Android Authority |
- Sony Xperia Tablet Z debuts with LTE through NTT DoCoMo in Japan
- Budget-friendly Kobo Arc tablet gets official Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgrade
- Google Play gift cards page goes live in Canada, codes are now redeemable
- The blind can now “see” with Google Glass
- Google Now for iOS in Apple court, hints Eric Schmidt; Apple says it doesn’t have it in the App Store app approval queue
- Samsung hard at work on 10.1- and 11.6-inch Full HD AMOLED display, says rumor
- LG E980 hits FCC, could be the Optimus G Pro for AT&T
- Despite CEO’s comments, Visa has no plans for digital wallet fee – yet
- Crescent Moon’s Ravensword: Shadowlands finally arrives on Android
- Google Keep – full Android app review
| Sony Xperia Tablet Z debuts with LTE through NTT DoCoMo in Japan Posted: 22 Mar 2013 02:44 AM PDT
At the moment, NTT DoCoMo is only carrying one version of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z, and that is the version with built-in 4G LTE network connectivity. It’s priced at 85,470 Yen or a little over $900 USD. If you don’t want LTE, then watch out for the Wi-Fi only counterpart’s arrival on the 13th of April 2013. Demand for the Sony Xperia Tablet Z has been so high that it reportedly sold out in several markets already through pre-orders. Between this and the Sony Xperia Z smartphone, 2013 just might be Sony’s best year with Android yet. The Sony Xperia Tablet Z’s main features include a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, a 10-inch full HD (1920×1080 pixels) touchscreen display, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and up to 32GB of internal storage in a lightweight, 6.9mm thin body. The post Sony Xperia Tablet Z debuts with LTE through NTT DoCoMo in Japan appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Budget-friendly Kobo Arc tablet gets official Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgrade Posted: 22 Mar 2013 02:39 AM PDT
Be honest, you weren't really swept off your feet by Kobo's Arc when the budget 7-incher went up for sale last fall, were you? I mean, the bang for the buck sounded good and all, but there was just too much competition to pay attention to a fairly inexperienced Android OEM. However, you might just be tempted to give the Arc a second thought, given Kobo is as we speak bumping up the tab's software to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. That's less than four months after the initial release, which is pretty impressive in our book. The upgrade is rolling out OTA (over-the-air), so you should be getting a prompt message to download and install any minute now. If that doesn't happen, feel free to head to Settings – About Device – Software Update and see if you can pull the new firmware manually. While the Arc initially came with a skinned version of Android 4.0 ICS, seasoned with Kobo's own Tapestries overlay, the 4.1 bump is fairly standard, bringing the already classic goodies to the table and not much else.
That means Project Butter performance enhancements for all, Google Now integration, richer, expanded notifications, an improved search and optimized voice recognition. Furthermore, the Arc will be getting Face Unlock too, a feature usually associated with ICS, but that didn't come with the tab right off the bat. While we still can't imagine picking the Kobo Arc over Google's Nexus 7, this is definitely a major step forward for the $200 tab. Also available in 32 and 64 GB flavors (going for $250 and $300 respectively), the 7-incher has a strong spec sheet, which includes a 1,280 x 800 pix res display, a dual-core 1.5 GHz CPU, 1 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi and a 1.3 MP front-facing cam. Unfortunately, there’s no microSD card slot, Bluetooth or GPS, so you can say Kobo came just short of having a hit on its hands. Maybe next time… The post Budget-friendly Kobo Arc tablet gets official Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgrade appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Google Play gift cards page goes live in Canada, codes are now redeemable Posted: 22 Mar 2013 02:05 AM PDT
When Google launched its Google Play gift cards in the US last year, you were probably hoping that they'd make their way up to Canada not long after. However, the big G decided to make a detour to the UK instead, as the cards went live there earlier in the month, and are now available in stores across the country. But all hope isn’t lost, as we're picking up some signs that the elusive gift cards are about to land in Canada soon. The Canadian Play Store has been updated to allow customers to redeem their gift card codes. It's also accessible via the Play Store website.
This sure ties in nicely to the promotion that Rogers is currently rolling out, where it's giving away a free $35 Google Play voucher for those who buy a Samsung Galaxy phone. While it's a good starting point, we'll probably see the gift cards getting a wider release in the coming weeks, if not days. Can't wait to retire your credit cards for purchasing apps and other content on Google Play? Let us know in the comments. The post Google Play gift cards page goes live in Canada, codes are now redeemable appeared first on Android Authority. |
| The blind can now “see” with Google Glass Posted: 21 Mar 2013 07:31 PM PDT  Yes, I can see you now! (Credit: DVF) Google launched its Glass project with the developer community earlier this year, and there has been much buzz about what the platform can do. But while Glass applications mostly add an augmented-reality visual layer of data meant for seeing, one big potential application would be enabling the visually impaired to “see.” A Google Glass developer is building tools to enable the blind to see through audible means. The system is intended to work like sonar — the positioning technology used in submarines and by some sea mammals — in determining the position of objects around the person. There are actually existing technologies and applications that use the same principle, although these have limitations. For instance, the vOICe app for Android will basically describe things around you through speech. The app tries to identify objects and proximity through the Android device’s camera. However, the limitation is that the camera actually needs to “see” the environment, and you need to wear earphones. That’s not exactly a practical solution. Firstly, it’s not hands-free, unless you can mount your smartphone on your body or clothing. Secondly, earphones can be quite cumbersome. Here’s where Google Glass comes into play. Glass comes with two things that will be important in this application:
This assumes, of course, that the headset is paired with an Android device for sight-to-sound translation. A current limitation, too, is that sight-to-sound works best with stereo headphones, which gives the brain a better way of positioning the sound relative to a three-dimensional space. Otherwise, it might just end up confusing because you will hear an object description, but will not know where exactly it is. This new development will not exactly restore vision, although it’s a good substitute until that time in the distant future when we can directly interface our devices with our brains. Check out the video for a sample of how vOICe gives audible cues (like “pings”) to help navigate through a 3D space. You can also check out the vOICe for Android project page (in the source links) for a better description of how the application works. If you’re curious as to the capitalization, think of OIC as “oh, I see.” The post The blind can now “see” with Google Glass appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Posted: 21 Mar 2013 03:52 PM PDT
Google's former CEO and current Chairman Eric Schmidt on Thursday said during a Q&A session at the Google Big Tent Summit in India that the Google Now app for iPhone and iPad is essentially in Apple's court, hinting that the app could be stuck somewhere in Apple's App Store app approval queue. Without expressly confirming that Google Now for iOS is waiting approval from Apple, Schmidt did say the following when moderator Alan Rusbridger asked him about the app:
But Schmidt didn't deny the app or Google's interest in bringing Google Now to iOS or other mobile operating systems either. We'll remind you that it was only a few days ago that a Google Now app for iPhone and iPad app was revealed by a video posted on YouTube, and then pulled, which looked very much like the real deal. At the time, we wondered whether the app will soon be available in the App Store, but Google didn't announce anything officially. Google already has a bunch of apps available to iOS users, including Google Voice, YouTube and Google Maps, so it would make plenty of sense to see Google Now also launched for iPhone and iPad, especially since the app could help Google bring in more ad-based cash to Google's coffers. But it turns out that the app has not been submitted to the App Store, according to an Apple representative that talked to The Verge. Apparently there are no Google apps in the review process at the moment:
That certainly goes against what Schmidt said just a few hours before Apple clarified the matter, so we'll have to wait and see what happens with this one. Do you think that Google Now should be an Android-only feature or should Google also expand to other OSes, iOS included? The post Google Now for iOS in Apple court, hints Eric Schmidt; Apple says it doesn't have it in the App Store app approval queue appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Samsung hard at work on 10.1- and 11.6-inch Full HD AMOLED display, says rumor Posted: 21 Mar 2013 02:53 PM PDT
The rumor mill is firing up again. Only a day after hearing details about a Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Tab 3, Sam Mobile is reporting that they have information on a Galaxy Tab 3 Plus with a Super AMOLED Full HD display. Samsung has seen a positive response regarding its AMOLED panels, which is why the company is getting ready to produce them on a larger scale. According to the publication, Samsung wants to make a high-end tablet that can compete with Apple’s and Sony’s premium tablets, the iPad and Xperia Tablet Z, respectively. While an exact screen size could not be confirmed, the insider suggests that the screen could be 10.1- or 11.6-inches in size. Apparently, Samsung is hard at work developing the display and there are high chances of the Galaxy Note 3 Plus being unveiled at IFA in Berlin, Germany, along with the Galaxy Note 3. Additionally, the insider confirmed that Samsung will be using an Exynos 5 generation chip in its upcoming premium line of tablets, which means that there are also high chances of the chip making its way into the Galaxy Note 3. The Galaxy Tab 3 Plus makes a lot of sense considering that the only tablet Samsung really has competing at the premium level is the Nexus 10. The popularity of Samsung’s AMOLED displays has been immense, but I can’t help but wonder what happened to those flexible displays that we were supposed to see this year, although, Corning claims that flexible displays are at least three years out. Keep in mind that these are just rumors and that they should be taken with a grain of salt. Hopefully we’ll be back with an update confirming their legitimacy soon though! The post Samsung hard at work on 10.1- and 11.6-inch Full HD AMOLED display, says rumor appeared first on Android Authority. |
| LG E980 hits FCC, could be the Optimus G Pro for AT&T Posted: 21 Mar 2013 02:51 PM PDT
Uh oh, Samsung Galaxy Note 2, you might be getting company soon on AT&T’s network. The LG E980 has now hit the FCC with AT&T’s LTE bands. For those that don’t know, the E970 was the model number of the LG Optimus G. This means it is very possible that the LG Optimus G Pro could soon be on its way to AT&T. While Samsung’s Note 2 continues to dominate in the 5.5-inch+ smartphone market, the LG Optimus G Pro could possibly give Samsung a run for its money. The G Pro is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, has 2GB of RAM and 32GB of memory. Some of the other specs include a 13MP camera, and a 3140 mAh removable battery. Of course there are quite a few other Snapdragon 600-based devices on their way in the coming months that could easily overshadow the Optimus G Pro, but if you really want a Note-sized smartphone powered by a Snapdragon 600 or higher without waiting for whatever Samsung brings with the Note 3, this one could sure be tempting. At the moment we can’t say with certainty that the LG E980 is in fact AT&T’s version of the LG Optimus G Pro, but it seems pretty likely. If the G Pro does come to AT&T’s network, would you be interested or would you rather wait off for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3? The post LG E980 hits FCC, could be the Optimus G Pro for AT&T appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Despite CEO’s comments, Visa has no plans for digital wallet fee – yet Posted: 21 Mar 2013 02:17 PM PDT
Recently Mastercard announced a new program that would impose digital wallet operator fees on PayPal, Google Wallet and others. In response to the move, Visa’s CEO Charlie Scharf said that these kinds of fees are "totally appropriate". Does that mean that Visa is actually planning a similar move? At least as the moment, the answer is no. According to Visa’s global head of product, Jim McCarthy, the company has no plans to implement a digital wallet fee at this point. But what about Scharf’s comment saying he didn’t think fees were such a bad idea? A Visa spokesman claims that Scharf’s comments are "more about the changing relationship with payment industry participants, rather than the potential for a specific fee." Why are card companies considering these kinds of fees, or in Mastercard’s case already implementing them? The big reason is that while digital wallets make the customer’s life easier, it also gets in the card company’s way of collecting data about your purchasing habits. Again, not a bad thing for the customer, but not something that makes the card companies too happy. If the idea of fees eventually comes to all the card companies, it might make it hard for wallet services to make money of their digital wallet service. In order to bring up their profit margins they might even start imposing their own charges on the customer. Of course it is hard to really say for sure at this point. At the moment, Mastercard is the only one who has come forward with a plan to charge wallet operators, with both Visa and Discover officially declaring they have no such plans. Again, this could change in a heartbeat as virtual wallet services continue to gain in popularity. The post Despite CEO’s comments, Visa has no plans for digital wallet fee – yet appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Crescent Moon’s Ravensword: Shadowlands finally arrives on Android Posted: 21 Mar 2013 01:28 PM PDT
Love the Elder Scrolls series, and looking for something similar for mobile devices? Many years ago Crescent Moon delivered just that with its ambitious Ravensword: The Fallen King, and now they are back with an even more impressive sequel, Ravensword: Shadowlands. Shadowlands technically isn’t a new game, since it debuted in late 2012 on iOS devices, but this is the first time that Android users can snag the game from Google Play and Amazon’s AppStore. So what makes this one so special? Honestly, it is one of the few mobile games out there that can compare with traditional console and PC games when it comes to the shear number of features, not to mention its rather impress graphics. From horseback combat to pick-pocketing, from a reputation system to a jail system, the world of Ravensword: Shadowlands is teeming with just about every feature you could ever dream of when it comes to any RPG, let alone a mobile game. Just about every review for the game has pointed to an experience that is rich in content, has a reasonably decent story and hard-to-beat visuals. Some of the other more interesting features of the game include the ability to switch between 1st and 3rd person viewing and the existence of both land and air mounts. The game also seems to have decision based quests that help lend to the experience, and can bring your reputation up or down. Despite tons of kick-ass features, the game isn’t all sunshine and rainbow. Some critics say that the combat has a few issues that get in the way of the game’s enjoyment. Additionally, there have been complaints of optimization issues with some handsets, and even a reports of a bug that causes the game to crash after the first troll battle. Flaws aside, the game is probably worth throwing down the $6.99 if you are a big fan of in-depth action RPGs like Skyrim, though it might need a few updates before it truly becomes of your cash. What do you think, willing to give this one a shot or not? The post Crescent Moon’s Ravensword: Shadowlands finally arrives on Android appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Google Keep – full Android app review Posted: 21 Mar 2013 12:54 PM PDT
Google Keep features and how-toGoogle Keep is a really simple application to use. There are a total of five ways to take notes with this application. The first is to use the quick note feature at the top of the main screen. This is a nice way of putting down a sentence or two into a note quickly without any hassles. Once it’s completed, it takes the qualities of a regular text note. This brings us to our second method which is the regular text note. Using this method, you can write down a note, memo, etc and make it as long as you want it to be. During testing we were unable to find a character limit so you can probably write a novella in there if you want to. Next is the checklist note. It’s formatted in a list view so you can make a list without any special actions on the part of the user. You can do a grocery list, a to-do list, or whatever kind of list you can think of. The fourth method is by using the picture note feature. When you use this note method, the camera app opens up. You snap a picture of whatever you want to take a picture note of and it loads it into a note for you to remember. An option is to add text to the picture so you can remember why you took the picture. The last method is really two methods rolled into one and it’s the voice note feature. In the Google Keep app, you can record a note with your voice. Google Keep then saves that audio file so you can listen to it again later. It will also dictate the audio so you can read it. During our testing, Google Keep did a great job with the voice dictation. Also, as per the norm, you can add text. The second part of this feature is you can use Google’s Voice Search from anywhere in the phone to leave a voice note. Simply start by saying “note” or “take a note”, then say what you want noted down. Voice Search will port that audio into Google Keep for you and create a new voice note.
Google Keep other featuresOnce you’ve got yourself a library of notes, there are a variety of ways to interact with them inside of Google Keep. You can share them to any social network you want, for starters. If you long press a note, you can drag it around and re-arrange notes at your leisure. When you’re finished with a note, you can either delete it by long pressing or archive it. You can go and see your archived notes at any time from within Google Keep. Also, you can assign colors to your notes so that you can immediately tell what they are for. For instance, you can make all your lists blue and all your voice notes red. So when you see blue, you know it’s a list. In addition, if you log into your Google account and go to drive.google.com/keep, you can access the web application. It’s very similar in layout and functionality to the mobile version of Google Keep. There you can view any notes you have and create new ones. All notes created are synced to everything, so web notes can be seen on mobile and mobile notes can be seen on the web. This is a very handy feature of Google Keep. Finally, if you are running the latest Android, there is a Google Keep widget you can put on your lock screen to take notes without even unlocking your phone.
Google Keep wrap upOverall, we quite enjoyed Google Keep. While it may not be able to go toe-to-toe with other note taking applications in terms of features, it’s more than makes up for it in other ways. The simple interface, the easy-to-use features, and the variety of ways to take notes makes this a great app for advanced or beginner note takers alike. Also, we really liked that it works so well with Google Drive and Google Voice Search. The only caveat we could think of is that there is no handwriting notes. So if you use a stylus or have a device that comes equipped with a stylus, you won’t be able to use for handwriting apps. If that is your primary form of note taking, then Google Keep may not be for you. To give it a try, you can find it in the Google Play Store. Having trouble finding it? Here’s a link to the Google Play Store download. The post Google Keep – full Android app review appeared first on Android Authority. |
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