Amazon’s Alphabet Projects, including 3D smartphone screen, could be sign of major hardware push

by Jeff Causey on
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Sources in a WSJ article indicate Amazon has several hardware projects in the works that are collectively referred to as the Alphabet Projects. Perhaps most intriguing among them is a smartphone that reportedly will have a screen that can produce 3D images without the use of special glasses. Combined with complex eye-tracking software, the phone’s screen will produce the 3D images at almost any angle, producing a holographic image effect with items seeming to float above the screen. Another benefit of the technology will be the ability for users to navigate content on their phone using just their eyes. The high-end phone is just one of several devices that may signal a new strategy for Amazon in getting content into the hands of consumers. » Read the rest

Google TV gets free access to Hulu, ABC, NBC, CBS, and more via PlayOn for a limited time

by Aditya Thawardas on
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One annoyance of Google TV has always been the lack of video streaming apps for the platform. PlayOn has arrived for Google TV to help, allowing users to stream Hulu, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, and more than 50 other channels to the set-top box.

For a long time PlayOn has offered a way to stream content from your computer to devices that didn’t support it, including Netflix before it was officially available for Android. PlayOn streams video content though a home network, so a server application needs to be installed on your PC in addition to the PlayOn app on the device being streamed to.

Normally, PlayOn costs $25 per year or $50 for a lifetime license, but for a limited time, PlayOn is free for Google TV, so go and get it now. More information on PlayOn and the official press release can be found after the break. » Read the rest

BlueStacks jumps into gaming console market with GamePop device

by Jeff Causey on
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BlueStacks, which readers probably know mostly for their application that lets users run Android apps on their computers, announced some surprising news today. The company is jumping into the gaming console market with a new device dubbed the GamePop. The hardware itself, which consists of the console and a game controller, will be free to users who pre-order during May as part of a $6.99 per month subscription service. To help potential buyers feel comfortable that they are really getting something for their subscription fee, BlueStacks also announced deals for content with some of the top game developers like Blu Mobile, Halfbrick, and OutFit7. » Read the rest

TalkAndroid Weekly Recap for April 22 – April 28, 2013

by Robert Nazarian on
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We had another busy week at TalkAndroid so here’s a recap of all the top stories. We finally published our review of the HTC One and the Galaxy S 4 review is coming very soon. Meanwhile we published a slew of GS4 guides to help you with all those new features that Samsung introduced with their latest and greatest phone. We had tons of Google Glass news, and it appears Google might not introduce Key Lime Pie at Google I/O afterwall. Finally, we posted a couple of app reviews. It’s time to get caught up and get ready for another exciting week.

Contests

Contest: Win 1 of 10 tickets to Lookout’s Annual Kickoff party at Google I/O

Guides

How to set up and use HTC TV and the IR blaster on the HTC One

Samsung Galaxy S 4 initial setup and changes to TouchWiz

How to set up and use Air View and Air Gestures on the Samsung Galaxy S 4

How to set up and use Smart Pause and Smart Scroll on the Samsung Galaxy S 4

For the beginner: How to set the Galaxy S 4 to Easy Mode

Samsung Galaxy 4 camera overview and how to use the Dual Camera function

How to take a Drama Shot and Erase unwanted objects with the Samsung Galaxy S 4 camera

How to make Animated GIFs and add sound to pictures on the Galaxy S 4

How to set up and use WatchON along with the IR blaster on the Samsung Galaxy S 4

How to create and share a Story Album on the Galaxy S 4

Reviews

HTC One review: The best phone on the planet, but is it good enough?

Blood Runner [Arcade & Action]

» Read the rest

TalkAndroid Daily Dose for April 22, 2013

by Robert Nazarian on
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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!!

Guides

How to set up and use HTC TV and the IR blaster on the HTC One

Reviews

HTC One review: The best phone on the planet, but is it good enough?

Apps

Runtastic Mountain Bike and Road Bike now available in Play Store

Netflix to offer $11.99 per month subscription supporting up to four simultaneous video streams

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Netflix to offer $11.99 per month subscription supporting up to four simultaneous video streams

by Jared Peters on
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If you’ve ever run into Netflix’s cap of two simultaneous video streams on your account and wished you could increase that cap, Netflix has an answer. Today the company announced that there will be a new pricing tier to allow a single account to deliver video to four separate devices simultaneously, up from the current cap of two. The pricing is just a tad higher than their current plan at $11.99 per month. You won’t be forced to move to that tier, and Netflix expects only about 1% of their subscribers to use the new tier, but having options is always nice.

Personally, I’ve never hit the current streaming cap, even sharing an account with family members. I can see how it might be an issue for larger families who rely on internet streaming exclusively for entertainment, though. What are your thoughts? Are any of you going to move up to the new subscription price?

source: Netflix

Amazon Prime Content Comes to Google TV’s PrimeTime

by Jack Holt on
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If you’re a user of Amazon Prime and own a Google TV then you’ll be excited for this next tidbit. Amazon Prime content is now viewable on Google TV’s PrimeTime TV guide. This new feature comes on top of other bug fixes. The other feature that it has now is a subscription selector that makes it easier to customize your subscriptions. Netflix, HBOGO and Amazon Prime will show up as “free” if you’re subscribe to those services. So if you have a Google TV, Amazon Prime and use PrimeTime you’ll be able to access your content easier. Happy viewing!

 

source: Google Play Store

Netflix Rival Redbox Instant Launches In The US

by Mike Stenger on
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Redbox, in partnership with Verizon, has been gearing up its Instant service and finally launched today in the US. For $8 per month, customers can get unlimited movie streaming and four one-night DVD rentals every month. Redbox and Verizon announced a joint venture to launch Instant back in February of 2012. Users will be able to stream content via iOS, Android, Xbox 360, Samsung connected TVs or Blu-ray players, and Mac or PC. Redbox Instant does have some catching up to do in terms of streaming titles. Major competitor Netflix currently has around 14,000 streamable titles available in the US while Redbox Instant only has around 4,600 titles. However, Instant’s four one-night DVD rentals included in the $8 monthly subscription, may be enough to attract people.

Source: Redbox Instant by Verizon

The 10 Android Tablet Apps You Shouldn’t Live Without

by Jack Holt on
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I have had my fair share of tablets over the years in both the 7-inch and 10-inch varieties. With each tablet purchase, I discovered that I had a growing list apps of that I couldn’t live without. Over the years that number has increased, and while I could go through each app and its purpose, I narrowed the list down to the ten apps I use almost daily. At the touch of a fingertip they provide access to my friends, social networks, work, and news. Hit the break to see what they are.

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Mobiroo aims to bring all-you-can-eat paid apps for a minimal cost to Android users

by Roy Alugbue on
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Have you ever wanted to get in on that certain paid app, but didn’t quite want the feeling of you know… having to deal with paying for the app. This is especially the case when many of the paid apps out there can quickly wear off in novelty and users out there are pretty much stuck with what they paid for. Well Canadian start-up Mobiroo has the solution for you: a paid subscription for all-you-can-download apps. Taking a page out of other subscription services like Gamefly or Netflix, users pay a mere $2.49 monthly in order to access and download a variety of paid apps out there, thanks to some savvy agreements and licensing deals between Mobiroo and various developers out there. Oh and best of all— there’s no time commitment for the service, so users are free to cancel at anytime without penalty.

Naturally the list of titles associated with the service is fairly limited for now, but you can expect the list of paid titles to grow as the service gets more and more popular. If you’re interested, hit past the break to get more deets about the services. You’ll certainly be glad you did.

» Read the rest