Google I/O 2012 links: I/O website, Day 1 video, Day 2 video

• Day 1
  • Google+ Events
    • Party mode that shares all photos to the event page
    • Calendar integration: ensure to disable showing events that you have been invited to and not accepted to show in calendar
  • Google Glass Explorer Edition
    • US$1500. Sky diving, bike stunt, repelling approved
• Day 2
  • Chrome for iOS
    • iPhone & iPad
    • With features like tab syncing, and password synchronization
  • Google Drive
    • Now available for iOS and Chrome OS
    • Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on images - can search for text in photos
    • Intelligent image search (e.g. search for pyramid and it can retrieve photos with pyramids in it)
    • Built into ChromeOS
  • Google Docs Offline
    • save changes when offline and uploads when online
  • Google Compute Engine
    • Amazon EC2 competitor

Google I/O 2012 links: I/O website, Day 1 video, Day 2 video

Android 4.1 Jellybean

• Overview of new features, API Notes & official changelog from Google
• Project Butter
  • To make UI smoother using triple buffering, vsync, 60fps
  • Increasing CPU frequency when there is touch input so it is responsive
  • Predicting where the user will touch
  • David Pogue says “Google’s tablet is now Applesque in its fluid touch response”
• Notifications improvement
  • Actions straight from notifications. No need to open app
    • Call person from missed called
    • Email all attendees for meeting
    • +1 or share straight from the notifications
  • Different views: normal (text snippet), bigger view (with lots of text), picture view (with images)
• Google Now

  • Siri / S-voice competitor

  • Based on knowledge graph to show results based on context

  • Card based interface with each card showing information

  • More than just text as text answers: photos as well. With Google search at the bottom

  • Natural sounding voice

  • Proactive digital assistant giving automatic reminders / information based on context. Example: reminds you that you should leave in 5 minutes in order to meet your appointment due to traffic on the highway. It has your scheduled information in the calendar, it knows the route and traffic you should take and calculates the time it would take to reach destination.

  •  Google now creepy knowing your behaviour but gives relevant results

• Offline voice typing: core engine shrunk to work offline, but if there is an Internet connection it works better
• Homescreen improvements: when placing new widget on a screen it will automatically reflow icons to fit it or shrink the widget in order to fit it on the screen
• Predictive keyboard. New keyboard layouts and languages. User installable keymaps
• Accessibility improvements - gesture mode with speech guidance. USB/Bluetooth Braille inputs
• Camera tweaks. Swipe to review. Tap and share.
• Android beam: initiate transfers via NFC and now allowing larger transfers via Bluetooth
• WiFi network and WiFi direct service discovery: find services available via device son the network (e.g. printer) or via an app on another Android device (direct P2P without a need for a network)

Developer Related Features

• Update over the air for Galaxy Nexus, Motorola Xoom & Nexus S in mid July
• SDK available today
• App encryption: all paid apps encrypted with a device-specific key before they are delivered and stored on a device to prevent piracy
• Smart / Delta updates
  • Automatically handled by the Play Store
  • Support for Android 2.3 Gingerbread & above
  • 1/3 the size of regular updates
• Android Device Messaging C2DM now called Google cloud messaging
  • Multi-casting
  • Free. No quota limits
• Android Platform Development Kit
  • For hardware manufacturers
  • Given new version 2-3 months before release (for better / faster updates)

Note: Image licensed via Google under CC-BY

Google I/O 2012 links: I/O website, Day 1 video, Day 2 video

Nexus Q

• The creation from Project Tungsten ‘home automation’ mentioned in Google  IO 2011
• Streams music / video from Google Play
• A social Jukebox - multiple users can control the playlist and add items from their Play content
• Phone / tablet as a controller
• NFC enabled: tap to download software, pair over Bluetooth
• Allows streaming to different devices/rooms
• 25W amp built-in
• Optical in (S/PDIF), Banana jacks, ethernet, micro USB, micro HDMI
• 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, NFC
• Dual Core CPU (same as Galaxy Nexus) 16GB, 1GB RAM
• Made in USA
• US$299
• More at the Nexus Q site

Google Play

• Largest eBook collection
• Adding:
  • Movie purchasing (previously just rental)
  • TV shows (episodes & seasons)
  • Magazines (with possible 14 day trial)

Nexus 7

• 7” (1280x800 screen), Quad core CPU, 12 core GPU
• Android 4.1 Jellybean
• Up to 9 hours video playback
• 340 grams (same weight as Galaxy Tab 7.7)
• Similar to original Galaxy Tab dimensions
• MicroUSB for data and charging (no proprietary cables)
• Front facing camera only
• No 3G / microSD
• Homescreen only portrait
• US$199 (8GB) / US$249 (16GB)
• Ships Mid July to US, Canada, UK, Australia
• More at the Nexus 7 site

 

Specifications (Full specifications at Apple)

• Thinner 15" Macbook Pro with 4 times the resolution (2880 x 1800)
• Quad-core Intel Core i7 (starting at 2.3GHz)
• SSD based (starting at 256GB configurable to 768GB)
• 8GB RAM
• Intel HD Graphics 4000 & NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M (1GB)
• 7 hours battery life
• 2 x Thunderbold ports, 2 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x full HDMI port, 1 x full SD card slot, 1 x headset port
• 720p HD FaceTime webcam, 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0

More features at Apple.com

Brunei Prices (via AV Electronics Facebook)

• B$2988 (cash price): 2.3GHz Intel Quad Core i7, 256GB, 8GB RAM
• B$3788 (cash price): 2.6GHz Intel Quad Core i7, 512GB, 8GB RAM

Links

• TheVerge Review
• ArsTechnica Review
• iFixit Teardown
• Wired opinion: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable
• Apple Press Release

Other notes

• All laptops (Macbook Air and Macbook Pro) upgraded to new the newer Ivy Bridge chipsets and get USB 3.0 ports
• Macbook Pro 17" discontinued but still available in 13" & 15" (non-retina)

• OS X Mountain Lion will be released next month (July) for US$19.99
• iCloud integration
• Messages
  • iMessage comes to the desktop
  • Multi-protocol client (AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk, and Jabber) with document/photo/video transfer and video Facetime
• Notification Center:
  • from iOS to OSX
  • Ability to update Twitter / Facebook status
  • An alternative to Growl
• Sharing service: similar to iOS
• Power Nap: automatic backup and updates while sleeping
• Dictation:
• Facebook Integration
• Gatekeeper: forcing apps in the AppStore to be sandboxed for better security but may remove functionality
• Over 200+ new features

• New Maps application with turn by turn directions, traffic reports and flyover aerial view
• A better Siri
  • Sports, movies and restaurant integration
  • Ability to post to Facebook and Twitter
  • Application launching
  • Eyes Free for voice control features while driving
• Facebook Integration: similar to previous Twitter integration but better with added contact and calendar integration
• Passbook: a ticketing/coupon application to consolidate all items in one location (with time and location integration)
• Better photo sharing
• Improved Safari: tab syncing to the cloud and other iDevices and offline reading capability
• Facetime over cellular
• Coming in the fall to the iPhone 3GS/4/4S, iPod touch 4th generation, iPad 2 & the new iPad

Read more about iOS 6 at Apple.com

The new iPad

• 4x resolution increase (2048x1536 vs old 1024x768)
• Quad core graphics A5X (still dual core CPU)
• 5MP rear camera (1080p video recording)
• 4G (LTE) for US$130 more (different model for different carriers)
• Other notable features
  • Internet hotspot tethering: finally can tether mobile data to other devices via WiFi (and presumably Bluetooth as well)
  • Voice dictation: mic button on keyboard to activate dictation
  • Bluetooth 4.0
• Same price point as iPad 2 and same battery life
• Slightly thicker (9.4 mm vs 8.8mm) and heavier (652g vs 601g)
• Weight increase probably due to increase battery capacity  (42.5-watt-hourvs old 25-watt-hour)
• Retail sales start March 16th (including Singapore) or March 23rd for the International release (no Brunei)
• Starting at US$499

The new iPad Wi-Fi

• 16GB: US$499 (S$658)
• 32GB: US$599 (S$788)
• 64GB: US$699 (S$918)

The new iPad WiFi+4G

• 16GB: US$629 (S$828)
• 32GB: US$729 (S$958)
• 64GB: US$829 (S$1088)

The old iPad 2

• 16GB WiFi: US$399 (S$528)
• 16GB WiFi + 3G: US$529 (S$698)

AV Electronis iPad 2 Pricing (via Facebook)

• WiFi
  • 16GB/32GB/64GB: B$528 / B$638 / B$768
• WiFi+3G:
  • 16GB / 32GB / 64GB: B$698 / B$808 / B$938

App updates

• iWork (US$9.99 for each app): Pages, Numbers, Keynote
• iMovie (US$4.99): outlining and storyboarding
• Garageband (US$4.99): 4 iOS devices can jam in real time via bluetooth or Wi-FI
• New iPhoto(US$4.99):
  • Multi-touch editing/touch-ups
  • Can work with 19mp photos
  • Share via iCloud with public link.
  • Photo beaming share to iOS devices over bluetooth or Wi-Fi

In other notes

• iOS 5.1 was announced and is ready to be downloaded
  • Siri for other languages including Japanese
  • Increase of max app size downloadable OTA (i.e. via 3G/4G) to 50MB (previously 20MB)
• New Apple TV with 1080p playback support and redesigned interface.
• iTunes update: supports movies in the cloud: can redownload from any device and watch

It took us a while to get back in the groove but we’re back and covered some Mobile World Congress 2012 news.

HTC

• new HTC One series unveiled
• Superfast photo capture: 0.7 seconds to take a photo , 0.2-seconds autofocus
• Capture a photo in the midst of recording HD video
• 25 gigabytes of free Dropbox space for two years
• All devices: Android 4.0 (ICS), HTC Sense 4, Bluetooth 4.0, Beats Audio
• One X & One XL

  • 4.7" (1280x720) HD screen

  • X:

    • 1.5 GHz, quad core
    • 32GB storage, 1GB RAM

  • UMTS: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz

  • XL:

    • 1.5 GHz, dual core
    • 16GB storage, 1GB RAM

  • UMTS

  • ATT: 850/1900/2100 MHz

  • Asia/AUS: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz

  • LTE

  • ATT: B4/B17

  • Asia/AUS: 1800/2600 MHz

  • 8 MP camera (1080p video)

  • F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens,

  • 1.3 MP front camera (720p video)

  • NFC

  • No microSD slot

  • microSIM

• One S: midrange
  • 4.3" (540 x 960) screen
  • 1.5 GHz, dual core
  • UMTS: 850/900/2100 MHz
  • 16 GB storage, 1 GB RAM
  • 8 MP camera (1080p video)
  • F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens,
  • VGA front camera
  • microSIM
  • No microSD slot
  • UMTS: Europe/Asia: 850/900/2100 MHz
• One V: budget
  • 3.7" (800x480) screen
  • 1 GHz CPU
  • 5 MP camera (720p video)
  • 4 GB storage, 512 MB RAM
  • Expansion slot: microSD slot
  • UMTS: Europe/Asia: 850/900/2100 MHz

Sony

• Xperia S companion devices: Xperia P (mid range) and low end (budget)
• Overview: Reasonable screen size, dual core but Android 2.3 with ICS supposedly coming in Q2
• Sony Xperia P - mid range
  • 4" (960 x 540 pixels) Reality Display
  • 1 GHz , dual core
  • Android 2.3 (Upgrade to Android 4, Ice Cream Sandwich, planned in Quarter 2 2012)
  • 8 MP camera  (1080p video)
  • 0.3 MP (VGA) front camera
  • 2D and 3D panoramic images.
  • 16GB flash storage. 1GB RAM
  • NFC
  • UMTS: 850, 900, 1900, 2100
• Sony Xperia U - budget

  • 3.5" (854 x 480)  Reality Display

  • 1 GHz dual core

  • Android 2.3 (Upgrade to Android 4, Ice Cream Sandwich, planned in Quarter 2 2012)

  • 5 MP camera (720p video)

  • 0.3MP (VGA) front camera

  • 4GB storage, 512MB RAM

  • UMTS

    • 900, 2100 MHz (Global except Americas)

  • 850, 1900, 2100 MHz (Americas)

Huawei

• Press release: Huawei releases their own quad-core CPU said to be better performing and lower power consumption
• Overview: 4.5” 720p phone screens with ICS
• Ascend D Quad
  • 4.5" (1280x720) screen
  • Huawei quad core 1.2GHz/1.5GHz
  • Android 4.0
  • 8 MP camera (1080p video)
  • 1.3 MP front-facing camera
  • 8GB storage, 1GB RAM
  • UMTS: 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz
• Ascend D Quad XL
  • 2500mAh vs standard 1800mAh in Ascend D Quad
• Ascend D1
  • 4.5" (1280x720) screen
  • 1.5 GHz dual core
  • Android 4.0
  • 8GB storage, 1GB RAM
  • UMTS: 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz
• MediaPad 10 FHD
  • 10” (1920 x 1200) IPS screen
  • 1.5 GHz K3 quad-core processor
  • Android 4.0
  • 8 MP camera
  • 1.3 MP front camera
  • 2G RAM

Viewsonic

• Dual SIM phones

• ViewPhone 4s

  • 3.5" (640x960) screen

• 1GHz processor

• 5 MP rear camera

• 0.3 MP (VGA) front camera

• Android 4.0

• Dual SIM

• ViewPhone 5e

  • 5" (800x480) screen

• Android 4.0

• Dual SIM

• ViewPhone 4e

  • 3.5" (480x320) screen

• 650MHz

• Android 2.3

• 512MB of RAM

• 3MP camera

• Dual SIM

Samsung

• Galaxy Note 10.1

  • 10.1 1280 x 800 TFT LCD

• Android 1.0

• 64GB storage

• 3 MP camera, 2 MP front camera

• Pressure sensitive S-Pen

• Preloaded with specially designed versions of Adobe Photoshop Touch, Adobe Ideas and other graphical software items, users can draw graphics and sketches and edit images on the device

• Split screen option: , users can ‘break’ the 10.1-inch display in two, with S Note on one side, and a live web-browsing or video playing window on the other side.

• Galaxy Beam

  • 4" (800x480) display
  • 1GHz dual-core processor
  • Android 2.3
  • TI DLP nHD (640 x 360) Projector built into phone

Nokia

• Nokia Lumia 610
  • 3.7" (800 x 480) LCD screen
  • 800MHz + 256mb memory
  • Most affordable Lumia smartphone yet
  • WinPhone 7.5
  • UMTS: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
  • No microSD slot
• Nokia 808 PureView
  • 4" (640 x 360) AMOLED screen
  • 1.3GHz CPU
  • 41 MP camera sensor
    • Typical 5 MP photos utilizing 7 pixels to 1 ‘superpixel’ for better image quality
    • Lossless video zoom: 1080p 4x, 720p 6x
  • Symbian, S3 Belle
  • UMTS: 850/900/1700/-21001900/2100 MHz
  • NFC

Device Overview

• Acer Iconia Tab A700: 10" 1080p screen with a quad core CPU
• Acer Iconia Tab A510: An update to the 10" Acer Iconia A500 with quad core CPU and Android 4.0
• ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF700: An update to the 10" Transformer Prime TF201 with a new design, 1080p screen and 2MP camera
• ASUS Eee Pad MeMO ME370T: 7" quad core Android tablet for a great price of US$249
• Lenovo IdeaTab S2: 10" Android 4.0 tablet with optional keyboard dock
• Pantech Element: 8" LTE tablet with Android 3.2
• XO 3.0: The One-Laptop-Per-Child (OLPC)’s US$100 tablet targetting developing nations

Acer Iconia Tab A700

• 10" 1080p (1920 x 1200) “IPS like” screen
• Quad-core 1.3GHz Tegra 3 CPU, 1GB RAM
• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• HDMI-port, microSD and micro USB
• Expected in Q2 2012
• Links: Engadget, The Verge, TechRadar, Image via Engadget

Acer Iconia Tab A510

• 10" (1280 x 800) screen
• Quad-core 1.3GHz Tegra 3 CPU, 1GB RAM
• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• An updated Iconia Tab A500 but with quad core CPU and ICS
• Links: The Verge, PhoneArena, Android Central

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF700

• 10" (1920 x 1200) super IPS+, Gorilla Glass screen
• Quad-core 1.3GHz Tegra 3 CPU
• 8MP rear camera, 2MP front camera
• Android 4.0
• Skyrim w/ splashtop
• Compared to older Transformer TF201: New design, higher resolution (1920x1200 vs 1280x800), better front facing camera (2MP)
• Links: ASUS press release, The Verge, Engadget, Android Police,

ASUS Eee Pad MeMO ME370T

• 7" (1280 x 800) IPS screen
• Quad core Tegra 3 CPU, 1GB RAM,
• 8 MP camera
• Android 4.0
• There is an older configuration (ME171) which is the original MeMO device with a specialized bluetooth headset and stylus that was previously in the news months back. It has a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU with 5MP rear camera and 1.2MP front camera
• US$249.
• Links: ASUS press release, The Verge, Engadget, NVIDIA blog, CNET, Image via Liliputing

Pantech Element

• 8" (1024 x 768) TFT screen
• Dual-core 1.5GHz
• 5MP rear camera, 2MP front camera
• LTE connectivity (AWS/700)
• HSPA+/UMTS (850/1900/2100MHz)
• Android 3.2 (upgrade to 4.0 is promised)
• Waterproof
• Links: Pantech Element microsite, The Verge, Engadget, Huffington Post

Lenovo IdeaTab S2

• 10.1" (1280 x 800) IPS screen
• Dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon CPU, 1GB RAM,
• 5MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera
• Optional keyboard dock
• 3G with call support
• Android 4.0
• Links: Lenovo press release, GSM Arena, The Verge, Engadget,

OLPC’s XO 3.0

• 8" (1024 x 768) LCD / Pixel Qi display
• Marvell Armada PXA618 CPU
• 512MB RAM, 4GB storage
• Android / Sugar OS (OLPC’s own Linux OS)
• Can be powered by hand crank or solar panel
• Mainly for developing countries with a targetted price of US$100
• Links: XO 3.0 press release, The Verge, ArsTechnica, Forbes, Image from OLPC Wiki