HTC confirms One X multitasking tweaks in Sense 4

There's been quite a bit of brouhaha over at xda-developers lately about changes HTC's made to the way multitasking behaves on the One X compared to stock Ice Cream Sandwich. We're not just talking about obvious UI tweaks here -- Sense 4's horizontal, card-like arrangement vs. Android 4.0's default vertical list -- but actual differences in memory and task management. While we're not running into any problems with our One X review unit, some users have noticed that background app are getting terminated too aggressively, so we reached out to HTC for comment. Here's what the company said:

HTC is aware of some questions in the enthusiast community about how the HTC One X handles multitasking and memory management for background apps. We value the community's input and are always looking for ways to enhance customers' experience with our devices. That said, multitasking is operating normally according to our custom memory management specifications which balance core ICS features with a consistent HTC Sense experience.

There you have it. HTC's definitely implemented some multitasking tweaks on handsets running Sense 4. Perhaps this is why battery life is so impressive on AT&T's One X? While we don't believe this is going to be an issue for most users, there's always the option of installing custom ROMs now that the phone's been rooted.

HTC confirms One X multitasking tweaks in Sense 4 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 02:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google reportedly planning stable of Nexus devices with Android 5.0, will sell 'em direct

Hand firmly grasping hat? Good. The Wall Street Journal is reporting on quite the bombshell today, noting that Google is about to cause its carrier partners in the States all sorts of grief -- indirectly, of course. Just weeks after placing its heralded Galaxy Nexus on sale for $399 unlocked, the report states that said move is only the beginning of a new initiative. Likely to be formally revealed at Google I/O, the mega-corp is planning to partner with a variety of OEMs (rather than just one at a time) in order to have up to five Pure Google (read: Nexus) devices available at once. Better still, the whole stable will ship with Android 5.0 (Jelly Bean) and will be sold directly from Google in unlocked form to consumers in America, Europe and Asia.
The move is significant in a myriad ways. For one, more unlocked Nexus devices means more choice when it comes to carrier selection. Furthermore, the move is likely to quell fears that certain partners may have about Google making Motorola Mobility its favorite after a $12 billion acquisition. Not surprisingly, Google's not commenting on the matter, but sources "close" to the situation say that the company's hoping to have the 5.0 cadre on sale by Thanksgiving -- you know, just in time for Black Friday and the looming holiday shopping season. We're all guessing that this will address the growing "app situation" head-on; by making a push to eliminate carrier-infused bloatware (while also providing early Android OS access to more partners), we're hoping that the whole "skinning" dilemma is addressed, too.

Google reportedly planning stable of Nexus devices with Android 5.0, will sell 'em direct originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 17:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A day in the life of a Gmail email

Electronic mail, or email to those in the know, has become so ubiquitous and transparent that many take for granted the effort and engineering required to make this near-instant communication medium a reality. In an effort to remind the general public about this digital miracle, Google (a company that knows a thing or two about the subject) has launched a new mini-site dubbed The Story of Send. The web novella leverages animations and videos to explain what happens to a Gmail dispatch once it's jettisoned from your mail client of choice. Message transmission, data security and green computing initiatives are just a few of the topics on the menu. Saunter past the break, have a peek at the video primer then make sure to check out the full Story of Send site.
Continue reading A day in the life of a Gmail email

A day in the life of a Gmail email originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 17:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on (video)

The Etch-a-Sketch. A standard bearer for childhood, and one that most of us never really mastered. While Yelizaveta Lokshina can't help you create awe-inspiring portraits from aluminum powder, she has managed to update the toy for the digital age. Using an Arduino, a few buttons and a pressure sensor crammed inside a hollowed-out Etch-a-Sketch, the 3.0 version of the doodler is able to draw in old school gray, as well as vibrant colors created by blending an RGB palette. While holding down the red, green or blue button you squeeze the pressure sensor to add more or less of individual hues. The same sensor is used to change brush width when you hold down the black button. There's even a secret mode that automatically cycles through colors and thicknesses for creating vibrant, almost hallucinatory patterns.
At the moment, the dual doodle knobs need to be physically connected to a computer so that a Processing script can work its magic and render the virtual Etch-a-Sketch. But, future versions may include wireless for sketching out images from the comfort of a couch and an accelerometer for the replicating the satisfying sensation of shaking the red fram to erase your creation. Basically, it's still a work in progress. Drawing with the Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 is just as satisfying, in a tactile sense, as the original, though we struggled slightly to get the hang of the pressure sensitive selector. One thing's for sure, though, the kids love it even more than the 1960 creation. Check out the video after the break to see it in action on the floor of the ITP Spring Show.

Gallery: Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on

Continue reading Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on (video)

Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 20:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Toshiba Canvio 3.0 external drives bump up to 1.5TB, give Mac users some love

Toshiba's Canvio external drives have just gotten a hefty boost, most of all for data swappers that play both the Mac and PC sides of the computing fence. Both the regular Canvio 3.0 and the Canvio Basics 3.0 have made the jump from 1TB to 1.5TB of capacity to hold that much more in the way of backups and videos. If you spring for the top-end 1.5TB Canvio 3.0, though, you'll also get a new NTFS driver for the Mac that lets you take the USB 3.0 disk between a Mac and a Windows PC without having to either load a special reader app or wipe the drive clean. Living in that technology utopia will cost you $200 when it's ready in early June, but the Mac- or Windows-only among us can pay as little as $120 to get a 500GB Canvio while still getting backup software and one of six glossy colors. More frugal travelers can pay $10 less at the capacity for one of the software-free Basics drives.
Continue reading Toshiba Canvio 3.0 external drives bump up to 1.5TB, give Mac users some love

Toshiba Canvio 3.0 external drives bump up to 1.5TB, give Mac users some love originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 22:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Galaxy S III will launch a day early -- for some UK pre-orders

Be still your beating heart, Samsung has announced that several customers who have already fallen for its incoming flagship's charms will get their pre-orders honored a day early. Unfortunately, it will be limited to those that ordered through its own brand store in Westfield Stratford City in London, but those lucky few will get their very own Galaxy S III at 6pm on May 29th -- half a day before the rest of the UK. We're planning to get our hands on a review model before then, so expect to see our fully-fleshed musings before the end of May.
Continue reading Galaxy S III will launch a day early -- for some UK pre-orders

Galaxy S III will launch a day early -- for some UK pre-orders originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 04:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Updated Hyundai app brings remote control to your Blue Link fleet

Hyundai Sonata and Veloster owners have had some level of remote access for a year now, but the latest version of the Blue Link app does even more. Along with remote start, door lock / unlock and control of the horn and lights, you can now run vehicle diagnostics, send POIs across from your phone for later in-dash navigation, and even locate and manage multiple Blue Link-equipped cars. Sound complicated? Not if you run a cab firm, or if you check out the twelve new instructional videos on Hyundai's YouTube channel below.
Continue reading Updated Hyundai app brings remote control to your Blue Link fleet

Updated Hyundai app brings remote control to your Blue Link fleet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.