Category Archive:
Posted by Carlos S. on May 26, 2013 at 10:09 am
So, Google I/O 2013 has come and gone, and against all expectations, a new version of Android was not announced. This goes against what everyone was expecting out of I/O 2013, and breaks the tradition for Google announcements. However, Google has decided to give current versions of Android a whole new bunch of features, as detailed in this post, without updating the OS itself. By simply updating the existing services layer, Google has managed to bring forth many new exciting features despite the lack of a Android update. However, does that mean that there is no Android update on the works? No, not at all. In fact, here’s some of the features you can expect in a future Android update:
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Posted by Matthew Serre on May 24, 2013 at 9:52 am
Another year, another I/O. The 2013 edition of Google’s widely anticipated developer conference has come and gone, and earlier this year too by about a month and a half. In general, Google has been working on a number of projects for that ten and a half months since (and probably before that too, but you understand), though only a portion of those projects pertain directly to Android. (If you want to view the full keynote presentation to see what Google is up to in general, you can watch it here. The appearance of and Q&A with Google co-founder and CEO Larry Page, pictured below, is well worth it.)
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Posted by Matthew Serre on February 28, 2013 at 9:13 pm
One of the most common discussion questions I come across when browsing various Android forums is “do you regret purchasing your Nexus 7 [or other commonly used Android tablet]?” Another is “I just bought a Nexus 7; what do I do with it?” When you read these questions, you may be tempted to respond by asking, “Well, if you had no use for a tablet or were unsure of what to do with it, then why did you buy it in the first place?” This seems like a valid question.
Or at least I thought it did; then I started to think about it a little more.
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Posted by Matthew Serre on January 21, 2013 at 9:31 am
“Rooting” is a term you may hear or see if you spend time listening to or reading the words of Android enthusiasts on blogs or forums, often tossed around casually as if every Android device owner should know what it is, how to do it, and its potential effects. Funnily enough, asking others the definition of “rooting” sometimes results in receiving replies with a sort of Fight Club quality: if you have to ask what it is, you have no need to ask about it. So what are the keys to the mysteries surrounding these most sacred words?
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Posted by Matthew Serre on January 1, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Now that 2012 is squarely in the books, 2013 promises to deliver another bevy of high quality and not-so-high quality Android phones. But with the major phone releases for 2012 now in the rear-view mirror, we should revisit and reflect upon the year’s Android offerings by highlighting the year’s best phones. In doing so, we can hopefully help those of you who want to spend your hard-earned holiday gift dollars on a brand new Android phone. To streamline the process, I will list the best phone for each US carrier and a runner-up (just in case you like options).
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Posted by Matthew Serre on December 19, 2012 at 8:34 pm
As any Android user knows, the most touted feature of the mobile operating system is customization. The extent to which users can modify their devices, even by simply installing applications, demonstrates the extent to which customization is possible even with minimal tinkering. One of the easiest tweaks users can make on their Android phones or tablets, especially those still waiting on upgrades to Jelly Bean and its enhanced keyboard, is the installation of an alternate, third-party keyboard.
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Posted by Carlos S. on November 3, 2012 at 10:34 am
As you may know, Google has released a brand new version of Android, bumping it from 4.1 to 4.2. It still retains the same name, “Jellybean”, and is a simple version bump, however it does have some interesting new features. If you were expecting a new Project Butter or something like that, you may have felt underwhelmed, but the truth is that the new version of Android does bring some very much welcomed improvements with it to the platform, and improves on the core apps and Google services just enough to make a difference.
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