Genymotion Cloud: Everything you need to know

I have written about Genymotion before, but Genymotion Cloud is a completely new beast, offering a solution for members of a team to work on the same project simultaneously. In my own experience with teams, it is very hard to work on the same project along with your fellow teammates.

Genymotion Cloud promises to alleviate these issues allowing for teams to work on the same project at the same time while also offering great cloud based features. There are a few key ways Genymotion Cloud allows this to happen. Let's break each of these down.

Automation

The first feature that Genymotion Cloud enables is automation. This allows the team to automate testing of their app using cloud based Android virtual machines (hence the name "Genymotion Cloud") that works with Android Studio which allows for testing of "hundreds of devices", as Genymotion says, with no limits whatsoever.

This is a great feature, as it is basically impossible to test every use case, especially if you only own a couple of devices. Using Genymotion Cloud, a team can test as many devices as possible making sure nothing goes wrong on certain devices.

Collaboration

This is my personal favorite feature of Genymotion Cloud, allowing for teams to work on the same project at the same time. As I mentioned earlier, this is something that I have been struggling with teams that I am currently on.

Genymotion compares the collaboration feature to Google Docs, noting that this includes the code itself, virtual machines and even apps. Everything is live and can be edited by anyone at any moment, even while other people are doing the same thing.

Sharing apps allows for the drag and drop of APKs from the desktop to the virtual machine by just dragging the APK over the virtual machine to install, this is a very helpful feature for quick app installs without having to sideload them.

One other feature is sharing a virtual machine with any email address, this means that if you need to show off your app to someone remotely, you can simply type in their email address and give a live demonstration of your app.

How does Genymotion Cloud work?

All of this is cool, but how does it work? There are few different tools and plugins that are needed for everything to work. These include:

• Gradle plugin – This allows for the selection of virtual devices you want to run before starting your tests. This requires the use of GMTool, which is also included with Genymotion and Genymotion Cloud, more on this below.
• CI Server – Genymotion Cloud's integrated continuous integration server allows for integration large CI Servers that your team may be already using, like Jenkins, for example. Already use an automation tool like Appium? That can also be integrated no problem! This allows for easy integration of Genymotion Cloud into your workflow with little to no hiccups, at least in theory.
• Integration with IDE – Genymotion Cloud allows the use of either Android Studio or Eclipse for your IDE. This is possible thanks to what is already possible with Genymotion for the desktop using the respective plugin.
• Java API – Application programming interfaces can really make your life a whole lot easier, especially while testing on virtual machines. Genymotion uses an example of getting sensor data off of a virtual device using their Java API. This is very convenient if you need to test certain use cases and are using an Android virtual machine. Modifying sensor data on VMs is something I do on a weekly basis, so it is nice to know that Genymotion Cloud carries over this feature from Genymotion on the desktop.
• GMTool – This is a command line based tool allowing the control and manipulation of Genymotion's features as well as automation tools. Using GMTool and the Gradle plugin together makes it relatively easy to start a bunch of test devices to test your app. More info on GMTool can be found in Genymotion's documentation.

What does this mean Android developers?

Well, it depends on the size of your team. A small team of just a few people will probably not see the benefit of Genymotion Cloud, but that is not really the intended audience. A larger team with a big team working on a large project will be able to immediately see the benefits if they like to work remotely and have everything updated in real time.

The best thing to do is to check out Genymotion Cloud for yourself and see if it is something that you and your team would be interested in. Unfortunately at this time, no pricing options have been given, so you will have to contact Genymobile directly.

Wrap Up

Genymotion Cloud is built off of the already successful Genymotion, offering great cloud features that can make working on a bigger team much easier. Not only will you be able to work on projects remotely in real time, you will also be able to show potential clients your app running remotely in real time as well test on hundreds of device types all in real time using an internet browser.

There are some exciting features that I cannot wait to see live, be sure to stay tuned to Android Authority for more development content!

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Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 653, 626, and 427 processors with faster 4G LTE

Qualcomm has unveiled three new processors for its growing mid and entry tier mobile SoC portfolio today, dubbed the Snapdragon 653, 626, and 427. As you may have guessed, these are the successors to the 652, 625, and 425 labelled chips that launched earlier in the year, each boasting a selection of improvements and new features.

For starters, each of processors comes paired up with Qualcomm's high speed X9 LTE modem that was previously reserved for its top-tier chips. This modem offers Category 7 LTE download speeds of up to 300Mbps, while the upload ranks at Category 13 for peak data transfers at 150Mbps. The X9 also comes with two 20MHz band carrier aggregation support in both the uplink and downlink, to make the most of fast LTE-Advanced networks that have rolled out around the world.

All three of the SoCs also support dual image sensors, at varying resolutions, and come with Quick Charge 3.0 technology built in for faster battery charging, even in less expensive devices. There's also universal support for the Enhanced Voice Services (EVS) codec for VoLTE calls.

	Snapdragon 653	Snapdragon 626	Snapdragon 427
CPU	4x Cortex-A72 @ 1.95Hz 4x Cortex-A53 @ 1.44GHz	8x Cortex-A53 @ 2.2GHz	4x Cortex-A53 @ 1.4GHz
GPU	Adreno 510	Adreno 506	Adreno 308
RAM	Up to 8GB LPDDR3 @ 933MHz Dual-Channel	Up to 4GB LPDDR3 @ 933MHz	Up to 4GB LPDDR3 @ 667MHz
Imaging	21MP, dual sensor support	24MP, dual sensor support	16MP, dual sensor support
Display	Quad HD, 2560x1600, WQXGA	1080p, 1900x1200, WUXGA	720p, 1280x800, WXGA
Modem	X9 LTE 300Mbps down, 150Mbps up, 2x20MHz CA, up to 64-QAM	X9 LTE 300Mbps down, 150Mbps up, 2x20MHz CA, up to 64-QAM	X9 LTE 300Mbps down, 150Mbps up, 2x20MHz CA, up to 64-QAM
Process	14nm LPP	28nm HPm	28nm LP

Some slight performance improvements have also been made to the two new 600 series chips. The Snapdragon 653 sees its Cortex-A72 CPU cores boosted from 1.80 to 1.95GHz for a roughly 10 percent boost to performance. The Adreno 510 GPU has seen a small increase in frequency too. This SoC now also support up to 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM, up from 4GB, making it a very compelling option for super-mid tier handsets, so long as you don't mind the limited GPU.

"It has always been Qualcomm Technologies' strategy to introduce industry-leading features first at the premium Snapdragon 800 tier design point, and then scale these features into our other Snapdragon products," – Alex Katouzian, senior vice president of product management, Qualcomm

Similarly, the 626 sees a 10 percent performance boost to its low power Cortex-A53 cores, which increase from 2.0 to 2.2GHz. There aren't any performance enhancement found in the Snapdragon 427, but it does bring Qualcomm's TruSignal antenna boost technology from the 800 and 600 series to the company's low cost processor tier. TruSignal is designed to improve signal reception in congested areas.

The mid-range Snapdragon 653 and 626 will be available before the end of the year, while the entry level Snapdragon 427 won't make an appearance until early 2017.

Show Press Release

Qualcomm Announces Introduction of New Snapdragon 600 and 400-Tier Processors Supporting Enhanced Experiences and Improved Connectivity; Significant Traction in High Performance, High Volume Smartphones

OCT 18, 2016 HONG KONG

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., introduced three new Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processors aimed at supporting enhanced user experiences and connectivity for high performance and high volume mobile devices. The new Snapdragon 653, Snapdragon 626 and Snapdragon 427 processors are designed to deliver higher levels of processing performance than their predecessors. All three new processors are designed to support Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 3.0 technology, designed to deliver power up to 4X faster compared to traditional charging methods. In addition, support for dual camera has been extended from the Snapdragon 800 tier to the Snapdragon 600 and 400 tiers, for clear imaging and photos across a wider variety of photo capture scenarios, to further enhance consumer experiences.

Each chipset supports the following modem features:

• X9 LTE, with Cat 7 downlink speeds up to 300Mbps, and Cat 13 uplink speeds up to 150Mbps, designed to provide users with a 50 percent increase in maximum uplink speeds over the X8 LTE modem.
• LTE Advanced Carrier Aggregation with up to 2×20 MHz in the downlink and uplink
• Support for 64-QAM in the uplink
• Superior call clarity and higher call reliability with the Enhanced Voice Services (EVS) codec on VoLTE calls.

These advanced modem capabilities can increase network capacity and improve throughputs for all users in the network.

Qualcomm Technologies also announced that, over the past 12 months, there have been more than 400 OEM designs based on our Snapdragon 600-tier chipsets, including more than 300 devices launched and more than 100 device designs currently in the pipeline.

Snapdragon 600 and Snapdragon 400 Features:

• The Snapdragon 653 processor not only features an increase in CPU and GPU performance over the Snapdragon 652, but also doubles the addressable memory (RAM) from 4GB to 8GB supporting greatly enhanced user experiences. The Snapdragon 653 is pin and software compatible with Snapdragon 650 and 652.
• The Snapdragon 626 features a CPU performance increase over the Snapdragon 625. It also features Qualcomm® TruSignal™ antenna boost, designed to improve signal reception in congested areas. The Snapdragon 626 is pin and software compatible with Snapdragon 625, and software compatible with the Snapdragon 425, 427, 430, and 435 processors.
• The Snapdragon 427 delivers a CPU and GPU performance increase over the Snapdragon 425. It is the first chipset to bring TruSignal to the Snapdragon 400 tier of processors, designed to deliver unprecedented powerful antenna tuning to this high volume line of processor solutions. The Snapdragon 427 is pin and software compatible with Snapdragon 425, 430 and 435, and software compatible with Snapdragon 625 and 626.

"It has always been Qualcomm Technologies' strategy to introduce industry-leading features first at the premium Snapdragon 800 tier design point, and then scale these features into our other Snapdragon products," said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "A great example of this strategy is the use of dual camera for capturing high quality photos that now range across our portfolio, including our 400 series mobile solution. Doing this allows our customers and smartphone developers to reach a broad subscriber base with advanced features and great end-user experiences."

The Snapdragon 653 and 626 chipsets are expected to be commercially available by the end of 2016. The Snapdragon 427 chipset is expected to be in commercial devices in early 2017.

Additional Qualcomm Technologies announcements made today at the 4G/5G Summit include new solutions for connected smart cameras, and, broad ecosystem adoption of its LTE Category M1/NB-1 modem.

About Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website,OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

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Honor 6X launches with dual rear cameras and small price tag

Honor has launched the Honor 6X at a press event in China. The new handset, successor to the low-cost Honor 5X, features dual rear cameras, a 5.5-inch 1080p display and a metal unibody.

Honor has made a name for itself manufacturing budget Android handsets that deliver on quality and the 6X looks like it will maintain the trend. Other specs include a Kirin 655 processor, 3 or 4 GB of RAM, 32 or 64 GB of internal storage space, and a 3,340 mAh battery.

As for the cameras, the rear shooters provide a 12 MP and 2 MP sensor, while the front camera houses an 8 MP sensor. The 6X dimensions come in at 150.9 x 72.6 x 8.2 mm and it weighs 162 grams. The device can be used in dual-SIM or SIM-plus-microSD card (up to 128 GB) configurations and also arrives with Huawei's Emotion UI 4.1 (based on Android Marshmallow) out of the box.

The device will be available in gold, silver or gray color variants at launch at 999 Yuan (~$150) for the 3 GB RAM/32 GB internal storage model, 1299 Yuan (~$190) for the 4 GB/32GB version and 1599 Yuan (~$240) for 4 GB of RAM with 64 GB of internal storage space.

See also: The honor 5X has sold 8 million units globally19

The Honor 6X will go on sale in China on October 25. Price and availability details for the US aren't yet known, but as the Honor 5X made it stateside, there's every chance that the 6X could also.

Would you like to see this one hit US soil? Give us your thoughts in the comments.

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Samsung Gear S3 pre-orders now live in Canada

The Samsung Gear S3 is now available for pre-order at Best Buy in Canada. Both the classic version and sporty Frontier variant are listed for CAD $469.99 (about $360 US) with free shipping.

The Gear S3 runs Samsung's own Tizen software rather than Android Wear and features NFC for cardless payments with Samsung Pay. The Gear S3 also adds 50 percent more RAM and a 50 percent bigger battery when compared to the Gear S2, released in October 2015.

See also: Samsung Gear S2 review66

The Gear S3 release date is scheduled for November 18 with (free) delivery available as soon as November 19.

Find out what we thought of the smartwatch in our initial hands-on Samsung Gear S3 review and see how it fares against the last generation device, the Gear S2 in our first-look comparison.

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You can now exchange the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in airports

Samsung has rolled out airport exchange program to allow Galaxy Note 7 owners to swap their phones before a flight. The Samsung booths, which first appeared in South Korea and have now hit Australia, were set up following airline bans of the recently discontinued Galaxy Note 7 over fears of it catching fire.

Samsung's customer service desks allow consumers to exchange the Galaxy Note 7 for another Samsung device and staff will also help transfer their data. The booths have been set up to help those who may have been unaware of the Note 7 ban – or haven't yet had a chance to return the phone – and wouldn't otherwise be able to board their flight with it.

According to CNET, the new booths will be open from '6 a.m. to 8 p.m local time at "high-traffic" terminals' in:

• Sydney Airport (Kingsford Smith)
• Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine)
• Brisbane Airport
• Adelaide Airport
• Perth Airport
• Gold Coast Airport
• Canberra Airport (open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Samsung said it is rolling out these booths to other airports around the world soon.

If you're yet to return your Note 7, you can read our complete guide on how to exchange the Galaxy Note 7 in the US (it's probably a better idea to do it before you get to the airport). If you're unsure which device to pick up instead, these are our suggestions.

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Gionee launches performance driven P7 Max in India

Gionee has added another mid-segment smartphone its P Series portfolio, which is known for its performance-driven line up. The P7 Max focusses on stylish design as well as great ergonomics and build quality.

We are really excited to present the new P7 Max. At this price point, it will be a perfect buy for customers this festive season. This phone has specially been created with a vision to give you more in less as it delivers a flawless experience along with great design and amazing features.

– Arvind Vohra, MD and Country CEO, Gionee India

Gionee P7 Max Specifications

• Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Amigo 3.2
• Display: 13.97cms (5.5-inch) HD IPS with NEG protection display
• Processor: 2.2GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6595
• RAM: 3GB
• Internal Storage: 32GB; expandable up to 128GB with microSD card
• Primary Camera: 13MP with LED flash
• Rear Camera: 5MP with screen flash
• Battery: 3100mAh
• Dimensions: 154 x 76.8 x 8.8mm
• Weight: 182 gms

Priced at ₹13,999 ($210), the Gionee P7 Max is available in two colors – Gold and Grey-Blue – across online and offline stores across the country.

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We’re just full of bad ideas today | Podcast 084

In an explosive episode (sorry, I had to do that) Josh and Joe are joined by returning hosts Lanh and David to talk about the week's top Android news. The Galaxy Note 7 discontinuation is obviously the biggest pieces of news and there is ample time given to the topic. However, before all that, David gives his recounting of the Oculus Connect event that he and VRSource covered just a couple weeks back. Lanh gives us his quick podcast review of the Sony Xperia XZ, the full review of which is on Android Authority; and, finally, we talk about Nougat 7.1 and the Developer Preview that basically leaves out Google Assistant.

But perhaps the craziest piece of news actually came from the podcast itself – that Josh has been buying faulty USB-C cables and it actually claimed a victim. Yeah, it's that bad. Josh is inconsolable. Listen to hear more!

The Android Authority Podcast – discussing topics in Android every single week.

Rough Timecodes:
Oculus Connect during David's check-in
32:00 – Note 7 discontinued
42:00 – Josh's life is changed
54:00 – Sony Xperia XZ
70:00 – Nougat 7.1 Developer Preview

Links to Podcast

RSS Feed
iTunes
Stitcher
SoundCloud
Direct Download

Relevant Links

Android Authority Forums
Google Pixel Hands On
YOU React to the Google Pixel
Sony Xperia XZ Review
Android 7.1 Developer Preview
Note 7 Discontinued

Follow our Hosts

Joshua Vergara Twitter | Google+	Joseph Hindy Twitter | Google+
Andrew Grush Twitter | Google+	Jonathan Feist Twitter | Google+
Nirave Gondhia Twitter | Google+	John Dye Twitter | Facebook
Lanh Nguyen Twitter | YouTube	September 2016 giveaways SoundGuys – Beats Solo 3 Wireless giveaway TabTimes – iPhone 7 Plus giveaway VRSource – OnePlus 3 and Loop VR giveaway Charged – DJI Mavic giveaway

Recorded on October 13th, 2016 – Hosted and produced by Joshua Vergara.

"Pour some out for the Galaxy Note 7."

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