Thanks to XDA user chaleen, new screenshots of a Nexus 4 in Thailand’s Mobile Expo 2013 running Android 4.3 have surfaced. So far nothing too interesting in the screenshots as it just shows the build and kernel info, but one of them was fairly interesting as it shows a slightly re-designed UI for Google’s stock camera UI. You can check out that screenshot right below.
Along with updates on the Google Chrome Beta channel for desktop systems that were made available yesterday, Google also announced the availability of an update to the Chrome Beta for Android app. The new update for Chrome 28 takes it up to version 28.0.1500.21. Headlining the improvements is better integration of the Google Translate service which will automatically detect whether a web page is in a different language from what your Android device is set to and will make the translate bar easily available similar to the desktop version of Chrome. Scrolling on a page will now cause the toolbar to disappear, providing a fullscreen browsing experience. Google also added in a new graph to show estimated bandwidth savings due to the experimental data compression feature and improved, mobile-friendly error pages. If you want to grab the Chrome Beta for Android app, just hit one of the download links below.
It seems like Google may have casually leaked a preview of an updated Gmail app. During an I/O session called “Structure in Android design,” a few screenshots of what looks like a revamped Gmail app design were shown, highlighting a new navigation drawer and a moved action bar.
The navigation bar looks like it would be scrollable, considering important functions like trash, archive, and drafts are missing from the screenshot. The action bar has been consolidated into just compose and search, and have been moved to the top of the screen, allowing for more room to read emails. There are a few more less significant changes as well, like larger stars in the inbox.
These changes look great, and should make the app easier to use. I’m interested to see what other changes, if any, the update will contain. We’ll let you know when more information comes out, and of course when it releases.
Source: Android Police
BBC’s popular iPlayer app has just gotten a new update bringing more support and increased functionality to a wider array of Android tablets. First off the bat is new-found support for 10-inch tablets, so users won’t need to rely on having to go to the BBC website to view all that cool content anymore. On top of that, BBC has also announced some interface tweaks to the smartphone and 7-inch tablet variations of the app— while additional optimizations will be arriving on the app for 10-inch devices at a future date.
All of you 10-inch tablet owners out there are itching to grab this app can hit the Play Store link below and get in on all that fun BBC goodness.
Good news for Samsung today because Google has agreed to use their OLED screens for the consumer version of Google Glass. Samsung has been going toe to toe with LG lately, but LG has been leading the way.
“Samsung will supply its high-end OLED screens for Google Glass. This is a really big thing because its means that Google shares confidential data with Samsung on its futuristic projects,” said an executive at one of Samsung Display’s local parts suppliers.
This deal will no doubt strengthen Samsung’s OLED business. Samsung Display CEO Kim Ki-nam said, “OLED on silicon may be used for glasses-type, augmented-reality devices much like the Google Glass. The wearable market will be a major beneficiary of the free-form factor advantage of flexible OLEDs. Smartphone-linked wearable accessory products such as watches and health bands will use ultra-thin flexible OLEDs embedded with various sensors.”
Of course the next generation of OLEDs will be flexible and unbreakable, but LG seems to have a leg up in that department.
source: Korea Times
We know that Google’s second-generation Nexus 7 tablet is on the way, but not much about the device is known— especially since we didn’t see much of a tease at Google I/O this year. Fortunately, it appears that we’re finally getting some long-awaited information about the venerable device as news has surfaced that it’ll not only arrive this summer with high expectations, but it will come with a brand-new display unit. According to the hit-or-miss Digitimes, Google and ASUS are turning to AU Optronics (AUO) to develop a 7-inch, low-temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) panel at a 1,900 x 1,200 resolution. Also reaffirming what we’ve previously heard, shipments are expected to begin as early as Q2 and the tablet is expected to see the 8 million unit mark, which should more than certainly help Google keep eating away at that tablet market share.
source: Digitimes
AT&T customers can expect to pay a little more every month. The carrier has decided to add a 61-cent charge to each of their customers’ bills. Beginning May 1, the “Mobility Administrative Fee” is considered a “below-the-line” fee, meaning it appears with taxes and other surcharges at the bottom of a customer’s phone bill, below the service charges.
A charge of less than a dollar might sound insignificant, but when multiplied by all of the number of customers they have, it could add more than a half-billion dollars of revenue for AT&T. AT&T is quick to say that below-the-line charges are ”consistent with similar fees charged by other carriers,” and that the revenue will “help cover certain expenses, such as interconnection and cell site rents and maintenance.”
Source: Wall Street Journal
With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That’s why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day’s hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!!
Apps
Fast and Furious 6 game hits the Play Store
Twitter introduces two-factor authentication for log-ins
Mediafire app update now allows music and video streaming to devices
Carriers
AT&T adds new “mobility administrative” 61-cent fee to all monthly bills
Viva Movil, a mobile service focused on Latino consumers by Jennifer Lopez
Google adding richer notifications to Chrome on ChromeOS, Windows
Looks like there’s news that Verizon and AT&T will both receive a developer edition of Samsung’s Galaxy S4. Both of these versions of the S4 have a locked down bootloader, so it makes sense for a developer edition to come out on both of these companies. While developers over at XDA have already dismantled and un-locked the bootloader in both of these respective devices, it is still nice to see Verizon and AT&T releasing an unlocked version for those who wish to purchase one.
Lets not get confused with the Google Edition of the S4 that’s due out to be released next month, these two developer phones are still running TouchWiz and not stock Android. The only difference is that the bootloader is unlocked compared to the regular versions of it that Verizon and AT&T currently sell.
Anyone on AT&T or Verizon nabbing this?
source: Samsung
Remember during Google IO when an HTC employee hinted at a “stock Google experience” HTC One in response to Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Google Edition? Well, that seems to be inching closer and closer towards the truth as even more “tipsters” have confirmed such a device is indeed coming. Now before you write this out as just another rumor, keep in mind where this rumor comes from. Russel Holly from Geek.com first outed the Google Edition of the S4 the night before it was announced, and now he claims the same sources that gave him that information are now providing the same in regards to a “Sense-less” HTC One.
No actual date has been given, but he did say that one of the sources said the device should be announced in the next two weeks or so with a summer release. Of course, this is still a non-factual rumor so take it for what it is. The Sense software helps make the HTC One as great as it is in my opinion, thus I’m not sure if having a stock Android HTC One device would make it any better. Either way, having it out there as a choice is certainly a great thing and something plenty of people will be excited for.
What do you guys think of a Google Edition HTC One?
source: Geek
