Friday
Chrome for Android gets adventurous with WebGL, SPDY
Google has released a new beta of its Chrome browser for Android that gives people the option to try new features such as WebGL's 3D graphics and SPDY's faster page loading.
The update, the third since the inaugural version of the Chrome beta for Android, shows not only more of the browser team's ambition but also a faster pace of change.
The unbranded stock browser that shipped with Android for years moved comparatively glacially, but in particular with the new Chrome beta releases for Android, Google is pushing for a broader feature set. And the code base … Read more .. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57565820-94/chrome-for-android-gets-adventurous-with-webgl-spdy/
Five things to know as you get started with Vine
Get the lowdown on Vine with this hands-on video and five must-know tips for getting started with Twitter's new video app.
As a social network built on keeping things short and sweet, it's no surprised that Twitter released today a secondary app that lets users (Twitter and otherwise) shoot and upload six-second videos. Of course, no later than a few hours after its launch, Vine was already being called the "Instagram for video," as users began sharing short clips of kids, stop-motion drawings, food, and, of course, puppies. Currently, Vine is only available for iOS, but Twitter assures users that its app will be coming to other platforms "soon." The app is pretty simple to use (and get addicted to), but before you dive in, watch the getting started video above to get the lowdown on how Vine works, and read these must-know tips as you get started with the new app. 1. Your videos are public. No matter what. Let's get privacy out of the way first by saying: there really isn't any. Unlike Instagram, or even Twitter, which allow you to set your profile to "private," Vine doesn't offer a way to shut out users.
Anything you post on Vine is public, and can be shared by you (and others, should they grab the link to a Vine you tweeted or shared on Facebook.)
NBC News asked Twitter about this very issue, and, after being pointed to a help article on the Vine Web site, NBC was told that the company would be adding more ways to control who views your content in a future release.
2. Use tags to take advantage of the Explore section.
Head to the Explore section in the Vine app, and you'll see that (like Twitter and Instagram) discovery and curation are built around tags.
Select a hashtag from the tiled collection, and you'll see a feed of videos whose authors included that tag. Likewise, if you search for a tag at the top of the Explore screen, videos related to that tag appear, too.
But don't be limited to the tags Vine included in its explore section -- you can search for, and tag your videos with, whatever you want. So as you upload videos, include relevant tags so that your videos are more easily discovered. (Just don't go crazy -- there's little worse than a 20 lines of tags.)
3. Get creative with cutting and sequence.
Unlike traditional home videos, like the ones you might shoot on your smartphone, Vine videos don't necessarily need to be shot starting with "point A" and ending at "point B."
The app lets you pause the video and reposition your camera at any time, so it's easy to get creative with Vine. There are many examples, but a whole slew of stop-motion video and interesting montages have already shown up in the app. Here's just one example:
4. Vine will likely see major improvements.
Right now, the feed you see in the home screen is a little sad. Although you can like, comment, and pause videos (just tap!), there isn't much functionality beyond that.
As Vine expands, we should see improvements, like the ability to share videos from the feed, and even tag friends in comments or posts. Another key improvement will likely be the option to remove comments, a la Instagram.
5. "Vining?" "Upload a Vine?" "Vineyard?" We're not sure just yet.
As the app made it to the iPhones of the CNET newsroom, conversation quickly turned to questions about Vine's nomenclature.
Are videos "Vines?" Or, do you upload a Vine video? (We ended up settling on the latter.)
As you browse Vine, is the home feed a "Vineyeard?" Will we soon tell our friends, "You should vine that!"?
Only time will tell, but for now, all that can be said is that the hype around Vine's launch is plentiful, and for those of us who are into sharing moments of our everyday life, that's pretty Vinetastic.
As a social network built on keeping things short and sweet, it's no surprised that Twitter released today a secondary app that lets users (Twitter and otherwise) shoot and upload six-second videos. Of course, no later than a few hours after its launch, Vine was already being called the "Instagram for video," as users began sharing short clips of kids, stop-motion drawings, food, and, of course, puppies. Currently, Vine is only available for iOS, but Twitter assures users that its app will be coming to other platforms "soon." The app is pretty simple to use (and get addicted to), but before you dive in, watch the getting started video above to get the lowdown on how Vine works, and read these must-know tips as you get started with the new app. 1. Your videos are public. No matter what. Let's get privacy out of the way first by saying: there really isn't any. Unlike Instagram, or even Twitter, which allow you to set your profile to "private," Vine doesn't offer a way to shut out users.
Thursday
ITC decides to review Apple complaint against Samsung
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) decided yesterday to review a ruling made by an administrative law judge in the ongoing patent-infringement saga between Apple and Samsung.
Judge Thomas Pender in October ruled that Samsung had violated one of Apple's iPhone design patents, as well as three software feature patents, in some of its mobile products. Two other patents brought before the judge by Apple were found to have not been violated by Samsung.
Best cell phones - These 5 best smartphones may surprise you ..
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Google asks FCC for wireless spectrum, but don't get too excited
Google has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission for permission to apparently conduct testing on, well, something. But it's not a new wireless service that some have hoped it would be, CNET has exclusively learned.
Steven Crowley, a wireless engineer, discovered the application, which was filed by Google last week. The application asks for permission to test frequencies across the 2524 to 2546 MHz range and 2567 to 2625 MHz range. According to Crowley, those ranges are reserved for Educational Broadband Service and Broadband Radio Service. But here's the catch: Clearwire, a company that Google had owned a slice in until last year, uses the ranges for its mobile broadband service.
Predictably, that has prompted speculation over whether Google is testing its own wireless network. The company currently offers free Wi-Fi service in the Chelsea neighborhood in New York City and has been dipping its toe in the service waters with Google Fiber in Kansas City.
Google, however, has not provided any details on its plans in the FCC petition. The report is heavily redacted and includes only one exhibit outlining where it will place base stations to test the service in its Mountain View headquarters.
Given the relative inability of concrete information, some circumstantial evidence is being drawn to guess at Google's plans. The filing, for example, was authorized by Google Vice President of Access Services Milo Medin. The Access Services unit handles the Google Fiber and wireless initiatives.
However, the spectrum range in question currently does not work natively with any popular consumer devices, due to past regulations put in place by the FCC and due to Clearwire's own handling of the spectrum. In addition, a source with knowledge of Google's plans, has told CNET that the testing is just that. The source added that the search giant has no plans, at this time, to deliver a consumer-facing service with the spectrum.
So, what is Google up to with this testing? At this point, according to the source, it's nothing that consumers will end up using and falls in line with Access Services' charge of regularly testing wireless technologies.
Wednesday
BlackBerry Enterprise Service updated for BB 10 smartphones
The software lets businesses manage a fleet of BlackBerry 10, iOS or Android devices in anticipation of the launch of the first BlackBerry 10 handsets at month's end.
Research In Motion has released a new version of its mobile device management software, BlackBerry Enterprise Service.
The software, available to download from today, is designed to manage devices running BlackBerry 10, as well as rival devices running iOS or Android operating systems. The release will also play a key role in the potential success of RIM's forthcoming BlackBerry 10 handsets. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 "supports our existing line of devices, BlackBerry PlayBook tablets and soon to be released BlackBerry 10 smartphones," Pete Devenyi, senior vice president of enterprise software at RIM, told ZDNet.
In addition to bringing device and application management capabilities for the BlackBerry 10 handsets, the release of BES 10 also marks the retirement of RIM's standalone mobile device management product and brand, Mobile Fusion. In future, Mobile Fusion functionality will be a part of BlackBerry Enterprise Service, available to BES customers.
Read more of "RIM lets BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 out of the gate early, ready for BlackBerry 10 phones" on ZDNet.
Samsung Ativ Odyssey travelling to Verizon tomorrow
Samsung's Windows Phone 8 smartphone hits Verizon Jan. 24 for $50.
The Samsung Ativ Odyssey, first announced last Fall at Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 launch event, will hit Verizon stores January 24. The decidedly mid-range handset will also cost a very affordable $49.99 after $50 mail-in rebate and two year service contract.
We were able to spend some hands-on time with the Samsung Ativ Odyssey at CES this month. Essentially the 4-inch screened device runs a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, sports a 5MP rear camera, and 1.2MP front imaging system.
The Ativ Odyssey also boasts a connection to Verizon's 4G LTE data network, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage. There's a micro SD Card slot too which supports up to 64GB of extra memory expansion. Powering the whole setup is a beefy 2,100 mAh removable battery.
-via cnet.com Brian Bennett
Wednesday
Friday
Android challenges the iPhone in every category | Apple - CNET News
via http://www.cnet.com/profile/PeterYared/
For the past month, I have been using an HTC Droid DNA, which has similar specs to the rumored upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4. People approach me at grocery stores, airports, coffee shops, even on the street and ask me about the phone. The device is indeed quite compelling, even from a distance.
What phone would I recommend for my mom? An iPhone. It's safe, predictable, and uniform. What would I recommend for anyone under 40? Definitely one of the new breeds of Android phones. Android might still be a bit quirkier than an iPhone, but it's definitely not confusing for people who interact daily with a variety of advanced technology. Samsung really nailed it in its commercial where a young woman is waiting in line for a new iPhone and it turns out she is holding the spot for her parents.
The new breed of Android devices exceed the iPhone 5 in every category -- hardware, operating system, and apps.
The spec is alive and well -- and killing Apple
Hardware from Samsung, HTC, LG, and others has now caught up and eclipsed Apple's devices. Smartphones don't really have that many specs to evaluate, and each of the specs actually means something tangible to an average consumer. After five years of advanced smartphones, specs like screen size, screen density, screen brightness, camera speed, camera megapixels, physical dimensions, physical weight, amount of memory, and battery life are easily understandable and relevant to even the average smartphone consumer. Even specs like the number of processor cores and speed that are typically not easy to understand are easily understood when framed as "faster than the iPhone 5."
Hardware from Samsung, HTC, LG, and others has now caught up and eclipsed Apple's devices. Smartphones don't really have that many specs to evaluate, and each of the specs actually means something tangible to an average consumer. After five years of advanced smartphones, specs like screen size, screen density, screen brightness, camera speed, camera megapixels, physical dimensions, physical weight, amount of memory, and battery life are easily understandable and relevant to even the average smartphone consumer. Even specs like the number of processor cores and speed that are typically not easy to understand are easily understood when framed as "faster than the iPhone 5."
Conversely, the spec is definitely irrelevant when purchasing Apple products. There are so few products to choose from that decision making is essentially boiled down to a Goldilocks-style small/medium/large decision mainly driven by cost rather than actual features. While this is great for my mom and MG Siegler, the lack of spec-based decision making is not necessarily a good thing in a world where consumers actually understand each of the specs and would like to choose how to balance them out relative to cost. Apple has been a follower on many specs, particularly in terms of form factors, trailing the market in both 4-inch phones and 7-inch tablets.
iPhones are definitely gorgeous devices, but they are relatively uniform and monotone. Aluminum is definitely great. I was surprised by how many women commented on the red accents on the HTC DNA, which are part of the DNA's crossbranding with Beats Audio. People like colors and variety, and they don't necessarily like having to completely cover a phone's shell and make it bulkier in order to express themselves.
Let's not forget that all of those Samsung Galaxy phones you see cost the same as an iPhone -- their owners are not bargain shoppers; they are spec and style shoppers.
The screen should actually show you something!
As mobile app developer Ralf Nottman recently noted, the new generation of Android 4 Jelly Bean is a fundamentally better operating system than iOS -- better rendering, better cross-app sharing, better app/OS integration, and more polished.
As mobile app developer Ralf Nottman recently noted, the new generation of Android 4 Jelly Bean is a fundamentally better operating system than iOS -- better rendering, better cross-app sharing, better app/OS integration, and more polished.
But the real standout for Android is the customizability of the display. Rather than iOS static icons with embedded notifications, with Android, apps are front and center, displaying the time in different time zones, the weather, appointments, emails, texts, whatever you want in numerous themes that can completely reinvent the user interface.
Windows Phone 8, the dark horse in this race, is actually even more integrated, with a unified messaging interface that consolidates emails, texts, and Facebook messages into a single thread, and a consistent tile interface with which apps can display information on the home screens.
The operating system is not as important as the apps, and this is where Android is beginning to shine.
The cloud behind the app is more important than the app
In a world where the hardware and operating system have become commoditized, the apps are the differentiator, and more and more, the apps are a viewport into a cloud service driven by machine learning.
In a world where the hardware and operating system have become commoditized, the apps are the differentiator, and more and more, the apps are a viewport into a cloud service driven by machine learning.
The vast majority of Internet users rely on Google Search, Maps, YouTube, Mail, and such, and spend more time in those apps than in the mobile operating system itself. As people are beginning to note, Google's apps are way better than Apple's. What good is Siri if it thinks "Hurricane Sandy" is a hockey team, when Google knows what's actually going on? Google Now is adding ambient awareness to Android devices, letting people know what's going on around them and what they need to do in a very personal way, with features like a notice that you need to leave for your next meeting because there is now traffic en route.
Perhaps, as is rumored off and on, Apple will start snapping up cloud services such as Waze.However, it is hard to buy and integrate a new type of product category into a large company that doesn't have it in its DNA. Competing with Google, an entrenched, dominant player in machine intelligence that recently added Ray Kurzweil to its roster is going to be a challenging affair. Microsoft actually had a better track record of delivering large-scale cloud services, such as mail, mapping, and storage, than Apple.
Beyond Google's apps, the reality of the app market is that all of the applications that matter are now on Android, and it actually will soon have more apps than iOS. Dan Lyons of ReadWrite is lambasting the Silicon Valley tech press for living in an iPhone echo chamber, and he does have a point. Pundits are lauding Google Maps features on their iPhones that have been available on Android devices for literally years. Bloggers breathlessly reveal new Facebook iPhone app features such as "Find Friends Nearby" that had been available for over a month on Android.
The feedback loop of the echo chamber is that developers initially develop apps on iOS, much like the recently popular Cinemagram. However, developers like Nottman like cool devices, and are starting to shift over to Android. In addition, developers are feeling limited by iOS user interface patterns and its skeuomorphic apps and are branching out. Like the Mac OS of the early '90s, the consistent UI across applications will likely splinter.
The numbers speak for themselves. Android has a 75 percent smartphone worldwide market share, as evidenced by the hordes of Samsung devices in use throughout Europe and Asia. While Apple is regaining market share in the U.S. with the iPhone 5, it is about to face an onslaught of 5-inch Android phones with specs that far exceed the iPhone 5's. Wall Street clearly sees a shift coming, and has hammered Apple's stock price over the past quarter.
The average consumer has moved past the days of pious, scruffy haired, unshaven, thick glasses-wearing dudes lecturing us on how Apple is so cool. Perhaps soon Silicon Valley will catch up. When you see someone in a cafe with a MacBook Air, iPad, and iPhone on the table in front of them, is "Think Different" really what comes to mind?
Android challenges the iPhone in every category | Apple - CNET News
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