ios and Android news

Prisma finally launches on Android

2016-07-24T18:23:00.006-07:00

When Prisma went live on iOS not too long ago, the smart-filter app quickly went viral. It didn’t take long for it to dominate the App Store charts, and Android users were clamoring to use its capabilities on their devices. Now the wait is finally over: Prisma has arrived on the Google Play Store.

On the surface, Prisma appears to be nothing special. It basically just looks like a collection of image filters: you snap a photo, pick a style, and use a slider to adjust the results. Sounds pretty ordinary, right? This feature is common to everything from Instagram to Snapchat to, hell, essentially any app that uses your camera.

What sets Prisma apart, however, is that it uses artificial intelligence algorithms to generate its images. Rather than simply overlay a dumb filter, Prisma reconstructs the image from scratch by making intelligent design choices. After just playing around with it for a few minutes, the magic becomes evident. The only downside is that applying each filter does take a few seconds, since the new image has to essentially be built from the ground up.

Many of these filters take their cues from famous painters or distinctive visual art styles. Whether you want to make your snapshot look like an impressionist oil painting, a gritty graphic novel, or a piece of modern art, this app has you covered.

This is a free app that requires no sign-up and it doesn’t even throw ads in your face. The no-nonsense interface neatly integrates with social media like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, making Prism a handy one-stop-shop for all your image sharing needs. The results can be kind of mixed, but it’s seriously fun to play around with.

Click the button below to give this app a whirl. Try it out for a bit, then let us know about your experience in the comments!

Play Store

Prisma Beta for Android....

2016-07-19T20:26:00.003-07:00

Prisma - Art Photo Editor 1.0 beta

Version: 1.0 (1)

arm + arm64 + mips + x86 + x86_64
Package: com.prisma

8.31 MB (8,713,565 bytes)

Min: Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean, API 16)

Target: Android 6.0 (Marshmallow, API 23)

Download here Click here

Be an artist! Turn your photos into awesome artworks:
- Modern art filters!
- Stunning photo effects
- Fast sharing

Prisma transforms your photos into artworks using the styles of famous artists: Munk, Picasso as well as world famous ornaments and patterns. A unique combination of neural networks and artificial intelligence helps you turn memorable moments into timeless art.

Please free to contact us contact@prisma-ai.com

Pokémon Go coming to INDIA “within a few days”

2016-07-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

To download it Click Here

To get from google play Click Here

OS version 4.4+

The description of Pokémon GO

New Change in Pokémon GO New version 0.29.2 for Android

- Trainers don't have to enter their username and password repeatedly after a force log out.

- Added stability to Pokémon Trainer Club Account Log-in process.

- Resolved issues causing crash.

- Fixed Google Account scope

Even Pokémon GO new v0.29.2 support Android 7.0 "Nougat" but tablet compatibility problem still can't be fixed in this version. It's time to walk out and catch some Pokémon.

As a new generation of Pokémon games , Pokemon Go was recently in a closed beta, and finally Pokémon GO is rolling out on Google Play Store for few countries (AU, NZ), maybe more late in this month. Never mind you can download the latest version Pokémon GO APK on APKPure anytime.

With Pokémon GO, Pokémon fans can discover Pokémon in a whole new world for your own through camera on Android device. Pokémon GO will use the physical location information to find, catch, trade, and battle. When virtual reality meets Pokémon GO, are you ready to experience a fantastic journey today! Join Pokémon GO now.

Note: Pokemon Go is free to download and play, however, pokecoins can also be purchased for real money. If you do not want to use the feature, please set up password protection for purchases in the settings of your Google Play Store app(for AU and NZ) player. You can play the Pokemon Go game on Android 4.4 or higher(except the Android N) smartphones not tablets. A network connection is also required, enable gps all the time when you try to catch Pokemon around you.

Pokemon News:

July 12- Pokémon GO support the newest Android 7.0 "Nougat" and official launch in German, United Kindom, late in this week all Europe area and part of Asian countries. We will continue to follow up Pokemon Go update.

July 5 - Pokémon GO Official announced to block all Pokemon Go players outside the beta testing region area Australia and New Zealand. It seems the servers are not ready for the Pokemon Fans from all over the world! We have to wait for the global version release. Hmmm.......i know this news sucks!

Tips for a quick start:

● Level up Pokemon Trainers, explore your very own neighborhoods and cities to capture many Pokemon as you can.

● Pokemon Go use your geography locations and environment, the Pokemon can be found only when you walk around. So let's go to catch some Pokemon.

● Items collection and Pokemon gyms are found at historical and artistic landmarks. Such as museums, art installations, monuments, sculptures, and public artworks will be the place to collect items and replace your Pokeball stores.

● Walk as far as you can. It should be 2 kilometers, 5 kilometers to get the egg which you got from Pokemon-Stop to hatch.

● if you have more budget you really should buy Pokemon Go Plus. Nintendo announced the Pokemon Go Plus would be coming in July alongside the app, and would be priced at $34.99. Now, you can head over to Amazon and pre-order the Pokemon Go Plus.

● Take on Gym battles and defend your Gym. As your Charmander evolves to Charmeleon and then Charizard, you can battle together to defeat a Gym and assign your Pokémon to defend it against all comers. It’s time to get moving—your real-life adventures await!

Important Notes:

- This app is free-to-play and offers in-game purchases. It is optimized for smartphones, not tablets.

- Compatible with Android devices that have 2GB RAM or more and have Android Version 4.4 - 6.0 installed.

- Compatibility is not guaranteed for devices without GPS capabilities or devices that are connected only to Wi-Fi networks

- Not compatible with Android devices that use Intel Atom processors.

- Compatibility with tablet devices is not guaranteed.

- Application may not run on certain devices even if they have compatible OS versions installed.

- It is recommended to play while connected to a network in order to obtain accurate location information.

- Compatibility information may be changed at any time.

- Please visit www.PokemonGO.com for additional compatibility information.

For more help and information about how to play Pokémon GO on Android ,you can contact APKPure Team here: https://www.facebook.com/Iosroid/

Facebook releases updated Messenger app for iOS, Android

2013-11-13T23:16:00.001-08:00

Update includes ability to see which friends are currently using the standalone app, along with capability to send messages to people who are not Facebook friends.

Facebook on Wednesday released an updated iOS Messenger app and announced that its Android version would become more broadly available after two weeks in limited testing.

The updated standalone app, which was

released for Android in late October, sports a new look and functionality. Among those updates is the ability to see which friends are currently using the mobile app, with the help of an icon that appears in a users' contact list.

The update also adds the capability of communicating with Messenger app users who aren't Facebook friends, using only their registered telephone number. It also introduces a fresh navigation look for accessing recent conversations, settings, and other people using the app.

"As more and more people use Facebook to connect with their friends on mobile, we are focused on building the best mobile products," Facebook said of the update. "Facebook messaging started as a desktop chat experience, but when it comes to messaging on mobile, people want something faster and lighterweight."

The renovation is part of Facebook's effort to make Messenger the go-to smartphone app for instantly getting a hold of friends and address book contacts. Along with enhancements in speed, function, and design, the updated app is based on a "mobile-to-mobile" philosophy that intends to make sure people using the app are immediately available to each other on their smartphones.

With record market share of 81%, Android leaves iOS in the dust

2013-11-13T23:13:00.003-08:00

Google’s Android operating system now accounts for a whopping 81 percent of all smartphones shipped worldwide during the third quarter of 2013, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. The IDC report said that Android shipped a total of 211.6 million smartphone units, accounting for 81 percent of all smartphone shipments, marking the first time that Android topped 8o percent in its short history. Even though iPhone sales grew 25.6 percent from a year earlier, the growth was slower than that of the overall market and Apple’s share fell to 12.9 percent from 14.4 percent in the same period last year. “iOS, despite seeing its total volumes increase and reaching new record third quarter volumes, saw its market share decline during 3Q13, most likely due to soft demand in the weeks leading up to the launch of iOS 7 smartphones. Still, if the 9 million units sold during the last week of September is any indication of future adoption, iOS stands to reap another record quarter in terms of volumes, market share, and year-over-year growth”, an IDC press statement said. The Android army is taking over the world: Reuters The other gainer however, was Microsoft’s Windows phone platform, which grew 156 percent year on year. Its overall market share however is still less than five percent. But as an IDC statement pointed out, “Microsoft’s efforts, with Nokia’s support behind it, helped drive the platform into multiple tiers and price points”. “Android and Windows Phone continued to make significant strides in the third quarter. Despite their differences in market share, they both have one important factor behind their success: price,” said Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC’s Mobile Phone team. “Both platforms have a selection of devices available at prices low enough to be affordable to the mass market, and it is the mass market that is driving the entire market forward.” As far as Android was concerned however, IDC noted that while Android, as a whole, moved forward, the vast majority of its vendors still struggle to find meaningful market share. Samsung accounted for 39.9 percent of all Android shipments for the quarter, while the rest of the vendors either saw single-digit market share or, in the case of the majority of vendors, market share of less than 1 percent. This news is even more significant, given that Samsung has begun testing its Tizen mobile operating system. The first developer conference in Asia for Tizen wrapped up Tuesday after a two-day run, bringing together app developers and Tizen backers from Samsung, Intel and mobile operators. “With only hardware, its influence is limited,” said Kang Yeen-kyu, an associate research fellow at state-run Korea Information Society Development Institute. “Samsung’s goal is to establish an ecosystem centered on Samsung.” The consolidation of global technology companies in the last few years reflects such trends. Apple has always made its own operating system for the iPhone. Google Inc. acquired Motorola Mobility in 2011 and Microsoft Corp. announced in September its plan to buy Nokia Corp., leaving Samsung the only major player in the smartphone market that does not make its own operating system. Meanwhile a beleaguered BlackBerry, recorded the largest year-over-year decline among the leading operating systems during 3Q13. Underpinning its results was softer demand for its new BB10 operating system and continued demand for its older BB7 within emerging markets. “Now with a new CEO in place and an infusion of $1 billion, what remains to be seen is how and when the beleaguered operating system will be able to change course in the face of mounting pressure from Android, iOS, and Windows Phone”, IDC said
.

PlayStation App iOS and Android Release Date Announced

2013-11-13T23:11:00.002-08:00

SUBMIT TWEET SHARE +1 SHARE

Update: Sony's PlayStation App that allows you to link your PS4 with smartphones and tablets is now available in North America, ahead of the console's imminent release on Friday.

The app can be grabbed now from either the App Store or Google Play. A European release is expected next week on November 22.

Original story follows.

Original Story: Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation App announced earlier this year will be available for iOS and Android devices in North America on November 13 and in Europe on November 22.

The App is set to provide second screen functionality for some PS4 titles, as well as let you access your PSN profile, check up on friends and trophies, send messages to other people who have the App or to PS4, PS3, and PS Vita users. You'll also be able to make purchases using the App and remotely download it, and also use your smartphone or tablet to turn your console on and off or as a keyboard for typing.

Full details on what to expect when the app goes live can be seen in our walkthrough, below.

Google teases Android 4.4 as 'KitKat,' passes one billion Android activations

2013-09-04T05:19:00.004-07:00

After "a whirlwind trip to Asia" visiting Android partners, Google's SVP Sundar Pichai has just confirmed -- by way of the above photo -- that the next version of his mobile OS is called KitKat aka Android 4.4. The exec shared this geeky nugget on both Google+ and Twitter, while his company has updated the Android developer site with a page chronicling Android's milestones so far. Details are light at the moment, and Google teases its upcoming release with just the following line:

"It's our goal with Android KitKat to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody."

Pichai also announced that there are now over one billion Android device activations, surpassing the 900 million mark back in May this year. This is well ahead of the end-of-year target that Chairman Eric Schmidt predicted back in April. Just to recap, here are all the previous dessert-based names that contributed to these figures: Cupcake (1.5), Donut (1.6), Eclair (2.0), Froyo (2.2), Gingerbread (2.3), Honeycomb (3.0), Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0), and Jelly Bean (4.1-4.3). Naturally, it's "K" after "J" now. More after the break (pun intended).

Update: We've added Nestle's wacky promo video as well.

Update 2: Go ahead and grab the kids, because you'll now find a short clip of the KitKat statue's unveiling. So... is anyone gonna break off a piece of that, or what?

Trademark issues? Not to worry, as Google got Nestle's blessing to use the "Kit Kat" trademark (albeit without the space), but with a twist. John Lagerling, director of Android global partnerships, explained to the BBC that "this is not a money-changing-hands kind of deal," but instead, they wanted do something "fun and unexpected."

Following one conference call with Nestle back in end of November, the deal was sealed just 24 hours later. And after finalising the details secretly at MWC, the chocolate snack is now doing a joint promotion with Google to give away someNexus 7s and Google Play credit in the US and the UK. The BBC reports that there will be more than 50 million Kit Kats promoting the Android mascot in 19 markets (including Brazil, India, Japan and Russia), but it's not clear whether the giveaway promotion will make its way to those countries as well.

Lagerling also confirmed that his team did originally consider "Key Lime Pie" as a potential name for Android after Jelly Bean, but the issue was "very few people actually know the taste of a key lime pie." Fair enough. Until Google drops another Android activation number on us, feel free to make a guess on what's coming after KitKat. Hint: it begins with an "L."

How to Run a Web Server on Your Android Device

2013-08-25T04:54:00.000-07:00

Whether you have a $50 mini PC that you leave plugged in all the time or a 5-inch smartphone that you carry with you, you can use any Android device as a full fledged web server that’s accessible either on LAN or from anywhere on the Internet. With an Android web server, developers can easily test their code without paying for a hosting service. Freelancers can carry a copy of the web tools they’ve built with them to show their clients. Home and small office users can even set up custom web tools for users on the local network.

Here’s how to set up a web server on your Android phone, tablet or mini PC.

Install the Web Server

1. Install and launch KSWEB on your Android device. The app only has a six-day free trial, after which it costs $2.99. There are a number of other web server apps, including Bit Web ($2.39) andServers Ultimate, but we chose KSWEB for this tutorial because it is one of the simpler options.

2. Navigate to the IP address listed by KSWEB in your computer’s browser or to localhost:8080 on the device itself.

3. Click the link for KSWeb Interface and enter the default username and password (admin and admin).

4. Select System settings and change the default password from “admin” to something else.

5. Select KSWEB settings, enter a MySQL shell password and hit save. You can stick with the default, blank password but it is unadvisable to have a blank password, even if your server isn’t connected to the Internet.

6. Select a root directory for your site by tapping Document Root in the KSWEB app’s settings menu and entering the appropriate file path. You may wish to keep the default directory (/mnt/sdcard/htdocs), but we recommend that you save space by putting the folder on a microSD card, if your Android device has one.

You can now visit your site by navigating to localhost:8080 on the Android device or by navigating to the IP address displayed by KSWeb. However, at this point, you will only see KSWEB’s default home page and you will only be able to access it from within the local network.

Google Play Games boss to devs: Android is a ‘party we want everyone to experience'

2013-08-25T04:48:00.000-07:00

That’s still true. In April, mobile-tracking firm App Annie revealed that while Google Play is catching up to the App Store in terms of raw download numbers, Apple’s digital-distribution market is paying out 2.6 times more in revenue to developers than Google Play.

A huge part of the battle for mobile-app dominance is fought in the gaming market, and Google finally got serious about improving the gaming experience on the Android platform this year when it introduced the Google Play Games services and app.

“Android’s growing rapidly as a mobile-gaming platform,” Google Play Games lead product manager Greg Hartrell told GamesBeat. “It’s enabling game developers to reach this unprecedented audience of players. Recently, we started sharing that three in every four Android users are playing games. That represents a very large number of gamers.”

Hatrell comes from a gaming background. At Microsoft, he worked on Xbox 360 and led the Xbox Live team as senior group program manager. Xbox Live is Microsoft’s multiplayer networking system. Now that he’s at Google, Hartrell wants to take what he learned developing and managing Xbox Live, which is one of the best multiplayer systems in the world, and combine that with Google’s strengths.

That led him and the Google Play Games team to introduce the Play Games services at Google I/O in May.

Google Play Games services is a networking system that lives in Google’s cloud. It enables developers on Android, the web, and even Apple’s iOS to build games with a host of social and multiplayer features. For example, one of the earliest games to launch with Google Play Games services is the watercraft racing game Riptide GP2. Thanks to Google’s cloud infrastructure, the game supports online multiplayer, leaderboards, achievements, and cloud saves.

Players just need to log in with their Google+ account and the system handles everything else.

At a small event in July, Hartrell’s team released the Google Play Games app, which centralizes and surfaces all of an Android user’s games in one location. Players can even see what their friends are playing and quickly discover new titles.

Google is pitching all of these features to developers, who have to implement the Google Play Games code in order to take full advantage of these features as a way to acquire and retain players.

“We’re seeing some very positive metrics from our developers that have adopted Google Play Games,” said Hartrell. “For example, Glu Mobile integrated Play Games services into the vast majority of its newer titles and many of its older ones as well. With its title Eternity Warriors 2, Glu shared with us that it saw seven-day retention improve by 40 percent and an increase in play sessions by 20 percent.”

In the short time since Google introduced the Play Games products, developers integrated the services into over 1,000 games. In addition to Glu Mobile, Hartrell pointed to major releases like Temple Run 2, which now use Google Play Games services to track a players’ performances against their friends using the leaderboard functionality.

“We’re going to continue to see a lot of great games integrate with our platform,” said Hartrell. “Not only does it bring benefits to game developers, but it also brings great experiences to their players.”

The philosophy of Google Play Games

The shortcut of explaining Google Play Games as an “Xbox Live-like service for mobile” only works to a certain extent. Gaming is what an Xbox 360 is all about, and the type of player that owns an Xbox 360 is usually focused on one particular type of gaming experience. That is to say, Xbox 360 specializes in fully fleshed out “hardcore” games like Call of Duty, Madden, and Braid.

Meanwhile, Android simultaneously features deep military-strategy games and Candy Crush Saga. I asked Hartrell how his team balanced building a multiplayer infrastructure that can serve both a hardcore gaming audience and one that binges on social games. He says that from Google’s perspective, the mechanics don’t matter all that much.

“Fundamentally, Google Play Games is about taking these hundreds of millions of gamers and bringing them together,” said Hartrell. “Gaming is the thread that really brings us together, right? The way we do that is to continue to evolve the platform in a way that brings fantastic social experiences to users and enables them to experience great moments together, so that we can move away from a world where mobile gaming is this solitary type of experience.”

Google Play Games for iOS

One of the most interesting aspects of Google Play Games services is that it works on iOS. The software lives totally in Google’s cloud, so any game on just about any platform can tap into Google and use features like cloud saves and leaderboards.

The question is: Has anyone released a game for iOS that uses Google Play Games services?

“We don’t really have specific titles that we can showcase right now, [but] we’ve seen some response there for certain,” said Hartrell. “As you can imagine the Android side gets more attention by virtue of who we are.”

Last week, Google updated its developer site with a step-by-step explanation of how to integrate Google Play Games services into an iOS app. I’ve looked myself, and can’t find a single game that’s done this so far.

“We can only say that we’re seeing great interest in being cross platform,” said Hartrell. “It’s a big part of our initiative to get players together wherever they are.”

What about those iOS developers that don’t work on Android

Gaming on Android has never compared well to iOS. Some games come out later on the Google Play market. Other titles don’t come out at all. Hartrell looks at this issue in a positive light.

“I think that what we’ve found is that 19 of the top 20 mobile-game developers have already adopted Android,” he told me. “It’s already a great place for them to bring their experiences and their craft to game players. From that perspective, we’re pretty satisfied with the adoption we’ve seen. I’d be hard pressed to find a developer who isn’t at least already considering developing on Android. We’re talking about 900 million active devices.”

And yet, some developers still don’t bring their games to Android. Popular titles like Tiny Wings, Ridiculous Fishing, and Tilt to Live don’t have Android ports despite those 900 million active devices. I asked Hartrell what he would say to those studios that are still holding out on developer for Android.

“What I would say is the game developers that are adopting Google Play Games and publishing on Android are experiencing great momentum. If you are a [developer] holding out from developing on our platform, then you got to think about those numbers. It’s a real party over here right now, and we want everyone to experience it. It’s a really amazing moment in gaming.”

Hartrell also said he would point to those numbers from Glu Mobile and the overwhelming number of Android-device owners that play games. Again, 900 million devices … three out of four Android owners play games.

But I suspect that the real thing keeping most developers from developing on Android — those that are still holding out — is those aforementioned revenue numbers. I shared that hunch with Hartrell, who said that was probably a fair statement but things are getting better.

“From a momentum perspective, compared to last year, we’re paying seven times the amount of revenue to app developers and game developers,” he said. That means more developers are making more money.

“In terms of what we’re doing next, the Play Store is supporting more countries. Developers can now sell apps in over 130 countries. Over half of Android users can now charge purchases directly to their mobile bill through carrier billing.”

Carrier billing allows cell-phone owners to purchase apps and other content from Google Play and charge it to their carrier. Their carrier will then add that cost to their next monthly bill. This payment method is extremely popular in international markets like Japan and Korea. This should help developers generate more revenue, but it’s unlikely this alone will close the gap.

Another big incentive is that Google Play Games services beefed-up its anti-piracy measures. Developers can use the tools to keep players from accessing certain features or the entire game if it doesn’t authenticate properly.

It’s up to developers to take advantage of that to protect their games.

For Google, its job is to continue improving Play Games services so that it does blossom into a flourishing social and multiplayer ecosystem.

“We’re going to continue to iterate to bring the best of Google to game developers,” said Hartrell. “From a principal standpoint, we’re going to focus on bringing players together wherever they happen to be.”

Apple iOS 8: Maps May Get Biggest Boost Thanks To Hopstop, Embark Acquisitions

2013-08-25T04:38:00.001-07:00

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has acquired yet another mapping and navigation company, its third in the past two months. Jessica Lessin, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, said the iPhone maker has purchased Embark Inc., a 2-year-old Silicon Valley startup known for its batch of transit applications that help Android and iOS users navigate public transportation routes.

Apple introduced its own Maps application in 2012, as part of iOS 6. The acquisition of WiFiSLAM may improve the company's overall offering, as well as its other location-based services like Find My iPhone.

An Apple spokeswoman confirmed the Embark deal, adding, "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans." The spokeswoman didn't disclose any details about the deal, including how much Apple paid for the several-person team, and didn't have any information regarding the future availability of Embark's Android apps. Embark currently has 10 iOS apps in the Apple App Store.

Besides Embark, Apple has been busy snatching up navigation and map applications in recent months. On July 19, Apple acquired two mapping companies -- Toronto-based Locationary, focused on crowdsourcing location data for local businesses, and New York City-based HopStop, which aggregates massive amounts of data from several hundred transit agencies to help mobile users get from Point A to Point B via subway, bus, train, taxi, walking or biking. In March, Apple spent $20 million on another Silicon Valley startup, WiFiSLAM, which allows users to detect and navigate locations with pinpoint accuracy, including "step-by-step indoor navigation to product-level retail customer engagement to proximity-based social networking."

The bigger picture here is Apple's obvious intentions to build a much-improved Maps system by the time it releases its next mobile and desktop operating systems, which are typically announced in the summer and released in beta at the same time. Apple unveiled iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks on June 10 at its Worldwide Developers Conference, but neither operating system featured an improved mapping system. It's always possible Apple could upgrade its Maps apps in small iOS and OS X system updates over the year, but we're far more likely to see an improved Apple Maps next June when we're introduced to iOS 8 and, perhaps, OS X Yosemite?

Apple Maps, introduced in June 2012 as a major feature in iOS 6, was harshly criticized by developers and consumers, especially since Apple had removed Google Maps as the mapping mainstay in iOS to make room for Apple's in-house solution. A Frankenstein monster of three separate companies --Placebase, Poly9 and C3 Technologies, purchased in 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively -- Apple Maps still lacked a great deal of important information about roads, buildings and directions. With engineers and information from WiFiSLAM, Locationary, HopStop and now Embark, Apple should have plenty of granular mapping and navigation data to help Apple Maps be a real contender by the time we see iOS 8 next year.

New 'Google Play Edition' phones show off subtle changes to Android OS

2013-06-26T20:05:00.005-07:00

Google's new Galaxy S4 and HTC One "Google Play Edition" phones goon sale today -- and in an unexpected twist, the devices are giving us a glimpse at some subtle changes that appear to be on the way to Android.

I've been using both phones for about a day now (see "What the Galaxy S4 and HTC One Google Play Editions are actually like to use" for a detailed look at my experiences). While both phones are running Android 4.2.2 -- the most current version of the operating system and the same version that's on devices like the Nexus 4 -- they're using a slightly newer build that shows off some small but noticeable differences.

Here are some things that have caught my eye so far:

A new Camera app interface

In place of the circular series of options that appears when you touch your finger to an open area in the current stock Android Camera app, the new Google Play Edition devices utilize an updated semicircle design -- a curved line that appears above your finger with five options.

The options, in order, are toggling HDR mode, adjusting the exposure, accessing more options, adjusting the flash mode, and switching between the front and rear camera.

When you move your finger over "More Options," a new semicircle appears slightly higher up on the screen with five new choices: toggling whether location data is stored with images, activating a countdown timer, adjusting the image size, adjusting the white balance, and selecting a scene mode. Most subsequent options appear in similar semicircle UIs instead of more traditional pop-up menus; the exception, curiously, is "Picture Size," which still uses a pop-up menu (and kind of sticks out like a sore thumb as a result).

The bottom-of-screen buttons have also been repositioned to sit closer to the shutter icon instead of being justified at the far left and right edges of the phone. And the bottom-right button now shows more information, such as your current location and scene mode setting.

It's worth noting that the functionality here is no different from what we've seen before -- the scene modes, for example, are exactly the same as they are on the Nexus 4 -- it's just the interface that's been updated.

A slightly tweaked app drawer design

The app drawer on both Google Play Edition devices has been scaled down; it now has four icons in each row instead of five, as is the case on the Nexus 4. This makes for a less dense and more spaced-out appearance.

UPDATE: As evidenced by the Galaxy Nexus, this may actually be a result of the devices' display dimensions rather than any change to the OS itself.

A new live wallpaper

The default wallpaper on both the Galaxy S4 and HTC One Google Play Edition is something called Sun Beam. It's basically a red- and orange-tinted version of the Phase Beam live wallpaper that's been a part of Android for a while now.

A new default lock screen clock

Remember how many people griped about the unusual half-bold style used in the default Android 4.2 lock screen clock widget? Sure, you can always replace it entirely with a third-party lock screen widget, but it looks like Google may be toying with the idea of revamping the clock on its own.

On the Google Play Edition Galaxy S4, the Android 4.2 lock screen clock we know and love (or loathe) is replaced with a more traditional-looking, right-aligned alternative. Oddly, the updated widget isn't currently present on the HTC One Play Edition device -- the two phones do have slightly different OS builds -- but one way or another, it's clearly something that Google's working on.

UPDATE: This difference may be due to the Play Edition GS4's support of Samsung's S-View flip covers, which allow the clock and other info to be displayed through a small plastic-covered window.

Google Keep as a system app

With this latest Android build, Google's new Google Keep note-taking service comes preloaded as a system-level app. That means it's there the first time you turn the phone on and, like other system-level apps, can be disabled but not uninstalled.

A different boot animation

This last one's likely something made explicitly for these Google Play Edition devices, but it's new and interesting nonetheless: a different boot animation.

It makes sense, since these aren't actually Nexus devices and thus wouldn't use the Nexus boot animation -- but also aren't traditional Samsung and HTC devices and wouldn't use those companies' animations, either.

Here's what both phones show at startup instead (this video also demonstrates the aforementioned new live wallpaper and app drawer design)

When asked a Google spokesperson about the nature of the various UI tweaks, I was told the changes are limited to the Google Play Edition devices -- "for now." Boot animation aside, it'd sure seem logical to conclude that some of them will ultimately be integrated into the main Android build and delivered to Nexus devices, too, whether as part of a minor update or as part of a more robust OS upgrade. No matter how you look at it, it's certainly interesting to see subtle hints of change showing up in these phones; interpret as you will.

Android rockets and iOS gains, while Windows dips

2013-06-24T07:34:00.001-07:00

Android device shipments leap, but there's yet more bad news for PC makers as the market continues to slide, despite their experiments with new form factors.

Android and iOS device shipments are predicted to grow this year, while the number of Windows devices shipped is expected to fall slightly.

According to calculations from analyst Gartner, 866 million Android devices will ship this year (up from 505 million last year. Around 296 million iOS devices will ship (up from 212 million last year) while 339 million Windows devices will ship (a slight dip from 346 million last year). And next year Android is likely to see a billion devices shipped — compared to 378 million Windows devices and 354 million iOS devices.

But the raw numbers don't tell the whole story. "Although the numbers seem to paint a clear picture of who the winner will be when it comes to operating systems in the device market," said Gartner research VP Carolina Milanesi, the reality is the relevance of each operating system varies according to the type of device.

"Apple is currently the more homogeneous presence across all device segments, while 90 percent of Android sales are currently in the mobile phone market and 85 percent of Microsoft sales are in the PC market," she said in a statement.

Still, Gartner's numbers contain yet more bad news for PC vendors, as it seems their experiments with new form factors and operating systems aren't going to stop the market for their hardware shrinking.

Shipments of traditional PCs — desktops and notebooks — are forecast to hit 305 million units in 2013, a 10.6 per cent decline from 2012. Even when ultramobiles are added to the pile (by which Gartner means devices such as Chromebooks, thin-and-light clamshell designs, and hybrid devices running Windows 8) PC shipments will still decline 7.3 percent in 2013, as consumers choose tablets.

Tablet shipments are expected to grow 67.9 percent, with shipments reaching 202 million units, while the mobile phone market will grow 4.3 percent, hitting a volume of more than 1.8 billion units.

Gartner said the sharp decline in PC sales recorded in the first quarter was the result of a changes in customer demand, but also an adjustment in the channel to make room for new products hitting the market in the second half of 2013.

Gartner is predicting that 20 million ultramobile PCs will ship this year — double last year. And while that number will double again to 40 million next year, that still won't be enough to offset the decline in shipments of more traditional form factors, which it calculates will drop to 289 million in next year — down from 341 million last year.

Even when designs based on Intel's Bay Trail and Haswell processors hit the market in the latter part of this year, they will only "marginally help" overall sales volumes at least initially, but may give vendor margins a boost, Gartner said.

But the tablet market is also facing some challenges, according to the analyst house, with many consumers trading down from premium tablets to more basic models.

The market share of basic tablets is expected to increase faster than anticipated, as sales of the iPad Mini already represented 60 per cent of overall iOS sales in the first quarter of 2013.

"The increased availability of lower priced basic tablets, plus the value add shifting to software rather than hardware will result in the lifetimes of premium tablets extending as they remain active in the household for longer. We will also see consumer preferences split between basic tablets and ultramobile devices," Gartner research director Ranjit Atwal said in a statement.

The bring your own device trend continues, with Gartner forecasting that 72 per cent of personal computing devices will be bought into the workplace by consumers will grow from 65 per cent in 2013 to in 2017. "This signifies the growing importance of designing for the consumer inside the enterprise," the analyst house noted.

World War Z game is average on Android and iPhone

2013-06-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

Monday, June 24, 2013 6:18 AM GMT

There are a number of games that are available on mobile platforms that are some sort of movie tie in that can be available long before the actual film has been released to the public, but the World War Z game has been found to be average on Android and the iPhone.

The movie hit the UK this weekend and follows a recent update to the game based on it that promises to be an action packed story based title. There are 28 levels with intense combat that also contain engaging puzzles, and you will be able to upgrade your weapons and armour as you battle a zombie onslaught.

There has been a mixed reaction to the game though from those that have downloaded it with a lot of complaints of the game not working correctly despite the recent update, and below we have embedded a couple of video reviews of World War Z for both the Android and iOS versions.

On the Android version review the game was found to have no issues with crashing on the Galaxy S4 that it was used on, and was given a pretty positive review but the game does look full on with wave after wave of zombies to battle.

The iOS video demonstrates the gameplay and the graphics look pretty impressive for both versions of the game, and if you like the look of World War Z you can download it yourself via the App Store and Google Play.

Google Play Store gift cards now available in Germany and France

2013-06-24T06:27:00.001-07:00

Sunday, June 23, 2013 2:50 PM GMT

After the US and UK, Google Play Store gift cards are now available in two additional countries – Germany and France. Those of you interested to share some mobile app/content love with others can choose between 5, 25 and 50 EUR cards and let the recipient choose what he/she will be doing with all that cash – grab an app or some other content from the Play Store.

We like the fact that Google keeps expanding gift cards to other places and are hoping that after these two, other countries all across Europe will follow. And then, the rest of the world. I’m not really sure why it took so long for the search giant to launch this service in the first place, and now I can’t quite understand why they don’t roll it out globally. Hopefully, the next batch of “supported countries” will be announced sooner rather than later…

[Via: AndroidPolice]

Redline Rush makes high

2013-06-24T06:20:00.001-07:00

"Imagine Burnout and Temple Run had a baby, and you’ll have a good idea of what this game is all about." -Supergamedroid

"It's a big heap of brainless, petrol-laced fun" - PocketGamer.co.uk

Jump into a super sports car and test your driving skills in this high speed driving game where you have to weave through traffic to escape the police. Avoid crashes, take down traffic cars, pick up power-ups and walk to the top of the leaderboard! This game will challenge even the most skilled arcade racing fans.

Features:
- Breathtaking visuals
- 8+8 sports cars
- 3 amazing tracks
- Epic crashes
- Challenge your friends
- Scoreloop integration
- Runs well on Tablets!

Join the Chase! Welcome to Redline Rush!

Follow @cm_games on Twitter for news and updates!

play link

itunes

ScubaStebe's Weekend Game Specials – June 22nd-23rd

2013-06-22T21:34:00.001-07:00

Sunday, June 23, 2013 2:42 AM GMT

Hey everyone, ScubaStebe here for your weekend gaming specials. A huge number of sales this weekend with SEGA, Square Enix and Kemco all deciding that their games needed to go on special, as well as a huge number of other great games that have been discounted; if you’re bored this weekend, you really are spoiled for choice! Now onto the specials…

New bargain games this weekend:

Doodle God - $0.99 (was $2.99)

Flight Control - $0.99 (was $2.99)

Call of Cthulu: Wasted Land - $3.07 (was $4.85)

Sonic Jump - $0.99 (was $1.99)

Sonic 4 Episode I - $0.99 (was $3.99)

Sonic CD - $0.99 (was $2.99)

Sonic The Hedgehog - $0.99 (was $2.99)

Sonic 4 Episode II - $0.99 (was $4.99)

Sonic 4 Episode II THD - $0.99 (was $4.99)

God of Blades - $0.99 (was $2.99)

Aralon: Sword and Shadow - $0.99 (was $2.99)

Alien Breed - $1.25 (was $4.99)

Rayman Jungle Run - $0.99 USD/$1.40 AUD (was $2.99)

Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery - $0.99 USD/$2.05 AUD (was $2.99)

Final Fantasy III - $7.99 USD/$8.49 AUD (was $15.99)

Worms 2: Armageddon - $2.49 (was $4.99)

CHAOS RINGS OMEGA - $4.49 USD/$4.43 AUD (was $8.99)

CHAOS RINGS II - $7.99 USD/$8.49 AUD (was $15.99)

CHAOS RINGS - $4.49 USD/$4.43 AUD (was $8.99)

Broken Sword II Smoking Mirror - $0.99 (was $3.99)

World War Z - $0.99 (was $4.99)

Offroad Nation Pro - $0.99 (was $1.99)

Kemco RPG games – 18 games discounted to $0.99

Previous bargains that are still going:

Garfield’s Escape - $0.99 (was $2.99)

Chopper Mike - $0.99 (was $1.99)

Diner Dash Deluxe - $0.99 (was $1.99)

The Curse - $0.99 (was $2.99)

AVP: Evolution - $0.99 (was $4.99)

Undead Soccer - US$0.99/$AU1.32 (was $1.99)

Touch Racing Nitro - US$0.99/AU$1.30 (was $1.99)

The Bard’s Tale - US$2.49/AU$2.88 (was $4.99)

ScubaStebe’s Recommended Game

This week’s recommended game is Rayman Jungle Run made by Ubisoft. Ubisoft has managed to do an excellent job of porting the console and PC version of Rayman Origins over to mobile, while revamping it’s stages and controls to accomodate a very unique control scheme that fits the platforming genre of this game.

Rayman Jungle Run is a very simple platforming game to pick up and get good at. The game is a huge challenge, but in a fun way, and the game’s amazing visuals and soundtrack will keep you upbeat throughout the game. At $0.99, this game is an absolute steal; I would have said this game was worth it back when I bought it for $4.99, but this should just make it a done deal if you have any love for the platforming genre.

The Play Store link for Rayman Jungle Run is below, and if you want to have a look at what the gameplay looks like, here’s a trailer for you:

Play video Play Store Link

Honourable Mentions: Worms 2: Armageddon

If you pick something up and like it, or know of a game that’s not on the list of cheap games, let us know in the comments.

Androidly smartwatch can run any app from Google Play

2013-06-20T20:10:00.002-07:00

The Androidly smartwatch is part phone, part camera, and part GPS.

(Credit: Androidly)

The Android watch is now available for preorder for $229.

Those of you'd like to run Android apps on your wrist may be intrigued by a smartwatch from a company called Androidly.

Developed by a four-person team in the U.K., the Androidly smartwatch lets you install and use hundreds of thousands of apps from Google Play. So, you can access a variety of mobile apps, including Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Google Maps, Cut the Rope, and Angry Birds.

That all sounds intriguing, though running those apps may not be so easy on the eyes. Touted by Androidly as the smallest Android device in the world, the watch comes with a 2-inch touch screen and a resolution of 320x240 pixels.

Androidly's smartwatch is designed to function independently, as it squeezes a phone, camera, and GPS into one tiny package. You can make and receive phone calls, snap pictures with the 2-megpixel camera, and navigate by land via Google, all from your wrist.

Outfitted with Android 2.2, the smartwatch comes with 256 megabytes of memory and an SD card slot. Androidly throws in an 8GB SD card, though you can add a 16GB card for more storage. The watch also offers built-in Wi-Fi for surfing the Internet and Bluetooth for connecting to other devices.

The Androidly smartwatch is currently up for preorder. Buyers can pick one up directly from the Androidly shopping site for $229. Androidly also sells a partner pack with two watches for $459 and a team pack with four watches for $916.

Google Plans Android Nation Retail Store In New Delhi, Larger Rollout To Follow Across India

2013-06-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

If you've ever felt the urge to indulge in Android-branded consumerism in the same way that Apple fans do, you might soon get the chance... if you live in India. The Economic Times reports that Google plans to open an Android-branded store called Android Nation in New Delhi's Select Citywalk shopping center. The store will feature Android hardware from multiple brands (not just Nexus devices) and operate in partnership with Asian conglomerate Spice Mobile. More stores across India are in the planning stage.

One of Android Nation's Jakarta locations. Photo via Tech In Asia

According to the anonymous source, Google has been scouting for a small retail area in the city for some time, with the aim of establishing an "Android experience." Think accessories, hands-on demo units, technical assistance, apps on touchscreen monitors, et cetera. (It will probably be a pretty good place to find Dead Zebra Android toys, too.) Google has already created two Android Nation stores in Jakarta, Indonesia, also in partnership with a local corporation. The stores function more as an advertising venue than an actual point of sale - with enormous marketshare across all of Asia, it's not as if Google needs to sell hardware on its own.

The New Delhi store will open sometime later this year, with more Indian locations set to follow. A Spice Global representative said that the stores will focus on selling 3G smartphones, though tablets from various major brands and budget-oriented Chinese manufacturers will also be available. So far there's been no indication that Google intends to set up retail locations outside of Asia.

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Google, News

iPhone gets Microsoft Office Mobile: What about Android?

2013-06-19T07:58:00.001-07:00

Android seems to be the stepchild when it comes to app releases. Microsoft recently launched the Office Mobile app for iPhone, which will let the owners of the Apple smartphone create and edit documents even when they're on the move.

But what about Android users? Well, it seems that the Google OS has to wait a tad longer before it can benefit from the much-wanted app.

According to Android Authority, "though there's no official source and even though Microsoft's package released for iOS is a very basic one, we have hopes of seeing an Android-compatible version in the upcoming future. The one thing that keeps our hopes alive is Microsoft's need to make money."

So if the lure of generating additional revenue is the key, no doubt that Android will benefit from the Office Mobile app sooner rather than later.

Currently, developers profit more from iOS when compared to Android when developing apps and, therefore, the former would have gotten the edge and benefited from Office Mobile before the Google mobile OS. However, let's not forget that Android is a major player in the market and Microsoft could well have an Office Mobile version for the platform in the works.

In May 2012, reports were rife that MS Office would come to both Android and iOS in Nov. 2012 as part of Microsoft's plan to bring Office to a wider audience. A month later, sources claimed that the Android version for Office would release on Nov. 10. Then in Oct. 2012, speculations pointed to a March 2013 release for the tablet-friendly version of Office for Android.

"Microsoft product manager Petr Bobek has confirmed that the software maker is planning to release native iOS and Android versions of Office 2013 next year. Speaking at a press event in the Czech Republic earlier today, Bobek told Czech site IHNED that native apps will be made available from March 2013," reported The Verge at the time.

What's more, Microsoft is reportedly considering cross-platform support and is looking to bring Web Apps suite to Android tablets soon. Therefore, an Office Mobile app for Android is definitely not the stuff rumors are made of.

The Office Mobile app for iPhone is similar to the one for Windows Phone devices and Microsoft touts that it "enables great Office content viewing and on-the-go content editing capabilities."

The app also packs in the built-in sharing option, which lets users save documents directly to SkyDrive or SkyDrive Pro. Moreover, users also have the option to send a document as an email attachment.

Microsoft is yet to launch the iPad version of the app, so for now, Android users have some company.

Is iOS 7 A Better Innovation Platform Than Android?

2013-06-19T07:53:00.001-07:00

Apple AAPL -0.74% needs iOS 7 to do a lot of work. It launches in the Fall when the
smartphone market will be at its most competitive for some years. Growth is slowing. There might be a new iPhone (an iPhone 5S), or not. If not iOS 7 will have to hold the fort for Apple until 2014. Even with a new iPhone model, iOS 7 is an important part of the Q3 and Q4 marketing mix.

Chicago-based mobile enterprise developer Solstice believe iOS 7 has enough going for it to maintain a high level of interest in the iPhone and iPad, especially around the emerging field of contextual computing. Solstice are currently setting up a smart office around iOS 7 to demonstrate its capabilities. I spoke with them yesterday.

First though some views on the design from a productivity standpoint. I’ll turn to the UI tomorrow with some thoughts on the interface as a platform for innovation.

The interface design has attracted the most attention so far and has polarized views. However, it could also be that the new OS is a platform for enterprise innovation. If so, it continues Apple’s recent history of building platforms that other people use to innovate and drive revenues (for example iBeacon looks like being a specification that third party manufacturers will use to sell new hardware). That makes it a powerful weapon in the battle against Samsung, even if Google and Android are on a similar path towards contextualization.

Macworld points out that there are 27 features to iOS 7 that Apple barely touched on at the reveal and these include features like the Inclinometer – a variation on the gyroscope that allows the system to track and record 3D movement – which will become very important, very soon.

Solstice place more emphasis on the updates that help provide a platform for contextual computing. “J” Schwan is the CEO there. Schwan reckons that contextual computing is the most important, emerging enterprise mobile paradigm right now. Of course Google GOOG -0.03% has something of a lead here with Google Now, though Now is inhibited by being a consumer service.

Apple, on the other hand, is targeting the enterprise. With iOS 7, Apple is providing a number of features that will allow developers to create better context for their enterprise clients.

iBeacon’s low cost, low power micro-location function will allow enterprises to provide information to their workforce in situ. That might mean ensuring everyone in a meeting automatically has access to all the appropriate information. But it could be any opportunity where information has a role to play could be far better tailored to the potential users of it, say for a field workforce. It could be used for smart devices to communicate with the iPhone or iPad, “or to show me relevant information about the people around me,” adds Schwan.

With true multitasking thrown in, it also opens up the possibility of updating, in the background, all the files necessary for a particular meeting, or after a meeting.

And with Airdrop employees could more easily share information with each other or with clients and partners. All this adds to and makes context easier. Schwan’s big take on iOS 7 is exactly that. He sees the race between Apple and Android right now being to put context first, and that makes these three features, in particular, significant for the evolution of a smart office.

That actually means a return to the old “push” model of information. It’s been a dream of information architects for two decades to be able to push the right information, to the right people, at the right time. In the meantime we got tired of push and went to pull. Now we are headed back with a new generation of contextual tools.

Location expert Steven Feldman wrote about the benefits of some of the geo-context of micro-locations in a recent post on the Sensors and Systems website (link courtesy of Macworld), pointing out the personal navigation possibilities inside large buildings like hospitals, With micro-location technology it would be possible to get precise guidance to where one needs to be. That could also be a feature of many physical security or directional applications. And there’s more:

In addition to navigation, content could be streamed to users dependent on their location – information updates could include case notes for a doctor called to a hospital bed, lecture notes for a student entering a lecture hall or perhaps the holy grail of LBS, location based advertising in the form of details of special offers within a shopping mall or even as you are walking down the aisle of a supermarket.

Google is winning the PR race around contextual computing because of Now, but Schwan believes the two, Apple and Android, are leapfrogging each other rather than breaking ground in new territory. The problem for Google remains fragmentation – Android implementations differ widely and that gives Apple the opening it needs (or its developers need) to create far reaching new experiences for the enterprise (and which hardware makers will almost certainly move in on too).

It makes the Fall the most interesting time in smartphones for some time. Will Apple hold the line with iOS 7? Will Samsung’s rapid manufacturing innovation allow it to keep on creating newsworthy variants of the S4? Or will either of them take a big chance on a new form factor, or new paradigm. We’ve only two months to find out. I’ll be back, tomorrow, with some thoughts on the interface as an innovation platform

Super-sharp displays on Android phones take on Apple

2013-06-19T07:46:00.001-07:00

Huawei, HTC, and Sony are leaders in super-sharp, large-screen phone displays, and Apple's got some catching up to do, says DisplayMate Technologies.

The Huawei Ascend D2: its 1,920x1,080 display tops the iPhone 5 in pixel density and screen size and beats the HTC One and Sony Xperia Z in overall display quality, according to DisplayMate Technologies.

HTC, Sony, and Huawei are leading the charge into large, full high-definition phone displays, said DisplayMate Technologies. It's a market Apple has yet to enter.

"With the iPhone 4 Retina display, Apple pioneered the previous generation of smartphone displays in 2010," wrote Raymond Soneira in DisplayMate Technologies' Full HD Flagship Smartphone Display Technology Shoot-Out released on Tuesday.

"This time the pioneers are all Android devices, with the iPhone still not even at the basic HD resolution of 1,280x720," he said.

Apple has some catching up to do to achieve "true Retina," as Soneira puts it.

As I have pointed out before, the effective resolution of the human retina is much higher than Apple's Retina Display, and corresponds to somewhere around 600 PPI [pixels per inch] at a 10 inch viewing distance, which is the limit for the best human vision, around 20/10...On the other hand, very few people have that level of 20/10 visual acuity.

But lower visual acuity doesn't necessarily mean you can't appreciate displays with very high pixel density.

If you study and stare at the image on the screen, move it closer, or move it around, you'll be able to make out considerably more fine image detail because you are building an integrated visual image map in the brain. So, when you are looking at an image with finely detailed graphics and small text, most people with reasonably good vision will be able to make out and appreciate the extra sharpness and image detail if they take the time to do so.

Super-sharp screens aren't the only criterion for excellence, however. The iPhone 5's display is still very competitive in other areas: it has comparatively high peak brightness, high contrast rating for high ambient light (bright conditions), and low screen reflectance, DisplayMate said.

The shoot-out itself compared the full HD 1,920x1,080 screens on the Huawei Ascend D2, HTC One, and the Sony Xperia Z, with the iPhone 5 serving as a yardstick of sorts.

The Ascend D2 came out on top.

"In our extensive side-by-side viewing test comparisons the Ascend D2 was virtually indistinguishable from the iPhone 5 and iPad Retina Display, two of the most accurate and high quality mobile displays we have ever tested," DisplayMate said.

The Ascend D2 is Huawei's entry into the premium smartphone market. "The Ascend D2 joins an elite group of smartphones with world class displays. While Huawei is better known as a manufacturer of low cost smartphones, their Ascend D2 is aimed at the premium top tier, so they managed to hit a home run with the display the first time at bat."

The Huawei Ascend D2 won the display shoot-out matching the best attributes of the Apple's Retina display, said DisplayMate.

The future of Android looks more like Apple

2013-06-19T07:42:00.001-07:00

An Android display is shown at last year's Google I/O conference in San Francisco.

Last week, Apple unveiled the latest incarnation of its mobile operating system, iOS 7. The response was decidedly mixed, with users and critics welcoming a long overdue update to the OS but bemoaning the Easter-colored M&M icons, the inconsistent UI, and an overall look and feel that was wholly lifted from Android and Windows Phone.

But as Apple has taken some cues from its competitors, it appears that Google has been doing the same from Apple. Not in terms of style, but rather by exacting a greater sense of control over its mobile platform and adding a dash of secrecy to boot.

Earlier this month, Google tipped its hand at a larger plan to reclaim the "pure Nexus experience" from the sluggish hands of mobile carriers. At the company's I/O conference, instead of unveiling a brand-new Nexus handset, Google announced that two of its flagship Android phones -- Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S4 and the HTC One -- would soon be available as unlocked devices running the stock Android OS. That means both phones could run on both AT&T and T-Mobile networks but not be at the mercy of either carrier's slothful upgrade rollouts. (Although neither holds a candle to Verizon "icebergian" updates to its devices. That, and the differing chipset, could mean we might not ever see another Nexus device released on Verizon's network again.)

The move was significant because while the Galaxy S4 and HTC One are arguably the best devices ever released for Android, their upgrade cycles would always be in flux due to each carrier's proprietary software running atop of stock Android. In fact, the HTC One was released without the latest version of Android installed, which is a testament to Google's inability to control how carriers treat its devices. Considering it could be months between Google's release of the upgraded software and the point when the carrier finally rolls it out to a user's specific device, that "pure Nexus experience" is wholly ruined for the end user. (How ya holdin' up, Verizon Galaxy Nexus users?) However, by releasing them unlocked and running an unskinned stock Android OS, they effectively become Nexus devices themselves and the interim between software updates and final installation is greatly diminished.

But even for Android users who aren't running unlocked devices, software upgrades are becoming less of a concern.

During Google's I/O conference, the company released its stock keyboard to the Google Play store. Although that seems like a minor move, it's a very important one. Along with the stock keyboard, Google's fleet of core Android apps is now largely available to users from its online marketplace and not intrinsically tied to each OS. That allows Google to make updates, however small, to each app and roll them out to users without having to release a complete OS upgrade every few months or so. And fewer major OS releases mean fewer delays -- and less control -- at the hands of mobile carriers.

Aside from Google's loosely perimetered "walled garden," Android 4.2.2 (aka Jelly Bean) can also afford a little breathing room before a new version. We are past the point in Google's update cycle where a new Android version would be unveiled and released every six to seven months or so. And while Android 4.3 has been spotted in the wild, its release isn't nearly as necessary as when users were running 2.3 Gingerbread or even 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. (Although far too many users still are, but you can thank the carriers for that.) Jelly Bean is Google's most powerful and smoothly polished mobile OS to date, and users on the latest release aren't clamoring for an upgrade just yet. Combined with the rolling release of app updates, an upgrade from 4.2.2 Jelly Bean is even more inessential. So what used to be new versions released biannually can now potentially be a single annual upgrade for each version, Cupertino-style.

But what about that update cycle? When is Google planning on releasing that 4.3 update? Is it going to be dubbed Key Lime Pie or still retain the Jelly Bean nickname? And what about a new Nexus phone? Is one even underway given the unlocked Galaxy S4 and HTC One? As a matter of fact, who would even make it? LG Corp made the Nexus 4 -- the most recent Nexus device -- but announced it wouldn't be making the next one. So who is it? Samsung? HTC? Motorola?

Google ain't sayin'.

It's decidedly Apple-like for Google to remain mum on the future of Android. Mountain View isn't nearly as secretive as Cupertino, but this new, slightly clandestine nature could be a byproduct of greater control over its products and indicate more irons in the mobile-landscape fire.

Android has come a long way since its extremely humble beginnings, and Google is showing some swagger with the way it has treated it. Fragmentation due to carrier delay and proprietary software is still a huge problem, but it appears that the company is making strides in wresting control away from them. With time, maybe, every Android user will enjoy the Nexus experience on a pure stock Android device with an upgrade cycle unmitigated by the clumsy hands of carriers.

Hidden iOS 7 Settings Reveal Potential Gesture and Folder Enhancements

2013-06-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

As the developer beta testing period for iOS 7 continues, user Hamza Sood (via 9to5Mac) has discovered hidden settings within Apple's latest iOS that include toggles for additional gesture, folder and multitasking options. It is unclear, however, how Sood came across the settings.

The gesture settings include options for a new "corner swipe" gesture. In addition, there appear to be expanded options for the "press and hold" gesture, which has so far only been used to prompt "edit mode", which allows users to move and delete apps. There also appears to be a section for "edge swipe", which has become prominent in Apple's redesigned stock iOS 7 apps. 9to5Mac notes that the settings indicate that these gestures could be used for quick app switching.

Other settings include additional functionality on the home screen, such as being able to completely delete stock apps like Newsstand, which has long been a requested feature from some users. The ability to create folders within folders is also present.

The final group of settings is used to tweak the visual flow of the new operating system, with settings responsible for blur effects, coloring and animation speed.

As 9to5Mac notes, it is highly unlikely that most of these features will make their way into the final public version of iOS 7. Instead, the hidden settings are likely to be used and tested by Apple internally to not only tweak iOS performance but explore future features. Some could, however, be adopted as public options to allow for further customization of the user experience.

Take a Look at iOS 7 on the iPad and iPad Mini

2013-06-18T08:18:00.001-07:00

A developer is showing off Xcode simulated screens.

Apple showed off a ton of new features and interface changes for iOS 7 during its WWDC keynote last week. But missing from all the hoopla were mentions or demonstrations of the upcoming mobile OS running on Apple's tablets. As mentioned by 9to5Mac, a simple image of iOS 7 on iPad has now appeared at the bottom of Apple's site.

Clearly, the picture doesn't show a whole lot of detail beyond the home screen and what appears to be a new icon for Photo Booth. But over the weekend, Twitter user @SonnyDickson managed to post a series of iOS 7 screenshots running on iPad, albeit through an Xcode simulator.

All the same, the images are a unique glimpse at how iOS 7 may appear on the iPad. Currently, Apple has not released an official version of iOS 7 beta for iPad, among rumors the company is behind on getting the mobile OS ready for its tablets.

That Super-Fast Samsung S4 And The Coming Of iOS 7

2013-06-18T08:10:00.002-07:00

The stories coming out of South Korea at the moment give a pretty mixed picture of Samsung and its battle to sustain the market in expensive smartphones. Apple AAPL +0.5% watch out – many analysts now see the high-end of the market softening very quickly, raising a big question mark over iOS 7 and its ability to attract people to the Apple fold.

Yesterday, news’ agency Reuters relayed the announcement of a new super-fast Samsung S4, (widely reported in the press), which is likely to be even more expensive than the existing, launch model. That came a day after they produced a detailed account of analyst doubts about the S4′s viability – citing a massive wave of analyst downgradesand even suggesting poor sales could cost Samsung $1 billion in lost profits this year. So what is happening?

If there were to be a “new” S4, it would be the sixth in a line of new S4′s – including the Google GOOG +1.21% variant, the rugged variant, the mini, the Zoom, and for good luck the American, Qualcomm QCOM +0.73% powered version. This product variation is a fascinating take on the innovation cycle. But does it say something about sales too?

“S4 sales are solid. It’s just that some analysts had higher expectations and then they lowered them,” J.K. Shin, head of Samsung’s mobile devices division said last week after the company lost $20 billion in value.

The problem for Samsung though is that sales figures on the S4 have been hyped. Talk now is of 10 million units sold in the first month – actually that should be the first five weeks. The phone was launched on the 24th April and the first sales figures were announced from then to end May. That gives about 8 million a month.

Analysts now are downgrading to 7 million withBank of America saying 5 million. That could change as Samsung brings out new variants – particularly the rugged version which might have the first plastic or flexible display. But what of the super-fast version?

I asked around the carrier world about this new faster S4 – supposedly with twice the download speeds. The answer is interesting. The new phone is most likely an expedient response to changes in network configuration in markets like the US.

In the US, network operators use LTE with a bandwidth of 10 MHz because that’s all they have available in one frequency band. In Europe, most operators have 20 MHz of spectrum in some of the bands they hold so they can and do offer LTE twice as fast compared to the US.

With LTE becoming more popular, US carriers will become saturated much more quickly than in Europe due to this dilemma. So their way out is to use 2×10 MHz in different parts of the spectrum (e.g. 10 MHz in the 700 MHz band and 10 MHz in the 1700/2100 MHz band). This is called carrier aggregation. Europe is not very enthusiastic about it yet, because we have 20 MHz bands, so it’s not needed.

The challenge with carrier aggregation is that the UE (user Element or device) needs to be able to receive in two completely different frequency bands at once, which requires a bit more hardware. This is also why the article says the “new” SGS -4 is slightly more expensive.

So this is not a super-fast version of the S4 but simply one that is compliant with carrier upgrades. And it is only going to be of use in countries that are aggregating spectrum. If anything it should be seen as a considerable inconvenience for Samsung particularly as the additional cost is being passed on to customers. That extra price will not help sales.

The omens for Apple, though, are out there. The S4, by most accounts, is a good phone though confusing at the software level. Still, most analysts who are downgrading quote the softening of the market, not the appropriateness of the S4, for falling sales. To be fair to Samsung, that is something they foreshadowed in their January earnings announcement. They were ready for it – and the multiple version strategy is a way to counter market lethargy.

But it begs big questions of Apple AAPL +0.61%. If five types of S4 are not enough for Samsung to hold the market’s interest, will IOS 7 do the trick for Apple?

But iOS 7 has some under-appreciated design-enabling features. Martin Rugfelt, CMO at AI firm Expertmaker, sees the iOS interface as the first stepping stone to 3D interaction in smartphones:

The semi 3D rendering (if made available to not only the home screen, but also to applications) could be the first steppingstone to gesture-based 3D interaction and representation in mobile devices.

There’s clearly much more to the smartphone wars than meets the eye (3D is just around the corner) and this Fall will see a lot of new features and tactics playing out. Perhaps we should be looking closer.