Possible Redesigned Google+ App For Android Spotted

Possible Redesigned Google+ App For Android SpottedSo apparently not only is Google working on a redesign for its app icons, but apparently they are also working on a redesign of the Google+ app for Android. This is thanks to a sighting by a Google+ user, Yoel Kaseb, who managed to get his hands on a handful of screenshots of the alleged redesign, although in the process it seems that he has managed to get himself locked out of the APK by Google, thus lending some credibility to his find.

Based on what we can see, it seems like Google has changed the color of the action bar, giving it a red finish, which is a nice contrast to Gmail’s blue action bar and the Calender app’s purple finish. This seems to be in line with Google’s design language so once again, it is possible that the screenshots we are seeing are the real deal. The screenshots also shows off a red overlay when accessing the menu by the side, which we guess is meant to prevent the main content from distracting from the side menu.

Posting a status has changed as well and a window will pop up as opposed to taking users to a separate page. We’re not sure how recent this Google+ app build is, or in what stage of its development that it is in at the moment, so there is a good chance that Google could be changing its design ahead of its release.

The redesign of the app also hints at the rumors we have been hearing about Project Hera, a project worked on by Google that is meant to unify Google’s products and services, both on the web and mobile, and that some of the Google Now cards will be color-coded by their action bars, like what we’re seeing in the screenshots. There’s no way of telling how real any of this is, but with Google I/O taking place in June, perhaps Google will reveal more details then.

Possible Redesigned Google+ App For Android Spotted , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Cellphones, , , ,

Sony Xperia SP Users Experiencing Screen Flickering After Recent Update

As we’re sure many Sony Xperia SP owners know by now, their handsets will not be upgraded to Android 4.4. Instead the best that Sony will do for them is update it to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, which we guess is still a pretty big leap considering that the phone launched with Android 4.1 when it was first released.

Now the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update has been pushed out back in February but in a recent update that Sony released to help squash some bugs, it seems to have created more problems for certain Sony Xperia SP owners instead, in the form of a flickering display which can prove to be pretty annoying and potentially battery-draining as well.

According to reports by Sony Xperia SP owners, it seems that post-update, they have begun to notice that their handset displays start to flicker which proves to be quite a distraction. So far there have been several methods attempted to fix this problem, such as checking if the screen protector is messing with the phone’s sensor, and some have even gone as far as flashing custom ROMs to see if maybe it could be an issue with the software (no luck).

One of the ways to go about getting rid of this is to revert back to older builds of Android. Sony has yet to comment on the issue but if you’re wondering how the flicker looks like, check it out in the video above for the details. So, any of our readers with Xperia SP handsets experiencing this flicker issue as well?

Sony Xperia SP Users Experiencing Screen Flickering After Recent Update , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Cellphones, , ,

Yahoo Wants To Become iOS’ Default Search

Yahoo Wants To Become iOS Default SearchWhen it comes to performing search on the iPhone or iOS products, Google is usually set as the default search engine. We’re sure if Apple had their own search engine, they’d probably use it, but given that Google is one of the bigger names at the moment, it is understandable why they chose them over competitors like Yahoo.

Yahoo’s presence in iOS devices is pretty much limited to the native Weather and Stocks apps, but apparently Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer is working on two internal projects that will apparently attempt to convince Apple to make the default search Yahoo and not Google.

This is according to a report from Re/code who states that Mayer is preparing detailed presentations to Apple’s executives to show them what their new mobile search product could look like. We’re not sure what Yahoo could do to convince Apple to change the default search on Safari to Yahoo, but it has supposedly managed to attract the attention of Apple’s SVP of design, Jony Ive.

Like we said earlier, Yahoo’s presence on iOS is somewhat limited. This is compared to Google which is Safari’s default search, and Microsoft’s Bing search engine which is used to help power web searches used by Apple’s voice assistant feature, Siri. Re/code states that the deal between Apple and Yahoo has yet to be finalized.

In fact Apple has yet to be pitched on the idea, but it’s definitely something that Yahoo is working towards. In the meantime how do you guys feel about the idea? Would you like to see Yahoo become your iPhone’s default search?

Yahoo Wants To Become iOS’ Default Search , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Apple, Cellphones, Rumors, , ,

Kitestring App Aims To Help You Get Home Safe

Kitestring App Aims To Help You Get Home SafeSay you’re out late and you’re in a sketchy neighborhood or somewhere you’re not familiar with, and you’re feeling a little paranoid. Instead of calling your parents, your best friend, or partner to have them keep you company on the phone, there’s now an app for that. It’s called Kitestring and basically what it does is that it lets the user set reminders in which if there is no response, Kitestring will attempt to contact your emergency numbers.

Users will have to key in numbers in which they want to be their emergency contact, like a parent or a friend, and every now and then, Kitestring will send you a text message asking if everything is alright. If the user does not respond within a certain amount of time, Kitestring will then attempt to contact the emergency numbers that you keyed in earlier.

Granted this won’t stop the bad people out there from attempting to mug, kidnap, or even rape you, but at the very least it will let your loved ones know that something could be wrong, as opposed to having to wait for hours or even days before they realize that something is amiss.

We should note that Kitestring isn’t the first of its kind as there are plenty of other apps out there designed for the safety of women in mind, but it definitely makes it onto the list, so if you’re planning a trip to a country you’re unfamiliar with, or planning on working late and want to let your loved ones know, perhaps this is an app worth checking out.

Kitestring App Aims To Help You Get Home Safe , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Cellphones, ,

Users Report Cortana Having Problems Setting Alarms

Users Report Cortana Having Problems Setting AlarmsOne of the more basic functions one might expect from a voice assistant feature is the ability to set the alarm. Google Now does this, Siri does this, Cortana does this, no wait, it doesn’t. According to reports, it seems that there are more than a fair share of Windows Phone 8.1 users out there who are experiencing difficulties when attempting to set their alarm via Cortana.

The error message they receive when trying to do so reads, “Something’s not right. Try again a little bit. (8000ffff).” Apparently even soft or hard resetting their phone does not seem to solve the issue either. There is also the possibility that it might be because Cortana is being used in another country other than the US, but there are US users who are reporting on the issue as well.

However we should note that as it stands, Windows Phone 8.1 has been released as a Developer Preview meaning that it is not primed for use for end-users just yet, although we would have expected Cortana to be able to set alarms since it’s a pretty basic function. Hopefully this is an issue Microsoft will look into an issue a fix if necessary.

In the meantime any of our readers running the Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview on their Windows Phone handsets run into the same problems as well? Do let us know in the comments below, especially if you’ve figured out how to make it work!

Users Report Cortana Having Problems Setting Alarms , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Cellphones, Cortana, , ,

LG Confirms First Mobile Processor Enters Production In The Near Future

LG Confirms First Mobile Processor Enters Production In The Near Future

There have been countless rumors about LG developing its very own system-on-a-chip. Recent rumors suggested that it may be called Odin. Apparently its based on a big.LITTLE configuration with four 2.2GHz Cortex-A15 cores and four 1.7GHz Cortex-A7 cores. Without commenting on the specifics, a published report out of Korea today includes confirmation from an LG Electronics spokesperson that the company is indeed going to start producing its first mobile processors “soon.”

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  • LG Confirms First Mobile Processor Enters Production In The Near Future original content from Ubergizmo.

    Activate Download Booster In Verizon And AT&T Galaxy S5

    Activate Download Booster In Verizon And AT&T Galaxy S5

    Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a feature called Download Booster. What is basically does is that it combines Wi-Fi and LTE to substantially increase download speeds when a file larger than 30MB is being downloaded. It was previously reported that Verizon and AT&T blocked Download Booster on their Galaxy S5 variants. As it turns out the feature exists on their variants, its merely been hidden. So its possible to activate download booster on Verizon and AT&T Galaxy S5.

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  • Activate Download Booster In Verizon And AT&T Galaxy S5 original content from Ubergizmo.

    Google Launches Standalone Camera App For Android

    Google Launches Standalone Camera App For Android

    A standalone Google Camera app has been launched today. Available for download from the Google Play Store, the app is quite different from the camera app that’s bundled with Android 4.4 KitKat. In its standalone app Google has kept the user interface quite clean to make the shutter button quite prominent while refining and improving the overall experience. Google promises that its an interface “that gets out of your way.”

    The app comes with a new Lens Blur mode which offers a shallow depth of field to achieve “SLR-like photos.” Basically it replaces the need for a large optical system and instead uses computer vision algorithms and various optimization techniques to simulate larger lens and aperture. Other features include Google’s signature Photo Sphere, a useful feature if you like taking panoramic shots.

    Google has also declared war on capturing video in portrait orientation. When the video camera is selected the app won’t start recording video until the user switches to landscape orientation. The app is supported by all Android devices that are capable of running version 4.4 KitKat or higher.

    There’s a big advantage for both Google and the users. Since its a standalone app, users get more choice if they’re not content with the stock app. Google can freely add features to the app because its not baked into the OS, so it doesn’t need to roll out an entire firmware update. A simple app update is all that Google needs to add new features. Google Camera is available as a free download.

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  • Google Launches Standalone Camera App For Android original content from Ubergizmo.

    OnePlus One Will Be Available In 16 Markets At Launch

    OnePlus One Will Be Available In 16 Markets At Launch

    The folks over at OnePlus continue to keep the media machine spinning. Over the past few weeks it has revealed tidbits of information about its first smartphone called the OnePlus One. Most of the specifications have been revealed but so far it hasn’t shown off the device itself. The announcement has been scheduled for April 23rd. Today the company confirmed that its first smartphone will be available in 16 countries at launch.

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  • OnePlus One Will Be Available In 16 Markets At Launch original content from Ubergizmo.

    Chrome Remote Desktop Hits Mobile Devices

    Chrome Remote Desktop Hits Mobile DevicesIn this day and age, working outside of the office has proven to be pretty normal, thanks to the ever increasing computing power that we find in notebooks as well as other mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. I am quite sure that the corporate types out there would have come across a situation when one is outside of the office and require a file urgently that happens to be stuck on your home computer. Life’s as you know it is not over yet, as Chrome Remote Desktop allows you to remotely access your machine from another laptop or computer since 2011 in a free, easy and secure manner. Well, buckle up and fast forward to 2014, and we have the Chrome Remote Desktop app for Android released, letting you do the same straight from your Android-powered device.

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  • Chrome Remote Desktop Hits Mobile Devices original content from Ubergizmo.