Did the Google lawn sculpture artist tease Android L official name?

It's either he's the most obvious "teaser" out there or he's giving us another red herring. Google lawn artist (yes, there's such a thing!) Giovanni Calabrese has been leaving licorice hints all over his G+ page, just ahead of his visit to the Google HQ in San Francisco. He is now working on retouching and refurbishing the lawn sculptures, probably in preparation for the official announcement of the latest Android version and the probable unveiling of the new Nexus phone, rumored to be later this month.

Calabrese has been talking about licorice the past few days. It might be his favorite sweet, or as we said, he might just be giving out a red herring because surely Google must not be letting him get away with such obvious remarks if that was indeed the name. Guessing the dessert name of the latest Android iteration has become a fun game among observers. Much speculation has been spreading about the actual name of Android L, with Lollipop and Lemon Meringue Pie being the front-runners.

Probably, Calabrese does know what the official name is, given that he has to have enough time to come up with a lawn sculpture for Android L, just like he did with other previous updates like Gingerbread, Jellybean, Kitkat, etc. His visit to the Google HQ may have something to do with that, although the official "cover story" is that he needs to refurbish the existing lawn sculptures. He even made a call-out on G+, asking for volunteers to help with the repainting and retouching.

The highly anticipated Android L release is expected sometime later this month. It will be bringing many updates, including the Material Design which is being applied to various Google products the past few weeks. A new way of reading and interacting with notifications and the further integration of Android and Chrome will also be among the new features to be expected with Android Licorice. Wait, we mean, whatever the L is.

SOURCE: +GiovanniCalabrese

Story Timeline

• Nexus 9 launch rumor points to mid-Oct, Android L Nov 1


• Did Google confirm that Android L will be Lollipop?


• Very early Android L on the Galaxy S5: gorgeous but raw

Design Your App with Ease Using B2tsoftware Online Tool

When making an application, thinking about its design is often an underestimated but important step. After all, it’s what your users see, so it’s crucial to keep it clean and intuitive (especially for less technical apps). Depending on the nature of your app, it might be a good idea to plan this step ahead instead of implementing it straight away and testing it as you build it. A paper and pencil are good starting points to get the basic layout, but you’ll probably want to get a feel of how your app will really look onscreen before you start implementing your design.

Google provides developers with several resources in an attempt to facilitate app design and planning, but that still involves quite a bit of work to look for each element, resize it, edit it and place it the way you want. A better alternative is offered by XDA Forum Member brownstein in the form of an online design tool. It allows you to choose from a large selection of Android (and iOS) elements, which you can then resize, customize and place on a mobile screen with ease. You can add a status bar, action bar, text, images, buttons and more as you wish.

This tool also comes with many features that make the process more convenient. You can manage the elements’ depth (allowing you to place the keyboard on top of other elements, for example), change any element’s transparency or even duplicate something for easy reuse. Last but not least, you can also manage multiple pages, making it possible to design multiple activities/fragments for your app and easily switch between them.

While it currently isn’t fully translated to English, the interface is intuitive and very easy to use. Visit the B2tsoftware App Design Tool thread now if you’d like to give it a shot, and happy designing!

The post Design Your App with Ease Using B2tsoftware Online Tool appeared first on xda-developers.

Verizon counts down to the next DROID smartphone

Verizon is counting down to something, but of course it isn't telling us exactly what. But given what we've been hearing from the rumor mill so far, there is little doubt that this would be the next Verizon DROID, which we know as the DROID Turbo. This tease does nothing to confirm or deny any of the leaks and rumors that we already have, but it does give us something solid to lean on: an actual date for the unveiling of the device.

It's been almost a month since the DROID Turbo, back then still unnamed, started creeping into the Internet, at first together with another anticipated Motorola device, the supposed Motorola Shamu or Moto S or Nexus 6, whichever way you want to call it. Thanks to a somewhat lethal combo of a GFXBench sighting and a leaked user manual, we almost have a complete picture of the DROID Turbo by now, one that, strangely, will actually overshadow Motorola's own Moto X flagship.

These include specs such as a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, 3 GB of RAM, a 20 megapixel rear camera, and an impressive 5.2-inch QHD screen. That's 2560x1440 pixels for you. So far, only the insides and fronts of the device have gotten much attention, aside from a singular leaked batch of photos early on. Verizon does it's best to obscure the device in its teaser, but with just the faintest of lights and a bit of deduction (that the power and volume rocker would be located on the right edge of the device facing forward), we can almost confirm one design aspect of the rear cover, the DROID Turbo would have a split and distant dual LED flash setup unlike that of the new Moto X.

Verizon's countdown gives us 14 days to go, which means we can expect an October 28 event for the DROID Turbo. From the information we've collected so far, this is definitely one smartphone worth waiting for, especially if you're a Verizon subscriber. AT&T and T-Mobile customers might have their due soon as well, though the details for that are less solid than we'd like.

SOURCE: Verizon

Story Timeline

• Verizon DROID Turbo details get leaked, Moto S cover appears


• Motorola’s new DROID Turbo appears at GFX Bench


• Motorola device in FCC might be DROID Turbo for AT&T, T-Mobile


• Verizon DROID Turbo gets detailed in leaked manual


• DROID TURBO sports a 3,900mAh Battery

Learn How to Develop a Game with Cocos2d-x

Operating system differences are definitely one of the biggest disadvantages in app and game development. Certain OSes use different programming languages, so it’s really hard to have your apps available both on Android and iOS. Luckily, there are some software solutions that make development as seamless as possible.

One of them is Cocos2d, an open source software framework that can be used for game and app development. With this tool, you will be able to develop an application in a specific language and have it run on different platform–be it Android, iOS, or the Web. If you ever wanted to use Cocos2d and never knew how, XDA Forum Member sortris wrote a thorough guide showing the process of game development on Mac OS X. The provided guide shows how to create an Android and iOS game by using the C++ programming language.

The guide covers only the basics, so don’t expect your game to be as advanced as Angry Birds. It is, however, definitely a good place to get started with game development. After a few tries, you should be able to build your own game.

You can learn more about development using Cocos2d-x by visiting the Create game with Cocos2d-x & JavaScript thread. Head over there to find out more about this project.

The post Learn How to Develop a Game with Cocos2d-x appeared first on xda-developers.

T-Mobile to launch the Xperia Z3 on October 29

The Xperia Z3 is coming to town and it will be stopping by T-Mobile first. The US carrier has just announced availability details for Sony's latest and greatest to give their subscribers time to prepare and save up for the device. The Xperia Z3 will go on sale across the country starting October 29. But those too excited to get their hands on the device can opt to join the pre-order spree starting on the 15th to be able to get theirs before the national launch.

There is, after all, reason to be excited about the Xperia Z3 as Sony has seemingly pulled out all the stops in the latest iteration of its flagship. From some angles, it might seem just an incremental upgrade over early 2014's Xperia Z2 but nonetheless it represents Sony's best effort in the smartphone market. The 5.2-inch screen still sports a Full HD resolution but also boasts of the usual Sony BRAVIA and TRILUMINOS display tech. The beating heart of the device is a 2.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon, assisted by 3 GB of RAM. The 20.7 megapixel camera may, at first brush, seem similar to previous iterations, but Sony has added a new ingredient to the mix in the form of a 25 mm wide-angle Sony G Lens.

More than just the raw hardware specs, the Xperia Z3 pushes the boundaries of what Sony's mobile devices are capable of. Already known for its water proof (or just water resistant, depending on where you live) smartphones, the Xperia Z3 excels even more with the highest IP65/IP68 grade, enough to survive a dip in soda and a slathering of Nutella. Despite the rather resource hungry hardware, the smartphone's large 3,100 mAh battery is advertised to last you 2 days at most. And for the gamers in the crowd, Sony has debuted PS4 Remote Play which turns the smartphone into a wireless remote game controller and window for the latest gen console.

All those can be yours at $26.25 a month for 2 years with zero down. That is, of course, if you're part of T-Mobile's family. Those who pre-order the Xperia Z3 starting October 15 at 12:00 a.m. PDT will be able to receive their device before the smartphone formally launches nationwide for everyone else. And for those who are not part of that "un-carrier" crowd, the Xperia Z3, in another incarnation, will arrive on Verizon as well as the Xperia Z3v, a variant that adds Qi wireless charging for the price of a bit of thickness.

SOURCE: T-Mobile

VIA: SlashGear

Story Timeline

• Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact: PS4 Remote Play, 20MP, and more


• T-Mobile to bring Sony Xperia Z3 to US by end of 2014


• Xperia Z3 and Z3 compact score two-day battery life in testing


• T-Mobile Xperia Z3 page now up, device still coming soon

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact arrives in the US carrier-free

Sony has just opened the gates to allow folks in the US to purchase the very new Xperia Z3 Compact mini flagship. But unlike its new strategy with the bigger Xperia Z3, Sony is using it's older business model of selling the device directly and without carrier support and subsidy. That means you can get the Xperia Z3 Compact and use it on any network of your choice, but of course that also means coughing up more dough upfront compared to spreading it out over two years or so.

We still don't know why Sony decided not to have an Xperia Z2 Compact, but that will no longer matter as the Xperia Z3 Compact is the small-sized smartphone to beat. Unless, of course, you consider price tags, in which case the new Moto G is still the top contender. As with the Xperia Z1 Compact, this smartphone is like a smaller reflection of the Xperia Z3. It may not share the same high-end specs, but it continues Sony's tradition of putting the best that you can find in such a cramped space.

This means a 2.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage expandable up to 128 GB. The screen remains at 720p, a bit of a disappointment, but still quite decent at 4.6 inches. The rear camera is, of course, 20.7 megapixels, now improved and better than ever. The front-facing one totes 2.2 megapixels capable of recording 1080p video. The Xperia Z3 Compact shares many of the special features that its bigger sibling has, including IP65/IP68 dust and water proofing, a 2,600 mAh battery advertised to last for 2 days, and, for the first time, PS4 Remote Play that turns the handy smartphone into a gaming console remote.

With all those features, plus Sony's usual pricing scheme, it shouldn't be surprising that the device carries a $529.99 price tag. There are discount promos available, like 10 percent off for students or $100 off for Sony Mobile Capital One members. The Xperia Z3 Compact comes in the new Sony color scheme of White, Black, Orange, and Green though only the white one gets a white front while the rest are matched with a black face.

SOURCE: Sony

VIA: SlashGear

Story Timeline

• Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact: PS4 Remote Play, 20MP, and more


• Xperia Z3 and Z3 compact score two-day battery life in testing


• Sony unveils new marketing campaign for Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact


• Google adds Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact to Chromecast Screen Casting

Google Now ahead of Siri, Bing in search result accuracy

Smartphone, smartphone in my hand, who's the fairest of them all? Aside from our bad rhyming skills, the answer to that question must be fairly obvious, but in the interest of those who want actual numbers and statistics, a study conducted by SEO consulting firm Stone Temple showed a clear winner in the battle of the digital assistants. A test conducted on the built-in search assistants from Google, Apple and Microsoft showed that, of course, the search giant was miles away in terms of accuracy of results, although it might be lacking in the fun department.

Using Google Now (built-in to the Google App) and Siri on an iPhone 4s and iPhone 5, and Cortana (still in beta version) on a Nokia Lumia 635 Windows phone, they presented each platform with 3000 voice queries to test them not on their capability as a digital assistant, but on the results presented in the knowledge box. It's not really a surprise that Google Now scored the highest in terms of most enhanced results and complete answer. In fact, it was no contest at all, with its score of 88%, compared to 53% for Siri and 40% for Cortana.

Google Now, of course, is not infallible, although it gives more varied results than the other two as it pulls answers from varied sources and presents it in varied ways, including carousel results, step by step instructions, a structured snippet included in the regular search results, and others. Siri doesn't only source its results from Wolfram Alpha (which they tried to position as a Google killer before) but also from Wikipedia, Yahoo and Bing. And a lot of people have whiled away minutes asking Siri silly questions to get funny answers, so we can't really say that people use it for actual information.

As for Cortana, the newest kid on the block, so to speak, most of the results in the tested queries sent YouTube results to answer the questions, which is often not helpful at all. It also uses data from the Oxford dictionary and Wikipedia. However, it seems to not still be fully integrated with Bing, the Windows search engine. But the study shows that Cortina's accuracy will improve if they completely integrate it with its own search engine. Nevertheless, both Siri and Cortina have a long way to go in terms of catching up to Google Now, based on this study (and probably most of our real-life experience).

SOURCE: Stone Temple