How to Migrate Contacts from iPhone to Moto X

Brandon Orndorff
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How to Migrate Contacts from iPhone to Moto X

Motorola’s Moto Maker service allows users to create a completely custom Moto X and has now added new features to help iPhone users move to the Moto X easily. When you think about changing phones the biggest issue that you face is moving over your contacts and calendars not to mention moving platforms like iOS to Android.

Most iPhone users now have everything backed up to iCloud (Apple’s cloud service for syncing between iOS devices and Macs). This makes it easy for iPhone users to restore data to their phones in the event they need to do so or when buying a new phone assuming its another iPhone. Motorola has realized that this makes it harder for iPhone users to move to Android so they created a migration assistant. This Migration assistant is now part of their Moto Maker and effectively transfers contacts and calendar entries from iCloud(iPhone) to your Moto X.

Migrate from iCloud to GoogleAs of right now if you own a customized Moto X the process is very straightforward and easy for even novice of users. Keep in mind that if you buy a carrier specific Moto X this process does not work at the time of this article.

How to transfer contacts and calendar entries from iPhone to the Moto X

  1. After buying your Moto X on MotoMaker there will be a confirmation page inviting you to use the migrate feature.
  2. Select “I have an iPhone”
  3. Next enter your AppleID and iCloud password and continue
  4. Select “Begin Transfer”
  5. Login to your Google Account
  6. Be patient as Migration begins
  7. Done, its that simple!

Motorola does let you know that some fields will vary slightly between Google and Apple’s iCloud although its a very small difference. You may also see duplicates although Google allows you to easily merge them and in most cases finds duplicates automatically. You will want to go into your Google Contacts and look them over just to see if there is any cleaning you would like to do but shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to clean any inconsistencies you find.

Overall this makes moving from an iPhone to your new Moto X rather easy and may help when making the decision to move platforms a little less stressful. If you weren’t sure you wanted to move because of the hassle of moving your contacts and calendars from iOS to Android I hope this helps in your decision.

Smart Ring “The Ring” controls your Android Device with Gestures

Brandon Orndorff
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Smart Ring “The Ring” controls your Android Device with Gestures

In the new World of smart wearables a Japanese company Logbar, Inc. now lets you control your smartphone, Google Glasses or Smartwatch with hand gestures while wearing their Smart Ring. They have names their Smart Ring “The Ring”, yes that simply named. The Ring works very easily, you put it on your finger, tap the small button on the ring and start gesturing to control your devices.

Android smartring The RingCurrently the smart ring allows you to do things like take pictures, control your music player, write a tweet, turn on your television, check the weather and a host of other things that will make the World a bit lazier with a Yoda twist. The Ring connects to your devices via Bluetooth as you would expect.

The Ring looks to be quite user friendly and useful although I can only imagine what people would be thinking if I was walking around waving my hand around and talking through a Bluetooth headset. Logbar says that the ring will allow custom gestures that allow you to make it your own without having to learn preset gestures if you choose.

When you purchase “The Ring” you will also get a few items like equipment to adjust the size of the ring and a battery stand that looks a lot like a finger in itself to charge the Ring’s Lithium-polymer battery that claims 1-3 days of use with 18 days of standby. This said 1-3 days seems like a rather broad battery life and we will likely see a more exact timeframe after users start reviewing it. All said the Ring takes about 3 hours from dead to full charge.

Now to the price, it looks like the Ring is available for around $269.99 and has already started shipping as of today (Oct. 9). For those that follow Kickstarter, “The Ring” was a campaign that had a goal of $250,000 and ended up raising $880,998 making it a very successful endeavor. If you get your hands on one of these please let us know what you think in the comments below.

How to Fix Common Problems with the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet

Brandon Orndorff
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How to Fix Common Problems with the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet

The Sony Xperia Z2 is a great tablet with high end specifications with a nice looking design but like all tech gear there are issues. These solutions may not be full proof for all users although the results by those that have attempted the fixes tend to get beneficial results. We also have to note that not all users get these issues and in most cases users have no issues with the Xperia Z2 at all.

First and foremost if you are having more than one or 2 of these issues your best bet is to perform a factory data reset and start fresh to avoid having to worry about this in the future. If you want to try the fixes first skip the Factory Data Reset and come back to it as a last resort.

Sony Xperia Z2 Big FixesHow to Factory Reset the Xperia Z2

  1. Backup any data that you don’t want to lose
  2. Tap the menu button (looks like grid of dots)
  3. Find and select your settings icon within this area
  4. Within settings select “backup & reset” and then “factory data reset”
  5. Select the “erase internal storage” checkbox to delete all data
  6. Select “reset phone” and confirm by selecting “erase everything”
  7. Wait patiently and your tablet will boot up as new.

Xperia Z2 Wont Turn on Fix
We have had reports from more than one user that their tablet will not turn on after going to sleep. After trying to turn the Xperia Z2 on without any luck there are a couple things you can do to get it to boot back up. First and foremost the issue is generally due to a low charge on the battery even if the device is not dead it just doesn’t want to turn on without a full charge. Follow the steps below to turn the Xperia Z2 back on.

  1. Hold the power button and volume up buttons at the same time until you feel 3 vibrations then try to turn it on again (if it doesn’t reboot after the vibrations)
  2. If step 1 does not work plug your tablet into a wall charger for an hour or so and try step one again.
  3. If neither of these work and your sure the tablet is charged you can do a soft reset by removing the cover of your SD card slot and pressing a pin against the small red button until you feel the device shut down, then turn the tablet back on.

Fix Xperia Z2 Lag Issue
There have been reports of the Xperia Z2 lagging and in some cases freezing frequently even when first turning the tablet on without opening any applications. Even when closing running applications the issue does not seem to rectify itself. In most cases this is due to the energy saving and performance applications.

  1. First thing you will want to try is turning off the screen and after a few seconds wake it back up. In most cases this will fix any lag you were experiencing.
  2. If you are still having issues and the tablet is not frozen navigate to the “Stamina” menu and unckeck the box at the bottom of that menu. While this can decrease performance you can fix this by changing energy saving feature settings.
  3. If you are still lagging and freezing often you may want to move to the top of this article and try a Factory data reset.

Fix Xperia Z2 Screen Responsiveness Issue
This seems to be what most people have been complaining about, screen not registering touch or lock screen lag when touching the tablet. It seems that when having this issue it is only on certain quadrants of the screen and not the entire touch screen.

  1. First thing you may want to try is if your tablet is plugged into a power source, unplug it and try again as being connected to power and used seems to have a negative effect on the Z2.
  2. Next you will want to test your screen to be sure its not a hardware issue by navigating to “settings -> about device -> diagnostics -> test device” and running the touchscreen test.
  3. If neither of these work you can do a soft reset by removing the cover of your SD card slot and pressing a pin against the small red button until you feel the device shut down, then turn the tablet back on.
  4. If you are still lagging and freezing often you may want to move to the top of this article and try a Factory data reset.

How to fix Xperia Z2 Wifi Connection issues
Wifi connectivity seems to be an issue for many Android devices lately and can almost always be fixed with a simple reboot.

  1. In most cases with any devices that are having Wifi connectivity issues you can easily reboot the device and if you have access to the Wifi router reset that as well to fix the issue.
  2. Next for a quick fix if you are having connection issues turn on Airplane mode and then after a few seconds turn it back off and your tablet will start the wifi connection process again.
  3. Next if you are still having issues go to “settings -> Wifi” and make sure that “Keep wifi on during sleep” is set to Always and uncheck “avoid poor connections”.
  4. If you are still having issues you may want to look into a factory data reset at the top of this article.

While we have outlined several problems that users are having with the Sony Xperia Z2 we do have to say again that it is a very nice tablet with high end specifications and these issues should not be a deterrent from purchasing if your interested. All electronics have their own sets of issues and in many cases the issues come from third party apps and not the Tablet specifically. If there are any other issues you are having or solutions you don’t see here please feel free to drop us a line so we can update. Speaking of update most issues can also be fixed by simply keeping your tablet up to date. This said we recommend waiting to update until you see any new bugs within the community to be sure its not going to add a bug thats worse than the one your trying o resolve.

How to Make Voice Calls from Google Hangouts on Data or Wifi

Brandon Orndorff
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How to Make Voice Calls from Google Hangouts on Data or Wifi

Hangouts has finally swallowed up Google Voice and allows you to use Hangouts to make outgoing phone calls. Yes this also works with your data and not just Wifi. With the newest update to Google Hangouts there were actually a few feature additions including not only the voice calling already mentioned but also texting and voicemails making Hangouts your one stop app for Chat, SMS, and Calling.

There is a little setup required to use Hangouts as your phone to save mobile minutes but it is a rather easy process and only requires some settings changes and one more Google Play download.

Pre-requisite: Head over to Google Voice and signup for a Number if you don’t already have one. Visit Google Voice

Hangouts Voice Calling TutorialStep 1: Update Google Hangouts to the Most Recent Version
The first thing you will need to do is make sure you have Hangouts updated to at least version 2.3. You can find the update in the Play Store under “My Apps” in case you don’t have it automatically updating. The first thing you will see after the update is a popup asking you to integrate Google Voice text messaging and voicemail. You will of course need to select “Turn it on”.

Step 2: Update Google Hangouts Settings
Now with Hangouts open you will need to go to the Settings and select SMS. Here you can do a few different things (its up to you how you want it all talking) like choosing your default number or Smart reply which will just respond using the number you last used to send an SMS to a contact. There will be a text bar when sending a message that will remind you of the choice you made. You can also select the contact method when sending a text message on the fly before you send it.

Step 3: Download the Google Hangouts Dialer
To activate calling you will have to first download the “Hangouts Dialer” from the Play Store. This will activate voice calling within Hangouts as well as give you a new dialer you can access directly if you are just making a phone call.

As we mentioned before the voice calling will work on Wifi in the event you don’t have network coverage although you can also make calls on mobile data just to simply save minutes. This service will also allow you to make and receive calls from Google Voice although receiving calls requires a little more setup that we will get into in another article. Let us know if you have any questions via comments below.

Samsung Gear S Smartwatch with SIM Card Slot Now Official

Brandon Orndorff
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Samsung Gear S Smartwatch with SIM Card Slot Now Official

Samsung has been creating watches for a while now and have so many out there floating around that you may not have even heard of them all. This said their newest watch being demoed at IFA 2014 in Berlin is the “Samsung Gear S Smartwatch”. The Gear S smartwatch as their previous watches (not including the Gear Live) will only work with Samsung’s Galaxy family of devices.

The Samsung Unpacked event at IFA shows a curved 2.2 inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display with its own 3G modem. As with the other Gear watches other than Android Wear this smartwatch runs Samsung’s own Tizen OS making it Galaxy compatible only. The watch looks to have a nice frame with platinum plating and a silicone rubber strap. The band can’t be changed with a standard band although Samsung says they will be making colored bands available for those wanting to change it.

Samsung Gear S Smartwatch Release DateSamsung Gear S Smartwatch Features
There is a nanSIM slot under the watch right beside a heart rate sensor. The watch itself also has 3G connectivity (hence the SIM slot) and Wifi connecting is also possible. Other features include Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, a pedometer, and a sleep tracker. The sleep tracker will tell track when you fall asleep and wake up showing how long you slept. This is not an automatic detection and you will have to tell it when you fall asleep and wake up.

Samsung Gear S Smartwatch for Fitness
We mentioned the heart rate sensor, pedometer and sleep tracker although the Tizen OS has some additions to make it even better. There is a UI to show graphs of heart rate over time as well as path tracking since it has its own GPS. Samsung has also mentioned other apps that will be available for the Gear S smartwatch like Nike+, HERE Maps and Facebook.

Samsung Gear S Smartwatch Interface
There have been many updates to tweak the interface like left swiping for notifications. You will also get the voice responses you’ve come to expect in watches like “reply” for SMS and “Call” for the phone features. The voice feature is cloud processed requiring a data connection to use although their is also an onscreen keyboard when needed.

Samsung mentioned “2 days of use” although with a 300mAh battery our assumption will be that one day is all you will get unless you just aren’t using the watch at all. There was also talk of an upgraded cradle that doubles as a portable power pack. This said it will only be an emergency power pack since it won’t fully charge the battery but only to about 50%. Price has not been released yet although Samsung says the “Samsung Gear S Smartwatch” will be available in October.

Moto 360 Android Wear Smartwatch Review and First Impressions

Brandon Orndorff
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Moto 360 Android Wear Smartwatch Review and First Impressions

Even thought Samsung and LG were the first Android Wear devices released to the public, the Moto 360 was the most anticipated and is now the only one worth looking at. If your looking at getting a smartwatch now the Moto 360 is the only real player. As small as the Android Wear smartwatch market goes this is the device to get your hands on.

We have never been a huge fan of Motorola and from personal experience have had nothing but problems from their phones. This said it seems Motorola has changed their thinking and manufacturing strategy with the Moto X, Moto G and of course the Moto 360.

Motorola Moto 360 watchMotorola Moto 360 Specifications

  • Compatible with Android devices version 4.3 and newer
  • 1.5 inch 320 x 290 205ppi Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Display
  • Size of 46mm x 11mm weighing 49 grams
  • 320 mAh batter with Qi charging support
  • TI OMAP 3 Processor
  • 4GB of storage and 512MB of RAM
  • Pedometer and Optical Heart Rate Monitor
  • IP67 water resistance

Motorola Moto 360 Design
The number one thing that we can’t stress enough is that the Moto 360 looks and feels like a traditional watch without the cheap look of the other Android Wear devices. This alone is the best design feature of the watch. All of the core elements of a smartwatch are there even the button on the side. We know about its 1.5in 320 x 290 round face and analogue watch face option and with this nobody would know it was a smartwatch without you actually telling them or them catching you swiping around the face. Even the wristband is that you would expect from a real watch having the true clasp and not just a push in place clasp. As far as design goes Motorola has created a great watch that just so happens to be a smartwatch with added features instead of the other way around.

Moto 360 Charging
Again we have to say Motorola has blown Samsung and LG out of the water when it comes to this feature as well. Samsung has the click in place charger which is a hassle to say the least and LG has their magnetic pad which we have to admit is a little better. This said Motorola has made the Moto 360 Qi compatible meaning you can use any Qi charging pay and just set the watch on it to charge it. The 360 even comes with a Qi cradle in the event you don’t already have one laying around the house. The most important thing to remember about this feature is no OEM charger required. If you lose the Qi cradle they give you, any other Qi pad will work unlike Samsung and LG smartwatches.

Final thoughts on the Moto 360
I do have the Samsung Gear Live and the LG G Watch although am not completely happy with either one. The Moto 360 look and Qi charging do make this a watch that I might actually wear myself. The only thing I have to wonder about is the battery life, while Motorola says you will get a full day out of it I have no way of testing that yet without the Moto 360 watch in hand. As soon as I get the watch I will be sure to update this article with some of my findings.

Sony Smartwatch 3 SWR30 and Smartband Talk are Official

Brandon Orndorff
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Sony Smartwatch 3 SWR30 and Smartband Talk are Official

Sony has announced that they will be releasing their Sony Smartwatch 3 SWR30 and Sony Smartband Talk during their event at IFA 2014. The Smartband at release will come in black, white, red, blue, pink or lime. The watch at release will be available in black or lime with other extra colors like pink and white available. The Smartwatch 3 is the first Sony smartwatch released taking advantage of Google’s Android Wear OS.

Sony Smartwatch 3 SWR30 SpecificationsSony Smartwatch 3 SWR30
First and foremost the SWR30 will be compatible with Android devices version 4.3 and newer. The watch measures in at 36mm x 10mm x 51mm and weighs about 105 grams. As far as hardware the smartwatch packs a 1.2GHz quad-core ARM A7 processor with 512MB of RAM.
the display is a 1.6 inch capacitive touch TFT LCD with a screen resolution of 320 x 320. The SWR30 has 4GB of eMMC flash internal storage which seems to be standard in smartwatches and a 420 mAh battery that promises 2 days of battery life. Other hardware includes an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, vibrator, compass, gyroscope, GPS, NFC, Bluetooth and a hard power button. The watch charges via a microUSB port.

Sony Smartband Talk Fitness BandSony Smartband Talk Specifications
Again first thing we will mention is its compatibility is only with Android devices running Android 4.4 or higher. The SmartBand Talk is a nice looking device that comes in at 47.5mm x 22.3mm x 9.5mm in size and will house an ARM Coretex-M4 32-bit processor and 2MB of internal storage. The display is a 1.4 inch black and white e-paper making it easier to read in different lighting conditions with a screen resolution of 288 x 128 pixels at 192 dpi. Other internal features include Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, and a 70mAh battery that claims to give users 3 days of use.

Sony Smartwatch 3 SWR30 and Smartband Talk Price and Release Date
Currently it looks like the Smartwatch 3 will have a price point of just under $300USD which seems a bit high in the current market for a minimalistic smartwatch like this one. With smartwatches like the Moto360 and Gear S to compete with we think Sony may need to rethink their price before official release. The Sony Smartband Talk will have a price of just over $200USD, again seems a bit high for a smart band with competitors like fitbit and Jawbone having similar items (while without a screen) for half the price. We currently have no officially defined release date although we will update this as we hear when each will be released.

Final Thoughts about the Sony Smartwatch and Smartband
Sony is still not releasing anything new or impressive.  The watch will likely not be a competitor in the Android Wear market and falls short of all expectations in the ever growing smartwatch market itself.  The smartband seems to be a nice looking and useful fitness band although its price point makes it a non-contender.  Those that are interested in either of these devices we would be interested to know what stands out that makes this an option for you.

LG G Watch R Announced as a Retro, Round Android Wear Smartwatch

Brandon Orndorff
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LG G Watch R Announced as a Retro, Round Android Wear Smartwatch

LG released their LG G Watch right out of the gate being one of the first Android Wear devices on the market back in July and now they are already coming out with a new one the “LG G Watch R”. With the Moto 360 and now the Samsung Gear S being announced LG is staying in the competition. This new LG G Watch R will be a round Android Wear device to compete more directly with Motorola’s Moto 360.

LG G Watch Release DateLG G Watch R Features
The LG G Watch R features a round display much like we are expecting from the 360 with a 1.3 inch plastic OLED panel that covers the entire round face. One improvement besides the round face is that LG promises the G Watch R to be viewable in any sunlight and condition from any angle unlike their previous G Watch. LG also says the new watch will be submersible up to 4 feet under water for around 30 minutes. The face looks to be the closest to a standard analog watch than even the Moto 360 with a stainless steel frame and interchangeable leather wristband so you can change it out to match your style.

LG G Watch R Hardware
While this watch looks like a standard analog watch it isn’t and is of course running the Android Wear OS with all of the features of Google Now just like their previous model. It includes a 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage which seems to be about standard at this point in smartwatches. In this version there will be a heart-rate monitor which was missing in the previous G Watch making this one much better for fitness tracking to compete better with Samsung’s range of wearables.

LG G Watch R Design
While the previous LG G Watch was a very basic design that isn’t stylish on anyones wrist the G Watch R has a much more intriguing design. This comes with much of the Android communities requests for retro style smartwatches giving us the sweeping second hand and a set of internal dials to match the style of classic watches. There is also a power button on this watch to make waking and putting it to sleep much easier.

LG G Watch Release Date and Price
While there is no official word on US price yet, the current price being shown in Germany being 299 euros, that would make it $395 USD which we can go ahead and assume will be way higher than most are willing to pay. LG has however announced that the release date will be in Q4 of this year. We aren’t sure how many other manufacturers will be coming out with round face watches but we can guarantee that round is cool for now anyway. As the release date comes closer we will update here.

Personally I think this LG G Watch R is the nicest looking device we see released or being released this year. Let us know what you think of the new “LG G Watch R” and if you think it will hold its own against Samsung’s Gear S and Motorola’s Moto 360.

Samsung Gear S Smartwatch to Compete with LG and Motorola

Brandon Orndorff
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Samsung Gear S Smartwatch to Compete with LG and Motorola

Samsung just released their Gear Live running Android Wear in July and already have a new one to be released soon called the “Gear S”. The feature that will make the “Samsung Gear S” smartwatch competitive is the fact that it will have 3G connectivity and allow you to actually put your SIM card into it and make phone calls without a phone. The announcement of the Gear S comes shortly after LG announced their new LG G Watch R and other than form preference may make your decision a lot harder.

Samsung Gear S Release DateGear S Features
The Samsung Gear S is the newest wearable with a few great features not seen before making it stand out from the other Gear family of watches. The first thing you will notice is the Gear S has a 2 inch Super AMOLED curved display featuring a 480×360 screen resolution. The second great feature as we mentioned already is its SIM slot of stand alone 2G/3G connectivity. This means you can use the watch to make and receive phone calls and text message using an on-screen keyboard. Currently the connectivity options that have been released are 2G 900/1800, 2G 850/1900, 3G 900/2100 and 3G 850/1900.

Gear S Specifications
As far as design goes the Gear S is IP67 rated for water and dust resistance with a 1GHz dual-core processor, 512MG of RAM and 4GB of storage. The battery is said to be a 300mAh that Samsung states will last 2 days under “typical usage” and conditions. A few other features that are at this point expected are the accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, heart rate monitor, ambient light sensor, UV and barometer.

Gear S Operating System
One thing that may be considered when looking at this over the LG and Motorola’s new smartwatches will be the fact that the Samsung Gear S is loaded with Samsung’s Tizen OS and several Samsung applications. Some of the applications include S Voice, Power saving mode, S health and their own music player.

Gear S Accessory
Samsung also announced another device that can be used in tandem with the Gear S called the “Gear Circle”. The Gear Circle is a headset of sorts that allows smartwatch users to make and receive phone calls as well as listen to music and use voice commands via a bluetooth connection. The Gear Circle will vibrate when receiving a call or notification and when not actively used has a magnetic clasp allowing you to secure it around your neck easily. The Gear Circle battery is 180mAh that will give you 300 hours of idle time, 11 hours of talk time and around 9 hours of playing music according to Samsung.

Gear S Price and Release Date
When it comes to price their hasn’t been any word yet although the release date of the Gear S and Gear Circle are both slated for October. This said we should have more information on price very soon and will update this article when we know more.

As far as wearables go this seems to be one that won’t be overlooked as it has a large screen, clean design and not to mention the 3G connectivity. The only negative that we see at this point is the fact Tizen is the OS and not Android. Any event the Samsung Gear S Smartwatch is one that should be in your list when looking for a new wearable.

Let us know what you like/dislike about the “Samsung Gear S” we would love to hear your opinions.

Nexus 5 “unfortunately email has stopped” Error Fix

Brandon Orndorff
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Nexus 5 “unfortunately email has stopped” Error Fix

Those that have been using the Nexus 5 for any amount of time are likely to get the email error message that says “unfortunately email has stopped”. This error message started to become prominent after the Android 4.4.4 update on the device and tends to happen at random. When you do get the error you likely get it for a few hours almost nonstop and then the device is fine for a day or so just to come back again.

After trying to fix the issue by rebooting the Nexus 5 you will notice that it changes nothing and in some cases is tied directly to a data connection issue that seems to be caused by the email app and not the other way around.  Once you fix the email app issue you should also notice that the data connection errors will also clean themselves up some.

Nexus 5 unfortunately email has stopped fixBefore you do the complete wipe of the email app you can try to just Force Close the email app and then clear the cache. In some cases we have noticed that is enough to fix the error although if you are still getting the error you should follow the steps below.

How to Fix “unfortunately email has stopped”

  1. Navigate to “Settings -> Apps”
  2. swipe over to the “All” tab
  3. Scroll down to the “Email” app and select it
  4. Select “Force Stop”
  5. Select “Clear Cache”
  6. Select “Clear Data”
  7. Reboot the Nexus 5

If you continue to get the error after completing the instructions above the sure fire way to fix this is to do a full factory data reset on the Nexus 5 although that means setting up the device as if new all over again. When updating your Android device its always best for most stability to do a factory data reset although in most cases not practical.

Completing the steps above has removed the “unfortunately email has stopped” error on several Nexus 5’s that we have tried it on. If for any reason it does not work for you then feel free to let us know via comments below so we can further investigate the issue to help you get it resolved.

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