Database Develop

Chromecast Apps: What's the holdup?

I keep checking around occasionally to see if my Chromecast will become useful today. I would have expected that only a few days after its release, the Google Play store would be filled with interesting Chromecast apps, and existing Android apps would be adding Chromecast features. As of today, the only apps capable of playing media on the Chromecast are still apps that it launched with. I've heard a bit about Koush's unreleased apps, which tells me that the holdup is Google themselves. What gives? Why are they doing this? Does anyone have any idea of when they will allow developers to release their apps? The way this Chromecast thing has played out so far seems very unlike Google, and is making me quite disappointed with them.

Waiting on Google to release the sdk out of beta. No timeline yet. It will come....
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

I think main reason for the release of the device was to bring Google Movies service to your big screen TV, the rest was just a bonus. Looks like due to lots of licensing issues, this will be a slow and painful process and I hope it doesn't become the next Apple TV that is barely useful without the jailbreak and XBMC on it.
I also hope someone turns the script from the other thread to a mobile app in a similar fashion to what Koush did.

The way I figure it:
If you were an early adopter, you get a Netflix, Youtube, Google Play and sort-of Chrome tab player for $35. If you got the Netflix 3 months code, then it cost you even less. Think back to the last time you bought a disappointing piece of technology that you had high hopes for... at least this one is cheap!
I'm sure the public SDK will happen when it's good and ready. I just think Google wants to have out some more examples of big-name apps that work really well with Chromecast, before they open the floodgates to all the rest of the devs.

cmstlist said:
Think back to the last time you bought a disappointing piece of technology that you had high hopes for... at least this one is cheap!
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That is true. It's just frustrating to own a capable device with artificial limitations.

Yea we should of known something was up when 3 months of netflix with the device at only $35. That tells me they knew the only content provider they had on board now was netflix. To keep most happy they can say "oh we pretty much gave you the device". Enjoy old movies for the next 6 months and we will slowly add content. Only way for Google to make money is to not let devs release their apps. Fortunately some will grow tired and root the device "again" and developers will create programs that function with beta sdk and your device ID that will enable apps to work as they choose. Only issue is we will never be able to receive content updates as that would patch root access. Kinda a lose lose situation. lol
Its cool dont get me wrong... To sit on the shelf and say i have 5 of them. But in know way fun to use if you already had your netflix and youtube experience. I recommend android stick mk808 or higher even a roku as they are very fun to tinker with.

I think before the 3 months of Netflix expire we'll at least see a few more big names come on board. Both developers and customers are beating down the door to get in.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

I can't help but to be pessimistic about all of this. How can a device with such a simple idea of casting not come out with the ability to cast images from your phone to the TV? It is an obvious omission that almost everyone wants and would have been a simple coding to get it working at launch.
Either way though, I must say I really love my Chromecast as-is, even though it does have these unnecessary artificial limitations.

AlexNC75 said:
I can't help but to be pessimistic about all of this. How can a device with such a simple idea of casting not come out with the ability to cast images from your phone to the TV? It is an obvious omission that almost everyone wants and would have been a simple coding to get it working at launch.
Either way though, I must say I really love my Chromecast as-is, even though it does have these unnecessary artificial limitations.
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Geez people! Have some freaking patients! The SDK is in beta and developers are not allowed to release apps yet. Do you really think they created an SDK to never release it? WTF! It's like a bunch of little kids in a candy store and their mom telling them they can't eat all their candy right away. The SDK WILL be released and people WILL create apps or add functionality to current apps...

Doctors have plenty of patients.
I'd bet the vast majority of purchasers will only ever use this for the 'sanctioned' apps that G itself gets behind. Picasa should have been included out the gate. When I hacked the mk808, it was one of the first things I wanted to do, get my photos up on the big screen. Maybe someday we'll see 'Chromecast-Ready' advertising, but I still wonder how G makes real bank on this product. It's saving grace so far is price and future potential.
edit: and the more I think about it, that future potential tends to circumvent G's interests.

While everyone has a conspiracy theory I think what we're seeing is a typical new product cycle. For a product like Chromecast to be successful Google needs as many apps to support it as possible. However, I'm sure after that app developers are reluctant to support a new hardware product until there are enough devices to warrant it. Look, Windows phone has millions of phones in use but app developers aren't going there. Yes, Chromecast doesn't require much from the app developer but using their precious resources costs money and they don't want to go there until the hardware was proving itself as something people wanted.
Hence Netflix. It was a seed product. An app many millions of people use. If they were on board it could help sell the product. And help it did. I believe the success of Chromecast caught Google off guard. Clearly they weren't able to handle the demand for hardware and the demand by app developers to get things into the Play Store. While they may have thought they'd have until Holiday season to get things rolling, it has been accelerated greatly.
I expect that the next run of the hardware will be bigger and longer. I work for a company that has products made in China. It can take 6 weeks just to get on the schedule of a manufacturer and then many weeks to produce and then 3 weeks to come across the water and go through customs, then another 2 weeks to get into the channel. That's months. Google has more money to throw at the manufacturer to speed things up but there may not be too many suppliers that can make this product.
Time is what is needed. By the end of the year we'll know a lot more. Be patient.

Random text on the screen

Updated the Android auto app today, now it looks like this
Anyone else having this issue?

Yeah I see the same thing on my Headunit app.
LOL. Android Auto is not yet ready for prime-time.
Talk about distracting...

Cheers Good to know its not just me then.
Looks like they took a massive step back not forward with this update
Nice work on the Headunit app btw

Actually, it's not entirely random, for me at least.
I see my email on the screen.
This version is marked "dogfood" instead of "release".
"Dogfood" means that Google employees are testing their own software in their real life probably in their cars. Some expression about "eating your own dogfood".
Google screwed up I think. Maybe this version is "water-marked" so that if an employee leaks pictures they can be identified. But such a version should never end up on Play for everyone.
Same comments on Play and another site; I think everyone with the update is seeing this.

Has anyone received the Google Assistant update yet?

I'm currently running Pure Nexus and like many/most custom roms it has GA enabled but the other 2 phones in my house are stock Nexus 6P's and neither have received the update yet. One I signed up for the beta program and it downloaded and installed the 7.1.2 beta but no GA. Then I read today that it'll be a Google Play Services update that enables GA across MM/Nougat devices so I updated Play Services to the latest beta and still no GA. So, what do you know, what do you hear?? My wife and son really want GA but want to stay stock. Their tired of me messing with their phones.

Running stock, no root. Latest GPS and Google App and nothing

Imadroider said:
I'm currently running Pure Nexus and like many/most custom roms it has GA enabled but the other 2 phones in my house are stock Nexus 6P's and neither have received the update yet. One I signed up for the beta program and it downloaded and installed the 7.1.2 beta but no GA. Then I read today that it'll be a Google Play Services update that enables GA across MM/Nougat devices so I updated Play Services to the latest beta and still no GA. So, what do you know, what do you hear?? My wife and son really want GA but want to stay stock. Their tired of me messing with their phones.
Click to expand...
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I am enrolled in the beta program... Running Pure Nexus... 2-15...
I clean flashes the other day after thinking about switching Roms... And for the first time I did not have to revert the build.prop line to train the assistant...
Google App 6.14.12.21.arm

korky0429 said:
Running stock, no root. Latest GPS and Google App and nothing
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Thanks for the reply. Kind of strange that a weekend ago Google announced it wound start hitting capable phone starting last week in the US first yet it seems no one has received the update.

I'm on a Nexus 6P, never rooted, in the Beta program with 7.1.2. I'm also in the Google Play Services beta program. I have installed the Pixel Launcher from APK but otherwise stock. So far no Assistant. Live in the US.

Still no assistant here either. Are we missing something, or has Google not actually released the update like they said they would? I don't know of anyone that has actually received it to this point.

It's a server side switch and in typical Google form, they are turning it on very slowly. These trickle rollouts of new features are ridiculous. Either it's ready for release or it's not. If it is, release it to everyone. If it's not, then don't announce anything until it's ready.

HankStorm said:
It's a server side switch and in typical Google form, they are turning it on very slowly. These trickle rollouts of new features are ridiculous. Either it's ready for release or it's not. If it is, release it to everyone. If it's not, then don't announce anything until it's ready.
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I have been searching for anyone who has had it turned on. I follow a FB forum as well where every little update usually gets posted. Nothing there yet either. Hearing of others getting it turned on would at least be encouraging.

calec70 said:
I have been searching for anyone who has had it turned on. I follow a FB forum as well where every little update usually gets posted. Nothing there yet either. Hearing of others getting it turned on would at least be encouraging.
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Thats what I was thinking. A week ago the tech sites were a buzz with "Google Assistant coming to most 6.0+ phones this week". Then nothing. All week. I'm still wondering a full week later why the tech sites are almost silent and no one is asking "Ok Google, what gives".

Imadroider said:
Thats what I was thinking. A week ago the tech sites were a buzz with "Google Assistant coming to most 6.0+ phones this week". Then nothing. All week. I'm still wondering a full week later why the tech sites are almost silent and no one is asking "Ok Google, what gives".
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Someone in the FB group received Assistant about an hour after installing the latest Google App beta APK. I just tried it. Probably a coincidence, but at least someone has reported getting Assistant.

Isn't this linked to the google play services apk? If someone gets it, wouldn't posting the apk give it to all of us?

dragonash said:
Isn't this linked to the google play services apk? If someone gets it, wouldn't posting the apk give it to all of us?
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You have to have the correct Play Services but Google still has to "turn it on" on their end. That seems to be what is taking so long. As long as your Play Services are up to date you should be good. I entered the beta program for that as well. Still no Assistant though.

Mine was activated yesterday, right around the time I updated to the 7.1.1 March security patch. Don't know if there's a direct relation though.

I just got it today, I had everything updated and it showed up on its own.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Just got it a little bit ago.

calec70 said:
Just got it a little bit ago.
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Yay:victory:
Thanks for the replies everyone. Looks like we're very slowly but surely on our way. Still no GA love for the 2 stock 6P's in my house yet.
Edit: P.S. I didn't start this thread to complain, I was just wondering if I was the only one not receiving the GA update. I can only imagine what a mind blowing amount of mega giga google flops of computing power it must take for what must be thousands (if not tens of thousands) of questions per second via voice, interpret it, then send the answer back. All within a second or 2. For the thousands or tens or thousands of users asking/interacting at the same time. Mind boggling. It's probably a very slow rollout to be able to keep up and ramp up for the onslaught until they get a full picture of what the new computing/server farm needs will be.

My Nexus 6 has it, my wife's 6p does not.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Just got it guys. Running LOs, Google app ver. 6.13.25.21, and Google Play Services ver. 10.2.99, location Kosovo. It feels great not to do so many workarounds just to have it

East coast rolled out 32GB.

Still Waiting as well
I am still waiting as well. February 5 Security Patch, Google(Beta) 6.14.14.21.arm and Play Services 10.2.98.
Like so many others I signed up for Play Services Beta, but unlike the others I never got a bump up (update), and Still have not received the March Security Update.
But I swear if I don't side load most things from Google I am the last to get them.

Urbane 2 - tag

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/lg-urbane-2
Thanks to @jinkerz9430 for voting up for us, I see its a tag not a forum, but its something.
How we add the tag? I'm in advanced editor, don't see any way to add a tag?

nigelhealy said:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/lg-urbane-2
Thanks to @jinkerz9430 for voting up for us to get our own forum.
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Is not an exact forum but it is way better than having all on the 1st edition urbane forum. So yeah. Cheers lol. Nevertheless, my watch will arrive in 3 days however, i see there is no root for it. Although, i dont think that rooting a smartwatch is actually necessary, and even less if one uses android pay (since android pay requires an unrooted device)

jinkerz9430 said:
Is not an exact forum but it is way better than having all on the 1st edition urbane forum. So yeah. Cheers lol. Nevertheless, my watch will arrive in 3 days however, i see there is no root for it. Although, i dont think that rooting a smartwatch is actually necessary, and even less if one uses android pay (since android pay requires an unrooted device)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes its not yet got all the structure yet but its a step in right direction, as per my forum request the UB and UB2 are very different.
I can't seem to subscribe to it.

nigelhealy said:
Yes its not yet got all the structure yet but its a step in right direction, as per my forum request the UB and UB2 are very different.
I can't seem to subscribe to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see they havent even created a normal forum. i mean when you click on all forums, you see all the devices that has independent forums. Yet when you use the find function in chrome or firefox to type urbane, it just appear urbane and not the urbane 2nd edition . So... for the time being, it is recommended to save it as a bookmark for fast accessing.

jinkerz9430 said:
Is not an exact forum but it is way better than having all on the 1st edition urbane forum. So yeah. Cheers lol. Nevertheless, my watch will arrive in 3 days however, i see there is no root for it. Although, i dont think that rooting a smartwatch is actually necessary, and even less if one uses android pay (since android pay requires an unrooted device)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, now I look again it is not a forum, it is a tag, and I can't see how to tag

jinkerz9430 said:
I see they havent even created a normal forum. i mean when you click on all forums, you see all the devices that has independent forums. Yet when you use the find function in chrome or firefox to type urbane, it just appear urbane and not the urbane 2nd edition . So... for the time being, it is recommended to save it as a bookmark for fast accessing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
now I look further its actually a step sideways, there's a thread which is useful to Huawei watch owners of ported watchfaces from the UB2 so a UB2 owner wouldnt be interested. So the tag is misleading.

nigelhealy said:
Thanks, now I look again it is not a forum, it is a tag, and I can't see how to tag
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when you are creating a new thread, you are always given the function to tag . its usually found on the lower left corner somewhere.
---------- Post added at 08:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:08 PM ----------
nigelhealy said:
now I look further its actually a step sideways, there's a thread which is useful to Huawei watch owners of ported watchfaces from the UB2 so a UB2 owner wouldnt be interested. So the tag is misleading.
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by the way, werent they going to release the final version of AW2.0 for the UB2? i thought it was at the beginning of may, but we are almost half way trough already

jinkerz9430 said:
when you are creating a new thread, you are always given the function to tag . its usually found on the lower left corner somewhere.
---------- Post added at 08:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:08 PM ----------
by the way, werent they going to release the final version of AW2.0 for the UB2? i thought it was at the beginning of may, but we are almost half way trough already
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Google said late April to late May
"Watches that will receive Android Wear 2.0 end of April/late May - OTA starts end of April/beginning of May for some manufacturers throughout multiple weeks. Timelines differ per watch and manufacturer."
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From my experiementation with AW2 DP on UB2, I'd say the later the better, its buggy and battery drain, so let the "lucky" earlier AW devices shake out bugs I'd say. I downloaded the current AW1.5 just in case I upgraded too early so I can go back. In my case AW2 DP rendered the UB2 unusable at times, so later = fewer bugs + optimized.
This is silly, the Apple Watch is wiping the floor with AW, app support is better, battery life is better, Google it looking more of a joke each year with those expensive Pixel phones. Some people who really want a wearable are so prefering Apple Watch it making them switch to iphone, Yep google, you made a product so bad it drives people to your competitor, way to go google, way to go....

nigelhealy said:
Google said late April to late May
From my experiementation with AW2 DP on UB2, I'd say the later the better, its buggy and battery drain, so let the "lucky" earlier AW devices shake out bugs I'd say. I downloaded the current AW1.5 just in case I upgraded too early so I can go back. In my case AW2 rendered the UB2 unusable at times.
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so.. so far the best version is 1.5 for UB2?

jinkerz9430 said:
so.. so far the best version is 1.5 for UB2?
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Click to collapse
So I've had my UB2 now for a few weeks, and I deliberately tried to push its limits, so I then know its limits and now work within its limits.
The fundamental problem is battery life, if you use it tethered to the phone, in BT distance mostly or the odd fallback to Wifi, then battery is good, I see a slow drain say 2%/hour for just notification filtering. If you try to use the UB2 AW2 capability to be a truly standalone mini-phone on your wrist, then battery life stinks, I was get 25%/hour. I played with the likes of the onscreen keyboard, the Play Store, but there were very few apps built for AW2, even the claimed Uber app had disappeared. Using it as a phone for talking, about 50%/hour battery drain and in my case it overheated and hung up the call!
The FAQ and the "support" from Google is terrible, you see they basically suggest resetting the watch as an answer to a problem and there are plenty of users complaining and its not even rolled out to that many yet.
The Apple Watch and the Samsung Gear S3 proves you get a decent product, just Google hasn't yet.
I've owned AW now for over 2 years, I have the Sony SmartWatch 3, it was doing good when I got it, then they did updates which enabled Wifi and it was really buggy battery draining for a couple of updates, now it is very good. So I'm thinking let the masses be suffered by AW2 and version 2.02 (whatever it is called) is the time to jump.
I bought my UB2 because its going to get AW2 and its only $180 or so, and so half the price of the LG Watch Sport which on paper looks extremely similar specs to the UB2.

nigelhealy said:
So I've had my UB2 now for a few weeks, and I deliberately tried to push its limits, so I then know its limits and now work within its limits.
The fundamental problem is battery life, if you use it tethered to the phone, in BT distance mostly or the odd fallback to Wifi, then battery is good, I see a slow drain say 2%/hour for just notification filtering. If you try to use the UB2 AW2 capability to be a truly standalone mini-phone on your wrist, then battery life stinks, I was get 25%/hour. I played with the likes of the onscreen keyboard, the Play Store, but there were very few apps built for AW2, even the claimed Uber app had disappeared. Using it as a phone for talking, about 50%/hour battery drain and in my case it overheated and hung up the call!
The FAQ and the "support" from Google is terrible, you see they basically suggest resetting the watch as an answer to a problem and there are plenty of users complaining and its not even rolled out to that many yet.
The Apple Watch and the Samsung Gear S3 proves you get a decent product, just Google hasn't yet.
I've owned AW now for over 2 years, I have the Sony SmartWatch 3, it was doing good when I got it, then they did updates which enabled Wifi and it was really buggy battery draining for a couple of updates, now it is very good. So I'm thinking let the masses be suffered by AW2 and version 2.02 (whatever it is called) is the time to jump.
I bought my UB2 because its going to get AW2 and its only $180 or so, and so half the price of the LG Watch Sport which on paper looks extremely similar specs to the UB2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But which version gave you the best battery life?

I'm not sure I could conclude, when on AW2 I was experimenting​.

Question Official Samsung watch blood pressure support for US?

The rest of world can do blood pressure stuff with the watch 4 & 5, but not the US. I hear it was a FDA regulations issue that was blocking things got sorted out. Any solid info or rumors on when an official release to make it work? I've seen a few hacks floating & at least 1 rumor after talking to a customer support person saying on official release was suppose to be in December. But as December is almost over that seems dubious. Not planning on fighting with side loading, rooting & what not for the time being, unless the BP stuff is a long ways off.

idk

https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-enable-ecg-blood-pressure-monitoring-samsung-galaxy-watch-4/ for reference on how to do it on the Watch4. I believe it works on the 5, but am not going to be fighting with it for a bit.

Yes, that reference should work on the W5...

Not one to install unknown software in fear of data stealing, trojans, viruses... I bit the bullet and installed this work around. It in fact works great. Did the calibration and pretty darn accurate. BP measurements was the main reason I bought this watch 5 and can finally use it.,

mt2020 said:
Not one to install unknown software in fear of data stealing, trojans, viruses... I bit the bullet and installed this work around. It in fact works great. Did the calibration and pretty darn accurate. BP measurements was the main reason I bought this watch 5 and can finally use it.,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a slight clarification.. there is nothing unknown about the software you installed. That guy who wrote and supports it is well known. But it's nice that you reported that you got it working. I'm waiting on the watch now and will do the same as you did. I would like the reporting too.

bobby janow said:
Just a slight clarification.. there is nothing unknown about the software you installed. That guy who wrote and supports it is well known. But it's nice that you reported that you got it working. I'm waiting on the watch now and will do the same as you did. I would like the reporting too.
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I understand. But side loading apps can be risky, never as safe as getting it through the play store, but yea, some bad actors there too. Google tried to verify it on download but gave me a message file too large. Recently bought 2022 Turbotax which most vendors sell as downloads and yep, the vendor was pushing a copy with malware and bogus serial number. He was using a very larger retailor to offer from. Luckily I almost always first install to a sandbox to be safe, and test, and did, Just saying its getting nuts out there.

mt2020 said:
I understand. But side loading apps can be risky, never as safe as getting it through the play store, but yea, some bad actors there too. Google tried to verify it on download but gave me a message file too large. Recently bought 2022 Turbotax which most vendors sell as downloads and yep, the vendor was pushing a copy with malware and bogus serial number. He was using a very larger retailor to offer from. Luckily I almost always first install to a sandbox to be safe, and test, and did, Just saying its getting nuts out there.
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Click to collapse
I hear that & I'm in the same boat. Use to root, run Cyanogen, mess with bootloaders & all the fun stuff for years. These days stock usually is good enough & auto-updating makes life so much easier & safer.
Still debating if I just wait for Samsung, or break down & side load semi-trusted molded stuff.

Fallon said:
I hear that & I'm in the same boat. Use to root, run Cyanogen, mess with bootloaders & all the fun stuff for years. These days stock usually is good enough & auto-updating makes life so much easier & safer.
Still debating if I just wait for Samsung, or break down & side load semi-trusted molded stuff.
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Click to collapse
Yep. I gave up. I needed it. Promised for Watch 4, nope. Watch 5, wating... Watch 6, 7,... who knows? Have a few brews while you wait. Won't help with your BP though

mt2020 said:
Yep. I gave up. I needed it. Promised for Watch 4, nope. Watch 5, wating... Watch 6, 7,... who knows? Have a few brews while you wait. Won't help with your BP though
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Click to collapse
First, works great and well needed app on my wrist. As for loading an 'unknown' sourse, Dante63 has done so much to allow us, and he keep maintaining new releases. I have his 'unknown' source since early W4 days (and I had the watch from proably the day it was released). With github release, text install files, video, github, and support for the community for free, what exactly is he going to take from you exactly? If you have Tiktok I would be more worried.. and if you get the google time line as I do once a month, this is REALLY big brother style report.. So if you connect to the internet, you already gave up on privacy.. and they know everything about you already.

{Mod edit: Quoted post has been deleted. Oswald Boelcke, Senior Moderator}
See here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...ce-restriction-removed-25th-oct-2022.4322527/
According to APK Mirror, the latest is Samsung Health Monitor 1.1.1.221 so I believe this is the latest you can ask for.