Sunday, February 24, 2013

Android Authority

Android Authority

HTC OpenSense SDK now includes Infrared API. Better remote controls, anyone?

Posted: 23 Feb 2013 08:07 PM PST

htc-one-left[aa]

Infrared is so 1990′s. I remember IR being a premium feature on my old Nokia phones. Even up to the mid-2000s, my E-series Nokia featured an IR transceiver for data exchange. Well, who would’ve known that IR would be back in fashion? HTC, in introducing its latest flagship HTC One, has included an IR blaster in the phone’s power button. The company is now looking for developers to build apps on this technology with the inclusion of the IR API its OpenSense SDK.

See also: HTC One hands-on – first look! [video]

Out of the box, the HTC One already has all the capabilities of a universal TV remote through Sense TV, which is part of Sense 5. The TV guide is updated with local content for watching and browsing programs. The API lets the phone “learn” key codes from other remote controls. HTC says that the API goes beyond television sets, as the infrared blaster can also be used to control other devices like digital SLR cameras, and the like.

Sense TV

IR is not dead, after all. Granted, infrared does have limitations as compared to other short-range communications technologies like Bluetooth and even Wi-Fi. But given the potential for legacy applications, such as controlling TV sets and photographic equipment, IR may still be relevant, and HTC is making sure the technology still has support from the developer community.

Hey, maybe someone would build an app for communicating with the old-version Furbies, which “talked” with each other through infrared.

It’s finally official: Say hello to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8.0, the definition of a phablet

Posted: 23 Feb 2013 06:27 PM PST

note8 Image Credit: AnandTech

Yesterday we saw a photo of it at Samsung’s booth, and today the press release has finally gone live. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the newest member of the Galaxy family, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0.

Design wise, you’re looking at a jumo Galaxy S3. Sure, the Note 8.0 has a stylus like all the other Note devices, but the bezels around this thing are way too wide for us to say the Note 8.0 looks like a Galaxy Note II.

As for what’s under the hood, the rumors were right: Exynos 4 quad clocked at 1.6 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, HSPA+ 21 megabit per second cellular radio, an incredibly large (non-removable) 4,600 mAh battery, and it runs Android 4.1.2. When will it get updated to 4.2? We don’t know.

The worst part about this thing, which we’re saving for last, is the screen. It pushes 1,280 x 800 pixels. That would have been fine in 2011, but come on now! Rumor has it that the sequel to the Nexus 7, which will also be made by ASUS, will have a full HD screen. Why then would anyone want the Note 8.0? Because it makes phone calls?

Yes, you read that right, you can hold the Note 8.0 up to your face to make a phone call. This writer used to think that talking on a tablet was ridiculous, but then he saw enough people doing just that in Asia that he no longer feels it’s “weird” or “out of place”.

Now for the two most important questions: How much is it and when can I buy it? Forget about the price tag, because we have no idea. As for timing, Samsung says Q2, but doesn’t specify which countries will get it first. As soon as we know something, we’ll let you know.

And make sure to come back here in a day or two for some hands-on coverage!

Further Reading: Anand Lal Shimpi’s hands-on with the Note 8.0.

New Asus MWC teaser features Christopher Columbus [video]

Posted: 23 Feb 2013 02:26 PM PST

asus-mwc-2013-new-world

A few days ago Asus released a teaser for its upcoming announcements at Mobile World Congress that was… well, weird. Now they have released a second teaser that is just as confusing, featuring none other than long-dead explorer Christopher Columbus.

The video itself doesn’t offer much in the way of clues, other than the fact that Asus is going to be announcing something. The video description, however, offers a clue, reading “Join us on Feb. 25, when Pad and Phone come together.” So, it’s easy to assume that the video is teasing something involving the Fonepad or Padfone. If you’d like to scour the video for clues yourself, look below.

Stay weird, Asus.

What do you think Asus will be announcing at MWC that is worthy of such a strange series of teasers? What would you like to see them announce? Let us know in the comments below.

Google Glass will have 3G or 4G tethering

Posted: 23 Feb 2013 12:18 PM PST

Google Glass Press (3)

Things are progressing quickly with Google Glass lately. The Glass Foundry events were a boon of information and ideas from some very bright developers, and the recent hash-tagging contest only promises to bring more genius.

One of the larger questions about Glass is, well, how it will do all that cool stuff we see on the official website. With the non-disclosure agreement signed by Glass Foundry attendees, not much has been mentioned about just how Glass will do anything. In reading The Verge’s take on Google Glass, we now know the following:

The device gets data through Wi-Fi on its own, or it can tether via Bluetooth to an Android device or iPhone and use its 3G or 4G data while out and about. There's no cellular radio in Glass, but it does have a GPS chip.

Google Glass will have the ability to tether while out an about, meaning more of what you want to know will be available to you in real time. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities, and actually makes Google Glass much more useful. Some may consider the tethering to be a hindrance.  but if we consider that a smartphone is much more powerful that Glass is, or may ever be, we have a whole new realm of possibilities. With such new and forward technology like Google Glass, it can be hard to really imagine the possibilities, as we  tend to assume it will be a standalone device. Now that we know how it accesses information, we can begin to dream.

We’re curious, though… what would you use Glass for? What functions would you like to see from the promising new device?

HTC brings Dashwire back

Posted: 23 Feb 2013 11:45 AM PST

dashwire02

Do you remember Dashwire? Probably not, but it was a great service designed to make device setup easier. The cloud storage service was meant to make all of your settings and preferences portable to any device, making for a truly cohesive experience.

So, what happened to it? HTC bought it, and shelved it. Perhaps HTC had plans for it all along, or maybe they revisited the concept and realized it had a ton of potential. Either way, the return of Dashwire is a welcome addition to the Android landscape. While we don’t know much about what HTC intends for the service to be, it’s worth noting that they plan to make it available to “leading” Android device makers.

If a service that ports all your info and settings to other devices sounds like heaven, you’re not alone. The device setup process has long annoyed users who simply want to turn the device on and get going. We don’t want to fiddle with settings and make all new folders of apps… we just want to get on with life. Dashwire solves much of that frustration, so we look forward to seeing just how HTC implements it.

Then again, we’re due for an Android update soon, and a feature like this is one Google is hopefully thinking about. Something like Dashwire being implemented straight into Android would be heaven for those of us who like getting new devices fairly regularly. Will the Android faithful be rewarded with such riches in Key Lime Pie? Only time will tell.

Spy photo confirms Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 announcement at MWC

Posted: 23 Feb 2013 07:13 AM PST

Someone who doesn’t want to name themselves for obvious reasons has taken a photo of Samsung’s booth at Mobile World Congress before it officially opens to the public. Smack dab in the middle of said booth is an ad for the Galaxy Note 8.0. The photo confirms everything we suspected about the device. It looks like a gigantic Galaxy S3, and it also appears to support phone calls, though we have to wait for some confirmation before saying that for sure.

What do we know about the Note 8.0 so far? The rumors, and we want to stress, these are just rumors, say the new tablet will have the same processor as the Galaxy S3, and that the screen will push 1280 x 800 pixels. Kind of “meh” considering that we’re going to see an epic amount of 1080p phones hit the market, but hey, we suspect the Note 8.0 will sell for less than 400 Euros. That’ll make it an extremely competitive product for people who aren’t exactly sure if they want to buy a new smartphone or buy their first tablet.

Are there going to be any other important tablets announced at the show? The rumor mill says Sony will show off a 6.44 inch 1080p phablet, which if true, will mean it’s going to be the most exciting device for large screen lovers until Samsung announces the third generation Note. That device is rumored to come out during the second half of the year and it’s supposed to have a 6.3 inch display.

Back to the Note 8.0, is it a tablet or is it a phone? Different people have different definitions, but for us there’s a very simply test: Can it fit in your pocket? If yes, it’s a phone, if not, it’s a tablet. Some of you guys have large pockets, we understand that, but we’re talking about normal (translation: not morbidly obese) people. This writer has a size 34 waist and likes to wear semi-skinny jeans. His second generation Note barely fits inside them.

Google preparing a music streaming service, Pandora and Spotify should be worried

Posted: 23 Feb 2013 03:10 AM PST

Google Play Music

Google owns YouTube, the largest video streaming site in the world by a huge margin, and Play Music, the service that lets users download songs from a catalog of over 13 million of tracks. It makes perfect sense for the tech giant to move into the music streaming business, and, according to the Financial Times, that is precisely what Google is doing.

The move will put Google in competition with established music streaming services like Pandora and Spotify. When Apple was rumored to weigh in an entry in the sector, Pandora's stock tanked, so I am wondering how the markets will react at the news of Google getting into streaming. Larry Page’s company has a reputation of offering free or cheap services, which would put even more pressure on a competitive and notoriously difficult industry.

As The Next Web notes, Google already announced plans to roll out paid subscriptions on YouTube. From there, the move to paid music subscriptions is logical and quite reasonable to envisage. Google certainly possesses the infrastructure required for the venture.

Also, Google's Music Match service is similar to a streaming app, albeit without the paid subscription. With Music Match, Google scans the users' drives for music, which it then proceeds to match with cloud-stored versions. Users of the service (limited to the US and some European countries) can then listen to up to 20,000 tracks directly from the cloud, from any Internet connected device.

My bet is Google will integrate the new streaming service into its current Google Music offering. As for when the new service is expected to launch, we have no information, but Google I/O would certainly make a great launch venue.
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