Eric Ravenscraft
Eric is a snarky technophile with a taste for the unusual. When he's not obsessing about Android, you can usually find him obsessing about movies, psychology, or the perfect energy drink. Eric weaves his own special blend of snark, satire, and comedy into all his articles.

06
Mar
google logo

Google+ Profiles Got A Huge Holo-Esque Update Today And It's Actually Kind Of Amazing

Posted by in Google, News

Tomorrow, Facebook is expected to announce some major changes to its News Feed. This has been a long time in coming and many people agree that, compared to the growing competition amongst modern social networks, the News Feed is one of the oldest, stalest, and ugliest presentations of information around. Okay, maybe it's not that bad, but it could use a refresher, so we're all eagerly awaiting the chang-Oh hey look new Google+ features!

2013-03-06_14h46_38

Without warning, Google launched a massive change to profiles today that beautifies the heck out of personal and business pages alike. The most noticeable change is users now have a gargantuan cover photo.

06
Mar
2013-03-06_11h54_49

News Corp Introduces Amplify, A 10" Android Tablet For $299 With A $99 Subscription To Educational Content

Posted by in News, Tablets

When we think of tablet manufacturers, News Corp doesn't really come to mind off the bat. Yet, here we are. The international media conglomerate has announced plans for a branded Android tablet targeted at education called Amplify. The slate would come pre-loaded with Google Apps for Education, content from Common Sense Media, Merriam-Webster's Dictionary and a graphing calculator. Most of this can be acquired or supplemented on regular Android tablets, but having the system pre-built may make teachers' lives easier.

amplify

What these tablets offer that others don't, however, is lesson plan tools for teachers and software to help parents keep track of their children's progress.

06
Mar
2013-03-06_10h02_51

Now We're Getting Somewhere: U.S. Senator Introduces Bill To Allow Carrier Unlocking Phones For Interoperability Purposes

Posted by in Legal, News

Two days ago, the White House announced its support for carrier unlocking handsets. The administration promised an FCC/NTIA investigation as well as a willingness to "work with Congress" on legislation to fix the problem. So, we can probably count on the President's support of the new Wireless Device Independence Act, introduced last night by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR). The bill, which is only three pages long, has a simple goal: amend the DMCA such that it explicitly allows the unlocking of cell phones, obviating the need for a tri-yearly exemption.

The following language would be added to the DMCA's section on anti-circumvention policies:

 

SEC.

05
Mar
2013-03-05_13h31_45

Snoop Dogg Is Getting His Own Rhythm Fighting Game, 'Way Of The Dogg' - Snoop Lion Gives Seal Of Approval

Posted by in Games, News

I'm not sure we even have enough wat for this, but let's give it a go. Snoop Dogg—that is to say, the previous incarnation of the entity now known as Snoop Lion—will soon be appearing in a rhythm fighting game on Android called 'Way of the Dogg.' Developed by Echo Peak and under development for two years, the title will show "how we evolve as individuals." Plus, "[Echo Peak has] incorporated the journey of my own personal reincarnation as Snoop Lion into my character," says the rechristened rapper in a ringing endorsement.

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2013-03-05_13h42_17 2013-03-05_13h43_01

The game—set to launch alongside Snoop Lion's new album, Reincarnated, and accompanying documentary of the same name—will follow America Jones, the "best fighter in the city" as he trains with Snoop, learning how to roll 81 a day evolve as a person and gain the strength to avenge his lost love.

05
Mar
2013-03-05_12h48_49

[Rumor Smash] That Rounded, Gradient-Covered Rectangle Wasn't The Galaxy S IV, It Was An Expansys Placeholder

Posted by in News, Rumors

Rumors are tricky things. On the one hand, one of the best ways to verify that a suspicious-looking leak is legit is to examine the track record of the leakster. On the other hand, when an image comes out that's nothing but a rounded rectangle with a few gradients, it should be assumed that the picture is complete bunk or, at best, resembles a real device by virtue of adhering to predictable patterns. Those two principles collided, however, when the legendary @evleaks tweeted the following images that turned out to be Expansys placeholder photos.

imageeessgsiv anotherbunkimagesgsiv

Here's the rub: @evleaks is generally a very reliable source.

05
Mar
playtubetiny

[Rumor] Google May Launch Not One, But Two Music Subscription Services, One For YouTube, One For The Play Store

Posted by in Google, News

As we get closer and closer to Google I/O, speculation inevitably ramps up about what Mountain View will be unveiling this year to set the Android world on fire. The most likely plans involve boosting Play Store features and availability, given the recent push not only to expand into new countries, but to frame the Nexus line as a great content consumption platform. If Fortune is right, then Google may have a huge axe to swing in that battle with not one, but two different subscription music services coming soon.

First off, YouTube. The idea would be that users could listen to any music tracks they want for free.

05
Mar
2013-03-05_10h55_00

Amazon, Not Content With Duplicating Everything Else Google Does, Releases A Mobile Ad API

Posted by in Amazon, News

When Android first came out, there were a lot of concerns about an open source OS. One of the biggest ones was, what if a company takes Android, strips everything Google out of it, and builds an entirely new platform on top of it? Well, Amazon seems dead set on making sure we know what that's like. The company has already built its own Appstore, content delivery services, and closed hardware on top of Google's baby. Now it's taking aim at Mountain View's money maker: ads.

The new mobile ads API will allow developers to easily embed advertisements in their apps.

05
Mar
2013-03-05_10h36_27

Google Play Gift Cards Launch In The UK At Places Like Tesco, In Accordance With The Prophecy

Posted by in Google, News

Just a few days ago, we saw a hint that Google might be ready to expand its gift card program to the UK. Today, our suspicions are confirmed as the cards have started showing up at the distinctly British Tesco grocery stores. So far the only denominations confirmed are £10 and £25, though the support pages indicate that there are some £50 vouchers running around out there somewhere.

ukgiftcards

So far, Google has only seen fit to launch gift cards in the US and the UK. Hopefully the program will expand into more countries this year as there is plenty of demand.

05
Mar
2013-03-05_10h18_59

[Deal Alert] Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (Wi-Fi, 32GB) For $409 With Leather Pouch On Woot

Posted by in Deals, Galaxy Note 10.1 (GT-N8000 / N8010 / N8013), News

The Galaxy Note 10.1, old as it may be, is still the de facto standard if you're looking for an Android tablet with a built-in stylus and at least some custom software to support it. Now, it's cheaper than ever to get your hands on it with Woot offering the 32GB model with a bonus leather pouch for $409. The slate has also received some updates in some regions since it first came out, so there's never been a better time to give it a second look.

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The unit is refurbished, so if you have some hesitations about that, you may want to sit this deal out.

04
Mar
2013-03-04_11h20_36

[Rumor] Galaxy S IV Will Allegedly Track Your Eyes To Scroll Pages

Posted by in News, Rumors, Samsung

Now that Android has matured to the point of being solid in its own right, manufacturer skins don't rely so much on fixing the problems with the OS as they do creating their own platform. In order to differentiate from the competition, the new Galaxy S needs to do things the One series doesn't. While HTC focuses on improving its audio and visual performance, Samsung is attempting to boost its wow factor by improving on its eye-tracking technology. At least, if the rumors are true.

Speaking to a New York Times blog, an anonymous source (allegedly a Samsung employee) told the publication that the new Galaxy S IV would include a feature that will track a user's eyes to determine when they've reached the bottom of a page and automatically scroll to reveal more text.

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