HTC 10 Revisited: Now with Android 7.0 Nougat

What’s going on Android? Google put out this great little update called Nougat, but nearing the end of 2016, precious few phones have been updated. Android 7.0 adoption is woefully low.

We had plans on producing a larger round up of phones post Android 7.0 update, but unfortunately we’re still waiting to see how numerous manufacturer BETA pilot programs will play out. There are flavors of this update available for Samsung, Sony, and LG, but until then, we’re just chilling over here with this slick little HTC 10.

The last week we’ve been putting this software through its paces. What’s changed? What’s new? Have we run into any missteps or crippling bugs?

We recently examined the HTC 10 in our After the Buzz series, and now with Nougat, it’s time to circle back to one of the more unsung flagships of 2016. Maybe some day we’ll be able to produce that larger Nougat round up, but increasingly we’re starting to fear that new phones will be released before proper updates are pushed. Until then HTC 10 owners can feel a bit more on the pulse.

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iOS 10 encountered a big problem ‘during the first hour of availability’, but it’s fixed now

iOS 10 is available now for the iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, SE, sixth-gen iPod Touch, iPad 4, Air, Air 2, Mini 2, 3 and 4, as well as the 9.7 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but it’s not always wise to rush these things, and insist on being among the world’s first iFans running a brand-new operating system build.No matter

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Samsung starts rolling out big Gear S2 ‘Value Pack’ update

Samsung Gear S3 rumors are still thin on the ground, despite the Galaxy Note 7 “unpacking” event and IFA Berlin inching closer, with the Gear S2 of course unveiled at the previous German ...

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Google might soon publicly point fingers at Android OEMs taking too long to update

No matter how a bunch of lazy, complacent, greedy, user satisfaction-ignoring device manufacturers and wireless carriers will try to spin the Android numbers tale to make it seem like fragmentation isn’t such a big deal anymore, the cold, hard facts suggest otherwise.Marshmallow is growing at a slower pace than lethargic Lollipop, and with just 7.5 percent market share as of the beginning of May, OS version 6.0 still lags way behind 5.1, 5.0, 4.4, and even the November 2012-released 4.2 Jelly Bean.Together, builds 5.0 ...

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Android N Developer Preview 3 video tour: What’s new? Not much…

We’ve been watching the Android N previews closely. Following Google I/O 2016, the Android team released a new BETA of the yet-to-be-named mobile operating system. We’ve already detailed most of the exciting changes coming to our phones and tablets, like better multi-tasking support and the new notification shade in previous videos.Google is in a tricky position with this round ...

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Android N’s seamless updates will not be implemented on current-gen Nexus devices

Google didn’t really go into as much detail about Android N as we’d have liked during its big I/O 2016 keynote, leaving the dessert name decision (partially) up to us, only hinting at the version number, and vaguely bringing up

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FTC and FCC launch probe of mobile manufacturers and carriers’ security update practices

When not busy trying to force Apple’s hand to needlessly undermine its own mobile OS encryption and device security, the US government occasionally gets a half-decent idea of actually acting in the service of the people.Case in point, a joint FTC/FCC examination of the way smartphone and tablet manufacturers, as well as wireless operators stateside, look for, identify and ...

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Consumer group takes Samsung to court in effort to demand Android updates

Today, Apple’s latest smartphone software update is headed out to users around the world, as iOS 9.2.1 gets its public release. That spells hundreds of millions of devices that will soon have access to the company’s very latest fixes and improvements. Unfortunately, the update situation is hardly so tidy over on the Android side of the fence, and users are only too familiar with waiting months and months before their phones get Google’s latest Android builds – if at all. Over in the Netherlands, ...

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Here’s how Google and OEMs can fix Android OTA updates

Anyone who has ever owned an Android-powered smartphone will probably tell you how frustrating it is to get OTA updates. Whether it’s security patches, bug fixes, or the much-coveted OS upgrades (for example: Lollipop to Marshmallow). Since each of these is different, the reasons for delays and the mechanism for getting updates are sometimes different as well.Operating System UpgradesLet’s start with the proverbial 800-pound gorilla, shall we?First of all, Android and iOS ...

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A new dam for devs regarding Play Store app updates

Let’s face it: as much as we prop up the mobile operating platforms and their software updates, the best party has always been third party. We can always mention the good folk who cook up custom recoveries and mods, but we’re talking about app developers in this instance.And for the longest time, when they’ve had to ...

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The case against automatic updates on Android

None of us “like” out-of-date things. Updates to apps and operating systems bring us new features, improved functionality, better user interfaces, and (most importantly) bug fixes.We all hate bugs, but bugs vary in severity from mildly frustrating to zero-day security holes that can be exploited to do all kinds of nasty stuff. Depending on their type and scope, patches and updates aren’t things that arrive on our smartphones and tablets all that easily. Each bringing its own set of challenges and frustrations.AppsApplications get updated with whatever frequency their ...

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AT&T Galaxy S5 gets small software update

If you’ve been rocking a Galaxy S5 on AT&T, you might be jealous at this point of the Android 5.1 updates hitting other carrier models of the smartphone – unfortunately for you, that update is indeed finished and rolling out, but not for your smartphone. We’re sorry to disappoint, but today’s AT&T Galaxy S5 software update isn’t bringing that update either; this one’s just for bug fixes.The update will take your S5 unit from the OC4 firmware to OF2. Unfortunately, AT&T hasn’t posted up a software update changelog on its website quite yet, ...

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Microsoft sends out firmware updates for Surface 3 and Pro 3

A new firmware update has been released by Microsoft today for its two flagship tablet products, the Surface 3 and Pro 3. There aren’t many new features involved, but these are meaty firmware updates nonetheless, and will be crucial for the devices moving into the future.The changelogs for both updates are below. The key takeaways for the Surface 3 update are driver updates; this should improve stability and performance across the board. In the case of the Pro 3, there are driver updates as well, as well as a UEFI update adding support for new Windows 10 features. With the launch of ...

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