Chance Miller

Google has updated its Chrome Beta Android app today with several small new features. First, the update adds support for WebRTC, which is a web feature that allows for real-time voice and video communications. WebRTC is useful for things like voice calling, video chatting, and peer-to-peer file sharing. The update also improves page loading performance and offers up a handful of bug fixes and general stability improvements.

Full changelog:

• Support for WebRTC, a web platform feature to enable real-time voice and video communications
• Faster page loads
• Lots of under the hood changes for stability and performance

Download it on the Play Store now.

Google is offering a handful of MP3 tracks for free via the Play Store to celebrate the Sub Pop Silver Jubilee festival in Seattle. The sale offers free songs such as “About a Girl” by Nirvana, “The Funeral” by Band of Horses, “New Slang” by The Shins, and much more.

Google has just updated the design of its desktop Play Store. The interface is very similar  to what Android users have come to know on their mobile device’s Play Store, which was updated earlier this year, as well. The interface is focused heavily on images now, which is evident by the much larger screenshots supplied for apps.

Along the side of the site are quick links to Apps, Movies and TV, Music, Books, Magazines, and Devices. Clicking them will take you to a page specific about whatever topic you selected. The devices section is centered around Nexus and Google Play edition devices, as well as Chromebooks, just as you’d expect. The other sections show things like sales, top sellers, apps for certain people, and more.

The redesign was originally rumored last month, but only now is it available to everyone. Head over to play.google.com to check it out for yourself and look below for more screenshots…
Expand
Expanding
Close

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vOZFIGcIJ5s

Now that there are two variants of the HTC One floating around, one with Sense 5 and one with near-stock Android, customers have a decision to make. Do you want the unsubsidized, $650 Google Play Edition model or the subsidized model variant with Sense 5? A new app from the longtime Android developer Paul O’Brien aims to get rid of that problem by making it easy to switch between the two software builds on either variant.

The video above demonstrates the Switch app that does just that – lets you switch between Sense 5 and stock Android. It’s incredibly simple. All you have to do is launch the Switch app and choose which experience to boot into. Because the apps and data are stored in a central environment, all your data is accessible in both ROMs.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Way back at Google I/O 2013, it was announced that Samsung would be partnering with Google to release a Galaxy S4 variant running stock Android. Nearly two months later, the device is finally available to the masses and I’ve been using one as my daily driver for about a week now.

When the Google Play Edition Galaxy S4 was originally announced, I was really intrigued by the idea. Google has been releasing Nexus devices for the past few years, but I’ve never really fallen in love with one. They’ve all been good, but not great hardware. Nexus devices generally don’t feature top-of-the-line specs and are meant, in Google’s eyes, purely for developers to test apps their apps on.

Seeing how I had loved the original Galaxy S4, but couldn’t stand the bloated TouchWiz overlay, the Google Play Edition Galaxy S4 seemed like the perfect device for me. Near-stock Android paired with high-end, future-proof ‘resistant’ specifications. A match made in heaven, so to speak.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Back in May, we reported on a new piece of Glassware that controlled your Nest thermostat via Google Glass, and last month we saw GLASSTESLA, an app that lets you manage your car with Glass. Now home automation company Revolv has taken it a step further. The company has released a teaser video of a new technology developed by their Sr. Engineer that lets you control all sorts of things via Google Glass. Specifically in the video you can see office lights, Philips Hue lights, Yale Lock, and a Sonos player all being controlled with Glass. In addition to simply turning the Hue Lights on and off, the video also shows how you can change the color of the lights.  The app can be controlled with either gestures or voice commands.

It’s unclear when or if this technology will be released to the public, as it is simply the “side project” of Revolv’s Sr. Engineer. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

When Dennis Woodside introduced the Moto X Phone back at the AllThingsD conference, he teased that he was carrying the device as his primary phone, but  he couldn’t show it to us. It turns out that Google chairman Eric Schmidt is also using the phone, but while at the Allen & Co. business conference, he didn’t make any attempt to hide it from the press, as Italian site Corriera.it has posted a gallery of photos of him using it (via The Verge).

Schmidt was pictured using the white model of the phone, though much like the white Nexus 4, the front remains all black. The phone appears to have a design that is thicker in the middle than around the edges, which means you won’t be able to set it on a flat surface and use it very easily. It looks like Schmidt has finally broken his habit of using a Blackberry, which he admitted was a pretty hard habit to break earlier this year.

Another leaked image of the device in black also recently appeared on Chinese site Weibo, though we can’t really tell much from it that we didn’t already know.

The X Phone is expected to be a device heavily customized by the user, so if you aren’t a fan of the white design, don’t get to worried. The release date is still up in the air, though a leaked document pointed at an August 23rd date for Verizon.

View all of the images below…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Vine for Android has just been updated with several new features, which are very similar to what iOS users received last week. The feature that differentiates the Android update from the iOS update, however, is a new capture widget that you can add to your home screen. From there, simply tap it to go right into the recording interface.

In addition to the capture widget, the update also adds the ability to share or “revine” another user’s post, as well as new tools for recording, including a grid, focus enhancements, and more. Finally, Vine for Android also adds channel support, which means that users can now browse specific topics of interest from the Explore screen, such as Sports, Family, Dogs, Cats, and more.

This update to Vine is our biggest yet!

• CHANNELS
• Browse or submit your posts to 15 new channels
• REVINING
• Share your favorite posts with all your followers on Vine in one tap
• FAST CAPTURE WIDGET
• Instantly jump to the Vine camera right from your home screen
• NEW CAPTURE TOOLS
• Shoot with style using the new focus, grid, and ghost tools

The update is available in the Play Store now. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Even though other carriers have been offering the HTC One for months now, Verizon has yet to announce availability for the flagship device, simply stringing customers along as far as possible. According to a new document obtained by PhoneArena, however, we’re still a little less than a month away from a launch.

The leaked roadmap claims that we will see the HTC One on Verizon’s LTE network August 1st. This falls in line with what Verizon announced earlier last month when it promised a launch this summer. The document also claims that Verizon will release the highly anticipated Moto X Phone on August 23. We’re thinking that may be a pre-order date, however, as Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside said himself at the AllThingsD conference that the device is coming this October.

We all know that Verizon is almost always the last carrier to launch a phone when it’s released universally on carriers, such was the case with the Galaxy S4, but the carrier does have a good relationship with Motorola. The two have had a strong relationship because of the DROID line of devices, which could mean that they have advanced knowledge of one another’s plans and that Verizon could launch the X Phone ahead of other carriers.

Keep in mind that this is a rumor and something like this could be faked pretty easily, but we’ll definitely keep you updated on further developments regarding these two devices.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Earlier this week Google rolled out an update to its Maps app with a new interface and several new features, but the update also removed a several key things, including the ability to save maps offline and the popular Latitude tracking tool. In a post on Google+ this morning, however, the Maps team announced that an update will begin rolling out to Maps users today that adds those two features back to the app.

We’ve been happy to hear so many of you enjoying the interface and features of the new Google Maps app for Android, but we know some of you are missing an easy way to access maps offline. That’s why our engineering team has been working around the clock to add a “Make this map area available offline” card below the search box for easier access. And, if you still want some #thumbercise, typing “ok maps” will work too!

With this update, we’ve also added a “Where’s Latitude?” link at the bottom of the side menu which provides more information about the future of location sharing.

The update will begin rolling out to users today, so be sure to keep an eye on the Play Store for it to hit your device.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Photographer Colby Brown is offering a free book on the Google Play Store about how to take better photos with Android phones and tablets. The book covers different grips you can use to get the best shot out of your device, as well as third-party apps that can help edit and share your photos.

This invaluable guide on how to better use the camera on your Android phone will make all the difference in the world as you capture and share the world around you with others.

The book is free for a limited time on the Play Store, though you must have a credit card associated with your account in order to send it to your device. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Since the iPad was announced, we’ve seen PC sales fall every year due to people discovering that they can do anything they need on a laptop on the more affordable iPad and Android tablets. Chromebooks, however, have become much more affordable over the last year, which has led to some people going with the Samsung and Acer models instead of tablets. According to the latest data from NPD Group Inc. (via Bloomberg), Chromebooks have accounted for between 20 and 25 percent of all laptop sales under $300 over the last eight months. Overall, according to IDC data, PC shipments fell 4 percent in 2012 and will fall 7.8 percent this year.

Overall,  Chromebooks still make up a small percentage of the entire laptop market. In the first quarter of 2013, Chromebooks accounted for 4 to 5 percent of laptop market. When you compare that to the 1 to percent in 2012, however, it’s pretty tremendous growth.

“We’re seeing tremendous growth, without a doubt — massive, massive growth,” said Caesar Sengupta, head of product development for Chromebooks.

This shows that affordable, entry-level Chromebooks are not buggy and inconsistent like many people expected them to be, but are rather decent alternatives to tablets for people who still want a keyboard. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Just a day after Chrome 28 was released to Mac and Windows with rich notifications, the update is now available to Android devices with a its own feature set. With the update, Chrome for Android now offers built-in Google Translate support, meaning that if you visit a site in a different language, a bar will appear at the bottom asking if you wish to translate it. The update also adds fullscreen support for tablets, as well as a new interface for languages that are read right-to-left.

The full change log from Google follows:

• Fullscreen on tablets – Scroll to hide the toolbar
• Google Translate – Look for translation bar when reading web pages in other languages
• New user interface for right-to-left (RTL) languages, including Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew

The update is available on the Play Store now. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

T-Mobile will begin to sell the Xperia Z on July 17th for $100 with a 24-month payment commitment of $20 per month. The carrier originally announced its plan to carry the device back in June, but without any specific pricing or release information.

Specs will be the same as the international model, which include a 5-inch 1080p display with Sony’s Mobile Bravia engine, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, a 13MP rear-facing camera, and a water and dust resistant design. It will also carry support for T-Mobile’s LTE network.

Xperia® Z from Sony. T-Mobile will be the exclusive U.S. wireless company to offer Sony’s flagship water-resistant Android™-powered smartphone to customers this summer.2 The Xperia Z will be available for $99.99 down, with 24 equal monthly device payments of $20 for well-qualified buyers for 0 percent APR on approved credit3 through T-Mobile retail stores and select retailers, as well as online at http://www.T-Mobile.com starting July 17. On July 16, customers can also pre-order the device online from the same website and receive a free Sony Wireless Bluetooth Speaker gift with purchase (while supplies last). Customers may also purchase the device beginning today at any of the 38 U.S. Sony Store locations, including the flagship store in New York, or online at www.Sony.com/xperiaz/tmobile and will be eligible to receive the free Sony speaker as a gift with purchase (while supplies last).

Expand
Expanding
Close

Just as several rumors suggested, T-Mobile has announced a new anytime upgrade plan at its press event today. ‘Jump’ will allow for customers to upgrade their phone more often than once every two years for an extra $10 a month every month. The plan will allow customers to trade-in their existing devices for a new one at the same or lower price. After a six month waiting period, customers will be able to upgrade their phone twice every year. The club will kick off on July 14th.

JUMP! from T-Mobile is designed to provide customers with total protection for one of their prized possessions: their smartphones. It offers the freedom to upgrade to a new device more affordably and protects against malfunction, damage, loss or theft — all for just $10 per month, per phone (plus taxes and fees). That’s just $2 more than most customers have been paying for handset protection alone.

“This is one of those things that annoys customers so much,” CEO John Legere said.
Expand
Expanding
Close

It looks like Motorola and Verizon are set to team up for yet another lineup of DROID devices this fall, as press images from @evleaks and story boards from Android Central have leaked. First off, the DROID MAXX looks to be the successor the popular DROID RAZR MAXX from last year. Specs are still a mystery for the most part, but seeing how the RAZR MAXX was a flagship last year, it seems likely that its successor will also feature high-end internals. The big selling according to the leaked ad, however, will still be the battery life. The ad teases that the DROID MAXX will have  “48 hours of worry-free battery life.” The RAZR MAXX was advertised with 32 hours of talk time, so two full days of usage is pretty impressive.

The DROID ULTA’s storyboard doesn’t really give us any hints as to what to expect from the device, but it does mention that the device will be “Only on Verizon. 8-8-13.” More than likely, the DROID ULTRA will be very similar to the DROID MAXX, but with less impressive battery life and a thinner design.
Expand
Expanding
Close

While LG is not officially set to unveil its G2 flagship until August 7th, Engadget has just gotten its hands on clear, detailed images of the device, as well as a video that basically take all the suspense out of LG’s official event next month. According to the leak, the device will feature a 5.2-inch 1080p display with an incredibly small bezel that makes it appear edge-to-edge. Visually the G2 looks a lot more like the Nexus 4 than the original Optimus G. It has a more rounded design, as opposed to the blocky design on its predecessor. On the back is the volume rocker, which we saw in leaked images last month.

Expand
Expanding
Close