Lilbits 297: Is Google developing app streaming tech?

Remember when Apple released the first iPhone and promised that all developers would need to do to create great apps was to develop mobile websites that users could open in a browser? It wasn’t long before developers were clamoring for the ability to create native apps that would run as smoothly as the Apple software that came pre-loaded on the phone.

But cloud tech has come a long way in recent years, and now you can even stream PC and console-class games over the internet to Android devices and TV boxes.

So maybe it’s not surprising that Google reportedly acquired an app streaming startup called Agawi in late 2014. The company’s technology could enable Google to create a platform that lets Android and Chrome OS users run apps hosted in the cloud without downloading them… which would probably help Google’s bottom line a well, since most of the company’s revenue comes from ads which are displayed on websites.

Here’s a roundup of tech news from around the web. You can keep up on the latest headlines by following Liliputing on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook.

• Google acquired startup with tech for streaming apps over the internet last fall
  There’s no word on if or when the Agawi tech will be rolled out as a new product… or if Google will somehow integrate the technology into existing products. The company may also have simply acquired Agawi to bring the company’s staff on board to work on related (or different) projects. [The Information]
• Asus ZenPad 10 hits the FCC
  The recently-revealed ZenPad 10 is a 2-in-1 tablet with a keybaord dock, an Intel Atom x3 processor, and optional pen support. [FCC]
• Android Runtime for Chrome updated to Android 5.0 in Chrome 45 (dev channel)
  This should bring better compatibility with recent Android apps to Chromebooks (and Chrome for other platforms if you use the Arc Welder tool) [Google Code]
• BlackBerry’s first Android phone might be a low-cost, touchscreen device for emerging markets
  Previous reports had suggested the company’s first phone to ship with Android instead of BlackBerry 10 would be a high-end device with a slide-out keyboard. While it’s possible that phone will run Android as well, the latest rumor suggests the first BlackBerry phone with Android will be an entry-level device. [N4BB]
• Acer Aspire One S1002 2-in-1 tablet leaked, seems to be a variation of the Switch 10 E
  It’s a 10 inch 2-in-1 tablet with a familiar look. [WinFuture]
• In-depth look at the differences between Snapdragon 810 v2 and v2.1
  There’s been some controversy about the Snapdragon 810’s habit of overheating and throttling performance. The new version seems to offer better performance and improved memory bandwidth. It remains to be seen just what that means in terms of general performance. [AnandTech]
• Snapdragon 810 chip in the OnePlus 2 smartphone will have a top speed of 1.8 GHz, phone will cost more than $322
  In order to avoid the aforementioned overheating issues, OnePlus says it’ll basically underclock the chip in its new phone. Since the chip ain’t cheap though, the OnePlus 2 will have a higher starting price than the OnePlus One. [OnePlus]
• Oukitel plans to launch a smartphone with a 10,000 mAh battery
  It’s not exactly the slimmest phone you’ve ever seen… but it should be able to last for days… unless all of the other hardware is really inefficient. [GizChina]
• Google’s clock app hits the Play Store
  This lets you install the app even on phones which come with a third-party clock pre-installed as an alternative. It also lets Google push updates to the Clock app more quickly since the company doesn’t have to wait until a new version of Android is ready to launch. [Google Play]
• FCC to fine AT&T $100 million for misleading customers on “unlimited” data plans
  Nobody likes to have their speeds throttled unexpectedly. [FCC]
• AT&T expands its line of wearables with fitness trackers
  The list includes fitness tracking watches from Withings, the Misfit Flash, and the Healbe GoBe activity tracker which claims to be able to track your caloric intake (but which can’t really do that). [AT&T]