Hasta La Gadget!

As Alton Brown is fond of saying, “your patience will be rewarded.” Today, those of you with Verizon-branded Galaxy Nexus handsets (at least those that didn’t run out and download an unofficial Jelly Bean) are finally getting your reward. Android version 4.1.1 (better known as JRO03O among the hack happy) is being pushed out OTA to Big Red customers, complete with the preemptive magic of Google Now in tow. If you haven’t seen an alert yet, head to the About Phone section in your settings, and tap System Updates. Having recently been welcomed back to the AOSP fold, we’d have hoped for an update sooner, but it’s still among the first wave of handsets to move to the latest version of Android. Now if only this would restore Google Wallet functionality. (Hey, a guy can dream can’t he?) The complete announcement from Verizon awaits after the break.

Continue reading Verizon Galaxy Nexus finally lands Jelly Bean update

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

Verizon Galaxy Nexus finally lands Jelly Bean update originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook has already been making its mea culpas for the state of its main Android app, and it’s showing further atonement through an Android-first update to its Facebook Messenger companion release. The new app is imbued with a “more conversational” (if fairly familiar-looking) bubble-driven layout for chats. Likewise, it’s easier to see if a conversation is needed in the first place: a friend status list is always available with a swipe, while fresh support for texting directly from Messenger can keep the discussion flowing when SMS comes into play. Android users can get the Messenger upgrade today, with promise of an iOS equivalent soon. The regular Android app is getting an update as well, although we wouldn’t cry with joy just yet: it’s more of a parallel to the Messenger update than the speed-up that some of us crave.

Update: The company’s Christian Legnitto has posted a lengthy explanation that the Messenger rework and the core Facebook update (already available) are part of a new strategy that brings Android and iOS updates at regular intervals, rather than waiting solely for major features. If all goes well, the social network can provide speed upgrades and bug fixes at a much quicker pace.

Update 2: And the hits just keep on coming — although today is mostly about Android, Facebook has tweaked its main app’s iOS version (App Store) for iPhone 5 and iOS 6 support.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile

Facebook revamps Messenger for Android with friendlier chats, teases core app update soon (update 2: iOS refresh as well) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has gone update crazy, ladies and gentlemen. Not only did it release iOS 6 and the OS X Mountain Lion update to 10.8.2 today, but it also updated iPhoto for iOS to version 1.1. This new update coincides nicely with the jump to iOS 6, and it comes packing a lot of new features. Hit the jump for some of the highlights along with a full list of added features.

Like the OS X 10.8.2 update before it, the iPhoto v1.1 update brings a few new Facebook-related features with it. Users can now upload videos directly to Facebook and add comments to photos that are posted to the social network. Users can also set their location and tag their friends when they upload a new photo to Facebook, so you can almost immediately let the world know when your friends inevitably do something stupid during a night out on the town.

Users can also take advantage of six new ink effects designed by the folks at Apple, and good news for those of you using an third-gen iPad, as iPhoto now supports images up to 36.5-megapixels – a feature that will also be available on the iPhone 5 when it launches on Friday. Apple has added support for iPod Touch with this latest release, and has included some enhancements to photo journals as well. Take a look at the full list of new features in iPhoto 1.1:

• Added support for iPod touch (4th generation and later)
• Coaching tips have been added to the Help system on the iPhone and iPod touch
• Effects now include six new Apple-designed ink effects such as Chalk and Palette Knife
• Images up to 36.5 megapixels are now supported*
• Full resolution photos can now be imported via iTunes File Sharing
• Tag albums can be created by adding custom tags to photos
• “Updating Library” alert appears less frequently
• Multiple photos can now be saved to the Camera Roll at one time
• Cropping presets now use detected faces to determine composition
• Tilt-shift and gradient effects can now be rotated
• Facebook sharing now supports single sign-on in Settings
• Comments can be added more easily when posting photos to Facebook
• Videos can be uploaded to Facebook
• Locations and friend tags can now be set when posting photos to Facebook
• Comments and locations can be set on individual photos when sharing a group of photos to Facebook
• Any photo previously posted to Facebook can be more easily replaced with a more current version
• A notification is now displayed when an upload to Facebook completes in the background
• Photos can now be shared directly to Cards, iMovie, and other supporting apps
• Journals now include new layout options
• Fonts and alignment of text in journal items can be modified
• New style and color options are available for Note and Memory items in journals
• Journal Note and Memory items can now be resized
• Dividers can be added to break journal pages into sections to control the reflow of layouts
• A new Swap mode makes it easier to change the placement of items in a journal layout
• You can now place a pin on a journal map when no location data is present
• Links to journals can now be shared directly to Facebook and Twitter, and via Messages
• Links to remote journals can now be shared even if the journal was created on another device
• A new Publish Changes button provides control over when to update your journal
• An overlay displaying month and year now appears when scrolling in Photos view
• Photos can now be sorted by date and can be filtered using new criteria
• Photos view now includes a Power Scroll strip for high-speed scrolling
• Grid of thumbnails can now be expanded to multiple rows in portrait orientation

See? We told you that this was a massive update. This update is available now from the App Store, and it should go along with the other updates from today nicely. What do you think of all this added iPhoto functionality? Did Apple deliver the goods with this update or are there more features you’re still waiting for?

iPhoto for iOS updated to version 1.1 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you didn’t already know that iOS 6 was out in the wild, Apple just delivered a torrent of mobile app updates to make it perfectly clear. Virtually every app that isn’t preloaded now has explicit iOS 6 support to keep it running smoothly, and some of the upgrades are thankfully more than just skin-deep compatibility tweaks. Among the highlights are Podcasts’ new subscription list syncing through iCloud, ringtone creation with GarageBand and iPhoto support for 36.5-megapixel image editing on the latest devices — you know, for that moment you need to tweak Nikon D800 photos on an iPhone 5. We’re including direct links to a few of the juicier updates, but we’d recommend checking AppleInsider‘s comprehensive list to see everything that you’re missing.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets

Apple updates nearly every app for iOS 6, sneaks in key GarageBand, iPhoto and Podcasts updates originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week has been all about Apple in the mobile world with their iPhone 5 and iOS 6. Today Apple finally started rolling out the update for their next generation iOS 6 mobile operating system to the masses, and I’m sure you want to know what it’s all about. While we’ve known plenty about iOS 6 for a while, here’s what to expect from today’s update.

Yup, in case you didn’t notice iOS 6 is available right this minute for all those capable iDevices. If you haven’t ran off to download and install the latest and greatest, you’ll want to do so immediately. Obviously you might want to backup everything first just in case, but that’s only a precautionary measure. To get started you’ll want to take a peek at our lengthy iPhone 5 Review — as that will tell you everything you need to know.

Where do we start? From an all new and improved Siri, Apple’s own Maps service with Flyover, Passbook to leave your wallet behind and go the digital route, shared photo streams, Facetime video chat over cellular and more this is a massive update. Facebook’s been deeply integrated more so than before, you can deny phone calls with an instant text message, there’s tons of things to make your daily life easier — and simpler.

iOS 6 has introduced over 200 new features to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch and surely you’ll want to know about each and every one of them. The changelog is extremely long — since there’s 200 new features — but we have the entire thing right here for those interested. If you want to get the most from iOS 6 check out the list below.

iOS 6 changelog:

– Maps
– Apple designed vector based maps
– Turn-by-turn navigation with spoken directions on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (2nd and 3rd generation)
– Real-time traffic information
– Flyover for photo-realistic, interactive 3D views of major metro areas on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation), and iPod touch (5th generation)
– Local search results with Yelp photos, ratings, reviews, and available deals
– Siri integration for requesting directions and finding places along a route
– Siri improvements
– Sports: scores, player stats, game schedules, team rosters, and league standings for baseball, basketball, football, soccer and hockey
– Movies: trailers, showtimes, reviews and facts
– Restaurants: reservations, reviews, photos and information
– Send a Tweet
– Post on Facebook
– App launch
– Eyes Free in supported automobiles
– Local search available in Siri supported countries (availability may be limited during initial rollout)
– Additional country and language support for Canada (English and Canadian French), China (Mandarin), Hong Kong (Cantonese), Italy (Italian), Korea (Korean), Mexico (Spanish), Spain (Spanish), Switzerland (Italian, French, German), Taiwan (Mandarin), US (Spanish)
– Supported on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation) and iPod touch (5th generation)
– Facebook integration
– Single sign-on from Settings
– Post from Photos, Safari, Maps, App Store, iTunes, Game Center, Notification Center and Siri
– Add location and choose audience for any post
– View up-to-date Facebook profile photos and contact information in Contacts
– View Facebook events and birthdays in Calendar
– Like content and see your friends’ Likes in App Store and iTunes Store
– Shared Photo Streams
– Share selected photos with the people you choose
– Friends can view shared photos in Photos app, iPhoto and Apple TV
– Friends can like and make comments on individual photos
– Passbook
– One place for boarding passes, store cards, movie tickets and other passes
– Barcode display for boarding flights, buying coffee, getting into movies and other actions
– Passes displayed on Lock Screen based on time or location
– Passes can be automatically updated
– Supported on iPhone and iPod touch
– FaceTime improvements
– FaceTime over cellular support for iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (3rd generation)
– Receive FaceTime calls, sent to your iPhone number, on your iPad and iPod touch
– Phone improvements
– Do Not Disturb to suppress incoming calls and notifications
– ‘Reply with message’ option when declining a call
– ‘Remind me later’ option based on time or location when declining a call
– Mail improvements
– VIP mailbox to quickly access mail from important people
– Flagged email mailbox
– Insert photos and videos when composing email
– Open password protected Office docs
– Pull down to refresh mailboxes
– Per account signatures
– Safari improvements
– iCloud tabs to see open pages on all your devices
– Offline Reading List
– Photo upload support
– Full screen landscape view on iPhone and iPod touch
– Smart app banners
– JavaScript performance improvements
– App Store and iTunes Store improvements
– Updated store design
– iTunes Preview history
– Complete my season
– Complete my album
– Game Center improvements
– Challenge friends to beat high scores and achievements
– Post high-scores and achievements to Facebook and Twitter
– Friend recommendations based on your Facebook friends
– Accessibility improvements
– Guided Access to limit device to one app or restrict touch input on certain areas of the screen
– VoiceOver integration with Maps, AssistiveTouch and Zoom
– Support for Made for iPhone Hearing Aids for iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S
– Improved privacy controls for Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Photos and data shared over Bluetooth
– Reminders can be reordered in the Reminders app
– Custom vibrations for alerts on iPhone
– Clock app for iPad
– Clock alarm with song
– Search all fields in Contacts
– Automatic movie mode for improved video sound quality
– Definitions of a selected word for Chinese, French, German and Spanish
– New keyboard layouts for French, German, Turkish, Catalan, Arabic and Icelandic
– Keyboard shortcuts shared across devices via iCloud
– Bluetooth MAP support
– Global network proxy for HTTP
– Features for China
– Baidu web search
– Sina Weibo integration
– Share videos to Tudou
– Share videos to Youku
– Improved text input for handwriting and Pinyin
– Bug fixes

Some features may not be available for all countries or all areas. Please visit this website for more details:
http://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

[via Engadget]

What’s new in iOS 6? Here’s the changelog is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.