Android Phone Fans

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• HTC One X battery life got you down? Here is a fix
• Chinese Android market share doubles in 2011, Apple stays far behind
• HTC One V to begin shipping on April 23rd for UK customers
• Study: 1 in 5 US residents do not have access to the internet, smartphones breaking through social classes
• Would Instagram have been better off in Twitter’s hands?
• LG Optimus LTE gets renamed as Optimus True HD LTE
• My ideal smartwatch [Opinion and Poll]
• Update for Motorola Droid 2 rolling out now, bringing security patches and bug-fixes
• Reservation for Republic Wireless summer beta program starting next week
• A trio of Dragons make their way to China, courtesy of HTC
• European Commission opens investigation into UK NFC payments joint venture

HTC One X battery life got you down? Here is a fix Posted: 14 Apr 2012 06:33 PM PDT The HTC One X is a beast of a device. It is arguably the best Android smartphone around right now. But no device is perfect, and neither is this one. It seems a little issue with a large consequence slipped through HTC when making this device, and now the battery is draining faster than it should. It seems the issue is that an app called NvCPLSvc.apk was placed in the wrong directory. It should be under the system\app directory, and it is located at system/bin, instead. The fix is relatively simple: one needs to move the file to the right place and change the file’s permissions. This is possible via ADB, and instructions can be found at XDA Developers’ site. Users have been reporting a 10%-20% increase in battery life, so this little trick might very well be worth a shot. Extra juice is always good. [Source: XDA Developers Via: Talk Android]

Chinese Android market share doubles in 2011, Apple stays far behind Posted: 14 Apr 2012 04:07 PM PDT There are many reasons why we love the little green robot. But if there is something we can (and do) brag about is its market dominance. In just a few years, our favorite mobile OS has taken over the market. It seems China’s Android market share has gone to a whole other level, though. Analysys International’s studies show that Android numbers have doubled in 2011. Google’s OS went from a 33.6% market share to a whopping 68.4% in China. But we know that Android is booming all over the place, right? What is more surprising is the iOS market share in the same country. Apple ended 2011 with a mere 5.7% market share. This number is quite surprising, especially considering the fact the main operating systems have a much fiercer battle going on in the US, and many other countries. It is also surprising to see that good ol’ Symbian is beating iOS by quite a bit, holding 18.7% of China’s market share. This could be due to the fact that other operating systems have a greater variety of affordable options. Android is very well known for being very accessible in that sense. And this is mostly what has helped Android reach such a successful state. The same report also suggest that it could be very possible that the iPhone stayed behind due to the fact that the iPhone 4 and 4S look exactly the same. Seems like the iPhone is seen as a status symbol in China (like many other places), and there hasn’t been a good incentive for upgrading to a 4S – Interesting concept. Must be nice living in a place where most smartphone owners have Android, right? We just wonder how many of these devices are high-end, or at least as expensive as an iPhone. [Source: Macworld Via: Android Central]

HTC One V to begin shipping on April 23rd for UK customers Posted: 14 Apr 2012 03:34 PM PDT The HTC One X and One S have been making their rounds around the world. But it seems the HTC One V is taking its sweet time to start hitting the streets (depending on your market). UK residents who have been thinking of purchasing the HTC Legend’s revival will be happy to know that the device will start shipping soon for those that pre-order the device. According to retailer Carphone Warehouse, the HTC One V is expected to start shipping to customers starting the week of April 23rd. UK customers will be able to get the device for free after signing a contract with plans as low as £20.50 from Orange, O2 and Vodafone. Amazon is also accepting pre-orders, with an April 26th expected delivery date. You can purchase the HTC One V without a contract for £226.10 (about $358 US dollars). It is SIM-unlocked, so you will be able to use the device with any GSM carrier of your choice. So if you live in the UK and have pre-ordered this bad boy, you will probably have your hands all over it in less than 2 weeks. Are any of you signing up for the HTC One V? [Via: The Verge]

Study: 1 in 5 US residents do not have access to the internet, smartphones breaking through social classes Posted: 14 Apr 2012 02:43 PM PDT People of my generation had the chance to experience what I like to call the Big Tech Bang. This made-up term refers to the beginning of the communications era. I remember the days when even house phones were a luxury. We used to play games outdoors (not video games), and actually knew every kid in the neighborhood. Things have changed since then. We no longer need to go to the library, and anyone and anything is reachable with the press of a few buttons. Most of the younger generations can no longer see a world without internet. This is a thought that mostly hits me in situations like one I had last week, when I accepted a Facebook friend request from a 6-year old neighbor. He just finished learning how to read and write. And he now knows how to use a computer as much as I did when I was about 13. He also uses his parents smartphones seamlessly. But is the whole country (or world) adapting to such a lifestyle? According to a study held by Pew Internet, 22% of Americans do not have access to the internet. This is a rather surprising statistic. But according to the study, this percentage of the population is mostly made up of Senior Citizens, those that preferred to take the survey in Spanish, adults with less than a high school education and those with incomes lower than $30,000 a year. This does not mean that the world is not moving forward, though. The study has also found that most people are adopting the new form of communication. Among other statistics, we can see that about 19% of the US population has a tablet, and 87% have a cellphone. It seems smartphones and tablets are changing the whole story. Internet access is no longer exclusive to computers. And this seems to be breaking through social classes more successfully than Marx ever dreamed of. The rise of mobile is changing the story. Groups that have traditionally been on the other side of the digital divide in basic internet access are using wireless connections to go online. Among smartphone owners, young adults, minorities, those with no college experience, and those with lower household income levels are more likely than other groups to say that their phone is their main source of internet access. Even beyond smartphones, both African Americans and English-speaking Latinos are as likely as whites to own any sort of mobile phone, and are more likely to use their phones for a wider range of activities. Those that do not have access to the internet mostly choose to live that way, nowadays. Such citizens are claiming that the internet is not relevant to their needs. But 1 in 5 of them also state that they never learned enough about technology to use the internet. This is quite interesting, as simple life tasks are starting to require the use of an internet-connected device. As the new generations start taking over the world, these statistics will probably change. The internet is starting to become more necessary, and kids are growing up with these gadgets. That 22% will probably be close to zero once we become Senior Citizens. What an interesting age that will be. For more details, go ahead and check out the full study by hitting the source link. And tell us, do you know anyone that has no access to the internet? If so, what is the reason? [Source: Pew Via: Electronista]

Would Instagram have been better off in Twitter’s hands? Posted: 14 Apr 2012 01:39 PM PDT Instagram’s Android release recently shook the Android (and iOS) ecosystem. A huge number of users had been waiting for the image filtering and sharing app to reach Android devices. But such release was overshadowed by the news that were to come some days later. Facebook purchased Instagram for $1 billion, an acquisition that upset many users. The main complain was that Facebook has a rather bad reputation with image politics. The social network giant holds rights over any image uploaded to users’ profiles, whether it is a simple memory or a master piece. But would things have been better if another company acquired Instagram? Recent reports have been stating that Twitter had plans to purchase Instagram, as well. Not many details are known, and the plan could have simply been an idea that never got executed. But people seem to complain much less about Twitter, in comparison with Facebook. We still have to wait and see what Facebook does with Instagram in the future. It might not be such a horrible idea, after all. But what do you guys think about the matter? Would Instagram be better off in Twitter’s hands? Do you think it shouldn’t have been sold at all? [Source: The New York Times Via: Electronista]

LG Optimus LTE gets renamed as Optimus True HD LTE Posted: 14 Apr 2012 01:03 PM PDT A device name change is usually due to two reasons. Either it is getting something extra, or it is done for marketing reasons. The LG Optimus LTE has already reached major countries (Spectrum and Nitro in the US), but the South Korean found a good way to hit Samsung by changing the device’s name. The device will now be named as the LG Optimus True HD LTE. But what exactly does this mean? One would expect the device to have a higher resolution. Maybe even a 1080p resolution, which is considered “real HD” by many. But customers will find that this smartphone also has a 720p display. The trick here is that this is a way for LG to throw a punch at Samsung. LG believes that Samsung’s HD smartphone displays are not “real HD” due to the fact that they use pentile screens (like the Galaxy Nexus) . These are in fact 1280x720p displays, but have less sub-pixels. Furthermore, LG also believes that color saturation and energy efficiency make Samsung’s displays inferior. But such is simply a matter of opinion. Personally, the true blacks and vibrant hues are very enticing. Even if the colors are not seen as “natural.” Regardless, LG believes that their IPS displays are much better, and considered “True HD.” And from now on, users will be reminded of such every time they read the name of the device. What do you guys say? Do you prefer HD Super AMOLED or HD IPS displays? [Via: Engadget]

My ideal smartwatch [Opinion and Poll] Posted: 14 Apr 2012 12:43 PM PDT I love watches. Yeah, you can see the time on your phone, which nowadays are in front of your eyes more often than not. However, I’ve gotten a long, long affinity for them ever since I was a kid. I’m really proud of the fact that I’ve bought each and every watch during my entire life with my own money. Right from the time I bought a talking watch (a digital timepiece that read out the time when you pressed a button) when I was five years old, to my Timex Expedition (pictured below. The metal strap was something I got done the original leather wore out) which I got four years ago. And I’ve wanted an awesome smartwatch ever since I got my first Android phone. The problem is, the category of devices is still in its infancy, and for that reason the options available have failed to live up to my own expectations from them. The one I like the most, the i’m Watch, is not even in the same galaxy as my budget. I love the design, especially the fact that the watch itself doesn’t pop out (I’m pretty darn certain I’ll bang the Sony Smartwatch every other day of use) but I cannot ever justify spending $469 on it. If nothing else compelling comes out, I’ll probably just go for the Motoactv sometime during the summer (if any of you have one, do put in your own reviews in the comments). Anyway, I was recently discussing with a friend what my idea smartwatch would be, and I thought I might share it with others to see if my demands match those of the most. 4GB on board memory, and bluetooth phone music player control I don’t have a large music library, so 4GB on board memory would be more than sufficient for me. Plus the only time I’m without my phone is if I’m working out (which I barely do), so simply controlling my phone’s music player would be more than sufficient for 99% of the time. Receive and make calls I hate forgetting my phone in my pocket while driving. Despite always wearing straight-fit jeans, I can never get my phone out. Receiving and making calls from the watch would be God-sent. Google Navigation support Remember the navigation display in Google’s Project Glass video? I’d love navigation options coming like that on my watch. I love the challenge Google have set themselves with Project Glass, but I feel nearly everything there in the video should be available really soon, in the same UX manner, on a watch. The watch should be what helps you avoid taking your phone out every time. Taking the navigation feature a step forward, I’d like to have a feature where the watch vibrates to alert me if I miss a turn, or cross my destination. Voice-to-text If and when Majel comes out, I would really, really love something that connects to that. Again, it goes back to the Project Glass feature. Receive mail notification? Read it out to me please, and then let me speak my reply. Pretty basic, and yet awesome. Apps Have a really simple marketplace, with preferably a website from where a user can add capabilities. If it can’t do that, then it’s not a smartwatch. Fitbit/Jawbone Up kind of capability Track my data, and do whatever you want to do with it. Just do it reliably, and let me see it, too. Customizable dials It is, after all, a watch. And I’d love to keep designing my own dials (which can potentially be part of the marketplace alongside apps). At the end of it all, I’d like to know which features do you want. I’ve added those that I’ve mentioned to the poll, but if you’ve got some other ideas that I’ve missed out on, go ahead and shout it out in the comments. Take Our Poll

Update for Motorola Droid 2 rolling out now, bringing security patches and bug-fixes Posted: 14 Apr 2012 11:48 AM PDT Users of Motorola’s Droid 2 should be seeing an OTA notification, as Verizon has updated the support page with the information that a new update (v4.5.621) is now available. What do you get for those 14 MBs? Device Features Device is enabled with the Wireless Alerting System. A Google Security Patch has been added to improve security level. Fixed issue where the device may power ON without user interaction. Adjusted camera settings will be saved, even after the device is powered down. Resolved possible device resets while playing music. Reduced Out of Memory errors. Email, Messaging & Data Improved ability to access and receive Gmail messages when the Mobile Hotspot is turned on. Addressed error that replicated thumbnails in message threads. Applications & Widgets WAV files can be played from Visual Voice Mail. Purchased ringtones are now able to be downloaded, saved and used where appropriate. [AndroidPolice]

Reservation for Republic Wireless summer beta program starting next week Posted: 14 Apr 2012 08:01 AM PDT Those of you who signed up for the Republic Wireless mailing list , or placed an order for the limited time the option was available in November, should be able to sign up for the reservation program next week. Keep in mind that despite your early interest, there is still no guarantee that you’ll make the cut. Once you get the E-Mail with the details, you have until a week to confirm your participation in the beta program. Unfortunately, there is still no word on which device will be provided (a new one was said to be available from April onwards). I’m pretty excited to see how their hybrid WiFi/Cellular network performs, what about you guys? [Engadget]

A trio of Dragons make their way to China, courtesy of HTC Posted: 14 Apr 2012 07:02 AM PDT HTC’s effort to realign their marketing efforts under (the) ONE banner continues in China, where the brand used will be Dragon. And they’ve got three new devices for the market, the 4-inch VT T328t, VC T328d, and V T328W. The specs are nearly the same across all the devices (Sense 4, an S-LCD, WVGA screen, a 1GHz CPU alongside 512MB of RAM) with Beats Audio and running ICS. The VC T328d and the V T328W also rock dual-sim card slots. The phone’s should hit the stores by the end of the month, but only the T328W having a rumored price (of 1999 yuan or $320 unlocked). [Engadget]

European Commission opens investigation into UK NFC payments joint venture Posted: 14 Apr 2012 06:45 AM PDT A joint venture of Vodafone, Telefónica SA, and Everything Everywhere (which itself is a joint venture of France Télécom and Deutsche Telekom AG) in the field of NFC payments is now being investigated by European Commission authorities, according to the Wall Street Journal. It’s no secret that the young, NFC-based mobile payment industry seems to resemble complete anarchy. Several of these joint ventures are already following questionable (IMHO) practices, such as Verizon banning Google Wallet on the Galaxy Nexus. As such, it’s no surprise that authorities are starting to take a more active stance in the industry. The statement by the European Commission states “The Commission is in favor of any initiative that will develop the promising mobile commerce sector in Europe and bring new and innovative payment and interactive advertising experience to consumers. At the same time, we need to make sure that competing services can keep emerging on this market, so that incentives to innovate remain and customers get the best mobile commerce services at the best cost.” The Commission has a timeframe of 90 days to decide whether or not the JV would be permitted to carry out its operations in the currently planned form. [Wall Street Journal via Electronista]

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