Each week my team from elance runs hundreds of queries on various surnames which we have been tracking since July. We revised our model based on the actual user announcements made by Google on July 13th and Oct 13th.
Here is what the tracking shows so far:
July 13 – 10 million
August 1 – 20.5 million
September 1 – 24.7 million
October 1 – 38 million (Larry Page announced “more than 40m users” on Oct 13th)
November 1 – 43 million
December 1 – 50 million
December 27 – 62 million
January 1 – 65.8 million (forecast)
February 1 – 85.2 million (forecast)
If his statistics are accurate, then nearly a fourth of all current Google+ users will have joined the social network during the month of December alone. Allen predicts that if this user join rate continues, Google+ will be on track to reach 100 million users on February 25th and 200 million on August 3rd. By the end of 2012, it could reach a whopping 400 million users, not too far from Facebook’s current population at the moment.
Allen says that “based on the accelerated growth I’m seeing and all the dials and levers Google can still utilize, and the developer ecosystem that will be developed, I predict that 2012 is going to be a breakout year for Google+ and that it will end next year with more than 400 million users.” If that’s the case, then Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook better be prepared for a worthy rising competitor. SlashGear readers, what do you think?
(slashgear.com)
Tampilkan postingan dengan label google. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label google. Tampilkan semua postingan
Selasa, 27 Desember 2011
Rabu, 21 Desember 2011
Google boasts of 700,000 Android activations a day
INTERNET SEARCH OUTFIT Google has boasted that it now activates 700,000 Android devices per day.
The numbers were revealed by Andy Rubin in a Google Plus post as a brief note. "There are now over 700,000 Android devices activated every day
," wrote the Android operating system chief.
Later he clarified the statement and explained that each activation is a new one, as opposed to an old handset making its way into new hands.
"...and for those wondering, we count each device only once (ie, we don't count re-sold devices)," he said, adding, "and 'activations' means you go into a store, buy a device, put it on the network by subscribing to a wireless service".
This means that there might be uncounted handsets out there, but it's perhaps unlikely that there are many that have not connected to wireless services. Some might be lurking in Christmas stockings though, so perhaps the new year will see an updated post from Rubin.
In July the company said that it was seeing 550,000 activations each day, and earlier, 400,000.
(theinquirer.net)
The numbers were revealed by Andy Rubin in a Google Plus post as a brief note. "There are now over 700,000 Android devices activated every day
," wrote the Android operating system chief.
Later he clarified the statement and explained that each activation is a new one, as opposed to an old handset making its way into new hands.
"...and for those wondering, we count each device only once (ie, we don't count re-sold devices)," he said, adding, "and 'activations' means you go into a store, buy a device, put it on the network by subscribing to a wireless service".
This means that there might be uncounted handsets out there, but it's perhaps unlikely that there are many that have not connected to wireless services. Some might be lurking in Christmas stockings though, so perhaps the new year will see an updated post from Rubin.
In July the company said that it was seeing 550,000 activations each day, and earlier, 400,000.
(theinquirer.net)
Senin, 19 Desember 2011
Google hands out custom Galaxy Nexus to workers
Apparently, all the folks that work for Google in the London and Zurich offices are getting a really nice Christmas gift from the search giant. The workers in the locations are being given a customized version of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone. The customization isn’t just software on the phone. The custom Google phones have a special back plate that has Android and G+ icons all over it.
All the workers had to get in a line to get hands on their new smartphones. I wonder if Google is covering the mobile service as well. It’s not clear at this point if all Google employees everywhere are getting the Galaxy Nexus, but that is the assumption.
The backplate is extra geeky. I wonder how many of these smartphones will turn up on eBay in a few months. These are cool Christmas gifts, yet another reason working at Google would be really cool.
(slashgear.com)
All the workers had to get in a line to get hands on their new smartphones. I wonder if Google is covering the mobile service as well. It’s not clear at this point if all Google employees everywhere are getting the Galaxy Nexus, but that is the assumption.
The backplate is extra geeky. I wonder how many of these smartphones will turn up on eBay in a few months. These are cool Christmas gifts, yet another reason working at Google would be really cool.
(slashgear.com)
Minggu, 18 Desember 2011
BT Files Patent Suit Against Google
British Telecommunications has filed a civil suit in a Delaware court alleging that some Google products and services including Android, and its search, music, map, and location-based advertising infringe on one or more of six of its patents.
The British company entered a prayer on Thursday before the United States District Court for the District of Delaware for an injunction against Google, as well as unspecified damages, which could be tripled if proven that Google's alleged infringement of the patents was willful and deliberate. BT has also asked for a trial by jury.
The BT patents said to have been infringed include service provision system for communication networks, navigation information system, storage and retrieval of location based information in a distributed network of data storage devices, telecommunications apparatus and method, and communications node for providing network based information services.
Google Music and Android were cited by BT as examples of Google's violation of U.S. Patent No. 6,151,309 for service provision system for communication networks, also referred to in the suit as the Busuioc patent. This patent is "directed to systems and methods for accessing content in a mobile environment where network constraints vary across networks".
Intellectual property analyst Florian Mueller wrote in his blog that with so many major patent holders asserting their rights, obligations to pay royalties may force Google to change its Android licensing model and pass royalties on to device makers. Android is at the center of a number of patent disputes involving large companies including Oracle and Apple.
Google was not immediately available for comment on the suit.
(pcworld.com)
The British company entered a prayer on Thursday before the United States District Court for the District of Delaware for an injunction against Google, as well as unspecified damages, which could be tripled if proven that Google's alleged infringement of the patents was willful and deliberate. BT has also asked for a trial by jury.
The BT patents said to have been infringed include service provision system for communication networks, navigation information system, storage and retrieval of location based information in a distributed network of data storage devices, telecommunications apparatus and method, and communications node for providing network based information services.
Google Music and Android were cited by BT as examples of Google's violation of U.S. Patent No. 6,151,309 for service provision system for communication networks, also referred to in the suit as the Busuioc patent. This patent is "directed to systems and methods for accessing content in a mobile environment where network constraints vary across networks".
Intellectual property analyst Florian Mueller wrote in his blog that with so many major patent holders asserting their rights, obligations to pay royalties may force Google to change its Android licensing model and pass royalties on to device makers. Android is at the center of a number of patent disputes involving large companies including Oracle and Apple.
Google was not immediately available for comment on the suit.
(pcworld.com)
Kamis, 15 Desember 2011
Microsoft Office 365 Vs. Google Apps: Compliance Clash
Microsoft on Wednesday declared that Office 365 is the "first and only major cloud productivity service to comply with leading EU and U.S. standards for data protection and security."
There are, of course, not many "major cloud productivity services." In fact, you'd be hard pressed to come up with "major" contenders beyond Microsoft and Google. There are certainly major companies like IBM and Cisco that offer cloud productivity options, but they aren't really challenging Microsoft Office head-on like Google Apps. Thus Microsoft's dismissal of browser-based apps can be read as a critique of Google, the company that would have you believe Microsoft's hybrid approach, with local and cloud apps, is archaic and inefficient.
"Developing cloud-based productivity tools that meet the needs of European businesses means more than simply building apps in a browser," said Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International, in a statement. "Microsoft has a more complete approach to European data protection and security laws than any other company, and we're proud of the work we've done to ensure the widest range of organizations can move to the cloud with confidence--or choose an equally functional on-premises option."
Microsoft's claim might be best boiled down to something like, "Office 365 is more compliant than Google Apps."
There's some truth in that, but also some posturing.
Microsoft says that it will abide by not only European Union model clauses, rules that certify compliance with the European Commission's Data Protection Directive and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the U.S., but also by local data regulations in the 27 EU member states.
Google hasn't fully embraced the model clauses, let alone all the unique member state rules. One reason might be that the model clauses require data processors to make their data processing facilities available to client or government auditors. Given how many clients Google has, the company might be wary of offering data center tours on demand for reasons of security and practicality.
Microsoft says that it's the first major cloud-based productivity service to be certified under ISO/IEC 27001, a data security management benchmark. Google Apps isn't ISO/IEC 27001 certified at the moment but it is certified under the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)--despite Microsoft's claim to the contrary--and certain FISMA requirements can be mapped to ISO/IEC 27001 requirements. So by complying with FISMA, Google Apps is more or less in line with the expectations set forth in ISO/IEC 27001.
Microsoft also cites the online services it has developed for Office 365 that provide safeguards necessary for HIPAA compliance. Yet HIPAA regulates the use of information services in organizations rather than in the service providers themselves. So it's not as if Office 365 is HIPAA compliant and Google Apps isn't. Both companies provide resources to help their customers use their services under HIPAA.
Microsoft says it believes it’s the only cloud productivity service that includes a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement (BAA) to customers covered by HIPAA. The BAA establishes contractual requirements between the customer and Microsoft related to the customer’s HIPAA obligations.
Google points out that compliance isn't everything, an assertion affirmed by the number of companies that have complied with security rules and still suffered data breaches.
"Certifications help communicate certain assurances to customers, but they only tell part of the story," a Google spokesperson said in an email. "Most were not developed with cloud infrastructure in mind. Google Apps has secured several important certifications while developing our own security technology specific to cloud computing."
Indeed, compliance might not be everything, but it's significant enough that it can be used to attempt to thwart the competition.
(informationweek.com)
There are, of course, not many "major cloud productivity services." In fact, you'd be hard pressed to come up with "major" contenders beyond Microsoft and Google. There are certainly major companies like IBM and Cisco that offer cloud productivity options, but they aren't really challenging Microsoft Office head-on like Google Apps. Thus Microsoft's dismissal of browser-based apps can be read as a critique of Google, the company that would have you believe Microsoft's hybrid approach, with local and cloud apps, is archaic and inefficient.
"Developing cloud-based productivity tools that meet the needs of European businesses means more than simply building apps in a browser," said Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International, in a statement. "Microsoft has a more complete approach to European data protection and security laws than any other company, and we're proud of the work we've done to ensure the widest range of organizations can move to the cloud with confidence--or choose an equally functional on-premises option."
Microsoft's claim might be best boiled down to something like, "Office 365 is more compliant than Google Apps."
There's some truth in that, but also some posturing.
Microsoft says that it will abide by not only European Union model clauses, rules that certify compliance with the European Commission's Data Protection Directive and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the U.S., but also by local data regulations in the 27 EU member states.
Google hasn't fully embraced the model clauses, let alone all the unique member state rules. One reason might be that the model clauses require data processors to make their data processing facilities available to client or government auditors. Given how many clients Google has, the company might be wary of offering data center tours on demand for reasons of security and practicality.
Microsoft says that it's the first major cloud-based productivity service to be certified under ISO/IEC 27001, a data security management benchmark. Google Apps isn't ISO/IEC 27001 certified at the moment but it is certified under the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)--despite Microsoft's claim to the contrary--and certain FISMA requirements can be mapped to ISO/IEC 27001 requirements. So by complying with FISMA, Google Apps is more or less in line with the expectations set forth in ISO/IEC 27001.
Microsoft also cites the online services it has developed for Office 365 that provide safeguards necessary for HIPAA compliance. Yet HIPAA regulates the use of information services in organizations rather than in the service providers themselves. So it's not as if Office 365 is HIPAA compliant and Google Apps isn't. Both companies provide resources to help their customers use their services under HIPAA.
Microsoft says it believes it’s the only cloud productivity service that includes a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement (BAA) to customers covered by HIPAA. The BAA establishes contractual requirements between the customer and Microsoft related to the customer’s HIPAA obligations.
Google points out that compliance isn't everything, an assertion affirmed by the number of companies that have complied with security rules and still suffered data breaches.
"Certifications help communicate certain assurances to customers, but they only tell part of the story," a Google spokesperson said in an email. "Most were not developed with cloud infrastructure in mind. Google Apps has secured several important certifications while developing our own security technology specific to cloud computing."
Indeed, compliance might not be everything, but it's significant enough that it can be used to attempt to thwart the competition.
(informationweek.com)
Sabtu, 10 Desember 2011
Google's Opt-in Facial Recognition Avoids Facebook's Missteps
Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) quiet introduction of facial recognition for its photos application on Google+ is drawing praise from analysts and security researchers alike because it stands in stark contrast to the way Facebook employed similar technology earlier this year.
That is, it's opt-in. Google's Find My Face feature lets its Google+ social network users opt-in to photo tagging. When users opt-in to Find My Face, the next time one of their Google+ contacts adds a photo they're in, they'll see their name as a suggested tag. Users will receive a tag prompt can accept or reject any instance where someone wants to tag them.
"Despite the fact that I am not comfortable with my information being gathered in this manner, providing people with a choice is never a bad thing," wrote Chester Wisniewski, a senior security advisor at security software provider Sophos Canada
. "It is up to every individual to make an *informed* choice about how their personal information is shared and asking their permission is the right approach."
If Find My Face sounds familiar it's because Facebook already beat Google to such a feature called Tag Suggestions, which automatically detects users in photos and links them with their names so that users don't have to manually tag friends.
The tool was actually announced a year ago, but some of Facebook's 800 million-plus users forgot about it. As Facebook gradually rolled Tag Suggestions out in 2011, it drew the ire of enough users for not advising them the feature had been turned on. People can be quite self-conscious about tagged photos because they can provide contextual information that users may want to keep private.
Privacy and U.S. Congressmen took notice. Last June, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Connecticut state Attorney General George Jepsen complained that Facebook should have provided more notice and should instead make the feature opt-in. Facebook then made the tool easier to opt out of
, but it's still an opt-out feature.
A Google spokesperson declined to comment about whether Google looked at Facebook's photo-tagging folly for guidance with the way it implemented Find My Face. However, sources familiar with Google's thinking say the company has learned a lot from Facebook's privacy foibles, which is why it's being careful with Find My Face.
Google also learned a lot from its own social software privacy gaffe. Nearly two years ago, it launched Google Buzz, a social service that exposed its users Gmail contacts to other people. The company quickly altered the service but took a major hit to its reputation for preserving user data and trust.
Altimeter Group analyst Rebecca Lieb called Google's implementation of Find My Face a very smart move at a time when the company is trying to challenge Facebook for the hearts, minds and eyeballs of social network users.
"Google is not interested in making the same mistakes Facebook made," Lieb told eWEEK, adding that even creating the perception that they care about user privacy can go along with consumers. "They are ensuring users they have their privacy interests in mind."
The launch of Find My Face as an opt-in facial recognition tool conveniently came the same day the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a privacy workshop
where it said it would take a hard line against companies that violate consumer privacy using facial recognition technology.(eweek.com)
That is, it's opt-in. Google's Find My Face feature lets its Google+ social network users opt-in to photo tagging. When users opt-in to Find My Face, the next time one of their Google+ contacts adds a photo they're in, they'll see their name as a suggested tag. Users will receive a tag prompt can accept or reject any instance where someone wants to tag them.
"Despite the fact that I am not comfortable with my information being gathered in this manner, providing people with a choice is never a bad thing," wrote Chester Wisniewski, a senior security advisor at security software provider Sophos Canada
. "It is up to every individual to make an *informed* choice about how their personal information is shared and asking their permission is the right approach."
If Find My Face sounds familiar it's because Facebook already beat Google to such a feature called Tag Suggestions, which automatically detects users in photos and links them with their names so that users don't have to manually tag friends.
The tool was actually announced a year ago, but some of Facebook's 800 million-plus users forgot about it. As Facebook gradually rolled Tag Suggestions out in 2011, it drew the ire of enough users for not advising them the feature had been turned on. People can be quite self-conscious about tagged photos because they can provide contextual information that users may want to keep private.
Privacy and U.S. Congressmen took notice. Last June, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Connecticut state Attorney General George Jepsen complained that Facebook should have provided more notice and should instead make the feature opt-in. Facebook then made the tool easier to opt out of
, but it's still an opt-out feature.
A Google spokesperson declined to comment about whether Google looked at Facebook's photo-tagging folly for guidance with the way it implemented Find My Face. However, sources familiar with Google's thinking say the company has learned a lot from Facebook's privacy foibles, which is why it's being careful with Find My Face.
Google also learned a lot from its own social software privacy gaffe. Nearly two years ago, it launched Google Buzz, a social service that exposed its users Gmail contacts to other people. The company quickly altered the service but took a major hit to its reputation for preserving user data and trust.
Altimeter Group analyst Rebecca Lieb called Google's implementation of Find My Face a very smart move at a time when the company is trying to challenge Facebook for the hearts, minds and eyeballs of social network users.
"Google is not interested in making the same mistakes Facebook made," Lieb told eWEEK, adding that even creating the perception that they care about user privacy can go along with consumers. "They are ensuring users they have their privacy interests in mind."
The launch of Find My Face as an opt-in facial recognition tool conveniently came the same day the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a privacy workshop
where it said it would take a hard line against companies that violate consumer privacy using facial recognition technology.(eweek.com)
Jumat, 09 Desember 2011
Twitter Redesign Courts Businesses, Catches Up With Facebook, Google+
Social networking company Twitter announced a slew of changes to the online and mobile versions of the microblogging site Dec. 8, including a simplified design to make it easier to connect with others.
The company also updated the TweetDeck desktop application to be consistent with the new version. As more businesses—large enterprises, as well as small and midsize firms—delve into the world of social media to help market their products and sell their services, the Twitter redesign can help companies reach their potential audience more quickly, as the site now offers greater simplicity, thanks to four menu tabs, which are the same across mobile and desktop devices.
Twitter is not the only social media company looking for ways to offer more functionality for business users. Both Facebook and Google+, Google’s recently released social networking site, offer companies different ways to brand and advertise themselves online, while connecting to like-minded social networking users.
On the homepage tab, photos, videos and conversations are embedded directly in tweets, allowing businesses to offer visual details of products and special offers and to spread viral marketing campaigns. The new Connect section is where businesses can get in on the conversation by seeing who has followed or mentioned the company, or who retweeted or favorited one of the tweets, giving businesses insight into potentially untapped customers or enabling them to respond to compliments (or criticisms).
The Discover tab lets users tap into a stream of information that can be customized just for a business based on current location, what you follow and what’s happening in the world. As Twitter use increases, Discover gets even better at serving up more content that applies directly to the company’s market and interests through tracking people, organizations or brands. The Discover tab also lets users search for contacts by name and import contacts from an email account.
The updated profile section, the Me tab, puts businesses’ interests front and center. Direct messages allow users to send personal messages to followers and receive personal messages from those being followed, which can help with personal customer service issues or product questions. Customers can also see a gallery of product images or marketing videos the company has recently shared.
Finally, Twitter has updated the Tweet tab to help send business messages out into the world, and link to videos and news stories and more directly in tweets. Users can tag their locations to send out information from trade shows or different store locations to promote certain products or sales events, and businesses can associate their tweets with trends and ideas by adding the hashtag symbol (#) before a relevant phrase—for example, #appdevelopment. This way, when anyone searches for that trend or phrase, the tweet—and the sender's business—is more likely to appear in the results.
Small businesses are becoming more comfortable with social media marketing and are using it more when engaging with customers, while also allocating more time to social media marketing to engage their targets, according to a November report from marketing specialist Constant Contact. A full 81 percent reported using social media to market their businesses, up from 73 percent in the spring of 2011.
Twitter is quickly gaining ground as usage surged in the last six months, from 60 percent in spring 2011 to 76 percent in November. Effectiveness scores also improved across certain key social media marketing channels in just six months, with 60 percent of those using Twitter finding it effective for marketing their business, up from 47 percent in spring 2011.(eweek.com)
The company also updated the TweetDeck desktop application to be consistent with the new version. As more businesses—large enterprises, as well as small and midsize firms—delve into the world of social media to help market their products and sell their services, the Twitter redesign can help companies reach their potential audience more quickly, as the site now offers greater simplicity, thanks to four menu tabs, which are the same across mobile and desktop devices.
Twitter is not the only social media company looking for ways to offer more functionality for business users. Both Facebook and Google+, Google’s recently released social networking site, offer companies different ways to brand and advertise themselves online, while connecting to like-minded social networking users.
On the homepage tab, photos, videos and conversations are embedded directly in tweets, allowing businesses to offer visual details of products and special offers and to spread viral marketing campaigns. The new Connect section is where businesses can get in on the conversation by seeing who has followed or mentioned the company, or who retweeted or favorited one of the tweets, giving businesses insight into potentially untapped customers or enabling them to respond to compliments (or criticisms).
The Discover tab lets users tap into a stream of information that can be customized just for a business based on current location, what you follow and what’s happening in the world. As Twitter use increases, Discover gets even better at serving up more content that applies directly to the company’s market and interests through tracking people, organizations or brands. The Discover tab also lets users search for contacts by name and import contacts from an email account.
The updated profile section, the Me tab, puts businesses’ interests front and center. Direct messages allow users to send personal messages to followers and receive personal messages from those being followed, which can help with personal customer service issues or product questions. Customers can also see a gallery of product images or marketing videos the company has recently shared.
Finally, Twitter has updated the Tweet tab to help send business messages out into the world, and link to videos and news stories and more directly in tweets. Users can tag their locations to send out information from trade shows or different store locations to promote certain products or sales events, and businesses can associate their tweets with trends and ideas by adding the hashtag symbol (#) before a relevant phrase—for example, #appdevelopment. This way, when anyone searches for that trend or phrase, the tweet—and the sender's business—is more likely to appear in the results.
Small businesses are becoming more comfortable with social media marketing and are using it more when engaging with customers, while also allocating more time to social media marketing to engage their targets, according to a November report from marketing specialist Constant Contact. A full 81 percent reported using social media to market their businesses, up from 73 percent in the spring of 2011.
Twitter is quickly gaining ground as usage surged in the last six months, from 60 percent in spring 2011 to 76 percent in November. Effectiveness scores also improved across certain key social media marketing channels in just six months, with 60 percent of those using Twitter finding it effective for marketing their business, up from 47 percent in spring 2011.(eweek.com)
Google's Chrome Will Run Console Games!
Don't look for id Software's Rage or Bethesda's Skyrim in your browser anytime soon, but it sounds like Google has big time gaming plans for its Chrome platform—plans that already involve running stuff like Xbox Live Arcade game Bastion in Chrome directly.
Google demoed Bastion running in its Chrome browser at a press event last night after working on the technology to make such a feat possible for three years, says CNet, adding that "[Bastion's] gameplay was smooth and...the graphics were highly detailed."
The technology's called "Native Client," or NaCl—an allusion to the periodic symbol for salt, implying per the dictionary definition that it "makes things more interesting"—and it's powerful enough to allow a sophisticated action roleplaying game like Bastion to run in Google's browser today. I mean literally today. You can grab Bastion from the Chrome store now for $15 (though, caveat, gamepad's aren't yet supported—boo hiss!).
According to Bastion's developer Supergiant Games:
This latest version of Bastion is built to run right in your web browser, using Google’s new Native Client technology. This really is the full Bastion experience, featuring our highly acclaimed 1080p artwork, musical score, reactive narration, and play experience, all built to run fast and smooth just like our Xbox 360 and PC versions. And, much like those versions, you can play through the prologue for free. The full game can be unlocked for $14.99.
You'll need at least a 1.7 GHz dual-core rig, 2GB of memory, 1GB of hard disk space, and a video card that with 512MB memory that supports shader model 2—pretty minimal specs, in other words.
And all that's just for starters. Google apparently used last night's event to announce that Chrome has over 200 million users, and to highlight other upcoming Chrome-based games. Look for IO Interactive's Mini Ninjas soon, for instance, courtesy Final Fantasy publisher Square Enix.(pcworld.com)
Google demoed Bastion running in its Chrome browser at a press event last night after working on the technology to make such a feat possible for three years, says CNet, adding that "[Bastion's] gameplay was smooth and...the graphics were highly detailed."
The technology's called "Native Client," or NaCl—an allusion to the periodic symbol for salt, implying per the dictionary definition that it "makes things more interesting"—and it's powerful enough to allow a sophisticated action roleplaying game like Bastion to run in Google's browser today. I mean literally today. You can grab Bastion from the Chrome store now for $15 (though, caveat, gamepad's aren't yet supported—boo hiss!).
According to Bastion's developer Supergiant Games:
This latest version of Bastion is built to run right in your web browser, using Google’s new Native Client technology. This really is the full Bastion experience, featuring our highly acclaimed 1080p artwork, musical score, reactive narration, and play experience, all built to run fast and smooth just like our Xbox 360 and PC versions. And, much like those versions, you can play through the prologue for free. The full game can be unlocked for $14.99.
You'll need at least a 1.7 GHz dual-core rig, 2GB of memory, 1GB of hard disk space, and a video card that with 512MB memory that supports shader model 2—pretty minimal specs, in other words.
And all that's just for starters. Google apparently used last night's event to announce that Chrome has over 200 million users, and to highlight other upcoming Chrome-based games. Look for IO Interactive's Mini Ninjas soon, for instance, courtesy Final Fantasy publisher Square Enix.(pcworld.com)
Samsung Galaxy Nexus launch will not include Google Wallet, says Verizon
The launch of the Galaxy Nexus, the newest Google Android phone, has been shrouded in mystery. One feature that will not appear on the Nexus is Google Wallet, according to Verizon. As Hayley Tsukayama reported:
Those eager to buy the Google Galaxy Nexus in order to use its near-field communications chip for their shopping needs may be disappointed. Verizon — the only official carrier for the phone — has said that it will not support Google Wallet in its phones. Google confirmed that Verizon asked the company not to include the feature in the Galaxy Nexus phone.
Verizon is denying that it’s “blocking” the app, however, and said that it is in “commercial discussions” with Google on the matter.
In a statement, Verizon spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said that Google Wallet requires different considerations because it’s simply different from other apps.
“Google Wallet does not simply access the operating system and basic hardware of our phones like thousands of other applications,” Nelson said in a statement. “Instead, in order to work as architected by Google, Google Wallet needs to be integrated into a new, secure and proprietary hardware element in our phones.”
Others, however, say that Verizon isn’t supporting Google Wallet on the Galaxy Nexus because the company is working with AT&T and T-Mobile on its own contactless payment service, ISIS.
Media reform group Free Press said Tuesday that Verizon’s decision is hurting consumers, competition and innovation, and illustrates a need for stronger consumer protections from the Federal Communications Commission.
Even the price of the new Galaxy Nexus is under wraps, as the phone nears release. Some reports have put the price at $299, yet Verizon has not confirmed it. As Hayley Tsukayama explained:
The Galaxy Nexus, the highly-anticipated flagship phone of Google’s next Android operating system, has been a bit of a mystery. Not only has Verizon been quiet about when customers will be able to see the brand-new phone on store shelves, it’s also been mum about how much the phone will cost.
A report from Dow Jones Newswires, citing “people familiar with the matter,” pegs the phone’s cost at $299.99, which seems to be Verizon’s new standard for its premium smartphones.
The Droid RAZR, which the company is pushing hard in advance of the Galaxy Nexus announcement, is priced at $299.99, as is the HTC Rezound. Given the speed and power of the 4G phones, the report said, Verizon may feel more comfortable pricing the phones at the same range as high-demand devices such as the iPhone.
The Galaxy Nexus is certainly seen by some analysts as the most credible competitor to the iPhone so far, even outstripping it in some respect because it’s capable of running on Verizon’s 4G network. The phone has a bigger screen than the iPhone and, of course, has the distinction of being the first phone to run Google’s new Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.
The new system has quite a few experimental perks and features, such as the ability to unlock the phone using facial recognition and an NFC chip that will let users exchange information by tapping their phones together. One of the Galaxy Nexus’s functions, however, will not be a part of its U.S. release: the ability to pay with Google Wallet by using the chip. A report from the Associated Press said that Verizon is not enabling Google Wallet on its phones, likely because the company is involved in Isis, a competing payment system that uses NFC technology.
While the release date and price are still unknown, analysts have given the Galaxy Nexus strong early reviews. As Hayley Tsukayama reported :
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus — Google’s next flagship phone — has been getting strong early reviews ahead of its as-yet unannounced U.S. launch date. The phone hit stores in Britain Thursday, and reviewers are calling it the best Android phone yet. The Galaxy Nexus will launch in the U.S. on Verizon’s LTE network, but the review units handed out by Google run on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network — the international version.
Mashable’s Charlie White said that the hardware and software on the phone are fantastic, though he cautioned that the 4.65-inch screen may be a bit too big for people with smaller hands. The on-screen buttons that are baked into Google’s latest operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich, also eliminate the need for a bezel on the phone, apart from the space needed for the camera.
Edward C. Baig at USA Today called the phone a major upgrade, though he said that he doesn’t feel as if he’s had the phone long enough to give it a thorough review. His early impression, though, is favorable. He likes the phone’s camera, which shoots without lag thanks to Google’s new camera functionalities. He said that the phone is snappy and light, though he thinks the battery life will be short. Baig did, however, like that the phone gave him information on what was draining the battery (no surprises here: it’s mostly the screen) and on data consumption.(washingtonpost.com)
Those eager to buy the Google Galaxy Nexus in order to use its near-field communications chip for their shopping needs may be disappointed. Verizon — the only official carrier for the phone — has said that it will not support Google Wallet in its phones. Google confirmed that Verizon asked the company not to include the feature in the Galaxy Nexus phone.
Verizon is denying that it’s “blocking” the app, however, and said that it is in “commercial discussions” with Google on the matter.
In a statement, Verizon spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said that Google Wallet requires different considerations because it’s simply different from other apps.
“Google Wallet does not simply access the operating system and basic hardware of our phones like thousands of other applications,” Nelson said in a statement. “Instead, in order to work as architected by Google, Google Wallet needs to be integrated into a new, secure and proprietary hardware element in our phones.”
Others, however, say that Verizon isn’t supporting Google Wallet on the Galaxy Nexus because the company is working with AT&T and T-Mobile on its own contactless payment service, ISIS.
Media reform group Free Press said Tuesday that Verizon’s decision is hurting consumers, competition and innovation, and illustrates a need for stronger consumer protections from the Federal Communications Commission.
Even the price of the new Galaxy Nexus is under wraps, as the phone nears release. Some reports have put the price at $299, yet Verizon has not confirmed it. As Hayley Tsukayama explained:
The Galaxy Nexus, the highly-anticipated flagship phone of Google’s next Android operating system, has been a bit of a mystery. Not only has Verizon been quiet about when customers will be able to see the brand-new phone on store shelves, it’s also been mum about how much the phone will cost.
A report from Dow Jones Newswires, citing “people familiar with the matter,” pegs the phone’s cost at $299.99, which seems to be Verizon’s new standard for its premium smartphones.
The Droid RAZR, which the company is pushing hard in advance of the Galaxy Nexus announcement, is priced at $299.99, as is the HTC Rezound. Given the speed and power of the 4G phones, the report said, Verizon may feel more comfortable pricing the phones at the same range as high-demand devices such as the iPhone.
The Galaxy Nexus is certainly seen by some analysts as the most credible competitor to the iPhone so far, even outstripping it in some respect because it’s capable of running on Verizon’s 4G network. The phone has a bigger screen than the iPhone and, of course, has the distinction of being the first phone to run Google’s new Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.
The new system has quite a few experimental perks and features, such as the ability to unlock the phone using facial recognition and an NFC chip that will let users exchange information by tapping their phones together. One of the Galaxy Nexus’s functions, however, will not be a part of its U.S. release: the ability to pay with Google Wallet by using the chip. A report from the Associated Press said that Verizon is not enabling Google Wallet on its phones, likely because the company is involved in Isis, a competing payment system that uses NFC technology.
While the release date and price are still unknown, analysts have given the Galaxy Nexus strong early reviews. As Hayley Tsukayama reported :
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus — Google’s next flagship phone — has been getting strong early reviews ahead of its as-yet unannounced U.S. launch date. The phone hit stores in Britain Thursday, and reviewers are calling it the best Android phone yet. The Galaxy Nexus will launch in the U.S. on Verizon’s LTE network, but the review units handed out by Google run on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network — the international version.
Mashable’s Charlie White said that the hardware and software on the phone are fantastic, though he cautioned that the 4.65-inch screen may be a bit too big for people with smaller hands. The on-screen buttons that are baked into Google’s latest operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich, also eliminate the need for a bezel on the phone, apart from the space needed for the camera.
Edward C. Baig at USA Today called the phone a major upgrade, though he said that he doesn’t feel as if he’s had the phone long enough to give it a thorough review. His early impression, though, is favorable. He likes the phone’s camera, which shoots without lag thanks to Google’s new camera functionalities. He said that the phone is snappy and light, though he thinks the battery life will be short. Baig did, however, like that the phone gave him information on what was draining the battery (no surprises here: it’s mostly the screen) and on data consumption.(washingtonpost.com)
Kamis, 08 Desember 2011
Motorola, Sony Ericsson explain to customers why they won't get the new Android 4.0 for months
Unlike Apple, which immediately released its new iOS 5 on the same day for all its current devices, including models that are now over two years old, Motorola Mobility and Sony Ericsson are offering their customers excuses as to why the latest release of Google's Android 4.0 won't be available to them for many more months, if ever.
Motorla Mobility and Sony Ericsson have issued lengthly explanations offering various reasons why their customers won't receive updates anytime soon to Google's Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which was made available in a generic form three weeks ago. The explanations highlight a major difference between Apple's integrated iOS software and Google's broadly licensed Android platform.
Open like Windows, if it were only launched by Dell
"Like you, we are excited to see that Google released the source code to Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS)!"
Motorola stated in a blog posting.
"There are many steps and processes that go into Ice Cream Sandwich in a way that works for the carrier and for you," Motorola states, adding, "once source code is released from Google, it doesn’t automatically update to your device." Both Motorola and Sony Ericsson are members of the Open Handset Alliance tasked with developing Android, and therefore might be understood to be privy to the development of the latest Android release before its final appearance.
However, Motorola explains that "each new version of Android launches with one device partner, in what is called the 'Google Experience Device' or GED, the showcase device for a new Android release."
A very short list of Motorola's Android 4.0 updates
Outside of the launch partner, other members of the Android community only gain "access to the Android source code as its [sic] made public shortly after," Motorola explains.
Now that has happened, the company says it is "currently assessing this source code, and over the next month we will be determining which devices will get the upgrade and when.
" Android licensees' lists of supported devices that will get updates to the latest release of Android typically only involve very recent, new devices. In Motorola's case, it only notes the Droid RAZR, Droid Bionic and Xoom tablets as its current targets for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This excludes the once highly touted Motorola Atrix 4G that was launched alongside Apple's iPhone 4 last year, along with the also relatively new and widely sold Droid 2, Droid X and X2 models, all of which will be stuck with last year's Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The original Droid/Milestone, which arrived a few months after Apple's iPhone 3GS, is stuck on Android 2.2 Froyo, an even older release.
Sony Ericsson similarly noted that the release of Android 4.0 "meant the start of an intensive period for the engineers at Sony Ericsson, in order to create a working, stable and certified software release of Ice Cream Sandwich for our 2011 Xperia™ phones." That excludes support for Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10, released in the US last fall with specs similar to the iPhone 4.
It will be stuck with Gingerbread, but as Wikipedia notes, "Since the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) update the phone has suffered a stuttering in play or streaming of music regardless of file association. The only solution currently is to root your phone and apply a patch located on the XDA developers forum. Sony refuses to acknowledge the problem and have as of late offered no solution to this bug."
This fractionalization of the Android platform means that developers have few reasons to incorporate support for features in the latest version of Android, because most Android users are still using a version that's over a year old (according to Google). As of December 1, half of the traffic visiting Android Market is still using last winter's 2.3.Gingerbread, while more than 45 percent is using an even older version.
The long road to releasing Android 4.0
For the few models it chooses to support with an update, Motorola says it must spend some time incorporating support for unique hardware involved in its products, including the specific processors, GPUs and other chips that are not natively supported in the generic Android release.
"This is also the time when we begin integrating all of the Motorola-specific software enhancements into the source code," the company adds. " Features like MotoCast, Smart Actions, and our comprehensive enterprise solutions are integral parts of our device experiences, and we want to make sure we continue delivering differentiated experiences for our consumers with these software upgrades."
Some of Motorola's additional software has had the side effect of breaking Android's permissions-based security system, although not nearly as bad as HTC and Samsung's additional software, which researchers note has opened up the ability for rogue apps to steal private, data, track users' precise locations, wipe the phone entirely, or record calls and send paid SMS messages.
Carriers add more months to Android rollouts
Once an Android licensee has finished working out release bugs to an acceptable level, it releases its hardware-specific updates to the mobile carriers, which have to test and certify the updates, something that Motorola says can involve "a two-month preparation cycle to enter a carrier lab cycle of one to three months."
"Contrary to what people may think," Sony Ericsson states, "it is not the Bring up phase [adding vendor hardware and software customizations], but the Certification and approval phase that is the most time consuming process when it comes to getting a new software release out on our phones.
"This is one of the major tasks that are legally required from us as phone manufacturer, but is a task that the custom ROM community doesn’t have to take into consideration. Furthermore,by putting all this efforts into testing and certification, we ensure that quality and conformance is at a top level, in benefit for all consumers worldwide."
By Daniel Eran Dilger(appleinsider.com)
Motorla Mobility and Sony Ericsson have issued lengthly explanations offering various reasons why their customers won't receive updates anytime soon to Google's Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which was made available in a generic form three weeks ago. The explanations highlight a major difference between Apple's integrated iOS software and Google's broadly licensed Android platform.
Open like Windows, if it were only launched by Dell
"Like you, we are excited to see that Google released the source code to Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS)!"
Motorola stated in a blog posting.
"There are many steps and processes that go into Ice Cream Sandwich in a way that works for the carrier and for you," Motorola states, adding, "once source code is released from Google, it doesn’t automatically update to your device." Both Motorola and Sony Ericsson are members of the Open Handset Alliance tasked with developing Android, and therefore might be understood to be privy to the development of the latest Android release before its final appearance.
However, Motorola explains that "each new version of Android launches with one device partner, in what is called the 'Google Experience Device' or GED, the showcase device for a new Android release."
A very short list of Motorola's Android 4.0 updates
Outside of the launch partner, other members of the Android community only gain "access to the Android source code as its [sic] made public shortly after," Motorola explains.
Now that has happened, the company says it is "currently assessing this source code, and over the next month we will be determining which devices will get the upgrade and when.
" Android licensees' lists of supported devices that will get updates to the latest release of Android typically only involve very recent, new devices. In Motorola's case, it only notes the Droid RAZR, Droid Bionic and Xoom tablets as its current targets for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This excludes the once highly touted Motorola Atrix 4G that was launched alongside Apple's iPhone 4 last year, along with the also relatively new and widely sold Droid 2, Droid X and X2 models, all of which will be stuck with last year's Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The original Droid/Milestone, which arrived a few months after Apple's iPhone 3GS, is stuck on Android 2.2 Froyo, an even older release.
Sony Ericsson similarly noted that the release of Android 4.0 "meant the start of an intensive period for the engineers at Sony Ericsson, in order to create a working, stable and certified software release of Ice Cream Sandwich for our 2011 Xperia™ phones." That excludes support for Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10, released in the US last fall with specs similar to the iPhone 4.
It will be stuck with Gingerbread, but as Wikipedia notes, "Since the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) update the phone has suffered a stuttering in play or streaming of music regardless of file association. The only solution currently is to root your phone and apply a patch located on the XDA developers forum. Sony refuses to acknowledge the problem and have as of late offered no solution to this bug."
This fractionalization of the Android platform means that developers have few reasons to incorporate support for features in the latest version of Android, because most Android users are still using a version that's over a year old (according to Google). As of December 1, half of the traffic visiting Android Market is still using last winter's 2.3.Gingerbread, while more than 45 percent is using an even older version.
The long road to releasing Android 4.0
For the few models it chooses to support with an update, Motorola says it must spend some time incorporating support for unique hardware involved in its products, including the specific processors, GPUs and other chips that are not natively supported in the generic Android release.
"This is also the time when we begin integrating all of the Motorola-specific software enhancements into the source code," the company adds. " Features like MotoCast, Smart Actions, and our comprehensive enterprise solutions are integral parts of our device experiences, and we want to make sure we continue delivering differentiated experiences for our consumers with these software upgrades."
Some of Motorola's additional software has had the side effect of breaking Android's permissions-based security system, although not nearly as bad as HTC and Samsung's additional software, which researchers note has opened up the ability for rogue apps to steal private, data, track users' precise locations, wipe the phone entirely, or record calls and send paid SMS messages.
Carriers add more months to Android rollouts
Once an Android licensee has finished working out release bugs to an acceptable level, it releases its hardware-specific updates to the mobile carriers, which have to test and certify the updates, something that Motorola says can involve "a two-month preparation cycle to enter a carrier lab cycle of one to three months."
"Contrary to what people may think," Sony Ericsson states, "it is not the Bring up phase [adding vendor hardware and software customizations], but the Certification and approval phase that is the most time consuming process when it comes to getting a new software release out on our phones.
"This is one of the major tasks that are legally required from us as phone manufacturer, but is a task that the custom ROM community doesn’t have to take into consideration. Furthermore,by putting all this efforts into testing and certification, we ensure that quality and conformance is at a top level, in benefit for all consumers worldwide."
By Daniel Eran Dilger(appleinsider.com)
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