Google Updates Gmail App With Better Google Drive Integration

While sharing documents and files between Gmail and Google Drive has been a nearly seamless experience on the web for some time, integration between the two apps on the mobile side has been lacking— until now.

Google rolled out an update to Gmail's iOS app Thursday that makes it easier for users to view and share documents and files between Drive and Gmail.

Gmail users on iOS can now view and save files on Google Drive directly from the Gmail app with "Save to Drive" and "Insert from Drive" options. Users can also now edit a file's sharing settings from within the Gmail app.

"The apps will even tell you if your file isn’t shared with the person you’re sending it to so you can change the sharing settings before you send it," Google software engineer, Simon Forsyth, explained in a blog post.

The update also brings new account management options for users who have multiple Gmail accounts. Those who have more than one account can choose which accounts appear within the app while remaining signed into the account elsewhere on their device.

Gmail's settings menu has also been tweaked so users can swap out their profile photo from within the app. The updated iOS app is available in the App Store. A similar update rolled out to Gmail's Android users earlier this month.

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Nokia and Microsoft May Be Working on an Android-Powered Lumia

Microsoft's next Lumia smartphone could be an Android.

While the two have previously released Android-powered devices, notably the Nokia X, the non-Windows Phone version of its flagship Lumia line would be a first for Nokia.

The new Lumia will supposedly be released under the Nokia by Microsoft brand, according to evleaks, which reported the rumor. The Twitter account, which has proved spot-on in past leaks, previously reported Microsoft would eventually rebrand all of Nokia's Windows Phone devices as "Nokia by Microsoft."

It's not clear whether the rumored handset would run a full version of Android or follow the same model as Nokia's X line, which are Android-powered but don't rely on Google services like the Play Store. Instead, the devices offer a selection popular Android apps through third-party app stores, along with the Nokia Store, similar to the approach Amazon took with its Android-powered Fire tablets.

The company recently added a new low-cost smartphone to the Nokia X lineup, the Nokia X2, slated to hit shelves later this month. Microsoft has used its Nokia X devices to lure feature phone owners in emerging markets.

Nokia was already one of Microsoft's closest partners for mobile when the Redmond-based company officially acquired Nokia's Devices and Services business in 2013 for $7.2 billion.

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Report: Samsung's First Tizen Smartphones Are Coming to Russia and India

It looks like the first Tizen-based Samsung smartphones are finally getting closer to release.

The Korean electronics giant is preparing to launch a Tizen-based smartphone in Russia and India, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The Russian release will reportedly coincide with the Tizen Developer Conference, which takes place in San Francisco this June. Samsung will hold a launch event in Russia that's similar to its global Galaxy launches, WSJ reported.

Tizen is an open-source, Linux-based operating system led by Intel and Samsung. Like Samsung's previous Bada effort, Tizen is focused on emerging markets and low-cost devices.

Samsung's efforts to bring a Tizen-based smartphone to the market have been beset with delays. The first Tizen release was originally planned for 2012, which then became 2013. After 2013 came and went with no Tizen release, Samsung delayed the release of its first Tizen phone again in January.

Meanwhile, carrier partners — including Japan's NTT DoCoMo — have lost interest. Because Tizen is designed to run on a variety of devices, a few Tizen-based products have hit the market, including Samsung's Gear 2 smartwatch.

A Google-free OS

Samsung already controls 65% of the Android-device market, so why should it even bother with Tizen?

Two words: Ecosystem control.

Because it uses Android, Samsung's current mobile-device strategy relies on Google. Although Samsung can make some changes and tweaks to the interface, and offer its own unique applications, fundamental aspects of the OS must remain in Google's control. What's more, the future direction of the platform is shaped by Google, not Samsung.

With Tizen, Samsung has the opportunity to build its own platform. Not only can Samsung customize this platform in ways that Google won't let it (say, put in a different default mapping client or make changes to the interface), it also has the potential to build its own app ecosystem — one that Samsung, not Google, can profit from.

So why Russia and India? Samsung already has a strong presence in these markets, and as WSJ noted, the company is hoping users will be swayed by the Samsung brand (and low price point), rather than access to Android and Google apps.

It also aims to capture users in India and Russia who don't have smartphones. Like Facebook, Samsung hopes they will become life-long customers.

In that vein, the point of Tizen isn't to steal business from the 1.5 billion users who already have smartphones, it's to attract the next 2 billion smartphone users.

It's a strategy that could pay off. As long as Samsung ensures that the most-used applications (i.e. WhatsApp, Facebook) are available, it could be enough to take over the lowest end of the smartphone market. These users could then graduate to more expensive, premium Samsung smartphones in the future.

This tactic is similar to what Nokia is trying to do with its Android-based devices. The difference (aside from built-in support for existing third-party Android app stores), is that Samsung is an aspirational brand in a way that Nokia is not.

Will anyone care?

Of course, this is Samsung, so execution will be essential. The company is famous for having great ideas that don't necessarily take off because the experience isn't seamless.

What's more, Chinese and Taiwanese phone makers are increasingly pushing down prices of higher-end, Android-based smartphones. This ruins some of the appeal of a Tizen-based Samsung device, at least in regions that already have some 3G infrastructure.

It's possible that Tizen's true value might not be realized for several years. In the meantime, Samsung's strategy of basing its non-smartphone connected devices on Tizen, might have more of an impact.

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Huawei's New Smartphone Weighs Less Than a Pack of AA Batteries

Huawei has unveiled the Ascend P7, a slim Android smartphone with LTE support, at an event in Paris on Wednesday.

The 5-inch device has a 1080p display, a 1.8GHz quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and a 13-megapixel camera on the back, coupled with an 8-megapixel one on the front.

With a 0.26-inch-thick body that weighs only 4.37 ounces, it's one of the slimmest and lightest LTE smartphones on the market. Other features of note are the microSD card slot, a 2500 mAh battery and 1080p video recording.

The device will be coming in May to most of Europe, China, as well as some Middle East and Asia markets. It will be available in black and white, for a suggested retail price of €449 ($625).

Image: Huawei

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Google Releases Android Camera App With Selective Focus

Google has released a standalone version of its stock camera app for Android— and it's a significant improvement on its predecessor.

The new app, called simply Google Camera, features a new user interface with revamped shooting modes, as well as the ability to selectively focus the camera.

Rumors of the new app first surfaced earlier this month after it was reported the company was testing a new camera app that would be released independently of the upcoming Android 4.4.3 update.

Google also unveiled Lens Blur, a brand new effect that enables users to shoot with a shallower depth of field to selectively focus on certain portions of a particular image. This is the first time Google has included the feature in its camera app.

"Achieving this optical effect has traditionally required a big lens and aperture, and therefore hasn’t been possible using the camera on your mobile phone or tablet," wrote Google software Engineer Carlos Hernandez in a blog post explaining how Google's research team created Lens Blur.

"Lens Blur replaces the need for a large optical system with algorithms that simulate a larger lens and aperture," he added. "Instead of capturing a single photo, you move the camera in an upward sweep to capture a whole series of frame."

The camera's panorama and portrait sphere modes have also been improved with higher resolution. Google Camera is also the first time the company has made portrait sphere, a shooting mode that that enables 360 degree panoramas, available to non-Nexus devices.

The app also features an enlarged shutter button and viewfinder, so what users see in the viewfinder will be what comes out in the shot.

Google Camera is available in the Google Play Store and is compatible with devices running Android 4.4 (KitKat).

Image: GOOGLE

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Google Remote Desktop for Android: Control Your PC via Smartphone

Good news for Android users: You can now access your PC desktop computer directly via your smartphone or tablet.

Google announced the launch of Chrome Remote Desktop app for Android this week, which lets you access files sitting on your home PC or Mac even when you're nowhere near it.

The move builds off its Chrome Remote Desktop app launched in 2011, which let users remotely access a desktop from another laptop or computer. The service is free — a stark contrast with costly remote-desktop software such as Parallels Access.

After downloading the Android app from Google Play, you'll need to install the Chrome Remote Desktop extension in a desktop's Chrome browser to connect the two systems. Then, grant access for the remote connection to work and set up a PIN code for the PC.

The PC name will then appear in the Chrome Remote Desktop page (and need to be selected) before plugging in the same PIN code within the app. Then, you're good to go.

Microsoft also has its own remote desktop app client, as does Amazon Workspaces, which lets employees access work computers from their personal devices.

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Android 4.1.1 Devices are Vulnerable to Heartbleed

It's not just websites and routers that are vulnerable to the web-wide bug Heartbleed — certain Android models are at risk too.

As Google noted in its own Heartbleed disclosures on Wednesday, Android devices running Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean are vulnerable to Heartbleed. Google said patching information is being distributed to its Android partners.

So how many phones are still running Android 4.1.1? That's difficult to determine. Although 34.4% of Android devices are running Android Jelly Bean, Google doesn't break out how what percentage of users are on its various versions — 4.1.1 and 4.1.2.

The latest version of Jelly Bean is 4.1.2, which was released in October 2012.

A Google spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg that there are "millions" of devices running Android 4.1.1.

Because Android updates are controlled by phone manufacturers and wireless carriers, it can be challenging to determine what versions of Android are available for various devices. We do know, however, that the HTC One S is running Android 4.1.1.

Heartbleed underscores what has long been one of Android's biggest problems: pushing out software updates to its myriad vendors. Android updates are the responsibility of the device maker, and often need to be approved by wireless carriers. The only exceptions are Google-made devices, such as the Nexus series and Google Play Edition phones.

Previous attempts at getting phone manufacturers and carriers to adopt Android updates have not met with success. If there is a silver lining to Heartbleed, it is that this might scare device makers into pay more attention to versions (and to put in better processes for security updates).

If you know your Android device is running Android 4.1.1, let us know the model and manufacturer in the comments, along with your wireless carrier. That will give us all a better sense of which companies are falling behind in the battle to patch Heartbleed.

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Google Starts Scanning All Android Apps For Malware

Google is taking new steps to ensure Android users are protected from malware and other harmful apps.

The company announced Thursday it is expanding its app verification service to monitor all the apps on users' devices — including those downloaded from the Google Play Store.

Previously, when the Verify Apps service was enabled, only apps from third-party app stores were scanned, and only upon installation. Now Verify Apps will check every app before it is installed — and will regularly check that all of a user's installed apps are "behaving in a safe manner."

"Because potentially harmful applications are very rare, most people will never see a warning or any other indication that they have this additional layer of protection," said Android security engineer Rich Cannings in a blog post. "But we do expect a small number of people to see warnings (which look similar to the existing Verify apps warnings) as a result of this new capability."

Google already has a system, codenamed "Bouncer," that analyzes each app uploaded to the Google Play Store for malware. But this service doesn't check apps from third-party stores or applications that have already been downloaded.

The Verify Apps setting, found under the security settings menu on most versions of Android, is enabled by default on Android smartphones and tablets.

IMAGE: GOOGLE

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Report: Android Malware Is Mining Bitcoin While You Recharge

Some Android users have noticed their phones and tablets are charging slowly and heating up quickly while plugged in. They actually may have a major issue on their hands.

A new strain of malware found in various popular apps is reportedly stealing digital currency, taxing the device's processor and battery while it charges, according to a researcher at antivirus firm Trend Micro. It's believed the malware has affected "thousands of devices."

The malware — called ANDROIDOS_KAGECOIN.HBT — has been detected in Android apps coming from the Google Play store, including Songs, Football Manager Handheld and TuneIn Radio.

"This malware uses a victim’s phone resources to 'mine' crytpocurrencies like Bitcoin," Christopher Budd, Trend Micro's threat communications manager, told. "In essence, the victim’s phone is put to work to make money for the attacker."

The malware could result in shorter battery life, increased wear and tear and lead to a shorter device lifespan. Budd said users should uninstall the affected apps immediately.

"This show that mobile is becoming as dangerous — if not more dangerous than the PC. Malware focused on cryptocurrency has been a problem on the PC-platform for some time and PC-based threats are now migrating to the mobile platform."

The apps were infected with CPU mining code from an Android cryptocurrency mining app. To hide the code, the cybercriminal modified the Google Mobile Ads portion of the app, the report said.

"Clever as the attack is, whoever carried it out may not have thought things through. Phones do not have sufficient performance to serve as effective miners," a Trend Micro researcher said in a blog post. "Users will also quickly notice the odd behavior of the miners — slow charging and excessively hot phones will all be seen, making the miner’s presence not particularly stealthy. Yes, they can gain money this way, but at a glacial pace."

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The First Android Wear Devices Are the Moto 360 and LG G Watch

Earlier this afternoon, Google officially unveiled Android Wear, its new platform for wearables. Now both Motorola and LG have announced Android Wear smartwatches.

Motorola, Google's former-subsidiary apparently has big plans for Android Wear. It's calling its watch the Moto 360. The device is notable because it has a round face — something we haven't seen before in a smartwatch.

Like the Moto X, the Moto 360 is also designed to take advantage of gestures. Twisting a wrist will show an alert or your next meeting. On its blog, Motorola is hyping what it calls "premium materials" and says the Moto 360 will be available in a variety of styles.

LG is calling its device the LG G Watch and the company says it will be compatible with a variety of Android smartphones. LG says it expects to release the G Watch in the second quarter of 2014 — so we should see it in just a few months.

The company released a mockup image, which looks similar to some other smartwatches we've seen — including Sony's Android-powered SmartWatch 2.

LG says it will release more details on the LG G Watch in the coming months.

The Moto 360 will be available in Summer 2014, first in the United States and then in the rest of the world.

Image: Motorola, LG

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Google Adds 'Relationships' Option to Voice Search on Android

Another piece of Google's voice search puzzle fell into place on Tuesday as the search giant announced that Android users will now be able to voice search on their smartphones by relationship terms in addition to name searches.

The update, as described by Google, will bring up any contact you've designated as having a particular familial connection to you in the "relationship" field in your contacts tool on Android. This additional functionality is meant to allow a user to now speak a phrase such as "call mom," or "text sister" to initiate those actions without the user needing to say the person's name as it's listed in their contacts.

In order to launch contacts on your Android handset via voice you first need to allow the Google search app to access your contacts and the profile information attached to each person or place.

However, during repeated testing of the update on a Moto G handset running Android 4.4.2, we were unable to get the relationship voice function to work automatically, despite a number of attempts using various listing configurations. Rather than simply recognizing the relationship assigned to the contact in the People contacts app, Google still asked "who is your brother?" prompting us to pick a contact to assign the designation of "brother."

Despite that, the system's "name" search by voice worked perfectly, which indicates that the update, which is being rolled out on Google's side, may be reaching some users sooner than others.

IMAGE: NELSON ALMEIDA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

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Mozilla's Firefox Launcher Is Coming to Android

Mozilla will be releasing a Firefox launcher for Android in the coming weeks. The announcement was made at the InContext conference in San Francisco on Wednesday.

In order to bring the Firefox launcher to Android, Mozilla is partnering with the Israeli-based EverythingMe, which took its Android launcher out of beta on Tuesday.

"We're taking the best things offered to users with EverythingMe's contextual content discovery engine to create this new product that will bring the same contextual experience as Firefox OS," said Andreas Gal, Mozilla's vice president of mobile.

The app will combine EverythingMe's adaptive search with Firefox's Android app to create a highly customized home screen. The launcher uses a prediction bar that tries to guess which four apps you're most likely to use based on things like the time of day, your location and your browsing history. It also includes smart folders that group apps together based on your interests.

"We're trying to anticipate what users want without having to ask anything and we're trying to make finding things in context as fast as possible," said Ami Ben David, co-founder of EverythingMe, who demoed the upcoming app at the InContext conference.

Mozilla first launched its Firefox OS and Firefox smartphones in 2013. Since then, Mozilla has been targeting its mobile products at emerging markets.

Gal did not say exactly when the launcher would be available, but said it would be "soon."

Image:  FLICKR, MOZILLA IN EUROPE, MOZILLA

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Samsung's Humongous Galaxy Pro Tablets Get a Release Date

If big screens make you swoon, you may find a new true love just in time for Valentine's Day: Samsung's extra-large Android tablets, the Galaxy Note Pro and Tab Pro, will be available Feb. 13.

The official announcement comes just hours after the retail availability of the Galaxy Note Pro leaked on Office Depot, reported by Android Police, listing Feb. 13 as the release date. The price of the 12.2-inch tablet with 64GB of storage is $849.99, and the 32GB version is $749.99, making them some of the most expensive Android tablets you can buy.

The Galaxy Tab Pro has the same large-size screen but lacks the accompanying S Pen stylus. It also comes in multiple screen sizes: The 12.2-inch is $649.99 for 32GB, the 10.1-inch is $499.99 for 16GB, and the 8.4-inch is $399.99 for 16GB. You can pre-order both the Note Pro and Tab Pro now, although the Tab Pro won't ship until March. They'll both come in black or white.

Samsung unveiled the new "Pro" versions of its Note and Tab tablets at CES in January.

Besides big screens, the Pro tablets also boast more pixels (with 2,560 x 1,600 displays), 3GB of RAM, support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Android 4.4 "KitKat." They also include a Remote PC app that lets users access and control their home or office Windows PC from the tablet.

Samsung positions its Galaxy Tab line as a "consumption" device, with extras like an infrared port and special software so owners can use it as a TV remote control. The Galaxy Note tablets include all the features of the Tab but also include the S Pen along with several apps that support it, such as S Note. Both tablets can run multiple apps simultaneously, each in a different window on the screen.

Both tablets will also be available in Wi-Fi + LTE versions. Samsung didn't specify exactly when those would be available, but it did say that Verizon would be the first carrier to offer them, and it would be sometime in the winter. Typically, carrier partners announce the availability of devices with a cellular connection.

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