Android Community |
- Jays a-JAYS Five headphones will “Made for Android”
- Archos Elements tablet line expands with the 8-inch 80 Xenon
- Samsung Galaxy S 4 Nexus edition eyes-on
- Google Wallet integrates with Gmail for money attachments
- Google+ Hangouts SMS integration confirmed
- Pebble SDK update adds two-way communication app support
- Verizon HTC One talk returns as the HTC PN073XX surfaces
- ASUS Fonepad spec increase brings an Intel Atom Z2460 processor
- Galaxy Note 3 tipped to arrive with Samsung’s familiar plastic design
- Samsung GALAXY S 4 earns TCO certification for eco-friendliness
- ZTE Grand X2 features a dual-core Intel Atom processor
- Android gamers can now get old-school Sonic the Hedgehog game
- Samsung says it will look into compacting Galaxy S 4 software bloat
- Recon Jet is like Google Glass for the thrill seeker: we go hands-on
- What Google didn’t announce at I/O 2013
- Google TV update will bring Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
- Google+ Hangouts app goes live, we go hands-on
- Google Maps for mobile update brings improved search and ratings system
- HTC One “Google Edition” won’t be coming from HTC
- Google Search gets faster and will now anticipate your needs
| Jays a-JAYS Five headphones will “Made for Android” Posted: 16 May 2013 11:11 AM PDT Jays has announced their latest set of headphones, the a-JAYS Five. These will not be available until later this summer, however they are bring touted as a “world’s first.” Basically, Jays will be releasing the a-JAYS Five in three separate versions. These are being created with smartphones in mind and as such, there will be a unique version for Android, iOS and Windows Phone users.
As compared to earlier models, Jays has said these headphones will have “a further refined sound, a further developed flat tangle free cable that JAYS taught the world to love, a newly developed cable clip, an updated and optimized ergonomics and one of the world’s best MEMS microphones.” Time will tell how well those claims will hold up, but for now we can see they will carry the “made for Android” tag. As such, these headphones will have an in-line three button remote that will allow for control of everything from phone calls to music. Specifically, you will be able to use these to answer and hang up a call as well as to play/pause, skip songs, adjust the volume and for voice controls. You can get a look at the remote in the images below.    Otherwise, the a-JAYS Five will also be paired with an Android app. The app will allow the user to customize the settings and buttons. Touching back on a feature from above, the MEMS microphones. Jays has said this means echo cancellation that will make the “audio perfect in nearly all situations.” Again, time will tell how accurate that will be. The a-JAYS Five will be priced at $99.99 and available in two colors — black and white. Lastly, while we cannot comment on the a-JAYS Five just yet, we can say that we have been happily using a pair of a-JAYS One+ headphones for well over a year with good results. SOURCE: Jays.se |
| Archos Elements tablet line expands with the 8-inch 80 Xenon Posted: 16 May 2013 10:29 AM PDT Archos has announced the latest addition in their Elements line of tablets. The new model is the Archos 80 Xenon and it will be arriving with an 8-inch display and Jelly Bean. This particular model will not be available for a few weeks time, but Archos has released a full set of specs along with some pricing.
With that, lets begin with the specs. That 8-inch display will be IPS and with a resolution of 1024 x 768 and Jelly Bean will be Android 4.1. The 80 Xenon will be powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon S4 processor with 1GB of RAM and Adreno 203 graphics. Other specs will include 4GB of internal storage along with a microSD card slot (with support for cards up to 64GB in size), GPS, a front-facing webcam and a 2 megapixel rear-facing camera. In terms of connectivity there will be WiFi and Bluetooth as well as support for GSM on the 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 bands and WCDMA on the 2100 band.    Touching back on the software and we see this will be an unskinned version of Jelly Bean. Those making the purchase will have apps available by way of the Google Play Store. There will also be the Archos branded media center applications for music and video. Archos hasn’t mentioned a specific release date just yet, however the availability is coming in June and the tablet will arrive priced at $199.99. Now the question comes, is anyone ready to make a purchase? Or even considering a purchase? SOURCE: Archos |
| Samsung Galaxy S 4 Nexus edition eyes-on Posted: 16 May 2013 10:23 AM PDT For those wanting the top of the line GALAXY S 4 without Samsung’s software tweaks, Google and Samsung have delivered. Now that the big first day at Google I/O has ended, many are wondering what new hardware will be available. And Samsung’s GALAXY S 4 Nexus Edition is it. With Google’s Nexus devices not supporting 4G LTE, and even the latest only being 720p, this is how we’ll get the best of both worlds.
Many thought it was just a crazy wild rumor, us included, but yesterday Google shocked everyone and announced it. The ‘Google Edition’ or Nexus version of the flagship Galaxy S 4. This brings the absolute latest and greatest Android device into the realm of a Nexus. Nexus devices are always excellent, but never top of the line cutting edge devices. Take the GALAXY S 4 with every top-tier check marked, and put stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean on it. We caught up with Android’s VP Hugo Barra here at IO in the Moscone Center, and he was nice enough to not only sit and talk with us, but let us snap a few photos of the smartphone too. Rocking a white Nexus version of the GALAXY S 4, he said it was amazing, battery life rocks, and it’s very snappy. And yes, it looked like stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, although he did hide multiple things before letting our camera near it. Being the VP of Android and all he put all the icons where they should be to make it look like a stock Nexus device.
While talking with Hugo we learned that it wasn’t exactly a finished product, and we could expect to learn more details and information soon. Hugo went as far as to say the plan had only just came together, and it wasn’t a final product. This actually makes perfect sense to us, otherwise they probably would have handed them out to all I/O developers in attendance. Sadface! Flipping through the home-screens and rearranging icons the smartphone certainly looked snappy, which is expected given the quad-core processor and stock Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. In case you missed it this best of both worlds smartphone will be available from the Play Store in late June for $649. Full details can be found below. Will you be forking out the cash for the GALAXY S 4 Nexus edition? I just might.      |
| Google Wallet integrates with Gmail for money attachments Posted: 16 May 2013 10:04 AM PDT At present there are plenty of methods one can choose when it comes to sending money to someone else. One of the services that likely comes to the mind of many is PayPal, however that list will soon be growing. Google has recently announced the ability to send money from Gmail.
Simply put, Google Wallet integration has come to Gmail. This new feature will be rolling out to US based Gmail users over the “coming months.” That said, once available you will need to look for the $ icon that will be sitting below the compose window and basically, this is just another form of an attachment. Obviously the use cases will vary from person to person, however there are some items that you should know up front. To begin with, in addition to this being limited to US based users, it will also be limited to those who are over 18 years old. There may also be some fees attached. Google has said it will be free to send money from your Google Wallet Balance. You can also send money for free if it is being sent directly from your bank account. Otherwise, those sending money using a credit or debit card will have a 2.9% per transaction (with a minimum set at $0.30). On the flip side, it will be free to receive money. Also, you do not need a Gmail account in order to receive money. Those receiving money will get an email notification to claim the funds. All said and done, it should be interesting to see if this takes away any business from PayPal. This method certainly seems like it will be easier for Gmail users, however in order to really make a dent in PayPal, we would need to see Google have this integrated across other websites. After all, PayPal has the likes of eBay, not to mention the numerous other retail websites. VIA: Official Gmail Blog SOURCE: Google |
| Google+ Hangouts SMS integration confirmed Posted: 16 May 2013 09:21 AM PDT Google announced the Hangouts app yesterday during the I/O keynote and while the app appears to be feature rich, one particular feature did seem to have been left out. That feature is SMS integration, which while not supported at the moment — was one of the permissions.
The Google+ Hangouts app permissions noted the ability to receive text messages (SMS), read your text messages (SMS or MMS) and send SMS messages. Given these permissions were spotted, that brought the question as to why they were needed and when that support would be coming. Anyway, Dori Storbeck, who is the Community Manager for Hangouts and Chat has since confirmed the support will be coming. We have yet to see a date, or even a narrowed down timeframe, however Dori did say “SMS integration is coming soon.” Furthermore, it was said that has been one of the most requested features.
That confirmation should be enough for most, however there is also some evidence of the SMS support in the Google Accounts settings. If you visit the settings page at www.google.com/settings/account you will find an option for “SMS for Hangouts.” This is described as being the place to “add your phone number to receive messages from Google+ Hangouts as SMS, when you are idle.” The interesting (and slightly annoying) part will come for those who attempt to set this up. If you click the edit settings option and then the edit button you can begin to set things up, however the country list will be lacking for some and therefor stops you from completing the process. VIA: TNW SOURCE: Google+ Dori Storbeck |
| Pebble SDK update adds two-way communication app support Posted: 16 May 2013 08:42 AM PDT Those using the Pebble smartwatch with RunKeeper received a decent update last week. As of today however, it looks like the folks at Pebble have some additional SDK related news. The announcement is for the PebbleKit, which is being described as the “next stage of the platform.” Basically, this release will allow for two-way communication between your smartphone and the Pebble.
The average user will not see anything immediately, however this will allow developers to create apps that communicate back and forth. Some examples include news and weather apps, an emergency beacon activator, Facebook and Foursquare app check-ins and even remote controls for other internet connected devices. The other side of this announcement deals with the Pebble Sports API. This is what we are already seeing with RunKeeper and FreeCaddie, however the public release of this API means we could see similar functionality coming to other sports related apps in the future. Looking back to the RunKeeper support, it was said that more than 13,000 Pebble users have connected.
This all of course, ties in with the release of the SDK from back in April. That SDK allowed third party developers to create watchfaces and games. The folks at Pebble have said 8,000 developers have downloaded the SDK since April and that more than 5,000 watch apps have been created. Furthermore, those 5,000 watch apps have lead to 300,000 installs. All said and done, while this is not going to change anything today, it does give some hope that Pebble will further improve over time. We look forward to seeing additional app support and to see which apps will enable the two-way communication. And as a follow-up, I can say that weeks later, I am still happily wearing my Pebble. SOURCE: Kickstarter |
| Verizon HTC One talk returns as the HTC PN073XX surfaces Posted: 16 May 2013 08:09 AM PDT A yet to be seen HTC smartphone has recently been spotted in the WiFi certification. This certification filing is showing an HTC device with a model number of PN073XX and as such, it has brought back chatter of a Verizon Wireless branded HTC One. The details from the certification are on the lighter side, however this model number does seem to fit in with the model number from another carrier branded One.
In this case, the AT&T One is sporting a model number of PN07120. Further details coming from Blog of Mobile show the PN073XX model number as corresponding with the code name of M7_WLV. The remaining details from the certification filing show the handset as having LTE connectivity along with dual-band WiFi. Basically, while this all seems to be coming together, we do have to mention these are early details that are mostly based on speculation. That said, Blog of Mobile has shown a proven track record in the past. Otherwise, the Verizon Wireless HTC One was being discussed earlier in the week when Verizon began offering the Droid DNA for free. The points that connect the HTC One and the Droid DNA as as follows; HTC has said the Droid DNA is the current “HTC hero smartphone with Verizon” and also made mention that they would make a “big deal” when they announce their next Verizon smartphone. We haven’t heard anything from HTC or Verizon in the time since, however that free Droid DNA offer expires on May 21st. This brings the next point. Verizon has previously announced an event that will take place during CTIA 2013. The date of that event — May 22nd, which is also known as the day after the free Droid DNA offer ends. Again, this all involves a bit of speculation, however that could lead one to believe the Droid DNA offer is the Verizon way of clearing inventory ahead of a One announcement. VIA: unwired view SOURCE: Blog of Mobile |
| ASUS Fonepad spec increase brings an Intel Atom Z2460 processor Posted: 16 May 2013 07:27 AM PDT The ASUS Fonepad tablet has been available for a few weeks now, however it looks like an updated model has already been announced. This newly announced model will see some improvements in terms of the amount of internal storage and the processor. ASUS has said this model will initially be available for those in Taiwan, however similar to the previously existing model, we expect the availability to increase with time.
That bit aside, lets focus on the improved specs. The Fonepad internal storage has been doubled to 32GB. The tablet will also retain the microSD card slot for your additional storage needs. The other improved item was the processor, which has gone from a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 up to a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2460. Otherwise, the remaining specs include a 7-inch IPS display at 1280 x 800, 1GB of RAM, Wifi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera and a 4270 mAh a battery. Both models will also have 3G connectivity for times when WiFi is unavailable.
While the pricing outside of Taiwan still needs to be announced, we can get a rough idea here. The new model of the Fonepad will be selling for NT$10,900 whereas the earlier model will remain priced at NT$8,990. For those looking for the comparison, that would translate to roughly $360 and $300 respectively in terms of US dollars. Also as implied by the name, the Fonepad does cross a tablet and smartphone. This is a case of a device that truly blurs the lines. While this updated Fonepad model appears to be nothing more than a spec bump, we suppose it is nice to have the option to choose which model will better fit your needs. SOURCE: Engadget |
| Galaxy Note 3 tipped to arrive with Samsung’s familiar plastic design Posted: 16 May 2013 07:00 AM PDT Samsung still hasn’t offered any official details on the Galaxy Note 3, however the rumors continue to surface. This later round of rumors deals with the build quality. Despite hopes of seeing the Note 3 roll-out with an improved build quality, it is looking like Samsung is going to continue the plastic trend.
This latest bit is coming by way of SamMobile who note that Samsung has “dropped the renewed metal design.” Further details show the Galaxy Note 3 will be sporting the same design of the GALAXY S 4. But again, this is all still rumor at this point in time. The interesting part of the design choice seems to be in the why. It is being reported that Samsung feels that if they went with the metal body, they would not be able to keep up with demand. Additionally, just like the reports of the metal body going away, it is now looking like Samsung has also dropped plans to use a flexible display.
Touching on some of the earlier rumors involving the specs. So far it is looking like the Galaxy Note 3 will be arriving with an octa-core processor that will consists of a 1.9 GHz quad-core Cortex-A15 and a 1.6GHz quad-core Cortex-A7. Despite some earlier reports, it looks like the Galaxy Note 3 display size has settled at 5.99 inches, which in this case will be a Full HD AMOLED. Aside from the display and processor, the Galaxy Note 3 has been tipped to have 3GB of RAM, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera and 13 megapixel rear-facing camera along with the latest version of TouchWiz and the latest version of Android. So how about it, anyone waiting for the Note 3 to arrive? SOURCE: SamMobile |
| Samsung GALAXY S 4 earns TCO certification for eco-friendliness Posted: 16 May 2013 06:32 AM PDT The Samsung GALAXY S 4 has received the TCO certification. Perhaps key here, the GALAXY S 4 marks the first smartphone to achieve such a certification. A bit of background on the TCO certification, this actually comes by way of TCO Development and it touches on sustainability certification for IT products. In this case, the GALAXY S 4 was awarded the certification for eco-friendliness.
TCO Development takes a few items into consideration when awarding the TCO certification. Some of what they look for includes the manufacturing as well as the “use and recycling of IT products are carried out with regard to environmental, social and economic responsibility.” When considering smartphones they touch on several criteria including social, environmental and economic viability.
In the case of Samsung, they were said to have demonstrated that they are committed to socially responsible manufacturing and that they are compliant the with the United Nation and the International Labour Organization. Looking at the environmental category and the GALAXY S 4 was shown to be free from many hazardous materials such as nickel, beryllium, and mercury.
Of course, had those been present, this would have meant the GALAXY S 4 would “severely restricted its potential to be recycled at the end its lifecycle.” As for the economic viability, in this regard Samsung received praise for the power efficiency of the charger as well as the industrial design which “boosts reliability.” Looking back, Samsung also received some praise for the GALAXY S 4 last month when they were recognized by the Underwriters Laboratories for the retail packaging. Otherwise, in other Samsung related news, they are now reconsidering their earlier stance on the available internal storage on the GALAXY S 4. Plus, we also saw a bit of GALAXY S 4 news coming out of Google I/O yesterday. For those who missed that bit, we saw the introduction of an unlocked GALAXY S 4 that will arrive running vanilla Jelly Bean. SOURCE: SammyHub |
| ZTE Grand X2 features a dual-core Intel Atom processor Posted: 16 May 2013 05:34 AM PDT A new smartphone has debuted from smartphone maker ZTE this week called the Grand X2. The phone runs the Android operating system, but uses a processor much different from those we’re used to seeing inside Android devices. The phone is powered by an Intel Atom processor.
The processor should make this an impressively high-end device and it’s expected to launch in Europe this fall. ZTE hasn’t offered as any details on exactly how much the device will cost or if it will be released in other areas, including the United States. The processor is an Intel Atom Z2580 running at 2 GHz. The smartphone also has 8 GB of storage and 1 GB of RAM. A memory card slot is integrated for storage expansion and supports memory cards up to 32 GB in size. The display measures 4.5-inches and has a resolution of 1280 x 720. The device runs Android Jelly Bean for the operating system and features an eight-megapixel rear camera. The camera can take still photos using a rapid shot mode at up to 24 frames per second and record full HD resolution video. The device also supports WiDi. The internal battery has 2000 mAh of power and exactly how much runtime that should bring is a question. The outside of the phone uses a soft touch material that should help prevent smudges and fingerprints. Does this sound like a device you would be interested in? SOURCE: SlashGear |
| Android gamers can now get old-school Sonic the Hedgehog game Posted: 16 May 2013 05:06 AM PDT If you were a gamer back in the early 90s and had a Sega Genesis, you undoubtedly played Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic was one of the most popular games on the game console and remains popular to this day. In fact, there are a wide variety of new and updated Sonic games available on various mobile devices, including android smartphones and tablets.
Sega has announced that it has now released the original Sonic The Hedgehog for Android gamers on the Google Play store. The game has been updated to support wide screens and 60 frame per second frame rates on Android devices. Sega has also remastered the soundtrack to revamp the classic game for modern gamers on mobile devices. The Android game brings with it leader boards and achievements to encourage competitive game play amongst friends. The game also features a Time Attack mode to challenge gamers familiar with the title to complete levels as quickly as possible. If you’re familiar with Sonic, you probably remember his sidekicks Tails and Knuckles. Both of those characters are available as playable avatars. However, you do have to unlock them using Sonic to begin with. Sonic the Hedgehog will be available for Android gamers to download now for $2.99. However, the game hasn’t turned up on the Google Play store at the time of writing so keep an eye out if you’re interested. SOURCE: TheNextWeb |
| Samsung says it will look into compacting Galaxy S 4 software bloat Posted: 16 May 2013 04:54 AM PDT Earlier this month we talked a bit about Samsung and the fact that it had raised the ire of some owners of the Galaxy S 4 and a BBC television program in the UK called Watchdog. The problem is that if you purchase a 16 GB Galaxy S 4 smartphone, you end up with about half of that promised storage space available to you as soon as you open the box. The reason is a huge amount of software that comes preinstalled on the smartphone.
Samsung maintains that the preinstalled software is required to give users the high-end features that they expect on a modern smartphone. However, Samsung is now reportedly reconsidering its stance on gobbling up so much storage space with preinstalled software. Samsung said that it would try and compress the software that it installs on your device into a smaller amount of storage space. Reducing how much space preinstalled software requires would allow users access to more storage than they have currently. The problem with Samsung using half the available storage space by default is that it significantly limits the number of applications a user can install to their device. The Galaxy S 4 does have a memory card slot, but that memory card slot can only be used to store photos and other similar content. Apps can only be stored to the internal storage available on the phone. Considering the many high-end video game apps check-in at around 1 GB, users can quickly consume all of the available space. The fact that the S 4 comes with so much software preinstalled doesn’t appear to be slowing sales. Samsung noted recently that it had set an internal record for units shipped with the S 4. At the Google I/O conference this week, the announcement was also made that a version of the Galaxy S 4 without the Samsung TouchWiz user interface will be offered. That should mean that particular version of the smartphone has more storage space than others. |
| Recon Jet is like Google Glass for the thrill seeker: we go hands-on Posted: 15 May 2013 05:50 PM PDT Google has their popular Google Glass, and now the folks from Recon Instruments have revealed their own wearable computing glasses here at I/O. Only they have a different approach with what they are calling the Recon Jet. Last year we saw their micro display tech in Snowboard Goggles, and today they’re bringing Glass-style to all types of athletic eye wear for the thrill seeker in you.
With the Recon Jet you’ll get a similar experience as Google Glass, with a little floating display sitting neatly out of sight. Yet still in sight down on the lower right side of your right eye. Just like Glass they’ve integrated most the specs of a smartphone into the glasses, with an optical pad on your right side for easy navigation. There’s no voice commands like Glass, not yet at least, but in concept they work quite well. Then of course these are running on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, but won’t work like your average smartphone obviously. Inside, it is being powered by an unknown dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. Then we have WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS, along with ANT+ fitness connectivity. Sensors include an accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter, magnetometer, and a thermometer, while an HD camera pokes out the front. We don’t have all the details on internal storage, battery life, or even the brand and speed of the dual-core processor. These features are set in stone though, even if we weren’t able to find out the resolution of the micro display your eye will be focusing on when in need. Being here at IO and wearing both Glass, and the Recon Jet, Glass is currently a higher resolution display. That could change as the Recon Jet gets closer to the release date later this year. Being built right into nice sports eyewear for snowboarding, hiking, mountainbiking and more they aren’t as noticeable as Glass, but clearly can be seen with ease on the shades. Uses include activity tracking and fitness monitoring, tracking health and performance, updates on weather, speed, and more. Then of course music and video streaming. The Recon Jet can also be used as a remote display for apps running on your phone or tablet, and the company says it's working with "some of the top fitness companies and communities" to cook up titles in time for the eventual launch.
So when can you get your hands on Recon Jet? Before Google Glass! Recon confirmed they’re aiming for a late 2013 launch. They will initially be made available to developers, then launch later for the public. We’ll update when we know official specs, details, and of course pricing. Then we can’t wait to try them ourselves as we hit the biking trails.         |
| What Google didn’t announce at I/O 2013 Posted: 15 May 2013 03:10 PM PDT Google I/O is going on full steam right now, and Google has just finished up the keynote full of announcements. So is there anything that Google didn’t announce this morning? Absolutely. There is plenty that was expected that wasn’t announced, but there’s also plenty that wasn’t announced that is probably new we’ll be spotting all week long. For now, lets talk about what didn’t happen.
The Google IO event this year was full of good things, details, news, and announcements. This year it wasn’t about those headline announcements such as Jelly Bean, the Nexus 7, Google Glass skydiving into the stage, or anything else. Instead it was all deep developer friendly features. We knew this year would be all about developers, but we didn’t think that was said with such a literal meaning. Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie has been heavily debated and talked about, or whatever the next version of Android will be called. Sadly, we didn’t get a drop of information today. Google confirmed today that Android has been growing at a huge rate. So fast in fact that it has doubled in one year, and there is now over 900 million Android activations. Oddly they didn’t announce a new OS update for their biggest platform. Odd to say the least. I could go on about Android 4.3/5.0 for a long time, but you guys all know as much as us. No Key Lime Pie, probably not until October. Android 4.3 could be coming soon though, as an incremental update.
With numbers that high, nearly 50 billion app downloads, and counting Google doesn’t need to push out updates as fast as they have in the past. This confirms previous reports that Google will move to yearly upgrade cycles. Which makes sense now that Android is fast, stable, and the number one Mobile OS in the world. It’s depressing we don’t have a tasty new update to enjoy and talk about, but all the improvements made to Android today are still equally exciting. Nexus devices or hardware
Instead, Google gave out their impressive Chromebook Pixel to all the developers and attendee’s, and announced a Samsung GALAXY S 4 Google Edition with stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Yes, 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. So the only new hardware, is actually the Galaxy S 4 with stock Android, a version of Android that’s been available for some time. The unlocked developer friendly GS 4 Google Edition hits late next month for $649, and that’s the only piece of hardware that is new. Google Glass
If you were expecting some crazy new improvements to Google Glass, today won’t be the day that happens. It was recently updated to XE5 for the OS, and those updates will continue to push to explorer edition units, but we haven’t learned anything new yet at IO. I was seriously expecting a huge showing, so that’s a bit disappointing. Although Larry Page did tell Robert Scoble that he didn’t appreciate the shower picture that’s been making the rounds. That was worth a laugh or two.
The secrets of Google’s latest mobile OS update, new hardware, Nexus 5 and more will have to wait. As you can see in the image above they still have a few things hiding behind some unmarked boxes. There’s plenty going on this week for Google I/O, tons of developer sessions and more so stay tuned as we bring you the latest. We’d love to hear your thoughts on Google I/O. Did it meet your expectations? Or is the lack of new hardware/software enough for you to be disappointed? Let us know! |
| Google TV update will bring Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean Posted: 15 May 2013 01:50 PM PDT Google TV wasn’t mentioned during the keynote today, however there is some related news. Following the keynote, Google announced that Google TV would be getting an update. The update will be arriving sometime in the “coming months” and will bring Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean along with the latest version of Chrome. Aside from simply announcing a new update, Google also released some details about future updates including those from TV OEM partners.
Moving forward, Google TV users should begin seeing regular updates for Chrome. Google has said that in addition to providing the latest version of Chrome with this update, moving forward Google TV users will benefit from the same six week cycle of updates that other Chrome users see. Another Chrome related item arriving with this update deals with content protection. For this, Google has said they added support for hardware-based content protection within Chrome. Basically, this means developers will be able to provide premium TV content in HD within their web apps. Shifting back to the TV OEM partners and we have what Google is referring to as a “refactored Google TV.” While we suspect the experience will vary from OEM to OEM, this will allow those TV OEM partners to update in a “matter of weeks rather than months.”
Aside from the current line of Google TV devices, it was also said that new devices will be launched sometime “later this year.” While new devices will be coming, Google also provided a look back in time. They have said that in the previous three years, the Google TV platform has grown to include 10 device manufacturers, 5 chipset makers and 5 TV operators across 10 countries. Google has also said there are now “thousands” of apps available through Google Play and Chrome and that companies such as Gameloft, Redbox Instant, Gui.de, Ubitus and TuneIn are all currently building TV-customized apps. That all being said, while these seem to be some good updates and good changes that will help to ensure future updates, we do have to wonder if this will be enough to convince more users to pick up a Google TV. |
| Google+ Hangouts app goes live, we go hands-on Posted: 15 May 2013 01:01 PM PDT Google+ Hangouts were announced earlier this morning during the keynote. At that time Google had said this would be arriving today and true to that statement, the app has since come available in the Google Play Store. The app has arrived as Hangouts and it will replace the Talk app already installed on your device. As we saw earlier, Hangouts is a cross-platform messaging app and allows for text and video chatting.
The app launches to the main screen where you can click the + icon in the upper right hand corner. This is where you will begin any conversations. Once clicked you will see the New Hangout screen which allows you to start a hangout by typing a name, email, number or circle. Once in a conversation the process is about as simple as could be — you have your text and video and the flow and process should be familiar for those who were previously using the Talk app. Or for that matter, other video calling apps. From the menu you have access to your Hangout requests as well as any snoozed notifications and archived hangouts.    Overall the app is smooth and easy to use. For example, while in the archived hangouts section you can simply swipe to remove any conversations that you no longer want or need listed. The app also has plenty of options in terms of emoji and will allow for you to send images by using one from the gallery or by taking a new one using the camera. Otherwise, as was expected the notifications will stay in sync across devices, any conversation can be turned into a hangout with up to 10 people, you can use this with friends on other platforms (such as iOS or the web) and you can send text messages at any time — even if that friend isn’t online a the moment. Finally, one change from Google Talk, Hangouts does not allow you to set your status as “invisible.” SOURCE: Google Play Store |
| Google Maps for mobile update brings improved search and ratings system Posted: 15 May 2013 11:43 AM PDT Google I/O 2013 also included some updates in terms of maps. In this case our focus will be on the mobile side, in which these updates will be coming for Android as well as iOS users. The big line here was how they will be going “beyond direction and navigation.” Pretty much, new features will be coming to Google Maps for mobile devices.
The demo offered a brief look at some of what we can expect to see. One of the items shown dealt with places, specifically, it was a search for ‘burmese sf” which brought in reviews. In addition to straight up text reviews, this update will also bring a new rating system — a new 5-star rating system. This update will also bring an updated Zagat interface with scores and reviews as well as offers. The offers demo was shown using Starbucks, however there are a bunch of other partners including Office Depot, Office Max, Radio Shack, Toys ‘R Us, Hard Rock Cafe and more. The offers will be noted with a blue tag. Shifting things over to the navigation and we are seeing some real-time updates. In this case you can expect to see improvements for re-routing and an improved view for real-time incidents. Touching back on the re-routing, should this happen while you are driving you will be given an audio alert letting you know. This Maps for mobile update is also adding an Explore feature, which is touted as a way to “explore and discover you surroundings.” With this users will find categories for everything from shopping to restaurants and more. All that being said, it looks like users have a bit of waiting before they can get hands-on with this update Maps for mobile release. Google has yet to reveal a specific launch date, however they have said it will be available “this summer.” |
| HTC One “Google Edition” won’t be coming from HTC Posted: 15 May 2013 11:38 AM PDT In case you all missed the crazy news from Google I/O today, Samsung and Google have teamed up and will be offering a GALAXY S 4 “Google Edition”. What is that? A completely stock Google device from the folks at Samsung, and it will be as developer friendly as they come. However, in light of the news many are wondering about HTC. Here’s what they had to say.
My first thought, after the excitement faded about a stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean GALAXY S 4, was if HTC would also do the same. We immediately reached out to our friends at HTC for comment, and sadly we didn’t get good news back. Don’t get your hopes up, because a GE or “Nexus edition” HTC One won’t be coming anytime soon. “HTC is not currently planning a ‘Nexus Edition’ of the HTC One.” and that is all they had to say on the matter. HTC currently offers bootloader unlocked developer editions, but that is all. You’ll still be covered in HTC Sense UI. When we first heard the rumor of a GALAXY S 4 GE, we thought it was all bs, but it turned out true. Google announced the device right on stage. Unlocked, developer friendly, stock pure Android, fast updates and more.
The device certainly isn’t cheap though. Samsung’s Google Edition GALAXY S 4 will be available from the Google Play Store with 16GB for $649. So you’re certainly paying a premium for the device. If you were hoping to get that same experience across all that aluminum and Beats Audio front speakers from HTC. Sorry, it won’t be happening. Or they have no plan to release one. So here’s the question. Do you get the $299 Nexus 4 from Google and LG, or get the $649 GALAXY S 4? That’s a tough pill to swallow, but I’m sure a few will like the idea. Carry on folks. |
| Google Search gets faster and will now anticipate your needs Posted: 15 May 2013 11:19 AM PDT Google Search is an extremely powerful service we all use each and every day. It’s safe to say Google knows more about us than we’d like. Today however, Google’s calling the new search “the end of search as we know it” as it improves like never before. Google search will now answer, converse, and anticipate. This is the knowledge graph and prediction start-up companies they’ve been buying all leaking out the seams and arriving for us all. More details below.
Starting today Google Search will anticipate your question like never before using their knowledge graph, then of course answer it with ease as they always have. This isn’t just on the PC either, this will be improved on Android with Google Now, same for iOS, and even come full-stride to Google’s Chrome browser. There’s a lot of information here, but we’ll focus on mobile. Google Search on mobile you can now ask “Where’s my package,” “What’s my flight status”, “What’s my gate code” and more. Google Search, if you allow it, will know way too much about you, but deliver that content when you need it like never before. This will be embedded into Google Search, and all work behind the scenes with Google Now. Speaking of Google Now, here’s some new cards coming soon:
Google Search anticipate wants to tell you the right thing, at the right time, before you ask. Their “anticipate” features in Google Now are the key behind this, coming to all platforms, and getting better by the day. The way we ask Google Search and now questions will be analyzed like never before, anticipated even faster, and delivered where and when we need them. It looks like Google Now, arguably our favorite feature, will only be getting better. Expect the new Google Search app in the Play Store to arrive momentarily. Give it a try and let us know what you think. |
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