Talk Android decompiles ICS FaceLock.apk – Majel are you in there? Posted: 01 Feb 2012 03:57 PM PST So if you haven’t realized from my posts by now, I like to experiment with Android from time to time and today was one of those more special days. While poking around FaceLock.apk, which I decompiled with apktool, I opened this. The screenshot above portrays a file “arrays.xml,” which contains what looks like phrases to be presented on the lock screen when a user’s face is not recognized. As those of you fortunate enough to run ICS know, currently an unrecognized face only returns “Sorry, don’t recognize you” or in some cases “Couldn’t find a face.”  Aside from a different spelling of “recognize,” the list above also offers a substantially more varied output. So what is the meaning of this? I supposed it could be simply leftovers, never scrapped before release, or, letting my optimistic imagination run just a little bit, perhaps this is some preliminary work towards a future update; Majel maybe? It’s a stretch, but the varied and pretty casual responses seem more AI like to me. In any case, an interesting little something indeed. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Samsung Galaxy S II Plus Benchmarks Released, Shows Off Impressive Numbers Posted: 01 Feb 2012 12:51 PM PST While rumors that the S III would make its debut at MWC were quickly and officially refuted by Samsung, that hasn’t stopped the Korean manufacturer from showing their hand in regards to the Galaxy S II Plus. Even with the announcement of the Galaxy S Advance, and two new tablets, Samsung is pushing forward with the release of the SII Plus. If the benchmarks are any indication this is a good move as the phone will surely be able to carry its own weight. While at first it was considered to only be an incremental upgrade to the S II it appears that Samsung has took some time and put in some decent hardware in the device. The device will carry a 1.5GHz (I assume dual-core and possibly the OMAP 4470) processor, a WVGA display, and Android 2.3.4. I am sure that the device’s presence will be made better known at MWC and when it does we will surely update you with the specifics. Stay tuned! source: Techsnapr via: BGR Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Stanford Students Demo 5 Cool Tricks Using Your NFC Capable Phone &Television (Video) Posted: 01 Feb 2012 12:42 PM PST I bet you didn’t know Stanford had some cool nerds on their roster did you?  Yep, some of the folks over there decided to tinker around using an NFC enabled Android device along with a remote control also housing an NFC chip.  Check out what these guys have managed to come up with: Display photos in a slide show Collaborative Whiteboard Slide Show Presentation Play Online Poker Stream Netlix Videos Check out the quick demo below where you can see all of these in action and don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments below.   I don’t know about you, but I love when nerds get bored.  They always wind up producing something useful for the rest of us  For more information hit up the source link to check out their blog at Stanford.edu Video Demo Click here to view the embedded video. via: Stanford MobiSocial News Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Official Super Bowl App Kicks Off in the Android Market Posted: 01 Feb 2012 12:33 PM PST Are you ready for some football!?! As most of you know, Super Bowl XLVI is this weekend and some of you may even be lucky enough to be heading to the Lucas Oil Stadium for some first person action. If so, Verizon has got you covered and has sponsored a Super Bowl XLVI app that will give you plenty of relevant info and even a little social media integration as well. From 3D maps and guides to where to go for ecxiting nightlife, this app has everything a stadium attendee would need. Actually this can even be usefull for those who are just watching the big game from the comfort of their own couch! The social media within the app will allow you to get updates from NFL huddle and on-scene spectators. Although this app is sponsored by Verizon it isn’t limited to just Verizon phones, anyone can download the app and it’s free. To get your free download hit the market link below, and for those of you who will be in Indy this weekend, shout out on the comments below! Android Market Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Real-Life Galaxy S Advance Pictures Surface on the Web Posted: 01 Feb 2012 11:52 AM PST It was just a couple days ago that we got official info from Samsung about the upcoming Galaxy S Advance smartphone, and we’re pretty confident that the device will be shown at MWC in a few weeks. If you read our previous article than you have already seen press images of the phone, but recently some real-life images surfaced on the web. Philippine tech site, TechPinas, was able to get their hands on the images you see above and below. According to the tipster who sent these images in, the Galaxy S Advance feels good in the hand and resembles that of a solid construction. Based on these images I would imagine the construction to be very similar to Sammy’s current line of Galaxy handsets, plastic-y yet maintains a quality appeal and heft. TechPinas also mentioned that the device should run 22,990 PHP (Philippine Pesos) which is roughly $536. If you need a refresher on the basic specs of the device you are looking at at 1GHz dual-core NovaThor ST-Ericsson processor, 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 16GB of memory and 768MB of RAM. To get the full specs run-down check out our previous post. For those of you here in the U.S. I wouldn’t get your hopes up too much, it still looks like the device will launch everywhere else but here. source: phonearena via: techpinas Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Best Buy Offering $50 Gift Card If Customers Upgrade Their Phones By The End Of 2012, Must Register By February 12th Posted: 01 Feb 2012 11:35 AM PST Planning to upgrade to a new phone by the end of the year and buy a gadget or two while you’re at it? Well you’re in luck because Best Buy is offering a heck of a promotion where they are offering a $50 gift card when customers upgrade to a new phone at any one of the Best Buy stores by December 31, 2012. Naturally there’s a catch— customers need to reserve their gift card by entering their mobile number and email address by Sunday, February 12. And you won’t actually see the gift card until you actually go into a store and upgrade your phone at that time. Still, a $50 gift card is still an awesome incentive, don’t you think? Thanks Dave! source: Best Buy Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

EU regulators start investigation with Samsung over antitrust concerns Posted: 01 Feb 2012 10:20 AM PST If being in court every day over patent issues in 10 countries isn’t enough, now EU regulators are investigating whether Samsung Electronics breached antitrust rules by accusing rivals such as Apple of infringing its technology patents. Last year, Samsung filed for injunctions in several EU countries againt competitors for infringing patents. Back in 1998 Samsung pledged to license its patents to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. “The (European) Commission will investigate, in particular, whether in doing so (seeking injunctions on patent infringements in 2011) Samsung has failed to honor its irrevocable commitment given in 1998 to the European Telecommunications Standards,” the EU executive said. Did Samsung abuse its dominate position with these actions? So far Samsung hasn’t made a comment. It’s also possible other companies like Motorola could be subject to this same investigation. If the European Commission finds any company in breach of EU competition rules, they could fine them up to 10 percent of their global turnover. source: routers Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Samsung releases teaser for Galaxy Note Super Bowl commercial Posted: 01 Feb 2012 09:19 AM PST This year’s Super Bowl is going to be a good one, but just in case it’s over by the 4th quarter, we have something else to look forward to, and that’s the first ever Super Bowl commercial from Samsung. It will air during the 4th quarter, and it will be about the upcoming 5.3-inch beast, the AT&T Galaxy Note. They just released a teaser clip, which is 45 seconds long or half of the full 90-second spot. Enjoy!! Click here to view the embedded video. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Clove stops selling the ASUS Transformer Prime due to availability and ‘faults’ Posted: 01 Feb 2012 08:19 AM PST Clove Tehnology stopped all sales of the ASUS Transformer Prime because of “complaints of faults with the model.” As we know, the availability of the Transformer Prime has been scarce, and Clove didn’t expect to have sufficient stock levels until February/March. They were able to get some stock sooner than expected, but because of these complaints, they decided to test their stock. What they found, we don’t know, but at this time, they aren’t satisfied that all units are working correctly. They decided to stop all sales and to cancel any impending orders. They did say they will return to selling the Tegra 3 beast as soon as they’re satisfied that the situation has been resolved. We already know about complaints of WiFi and GPS issues, as well as lock-ups, but ASUS claims the units in the UK aren’t affected, not to mention other retailers in the UK haven’t taken any action. source: clove via: androidcentral Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Disney On DoCoMo Brand Officially Launched, Debuts Two Solid Smartphones Posted: 01 Feb 2012 08:17 AM PST   In case you’ve forgotten, Disney launched Android smartphones in Japan last year. Apparently Disney’s venture is a resounding success because they are set to collaborate with mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo and form the Disney Mobile on DoCoMo brand. Disney will start off with two new Android-powered handsets launching over the next couple of months and features exclusive content from Disney such as full-length animations and games. The first device is the F-08D which is a “luxury smartphone” featuring a 4.3-inch HD LCD display, dual cameras and a snappy 1.2Ghz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 CPU. The F-08D will be available in pink or white next month with preorders opening up February 17th. The next device is the P-05D, which features a slim 7.8mm thick frame, rear camera and 4.3-inch OLED screen all powered by a dual-core 1Ghz processor that will launch sometime in March. Hit the break for the full presser. DOCOMO Unveils First 2 “Disney Mobile on docomo” Android SmartphonesTOKYO, JAPAN, February 1, 2012 — NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced today the first two Android™ smartphones under the “Disney Mobile on docomo” brand that it is launching in cooperation with The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd. The “Disney Mobile on docomo F-08D” model will go on sale in the end of February and the “Disney Mobile on docomo P-05D” model will launch in March. Both models will be sold in Japan only.The magical world of Disney is featured throughout the two smartphones, from their outer designs to user interfaces, including main displays and screen icons. Both models are waterproof and compatible with popular DOCOMO services, such as Osaifu-Keitai® mobile-wallet services.Users will enjoy free access (excluding packet-data charges) with their smartphones to movie services, original live wallpapers, puzzle and music game applications for children and family-entertainment. Special customer benefits also will be offered from this spring in cooperation with Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, where DOCOMO is an official corporate sponsor. Pre-orders for the “Disney Mobile on docomo F-08D” model scheduled for release in late February will be accepted at docomo shops from February 17. Pre-orders for the Disney Mobile on docomo P-05D model scheduled for release in March will be announced later. Disney Mobile on docomo Smartphones (2 models) Disney Mobile on docomo F-08D Luxury smartphone with sparkling silhouettes of Mickey and Minnie. Tabletop holder featuring the world-famous Mickey Head Design. 4.3-inch high-resolution HD display with 1.2 GHz dual core CPU to experience dynamic Disney video content. Waterproof/dustproof design and compatible with Osaifu-Keitai mobile-wallet service and one-seg services. Disney Mobile on docomo P-05D Stylish smartphone designed to fit comfortably in the palm of one’s hand. Two customizable Disney jackets for personalized styling. Slim 7.8 mm body combined with large 4.3-inch Organic EL display for full enjoyment of Disney content. Waterproof/dustproof design and compatible with Osaifu-Keitai mobile-wallet services. DOCOMO and Disney to Jointly Offer Smartphones and Mobile Services Under New “Disney Mobile on docomo” Brand TOKYO, JAPAN, February 1, 2012 — NTT DOCOMO, INC. and The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd. jointly announced today that they will introduce an exclusive smartphone brand, “Disney Mobile on docomo,” beginning with the launch of one model in late February and a second model in March. Smartphones developed by the two companies will be sold by DOCOMO under the “Disney Mobile on docomo” brand. A variety of exclusive benefits and special services and content will enable users of these smartphones, including adult women and others, to encounter unique Disney experiences. Exclusive content and services will include: Access to Disney full-length animations, live actions and overseas dramas. Digital content from Disney, such as puzzle and music game applications for children and family-entertainment. Original Disney applications, live wallpapers and more. Various customer benefits in cooperation with Tokyo Disney Resort.