Status automatically lets your friends know what you’re doing

If you don't want to flood your friends' Facebook or Twitter timelines with inconsequential updates like "at home" or "driving" or "out of town" but you would actually like them to know it, then there's a separate app for that. Status - auto status updates somewhat simplifies the process and does that for you.

The app works even without you manually updating it. Using motion sensors and the locations you set for home, office, school, etc, it will then work in the background and let your friends or family members where you are or what you're doing. Some of the status available include "out and about", "low battery", "driving", "in a meeting" and many more. But lest you think that this will broadcast it to the whole world, you can choose which people you'd like to see your status or activity. So, don't worry, stalkers cannot see your location or what you're up to.

An update to the app brings you some polling questions, like asking you if you want to know what your partner or best friend is doing, etc. You can even now favorite your contacts so that they will be prioritized when you view your timeline. You can even call contacts from within the app.

While this is a pretty nifty app, especially if you don't want your friends to disturb you when you're busy or when you're too lazy to update your family members where you are, it will only work if your contacts or friends are actually using the app. And given how many social networks most of them are already on, it will take some convincing powers to get them here. But you can still give it a try (and tell them to give it a try to) and download Status from the Google Play Store for free.

AutoMath solves equations by taking pictures

Anyone who has to do a lot of math for homework or business wants an easy way to check their work to be sure they did the problem correctly will want to check this out. A new app has turned up for Android users called AutoMath and it will solve an equation for you quickly and simply without you having to type in anything in many instances.

To solve an equation all you need to do is take a picture of the problem with your smartphone. The app will solve the equation and give you the answer. The developers promise quick and accurate results.

Internet access isn't required for the app to work and it is capable of solving simple or complex equations. The app supports over 250 mathematical functions. The photo calculator currently supports Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Fractions, Division, Inequalities, Powers, Square Roots, Trigonometry, Algebra, Simplification, and Basic Algorithms.

The app also supports polynomials, calculus, equation systems, complex math and more. Graphing, calculus, equation systems, and the ability to scan and answer hand written problems are coming in a future version.

SOURCE: Google Play

3G is dead (dying), long live LTE for Verizon?

They said it back in 2011, but now it seems like the start of the slow (and we mean slow) death of 3G is upon us, at least as far as Verizon is concerned. It seems that the carrier has been cannibalizing its old CDMA EV-DO systems to make way for a third distinct LTE network, after launching the first two back in 2010.

Verizon spokeswoman Debra Lewis more or less confirmed that they are testing LTE on previously inactive PCS bands (as noticed by Gigaom's resident "network spotter" Milan Milanovic) but said they cannot specify yet which locations are testing them. She also did not indicate a specific date as to a possible commercial launch. But way back in 2011, CTO Tony Melone already indicated that they will eventually shut down 3G to make way for 4G.

However, that future is still a long way off, since 41% of the devices on Verizon are still running on 2G and 3G. While 80% of their traffic is actually on LTE already, you cannot ignore the fact that 2G is still their primary voice network. So it will still take some time before they can actually make do without EV-DO systems.

But Verizon is definitely moving into that direction, as they will eventually shifting their voice traffic into the voice-over-LTE service (VoLTE), which they started offering earlier this year. A few weeks ago, they also announced that by 2015, they will be offering VoLTE interoperability with AT&T, which will be the first of its kind among the US carriers. This is part of Verizon's goal to have a single network technology for all its voice and data services.

VIA: Gigaom

Story Timeline

• Verizon VoLTE to include video chat and more supported devices


• Verizon rolls out VoLTE and Advanced Calling 1.0


• Verizon and AT&T to offer VoLTE interoperability by 2015

RGB Express lands on Android

If you like challenging puzzle games that start simple to get you hooked and then get challenging, you will appreciate RGB Express. This game has been available on iOS devices for a while and has now come to Android. The game involves picking a path for the colored trucks so they can drop their deliveries off at the right color building.

Players draw the path the trucks will take around a city map. The truck can only pick up one block at a time and has to drop it off at the correct colored building before it can pick up the next block. Where things get challenging is when there are multiple trucks and blocks to pick up on a single map.

The trucks can cross paths, but they can't follow the same straight sections of road. That means you have to carefully map out the path the trucks will take. Some maps will take several tries to complete. The free version of the game has 200 levels.

A paid version of the game is available that adds 80 additional levels and removes the ads. Three free hints are included and others can be purchased in-app. A king truck can also be purchased in-app.

SOURCE: Google Play

Dustoff Vietnam is a blocky helicopter combat game

Android gamers have a new game to check out called Dustoff Vietnam. The game puts players in control of a rescue helicopter and tasks them with search and rescue of wounded soldiers in the field. Players can choose from three different rescue helicopters.

Each of the helicopters has different handling and transport capabilities. Players also have three different weapons to choose from with each weapon offering different capabilities. Missions will see players transporting cargo, saving hostages, and stopping enemy convoys.

Players will have to deal with various weather conditions. Different settings include jungles, swamps, hidden caves, mine systems, and more. The look of the game reminds me a lot of Minecraft with a blocky pixilated style.

There are 16 unique missions to the game and it is 100% kid friendly. The developers say that no man can be killed, the enemy runs away. The game is 57MB and requires Android 4.0 or higher.

SOURCE: Google Play

New patent filing shows a slimmed-down Google Glass

Although it's almost 3 years since Google Glass was announced (and then sold to "explorers" a year later), it's still too early to say whether it's already a failure or that it will eventually catch on. But a new patent filing from Google shows that they aim to improve the first version, and maybe, just maybe, this will pave the way for more interest in the wearable tech.

The patent shows that version 2.0 (if this will be the one that sees the light of day) is much slimmer and has a shorter main body. It also has a longer screen than the current one and maintains the forward-facing camera (which has bothered many a potential user). The new design also shows that there is no eyepiece that will rest on your nose, which means it can be fitted in other headgear, like a helmet, cap or maybe even your own eyewear.

While Google Glass has a lot of uses other than just ordinary everyday purposes, it still hasn't caught on as quickly as Google would like it to. Some developers and backers have taken back their support. Some theaters ban people wearing it. There has been a lot of privacy violation concerns (which, if you really study the product, you know it doesn't).

But more importantly, Google hasn't really gone all out to market or release it. It's been a year since we expected it to hit retail stores, but up to now, the only available one for purchase is the Explorer edition, which may very well be a euphemism for beta version. Maybe version 2.0 is part of their retail game plan, but it also means we have to wait a little longer to see the improved Google Glass in your online and physical retail stores.

VIA: SlashGear

Story Timeline

• Google Glass, Android Wear notifications can't run simultaneously


• Developers starting to doubt Google Glass future


• The next Google Glass model will be powered by Intel

Learn How to Fix the FUSE Time Stamp Issue

Google’s implementation of FUSE is far from perfect. Normally, on-file actions like copying or moving a file can be done without changing the time stamp. This is vital to make backup-on-sync reliable. Most currently available OSes are able to preserve file timestamps, but this is unfortunately not the case in Android.

The problem was recognized a long time ago and has existed in the source code since 2009. Google still hasn’t provided an appropriate fix, so users have either to live with it or find a workaround to circumvent the problem. XDA Forum Member tag68 provided a few methods that can be used with the FUSE and Android to keep the file timestamp and other attributes even after on-file operations. Now, a positive outcome can be achieved with at least four applications that handle the time stamp correctly.

All of these applications require root access to work properly. FUSE in Android uses the root account, so this is why fixing this annoying error is so difficult. It’s a bit silly that Google is making root access more difficult to achieve, while leaving such embarrassing error in place.

Most currently sold devices uses file systems affected by this FUSE error. You can learn more about methods to circumvent it by heading over to the Keep timestamp and attributes correct guide thread.

The post Learn How to Fix the FUSE Time Stamp Issue appeared first on xda-developers.