Friday, April 19, 2013

Twitter Launches Twitter Music

Twitter has launched a service that lets people find music they like and tweet songs from iTunes, Spotify and Rdio. The app is available for download from Apple's online store and online via Web.


The service uses information from Twitter chatter to detect popular tracks as well as new artists. Users who follow musicians can see other artists those musicians follow and can listen to 30-second clips of songs by them.


While users can tweet what they're listening to and add a few characters of comment, they have to go back to the regular Twitter app for normal Twitter functions. However, the people you're following and who's following you are integrated across both apps.

The service is only available in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

You can download Twitter #music from the App Store today, or enjoy the web version, here music.twitter.com

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

A Prototype of Microsoft Smartwatch

A source familiar with the development of Microsoft’s Xbox has spoken with The Verge this week, noting that development of a smartwatch is indeed in the works right now. Sources note that a wrist-worn device has been in development by Microsoft for just over a year, and that this machine wont just be a companion for the gaming console.


Stacking up the tips and suggestions made throughout this month thus far, you’ll find this smartwatch to be working with a 1.5-inch touchscreen display, the possibility of gesture/motion control, and a re-use of the same connectors used for the Microsoft Surface tablets. With these connectors you’ll be able to pick your watch face up, place it down in a special tray, and let it charge all night long.


This connectivity might not make it past the prototype stage and, based on what we understand thus far, the entire watch might stay a prototype into the future as well. Have a peek at the timeline below to see additional clues, bits, and pieces leading to the final product sooner than later.

Source: slashgear

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Google's Motorolla Unit Reported On Working On A New Superphone

Google’s Motorola Mobility unit is reportedly working on a new superphone dubbed the “Motorola X.” It might be delayed until August, but Google’s Eric Schmidt said the company has plenty of other compelling products to wow consumers.



Motorola Mobility has a new set of products, which are phenomenal”, Schmidt said during Mobile conference on Tuesday. “Very, very impressive.” What exactly can consumers expect? Schmidt said we can “think of it has phones plus,” which suggests that we’re looking at either multiple products, such as phones, tablets and maybe a smartwatch, or a phone that adds features no other smartphone has offered before.

Google and Motorola will likely unveil the new set of products during the Google I/O developer conference next month.

Source: AllThingsD 

Google Glass Specs Announced

Google has finally published the full technical specifications of Glass, alongside Mirror API for apps, and MyGlass companion app for Android on the Google Play Store.

According to the official specs, Google Glass features a 640 x 360 display which is equivalent to that of a 25-inch high definition screen from around eight feet away. It sports a 5 megapixel camera which can record videos in 720p HD. It also houses 16GB of flash storage, which is synced with Google cloud storage, although only 12GB of useable memory will be available on board for actual use.

Interestingly enough, the battery life on Glass will last you “one full day of typical use” but doing things such as recording videos and Google Hangouts will drain it faster. It supports connectivity via 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth interface, and will be compatible to work with any Bluetooth capable phone.

List of the full specs are listed below;

Fit

  • Adjustable nosepads and durable frame fits any face.
  • Extra nosepads in two sizes.

Display

High resolution display is the equivalent of a 25 inch high definition screen from eight feet away.

Camera

  • Photos – 5 MP
  • Videos – 720p

Audio

  • Bone Conduction Transducer

Connectivity

  • Wifi – 802.11b/g
  • Bluetooth

Storage

  • 12 GB of usable memory, synced with Google cloud storage. 16 GB Flash total.

Battery

One full day of typical use. Some features, like Hangouts and video recording, are more battery intensive.

Charger

  • Included Micro USB cable and charger.
While there are thousands of Micro USB chargers out there, Glass is designed and tested with the included charger in mind. Use it and preserve long and prosperous Glass use.

Compatibility

  • Any Bluetooth-capable phone.
  • The MyGlass companion app requires Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher. MyGlass enables GPS and SMS messaging.
Also available today on the Play Store is the MyGlass companion app for Android which requires devices running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich and above. This app basically allows you to manage and configure your futuristic Glass frames right from your Android phone. Google also cheekily reminds us that the app does nothing if you don’t have a Glass unit. MyGlass companion app for Android can be downloaded now from Play Store.

What do you think about it? Are you getting the Glass? Let me know your mind below.

Follow me on twitter for more tech updates.


Apple's iPhone 5S reportedly to come with 12-megapixel camera


Reports states that Apple’s next-generation iPhone (assumed to be dubbed the iPhone 5S) is to come with an all new 12-megapixel camera as well as an improved night shooting mode. According to the site, the rumor comes from a source at Wonderful Saigon Electrics in Binh Duong, which specializes in providing camera modules for the iPhone.


This report doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise, considering that Apple typically features camera improvements in “S” models of the iPhone and included an improved 8 megapixel camera in its iPhone 4S (the 5 did get an improved Saphire lens and other minor improvements).

Apple has also been dedicated to enhancing the camera quality of the iPhone with each iteration as it has become a popular photography device, adding features like panoramas and a volume shutter control. The iPhone has long been the most popular camera on photo sharing site Flickr.

Source
Follow us on twitter for more updates

Monday, April 15, 2013

YouTube For iOS Updated With Live Streaming Support

Google, the search giants has been spending a lot of time on its YouTube app for iOS. It isn’t too surprising, as the search giant was more or less forced to release their own when Apple dropped it from iOS 6. This time around, the app comes with the ability to access live streams right from the iOS app, letting you tune into live events while on the go.


Aside from the live streaming, there’s a new My Subscriptions feed, which gives you quick access to new uploads, as well as support for video queuing for TV playback.

Beyond that, there are a couple of minor additions along with a new performance and stability improvements. 


Why don't you heard over to the app store and download the new and updated version of Youtube for iOS.

Skype Updated to v2.5 for Windows Phone 8



Microsoft has rolled out an update to its Skype app for Windows Phone 8 users. Microsoft recently added HD video support to Skype 2.4 for Windows Phone 8, and now the company has rolled out several fixes to the app and bumping the version to 2.5.

The only new feature in Skype 2.5 for Windows Phone 8 is the default enabling of Message notifications for Messenger buddies. Other than that, we see a lot of general improvements. Skype no longer crashes on startup for some users who signed in via a Microsoft Account. Contact names in Messages are no longer separated with 20% rather than space.

The Video call button is no longer disabled after accepting incoming contact request. The occasional stretching of full screen local video preview has been resolved. And finally, the update features a fix to the occasional zooming in of incoming 720p video on portrait mode.

It also seems that Skype 2.5 for Windows Phone 8 is no longer considered a preview or beta version, as the "preview" tag has been dropped.

If you already have skype installed, update it via the device update else you might want to download via the link below.
Download Skype 2.5
Enjoy.

Source

Microsoft reported working on the touched-enabled watch device


Microsoft is reportedly exploring the idea of joining what promises to be a crowded smartwatch market.


The tech titan has asked suppliers in Asia to ship components for a potential touch-enabled watch device, executives at the suppliers told The Wall Street Journal. One executive told the Journal that he had met with Microsoft's research and development team in Redmond, Wash., but it's unclear whether Microsoft will commit to producing such a device.


Microsoft has requested these components to potentially create a touch-enabled watch device, featuring a 1.5 inch display. Microsoft requested displays from component makers for that specific size. No word on exactly if Microsoft will follow through with a touch-enabled watch, but this report gives us a positive outlook on its chances.

Back in 2008, we saw the sales of Microsoft's Smart Watch disappear. Smart Watch was Microsoft's first interest in a wearable gadget, which provided news headlines, sports scores, and instant messages via a FM radio and a subscription fee.

Source:WJS
Via:WinBeta

Follow us on twitter for more updates.


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Ubuntu Warns Windows 8 Users

A week after it was announced that WUBI, the Windows-side installer for Ubuntu, is likely to be dropped from Ubuntu 13.04. The Ubuntu website is now also warning users not to use WUBI to try Ubuntu 12.10.


When clicking the ”Install from Windows’ link on the Ubuntu download page the following banner appears, advising against using the WUBI tool with Windows 8 or UEFI hardware.

Instead, Ubuntu recommends installing Ubuntu 12.10 64bit on its own dedicated partition – a task that is made easy with Ubuntu’s installer, but not entirely without risk.


The warning appears following reports of stability and potential data-loss encountered by WUBI users on Windows 8.

Canonical’s Robert Bruce Park recently said of WUBI:
“It needs to die a quick and painless death so we can get on with providing positive experiences to new users of Ubuntu.”


You can see the new WUBI warning by visiting the Ubuntu page.

Want more updates, follow me on twitter or join me on facebook for more updates.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

WhatsApp: We’re Not Selling to Google



Popular messaging app WhatsApp says it is not in discussions to sell the company to Google.
Neeraj Arora, WhatsApp’s business development head, said the company is not holding sales talks with Google.

Earlier this week, reports from most sources stated that the company was contemplating a $1 billion sale to the search giant Google.

WhatsApp has been the subject of similar rumors before, but with Facebook as the rumored buyer in December. At the time, the company said the reports were “not factually accurate.”

Source


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Google Play Store Updated to Version 4.0.25


Google Play Store app for Android has just been updated and features a brighter, card-based interface from which users can more easily source new content. For a long time, the Play Store has presented Droidsters with a decidedly dark look, but the lighter aesthetic really helps accentuate the card-based theme, and the official rollout is now underway.


Google has placed a great deal of emphasis on improving the design of its products across the board, and the revamped Play Store app certainly falls in line. In fact, the card-based look borrows heavily from the rather pretty Google Now, and although there’s no mention of improved performance therein, the new look will certainly make the process of finding new and exciting apps just that little bit more pleasurable.

Google Play’s update is unfortunately not one that you can download, so if you’re eager to try out the new look, you will be required to play the waiting game for the time being. But thanks to the good folks over at XDA, you can grab the APK right now and install it on your device, provided that you have Unknown sources checked under the Security menu in Settings. However, if you want the Play Store update to tickle to on to your device on its own, then be ready to play the waiting game.

As well as showcasing Google’s desires to up the ante in the field of design, the revised look of the Play Store app is being marketed as a win for those in favor of simple, uncluttered user interfaces. As big fans of minimalism here at Redmond Pie, we’d say the Big G has done a pretty good job, and we cannot wait until our own fleet of Android devices has been treated to this new look.

You can update Google play store app on your Android device or visit the link below to download.
Download Google Play Store

Source: XDA developers
Via: RedmondPie

Follow us on twitter for more updates

Monday, April 8, 2013

Google Reported to Acquire WhatsApp For $1 Billion

WhatsApp Messenger, the cross-platform instant messaging app serving iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Phone, is a life-saver to those looking for a hassle-free mode of communication, and according to a new report, the search giant is very interested in buying it.



According to the report from Gizmodo, WhatsApp founded by former Yahoo pioneers Brian Acton and Jan Koum, is said to be holding out for the $1 billion.

The news, if true, would be pretty significant, but also rather surprising. Google’s mobile messaging department could certainly do with bolstering, and drafting in WhatsApp would certainly be an easy way for the Mountain View-based company to achieve this. However, it has long since been reckoned that Google’s ‘Babel’ chat will be an all-encompassing communications service, and with GTalk already being a popular, strong feature of the GApps (at least, on Android), the immediate benefit would seem to be in the user base WhatsApp has amassed in its four years of existence.

Google has, on numerous occasions, acknowledged that the quality of its messaging services have fallen below par, and buying WhatsApp would be a big statement of intent. It would also, as many perceived as motive to Facebook’s Instagram purchase, eliminate one of the main competitors in this field, helping Google quickly place itself among the likes of Facebook Messenger and Apple iMessage.

Unless Google Babel is, contrary to reports, not culminating into the great service Google needs to make its presence known in the IM market, then this could also go a way to explaining why the company is rumored to be considering WhatsApp. After all, the service, which was founded only in 2009, handles tens of billions of messages a day, and if it were to provide the engine for the upcoming Babel service, Google would have one hell of a beast to unleash.

Via: RedmondPie

Follow us on twitter for more updates...

Friday, April 5, 2013

Nokia Releases Nokia Music for Windows 8 and RT!


Nokia has just released their music streaming service app Nokia Music for Windows 8 and Windows RT devices. The app features hundreds of hand-crafted playlists across every genre, offline mixes, and if you got a Nokia Music+ subscription, you can enjoy higher quality audio, unlimited track skips, unlimited offline mixes and lyrics.



Nokia Music is a complete playback and discovery experience for your computer. Play one of our hand-crafted Mixes from genres you’ll love. Play and queue your own music, discovery rich artist information.

If you already have a Nokia Music+ subscription on your Nokia phone, just sign in to get all the great features from your phone directly on your computer.

If you have never had the pleasure of using a Nokia phone, you are still invited to the party! Try completely free trial and have a listen. It gives you recommendations of mixes you could listen to based on your own music.

Nokia Music also creates a Mix for you, featuring songs from those artists expertly weaved with suggestions from our 20 million track catalog.



It also allows you to find new artists and get under their skin with bio’s, image galleries, what they’re tweeting and where they’re gigging.

Nokia Music is available on the Windows Store
Download Nokia Music Now and Experience Great Musics on the go.

Follow the team on twitter for more updates...

Ubuntu 13.04 Beta Released


The final beta of Ubuntu 13.04 has been made available for download.



Also shipping alongside it are betas for all of the official Ubuntu spins, including the newly anointed Ubuntu GNOME and Ubuntu Kylin projects.

Key features new to Ubuntu 13.04, and available in this beta, include:

New shutdown and session exit dialogs
A new sync menu for Ubuntu One
Faster, more performant Unity
New interface animations, including window snap
Scroll-switching of open windows from Unity Launcher
For details of precisely what has changed between Ubuntu 12.10 and 13.04 you can view our development coverage by using the Raring Ringtail tag.

Getting Ubuntu 13.04 Beta

If you’re running daily builds of Ubuntu 13.04 you don’t need to do anything special to get the beta – as long as you’re up-to-date, you’re using it.

Ubuntu 13.04 is scheduled for release on April 25th. It will come with a reduced support cycle of only 9 months. Support for it will end in January 2014

A release candidate of Ubuntu 13.04 is due for release on April 18th.

Download Ubuntu 13.04 Beta 2

Source