Tuesday 18 March 2014

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans


Android Wear engineer provides quick tips on getting apps ready for the wrist [VIDEOS]

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 05:36 PM PDT

Android Wear SDK coming soon

Now that we have a better idea of exactly how Android Wear will work, Google’s Android Developer team took the time out on their YouTube channel to show developers exactly how easy it is to get their apps “ready for the wrist” with Android Wear.

As part of their DevBytes series, the videos hosted by Android Wear engineer Justin Koh, highlights the lines of code developers will need to help their apps provide a “seamless, wrist optimized user experience for responding to notifications.” For developers wondering if this might be a complicated process, Koh notes if an app already utilizes notifications — it’s essentially Android Wear compatible. This is thanks to the new Android listener service that debuted back in Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

The videos also make mention of notification frequency, recommending that apps not bother the user by vibrating a smartwatch lest it be something really important that needs addressing. Interested developers (and curious Android fans) can find both videos below, or get started here. Enjoy.

Android Wear: Developer Preview

Android Wear: Receiving Voice Replies

Google Voice finally shutting its doors, will soon become one with Hangouts [RUMOR]

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 04:38 PM PDT

Hangouts v2 for Android SMS

The days of Google Voice as a stand alone app may finally soon come to an end. Ever since we first began hearing rumors of a “Google Hangouts” that looked to unify Google’s multiple messaging services, we knew Google Voice’s days were numbered. But, as we all saw, Hangouts launched and even though it eventually added SMS messages into the mix, Google Voice integration was still nowhere to be found.

Fast forward to today where the folks at 9to5Google now have it on good authority that this could finally be the year the Google Voice app finally get folded into Hangouts. No exact date was given, only that the change was “months out.” It’s still unclear what Google’s plans are for Voice, hopefully this rumor isn’t hinting at a completely closure of their service, just that they’ll be relocating.

Once Voice finally gets rolled into Hangouts, we’re expecting to finally have the ability to make both VoIP calls (just like on the desktop and iOS versions of the Hangouts app), as well as send SMS messages using our Google Voice number. Carriers willing, here’s to hoping Google can finally make it happen.

Top 20 smart watches of the past, present and future to watch out for

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 03:34 PM PDT

Discuss Android Wear and all the latest smart watches at AndroidForums.com!

While Google already rattled off a list of manufacturers we’ll be seeing making Android Wear smart watches (with two of those already having announced their products earlier today), the future is undoubtedly much brighter than it already is. We’re going to talk about 20 of the best smart watches available now, available in the future, and even those which haven’t even been made official as of yet.

Smart watches available right now

So where are things today? Well, the smart watch scene is already chock full of options that you can get your heads on right now. Let’s take a quick stroll down recent memory lane to see which devices have helped shape this exciting new category of technology.

Qualcomm Toq

Toq-11

This unique device included the first Mirasol display for a smart watch, which is a color-based non-LCD technology that gives you a vibrant watch face without sacrificing battery life. It debuted at a bit of a steep price — $300 — but it’s certainly one that stood out from the rest of the pack.

Sony SmartWatch 2

07_SmartWatch_Green

Sony took the gold home for having one of the best looking smart watches out there, as well as providing a nice set of features for users to sink their teeth into. Our favorite thing about the Sony SmartWatch 2? You don’t need a Sony smartphone to use it. Other manufacturers should definitely take note.

Pebble and Pebble Steel

pebble-steel

Pebble was a very interesting story to follow, with its multi-million dollar Kickstarter success story culminating in a spot on major retailers’ store shelves and a follow-up product. This e-ink device might be inherently limited due to the lack of a touch screen and color, but its open nature has allowed developers to build a ton of apps that many users have grown to love. Oh, and it’s also on the more affordable side compared to most devices on this list, which definitely awards it extra brownie points.

Samsung Galaxy Gear

galaxy-gear-bronze-face2

Tbe original Galaxy Gear received a lot of flack from the community, mainly due to its unattractive price tag and looks and slim support for devices outside of the Galaxy range. Still, it caught our attention with several unique features such as a camera mounted on the side. The Galaxy Gear has been antiquated at this point, but whether you liked it or didn’t, it did its part to help move the smart watch scene forward.

I’m Watch

imwatch_home

This smart watch was cool before making smart watches was cool (2012, in case you’re wondering). The I’m Watch enjoyed a long history of being one of the only Android-based smart watches out there, and was quite exciting when it finally launched. Unfortunately its makers got a bit behind on production early on, and the industry began catching on at that point. Still, I’m Watch deserves to be credited for its significant role in introducing Android into the then-budding world of smart watches.

Motorola MOTOACTV

motoactv golf edition

For all that the MOTOACTV was hyped up to be, it ended up being a bit underwhelming once it finally made its way to the forefront. We can’t fault Motorola too much, though, considering they were entering uncharted territory in a time where smart watches were still new. With only one other major competitor to deal with, the MOTOACTV was outshined and eventually laid to rest, but it wouldn’t have been the last we’d heard of Motorola in the wearables space.

Smart Watches on the horizon

So we just talked about what’s out, now it’s time to talk about what’s not. These devices are just outside our reach, though their official status means they should be heading to store shelves at some point soon. Let’s take a look!

Moto 360 by Motorola

moto360featured

Just announced earlier today, the Moto 360 is one of the first smart watches that will take advantage of Google’s new Android Wear platform. Motorola certainly stepped their game up in the design department with their second attempt at a smart watch, with the use of premium metal and quality wrist straps being among the long list of reasons why they’ve grabbed our attention.

LG G Watch

lg watch

LG didn’t reveal many details about their smart watch. Hell, the photo they used to show it off barely gave us anything concrete to look at. But the fact that it’ll be running the newly-announced Android Wear platform instantly awards it a spot near the top of our list of smart watches to watch. One exciting detail LG sought to point out was that their watch would work with a wide range of Android devices, so it’s nice that they’ve quelled fears of brand exclusivity early on.

Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo

samsung-galaxy-gear-neo-3

These follow-ups to the original Samsung Galaxy Gear don’t run Android, but they don’t need to. They still support communicating with Android devices, and they’re filled to the brim with features. Unfortunately they are still only compatible with select Samsung Galaxy devices, though the company tells us they’re still exploring the possibilities of opening it up to more users. (PS: these two devices are nearly identical, except the Neo doesn’t have a camera.) See our hands-on from Mobile World Congress here.

Samsung Gear Fit

samsung-galaxy-gear-fit-2

This little strip of wonder is more focused on providing a capable fitness, sleep and activity tracker for those who need it, but its curved AMOLED display gives it a leg up on other products in its category. The rectangular aspect ratio of the display doesn’t lend itself well to traditional smart watch applications, but it shouldn’t be a hindrance to the basic needs of most users. You’ll still be afforded the ability to tell time, for instance, as well as get instant access to new messages and notifications, and music controls. Learn more in our hands-on.

Omate TrueSmart

omate-truesmart-4

This Kickstarter sensation is going to be introduced at $300, but it’s doing a lot of things that other smart watch makers can’t seem to get quite right. For starters, it has a charging solution that doesn’t suck. It’s also one of the only smart watches that can work independently of other devices, so you won’t have to have a compatible smartphone to tether it to if you don’t need it. Anything more is just a nice cherry on top.

LG LifeBand Touch

LIFEBAND_TOUCH

Less of a smart watch and more of an activity band, this thing won’t do much more than give you a quick look at the time, some light workout information and give you the ability to change tracks in your music player. If that’s all you need, though, then the LG LifeBand Touch will be a nice addition to your wrist once it’s finally made available.

ZTE BlueWatch

zte bluewatch thumb

ZTE only revealed this device as a prototype back at Mobile World Congress, but it looked pretty decent for something that supposedly isn’t ready for retail. The device relies on e-ink technology to display all the useful bits of data you’re interested in, but that’s all we know for the time being. We’ll have to see if ZTE will look to bring this out to consumers at some point, or if they’ve decided to go back to the drawing board in light of recent developments.

Rumored and Beyond

This list largely comprised of Motorola, LG and HTC, but those three — among other names — were wiped off once they were confirmed to be in cahoots with Google for smart watches with Android Wear. So what’s left?

HTC, Samsung and ASUS?

These three were among Motorola and LG’s names in the Android Wear press release, so we know they have something coming… we’re just not sure what yet. Regardless, their involvement in the early days of Android Wear will certainly be well-documented, so it’s a good idea to add them to your radar right now.

Nexus smart watch

When rumors of a Nexus smart watch first started swirling, we had no idea it could evolve into a full-fledged open platform that any OEM could join in on. That said, there is still some evidence that Google could be looking to make an actual Nexus smart watch. Whether it’s a modified version of one of today’s announcements remains to be seen, but we’re certainly still holding onto hope that it exists.

Apple iWatch

iWatch-Mockup-2-full

Rumors that Apple would be launching an iWatch have been longstanding. In fact, it’s likely one of the reasons Samsung admittedly rushed the original Galaxy Gear out to market. It looks like the bitten fruit company decided to take their time, though, and won’t be releasing a product until they can do it just right. Let’s hope “just right” happens to include a healthy dosage of Jony Ives.

Nintendo QoL Platform

non-wearable

While Nintendo has never been specifically rumored to launch a smart watch, they have discussed wanting to introduce a platform that would help improve people’s quality of life. One of their original goals was to leapfrog smartphones and tablets, and even wearable technology (which would include the very topic we’re currently discussing). Their classification of “non-wearables” for this platform doesn’t make much sense right now, but we imagine it could still feature some form of a smart watch whenever it’s all said and done.

That’s a wrap!

This brings us to the end of a large list of the smart watches that have defined, and are continuing to define, this growing platform. Things aren’t fully mature yet, but the Android Wear platform and some of the latest smart watches announced from top manufacturers certainly have brought things a full leap forward. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future, but for now let us know what you think of everything available or soon to be available in the comments section below!

All new HTC One (2014) launching in the UK same day as unveiling

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 03:26 PM PDT

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We’re less than a week away from the official unveiling of the all new HTC One 2014. After numerous leaks over the past few weeks have revealed everything from the hardware specs to software features in Sense 6.0, HTC has still managed to keep a few cards close to its chest, namely, the actual release date for the handset.

After last year’s HTC One launch fiasco saw the device delayed by several weeks in some regions, it seems HTC might be set to finally right their wrongs with the HTC One 2014. As announced in a Carphone Warehouse press release, the all new HTC One will be available the same day the announcement commences on March 25th. Well, in the UK anyway. This not only helps give HTC the jump on the Galaxy S5, but ensures hardcore fans have little time to mull over their next smartphone purchase, potentially making the HTC One 2014 an impulse buy.

Carphone Warehouse says they’ll be transporting the device directly from the announcement venue in London to six of their stores in London — Westfield Stratford, Westfield White City, Oxford Circus, Centrepoint and Tottenham Court Road — where they’ll be celebrating the launch with entertainment and giveaways. Phone and online orders will also be available shortly after the One’s announcement for couch potatoes.

Android Wear UI explained: everything you wanted to know

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 02:36 PM PDT

Android Wear Developer Preview

We already covered many of the main features in our Android Wear announcement post from earlier today, giving you guys a general overview of Android Wear, what it’s about, and how we might expect to use it in the real world. But, for those still wanting to dive a little deeper, Google has provided a few extra details about the new platform via their new Developer Preview page.

The main page shows developers how they can get up and running with the new Android Wear preview SDK, cautioning devs that apps built using the SDK are not for public consumption (production apps), and will likely break once the real SDK is released later this year. It’s also interesting that the emulator allows developers to build/test apps for devices with either a round (Motorola Moto 360) or square display (LG G Watch by Android Wear).

Android Wear: your smartphone’s best friend

Android smartphone notification and Android Wear

Diving into Android Wear’s UI principals and design overview, we get a much better idea of how Android Wear will work on our wrists, as well as Google’s purpose for Android Wear. Just like Google Glass, Android Wear is simply meant to compliment the smartphone — not replace it. This means you shouldn’t expect to use your smartwatch for browsing YouTube videos, or purchasing a new bike on Amazon. Android Wear apps are merely an extension of their smartphone counterparts, and little more (at least not yet).

Google compares Android Wear to a good personal assistant, one that only bothers you when something is time sensitive or important. In fact, Google says it’s only time-based reminders or important messages that should ever cause a smartwatch to vibrate. For everything else (social network updates, steps taken, etc.) these notifications should be silently added to the main timeline.

The stream

Android Wear Stream

The stream is the main homescreen of Android Wear, and it’s where users will find all their notifications by scrolling vertically through their stream. Similar to Google Now, Android Wear’s stream behaves in much the same way. Many of these cards are contextual, showing notifications for flight times, the amount of time it’ll take to commute home, or other reminders.

Swiping left from a card will reveal actions (or additional pages) available for that card or back will take you to the main stream. It’s quite a different approach that what Google took with Google Glass, but provides for a more visually appealing experience. Similar to Glass, users can scroll through a variety of voice actions, by clicking the Google Search button in the upper right hand corner of the stream. There they can take notes, call a cab, play music, or send a message.

Android Wear cuecard

As far as the UI goes, everything is meant to be glanceable and succinct. This will ensure users are able to quickly identify/read a notification, address or ignore it, and get back to their life with little-to-no downtime. Android Wear’s UI is built around a Google Now-like card interface, with app icons in the upper left hand corner to help identify the corresponding app the notification was sent from.

Actions

In most cases, Google says notifications wont require any action at all. When they do (like when receiving messages, for instance) swiping to the right of a notification will show available actions. Google specifically made it so only 3 actions will be allowed by developers, providing options like “reply” when receiving a message notification, “archive” for emails, or “navigate” for directions.

Android Wear pages

Pages and stacks

Because not all information will always fit nearly into a tiny card, some apps will have additional pages that can be swiped to. Unlike actions, there is no limit to the amount of pages that can go into a notification card (see above gif). When a single app sends multiple notifications, Google urges developers to consider grouping them into using a stack.

Android Wear stacks

With stacks, Google unsure that users’ timelines aren’t littered with multiple notifications from a single app, keeping things neat and tidy. When in a stack, cards can still have their own individual actions, so developers can really play around with this depending on their app’s notifications.

Voice recognition and canned responses

Android Wear voice reply action

There’s also no question that, until a Galaxy Note Gear is released, space on a smartwatch will always be limited. It’s this reason why Android Wear’s main form of input will be through voice recognition (just like Google Glass). For apps that require voice replies, developers can also add up to 5 canned responses like “On my way,” or simple “Yes” or “No” responses. This should make quick replies a little easier when you’re busy in a meeting, or while at work.

Android Wear officially has us excited about wearables again

If you made it this far, that’s pretty much the gist of how Android Wear will work when it debuts on smartwatches later this year. As self-proclaimed tech enthusiasts, the entire Phandroid team is extremely hyped over the release and absolutely can’t wait to see all the great new hardware that comes out of it. Sometimes all it takes is a little Android to come in and liven up the place and it seems with wearables, it’s no different. The future is bright.

[Android Wear Developer Preview]

LG G Watch by Android Wear officially announced

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 10:11 AM PDT

Discuss Android Wear and the LG G Watch on Android Forums!

Today saw yet another landmark day for Android, making an official trajectory into wearables with Google’s announcement of Android Wear. Minutes later, Motorola made the Moto 360 Android Watch official, which runs on Android Wear. LG wasn’t about to sit on the sidelines and they’ve just made the LG G Watch by Android Wear official.

lg-g-watch

LG is claiming the G Watch will work with a wide range of Android devices, unlike the Samsung Gear which only works with Samsung devices, and will be made available in the 2nd quarter of 2014.

Interesting to note is LG’s description of the development process:

This is LG’s fourth device developed in close collaboration with Google following the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and the LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition.

LG G Watch Specs and G Watch pictures have yet to be released… all we’ve got to on are the above tidbits and the iconic picture. It looks (based on the picture), very thin, minimalistic, and plastic with a glossy face frame and matte lower half.

I’ll reserve judgement until I see more, but I’m sure our readers will make their opinions widely known in the comments. That’s your queue!

Moto 360 Android watch officially announced

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 10:04 AM PDT

Discuss Android Wear and the Moto 360 on Android Forums!

moto 360 time piece android wear watch

Hot on the heels of Google’s announcement of the Android Wear smart watch platform, Motorola has announced the first product that will use the Android-based software. It’s named the Moto 360, and this thing seriously has us salivating.

The Moto 360 features very elegant design and, if they’re to be believed, exceptional build quality that could rival any premium watch on the market. Motorola’s calling it “a truly modern timepiece,” one that can deliver the information you need, only when you need it.

Moto 360 Cafe Moto 360_Map Moto360__Metal_RGB Moto360_Leather_RGB

The aforementioned Android Wear will enable the Moto 360 to deliver updates from the important areas of your life right to your wrist, including social networking notifications and messages, information about local places, giving you the ability to place calls and control your music, getting directions and seeing notifications from all your various apps and more.

Near the top of Motorola’s list of goals with the Moto 360 was to make a watch that was equally as beautiful as it is geeky. You’ll get the best of both worlds with its combination of a circular, trendy design, and premium interchangeable wrist straps. There are just a couple that we know of so far (seen in the gallery above), though Motorola did say there would be a nice variety of them once they’re available.

You can watch some of the engineers involved in the project speak about the device in the video above. They all seem most proud of their attention to detail and their commitment to quality materials, something that hasn’t always been guaranteed in the early batch of smart watches currently available.

As for when they will be available, the only word they’re giving us is summer 2014, and that the device will most certainly be rolling out on a global scale. We also don’t have word on pricing yet, but we imagine all the relevant details will make their way to the forefront before too long. Let us know how you feel about the Moto 360 below!

[via Motorola]

Google announces Android Wear, an Android-based platform for smartwatches and more!

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 09:35 AM PDT

Google has dropped a megaton of an announcement this morning, with the company finally confirming their plans to introduce a wearable platform for things like smart watches. Dubbed Android Wear, this Android-based platform has been custom fit for this new class of devices that have exploded over the past year and a half.

android-wear-screencap

So what is it? Well, it’s pretty much the smart watch platform that many OEMs have already tried to make and that many users are envisioning. The issue with those attempts and visions is that non one has gotten it quite fully right, and that’s where Android Wear will attempt to shine.

Google’s preposition is that its basis on Android means developers will find it easy to integrate their apps with the platform for the sake of sending notifications to your wrist and allowing you to control things like music playback. In fact, Google says the platform is so easily adaptable that some apps already work seamlessly with its notification system.

Features of Android Wear

Android Wear features

So what’s Google looking to enable with Android Wear? They offered up a list of many different use cases and features that should make you feel all happy inside. Here’s what they’re planning to do in early stages:

  • Google Now-esque features that will give you useful information when you need it. You’ll receive all the latest posts from your favorite social networking and messaging apps right to your wrist. Notifications for shopping deals, news, and more will all be served up.
  • You can issue commands to your smart watch using “OK Google” to send a text, call for a cab, or just ask a random question that you might not know the answer to.
  • Full support for fitness and vitality sensors, giving you real-time speed, distance and time information for your cardio workouts.
  • A multi-screen experience that lets you control the world around you form the comfort of your wrist.

It’s all very exciting, and it looks quite great in the preview video Google has up on YouTube (viewable just below).

Who’s on board?

As you’d expect, Google caught the ear of several major industry players to help kick things off, with the company confirming ASUS, LG, Samsung, Motorola and HTC as OEMs. On the chipset side, Broadcom, Intel, Mediatek, and Qualcomm have all been confirmed. Google has even partnered up with Fossil group to bring some fashion into the fold.

This is no small matter, folks, and this list proves it. While no specific products have been revealed from any of these manufacturers yet, we’re sure we’ll be hearing a lot more about what’s to come in the months and weeks ahead. (Google I/O surprise announcement, anyone?)

When is it coming?

Unfortunately Google didn’t have any dates to mention other than “later this year,” but it’s comforting knowing we won’t have to wait an eternity to see the fruits of their hard work come to fruition. And, for what it’s worth, Q2 2014 seems to be the earliest time frame hinted thus far, so the wait might not even be as long as Google is letting on.

Android Wear Developer Preview

That said, developers can begin to adapt their apps to the platform as early as today, as Google has already dropped the Android Wear developer preview that will help you get your apps in top shape in preparation of the launch. Be sure to check that out here if you’re a developer looking to make your apps Android Wear compatible (and really, you should).

Are you in?

And that’s the news, folks. Pretty big, don’t ya think? It’s extremely exciting stuff and we couldn’t anticipate the future of wearables even more than we are at this moment.

The scene is already pretty big right now, and the advent of Android Wear can only mean that things will get even bigger from here on out. Are you going to be buying a smart watch with Android Wear? Let us know with a poll vote and a comment down below!

LG-branded capacitive styluses leaked; slaps onto your wrist as a bracelet when not in use

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 08:52 AM PDT

An interesting new accessory seems to have leaked out of LG, with the South Korean company apparently preparing a unique line of capacitive styluses for use on, well, any device with a capacitive display. These things are unique in their ability to wrap around your wrist like one of those awful children’s bracelets from the 90′s.

lg wrist stylus

A source of Phandroid.com mentions that the styluses aren’t smart in any way, and also mentioned that Verizon would be looking to offer these as promotional goodies with the purchase of their version of the LG G Pad 8.3. There’s no word on if these will ever go on sale as a standalone accessory, though there’s nothing to suggest LG’s plans either way.

Leaks from other sources suggest these will come in multiple colors, including orange, red, and green. There could be many more, of course, but that’s all we know of for sure at this point.

It’s not a groundbreaking product, but we wouldn’t mind wearing one of these on our wrists if they were to come with our tablet or smartphone at the point of sale. We’ll be digging for more concrete information on this quirky leak, but in the meantime you can grab a look of it in the photos above and below.

lg wrist stylus 2

 

Sonos preparing overhauled apps for wireless speaker systems; grab the Android beta today

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT

sonos controller app redesign banner

Sonos has announced that they’re fixing one of the only things “wrong” with their wireless speaker system — that their app will no longer suck. While the previous app “got the job done,” it felt quite dated and wasn’t an enjoyable experience for those who own a speaker system.

Thankfully they have introduced an overhauled user interface that should make things a lot more smooth, polished, easy and beautiful. A swipe-based user interface with flat design will bring the app out of the stone ages, and Sonos will make it easier to search and discover music from various music sources such as Beats Music, Pandora and Spotify.

Unfortunately the full app’s full release won’t happen until this Spring, but Android users are being rewarded for being on a platform with an open ecosystem. A beta program has been opened for those who want to try out the new features ahead of time. Simply sign into your Sonos account here and opt into the beta, and you’ll be able to get a sneak peak at everything before it eventually rolls out to the masses.

Don’t dismiss that beta tag, either — this means you’ll accept that things could be a bit wonky here and there, though you should be reporting those instances as often as you can. If you’ve taken heed to that warning and want to go through with it anyway, be sure to sign up at Sonos’ website right here.

Google Play Music / All Access and Google Play Movies come to many new countries

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 05:59 AM PDT

Google is making many of their multimedia services available to more countries abroad. First up, Google Play Music and the optional All Access subscription is now available for users in Norway, Sweden, Slovakia and Greece.

Users in these countries will get a 30-day free trial to All Access, a service that serves up on-demand access to tons of tunes. You’ll be asked to pay for the monthly subscription after that, though, which is 79 kroner in Norway and Sweden, 7.99 Euro in Greece, and 4.49 Euro in Slovakia.

Google Play Music banner

Otherwise, you’re free to use Play Music to upload all your own tracks without paying a single coin, which should give you room for 20,000 songs.

Not lost on us is the fact that our friends in the great white north still haven’t gotten access to Play Music. We’re not sure why our next door neighbors are being given the stiff arm on that, but we’ll certainly be looking to reach out to Google to see if there will be any movement on that front in the weeks or months to come.

google-play-movies

In related news, Google Play movies also came to tons more countries today, with a whopping new 38 countries bulking the list up. Here’s the full list of the lot after the new expansion:

Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, Netherlands, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Rwanda, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

These launches are likely a strong push for forthcoming availability of Chromecast on a global scale, and Google surely wanted folks in those regions to have tons of content to stream once their cheap media streaming dongle finally arrived.

Whatever the case may be, it’s good to see so many more countries be added to the list. Be sure to check out all of your options by perusing the Google Play Store in your country of choice.

Google Play Services 4.3 begins rolling out with new game features, Drive APIs and more

Posted: 18 Mar 2014 05:28 AM PDT

Google Play Services

Yesterday, at the annual Game Developers’ Conference, Google told us a bit about the future of Google Play Games, with the company detailing a system of being able to gift in-game items to friends and family, as well as improved SDK tools for cross-platform multiplayer.

Those goods and more have been launched in Google Play Services 4.3, which is now rolling out to everyone across the globe. Aside from the new Google Play Games features already discussed, Google is bringing us a new suite of APIs for Google Drive. Here’s the full gamut of everything Google’s added in today’s update:

  • Pinning – You can now pin files that should be kept up to date locally, ensuring that it is available when the user is offline. This is great for users that need to use your app with limited or no connectivity
  • App Folders – An app often needs to create files which are not visible to the user, for example to store temporary files in a photo editor. This can now be done using App Folders, a feature is analogous to Application Data Folders in the Google Drive API
  • Change Notifications – You can now register a callback to receive notifications when a file or folder is changed. This mean you no longer need to query Drive continuously to check if the data has changed, just put a change notification on it

Google is also releasing a new address API that will allow apps to request access to address fields from contacts to automatically fill out an address form. It’s great that those address fields will finally be put to good use other than the need to remember someone’s address the next time you’re trying to find out how to get to their house on Google Maps.

Finally, developers will enjoy improved analytics, as well as a new Tag Manager. The Tag Manager gives developers the ability to dynamically change app elements — such as menu or text colors — on the fly without having to issue a full app update. This would be perfect for an app that wants to change its colors to reflect the Christmas season, for instance, and then quickly revert back to normal colors once the festivities pass.

As usual, there’s no telling when or if developers will implement these new features into your favorite apps, so the best you can do is write to them and request that they improve their apps with these new tools.

[via Google]

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