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Holorama reproduces your favorite scenes in a tiny holo-theather
"Holorama" is an art installation that revives the likes of The Big Lebowski, Twin Peaks and, yes, Jason and the Argonauts with some transparent screens, a mirror and lovingly handcrafted dioramas. After delicately video-editing the main actors (or skeletons) from their original format, they're transformed into ethereal ghosts, then projected in black space. Thanks to some clever tiny furniture positioning, the scene comes to life and, well, the results are magical. Watch below.
Reported Google deal could see Samsung deliver cleaner Android, less bloat
Google and Samsung agreeing to a 10 year patent licensing deal was good news for Android. But that might only be the tip of the iceberg. According to a report from Re/code the two are working together on a broader initiative that will bring the Samsung version of Android more inline with Google's vision. The talks appear to have started at CES following the reveal of Galaxy Tab Pro and Note Pro lines, which featured a new skin called Magazine UX. The interface was not only a dramatic departure from the familiar TouchWiz, but from the very core of Android itself. In fact, the panel-based home screen looks a lot more like Windows 8 than Mountain View's mobile OS. But Re/code's sources say that future Samsung devices will either feature a drastically scaled back version of Magazine UX or lose the interface all together. Obviously, keeping the Android experience as consistent as possible across devices and brands is good for Google, but it could also help Samsung, which is now looking at maintaining three different Android-based tablet skins. Google has been pressuring companies to minimize the tweaks to the Android UI (with varying degrees of success) for sometime now. So it balking at Magazine UX should come as no surprise. The more interesting part of the deal reportedly involves Samsung's in-house apps. For years now the South Korean giant has been promoting its own (often lackluster) products that replicate functions of Google's core Play Services. For example, WatchON, ChatON and the mSpot-enhanced Media Hub. Sammy has apparently agreed to instead shift focus to the Play store, Newsstand, Hangouts and other Google-built apps. Again, this will bring additional consistency to the Android universe and, considering the size of Samsung's market share, will broaden the reach of Mountain View's services. What isn't clear, is what concessions Samsung wrangled out of Google to get this deal done. It could simply be that Sundar Pichai threatened to pull access to the Play store if the Galaxy line didn't, well, get in line. But that seems doubtful. Perhaps the company was promised the next Nexus device or even a seat at the brainstorming sessions for Lemon Meringue Pie (Lollipop? Lik-M-Aid?).
doubleTwist gets Holo-inspired makeover in latest release
Now with a brand-new streaming music service under its belt, Android player doubleTwist is undergoing a makeover. The app's latest incarnation has just landed on Google Play and features a Holo-inspired refresh that still keeps the character and dark looks of its predecessor. As you'd expect, the application now uses the system action bar on all screens and incorporates the "Up" button. The fresh release also includes cleaner alert and dialog prompts, refined typography and pages that work in both portrait and landscape views, with the occasional optimized layout for the latter. Despite the big tweaks, the outfit says this is just phase one of its Holo facelift, and that more drastic changes and optimizations for devices toting larger screens are coming down the pike. Click the neighboring source links to download the app and catch a grand tour of the revamp.
WordPress 2.3 for Android gains Holo interface and menu drawer
Bloggers have been getting plenty of love on Android as of late, and if WordPress happens to be your platform of choice, you'll be glad to know that your time in the sun has arrived. Similar to Tumblr's recent overhaul, WordPress was just updated with a new Holo interface, and it's really quite the looker. First and foremost, you'll notice that WordPress now looks like a proper Android app, complete with an action bar for tasks such as creating posts and sharing to other apps. With a flick of the thumb, you'll also notice a menu drawer that's accessible from the left-hand side, which replaces the old school dashboard interface that was found in previous versions of WordPress for Android. We can't say the new features will help you overcome writer's block, but at least you'll have something pretty to look at while you ponder your next great post.
Tumblr for Android gets overhauled with new interface
It looks like April is the month for major Android apps to get a visual overhaul. Following Twitter's refresh last week (and Facebook's decidedly more ambitious effort), Tumblr has today released its own app update that offers a whole new user interface. As you can see above, that includes some Path-esque expandable controls for creating various types of posts, as well as new post animations and a general appearance that's more consistent with Android's "Holo" theme. There's no indication yet of that new interface heading to iOS, which just got its own Tumblr update last month.
WhatsApp for Android gets Holo-themed makeover in latest beta
Despite being one of the most successful software entities on Android, WhatsApp's been a little late to adopt certain design guidelines preferred by Google's mobile platform. Thankfully, the renowned messaging application appears to be ready to take on a more elegant UI, with the most recent beta bundling in Mountain View's praised Holo theme and, as noticed by some Android Police readers, expandable notifications for all. However, folks attracted by the idea of going Holo in WhatsApp will have to snag the goods straight from the source, as the changes have yet to make their way onto Google Play.
RunKeeper 3.0 for Android gets a Holo-native UI, puts us front and center
It must be the season for Android-native makeovers within our apps. RunKeeper has just pushed out a 3.0 update to its exercise tracker that brings the interface in line with Google's Holo concepts from Android 4.0 and beyond. There's more to see once acclimated to the look and feel, however. The 3.0 revamp now has a dedicated tab to show all of an athlete's progress in one area, such as goals and recent history. It also displays both intervals and pacing in mid-activity while making easy to set a reminder for the next run while cooling down. Runners wanting to modernize just need to hit Google Play to give RunKeeper a makeover that could very well improve their health in the process.
Stitcher overhauls its Android app to dovetail with Google's interface world (update: new iOS feature)
Stitcher's Android app can do many things with radio and podcasts, but one thing it hasn't done lately is blend in -- its interface is out of sync with a platform that has had its own distinct style for more than two years. A major remake today helps make amends. The new Stitcher app relies on the Action Bar and overall concepts of Holo-native apps for input, simplifying things for anyone who's comfortable with Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean -- and more than a little prettier, we'd add. It's more than just eye candy, though. The Android build now has a dedicated Smart Station to listen to recommendations, browsing that keeps interruptions to a minimum and Jelly Bean-specific playback controls in notifications. While there's no fundamental changes that would lure someone who's wedded to a single-purpose app, the Stitcher refresh could be worth a look if previous versions ever felt like strangers on Google's turf. Update: Not long afterwards, Stitcher has updated its iOS app to add Topic Search, which lets listeners find shows covering specific topics, even drilling down to exact show segments.
Google tells Android devs to kick the menu button to the curb, seriously you guys
If you've seen Ice Cream Sandwich and the Galaxy Nexus in action, then it should be clear that the menu button has no future in the Android ecosystem. In order to drive that point home, Google has posted over at the Android Developer blog urging app creators to "say goodbye to the menu button." With the until now standard key getting the boot, big G wants devs to start designing interfaces that focus on the ActionBar introduced with Honeycomb. Of course, there's only so much room on the screen, and that's where the "action overflow" button comes in handy. Those vertical elipsis hide useful, but perhaps secondary options, that don't fit in the action bar. It also pops up on the far right of the navigation bar as a replacement to the menu button... basically because it behaves the same as menu, just in a different location. If nothing else at least Google is pushing Android and its apps towards a more uniform design. Check out the source for more details.
Google: Android 4.0 'Holo' theme to be mandatory on all devices with Android Market
Google is rightfully proud of its native theme in Ice Cream Sandwich. Dubbed Holo, it's intuitive, functional and -- dare we say it -- downright sexy. Now, in an effort to provide all users with a consistent interface, the company is making the theme essential for all Android 4.0 devices that come bundled with the Android Market. That's right, the stock, undiluted experience. Don't be alarmed, though, because manufacturer customizations aren't going anywhere, and the changes aren't terribly drastic. In fact, for users of Sense, TouchWiz and the like, Google is issuing architectural mandates that will make it dead simple for independent developers to create apps that fit nicely into these customized environments, complete with the proper widgets and colors. In other words, app designers may effortlessly choose between Holo or the manufacturer's default theme when considering the software's interface -- although, we'd really love to see this decision extended to end-users. Meanwhile, it seems terribly unlikely that Google's new mandate will bring choice to the home screen, keyboard and dialer as well. We can only hope, right?