Republic Wireless now less of a value #PhoneGeek

Republic Wireless:
Now with more phones, less savings

Over the past year I geeked out a bit over alternative cellular services.  Since the late 1990's I've had cellular service with some of the largest US providers including Sprint, Verizon and AT&T.  This past year I moved my family from a shared AT&T plan to three alternative cellular services:  Google Fi, FreedomPop and Republic Wireless.  Each service has its pros and cons but, in the past few months, Republic Wireless has enacted some radical changes that redefines my own value assessment for that service.  If you were considering a switch to Republic Wireless, this post is for you...

Get Android 7 (Nougat) immediately with Nexus device #AndroidGeek

Android 7.0 is available immediately
for Nexus owners via beta signup.

Got a Nexus device?  If so, you can get Android 7.0 (Nougat) immediately without waiting for the over-the-air (OTA) roll out by opting your device "in" to the Android beta program.  As of today (8/22/2016) the opt-in option results in a wait time of less than 1 minute for the download notification to appear on your device.

Go to the beta opt-in page to see if your device qualifies.  If so, "opt in" to get an alert that the new Android version is ready for download.  The 7.0 release is 1,171.5 MB so make sure you're not already pressed for download and installation space.

Beta opt-in:  https://www.google.com/android/beta

One big caveat
If you later decide to "opt-out" while running a "beta" copy of Android your device could be wiped in the reversion process so choose wisely...

Android 7.0
Not familiar with what 7.0 is adding?  The big new feature is multitasking -- two apps at once side-by-side -- which has already been available in limited fashion in certain enhanced (non-stock) iterations of Android.  There are also security enhancements and optimizations aimed at longer battery life.

See the Android 7.0 feature page here:  https://www.android.com/versions/nougat-7-0

Reviews for 7.0 have been relatively positive so far.  I'm now updating my Nexus 5X and will post details of any major issues I encounter.

Nexus 5X Teardown Notes #AndroidGeek

The new Nexus 5X began shipping earlier this month! My new Nexus arrived a few days ago so it's time to make some teardown notes.

If you already have or are thinking of buying this device then you'll likely be interested in my answers to a few questions like:

• Can I replace the (fixed) battery myself?
• What battery does the phone use and how much does it cost?
• Can I add wireless charging capability?
• Where is the IMEI located? (the physical tag)
• Can I add an internal metal plate for magnetic car mounts?

For those who still buy phone accessories at retailers such as Best Buy or even Amazon, I'll throw in a few money-saving tips:

• Get a full-size Nexus 5X screen protector for under $1 shipped
• Pick up a decent hybrid or hard-shell case for under $4 shipped
• USB-C cable solution on the cheap

Read on...