Showing posts with label Android. Show all posts
The Crazy And Cool-$32M Edge!
"What the hell is a life worth living if it's not on the Edge", seems true. Well, say hello to the Ubuntu Edge, the first smartphone to use open-source Ubuntu Touch software and Android(dual boot) . Yes you read that right this beast dual boots Ubuntu Touch & Android in a single device and gets transformed into a full desktop version of Ubuntu OS when connected to a PC . So what makes this phone's life living on Edge is the fact that apart from its wicked hardware, the people from Canonical want your help with this multimillion-dollar crowd funding campaign.
British Company Canonical wants to bring this dual-booting Edge to fruition by creating the biggest ever crowdfunded campaign, raising a whooping 32,000,000 $ in a month on Indiegogo. The campaign intends to produce 40,000 edges. And with $780 pledged, you can get the handset somewhere in May 2014.
Sad but true! If Edge raises the money, Canonical will be frenzied and we could see more similar experiments form them. But if Edge fails to raise the ambitious amount before August 21, there won't be any Edge and Canonical will merely continue to develop Ubuntu mobile software for carriers and other manufacturers.
Design
A starkly-designed slab of charcoal black with a distinctive sharp-angled edge down one side and along the top, it sure does looks like a beautifully crafted smartphone. The most eye catching design feature is the absence of physical buttons on the front side of the phone. Following the traditional design, revealed through slick rendered images we can find two volume keys on one side linked by twin rows of small dimples running around the edge of the phone and a button on the top that appears to be a power button alongside a wide SIM card cover button.
On the rear side we could find camera and flash in the top corner other than that the rear side is completely smooth, with just an Ubuntu Edge logo subtly shaded in the same dark tone.
Hardware
Backed with an interesting hardware consisting of muti-core CPU with a 4GB ram and 128GB storage, its sure is a beastly device when compared to the other phones present in the market. The new display termed as sapphire crystal display throws out an seemingly 300ppi clarity. The gorgeous display is protected with something vastly tougher than glass- pure sapphire crystal, a material so hard that only diamond could scratch it.
To suffice this beastly phone, it is equipped with a battery that uses silicon-anode technology that squeezes more energy into the same dimensions. With this huge raw power delivered by the hardware this phone can easily be made the main PC through the connecting cable- desktop computing gone truly mobile.
Software
The Ubuntu Edge will dual boot both Ubuntu phone OS and Android, and also gets transformed into a fully integrated Ubuntu desktop PC. The clutter free home screen facilitates various swipe gestures such as swiping over left edge would bring out the favorite apps, switching instantly between open apps from the right, and use of the system and app toolbars at the top and bottom receptively brings the messaging, notifications,settings and preferences makes the interface unique with no need of home button.
The full Ubuntu desktop OS runs directly from the phone thereby removing the syncing or transfers problem. The core OS and applications are fully integrated with their smartphone equivalents, so that making/receiving calls can be done through desktop while working.
Technical Specifications
Specifications are subject to change.
Although canonical raised $3.4 million, or more than 10 percent of its goal in this campaign within its first 24 hours, but since then pace of funding has tapered off significantly. With just 17 days left and as of now while writing only $ 8,227,379 have been pledged. A considerable financial crowdfunding is still needed in order to bring this device to the market. The Ubuntu Edge is clearly not meant to be a consumer device, but rather a high end concept device by Linux makers for hardcore Linux users.
Small Tablet Showdown: Apple iPad mini vs Nexus 7
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: The Ultimate showdown of small tablet, it's Apple vs Android and for once outside the court rooms. So let the 7-inch tablet battle begin...
The 7-inch tablets- once branded as "tweeners" by Jobs, he considered them as useless unless they included a sandpaper so users could sand their fingers down to a quarter of their size.
Despite Jobs, being so publicly against the smaller slate, Apple decided to take the fight to Amazon and Google by announcing the iPad Mini. This was a clear response to the success of the Nexus 7, while the Cupertino company did not name the tablet when comparing it's 7.9-inch device to Google-powered tablet's, but it was a clear cut indication to every one else.
So lets take a look at how the specs shape up
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: Build
iPad Mini: Continuing the legacy of creating stunning designs with high build quality, the iPad mini is nothing less as compared, made from aluminium and glass design the iPad mini just weighs 308g which according to the company is lighter than a pod of paper . At 7.2mm thick it's as slender as a pencil and a 23% slimmer than the iPad 2.
Nexus 7: Supporting the Android black bezel display, the Nexus 7 features a rubberised dimple like removable back that makes it comfortable to grip for longer periods. Weighing in at 340g and measuring in at 10.5mm thick, the Nexus 7 is lighter than the Kindle Fire, but clearly not quite reedy as the iPad mini.
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: Screen
iPad Mini: Putting a end to the 7.85-inch screen Apple went a little bit bigger with its 7.9-inch LED Multi-Touch display. Packing IPS display tech to deliver stunningly wide viewing angles, the Retina display is disappointingly missing in action but the 1024x768 resolution with 163 ppi is the same screen quality as the iPad 2. The extra screen estate should mean 67% more room than the 7-inch tablet devices to browse and watch videos creamily.
Nexus 7: One thing that Asus has managed to nail on the tablet front is making a beautiful iPad-rivalling tablet screen like the one on the Transformer Prime. So, prospective wise Nexus 7 owners can expect a 1280x800 HD display with 216 ppi which might not be as good as the 9.7-inch iPad in terms of clarity and vibrancy, but does outrival the iPad Mini. The Corning glass coating should also ensure it can withstand the odd knock or two.
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: Camera
iPad Mini: Bringing it line with the iPhone 4S in the snapping department, the iPad Mini has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, with backside illumination for low lit photography. It also packs a front-facing FaceTime HD camera for high resolution video chats and can also shoot 1080p HD video with image stabilization to keep things steady.
Nexus 7: Finding it hard to accept the fact that people would prefer to take a snap with one over a smartphone, and clearly Google also thinks the same, opting only to include a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera which should suitably cover all your Skype and Google+ chatting needs.
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: O/S
iPad Mini: Set to get the iOS 6 treatment, the latest Apple OS promises a slightly tweaked user interface with a new look App Store and iCloud support, a smarter Siri that will launch apps, FaceTime over 3G and TomTom-powered Apple Maps. It's still one of the best mobile operating systems and we expect it be as slick on the smaller Apple tablet as it is on current iOS devices.
Nexus 7: Shipping with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box, the most features most notably brings a speedier performance thanks to the Project Butter, a smarter keyboard, a more sophisticated voice search and the new Google Now service. Android 4.1.2 has also just been released which now enables users to view home screens in landscape which some early Nexus 7 owners did have an issue with.
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: Power
iPad Mini: The iPad Mini houses a powerful dual core A5 processor for fast, powerful and power-efficient performance. Although the dualcore architecture should make it still suitably zippy, but the quadcore that Nexus 7 packs is a powerhouse.
Nexus 7: The one thing that Nexus 7 has over others is the serious power under the hood. Packing a Tegra 3 quadcore processor to tackle multitasking and deliver smooth streaming video, the 12-core GPU should give it enough grunt to handle most graphically demanding mobile games.
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: Connectivity
iPad Mini: With dual band 802.11n Wi-Fi on board, the performance is twice as good as previous iPad models, while LTE compatibility is an added bonus on cellular networks . the new Bluetooth 4.0 also provides a decent transfer medium.
Nexus 7: With no support of LTE as well as 3G, browsing web on the go is a little pain in the ass unless some tethering action is available as the device only supports Wi-Fi. If you can make a do with that, there is also Bluetooth support, GPS and NFC capability courtesy of Android Beam to instantly send pictures and video. A 3G model has however been tipped to land Google's press event later this month.
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: Battery
iPad Mini: With Apple promising 10 hours of battery life, sufficiently enough to make it through the day, before you have to hook that Lightning connector up again. Which is kind of good news considering the fact that it houses a comprehensive tech.
Nexus 7: Google claims that the Nexus 7 will deliver a decent 9 hours of battery backup, if you are consuming content like HD video, but if you are simply reading or browsing the web, expect a backup of around 10 hours of Nexus 7 playtime.
iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: Price
iPad Mini: Kicking off with the 16GB Wi-Fi only model, those looking to snap up the smaller iPad will need to part with 329$ with those requiring 32GB or 64GB of internal storage will have to splurge out 429$ and 529$ respectively. On the WiFi + 3G front, owners looking to access the web will have to part with 459$, 559$ or 659$ depending on their choice of 16GB, 32 GB or 64GB storage options.
Nexus 7: One of the main factors of big selling of Nexus 7 was pricing with the 8GB version, which is available for $199 and 249$ for the 16GB model. Recent rumours suggest that Google is planing to unveil its 32GB model before the end of the year.
Verdict
The Nexus 7 was awarded Gadget of the year by many magazines for having delivered a truly impressive tablet device that didn't cost an arm of kidney to buy one. Although iPad mini looks set to build on the runway success of the current iPad and if it performs as well as the current Apple tablets, the Cupertino company could be onto a winner. The Difference in price could prove decisive, but we will have to wait to see what iPad Mini is truly capable of before passing a judgement.
| Name | Apple iPad mini | Google Nexus 7 | |
 |  | ||
| Editor Rating | |||
| Screen Size | 7.9 inches | 7 inches | |
| Screen Resolution | 1024 x 768 pixels | 1280 x 800 pixels | |
| Dimensions | 0.28 inches | 7.8 x 4.7 x 0.4 inches | |
| Weight | 10.88 oz | 12 oz | |
| Operating System | Apple iOS | Google Android 3.0 or higher | |
| Processor Speed | 1.2 GHz | ||
| Wi-Fi (802.11x) Compatibility | 2.4GHZ/5GHz | 2.4GHz | |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes | |
| Cellular Technology | LTE | No | |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | |
| Ports | Apple Lightning | micro USB | |
| Front Camera Resolution | 1.2 MP | 1.2 MP | |
| Rear Camera Resolution | 5 MP | 0 MP | |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (est.) | 10 hours 37 minutes |
Ice Cream Sandwich:Learn How to Run the Emulator
Google announced Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and, on the same day, released the SDK. This means that you can run ICS for yourself in your computer. On the bottom of this post you'll find steps (plus a video) on how to get Android 4.0 working on your desktop. But first, I wanted to show you a walkthrough of Ice Cream Sandwich to point out the major new features.
Altough the emulator doesn't give us a good sense of the performance, but what I can tell is that ICS looks much more refined and feels much more consistent when compared to previous versions of Android for phones. We see a ton of UI elements come from Honeycomb, which isn't a bad thing.
To run the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwhich emulator:
1. Download the SDK
2. Extract the Zip to a folder on your desktop
3. Click SDK Manager.exe
4. Put a check in the box for Android 4.0, click Install Packages on bottom right
5. Go back into the Android folder on your desktop, open AVD Manager.exe
6. Click New
7. Give it a name, change the target to Android 4.0
8. Click Create AVD
9. Hit Start, wait five minutes
Tag :
Android
Android 4.0 SDK Now Available
Android 4.0 Platform
Android 4.0 is a major platform release that adds a variety of new features for users and app developers. Besides all the new features and APIs discussed below, Android 4.0 is an important platform release because it brings the extensive set of APIs and Holographic themes from Android 3.x to smaller screens. As an app developer, you now have a single platform and unified API framework that enables you to develop and publish your application with a single APK that provides an optimized user experience for handsets, tablets, and more, when running the same version of Android—Android 4.0 (API level 14) or greater.
The Android 4.0 platform is available as a downloadable component for the Android SDK so you can begin developing and testing your applications on Android 4.0 with the Android emulator. The downloadable platform includes an Android library and system image, as well as a set of emulator skins and more. The downloadable platform does not include any external libraries.
To start developing or testing against Android 4.0, use the Android SDK Manager to download the platform into your SDK. For more information, see Adding SDK Components. If you are new to Android, download the SDK Starter Package first.
Reminder: If you've already published an
Android application, please test your application on Android 4.0 as
soon as possible to be sure your application provides the best
experience possible on the latest Android-powered devices.
For a high-level overview of the new user and developer features in Android 4.0, see the Platform Highlights.
Learn How To Run Android 4.0 In Emulator
Tag :
Android
Install Android paid apps for free
Requirements
- PC or Laptop.
- Internet on both Mobile as well as computer.
- Android Phone
1) Turn On you computer and plug you android device with PC. (Use data cable)
2) If your PC is not showing your device in “My computer” than install the software from here
3) Now, the device will show up in “My Compter”. Now open up the Android Market.
4) Now, select the app you want to install in you “android phone” Just copy the name of that app.
5) Now, open shared.com and paste the name of the app in the “Search box”.
6) Now select the app with .apk extension and download it.
7) For E.G: – If you select Doodle Jump and pasted it in the search box, then select the app with .apk extension.
8) Download it and open “My computer”, open the “Android Phone drive” and copy the file in it.
Icon and install it in “Android Phone”. (Its free)
DO NOT PASTE IT IN ANY FOLDER JUST PASTE IT IN THE MEMORY CARD.
9) Now, you need to open your Wiifi or open Internet in your Phone.
10) Now, Go to market and search INSTALLER and download the app with
Icon and install it in “Android Phone”. (Its free)
11) Now open installer and it will show you some apps that u have just pasted in “Android Phone Drive”.
12) Install it and its Completed……..
Android.next: Ice Cream Sandwich
Google has dropped some interesting information about Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Android - Android 4.0
at its Google I/O conference in San Francisco.
Ice Cream Sandwich will bring all the interface loveliness of Android
3.0 Honeycombto Android smartphones. Android phone users will get the
updated app launcher, holographic user interface, interactive and new
homescreen widgets plus the multi-tasking panel.
Features
Google says Ice Cream Sandwich is its "most ambitious release to
date" and will incorporate all the best bits of Honeycomb, the Android
tablet OS, and make them useable on smartphones too.
But Ice Cream Sandwich is about more than just the user interface and it will bring all the new Android 3.1
features to phones. This new update means Android tablets will also be
able to act as a USB hub and you'll be to hook up devices such as mice
and keyboards and game controllers to tablets and smartphones.
Google
is also intending to make life easier for developers by releasing a
new set of APIs that will help them to scale their apps across the
various sizes of Android devices - Google acknowledges that it's
important for developers to be able to design apps that will work
across 3.5-inch smartphones up to 10.1-inch tablets.
During the
Google Google I/O keynote those on stage also showed off 3D
headtracking using the front-mounted camera so you can figure out who
is speaking and focus on them while on a video call. Face detection
will be a key feature in the OS.
Google is intending to make Ice Cream Sandwich fully open source. It
didn't do this with Android 3.0 Honeycomb in an attempt to make things
more consistent.
Tag :
Android