Google Archive

Google stops Acer from shipping incompatible Android device

Thom Holwerda 2012-09-16 Google 121 Comments

There's a bit of a story going on between Google, Acer, and Alibaba, a Chinese mobile operating system vendor. Acer wanted to ship a device with Alibaba's operating system, but Google asked them not to, and Acer complied. The reason is that Acer is a member of the Open Handset Alliance, which prohibits the promotion of non-standard Android implementations - exactly what Alibaba is shipping. On top of that, Alibaba's application store hosts pirated Android applications, including ones from Google.

Submitted by MOS6510 2012-09-10 Google 9 Comments

"Google calls itself one of the world's largest hardware makers. For the past 10 years, the web giant has designed much of the gear driving the massive data centers that underpin its web empire, but it treats the particulars of this hardware operation as the most important of trade secrets. That's why the Pluto Switch is so intriguing." It's easy to forget large web companies like Google actually design and build their own hardware.

Submitted by Hiev 2012-09-05 Google 25 Comments

"I was recently testing some of the keywords and positions for our help-desk app and it suddenly occurred to me that 80% of the page were not actually the search results. Check this out." He has a very good point. Google has work to do here.

Google: most Apple patents don’t relate to core Android

Thom Holwerda 2012-08-27 Google 66 Comments

One company's response to the jury verdict in Apple vs. Samsung was still missing: Google's. The company has now responded to The Verge, and there's almost a certain bitterness in their language. Not, as you would expect, directed at Apple; no, the bitterness is directed at Samsung. The message Google is sending to other Android OEMs? Stick to stock Android, and you'll have no problems.

Guest post by fran 2012-08-24 Google 5 Comments

A new version of Chrome OS has been released. From the Chrome Blog: "We made the apps list much more compact, so you can access your apps without interrupting your browsing experience. We also added a search box at the top of the apps list, which you can use like an omnibox to search the web, specific websites, or the apps on your computer, visual improvements such as a redesigned Cloud Print dialog and the ability to add custom wallpaper. You can now also save files directly to Google Drive, so you can access files later from any device, including Drive on iOS or Android. Under the hood, we've added audio support for USB and HDMI, additional sandboxing security features, and many more bug fixes."

Google playing with adding Xperia S support to AOSP

Thom Holwerda 2012-08-18 Google 13 Comments

Fascinating bit of news dug up by The Verge. AOSP's main man, Jean-Baptiste Queru, has announced that he is going to try to add support for the Sony Xperia S to AOSP - effectively turning it into a Nexus-class device. "Over time, AOSP has added files related to various hardware targets. For a new challenge, I'd like to try to go one step further, and to target some hardware beyond the usual categories. I've added a git project for the Sony LT26, i.e. Xperia S. This seems like a good target: it's a powerful current GSM device, with an unlockable bootloader, from a manufacturer that has always been very friendly to AOSP." AOSP support is usually reserved for Nexus devices, so this is certainly a bold new step for Android to take. Coincidentally, I made a list yesterday of possible Android phones to replace my Galaxy SII if the need were to arise, and the Xperia S sits firmly atop that list because of its distinctive, angled design (as opposed to the rounded blandness of the SIII and One X). In other words, this is yet another reason to go with this one (since my SII is doing just fine, I'm actually holding out for a WP8 Lumia to replace my HTC HD7).

Review: Nexus 7

Thom Holwerda 2012-08-11 Google 105 Comments

Nobody needs a tablet, but many people still want a tablet. This is still the core differentiator between a 'real' computer and a tablet. At least in The Netherlands, you can't function in society without a desktop or laptop connected to the internet, so people need a computer. A tablet, though? Hence, the most common thing people have told me when they played with my iPad 2 is this: I'd love to have a tablet, but not for hundreds of euros. Enter Google's Nexus 7, the first 'cheap' tablet that doesn't just validate Android as a tablet platform, but also gives the iPad a run for its money.

Google to demote sites with valid copyright removal notices

Thom Holwerda 2012-08-10 Google 15 Comments

"Starting next week, we will begin taking into account a new signal in our rankings: the number of valid copyright removal notices we receive for any given site. Sites with high numbers of removal notices may appear lower in our results. This ranking change should help users find legitimate, quality sources of content more easily - whether it's a song previewed on NPR's music website, a TV show on Hulu or new music streamed from Spotify." Wait, did I hear someone say the Google Play store needs content too? Joking aside, understandable move.

Android 4.1 has rudimentary multiuser support

Thom Holwerda 2012-08-04 Google 100 Comments

This tweet from Tom Warren made me smile. So, it's 2012 and tablets are finally able to do what the Amiga did in 1985. Seems like a bit of a stretch to be excited about that, right? Sure, until I caught myself getting excited - only a bit, but still - by this piece of news. Update: removed me being an annoyed child.

Nexus Q delayed; pre-orders will still get their Nexus Q now, for free

Thom Holwerda 2012-07-31 Google 7 Comments

Google had delayed the launch of the Nexus Q - but it's not as bad it may seem. Everybody who pre-ordered will still get their Nexus Q right now, with the same feature set as advertised - but instead, they will get it for free. Future consumers won't be able to order for now, as Google improves the device. Did anyone here actually order one of these? It seems rather useless.

Guest post by henderson101 2012-07-24 Google 63 Comments

"I read earlier this week about a developer who made their Android version free after the $1 game was extensively pirated. Stories like this come as no surprise, but the industry press rarely deals with the core problem - and nor does Google. Whilst the aforementioned story about the Android game didn't surprise me, it did horrify me. Android is designed to be difficult to make money from, and the core issue is that it's open - with the corrosive mentality that surrounds such openness."

Dead Trigger for Android free due to high piracy rates

Thom Holwerda 2012-07-23 Google 82 Comments

Without giving any detailed information, Madfinger Games announced that because the piracy rates of their game Dead Trigger were so high on Android, they made the game available for free. This sucks balls. I'm interested in more detailed statistics, especially where, exactly, the piracy rate is highest, considering you can only get paid Google Play applications in 31 countries, and then, often only with a credit card (which many people outside of the US don't have and/or use). It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if those piracy rates mostly come from places without paid applications support and/or with lousy payment options. In any case, Google needs to get its act together with the Play Store.

Google posts quarterly results

Thom Holwerda 2012-07-20 Google 16 Comments

"Google today announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2012. 'Google standalone had a strong quarter with 21% year-on-year revenue growth, and we launched a bunch of exciting new products at I/O - in particular the Nexus 7 tablet, which has received rave reviews,' said Larry Page, CEO of Google, 'This quarter is also special because Motorola is now part of the Google family, and we're excited about the potential to build great devices for users.'"

CyanogenMod 9, XBMC ported to Nexus Q

Thom Holwerda 2012-07-16 Google 12 Comments

Hurray for openness and the community: "Over the last week, our Jason Parker (a.k.a. kornyone) has been playing with his Nexus Q, seeing how far he could push it and how capable it could be. It started with the basics (fastboot and adb pushing) and then Trebuchet, Netflix and other apps, followed by XBMC for Android. Well, now Jason is back with another breakthrough - CM9." Just keep beating that tired and worn drum of placing open between quotation marks, John. You're very convincing.

Google launches worldwide campaign to legalise gay marriage

Thom Holwerda 2012-07-08 Google 98 Comments

Fantastic initiative by Google. Anna Peirano details: "Google is launching a new campaign called 'Legalize Love' with the intention of inspiring countries to legalize marriage for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people around the world. The 'Legalize Love' campaign officially launches in Poland and Singapore on Saturday, July 7th. Google intends to eventually expand the initiative to every country where the company has an office, and will focus on places with homophobic cultures, where anti-gay laws exist." As proud as I am of living in the first country to legalise same-sex marriage, it's easy to forget we only did so in 2000. Also, it's about time the large technology companies of the world started using their power, reach, and money to do good. Hopefully, this initiative will transcend company boundaries, uniting them behind a common, noble goal.

Google, Samsung forced to downgrade Galaxy Nexus

Thom Holwerda 2012-07-04 Google 182 Comments

Apparently, this is a major victory of the patent system. This, this right here, this is what the patent system has come to. This is the destructive effect it's having on this once beautiful industry. Thanks to trolls like Apple and Microsoft, basic, elemental functionality is being removed from devices people already own.

The Verge reviews Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Thom Holwerda 2012-07-03 Google 10 Comments

The Verge reviewed Android 4.1, Jelly Bean. "Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is one of the best products Google has ever produced. It's fast, fluid, and beautifully designed. It also does a better job of unifying all of Google's disparate services than anything else the company has ever offered. Everything from the Chrome browser, Google+, Maps, Gmail, and most of all Google Search - in the form of Google Now - is tightly integrated into a user experience that outshines even the company's web properties."

Chrome 21 to drop support for Mac OS X 10.5

Submitted by Mateusz 2012-07-02 Google 7 Comments

"Google Chrome on Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) will stop receiving any updates following Chrome 21. This includes new features, security fixes and stability updates. If you already have Chrome installed, you can still use Chrome, but it will no longer be auto-updated. In addition, you'll be unable to install Chrome on any Mac still running 10.5 (which is an OS X version also no longer being updated by Apple). While we understand this is an inconvenience, we are making this change to ensure we can continue to deliver a safe, secure, and stable Chrome for the most Mac users possible." I'm okay with this - Snow Leopard was released in August 2009, so it's been three years since the last machines with Leopard shipped. On top of that, Apple's prices for new releases are so low, there's really no excuse not to have upgraded by this point (unless Apple decided to obsolete your hardware, in which case, well, that's what you get when you buy Apple or Android or Windows Phone).

Guest post by Radio 2012-07-02 Google 26 Comments

It was time somebody cleared that up: the oft-decried skins put by OEM and operators on Android are not responsible for the lateness or lack of updates. The truth is that skins are easy, hardware drivers are hard. That is not to say skins do not have other problems, or that the problem is unsolvable, but asking for "stock" Android OS is not going to help on the update front.

Submitted by fran 2012-06-29 Google 31 Comments

"Google is making another attempt to fix the Android update problem at the Google I/O conference. The plan is to give smartphone, tablet and chip manufacturers earlier opportunities to adapt their current and new hardware to forthcoming Android versions. Google said that it hopes that this will allow users to receive their updates faster. To achieve this, Android executive Hugo Barra announced a 'Platform Development Kit'." I have my doubts.