The Beating Heart of the All New HTC One M8 Qualcomms Snapdragon 801

At the centre of any HTC is the processor. A combination of CPU (general processing) and GPU (graphics processing), the modern processor is a marvel of miniaturization and integrated technology. Many of you spec-loving types have been drooling over the forthcoming Snapdragon 805 that was announced at CES in January. This is a powerful processor, but its also one that isnt ready yet in mass quantities - thats the reason why its not in the HTC One (M8). Qualcomm is great at pre-announcing their products to create consumer demand, which then helps them with orders from the companies that buy their products (such as HTC).

The Snapdragon 801, the processor in the new HTC One (M8), isnt just a warmed-over Snapdragon 800. Its has some significant improvements over its predecessor, including:

• 45% improvement in camera sensor performance (which drives the ultra-fast focusing technology)
• 28% faster graphics performance from the Adreno 330 GPU
• 14% faster CPU performance
• 18% faster digital signal processing (DSP)
• 17% faster memory performance
• Faster image post-processing for editing
• eMMC 5.0 memory interface support

What does all this technical talk amount to? The HTC One (M8) with the Snapdragon 801 processor will be the fastest, most powerful phone HTC has ever created. Having used one for a couple of months now, I can genuinely say its the fastest HTC ever. It just screams.

Anandtech has a great article covering this in even greater detail; for reference, the HTC One (M8) coming out in Asia will have the MSM8974AC clocked at 2.5 Ghz, while the rest of the world will have the MSM8974AB clocked at 2.3 Ghz. Other than the 200 mHZ difference in clock speeds, the chips are otherwise identical.

Source: HTC Elevate Public Information

Have any questions or comments? Feel free to share! Also, if you like this article, please use media sharing buttons (Twitter, G+, Facebook) below this post!

For latest news follow Android Revolution HD on popular social platforms:

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A look ahead CS First 20 percent projects Google Expeditions and beyond

Posted by John Krouskoff, Manager of Emerging Technologies, Lower Hudson Regional Information Center

(Cross-posted on the Google for Education Blog.)

Editors note: Leading up to ISTE, one of the largest education technology conferences in the world, we asked educators and administrators to reflect on the past school year and look ahead to 2015-16. Today we hear from John Krouskoff, manager of emerging technologies at the Lower Hudson Regional Information Center. If you’re coming to Philadelphia for ISTE, stop by and see us in the Expo Hall at #1808. You can check out any of over 50 short sessions that will share more ways to engage and inspire students. Read on for John’s take on the future of trends in education and technology.

John Krouskoff, Manager of Emerging Technologies, Lower Hudson Regional Information Center

This past school year our regional consortium created a team to provide professional development to teachers in eight of our school districts. Through this year-long training program, we’ve learned what makes a successful professional development program — including flexibility, careful planning, regular feedback and extensive communication.

As we wrap up a successful first year, we’re looking at ways to build on this foundation. We spoke with our students, teachers and administrators to understand the technology trends shaping their districts, schools and classrooms. Here are the top four trends we’ve observed:

1. Problem-solving through computer science. Google’s free CS-First program can help students learn computational thinking and problem solving as part of their classwork. As Google Education Trainer Amber Klebanoff writes, “The CS-First program is not only teaching students about coding but predominantly about how to problem solve while promoting self confidence and pride in the ability to create and succeed at a difficult task.”
2. Passion based learning through 20 percent projects at school. Educators are encouraging passion-based student learning that fits with their curricula through 20 percent projects — allowing students to use an hour each week to explore the topic of their choice. As Clarkstown High School North Marine Biology Teacher and Google Education Trainer Heidi Bernasconi commented, “Twenty percent time in my class brought a needed energy back to my students.” Despite AP exams and other demands, Bernasconi blends “the 20 percent solution” into her classroom practice. “The projects are graded almost solely on students creating realistic and challenging goals,” she said. For more examples of this check out Kevin Brookhouser’s blog post.
3. Exploring the world beyond the classroom. Now that more districts are focusing on real-world learning and interactive content, we’re seeing educators use technology to bring their lessons to life. Google Expeditions will play an interesting role in this exploration next year, by helping students visit far-away places from their classrooms and libraries using Google Cardboard. That chapter has yet to be written, but one thing is certain — technology continues to provide more student-driven learning opportunities.
4. Access to technology and professional development. As more educators recognize the transformative power of technology in the classroom, districts are prioritizing technology in their budget decisions — whether it’s ubiquitous wireless access, improved Internet bandwidth, or increased access to devices. It’s heartening to see districts recognize the importance of sustainable professional development and invest in regional consortia, professional learning networks and school-based resources.

As technology enablers, we’re eager to see how these trends take shape in different districts with unique opportunities and challenges. We’re also excited to continue building the professional development opportunities that will help each district harness emerging technology to inspire new ideas, interests and ways to teach and learn.

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White Actor Joseph Fiennes Is Playing Michael Jackson in A New Movie Joseph Fiennes

gebycute.blogspot.com - Joseph Fiennes is going to play Michael Jackson in new project. The white actor has been cast as the legendary African American singer in a TV movie. Keleigh White actor Joseph Fiennes is cast to play Michael Jackson Joseph Fiennes, white actor roles "Shakespeare Love," "Elizabeth," cast play Michael Jackson upcoming film White Actor Joseph Fiennes Is Playing Michael Jackson in A New Movie Checkout other video here.

• WHITE ACTOR JOSEPH FIENNES TO PLAY MICHAEL JACKSON IN NEW
  Now #OscarsSoWhite dying, white folks managed piss people tragic casting choice portray King Pop
• White Actor, Joseph Fiennes Cast As Michael Jackson In
  White Actor Cast As Michael Jackson In Upcoming Film British actor, Joseph Fiennes cast Michael Jackson forthcoming TV movie involving
• White actor Joseph Fiennes is playing Michael Jackson in a
  Joseph Fiennes play Michael Jackson project. The white actor cast legendary African American singer TV movie

Watch White Actor Joseph Fiennes Is Playing Michael Jackson in A New Movie


Credits - Video
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Custom InfoWindow for Google Maps Android API v2

To create Custom InfoWindow for Google Maps Android API v2:

- Make your Activity implements GoogleMap.InfoWindowAdapter.

- Override getInfoWindow(Marker marker) and getInfoContents(Marker marker).

The API will first call getInfoWindow(Marker) and if null is returned, it will then call getInfoContents(Marker). If this also returns null, then the default info window will be used.

The first of these (getInfoWindow()) allows you to provide a view that will be used for the entire info window. The second of these (getInfoContents()) allows you to just customize the contents of the window but still keep the default info window frame and background.

- setInfoWindowAdapter(this).


Modify MapsActivity.java from last example "Make GoogleMaps marker draggabe and detect moving marker".

package com.blogspot.android_er.androidstudiomapapp;

import android.app.AlertDialog;
import android.content.DialogInterface;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.text.InputType;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.MenuItem;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.ImageView;
import android.widget.LinearLayout;
import android.widget.TextView;
import android.widget.Toast;

import com.google.android.gms.common.GoogleApiAvailability;
import com.google.android.gms.maps.CameraUpdateFactory;
import com.google.android.gms.maps.GoogleMap;
import com.google.android.gms.maps.OnMapReadyCallback;
import com.google.android.gms.maps.SupportMapFragment;
import com.google.android.gms.maps.model.LatLng;
import com.google.android.gms.maps.model.Marker;
import com.google.android.gms.maps.model.MarkerOptions;

public class MapsActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements OnMapReadyCallback,
 GoogleMap.OnMapClickListener, GoogleMap.OnMapLongClickListener,
 GoogleMap.OnMarkerDragListener, GoogleMap.InfoWindowAdapter {

 private GoogleMap mMap;

 @Override
 protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
 super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
 setContentView(R.layout.activity_maps);
 // Obtain the SupportMapFragment and get notified when the map is ready to be used.
 SupportMapFragment mapFragment = (SupportMapFragment) getSupportFragmentManager()
 .findFragmentById(R.id.map);
 mapFragment.getMapAsync(this);

 }

 /**
 * Manipulates the map once available.
 * This callback is triggered when the map is ready to be used.
 * This is where we can add markers or lines, add listeners or move the camera. In this case,
 * we just add a marker near Sydney, Australia.
 * If Google Play services is not installed on the device, the user will be prompted to install
 * it inside the SupportMapFragment. This method will only be triggered once the user has
 * installed Google Play services and returned to the app.
 */
 @Override
 public void onMapReady(GoogleMap googleMap) {
 mMap = googleMap;
 mMap.setOnMapClickListener(this);
 mMap.setOnMapLongClickListener(this);
 mMap.setOnMarkerDragListener(this);
 mMap.setInfoWindowAdapter(this);
 }

 @Override
 public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
 getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.activity_main, menu);
 return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
 }

 @Override
 public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
 switch (item.getItemId()) {
 case R.id.menu_addmarkers:
 addMarker();
 return true;
 case R.id.maptypeHYBRID:
 if(mMap != null){
 mMap.setMapType(GoogleMap.MAP_TYPE_HYBRID);
 return true;
 }
 case R.id.maptypeNONE:
 if(mMap != null){
 mMap.setMapType(GoogleMap.MAP_TYPE_NONE);
 return true;
 }
 case R.id.maptypeNORMAL:
 if(mMap != null){
 mMap.setMapType(GoogleMap.MAP_TYPE_NORMAL);
 return true;
 }
 case R.id.maptypeSATELLITE:
 if(mMap != null){
 mMap.setMapType(GoogleMap.MAP_TYPE_SATELLITE);
 return true;
 }
 case R.id.maptypeTERRAIN:
 if(mMap != null){
 mMap.setMapType(GoogleMap.MAP_TYPE_TERRAIN);
 return true;
 }
 case R.id.menu_legalnotices:
 String LicenseInfo = GoogleApiAvailability
 .getInstance()
 .getOpenSourceSoftwareLicenseInfo(MapsActivity.this);
 AlertDialog.Builder LicenseDialog =
 new AlertDialog.Builder(MapsActivity.this);
 LicenseDialog.setTitle("Legal Notices");
 LicenseDialog.setMessage(LicenseInfo);
 LicenseDialog.show();
 return true;
 case R.id.menu_about:
 AlertDialog.Builder aboutDialogBuilder =
 new AlertDialog.Builder(MapsActivity.this);
 aboutDialogBuilder.setTitle("About Me")
 .setMessage("http://android-er.blogspot.com");

 aboutDialogBuilder.setPositiveButton("visit",
 new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
 @Override
 public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
 String url = "http://android-er.blogspot.com";
 Intent i = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
 i.setData(Uri.parse(url));
 startActivity(i);
 }
 });

 aboutDialogBuilder.setNegativeButton("Dismiss",
 new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
 @Override
 public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
 dialog.cancel();
 }
 });

 AlertDialog aboutDialog = aboutDialogBuilder.create();
 aboutDialog.show();

 return true;
 }
 return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
 }

 private void addMarker(){
 if(mMap != null){

 //create custom LinearLayout programmatically
 LinearLayout layout = new LinearLayout(MapsActivity.this);
 layout.setLayoutParams(new LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
 LinearLayout.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
 LinearLayout.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT));
 layout.setOrientation(LinearLayout.VERTICAL);

 final EditText titleField = new EditText(MapsActivity.this);
 titleField.setHint("Title");

 final EditText latField = new EditText(MapsActivity.this);
 latField.setHint("Latitude");
 latField.setInputType(InputType.TYPE_CLASS_NUMBER
 | InputType.TYPE_NUMBER_FLAG_DECIMAL
 | InputType.TYPE_NUMBER_FLAG_SIGNED);

 final EditText lonField = new EditText(MapsActivity.this);
 lonField.setHint("Longitude");
 lonField.setInputType(InputType.TYPE_CLASS_NUMBER
 | InputType.TYPE_NUMBER_FLAG_DECIMAL
 | InputType.TYPE_NUMBER_FLAG_SIGNED);

 layout.addView(titleField);
 layout.addView(latField);
 layout.addView(lonField);

 AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
 builder.setTitle("Add Marker");
 builder.setView(layout);
 AlertDialog alertDialog = builder.create();

 builder.setPositiveButton("OK", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
 @Override
 public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
 boolean parsable = true;
 Double lat = null, lon = null;

 String strLat = latField.getText().toString();
 String strLon = lonField.getText().toString();
 String strTitle = titleField.getText().toString();

 try{
 lat = Double.parseDouble(strLat);
 }catch (NumberFormatException ex){
 parsable = false;
 Toast.makeText(MapsActivity.this,
 "Latitude does not contain a parsable double",
 Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
 }

 try{
 lon = Double.parseDouble(strLon);
 }catch (NumberFormatException ex){
 parsable = false;
 Toast.makeText(MapsActivity.this,
 "Longitude does not contain a parsable double",
 Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
 }

 if(parsable){

 LatLng targetLatLng = new LatLng(lat, lon);
 MarkerOptions markerOptions =
 new MarkerOptions().position(targetLatLng).title(strTitle);

 markerOptions.draggable(true);

 mMap.addMarker(markerOptions);
 mMap.moveCamera(CameraUpdateFactory.newLatLng(targetLatLng));

 }
 }
 });
 builder.setNegativeButton("Cancel", null);

 builder.show();
 }else{
 Toast.makeText(MapsActivity.this, "Map not ready", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
 }
 }

 @Override
 public void onMapClick(LatLng latLng) {
 Toast.makeText(MapsActivity.this,
 "onMapClick: " + latLng.latitude + " : " + latLng.longitude,
 Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
 }

 @Override
 public void onMapLongClick(LatLng latLng) {
 Toast.makeText(MapsActivity.this,
 "onMapLongClick: " + latLng.latitude + " : " + latLng.longitude,
 Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

 //Add marker on LongClick position
 MarkerOptions markerOptions =
 new MarkerOptions().position(latLng).title(latLng.toString());
 markerOptions.draggable(true);

 mMap.addMarker(markerOptions);
 }


 @Override
 public void onMarkerDragStart(Marker marker) {
 marker.setTitle(marker.getPosition().toString());
 marker.showInfoWindow();
 marker.setAlpha(0.5f);
 }

 @Override
 public void onMarkerDrag(Marker marker) {
 marker.setTitle(marker.getPosition().toString());
 marker.showInfoWindow();
 marker.setAlpha(0.5f);
 }

 @Override
 public void onMarkerDragEnd(Marker marker) {
 marker.setTitle(marker.getPosition().toString());
 marker.showInfoWindow();
 marker.setAlpha(1.0f);
 }

 @Override
 public View getInfoWindow(Marker marker) {
 return null;
 //return prepareInfoView(marker);
 }

 @Override
 public View getInfoContents(Marker marker) {
 //return null;
 return prepareInfoView(marker);

 }

 private View prepareInfoView(Marker marker){
 //prepare InfoView programmatically
 LinearLayout infoView = new LinearLayout(MapsActivity.this);
 LinearLayout.LayoutParams infoViewParams = new LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
 LinearLayout.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT, LinearLayout.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT);
 infoView.setOrientation(LinearLayout.HORIZONTAL);
 infoView.setLayoutParams(infoViewParams);

 ImageView infoImageView = new ImageView(MapsActivity.this);
 //Drawable drawable = getResources().getDrawable(R.mipmap.ic_launcher);
 Drawable drawable = getResources().getDrawable(android.R.drawable.ic_dialog_map);
 infoImageView.setImageDrawable(drawable);
 infoView.addView(infoImageView);

 LinearLayout subInfoView = new LinearLayout(MapsActivity.this);
 LinearLayout.LayoutParams subInfoViewParams = new LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
 LinearLayout.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT, LinearLayout.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT);
 subInfoView.setOrientation(LinearLayout.VERTICAL);
 subInfoView.setLayoutParams(subInfoViewParams);

 TextView subInfoLat = new TextView(MapsActivity.this);
 subInfoLat.setText("Lat: " + marker.getPosition().latitude);
 TextView subInfoLnt = new TextView(MapsActivity.this);
 subInfoLnt.setText("Lnt: " + marker.getPosition().longitude);
 subInfoView.addView(subInfoLat);
 subInfoView.addView(subInfoLnt);
 infoView.addView(subInfoView);

 return infoView;
 }
}

Reference: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/android-api/infowindows

Next:
- Detect user click on InfoWindow, by implementing GoogleMap.OnInfoWindowClickListener()

---

~ Step-by-step of Android Google Maps Activity using Google Maps Android API v2, on Android Studio

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HTC Desire 600 dual SIM device review

The HTC Desire was HTCs well known flagship in 2010, since then their flagship brand was replaced by the One series, however due to its successful history the Desire name is still being used for the mid to low end range releases. If you want the short version of this review: The best thing about the Desire 600 is the build quality, its a mid-range premium phone.

A Mid-Range Premium

Shortly after the release of the One, HTC announced the Desire 600 dual sim with many of its big brothers features - mainly HTC Sense 5, Blinkfeed and Boomsound. It also includes Video Highlights, but omits the Infra Red blaster and Ultrapixel sensor (2.0µm). Instead, its replaced with a standard 8MP BSI camera sensor (1.4µm) and the first version of the HTC ImageChip - this also means that the Zoe features are lost in the process. It joins the fleet of other HTC dual sim specialists like last years Desire SV and One dual sim (limited to specific markets).

Design & build quality

Being mid-range doesnt prevent it from carrying HTCs renowned build quality and in fact the device has some impressive highlights: the screen is protected by a robust metallic frame which also houses the dual speaker grilles, this in turn is surrounded by a plastic bezel with a very convincing brushed metallic finish.

The black version is full black contrasted with a glossy speaker frame, matte brushed bezel and a back cover with a matte grained finish which does a very good job of resisting fingerprints. Unfortunately the backs finish feels slightly irritating to the touch and fails to provide maximum grip.

The white version on other hand has a more daring and different finish, it has the speakers frame coated in red, the brushed bezel painted in silver and smooth glossy white plastic for the back cover. 

The plastic back cover is removable: its pretty solid but as is typical with such removable covers, it can creak under pressure. Beneath the cover cover lie two microSIM slots and a microSD slot as well as a replaceable 1860mAh battery - like everything HTC the interior has surprisingly fine fit and polish.

The camera lens and LED flash are covered by a protective glass bevelled inwards which should prevent it from collecting scratches. 

The buttons have a nice, solid feel as well. The power button is at top right; volume rocker on the right hand side; and the capacitive buttons are similar to the One, with back on the left, home on the right and the HTC logo in between. The rest is taken care of with gestures. Finally a 3.5mm audio jack is located at top left, and the micro-USB port is on the bottom.

All in all this is a very well built device with a sharp look (especially the black version). The slim tapered edge is reminiscent of the black HTC 8x and compared to competitors mid-range devices, the Desire 600 build quality and design are miles ahead.

Boomsound versus Boomsound

The Desires 600 sports the HTC Ones star feature, dual frontal stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers. This is "only" a mid range phone so you might expect less quality, compared with its big brother: but far from it! Compared to the One flagship its just a notch lower in loudness and noticeabley less bass. Curiously while the One sounds significantly better with beats audio, the Desire 600 actually sounds better once the default beats enhancements are disabled: leaving it enabled seems to result in a more hollow sound. With this said, the quality is still excellent for its range, beating flagship devices from opposing brands.

If you would like to know more about the HTC Ones phenomenal sound quality be sure to check our post: HTC One review - part 2: Hardware

Display, 4.5" Super LCD2 at 245ppi

The screen is another quality seeker on the Desire 600: despite a qHD resolution (960x540), its running on a 4.5" panel which results in a respectable 245ppi pixel density. The display still inherits all the other Super LCD2 merits from last years flagship the One X (720p, 312ppi) which  was lauded for its screen quality. Thanks to optical lamination it has excellent view angles and deeper blacks; there is no gap between the glass and LCD itself which makes the screen appear afloat. While not as sharp, colorful or contrasted as the One X, the screen is still significantly better than the Pentile Amoled qHD screen on last years premium One S.

Camera, 8MP with last years killer features

Instead of the ultrapixel (a low-light loving sensor with 2.0µm pixel size), the Desire 600 uses a standard wide angle 8MP BSI sensor with 1.4µm pixel size, but keeps the same f2.0 aperture and 28mm unique wide angle lens as the flagship. It also includes the older HTC ImageChip from last years flagships which gives us powers like HDR, burst shooting and VideoPic (take still shots during video capture) as well as super fast shutter/focus, slow motion video and flash metering: however it loses all the fancy Zoe features, which are enabled by a newer ImageChip 2 on the HTC One. Video recording maxes out at 720p; most likely due to the lesser capabilities of the Snapdragon 200 SOC.

Daylight pictures are of good quality but slightly hurt by HTCs default aggressive digital sharpness: thankfully you can always reduce sharpness using the Image Adjustments menu in the camera app. In terms of low light its perfectly usable when scaled down, especially indoor shots but 1:1 detail gets seriously degraded due to the smaller pixel size. Unfortunately HDR; which was flawless on last years HTC One X; fails to do a good daylight job here (curiously its the same issue as on the HTC One). On the other hand there is a great "HDR low light" feature in Sense 5: when used alongside the LED flash, the camera snaps two shots - one with flash and another without for mixed exposure, it gives far superior results to the washed out colors of standard LED flash photography. 

HTC Sense 5 in duality 

The tested device was preloaded with 1.17.707.3 firmware (Android 4.1.2) & HTC Sense 5.0. This is the same well praised UI from the full fledged HTC One; it is a known quantity by now so lets focus on the advertised features of the Desire 600, BlinkFeed, Video Highlights and dual SIM convenience.

Blinkfeed is HTCs version of Flipboard, it compiles news and posts from various sources (including your social media) in a nice scrolling layout embedded as the main home screen. You cant disable Blinkfeed - but you can set another home screen as your main one, and Blinkfeed will get moved to the right: you can also disable it further by removing newsfeed sources. 

Video Highlights is a feature which automatically compiles a video reel from your photos and videos in your phones gallery. This works based on an events time and location (you need to select your gallery content to be sorted by events). You can choose different preset themes for different effects and music. This is all done in real time and it works surprisingly well considering the modest Snapdragon 200 SoC in this phone. If you like the end results you can then save it as an H264 MP4 video to keep or share.

The two Sense 5 features which are missing compared to the HTC One are Sense TV and HTC Zoe, which rely on the Ones hardware (IR blaster and ImageChip2).

The way the dual-SIM functionality works is interesting; Sense 5 was revised with this in mind. For example, you can choose Slot 1 or Slot 2 straight from the dialler - and an improvement over the Desire SV is that you can now receive notifications about two calls at the same time... you can even answer both calls and the first one will be placed on Hold. Throughout the UI there are other optimisations to help you use both numbers without mix-ups.

One thing to keep in mind about a device in this range: while it will surely receive maintenance updates from HTC, unlike the high end phones dont expect a long term commitment regarding Android (or maybe even Sense) updates.

In terms of connectivity, only one of the two microSIM slots supports 3G/3.5G (HSPA) - the other only supports 2G/2.5G (Edge). The Desire 600 also includes GPS/GLONASS, NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 with APTX support.

Performance, a slow quad core 

Here we arrive at my main niggle with this device: while it is mid-range its still not an entry level device - and priced at around 400$ we should expect a decent performer. Unfortunately this 1.2ghz Snapdragon 200 SoC variety includes quad A5 cores and an Adreno 203 GPU along with a 1GB of DDR2 RAM. The quad will certainly assist in multitasking preventing long waits or hangs (which means it does well in certain benchmarks) but in terms of raw processing power the A5 is merely adequate and the entry level GPU is overstretched by the qHD resolution. This is why the Desire 600s UI is nowhere near as snappy or smooth as the HTC One Mini. Youll find that you can improve the smoothness of the UI by enabling "Force GPU" and "Disable HW overlays" from the hidden developers options. 

For those interested here are some benchmarks and system details:

Gaming, an entry level GPU

Given the affordable price, excellent stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers and a good quality screen, you can enjoy casual gaming on this device and lighter games. Temple Run 2 ran extremely smoothly in medium graphics mode (laggy if raised to high): but heavier 3D games like Fast & Furious 6 had most graphics intact, yet with a very poor frame rate. Ripetide GP2 ran with most fancy graphics enabled but at a poor (unplayable) frame rate: however reducing the game resolution or graphics effects from the in-game settings did improve things. 

In order to assess the GPU lets check the following GFXBench comparative, this is run onscreen since it reflects actual 3D gaming at the devices native screen resolution:

HTC One, T-Rex HD 15fps, Egypt HD 40fps (onscreen FHD - Adreno 320)

HTC One S, T-Rex HD 11.3fps, Egypt HD 28.4fps (onscreen qHD - Adreno 225)

HTC One Mini, T-Rex HD 9.3fps, Egypt HD 24.2fps (onscreen HD - Adreno 305)

HTC Sensation XE, T-Rex HD 5.9fps, Egypt HD 16.3fps (onscreen qHD - Adreno 220)

HTC One X, T-Rex HD 5.5fps, Egypt HD 15fps (onscreen HD - Tegra 3)

HTC Desire 500, T-Rex HD 4.7fps, Egypt HD 11.9fps (onscreen WVGA - Adreno 203)

HTC Desire 600, T-Rex HD 4.0fps, Egypt HD 10fps (onscreen qHD - Adreno 203)

HTC Sensation XL, T-Rex HD 3.1fps, Egypt HD fail (onscreen WVGA - Adreno 205)
HTC Explorer, T-Rex HD 0.9fps, Egypt HD 3.5fps (onscreen HVGA - Adreno 200)

You can clearly see the Desire 600 is around the bottom of the list: its modest GPU is over stretched by the qHD resolution. Adreno 203 seems to have been updated over the old Adreno 205, it fares better on the WVGA Desire 500, but its nowhere near as fast as the Adreno 305 on the HTC One Mini or Galaxy S4 Mini/Duos - and the HTC Ones graphics power seems like a distant dream.

Battery life

The included 1860mAh battery sounds good on paper but in practice with dual SIMs and data connections fully engaged you will be lucky if it lasts you the full day. Of course your mileage will vary but connectivity is the biggest drainer here - use with care.

Conclusion

The most impressive aspects of the HTC Desire 600 are design; build quality; sound and screen quality. There is no doubt HTC can design and build phones better than most - even if mid-range, even if plastic. Couple that with an impressive list of features thanks to HTC Sense 5, plus some unique hardware, and you have a really nice, slimmed down, affordable HTC One experience with an added dual SIM functionality: a "reason to buy" for many.

I can not but wish it had the Snapdragon 400 with dual Krait cores and Adreno 305 instead of the average SoC its carrying, quad core or otherwise, it would have been a killer mid-ranger. Surely this must be the reason why HTC just announced the Desire 601 with Snapdragon 400 (and there are rumors of a dual sim variety).

Alternatively if you are around this budget and dual sims are not required, you can simply buy last years flagship the HTC One X (or One X+) and update it to Sense 5: you would have an acclaimed smartphone with a vastly superior speed, screen and camera.

Hardware Summary:

+ Excellent build quality and design for the price

+ Excellent stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers

+ Good quality screen with excellent view angles

+ Dual SIM convenience with good UI integration

+ Impressive automatically generated Video Highlights in the gallery

+ Speedy camera thanks to HTC ImageChip

- Low End Snapdragon 200 SOC despite a quad core CPU

- Struggling Adreno 203 GPU for qHD resolution, limited gaming

- Slippery back cover

Have any questions or comments? Feel free to share! Also, if you like this article, please use the media sharing buttons (Twitter, G+, Facebook) below this post!

Official HTC Desire 600 dual sim Specifications:

SIZE: 134.8 x 67 x 9.26mm

WEIGHT: 130g

DISPLAY: 4.5" qHD Super LCD2

CPU SPEED

• Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 200, quad-core, 1.2GHz

PLATFORM

• Android™ with HTC Sense™
• HTC BlinkFeed™

ROM/RAM MEMORY

• Total storage:  8GB, (available capacity varies)
• Expansion card slot supports microSD™ for up to 64GB additional storage (card not included)
• RAM: 1GB DDR2

NETWORK

• 2G/ 2.5G - GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 900/1800/1900 MHz
• 3G/ 3.5G - UMTS/ HSPA: 900/2100 MHz with HSDPA up to 7.2 Mbps
• Dual SIM (microSIM) with ‘dual active’ support

SENSORS

• Accelerometer
• Proximity sensor
• Ambient light sensor

CONNECTIVITY

• 3.5 mm stereo audio jack
• NFC capable
• Bluetooth® 4.0 with aptX™ enabled
• Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
• DLNA® for wirelessly streaming media from the phone to a compatible TV or computer
• HTC Connect

SOUND ENHANCEMENT

• HTC BoomSound™
• Dual frontal stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers
• Studio-quality sound with Beats Audio™

CAMERA

• 8 MP camera with auto focus, LED flash
• BSI sensor, Sensor size 1/3.2"
• Dedicated HTC ImageChip
• Read More..

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Surfacing content from iOS apps in Google Search

Posted by Eli Wald, Product Manager

We’ve been helping users discover relevant content from Android apps in Google search results for a while now. Starting today, we’re bringing App Indexing to iOS apps as well. This means users on both Android and iOS will be able to open mobile app content straight from Google Search.

Indexed links from an initial group of apps we’ve been working with will begin appearing on iOS in search results both in the Google App and Chrome for signed-in users globally in the coming weeks:

How to get your iOS app indexed

While App Indexing for iOS is launching with a small group of test partners initially, we’re working to make this technology available to more app developers as soon as possible. In the meantime, here are the steps to get a head start on App Indexing for iOS:

1. Add deep linking support to your iOS app.
2. Make sure it’s possible to return to Search results with one click.
3. Provide deep link annotations on your site.
4. Let us know you’re interested. Keep in mind that expressing interest does not automatically guarantee getting app deep links in iOS search results.

If you happen to be attending Google I/O this week, stop by our talk titled “Get your app in the Google index” to learn more about App Indexing. You’ll also find detailed documentation on App Indexing for iOS at g.co/AppIndexing. If you’ve got more questions, drop by our Webmaster help forum.

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Monday, February 22, 2016

Works with Google Cardboard creativity plus compatibility

Posted by Andrew Nartker, Product Manager, Google Cardboard

All of us is greater than any single one of us. That’s why we open sourced the Cardboard viewer design on day one. And why we’ve been working on virtual reality (VR) tools for manufacturers and developers ever since. We want to make VR better together, and the community continues to inspire us.

For example: what began with cardboard, velcro and some lenses has become a part of toy fairs and art shows and film festivals all over the world. There are also hundreds of Cardboard apps on Google Play, including test drives, roller coaster rides, and mountain climbs. And people keep finding new ways to bring VR into their daily lives—from campus tours to marriage proposals to vacation planning.

It’s what we dreamed about when we folded our first piece of cardboard, and combined it with a smartphone: a VR experience for everyone! And less than a year later, there’s a tremendous diversity of VR viewers and apps to choose from. To keep this creativity going, however, we also need to invest in compatibility. That’s why we’re announcing a new program called Works with Google Cardboard.

At its core, the program enables any Cardboard viewer to work well with any Cardboard app. And the result is more awesome VR for all of us.

For makers: compatibility tools, and a certification badge

These days you can find Cardboard viewers made from all sorts of materials—plastic, wood, metal, even pizza boxes. The challenge is that each viewer may have slightly different optics and dimensions, and apps actually need this info to deliver a great experience. That’s why, as part of today’s program, we’re releasing a new tool that configures any viewer for every Cardboard app, automatically.

As a manufacturer, all you need to do is define your viewer’s key parameters (like focal length, input type, and inter-lens distance), and you’ll get a QR code to place on your device. Once a user scans this code using the Google Cardboard app, all their other Cardboard VR experiences will be optimized for your viewer. And that’s it.

Starting today, manufacturers can also apply for a program certification badge. This way potential users will know, at a glance, that a VR viewer works great with Cardboard apps and games. Visit the Cardboard website to get started.

The GoggleTech C1-Glass viewer works with Google Cardboard

For developers: design guidelines and SDK updates

Whether you’re building your first VR app, or you’ve done it ten times before, creating an immersive experience comes with a unique set of design questions like, “How should I orient users at startup?” Or “How do menus even work in VR?”

We’ve explored these questions (and many more) since launch, and today we’re sharing our initial learnings with the developer community. Our new design guidelines focus on overall usability, as well as common VR pitfalls, so take a look and let us know your thoughts.

Of course, we want to make it easier to design and build great apps. So today were also updating the Cardboard SDKs for Android and Unity—including improved head tracking and drift correction. In addition, both SDKs support the Works with Google Cardboard program, so all your apps will play nice with all certified VR viewers.

For users: apps + viewers = choices

The number of Cardboard apps has quickly grown from dozens to hundreds, so we’re expanding our Google Play collection to help you find high-quality apps even faster. New categories include Music and Video, Games, and Experiences. Whether you’re blasting asteroids, or reliving the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, there’s plenty to explore on Google Play.

New collections of Cardboard apps on Google Play

Today’s Works with Google Cardboard announcement means you’ll get the same great VR experience across a wide selection of Cardboard viewers. Find the viewer that fits you best, and then fire up your favorite apps.

For the future: Thrive Audio and Tilt Brush are joining the Google family

Most of today’s VR experiences focus on what you see, but what you hear is just as important. That’s why we’re excited to welcome the Thrive Audio team from the School of Engineering in Trinity College Dublin to Google. With their ambisonic surround sound technology, we can start bringing immersive audio to VR.

In addition, we’re thrilled to have the Tilt Brush team join our family. With its innovative approach to 3D painting, Tilt Brush won last year’s Proto Award for Best Graphical User Interface. We’re looking forward to having them at Google, and building great apps together.

Ultimately, today’s updates are about making VR better together. Join the fold, and let’s have some fun.

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