Author: Jason Bracey

Once again Google Drive’s website source code is giving away secrets to new and upcoming apps. 1E100 discovered references to an app codenamed “Memento”, and the icon above in the image.

This icon looks like it falls right in-line with Google’s other Drive app icons. Some of you may remember Google’s first less-than-successful attempt at a note-taking app called “Google Notebook”, and it looks like they are going to give it another shot.  Let’s hope that this time around they do it right.  Competing with the likes of Evernote, Colornote, MobileNotes, Catch Notes, and GNotes, will be no easy task, and Google will really have to “bring it” to compete in this area.

Further source code reveals the possibility of an actual Google Play Store app.  This is not the norm for Drive apps, but 1E100 found that http://g.co/keep redirects to https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.keep. So this Drive app may prove to be more connected than ever to your Android smartphone and tablet. One user was even able to download the app, but 20 minutes later it was removed. Here are some screenshots…

Sources: +IE100, AndroidSpin 
via: Android Police

Come comment on this article: ‘Google Keep’ Revealed in Drive Source Code, Is a Note-taking Service in the works?

Well Galaxy S fans, the good news just never stops rolling in concerning Galaxy S 4 specs. Qualcomm has confirmed what we have previously reported, which is the GS 4 will be rolling out with its impressive Snapdragon 600 chip in select regions on April 26. The U.S. is most likely one of those select regions.

This is welcoming news considering some reports indicated the handsets might be shipping with the still impressive, but power hungry, S4 Pro. The 600 does a much better job at handling power consumption than its predecessor, which should make those of you worried about how long the 2,600mAh will last under the GS 4′s numerous software and hardware upgrades very happy. In fact, the 600 will reportedly provide about 40 percent better battery life.

As expected, the international version will get the Exynos 5 Octa, which is built on ARM’s “big LITTLE” architecture and consists of four powerful Cortex-A15 CPUs matched by four power efficient Cortex-A7 chips.

At least we can all take comfort in the fact that Samsung is working hard to ensure the best battery-to-usage ratio possible for its S 4 users. This will be welcomed news for users that were left very disappointed by the short battery life of their stock GSIIIs. Samsung is leading the way with its hardware and software innovations, and are backing it up by developing the integrated power to handle anything you can throw at it.

Source: Qualcomm

Come comment on this article: Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 Confirmed for Galaxy S 4 in Select Regions

Google has really hit a sore spot for fans of its extremely popular Google Reader app. Google Reader has been around for years, and for some, meant the beginning of user-friendly and simple RSS reading/social networking.

One fan, Dan Lewis from New York, NY, has decided not to let the reader go down without a fight, and 100,000 followers have his back!

The petition, pleads with Google to end the madness and keep its Reader alive. It reads:

Dear Google:

A few years ago — years, wow — Google Reader was one of my go-to social networks. It was an accidental one. I was using it for its intended purpose — aggregating and reading a lot of web content in one place — but it turns out, a lot of other people were doing the same thing. A lot. Many of which shared interests and when you added the amazing (amazing!) share and comment features, Google Reader blossomed into a wonderful experience for many of us, core to our day-to-day consumption of content online.

Unfortunately, you decided to kill those “extra” functions. I’m not here to ask you to reverse that (you should, though). In doing so, Google Reader’s day-to-day value declined, and I, like many, ended up using it less often. Instead of hitting the bookmarklet I have on my Chrome install three, four times a day, it’s now a once a day (okay, once every other day more often, recently) experience.

But it’s still a core part of my Internet use. And of the many, many others who are signed below.

Our confidence in Google’s other products — Gmail, YouTube, and yes, even Plus — requires that we trust you in respecting how and why we use your other products. This isn’t just about our data in Reader. This is about us using your product because we love it, because it makes our lives better, and because we trust you not to nuke it.

Oh.

So, please don’t destroy that trust. You’re a huge corporation, with a market cap which rivals the GDP of nations. You’re able to dedicate 20% of your time to products which may never seen the light of day. You experiment in self-driving cars and really cool eyewear which we trust (trust!) you’ll use in a manner respectful to our needs, interests, etc.

Show us you care.

Don’t kill Google Reader.

“Out with the old and in with the new” is the best motto for any company that wishes to be known for its innovation, and Google is just that.  Humans will always inherently fight change. Change brings with it unfamiliarity and unknowns, and people fear these implicitly. Google knows that their Reader is dated and they are taking steps to refresh this popular but antiquated app. I wish Dan and his supporters the best of luck in their quest, and I hope Google makes the right choice for their loyal fans.

Source: Change.org

Come comment on this article: 100,000 Google Reader Fans Sign Petition to Save it from Extinction

Samsung just released a detailed infographic showing off the specs for their new Galaxy S 4 handset. The infographic shows that the new handset will release with:

• A 5-inch full HD, Super AMOLED, 1920 x 1080, 441ppi display
• 1.6GHz Octa Core, or 1.9GHz Quad-core CPU
• 136.6mm (length) x 69.8mm (width) x 7.9mm (thick)
• Weighs a mere 130g
• 2,600mAh high capacity battery
• Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS
• 13MP Rear-facing Camera and 2MP Front-facing Camera
• HSPA+ 42 Mbps 3G, 4G LTE wireless connectivity
• Available in “Black Mist” and “White Frost”

Impressive specs to say the least…I can’t wait to get my hands on one!  Check out the infographic below and the source for more information.

Source: Samsung

Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy S 4 Infographic Reveals Detailed Specs

That’s right news fans, Google is rumored to be launching an Apple Newsstand competitor in the Play Store sometime in the near future.  The news reader will be affectionately called “Google Play News”, and it will allow users to purchase single issues of newspapers, or fully subscribe to them.

A piece of JavaScript was discovered from the desktop web version of the Google Play Store by Android Police.  Here is what they found that referenced the news reader:

To read Google Play News, you must have a supported Android phone or tablet

Please sign in to get this News edition.

Please sign in to purchase this News Issue.

Please sign in to purchase this News Edition Subscription.

Subscribing you to this news edition…

You have subscribed to this news edition. It is now available on your device.

This is a welcomed addition to Android’s already wide variety of RSS and magazine readers. The ability to read newspapers through a customized application on Android devices is appealing to say the least. I know I am looking forward to trying it out.

Source: Android Police

Come comment on this article: Google Play News coming soon to compete with Apple Newstand

XOLO has done it again!  Their latest addition, the X1000, will offer some incredible specs for a price that won’t drain your bank account and leave your wallet bare since the X1000 will sport the following new features:

• SHARP HD 4.7-inch, 720p, 1280 x 720 LCD (edge-to-edge), 312 PPI
• 2GHz Atom Z2480
• 32GB of expandable storage
• High-speed 8MP rear (with “Burst Mode”)/1.3MP camera at the front
• 1GB of RAM
• 21Mbps HSPA+ 3G

One fairly disappointing feature of the X1000 is its use of the antiquated Android ICS OS.  This means buyers have to hope XOLO releases the Jelly Bean upgrade in a timely manner, or that a bootloader unlock and CM ROM is around the corner for it.  But for the price, it may be worth settling for the archaic OS and bring a little Intel Inside.

Source:  XOLO

Come comment on this article: XOLO X1000 Offers 2GHz Intel Chip with 4.7-inch Screen for Low $369 in India

LG is allegedly planning to release a new “Value Pack” (VP) for their Optimus G Pro handset. The new VP brings with it a slew of updates, to include Smart Video and a Dual Camera feature. Smart Video, is eye-tracking software that will:

• Pause video playback when the phone recognizes that the user is no longer focused on the screen.

• Resumes video playback the moment it recognizes the user is paying attention again.

Dual camera is an extension of the Dual Recording feature LG recently debuted, and will:

• Allow the user to take simultaneous pictures from the front and rear cameras.

These are the two big features coming down the pipe, but there are a few more that might catch your eye, they include:

• Improvements to the QRemote app: Increasing functionality in controlling TVs.
• An update to the home button LED to: More granular control of its flashing.
• A new video camera feature: Will let user stop/start video but save to one continuous file.

The VP may be poised to release on other LG handsets, but they didn’t release any information to indicate which at this time. What we do know is that Optimus G Pro owners will be receiving this dose of awesome sometime next month.

EYE RECOGNITION TO BRING NEW LEVEL OF ENTERTAINMENT CONVENIENCE TO LG SMARTPHONE

Technology to Debut in Smart Video Feature in Optimus G Pro

SEOUL, Mar. 14, 2013 — Smart Video, a new multimedia UX feature from LG Electronics (LG), will be unveiled for the first time in the Optimus G Pro. Smart Video takes viewing videos on mobile devices to a whole new level of convenience with eye recognition that eliminates the need to manually control playback during the viewing experience.

Through the implementation of advanced eye recognition technology, Smart Video recognizes the position of the viewer’s eyes and automatically plays or stops the video without any manual input from the user. When the viewer’s eyes are no longer focused on the smartphone display, the front camera recognizes this and immediately pauses the video automatically. Once the user’s gaze returns to the smartphone, the video resumes playback from the point last viewed.

In addition to the Smart Video feature, Optimus G Pro will also be equipped with the world’s first Dual Camera function. The Dual Camera feature is an extension of the Dual Recording feature which debuted on the Optimus G Pro introduced in the Korean market last month. Dual Camera simultaneously captures photographs using both the front and back cameras for a picture-in-picture composition. Users can now be a part of the story, not just observers.

“LG is continuously innovating to offer creative ways to offer a user experience that adds value to our customers,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Elec-tronics Mobile Communications Company. “It’s the positive UX that will differentiate smartphones in 2013 and beyond, not only cutting-edge hardware specs.”
The Smart Video and Dual Camera features will be introduced as a part of the Value Pack upgrade which will be offered for the Optimus G Pro in the Korean market next month. These features will also be made available for some LG premium smartphones in the future.

Other features in the Value Pack upgrade include:

• Magic Remote Pad and Text Keypad via the QRemote function. These new options for QRemote work specifically with LG
Smart TVs to enhance convenience when using Optimus G Pro as a remote control for LG Smart TVs.
• The Smart LED Lighting outlining the home button of the Optimus G Pro will be upgraded so users can customize the colors
to correspond to their favorite contacts. The flashing of the LED in different colors will allow users to identify the source of
incoming calls, missed calls, unread messages and emails.
• Video Pause/Resume allows the user to stop and start in record mode for one continuous video file.
• The first Color Emoticons in an Android smartphone for more personalized text messages.

Come comment on this article: Latest ‘Value Pack’ for Optimus G Pro Adds Eye-tracking Software and More

Though he is stepping down from his position as head of Google’s Android Mobile Operating System, Andy Rubin, has something to say about his future with the company.  Andy stated in a letter to Android Partners that he is “an entrepreneur at heart and now is the right time for me to start a new chapter within Google.”

Earlier today Larry Page used the term “moonshots” in his post announcing Andy’s departure from the Android team, which could only mean he is heading to Google X Lab (GXL). Lets hope Andy is hinting that “new chapter” is indeed GXL.

Hit the break for the entire letter.

He wrote:

Dear friends,

In November of 2007 we announced the Open Handset Alliance with 34 founding members. Today, I’m grateful to the over 85 OHA members who have helped us build Android and drive innovation at such an incredible pace. The Android ecosystem has seen tremendous growth since the launch of the very first Android device in October 2008. The volume and variety of Android devices exceeds even my most optimistic expectations – over 750 million compatible devices and counting!

At its core, Android has always been about openness – the idea that a thousand brains are better than one. Just as the ecosystem has grown, so has our team at Google. I am incredibly proud of the phenomenal group of people that spend their days (and nights) building the Android platform and services. Just look at last year…a lean yet incredibly ambitious team released Jellybean with Google Now, launched Google Play in many languages and countries and collaborated with several partners to build three new Nexus devices to help drive innovation in the ecosystem.

Today, the success of Android combined with the strength of our management team, gives me the confidence to step away from Android and hand over the reins. Going forward, Sundar Pichai will lead Android, in addition to his existing work with Chrome and Apps. Hiroshi Lockheimer – who many of you already know well – plus the rest of the Android leadership team will work closely with all of our partners to advance Android and prepare the platform for new products and services yet to be imagined.

As for me, I am an entrepreneur at heart and now is the right time for me to start a new chapter within Google. I am amazed by what we have accomplished from those early days (not so long ago!), and remain passionate about the power of a simple idea and a shared goal – an open source platform freely available to everyone – to transform computing for people everywhere.

Thank you for your support,

– andy

This is an exciting time for GXL, and having Andy, and his innovative mind, on the team is going to take them to new heights for sure.

For those of you that don’t know, GXL is where products are rigorously tested.  Most of the products being tested are kept secret and on a strict “need to know” level.  Some great projects that have come out of GXL are Project Glass and self driving cars.  The latest innovation, announced by the division head, Astro Teller, is an upcoming “moonshot” product that will be release at an unspecified time in the near future.  You can read more about it here.

Fingers crossed that the hints Larry and Andy are throwing around inherently lead to Andy’s addition to team GXL!

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Come comment on this article: Andy Rubin says it’s the right time to start a new chapter within Google

The latest Google Play Developer Console is out of beta, and is now the default version. The new console brings with it:

1. Improvements to the publishing flow: Making it more streamlined and easier to use.
2. Adds more languages to the store listings with new language-specific graphics: Ensures users around the world understand what your app is about.
3. New graphs:  Let you track your ratings over time. You can even break them down by device, country, app version, and more.
4. Enhanced statistics page: Shows when you released each version of your app so you can see how each new version changes your installations and ratings. You can also view crash information specific to an application version.

If you hadn’t thought about upgrading to the latest version, now is the time. The current version will be retired on April 15 to make room for the latest version, and will no longer be supported. More improvements are projected to come down the pipe in the future.

Source:  Android Developers Blog

Come comment on this article: Ready for a Change? Switch to the New Google Play Developer Console Now

UK HTC fans are disappointed by the most recent announcement that the HTC One, scheduled to launch on March 15th, is not coming.  According to one retailer on Clove Technology’s Blog, they have it first-hand from HTC UK that the HTC One won’t be released until March 29th. That’s a two week delay for those that are counting.

It is important to keep in mind that this report comes from one lone retailer and may not hold true for all retailers. So, fingers crossed…. HTC can’t really afford to let their small following down at this point, especially with the big three breathing down their necks. HTC reached a 3 year low this year, shipping only $26.9 Billion of their projected $50-60 Billion worth of smartphones in the first two weeks of Q1.

Rumors from the supply chain are that HTC is facing severe component shortages for the UltraPixel camera. This delay may be confirmation of this rumor. Some might say, “Better late than never”, but with Samsung’s Galaxy S IV getting closer to its launch date, late may just be a little too late for HTC.

Source:  Clove Technology’s Blog

Come comment on this article: HTC One Launch Delayed Two Weeks in UK

Whether you are an avid or casual Android Gamer, Humble Bundle with Android 5 has just the thing for you. As previously reported on March 05, Humble Bundle is a highly popular, fairly new power player on the Android gaming scene.  Though the Humble Bundle 5 package has only been on the market for a few days now, they have already managed to raise over $1 Million in donations. In celebration of their success, the video game gurus over at Humble Bundle have just announced the release of an additional 3 awesome game titles to their already impressive lineup.

The additions include:

• Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP by Capybara Games
• Splice by Cipher Prime Studios
• Crayon Physics Deluxe by Klooingames

Gamers will now get a total of 9 games with the latest Android 5 bundle, and what’s best, they are all DRM free! Don’t get too excited though, these gaming goodies don’t come completely free. In order to score the 9 DRM free games, subscribers will have to unlock the pack by donating slightly more than the current average donated by other gaming fans.  That means the software increases in price over time depending on when the user makes the donation.  At the time of this post the average was $6.75.  Not a bad price considering the amount of game content you get.

To unlock your content, hit the source below and :

1. Choose an amount to donate (at this time, that’s anywhere from $6.76 on up).
2. Choose how you would like to divide up your contribution (Amongst Developers, Charity, or as a Humble Tip).
3. Enter your E-mail address.
4. Choose whether to make the donation a gift.

That’s it…just 4 easy steps to gaming success!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source:  Humble Bundle

Come comment on this article: Humble Bundle With Android 5 Adds Three New Games

\

Great news for Sony Xperia J owners out there! Like its brothers, the Xperia T/TL (LT30p, LT30at, LT30z) and Xperia V (LT25i), the Xperia J (ST26i) will finally see the much anticipated Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OTA update rolling out to handsets.

This is amazing in itself since the Xperia J only has a single-core CPU and 512 MB of RAM. The kernel version is 3.4 and the firmware is 11.2.A.0.21.

Rumor has it that the Xperia TX (LT29i) will be seeing its update to 4.1.2 Jelly Bean goodness here in the next couple of weeks. So fear not Sony fans, the company is working hard to ensure their Xperia handsets stay up-to-date in an ever-changing mobile market, making it that much easier to live with signing that two year service commitment…mmm, okay, maybe just a little easier anyway.

Source: XPERIA Blog

Come comment on this article: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OTA Rolling Out to Xperia J (ST26i)

T-Mobile CZ was not shy during their Sony Xperia Z launch event in Prague recently.  Swimsuit models were used to capture the true essence of the smartphone’s water resistant feature.  Spectators stood in long lines, gawked, took pics and video of the models…oh, and the smartphone as well.

The scantly dressed models were made to use the smartphones while getting soaked in a specially built, strategically placed shower at the entrance to the T-Mobile mall store. 

Of course, the ladies were not left out of the brilliant marketing strategy…they too had a half naked model to ogle at during the launch event.  Well, at least they weren’t sexist about the whole thing, right?

Source:  XPERIA Blog

Come comment on this article: T-Mobile CZ Uses Sex Appeal to Sell Sony Xperia Z

Fantastic news for HTC One X owners tired of waiting for the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OTA…your wait is over!  Assuming you were patient and are still running the stock firmware, you can now download it to your handset and update it yourself.

To install the update on your stock device (AT&T version ONLY), simply:

1. Download the flash image here.

2. Place the downloaded file in a root directory folder on your device (e.g. /sdcard/).

3. Boot the phone into recovery mode by:

a. Restarting the phone
b. Hold down the Volume Down rocker switch while at the same time pressing and holding the power button down for about 10 seconds.
c. Once the fastboot screen appears, use the volume keys to navigate to the “Recovery” option, then press the power button again.
d. You will see the HTC logo, followed by a blank screen, and finally, an image of a smartphone laying on its back complete with triange containing a bang (exclamation mark for you non-programmers).
e. Once this occurs, press and hold down the volume  rocker in the center (between the up and down), and press and release the power button.
f. Release all buttons and viola you will be taken to the blue Recovery Mode menu.

4. Flash the update image from the location you saved it to in step 1.  You will need to do the following to get this to work:

a. On the Recovery Mode menu, navigate using the volume buttons and select “Apply update from internal storage” option.
b. Select the Power button and the phone should find the upgrade image in the root directory.
c. Navigate to the file (if necessary) and hit the power button again to select it.  This will immediately begin the update process.

5. Once the update has completed your phone will reboot automatically.

Assuming everything went well, you should be enjoying some Android 4.1 Jelly Bean goodness within minutes.

Enjoy!

A WORD OF CAUTION! TalkAndroid can not be held accountable for any damage this update method might do to your device.  Please err on the side of caution on this one and if you don’t think you are tech savvy enough to do it yourself, go grab the geek down the street to help you out.  Hi neighbor!

Source: Android Police

Come comment on this article: Download and Install the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Update for the AT&T HTC One X

“Well, it’s about time!”, might be what your thinking if you have been anticipating the much anticipated OTA of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on your DROID RAZR or DROID RAZR MAXX. Unlike their little brother, the Droid RAZR M, which received the OTA months ago, owners of these devices have been denied the pleasure of all 4.1′s Jelly Bean goodness…but no more!

We already got an idea of some of the changes with this update, but now it’s officially approved and ready to go. Hit the break for some of the new Jelly Bean highlights along with some demo videos.

• Google Now – Receive sports scores, stock updates, weather reports, and traffic updates without having to search the entire web for them. Google Now will learn what’s important to you and give you the updates you need before you even know you needed them.

Click here to view the embedded video.

• Expanded Notifications – Get a snapshot of your incoming e-mails, news reader notifications, Facebook updates, chat and more. Swipe them away where your done with them and move on with your busy life.

Click here to view the embedded video.

• Improved Voice Search – Ask Google Now a real-world question, and get a real-world answer in seconds.  Want to know what the weather will be like for the motorcycle ride this afternoon? Android 4.1 will tell you, in spoken word!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Want to know more, check the source for a link to Motorola’s new Android upgrade page and get information on the upgrade schedule.

Source:  Motorola

Come comment on this article: Motorola DROID RAZR/RAZR MAXX to Receive Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OTA

Greetings frequent travelers!  If you like to travel as much as I do, you have probably fallen victim to the missing luggage bandit at some point. Bummer when you are attending a week long business seminar and everything you brought to wear is MIA. Low cost tracking solution guru’s, GlobaTrac, LLC., has a solution. They have just announced the release of their latest innovation, the GPS TrakDot Luggage  for preorder.

Just purchase the low cost TrackDot for $49.99, activate it for $8.99, and subscribe to the service for a nominal $12.99 annual subscription fee and the TrakDot will do the rest. Just drop the GPS enabled TrakDot into your luggage and it will report what city/airport it’s at in real time to your cell phone. It will even automatically turn itself off just before takeoff and turn back on upon landing.  By the time you get off the plane, you will receive a text message telling you what city it’s in.

I don’t know about you, but with all the traveling I do, the TrakDot’s initial cost and subscription fee is well worth the peace of mind that comes along with it. Knowing my luggage is in Denver while I sit in Dallas will most definitely benefit me when I walk up to the counter to ask the airline rep what the mix-up was. The TackDot will ship in June, but it you preorder before April 27, GlobaTrac will waive your activation fee!

To order and for more info visit TrakDot.

Full Press Release

Trakdot Luggage Tracking Device Now Available for Pre-Order

Los Angeles – March 7, 2013 – Trakdot™ announces they are now accepting pre-orders for the Trakdot Luggage™ device through their website. Created by GlobaTrac, LLC , an innovator in low cost tracking solutions, Trakdot Luggage fits into a checked bag, and reports city/airport location in real time to any cellular telephone. Those early adopters who place an order on Trakdot.com before April 27, 2013 will have their activation fee waived and will be among the first to receive the device.

Trakdot Luggage was designed to provide peace of mind over one’s valuables and take the stress out of travel.  The device is very simple to use.  Once the tracker is registered, turned on, and placed in a piece of luggage, the technology takes over the rest of the work.  Rather than utilizing GPS technology, Trakdot operates on cell technology to triangulate an active device’s location.  It will turn itself off just before takeoff, and then turn back on upon landing to confirm which city the bag is currently in and text the owner that information.  Alternatively, users can visit the website to locate their luggage.

“After the overwhelming success we had at the Consumer Electronics Show, and the strong demand from consumers around the world, we wanted to provide an early and direct path to purchase,” explains CEO Harry Steck.

The product will be available in late June for $49.99 MSRP, with an activation fee of $8.99 and an annual service fee of $12.99.  The activation fee waiver equates to more than 12% of product purchase costs.  Advance orders are based on a limited quantity and may sell out prior to April 27, 2013, after which no more pre-release orders can be fulfilled with this special offer.  Visit www.Trakdot.com for more information or to place an order.

Come comment on this article: TrakDot Luggage tracking device will tell you where your luggage is at all times, now available for preorder

The Near Field Communications Forum (NFCF) was established in 2004 as a non-profit industry body designed to encourage advancements in NFC technologies. We have seen this technology slowly making its way into mainstream smartphones from all major manufactures (except Apple) over the past few years.

Google joined the NFCF in March 2011 as a “principal” member, and has not advanced up the board structure…until now. Google has upgraded its status on the Forum to “top-tier sponsor level“. This basically means that Google now has a say in the running of the consortium. Google has a vested interest in advancing NFC technology. After all, their Wallet app for Android would be useless without it. Google Wallet allows consumers to tap their phone to an NFC enabled reader and wirelessly transfer funds straight to the vendor, making transactions quick and painless (on select handsets).

Google joins the likes of big players like Broadcom, Intel, MasterCard, Visa, Sony, Qualcomm, and Samsung at the sponsor level. (Next scheduled consortium will be held in Seoul, Korea, 18-22 March 2013).

Source: The Next Web

Come comment on this article: Google Joins Board of Directors at NFC Forum

“China”, just hearing the word projects images of grandeur and power. So what, you might ask, would make such a powerful country worry outside of the next world war?  In a word, GOOGLE! The search engine, tablet, smartphone, and mobile operating system powerhouse is really drawing a lot of attention from the big dogs overseas.

When Google does things, they do it big, no matter what the venture might be…and the world is taking notice. China is said to be worried that Google may be a little too big for their britches. China’s Technology Ministry has stated that Google has too much control over their smartphone industry via their Android operating system and that they discriminate against China’s local firms.

A white paper authored by the research arm of China’s Ministry and Information Technology also claims that China has the ability to “create its own mobile operating system” and at this time China “…is too dependent on Android.” The paper goes on to accuse Google of discrimination by developing “…agreements to restrain the business development of mobile devices of…companies it added”. Google’s spokesperson in China declined to comment on the matter.

The white paper suggests that regulations against Android might be on the horizon, but doesn’t mention anything specifically addressing the issue. To make matters worse, back in September 2012 the Taiwanese based, Alibaba Group, accused Google of “putting pressure on them” during a planned collaborative smartphone venture with US based, Acer. Acer and Google declined to comment on these accusations.

Google has had a history of problems stemming from China, to include an alleged hacking back in 2010, to which Google reacted by conducting a partial pullout of their search market share from the country. This move cost Google a 15 percent loss in search market share in China by the end of 2012. Since then, Android has been Google’s only major player in China. By the end of Q3 2012, Android accounted for a staggering 90 percent of all mobile operating systems in China, dominating Apple Inc’s IOS by over 85 percent.

Who knows what the future holds for Google in China, but recent rumors would lead us to believe that the future of Android is bleak at best.

Source:  Business Insider

Come comment on this article: China is Worried Over Google’s Control in Smartphone Industry

Google is said to be close to launching its Play Store Gift Cards in the UK very soon.  We believe this to be the case since Google updated their Gift cards & Google Play balance help files to now include the UK.  Gift cards will reportedly be available for purchase in £10, £25, and £50 increments.

UK readers may recall a similar tease when “redeem pages” popped up in the  UK’s online and device-based stores in Q4 of 2012.  Again, we can only deduct that a UK launch is imminent, but we have made the same assumptions in the past with negative results.  So what makes this different?  This time around though, it seems as though Play Store Gift Cards could be a reality in the UK…soon.

Source:  Google Play
Via: Android Police

Come comment on this article: Play Store Gift Cards to Launch in the UK….Soon?

It seems like only yesterday Samsung released its flagship handset, the Galaxy S III, to a grateful public.  The specs were impressive at the time, and the price was affordable compared to existing and emerging competitors.

Samsung is not one to let its success go to its head.  Their impressive marketing budget, coupled with their zest for innovation has helped them climb to the top in a predominantly mobile marketplace.  Their latest handset, the Galaxy S IV  won’t be an exception to the rule!

The Galaxy S IV (SCH-i959), said to release to China Telecom, boasts some impressive benchmark results to say the least.  Specs listed were:

• 1.8Ghz Quad-core Exynos processor
• 1920 x 1080 FHD display
• CDMA/GSM
• Android Jelly Bean 4.2.1

Overall score as reported by AnTuTu Benchmark was an impressive 26,250!  Compared with the test results of 14,544 from the HTC DROID DNA, you can see how impressive this score really is.

Source:  Blog Of Mobile

Come comment on this article: CDMA Version of Samsung Galaxy S IV (SCH-I959) Pops up in Benchmark Test