Google Android 4.3 is here, and it tastes like Jelly Bean

Months later than we initially expected, Google finally took the wraps off the next version of its Android operating system at an event on Wednesday in San Francisco. The barely changed Android 4.3 isn't the giant leap we expected, but it is noteworthy, particularly for its performance improvements and new Restricted Profiles feature.

Officially, Android 4.3 is still a version of Jelly Bean, which makes sense, considering the minor nature of its changes. But of course, this may disappoint Android fans whose mouths have been watering for Key Lime Pie since Google I/O in May.

For the most part, Android 4.3 appears to be much like its predecessor. The general makeup of the home screen and app drawer looks the same, and Google Now, Search, and Notifications all feel familiar. That said, the updated Jelly Bean does have some important additions that are worth going over.

Multi-User Restricted Profiles
The biggest addition to Android 4.3 is the Multi-User Restricted Profiles feature, which lets you control the usage of apps and other content on a user level. Multiple user profiles were already available in 4.2.2, but the ability to create restrictions has long been requested, so it's sure to be a big hit.

The people most obviously to benefit from the new profile controls are parents. We saw this in Google's demo; being logged into a restricted user profile caused an app to behave differently. Specifically, a freemium game showed up without all of the in-app purchasing functionality, which is clearly going to be useful for parents with young children who use the device.

The ability to create restricted user profiles can be useful for businesses and families that share devices.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jaymar Cabebe/CNET)

As well, retail kiosks that use tablets for customer service or as POS systems will be able to make use of the feature. By enabling multiple user profiles, businesses will be able to take advantage of the versatility of tablets by using them in different contexts.

From the primary user's Settings screen, it's easy to configure a restricted account's access using the sliders. And if an app offers in-app restrictions (such as the games mentioned above), then there's a button for extra options next to it.

With Restricted Profiles, Google is obviously trying to lure more users -- specifically parents and businesses -- away from iOS, a platform that still lacks a user profiles feature altogether. As well, the feature opens a number of doors to developers who can now create in-app restrictions.

From the primary user's account, it's easy to configure a restricted account's access to specific apps or even features within certain apps.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jaymar Cabebe/CNET)

Bluetooth Smart technology
Support for Bluetooth Smart technology is another addition to Android 4.3 that wasn't all that unexpected, considering it's been available on iOS since early 2012. With this, the updated Android now allows you to connect with the newer generation of power-efficient accessories that use Bluetooth Smart. And of course, the Smart connection should be less taxing on your Android device's battery. During Google's presentation, we saw an Android device connecting with a Bluetooth Smart-enabled heart-rate monitor that was being powered by the popular Runtastic fitness app.

The update also came with Bluetooth AVRCP 1.3 support, which lets your device now transmit metadata, like a song's title and artist, to Bluetooth controllers.

Open GL ES 3.0
A big deal for gamers, Open GL ES 3.0 makes the new version of Android more efficient and just plain better at displaying graphics. Google's demo showed us impressive textures, lens flares, and reflections that the older OS would have had trouble displaying. While the upgraded graphics might be indiscernible to the average user, Open GL ES support is still important because of the new possibilities it opens up for developers.

Additional enhancements
These may not be the sexiest improvements to the OS, but together they make for a smoother (and more fun) mobile computing experience overall.

First up, is Android's dialer, which now has autocomplete for both phone numbers and names. I haven't gotten to try the feature on a phone yet, but its presence in 4.3 is confirmed, and the added convenience is notable. That said, the reality is that most Android users may not even notice the upgraded dialer, since autocomplete has already come built into the custom operating systems by hardware manufacturers like Samsung.

One feature that Google didn't formally announce is the new Emoji keyboard, which comes stock with the OS and can be enabled through the Language & input menu under Settings. Once enabled, you can long-press the spacebar key to pull it up and emote to your heart's content.

Tucked into the Language and inputs menu is a nifty emoji keyboard.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jaymar Cabebe/CNET)

The Wi-Fi scan-only mode, while somewhat obscure, is a new feature that could help conserve your battery. The feature, when enabled, lets Google's location service and other apps scan for networks, even when Wi-Fi is off. This means you can improve your location accuracy without the continuous drain.

What we think
Is Android 4.3 something to get excited about? Probably not. The bulk of the improvements appear to be under the hood, and the biggest front-end addition that Google demoed -- Restricted Profiles -- was geared to parents and businesses.

While many Android users have been crossing their fingers for the OS' next iteration to be version 5.0, Key Lime Pie, this performance-focused update says that Google is taking a slower development route, possibly to minimize fragmentation as device manufacturers play catch-up. If that is, in fact, what's going on, then the move, as unexciting as it is, might be better for all Android users in the long run.

Stay tuned, as we'll be updating this story throughout the day with more details.

-CNET

Shared.Com Takes On Mega, Dropbox With 100GB Of Free Storage Space

Share Media is a four-person, bootstrapped company that aims to take on Kim Dotcom. Their service, basically a way to drag and drop files and instantly share them with others, offers 100GB free with a file size limit of 2GB. As of this writing Kim Dotcom’s Mega has an upward limit of 50GB of storage and competitors are essentially in the same range.

Thankfully files shared on the service are not encumbered by any false download queues or “pro vs. free” speed reductions. You can grab this file without seeing ads if you so desire and the company is sharing 500 million files already. The UI is as simple as Crate’s and is aimed at the IT dev and the casual sharer.

Traffic is still slow but it’s slowly picking up. “We are taking additional time to understand the specific needs of our early adopters and making specific changes to accommodate suggestions from our first group of users,” said Florian Cervenka, CTO of the project.

“Shared.com is the prototype of our robust API that we are rolling out. Developers can essentially ‘roll their own’ cloud storage service and rapidly develop cloud storage apps,” he said. The team has worked in hosting for years, creating flixya.com and other storage-heavy systems.

“We still operate some of those sites. The volume we already are using allows us to purchase cheap hardware and bandwidth and to finance this project,” he said.

You can try the service out for six months with this promo code and they’re constantly looking for feedback, so give it to them.

-TechCrunch

Why your next PC should be touchscreen

It's fair to say that touch has already revolutionised the way we use our mobile phones - making every task quicker, more efficient and easier. So if you are looking to update your PC or laptop then it makes perfect sense to look for a touchscreen option too.

The good news is that, with Windows 8, the latest stylish computers are already embracing the touch revolution and Lenovo has some remarkable PCs that bring the finest touchscreens to your laptop or all-in-one computer.

Windows 8 is really brought to life with touch allowing you to access and use apps and games just like you would on your phone, but it doesn't come at the cost of the familiar desktop, so you won't have to give up on your favourite computer programs.

Factor in a wonderful keyboard and you really do get the best of both worlds - all the fun and feeling of touch without sacrificing the functionality of a proper keyboard and the familiarity of the Windows desktop.

That means you can flit between playing Angry Birds and getting that super-important spreadsheet finished off ahead of your big meeting and not need to switch devices. You can use your finger to control your computer, or use the trackpad or a mouse if you need to be a little bit more precise.

Let's face it, we've spent a long time compromising by being forced to control things one way or another so it's nice to be able to choose however we want to navigate through our daily computing lives.

One of the finest ways to enjoy touchscreen computing on the go is with an ultrabook - ultra-thin and light for great portability but with all the functionality of a laptop.

And touch-enabled ultrabooks need not break the bank - Lenovo's IdeaPad U310 won praise for its lovely keyboard and for its stylish look but costs less than £500 and the IdeaPad 410 picked up plaudits from TechRadar for its fab graphics and sound as well as coming in at a price that you won't believe for such a beautiful piece of kit.

Another option is the versatile Lenovo Z500 Touch where, as TechRadar's review puts it, "you'll find yourself seamlessly playing games, tabbing out to prod your way through Windows and then turning the system to more mundane tasks without stopping for breath."

Of course, not everybody is looking for a laptop so Lenovo has a range of fantastic all-in-one PCs that bring beautiful touchscreens that can bring your home computing to life.

Take the IdeaCentre A720, described in TechRadar's review as powerful and stylish and which will give you easy touch-enabled access to the internet.

That means an easy way to explore the power of the web - from that recipe you need in the kitchen through to a quick check of your email - and all of the wonderful touch-enabled apps in Windows 8.

And with its glorious 27-inch screen you'll also have a computer than can double up as an entertainment hub, allowing you to have a powerful music player, connected television and on demand video player to boot. How's that for versatility.

Last, but not least, check out the Lenovo IdeaCentre B450 All-in-one with a stunning screen and all the power that you would traditionally associated with a dull old desktop tower.

Touch is the future of computing, but you needn't wait - Windows 8 and Lenovo's touch enabled computing will bring you right up to date and let you take advantage of the new revolution in computing.

Hit the links below to see what TechRadar thinks of Lenovo's laptops and all-in-ones...

Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 review

Lenovo IdeaPad Z500 Touch review

Lenovo U410 Touch review

Lenovo IdeaCentre B405p review

-Techradar

Shuttr Remotely Triggers Smartphone Group Shots and Selfies

Scarcely larger than a half-stick of gum, the Muku Shuttr lets you shoot Android or iPhone photos or videos of yourself ("selfies") or a group at a range far greater than arm's length.

Using this diminutive remote control that's small enough to carry around on a keychain, you prop up your phone with the Shuttr's bulbous suction-cup stand, and snap away from distances that reach far as Bluetooth does (around 30 feet).

I tested a prototype Shuttr with an iPhone 5, and found the $29 Bluetooth device to be well-constructed and tiny enough to be called cute. Size does matter in this case, because Shuttr is small enough to have with you whenever you need it.

It works as advertised, releasing the phone's shutter when I pushed its red button. In my testing, it worked with the iOS camera app and the Camera+ app as well, triggering photos (and video on the iOS camera app) from 25 feet away. It can even let you take pictures in rapid succession, as quickly as your phone can.

The device triggers the Volume-up control to release the shutter. I'm hoping it might someday work with Instagram and Vine, which must be triggered by tapping an on-screen icon. Those apps' video capabilities could especially use a remote shutter control, particularly for people who create stop-motion animations.

This is an interesting little trinket by Muku Labs; it's already surpassed itsKickstarter goal of $10,000, and so far its design and capabilities are promising. Even at this early stage, it seems ready to be manufactured as soon as its funding period is over on August 9.

From what I've seen of this prototype so far, I think Shuttr will compete well against older remote smartphone shutter-release products such as those fromBelkin and Santechi, which are more expensive, much bulkier, won't work with Android devices and the Belkin model requires an app to function.

Let us know in the comments if you think a remote camera control for your smartphone would be worth $29.

-Mashable

Nokia Sold More Windows Phones Last Quarter Than BlackBerry Sold Total Phones

While investors are rightly noting Nokia’s continued challenges in the entry-level phone space, its Windows Phone business appears to be gaining momentum.

One statistic to put this in perspective is that Nokia sold 7.4 million Lumia devices in the second quarter — the highest quarterly total since Nokia began making Windows Phones. That figure is also more than the total number of BlackBerry devices sold in its most recently reported quarter (6.8 million BlackBerry devices for the three months ended June 1.)

And that includes not only new BlackBerry 10 devices but also those running its older operating systems. Only 2.7 million BlackBerry 10 devices sold during the quarter.

Nokia is hoping to continue the momentum this quarter, which will see the launch of the high-end 1020 camera phone and the further global rollout of the Lumia 925, which is just going on sale at T-Mobile USA.

Of course, Nokia and Microsoft still have plenty of work to do to close the gap between their products and those running Android and iOS.

-AllThingsD

Groopic for iOS review: The best way to take a group photo

The good: Groopic is a fun app that lets you put yourself in a group picture, add filters, and share it with friends.

The bad: There's a lot of shutter lag from when you touch the button to when a picture is taken.

The bottom line: Groopic is a must-have for getting the photographer into a group shot, with an easy-to-understand process, filters to spice up your picture, and mostly flawless results.

Groopic attempts to solve the age-old problem when taking group pictures: that the photographer is always left out of the shot. But with this app, everyone can be in the picture. And if you're a little bit creative, you also can make some really funny shots.

Certain Android phones have dual-shot features that use the front-facing camera to bring an image of the photographer into the shot, but Groopic's solution is even better.

Groopic lets you take one picture of the group, then switch photographers and take another. The app then blends the two images into a seamless group photo without ever having to ask a stranger to take a group shot of your friends. You start by taking your first picture, with your second photographer in the photo on one of the sides. Then your second photographer leaves the group to stand in the same spot and lines up the photo with an onscreen ghost outline while you get in on the other side of the photo. Once you've taken your shots, the app asks you to touch each of the photographers on the screen so it can make the complete group pic. The resulting image is a photo of the whole group that seems completely natural.

One thing that's important to remember is that the first photographer has to leave room on the sides for both photographers to get into the shot. You'll notice in one of my shots I'm clipped off on the left side, and Lynn La, the second photographer, had no choice but to line up the shot the same way. It takes some getting used to, but make sure to leave space for everyone in the photo.

Like many photography apps, Groopic also lets you pick from a number of different filters to give your group shot a little extra pizazz. When you're finished, you can share your group picture to Facebook or Twitter, send via SMS or e-mail, or simply save it to your Camera Roll.

The only confusing thing I noticed about Groopic is that it can take some time to snap the photo after you press the button. It's something you can get used to, but it would be nice if the photo snapped immediately when pressing the button. It will be something you'll need to point out to your second photographer to make sure the photos align properly.

If you get creative with Groopic, you can make some funny group shots.(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)

What's unintentionally great about the app, though, is that you can get creative with how you take your group shots to get funny results. In my testing, I had the same photographer take both shots, while I switched sides in the group to make it appear that my twin was on the other side of the photo. There are probably other ways to use the app depending on your creativity. You could have the same couple on each side of the photo doing different poses, for example, and have the people in the middle reacting to their poses.

While there may be other apps (in more than 900,000) in the App Store that blend two images into one group photo, I've never seen one that's quite as easy to use as Groopic.

-CNET