Rollout of Google Assistant starts today

Google announced at Mobile World Congress that it was bringing Google Assistant to non-Pixel devices. While they didn’t specify a timeline, it seems the wait is shorter than we think. It has started rolling out in the US for both Android Marshmallow and Nougat devices. Google even made a quick announcement on YouTube and Twitter for it. After the US rollout, Google Assistant will be coming to Canada, Australia, the UK, and German speakers in Germany. So it shouldn’t be too far off when you can install the voice-activated Assistant on your device.

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Sony takes the slow approach to smartphone charging

Fast charging is an excellent feature, particularly when you’re in a hurry. But with it comes the dangers of extreme wear and tear, especially if the charger isn’t certified. The heat produced when you’re charging quickly can shorten your smartphone battery’s life span. To extend the life of its batteries further, Sony has introduced Soft Charging in the beta version of the Marshmallow AOSP update for the “classics” Sony Xperia Z2 and Z3. What it does is it “slows down” charging to keep the temperature of the battery as cool as possible. You can activate soft charging with its own on/off toggle.

Source: Android Community

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ get Marshmallow update

Photo by Takahiro Yamagiwa | Flickr

Here’s a quick update for you Samsung Galaxy Note 5 users. The phablet is set to receive its second Android 6.0.1 update this week in South Korea. But aside from that it’s been reported that the Marshmallow treatment will be heading to Canada, the United States, and Europe. Those reported to be getting the update in the coming weeks include those on Rogers, Bell, and Telus. According to Tech Times, the update is already rolling out to Bell and Telus subscribers, so you should just wait for it to head your way. The update is also said to be pushing to Galaxy S6 Edge+ users. Those on Rogers’s network are expected to get the over-the-air update on April 27^th.

Source: SlashGear + Tech Times

Sony Canada stops Android Marshmallow update for Xperia Z5 due to Play Store bug

A bug affecting the Marshmallow update for the Xperia Z5 is bad enough that Sony Canada is pulling the update for its users. One of the big issues caused by the bug is the Google Play Store crashing, even after cleaning all app data or cache. Some users can’t even open the app at all. There’s no specific date yet when the fixed version will be up. At the moment, the fix is to do a clean install of the firmware again. What users of the Z5 and Z5P need to do is clear the data of the Play Store. Head over to Settings > Apps > Show system > Google Play Store > Storage > Clear Data. From there, proceed to Settings > Location > and then move the slider to the OFF position. After that reinstall Android.

Source: Xperia Blog