Moto G VS Moto G Google Play Edition (GPE)
Now I know what you’re thinking, not another one of those Android blog sites claiming the same thing about Google releasing yet another “Google Play Edition” phone. Yes, yes we know how stressful seeing the same thing all over the place can be, but not this time! Today I want to make things a little bit different. As many of you know Google today released their own version of the Motorola G. There is a lot of controversial opinions about why they did this and what the big deal is between the GPE version and the original Moto G.. Well fret not, that’s where I come in to clear some air.
The GPE Moto G or (Google Play Edition) from Google , is simply a mirror image of the original Motorola G except for minor details you won’t find outside of the box. If you don’t already know On August 15, Google announced an agreement to acquire Motorola. This in part has changed the way Motorola develops their phones..at least on the software side. A great example would be if you purchase any of the two Motorola’s created under Google’s rein so far you will notice that they are pretty much already running stock versions of Android and by stock I mean none of that infested bloat filled atmosphere that Samsung phones come with. As I just noted the original Moto G under Motorola’s brand that was first released already runs a stock version of Android with only a few minor of Motorola’s software customization’s. This in part is a plus because no one and I mean no one, likes having a cluttered phones taking up precious space, especially if the phones are ones with no selection of expandable external storage memory. Now if you look at the GPE Moto G you are guaranteed a stock flavor of Android. Many may prefer this over the Motorola branded one. This means no bloat and you’re ready to sail away to your desired customization preference out of the box.
Now moving along, the second detail to point out is that the GPE Moto G is more likely to receive quicker updates rather than the original Motorola Moto G. This isn’t to say that the first Moto G is going to be left behind because as we have already seen, not too long ago it has already been updated to Kitkat Android 4.4. The only pros that I see in getting the Google version of the Moto G is guaranteed faster software updates.
Last but not least, this part is going to be the most important part in whether users purchase the Google version or the actual first Motorola Moto G. The GPE Moto G does not support 1700 MHz AWS band so it won’t work on all T-Mobile 3G coverage areas. Now don’t get all down in the dumps this doesn’t mean it won’t go any faster than just regular 3G, in fact the GPE Moto G supports UMTS/HSPA+ up to 21 Mbps on (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz.) All this means is that for those T-Mobile users that depend on the 1700/700 Mhz (4G Coverage) should stray away from this Moto G Google version. The original Motorola branded Moto G doesn’t have this problem, in fact it supports (UMTS/HSPA+ up to 21 Mbps (850, 1700 (AWS), 1900 MHz) so those lucky T-Mobile users can enjoy plenty of 4G coverage to roam in.
Moto G & GPE Moto G Wrap up:
Aside from all the above, the hardware on the original Motorola branded Moto G and the Moto G Google Play Edition are exactly identical. No changes have been made. They both have a price point of $179 and are unfortunately only available in the US.
Pandora now recommends radio stations to Android and iOS listeners
Pandora is built around personalizing radio to your tastes, but that’s only so much help once you’re tired of listening to a given station. Thankfully, the company’s Android and iOS apps now recommend new stations. When you’re creating a station or browsing your existing list, you’ll see suggestions for additional artist channels based on both your history as well as thumbs-up ratings for individual songs. If you’ve ever been left scrounging for new music to stream, you’ll want to grab Pandora’s latest mobile app today.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile
Source: Pandora Blog, App Store, Google Play
Chrome updates bring data compression to all Android and iOS users
Google has been testing data compression in mobile versions of Chrome for what seems like ages, but today it’s finally ready to bring that efficiency to the masses. Both the Android and iOS versions of the browser now let all users squeeze website content to reduce their data use — and, in some cases, their phone bills. There’s also a pair of platform-specific upgrades in the pipeline. Android fans will get to create web shortcuts on their home screens, while iOS users will see the automatic translation bar that has been available on Android since last year. Whichever version of Chrome you’re running, you’ll want to grab its latest update through one of the source links.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google
Source: App Store, Google Play
James Frey and Google team up to fuse interactive teen novels with AR games
We knew Google’s Niantic Labs was planning to use its Ingress tech to power other augmented reality games, but we didn’t expect this. In an announcement today, Niantic announced it has teamed up with publisher HarperCollins to create a location-based game for ENDGAME, a new book trilogy for young adults by bestselling authors James Frey (of A Million Little Pieces fame) and Nils Johnson-Shelton that has already been optioned by Twentieth Century Fox. Niantic will play a significant part in the interactive project, which is lovingly referred to as an “innovative omni-platform endeavor,” by developing a virtual-meets-real-world game that allows mobile users to solve virtual puzzles to advance parts of the story.
Google’s involvement doesn’t end there, either. The company has secured the rights to exclusively distribute six of fifteen original e-books on the Play Store and will also use YouTube videos, search and image results and maps to build the story, mirroring elements of Niantic’s Ingress campaigns. So when can we expect the project to bear fruit? HarperCollins says the first first book in the trilogy, ENDGAME: THE CALLING (yes, it appears someone’s Caps Lock got stuck), will be published on October 7th, along with Niantic’s official iOS and Android games. To mark the occasion, gamers will be asked to solve a virtual puzzle to claim a quantity of gold secured inside bullet-proof glass case. If that’s got you excited, there is a catch — that case is on public display and Google plans to stream the event live on YouTube.
Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Software, Mobile, Google
Source: HarperCollins (PRNewsWire)
Samsung’s low-cost Galaxy Tab 3 Lite confirmed by official user manual
Samsung has just verified that another Galaxy Tab is imminent after it published the user manual for a new Android tablet on its own site. The company’s Polish support page reveals documentation for the SM-T110, which is rumored to be a Wi-Fi variant of Samsung’s low-cost Galaxy Tab 3 Lite. According to a local stockist, the Jelly Bean tablet will feature a 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, dual-core 1.2GHz Marvell processor, 1GB of RAM, 2-megapixel camera, 8GB of internal storage (including microSD support) and a 3,600 mAh battery. The same retailer has opened pre-orders for both the Wi-Fi and 3G variants, pricing them at $165 and $263 respectively, all but confirming their place near the bottom of Samsung’s tablet pecking order. Expect the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite to make its official debut in the coming weeks, before Samsung heads to Mobile World Congress late next month.
Filed under: Tablets, Mobile, Samsung
Via: PhoneArena
Source: Samsung Poland, X-Kom
Google shuts down its bucket-list service, Schemer
Not long after rumors of Google shutting down Schemer (its goal-sharing service) arose, confirmation has appeared. On its website, Schemer notes that user data will be wiped after February 7th, but you have the chance to download your saved plans ahead of that. Furthermore, the note suggests giving Field Trip and the explore function in Google Maps a shot to attempt replicating some of the now-terminal app’s functionality. If those don’t work and you need some company for your grieving, however, we’re positive there are at least a few Google Reader users that know your pain.
Via: PhoneArena
Source: Schemer
10 Android icon packs you need to download now (Volume 6)
One of the easiest ways to change the look and feel of your Android device is to install a new launcher. And, once you do that, it’s a breeze to swap icons packs in and out to refresh the aesthetics. Prefer a minimal look with white icons? Sweet! Dig that flat and square stuff that feels like Google Now? Get it! Prefer for a nice, rounded icon design? Whatever, dude… it’s your device.
We’ve gathered up yet another 10 of our favorite icon packs to go along with our previous collections. For those counting, this is the sixth post of its kind; see others at bottom of post.
Note that there are a number of launchers for Android and that not all of these may play nice. Our advice is to read the Google Play details and check out the user comments if you aren’t quite sure.
- Flatty – A Flat Hex Icon Pack – Actually considered a beta app, there are more than 1,000 hexagaon-shaped flat icons available in resolutions up to 144×144. Also includes 10 solid wallpaper colors. $1.99
- Simplicity Plus Icon Pack – Roughly 300 icons and growing, it’s a combination of circular shapes and flat designs; all the rage lately. Easy to install for just about any launcher you’ll find. $1.21
- Naxos Flat Icon Pack ADW Nova – More than 600 icons with 300×300 pixel resolution and 11 wallpapers give this bundle a real Google Now-like feel. Bonus points for easy installation tool $2.00
- Axis – GO Apex Nova Theme – More than 1,000 flat icons with a hint of 60′s travel brochure retro, there’s nearly a dozen wallpapers and an installation dashboard too. Bang for the buck to be sure! $1.99
- Rusticons – Nearly 500 icons at 144×144 resolution, these have a nice touch of grunge and grit; lots of detail packed into these images. Note these won’t work with Go Launcher FREE
- Crysta – While there are less than 200 icons in the bundle, the app will mask your existing icons to match. Creates a great 3D depth that looks different than anything else on this list $1.30
- Pixelicious – Give your Android an old school flavor with these 8-bit icons. More than 1,000 icons available; look like truly stripped down versions of the standard icons. $1.29
- Circlons – Packed with 1,500 icons, 32 wallpapers, icon masking, and two dozen icon packs, you’ll be hardpressed to get more for your money. Flat, soft, and easy on the eyes $1.49
- Octa UI – 565 icons and getting bigger, these 144px icons employ the same eight colors across the entire palette and bring a nice uniform look to the table. Updated regularly and comes with 6 HD wallpapers $.99
- Half Shade – Flat for the most part, these also have a 3D-like appearance with a beveled edge and shade falling diagonally across the face. Includes 400+ icons, masking, and 21 wallpapers $1.50
Be sure to see our other highlighted icon packs
- 25 fantastic icon packs
- 10 more awesome icon packs
- 10 kick ass icon packs
- 10 favorite icon packs, volume 4
- 10 Android icon packs you need to download now
The post 10 Android icon packs you need to download now (Volume 6) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Moto X coming to UK, France and Germany on Feb. 1, lacks Moto Maker customization
Motorola’s pride and joy, the Moto X, has been a U.S. exclusive up until today, when the company announced availability in the UK, France and Germany.
Coming Feb. 1 for £380 sim-free or £25 on contract from Phones 4u, Carphone Warehouse, O2, Amazon and Techdata, the device will lack Moto Maker customization and will be available in black. White will be exclusive to Phone 4u for three months.
Besides that, the device will have the same specs as its American cousins.
For a refresher, it packs Android 4.4 Jelly Bean, 4.7-inch AMOLED (RGB) / HD 720p display, Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.7GHz dual-core processor, Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System, 2GB of RAM, 2200 mAh battery, 10 MP rear-facing Clear Pixel camera and a 2 MP front-facing camera.
Moto is holding a press conference today, so we should have full details later. Any of our friends across the pond can preorder the device now by following the Motorola source link below.
via Motorola, +Motorola, ZDNet
The post Moto X coming to UK, France and Germany on Feb. 1, lacks Moto Maker customization appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Hyundai and Kia tap SoundHound to help you identify music in your car
Always pulling out your smartphone to identify a song you’ve heard on your car radio? You’ll no longer need to if you buy a new Hyundai or Kia model in the coming year. The Korean automakers have teamed up with sound recognition specialist SoundHound to bring its music discovery tools to select 2014 models in North America, Korea and China. The partnership will see Hyundai and Kia integrate music tagging directly into their infotainment systems, letting you pull up information on a song or artist with a press of the SoundHound icon. If you so choose, the app can keep a record of your searches, giving you the option to pull them up on a mobile device at a more suitable time.
One model that will definitely get SoundHound’s music discovery feature is Hyundai’s 2015 Genesis sedan, which is already set to let owners remotely lock their cars, perform maintenance updates and send Google Maps directions to the car with Google Glass. Not content with that, the car maker is also one of the six founding members of the Open Automotive Alliance. As part of the alliance, Hyundai worked with Google to develop an Android-based version of its custom infotainment system, helping the search giant expand further into the world of connected cars.
Filed under: Transportation, Internet, Software, Mobile, Google
Via: Slashgear
Source: SoundHound (BusinessWire)
CyanogenMod’s new gallery software now available as a beta download
Think CyanogenMod’s image gallery is lacking? As it turns out, the CyanogenMod team itself thinks so too. In a recent Google+ post, the custom ROM maker not only admitted the current gallery’s shortcomings, but also also announced its replacement — an app it calls GalleryNext. In addition to functioning as a standard gallery app, the updated tool also bakes in support for Flickr, Picasa, Facebook and Dropbox. CM also plans to give it an Android KitKat-esque interface overhaul in the future, too. Unfortunately, early adopters report that the app is a bit buggy (not unusual for a beta), so proceed with caution. Still, CyanogenMod has made the beta available to anyone who joins its Google+ page, and the app itself can be found on Google Play, naturally.
Filed under: Mobile
Source: CyanogenMod (Google+)
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