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AOKP team posts giant update to its Jelly Bean build, allows rotation and tablet UI anywhere
Custom ROM fans will know AOKP (Android Open Kang Project), but the first build derived from Jelly Bean was knowingly rough around the edges. What a difference a month makes: along with the usual round of bug fixes, the team's second build has added options to force screen rotation and the tablet interface on any device. Not-quite-so-early adopters also get fine-grained control over the interface DPI, LEDs, theming and vibration, and the device list has grown to include the Verizon Galaxy S III, the Galaxy Note and multiple variants of both the original Galaxy S and the Galaxy Tab family. If you were waiting to stay just short of the bleeding edge before trying AOKP, your version is ready.
Google buys Snapseed developer Nik Software, raises the eyebrows of Instagram shutterbugs
Google makes a lot of acquisitions, some of them more important than others. Its latest purchase might skew towards the grander side, as it just bought imaging app developer Nik Software. While the company is known for pro photography apps like Capture NX and its Efex Pro series, the real prize might be Snapseed, Nik's simpler image tool for desktop and iOS users. Both Nik and Google's Senior Engineering VP Vic Gundotra are silent on the exact plans, but it doesn't take much to imagine a parallel between Facebook's buyout of Instagram and what Google is doing here: there's no direct, Google-run equivalent to Instagram's social photo service in Android or for Google+ users, and Nik's technology might bridge the gap. Whether or not Googlegram becomes a reality, the deal is likely to create waves among photographers of all kinds -- including those who've never bought a dedicated camera.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD torn down, proves an easy fix
Interested in what makes your new Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tick? The crew at iFixit certainly is. As is the repair shop's custom, it just tore down Amazon's new reader tablet to gauge its repairability as well as look for any surprises. In the case of the revamped Kindle Fire, the fixable design is the main surprise -- despite being skinnier than its ancestor, the tablet is easy to open and its components (usually) easy to replace. We're not as shocked by the choice of hardware makers, which include an LG Display LCD, the expected 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor and Samsung flash memory. Head on over to the source if you'd like to see the nitty gritty of Amazon's Android slab and possibly save the trouble of a replacement unit down the road.
NVIDIA loses mobile division lead Mike Rayfield
NVIDIA's road into mobile may have just taken an unwanted (if temporary) detour. The company confirmed at week's end that its Mobile Business Unit's General Manager Mike Rayfield quietly left the company on August 24th to join another firm, although we don't know whether he's headed to a rival or in another direction altogether. NVIDIA also hasn't yet said who replaces Rayfield at the helm. No matter who takes his place, the departure is a significant blow to the crew in Santa Clara: the executive had been heading mobile development at NVIDIA since 2005, before anyone really knew the company was interested in the handheld space, and helped make the Tegra name synonymous with fast Android phones and tablets like the One X and Nexus 7. There's little doubt that more than a few competitors would like to have him onboard.
ITC says Apple didn't violate four Samsung patents with iPad, iPhone
This just hasn't been Samsung's summer. On top of Apple winning its earliest civil lawsuit against Samsung, the International Trade Commission has just handed out an initial determination that Apple didn't violate any of four Samsung patents (including two reportedly standards-essential examples) by offering the iPad and iPhone. While Judge James Gildea didn't publicly outline why Apple was in the clear, he added that Samsung lacks a domestic business that uses the patents -- important when it's trying to claim economic harm in the US. The verdict still gives Samsung at least four months' room to breathe while the ITC reviews the decision, but it's hard to see Samsung enjoying the reduced offensive strength when it's already on the defensive in American courtrooms.
Intel claims Clover Trail-based Atom won't properly run Linux, points us to Windows 8 instead
There's potentially bad news ahead if you're hoping to wipe the drive on that future HP Envy X2 and load Ubuntu -- Intel reportedly claimed at IDF that Clover Trail-based Atom processors "cannot" handle Linux properly. As outlined in The Inquirer's account of events, the issue is more a matter of optimization than an outright block: Linux doesn't yet know how to cope with all of Clover Trail's power state changes at the kernel level, which would put any penguin-powered PC at a disadvantage. Intel would really, really prefer that you run Windows 8, as the new Atom and Microsoft's OS are tuned to work hand-in-hand. Linux might catch up, but the Windows-only emphasis is a sharp break from Intel's tendency to shower love on open-source OS projects across the board, including ongoing work like Intel-native Android builds or Tizen.
BitGym Motion SDK brings Kinect-style games to Android and iOS, no huge living room required (video)
If there's a common barrier to playing with a Kinect controller, it's free space. The sheer amount of necessary distance between sensor and player is fine for suburbanites with expansive living rooms, but not so hot for apartment dwellers. Thankfully, BitGym is doing its best to bring hands-free gaming to small spaces with a new Motion SDK for Android and iOS developers. The kit takes advantage of the front cameras on phones and tablets to track three-axis movement, leans and multiple players without any special hardware -- and without necessarily rearranging the furniture. It's built to work with Unity 3D and most common app code on both platforms, all with a reportedly low overhead for mobile processors. Just don't anticipate any leaps and sidesteps in your loft for the next little while. Although the SDK is ready today, we won't see shipping games built on the motion-friendly framework until early 2013.
Insiders claim Siri co-founder Adam Cheyer has left Apple
It's not uncommon for executives of smaller companies to jump ship within a few years of the business selling to a larger firm, whether it's out of entrepreneurial restlessness or unhappiness with the corporate status quo. We don't know which of the two (if any) is a factor with Siri co-founder Adam Cheyer, but tipsters for AllThingsD and Bloomberg still say that he left Apple in June to "pursue other projects." The reported departure follows that of Dag Kittlaus, who quit Apple a year earlier, and should leave the Siri team without the brunt of its early leadership two years after Apple bought the company. Although the impact is uncertain, this doesn't necessarily mean Apple's version of Siri is at risk: along with holding on to any remaining Siri staff, Cupertino will have had a long time to familiarize itself with the code. We'd also take it all with a grain of salt. Apple has declined to comment, and Cheyer's LinkedIn profile still shows him as an Apple employee. Whatever's the truth, the rumor's sources don't have the best timing. [Image credit: Araya Diaz for TechCrunch, Flickr]
American Airlines becomes first FAA-friendly carrier to use iPads through whole flights
You don't have to wait for an FAA rethink to use your iPad on an airliner below 10,000 feet -- if you're part of an American Airlines crew, that is. As of this month, the air carrier is the first cleared by the FAA to use iPads in the cockpit at every point during a flight. The program starts just with Boeing 777 pilots at first, but it should eventually grow to save $1.2 million in weight-related fuel costs per year across the airline, not to mention a few trees and the strain of 35-pound flight bags. American is confident enough in the tablet switchover that it plans to stop handing out any paper updates to its charts and manuals as of January, just days after its entire fleet gets the regulatory nod for iPads at the end of this year. We just wouldn't anticipate Android or Windows tablet rollouts anytime soon. American isn't opposed to the concept, but it's only promising that slates beyond the iPad will be "evaluated for use" if and when the FAA applies its rubber stamp.
Amazon has change of heart, will allow opt-out of Kindle Fire HD ads for $15
You'd be forgiven for wondering just what Amazon was up to with Special Offers ads on the Kindle Fire HD: we were given the hope that we could opt out from them, only to watch that dream dashed moments later. Amazon must have been listening to frustrations over the mixed messages, as it just let Engadget and others in the media know that yes, you'll have the option to drop the ads after all. Pay $15 after picking up the new tablet and those lock screen promos will disappear forever. There's no sign that there will be a Kindle Fire shipping with ads missing from the get-go, but you know what they say about gift horses. You can find Amazon's full statement to us after the break.
Best Buy takes 2012 Amazon Kindle pre-orders for those that hate online shopping, appreciate irony
There's a certain amount of self-contradiction going on if you're visiting a brick-and-mortar store to pre-order a device that's all about e-commerce. If you relish the irony, Best Buy will gladly let you reserve Amazon's $69 Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, upgraded Kindle Fire and both sizes of the Kindle Fire HD (including the LTE model) at both regular locations and Best Buy Mobile. The retailer isn't as specific with its in-stock dates as Amazon: beyond the $69 Kindle's September 14th date, we're only promised a generic October release for the Paperwhite and 7-inch Kindle Fires, while the 8.9-inch tablets will be available "before Christmas." Not the quickest path to getting a new Kindle in your hands, then, but it may be the best way to get a hands-on before clinching the deal.
Amazon Silk browser on Kindle Fire tracks page visits to generate trends, isn't as spooky as it sounds (update: opt-out exists)
When you pick up that new Kindle Fire HD this fall, one of the first things you'll notice is an updated version of Amazon's Silk web browser with a Trending Now section. It's a clever trick that takes advantage of Silk's server-based caching to find out what sites are popular among owners. That sounds good on the surface, but it doesn't take much effort to realize that there are privacy concerns already in the air -- Amazon is sharing personal web habits with a wider audience, after all. While the section is unlikely to include any identifying information, there's no immediate sign that tablet owners can keep their behavior private, and that could create some indignation among those who'd prefer to surf in isolation. We've asked Amazon if there will be an opt-out escape hatch and will let you know if there's a definitive answer. In the meantime, we wouldn't necessarily worry. Silk shouldn't be caching your e-mail, and it's only likely to ever show pages that have far more traffic than anything you'd be embarrassed to show to others. As far as we can tell, your secret knitting obsession should be safe. Update: A spokesperson has confirmed that the option to disable Silk's caching is still available, and that switching it off will cut you out of Trending Now; that's a very all-or-nothing approach, but it'll likely suit those put off by the browser's predictive approach in the first place. Secure pages are still out of the picture as well, which should keep those private Twitter messages out of the equation.
Amazon says: yes, you can opt out of ads on new Kindle Fire models (update 3: yes, really)
The new Kindle Fire range was barely out of the oven before Amazon drew flak for its plans to include Special Offers on the lock screen for US models. In plainer language, the tablets ship with ads built-in -- and unlike e-paper Kindles, there's no option to pay for an ad-free variant from the start. But don't cancel your pre-order just yet. Amazon's support has since confirmed to an Engadget reader that the option to remove the ads will be "announced soon." Although full details aren't forthcoming, we wouldn't be surprised if history repeats and owners have to pay a fee to cover the lost ad subsidies. You can see the relevant snippet of Amazon's response e-mail, in all its tenuous grasp of English, after the break. [Thanks, Anonymous] Update: Since we've posted, CNET has talked to a spokesperson who claims that there will be "no way" to remove ads. We're getting to the bottom of this, although it's clear there's at least a schism between what PR and support staff understand. Update 2: We've gotten in touch with Amazon ourselves, and they say that there's been a mix-up in support -- there won't be any opt-out choice. Sorry, folks. If you don't like ads, you'll have to hope there's a change of heart between now and launch. Update 3: Look at that. In the space of a day, Amazon has changed its tune and says it will let you pay $15 (post-sale) to opt out of Special Offers ads.
Claimed iPad mini shell reappears, now with more rear camera and less Mr. Blurrycam
The last time we saw the purported iPad mini's aluminum backing, someone forgot to turn on a light. There's no such murkiness with NetEase's fresh turn at pre-release photography. Its view of a WiFi model gives us both a much clearer look as well as some hints that Apple wants more than a basic slab at the iPad's potential new entry level: there's a conspicuous cutout for what's likely a rear-facing camera, along with space in the top frame for a front camera. We've already seen the mini dock connector that fits in that hole at the bottom edge, of course. Nothing's definite unless there's either a smoking gun leak or an official event, but we may have just a month to wait to know whether or not the Kindle Fire HD 7-inch has some fresh competition.
Amazon confirms Kindle Fire HD models use Android 4.0 under the hood
We already had a hunch Amazon's tablets would move to Android 4.0 behind the scenes, and that's just what's happened. An Amazon spokesperson has confirmed to Engadget that at least the Kindle Fire HD's 7-inch and 8.9-inch forms have had a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich to go with their new interfaces. We don't know yet if the sped-up original gets the same treatment, although it's using an older and only slightly tweaked interface. Similarly, there's no word on any upgrade path to Jelly Bean; it's not something to count on, knowing the conservative path for the original slate. We're just glad that Amazon is keeping up with the times where it matters the most.
Amazon's 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD impressions
Hey, check out this beaut. It's the 8.9-inch version of Amazon's new Fire HD tablet. The company trotted out several of the 7-inch models, but the big daddy was a rare bird indeed -- and it's almost a shame that it shares a name with last year's model, since it feels like a completely different device. Amazon set out to make a slate that can compete with some of the top models out there, and from some passing impressions, it seems to stack up -- not least with that pixel-disguising 1920 x 1200 display and 8.8mm thickness. Of course, we're going to have to wait until we can actually spend some more time with it before passing judgement. Peep some more photos of the newer, bigger Kindle Fire in the gallery below. Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
Amazon unveils Kindle FreeTime, gives kids their own space to play
Amazon just solved one of the bigger dilemmas for parents buying that new Kindle Fire HD -- how to keep the kids in a safe zone for content. It's introducing Kindle FreeTime, a special mode that makes it easier for younguns to navigate while letting the adults create separate profiles dictating what children can access and for how long. The filters are separated by media type, and Amazon even turns the background from black to blue to reassure parents by the glow of the screen on Junior's face. We'd call the parental control a long overdue feature, although we're sure Amazon also sees it as a chance to scoop up an extra Kindle Fire sale or two among families.%Gallery-164595% Follow the Amazon liveblog here!
Sony VAIO Duo 11 slides its way past the FCC
Sony is clearly bent on getting the VAIO Duo 11 to market on time -- just as we're recovering from our post-IFA jet lag, the Windows 8 slider has popped up for approval at the FCC. The PC put through the wringer is very much like what we saw at the show, with 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC and that signature stylus on offer. There's no sign of 3G or 4G for the road warrior crowd. We don't have any clues as to the exact US release timing from the FCC's sign-off, but it does clear a path for an American release side by side with the European model in late October, if Sony yearns for some international synchronicity.
RIM applies for patent on tablet with concealable keyboard, keeps your QWERTY love a secret
RIM just can't quit keyboards, and neither can many of its fans: even the BlackBerry PlayBook has an official Mini Keyboard case. It almost shouldn't be a surprise, then, that the company is applying for a patent on a tablet design with a stealthy keyboard built-in. The layout hides a full, hinge-attached QWERTY keyboard from critics (and accidental key presses) underneath a back-mounted cover. When an owner's urge to use physical buttons becomes overwhelming, the keyboard swings into action and relies on the cover as a kickstand. It's a clever solution to lugging around a separate keyboard or specialized case, but it's hard to say if RIM will implement what it's learning into a finished product -- the firm isn't in the best position to experiment with new tablet concepts, and we've already seen a few imminent solutions to the concealed keyboard problem from other vendors. That said, the patent does show that the folks in Waterloo would like to keep a love of keyboards alive in the tablet era, even if it requires some subterfuge.
Amazon Kindle Fire sequel may have surfaced in logs, points to Android 4.0 and return to dual-core
There have been surprisingly few if any concrete leaks of Amazon's future Kindle Fire plans, even with the follow-up's appearance likely just hours away. Thankfully, we may have been given a last-minute peek into the company's strategy after an Engadget reader tipped us to some unusual activity in an app's hardware usage logs. At least a pair of hits have come from a new device identifying itself as "AmazonKFTT" instead of the much plainer "AmazonKindleFire" language attached to the original model. There's also signs that Amazon has upgraded the OS underneath to Android 4.0.3. We wouldn't anticipate this particular slate carrying a quad-core chip to tackle the Nexus 7 head-on, though -- unless the KFTT variant is just a firmware-updated Kindle Fire with a name change, the next generation should still have at least one dual-core tablet in the range. Here's hoping there are a few more surprises in store by the time Amazon takes the stage on Thursday. [Thanks, Jared]
