Google is expected to unveil a new photo sharing and storage service at its annual I/O conference on May 28. According to reports, the service will be separate from its social networking site Google+.

According to a Bloomberg report, Google will unveil the service at the upcoming I/O developer's conference in San Francisco. The photo service will have some new features including the ability to share photos on other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The current Google’s Photo service is linked to Google + network allows users to directly upload the photos from their Android device to the Google+ photos app and has features like auto-upload and auto-enhance. However, rumours about Google separating its Photos service from Google+ have been making the rounds for a while now. The service has not gained popularity as other social networking sites. According to sources, Google may eventually phase out its social network completely. Google's senior vice president Sundar Pichai had also stated last year that it is likely that Google's photos and social-stream features would be treated as separate features.

Apart from a new standalone photo service by Google, the internet giant is also expected to unveil some new features including Android for Work, along with a new Android OS, dubbed Android M for now and new voice commands to access Android devices, only with your voice. Last year Google had acquired satellite imaging company Skybox for around $500 million and reports had emerged that the company will use the technology for real-time satellite imaging. Google is also expected to make more announcements around Chromecast as well at its developer conference. Google will also launch a new version of its push messaging platform called Cloud Messaging 3.0 at the event. Google will also make some announcement around Android Wear. One session at Google I/O 2015 conference is titled Your App and always-on screen and will explore how to “transforms the watch into whatever app” a user is on from map to shopping list to fitness. Apart from this details about its next nexus device may also be revealed at the conference.

Source: Bloomberg

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Adobe brought the stripped down Photoshop experience to Android tablets back in 2011, and added a version for phones in 2013. In a blog post today, the company says the all-in-one approach doesn't make as much sense. Therefore, Adobe will be releasing three new "capture" apps called Color CC, Brush CC, and Shape CC. The classic Photoshop Touch apps are being discontinued and will be pulled from the Play Store on May 28th.

  

Left to right: Color CC, Brush CC, and Shape CC

Photoshop Touch was a powerful little app, but what about these new ones? Color CC allows you to capture and edit color themes on the go by pointing your camera at things. The themes can be synced to Adobe Color service, making them accessible in Illustrator Line, Adobe Photoshop Sketch, Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. Shape CC is able to use photos of real life objects to create editable vector images. These files can be synced to Creative Cloud so you can use them in Illustrator and Photoshop. Finally, there's Brush CC, which offers the ability to create and edit brushes for Photoshop. This too syncs with Creative Cloud.

                         

Left to right: Color CC, Brush CC, and Shape CC

Okay, so we've gotten all that out of the way—can I just say, what the crap, Adobe? Being so-called "capture" products, these new apps aren't intended to replace the functionality of Photoshop Touch. So I guess we just lose that functionality? The blog post announcing the change spoke at length on the value of the more focused mobile editing experience with Photoshop Mix. Sure, but that's only on iOS.

If you bought Photoshop Touch, you'll still be able to use it, and I image it will remain accessible via your order history. Adobe is just unpublishing it for new users. You can get early access to the new apps by joining Adobe's beta testing group on Google+. In case the "CC" in the names didn't tip you off, these are Creative Cloud apps, meaning you'll probably need a Creative Cloud subscription to use them. I'd wager that has a lot to do with shutting down Photoshop Touch, which was a standard paid app. Adobe wants that sweet, sweet subscription money.

Photoshop Mix

Adobe is bringing Photoshop Mix to Android as part of the beta test. You'd think that would warrant a mention in the blog post, but I guess not. It doesn't work on tablets for some reason. Probably because Adobe hates everyone. Adobe also showed off a new mobile editing platform called "Project Rigel" that can manipulate 50MP images on a tablet. The problem, that tablet is an iPad. There's no word if it will ever be on Android.

Source:AndroidPolice

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A few Android phones have sported fingerprint readers over the years, but these were all using software built specifically by the OEM for the device. We're now hearing whispers that Google is planning to build fingerprint reaching technology into the core of Android when M is announced at I/O next week.

Both Buzzfeed and Ars Technica have talked about the possibility that fingerprint scanners could become a supported piece of hardware in stock Android. The information we've been able to gather on our end checks out with the Buzzfeed rumor.  It wouldn't really be a surprise if this came to pass—there have been hints in AOSP that fingerprint readers were a planned feature, and even Motorola's former CEO Dennis Woodside said the Nexus 6 was originally supposed to have one.

So if Google announces fingerprint reader support at I/O as part of Android M, then what? Presumably there's going to be a preview build of M just like we had for Android L last year. However, none of Google's current hardware has a fingerprint scanner. That leaves two possibilities—this particular feature won't be usable until later this year when the next Nexus comes out, orGoogle will release new hardware at the event.

As nice as it might feel the believe a new top-secret Nexus is going to appear out of thin air (OMG Nexus 5 2015 confirmed), this seems unlikely. Making a new piece of hardware for a developer preview on the basis of one feature would be very odd. Just a few days until we find out, but don't get too excited in the meantime.

Source: AndroidPolice

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According to new findings in Snowden's documents, the "Five Eyes" nations, which includes the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand planned to hack Google's mobile app store in order to infect Android smartphone users with malware.

The documents showing the project are dated between November 2011 and February 2012, so it's possible the intelligence agencies have succeeded in their goals, or at least they may have until Google implemented stronger security measures in 2013 when it found out its whole network was hacked by the NSA.

The agencies used a spying program called XKEYSCORE that seems to appear again and again in such revelations. This is a "passive surveillance" program that captures (mainly unencrypted) Internet traffic that passes through cables, which are tapped by the NSA and other Five Eyes agencies.

After the program identified which traffic represents user connections to Google's app store, the agencies could then use other programs such as IRRITANT HORN to break those connections and send their own malware to the agencies' targets. The malware, or "implants," would then grab sensitive information from smartphones such as emails, texts, web history, call records, videos, photos or other files.

It seems the main motivation for grabbing this kind of information was to avoid being blindsided in case an Arab Spring-like mass unrest happened again in the Middle East or Africa. This is why the agencies focused on Senegal, Sudan and the Republic of the Congo, at least at the time. However, the agencies also used the same programs to hack targets from France, Cuba, Morocco, Switzerland, the Bahamas, the Netherlands and Russia.

Within the same project, the agencies also managed to exploit some major vulnerabilities within Alibaba's UC Browser, a popular web browser in China and India used by half a billion people. The UC Browser was leaking information such as users' search queries, phone numbers and UIDs that can be used to track people, as well as location information protected by encryption that could easily be broken with publicly available tools.

Citizen Lab, a human rights and technology research group, contacted Alibaba last month, and the company has since fixed these security issues with an update launched on May 15. Alibaba said it has found no evidence that customer data has been leaked, although it's unlikely the surveillance of this data could have been detected.

According to Citizen Lab Director Ron Deibert, this vulnerability could have been used by criminals as well, which makes the agencies' decision not to disclose the vulnerability reckless from a cybersecurity point of view.

"Of course, the security agencies don't [disclose the information]," Deibert said. "Instead, they harbor the vulnerability. They essentially weaponize it." Taking advantage of weaknesses in apps like UC Browser "may make sense from a very narrow national security mindset," Deibert added, "but it's at the expense of the privacy and security of hundreds of millions of users worldwide."

Last year, Snowden's documents also showed that the NSA likes to masquerade as Facebook servers in order to send malware to hack into the users' computers, so Google's app store isn't the only target of such kind. Both reports also deal with information that is a few years old, so more companies could be affected by this sort of attack.

Source : Tom's Hardware

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A new report says that an upcoming Hangouts update will finally bring one of the features users have been asking for since the service was launched – SMS and MMS integration.
The news comes from Android Police, which has been apparently able to confirm with a couple of sources that Hangouts will indeed get this feature – the publication has also included a few images that reportedly show Hangouts version 1.3, as well as a mockup for the SMS menu.
What’s not clear yet is when this Google Hangouts update will arrive, and whether it’ll be included in the upcoming Android 4.4 KitKat OS update.
In addition to SMS and MMS integration, the messaging app will also get a video sharing feature, in case that’s also something you’re looking forward to. However, voice integration is apparently not coming in Hangouts 1.3.

Purported Google Hangouts 1.3 images | Image credit: Android Police

In Hangouts, SMS messages will be clearly marked “via SMS,” so users will be able to easily tell the difference between different types of messages. As you can see in the images above, delivery reports will also be supported, and there’s also a feature that will let users retrieve messages automatically when roaming.
Finally, it’s not clear what will happen to the Messaging app once this new Hangouts version is rolled out, so we’ll just have to wait for Google to announce the update. Android Police speculates that at least on Nexus devices, the Messaging app will be replaced by Hangouts – the same thing was suggested on Google+ a few days ago, when a first version of this rumor was initially posted.

Google Hangouts 1.3 – SMS menu mockup | Image credit: Android Police

That said, we’ll remind you that this is just a rumor, and even if it comes from a trusted source, it should be treated accordingly.

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Looks like the folks at Mountain View have more in store for Google Now users. The latest version of the predictive search app introduced a few features, but Android Police reports the application’s code contains references to new functionality that could appear in a more substantial update soon. Specifically, users can look forward to the addition of new cards that rely on Gmail e-mails to pull up pertinent information when needed.

Actions related to car rental appear to be the most useful. After receiving confirmation from a car provider, the new “rental” card will display the booking number, pickup and return date, time, and location of the vehicle. When picking up the car, users can “Navigate,” “Get Directions,” and “Manage [the] Reservation.” Returning the car presents options for finding nearby gas stations and calling the rental center.

Functioning in a way similar to the airplane boarding pass feature, an updated “event” card will display a QR ticket code when the event start time nears. Additionally, the card will populate with information relevant to the event: showtime or game start time, time to leave, seating specifics, door open time, venue, and, if applicable, the status of a table reservation. Sports events will get a new game statistics display. Like the new car rental card, the event card includes “Navigate,” “Get Directions,” and “Manage Reservation” buttons.

Slightly enigmatic is the presence of code pointing to an “Wallet Loyalty” Google Now card. Android Police wasn’t able to discern its exact function, but it’s possible the code lies the groundwork for a future NFC-less payment system.

For those disappointed the newest Google Now didn’t add many new cards, this update should definitely suffice. I, for one, am excited to see Google tapping more and more into Gmail data to aggregate things. We’ll let you know when the next version of Google Now goes live.

Source:AndroidAuthority

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If a new report from the Wall Street Journal is to be believed, Google is gearing up to launch several new hardware products in an attempt to one-up the competition and further spread its reach into new categories. One of these devices is allegedly an Android-powered game console.

With companies like Ouya, MadCatz and Nvidia already pioneering this new frontier – there are clearly folks interested in the idea of a low-cost console that somehow bridges the world of mobile and traditional gaming.

If Google really is getting involved here, what would such a console be like, and how would it potentially affect the future of mobile and traditional gaming? Would there be enough room for other Android micro-console players if Google jumps in?

Until we get an actual look at Google’s game console (if it even exists), these questions are going to remain unanswered, but that doesn't mean we can’t speculate a little.

What a Google game console might be like

According to WSJ, the Google game system will arrive this fall. That’s a pretty quick turn-around for something we've never heard about.This does reveal a bit about what to expect from the console, though.

Obviously this is not a traditional game system – al la PS3 or Xbox 360. Putting something like that together would take much more time to hype up, create exclusive partners, etc.

Instead, the idea is probably to create a box that essentially functions like a Google TV device, albeit with some optimizations that make it more geared towards gaming such as custom controls and Google Play Games service support. In many ways it will probably look a lot like the Ouya or MadCatz game console. It will be compact, physical media-free and will rely on the power of Android.

If the Google Game Console isn't much different from the competition, why bother? For one thing, because Google can do things that Ouya and MadCatz can’t do – such as sell the console at cost.

Imagine a Snapdragon 800-powered game console that hits between $49 – $129. Makes me excited just thinking about it.

It is also possible Google could use some of its connections (and/or deep pockets) to draw in bigger gaming studios down the road. While a Google game console would undoubtedly have full access to Google Play and all of its apps, nothing is to say it couldn't have its own special section of the Play Store for Google game system-optimized exclusives.

Ouya and its me-too rivals could be in trouble here

If a Google game system really is in works, Ouya and its rivals could find themselves in very deep trouble.

As already mentioned, Google has the resources to sell their device at a cheaper cost, all while potentially bringing in exclusive titles to their console. Then you have to consider special services.

Any Google-made console would undoubtedly be optimized to play nicely with Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime videos and just about every video service that currently supports Android. It would also likely feature strong integration with G+, Google’s Music streaming service and more.

Ouya and its competitors do offer some of these multimedia apps and services, but I suspect they won’t be able to even begin to compete to the services a Google console would offer.

There’s also a little thing called brand recognition. While MadCatz might have some brand recognition as an accessory maker, the Ouya is a start-up that has no role outside of the micro-console market and Nvidia is primarily known among PC gamers. In contrast, Google is a household name.

Can other Android-powered game consoles co-exist with a Google game system? Maybe. After all, there are other Android handsets on the market even though the Nexus 4 delivers impressive hardware and a killer price.

Some folks will want a pure-Android experience, others will want manufacturer customizations and special features. The key to survival for Ouya and its rivals will be find a way to do things differently then Google, plain and simple.

Will Google’s console affect the traditional console market?

Here’s the big one: Can a Google game console steal thunder away from traditional game consoles and handhelds? Yes and no.

When it comes to the quality of titles, the graphics and the immersive experiences – there is no way in hell that an ARM-based, low-cost game system is going to truly compete against a Playstation 4 and Xbox One. But they don’t have to compete directly to affect the gaming industry.

If Google can give gamers a low-cost device and attract at least a few console quality-like games to the platform, they could truly find massive success among casual gamers, younger gamers and budget gamers across the globe.

Some folks just don’t want to spend $400+ on a new console to get their gaming fix. While these types of gamers could certainly get an older game system (like Xbox 360/PS3/Wii) – eventually these systems will drop support and so there is something to be said for a new console that actually has a low entry cost.

Remember that the OG Gameboy wasn't exactly the most powerful device in the handheld market. Both the Atari Lynx and Sega Game Gear easily stomped all over it with superior color graphics.

Why did the Gameboy win the race in the long-term? It had much better battery life, a massive library of reasonably good games and it was dirt-cheap in comparison. A similar thing happened with the Wii: it was cheap and it offered a different way to play games.

Even the Atari 2600 was a massive success for many years because of a massive library and low-cost entry point, not because it was truly the most powerful system on the market (that honor arguably went to Intellivision).

I’m not saying that a Google gaming console will have the same level of success as the Gameboy, Wii or Atari 2600 – my point is that a Google game console doesn’t need to be superior to other systems to be a success. And gaming history backs that notion up.

Even if the Google game console ends up as a distant fourth to Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, it could still make enough of an impact to help change the future of gaming as we know it. What do you think, would you like to see Google get involved in the console market? Or should they leave this industry to more traditional players?

Source:AndroidAuthority

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When it comes to high-powered feature-heavy media players, one of the most well known devices is probably the iPod Touch. For those of us looking for a non-Apple alternative, there are certainly options out there, and this may soon include this very sexy, sleek 5.8-inch Samsung Media Player. If it proves to be the real deal, that is.
If you thought that the above photo was of the Samsung Galaxy S III, you are mistaken, though it’s an easy enough mistake to make. The high-end media player seems to be very similar to the S3, in a similar way that the iPod Touch is designed to look and feel like the iPhone. The redesigned media player was first tipped to SamMobile by an unnamed source. So what do you get with the media player? Besides the gorgeous 5.8-inch qHD display with a 540×860 resolution, there is also a dual-core 1GHz processor, a 3MP camera and the power of Android 4.0.4 ICS aboard the device.
While many of us are turning away from dedicated media players in favor of just using our phones, this could be a great device for dedicated use in a car, for a child or teen, or for those who simply like to keep their media needs and phone calls separately.
What do you think? Are you tempted by this new Samsung Media Player?



Source:AndroidAuthority

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Although we’re only two short weeks away from Samsung Galaxy Note 2’s supposed unveiling in Berlin, there are still a lot of things to be untold about the “phablet”. We’ve heard quite a lot about the gadget’s spec sheet, so we’re guessing not much can surprise us at this point, but in terms of design we basically know nothing.

There have been a couple of mockups circulating around the web, but none of those looked even remotely trustworthy for Note 2’s commercial design. There have also been different speculations, some saying that it could very much resemble the first-edition Note while others expected a GS3-similar exterior, but nobody managed to produce the smallest shred of evidence to support their claims.

Now GSMArena has come forward with an “alleged photo” of the upcoming beast, which the online publication says it obtained courtesy of an anonymous tipster. While usually we would trust the website’s claims, this particular pic looks no more legit than earlier mockups, which makes us almost certain that it is in fact… another mockup.
The “photo” just shows off a massive Galaxy S3, with a slightly darker shade of white, but with the same rounded edges and “curves”. While this particular design is surely not out of the question for the Note 2, there’s simply something that doesn’t look and feel right.

Early mockup by UbuntuLife

We won’t be betting our life that this is a legit photo of the real Galaxy Note 2, but we would surely like to know what you guys think about this design. Would you be bothered if Samsung will make the new Note very similar to the hugely successful Galaxy S3? Is the rounded look really the future for Android?

Before wrapping up this post, we have to quickly mention a couple of other things that this supposed tipster brought to GSMArena’s attention. According to the mystery guy, the phablet’s Super AMOLED screen will measure 5.5-inches in diagonal, feature a 1280 x 800 pixels resolution and use a regular RGB matrix (unlike the Galaxy S3, which uses PenTile).

The Note 2 won’t be running Jelly Bean upon launch, as expected, but it might get an upgrade very soon after, according to the same source. Finally, the Galaxy S3 might be getting an official Android 4.1 port at the same August 29 press conference where the new Note will be unveiled.
I don’t know about you, but I highly doubt someone with so much inside information would spill the beans so randomly on so many fronts. But hey, anything’s possible, so we should wait and see, right?



Source:AndroidAuthority

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Cloud gaming has long been touted as the next big thing. The idea is that you can play the latest console and PC games on remote hardware. As long as you have a good mobile network or broadband connection, you can play the games on any computer, laptop, tablet, or even smartphone. The service is already up and running on Web browsers like Chrome (as long as you have the latest Java updates). An Android client is currently in the works.
This could transform Android gaming completely, although Sony’s acquisition of Gaikai for $380 million does hint at big cloud gaming plans and we don’t yet know what they are. The service is already rolling out on a number of the latest smart TVs from Samsung.

Android and Me is suggesting that the service may be exclusive to Sony Android smartphones and tablets in the mobile arena. There’s no doubt that would give Sony’s Android releases a big boost and a serious advantage over the competition for the gamer market, but that would seriously limit their potential profits. Maybe Gaikai will be free or cheap for Sony Android device owners and only be available to everyone else for a subscription fee.

Problems to overcome

It is definitely an exciting development, but there are a few more hurdles to jump before cloud gaming can realize its full potential on the Android platform. Depending on the game, lag could be a big problem. You are at the mercy of your connection speed and, with the new data plans making unlimited data a thing of the past, you probably won’t want to use Gaikai unless you have a Wi-Fi connection. The majority of PS3 games will also require major redesigns to really work on a touchscreen smartphone or tablet. Of course, the Xperia Play will have a big head-start in that department thanks to the dedicated controls.
The prospect of playing the latest games on your Android tablet or phone is definitely attractive. We’ll just have to see how it pans out. Rest assured we’ll keep you posted.



Source:AndroidAuthority

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Photo Credits: Disney Research

That isn’t a typo. Multi-touch interfaces are nothing new, and we’ve been seeing them develop into flexible displays  and flexible batteries, recently. Organic interfaces with capability than their original concept seem to be where the development is at right now as well. Enter Botanicus Interacticus.
It sounds like a lost character from the hit cartoon series, the Transformers, but it’s not. It’s Disney’s newest glimpse into the possible future of interactivity with our devices and, more likely, animated theme parks.
The video explains better but, in short, a sensor is attached in a non-harmful fashion to the desired organic interface (in this example, plants). Then programming begins so that when certain stimuli are sensed by the interface, a resulting action will occur. As you see below, touch is relayed into audio frequencies.
Now imagine this: touching your shirt to initialize it so that you can charge your battery, insert a flexible screen in your shirt cuff where it meets your skin , and when it’s done charging, it will set off a notification sound/vibration to alert you. Sounds very Star Trek-esque doesn’t it?

Source:AndroidAuthority

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An interesting article on CNET is suggesting that Google may be supporting Samsung in its trial with Apple. While Google and Apple have yet to fight directly, Google has been providing support to its Android partners behind the scenes. Google’s law firm of choice for intellectual property matters, Quinn Emmanuel, is also representing Samsung, Motorola, and HTC in litigation with Apple over patent infringement.
The suggestion is that Google is helping to prepare Samsung’s case and may even be providing assistance with legal costs. With Google refusing to comment, this is pure speculation, but it makes a lot of sense.
We know that Google tried to lend patents to HTC to help in its case with Apple. Google even attempted to join HTC as a co-defendant in its case with Nokia.

Google vs. Apple inevitable

The current trial between Apple and Samsung is focused on Samsung’s hardware and software design. It’s not directly about the Android OS so it’s unclear how far Google will be willing to go in its support of Samsung. However, another pending conflict that Google can’t avoid concerns the Galaxy Nexus and unified search. U.S. sales of the Galaxy Nexus were actually briefly banned. The ban was subsequently lifted, but we can expect further litigation over this in future. The current ruling grants a stay on the Galaxy Nexus ban until at least August 20.
The acquisition of Motorola Mobility will also bring Google into a direct legal battle with Apple for the first time. It was widely suggested that Google acquired Motorola Mobility largely for the sizeable patent portfolio after it missed out on the Nortel patent package (acquired by a consortium including Apple and Microsoft). Along with patents, Google also inherited legal battles with Microsoft and Apple. How it will proceed remains to be seen, but short of a licensing deal, conflict seems inevitable.
If lawsuits and licensing deals from Apple and Microsoft can drive up the cost of adopting Android for manufacturers then they may start to look elsewhere. Google simply can’t let that happen.

Source:AndroidAuthority

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We continue to wonder when Motorola will unveil the RAZR HD, and the latest rumor states that the device will be launching this October. That is not the most exciting part, though. These sources also swear by the fact that it will come accompanied by a slightly thicker RAZR Maxx HD.
One of Motorola’s best moves has been releasing the DROID RAZR Maxx – a device with equal specs and features compared to the RAZR, but with a 3300 mAh battery that will please even the most demanding battery hog. This made the RAZR Maxx’s popularity skyrocket far quicker than the RAZR’s ever could.
We have no reason to believe Moptorola wouldn’t want to continue the legacy, but we only have to wonder how large this battery would be if a Maxx version does happen to come around. The RAZR HD is passed through he FCC revealing a 2530 mAh, which is already a substantial number.
As usual, we will advice that you take this information with a grain of salt. These “credible sources” are not always right, and any manufacturer releasing a high-end device a month after an iPhone release is definitely not thinking straight. Not to mention that we would rather not wait that long for any device.
But what do you guys say? Would you drop a regular RAZR HD for a super-battery equipped phone?

Source: Hot Hardware

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Sony LT29i, also called “Hayabusa” has been in the news for a few months now as the upcoming Sony flagship smarthpone. The actual market name of the device has been hidden so far, though, and it looks like it’s going to be named the Sony Xperia TX. The X in the name probably means the superior version of another model, say the Sony Xperia T. At least I hope that’s what it means, because otherwise, their names are starting to become a little confusing (SX, GX, TX).

Just like HTC prior to the One series, Sony needs a strong brand name for a flagship device, like the iPhone or Galaxy S. This results in better name recall, which means people can easily remember the model name, expect a new launch year after year, and keep scouring the web for the upcoming version when they intend to buy one. That’s how both Apple and Samsung built their strong phone brand names and why they get millions and millions of people interested in buying the new version once launched.
If Sony does that, and keeps putting cutting edge specs on its phones while continuing to impress with their design, then sony might actually make a comeback in the phone market.
The Sony Xperia TX “Hayabusa” is expected to have the following specs:

• Dual core 1.5 Ghz Qualcomm S4 chip
• 4.6″ 720p HD display
• 13 MP camera
• 1 GB of RAM
• Android 4.0.4
• On-screen buttons

Sony will hold an event on August 29, a few days before IFA, and on the same day as Samsung. The company will be unveiling their Sony Xperia TX, Sony Xperia LT25 and their Xperia tablet. If you like Sony devices, make sure you don’t miss any of the Sony-related news that day.



Source:AndroidAuthority

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HTC One X+ rumoured with 1.7GHz quad-core processor, Jelly Bean OS: HTC received a lot of accolades with its One X smartphone that launched earlier this year. And now it looks like the company is going to launch an improved version of its flagship smartphone, as benchmarks of a device called HTC One X+, codenamed the HTC Evitaire, have surfaced online.


The NenaMark2 benchmarks, spotted by Slashgear, reveal that the One X+ will come with a 1.7GHz quad-core processor – a significant improvement from the 1.5GHz in the original One X device  from the 1.5GHz in the original One X device. The benchmarks also show that the One X+ will feature an HD 1280×720 resolution display and come with the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system. It's notable HTC has already announced a Jelly Bean update for its One X and S smartphones.

Other specifications of the HTC device are still unknown. Moreover, there's no word on exact details and availability of the rumoured device, but it is speculated that the HTC One X+ may debut in September this year. Meanwhile, check out the much-talked about Nenmark2 benchmark below:

Source: Slashgear

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HTC may not be in the best financial shape, but the Taiwanese would not go down without a fight. They put their best effort into the One series and delivered a set of beautiful devices that many considered the best in the world. Despite that, the One X was ultimately no match to the force of nature that is the Galaxy S3, and HTC failed to make a comeback to profitability. Moreover, the next quarter shapes up to be just as bad financially, so HTC needs to pull out something amazing if it wants to reverse its fortunes this year.
HTC’s secret weapon might be a new 5-inch smartphone, slated for a September-October release. According to Digitimes, HTC is working to bring a 5-inch phablet to the market, with a resolution of 1794 x 1080 pixels. Add the 126 pixels occupied by the onscreen navigation bar in Android 4.0+, and you get 1920 x 1080 or Full HD. For comparison, the Galaxy Note packs 1280 x 800 pixels, while the One X has 1280 x 720.
Digitimes’ sources say that HTC took notice of the good sales performance of the road-opening Galaxy Note, which spurred a wave of new big screen devices, from OEMs like LG or Pantech.
Today’s report gives credence to a rumor from July spurred by an entry in the GLBenchmark database, which revealed a HTC-made device with 1080p resolution, powered by the next generation Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor and a Adreno 320 GPU. An earlier report from BGR suggests that the HTC phablet will be fitted with a stylus and that it will feature version 5 of HTC’s Sense overlay.
We like our phones big and brawny here at Android Authority, and the news that HTC will throw its champion against the mighty Galaxy Note 2 can only joy us. The Note 2 will probably hit the stores at the same time with HTC’s 5-inch beast, so prepare for an amazing phablet smackdown this fall!

Source:AndroidAuthority.com

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Phosphor Games’ Horn is looking to be one of those Android games that you absolutely have to buy. The game is based on the Unreal Engine, which means impressive graphics are assured, and it seems to resemble a lot the very popular iOS game Infinity Blade.
The team behind Infinity Blade seems to have made some sort of exclusivity deal with Apple, and they aren’t going to bring the game to Android anytime soon. Fortunately, Horn looks to be a much better overall game than Infinity Blade.

The Horn game is a much deeper and richer game than the simple boss fights in Infinity Blade. It’s mainly an adventure game that reminds you of Zelda or Fable. So it seems to be a lot more interesting from the gameplay point of view than Infinity Blade, which has a pretty stale gameplay.
The narrative is based loosely on the Old English tales of King Horn. You play as Horn, a young blacksmith’s apprentice, who wakes up one day and finds many stone monsters in his village, only to discover later that the monsters are the animals and people from the village, who have been transformed. Your quest is to free them from this curse.

If the game has peaked your interest, you won’t have to wait much longer, because the company has announced the game is coming this month, in August, to mobile devices.

Source:AndroidAuthority

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Temple Run was an instant hit when it launched on iOS, and it spent a long period of exclusivity there before being brought over to greener pastures. Imangi, the developer, has created an infographic to celebrate just how far the game has come.


The most telling stat is that the game has been downloaded over 100 million times. That’s a lot of downloads to accrue over the course of just a year (it originally launched August 4th, 2011).


Of the 100 million downloads, 68 million were credited to iOS, while Android accounted for 32 million downloads (the Google Play Store and the Amazon Appstore had 30 million and 2 million, respectively).

To put things into perspective, 13% of the United States population has downloaded the app (that’s not taking into account the possibility of multiple downloads, of course). More interesting facts were revealed from the infographic, as well.
The most interesting is that the amount of time that has been spent playing this game would add up to be over 54,000 years of non-stop playing. That’s due to 10 billion different sessions being played since its launch.
Temple Run has been a huge hit and we look forward to more spin-offs and sequels as time moves on. If you want to see what all the fuss is about be sure to head to the Google Play Store and find out — the game is free, after all.

Source:Phandroid

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No matter how clear your mobile Android device’s screen may be, whether Super AMOLED or Super LCD, it wouldn’t make much of a difference in reading if your screen is cluttered with unnecessary widgets and other stuff that could draw away your focus.
This is precisely the purpose that reader apps are trying to serve, providing comfortable zones for your reading. LoboWiki is an app of this sort, dedicated to letting you digest Wikipedia content easily with a neat and intuitive interface, not to mention that it’s holo-powered for a better visual experience.
LoboWiki is an app designed for users who engage themselves in long hours of reading. Though the nifty features that it sports are designed to be enjoyed by dedicated readers, it’s crafted to make everyone read easily by minimizing distractions. Just looking at the app’s interface, the best adjective to fit is “neat,” with unwanted ads or sloppy links nowhere to be found.
Upon using the app, you will immediately notice that simplicity is the app’s unique selling point. As mentioned, the app’s interface is maximized for reading, nothing fancy — just a pure reading application.

The app makes things easier for you to operate while, at the same time, sporting cool features. For instance, if you decide to click a link when reading an article, the page is not automatically loaded. Instead, that specific article link is added to the reading queue so that you can continue reading your current digest.

The intuitiveness doesn’t stop with the reading queue feature. To eliminate the hassle of tapping on the list of articles on the reading queue, the app allows for an easy swipe gesture to move between queued articles. Just swipe up or down to see the full content of a particular article and swipe left to right to switch between the articles in the reading queue.

Despite being fresh on the market, LoboWiki is worth trying out, especially if you are an avid reader who is always on the go. The app’s user-friendliness is also augmented by the Wikipedia feature of supporting numerous languages and characters.
As of the moment, this app is still a beta version, which means the occurrence of bugs and issues cannot be ruled out. You can download LoboWiki – Wikipedia Reader free from the Google Play Store.




Source:AndroidAuthority

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Gameloft is teasing a new game of theirs headed to Android and they’ve left it up to you to figure out what, exactly, it’ll be. The game uses Unreal Engine, the same powerful and flexible engine used to drive several console ad handheld games.
According to what we’ve seen so far, vague screenshots which show a figure holding a bloody blade over an armored skeletal figure, this’ll be quite the doozie to take in.



But Gameloft won’t be deciding what bits of media and information to release just yet: they want you to vote for it on Facebook. You can either unlock artwork or a teaser trailer, and the needle unsurprisingly favors the latter.
We’d love to see whatever they’re planning to bring out in motion so we went ahead and voted for the trailer, as well. Oh yea, and don’t forget to take a nice, long look at the image above  — there’s a hint embedded somewhere there, as well. Any ideas as to what we might be in store for? 




Source:Phandroid

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