Skip to main content

Google promising ‘new treats’ on Sept. 29

google promising new treats on september 29 android m hands 0001
Image used with permission by copyright holder
We’d already heard rumors that Google’s big new Nexus reveal would take place in San Francisco on Sept. 29, and now the tech giant has made it official: Members of the press have just received invites to “a morning conversation about some new treats from Google.” An LG-made Nexus 5, a Nexus 6 from Huawei and maybe even new Chromecasts are on the cards.

Google invite
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you want to set your alarm clocks, everything starts 9 a.m. Pacific time, and the event is going to be streamed live on YouTube if you don’t happen to have an invite. We should also hear about the official roll-out of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, though it’s not clear when exactly it will begin appearing on phones — last year there was a gap of a few weeks between the announcement and the release.

Over the last couple of days we’ve also heard a couple of fresh rumors about what Google’s flagship smartphones for 2015 are going to be called: Get ready for the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P. Quite what the X and the P stand for isn’t clear, but it would help differentiate the handsets from the older models, and make life easier for consumers and search engines alike.

If you want more information about what’s coming on Sept. 29, check out our comprehensive guide to all the rumors and speculation we’ve heard so far. We’re expecting the Nexus 5X to be the cheaper and smaller option of the two handsets, while the Nexus 6P should have a more premium feel and finish. Both phones are almost certain to come with the first edition of Android 6.0 Marshmallow on board.

Are you looking forward to what Google has in store at the end of the month? Or is the company’s battle against the iPhone a futile one? Let us know your thoughts and expectations in the comments.

Editors' Recommendations

David Nield
Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…
Amazon Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 prices slashed… for now
Someone holding the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet.

If you're looking for affordable tablet deals, it's highly recommended that you check out Amazon's Fire tablets. The latest releases of the brand's largest models are still relatively cheap, and limited-time discounts have further lowered their prices on Amazon right now. The 32GB version of the Amazon Fire HD 10 is down to $95 from $140 for savings of $45, and the 64GB version of the Amazon Fire Max 11 is down to $180 from $230 for savings of $50. You're going to have to be fast with your purchase once you've chosen which one to buy though, because these tablets may be back to their regular prices as soon as tomorrow.
Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB, with lockscreen ads) -- $95, was $140

The 2023 release of the Amazon Fire HD 10 retains the tablet's budget-friendly price  despite several improvements compared to its predecessor, including 25% faster performance, slightly less weight by 30 grams, and an upgraded front-facing camera from 2MP to 5MP for clearer selfies and video calls. The Amazon Fire HD 10 features a 10.1-inch Full HD touchscreen that's durable enough to withstand daily wear and tear, compatibility with Amazon's Alexa for voice commands, and decent performance for your daily tasks with its octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM. The tablet comes with 32GB of internal storage, but if you need additional space for your apps and files, you can get up to 1TB more through its microSD card slot.

Read more
The camera on this Android phone is confusing, but I love it
The back of the Tecno Camon 30 Premier.

I’m all for a lot of detail, and love to hear about the new technology that’s inside a smartphone I’m about to test, but when I have to search for an explanation of what something means, it’s not a good start. The Tecno Camon 30 Premier suffers from this problem, as it has a lot of cool camera tech that is explained in a mystifying way.

So, I thought the best thing to do was to just ignore the tech speak and find out if it takes great photos the old-fashioned way.
What's the problem?

Read more
The 5 best phones with IR blasters in 2024
The OnePlus 12's camera module.

IR blasters used to be a common component in smartphones, with big products from Samsung, OnePlus, and TCL giving users access to the cool gadget. Phones equipped with IR blasters could be used as a universal remote for your other electronics, making it easy to control your gear without the need for their default controller (which might be clunky and unintuitive to use).

Fast forward today, and attempting to find a smartphone with an IR blaster is shockingly difficult. What was once common technology is now relegated to just a handful of smartphones. You won't find any iPhones or Galaxy phones with IR blasters, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for a poorly reviewed smartphone if you're interested in the tech. You will, however, probably need to settle for either OnePlus or Xiaomi, as they're the two key players still churning out powerful smartphones equipped with IR blasters.

Read more