Tag: Nexus 5

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Four months on, Google+ Hangouts for iOS is still better than its Android counterpart.

Google+ Hangouts for iOS gained Google Voice integration back on October 18, 2013 while its Android counterpart is still without this feature.

Google Hangouts Phone Dialer on iPhone 5s

This sure infuriated some hardcore Android users; their comments unintentionally become comedy gold.

According to Nikhyl Singhal, a Google Employee:

  •  Finally, we want to make Google Voice as secure as possible. There are a few third-party applications that provide calling and SMS services by making unauthorized use of Google Voice. These apps violate our Terms of Service and pose a threat to your security, so we’re notifying these app developers that they must stop making unauthorized use of Google Voice to run their services and transition users by May 15, 2014.

Reading between the lines, there seems to be an inherent security issue in Android Platform and/or Google Voice. If not, Google would have already deployed Google Voice integration within Hangouts for Android.

I want Google Voice integration within Hangouts on my Nexus 4; and so does my colleague with his Nexus 5. I guess we all still have to wait.

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Android KitKat 4.2.2

Sometimes on Thursday, December 12, 2013 both my Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 received the Android KitKat 4.2.2 update. My colleague’s Nexus 5 received the update on Wednesday, December 11, 2013.

After updating to Android 4.2 KitKat, I tested the tethering and mobile hotspot feature. It is even more broken than before, specifically within T-Mobile USA network. If your Nexus 4 still running Android Jelly Bean 4.3 and you use it as a mobile hotspot, avoid Android KitKat at all cost.

Android KitKat 4.2.2 on Nexus 4

Android KitKat 4.2.2 on Nexus 7

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Does Android KitKat Detect Unauthorized Tethering on T-Mobile USA Network?

According to a few Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 users, Android KitKat now detects unauthorized Tethering on T-Mobile USA network.

A colleague of ours noticed that after upgrading to Android KitKat on a Nexus 4, Tethering & portable hotspot no longer works. Devices connected to the Wi-Fi hotspot are redirected to T-Mobile login page.

Android Kit Kat Tethering Carrier Login

When an iPhone is connected to the Wi-Fi Hotspot from a Nexus 4 running Android KitKat, options to “Auto-join” and “Auto-login” appears.

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The iPhone then tries to connect to a T-Mobile login page, but the page never loads.

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We then use a Nexus 5 which came with Android KitKat pre-installed to create a wi-Fi hotspot. The result was the same, it forces connected devices to log in.

Another colleague of ours still has a Nexus 4 running Android Jelly Bean 4.3. The Nexus 4 is connected to T-Mobile USA network and without tethering plan. Devices connected the Wi-Fi hotspot created by the Android Jelly Bean-running Nexus 4 were not asked to log in.

We then inserted a working AT&T micro-SIM card into the Nexus 4 with Android KitKat. We had no issues using tethering through this phone.

At this point, it seems that Google has added codes in Android KitKat that detect unauthorized tethering. So far, it only affects Nexus phones (4 and 5) on T-Mobile USA network. We purchased the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 from Google Play SIM-free and unlocked.

Is it possible that Google has added this “feature” to appease T-Mobile?

After all, Google has partnered up with T-Mobile (and Sprint) to sell Nexus 5.

Google Nexus 5 T-Mobile Sprint

We recommend users to wait from upgrading to Android KitKat on their Nexus 4.

 

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Google Introduces Nexus 5

Nexus 5, the latest smartphone offering from Google.

  • 4.8 oz. and 8.59mm
  • 4.95” 1920×1080 display (445 ppi)
  • Snapdragon™ 800, 2.3GHz processor
  • 2GB RAM
  • 4G/LTE and Dualband Wi-Fi
  • Android™ 4.4, KitKat®
  • Wireless charging

Nexus 5 comes in 16GB and 32 GB version with black or white backplate. Available on Google Play.

Google Nexus 5

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Personal note:

I have a Nexus 4 and I am still looking for a good reason to get a Nexus 5.