Android Phone Fans |
- Google kicking off $100K Project Ara developer challenge to help fuel development
- YouTube update brings live streams to the Chromecast [DOWNLOAD]
- Sorry, Google Fiber wont be coming to New York anytime soon
- Google posts Q1 2014 earnings with a $15.4 billion in revenue
- Google details the crazy 3D mapping tech behind Google Camera’s new Lens Blur effect
- Chrome Remote Desktop exits beta, now available for download
- Popular iOS app ‘Frontback’ finally launches for Android [VIDEO]
- Gold LG G3 retail box leaks online, 2K display and more reportedly confirmed as well
- Official Google Camera app available for download in the Play Store [VIDEO]
- Samsung Android Wear smart watch still on track for later this year
- Google Fiber coming to New York? Job listing seems to suggest so
- Is this our first look at the OnePlus One?
- Google Play Mother’s Day promotion has 50% off books and 1-year magazines for $5
- Watch the Samsung Galaxy S5 get shot by a .50 caliber rifle [VIDEO]
- Watch Ellen Degeneres ridicule Google Glass in quick comedy skit [VIDEO]
| Google kicking off $100K Project Ara developer challenge to help fuel development Posted: 16 Apr 2014 05:21 PM PDT
It was day 2 of the Project Ara developers’ conference, taking place at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. After announcing yesterday that the first Project Ara “gray phone” will launch in January of 2015 for $50, Paul Eremenko, the project’s lead, once again took the stage to tell the crowd of more than 200 developers about an upcoming contest to help fuel Ara’s modular development. The carrot comes in the form of a $100,000 grand prize and will be given to one lucky developer who comes up with the best module — judged on novelty, functionality, elegance, quality, impact, and commercialization potential — that can be employed in daily use. Two runner ups will be receiving all-expense paid trips for up to 3 people to the next Project Ara devcon and will be guaranteed hardware for their project. After signing a hardware loan agreement, developers will need to submit descriptions of their module in order to be given a free package consisting of a Unipro bridge and filed-programmable gate arrays courtesy of Toshiba. Devs will need to come up with a functional form factor module (following the MDK’s guidelines), built around the prototype hardware. They will also be expected to create their own drivers and apps necessary for testing. Following Google ATAP’s tight scheduling, the challenge will officially kick off in May (at which time Google will make available around 100-200 units of the protoype hardware to devs), drawing to a close in mid- September. This means there’s little time for prep work, but as Eremenko mentioned during an interview, “time pressure yields higher quality innovation.” |
| YouTube update brings live streams to the Chromecast [DOWNLOAD] Posted: 16 Apr 2014 04:01 PM PDT
Chalk another one down the for Chromecast. Google’s video streaming accessory is getting a little more functionality today after a new update to the YouTube app finally brings live video streams to the tiny dongle (heh, heh… dongle). Previously, users could only ‘cast live streams to the Chromecast through the web interface (and control through the app), hardly convenient unless you had a laptop handy. With the latest update (5.6.31), you can now use the one device you always have on you: your smartphone. Grab the update — which is rolling out in stages — from the Google Play link below, or download here for manual installation. Happy casting! |
| Sorry, Google Fiber wont be coming to New York anytime soon Posted: 16 Apr 2014 03:16 PM PDT
Earlier today, folks living near the Big Apple were excited at the prospect that they could soon become Google Fiber’s newest test market. This was after a Google Fiber job posting was discovered in New York, suggesting the high-speed internet service would soon find a new home. But, in a statement to Ars Technica, a Google spokesperson is here to quickly shoot down your hopes of buffer-free 4K video streaming.
Google is a very large company, with many branches throughout the US (and the world). While they don’t currently have plans to bring Fiber to New York, the good news is that they are hiring, and Google Fiber is, in fact, growing. I’m sure we’ll all see Google Fiber come to our areas at some point in our lifetimes. Dream on, Phandroids. |
| Google posts Q1 2014 earnings with a $15.4 billion in revenue Posted: 16 Apr 2014 02:35 PM PDT
Google has their hands in just about everything these days. Whether it’s robots, flying drones, or 3D mapping smartphones — it’s clear Google isn’t content with being only your default search engine. The internet search giant revealed their Q1 2014 earnings, raking in $15.4 billion in revenue, a 19% increase over the previous year’s $12.95 billion. Google’s site revenues saw an increase of 21% over the previous year, hitting $10.47 billion. Still, Google managed to miss analyst estimates, resulting in a 5% drop in stocks following their earnings report. For more details on Google’s financial performance for the first quarter of 2014, hit up their Investor Relations page below. [Google] |
| Google details the crazy 3D mapping tech behind Google Camera’s new Lens Blur effect Posted: 16 Apr 2014 01:05 PM PDT
Lens blur effects seem to be the latest trend in smartphone cameras. An attempt at simulating larger DLSR cameras with their big lenses and apertures, smartphones like the HTC One M8 or Samsung Galaxy S5 are now using a mixture of software and hardware to help create that soft depth of field, otherwise known as “bokeh.” For the One M8, HTC achieves a shallow depth of field by using their “Duo Camera” system: 2 cameras that work like the human eye that help the phone distinguish what’s near and far, allowing users to go back into a photo and refocus as necessary. As we mentioned in our review, the feature seems to be hit or miss, rarely working out the way it would in a larger SLR. With Samsung, their implementation is a bit different for the Galaxy S5 in a feature they call “selective focus.” The Gs5 camera quickly focuses close, then far, allowing the user to go back and refocus where they’d like, creating extra bokeh for a professional look. Again, just as we saw with HTC, the results are a mixed bag. In the newly released Google Camera app (now available on Google Play), we now see Google taking a stab at the DoF issue, albeit approaching it a bit different from what we’re seeing with HTC or Samsung. Once again, it’s a combination of hardware and software working together for a feature they call Lens Blur. When taking a picture using Lens Blur, the user simply sweeps their camera up from the subject, somehow communicating back to the phone what’s near and far. To help detail exactly what the heck is going on behind the scenes, Google detailed everything in a blog post.
Apparently, Lens Blur uses much the same 3D mapping technology Google already uses for Google Maps Photo Tour and Google Earth — only the algorithm is shrunken down for your smartphone. When sweeping the camera up, your smartphone is taking a whole bunch of pictures, and Lens Blur uses an algorithm to convert that information into a 3D model. Lens Blur then estimates depth, as shown in the black and white image (above), by triangulating the position of the subject in relation to the background. Pretty neat. It’s all pretty damn technical, and it’s mind blowing the amount of work that goes into making something as seemingly “simple” as Lens Blur work on your mobile device (even if it’s essentially just the of by-product of a much bigger technology). You can read up more on the technicals behind Lens Blur by visiting the link below. |
| Chrome Remote Desktop exits beta, now available for download Posted: 16 Apr 2014 12:43 PM PDT
Hot on the heels of the official Google Camera landing in the Play Store is the Chrome Remote Desktop app! It was found to be in beta a couple of weeks ago, though only a few select lucky users were able to get their sweaty palms on it. Thankfully it didn’t take long for Google’s engineers to finalize everything. The app is simple in concept: it allows you to view an control any PC that has Google Chrome with the remote desktop extension installed. Setup is about two minutes and pain-free, and once you’re done you’ll be able to do anything you need on your computer from afar (whether it’s from your smartphone, a tablet or even another PC). Make no delay in grabbing it here if it’s something you’ve been waiting on. |
| Popular iOS app ‘Frontback’ finally launches for Android [VIDEO] Posted: 16 Apr 2014 11:48 AM PDT
Taking photos of yourself has become so popular that even the Oxford dictionary recognizes the word “selfie” as an official word. The selfie craze has helped create hundreds of photo apps, but only a few become popular. One such app is called “Frontback,” which has gained popularity in the last few months on iOS. Today the app was finally released for Android users. What’s all the buzz about? Frontback is selfies, emoticons, and regular photos all in one. The app allows users to easily take a photo with both the front and rear cameras, then stitch them together. The result is a photo that shows what you’re looking at, and your reaction to it. You can easily tell a short story about what you are currently doing and feeling without saying a word. Instead of just sharing a photo of something crazy with the caption “OMG” you can share the photo and include your “OMG” face. Frontback allows you to add friends and view their photos in a news feed along with curated “Staff Picks.” The photos can also be shared to your favorite social networks. If you’re looking for a fun way to share selfies this is the app for you. Download it below for free from the Google Play Store.
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| Gold LG G3 retail box leaks online, 2K display and more reportedly confirmed as well Posted: 16 Apr 2014 10:55 AM PDT
The LG G3 cometh. In case you needed further proof — other than leaked screenshots and benchmarks — our friends at The Verge have actually obtained a retail box for device, currently going by the codename “B2.” According to sources, the phone will come with the oft rumored super high resolution 2K display and, as the box suggests, a gold color variant will also be available (as is the trend these days). While the box doesn’t give anything away as far as the design, The Verge was able to confirm that the LG G3 will look largely like the LG Isai FL that leaked yesterday (the front of the device with those tiny bezels). The Isai also showed a date of May 1st on its display, which could could be a hint to a possible announcement date. New rumors suggest LG could begin mass producing their own chipsets as early as this quarter for inclusion in their handsets, but we think the G3 might miss out on that timing. With the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 already on sale, LG has little time to waste to bring their next flagship to market. Now we just have to wait until they can make the LG G3 official, though we expect more leaks in the coming weeks. |
| Official Google Camera app available for download in the Play Store [VIDEO] Posted: 16 Apr 2014 10:54 AM PDT
Taking a quick stroll through Google’s applications on the Play Store this morning? You may have noticed that a newcomer has entered the fold, with an official Google Camera app being available to download at this very moment. It’s a pretty clean camera app that gives you all the features you’ve come to expect from typical photo-snapping experiences, as well as some other unique things Google’s known for. The most notable is the addition of Photo Spheres, something Google implemented a long while ago but not many OEMs have incorporated into their own camera solutions. Here’s what else you can expect from the app:
And that’s just the start of it. We’re sure Google will be looking to add a lot more to the experience with updates over time, but for now be sure to head to the Google Play Store and dive in! Note: Google says this will only work for those on Android 4.4 KitKat and higher, so don’t bother if you aren’t up to date. |
| Samsung Android Wear smart watch still on track for later this year Posted: 16 Apr 2014 09:47 AM PDT
To be quite honest, Samsung was the last name we thought we’d see on the list of manufacturers planning to bring smart watches powered by Android Wear. They seem fully vested in their Gear platform, which is now powered by Tizen, and they don’t seem to be slowing down with it with three of the line’s latest devices having launched last Friday. Samsung still hasn’t shown anything on the Android Wear front, but reports suggest the South Korean company is still full-sail ahead on their plans to get the new smart watch out by the end of this year. They would join LG’s G Watch and the Motorola Moto 360 whenever that day eventually arrives. We imagine Samsung will look to make this the smart watch that is compatible with all Android phones, opposed to the Gear line which is only officially compatible with select Galaxy devices. In slightly related news, Samsung also mentioned their first high-end Tizen-based smartphone would be out this summer, which should be an interesting dynamic in a business model that primarily revolves around Android. Samsung would be one of the few manufacturers supporting multiple ecosystems, with their Windows Phone efforts being just as fresh as anything they’re doing over on the Android side. Samsung claims their goal is to diversify their offerings rather than completely ditch Android, but only time will tell if those motives are as true as they say. [via Reuters] |
| Google Fiber coming to New York? Job listing seems to suggest so Posted: 16 Apr 2014 09:25 AM PDT
It looks like Google could be looking to bring Fiber internet service to their biggest market yet. Places like San Antonio and Kansas City are nothing to sneeze about, but New York is a whole different beast. A job listing for a “regional sales manager” for Google Fiber in New York, NY could hint toward Google’s latest aspirations. The listing calls for someone who “will manage multiple teams that evangelize Google Fiber services to MDU (multi-dwelling apartments and condos) and large SMB owners.” Neato. The listing notes all sorts of complicated experience and qualifications that the average Joe may or may not have, but that’s not what’s important. What’s important is that Google is getting so comfortable with their Fiber initiative that they’re looking to go beyond odd markets and expand into mainstream. We’ve already seen a taste of said initiative with 9 main metro areas being probed for the new high-speed internet service, but this would be the boldest statement Google has made in their campaign to get more people hooked up with insane speeds. Let’s just hope they expand further than Verizon’s been able to do with FiOS over the past few years. |
| Is this our first look at the OnePlus One? Posted: 16 Apr 2014 08:56 AM PDT
With as much info as OnePlus themselves have dropped about their upcoming smartphone so far, we’re amazed it’s taken this long to get our first real look at the thing (even if we don’t get much other than its backside). The shot you see to the right was posted to Chinese social network Weibo, giving us a look at its chassis. What we see is a rather ordinary red material with OnePlus’s “Never Settle” mantra stamped on back. Some might immediately look at this as obnoxious branding, but don’t forget that the OnePlus One is being designed to allow people to customize the look of their phones using StyleSwap (which is a fancy way to say they support interchangeable covers). We can also see the 13 megapixel Sony Exmor sensor on back accompanied by an LED flash unit. Pictures of the base motherboard were also leaked, though it doesn’t show us much other than OnePlus being proud enough to etch their own logo into the thing. This peep show comes to an end right there, though, because there was nothing else to be told. We’ll have to wait for more information to drop to know more, otherwise the April 23rd unveiling should give us all we need. [via GizChina] |
| Google Play Mother’s Day promotion has 50% off books and 1-year magazines for $5 Posted: 16 Apr 2014 07:21 AM PDT
Want to do something nice for your mother this Mother’s Day? If flowers, candy and a nice brunch by the lake aren’t cutting it, perhaps some deals on Google Play Books and Magazines will. Google is offering 50% off select books and $5 1-year magazine subscriptions. More, Fitness and Better Homes highlight the magazine selection, while novels like 1st to Die, Three Sisters, The Goldfinch could all be nice reads on otherwise boring days. Google is suggesting you get her a Nexus 7 to read all this on, natch, but you won’t be getting any discounts on that. The deals run through May 5th, which should be ample time to round out your bouquet of gifts for mommy ahead of the actual holiday on April 11th. Check out the full slate of deals right here. |
| Watch the Samsung Galaxy S5 get shot by a .50 caliber rifle [VIDEO] Posted: 16 Apr 2014 06:43 AM PDT Yay, more consumer electronics carnage! The Samsung Galaxy S5 is the latest device that finds itself in the crosshairs of a madman with a gun. This time, the classic Barrett M107A1 is looking to rip through the plastic exterior and silicon interior of Samsung’s 2014 flagship device. The video features the typical torture test at the start to test its durability. Just as we’ve seen in videos prior, the Samsung Galaxy S5 can be thrown into a washing machine and run over by a truck, and still live to tell the tale. That IP67 certification for dust-proof and waterproof, and its tempered, toughened glass might be enough to withstand the elemental conditions of life, but all of that goes into the trash when it meets the barrel of one of the most powerful sniper rifles out there. The bullet’s force causes it to hit the flagship phone so fiercely that it looks like it vanishes into complete dust to the human eye. Watch the video above if you’re into this sort of thing. |
| Watch Ellen Degeneres ridicule Google Glass in quick comedy skit [VIDEO] Posted: 16 Apr 2014 05:51 AM PDT We imagine resident Ellen Degeneres lover and Google Glass owner Chris Chavez wept when he saw one of his favorite TV personalities ridiculing Google Glass. Ellen caught wind of Google’s one-day sale of the things yesterday, and joked that she’d found a pair on Craigslist for a mere $1,495 — that’s a whopping $5 discount! Here’s the goods starting at around the 53-second mark: OK, so they’re not actual Google Glass, but they technically are Google glasses. Take that for what you will. Nothing like a good laugh to start off your Wednesday morning. |
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