Android Central |
- Android 4.0.4, Kindle Fire warranty [From the Forums]
- Sprint's next-gen HTC EVO rumored to have kickstand, larger battery
- Google confirms Android 4.0.4 update on Xoom, GSM Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus
- T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G now available online and in stores
- Android 4.0.4 OTA for the GSM Nexus S now available
- Google Maps updated, 50 billion kilometers navigated
- Android 4.0.4 headed to AOSP
- Account Activity shows where and how you use Google services
- Opera Mini 7 available for Android devices today, cuts data consumption and makes browsing quicker
- Endomondo for Android updated, adds two way sync and interval training
- ShopAndroid Daily Giveaway #38: Galaxy Note Desktop Cradle, HTC Rhyme OtterBox Commuter & more!
- Motorola announces the MOTOACTV in Chile
- Wallpaper Wednesday's - Out of Focus, Grass Macro & Industrial Night View
- Epson America now shipping Android-powered Moverio BT-100 wearable display
- Deal of the Day: Mobi Products Hard Shell Case for Motorola Droid RAZR
- Motorola XOOM WiFi receiving Android 4.0.4 update - Includes quicker screen rotation, camera improvements
- CyanogenMod 9 nightlies now available for LG Optimus LTE, AT&T Nitro HD
- Samsung boasts 5 million Galaxy Notes sold worldwide
- Smartphones at Smart Prices: Droid RAZR & EVO Design 4G
- Late-night poll: How important is a removable battery to you?
- Evernote rolls out another update, adds speech-to-text and widget themes to the mix
| Android 4.0.4, Kindle Fire warranty [From the Forums] Posted: 28 Mar 2012 03:45 PM PDT
While it seemingly all started with the Motorola XOOM, today has since turned into a great day for Nexus device owners. Android 4.0.4 is filtering out to the masses finally and that's a good thing. Looking to discuss some more? Hop into the Android Central forums and get started:
If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today. 
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| Sprint's next-gen HTC EVO rumored to have kickstand, larger battery Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:49 PM PDT
For the past month there have been rumors flying around about what to expect from HTC when Sprint's LTE network goes live later this year, and we got a tip that's just too juicy to sit on. Most of it lines up with other hints we've heard from various folks who would know this sort of thing, but like all rumors, that grain of salt needs to be handy. According to an insider who wishes to remain nameless, the phone HTC and Sprint will be announcing on April 4 is:
Supposedly the EVO One is black and red, thin, and has a kickstand as well. We've been kicking this one around in the forums all day now. As mentioned, a lot of this matches up with other rumors we've been hearing -- things like that this phone will not be built on the standard HTC One X chassis, have a monstrous battery to combat the power-suck that is LTE, and it'll be the biggest phone Sprint has ever sold. On the other hand, some of it doesn't make as much sense. if the phone has a big honking battery, and a microSD card slot, it's not going to be very thin. The CPU makes sense -- it's what HTC has in the AT&T version of the One X (and the One XL), which also rocks LTE. Of course, rumors are just rumors until we see what's behind the curtain next week. We'll be at the event, of course, and we're certainly expecting a device announcement of some sort. More: HTC One X forums; Thanks, Anon! 
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| Google confirms Android 4.0.4 update on Xoom, GSM Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:36 PM PDT
Android 4.0.4 has started rolling out on Wifi-only Motorola Xoom tablets, as well as GSM Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus phones, Google has confirmed. The new version of Android, which has been described as an "incremental update" by Google engineer Jean-Baptiste Queru, is said to include "stability improvements, better camera performance, smoother screen rotation, improved phone number recognition and more." News of 4.0.4 launching on the Xoom and Nexus S (as well as AOSP) has already broken, but this is the first we've heard about the new version of ICS on the GSM/HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus. For what it's worth, none of our Galaxy Nexuses have received the update just yet, but we're sure that'll change in the hours and days ahead. No word on when this update will be arriving on the Nexus S 4G or Verizon LTE Galaxy Nexus, but Android 4.0.5 has already been tipped for an early April launch on the Verizon Nexus. Source: +Android 
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| T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G now available online and in stores Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:30 PM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, the latest Android device to find a home on T-Mobile's "4G" network, is now available online and in stores. For $149 on contract, you'll get 4-inch Super AMOLED display with 480x800 resolution, a dual-core Snapdragon S3 processor clocked at 1.5 Ghz, and both a front and rear-facing camera, all while surfing on HSPA+ speeds of up to 42 Mbps. We didn't really love it or hate it, largely because of the now-outdated Gingerbread under its hood, but if you're in the market for an affordable device with specs that are difficult to sneeze at, the Blaze 4G might be right up your alley. You can grab yours now through T-Mobile at the source link. Source: T-Mobile 
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| Android 4.0.4 OTA for the GSM Nexus S now available Posted: 28 Mar 2012 01:31 PM PDT
Many GSM Samsung Nexus S owners have been patiently waiting to see when Google would push the next update to their devices, and the answer is right now. Android 4.0.4 is currently rolling out to users showing a build of IMM76D. You have a few options when it comes to installing it of course. If you're on a stock device running Android 4.0.3, you can download and install directly from the OTA or use the directions below: Keep in mind, this is for GSM devices only
If you're rooted, there is a Clockwork Mod flashable zip file available for download as well, but again you will have to be on Android 4.0.3 to make use of it as it is not a full OS update. The CWM flashable file is stock, with a insecure boot image with Busybox and Superuser installed, as well as the stock recovery removed. 
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| Google Maps updated, 50 billion kilometers navigated Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:40 AM PDT
Google continues to add features to its Maps service for mobile, and the latest version of Google Maps for Android adds in a couple of small changes which may make it easier to get around. First up, there's a new home screen for Google Maps Navigation on Android 4.0 devices. Secondly, Google's improved the way Maps works on phones with high resolution displays, like the Galaxy Nexus, and optimized the way text and vector graphics are shown on these devices. Finally, you can now prioritize a particular mode of public transport when getting directions, and specify fewer transfers or less walking depending on your preferences. Google says that public transport schedules and directions are now available for 475 cities around the world. Along with today's update comes the news that Android users have navigated 50 billion kilometers To give a little perspective, Google points out that's ten times the distance from Earth to Neptune, the farthest planet from the Sun. As Maps for Android approaches its fourth birthday, it remains a major differentiating feature for Google's OS. In the very unlikely event that you're not already using it, you can find Google Play Store links after the break. More: Google Blog 
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| Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:29 AM PDT
Google's Jean-Baptiste Queru has just given word that Android 4.0.4 is headed to the Android Open-Source Project Bat Cave. (OK, it's more like a virtual repository, but we kind of picture a Bat Cave.) It's said to be an incremental update with "a few hundred changes over Android 4.0.3." That's all great news for you fans of the open-source side of Android (which certainly includes us, too). And now's as good a time as any to remind folks that pushing the code to AOSP really doesn't tell us when carriers might start to push it out. A lot more goes into that that's outside the scope of AOSP, a fact that JBQ eloquently explains thusly:
Sounds good. Look for Android 4.0.4 to more officially hit your favorite AOSP-based ROMs soonish. Source: Android Build Group; more: AOSP 
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| Account Activity shows where and how you use Google services Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:37 AM PDT
Google today introduced "Account Activity", a feature that will track account holders' monthly usage of Google services. Each month, Google will send you a password-protected report that will statistics on your email usage, search history, and latitude check ins and plot the data against your usage during the previous month. The service incorporates your usage across all devices, including Android products, and allows you to see where, when, and on which device your account was accessed. Right now the report works with your Gmail, web, and latitude usage, though Google says it will add more of its services in the coming months, which presumably leaves room for tracking Android-specific stats. You can opt in through "Account Settings" in your Google account, and opt out at any time. For more information, visit Google's official blog at the source link. Source: Google Blog 
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| Opera Mini 7 available for Android devices today, cuts data consumption and makes browsing quicker Posted: 28 Mar 2012 09:09 AM PDT
We have heard that Opera was bringing some new browsers to Android devices, and today they have officially landed in the market. Opera Mini 7 brings a faster browsing experience and allows you to pan around sites quicker thanks to hardware acceleration. In addition they have expanded the ability to their "speed dials" which give quick and easy access to your favorite websites without needing to access the bookmarks or use the keyboard. They have cut up to 90 percent of the data transfer out, so if you are on a limited data plan, or traveling and don't want to rack up a crazy bill, this is a browser for you. Hit the break for download links, and try it out for yourself. 
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| Endomondo for Android updated, adds two way sync and interval training Posted: 28 Mar 2012 09:07 AM PDT
Endomondo is an extremely popular social fitness application that is available on nearly every platform for users to track and share their fitness. While the application is currently feature packed, the folks at Endomondo have managed to squeeze a few more in there in the latest update. They have added interval training to the application now and this allows you to create custom intervals for various workouts, and includes an audio guide to help you through. In addition they have added two way sync which will update your workout across platforms instantly, so sharing them with friends and family remains extremely easy. The interval training update will only be found in the pro version, but the sync is available in both the pro and free versions. If you are a current Endomondo user you will definitely want to check out this update, and if you are not currently using now would be a great time to start. Hit the break for full details on this update as well as a download link to get you started. 
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| ShopAndroid Daily Giveaway #38: Galaxy Note Desktop Cradle, HTC Rhyme OtterBox Commuter & more! Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:57 AM PDT For today's ShopAndroid.com Daily Giveaway we're serving up some sweet accessories like the Samsung Desktop Cradle for Galaxy Note, OtterBox Commuter Case for HTC Rhyme, Mobi Crystal Case for Droid Incredible 2/S, and the Qmadix Shell & Holster Combo for Motorola Droid 3. We've got some great hands-on videos of each of these featured accessories, so be sure to check those out. Afterwards, leave a comment below letting us know which item you'd like for your Android device. We'll randomly select one lucky winner and announce them next Monday. Good luck! Samsung Desktop Cradle for Galaxy NoteIdeal for the home or workplace, the Samsung Desktop Cradle allows you to carry on with daily activities while keeping the power of the Galaxy Note close at hand. Even while the handset charges, you can watch videos, listen to music via the built-in 3.5 mm stereo audio port, or run Android applications. 
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| Motorola announces the MOTOACTV in Chile Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:30 AM PDT
While the MotoACTV may have been released in some parts of the world a few months ago, Motorola is continuing their rollout of the device to various parts of the world. Today Motorola has announced they will be bringing their fitness band to Chile next. The MotoACTV has recently been updated to bring some additional features to the unit, all of which will now be able to be enjoyed in even more parts of the world. Full press release after the break. Source: Motorola 
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| Wallpaper Wednesday's - Out of Focus, Grass Macro & Industrial Night View Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:53 AM PDT
Sometimes changing the look at feel of your device is as easy as just simply changing your wallpaper. Whether you are a fan of abstract art, landscape photos or just a simple logo, odds are that we have something for you in our Android Wallpaper Gallery. If you haven't seen the gallery yet then you are missing out on some pretty awesome wallpapers that others have uploaded, and even worse is that you haven't shared your favorites with us. Luckily sharing wallpapers with the rest of the Android Central community only requires a couple of clicks, and then everyone can enjoy them. Be sure to check that you are logged in when uploading these so we can give you proper credit for the greatness you share with us. Browsing the gallery is a breeze, you can browse the top downloads, the newest uploads or even have them randomly displayed. Each week we will showcase some of the top uploads here on the front page, so how about sharing a few with us?
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| Epson America now shipping Android-powered Moverio BT-100 wearable display Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:30 AM PDT
Epson America this morning announced that it's now shipping the Android-powered Moverio BT-100 wearable display. Yes. Android-powered grandma glasses. On your melon.
With the glasses and earbuds over and in their respective orifices, you hold in your hand a controller (about the size of an old-school, original iPod) that connects to the glasses via a wire. The top half of the controller is a trackpad, for moving a cursor around the heads-up display. There are the usual Android buttons as well, and a directional-pad if that's how you prefer to navigate the menus. There's also a button to toggle between 2D and 3D modes. So how'd it work? Look, it's a novelty, to be sure. But it's also one that was a bit surprising. It takes a minute to get used to the idea of video that close to your eyes. But even the 3D video we watched caused less strain than when we've tried it on smartphones. Another cool effect of the glasses is that you can remove the opaque lenses and actually see through the UI. Not that you're going to want to be walking and playing anytime soon, but the idea is that you lose some of the claustrophobia. The world is still the world. The user interface we saw back in October was very much in prototype mode, so it was a bit janky, a mix of stock Android and something custom. But it also was very familiar and easy to find our way around. Do you want one of these? It's certainly a fun idea, but you're going to need to have some cash burning a hole in your pocket, as it's going for a suggested retail price of $699. But think of the possibilities. Temple Run. At 80 inches. Angry Birds IN YOUR FACE. Or, you know, (warning: Shameless plug ahead) the all new Android Central Forums app. We've got more pics and video after the break. 
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| Deal of the Day: Mobi Products Hard Shell Case for Motorola Droid RAZR Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:29 AM PDT
The Mobi Hard Shell Case is available for just $4.95, 75% off the regular price today only. Get yours while supplies last! 
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| Posted: 28 Mar 2012 05:49 AM PDT
Not too long ago Motorola was sending out some emails to folks letting them know a new soak test was happening for the Motorola XOOM WiFi. There wasn't a whole lot of mention about it but now Motorola is once again sending out emails letting folks know Android 4.0.4 will be showing up shortly on their devices. As noted from the email:
The update isn't currently showing up for me right now, but we'll update the post when some more people actually start to see it arriving. Either way, it's on it's way and it should be here soon. If you see it hit your device drop us a note in the comments or in the forums. Source: Android Central Forums 
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| CyanogenMod 9 nightlies now available for LG Optimus LTE, AT&T Nitro HD Posted: 28 Mar 2012 04:56 AM PDT
Good news for anyone looking to get a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich on some of LG's latest hardware -- CyanogenMod 9 nightlies are now rolling out for the (GSM) LG Optimus LTE and its AT&T-branded counterpart, the Nitro HD. With its 720p display and 1.5GHz dual-core OMAP chip, vanilla Android 4.0 should feel right at home on the Nitro HD and Optimus LTE. We're sure owners of rooted devices will be eager to try out the latest builds of the popular custom firmware as they appear. A word of warning, though -- CM9 nightly builds are early, experimental builds which may contain bugs, missing features or other undesirables. That's the price you pay for running a bleeding edge custom ROM based on the latest version of Android. If you understand what you're getting into, then you'll find download info over at the source link. Source: CyanogenMod; via: +Ricardo Cerquiera 
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| Samsung boasts 5 million Galaxy Notes sold worldwide Posted: 28 Mar 2012 04:31 AM PDT
It's been less than a month since we heard reports of Samsung selling its second million Galaxy Note, but already the manufacturer's official numbers have reached more than double that. Today Samsung Korea has revealed that it's sold 5 million Galaxy Notes worldwide. The new figure means the manufacturer's well on its way to reaching its reported 2012 target of 10 million global Note sales. The 5.3-inch Galaxy Note, which launched in Europe in late October, will have seen a boost in sales following its launch in North America last month. Despite its enormous size and focus on pen input, it's proved to be a surprising success, shifting over 1 million units in Europe and Asia by the end of 2011, before reaching the 5 million milestone after its fifth month on sale. Even elephants are getting in on the stylus-based action. Today's number is still dwarfed by sales of the Galaxy S II, which currently stand at over 20 million worldwide, with more than 5 million in Samsung's home territory of South Korea. Samsung recently expanded the Note line with the Galaxy Note 10.1, which we got to play with at last month's Mobile World Congress. Source: Samsung Korea; via: Slashgear 
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| Smartphones at Smart Prices: Droid RAZR & EVO Design 4G Posted: 28 Mar 2012 12:47 AM PDT
ShopAndroid.com this week brings you two more smart deals - your choice of either the stunning EVO Design 4G running on the Sprint Network, or the equally great Droid RAZR running on Verizon. This Wednesday and Thursday only, ShopAndroid.com in partnership with Best Buy Mobile Solutions are bringing you a deal that is much too low to show as it is the very lowest price that you'll find anywhere for this amazing smartphone. How much of a deal? You'll need to follow the link below to find out but we can tell you that whether you're looking to start a new Sprint account with a 2 year contract or just upgrade your existing plan you'll get the Evo Design 4G for close to nothing. If you're looking to start a new Verizon account with a 2 year contract you'll get the Droid RAZR 4G at up to $200 less than most options online... So if you've been lusting to get your hands on either of these powerful devices there probably hasn't been a better time to do so than right now via the link below... 
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| Late-night poll: How important is a removable battery to you? Posted: 27 Mar 2012 09:34 PM PDT
Android hardware improves at an incredible rate. It seems like yesterday we all were ecstatic about the release of the HTC EVO 4G with it's 4.3-inch display, 1GHz CPU, and front facing camera. I know I waited in line the first day to get mine, and plenty of other smartphone lovers did the same. But look at phones today -- if the OG EVO were to be released tomorrow, we would have to call it "low-end" based on specs of upcoming devices. It's crazy. While screens, processors, and the OS itself seem to iterate as fast as we can think about it, one thing has lagged behind -- battery technology. Gone are the days when you charged your cell phone every other day, and most of us put our phones on the charger every night (or more often). It's just how it has to be, and there's no use arguing about it. Until recent devices like the Motorola Droid RAZR and the upcoming HTC One series, we've had the luxury to carry a spare battery along if we think we'll need it. As we squeeze more into our phones, we may see a removable battery as the exception and not the rule. We'll have to adapt as best we can, and of course batteries will be bigger and slightly more efficient. But just how important is having a removable battery to you? When we ask ourselves these questions, and want to know the answers, we ask. Let us know in the poll, and comment after the break if you need to expand your answer a bit.
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| Evernote rolls out another update, adds speech-to-text and widget themes to the mix Posted: 27 Mar 2012 05:18 PM PDT
Evernote has been spending some quality time with their app and giving it lots of love lately. The latest updated has already rolled on out to the Google Play Store and this one isn't just a small bug fix release. It adds quite a few enhancements to the app overall with one of those enhancements being speech-to-text, which is sure to please a lot of users:
Stability and bug fixes are listed to make up the rest of the change log for everyone. If you're looking for the download link, you'll find it past the break. Plus, you can grab the stand alone widget app from here, in the Google Play Store. Source: Evernote 
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