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Android N [Preview] available for download!

maxsix

maxsix

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I just ordered a second Nexus 6P to install N on. My primary smartphone is my original release day 6P which has been stellar. Now mission critical for day to day, I'm very eager to try N on another Nexus 6P that I'm free to take as much risk with as I want. Simply too eager to wait any longer for N, my 6P will arrive Friday.

Google and Nexus are doing excellent innovative work as they focus closely on listening to feedback from users and responding in ways that Apple refuses to.

The upcoming Nexus 7 Running N promises to be a very nice advancement.
 
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Andres Cantu

Andres Cantu

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Savor said:
Android N will be like KitKat was to Ice Cream Sandwich being like the third revision of the Holo Design and N will be the third revision of Material Design. First version brings out all the bugs. Third time is the charm when they're able to eliminate it and everything is more stable.

The improved Doze doesn't impress me. Been using Greenify for awhile now. I use Nova Launcher Prime and linked a double tap gesture to Greenify / Hibernate. Works well whether rooted or unrooted. I also use the Disable Service app on my rooted Android which turns off annoying apps from running. MIUI already has a feature to prevent apps from starting. The only thing that seems interesting is Project Svelte being improved. Less memory leaks which was problematic with Lollipop. Like I said, Android N is the KitKat (low RAM, stable) of what Material Design is.

Third time is the charm
Ice Cream Sandwich -> Jelly Bean -> KitKat
Lollipop -> Marshmallow -> Android N

iPhone OS 1 -> iPhone OS 2 -> iPhone OS 3
iOS4 -> iOS5 -> iOS6
iOS7 -> iOS8 -> iOS9

Companies keep similar designs whether 3-5 years before revamping it again. This also happens in the auto industry. The first revamp is always the freshest but most problematic. This is why I look forward to the Samsung Galaxy S8 edge once Samsung brings back removable battery. S7 edge (2nd gen of the dual edged S line) is an improvement but not the most refined. Companies tend to cycle in threes...
Click to expand...
Glad I'm not the only one that noticed the three-year iOS pattern!

Though I gotta say, I don't think the S8 will bring back the removable battery. It's more likely to bring back the IR blaster and include USB-C and a long-overdue dual-tone flash.
 
Sensamic

Sensamic

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I'm disappointed with Google lately. Marshmallow and N don't bring a lot of new features, aside from Google Now on Tap and the new multiwindow mode. There are some new minor tweaks, but very far from what I expected.
 
Surf Donkey

Surf Donkey

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maxsix

maxsix

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Surf Donkey said:
I am already impressed with N and I guarantee Google is saving a ton for i/o in May!
Click to expand...
I concur.

Those who feign disappointment with Google may be well placed Apple Devotees that harbor a distinct hate for Google that accompanies their obvious lack of knowledge of the OS they love to trash.
 
gotluck

gotluck

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I would agree if it wasn't coming from sensamic

I'm surprised to hear that from him, I'm rather impressed by the feature list but I am a known stock Android drum beater ;)
 
Sensamic

Sensamic

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Everyone here knows I love Android and dislike iOS, but to me the latest big Android update was 4.2. After that, I've been disappointed with the updates. It's my opinion, obviously. I'm no fanboy to either Google or Apple. I just express my views.

A few tweaks to the notification panel + better Doze + multiwindow is hardly a good update to me. I want more features. I haven't read the whole changelog. Will do to see if I missed something. I've read all the articles today and they just point out those features I mentioned.

4.2 brought lockscreen widgets (which I miss), Miracast, stock swype keyboard, user accounts on tablets, etc. That was a big update IMO.

Google might be making big updates to performance and battery life, but I want more features we can actually use, so to speak, like:

- A true full backup solution like iTunes.
- More tablet specific features.
- Improve even more Google Now. In the US it has a lot of features, but outside the US it's still rather poor.
- A stock themes option (this I would love!! Samsung, HTC and others already have it. I want it in stock Android).
- Gestures we can personalize. I'd love to be able to use gestures to multitask, like those on the iPad.

This are the kind of features I want and would like to see.

What more I'm I missing? Apart from the notification panel tweaks + better Doze/Svelte + multiwindow? I like the new way to multitask even faster also, but those are minor tweaks IMO.
 
S

Saturn1217

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This is the first update in a while that I am really excited about. Those multitasking features (not just multiwindow but the new task switcher) look awesome. I feel like with the quick tile changes it seems like google is embracing options again instead of focusing on the simplest UI possible.

Sad that I can't test this out on my Nexus 5. Not ready to try a beta on my 6p since it is my DD. But cannot wait for the final release (hopefully all the new features make it into the final).
 
mountain

mountain

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The preview looks great. I hope Google will announce two new version of tablets this time - 8" and 10" would be nice.
 
tbayrgs

tbayrgs

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I agree that the changes look great. Nice to see multi-window come to the platform and not just Samsung device--even better is that it appears to be more ubiquitous across apps, as long as the devs properly code their apps to distribute information appropriately for portrait vs. landscape orientation. Certainly most promising for the tablet experience on Android.

But of course to beat this dead horse, we won't see this update will any degree of platform penetration for probably a good 2 years.
 
Surf Donkey

Surf Donkey

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epicrayban said:
It's up to Google and HTC(?) to bring it later this year with the hardware.
Click to expand...

Well I will absolutely guarantee they won't Samsung or Apple "bring it" in terms of aesthetics. But just hoping for another solid phone with the 820. Front facing stereo speakers as well please. Seriously, this is pretty much deal breaker after having them. I have no problem with bezels for them. 6P is a bit big. So something more like the Note 5 size bezels with speakers would be perfect. And HTC BoomSound on top of that.....boom!
 
epicrayban

epicrayban

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Surf Donkey said:
Well I will absolutely guarantee they won't Samsung or Apple "bring it" in terms of aesthetics. But just hoping for another solid phone with the 820. Front facing stereo speakers as well please. Seriously, this is pretty much deal breaker after having them. I have no problem with bezels for them. 6P is a bit big. So something more like the Note 5 size bezels with speakers would be perfect. And HTC BoomSound on top of that.....boom!
Click to expand...

Agree. Which is why I hope everyone, including Apple and whoever is responsible for this year's Nexus devices, is paying attention to what Samsung is doing with design, ergonomics, and compact sizes.
 
hallux

hallux

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maxsix said:
The upcoming Nexus 7 Running N promises to be a very nice advancement.
Click to expand...

I question the naming of the next large Nexus phone being the "Nexus 7", they've already had a Nexus 7, and it was a tablet that lasted 2 generations.

Maybe they'll move on to a different naming scheme?
[doublepost=1457631461][/doublepost]
mountain said:
The preview looks great. I hope Google will announce two new version of tablets this time - 8" and 10" would be nice.
Click to expand...

Agree. My 2014 Galaxy Note 10.1 is going to be in need of an upgrade later on this year. I'm hoping to go all-in on Nexus but the lack of a 10" tablet has stopped me, and the Nexus 9 didn't really appeal to me.
 
epicrayban

epicrayban

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http://www.androidauthority.com/drag-and-drop-text-multi-window-android-n-679164/

Not only is Google adopting TW features, they're adding more functionality to it. You can copy and paste text between two apps in multiwindow on Andriod N.

Very neat.

And I love love love the double-tap app switcher button to "alt-tab" into the app you were just in. I always wanted that.

Android N -- and thusly, Nexus devices -- is looking very promising. Like I said earlier, Google needs to bring their A game in hardware.
 
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gotluck

gotluck

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on the otherhand oem's could use stock android and stop wasting all that energy on customizing the OS and just focus on providing updates and future support instead. Then we can get another GPE samsung device, the ultimate dream. Prolly a better chance with that than getting a nexus with samsung quality hardware :p

always compromises :(
 
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epicrayban

epicrayban

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gotluck said:
Please please 2016 nexus 5p
Click to expand...

With wireless charging, waterproofing, and good ergonomics, please.

And expandable microSD now that Android supports expandable storage again?

In other words, Android N shouldn't be the only thing taking cues from Samsung. Google should take cues on the hardware front, too.

The camera, especially, has to be on point.
 
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rtomyj

rtomyj

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maxsix said:
I concur.

Those who feign disappointment with Google may be well placed Apple Devotees that harbor a distinct hate for Google that accompanies their obvious lack of knowledge of the OS they love to trash.
Click to expand...
You stuff like this in a condescending way, on an apple site... where the new android update is very much catching up to iOS... I'm confused.
 
epicrayban

epicrayban

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gotluck said:
on the otherhand oem's could use stock android and stop wasting all that energy on customizing the OS and just focus on providing updates and future support instead. Then we can get another GPE samsung device, the ultimate dream. Prolly a better chance with that than getting a nexus with samsung quality hardware :p

always compromises :(
Click to expand...

Shame the GPE program never took off. =T
 
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