Thursday, June 28, 2012

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Missed the Oprah moment earlier today? See what you could win from Google I/O inside! [CONTESTS]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 03:47 PM PDT

As we expected, Google doused the 6,000 or so in attendance with free gifts aplenty. Their annual Oprah moment was right on cue at the end of their presentation where they generously gave each developer and member of the media three devices.

One was a   Galaxy Nexus, a phone I’m sure will be popular once Jelly Bean comes out. Another was the brand new Nexus 7 tablet, the $200 7 inch device that will come pre-installed with Jelly Bean. Finally, the Nexus Q, an Apple TV-like device for wireless home multimedia streaming, was promised as the $300 cherry on top.

Now, multiply each of those items by three, and that’s how many we have! (That’s over $2,500 in value being thrown at you!) We’ll be giving away three prize packs consisting of one of each of those items. One contest has already concluded (a winner has yet to be determined but the deadline is over), but you still have two more chances to win.

This one’s for developers who have an app or game in the Google Play Store, and this one’s a free for all for AndroidForums.com enthusiasts (or anyone who wants to become one, for that matter). Both of them end June 29th so get your entries in ASAP! Good luck and check out the heartwarming (or breaking, if you don’t happen to win one) moment in moving picture above.

Nexus 7 tablet hands-on from Google I/O [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 03:12 PM PDT

Rob and Chris eagerly shuffled over to the Nexus 7′s demo station where they got their hands on the newly-announced, Jelly Bean-infused device. They give you a quick two minute tour of the device, but fret not as they’ll have a more in-depth look at the thing once they get their very own to take home. Check out the video above and stay tuned for more live coverage from Google I/O!

Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire vs Acer Iconia Tab A110

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 02:58 PM PDT

Google have finally unveiled their Nexus 7 tablet and, for $200, it should wow and impress most of you. It’s stacked right up against an existing heavy hitter in the Kindle Fire as well as the newly announced Acer Iconia Tab A110, both of which are priced and sized quite comparably. But just how well does Google tablet stack up? Let’s take a look at the ever-so-juicy comparison below.

For its cost you’re getting a little bit more with Acer’s offering which is only rumored to be less than $200. They’re comparable in processor, memory, and display, but the A110 has an advantage in quite a few more areas. It has the better camera, more connectivity options (HDMI), and an expandable storage using a microSD card slot.

Google’s got it bested in some areas, though. Namely, it’ll come with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Google’s latest OS, and it has a better resolution with 1280×800 pixels.

The Amazon Kindle is the ugly, red-headed stepchild of the bunch with its specs, but the experience is great for those who are Android power users.

Books, Amazon Prime Video, games and apps from the Amazon Appstore, and more make this an absolute necessity for those who put a lot of their eggs into the retailer giant’s basket. How would you say these three stack up?

Google Play Store website allows you to uninstall and update apps remotely

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 02:20 PM PDT

The Google Play Store has gotten an upgrade and I think a lot of you will like the changes Google has made. For starters, you can now see which apps are installed on which devices.

Prior to the update Google would only show that you had the app “installed,” and that status didn’t change even if you uninstalled that app from all your devices.

That is no longer the case as Google put those apps into their own section. That’s not even the best upgrade of all: you can now uninstall and update apps in addition to the already existing ability to install apps.

This makes managing your apps way more enjoyable and easy, and I’m sure many of you will appreciate it as much as I do. Hit the Play Store up now to see for yourself. PS: don’t make fun of my lack of apps as I’ve just gotten done installing the latest RC for Cyanogenmod 9. :) [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

All New Phandroid.com Design: Do You Like It?

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT

You may have noticed that things look a little bit different around these here parts. We’ve completely redesigned  both Phandroid and Android Forums and hope you enjoy them. You’ll notice a much more modern, sleek look with a new logo and cleaner UI.

Check out the navigation. We created what we call a “power nav” that allows you to dive deeper into the site with a single click. There are so many interesting areas of Phandroid discussing different topics, but it was difficult for users to find some of our best stuff without a more sophisticated navigation. We hope this will be easier and more helpful for newcomers and loyal readers alike.

We’ve not stopping here. There are a BUNCH of new features in the works, including two new site sections that unfortunately slipped past our launch deadline. Stay tuned for them. And please… share your thoughts in the comments so we can continue to improve and tweak what we’ve got.

Hopefully you’re enjoying all our Google IO 2012 Coverage on the new site!

All the new features in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 01:28 PM PDT

Google have announced that Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is on its way to developers and users alike. With the update coming sometime in June, users are going to want to see what to expect from this incremental update. Don’t let the .1 fool you: this thing is jam packed with changes that will make it feel like an entirely new experience. Let’s run through them.

Performance (or Project Butter)

While we thought Google’s performance gains with Ice Cream Sandwich were more than impressive, they’re claiming to be able to do even better. With new technological approaches to graphics drawing functions like v-sync, triple buffering, and touch responsiveness.

With the ability to predict where you’ll go next in an app Google can can do a bit of pre-loading to make the experience that much smoother. All of this will converge into a change that will allow the OS to maintain a smooth 60 frames per second no matter what, and that’s exactly what we’ve been asking for from the get-go.

Smarter Home Screen Management

Moving widgets and apps around on your home screens will now be even easier thanks to some changes Google have made. When moving a widget around apps will automatically wrap around it so you won’t need to go through the cumbersome process of moving individual icons around, deleting them, re-adding them, etc.

Widgets can be re-sized automatically when you’re moving it from one pane to the next. It’s a natural extension of the folder’s wrapping feature and we are glad it’s finally part of the home screen as a whole.

Input and Accessibility

Google announced that voice input would no longer require an internet connection: everything you need for voice-to-text and other voice features are embedded into the software. This is perfect for those who want to get some work done using voice but can’t seem to find an internet connection.

Google’s also made changes to the keyboard by adding a predictive text system that will predict what you want to type before you type it. While we’ve had this sort of prediction in third-party keyboards like SwiftKey for quite some time, we are always glad to see stock apps give more functionality.

And now, more users can type on the keyboard as Google have finally added native support for Arabic, Persian, Hindi, and Thai. As for that accessibility part, those who have disrupted vision will be able to use gestures to do many things in the OS. Swiping and touching are all you’ll to navigate the device.

Camera

The camera’s gotten some minor, but nice improvements. You can now view the images you’ve just snapped by swiping your finger across the viewfinder. Sliding to the left reveals the photos, and sliding to the right will bring you back to the viewfinder. And if you don’t like a certain image you’ve taken, deleting it is as simple as sliding it out of the way.

Android Beam

Android Beam was notoriously lacking when it was first announced. You could only send a very limited amount of content to people. Google have announced that you can now do so much more with it. You can share photos and video to others who have an NFC phone and Android Beam enabled.

That’s not even the best part. Google’s announced functionality that would allow you to pair your devices up with Bluetooth-equipped accessories simply by bumping the two devices. While no specific accessories have been announced yet, we look forward to seeing who’ll be adding this stuff to their accessories.

Notifications

Here’s the biggie: notifications have gotten a massive overhaul for the better. Actionable notifications allow you to do way more in the pane than you’ve ever been able to do. Google’s making it easier for you to read and react to app updates without having to go into the actual app.

For instance, a missed call notification will allow you to call that contract back straight from the notification. If you’re in a call at the time, you can hang up from the notification. This allows you to control your call from within any app.

Expandable notifications allow you to do things like read the beginning of an email. You can snooze a calendar alarm from a notification and you can email every guest with a preset or custom message from within that same notification.

A photo shared form Google+ gives you a preview of the full photo so you can decide whether or not you want to check out a bigger version. You can +1 that photo and share it from the same notification.

In Foursquare, you could like and comment on your friends’ check-ins. With TuneIn Radio, you can skip a song, play or pause a song, and even save it as a favorite. With a swipe of two fingers, Pulse will give you the latest headlines and preview images to go along with them.

Google’s giving developers complete freedom in what they can do with their actionable notifications. This should excite many people as I’m sure developers will not hold back. I could spend all day dreaming up some useful notifications for my favorite apps.

Google Now and the new searching standard

Finally, Google’s introduced Google Now, a new way to search for anything you want or need. I hate to use the “S” word, but this is pretty much Google’s Siri. We’re not sure if this is what Majel turned out to be or not, but it’s pretty much what Google said it would be (ie, something beyond the scope of Siri).

Google Now lets you search for the most general of terms or the most specific facts and it will return those results in a great way. For instance, I could ask the height of the Eiffel Tower and Google would spit back 1,063 feet. These will come in the form of Knowledge Graphs which not only give you the answer you were looking for, but more details about that item.

A Knowledge Graph can be dismissed to reveal more information about whatever it is you were searching for. Knowing the height is nice, but knowing why such a tower exists also comes in handy and you don’t have to much of anything to go deeper in your searches.

You have the option of enabling a voice that will speak the result back, and it understands plain English so you can forget about looking at a list of suggested phrases.

But the really interesting thing is in Google Now. Google Now will learn your personal life based on the things you do in Google Search and other Google sites. If you seem to search about the Packers a lot, Google Now will ping you when a game is near.

It knows where you work and where you live, and as scary as that sounds it sounds pretty cool. It’ll let you know the traffic to and from your destination once the time it thinks you usually go to work approaches.

It sees that you have meetings and will go a step beyond just alerting you. You will be given the best possible route to get to that meeting in a certain amount of time, and it even extends to public transportation by letting you know which route to take as well as what time your designated buses and trains should arrive.

If you’ve recently done a search for a certain flight it will give you flight details including which gate to board your flight. And the cool thing is that all of this happens without you needing to tell it: it just happens.

Coming Soon

All of this is coming our way sometime next month. The SDK is already available for developers who want to start upgrading their notifications, and users can look forward to all of the changes sometime down the line (it will depend on your carrier and OEM, of course, but GSM Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S owners shouldn’t have anything to worry about). We’ll sit back and enjoy the smooth ride that’ll be here in no time. What did you guys think of all the announcements made today?

Google Glass Explorer Edition up for pre-order: With $1500 price tag, not for everyone

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 11:55 AM PDT


Google Glass has been one of the most interesting recent projects in the tech industry. We find ourselves broken about the subject, as it may turn out to be one of the most awesome accessories in Android’s history – But it could also be the biggest gimmick. Regardless, Google has finally announced when these wearable accessories will start hitting the streets, and that will be during early 2013.

That won’t be the case for everyone, though. The Google Glass Explorer Edition is only available for pre-order to Google IO attendees, starting today. With a hefty $1500 price tag, that is.

There is no doubt this product is far from being released to the general public, but we hope this price is no indication of how much these glasses will cost when fully released. We will simply have to wait and see, but at least we know we are closer to seeing the product’s potential. As soon as Google Glass starts shipping, we will definitely have developers getting their hands all over it.

What do you guys say? Would you get a Google Glass set for $1.5 grand?


Nexus 7, Nexus Q, Google Glass Forums Launch

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 11:51 AM PDT

Ready to chat the latest Android developments from Google I/O with a community of phandroids at the world’s best Android forum? We’ve got you covered. Google Project Glass, the ASUS Nexus 7, and Nexus Q will be the talk of the town and are sure to stir up plenty of conversation for the next few months, so why not hop right into our forums dedicated to each project?

If tablets are your thing, look no further than our forums for the newly announced Nexus 7 with Android Jelly Bean. Fancy yourself a mediaphile? The Nexus Q forum is the spot to hang out. Feeling a bit more futuristic? Head on over to the Project Glass forum.

We’re looking forward to the community’s response to these new devices, so check out their accompanying forums and let’s hear what you have to say!

Tablet-optimized app for Google+ to be released today!

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 11:25 AM PDT


It is hard to believe it has been a year since Google+ saw its debut. It had a bad start, and not the best follow-up, but those of us loyal to the social network have kept it alive and strong. There is one thing Google has lacked to give us until today, though. That is the tablet-optimized version of Google+ for Android.

Yes, this app will be released today, and it looks much better than the re-designed smartphone app (which never really surprised me). Posts and images are very strong, and according to Vic Gundotra, “they are not just prominent, they are playful.”

One of the funnest parts of the Google+ app is the ability to join Hangouts, though. Something the tablet app is touted to be great for. With more screen real-estate, the user has more room to enjoy their friends’ company. Google has also been able to include screen-switching to the person speaking, with smaller icons displaying everyone else’s video feed.

It looks like a great update for us tablet users, as using the smartphone app is not very fun on a tablet. This new update will be available for Android tablets and smartphones as of today. iOS users will be joining the game “soon.” It is not yet showing up for us, but it should sometime during the day!

Let’s stay tuned for more details and news from Google IO! How many of you have been waiting for a Google+ tablet-optimized app? Finally, right?

Google formally introduces the Nexus Q, pre-sale starts today for $299

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 10:46 AM PDT

It snuck out earlier today, but as of the Google I/O 2012 the Nexus Q is official. In essence, the Nexus Q is a small Android-powered computer that is designed to function as beautifully as it looks. It’s an interactive media streaming device for playing back music, video, and web content and is based primarily upon the principles of cloud computing. The Q is controlled by an Android phone or tablet, but content lives in the cloud. We’re not simply streaming directly from our mobile devices.

The Nexus Q features the same TI OMAP processor found in the Galaxy Nexus and sports NFC, Bluetooth, and WiFi among other standard features found in your typical Android device. Unlike your typical Android device, however, the Q boasts a 25 watt class D stereo amplifier. Outputs include HDMI, optical and banana jack audio outputs, and ethernet. A microUSB port is present for “service and support” (in other words, to make the device easily hackable).

The Nexus Q is targeted as a “social streaming device” that will allow multiple Android users to share their music and movie libraries to a single Q, which is by far the killer feature of the device. It looks to retail for $299 and is available now with shipments headed out in a few weeks.

 

Google Play Store continues to get better, even more content and features

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 10:43 AM PDT


The Google Play Store is young when it comes to content, aside apps (which there are plenty of). Competitors have more music, more books and more movies. This is something Google is trying to change, and it is one of the main focuses here at Google IO. We are seeing a flurry of announcements and improvements to the Google Play Store, making it just a tad better.

Google announced a few improvements. Among the first are the fact that there are now 4 million books available, which Google claims to be more than any E-book provider. Also, video content has improved with Disney, Sony, Paramount, Universal, and more, becoming new partners to the Google Play Store. It will also come as good news that one can now purchase movies and shows, one was only able to rent them until now.

The Search Giant also had a few magazine partnerships to announce at its developer conference. These include Esquire, Wired and Family Circle. And one can also sign up for 14 day trials, ensuring that you will not regret any of your purchases.

Content is not the only thing improved at Google IO, though. We have also been introduced to “smart app updates.” This new feature allows you to download only the new parts of an app, as opposed to downloading the whole app every time an update comes. (Only available for Android 2.3+). It will save time and megabytes, which are precious for tiered data plan subscribers.

With all these improvements, new content, apps coming in constantly and 1 million Android activations per day, the Google Play Store is sure to keep growing strong. In fact, Google also announced that it has had over 20 billion app installs, and there are now over 600,000 apps and games available for Android.

We are getting more details straight from the top dogs at Google, so stay tuned! We will be having some of the most awesome announcements of the year.


Google Nexus 7 tablet pre-sales begin today for $200, ships mid-July

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 10:41 AM PDT

The folks at Google have announced that the Google Nexus 7 tablet is going up for pre-sale starting today. You can plunk down $200 for your very own 7 inch Tegra 3 tablet that takes full advantage of the advances made in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

You’re getting an extremely powerful device for your money that will have the power of Google backing it for updates. And the wait for it won’t be longer, either: mid-July is the timeframe they’ve given for shipping. Let’s hope no delays stagger our hopes and dreams. Get to the Google Play Store and grab it now!

Google and ASUS officially unveil the Nexus 7

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 10:23 AM PDT

It’s what we’ve all been waiting for, folks: Google and ASUS have announced the Nexus 7, a pure Google tablet that lets you take advantage of all the goods they’re offering up in the Android market. But forget the software for now (we’ll get into that later): let’s talk specs.

It has a 7 inch 1280×800 display, Tegra 3 chipset, a front-facing camera, 9 hours of HD video (talk time in tablet speak) and 300 hours of standby time, WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC. It’s only 340 grams light so it’s very easy to hold.

It’s got a nice helping of power no doubt, but Google surprisingly wasn’t interested in running down a list of mundane specs. This device is all about experiences.

You can read a book or magazine on your phone, and pick up where you left off on the tablet. They’ll give you movie and TV show recommendations based on what you watch.

They’ll let you find out what music you’re listening to in an area if you don’t know what it is. All of these apps have been optimized specifically for tablets, and Google’s pushing them heavily on the Nexus 7. We’ll be bringing you even more updates as we get them. Developing…

Jelly Bean headed to Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S, and Motorola XOOM in July, SDK available now

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 10:16 AM PDT

Google just took the wraps off their latest version of Android, Jelly Bean. Android 4.1 features plenty of awesome improvements, including the speed and smoothness of Project Butter, enhancements such as offline voice dictation, and a refined search experience featuring Google Now. So when can anxious Android users get their hands on all these awesome new features? For Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Nexus S, and Motorola XOOM owners, the answer is July. The update will touchdown via an over-the-air update.

Also available now is the Android 4.1 SDK for developers, who can dive right in and start crafting apps that take advantage of all the new features in preparation for the imminent launch of Jelly Bean.

Google wasn’t specific about if the July date includes both unlocked and carrier-bound devices, but we can only hope the wait for network-locked devices won’t be as long as the one Verizon users experienced leading up to the release of their Android 4.0.4 update.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean officially unveiled [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT

Google have just unveiled Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the latest major update in the revered smartphone OS’s history. Project Butter introduces an even smoother Android UI using V-Sync adaptations and triple buffering to deliver a 60FPS experience. They’re also introducing a brand new Google Search experience. Stick with us as we bring more details as they come in. Stay tuned for our in-depth breakdown of everything they announced for Jelly Bean 4.1!
Posted by at 7:50 AM

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