Android Marketplace update brings new features
Google has announced that it is rolling out an update to the Android Marketplace in a move that should mean the store is easier to navigate.
“The Android Market engineering team has been hard at work on improving the Android Market experience for users and developers. Today, I’m pleased to announce a significant update to the Android Market client. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be rolling out a new Android Market client to all devices running Android 1.6 or higher,” said Eric Chu, Android developer ecosystem dude on a blog post.
According to the team, the new Market client introduces “important features that improve merchandising of applications, streamline the browse-to-purchase experience, and make it easier for developers to distribute their applications.”
Users who get the new update, which is virtually every Android phone out there will be able to quickly flip through the carousel to view promoted applications and immediately go to the download page for the application they want.
They’ll now also be able to find Widgets and Live Wallpapers thanks to a dedicated section while Related content, which makes it easier for users to quickly find apps of similar interest. Seems you can’t have enough weather apps.
To streamline the browse-to-purchase experience, users can now access all the information about an application on a single page without the need to navigate across different tabs.
Other new elements is a reduction in the time you can request a refund (15 minutes) and a stronger focus on allowing games developers the chance to make better games with more graphics support and the ability to make larger apps.
“With this release, we aimed to deliver features that are most requested by users and developers. However, we’re not done yet,” says Chu. “We plan to continue to rapidly enhance Android Market for both users and developers and make it the best content distribution service for the Android ecosystem.”
Samsung Gloria to be a 10-inch Windows 7 tablet with slide-out keyboard?
Like a netbook, only not. The latest thing to drop into our “crazy rumor” inbox is the Windows 7 tablet conceptualized above. Blogeee have it on the authority of two separate sources that Samsung is planning a 10-inch slate device dubbed Gloria, which would run Windows 7 and have a slide-out keyboard. What you see above is only a mockup of how this Gloria might appear — if she ever does appear at all — though we’re told it’ll include a Samsung software overlay to make Windows 7 that little bit more touch-friendly. We’ve yet to find any other corroboration for this beyond Blogeee‘s sources, so treat it as the unconfirmed bit of salacious info that it is, but if you must feel hopeful about the future, March and April are the months mentioned for a potential release.
OnLive demos Windows 7 on an iPad and Galaxy Tab, launches cloud computing tablet app
Flash on an iPad? No problem, and neither is QuickTime on a Samsung Galaxy Tab — assuming you’re running both from a virtualized Windows 7 PC using OnLive’s new app. OnLive may have originally pitched itself as a streaming games service, but founder Steve Perlman revised his ambitions at the D: Dive into Mobile conference today, showing off a host of Windows 7 programs (including 3D modeling software Maya, above) running on the pair of ARM-based tablets. Like always, OnLive requires a nearby server and fast internet connection to function adequately, and the apps themselves would need touch controls, but Perlman said it’s actually easier to deliver apps than games since they’re less sensitive to lag. OnLive didn’t provide a date when we can expect full cloud functionality, but you can get a sneak peek at a pared-down version right now — the brand-new OnLive Viewer app, which lets you spectate games in progress (and will eventually let you play them) is now available for iPad.
Google unveils Cr-48, the first Chrome OS laptop
We’ve had plenty of pre-knowledge on this, but surprisingly this is our first actual glimpse of Google’s new unbranded “Cr-48,” the very first Chrome OS laptop. Google will distribute the laptop through its Chrome OS Pilot Program, in a sort of public beta. You actually have to apply to join the program, and there are going to be a limited number of the laptops available — retail Chrome OS models from Acer and Samsung will be available in the middle of 2011 for the masses. Google’s doing a number of little promotions to give away the devices to interested users and businesses which will provide feedback, and it looks like there’s no way to actually pay money for one right now. Now, for the specs:
- 12.1-inch screen.
- Full size keyboard.
- Oversized clickpad.
- Qualcomm Gobi 3G chip for Verizon data in the US, your carrier of choice internationally.
- 802.11n dual-band WiFi.
- 8+ hours of active use.
- 8+ days of standby.
- Webcam.
- Flash storage.
The keyboard is the one we uncovered last week, with no function keys, but a full row of Apple Keyboard-style actions. The caps lock key has been replaced with a search button, which will enrage internet trolls and screenwriters alike. Branding-wise… there is none. The “Cr-48” refers to an isotope of the material chromium, there’s no logo and no design frills on the laptop itself, and it only comes in black. It seems Google is going out of its way to make it clear that this isn’t a mass market device, with Chrome OS still in the beta stage, and no apparent intentions to compete with third parties in the hardware space. Still, we gotta say: we wish more manufacturers would take a page out of this no-frills book. The murdered out Cr-48 looks like pure sex to us.
How-To: Install the Android 2.3 Gingerbread keyboard on your rooted device
Want to check out some new Gingerbread goodness, like… now? Well you’re in luck, as Peter Alfonso, creator and maintainer of the infamous custom ROM, “Bugless Beast”, has gotten it all tucked away in a nice, flashable zip file – the keyboard, that is. Thanks to Peter, you can now install the Gingerbread keyboard on your rooted Android device through recovery, and it’s very easy to do. Just hit the break to find out how!
- Download the zip file here
- Put the zip file on your sd card, preferrably on the root of the card
- Boot into recovery and flash the file like you would any other zip
- Reboot. When you get to a text field (i.e. – messages or email), press and hold the text input box, choose “input method” and then “Android Keyboard”
And that’s it! You’ll be loving on some 2.3 keyboard goodness. As always, it’s a good idea to backup your current default Android keyboard. It’s as easy as renaming the LatinIME.apk in /system/app, which can be done via ADB or something like Root Explorer. I like to rename these types of things to something like “LatinIME.apk.bak” to make it easily findable again.
As always, a few warnings.
- You should be running a 2.2 based custom ROM
- Auto correct is not yet fully functional
- Will not work on a 2.1 based ROM due to voice search issues
- If you are using a DROID X, be sure to go to mounts > storage > mount system and then back to install the zip file
Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below! As always, TalkAndroid cannot be held liable for any possible damage to your device.
Mac App Store launching on December 13th
It’s no secret that the Mac App Store is launching soon. Jobs himself said that it would go live “within 90 days” back when the iOS-inspired App Store was announced on October 20th — that’s mid January, if the timeframe is carried to its fullest extent. Now we have AppleTell citing an “inside source” claiming that Apple is trying to launch the Mac App Store before Christmas, specifically targeting December 13th while telling developers to have their software ready by Monday, December 6th. Unfortunately, the Mac App Store also requires an OS update to end users to which MacRumors reminds us that the new OS X 10.6.6 has already been seeded to developers. So yeah, that’s a pretty aggressive timeline if true and could possibly be kicked off by a press event that would also birth Apple’s rumored recurring subscription billing model in support of Rupert Murdoch’s The Daily digital newspaper.
Dolphin Browser Mini Preview2 Now Available for Android
The team behind Dolphin Browser has been hard at work on a new version, which they consider an upgrade to the original Dolphin Browser. Unlike their Dolphin Browser HD, however, this new “Mini” version will be compatible with all Android devices.
Dolphin Browser Mini will support a slew of new features, like:
- A new “fresh” UI
- A faster browsing experience
- Infinite tabs
- A new menu “tool box” design
Hit the source link for more details, or download via the QR code below and check it out for yourself.
Playstation Phone Shown Off Again
Rumors of a Sony Ericsson Playstation Phone have been around for a while, and recently more and more leaks with pictures, videos and specs have started to appear online.
Well now we have another video for you to check out of this as of yet unannounced device and if the rumours are right we could even see an official unveiling on the 9th December?.
In this video you can see that the OS version is Gingerbread which is 2.3 also due to be released any day now along with the Samsung Nexus S, it also uses the name Zeus in the device information, we will see what the official name might be if this is not it.
The Playstation phone is a touch screen phone with slide out Playstation controls, no QWERTY here just keys for gaming and it looks like there is a specific application installed for gaming.
White iPhone 4 to land, finally, in Spring 2011
The white iPhone 4 saga is both long and treacherous. It’s a bit like a Shakespearean classic, with all the tragic twists and turns to toy at your emotions along the way.
Actually, come to think of it, it’s all rather tedious – so it really is like a Shakespeare play (alright Billy fans, back in your boxes, it’s only a joke).
But it is a tale that could be coming to an end pretty soon.
A photo has hit the web of some new Apple Store sign-age that clearly reads:
“The white iPhone 4 will be available in spring 2011.”
This backs up an Apple statement released back in October.
Apple first stated that the white handset would be hitting the shops by the end of July, a statement backed up by Apple in the UK originally.
Then it was delayed for a few weeks, before an announcement was made stating that: “white models of Apple’s new iPhone 4 have continued to be more challenging to manufacture than we originally expected, and as a result they will not be available until later this year”.
Chances are though that Steve will be donning a turtle neck and taking to the stage in June 2011 to announce the next-gen iPhone. So white iPhone 4 owners would have had only a couple of months with their device still being cutting-edge.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Just use some Tipp-Ex if you’re really that bothered about having a white iPhone 4.
Fujitsu Launching 10.1 inch Win 7 Slate With Custom GUI
Windows 7 tablets are a definite player on the scene and Fujitsu is going to be entering into that segment as well with a 10.1 inch tablet. We suspect that from its size that its running a Pine Trail CPU but there are a number of Oak Trail slates hitting the street the same time this one is being released in Q1 2011. It also has a customized GUI though we don’t see any photos of it, it would be great to have an ExoPC GUI on this unit. We don’t know much else about it since the guys from Trendlupe.de were on a factory tour when they got their hands on with the prototype. However we do know that Fujitsu Germany has made some statements about the tablet and where they hope it falls in the ecosystem.
The Fujitsu Slate will unite the best of PC and Smartphone in itself. Look forward now currently on a 10.1-inch (25.7 cm) display and a best-in-class visibility from all angles .Sspecifications is not yet finalized.
AIVAnet 