Marshmallow update starts hitting T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ as well

Shortly after the Samsung Galaxy Note5 on T-Mobile started receiving it, the Marshmallow update has begun hitting T-Mobile Galaxy S6 edge+ variants as well. While the update brought Android 6.0 to the former, the latter gets Android 6.0.1.

Weighing in at 1.34 GB, the update bumps the software version to G928TUVU2DPD1. As you'd expect, the update brings along the usual Marshmallow goodies, including Doze, Google Now on Tap, and redesigned app permissions.

Given the fact that the update has just begun rolling, it may take some time before it hits your device. However, if you're feeling impatient, you can manually check for it by heading to theSettings menu on your handset.

CREO Mark 1 with 5.5-inch QHD display is now available for purchase

The Mark 1, which was unveiled by India-based startup CREO last week, is now available for purchase in the country. The device is listed on the company's official website, and among online retailers, Flipkart is selling it.

As for the price, the device carries a tag of INR 19,999 (around $300). Those purchasing the handset from CREO's website will also be able to get a custom message engraved on the side of their unit. The engraving option will be free for the first 2,000 orders.

For those who don't already know, the Mark 1 is powered by MediaTek's Helio X chipset, and sports a 5.5-inch QHD display. It comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB expandable internal memory, and packs in a 3,100mAh battery. In terms of camera, the device features a 21MP rear unit and an 8MP front shooter. It's available in Gunmetal Black color option.

LeEco Le 2 (or Le Max 2) shows up in a benchmark with 6GB of RAM

After launching the first Snapdragon 820-powered smartphone a few months back, LeEco (formerly known as LeTV) has been busy working on its next top of the line device. We've seen this leaking quite a few times, either in images, official certifications, or benchmarks.

The handset could be called Le 2, Le 2 Pro, or even Le Max 2, the exact moniker unfortunately hasn't been conclusively leaked. And now it turns out that the Le 2 (let's call it that) will come in no less than three hardware versions.

One will sport 3GB of RAM, another will come with 4GB of memory, but the highest-end of them all will get a whopping 6GB of RAM. It's this model that has now been spotted in the GFXBench database, after someone performed a benchmark run on it.

The phone also has a 5.5-inch QHD touchscreen, a 21 MP rear camera (with 4K video capture), an 8 MP front-facing snapper (which can record QHD video), and 64GB of storage. It's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 chipset, as you'd expect given the other specs here. The new LeEco smartphone runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

It's still unclear when LeEco will make this device official, but hopefully that's going to happen soon.

Oppo tops offline sales in China thanks to the F1 Plus

March has been quite a successful month for Oppo. The company boasts it has taken the first spot in offline sales in China thanks to the soaring interest for the F1 Plus (R9 in China). The data is gathered by independent research company Sino MR.

The analysis shows that the company sold 180,000 units on the first day of sales (March 24). Just four days later, the number of Oppo R9 phones sold was topping 400,000.

Following Oppo in terms of sales volume for March is Vivo and Apple with 12.1% and 11.2%, respectively. Huawei is fourth with 9.4%, but its sub-brand Honor is also doing well with a 4.5% market share, so combined it actually holds the lead.

The Oppo R9 is powered by a Mediatek Helio P10 chipset with four of its Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 2.0GHz, the other four at 1.0GHz. 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage are on board and the R9 can take up to 128GB of microSD cards in the hybrid microSD/second-SIM slot.

The Oppo R9 is priced at CNY 2,799 in China ($430).

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 for T-Mobile getting Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Verizon and AT&T unleashed the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update onto their Samsung Galaxy Note5 users in March and towards the end of the same month, Sprint joined in as well.

Now it's time for T-Mobile to do its thing - the update is available Over The Air and it weighs in at 1,420MB so make sure to download it over Wi-Fi.

Downloading the Marshmallow update for T-Mobile's Galaxy Note5

The update brings the usual Marshmallow goodies and makes the some changes to the pre-installed app package - Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp are getting the boot.

Moto G (4th gen) leak shows fingerprint reader on the front

Earlier this year we got a blurry look at the 2016 edition of the Moto G and it took this long to get a clearer view of the upcoming mid-ranger. You can clearly see the fingerprint that Lenovo SVP Chen Xudong promised.

The fingerprint is square-shaped and positioned on the front, it's not entirely clear if it works as a button or not. The official word from Lenovo is that all Moto-branded phones will have fingerprint readers and we saw the outline of one in a "Moto G4 Plus" leak, so perhaps were in for a more diversified lineup this year (instead of just the E/G/X trio).

Moto G leak: square fingerprint on the front • Camera with (perhaps) Laser AF

Anyway, the camera on the back retains the vertical strip design. We don't have much to go on specs-wise, but the two dots above the camera could be a Laser autofocus setup.

The Moto G (3rd gen) was announced in July 2015 and with the slow trickle of leaks, I assume it will be a while before the 4th gen model is out.

Huawei P9 Leica camera setup is made by Sunny Optical Technology

A key feature of the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus is their dual-camera setup, featuring Leica-certified optics. Recent information regarding the two cameras reveal they are made by Sunny Optical Technology of China, which is a camera manufacturer authorized by Leica.

This is the first time the Germany-based Leica is cooperating with a Chinese OEM. If this first endeavor proves successful, it's quite possible to see more Leica camera tech in future smartphones.

In our Huawei P9 review we concluded that the phone has one of the best camera setups on the market. The dynamic range is high and colors are spot on with more than enough resolved detail.

Motorola Moto 360 Sport gets $70 price cut in US

The Sport variant of the second generation Motorola Moto 360 smartwatch has received a price cut in the United States, where Amazon currently has the timepiece listed for around $230, down from the $300 price tag the watch usually carries.

A quick look the Motorola's US website reveals the same $300 price tag for the device, meaning the deal indeed saves you around $70. What's worth mentioning, however, is that only the black colored model is being offered at discounted rates - white and flame options are still $300.

Interested in the deal? Head to the Source link below and grab a unit before the promotion runs out.

Report says Google Play saw over 11 billion app downloads last quarter

According to a new report, the Google Play Store - which hosts a total of around 2 million apps - saw more than 11 billion app downloads (11.1 billion to be precise) in the last quarter, an increase of around 6.7% compared to the figure reported during the same time last year.

Of the most downloaded apps, the top three included Facebook Messenger, Facebook, and Snapchat. Candy Crush Jelly Saga and Pandora rounded up the top five.

The report also notes that the Play Store's Gaming category - despite growing less than 1% year-on-year - was five times larger than the Tools category. Talking about the number of downloads, the games to tools ratio stood at 4:1. The app category which witnessed the highest (20%) year-on-year growth was Photography.

BlackBerry Priv currently available for just $450

If you're in the United States, and are planning to purchase BlackBerry's debut Android smartphone (the Priv), here is some good news: for a limited time, the device has received a solid price cut.

Daily Steals currently has the handset listed for $450, down from the $700 price tag that it usually carries there. A quick look at the Canadian company's official US online store reveals a price tag of $650, so the deal saves you at-least $200.

The model on offer is AT&T branded, although unlocked, meaning you'll be able to use it with other GSM carriers as well. As we've already told you, it's a limited time deal, with the listing currently saying that it'll end in the next 4 days.

Google Play Music officially adds podcasts

Google started testing the addition of a dedicated podcasts section to its Play Music service back in February, but it was a very limited rollout at that moment. Today though, after months of testing, podcasts are finally available for everyone. Well, not quite - for now that's everyone in the US and Canada.

The new feature should already be available inside the Web version of Google Play Music, and it's rolling out in stages to Android devices.

Google says it's made finding interesting podcasts easy in the interface, with contextual suggestions such as "Learning something new", "Getting lost in a story", or "Laughing out loud". And obviously once you've found something you like you can easily subscribe and the last few episodes will be downloaded automatically. You can also choose to receive a notification every time a new episode is released.

Two Sony camera sensor factories in Japan halt operations due to earthquake

Sony's image sensor production plant in Kyushu Island has been closed due to the recent deadly earthquakes in the country. The Kumamoto Prefecture factory is the second of Sony's image sensor plants to halt its operation after the one in the Kyushu city of Nagasaki.

If the plants don't resume operations, it could be problematic for both Sony and its partners who count on it for CMOS sensors. Currently, nearly 40% of the market uses the company's image sensors. Happily, a Sony spokesman has told Reuters that there won't be immediate disruption in the supply since Sony has some inventory available.

Sony is still checking for potential damage to the plants, which operate on a 24-hour basis. However, as soon as the earthquake aftershocks end, the work in the plants will be restored.

We hope the aftershocks end soon, but statistically, this could take a while. The Tohoku earthquake from March 2011 saw 900 aftershocks, three of which were over magnitude 7.0.