Things are winding down for the end of the year in the technology world, but we still had some hot topics to discuss this week. HTC finally made its new mid-ranger Desire 620 official, another episode of the OnePlus/Cyanogen saga went down, we learned that the Nexus 5 could be close to retirement, Google updated a ton of its apps and released Lollipop for Android Wear devices, and we heard some interesting rumors about Samsung’s upcoming A7 and E7 smartphones.
This is Android Authority this week.
Inside AA HQ
We brought you the often requested Meizu MX4 review this week, and if you watched the video, you surely noticed a new face. The latest addition to our crack team of video reviewers is Brian Barbosa. Based in Southern California, Brian will be contributing hardware-focused videos and posts and help our already strong review team get to the next level.
With the holidays just days away, we’ve completed our roundup series of the best Android gifts for every budget. From cheap stocking stuffers to the must-have gadgets of the season, Andrew and Jimmy did a great job collecting gift ideas for tech lovers. Check them all out:
- Best Android gifts under $50
- Best Android gifts under $100
- Best Android gifts under $200
- Best Android gifts for under $300
Over the next two weeks, we’ll be looking back at 2014, and the companies, people, devices, and apps who made it such an exciting year. With everything from a major new version of Android, to tons of hot devices, and even corporate drama, we have a lot to look back to. We’ll also have a special Android Authority in 2014 in recap, so keep an eye out for that as well.
As always, keep an eye out for our usual giveaway and thanks for reading!
The stuff you shouldn’t miss
Here are some interesting posts for your Sunday reading:
- Tech talk: AMOLED or LCD – the age old question. Robert explains
- Camera shootout: The swivelling camera Oppo N3 is in the house!
- Troubleshooting: Having problems with your Note 4? This post may help
- Opinion: Andrew asks: what should we be expecting from Nexus devices?
- Review: We review one of the most original Android tablets around, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro
- Feature: Simon looks at the connected home landscape and the players vying for domination
- Tech talk: Here’s a look at the past and future of chip manufacturing, from a process perspective
- Review: What you need to know about HTC’s camera-centric Desire Eye
Top news of the week
And here are the top news in the Android world this week:
Desire 620 announced
- HTC announces the Desire 620, availability set for early 2015
Cyanogen and OnePlus
- Cyanogen clarifies (again) the OnePlus One OTA update situation in India
Nexus 5 end of production rumors
- White and Red Nexus 5 removed from Play Store, black model remains
- (Update: available through Q1 2015) Nexus 5 production has stopped, Google confirms
Google app updates
- Big Hangouts update: stickers, “last seen” timestamps, video filters and more (update: download the APK here!)
- Google Search on Chrome for Android is now speedier than ever before
- (Update: video) Chromecast update: screen casting for 4.4.2 devices, Material design, guest mode
- YouTube offline playback now available in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines
- Hangouts Chrome app updated with phone tab and better notification support
- Google Maps updated with lane guidance in some EU countries
- Google Translate now offering 10 new languages, over 200 million new speakers
- Google Fit supports 100 new activities with latest update
Android Wear Lollipop update
- Lollipop-based Android Wear update coming soon: watchface support and more!
- Google Play will soon remove any watchface not updated to new API
Galaxy A7 and E7 rumors
- Report: Samsung working on more mid-range handsets, the Galaxy E5 and E7
- Insiders leak spec sheet for the Samsung Galaxy A7
Sound off
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Happy Sunday!