Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac. He covers Google for 9to5Google.com, the best gadgets and deals on 9to5Toys.com, and delivers a weekly roundup of EV and solar news on Electrek.co. Sometimes he makes weird electronic music as one half of Makamachine.
Contact Jordan with news tips and long-winded complaints:
A new application in the Android Market available for GoogleTVs running 3.0 and up will allow users to stream content from the iPad or iPhone using Airplay, Apple’s wireless streaming feature built into iOS.
After downloading the 99-cent app called “Airtight” to Google TV, users will be able to stream videos and pictures by selecting a device from within the Airplay UI on the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (pictured above). Unfortunately, mirroring, DRM protected video, and music is not supported. Users will of course need the latest Google TV update to access the Android Market.
Apple has nothing to do with the app, and the developers said they are looking into methods of including music and the rest of Airplay’s functionality in a future update. We will keep you posted.
Leading up to the New Year, Sprint is running a limited time promotion that allows customers of the soon-to-be discontinued Premier service to access an early upgrade, according to internal documents obtained by SprintFeed.
The promotion is not advertised, but according to the report – all Sprint CDMA devices are eligible. Sprint will apparently check to make sure your account is in good standing, and this will of course replace your next available upgrade. The promotion is already available now through Sprint brick-and-mortar stores and will expire before the end of the year on Dec. 31.
Sprint just announced that HTC EVO View 4G users would be able to access a manual Honeycomb update today. The update is available now and full instructions on how to install it are posted below.
Sprint warns that your home screen setup and widgets will return to default, but that is expected due to Honeycomb’s unique layout. Sprint also announced that the update will be available over-the-air sometime in 2012. In addition to Honeycomb, the change log mentions “a new virtual and holographic user interface.” Read below the break for full instructions on how to install the manual update.
We told you yesterday about a Google search easter egg for the Christmas, and today we discovered another fun way Google has decided to celebrate the holidays. When visiting YouTube, there is currently a snowflake icon next to the resizing and resolution options on the video player. Click it and your video will snow! Your mouse will even interact with the snowflakes as they fall. It will also snow in the YouTube search results when searching for “let it snow”.
Clay Caviness, systems administrator on Google’s internal Macintosh Operations team, just announced on Google+ that the team will begin releasing a selection of scripts, tools, and utilities used internally. The goal is to help other Mac administrators, and the team is releasing the first set of items today for “managing and tracking a fleet of Macintoshes in a corporate environment.”
The first tool is an application usage module for crankd – a Mac administration tool used to execute scripts and Python code related to network and system activity. Administrators can find the Application Usage tool here. Also announced today was a simple facter script that will allow administrators to “create facts from the database.”
Caviness promised to release more Mac specific tools, scripts, and utilities over time. (Simian?)
Google’s @mattcutts just shared another Christmas easter 2013 egg through his Twitter account. Go to Google and search for “Christmas.” As Matt pointed out, it also works with “hanukkah.” Most other spellings of it should work, as well. In case you missed it, you can also search for ’let it snow’. Try it out!
Google just released a new advertisement for the holidays called, “Happy Holidays- from Android.” While some of it was shot before the snow landed at Google HQ, viewers do get a glimpse of the snow and the Android team out front. The ad itself seems to focus on Android 4.0 and Ice Cream Sandwich tablets.
Google also celebrated the holidays this year by handing out a free Galaxy Nexus smartphone to employees, letting Gmail users call Santa, and adding a little bit of winter to search results when searching for ’let it snow’.
Plex for Android, a media server/remote app for controlling all of your content, was just given a major update, bringing it up to version 2.0.2.1 and introducing full support for Ice Cream Sandwich.
The majority of the update focuses on fixing everything that was broken post ICS: auto configuration of playback now works as expected, and network connectivity issues during video sizing and resuming playback was also addressed. As for new features, users now have access to a zoom button and a video zoom mode for cycling between “fit to screen” and “full screen” views.
They have also introduced some user interface tweaks for “middle sized” devices (pictured above), which they said will apply to the Kindle Fire and should work on Samsung’s 7-inch lineup. A full list of what is included in the update is below. Users can grab the app from the Market here.
Adobe recently delivered on their promise with the final release of Flash for Android. Flash Player 11.1 is now available for Android 4.0, and they have updated the Air 3.1 platform to include support for Ice Cream Sandwich with the usual “enhancements and bug fixes related to stability, performance, and device compatibility.”
Earlier in the year, Adobe announced plans to end development of Flash for Android following the release of these Ice Cream Sandwich supported versions.
Google announced on the Chrome Blog that they are adding more console quality games to the Chrome Web Store that take advantage of the Native Client. The Native Client, according to Google, will allow developers to “build web applications that seamlessly execute native compiled code inside the browser”. In other words, gaming experiences on par with native applications and quickly approaching the quality of console titles.
While Square Enix planned to drop the first Chrome Web Store title to take advantage of Native Client with a port of 2009’s Mini Ninjas, but it looks like award winning RPG Bastionbeat them to it. However, that is not the only console quality game available in the Chrome Web Store as of today. You can also check out Sleepy Jack, Cordy, Pirates of New Horizons, Star Legends, Running Fred, and Pocket Legends.
Other games also received updates for the approaching holidays, including a new HTML5 version of Bejeweled, Angry Birds with updated Christmas themes, and Cargo Bridge received a Christmas level edition.
We had an inclination that it was coming, especially when the AT&T and T-Mobile merger was withdrawn from the FCC, but AT&T just confirmed in a press release that it agreed to kill the $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA announced in March. The result of the decision is AT&T both paying the agreed to $4 billion pretax charge by Q4 2011, as well as entering “a mutually beneficial roaming agreement with Deutsche Telekom”.
AT&T chairperson and CEO Randall Stephenson said this, regarding the issue:
AT&T will continue to be aggressive in leading the mobile Internet revolution. Over the past four years we have invested more in our networks than any other U.S. company…To meet the needs of our customers, we will continue to invest. However, adding capacity to meet these needs will require policymakers to do two things. First, in the near term, they should allow the free markets to work so that additional spectrum is available to meet the immediate needs of the U.S. wireless industry, including expeditiously approving our acquisition of unused Qualcomm spectrum currently pending before the FCC. Second, policymakers should enact legislation to meet our nation’s longer-term spectrum needs.
The full press-release from Stephenson is shown below.
You might remember the ninja unboxing videos for Nexus devices in the past (here and here), but the video for the Galaxy Nexus is something entirely new. When visiting the ninjaunboxing3 YouTube page, you will be greeted with what appears to be a promotional video for the Galaxy Nexus, but it quickly switches into a classic 8-bit style beat ’em up allowing the viewer to punch and kick through the “Clash of the Nexus Ninjas” game.
Have you experienced signal strength issues with the new Galaxy Nexus from Verizon? You are probably not the only one, because Verizon just confirmed via Twitter that they are investigating the issue and have plans to release a software update shortly. It does not appear to be a widespread issue as of yet, but some are speculating it might be related to 4.0.2. Let us know in the comments if you are experiencing any problems with your Galaxy Nexus. Expand Expanding Close
When we discovered that Verizon was not allowing access to Google Wallet on the new Galaxy Nexus, many were disappointed. Luckily, owners of an LTE Galaxy Nexus can easily access the service in a few short steps without having to root. (If you are not in the United States, your device will need to be rooted.) Lukegb from XDA broke down how to do it: Expand Expanding Close
Google just announced on the Android Developers’ blog that Android 4.0.3, an incremental update of Ice Cream Sandwich, will become the base version for ICS vendors starting sometime in the “weeks ahead.” As for what’s included in the release, the usual bug fixes, optimizations and a “small number of new APIs for developers”.
Some of the new application programming interfaces include Calendar enhancements, such as the ability to add colors to events, new camera APIs that give apps access to video stabilization and QVGA resolution profiles, accessibility refinements with updated status and error reporting for text-to-speech features, “Improved content access for screen readers,” and other enhancements to “graphics, database, spell-checking, Bluetooth, and more”.
Developers can download the new release to the SDK using the Android SDK Manager.
Google’s Eric Schmidt was recently featured in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett giving a rare behind-the-scenes look at Google’s second largest World offices in downtown Manhattan. While giving a tour and an exclusive interview, Schmidt explained that one of Google’s strengths is their “lack of direction.”
Schmidt also described the building that holds about 3,000 employees, and he said its staff is split “half and half” into sales/marketing and high quality engineering. He called the office the “world’s best engineering center.” Viewers got a glimpse at the desks of programmers, including some of the Google Docs team, cafeterias, hallways with fake subway grates, meat locker conference rooms, and “huddle rooms” designed to look like New York City apartments.
Viewers also learned some of Schmidt’s views on North Korea, and China’s “horrendous censorship laws”. When asked whether or not “the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs” would be born in China or the United States, Schmidt responded:
To get you in the Christmas spirit and celebrate the holiday season, Google Music is offering 100 classic holiday songs for 25 cents each and a selection of 25 albums for $3.99. The offerings are wide ranging from Coldplay, to Nat King Cole, to Snoop Dogg and Weezer. In addition to classical, classic, and modern Christmas songs, there is also a “Bah Humbug” playlist featuring anti-Christmas songs.
Some of the $3.99 albums being offered include- A Charlie Brown Christmas, Andrea Bocelli’s “My Christmas”, A Very She & Him Christmas by She & Him, The Spirit of Christmas by Ray Charles, and the Jackson 5’s Ultimate Christmas Collection. Expand Expanding Close
In October we reported that Google was in the process of investing approximately $100 million into funding original TV quality content for YouTube. Major media companies like Warner Bros and News Corp were in talks with the company to provide the content, which would appear on “dozens of free channels with professional-grade shows” sometime in 2012. Ahead of those plans, Academdy Award winner Ron Howard is getting set to debut his new film, When You Find Me, on YouTube this Friday at 12:00 p.m. EST.
The film’s storyline is inspired by a selection of photos Howard selected from a contest held by Canon. He took eight photos from the nearly 100,000 to choose from and shot the entire thing using Canon gear. The film will continue being available to stream until Monday, December 19 (trailer above), and will eventually land in film festivals next year. Below you can see the eight winning photos that inspired different aspects of the film such as “Setting”, “Character”, “Relationship, “Goal”, etc. The film will most likely be available here, when it becomes available tomorrow.
We already knew that Google has been making a serious push into beefing up the content offerings on YouTube from Hollywood studios and the film industry as a whole. In May they announced plans to add 3,000 Hollywood movies to YouTube as rentals, and in September the WSJ reported Google was spending $100-$200 million on licensing more premium content. Just last month YouTube begun rolling out move rentals from Pixar, Disney, and DreamWorks. Expand Expanding Close
Today is the last day of Google’s 10 cent app promotion in celebration of hitting 10 billion app downloads in the Android Market. Most of the other apps from Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are still on sale for 10 cents as well. Check out all of today’s deals here, or grab direct links to each below.
Nvidia CEO Jen-hsun Huang doesn’t typically shy away from making bold claims regarding the future of the tech industry. Just yesterday Huang claimed gaming consoles would reach “tens of teraflops” (according toMacWorld approximately a trillion floating point operations a second) by 2019. He is also, however, making some predictions about the industry on the short term, claiming non-Apple tablets (Android) will see significant growth over the next year due to increased compatibility and improved performance between hardware and software.
According toDigiTimes, Huang, not so surprisingly, expects a new wave of Android tablets and ultrabooks to experience growth during 2012, while noting that hybrid devices like the Transformer Prime from Asus will also experience increased demand. He doesn’t, however, expect the choice between various tablets, ultrabooks, and notebooks to be a huge concern for consumers with each device having its own advantages and thus its own market. Expand Expanding Close
You probably know by now that Verizon has finally begun selling the Samsung Galaxy Nexus for $299 on a two year plan, or you can grab it for $199 on Amazon now. Early reviews are positive, to say the least. Despite Samsung’s persistentApple-bashing, mostly poking fun at long lines that form on iPhone launch day, they might not be able to keep it up withBGR reporting lines are already starting to form at Verizon stores in Boston and elsewhere. And this only 12 hours after the device was officially announced.
There certainly isn’t the frenzy of excitement that usually accompanies a new iPhone or iPad launch, but it’s still a good sign that the Galaxy Nexus might be the first Android device to create somewhat of a cult following similar to Apple’s handsets. We’re sure Samsung isn’t too upset about the lines… Another shot via Phandroid below: Expand Expanding Close
Google rolled out a nice little update for Google Cloud Print support today. While mentioning a number of new features added to the service such as the ability to control printer access, save to Google Docs, and a new tablet-friendly UI for the management page, they also announced site owners can now add the print button element for smartphones and tablets to their sites.
Other new additions to Google Cloud Print– those using the latest release of Chrome on Mac, Windows, or Linux can print any webpage, and Chromebook users will now have access to print preview. Google also notes they look forward to rolling out the service across products and platforms.
Google has just started rolling out an update to the Gmail app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with a few new welcomed features. First off, users now have the ability to set a custom signature for messages as well as a vacation responder. Both of those new features will be available via the gear icon at the top of the app’s new menu. The update also includes support for nested labels and the usual “bug fixes and UI improvements”.
A new Scribbles feature allows you to open a canvas, draw a picture or sketch with multiple colors, brush sizes and line elements, and attach it to a message within Gmail. Scribbles is available now in both the Gmail iOS app and Gmail mobile web app. Another notable and highly requested change is a new notification sound on iOS 5, making it easier to tell when you’ve received an email
Google also mentioned in their blog post that they are continuing to work on some of the most requested features from users including multiple login support, banner notifications, and a “send as” feature to mail send mail from multiple accounts within the app. Expand Expanding Close
In July Google launched an experimental Hotel Finder tool, which allows users to search specifically for the most relevant hotel related results. The service allows users to find places to stay in select areas, get price comparisons in one convenient location, and compile a shortlist of potential destinations. According to Search Engine Land, Google is now testing rather large “Comparison ads” at the top of hotel related search results that display links to the Hotel Finder tool. The move apparently has the hotel industry concerned… Expand Expanding Close
