Posted: 10 Feb 2012 04:23 PM PST 
So we’re looking at a low end device here but that should mean a low price too. As for the mention of February, I suspect that means we’ll get a better glimpse of this device at Mobile World Conference (MWC). source: GSMArena Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! |
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 03:58 PM PST  Well as everybody is gearing up for MWC 2012 manufacturers are starting to drop more tidbits of information for what we can expect from their boothes in Barcelona this year. This time it’s about HTC‘s new up and coming flagship phone that is expected to launch at the event. The folks over at MoDaCo were able to get their hands on some details regarding the HTC Edge turned Endeavor and they look pretty amazing. Here is what to expect:
source: MoDaCo via: intomobile Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! |
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 02:48 PM PST  If you haven’t received a notification on your Bionic about this update, you can check for it manually in your phone by hitting Menu-> Settings-> About Phone-> System update. Let us know in the comments if you notice any improvements after the update. source: VerizonVisit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! |
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 02:36 PM PST  If you’re anything like me, you love testing out custom ROM’s every now and again on your beloved Android device. Whether it be a Galaxy Nexus or a Thunderbolt, a Xoom or a Transformer Prime, there is bound to be a plentiful selection of custom ROMs for you to choose from. One thing that is required for any custom ROM, which there is surprisingly not a huge selection of, is GAPPS (Google apps). GAPPS are the Google created apps that come with any Android phone, and are the backbone of any true Android experience. They consist of apps such as Calendar, Gmail, Google Talk, and Android Market to name a few. A while back, Gapps used to come prepackaged with custom ROMs but ever since Google issued a cease and desist to the CyanogenMod team, a bundled ROM is hard to find. Nowadays, if you want to flash a custom ROM and still want the original Google apps you are accustomed to, you must flash those also, in addition to the ROM. The standard go-to place to find the Gapps package has always been the website Goo-Inside – unless of course you are running a ICS ROM, in which case you would have to find those elsewhere, typically from a crafty developer found on the XDA forums. While these ad-hoc Gapps packages generally work just fine, users sometimes notice minor glitches or the lack of certain Google-developed features, like face-unlock. I have been using a couple different Gapps packages from different devs and have noticed some are better that others. While I haven’t noticed any missing features, I have experienced a lack of timely Gmail updates and the like. If your a previous fan of Goo-Inside but haven’t been to the site in a while because your new ICS ROM hasn’t been supported, you’ll be happy to know that you can now return. Goo-Inside now has unofficial Gapps packages for custom ROMs running Android versions 2.3 all the way up through 4.0.4 – you are bound to find what you need. These should work on many custom Android 4.0.3-4.0.4 ROM’s including CyanaogenMod 9. There is even a version with face-unlock in the event your ROM doesn’t support it. As with most good news there is one downside, though. If you are currently running a custom ROM along with a separate Gapps package (i.e. KEJAR or KOUSH), you will need to do a full wipe of your device in order to get the new package to take. If you don’t do a factory reset, you will most likely get force close’s or apps may not even open at all. I would hope this should’t be a huge deal if you are in the world of ROMing, after all, you probably already did a full wipe once this week already. source: Goo-Inside Hit the source link below for more details and downloads.via: PocketNow Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! |
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:17 PM PST  For those of you readers who are die hard gamers, you might be familiar with Capcom’s old-school CPS2 arcade board which is responsible for bringing us classic games such as Marvel Vs. Capcom, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Progear and Mars Matrix. Now, unless you are a collector or live near a retro arcade, you might be hard pressed finding a place in where you can play these games to re-live your childhood. Enter CPSEmu for Android. The new app that brings all your favorite classic game titles to the palm of your hand. The developers who created CPSEmu, are the ones also responsible for NeoDriod – they are no strangers to successful game emulation. To utilize the CPSU emulator you must have a device with at least a 1GHz processor and it’s required to run Android 2.2 or greater. Games will be played using onscreen touch controls unless you have an Xperia Play, in which case you get the best of both worlds. The emulator is even optimized for tablets. The only other requirement is that you must own the games before downloading a ROM. Other than that you should be good to go! To learn more about the Capcom emulator, read up on the XDA thread source linked below. If your ready to dive in head first, then click on the market link below. Android Market source: XDA Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! |
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:03 PM PST  Design The Spectrum’s design is as simple as it gets. It’s your basic plastic rectangle slate with no sense of style. It’s plasticy, but for whatever reason, I find that it feels nice in the hands. The only problem is it doesn’t feel hip at all. Phones like The DROID RAZR and the Galaxy Nexus have more style, but of course, not everyone is a snob when it comes to how their phone looks. That’s where the insides come in… Hardware Spec-wise the Spectrum is top notch with its 4.5-inch 720p (1280 x 720) IPS display, 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB RAM, 8MP rear camera (with 1080p video recording), 1.3MP front camera, 4GB internal memory, microSD for up to 32GB (comes with 16GB), 1830mAh battery, Bluetooth 3.0, 4G LTE, and WiFi. It should be noted that the Spectrum is global capable, but probably won’t be active till later in the year. Battery It’s so hard to comment on battery life after reviewing the DROID RAZR MAXX because nothing comes close. 4G LTE is a known problem and although an 1830mAh battery is decent for today’s standards, it’s not going to cut it now that Motorola has upped the anti. If battery life is any concern to you, than you probably shouldn’t buy the Spectrum or any other 4G LTE phone except for the RAZR MAXX. As far as how the Spectrum performs, if you’re a light user, you might be able to get through the work day, but if WiFi is at your disposal, it will help immensely. I also tested how long it would run with continuous video on 4G and it was about 4 hours and 45 minutes, which isn’t very good. The DROID RAZR MAXX ran for about 10 hours. Performance The Spectrum has a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor so it should be blazing fast. I found it to be pretty good, but it did have the occasional slowdown, which is probably more of a result of the UI skin. The AnTuTu benchmark came in at 6068 which was on par with the DROID RAZR MAXX (6006) and just below the Galaxy S II. Being a dual-core 1.5 GHz, it should have been better, but I thought the overall performance was adequate. The 720p screen is very nice, but I don’t think the contrast is as good as the Galaxy Nexus. It’s not a deal breaker, and if you have your heart set on this phone, you will enjoy this IPS offering. Software The Spectrum comes with Android 2.3.5 and LG’s own UI skin. You won’t find much positive press on LG’s UI skin elsewhere, nor will you find it here. If I was a typical phone buyer that didn’t really care so much, it probably wouldn’t have bothered me. Since I get to play with a lot of phones and a lot of skins, I have to say that LG’s skin is probably my least favorite. Most of it can easily be fixed by installing another launcher from the Android Market, so it’s really not a big deal. The overall UI isn’t as intrusive as HTC’s Sense, but it isn’t that appealing either. As far as bloatware, you will find the usual, which includes Bitbop, Blockbuster, Yahoo! Finance, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Let’s Golf 2, My Verizon Mobile, Netflix, NFL Mobile, Polaris Office, Rhapsody, Richnote, ESPN Scorecenter, SmartShare, TuneWiki, V CAST Media Manager, V CAST Tones, Verizon Video, VideoSurf, and VZ Navigator. In that above list is ESPN Scorecenter, which has a unique feature. It’s the same app that’s available in the Android Market, but this version includes exclusive 720p HD video content such as highlights and interviews from ESPN. You can see this in my initial hands on video. Another application that is exclusive to LG is Smart Video HD which lets you edit, store, and upload your videos. It’s not a bad application, but it’s not necessarily all that easy to use either. It allows you to trim your short videos (under 10 minutes), add photos and music, and add a style. The styles are Showreel, Dice, Sentimental, Pump It Up, Scrapbook, and Showcase. I’ve only played with it a little bit, but it seems more appropriate for putting a bunch of photos together to make a video rather than for video in itself. Camera The Spectrum comes with an 8MP shooter which wasn’t bad. I wouldn’t put in the class of some of the nicer cameras from HTC and Samsung, but it gets the job done. Here are some example photos (the last one required flash was very dimly lit).     Overall the LG Spectrum isn’t a bad phone at $199, but I have to ask why anyone would buy one over the DROID RAZR or DROID RAZR MAXX? I could see why someone might not choose the RAZR MAXX because it’s $100 more, but to me this is the perfect example why sometimes too many devices just don’t make much sense. I think the AT&T variant, the Nitro, makes perfect sense, but the Verizon world is Android heavy with the DROID brand, the Galaxy Nexus, and HTC’s Rezound. The Spectrum doesn’t offer anything else. Sure, it has a little faster processor and a better screen than the DROID RAZR, but do you really want to sign a 2-year contract with the Spectrum or with a company that’s about to be owned by Google? I think the choice is rather simple: Spends an extra $100 and get the DROID RAZR MAXX and enjoy being free from wires all day. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! |
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 11:48 AM PST  If you are in the market for a new smartphone and taking good pictures is an important factor in deciding then maybe these test photos will help you in deciding. This collection shows photos from six HTC phones and tablets, including a few that will probably be seen at MWC this month in Barcelona. What you may finding intriguing is the fact that some of the photos suggest that some of these devices have received codename changes from their original names. As you already know the HTC Edge became the Endeavor. Hit the break to check out these images. Also, make a note of the Quattro tablet name change… Enjoy! HTC Endeavor (Formally known as the Edge)   HTC Vertex (Formally known as the Quattro)   HTC Totem  HTC Evita  source: pocketnow Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! |
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 11:39 AM PST  If you love Android as much as we think you do, then you need hit the link below and join our growing TalkAndroid community. See ya on the other side!! androidforum.com Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! |
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:50 AM PST  So you’re standing there in your local carrier store and you’re hit with a dilemma. You look around the store and think to yourself, “which of these phones is going to last me a full two years?” Thanks to cell carriers and their two year contracts it’s a dilemma we are faced with often. Especially with companies continually pushing a slew of phones. Heck it even caused me to write out this rant a few days back. Well it looks like Independent UK retailer Phones4U is looking to make 24-month contracts a thing of the past with their new JUMP service. Standing for “Just Upgrade My Phone” this service will allow you to change your device every six months or so. The way that it works is that the JUMP program splits customers’ monthly bills into part phone service and part “JUMP service agreement.” The phone service part will be payable to the carrier and the JUMP part will be payable to Phones4U. After about six months or so, customers can opt to upgrade their handsets while trading in their current device in the process. The remainder of the JUMP balance being paid on is then offset against the price of the trade-in device, then the cost of the new device is added to your JUMP balance. The bottom line is that you’d be able to upgrade your phone during the life of your contract, in exchange for a somewhat increased monthly fee. Basically customers are given a chance to upgrade their phones while paying it off as a part of their monthly plan. While it may not be a good idea to upgrade 2-3 times per contract it still beats having to drop full price on a new, fancy device half way through.This JUMP service is launching Phones4U stores today while moving to online stores in May. If you are interested in more check the presser out down a bit further. Enjoy! PHONES 4U LAUNCHES 'JUMP' New type of contract gives customers the freedom to change their handset as often as every six months 10th February 2012: Phones 4u is today announcing the national rollout of JUMP ('Just Upgrade My Phone') – a new type of contract which enables consumers to upgrade their mobile phone, from a selection of the latest smartphones on the market, as often as every 6 months. Differing from other flexible offerings on the market, JUMP doesn't require any upfront fees at the point of upgrade and customers own rather than lease the handset. For the added flexibility of being able to upgrade as often as every six months, customers will only need to initially pay an average added monthly cost of £2.99 – £3.99, dependent on the original JUMP contract chosen. JUMP has been successfully trialled since May 2011 in 100 stores. The national rollout begins today and the offering is expected to be available in all of Phones 4u's 586+ stores, via Phones 4u online and via Phones 4u telesales by May 2012. We will also be supporting JUMP as part of a wider multi-million pound ATL Phones 4u campaign this year. Alistair Firth, Director of Customer Development at Phones 4u said: "Technology is moving fast and innovative handsets are launching all the time on the market but to date there's been a disconnect between the frequency of smartphone releases and the length of mobile phone contracts on offer.We want to give our customers the freedom to own the very latest smartphones like the iPhone 4S without having to wait 18-24 months for an upgrade. The idea for JUMP was born out of research we conducted that revealed people were frustrated by the inability to upgrade their handsets sooner". JUMP's unique proposition is that instead of offering one contract to customers with a mobile network, it's been broken down into two; one with the airtime provider for minutes, texts and data and one with Phones 4u for the handset, which are both for a minimum term of 24 months. This provides the customer with total ownership of the handset and their monthly pay plan. When customers choose to upgrade, there is no upfront fee involved – they can trade in the handset, which Phones 4u guarantees will be worth at least £100 for the first 12 months[1], along with up to two more, and create a new plan. Alternatively, they do have the option of keeping it for themselves or giving it to someone else. "We conducted extensive research prior to the trial and national roll-out to inform the JUMP model and ensure it truly met consumer needs", adds Firth. "We discovered 18-35 year olds don't want to return a handset on a leasing model. This is because they are used to keeping handsets as part of their mobile phone contract, they hold concerns over losing data or voiding the warranty if they customize the phone, and worry about paying a surcharge if the phone is damaged. We used these findings to help shape the JUMP offering and believe it offers the best flexibility and benefits of any deal currently available on the market". As part of the JUMP service, Phones 4u is also offering remote data back-up and storage for contacts, music, pictures and videos, as well as dedicated customer support accessible via a dedicated number and website. Phones 4u aims to attract new customers with the JUMP offering, who want the option to own the latest smartphones when they want, at an affordable monthly cost, and which offers additional services currently not available as part of other smartphone contracts. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! |
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:23 AM PST  Looks like Google is about to dive in to the retail business, perhaps going toe-to-toe with Apple. According to Bloomberg, Google recently made a filing and will possibly open its first stand-alone retail store at its European headquarters in Dublin. In case you’re unfamiliar, Google’s European headquarters in Dublin is the largest Google location outside of the U.S. The store would be located in Dublin's Montevetro office block and include about 123 square meters (1,323 square feet) of space with an added mezzanine floor extension. It has already purchased the Montevetro space for 100 million euros (roughly $132 million) and once the renovation is complete, Google will have well over 3,000 employees in the Dublin area. Bloomberg adds “the planning application, prepared by consultants John Spain Associates for Google Ireland Inc., was approved by the Dublin City Council on Jan. 23.” Among the noteworthy features of the planning highlights a staff swimming pool in an area designed for use as a restaurant. A full-fledged retail store is certainly not too surprising too. For starters, Bloomberg highlights Google already ”has a store for its merchandise at its headquarters in California, which isn't open to the public but also offers its merchandise at www.googlestore.com.” Also, Google’s purchase of Motorola Mobility is set to be complete in the near-future, which in part will help compete with Apple Store offerings— setting the stage for many exclusive devices, accessories or just anything Google to be displayed and glorified. Oh and don’t forget– Google has a major role in Androidland in Austrailia, in case you might have forgotten. source: Bloomberg |
Saturday, February 11, 2012
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