Saturday, March 10, 2012

Update - 44


Posted: 23 Feb 2012 11:14 AM PST
News reports are just hitting the wires that Google will be replacing the CEO of Motorola Mobility once the merger is completed. Big news as many wonder how and if things will change once Google takes charge of one of the biggest hardware manufacturers and patent holders in the mobile market. According to Bloomberg they’ll be replacing the CEO with one of their own. Who is ready for that fully opened and unlocked Motorola DROID Nexus coming this September with Android 5.0 Jelly Bean?


Most likely we wont see a Motorola DROID Nexus with Android Jelly Bean, but I’d like to dream in the meantime. Now for the details. According to Bloomberg once the merger is complete Google will be replacing Motorola Mobility CEO, Sanjay Jha with one of their own big timers. We are hearing Dennis Woodside is in line for the job. Woodside has been the the lead Manager for US Ad Sales for some time and left that position to oversea the Motorola merger.
In case you are confused, Google bought Motorola Mobility to the tune of $12.5 billion and have received approval from U.S. and European Unions on the merger. They still need the thumbs up from China for this deal to be officially complete but with the news today it appears they feel pretty good that everything is a go.
Motorola has been hugely popular and successful with their DROID line and we expect things to continue strong, especially if one of Google’s own are in charge. The original DROID was popular but with locked bootloaders and odd choices lately I’m excited to see what the future holds for Motorola. I’ve always loved their hardware but locked bootloaders and their Blur UI has kept me away for well over a year. As soon as we hear anything confirming the new CEO, or when China approves the deal we’ll be sure to update with additional details.
What do you think this means for Motorola? Are you excited to see what they will bring next to the table?
[via Bloomberg]

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 10:51 AM PST
The update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for the original ASUS Transformer tablet has been a little rocky thus far. It was even delayed a few times but today ASUS brought us good news. This morning we reported the update for the OG Transformer was starting over in Taiwan but the official @ASUS twitter page just confirmed it will begin rolling out in the US starting tomorrow.


ASUS tweeted that the official Android 4.0 ICS for the Transformer was ready and will start rolling out over the next few days, then they confirmed that it will start for the US tomorrow and all users should receive it within the week. Hooray! I’ll be checking for updates manually later this evening to see if it drops for me. I can’t wait to have ICS on another tablet.

Obviously we all should have a pretty good idea of what to expect with the Android 4.0 ICS update. The new user interface, awesome cyan blue colors and all the improvements to the browser and more. ASUS has also posted an official change log you can see here. Like usual, don’t wait for the update to land on your device. You can check manually by going to settings > about tablet > check for updates and give it a go as soon as it starts hitting devices. It should start rolling out late tonight and all day tomorrow so be sure and check back soon.
Let us know how the update goes for you, or if you run into any problems.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Eee Pad Transformer
    Manufactuer : Asus
    Carrier : AT&T T-Mobile
    Announced Date : January 20, 2011
    Release Date : April 13, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 10.10 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x800
  • Screen Type : LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 10.67 Inch
  • Width : 6.73 Inch
  • Depth : 0.51 Inch
  • Weight : 680 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 6547 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 3.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • MP3
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 2
    CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 32.768 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 5 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


Posted: 23 Feb 2012 09:34 AM PST
We’re at t-minus three days until the festivities start in Barcelona, and Asus isn’t letting the likes of HTC and LG have all the premature fun. In a new video posted to YouTube, the company teased a high-resolution tablet with an abstract, 17-second commercial before Mobile World Congress. There’s no hardware on display (a drawer with colored balls stands in for a Honeycomb/ICS home screen) but the teaser “twice the detail, twice the fun” leaves little room for doubt. Presumably, Asus is talking about a tablet with more than the standard resolution – i.e., more than 1280×800.

That leaves us with a couple of possibilities. It could simply be a reiterated launch for the Eee Pad Transformer Prime 700, a slightly redesigned version of the Transformer Prime with a 1920×1200 screen and better engineering to prevent GPS and WiFi issues. Then again, we could be looking at the TF300T, which appears to be an upgraded version of the original Transformer, packing a 1080p screen, better processor and the same dockable keyboard. The 300T would take a place between the $250 Memo 370T and the current Transformer Prime in Asus’ expanding tablet lineup. And let’s not forget Asus’ form-factor defying Padfone, also due for an MWC unveil.
Check it out:


If Asus wants to break into the high-resolution tablet game, it had better hurry: both Lenovo and Acer have shown 1920×1200 tablets running the Tegra 3 processor. And rumors persist of an 11.6-inch Samsung tablet with an incredible 2650×1600 resolution – a res that’s the standard for 30-inch computer monitors. All will be revealed on Monday, February 27th, so keep an eye on the Mobile World Congress portal to get the latest news.

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 08:58 AM PST
Here at Android Community, we’re big fans of Samsung’s Galaxy S II – we liked it enough to name it our favorite Android device of 2011, over such worthy contenders as the Galaxy Nexus and the Transformer Prime. Apparently we aren’t alone: Samsung announced that they’ve shipped a whopping 20 million Galaxy S II phones since the international launch in May, matching the sales of the original Galaxy S so far for a combined total of 40 million. With around 300 million Android devices in the wild, that makes the Galaxy S family easily the most popular section of Android devices on the planet.

And it is a family: just in the United States, there’s three variants for three major carriers, plus a new U.S. Cellular version and the Galaxy S II Skyrocket on AT&T. Internationally you’ve got the standard version on both HSPA+ and CDMA, an LTE version, a 720p HD version, the “X” variant that has a slightly larger 4.5-inch screen… and all of that doesn’t even include the myriad of different colors, including pink. The prize for the worst branding goes to The Now Network, who christened their version the “Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch“, a title that must have frustrated TV announcers to no end.
Of course Android keeps marching forward, and the Galaxy S III is the subject of much rumor and speculation. About the only thing we know for sure is that it won’t be coming to Mobile World Congress, since Sammy has scheduled their own even sometime later. A bigger, hi-definition screen, faster processor, Ice Cream Sandwich – all are likely, none are confirmed. The popular wisdom is that Samsung is waiting for a big reveal to better position the device against the iPhone 5′s launch in the fall.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S II
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : February 13, 2011
    Release Date : April 28, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.27 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED Plus
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 4.93 Inch
  • Width : 2.6 Inch
  • Depth : .33 Inch
  • Weight : 116 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1650 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 710 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MP3
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Exynos
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


Posted: 23 Feb 2012 08:13 AM PST
While T-Mobile got the better end of their blocked aquisition by AT&T, they’re still far, far behind them and Verizon as far as customers and coverage goes. It didn’t help that they were the only major US carrier left without an LTE strategy; it would seems that they were leaning heavily on the AT&T deal to make their expansion problems go away. Now T-Mobile’s doing it for themselves.  While specifics were hard to come by, CEO Philipp Humm announced the early parts of their LTE rollout plan with a launch expected in 2013.

They’ll make this happen with a $4 billion investement and some brand new spectrum, all of which is fallout and concessions from the AT&T deal. 37,000 towers in the United States will be upgraded, with LTE service heading to the “vast majority” of top 50 markets. That means that if you live in a major city and you’re still rocking magenta, you’ve got a pretty good chance of getting long term evolution speeds within a year to eighteen months. At a later press conference, the company said that it plans to offer 10 LTE devices in 2013, though the breakdown of smartphone, tablet, hotspot or other gear wasn’t elaborated. A high-end Android smartphone will certainly be in the number.
The news is both promising and a little lukewarm. On the one hand, the US Justice Department’s flat-out denial of a merger between two of the four big carriers puts an end to the thinning of competition in the mobile space over the last decade. With the new “Challenger” strategy, T-Mobile is saying that it will not go quietly into the good night that was expected. On the other hand, they’re already far behind AT&T and Verizon – even AT&T’s relatively tiny LTE footprint will dwarf T-Mobile when it launches in a year or more. T-Mobile’s best bet is to continue doing what it does best, and offer comparable service at a lower price. Oh, and T-Mo? Give us truly unlimited data again, and you’ll attract Android customers in droves.
[via SlashGear]

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:09 AM PST
Looking for a smartphone that can take a beating but won’t break the bank? The Samsung Rugby Smart might be right up your alley. The phone gets its moniker from a chassis that can handle dust, water and extreme temperatures, in addition to being a pretty respectable smartphone in and of itself. The 3.7-inch phone gets a standard Samsung Super AMOLED display, making it roughly the equal of the original Galaxy S line. (By the way, no Galaxy in the name? Freaky.) the Rugby goes on sale at AT&T store starting on March 4th, with a two-year contract price of $99.99.

Under all that impact-resistant plastic and rubber is an indeterminate processor and memory running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and TouchWiz. The 3.7-inch screen is 800×480, just about perfect for the size, and 4GB of user-accessible storage can be augmented with a MicroSD card (the slot is empty). a 5MP rear camera with 720p video recording is twinned to a 1.3MP front-facing cam. If the locking tab on the back of the phone is any indication, the back cover can be removed to swap out the 1650mAh battery. Wireless speed is limited to “4G” HSPA+.
The sturdy design can me submerged in up to a meter of water for thirty minutes without damaging the internals, so a quick dip in the kitchen sink or (ahem) other small bodies of water should present no challenges. Note the raised, physical navigation buttons – a rare sight, and certainly included to accommodate the tough-as-nails design. All in all the Rugby Smart looks like a surprisingly small and good-looking phone for being so tough, and you’d be hard pressed to find something similar in the $100 range – the older Casio G’zOne Commando doesn’t look nearly as good, in addition to being stuck on Froyo. We’ll see if we can get our hands on a review unit.
You can pick up the Samsung Rugby Smart starting next Sunday, March 4th.
AT&T_SGH-i847_front AT&T_SGH-i847_side2 AT&T_SGH-i847_hback

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:00 AM PST
If you’re in the architecture, manufacturing, fabrication or 3D animation, odds are you either use or know of AutoCAD, the standard desktop application for computer-aided design. Publisher AutoDesk has a variety of Android apps available, but the one that’s probably of most interest to CAD designers is AutoCAD WS, a remote viewer for DWG, DWF and DXF documents. The latest version (1.4) adds editing to 2D AutoCAD designs, in addition to GPS-enabled perspective viewing and access to files stored locally, on remote servers, email attachments or on the AutoCAD Cloud web app.

AutoCAD WS’s product manager and technical marketing manager, Ilai Rotbaein and Daniel Sevitt, reached out to Android Community for an exploration of the app’s features. Suffice it to say, it’s an excellent way to show off your creations without lugging around thousands of dollars of hardware and software. Those with remote clients have found it particularly useful – Daniel told us about a custom installer for private airplane interiors who was able to measure and adjust a client’s kitchen appliances using just a tablet. Since you can read and share projects over Dropbox, Box.com, Ignite and Sharepoint, it should be easy enough to get it into the app itself.

AutoCAD WS launched on iOS first, but as soon as it came out the calls for an Android version began. AutoDesk said that that the feedback from Android users has far exceeded other platforms: currently AutoCAD WS has more than 4 million downloads from the Android Market. Since it compliments a software suite that costs thousands of dollars, that’s mighty impressive. AutoCAD WS uses a translation algorithm that allows it ARM-based hardware to view 2D and 3D designs, making remote editing a major technical challenge. Now that editing of 2D files is possible, the next technical hurdle is editing 3D files remotely – something that’ll surely be worth waiting for.

When I asked about the possibilities in the rumored Jelly Bean desktop mode or Ubuntu for Android, Rotbaein and Sevitt were as excited as the rest of us. While there’s no concrete plans for a mobile desktop mode as of yet, their aim is to allow users to be able to use a smartphone or tablet when mobile, never having to bring along a laptop or workstation. And since the application for both Android and iOS is 90% C++ (updates to both platforms just require interface and API adjustments) a translation to ARM-based Linux or x86 Android would be simple enough. Considering how fast the development team has been adding features, you can bet the viewer application to be among the first to support new Android abilities – if, indeed, they come along. That said, a mobile version of the full AutoCAD program isn’t in the works; unfortunately, ARM-based hardware just doesn’t have the power for the time being.
Here’s a quick overview of an older version – can you tell the team’s a fan of the little green dude?


AutoCAD WS is a free download in the Android Market.

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 06:08 AM PST
If you’re already sick of HTC’s new flagship smartphone days before its predicted official unveiling, you might want to skip this story. PocketNow got their hands on what appears to be the very first press photo of the new HTC One X (nee Edge, Endeavor) before its Mobile World Congress debut on Sunday. It lines up pretty closely with concept renders, which are all we’ve seen thus far. If there was any doubt that this one was headed for retail soon, it’s pretty much dispelled at this point. This one is headed for Mobile World Congress – note the “Barcelona” location in the weather widget.

A few key differences pop up between this press photo and the earlier render. One, it’s switched to just threee capacitive buttons, the better to jive with Ice Cream Sandwich’s new simplified navigation scheme. HTC seems to be totally avoiding Galaxy Nexus-style virtual navigation buttons on all its new models, at least for the first half of 2012. Second, we get yet another money shot of HTC Sense 4.0, their Ice Cream Sandwich variant of the ever-present manufacturer skin. Otherwise it looks pretty close to what we’re expecting.
The One X is HTC’s first quad-core phone, using Nvidia’s Tegra 3 system on a chip. And considering the HTC twitter post yesterday tagged #5, it’s probably using the latest iteration, 4-PLUS-1, with an extra “battery saver core”. Other important specs for the new hero device include a 4.7-inch 720p display, sub-9mm thickness, an 8MP camera and LTE capability. We’ll be on-hand at HTC’s pre-Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona on Sunday, where this bad boy will finally get its official spot in the limelight. Keep an eye on our MWC 2012 portal for all the breaking news starting on Sunday.

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 05:53 AM PST
Ready to see yet another arm of Samsung’s Galaxy? Apparently running low on letters, the South Korean manufacturer has trademarked a new series of product names, none of which we’ve seen before and all starting with their ever-present Galaxy moniker. The Galaxy Awaken, Galaxy Axiom, Galaxy Heir and Galaxy Rite are all on the books at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. That’s a pretty good indication (but not a certainty) that we’ll be seeing them pop up in the United States in the next few months.

Since Samsung’s high-end phones have tended to stick with the “S” moniker and a few variations, we can speculate that these names are either low-end phones (Sammy has plenty of international models to choose from for import) or carrier-specific titles for more generic designs. United States cellular providers have a nasty habit of insisting upon unique names for phones that are already on the market elsewhere – see the Galaxy S II LTE renamed the Galaxy S II Skyrocket for AT&T. And of course, with so many smartphones being released every month, it pays to claim dibs on a product name before your competitors do.
Android Community will be on-hand at Mobile World Congress 2012 to see if any of these phones show up in lieu of the Galaxy S III, but you shouldn’t hold your breath – Samsung will have a smaller than normal presence anyway, and the Barcelona show doesn’t usually cater to US carriers. Still, there’s a shortage of worthy smartphones in the small and cheap category in the US at the moment, and Samsung has plenty of options that haven’t reached our fair shores just yet. Here’s hoping we get a few more soon.
[via Fusible]

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 05:34 AM PST
Yesterday Asus assured its UK customers that the Android 4.0 upgrade for the original Eee Pad Transformer Prime was still on schedule for a February release, and today it looks like the update rollout is beginning. Asus Taiwan posted on their official Facebook page that Transformer TF101 owners in Asus’ home country of Taiwan would start seeing automatic updates begin today, with other territories to follow soon after. Localization for other markets may take some time, but by the look of things it should indeed be before the end of the month.

We spend a lot of time lampooning manufacturers for late updates (hello, Moto) so it’s only fair to point out when someone gets it right. The original Transformer was launched in March of last year in Taiwan  (late April in the United States), and has been getting relatively steady Honeycomb updates ever since. The Ice Cream Sandwich update comes just a little over three months after the source code was made available to the public, giving Asus the fastest update turnaround for an Android tablet – or at least it would be, if the Transformer Prime hadn’t already gotten its ICS update last month.
Asus PR had this to say in its Facebook post:
Although we will announce several new innovations at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week, we take great pride in delivering on-going enhancements and support for products that are well into their life cycle. Thank you once again for your valued support!
The quick turnaround is due at least in part to the Transformer’s light customization of Android; no major aftermarket UIs means less for Asus’ software engineers to adapt to a newer operating system. This is at least part of what makes updates from the likes of Samsung, HTC, Motorola and LG so achingly slow – and why independent ROM developers usually beat them to the punch by months. We’ll keep you posten on when Western markets begin to see Ice Cream Sandwich updates for the OG Transformer.

Posted: 23 Feb 2012 04:30 AM PST
Qualcomm reckons Android smartphone users could see 3x the wireless performance once handsets make the jump to 802.11ac WiFi, the company claims, thanks to improvements in speed, range and power consumption. That’s one of the boasts around the new line-up of Qualcomm Atheros 802.11ac “gigabit wireless” devices, including the WCN3680 combination 11ac/Bluetooth 4.0/FM chipset that’s intended to be used with the potent Snapdragon S4 MSM8960.


Because smartphones and tablets will be able to fire off data at faster rates, Qualcomm tells us, they’ll be able to shut down their radios sooner and save on battery life. Whereas current 11n devices get around 70-80Mbps in the real-world, those using 11ac should see more like 300Mbps.

The real speed will be seen in router and computing applications, however, where multiple antennas will combine to squirt data over 5GHz spectrum at up to 6.9Gbps. Eventually, Multi-User MIMO will be implemented, a system that can concurrently connect to up to eight wireless clients rather than serving them data sequentially, as well as ensuring faster throughput at the very edges of coverage.
The first 802.11ac kit should start showing up in early 2013, with the WiFi Alliance beginning to accept hardware for certification from February that year. There’s more information on 11ac over at SlashGear, and we’ll be going hands-on with Atheros 11ac at MWC 2012 next week.

Posted: 22 Feb 2012 10:11 PM PST
The HTC One S was unofficially confirmed yesterday through the leak of an internal T-Mobile document. The leak exposed a few accessories for three upcoming devices. Though termed the “HTC Ville”, we know that refers to the HTC One S. Early NenaMark2 benchmark results have surfaced for the device, and they sure don’t disappoint.


The One S is powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm S4 dual-core processor and full gig of RAM. This manages to land the device a superb 60.60fps NenaMark2 score. Other specs for the device include a 4.3″ qHD display, Android 4.0 (ICS) with Sense 4.0 UI, 8MP rear shooter, HSPA+, and a 1,650 mAh battery.
This is the type of phone HTC fans have been waiting for; its got HTC’s great build quality, ICS, and a super slim metal 8mm unibody. With the HTC One X and One V, the One S will be shown of this coming Sunday, February 26 at 8:30PM in MWC. Of course, we’ll be there reporting live and will let you know anything and everything they unveil.
[via TmoNews]

Posted: 22 Feb 2012 09:26 PM PST
LG was rather quick to adopt a dual-core chip architecture in the Optimus 2X, and now they are close to showing off the Tegra 3 quad-core processor in the Optimus 4X HD. From the shot pictured below, it’s obviously running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and seems to be absent of capitative navigation keys. Oddly, the included ICS on-screen navigation isn’t present.


The Optimus 4X HD will sport a 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3, and a massive 4.7″ True HD IPS display. For a quick comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is equipped with a 4.65″ display. The 4X HD will look much larger if there are indeed capacitive buttons, but otherwise – it will still comfortably handle ICS.
We had previously referred to the LG Optimus 4X HD as the LG X3, but that was clarified earlier this morning; little did we know that we’d have an actual shot of the device with a few specs to show for it later on. This will definitely be at the top of LG’s lineup, so it’s expected to hang with the best of them. The LG Spectrum’s display is absolutely stunning, so it will be nice to see ICS over a similar, yet larger, screen.
[via LG Electronics]

Posted: 22 Feb 2012 08:28 PM PST
As MWC nears, more manufacturers are starting to hint at what they have to offer. Joining this bandwagon is ZTE; they plan to release multiple devices next week that incorporate both quad-core processors and 4G LTE. Precisely which 4G LTE network they’ve decided on is still unknown.


Executive VP over at ZTE stated that ‘the new devices [from MWC] will demonstrate how ZTE is among an elite group of handset providers”. Expect to see specifics on the devices unveiled in a press conference this coming Monday at 10:30 CET. Of course, you can always stay tuned here, as we’ll be in Barcelona reporting live.
ZTE aspires to become one of the top three handset providers by 2015. With HTC trying to reclaim its throne, and Samsung retaining its steady increase of sales, they’ve definitely got some competition. Hopefully this quad-core flagship device they plan on releasing puts them on the right track.
[via BusinessWire]

Posted: 22 Feb 2012 07:52 PM PST
This morning, word got out that Fujitsu is planning a 13.1MP phone for MWC. Other rumored specs include a rather large 4.6" display and an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor. It is projected to run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), even though three capacitive buttons are present on the only thumbnail we have of the rumored device.


ASUS has released a glimpse of their final Padfone product to be shown off at MWC as well, and it looks like it may steal the show. The ability to quickly and seamlessly go from using your phone to harnessing its 3G/4G for use within a tablet may be what many heavy mobile users have been waiting for.
Verizon’s 4G LTE network was down again today in select areas of the US. Large cities such as Houston, Dallas, and New York City were out periodically. Yet, voice calls and 3G and seemed to be unaffected. The problem isn’t new, and hopefully it doesn’t become a normality.
WIMM’s Micro App Store went live earlier today, so our latest four winners may want to head over and check out the new apps available. In case you missed it, we’re hosting the WIMM Spring Developers Project, and giving you all chance to win your very own WIMM developers kit. Instructions for entry are here, and we still have 6 packages up for dibs – so be sure to check it out!

Posted: 22 Feb 2012 07:40 PM PST
NVIDIA just released some new information this evening regarding the Tegra 3 quad-core mobile processor. As many of you probably know the Tegra 3 quad-core actually contains five processing cores under the hood — yes 5. In the past we’ve heard the term ninja core, companion core, and a few others but the new official term is 4-PLUS-1. What does this mean? Read on below.


When NVIDIA first officially released more details regarding the Tegra 3 platform they were actually calling this fifth processor the companion core as we mentioned above. What this essentially does is offload any minor tasks from the quad-core down to the companion core to save battery life. Things as simple as browsing the web or viewing photo’s will only need that single core. The Tegra 3 will know that and shut down the active four cores and rely completely on that fifth core. This is one of the biggest power and battery saving features of the NVIDIA Tegra 3. The actual technology is called vSMP that stands for variable SMP. This is where the system will only give power and use as many processors as needed. Whether it is all four or just one. This video explains things in more details.


Now I know you might be thinking 4-PLUS-1 isn’t that easy to say or type out, wont people just refer to this as the Tegra 3? Yes, yes they will. NVIDIA and their new quad-core processor will still be known as, and called the Tegra 3 quad-core processor. Adding a name to the “companion core” technology inside the Tegra 3 will be just one more thing that differentiates the Tegra 3 from other upcoming quad-core processors. We will still here Tegra 3 day to day but to take it down a level manufacturers might say things like this in the future
Powered by Tegra 3 mobile processor, with 4-PLUS-1 quad-core architecture with fifth battery saver core"
Basically this is just an easier way for NVIDIA and manufacturers to explain what is under the hood other than just saying quad-core processor. The product will still be known as the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor but the architecture under the hood’s new stage name is 4-PLUS-1. If you didn’t know the Tegra 3 actually had five cores and 12 GPU’s read some of the announcement links below for more details. Hit the via below to hear what NVIDIA has to say regarding the 4-PLUS-1 architecture.
[via NVIDIA]

Posted: 22 Feb 2012 05:44 PM PST
If you’re a phan of the phablet, odds are pretty good that you’ve got one by now: after months of waiting, AT&T launched their American version of the Samsung Galaxy Note on Sunday. While the Super Bowl ad left a little to be desired as far as showing off the actual device, a new Samsung ad gives the mega-screen Note and its S-Pen digitizer stylus the screen time they deserve. The 60-second commercial should be appearing on American broadcasts soon – though thankfully, they seem to have abandoned the “phablet” marketing.

The majority of the screen time is devoted to the S-Pen, and why not – aside from a big 5.3-inch screen, it’s the most important differentiator for the Galaxy Note. Casual observers may not realize that it’s more than just a stick of plastic or a capacitive stylus, it’s a digitizer, using Wacom technology for both greater accuracy and pressure sensitivity. The uniqueness doesn’t stop with the hardware: plenty of included apps (as shown in the video) take advantage of the S-Pen, and Samsung has published an API so that third-party apps can get in on the action too.


If you want to dig a little deeper, be sure to check out our extensive review before you open your wallet. Made your decision? Then head to an AT&T or Best Buy store armed with $299.99, or $649.99 if you’re like to forego a two-year contract. Most of Europe and parts of Asia already have the Note in its international version, but AT&T is the only vendor for the states – unless those rumors of a Verizon Galaxy Journal pan out.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : GALAXY Note LTE
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : January 09, 2012
    Release Date : February 19, 2012
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 5.3 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x800
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.78 Inch
  • Width : 3.27 Inch
  • Depth : 0.38 Inch
  • Weight : 183 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2500 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 250 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : MSM8660
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via 9to5 Google]

Posted: 22 Feb 2012 05:03 PM PST
Tired of hearing about Android on the desktop? Too bad. Just days after rumors started spreading about a dockable desktop mode in Android 5.0 “Jelly Bean” Patently Apple (which really needs a new name, by the way, since Apple’s “spirit of invention” has devolved into copying then suing absolutely everyone) found patent filings pointing towards trackpad gestures in future versions of Android. You can take this one of two ways: that Google intends the smartphone/tablet to work as a trackpad in docked mode (as it can now) or that these features are aimed at full laptops or desktops running Android.

The latter isn’t totally out of the question either, since more and more traditional PC form factor devices are running on ARM-based hardware, and x86 versions of Android are already in development. At this point either seems likely, since we know virtually nothing about the next version of Android with any certainty. We’ll probably be getting a glimpse soon enough though: the Google IO conference (where major additions to the software platform are shown off) is coming this summer.
Google isn’t the only one dreaming of desktops. Canonical, the publisher of the Ubuntu Linux distro, pulled the covers off of Ubuntu for Android earlier this week. This combination of the ARM version of Ubuntu and Android Gingerbread runs as a standard smartphone at most times, then switches to a full desktop version of Ubuntu when docked via HDMI, retaining access to the phone and its apps. The execution is similar to, but much more expandable than, Motorola’s WebTop. Unfortunately Ubuntu for Android is being aimed at OEM s instead of consumers and probably won’t be coming out until the second half of 2012.
All this leaves one question: where is Chrome? Google’s other OS hasn’t seen much action since the original round of Chromebook hardware, and with Chrome for Android, it seems like the stand-alone operating system is being left behind in the dust. Hopefully we’ll hear more from Google at Mobile World Congress, but we’ll definitely be seeing something at Google IO.

Posted: 22 Feb 2012 03:48 PM PST
We are back with even more news today about the WIMM One wearable technology and our Spring Developers Project. In case you haven’t been paying attention we are giving away 10 WIMM One developer kits and have already announced our first three winners. Today we have another four winners so get excited and see the list below if you made the cut.


If you didn’t earn a developer kit yet don’t worry, we still have a few more left and will be announcing additional winners later this week. The simple instructions you see below are what you'll be following if you want to get an opportunity to grab your own WIMM One developer kit, then below that we have announced another four winners. Hoorah! Remember to submit a few awesome ideas and you might be our lucky winner. As you can see we are choosing big ideas, and small. Our sister site SlashGear has the same project going on now, so head here to double your chances. Just so long as you submit different ideas, of course.
1. Follow and circle our Google+ page at: +Android Community
2. Leave a comment in [this thread] on G+ with your idea for a Micro App that would work great with WIMM in the future.
3. We'll pick a set of our favorites and select a random winner every 24 hours starting on the 15th of February!
It's just that simple! You may only submit ONCE, and only ONE idea of yours will be considered for the random pull if it's good enough to get into the hat in the first place!
Development tools (SDK) are available to registered WIMM developers. Sign up here. For the FULL rules and legalities, head back to the main project post.

Now before we announce the winners we have some other exciting news. The WIMM Micro App Store has finally reached beta and is open now. All the details are available right here and if you are already a developer or signed up feel free to check out the all new Micro App Store. For those already using the WIMM a new software update v1.0.3 is available today too that brings better battery life and easier sync options for the store. You can now seamlessly and wirelessly send new micro apps or watch faces right to the device with ease.
And now for the winners!!!!
4. Chad Peiper
A micro app I have been developing on the emulator for the last month is an app called MindfulWatch.
This app is for persons with ADHD and other behavioral-related issues. MindfulWatch has two modes of interaction:
Training Mode and Reminder Mode.

In training mode a user selects one self help message and is alerted at a fixed interval throughout the
day to, for example, the message Relax might be scheduled every 15 minutes within a time span (e.g. 9:00am – 4:00pm)

1) The user selects a a relevant phrase {list of 15 items} and the ability to create a custom phrase
2) The user selects a fixed interval in minutes/hour for the message alert (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60 minutes)
3) The user selects a start and end time (e.g. 6:00am to 5:00pm)

A training alert (vibration) will last 10 seconds and will automatically repeat again in 20 seconds.
In Reminder Mode a user can create up to 10 reminders a day. These alerts remind you to do specific tasks
throughout the day at pre-specified times. These alerts occur daily.
5. Matthew Gasbarre
How about some clocks? I mean the ones that are already on there are nice, but I’m thinking that they could be more. Using a client on a computer a user could customize their clock with an UI, picking from a variety of watch faces, hands, numbers and the like they could make a watch to their liking. This could also be done for a Digital face, allowing for color change, position, and sizing. Same for a binary style, and possibly even some watch faces inspired by the famous TokyoFlash line. Things like weather and Inbox micro-widgets could be placed on the face allowing for even more customization. And once the user is done using the UI to build it they can sync it over Wi-fi like the rest of the settings. I think it’d be really awesome if users could also use custom background images, I’m sure this device needs more cats on it.
6. Edward Ferguson
I would love to see a kid tracker GPS feature with a call mom and dad panic button.
7. Michael Olson
This would work well as a wrist-born multimedia controller. You could use it to control your favorite music app when your phone is docked or in your pocket/purse, manipulate a movie when your tablet is propped up for watching or docked to a TV, or as a wireless control for Google TV.
NOTE: Winners should contact Giveaway[at]SlashGear.com with their contact information including preferred shipping address, phone number, and email so that we can send you your WIMM One developer preview kit, and the full list of winners will be listed in the original Project post! Also remember everyone, just because you’ve submitted your idea and we’ve selected several winners already doesn’t mean you don’t still have a chance to win! We’ve gotten lots of great entries already – keep checking back!

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One
    Manufactuer : WIMM
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : August 02, 2011
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 1.4 Inch
  • Resolution :
  • Screen Type : NA
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 1.42 Inch
  • Width : 1.25 Inch
  • Depth : .49 Inch
  • Weight : 22 Grams
Battery & Power
  • Battery Capacity : mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
Hardware
    CPU :
    CPU Clock Speed : 667MHz Mhz
    Core : 1
    Ram : NA
    Internal Storage : 2 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : NA
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • GPS
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


Posted: 22 Feb 2012 03:27 PM PST
Dear Asus: please get your disparate public relations teams to talk to one another. Follow along, if you will: way back in 2011, before the Eee Pad Transformer Prime came out, Asus assured the many owners of the original Transformer TF101 that they’d be getting a timely update to Ice Cream Sandwich as well. In January, just after Prime owners were enjoying some tasty ICS, Asus said they had planned the OG update for February. Then the Singapore branch of Asus stated on their Facebook page that the update could be coming as late as March.

Now the UK branch says on their Facebook page that the update is still on schedule, and is coming before the end of this month. (Note that the last two aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive – localization takes time and resources.) Asus assures its customers that they’re working hard and still aiming for a February release, giving them another week to get it out. That probably means that the update for North America will come at the same time, what with UK and American English being so similar.
This isn’t the first (or second, or third) time that we’ve seen conflicting reports from Facebook, especially when it comes to the eastern and western branches of the company, and especially on Facebook. OG Transformer owners, hurry up and wait – or just start modding your tablets, since there’s already a few Ice Cream Sandwich ROMs floating around out there. Always remember to back up.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Eee Pad Transformer
    Manufactuer : Asus
    Carrier : AT&T T-Mobile
    Announced Date : January 20, 2011
    Release Date : April 13, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 10.10 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x800
  • Screen Type : LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 10.67 Inch
  • Width : 6.73 Inch
  • Depth : 0.51 Inch
  • Weight : 680 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 6547 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 3.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • MP3
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 2
    CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 32.768 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 5 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :



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