Android Community |
- Google axes the Motorola X-Phone in latest Analyst report
- Google Wallet physical cards cancelled ahead of Google I/O
- Facebook Home arrives for the GALAXY S 4 and HTC One
- Google Hangouts could launch at Google I/O as rebranded version of Babel
- Samsung GALAXY S 4 Active with rugged design appears headed towards AT&T
- Google’s next-generation Nexus 7 specs leak ahead of I/O 2013
- AT&T adds the black HTC One, 32GB GALAXY S 4 and LG Optimus G Pro
- Carmageddon for Android released by Stainless Games
- BBC show Watchdog to investigate Samsung Galaxy S 4 app bloat
- Bluetooth SIG documents tip Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is real
- ASUS Tranformer tablet teased in latest Computex video
- Robird for Twitter updated with timeline streaming and lower price
- HTC One doesn’t support Qualcomm Quick Charge
- Facebook Home update will return our standard Android icon dock
- Facebook Home reaches 1 million downloads, usage on the rise
- YouTube paid channel subscriptions confirmed starting today
- Snapchat: Deleted images found hidden in the app
- Amazon Kindle smartphone with glasses-free 3D tipped
| Google axes the Motorola X-Phone in latest Analyst report Posted: 10 May 2013 10:57 AM PDT With only a few days left before Google’s annual developer event Google I/O kicks off, we’re starting to hear some bad news regarding the Motorola X-Phone. While most of the reports have only been rumors, last night some analyst reports suggested Google has actually axed the X-Phone. Claiming that Google is distancing themselves from the phone simply because it isn’t up to their standards.
We’ve heard a lot regarding the X-Phone. Many reports claim Google’s been working on this device alongside of Motorola, others have stated it’s all Motorola. Then Google even came out and said there was 18 months of products in the pipes before Google’s influence would be seen in Motorola devices. Many are excited about the device either way, so here’s why you shouldn’t worry about this rumor. The rumor basically states Google’s turned down the X-Phone, and returned the project to Motorola for further testing, development, and to improve features. This could all just be hype, and possibly an old rumor that was fired up after those comments last month where Google’s CFO said Motorola’s products didn’t “wow” Google. We’ve seen more and more of the X-Phone lately, so take this analyst report with a grain of salt.
According to GSM Insider the smartphone is still coming, and Motorola still aims to put a lot of effort behind it, we just don’t know when. This also means Google might distance themselves from the handset, and it won’t come with stock Android like the leaked images we saw last week. The device has appeared as the Motorola XFON, it was spotted in benchmarks, and tipsters that leaked the photo claims it will arrive on all major US carriers, including Verizon with 4G LTE. At this point we really don’t know what to believe. This has been such a hyped device simply for the ties to Google, so for now we’re taking everything with a grain of salt. We have a feeling Google will be dropping the XFON at Google I/O next week, but there’s a good chance Motorola will do their own thing later this month, or in early June to reveal the handset. SOURCE: PocketNow |
| Google Wallet physical cards cancelled ahead of Google I/O Posted: 10 May 2013 10:46 AM PDT It looks like Google Wallet will be amongst the topics discussed next week during Google I/O. Basically, Google is expected to announce some new features for Wallet. At present it looks like these will include everything from additional rewards and offers to loyalty points. Perhaps more important, it was also said that Google will be adding additional merchants which should make it a bit more convenient for those looking to actually use Wallet.
Aside from what may be coming, it is also looking like one feature has recently been given the boot. The feature that will not be included in the discussion at I/O is the physical Google Wallet cards. Details of these cards originally leaked back in November of last year. At that time we saw an image of the card along with some basic details on the Google Wallet help pages. The dropping of the cards is reportedly due to Google CEO Larry Page. It was said that Page felt these cards were not on the same level as what other payment startups have been doing. Sources have said Page felt they “did not press forward innovation as payments startups like Square have done.” Another factor that was said to have added to the decision was a demo filled with glitches. Page apparently had also been skeptical of these cards for some time now. On that note, adding additional merchants to Wallet could help to increase the user base however there seems to have been the potential for increased awareness with the physical Wallet cards. They could have potentially brought Wallet into the minds of additional users, not to mention, got users in the habit of using Wallet even if they do not have an NFC (or Wallet capable) device. Other details touched on the crossover between Google Wallet and Google Now. At present, it looks like that will not be happening. While there isn’t any reason to believe something will not happen in the future, at present the Wallet and Now teams are described as being “siloed.” In addition to dropping the physical card, it seems some members of the Wallet team have been dropped as well. Details show the head of Google Wallet, Osama Bedier, has left. It was said that Bedier was “pushed out” and Sridhar Ramaswarmy is now in charge of Wallet. SOURCE: AllThingsD |
| Facebook Home arrives for the GALAXY S 4 and HTC One Posted: 10 May 2013 09:56 AM PDT If you’re the proud owner of the HTC One or Samsung’s new GALAXY S 4, and have been looking to cover that beautiful 1080p display with some Facebook, we have good news. Facebook received an update last night enabling their “home on Android” launcher to support and work wonderfully with both devices.
Yesterday evening Facebook updated their regular app, not Home, and that is the update you’ll need to run to the Play Store and grab should you want to try Home on your GS 4 or HTC One. The update fixed some bugs, allows for comment deleting from the mobile app, and then added support for both devices mentioned above. Yesterday we learned a lot about Facebook’s plans with Home. For now the app has received over 1 million downloads, and then Facebook mentioned tons of updates are coming soon to Home. They’ll be tweaking the user experience, and even returning the standard Android icon dock we all love, and what makes a phone a phone. So for now it’s still the same, but changes are coming. Don’t run to the Play Store too fast and get this. The HTC One works great with Facebook Home, but after the install you’ll have that huge black bar with the dedicated 3 dot menu button on bottom, which is a drag, and scrolling through the app tray doesn’t appear to be all that smooth. However, it appears to work quite well on the Galaxy S 4 and viewing photos on the 5-inch 1080p display look gorgeous. We’ll stick to our regular Android, but feel free to hit the link below to get it yourself. SOURCE: Play Store |
| Google Hangouts could launch at Google I/O as rebranded version of Babel Posted: 10 May 2013 09:51 AM PDT Google Babel has been discussed quite a few times over the recent weeks. Babel is said to be a unified messaging service and details have turned up in everything from leaked screenshots to Gmail source code. Of course, there had also been a leaked memo which offered details such as how Babel would bring features to include synced notifications. As of today, another Babel related leak has surfaced and it is now looking like the service has been rebranded ahead of a Google I/O announcement.
TechRadar is reporting that Babel has been rebranded as Google Hangouts. The details of the name change come by way of sources from within Google who provided updated screenshots. These new screenshots do not offer a tremendous amount of new insight, however they do clearly list items such as “Sign out of Hangouts.” Of course, the connection here would have us looking towards Google+. Basically, it is expected that Google+ Hangouts along with other services such as Google Talk will be tied in with this new service. Hangouts appear as if they will bring a service with a wide range of functionality. But perhaps more important, a unified messaging service could simplify things for the average user. After all, there has been plenty of confusion with similar services from Google in the past. For that you can simply look towards Google Talk and Gmail Chat. Looking back to some of the earlier Babel (now Hangouts) details and we have seen this as a service that will be available on a wide variety of platforms to include Android and iOS as well as in Chrome, Gmail and Google+. Some of the earlier features such as the synced notifications will be nice for those with multiple devices. After all, we cannot imagine many enjoy deleting notifications from messages that have already been read somewhere else. Otherwise, there had also been some chatter about Google possibly integrating Voice with Hangouts, however that seemed more of something that would come in the future as opposed to at launch. In fact, even the earlier leak had the Voice integration as coming “eventually.” Anyway, for now we are looking towards an announcement next week during Google I/O and in the meantime, we are going to be on the lookout for additional details. SOURCE: TechRadar |
| Samsung GALAXY S 4 Active with rugged design appears headed towards AT&T Posted: 10 May 2013 09:06 AM PDT Details of a rugged version of the GALAXY S 4 have leaked in the past and while we have yet to see an official announcement from Samsung, it is now looking like the device will be coming to AT&T. This latest round of leaked details hasn’t included a possible release time frame with AT&T, but it was said the GALAXY S 4 Active will be carrying the model number of SGH-I537. The previous leaks suggested the Active would be arriving in July.
As we often see with rugged handsets, the GALAXY S 4 Active is expected to be waterproof and dustproof, but otherwise retain the specs and features of the existing GALAXY S 4. As a recap, the currently available GALAXY S 4 has specs to include a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 2600 mAh battery, 2 megapixel front-facing camera and 13 megapixel rear-facing camera. In addition, the GALAXY S 4 is running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. While there are some advantages to getting a rugged handset, we do have to remember that some may not necessarily even need a GALAXY S 4. Sure, the 1080p display and quad-core processor are both nice bumps from earlier models, but they may not benefit everyone the same. Basically, we are getting to the price here. The GALAXY S 4 is currently sitting at around $199.99 for the 16GB model. Looking towards the Galaxy S III and we see a device with solid specs and with much lower prices. Current AT&T pricing on the Galaxy S III is as low as $29.99 (refurbished) on a two-year agreement. For some, price may win out. The other tricky part here, while the Galaxy S III would likely be sufficient for many in terms of hardware specs, we do understand the desire to have the latest build of Android. On AT&T the Galaxy S III is still running Android 4.1, which means you will be missing some features such as the lock screen widgets. Granted, that is not a make or break feature, but looking forward we are never sure when older handsets will see an update and that can be unsettling for some. VIA Twitter @evleaks |
| Google’s next-generation Nexus 7 specs leak ahead of I/O 2013 Posted: 10 May 2013 07:59 AM PDT Earlier reports have pegged July as the release timeframe for the next-generation Nexus 7 tablet. While that still remains to be seen, it looks like a fairly complete set of specs have since been leaked. Some of them touch on earlier rumors, such as in the case of the display. This latest Nexus 7 leak has the display resolution jumping from 1280 x 800 up to 1920 x 1200.
Before we dive into the remaining specs, we should point out that while these are not coming from Google, they are coming by way of a source that has a proven track record. The details have been released by KGI securities analyst Mingchi Kuo. Other specs mentioned in this report include the processor, which in this case looks to be an APQ 8064 from Qualcomm. This would also be a rather big shift as the current generation Nexus 7 is sporting a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3. Remaining specs look like they will include an HD quality front-facing camera, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and 4000 mAh battery as well as support for the Qi wireless charging standard. Similar to the current Nexus 7, the next generation model is also expected to arrive with NFC. There has also been some recent chatter surrounding NFC, or more to the point, Wallet. Google is expected to announce some updates to Wallet during I/O. Given many of these specs mentioned touch on earlier rumors, there isn’t much in terms of surprise. The other side here is the price. It is being reported that Google will be keeping the price of the Nexus 7 the same. Basically, that is to say Google will have the Nexus 7 available with a starting price point of $199. Further details from Mingchi Kuo show how this would mean Google would be losing roughly $5 to $10 per unit sold. Aside from a price point that stays the same despite the increased in specs, it looks like the Nexus 7 may also be a bit thinner and lighter. For this, the changes would includes a thinner bezel around the edges and a case thickness of somewhere between 7.5 and 8.5mm. Again, looking for the comparison, the current generation Nexus 7 measures in at 10.45mm thick. All said and done, assuming these analyst details prove accurate — the Nexus 7 should be getting a good boost. That also brings another point, Kuo believes Google will be able to sell roughly 5 million during the second half of 2013. [via 9to5 Google] |
| AT&T adds the black HTC One, 32GB GALAXY S 4 and LG Optimus G Pro Posted: 10 May 2013 07:01 AM PDT AT&T has a few new smartphone additions as of today. Or maybe more specific, AT&T has some updated models from earlier releases available as of today. The news includes the GALAXY S 4 which is now available in a 32GB model as well as the Stealth Black version of the HTC One and the LG Optimus G Pro. Anyway, as these are simply additions to previous releases, the specs and pricing may sound familiar to some.
All three of these devices are available by way of the AT&T website. Beginning first with the 32GB GALAXY S 4. AT&T has this model priced at $249.99 on a two-year agreement. Alternatively, the full retail pricing is $669.99. Unlike the 16GB GALAXY S 4 which is available in black or white, the 32GB GALAXY S 4 is only available in black. For comparison sake, the 16GB GALAXY S 4 is priced at $199.99 on a two-year agreement. Next up is the HTC One. With this the One is now available in Stealth Black (in addition to the previously available Glacial Silver). The black model One is available in the 32GB and 64GB varieties and those are priced at $199.99 and $299.99 respectively. The full retail pricing for the HTC One is $599.99 (16GB) and $649.99 (32GB). Last up is the general availability of the LG Optimus G Pro. This handset is selling for $199.99 on a two-year agreement or at $549.99 with no agreement. The Optimus G Pro brings features to include a 5.5-inch Full HD display, quad-core 1.7GHz processor, 32GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, 3140 mAh battery, 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Those curious about any of these may benefit from some of our reviews and for the links — head to the Story Timeline sitting below. |
| Carmageddon for Android released by Stainless Games Posted: 10 May 2013 06:36 AM PDT As was expected, Stainless Games Ltd has released Carmageddon. The app can be found by way of the Google Play Store and at the moment is available in two versions. There is the promo release and the paid release. The key here, both of these are the full and complete game. That being said, lets cover what Carmageddon is and break down these two versions to see which you may want to grab.
Carmageddon originally launched back in 1997 and while having sold more than two million copies, it was not without its share of controversy. Without getting deep in that story, lets just say that Carmageddon is on the violent side. Stainless Games Ltd eventually lost the rights to the game and things stood still for quite some time. More recently though, they secured those rights and proceeded to launch the game as a Kickstarter offering. That project has since closed and that is why the game has returned. That is also why there are several versions available.    The Promo release, which is free for the first 24 hours (basically, you will need to download this on on May 10th if you want it) as a thank you to the Kickstarter project. The other release is priced at $1.99. As mentioned, both are the full and complete game. The catch with this, the Promo release will be removed from the Play Store after 24 hours which means it will never be updated. In other words, if you want updates, you may want to grab the paid version. Of course, there is always the option to download the promo release and play it for a while to make sure this is the game you want. Otherwise, Carmageddon will run on devices with Android 2.3.3 or later and for those wondering, this is the same game that many came to love (or hate) back in 1997. Those looking for the links, you will be able to grab the Promo version here and the paid version here.    |
| BBC show Watchdog to investigate Samsung Galaxy S 4 app bloat Posted: 10 May 2013 03:01 AM PDT A lot of people who purchased the Samsung Galaxy S 4 have turned the device on only to realize that only half the storage promised is available to use. The reason so much in the 16 GB of internal storage is full as soon as the device is turned on has to do with a huge amount of software bloat. The BBC network in the UK has a TV show called Watchdog.
The show is a consumer affairs program and it is set to air an episode of an investigation into Samsung’s popular smartphone. The episode will reportedly air on May 15. While most of us in the US won’t be familiar with Watchdog at all, apparently the show is very popular and has been on the air in the UK since 1980. The program reportedly has a long track record of investigative journalism that has at times resulted in consumer rights complaints and even the creation of new laws stemming from its coverage. While it’s unclear exactly what the episode will cover, it’s a safe bet that considering almost 8 GB of the 16 GB storage is filled up with Samsung installed software right out-of-the-box that will be the main focus. Samsung certainly risks consumer ire when it advertises 16 GB of storage and only half that amount is actually available to users. Granted, it’s straightforward and easy to delete the content you don’t want making bloatware more of an irritation than a true fault with the smartphone. However, it certainly wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for the show to result in Samsung having to be more clear about how much storage space is actually available. [via SlashGear] |
| Bluetooth SIG documents tip Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is real Posted: 10 May 2013 02:50 AM PDT If you follow the smartphone and technology world, you may be familiar with the Bluetooth SIG. That is an organization that lays hands on pretty much every device that uses Bluetooth to ensure that it works as it is supposed to. Some documents have turned up over on the Bluetooth SIG that seem to show that the rumored Samsung Galaxy S 4 Zoom is an actual device.
That is of course assuming that the part numbers that have been rumored to go along with the also rumored Galaxy S 4 Zoom, SM-C1010 and SM-C101, are accurate. The information on the Bluetooth SIG website really sheds no light on exactly what the device will offer. The only thing it does have is a design name listing Samsung Mobile Phone SM-C101. Rumors insist that the Galaxy S 4 Zoom will look like the S 4 Mini. The most interesting feature rumored for the Zoom is an impressive camera. The rear camera is said to feature 16-megapixel resolution and optical zoom. Clearly, that rumored optical zoom is where the device gets its name. Other details of the phone that had been rumored include a launch date of early June. The phone will come in black first and as a white version is tipped. Exactly how much the phone will cost is unknown, but if any of these rumors are accurate it sounds like a high-end device. [via SlashGear] |
| ASUS Tranformer tablet teased in latest Computex video Posted: 09 May 2013 04:36 PM PDT With Computex quickly approaching it’s about time we start seeing teaser videos and hints at what companies might be bringing to the show, and today ASUS has done just that. The folks from ASUS released a quick Computex 2013 teaser trailer, and mention the word “Transform” about 4 times and it has our interest piqued.
The last main tablet from ASUS, in terms of Android, was the Infinity Pad back in February, and since then we’ve been waiting for their next big announcement or flagship tablet. They’ve been busy updating everything to the latest version of Jelly Bean, released the 7-inch ASUS FonePad and MemoPad, but it’s time for more Transformer Tablets. Computex isn’t usually a big event for Android, but there’s a chance we’ll see some hybrid Windows 8/Android tablets come out to play, as well as countless other devices. Instead of wondering what we might see, we’ll just let you enjoy their teaser video available below. With plenty of “Transform” taglines plastered throughout the video and talk of innovation, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Computex 2013. With quad-core Snapdragon 800 processors, Tegra 4 and more on the Horizon June 6th for Computex would be a good time for ASUS to announce their next-gen Android tablets. We’ll monitor their teaser videos and update when we know more. [via Droid-Life] |
| Robird for Twitter updated with timeline streaming and lower price Posted: 09 May 2013 03:52 PM PDT Last month while searching for a suitable replacement to TweetDeck since Twitter decided to shut it down, we stumbled across and then reviewed an awesome new Twitter client called Robird. It offers nearly as many features as we’ve seen from most, has an awesome flat Holo-inspired UI, and today just got updated with even more neat features.
If you’ve been looking for a fast, stable, and smooth Twitter client for Android that also has working push notifications, Tweetmarker support, and more you’ll want to check out Robird. Since reviewing the application on April 5th it has seen 3 updated that fixed bugs and added new features. It’s safe to say the developers are working hard on Robird. Along with multiple themes, notification options, in-stream enable/disable images and more today they’ve updated Robird with another excellent option. And that is streaming support. This means you can enable real-time streaming on your Twitter feed on mobile. No more dragging down or hitting refresh, it does it all automatically. For those worried about battery they’ve added an “only stream on WiFi” option to conserve that precious juice too. Today’s update added support for the Timeline real-time streaming mentioned above, they also added some more locale options, and squashed some bugs with a few image previews not always appearing. Then, today Robird lowered the price of their highly customizable Twitter client to just under a buck. It was previously $1.99 but now just $0.99 cents and you’re set. If you were debating giving it a try, now would be a good time. Get it from the link below. [via Play Store link] |
| HTC One doesn’t support Qualcomm Quick Charge Posted: 09 May 2013 03:31 PM PDT Earlier this year when Qualcomm announced their new Snapdragon 600 and 800 series quad-core mobile processors, one awesome feature was Quick Charge. Sadly we’ve recently learned this additional layer to improve battery life and recharge time was left out of HTC’s flagship One smartphone. Even though their HTC DROID DNA enjoys new technology.
You may be asking yourself what Quick Charge is, and we have all the details right here. Qualcomm explained it in detail back in February on their blog. Explaining that newer devices with their Snapdragon S4 and above (Galaxy S III, DROID DNA, Nexus 4, and more) all charge faster than devices without Quick Charge. Basically less time near a wall, and more time enjoying your smartphone. Quick Charge is a rapid charging technology that lets devices charge nearly 40% faster. So that GALAXY S 4 will take under 3 hours to charge 100%, vs 4 hours with older devices with a similar sized battery. The important part here being that this feature is a part of an integrated solution in the power management chip on Qualcomm Snapdragon devices, from there, it’s up to the manufacturer to support and allow Quick Charge to work. Most do, even HTC, but with the HTC One they left this impressive feature out.
Rapid charging isn’t new, but the way Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors power management handles it is what makes this a unique feature for Snapdragon-based devices. Quick Charge 1.0 allows their PMIC to accept nearly 10 watts of power via USB, and their new Snapdragon 800 can accept 60w and charge devices 75% faster. So while the Samsung Galaxy S III, GALAXY S 4, Nexus 4, even HTC’s DROID DNA, and nearly 70 other Snapdragon devices has this feature, oddly HTC decided to leave it out. Quick Charge is hardware based that needs to be supported by the devices micro-USB port, then the Qualcomm processor does the rest. Maybe this was a cost cutting feature, we’re not sure, but for some reason or another HTC left it out of their One smartphone. We’ve confirmed this with our own tests where the One takes significantly longer to fully charge 100% than the GALAXY S 4 with a bigger battery. HTC PR has also confirmed the One doesn’t support Qualcomm’s Quick Charge feature. This could also be a feature HTC chose to disable to possibly prolong the life of their non-removable battery. So how are you liking your HTC One, and have you noticed the recharge rate isn’t as fast as some devices you’ve used in the past? |
| Facebook Home update will return our standard Android icon dock Posted: 09 May 2013 01:53 PM PDT The folks from Facebook have apparently been having a pretty good month if recently released numbers are accurate, but changes are still coming to Facebook Home. Today they revealed more than 1 million users downloaded Home, and those who still enjoy it use Facebook 25% more. After many complaints however changes are coming, and Facebook is giving us back our standard Android icon dock we all love, and need.
As you saw in our Facebook Home Review, the idea is pretty great, the experience is decent and fun, but it completely limits many of the phone and Android features we know, love, and need. Well, if today’s reports from TechCrunch are accurate that’s about to change a bit. We’ll be getting a bug fixing update later today, and then an overhauled Facebook Home is in the works too. Facebook's VP Cory Ondrejka had a few things to say about Home, and we have all the details. They'll be adding a "Dash Bar" to manage friends and start chats more easily, an improved "dock" as well as a better "new user experience". The most important part here being the dock. Facebook Home removed the standard icon dock in Android for sending a text message, easily making a call, and much more. This made it a great social phone and launcher, but not a very good actual “Phone” to say the least. The next version of Home will return our lovely dock tray of apps, and will also have a new user experience. On first install you’ll get a better navigation and instructional how-to, so users won’t be lost an quickly uninstall the app. We’ll be able to import our old dock of apps, and even create our own in Facebook Home. Lastly Facebook Home will still respect your old device, instead of taking over 100% and putting Facebook front and center while limiting everything else.
We won’t have to choose between having a function Android smartphone and all of our games and apps, or having our friends and social world front and center. Instead of taking over our homescreen Facebook Home will be a layer that will give you the best of both worlds. Or so they think. Do you guys buy it, or are you still staying away from Facebook Home? |
| Facebook Home reaches 1 million downloads, usage on the rise Posted: 09 May 2013 01:35 PM PDT Back during the beginning of April Facebook finally released their “Home on Android” simply called Facebook Home. Now just a month later they’ve confirmed the application has already reached 1 million downloads, and as a result Facebook usage for those with Home installed has increased roughly 25%. That isn’t all either, they have new features coming soon too.
Today while hosting a small event Facebook had tons of news to share regarding download and usage numbers, updates, new features and more according to Tech Crunch. Facebook Home officially hit devices on April 12th, and in just 10 days reached 500,000 downloads. Now less than a month later that number has doubled and they’ve hit the 1 million milestone. However, they didn’t say how many of those were active installs, which is the important stat here. We don’t know how many people are still using Facebook Home, and surely many tried it out just for fun and didn’t decide to keep it. Facebook did mention that for those enjoying Home their Facebook usage has increased by 25% a day. That’s quite a bit if you ask us. We’re already on Facebook enough, but to each his own. Then while going over the numbers Facebook shared some details on an incoming update. Facebook will see a bug fixing update (in the Play Store of course) later today, and coming soon is an improved and tweaked user experience. As you saw in our Facebook Home Review, the concept is good but it just limits too many of those phone and Android features we know, love, and need. It sounds like Mark Zuck and company took notice of everyone’s complains, because the new update will address many of these issues. They’ll be adding a “Dash Bar” to manage and start chats more easily, an improved “dock” as well as a better “new user experience”. The minor bug fixing update should arrive soon, then the improved Facebook Home experience is also in the works, but no details on when that will arrive. [via TechCrunch] |
| YouTube paid channel subscriptions confirmed starting today Posted: 09 May 2013 12:59 PM PDT Over the past few weeks we’ve been hearing a few reports that Google would be introducing some sort of paid channel subscription service for YouTube. Paying a monthly fee to watch your favorite YouTuber. Many were expecting something quite large, but today Google quietly confirmed that starting today this is real and available now in a small pilot program.
The initial pilot program appears to have 53 partners already on board with Google, and they’ll be adding many more in the coming weeks and months. At first you might be worried, but this isn’t current content you love now costing some coin, instead it’s new content that will give us something worth watching, and YouTube partners a better way to make a profit from their work. Looking down the list there isn’t anything too major in the lineup of paid channel subscriptions. I think the only one I’d actually pay for is UFC Select to watch fights, get access to exclusive video and more. No more searching for UFC fights that get pulled, or some teen that uploaded his fight from the Xbox game. Photo guide channels, recipe.TV, Laugh Factory, Comedy.TV and much more. So while it’s a decent start, nothing too eye-catching here.
As you can see Laugh Factory has a free 14-day trail, and then will run YouTube viewers $2.99 per month, while bigger subscriptions such as the UFC was $5.99 and up. The full list can be found at YouTube/paid_channels. Again, we aren’t losing content here, just gaining additional options, but at a cost. Once you pay for a channel you can view it with that Google account from your computer, laptop, tablet, or even smart TV’s. More channels are coming soon, and Google states all will require the 14-day free trial option. Now just give me HBO and Showtime for $4.99 a month and I’m sold. |
| Snapchat: Deleted images found hidden in the app Posted: 09 May 2013 12:28 PM PDT Snapchat touts itself as being the “fastest way to share a moment with friends.” While you can share moments with a variety of apps, Snapchat sets itself apart from the rest by allowing the sender to control how long that message will display on the recipients phone. Users sending images have the option for the image to display up to 10 seconds. Regardless of the specific time you set, the image is supposed to be deleted once that clock runs out.
With that in mind, a recent report is now showing that these images are not actually being deleted from your phone. The work is being done by Decipher Forensics who note that while the app mentions they deleted the image, it is actually being assigned a new file extension and kept within the app. According to Richard Hickman, the Snapchat app has a folder called RECEIVED_IMAGES_SNAPS and the images are being tucked away with a .NOMEDIA file extension. The key here, while these are not going to be visible by the average user, they are there and can be found. The Snapchat app is available for Android as well as iOS, however as of now it looks like the work has been done on the Android side. Hickman has said he perfected the steps to extract these images on an Android device and is now setting his sights on the iOS version. Basically, with a little work (and some money) parents, lawyers and the police can get access to these supposed deleted images. Interestingly enough, Hickman also talked about how images that were taken (and deleted) using the default Android camera app were harder to find as compared to Snapchat images. Bottom line here, this isn’t to say that Snapchat is bad or that it shouldn’t be used, however this should make you think twice about sending any questionable images. [via KSL] |
| Amazon Kindle smartphone with glasses-free 3D tipped Posted: 09 May 2013 11:16 AM PDT Amazon is getting ready to release a pair of smartphones, and even an audio-streaming device of some kind, new tips suggests, and one of those smartphones will even feature 3D. It’s time to fire up those Kindle smartphone rumors again guys. Apparently the high-end Amazon smartphone will use eye-tracking and glasses-free 3D, among other things, for hands-free usage and much more.
According to The Wall Street Journal, sources close to the matter have confirmed the Seattle based e-commerce giant is actually developing a pretty wide array of smartphones, media players, and other gadgets. Their Fire HD line has been popular, but their next move will most likely be in the smartphone space. Two of the tipsters suggest the new glasses-free 3D display will use eye-tracking to let users completely navigate the device without using their hands, at times, and offer a 3D experience and almost hologram experience like nothing seen before on a smartphone. Apparently Amazon's Lab126 hardware division has been hard at work on these gadgets, and as you can see things are sounding pretty interesting right about now.
That is direct from one of the WSJ sources. The tipster then goes on to mention at least two smartphones are being actively developed in the Cupertino campus, as well as the audio-streaming device, and currently are known as Project A, B, C, and D. Most likely all will run on Amazon’s heavily skinned version of Android, but so far we don’t have any additional details. Could they shock the market and offer something truly unique with this hands-free 3D experience? The rumors and tips go on to state these could be released in the coming months, but at the same time one or all of these projects could get tossed aside for performance or financial reasons. So basically some stellar new hardware could be coming from Amazon, but at the same time these special projects might never see the light of day. |
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