANDROIDPIT

At the top of both the notifications shade and the Quick Settings area is a kind of status bar area. In the notifications shade you’ll see the time and date, various status bar icons and the icon for switching users. Oddly, tapping this in the notification shade simply opens up the Quick Settings area where it must be tapped again to change users or enter Guest Mode.

In the Quick Settings area, this area expands a little further, displaying battery percentage, carrier information and a shortcut to the settings menu. Long pressing the settings cog icon will give you access to the System UI Tuner.

Android Marshmallow vs iOS 9 comparisonLong-press that cog icon to enable the System UI Tuner. / © ANDROIDPIT

System UI Tuner

Once enabled, System UI Tuner will appear in the settings menu at the very bottom. It provides a few simple UI tweaks, including adding a battery percentage indicator to your battery icon, a customizable Quick Settings area, where toggles can be rearranged or removed and new ones added, and a menu for deciding which icons are displayed in your status bar. You’ll never have to suffer a cluttered status bar with NFC, Bluetooth and Alarm icons again.

System UI Tuner lets you hide status bar icons and tweak the Quick Settings. / © ANDROIDPIT

Animations and Easter Egg

Animations and transitions make up an even larger part of Marshmallow than they did in Lollipop. Transitions between apps, pages and settings are quite often accompanied by animations, as is toggling features on and off within the various settings and menus. It’s relatively minor stuff but it all adds to the polished feeling of Marshmallow.

As always, there is a hidden Easter Egg in Marshmallow and it can be seen as a kind of metaphor for Marshmallow as a whole. In Android Lollipop the Easter Egg was a Flappy Bird clone. Just as Marshmallow looks an awful lot like Lollipop on the surface with lots of refinements and improvements underneath, the Flappy Bird Easter Egg returns, but with a bit of a makeover. It’s accessed by repeatedly tapping Android version in the About phone section of the settings.

The Marshmallow easter egg is a rebranded version of the Flappy Bird clone in Lollipop. / © ANDROIDPIT

200 new emoji

The update to Android 6.0.1 brought with it 200 new emoji. These are default Android emoji and should be compatible with any keyboard. A lot of the emoji that were added have been in use on iOS and Windows 10 for some time, but others are new.

The list of new emoji includes the fabled unicorn, the tasty taco and the hungry squirrel.

Dark theme and rotation support

For unknown reasons, both the system-wide dark theme and support for a rotating home screen were removed from the final version of Marshmallow, despite appearing in versions of the developer preview. We may yet see these make a return in future updates to Marshmallow – they are frequently-requested features, after all – but for now they are not a part of the Android 6.0 release.

Some eager code-sifters have uncovered evidence of a dark mode in the source code for Android Marshmallow, indicating that Google may still have plans to include it in a future version. The source code mentions Night Mode, which, as you may remember, sounds a lot like the automatic theme changing capabilities (based on the time of day) we saw in the Android M preview builds.

Home screen rotation and the dark theme have been removed from the final version. / © ANDROIDPIT

Android Marshmallow Google integration

Google Now on Tap

Google Now on Tap is perhaps the biggest deal of all in Android Marshmallow. Google Now changed the game back in KitKat by offering time and context-sensitive notifications, information and reminders. Google Now on Tap basically shortcuts the need to search for additional contextual information and delivers it at any turn. Long-pressing the home button now activates Google Now on Tap, replacing the old gesture for Google Now from any screen.

When summoned, Now on Tap reads the content of any screen on your phone, whether it is in a Google or third-party app, and delivers information that might be relevant to keywords on-screen. This could be Google Search results about people, places or things mentioned in an article you’re reading or app suggestions that are relevant to what Now on Tap has picked up (Maps, Yelp or UrbanSpoon for a restaurant named in a text message, for example).

Why Google Now on Tap is Marshmallow's best featureGoogle Now on Tap is available on every screen in Marshmallow. / © ANDROIDPIT

I’m still coming to terms with Now on Tap’s range, usefulness and significance, but I can tell you now: this is going to seriously change the way you use your phone. Now on Tap is a huge time-saver because it saves you the effort of having to Google someone’s name, launch a different app or cross-check information.

It’s basically everything we always wanted Google Search to be: instant, useful and effortless. It isn’t perfect, and you’ll still get results you’re not after from time to time, but it’s a really great start.

Google predicts apps for the top row based on your habits at a given time of day. / © ANDROIDPIT

Voice API and Assist API

Marshmallow also introduces a new Voice API to Android. As mentioned earlier, voice search and voice commands are central to Marshmallow – even more so than they have been in previous iterations of Google’s operating system – thanks to the new Voice Interaction API.

This allows third-party apps to access Google’s voice command functionality in ways they couldn’t previously. Before, you could tell Google to open other apps, but other apps couldn’t talk back. Now they can. At least, the can in theory. The feature isn’t exactly working yet, but it has been successfully demoed by Google using TuneIn Radio.

Best Android appsYou can even use your voice to launch apps. / © ANDROIDPIT

Meanwhile, Google voice search is everywhere throughout Marshmallow and is always listening (if you want it to). Fortunately, Marshmallow’s focus on giving users more control, so you can also substitute Google for another third party voice assistant if you so wish. This option comes courtesy of the Assist API, available to anyone who wants to compile a voice assistant to make use of it.

Google settings app

As mentioned above, Google settings are now a dedicated part of the settings menu. Here is where you’ll find privacy information, account preferences and more for your Google accounts. It’s also where you can manage your OK, Google hotword detection and 'always listening' mode. But there’s another new feature here, called Set up nearby device.

Google settings are given a dedicated area in the settings menu. / © ANDROIDPIT

Set up nearby device is basically a settings menu version of Tap & Go that doesn’t rely on NFC. Tap & Go handily loads your Google account, apps list and settings to a new device via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, meaning if you’re trying to set up an Android TV, for example, you can simply do it through this setting on your phone.

Android Pay

With the delivery of the fingerprint API and two new Nexus devices equipped with fingerprint scanners, Android Pay has arrived. Android Pay is one of a number of touchless payment systems including Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. Naturally, Android Pay will become the default solution on devices without a manufacturer solution like Samsung's.

Android Pay is simple to set up but it requires an NFC-equipped terminal at participating retailers as well as an NFC-equipped smartphone. Samsung Pay has an advantage here because it also works on the existing magnetic strip readers already in stores. It’s still early days for Android Pay but you can expect to see a lot more of it in the years to come.

Android Pay vs Samsung Pay vs Apple Pay comparisonAndroid Pay has some hurdles ahead, but it now has everything it needs. / © ANDROIDPIT

Android Marshmallow performance

Doze

Doze is, after Google Now on Tap, perhaps the biggest thing in Marshmallow. Doze is an intelligent battery management feature that recognizes when your device is not is use, like when it has been lying on a bedside table for a while, and enters hibernation.

It’s more complicated than that, of course, but the battery savings are phenomenal. Where other devices lose an average of 15-25 percent of battery life overnight, Marshmallow can take that down to 3-5 percent, taking your standby time to nearly two weeks in the process.

Doze will put your device into hibernation when it has been left alone for a while. / © ANDROIDPIT

Furthermore, manufacturers won’t be able to mess with Doze mode. This doesn’t mean that manufactures can’t still apply their own battery saver modes to their skins of stock Android, but device standby will only be handled by an unmodified Doze.

App standby

App standby is the app equivalent of Doze, like a stock Android version of Greenify. App standby identifies apps that haven’t been used in a while and puts them into a deep sleep, which is basically the same thing as disabling them in the settings.

This means they can’t use system resources, run background processes or sync and access the network, so an instant messenger you rarely use might end up on standby and stop receiving notifications, for example. If you don't want this, Google has created a whitelist, with which you can prevent apps from being put on standby.

How to save battery life on AndroidYou can tell Marshmallow which apps not to put into standby mode. / © ANDROIDPIT

Type-C and reverse charging

Marshmallow also supports the new standard, USB Type-C. Type-C cables are reversible – so you won’t have to worry about fumbling around with your charging cable in the dark – and they also support faster data transfer and charging speeds.

Not many devices have USB Type-C ports yet, and not all are shipping with true Type-C cables and adapters (many are simply reconfigured USB 2.0 cables). But Marshmallow is future-proofing itself by including Type-C support and the new USB Power Delivery specification, meaning Marshmallow devices will also be able to reverse-charge other devices.

Marshmallow has new charging standards, including reverse charging and USB Type-C. / © ANDROIDPIT

microSD support – Adaptable Storage Devices

The battle to accept microSD cards has been one of the most interesting in Android history. Expandable storage used to be a mainstay of Android devices, but then Google decided it was bad for security and removed support for it in Android KitKat. Developers fought back and partial support was added in Lollipop.

With the arrival of Marshmallow we're finally looking at full-fledged support for microSD expansion in Android devices. Under Marshmallow, microSD cards can be formatted to a specific device – meaning they will be unusable elsewhere – and treated as another part of internal storage by the Android system.

How to never run out of storage space on AndroidmicroSD cards can now be used exactly like internal storage. / © ANDROIDPIT

While this means you won’t be able to simply pull your microSD card out and pop it in another phone, it does mean you have system-level support for external storage. In Android Marshmallow, apps and the data they use can now be seamlessly stored on an external microSD card without having to be explicitly put there by the user.

We've saw the first evidence of Marshmallow's Adaptable Storage Devices feature on the Marshmallow soak test for the Moto G (2014). One of our Brazilian readers in the Motorola update program alerted us to the update and shared some screenshots outlining new features, including ASD (because the Moto G (2014) has a microSD card slot).

Devices with a microSD card slot will be able to format an SD card as internal storage. / © ANDROIDPIT

Internal storage and file manager

Marshmallow has also overhauled the Storage area of settings. Storage and USB now provides at-a-glance information on internal and external storage and adds a convenient stock file manager at the bottom of the list, called Explore.

RAM manager

RAM usage has typically been the reserve of Android geeks rather than regular users. Marshmallow aims to put RAM management a little more in the foreground by giving it its own dedicated settings menu area called Memory. In this section you can view memory use by the system and individual apps over different time frames, which should hopefully make more people familiar with what is normal behavior for their device.

Marshmallow goes out of its way to provide tools and access to detailed information. / © ANDROIDPIT

Android Marshmallow security

App permissions

This is one of the unsexy but incredibly important parts of Android Marshmallow. The Android system now offers user-facing controls over some, but not all, app permissions. While iOS has had this feature for years, Android is only now catching up.

Some basic permissions – internet access, for example – are still granted by default, but generally speaking you will be asked to grant individual app permissions the first time an app attempts to access them.

Granular app permissions give the user complete control of app permissions. / © ANDROIDPIT

This means you are in control of whether or not an app has access to something as critical as your microphone or camera. Some apps might not work properly with certain permissions disabled, but the onus is on the app developers to stabilize their apps without all permissions granted, not on you to accept what you might feel are unnecessary permissions.

Permissions for a particular app can be viewed within the settings menu (which permissions an app does or doesn't have) or by permission type (so you can see how many apps have access to your contacts, for example). Viewing by permission type is slightly hard to get to, but at least that will stop accidental changes from being made.

How app permissions work in MarshmallowMarshmallow lets you check permissions by app or permission type. / © ANDROIDPIT

Fingerprint API

Android Marshmallow introduces system-level fingerprint support via the new fingerprint API. Both new Nexus devices have a fingerprint scanner. The rollout of Android Pay and other touchless payment systems that rely on fingerprint scanners for authentication can now be handled by Android itself rather than a manufacturer add-on. Fortunately, Google has set minimum standards for scanner accuracy in order to pass its device certification.

We've been very impressed with Nexus Imprint on the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, partially for the excellent Huawei hardware but also for Google's implementation of the software. Registering a fingerprint is faster than on any other device and the accuracy and speed of the scanner is second to none. All you need to do to set up fingerprint authentication in the Play Store for purchases is check a box in the settings.

It takes around 15 seconds to register a fingerprint and set up fingerprint authentication. / © ANDROIDPIT

Automatic app backup

Historically, Android has offered a pretty weak app backup solution. The Backup and reset section in Lollipop was opt-in, vague and incomplete. Marshmallow can now automatically back up both your apps and data, so any apps restored from a backup will be the same as they were before – you’ll be signed in and right where you left off.

The explanations are much clearer in Marshmallow too and you can choose to opt out if you like (not everyone will be a fan of having their app data stored in the cloud, despite its convenience). The best part is that device and app data can be saved, so your passwords, settings and progress can all be restored with much less effort.

How to back up everything on AndroidMarshmallow finally delivers a solid app and data backup solution. / © ANDROIDPIT

Network security reset

Network security reset is a nice little feature in the Backup and reset settings which allows you to quickly and easily remove all passwords, settings and connections associated with Bluetooth, cellular data and Wi-Fi. It’s a simple addition that demonstrates how much attention to enhanced security and user-facing controls in Marshmallow.

Monthly security patches

Following the Stagefright scare, Google and a number of manufacturers pledged to provide monthly security updates to keep on top of any security weaknesses in Android. With this in mind, Marshmallow now displays your device’s Android security patch level section in the About phone section.

Security patches now arrive monthly from Google. / © ANDROIDPIT

Encryption

Encryption is back in Android Marshmallow with a vengeance. Encryption was a big deal in Android Lollipop too – and came as default on the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 – not as many Android devices as Google would have liked had disk encryption forced on them, because of performance issues (encryption slows system performance down unless a hardware accelerator is used).

Marshmallow heralds the dawn of the new age of Android encryption, although only on new devices. New Android devices running Marshmallow are required to use full-disk encryption by default, but devices updated from a previous version of Android do not.

Devices with minimal processing power are also exempt, as are devices without a lock screen, such as Android Wear watches. Encrypted devices will also be subject to Marshmallow’s verified boot process to ensure the trustworthiness of their software during each boot sequence. If Android suspects changes have been made, the user will be alerted to potential software corruption.

New Marshmallow devices will be encrypted by default. / © ANDROIDPIT

Android for Work

Android Marshmallow is also pushing the enterprise angle with sandboxing for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environments. Through better handling of security, notifications, VPNs, access and storage, the same device can be used both for work and at home. It’s not a very sexy addition, but it means fewer people will be required to carry a personal and a work phone in future.

Smart Lock

Smart Lock has been around since Lollipop, but it bears repeating now that smartwatches are more prevalent. Smart Lock on Marshmallow provides options for unlocking your device or keeping your device unlocked depending on various intuitive scenarios. Smart Lock is found in the security settings and requires the use of some form of lock screen security.

Smart Lock includes options for trusted devices (for example, paired smartwatches or Bluetooth speakers), trusted places (home or office, via GPS and Wi-Fi data), trusted faces and on-body detection. The last of these won’t lock your phone again until you put it down. Each Smart Lock feature is opt-in and reversible.

Smart Lock for Passwords

Google’s old Google Settings app is no more, having graduated to its very own section in the Settings menu, where it belongs. This area contains all your Google settings and preferences. Everything from Voice, Google Fit, Now and location access is contained here, so it’s worth getting to know this area.

One new addition is called Smart Lock for Passwords and it is basically a Google password manager. Enabling the feature allows your website and app passwords to be saved to your Google account (which is why it lives in the Google section and not the Security section of Marshmallow). You can also exclude apps or view your Smart Lock for Passwords content.

Android Marshmallow usability

Text selection

Marshmallow introduces an improved text selection setup. Text selection has always been clumsy in Android, and it's not perfect in Marshmallow, but it is better than it has been before. Instead of getting a temporary edit/share toolbar when highlighting text, in Marshmallow you’ll get a localized floating menu that offers three simple options: select all, copy or share.

There’s also an overflow menu that, by default, only includes web search, but, depending on the apps you have installed, can include custom options (such as translate, if you have Google Translate installed). It’s also much easier to select whole words thanks to a 'chunking' selection method.

Delete screenshots from notifications shade

In previous versions of Android, when you took a screenshot the only option you had straight from the notifications preview was to share it. In Marshmallow, you can now delete it too. This may not seem like a big deal, but if, like me, you take about a hundred screenshots a day, it's hugely convenient because you no longer have to go into your gallery to delete a poorly timed or duplicate screenshot.

App links

Another long-standing irritation with Android is the way it handles app links. Previously, you seemed to have to repeated tell the system to always open certain links with a certain app, only to have to repeat the process again and again. This seems to have finally been solved with Marshmallow.

Silent mode/priority notifications

Silent mode is back in Android Marshmallow, along with a fairly confusing new volume setup. When you press the volume button you'll get a single volume slider, which can be expanded to reveal ring volume as well as media volume and alarm volume.

In the quick settings menu, tapping the sound toggle will bring up a mini-menu for 'Do not disturb', where you can turn the feature on and off as well as select from three modes: total silence, alarms only or priority only. Exceptions can be added via the sound and notifications menu.

It's actually more clearly worded than it was in Lollipop but still seems too complicated for something as simple as volume settings. This is one area you're going to want to spend some time getting your head around.

Direct share

I've complained before about Android's awful multi-tasking abilities. It works, but it's clumsy, slow and not very intuitive. Marshmallow attempts to make things a little more intuitive, but unfortunately doesn't quite hit the nail on the head.

Direct Share is a new feature. It doesn't work everywhere yet, but the idea is that when you hit the share picker, instead of just seeing a list of apps, you'll see some contacts at the top as well. Theoretically you can instantly share the content with that person rather than head to an app in which you then need to choose a contact.

The idea is nice but Android is highly unlikely to be able to get both the contacts you want plus the app you want to use to share the content right. It feels like putting the message before the medium. So instead of clumsy and slow, you get predictive and wildly inaccurate.

Chrome custom tabs

Android Marshmallow now provides developers with custom Chrome tabs. This is basically a Chrome-based in-app mini-browser that developers can use to display web page content within their app (like an FAQ or Help page), rather than having a user bounce from their app to a web app and possibly not make it back.

Developers can color and brand the Chrome custom tab to look as much like part of their app as possible. The popup browser draws over the top of the original app, and supports basically all the features of the full version of Chrome itself, but with dedicated tweaks specifically for that app that's using it, such as an embedded share button specifically for their app.

Double tap to launch camera action

With the update to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, Nexus 5, 6, 7 and 9 devices received a feature that the newer Nexus 5X and 6P models already had: the ability to launch the camera with a double-tap of the Power button. This feature is somewhat unreliable, and frequently puts the device to sleep instead, but it may come in handy.

The verdict

Android Marshmallow isn't so much a revolution as a refinement of Android. The visual makeover of Android Lollipop now has a lot more depth beneath that shiny surface. Marshmallow is primarily about a few things: making Google services even easier to use; delivering better ways to access and manage apps; addressing core system weaknesses like battery life and security; and delivering more customization and user-facing controls to stock Android.

Marshmallow makes Android easier to use than ever before. At the same time, Android 6.0 adds a layer of advanced features for those that want to make use of them. There's also a lot of tidying up and straightening out of Lollipop's kinks.

Marshmallow makes more sense than Lollipop and improves on its predecessor in terms of performance, battery life and feature set. Marshmallow isn't perfect, but its beauty is more than skin deep. There's a lot beneath the surface for those that go looking.

Want to know when you will get Android Marshmallow?

What are your thoughts on Android Marshmallow? What features are you still waiting on?

</div>

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HTC 10 to feature a Super LCD display, not AMOLED

Despite leaks and previous reports, it seems that theHTC 10will sport a Super LCD screen rather than an AMOLED one.
The news comes from famous leaker/tipster Evan Blass who posted on Twitter. For users looking to upgrade their current smartphone to the upcoming HTC 10, this may come at a bit ofa disappoint. However, Super LCD panels do offer some benefits over traditional LCD panels. Super LCD panels reduce battery consumption and have a better visibility. The Super LCD display is expected to contain 1440 x 2560 pixels, which is good for a QHD resolution.
The display type isn’t the only bit of information in the post. We also received some details regarding the battery capacity. The HTC 10 will reportedly house a 3,000mAh battery, which I couldn’t imagine being replaceable. As a recap, other likely specs include the Snapdragon 820 processor, 3GB of 4GB of RAM, and an all-new camera that HTC says is “world-class.”It should come in several colors and look something like the images in the gallery down below. The device is scheduled to launch at an event on April the 19th.Source:Evan Blass(Twitter)Via: Neowin

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How to watch the Apple iPhone event on March 21 live

CNET
How to watch the Apple iPhone event on March 21 live
Apple is expected to unveil a new iPhone and new iPad on Monday, March 21. Here's how you can tune in and watch the event live.
Josh Miller/CNET
Apple will be holding <a href="http://www.apple.com/apple-events/march-2016/">a press event on March 21</a> at its headquarters in Cupertino, where the company is widely expected to announce new devices.
As usual, the rumor mill is kicking with speculation about what exactly will be introduced -- we expect the <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/apple-iphone-5se-ipad-air-2-march-21-everything-we-expect/">big news next week</a> will be a 4-inch iPhone unofficially called the <a href="http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-iphone-se/">iPhone SE</a>, in addition to a <a href="http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-ipad-air-3/">new 9.7-inch iPad</a>.
CNET will be on location to cover the news as it breaks, and you can <a href="http://live.cnet.com/Event/Apples_March_21_event">tune in to CNET's live coverage here</a>, where our team of experts will be reporting from the event. The CNET preshow starts at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET with<a href="https://twitter.com/briantong">Brian Tong</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/lexysavvides">Lexy Savvides</a>, and the actual press conference will begin at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.
APPLE'S MARCH 21 EVENT
<a href="http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-iphone-se/">iPhone SE: What we expect</a><a href="http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-ipad-air-3/">Apple's next iPad: All the rumors</a><a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/join-us-monday-for-apples-iphone-se-event-live-blog/">Live coverage: Apple's March 21 event</a><a href="http://www.cnet.com/apple/">All the Apple news so far</a>
Here's what time that is in <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Apple+March+21+event&iso=20160321T10&p1=1239&ah=2">your local time zone</a>.
As it has done in the past, Apple will be live-streaming the event for <a href="http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-tv-2012/">Apple TV</a>, iPhone,<a href="http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-ipad-air/">iPad</a>, <a href="http://www.cnet.com/tags/macbooks/">Mac</a> and <a href="http://www.cnet.com/products/microsoft-windows-10/">Windows 10</a> users. Here's how you can tune in:
Apple TV: You can view the event on second-, third-, and fourth-generation Apple TV devices running software version 6.2 or later. This can be done by clicking on the "Apple Events" channel on the device's main menu.
iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch: The event can also be viewed by <a href="http://www.apple.com/apple-events/march-2016/">clicking on this link</a> from an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch that's running<a href="http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-ios-7/">iOS 7</a> or later and using the <a href="http://download.cnet.com/mac/browsers/">Safari</a> mobile Web browser. Mac and MacBook users on OS X 10.8.5 or later can tune in by <a href="http://www.apple.com/apple-events/march-2016/">clicking on this link</a> using Safari version 6.0.5 or later.
Windows 10: Apple will also allow Windows 10 users to watch the stream, but you can only do so using Microsoft's Edge browser. Windows 10 users can access the stream by<a href="http://www.apple.com/apple-events/september-2015/">clicking on this link</a>.

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Facebook now lets you choose from hundreds of profile picture frames

Last year Facebook added the ability to set <a href="http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2015/11/14/you-can-now-add-a-facebook-profile-filter-to-show-solidarity-with-paris/">temporary profile photos</a> in support of a cause and later made it possible to add other types of frames by visiting pages, like those of sport teams, that supported it.
Today, Mark Zuckerberg <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10102717445294641&set=a.612287952871.2204760.4&type=3">shared</a> that there’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profilepicframes">a new way</a> to browse all the available causes, teams and other photo overlays available on the social network.
<img src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/Screen-Shot-2016-03-16-at-1.50.26-PM.jpg">
The page shows all available profile frames from across Facebook, including those from charities like WWF, sports events and movies in once place.
<img src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/Screen-Shot-2016-03-16-at-1.52.38-PM.jpg">The new picker lets you choose your photo, then provides a drop-down of all possible frames across the service for the first time.
It’s not clear how a company can get its own frame, since it’s only supported for major sporting events, movies and causes right now, but some empty categories such as “birthday” hint that there will be more in the future.
If you’re desperate to get some branding on your own profile photo, head over to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profilepicframes">new profile pic frame picker</a> here to browse through everything that’s available.
➤ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profilepicframes">Facebook Profile Pic Frames</a>

Facebook now lets you choose from hundreds of profile picture frames

Last year Facebook added the ability to set temporary profile photos in support of a cause and later made it possible to add other types ...

This secret Hangouts command makes it easy to send ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ in a conversation

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For the wide range of emotions, people, places, and things emoji seem to cover, one thing they still haven’t been able to nail is the “Hell if I know” reaction. Better represented by the¯\_(ツ)_/¯shrugging emoticon, it’s been used around the internet for year, but is still a chore to type out quickly in at a moments notice. For allthose that don’t have it set to some kind of keyboard shortcut, Hangouts developer Sage LaTorra is making it easier than ever to type out our favorite emoticon using only a simple command.All you have to do is type out “/shruggie” and send. Then watch, as Hangouts (on the web or desktop) automatically converts it into the best emoticon since the middle finger. Unfortunately, out of the 74 new candidates possibly coming in the big new emoji update, it doesn’t look like shrug will be added. In the meantime you’ll be stuck using the command to get your point across. Hey, it’s better than nothing.[Google+]</div>

$This secret Hangouts command makes it easy to send ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ in a conversation$ This secret Hangouts command makes it easy to send ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ in a conversation

For the wide range of emotions, people, places, and things emoji seem to cover, one thing they still haven’t been able to nail is the “Hell...