LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play edition hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/12/11/lg-gpad-83-google-play-edition/

If you've been eyeing the LG G Pad 8.3, your decision just became more difficult. Yesterday Google announced -- and began shipping -- a Google Play edition of the tablet for $350 in the US, which makes it the very first slate to receive the stock Android treatment. What does this mean, exactly? Google Play editions come with Android 4.4 KitKat without any manufacturer or carrier customizations, so it looks precisely the way Google intends it. This can be good or bad, because there are a couple tradeoffs you need to consider: The good news is that these types of devices typically get upgrades to the newest version of Android far earlier than the vast majority of smartphones and tablets, but you also need to give up a few features that were unique to their skinned counterparts.

In the case of the G Pad 8.3, this means you won't be able to enjoy the Knock On (aka, "double-knock") feature, nor will you have Slide Aside or access to a litany of LG's Q-branded functions like QPair, QRemote or QSlide. None of these missing services are crucial to the functionality of the G Pad, although we must admit that we've grown rather fond of Knock On. The camera interface is also quite different, but the only thing that might frustrate you is the lack of manual settings; if you only rely on automatic mode to make the photo magic for you, this likely won't be an issue of concern. Just like we saw on the Z Ultra Google Play edition, the G Pad also doesn't come with the native Android gallery app, as it appears that the Google+ Photos app has taken its place as the default. You'll also have the stock camera UI to deal with, rather than LG's, so you won't be able to make many manual adjustments. Of course, this probably isn't a huge concern for a lot of tablet users who may only use their camera for basic needs.

Aside from software changes, you're not going to see anything different on the outside. The dimensions are all the same as the original model, as are the actual hardware components. It's only available in black (the back strip is fitted with brushed metal, with black plastic ends), but it's offered for the same price as the model we reviewed last month. We've got a bunch of images for you to behold below.

Filed under: Tablets, Google, LG

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Sony Z Ultra Google Play edition hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/12/11/sony-z-ultra-google-play-edition/

Sony's gargantuan phone, the 6.4-inch Xperia Z Ultra, is finally getting some quality time in the United States, but not exactly the same way we had envisioned at first. For $650, you can now grab a Google Play edition of the device (in the US, anyway), which is compatible with AT&T's and T-Mobile's LTE and HSPA+ networks. Essentially, this means that the unlocked phone features a stock version of Android 4.4, is free of Sony's software tweaks and carrier bloatware and it'll (in theory) get updated to the latest and greatest version of Android sooner than most other devices.

Since the Z Ultra (no Xperia branding this time) doesn't come with Sony's user experience, this means that it's missing some features you normally find on flagship Xperia devices, such as the Bravia Engine. You'll get a stock camera UI, rather than Sony's proprietary interface, which means you won't have access to as many manual settings as you'd probably prefer; that said, at least it comes with a standard HDR setting, so its software algorithms may be a little different from Sony's, and may affect the final image somewhat. Also gone is the native Android gallery that we've grown to love or hate over the years, and in its place is the new Google+ Photos app that was introduced in Android 4.4 KitKat and featured on Nexus devices.

Aside from these differences, there isn't much else to the experience; the look, feel and dimensions of the device are all the same, so if you thought the original Z Ultra was too big (and too expensive) for your tastes, there's nothing about this new edition that will change your mind. Still, this is the best option for anyone who wants an official stock Android experience on such a large handset (without venturing into loading ROMs, at least), so perhaps a handful of you may be looking at the Z Ultra in a completely new way now. Either way, we've got some pictures below for your viewing pleasure.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Wireless, Mobile, Sony, Google

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Nokia Normandy rumored to be low-end Android-based phone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/12/10/nokia-normandy-android/

The image you see above is the rumored Nokia Normandy, which Twitter leakster @evleaks revealed at the end of last month. While not much was known about the device at the time, the lack of hardware shutter button, capacitive buttons and LED flash indicated that this mystery phone was likely an Asha device intended for emerging markets or budget-minded users. Yet, if a report from The Verge's Tom Warren is accurate, there may actually be a lot more to the Normandy than what we had originally assumed. Warren has checked with multiple sources who claim that the phone is an Android-based device due for a 2014 release.

This may seem like a stretch, given the fact that Nokia's device division is currently awaiting an acquisition with Microsoft, but Warren offers a few points of clarification. First, he says, the Normandy is meant to be a low-end Asha equivalent that features a forked version of Android that isn't associated with Google services, which means Nokia would be able to fully customize it however it wants, much like Amazon does with its Kindle Fire. Doing this would still give Nokia full control over the device ecosystem, while giving users the chance to enjoy full smartphone apps -- something the company has had a difficult time figuring out how to do on the Asha line. The question is, would Nokia rely on a third-party app store or try to set up one of its very own? That's still an unknown, but this is assuming the Normandy even sees the light of day; if the rumor is true, our guess is that this project was already underway before Microsoft's acquisition, and will probably be released before the merger is complete -- if it gets released at all.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia, Google

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Source: The Verge

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Ubuntu gets its first smartphone deal, comes to high-end devices in 2014

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/12/10/ubuntu-gets-its-first-smartphone-deal/

Canonical's smartphone-sized Ubuntu distribution hasn't had an official device to call home since release, but it won't have to live that nomadic existence for much longer. CEO Mark Shuttleworth tells CNET that his company has just signed its first Ubuntu handset deal; the Linux variant should ship with higher-end smartphones sometime in 2014, he says. While Shuttleworth isn't naming this initial customer, he adds that Canonical is negotiating phone deals with four "household brands." It's too soon to say whether or not Ubuntu will get enough support to compete against other mobile platforms, but the agreement suggests that the publicity from the ill-fated Ubuntu Edge campaign is paying off.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: CNET

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Google Glass mod gives you control over home appliances with one touch pairing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/12/10/google-glass-mod-gives-you-control-over-home-appliances/

The beauty of Glass is that we're just barely scratching the surface of what Google's smart eyewear can, and eventually will, do. Leave it then to the brainiac undergrads at UC Berkeley's CITRIS lab to show us one possible direction that sees the wearables modded for at-home convenience. By adding an IR emitter to the side of Glass, the Berkeley team was able to demonstrate remote control of home appliances by pairing them with an Xbee 802.15.4 WiFi radio and microcontroller.

The controls for the setup are simple. A user need only look at the intended appliance to bridge a connection -- made possible by an IR-transmitted device ID -- and view toggles for control. We know what you're thinking: how does Glass select one appliance from a cluster of nearby devices? To accommodate for this hassle, the team's made it so that the heads-up display will show the user a numerical range of selectable devices and a blinking, blue LED on the intended target when pairing is successful. Users can also swap between appliances by swiping down on Glass' touchpad or allowing for a connection timeout. Yes, it's still early days for cumbersome Glass prototypes like this one, but we'd bet the farm you'll be turning on the AC with the blink of an eye before long. You can check out the demo video after the break for proof of this Glass concept.

Filed under: Wearables, Science, Google

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Source: UC Berkeley

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