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Beats Audio software ported to non-HTC devices Posted: 04 Mar 2012 02:43 PM PST Audio quality is always something that will be subjective. Opinions on what good sounds like will always differ from person to person. This definitely applies to Beats Audio, and the inclusion of Beats on new HTC devices. HTC have just opened up the API to the Beats software for third-party apps to take advantage, but XDA member RockoDev has gone further than that. He has managed to port the Beats software for use on non-HTC devices into a flashable zip file. Beats is essentially a branded equalizer. The files have been pulled for flashing to other devices. Expectations shouldn't be set too high though, as again everyone has different tastes in sound quality. Flashed to my LG Optimus 2X, I actually do feel there was a general improvement.  When comparing it's important not to fall into any placebo effect. Just because it's there doesn't make it better. The test setup was a song that I know very well, and a pair of good quality Bang and Olufsen earphones. In listening to the same song a few times before and after flashing Beats, there was a noticable change. Nothing groundbreaking, but the bass was improved and the overall sound did feel better. You'll find more at the source links below if you fancy trying it out for yourselves. We know a lot of you don't like Beats, but there's a lot of people that do. Shout out in the comments with your thoughts if you do decide to try it.  Source: XDA Developers

What was your favorite thing from Mobile World Congress? Posted: 04 Mar 2012 01:13 PM PST With Mobile World Congress behind us, and all of the wildness dying down, we are left wondering what your favorite thing was from this years event. With tons and tons of new phones announced, innovative ideas flowing, and news beyond what we could comprehend it was a wild few days. Was it the Samsung Galaxy Beam, HTC's new line of phones, or the Carrier IQ information they announced? Hit the break with us and check out some of our very own favorites, and be sure to sound off in the comments and let us know what your favorite was! read more

Someone said 'Android 5.0' and 'Jelly Bean' in the same sentence; Key Lime Pie now rumored to follow Posted: 04 Mar 2012 10:55 AM PST ZOMG ANOTHER STORY ABOUT JELLY BEAN! So here's the deal: An ASUS VP dropped the following quote to TechRadar: "ASUS is very close to Google, so once they have Android 5.0 I think there will be a high possibility that we will be the first wave to offer the Jelly Bean update." Dunno if ASUS is any closer to Google than any of the other manufacturers, but it did get one of the first Ice Cream Sandwich updates out the door, so more power to it. But it's entirely possible that this VP also was just repeating what everyone else has been saying anyway -- that the next verison of Android will be Android 5.0, and that it'll be nicknamed "Jelly Bean." But, wait! Jelly Bean's still not even official, and today The Verge says Key Lime Pie will follow up. No word on when, or -- more important -- what either JB or KLP will actually be. An official announcement from Google, neither of these is not. But let's go ahead and start guessing what L will be, shall we? Licorice? That's obvious enough, no? Sources: TechRadar, The Verge; thanks to everyone who sent this in

Samsung Israel says Galaxy S II ICS update coming Mar. 15 Posted: 04 Mar 2012 05:52 AM PST Rumors of a March launch for the Samsung Galaxy S II's Android 4.0 upgrade have been circulating for a while, but now it seems we may have the first official word on when the update will land. Samsung Mobile Israel has today made a statement on its official Facebook page, saying it expects ICS for the Galaxy S II to roll out on unlocked and carrier-branded handsets in Israel from Mar. 15. Roughly translated, the post reads -- We promised we were working on it. You waited patiently. And on 15 March it'll arrive: Android version 4, ICS, to tens of thousands of GALAXY S II devices purchased from cellular companies in the country or directly from us. We are very excited for the launch, hope you are too :) While this is great news for Galaxy S II owners in Israel (as well as those with the unlocked international version upon which it's based), other territories may have a little longer to wait. We'd expect this to be particularly true for the U.S., where hardware differs from carrier to carrier. So far, the steady trickle of leaked ICS ROMs for the Galaxy S II have shown Samsung making progress towards stable builds over the past couple of months. We'll keep you posted with any further announcements, while we cross our fingers for a Mar. 15 launch. Source: Samsung Mobile Israel; Thanks, Orenium!