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The race for third works either way, usually its talking about software but it works almost as well for manufacturers

about 5 hours ago on What the hell is Google's plan for Motorola?

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Please find something documenting this.

1 day ago on Xbox One games will require internet 'spot checks', but Microsoft won't charge to authenticate used games 1 reply 4 recommends

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Yep. Chrome/ Google Calendar/ Play Music/ etc all follow this method. Anything that talks to googles servers.

1 day ago on Speculation on lack of SMS support in Hangouts

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PC Gamers got over the no used games in the late 90’s when we realized it meant we got them cheaper. I rarely buy a game for less than 50% off and normally 75% off.

1 day ago on Xbox One games will require internet 'spot checks', but Microsoft won't charge to authenticate used games 1 reply 4 recommends

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Thats a lie. It can.

1 day ago on Xbox One games will require internet 'spot checks', but Microsoft won't charge to authenticate used games 1 reply 10 recommends

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Ah I see.

1 day ago on HTC Phablet?

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Even if this is the plan right now whoever buys them might not agree.

1 day ago on Yahoo among bidders for Hulu, as report says employees head for exits

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Not really, nobody ships the AOSP music app, and only nexus devices ship the default messaging app (AFAIK). They could replace the messaging app on Nexus devices and try and convince manufacturers to ship hangouts instead of their messaging apps.

1 day ago on Speculation on lack of SMS support in Hangouts 1 reply

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HTC makes sense….. Samsung makes touchwhiz…. so he wouldn’t be going back to touchwhiz on an htc phablet

1 day ago on HTC Phablet?

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Also the multiple apps thing makes some apps look really funny. Apps aren’t designed to support that layout.

http://www.geek.com/mobile/samsung-adds-multi-window-despite-threat-from-google-1520833/

1 day ago on Any advice for a potential iPhone defector?

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Touchwhiz has a non uniform design language that clashes with itself and android. It takes lots of extra room on your phone, it’s slower and less stable. It also contributes to slower android updates.

The snap feature or sidebyside whatever they call it is a TouchWhiz feature, not in stock. If its a big deal you may need to go touchwhiz, but how often are you really going to do that on a little phone?

Do consider the nexus 4, it’s got 2 downsides. It’s cameras not as good if you’re a photo buff, and no LTE, since you’re in the UK I assume LTE isn’t as important to you. But it’s build quality is way nicer and it’s half the price or less.

As an android developer (mostly back end stuf) I don’t know of any problems developing for Touchwhiz instead of stock.

Rooting and custom roms are just for fun for most phones. They’re only really essential if you have an old phone that didn’t get updates. If you’re into android as a hobby you do it, if you want a phone that just works don’t.

1 day ago on Any advice for a potential iPhone defector? 1 reply

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This post all the way. Get the Nexus 4 unless you’re really into LTE (which doesn’t seem likely being in the UK)

1 day ago on Any advice for a potential iPhone defector?

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HTC is a publicly traded company, we do know about what shape they are in. And it’s certainly not as bad as people think, they’re still making a profit, but only barely. http://www.androidcentral.com/htc-posts-q1-2013-financial-results

1 day ago on HTC Phablet? 1 reply

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They won’t replace the default messaging app. That would force Hangouts to be open source. They don’t want that. This is the same reason AOSP’s music app is not Play Music.

1 day ago on Speculation on lack of SMS support in Hangouts 1 reply

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The hard part is theres not an easy way to see if they have hangouts installed.

1 day ago on Speculation on lack of SMS support in Hangouts

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Is this a sarcastic thread in response to http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/23/4359364/nexus-4-versus-google-edition-galaxy-s4-what-to-buy-read-first ?

1 day ago on Are there any real differences between the Google Galaxy S4 and the Nexus 4 besides price? 1 recommend

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http://www.shacknews.com/article/76609/valve-confirms-source-2-ricochet-2-in-development

1 day ago on Has Everyone Forgotten the Steambox? My Wishlist

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Well the Xbox was the LCD last generation as well.

1 day ago on Why choosing a Xbox One over a Playstation 4 (for now...)

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It is the same as the new consoles if Valve markets it as a console. Developers have to see Steambox as the platform. Right now games for steam are aimed at PC as the platform, not steambox.

1 day ago on Has Everyone Forgotten the Steambox? My Wishlist

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I don’t know your budget, but from you’ve said around here are the options I see.

Get a cheap CB and a Macbook Pro. The samsung chromebook gets awesome battery life (updwards of 6 hours depending on brightness), is very portable, and generally just a rockstar of a tiny laptop. But if you get a little chromebook there wouldn’t be much point in getting a macbook air or smaller pro because they fill a very similar slot in the ecosystem. And 15" Macbook Pros are pretty expensive. So this is a very expensive option.

A macbook air is between the two, way more portable than a pro, and more power than a cheap chromebook. And its about in the middle expense wise as well. It’s probably the most practical option if you’re not willing to commit to the cloud. If you change your mind and like the cloud, get a Pixel. This option could be supplemented by something like a Nexus 7 to provide super portability for not very much.

1 day ago on Should I move from Windows 8 to OSX?

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Probably they could keep up. Windows is a huge resource hog. Chromebooks don’t have as much in the way of hardware because they don’t need as much.

1 day ago on Should I move from Windows 8 to OSX?

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iOS google apps and Android google apps are two prongs of modern google. Different platforms have different designs, thats how it should be.

1 day ago on Potential Gmail for Android redesign with new navigation bar revealed in Google I/O slide 1 recommend

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Hmm…. yes it does? Thats where your conversation list lives. Or am I confused on what the side menu is.

1 day ago on Potential Gmail for Android redesign with new navigation bar revealed in Google I/O slide 1 reply 1 recommend

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Looks really good. Will wait for a sale or it to come to linux.

1 day ago on Four elements, four buttons: 'Element4l' is a fun, atmospheric shape-shifter

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The biggest thing with PC’s is game developers will very rarely go to the work of making games that look way better on the PC than they will on the consoles, because so many people won’t see it. But look at Crysis 3 if you want to see where this generation will be starting. Unfortunately it might be where it ends as well, the consoles are weaker than the highest end PC’s already.

1 day ago on Microsoft targets 25 million more Xbox 360 sales, 'huge announcement' planned for E3

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The whole idea is to make things easier, and instead of that you have to make sure to speak clearly, and to keep background noise down. Not cool…

I mean how well do you think it will handy parties? Or your brother shouting xbox go to tv just to be a jerk in the middle of your game. Voice control is just a gimmick and will always be.

1 day ago on Voice Control Opinion