4oD Android app finally arrives, streaming limited to Wi-Fi

Channel 4 has finally brought a dedicated 4oD app to Android, a whole 16 months after making its grand debut on iOS.

The app is extremely similar to the iPhone version, and lets you locate and stream programmes from Channel 4's hoard of shows, including but not limited to, The Undateables, 8 out of 10 Cats, How I Met Your Mother, Utopia (above) and Black Mirror.

You also get access to older shows like Black Books or Brass Eye (yes, the list was alphabetical, what of it?), so you should find plenty to keep you entertained.

Like the iOS version however, the app won't let you stream video over 3G, instead limiting you to viewing over a Wi-Fi connection, like the one you probably have at home. Where you probably also have a telly. Hmm.

There's no live TV, or the ability to download shows and watch them offline, both of which are present in the BBC's iPlayer app. Channel 4 has promised that those features will be coming to both iOS and Android in early 2013, so stay tuned for an update.

The app will work on "most Android devices running version 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and above," Channel 4 says, and is apparently optimised for popular 'droid devices like the Nexus 7,Nexus 4 and Samsung Galaxy S3.

The app gets around the thorny issue of recent Android gadgets having trouble running Flash. If you've got an older Android gadget (as many people do), then your only hope for now is to use the in-browser viewer, which you can find here.

The app has frustrated some early downloaders, with some complaining about only being able to view video over Wi-Fi, glitches spoiling their fun, or an inability to make the app play via a TV. "'Video not available. Please try later' on every single video," one review reads. "'Makes no sense... one star until it works properly," says another.

[Source: CNET]

Confirmed: Jelly Bean update planned for BlackBerry 10 Android runtime

It's official: BlackBerry 10's Android runtime layer will be updated to Jelly Bean. Reports of the announcement, which should please users looking to shore up the platform's app selection, surfaced this morning, apparently stemming from the company's developer-focused BB Jam Europe event in Amsterdam. We've since reached out and received confirmation that it is indeed true, although no timetable has yet to be announced. In the meantime, current Z10 owners can continue to sideload Gingerbread-based apps -- which the runtime layer currently supports -- while they wait for those big name, third-party apps to land in the BlackBerry World store.

[Source: Engadget]

Beta version of Tesla Model S app comes to the Play Store

After being iOS-only for some time, Tesla owners can now control their car with an Android app as well. One perk of having an all-electric cardesigned for a consumer electronics-focused market is great integration of systems, and there's no better way to show it off than with an app that controls your car. The Tesla Model S Android app lets you check your remaining range or charge state, control heat or A/C before you get into the car, open/close the roof and unlock/lock the doors from a distance.

The app has just been released and holds a "Beta" tag, citing occasional UI glitches, but we're just happy to see it released publicly. If you're lucky enough to have your hands (and a good chunk of your bank account) on a Tesla Model S, you'll want to head to the Play Store and grab this app right away.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Skype update adds portrait calling on tablets, rest of the app locked in landscape

The latest update to Skype improved the UI and added a much asked for feature in portrait calling, but unfortunately the rest of the app is locked in landscape. The portrait calling seemed like a no-brainer fix, especially considering many smaller tablets -- like the Nexus 7 -- have camera setups meant for portrait orientation. The unfortunate bug (or at least we hope it's a bug) is that for now the rest of the UI is locked into landscape orientation. This means that browsing your contacts and initiating calls is all in landscape, then you have to rotate the tablet to hold the call.

Overall the new UI is great and pretty well mirrors the styling of the phone UI, but the perpetual landscape really puts a damper on things. Let's hope Skype pushes out a new update to add back in the portrait support, and in the meantime we can at least enjoy portrait video calls.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Chrome Beta update fixes issues, has a new icon

Since a proper Chrome Beta channel app came into the Play Store, we knew we'd be in for some frequent updates. Alongside a new icon that has a black/white "BETA" tag on it, rather than the angled grey/white one before, this update brings many small fixes:

• 165783 - Enable compositing scrollable frames on Android
• 168368 - Chrome progress bar should be displayed as soon as the user clicks a link
• 165244 - Text handler jumps or disappears when moving
• 162486 - iframe scrolling broken

There are still some glaring bugs, as is the case with Beta releases, such as yahoo.com page links not working and some intense graphical glitches on certain devices. This is all part of the fun though, and we know what we're getting into when moving to the Beta channel of a browser.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Instapaper updated with pagination, tilt scrolling, and more

Instapaper for Android has been updated to version 1.2, bringing bug fixes, performance enhancements, and a couple new features. We're not sure which bugs and performance issues were addressed, but we do know which features were added.

Pagination allows you to scroll an entire page versus line by line. If you're used to this type of scrolling, it's quite nice in any app that's built for reading. It's now available in the settings menu for those who want to give it a shot. In addition, you can enable tilt scrolling, which is just what it sounds like -- tilt your device to scroll the page. If you're the type who likes gestures and such, this one is for you.

On the visual side, Instapaper now supports in-line footnotes, and a new sepia mode that should prove easy on your tired eyes, 

Probably the biggest new feature is actually called The Feature -- a section of curated, editor recommended articles. While not for everyone, often times it's nice to have a place where quality content is the norm. 

Grab the update from Google Play, or install Instapaper ($2.99; Android 2.3.3 or higher) from the link above.

[Source: Android Central]

Groupon Payments comes to Android, starts catching up to Square

Use Groupon Payments for your business? You just got a little more choice -- the popular deal broker just updated its Android app to support credit card transactions. The update brings the fledgling payment service a little closer to Square, which has been available on Android since 2010. If the iOS rates hold, swiping plastic through Groupon Merchants will set retailers back a mere $0.15 per transaction, plus 1.8 percent of the charge for Visa, MasterCard and Discover, or three percent for American Express. The update also boasts improved analytics, giving retailers the ability to check transaction history, daily sales reports and peek at revenue trends.

[Source: Engadget]

Chrome Beta channel now available for Android

Good news everyone! The Chrome Beta channel for Android kicks off today with version 25.0.1364.8. Like the Beta channel for the computer, it's a preview of features and fixes that has already passed the development channel and is running through the final testing before it makes its way into the final version. That means it's a great way to try out things that may be broken, but still allow the software to work as a whole. Today's release comes with the following bugs:

• Performance is sluggish, noticeably on Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S
• Frequent freeze on devices with specific versions of Qualcomm GPU driver
• Text autosizing may break formatting on some sites
• 164632 - Editing bookmark feature is broken
• 165244 - Text position handler jumps or disappears when moving
• 163439 - Clicking on links in yahoo.com not navigating on Nexus 7
• 166233 - Unable to submit comments on Facebook posts in desktop version of Facebook
• 165244 - Text handler jumps or disappears when moving
• 167351 - Youtube video controls are lost after returning from fullscreen video mode
• 162486 - iframe scrolling broken

Scary, but you get used to it if you run the Beta channel on the desktop. On the plus side, Chrome 25 brings huge improvements in HTML5 support and JavaScript performance, so it's worth it to many.

To get on the Beta track, you'll need to directly click this link, as it's not publicised or available via search in Google Play. It installs along side your current version of Chrome for Android, so you always have a fail-safe. Grab it, and have fun!

[Source: AndroidCentral]

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LG announces new 'Panorama Note' feature coming to Optimus Vu: II

LG is set to show off a new "Panorama Note" feature for its stylus-totingOptimus Vu: II at CES 2013. The feature takes features of LG's current note apps that take advantage of the large 4:3 screen on the Vu, and combine it with some of the fundamentals of a panoramic photo. Basically you'll get a 3:1 scrolling note that you can move and edit, meaning you'll have more effective real estate for note taking. Like using a big pad of paper, and working on just one area at a time.

When using the app you'll be able to zoom all the way in -- up to 5.8x -- to view specific content, then back out again to see the entire scope of the note. LG will surely be showing off this feature at its CES booth here in Las Vegas, and we'll be hoping to get a hands-on look at it in the coming days.

[Source: Android Central - Click here to read the full story]

Play Magazines now offering 'free for print subscribers' option

According to a Google Play support document -- and confirmed when we browse to some magazines -- Google is now offering a "Free for print subscribers" option for certain magazines in the Play Store. When browsing many popular magazine subscriptions in the Play Store that have a print component, tapping on "subscribe" offers you three options. On top of the regular monthly or yearly subscriptions, you now have the option to get the digital version for free if you're already a print customer.

Google has likely signed some kind of content deals to make this happen, but however it happened it's a good thing. Many different publishers have offered this feature for their own websites and magazines, but its nice to see Google offering the same option with a digital subscription through the app as well.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Android Dashboard update shows Jelly Bean on 10 percent of active hardware

The last time we checked out Google's Android Device Dashboard, penetration of the latest version had reached 1.8 percent of active hardware. A couple of months later and Android 4.1 / 4.2 Jelly Bean is accounting for more than 10 percent of devices that accessed Google Play in the last 14 days. The share of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich devices also grew to represent 29.1 percent of active hardware, and while 2.3 Gingerbread still has the largest slice, it slid below half to 47.6 percent. That means developers can more confidently taking advantage of the latest APIs, but while the environment is much improved over when thedashboard launched in 2009, those fragments still mean some hard choices on exactly what to target with apps. Hit the source link for a larger look at the current numbers.

[Source: Engadget]

Google bringing YouTube Android app pairing, updated UI to more TVs

Google updated its YouTube app for Android back in November to allow for pairing with TVs equipped with Google TV, and it looks we'll soon be seeing quite a few more sets ready to work with your smartphone or tablet. The company confirmed today that new TVs from Bang & Olufsen, LG, Panasonic and Sony will be making their debut at CES, with additional sets and set-top boxes coming from Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba, Vizio, Western Digital and others over the course of 2013. In related news, Google's announced that its new UI for YouTube on TV -- previously seen on the Wii U and PlayStation 3 -- will also be featured on those new devices, offering full 1080p videos and a fairly minimalist interface.

[Source: Engadget]