24 de julio de 2013

Google Press Event - 7/24/13 Live



Google's holding a big event in SF - Android 4.3 and a new Nexus 7 could be on the cards

This is it, boys and girls — the second event of the week, and possibly one of the biggest Android presentations of the year. Google's summoned the press to San Francisco, where it's holding a breakfast event hosted by Android and Chrome boss Sundar Pichai. If the recent stream of leaks is anything to go by, Android 4.3 and the new Nexus 7 tablet are highly likely to make an appearance. And given Pichai's role as head of Chrome as well as Android, we might also see some news relating to Google's browser and desktop OS.
However the day unfolds, we'll be live in San Francisco to bring you full coverage of all the announcements, software and hardware. Make a note — the action kicks off at 9 a.m. PDT (12 p.m. EDT, 5 p.m. BST).
Bookmark this page — we've got our liveblog and the official live stream after the break.

1 de julio de 2013

Skype for Android 4.0 launches - 'rebuilt from the ground up'

Skype

Messaging platform celebrates 100 million Android installs with all-new app

Skype for Android is getting a major update today, bringing the app up to version 4.0 with a major redesign. The app, which Skype says recently passed 100 million installs, has been completely redesigned to be more consistent with other platforms' versions. (That is to say it's looking a lot more Windows 8-like as of this latest update.)

The new app features a cleaner "conversation-first" UI, putting greater emphasis on instant messaging. In addition, you can now tab through different areas of the app, and change tabs using swipe gestures. But the changes are apparently more than skin deep, as Skype says it's been "rebuilt from the ground up" to be faster and more reliable.

The Microsoft-owned messaging platform promises further improvements to the Skype app for Android in the future. In the meantime, you can grab today's update from the Google Play Store.

Source: Skype





from Android Central - Android Central 

Verizon Galaxy S4 Gets a Google Play Edition ROM Port


galaxy s4 google play
With the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition launching at the end of last week, it only makes sense that developers would do their best to bring ROMs from it to every variant of the device. The Verizon version of the GS4 is one of the first to receive the love, which isn’t all that surprising, but seeing as the GPE is a GSM phone, you can imagine that a bit of work went into making this work properly.

According to the developer, this is a port from the GT-I9505, but doesn’t specify if it’s from the Android 4.3 build. I’d assume that it isn’t and is instead a port from the 4.2.2 ROM that ships with the phone.
He has all sorts of versions of the ROM available, from builds with blackout Google apps, to the bare bones no-root style.

There may be some minor bugs here and there, but he offers up some ideas for temporary fixes in the mean time. It may not be perfect, but hey, it’s a stock option for those with Verizon’s version of the phone.

You’ll find download links and instructions at the link below.
Via:  XDA



Cheers Tanuj!
Verizon Galaxy S4 Gets a Google Play Edition ROM Port is a post from: Droid Life

Google receives FCC approval for public TV whitespace database


Google Broadband Spectrum

As part of its drive to offer Internet access to more and more people in the U.S., Google has been working closely with the FCC to make a public TV whitespace database available to all. The search giant started a test program a couple of months back, and now the FCC has finally approved of its use. This means that Google can finally begin operating this database which will be accessible to the public.
This whitespace database is primarily a system that will support unlicensed radio devices that transmit on unused spectrum channels in the wireless bands normally used by broadcast TV. It is required that all unlicensed TV radio devices connect with the database system first, in order to get a list of available channels for operation. Only those channels that are not currently used by authorized radio services will be listed, and availability will depend on individual geographical locations.

Google has been actively trying to promote the use of unused TV whitespace for years in order to bring Internet access to rural areas in a cost-effective manner. It may still be a ways until Google fully realizes its plan, but it certainly is getting closer and closer to it each day.

Additional details of the FCC approval announcement is available in the press release posted below.

Office of Engineering and Technology Announces the Approval of Google, Inc.’s TV Bands Database System for Operation

ET Docket No. 04-186
The Commission’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) announces that it has granted approval for Google, Inc. to operate its “TV bands database system” to provide service to the public.[1] This database system will support unlicensed radio devices that transmit on unused channels in the spectrum bands used by broadcast television (TV white spaces, or TVWS).

The Commission’s Part 15 rules (47 C.F.R. § 15.701 et seq.) require that unlicensed TV radio devices operating on TV white spaces (TVBDs) contact an authorized database system to obtain a list of channels that are available for their operation (i.e. channels not occupied by authorized radio services) at their individual locations and operate only on those channels. These devices are required to provide their geographic locations by means of a secure Internet connection to a TV bands database system authorized by the Commission. When a device provides its location to a database, the database will then return a list of channels available for operation by the device at that location.

The FCC rules require that TV bands database systems protect the following radio services: 1) broadcast television stations (including full power, TV translator, low power TV, and Class A stations); 2) fixed broadcast auxiliary service (BAS) links (regular licensed and temporary); 3) receive sites (and received channels) of TV translator, low power TV, and Class A TV stations and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs); 4) private land mobile and commercial mobile radio service operations; 5) offshore radio telephone service operations; 6) radio astronomy operations at specific sites; and 7) low power auxiliary service operations (principally licensed and certain approved unlicensed wireless microphone venue sites). Except for MVPD receive sites, sites where licensed wireless microphones are used, approved unlicensed wireless microphone venues and temporary broadcast auxiliary facilities, the necessary protection data will either be extracted by Google from the Commission’s databases or are specified in the rules. Operators of facilities for which information is contained in the Commission’s records or provided in the rules do not need to take any action to obtain protection from TV bands devices.

Operators of MVPD receive sites, wireless microphones users, and operators of temporary BAS links must specifically register their sites to receive protection from TV bands devices. As required under the rules, Google is providing facilities for registering for these operations through its TVWS database system website at: http://www.google.org/spectrum/whitespace/index.html. The rules also provide that responsible parties may request that the Commission approve protection at venues where unlicensed wireless microphones are used. Such approvals will allow parties to register for protection of unlicensed wireless microphone operations from TVBDs at the venues. Requests for approval of protection of wireless microphones at venues will be made available for public comment, and the Commission will subsequently review them for approval. All registrations entered with a given TV bands database will be communicated to the other TV bands database(s) so that registrations will not need to be entered in multiple databases. Currently, the Commission has also approved the Spectrum Bridge, Inc. and Telcordia Technologies, Inc. TV bands database systems for operation (see Public Notice released December 22, 2011, DA 11-2044).

Questions regarding this Public Notice may be directed to Alan Stillwell at (202) 418-2470 or Hugh L. Van Tuyl at (202) 418-7506.

By the Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology.



from Android Authority