Android Authority |
- Android Authority On Air – Episode 58 – Nexus 4 Charging Orb Giveaway and Facebook’s New Home
- Lost in translation: HTC First apparently runs stock Android under all that Facebook Home
- Facebook Home privacy explained by social network
- OUYA to improve software, build quality for June launch
- Google Fiber reportedly coming to Austin, Texas after press conference next week
- YouTube Android app update comes with easier access to subscriptions
- The Room, developed by Fireproof Games, is now available on the Play Store
- Unlocked 32GB HTC One available for pre-order from HTC
- Android growth is leveling off in the US
- Fast paced hovercraft racer ‘Repulze’ hits Google Play
| Android Authority On Air – Episode 58 – Nexus 4 Charging Orb Giveaway and Facebook’s New Home Posted: 05 Apr 2013 05:45 PM PDT
Onto other hardware news, rumors put a Nexus 7 refresh to rock a 1080p display and a Snapdragon processor dropping sometime this June or July. You know that report that said the Exynos 5 Octa supports 20 LTE bands? Well, not really. The Hisense Pulse received Google TV update 3 this week enabling voice search, Amazon Instant Video and more. Onto app news, some of our favorite apps received updates this week including Google Search, YouTube, and Google Sound Search. Carriers continued to LTE all the things this week with AT&T rolling out 14 new markets. T-Mobile also made headlines announcing the first quarter in 4 years that they gained subscribers. We guess the ‘Uncarrier’ strategy is working. And last, but not least, patent wars reared their ugly head this week. Apple’s bounce-back patent is finally invalidated. Yay! All this and more on Android Authority On Air. The giveawayWe recently reviewed the Nexus 4 Charging Orb. You can check it out here. This week on Android Authority On Air, we’re giving you the chance to win your very own Nexus 4 wireless charger. All you have to do is visit this post and drop a comment with the #androidauthority tag. Let us know why your love your Nexus 4. Once all the entries are tallied, we’ll randomly choose a winner and notify them. Miss the show? Watch or listen below. Additional ways to tune in: Stitcher |iTunes | Miro | RSS The post Android Authority On Air – Episode 58 – Nexus 4 Charging Orb Giveaway and Facebook’s New Home appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Lost in translation: HTC First apparently runs stock Android under all that Facebook Home Posted: 05 Apr 2013 05:04 PM PDT
After being officially unveiled during a special media event, the Facebook Home user interface and the HTC First handset were thoroughly analyzed by the media, but it looks like one particular feature of the handset was overlooked, the operating system underneath the new user interface. As Phandroid found out during its hands-on time with the device, it looks like the HTC First runs a stock Android version underneath the Home user interface, which makes it the first HTC handset after the G2 to come with stock Android on board, even though it's not comparable to the kind of stock Android you get with Nexus devices:
Facebook and HTC may have tweaked the OS to allow a deeper Home integration on the HTC First – the first handset in the world to have Home preloaded – but Home can be disabled on the device. In fact, Facebook answered various privacy-related questions in a blog post earlier today, making it clear to potential users that Home can be disabled at any time on the devices it is installed on. For a pure Android experience, you can always purchase the latest Nexus model, but did the HTC First also get sort of interesting now that you hear you can run Android on it without any UIs in the way? The post Lost in translation: HTC First apparently runs stock Android under all that Facebook Home appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Facebook Home privacy explained by social network Posted: 05 Apr 2013 04:26 PM PDT
Facebook on Thursday announced its brand new Android initiative, Facebook Home, a user interface filled with custom Facebook apps that take over the lock and home screens. But what about Home privacy? We have already shown you all the features of Home and the HTC First handset that will come with Home preloaded (it's actually the first Android smartphone to pack it,) and we have shared with you our opinions on Home. But it's only now that we can offer you more details about the privacy settings in Home, a day after the company announced the new product. Facebook is still to regain the complete trust of its users, after the various privacy-infringing actions it took over the years. So, naturally, privacy is an important matter when looking at Home. And one would think that the company would address such concerns right off the bat, but Facebook didn't do during or after the event. In a blog post on Friday, Facebook answered some questions regarding Home and privacy:
The company said that users won't have to install Home on their Android device to use Facebook. Home is optional, and the Facebook for Android app will work independently, so you won't lose access to Facebook in case you don't like Home. Once installed, Home can be turned off from Home Settings. Alternatively, users can turn on the Home lock screen feature if they don't want Facebook to take over the lock screen as well. While it's not specifically mentioning HTC First, Facebook does seem to say that you can use the handset without Home on it.
As for location services, Home doesn't collect location data "in anyway that's different from the Facebook app" for Android, and location services can be turned off whenever you want from the phone's settings. What's more interesting for Android handset users is the kind of information Home collects, including data from non-Facebook applications. Here's what Facebook had to say about its Home data collection practices:
What do you think about Facebook's Home and privacy? Do you trust the social network with your data? The post Facebook Home privacy explained by social network appeared first on Android Authority. |
| OUYA to improve software, build quality for June launch Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:48 PM PDT
The first OUYA consoles have already shipped to early backers, but the Android console does appear to have some issues, which the company will try to fix until the June 4 launch. As Engadget points out, OUYA backers have found both hardware and software issues with their brand new consoles. For starters, some OUYA buyers received the controllers with the "removable faceplates already removed, having slipped off during shipment." But what could be more annoying for OUYA users is the reported lag "between input and on-screen response" that could affect gameplay. The good news is that OUYA is listening to complaints and says it will continue to improve the console both when it comes to hardware and software, with an increased focus on the latter. The company wrote on its blog that a "software (r)evolution" is coming. The responsiveness of the console will be improved, but new features will also be added in time for the June launch including:
Meanwhile, OUYA expects early backers to continue to provide feedback to the company about their OUYA experience. And on that note, we're looking forward to hear more details about how your OUYA console is treating you. The post OUYA to improve software, build quality for June launch appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Google Fiber reportedly coming to Austin, Texas after press conference next week Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:36 PM PDT
Google Fiber has been met with great success in Kansas City, so much so that the service could be expanding. According to VentureBeat, Google and the City of Austin are sending out invites to a press conference next week for “a very important announcement." As Slash Gear mentions, since Google is collaborating with a city government body, it is assumed that one of the things that could be in the works is Google Fiber. This has not been confirmed, of course, but it seems that it is highly possible considering that Austin, Texas is a tech-based city. Google’s announcement will take place on April 9 at 11 a.m, and "more than 100 community leaders and elected officials to be in attendance to celebrate this announcement." Unless Google is handing out a pair of Google Glass’ to all of the elected official, it seems that all the signs point to a Google Fiber rollout. Regardless, the announcement is only less than four days away, so it won’t be long until we hear something official. Let’s just hope this isn’t some mean and delayed April Fools day joke. The post Google Fiber reportedly coming to Austin, Texas after press conference next week appeared first on Android Authority. |
| YouTube Android app update comes with easier access to subscriptions Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:17 PM PDT
A YouTube Android app update has been made available by the video streaming service (that recently passed the one billion monthly users mark) and, while it doesn’t bring any huge changes, it does include some pretty useful new features. The Android app allows users easier access to the latest video uploads from channels they’re subscribed to, which is done through the “My subscriptions” feed. The new option, while it may not look like much, brings everything from your channels in one place, so you don’t have too look through all the separate channels. Users will be happy to hear that the new YouTube Android app update also fixes a bug that caused the app to sign out of some accounts at times. The new update also caters to video creator channels, as it offers YouTube One Channel branding – YouTube’s method of branding channels and making them look similar on all devices, which also includes things like the possibility to have a channel trailer that’s only shown to non-subscribers. Also included in this update are the customary bug fixes and stability improvements. Do you think the My subscriptions option in the update will be useful to you? The post YouTube Android app update comes with easier access to subscriptions appeared first on Android Authority. |
| The Room, developed by Fireproof Games, is now available on the Play Store Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:07 PM PDT
The Room, after making its Android debut on the Humble Mobile Bundle, is now available to purchase on the Google Play Store for $1.99. As the name implies, the player is stuck in a room, except with a locked ornate safe. The Room is a difficult game, but players will find themselves intrigued until the very end. The Room has also seen some great success as well. The game had a great run on Apple’s App Store, but also received the BAFTA Award for Best British Game. If you’re interested, be sure to check out the trailer below and head to the Google Play Store right after. The post The Room, developed by Fireproof Games, is now available on the Play Store appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Unlocked 32GB HTC One available for pre-order from HTC Posted: 05 Apr 2013 03:06 PM PDT
The HTC One is already available for pre-order in the U.S. from two of the three mobile operators that are going to carry it (AT&T and Sprint), but not all potential buyers will qualify (or want) to buy the handset with a new two-year agreement. You could get the handset for T-Mobile, where it will cost just $99 off contract but with monthly installments, but the carrier does not offer the handset up for pre-order yet. That's where HTC steps in, to offer those customers an unlocked 32GB HTC One for pre-order. The phone can be purchased straight from HTC's U.S. site and will cost $574.99. We're looking at the GSM version here, which means the device will only work with either T-Mobile or AT&T SIM cards. Developers interested in the handset should check the 64GB HTC One developer edition model that's also available for pre-order and will treat you with an unlocked bootloader right out of the box. This model is also carrier-free. Everyone else looking for a local HTC One deal should check out our HTC One buying guide. And while you wait for your HTC One delivery, make sure you check out our thorough review of the handset (the video review is available above). The post Unlocked 32GB HTC One available for pre-order from HTC appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Android growth is leveling off in the US Posted: 05 Apr 2013 02:24 PM PDT
As Android fans, we enjoy hearing success stories. Worldwide market share is dominant, and we like what Android has to offer over other platforms. It seems a new, amazing device is on offer weekly, and the customization is mind boggling. A recent report from Business Insider made us all scratch our heads a bit. It seems Android activation is leveling off in the US, a trend we're not used to for prolonged periods. Even more concerning was the holiday season, which saw a downward trend, one that continues into 2013. Of course, this allows for Apple and other operating systems to encroach on Android's territory. If the chart above is any indication, Apple is making up ground on Android. This levels the playing field a bit for everyone involved, but is it a problem for Google? Perhaps this trend is due to Android leveling off a bit in terms of updates. Since Ice Cream Sandwich, nothing major has come from Android. JellyBean is an improvement, but ICS was a huge leap forward from Gingerbread, and even Honeycomb. The next iteration will be an improvement, we're sure, but also a natural progression rather than a leap forward. Perhaps the world waits in anticipation. Google Glass is coming, and the rumored Motorola X line has a lot of grassroots hype. Over the holiday season, there were plenty of great deals to be had… but no great devices. The Nexus 4 wasn’t ready for the holidays, and Samsung hadn’t yet delivered their much anticipated Galaxy S4. Do we have anything to concern ourselves with? Not really. This is currently worth attention, but not alarm. Overall growth remains strong for Android, but if this trend continues, we'll start to question it in detail.
The post Android growth is leveling off in the US appeared first on Android Authority. |
| Fast paced hovercraft racer ‘Repulze’ hits Google Play Posted: 05 Apr 2013 02:08 PM PDT
Are you a fan of fast-paced racing games that feature on-track weapons and power-ups to help you win the race? If so, you’re going to want to check out Repulze, which has just touched down on Google Play. This fast-paced hovercraft racer should certainly appeal both to fans of games like Wipeout and F-Zero, and kart racing players as well. There are also quite a few interesting tracks to check out including a volcano setting and a desert canyon. When it comes to control mechanics, the game supports both tilt-based action or the ability to use the touchscreen to control your hovercraft. Is the game perfect? No. For one thing, there is no multiplayer. You can compare times through a leader board or even race against your own times in ‘ghost mode’, but that’s as far as it goes. Still, it is probably worth it if you don’t mind a ‘single-player only’ experience. While many games seem to be going with the free-to-play approach these days, Repulze is $2.99, though it still manages to tack on some in-app purchases. The developer does state that these purchases aren’t necessary to fully enjoy the game though. What do you think, interested in giving this one a try or not? The post Fast paced hovercraft racer ‘Repulze’ hits Google Play appeared first on Android Authority. |
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