Michael Simon, Author at NetworkingNexus.net

Michael Simon

Author Archives: Michael Simon

Google I/O 2017: What to expect from this year’s developer’s conference

In just a few days, Google will kick off its annual I/O conference and the year of Android will finally begin in earnest. The company has been busy, but until Sundar Pichai takes the stage at the Shoreline Amphitheater, we won’t know for sure what Google has in store for the rest of 2017.Last year we met a new Google Assistant, Daydream, Home, Allo, Duo, and, of course, Android N, and we can’t wait to see what Google rolls out this year. Google usually keeps a pretty tight lid on its biggest announcements, but it seems like it’s doubled-down on security leaks this year. The rumor mill has been oddly quiet with the show mere days away from starting, and we’re on pins and needles waiting to see what Google has to show us. So here’s what we think and hope we’re going to see:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

8 ways the iPhone 8 can beat the Galaxy S8

If there wasn’t already a mountain of pressure on Apple to deliver something spectacular with this year’s iPhone update, there surely is now. If you haven’t noticed, Samsung has released the Galaxy S8 and S8+, and they’re pretty remarkable. As a former iPhone 7 Plus user, the S8+ might very well be the best phone I’ve ever used, with a stunning screen, speedy processor, and, yes, a gorgeous design.But what makes the S8 so amazing is how unique it is. I got to spend a week with it while writing my review, and I came away stunned. For the first time in a while, Samsung is standing alone on the cutting edge with a phone that needs to be seen to be believed. From its barely there bezels to its brilliant wraparound screen, the Galaxy S8 truly gives Apple a run for its money. No joke, it actually makes the iPhone 7 look pretty stale.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Galaxy S8+ review: The future of Android is now

Samsung has finally beat Apple at its own game.While the Galaxy S has been regarded for years as the best Android phone money can buy (at least until the Pixel came around), it’s always existed in the iPhone’s lengthy shadow. Even with a higher market share, a dominant OS, and a years-long lead on features like screen size and water resistance, the Galaxy S has stayed just out of reach of the iPhone zeitgeist. No matter how much it tried to create its own end-to-end experience, Apple fans saw it as a copycat and Android enthusiasts lamented its aggressive TouchWiz interface overhaul.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The 10 best features in Android O (so far)

A sneak peek at Android OImage by GreenbotGoogle I/O is still more than a month away, but we’ve already gotten a sneak peek at what Google is planning for Android O. To help developers make sure their apps are in tip-top shape for the public release later this year, Google has given them the first preview a little early, opening up a brand new box of tricks and tools.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

6 apps Apple really needs to make for Android

Android and iOS may be destined to do battle forever, but when it comes to apps, the relationship is a little friendlier. Countless iOS users enjoy Google’s services on their iPhones, and in fact, the acclaimed Gboard keyboard actually began its life as an iOS exclusive before making its way to the Play Store several months later.But while Apple hasn’t been nearly as generous with its offerings, it does offer Apple Music and Beats Pill as a concession to former Beats Music subscribers. However, there’s a load of untapped potential in the Play Store. After all, Apple doesn’t just sell iPhones, and many Android users have other Cupertino-made products that they use on a regular basis. So here are some Apple apps I’d love to see show up in the Play Store:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

MWC 17: What’s coming, what’s not, and what we really want to see

After reading leaks, rumors, and tea leaves for months, Mobile World Congress is finally almost here. In just about a week, we’ll get a look at some of the most anticipated phones of the year; all of them vying for our attention with their dual cameras, skinny bezels, and big, beautiful screens.And even with Samsung making us wait a little longer for the Galaxy S8, there will still be loads of phones, tablets, watches, and gadgets on display in Barcelona. But if you can’t wait until the big event, we’ve got everything you need to know right here.What’s we know is coming LG G6 LG swung and missed with its modular-minded G5, so it’s no surprise that it’s gone back to the drawing board with the G6. And from the looks of it, they got it right this time. While we’ll be losing one of the last phone lines that still had a removable battery, LG has opted to put a premium on design, with a glass-and-metal frame, tiny bezels, and a 5.7-inch Full Vision” Quad HD LCD screen. It’ll also be waterproof, come with a dual camera system, and feature a Quad digital-to-analog converter like Continue reading

Our favorite Android apps for tracking and trading stocks

You don’t have to be a day trader to keep a close eye on the stock market. With the Dow crossing the 20,000 threshhold and tech stocks hitting record highs on a seemingly daily basis, watching the market can be as exciting as the Super Bowl, with ebbs, flows, peaks, valleys, and of course, a whole lot of money to be made (or lost!).While Google doesn’t supply a standalone stocks app in Android, it does provide a way to track stocks in Google Now (or, if you prefer, the Google app). To monitor a particular stock, tap the menu button in the top left corner, then select Customize, and finally, Stocks. From there you can search for the symbols you want to follow, and they’ll be added to a new card.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Report: Samsung probe blames Galaxy Note7 fires on faulty batteries

After months of recalls, scares, and device-killing software updates, Samsung is finally ready to reveal the results of its investigation into the exploding Galaxy Note7s. According to a report from Reuters, the electronics giant will detail its findings on Jan. 23, and to the surprise of no one, it has concluded that the battery is the culprit.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

WhatsApp vulnerability could expose messages to prying eyes, report claims

When Facebook’s WhatsApp turned on end-end-end encryption in its messaging service last year, it was a big deal. As all eyes were glued on Apple’s fight with the FBI over unlocking the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone, WhatsApp took a huge step toward protecting its users’ privacy by moving to encrypt all messages and calls being sent between its apps.But a new report suggests it might not be as secure as users think. According to The Guardian, a serious vulnerability in WhatApp’s encryption could allow Facebook to intercept and read messages unbeknownst to the recipient, and only aware of by the sender if they have previously opted in to receive encryption warnings. The security flaw, which was discovered by Tobias Boelter, a cryptography and security researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, can “effectively grant access (to users’ messages)” by changing the security keys and resending messages.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

WhatsApp vulnerability could expose messages to prying eyes, report claims

You won’t have to hear about the Galaxy Note7 on flights anymore

Since its launch in September, the Galaxy Note7 went from being the phone to beat to the one you couldn’t take on airplanes. Even with a global recall in place and a series of software updates designed to brick any remaining devices, the FAA continued its ban on Samsung’s phablet, and frequent travelers grew accustomed to hearing about the warning before take-off.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Nokia returns to smartphones at long last, but you can’t buy it (and probably don’t want to)

In December, Finland-based HMD Global announced to some fanfare that its first Nokia-branded Android handsets would be landing in early 2017. Less than 10 days into the new year, the first model has already arrived, but those in the U.S. looking to get their hands on the first Nokia phone in years will have to wait a little longer.If the Nokia 6, as HMD is calling it, is any indication of what’s to come from its licensing deal, there isn’t too much to get excited about. Squarely aimed at the budget market, the phone features a 5.5-inch LCD screen, 4GB of RAM, a 16MP camera, 64GB of storage, and a 3,000 mAh battery. Under the screen is a Snapdragon 430 processor, and while the phone does run Nougat, it remains to be seen what kind of skin HMD has applied to it. It will sell for around $250 in an exclusive deal with China’s Jingdong Mall online shop. The My Nokia Blog also also uncovered a commercial for the phone.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

2016 in review: The year in Android

Android is in a very different place than it was when 2016 began. While the last 12 months were filled with much of the usual pomp and circumstance surrounding the release of new handsets, connected gadgets, and OS refreshes, the state of Android has never been more promising or less predictable. Google stepped out from behind the curtain and into the spotlight. Headsets took over smartwatches as the trend of the moment. And Samsung’s phablet woes opened the door for smaller players to make big gains.Through it all, one thing was constant: Android’s dominance. Throughout 2016’s wild ride, the mighty platform continued its reign, extending its penetration to a near-90 percent of the global market, and all but ending the OS wars once and for all. And somehow it still seems like Android is still just getting its feet wet. So before we step into what’s shaping up to be an exciting 2017 for Android, let’s take a look at everything that made this year so memorable:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Samsung reportedly wraps up probe into exploding Galaxy Note7s

As Samsung looks to publicly move past the Note7 debacle with a series of upcoming carrier updates designed to brick any remaining devices, the company is also moving forward with its internal investigation of the issue. According to a report from South Korea-based The Investor, Samsung has wrapped up its probe of the phablet’s exploding batteries.Very few details are offered in the report, but the publication says Samsung’s findings have been sent to the appropriate agencies, Korea Testing Laboratory and U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration-approved UL. Thus far, Samsung has been mostly mum on the cause of Note7 fires around the world, but independent third-party investigations have pointed to the devices’ extreme thinness as a likely culprit. A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The new MacBook Pro isn’t just a laptop, it’s a strategy shift

There was a time when differentiating between Apple’s pro and consumer lines was easy. Even after Apple stopped painting its entry-level Macs with candy-flavored colors, there was always a clear separation between the machines meant for professionals and the ones for everyone else. They didn’t just look the part, they delivered the power, performance and features the majority of people didn’t need but pros demanded (and could afford).As the first major revision in more than 4 years, Apple’s new notebooks seem to tick off the right boxes. They’re fast. They have improved retina displays. They’re fitted with the latest expansion ports. The 15-incher is powerful enough to drive a pair of 5K displays. And that’s before we get to the svelte and powerful Touch Bar.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

4 lessons the iPhone should learn from the Apple Watch

For the past eight years, the iPhone has been the innovator. Whether we’re talking about hardware breakthroughs, software solutions, or just plain good looks, the iPhone has always taken the lead, ushering in the latest technologies and design shifts before any other device: the Retina screen, Siri, Lightning, Touch ID, Apple Pay—even the new MacBook’s shiny gold case owes a debt to the iPhone 5s.MORE: 10 mobile startups to watch For the first time since its debut, the iPhone isn’t the most cutting-edge piece of technology in Apple’s lineup. While Apple Watch borrowed some of the iPhone 6’s style and smarts, it also brings a host of new features and technologies made possible by the uniqueness of the device. So while I wouldn’t expect the next iPhone to sport a Digital Crown or a dedicated Friends button, there are still plenty of tricks it can learn from the new kid on the block.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here