Sunday, April 14, 2013

Android Authority

Android Authority


Android Authority On Air – Episode 59 – Google Play Store updates, Babel leaks, ChaOS ROM and more.

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 06:14 PM PDT

Android Authority on Air

The biggest news this week in the Android world is the latest version of the Google Play Store. Google’s play store leaked a few weeks back and since then, we’ve been anxiously awaiting the update to officially roll out. This past week our prayers had been answered, we didn’t have to wait until I/O 13. Since the Play Store update is now official, Babel decided to continually leak all over the web. This week we saw Gmail error messages talking about Babel, we saw Babel show up in various Chromium Google Groups posts and an memo touting Babel’s upcoming features were revealed.

On the devices front, the Nexus 10 lived up to the Nexus name, having it’s case/cover show up out of nowhere. You can snag one in grey or scarlet for $30. Various sources around the web seem to have confirmed that Glass will be shipping to Explorers within a months time. This makes sense as IO is a month away. Samsung confused us this week by announcing the Galaxy ‘Mega’. The Mega’s come in 5.8 and 6.3 inch screens. The screen sizes might be awesome, but the specs are just the opposite. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8.0 launched in the US this week as well. Xiaomi  announced the Mi2S and Mi2A, a pair of inexpensive, decently speced smartphones.

Over on the Rootin’ and ROMin’ scene, CyanogenMod 10.1 M3 was released last week. M builds are more stable than nightlies, sometimes called Milestones or Monthly builds. If you’re looking to try something completely new, how about Chameleon OS aka ChaOS ROM. ChaOS is a new, open source MIUI alternative focused on theming and user customization.

In carrier news AT&T and Sprint continue to LTE all the things while T-Mobile increases their offer to bid for Metro PCS. Across the pond, EE plans to boost their network speeds by doubling their channel width on their LTE network.

Last but not least, Apple’s slide to unlock patent was invalidated in Germany and FairSearch, a group backed by Microsoft and Oracle hated on Google saying that open source software is anti-competitive because it's free and Google's mobile app platform is anti-competitive.

Congratulations to Patrick Tremblay! He’s the winner from our Nexus 4 Wireless Charging Orb contest that we held last week on air. Congrats again. We’ll be in contact shortly.

As always you can watch or listen below.

Additional ways to tune in: Stitcher |iTunes | Miro | RSS

Dungeon Hunter 4 release delayed, Gameloft posts new trailer

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 02:08 PM PDT

Dungeon-Hunter-4

Last month, we found out Gameloft's intention to release a 4th installment of the popular game Dungeon Hunter. We were then teased with a trailer showing off just how serious the game's graphics will be.

Dungeon Hunter Facebook

 

While everyone is eager to see if the latest iteration will be an improvement, it seems that those who are waiting will have to wait just a little bit longer.

Gameloft has just announced via Dungeon Hunter's Facebook page that the release of the game for Android will be delayed. The company also posted a new exclusive trailer for the game (see above).

The iOS version of Dungeon Hunter 4 for iOS is already available as a free download for iPad and iPhone. Interestingly, Kotaku reports that the game is filled with in-app offers for better gear and even healing potions, and while they can be avoided, the lack of free healing potions apparently has a negative effect on the gameplay experience:

Healing is the absolute worst. The player is given three healing potions a day. Monsters do not drop them. There are no Diablo-like health globes to collect. There are skills that will facilitate healing on a smaller scale and health slowly regenerates over time, but for the most part your healing options, once those three potions are gone, are buy (20 gems apiece, with 200 gems running $1.99) or die. Or just stop playing and never have to worry about it.

Are you looking forward to Dungeon Hunter 4?

Rockmelt discontinuing social web browser in favor of Rockmelt for Web

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 01:53 PM PDT

Rockmelt for Web

Several years ago, the Rockmelt web browser was born using the Chrominium source code. For this reason, the browser itself looks and behaves very similarly to Google Chrome. The idea was to develop a browser to serve as an alternative to Google Chrome by emphasizing social features that are not found in the competition.

In the next few months, Rockmelt will be discontinuing the web browser and launch Rockmelt for Web. This move is actually not a result of poor performance, but due to the fact that the Chrominium source code has a very consistent schedule for updates. As a result, it is costing far too much too keep up, which is absolutely essential to guarantee high and consistent performance.

Rockmelt for Web is a service that centers around content discovery and sharing. In fact, it could potentially be a popular migrating spot when Google Reader heads into retirement on July 1.

Rockmelt Web invite

"Rockmelt.com is now a visual stream of the web; content from your favorite sites, your favorite people, and a dash of crazy stuff you never would have discovered," say Rockmelt's creators Tim Howes and Eric Vishria. It attempts to combine discovery tools like RSS feeds and services like StumbleUpon with social networks to provide a complete experience.

As of right now, Rockmelt for Web is invite-only. The only exception is users of the Rockmelt web browser and the iOS application have already received invites. You can however request an invite just by heading to the service directly.

Diamonds in the Rough: 6 Android Apps You Might Like (Ep #2 April 8-14)

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 01:10 PM PDT

Android Apps Random Apps There are an endless number of apps on the Google Play Store. It's nigh impossible to sift through all of them, let alone find the good ones. So, if you're in a "hell, why not?" mood today, take a gander at this week's roundup of random android apps we thought were pretty nifty, and that you might enjoy too!


random android apps 1

50 Stones Brain Game

50 Stones Brain Game is a pretty unique little puzzle game for those who enjoy brain teasers. The concept is simple. Each player starts out with 50 stones. Every round you have to subtract more than your opponent. First one to do it 3 times wins the round. This goes on for 3 rounds. It doesn’t sound all that difficult and in reality it isn’t, but it can be an entertaining way to kill a few minutes. There are a few ways to play. You can look for someone playing online, you can play against someone on your phone, or you can play against the computer.

It won’t win any awards for being among the best Android apps ever, but it’s a pretty fun way to kill a few minutes and it’s something a little different. There is a free version you can try in the Google Play Store before you buy it, which can be found by clicking here.


random android apps

Drinking Game – Get Hammered

Even though most of the good drinking holidays are gone for the year, that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for next year. Believe it or not, there are actually a few good Android apps that show you drinking games. One of the more obscure ones is called Drinking Games – Get Hammered. This customizable dice game allows you to use the stock dice game drinking rules or create your own. It’s simple to use, so you can get pretty drunk before using it is difficult.

It’s a free, ad supported app in the Google Play Store and you can find it here.


random android apps

Fashion Master Friends

Testing this was difficult for me as I have the fashion sense of a blind woodland animal. As far as Android apps go, this one is definitely for the ladies or at least for the fashionably inclined. You essentially play as an ambitious fashion superstar who must build their knowledge in fashion. There is a lot to like about the game if you’re into that kind of stuff, but really unless you love fashion you’ll probably not like this game. One thing we found particularly interesting is the challenges to learn new languages. You may actually learn a little Japanese playing it. Who knew?

If you want to check it out, it’s free in the Google Play Store here.


PianoCompanion

Piano Companion: Chords and Scales

While it may seem like Android apps that deal with instruments have kind of faded into the past. However, there are still a lot of decent music companion applications still being made and Piano Companion is one of them. It’s a pretty great app for the beginner and intermediate alike and has the usual wealth of info. You can find chords, scales, etc within the app. Perhaps its coolest feature is the ability to compose music, which can then be exported to MIDI. So it has all kinds of uses for anyone who wants to be more involved with a piano.

There is a free and a paid version in the Google Play Store. You can find the paid version here.


random android apps

Plagiarism Checker

If you’re a student at any level or a writer then this could be one of the most handy Android apps to have. This app’s function is really simple. It scans Google, Yahoo!, Babylon, and other sites to see if a phrase or work you’re doing has been done before. For instance, if you enter in “there is nothing to fear but fear itself”, it’ll tell you that the quote already exists and has literally no originality. This is a great way to quick check the web to make sure you’re not ripping anyone off. Whether it’s for scholastic or journalistic uses, this is definitely an app that deserves a closer look.

The best part is that it’s free in the Google Play Store. You can download it here.


Random Android Apps

Save to Phone

There are many cases where saving something to your phone is a preferable way to storing it. In most cases, though, Android apps will defer to a sharing app like Google+ or cloud storage like Dropbox when you hit the share button. Save to Phone is a service that allows you to save pretty much anything to the storage in your phone instead of sharing it somewhere else. There are many who probably won’t be able to find a use for it, but for those who like to save things to their phone instead of sharing to Dropbox to save things, then this could be really useful.

Save to Phone is free in the Google Play Store and you can find it here.


Random Android Apps wrap up

Thanks for tuning in for our Diamonds in the Rough this week and be sure to tune in next week for more Android apps goodness. If there is an app you think we should have covered this week or you just want to tell us about a random app you like, feel more than free to leave a comment and tell us about it.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 expected to launch in Canada via Best Buy on April 19, costs $430

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 12:07 PM PDT

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 aa 600 px (16)

According to Mobile Syrup, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 could be headed to Canada very soon, as a Best Buy Canada’s listing says that the tablet is "scheduled to arrive in our warehouse on 04/19/2013."

The retailer’s listing says there is a "Limited Quantity Available", and it’ll cost $430, which is a bit more expensive than the $399 price tag in the U.S. The tablet launched on a number of outlets in the stateside on April 11, so it is no surprise to see a launch in Canada soon after.

The Galaxy Note 8.0 supports a 1280 × 800 189ppi 8-inch display, a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor, 2GB of RAM, a 5MP rear-facing camera, a 1.3MP front-facing camera and a 4,600 milliamp battery. Software wise, the Galaxy Note 8 is running TouchWiz atop of Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

Hopefully we’ll hear an official announcement from Samsung on Canadian availability soon.

Verizon may introduce a device payment plan

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 11:28 AM PDT

Verizon logo ces [aa] (3)

Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam is on record as having praised T-Mobile's new un-carrier approach. We're fans, also… and so are many of you. It is clearly a head-turner, putting the entire industry on notice. Maybe… just maybe… this could catch on.

The crew at Droid Life has their hands on a leaked document (below) which shows a very interesting new strategy. Under the heading regarding a customer who would like a new device, there is an option for a payment plan… much like T-Mobile's new design. Interesting, to say the least.

This doesn't mean Verizon is going to cannonball into the unsubsidised realm, as T-Mobile did, but it shows the value for carriers in adopting such an approach. It seems as though Verizon may have seen the light, and is inching toward this strategy. Verizon customers would probably be over the moon if this occurred.

Then again, it may be a scheme to get people away from their unlimited data plans. The heading of the document is regarding dissatisfied customers, suggesting they have people who simply want new devices within their contract. If you have unlimited data with Verizon, and sign a new contract, the option for unlimited is no longer there. This could be an end-around play for getting customers away from the unlimited data.

Of course, we hope Verizon is just dipping their toe into the un-carrier water, but only time will tell. Being complimentary of a service, and switching your business model, are wholly different entities. We just hope others are as brave as T-Mobile.

verizon-payment-plan.jpeg

Behavior prediction software company Behavio now part of Google

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 10:53 AM PDT

behavio-1

Behavio, a company that works on prediction software, on Friday announced it is now part of Google.

TechCrunch says this wasn't an "acquisition or an acqui-hire," and the company doesn't mention in its short announcement any details related to a Google purchase.

It's not clear what Behavio and Google will work in the future, although Google Now looks like a mobile product that could benefit from this buyout/partnership.

What Behavio's software does is to gather data from all sorts of phone sensors, including "physical location, speed, contacts, nearby devices and events, sound levels, phone activity" in order to predict behavior. Apparently the software can "target and analyze entire communities of groups of people at events," according to Android Community.

Behavio was built on top of open source project Funf, an "extensible sensing and data processing framework for mobile devices."

While this may sound scary to some of you, it's certainly something that companies like Google could be interested in, as that kind of software would help it provide new mobile-related features to consumers, including improving Google Now, but also serve better ads to customers. After all, it's with ads that Google is making its money for now.

To better understand how this technology works, check out the video below, in which potential applications for Behavio are described. Some of them are quite interesting, as Behavio technology could be used for medical purposes and have various disaster relief-related applications.

The Behavio message posted on the company’s website doesn't share many details on what the team will work on together with Google and we can only speculate at this time. However, the team did mention that it will be shutting down its closed alpha program, although it will continue to "maintain the Funf open source project."

Five questions for T-Mobile

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 10:22 AM PDT

T-Mobile Store Logo-w600

T-Mobile recently took a big step, deciding to forgo the traditional subsidized contract model. Instead, they've taken a fresh approach to providing cellular service to the US… one that will define them moving forward. We were all excited when it happened, but waited patiently to see if it would really take hold.

As 600,000 new T-Mobile subscribers will attest to, it works just fine. T-Mobile has a positive customer flow for the first time in a while, and it's only looking up for them. Industry praise, a pending merger with Metro PCS, and a fresh identity promise to push T-Mobile into the future.

We reached out to T-Mobile to find out just what all this meant for them, us as consumers, and their future. Not surprisingly, they were really excited about this 'un-carrier' approach, and seemed even more thrilled that we, as their customers, liked it.

Why did T-Mobile do this? Why 'buck the trend' and ditch the traditional subsidized model?

It was time for a change. The industry has evolved so much from a technology standpoint, and consumers clearly love what smartphones and other wireless devices can do for them. But while the technology has advanced, this industry has continued to cling to antiquated ways of doing business, from restrictive annual service contracts to ridiculous overages and fees on the data you use to limits on when you can upgrade to contracts that are almost indecipherable. None of it makes sense to customers, who have become very frustrated with the utility-like way in which the wireless industry conducts itself. So T-Mobile announced a series of moves to address consumer frustration with the unnecessary cost and complexity of wireless, including removing the requirement that customers sign annual service contracts.

You've seen an uptick in customers recently. Did you expect this much positive reaction?

We couldn't be more pleased with the response we've seen, which has actually exceeded our expectations. As word of what we were doing started to circulate, we saw a pretty solid increase in customer interest in T-Mobile.

It's so different, and probably has some a bit confused. How are employees, on the store level, dealing with this?

No doubt, there will be some education involved. The industry has done a great job of convincing customers they're actually buying their smartphones for $200 total when, in fact, the actual cost is just hidden in higher monthly wireless bills. We have a stronger story. When you sit down and do the math, it's clear you can save hundreds of dollars with our approach compared to the traditional restrictive annual service contract model trumpeted by the competition.

Does this affect T-Mobile getting great devices?

Part of what we announced in New York was our commitment to provide customers with the lowest up-front costs on the most popular smartphones. Because T-Mobile is the only major U.S. wireless company to stop requiring consumers to sign annual service contracts, our customers have far more flexibility with how they buy and use wireless devices. That will drive demand, and device makers will want to have their product on our shelves.

We also announced that in the coming weeks, we will have several 4G LTE-capable devices available, including iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S 4, BlackBerry Z10, HTC One, and T-Mobile Sonic 2.0 Mobile HotSpot LTE – delivering on our promise to offer a diverse and amazing lineup of devices for our customers.

The T-Mobile merger with Metro PCS is still looming on the horizon. How does this new 'un-carrier' approach affect that?

This about the T-Mobile brand and how we are radically simplifying wireless for American consumers. The wireless industry is broken. You see proof of that all around you in the form of long-term contracts, overage penalties, and termination fees. We announced a strategy in New York to help reverse all of that. You can count on that just being a start. We're going to do an awful lot of things very direct, very meaningful and in ways you wouldn't expect from a phone company. We're not in phone company business; we're in the changing-the-phone-company business.

T-Mobile

Conclusion

It can't be stated enough, just how significant this is. For a carrier to completely move away from subsidizing devices is a very bold strategy. It was a gamble that has paid off, and that's good for everyone. Whether you love their approach or not, T-Mobile has, at least, become more transparent about how they do business with consumers.

Giving up on locking people down shows a trust in what you're doing, and the service you provide. T-Mobile has clearly grown tired of the status quo, as have many consumers. That huge uptick in subscribers isn't a coincidence, and only promises to rise as contracts with other carriers expire.

In closing, I asked one simple question of T-Mobile. I wanted to know what they wanted us, as consumers, to take away from all of this. Their response to me was "Life just got much simpler."

Yes. Yes it did.

 

Facebook Home suffers poor reviews in Play Store

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 09:44 AM PDT

Facebook Home

Facebook Home launched yesterday on Google Play, and reviews have been discouraging. Out of just under 2300 reviews, over 1000 users gave it one star. Home works as a launcher on select Android phones, while still allowing access to your apps or Google Play.

Here are just a few of the one star reviews:

Your phone loses all functionality with this. I had to remove it instantly so I could use my phone. Facebook fails again.

Limits phone functionality, awkward interface, just weird and pointless. No widgets, doesn’t show date and time, can’t easily and quickly access basic functions such as phone (duh I need to make calls), texting, and camera. Uninstalled after 5 minutes.

Very poorly put together. Most homes support widgets and clocks and this one limits you severely. The only thing this does is puts FB on the screen all the time.

Our very own Joe Hindy posted a review of Facebook Home, and here are some of his findings:

  • Tapping anywhere on the screen will display your profile picture. Dragging up takes you to your apps, dragging left takes you to Facebook Messenger, and dragging right takes you to the most recently used app.
  • You can easily access your phone by going to apps, and selecting "Phone".
  • By default, your status bar only displays if you swipe down from the top. To fix this, select your phone's menu button, "Home Settings", and check the box next to "Show Status Bar".

Currently, Facebook is suffering from a perception problem. The average user may not understand what a launcher is, so they may be downloading Home thinking it's a regular app. For Facebook Home to reverse the trend, Facebook may need to better communicate exactly what it is. Right now, the screenshots and video on the Play Store page don’t seem to be enough.

For someone browsing Google Play, seeing a 2.5 star rating on an application is usually a major deterrent. We really like the concept of these app launchers, so we’re hopeful Facebook Home doesn’t dissuade too many from the feature. It’s all still very new, but a bad experience now may not be promising for the future.

Rumor: Galaxy Note 3 to come with better build quality, as HTC One “worries” Samsung

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 09:42 AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy Logo aa - 600px

A new report says that the next-gen Galaxy Note 3 model will not follow the "design guidelines of the Galaxy S4," as Samsung may be exploring ways to improve the build quality of its mobile devices.

According to a Sam Mobile insider, Samsung is apparently "'worried' about the design and build quality of [its] mobile devices," now that the HTC One is out in the wild. Accordingly, the Galaxy Note 3 could move away from plastic, although the insider doesn't mention exactly what changes Samsung has in mind.

Samsung is apparently only worried about what potential buyers think about the build quality of its flagship devices, Galaxy S4 included, especially when compared with the HTC One, which is made of aluminum. As for the software on top of Android – Samsung's Nature UX interface – the company seems to believe that its software "is better than the one on HTC devices."

However, we'll remind you that not too long ago, Samsung made its case for plastic choices, basically saying that by using that material in favor of anything else, it's able to produce the large number of mobile devices it needs to satisfy consumers. Therefore, it will definitely be interesting to see what material Samsung will choose for the Galaxy Note 3 especially since Sam Mobile says that an internal metal-based Galaxy S4 version was built, and it was "very popular internally." Samsung ultimately went with plastic as it couldn't mass-produce the metal model in time for launch.

Naturally, we'll take everything with a pinch of salt as we're still looking at an unconfirmed rumor, even if it does come from a publication that has been mostly right in the past about upcoming Samsung products.

The same source says the Galaxy Note 3 will feature a 6-inch FHD AMOLED display, Exynos 5 Octa processor, 13-megapixel camera, LTE and "the latest version of Android, which could be Android 5.0."

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans


HTC One unboxing and freak out [VIDEO]

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 02:52 PM PDT

Our AT&T HTC One review unit has finally arrived via FedEx and while we work on throwing together a thorough review for HTC’s flagship, you can watch me as I tear into the box and unsheathe the beauty for the very first time. It’s kinda hard to hold in my excitement. Keep in mind this [...]

Android Overload: Motorola X Phone rumors, New Google Play Store rolls out, Google Babel leaks, and more [VIDEO]

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 02:39 PM PDT

Top Android news stories for the week of Monday, April 8th — to Friday, April 12th Google Play Store 4.0.25 is rolling out to Android users around the globe. We did a nice little comparison between the new and old, and if you don’t feel like waiting around, you can even download and apply the [...]

OUYA provides timeline on shipments to early backers, 100% of units to arrive before end of May

Posted: 12 Apr 2013 08:09 PM PDT

OUYA CEO Julie Uhrman sent out an email today — the first of a weekly emails sent to early backers of the Android mini-console — letting them know that unit shipments are continuing on schedule with production cranking out round the clock, even changing up some partners in the process to shave days off the [...]

Android Central

Android Central


Apps of the Week: The Masters Golf Tournament, Impetus Interval Timer, OfficeSuite Pro 7 and more!

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 01:48 PM PDT

Apps of the Week

It's that time of the week where each of the Android Central writers chimes in with an app that they've been using on their own devices. Every post seems to have a good bit of variety, and this week follows along on that trend. We've got a very topical app for the golf lovers out there, a couple of great tools and a few games to keep you busy through the week.

Stick around after the break to see how this week's picks stack up -- you may just find a few apps that you'll want to install for yourself.

read more

    


Your guide to Facebook Home

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 12:40 PM PDT

Facebook Home

So what exactly is Facebook Home? We're going to break it down for you

This may not be the extreme Android forking that some would have expected, but Facebook Home is still a pretty dramatic change to the way you will use your phone. With the installation of just one app, you're faced with what looks on the surface like a completely new operating system. From the main home screens to the app drawer and navigation, Facebook has certainly gone its own way with the design.

And for most users out there, Facebook Home will be their first foray into "custom" launchers -- whether they know what that is or not -- and it's not the easiest concept to understand. Get past understanding technically what it is, and you've still got to explain what it does. So what is Facebook Home? Stick around with us after the break and see if we can help clear things up a little bit.

read more

    


What mutant surgery is this Nexus 4 about to undergo?

Posted: 13 Apr 2013 05:36 AM PDT

Nexus 4

Well, would you look at that. Someone went and dissected their Nexus 4

But that's not just any someone. That's Rod Whitby of webOS Internals fame who's taken apart his Nexus 4, with the intent of swapping out the Qi wireless charging for the tried and true, old-school (and now defunct) Palm Touchstone. (As we showed last year, the Nexus 4 and Touchstone are not compatible.)  "Qi charging (or at least the physical implementation of it on current devices) is inferior to Palm Touchstone charging," Whitby wrote recently on Google+.

Nexus 4 wireless charging became a bit of a thing this week when webOS Nation editor -- and like many of us here a multi-platform tinkerer -- expressed his loathing for the Nexus 4's official wireless charging orb. So Whitby, as any good Android hacker should appreciate, is doing something about it. And he's no stranger to this sort of mod, having performed iit on the Galaxy Nexus as well as on the Nexus 7.

Will this one be successful? It's going to be a tight fit, Whitby writes. But if anyone can do it, it's him. 

Source: +Rod Whitby

    


Ouya details their shipping schedule for early backers of the console project

Posted: 12 Apr 2013 07:19 PM PDT

Ouya shipping schedule

All backers still on-track to receive their unit by May 25, one quarter of which will come before the end of April

Ouya founder and CEO Julie Uhrman has sent out a message to the Kickstarter backers of the Ouya console that gives a peek at their projected shipping schedule. We see a sharp uptick today, and another near the end of the month when "larger-scale" weekly shipments are expected.

She also mentions that they have made a tweaks to the process that could shave days off the shipping time. We imagine building, sorting, and shipping out consoles to all the backers is not an easy job. Things can (and often do) go wrong, throwing off projections. Here's hoping everything goes smoothly and backers have their unit in hand soon.

Source: Kickstarter