Normally if you’ve wanted to try out developer previews for the latest version of Android, you’d have to own a Nexus device. Sony is making some strides to change that, however, by providing instructions for installing the Android M Developer Preview onto its Xperia devices .
That said, it’s fairly technical stuff – if you don’t know your way around a Linux terminal, you’ll probably want to shy away.
While Nexus owners can simply flash the appropriate ROM, Sony’s instructions involve downloading code from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), some extra files from Sony, and then compiling the build yourself.
Because it’s an AOSP build, you won’t initially have access to any of Google’s proprietary apps. That includes the Play Store, which you’ll have to sideload.
Of course, Android users have have been rooting their phones to replace their default ROMs since the platform first launched, and developers are sure to streamline the process on enthusiast forums like XDA . If you’re willing to tough it out, Sony’s list of available devices can be found here .
It’s good to see Sony providing this much support to its developers and that Nexus devices aren’t the only ones with official manufacturer support for testing the latest Android features.
➤ How to build AOSP M Developer Preview for unlocked Xperia devices [Sony via ArsTechnica ]
Sprint will begin selling the Apple Watch on September 25
Sprint has announced that it will start selling the Apple Watch on September 25, the same day that the iPhone 6s arrives on store shelves.
The wearable will be available on the carrier’s site as well as at hundreds of its brick-and-mortar stores across the US, which will open early at 8AM on the first day of sales.
Hopefully WatchOS 2 will be available by the time you can get your hands on one.
Best Buy also began carrying the device last month, making it a lot easier to try on and buy compared to when it first launched .
➤ iPhone Forever [Sprint]
$399 Moto X Pure Edition is now available for pre-order
As promised, Motorola has made its latest flagship phone, the Moto X Pure Edition , available for pre-order today .
The $399 Moto X Pure Edition (also known as Style) features a 5.7-inch screen with an improved camera at 21MP in the back and 5MP in the front with flash. Like all other Motorola products, you can customize your own device with hundreds of bezel, back and trim combinations on Moto Maker.
The Moto X Pure Edition has a 1.8GHz hexa-core Snapdragon processor, 3GB of RAM (up from 2GB in last year’s Moto X) and starts at 16GB storage, expandable up to 64GB. Like the Moto G, it’s also got a microSD slot, and comes totally unlocked to use with any major US carrier.
Motorola says the new Moto X is its fastest charging phone to date, boosting up to 10 hours of use in a 15-minute charge. A turbo charger will be included with the device, and it’s expected to ship in mid-September. You can also find the Moto X Pure Edition on Amazon, Play Store and Best Buy later this month.
We’ll be the judge of battery life, along with overall performance, when our review unit arrives to test against the Samsung Note 5 and S6 Edge+ .
➤ Moto X Pure Edition