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Google Bans Google Glass Porn App, Changes Policy

The first pornography app for Google Glass has launched, though not for long.

Porn company Mikandi, which calls itself the world’s top app store for porn, released “Tits and Glass” this morning. A very classy title of course, as befits the porn industry. The app was designed to make “authentic” porn, allowing users to create, upload, and share photos taken with Glass.

It would also allow users to comment and vote on their favorite content, according to a statement from MiKandi.

“Google Glass is still in its infancy. The technology is really awesome, but it’s still brand new,” said Jesse Adams, CEO of MiKandi. “It’s important for us to stay on the cutting edge, though. It’s going to be connected to everything, so it’s important for us to push limit and see whats possible.”

Google officially banned sexually explicit material on the futuristic eyewear.

The company changed its Google Glass Platform Developer Policies today:

Sexually Explicit Material: We don’t allow Glassware content that contains nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material. Google has a zero-tolerance policy against child pornography. If we become aware of content with child pornography, we will report it to the appropriate authorities and delete the Google Accounts of those involved with the distribution.

More than 10,000 people have visited the landing page for the app, and a dozen Google Glass owners had signed up with the app, MiKandi CEO Jesse Adams said in a blog post.

He said the company made sure it was following the Google Glass developer terms when it started creating the app two weeks ago, but those rules were quickly changed by Google. MiKandi will comply with the new rules, and plans on rolling out a new app that somehow doesn’t include any of the forbidden content.

MiKandi, also wants to explore direct Glass-to-Glass interactions.

[CNN]

June 4, 2013
Nvidia Showcases New Stylus Input Technology

Today at Computex, Nvidia’s CEO Jen-Hsun Huang showed off a software-based pressure sensitive display powered by the company’s Tegra 4 chipset, using a normal non-digitizer stylus to draw on it.

As the Verge reports :

Using the third generation of Nvidia’s own DirectTouch technology on a reference Tegra 4 tablet, Huang was able to draw with extreme precision using a very basic and crude conductive stylus. “The precision of DirectTouch is many, many times higher than your normal touch controller,” said the CEO, “the resolution and sample rate are much higher.”

The software is able to sense how much the stylus’ head is pressing down on the display at the point of writing and adjusts the stroke sizes accordingly. Huang also flipped the stylus around to erase what he wrote, and because the stylus had a specific thickness at that end, it’s able to “know” that it should be erasing.

Image Credit : CNET

Also, speaking at Computex, Asia’s biggest PC trade show, Chief Executive Jen-Hsun Huang told The Wall Street Journal that the Santa Clara, Calif., company is interested in technologies that “fit into its businesses,” but declined to give more specifics. He revealed that Nvidia was open to acquisitions.

The chip maker is expanding beyond selling chips by developing a portable device that can play videogames. The handheld console called Shield will be priced at $349 and is on track to ship by the end of June, Mr. Huang said.

[CNET, Wall Street Journal, The Verge]

June 4, 2013
Android Jelly Bean Now On 33 Percent Of Android Devices According To June Figures

The latest Android distribution stats are in as of June 3rd, and things are looking up for Jelly Bean.

Jelly Bean, including Android 4.1 and 4.2, now makes up 33% of all users. Coupled with Ice Cream Sandwich at 25.6%, nearly 60% of users run Android 4.0 and above.

Changes from last month are minor, Android 4.2 finally got a bit boost, almost doubling from 2.3% to 4% in less than a month, on the strength of the Samsung Galaxy S4. Android 4.1 also jumped 2.9% from last month as more customers upgraded from older devices; 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 saw slight drops this month.

It also appears that manufacturers are making good on their word to upgrade ICS users to Jelly Bean, as much of the Android 4.1 gain came at the expense of 4.0 — the former gaining 2.9% and the latter losing 1.9%.

There are some unfortunate conclusions to be made here: while it’s gratifying to see Android 4.0+ rising to 60% of all users, Gingerbread’s demise is taking far larger than it should and it is hampering the rollout of apps that take advantage of newer platform features only possible on ICS and above.

It’s important to remember that Google recently tweaked its algorithm in regards to how it counts users for these figures. In its own words, the company explains:

Note: Beginning in April, 2013, these charts are now built using data collected from each device when the user visits the Google Play Store. Previously, the data was collected when the device simply checked-in to Google servers. We believe the new data more accurately reflects those users who are most engaged in the Android and Google Play ecosystem.

Also, according to a tweet from the well-connected and accurate @LlabTooFeR Twitter account, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean could be rolling out a few weeks after the HTC One Nexus hits the Google Play Store.

@LlabTooFeR is best known as a source of HTC-related rumors, and has proven to be very accurate in most cases.

Exciting times for all Android fans!

June 4, 2013
Gmail Version 4.5 For Android Now Rolling Out
Google has started rolling out its new version of Gmail for Android today.

Like the desktop version, Gmail for Android gets the organizational luxury of “categories”. Those tabs are meant to filter email messages into a type of sub-folder system, rather than clutter your inbox.

Also, now there is the option to refresh the feed by pulling down on the feed.

The left-side navigation bar is also present, making it much easier to navigate between Labels.

The update is rolling out slowly to the hundreds of millions of Android Gmail users, so head to Android Police for the APK download. No word on when the iOS version will be released. The tablet UI is the same, though the left menu remains on the screen.

Have you tried the new Gmail layout on your desktop or laptop? What do you think of the new design for Android? Let us know your thoughts.

If you’re the impatient kind, and cannot find the update on the Play Store, you might like to try one of the following download links to grab the updated APK today:
All mirrors courtesy of Android Police

[Android Police]
June 4, 2013
Facelifted 2014 Toyota Corolla Teased Ahead of June 6th Unveiling

Toyota has revealed teaser photos of the next generation Corolla, which will be unveiled on June 6. The unveiling will take place at a special event in California, USA. Based on the striking Furia concept car showcased at the Detroit motor show in January, the 2014 Corolla has been specifically designed to appeal to a younger audience.

The first and most significant of the teaser images are of the LED headlamps which give us an idea of the overall look of the car. The design does not resemble previous renderings of the car and seems much more aggressive. The current Corolla in India features HID (High intensity discharge) headlights for the top-end models and it seems like this will be improved upon in the new car. The teaser shots also capture 17-inch alloy wheels and a touchscreen audio system. Other images reveal an aggressively designed bumper, and what seems to be a new taillight design.

It is believed the new Corolla will adopt an updated 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine linked to a six-speed manual gearbox or a rather dated four-speed automatic for the lower-spec versions, while a CVT will be available for the more premium variants. It’s scheduled to go on sale before the end of the year and will probably be offered in four trims: base, LE, S and Eco. The interior cabin is set to receive “Softex” leather, push-button ignition and GPS navigation.

June 4, 2013
Auto GP: Karthikeyan Handed Maiden Victory at Silverstone

Narain Karthikeyan scored his maiden Auto GP win on Saturday at Silverstone in the UK after on-track victor Kevin Giovesi was given a one-minute post-race penalty. Driving for team Super Nova, Narain had initially crossed the line second behind the race winner Kevin Giovesi. But Giovesi’s Ghinzai Motorsport team was ruled to have made an illegal pitstop on the 14th lap of the race, which happened to be the last. The series’ sporting regulations state that mandatory pitstops can be made only between lap three and the penultimate lap.

Narain, who started on pole in race 1, had Giovesi and teammate Vittorio Ghirelli shadowing him right from the start. As the race progressed, it became a two-horse race as Karthikeyan and Giovesi carved an eight-second gap over the rest of the field by the mid-way mark. But the Indian driver had managed to keep a safe distance while leading the pack, until he pitted for his obligatory tyre change. The team didn’t have the cleanest of pitstops which resulted in Narain conceding the race lead, which he had held for 11 laps, to Giovesi.

Giovesi then pitted on the following lap and as expected, came out of the pits ahead of Karthikeyan. Despite struggling with some front tyre warmup issues, he challenged the Italian GP2 racer for the lead but Giovesi managed to cross the line three-tenths ahead.

This is what a very happy Karthikeyan had to say after the race:

I’m glad I got my first victory in Auto GP. I immediately found a good feeling with the car on a track like Silverstone and I managed to get the most from the package we had at our disposal.

Earlier this year, Narain didn’t have the best of starts to the season racing with the Zele Racing Auto GP team. He encountered reliability issues and many goof-ups during pitstops which robbed him of opportunities to finish strongly in previous rounds. Due to these reasons, Karthikeyan quit the team and later joined the reigning Auto GP champions, Super Nova for the Silverstone round. It proved to be a smart move as the ex-Formula 1 racing driver dominated the sessions on Friday and Saturday, proving his detractor wrong.

[Top Gear]

June 3, 2013
New Nissan Micra Revealed, To Go on Sale In End-2013

Nissan has officially revealed the facelifted Micra which is expected to go on sale worldwide in late 2013. It seems that Nissan has taken inspiration from its compact SUV, the Juke to style the new Micra with some visual tweaks for 2013.

A Juke-style front grille, new front bumper, triangular fog lights and angular headlights are the main changes. The back of the 2013 Micra shows a new bumper, modified tailgate trim and LED taillights. It can be optionally fitted with 16-inch polished alloy wheels, panoramic glass roof, new paint hues and a park assist system.

Inside medium- and top-spec models, you get a new gloss-black centre console with different air vents, and a bigger infotainment screen (up from 5in to 5.8in). You can spec a parking space measurement gizmo that’ll inform the driver if the gap they’re sizing up is big enough to fit the Micra. There’s also standard USB and MP3 player connectivity, and a redesigned instrument cluster. Nissan has announced the mentioned features for European models so we wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of these features never make their way to the Indian market due to cost-cutting.

Two three-cylinder engines are available: a 79bhp 1.2-litre petrol version, or a supercharged, direct-injection model with 97bhp. There will be a choice of five-speed manual or CVT auto transmission. The Nissan Micra hatchback is the company’s big export volume puller in India and contributes a major fraction to its profit margins. At present, Nissan Motor India assembles the Micra car at its Oragadam manufacturing facility based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

June 3, 2013
Vine Now Available For Android

Vine for Android is now available for devices running Android 4.0 and above.

While the wait has been arduous for thousands of Android users accustomed to simulteanous app releases, but Twitter has finally released Vine for Android to the world. The six-second video social network has been the talk of the media and journalism circuit since its iPhone release in January, and an Android version was promised shortly thereafter.

The initial Android app is bare-bones: you can view the masterpieces from your stream of followers, upload your own six-second Vines, explore popular posts and Editors’ Choice clips, and share content to Twitter and Facebook. Unlike the iPhone version, however, you can’t tag users in posts, nor can you use hashtags. You also can’t engage the front-facing camera, something that was added to a previous iPhone release. There are also no push notifications in the first version, which will be disappointing to some users.

Vine for Android includes a Zoom feature, something that does not exist on the iOS version.

Mainly, though, Vine for Android is slow. Whereas the iPhone version renders video while you’re filming, the Android equivalent takes a long time to render after the filming. It takes over 30 seconds to render a six-second video.

In a blogpost on 3 June, Twitter said Android users can expect, “frequent updates with new features […] as well as bug fixes and performance improvements” in the coming weeks. This will include front-facing camera support, push notifications, the ability to mention people and use hashtags, and the ability to search.

[Mobile Syrup]

June 3, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 And 8.0 Announced

Samsung has added two new Android tablets to its Galaxy Tab 3 range, an 8-inch model and a 10.1-inch model, each running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

In terms of hardware specifications, the 8-inch tablet uses a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, has 1.5GB of RAM and comes in both 16 and 32GB offerings, with storage expandable by microSD. You also get a pair of cameras, with 5-megapixels to play with on the back and 1.3 megapixels on the front.

The Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 will also feature a proper LTE radio, meaning you can browse the web easily on the go. The screen is the only real weak part of the whole setup. At 1280 x 800, the 189 ppi display isn’t as high resolution as a lot of the competition.

On the 10″ model, Samsung has opted to stick with a 1280×800 display resolution on the 10-inch Tab 3, meaning you’ve got the same pixel count as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0, only spread over a much larger area. However, there is a faster 1.6GHz dual-core processor, 6,800mAh battery and strangely, a lower resolution 3 megapixel camera and only 1GB of RAM. Also, as you can see from the image above, Samsung has completely dumped the on-screen keys in favor of physical buttons below the display.

There’s no word of any official release date or price just yet, however.

Meanwhile, SamMobile reports that Samsung Kazakhstan confirmed the Galaxy Note III and Galaxy S4 Zoom by mistake. The model numbers showed up on a page that talks about a special VIP-service. The page refers to a number of unannounced products like the Galaxy S4 Zoom (SM-C1010), Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 (GT-P5200) and the highly anticipated Galaxy Note III (SM-N9000).

June 3, 2013
ASUS MeMO Pad HD7 Announced With A $129 Price Tag, Along With The FHD 10

Asus is on a roll here. After announcing an entire lineup of new products, it has now unveiled the Asus MeMO Pad HD7 and the Asus MeMO Pad FHD 10.

While the Asus MeMO Pad HD7 retains much of the same design (and most of the same name) as that of its predecessor, it is tweaked a bit to make it both thinner and lighter than it’s predecessor — down to 10.8mm thick and 302g in weight. On the display side ASUS bumps things to “HD” with a 1280×800 IPS display, up from the original 1024×600 panel.

On the inside, the Asus MeMO Pad HD7 is running an ARM Cortex A7 quad-core CPU, but didn’t specify a clock speed or manufacturer. It did specify that the tablet will have both Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS, however, along with the addition of stereo speakers and a 5MP rear camera (keeping a 1.2MP shooter up front). Pinning this device at the low-end are some appealing prices too: 16GB for $149, 8GB for $129. The MeMO Pad HD7 will be released in a few different bright color options, with no specific sales dates given at this point.

The Asus MeMO Pad FHD 10, meanwhile, runs on the Intel Atom Z2560 processor, also known as Clovertrail+, with a dual-core 1.2GHz Saltwell CPU and PowerVR SGX 544 MP2 GPU. It also has a 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 resolution display, 2GB RAM, 16/32GB internal storage, 5 megapixel rear camera with auto-focus, 1.2 megapixel front camera, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and a 10-hour battery life.

No word on Indian pricing and availability yet! Stay tuned for more!

June 3, 2013
Asus Launches Tranformer Pad Infinity And Fonepad Note

During its press conference, held at Computex , ASUS announced the Tegra 4 based Transformer Pad Infinity and Fonepad Note.

The latest addition to the Transformer line will come with Nvidia’s 72-core GeForce graphics card in addition to the Tegra 4 Cortex A15 CPU clocked at 1.9GHz with 2GB of RAM. It runs on Android 4.2.2. This means it can handle the most demanding mobile games you’ll find in the Google Play store.

It boasts a 2560 x 1600 IPS display and also comes with a mobile dock that includes a touchpad and keyboard. It also features the hallmark metallic finish you’ll find on other Asus flagship products such as its line of Zenbook ultrabooks. There’s 32GB of internal storage.

It also has a USB 3.0 port, 32GB of storage, a 5-megapixel camera, and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera. It sports a HDMI 1.4 output with support for 4K / Ultra HD and Wi-Fi 802.11n dual band.

Asus has yet to reveal pricing or availability for the Transformer Pad Infinity.

Image Credit : The Verge

Asus then announced the Fonepad Note, a tablet that also serves as a smartphone. It sports a Super IPS + “(1920 x 1080 pixels) display with a stylus and is powered by a 1.6GHz Z2560 “Clover Trail” Atom processor (the Z2560) with 2GB of RAM, and a typical 8-megapixel rear-facing camera round out the spec list.

Connectivity is based on the 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth as well as 3G + up to 42 Mb / s.

More developing!

June 3, 2013
Report : Apple To Launch iRadio At WWDC, Inks Deal With Warner Music

The New York Times reports that Apple is still hoping to launch its much-rumored streaming music service at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next week, pressing to complete deals with record labels that would allow the company to announce the service.

Apple’s service, a Pandora-like feature that would tailor streams of music to each user’s taste, has been planned since at least last summer.

The Cupertino based company successfully signed a deal over the weekend with Warner Music Group and its publishing arm, Warner/Chappell Music, for recorded music rights and music publishing rights.

About a month ago, it signed another deal with Universal Music Group for its recorded music rights. Negotiations are still going on with Sony, which has been going back and forth with Apple over some specifics about features built into Apple’s product.

iRadio streaming music service is said to be a free, ad-supported offering, with the labels reportedly seeking similar revenue rates to that seen from Pandora, although Apple is seeking more extensive licenses to provide more flexibility for users.

The Wall Street Journal has more on Apple’s deal with Warner:

Under the deal, Apple will give Warner Music Group’s publishing arm 10% of ad revenue — more than twice what Internet radio giant Pandora Media Inc. pays major music publishers. Warner’s terms with Apple could pave the way for other major publishing deals to follow.

Apple has indicated to people involved in the negotiations that the service could be announced at its annual developers conference, which begins June 10 in San Francisco.

[NYTimes, WSJ, MacRumours]

June 3, 2013
Asus Announces Zenbook Infinity With Gorilla Glass 3 Lid, Touchscreen Display

Asus has unveiled its new Zenbook Infinity Ultrabook during Computex 2013 today, the world’s first Ultrabook to sport a lid comprised entirely from Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3.

The Gorilla Glass has been fused directly to the aluminum frame, allowing for a thickness of just 15.5-mm thin (about 0.61 inches). That’s 14-percent thinner than the previous generation Zenbook, the company said.

Image Credit : Engadget

New Corning Gorilla Glass 3 has the same durability and thinness as Gorilla Glass 2, but uses Corning’s proprietary NDR glass composition for superior scratch resistance, reduced scratch visibility and improved toughness. Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with NDR has three times the scratch resistance of Gorilla Glass 2, and gives a 40% reduction in the number of highly visible scratches with a 40% improvement in retained strength if a deep scratch does occur.

The Asus Zenbook Infinity has a built-in touchscreen as well as a backlit keyboard. Inside, there is a 28W dual-core Haswell part with GT3 graphics, otherwise known as Iris 5100. It will come in at a similar 13.3-inches like the Asus Zenbook Prime.

It also has a USB 3.0 port on each side, along with an SD card slot, micro-HDMI port and a Mini DisplayPort.

The new Zenbook Infinity isn’t slated to hit the market until Q4, and hence further specifications have not been revealed yet! Stay tuned!

June 3, 2013
Acer Launches Liquid S1 Phablet With A 5.7″ Display

Acer unveiled its first phablet handset, the Liquid S1, previously hinted at during MWC.

With a whopping 5.7″ HD display supporting a resolution of 1280×720 and 257PPI, the Liquid S1 runs the latest version of Google’s Android operating system (OS) Jelly Bean 4.2.

“The Acer Liquid S1 uses fine craftsmanship and materials to deliver a premium, minimalist design, ideal for assertive businesspeople and passionate explorers. With a slender profile, it features curved details on the front and the sides, aluminum side grips, and is available in matte black or white,” Acer announced.

The new smartphone arrives on the market with a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor packed inside, and should be able to provide users with a day’s worth of battery power, the company announced.The smartphone also packs 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory, a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 32GB of additional storage space, and a 2400mAh battery.

An 8MB camera on the back can shoot 1080p video, while the front 2MP snapper can grab 720p.

A feature Acer is really underlining is the Float UI, which can have various widgets running on top of apps for a seemingly more efficient multitasking experience.

Acer Cloud is also included, which automatically syncs your photos to the Internet. It also allows documents and files of many different formats to be sent to, viewed, and edited from the smartphone itself.

There’s no word yet on precise specs, pricing or availability. But a dual-SIM option and the specs listed above make the Liquid S1 an interesting choice

June 3, 2013
Acer Launches World’s Smallest Windows 8 Tablet, The Iconia W3

Acer has officially announced the Iconia W3 today at Computex 2013, packaging Windows 8 inside an 8-inch tablet for the first time.

At 0.45 inches thick and 8.1 inches on the screen, the tablet specs announced today all agree with the leaked specs we’d already heard, and make it the smallest Windows 8-packing slate seen so far.

The Acer Iconia W3 is powered by an Intel Atom ‘Clover Trail’ Z2760 processor at 1.8 GHz, it has an 8-inch 1280 x 800 display and either 32 GB or 64 GB of internal storage plus microSD card expansion. You also get front and rear facing two-megapixel cameras, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB, micro-HDMI and an optional full-sized keyboard dock that contains a keyboard similar to that of Acer’s 13-inch notebooks.

The Iconia W3 will be capable of eight hours of battery life, according to Acer, and the unit will weigh around 540 grams with 11.35 mm of thickness. The tablet runs Windows 8 Pro out of the box, and will also come with Office 2013 Home & Student bundled at no extra cost.

This device will be offered in two storage size options, either 32GB or 64GB (internal), with a microSD card slot included with both that’ll allow 32GB more with your own microSD card.

When it first appeared on the web it was priced at around $380 (Rs. 21,500/-) without the keyboard dock, so we can expect a price approaching $480 (26,500/-) for the set. So far, Acer hasn’t set a launch date for the Iconia W3, but this tablet’s appearance can be taken as a sign that Windows 8 may soon be rolling out to more small-format hybrid tablets, making a new set of rivals for the iPad, iPad Mini and Android tablets.

June 3, 2013