Hasta La Gadget!

Samsung has announced its latest smartphone called the Galaxy Core Advance. Samsung says that the new device has a “meaningful design” that is intended to extend the Galaxy technology to more users. Presumably that means this will be a cheaper smartphone, but pricing is unannounced. The smartphone has a 4.7-inch WVGA touchscreen and a Soft […]

Earlier this year in July it was discovered that Android 4.3 had a hidden feature called App Ops. Through the feature users could tap in to permissions granted to apps that run on the device, something which they can’t do by default. While many users would argue about giving users the ability to control individual app permissions, Google is yet to officially launch such a feature. In its recent Android update, version 4.4.2 KitKat which was released shortly after Android 4.4.1 graced devices, Google has now removed the App Ops feature.

Google says that App Ops is an “experimental” feature that wasn’t meant to be public, the company claims that it could break app functionality, which is why users must not be given access to it. Google hasn’t said if it has any plans in the future of launching this feature, so it wouldn’t be right to assume that somewhere along the line App Ops could come back. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is of the view that Google should re-enable the feature, and that it should add a switch to restrain apps from collecting identifying information such as IMEI, user account information and phone number, it should better integrate App Ops in Android and that it should allow users to disable network access on a per app basis.

Google Removes Hidden Feature In Android Through Version 4.4.2 Update original content from Ubergizmo.

A few months ago we checked out an iPhone case that had several add-ons with different functions. The Pivothead SMART glasses have a very similar feature. The glasses have two microUSB ports – one at the end of each temple – from which you can attach small accessories called Smart Mods.

Unlike Google Glass, which has a heads up display to present detailed visual information, Pivothead SMART uses LED guides to display notifications and other basic data. That’s because the glasses are not really designed to be wearable personal computers like Glass. Instead, they’re taking on wearable cameras like the GoPro (though to some extent Google Glass falls into that bucket as well). For starters, it has a camera with an 8mp Sony CMOS sensor that can record 1080p video at 30fps. It has still, burst and time-lapse modes and auto, fixed and macro focus presets.

By default, the Pivothead SMART has 16GB storage and a battery good for an hour of continuous video recording. Here’s where the Smart Mods come in.

The Fuel Mod is a battery pack that adds more power to the glasses, equivalent to two more hours of continuous video recording. The Live Mod adds a MicroSD slot, but that’s actually just a bonus feature of the add-on. The main feature of Live Mod is that it allows the glasses to stream full HD video via Wi-Fi to a desktop computer, mobile device or to the web.

Even though Pivothead wants to be the next GoPro, its Air Mod has the potential to make it more versatile. The Air Mod add-on has the same features as the Live Mod add-on – i.e. streaming and a MicroSD slot – but it’s also much more than that. It’s actually a tiny, display-less Android device, with a dual-core 1.3GHz ARM A7 CPU, WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS and a host of sensors.

The idea is for developers to make apps that will run on the Air Mod, which will in turn enhance the functionality of the glasses. The video above showed a couple of concept apps for the Air Mod, such as a boarding pass scanner and an app that can analyze street signs.

Pledge at least $229 (USD) on Indiegogo to get a pair of Pivothead SMART glasses without any Smart Mods. You’ll need to pledge at least $409 to get the glasses and all three Smart Mods. The Smart Mods are also available as separate rewards. The Air Mod will – like any mobile device – live and die by its app ecosystem, but at least it’s an optional purchase. The glasses are still quite useful on their own.

Overall this seems to be a really promising device, but its makers need to find a way to explain its features to everyday consumers if they really want it to take off like GoPro cameras.

[Pivothead via The Droid Guy]

Just the other day, we read about how Microsoft rolled out a Skype for Windows Phone 8 update to the masses, and this time around, we have a little bit of something for Android device owners who cannot help but sneak in some Skype goodness into their everyday routine. We are looking at Skype for Android version 4.5 now, where there will be a couple of totally new features which will cater for Android tablet owners, in addition to general improvements across the board.

Skype happens to be the first Android application that will be able to deliver a picture in picture window, letting you check out your video call never mind the fact that you have already switched away to other applications. I guess some might say that this is an experience which would not be too different from Windows 8′s Snap View, albeit it comes with a touch of Android this time around, letting you multitask even when you are attending to a Skype video call. While this feature is available only on tablets, those using Skype 4.5 on your Android smartphone will still be able to catch out a message that performs a permission request to draw on top of other apps. Other bug fixes and quality improvements in Skype 4.5 would include better Video Instant Messaging functionality, compatibility for the Hudl tablet, crash issues on the Nexus 5 would be no more, as well as persistent drop down filter selections on the people tab. [Press Release]

Skype For Android 4.5 Rolls Out original content from Ubergizmo.

Yesterday, we published a blog post lauding an extremely important app privacy feature that was added in Android 4.3. That feature allows users to install apps while preventing the app from collecting sensitive data like the user’s location or address book.

Read more…