Posted: 24 Feb 2012 02:23 AM PST  For those of you managing a Twitter account with a high volume of traffic, statistics becomes a bit of an issue. Alternatively, you can be someone who wants to make it big on Twitter and you’ve managed to tap into the right markets and you’re pulling in the followers. But, with so many followers popping up, how are you going to keep track of all of them? TwiStats, a lightweight widget for Android, solves that problem for you. At the time of this writing, TwiStats offers what the official Twitter client or numerous other third-party social media aggregators (such as TweetDeck and StreamLife) do not offer yet–keeping track of your Twitter statistics in real-time and all from your phone. This widget shows your personal Twitter account statistics such as:
The first time you activate this widget, it won’t instantly give you your Twitter statistics. You’ll need to wait up to 24 hours before they start appearing. Once they do, you can check on your statistics 24/7. Tap the Refresh icon on the lower right portion of the screen and you’ll receive statistics updates. Not only does TwiStats give you your statistics in numbers–it also provides you with a handy graph to see just how well you’ve been doing. It can give you a graphed presentation of your total followers through specific periods of time, as well as the number of followers you’ve gained within the current day.  If you like a little hand-holding when you’re getting accustomed to new apps and widgets, the first time you fire up TwiStats, it will give you a four-step guide on how to set up the widget. It will even provide you with a handy guide, indicating what parts of the widget show which stats. The instructions are easy to understand and written for Android users of varying experience levels. Whatever reason you might need TwiStats for, it’s a handy tool for Twitter users who like to be kept up-to-date about their Twitter followers in real-time. The best part: TwiStats is free. No need to pay to get this handy app on your phone. To start tracking your Twitter followers using TwiStats for Android, simply download it from the Android Market. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, TwiStats Android Widget for Monitoring Your Twitter Stats , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 24 Feb 2012 01:19 AM PST  It’s a strange name, to be blunt. Yet it captures the real essence of NVIDIA’s newest, most powerful and beastly Tegra 3 processor. You’ve probably heard the rumors already. A quad-core chip that has a 5th extra core or companion core, otherwise dubbed as the Ninja core, moreover, the shadow core. NVIDIA first introduced its next-generation processor codenamed “Project Kal-El” last September and astounded the world by announcing an additional fifth core that has a variable SMP (variable symmetric multiprocessing) architecture on it and is completely OS transparent. It was phenomenal. We couldn't find another word for it. Yesterday, NVIDIA has finally decided to officially term the VSMP technology as 4-PLUS-1, a simpler name that ironically describes its complexity. Interestingly, this is also the 5th name for the 5th core. It was previously known as stealth core, companion core, ninja core and of course, VSMP. Now that the 4-PLUS-1 name has been trademarked, it’s pretty clear what will happen next. Yeah, that’s right. It’s time for all those 4-PLUS-1 gadgets to start marching in. When? At next week’s Mobile World Congress of course. Via NVDIA’s blog, the proud chipmaker was keen to ensure its fans that the 4-PLUS-1 name is here to stay, although it’s rather weird to cite TAFKAP (the Artist Formerly Known as Prince) as an example. Nevertheless, we love you NVIDIA. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, NVIDIA Adds a 5th Name to its 5th Core VSMP Technology in Tegra 3 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 11:40 PM PST  Looks like even Sprint’s Epic 4G Touch gets a power up, thanks to CyanogenMod 9. At the moment, the release is experimental (alpha 3.1 as of this writing), ported from the current build of the CM9 for the Galaxy S2. Thanks to XDA Developers member sbrissen, this ROM is based on the latest AOSP sources, and incorporates some enhancements and tweaks. Because this release is still an experimental build, there are still a number of bugs to be addressed. Some of the known issues are:
Take note that this release of the experimental CM9 build is only compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S2 Epic 4G Touch and should never be applied to other phone models. Doing so may lead to bricking. You may check your phone model through “Settings > About Phone”. RequirementsYou’ll need a few things if you want to flash this ROM on your device:
InstructionsOnce you have everything, you may now flash the CyanogenMod 9 ROM on your Epic 4G Touch:
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This article, Upgrade Samsung Epic 4G Touch (Sprint Galaxy S2) to Android 4.0.3 with Experimental CyanogenMod 9 ROM , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 09:45 PM PST  A smart shopper knows how to get cheap yet great finds. If you think that you could do better with your consumer skills, don't fret – your Android device may be of help. Try downloading any of these apps, and you'll be able to organize your grocery and mall activities, as well as get the best deals in your area. 1. ToMarket Grocery Shopping If you're the type of person who keeps on forgetting to buy something after you've left the grocery, then this app is for you. ToMarket helps you list everything down before you head out. You can create your list by typing it directly in your phone, by uploading a CSV file, or by voice command. Everything is customizable; you can arrange items by category, and even by aisle depending on the store you've filtered. Moreover, it has a barcode scanner, a to-do list, and a coupon tracker. If you want to share your list via email or SMS, you can download the full version. 2. ShopSavvy ShopSavvy is marketed as "the original barcode scanner for Android", but it's definitely more than that. If you want the best price for certain item, just type in the keyword or scan the barcode, and you'll get a roster of online and brick-and-mortar places within your vicinity that sells it, as well as how it's priced in each store. You can check out reviews to help you with your purchase, or you can add products you like to your wish list and monitor price changes. ShopSavvy also saves your history for later browsing, and is integrated with Facebook and Twitter. It's a pretty good app for canvasing and casual shopping. 3. Milo Local Shopping You have probably experienced going to the mall only to find that what you wanted to buy was out-of-stock. Milo can help you avoid that hassle by giving you access to store shelves in your vicinity. Enter your keyword and the app will pull up nearby stores, and the number of stocks of the item you need. You'll also get to compare prices so you know where you can get the best deal. Currently, it only works in the US, but we hope that they have plans of going international soon. 4. Shopkick  Shopkick is a geolocation-based app with a spin – not to mention freebies. Here's how it works: once you walk in a partner store (like Target), the app recognizes where you are and immediately gives you "kickbucks", which are reward points you need to accumulate in order to redeem your gift cards or Facebook Credits. The nice thing about is that you can redeem anywhere, so you don't worry about searching for a faraway store branch just to get your freebies. 5. Google Catalogs  Google Catalogs is another great addition to the company's wide array of applications. Designed specifically for tablets, it offers you hundreds of catalogs to browse through, lets you shop without leaving the app, and gives you the option to share the items you find interesting with friends via email. It's under continuous development, so we can be sure that more catalogs will be added soon. 6. Egg Drop Even if there are tons of shopping apps out there, Egg Drop manages to differentiate itself by focusing not just on what stores have for sale, but on what your neighbors have for sale. Everything works in real time, and should you have any questions, you can talk with the seller with the in-app messager. Planning to sell something? You can instantly upload a photo of your item as well as its price and you're ready to go. It's almost like Craiglist, only more functional, and it's pretty nifty when it comes to searching for the best deals around. If you're interested in online shopping but can't stay put scanning auction sites all day long, then this app is for you. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, 6 Helpful Android Shopping Apps , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 08:20 PM PST  It’s funny how mobile manufacturers can get too overexcited at times, even up to the point of announcing their flagship devices way ahead of the time for a major event to happen, such as Mobile World Congress. On the contrary, perhaps, it’s all a part of the master plan. We are actually referring to LG, the South Korean consumer electronics giant who recently revealed their roster of devices for the Year of the Dragon. One of those is the Optimus 4X HD, a quad-core smartphone that is expected to launch in the U.S. via T-Mobile. Yes, if you’ve been digging your noses lately, it was formerly dubbed as the LG X3. Last month, the folks over at Pocketnow broke the news that LG isn’t going to settle with dual-core processors early this year, citing a quad-core smartphone in the works that will go in par with HTC’s first quad-core phone, the HTC One X, previously known as the HTC Edge/ Endeavor. Essentially, this quad-core beast will be officially known as the Optimus 4X HD globally and as the T-Mobile G4X in the United States. So what can we expect from the Optimus 4X apart from its nasty 1.5 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processors? There can only be three words – Ice Cream Sandwich. Oh yes, according a press release, the Optimus 4X HD will also be LG’s first device to arrive running Android 4.0. Other goodies that we can expect include a 4.7-inch 720p True HD IPS display, 1GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing cam, a 2150 mAh battery, MHL and DLNA support, and connectivity for Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and SHSPA+ 21 Mbps support.  The LG Optimus 4X HD is definitely included in our bucket list. MWC is not yet here, but boy, things are really beginning to heat up really fast. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, LG Finally Confirms Our Doubts, Quad-core Optimus 4X HD Revealed , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 09:33 AM PST  The Galaxy S2, in its various forms, has officially become Samsung's fastest selling smartphone, smashing the record held by its predecessor, the original Galaxy S. The Koreans announced today that they have sold 20 million units of the Galaxy S2, which means that Sammy reached this major milestone seven months faster than they did with the Galaxy S.The Samsung Galaxy S2 was first launched in April 2011 in South Korea, followed closely by a European release. The device only hit the North American markets (AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile) in early fall, which makes its performance even more impressive. As The Verge notes, since the American debut, the sales have gone skywards – Samsung sold over 10 million Galaxy S2s over the last four months. Always eager to show off our math skills, we crunched the numbers and came up with an impressive result. Since the Sprint launch in September, one Galaxy S2 was sold every 1.3 seconds. Don't believe us? Do the math yourself. Still going strongAnd the sleek S2 isn't running out of steam yet. Just yesterday, T-Mobile announced that their version of the smartphone, called Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, will become available from the end of March for $149 on a contract. Basically, the Blaze is identical to AT&T's Skyrocket. The phone is built around a snappy 1.5 GHz dual-core processor from Qualcomm and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. No word about an update to ICS for now, but that's likely to come. And, as Pocket-Lint speculates, another version of the S2, this time destined for Europe, could be unveiled at MWC, next week. Galaxy S3? Not just yetSamsung has a seriously large fan base to satisfy when it releases the Galaxy S3. Unfortunately, that won't happen at Mobile World Congress next week. Sammy promised that the S3 would enjoy all the limelight at a special event in the first part of the year. After all, with the S2 going so strong, Samsung has no reason to sabotage it by announcing a new version prematurely.Anyway, we can't wait to see what the S3 looks like. How about you? Are you satisfied with your Galaxy S2 or you can't wait to swap it for an S3? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, Boom! The Last Four Months, Samsung Sold One Galaxy S2 Every 1.3 Seconds , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 08:43 AM PST  Oh PocketNow, where would we be without your far reaching rumorlicious tentacles? No mobile device manufacturer is safe. It would appear, for all intents and purposes, that the device you are looking at above, is what HTC is planning to unveil at Mobile World Congress 2012. Make no mistake though, as this upcoming launch is arguably the most important yet for the OEM turned ODM tech company based out of the economic tiger of Asia, Taiwan. HTC went public not too long ago, saying that their focus in 2012 remains in producing devices of greater quality, and not greater quantity. They had 25.5% lower revenue in 2011, compared with 2010, so they are on many a stockbroker’s watch list, with MWC just around the corner. Does HTC have what it takes?No matter how you slice it, this phone has all the characteristics we’ve come to know and love, and bears all the hallmarks of an HTC device. Additionally, the weather Widget appears to be properly attuned to the location of its official unveiling. And, it’s an absolute speed demon under its beautiful exterior.Previously known as the HTC Endeavor, and also the HTC Edge, it is said to be the first device out of the gate with quad core processing under the hood. Other reliable rumors are pointing to a 4.7 inch 1280×720 HD display, Sense 4.0, an improved camera, and a thinner profile to boot. What i’m always curious to know about with upcoming device is battery life. Leading manufacturers have taken notice of the favorable response the DROID RAZR MAXX has received, with its gargantuan 3300mAh battery, and are starting to put 2000mAh+ batteries in the latest devices set to be launched at MWC. Do you like what you see? Can HTC rise to the top of the Android podium again? Anyone thinking Galaxy S3? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKENo related posts.This article, HTC’s Quad Core One X Finally Leaked in Press Image , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:24 AM PST  Over the last decade, Japanese smartphone makers have effectively ignored the rest of the world, preferring to focus on their internal market. As a result, Panasonic, NEC, Sharp, and the other big Japanese smartphone makers are almost unknown to the Western public. But things are changing on the shores of the Far East. Sony, the only manufacturer that kept the flag up for Japan, has recently divorced from its unhappy marriage with Ericsson and has promised to focus more on U.S. and Europe. Panasonic just announced the Eluga, a slimline 4.3-inch beast running Android that will be introduced next week, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. And now it seems that Fujitsu has something good in store for European and American consumers. According to a report from UnwiredView, Fujitsu will use MWC to introduce a new and spectacular smartphone. The device is built around a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, will sport a massive 4.6-inch display, a 13.1 megapixel camera that puts my point-and-shoot to shame, and will run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. How's that for a configuration, Samsung and Motorola?  If the report is accurate, the new Fujitsu quad-core will have good battery life, in spite of the massive processing power that it hides under the hood. Financial Times has previously found out that Fujitsu's upcoming device will almost certainly include NFC technology and a fingerprint sensor. Plus, the smartphone will be rugged and water resistant, which is always good news when you're running around with a $500+ piece of hardware in your pocket. From what we can see, the new device is massively superior to the Arrows, also a waterproof smartphone, which Fujitsu demoed at CES in January. Apparently, Fujitsu will only display some sample units at MWC, which tells us that we'll have to wait a bit to try out the new Fujitsu Tegra 3 smartphone. No matter how this new device turns out, competition is always positive, and the arrival of new Japanese players like Fujitsu and Panasonic can only benefit the Western customers. What do you think? Will you give these Japanese brands a shot or will you stick to the familiar Samsung, HTC, or Motorola? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, Fujitsu to Make a Splash at MWC with New Tegra 3 Phone , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 07:22 AM PST  Google Docs for Android started off as a rather unimpressive app, with severely limited functionality and no support for offline file editing. But lately, Google has begun to pay more attention to the productivity app, adding the most commonly requested feature, offline editing, last month. And now Google Docs for Android gets another important update.The "killer feature" of the new version is the collaborative editing capability, which was previously available only in the Web version. With the new and improved Google Docs app, you will be able to work on a document or spreadsheet together with a colleague (or more), and see the updates in real time, just like you can on a computer. For me, the live collaborative editing is one of the best things about Google Docs, giving a serious productivity boost to online workers. But the new update comes with other tricks besides the new live editing feature. You get a new set of rich text formatting tools (bullets, italics, underline, etc.), new layout tools (bulleted lists, indentation), and even a smarter, persistent cursor. The interface of the new Google Docs for Android has received a nice face-lift, as well. You can now zoom in to see a paragraph and you get a better view of the docs you're working on, thanks to the improved resolution. Here's a video showing off the new app, courtesy of Google: For road warriors and remote teams, the update is a welcome, even if late, improvement. The new app is miles ahead of the glorified online notepad that was the first Docs for Android. And, using a Galaxy Note or other device rich in screen real-estate, it will be easier than ever to work efficiently on the go. We wrote a while ago about the slow pace at which Google improves its Docs product, including the Android version. This sluggishness may be due to the fact that Docs is more of an afterthought for Google, when compared to the Search or Mobile divisions. However, it seems that Google is picking up the pace, with two major updates in less than a month. If this trend continues, Google Docs for Android may become a compelling challenger to any Office-like app, including the Microsoft Office app that is rumored to hit Android and the iPad sometime soon. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, Google Docs for Android Gets Live Collaborative Editing, Road Warriors Rejoice , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 03:47 AM PST  Pictures speak a thousand words, and since people love showing what they’re up to, the Market isn’t lacking in photo-sharing apps. In fact, it’s almost saturated with them that it’s hard to pick which ones are worth your time, so let us help you out. Whether you’re a new Android user, or you’re a Droid lover who hasn’t gotten around choosing an app, here's our pick of the few that we feel deserve the download. 1. LiveShare In every event, there are so many photos coming in from so many people that your Facebook wall is jam-packed with tags and your albums are in disarray. Well, LiveShare has a solution to that. This photo-sharing app creates streams that lets you organize your photos even if they've come from differents sources. You don't have to worry about privacy since you'll have the option to lock certain photos of a certain stream, or the entire stream itself. Moreover, it enables you to choose from a wide array of online services to share with such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Docs, and even DropBox. Although there are still a few quirks that the developers need to iron out, LiveShare is a a great way to organize the great events of your life. 2. Lightbox Photos Lightbox is a photo-journal app that has a growing community, and if there's one thing to like about it is that it's been created for and launched directly on Android. Unlike other apps which started off on iOS, it syncs with your system without a hitch. A quick registration enables you to scan through thousands of photos, "like" and comment on those you find interesting, and follow the people who posted them. Images are also easily shared through your favorite social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. 3. Snapr Snapr doesn't only boast of a really neat UI, but also of amazing connectivity. At its simplest, it's a location-based photo-sharing app which lets your image mark where you are on Google Maps. It also lets you check out great photos from different parts of the world as they are uploaded. Snapr doesn't only support social media platforms – it's one itself. With a following-follower set-up and the option to add "favorites", it makes for great community interaction. It's definitely an all-in-one app worthy of a download. 4. EyeEm EyeEm gives a new dimension to photo-sharing by letting you tap into image streams of other people based on your interests. It has a system called "vibes" that groups photos by places, time of posting, subject and location. You take a picture, tag it while the app zeroes in where you are, and based on those, you can check out photo streams related to what you’ve recently posted. EyeEm is a continuously learning app – the more people post, the more you get filtered searches. Syncing with Facebook and Twitter is a breeze as well. 5. Molome This app from Symbian reminds you of Instagram – only with a nicer-looking UI and a bit more to offer. This virtual deck of photos from around the world lets you "love" and comment on images that catch your fancy, take your own photo and tweak it with filters, follow fellow "Molians", and share your posts on your favorite social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The "Molo Team" also adds a bit of fun by using a rewards system wherein you can unlock 3 more filters (for a total of 19) and earn badges after you post a certain amount of photos or do certain actions. The grid lay-out makes for easy browsing, and it has an adorable owl as a mascot, which yes, counts for cuteness. 6. Flickr Flickr is one of the greatest names in photo-sharing, and Yahoo! brings the same functionality it has always been known for to an Android client. Flickr lets you shoot using an alternative camera, use filters and tags, and gives you quick and easy uploads supported by the system of one of the largest internet companies in the world. Although it doesn't pack a great deal of editing features similar to other photo-sharing apps, Flickr is an essential download for those who have long been on the platform. 7. Picplz Picplz is a very popular photo-sharing app which with an established community. It's admittedly simpler than most services, but it does the job. Aside from filters, effects, and stickers that you can add to your photos, Picplz has an easy sharing system which allows you to post on a number of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Posterous and Foursquare. It can even connect to Dropbox, which removes the hassle of transferring photos to your deskstop computer via cable. 8. Mytubo Mytubo's interface will probably make you barf rainbows due to its cuteness, but underneath the bubblegum colors, you'll find a very capable photo-sharing app. Once you sign up, you get greeted by photos of friends that have already been on the platform. You'll be able to “like” and comment on photos, and even forward your friends’ photos for others to see – just as long as you have permission. And speaking of permissions, Mytubo has pretty good privacy measures within the app which will let you control how your content can be distributed. The only problem is that once you share it on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, it's open season. Photo-editing-wise, it's fairly similar to other apps – the only difference is that it has filter ninjas. If you enjoy the culture of cute, this app is for you. 9. Streamzoo Streamzoo is a well-rounded social photo-sharing app. Signing up using your Facebook or Twitter account gives you access to a busy community. Aside from the usual adding of comments, it has a social gaming facet wherein every “like” on your posts counts as a point which, when accumulated, will be able to get you badges and let you compete on leaderboards. Streamzoo also gives you an enjoyable photo-editing experience with 14 filter effects, 15 border effects, and even tilt-shift and scaling. Oh, and did we mention that you Streamzoo allows you to share videos as well? 10. SmugMug SmugMug is skewed, not towards casual shutterbugs, but towards graphic designers, professional photographers, and those who are starting to become serious with their cameras. There aren't any filters, stickers, or borders to add to your images; no games, badges, or leaderboards. It's just your work and the works of different communities that focus on an array of subjects such as Wildlife, Travel, and Music, to name a few. SmugMug for Android supports your customizable website which acts as your portfolio, where people can order prints from you. Security regarding the distribution of your photos and videos are very tight and dependable, and should you have any problems, their customer service representatives are quick to help. The app is also integrated to social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. It's similar to Flickr, but only more professional. The catch is that you only have 7 days to try SmugMug out for free, then you have to pay for the service; but if you're really serious about photography and cinematography, it's worth the investment. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, 10 Must-Try Photo-Sharing Apps on Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Update - 51
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