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Microsoft developers receive Google’s official API

GAPI copy

This is great news for Window’s Phone 8 users and developers who miss Google’s official apps.  Back in January I wrote an article on Google VS. Microsoft.

Google has released over  50 API’s  for developers.  Here are a few that are on that list:

  • Google Plus
  • YouTube
  • Drive
  • Ad Exchange
  • Blogger
  • Orkut

Although we may never see any “official” apps from Google heading to the Microsoft Store, this does open up the door for developers to create an awesome Google app using the official Google API.

Personally I would love to see Rudy Huyn develop a really killer G+ app! If you are unfamiliar with Rudy then check out his apps. Rudy is responsible for one of the most awesome Instagram apps called 6tag!

Continue reading “Microsoft developers receive Google’s official API”

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Nokia Lumia Icon Long Term Review: A glimpse of things to come for Windows Phone…

Here we go folks!

We’ve played with the Lumia Icon for a couple weeks now, and it’s time to report! How did this Verizon exclusive hold up? How does it compare to other Windows Phones out on the market? What can it tell us about future international Nokias?

Continue reading “Nokia Lumia Icon Long Term Review: A glimpse of things to come for Windows Phone…”

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The HTC One (M8) shipping experiment – Making up for lost time…

BjlVMumCUAAdNS6There used to be a time when a company would announce a new product, and that product would be available to purchase roughly around the time of the announcement. In the every increasingly visceral pace of tech advancement, now we hold previews to announcements, and once a gadget is announced it can take weeks or months before it’s actually available to consumers.

With the unveiling of the M8 yesterday, HTC launched an agressive campaign to make the phone available to consumers. Critical timing as Samsung has already taken the wraps off of the Galaxy S5, but hasn’t yet started shipping it.

Working with AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon, HTC is already selling and shipping the phones through carrier websites. Those signing up on Big Red can walk into select stores and see the phone in person. How refreshing. Announcing a product which is actually ready to ship. Continue reading “The HTC One (M8) shipping experiment – Making up for lost time…”

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AT&T Bringing Android 4.4.2 KitKat to HTC One Mini

htc one mini kitkat update somegadgetguyThis update could be interesting. HTC delivered a nicely styled phone with the HTC One Mini, but in reviewing it I was concerned with some sluggish UI responses and sub-par camera performance.

Google focused KitKat on improving hardware optimization for lower powered handsets. Cheap Android phone manufacturers would often turn to Gingerbread (Android 2.3), so Google is making efforts to polish up the experience for entry level handsets. As the HTC One Mini was last years mid-range entry, it stands to reason that it too might get a nice little performance boost.

The One Mini wasn’t a terrifically popular phone, so it’s really nice to see HTC continuing to support customers here even if the update has been a bit delayed. I’m updating my One Mini now to take it for a second test drive!

Hit the jump for the full changelog of additional updates and improvements. Continue reading “AT&T Bringing Android 4.4.2 KitKat to HTC One Mini”

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Google Play Music Now Allows Music Uploads Through Your Browser

google play music updateIt’s a simple update, but a helpful one.

If you manage your music collection online through Google Play Music, you now have a little more control over how you upload tracks to your cloud storage. You originally had to upload tracks through a program which lived on a desktop, but now Google has updated the service to allow for browser uploads.

It’s a handy little update for those moments you might want to manage your music collection while on the go. It’s also a great way to showcase Chrome apps, as the service ties into a new mini-player available through the Chrome browser.

Now I’m hoping they’ll build some of that functionality into the Play Music apps on phones and tablets.

More info on Google’s Play Music site.

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Facebook to acquire Oculus VR Inc. for $2 Billion

Oculus 3Insert “FarmVille gaming in 3D” joke here.

In a surprising announcement today, Facebook has announced their plans to acquire Oculus VR, makers of the Rift VR gaming headset, for $400 million in cash and $1.6 billion in stock.

Oculus is the indie sweetheart gaming company pushing virtual and augmented reality hardware back into the gaming industry’s focus almost single handedly. Building so much momentum and fan good will that Sony recently announced plans to move into the space with their Morpheus headset, a similar style VR wearable display.

Facebook is taking a gamble in moving VR beyond gaming and into social media, but even if that strategy fails, it’ll give them a unique opportunity to push the Facebook brand further into entertainment.

“Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow,” said Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. “Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.”

The buy out should be completed by end of second quarter 2014. What do you think will happen to the Oculus brand? How do you think VR will be incorporated into business and social media applications? Drop us some comments below!

Related:
Your New Reality Is Ready

Full Facebook PR below.
Continue reading “Facebook to acquire Oculus VR Inc. for $2 Billion”

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HTC One (M8) is officially announced! Full specs and details from HTC’s event!

BjlO0lDCEAEv7wzWhat a long strange trip it’s been…

The often leaked “Worst Kept Tech Secret of 2014™®©” is now finally officially official. The rumors and leaks have all been true. The M8 will sport the 5″ 1080p LCD, and the Qualcomm 800. The aluminum construction is similar to the M7, with more rounded edges. The BoomSound front facing speakers return, continuing one of the best multimedia experiences available on any phone.

BjlRAN-CQAISTTrThe M7 was over 70% metal unibody, the M8 approaches 90% while also shaving a little girth for a thinner overall effect. Adding a brushed texture to the body adds a touch of style, while it should help reduce the visibility of light scratches and abrasions.

BjlQWnvCUAATdMyThe dual camera set up captures depth information, allowing for some of the focus-after-the-fact tricks we’ve seen from Nokia or Lytro using true binocular view. This also allows for blurrier background bokeh thanks to that extra depth info. You’ll no longer need 3rd party photo editing apps for the effect.  The camera API will also be opened up for developers to tinker with. Continue reading “HTC One (M8) is officially announced! Full specs and details from HTC’s event!”

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HTC BlinkFeed app arrives at Google Play ahead of new One phone

htc blinkfeed google play screenshotOh HTC. You just can’t time anything for your new flagship phone’s release can you?

Ahead of the announcement for their all new flagship M8 HTC One, what I’m loving calling the worst kept secret of 2014, HTC has taken the wraps off of their new BlinkFeed app.

This is a fantastic play by HTC and something I’ve been literally begging more manufacturers to do. Companies like HTC, LG, and Samsung deliver a TON of features and apps on a phone. Unlike a Nexus which is a fairly bare experience. However those individual manufacturer apps don’t get updated very often as they’re baked into the ROM supplied by said manufacturer. If the tiniest app gets updated at HTC HQ, you have to wait for a FULL OS UPDATE to get the benefits of that updated app. It’s one big lump sum.

Or at least it was until now. HTC is separating out BlinkFeed, and hosting it on Google Play. Now whenever a team at HTC but a little polish on this app, it can be pushed directly to One owners without waiting for a massive ROM download.

Android is still somewhat hamstrung by the carrier approval process, in that there’s still a significant lead time between when Google releases an OS update, the manufacturers customize it, and that update is approved and distributed by carriers. Google has been making a lot of progress in splicing out individual Android services and posting them as standalone apps. A user might not always get the latest Android OS, but all of their services can be up to date. Now HTC is following in those footsteps, and that makes me happy.

HTC BlinkFeed on Google Play (2014 One only)

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