Samsung: Galaxy S III’s universal search function ‘inadvertently removed’, will return to UK models in the next few days

After being unceremoniously stripped in a recent OTA update, Samsung has told TechRadar that the Galaxy S III’s universal search function will return — at least in the UK. A spokesperson for Samsung said that the “inadvertent removal” will be remedied in the “correct software upgrade” over the next few days. It sends a mixed message on why the feature was removed in the first place — and makes us wonder whether the search box will ever return to the Sprint iteration any time soon. Still, it’s good news for anyone that’s having trouble keeping tabs on all those Angry Birds iterations. Gotta finish ’em all.

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Samsung: Galaxy S III’s universal search function ‘inadvertently removed’, will return to UK models in the next few days originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twitter’s cooking up a way for you to archive your old tweets, relive your Bieber fever again and again

Twitter's cooking up a way for you to archive your old tweets, relive your Bieber fever again and again

Frustrated by a lack of access to your thoughts and feelings about world events and sandwiches circa 2008? Twitter’s working on a way to let users export and download old tweets into a file, according to CEO Dick Costolo. As far a service for search all users, the exec doesn’t see such a solution coming any time soon, telling reporters, “It’s a different way of architecting search, going through all tweets of all time. You can’t just put three engineers on it.”

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Twitter’s cooking up a way for you to archive your old tweets, relive your Bieber fever again and again originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 15:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google search nerds out, adds full-button scientific calculator

Google search nerds up, adds fullbutton scientific calculator

Search is Google’s bread and butter, so it stands to reason the company would want to cram in as much universal functionality to that unassuming text box as possible. After having integrated graphing capabilities this past Winter, the Mountain View gang’s at it again, expanding the breadth of its moneymaker with a full, pop-up scientific calculator. Users that input the beginnings of an equation from either the desktop site or mobile version (landscape only) will instantly see a 32-button layout appear in the space below, mapped for all the mathematical functions your left brain can’t handle alone. The calculator can also be triggered by voice commands, so those of you averse to thumb-smashing will have the luxury of barking those algebraic equations straight into your handset. It’s live now for the testing, but we warn you, it’s no replacement for that game-filled TI-83.

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Google search nerds out, adds full-button scientific calculator originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Galaxy S III Local Search cut from your phone? Here’s a fix

Though the following workaround isn’t technically sanctioned by Samsung, Google, or anyone else involved in the cutting of Local Search from your Galaxy S III, it’ll certainly do the trick if you’re willing to get your hands a little dirty. What we’ve got here is a situation in which Samsung appears to be pre-empting a move by Apple to sue their pants off with an axing of the functionality on their devices that Apple very well could catch them on – Local Search is its name, and appearing too similar to Siri is its game.

Now the developers at XDA have fixed up the situation real quick. What you’ll have to do to “fix” your device is hacking – if that’s not something you’re in to, you’re pretty much out of luck for the time being unless you want to try out an application like QuickDroid, of course. To hack and replace the functionality that Samsung has suddenly taken away this week, you’ll have to do the following, per “eyecon82″ at XDA Developers forum:

“NOTE: You need ROOT! and probably Root Explorer, so you can change permissions, I did it all through the phone, I’m sure you could also use adb but this seemed simpler. Also, I don’t think this can in any way break your phone, but just to be safe, make a backup, at least in Titanium, and don’t blame me if something goes wrong.

1) Download the apk at the beginning of this thread, place it on your SDcard (or phone) where you’ll find it easily.
2) Install root explorer (or equivalent, I used root explorer though)
3) Go to /system/app and mount as R/W
4) move GoogleQuickSearch.apk somewhere else, just so you have it if you need to restore it
5) Go to where you placed the full-featured apk, copy/move it to /system/app
6) Long-Click on GoogleQuickSearch.apk, select permissions, and set to rw-r–r– (ie, row 1: yes yes no, row 2: yes no no, row 3: yes no no)
7) Hit okay, mount R/O, and quit
8) Go to Settings > Application Manager > All
9) Select Google Search, and clear data/cache
10) Select Google Services Framework, clear data/cache
11) Reboot
12) ???
13) Profit!!!” – eyecon82

At the moment this fix only works with one of several of the versions of the device, but we’re expecting files to function for all models in the very near future. Have a peek at [the original XDA thread] to grab the APK you’ll need to make Local Search work once again – and good luck!

Of course, as with all hacking adventures, we must inform you that whatever you do, you are responsible for your own actions. Doing any or all of the above could and likely will result in your device’s warrantee to be stoppered and your brain to melt – so beware!


Galaxy S III Local Search cut from your phone? Here’s a fix is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Google Calculator gets Scientific

Ten years ago a search war was going on with quickness in results and accuracy of the first result being paramount – now it’s all about fabulous add-ons such as the calculator Google has added this week. What we’ve got here is a full Scientific Calculator in your search results that not only allows you to get results for 2+3, but allows you to manipulate the answer you’ve gotten with a set of algebraic buttons as well.

Some day Google will be the only webpage that exists, with everyone else working for the one true king to bring it information as it feeds us electronically with +1 votes. We expect that this is the end goal for Google with each of their services ultimately strengthening the brand. You’ve now got Sine, cosine, Pi, and every other little bit you could desire in 34 buttons.

This feature also works with Desktop Voice Search, the little microphone on the right of your search bar allowing equations to be spoken aloud. Mobile devices also have access to a smaller version of this calculator – also live now. Head to Google.com to get your dose of mathematical prowess by typing in a short problem right this minute.


Google Calculator gets Scientific is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Samsung Galaxy S III update sheds universal search feature on international model

The Sprint flavor of Samsung’s latest flagship isn’t the only one to feel the gentle tug of patent warfare. According to Android Central (and several XDA Developers forum members), the latest OTA update for the international (i9300) version also does away with the universal search function, which browses your phone’s contacts and apps for results — and drew Apple’s ire. The new search box now offers web-only results, with the 27MB update also tinkering with the default browser layout. You may also find yourself back using Samsung’s homemade keyboard UI after resetting — though this can be quickly remedied in settings. Reduced functionality aside, if you like your smartphones legally sound, the update can be grabbed through the phone or Samsung’s Kies software.

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Samsung Galaxy S III update sheds universal search feature on international model originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 05:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Central, XDA Developers  | Email this | Comments

Samsung strips international Galaxy S III local search with sneaky update

Samsung has pushed out a new OTA software update today for the international Galaxy S III, though while the firmware upgrade is in fact a feature downgrade, you wouldn’t necessarily realize it before installing. Billed as a “stability” update by Samsung itself, the new software actually strips local search functionality from the Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone, just as Samsung has been doing with versions of the Galaxy S III in the US.

That means, once installed, you won’t get search results from local content on the Galaxy S III mixed in with your web results. The change is a result of continuing litigation between Samsung and Apple, with the Cupertino firm holding a local search patent which has already been used to spank its Korean rival in the US.

Confusingly, that patent isn’t actually one that has been cited in Apple’s court proceedings against Samsung in markets where the international Galaxy S III GT-i9300 is sold. This seems to be a case of Samsung either pre-emptively removing it over an abundance of caution – perhaps no surprise given the recent sales ban in Europe of the Galaxy Tab 7.7 – or to simply bring all devices to the same level, even if that means some owners unnecessarily sacrificing features.

If you don’t mind losing local search – or using a workaround – then there are already reports that the firmware does have a few benefits. Over at xda-developers there’s talk of the system in general being faster, as well as ironing out some of the crackling issue with audio that some owners complained of.

[via Android Central]


Samsung strips international Galaxy S III local search with sneaky update is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


French Supreme Court orders Google to censor piracy related terms in Instant search and Autocomplete

French Supreme Court orders Google to censor piracy related terms

The French Supreme Court has handed down a ruling that Google must censor terms such as “torrent,” “RapidShare,” and other phrases that could be related to illegal file sharing. The decision was in response to a case brought by SNEP, a French music industry group, requesting that Google be forced to censor its results and be held accountable for facilitating piracy. The court ruled that the Mountain View company couldn’t be held responsible for people’s decision to click through to sites containing illegal material. But it reversed a lower court decision, demanding that related terms be removed from its autocomplete database to making finding such content more difficult. Google was understandably disappointed by the ruling, especially since the company already actively blocks some piracy related search terms. But, that apparently wasn’t enough for the SNEP. Check out the ruling itself at the more coverage link.

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French Supreme Court orders Google to censor piracy related terms in Instant search and Autocomplete originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 11:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceThe Register  | Email this | Comments

Bing’s Animated Homepage Is What the Face of the Internet Should Look Like [Internet]

Bing’s homepage is wonderful today. Right now, it livens up your basic search page with an animated timelapse of concentric startrails at Monument Valley in Utah. It’s gorgeous. But more importantly, it’s the kind of tasteful-but-futuristic design we want to see more of. More »

Firefox 14 rolls out: Google searches default to HTTPS, OS X Lion users get fullscreen support

Firefox 14 rolls out, defaults Google searches to HTTPS

The changes in Firefox 14 may not be quite as immediately noticeable as those in the recently released Firefox 13, but they’re still fairly notable nonetheless. One of the biggest is Mozilla delivering on its promise to move to HTTPS for all Google search results and search suggestions, giving users a bit of added security. Mac OS X Lion users will also be glad to know that the full screen mode is now fully supported, and all users can also now expect better mouse performance in web-based games and other applications thanks to Mozilla’s implementation of the Pointer Lock API. As is the norm now, though, you’ll just have to wait another six weeks for the next release if a feature you’ve been waiting for didn’t make it into this one.

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Firefox 14 rolls out: Google searches default to HTTPS, OS X Lion users get fullscreen support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Inquirer  |  sourceFirefox  | Email this | Comments