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Posted: 16 Feb 2013 06:03 PM PST
 Many stories don’t make it to our homepage, but we don’t want you to miss a thing! That is why we have Android Overload. So sit back, take a look through these articles and get ready to go have a great weekend!
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Posted: 16 Feb 2013 05:25 PM PST
 Welcome to the second edition of our “This Week In Google TV” feature! This is where we bring you your weekly dose of the latest happenings in the Google TV platform. We know many of you are struggling to find much Google TV content, so we are excited to help you find all you need in one place. Google TV is finally starting to take off, with more manufacturers and updates coming around. We strongly believe things will only get better from now on, so let’s jump in and see what we have for you today. Western Digital to be the next Google TV manufacturer?It seems WD could become the very next company to jump in the Google TV bandwagon. Not the first manufacturer that comes to mind when thinking of possible upcoming Google TV partners, but we are always happy to see more options.The company has posted a job listing looking for a software architect to manage design and production of “IP set top boxes based on the Android operating system,” which “would include Android TV and Google TV solutions.” We don’t know the details yet, but the description makes it seem like the plans are set on a very hard place. (Also, that “Android TV” part seems a bit fishy). For more details: WD could be the next Google TV manufacturer Google Stores to bring Google TV back from the ashes?Finally! The answer we have been waiting for. New rumors point to a launch of the first physical Google Stores by the end of the year. This means there will finally be a place where customers can go and check out Google TV devices before they purchase them!You probably know it is near impossible to find a Google TV in any retail store. I remember seeing the first-generation Sony Google TVs and sometimes LG’s, but those are the most expensive! Even if people like them, they probably wouldn’t purchase them. Chrome has done great with more retail exposure, so we are hoping this will turn things around for our favorite smart TV platform. Don’t forget about us this time, Google. Remember, now we will all be able to pick up our signs and go protest outside your stores! For more details: Google opening its own retail stores? Time for Google TV to shine! Google TV vs. upcoming XBOX TV featuresNew rumors state that Xbox is getting ready to launch a new TV experience, which includes original content and over 40 video apps. They seem pretty confident, calling it the “future of TV.” We kinda disagree, though. Not just because we are Google TV fans, but their explanation of the service just doesn’t add up.We will have to wait and see what the end product will be like, but I am not too worried about Xbox pushing Google TV aside. Let us know if you are, though! Do you think Xbox has what it takes to become a reliable smart TV device? For more details: Google TV vs. upcoming Xbox TV features Tutorials, editorials and moreNothing like some good original content to learn more about Google TV and where it stands. I had fun writing Google TV content this week, so come check these articles out and join our discussions!
Wrap upIt was a fun week! I will be working on more Google TV content and coverage, so stay tuned to our “This Week In Google TV” feature every Saturday. You can also check out GTVSource.com (our sister site) every day or like the Facebook page for more frequent updates.Either way, I am really enjoying this new feature. Especially because you guys told us you liked the idea, so thank you very much for all the support. See you next week! |
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Posted: 16 Feb 2013 03:46 PM PST
Google may not be ready to call itself a successful online retailer, but it seems they may be taking the next step very soon. If the latest rumors are to be trusted, Google could be releasing its very own physical retail store by this year’s holiday season. Yes, you might be doing your Christmass shopping at a Google store this year! The source comes from 9to5Google, who claims this is an “extremely reliable source”. We have no idea what that means, but they must be pretty sure that the insider has a good sense of what goes on behind Google’s closed doors. The idea seems to have sparked from wanting to market Google Glass to the general consumer. The best way to do this would be to hand the units to shoppers and let them test the emerging piece of technology. Having the expensive and rare devices available in a retail store could mean the difference between failure and success, if you ask us. Though we are quickly moving to an internet-dominated market, brick and mortar stores still play a huge part of marketing. Consumers want to be able to use something before making the decision to purchase it. They want to hold it, feel it, smell it, use it, see its capabilities, experience it first-hand and compare it to the competition. It’s the same reason why people go to dealers instead of just ordering a car from the manufacturer’s site. I know I often purchase products at Best Buy instead of Amazon for this very reason, even though Amazon tends to have products a bit lower priced most times.  Of course, Google would also be taking a huge risk. They have been offering a rather depressing experience selling their own few devices from the Google Play Store. We understand online and physical retail stores are completely different entities and they could end up offering the best experience, but the Search Giant simply hasn’t proven itself in this area. Our very own Quentyn has recently written a great editorial on this topic. He goes into detail about the pros and cons of Google opening a retail store, so check that article out to learn more about what could come out of this. I personally think it would help more than it would harm. It would bring some exposure to Google TV, Nexus devices, Chromebooks, Google Glass and any other upcoming Google products. Tell us what you think, though! Do you think Google will totally screw this one over? [Source: 9to5Google Via: GTVSource, ChromeSpot] |
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Posted: 16 Feb 2013 12:29 PM PST
 We can guarantee that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be one of the year’s top devices, just like its predecessors during their time. We are expecting to see an announcement as soon as March 15 so you know the rumors are getting hot by now, and we have a few more for you today. Some of these specs we have already heard about while some of them are still up for debate, so let’s check them out.  According to a PDF file from South Korean financial services company Mirae Asset Group, Samsung’s upcoming top-selling device will have a 5-inch 1920x1080p display, Android 4.2 and 2 GB of RAM. It is also stated that it will not feature that super-charged octa-core Exynos 5410 processor we saw at CES. Instead, the Galaxy S4 should have an Exynos 5440 quad-core Cortex A15 processor. The processor may not have twice the cores compared to the Samsung Galaxy S3, but it does go up to Cortex A15 from Cortex A9. This should still improve performance significantly. Plus, really… do we need an 8-core processor right now? Don’t forget sometimes more cores doesn’t mean better performance, like we saw with the dual-core Snapdragon S4. This SoC outperformed Tegra 3 processors with half the cores. We are not sure how accurate this information is, so take it with a grain of salt. This South Korean financial company could potentially have close contact with Samsung, though. It is worth to at least keep the leak in mind as we approach any announcements. [via Android Ice Cream Sandwich] |
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Posted: 15 Feb 2013 08:37 PM PST
 The Android Overload is where we feature the biggest news stories from throughout the day (see above video), as well as stash all of the stories/articles/news bits that didn't make it onto our front page. But just because they weren't featured doesn't mean they aren't worth taking a look at. In fact, there's almost always a little something here for everyone. So, take a look around and let us know if you find anything of interest.
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Sunday, February 17, 2013
Update - 310
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