Posted: 20 Feb 2012 07:10 PM PST    Google Music, while awesome in that you can store all your music in the cloud and stream onto any device, is inherently flawed. Music, whether streamed from the cloud or store offline can only be played using the Google Music application and nothing else. But what if you wanted to listen to some of that stored music in another music application? Well, up until now, you couldn’t — that is, until Cloud Music Sniper. Cloud Music Sniper gives the user the ability to access their Google Music collection for playback in the music app of their choosing by “sniping” Google Music’s cached library. That means all the music you’ve stored “offline” using Google Music can be played in PowerAMP, CyanogenMod’s music player, stock music player — wherever. All the id3 info is fully intact with album artwork to boot. If you guys wanna give it a spin, Cloud Music Sniper can be found right now in the Android Market for the very reasonable price of $2. Anyone going to give this app a shot? [Market Link | Via RootzWiki] |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 05:30 PM PST   Something you may not know about me; I love mimosas. They’re refreshing, you can get a little buzz off ‘em, heck- they’re even borderline good for you. Well, mimosas are about to sound a whole lot more fun now that Nvidia and ZTE are teaming up to introduce the world’s first phone powered by nothing but Nvidia technology inside — the ZTE Mimosa X. I know that may sound a bit confusing but traditionally, we have a chipset manufacturer who makes the processor of a device (the real meat and potatoes, if you will) and then we have a Qualcomm modem for getting you that precious 3G/4G/LTE signal to your phone. With the Mimosa X, this is the first time we’re seeing a device that is using an Nvidia processor and their all new Icera 450 HSPA+ modem. Pretty exciting stuff. The ZTE Mimosa X will feature Nvidia’s Tegra 2 dual-core processor firing on both cylinders thanks to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich coming pre-installed on the device, a 4.3-inch 960×540 display, 4GB of internal storage and 5MP rear with front facing camera. Early today, we saw a pair of ZTE devices about to make their debut at MWC next week and it looks like we can add another to ZTE’s mid-level Android lineup. We can expect the ZTE to launch sometime around the second quarter of this year with no word yet on pricing or carrier. Out of PF200, N910 and now the Mimosa X, which of these 3 do you find the most appealing? Full press release below. SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Feb. 20, 2012--NVIDIA and ZTE today announced the ZTE Mimosa X, the first smartphone to be powered both by the NVIDIA ®Tegra ® application processor and its Icera® modem, which came to NVIDIA through its Icera acquisition in mid-2011. |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 03:39 PM PST   Much of the Android world are still waiting for the anticipated stable release of CyanogenMod 9, the Android 4.0 based custom ROM that has everyone excited. Unfortunately these things take time but the CyanogenMod team are generous, often giving us early looks at their wares for those who want a preview or for those who want to test and report bugs. The next device to get a pre-alpha is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi. Various things are still broken, including the camera, but you can expect most of these to get cleared up by the time the ROM hits release candidate status. Find the download files at the source link ahead. (Flash the .img file using fastboot then flash the .zip file in recovery.) [via CM G+] |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 02:54 PM PST   This past Sunday saw the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note on AT&T. While their LTE-equipped version has Snapdragon instead of Exynos (due to those aforementioned radios), plenty of people are still excited for the 5.3 inch smartphone. Folks over at AndroidForums.com have already bought the device and are discussing things such as accessories, 4G speeds, call quality and more. If you want to partake in all this good discussion be sure to head to the Galaxy Note LTE section of AndroidForums.com, and be sure to sign up for an account if you don’t already have one. Oh, and our review was posted today – see what Chris has to say about the device that’s almost too big to real. |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 01:33 PM PST  Technology is quite funny. In two years’ time you could go from having the rawest of products to a premier offering that no one can live without. Such was the case with Android. We’ve come a long way from Android 1.0 and the operating system has transformed tremendously since its initial release in September 2008.  We’re three full versions ahead of that first release now, but we’re curious: is there anything else that you wish Google would add? I, for one, would love the ability to have different wallpapers for different pages on my homescreen. It’s something I’ve wanted ever since HTC started airing those “You” ads. It’s just one of those things which would add to the experience for me. What’s one thing you guys would love to see Google add to Android? Let’s hear it in the comments section below. |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 12:47 PM PST   Sky in the UK has finally released their Android application, Sky Go. Sky Go allows users to stream live TV from many of Sky’s channels, including all 11 Sky movie channels, all 4 Sky sports channels (including Sky Sports News and ESPN) and a lot more. Have a look at the full list below. There are also device requirements, apparently: HTC Desire, HTC Desire S, HTC Desire HD, HTC Incredible, HTC Sensation, Samsung Galaxy S and the Samsung Galaxy S II seem to be the only devices supported as per the market listing’s description, but it couldn’t hurt to go ahead and try anyway if you don’t have any of these phones. Be sure to grab it at the link ahead. [Android Market] All 4 Sky Sports channels plus Sky Sports News and ESPN |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 12:18 PM PST  While the first release of Chrome for Android was great, there were still a lot of things missing that we’d taken for granted on stock and other browsers. A couple of those features were desktop mode (forcing a site to bypass its mobile site in order to use the real one) and full screen browsing (hiding the address bar when it’s not needed).  Google Chrome’s senior VP Sundar Pichai says both these features are on their way and that they’d continue to take leaps and bounds over the course of 2012. You didn’t expect Google to leave Chrome alone after its initial release, did you? After all, it’s still just a beta – that gives them room to do a lot by the time they come to market with their first stable release. Be sure to check out our hands-on of Google Chrome beta here and find it in the Android market here (only for Android 4.0 users). [CNET via Droid-Life] |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 11:38 AM PST  With the advent of NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 processor, developers have been challenged to create games one unimaginable for both phones and tablets. We’ve already got an impressive library of 3D Tegra games to play and it looks like another will be added to the fold. Borderlands developer Gearbox was caught showing off the series’ second entry on a Tegra 3 tablet. Borderlands, a console and PC RPG FPS, uses cel-shaded 3D graphics instead of completely raw polygonal 3D models. While this may ease the strain on a GPU, it’s still a visually impressive game and we’re definitely impressed that it’s being adapted to Tegra 3. A console quality game on Tegra 3 tablets should lead the way to even more AAA titles making their way to Android. While we can’t be certain this game is coming out right around the time that the console and PC versions are, we at least know that it’s coming – why else would they be testing it on Android? Whatever the case is, I’m extremely excited for this particular game’s release (with its predecessor being one of my favorite co-op shooters) and I hope more developers follow-suit where possible. [Legit Reviews via A&M] [Note]: Video above is not of the game running on the tablet. -Further clarification: this is not running on the tablet at all. This is the console version running on a development unit that was being shown off to certain members of the press. This is in no way, shape or form indicative of what the tablet version may bring. The video is just to show you what Borderlands 2 is all about. |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 09:43 AM PST   Sony’s Google TV hardware has finally succumbed to the folks over at GTVHacker, giving up root access in the process. The exploit isn’t necessarily quick and easy, but it will turn Sony TVs and Blu-ray players running Google TV 2.0 (Android 3.2) into custom kernel-running machines. Booting into a modified kernel provides users the ability expand the capabilities of Google’s internet TV platform. This includes streaming content blocked by network TV and cable providers. Instructions can be found over at GTVHacker, but they aren’t for the faint of heart. You’ll need quite a few thumb drives and some knowledge of the Windows command line, and the experimental method will wipe any stored data on the device and could even brick it. In other words: process at your own risk. [GTVHacker via GTVSource] |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 08:43 AM PST   The Motorola MOTOLUXE is now available in the UK, a full day earlier than initially anticipated. The Android 2.3.7 smartphone is on sale via Clove UK for £234.00 after taking VAT into account. The MOTOLUXE is an entry-level smartphone with the stylish and social savvy in mind, and features a 4-inch edge-to-edge display, 800MHz Qualcomm chipset, and an 8MP camera with LED flash. A lanyard groove doubling as the phone’s notification light is perhaps the phone’s most interesting spec. Check out more info over at Clove. [via Clove] |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 08:09 AM PST   Back at CES Sony introduced us to the new look for their 2012 product lineup with the Xperia S and Xperia Ion. The sharp edged styling continue with the 3.5-inch Xperia U, which has been spotted next to its larger counterpart in a series of leaked images. The Xperia U is stamped from the same mold as the Xperia S, right down to its transparent Android soft key/antenna bar positioned below the screen.  Unlike the Xperia S, it is revealed that the smaller handset will sport a removable battery rated at 1290mAh. Other specs include a 1GHz dual-core CPU, 5MP rear camera, and front-facing camera. The Sony Xperia U, otherwise known by its model number ST25i or codename Kumquat, is expected to be on show next week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.  [via Androinica] |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 07:41 AM PST   Put down that remote. Google TV is about to bring a whole new dimension to being a couch potato. Soon, not even your fingers will have the benefit of channel surfing calisthenics. A newly uncovered patent suggests Google has some big things in the future when it comes to interacting naturally with your television. According to the patent, which was filed right around the launch of the iPhone 4S and its Siri virtual assistant, the Goog is cooking up a way for a user to simply ask as questions such as “When is Seinfeld on?” and be treated to the same results Google TV already provides. While there is no telling how deep the service might go, on its surface it sounds a lot like Android’s Voice Actions tailored to TV. The patent mentions the ability to trigger voice commands using certain phrases, allowing users to channel surf without ever touching the remote. Diving deeper we find descriptions of a cloud-based system that uses the user’s smartphone to decode voice into text, send the information to the cloud to be processed, and then complete a process on the television set. To go into more detail see the PatentlyApple source link below. [PatentlyApple via GTVSource] |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 06:50 AM PST   Panasonic has announced its first mobile device for the European market in over five years, a smartphone going by the name of Eluga. Though more details are promised tomorrow, the company is giving us a taste of the phone’s specs today including its 4.3-inch qHD display and support for NFC. The Eluga is due in March and features a waterproof, dustproof casing and is said to be lightweight and thin. Though it wasn’t specified, the device should ship with Android. An exact OS version is not known. We’ll be keeping an eye out for more details as they emerge. [via The Verge] |
Posted: 20 Feb 2012 05:54 AM PST   A new Android 4.0.3 build has leaked for the Motorola Droid RAZR bringing its software to version 6.7.407. The catch? It isn’t freely available to download just yet. Instead we are being treated to a series of screen captures that show off the extent of Motorola’s UI customizations. Surprisingly, the Ice Cream Sandwich core hasn’t changed much, with Motorola’s skin seemingly less pervasive than before. Despite new icons and a few remapped applications such as the dialer and camera the OS update should look quite familiar to anyone accustomed to ICS. You can check out more details and a full gallery of pics over at the source link below.  [via DroidLife] |
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Update - 24
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