Google updates Play Books application

Google has released an updated version of the Google Play Books application for Android. Some of the biggest complaints with this application were the lack of dictionary, note taking and highlighting abilities and Google has addressed all of them in this update.




As you can guess, you can now add highlights to the text and take notes while reading books. There is also a built-in dictionary now, so you can quickly look up a word.


Other additions include ‘Places’ info cards, translation, sepia mode and sliding page-turn animation. Lastly there are the usual bug fixes. It seems you still can’t open PDF files on your device using the app, which is sad.

You can download the update from here.

Chrome for iOS update brings iPhone 5 support, squashes Gmail bug

Apple may be working hard to get rid of preinstalled Google apps on iOS devices iPhone, but Google is pushing the other way with high-quality apps like YouTube and Chrome. GOOG just updated the Chrome for iOS to make it compatible with the new iPhone 5 and it also fixed a Gmail-related issue.


The latest version of Chrome for iOS is 21.0.1180.82 is out and you can update from the App Store (the app itself will also notify you when there’s an update available). It adds fullscreen compatibility with the new iPhone 5.

Some users had also reported that the Gmail site doesn’t work properly after updating to iOS 6 and this update should fix that too. The app update also brings stability and security improvements.
If you’re still having issues, check out the list of known issues and if it’s not there, you can submit a bug report.

Android AOKP Build 3 is now live

The creators of the custom Android Open Kang Project have just released build 3 of their popular custom Android ROM.



This release fixes many of the issues from build 2, which came released last week, and adds a few features from CyanogenMod as well.


Build 3 adds support for several new devices, including the international Galaxy S II’s (both Exynos and OMAP versions), as well as the international Galaxy III.

Besides bug fixes, build 3 now includes the advanced calculator and clock apps from Cyanogen, as well as SMS QuickReply.

As always, be cautious when installing custom ROMs, as the process voids your warranty. You can get AOKP build 3 here.

Google may actually be enjoying Apple’s Maps mishaps

As of iOS6, Apple replaced the well-known Google Maps app with one of their own. And ever since its launch, there’s been strong controversy surrounding it. Map data and POIs have frequently been found to be inaccurate by users around the world and satellite imagery has been rather spotty,

interchanging between high and low res, different times of day and even seasons all on the territory of one and the same town.



The new Maps app has been rushed to the market and it’s far from ready for prime time. And that got the anger of users, who have been voicing their discontent online quite loudly (and originally, too).
The Apple competitors also didn’t miss the opportunity to take a jab at the the quality of provided maps with both the Google-owned Motorola and Nokia making public their ill-concealed satisfaction from the situation.

You would think that in times like these Google would jump straight ahead and release a dedicated native Google Maps to iOS devices? Well, not so fast, if you ask Eric Schmidt, one of the men at the top over at Google.

In fact, Reuters has him quoted saying that “We think it would have been better if they had kept ours. But what do I know? What were we going to do, force them not to change their mind? It’s their call.” Schmidt also added that no Google Maps application has been submitted to Apple’s AppStore and that Google will be leaving the decision whether Apple would want one completely in Apple’s hands.
This comes hot after rumors surfaced online that Google has indeed prepared a native Google Maps app and it has even submitted it to the AppStore for approval.

And I gotta tell you, it really makes sense for Google to back off now and not do anything, letting Apple soak in the full publicity negatives of their solo move. Submitting a Google Maps app right now would only ease off the blow and allow Apple some slack to improve its Maps app.

I can’t help but put myself in Apple’s shoes too. Going rogue and against the well-established online map authority is bound to make many users unhappy. But this was a logical step having in mind how they see Android as ripping them off and how Google Maps on iOS has been stalling the past few years.

History shows that a move like that may not be the best idea (Microsoft and its Bing Maps), but we also have evidence in the opposite direction as well. Nokia Maps for instance, has proved that competing successfully with Google in mobile maps is a feasible task.

So what do you think? Is it the Google Maps’ way or the highway for Apple?

Nokia announces Asha 308 and 309 budget touchscreen phones

Nokia has announced two new budget phones called the Asha 308 and the Asha 309, their cheapest with a capacitive touchscreen.



Both are 2G-enabled handsets with a 3.0-inch, WQVGA capacitive touchscreen display, 2 megapixel camera, multiple homescreens, stereo loudspeaker, FM radio and have up to 32GB microSD card support. The phones come with the usual social networking applications, YouTube as well as free 40 games from EA.

The difference between the two is that the Asha 308 is a dual SIM phone whereas the Asha 309 is a single SIM phone with built-in Wi-Fi.

The phones are expected to cost around $99 plus taxes and will start shipping some time in the fourth quarter of this year. You can watch the promo videos for the phones here.

Samsung announces list of devices that will get Jelly Bean

The Android 4.1, Jelly Bean update for the Samsung Galaxy S III has started rolling out but Samsung isn't going to stop at its flagship device. It has announced a list of devices that will be getting the Jelly Bean update in the upcoming months.


The list includes the following devices:

• Galaxy Tab 2.7.0
• Galaxy Tab 2 10.1
• Galaxy Note 10.1
• Galaxy S II
• Galaxy Note
• Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
• Galaxy S Advance
• Galaxy S II LTE
• Galaxy Music
• Galaxy Chat
• Galaxy Ace 2
• Galaxy Beam
• Galaxy Ace Plus
• Galaxy Mini II
• Galaxy S Duos

There are no concrete dates for any of the devices but we'll let you know when the devices mentioned abvove start receiving the update.

Nokia may file a lawsuit seeking a ban on HTC WP 8X

According to the latest online gossip, Nokia considers seeking ban for the upcoming HTC flagship – Windows Phone 8X. The Finns accuse HTC of copying the Lumia 820 front panel design for its Windows Phone 8X.

Nokia unveiled the Lumia 820 and 920 in the beginning of September. HTC announced its two WP-powered headsets two weeks later. Shortly after Nokia’s EVP of Sales and Marketing tweeted "It takes more than matching color to match the innovation of the Lumia 920." – aimed directly at HTC’s new phones.




The source says that Nokia is going to take serious actions against HTC and seek a ban on the Windows Phone 8 sales.

No matter what Nokia’s intentions are, both Nokia and HTC have huge support from Microsoft (and Qualcomm), and we bet the issue will be resolved without entering the court room. And even if it did, we doubt Nokia will end up victorious – it takes way more than two weeks to develop a smartphone and there's no way HTC managed to redesign the 8X in the short time between the Lumia 820 announcement and its own event.

Nokia Asha 309 leaks, to be launched tomorrow?

The Nokia Asha 306 was announced back in June and launched shortly after. It seems however, it still hasn't reached to China where it's just about to hit the market along with a surprising sibling... an unannounced Nokia Asha 309.

The differences between the Nokia Asha 306 and the new Asha 309 are subtle at best, but still they are obviously two different models. Our best guess is that these two are one and the same model on the inside, just targeted at different carriers.


 
Nokia Asha 309

These images appeared on the Chinese forums Baidu and were posted alongside images of the Chinese-bound Asha 306. The source claims both of these will launch tomorrow.

Apple sells 5 million iPhone 5's in the first three days alone

Flagship smartphones sell by the millions and that's a given. Some 2 million people pre-ordered the new iPhone 5 and the total number of sold devices in the three days since the launch on September 21 has reached and surpassed 5 million units.

Sales predictions were a bit higher (standing at around 8 million units), but as you know, market predictions are not what you would call an exact science.



Last year the iPhone 4S sold in over 4 million units over its first weekend of market availability, while the iPhone 4 sold just 1.7 million units in its debut weekend back in 2010.

Yet again however, the demand has exceeded the initially available supply and some of the people who made pre-orders will have to wait for their deliveries until October.

The iPhone 5 launched on September 21 in 9 countries - the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK.

Another 22 countries will get it come September 28. The list includes Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The total number of markets where the iPhone 5 is available should reach 100 by the end of the year.
As usual, tempting carrier deals aside, the iPhone 5 remains one of the most expensive smartphones
 on the market with official SIM-free prices in Europe running around the €670 mark.

If you are interested whether you would be able to make use of the iPhone 5 high-speed LTE connectivity in your country, check out our list. If you are not among the lucky ones, you can still count on HSPA, of course.

LG Optimus Vu II specs leak, S4 chipset confirmed

Having just released its 5-inch Optimus Vuphablet globally, LG is hard working on its successor, as a specs leak reveals. The LG Optimus Vu II is a direct answer to Samsung's Galaxy Note II, though its specs sheet is hardly as impressive.



The LG Optimus Vu II will reportedly be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor and have 2GB of RAM. According to the leak, it'll be running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on the same 5-inch, 1024 x 768 pixel screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The battery of the second generation Optimus Vu is slightly bumped and will be 2150mAh instead of 2080mAh. Other than that, the rest of the specifications seem to be left untouched. There's no information on the availability and pricing.

However, we've already seen the new universal remote app LG is readying, so the Optimus Vu II will surely have more surprises up its sleeve.