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Google now directly posts OTA images for Nexus devices and the Pixel C

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Starting with the Android N Developer Preview, Google began posting OTA images for devices in the program. It is faster than waiting for a staged roll out and less complicated than flashing a factory image that completely wipes data. Google has now posted (via Android Police) OTA images for all devices currently receiving monthly updates.


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Google Chromebook Pixel Touchscreen 1.8GHz/4GB/32GB: $400 shipped (Reg. 650+)

Chromebook Pixel

 

Expansys offers the Google Chromebook Pixel (i5-3427U) 1.8GHz/4GB/32GB for $399.99 shipped. That’s about $600 less than the Google Store currently charges and the lowest we can find for one. It has a 3rd Gen Intel Core i5-3427U processor with dual-core and a 1.8GHz processor speed. It also has 4GB DDR3 memory and offers a 32GB solid state drive with fast read/write times. You also get 1TB of Google Drive cloud storage for 1 year (that’s a $120 value!) Rated 4.2/5 stars from 31 Amazon shoppers.


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Google confirms its ‘Pixel C’ Android tablet w/ detachable keyboard, Android Marshmallow, more

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Google has today confirmed that it’s introducing the next entry in its Pixel line: the Pixel C. This tablet, unlike the Pixel devices that preceded it, will launch not with Chrome OS, but with Android — 6.0 Marshmallow to be exact. The device also offers a detachable keyboard — taking on the likes of Microsoft’s Surface and the iPad Pro — and comes with the same high-quality build found with the original Pixels. And like the original Pixels, this device isn’t a Nexus; it’s completely made by Google in-house, and there’s no tramp stamp from any other OEM to be found on its body.
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Google reportedly planning to launch a 10.2-inch ‘Pixel C’ tablet w/ Android Marshmallow, detachable keyboard, more

chromebook-pixel.jpg (1600×1066) 2015-09-28 12-38-54

Google is planning to launch a large, 10.2-inch tablet with the Pixel brand attached, according to a report this morning from Android Police. Interestingly, this device is said to be launching later this year not with Chrome OS, but rather with Android Marshmallow. The device will also purportedly sport a detachable keyboard — a la the iPad Pro or the Microsoft Surface — and will pack the same quality build and lightbar found with the Chromebook Pixel. And, since this is a Pixel device and not a Nexus, the hardware is going be 100% Google’s…
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Samsung reduces camera sensor thickness by 20% in quest for slimmer smartphones

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Samsung has begun mass-production of a new 16MP camera sensor a full 20% thinner than existing modules, allowing slimmer devices without “bumps” and without compromising on quality, says the company.

Built with 1.0μm pixels, Samsung’s new 16Mp image sensor reduces the module’s overall height by 20 percent, compared to current 1.12μm-pixel based 16Mp sensor modules. Enabling a module z-height that is less than 5mm, the S5K3P3 offers designers the ability to develop a mobile device with minimal camera protrusion without compromising on resolution.

Smaller pixels usually means more ‘noise’ in photos, especially in low-light conditions, but the company says that the inclusion of physical barriers between pixels – something Samsung calls ISOCELL technology – dramatically reduces noise. It claims that ISOCELL allows it to deliver image quality on a par with 1.12μm-pixel sensors.

Samsung says that the new S5K3P3 sensor is available to mobile device manufacturers from today; bets on it appearing in the forthcoming Galaxy S6 edge+ and possible the Galaxy Note 5 – it gets its current flagship phone cameras from Sony.

Beta channel for Chrome OS bumped to version 43 (Update: Android too!)

asus chromebookGoogle has bumped the Chrome OS beta channel to version 43 this afternoon, and it’s actually a pretty substantial update. Among other features, the new version includes credit card autofill from Google Wallet, always-on “OK Google” on the new Chromebook Pixel, a new Material Design overhaul for the virtual keyboard user interface and more.

Here’s the full change log:

Some highlights of these changes are:

  • Autofill settings for credit cards from Google Wallet
  • Enable always-on “OK Google” from anywhere when screen is unlocked on new Chromebook Pixel
  • Physical keyboard auto correction
  • Material design for Virtual keyboard UI

Update: Chrome 43 beta for Android has rolled out too.

Google releases new Chromebook Pixel 2 with USB C fast charging, wide angle camera: $999/$1299

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Google just announced an updated version of its Chromebook Pixel notebook alongside a new online Google Store where it plans to sell all of its Google branded devices.

The big standout feature for the new Chromebook Pixel is USB C, the new USB standard that Apple just introduced on its new 12-inch MacBook this week. Google has one USB C port on each side.
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Evidence of a Chromebook Pixel 2 codenamed “Samus” appears

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1st Gen Chromebook Pixel

1st Gen Chromebook Pixel

According to a bug reported spotted in the Chromium project issue tracker, Google is currently working on a second-generation Chromebook Pixel. Noticed by OMG Chrome, a Google employee recently filed a bug report associated with the Samus development board, which at this point, is unreleased to the public. The original Chromebook Pixel was codenamed the Link within Google’s headquarters.


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Samsung announces new ‘ISOCELL’ image sensor tech for premium smartphones & tablets

ISOCELL

Samsung announced today that it is introducing a new advanced image sensor technology that will improve image quality and the user experience for camera systems in premium smartphones and tablets:

Building on these past advances and continuing the push toward higher quality image sensors for mobile devices, Samsung has developed ISOCELL the next generation of pixel technology, which is patent pending. ISOCELL technology forms a physical barrier between neighboring pixels – isolating the pixel. This isolation enables more photons to be collected from the micro-lens and absorbed into the correct pixel’s photodiode minimizing undesired electrical crosstalk between pixels and allowing expanded full well capacity (FWC).

The result, according to Samsung, will be “higher color fidelity to reproduce the original color with sharpness and richness,” even in low lighting conditions. It will also offer a greater dynamic range compared to back side illumination pixel technology. The company says ISOCELL will help reduce the height of the camera module in smartphones and tablets, which could lead to even slimmer hardware.

Samsung plans to make the new image sensor technology available for mass production by Q4 2013:

As the first Samsung image sensor to adopt this new technology, the S5K4H5YB 8Megapixel imager utilizes a 1.12um ISOCELL pixel and has a 1/4inch optical format. The S5K4H5YB is currently sampling to customers with mass production scheduled for Q4 2013.

How to enable the Google+ Photos Chrome app on Mac & PC

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Last month we reported that Google’s slick new “Google+ Photos” app that launched exclusively on the Chromebook Pixel could possibly be making its way to Mac & PC. The proof came from a newly posted listing on the Chrome Web Store that made references to auto-uploading features specifically for OS X and Windows. Unfortunately, launching the app would give users a “not supported on this platform” error message. While Google has yet to officially launch the Mac and PC versions of the Chrome app, there is a way to bypass the error message and enable the app now.
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New Google+ Photos app now available for Chromebook Pixel, coming soon to other Chrome OS devices

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Google on Tuesday released a new Google+ Photos app for the Chromebook Pixel. The company originally demoed the app when the Pixel was announced, but is just now releasing it to the public. The app lets you log in with your Goolge+ account and backup any photos on your Chromebook to the service.

For example, if you plug-in an external SD card the app will automatically back the pictures up to the Google+ servers. You can choose to upload them in either full resolution or Google’s default 2048 pixel wide format, though there’s a cap when it comes to uploading at full resolution. When offline, you have the ability to view your most recently uploaded photos, as well as anything on your external storage device. All your images that are uploaded are private at first, but you have the ability to share them with the public or individual people, as well.
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Report: Samsung working on new ‘Galaxy Tab 3’ lineup & mystery ‘GT-P8200’ tablet

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Galaxy Tab 10.1There have been rumors that Samsung has a new lineup of Galaxy tablets in the works, possibly set to make an appearance next month at Mobile World Congress. Today, SamMobile claimed to have confirmed details of the upcoming Galaxy tabs, citing a “Korean insider,” and provided new information for the Galaxy Tab 3 lineup codenamed “Santos”.

According to the report, Samsung has both 7-inch and 10.1-inch variants of the new lineup in Wi-Fi and 3G configurations. The tablets will also include 5-megapixel cameras, but we don’t get any other details in terms of hardware specs on the four Santos models including GT-P3200, GT-P3210, GT-P5200, and GT-P5210. The report said the tablets are expected to launch in early 2013 in 16GB and 32GB variants.

There was also mention of a Samsung GT-P8200 tablet codenamed “ROMA.” The report didn’t provide many details, but AndroidCentral pointed out the product number isn’t too far off the “GT-P8110” of the Nexus 10.

SamMobile also provided exact specs for the Samsung GT-N5100 Galaxy Note 8.0 it first posted about last week. The full specs for that device, expected to pop up during MWC next month, are below:
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Google’s Vic Gundotra posts photos taken with Nexus 10

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Google Senior Vice President of Engineering Vic Gundotra posted some vacation photos to his Google+ (via AndroidCentral) page that appear to have been snapped by a yet-to-be unveiled Samsung Nexus 10. Some information that we learn about the tablet’s camera specs: the image is shot at 2,048-by-1,536 resolution (3.1 megapixels), which is rather low, but that’s likely because Google+ resized the images. It seems unlikely Vic would post images from another device with the camera listed as “Nexus 10,” but we’ll know for sure on Monday when Google is expected to announce the Nexus 10 alongside the new LG Nexus 4 in New York.

Another one of the images is below:


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Nikon unveils $350 Android-powered Coolpix S800c [Photos]

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Update: Nikon added more press shots (above) to its website with the S800c’s white paper.

Nikon just unveiled its Android-powered, point-and-shoot Coolpix S800c camera that we detailed earlier this week.

Just as rumors suggested, it boasts built-in GPS for geo-tagging, a 10X optical zoom lens, 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, 3.5-inch touchscreen display, 1080p video capture, 4GB of internal storage, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread with Google Play access.

“The S800c establishes a new line in the COOLPIX S series powered by Android with built-in Wi-Fi compatibility for operation similar to that of a smartphone and wireless Internet connection,” announced Nikon on its website. “The S800c fulfills Nikon’s latest proposal for new ways to use digital cameras–Capture, View, Connect, Enjoy–all in a single, compact body.”

The S800c will be available in September in both white and black versions for a suggested retail price of $349.95.

The full press release is below.


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Specs for Google’s next-generation Nexus (GT-I9260) leak?

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If the spec sheet above picked up by SamMobile is to be believed, we could be looking at the specs for a next-generation Nexus. The device in question is listed as the “GT-I9260”, which would put it between the Galaxy Nexus (I9250) and the Galaxy S III (I9300). As for upgrades, the document lists a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD display, a 1.5 dual-core A9, as well as better cameras like an 80megapixel main camera and 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera. Unlike the Galaxy Nexus, the I9260 is listed with an SD card slot. There is not any other information present in the report, but we will keep you updated when we find out more.


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Rumors: Samsung Galaxy S III enters testing in South Korea, abandons PenTile screen display

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The rumor mill is grinding away after a Samsung representative announced the Galaxy S III is now in the testing phase, while other reports indicate the device will sport a Galaxy Nexus-like screen without employing PenTile pixel layout.

AsiaE reported the device is undergoing tests in South Korea. The phase typically lasts two months, but the article suggested Samsung wants testing done sooner. Meanwhile, Korean website DDaily said the smartphone’s 4.65-inch 720p Super AMOLED screen will not employ the PenTile pixel layout.


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Toshiba boasts new 13.3-inch ICS tablet with TV tuner in Germany

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Toshiba unveiled the new 13.3-inch-display AT330 tablet in Germany, and it has one very unique feature: a TV tuner.

Techfokus said the Japanese electronics manufacturer showcased its latest device at Toshiba World 2012 in Bonn. The Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich slate employs a Tegra 3 quad-core CPU, but its most interesting highlight is a TV tuner and an antennae that extends from body…


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T-Mobile HTC MyTouch 4G Slide announced

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97REawPREH4]

We got a chance to take a look at the new MyTouch Slide last week and came away both impressed and yet slightly let down.

On one hand this is a rocket fast phone with a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor that is in both the Sensation and the EVO 3D but in a much smaller package.  The screen size and resolution have also been pared down to more traditional standards (3.7-inch and 480×800 pixels) but it is still a great display with great angles.  Being a ‘Slide’, it has a slide-out keyboard which is very nice to the touch – but only 4 rows.  The phone is awfully thin for a slider and perhaps the thinnest slide keyboard device out there.

The show stopper however is the shooter. The Slide has the “most advanced” 8-Megapixel camera on the market with its hard (0 lag) shutter, f/2.2 lens, backside-illuminated CMOS sensor which can record 1080P video.  It also has three new technologies:

• SweepShot™: for capturing panoramic shots by sweeping across an entire scene in a single
motion
• ClearShot™ HDR: for capturing objects in bright settings so your photos are not affected by
high-contrast lighting
• BurstShot™: for capturing multiple photos in a quick burst so you don’t miss the perfect
photo

This phone is on par with a mid-range point and shoot camera, yet it has all of the GPS/social/internet features fo a smartphone.  Both video and still were as good as any phone I’ve seen.  While pictures and movies look amazing on the little 3.7-inch screen, it will be interesting to see how those pictures translate to the bigger screen (TVs) and paper.

If your smartphone wishlist starts with best camera out there, this is your phone.

There’s just one thing…
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