The competition: Follow Apple's WWDC keynote with iMore

iOS 7, OS X 10.9 expected - follow the announcements live on iMore

Whatever your mobile OS of choice, new stuff from Apple is big news. And at today's WWDC (Worldwide Developer Conference) in San Francisco, Apple fans are expecting major new versions of the company's mobile and desktop operating systems -- iOS and OS X. On the mobile side, iOS is expected to undergo its biggest visual overhaul yet, with new, flatter, more minimalist UI from designer Jonathan Ive.

You'll want to head over to our sister siteiMorefor live keynote coverage, including analysis and commentary on the announcements as they happen. The action kicks off at 10 a.m. PDT -- that's 1 p.m. EDT, 5 p.m. GMT, 6 p.m. BST or 7 p.m. CEST. Apple will also be streaming video of the event to Mac computers, iOS devices and Apple TVs (sorry, Windows/Linux/Chrome OS users.)

In the meantime, hit the comments and share any predictions about which Android features might finally be gracing the iPhone and iPad today.

More: iMore WWDC liveblog

Via: The competition: Follow Apple's WWDC keynote with iMore

[One-Day Deal Alert] Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Is Woot's Daily Sale: $299.99 Refurbished

If $350 for the newer Galaxy Note 8.0 is too much and you're looking for something a bit bigger anyway, you'd do well to head over to the geek-friendly Woot.com sometime today. They're offering the 16GB WiFi Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 for $299.99, although it's a refurbished model. That's a solid $200 off the retail price, though you can certainly get it for less if you're prepared to hunt (Amazon has the new 16GB version for $449). As with all regular Woot sales, the tablet is offered today only, and regular shipping to the US is a flat $5.

When Ron Amadeo reviewed the Galaxy Tab 10.1 back in August, he found the software solid (with special emphasis on the apps that take advantage of the Wacom digitizer and S-pen stylus) but the hardware lacking in nearly every category. To put it bluntly, the Note 10.1 is a hulking plastic mess of a tablet, and unless you've absolutely got to have that pen functionality, almost anything would be better. Still, if the Note 10.1 is what you want, I don't think you'll find any better deals at the moment.

Exactly two months ago, Woot offered the Galaxy Note 10.1 for $329.99 - it looks like they haven't sold through their stock. That means there's at least some chance that the tablet will appear in one of their Woot-Off closeout sales. You could wait it out if you're willing to gamble, but those who want to take advantage of the sale today are encouraged to hurry.

There's a limit of one tablet per customer, and it's offered in both grey and white. Happy shopping.

Woot.com - Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

Via: [One-Day Deal Alert] Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Is Woot's Daily Sale: $299.99 Refurbished

Sony adds voice search and a new model number to their Google TV set top box

Sony adds voice input to their internet player line of Google TV devices, new model available in July for $199

Sony announced a new Google TV set top box today, the NSZ-GS8. (Samsung Galaxy S 2, Sprint Epic 4GTouch doesn't sound so bad now, does it?) The GS8 is identical to the GS7, which is reviewed here and one I've been using for a while, with the exception of one thing -- voice capabilities via the remote.

Sony simply calls it voice search, but with the right software -- like the Google TV app PrimeTime, for instance -- voice input is pretty damn handy to have on your remote. It's a great addition to one of the few Google TV units of 2012 that had its act together. In fact, voice input is the reason I recently "upgraded" from my NSZ-GS7 to the new ASUS Cube.

The new GS8 will be available starting in July online and at the usual big box retailers for $199. If you're a Google TV fan, and just aren't feeling the custom UI on the Cube, this would be an excellent buy. If you already have the GS7, and want to save a few dollars you can pick up the equivalent voice capable remote for the original from Sony for $50 here, and make sure you have the latest version of the software that enables it.

Source: Sony

Via: Sony adds voice search and a new model number to their Google TV set top box

CyanogenMod 10.1 Support Added To Galaxy S4 International LTE (i9505) And Cricket Models, Sony Xperia Tablet Z WiFi

In their never-ending quest to bring CyanogenMod to every Android device on the face of the planet (or at least all of them with unlocked bootloaders, modern hardware, and a big user base - not all that many, in fact, forget I mentioned it) the CM team is expanding the 10.1 build to three new devices this weekend. The unlocked international LTE version of the Galaxy S4 (GT-i9505) and Cricket's branded variant both get new nightly builds of the ROM, as does the WiFi-only version of Sony's Xperia Tablet Z.

Galaxy S4 Cricket CM 10.1 screenshots credit: Stephen Proffitt at CricketUsers.com

The WiFi tablet is a bit of a strange one. CyanogenMod already supports the 3G-LTE version of the Xperia Tablet Z, but the repository needed a little bit of work thanks to the slightly different hardware configuration, as documented in this XDA thread. In any case, both the 3G version and the more widely-available WiFi version are now officially supported. Queue the cheers from fans of ultra-skinny all-glass tablets.

Both the new Galaxy S4 builds and the Xperia Tablet Z WiFi build are nightlies (with one test build for the tablet), but ROM flashers may want to wait a few days before downloading. With the rest of the officially-supported devices in the CyanogenMod family getting upgraded to Release Candidate 5, it can't be too long before these three are added to the list. If you can't be bothered with waiting, then don't forget your Gapps.

• CyanogenMod - Galaxy S4 International LTE (jfltexx)
• CyanogenMod - Galaxy S4 Cricket (jfltecri)
• CyanogenMod - Sony Xperia Tablet Z WiFi (pollux_windy)

Via CyanogenMod Google+

Via: CyanogenMod 10.1 Support Added To Galaxy S4 International LTE (i9505) And Cricket Models, Sony Xperia Tablet Z WiFi

Apps of the Week: You Don't Know Jack, Dashlane Password Manager, reClock and more!

Games, tools and widgets -- we've got them all here

Welcome back to yet another edition of our Apps of the Week post, where we highlight apps from the Android Central writers. Now these aren't always the newest or most popular apps, but they're the ones that have worked well enough for us to stay installed for the last week -- and that's saying something.

From games and casual apps to tools and widgets, we cover all the bases. Stick around with us after the break and see how this week stacks up.

Simon Sage - You Don't Know Jack

I'm not much of a guy for Trivia Night, but You Don't Know Jack has been a favorite game of mine since back in the day when they did weekly webisodes. Their recent push into mobile has kept the irreverent, hilarious, and fast action of the original, though with a freemium twist. You can only play so many times a day, though you can spend your in-game winnings for extra rounds. Leaderboards are always at the forefront, since YDKJ has always promoted unhealthy and mean-spirited competition. In addition to straight-up multiple choice trivia questions, there are a few other match modes like the Jack Attack and Dis or Dat which keeps things interesting. Even if you're not a big trivia buff, play a few rounds of YDKJ - you won't be disappointed.

Download: You Don't Know Jack (Free)

Jerry Hildenbrand - Dashlane Password Manager

If you're like me, you have logins spread all over the Internet. There's no way you can keep up with them all if you use separate and secure passwords, and writing them all down on post-it notes isn't a very good solution. For folks like us, a password manager is a must. I've used several, including some popular ones as well as some not-so-popular ones, but I think I've stumbled across the one I'll be keeping -- Dashlane Password Manager.

With the same features as some of the more expensive options, like AES-256 encryption, secure password generation and smart autofill (a must while using on the small screen of a phone) the free version of Dashlane works really well. Even the free desktop version (Windows and Mac OS) has plenty of features and configurable plug-ins for Chrome, Firefox and Safari. The app and the desktop program do everything you'd want or need from a password utility, all for free.

There is a premium version of Dashlane, and for $20 a year you can have unlimited devices synchronized through the service (the free version limits you to one mobile device) if you're that person who has a bunch of devices laying around. Give Dashlane a try and I'll bet you find it suits your needs.

Download: Dashlane Password Manager (Free)

Andrew Martonik - reClock

I'm usually one to have the home screens on my phone laid out as efficiently as possible, limiting the amount of flair that looks nice but just gets in the way. But every once and a while I come across a widget that draws my attention enough to want to use precious screen real estate on it. That widget this time around is reClock, and as the name would suggest its a clock widget, but this one has an unconventional time display. Right off the bat it uses words rather than a traditional clock face, but reClock goes one further and doesn't display the time in a standard format -- it makes you think about it.

Rather than saying "Twelve Fourty Three PM" or something of the like, reClock will say "Eleven after Twelve Thirty Two" or "Four Till Twelve Fourty Seven", making a bit of a word puzzle that you have to think about in order to consider the time. It's a fun way to think about a clock that probably isn't for everyone, but those looking for a funky design and an original clock this may enjoy it. It's available for free with a whole bunch of font, color and display options with an in-app donation (of about $1.40) to unlock even more.

Download: reClock (Free, Donation)

Alex Dobie - Falcon Pro

I'll admit it -- since the official Twitter client for Android got updated with a new Holo-centric design, swiping between tabs and no more ugly menu button, that's what I've been using for my mobile tweeting. But Falcon Pro has received a big update this week which has tempted me back from the official app. In version 2.0, Falcon now supports multiple accounts -- a long-requested feature for those of us managing an organization's accounts as well as our own. In addition, swiping between tabs is now possible on Android 3.0+ devices, and there's a sleek new "black" theme to complement the grey and white skins.

Falcon Pro is one of the best Android Twitter clients still standing, and it's well worth your two bucks. Grab it from the link below.

Download: Falcon Pro ($1.96)

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Happen to miss previous editions of our weekly app picks? You can check them out right here. Our continuing weekly app coverage can also be seen right here as well.

Via: Apps of the Week: You Don't Know Jack, Dashlane Password Manager, reClock and more!

Bloomberg Report: "Google Wallet Has Become A Money Pit," Some Expansion Projects Reconsidered Or Abandoned

After two years on the market, Google Wallet has failed to gain any kind of meaningful foothold in the mobile payment world. That's the gist of a new report from Bloomberg Businessweek, slamming Google's mobile and NFC payment service as a "money pit" and unlikely to succeed against existing and upcoming competitors. Among the publication's chief complaints are $300 million in investments and acquisitions, and hundreds of developers on staff, all for less than 10 million downloads in the Google Play Store.

One reason cited for the lack of users is obvious: in the US, Google Wallet's primary target market, Sprint is still the only major carrier that allows users to download the app. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have all blocked Wallet, in a move that can in no way be seen as collusion to allow their own joint Isis platform a free kick to the mobile payment goal. A lack of features and a shockingly poor support infrastructure (which we at Android Police have experienced first-hand) don't help the situation.

Google has not publicly stated how much it has spent on Wallet altogether. The investment is mitigated somewhat by the fact that they aren't interested in profits via transaction fees, at least not first and foremost. As Bloomberg points out, the primary point of Google Wallet is to collect data on consumer spending habits, both online and in brick-and-mortar retail stores, then target advertising accordingly. But without people using the app, and using it in high volume, retailers have every reason to continue ignoring the platform. That's grim prospect for Google's data-gathering aspirations.

Most distressingly, Bloomberg reports that "more than half a dozen people close to the company" have told them that expanded projects designed to get Wallet into the hands of more users have been reconsidered or abandoned. This includes a plan for a tablet-based cashier kiosk designed for brick-and-mortar retailers, similar to an iPad-based system from Square. We've seen at least some external evidence of this: Google cancelled its plans for a physical debit card (which is offered by Wallet's biggest competitor, PayPal, which is expanding even now) and laid off the VP of Wallet last month. They also discontinued the Google Prepaid Card, essentially an NFC debit card loaded through Wallet, last September.

Wallet isn't going anywhere soon; Google will still need a method for users to buy digital content on the Google Play Store. And it's not as if Google has been ignoring Wallet - see the new Amazon-style instant pay API and Gmail's new ability to attach money to emails. But unless Google can find better footing in the rapidly-expanding mobile payment world, it may become rapidly obsolete.

Source: Bloomberg Businessweek

Via: Bloomberg Report: "Google Wallet Has Become A Money Pit," Some Expansion Projects Reconsidered Or Abandoned

[Bonus Round] City Of Secrets 2, Forsaken Planet, Slydris, Color Zen, And Flashout 3D Free

• City of Secrets 2 Episode 1
• Forsaken Planet
• Slydris
• Color Zen
• Flashout 3D Free

Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got an interesting point-and-click adventure, a dual-stick MOBA game, a couple of puzzlers, and a free version of a AAA racer. Without further ado:

City of Secrets 2 Episode 1

Android is collecting a downright plethora of awesome point-and-click adventure games. The original City of Secrets was well-received thanks to a classic anthropomorphic story and beautiful hand-drawn visuals. The first episode of the sequel looks to build on the underground premise, with a pirate nemesis (with more than a passing resemblance to Cthulhu) who threatens the fair and rather moist underground city.

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City of Secrets 2: Episode 1 is the sequel to the original game, appreciated worldwide by gamers and reviewers, the game that successfully refreshed the classic adventure game genre, conveying it to the touchscreen devices. Simple, intuitive controls, designed for touchscreen devices. Carefully designed, hand-drawn backgrounds. All dialog lines voiced. Two difficulty settings, for both the experienced and beginner players. A challenging adventure enriched by logical challenges.

This game was tested on animals. They didn't like it and went away.
This game was tested on testers. Nobody asked them if they wanted to do it and they couldn't get away.

Forsaken Planet

Forsaken Planet is in beta at the moment, but it looks like a promising little multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game. You control a tiny little guy in a flying saucer, shooting his fellow employees of an intergalactic fast food chain and picking up their fried chicken. Yup. Be wary of in-app purchases and give the game a try on a guest account first - it looks like they're pushing IAP and advertising hard.

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Battle it out to become "Employee of The Month" at the Galaxy's 1 fast food chain, all while collecting as much Chikkin as possible to save your business and...your life! Forsaken Planet is a challenging, cross-platform multiplayer fast-paced action/strategy game catering to gamers of all ages and expertise. Controls are fully customizable and support touch or Bluetooth enabled game controller. With over 100 items available from the in-game store, you can customize your character to fit your gameplay style.

Forsaken Planet

Slydris

Yes, Slydris is more than a little derivative of that other block puzzle game. But in this one, you slide the existing blocks horizontally to slot them into place, instead of waiting for them to drop. Slide the right block and you can set up some impressive combos (not unlike Tetris Blitz). Infinite, zen, and survival modes flesh out the puzzler, and the graphics are pretty good for such a simple game.

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Slydris is a unique and engaging puzzle game with a simple premise but deceptively deep gameplay:

* Slide and drop blocks to create full lines of blocks.
* Create combos of falling blocks and clearing lines to fill up your bomb meter faster.
* Create a row of a single color for a color burster.
* Other special blocks (Shatter, Upcoming, Locked, and Magnet) add gameplay variety and challenge.

Slydris

Color Zen

Color Zen is the sort of extremely simple, no-pressure game that's probably getting a lot of play in Colorado and Washington state these days. The rules and play are extremely basic: move the shapes around the playing field to either combine or cancel out colors. The Play Store audience seems to love it - after a few hundred paid downloads, it's sitting on a 4.9 review score.

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Color Zen is a new kind of puzzle game. One that invites you to put on your headphones, relax, and find your way through an abstract world of colors and shapes. There is no score. No penalties for failure. Just a simple set of rules, intuitive controls, and satisfying puzzles. Get into the flow with Color Zen. This game has been a labor of love for the team at Large Animal Games.

Color Zen

Flashout 3D Free

We brought you news of Flashout 3D back in February: a well-intentioned and faithful adaptation of the classic sci-fi racer Wipeout for Android. Now there's a free ad-supported version if you'd like to give it a risk-free try.

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FLASHOUT 3D: FREE by Jujubee is the 100% FREE and FULL edition of the best futuristic racer for your mobile device! Get into one of your ultra fast ships and join the competition! Use rockets and guns to fight your way to victory in all events and become the best racer in the whole galaxy! With jaw-dropping graphics, stunning visuals and fast-paced racing action, FLASHOUT 3D: FREE brings a new level of fun to the table!

FLASHOUT 3D: FREE

Don't miss our regular gaming coverage from earlier this week:

• Fruit Ninja Free Gets Massive Update With Local Tablet Multiplayer, New Blades, New Backgrounds, And Yes, More Fruit
• [New App] EA Releases Battlelog, A Social Tie-In Platform For Battlefield 3 And Medal Of Honor: Warfighter
• New MOGA Power Series Controllers Coming To E3, Will Charge Your Phone While You Play
• Mad Catz Preparing M.O.J.O. Android-Powered Game Console For Debut At E3

Via: [Bonus Round] City Of Secrets 2, Forsaken Planet, Slydris, Color Zen, And Flashout 3D Free