Android software

Reserve game or movie rentals with Redbox for Android

In the past, it was easier to load the Redbox Web site and reserve copies of movies or games there. The reserve feature is especially useful in heavily populated cities, where something might be gone by the time you make your way to the physical Redbox. With access to this same functionality on your mobile device, you can easily reserve a rental during (provided you're not driving!) or before your commute home from work or school.

Grab a copy of the new Redbox app for your mobile Android device. You will need Internet connectivity to use the … Read more

Android 4.1 makes its way to Samsung's Galaxy S3

Samsung is slowly rolling out a software update for the Galaxy S3.

Forum posters over at XDA Developers reported today they've started receiving an update to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). Based on the posts, it appears that the update is slowly making its way across Europe.

If Jelly Bean is, in fact, coming to the Galaxy S3, it's a bit ahead of schedule. Earlier this month, Samsung confirmed to CNET UK that the device would get Jelly Bean as early as October. The company didn't say when the software might be rolled out to U.S.… Read more

Local search field test: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

Yesterday we performed a field test of the turn-by-turn directions on both the iOS 6 Apple Maps app on the iPad and Google Maps on a Samsung Galaxy Tab. Both fared pretty well with getting us to our destinations, but Google Maps came out on top. As we pointed out yesterday, a number of people have been complaining about the Apple Maps app, from inaccuracies to poor directions.

Today, in part two of our testing, we did a number of searches for landmarks and other destinations to see how each app performed. After only a couple of tests, it was … Read more

New Google Voice Search, Siri are closely matched (hands-on)

This article updates the original hands-on comparison posted on July 2, 2012, to include changes to iOS 6. I also compare Siri on iOS 6 to Samsung's S Voice (found in the Samsung Galaxy S3 flagship phone.

Back in June, Google's Android 4.1 Jelly Bean managed to bring Android's voice actions to the forefront in a meaningful way. Mostly, by dressing up the voice search interface like Apple's Siri, and making voice search available from any screen. (Samsung's attempt for select Android phone, S Voice, falls behind .)

Luckily for Google, Voice Actions was fairly accurate in our tests. Thanks to an iOS 6 update that brings even more capabilities, Siri can do more than Google Voice Actions. That's a definite benefit for iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 users. However, Google Voice Actions' accuracy remains on point.

The two of us, Brian and Jessica, each tested commands on the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 and on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus updated with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Brian tested the phones in New York and Jessica tested in San Francisco. Here's what we found.… Read more

Turn-by-turn field test: Apple Maps vs. Google Maps

We've been hearing a lot of stories around the Web about how the Apple Maps app in iOS 6 is proving to be a poor replacement for the former Google-powered Maps app in iOS 5. Some of the stories say the Apple app doesn't show certain roads that are obviously there in real life, while others say they've followed directions to a destination and found that they didn't end up where they wanted to go.

For the first post in the series, CNET editors Jason Parker and Jaymar Cabebe took the turn-by-turn navigation through its paces … Read more

Apple's Siri trounces Samsung's S Voice (hands-on)

I've updated this hands-on to reflect Siri's new tricks in iOS6; it originally posted June 21, 2012 comparing S Voice on the Galaxy S3 -- which is still current -- to Siri on iOS 5. If you're wondering, tomorrow I'll be comparing the updated Siri to Google Voice Actions.

Voice assistants like Siri, S Voice, Google Actions, and Microsoft's TellMe aren't new, but they are evolving into more mainstream features that can expedite results. S Voice, which launched this summer on the Samsung Galaxy S3, is Samsung's answer to Siri. That also makes … Read more

View Google Play Store reviews by device or version

The Android style guide was updated to include Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean Holo theme variations, and this is (thankfully) causing many apps to update their user interfaces. Change is good -- well, most of the time -- but what if you want to take a look at reviews that are only pertinent to your device? Or maybe you're only interested in opinions about the latest version? That's why the Google Play Store has filtering options, even though they're kind of hidden.

Here's how to access them:

Step 1: Pull up an app … Read more

Share playlists via NFC with Spotify for Android

The newest version of Spotify's mobile app now features a NFC (near-field communication) sharing ability. This new feature allows users to share albums, artists, playlists, profiles, or search results by tapping NFC-enabled Android devices together. However, it's worth noting that to get the best use of this feature, you'll want to be on a Premium Spotify membership so any shared music content can be played.

To get started, you'll first want to make sure that NFC is supported and turned on for both devices. To do this, press the menu button and then Settings. When the … Read more

How to use your Android as a Webcam

Webcams are useful for chatting with family, colleagues, or even a client. However, if you want a Webcam right now and don't have an extra $40 to $80 laying around for one, why not use your Android device instead?

You won't need to worry about having a front-facing camera on your device, since this method will employ the use of the rear camera. Though, if you'd like, you can use the front camera if the back one isn't functioning properly (or if you enjoy lower-resolution video?).

Using your Android device as a Webcam will do some … Read more