Google Play Services 6.5 rolling out with new APIs

The new version of Google Play Services will help you build better apps, or at least that’s what Google’s plan is as they release an addendum to version 6 of Google Play Services. Included in the new batch of APIs will be new entry points from apps for Google Drive, Google Maps, a new button for Google Wallet, and an invitation for app builders to use Google Fit.

App developers can now tell their apps very specific commands when uploading data to Google Drive – ideally, that would be when battery levels are optimum and when connected to a WiFi network. Apps can now be told not to upload data when these circumstances are not met to save on power and data.

Apps can now also use a “lite mode” of Google Maps, where the map will be confined to a smaller area – like a town or a specific area of a town where you want your app to focus on – but still have all the features and functionalities of the real Google Maps app.

We’ve discussed before that the Google Wallet API will be getting a new “Donate with Google” button, and that Google is also putting a bit of pressure to app developers out there to make apps utilizing the Google Fit API which was launched in October.

SOURCE: YouTube

Story Timeline

• Google Play Services 5.0: Android Wear, Games, In-app Search


• Google Play Services updates Fit preview, Play Store redesign leaked


• Google to roll out Google Play services 6.5, lots of new APIs

Roller Polar rides a snowball onto Android

Roller Polar is a game that puts players into that action as a cute little polar bear who has to ride a giant snowball down a mountain. Players have to zip down the mountain as they dodge boulders, trees, and other wildlife.

The game has day and night settings and as the snowball rolls down the mountain, it goes faster and faster making it harder to stay on top. The game has pixilated art from Nitrome studio. The game play is tied to the time of day where you live so if its day out, its day in the game and vice versa.

The game was updated this week to fix a bug affecting in-app purchases. UI improvements were also made. Polar Roller is 21MB in size and has as many as 10,000 installs so far. The current version is 1.0.2.

Android 2.3 or higher is required to play and the game is rated for everyone. The game is free and supported by in-app purchases at $1.55 per item. You can check out the trailer for the game in the YouTube video below. Roller Polar looks like a lot of fun.

SOURCE: Google Play

Tipsoccer: fun game even if you don’t know anything about soccer

"We have no idea how soccer works. We just want to play it." So goes the game description for Tipsoccer. But lest you be fooled that it's just a bit of non-sense game that will take up space on your device, it is actually a physics-based game, with a lot of fun, drunk AI opponents and pop culture references thrown in the mix.

Soccer, which the rest of the world calls football, is always a fun game to while away the time, even digitally. Don't expect FIFA levels kind of gameplay, but you still need to use your knowledge of physics, your swiping and flicking powers, and your ability to get past drunk computer-generated AI opposition. You have the option to play solo against the aforementioned inebriated AI or play against a friend, who may or may not be under the influence as well.

The game has two versions, light (which is free) and the regular version (with a fee of course). If you're not yet sure if this kind of soccer game is for you, you better try it out first on light. You get to have four teams to choose from and a two button configuration if you want to make it more complicated. You can download the light, free version from the Google Play Store.

But when you've already started enjoying it, but would like to get rid of the ads that interrupt your gaming experience, you can get the regular version for just $0.99. There are no in-app purchases as well, so that is just the amount you need to spend to have crazy teams like Spartans, Zombies or 'murica. You can also have more fun with other configurations that have nothing to do with soccer, like acrobatics, tennis balls, steel balls, etc. You can download it from the Google Play Store as well.

Flash Android 5.0 to a Bootlooping Nexus 5 in 2 Minutes

We all know the feeling of having a bootloop occur on our devices every so often, whether it be when we’re flashing a new mod or ROM, making an edit to a root-level file, or because of some unknown and unreported compatibility issue. But when it occurs over and over again and you have no viable backup made, flashing a fresh ROM again and again and starting everything from scratch can get pretty tedious and annoying.

With this said, XDA Forum Member Julian_os developed a very handy batch file tool aimed to bring some much needed relief in the aforementioned scenario. Called the Flash 5.0 N5 Tool, it flashes stock Android 5.0 Lollipop to your Nexus 5 automatically within 2 minutes of starting and can be used with your device when it is in either bootloop/bootloader mode and in a normal state with the bootloader locked or unlocked. And one can even say that this tool is home grown through and through as it was developed according to the XDA TV tutorial on writing batch files. Julian_os plans on updating the tool so future releases of Android will also be supported. Moreover, you can easily adapt the batch for use on additional devices, provided that you have the applicable image files, paths, fastboot drivers.

If you would like to give this a go, check out the Flash 5.0 N5 Tool thread for more details.

The post Flash Android 5.0 to a Bootlooping Nexus 5 in 2 Minutes appeared first on xda-developers.

Blackphone to get app store focused on privacy

The Blackphone launched last summer as a device that is focused on private communications more than performance or style. Since that launch, the makers of the Blackphone have been working to patch vulnerabilities to keep the device secure. A new announcement was made recently about an app store for the Blackphone that is coming soon.

The Blackphone app store will be aimed at users concerned about privacy and security and will launch in January. The app store will monitor apps to ensure that they in no way try to compromise the privacy of users. The apps will be vetted in several ways says Blackphone CEO Toby Weir.

Weir says that Blackphone will use the Apple model and validate that all apps will do what they intend. Weir says that the app store won't do games and won't offer versions of social networking apps. All apps on the store will have a broad alignment with privacy and security focus.

Blackphone users now typically use the Amazon app store because Blackphone doesn't have access to the Google Play store. Weir says that the company wants to reach a wider audience that cares about usability and privacy.

SOURCE: TheGuardian

HTC Releases Kernel Source for One M7, M8 GPe Devices

A few days, we talked about the Google Play editions of the HTC One M7 and M8 getting an Android 5.0 Lollipop update. Those updates, in addition to the totally new user experience, gave developers a chance to use the updated binary files, which were built to handle Android 5.0 without issue. HTC did its homework accordingly, and has now released the kernel source in a timely fashion.

Most big OEMs respect open-source licensing and release the GPL-compliant kernel source code for all their shipping devices and firmware. However, this usually takes a few weeks to make its way to developers, but HTC has released these files almost instantly, thus giving developers a chance to implement the changes into the kernel branches and make them Lollipop-ready. The provided zip files aren’t small, as they are both almost half a gigabyte each, but HTC servers seem to be in really good shape all things considering. We do hope that other OEMs will follow HTC’s lead and provide the GPL content within a day or two after the official roll-out, or provide them at all…

Developers interested in working on the HTC kernels can get the source code by visiting the official HTCdev webpage, where you can find kernel source for Android 5.0.1 and other Android revisions for all HTC devices.

The post HTC Releases Kernel Source for One M7, M8 GPe Devices appeared first on xda-developers.

Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey add more purchase options for Google Play Store

As Android devices continue to dominate most markets, particularly outside the United States, app downloading from the Google Play Store continues to rise as well. But sometimes, for countries where credit cards aren't the norm, actually buying apps is still a problem. Google has been helping some regions get around this stumbling block by offering other payment options, and now Indonesia, South Korea, and Turkey are three countries included in their list.

For Indonesia, the fourth most populated country in the world, one of their biggest carriers Indosat, has added support for Play Store billing. This means that users who are on the carrier can charge their app purchases to their carrier billing. This way of payment is seen as a much more convenient way of buying content from Google Play Store and now Indonesians can enjoy this option too.

For South Korea and Turkey, their option comes in the form of the availability of Google Play gift cards in their local convenience stores. These cards come in different denominations and can be used to make app and in-app purchases on the Google Play Store. Again, if you don't have a credit card, this is a great option, especially if you've always wanted to add more apps to your device but didn't have the payment option before.

Indosat is not yet in the list of supported carriers from Google, but they have already advertised the fact on their own website. As for the Google Play gift cards in the two countries, they're already available in 25, 50, and 100 lira denominations for Turkey and ₩15,000 to ₩50,000 and more options for South Korea.

VIA: Android Police (1, 2)