Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Android Central

Android Central

OpenTable update brings Foodspotting photos to restaurant listings

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 03:36 PM PDT

OpenTable

Restaurant reservation booking service OpenTable has just update its Android app to include images on restaurant listings from popular service Foodspotting. If you'll recall back to January, OpenTable purchased Foodspotting (which has its own app) in a natural combination of two dining-based services. Well it didn't take long to integrate the services, as now restaurant listings will show foodspotting images from other diners.

For now, if you want to participate in Foodspotting by adding your own images, you'll still need to download the Foodspotting app. We could imagine at some point in the future both apps (and services) will completely combine, but for now they're at least integrating at one point. Grab a download of the updated OpenTable app from the Play Store link above.

PAC-MAN + Tournaments arrives for free on Google Play

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 03:22 PM PDT

PAC-MAN + Tournaments

For the first time ever, Namco Bandai has released a completely free version of PAC-MAN, and it's exclusively available on Google Play. PAC-MAN + Tournaments offers a full-featured free-to-play version of the original game, along with a new "tournaments" feature, which lets you play online against others on new stages each week. The game also has new never before seen mazes available for purchase, along with online leaderboards and achievements.

Namco Bandai also says that it plans on releasing Google Play-exclusive downloadable content in the future as well. The game is of course free to download in the Play Store, so if you're looking to take a trip down memory lane head to the link at the top of this post.

LTE model Chromebook Pixel to ship in early April

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 03:02 PM PDT

Pixel

Google has updated the Play Store device page for the LTE-enabled Chromebook Pixel, and it tells us that orders should ship out by April 8. The upgraded model offers 64GB of internal storage, as well as 100MB of free Verizon LTE service per month, Users can contact Verizon for additional use, and if things haven't changed from previous Chromebooks, you can get a monthly no contract plan or a standard LTE device data plan.

The Pixel isn't cheap. Wifi only models are $1299, and the LTE version checks in at $1449. They also aren't for everyone, as Chrome OS is an entirely different animal from the Windows, Mac, or Linux operating system you're probably used to. To learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of Chrome OS, and more about the Pixel itself, be sure to check out our review. 

Source: Google Play. Thanks, everyone who sent this in!

How to set up your HTC One

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 01:13 PM PDT

HTC Get Started

You've got a number of options to transfer data from your old phone to your new HTC One

So you've unwrapped your shiny new HTC One and you're ready to get up and running. In this article we'll help guide you through the process of getting your accounts and preferences in order, in addition to showing you around the new home screen dynamic.

From the BlinkFeed home screen reader to new app drawer setup, there's a lot to get to grips with before you even look at the more advanced stuff. And even more important is the addition of a number of ways to move your data from your old phone to your new HTC One. You can even parse an old iTunes backup to get your stuff off the iPhone and onto your new Android phone.

Check past the break for our walkthrough of your first hour or so with HTC Sense 5 on the new HTC One.

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Evernote 5 available in the Play Store with updated UI, camera, and shortcuts

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 12:57 PM PDT

Android Central

Evernote users will be happy to see that their favorite note taking app has received a large update today, bumping it up to version 5.0. Along with a minor face lift to the user interface, shortcuts are now available that let you quickly access notes, notebooks, and tags. For those that like taking pictures of their notes, the redesigned camera now automatically adjusts photo contrast and shadows for maximum legibility in Page Camera mode. Batch shooting has also been added to the new camera, letting users add multiple pictures to a single note. The new version also brings integration of the Evernote Smart Notebook by Moleskine. Premium users get Document Search, which adds all attached office docs, spreadsheets, and presentations to the universal search.

Grab the update using the Play Store link above. The official developer's change log, along with pictures and videos of Evernote 5's new features, can be found at the source link below.

Source: Evernote

Nexus 7 now available in India directly from the Play Store

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 12:44 PM PDT

Nexus 7 India

The Nexus 7 has just appeared for sale on the Google Play store in India, with a shipping date of April 5. There hasn't been any official announcement to our knowledge, but a couple of quick people on Twitter found it as soon as it went live in the store -- and it doesn't get much more official than that. If you're in India, you can add it to your cart for Rs. 15,999 (about $295) and have it shipped "by April 5, 2013".

Even though the Nexus 7 may seem like old news to those of us who have had easy access to them for several months, it's a huge deal to see Google finally selling Nexus devices directly to India. Google has been making huge efforts to expand Android's presence in the country, which has been growing its mobile and smartphone usage dramatically over the last year.

Thanks, @sandeepnargund and @atulalvenkar!

Google+ app gets redesigned feed, new sharing options

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 11:28 AM PDT

Google+

Snapseed photo filters, other editing tools included in the iOS update

Google today announced an update to its Android and iOS Google+ applications, with a number of new features.

First off, you'll notice that your feed looks a bit different. You get more text before you have to tap through -- definitely a good change. And tapping a photo or video or link now takes you straight to the page to watch the video, view the pic in a lightbox, or to the linked site. Google also says that image previews are now shown full frame. Also, the +1 and share buttons have been moved. Comments scroll through the bottom as well. Good changes, all.

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The Conduit HD hauls first-person shooting from the Wii to Project SHIELD

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 09:11 AM PDT

Android Central

NVIDIA had a huge presence at PAX East 2013, and one of the big titles they were showing off on Project SHIELD was Conduit. This was a game that was originally launched on Wii a few years ago, and they've since managed to port the sci-fi first-person shooter over to Android.

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We're live from GDC in San Francisco!

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 08:38 AM PDT

GDC

The show season's just heating up, and we're live this week from sunny (or is it soggy? Or foggy? Whatever -- just wait 10 minutes) San Francisco for the Game Developers Conference, otherwise known as GDC. Full Mobile Nations coverage is in effect here, with Simon Sage rocking things for Android Central, Rene Ritchie hitting things up for iMore, and Paul Acevedo for WPCentral. 

The coverage starts now, Now, NOW! Get ready for more gaming gamage than should legally be allowed by law!

Breach and Clear to bring tactical SWAT-style action to Android

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 07:31 AM PDT

Breach and Clear was a hidden gem at PAX East 2013. This upcoming indie tactical combat game for Android and iOS promises deep strategic gameplay and high customizability in a free to play format. Players guide an elite police force through tense scenarios where even the slightest wrong move can have deadly consequences. The early build we played at PAX ran really well, considering how early in development it is. Some of the guys working at Gun Media on this title have done some fine AAA games, including Call of Duty, which bodes well for the final product. 

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Debug 11: Don Melton and WebKit

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 07:30 AM PDT

Debug 11: Don Melton and WebKit

 

Don Melton, former Engineering Director of Internet Technologies at Apple, talks to Guy and Rene about open-sourcing Mozilla, building Nautilus, creating WebKit -- the rendering engine now used by the Android browser, Chrome browser, and ChromeOS -- teaching bears to dance, and cleaning cusses from code bases.

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Lightning Launcher: More customizations than you can shake a stick at

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 07:00 AM PDT

Lightning Launcher

One of the great features of Android is the ability to change launchers, and within that category the ability to go completely off the rails with customization -- Lightning Launcher is one of those options. It's going to take some work, but the incredible set of controls and changes you can make with this launcher may be worth it if you're motivated. Best of all, it's free as well.

Stick around with us after the break and see how far the customization can go with Lightning Launcher -- users looking for a basic launcher with a few extra perks need not apply.

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Deal of the Day: Incipio Feather SHINE Hard Case for Galaxy Note 2

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 06:42 AM PDT

Deal of the Day The March 25 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Incipio Feather SHINE Hard Case for Galaxy Note 2. This durable hard case is made with an ultra-light, high density plextonium frame measuring only 1mm in thickness. The case features a brushed aluminum finish that gives your Galaxy Note 2 its own unique shine. Comes in silver, black and white.

The Incipio Feather SHINE Hard Case is available for just $17.00, 43% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping!

Deal also available in the Canada store

Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts

 

Monday Brief: An interview with Thorsten Heins, HTC One review, and more!

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 05:31 AM PDT

Mobile Nations

 

HTC to retire 'quietly brilliant' tagline as marketing strategy becomes bolder

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 05:24 AM PDT

HTC One

With HTC's recent trolling of the Galaxy S4 launch event -- not to mention new features with brash names like "BoomSound" and "UltraPixel" -- it's seemed that the company's been moving away from the "quietly brilliant" tagline it adopted back in 2009.

Now newly-appointed HTC CMO Benjamin Ho has confirmed that the manufacturer will be dropping the "quietly brilliant" slogan as it looks to adopt a bolder marketing strategy. Speaking with the Wall Street Journal, Ho said “we have a lot of innovations but we haven’t been loud enough.” He added that HTC would increase its digital marketing budget by 250 percent this year, and boost its "traditional media" marketing spending by 100 percent.

Ho also confirmed that camera component shortages had been behind the delayed HTC One launch, though this, he claimed, was due to its custom design rather than HTC no longer being seen as a tier-one OEM.

2013 will be a make or break year for HTC, as it attempts to reverse a downward trend in its financial performance brought on by increased competition from Samsung and Apple. The company's hopes rest on the new HTC One handset, and CEO Peter Chou is even reported to have said he'll step down if the phone isn't a success. Early indications, including our own first-hand experience with the device, suggest the new One is indeed an impressive smartphone, but HTC will have to back this up with smart marketing if it's to stage a turnaround.

The HTC One will become available this week in the UK, Germany and Taiwan ahead of a broader international launch in April. For more on the phone, check out our full review.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Start your week with the Greatest Android Podcast in the World!

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 05:15 AM PDT

Android Central Podcast

Now we're not usually ones to toot our own horns -- oh, but what the hell, Thursday night's episode of the Android Central Podcast was pretty damn good. Fireworks, explosions, heated discussions about, well, everything. More HTC One. More Galaxy S4. Google kills some beloved products while announcing others. Plus, we (finally) got caught up on your e-mails and voicemails.

The Android Central Podcast is your weekly peek into the world of Android, where we break down the news that really matters, and explain what's just a bunch of hype. Plus, we answer your e-mails and voicemails. You don't want to miss it. Check out the Android Central Podcast.

Sony Xperia ZL officially priced in the U.S.

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 04:51 AM PDT

Xperia ZL

The Sony Xperia ZL has been listed for pre-order at Sony's U.S. store for some time, but today brings the first official word on pricing for the North American Sony flagship. According to Sony's store listing page, two models will be offered. The first, C6502, will come with pentaband HSPA+ connectivity, whereas the more expensive C6506 will pack those same radios in addition to LTE on Bands 2, 4, 5 and 17. That should get you up and running on AT&T's LTE, as well as T-Mobile's when it launches -- along with a bunch of Canadian carriers.

Unfortunately neither model will be cheap -- the HSPA+ version will sell for $720, while its LTE-capable sibling will cost a whopping $760. Nevertheless, with no carrier deals in sight, it appears this is the only way you'll be able to get your hands on an Xperia ZL in the U.S.

On the hardware side, the Xperia ZL mirrors its international cousin the Xperia Z. Inside there's a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2GB of RAM and a 1080p display, as well as Sony's new 13-megapixel Exmor RS camera. However the ZL trades water resistance and an all-glass design for a smaller footprint, a more ergonomic fit and a physical camera button. For more on the Euro-centric Xperia Z, be sure to check out our full review.

Source: Sony Store

Steve 'Cyanogen' Kondik leaves Samsung

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 04:20 AM PDT

Steve Kondik

Image: SF Android User Group

CM​ founder 'decided to do something new,' offers thoughts on Galaxy S4

In a Google+ post this morning, CyanogenMod founder Steve Kondik offered some of his thoughts on Samsung's new Galaxy S4, before revealing that he's recently left the software engineering job he took at the company just over 18 months ago. In a further G+ comment, Kondik said his exit wasn't "because of anything in particular," adding "Samsung was great. Just decided to do something new."

On the S4 itself, he had praise for the new phone's hardware, saying " the device actually feels quite a bit more solid than the S3" and claiming "specwise, this device blows the competition out of the water." But on the software side, Kondik was critical of Samsung's latest TouchWiz UI. While "more consistent" than earlier iterations, he says, the new TouchWiz's fully tabbed UI "feels like it has been sent a few years back in time to the Froyo days."

The CM founder also had mixed opinions on some of the S4's new features. He praised the touchless "hover" preview capabilities and multi-window support, but said that the eye-tracking "smart scroll" feature "mostly serves to anger me into disabling it." In summary, Kondik called the Galaxy S4 a "solid device" and a "clear choice" for those upgrading from a Galaxy S2. S3 owners, he said, should feel "right at home."

There weren't any real clues as to where Steve Kondik might end up next, but we're sure we're not alone in hoping there's more Android in his future. Best of luck to Steve in his future endeavors!

You can read Steve Kondik's post in full over at the source link.

Source: +Steve Kondik

Thumbs-on with Moga Pro Android gaming controller

Posted: 25 Mar 2013 12:17 AM PDT

PowerA was showing off their new Moga Pro controller at PAX East 2013 and we played a few rounds of Dead Trigger with it. The controller was first announced at CES as a bigger, console-grade accessory for Android gamers. Like usual, the device pairs up over Bluetooth and uses the Pivot application to showcase Moba-optimized apps.

There's also the extendable bracing arm for your device, but tucked underneath is a new switch for enabling HID mode. That makes the Moga Pro a fine choice for games that make use of the standard format. The internal battery should offer upwards of 15 hours of gameplay. 

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