Android and Me |
- How iOS 7 could occupy developers and hurt Android
- CyanogenMod adding live camera tile to quick settings
- Garmin Monterra: Android-powered, outdoor GPS; can run on AAs
- Samsung ventures into carbon fiber; material for next devices?
- KREYOS Meteor looks to challenge Pebble as crowd-funded smartwatch leader
- HP unleashes 21.5-inch Slate 21 AIO powered by Android
- Top 10 most popular Android apps from last week
- Make calls with your tablet; Huawei launches MediaPad 7 Vogue
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, 8.0, 10.1 priced ahead of July 7 launch
- Jay-Z Magna Carta app drops on the Play Store, download now before it’s too late
| How iOS 7 could occupy developers and hurt Android Posted: 24 Jun 2013 01:55 PM PDT What is a platform without its apps? Third-party apps have become the life blood of mobile operating systems. They’re the reason why iOS and Android have absolutely dominated the competition, and the reason why BlackBerry and Windows Phone can’t catch up. In case you haven’t noticed, 2013 is the year of good Android app design. Or at least it was shaping up to be. At Google I/O this year, Google introduced some new app design guidelines, like the navigation drawer. The navigation drawer isn’t necessarily new, but some rules, including how the navigation drawer should operate and how it should be represented, were firmly solidified this year. Already, a handful of popular Android apps have implemented these new rules, keeping them up-to-date with Google’s own apps. This is the first time we’ve seen developers keeping up so quickly with Google. When Holo was first introduced, developers were slow to adopt the design. Strict design guidelines introduced with Android 4.0, heavy usage from users on modern Android and surges in market share have been attributed as reasons why Android apps have finally started to look good and adhere to a common design language. Developers finally had a style guide to look at and lots of users to implement that style for. But there’s another reason, and it doesn’t get brought up much. And that reason is directly related to iOS. For years now, iOS has been utilizing a well-established design language. The user interface of iOS apps are always being tweaked, like with every platform, but for the most part long-standing apps in the App Store have been using the same basic design for nearly five years now. That gave companies the chance to neglect iOS apps and focus on Android. With iOS 7, all of that is thrown out the window. iOS 7 is a lot more than a simple redesign; there are new rules that govern how everything functions. Nearly everything is different. iOS 7 is similar to Ice Cream Sandwich in a lot of ways, but may be even more of a drastic change. Nearly every single iOS app is going to require a massive redesign, which could have developers placing Android on the back burner. It’s no secret that companies tend to favor building for iOS. For whatever reason, whether it’s due to limited hardware options or high adoption rates of current firmware versions, multi-platform apps always seem to come to iOS first. And sometimes, like with Vine, even when apps finally do come to Android, they are missing features and barely work. There are exceptions, but for the most part, they’re limited. You can look at it however you want. But from the outside, as an app consumer, iOS seems to get special treatment. There’s a good chance that special treatment is going to be extra apparent while companies redesign for iOS 7. Anyone who has an app for iOS 7 ready to go this fall is going to have a leg up on the competition. Consumers will flock to their app. Apple will feature them in the App Store and in commercials. No developer is going to be willing to risk that. They’re going to fight for that. They’re going to place all of their focus on that. Unless companies have teams assembled just to concentrate on Android, which many do now, Android apps are going to be pushed aside for awhile. That doesn’t mean that in a business sense, Android will suffer. In fact, I’d venture to guess it won’t really monetarily hurt Android at all. Only a very small portion of the app consuming population will even care about this kind of stuff. But for those of us who have been excited over every up-to-date Holo Android app, well, it might be a boring year. Might. This could be the year we finally see just how committed developers are to Android. Despite iOS seeing a massive redesign, Android app development could carry on as normal. If that happens, that’s a huge story in itself. I still remember a time when a good portion of the most popular apps weren’t even on Android. Those days are clearly long gone, but where developers place focus with iOS 7 launching in the fall will show us just how far we’ve come. |
| CyanogenMod adding live camera tile to quick settings Posted: 24 Jun 2013 12:40 PM PDT In this fas- paced world, capturing photos as quickly as possible is essential. If you spend that extra second or two clicking home and trying to find the camera app, or whatever the situation is, you could miss the perfect photo opportunity. Manufacturers have been striving to make fast shortcuts to get to the camera, like lockscreen shortcuts or even hardware camera buttons that open the camera app (if you’re lucky enough to have one). However, the team behind CyanogenMod is showing off a new feature to help take photos even faster. They added a camera tile to the quick settings in the notification shade. When pressed, it will turn into a live preview of your camera. One more press, and you take a photo in full resolution and identical quality to the standard camera app. And if your device supports it, it’ll even continually focus. This means that you’ll be able to take a photo quickly anywhere in the OS, whether it is in another app, or even a game (even in full screen games, you can swipe down to see your notification bar). And best of all, it won’t waste your battery. It’ll only be on when you tap on it, and it’ll shut off when you close the notification shade. I love this feature and can’t wait to use it when it’s approved and merged. Do you think this method is faster then others? Note: If you don’t flash custom ROMs, there are ways to emulate this speedy approach without the fanciness. Download something like Notification Toggle (Play Store link) and you can add a shortcut to go straight to the camera. It may not be as elegant, but it works! |
| Garmin Monterra: Android-powered, outdoor GPS; can run on AAs Posted: 24 Jun 2013 11:42 AM PDT Outdoor GPS devices are awesome in many applications, like hiking, geocaching and other adventurous activities. However, they’re fairly limited in functionality. How can you get around limitations and extend the usefulness of an outdoor GPS unit? Put Android on it, of course! Everything is better with Android. And functionality is infinite when you get full access to the Play Store. The Garmin Moterra is an outdoor GPS unit that runs Android and comes with a bunch of cool features. It has innovative 3D MapMerge, which allows you to combine two different maps (TPOP, basemap or BirdsEye Satellite Imagery) in 3D. The maps seem quite fancy, and with the 4-inch multitouch display, navigating is far easier than other GPS units on the market. It also comes with a variety of sensors to aid you. The 3 axis compass will make sure you know where north is, even when the device is not level. The Monterra also comes standard with an accelerometer and gyrometer. The barometric altimeter shows, you guessed it, pressure and altitude. And the Monterra even has a UV sensor to tell you when to put on more sunscreen. But we know that the biggest issue Android has is battery life. Will the battery last as long as your trip? Luckily it doesn’t have to. This is the best feature of the device: it can run off the included rechargeable battery or simple AA batteries. How cool is that? Other odds and ends include Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, WiFi, ANT+, an 8MP camera that shoots 1080p video, 8GB of storage with a microSD slot and dual band GPS and GLONASS (pretty important for a GPS unit). And of course, it’s rugged and waterproof. The Garmin Monterra will launch worldwide for $649.99 and in the US for $699.99 (with more advanced maps and Navteq) in the third quarter of 2013. It’s a really steep price, but you’d be getting an awesome GPS unit that will do far more than any other. Would any of you have a use for one? |
| Samsung ventures into carbon fiber; material for next devices? Posted: 24 Jun 2013 10:35 AM PDT Samsung is famous for using “cheap” plastics in their devices. But plastic is not without its advantages. It’s cheap to produce, light and durable. It’s flexible and can take a beating. However, its flexible nature is also responsible for the creaks and cracks everyone hates. It’s not quite “high-end” when your $600 phone sounds like Rice Krispies in your hands. The quality of the Galaxy S 4 improved greatly over that of the Galaxy S III, but people haven’t changed their mind about plastic. And I don’t blame them. Samsung did state that they’re looking into higher end materials for future products. Could they start using metals? I don’t much like metals in phones, but it could make a lot of people happy. Today’s news suggests Samsung may not turn to metal, but rather carbon fiber. Samsung Petrochamical and the SGL Group (The Carbon Company) have established a partnership, each with a 50% share, to create and develop carbon composite materials and new uses. This means that they will work to create a stable long-term supply of carbon fiber. In this partnership with Samsung, we combine our strengths and promote the use of carbon fiber materials in fast growing markets such as digital media. Carbon fiber materials play an increasingly important role in the material substitution process towards lighter products. Our joint venture underlines our strategy to enter new markets and develop innovative applications for our high-performance materials.Juergen KoehlerSGL Group Carbon fiber is a very high-end material; it’s lightweight and very strong. It’s the material used to make the body panels of many sports cars. And if it’s good enough for a sports car crashing into a wall, it’s good enough for your phone. Samsung devices will get to retain their classic light feel while getting a big upgrade in strength. This deal is by no means a confirmation that Samsung will use carbon fiber in their devices. All we know is that Samsung Petrochemical will start creating it and finding new uses for it in tandem with SGL Group. Still, the chances seem excellent, and the opportunity amazing. Would you like your next phone to be built out of carbon fiber? |
| KREYOS Meteor looks to challenge Pebble as crowd-funded smartwatch leader Posted: 24 Jun 2013 10:29 AM PDT The KREYOS Meteor smartwatch is the latest “must-have” gadget to be listed on IndieGoGo. Like Pebble, the Meteor is a waterproof smartwatch that connects with Android and iOS via Bluetooth 4.0, giving users access to messaging, music and a handful of other smartphone features.The KREYOS Meteor features a 1.26-inch Memory LCD 144 x 168 display, 3-axis gyrometer, 3-Axis accelerometer, Vibrating motor and a 150 mAh Lithium Rechargeable Battery, which should provide 7 days of battery life. The KREYOS Meteor outclasses the Pebble in voice and gesture controls, accessories and software. Meteor will be the first smartwatch with built-in microphone and speaker, allowing it to function as a wrist-mounted speakerphone or as a dictation device for rendering and replying to text messages. The 3-axis gyrometer and accelerometer gives Meteor the ability to control music, calls or messages without even pressing a button. KREYOS also plans to use Meteor’s sensors to allow the device to operate as an activity tracker for those who are interested in tracking daily steps, running or biking activity. KREYOS hopes future software development will allow the company to incorporate golf swing or even swimming stroke analysis to help athletes improve performance. Gallery
KREYOS is looking to secure $100,000 in funding through Indiegogo to complete software development and start the initial bulk production run. If funding is secured in the next 46 days, the KREYOS team hopes the Meteor smartwatch will ship by November. So far, more than 800 backers have pledged nearly $80,000 to the project. We wouldn’t be surprised if the full funding goal is reached later today. It’s hard to say if the KREYOS Meteor will be as successful as Pebble, but it’s exciting to see these small companies looking to make a name for themselves. With the chance of seeing a true smartwatch from Apple, Sony, Samsung or even Google by the end of this year, is the KREYOS Meteor a project you’d be willing to back? KREYOS Meteor hardware specs
|
| HP unleashes 21.5-inch Slate 21 AIO powered by Android Posted: 24 Jun 2013 09:04 AM PDT As I struggle to lift my jaw back up off of the floor, I’m still in shock at this latest creation from HP. During their HP World Tour event in Beijing, HP saw fit to release the Slate 21 AIO, a 21.5-inch all-in-one that’s essentially a massive Android tablet. Your eyes didn’t deceive you; it is indeed 21.5 inches of touchable IPS display. Judging by the design of the ‘tablet,’ it’s not meant to be all that portable. Rather this device is intended to take a spot on your desk and replace your traditional desktop computer. From what we know so far, it seems like the Slate 21 will be pretty well spec’d with a Tegra 4 processor, full SD card slot, three USB ports, Ethernet port, and 170 degree viewing angles on the screen. On the software side, the Slate 21 runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, which appears to be mostly stock with a few icon tweaks and extra apps included. The back of the Slate 21 features an adjustable kickstand to allow easy access into different positions for multiple uses. But it should be noted that the kickstand can fold flat to allow the Slate 21 to act as a massive tablet. In the pictures HP provided, the Slate 21 is hooked up to both a mouse and keyboard. Again, this shows that HP wants it to take the place of your desktop. But if you want it, there’s no word on pricing or release details yet. We’ve seen Acer try a similar route, and now we’ll have to wait and see if HP fares any better. An Android desktop could work for people who aren’t too keen on the nuances of Windows but still want a desktop-like device. We’re interested to know: What do you guys think of the Slate 21? How about the idea of an Android desktop in general? |
| Top 10 most popular Android apps from last week Posted: 24 Jun 2013 08:46 AM PDT Every week we cover new Android apps with Fresh Meat on Wednesday followed by Android Gaming on Thursday and Top 10 app updates on Friday. Now every Monday we will look back and see which ones were the most crowd-pleasing among our audience. Read on for the 10 most popular Android apps among your peers from last week. 1. Taskbar – Windows 8 Style
Taskbar – Windows 8 Style is a nifty app that brings the familiar Windows taskbar to your Android device. There are several customization options such as selecting the location of the “start” button and choosing which applications appear in the start menu. Anyone looking for an app to replicate the Windows interface will appreciate Taskbar – Windows 8 Style. 2. Floating Notifications
Remember when Facebook introduced ChatHeads to the public to make it easy to chat with your friends? The team behind Floating Notifications has taken that idea and applied it to app notifications. Once configured, notifications will also show up as an icon on your screen. Tapping this icon presents you with the dialog relating to the notification. 3. How to Make Paper Airplanes
Many of us have probably spent a few hours as a child playing paper trying to make that perfect paper airplane. How to Make Paper Airplanes simplifies this process by providing detailed instructions for dozens of unique paper aircraft that you can create and show off. 4. LEGO® STAR WARS™
There are currently many LEGO® games available on the Play Store, but most of them are geared towards children. LEGO® STAR WARS™ is the first LEGO® game on Android I’ve seen that I’m interested in playing. Our Top 10 list confirms many of you have the same sentiment. 5. Hero of Many
Hero of Many is a unique action adventure that plunges you into underwater worlds filled with mysterious places and water-beings set on your demise. Will you end up being the Hero of Many? 6. Flowpaper Free
The Flowpaper app provides a unique experience with physics-based drawing. Using waves of color, you can create masterpieces that are easy to share with your friends. The Pro version of Flowpaper provides you additional drawing options. 7. Fitness Check-up
Fitness is one critical step in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But what happens if you aren’t sure of your fitness level? Let Fitness Check-up help you. Consisting of 11 simple tests, Fitness Check-up will let you know how fit you are and what you can do to increase your fitness level. 8. 3D Image Live Wallpaper
Live wallpapers are an awesome addition to your Android device. The 3D Image Live Wallpaper app takes your existing wallpaper and applies a new 3D parallax moving effect to make your wallpaper seem more alive. 9. DashClock Widget
The DashClock Widget is a great way to get a quick look at data that is important to you. You can set up DashClock to display missed calls, texts, emails and many other bits of information. The growing number of plugins for DashClock is a good sign of the popularity of this app and another reason check it out. 10. Twilight
Completing the Top 10 this week is Twilight. Research shows that exposure to blue light prior to bed can inhibit you from much needed rest. Twilight attempts to solve this problem on your device by filtering out the blue spectrum and giving you a relaxing red hue to your device. I would advise those of you who have trouble falling asleep to try Twilight and see if it helps. |
| Make calls with your tablet; Huawei launches MediaPad 7 Vogue Posted: 24 Jun 2013 08:39 AM PDT As the line between phones and tablets grows ever blurrier, we’re seeing some very unique devices hitting the market. The latest trend has been to release tablets with calling and SMS capabilities. Samsung started it with the Galaxy Note 8.0 and now Huawei has kept the ball rolling with the Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue. This entry-level tablet is outfitted with g a 7-inch 1024 x 600 IPS display, Huawei KV32 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, 3MP rear camera, .3MP front-facing camera, 8GB storage, microSD card slot and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Huawei’s Emotion UI. But the highlight feature of the device is that it supports both calling and SMS. The built-in receiver works on quad-band GSM networks and UMTS networks on 900/2100MHz spectrums. The MediaPad 7 Vogue can also support 3G connections of up to 42Mbps. And so you don’t have to use headphones, there’s a built-in speaker up at the top of the display to allow you to hold it up to your face and call people. I’m not sure how many people are willing to hold a tablet up to their face to call people, but the MediaPad 7 Vogue certainly offers the ability to do so. The device will launch in China this month with other markets to follow. Would you use a tablet to call and text people?
|
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, 8.0, 10.1 priced ahead of July 7 launch Posted: 24 Jun 2013 07:13 AM PDT The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 line was officially unveiled a few weeks back, but Samsung has just now decided to reveal pricing and the retail launch date for the US market. Starting July 7, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, 8.0 and 10.1 will be available for $199, $299 and $399, respectively, from electronic retailers such as Best Buy, Fry's and Amazon. Pre-orders for the Android 4.2 tablets kick off June 25. If the low prices are not enough to entice you to buy a new tablet, Samsung is also throwing in a $10 Google Play credit, one year access to Boingo’s 700,000 WiFi hotspots, three months of free Hulu Plus and 50GB of DropBox storage for two years. While I’m personally not a fan of tablet devices, it’s encouraging to see the Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 3 price point start so low. It’s still a hard sell to convince someone to choose the $299 Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 over the $329 iPad mini, but budget conscious consumers shouldn’t have any issue justifying the $199 price tag of the Galaxy Tab 7.0. If you were in the market for a new tablet, would any of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 3 devices be on your shortlist? Show Press Release
|
| Jay-Z Magna Carta app drops on the Play Store, download now before it’s too late Posted: 24 Jun 2013 06:35 AM PDT Samsung and Jay-Z are continuing with their marketing promotion right on schedule with the release of the Jay-Z Magna Carta app in the Google Play Store. The app is available for download today only, so you better hurry if you want to grab it. A closer look at the terms and conditions of the promotion shows that only the first one million people to download the app will be eligible to receive the album. As a reminder, the album goes live on July 4 at 12:01 a.m. EST for people who have downloaded the app. That’s a full 72 hours before it’s released for anybody else. Even if Jay-Z isn’t really your flavor of music, this is still a huge deal. Samsung is changing the way that albums are released by turning it into a promotion (and giving consumers another reason to own a Samsung phone). This concept is one that we could see adopted by other companies. It is expensive for the manufacturer, but it does give people another incentive to own their product. One more thing we should mention is that there was some confusion over whether or not the giveaway would count towards album sales. Billboard has confirmed that they will not be counting the one million albums that are given away towards their sales chart. With the app out now, who’s downloading it? |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Android and Me To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment