Samsung Starts Production Of 20nm 4GB LPDDR3 DRAM For Mobile Devices (PR)

Samsung has announced that they have started producing 4GB LPDDR3 mobile DRAM for smartphones and tablets, and we can expect to see this in our next generation devices.

The new 4Gb LPDDR3 mobile DRAM enables performance levels comparable to the standard DRAM utilized in PCs, making it an attractive solution for demanding multimedia-intensive features on next-generation mobile devices such as high-performance smartphones and tablets, Samsung claimed.

The 4GB LPDDR3 can transmit data at up to 2,133 megabits per second (Mbps) per pin, which is more than double the performance of the preceding memory standard mobile DRAM (LPDDR2) with a data transmission speed of 800Mbps, Samsung disclosed.

Young-Hyun Jun, EVP of memory sales and marketing at Samsung Electronics said, “By providing the most efficient next-generation mobile memory with a very large data capacity, we are now enabling OEMs to introduce even more innovative designs in the marketplace.

“Our 20nm-class four gigabit mobile DRAM provides another example of our ability to deliver well-differentiated, high-performance, high-density memory to customers in a timely manner.”

Meanwhile, in comparison to a 30nm-class LPDDR3 DRAM, the new device generates more than a 30% improvement in performance and 20% savings in power consumption, the firm added.

In addition, by adopting Samsung’s 4Gb LPDDR3 mobile DRAM, OEMs can have a 2GB package that includes four of Samsung’s new chips in a single package that meets the memory package height of 0.8mm, Samsung said.

Samsung also said it will increase production of its 20nm-class mobile DRAM chips later in 2013. It did not elaborate on the details.

We wonder if it will appear in the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which is rumored to launch some time this year.

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean May Debut At Google I/O Instead Of Key Lime Pie

Android 4.3, Jelly Bean will be the next major software build released from Google.

Android 5.0, Key Lime Pie was originally expected to debut at this year’s Google I/O, however, a newer build of JellyBean seems to be the stronger candidate to be introduced this year, according to a report from Android Community.

Much of the proof has been found in IP logs that are available to many web administrators. They point to a new version of Jelly Bean, Android 4.3, with a build number of JWR23B. Android Police posted examples of this from their server logs coming from both the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7, all of which emerged from IP addresses in Google’s range.

There are also several examples of developers citing this build in various bug trackers around Google products, suggesting that its launch is imminent. Because the build starts with “J,” it’s easy to assume that it’s part of the same family of code as the previous two major Jelly Bean releases; Google assigns the first letter of the name to each corresponding build.

Google has also never launched a major version of Android at Google I/O. Android 4.1 was announced last summer, and Android 2.2 was launched at Google I/O in 2010. While Android 3.1 Honeycomb was exposed at Google I/O 2011, its significance would go on to be undermined as merely “aesthetic” in future releases.

That being said, even though Jelly Bean has been around for over a year now, there still seem to be a few major bugs to squash. Android 4.2 has not been a smooth upgrade for many users, especially those running the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7, as it introduced significant slowdown, animation glitches, camera instability and more. Overall, while Android 4.2 seemed to be a fairly minor upgrade to end user, it actually made a number of significant modifications to the Android case base, and Google may believe it has another minor upgrade to fix any remaining bugs.

Google I/O is coming on May 15th, and we’ll be there to cover all the announcements, major or otherwise. You can certainly expect a faster, Qualcomm-powered Nexus 7, as well as a rumoured 32GB LTE-powered Nexus 4. There will be a much higher prevalence of Glass users at this year’s jaunt, too, and you can bet on a few more surprises as well.

[Android Police, Android Community]

Original iPhone To Be "Obsolete" From 11 June

The original iPhone will soon reach “obsolete” status at Apple retail stores. Obsolete status means that a product is not eligible for repairs or parts replacement even if the customer pays for it. The date the original iPhone reaches obsolete status is June 11, 2013, according to 9to5Mac, which obtained a leaked memo revealing the date. More than 6.1 million units of the device were sold during its lifecycle.

Other Apple products that will be considered ‘vintage’ as of June 11, 2013 include the mid-2007 models of the iMac, the late 2006 model Xserve, and the original Mac Pro. 9to5Mac has the list of newly minted vintage and obsolete products, while Apple maintains a list of all products named vintage or obsolete going back to the Apple II.

Steve Jobs officially introduced the iPhone at Macworld on January 9th, 2007. This ‘revolutionary’ smartphone came with a 3.5-inch touchscreen display (320 x 480), 2MP camera, iOS, and weighed in at 135 grams. Since this date we’ve seen the device progress and become thinner, more powerful and come with a larger screen. At the upcoming WWDC 2013 Apple will finally show off the new version of iOS – which apparently has a ‘flat’ design.

The end of an era. The original Apple iPhone is headed to the museum.

BlackBerry CEO: We'll Sell "Several Tens Of Million Of Units" Of Q10

Struggling smartphone-maker, BlackBerry is hopeful that it’s newly launched smartphone, BlackBerry Q10 will surely revive the company’s fortunes, a task which the BlackBerry Z10 failed at. 

BlackBerry Q10 went on sale yesterday in the UK, and is seeing strong initial sales, surpassing company’s expectations. One of UK’s popular retailers, Selfridges has said that it has sold thousands of the BlackBerry Q10 per hour and within just 6 hours, the smartphone went out of stock in each of it’s stores.

In an interview, BlackBerry CEO, Thorsten Heins said, 

We have very, very good first signs already after the launch in the U.K. This is going into the installed base of more than 70 million BlackBerry users so we have quite some expectations. We expect several tens of million of units.

BlackBerry Z10 had managed to sell over a million units in it’s first quarter, but since then, the smartphone has seen lackluster demand. 

BlackBerry Q10 may well outperform the Z10 in terms of sales, as many of the current BlackBerry users who wish to upgrade their devices, prefer a physical QWERTY keypad over a touchscreen one. 

Taking a quick look at the specifications of the smartphone, the Blackberry Q10 comes with a 3.1-inch 720 x 720 touchscreen display with a density of 330 pixels per inch. The smartphone gets powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage, which is expandable via a microSD slot.

The Q10 will come running on BlackBerry 10 and will house a 2,100mAh battery. At the back, the smartphone gets an 8 megapixel camera, while at the front, it comes with a 2 megapixel shooter. 

While the BlackBerry Q10 has just went on sale in the UK, the smartphone is also expected hit major carriers in the US by the end of May. The smartphone will go on sale worldwide by the end of Q2 2013. 

[Source: Slash Gear, Bloomberg]

Alleged Image Of Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Surfaces Online

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has been making a lot of noise lately in the form of rumors, which keep coming-in every now and then. Now, for the first time, a leaked imaged has appeared on the web, giving us an idea of how the Galaxy Note 2 successor might look like. 

The image first appeared on MyDrivers.com, and shows the supposed Galaxy Note 3 placed alongside the Galaxy Note 2. According to the leaked set of specifications which came along with the alleged Galaxy Note 3 image, the device will come with a 5.99-inch Full HD display.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is expected to be powered by the company’s own Exynos 5410 octa-core chip, comprising of a quad-core Cortex A15 CPU clocking at 2.0 GHz, and a quad-core A7 CPU clocking at 1.7GHz. The processor will be coupled with 3GB of RAM, which if true, will force other manufacturers to follow suit soon.

It is expected that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will get 32GB of internal storage, and will run on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. 

Talking about the leaked image, it is quite questionable to say least. Firstly, there is no Samsung logo at the top and at the bottom, the gap between the display and the physical home button is quite large. 

Secondly, the model number in the leaked image reads “GT-i9500″, which is the model number for the international variant of the Galaxy S4 and moreover, the naming for Galaxy Note series always begins with the letter N. 

The image also contradicts previous rumors which suggested that Samsung will introduce a new design for the Galaxy Note 3, and the device will be made out of aluminum and not plastic/polycarbonate. 

Still, there’s some time for IFA 2013, where the galaxy Note 3 is expected to be unveiled and we hope by then, we have a clear picture of what’s coming our way.

Google Glass Jailbreak Has Been Achieved by the creator of Cydia!

      #Tweet: https://twitter.com/saurik/status/327856986278477824

Apple to Introduce Low Cost iPad Mini

Apple to Introduce Low Cost iPad Mini, No Retina Display Model Until Fall?

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that issues with manufacturing a Retina Display iPad mini will push its production to around October; however, he suggests Apple could release a low-cost iPad mini in the meanwhile.

In a report obtained by AppleInsider, Kuo notes that a more affordable iPad mini would help boost sales and fend off competitors until the company was ready with its Retina Display iPad mini. The tablet would reportedly be priced between $199 and $249.

In his eyes, Apple could take a number of approaches to reducing the cost of building an iPad mini. His proposed options include removing the rear camera, reducing internal storage to 8 gigabytes, simplifying production of the metal casing, or using a more advanced process to build the A5 processor.

Apple is also said to be preparing a fifth generation iPad with a redesigned frame similar to the iPad mini; however, it's not believed that this will provide Apple with a significant boost in sales.

"We think Apple will stay competitive in the tablet market over the long term as it releases new and exciting products," he said. "But with product launches pushed back and competition getting fiercer, Apple and the iPad supply chain will have to wait until (the fourth quarter of calendar 2013) for significant growth."

Earlier today Kuo also predicted that Apple would update its MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs at WWDC.

Micromax Sells 1 Million Canvas Smartphones!

Not many will argue over the fact that Micromax is the most popular Indian smartphone maker out there in the market, and one of the biggest reasons for that is the success of the company’s Canvas series of smartphones, which have been immensely popular amongst the masses. 

So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when the company comes out and says that it has sold 1 million units of it’s flagship Canvas series of smartphones! 

In a statement issued by the company, it’s CMO, Mr. Shubhodip Pal said, 

The Canvas series has proved to be a trendsetter in Indian smartphone segment. The demand for these devices has been on an upward curve from the time of their launch. These are our flagship models and the overwhelming consumer response has made us confident that we are headed towards the right direction. When we launched the Canvas HD, for the first time our online sales partners had witnessed a digital queue in cyberspace to such an extent for any product, to the traditional cue one normally sees. It was great to witness consumers wait until 12:00am for their chance to book the Canvas HD on Valentine’s Day selling 9000 units in less than 24 hours.

We hope to further strengthen our leadership in the smart phone segment in the coming months, as we continue to bring an exciting range of “CANVAS” phones which are driven by consumer insights and cater to the needs of the market.

Two devices which have propelled Micromax’s growth are the A110 Canvas 2 and the A116 Canvas HD. 

The Micromax A110 Canvas 2 was released last year, and with a 5-inch screen and a dual-core processor under the hood, it became an instant hit. Running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (which is now upgradable to Android Jelly Bean), the price point of Micromax A110 Canvas 2 made it an attractive smartphone for the masses.

Coming to Micromax A116 Canvas HD, the smartphone took-off from where the Canvas 2 left, and the level of it’s popularity can be judged from the fact that the smartphone was sold-out within hours of going on sale, and till recently, was facing supply issues as well. 

It looks like things will only get better for Micromax from here on, as it’s upcoming devices have already created a buzz in the market. The Micromax A115 Canvas 3D which was leaked earlier this month, is expected to go on sale by the end of this month or by early May. If the rumors are to be believed, Micromax will bring a 3D smartphone to a budget price point and it might well turn out to be another winner for Micromax. 

NASA Left Red Faced As Rovers Accidentally Draws A Penis On Mars

The Mars Rovers, obviously bored out of their robotic minds traversing the red planet, are now whiling away the time like immature students everywhere: by drawing dirty pictures.

Google X With Android 5.0.1 Shows Up In AnTuTu Benchmarks

The rumors surrounding the upcoming Motorola X phone just refuse to die! Starting from a LinkedIN job posting, to hardware customization, to a Sapphire Glass display and what not. 

Today, we add another rumor to that list, as a leaked screenshot has surfaced online, which shows the AnTuTu benchmark scores of the upcoming smartphone. The image also reveals that the Motorola X Phone might indeed be known as the Google X. 

Though there is no authenticity to the leaked benchmark scores, but considering that the rumors surrounding the X Phone have been looming in thee air since quite some time now, we are forced to believe that the smartphone is well in the works. 

As per the leaked screenshot, the Motorola X Phone will be running on Android 5.0.1, currently being dubbed as Key Lime Pie. Android 5.0 is expected to be unveiled next month at Google’s I/O event and previous rumors have suggested that the launch of the X Phone will be delayed till August as well. So, the rumors of the X Phone being a Key Lime Pie running smartphone might well be real. 

Samsung Galaxy S4 India version Hands On

SPECIFICATIONS -

Company/Brand                                      Samsung

OS                                                         Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean

Price                                                      Rs. 42,999/- expected  

Announced                                             March 2013 

Released                                                April 26th 2013

Hype                                                      5/5

Chipset                                                   Exynos 5 Octa 5410 

Processor                                    Quad-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A15 &quad - core 1.2Cortex-A7

GPU                                                       PowerVR SGX 544MP3

RAM                                                       2 GB RAM 

Primary Camera                                      13 MP Rear, 1080p video

Secondary Camera                                  2 MP front, 1080p video

Main Display                                           1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.0 inches

In-Built Storage                                       16/32/64 GB storage

Rumor: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 To Feature A Plastic OLED "Unbreakable Dipslay"

The rumors of Samsung playing around with the idea of an unbreakable display for it’s devices have been looming in the air since quite some time, and in fact, the Samsung Galaxy S4 was once rumored to be sporting an unbreakable display. However, that wasn’t the case and we were again left thinking if Samsung is really working on such a technology. 

Now, the same rumors have surfaced once again, and this time, the device sporting such a technology is expected to be Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 3. 

According to a research from the OLED Association website, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will be unveiled at IFA 2013 in September and the phablet will feature an unbreakable Plastic OLED display. 

The website believes that the display on the Galaxy Note 3 will measure around 5.9-6.0-inches, and adds that when compared to glass-based AMOLED dispaly, the plastic, flexible display will result in a thinner and lighter form factor for the device, which would help Samsung in reducing the size of the device, while offering a higher mobility at the same time. 

As shown in Figure, the UBP OLED reduces both the weight and thickness significantly, compared to LCDs and glass substrate AMOLEDs.  The UBP OLED features 0.5 mm OLED vs. 3.2 mm LCD thickness.  In terms of weight, the LCD is 3 X higher at 160g while conventional OLEDs are 2 X higher at 100g heavier than the UBP OLED.  UBP OLED is built using thin film encapsulation and a PI (polyimide) backplane whereas glass substrate OLED employees glass encapsulation and cover glass.

The only question that remains unanswered as of now, is the resolution on such displays, and we guess we have no other option than to wait for some more ‘credible leaks’ on the matter.

Some previous rumors have suggested that Samsung will introduce a new design with the Galaxy Note 3 and the phablet will come with a premium, metal casing, just like the iPhone and the HTC One. 

Newly Discovered Code In Google Page Hints At Google Now For Web

Google Now is arguably the single best feature found in Android Jelly Bean, and soon, it seems, it will also be added to Google’s homepage. Some code from a page that’s tested by Google offers more information about this feature.

Google Now brings you search results before you even go looking for them. Just swipe up, inside of Google’s search app, and Google Now activates. From there, the Google search app delivers today’s weather, your Google Calendar appointments, directions to home or work (depending on what time of day it is), a heads up to nearby events, the score from your favorite sports team’s latest game, boarding passes, package tracking, dinner reservations and a lot more.

Source code for the page in testing encourages you to, “get started with Google Now,” because it provides, “just the right information at just the right time.” It has the option to change your home and work locations as, “Google Now uses your Home location to show relevant information like weather, traffic conditions, and nearby places.”

As TechCrunch reports, previous discoveries have indicated that Google Now is probably being worked on for Chrome desktop browser integration, and for inclusion in Google’s iOS search app. But bringing it to the Google homepage means it’ll be broadly accessible. It also means Google will have an opportunity to deliver more via its homepage, sort of like an iGoogle, but hopefully better at its job of providing you with relevant, personalized content.

There are also plenty of references to “now_card.”

Google Now on the internet, yes please!

[TechCrunch, Engadget]

Indian Government Plans Digital Central Monitoring System – CIS India

By Maria Xynou

Starting from this month, all telecommunications and Internet communications in India will be analysed by the government and its agencies. This means that everything we say or text over the phone, write, post or browse over the Internet will be centrally monitored by Indian authorities. This totalitarian type of surveillance will be incorporated in none other than the Central Monitoring System (CMS).

The Central Monitoring System (CMS)

The Central Monitoring System (CMS) may be another step in the wrong direction, especially with the lack of privacy laws to protect Indian citizens against potential abuse. Yet, all telecommunications and internet communications are to be monitored by Indian authorities through the CMS, despite the fact that it remains unclear how our data will be used.

The CMS was prepared by the Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring (TREM) and the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) and is being manned by the Intelligence Bureau. The CMS project is likely to start operating this month. The Information Technology Amendment Act 2008 enables e-surveillance. The government plans to create a platform that will include all the service providers in Delhi, Haryana and Karnataka creating central and regional databases to help central and state level law enforcement agencies in interception and monitoring. Without any manual intervention from telecom service providers, CMS will equip government agencies with Direct Electronic Provisioning, filter and provide Call Data Records (CDR) analysis and data mining to identify the personal information and provide alerts of the target numbers.

The estimated cost of CMS is Rs. 4 billion. It will be connected with the Telephone Call Interception System (TCIS) which will help monitor voice calls, SMS and MMS, fax communications on landlines, CDMA, video calls, GSM and 3G networks. Agencies which will have access to the CMS include the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the Narcotics Control Bureau, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Last October, the NIA approached the Department of Telecom requesting for connection with the CMS to help it intercept phone calls and monitor social networking sites without the cooperation of telcos. NIA is currently monitoring eight out of 10,000 telephone lines and if connected with the CMS, NIA will also get access to e-mails and other social media platforms. Essentially, CMS will be converging all the interception lines at one location for Indian law enforcement agencies to access them. CMS will be capable of intercepting our calls and analyzing our data on social networking sites, and also tracking encrypted signals. Thus our attempts to protect our data from ubiquitous surveillance would be futile.

In light of the CMS installation, the Mumbai police set up a ´social media lab´ last month to monitor Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites. Staffed with 20 police officers, this lab would keep an eye on issues being publicly discussed and track matters relating to public security. According to police spokesman Satyanarayan Choudhary, the lab will be used to identify trends among the youth to plan law and order accordingly. However, fears have arisen that the lab may be used to stifle political debate and freedom of expression. The arrest of two Indian women last November over a Facebook post during Bal Thackeray’s death was proof that the monitoring of our communications can potentially oppress our freedom and human rights. Now that all our online activities will be under the microscope, will the CMS security trade-off be worth it?

Surveillance in the name of Security

In a digitised world, threats to security have been digitised. Terrorism is considered to be a product of globalisation and the internet appears to be a tool used by terrorists. Hence governments all around the world are convinced that surveillance is probably one of the most effective methods in detecting and prosecuting terrorists. So all movement, action, interests, ideas and everything that could define an individual are closely being monitored. If everything about our existence is closely monitored and analysed, it seems likely that we will be instantly detected and prosecuted if engaged in illegal activity. But according to security expert Bruce Schneier, searching for a terrorist through data mining is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Generally, the bigger the amount of data, the bigger the probability of an error in matching profiles. Hence, when our data is being analysed through data mining, the probability of us being charged for a crime we did not commit is real. Nonetheless, CMS is going to start operating soon in an attempt to enable law enforcement agencies to tackle crime and terrorism.

A few days ago, I had a very interesting chat with an employee at SAS Institute (India) Pvt. Ltd. in Bangalore, a wholly owned subsidiary of SAS Institute Inc. SAS produces software solutions and services to combat fraud in financial services, identify cross-sell opportunities in retail. All the business issues it addresses are based on three capabilities: information management, analytics and business intelligence. Interestingly, SAS also produces social network analysis which ‘helps institutions detect and prevent fraud by going beyond individual and account views to analyze all related activities and relationships at a network dimension’. Thus, a social network analysis solution uncovers previously unknown network connections and relationships, even to a terrorist organisation enabling more efficient investigations.

According to the SAS employee I spoke to, the company provides similar analysis to Indian law enforcement agencies and aims to support the CMS project in an attempt to tackle crime and terrorism arguing that their social network analysis solution only analyzes open source data thus respecting online individual privacy. Cyber security experts have argued in favour of the Mumbai social media lab stating that the idea that the privacy of our messages and online activity would be intercepted is a misconception.

It was also argued that there is no harm in creating monitoring centres, especially since other countries, such as the U.S., are conducting similar surveillance, thus justifying it in the name of security.

CMS targeting individuals: myth or reality?

Does CMS really target us individually as the cyber security experts in India claim? Lets look at the following hypothesis:

The CMS can surveille and target individuals, if Indian law enforcement agencies have access to individuals content and non-content data and are simultaneously equipped with the necessary technology to analyse their data.

The two independent variables of the hypothesis are: (1) Indian law enforcement agencies have access to individuals´ content and non-content data, (2) Indian law enforcement agencies are equipped with the necessary technology to analyse individuals´ content and non-content data. The dependent variable of the hypothesis is that the CMS can target individuals, which can only be proven once the two independent variables have been confirmed.

However, the surveillance industry in India is a vivid reality. ClearTrail is an Indian surveillance technology company which provides communication monitoring solutions to law enforcement agencies around the world including, mass monitoring of IP and voice networks, targeted IP monitoring, tactical Wi-Fi monitoring and off-the-air interception, among others. Indian law enforcement agencies are equipped with technologies and solutions capable of targeting us individually and of monitoring our private online activity.

Shoghi Communications Ltd. is just another example of an Indian surveillance technology company. WikiLeaks has published a brochure with one of Shoghi´s solutions: the Semi Active GSM Monitoring System which can intercept communications from any GSM service providers in the world and has a 100% target call monitor rate without any help from the service provider. Indian law enforcement agencies are probably being equipped with such systems which would enable CMS to monitor telecommunications more effectively.

In general, many companies, globally, produce surveillance products and solutions for supply to law enforcement agencies around the world. However, if such technology is used solely to analyse open source data, how do law enforcement agencies expect to detect criminals and terrorists? In other words, how can they access our ´private´ online communications to define whether we are a terrorist or not?

Law enforcement requests reports published by companies, such as Google and Microsoft, confirm the fact that law enforcement agencies have access to both our content and non-content data, much of which was disclosed to Indian law enforcement agencies. The various surveillance technology companies ensure that Indian law enforcement agencies are equipped to analyse our data and match patterns.

Thus, the arguments brought forth by cyber security experts in India appear to be weak. So how does CMS also affect our human rights?

No privacy legislation currently exists in India. The telephone tapping laws in India are weak and violate constitutional protections. The Information Technology Amendment Act 2008 has enabled e-surveillance to reach its zenith, but yet surveillance projects, such as CMS, lack adequate legal backing.  All individuals can potentially be targeted and monitored, regardless of whether they have been involved in illegal activities. The following questions in regards to the CMS remain vague: Who can authorise the interception of telecommunications and Internet communications and access to intercepted data? Can data monitored by the CMS be shared between third parties and if so, under what conditions? Is data monitored by CMS retained and if so, for how long and under what conditions? Do individuals have the right to be informed about their communications being monitored and about data retained about them?

In order to ensure that our right to privacy and other human rights are not breached, parliamentary oversight of intelligence agencies in India is a minimal prerequisite. E-surveillance regulations should be enacted, covering both policy and legal issues pertaining to the CMS ensuring that human rights are not infringed.

A version of this post was published on Centre for Internet & Society, India website

The Centre for Internet and Society is a non-profit research organization that works on policy issues relating to freedom of expression, privacy, accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge and IPR reform, and openness (including open government, FOSS, open standards, etc.), and engages in academic research on digital natives and digital humanities.

Facebook Home Registers Over 500,000 Installations Within A Week Of It's Launch

The much-hyped Facebook Home launcher for Android has now crossed half a million downloads on the Google Play Store, within a week of it’s launch. This figure isn’t quite encouraging for Facebook as some of the other popular apps were much more successful when they first went live on Google Play Store. For instance, as TechCrunch notes, the popular photo sharing app Instagram saw 1 million downloads within 24 hours of it’s launch and over 5 million downloads within 6 days of it’s availability on the Google Play Store.  

Facebook Home was released for the users in the United States on April 12, and later, on April 16, the service was extended to other international users as well. 

One of the major reasons for this modest number could be the fact that facebook Home is only supported on a limited number of devices at present, which include Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, HTC One X and HTC One X+.

To make things even more discouraging for Facebook, the Facebook Home launcher has received mostly negative reviews, with a quite low average user rating of 2.2. 

While there is no denying that Facebook Home has received a poor start, but a clearer picture will be out once the launcher is available on a large chunk of Android devices. So, we guess we’ll have to hold up our verdict till then. 

In the mean time, if you aren’t using any of the supported smartphones but still wish to install Facebook Home on your Android smartphone, you can get step-by-step instructions here. 

Google's Plan For I/O : 32GB Nexus 4 With LTE Support

While the world is anticipating as to what Google might have in store for us at the Google I/O event next month, a latest rumor suggests that maybe we shouldn’t keep our hopes high as far as a new smartphone from the company is concerned.

Sidhtech is reporting that Google might be gearing up to unveil a 32GB variant of the Google Nexus 4, which was launched last year, and the company will also add 4G LTE connectivity to the smartphone, which was missing till now. The report adds that the Nexus 4 will now support LTE and CDMA bands, which will allow more carriers in the United States to offer the smartphone.

This means that there won’t be a Nexus 5 next month, which we have been anticipating since a long time now. Previously, there had been rumors of Motorola building the next Nexus smartphone (X Phone), but some recent reports suggest  that the Motorola X Phone isn’t a Nexus device and won’t be launched before August this year. 

Though there is no denying the fact that the Google Nexus 4 is still one of the best Android smartphones available in the market at present, but we would’ve surely loved to see some bumped up hardware running the next version of Android, which is currently being dubbed as Key Lime Pie. 

Google will most probably introduce Android Key Lime Pie at Google I/O next month and we’re also expecting a bunch of other upgrades from Google, including a successor to the immensely popular Nexus 7 tablet.

Google MyGlass App Leak Reveals Multiplayer Gaming In Upcoming Android

A teardown of the MyGlass Google Glass companion app reveals that Google may have plans for a gaming service similar to Apple’s Game Center.

Android Police discovered the complete feature list for a gaming service when tearing down the MyGlass application that will accompany the Google Glass AR specs.

According to the website, Google usually ships apps with a few Google-powered components that some apps depend on to work but Google accidentally shipped all of them, even though the service has no connection with Google Glass.

The underground Games service will feature support for real-time multiplayer games allowing users to play games with other connected players, as per the website. It would also apparently support turn-based multiplayer games such as board games where players take chances to play, and the teardown reveals that users will also get notifications when it’s their turn.

Users would also be able to chat with other players within the game in real-time multiplayer mode, in addition to offering leader boards and allowing users to keep a track of achievements.

The game service will bring in the ability to invite friends and will come with a ‘Lobbies’ feature through which users will be able to chat before a game begins, plan strategies, rules, and choose teams.

If Google could create their own gaming service for Android and include some killer features, it could look much more attractive than iOS’s gaming offerings.

Android Police has concluded that this gaming service is nearly finished, speculating that we might be able to learn more about it during Google I/O.

[Android Police, SlashGear]