Google+ updates with instant hangouts – one tap goes from text to video chat

Make no mistake, Google+ is gunning for Facebook. When a third-party app is beating most of your own apps on the Android Market, it’s hard not to. But with the latest addition to the ever-growing featureset of Google+, there’s one more important distinction between the two networks. You can now switch from a textual chat or comment interface to a live Hangout video chat at any time from a status update or post, whether it’s on the web or the Android app. Beatboxing is not compulsory. 

Updates to the On Air service are only going out to celebrity accounts at the moment, but the full interface should trickle down to use commoners soon enough. It integrates live hangouts in a broadcast model, sort of like a mobile version of Ustream. Videos can be recorded and posted to YouTube – so all the annoying kids who liveblog from their bedrooms will be doing it from everywhere now.
And for those with an older phone or computer, or who just want to avoid the frequent “up the nose” shots of front-facing cameras, you can now dial in to a hangout from any phone number. Connections in the United States and Canada are free, while international rates are “super, super low,” the same 2-15 cents-a-minute rate that Google Voice uses.
Finally, Google+ Hangouts has added some festive fun, in the vein of the new Androidify options. For December only, you can add a set of antlers and a Rudolph nose. It looks like this feature is only for desktop users, but hey, it’s the thought that counts.

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Samsung says Apple court cases boosted its profile

According to Samsung Australia’s mobile chief, the court case that is happening globally with Apple is doing far more good than harm to the South Korean company, where it raised the Galaxy Tab 10.1′s profile to that of a “household name” within a short period of time, potentially making it one of the best “advertising channels” for Samsung compared to going through an ad agency. It must also be said that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be hitting stores in Australia sometime this week after a Sydney court decided to deny Apple’s appeal request to reverse the ban on sales of the Gaalaxy Tab 10.1.
To quote McGee, “At the end of the day the media awareness certainly made the Galaxy Tab 10.1 a household name compared to probably what it would’ve been based on the investment that we would’ve put into it from a marketing perspective.” This will see Samsung do as much as possible within their power to bring in the maximum number of Galaxy Tab 10.1 units, hoping to see short supply in the face of high demand. This is definitely one of the less conventional methods to market your device, and it is not advisable to take a similar route all the time.

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Verizon Releases Official Statement Regarding Galaxy Nexus, But It Doesn’t Get Us Off of Square One

So Verizon has finally communicated regarding the Galaxy Nexus launch. Android & Me got a statement from the folks at Big Red stating that the device is still on track to launch this year and that they will indeed be issuing a press release to announce availability (which kills my quiet launch theory). There’s just no word on when that press release will be issued. Here’s their full quote:

The Galaxy Nexus is still on track to launch this year. We will definitely send a press release to announce availability. Feel free to visit www.verizonwireless.com/galaxynexus to sign up for email alerts to be one of the first to know.

And there you have it – the communication we all asked for but not exactly the answer we were looking for. We have no choice but to accept it anyway.

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Sony Tablet P vs Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition

Sony's Tablet P is nothing if not unique. The device's form factor and design has split opinion widely since it first surfaced a few weeks ago and now it's here with us we're still unsure what to make of the enigmatic little device.
Its opponent in our comparison is another small tablet with plenty to offer, and we're aiming to find out whether the novel Tablet P can hold its own against then equally small, but more traditional Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition.

Screen
The Sony Tablet P features dual 5.5-inch TFT screens which operate at a resolution of 1024 x 480 and boast a pixel density of 206PPI.
The dual-screen arrangement works well for the device and when closed the device is super portable, which is something that cannot be said for other devices that offer over 10-inches of screen space.
The Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition has an 8.2-inch HD TFT which operates at a resolution of 800 x 1280 and has a more than acceptable pixel density of 184PPI.
Motorola has done well with the Xoom 2 ME, managing to strike a nice balance between portability and screen quality, and the display responds well and offers excellent quality visuals.
The novelty of the Tablet P is something that we feel will wear off fast. Its displays are good, but no one in their right mind would rather browse the Web on something akin to the giant Nintendo DS-XL when they could choose a nice, single piece of glass.
Winner - Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition

Software
Android is the order of the day for both tablets here and they both thrive as a result of the software's fast, stable core.
The version in use on both devices, Honeycomb (3.2), is customised for tablet use and offers re-designed core apps, a new user interface and plenty of other refinements to make it both easy to use and powerful.
As has been said before, the Android Market, for all its virtues, does lack support for tablets, with a minimal amount of featured content developed with bigger screened devices in mind. This is changing, but not very rapidly. If you're after tablet-centric apps then you'll have to look elsewhere or be very patient.
That aside, the Android OS allows both of our contenders to shine. They're both fast, easy to navigate and offer full flash browsing, which is a great selling point in a market dominated by iPad's.
Winner - Draw

Camera
Sony's Tablet P features a primary 5-megapixel camera with autofocus, touch focus, image stabilisation, geo-tagging and face & smile detection, as well as 720P video capture.
The device also offers a secondary VGA camera, for video calling and the like.
Performance is good with the primary camera, though the device would benefit from an LED flash to enhance darker environments.
The Xoom 2 Media Edition benefits from a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and geo-tagging, as well as 720P movie capture.
The primary camera performs well but, as you'd expect, it won't replace your compact or SLR. Shots can appear a little bit noisy at times, and the shutter speed might be a concern to some.
Motorola has also given the Xoom 2 Media Edition a 1.3-megapixel secondary camera for video-calling which performs really well, even in lower light areas.
Winner - Sony Tablet P


Form & Build
Sony Tablet P - 180 x 158 x 14 mm (open) & 180 x 79 x 28 mm (closed), 372g
Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition - 216 x 139 x 9 mm, 386g
Sony has done a good job designing the Tablet P. The device is compact, comfortable to use and feels robust without ever feeling cumbersome. The dual-screen layout is okay, but does feel like a sacrifice when you consider that playable media is limited to the top screen, which is not much bigger than a smartphone display.
Motorola has a good reputation for building durable, good looking devices and the Xoom 2 Media Edition will certainly enhance that. It's slim, comfortable to hold and operate and comes in at a great size, ideal for those that cart their tech around all day.
Winner - Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Edition

Power
The Sony Tablet P is driven by a 1GHz dual-core CPU and ULP GeForce GPU, giving it plenty of power for things that matter. The device also offers 1GB RAM and support for micro SD cards up to 32GB in size, which you'll be using a lot as it only offers 4GB of on-board storage space.
Gaming on the Tablet P is fast and visually rewarding. but we feel it owes its nous in that area to its Nintedo-esque form factor, browsing is snappy and the overall performance was pleasing though, as has been widely reported, the device does suffer from dreadful WiFi signal issues.
The Motorola Xoom 2 has the same chipset as the Sony Tablet P but Motorola has chosen to clock the device up to 1.2GHz, milking a decent performance boost out of the hardware. The ULP GeForce GPU offers the same gaming performance, which is nice, and the device also offers up 1GB RAM.
Storage is an issue in the Xoom 2 Media Edition though, as it fails to offer support for external memory cards and only comes with 16GB built-in, which you'll soon use up.

Winner - Draw
Motorola's Xoom 2 Media Edition has seen off today's challenge admirably.
The device is small, fast and fun to use and the solid build-quality and Razr-esque design do it no harm either. If you're after a super-portable tablet then the Xoom 2 Media Edition should definitely make your shortlist.
The Tablet P, for all its weirdness and charm, lacks certain fundamentals that make a tablet a rewarding device to use. It's chunky when folded, the split-screen hinders consumption of certain media dreadfully and the WiFi signal is dreadful at best, something that we're hoping Sony will iron out with a future software update.
For now though, the Tablet P is an expensive attempt at originality that has gone wide of the mark.

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Plants vs. Zombies in the Android Market

Plants vs. Zombies is arguably one of the best apps to help your kids prepare for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. Unlike zombie apps for grown-ups which teach defensive techniques using various weapons, Plants vs. Zombies teaches about barriers and strategy for avoiding direct confrontations with the undead.

Unfortunately, Plants vs. Zombies hasn't been available through the Android Market, only through the Amazon Appstore (which has a significantly smaller reach).

According to a post on their blog, Popcap had the following to say:

"... we agree with you: It’s about time already! Sheesh! The games aren't there quite yet, but will be later this week. We promise! We’re not trolling or rickrolling you!"

UPDATE:
Plants vs. Zombies costs US$2.99 and is available now in the Android Market.

Source: Popcap

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[Download] Android Market 3.4.4 Rolling Out, Users Reporting Great Speed Enhancements

It seems Google’s got a new version of the Android Market rolling out for everyone. Its version number is 3.4.4 and the most noticeable change (aside from a slight difference in verbiage for the auto-add shortcut option) is just how fast the application performs.

As the application is as image rich as it’s ever been we understand why some older devices struggle to handle it smoothly. But users are reporting that the application provides significant speed improvements and folks on devices as old as the HTC Hero are no longer gnashing their teeth trying to work their way around the market without it stuttering.
The silent update may not have been pushed to your phone yet but fret not as the APK has already been uploaded for public downloading. No root required. [Download via Android Police]
From what I can see they’ve also put trailers in the photo carousel on app listings so you won’t have to scroll down to press play anymore. Neat and simple, yet convenient.

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Microsoft Lync 2010 Now Available for Android

Microsoft has released Microsoft Lync 2010 for Android. The free application enables users to communicate with their job’s Lync server on the go, giving users access to instant messaging, remote secure conference calling and more that their IT department enables them to do. And for those of you guys in the IT department, remote device management tools are at your service. Be sure to contact your IT department to apply the necessary updates to Lync and to enable mobile device support if you’re having trouble with the application. Download the free app here. [Thanks Kevin!]

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T-Mobile’s White Samsung Galaxy S II Now Available Online for $230

Following news that the T-Mobile Galaxy S II would be getting a software upgrade to add WiFi calling, the white version of that very phone is now available online (or through telesales and customer care). It’s a 4.5 inch Super AMOLED Plus gem with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and HSPA+ radios. It can be yours for $230. [T-Mobile]

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NPD: Android passes 50% market share in the US

Android has been making a beeline to the top of the smartphone world for the last two years, and it looks like the little green OS that could has passed one of its biggest milestones yet. Research firm NPD says that Android runs on 53% of the smartphones being used in the US. No other OS comes close, with iOS in a distant second at 29%. If mobile operating systems were horses, Android would lead by about two and a half lengths.

But the really interesting numbers come in at the third place and lower contenders. RIM’s BlackBerry continues its downward slide with just 8 percent of the market, and Microsoft’s Window Phone 7 presence is sitting at just 2%. Compare that to a 50% market share for Windows Mobile four years ago. Android and iOS, the only mobile operating systems making concrete gains, combine for a whopping 82% of the market. Worldwide Android activations are creeping up on 200 million, beating iOS in just about every market. In some places like the UK and China, Android reached the halfway point even faster.

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