Google Nexus 5 gets unofficial CyanogenMod 11

CM11 might not be officially available yet, but you can still get a taste of it since the code was freely distributed to Github earlier in the month. The unofficial release of CM11 for the Nexus 5 is now available via XDA Developers. Because of the fact that this release is unofficial it will still probably have a few glitches, but in case you want to see what it’s like before the official release you can head over to XDA Developers to check it out.

CM11 has been in the works since the source for KitKat was released on October 31. The devices that will receive the upgrade have yet to be announced, but CyanogenMod is hoping to bring all devices that are currently running CM10.2 up to CM11. The first official release of CM11, CM11 Nightly, is expected before the end of the month.
There are a number of features that come with installing CyanogenMod, but one of the biggest advantages is the ability to bring your device up to the latest version of Android even if your device doesn’t technically support it.
Source: XDA Developers
Via: MobileSyrup

Google redesigns Google Now website to explain how cards work with animations

Along with releasing a new version of Google Search, including Google Now, Google has also redesigned their Google Now website, and it looks pretty. Filled with short videos and animation, Google shows users how exactly Google Now cards work, and which cards are available.
The website is worth a look, even if you are already familiar with the ins and outs of Google Now. Head to the source link to check it out.
Source: Google Now

Get any tablet from Staples $50 off, including Nexus 7

Black Friday is coming up in just a few weeks, but Staples already has great deals flowing. You can get any tablet over $149 for $50 off. That includes the new Nexus 7, and brings down the price to $179 for the 16GB version, and $219 for the 32GB tablet. That is an incredible deal for a brand new, top of the line device.
All  you have to do to take advantage of this deal is enter the coupon code 24373 while you’re checking out on Staples.com. This deal is only valid today, so be quick!
Source: 9 to 5 Google

Possible specs of the HTC M8 leak, new processor and a larger 1080p display

New information regarding the HTC One’s successor is becoming more frequent since it is going to launched within the next few months. We’ve already seen its casing, with a possible fingerprint sensor like the One Max, and @evleaks suggests it could be available on the big four U.S. carriers at launch. Now @evleaks has information regarding the specs of HTC’s 2014 flagship. He says the device will likely, and predictably, have “a 5-inch, 1080p handset powered by KitKat and a Snapdragon 800.” This would improve upon the HTC One’s 4.7-inch display and Snapdragon 600 processor.
An issue may arise with what Samsung will do with their 2014 Galaxy S 5. The company is working on its own 64-bit processor and it is likely that HTC is not going to include one at all. This would put them behind Samsung from the beginning. HTC needs to somewhat future-proof their device for the immediate future rather than being surpassed by Samsung once their flagship launches.

Source: @evleaks

New FCC boss wants people to be able to unlock their phones

The new chairman of the FCC, Tom Wheeler, has just announced to wireless companies that they are to pass rules that allow people to be able to unlock their phones, allowing them to change carriers. These rules, Wheeler says, are to be put in place by December.
The issue in question, “unlocking”, was in the news back in January thanks to a law that made it illegal for you to unlock your phone and bring it to another carrier, even if you paid all the fees associated with unlocking your device. Currently, unlocking your device requires you to hack it – a move that could send you to jail for up to 5 years.

The FCC is pushing for phone carriers to be required to follow 5 rules:

1. Consumers must know about unlocking their phone from the start.
2. Consumers should be able to own their unlocked device after paying off their contract.
3. Consumers must be made aware that their devices can be unlocked at no cost.
4. Carriers must unlock a phone within two business days, or tell consumers why their device cannot be unlocked in that time.
5. Carriers must unlock phones for people in the military when they are deployed.

Such rules would make a big change to the way phone carriers currently work, but the aforementioned law will still need to be changed. One advocate of the new rules, Sina Khanifer, who founded an organization called Fix The DCMA, says that consumers should be able to unlock their phones without the need for carrier cooperation. One bill is currently in Congress that could help with that, called the “Unlocking Technology Act”. Khanifer says that he hopes people will contact their representatives to let them know of their support for the bill.
Source: Business Insider

Google highlights ‘Flight Search’ feature to find and save flight information

Google’s ITA Software blog just posted some information highlighting the best features of Google Flight Search.
If you’re not ready to book your flight immediately, you can save the information and easily access it all later when you’re ready to book it. To save a flight, you can hit the star icon, and you can access these flights again later by hitting the star icon again when you’re on the flight search home page. Any price changes or availability details will be reflected in the saved information as well.
It’s definitely a handy little tool that can be used when searching for flights on the go.
Source: ITA Software Blog

Samsung plans for flexible screen on next-gen of smartphones leak, features interactive side-pane

The race to release the first smartphone with a flexible screen is over. The LG G Flex and Samsung Galaxy Round have been released in all their glory. Now, the race begins to create an a smartphone that actually utilizes the flexible screen correctly.
Some Samsung sketches just leaked, which show exactly what they’re trying to do here with their next generation of smartphones. These ideas aren’t anything new, as Samsung showed us a prototype with a bent screen on the side of the device, creating a control/information bar.
Bloomberg brings us today’s leaked plans. Hit the break to see just a few things that could be done with such a phone:

1. Slide to lock/unlock functionality and battery charge indicators could be located on an “always-on” side-screen.
2. The ability to arrange and navigate through photo gallery via folder or dates, or by a combination of touch/tilt gestures.


3. Quickly navigate through long list-apps such as address books or bookmarks in an e-book.


4. Easily store items on the side screen for later sharing/viewing use. (View-able copy/paste clipboard)


5. See more details about certain items, such as the size of attachments on messages.


If you ask me, I’d say these features beat out the G Flex and Galaxy Round in just about every single category. It’ll be exciting to see what gets implemented and all of the other possibilities for this new technology. The folks over at Unwired actually suggested that this could make for a legitimate use for Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. (Until, of course, Google implements the flexible display hardware into Android, and once again reduces the need for TouchWiz…)
Via: Unwired
Source: US Patent and Trademark Office

LG hoped Google would give a “hat tip” to LG heritage in naming latest Nexus smartphone

A new report from Korean news source Chosun gives a little back story on the name of Google’s latest smartphone, the Nexus 5. According to sources, LG pushed on Google to name the device the Nexus G in a nod to the device’s connection to the LG G2 smartphone which the Nexus 5 is loosely based on. LG apparently suggested to Google that Samsung was provided with this kind of consideration when they produced Nexus devices, the Nexus S and the Galaxy Nexus. Google resisted and eventually denied the request from LG, opting to stick with Nexus 5.
The report does not indicate when these discussions took place or when the final decision to go with Nexus 5 was made by Google. It could be Google wanted to stick with Nexus 5 as both a recognition of the smartphone’s position as fifth in line as well as in connection with Android 5.0. For much of the past year, many thought the next version of Android after 4.3 was going to be the 5.0 version going by the Key Lime Pie moniker. It would have made sense to have Android 5.0 running on a Nexus 5 from a marketing standpoint. As we all know, that changed when Google partnered with KitKat for naming rights to the operating system, although it is not clear whether the current version was really going to be 5.0 or was always on the path to being the Android 4.4 that we are all trying to get our hands on.
At the end of the day, LG lost out on the opportunity to make a subtle connection between Google’s success with the Nexus line and their own flagship devices marketed under the “G” name.
source: Chosun
via: G for Games

Huge Google Search update (3.1.8) rolling out, brings Google Experience Launcher to Android 4.1+ [Download]

Today, an absolutely huge Google Search update started rolling out to all Android devices running Android 4.1 and above. The update is version 3.1.8 and is big for a number of reasons.
First of all, the update brings Google Search version 3 (or 3.1.8) to all devices running Android 4.1 and above. This is the version of Search that comes with KitKat, and brings a new UI, as well as a new refreshed animation. The update also allows the Google Experience Launcher APK to work properly when installed. Hit the break for more information on Search 3.1.8.

On certain tablets, the Google Experience Launcher had a number of bugs. For example on the Google Nexus 7, the Search box was off center, the keyboard loaded when you tapped home, and so on. The new Search update fixes all of those problems.
Not only that, a number of new Google Now cards are now available including a website update card, a news topic card, and a what to watch card. Other updates include Waze traffic incidents on maps, real time rugby scores, the ability to check when your packages are ready to be picked up in stores, and the ability to undo dismissing cards.
This is a big update because of the fact that we previously thought that the new Google Experience Launcher (GEL) would only be available to Google Nexus 5 owners. Instead, with the help of an APK (download link below), the Launcher is available for anyone on Android 4.1 or higher. Once you have installed Google Search 3.1.8 via the APK below or from the Play Store, you can install the Google Experience Launcher APK. We can only assume Google will eventually release GEL in the Play Store in the future as a separate app or as part of search, but for now, we have the APK. Enjoy!!!
Download – Google Search 3.1.8
Download –  Google Experience Launcher
Source: AndroidPolice

Second-hand Nexus 5 owner discovers test build of Key Lime Pie running on device

We often hear the classic story of people ending up with a prototype of a device after a night at the bar. This time, it was literally given straight to the customer.
When a brand new Nexus 5 owner turned on his device, he discovered it was actually running a test build of Key Lime Pie instead of 4.4 KitKat.
He got the device second-hand, and after trying it out a bit, he found that the build was not stable was continuously crashing. After some investigating, he found the screen above.
Nothing too exciting was on the device or too different from the regular build other than a few hidden menus.
This happens every once in a while, but the devices are updated to the most recent version of Android when they’re turned on. However, such as with this case, test builds don’t get OTA updates, so the customer had to flash KitKat.
Source: AndroidAndMe

Russian dual-screen YotaPhone will see an international launch before Christmas

Russian based Yota Devices has been planning a very unique device for quite some time, and it looks like we’ll see the device launch before Christmas this year. The YotaPhone features two screens; the first is a traditional LCD touch screen that we’re used to on all of our smartphones, but the back screen is a less power-hungry eInk display screen. It’s a pretty weird design decision, and I’m not actually sure what all that back screen can do. Obviously it would make a great option for reading books without draining your battery, but I don’t think it would see much use beyond that.

The specs are pretty standard, including a dual-core 1.7 GHz processor, 2 GB of RAM, and a 720p (front) screen. The battery is pretty small at just 1800 mAh, but maybe if you use that back screen, it’ll last a bit longer.

Would any of you be interested in this device if it was available?

source: TechCrunch

Best Buy halting HP Chromebook 11 sales, others yank the device too

According to The Verge, sources say Best Buy is not selling the HP Chromebook 11 for the time being due to urgent internal instructions. Best Buy managers are being told “stores should stop selling the HP Chromebook 11 effective immediately” and should “partner with Sales Support to pull the product off the sales floor to a secure location in the warehouse.” Even online, listings for the device has disappeared. And Best Buy isn’t alone. Amazon, who Google also partnered with for the sale of the HP Chromebook 11, has taken it down as well. All retailers of the device — Amazon, Best Buy, Google Play, HP — no longer have it available at this time. Why this is happening so rapidly, we’re not sure. Perhaps a defect has been found? Stay tuned for an update.
Source: The Verge

Motorola’s Moto G has its first commercial, highlights the compact device’s punch

This morning in Brazil, Motorola unveiled the Moto G. At the end of the presentation, the company gave us a look at the device’s first commercial. The layout of the spot seems to highlight the power of this compact, affordable device. Shown are the replaceable backs, Google services integration, guaranteed update to Android 4.4 KitKat (since it ships with 4.3), “all-day” battery life, a quad-core processor, and a 4.5-inch display that Motorola touts as “the sharpest in its class.” Hit the break to view the commercial.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VunSqD1MOjE&feature=youtu.be

ASUS readying Miracast Dongle with hopes of mirroring success of Google Chromecast

ASUS has released a video showing a new product they are preparing to launch, the ASUS Miracast Dongle. Similar to the Google Chromecast, the Miracast Dongle plugs into your television’s HDMI port to deliver content on the big screen. Using an appropriate device, like an ASUS tablet, users then make a wireless connection and configure their device. Unlike the Google Chromecast, ASUS says their Miracast Dongle will enable users to mirror their entire tablet screen to the big screen. At the same time, it appears ASUS has figured out a way to initiate a mirroring session from an app delivering content and then letting the user access other apps on their device while content continues to play. Another difference compared to the Google Chromecast is support for dual-band wireless at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz to help reduce latency in signal delivery.
According to reports, the Miracast Dongle will sell for 79€ ($106 USD) which is quite a bit more than the Google Chromecast. It appears the new device will support any ASUS tablet running Android 4.2 or higher and some Windows 8.1 devices, but it is not clear whether it will work with devices from other manufacturers. ASUS does list the Nexus 7 (2013) model as compatible with the Miracast Dongle. Check out the video below from ASUS showing the Miracast Dongle in action. No information is available on countries, markets or a release date for the device.

Samsung outsourcing Galaxy Trend Duo, sees major advantages

HTC has decided to start outsourcing their low and mid-range devices, and now it looks as though Samsung will actually be following HTC this time.
Samsung has begun outsourcing the Galaxy Trend Duo, a mid-range device, which will hopefully allow the company to focus on emerging markets. According to reports, over 10% (30 million units) of Samsung’s output will be outsourced by year’s end.
As of now, Samsung has had 10 million Galaxy Trend Duos manufactured by subcontractor Zhonghuan Telecommuication. The device runs Android Jelly Bean and features a WVGA display and a dual-core processor.
We’ll see if Samsung goes the outsourcing route with most of its mid-range devices or continues with what is already making it successful.
Via: UnwiredView
Source: ETNews

Android smartphones account for over 80% of all phone shipments in Q3 with phablets making up 21% of those shipments

Believe it or not, Android smartphones are still continuing to gobble up more market share. According to IDC, Android smartphones accounted for a ridiculous 81% of all phones shipped in Q3 (a good chunk of that was likely Samsung, too). All in all, Android shipments grew 51.3% year-over-year, and the smartphone market overall grew about 40% year-over-year. IDC also notes that of the 211.6 million phones shipped, roughly 21% of them were phablets, or any device over 5.7 inches in screen size. That’s up from 3% a year ago, which I think is partly because of the popularity of larger devices and partly because most manufacturers are at least offering gigantic devices now, where it was mainly just Samsung with their Note II a year ago.

Windows Phone also saw an incredible growth, improving shipments 156% year over year. Unfortunately, Windows Phones accounted for 9.5 million devices, which is an incredibly small number compared to Android’s 211 million, but hey, progress is progress. Either way, the smartphone market shows no signs of slowing down, and I think we can expect even bigger numbers after the holidays this year.

source: IDC

Video shows off LG Flex’s “self-healing” back plate

Now this is certainly a first for me. LG released a video showcasing the “healing” properties of their new LG Flex device. Shown in the video are two backplates being continuously scratched, the left one being a normal back plate and the right one featuring LG’s new technology. You can see that even after scratching it, it heals itself moments later. LG has yet to explain exactly as to how this technology works, but they did say that this only works on regular “wear and tear” scratches, not big gashes that one would get by huge drops and such.
What do you guys think about it? Personally, I think it’s great as it’s the little scratches that tend to magically appear on my phone that mostly bugs me. Either way, I’m looking forward learning more about this new technology. Check out the video after the break!

CyanogenMod Installer becomes official as it hits the Google Play Store

ROM flashing has just become that much easier for all of us. Today, Cyanogen and his team have officially released their much anticipated CM Installer into the Google Play Store. While flashing ROM’s may be easy and 2nd nature to some, it can be scary and difficult to venture into for others. Now with the CM Installer, having CyanogenMod on your Android device is just “a click” away, so to speak. Just make sure your device is part of the “supported device list” and you can give it a shot. QR code and Play Store link will be after the break along with the full press release.

 
Play Store Download Link

CyanogenMod Installer Launches on Play Store

63.3% of all Android devices are Samsung branded

When it comes to Android, Samsung has been the reigning king, and it doesn’t appear that’s going to change anytime soon. As of right now, 63.3% of all Android devices has a Samsung logo on it. This includes phones and tablets, and let’s not forget about phablets or phonblets (whatever the kids are calling them these days). The next closest manufacturer is HTC with only 6.5%
When it comes to smartphones alone, the top 10 phones represent a 40.2% market share, but Samsung owns a total of 8 of them for a 37.8% market share. Only the HTC One and the DROID RAZR was able to make the list, and their combined market share is only 2.4%. The Galaxy Ace actually has a larger market share than both of these phones, which is mind boggling.

I guess none of this data is at all surprising, but sometimes you feel like you got hit over the head when you see data like this. It seems as if the only way other manufacturers can succeed is if Samsung lets them.
source: Localytics
via: SamMobile

Stylus ES22 accessory announced for Sony Xperia Z Ultra

The Sony Xperia Z Ultra has a new accessory— the Stylus ES22, which can be extended to the size of a full writing utensil, and is built-in with a 1.5mm ultra-thin point. A case and a cord also come with the stylus. Pricing and availability information is not yet available, but should be soon.
Hit the break for a more up-close look at the stylus.


Source: Xperia Blog

LG G Flex to launch next week in Korea, European release to come in December

Curves seem to be all the rage these days, and LG certainly has an option for you in the G Flex. The phone launches in Korea next week on November 12th, and Europe will be getting the device in December. France’s ‘Orange’ cell service provider will be getting the device next month as well.
Along with its curved, flexible six-inch OLED screen, the device comes with 2GB RAM and a 13 MP shooter.
The initial announcement didn’t mention anything about price, but now we have some more information— the Korean price will be 999,900 Won, or about $940.
It’s still tough to tell whether this device or Samsung’s Galaxy Round wins the head-to-head match-up between the two most prominent curved-display smartphones, but we should know soon enough.
Source: Engadget

Oppo N1 CyanogenMod Limited Edition to begin shipping internationally in December

The upcoming Oppo N1 will start shipping internationally this December, and one of its key features is that it will come with support to easily flash the CyanogenMod ROM. News also came in that there would be a limited edition version of the phone that would be pre-installed with CyanogenMod, and will be available at the same time as the regular variant.
A news release sent out today also mentioned that special features such as O-Touch and the O-Click Bluetooth remote will also be included. Elements of Oppo’s ColorOS will also be built in, with the ability to wake the phone by double-tapping its screen, much like LG’s “Knock-On” feature.
The limited edition variant will also come with some CyanogenMod extras, including a special edition case, stickers, and some other things. The best part of all this? The limited edition variant costs exactly the same as the standard version.
Anyone interested in picking one of these bad boys up?
Source: Oppo

NVIDIA hopes new Tegra 4i chip will get them out of the gutter

Remember a couple of years ago when NVIDIA was all the rage with the Tegra 2? Well things haven’t gone so well for NVIDIA, and somehow Qualcomm stole the show. Even Texas Instruments couldn’t handle the mobile competition. I think NVIDIA’s problems started in 2011 with the DROID Bionic. The Bionic was introduced at CES in January of 2011 touting it’s prowess with the Tegra 2. It wasn’t until the fall of that the phone was finally released. Why? Motorola said they redesigned it, but there is no question it was as a result of LTE compatibility. The final phone was released with a Texas Instruments chipset. This debacle proved to be costly for Motorola, and obviously for NVIDIA.

Since then, other than the 2012 Nexus 7, NVIDIA really hasn’t made too much noise. The Tegra 3 got little traction, and the Tegra 4 is even worse. Qualcomm has taken over the sector completely and the reason is Qualcomm offers an all-in-one solution with LTE modems built into their processors. It took them a few years, but NVIDIA is finally offering a similar solution with their upcoming Tegra 4i. Devices should be announced early next year and could be available by Q2. AT&T has even certified the chip, which could prove to be fruitful.
The big question is if NVIDIA is too late? If they can be competitive in their pricing, they might make some noise, but they have a long steep hill to climb.
source: The Verge

Moto X Developer Edition gets a price drop

I have no idea if the Moto X is proving to be successful for Motorola, but an early sign that it isn’t is the fact the prices are already dropping at the carrier level. Right now you can grab the phone on contract for $99 or under $500 off contract. Now Motorola has dropped the price of the Developer Edition by $100 bringing the price down to $549.99. I know a lot of people are down on the specs, but trust me, the Moto X is one of the best phones of the year.
The Developer Edition has an unlockable bootloader so you can tinker till your heart’s content. They offer a GSM or a Verizon version. The GSM version is compatible with either AT&T or T-Mobile. I should also point out that both models come with 32GB of storage. We have both phones linked below.
source: Motorola (AT&T or T-Mobile) / Motorola (Verizon)

Google Now could get exciting new features on November 13

According to Wired, Google Now should be getting exciting new features on November 13. One of the things I have found lacking with Google Now is that it doesn’t have the ability to control other apps. This new update will allow search inside other applications as well as the ability to launch them. So for example, searching for a restaurant could yield results from OpenTable and you could open the app via voice to make a reservation.
Conversations is another area. Right now you can ask multiple questions, but Google Now never asks you anything back. Google Now will start asking you questions, so if you say, “text Robert”, you might get a reply, “which Robert”, or did you mean “Robert Smith or Robert Nazarian?”

Last but not least, better location cards will be coming. We already get transit times based on where you are, but you might get geyser times automatically when you are Yellowstone Park for example.
This sounds like some pretty cool stuff, but why didn’t Google include them when KitKat and the Nexus 5 were announced?
source: Wired
via: Android Authority

Google barge to be a temporary technology exhibit space featuring “fish fin” sails

You know that mysterious barge of Google’s in California? Above is an artist’s rendering of what it might just look like. According to documents attained by the San Francisco Chronicle, the barge will eventually be a “50-foot-tall, 250-foot-long structure made of recycled shipping containers and surrounded by sails resembling fish fins.” It’s going to be a studio and a ”temporary technology exhibit space” to drive tourism along the waterfront.
The barge will reportedly hold up to 1,000 visitors a day during monthlong visits at locations around San Fran, like Fort Mason, Angel Island, Redwood City, and Rosie the Riveter Historical National Park in Richmond. Eventually it will keep traveling, visiting San Diego and other West Coast ports. We can’t wait to see what the finished product will look like; it sounds exciting.
Source: The Verge

Motorola files patent for “smart tattoo” on throat

We’ve seen some pretty crazy patents filed in the past few months, and simultaneously, wearables are becoming more and more popular in the mobile device industry.
But it still may be a bit surprising to find out that Motorola has just filed a patent for a “smart tattoo” which would be placed on one’s throat, and would act as a microphone to improve voice quality so well that you would be nearly crystal clear on the other end.
Most of these far-out patents don’t go into too much detail about how they will work, but Motorola’s filing actually gets pretty extensive. Hit the source link below for more information.
A lot of people think this idea is extremely ridiculous, and this could never possibly reach the market and be successful, but we have certainly been surprised before.
Via: Android Guys
Source: US Patent and Trademark Office

Samsung working on its own 64-bit processor

Coining its own phrase wasn’t the only thing Samsung did during yesterday’s Analyst Day event. Samsung also announced that they would be developing their own 64-bit processor for mobile devices. The chip will be based on one from ARM and then Samsung will make any modifications they please, according to Samsung’s Stephen Woo. He explains that “we will offer the first 64-bit [processor] based on ARM’s own core. After that, we will offer an even more optimized 64-bit [processor] based on our own optimizations.” Samsung is nearing a DIY approach with their future.
Stephen Woo acknowledges that consumers questioned the need for a 64-bit processor, but now they are asking “when can we have that?” Samsung is likely rushing to 64-bit processors because of their competition, particularly Apple. Apple’s iPhone 5s has 64-bit; however, it has largely been unseen as how it will be put to the test. For devices with 4GB of RAM or more, devices are going to need 64-bit processors because the current 32-bit ones can not handle any more memory such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3‘s 3GB of RAM.
Source: CNET

MMS enabled by T-Mobile for Google Voice users

Sprint has let users on Google Voice to receive MMS messages through Gmail. T-Mobile is following suit today, adding the feature to their own network, and making Google Hangouts an even nicer looking option. Verizon and AT&T have not mentioned anything yet regarding an update.
Alex Wiesen, a Google employee, posted some information regarding the news on his Google+ profile.

We’re happy to announce this week another step towards improving MMS support for Google Voice. T-Mobile has allowed MMS messages from their users to be sent to Google Voice users. Similar to MMS messages from Sprint users, these messages will appear in Gmail, and you can be notified of the message via SMS. We continue to work with other carriers to broaden support for messaging and bring MMS to Hangouts. More good things are coming!

Sounds good, and we’re looking forward to seeing what other great features are brought to Google Hangouts in the future.
Source: +Alex Wiesen

Google Glass ‘XE11′ update release notes posted by Google

If you want to know all the details regarding Glass’ XE11 update, Google has just posted everything on their support site.
Here are some of the highlights:
Personalized search results have been updated, so that you can program “Home” and “Work” to the exact addresses. Directions will now be much more convenient. You can also search your Google Calendar, and see everything that’s coming up on your schedule.
There’s also an updated “swipe to setup” screen. If your device is new, you’ll see this right away but otherwise you’ll have to do a factory reset if you’re really that interested.
When you’re connected to Glass, you’ll also see a shortcut to Screencast in your notifications drawer on your phone.
Long press is also gone. To search, now you can just tap the touchpad three times while the display is off, or say “Ok Glass/Google” from the home screen.
Source: Google Support

Google releases the official Hangouts v2 with SMS/MMS support to Google Play

Following up on their release of the new KitKat keyboard to Google Play earlier today, Google has also made the new Hangouts v2 available. The big news with this update is the incorporation of SMS/MMS messaging into the Hangouts platform. Some other improvements include support for a full set of built-in emojis, the ability to view animated GIFs, location sharing, and the ability to set a “mood” indicator ala Google+ for others to see.
If you are lucky enough to have a Nexus 5 with the new Hangouts already installed or if you happened to install the leaked version, you may still want to check for an update as it reportedly fixes a video calling issue. Use one of the download links below to check out the new Hangouts in Google Play.

Google Play Download Link

New mod for rooted Chromecast devices helps users break out of Google’s walled garden

Ever since Google released their Chromecast this past summer, a constant battle has been going on between Google and owners of the device. More specifically, Google has continued to try to maintain control over how a Chromecast can be used and what content it is capable of streaming. Meanwhile, users have been trying to figure out ways to make the device more useful for their purposes and capable of streaming content they are interested in instead of what Google thinks they should be interested in. A new mod called KyoCast from XDA forum member Kyonz is a step in the direction of more freedom, at least for those users who managed to root their device before Google figured out a way to clamp down on that.
Once developers figured out a way to root the Chromecast, Google quickly issued a patch to stop this activity. Since that time, the Chromecast world has been divided between users who managed to root their device prior to that update and those who did not achieve that feat. However, even with a rooted Chromecast, users were still stymied in what they could do with the device because of the way Google implemented the whitelist of available services and applications.
Kyonz developed KyoCast to get around that problem by setting up independent whitelist servers. A user can then install a modified image on their Chromecast using Flashcast so that whitelist requests are redirected to the KyoCast servers. The biggest impediment now will likely be the lack of clients for different services. Several services are already on the whitelist including HBO, AOL, Post, Rev3 and Songza and developers can contact Kyonz to get their service added to the whitelist.
A download of the image file is available through the source link below along with additional instructions on verifying whether the install has succeeded. If things don’t work out, Kyonz has provided a tool to revert a Chromecast back to pointing to the Google whitelist servers.
Anyone out there with a rooted Chromecast want to give this a try? If you do, be sure to let us know your results.
source: XDA Developers Forum

Samsung Galaxy S 5 and Note 4 to sport 16MP cameras with new ICOCELL pixel technology

Back in September, Samsung announced a new advanced pixel technology called ISOCELL. During their analyst day, they announced that they will utilize ISOCELL with next year’s flagship phones, such as the Galaxy S 5 and the Note 4.
ISOCELL aims at improving light absorption. As cameras have evolved, the emphasis has shifted from Front Side Illumination (FSI) to Back Side Illumination (BSI), but BSI is facing limitations since pixels continue to shrink. ISOCELL forms a physical barrier between neighboring pixels, which eliminates cross talk and allows more photons to be collected.

The slide above was shown to investors during Samsung’s analyst day confirming that we will see 16MP ISOCELL sensors.
There is one thing missing from that slide, and that’s optical image stabilization (OIS). Just about every flagship phone offers it on top of their own pixel technology. HTC offers Ultra Pixel and Motorola has Clear Pixel, but both companies offer OIS as well. There was a report late last month indicating OIS wouldn’t be included on the Galaxy S 5 due to supply constraints. Samsung is offering what they call Smart Stabilization on the Galaxy Note 3, which is software related. I suspect we will get something similar in the Galaxy S 5.
source: aod.teletogether
via: gforgames

November 19th and 20th will be a Google Glassware hackathon for developers

Google has announced they’ll be holding a Glassware hackathon for Google Glass developers on the 19th and 20th of November. The invitations went out today, and the event will give developers a chance to tinker with the future Glassware Development Kit. The two day event will be held in San Francisco, and even though not all applicants will be able to attend, the entire thing will be recorded and posted online for everyone.

source: 9to5 Google

comScore reports latest smartphone market share with only Apple and Samsung showing growth in Q3

comScore has reported the latest market shares for the month of September, and for every manufacturer that isn’t Samsung or Apple, it’s not good news.

Overall, Android has seen a slight 0.2% dip between June and September with iOS gaining just a fraction more of the total market. Most of that growth has come at the expense of BlackBerry, which is to be expected. On the Android side of things, Samsung was the only major manufacturer that saw any growth. Apple also saw just under 1% growth in the quarter, but HTC and Motorola both lost a few points of market share. What does that mean for those companies? Well, the biggest thing is that the HTC One and Moto X aren’t helping as much as they’d hoped. It also means that Samsung and Apple are selling devices at a significantly faster clip than what HTC and Motorola can do. LG, fortunately, didn’t lose any market share, but they didn’t gain any, either. No news is good news, right?

This report doesn’t really tell us anything we haven’t been expecting thanks to news stories in the past few months, but it solidifies just how strong of a grip Samsung and Apple maintain on the smartphone market. Despite other OEMs best attempts to shake up the landscape, nothing’s worked so far.

source: comScore

Livestream Available For Moto G Event Thanks to Google and Motorola

What could be better than announcing the new Moto G smartphone by Motorola? How about the ability to livestream that bad boy? As we mentioned in an earlier post, the company will be unveiling the new smartphone on November 13th however, place and time was unknown. The joint venture has announced the event will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil beginning at 9am EST. And for those unable to attend in person, you’ll be given the opportunity the livestream the entire event from their official Motorola Mobility Google + page.
As far as known specs go, the device will sport a 4.5-inch 720 x 1280 display with a quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon by Qualcomm. In addition, the device will house a 5MP rear facing camera and there’s high speculation the device may be available for free on contract with several carriers. Overall, not a bad deal for the slightly scaled down Moto X. Feel free to leave your thoughts about the device in the comments below. Check out the source link as well for the full livestream on Nov 13th.
source: Motorola Mobility G+

Google Opinion Rewards App Released To Google Play

Today Google released a new app to Google Play called Google Opinion Rewards. Like the name suggests, Google is essentially rewarding people to answer questions and take surveys. These rewards come in the form of Google Play credits, which you can use to buy things from the Google Play store.
The Google Opinion Rewards app is free, and when you first start using the app, you’re required to fill in a short survey about yourself – things like age, location, and so on. The app will then notify you whenever a survey is ready for you to take.
More information and download links after the break:
Keep in mind that some surveys are reward free, so unless you just love surveys, you might want to avoid them. This feature is thankfully opt-in, so if you don’t want to take surveys that don’t pay, you don’t have to, and notifications for those surveys will not be displayed. You also have to take each survey within a time limit, so be sure to have a little time on your hands when you agree to complete one.