Smartphones

How to install Android 7.0 Nougat on your Nexus device right now

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Android 7.0 Nougat is rolling out to eligible devices via an over-the-air update as we speak. Nexus and Android One phones and tablets, namely the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C, and the General Mobile Android 4G, Google’s first Android One device for Europe, are getting the first bite off Nougat.

To find out if the newest flavor of Android is available on your phone and/or tablet, simply head to Settings > About Phone > System Update, and then tap the “Check for update” button.

Don’t be alarmed if the download notification doesn’t pop up on your device’s screen; unlike iOS updates, new Android versions can take weeks, even months, to arrive. Nougat doesn’t appear to be rolling out far and wide just yet. A bummer, we know.

There is, however, a way to put your device on a faster track to upgrading than others, which, in a way, forces the update to download. Sure, it’ll take a few downloads, but the outcome will be the same — you’ll be on the final version of Android 7.0 Nougat sooner than intended.

All you need to do is opt into Google’s Android Beta Program and enroll your device. You can sign up for the test program here.

Android Beta Program nexus 6p

The link will direct you to a sign-in page. Do so and tap “Enroll device” under the list of eligible devices. Wait for a couple of minutes, then repeat the steps at the beginning of this post to check if the update shows up on your phone or tablet. Download and install every update that comes your way and you’ll eventually end up with the final build of Nougat. Don’t worry about the updates wiping your data because they won’t.

The latest version of Android brings several cool features, including a better battery-saving mode and notification shade and the ability to run two apps simultaneously.

We’ve gone through the process of upgrading to Android 7.0 Nougat and screencapped the important parts for you. You can find the screenshots below.

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[irp posts=”4025″ name=”Nougat is Android’s best, but there’s still room for improvement”]

News

Google will force Android users to use Gemini next month

Google Assistant will be retired as well.

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What is Google’s voice assistant called? Technically, there are two possible answers: Google Assistant and Gemini. Despite Google’s push for Gemini, the ubiquitous Google Assistant is still a common option for most users. However, the company will soon take that choice away as the voice assistant will retire in favor of Gemini.

First reported by 9to5Google, Google has sent emails to users, declaring that Google Assistant will no longer be an option for Android users starting September 4. On that date, the company will slowly roll out an update to get rid of the assistant’s availability on device.

Google also makes it clear that Gemini will be “the assistant experience on Android” moving forward. If you’re used to Google Assistant to help you with handsfree use, you’ll have only one option soon. This also affects other peripherals including smartwatches and audio accessories.

Of course, there are a few exceptions. Devices that can’t support an AI-powered assistant like Gemini are mercifully spared of the forced transition. Likewise, devices in countries that don’t support the AI assistant are also saved.

Despite the tepid reception of AI today, Google remains adamant about pushing Gemini to more users, regardless of whether they want it or not. In fact, a forced move like this will likely inflate the numbers that more devices are using Google’s AI software than ever before, while conveniently hiding the fact that most users never really had much of a choice.

SEE ALSO: Apple gives up on making AI, inks a deal with Gemini to power Siri

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News

OnePlus officially leaves the United States and Canada

The brand’s smartphones are now sold out in the United States.

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Once upon a time, OnePlus used to be the darling child of smartphone users on a budget. For a more meager price than a flagship, users can enjoy flagship specs on a uniquely designed phone. Who can forget the iconic OnePlus One?

Unfortunately, prices have a way of catching up. Though the brand’s phones are still perfectly good, more options have already emerged as alternatives for a so-called flagship killer, including OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei’s Nothing.

Now, marking the brand’s next step, whatever that is, OnePlus has officially left the North American market. As of today, the company has sold its last smartphone in the United States and Canada. Going on the official OnePlus website will warrant a Sold Out sign for both the OnePlus 15 and 15R. If anything, users can still get a handful of earbuds and cases.

As with everything that sells out, if you really want to cop one of the last remaining models in America, you can grab one off a third-party retailer, but who knows until when that will last?

This isn’t just a stocking issue, either. In July, the company already confirmed that it is pulling out of the region starting this month. It’s a sign of internal restructuring happening inside OPPO and all the brands under its umbrella. There’s also a rumor that OnePlus was relegated to being a sub-brand of OPPO once again.

SEE ALSO: OnePlus has reportedly merged with realme

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Features

GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey

A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Westminster Abbey isn’t just another stop on the London tourist trail.

It’s the stage for coronations, royal weddings, and burials that span nearly a thousand years, all still playing out under the same vaulted ceilings that have been standing since before most countries had names.

Once you get past the crowds and the audio guides, a quieter version of the abbey starts to show itself: worn stone steps, poets resting a few feet from kings, light that shifts across the nave like it’s in on the performance too.

While losing track of time in Poets’ Corner (yes, me, playing amateur historian for an afternoon), I unfolded the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and decided the abbey deserved more than a quick tourist snap.


All photos captured using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.

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