googlebreakfast2013
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Hands-on with Chromecast, Google's wireless HDMI streaming dongle (update: video)
We should've known this was coming after Google and Netflix informed us back at CES they were working on their AirPlay competitor, the DIAL wireless streaming protocol. Today, with the revelation of the new Chromecast HDMI dongle to leverage DIAL and expand upon it, you'll be able to stream more content more easily to your home's biggest screen -- all for just 35 bucks. We got to check out the Chromecast at today's Google event, so join us, won't you, for our full impressions.%Gallery-194579%
Nexus 7 hands-on (2013) (update: video!)
The Nexus 7 was a rather swell device when it was officially launched last year, and now we've had the opportunity to play with the next-gen version, which bumps the swellness factor a notch or two. The tablet, which boasts a 1080-quality display (1,920 x 1,200, to be precise) and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, is being shown off after this morning's Breakfast with Sundar event -- which we suppose means we're now at brunch. We've grabbed a few images of the new tablet, seen below, and have added some early impressions after the break. Meet us there to see what we think. Update: Hands-on video after the break! %Gallery-194578%
Google letting developers in on the Chromecast action with Google Cast SDK
Now that Google has let its $35 Chromecast HDMI dongle out of the bag at its breakfast press event, it's gonna need developers to chip in some apps for it. To help boost that effort, the company is releasing the Google Cast SDK to help those folks bring content from mobile and the web to TVs. By using the kit, developers won't need to build new applications for the big screen from scratch; they'll just need to make a few tweaks to their existing mobile apps. Mountain View expects Google Cast tech to be embedded in future hardware from its partners, with Chromecast being "the first instantiation" of such an ecosystem. You can now grab a preview (at the source) for iOS, Android and Chrome -- which is good news, since the wee dongle already appears to be sold out on Play.
Netflix, Pandora confirmed as content partners for Chromecast streaming
Google's taking another big stab at the TV market with its just-announced Chromecast HDMI streaming solution, and it's naturally lined up some content partners to make that device more useful. At its event today, the company confirmed that Netflix is on board with video streaming support from its Android and iOS apps; Chromecast buyers will also get three months of Netflix for free "for a limited time" with their purchase (notably, that includes existing Netflix members). On the audio side of things, you'll also be able to take advantage of music streaming courtesy of Pandora, which is apparently coming sometime after launch according to Google's blog post. Less surprisingly, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and the Play Music app will also be offering full support for the device, letting you push videos and music to your TV (and the sound system attached to it) from your mobile device of choice. Additional content partners are said to be "coming soon."%Gallery-194569%
Google introduces Chromecast, a $35 HDMI streaming solution for televisions (video)
Google's Chromecast is Mountain View's next foray into the television market. In brief, it's a $35 HDMI dongle that mirrors content being played nearby on a tablet, smartphone or computer. (Hrm, that sounds familiar.) Importantly though, the mirrored content isn't beamed from your local device, but is streamed from the cloud direct to the dongle when you activate mirroring on a Chromecast-compatible service like YouTube or Netflix. At that point, your PC or mobile is freed up for multi-tasking, and for working as a WiFi-based remote control for the content on the bigger display. Check out our hands-on to see the Chromecast in action, or read on for more detail.%Gallery-194566%
Google intros Play Textbooks for purchase and rent
Google is clearly committed to education on mobile devices beyond Play for Education -- it just unveiled Google Play Textbooks, a dedicated category on the Play Store for learning material. The section will offer titles from the top five publishers, and students will have the choice of renting books for six months in addition to buying them outright. Textbooks should be available this August, and they'll sync across Android, iOS and the web. %Gallery-194562%
Google Play Games app launches today, provides a portal for tablet gamers (update: it's here)
Today Google unveiled a brand new Play Games app, that serves as a companion hub and portal for the Google Play Games Services, announced at I/O. The app serves as a front end for viewing leader boards and connecting with friends (from your Google+ circles, of course), simplifying the act of challenging them in head-to-head competitions. Play Games, in addition to serving as a place to track all of your achievements and other such gaming goodness, serves as a single repository for launching all your games. Think of it like Steam, but for your Android tablet or phone, and with a slightly less graphically-impressive library of titles. Asphalt 8 Airborne, Riptide GP2 and Prince of Persia The Shadow and the Flame are will be among the first to take advantage of the new Play Games App, with the latter hitting virtual shelves tomorrow. Update: It's now available on Google Play; hit the source link for your download. %Gallery-194560%
Android 4.3 brings 1080p Netflix streaming
After revealing Google's new Nexus 7, Director of Product Management Hugo Barra revealed that the company has teamed up with Netflix to bring higher resolution video streams to compatible devices, a feature you'll only enjoy on devices running the just-announced Android 4.3. Yep, Netflix will now run at 1080p resolution, with the video-streaming company one of the first to use the new set of DRM APIs announced in tandem with this latest OS release. Unfortunately, of course, you'll just have to wait for that pesky OTA update before you can try it.
The new Nexus 7 vs. last year's model: what's changed?
Google's second-generation Nexus 7 hasn't been the company's best kept secret -- we've seen leak after leak, after leak and, well, you get the point. Still, now that the revamped 7-inch slate is officially out the bag, we can finally leave speculation behind and attach some formal specifications to the thing. As expected, the new Nexus 7 brings a number of internal upgrades to the table, while its outer shell has seen a few minor aesthetic changes. All signs point toward it being a worthy successor to Mountain View's popular tablet, but how big of an upgrade are we talking about, exactly? Those answers await after the jump, where we break down the specs and spell out what's different between the old and new Nexus 7.
New Nexus 7 vs. the competition: battle of the budget 7-inch tablets
The original Nexus 7 launched in a relative vacuum -- there were other low-cost, 7-inch Android tablets before, but few with the full support of a major manufacturer. The 2013-era Nexus 7 is entering a far more crowded marketplace with many recognizable names, and even more aggressive pricing. With that in mind, we've compared Google's latest tablet with three of its newest 7-inch peers -- ASUS' MeMo Pad HD 7, HP's Slate 7 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 -- to see whether it's as strong a value as its predecessor. Ironically, the new Nexus 7 occupies the high end in this space. It's the most expensive tablet here, with the sharpest display, the fastest processor and the most built-in storage. However, that doesn't mean it's priced out of contention. The $30 you save with the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 just isn't worth it; Samsung's tablet is a big step down in every aspect outside of expandability. And you're clearly getting what you pay for with the Slate 7, whose low price doesn't excuse a poor display and sluggish performance. The Nexus 7's real competition comes from its own manufacturer, ASUS. While the MeMo Pad HD 7 has a lower resolution screen and a slower CPU, its cameras, display quality, processing power and storage are superb for the price. If you don't crave the Nexus 7's technology or stock Android 4.3, it may be wiser to save $80 and buy the good-enough MeMo Pad instead. Full specifications for all the tablets are available after the break.
New Nexus 7 with LTE headed to AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile (update: 32GB LTE model available in the 'coming weeks')
Coming as no surprise at all, Google's just unveiled its newest Nexus 7 tablet at a breakfast meeting in San Francisco this morning. What has caught us off guard, however, is news that the Android 4.3 tablet will bow on three of the US' top wireless carriers -- that's AT&T, Verizon* and T-Mobile -- as a single SKU and with support for LTE. No release date or pricing has yet been announced for the 7-incher, but when it does launch, it'll be the premier device to ship with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Update: Google's just released pricing and availability for the new Nexus 7, pegging the WiFi version for a July 30th bow in-store and online. There'll be two configurations -- a 16GB and 32GB -- that'll retail for $229 and $269, respectively. Users that prefer to wait for the LTE-enabled version will have to fork over $349 for a 32GB model, although this variant still doesn't have a solid street date; Google's saying it'll hit retail in the "coming weeks." *the Nexus 7 LTE will not support CDMA (read: 3G service) on Verizon
Android 4.3 Jelly Bean official: shipping with new Nexus 7, available OTA for select devices today
A healthy stream of leaks in the last several months indicated that the latest version of Jelly Bean was right around the corner, and at its press event today Google pulled back the curtain on Android 4.3. Unsurprisingly, the latest software will debut on the new Nexus 7, which was also announced on stage. In addition to shipping with that tablet, the software will be available as an over-the-air update for the Nexus 4, Nexus 10, Galaxy Nexus and first-gen Nexus 7 today. No word on when the larger world of Android devices will receive the latest version, though. The new software adds a restricted profile feature, which lets parents control what content children can view. According to Hugo Barra, who demoed the OS on stage, apps act differently depending on a given user's restriction settings, and the new feature also blocks in-app purchasing (we know how disastrous that can be for unwitting toddlers). Beyond that, the newest version of Jelly Bean adds Bluetooth Smart technology, and there's support for OpenGL ES 3.0, enabling improved details in graphics. A Unity game demo showed us how 3D objects can cast shadows on themselves, along with the ability add lens flare. Perhaps the sweetest feature of all, though, is Netflix streaming in 1080p -- that in and of itself could leave non-Nexus owners more than a little jealous. This goody comes thanks to a new set of DRM APIs to take advantage of HD content on the Nexus. Also on board are Bluetooth AVRCP, dialpad autocomplete, and easier text input. Click through to the source for more info from the Android dev blog, and make sure to follow along with our liveblog.%Gallery-194556%
Google announces thinner, lighter Nexus 7 with higher-res screen, arrives July 30th for $230
When we reviewed the Nexus 7 last summer, we said it was the best tablet $200 could buy. A year later, that still might be true if it weren't for the fact that there's a new Nexus 7 in town. One that's a bit better specced and a bit more expensive than the OG model. Today Google took the wraps off an updated version of its smaller tablet offering, this one also made by ASUS, which takes everything you know and love about the original and makes it just a little bit better. For one, the already-solid screen has been bumped to 1,920 x 1,200, giving the new Nexus a pixel density of 323 ppi. The 7-point touch IPS panel sports glass that's not only scratch resistant, but also fights off fingerprints and smudges (we'll believe that one when we see it). Of course, putting a stunning display on a device is pointless if you don't have the horsepower to serve up lots of smooth, high-quality content. So, Google gave the CPU a bit of a bump, moving to a 1.5GHz quad-core S4 Pro from Qualcomm that comes paired with an Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM. Oh, and all those wonderful new components should be well utilized by Android 4.3, the exciting (if incremental) OS update released alongside Google's new tablet.
Google reports 70 million Android tablet activations as it confirms app downloads have passed the 50 billion mark
It seems like just 10 weeks ago that Google was reporting a total of 900 million Android activations. Well, now the company's back, once again outdoing itself with some fresh figures. Today, we're hearing that more than 70 million Android tablets have been activated to date. Meanwhile, Google has surpassed 50 billion app downloads in the Google Play Store across all Android devices, and there are now more than a million applications available in the store. Additionally, the company claims that in the first half of this year, one in two tablets sold worldwide was an Android product. With no way of confirming that figure ourselves, we'll stand on that tablet activation figure, as it represents a pretty sizable jump for Google: at the end of 2012, tablet activations were still somewhere below 40 million. That's all for now as far as stats go. We'll leave you to gawk at that super tempting new Nexus 7.%Gallery-194551%
