Google changes Android dashboard numbers to count active users, not just pings

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/02/google-changes-android-dashboard-numbers-to-count-active-users/

The Android device dashboard has been providing a picture of OS version distribution since before Froyo pushed aside Eclair, but now it's seeing some changes. A post on the Android Developers Google+ page indicates that starting this month, numbers are based on devices whose users actively checked Google Play during the reporting period. Previously, it counted all devices that pinged Google servers. The latest stats updated today, show a jump in the amount of actives (previously devices, now users) on Jelly Bean (Android 4.1 or higher), up to 25 percent from 16.5 percent last month when it counted the old way. The number of devices recorded running Froyo and Gingerbread have taken the biggest hit, down 3.6 and 4 percent, respectively.

There are a few ways to react to this, particularly remembering that these numbers are meant to help developers figure out how many users are available to target on the various versions of Android and types of hardware. It may give a clearer picture of what the active users that developers may have some hope of reaching without being muddied by little-used zombie devices. On the other hand, it could be seen as a way to juke stats which have been used against it by its competitors like Apple. Whichever side of the line one finds themselves on, more data is available by clicking on the source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Google

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Source: Android Developers (Google+), Android Dashboard

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First ARM Cortex-A57 processor taped out by TSMC, ready for fab

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/02/tsmc-arm-cortex-a57-tape-out/

Your current smartphone just took another spin backwards on the obsolescence cycle thanks to a new landmark from ARM and TSMC: the first Cortex-A57 has reached the "tape out" stage, meaning it's ready for mass production. The new chip will use TSMC's 16nm FinFET technology (though the transistors will be 20nm for the A57) and will bring up to three times the CPU power of current chips for the same battery life -- or a maximum of five times the battery life at the same speed. The companies said they ramped the chip from design to tape out in a mere six months, though there's no timetable for its arrival in specific devices. When it does start hitting next gen phones and slates though, expect the performance charts to get singed.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets

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Macy's Accidentally Puts $1,500 Necklace On Sale For $47

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/macys-puts-1500-item-on-sale-for-47-2013-4

Macy's had a costly typo in one of its recent ads. 

Because of a copy writing error, the department store accidentally put a $1,500 silver and gold necklace on sale for $47 and listed it as a "Super Buy," Dallas-based station WFAA reported. 

That's a 97 percent discount. 

The necklace quickly sold out at the local Macy's, the station reported. 

A Dallas man, Robert Bernard, couldn't get his hands on a necklace in stores. But associates let him pay $47 for two necklaces and had them shipped to his house. 

Bernard said he got a call a couple days later that the order had been cancelled.

When the station reached out to Macy's, a spokeswoman apologized to Bernard. 

"For those customers who bought the necklace at the $47 price, they were fortunate," Macy's said. "For the gentleman you spoke with, he was not so fortunate."

The spokeswoman said she wasn't sure how many necklaces the retailer sold at the wrong price. 

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NVIDIA outs GeForce 700M GPUs for notebooks, boasts inclusion by 'every leading manufacturer'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/01/nvidia-geforce-gt700m-series/

In NVIDIA's ongoing efforts to monopolize the technical-sounding graphics card market, the California-based components manufacturer today announced a fresh mobile line of GPUs aimed at notebook computing. That's five new GPUs in total, with the GeForce GT 720M and 735M making up the "mainstream" segment, while the GT 740M, 745M, and 750M make up the "performance" portion of the lineup. All five cards include NVIDIA's "GPU Boost 2.0" tech, which allows the GPU to alter its clock speed on-the-fly for the sake of efficiency -- although this is mainly a software-level upgrade over the first iteration of Boost, and it's still the same familiar Kepler architecture under the hood. It won't be too long before we start seeing the newest NVIDIA mobile GPUs in notebooks at retail, as the PR says they'll be in notebooks from "every leading manufacturer" in the coming months.

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops, NVIDIA

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AMD Radeon HD 7990 says hello, plays a bit of Battlefield 4 at GDC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/amd-radeon-hd-7990/

Gamers were down-right spoiled at this year's GDC with a full 17 minutes of beautiful Battlefield 4 in-game footage. Minds blown, AMD took responsibility for the part it played in the mess, admitting the demo was running on its Radeon HD 7990 graphics card. It's the first time the company's confirmed the existence of the long-fabled card, and went as far as calling the case-busting monster "the world's fastest." All we know is the card combines two of the HD 7970's Tahiti GPUs -- AMD's not sharing the full specs -- but the eagle-eyed folks at AnandTech have plucked a few extra details from the limited pictures available. They note the open-air cooling, which would require a drafty case but mean the fans should run fairly quiet, and that power consumption is likely to be no more than 375 watts. Not much to go on, we know, but we'll be waiting eagerly for AMD's full reveal. Now, your BF4 video awaits. (Warning: the game dialogue contains a few naughty words).

[Image Credit: AnandTech]

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Peripherals, AMD

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Via: AnandTech

Source: AMD Gaming (Facebook)

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