Google’s “Playground is open” event: What will be revealed October 29

Google always seems to have something up its sleeve, but at least some of its cards are already turned. The company's October 29 event looks like it will reveal a refresh to the Nexus 7, a 10-inch tablet, the LG Nexus 4, and a new installment of the Android OS.

The month of October appears to be “steal your competitor’s spotlight” month, with almost every major mobile company participating in press conference one-upmanship. Trying to get the last word in before the month closes is Google, with an unveil that is scheduled for the same day as Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 event. Google is tagging its event with the phrase, “the playground is open,” and will likely have a lot of hands on available for attendees. October 29 will be a busy day, so here’s a cheat sheet of what to expect from the search engine turned major mobile player.

Nexus 7

As many expected, the Nexus 7 will be one of the stars of the show with a 32GB model.  It appears that may not be the only change to the internals on seven inch tablet, as a 32GB with HSPA+ (3G) support is expected by some sources. This likely won’t be the Asus manufactured $100 model that was previously rumored, but the Nexus has been a leader in the budget-friendly tablet category.

10-inch Samsung-made Tablet

Hiding behind the internal alias of Codename Manta is a 10″ tablet manufactured by Samsung. This project has been the source of rumors for the past month, and it looks as though it may be confirmed at the October 29 event. According to sources reported on by The Next Web, the taller tablet will feature 300 pixels per inch spread across a 2560 x 1600 resolution display. The third generation iPad has 264ppi by comparison. The 10-inch device is also said to come running Android 4.2.

LG Nexus 4

 While the handset has been cycling around the rumor mill for the Google event, it appears the LG Nexus 4 has RSVPed. The smartphone will be made by LG and will run with a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor. That, along with 2GB RAM, will power the 4.7 inch device and its 1280×768 display. The device will also sport a 8-megapixel rear-facing and 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and 16GB of on-board storage. The Nexus 4, like the 10-inch Samsung tablet, is believed to run Android 4.2.

Android 4.2

The operating system formally know as Key Lime Pie will likely retain the Jelly Bean title of Android 4.1. The OS appears as though it will go at iOS 6 head on by including a panoramic camera feature with support for both vertical and horizontal settings. It will also aim to surpass its competitor with a feature called “content in the center,” which will allow for Play Store access from a widget. Tablet Sharing will also be introduced, essentially creating profiles for tablets that are used by multiple people. 

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Moo introduces NFC-enabled business cards, making real world connections more digital

UK-based startup Moo.com announces NFC business cards so you can digitalize the way you meet new professionals.

In this ever-evolving world of technology, it’s still nice to know that when strangers meet in a professional setting, physical business cards are still something people invest time and creativity into making. United Kingdom-based startup Moo.com is now further digitalizing the business card by adding an option for a Near Field Communication (NFC) microchip to be embedded into your cards so you don’t even need to hand over a card if you’re running low.

With an NFC chip incorporated into your card, you can told tap it against an NFC-enabled phone and the phone can perform the command you selectively programmed into your card. This can range anywhere from downloading your resume PDF from your website, opening up your portfolio web page, adding yourself as a contact, checking into your Foursquare office location, locating your office on a map, or linking to your Facebook or Twitter profile. It’s a quick and new way to break the ice with business cards, and you can rewrite the NFC chip with different functionalities to keep things updated. 

“We’ve always aimed to upset the existing order within print – to do new things, think in exciting ways, and to go where no man has gone before,” Moo writes in its announcement blog post. “With the roll-out of our NFC cards, and our recent acquisition of Flavors.me, a design-led personal identity site, we are showing our commitment to expanding online personal and professional identity creation.”

For a limited time, Moo is offering 150,000 free NFC-enabled cards with your next order so you can sample the new technology. The company is also planning to release an accompanying Android app to help you program your NFC business cards.

For those who want to get in on the socially interactive NFC action but don’t particularly need it in a business card capacity, you can always check out the Samsung TecTiles, which essentially do the same thing but you can apply the NFC stickers anywhere you want: tabletops, cashier counters, wallets … whatever surface retains stickiness.

Check out the video below to learn more about Moo NFC-enabled business cards.

NFC Business Cards from MOO from MOO.COM on Vimeo.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Hands-on with Loop Attachment Mummy iPhone 4 case: Wrap your phone with silicone

For those who want to carry their cards and cash without a wallet, the Mummy iPhone case has a fun feature for slipping necessities underneath.

My high school Spanish teacher had a wallet that was covered in duct tape. The thing looked like it was falling apart, but he claimed bandaging it in durable material kept the wallet sturdy and made it look cheap, so no one would want to steal it or the contents inside. At the time, the concept of wrapping your gadget anything didn’t make sense to me. Why would anyone think this design concept could be… desirable?

It’s probably because most wrap designs didn’t look anything like Loop Attachment’s Mummy iPhone case. There comes a certain point of utility, design, and durability where all three aspects mesh in-sync to form a product that’s actually wanted by the people. In our hands-on, we dig into what we love about this iPhone 4/4S case and what could be improved.

Look and feel

Available in a giant array of colors, the Loop Attachment Mummy case is, off the bat, hip, trendy, and just looks minimal but cool. The silicone body is flexible, and simply fits over your iPhone by a light stretch over the four corners. Pre-made slots are cut out for the power, volume, and hold buttons while the entire lower end for the cords is mostly open. This means dockability with your home stereos and no fussing to get the battery charger plugged in. In the back, you’ll find the bandaged, mummy straps randomly hugging the body of your iPhone. The camera area is almost untouched, leaving no material to incur possible flash interference with the iPhone’s camera lens. 

On the hand, the silicone feels soft and comfortable to grip. It makes the iPhone 4 much less delicate to the touch, and easier to handle without the fear of dropping and destroying the glass. The lightweight body also adds virtually no difference to the iPhone, which is an added plus for those who dislike bulkiness. I also love that the Loop logo is not overwhelming or obnoxious, and blends quite seamlessly on the silicone.

Utility

The Mummy case may look like it has random straps along the back, but rest assured, these placements were no accident. The thickness of the silicone is the perfect size for a raised bumper in the front, allowing you to place your phone screen size down without any damage. The back also leaves enough room for you to pull the straps slightly apart and stick your I.D. card, credit cards, or a few dollar bills within. Much like the Speck SmartFlex Card case we’ve seen several months ago, the idea is for you to go out with your necessities all in one place. This way, you don’t have to lug a purse around if you’re out in a bar or a concert.

The difference between the Speck case and the Mummy is, because the straps are much more flexible, you can fit more than just three cards in the back. Still, we don’t recommend you overdo it before the silicone becomes too loose. From what I can tell, storing your credit cards on the back of your phone does not to interfere with their magnetic strips but discontinue use if you experience any problem.

We don’t have many gripes about the Mummy case other than the silicone tends to be a bit of a dust magnet, and that the bandage design leaves parts of your iPhone exposed. Still, because the thickness is just right, your phone should still be pretty protected since the silicone keeps it at least a few millimeters away from the iPhone’s surface. Keep in mind, however, that if you toss your phone in a bad and a set of keys happen to scratch your phone from within, that might still be an issue.

Bottom Line

While I personally like the idea of a bandaged iPhone — certainly much more than I liked my teacher’s duct tape wallet — this is an iPhone case I would switch to on special occasions. The Mummy makes a great accessory for replacing your wallet for the night, and is interesting enough to draw conversations about the design. At $25, it is also moderately priced for a comfortable case with a neat function.

The Loop Attachment Mummy iPhone case is available now in 10 different colors. Loop Attachment also sells the case in themed bundle, such as the Chicago set that contains the colors of the city’s official flag. A set of three Mummy cases will set you back $60 – not bad for a interchangeable accessory for the whole family.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Samsung-made 64GB UHS-1 SD and microSD cards coming in October

Samsung has announced two new additions to its lineup of memory cards. The company has confirmed that it will be launching 64GB UHS-1 microSD and SD cards in mid-October, which is just a month and a half away now.

The cards will be part of the Pro family, sporting a maximum read speed of up to 104MB/s. Of course you’ll need an UHS-1-enabled host device to achieve that kind of speed.

Now you probably won’t need something this fast for your smartphone, but photography and video enthusiasts will certainly appreciate the performance boost. Either way, UHS-1 microSD and SD cards such as these herald a time when larger memory formats will become obsolete.

Samsung hasn’t mentioned anything about the pricing of the new memory cards, but we bet they won’t come cheap. They will be showcased at the IFA 2012 expo though, so we might get a chance to see them on the show floor.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Google Play gift cards now available at GameStop, RadioShack, Target

Get excited, people: Google Play gift cards are now for sale at Target, GameStop, and RadioShack.

Holy crap, guys. Guess what. No, guess. Go ahead, guess. Wrong! You can now buy Google Play gift cards! Isn’t that exciting? Guys?

Oh well, that’s the news — news we saw coming almost a week ago. Google has partnered with Target, GameStop, and RadioShack to sell $10, $25, and $50 gift cards for its Google Play digital marketplace, where you can buy Android apps, movies, music, movies and TV shows, and digital magazines.

Perhaps more interesting is what you may not do with your Google Play gift card. You may not use your Google Play gift card to purchase “Android app subscriptions, magazine subscriptions, or hardware and accessory purchases.,” according to Google.

Also, according to the Google Play gift card terms of service — yes, everything has a terms of service — Google Play gift cards may not be used by any one under the age of 13. Why? Because, technically, no one under the age of 13 is allowed to make purchases through Google Play at all. Further, Google Play gift card owners between the ages of 13 and 17 may only make purchases on Google Play with their gift card — anything that costs more than your gift card balance is out of reach thanks to rules with Google Wallet, to which your Google Play gift card connects.

In other riveting gift card news, Walmart is now offering $100 iTunes gift cards for just $80. As Fortune’s Apple guru Philip Elmer-Dewitt explains, the only caveat is that you have to give your personal information — name, email address, and payment info — to Walmart, which can then use it for its own purposes, or that of its subsidiary companies. It cannot, however, sell your identity to third-parties.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Google Play Store gift cards set to arrive on August 26 in US stores

We recently reported that Google has quietly added support for gift cards in the latest version of the Play Store application for Android but the feature has not been enabled or announced yet. That’s because they gift cards themselves aren’t available yet.

Well, it seems that’s about to change soon, as a leaked image from Target is confirming that the Play Store gift cards could be hitting their shelves as early as August 26.

That’s the day the gift cards are expected to go on sale. It could happen that Google might officially announce them even before that. We’ll just have to wait and see. Too bad these will only be available in the US for a while.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Google planning to roll out gift cards, wishlists for Google Play

Ideal for the upcoming holiday shopping season, friends and family will soon be able to purchase Google Play gift cards for Android users.

Noted by the enthusiast blog Android Police yesterday, a new version of the Google Play store application for Android phones contains options that will allow users to purchase gift cards for the store as well as place apps on a wish list. The gift card function could be particular helpful for Google assuming it launches prior to the holiday shopping season. Friends and family will be able to purchase and send gift cards electronically to be used on new Android smartphones or tablets like the Nexus 7. This feature could also be helpful for Android-themed sites that like to run giveaways to generate a larger readership. Apple has offered this feature within the App Store for several years and physical iTunes gift cards can be found at many large retailers around the United States.

Google did offer $25 Google Play gift cards with the purchase of a new Nexus 7 tablet, but the physical gift cards aren’t as widely available as an iTunes card. Similar to iTunes, the amount of the Google Play credit is tied to a user’s account and the credit can be redeemed by purchasing applications on the Google Play store.

According to the blog post, an Android user will eventually be able to go to play.google.com/redeem in order to enter a gift card code and add a specific credit to their account. However, Google hasn’t officially announced this new feature and hasn’t indicated a timeline when gift cards will be active.

Beyond gift cards, the wish list feature allows the user to add applications in addition to media like books, magazines, music, movies and television shows to a specific list. While this feature could allow users to bookmark items on the Google Play store to purchase at a later time, it could also be tied into a publishing function that publicly displays a wish list.

A link to that list could be sent to friends or family members prior to the holidays, however Google would also need to include a function that allows people to gift specific applications. Apple added that feature to the App Store during 2010, but never created a wish list function for users.

In addition to these two new features, Android Police also noted that Google has enabled a new technical feature called Smart App updates. Prior to this change, Android users had to re-download an entire app each time that they wanted to upgrade to the latest version. This process consumes a significant amount of battery power when the app is extremely large or the download speed is slow.

However, Smart App updates allow the user to only download the difference between the two versions. For example, the blog post noted that a recent update to the popular photo sharing application Instagram required a 3MB download rather than 13MB for the entire application. This feature was originally announced at the Google I/O conference during June 2012 and the development team in charge of the new feature estimated that download times would be cut down to a third for all app updates.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com