Update - 149

Galaxy Note 'premium suite' coming soon (and so is that Ice Cream Sandwich update, by the way) Posted: 06 Mar 2012 04:22 PM PST Oh, Internet. How you love to make something out of nothing. A new trailer for Rovio's Angry Birds Space appeared today, indicating that the game would launch first on the Samsung Galaxy Note. At the end of the trailer, Samsung teased that a "galactic update" would soon land on the Note, along with a "premium suite." That, for some reason, has lead some people to believe (and write on the Internet) that the promised Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Galaxy Note has been canceled. Confused? The (warped) logic goes something like this -- Samsung reportedly once planned a "value pack" for the original Galaxy S (a phone which launched in 2010 with Eclair), in lieu of a full update to ICS. Therefore, because Samsung is using similar language here, they must have cancelled ICS for the Galaxy Note, too. Only, that "value pack" thing was bull, too. So, yeah. In essence, it's nothing more than FUD. The idea that Samsung would leave the Galaxy Note, a flagship device that is barely four months old, on Gingerbread, is ridiculous. And to suggest it based on such flimsy evidence is irresponsible. The Galaxy Note, along with the Galaxy S II, was one of the first Samsung devices to be confirmed for an ICS update. The official line from Samsung has always been that it's on the way, and we've even seen fairly stable leaked builds for the GT-N7000 and GT-i9220 variants surface online in recent weeks. So calm down, folks, we've seen absolutely nothing to suggest that the Galaxy Note ICS update is in any danger of not materializing. (When it gets it is another matter.) If you want to check out that Angry Birds Space trailer for yourself, we've got it embedded after the break. read more

Android File Transfer, Moving apps to the SD Card [From the Forums] Posted: 06 Mar 2012 03:25 PM PST Just in case you missed out on the biggest news of the day, we're here to help. Google has been rolling out their new branding and we've got all the details. Get yourself caught up here on the blogs and don't forget to drop by the Android Central forums to discuss everything Android. HTC Thunderbolt Forums - ICS for the Thunderbolt now coming? HTC Rezound Forums - Need help moving apps from SD card to phone storage Samsung Galaxy Nexus Forums - Android File Transfer on Mac AT&T Galaxy Note Forums - ICS for the Note, when... anyone? Sony Xperia S Forums - Any chance of this on Sprint? Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Forums - Glitches since the last update? If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.

Google Play Store now replacing Android Market over-the-air Posted: 06 Mar 2012 03:04 PM PST The new Google Play Store has started rolling out to Android phones, tablets and Google TV's over the air, following Google's announcement earlier today. The Play Store (or Play Shop in the UK) replaces the Android Market, and unites all of Google's content delivery platforms under one single brand. Essentially, you can buy music, apps, books and movies just you've always been able to do, only now the naming scheme is a little more coherent. The icon may be different, but the app works just the same. If you want to speed up the update process, the usual trick involving force-closing Market, clearing data, uninstalling updates and then loading up the app again seems to work. The arrival of Google Play brings to a close the era of the Android Market, which launched way back in October 2008, shortly after the original Android smartphone, the T-Mobile G1. Back then, this is what it looked like. We've come a long way. So farewell, Android Market. If you've already noticed the Play Store on your device, be sure to shout out in the comments. We've got pics of the new Play Store on Google TV after the break. read more

Are you an Android developer? Or a Google Play developer? Posted: 06 Mar 2012 02:50 PM PST Above are two sets of branding standards, one old, one new. It's pretty obvious to tell which is which. On top, the now-defunct "Available in Android Market" badge you might have seen on any number of Android app developers' websites. Beneath is the new Google Play branding, which either denotes an "Android app on Google play" or tells you to "Get it on Google Play." For the moment, we'll forgive the fact that Google Play and the branding apparently have decided to diverge when it comes to proper capitalization. (We're going to stick with Google Play, not Google play.) And we're not going to weigh in on the new triangle logo. Either you love it or you don't. And all the polls in the world won't change anything -- Google Play and the triangle logo will still be there in the morning. But we are a little concerned about how this new branding takes Android out of play, at least visually. The Android green (#A4C639, if you didn't know) certainly is recognizable after all these years. Same goes for the Bugdroid logo. Now we've got the new triangle logo, none of the Android green, and no happy Bugdroid showing you the way. Is this an insurmountable problem for developers and marketing firms? Probably not. It's doubtful you'll see the Bugdroid or Android green disappear from boxes or signage anytime soon. But it is an interesting move by Google. And it begs this question: Where will we see the triangle logo next? More: Android brand guidelines

OnLive Desktop [Android App Review] Posted: 06 Mar 2012 01:14 PM PST YouTube link for mobile viewing If there's one company I've been incredibly impressed with as of late, it's got to be OnLive. First they bring their popular game streaming service to Android, give us a fully functional universal remote to use with it, and then, as if to top themselves off, bring something altogether unheard of: OnLive Desktop. For those curious about how OnLive Desktop works, the premise is pretty simple: instead of streaming games to your Android tablet over a high-speed internet connection, you're streaming a fully functional Windows 7 installation, thereby allowing yourself to keep the laptop at home and do your Windows work on your tablet. It's a cool idea, and fortunately for OnLive, it works really well. If you have an OnLive account (for games), you've already got a standard OnLive Desktop account. Simply login and you're taken to your Windows 7 desktop, complete with Microsoft Office programs, Adobe Reader, and your own personal Documents folder, ripe for hosting up to 2GB in OnLive's cloud. (If you want to be able to surf the internet using Internet Explorer or host more than 2GB of files, you'll have to pony up $4.99/month for OnLive's "Plus" service. Boo.) As far as function goes, OnLive has really hit the nail on the head. Opening programs is snappier than on some older computers I've used, and pairing your tablet up with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse only enhances your experience and efficiency. If you're using your finger to navigate (as I suspect most of you might), you'll notice that no double-clicks are needed; all programs act almost like hyperlinks. With only a single tap, you can open anything your heart desires (as long as it's installed on OnLive's machines). Overall, while I think OnLive has built a really great app that functions well, I'm not sure it's entirely practical, given the options you have to edit programs natively on Android. With apps like QuickOffice Pro (or HD, in the case of tablets) giving you rich document editing right in Android, services like Dropbox giving you excellent document syncing and cloud storage, and full Flash support built right into the standard browser (something you only get with OnLive's "Plus" plan), I'm left scratching my head about how many people will jump on OnLive's bandwagon and really need it. Regardless, the app is phenomenal (and it's free!). If you're up for giving it a spin, we've got download links after the break. read more

Pick up 25 top Android apps for 49 cents each on Google Play Posted: 06 Mar 2012 11:16 AM PST We could tell something was up when a bunch of leading applications suddenly appeared on the Android Market for just 49 cents. And now we know why -- Google is celebrating the launch of its new Google Play content portal by offering a 25 leading Android apps for 49 cents each (49p in the UK). There also seems to be a new daily "Play of the Day" promotion running, in which one app has its price slashed to just 25 cents -- or 20p if you're in the UK. The first Play of the Day is Where's My Water, and the top 25, 49-cent apps include top-tier games and programs like World of Goo, Osmos HD, SoundHound, Dead Space and SwiftKey X. There's a lot of great stuff on there that usually sells for a much higher price, so if you're after a few new games or apps, hit the source link to browse through the top 25. Source: Google Play

Rebranded Google Play apps starting to push out already Posted: 06 Mar 2012 11:02 AM PST The ink is hardly dry on the new Google Play signage, and newly rebranded Google Play apps are already starting to drop into the Android Market Google Play Store Android apps section. (See, isn't that easier to say?) Google's Music, Videos and Books apps will update and rebrand themselves to Play Music, Play Movies and Play Books, if you're running Android 2.2 and above, and if you've already got them in your country of residence. (Paid apps are available in these countries, music in the U.S. only, movies in the U.S., UK, Canada and Japan, and books in the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia.) The Android Market will update itself to the Google Play Store at some point. More: Google Play FAQ

Verizon announces list of phones to get Ice Cream Sandwich update Posted: 06 Mar 2012 10:43 AM PST No real surprises here -- the XYBOARDS already had been announced, same for the Xoom and the Rezound. Tt's good to see the ThunderBolt and Droid Incredible 2 make it. Here's the full list HTC: ThunderBolt, Droid Incredible 2, Rhyme, Rezound Motorola: Xoom, Bionic, RAZR/RAZR MAXX, Droid XYBOARD 8.2/10.1 Samsung: Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 7.7 LG: Spectrum No word on when the updates will come. Source: Verizon

Google Play unveiled - the new place for Music, Apps, Books and Video Posted: 06 Mar 2012 10:34 AM PST Google's content portal for Android apps, music, books and video content has been consolidated under a new name -- Google Play. Google Play which is now live on the web at play.google.com, will replace the old Android Market, Google Music, Google Books and Videos service, giving users  a clear one-stop location for content. The way you buy music, apps and other content from Google through the web, or your phone or tablet won't change, but the branding behind the places where you get your content will. Instead of heading several differently-named stores for each type of content, it'll all be available under the Google Play portal. Android (2.2+) users with the old Android Market app installed will soon see it updated to Play Store, while Google's Music, Movies and Books apps for Android will be updated to incorporate the new Play branding. So it's an important step for Google as a content provider, existing users shouldn't notice too many changes in the way app, music and video purchasing works. You can still rent a movie once and watch it on YouTube, your phone or your tablet. And you can still send apps to your phone from Play, just as you could with the Android Market. We've got a brief introductory video after the break. Check back later for a more extensive walkthrough. More: Google Play Q&A read more

West Virginians now have Android app to report suspicious activity Posted: 06 Mar 2012 09:55 AM PST You know, suspicious activity like this. Download: Suspicious Activity Reporting; More: Press release read more

Hands-on with ViewSonic's 4e and 4s dual-SIM Android phones Posted: 06 Mar 2012 09:51 AM PST Another fringe smartphone manufacturer, ViewSonic, continued their attack on the dual-SIM market at this year's Mobile World Congress in addition to showing off some new tablets. The ViewPhone 4e and 4s are both disctinctly mid-range phones, while the higher-end model, the 5e, wasn't on display. The 4e runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread with plans of an update to ICS shortly, and is powered by a modest 650 MHz processor and 512 MB of RAM. One the back it's packing a 3 megapixel fixed-focus camera while the front constitutes a sad little 3.5-inch 480 x 320 touchscreen. "Affordable" is going to be the key word when thinking about this one. The 4e will be hitting Europe in Q2. Climbing up the food chain is ViewPhone 4s. It runs ICS, and has a 1 GHz processor with 512 MB of RAM, and while the display is also 3.5 inches, the resolution is bumped up to 960 x 640. The camera on the back clocks in at 5 megapixels with flash and autofocus, plus it's accompanied by a secondary video camera on the front. It'll be launching in June in Europe.  read more

Temple Run for Android to be released on March 27 Posted: 06 Mar 2012 09:45 AM PST Imangi Studios announced today that the much anticipated Android version of its wildly-popular Temple Run will be available on Tuesday, March 27 in the Android Market. "We are excited to finally share the Android release date with our fans who have been so enthusiastic and supportive of Temple Run,” said Keith Shepherd, co-founder of Imangi Studios. “By expanding to more mobile devices, we hope to provide the same addictive and fast-paced gameplay to an entirely new group of players." For those unaware, Temple Run is a fast-paced game of reflexes in which your runner collects coins while avoiding danger and falling off of the path. Temple Run for iOS was released in August of 2011 and, according to the studio, has been downloaded by 6% of the total US population. Source:  Imangi Studios

Unaudited Feb. 2012 HTC revenues show signs of recovery Posted: 06 Mar 2012 09:29 AM PST HTC has published its unaudited February 2012 revenue numbers, which show that the company made NT$20.294 billion (~$688 million) last month. The figure represents a 36.79% year-on-year drop for the manufacturer, but is a step in the right direction from the 52.55% year-on-year drop in January. HTC made NT$3.679 billion (~$125 million) more in February than it did in January, a 22% increase in revenue. After a tough fourth quarter of 2011, HTC will be hoping to turn around its fortunes with its new flagship series, HTC One, which was unveiled at Mobile World Congress last week. Source: HTC

Bunch of Android apps on sale today for 49 cents Posted: 06 Mar 2012 09:24 AM PST Looks like the Android Market has another big sale under way, with apps like SwiftKey, HomeRun Battle 3D, SoundHound, Shadowgun, World of Goo, NFL Flick Quarterback, Osmos HD, Quell Reflect and other sgoing for just 49 cents. There must be others. Sing out the the comments if you spot 'em.

Second Sony LTE phone rumored for June launch in Korea Posted: 06 Mar 2012 08:19 AM PST We recently learned that Sony will be launching the Xperia Ion in LTE markets outside of the United States, and now there's a flurry of online rumors suggesting manufacturer may be preparing a second LTE handset for the second half of the year. Korean news site MT.co.kr reports via sources within Sony that an LTE smartphone "other than the Xperia Ion" could be making its way to South Korea as early as this June. As XperiaBlog points out, this new, high-end device may match the Sony "Hayabusa", a rumored device which appeared on a leaked roadmap earlier in the year, alongside a ~€500 price tag. System info collected by benchmarking apps suggests the device may carry the model number LT29i, and use a Snapdragon S4 CPU with a buttonless 720p display. Let's take this with an extra-large helping of salt for now, though, as we're still dealing with rumors and speculation here. However, it's no secret that the Xperia S isn't exactly packing the most up-to-date hardware, so we wouldn't be too shocked if a slightly higher-specced version was planned for later in the year. Source: XperiaBlog

ShopAndroid Daily Giveaway #22: Mobi Crystal Case for ThunderBolt, Incipio Feather for Atrix 4G & more! Posted: 06 Mar 2012 08:19 AM PST For today's ShopAndroid.com Daily Giveaway we'll be checking out the the Mobi Crystal Case for HTC ThunderBolt, Incipio Feather Ultralight Case for Motorola Atrix 4G, Seidio ACTIVE Holster for Motorola Droid X/X2, and the Mobi Hard Shell Case for Droid Bionic. To become eligible for this giveaway, just leave a comment below stating which item you'd like to win. Come next Monday, one lucky person will be chosen as the winner! Mobi Products Crystal Case for HTC ThunderBolt The HTC ThunderBolt Mobi Products Crystal Case is the perfect solution for protection for anyone who prefers the original look of their ThunderBolt.  The crystal case is completely transparent, and made of a highly durable plastic shell featuring cutouts for all of the device's ports and buttons.  It's great against drops, extremely lightweight, and easy to install and remove. read more

HTC EVO 3D UK off-contract price falls to £209 Posted: 06 Mar 2012 07:35 AM PST With the first of this year's leading Android phones launching in the next month or so, last year's models are starting to show up online with significantly-discounted prices. Yesterday we saw the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S on sale for under £200, and now the price of the HTC EVO 3D has been lowered to around the same level by one retailer. Asda Direct, which was previously selling the EVO for £250 and £230, is today offering it for a mere £209. That's still a fair amount of cash, but it's less than half what you'll likely pay for the privilege of owning something like the HTC One X later this year. It's also around £350 less than the initial asking price for the GSM EVO 3D when it launched last August. Despite its discounted price, the EVO still packs some impressive specs. There's a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 chip inside, a 4.3-inch qHD 3D display, dual 5-megapixel 3D cameras, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and HTC Sense 3. And as we mentioned in our review, the GSM version boasts excellent battery life. Like many other leading HTC handsets, it's due an update to Ice Cream Sandwich later this year, too. If you're not planning on holding out for the next wave of high-end Android phones, we can certainly think of worse ways of spending 200 quid. Source: Asda Direct

Deal of the Day: 50% off Qmadix Metalix Snap-On Cover for Droid RAZR Posted: 06 Mar 2012 07:08 AM PST Grab the Qmadix Metalix Snap-on Cover for Motorola Droid RAZR for $14.95 today only.  That's $15 off the list price! The Qmadix Metalix Snap-On Cover adds style, sophistication and protection to your Droid RAZR.  The durable but lightweight, textured polycarbonate border helps to keep a firm grip on your device. Aluminum alloy accents enhance the look of the RAZR without adding bulk. Available in black, gray, blue, and purple.  Take advantage of this limited time deal while supplies last! List price: $29.99          Today: $14.95

Amazon App Store hits v2.2.0 with new notification settings, improved app compatibility checks Posted: 06 Mar 2012 06:46 AM PST It's been a while since the last Amazon App Store update was pushed out and it seems Amazon has been working on some improvements in that time. The latest update pushes the Amazon App Store into v2.2.0 and brings some welcomed changes with it aside from the usual bug fixes and stability improvements: New notifications settings: Enable or disable notifications for - Download and Installation, App updates, Status Bar. Improved messaging regarding payment options. Improved app compatibility checks. Overall a decent update, especially to the notification system that more or less harassed you each and every second until you attended to them. Plus, app compatibility checks will hopefully help against wasting your time in downloading an app that simply won't work for your device. The update is live now, so go ahead and check for updates or hit the source link to head on over to Amazon and grab the download. Source: Amazon read more

Ice Cream Sandwich adoption grows ever so slightly in February, Gingerbread up a bit, too Posted: 06 Mar 2012 05:18 AM PST Google's just released the Android platform version statistics for the two weeks ending March 5. As a reminder, these are representative of the entire Android ecosystem and comprise devices that have accessed the Android Market within the last 14 days, so these would be "active" devices. Here's the breakdown: Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.x): Up a little more than half a percentage point to 1.6 percent. That encompasses Android 4.0 through Android 4.0.3. Honeycomb (Android 3.x): Dropped 0.1 percent to 3.3 percent total. That change should be due to the Motorola Xoom and ASUS Transformer and Transformer Prime getting their ICS updates. Gingerbread (Android 2.3): Saw some decent growth, actually, from 58.6 percent in February to 62 percent today. Froyo (Android 2.2): Falls a couple of percentage points to 25.3 percent. Eclair (Android 2.1): Fell a percentage point to 6.6 percent. Donut (Android 1.6) and Cupcake (Android 1.5): Combine for 1.2 percent of active devices. Who's still using these? And here's a full look at last month's numbers. We'd imagine Ice Cream Sandwich percentage will start trending up now that we've got a new crop of phones on the way, but there's no denying that upgrades are taking entirely too long.  Source: Android Developers

HTC One X and One S will launch on every UK network Posted: 06 Mar 2012 03:03 AM PST One X and S headed to all five major carriers; O2 and Three will range the entry-level HTC One V If you're hoping to get your hands on an HTC One series phone in the UK, it looks like you'll be spoiled for choice -- O2, Three, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile have all indicated that they'll carry the One X and One S. For the price-conscious, the HTC One V will also be available on O2 and Three. O2 and T-Mobile are listing an April launch date for the One series, while others simply say it's "coming soon." The One X is HTC's flagship device for 2012, with a quad-core Tegra 3 CPU, a 4.7-inch 720p screen, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and a brand new version of HTC Sense. The One S takes a small step back from the bleeding edge of tech, with its Snapdragon S4 dual-core chip and a 4.3-inch qHD display. Across the entire HTC One range, the manufacturer's delivering Beats Audio support and some fancy new camera technology. In the U.S., AT&T will get an LTE-toting version of the One X with a Snapdragon S4 chip instead of Tegra 3, while T-Mobile USA will range the One S. In the UK, though, it's a far cry from last year's situation, in which Vodafone had a one-month lead on other networks with the HTC Sensation. Given that all five networks will be vying for our attention with such a highly-anticipated series of phones, the result should be better deals for consumers. If you're considering picking up one of HTC's shiny new toys, shout out in the comments. And if you haven't already, check out our hands-on coverage of the One X, One S and One V from Mobile World Congress.

Samsung announces the Galaxy Pocket, a 2.8-inch entry-level smartphone for the UK Posted: 06 Mar 2012 02:31 AM PST Because it's been at least six days since Samsung announced its last Android smartphone, here's the Galaxy Pocket -- an entry-level device in an extremely compact form factor, sporting a tiny 2.8-inch display. The Pocket runs on an 800MHz processor, just like the Galaxy Mini 2, though due to its diminutive size, screen resolution is limited to a stomach-churning 320x240 (QVGA). It's also got a 2MP rear camera, 3GB internal storage (expandable via microSD card), and a 1200mAh battery. The presence of HSPA support on 900MHz and 2100MHz only suggests the Galaxy Pocket won't be venturing too far outside of Europe. On the software side, you get the standard blend of Android 2.3 Gingerbread and Samsung's TouchWiz UX layer. You probably won't want to hold your breath for an Ice Cream Sandwich update any time soon. So it's very much an entry-level handset, and we'd expect that to be reflected in the price when this device launches later this year. Samsung has so far only confirmed that the Galaxy Pocket will be available in the UK, but we wouldn't be too surprised to see a wider European launch either. Head past the break for today's press release in full. read more

HTC Vivid to get ICS in the 'coming weeks', leak available for the brave Posted: 06 Mar 2012 12:03 AM PST The HTC Vivid should be seeing Ice Cream Sandwich shortly, and if you're the brave type there's a leak out in the wild you can flash today. When HTC and AT&T announced the HTC One X was coming to AT&T, there was a small part in the press release about the Vivid and it's ICS update, and that's been reinforced today in a press release for a new Beats Audio wireless speaker system exclusive for AT&T. The paragraph reads as follows: Additionally, an enhanced audio experience will soon be available to HTC Vivid™ customers in the coming weeks.  Sound engineers at Beats Dr. Dre and software engineers at HTC have teamed up to bring an improved audio experience to the HTC Vivid through an upcoming software update that will provide Android 4.0, an updated HTC Sense experience and Beats By Dr. Dre audio profiles.  While "coming weeks" is a pretty vague term, it may be closer that anyone expects. A Vivid user was presented with an OTA update to Ice Cream Sandwich, and had the foresight to capture the file and hand it over to the hacking community. It's been converted to a flashable form, but there's a great big warning attached as it requires a different hboot with no reliable way to get back. Between the few reports of bricked devices, most people say the update is decent, bringing the Vivid to Android 4.0.3 and Sense to 3.6.   If you're the type who has to try things, be sure to read very carefully lest you have a shiny black HTC Vivid to add to the Android bone pile. If you're the more cautious type or haven't rooted your $600 phone (we don't blame you), hopefully you'll be seeing an update soon. In either case, follow along at the links below. Source: XDA Developers; via Android Central forums

Late-night poll: Who should make the next Nexus phone? Posted: 05 Mar 2012 10:51 PM PST There's been rumors running rampant lately about the next Nexus phone, and just who might be making it. While it's a bit early to guess, we all have a preference, and it's always OK to wish -- just don't expect any predictions. OEMs showed us a lot to like during MWC 2012, and some of the new designs surely turned some heads (that HTC One S looks like a real winner to this blogger) and we can't help but wish for a Nexus phone with some of the style we've seen so far in 2012. So what say you, savvy Android users that you are? Do you want a throwback to the original Nexus with a unibody design from HTC? Or want a Motorola unit with bulletproof cell radio and voice quality? Personally, I've always wanted to see some LG hardware with stock Android right from Google on-board, but I'd be just as happy to see another Super AMOLED model from Samsung -- I'm a sucker for a pretty face. Tell us all who you would pick for the next Nexus partner -- someone has to be right!

Official TED app for Android now available with streaming video and audio Posted: 05 Mar 2012 09:05 PM PST Many people draw inspiration from a lot of different areas in the world. Looking to gather up those inspired thinkers is the TED Talks conferences that have been happening globally since 1984. Whether you're looking to hear Bill Gates talk about energy or Steve Jobs talk about how to live your life before you die or even how Jamie Oliver thinks you should teach every kid about food - there is something for everyone in the content available from TED. That content has now been all wrapped up in an Android app available now in the Android Market. Sticking to basics with design, TED has rolled out their app all while keeping a pretty straightforward Ice Cream Sandwich layout within. While the app does look basic, it certainly does deliver on the content. You can stream audio and video as well as search for anything you may be interested in with ease or if you're not looking for any talks specifically, you can just check out what's popular and browse through the content that way. TED is available as a free download, and will work on Android tablets as well as phones. If you're looking for some inspiration, jump on past the break and grab the download. Thanks, Derek! read more