Google is making good on its promise at the Google IO few months ago, as they have announced that offline navigation and search is finally rolling out today.

Google said on today that Google Maps now supports full navigation, even when you don't have an Internet connection. "Whereas before you could simply view an area of the map offline, now you can get turn-by-turn directions, search for specific destinations, and find useful information about places, like hours of operation and contact information or ratings." That means the next time you're in a area without internet connect, you won't need to worry about not getting the map and search information you need.

"By default, we'll only download areas to your device when you are on a Wi-Fi connection to prevent large data fees," Google product manager Amanda Bishop wrote in a blog post.

First previewed during Google I/O in May, the new Maps feature-which includes reviews and opening hours-is slowly rolling out to Android users, and should arrive soon on iOS.

"Over time, we'll be introducing even more offline features to help you find your way-even when you can't find a connection," Amanda Bishop wrote.

Source: Google Blog Post

Remember the #Bendgate? Well apparently the method has still not died down and the new Nexus 6P is the latest phablet to come under scrutiny. A questionable YouTube video from user "JerryRigEverything" now claims that the Nexus 6P is laughable, showing how the handset miserably fails bend, scratch and burn tests.

Below, you will see the video showing the Huawei-made Google Nexus 6P being mercilessly destroyed is making waves online. This brutal video, however, doesn't accurately depict the phone's durability.

A different user, meanwhile, decided to do a different kind of test, using actual weights to try to bend a new Nexus 6P whose screen did not suffer any other kind of prior damage. Max Lee improvised a bending rig, using different weights to determine the level of pressure the Nexus 6P can withstand.

Check out the videos and make your own judgement.

Google's Nexus 5X smartphone is now available for pre-order across Europe. All you have to do is to head to Google Play and place your order.

In some countries, like Spain, Italy, Germany, and France - are getting a free Chromecast with the purchase of the handset until December 8th, which should partly make up for not including the $50 Play Store credit or the 90-day Play Music subscription that come with orders in the US.

As expected, the prices for the 16GB and 32 GB models are €479 and €529, respectively. Orders begin shipping by November 9th and come with free 3-4 business day shipping, so they'll be in customers' hands before the end of next week.

Link: Google Nexus 5X

Image credit: DAVID PAUL MORRIS/BLOOMBERG

Android and Chrome OS SVP Hiroshi Lockheimer has said that Google is "very committed" to Chrome OS. The company had already confirmed earlier that the project isn't being killed.

Reports that Google is working on merging the Chrome OS and Android OS into a single operating system. The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal but has since been confirmed by the search giant. The new OS, which is in the works for the past couple of years, is expected to be ready for a preview next year, but would be launched only in 2017.

The move would result in PC users getting access to Google Play, which is currently home to millions of apps. In addition, Chromebooks the lightweight and portable laptops that got their name from the Chrome OS will also get a new name. The Chrome browser, however, won't be affected in any way.

It's worth mentioning that Google's newly-announced CEO Sundar Pichai has been heading both Android and Chrome OS divisions for the past two years. "Mobile as a computing paradigm is eventually going to blend with what we think of as desktop today," he said last week.

VIA

After changing Android's Design and Logo, Google is now changing its look and logo. Google's New Logo is flat with sharper angles and curves, you can already see the new "G" logo all over the company's official apps in the play store.

The new Google logo [picture below] is still a wordmark, but it's now using a sans-serif typeface, making it look a lot more modern and playful. The colors are also softer than they used to be. The logo bears a bit more resemblance to the logo of Google's new parent company, Alphabet, as well.

Alphabet's wordmark has a similarly unadorned look, and this update makes the two companies' design language fall more inline.

VIA