| Google Now gets conversational, asks for extra info with certain tasks Nov 14th 2013, 19:25, by Nate Swanner With the update to Google Search and Google Now, one thing went under the radar. We know about the new cards, which is great, but Google Now also got a little more conversational. As a few people have noticed, Google now asks for additional information when needed. 
We first saw this kind of thing at Google I/O, in a demonstration of Google Voice search. In that demonstration, Google could understand context that went unsaid. If you were to ask where the Emprire State building was, then ask "how far is Yankee Stadium from there?", Google would understand where there was, leaving you in contextual heaven.
With the Google Now update, voice activation not only gets a contextual understanding of where you are or what you mean, it also asks for additional info like where you want a message sent. Ron Amadeo at Ars Technica cleverly pointed out that when asking to send a text message, Google Now asked who he wanted to send it to, and then asked what he wanted the message to say. It then offered to let him see his message, and send it along; no buttons pushed. Kevin Toffel of GigaOM has tested the functionality on a Nexus 10 to make sure it wasn't an Android 4.4 thing, as Ron tested it on a Nexus 5. While not widely available yet, Kevin notes it worked just fine on a legacy Nexus device. His Nexus 10 was running Android 4.3, so we're at least confident that Nexus owners will see the functionality soon.
|  | Asus in talks for third Nexus 7 as their Q3 2013 earnings take a hit Nov 14th 2013, 18:57, by Nate Swanner Asustek had a downturn for Q3 2013, losing 26% net profit versus the same quarter last year. The main culprit here wasn't so much an eroding product line, or even a lazy rollout of newer devices. Theirs was a problem of taxes: they incurred a one-time, NT$1.52 billion tax expense. That translates to roughly US$52 million. 
Though their tax bill was staggering, Asus is also keenly aware that they need to update their lineup. Their Nexus 7 for Google is widely accepted as the benchmark for Android tablets, but that's the extent of their mass appeal. Aside form that, they have little fanfare in regard to mobile devices.
Asus Chief Financial Officer David Chang said "We remain optimistic about the desktop and laptop market, but our priority is to make the company's smartphone business turn a profit next year." The company plans to reveal a lineup of smartphones at CES 2014 in Las Vegas, amid the ever eroding PC market they're so entrenched in. Asus CEO Jerry Shen noted that the company would also be introducing a wearable device at Computex in Taipei next year, but didn't elaborate beyond that. Chang also noted that their long-term rival was Lenovo, which they felt they could emulate in the Chinese market. Asus is opening more retail stores in China, and is working with carriers to offer their devices. In doing so, Asus plans to increase business from about 1 million handsets sold in 2013 to 5 million next year. As for the Nexus 7? Don't worry. Asus notes they're in talks to build the third Nexus 7 for Google. They expect that a third Nexus 7 would expand their tablet business from 6% of their overall portfolio to 13%. We hope they get the nod for the third installment, too.
| | Mobilicity offers an 'unlimited everything' plan as they entertain buyout Nov 14th 2013, 18:28, by Nate Swanner Canadian wireless customers have a new option when considering their service needs. Mobilicity has gone all-in with a $30/month everything plan. The plan includes unlimited everything, as well as some roaming for North America. It also has unlimited long distance to North America, so those calls across the border won't add up so fast. 
When Mobilicity says unlimited, they mean it. Data, Talk, Text — even global texting — is included. You'll also get the standard Voicemail and Caller ID, so it's not much of a compromise. Well, not much until you consider the satellite concerns.
The newest and boldest Canadian carrier has some issues to overcome, and is in the midst of a downturn. They are actively pursuing a sell-off, or acquisition. TELUS has been rumored to be the main suitor for Mobilicty, but nothing has been revealed as of yet. TELUS has tried a few times to at least acquire spectrum, but the governing bodies in Canada are taking it a bit slower than some would like. For consumers interested in switching, this may be a good deal. If any buyout occurs, we'd think the plan would be grandfathered in, leaving you with unlimited everything for $30/month. In a time when unlimited data is going away, and things like VoIP loom on the horizon, this might be the smartest bet one could make moving forward.
| | Ematic Genesis Prime and FunTab Pro get water-friendly with Liquipel coating Nov 14th 2013, 18:22, by Robert Nelson Ematic has a wide range of tablets available, some for anyone and some that are intended more for children. While adults more often than not can keep their non-waterproof tablet from getting covered in water, kids aren’t always so good at doing the same. With that in mind, it looks like the folks at Ematic have taken two of their more popular models and began treating them with Liquipel. 
The two models include the Genesis Prime and FunTab Pro and according to Ematic, both are now “watersafe” and protected against “accidental spills and other wet encounters.” That having been said, Ematic also mentioned how both models are fully protected. Or in other words, the Liquipel covers the entire tablet including the buttons and open ports. Aside from being water protected, the FunTab Pro is a 7-inch tablet with Android 4.1 and the Zoodles Kid Mode. Zoodles is a kid-friendly interface that lets the kid do what they need and/or want while at the same time, providing progress reports for the parents. This model also has a bunch of kid-friendly software pre-installed. Some of these include the Art Studio and interactive books as well as games such as Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds. The Genesis Prime is currently running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and similar to the FunTab Pro, also sporting a 7-inch display. This is a Google certified tablet which means Google services and access to the Play Store. Otherwise, while these are both now water-friendly thanks to the new Liquipel coating — a big selling factor appears to be the prices. The FunTab Pro is $129.99 and the Genesis Prime is $89.99. Both models are currently available with Walmart. | |
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