android vs apple

Google has been making smart moves lately breaking down many of Androids features into updates in their core apps. This strategy is a great way of getting new features directly to consumers without having to deal with carriers and manufacturers. With KitKat Android 4.4 they've taken this method a step further. Making an official Google home launcher and heavily integrating the home screen and Google Search/Google Now. The new Google Launcher allows users to easily swipe left from the home screen right into Google Now.


With the release of the factory images for KitKat developers have been able to pull some of core apps that have been updated and provide them for the rest of us to downlaod and install. They seem to work for most Android devices running Jellybean (maybe Ice Cream Sandwhich too, I've only tested JB) and I've been using a few since Friday with minimal issues. They are easy enough to install if you're familiar with sideloading apps (installing via sd/internal storage instead of the market). Be sure to go into settings, security and check "Unknown Sources" (Allow installation of apps from unknown sources) first. Then download any of the following apps. You will also need a file manager app (I use ES File Explorer) to navigate to the download folder on your phone and install the apps.

To get the new home screen and integrated google search features you must download and install the following three apps:

• PreBuiltGmsCore (Google Play Services 4.0)
• Velvet (Google Search)
• GoogleHome (Google Launcher)

The only issue I've been having here is Google Search occasionally crashing, others seem to be having similar issues and it may vary from phone to phone. This seems to be able to be fixed by changing the language in Google Now/Search voice settings to anything but English (US), I used English (Generic or UK), performing a search (some say reboot here also) and then switching back to English (US). I've just left mine on English (Generic) since the fix doesn't seem to stick on my Galaxy S3 running AOSP 4.2.2. The only drawback I've seen to my method is I seem to have lost the "Ok Google" hot-word voice search feature and now have to push the mic to voice search. No big deal to me. It may have to do with Google's new enhanced hot-word voice search activation, KitKat allows user to utilize the "Ok Google" phrase to launch voice searches from the home screen Moto X style (or any screen on the Nexus 5).


Other new core Google apps can be downloaded below. Of course use with caution. Any apps that don't play well with your phone should be able to be uninstalled or downgraded so that you can return to the current version in the Play Store if necessary. I've primarily just used the new Hangouts app to test the new SMS integration, which so far isn't perfect but is a good start. It's nice being able to do most of my messaging in one app. I just hope they add more functionality to the SMS features. The new keyboard also brings the emjoi's from Hangout into anything that you can type in. Also, grab the new Android 4.4 wallpapers to get the full KitKat aesthetic experience.

•  Downloads Google Hangouts APK (v2.0.012)
•  Download new Google Now APK (3.0.17.886092)
•  Download Android 4.4 Keyboard APK (v2.0.19003.893803a)
•  Download Android 4.4 Camera APK (v2.0.001)
•  Download Android 4.4 Wallpapers

Source: Phone Arena

This Halloween finally Google gave the Android community the treat they've been waiting on for months. The Nexus 5 was finally announced! Due to the excessive amount of leaks over the last few months there weren't many surprises, but still good to see things officially confirmed. The Nexus 5 has a 5-inch 1080p screen, 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of storage, an 8-megapixel camera (with OIS), 2300 mAh battery and 4G LTE connectivity for a lot of different bands. The $350/399 (16GB/32GB) asking price is for an off contract completely unlocked phone with support for AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, sorry VZW customers no Nexus love again for you!











The long awaited Nexus 5 announcement is a treat this Halloween for tech-nerds like myself, unfortunately there was a trick in store also. The device sold out in under an hour of being announced! While caught up at work running a stupid graduation test I was unable to place my order the second it went official. By the time I was able to order my black 32GB Nexus 5, the wait was out to 2-3 weeks for 32GB and the 16GB is sold out completely. So as one countdown comes to an end a new one begins and as excited as I am about the phone I'm pissed that the wait continues. Some were lucky enough to get their orders in as soon as it went live have already received shipping confirmations, and a few lucky people have already received theirs. Google said they'd be ready to ship by November 8th for initial orders but with some coming early lets hope that maybe all the orders go out ahead of schedule.




In the mean time I'll be watching Best Buy, Amazon, Radio Shack and Sprint, who have all said they will sell the phone. I've called around a bit and most of these places don't seem to have official info on release dates, prices, or reservation processes yet. Sprint will have the phone on November 8th for $150 on contract (now taking pre-orders online for those buying on contract). I'm hoping that they will also let it go off contract at the same $350/399 price point that Google is selling it for. That will let me buy it with my Sprint account without extending my contract and then finally free me to bail on Sprint for T-Mobile as the one single Nexus 5 US model will work on Sprint, T-Mobile or AT&T. I will be buying it from whoever can get it in my hand first and cancelling my Google Play Store order if necessary. Anyone else planning on grabbing the Nexus 5?! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!



Nexus 5 hardware specifications

Screen	4.95” 1920x1080 display (445 ppi) Full HD IPS Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Camera	1.3MP front facing 8MP rear facing with Optical Image Stabilization
Dimensions	69.17x137.84x8.59 mm
Weight	4.59 ounces (130g)
Battery	2300 mAh Talk time up to 17 hours ** Standby time up to 300 hours ** Internet use time up to 8.5 hours on WiFi, up to 7 hours on LTE ** Wireless Charging built in
Audio	Builtin speaker, 3.5mm stereo audio connector
Processing	CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 800, 2.26GHz GPU: Adreno 330, 450MHz
Wireless	Dualband WiFi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac NFC (Android Beam) Bluetooth 4.0
Networks (North America)	GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz CDMA: Band Class: 0/1/10 WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8/19 LTE: Bands: 1/2/4/5/17/19/25/26/41
Networks (Rest of World)	GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8 LTE: Bands: 1/3/5/7/8/20
Memory	Choose 16GB or 32GB internal storage (actual formatted capacity will be less) 2GB RAM
Ports and Connectors	microUSB SlimPort™ enabled 3.5mm stereo audio jack Dual microphones Ceramic power and volume buttons
Sensors	GPS Gyroscope Accelerometer Compass Proximity/Ambient Light Pressure Hall