Time to develop Apps for Google Glass, Google releases Mirror API

After teasing from a long time, Google has finally made available the app development tool for Glass developers. This morning Google Developers page on Google+ shared that Mirror API is ready to be used. 

Mirror API is a smaller tool which can be used for deploying apps for Google's headset. As the website says, it is useful for those who want Platform Independence, Common Infrastructure and built in functionality. Official development kit GDK or Glass Development Kit is still in awaiting. The web based services that interact with Glass are called Glassware. These services will use the cloud based APIs and thus will not run on the Glass Hardware; Glass will connect to them only, rest of the work will be done over the web on servers. 

The basic difference between GDK and Mirror API is used for letting the apps communicate with the Google servers to send updates and notifications to user's Glass such as sharing, location update etc. While GDK is meant for developing apps that directly run on Glass hardware and rely on it. It is like the other SDKs. 

We are on the verge to have GDK installed and with the release of Mirror API to everyone, a new definition of application development is going to be set positioned. Go, have a hand on the new tool. 

Google Developers

Google unveils Nexus 5 running on Android 4.4 KitKat

With the release of much awaited Android 4.4 KitKat, Google has also announced its similar much awaited smartphone: Nexus 5. It is available to buy from Play Store.

Specs of this Nexus is quite similar to the leaked spec sheet. Display of Nexus 5 is a 4.95" full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS Corning Gorilla Glass screen with 445 ppi. It is loaded with 8 MP OIS enabled camera and a front shooter of 1.3 MP. On the inside there's a 2.26 GHz quad core Snapdragon 800 CPU, Adreno 330 GPU, 2,300 mAH battery, 2 GB RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, LTE, NFC, Dual band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wifi. Dimensions of the phone are: 69.17 x 137.84 x 8.59 mm and weighs 130 gm.

Nexus 5 is available in two usual color models: Black and White and two storage editions: 16 GB and 32 GB, which is twice than that of Nexus 4 as Nexus is available in 8 and 16 GB variants. Unlocked 16 GB variant from Play Store costs $349 and 32 GB variant is available at $399. 

Find Nexus 5 on Play Store.

CyanogenMod 10.1 Release Candidate 1 available for 45 devices

CyanogenMod fans, there's good news. CyanogenMod 10.1 is out of M-builds. A more stable release of CyanogenMod is released named as CM 10.1 RC 1, based on Android 4.2..2 Just a week before Google announces the next version of Android, presumed to be Jelly Bean 4.3, CyanogenMod 10.1 has finally reached the release candidate phase of its release cycle. Along with many additional features, it serves as a great way to upgrade your device in the case that its manufacturer has given up. 

Reaching the RC1 stage also means that these are some of the last updates that these devices are likely to see for Android 4.2.2. A quote from the CyanogenMod blog:

This will be one of (if not the last) milestone releases before a 10.1.0 is pushed out.

The new RC 1 candidate is available for selected 45 devices. More devices are likely to be added. You can download your required zip file from the CyanogenMod download list to flash through recovery. 

• Acer Iconia Tab A700 (a700)
• Amazon Kindle Fire (1st gen) (otter)
• Amazon Kindle Fire (2nd gen) (otter2)
• Asus Transformer Pad Infinity (tf700t)
• Barnes & Noble Nook Color (encore)
• Google Galaxy Nexus (GSM) (maguro)
• Google Nexus 10 (manta)
• Google Nexus 4 (mako)
• Google Nexus 7 (GSM) (tilapia)
• Google Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi) (grouper)
• Google Nexus Q (steelhead)
• Google Nexus S (crespo)
• Google Nexus S 4G (crespo4g)
• Hardkernel ODROID-U2 (odroidu2)
• HTC One X (endeavoru)
• LG Nitro HD / Optimus LTE (p930)
• LG Optimus 4X HD (p880)
• LG Optimus G (Intl) (e975)
• LG Optimus L9 (p760)
• LG Optimus LTE (SK Telecom) (su640)
• LG Spectrum (vs920)
• Motorola Droid 4 (maserati)
• Motorola Droid Bionic (targa)
• Motorola Droid Razr (spyder)
• Motorola Razr (umts_spyder)
• Samsung Captivate (captivatemtd)
• Samsung Epic 4G (epicmtd)
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Sprint) (toroplus)
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Verizon) (toro)
• Samsung Galaxy Note (AT&T) (quincyatt)
• Samsung Galaxy Note (T-Mobile) (quincytmo)
• Samsung Galaxy S (galaxysmtd)
• Samsung Galaxy S II (G) (i9100g)
• Samsung Galaxy S II (T-Mobile) (hercules)
• Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket (skyrocket)
• Samsung Galaxy S III (AT&T) (d2att)
• Samsung Galaxy S III (Cricket) (d2cri)
• Samsung Galaxy S III (MetroPCS) (d2mtr)
• Samsung Galaxy S III (Sprint) (d2spr)
• Samsung Galaxy S III (T-Mobile) (d2tmo)
• Samsung Galaxy S III (Verizon) (d2vzw)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (GSM) (p3100)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (Wi-Fi) (p3110)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab2 10.1 (GSM) (p5100)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab2 10.1 (Wi-Fi) (p5110)

LG Optimus G Pro unveiled in South Korea, will come soon to USA

LG has finally unveiled it's most awaited Optimus G Pro in South Korea. From some time it was rumored that LG will unveil it in upcoming Mobile World Congress 2013.

Optimus G has quite fascinating specs and now the second iteration i.e. Optimus G Pro has more to impress you. It has a 5.5-inch, Full HD IPS 1080p display at 440 pixels per inch (ppi), 13MP rear-facing camera and a 2MP front-facing camera with Full HD capabilities. It is the first device to be equipped with one of the Qualcomm's new chips: Snapdragon 600 (Quad core) at 1.7 GHz clock speed. On the other side it has 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory. Besides a 3,140 mAh removable battery, the device will also accept up to a 64GB microSD card.

This phone has two new features Dual Recording and Virtual Reality (VR) Panorama. Dual Recording will enable users to simultaneously capture video with both the front and rear cameras for a picture-in-picture result, while VR Panorama will enable both horizontal and vertical 360-degree panoramas (a kind of photosphere from Android 4.2)

The phone will launch on Korean carriers SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus, and it won't make its way to North America or Japan until sometime next quarter. The device will go on sale in the company's native South Korea this week, for the local price of 968,000 won ($897). The word has surfaced that the smartphone will make its way to North America at some point during the second quarter of this year. 

Quick Specs of Optimus G Pro 

• 5.5 inch Full HD 1080p (1920 x 1080) display, 440 ppi
• 150.2 x 76.1 x 9.4 mm
• 2 GB RAM
• 1.7 GHz Quad core Snapdragon 600 processor 
• 32 GB internal memory
• 64 GB Expendable memory
• 13 MP rear camera, 2.1 MP front camera 
• 3,140 mAh removable battery
• Android 4.1 

[Click on the image to get the full view]

Read more @

Official LG News Room, Engadget, TechnoBuffalo, Arse Technica, CNET

Apple's homepage changed its homepage 6 times on every new launch of iPhone

Hello there. Today we're going on a journey of Apple's homepage changes in 6 years. In 2007, iPhone was released and after that, every year a new version of iPhone is released. With the launch of each new iteration, company changes its homepage. These pics show those homepage changes. These are provided by a Reddit user.

1. iPhone Original (2007)

First touchscreen phone to feature smart web browsing, iPod like music apps and PC like ease to use was released, and was named as iPhone.

2. iPhone 3G (2008)

In 2008 Apple added 3G support and dropped the price of the iPhone. iPhone got a rounded backside.

3. iPhone 3GS (2009)

iPhone's speed was increased with the term '3GS'. The design was same as that of iPhone 3G.

4. iPhone 4 (2010)

This year world saw a new rectangular design of iPhone. According to Jobs, it was a camera like design. This was somewhat correct cause iPhone 4 featured a new powerful camera.

5. iPhone 4S (2011)

Adding again 'S' to the iPhone, Apple released iPhone 4S. The design wasn't changed, but iPhone, for the first time, got dual core processor. It was also powered with 8MP camera and voice assistant like Siri. 

6. iPhone 5 (2012)

Last year, in Sep 2012 6th version of iPhone was released. The design was not much changed but iPhone got aluminium covering instead of glass, as that in iPhone 4 and 4S. 

[Image courtesy: Reddit- MWi98]

Read more @ 

TechnoBuffalo

Qualcomm releases fresh lineup of Snapdragon processors

Say goodbye to the Qualcomm Snapdragon S1, S2, S3 and S4 — the company that clawed its way inside so many new smartphones last year has decided it's time for an overhaul. The firm says the 800 and 600 processors are 75 and 40 percent better performing than its latest S4 Pro — which powers devices like the Google Nexus 4 and the LG Optimus G — while it has made improvements to data speeds, multimedia capabilities and more.

Both chips have been redesigned with a new architecture, components and technologies to bring performance and efficiency improvements. That new architecture — featuring a quad-core Krait 400 CPU — sees the 800 weighs in with speeds of up to 2.3 GHz per core. 

The 600 processor, on the other hand, features a new Krait 300 quad-core CPU which brings speeds of up to 1.9GHz.

Between the two new processor families, Qualcomm says it's already got 50 different products lined up to use the chips, and is looking to have quite a few more.

[Text Courtesy: The Verge & The Next Web]

Read more @

The Next Web, The Verge, Mashable, TechnoBuffalo, Slashgear, ZDNet

Sony announced Xperia Z: a super screen quad core boy

Sony is adding two more warriors to its artillery, Xperia Z and Xperia ZL. It's always Sony's habit to release new  handset at every CES and this time with CES 2013, they are following the same tradition. 

On first glance, the Xperia Z looks like a standard slab-style touchscreen smartphone, but once you get it in your hands, you notice how square and rectangular the phone actually is. The device's body is crafted in premium metallics with a back panel made from smooth glass. 

The Xperia Z will be released in Q1 of this year, and will come running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which will be updated to 4.2 shortly after launch. Sony has not announced any carrier yet.

According to The Verge

"The Xperia Z is unmistakably Sony in its Design"

Xperia Z Specs

• 5-inch display with a 1920 x 1080-pixel resolution
• 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor
• 2GB of RAM 
• 13-megapixel camera
• 7 mm thickness
• 4G LTE
• 2230 MaH battery
• The best thing: It's waterproof

View Xperia Z Gallery by: The Verge

Read more @

The Verge, Mashable, TechnoBuffalo, CNET, Engadget, Android Central

Ubuntu for Phone released, check out this brief report

"Ubuntu now fits your phone." Canonical has released the awaited OS for smartphones and touch devices.

The trailer videos and promo photos show a Galaxy Nexus running Ubuntu for phone. Ubuntu is ready to serve the small screens. It has a great UI which looks impressive and has an appeal. It seems a little bit similar to Android, but still Ubuntu for Phone features a lot new features. 

It is built around the Android kernel and drivers, but doesn't use a Java Virtual Machine and promises to use the full power of the phone. Apps can be developed in HTML 5 as well as native apps which can be run on both desktop and smartphones. Canonical has also released QML based SDK. It is supposed that this version of Ubuntu will also have "Ubuntu Software Center".

Actual Ubuntu phones are promised to be out in early 2014, but the company has a number of demo phones out here in London and downloadable images of the development platform will be available for the Galaxy Nexus. No carriers have been signed up yet. 

Delivering a personalised full screen-to-screen experience  - with a ‘welcome screen, not a lock screen’ – the Ubuntu Phone proffers more screen space for your apps than any other mobile OS’, Shuttleworth says.

According to Canonical Blog 

Ubuntu phones aren’t yet available for purchase, but we are ready to start working with partners with an aim to releasing phones before the end of 2013. You can see Ubuntu for phones demonstrated at the Ubuntu booth at CES next week and we’ll be showing it again at MWC in Barcelona in February. 

Canonical announces that following are highlighted features

• 1. Edge magic: thumb gestures from all four edges of the screen enable users to find  content and switch between apps faster than other phones.
• 2. Deep content immersion - controls appear only when the user wants them.
• 3. A beautiful global search for apps, content and products.
• 4. Voice and text commands in any application for faster access to rich capabilities.
• 5. Both native and web or HTML5 apps.
• 6. Evolving personalised art on the welcome screen.

System Requirements

The specifications required by the OS varies between the “Entry level” and the “high end "Superphone". Users will also be able to download and install the OS on some handsets.

Entry Level Ubuntu Smartphone

• CPU: 1Ghz Cortex A9 
• RAM: 512MB – 1GB 
• Flash storage: 4-8GB eMMC + SD
• Multi Touch Enabled

High End Ubuntu Super Phone

• CPU: 1Ghz Cortex A9 
• RAM: 512MB – 1GB 
• Flash storage: 4-8GB eMMC + SD
• Multi Touch Enabled
• Desktop convergence

Useful Links

Ubuntu Home: http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/phone

Ubuntu for Phone- App ecosystem:  http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/phone/app-ecosystem

Developers: http://developer.ubuntu.com/gomobile

Ubuntu Blog: http://planet.ubuntu.com

Canonical Blog: http://blog.canonical.com