Google opens up code for Chrome for Android
Google’s Chrome for Android development team has announced the mobile version of the Chrome browser is now “almost entirely open source.” The parts not open sourced include some media codecs, plugins, and Google service features that are restricted due to licensing issues. The team open sourced over 100,000 lines of code, including the entire user interface layer. For developers, this move means they can built their own versions of the browser for Android devices.
The mobile Android version of the browser now mirrors the desktop version in having the bulk of the code being open sourced. On the desktop, this has resulted in a variety of third-party web browsers being built. They range from the popular and relatively well-known Opera browser to lesser known variants like Vivaldi which targets developers.
Based on the ecosystem of browsers built for the desktop, users can expect to see a similar pattern develop for mobile platforms running Android, so keep an eye on the Play Store for new browsers.
source: OMG! Chrome!
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Aria module will bring gesture control to Android Wear and Pebble Time
We’ve seen multiple different approaches to smartwatch design over the last few years, with some companies like Pebble taking the button control route, while platforms like Android Wear rely on touch and voice. Looking for a third option? Aria is an add-on module that you clip onto your Android Wear or Pebble Time watch, allowing you to control either of these platforms with various gestures.
So how does it work? The Aria measures the movement in your wrist, making it easy to control your watch for those moments when your other hand isn’t free such as when you are on the phone, drinking something, holding something — you get the idea. The only catch with the Aria is that it is yet another product that doesn’t exist yet, with a planned Kickstarter launch supposedly set for sometime in the next few weeks. Once it hits on Kickstarter, the Aria will be available in two versions, one for Android Wear and one for Pebble Time.
The Pebble Time model is a cheaper $69 unit that will connect directly to the Pebble Time with no need for its own battery or Bluetooth connection. For Android Wear owners, a more expensive $169 model will contain a battery, Bluetooth, and everything else it needs to work nicely with Android Wear. This model will also include a robust SDK and is aimed primarily at developers. This more expensive version could also theoretically be made to work with other watch platforms that support Bluetooth devices, including the Gear line.
We admit this is sort of a cool idea but at $169, at least for the ‘fuller featured’ unit that plays nicely with Android Wear, we have a feeling few people are actually going to bite on this one. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Guy hoverboards across a Canadian lake and into history
No, this isn’t some guerilla marketing campaign for Back to the Future’s upcoming pseudo-anniversary. It’s a world record-setting flight by Canadian inventor Catalin Alexandru Duru aboard a homebrew hoverboard. He recently piloted this prototype nearly 1000 feet across a Quebec lake to set the record. “The prototype can be used anywhere,” Duru explains in the video below. “But is usually tested over water because of how dangerously high it can fly (which is ironic considering that the movie joked that it can’t).” There aren’t many details about the device available though it would appear he controls it by shifting his bodyweight back and forth like a geeky Green Goblin. There’s also no word on when (or if) the device will ever make it to market — no matter how hard you wish for it.
Via: Popular Science
Source: YouTube
Buyer’s Guide: Deals on MacBook Air, Retina iMac, Apple Accessories, and More [Mac Blog]
It’s nearly Memorial Day, which means there’s a long three-day weekend coming up and some solid deals on Apple products from vendors who are cutting prices in the hopes of drawing customers into stores over the weekend.
Best Buy’s offering a can’t-miss deal on the 13-inch MacBook Air and the high-end 27-inch Retina iMac is available for the lowest price we’ve seen. The 2014 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro is also being sold at low prices following this week’s refresh. As always, we’ve also got some solid deals on Apple accessories and we’ve rounded up a list of apps you can get on the cheap.
iPad Air 2
Deals on the iPad Air 2 aren’t as good as they have been in past weeks, but Apple started offering refurbished iPad Air 2 models this week, so the company’s refurbished store is worth checking out if you’re looking to get a discount on a tablet.
B&H Photo is offering a small discount on most of its iPad Air 2 models, dropping prices by $30 to $50. With the discount, the 16GB WiFi only iPad Air 2 is priced at $459 and the 64GB model is priced at $549.99. Prices vary somewhat by model, but there are slight discounts to be had.
MacMall is also offering some discounts on iPad Air 2 models, dropping the prices by $30 to $50. With the discount, the 16GB entry-level Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 is priced at $469, while the Wi-Fi-only 64GB iPad Air 2 is available for $569.
iPad Air
Both Best Buy and B&H Photo have deep discounts on some remaining stock of now-discontinued higher-capacity iPad Air models, as listed below.
– iPad Air Wi-Fi Space Gray 128GB – $549
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 128GB (AT&T) – $529.99
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 64GB (AT&T) – $499
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 64GB (AT&T) – $449
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 64GB (Verizon) – $566.99
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 64GB (Verizon) – $449
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 128GB (Verizon) – $579
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 128GB (Verizon) – $679
iPad mini 3
B&H Photo is offering some modest discounts on various iPad mini 3 models, dropping the price by up to $60. The 16GB WiFi + Cellular iPad mini 3 in gold is available for $469 and the 128GB version is available for $649. the 16GB Wi-Fi only version in Silver is available for $349 and the 64GB Wi-Fi model in Silver is available for $429.
Discounts for each model and and color vary, but most models are being offered at a lower price than you’ll find at the Apple Store, and buying from B&H, you won’t have to pay sales tax unless you’re in New York.
iPad mini 2
Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Amazon have remaining stock of now-discontinued higher-capacity iPad mini 2 models, which are a good deal if you’re looking for an iPad mini. Compared to the iPad mini 3, the iPad mini 2 only lacks Touch ID.
– iPad mini Cellular Silver 128GB (AT&T) – $430
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 128GB (AT&T) – $449.99
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 64GB (AT&T) – $399.99
– iPad mini Cellular Silver 128GB (Verizon) – $499.99
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 128GB (Verizon) – $534.99
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 64GB (Verizon) – $439.99
iMac
– 2013 21.5-inch 2.7GHz/8GB/1TB (Best Buy) – $1,179, $120 off
– 2013 21.5-inch 2.9GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) (MacMall) – $1,399, $120 off
– 2013 27-inch 3.2GHz/8GB/1TB (Best Buy) – $1,649.99, $150 off
– 2013 27-inch 3.4GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) – $1,794.99, $204 off
– 2014 27-inch 3.5Ghz/8GB/1TB Retina iMac (Best Buy) – $2,099.99, $200 off
Mac mini
– 1.4GHz/4GB/500GB (Amazon) (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $464.99, $34 off
– 2.6GHz/8GB/1TB (MacMall) – $663.99, $35 off
– 2.8GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $938, $60 off
MacBook Air
– 2015 11-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $824.99, $75 off
– 2015 11-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/256GB (Best Buy) (Amazon) (B&H Photo) (Adorama) – $1044.99, $50 off
– 2015 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (Best Buy) – $849, $150 off
– 2015 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/256GB (Best Buy) (Amazon) (B&H Photo) – $1,139.99, $60 off
– 2014 11-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $899, $200 off
– 2014 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/128GB (B&H Photo) (Adorama) – $819, $180 off
– 2014 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (Amazon) (B&H Photo) – $999, $200 off
Retina MacBook Pro
– 2015 13-inch 2.7Ghz/8GB/128GB (Amazon) (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,234.99, $64 off
– 2015 13-inch 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB (Best Buy) (B&H Photo) (MacMall) – $1,424.99, $74 off
– 2015 13-inch 2.9GHz/8GB/512GB (Best Buy) (B&H Photo) – $1709.99, $90 off
– 2014 15-inch 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB (Adorama) (MacMall) – $1,799, $200 off
– 2014 15-inch 2.5GHz/16GB/512GB (Adorama) –$2,299, $200 off
– 2014 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/128GB (B&H Photo) – $1,079, $220 off
– 2014 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/256GB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,229, $259 off
– 2014 13-inch 2.8GHz/8GB/512GB (B&H Photo) – $1,499 $300 off
Apps
There are quite a few apps that are on sale at discounted prices or available for free for a limited time. We’ll highlight a few here, but make sure to check out our sister site AppShopper for a complete list.
Super popular puzzle game Monument Valley is on sale for $0.99 this week, down from $3.99. Death Rally is available for free, down from $0.99. Platformer Bean Dreams is available for $1.99, down from $2.99. Cut the Rope 2 is available for $0.99, down from $2.99. Puzzle game KAMI is available for $0.99, down from $1.99.
Sketching app Procreate Pocket is available for $0.99, down from $2.99. Photography app Enlight is available for $0.99, down from $5.99. Endless runner Alto’s Adventure is available for $0.99, down from $1.99.
Puzzle game Magnetized was named Apple’s App of the Week, so it will be free to download until next Thursday when a new app is picked.
Apple Accessories
PayPal Digital Gifts is offering $100 iTunes gift cards for $80 on eBay, a $20 discount. Groupon is selling the Lifeproof Nuud Waterproof case for iPhone 5c for $39.99, down from $56.69. Groupon also has Scosche Earphones with remote and microphone for $18.99, down from $79.99. The Incase Nylon Sleeve for the 13 or 15-inch MacBook Pro is available for $24.99 from Groupon, down from $60.
Groupon has the OtterBox Defender Case and Holster for the iPhone 6 available for $29.99, down from $59.95. The Otterbox Defender Case for the iPhone 6 Plus is available for $34.99, down from $70. The Apple iPad mini Smart Cover is available for $17.99, down from $39. The Beats by Dre Pill 2.0 Bluetooth speaker is available for $159.99 from Groupon, down from $199.
The Prong PocketPlug charging case for iPhone 5/5s is available from LivingSocial for $24.99, down from $50. Best Buy is offering the Misfit Shine activity tracker for $20 off, dropping the price to $79.99. Target is selling Beats Solo HD headphones at a $70 discount, dropping the price to $99.99.
The iWalk Extreme Trip battery 10,000 mAh pack is available for $49.99 from StackSocial, discounted from $85. Woot has the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad Air and iPad Air 2 for $59.99, down from $99.99. Groupon’s still running a big Apple event and selling a range of Apple products and accessories at discounted prices, including the LifeProof Fre case for the iPad Air, Apple EarPods, Speck MacBook cases, MagSafe chargers, Mophie battery cases, and more.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors.
New Book Explores How the iPhone Contributed to BlackBerry’s Downfall
Over the past several years, BlackBerry has gone from one of the top smartphone manufacturers to a company that’s struggling to stay afloat in an increasingly competitive market. BlackBerry is hemorrhaging subscribers and losing revenue quarter after quarter as it attempts to turn the tide by focusing on marketing secure devices and software to its enterprise customers.
An upcoming book by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff, Losing the Signal, explores the events that led to the rise and fall of BlackBerry, and an interesting excerpt was shared by The Wall Street Journal today, covering the iPhone’s contributions towards BlackBerry’s (then known as RIM) failure.
As we’ve previously learned from Google execs, the launch of the iPhone, which stood apart from all other smartphones on the market at the time, took everyone by surprise. Not only was the iPhone incredibly different from its competitors, it also had features that carriers had previously denied other manufacturers like an App Store and a full web browser.
Image via CIO
One of RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis’ first comments was “These guys are really, really good,” but despite that fact, RIM failed to see the iPhone as a threat due to its lack of security and the fact that it had no keyboard, features RIM execs thought would make it unappealing to RIM’s core consumers.
If the iPhone gained traction, RIM’s senior executives believed, it would be with consumers who cared more about YouTube and other Internet escapes than efficiency and security. RIM’s core business customers valued BlackBerry’s secure and efficient communication systems. Offering mobile access to broader Internet content, says Mr. Conlee, “was not a space where we parked our business.”
RIM executives did not understand the iPhone and were “incredulous” that people were purchasing it, realizing too late that form had become as important as function in the eyes of consumers. In an effort to combat the threat of the iPhone, RIM teamed up with Verizon to create a competing touch-based phone — the Storm.
Verizon pressured RIM into speeding up development on the phone, resulting in a product that was riddled with bugs and issues when it launched in 2008. Despite the flaws, the product was heavily marketed and RIM sold 1 million in two months, leading to a lot of unhappy customers who wanted to return or exchange their devices.
The Storm was a spectacular failure that impacted RIM’s relationship with Verizon, ruined its reputation, and cost upwards of $100 million. After the failure, the company was demoralized and at a crossroads, unsure of where to take the company going forward and how to compete with the iPhone and other smartphones in a landscape that was radically different from what the company knew.
RIM was unable to fully recover from failure of the Storm and find its footing, eventually leading to the path that it’s on today. “The Storm failure made it clear we were not the dominant smartphone company anymore, said RIM co-CEO Jim Balsille. “We’re grappling with who we are because we can’t be who we used to be anymore, which sucked…It’s not clear what the hell to do.”
The full excerpt from the book is worth a read and can be found over at The Wall Street Journal. The book itself is coming out on May 26 and can be pre-ordered from Amazon for $21.
Microsoft tests cloud-based clipboard app that syncs across platforms
This turned out to be quite the week for unannounced Microsoft apps. News of a “light-weight” email solution broke cover a few days ago, and today another pair of productivity apps were tipped. Thanks to @h0x0d on Twitter — the source of the Flow email news — we now know Microsoft is testing a cloud-based (thanks to OneDrive) clipboard tool that syncs across devices and platforms. The app is called OneClip, and though it’s reportedly in internal beta. While it’s available for download in the Windows Store, it’ll only work for employees with the proper accounts. This means that you can copy a phone number on the desktop and have it immediately available on your Windows, iOS or Android phone.
Another productivity app for contacts, Revolve, was tipped by @hoxod as well. This offering keeps tabs on your contacts and calendar to serve up info on the people you’re going to meet. You know, things like if they prefer bourbon or scotch. As we’ve already mentioned, OneClip and Revolve surface on the heels of Flow and apps for document collaboration (Flip) and task management (Highlander) — all within the span of a week. There’s no word on when the suite will arrive, but one thing’s for sure: Microsoft wants to help you be more productive on several fronts.
Microsoft OneClip, the cross-device cloud clipboard for Windows/WindowsPhone/Android/iOS pic.twitter.com/HdlY8iZ6y6
– WalkingCat (@h0x0d) May 22, 2015
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Via: ZDNet
Source: WalkingCat (@h0x0d)
HBO Now survey points to possible subscription discounts
Paying $15 a month for HBO Now is a pretty good deal, especially if you’re a cord cutter who yearns for your weekly fix of Game of Thrones. But what if even that price is a little too rich for your blood? Well, HBO could be considering prepaid discounts that would lower that subscription cost by a significant amount. The folks over at Cut Cable Today discovered through a HBO survey that the premium cable network is asking some survey participants if they would consider three-month, six-month and one-year subscriptions for $29.99, $59.99 and $99.99 each. If you went for that annual $99.99 option, for example, you would only pay somewhere around $8.33 a month, which is a savings of around $80 a year. Of course, these options only appeared in a survey, so who knows if HBO will actually implement this. But wouldn’t it be great if it did?
Source: Cut Cable Today
Video Review: The MOS Kick is a Versatile Stand for Your iPhone [iOS Blog]
There are dozens if not hundreds of iPhone stands on the market, but every once in awhile, there’s one that sets itself apart with a unique form or a rich set of features. The MOS Kick falls into the latter category, offering a stand, screwdriver, bottle opener and tripod connector in a portable package.
Developed by the MOS team that’s created several other popular products like the MOS Reach power outlet and the MOS cable organizer, the MOS Kick is made from metal so it can withstand being carried on a backpack or in a pocket.
We went hands-on with a prototype (hence the small bit of rust) of the MOS Kick and found it to be a convenient stand. It works with any smartphone because it includes adjustable silicone pads that hold a device in place. It’s able to mount on a tripod with its 1/4″ threaded hole, and it has a couple little tools for when you’re in a pinch — a bottle opener and a flat head screwdriver.
Since it’s all metal, it’s heavy enough to hold an iPhone up on any surface, and when attached to something like a GorillaPod, it’s usable in a wide range of situations. On the downside, the MOS Kick is priced a bit high, but it’s a handy way to take advantage of some of the iPhone’s camera features that require the phone to be still, like time-lapse.
The MOS Kick can be purchased from the MOS website for $24.95.
Oculus founder sued for using confidential information
Palmer Luckey and his company, Oculus VR Inc, are being sued yet again. Total Recall Technologies, a company in Hawaii, is accusing Luckey of violating a confidentiality agreement that he signed as a former employee of the company. According to the lawsuit, he was hired about four years ago for the precise purpose of developing a head-mounted display. As such, he was privy to information and feedback that he later used for a Kickstarter campaign to introduce his own version of a head-mounted display, Oculus Rift.
The complaint, filed with the U.S. District Court in California, states that the company has brought action against Luckey for “breach of contract and wrongful exploitation and conversion of [Total Recall Technologies] intellectual and personal property in connection with TRT’s development of affordable, immersive, virtual reality technology.”
This isn’t the first time Oculus is embroiled in a legal battle. The Facebook-acquired VR company slammed ZeniMax last summer for making a blatant attempt to profit from the $2 billion sale. The new lawsuit does not indicate an amount, but the company is seeking compensatory and punitive damages from the virtual reality headset maker.
[Image credit: Maurizio Pesce/Flickr]
Filed under: Facebook
Source: Reuters
Nvidia giving away Shield Android TV consoles everyday up until release day
Nvidia has sent out an email to their Shield newsletter subscribers, announcing a Shield Android TV console giveaway, which will take place everyday up until the console is available for consumers to purchase.
If you received the email from Nvidia, you don’t have to do anything to enter to win. As an email subscriber, you’re automatically entered into the giveaway, and you’ll be notified if you win an Nvidia Shield console.
In the email sent out, it wasn’t clear if you can enter the giveaway by signing up or not or if the giveaway is solely for past subscribers. The way its delivered, it sounds like its for past subscribers only. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to sign-up just in case.
What do you think of Nvidia’s new Shield TV console? Will you be picking one up? Let us know in the comments.
source: DroidGamers
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