Hasta La Gadget!

For an update with such a modest name, this is actually quite a major step forward. Google’s about to start delivering Android 2.3.4 to Nexus S devices out in the wild, and in among all the bug fixes and optimizations, users will find the addition of video and voice chat to Google Talk. You’ll be able to do it anywhere you can get a web connection going, whether by virtue of WiFi, 3G, 4G, or the force, and other Gingerbread handsets are expected to get the same improvements in time. For now, however, Google’s own-branded device is the only one enjoying the very freshest Gingerbread around.

Continue reading Android 2.3.4 heading to Nexus S over the air, bringing video and voice chat to Gtalk

Android 2.3.4 heading to Nexus S over the air, bringing video and voice chat to Gtalk originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Google Mobile Blog  | Email this | Comments

Plowing through bug reports is a reliable way to dig up juicy morsels of info, and thanks to that timeless tactic we’ve got some specs on a pair of unannounced Chrome OS devices. First up is a netbook from Acer codenamed ZGB which, according to a recently filed report, will have a 1366 x 768 panel, presumably in the 10 to 12 inch range. We also know that you can hook up an external display to it via an HDMI port powered by an encoder chip from Chrontel. Since AMD’s Fusion netbook platform supports HDMI natively, we can also safely assume that the ZGB will be running the web-only OS on an Atom processor. That’s where the details end for now but, hey, it’s better than nothing.

The other device, Seaboard, has been floating around the Chrome OS flaw depot for some time, but reports are finally starting to reveal some tantalizing details. We now know that it is powered by a Tegra 2 and sports a touchscreen — the perfect place to test out those finger-friendly tweaks we’ve heard so much about. There are also mentions of a “lid switch” and a physical keyboard, indicating it may be a convertible or something in the vein of the Eee Pad Slider rather than a pure slate. The hybrid form factor would make perfect sense since it will house a pair of USB ports and an HDMI jack, which could make for a rather chunky tablet. Obviously, neither of these devices are confirmed yet (and Seaboard is most likely being used for internal testing only) but at least we’ve got a better idea of what to expect when the browser-based OS comes to consumers later this year.

Chrome OS machines leaked in bug reports: Acer netbook and touch-friendly Seaboard originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CrunchGear  |  Macles, Chrome Story  | Email this | Comments

The Google Docs Android App gives users the ability to access and edit documents, spreadsheets, and more. Photo courtesy of Google

Smartphone users have had Google Docs on their devices for quite a while now, as long as they accessed it through their browser.

Today, Google introduced the Google Docs app for Android, finally providing a native environment for the service, as well as some convenient new features.

The app lets you create, edit, upload, and share documents from your phone, and allows for near real-time collaboration.

You can also take a photo of an actual, physical text document and convert it into a Google doc, without the need for a third-party app. This feature should be handy for keeping track of receipts on trips (expense reports, anyone?) or quickly sharing other important textual information with your phone’s contacts.

From what I could tell, the Google Docs app works swimmingly, though the app experience isn’t quite as fluid as on the PC. In the Docs app, for example, you have to click a button in the upper right to enter editing mode and then save your changes. It’s a minor quibble, but the app is otherwise great for accessing and changing any of your documents on the go.

Google Docs App [Android Market via Android Community]

This article was written on March 03, 2008 by CyberNet.

The Google Android mobile operating system will likely take the mobile industry by storm when it is released. From what I’ve read they are already lining up handset manufacturers who want to run Android when it becomes publicly available, and it’s expected to be available on around a dozen different handsets running it when launched later this year.

The demonstrations last month at Mobile World Congress for Android were less than stellar, and didn’t really show off anything that would leave an impression in your mind. Not to mention that there was no touch screen action thrown in the mix. What Google demonstrated last year was a lot more exciting than those, but even still they didn’t really tinker with the capabilities of the system.

BBC got the chance to meet with Andy Rubin, the main guy behind Android, who was kind enough to show first hand some of the things that can be done on a 300MHz touch screen device (half the speed of the iPhone). I’ve embedded the video below, and here’s an overview of what happens so that you can skip around to the parts that interest you:

• 43 seconds: Webkit-based browser demonstration. Shows panning and zooming around websites, and they make a point to say that it is using the 3G network which the iPhone currently lacks.
• 2 minutes 22 seconds: Non-interactive Quake demonstration showing off the 3D capabilities. Looks rather good from the video, but I wonder if it would look the same if a user was actually playing the game.
• 2 minutes 50 seconds: A Google Street View application is demonstrated. When watching this I thought about how cool it would be if Google tied this into a GPS receiver!

I really like where Android is headed, and the fact that an SDK is widely available to developers will probably make this grow very quickly. We’ll have to see what Apple unveils this week for the iPhone SDK before we make any judgements and comparisons.

BBC: Under the bonnet of Android [via MobileMag]
Thanks to OldManDeath for the tip!

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

Related Posts:

Video of Google Earth 4.3 in ActionGoogle Street View Traversing DrivewaysStreet View Comes to Google EarthPentagon Bans Google Street View…Directions and Street View Combine in Google Maps

Google Docs gets an Android app, lets you capture text with your phone’s camera originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Android Market, Google Mobile Blog  | Email this | Comments