Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Update - 21



Posted: 20 Feb 2012 04:36 PM PST
During CES this year we told you about Moneto, an NFC MicroSD card that gives NFC capabilities to the NFC-less. By using a microSD card with an NFC chip built in and its tailor made app you can use your phone to pay for purchases much like other NFC wielding phones. They first gave a 4-6 month timeline before we’d see these available but it appears thats the folks at Moneto are ahead of the game slightly.  They have released compatible versions for the Galaxy S line of phones ranging from the Fascinate and I9100 to the Epic 4G. It’s safe to say that more phones will see support in the future.
They’ve also released an app into the Android Market that will allow you to make use of this NFC kit. If you are a Galaxy S variation owner you can head on over to the Moneto web site via the source below to purchase the kit. Currently you can get a 1GB MicroSD card, booster sticker, prepaid debit card, and $10 pre-loaded on the account for $29.95.  If you’re interested you can hit the break below to download the app that will help turn your phone into a mobile wallet. As both LG and Sony are doing their own NFC gigs it’s safe to say that NFC is here to stay. If you’re still waiting for an upgrade and are dying to get NFC then this is the way to go. Enjoy!
source: Moneto
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 04:07 PM PST

Need to feed your fashion phone fever? Well the good folks over at T-Mobile UK might have exactly what you’re looking for. We brought you the news back in January that T-Mobile UK was planning to release the succinctly titled, Prada phone by LG, some time in February. Well it’s in stock and up for grabs right now at the online store.
As a quick reminder, the Prada phone is a mid-range, Android Gingerbread, fashion phone with a unique Prada designed UI and casing. In terms of tech-specs, the Prada boasts a 4.3″  WVGA screen, the phone is powered by a dual-core 1GHz TI OMAP processor and 1GB of RAM, there’s 8GB of on-board storage and an SD card slot. In keeping with most fashion phones, the Prada phone offers high quality optics packing a 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 1.3MP front facing camera ideal for perfecting your Hollywood smile. Video capture is an impressive 1080p at 30fps.
The phone is available free of charge on T-Mobile’s newly announced, game-changing ‘Full Monty‘ plan. What could compliment your new fashion accessory better than a truly unlimited, throttle-free data plan?  Head on over to the T-Mobile UK website to find out more.

source : T-Mobile UK
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 03:23 PM PST
We’ve seen an Android-powered 16MP camera from Polaroid, and 3D cameras from HTC and LG. But imagine a camera that can capture the entire light field at once. What good is that? Well, it would allow you to take a picture without worrying about what’s in focus since you could actually focus the picture afterwards. This is exactly what the Lytro camera can do.
Currently, the Lytro is a stand-alone unit that requires a Mac to process the images it shoots, but a Windows version is expected soon. Eventually, this type of technology will hit mobile devices and make blurry phone pics a thing of the past.
The folks over at TechCrunch had a chance to speak with Ren Ng, the founder and CEO of Lytro, and the guy who’s research the product is based on. In their discussions, they learned that though the Lytro “light ray” technology could be used for capturing video, the processing requirements for that much data is not currently feasible for a consumer product. So, for the time being, Lytro will be focusing on still image photography for its debut, with video possibly coming in the future.
The chipset the Lytro uses is rated as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capable, but it doesn’t seem the debut version will have any wireless capabilities. Ren Ng did say they are working on wireless integration, so we can expect an update in the future that adds that functionality.
Right now, Lytro is concentrating on getting the product out. It’s currently back-ordered but is expected to ship early this year. But they have mentioned that they are open to licensing the technology or partnering with other services or companies. This gives us hope that we can see a Lytro-enabled Android smartphone in our future.
source: techcrunch
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 03:10 PM PST
It seems Motorola was so keen to get it’s new MOTOLUXE to consumers in the UK that it’s decided to release the fashion friendly, budget smart phone a day earlier than scheduled. Earlier today, UK retailer Clove updated it’s website to confirm that the MOTOLUXE is in stock and ready for purchase.
As a quick reminder, the Motorola MOTOLUXE is an Android Gingerbread device featuring a 4″ touchscreen with a 480 x 854 resolution, there’s a 800 mhz processor and 512mb of RAM powering the phone and an 8mp camera for you image enthusiasts out there.
Ready to be a trendsetter in the UK? Then you better head on over to Clove today before the rest of the country jump on the bandwagon.

source : Clove
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 03:01 PM PST
Galaxy Tab 10.1 Product Image
Well it’s been some time since we first saw the CyanogenMod team go to work on CM9 and since then we’ve seen a bunch of devices get alpha or pre-alpha builds of the ICS ROM. Given that it’s pre-alpha it’s design is strictly for previewing only. However the only aspect that appears to not be working is the camera. We’ve seen the original Galaxy Tab get a CM9 build but now it’s available for rooted WiFi versions of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Specifically it’s available for the GT-P7510 model and should NOT be flashed on other versions.
The Galaxy tablet will probably be upgraded to Android 4.0 by Samsung but there isn’t an exact time table as to when this will happen. It will also see a version with TouchWiz intact. So CM9 is a good choice for seeing a more pure ICS experience. So if you are wanting to flash this make sure to flash the recovery.img with fastboot first. Once that is done you can go ahead and flash the ROM in recovery mode. 
Remember folks, it’s pre-alpha and issues are bound to rise. However don’t go out and report every bug you find as there is usually no support for pre-alpha builds. If you are interested you can get the recovery image below as well as the link to the 117MB CM9 ROM. If you are brave enough to flash this let us know what you think in the comment section below. While CM9 is taking longer than expected, it’s good to see more and more builds coming out. If you don’t mind losing camera functionality for a mostly functional build of ICS then this ROM is for you. Enjoy!
Recovery.img – Link
CM9 Pre-Alpha ROM – Link 
source: Google+
via:  androinica
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 02:14 PM PST
Google Music is a great thing. You can upload 20,000 songs to the cloud and play it back on any Android device or through any browser. But if you prefer other music apps, like WinAmp or CyanogenMod’s Music Player, you’re out of luck. Until now.
Developer r2DoesInc has released Cloud Music Sniper, an app that makes your Google Music library available on any music app you want to use, even when you have no Wi-Fi or data connection. To do this, you will have to make your Google Music library available offline, launch the Cloud Music Sniper app, and follow the instructions.

Cloud Music Sniper then saves any music you have marked as available offline to your SD card, making it accessible by any music player app you have installed. Easy as pie. It even saves it in the proper folders based on artist, album, and track name, provided the files include the correct MP3 ID3 tags. Of course, you will have to have enough space on your SD card for all the music you have marked to download.
The Google Music Manager desktop software recently added the ability to download your music to your desktop, but Cloud Music Sniper does all the work for you on the device itself.
So if you want to break free from the confines of the Google Music app, and are willing to part with an affordable $1.99, download Cloud Music Sniper from the market link or QR code below.
source: rootzwiki
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 01:26 PM PST
A couple of days ago we told you about the much needed update coming soon to DROID X owners. No it’s not Ice Cream Sandwich, but it will fix a lot of bugs that have been a mainstay ever since Gingerbread landed on the device. We have good news because the soak test has officially begun, which means we could see the full release later this week. As a reminder, this update will bring your software version to 4.5.621.MB810.Verizon.en.US. Hit the break for the full changelog.

Over the Air Updates
  • Prevents lockups or resets after the Over the Air (OTA) update.
  • OTA update notice screen displays the correct estimated update time.
Device Features
  • Improved browser security with the Google Security Patch from Android 2.3.6.
  • Fixed issue where the device may power ON without user interaction.
  • Resolved possible device resets while playing music.
  • Adjusted camera settings will be saved, even after the device is powered down.
  • Reduced Out of Memory errors.
  • WAV files can be played from Visual Voice Mail.
  • Device is enabled with the Wireless Alerting System.
  • Improved stability of Music Player reduces resets.
  • Shortcuts to applications remain on the device even after applications are moved to the SD card.
Email, Messaging & Data
  • Improved connectivity with 3G Mobile Hotspot data connectivity.
  • Addressed error that replicated thumbnails in message threads.
  • Corrected errors where Yahoo! mail notifications were not displayed properly.
  • Reduced duplicate message errors.
  • Improved ability to access and receive Gmail when the Mobile Hotspot is turned on.
  • Sorted contact groups.
  • Device recognizes Multimedia ringtones after purchase.
Accessories
  • Button background lighting turns off while in the desktop cradle.
Thank you Dizz
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 12:41 PM PST
A few months ago Panasonic made it clear they wanted to sell smartphones outside of Japan, and shortly after, a water/dust proof device was revealed for this spring. Panasonic just made it official with the unveiling of the Eluga (pictured above) for Europe.
Panasonic also just announced the P-04D for NTT DoCoMo and 102P for Softbank which are both the same device as the Eluga, but is also the same device as the P-05D Disney Phone for NTT DoCoMo we showed you a couple of weeks ago. The only difference (other than colors) we know of is the Eluga gets NFC while the Japanese models get the Felica chip. All models should be available in March.
The big news is they’re going to be only 7.8mm thick and weigh 103 grams. To achieve this, Panasonic is putting in a 1150mAh battery, which is pretty small based on today’s standards.
Hit the break for a pic of the P-04D and full specs

Full specs
  • Android 2.3.5
  • 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor
  • 1GB of RAM
  • 16GB storage
  • Size: 123 × 62 × 7.8mm
  • 103 grams
  • 4.3-inch qHD (960 x 540) display
  • 8.2MP Camera
  • Front camera (unknown)
  • W-CDMA / GSM / HSPA+/GPRS
  • WiFi 802.11 b / g / n Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
  • microSD (Max 32GB), microUSB, 3.5mm audio jack
  • 1150mAh non-removable battery
  • Other Waterproof: (IPX5/IPX7), dust (IP5X)
  • Tethering support (up to 5)
**Use of the microSD is, will be required “(sample) microSD card reader-writer” Cable included.
source: gpad.tv
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 12:20 PM PST
With MWC 2012 on the way, leaks and rumours are bound to make their way out and add to the normal speculation that seems to hover around the tech industry. So it’s no surprise (but surely a delight to most) that today there are some leaked pictures of the Sony Xperia U next to the Xperia S floating around the internet. Also known as the ST25i or “Kumquat”, the Xperia U is expected to be packing a 3.5″ screen with an 854 x 480 resolution, a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1290 mAh removable battery and a rear-facing 5MP camera with auto-focus.
It isn’t clear whether the device will be sporting Android 4.0 ICS, or simply be packaged with 2.3 Gingerbread awaiting an update at a later date. It’s important to remember, however that these specifications are just speculation, and the best idea is to keep posted for official reports. That being said, with the current specs floating around, it seems that the Xperia U will be a perfect mid-range device for those who don’t want a massive phone in their pockets like the Xperia S.
source: androinica
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 11:45 AM PST
Google is about to make your TV’s remote obsolete, so it seems with a recent patent filing by the search giant. The company has recently filed a patent that suggests you’ll be able to simply ask your TV a questions and get a ton of Google search results in return.  As you can see from the pic, a simple “When is Seinfeld on?” would render the answer all via a voice command.  The technology is very reminiscent of Android’s voice dictations and should be a welcomed edition to the service and a big step into the future.  We’re still not sure how deep the integration is, but we’ll stay on it until we do.  I’m personally still waiting for Google TV to mature, but I”d be highly compelled to hop aboard now if I could be able to speak to my TV set.  In addition, according to the patent you’ll be able to trigger voice commands using several different phrases which in turn will allow you to change channels hands free of any remote control.  Furthermore, there’s tidbits in the filing that describe a service in which you can use your smartphone to decode voice into text which is processed in the cloud and completes an action on the TV set.  I still can’t wrap my head around this but I’m highly looking forward to the day I can finally cut the cord at home.

Posted by at 11:20 PM

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