If you’ve been having trouble with your Nexus 7′s multitouch display or have a hankering for comparison shopping while you’re wearing Google Glass, this week might have brought you some answers and solutions. Let’s jump in and take a look at the week’s best news in Android!
Nexus 7 Update Solves Multitouch Complaints
Google has released a software update for the 2013 model of the Nexus 7 in an effort to address complaints about malfunctioning multitouch detection on the device. Complaints about the device had originally described “phantom presses” on the display, multitouch events being registered that weren’t the result of user action.
The update began gradually rolling out to Nexus 7s on August 22nd and early reports have been positive.
Users had reported malfunctioning multitouch on Google’s recently-updated Nexus 7s.
Future Chrome for Android Updates
Google released the beta version of Chrome 30 for Android this week, bringing a number of significant additions and updates to the app.
For the user, the update introduces searching by images — using your default search provider — by long-pressing on them in the browser, in an attempt to simplify the previous method that required uploading the phone. New gestures have also been introduced, allowing you to perform simple actions like swiping across the toolbar to switch tabs and drag-selecting from the menu.
Chrome 30′s updates are already available through Google’s beta channel, and should be rolled out to all users soon.
On the developer side of things, Chrome 30 introduces WebGL, a JavaScript API for rendering interactive 3D and 2D graphics in the browser, DeviceMotion Events, an API named MediaSource for generating adaptable media streams for playback and a variety of additional changes, detailed on the Chromium Blog.
More Google Glass Apps Released
Google Glass received some new apps of note this week, enhancing the feature-set of Google’s wearable computing product.
The product now supports a Field Trip app, showing contextual information about local points of interests when travelling. The app, which originally appeared on Android and iOS, uses a notification-esque system to deliver information about nearby attractions such as dining options, architectural sights and historic locations.
The Field Trip app on Google Glass.
VentureBeat featured another app which allows users to scan barcodes with Glass to research prices and product information online, in a similar way to traditional comparison shopping.
Other Updates
Samsung announced this week that the Galaxy Mega 6.3, a 6.3-inch device with a 1.7GHz dual-core processor running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, will be brought to LTE carriers in the US. AT&T, Sprint and US Cellular are set to carry the device, with AT&T already doing so at $149.99 with a two-year contract.
The HTC One mini has gone on sale in the US through AT&T. The 4.3-inch device with Android 2.2.2 on a 1.4GHz dual-core processor will retail with the carrier for $99.99 with new two-year agreements.
The highly-customisable flagship handset from Motorola, the Moto X, will not be able to be engraved by customers as previously announced. Although this seems like a temporary issue, Motorola puts its reasoning down to difficulty of production and lacking quality.
Google has introduced realtime incident reports from Waze into the Google Maps for Android app. Reports of accidents, road closures, construction work and other events generated through the Waze community will show up on maps in the UK, US, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Switzerland.
Following legal action, Motorola has agreed to retire the Xoom brand, a title given to some of Motorola’s earliest tablet efforts.
Google updated its note-taking app Keep this week, introducing reminders with alerts. The update has already begun rolling out.
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