| Google makes the Nexus 7 tablet official: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and a $199 price Jun 27th 2012, 17:19  Some of the mystery has been taken out of it, but Google has officially taken the wraps off of the Nexus 7, its first reference-grade tablet. The 7-inch slate is the first and currently only device shipping with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and takes advantage of its optimization for smaller tablet screens. Like was widely suspected, the tablet is built by ASUS (shades of Eee Pad MeMO ME370T, anyone?) and mostly draws our attention in terms of what we get for the money: that quad-core Tegra 3, 1.2-megapixel front camera and 1280 x 800, IPS-based LCD are traits we'd normally look for in a pricier tablet. How much pricier, you ask? Google is asking just $199 for a dainty 8GB model and $249 for a 16GB version -- that's a lot of speed for the money. We'll test the Nexus 7 as soon as we can. Google makes the Nexus 7 tablet official: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and a $199 price originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Google Play (8GB), (16GB) | Email this | Comments | | Google: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean coming to Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Motorola Xoom mid-July Jun 27th 2012, 17:08  As is the norm for developer summits, Google's kicking off I/O with a keynote highlighting whatever the heck it wants to. Jelly Bean is, of course, one of the big topics of discussion at today's session, and we're hearing more news come down the pipeline straight from the horse's mouth. Jelly Bean, also known as Android 4.1, should be making its way to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Motorola Xoom in mid-July as an OTA update, and the SDK will be available today as part of a developer preview. Keep up with the latest Google news by checking out our I/O keynote liveblog! Google: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean coming to Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Motorola Xoom mid-July originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Google now revamps search integration in Android 4.1 Jellybean Jun 27th 2012, 16:59  Google just officially unveiled its next iteration for Android -- Jelly Bean 4.1 -- and now we're getting to see the various "buttery" improvements the company's worked into the OS. Hugo Barra, Director of Product Management, took to the I/O 2012 stage to detail the refinements introduced to its search integration. The entire expereince has been redeisgned from the ground-up with a fresher UI and a "faster, more natural" voice search ability. That refreshed interface borrows from the recently outed Knowledge Graph, displaying queries for weather, Wikipedia and restaurants in graphical card format. That same layout extends to voice search, now spoken by a much more human-sounding voice. You can also dismiss the cards with a simple swipe, exposing the full list of search results beneath. But that's not the whole story, the company's also introducing Google now -- a new form of search that ties your browsing and navigation histories together to anticipate your needs. In the demo, Barra showcased how the new system could help to calculate a user's commute, replete with alternate route suggestions and even scheduling info. Developing... Google now revamps search integration in Android 4.1 Jellybean originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Google details Jelly Bean NFC features: Android Beam upgrade, tap-to-pair speakers Jun 27th 2012, 16:57  During today's Google I/O keynote, Director of Product Management Hugo Barra detailed Jelly Bean's NFC updates, including Android Beam enhancements and a new tap-to-air feature for Bluetooth speakers. While the company confirmed that there are more than one million Android devices coming online each day, NFC-equipped devices total that same figure in a week. With Android 4.1, those gadgets will be able to transmit photos by tapping (similar to what we've seen with S Beam on the Galaxy S III) with an updated version of Android Beam, and pairing your smartphone with a set of Bluetooth speakers will require a simple bump, assuming the speakers are NFC-equipped as well. There are plenty of more Jelly Bean features to unveil, so that's all we're seeing of NFC for now, but stay tuned for more in our hands-on. Google details Jelly Bean NFC features: Android Beam upgrade, tap-to-pair speakers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Project Butter improves Android 4.1's speed to a silky-smooth 60FPS Jun 27th 2012, 16:48  As part of its unveiling of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Google has unveiled Project Butter, a major effort to squash Android's frequent problems with device lag, as well as Systrace to help diagnose performance. Project Butter lets the CPU and graphics run in parallel, rather than crash into each other, and has a big impact on both real and perceived speed: the entire interface runs at 60 frames per second on sufficiently fast hardware. Graphics are now triple-buffered to keep scrolling and transitions humming along, and the processor will swing into full gear the moment you touch the screen to keep input lag to a minimum. Systrace, in the meantime, will help developers stamp out what performance hiccups remain. The tracing tool will be a part of the Jelly Bean SDK, so every coder can get an app running in tip-top shape. Project Butter improves Android 4.1's speed to a silky-smooth 60FPS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Jelly Bean, Android 4.1 revealed by Google, rolling out in mid July Jun 27th 2012, 16:41  It's seems like only yesterday we were all crowded around our laptops, watching a live stream and getting amped for Ice Cream Sandwich. Truth is, that was six months ago now and, while most of the Android running public still hasn't been blessed with 4.0, it's already time to make the leap to 4.1. Today Google officially took the wraps off Jelly Bean, the next evolution of its mobile platform and while its not quite the revolutionary shift that was Gingerbread to ICS, it still marks an important improvement for the ecosystem. One of the biggest features is Project Butter, a deep diving effort to improve performance and response time. The whole system hums along at 60fps now, and while the difference of a few miliseconds might sound like small potatoes, it becomes glaringly apparently the moment you run Jelly Bean next to an ICS device. Animations are smoother and quicker. The CPU immediately ramps up the moment a touch is detected to ensure speedy response. The home screen has also been tweaked, adding some nice features like dynamically resizing widgets, so you no longer have to place it, resize it then move it to where you want if there isn't enough room. If there is room, but you app icons are merely in the way, the widget will automatically push them to the side. And, in a nice slick touch, apps and widgets can be removed by flicking them off the screen. Another extremely welcome touch is the addition of offline voice input. Now you can tap the microphone and dictate a message even with the phone in airplane mode. The camera app, which was already a highlight of ICS, has gotten even better in 4.1. Now, the gallery is slickly integrated, allowing you to quickly pull up the photo you just took with a swipe to the left. You can keep swiping through your images or even pinch to zoom out and view all your images in a filmstrip view. Deleting images is as simple as swiping a pic off the screen and, if you've manage to accidentally removed one, a quick tap of the undo button restores it. And, speaking of images, you can now share them and video using Google Beam, and Android now supports pairing with Bluetooth devices with the assistance of NFC. Continue reading Jelly Bean, Android 4.1 revealed by Google, rolling out in mid July Jelly Bean, Android 4.1 revealed by Google, rolling out in mid July originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Android 4.1 | Email this | Comments | | Google cuts the price of the Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ to $349, adds Jelly Bean Jun 27th 2012, 16:36  Jeez Louise, Google's 2012 I/O opening keynote has barely begun and much of the news has already leaked out on the company's own Play Store. Add this to the list: Google is dropping the price of the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus to $349 from $399, and is updating its flagship phone with the next, soon-to-be-unveiled version of Android, Jelly Bean. That screenshot up there should answer some of your most likely questions, but here's the short version: it'll be compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile in the US, and roughly 200 other GSM carriers everywhere else in the world (no surprise here). As for the software, well, we have enough early intel about Jelly Bean to know that's Android 4.1 running on a seven-month-old handset. As for what that jump from 4.0 to 4.1 entails, you can expect quite a few stories from us, but this official announcement should be as good a place as any to start. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Google cuts the price of the Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ to $349, adds Jelly Bean originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | T-Mobile US CEO Philipp Humm resigns, Jim Alling takes over as interim CEO Jun 27th 2012, 16:20  Philipp Humm, the CEO of T-Mobile US, has resigned, according to a report from All Things D. While no official reason has been given, an official statement given to the publication tells us that Humm is heading back to Europe to be with his family and will look for a career outside of Deutsche Telekom. We're still waiting to receive the full statement from T-Mobile, and will update this post as we get more information. Update: We just received the official press release, which you can peruse below. Jim Alling, COO of T-Mobile US, will be the new interim CEO while a search for Humm's replacement is underway. Continue reading T-Mobile US CEO Philipp Humm resigns, Jim Alling takes over as interim CEO T-Mobile US CEO Philipp Humm resigns, Jim Alling takes over as interim CEO originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | All Things D, T-Mobile | Email this | Comments | | Sprint's 4G LTE coming to five markets July 15th Jun 27th 2012, 16:20  Already got the Sprint LTE-enabled handset, but still waiting for the network to kick in? Good news if you happen to live in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City or San Antonio -- Sprint today announced that its 4G LTE will be hitting those markets come July 15th. Sprint, naturally, thinks the new network is "the best choice in wireless," when packaged with its oft-discussed unlimited data plan, and has already anticipated its launch with a handful of LTE-capable handsets, including the LG Viper 4G LTE, Samsung Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Nexus, to name a few. For more info, check out the full press release after the break. Continue reading Sprint's 4G LTE coming to five markets July 15th Sprint's 4G LTE coming to five markets July 15th originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Google leaks Nexus Q video and images ahead of I/O keynote Jun 27th 2012, 16:05  Speaking of Google-related leaks, we've got another one for you. After a bit of digging, we were able to hunt down some images of the rumored Nexus Q, and it now seems inevitable that we'll be getting some up close and personal time with this particular device after today's keynote session. According to some documents found by Droid-Life, the Nexus Q will have some interaction with YouTube, Google Play Movies, Play Music and TV, and will require the use of a phone or tablet running Gingerbread or higher. Update: it looks like the official product page on the Google Play Store has been updated. So here's the details: the Nexus Q lets you stream music and movies from Google Play and YouTube to your home entertainment system. It offers a 25W amp, enabling you to power it to a set of speakers, or you can hook it up to an AV receiver or HDTV. According to the product page, the Nexus Q will be available for $300. So far it appears to be a US-only product, so we'll have to wait and see if more is revealed at the I/O keynote session. Check out the video after the break! Continue reading Google leaks Nexus Q video and images ahead of I/O keynote Google leaks Nexus Q video and images ahead of I/O keynote originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google Play Store | Email this | Comments | | Miselu Neiro synth at Google I/O: exclusive first look at apps from Korg and Yamaha (video) Jun 27th 2012, 16:00  Remember Miselu's Neiro -- that prototype app-based Android-powered synth we last played with at SXSW? Not only is it being showcased at Google I/O 2012 here in San Francisco, but we got an exclusive first look at some of the apps being developed for the new platform ahead of the event. The company's been on a roll since our meeting in Austin, gaining (ex-OQO CEO) Jory Bell as CTO and building relationships with partners like Korg and Yamaha. Now on its second iteration, the laptop-like synth has evolved from the hand-built prototype we saw at SXSW to a more polished reference design -- complete with breakout board for SD card and Ethernet support. As before, the device runs Gingerbread on a dual-core TI OMAP processor and features a two octave velocity and pressure-sensitive keyboard, a capacitive multitouch widescreen, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, audio and MIDI I/O, plus USB and HDMI ports. This version even adds XLR and quarter-inch audio jacks -- just keep in mind that those specs have not been finalized. What's really exciting about the synth is the apps. The company's ongoing partnership with Retronyms to create a suite of touch-controlled, cloud-enabled musical apps has evolved beyond the drum-machine demo we covered at SXSW. Called nStudio, the suite now also includes a pad-based sampler / sequencer and a mixer. Plasma Sound is a touch-based musical instrument that's part theremin, part keyboard / sequencer. It's already available for other devices on Google Play, but was easily tweaked to run on the Neiro -- sight unseen -- thanks to Miselu's musicSDK and OS X-based emulator. Miselu will be showcasing two more apps on its synth here at Google I/O: Korg's Polysix and Yamaha's Vocaloid. The Polysix app fainthfully recreates Korg's legendary 1981 synth -- known for its rich, thick analog sound. A real, mint-condition Polysix was even available for comparison during our brief time with the app (see our gallery). Vocaloid takes full advantage of the NSX-1 DSP chip that's built-into the Neiro. It's a singing synth app produced by Yamaha that "uses concatenative synthesis to splice and process vocal fragments extracted from human voice samples." We'll be spending some time with the Vocaloid app and its creator -- video game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi (of Sega and Lumines fame) -- later today. In the meantime, check out the gallery below and watch our hands-on video with the other apps after the break. Continue reading Miselu Neiro synth at Google I/O: exclusive first look at apps from Korg and Yamaha (video) Miselu Neiro synth at Google I/O: exclusive first look at apps from Korg and Yamaha (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Miselu (1), (2), (3) | Email this | Comments | | Google's Nexus 7 tablet outed before I/O 2012 (update: now with specs, price) Jun 27th 2012, 15:54  Well, it looks like the rumors are true. This morning, just ahead of 2012's Google I/O initial keynote, Android Police dug up what looks to be an official press shot of Mountain View's unannounced 7-inch tablet, aptly named the Nexus 7. As opposed to our previous sneak peek, this shot shows what is most assuredly the home screen for Jelly Bean, and comes directly from Google's servers. Glad we got that settled. Now we just need to know about the actual hardware inside -- good thing we've only gotta wait another hour or so to find out. Update: Hoo, boy! The hits keep comin.' The good golks at Modaco managed to grab screenshots for the sale page of the Nexus 7, replete with screenshots and specs. Turns out, the tablet has a 1280x800 IPS display coated in "scratch-resistant Corning glass," which we presume is of the Gorilla variety, plus a front-facing, 1.2-megapixel camera. Within its 198.5 x 120 x 10.45mm case lies either 8 ($199) or 16GB ($249) of storage, plus 1GB of RAM, and NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 SoC. Connectivity comes courtesy of GPS, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Micro USB, plus it's got NFC for all your Android Beaming needs. Rounding things out is a 4325mAh battery and the usual spate of sensors: accelerometer, magnetometer, and a gyroscope. Want more? A video all about Jelly Bean and the new hardware running it awaits after the break, or you can hop on over to the source to order one for yourself. Continue reading Google's Nexus 7 tablet outed before I/O 2012 (update: now with specs, price) Google's Nexus 7 tablet outed before I/O 2012 (update: now with specs, price) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 11:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Modaco, Android Police | Google Play (1) | Email this | Comments | | Boost Mobile takes BlackBerry Curve 9310 to the US, spices it up with $30 unlimited BBM, voice and text plan Jun 27th 2012, 15:46  RIM gave the impression when it unveiled the BlackBerry Curve 9320 and 9220 that its lowest-cost Curves were doubtful prospects for the US. Thankfully, that's been proven wrong by Boost Mobile, which just launched the 9320's CDMA cousin, the Curve 9310. The message-manic BlackBerry comes to Sprint's prepaid network with its BBM key intact as well as BlackBerry 7.1, a 3.2-megapixel camera and that all-important low price: at $100 contract-free, it's one of the cheapest ways to leap into smartphones in the US. To top it off, Boost is throwing in a very tantalizing BBM Unlimited plan. The deal offers unlimited calling, text messaging and (naturally) BBM; although it starts at $45 per month, it gradually dips down to a very reasonable $30 per month if owners pay their bills properly for six months. Both the Curve 9310 and its companion plan will be available July 10th, giving us time to find the needed spare change under our couch cushions. Boost Mobile takes BlackBerry Curve 9310 to the US, spices it up with $30 unlimited BBM, voice and text plan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 11:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Boost Mobile | Email this | Comments | | Sirius XM details GoogleTV app ahead of the I/O party Jun 27th 2012, 15:28  The fine folks at Sirius XM just couldn't wait for Google I/O to kick off. Yesterday the satellite radio giant tipped off Reuters (not that it was the only one "spilling the beans," mind you), and today it's offering up even more information on its upcoming Google TV offering. The app, still slated for a broad 2012 release, will be available as a free download for US subscribers via the Google Play store. The list of features includes Start Now, which lets users listen to programming from up to five hours prior, pausing / fast forwarding / rewinding and Tune Start, which brings up the beginning of an already played song. Also on-board is the Show Finder, a program guide that lets subscribers set show alerts. The company will be demoing the product later this evening at I/O. In the meantime, check out the press release after the break. Continue reading Sirius XM details GoogleTV app ahead of the I/O party Sirius XM details GoogleTV app ahead of the I/O party originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 11:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | |
