Bill Mayeroff
Talk Android
Chicago, IL, United States
Contact Bill
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Bill:
[APK Download] Google Keyboard gets a major update in version 5
Though it’s rolling out slowly, it looks like Google Keyboard 5.0 will be a pretty massive update from previous versions. Google’s newest version has a lot of cool new features. Some st… → Read More
Instagram rolls out video channels
Instagram has redesigned its Explore feature and it now includes a channel for videos. Instagram attributes the change to the fact that more people than ever are uploading videos and claims the channels will make it easier to find videos you enjoy. You’ll now see a channel called “Videos You Might Like,” which aggregates videos from across the Instagram world. And as you make your way through… → Read More
Customize your Nexus with a photo case
Google has made it easier for you to personalize your phone with the launch of My Live Case, which lets users create customized snap cases for their Nexus 5X, Nexus 6 and Nexus 6P phones. The design studio in the Google Store lets you take a photo or a special place on Google Maps and put it on a case. A bunch of filters let you make the image your own and as a bonus, the image also gets made… → Read More
Stamina battery mode returning to Xperia phones
Good news for power users of Sony’s Xperia line of phones. Sony confirmed in a statement that Stamina mode, which had previously been removed when Xperia devices were updated to Android 6.0 (also known as Marshmallow), would be returning. The feature had been replaced by Google’s Doze mode, which was integrated into Android 6.0 and was designed to do something similar. However, the main drawback… → Read More
[Video] Unboxing the HTC 10
Less than a week after HTC announced its new flagship, the HTC 10, we got our grubby little paws on one. And here, for your delight and edification, is video of Talk Android’s fearless leader, Justin Herrick, unboxing the latest from HTC. One of the first things Justin removes after the phone is the charging cord, which has both a USB and USB Type-C connector. The box also includes a wall… → Read More
Text like Shakespeare with new SwiftKey keyboard
Do you want to sound like Shakespeare without actually being Shakespeare? Do you often find yourself wondering what Shakespeare’s texts would have read like if he had a smartphone in the 16th century? SwiftKey has you covered with its new ShakeSpeak app. Oh yes, you aspiring bards. It’s an app that allows you to text like Shakespeare (or so it would seem, given the unlikeliness Shakespeare… → Read More
Huawei reveals P9 Lite specs
Chinese manufacturer Huawei announced the launch of its P9 Lite smartphone in Russia. The P9 Lite features a 5.2-inch, 1080p display and a Kirin 650 Octa-Core processor (though it was initially rumored to be coming with a Kirin 955 SoC processor). The phone, which runs Android 6.0, does not have dual rear cameras. Rather, it has a single, 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing… → Read More
Alcatel’s Xess tablet to be available April 22
Designed to be “the perfect 17-inch accessory for the kitchen,” Alcatel’s 17-inch tablet, the Xess, will be available for pre-purchase April 22. The Xess will be available for purchase online for $499. Steve Cistulli, Alcatel’s president and general manager for North America, had this to say: > “We’ve been committed as a company to expanding the reach of our consumer technology and how it can… → Read More
Android developers can win a trip to Google I/O 2016
Are you an Android developer? Do you want a chance to show off your Android experiment at Google I/O 2016? You’re in luck. Android has announced the Android Experiments I/O Challenge. Developers can submit their Android experiments to the Android Experiments website. The top three experiments will win a trip to I/O 2016, while five runners-up will get a new Nexus 6P. So what exactly makes a good… → Read More
Verizon pushes security updates for LG G3 and G4, Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
Verizon is pushing out security updates to the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, as well as the LG G3 and G4. The update for the G3 and G4 purports to “faster display response from a sleep state, and the latest Android security updates.” It also supposedly helps “resolve known issues,” though no mention is made of what the aforementioned “issues” are. The update for the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge provides… → Read More
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge named camera champ
DxOMark has declared the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge the best they’ve ever tested. The Galaxy S7 Edge this week received a score of 88 from DxOMark, which is the highest recorded score for outstanding image quality. From Samsung: > “From blink-of-an-eye autofocus delivering fewer blurry photos, to superior low-light photography, to significant advancements in video capture, the Galaxy… → Read More
More details of Meizu Pro 6 leaked
New details about the as-yet unreleased Meizu Pro 6 have leaked in the wake of revelations that what was thought to be a leak of the iPhone 7 was, in fact, a Pro 6. The newest leaks show that the Meizu Pro 6 looks very similar to its predecessor, the Pro 5. The Pro 6 retains the Mtouch fingerprint scanner with the same oval shape as that of the Pro 5. One notable difference between the Pro 6 and… → Read More
Get a $30 gift card using Samsung Pay and your Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge
Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge owners who use Samsung Pay can get a $30 gift card from one of five Samsung Pay merchants. The offer is good from March 11-31. The merchants included in the offer are Best Buy, eBay, Whole Foods, Nike and Regal Cinema. It works like this: Add your card to Samsung Pay (transactions with Bank of America Debit and private label cards are not eligible) and make a… → Read More
Connecticut may outlaw arming drones
Connecticut lawmakers are considering making it illegal to attach weapons to drones. Two bills regarding weaponizing drones are sitting in committee, but each contains this paragraph: > “Except as otherwise provided by law, no person shall operate or use any computer software or other technology, including, but not limited to, an unmanned aerial vehicle… that allows a person, when not physically… → Read More
Report: Intel to build an augmented reality headset
Brian Krzanich, Intel’s chief executive officer, at CES 2016. Intel is reportedly jumping on the augmented reality bandwagon. Reports indicate the chip maker is developing a headset to deliver augmented reality, also known as mixed reality, experiences. With augmented reality, images and/or information are superimposed over a view of the real world delivered through glass or the display of a… → Read More
Bernie Sanders talks T-Mobile and unions
Even presidential candidates are weighing in on the reported problems T-Mobile is having with labor unions. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont), who, while on the campaign trail has repeatedly decried corporate power and its influence on American politics, had this to say: “T-Mobile’s repeated labor law violations and anti-union activities are particularly troubling given the long history of its… → Read More
Google shows you how to cast with Chromecast Audio
Need help using Chromecast Audio to cast your favorite tunes from your phone, laptop or tablet to your speakers? A new video from Google has you covered. Don’t worry if you’re strapped for time. The video clocks in at a minute and five seconds. In other words, you can learn to cast in less time than it takes most of us to use the bathroom in the morning. Heck, you could learn to cast while… → Read More
Appeals court overturns verdict against Samsung in patent dispute with Apple
Samsung finally got a win in its ongoing patent battle with Apple when a panel of three federal appeals court judges overturned a $120 million jury verdict against the South Korean manufacturer. According to reports, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., said Samsung did not infringe on Apple’s “quick links” patent, and that two other Apple patents covering other… → Read More
Google Play Developer Console unveils new tools for ratings and reviews
Good news for app developers. You now have some new tools on the Developer Console in Google Play to help you better understand your app’s ratings. Developers can now see their ratings over time and track how they change from one version of your app to the next. Ratings can also be broken down by country, language, device, app version or Android version. The new Developer Console also tracks… → Read More
Moto X Pure gets software update
If you have a Moto X Pure Edition, you should definitely check out the “About” section of your settings menu. Your phones are getting an update that will give you system version 24.201.3, which includes several security updates. It’s reportedly just over 6MB in size. Back in January, we gave the Moto X Pure Edition a pretty solid review. We called it “the perfect phone for you as long as you’re… → Read More