Modern versions of Windows (from XP onwards) maintain a series of so-called event log files which keep track of everything the operating system does. Whenever there's an error, this gets recorded as an entry in the event log. As does pretty much everything else you do, too. Therefore, if you're troubleshooting a computer, or you simply want to learn about all the things that go on in the background, a browse through the event logs can be very revealing.
Trouble is, the event log viewing feature built into Windows isn't particularly helpful or pretty. Which is why it's useful to come across a nice alternative.
Event Log Explorer is, as the name suggests, a program to let you browse and search your PC's event logs. It runs on Windows XP and above, and is malware-free according to Web of Trust and VirusTotal. It's a 3.4 MB download and, despite the name works perfectly under more recent operating systems. Including Windows 8.1 in my case.
The program is quite expensive to buy, as it's aimed at large companies. However, it's free for personal use on up to 3 computers. So it's definitely worth a download.
Earlier this week we got a sneak peak at what could be the front panels from the upcoming Sony Xperia Z3 and Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. Other than it’s large bezels, the images didn’t reveal much. And while it seems crazy for some to think that Sony could already be looking to release a Sony Xperia Z2 followup, there was really nothing indicating the phone would launch anytime soon.
Be that as it may, we were definitely intrigued at the idea of a Sony Xperia Z2 with updated hardware, (even if the Z2′s specs are more than adequate at present). Yesterday, XDA developer DooMLoRD tweeted out a screen shot allegedly taken from the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, along with some of the device’s specs. Let’s just say there may be a market for what Sony’s cooking up. Here’s what we could be looking at:
Although the screenshot shows Android 4.4.2, we have no reason to believe the phone could at least ship, or immediately be updated to Android 4.4.4 which recently began rolling out to a number of Xperia Z devices. Although consumers normally have to compromise in areas like performance when looking for a smaller Android device, this Z3 doesn’t seem to sacrifice much.
Still up in the air is the battery size or display resolution, but if everything checks out, it’s looking like this could be my next phone (providing it ever comes to the US). With the current trend of Android smartphones growing larger and larger every year, personally, I had given up hope that an OEM would ever release a smaller device with flagship specs. C’mon, Sony. Do it for me.
There’s a good chance that, by now, most of you have received the Google Search app’s new ability to enable the “Ok Google” hotword detection everywhere on your Android device, even while it’s sleeping (as long as it’s charging). It’s a super useful feature and one that, up until now, only the Motorola Moto X was able to pull off (although, the X still has the benefit of always listening, even when not charging.
Because not everyone has received this new feature in their Google Search apps (something to do with a per-account basis), we though this latest tip might come in use for some of you. Apparently, a user on Reddit discovered the craziest trick to get the system-wide “Ok Google everywhere” up and running on his device: simply search for that term in Google Search. After that, you should be able to jump into your Google Settings and select Google Settings > Search & Now > Voice > "Ok Google" Detection and check "From any screen" to enable Hotword Detection from any app (even the lockscreen).
While we haven’t been able to confirm if the trick works (all our devices received the functionality earlier this week), we’ve seen reports from Android users reporting success. Again, it’s not full proof, just one more hoop you can jump through if you want this new killer feature on your Android before the 4th of July weekend. Good luck!
Nokia’s on a mission to let developers know how easy it is to publish apps to the Nokia Apps Store with a very eye-opening contest. Dubbed the Xtreme Coding Challenge, they’ve invited developers to publish apps in extreme conditions.
The developer in their first highlight jumped off the side of a mountain in Rio De Janeiro with a 3G-equipped laptop strapped to his chest and ended up publishing an app within 6 minutes, all before he landed. The fact that he didn’t have any experience gliding is even more ridiculous to think about. Of course, he wasn’t responsible for actually steering himself while doing all this as the paragliding instructor attached to his back likely handled all that, but impressive nonetheless.
Nokia’s decision to skip the Google Play Store in favor of their own marketplace for Nokia X devices has left them in the dust in terms of readily available apps, so it’s no wonder they have to go to these measures to get the attention of developers. We’re not sure any sane developer will ever need the ability to publish apps within 6 minutes while they’re gliding in mid-air, but it’s nice to know that it can be done. Take a quick peek above.
The LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live have both received a new OTA upgrade today, bringing us up to version KMV78V on both fronts. The update came without a changelog, and we can’t seem to find any noticeable differences compared to the previous firmware.
It’s entirely possible that the update is just doing some light housecleaning (your typical round of bug fixes and performance improvements) ahead of the device’s public availability next week, though we’ll keep digging to make sure Google didn’t tuck something away.
It’s been awhile since we seen Samsung take a jab at iPhone users. Samsung’s original smear campaign began with the Korean manufacturer’s first “Next Big Thing” ad spots, targeting blind consumers waiting in line for another incremental release of the new iPhone. Backed by a huge multimillion dollar budget, the ads were everywhere and seemingly effective too. Despite playing it safe in terms of design and build materials, we watched as Samsung further dominated the smartphone market with their onslaught of Galaxy devices.
Today, Samsung is back and right where we like them: poking fun at iPhone users in their latest video, “Wall Huggers.” That’s what Samsung is calling all those sad little iPhone users desperately clinging to their wall sockets, looking for any available current to charge their depleting iPhones. Samsung goes on to show off their Ultra Power saving mode and the fact that, unlike many phones on their market, their Galaxy line features removable batteries for quickly swapping out with a spare. While the same fate could befall even Android users it’s only in recent flagships we’ve seen OEMs get serious about battery life.
Yet another feather in Samsung’s cap, the ad effectively showcases one area in which the Samsung Galaxy S5 excels above all others. Even though the Galaxy S5 is far from perfect, battery life is a huge selling point as more consumers begin relying on smartphones for all their computing needs. Gotta give it to Samsung, they sure know how to drive a point home. Check out their latest video below.
Sprint customers wondering when they’ll finally be invited to the LG G3 party will love today’s news. The Now Network has announced July 18th availability for LG’s 2014 flagship, meaning there are only a short couple of weeks before you’re able to walk away with one for $0 down and $25 per month for 24 months (if you’re “well-qualified,” of course).
Don’t want to wait that long to secure an order? Pre-sales will begin July 11th. You’ll also be entitled to some rewards cards if you happen to buy your device through official Sprint channels, including their retail stores, website or over the phone within a few weeks’ time:
$150 Reward Card – purchase July 11 through July 24 and register by Aug. 7
$100 Reward Card – purchase July 25 through Aug. 14 and register by Aug. 28
Sprint’s version of the LG G3 is equipped with their Sprint Spark LTE radios to give you access to the company’s faster and more reliable data network, though it should be pretty much the same as the phone we reviewed not long ago. Highlights of the LG G3 include a 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440 display, Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 13 megapixel OIS camera with laser-assisted autofocus and more. Let us know if you’ll be picking one of these up when they finally land.
The wonderful thing about rumors is that they tell us about forthcoming products and developments well before they happen, giving us insight into the market and helping us make informed decisions based on what we expect to see down the line. The bad thing? They aren’t to be fully trusted, and that fact was reiterated in the latest hoaxing episode.
Yesterday, we ran a couple of stories based on rumors from reputable leakster @evleaks. The first was that OnePlus was working on a tablet, with the second being a leaked set of specs for the rumored HTC Volantis tablet (5GB of RAM should have given off a red flag for that one). We’d go into more detail here, but there’s no need — the rumors are flat out false.
Yesterday was not a good day. I got hoaxed 2x. First was OnePlus. Second was Volantis. 14-yr-old posing as a Google engineer. Embarrassing.
And that’s all that needs to be said. Time to move on, folks. If anything, let this serve as a reminder that rumors are to be taken with the smallest of grains of salt, sand and whatever other minerals come to mind, because as I always like to say — nothing is official until it’s official.
That’s nothing that’s going to make a boardroom jump for joy, but we’re sure they’ll be happy to get good news and a quarter in the black after a long streak of doom and gloom (they lost $64 million last quarter).
It will take a more pointed approach for HTC going forward to make sure they don’t fizzle out before year’s end. Namely, the company’s efforts to bring more mid-range and entry-level options back to key markets in Europe and North America will have to step up in a big way.
Google has announced that they have completed the rollout of Google Play Services 5.0 which should bring exciting new features for developers and users alike. Here is the short version of everything that’s new in case you need a quick refresher:
Android Wearable Services API: necessary for Android Wear functionality.
Dynamic security provider API
Google Play Games: Quests and Save Game API. Quests allow you to give players timed challenges that they can complete for recognition or in-game rewards, while the Save Game Snapshot API enables cloud game saving so players can pick up where they left off no matter which device they use.
App Indexing API: used to allow developers to enable deeper search results in applications, as well as enabling deep pages within their apps to show up within Google.
Google Cast SDK: now includes closed caption support in Chromecast.
Google Drive API: adds ability to sort results of a query, create folders while offline and select any MIME type in the file picker.
Google Wallet: “Save to Wallet” functionality allows users to easily save offers, coupons and loyalty cards from within an app to your Google Wallet account. Google Wallet can now remind you to scan your loyalty card whenever they detect you at one of the business you have an offer with. Finally, Instant Buy now supports split tenders so you can defer the rest of your payment to a debit or credit card in case your Wallet balance doesn’t have enough funds.
This release also enables the “OK, Google” hotword functionality from within any screen on your phone. Some folks might still not be able to access this option in Google Now as that is controlled by a server-side switch instead of an app update, but it shouldn’t be long before Google starts enabling it for everyone (I only just received the feature this morning). Enjoy!
If you’re in the market for a decent gaming tablet that can be docked into a cradle with dedicated controls for getting your digital mayhem on, Wikipad wants to hook you up. They’re taking 20% off the WikiPad tablet, bringing its price from $199 down to a cool $159 with free shipping.
Adding even more to the value is the new partnership between WikiPad and the folks at OnLive, the online game-streaming service that lets you play console quality games without needing the hardware to run it natively. With it, you’ll get a free month of OnLive’s PlayPack subscription that gives you access to over 250 games to stream to your tablet. That typically costs $9.95 per month so it’s not a bad way to trial their service.
They’re also throwing in a month of their CloudLift service (now worth $7.95 after a timely price drop) that allows you to stream select games you already own on Steam and other gaming marketplaces. CloudLift lets you play natively while you’re at home, and will easily serve up your goods over the internet whenever you need to trek away. Cloud saves sync automatically with your Steam account so you can easily pick up where you left off.
Wondering what the WikiPad is packing to handle all this gaming goodness? Here’s a look at its now-modest spec sheet:
7-inch HD display
16GB of internal storage (microSD up to 32GB)
NVIDIA Tegra 3 chipset
2-megapixel front camera
GPS w/ GLONASS
Decide you want in on this deal? Just head here and use coupon code E3WIKIPAD to get all the aforementioned discounts and bonuses. It might not be the most powerful tablet around these days but it sure sounds like a pretty good value if this is something you’ve been eyeing.
We’ve been following Klinker Apps’ work for quite sometime now. Makers of EvolveSMS, Sliding Messaging and more, developer Luke Klinker took to his Google+ page this evening to showcase his latest work. Turns out, he’s been hard at work redesigning his popular Twitter app, Talon, using Android L’s new Material guidelines.
The animation heavy app isn’t exactly ready for prime time (even if it was, Google wont allow developers to publish Android L apps in the Play Store during the preview period) and it’s only available for devices running the Android L Developer Preview. You’ll notice a handy floating “+” compose button in the corner and although we can’t show it off in pictures, the app features a plethora of animations unique to Android L’s Material design (click on the expanded tweet view to see what we mean, you wont regret it).
Klinker was kind enough to provide a direct download link to the newly updated app as a — you guessed it — early preview of what’s to come. With that in mind, he’s not looking for bug reports or feedback of any kind. At least not yet. This is merely a way for everyone can see and feel the beautify that is Matias Duarte’s Material design in action. Download link provided below.
I've written before on this site about programs that provide an on-screen hard disk indicator, which can be useful if you can't see the one on your computer itself. Maybe the box is under your desk, or in a cupboard, or perhaps it's a virtual server in a datacentre hundreds of miles away.
"Activity Indicator" is actually a very good program. It's free, it's portable, it's free from malware according to VirusTotal and Web of Trust, and it provides a perfectly acceptable disk activity indicator on your system tray. But look a little more closely and it also has another incredibly useful facility. It logs every access to every file on your hard disk. It can tell you each time a file was created, deleted, or replaced. Not only is this a really useful troubleshooting tool, but it's also a great way to learn about what Windows gets up to when you're not at your keyboard. And if you suspect that someone else is misusing your PC, this is the tool that will help you track them down.
If you support computers for friends, family or colleagues, this is something that really deserves a place in your toolbox.
After seeing Android L’s newly redesigned triangle/circle/square navigation buttons, let’s just say we’re excited at this latest discovery that suggests they may not be the final design. We dug through Google’s Design page last week to show you guys some of the redesigned Google apps arriving later this year. Given it was a design page, we weren’t entirely sure what was nothing more than a quick mockup, and what could have been a legit screenshot.
KitKat navigation buttons vs Google Design page (click to play GIF)
After digging through that same design page, one eagle-eyed Reddit member found refreshed navigation buttons in one of the screenshots and wouldn’t you know it — they are not those odd shapes found in the Android L Developer Preview.
While this could mean any number of things (at worst, this is nothing more than a quick mockup), it appears these more traditional nav buttons were designed with Android L in mind. You’ll notice the back and home buttons have been slightly slimmed down, but it’s the multitasking button that mirrors the new 3D recents found in Android L.
It’s clear not everyone is a fan of Android L’s new nav buttons and we’re crossing our fingers that these more traditionally styled nav buttons will be what we see on non-Nexus stock Android devices that debut in Android Silver later this year.
Even if the first Android Wear smartwatches don’t ship out until early next week, Google is doing users a solid by dropping the official Android Wear companion app onto the Play Store.
While an Android Wear smartwatch already works with your Android phone (4.3+) out of the box, the app will help new users choose default apps for say, taking a note, voice action preferences, or configuring for new devices. Handy for when, you know, you actually get your LG G Watch or Samsung Gear Live next week.
There’s also a new page especially for apps with Android Wear compatibility, where you’ll find a growing list of apps (around 25 so far). Everything from IFTTT, to Fly Delta and Duolingo make the cut, including favorites like Evernote Wear and Hangouts. You can check out all the apps here.
It’s probably not the first place that comes to mind when you think of a technologically advanced city, yet Boston’s latest public amenity is leaving us to wonder why our own city isn’t providing the same for its citizens.
Now available in public parks throughout the city are “Soofas,” new smart benches featuring USB ports for charging mobile devices while out and about. Because sapping the city’s resources wouldn’t be the best idea, the benches actually feature solar panels and a battery for storing the sun’s energy throughout the day.
If that doesn’t sound “smart” enough for you, how about this: Soofa’s actually tap into Verizon’s 4G network, letting visitors on Soofa’s website know when and where an available smart bench can be found. Pretty handy if you’re looking for a comfy spot to write your memoirs.
Soofa says future benches might come with wireless inductive charging, so you could leave your USB cable at home. Let’s just hope, unlike Starbucks, they choose the correct wireless charging standard.
If you’re in the Boston area and would like to see a Soofa make its way somewhere near you, you can submit location ideas via their website here.
Those of you rockin’ an Android Wear smartwatch from either Samsung or LG will be happy to know that you no longer have to act like a barbarian and yell at your wrist to do simple math equations. Until now, the only way to do math equations on Android Wear was to say ‘ok google’ followed by the equation you’re looking to solve. Google’s built in functionality works quite well as long as you have a data connection and you’re in a position to speak to your smartwatch. Wear Calc is a simple calculator for Android Wear that runs natively on your wearable, solving these minor pain points with a simple touch interface.
To get started you’ll want to hit the widget below and install Wear Calc on your Android phone that’s paired with your smartwatch. Wear Calc will then magically be installed on your smartwatch, no additional steps required. It’s worth mentioning that I was unable to launch the application by saying ‘ok google start wear calc’ as Google kept confusing wear with where. If you run into this issue, just say ‘ok google start’ and select Wear Calc from the list of applications or head into the touch menu, scroll down to start, and select Wear Calc from there.
Rumors of a new HTC-made Nexus Tablet — codenamed HTC Volantis — began to escalate recently after a mysterious tablet (picture above) appeared in Google’s official Material design images. Carrying a nondescript form factor, the only standout feature we noticed was what appeared to be a large front facing speaker towards the top, something HTC is all too familiar with in their devices.
Despite initial rumors suggesting this HTC Volantis (Nexus 9?) would launch carrying rather modest specs, along came @evleaks today throwing everyone for a loop. Mr. Leaks revealed a rather unbelievable assortment of specs and even more puzzling “leaked macro image” of the tablet, showing half a camera and some watermarks, one of which reads “Android Silver OS Alpha 1.4.” For the processor, the Volantis prototype is allegedly using a Snapdragon 810 CPU during its testing phase, with the final model switching over to a 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 in the future.
There’s also mention of a aluminum unibody design, 5GB of non-final RAM (overkill?), and an 8.9-inch 2560×1600 display (prototype is using a 1680×1050 display), 64GB of internal storage, and a 5MP camera (although it could ship with an 8MP shooter). Of course, HTC’s trademark BoomSound stereo front facing speakers were mentioned and while the image above looks pretty official, @evleaks mentions earlier renders being “fake.”
It’s a pretty big pill to swallow. If @evleaks “leaked” specs hold true, this tablet could be one of the most powerful 9-inch tablets to ever hit the market, easily rivaling the best from Apple, Samsung, or any other manufacturer for that matter. Can’t wait to see how this one develops. Anyone thinking this might be their next Android tab?
TeslaCoil developer Kevin Barry is back with another update to the world famous Nova Launcher Beta. Announced on the app’s Google+ Community page, Barry lists off some of the new features now available in the Nova Launcher 3.0.2 Beta 1 update, many of which bring a few Android L goodies to us non-Nexus users (as well as better compatibility for those running the Developer Preview). Here’s the short list:
-”L” Folder Preview (Nova Settings – Folder – Folder Preview – Line) -”L” App Drawer Icon (Long-press app drawer – Edit – Tap Icon – All white icon under “Built-in”) -”L” App Animation (Nova Settings – Look and Feel – App Animation – Slide Up) -Minor tuning for running on Android L Dev Preview -Optimizations and bug fixes
This should help those of you without the gall to run the new Android L Developer Preview, which really isn’t meant to be used on a primary Android device (although we found it to be more than stable). You can either join the Nova Launcher Beta community to get in on the latest betas as they arrive in Google Play, or download direct from the developer here.
If the process of buying a OnePlus One wasn’t frustrating enough, how ’bout trying your luck at one of their upcoming tablets? Still not official, @evleaks posted a screen grab of the OnePlus website, showing a link for a OnePlus Tab, right next to the link for their hard-to-get smartphone.
While there’s no details provided just yet, we’re sure OnePlus will once again use their grassroots marketing and rock bottom low pricing to lure in prospective buyers. If you guys had to build the perfect tablet — one that didn’t “settle” — what kind of hardware would you like to see?
The launch of several new tablets this month has led to a bit of a shakeup at the top of our Android tablet rankings. Where do newcomers like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S and a refreshed LG G Pad lineup land? Read on to find out.
Despite persistent rumors, last month's Google I/O conference came and went without the introduction of a new Nexus Tablet. With no proper successor, the N7 maintains a place on our list almost by default. It's hard to argue against the tablet's affordable pricing, solid hardware package including HD display, and direct-from-Google software support (likely including a quick upgrade to the recently previewed Android L). Chances are a refresh is still in the works, but for now Nexus 7 makes a perfectly sensible choice of Android tablet.
4. LG G Pad
LG's G Pad refresh is on sale this month, starting with the currently available (in Europe) 7-inch model. Over the coming weeks LG will also introduce the G Pad 8.0 and G Pad 10.1. All three models feature a similar hardware complement, including a 720p display and quad-core processing. The tablets strike a balance between affordability (the smallest model sells for about $150), portability, and utility, and share many software features and enhancement in common with the highly praised LG G3. This includes a simplified user interface and the ability to unlock the slate with a so-called "Knock Code.”
3. Samsung Galaxy NotePro
Samsung's tablet strategy is a bit all over the place. It seems that one stellar slate isn't good enough, resulting in devices like the Galaxy NotePro being pushed to the wayside as even newer tablets are announced only months later. The NotePro reigned at the top of our list for some time, but its high price and potentially unwieldy size are beginning to look less and less appealing. Despite this, the NotePro still offers unique stylus input and high-class hardware that will appeal to a certain niche of users.
We're still amazed at what Sony managed to cram into the 6.1mm-thick frame of the Xperia Z2 tablet. You get a Snapdragon 801 processor, beautiful display, and more in just about the classiest package to ever call itself an Android tablet. Its waterproof design means you can take the Z2 Tablet with you practically anywhere you go.
1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S
Samsung's latest tablet is one of their best to date. The first to feature a Super AMOLED display — and in the process the first to earn the flagship S designation typically associated with the Galaxy smartphone line — the Galaxy Tab S is a media machine. Regardless of whether you go with the 8 or 10-inch models, the Tab S is equal parts entertainment and productivity device. With competitive pricing, the Galaxy Tab S should be considered right up there with Apple's iPad line.
Honorable Mentions
The presence of a couple new tablets on our top 5 means some other great options have migrated to our honorable mentions category. In many cases, deciding between one of the tablets below and one from our main list is a matter of mincing hairs. Here are five more Android slates to consider.
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX— Amazon's best tablet option features a great HD display and easy access to oodles of digital content via the retailers online storefront.
LG G Pad 8.3— LG might have recently refreshed the tablet lineup, but the G Pad 8.3 remains an appealing (and readily available) option that an be had for a great price.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 — Samsung's budget-oriented lineup of tablets, the Galaxy Tab 4's 7-inch model starts at $199 and offers a modest hardware compliment for those seeking a lightweight companion device.
Samsung Galaxy TabPro— This "pro" version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab most resembles the NotePro minus its stylus.
Lenovo Yoga HD 10+ — The Yoga HD 10+ can contort itself into several different positions thanks to its built-in kickstand.
Tablets to look forward to
The summer months have brought us several great tablets, but the fun ain't done yet. Here's a look at what you can look forward to during the second half of the year if you can't hold off on making that tablet purchasing decision for just a bit longer.
ASUS Transformer Book V
Five devices in one might seem like a bit of overkill, but ASUS pushes those limits with their upcoming Transformer Book V. While it isn't a tablet exclusively, the mode will likely be the preferred method of interaction for many users. The Transformer Book V can also act as an Android smartphone or notebook as well as a Windows tablet or notebook.
Rumor Mill
While the below tablets don't have solid release dates on the docket, the rumors say they will eventually become a reality. While you shouldn't put too much stock in these devices showing up any time soon, here is a look at what folks have been buzzing about.
Rumors of a new gaming-oriented tablet from NVIDIA are fairly fresh and quickly denied, but a recent sighting at the Global Certification Forum leaves us with little doubt as to the slate's authenticity. The Shield was NVIDIA's bold attempt at creating an Android-based gaming device, but it saw little success after launch. Transitioning the concept to a tablet form factor is a wise move that could greatly expand the target audience for the device.
Nexus tablets
As mentioned previous, Google I/O brought no news of a refreshed Nexus tablet lineup, but the team behind Android isn't done with the line of pure Google devices. Buzz persists and it's almost a guarantee we will see a Nexus 8 or similar slate launch at some point this year. The next likely opportunity would coincide with the public release of the recently previewed Android L.
What say you?
Does the newly released Galaxy Tab S earn its place at the top of our rankings? Did we leave out a tablet you think deserves more attention? Let us know your picks for top Android tablets of July in the comments below.
As a huge fan of VLC Media Player on my PC I was extremely excited to hear that the app would be making its way to Android two years ago. If you’re not sure what VLC is, it’s a media player that plays pretty much everything without fail, and without you having to go hunting for obscure codecs and plugins.
Unfortunately for those of us in the United States the VLC for Android beta was not immediately made available while the rest of the world got immediate access. Yes, yes — for once, America is last! Thankfully us yanks won’t have to suffer anymore as the app now appears to be available in the Play Store (thanks to the attentive folks at Reddit for the spot). The app also seems to be available for any Canadians who didn’t already have access, though it sounds like not many of the guys up north had any trouble getting it up to this point.
VLC for Android promises to handle most audio and video filetypes like a champ, and even goes beyond that by supporting DVD ISOs, network streams and more. The big glaring issue in its current beta status is that hardware-based decoding only works with a very limited set of hardware, but that’s why we call these things betas.
For now it should prove to be just as useful as anything you have on your phone if you’re tired of having to convert everything you download to a compatible format. The download is available for free in the Google Play Store so check it out by hitting the link below.
If NVIDIA’s mistaken listing of a “SHIELD Tablet” last month wasn’t enough evidence to suggest they’re working on bringing another powerful gaming device, perhaps today’s certification at the Global Certification Forum will. There still isn’t a ton of information about this thing right now, though today’s certification does reveal that the device will be outfitted with 3G and 4G radios when it does make its way to market.
The SHIELD Tablet is rumored to be equipped with a 7.9-inch 2048×1536 display, a Tegra K1 processor with a 192-core GPU, a 7 megapixel rear with a 4.8 megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, as well as possible game-centric controls on extended bezels. The “tablet” at the end of its name also tells us it might not be a clam shell form factor like the original SHIELD, though the fact that separate rumors say an NVIDIA SHIELD 2 is coming should be enough to believe that.
This all comes at a time where NVIDIA has decided to refocus their efforts on providing silicon for “extraordinary” devices instead of trying to compete with Intel and Qualcomm to get their chipset inside any phone or tablet they can. We’ve seen this with NVIDIA’s Tegra line being the preferred hardware for most set-top gaming boxes, as well as many of the Android TV boxes and televisions set to launch later this year. For now, though, we’re just hoping to get Tegra K1 inside of their own products before the holiday season rolls around.
Google’s new design language, dubbed Material, is simple, elegant, and clean. It’s also a part of a popular 80′s song by Madonna. Watch Matias Duarte, Director of Android User Experience, act as the Material Girl in this fan video below.
Move over #holoyolo, it’s time for #materiyolo to unify all platforms, in all it’s glory.
If you were miffed about the Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A’s goudy specs compared to the base flagship, you’re going to be even more upset with the supposed Samsung Galaxy F. This device is basically a Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A with a brushed metal backing, and it has leaked once again in press renders received by @evleaks.
It’s odd that Samsung isn’t opting to make this part of their Galaxy S lineup considering how powerful it is. It houses a Snapdragon 805 chipset, Quad HD display, 3GB of RAM and the like if recent rumors are to be believed. The press render confirms the return of the heart-rate sensor Samsung has grown a liking to, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see a fingerprint coming along for the ride (especially considering the lower-class Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini happened to get one of its own).
It’s understandable for users to feel upset about Samsung releasing a phone that’s supposed to be top of the line only to one-up it in the months to follow. That said, perhaps there’s no reason to fret — just as the Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A likely won’t travel far outside of South Korea, there’s a possibility you won’t even get the option of buying the Samsung Galaxy F whenever it’s officially revealed. If that rationale isn’t working for you then let’s just hope this is some sort of “test” for Samsung’s metal build for future iterations of their flagship smartphones.
Microsoft has been taking their sweet time to make sure Office for Android is just right. If you aren’t satisfied with the current lackluster experience or alternatives like Google Drive and its suite of document editing apps, then you’ve had your eye on Office for quite some time. Thankfully it appears we’re not far from seeing a full release.
Microsoft recently made their phone-bound Office apps free to download and use, though functionality was limited to just viewing and editing Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents. It also doesn’t provide a neat interface for tablets. The new Android apps (which you’ll need an Office 365 subscription for) should closely mirror what iOS users are enjoying right now, which would be a clean and smooth touch-friendly user interface that makes it easy to whip around documents on a decent-sized tablet.
If you’ve been jonesing for this release and wouldn’t mind giving it a try you can head to Microsoft’s site right here to apply. It’s no guarantee, but you might as well give it a shot and see if Microsoft can’t hook you up before they deliver the goods to everyone else.
Owners of the Google Play Edition HTC One M8 and HTC One M7 should be waking up to a new upgrade this morning. Before you get excited — no, it isn’t Android L. It’s the much less exciting Android 4.4.4, a simple maintenance and security upgrade to shore up the already-solid KitKat build. The main changes in this round of updates address the scary HeartBleed vulnerability that was the talk of the town weeks ago.
The update should be making its way to your device over-the-air shortly, though if you find you’re an impatient being and want to check for yourself you can always head to Settings > About phone > System updates to check for it. As always, you’ll want to make sure you’re on WiFi and have a decently charged battery before going forward. Let us know how it’s treating you once you successfully pull it down.
[Thanks Ralph!]
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Whether or not you are signed up with Twitter (I'm not) you can't ignore the fact that this is a major way that information is exchanged these days. So it is worthwhile to be aware that Twitter provides a search facility for all those tweets (around 500 million per day). The search facility is available whether you are signed up or not, so anyone can scour those short little bursts of information to see what is being said about the events of the day and any other topics that interest you. You may never intend to make a tweet yourself but you can take a selective look at what all those other people are going on about. Forget the trivial aspect, when it comes to breaking news there is no better information source on the planet.
