04
Apr
FB

Facebook’s current Android app has become the subject of much hatred from the Android community – for one thing, it rarely works properly (if at all); for another, its looks have become quite stale. Sadly, we still haven’t seen any plans for future improvements, so Redditor monkfishbandana took it upon himself to come up with a mock-up of how he believes Facebook for Android should look, especially with a beautiful OS like Ice Cream Sandwich.

Update: The mocks were updated to v2 - you can view them here (via Reddit). The original mocks are preserved below.

Facebook developers, take note:

FB mock-up 1 FB mock-up 2 FB mock-up 3 

FB mock-up 4 FB mock-up 5 FB mock-up 6 

FB mock-up 7 FB mock-up 8 FB mock-up 9

Though there are countless improvements over the real Facebook app, a few key features have been excluded for various reasons:

  • The ‘Timeline’ lacks location and ‘studying at’ icons
  • ‘Request’ notifications have been dropped from the action bar and added to the Friends section
  • The ‘Create Event’ and ‘Create Message’ buttons are missing

Still, it’s a pretty impressive first try, especially considering that monkfishbandana claims he’s only spent a few days on it.

01
Apr
image
Last Updated: April 3rd, 2012

Simultaneously the most despised and glorious day of the year is upon us - April Fool's day 2012. The day we spend questioning whether anything and everything we see is real and expect a prank around every corner link. Click, click, rickroll, click, rickroll, image.

So, let's take a look at the best Android, mobile, and Google-related jokes that hit the web this year.

*** Check in here throughout the day as the page will be continuously updated ***

Want to refresh your memory? Check out April Fool's pranks from 2011.

If you want to contribute something Android / Mobile / Google-themed (let's not get off-topic here) not already in the list, feel free to post worthy trolls (including source urls) in the comments, and we'll put the best ones up.

28
Mar
image

SprintFeed, a site that sprung up 9 months ago seemingly out of nowhere, has been a solid source of Sprint leaks and rumors ever since. Outside of S4GRU, it was pretty much the only site dedicated to America's 3rd largest mobile carrier, but as of today it's closing its doors.

The founder, Mark Hearn, was offered a position of a full-time editor at TechnoBuffalo, a more general tech news site, which he accepted. Since he can't run SprintFeed and fulfill his editorial duties at the same time, something had to give, and that something ended up being SprintFeed itself.

23
Mar
image
Last Updated: March 24th, 2012

It's no secret – the mobile interface for Google's Play Store could use some help. A recent comment thread on Reddit points to the fact that many users feel that the Play Store's interface is just a mess. Others suggest that its level of finesse just doesn't jive with Google's overall habits of design. While Google's recent "toolbar" overhaul resulted in a pleasing, easy-to-use interface which successfully unified navigation between all of the search giant's services, the Play Store (at least on phones and tablets) is messy, jumbled, and just feels disorganized. If you haven't examined the mobile interface in a while, let's take a look:

shot_Mar_22_2012_7 Screenshot_2012-03-23-00-00-30

What's Wrong

There are a number of issues that immediately jump out to me when looking at this interface.

22
Mar
image

We share most funny videos via our social accounts (you're following, right?), but once in a while a video comes along that is so beyond hilarious that it can no longer be the outcast doomed to bounce around social networks. It needs to be right here, on the front page. Such was the case with the best phone review on the Internet and such is the case with Mr. BPJ.

You see, Big Papa Joe loves Samsung. Specifically, he loves TouchWiz. Loves. BPJ is either a professional troll (if so, he needs get out on stage at a local comedy club) or is truly comical without even realizing it.

17
Mar
2VXL3_thumb1

Today's suspected Galaxy SIII leak caused quite a stir in the Android community, of course sparking concerns over validity, likelihood that Samsung would choose such a form factor for the upcoming flagship, and just when we may see the real thing up close. A great summary of the leak on Reddit, and the subsequent comment thread got me thinking, though: just how likely is it that the leak is real? In short the answer is a resounding "not very."

2VXL3_thumb1

At first blush, the leak seems convincing -  for starters, the shot in question has all the moire-patterning of a digital photo hurriedly snapped of a computer monitor, implying that whoever leaked the image didn't have time to save the file and risk being caught.

27
Feb
image

Out of all the fun things going on today at the big Android booth Google set up at MWC, one cute little guy stood out from the pack. Want a custom-made Galaxy Nexus battery door while you ogle suspicious-looking jelly beans and scarf down free ice cream sandwiches and delicious smoothies? No problem - just walk up to a conveniently located tablet, order up a design, and watch it make one for you live with utmost precision of a true Android. You know you want this bad boy cooking you breakfast every morning:

Sure, they're sparkly and possibly girly, but how cool is this?

24
Feb
image

I'm not sure how season two of Fact Checkers Unit escaped our attention back in January, but thanks to Samsung's official blog which highlighted this hilarious series today, we now know better. And let me tell you, if you haven't seen any of the new episodes yet, you're in for a treat.

Fact Checkers Unit started as a short film with Bill Murray, then turned into a web series (Hulu has the first season episodes as well), and thanks to Samsung, MTV, SXM Entertainment, and Moxie Pictures has now reached season two. All five episodes of this season maintain high production quality mixed with occasional Galaxy Note usage scenarios and top notch humor that is sure to crack a smile on your face.

20
Feb
image

I have to apologize. For what, you're asking? For not publishing this video 15 minutes sooner, mostly due to being incapacitated by convulsive laughter that resulted from watching it.

What we have here today is probably the most hysterical unofficial review of the Galaxy Note any phone, ever. Of course, I welcome you to beat it (just leave a link in the comments), but my memory does not have a record of a performance that could rival this one by ELPRESADOR.

I won't spoil it for you further. Just watch. It's pure gold.

In Eric's words: "I want to hear this guy do football commentary."

Via Reddit

13
Feb
Sony-PSP-Vita-4-600x399

We certainly aren't a console video gaming blog, but when reviews of the US version of Sony's PlayStation Vita started cropping up this morning, I couldn't help but take notice of the new mobile console system's software. Particularly, how... smartphoney it looks.

DSC01307_gallery_post

Image via The Verge

Everything in Sony's Vita OS has been appified - Google Maps is there, while Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, and Skype apps are forthcoming. Sony has its own suite of apps as well, including a full-blown browser which, although it appears to be pretty terrible, is apparently the best on any mobile gaming device to date. But the point is this: the Vita's OS looks and tries to be a lot like a smartphone's.

Page 3 of 1312345...10...Last»