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jeudi 7 novembre 2013

Google prepping for Glass version 2.0 with new swap program for current Glass owners

larry_glass
Google indirectly announced today that it is updating its Google Glass wearable computer to version 2.0 sometime this year. The company revealed this juicy tidbit in a post describing some changes to its Google Explorers program. The Explorer program is for early adopters of Google Glass who are willing to wear and provide feedback about the wearable device . It’s available by invite only to US residents.
Google confirmed that current customers who bought their Google Glass device before October 28, 2013 will be eligible for a one-time swap program that’ll allow them to turn in their original Google Glass product for  the next version. This soon-to-be-released Glass version includes a mono earbud and adds support for prescription glasses and sunglasses.

Besides this free upgrade. Google Explorer program members will also get three invites that they can share with their friends. This allows three lucky people to buy a Google Glass device for $1500 and join the Explorers program. Anyone interested in Google Glass, either the current version or a future model?

Google’s smartwatch to enter into mass production in coming months

goole-smartwatch
It looks like there might just be some truth about the Google smartwatch rumor floating around. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google’s upcoming smartwatch is in the late stages of development and the company is in talk with Asian suppliers to begin the mass production of the device. 
Google’s smartwatch will be running on a stripped down version of Android with Google Now on top of it. The smartwatch will display all the relevant Now cards depending on the user’s location and time of the day. The smartwatch will also be able to communicate and connect with smartphones and display relevant notifications.
With its smartwatch, Google aims to fix two of the most common complaint of smart watches and other similar wearable technologies – poor battery life and their limited usefulness. The Internet giant has been working hard on reducing the power consumption of its upcoming smartwatch so that it won’t require frequent charges. With Google Now cards being displayed on the watch’s screen, there really is no need to question the usefulness of the device.

The smartwatch is expected to enter into mass production within months.

How to change the default launcher in Android 4.4 KitKat

One minor change that Google has introduced in Android 4.4 KitKat is the ability to change the default launcher much more easily.
Up until Android 4.3, users would need to install a third party launcher on their device and then press the home button to select a default launcher. If they wanted to switch back to the old launcher, they would either have to uninstall the current launcher or go to Settings-> Apps, find the new launcher and tap the ‘Clear defaults’ option.
new_kitkat
With Android 4.4, users can change the default launcher by going to Settings -> Home and then selecting the default launcher.  The Home sub-menu also provides users with the option to uninstall unneeded third party launchers. Considering third party launchers are among the most popular apps in the Play Store, this new change is a right direction in improving usability.

The new ‘Home’ option makes sense when you consider the fact that OEMs might need to ship the stock Google launcher in all Android 4.4+ devices, since it is now a part of Google Search/Apps.

Google brings SMS integration, Location Sharing and more to Hangouts


Hangouts
Google has just concluded its Google+ event without announcing the Nexus 5 or Android 4.4 KitKat. However, the company announced some major new updates for Google+ and Hangouts. 
The company announced that it is finally bringing SMS integration to the Hangouts app for Android, along with support for location sharing and GIF support. Hangout users can now easily share their location with just a simple tap on Share button.
SMS integration has been one of the most requested feature to Hangouts so it is nice to see Google finally adding support for it. However, it was widely expected that Google would add this feature to Hangouts with Android 4.4 KitKat.
Google failed to mention if the update is going live effective immediately or over the coming few days. Nevertheless, we will link our readers to the APK once it is available on the Internet.

Lenovo unveils two new Yoga tablets with up to 18 hours of battery life


lenovo_yoga_tablet
Most of the companies that ruled the PC industry at one point of time are now entering the highly competitive mobile and tablet industry. Most of them, however, have met with little to no success. Lenovo has released quite a few Android tablets in the past but none of them stood out from the competition. 
The company is looking to change all that with its latest Yoga line-up of tablets. The new Yoga tablets have a subtle curve at its back to help in better handling and easier gripping.
The curve also hides a nifty kickstand which puts the tablet at a slightly higher angle, which should help in improving viewing angles and ease of use. Lenovo will be offering the Yoga tablets in 8 and 10-inch versions.
lenovo_yoga_tablet_2
Sadly, Lenovo has skimped heavily on the internal specifications of the tablet. Both the 8-inch and 10-inch tablets sport a resolution of only 1280*800. They are powered by a heavily under-powered 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek processor as well.
Below are the full specs of both the tablets -:
  • 1280*800 resolution for 8 and 10-inch models
  • 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek processor
  • 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, microSD card slot
  • 5MP rear-camera
  • USB On-The Go, Wi-Fi b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth
  • Dual front-facing Dolby certified speakers
  • 6000 and 9000mAh non-removable battery
  • Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with Lenovo’s software enhancements
Lenovo quotes the battery life of the tablets at a whopping 18 hours. The 8-inch Yoga tablet will set you back by $249, with the larger version costing $299. The tablets will be available in Best Buy beginning from tomorrow itself.

If you are in the market for a new tablet, don’t bother with these tablets. The new Nexus 7 from Google offers a much better value and performance is every possible way.

Samsung ships 5 million units of Galaxy Note 3 in its first month


samsung-note3
Samsung announced the Galaxy Note 3 back in September at IFA, this year. The company filled the handset to the brim with features and powers, which was evident from its hefty price tag as well.
Initial reports, after the device went on sale, suggested that the Note 3 is not doing as well as Samsung had hoped. However, today Samsung’s CEO, J K Shin, announced in a press briefing that the company has managed to ship more than 5 million units of the Note 3 within a month of launching it. The handset has received good market response, according to Shin.
Keep in mind that this 5 million figure is the unit that Samsung has shipped to carriers, distributors etc. all over the world, and not actually sold to end consumers. The final retail figure should be slightly lower.
Even then, the Galaxy Note 3 is doing exceedingly well. The Galaxy Note 2 took nearly 2 months to reach the same figure.

Intel to start making quad-core 64-bit ARM processors from next year


intel
Intel is the largest supplier of x86 based processors. The company has been, unsuccessfully, trying to enter the mobile market with its lower power Atom processors. 
Now, in a highly ironic move, Altera – Intel’s partner – announced at the ARM conference that the largest semi-conductor company in the world will be making its quad-core 64-bit ARM chips from next year.
“Altera and Intel are pleased with the early results of the relationship between the companies and this announcement from Altera is consistent with the agreement we announced earlier this year. We have said that we will be open to manufacturing competitive architectures and would evaluate them on a case by case basis,” said Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy.
Intel has always been ahead in the fabrication process compared to its competitors. While Qualcomm, Nvidia, and Samsung are using TSMC’s 28nm HKMG process for building their latest ARM chips, Intel is already using the 22nm fabrication process for its Haswell processors.
The bigger deal is that Intel is looking to open its factories to build chips for Apple, Nvidia and others to compete with its chief competitor – TSMC.

The chip that Intel will be making from next year won’t be used in smartphones or tablets, but in a device called field-programmable gate array. So, Intel won’t be directly competing with Qualcomm, Samsung and others directly, at least next year.