Thursday, June 7, 2012

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

Come and see the future of Google Maps

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 04:18 PM PDT

As advertised, Google lifted the lid today on exactly what it has in store for the future of Google Maps. Keen to get the jump on Apple who are rumoured to shortly be replacing Google’s ever present Maps application with it’s own iMaps alternative, Google had a lot of new features to show off.

The event fliers invited the world to ‘The next dimension of Google maps” so it came as no surprise when Google announced a huge focus on 3D mapping. Entire metropolitan landscapes will be mapped over areas with a combined population over 300 million people. If you’re wondering exactly how Google intends to accomplish such a lofty goal, prepare to be impressed. I’m sure by now you’re all familiar with the famous Google Street View cars, well get ready to watch the skies for Google’s fleet of Google Maps air-planes!

The 3D mapping may be the headline announcement however Google also announced the three principles that will drive the future of Maps; Comprehensiveness, Accuracy and Usability.

Comprehensiveness is exactly as it sounds, Google intends to leave no stone unturned be it indoors or buried in the snow. Google cars and air-planes are all fine and dandy but they can’t get you into those cosy little nooks and crannies that the wide world has to offer. To remedy this problem, Google has mapping cameras fitted to bikes, snow-mobiles, trolleys and even backpacks. The sky is no longer the limit.

Accuracy is key to the use of any map and it’s a challenge that Google is striving to overcome as the world is constantly changing. There’s only so much a crack team of drivers, pilots, backpackers and snow-mobile riders (?) can achieve so Google is turning to the users to ensure up-to-date, accurate maps. Google Maps users can simply sign into ‘Map Maker’ and the ‘Report a problem’ tool to leave feedback which Google will aim to update in a timely manner.

Usability brings what was perhaps the most requested feature ever for Google Maps; Offline mapping. That’s right folks, no longer will those capped data plans be the bain of your life as you worry how many megabytes that trip across country will eat up. Over 100 countries will have maps available offline. Finally travelling on the London underground won’t pose a problem for this writer!

So there you have it, a brief overview of what new features Google has been cooking up for us. Are you impressed with the new features introduced today? Do you think Apple’s iMaps will pose a threat to the market leading mapping application? Check out the full presentation video below and be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments.

 

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

Source: Google Blog

Qualcomm Working On a Chip To Support Multiple 700 MHz Bands

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 12:57 PM PDT

The popular chip maker, Qualcomm, has announced that they’ll be making a CPU compatible with multiple 700 MHz frequencies.

Furthermore, as shown above, carriers holding Lower A Block or other 700 MHz spectrum have many different band combinations to choose from to meet their customers’ interoperability needs, both within the 700 MHz band and between any of the long list of other 4G bands. A Band 12/17 combination is merely one such combination, and it would be inappropriate for the FCC to mandate that carriers must make this one combination available on every consumer device.

Because of the difficult interference challenges described herein, the fact that existing technology does not offer a solution to these challenges, and Qualcomm’s ongoing innovation and collaboration with all carriers and manufacturers, the commission should not require mobile equipment to be capable of operating over all paired commercial spectrum blocks in the Lower 700 MHz band.

So what does this mean?  It means the company is single-handedly assisting in solving the interoperability problem which LTE operators present in the US.  The new design, also dubbed the MSM8960, will support 7 LTE frequencies in total utilizing the 28nm process.  Qualcomm is seriously fixated on providing lower power consumption and we thing they truly have the means to do it.  According to the company, radios will be shipping to to vendors in July and devices housing them should show up by year’s end.  Furthermore, Qualcomm states it’s against an FCC mandate for LTE interoperability and wants the government to allow the free market to make the choice of which bands get paired.  This will certainly be an interesting story to follow so stay tuned. And feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below.

source: FierceWireless

HBO Go Now Available for the Kindle Fire, Other Android Tablets Still Left Out

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 12:33 PM PDT

Kindle Fire owners should be pleased to know that the HBO Go app is now compatible with the device. Starting today, you can grab the HBO Go app from the Amazon Appstore and stream videos without having to use your browser. Unfortunately the app still doesn’t support other Android tablets but I imagine that future updates will slowly bring more tablet compatibility. For those of you Kindle Fire owners who also have a HBO subscription you can grab the app from the Amazon link below. Full press release and promo video after the break.

Amazon Appstore

Click here to view the embedded video.

HBO GO® LAUNCHES ON AMAZON’S KINDLE FIRE

More Than 1,400 HBO® Titles Available for Streaming Via HBO GO App,
Downloadable From the Amazon Appstore for Android

New York, N.Y., June 6, 2012 –– HBO GO, the wildly popular streaming service from HBO, is launching on Amazon’s Kindle Fire, beginning today. Available via the Amazon Appstore for Android, HBO GO consumers will be able to instantly access more than 1,400 titles, including every episode of every season of the best HBO shows. HBO GO is available at no additional cost to HBO customers who subscribe through a participating television provider.

HBO subscribers can use the HBO GO for Kindle Fire for on-the-go viewing of current critically acclaimed and award-winning series like Game of Thrones®, Boardwalk Empire® and True Blood® as well as all seasons of classic shows like The Sopranos®, Sex and the City® and Deadwood®®; plus HBO original films, miniseries, sports, documentaries and specials; in addition to a wide selection of blockbuster theatricals. For a peek at HBO GO for Kindle Fire, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxufTimGB2E. Follow HBO GO on Twitter at: @HBOGO.

“We are thrilled to offer HBO GO to the growing community of millions of Kindle Fire owners,” said Aaron Rubenson, Director of the Amazon Appstore. “The HBO GO app will offer instant access to HBO’s incredible lineup of shows. Kindle Fire owners already download and use apps and games frequently on their devices, and we expect that only to increase with the addition of HBO GO and all of its popular content.”

The best-selling Kindle Fire is the most successful product launch ever on Amazon.com and already a major platform for content providers and app developers to reach millions of people who love entertainment, whether its books, movies, music, apps or games. Kindle Fire offers customers a fully-integrated service with instant access to over 20 million movies, TV shows, magazines, newspapers, books, songs, apps and games. And, all of your Amazon content is always backed up and stored for free in the Amazon Cloud. Kindle Fire is available for $199 at www.amazon.com/kindlefire.

Subscribers can also personalize HBO GO through a custom “Watchlist” that keeps track of bookmarked content for later viewing and the “Series Pass®” capability, which automatically loads the Watchlist with new episodes of favorite HBO programs when they arrive on the service. Additionally, HBO GO customers get new titles simultaneously with their premiere on the network; the ability to resume viewing from the Watchlist on any mobile device including the Kindle Fire; bonus content including interviews, recaps and behind-the-scenes extras; customizable views showing titles in slideshow, grid or list format; and the ability to pause, rewind and view at their convenience.

About HBO
Home Box Office, Inc. is the premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. and the world’s most successful pay-TV service, providing the two television services – HBO® and Cinemax® – to approximately 93 million subscribers worldwide. The services offer the most popular subscription video-on-demand products, HBO On Demand® and Cinemax On Demand® as well as HBO GO® and MAX GO®, HD feeds and multiplex channels. Internationally, HBO branded television networks, along with the subscription video-on-demand products HBO On Demand and HBO GO, bring HBO services to over 60 countries. HBO programming is sold into over 150 countries worldwide.
Forward-Looking Statements This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management’s expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com’s financial results is included in Amazon.com’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

 

Best Buy Galaxy S III pre-orders expected to arrive by June 28th

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:57 AM PDT

While we are still waiting for a firm date as to just when you can expect to take delivery of a Galaxy S III in the US, Best Buy have given us some hope that it will be before the month is out.

Customers who pre-ordered the device from Best Buy have been furnished with a sales agreement suggesting that the device should be in stores from June 28th. One such customer took the time to scan the document and send it on the team over at Droid Life who shared it with the rest of the tech world.

It’s worth baring in mind that Best Buy have a real hit and miss track record when it comes to launch dates so I’d suggest holding fire before booking that Thursday off work to hit the shops. That said, stranger things have happened so keep your fingers crossed.

 

Source: Droid Life

Press image drafts of the upcoming Google Nexus tablet dressed in white emerge

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:53 AM PDT

Well what do we have here? Our friends at Phone Arena just got a hold of some press image drafts of the upcoming Google Nexus tablet. We’re expecting this bad boy to be unveiled at Google I/O and our own Stacy Bruce just might be lucky enough to walk out with one.

As you can see in the pics, it has a white front and a two-toned back. There aren’t too many white Android tablets out there, so this might be a good move for Google in that it will stand out in this very crowded space. The fact that there is an earpiece slit is very strange. Not sure what to say about that.

It’s made by ASUS, will have a NVIDIA Tegra 3 CPU, 1 GB of RAM, and from the looks of it, will have a rear and front-facing cameras. If Google and ASUS can pull this off at $249 or lower, it will obviously be a screaming hot deal. Of course it’s expected to have Android 4.1, and some people are saying it’s Jelly Bean, but I don’t think it will actually be called Jelly Bean. I believe it will just be another version of Ice Cream Sandwich just like 3.1 was to Honeycomb. One more pic after the break.

source: phonearena

 

Square Enix officially announces Tegra 3-optimized Demons’ Score

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:27 AM PDT

Square Enix just posted their presser announcing their upcoming Tegra 3 -optimized title, Demons’ Score. It’s a breakbeat action game that seemlessly fuses music and battles and it was developed using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 3 to produce high-quality 3D graphics.

The premise is Serenity is just your average college girl, but when her father goes missing, she sets out to find him at the lab facility where he works. All Hell breaks loose when she lays hands on the Demons' Score, a mysterious program that allows her body to be possessed by various demons. Where did her father disappear to? What's the mystery behind the Demons' Score? Serenity's battle begins with the thunderous tunes of Hell!

Of course since Demons’ Score is Tegra 3-optimized you can expect some really cool enhancements which include:

Advanced bloom effects

Bloom is a graphics technique where bright places in the scene bleeds onto its surroundings. It makes the scene more photo realistic and give the characters more depth.

Advanced rim lighting

Rim lighting is the effect where of a character is lit from behind, the light leaks around him like a halo. It enhances how we can dramatically show the character.

Dynamic shadows

Dynamic Shadow, where the shadow moves as the character does, creating a more life-like effect.

Depth of field effects

Depth of field, a technique where we focus our camera on the character and blur the object that's in front and behind him. It makes the game more realistic and immersive.

Higher resolution textures

High resolution, using twice higher render target resolution than other versions, the overall image will be sharper and higher quality.

Demon’s Score should be out this summer, but for now check out the trailer below and lets us know what you think

Click here to view the embedded video.

Full press release

Square Enix Announces A Tegra 3-Optimized Game, Demons’ Score

Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX interactive entertainment products in North America, Epic Games, Inc have achieved the ultimate level of visual quality on a smartphone and tablets with DEMONS’ SCORE, a title for Android-based mobile devices and iOS-based devices currently under development by SQUARE ENIX, who plan to release the title in summer 2012.

DEMONS' SCORE is a breakbeat action game that seamlessly fuses music and battles. The title has been developed using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 to produce high-quality 3D graphics and a user interface optimized for smartphones and tablets.

What's more, the soundtrack has been composed by a number of musicians renowned in the Japanese music industry including Kohei Tanaka, known for his work on the Tekken and Taiko Drum Master series, and Yoko Shimomura, whose accomplishments include work on the Kingdom Hearts series.

This delivers thrilling touch-based gameplay through a mind-blowing fusion of stunning 3D graphics and music created by hit songwriters.

The Android version of the title will be optimized for NVIDIA® Tegra 3 processors and featured in TegraZone, NVIDIA's free app that showcases the best games optimized for the Tegra processor. Tegra 3 delivers console quality graphics – with exceptionally smooth gameplay and beautiful visual quality – on mobile devices with the world's only 4-PLUS- quad-core mobile processor, including a 5th battery-saver core.

DEMONS' SCORE will also be playable on demonstration units in the SQUARE ENIX booth at this year's E3 Expo, to be held in the U.S. from June 5.

Tom Tom Android App set to Launch soon says Co-founder

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:22 AM PDT

I don't know about most of our readers, but I'm fairly attached to my Google Maps and its navigation features on my Galaxy Nexus. Does everything I've ever needed it to do….so far. Maybe this is because it's all I've ever used as a GPS device. Well, there are a few GPS navigation applications out there and there's another to come.

Tom Tom for Android is just down the road, or is will be launching "fairly soon" as co-founder Peter-Frans Pauwels puts it. Yes, the latest GPS navigation application is on its way, and more insight from the co-founder tells us possibly this summer, although he won't give any definite answer at this time. iOS users already use their version of the Tom Tom app which has been said to be doing very well. So this app being developed for Android will probably be welcome by many who would love another option for their traveling needs. These days with the power of the Android phones and even the sizes that we've seen as of late, there's almost no need for a dedicated GPS device. And I think the companies developing for that market see this, and are gearing their development more and more toward the smartphone. There's yet to be any mention of what the price tag on this app will be. Most likely it'll be in line with the iOS app, which weighs in at close to $40.

source: pocketlint

 

SCHOTT Xensation Glass Could Replace Gorilla Glass on Your Next Android Device

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 09:40 AM PDT

Look out Gorilla Glass, a company by the name of SCHOTT is ready to try and steal your thunder. SCHOTT, a German based company, have been testing their new scratch and break-resistant glass over the past year and are now ready to bring the glass to the market. Dubbed Xensation Cover glass, this new glass is said to have a 20 percent higher bending strength than “competitor glass types” and even comes in an anti-glare version. SCHOTT claims that manufacturers have already signed up to use Xensation glass on upcoming products but they wont divulge which products those are just yet. The testing manufacturers even went as far as to say that “Xensation cover glass raised the benchmark when it comes to cover glass performance and ultimate strength.”

The first Xensation sporting devices are said to hit the market in the third quarter of 2012 so I guess we will just have to wait to see which Android devices will adorn this new glass. In the meantime, you can check out the Xensation Cover glass promo video and press release after the break.

Click here to view the embedded video.

SCHOTT Xensation™ Cover Glass Coming to a Device Near You

SCHOTT Xensation™ Cover glass, the strongest cover glass available on the market today, will soon be appearing in consumer electronic devices everywhere

June 5, 2012 (Mainz, Germany & Boston, Mass.) – High-technology company and specialty glass producer SCHOTT today announced the successful market entry of Xensation™ Cover glass, the high-quality, ultra-strong alumino-silicate glass that offers outstanding resistance to breakage and scratches, making it ideal for touch screen devices such as smartphones, tablets and gaming gadgets.

SCHOTT will be showcasing Xensation™ Cover glass at the Society for Information Display’s (SID) annual “Display Week” in Boston, MA (Booth 443). “We launched this new product in the fall of 2011 and went through an extensive qualification process at all large consumer electronics brands. Not only did our customers give us very positive feedback, they confirmed our belief that SCHOTT has raised the benchmark when it comes to cover glass performance and ultimate strength. First models of touch screen devices which use Xensation™ Cover glass will appear on the market in the course of the third quarter of 2012″, said Lutz Gruebel, Head of global sales and marketing activities of the SCHOTT Xensation™ brand family.

Using industry standard cover glass processing parameters, tests conducted both at SCHOTT and at customer sites demonstrated that Xensation™ Cover glass is able to consistently reach compressive stress values which are greater than comparable materials on the market. Such impressive values result in an up to 20% higher bending strength, thus offering device makers peace of mind knowing that Xensation™ Cover glass can protect even their sleekest products from the bumps and scrapes of everyday life.

Xensation™ Cover glass has also demonstrated in mass production that it is the most robust cover glass available today. It allows cover glass processors the opportunity to chemically strengthen the SCHOTT material more efficiently (e.g. in less time) than competitor glass types without compromising on ultimate strength. Such a broad process window for cover glass processing results in more reliable and consistent cover glass performance, and potentially leads to lower device manufacturing costs.

“We are pleased to offer device manufacturers and consumers a new, high-performance alternative in the market for damage-resistant cover glass that not only offers optimal protection for their devices, but also enables sleeker, slimmer designs”, said Professor Udo Ungeheuer, Chairman of the Management Board at SCHOTT.

Xensation™ is a trademark of SCHOTT AG.

Ultra-strong cover glass for display applications without irritating glare

SCHOTT teams up with glass processing specialist Berliner Glas to launch SCHOTT Xensation™ Cover AG (Anti-Glare) glass, the world’s first ultra-strong cover glass with state-of-the-art anti-glare effect.

June 5, 2012 (Mainz, Germany & Boston, Mass.) – International technology group and specialty glass manufacturer SCHOTT today became the first company worldwide to offer customers a high-performance cover glass that combines not only supreme strength and damage resistance but also a special anti-glare effect capable of significantly reducing glare on high resolution displays.

Glass has emerged as the material of choice as a cover for many electronic displays because of its outstanding tactile and aesthetic properties, as well as the scratch resistance and strength performance made possible by specialty glass types such as Xensation™ Cover glass. With electronic displays continuing to be adopted across an ever-broader range of applications, display visibility in today’s most popular devices has become an increasingly critical issue, with manufacturers keen to prevent their high resolution displays becoming distorted by adverse viewing conditions, such as bright sunlight or high ambient lighting.

With the glass surface itself determining what level of transparency is possible, if annoying reflections can be reduced or whether colors can be accurately reproduced, a modification of the glass surface is required to counter the effects of intensive light radiation. SCHOTT’s Xensation™ Cover floated alumino-silicate glass is therefore subjected to a custom-designed etching process developed by glass surface modification specialist Berliner Glas, whereby ions are taken out of the glass surface during etching to make it diffuse. Uniform removal of material is a critical requirement for ensuring the glass surface is perceived as faultless by the human eye and Xensation™ Cover’s unique glass structure, combined with Berliner Glas’ etching technology, offers a uniform, homogenous structure not previously possible with ultra-strong glass types.

The result is the groundbreaking Xensation™ Cover AG (Anti-Glare) glass. “Xensation™ Cover AG glass is the first ultra-strong glass that can be reproducibly treated and etched in a continuous, industrial-scale production process. The beauty of this product is that it combines all the benefits the market has come to associate with Xensation™ Cover glass with an outstanding non-reflective surface”, according to Lutz Gruebel, Global Sales & Marketing Director for SCHOTT’s Xensation™ brand family. “The novel etching process has been fully optimized to maintain the strength and scratch resistance of Xensation™ Cover glass, opening up a vast array of application possibilities and further improving the general consumer experience”.

SCHOTT is showcasing Xensation™ Cover AG glass for the first time at the SID trade fair. The company will be offering two product types as standard, one with a gloss value of 60 and the other with a gloss value of 90, with both available for sampling. In addition, Xensation™ Cover AG glass is available on request with customized gloss values tailored to the specific requirements of a customer’s application. This is made possible by the flexibility of the etching process, as it can be easily adjusted to provide the right amount of surface roughness needed to achieve a certain anti-glare effect.

Xensation™ is a trademark of SCHOTT AG.

SCHOTT is an international technology group with more than 125 years of experience in the areas of specialty glasses and materials and advanced technologies. SCHOTT ranks number one in the world with many of its products. Its core markets are the household appliance, solar power, pharmaceuticals, electronics, optics, transportation and architecture industries. The company is strongly committed to contributing to its customers’ success and making SCHOTT an important part of people’s lives with high-quality products and intelligent solutions. SCHOTT is committed to managing its business in a sustainable manner and supporting its employees, society and the environment. The SCHOTT Group maintains close proximity to its customers with manufacturing and sales units in all major markets. Its workforce of around 17,000 employees generated worldwide sales of approximately 2.9 billion euros for the 2010/2011 fiscal year.

BERLINER GLAS is one of Europe’s leading producers of high-quality technical glass solutions as well as optical key components, assemblies and systems. The private owned company employs around 1,000 people worldwide.
Our business unit Technical Glass converts many years of highly skilled expertise in glass processing into innovative solutions for strategic markets. Front panels for touch displays, TV-sets or navigation systems, for solar systems or lighting applications – our high-tech glass is used all over the world.
BERLINER GLAS Surface Technology has been dedicated to processing glass surfaces for almost 40 years. We structure the glass surfaces by etching to defined surface properties, surface roughness or gloss values. Berliner glass’s etching process is unique in its ability to meet targeted performance of desired surface property, uniformity and reproducibility.

Splashtop brings Windows 8 Metro UI to Android tablets [Video]

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 09:25 AM PDT

Okay this one is for developers and the pure geeks. Splashtop just released the Win8 Metro Testbed for Android tablets. Splashtop is already a major player for remote apps for both Android and iOS. They already launched the Win8 Metro Testbed for the iPad a few months ago, and due to its popularity it’s now on Android.

It brings the full Windows 8 Metro UI experience to Android tablets running version 3.1 and higer. Developers can easily test their apps and it gives a chance for anyone to see what the Metro UI is all about. There is a couple of caveats. First, you need to have  A PC with Windows 8 Release Preview since this is a remote app. Second, it costs $24.99. Actually it costs $49.99, but for a limited time it’s on special for 50%. If you do decide to go for it, you will need to install the latest Streamer from the Splashtop website for your Windows 8 PC. That part is free.

Features:

  • Swipe from the right to view the Charms menu
  • Swipe from the left to switch apps
  • Swipe left/right in Internet Explorer to move between pages
  • Swipe down to bring up additional menus
  • Swipe down on an item to select it
  • Pull down from the top to close an app
  • Swipe slowly from the left to run two apps side-by-side (“snapping”)
  • Swipe from left-and-back to show running apps
  • Pinch to navigate files, folders, apps and data with Semantic Zoom
  • And more

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Google TV Platform Ready For Evolution, New Set-Top Boxes Will Stream Content From Smartphones And Tablets

Posted: 06 Jun 2012 09:23 AM PDT

 

Google TV continues to evolve at a pace faster than we can keep up. As you may already be familiar, Apple’s AirPlay allows owners of Apple TV devices to wirelessly stream content from Apple TV stations to iOS devices. Google has (finally) caught wind of this much-needed technology for its Android platform and has teamed up with set-top box manufacturer Honeywld to usher in a new feature for Google TV. While at Computex 2012, Google and Honeywld is currently displaying a new prototype Google TV box which will allow Android tablets and phones to push video and other content like photos to the set-top box, which allows a simple way for users to get content onto their TVs. Achieving this feat is rather simple too as all users need to do is install a special app on their devices which would allow the same devices to sync up with the set top box.

The set top box is not only real and on its way, but it comes fully loaded with nice features too. The box will feature a Marvell dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, 4GB of flash memory, 1GB of RAM and oh yes— a heavy scoop of Ice Cream Sandwich. Honeywld should begin shipping the boxes in Taiwan around July and is expected to cost between $95 to $120, though there’s no word on if/when the boxes will arrive out here in the States at all. Here’s hoping the rest of us can get a taste of this much-improved Google TV box too.

source: IDG
via: The Verge
Posted by at 5:45 AM

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