Posted: 01 Feb 2012 03:41 PM PST  Google, having already explained to the boys and girls inside the Beltway that they don't need to go all Chicken Little over its upcoming new consolidated privacy policy, today took aim at Redmond, Wash., for (if you can believe it) acting even more childish. More specifically, Google responded to claims from Microsoft (among others) that it's evil, it's only out to sell your information and that if you're not careful, Google will lossen your teeth while you sleep. (We might be confused over that last point.) For those of you who don't ready words printed on dried pulp, the full-page ads Microsoft has taken out are "Putting people first" and go on to say the following about Google:
This is straight up political theater, folks. Never mind that if Microsoft was in the search/advertising business, it'd be doing (if it was smart) exactlly the same thing. But it's not. It's in the software licensing (and/or litigating, depending on who you ask) business. And Google continues to repeat that it's not collecting any new data with this new privacy policy, nor is it selling your data. We're really not going to tell you what to think here. Read Google's responses from today. Go back and read its responses to Congress. And then read Google's new privacy policy, which is only a month away from taking effect. Then decide just how worried you are. 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 03:05 PM PST 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 02:55 PM PST  Though source code isn't a whole lot of use without the device itself, at least this early code release should jump-start the AT&T Galaxy Note ROM scene once the phone launches. Speaking of which, it's due from Feb. 19, for $299 on contract. More: Samsung Open Source 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 02:17 PM PST  Display-wise, you’ve got a 4-inch qHD (960x540) panel with Gorilla Glass and “splash-resistant nanotechnology”. And on the software side you’ll find Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, along with Motorola’s There’s no official release date for the Droid 4 just yet, though unconfirmed rumors point to a launch later this month. And with Verizon starting to promote the device on DroidDoes.com, it certainly looks like we could be seeing it sooner rather than later. Hit the source link to check it out for yourself -- if you’re eager to pick one of these up, you can also sign up for updates at the bottom of the page. Be sure to check out our full hands-on with the Droid 4 from CES for more info. Source: DroidDoes.com 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 02:12 PM PST  Remember the Androidified TPU Skin Case for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus? (Those are the ones we gave away just a week ago. We've now got them in stock at ShopAndroid.com. They're available in 10 colors -- orange, green, teal, smoke, clear, pink purple, red, blue and black -- and feature the Android "Bugdroid" icon, so you can show your Android pride with just a flick of the wrist. Plus, These Cruzerlite gel cases are made from shock absorbent and scratch resistant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). They are slim-fitting, and provide great protection for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus or Verizon Galaxy Nexus from day to day use and accidental bumps and spills.We've got a several of the colors in stock now, and more are on the way each day, so hit the link to see what's available. Also: Follow @shopandroid on Twitter for all the new accessories as soon as they hit our shelves -- and for exclusive contests! 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 01:35 PM PST  Just a quick heads up that the Android Central Podcast is going to be broadcasting a bit early on Thursday, and with a special guest to boot. Paul O'Brien from MoDaCo will be with us, and we're definitely excited about this one. MoDaCo's a name that's synonamous with smartphones, so you better expecting an all-out nerdfest between Paul and our favorite resident neckbeard, Jerry. So join us at a special time Thursday -- 9 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. EST / 1 p.m. PST as we get it done. We'll see you at AndroidCentral.com/live! 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 01:11 PM PST  While there are plenty of other apps out there that offer a broader selection of wines to reference, not to mention the ability to search by meal, it's not often you see retail products ship with legitimately helpful QR codes on them. For wine in particular, a few third parties have stepped in to provide rich data for wines, namely Cellar Key, which hangs a little QR code around the bottleneck. Considering how little I know about wines, quick, in-store references like this can be hugely helpful when picking something out. Even seasoned wine-drinkers will appreciate the added level of detailed information set-ups like this can provide. It's just unfortunate that even after over a decade of being largely available, QR codes still haven't quite caught on. Maybe pairing up with apps will become more of a necessity if they're going to see any real use. I'm also a little worried that as much hype as there is behind NFC, it will end up in the same boat. You can download the Android app at the link below, if you're curious. Do you guys use QR codes regularly? What would it take to get you to use them more often? read more 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 12:47 PM PST  What is recovery? In Android, recovery refers to the dedicated, bootable partition that has the recovery console installed. A combination of key presses (or instructions from a command line) will boot your phone to recovery, where you can find tools to help repair (recover) your installation as well as install official OS updates. Because Android is open and has the recovery source code available, building a customized version with more and different options is relatively easy as well. Let's look at both options. The stock recovery is pretty limited, but that's by design. Its main purpose is to delete all user data and files, or to perform system updates. Normally, both these operations are started from the running Android system, or you can do things manually and boot right into recovery yourself. When you tell your phone to do a factory reset, recovery is what boots up and erases the files and data. Likewise with updates -- when we restart to install an official OS update, it's done in recovery. Recovery is also where we go to manually install official OS updates we've downloaded from the Internet. It's very useful, but limited. Custom Android recoveries offer much more. They have been coded to allow for backup and restore functions, selective deletion of data so you don't have to wipe everything, and modified to allow update packages that have not been digitally signed by official sources. You also can mount various partitions so that you can copy files to the SD card without having to remove it or reboot into Android. Anytime you see someone mentioning Clockwork or Amon Ra, they're talking about custom recoveries. Because of the extra functionality built in, they are a pretty important tool for folks who want to hack their Android phone or tablet. Recoveries aren't as pretty as a custom ROM and don't get the same love from users and bloggers that custom builds of Android do, but in the end they're even more important. Without them none of this custom ROM stuff would be possible. read more
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 12:27 PM PST  The Galaxy Tab 10.1N is a redesigned version of the original Tab 10.1, which Samsung brought to market to work around an earlier ruling preventing them from selling that model in Germany. If successful, Apple's attempts to block Galaxy Nexus sales would've been a major blow for Android, on account of that device's place as the flagship Google Experience smartphone. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, today's case related to touchscreen patents for smartphones and tablets. On rejecting the motion to block sales of the Samsung devices, Presiding Judge Andreas Mueller indicated that the patent in question would likely be revoked -- "Samsung has shown that it is more likely than not that the patent will be revoked because of a technology that was already on the market before the intellectual property had been filed for protection."This is the latest chapter in the on-going patent war between Apple and Samsung, which began in mid-2011 and shows no sign of abating. The two companies remain locked in battle in courtrooms across the world. Source: Bloomberg Businessweek 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 12:19 PM PST  Enter fitness month!Whether CrackBerry challenged Android Central, WPCentral threw down the gauntlet on webOS Nation, or iMore called them all out, who remembers? The important thing is this -- we're using February to get off our collective apps and get into shape.Want to eat better? We're with you! Want to get stronger? We're spotting! Want to get into better cardio shape? We're so there! Each week we're each going to set reasonable, attainable goals, and each week we're going to take advantage of our awesome community to make sure we attain them. We're going to have special editions of our ZEN and TECH and Superfunctional podcasts to help us get going and stay going, and we're going to use our brand new Health and Fitness Forum to keep us focused, keep us accountable, and keep us keeping on! There will not be punch and pie (there will be prizes, though)You, the Android Central faithful, are our motivation. And to keep you motivated, we have some great prizes lined up. More on that shortly.Sound good? Sound great? Sound like you just can't wait to get fit? Good! Jump into our new Health and Fitness Forum now and pick your goal for week 1. (PS: I've already gotten a head start.) Mobile Nations fitness month has begun! 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 11:26 AM PST   Google today has updated a couple of its apps -- Chrome to Phone and Google Docs. Chrome to Phone, which was rolled out alongside Android 2.2 Froyo in 2010, is a slick little service that lets you send links from your computer directly to your phone. No e-mailing, no ... whatever -- just click "Chrome to Phone," and it zips from big screen to small. Today's update brings an "updated look and feel," fixes crashes when copying text and adds support for landscape. Google Docs also got a sizeable update today. New is the ability to make any file available for offline access, and your'e also able to manage content while offline, including seeing files that are out of date. Such offline content will be synced while over Wifi, and you can star and rename files without a connection as well. And nearly as important is a further improvement to how GDocs looks on an Android tablet -- not the first time it's gotten a makeover. Snag the updates in the Android Market, or at the links below. Download: Chrome to Phone, Google Docs 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 10:47 AM PST  If you're rocking the Xperia/Mac combo, you can grab the current version 1.2 of the SE Bridge app from the source link, and you'll be notified when the new version is available. Source: Sony Ericsson Product Blog 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 10:32 AM PST  There's no such luck for the HTC Amaze 4G or LG DoublePlay, though, as today's leaked screenshot reveals that those devices have now reached EOL. But as we said earlier this week, EOL status doesn't affect software updates or warranties, and really isn't worth worrying about in our opinion. Your phone doesn't suddenly become any less awesome because of three letters in a spreadsheet, and we'd still expect devices like the Amaze to get ICS in due course. Source: TmoNews 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 10:04 AM PST  We heard last week that the Galaxy S Advance would be coming to Russia later this month, and now it's been confirmed that Samsung's latest mid-range smartphone will be hitting the UK around the same time. Independent retailer MobileFun has the device up for pre-order, with stock expected next Monday, Feb. 6. What's more, the Galaxy S Advance comes in at a relatively wallet-friendly £349.99 off-contract. For your money, you'll get a 4-inch phone running Adnroid 2.3 Gingerbread and Samsung's TouchWiz 4 UI. There's also a 1GHz dual-core chip inside, and WVGA (480x800) Super AMOLED display on the front -- so not quite bleeding edge, but a powerful device nonetheless. If you're after one of these on contract, then Three UK is your best bet -- the network announced yesterday that it'll be carrying the Galaxy S Advance in the future. For more info on the Advance, check our original announcement post. 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 09:29 AM PST  As previously announced, the regional carrier's 4G network will be available in select citites:
US Cellular says more LTE markets will be announed later this month. We've got the full press release after the break. read more 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 09:02 AM PST  WIND Mobile launched in 2009 as an alternative to Canada's big two, Bell Mobility and Rogers. WIND has earned a name for itself for its no-contract options and low monthly rates, including a new unlimited voice, text, and data package for $40. WIND's WINDtab+ system subsidizes the cost of a phone by allowing customers to pay for the device over a three-year period using an allocation from the existing monthly payments. The Galaxy Nexus is just the latest high-end Android device to make it to the low-cost carrier; it joins a respectable line up that includes the Nexus S, the HTC Amaze 4G, and the LG Optimus 2X. WIND's full presser can be found after the jump. read more 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 08:48 AM PST  Today's Free Android Wallpaper comes to us from Tony Bag O' Donuts, who says he took this train shot with an Olympus DSLR with a 14-54mm f2.8 lens at the Straburg railroad in Pennslyvania.
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 08:13 AM PST  For those unfamiliar, Mint is a free app that aggregates your financial accounts into an easy-to-read layout. Mint shows you when your money is coming in, when it's leaving, and exactly where it's going. All information is updated in real-time, and with the tablet version's new offline mode, you'll be able to access all of your financial information as it was at your last online sync. If you've already been using the Mint app on your tablet, simply upgrade from the market for the new Honeycomb-optimized version. Intuit's full presser, along with a market link, is waiting at the jump. read more 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 07:53 AM PST  The AT&T Samsung Infuse 4G is finally -- finally!!! -- getting its update to Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread. (A point release higher than a recent leak.) The official rollout begins today, AT&T says. Here's the full changelog:
Note that because the preload of Angry Birds is being removed, you'll have to re-download and start from scratch again. But the Infuse 4G is finally getting Gingerbread. That's the good news. The bad news is that the download link AT&T's providing is dead at the moment, and the update won't be made available over the air, nor can you use a Mac to install. Stay tuned, folks. 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 07:40 AM PST  While we're not expecting to see the Sony Xperia S until early March, we're gradually seeing more and more details on the device trickling out. British retailer Clove has received a copy of the Whitepaper for the Xperia S and within its 18 pages we get a pretty detailed look into its specs. The Playstation certified device will come pre-loaded with a copy of Need for Speed Shift, and will come bundled with a micro-HDMI cable. The 720p display is protected by a "shatter proof sheet on scratch resistant glass." Disappointingly the on-board storage is listed as "1 to 1.5GB" although at least we do get microSD card support expanding this. Taking a look at the rear 12mp camera, we see it sports a 16x digital zoom, a f/2.4 aperture and the 3D sweep panorama mode previously found on the Xperia Arc S. Delving into the software, anyone who's ever used an Xperia device will be right at home. The Timescape application is still there, along with an "infinite button" which acts as a smart filter within Timescape. We've already seen mention of support for GLONASS, but we also see that USB tethering and WiFi hotspot functionalities come built in. If you're liking the look of the Xperia S, hit the source link to take a look at the whitepaper in its entirity. 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 07:13 AM PST  The Super Bowl XLVI Guide app's goal is to provide everyone in and around the Indianapolis metro area with schedules, recommendations and stadium layouts. The app provides a great 3D map of Lucas Oil Stadium, which is where the game will be played. In addition, you can find out your current location if you're lost, check out upcoming Super Bowl related events, or search categories such as Eat and Drink, which recommends popular restaurants. It's a great companion app to have if you will be attending the game. It's free and available from the Android Market. Please find links and more screenshots after the break. read more 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 07:04 AM PST  The Feb. 1 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Seidio SURFACE Case for the Motorola Droid RAZR. Crafted from a hard yet flexible material, the Seidio SURFACE Case provides an amazingly thin layer of protection without adding the excessive bulk of other cases. This case consists of interlocking top and bottom pieces that fit your Motorola Droid RAZR snugly, and Seidio's signature soft touch finish provides a great feel and better grip without attracting lint. And it's available today only in black, royal blue, garnet red or amethyst for just $18.95 -- that's 37 percent off! Get yours while supplies last. 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 06:06 AM PST  G'zOne Commando owners can find a full list of changes over at the source link, along with update instructions. The update is marked as "coming soon", so we'd expect to see it rolling out over-the-air in the weeks ahead. If you've received your update already, be sure to shout out in the comments. Source: Verizon Support 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 04:48 AM PST  In a post on its official blog, Clove says stock levels have been a "real issue", and despite being able to obtain some Transformer Prime units earlier than expected, it's decided to withdraw the tablet from sale due to complaints of faults in some units. The news will come as a blow to ASUS, which has already seen the Transformer Prime's launch tainted by poor availability and reports of GPS and Wifi issues in some units. ASUS has insisted that none of the Transformer Prime models sold in the UK are affected, so it's particularly surprising to see a UK retailer pulling the device from sale for this reason. It's also worth noting that Clove is the first retailer to take such a drastic step, and that the Prime remains on sale at other outlets. Source: Clove Technology 
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Posted: 01 Feb 2012 04:15 AM PST  Japanese mobile network KDDI says it'll stop using push notification ads on its Android handsets, following some recent online controversy. Late last month it emerged that KDDI was using an updated version of its "AU One Market" application to send ads via push notification to some of its customers. We're not the biggest fans of push notification ads, and we're even less impressed when ads are delivered by a carrier-mandated app with no clear way of opting out. It seems many KDDI customers felt the same way, and after a wave of negative press over the past week, the carrier today announced that it'll cease pushing ad messages out to its handsets. KDDI reportedly said it was using the ads to deliver messages about its own services, rather than selling ad space to outside organizations. We're not sure that makes it any better, but at least KDDI customers will be free from the scourge of push notification ads from now on. 
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Friday, February 3, 2012
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