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May

HTC First Review: The Phone You Didn't Realize You'd Actually Want

Posted by Cameron Summerson in First, Reviews

Facebook phone. Those two words in that order have been repeated over and over again for the last couple of years, simply as rumors for the longest time. Then the HTC Status hit the scene with an integrated Facebook button – still, Zuckerberg himself claimed that it wasn't Facebook's phone.

Many months later, the rumor mill started whirring once again about an alleged phone designed just for Facebook. This time, for some reason, the rumors held more water. And the more frequent the leaks got, the more we realized that this was probably the real deal – a Facebook phone was happening.

Apr

Google I/O 2013: Google's To-Do List This Year

Posted by Ron Amadeo in Android OS, News

Last Updated: May 3rd, 2013

Google I/O is coming! We'll know about all of Google's new projects in just 2 ~~short~~ agonizingly long weeks. While we desperately count the days until May 15th, we thought it would be a great idea to take stock all of the things we've caught wind of lately.

Calling this an "I/O Preview," sounds a little too certain. I'm not predicting everything here will come out at I/O, this is just a list of everything we know Google is working on - their "To-Do" list. Just like any to-do list, Google could cross something off and release it, or endlessly procrastinate, or completely cancel something.

Apr

AT&T Launches Digital Life App For Android, Announces Service For 15 US Markets, Promising 50 Markets By Year's End

Posted by Liam Spradlin in AT&T, News

After a brief delay, it looks like AT&T's Digital Life service is finally ready for prime time. The service, which promises extensive home automation from temperature control to security monitoring to door lock control, will launch first in fifteen markets including Atlanta GA, Austin, Houston, and Dallas TX, Boulder and Denver CO, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Riverside CA, Miami FL, Philadelphia PA, Seattle WA, St Louis MI, and "select areas of the New York and New Jersey metropolitan area." By the end of the year, AT&T says it plans to expand the service to fifty markets.

So, what is Digital Life and why should you care?

Apr

PSA: Facebook Home Updated, Now Available Outside Of The US

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

Facebook did a soft launch of its new Home launcher late last week, which left a lot of its international users out in the cold. Good news: if you've been dying to get your hands on Home, it's now available outside of the US. Of course, device restrictions still apply, as the app is only available on a handful of handsets right now:

HTC One X
HTC One X+
HTC One
Samsung Galaxy S III
Samsung Galaxy Note II
Samsung Galaxy S 4

And if you like what it has to offer but aren't necessarily sold on using it full time, there's an easy way to keep all of Home's functionality without sacrificing your existing launcher.

Apr

You Can Hate On Facebook Home All You Want, But You're Going To Love This Launch Video, Starring Mark Himself

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in First, News, Videos

Last Updated: April 15th, 2013

Facebook Home has arrived, and whether we like it or not, it's here to stay. The 2.5/5.0 rating at the close of the day isn't exactly inspiring, but it's likely a knee-jerk reaction from Facebook haters, which I am confident will go up to somewhere in the 3.X range with further improvements. Cameron addressed the current state of Home pretty well earlier today, so now that the dust has settled, it's time for a fun video to finish off the work week, both for Facebook employees who worked on the product and us, its potential (but unlikely) users.

I'll be honest - I haven't liked a launch video this much in a while.

Apr

Facebook Home Is Now On The Play Store, Available For Select Devices [Updated]

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

We just saw updates to Facebook and Messenger that were preparing for Facebook Home to arrive on Android. Now, the app is rolling out to the Play Store, albeit slowly. As of right now, links to the app here are pulling up the entry on some devices. We've been trying it out here at AP and some of us can get the app to come up, some can't, but it's clearly on its way.

The app is due to come out today, per Facebook's anonouncement back on the 4th, so keep an eye on the Play Store and let us know if you're able to download it.

Apr

Chat Heads Come To Facebook Messenger Without Facebook Home, Regular App Updated To Prepare For Home Arrival

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

Today, both of Facebook's current apps have been updated to prepare for the arrival of Facebook Home. The main app merely added an extra permission that Home will eventually use. However, the real fun came to Messenger, which now has the ability to pop out Chat Heads, regardless of if you're using the replacement launcher.

As you may recall from the Facebook Home launch event, chat heads are little bubbles that float over whatever you're doing and allow you to jump straight into a conversation no matter where you are in the OS. Just tap your friend's face and an IM window appears.

Apr

Download: Pre-Release Facebook Home App Leaks Out, Partially Functional

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, Leaks, News

Update: It looks like Facebook has killed the leak remotely. Users who installed it are now reporting that their feeds have gone dark. Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted.

Facebook Home, the company's trumpeted home screen replacement effort, has been a popular point of discussion since before it was announced.

For those who missed the announcement, Facebook is looking to replace your device's normal launcher with a continuous in-your-face social bonanza, featuring a huge news feed on your lock screen, a new pop-up chat called Chat Heads, and pretty complete integration with the social network, allowing for status, photo, and other updates on the fly.

Dec

[New App] Code Sector's InDrive Is A Well-Made, Customizable Car Home App With PowerAMP Integration

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, News

Last Updated: December 28th, 2012

Code Sector (the name behind popular speedometer app SpeedView) recently brought to market a highly customizable car home app, introducing InDrive: Custom Car Home to the Play Store.

InDrive's primary features are neatly contained in its three swipe-able screens: Apps, GPS, and Music. The Apps screen allows you to create a set of custom app shortcuts. The screen comes preloaded with shortcuts to Navigation and Phone, but there are sixteen more slots waiting to be customized. The GPS screen houses what Code Sector calls the "trip computer," which displays your current speed, odometer, average speed, driving time, and plenty of other info.