Archive for the ‘Google’ Category
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9
Mar
2010
App Review: Google’s Gesture Search
Yes, Google, before anything else is still a search engine. In a quick homage at showing that they are still the best at what they do, Google has added a new gesture search feature for Android smart phones using version 2.0 Éclair and above.
The new feature is pretty simple, users will have to gesture a letter on the screen which the phone will use to search phone contents with. If you are looking for a specific contact, simply write the first letter of the contact name on the screen and the app will give you a quick list of all possible matches.
The main focus here is the fact that the search function has adaptive learning capabilities that adjust according to your preferences. The more you select certain hits to certain letters, the more likely that these items will be placed on top of the search results –much like the Google search engine that delivers top matches according to the relevance of the search results.
The new app is still in Google Lab’s main page which means that the devs at Mountain View are still working out some kinks –kinks that we cannot find. It’s a great app and we certainly recommend it since it will save you many clicks and taps in the long run. If you want to try out the new app, simply boot up at the Android market to try out Google Gestures.
This new app by Google is welcome new addition since they put in the Buzz service for Gmail. Google has recently been losing its touch in terms of being able to deliver quality apps and features. The new Gesture Search brings us back to that old Google we used to know and trust.
Get to know more about the Google Gesture Search at Mobile Choice UK.
2
Mar
2010
Vodafone to Launch Nexus One in April
When it was predicted that 2010 would be the year of the Android, they certainly were not mistaken.
The year started with the release of the Google phone, the Nexus One. Despite the many hiccups, side problems and 3G errors that plagued the smart phone, Google pushed through with the device. They had a pretty dismal sales performance –selling only 20,000 units during the first week; but still pressed on in developing and updating the device that showed Android in the way Google wanted us to enjoy it.
The Nexus One comes with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor. The CPU keeps everything running fast and smoothly. It keeps the animations smooth and crisp while easily running multiple functions on the device. The 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen is a perfect input system for mobile devices that delivers high quality images and visuals while the 5 mega pixel camera is perfect for taking videos and images.
So anyway, reports are showing that the device is indeed headed to the UK and Vodafone will be offering the device to its clients. Right now, interest on the Google phone is pretty low thanks to the big buzz generated by the WP7 mobile platform. But with the HTC Desire coming out this March (as well as the HTC Legend, XPERIA X10, and several others) it would not be surprising to see some pretty heavy marketing for the Nexus One to pop out.
Anyway, the Nexus One, despite being carried by Vodafone will still be limited in availability. Vodafone staff has been advised to refer customer inquiries to the Google online website as the phone will only be available through Google’s online store. We seriously doubt that pitch will get plenty of people to sign up.
Read more about the Nexus One on Vodafone at Softpedia.
5
Feb
2010
Google Phone Gets Multi Touch, Goggles and More
The past couple of weeks have been full of Apple goodness, particularly because of the launch of the Apple iPad. The newfangled gizmo is being set up as the next big thing in home and digital electronics and it looks like the buzz is far from being over.
Oddly enough, the hype on the iPad distracted many in mobile industry from the recently launched Google phone, the Nexus One. The holiday season was full of reports and rumors regarding the device; but the actual launch itself went without much fanfare and the device enjoyed a very low-scale market acceptance. All in all, only 20,000 units of the Google phone were sold in the first week of sales, and there was little to almost no interest in the device to follow for the rest of the month.
Looks like Google is shoving their lead star back into the limelight with some much needed updates. First off, the Nexus One has been criticized heavily for its many 3G problems –some devices were reported to switch over to EDGE despite being in an area with good 3G signals. The recently released patch for the Google phone will be fixing this issue along with some other yet to be mentioned bugs.
Aside from fixes, the patch will also deliver updates and new features to the Google phone. Now, users will be able to take full advantage of the 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen with the activation of multi touch features. For the 5 mega pixel camera, users will be able to point and learn with the Google Goggles. Even the Google Maps application is getting a quick update in the form of version 3.4. The update can be obtained online through download.
Read more about the Nexus One’s new update, additional features and more at Stuff TV.
6
Jan
2010
Internet giant Google release their own brand smart phone
Everybody, or at least most people will have heard of Google. The most visited website on the planet, and worth billions of £s, Google have dominated the internet market by using many of their applications, most commonly their search engine, and more recently YouTube, Google Maps and Google Trends. At a Private invitation only viewing at the Google headquarters, they reveled the new phone which is a slim touch screen phone designed to carry out many tasks at the same time.
Running on Google’s Android system, the Nexus One is designed to be used by businessmen and families alike, allowing you to combine your work life with your personal life. At the moment, the phone is available from Google’s website only, and can only be taken out on a T Mobile plan in the US. In Europe the phone will be available on Vodafone, although contract prices and deals are currently a bit unclear. When the phone was unveiled, Google stated that the phone was “a point of convergence where the web meets phone and is an example of what is possible on mobile through Android.”
The exact specifications of the phone are currently unknown, but many great features are expected, including heavy integration with Google products, meaning you can access things like YouTube and Google trends straight from an application rather than having to go through an internet browser to look at it. The Nexus One is expected to be very popular following on from Google’s many other Android phones, which are available in over 20 versions, though admittedly not Google’s own make. “You will see it pushes the limits of what is possible on a mobile phone today,” said Peter Chou, HTC chief executive.
