Chance currently writes for both 9to5Google and 9to5Mac, in addition to 9to5Toys. He has previously written for several other online publications. He uses a Nexus 5, iPhone 5s, iPad Air, Hackintosh, and Macbook Air.
Google has released an update for its Google Search app for Android that adds a host of new features purely for Jelly Bean users. First off, the app will now show you information about show you are watching via an internet connected TV. This feature is only available in the United States, however, and Google wouldn’t say when it is going to roll it out to other nations. Your device also has to be connected to the same network as your TV, which means you won’t be able to get show information while on the go.
The update also adds the ability to control your music via a voice actions and new voice action tips.
The full change log is below:
For Android 4.1+ (Jelly Bean):
Information about shows you’re watching on your internet-connected TV (US only)*
Saved offers when nearby a redemption location
New voice action: play music from your phone or the Play Store
Earlier this month, we reported that Samsung would soon be bringing a version of its Galaxy S4 with faster data speeds to the market, and here it is. The company has officially announced a Galaxy S4 variant with LTE-Advanced data capabilities. The Galaxy S4 LTE-A will offer data speeds up to two times as fast as normal LTE. The device will be available in South Korea sometime this summer, as it is one of the few countries with LTE-Advanced networks in place. United States carriers plan to build up the infrastructure this year.
Samsung’s introduction of the GALAXY S4 LTE-A, the world’s first LTE Advanced-capable smartphone, is the latest expression of the company’s efforts in leading LTE technology. Samsung’s commitment to driving LTE adoption achieved its first milestone in 2010 with the launch of the Craft, the world’s first LTE feature phone, and continued in 2011 with the delivery of the Indulge, the world’s first LTE smartphone. In the last year, Samsung has also pioneered efforts to bring VoLTE network capabilities to users with the launch of the GALAXY S III LTE.
Design-wise, the Galaxy S4 LTE-A is virtually identical to the other models, but on the inside the device is much more powerful than other variants. The new Galaxy S4 variant is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, which should offer better performance than both the Exynos and Snapdragon S4 Pro variants. Expand Expanding Close
Motorola officially announced the X Phone on-stage at the AllThingsD conference earlier this year, but left out many of the details, including the design of the device. PhoneArena, however, has now gotten its hands on what appears to be the Motorola X Phone. We can’t tell all that much from the image, except that it appears to have a Motorola logo in the upper left corner and on-screen buttons. The screen is somewhere around the 4.7-inch mark, which falls in line with what we’ve heard before. This specific model is being tested on Sprint, according to the report, and carries the XT1056 model number. The device also appears to be running stock Android.
Earlier reports pegged the device as having a 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, a 720p display, 16GB of storage, and a 10MP camera.
Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside says the device will be released this October on all Major US carriers and will be manufactured in Texas. Expand Expanding Close
LG hasn’t revealed much about the Optimus G successor, but it has said that it will feature a Snapdragon 800 processor. The design, on the other hand, has remained a mystery. Notorious leakster @evleaks on Twitter, however, has now posted images of what appears to be the LG Optimus G2. The images show a series of slides about the device, but interestingly, the slides simply call it the LG G2, not the Optimus G2. This does fall in line with rumors we heard earlier this year about LG wanting to drop the Optimus branding from its high-end devices. Expand Expanding Close
The Federal Trade Commission has sent out a letter to 20 search engines informing them that they are not properly distinguishing the ads in search results from the actual results themselves. Back in 2002, the FTC doubled down on paid listings in search results, forcing search engines to clearly show a difference between the two, but the firm believes that since 2002, companies have fallen back into their old habits. “We have observed a decline in compliance with the letter’s guidance,” the agency said in the letter.
The FTC has now issued new guidelines for search result ads, saying that things such as borders, shading, and text labels must be different when compared to true search results. The agency pointed a finger at Facebook’s new Graph Search feature, saying that “Regardless of the precise form search may take in the future, the long-standing principle of making advertising distinguishable from natural results will remain applicable.” Expand Expanding Close
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. Expand Expanding Close
Following the original announcement of the Galaxy S4, Samsung stated that a developer edition variant would come soon after launch for both AT&T and Verizon, and it looks like one of those models is finally here. Samsung has quietly added the Black Mist Galaxy S4 Developer Edition for Verizon to its website. The device will run you a steep $649 and is exactly the same as the normal Verizon Galaxy S4 except for the fact that it comes with the ability to unlock the bootloader.
The Developer Edition is good for people who like to quickly hack and mod their devices, which is not easy with Verizon’s strict bootloader policies. Keep in mind that the Google Edition Galaxy S4 launches on June 26th and will also be hack-friendly, so it might be a better option for those on a GSM network and prefer stock Android. Expand Expanding Close
After several months of leaks and rumors, Sony has finally confirmed the Xperia Z Ultra at an event in Beijing. The device is packing a whopping 6.4-inch Full HD display with Sony’s Reality sensor, which the company says provides richer and wider colors. Sony says the device carries support for a stylus or any sort of pencil, which is an interesting feature. The company touts that it is the “world’s slimmest and largest full HD smartphone,” though coming in at 6.5mm and 212 grams, it’s not quite as thin as the 6.18mm Huawei Ascend P6 we saw last week.
Xperia Z Ultra features a 6.4” touchscreen Full HD display with Sony’s unique TRILUMINOS® Display for mobile, creating a wider palette of rich natural colours thanks to Sony’s BRAVIA TV expertise. The breakthrough technology includes X-Reality™ for mobile – Sony’s intelligent super resolution display technology which analyzes each image and reproduces lacking pixels to optimize quality for the sharpest videos. It analyses elements depending on the scene and adjusts them based on pattern, outline and colour composition. It also strengthens subtle patterns and accurately portrays their detailed feel, as well as reinforcing bold outlines. The large Full HD display has been optimised to experience at least 60%*** more of the screen than most other smartphones.
At an event in Beijing, HP on Monday announced its latest foray into the tablet market in the Slate 21 AIO. The device packs a 21.5-inch display with a full HD resolution, Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, and a Tegra 4 processor. Yes, you read that correctly, a 21.5-inch display. The tablet looks to be meant for desktop use (obviously), as the press images show it with a keyboard and mouse. The display also has a built-in kickstand that allows it to be lowered to what appears to be a 30 degree angle or kept at an upright angle.
HP touts that it will make the process of accessing content through the cloud easier and will also feature the ability to live stream TV thanks to access to Google services, such as the Play Store.
“Customers are looking for technology that simplifies their lives while keeping them connected to the entertainment they enjoy and the content they need,” said Jun Kim, vice president and general manager, PC Displays and Accessories, HP. “The HP Slate21 allows families to easily access content through the cloud and enjoy it together on a large, interactive screen.”
The Slate 21 AIO features an HP TrueVision HD webcam and Wireless Direct capabilities, which allow users to share content between devices. It also has built DTS Sound technology, which will supposedly supply “concert-like” sound quality.
HP says the device will be available this September in the United States for $399.
In a post on the official Gmail blog, Google has announced that the new Google Groups interface is now available to everyone and it is retiring the old look effective today. The new design is totally different than before and with the new look comes a host of new features. For example, you can now create an inbox that lets you share and track responsibilities with other team members.
One of the recently improved features is the ability to create an inbox that allows you to collaboratively share, distribute and track responsibilities with others. Imagine you and a few friends are organizing an event for your school and want a single email address to coordinate with vendors, parents, and volunteers. Members of the group can work together to manage email, assign items to each other, and mark items resolved. This can be a great feature for teams seeking a really simple way to get things done without sharing passwords or losing track.
The experience for moderating a Google Group has also gotten much better and faster. Moderators can now browse and manage their group on the go via the new mobile site design. They can also now use canned responses to make the moderating process even quicker. Expand Expanding Close
Update: Samsung has denied the claim, quoted in TNW as saying:
The rumor that Samsung is withdrawing from the PC desktop business is groundless. Samsung will continue to offer diverse PC products according to consumer and market needs.
Samsung has been the sole manufacture producing Chromeboxes over the last couple of years, but according to a new report from the Korea Times, the company will soon close its traditional desktop business. The report claims that Samsung has decided to close its unprofitable desktop PC business to focus on tablets, all-in-ones, and hybrid laptops. The company says that “demand for conventional desktop PCs is going down,” and that it would like to dedicate its resources “to popular connected and portable devices.”
Samsung says that even those in research and technology departments are being pressured to switch to tablets and convertible laptops.
“Tablets, all-in-one and hybrid PCs are Samsung’s current focus. Samsung is speeding up its restructuring of its PC business via product realignment toward profitable variants,” said a Samsung official.
Samsung has announced that its Galaxy Tab 3 series of devices is finally coming to the United States next month. The family of devices, which includes 7-inch, 8-inch, and 10.1-inch models will go up for sale on July 7th from bricks-and-mortar retailers such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Office Depot, as well as Samsung’s own online store.
The Galaxy Tab 3 has various form factors and light-weight builds, which quickly and easily transition into the center of the home. Research shows that 85% of tablet users watch TV while using their tablet, with 41% of them doing this daily.** For this consumer, each Galaxy Tab 3 portfolio device’s built-in IR blaster turns the tablets into a universal remote and can activate Samsung’s innovative WatchONTM service. This service recommends TV shows and on-demand content, enabling the tablets to function as the hub of the living room and king of second screen consumption.
The base Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, which includes a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.1, and 8GB of storage, will run just $199. The larger Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 packs a 1.5GHz dual-core Exynos processor and Android 4.2 and will cost $299. Finally, the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 is powered by an Intel Z2560 clocked at 1.6GHz and will cost $399. Expand Expanding Close
YouTube announced in a blog post today that it will be live streaming the 2013 Wimbledon tennis tournament. The event kicks of on June 24th and this will mark the first time that it has been streamed on YouTube. The two plan to offer interviews, behind the scenes footage, exclusive live look-ins, and more for the two-week tournament.
Catch the key moments of the tennis, interviews, behind the scenes and press conferences throughout the Wimbledon fortnight. You can also relive all the glory days of Wimbledon’s golden moments, such as one of the greatest matches ever played, the 2008 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final: Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer.
Tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands has also been taking Google Glass for a spin and was featured in the company’s latest “Explorer Story” video. You can watch it down below.
Google’s run-ins with the law in Europe have not gone unnoticed. Earlier this week, the company was ordered to fix its privacy issues in France to avoid facing fines, and now a UK regulator is ordering the company to delete all remaining Street View data within 35 days to avoid facing criminal charges, the ICO reports. Should Google find any further data, then it must inform the ICO immediately.
Today’s enforcement notice strengthens the action already taken by our office, placing a legal requirement on Google to delete the remaining payload data identified last year within the next 35 days and immediately inform the ICO if any further disks are found. Failure to abide by the notice will be considered as contempt of court, which is a criminal offense.
Back in 2010, Google had reached an agreement with the IOC over the WiFi data its Street View cars had accidentally collected. Earlier this year, however, Google stated that had not deleted all the data the first time around, which the IOC was not pleased with. Should Google fail to delete the remaining data within the given time period, it will be hit with a criminal offense. Expand Expanding Close
According a report from the Unofficial Google Operating System blog, Google is preparing a new service called “Mine” that is heavily integrated into Google+. The service will supposedly allow you to keep track of the items you own or would like to have. As you would expect, Google Mine will allow you to share those items to your Google+ circles and discuss them. The Operating System blog also dug up some code from the service that shows some of the keywords it will use, including things like “lent”, “given away”, “got it back”, “lost it”, “had in the past.” Basically, it is a lot like the gadget sharing and rating site GDGT.
Google Mine lets you share your belongings with your friends and keep up to date with what your friends are sharing. It enables you to control which of your Google+ Circles you share an item with. It also lets you rate and review the items, upload photos of them and share updates on the Google+ Stream where your friends get to see and comment on them.
Smart watches have become a trend over the last few years, and Sony wants everybody to know that it was the first company to release a wearable computing device. The company posted a string of tweets over the last few days, teasing the successor to the Android-powered SmartWatch it released last year (via Xperiablog.net). All of the tweets carried the #itstime hashtag, as well as the #MAE13 hashtag, which stands for Mobile Asia Expo, an event Sony will be present at next week in Shanghai. One of the tweets claimed that “One in three smartphone users want smart wrist wear”, while another teased that Sony’s focus has always been around wearable technology reading, “Wearable tech is in our DNA. Remember WALKMAN, now…?”
The tweet that really gives it away, however, is one that simply reads “Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock” and includes an image of a Sony SmartWatch.
Sony has already scheduled a media event in Shanghai for next week, during which we all expect the 6.4-inch Togari to be unveiled, but if these tweets are anything to go by, the company certainly has more up its sleeve.
It’s no secret that HTC does not have the marketing budget of a company like Apple or Samsung, but according to a report, it has inked a deal that will greatly increase its commercial marketing presence. HTC is prepping a substantial two-year marketing campaign with Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr, according to two sources speaking with Bloomberg. The deal is reportedly worth $12 million and will include television spots, as well as print and billboard advertisements. Downey will have a say in all decisions and maintain a level of creative control.
The campaign will feature Downey as himself, not any of the characters he has portrayed in films.
Downey will feature in the campaign as himself, not the characters he plays in movies including Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes, and will have final say over creative elements, the people said, declining to be named because the talks aren’t public. The maker of the slim, metal HTC One handset will likely feature Downey in television, print and billboard ads, they said.
Earlier on Thursday, we reported on a press release from LG and Qualcomm that teased the successor to the Optimus G flagship would feature a Snapdragon 800 processor, and now the company has sent out another message regarding a mysterious press event. The affair will take place on August 7th in New York City, but no hints as to what we can expect were given, with LG simply calling it an “international media event.”
There’s a pretty solid chance that LG will announce the successor to the Optimus G at the event, but you never know. We’ll be sure to bring you everything you need to know from the event when it happens. Expand Expanding Close
On stage at its Premiere event in London, Samsung just announced the ATIV Q, a hybrid tablet running both Windows 8 and Android. Samsung Executive Vice President DJ Lee said that the device is “versatile and adaptable” and can switch between four positions.
That’s really all that has been said about the ATIV Q so far, but seeing that 9 devices were just announced, we expect the company to get back to it soon.
The ATIV Q features a 13.3-inch qHD+ screen with a 3200×1800 resolution. Samsung says it is one of the “best displays you’ll ever see on a mobile device.” The company also says it will be very easy to use and see in bright sunshine. To switch between Android and Windows 8, you simply need to tap the hardware button under the display. You can also pin Android apps onto the Windows 8 start screen.
The device has a unique hinge that allows the screen to sink into the keyboard for tablet use, or rise up and bend several ways for usage with a keyboard. There is no trackpad, however, so you are stuck using a touchscreen for everything, even with a keyboard.
When Google first announced Fiber, thousands of cities jockeyed to be the first test location, but to many people’s dismay, Kansas City was eventually named the winner. For the past year, internet service in the area has been booming thanks to the network, which in turn has made it a popular area for startups and entrepreneurs, according to a new report from CNET. When Google announced Fiber, web designer and Kansas City local Ben Barreth bought a house in the startup district in hopes of being one of the first people to be connected to the network. In order to pay for the house, he started it up as the “Home for Hackers,” which he says is a place for startups and entrepreneurs to rent out a space to work and be connected the incredibly fast internet service. Expand Expanding Close
Google has run into trouble with the French government yet again for its privacy tactics. According to a new report from Bloomberg, the company has three months to change its policy surrounding its users’ data to avoid being fined. Five other European countries will supposedly follow France’s actions by the end of July. The country says Google is violating its privacy laws because it “prevents individuals from knowing how their personal data may be used and from controlling such use.”
Google, of course, denies these allegations and said that its “privacy policy respects European law and allows us to create simpler, more effective services” and it has “engaged fully with the data protection authorities involved throughout this process and will continue to do so going forward.”
The French data protection watchdog ordered the company to spell out for users why it collects information “to understand practically the processing of their personal data,” better inform users of its privacy policy, and “define retention periods of personal data processed that do not exceed the period necessary for the purposes for which they are collected.” CNIL is also asking the owner of the Gmail messaging system to request users’ permission for “the potentially unlimited combination” of their data, ask users’ approval to collect their data with tools such as the “Doubleclick” and “Analytics” cookies, “+1” buttons or any other Google service on third-party websites, and “inform users and then obtain their consent in particular before storing cookies in their terminal.”
Google can be fined a maximum of 150,000 euros, or $198,000, and 300,000 euros in for a repeated offense. Spain, the U.K., and Germany are all expected to take action soon, as well. This all comes on the heels of five countries ordering for more information about Google Glass privacy yesterday. Expand Expanding Close
LG has announced that the successor to its popular Optimus G flagship will be powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor. While the company didn’t announce what the name of the device would be, it teased that it will see 75 percent performance improvement over its predecessor thanks to the latest Qualcomm chip. The smartphone will also have a new Adreno 330 GPU that delivers two times the performance of the Adreno 320 GPU found in the current Optimus G.
The device will also feature LTE capabilities on carriers that support it, Qualcomm IZat Location technology for improved GPS performance, and Enhanced aSMP (asynchronous Symmetric Multiprocessing), which is an architecture for dynamic power that senses peak performance per core and improves battery life. LG also teases HD multichannel audio via DTS-HD and Dolby Digital Plus with support for displays up to 2560 x 2048 pixels. It’s definitely interesting that the company mentioned that resolution. Expand Expanding Close
A lot of false facts were spread around when the original news regarding the NSA’s relationship with technology companies broke. Since then, Google, Apple, and other others have been on a mission to repair their public image. In an interview with the Guardian, Google’s top legal chief reaffirmed the fact that the company is not “in cahoots” with the NSA, nor does it give the government direct access to its servers.
“We’re not in cahoots with the NSA and there is no government programme that Google participates in that allows the kind of access that the media originally reported,” David Drummond, Google’s chief legal officer, said. “There is no free-for-all, no direct access, no indirect access, no back door, no drop box,” Drummond reaffirmed.
“We didn’t know [Prism] existed,” he said, suggesting that Google was just as surprised by the leaked reports as citizens were. Expand Expanding Close
HTC this morning announced the Butterfly S, the successor the the Butterfly flagship that launched in the fall of 2012. The device carries many of the same traits as the HTC One, however. It is packing the same 4MP UltraPixel sensor as the One, but has a slightly larger Super LCD 3 5-inch display with a 1080p resolution. It’s using the same front-facing Boom Sound speakers as the One that were praised so highly. The device is powered by a 1.9GHz Snapdragon 600 processor with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a microSD card, and a rather large 3200mAh battery.
The Butterfly S was announced at a localized event in Taiwan (via Engadget), so U.S. availability still remains up in the air. In the local market, the device will sell for NT $22,900, which is about $765 USD, and be available sometime in July. Assuming Verizon at some point releases its One variant, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Butterfly S come to Big Red as a successor to the DROID DNA. Expand Expanding Close
