Android

Google’s Project Tango: phone that maps 3D environments, senses depth and geometry

Imagine directions to a new location not stopping at the street address, or never getting lost in a new building again. Or, how about playing hide-and-seek in your house with your favorite game character or competing against a friend "for control over physical space with your own miniature army"?

That's the promise behind Project Tango, a new Google initiative which seeks to give mobile devices "a human-scale understanding of space and motion".

The brainchild of Google's Advanced Technology and Projects group, Project Tango is, on the surface, an unimpressive Android phone with a five-inch display and a four-megapixel camera.

But scratch deeper and you'll find custom hardware like two Computer Vision Processors, sensors for measuring geometry and seeing in three dimensions, a camera which tracks motion and other goodies that basically turn this handset into a device that can map your environments, track its motion in full 3D space and much more...

Google I/O Developer Conference slated for June 25-26 this year

Google senior vice president Sundar Pichai just announced via Google+ that the company's annual I/O event is scheduled for June 25-26 this year. For those unfamiliar with the conference, it's a lot like Apple's yearly WWDC gathering in San Francisco.

The timing is particularly interesting in that Google held I/O in May last year, well before Apple's WWDC event. It would seem that this time the search giant is hoping to get a glimpse at what Apple has cooked up this year before divulging all of its own secrets...

JellyLockClock7: an Android Jelly Bean inspired Lock screen clock for iOS 7

If you're a fan of the JellyLock jailbreak tweak, which brings an Android inspired Lock screen launcher to then iPhone, then boy, do I have a tweak for you. JellyLockClock7 is a brand new jailbreak tweak that's currently in beta, and it allows you to compliment your Android inspired Lock screen launcher with an Android inspired Lock screen clock.

As someone who's a big fan of JellyLock, I have to say that this is the perfect compliment tweak. We've got more details, a video, and the download information inside.

Apple may call Android creator Andy Rubin to testify in Samsung case

Andy Rubin is one of the original creators of Android and Apple may summon him to testify in a new trial set for late-March as part of the ongoing Apple v. Samsung legal battle. According to a report by TUAW, a witness list Apple filed with the court last week has revealed the iPhone maker is considering calling Rubin to testify on the potentially sensitive topics of the development of infringing Android features. He may also be asked to comment on "Google documents relating to such development"...

Good deal: 32% off OUYA game console bundle

A little over a year ago, a new kind of gaming console called the OUYA popped up on Kickstarter and took the crowd-funding site by storm. The project promised to bring all of the benefits of mobile gaming to the living room, and went on to collect more than $8 million.

The OUYA officially hit the market in late 2012, to mix reviews, and has since seen several updates to fix prominent user complaints. So if you've been wanting to try it out, there's never been a better time than now — especially since it's on sale right now over at Stack Social...

Popular theming app pulled from Google Play due to Apple copyright complaint

Themer, a popular Android customization app by MyColorScreen, was pulled from the Google Play marketplace last week. The app allows users to browse a selection of home screen themes, and it appears that one of them may be guilty of copyright infringement.

The theme is called 'Seven,' and as you've probably guessed by now, it looks like its creator got a lot of his inspiration from iOS 7. So Apple has filed a copyright complaint with Google, forcing the search giant to remove the app to avoid further legal ramifications...

Tim Cook on bigger iPhones, ‘crappy’ Android experience, not making junk and more

Following notable excerpts from Daisuke Wakabayashi’s interview with Tim Cook in The Wall Street Journal, the financial newspaper has now posted the whole thing on its Digits blog.

The full interview gives us a more detailed insight into the mindset of Tim Cook's Apple as the CEO discusses recent topics of interest, including Lenovo's $2.9 billion purchase of Google's Motorola Mobility unit and additional information regarding Apple's share buyback program.

He also took time to touch upon the ongoing discussion concerning supposedly bigger iPhones in the pipeline, the current products not yet hitting the ceiling and lots more. I've included the best quotes and tidbits for your reading pleasure after the break...

Google Cast SDK released, now iOS devs can integrate with Chromecast

Google's inexpensive HDMI dongle dubbed Chromecast offers great value for money. For just $35, users can stream Netflix, HBO GO, YouTube, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Google Play TV & Movies and more, from their favorite mobile apps and websites right to their big screen TV sets - much like AirPlaying through Apple's $99 media-streaming box, the Apple TV.

While Google's been adding new Chromecast content sources, the device's true potential remained largely untapped because Google would only open up Chromecast to select few developers.

But not anymore. As of today, the official Google Cast Software Development Kit (SDK) is available to developers wishing to enhance their iOS and Android apps and websites with Chromecast integration...

Guy impersonates Apple Store employee, tells shoppers to go Android

A new prank is making rounds on the web as comedian and YouTuber Tyler Fischer impersonates an Apple Store employee at four different locations in New York City, telling unsuspecting customers to switch to Android because the iPhone is too pricey.

He can be also seen convincing customers that new iPhones are coming tomorrow and that the iPad has "400 megapixels" - megapixels, not megabytes - of RAM and "300 Skype units"...

Nintendo confirms it’s working on mobile ‘service’ apps

It's been an interesting week regarding Nintendo news and its plans for the mobile market. With the company expected to report its second straight year of profit loss, and its hardware sales tanking, pundits are hoping to see it enter the mobile space.

Earlier this week, a report from Japan's Nikkei claimed that Nintendo was working on 'mini games' for mobile devices. The company has since denied the rumor, but during a strategy briefing earlier today, it confirmed it is working on mobile apps...

Samsung and Google agree to 10-year patent deal

Huge news coming out of Mountain View this afternoon. Google has announced that it has reached a global patent cross-licensing agreement with Android heavyweight Samsung, covering a broad range of technologies and business areas.

Few details are known about the agreement at this time, but the companies have said that it's a 10-year deal and that it covers all current and future technology patents. The move will bolster the patent positions for both Samsung and Google...

DOJ files first ever criminal charges against mobile app pirates

The US Department of Justice has long taken issue with large-scale copyright infringement. It's gone after pirates of various different kinds of content, including music and movies—who could forget the FBI raid on the home of Megaupload's Kim Dotcom.

But up until now, the DOJ has never gone after mobile app pirates. That changed this week, though, when it filed charges against 4 men behind Android app piracy websites Snappzmarket and Appbucket for conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement...