Google may launch Android controlled home entertainment system

This one actually could be far bigger news than it first would seem. The news has come out that Google may be looking to launch an Android controlled home entertainment system later this year. The interesting part of it is that the hardware is said to be Google branded. As yet, Google has never released branded hardware without a partner, like the HTC Nexus One, Samsung Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus, and Motorola XOOM.

The report by the Wall Street Journal says that Google is planning to design and market the home entertainment system, and there is no mention of any hardware partners. The idea behind the entertainment system is similar to the Android@Home project that Google showed off at last year's Google I/O. The home entertainment system has been developed by the Android team, and will run a variant of the mobile OS software. It will allow users to stream music from any device over a wireless network.

It is highly likely that such a system would see pretty tight integration with Google Music, Android and Google TV (which is itself a variant of Android). The real question is whether or not Google is really planning to build the hardware itself. Even the acquisition of Motorola Mobility wouldn't really help with this as the company has no history of building audio equipment bigger than headphones.

Google To Roll Out Home Entertainment System:

Google Wallet Lands On GSM Galaxy Nexus For AT&T

The Google Wallet application has been available for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G on Sprint, and now it would appear that the application is also available for the GSM Samsung Galaxy Nexus on AT&T. The guys from Droid Life discovered that the application is now available for the AT&T version of the Galaxy Nexus and have tested the application and it seems to be working on AT&T.

By now, most of you know the story behind Google Wallet and the fact that it has only been officially available to the Nexus S 4G on Sprint, something that irritates the hell out of all new Galaxy Nexus owners. The other 3 major carriers here in the U.S. (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) have their own NFC payment system in the works and would rather you not use a competing service while they finalize everything.

As far as Verizon goes, the LTE Galaxy Nexus is still not showing as supported. I’m in the middle of looking into something that has to do with it and will report back on my findings. For now though, feel free to ask Big Red on Twitter why AT&T has given the thumbs up, yet they still won’t. Wallet was updated for some users yesterday, but it’s almost impossible to tell if the note that reads “Small changes for device compatibility” was a part of it. If it is, then GSM users, jump on it.

Introducing Google Wallet:

Google’s Android Bouncer To Boost Security On Android Market

Google has announced a new feature for its Android Market which is designed to boost security and cut down on malware, the new feature is called Android Bouncer. According to Google, Android Bouncer will automatically scan the Android Market for malicious software on new applications, when a new application is uploaded to the Android Market, Google will run the app on their cloud infrastructure and check it for malware.

Today we’re revealing a service we’ve developed, codenamed Bouncer, which provides automated scanning of Android Market for potentially malicious software without disrupting the user experience of Android Market or requiring developers to go through an application approval process. As well as scanning individual applications, Google will also be checking developer accounts, so if someone is found of uploading an application with malware then Google will stop that developer from releasing new applications.

Google Suggests Android Developers Drop The Menu Button

Before Android 3.0 Honeycomb the Menu Button played and integral part of Google’s mobile operating system and was often used by developers to display options that were relevant to the user, often using the activity’s built-in options menu.

But as Ice Cream Sandwich rolls out to more devices Google has reached out to Android developers and asked them to start dropping the Menu Button in favour of the action bar. Stating that it’s important that developers migrate designs to the action bar in order to promote a consistent Android user experience.

Google explains:
“Even if your app is built to support versions of Android older than 3.0 (in which apps traditionally use the options menu panel to display user options/actions), when it runs on Android 3.0 and beyond, there’s no Menu button. The button that appears in the system/navigation bar represents the action overflow for legacy apps, which reveals actions and user options that have “overflowed off the screen.”

For more information on the announcement jump over to the Android Developers website, for help migrating the Menu Button in to the action bar ready for Android Ice Cream Sandwich devices.

Google Nexus S 4G

The Samsung Nexus S 4G offers a brilliant display, WiMax support, and agreeable performance. It gains a number of usability improvements from the Gingerbread OS, and its straight Google interface will appeal to Android purists. The Nexus S 4G has a 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with a unique curved front called the Contour Display. It is powered by a 1GHz Samsung processor and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It also includes a 5 megapixel rear camera with a VGA resolution (640x480 pixel) front camera. The remaining specs for the Nexus S 4G remain the same as the original Nexus S: 16GB internal storage and 512MB RAM, a 1500mAh battery, NFC support, Bluetooth 2.1, integrated GPS, and Wi-Fi with 802.11 b/g/n support. Check out our full review of the original Nexus S here. Sprint and Google are also announcing a unique partnership with Google Voice that the Nexus S 4G will take full advantage of. Sprint customers can use their current Sprint number as a Google Voice number without having to port it over, allowing them to ring multiple phones simultaneously and enjoy Google Voice voicemail and text messaging features. The Nexus S 4G will be available this spring at all Sprint retail outlets and online for $199.99 on a new two-year agreement. It requires a $10 per month data service charge in addition to the standard voice and data plan rates. Outside of the network changes and the integration of Google Voice, Sprint's Nexus S 4G is identical to the GSM Nexus S. You'll find the same design and internal features and (sadly) it also lacks a memory card slot and LED notifications. Of course, the added support for high-speed data gives the Nexus S 4G an advantage over its T-Mobile sibling, but the WiMax connection was shakier than we've seen on other Sprint devices.

Google calls all visionaries with panorama mode

The newest installment of Google's advertising campaign for the Galaxy Nexus (and really Ice Cream Sandwich) is showing off the best new feature in the camera app: panorama mode. The newest ad follows in the footsteps of the original "Calling all..." ad, as well as "Calling all social MCs", and "Calling all pretty faces" and "Calling all bohemians".

The new ad is "Calling all visionaries", which shows off the panorama mode from the Ice Cream Sandwich camera app. We'd say that this is the best new feature of the Android camera app, because the face morphing is nothing but a gimmick, and while instant pictures are cool, they don't always work that well and can actually lead to more shaky pictures. Still, it's a solid commercial.

Can we call it a commercial? We've never seen any of these ads on TV, so it may have to be classified as an Internet video ad rather than a commercial.

Google Puts Nexus S Android Ice Cream Sandwich Update On Hold

Just four short days after the Nexus S began getting an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a post from a Google employee on the company's official Mobile Help Forum mentions that the update has been halted in some areas. In response to users reporting that nothing happens on their Nexus S after getting notified of the OTA and trying to install it, Google's Paul Wilcox has said that the issue is probably the result of the update being paused in that area. Wilcox adds that the pause is meant to help Google monitor feedback on the update and that users running into the aforementioned problem will receive another notification once the update goes live again in that region. The full statement:

"If you received an update notification a little while ago but the update isn't currently available for your phone, this is likely the result of Google pausing the update in your area while we monitor feedback. The Android 4.0 update is continuing to roll out around the world so your phone will receive another update notification when it's available again in your region."

So what's with the hold? We've yet to hear an official word from Google, but sources speaking with The Verge suggest that this pause is normal and is used to ensure that the roll out is going swimmingly. Some users are reportedly experiencing pretty poor battery life on their Nexus S after installing the update, so it's been suggested that that may be something that Google's looking into. We'll be sure to update you when we hear more from the Goog, but until then, you Nexus S folk out there that have already gotten the Ice Cream Sandwich update should mosey on down to the comments section and let us know how things are working.

More information's:
Google Puts Nexus S Android Ice Cream Sandwich Update On Hold

Android Ice Cream Sandwich running on Google Nexus S:

Add Google Search To Your iOS 5 Notification Center

It seems like no matter what happens Google wants to be a part of it. Google has become a part of most people’s lives and let’s face it, most of us can’t do without it. Google search is the most commonly used item on the internet and with smartphones now connecting to the internet Google is always in demand.

Apple does give its users a couple of ways to use Google in its iOS software and on all iOS devices. This is done through the search bar in Mobile Safari and the Spotlight screen just to the left of the home screen. Both of these options work very well and they are easy to use but if you want something more there is always Google’s own iOS app.

If you want something more there is a brand new app called StatusGoogle and this also makes use of the Notification Center. This brand new app can’t be found in the App Store though and it can only be downloaded from Cydia which is the jailbreak app store. That’s right, StatusGoogle is a jailbreak tweak and when you download this it adds a new search bar to the notification center which is iOS 5’s new way of handling all your notifications.

Once you install StatusGoogle all you have to do is type in your search and hit return and you will automatically be in mobile safari with your Google search loading automatically. We do hope that Apple will begin to allow third party app store apps to take advantage of the notification center soon but until then if you want to take advantage of it you need to jailbreak your idevice.

Google, Youtube, Wikipedia iOS 5 Widget 'WeeSearch' | iPhone, iPod Touch - iOS Vlog 577:

Google Release Galaxy Nexus Factory Image, For Easy Stock Restore

Google has this week released a new factory image for Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus smartphone running, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The new image now allows anyone to reset and easily restore their locked/bricked Galaxy Nexus smartphone, back to its original stock factory settings.

So if you have been tweaking and developing apps and mods for your Galaxy Nexus smartphone, and pushed it a little far, resulting in a bricked device. There is now an easy way for you to return it to a working smartphone. The new Galaxy Nexus factory image is an easy to flash all-in-one script providing a single easy process, that even new Android users should have no problem using. The script has been developed and released by Google software engineer Jean-Baptiste Queru and can be downloaded here.

More information's:
http://androidcommunity.com/google-releases-factory-image-for-easily-flashing-galaxy-nexus-back-to-stock-20111201/

Google Launches Androidland Retail Store In Australia

Google has launched its first ever Android themed retail store in Australia, called Androidland, the retail store is a collaboration between Google and Australian mobile carrier Telstra. The Androidland store has been launched on Melbourne, Australia, and the store sells many of the different smartphones and tablets that run Google’s Android OS.

As you can see from the photos Google has set up special displays and gaming kiosks where people can try out various Android devices from the likes of Samsung, HTC and many more.

More information's:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/12/google-android-store-australia/

Androidland - Telstra launches world-first Android store in Melbourne:


Telstra and Google launch "world-first" Android store in Melbourne:

Verizon Galaxy Nexus Won’t Feature Google Wallet?

You would expect Google’s flagship Android smartphone to come with their new Google Wallet payment system, but now it would appear that the Verizon Galaxy Nexus won’t feature Google Wallet. According to a recent report by Computer World, Verizon has decided not to have Google Wallet installed on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on their network, and the device will also come with some pre-loaded Verizon applications which we have seen before.

Luckily the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Verizon will be a pure Google phone, and it will receive updates direct from Google rather than Verizon, so it looks like you won’t have to wait around for ages to get the Android updates.

More information's:
http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/6/2614604/verizon-galaxy-nexus-wont-have-google-wallet-will-have-verizon-apps

Google updates Verizon Nexus page, 32 GB internal storage is back

For those of you pining away for the latest Nexus phone to arrive on Verizon, it’s been a roller-coaster of rumors the last few days. Perhaps the most disheartening was when Google updated its product pages and eliminated the 32 GB model of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, leaving only a 16 GB version.

Much panic ensued on enthusiast sites – many consumers feel that the lack of removable storage isn’t a big deal as long as a generous amount of internal storage is provided. After all, iPhone owners have been making this tradeoff for years. But the specter of only having 16 GB of internal storage had many people questioning whether this would be enough.

Worry no more, as Google has once again updated their product pages. Not only has the 32 GB model returned, but there’s no mention of a 16 GB version. Combined with the fact that Verizon field-test units are reported to have 32 GB of internal storage, it looks like a good bet that this will be one of the differentiating features of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus.

Google’s product page also confirms the larger battery size that had been rumored – the LTE-enabled Verizon model will have an 1850mAH battery instead of the 1750mAH version in the GSM model.

There may be one more differentiator for the Verizon model: the name. As reported earlier, both Amazon and Best Buy have now been caught referring to the Verizon model as the Nexus Prime. Nothing is official until we hear an announcement, but the Nexus Prime name was quite popular so it's not unthinkable that Verizon would want to use it.

What are you most excited about, the extra storage, the bigger battery, or the possible return of the Nexus Prime name? Let us know in the comments below!

Google updates Verizon Nexus page, 32 GB internal storage is back

For those of you pining away for the latest Nexus phone to arrive on Verizon, it’s been a roller-coaster of rumors the last few days. Perhaps the most disheartening was when Google updated its product pages and eliminated the 32 GB model of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, leaving only a 16 GB version. Much panic ensued on enthusiast sites – many consumers feel that the lack of removable storage isn’t a big deal as long as a generous amount of internal storage is provided. After all, iPhone owners have been making this tradeoff for years. But the specter of only having 16 GB of internal storage had many people questioning whether this would be enough.

Google’s product page also confirms the larger battery size that had been rumored – the LTE-enabled Verizon model will have an 1850mAH battery instead of the 1750mAH version in the GSM model. There may be one more differentiator for the Verizon model: the name. As reported earlier, both Amazon and Best Buy have now been caught referring to the Verizon model as the Nexus Prime. Nothing is official until we hear an announcement, but the Nexus Prime name was quite popular so it's not unthinkable that Verizon would want to use it.

More information's:
http://www.google.com/nexus/#/tech-specs

Samsung Galaxy Nexus hands-on:

Google goes poetic in new Galaxy Nexus commercial

Along with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the UK, Google has released a new commercial for the device entitled "Calling all..." which shows off the more poetic side of Google that we've seen in many of the new Chrome commercials.

We're not sure who Google hired in its marketing department, but we're liking the results. The commercial is shot beautifully and includes a poem, which we'll assume is entitled "Calling all". The poem highlights the main features of the Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich, while easily relating those features to everyday activities for casual users rather than focusing on the coolest options for the most hardcore users.

Overall, we think it's a very well done commercial. Now, we'll just have to see if it helps move product. If it eventually comes out that the commercial itself was shot with a Nexus, we'll be far more impressed, but that seems unlikely.

In addition to the commercial, there are a number of new videos on the official Google Nexus YouTube page, including a "Getting Started" video for US and international users as well as videos on the major features of the Nexus and ICS.

Google’s Motorola Takeover Approved By Stockholders

Google’s $12.5 billion takeover has already been approved by the various regulators, and now the stockholders of Motorola have approved the takeover of the company bu Google.

Google has previously set themselves a deadline for the Motorola takeover, for February next year, and it looks like the company is on track to meet the deadline.

Sanjay Jha, chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility, said, “We are pleased and gratified by the strong support we have received from our stockholders, with more than 99 percent of the voting shares voting in support of the transaction. We look forward to working with Google to realize the significant value this combination will bring to our stockholders and all the new opportunities it will provide our dedicated employees, customers, and partners.”

Google has said previously that Motorola will be run as a completely separate company to Google, and that Motorola won’t get preferential treatment and earlier access to new versions of Google’s Android OS over other manufacturers.

More information's:
http://mediacenter.motorola.com/content/detail.aspx?ReleaseID=14575&NewsAreaId=2

Google Checkout merges into Google Wallet

What’s the difference between Google Checkout and Google Wallet? Nothing, anymore. Google announced, in a blog post yesterday, that it will be merging Google Checkout into Google Wallet to create one, unified digital payment platform under the Google Wallet name. Now Google Wallet will handle purchases online and in-store. Google is also beginning to introduce Google Wallet as the payment method on Android Market, YouTube, and Google+ Games.

On the consumer side of things, Google is pushing the convenience aspect of simply using a username and password to make purchases online rather than having to enter in the same information repeatedly, such as shipping addresses and credit card information. Citi MasterCard cardholders will also be able to add those cards into the Google Wallet mobile app and have access to their Citi MasterCards as payment options when using Google Wallet online. Current users of Google Checkout will have their accounts transitioned to Google Wallet the next time they sign-in or make an online purchase.

Merchants, on the other hand, do not have to transition anything. Google promises that the transition will be seamless in order to prevent any payment processing interruptions during the holiday shopping season. Google will be working with merchants next year to swap out branding logos and introduce them to new features that may benefit their business.

More information's:
http://googlecommerce.blogspot.com/2011/11/building-one-wallet-google-checkout-is.html

Google Dropping BlackBerry Gmail App

Google has announced that they will stop supporting the native Gmail app for BlackBerry devices from the 22nd of November, if you already have the app on your BlackBerry you will still be able to use it, but there wont be any more updates.

Beginning November 22, 2011, we will end support for the Gmail App for Blackberry (installed native app). Over this past year, we’ve focused efforts on building a great Gmail experience in the mobile browser and will continue investing in this area. Google has also said that after the 22nd of November the BlackBerry Gmail app will not be available to download, you can find out more information over at Google.

More information's:
http://allthingsd.com/20111109/google-dropping-support-for-blackberry-gmail-app/

Samsung Galaxy S II Review: T-Mobile's Best Android Smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy S II is the latest addition to T-Mobile's lineup of Android phones. It runs Android OS 2.3.5 on a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, and has a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen, two cameras, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless networking, and optional HDMI output.

BUILD & DESIGN:
The Galaxy S II is a nice looking phone, but there's really nothing to set it apart in the design department. The front is dominated by the large display of course, but the sides are silver and the rounded corners do make it comfortable to hold. The back is black and slightly textured, but not nearly as much as the Sprint version of this device, which is a marked improvement as the texture on the Sprint phone was actually painful to hold for long periods of time.

The build quality is excellent, with no obvious problems like gaps, rough spots or poor seams. The phone is well designed to focus all of the attention on that large display, though that also means that this phone is so large that it's at the upper edge of what will comfortably fit in a pocket. It's very light, which helps, but it does tend to stick out, especially when I sit down.

Display:
The 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display is the real star of the show. It's really bright, with rich, vivid color.

Photos and such look nice, though if you examine the screen very closely you can see a few jaggy edges here and there, especially on the home screen and the application launcher. This is because the Galaxy S II?includes a WVGA (800 x 480) display, not the qHD (960 x 540) one that most of its competitors have. It's not something that really hurts the overall experience, and I don't want you to get the wrong impression about this screen, because it it really nice -- it just doesn't have that extreme "wow factor" of some of the other recent devices.

Keyboard:
There's no physical keyboard, so you'll be typing on screen. Thankfully this phone includes the fantastic Swype technology, so you can enter text quickly and easily. The keys are large thanks to the large display, and no matter whether you're using the standard keyboard or making things a little easier on yourself by using Swype, you won't have any text-entry issues.

Other Buttons & Controls:
The Power button is on the top right side of the device, and the Volume Up/Down buttons are on the top left side. The charge/sync port is on the bottom, while the headphone jack is on the top.

The back cover of the phone is rather difficult to get off; you have to stick your fingernail in the small slot close to the volume buttons on the left side of the phone. When you pry it off you'll find that the SIM card slot and the microSD expansion card slot are located above the battery, not underneath it, which is nice. This means you can swap memory cards without having to shut down the smartphone.

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II review:

LTE vs. WiMAX: Battle of the 4G Networks

The biggest technical distinction between the Bionic and the Photon is the kind of high speed internet they support. While both are nominally "4G" devices, they use very different technologies. The Photon runs on Sprint's WiMAX-based network, while the Bionic uses Verizon's LTE system. While it might sound like an epic battle royale, on a real world performance level there's little real competition here. LTE is considerably faster than WiMAX; LTE devices can see speeds of 10 to 20 megabits downloading, compared to 4 to 5 megabits on WiMAX. On pure speed, LTE wins every time, and with Verizon aggressively expanding their network, it also has a better future.

Meanwhile, you may have heard recently that Sprint is planning on dropping WiMAX for its 4G network in favor of LTE. That means that WiMAX devices like the Photon won't be getting expanded coverage as Sprint builds out their network, and eventually, that network will go away. Fortunately though, this isn't likely to happen for a couple years at least, so the Photon isn't likely to become obsolete that much quicker than any other phone.

But pure speed isn't the only factor when it comes to deciding what network works best for you. Smartphones running on Verizon's 4G network may be fast, but they're also hobbled by Verizon's 2 GB monthly limit on downloads. That's plenty if you're just browsing and doing light file transfers, but taking full advantage of the advanced multimedia and streaming options that having a high-end Android phone gives you will rapidly run you up against that limit.

Sprint, on the other hand, remains the only carrier which offers a truly unlimited data plan; you don't have to count your megabytes as if they were gold, wondering whether another hour of listening to Pandora Internet Radio is going to get you overage charges from Verizon. That zippy LTE broadband may be fun, but using it at top speed you could blow through your entire monthly allowance of data in less than 30 minutes. Running on Sprint 4G, it might take two or three times as long to download that really big file, but if you need to be able to do it, or even just want to, there's a big advantage to unrestricted internet.

Verizon LTE vs Sprint WiMax Speed Test:

Motorola Droid Bionic vs. Motorola Photon 4G

Although they sport very different looks, the Motorola Droid Bionic and Motorola Photon 4G share more in common than it seems, including their status as cutting-edge phones on two of the major carriers. We compare both 4G flagships to help you decide which one best suits your needs.

Complicating the decision for would-be buyers, both devices have extremely similar specs. For starters, both are based around a 4.3 inch, 960 x 540 (qHD) screen, have no physical keyboard, and boast a large battery along with a dual-core processor. For the Photon, this processor is the NVIDIA Tegra 2; on the Bionic, it's a Texas Instruments chip. Run through Quadrant Standard benchmarks, both come out relatively even. The Bionic averages around 2400, the Photon 4G at 2550, but this isn't a difference likely to be noticable to the user. Likewise, both devices sport 16 GB of internal memory. But the Droid Bionic one-ups the competition, by also coming pre-loaded with a 16 GB microSD card, giving it some 32 GB of memory out of the box. The Photon doesn't come with a preinstalled memory card, but you can add any size microSD card you like.

On a technical level, the Motorola Droid Bionic has a few notable advantages over the Photon 4G. But the Photon's ability to take advantage of Sprint's unlimited internet plans make it by far the most attractive choice for a heavy user, particularly if you intend to take full advantage of the phone's capabilities. And the Photon boasts a much more reasonable price tag.

Motorola Droid Bionic vs. Motorola Photon 4G: