Don't like the new Google+ layout? Change it.

If you don't like the new tiles layout and prefer the older single stream you can change it!
(Click to enlarge)

After you change it you will switch to a single stream of content much like the old G+ layout.

How to install google hangout on your device now!

UPDATE: This method only allows some people to get the update sooner. Other are still unable to update.
Second UPDATE: Update your google play services and you should be able to update your hangout app. Reset your phone after just in case.

Get play services here
http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/05/13/apk-teardown-google-play-services-3-1-part-2-all-your-app-data-in-the-cloud-a-new-cloud-based-location-service-and-more/


Go to the play store online.

https://play.google.com/store

Find it, then install it through the browser onto your device.
Profit!!!!

Google I/O 2013

My personal highlights for Google I/O 2013. Not everything, just the things I personally liked :)

Google games

New cloud saves for games and online live multiplayer. The demo failed but it might just be because of the excessive WiFi usage there.

Google play music

Now you can have a subscription service to their entire catalog in addition to your personal library. It is 9.99/month however if you sign up for the 1 month free trial before June 30^th you get a price of 7.99/Month.

Galaxy S4 running stock android

Will be available for $650 and comes boot loader unlocked and carrier unlocked with stock android. It will get updates pushed to it right away. It also supports AT&T LTE and T-Mobile.

I am sort of upset I bought my carrier locked S4 from AT&T, however if they unlock the boot loader porting stock android should be really easy.

New Hangout
New and improved chat program supporting text, photos and video chat.

Photos
Now instead of 5GB of full size photo storage you have 15GB!

Improved auto-enhance for photos
- Noise reduction and structure enhancements. Good stuff that it does automatically :)

Now if you take burst shots they will "gif"t it to you lol. Auto-gifs

If you take several portraits they will put the faces together for an "ideal" photo.



This is not all of I/O. Just some thought of what has been discussed so far.

I already own a galaxy SIII, should I buy the SIV?

Short answer: probably don't need too unless you must have the newest of the new.
Long answer:
Is it better? Yes
For starters the 1080p screen and the new snapdragon chip set is great. Plus the slightly bigger screen gives real estate that is prime. It is a good device and if you have something older than an SIII I would say to pay the extra $ to get the SIV instead of the SIII.

Is my SIII or equivalent device outdated?
If you have an SIII by no means are you outdated yet. The SIV is an upgrade but it is more like an iPhone 4 to a 4S, it's an upgrade but only incremental. If you still have a year on your contract and don't want to shell out the $750 or so, keep using your SIII, it is good.

What about all those fancy air gestures?
All of the extra pzazz from hovering and air gestures are really not much more than just showy features. I honestly use them to show people "look at this" then never use them in my day to day. Save one, when you get an incoming call and you wave your hand over the screen it answers and put the speakerphone on. It is nice because I have a dock next to my computer where the phone sits. All the other features go unused for me.

Side notes
If you are on AT&T or Verizon the boot loader is locked. T-Mobile is unlocked. This means if you want to install a custom recovery and kernel you cannot. There is supposedly an unlock method out there the developer is hanging onto until Verizon releases their SIV. So all should be well in the world once he releases that but it is one more hurdle to jump over to reach the sweat goodness of custom ROMs.

Ask any questions you want and I will answer them to the best of my ability




*Picture from Samsung's page* Kind of hard to take a photo of my phone with my phone :)

Lenovo Yoga 11 Review

Lenovo Yoga 11 review
The Yoga 11, what is it? The most accurate description I have is this is a tablet that adopted the good qualities of a laptop while still giving you the features you want from a tablet. It runs windows 8 RT which is Microsoft’s mobile operating system. Similar to Android or IOS. It has your app store and mobile apps, many are ones you are familiar with like Netflix. RT runs very smooth on this device and I have not had it crash even once on me. However what sets this apart from other RT devices is the attached keyboard and the included ports. I will dive into these aspects further down.

(*Do not confuse this with the Yoga 13, that is an ultra-book that runs Windows 8. It is a totally different animal)



Performance
Built in applications like the mail client, Microsoft office and others run very well. They load quickly and perform with almost no issues. Messaging is a little funny but I might just have a setting off or something. Aside from that word opens documents quickly, typing is smooth and without hesitation, no matter how fast I type.

The Internet browsing is a little sluggish sometimes however it is just about as sluggish as other devices that are in it’s same class. I basically think all mobile browsers slow, so for people who do not you may see no issue with the browser. Keep in mind this device loads everything the Internet has to offer, other mobile platforms like IOS and Android (4.0+) do not load flash or silver light.

Keyboard
I own a Lenovo v570 and one thing that really drew me to it was the keyboard on it. It was very comfortable and a pleasure to type on. Lenovo has not let me down with the Yoga, this keyboard is also a joy to type on. The key spacing and the key travel feel just right under my fingers. I typed up most of my review on the device and if you do a lot of typing this keyboard is definitely set above the rest.

I enjoy how they turned the F1-F12 keys into quick keys that you can use without using the FN button. I frequently adjust brightness, volume and airplane mode. They are nicely set at the top for me and are easy to reach. (F keys are still accessible through the FN button)

If you are concerned about when you flip the keyboard over and put it face down I would not be too worried. If you are placing it on a flat surface your keys will be fine. I have not had an issue with it because there is just enough “bump” on the edges to keep the keys from touching the table.

*Note, my keyboard’s symbols are different because this is a Singapore model

Touch pad
The touch pad is really really good except for one single issue that I have with it. It is responsive, smooth and accurate. You are not accidentally hitting with when you are typing and when you use it there is no delay from it. The one little quirk I have with it is when you try to “right click” by using two fingers it sometimes picks it up as a left click. Now this might just be me not putting my fingers far enough apart. However for me personally this is something I still do by accident unless I really go out of my way to make sure my fingers are placed just right. Aside from that it works perfect.

I also enjoy that the gestures you use on the tablets screen are also translated onto your touch pad. For instance, when you swipe in from the right side of the screen it brings up a contextual menu. When you swipe in from the right of the touch pad it also brings up the contextual menu. Very very convenient considering in windows 8 gestures are a huge part of the interface.

Display and Speaker
I know there is a lot of noise going around for HD displays and such. As much as the higher resolution is always nice, this screen is clear and crisp. If you put it under a microscope there might be displays that have a higher ppi but in my daily use I have never once looked at it and thought to myself “Man, I wish the resolution was higher on this.” I have enjoyed my movies, shows and reading without an issue.

Additionally the touch of the screen is excellent. There is no hesitation or delay or “missed” touches. Every time I touch it the response is immediate and without hesitation.

It is bright enough that using it outdoors in the sun is just fine and presents no issues. It does have a glossy finish so you might need to tilt it one way or the other to avoid some glare. This is common in touch screen devices though.

The speakers are only OK. Inside a quiet room it is loud enough to hear just fine. However once there starts to be some background noise I found myself turning it up all the way. I do wish they had a little more oomph. I end up using headphones most of the time when I am outside my home.


Ports
I have to admit, aside from the keyboard the ports they included on this device really are a massive plus. Both for convenience and for your wallet. The Yoga comes with 2 full sized USB ports, 1 HDMI, 1 SD card slot and 1 headphone/microphone combo jack. The full sized USB ports allow not only for USB drives and external HDD (which means space is never an issue) but it also allows for an external mouse and keyboard if you so desire. The HDMI port really sets it over the top though because you do not need to buy and carry around a proprietary adapter. If you want to use an external display or if you want to give a PowerPoint presentation it will interface without adapters. It is the standard sized HDMI, meaning you don’t need those annoying mini HDMI cables or the other adapters that sell for $30 or more.
 Lastly the combo jack is nice because I carry ear buds with a microphone around for my cell phone, these work with the Yoga for both mic and audio, so I don’t need a second pair just for my Yoga. All of this adds up to some considerable savings because all of my existing hardware is compatible. I don’t need special cables, adapter and peripherals. I get to use the items I bought and love.

As for storage it comes with 64GB pre-installed but this is where the SD card is nice. You can get a 128GB SD card and drop it in without it taking up any additional space. I personally have a 32GB in there for my media. If you really need more a small external HDD works just fine.

Battery Heat and Noise
The battery is a champ. It lasts all day for me even with frequent use. It is rated for 10-13 hours and I easily get that out of it. It also charges in less than 2 hours (usually about 1 hour if it was around 30%) I never worry about my battery life if I charged it the night before or in the morning, often I only charge it once every 2 days.

Noise and heat are totally negligible. I have not heard any noise from it that was perceivable to me and the heat is so minimal I question if it is the device’s heat more just the heat from my lap.

Design
For starters the yoga feels rock solid. I don’t have any concerns of it falling apart on me or a little bump destroying it. It really feels like a durable little device that will last for years to come.

Looks wise I like the word “sexy.” I am proud to pull it out of my bag and show it off just for looks let alone features. I have often received a “wow” or similar reaction when I have shown it to people. It also has a rubbery feeling matte finish. I don’t know if it is actually a rubber finish or not but that is how it feels. I never worry about this getting scratched off of something little. I think it would have to take a pretty good shot to damage it. I also really like matte finishes.

This is the epitome of why they call it the Yoga. The ability to flip it around into many different positions for different needs. I often use it in either the laptop mode or the tablet mode. The in between positions are also use at times but my personal preferences lead me to those 2. I do sometimes use it with the keyboard face down. If I want to lay down and watch a show I can put it on my chest keyboard down and tilt the screen so it sits at a comfortable viewing angle even though I am laying down. That is much better than holding a tablet up and a regular laptop is unable to reach those angles. All in all, it is nice to have even if you don’t think you will use it, you might be surprised at what you can come up with.

Final words
Even though the right clicking and the sometimes sluggish browser happen using it is still very enjoyable and I would take this over any other tablet. I was never one for tablets because the lack of a keyboard was too much of a hindrance for me to do any real work. So I could not see myself buying one. This however solves the many issues I have towards tablets while still giving me the ability to turn it into a tablet for casual browsing and game playing. If you were in the market for a tablet or a chrome book this device would be something I would strongly recommend. It has the same fast boot and sleep/recover from sleep you get from tablets but still gives you the full keyboard for actually doing anything serious. Lenovo’s motto is “For those who do” and to be honest, they really added the things that were missing from a tablet to make it a device you can actually “do” with.

Some comments on the HTC one (more like a rant)

This is not a full review of the HTC one. However this is some of my gripes with it. All in all it is a good phone, the chip set is fast (same as the S4) the screen is nice blah blah. There are a few little quirks that really drive me crazy.

The menu button.. or the lack there of. HTC decided they were going to keep the physical buttons on the bottom. However for some reason I cannot figure out they decided to let the menu button be an on-screen button. This means the black bar at the bottom that would normally contains the home, back, recent and menu button now pops up for 1 single button! They should have either put all of the button on screen like a nexus OR put a physical menu button. I feel like they couldn't decide so they did a little of both. This just ended up being a waste of space and very irritating.

The aspect ratio. This bothers me less than the menu button but it still bothers me. It is a very long phone, it is however not proportionality wide. I feel like I am holding a stick. This makes for very narrow and long viewing of content. Sometimes it isn't bad like if you are reading a webpage but if they just made it a little wider I would have felt a lot more comfortable and not like I was looking through Brock's eyes sideways.



Again, if those two aspects don't bother you it isn't a bad phone and you will probably enjoy it. For me personally I will be sticking with my S4.