Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source'

Google, according to reports from "a dozen executives working at key companies in the Android ecosystem" is finally locking down the open source and easily-fragmented Android operating system.

As it currently stands, Google hands over the 'final' code for each version of Android, and OEMs and developers then spend some time customizing the OS to fit their hardware, and to create a unique and marketable flavor. That's all set to change, however.

Over the last few months, according to several people familiar with the matter, Android licensees such as HTC, Motorola and Facebook, have been asked to sign 'non-fragmentation clauses.' This new contract caveat will give Google the right to review and pass judgment on all changes to the Android OS. Two executives at Facebook say that they're unhappy that Google gets to review its changes to Android -- which is understandable, given Facebook and Google are direct competitors -- and there have also been allegations that Google is preventing some Verizon devices from shipping because they include Microsoft's Bing instead of Google search.

Continue reading Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source'

Google demands veto on OEM Android changes, stretches definition of 'open source' originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/google-demands-veto-on-android-changes-stretches-definition-of/

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Farragomate is a social fridge magnet game where you make up sentences

farragomate
You know those fridge magnet kits composed of a whole bunch of words? The ones you put all over your fridge door and then try to arrange into all sorts of juvenile and/or amusing sentences. Well, Farragomate is the social, webby version of that very same pastime.

You get to play with a bunch of random strangers in real-time, and make up sentences out of a pre-set collection of words, including some fairly naughty ones, and all players' nicknames. As you can imagine, some of the results are not child-friendly.

There are ten rounds to a game. Once a round is done, players get to vote for their favorite sentence from that round. You can't vote for your own creation, of course. There's in-game chat, too.

I think the vocabulary could be made a bit more eclectic, but even as it is, it's a nice way to spend a few minutes and meet random strangers on the Internet (always a thrilling experience).

Farragomate is a social fridge magnet game where you make up sentences originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/25/farragomate-is-a-social-game-where-you-make-up-sentences/

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MOGA Game Controller – Bluetooth control

Available from PowerA, the MOGA  is a Bluetooth-enabled gaming controller made to support Bluetooth-enabled Android 2.3+ smartphones and tablets.  With dual analog sticks, shoulder triggers and 4 buttons, you’ll have full control over your favourite games.   It can be used as a standalone controller with your tablet, or your  phone can sit into the in-built holder; it supports phones up to 3.2in/82mm in size.  The unit uses 2 AAA batteries, and battery life is quoted as up to 18 hours.

Do note that that it will only work with games that are designed to be compatible with the controller. There are about 40 games available at the moment, and a MOGA app allows you to see and keep up with compatible games.

Available from the PowerA online store for $49.99

(Thanks Griff)

Filed in categories: Android related, Bluetooth Gear, Gaming Gear, News

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MOGA Game Controller – Bluetooth control originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 25, 2012 at 8:00 am.

Windows 8 upgrade diary: the buying experience

Windows 8 upgrade diary part one: the buying experience

There were balloons. There were streamers. There were brand new Ultrabooks, members of staff unfurling banners, and -- once other customers started to arrive -- there was even a vibe of genuine excitement for today's official launch of Windows 8 in the UK. But whichever aisle I scanned, nowhere was to be found what I had come to buy: a Windows 8 disc for desktop upgraders. It was a faltering start, but it was also strangely symbolic of my mission -- namely, to explore what Microsoft's latest operating system can do for regular desktop folk. People who, in other words, aren't yet looking to invest in touch-enabled monitors or laptops or all-in-ones; who rarely get the chance to lean back with a media-consumption tablet; and who simply want to upgrade their traditional tower PC before getting on with their lives. Read on past the break and you can begin this potentially short, hopefully sweet journey with me, starting with a quick rundown of my test rig (which also happens to be my mission critical work computer) and an anti-climactic revelation about whether, in the end, I ever found the software box I was looking for.

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Windows 8 upgrade diary: the buying experience originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/LZcZP3VJw6s/

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iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes

iSites -- a zero-code cloud-based 'app creator' -- can now generate HTML5 apps that work on iOS devices. With this new feature, dubbed 'InstantApp', you can now design a single app in your browser and publish it natively on Android and iOS, and as an HTML5 iPhone app.

We haven't looked at iSites before, but it shot to fame last year when it launched with native iOS and Android support. Self-publishing Android apps wasn't a problem because Google does very little moderation of the Market, but iSites ran into trouble with its iOS apps. Thousands of people signed up for the service after it was featured on Mashable and TechCrunch, and you can imagine Apple's chagrin as thousands of cookie cutter apps flooded its approval queue.

Genwi, the developer behind iSites, realized something had to be done -- it had to circumvent the App Store approval process. Genwi, of course, turned to HTML5 Web apps -- which can be pinned to the iPhone home screen and which can be shoehorned into almost behaving like native apps.

Read on for our experiences with iSites' new InstantApp HTML5 iOS app creator.

Continue reading iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes

iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/isites-overhauled-now-lets-you-publish-cloud-based-html5-iphone/

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Nexus 4 user manuals go live on LG's support page

LG Nexus 4 User Manual

Remember that LG Nexus 4 support page that went live yesterday? Well now the page has been updated with user manuals for the device. We've been calling this device the Nexus 4 for a long time now, and this manual has confirmed that for us. Also something to note here is that there are two different manuals -- one 8GB, one 16GB. Both manuals seem to be the exact same, but that still gives us some information. Based on what we see here, we may be looking at just those two storage capacities for the next Nexus device.

The manuals also confirm the existence of an inductive charging coil, which occupies a pretty big space under the back plate. We picked this out in the FCC documentation all the way back when the first leaks hit, so we saw that one coming. Inductive charging on the device doesn't do much good without the accessories to support it though, so hopefully Google does a better job with these than the Galaxy Nexus docks.

If you're still curious and want to thumb through the manuals, head to the source link below. And remember, we'll see it all straight from Google on Monday morning.

Source: LG; via: Engadget

More: LG Nexus 4 Forum

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/KLMe9IIe34E/story01.htm

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Mozilla publishes name and shame list of slow Firefox add-ons, cracks down on tardy devs

Firefox slow-addons list
Mozilla, continuing its year-long crusade to speed up Firefox startup and shutdown times, has published a name and shame list of the Firefox's slowest add-ons.

The list is just one part of Mozilla's new efforts to highlight slow add-ons, and to help developers make their add-ons more efficient. Over the next two weeks, 'slow performance warnings' will be introduced in the add-on gallery so that users can see, before installation, which add-ons will slow down their browser. If that isn't enough to spur developers into cleaning up their add-ons, Mozilla has also begun reaching out to developers of slow add-ons with tips on how to improve add-on performance. Finally, add-on developers will soon have the ability to perform 'on-demand performance testing,' so that they can test their add-on before it's deployed publicly.

Mozilla reports that the average Firefox add-on slows down Firefox's start-up time by 10% -- which means, if you install 10 add-ons, you will double your start-up time. On fast desktop PCs that kind of slowdown might be negligible, but on older computers, laptops and smartphones, it could be the difference between a 5 and 10 second startup. Mozilla has obviously realized that while massive performance gains might've been made with Firefox 4, the addition of third-party add-ons can destroy any user-perceived improvements.

In other news, Mozilla says that a future build of Firefox will block the installation of add-ons (such as toolbars) by third-party software. Add-ons and toolbars that are bundled in this way will require explicit approval when you next open up Firefox. Hooray!

Mozilla publishes name and shame list of slow Firefox add-ons, cracks down on tardy devs originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 05:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/mozilla-publishes-name-and-shame-list-of-slow-firefox-add-ons/

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Kindle Reader for Windows 8

For a true cross-platform interoperability reading experience you really can’t beat Amazon’s ”eco-system”.  Well Windows 8 users won’t miss out on their Amazon books either, as Amazon releases its Kindle Reader for Windows 8. Available from the Windows 8 app Store, the reader supports both Windows 8 and Windows RT.  And it supports all the functionality we’ve come to expect from Amazon’s reader client, including syncing your furthest page, bookmarks, notes and highlights across all your Kindle devices.

As usual, the reader application is free.

Filed in categories: eBook Readers and Gear, News, Tablet Computers and Gear

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Kindle Reader for Windows 8 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 26, 2012 at 10:00 am.