Information and Knowledge Sharing

[Android News] HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE delayed at customs due to ITC exclusion order

2012-05-16T12:12:00.001+08:00

We've just received a statement from HTC indicating that two of its flagship devices -- the One X for AT&T and the EVO 4G LTE for Sprint -- have been delayed at customs due to an ITC exclusion order that was handed down last December at Apple's behest. That order was set to go into effect on April 19th, and it looks like HTC's two new stateside superphones are the first to feel ~~Apple's~~ the government's wrath. Here's HTC's take on the matter:

The US availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order. We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval. The HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE have been received enthusiastically by customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to get these products into their hands as soon as possible.

We've reached out to HTC for clarification on the delay and to find out if this will affect the launch of the EVO 4G LTE, which is expected to hit the shelves this Friday, May 18th. Stay tuned for updates.

Update: While HTC doesn't have any additional information to share at this time, we've also contacted AT&T and Sprint for comment. Let's just hope that the issue can be resolved in a timely manner.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/htc-one-x-and-evo-4g-lte-delayed-at-customs-due-to-itc-exclusio/

[Android News] ASUS PadFone gets benchmarked: a mere teaser of what's to come

2012-05-16T12:07:00.001+08:00

It was only last week that we learned of the varied battery life of ASUS' phone that would be a tablet that would be a laptop. Now, a further trickle of its performance might has passed our way, giving us insight into the real-world chops of its dual-core S4 processor and companion Adreno 225 GPU. The tests, carried out by the fine folks over at Netbooknews, highlight the device's strengths across a swath of the usual benchmarks, putting it just below AT&T's One X variant in Quadrant with a score of 5,057 and Sunspider at 1,917ms. The company's hybrid did, however, manage to eke out a victory against its similarly CPU-equipped smartphone rival in Vellamo, as well as NenaMark 1 and 2, coming in at 2,554 and 60.4fps / 60.5fps, respectively. We'll have our own comprehensive review of the PadFone ready for your eyes in the days to come, but for now, sate your appetites with these various nuggets.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/asus-padfone-gets-benchmarked-a-mere-teaser-of-whats-to-come/

[Android News] http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/distro-issue-40-smartphone-battle-continues/

2012-05-11T23:53:00.005+08:00

Having trouble with the barrage of smartphone news in recent weeks? Don't worry, we've got you covered in this Friday's edition of our e-publication. The focus this week is the on-going quest for the ultimate smartphone champion. In our search, we take a look at the recently outted Samsung Galaxy S III while putting both the AT&T HTC One X and the Sprint Galaxy Nexus through their paces. While he's a fan of their thin frames, Darren Murph demands better battery life in new laptops and his editorial offers some thoughts on the matter. Our hands-on section is all CTIA this week, as we look back at a handful of gadgets that caught our eye. Smartphone reviews just not doing the trick this week? Well, we take the Jawbone Big Jambox for a spin in this week's issue as well. Yes, all the regulars are here -- including Reaction Time with a word on The Avengers and Call of Duty. Stat takes a look at phone profits, Switched On tackles smartplayers, IRL takes another peek in our backpacks, Square's CTO Bob Lee gets cozy with the Q&A and Dustin Harbin offers the Last Word on excessive texters. So, grab a seat in your favorite reading chair and hit the download link of your choice to get your copy of our tablet mag.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/distro-issue-40-smartphone-battle-continues/

[Android News] ASUS PadFone's real world battery life: 14.1 hours of 3G browsing in laptop mode

2012-05-11T23:53:00.001+08:00

Since the official launch at MWC, ASUS has been mum on how many hours its upcoming PadFone can stay on the treadmill for, but earlier today, we spotted an official promotional video -- which has since been removed from ASUS's YouTube channel -- that mentioned 16 hours of battery for the phone itself, 63 for tablet mode and 102 for laptop mode. Something smells funny here so we pinged ASUS, and guess what? Those turned out to be just continuous talk time over 2G, so perhaps said video clip was pulled to be re-edited.

Conveniently, ASUS was also kind enough to share some very realistic battery life figures from the lab. With the corresponding screen set to 137 nits (about half the brightness), you get the following for phone mode, tablet mode and laptop mode, respectively: 2.6 hours, 10.7 hours and 17 hours of continuous WiFi browsing; and 2.1 hours, 8.9 hours and 14.1 hours of continuous 3G browsing. Just as promisedbefore, the PadFone Station (the tablet) and the PadFone Station Dock (the keyboard) do seem to pump up the battery by about five-fold and nine-fold max, respectively.

Now sure, these may make the 1,520mAh battery inside the phone look feeble and silly, but do bear in mind that these aren't the "up to" numbers. As always, stay tuned for our own tests whenever the PadFone finally lands on our doorstep.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/asus-battery-life-in-hours/

[Android News] Baidu announces new smartphone partnership, stops short of saying who with

2012-05-11T23:51:00.003+08:00

China's search giant Baidu has already got its foot in the mobile platform door, now it plans to wedge it open a little further. Reuters report that the firm will be announcing a new partnership next week that will involve a new smartphone running an updated version of its mobile operating system, this time called Baidu Cloud. There's no word right now on who is supplying the hardware, with vice president Wang Jing only going as far to say it's in talks with "global" manufacturers. So looks like it's names in a hat for now, until the big reveal.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/baidu-announces-new-smartphone-partnership/

淘汰了的智慧手機怎麼辦？八招舊機再利用報給你知

2012-05-10T09:51:00.000+08:00

智慧手機的汰舊換新速度超快，忠實果粉每年都得要追一款新的 iPhone，Android 用戶則是時時都有機海可以選擇。那遭汰換了的舊智慧手機要怎麼辦呢？有不少人選擇送人或轉賣吧！其實還是可以把它們留在身邊使用，只是主要用途不同罷了。一起來看看這八招舊機再利用的方法吧！

GPS 導航機：變身獨立 GPS 導航機，不會浪費到手機的電，而發生電力不足的慘事。

觸控式遙控器：若你是 Apple 或 Google TV 用戶，都可以下載到該裝置的遙控 App，或者是使用 Griffin 的 Beacon 把你的舊機變成觸控遙控器。

觸控板和小鍵盤：你可以下載 TouchPad 或 NumPad App，將你的舊機變成觸控板和小鍵盤使用，打數字不再麻煩了！

越獄實驗機：換新手機，過了保固期的舊手機，自然是試試越獄最好用的工具啦！

電子相簿和鬧鐘：這個應該是最簡單的再利用方法了！

娛樂中心遙控器：如果你有 Xbox 360 或 PS3，舊機也可以成為你操控家中娛樂中心的遙控器。

專用音樂播放器：超方便的隨身音樂播放器，和獨立 GPS 導航機一樣，都不用擔心沒電了怎麼辦。

打字或語音 App 專用機：現在多半的智慧手機都是虛擬鍵盤了，如果你的舊機是鍵盤機，在家就用舊機來傳訊，打字超快速。另外，用來當作 Tango 或 Skype 這類視訊 App 的專用機也不錯。

: 除了上述八招，你還有什麼樣的妙用法子呢？和我們分享吧！

[Android News] Flipboard for Android 'liberated' from Galaxy S III demo unit, available for all

2012-05-09T23:35:00.002+08:00

For many, one of the biggest causes of jealousy after the Samsung Galaxy S III launch event wasn't that 4.8-inch screen, or the new Exynos innards, it was that beautiful looking Android version of Flipboard. Alas, the Korean mobile giant had enough cunning to secure the popular glossy social network and feed reader all for itself -- for the time being. That is, unless, you're a naughty little xda-developer visitor, perhaps called Valcho, who had the foresight / lack of restraint at the event to nab the .apk from one of the demo phones. He's made it available for all and sundry (well, those with Android phones at least). If you want to see how it looks on your phone, point it at the source link, or be a good spirit, and wait for the official outing.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/flipboard-for-android-liberated-from-galaxy-s-iii/

[Android News] Crapgadget: summer show-off edition

2012-05-09T23:34:00.002+08:00

When summer starts to creep up, so does that dreadful jumble of terms like "swimsuit season," "beach body" and "crippling insecurity." But these crapgadgets would like you to stop being so dang selfish and think about your tech's appearance for a change. After all, what you lack in muscle you can always make up for in accessories that inspire, intrigue and lead others to speculate about your financial standing.

Read - All that darting around corners and covert memo-recording just makes you look creepy, but it could make you look as cool as this man with a mission. Japanese retailer Strapya World would have you know that its radio transceiver for the iPhone is "made for the everyday awesome person."

Read - Those Swarovski crystals decking out your smartphone? They might as well be lumps of coal. The discerning consumer knows that it's diamonds or nothing, and this $11 million diamond laptop sleeve -- complete with sable fur trim -- is certainly something.

Read - Just as you wouldn't ride a bike without a helmet, you wouldn't be caught dead holding your phone without a ring to secure the device to your finger. Don't you care about safety at all?

Read - Maybe you're one to buck all this flashy materialism, but still want to be recognized for the unique soul that you are. No one will accuse you of gadget snobbery if you stick to a soup can for all your telephony needs.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/crapgadget-summer-show-off-edition/

[Android News] Sprint confirms May 18th release date for HTC EVO 4G LTE

2012-05-09T23:33:00.003+08:00

HTC's EVO 4G LTE went live for pre-orders just yesterday, and now we have confirmation of when you'll be able to expect Sprint's One X flavor to hit your front door. Friday May 18th appears to be the date in question, with the carrier peddling devices for a cool $199.99 with a two-year service agreement. Sadly, you won't be able to take advantage of those LTE speeds at launch -- Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio will be the first cities to light up when they come online later this year -- so if you have the need for speed right now, you'll need to hop on over to AT&T. There's a fluffy Sprint PR awaiting you just past the break.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/sprint-htc-evo-4g-lte-may-18th/

[Android News] Gmail advert ruins AT&T's big surprise, Sony's Xperia Ion arrives stateside in June

2012-05-09T23:32:00.001+08:00

Someone at Google's advertising department has probably received the hairdryer treatment this morning after a Gmail advert prematurely revealed that Sony's Xperia Ion would arrive in June. The banner ad popped up atop Droidmatters' inbox and revealed that the Stateside version of the Xperia Swill turn up just in time for Summer.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/gmail-leak-att-xperia-ion-june/

[Android News] Kyocera teases bone conduction audio technology for mobile phones at CTIA

2012-05-08T12:00:00.000+08:00

Can you hear me now? It's a common phrase in the mobile industry, but if Kyocera has its way, the saying could quickly become a thing of the past, thanks to bone conduction technology that it plans to integrate into future handsets. Rather than operating with a traditional earpiece, we were told the display itself vibrates to create sound waves. The end result is an aural experience that can be perceived with your facial tissues and bones, and it's said to dramatically improves perceived audio quality within noisy environments.

Bone conduction technology was initially created for those with hearing difficulty, and while Kyocera isn't the first to reveal an implementation within mobile phones (a distinction that belongs to KDDI), the technology is Kyocera's own. During our brief hands-on demo, we were rather impressed by the noticeable difference created by tissue conduction in comparison to a traditional handset -- this applies to both quiet and noisy environments. In case you're curious, no, the vibrations aren't jarring, and yes, we'd genuinely like to see the technology take to the mainstream.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/07/kyocera-teases-bone-conduction-audio-technology-for-mobile-phone/

[Android News] Android 4.0行動裝置使用率迅速增加

2012-05-08T11:58:00.000+08:00

從谷歌(Google)最近公佈的一份統計數據顯示，對於Android各版本行動裝置與相對數量比例進行分析，出現了有趣的一種現象，即目前相當成熟與穩健的Android 4.0冰淇淋三明治作業系統(Ice Cream Sandwich;ICS)設備數量有明顯增加趨勢。

附圖 : BigPic:600x279

但在所有Android行動裝置中，現在仍不到5％設備在使用Android 4.0，可見其發展空間仍相當可觀；且所有Android 4.0運行的行動裝置中，其大多數運作是使用Android 4.0.3或4.0.4版本(占4.4%，四月初Android 4.0.3版本使用率只有2.9%)，而不是Android 4.0、4.0.1或4.0.2的早先版本(占0.5%)。

不到5％的Android 4.0使用率，可能聽起來不是那麼討人歡喜，但是Android 4.0冰淇淋三明治系統運行的裝置用戶，從今年一月時的1.6%，上升至四月初的2.9%，再大幅躍升至五月初的使用率4.9%。那麼為什麼會如此？主要的原因是最近設備升級的Android 4.0新手機，購買與使用者顯著增加之故。三星(Samsung)一直是領導者之一，從Android 2.3到4.0的智慧型手機都有跡可循，他們並且能夠公佈設備與升級細節，甚至是美國的智慧型手機和平板電腦的更新時間表。

但隨著Samsung與HTC等廠商推出新款Android 4.0行動裝置上市，如：在今年五月底於歐洲上市的Samsung Galaxy S3(搭配Android 4.0.4 OS)，其Android 4.0用戶數量應該會再進一步提昇，而六月份的統計數字應該會反映這一點。

至於其餘的Android系統，薑餅(Gingerbread)仍然是Android OS的領導者，近2/3的Android行動設備採用Android 2.3到Android 2.3.7，占64.4%；1/5的Android行動設備仍然是Android 2.2 OS的天下，占20.9%(但四月初是23.1%)；而運行Android 2.1 OS的設備也不少，占5.5%(但四月初是6%)。

關於Android 3.0蜂窩系統(Honeycomb，包括Android 3.1和3.2版本)，Android 3.0所使用的行動設備剛超過3％，占3.3%。這些統計數字也揭示了一個有趣的事件，即可能是由於一些使用Android 2.1及Android 2.2版本的人，轉移與更換到新版本Android 4.0行動設備所致。

[Android News] HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE for Verizon hands-on at CTIA 2012 (update: video)

2012-05-08T11:54:00.003+08:00

This handset didn't surprise anyone when it was officially announced at CTIA Wireless 2012, but we're still happy to spend time with the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE for Verizon Wireless regardless. After catching enough glimpses of the smartphone over the past few months, we already had a good idea of what to expect: Big Red's latest LTE device will have Ice Cream Sandwich dressed in Sense 4, a 4-inch Super LCD qHD panel, a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 (Krait), 1,700mAh user-removable battery, microSD support and an 8MP BSI f/2.2 camera with a 28mm lens.

If you're familiar with either the OG HTC Droid Incredible or its sequel, you'll instantly recognize the trusty hump on the back of the third iteration -- Verizon and HTC haven't strayed too far from the design formula here. Aside from the Sense 4 firmware hiding inside the phone, the Incredible 4G LTE has little in common with its cousins, the One X and One S. Frankly, we're still left pondering if the carrier will come out with a version of its own, since we've seen the other three national powers get a high-profile device from the Taiwanese manufacturer.

We had a very similar feeling when holding the new Incredible, one easily related to how we felt with its predecessors. It's quite light, and it actually feels thinner than it really is. All in all, the phone is very comfortable to hold, and from our few minutes of using it, it seemed to be rather smooth. Naturally, as we expected, Verizon reps warned us that it's running on preliminary firmware at the moment, so we don't take a lot of stock in its performance, good or bad. All in all, it's exactly how we thought it would be -- a refreshed version of the Incredible 2, with a much better processor and a few other notable bumps in specs. Head below to check out a few images of Verizon's newest darling.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/07/htc-droid-incredible-4g-lte-for-verizon-hands-on/

[Android News] 新的Google TV電視來了！樂金傳下周於美推出「G2」系列

2012-05-08T11:52:00.002+08:00

樂金電視業務部執行副總裁 Ro Seogho 對記者宣稱，美國消費者將可在 5 月 21 日當周，買到內建 Google TV 網路系統的電視產品。

據稱樂金將推出的兩款電視屬於「G2」系列，47 吋大小售價 1699 美元，55 吋則要價 2299 美元，此些產品曾在 1 月國際消費電子展 (ICE) 中展出。

樂金目前市面上已有 LG G3 系列 Google TV 電視產品，然而缺乏網路廣告炒熱，以及硬體製造商的贊助支援，不僅顧客售後反應冷淡，也沒有吸引太多消費者目光。

儘管 Google 希望順利讓 Google TV 平台站上電視市場龍頭寶座，如同 Android 系統般叱吒手機市場，但無奈價格過高、銷量不振，且系統普及有所難度，種種負面情況令公司困擾不已。

Google TV 系統特性功能包括：可以智慧手機當作遙控器操作，觀賞節目同時也可在網路上搜尋電視頻道，同時可設立應用程式圖標，開啟程式首頁和頻道畫面。

研究機構 IHS iSuppli 估計，今 (2012) 年全球網路電視市場將擴張近 60％，年銷量可達 9500 萬台，遠遠超過傳統電視市場總銷量，舊型電視銷量據估將僅增長 2％。

[Android News] India launches antitrust investigation against Google

2012-05-08T11:49:00.002+08:00

Google remains tied up in a censorship case with the Indian government, and things aren't looking rosy for the search giant in the interim period before its May 23rd court hearing. The Wall Street Journalreports that the Competition Commission of India is launching an antitrust investigation of Google to examine the company's alleged "discriminatory and retaliatory practices relating to AdWords." The antitrust probe follows a complaint from Consim Info Pvt. Ltd., an Indian web conglomerate which apparently requested that the Competition Commission step in to ensure fair competition in online advertising. The exact reach of this investigation is unclear; the commission will initially focus on AdWords, though it's keeping the door open for examining other Google services as deemed necessary. Hear that sigh? That, friends, is the sound of Google gearing up for one long Indian summer.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/07/india-launches-antitrust-investigation-against-google/

[Android News] 市調：調升平板電腦出貨預估

2012-05-08T11:44:00.000+08:00

專業顯示器市調機構DisplaySearch表示，隨作業系統、新興顯示技術的多樣化，看好平板電腦市場快速成長，將2013年出貨預測，從原先的1億6890萬台，調升為1億8042萬台。

NPD旗下DisplaySearch推出最新出版的季度平板電腦報告，除調高2013年平板電腦出貨預測，並認為2016年平板電腦的出貨量將超出筆記型電腦，2017年平板電腦出貨量將達4億2490萬台，約為2011年8160萬台的5倍。

DisplaySearch強調，不斷發展的作業系統與更多元應用，以及快速演進產品性能，可望推動平板電腦市場快速成長，製造廠商也不斷提高產能，以因應新的市場需求。

DisplaySearch高級分析師Richard Shim指出，目前為止，蘋果在平板電腦市場一直處於主導地位，並在這塊新興的產品領域，推出一系列類似iPad的高競爭力產品。

不過，隨著市場的逐步成熟，其他對手廠商開始更為注重消費者導向，並積極尋找商機開發新產品，使消費者有更多的選擇，以滿足市場對多元化產品的需求，因此預期未來平板電腦市場版圖出現重大改變。

DisplaySearch認為，亞馬遜Kindle Fire平板電腦早期的成功，是平板產業多樣化的一個例子，預計平板電腦供應鏈將不斷增加，應用新技術發掘新的商機，積極參與市場競爭。

基於零售商、品牌商和消費者在初期平板電腦市場上的反應，DisplaySearch預期，供應鏈廠商增加投入市場後，將促進成熟地區市場成長。

作業系統是產品差異化的關鍵，DisplaySearch指出，蘋果的Apple iOS、 Google Android、微軟的Microsoft Windows RT這3種作業系統，將造成市場區隔，並可望取得較高市占率。iOS系統在平板電腦應用上一直處於主導地位，但預計滲透率將逐步減少，從2012年的72.1%降至2017年的50.9%。

同時，Android系統將從2012年的22.5%成長，直至2017年的40.5%；Windows RT系統將有微幅上升，從2012年的1.5%上升到2017年的7.5%。

在元件生產方面，DisplaySearch表示，許多顯示器廠商將平板電腦應用面板轉移到6代線、8代線等更高產線生產，提高平板電腦面板產能，並進一步降低價格。此外，主動有機發光二極體(AMOLED)顯示器在平板電腦上的應用，預計從2012年的3%上升至2017年的30%。

[Android News] Mobile Miscellany: week of April 30th, 2012

2012-05-07T16:48:00.004+08:00

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we saw the first rollout of Verizon LTE from one of its rural partners, and both the Optimus L7 and Xperia U were spotted for Fido. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 30th, 2012.

Motorola Motoluxe set to arrive at Bell Mobility this month

Motorola's Motoluxe, known in China as the XT615, was outed for availability this month at Bell Mobility. The phone wields an 800MHz CPU and Android 2.3.7. Other notable specs include a 4-inch, 854 x 480 display, an 8 megapixel camera, a front-facing VGA shooter and a 1,400 mAh battery. The Motoluxe is hardly the leader of the pack, but if it's piqued your interest, be sure to check our hands-onfrom CES. [MobileSyrup]

SwiftKey's latest beta brings a UI refresh

The popular alternative keyboard for Android received an overhauled interface with its latest beta update. Of note, the comma once again has a dedicated key (with voice-to-text as the secondary function), and the number / symbols button has a new position in the lower left corner. There are also a number of bug fixes and performance improvements for some devices. [Android Central]

LG Optimus L7 and Sony Xperia U spotted for Fido

It looks like Fido subscribers will soon be able to grab a taste of two phones that met the public at Mobile World Congress, as both the Optimus L7 and Xperia U were recently spotted in a bit of leaked sales materials for the carrier. In terms of specs, the Optimus L7 offers a 1GHz CPU, a 4.3-inch display and a five megapixel camera, where as the Xperia U features a dual-core 1GHz processor, a 3.5-inch screen and a five megapixel rear shooter. No word on pricing or availability, though we'll be sure to keep our eyes on these puppies. [MobileSyrup 1, 2]

Pioneer Wireless goes live as Verizon's first rural LTE partner

Back in 2010, Verizon Wireless announced that it'd partner with smaller carriers to bring its 4G service to rural America. Now, Pioneer Wireless has become the first of such carriers to use Verizon's spectrum holdings and equipment in such a deployment. Thanks to the collaboration, six counties in Oklahoma are now swimming in Verizon's brand of LTE.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/05/mobile-miscellany-week-of-april-30th-2012/

[Android News] AT&T's One X discovered to have 'restricted' bootloader, HTC responds

2012-05-07T16:34:00.002+08:00

Since last year, HTC itself has been happy to let you unlock the bootloaders on its Android devices, but that doesn't mean you'll always be able to. If you'll recall, the international version of the One X wasrooted just a few weeks ago, but such access apparently isn't in the cards for the AT&T-branded variant. The inconsistency was discovered by the likes of the XDA-Developers forums and MoDaCo, and after we pinged HTC for comment it responded with the following:

HTC is committed to listening to users and delivering customer satisfaction. Since announcing our commitment to unlockable bootloaders, HTC has worked to enable our customers to unlock the bootloader on more than 45 devices over the past six months. In some cases, however, restrictions prevent certain devices from participating in our bootloader unlocking program. Rest assured, HTC is committed to assisting developers in unlocking bootloaders for HTC devices and we'll continue to unlock additional devices in the future."

While HTC clearly isn't spilling the beans on what "restrictions" are blocking this variant of the Android superphone from entering the land of custom ROMs, it's become a general suspicion that AT&T might be the source. Naturally, we can't know for sure at this point, but we've reached out to the carrier in hopes of potentially getting more details on the situation. We'll be sure to keep you posted if we hear anything, but in the meantime, hit up the more coverage links below for further info.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/05/att-htc-one-x-locked-bootloader/

[Android News] ＜Android Day＞App經濟來臨

2012-05-07T16:32:00.002+08:00

美國互聯網公司AOL花了9年時間讓會員數達到一百萬，社群網站Facebook用了9個月，而近日爆紅的手機應用程式Draw Something僅9天時間就達到一百萬個會員數。如此快速成長的用戶量意味著APP新經濟時代的來臨。

隨著智慧手機普及率越來越高，在各種場所中不時可以看到許多「低頭族」正低著頭專注在智慧手機或平板電腦的世界中，不管是玩遊戲、查看facebook最新動態、看股票、聽音樂等，都是在使用APP。在這些智慧手機、平板電腦裡，造就了很大的手機App經濟市場。

APP經濟約從在2008年開始的，其關鍵點在於iPhone的出現，帶動應用程式開發熱潮，引發後續驚人的成長數字。在2008年產值微小的APP在經過兩年時間醞釀後，APP經濟2010年產值52億美金，今年更成長至250億美金，2014年預估將達580億美金，下載量更高達1850億。

在CTimes舉辦的Android Day中，台微創合夥人盧育聖提到，智慧手機已經改變我們的生活，過去我們必須坐在個人電腦前，才能使用網路，現在手機已有了強大的運算能力，且可以隨時隨地連上網路，行動運算時代的來臨加速了APP經濟的發展。

「APP在手機中的應用是微型化的」，盧育聖說道，相較於一般軟體程式動輒幾千甚至幾萬元的價格，App走的是以量制價的路線。不需要大資本、大團隊，僅兩三千行的程式就能創造出極大的利潤。此外，其優勢還包括容易行銷至全球。由於傳統網路服務中，地區文化性重，不易行銷至全球，APP則是相反，能夠容易地做全球化的行銷策略，因此，可以輕易達到以量制價的目標。

[Android News] Verizon takes the lead on text to 911 services

2012-05-07T16:27:00.002+08:00

The FCC first outlined its intention to allow texting to emergency services back in 2010, and since then despite more talk of accepting photo and video messages, nothing official came to be. This week, however, Verzion has taken the initiative, and announced its own plans to enable text to 911 for its customers. Working with TeleCommunication Systems, the big red hopes that it can facilitate the sending of SMS messages to emergency call-centers as soon as early 2013. Texting isn't just about adding communication options, it also provides a valuable tool to the deaf, hard of hearing and situations where talking is dangerous, or not possible. The service will use existing CDMA and SMS networks, and therefore should be available to all customers once finally rolled out.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/05/verizon-announces-text-to-911-service/

[Android News] 莫博士測評雲存儲服務Google Drive

2012-05-07T16:26:00.000+08:00

多年來，如果人們想在谷歌(Google)的雲端遠程服務器上存儲文件，他們需要用電子郵件把文件發送到自己的Gmail賬戶，或者上傳至很少使用的谷歌在線辦公套件Google Docs，即使他們不準備在Google Docs上編輯文件也得這樣做。

谷歌稱，用戶可以通過輸入描述文字找出相應的圖片。

現在，谷歌正式進軍文件雲存儲和同步業務，推出了一種名為Google Drive的服務，該服務將憑借較低的價格和不同的功能與Dropbox等產品展開競爭。Google Drive可在多種操作系統、瀏覽器和移動設備上運行，其中包括蘋果(Apple)和微軟(Microsoft)等谷歌競爭對手的產品。有一些可用於與Google Drive同步文件的Windows、Mac和移動設備應用程序。

Google Drive於4月23日推出，最近我在對進行測試，我很喜歡這個產品。它涵蓋了Google Docs的編輯和文件創建功能，並取代了Google Docs（Google Docs上存儲的任何文檔都可以轉移過來）。我使用一台Mac機，一台聯想(Lenovo) PC機，一台新版iPad和最新的三星安卓(Samsung Android)平板電腦進行了測試，在我的測試中，Google Drive速度快，效果好，大多數功能的運行效果都與該公司的承諾相符。目前Google Drive剛剛推出，可在Windows PC、Mac和安卓設備上運行，iPhone和iPad版本計劃在不久之後發布。

Google Drive可以通過訪問drive.google.com來使用，為用戶提供5GB的免費存儲空間，而目前很流行的Dropbox免費存儲空間僅為2GB，Google Drive的免費存儲空間與我喜歡的另一種雲存儲和同步服務SugarSync相同。這個空間足夠存儲數千個常見文檔、照片和歌曲了。

Google Drive額外存儲空間的價格遠低於Dropbox 和SugarSync。比方說，Google Drive 100GB存儲空間的價格為一個月4.99美元。而SugarSync和Dropbox 100GB存儲空間的價格分別為一個月14.99美元和19.99美元。Google Drive可分層級提供海量存儲空間，至多可達16 TB（1TB約相當於1,000 GB）。此外，如果你購買Google Drive額外存儲空間，你的Gmail郵箱會擴容至25 GB。

用戶可使用Google Drive來創建、編輯及與他人共享文件。

不過，谷歌最大的競爭對手之一微軟也有了一些動作。微軟正在為其不怎麼出名的雲存儲服務SkyDrive擴展功能和存儲空間。SkyDrive最初是一個固定容量（25GB）的免費在線存儲庫，主要面向基於雲的簡化版Microsoft Office 用戶，但現在已經可以作為一種應用程序，供智能手機Windows Phone和iPhone用戶使用了。SkyDrive提供的免費存儲空間比谷歌更大──達到7GB，不過這比其最初提供的免費存儲空間小。該產品的價格也比谷歌便宜，一年花50美元就可以增加100GB的存儲空間。舊版的用戶可以繼續享受25GB的免費存儲空間。SkyDrive還提供面向Windows和Mac的同步應用程序。我在寫本篇專欄文章時沒能對新版SkyDrive進行測試。

Google Drive是作為Google Docs的演進產品推出的。過去，你可以通過網頁瀏覽器將文件上傳到Google Docs上，而現在谷歌可提供適用於Mac和Windows系統的免費應用程序，讓Google Drive像Dropbox那樣替你做這件事情。它們可以創建特殊的文件夾，與你的雲存儲庫以及網頁版Google Drive同步。你可以將文件拖入電腦上的這些本地文件夾中，該文件會上傳到你的雲賬戶裡，並將迅速出現在網頁版Google Drive、你其他電腦上的Google Drive文件夾以及安卓、iPhone和iPad等設備的Google Drive應用程序中。這些本地應用程序可以同步你對文件做出的任何修改。

Dropbox和Google Drive的一大區別是，你可以在Google Drive上編輯或創建文件，而不僅限於存儲或閱讀文件。這是因為Google Drive包含構成Google Docs的基本文字處理、電子表格、演示文稿及其他應用程序。
但Google Drive也有一個不足之處。如果你存儲的文檔是Microsoft Office格式的，那麼這個文件只能查看。要想編輯文檔，你必須點擊一個命令，將該文件轉換成谷歌自己的格式，或者選擇一種在上傳時轉換Microsoft Office文件的設置。但後一種功能只能在網頁上傳時使用。
此外，SugarSync上一些我喜歡的功能Google Drive也沒有。SugarSync不要求你把文件放在一個特殊的文件夾裡；它可以同步你已經在PC和Mac上使用的文件夾。還有一個與SugarSync不一樣的地方是，Google Drive不允許你通過電子郵件直接把文件發送到你的雲存儲庫中。

Google Drive允許你共享文件和文件夾，並與他人進行協作。你還能以附件形式用電子郵件發送文件。你可以為與你共享文件的人設置不同權限：只讀、評論或者編輯文件。你還可以將文件設置成隱私文件。由於谷歌在保護用戶信息隱私方面受到質疑，有些人可能不放心用Google Drive存儲文件。但谷歌堅稱，盡管公司確實會處理和存儲你的文件，但沒有人能看到它們，而且這些文件不會用於向用戶發送定向廣告，至少現在是這樣的。谷歌指出，除非用戶允許，否則任何文檔都不可能放在Google Drive上。
這項服務在搜索文件方面做得非常好，就連在PDF或掃描文檔內部搜索單詞的效果也很好。谷歌稱，該服務還可以在你輸入“橋”或“山”等描述文字時找出相應的圖片──即使這些詞不出現在圖片的文件名中也可以。但我發現這項功能主要適用於搜索谷歌已通過其Google Goggles產品收集的著名地點或人物的圖片。我自己幾乎所有用一般文件名命名的圖片 Google Drive都沒能搜索到，就算在圖片中包含山或其他普通物體時也找不到。在我的測試中，Google Drive處理視頻的效果非常不錯。Google Drive在自己的網頁內把幾乎每一種常見視頻格式都轉換成了一種它可以播放的格式。這一過程需要耗費一段時間。此外，Google Drive雖然可以存儲音樂，但無法通過其網頁播放音樂。
谷歌這項新服務還可以兼容第三方文檔創建和編輯應用程序。我用一個名為Balsamiq Mockups的應用程序創建了一個簡單的線框圖。
我向尋找雲存儲服務的消費者推薦Google Drive，這款產品還兼具一體化編輯功能和價格較低的優勢。不過新版微軟SkyDrive似乎也值得一試。

[Android News] Facebook Messenger update makes it even harder to blow people off

2012-05-07T16:22:00.002+08:00

Your friends just don't get it. While they're still bumming around inNikes ,dorms and doomed relationships, your life has recently become more serious. That's why you sometimes need to hide from their constant, mindless barrage of messages, and also why you probably won't install the newly updatedFacebook Messenger app v1.7. In line with FB's "mobile first" strategy, it debuts key new functions on iOS and Android, including instant and compulsory "seen by" read receipts as well as optional "sent from" notifications. So, in addition to knowing how aloof you've become, they'll be able to track you down and slap your face.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/05/facebook-messenger-app-update/

[Android News] HTC：Android 4.0原生介面不比HTC Sense 4.0

2012-05-07T16:18:00.001+08:00

如同其他採用Android平台的大廠，HTC在旗下Android系列手機也採用自行設計的HTC Sense，而對於自家此款客製化介面，HTC顯然有相當的自信。

根據Laptop網站近期訪問HTC用戶體驗主管Drew Bamford時，從相關的說明認為新版HTC Sense介面 4.0無論在各方面的設計都比原生Android 4.0介面好上許多，針對螢幕鎖定時的畫面表現、更多的個人化設定，同時在此次HTC One系列手機所添加的高速相機拍攝體驗都比原生介面設計效能還好。

同時，Drew Bamford也透露先前在取得Android 4.0版本時並沒有充分的時間可以進行分析，因此在新款HTC Sense 4.0版本中有不少功能都是HTC本身研發而成。以Drew Bamford的看法表示，HTC的目標並非希望使用者只是從諸多Android手機內挑選一款合適產品，而是希望可以讓使用者覺得「就是要一款HTC手機」。

雖然聽起來是有點老王賣瓜心態，但確實以目前多數Android平台手機在操作介面上是大同小異，因此各家廠商在推出新款產品時，客製化操作介面有時會佔有一定吸引因素。就過去情況來看，HTC在這部份確實是有做出一定的市場區隔，不過就包含三星、Sony Mobile等選用Android平台的各家競爭現況來看，其實也都已經意識到相同設計理念，進而推出各自充滿特性的客製化介面，目前看起來也都有各自支持的使用族群。

[Android News] Rovio intros Angry Birds Facebook Share & Play, helps you get your feathery fix

2012-05-05T15:39:00.003+08:00

Granted it's not quite, you know, organ donation, but Rovio's offering up some Facebook magic of its own. The casual game maker has rolled out the Share & Play feature, which lets users embed their latestAngry Birds level onto their friends' Timelines for some slingshot-happy bragging rights. Sharing goes beyond just Facebook however -- you can embed the playable level on other sites as well. Behold: after the break.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/rovio-intros-angry-birds-facebook-share-and-play-helps-you-get-yo/

[Android News] Xamarin's XobotOS opens prospect of Android port to C#, can of worms

2012-05-05T11:02:00.002+08:00

Would it be ironic if Android developers did an end-run around Microsoft patents by using Microsoft's own C#? Or if Google kiboshed its Oracle brouhaha with the aid of none other than Redmond? We're asking because Xamarin, the wacky open source implementer of .NET, has ported Android to Microsoft's C# with its XobotOS project. Although just an experiment and unlikely to solve Google's issues, the team showed that running the robot on C# instead of Java gave fewer coding limitations, better battery life and direct graphics access. Additionally, Xamarin reports "massive" speed gains on its HTC Flyer and Acer Iconia when running the side-project port -- no surprise given C#'s machine heritage. Sure, it's pure speculation that Mountain View and its developers would ever change their Java MO, but a little patent relief and faster Android devices in one kill shot? That's a sweet idea.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/Xamarin-XobotOS-ports-Android-to-C-Sharp/