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Amazon plans to debut all-new versions of the Kindle Fire as soon as tomorrow, according to sources familiar with the products. The new Kindles are said to be redesigned both externally and internally with faster processors [Quad-core Snapdragon 800], improved graphics performance, and higher-resolution displays [323ppi for 7″, 339ppi for 8.9″]. To represent the upgrade over the older Kindle Fire, Amazon will reportedly slap an “X” at the end of “HD,” making the name Kindle Fire HDX. Also reportedly in the mix are new cases that are akin to the Smart Covers that Apple sells for the iPad…
Google today made its QuickOffice suite for both iOS and Android free to use with a Google Account. QuickOffice is a cross-platform document editor that can manage and edit Microsoft Office documents. The app is downloadable for free on both iTunes and Google play for no charge. Better yet, Google says that those who login to the updated app by September 26th will receive a 10GB storage boost in Google Drive for the next two years.
Google today announced the launch of a new company called Calico. The company focuses on health and well-being matters, and Google CEO Larry Page describes it as a “moonshot” initiative that could help millions of people:
Announcing this new investment, Larry Page, Google CEO said: “Illness and aging affect all our families. With some longer term, moonshot thinking around healthcare and biotechnology, I believe we can improve millions of lives. It’s impossible to imagine anyone better than Art—one of the leading scientists, entrepreneurs and CEOs of our generation—to take this new venture forward.” Art said: “I’ve devoted much of my life to science and technology, with the goal of improving human health. Larry’s focus on outsized improvements has inspired me, and I’m tremendously excited about what’s next.”
Notably, Arthur Levinson will be a founder and the CEO of Calico. Levinson used to be a Board Member at Google, and he is currently the Chairman of Apple’s Board of Directors and Genetech. Apple CEO Tim Cook has even commented in Google’s press release about the company:
Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Apple, said: “For too many of our friends and family, life has been cut short or the quality of their life is too often lacking. Art is one of the crazy ones who thinks it doesn’t have to be this way. There is no one better suited to lead this mission and I am excited to see the results.”
Sprint is readying its own program that allows customers to roll in the cost of phone hardware in their monthly bill, according to CNET. Sprint’s program is reportedly called One Up, and it works in a similar fashion to the recently launched AT&T Next, T-Mobile Jump, and Verizon Edge initiatives.
All of the carrier programs principally work the same, with a few nuanced differences. Sprint’s One Up lets customers pick up a phone with no money down and pay for the device in 24 monthly installments. A phone that costs $649.99, for instance, will cost $27 a month (with the difference tacked on to the 24th payment). If a customer leaves the service early, that person is on the hook for the balance of the device cost, due the following month.
Unlike with a typical U.S. carrier contract, Sprint’s new program (like those from the other U.S. carriers) will allow customers to upgrade to a new device every year. The (subsidized) cost of the phone will be divided up into 24 installments and added to the customer’s monthly bill. A customer can trade-in that current hardware towards the new phone that they would like to upgrade to.
The new Sprint One Up program is claimed to launch on September 20th.
Update: Amazon has now said that the phone won’t be launched this year, and it won’t be free. “We have no plans to offer a phone this year, and if we were to launch a phone in the future, it would not be free,” Amazon said in a statement to AllThingsD.
According to Jessica Lessin and Amir Efrati, Amazon is considering making its upcoming, long-rumored smartphone available to consumers free of charge. However, it is unclear what strings are attached to the deal:
There are many unanswered questions about the plan and what strings will be attached for customers. One of them is whether Amazon would require its smartphone owners to pay for services such as Amazon Prime, the company’s loyalty program. But the people familiar with the matter said that Amazon wants the device to be free whether or not people sign up for a new wireless plan at the same time. (Wireless carriers typically discount the price of devices if customers sign up for a one- or two-year wireless contract.)
A launch date for the device is currently unclear. Like with the Kindle Fire tablets, past reports have suggested that the Amazon phone will run on a forked version of Google’s Android operating system.
Earlier this year, reports emerged with claims that Amazon is working on a bevy of products, including a phone with a 3D display, and various audio/media center devices. Amazon’s hardware development division for these products is (like Apple) situated in Cupertino.
Sprint will begin carrying the Moto X smartphone beginning tomorrow (Friday, September 6th), the company announced today. The phone will come in either black or white, and it will cost $199 from Sprint.
Improved customization for the Moto X is available via AT&T, but Sprint says that it will support Moto Maker in the coming months.
Distancing itself from the other carriers that offer the Moto X, Sprint says that customers that switch to Sprint (and port their phone number) from another carrier will get the phone for $99.
Also new is improved landscape editing support, copying links to files, and the overall sharing of files with other people.
The update also brings an enhanced focus on searching through files:
And last, we brought search to the forefront of the app so you can find the exact file you’re looking for, whether you’re on a small iPhone or a larger iPad. And remember, Drive search recognizes objects in your images and text in scanned documents. So the next time you’re looking for photos of that trip to the Statue of Liberty, just enter the phrase “Statue of Liberty” and your photos will appear – voilà!
The update is available for free on the App Store.
Today, PayPal has announced a significant update to its Android app that is much simpler.
Feature-wise, the app update focuses around mobile payments. With a new “Shop” tab, users of the new PayPal app can find restaurants, shops, and venues that support paying with PayPal. On top of that, some of these shops even support purchasing and paying for food or another item before walking into the store.
As explained to TechCrunch, some of these shops even support coupons. Ordering ahead includes the nice benefit of skipping the line. Another feature that goes nice with the “Shop” feature is the ability to pay a restaurant bill via the app.
At about 38-39 seconds into the video (embedded below), a Google employee is seen taking photos or video recording the statue with an unknown Nexus device (on the left).
<em>Close-up shot, click for larger</em>
The backplate seems similar to that found on the new Nexus 7, and the camera lens appears to be larger than the current-generation Nexus 4. Speaking of the camera, Google executive Vic Gundotra previously hinted at major advances in the Android camera department:
The unannounced phone also appears larger in size, so perhaps the new device will sport a bigger screen.
The next Nexus phone is rumored to debut in Q4. The video below has been pulled since this report was published, perhaps indicating that this was a true leak.
According to VentureBeat‘s report the watch is a “smartphone companion” that is meant to compete in a world of Nike Fuel Band-like devices. The design is described as fairly basic:
Google has announced that is launching an update for its YouTube for Android and iOS applications that brings multiple new features. Notably, the app will now allow users to watch a video in the corner of the display while browsing and searching for other videos.
The app also gains support for viewing playlists and more content on mobile. Also new is deep integrated with the ChromeCast:
The Cast button on YouTube already lets you send YouTube videos from your phone or tablet to your connected TV, like on Chromecast, Google TV, Playstation 3 and other TVs. To make it easier to choose what to watch next, you’ll see a preview screen when your devices are connected and you select a video, with options to play the video to queue it up to watch next.
Yahoo has launched its popular Weather application for Android. The free app is available via the Google Play Store and it gained popularity for its clean layout and background imagery sourced from Yahoo’s Flickr. Adding to previous versions of the app, the new version includes several new features:
The new Yahoo! Weather Android app showcases the new beautiful design you’ve been waiting for. We’ve brought gorgeous Flickr photos of locations by weather and by time of day to the front of our experience. We’ve also added more data than ever before, Yahoo! Weather now includes 10-day forecasts, 24 hour forecast, chance of precipitation, wind and pressure, moon phases, UV patterns, sunrise and sunset times, an interactive map and a new widget for your lock screen.
Yahoo says that the app will be available internationally in addition to the United States.
The news comes by way of a notice from the U.S. Government. The official ruling comes from Michael Froman, a trade representative for the United States:
In addition, on January 8, 2013, the Department of Justice and United States Patent and Trademark Office issued an important Policy Statement entitled “Policy Statement on Remedies for Standard-Essential Patents Subject to Voluntary FRAND Commitments” (“Policy Statement”).2 The Policy Statement makes clear that standards, and particularly voluntary consensus standards set by standards developing organizations (“SDO”), have incorporated important technical advances that are fundamental to the interoperability of many of the products on which consumers have come to rely, including the types of devices that are the subject of the Commission’s determination. The Policy Statement expresses substantial concerns, which I strongly share, about the potential harms that can result from owners of standardsessential patents (“SEPs”) who have made a voluntary commitment to offer to license SEPs on terms that are fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory (“FRAND”), gaining undue leverage and engaging in “patent holdup”, i.e., asserting the patent to exclude an implementer of the standard from a market to obtain a higher price for use of the patent than would have been possible before the standard was set, when alternative technologies could have been chosen. At the same time, technology implementers also can cause potential harm by, for example, engaging in “reverse holdup” (“holdout”), e. g., by constructive refusal to negotiate a FRAND license with the SEP owner or refusal to pay what has been determined to be a FRAND royalty.
The would be, no-longer affected Apple devices include the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2 3G, and the original 3G-capable iPad. This ruling mostly affects the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4 as those are the pertinent products that Apple actually currently sells in the U.S. The President’s block of the ITC ban is the first block of this kind since the 1987 Reagan administration.
We are disappointed that the U.S. Trade Representative has decided to set aside the exclusion order issued by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The ITC’s decision correctly recognized that Samsung has been negotiating in good faith and that Apple remains unwilling to take a license.
You can read the full letter from the government below:
Zagat is your guide to discovering the best and most notable restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs. We’re starting with nine cities (Austin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington DC), and are expanding to more cities soon.
Read about the hottest openings, get useful lists of weekend ideas, intriguing how-to videos, chef interviews, and more. No need to wade through dozens of reviews–we’ll tell you in a nutshell what other people are saying.
Restaurant menus, articles, advanced searching tools, and reservations via OpenTable are also available from within the app. Zagat for iPhone is seemingly a replacement for the soon-to-be-discontinued Google+ Local app. New video overview of the the new Zagat:
While Google has only launched its latest tablet just last week with the redesigned, higher-resolution Nexus 7, there is already talk about next year’s model. Analyst Ming-Chi-Kuo has issued a new report today that outlines his belief that Google will drop its tablet-hardware-design partnership with ASUS in favor of LG.
Google has partnered with ASUS for many hardware components for the Nexus 7 in both the first-generation model and the 2013 edition. The two companies are closely knit in this regard, with Google even stamping ASUS’s logo on the rear of the 2012 model.
For 2014, Kuo says that Google will team up with LG to advance display design. Such a partnership would not exactly be unprecedented. Google and LG have worked together on the Nexus 4, Google’s current flagship smartphone. With this successful partnership on the phone side, a translation over to tablets would seem to be sensible…
As part of its new un-carrier strategy, T-Mobile USA today announced that it will begin a new deal tomorrow: $0 down for all devices. Now, eligible customers can receive a phone with no money down and pay for the device over 24 months. Above is a chart with the monthly pricing for some of T-Mobile’s most notable devices.
“The number of reasons not to switch to T-Mobile this summer is ZERO,” said John Legere, president and chief executive officer, T-Mobile US. “This is a fantastic offer and we’re making it easier than ever for customers to get the latest amazing devices. Adding Zero Down in addition to JUMP!, and Simple Choice with no contract is all about making wireless work for consumers and shaking up this industry.”
T-Mobile says that the promotion will last for a limited-time, but the company does not specify much beyond that. Today’s announcement goes hand-in-hand with T-Mobile JUMP upgrade program, according to the company. Notably, AT&T’s JUMP competitor, which is called Next, goes live today. Verizon’s competing Edge plan starts next month.
As part of its announcement of Android 4.3, Google has announced that Netflix has launched a version of its Android app that can stream content in 1080P. Google says that the update actually became available on the Google Play Store on Monday. The new Nexus 7, which includes a high-resolution display, is the exclusive Android tablet launch partner for the new app.
At Google’s event this morning, the company confirmed Android Jelly Bean 4.3. The new update ships with the redesigned Nexus 7, and includes various new features:
Multi-user restricted profiles: Limit access to certain content. Good for point of sale systems and kiosks. Also works for parental controls.
Bluetooth Low-Energy support. Can easily pair Android 4.3 with a fitness sensor.
Open GL-ES 3.0. Much improved graphics for games, for example. Complex 3D objects rendering well. Renders natively in 1080p. On stage demos will be available in the Play Store.
New DRM APIs: Hardware-based encryption.
New Netflix app with 1080P streaming. Nexus 7 is first to support.
Notification access — “Your apps can now access and interact with the stream of status bar notifications as they are posted. You can display them in any way you want, including routing them to nearby Bluetooth devices, and you can update and dismiss notifications as needed.” (From the Android Blogspot)
Easier text input
New languages
Available today for Nexus devices. Google Play Edition HTC One and GS4 updates coming “very soon.” Gallery of announcement images below:
According to Best Buy’s internal inventory system (image above), the next-generation of Google and ASUS’s Nexus 7 tablet will go on sale on or around July 30th. The new Android 4.3 tablet will likely be formally introduced as soon as tomorrow at a Google-held event in San Francisco.
The device will likely include a higher-resolution display, and improved camera system, 16GB of storage, and a $229 price-point.
Earlier this week, a Best Buy flyer advertising the product leaked, and based on the days in which Best Buy normally rolls out its flyers, a July 30th launch date was suggested. This inventory shot seems to add weight to that.
In line with last week’s expectations of an updated Google Maps app, Google, has begun rolling out version 2.0 of Google Maps for iOS today. Most notably, the new application includes support for the large touch screens found on the iPad and iPad mini.
Additionally, like with the recent update to the Android version, enhanced navigation with incident reports and live traffic updates are included.
Also new is an Explore function to browse popular places such as restaurants, shopping, playing, and sleeping. This feature is integrated with Zagat ratings and deals via Google Offers.
The 2.0 update also includes indoor mapping functionality for malls, transit stations, and airports, according to Google. The new update has begun rolling out to some countries in Asia, but is not yet available in the United States. In fact, Google Maps is currently unavailable to download in the App Store for many countries until this update is released.
Update: Some people have had success downloading the new version of Google Maps by deleting their current version and downloading it from iCloud. (Thanks @ITSFEST)
Following major announcements from T-Mobile and Sprint (and rumors about big device upgrade changes at Verizon Wireless), AT&T has made its “network related” announcement that it teased last week. The company has introduced a new program named “AT&T Next.” Similar to T-Mobile’s new “Un-carrier” offering, AT&T Next allows users to upgrade their smartphone or tablet device each year (T-Mobile, though, allows this two happen twice a year).
“With AT&T Next, customers can get the newest smartphone or tablet every year with no down payment. That’s hard to beat, and it’s an incredible value for customers who want the latest and greatest every year,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive officer of AT&T Mobility.
In a change from the typical ways of purchasing a phone upfront with no contract or at a subsidy with a contract, AT&T Next allows a customer to purchase a smartphone or tablet with $0 down payment and pay for the device with a monthly cost. For example, according to AT&T, a customer who wants a Samsung Galaxy S4 can purchase the device with no down payment and pay an extra $32 per month (on top of their standard monthly service bill). More details below:
In a move that follow’s T-Mobile’s recently launched “un-carrier” initiatives, Verizon Wireless plans to debut a new “VZ Edge” program aimed at retaining its customer base, according to a leaked presentation slide posted by Droid-Life.
AT&T has announced that it has come to agreement to acquire U.S. carrier Leap Wireless (which operates the Cricket brand) for $15 per share. The acquisition will cover all of Leap Wireless’s assets, expanding AT&T’s coverage to Leap’s 5 million subscribers. This move enhances AT&T’s spectrum, retail store count, employee number, and more, so it is likely a positive move for its wireless customers. It’s possible that this announcement is related to the upcoming press event that AT&T has scheduled for July 16th.
