Posted: 16 Feb 2012 04:58 PM PST  British high street bank Barclays have today pushed out their attempts at entering the mobile payment space. Their app, Pingit promises to let users transfer money upto £300 per day using nothing more than a phone number. There are no NFC capabilities in this though as you would find in Google Wallet. With the UK still trying to get up to speed with this, Barclays have opted for a much more simple approach. The application is free to download and importantly all transfers are also free. It isn't platform exclusive either with iOS and BlackBerry apps also available. At the moment you have to have a Barclays account to be able to send money, but they have promised to open it up to other banks sometime in March. Anyone using any bank can register to recieve money though. It works by linking your bank account to your current mobile phone number. To make a payment to someone, you can either choose them from your address book or enter their phone number manually. The secure transfer is then carried out in seconds. Everything is secured by a five digit passcode. The usefulness of such an app is questioned when you consider that you won't be able to go into a store, and pay for items using Pingit. The use cases are more personal, and one of the examples given is that ten people go out for a meal. When it comes to paying, everyone wants to pay individually and by a different method potentially taking a decent length of time. By bringing Pingit into the equation, one person can pay on their credit card and the other 9 use Pingit to instantly send them their share of the bill. Or how about parents quickly sending money to their student son or daughter at university? With the number of smartphones ever increasing, anything that can make something tedious like bank transfers and sending money more convienient is a step in the right direction. Some will always be cautious over using their phone to deal with their money. The emphasis here though is that using an application such as Pingit is as secure as regular online banking which we do all the time. Hit the source link for more information, and download links can be found after the break. Source: Barclays read more
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 03:31 PM PST 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 03:29 PM PST  Today Paul O'Brien of veteran phone blog MoDaCo has revealed further information, including the news that it'll have Galaxy Nexus-style on-screen buttons, among other developments. Rather than paraphrase Paul, we'll give you the tl;dr version --
Source: MoDaCo 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 02:49 PM PST  There are lots of ways share information between your Android smartphone and a device like a smart TV or computer, but the folks at Clik have just made it easier than ever. They're the same people behind Kik messenger, and their new Clik Smart TV Platform launching today shows the same style of innovation and attention to detail we've come to know from them. It's a software platform for folks who build apps for Android and iOS, who want to go further than the small screen on our devices can go. And I think they've got quite the handle on it. They have released a demo application that uses YouTube to show off how it all works. You install the app on your phone (there's links after the break) and run it. Point the web browser on your other "smart" device (I've tested Google TV as well as ChromeOS) to www.ClikThis.com and you're presented with a QR code to scan. Scan it, and you're connected. Browse through YouTube on the app running on your phone, and the content is displayed on the bigger screen. All with zero set-up and zero headache. You can control things like the volume, fast forward and rewind, even pause the video using the buttons on your phone. For a proof-of-concept app, it's really done nicely, and bodes well for the type of apps we should expect using the new platform technology. I'm looking forward to seeing how this all plays out, and I'll certainly be keeping an eye on this one. Hit the break for a video demo of the YouTube app in action, a handful of screen shots, and the press release from Clik. Happy viewing! read more
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 01:27 PM PST And how we, the users, still need to take responsibility There's been a lot of news lately about a lapse in either security or judgment -- both, really -- at Apple that allows iOS applications to borrow your contact data and send it off to parts unknown without your consent. Apple has addressed the issue to members of the U.S. Congress, and will take steps to hold tighter control in a future iOS update. That's good news, and we're glad to see it happening. But what about Android? During all this focus on apps doing things without explicit user permission, you see people referring to the Android permissions model. We're going to break it all down for you. It's not perfect, but it works pretty well -- and it's certainly better than no permission system at all. Let's walk you through permissions on Android, and how you need to be sure to do you part. read more
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 01:26 PM PST  With so much going on we wanted to take a moment and find out where you weigh in on the tablet wars. We have five quick questions (and one bonus) that will take you less than a minute. Hit the link below. Take the Survey! 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 01:16 PM PST  The additional markets include select cities in Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Some of the cities included are in the areas of Rockford and Peoria, Ill.; Columbia and Jefferson City, Mo.; Manchester, N.H.; Wilmington and Jacksonville, N.C.; Tulsa, Okla.; Medford, Ore.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Roanoke and Lynchburg, Va.; Yakima and the Tri-Cities, Wash.; Morgantown, W. Va. and LaCrosse and Beloit, Wis.U.S. Cellular will expand its device lineup, but for now Samsung devices will play a key roll with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung Galaxy S Aviator and a Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot being made available starting in March. By the end of 2012, U.S. Cellular will have 54 percent of customers able to take advantage of 4G LTE speeds. You can catch the full press release after the break. read more 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 12:49 PM PST  *Update* - Looks like they didn't update the change log. Grr.. Google needs to make it mandatory for updates, carry on until we dig up what's new. read more 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 11:56 AM PST  Swype finally has been updated for all you 1 percenters -- that'd be folks running Ice Cream Sandwich. It's been a long time coming -- Ice Cream Sandwich has been available on the Galaxy Nexus since November or so, but Swype for whatever reason wasn't ready. That's changed today. What hasn't changed is that Swype's still not available in the Android Market. If you're downloading this new version from their website, you'll technically be on a beta track. Don't worry so much about that, but do note that this is for folks whose phones do NOT come preloaded with Swype. That's kind of a moot point since we're talking about Ice Cream Sandwich devices here, but it still needs to be made. If you're new to Android or to Swype, it's a third-party keyboard whose claim to fame is in its ability to let you trace your finger (or thumb, we suppose) across the keyboard instead of hunting and pecking. For some, it's a time-saver. For others with physical issues, it can be an indespensible means of getting a message across. It's an acquired taste, to be sure, but the keyboard itself also is excellent, even if you're not into the tracing thing. In addition to the ICS fix, Swype also says it's added downloadable languages for tablets, add-ons with DragonGo (remember that Swype is a Nuance product now, so you'll start seeing the Dragon name more), and there have been improvements made to accuracy as well. Get your download on at the link below: Download: Swype Beta 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 11:41 AM PST   read more 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 11:35 AM PST  Reported specs -- which the site admits it's "not 100%" sure of -- seem similar to last year's Desire S, with a 3.7-inch display, 1GHz CPU and 1GB of RAM (a slight bump up from the Desire S's 768MB). The alleged camera specs also match the Desire S -- a 5MP shooter with 720p recording capabilities -- though we have to hope HTC's improved upon the optics in that phone's camera. On the software side, we can probably expect HTC Sense 4.0 on top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, just like the One S and One X. The most interesting thing about the One V will be its price point -- if HTC can bring such a device to market at a budget price point, it could be very attractive to first-time smartphone buyers. Source: Pocket-Lint 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:09 AM PST 
Source: Motorola 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 08:56 AM PST  As Sony originally stated, the buyout was spurred by its desire to integrate the Sony Ericsson line of smartphone devices into Sony's current line of network-connected devices. Moving forward, Sony Mobile Communication devices will become an integral part of Sony's “connected home”, which will include tablets, TVs, PCs, and now smartphones, including the company's flagship Xperia line. Sony Mobile Communications will be headquartered in London with R&D sites in Beijing, Tokyo, Lund, and the Silicon Valley stateside. It will begin operating with 8,000 employees and EUR 100 million in capital. Hit the source link for Sony's official statement, and keep your eyes peeled for Sony-branded Xperias to start replacing the old Sony Ericsson moniker in the coming weeks. Source: Sony Ericsson 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 08:08 AM PST Space: The final frontier. These are the voyages of the Oh, hey everyone. I've just introduced you to Osmos HD. There's not much to say about it, really. You start off as a small, worthless little blue space amoeba that hungers to be the biggest amoeba around. How do you get there? By eating the little guys, of course. Watch out, though. If you're not careful, bigger guys than yourself will be feasting on your space matter, too. First things first. If you're going to become the biggest fish in an incredibly large pool, you've got to know how to move around. Tap on the sides of your space amoeba and he'll eject little bits of himself (gross) to propel him where you want him to float. The double-edge to this rule, however, is that you're actually ejecting little parts of yourself. Each tap makes you a little bit smaller, thereby potentially ruining your chances of absorbing that tasty amoeba you were floating towards. There's some nifty multitouch stuff to get around on the menus as well as a slider to either speed up the action or slow things down a bit. There's two modes, Arcade and Odyssey, but you have to beat Odyssey mode before you can hop into Arcade. Odyssey sort of acts like the tutorial plus the introduction to the mechanics, and once you've beaten it, you can hop into Arcade and try to play any level on any difficulty to really test your chops. Osmos HD is an absolutely gorgeous game, and with that said, there's nothing left to say. It's incredibly relaxing to play, has a beautiful, ambient soundtrack, and even has a couple of achievements to unlock for those who like digital trophies. Oh, and did I mention it was good enough to make the Humble Bundle? If you haven't yet, get Osmos HD. It's well worth the $4.99 that's being asked for it in the Market, so show some devs a bit of love, pick up an awesome game, and spend the rest of your time floating the night away, space amoeba-style. We've got download links after the break. read more
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 08:07 AM PST Welcome back to another Daily Giveaway from ShopAndroid.com! Today our featured Android accessories include the Seidio Innocell 3500mAh Extended Battery for HTC EVO 4G, Seidio ACTIVE Case for Samsung/Verizon Galaxy Nexus, Mobi Products Hard Shell Case for Motorola Droid RAZR, and the Seidio CONVERT Combo for HTC EVO 3D. Leave a comment letting us know which of these featured accessories you'd like to get your hands on, and we'll announce the winner of today's daily giveaway next Monday. Seidio Innocell 3500mAh Extended Battery for HTC EVO 4GIf you're looking to get the most life out of your HTC EVO 4G, then this Seidio Innocell 3500mAh Extended Battery is how you're going to get it. It has double the capacity than the standard OEM battery, and comes with a replacement door featuring a soft touch coating. With the battery and door installed, it adds about 5-6mm to your HTC EVO 4G. read more 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 06:53 AM PST  Google's fun little Android avatar creation tool, Androidify has been updated again in the Android Market. For many though, the biggest issue with the app has appeared since the introduction of Ice Cream Sandwich and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Wave after wave of comments report the image we see here all coming from Galaxy Nexus users -- and the odd Nexus S with ICS user -- greeted with the same message. Updating to the latest version released today still didn't make it go away. Naturally you would expect a Google application to work with the latest and greatest version of the operating system. While searching through the Market comments, one user had suggested a handy little tip to get it working on the Nexus which I thought worth trying. Head into the settings menu, and find the developer options menu. Inside there, ensure that the "Force GPU rendering" option isn't checked. Head back into Androidify, and all should be well and you can get back to creating your own little Android people. With that out of the way, todays update brings fixes to no-asset assets and the rendering of accessories on some devices. The app also now boasts improved memory usage and in some countries we see the addition of carnival assets. No word on which countries they might be though. With all this in mind, head on past the break to find yourself the download links. read more
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 06:43 AM PST  The ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day for Feb. 16 is the Body Glove Flex Snap-On Case for the Motorola Droid RAZR. The Glove Flex Snap-On case offers revolutionary protection in the ultimate custom fit phone case. This case features a durable hard shell wrapped in a textured glove material that is easy to grip and protects your Motorola Droid RAZR from scratches. This case allows for access to all controls along with the charging port. It's available today for just $14.95 -- that's 50 percent off! Get yours while supplies last. 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 06:06 AM PST  Samsung has launched yet another 7-inch tablet, and this time it's a redesigned version of the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for the German market. Similar to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 N, the Tab 7.0 Plus N is redesigned in order to work around Apple's legal shenanigans. The most noticeable change is that metallic trim around the edge of the device, which gives the front face of the device a noticeably different appearance. Aside from the new look, the internals are the same as they always were -- you've got a 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos processor, 1GB of RAM and Android 3.2 Honeycomb (with TouchWiz) on a 1024x600 display. Prices start at €499 for the Wifi-only version, and go up to €569 for Wifi and 3G. The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus N joins a growing list of 7-inch Samsung tablets, including the original Galaxy Tab, the Tab 7.0 Plus, the Tab 7.7 and the recently-announced Galaxy Tab 2. Source: Samsung (German) 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 05:52 AM PST Kevin, Phil, Derek, Daniel, and Rene discuss RIM's new CEO and what it means for BlackBerry in 2012, the unstoppable Android, iPad 3 vs. Windows 8 tablets, Chinese working conditions, and apps and your privacy. This is Mobile Nations!
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 05:02 AM PST  Android 5.0 Jelly Bean (neither the number nor the nickname is official, remember) is said to:
Source: Digitimes 
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Posted: 16 Feb 2012 04:29 AM PST  It won't surprise anyone to learn that quad-core smartphones based on NVIDIA's Tegra 3 chip will be on show at Mobile World Congress at the end of the month. But NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsung Huang has taken things further, with a claim that products announced there will be shipping inside of the first quarter of the year. Speaking during NVIDIA's recent earnings call, Huang seemed in no doubt that we'd see Tegra 3 handsets on the shelves before the end of March.
Pre-MWC leaks suggest that HTC will unveil the HTC One X, while LG will bring the LG X3, both of which reportedly run NVIDIA's new chip. So the suggestion is that one or both of these may actually be available to buy in just over a month's time. The supply chain can be an unpredictable beast, though, so we suppose it's possible we could see some slippage, even if manufacturer are aiming for late March. We'll be live from Barcelona from late next week, bringing you all the developments from the show as they happen. Source: The Verge 
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Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:40 PM PST  We saw a good look at the latest high-end phone with a physical keyboard today in the Droid 4 review. The keyboard looks pretty damn good, and Phil seems impressed with it. Those of us who like seeing a good set of keys attached to our phones are glad to see they aren't gone. You guessed it -- I like a physical keyboard. I've learned to manage the on-screen keyboard, and dabble with Voice input a little (when nobody's looking), but I'd be happiest with a good sliding keyboard. I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority here, but the only way to know for sure is to ask. So let me know guys -- yea or nay on the physical keyboard? 
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Posted: 15 Feb 2012 07:46 PM PST  Of course, when it comes to OS updates -- especially on Sprint and especially for Samsung phones -- we don't pop any corks until bytes are flowing and phones are rebooting. We've seen too many dates come and go, and too many updates get pulled after problems emerge. (And then there's the fact that this leaked screen -- purportedly from a Sprint system -- refers to the Nexus S and not the carrier's own Nexus S 4G. Details, we suppose. So if it drops on Thursday? Kick ass. It's about time. And if it doesn't? We've got some awsome forums full of awesome people who we're sure will express themselves appropriately. Source: Android Police; more: Nexus S 4G forums read more
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Posted: 15 Feb 2012 07:18 PM PST  HTC has turned on the Wayback Machine and is now offering a bootloader unlock solution for the Droid Eris, the HTC Hero, the HTC Legend, and the T-Mobile myTouch 3G and 4G flavors. It's a move that surprises most of us, as we never expected HTC to go back that far in their device lineup to do the right thing. Most of us have moved past these devices, but I can't be the only one who wants to get a little nostalgic and break out the phone we used before the phone we used before the phone we're using now and give it a go. Do note that the Hero unlock tool is for the GSM versions only, and you may have to flash a new RUU (HTC-speak for a full OEM ROM) to do the deed. But, hey, they were great phones for their time, and they deserve the same treatment as todays great phones do. Thanks, HTC! Hit the source link to get your unlock on. 
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Posted: 15 Feb 2012 06:26 PM PST  Android's official Facebook app just got a sizable update this evening. Here's a look at what's new:
Update: Erm, or that was a changelog from a previous fix that came through? Seriously, Android Market. Enough of this. Anyway. There's a new version, 1.8.3 (up from 1.8.2), dated Feb. 16. Something's new. Go download it. read more
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Friday, February 17, 2012
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