Android World Update # Google Keyboard v1.1 update brings long-press numbers, bug fixes, and the promise of future improvements

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Google Keyboard v1.1 update brings long-press numbers, bug fixes, and the promise of future improvements Aug 29th 2013, 05:17, by Kyle Wiggers Google's ongoing initiative to divorce applications and core services from Android releases has borne many fruits in recent months. Google Play Services continues to bring new features to older (pre- Ice Cream Sandwich) devices, as does Hangouts and the Google Play Store. An especially major move this past June was the migration of the stock Android keyboard to the app store, which served the dual purpose of (1) providing an AOSP keyboard solution for those stuck with third-party bloat, and (2) establishing a mechanism for updating a major part of Android without the need for OTAs. Though the initial listing offered few (if any) enhancements over the pre-installed keyboard, today's release makes clearer benefits of Google’s larger strategy. Though the additions and fixes aren't many, they're welcome as always. The requisite bugs have been squashed, of course, and stability improved. Previously a feature restricted to phones, the top row of letters can be long-pressed to quickly access numbers. In addition, external dictionary packs can now be loaded (the official changelog doesn't mention this), and the keyboard layout has been tuned to better support unspecified languages Perhaps more exciting is the promise of improved functionality in future releases. Android Police uncovered code that points to a number of features in testing, including space-aware gestures. (Android Police compares it to SwiftKey's Flow Through Space.) Unfortunately, the feature is restricted to Googlers for now, but don’t be surprised to see it resurface soon. Rest assured, this isn't Reader – don't expect the folks at Mountain View to abandon Android keyboard users any time soon.

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Android World Update # Android Community

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GameStick game console to finally ship in September Aug 29th 2013, 04:00, by Juan Carlos Torres Majority of Android gamers are probably familiar with the OUYA gaming console which is probably one of the most successful technology-related Kickstarter so far. Some, however, might also be aware of another rather similar Kickstarter console named GameStick. After months of delays, the device might finally land in the hands of backers and buyers by the middle of September. GameStick’s life began in a Kickstarter campaign at the beginning of the year, singing to almost a similar tune as OUYA, but in a more portable package. The device is made up of two parts, a large box-like controller and a smaller thumbdrive-sized dongle that plugs to a TV via HDMI. The stick is that part that runs everything, powered by a dual-core Cortex-A9 AMLOGIC 8726-MX processor, a MALI 400 graphics chip, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, and WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. The GameStick runs a customized version of Android Jelly Bean, not unlike OUYA. The concept was quite popular, enough that the Kickstarter was able to raise six times its funding goal. Unfortunately, the journey wasn’t exactly smooth-sailing. For a short while, the project disappeared from Kickstarter reportedly due to some IP dispute, which was later cleared up to only involve the video used for advertisement. But that was the least of the problems that the project encountered. The device was supposed to come out in April, but that date has come and gone and delays have been announced. There was some word that it would go out around August but that now seems unlikely. They say that third time’s a charm, so the folks from GameStick are aiming for a mid-September release. The GameStick’s hardware might dismay some, trailing a bit behind the OUYA. The price, however, is also lower at $80 compared to the OUYA’s $99, which may be a deciding factor for some. But if you were one of the backers of this gaming device or are still interested in purchasing one¸ you get to wait for a few more days to see if things will really turn out as they said. VIA: Liliputing Story Timeline GameStick Kickstarter campaign closes with nearly $650k in funding GameStick Android gaming system shipments delayed GameStick continues the tease with "future of big screen gaming" video GameStick trailer highlights portability and big screen gaming GameStick delayed yet again; Now expected in August Android's Hugo Barra confirmed to join Xiaomi as global VP Aug 29th 2013, 03:38, by Juan Carlos Torres It seems that the rumor has indeed some substance to it. Xiaomi‘s top executives have announced the addition of Hugo Barra to their international team and now Barra himself has confirmed that he will be leaving Google to still work on Android, but from a different side of the globe. We earlier reported on a leak that Hugo Barra has tendered his resignation, which may or may not be related to recent personal situations. Barra joined the Google workforce in 2008 coming from Nuance, who specializes in speech and imaging systems. In his five years working as product manager for Android, he has become one of the public faces of Android during his tenure, appearing in press and developer events such as Google I/O. Without citing reason, Barra posted on Google+ that he will be starting a new chapter in his career in a few weeks, joining the Xiaomi team in China to further push the Android ecosystem forward. Over at Chinese social networking site Weibo, Bin Lin, Xiaomi’s co-founder, welcomed Hugo Barra to the company as global vice president. Xiaomi CEO Jun Lei also confirmed that Barra will be overseeing the company’s international business development starting October. The move might perplex a few, considering how Xiaomi does not have much presence outside of China and Taiwan. However, this hiring does seem to indicate that the company has bigger plans ahead. This news might come as a blow to Android, who saw Andy Rubin also suddenly leaving his post while still remaining employed at Google. And while the departure of such a big name as Hugo Barra will definitely have repercussions within the Android community, at this point we still can’t be sure how much it will affect the future and the direction of Android. SOURCE: Hugo Barra, Weibo (1), (2) Story Timeline Android leadership: Andy Rubin out, Sundar Pichai in Andy Rubin sends letter to partners in light of Android departure Could Andy Rubin be headed to Facebook? Android product manager Hugo Barra tipped to be leaving Google for Xiaomi

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Android World Update # Android VP Hugo Barra jumps ship for Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi

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Android VP Hugo Barra jumps ship for Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Aug 29th 2013, 02:43, by David Martin Google’s VP of Project Management, Hugo Barra, is reportedly leaving the company for Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Xiaomi.  This type of news isn’t normally expected, especially after having a successful Nexus 7 launch and the unforgettable Chromecast which is still in high demand. Barra started at Google in 2008 where he was initially a group project manager, but quickly rose through the ranks to become the public face of Google.  He is, however, making a new stand at Xiaomi, an Android based smartphone manufacturer, which according to MacWorld outsold Apple in smartphones for the Chinese market. We wish Barra the best! All Things D   The post Android VP Hugo Barra jumps ship for Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi appeared first on AndroidGuys.

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Android World Update # Android Community

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Nexus 7 LTE seen in Germany and Italy ahead of mid-September release Aug 29th 2013, 02:42, by Juan Carlos Torres The refreshed Nexus 7 seems to be showing up everywhere, with reports of the tablet becoming available across Europe and Asia. But while the rest of the world awaits the arrival of the LTE version of the Nexus 7 next month, it seems that people from Germany and Italy will be able to get their hands on it in advance. Launched just last month, the Nexus 7 has been high on the list of many Android users who have been eagerly waiting to purchase the device. And we can’t blame them. The Nexus 7 is absolutely desirable and is totally worth the price jump over last year’s model. With it’s full HD screen, stereo speakers, stunning performance, thin profile, and approachable price tag, the Nexus 7 should be the standard of all 7-inch Android tablets in the market. For more details on what makes this tablet amazing, you can take a peek at our review here. The Nexus 7 has started to become available in many markets, with the UK and Japan added to that list yesterday. However, those are only the WiFi models of the device. An LTE version has, of course, been promised since launch, but leaks and news have put the release date around the middle of September, at least for the UK and Japan, with a US release sure to follow soon. Now there are reports that indicate that the Nexus 7 LTE version is already available in Italy and Germany, way ahead of schedule. The device isn’t available yet on Google’s Play Store, but it seems that some retailers and even manufacturers are already selling it. The Nexus 7 LTE, which will only come in a 32 GB configuration, is tagged at 349 euros, or around $466, quite a bump from the $349 US price. VIA: Android Authority Story Timeline Nexus 7 (2013) Review Nexus 7 LTE coming soon as device appears in China Nexus 7 LTE hits Japan mid September, US release date incoming Nexus 7 LTE UK release date confirmed by O2 Android product manager Hugo Barra tipped to be leaving Google for Xiaomi Aug 29th 2013, 01:59, by Juan Carlos Torres In a rather surprising move, Google’s Hugo Barra has reportedly tendered his resignation and is rumored to be heading for Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi. Barra is Google’s Vice President of Product Management for Android and his departure might send a few wrong signals regarding Android’s future. Xiaomi is a company that is not well-known in other markets but has gained a substantial following in China and Taiwan, where their devices are said to be selling like hotcakes. The company, however, doesn’t only make smartphones but also tries to give added value on software that it builds on top of the Android system. Now the rumor is that Barra will be heading for this company for a yet unknown purpose or position. Hugo Barra joined Google in 2008 after leaving speech and imaging technology firm Nuance. Starting as group project manager for mobile, Barra rose to director and then VP of Product Management, becoming one of the visible faces of Google’s Android team at events such as Google I/O. Barra’s latest stint was to unveil the new Nexus 7 last month. Barra’s rumored resignation comes a few months after Andy Rubin, creator of Android and former Google VP of Mobile and Digital Content, shocked the industry by suddenly stepping down to focus on other things in Google. While this leaked information might raise some questions, not to mention a few eyebrows, about Android, not only is it too early to speculate on anything, but it is quite unlikely that such an event would drastically change the course of Android’s direction. VIA: AllThingsD Story Timeline Android leadership: Andy Rubin out, Sundar Pichai in Andy Rubin sends letter to partners in light of Android departure Could Andy Rubin be headed to Facebook? New Nexus 7 confirmed: 7-inch display at 1920 x 1200 and 323 ppi New Nexus 7 with 4G LTE coming to Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile [Update: $349] BLU DASH JR, DASH MUSIC 4.0, DASH 5.0 added to DASH smartphone roster Aug 29th 2013, 01:14, by Juan Carlos Torres Mobile phone manufacturer BLU has just added three new smartphones to its DASH line that are aimed to be easy on the wallet as well as easy for beginners. The DASH JR, DASH MUSIC 4.0, and DASH 5.0 are meant to help transform feature phone fiddlers into smartphone savants. The DASH JR is an entry level phone with entry level specs. A 1 GHz Cortex-A5 Spreadtrum 6820 processor and 256 MB of RAM powers the device, paired with a MALI 400 graphics chip. It has a 3.5-inch HVGA TFT screen with a resolution of 320×480 pixels. It features a 2 megapixel camera that is capable of shooting 480p videos at 30 fps. It only has 512 MB of internal storage but is expandable with a microSD card. Not surprisingly, the DASH JR only runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The other two smartphones break into Android 4.2 Jelly Bean territory. The DASH MUSIC 4.0 is, as the name implies, built for music and video. Running on a dual-core 1.3 GHz MediaTek MT6572 chip with 512 MB of RAM, the DASH MUSIC 4.0 is decked with a 4.0-inch 480×800 TFT LCD. A MALI 400 GPU, dual front-facing speakers, and a 3.2 megapixel rear camera give the smartphone its multimedia flavor. The DASH 5.0, on the other hand, answers the need for larger screens, featuring a 5.0-inch 480×854 FWVGA display. It also has a 5.0 megapixel camera and a VGA front-facing camera. Both the DASH MUSIC 4.0 and the DASH 5.0 come with 4 GB of internal memory and dual SIM functionality. The three smartphones are definitely nothing to write home about but their price might be. The DASH JR has a sub-$50 price tag, while the DASH MUSIC 4.0 will sell for $99 and the DASH 5.0 for $129. All three will be sold unlocked and will come with six color options. SOURCE: BLU Story Timeline Blu Products debuts Dash 3.5, a $99 unlocked smartphone Blu Dash 4.5 quad-core unlocked handset begins shipping today

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Android World Update # Report: Hugo Barra leaves Google. Direction: Xiaomi. Reasons not of romantic nature.

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Report: Hugo Barra leaves Google. Direction: Xiaomi. Reasons not of romantic nature. Aug 29th 2013, 01:05, by Chris Smith An top Android executive is reportedly leaving Google and taking a job with China-based Xiaomi, a new report says, suggesting that he has resigned before a personal matter involving other Googlers may have pushed him to do so. Hugo Barra, Google's Vice President of Product Management for Android or the guy we kept seeing on stage during various Android-related events in the past years, is reportedly leaving the company. According to sources familiar with the matter that spoke with AllThingsD, Barra is leaving to take a job with Xiaomi, the extremely popular Chinese Android handset maker. The reasons for his departure are currently unknown, but it looks like Barra has "tendered his resignation, [...] before a recent personal situation related to the end of a romantic relationship he had with another Googler and is unrelated." We normally wouldn't be interested in such matters, but it looks like this particular romantic relationship involves one of Google's co-founders. Apparently Sergey Brin has separated with his wife, and he's in a new relationship with a Google employee – apparently the Googler Barra split up with at some point before resigning from Google. We won't further dwell into matters of the heart on this one, but we'll add that a divorce between Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki won't result in troubles for Google, as there's a prenup in place that will protect Brin's Google voting powers. Interestingly though, Wojcicki's sister remains a top executive at Google – Senior Vice President of Advertising and Commerce – and happens to be the owner of the garage where Google established its first headquarters "in its formative days." Moving back to Barra, it's not clear what he'll do at Xiaomi, when his employment with Google will end, or who will replace him at Google: A Google representative could not immediately say how Barra's responsibilities will be handled. Barra was not immediately available for comment. We'll certainly keep an eye out on this one, as it's certainly an important event in Android's history, with Barra being the second top exec that leaves Android after Andy Rubin. Barra was most recently seen on stage during Google's Nexus 7 (2013) media event.

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Android World Update # Android and Me

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A whole new kind of fragmentation: Google's love triangle Aug 29th 2013, 01:14, by Jess Blanchard A mysterious woman, referred to only as a “Googler” by AllThingsD, may have been the impetus for Hugo Barra’s decision to leave Google for Chinese company Xiaomi. Looks like HTC’s Cher Wang will be getting some company. Barra rose quickly through the ranks at Google after joining the company in 2008 and most recently served as vice president of Android, product manager. This evening, attention has been drawn to the fact that his departure from Google coincides with a co-worker’s departure from him. Barra had been romantically involved with an unnamed fellow Googler (we’re calling her Helen), who has apparently spurned Barra for Sergey Brin, the company’s co-founder. Brin has been married to Anne Wojcicki for six years; their publicist confirmed this morning that the couple has been living apart for months. What would, ordinarily, be juvenile tabloid news is heightened by the timing of it all. In the wake of Andy Rubin’s absence from the Android team, the loss of another executive could send ripples through the division. Well, we hope she was worth it, Sergey!

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Android World Update # Report: Google’s Hugo Barra is leaving for Xiaomi

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Report: Google's Hugo Barra is leaving for Xiaomi Aug 29th 2013, 01:21, by Chris Chavez The world is feeling a little upside down tonight. According to a report from All Things D, Google’s Hugo Barra will resign from his position as vice president of product management for Android, and in a stranger twist, will be start work for Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi (makers of the Mi-Phone). The fun doesn’t stop […]

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