Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Android World Update # Hugo Barra’s first week at Xiaomi was ‘intense’

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thumbnail Hugo Barra's first week at Xiaomi was 'intense'
Oct 16th 2013, 09:50, by Gary Sims

hugo barra at xiaomiHugo Barra was Google's Vice President of Product Management for Android but he recently left Mountain View to join the fast growing Chinese handset maker Xiaomi. After his first week on the job it looks like Barra is enjoying the new challenges.

The new Vice President of Xiaomi Global has joined the company to help it expand its product portfolio and business across the world. In other words Barra is there to take Xiaomi’s products global and promote the brand outside of China.

In a recent posting to Google+ Barra wrote that the first week at Xiaomi in Beijing has been been a pretty intense. He was amazed at the speed of development and the breakneck speed of the Chinese tech ecosystem. “I’ve never seen such fierce competition and such impassioned desire to build things fast,” wrote Barra. “There’s a pervasive entrepreneurial spirit in companies both small and big.”

We have a special term for our users — we call them 'Mi fans', and 'Mi fans' always come first.

Hugo’s comments also shed some light on the nature of the Chinese tech industry. Historically Chinese goods have been seen as cheap and of low quality. However the high tech manufacturing revolution of the last ten years has seen companies like Samsung and Apple move large chunks of their high-volume, high quality manufacturing to mainland China. According to Barra the attitude at Xiaomi is about “doing the right thing.” This means that everyone at  Xiaomi is focused on the end user.

Also interesting is Barra’s insights into social media which he says is much bigger than in the west. Hugo joined the popular micro-blogging platform Sina Weibo less than a month ago and has made just 12 public posts, however he already has over  80,000 followers. His following on G+ is just 36,000!

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hugo barra at xiaomi
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Android World Update # Huawei Ascend P6 Vs iPhone 5s: a cheaper iPhone?

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Huawei Ascend P6 Vs iPhone 5s: a cheaper iPhone?
Oct 16th 2013, 09:35, by Kris Carlon

This may not seem to be the fairest match up at first glance: a relatively unknown Chinese brand up against the best the Apple empire has to offer. But you might be surprised. Apple hasn't really been doing much lately and Huawei, on the up and up, recently snagged an award for best European consumer smartphone. I've lived with the Ascend P6 for the last couple of weeks, and have been playing on and off with a 5s in the office, and I thought, based on the similarities in looks, what would I find if I asked the question: is the Ascend P6 a cheaper iPhone? Read on to find out.

AndroidPIT P6vs5s 3
Could the Huawei Ascend P6 be a cheaper iPhone? / © AndroidPIT

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Android World Update # Feedly updated with speed improvements, new widget

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Feedly updated with speed improvements, new widget
Oct 16th 2013, 09:42, by Alex Dobie

Feedly

Feedly 17 also includes new 'discover' section, Galaxy Gear support

RSS reader Feedly emerged as one of the major players in the news-reading world following the demise of Google Reader earlier in the year. And now the Feedly app for Android has undergone a major overhaul, bringing improved performance across the board, as well as new features and an updated home screen widget.

Feedly says the new version of the app boasts 300% faster start times, as well as a new, more fluid scrolling experience. There've also been some visual changes, with fonts being re-tooled for easier readability. And a long-standing gripe — the auto-refresh feature when switching back to the app — has been addressed too. What's more, there's a new "discover" section within the app, populated with some of the day's most popular stories.

Other changes include new Facebook SDK integration and support for Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch. (A reference to Android 4.4 KitKat support being added was quickly scrubbed from the changelog — make of that what you will.)

In any case, Feedly users can grab the latest version of the app from Google Play right now. Hit the link up above to get downloading.

Source: Feedly Blog


    






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Android World Update # Could the Nexus 5 share the spotlight with a Nexus 4 LTE version?

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Could the Nexus 5 share the spotlight with a Nexus 4 LTE version?
Oct 16th 2013, 08:35, by Kris Carlon

Tuesday has come and gone and the first of several theoretical launch dates for Android 4.4 KitKat and the Nexus 5 have come and gone with it. There's now the next set of possible launch dates (namely, the 17th or 18th) to look forward to, but I'm leaning more towards the October 31st launch date posed by Android Police founder Artem Russakovskii. Since nothing happened yesterday, we have a new bit of rumor to share: there may be a rebooted Nexus 4 with LTE support alongside the Nexus 5 when the wrappers come off.

Nexus4LTE
Is there any substance to the rumor of a Nexus 4 LTE version? / © AndroidPIT/Google

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Android World Update # Android Community

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Candy Crush Saga sweetness heading to Amazon Appstore, Kindle Fire tablets
Oct 16th 2013, 06:23, by Juan Carlos Torres

If there ever were a bittersweet game, that distinction would belong to Candy Crush. Now the deceptively simple and addictive productivity-killer is coming to Amazon’s Appstore and, of course, its handful of Kindle Fire Android tablets. Say goodbye to your book-reading free time soon.

candy-crush-saga

The “same game” genre, where players line up three or more items of the same kind to score a point, has been around for quite a long time, but every now and then someone comes along with a twist that catapults the game into a hit. With challenging puzzles, mouth-watering candy-themed visuals, and a hypnotizing soundtrack, Candy Crush Saga has risen to such fame among desktop and mobile gamers that the game can be found everywhere you look. Well, almost everywhere.

While Candy Crush Saga is available on Google Play Store, some Android devices, at least those that don’t have Google Play Services, have not been so lucky. Such is the case with Amazon’s tablets, all of which run Amazon Appstore instead, at least by default. That problem will be a thing of the past now that Candy Crush Saga is coming to the Appstore and on Kindle Fire tablets, such as the new Kindle Fire HDX, which got a teardown treatment just recently.

Candy Crush Saga is already available on Amazon Appstore in selected regions but a worldwide launch will take place on October 17. If you own one such device and haven’t experienced the game yet and are the type who gets easily sucked into these kinds of casual games, play at your own risked.

VIA: Android Central

Google Play Books gets major version bump, improved search features
Oct 16th 2013, 05:48, by Juan Carlos Torres

Surprisingly and without much fanfare, nor formal announcements, Google has released version 3 of its Google Play Books Android app. The changelog is quite short and to the point and the new version focuses on the thing that Google does best: search.

google-play-books2

Ebooks, despite their convenience, do exhibit some warts, especially when compared to their plain text cousins. This is particularly true when dealing with ebooks that have, as Google calls them, “original-pages”, that is, pages that have been scanned and directly put inside the ebook, making the page practically an image instead of flowing text. This makes searching, much less text selection and copying, almost impossible.

This new version removes that obstacle, allowing users to search for text inside scanned pages. Google doesn’t go into details, but this new feature probably relies on Optical Character Recognition (OCR), a field that the company is quite familiar with. Still, OCR isn’t perfect, so actual results may vary. Another feature added to this release is a “See All” button that will take user to their My Library page right from the Read Now section of the app. And of course, what update would be complete without mentioning a dash of stability improvements here and there.

The new Google Play Books app is up now on Google Play Store and should be rolling out to users everywhere by now, though, as always, that may depend on local markets as well.

Download: Google Play Books on Google Play Store
VIA: Android Police

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Android World Update # A beginner’s guide to Rooting for Android

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thumbnail A beginner's guide to Rooting for Android
Oct 16th 2013, 06:51, by Robert Triggs

Best Root Apps for Android

You may or may not have heard of rooting, and even if you have, the process and purpose can sound a bit daunting to the uninitiated. But you don’t have to be a programmer to root your device, trust me, and there are some benefits that are really worth considering.

Let’s begin with the basics. Rooting is the process of allowing Android smartphone and tablet owners to attain privileged control (root access) over the operating system. This opens up file and folder locations that are typically hidden from regular users, such as system files and core application folders, and allows applications to perform more privileged commands.

Once rooted, users can install and run applications that require special privileges, bypass carrier installed software, and even remove bloat ware applications added in by manufacturers and carriers from their device. Root access is even needed you want to install trivial things like custom fonts on some devices. And perhaps most importantly of all, users can modify system files to install custom built versions of Android (ROMs).

Security

A word of caution though, granting apps root access will allow them to delve into the more advanced and secure settings of your Android device. Whilst this isn’t a problem when it comes to the vast majority of wholesome software, malicious apps can do some serious damage if allowed into your system files.

Fortunately, governor applications, such as Superuser, can control the access granted to individual pieces of software, meaning that you can deny permissions to the vast majority of apps and only allow the necessary ones that you can trust.

Root security exploits aren’t rampant in rooted devices, but never the less, it’s important to be aware of the risks. Just make sure to download your software from trusted sources, as usual.

SuperUser control

Superuser gives you total control over which apps have root access, and will even alert you whenever an app that requires such features is running.

There are a few other risks to be aware of before attempting to root your handset. Firstly, it is possible to brick (permanently ruin) your smartphone. The chances are very slim so long as you follow the instructions properly, as these are tried and tested methods. You will also void your warranty, so don’t expect a replacement handset if something does go wrong.

But don’t let that put you off, gaining root access is akin to setting up an administrator account in any other operating system, and opens up Android to a host of new uses.

Getting started

Unfortunately there isn’t a one size fits all solution for rooting your handset, most devices require slightly different methods and tools. But you will almost certainly require your USB cable, a Windows PC with your phone's drivers installed, a full charge on your handset, and USB debugging mode enabled.

To enable USB debugging, go to system settings, about phone, and then repeatedly click on the build number until a message appears. Then go back to system settings and go into developer options and check the box.

After that, the best place to start is with SuperOneClick, a simple piece of software that can root a number of devices with the simple click of a button. There's a list of compatible devices, downloads, and instructions over on the XDA Thread.

Your Device

But not all devices are supported by SuperOneClick and I won't be able to list every other method here, but here’s a list of some of the most commonly used rooting techniques for popular handsets.

Nexus 4

We recently covered the Android 4.3 update to the Nexus Root Toolkit, which makes rooting any of your Nexus devices super easy. All you need to do is download the software and install, connect up your phone to your PC and then hit the root button. It couldn't be any simpler. The Toolkit also has functions for flashing, unrooting, backing up your device, and restoring default settings.

Nexus Root Toolkit

The Nexus Root Toolkit is one of the easiest methods used to root your handset. Other handset have similar software available for simple rooting.

For a full list of supported devices, download links, and more detailed instructions, then head on over to the Wugfresh website.

Samsung Galaxy S4 I9505 (Snapdragon 600)

Before you read any further, this rooting method only applies to the I9505 version of the Galaxy S4. Samsung has its own software for modifying the software on its handset, named Odin. You can also root previous Galaxy and Note handsets using Odin as well, but you'll need specific zip files for your device.

This rooting method is a little more complicated to setup than the Nexus, but again it will only take a few simple clicks once you've downloaded everything. You'll need to grab Odin and Chainfire's Auto-root zip file, and know how to put your handset into download mode (press the Volume Down + Home + Power button simultaneously when turning your handset on).

There's a little step by step guide put together by knowtechbetter which will guide you through the process.

Moto X

The Moto X is another handset which is very easy to root, and is done by downloading a file onto your handset rather than by connecting up to some PC software. You'll just need to one click the app once it’s installed then the application will do all the work. Just download the correct file for your network and follow the simple instructions from this XDA thread and/or check out this video.

As you can see there's a wide variety of ways to root different handsets, so I'll have to shorten the descriptions a bit for the last few major devices. Fortunately these methods are quite simple, but just make sure to read the instructions carefully.

HTC OneAll-in-one-Toolkit for rooting, flashing ROMs, performing backups, and much more.

Sony Xperia devices – DooMLoRD's easy rooting toolkit works with a wide variety of Xperia devices, including the new Xperia Z and ZL.

Motorola Razr HD, Razr Maxx HD, Atrix HD, Photon Q, and Razr M – If you're looking for a way to root your Motorola handset then there's a good chance that Motochopper has you covered. Again it's another simple file that will root your device once you connected it up in USB Debugging mode. In fact, this works with the Samsung Galaxy S4 as well, weirdly.

Other useful resources

If your device isn’t listed above, there are a few other popular online resources available. One of the best places to start is the XDA Forum, which contains plenty of rooting and ROM information for every device with a development community. Simply check out your handset’s corresponding sub-forum and look in the development section.

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Android World Update # Android Community

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PushBullet update adds Push-to-Chrome feature
Oct 16th 2013, 03:52, by Juan Carlos Torres

Syncing tabs and bookmarks between mobile and desktop web browser is easy, presuming of course you’re using the same browser on both. But what if you wanted to do that with other types of data as well? PushBullet may just have the answer with the new Push-to-Chrome feature feature for its Android app.

pushbullet-push-to-chrome

PushBullet was originally conceived as a faster, more convenient way to send a link, an image, a PDF, or even a list from a computer right to an Android device. The way it works is simpler compared to sending one’s self an e-mail and faster than having to crawl through Dropbox to find the file and download it. Instead, users can simply use the Google Chrome extension on the desktop to push a supported item to an Android device, which will then display the item in the notification bar ready for viewing instantly.

This new update brings in new functionality that turns file pushing into a two-way street. This time, Android users will be able to send any supported file type, be it links, images, notes, files, or lists, to the desktop from an Android device from anywhere in the world. Like on Android, pushed items appear as system notifications which can be then be opened. Even when the notification has been dismissed, intentionally or accidentally, users can still access the pushed files from the PushBullet website. In the future, PushBullet is planning on adding a new feature that will allow pushing files to other people as well.

The one small catch is that file transfers aren’t direct and requires signing up for a free PushBullet account using a Google+ account. And aside from the PushBullet Android app from Google Play Store, users also need to install the equivalent Google Chrome Extension, which can be downloaded from the link below.

Download: PushBullet Google Chrome Extension, PushBullet on Google Play Store
SOURCE: PushBullet

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Android World Update # Nexus 5, Android 4.4 KitKat not yet official – but here are today’s rumors

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thumbnail Nexus 5, Android 4.4 KitKat not yet official – but here are today's rumors
Oct 16th 2013, 03:59, by Chris Smith

Nexus 5 leak

Google has not quietly unveiled the new Nexus 5 smartphone alongside Android 4.4 KitKat today, as a recent rumor suggested, but plenty of wild new rumors are hovering around.

When talking about the rumor last week, we assumed that Google won't announce new products without a proper media event, as no press invitations were sent to the media at the time the new October 15 announcement rumor hit the web – comparatively, last year Google sent out invites with more than a week in advanced of its fall event (which was then canceled because of Hurricane Sandy).

That means we're back to waiting for the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 to be announced, but meanwhile let's take a look at today's crazy rumors.

Nexus 5 and Nexus 4 LTE pricing

Yes, the Nexus 4 LTE rumor strikes again – Google has been rumored for a while to officially release a Nexus 4 LTE version, but that has not happen.

Now, Android Geeks picked up the rumor saying that the Nexus 4 LTE will be available in 16GB and 32GB capacities and that it will sell right alongside the Nexus 5. In such a case, the new Nexus 4 LTE versions would cost $299 and $349, making the Nexus 5's respective versions $100 more expensive, at $399 and $449.

The news comes apparently from an "insider," but take it with a huge grain of salt. It wouldn't be completely out of the question for Google to sell a Nexus 4 LTE. But why should Nexus buyers go for such a phone when the Nexus 5 will be a much better choice?

Android 4.4 KitKat to be unveiled on October 18

While Google did not unveil new products today, an image was posted on its KitKat Google+ and Facebook pages, showing the chocolate Bugdroid dancing. The following comment was also posted:

Everybody dance now! #AndroidKITKAT

Android Community took that comment and tried to figure out what it could mean. Long story short, the publication soon found the message to be a reference to a song released on October 18, 1990 by a dance group. The song is exactly 4 minutes and 4 seconds long, and KitKat is Android version 4.4, hence 2+2=fish.

Android 4.4 KitKat

Seriously though, the publication concluded that October 18 may be an actual roll out date for Android 4.4 considering the coincidences.

Sure, it all sounds crazy and all, but then again, doesn't Google leaves traces and Easter Eggs in everything?

Nexus 5 shown in camera app settings

One keen observer noted on reddit that the Nexus 5 – as shown in existing leaks – looks very much like the handset in the camera switch icon in the Camera app inside Android 4.3. In fact, if you look at the phone in there and at the Nexus 5 images you'll notice a very striking resemblance.

Nexus 5 in camera switch icon in Android 4.3

It would appear that Google has indeed hinted at the next Nexus phone – it can't be all a coincidence, can it?

Nexus 5, Google smartwatch and the government shutdown

Phone Arena has a theory/rumor that says that the U.S. government shutdown has prevented Google from unveiling new products today.

Because of the shutdown, there's reportedly a delay for Google when it comes to obtaining "all the regulatory approvals needed to launch the Nexus 5." The same thing is said about the rumored Google smartwatch as well.

Google displays in Best Buy

We have already talked about those Google displays in Best Buy which may or may not point to a Nexus 5 arrival. At least one source is claiming that the displays will house the Nexus 5 later this month, with October 31 tossed around as a tentative launch date.

Google display case at Best Buy

However, those same displays are already used to showcase the Nexus 7 versions, the Chromecast and Chromebook laptops.

Feedly is ready for Android 4.4

This isn't exactly a rumor, as we're looking at Feedly's Android app update, which has been prepared to be compatible with Android 4.4 KitKat.

Feedly Android 4.4 KitKat

Since we don't see that many apps around claiming to be ready for Android 4.4, we can't but wonder what Feedly knows and why it has updated its app exactly today.

It may be all a coincidence, but it's enough for speculation to blow up.

Wrap up

The Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat rumor mills are still churning out report after report, some crazier than others, so we'll be here digging for more information for you.

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