Office for Android Easier for Everyone to Download

Microsoft today made Office Mobile fully available to everyone from the Google Play Store. The company released penultimate versions of the apps in May, but required interested users to join the Office for Android Community on oppo phones Google+ in order to access them. Microsoft removed that requirement, which means anyone who wants Office can now download the suite of productivity apps. Office Mobile requires Android 4.4 and up, but is not compatible with Android M.

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean builds on the foundation set by Android 4.1

Android Jelly Bean use the same basic appearance that Google brought to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS). There's been little in the way of a visual refresh of Android since ICS debuted in October 2011, which uses meizu mx3 review Google's "Holo" theme. There are some minor navigation changes to the way the lock screen works and the way the drop-down notification shade works. We'll cover those in depth later in the review.

As on all Android devices, there are user-customizable home screen panels in Jelly Bean that can be loaded with widgets, shortcuts, and other content. Jelly Bean adds a few more widgets, but leaves the overall architecture of the platform alone. There are four app shortcuts at the bottom of the home screen and a fifth that opens the main app menu. These home screen shortcuts can be customized with ease.

The main app menu is the same as it ever was. It includes a grid of icons that are laid out in alphabetical order. Unlike devices that have been customized by hardware makers or carriers, you can't adjust the main app menu in stock Jelly Bean. It is stuck in an alphabetical grid. That's kind of a bummer. You can, however pull apps out of the main app menu and install them on the home screens as individual shortcuts or within folders. The folders let you organize apps on the home screens into groups, such as games or media apps, for example. The behavior makes Jelly Bean look and feel a bit more like Apple's iOS. New apps that are downloaded from the Play Store are added to both the main app menu and the home screen. This feature can be turned off, however.

Nokia Will Design and License Phones Beginning In 2016

Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri said the company will tackle the mobile phone industry again once its non-compete clause with Microsoft expires next year. Nokia no longer owns any manufacturing facilities and will not make its own phones. The company did something similar with an Android-based tablet it released in December. "We will look for suitable partners," said Suri in an interview with the German magazine Manager Magazin. "Microsoft makes mobile phones. We would simply design them and then make the brand name available to license."meizu mx4 pro review Microsoft bought Nokia's handset business in 2014 for $7.2 billion. Just this week, Microsoft reshuffled its executive deck and removed two former leaders from Nokia, Stephen Elop and Jo Harlow. Neither Elop nor Harlow has said what their next steps will be. Microsoft's Windows Phone platform and Lumia-branded handsets continue to struggle in the market against Apple's iOS and Google's Android. The company is releasing a new mobile operating system, Windows 10 Mobile, this fall. Suri did not say if Nokia will use Android, Windows Phone, or some other platform for its future devices.

FCC Adopts Strong Anti-Robocall Rules

The FCC today adopted a set of rules proposed in May that make it harder for telemarketers and others to place unwanted calls or send unwanted messages to wireless phones. The new laws provide clarity for businesses and consumers on when robocalls and other phone-based outreach meizu mx4  is permitted. The new rules let consumers revoke their consent to receive such calls/messages at any time; permit carriers to create do-not-disturb blocking services; ensure new owners of reassigned numbers don't receive calls/messages meant for the previous owner; define autodialers to prevent misuse of the laws; and allow very limited and specific exceptions for urgent circumstances, such as to prevent fraud. The FCC promised to enforce the rules strictly.

Samsung Releases Game-Recording App

Samsung this month made available an app that smartphone owners can use to record their game play. Game Recorder+ lets users capture game play and face-cam commentary with one touch. Samsung says the app can record audio directly from the source app, negating background noise. It also includes a Game Boost feature that Samsung claims will optimize system memory for better gaming and game recording. Game Recorder+ is compatible with the Samsung meizu mx 5 Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, Note 4, S5, Note 3, S4, and Note 2 devices. Samsung said most games from the Play Store and Galaxy App store support recording. Game Recorder+ is free to download from the Google Play Store. Earlier this month, Google announced plans to launch a game-specific version of YouTube to highlight game play. Earlier this year, Amazon bought Twitch, which lets people record and share their gaming experiences. Samsung did not say if its Game Recorder+ app will be compatible with these services, but it can upload recordings to YouTube.

Motorola Moto E for Cricket Wireless

Motorola's smartphones have shared a distinct familial design language since the August 2013 debut of the Moto X. The E has a simple, no-frills look that is at once appealing yet unsophisticated. Don't let the looks fool you; the Moto E packs a powerful punch for its $130 price point.

The Moto E is the least expensive and most compact of Motorola's handset lineup, which includes the Nexus 6, Droid Turbo, Moto X, and Moto G.meizu m2 note It shares design characteristics with its stablemates, such as the chrome-colored earpiece bar and general shape. The E is a pleasant little phone that comes in either black or white and allows owners to customize the appearance just a bit through the use of replaceable bumpers that line the outer edge. Our review unit is white, but included a red bumper that gives the phone a happier look than the solid white appearance offered.

Most people will appreciate the Moto E's size and shape. The smaller screen (4.5 inches) allowed Motorola to keep the height and width in check, but the phone is somewhat thicker than today's flagships. The back surface, made from polycarbonate, has a comfortable curve to help the phone sit deeper in your palm. I found the phone easy to hold and use. It drops into pockets with no problem.

Facebook Debuts Moments App for Sharing Event Photos

Facebook today announced a new application called Moments. The app is meant to help people share photos privately with others -- even if they don't use Facebook. It lets multiple people combine their photos to create albums of shared events, such as weddings, graduations, or parties. The app uses location data and facial recognition software to determine which of the user's friends are in the photos, and then shares the collection with them privately. The meizu recipient can choose to share their own photos with the first person to create a larger album of the event. Facebook says the app keeps all the photos synced and organized, and includes search functions for finding your friends' faces faster. Moments was conceived in Facebook's Creative Labs. It is being launched in the U.S. on Android and iOS today, with other regions to be added over time. Moments is free to download from the Google Play Store and iTunes App Store.