google play services

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How to install Google Play on 12th-gen Amazon Fire tablets (2022 models running Fire OS 8)

by Brad Linder 78 Comments on How to install Google Play on 12th-gen Amazon Fire tablets (2022 models running Fire OS 8)

The 12th-gen Amazon Fire tablet is the first device to ship with Fire OS 8, the latest version of Amazon’s tablet operating system, and it’s now available from Amazon for $60 and up. While Fire OS continues to put an emphasis on Amazon’s apps and services, making Fire tablets most useful for customers who stream […]

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Google Play Store can be installed on 2022 Amazon Fire tablets again

by Brad Linder 8 Comments on Google Play Store can be installed on 2022 Amazon Fire tablets again

Amazon’s Fire tablets ship with a modified version of Android called Fire OS. It’s tightly linked with Amazon’s apps and services including the Kindle, Prime Video, and Amazon Music apps. It also features Amazon’s Appstore instead of the Google Play Store. But folks have been installing the Play Store on Amazon’s tablets for years. Up […]

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Android’s “Check for update” button finally seems to work (with Google Play Services 12.2.09)

by Brad Linder 3 Comments on Android’s “Check for update” button finally seems to work (with Google Play Services 12.2.09)

Dig into the settings of your Android phone or tablet and you’ll find a “check for update” button in the System Update section. Tap it and… most likely nothing will happen. At least that’s been true for years. But it looks like it’s finally starting to change. Multiple users are reporting that the latest version […]

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Google is pretty much abandoning Android 2.3 Gingerbread in 2017

by Brad Linder Comments Off on Google is pretty much abandoning Android 2.3 Gingerbread in 2017

It’s been six years since Google released Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but there are still some devices running the aging operating system rather than a newer build. According to Google’s stats for devices that connected to the Play Store, about 1.3 percent of Android devices are still running Gingerbread. But many Android apps require newer versions of […]

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Free and open source Android framework attempts to replace Google Play Services

by Brad Linder 2 Comments on Free and open source Android framework attempts to replace Google Play Services

Google’s Android operating system may be open source software, but some of the most popular Android apps including YouTube, Google Maps, and the Chrome web browser are not. Neither is Google Play Services, which is a framework that many apps from Google and other developers tap into. So while any device maker can load up […]

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Google’s Smart Lock for Passwords keeps you logged into Android apps… even when you switch devices

by Brad Linder 2 Comments on Google’s Smart Lock for Passwords keeps you logged into Android apps… even when you switch devices

When you login to a website, most modern web browsers ask if you’d like them to remember your password. And some of those browsers, like Google Chrome, can sync your password between devices so that if your home computer knows your Netflix and Facebook passwords, you can automatically login to them at work just by […]

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Android 5.0 Trusted Places keeps your phone unlocked at home (or work, or wherever)

by Brad Linder 7 Comments on Android 5.0 Trusted Places keeps your phone unlocked at home (or work, or wherever)

It’s a good idea to protect your phone with a PIN, pattern or password so that strangers can’t unlock your device and access your personal information. But it can be annoying having to actually enter your PIN, pattern, or password every time you want to use your phone — even when you’re at home or in another […]