Intel introduces 64-bit Android for smartphones

Intel has introduced a new 64-bit dual-core smartphone chip for Android at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Hermann Eul, vice president and general manager of mobile communications group at Intel, demonstrated the Merrifield chip with the use of a smartphone that shows off a few screens of Android’s user interface. The company has been working on integrating 64-bit chip on Android 4.4 KitKat operating system. Intel sped up code contributions of the 64-bit Android kernel for its x86 chips. While development for 64-bit ARM chips are still underway.

“We have on Merrifield our 64-bit Android kernel running,” Eul said. “We prepare the world and the ecosystem for advances and we push the 64-bit adoption in mobile.”

There are currently no smartphones that carry the 64-bit Android. Intel expects Merrifield-powered devices to come out around the second quarter of the year.

Source: PCWorld

Motorola revamps Gallery app

Motorola brings a fresh look to its Gallery app with a new update that works with Android 4.4-powered Droid Maxx, Droid Mini, Droid Ultra, Moto G, and Moto X. It gets a new light-coloured design and added more ways to view photos. You can now view images in a timeline view, which groups images according to the date they were taken. There is also Camera Roll mode, which offers larger thumbnail views of images taken by the phone’s camera.

Source: The Verge

Android KitKat for LG G2 slated for 'late Q1' release in Canada

Mobile Syrup reported Android 4.4 KitKat will arrive to LG’s G2 flagship phone in the late first quarter of 2014. According to Court Elliot, a spokesperson for LG Canada, the operating system upgrade will be sent to the carriers at the same time. However, it is not certain if telecoms will deploy the OS on the same day.

Google begins Android 4.4 OTA rollout for Nexus 4 devices

After a buggy and botched initial launch, Google has finally flipped the switch on an official OTA rollout of Android 4.4 KitKat for Nexus 4 device owners.

Word online is that Google is keeping the GE launcher, complete with right-swipe Google Now access, exclusively to the Nexus 5 for now, it’s possible to make it happen. On a more positive note, with the update you’ll receive transparent status bars, Immersive Mode support, a new dialler, an improved file picker and, of course, the little improvements that make Android as joyful as it is.

Go on and press update (over WiFi of course) if you haven't already been notified. Otherwise, be patient, it'll come. Nexus 7 owners? We feel your pain, Google's decided to take their time with a staggered rollout for that device for no good reason.

via MobileSyrup