Tag Archives: google
Google Now named Popular Science’s Innovation of the Year
Google Now is one of the coolest, most revolutionary features in Android 4.1 and above. It changes the way you interact with a phone and still has a ton of untapped potential. And apparently, Android diehards aren’t the only ones who think so, as Popular Science has named Google Now its Innovation of the Year.
Google reportedly in talks with Dish Network on launching new wireless service
Google has recently been in talks with satellite-TV provider Dish Network about partnering to create a new wireless service, according to people close to the situation. It’s worth noting that they also said the talks weren’t advanced and could ultimately not amount to anything, and Google isn’t the only company that Dish has been talking with, but the possibility of Google entering direct competition with the likes of Verizon and AT&T is pretty exciting.
Google+ now has direct download links for Play Store apps
There’s a cool little feature that’s just been implemented in Google+. Whenever a user links to an app in the Play Store on G+, that post will have a direct download link that users can download the app from without being redirected to the Play Store page. Not a huge feature, but little things like that make the user experience that much better.
Google leaks info hinting at upcoming Google Wallet Card
More news this week about a physical card coming from Google to expand the functionality of the Google Wallet app. The latest leak was discovered on Google’s own web site in the help section for Google Wallet. On the page listing eligible devices, Google’s text indicated “Eligible devices for use with Google Wallet card” and then went on to note that any device running Android 2.3.3 or better could install the Google Wallet app to use with the new card.
Happy Birthday: Android and the Open Handset Alliance turns 5 today
It was five years ago today that the Open Handset Alliance and Android was born. It sure has been an awesome ride. One that has resulted in around 1.3 million activations per day and 75% of the smartphone market share. There is still a lot more to go as the tablet market needs to be seized and don’t forget, we still have 16 more desserts to go for Android versions.
Nexus 4 Battery Life Not So Good
As we all anxiously await the November 13th arrival of the Nexus 4, I’m sure a lot of you are concerned how the battery life will fare. Well, early results aren’t very good. Based on recent unbiased and fairly scientific test results from AnandTech, the battery life on one of the most anticipated devices this fall will leave something to be desired. AnandTech did admit that they have yet to run through their entire battery life suite, but they did fully test, record, and publish the results of the most important category.
Study says: 72% percent of Android apps pose a potential security risk!
According to a recent study, 72 percent of all Android applications in the Google Play Store request access to at least one extraneous permission that it doesn’t inherently need to function properly. This number may seem alarming, but let’s break down some of the research firm’s so-called “results.”
LG Rumored To Sell Nexus 4 At A Significantly Higher Cost Than What Is Found In The Play Store
While it’s exciting that Google is selling the Nexus 4 through its Play Store for as little as $299 here in the US and parts of Europe, it looks like those in other parts of the world may not be so lucky to grab the device for such a low price. According to Androidos, there are reports coming in from Europe indicating that LG will be selling the Nexus 4 directly for as much as €599 or $768 USD in countries like Italy. Additional reports indicate similar pricing for other markets including Spain and India, which will likely see the device priced at INR 34K or 35K (roughly $650 USD).
Android 4.2 clock and keyboard apps available for flashing
Earlier this week, after Google announced Android 4.2, an update to Jelly Bean, some sources managed to obtain standalone apk files for the 4.2 keyboard. The keyboard from 4.2 is sought after due to the inclusion of “Gesture Typing,” which allows users to glide their finger over the keyboard in a Swype-like fashion.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus Gets Inductive Charging Mod, Brings Us One Step Closer To Eliminating Wired Futility
One of the great things about Android phones is the ability to well… tinker with them. While most of the mod attention goes to the software side of things (i.e. rooting, ROMs, etc.), Android owners forget there is also the ability to tinker with a device’s hardware as well. With that in mind, a crafty Galaxy Nexus owner named Fenris_Ulf took some time to tinker with his device’s battery charging ability. Like most other devices, the Galaxy Nexus features a micro-USB output— which is susceptible to some wear, rendering charging of the device virtually useless and exactly what happened to Fenris_Ulf’s G-Nex.
