k3n's blog

a blog about problems and solutions I see everyday…

Aug 12

Google’s Voice Actions for Android

Source: Google Blog

Our mobile phones have become modern-day Swiss Army knives. An Android phone is a handheld computer, a music player, a notepad, a GPS navigation unit and more, all rolled into one sleek device that fits in your pocket. Today’s phones do so many things for us that sometimes we don’t even think about how we do them.

Even though our phones do all these new things, the most natural way of interacting with a phone remains what it always has been: speaking. And to that end, we’re pleased to introduce Voice Actions for Android. Voice Actions are a series of spoken commands that let you control your phone using your voice. Call businesses and contacts, send texts and email, listen to music, browse the web, and complete common tasks, all just by speaking into your phone.

To use Voice Actions, tap the microphone button on the Google search box on your home screen, or press down for a few seconds on the physical search button on your phone to activate the “Speak Now” screen. Let Mike LeBeau, the lead engineer for Voice Actions, show you in this video.

(from the Google Mobile YouTube Channel)

Aug 09

How to install Flash 10.1 on your iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad

Apple, Apple iPhone/iPod, Hacks, How to No Comments »

Source: Comex

1: Jailbreak your iPhone 4, iPod Touch 3G and iPad 3.2.x with JailbreakMe.

2: Start Cydia on your jailbroken iPhone.

3: Hit the ‘Manage’ tab at the bottom of your iPhone screen and then select Sources.

4: Select Edit and then select Add. Now enter a URL source. Type repo.benm.at and select on Add Source. Once Cydia has added the source click on ‘Return to Cydia’ button.

Tagged with: Android • Apple • Comex • Flash • Frash • iPad • iPhone • iPod

Jul 14

How to test drive Google Android without buying a phone

Google, Google Android No Comments »

Source: Howtogeek.com

Would you like to test drive the latest version of Google’s Android OS without buying a new mobile device? Here’s how you can run Android on your PC for free with the Android SDK Emulator.

Android is the latest mobile OS to take the world by storm, but everyone doesn’t have access to the latest mobile devices. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to run Android on your Windows, Mac, or Linux computer. Google provides an Android emulator with their SDK, which is designed to let developers test their apps on Android before running them on handsets. We can use this to test drive Android on our computer, here’s how to do it.

Getting Started

The Android Emulator requires Java to run, so if you don’t already have Java installed on your computer, download it from the link below and install as normal.

Note: When installing Java, make sure not to install any crapware it tries to sneak in like the worthless Yahoo toolbar.

Continue reading »

Tagged with: Android • Google • How to • Mobile

Jun 02

Your own Google Android

Google No Comments »

Souce: Phandroid.com

Even though the Android Robot falls under the Creative Commons license we haven’t seen the little bugger branded on doohickeys and thinga-ma-bobs around the world, ready to be purchased. Kind of curious considering its one cute hunk of green metal. While some people sit and wait for Android Robot apparel and gear, one guy was busy making it… as a birthday present for his friend LaiHiu.

Here are pictures of the hand crafted, one-of-a-kind, awesome Android Plush Bag Birthday Gift:

Tagged with: Android • Google • Robot

May 25

Dell Streak coming this summer

Geek, Google, Hardware, Mobile Notebooks No Comments »

Source: PCWorld.com

Dell on Tuesday announced launch plans for its Android-based Dell Streak handheld tablet , while also confirming that the device will get an upgrade to the Flash-capable Android 2.2 later this year. The Streak will launch in the U.K. in early June and the U.S. later this summer, but the company did not provide specific launch dates for either country’s launch. No pricing or U.S. carrier details were announced.

Dell first introduced the Streak in January during the Consumer Electronics Show; since then, specs for the device have been made public through a combination of company statements and periodic leaks to gadget blogs .

The Dell Streak Will Flash

As expected, the Dell Streak will have a 5-inch WVGA touchscreen, Qualcomm’s 1-GHz Snapdragon Processor, 2 GB internal storage, maximum 32GB of external SD storage, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, and a front-facing camera for video chat. The Streak will also have 3G, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity.

At launch, the Streak will be running Android 1.6 (Donut), but the device will receive an over-the-air upgrade to the new Flash-capable Android 2.2 (Froyo) later this year, a Dell spokesperson confirmed. The mini tablet will also come pre-loaded with Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube apps, and Google Maps featuring free turn-by-turn navigation.

What About the Looking Glass

Absent from Dell’s Streak announcement was any mention of the rumored Dell Looking Glass, a 7-inch tablet computer with no front-facing camera. Rumored specs for the Looking Glass include a 7-inch screen with 800 by 480 display resolution; 3G, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity; 4GB RAM; 1.3 megapixel camera; and an optional TV tuner.

Tagged with: Android • Dell • Google • Streak

Mar 05

Search your Android phone with written gestures

Google, Mobile Phones No Comments »

Source: Google Blog

As mobile phones become increasingly powerful and can store more data, we’ve introduced new methods of search to get you to your content faster, such as search suggestions or search by voice. But sometimes, typing to get to the right search suggestion takes too long, and you may be in a quiet environment where speaking a query is inappropriate. Today we’re pleased to announce Gesture Search, a new Google Labs application for Android-powered devices running Android 2.0 or above in the US. Gesture Search lets you quickly find a contact, an installed application, a bookmark or a music track from hundreds or thousands of items, by simply drawing alphabet gestures on the touch screen.

Tagged with: Android • Gestures • Google

Feb 19

Smart shopping w/ Google Shopper

Google, Mobile Phones, Shopping 1 Comment »

Source: Google Mobile Blog

We’re happy to announce a new Android application called Google Shopper. Shopper lets you find product information quickly by using your phone’s camera. It can recognize cover art of books, CDs, DVDs, and video games, along with most barcodes. You can also speak the name of the product you’re looking for. Use Shopper to make smart decisions about what to buy, what price to pay, and where to buy it. You can star items for later and share them with friends. Shopper also saves your history so you’ll always have product and price information at your fingertips, even when you don’t have a signal.

Tagged with: Android • Google • Google Shopper • Shopping

Feb 17

Google CEO Has No Plans to Compete With Mobile Operators

Google, Mobile Phones No Comments »

Source: PCWorld.com

Photo from Nerve.com

Google has made investments in wireless networks, is testing gigabit-to-the-home technology, and is selling 60,000 Android smartphones a day — yet has no plans to compete with network operators, CEO Eric Schmidt told attendees at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Tuesday.

“Google benefits from the adoption of broadband everywhere, in mobile networks and in fixed networks,” Schmidt said.

But its investment in WiMax network infrastructure, and its trials of FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) that can deliver a gigabit per second to each household, are not a sign that it wants to become a network operator itself, he said.

Tagged with: Android • Eric Schmidt • Google • Mobile

Jan 07

Google’s Nexus One Android phone

Google No Comments »

Honestly I’m a HUGE Google fan. I use a lot of Googles apps every single day. I love how Google allows me to sync everything together. I even went out of my way to hack my iPhone to allow 2 Exchange accounts so I can sync my Google contacts on my iPhone because of course there is no app for that.