Google's NFC payment system has historically been an Android-only affair. In fact, not all Android devices can take advantage of the service thanks to the reliance on that NFC chip, as well as the requirement for smartphone carriers to sign off on the technology before it is implemented. Things may be changing though, with the news that a new version of Google Wallet is in the offing.
Some of the largest players in the game are all holding scheduled press events over the course of the next seven days in an attempt to get their products and services noticed by the tech hungry public. Apple will be taking to the stage first on October 23rd to introduce us to the new miniature iPad, followed closely by Microsoft on October 25th to refresh our memories on Windows 8 and the Surface tablet. To end the month, Google will be holding their own Android event in New York that looks likely to bring some very interesting announcements, on the same day, Microsoft is holding a Windows Phone 8 launch event too.
The Samsung-made Google Chromebook looks set to sell strongly as it launches with a slick form factor and agreeable price tag, and although the web-orientated notebook was only initially thought to be arriving as Wi-Fi-only - at least for the time being, the 3G iteration is also upon us.
Although there are only a couple of Nexus devices currently on the market from Google, that all looks set to change in the next couple of weeks or so. The rumor mill has been overloaded with speculation regarding several unspecified Nexus smartphones and tablets, including what's being labeled as the Nexus 10.
With a mighty quad-core processor, crisp high-def display and a svelte design and form-factor, the Nexus 7 is seen as a remarkable device for its low price point, but far from perfect, consumers looking to spend small on a tablet had skimp on a few perhaps desirable features.
We were expecting this announcement to pop up at some point this month, and just like clockwork, Google has sent out invites for an Android event which is going to be held in New York on October 29th.
Over-the-air, or OTA updates make the process of reeling in new features and security patches a great deal easier on mobile device users. The rigmarole of connecting a device to a computer while the magic happened was a common occurrence just a few years ago, but such is the fast-moving nature of the mobile field, that any update can now easily applied with a few simple taps - whether at home or on the fly. For those rocking the Galaxy Nexus or a Nexus S, an airborne bundle of joy is heading your way, and if it hasn't already reached your device, we'll show you how to pluck it from the skies.
Quite a few months ago, we learned Google could be plotting to release a bunch of Nexus branded devices this fall (as many as five), and the way rumors and speculation have been flying around with regards to a number of would-be Nexus OEMs, that forecast is looking more and more on the money. Sony is the latest company to join the rumor mill, and its supposed "Nexus X" device has now allegedly been spotted in the wild.
Whenever a friend asks me to recommend them a smartphone, one of the first questions I ask is if they’re a fan and a regular user of Google’s services and products – Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, Chrome etc. If they are, I point them towards an Android smartphone like the Galaxy S III or Galaxy Nexus. This is because the apps for these services work best on Android.
It may not have been on the radar that much in the last few weeks due to everything that has been going on with both companies, but the differences that exist between Apple and Samsung relating to various infringements on held patents is still well and truly going on. Although, Apple has largely had the upper-hand in the dispute, a United States Court of Appeals has overturned the preliminary injunction that had earlier been placed on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus smartphone.
