Sunday, April 15, 2012

Update - 151



Posted: 06 Mar 2012 02:00 PM PST
mass-effect-infiltrator-630
Sadly, it now sounds like Borderlands 2 is not coming to Android so now we need a new epic game to get our hopes up for. EA Mobile looks to fill that void with their new flagship, action RPG title Mass Effect Infiltrator. The game just launched today on iOS, but EA Mobile has finally started to take Android serious and we expect a port in the coming months.
Infiltrator is based on the popular Mass Effect series and features a new story line exclusively for mobile devices. This time you take the role of Randall Ezno, a rogue agent who has vowed to bring Cerberus down. EA promises a console-like experience that offers groundbreaking graphics and intensified audio.
Highlights of Mass Effect Infiltrator include:
  • Explore the massive exteriors of a fully realized Cerberus Base
  • Dive and roll between cover with simple swipe gestures
  • Use intuitive tap controls to battle Turians, Asari, Krogans, Droids and Cerberus
  • Engage in epic Boss Battles against Cerberus Mechs and twisted experiment victims
  • Take control of a massive arsenal of weapons and Biotics
  • Earn credits for your performance in every combat encounter
  • Collect valuable Intel from slain foes and upload it to Galaxy At War
  • Improve your chances in the final battle of Mass Effect 3 – on the go
While you wait for this game be sure to pick up EA Mobile’s The Sims FreePlay and Dead Space (on sale for $0.49). Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think.



Posted: 06 Mar 2012 01:37 PM PST
samsung-exynos-5250
Several months ago it looked like Samsung would unveil their 2012 flagship products at Mobile World Congress, but then the Korean company decided to hold off. Now Samsung has said they will announce the successor to the Galaxy S II (and maybe the rumored Galaxy Tab 11.6) sometime in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the products.
For what it’s worth, I agree with Samsung’s new strategy. By avoiding the Mobile World Congress circus, consumers are still talking about the rumored Galaxy S III more than any other device that recently got announced. Using our buyer’s guides as evidence, Samsung still offers the best Android phone on every major US carrier and there is no need to rush out new devices.
When the time finally comes for the rumored Galaxy S III and Galaxy Tab 11.6, Samsung is poised to offer best in class processing and graphics performance. With their new Exynos 5250 system-on-a-chip, Samsung should be the first to utilize ARM’s new Cortex-A15 CPU core and Mali-T604 GPU. The chip goes into mass production next quarter and the CPU+GPU combination is expected to trounce anything else available at the time.
Samsung’s biggest competitor is Apple, so they are eagerly waiting on the big iPad 3 (or iPad HD?) announcement tomorrow to see how they will respond. Last year Samsung re-designed the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the span of one month to be thinner than the iPad 2, and I assume they will be trying to top Apple again.
Apple’s latest tablet is expected to feature a 9.7 inch retina display with 2048 x 1536 resolution, but Samsung also has their own next-gen display with 2560 × 1600 resolution (WXQGA).
There are all kinds of rumors about Apple’s next processor, possibly called the A6 or A5x. Speculation suggest it will either be a quad-core Cortex-A9 part, or maybe even a dual-core Cortex-A15 part. Apple has always been a leader in graphics performance using technology from Imagination Technologies’ PowerVR series, and that is expected to continue.

However, Samsung seems pretty confident in sticking with ARM-designed GPUs. In an interview with ARM blogger Katie Morgan, Samsung boasted about their upcoming Exynos processors. Massimiliano Villani, Senior Manager Mobile Marketing for Samsung, said “We benchmarked several GPUs and we found that the overall architecture of the Mali family provided by ARM is nowadays the best in class for GPU performance.”
Villani didn’t specify which ARM GPU would be used in the Exynos 5250, but we already reported from CES that Samsung is going with the Mali-T604. This GPU delivers up to 5x performance improvement over previous Mali graphics processors and is scalable up to 4 cores.
Hopefully, we will learn more details about Samsung’s upcoming products soon. Samsung just revealed some kind of special announcement for March 9th, but we think that is too soon to talk about any new flagship products.
I know I’ll be following Apple’s big event tomorrow to see what gets announced. Do you think it’s important for Samsung to try and beat Apple in GPU performance, or should they focus their efforts in other areas?


Posted: 06 Mar 2012 01:12 PM PST
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It appears Apple is having a bit of a change of heart when it comes to the excessive amounts of litigation they’ve been unloading against Android handset makers lately.
According to a report in The Dow Jones, Apple has offered both Motorola Mobility and Samsung Electronics Co. a licensing deal ranging from $5 to $15 per device sold as a means of settling pending patent litigation with these companies around the world. The royalty fees represent 1 – 2.5% of device sales, and are on par with the fees Motorola is seeking to charge Apple (2.5%) for Apple’s violation of certain Motorola patents.
The licensing deal talks come in the midst of court victories on both sides, with Apple winning an injunction against HTC per an ITC ruling, as well as a victory against Motorola for devices that infringed upon one of Apple’s Slide to Unlock patent. Motorola has secured a victory or two against Apple as well, most recently against Apple’s iCloud and MobileMe push email for iOS devices, forcing Apple to shut down these services in Germany.
While we hope that Apple, Samsung, and Motorola can figure out some way to play nice and let the patent madness stop, we have a hard time believing we’ll see that vision become a reality. All parties involved seem to be bolstering their patent portfolios, and we’ll likely see Google venture into the lawsuit foray once they’ve secured Motorola’s patents in their acquisition of Motorola Mobility.
We’ll bring you all the patent news that’s fit to print as more information comes out. In the meantime, let’s get a discussion going in the comments. How crazy do you think all this patent litigation is? Will we ever see a revamped patent system in the U.S.?


Posted: 06 Mar 2012 12:16 PM PST
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Samsung Mobile just sent out a press release to let us know they will make an “exciting special announcement” at 4:00 PM CST on March 9th. Whatever is going down, it will happen in the Samsung Blogger Lounge at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. Samsung Mobile is scheduled to present at the gdgt Live party we are attending on March 12th, so be sure to RSVP and maybe you can get a glance at whatever they have to show.
We always love to speculate, but how about we let you guys figure it out. Any guesses as to what Samsung might announce?
Show Press Release

SAMSUNG TAKES ART AND COMMUNICATIONS TO NEW LEVELS AT SXSW WITH THE GALAXY NOTE
At SXSW, Samsung will show how art, technology and communications come together with #FEED and launch #BeNoteworthy
DALLAS – March 6, 2012 – Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.1 is showcasing its latest world-class, innovative mobile device, the Galaxy Note, at SXSW. From March 9 – 18, 2012 in Austin, TX there will be various opportunities to experience the device everyone is talking about, as it combines the best features of a smartphone with a larger viewing screen and allows for new ways to capture, create and share content.
The Galaxy Note includes a creative tool called the S Pen, which delivers fast, responsive and precise control to create fine lines and detail on the device display, allowing for communication in new ways. Users can make their own love notes, write a shopping list, crop a photo, create a vibrant multimedia memo and even take notes directly on the screen during phone calls. The S Pen opens a new world for gamers, allowing for easy and more accurate control than ever before, while offering a brilliant viewing experience on the Galaxy Note's 5.3-inch screen. For Galaxy Note users, Samsung Apps provides the best place to find apps uniquely suited for their device – including those "Made for S Pen" – applications designed to take advantage of the precision control and writing instrument for the Galaxy Note, the S Pen.
Special Announcement: March 9, 4:00 p.m.
On Friday, March 9 at 4:00 p.m. in the Samsung Blogger Lounge (Austin Convention Center, room 19AB), Samsung will make a special announcement. Details will be released soon.
Samsung Mobile Presents: #FEED powered by Twitter
Learned Evolution will host Samsung Mobile Presents: #FEED powered by Twitter at Austin Museum of Art – Arthouse at the Jones Center in Austin, TX. The ten-day community experience will run from Friday, March 9 to Sunday, March 18, 2012, spanning the Interactive, Film, and Music segments of SXSW. Samsung Mobile will integrate the Galaxy Note to show how technology, art and communication come together in new ways.
Through the partnership with #FEED, Samsung has integrated the Galaxy Note throughout the museum for attendees to experience the superphone in new and innovative ways, in addition to hosting a @DAY event and a @NIGHT party.
During the ten-day program, there will be #FEEDart installations at the AMOA for visitors to view works from the world's leading interactive artists. Attendees can experience the superphone through a test drive program where each Galaxy Notes will be installed with Sonic Notify, a real time interactive presence aware application integrating every installation at #FEED. Additionally, the #BeNoteworthy lounge allows attendees to sit down, recharge at a Samsung charging station, and view content from the Noteworthy Project series as well as the #BeNoteworthy influencer program (details on #BeNoteworthy below).
@NIGHT Party: March 9th, 9:00 p.m: Samsung will be hosting our @NIGHT party on Friday March 9th at the AMOA to kickoff SXSW. Entertainment will include Remix Artist Collective, Eclectic Method, and Ernest Gonzalez. The party, which is open to the public, will highlight the Galaxy Note.
@DAY Event: March 10th, 2:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Samsung will host an event at the #FEED rooftop at the AMOA with several of our partners.
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.: #BeNoteworthy Launch Party featuring Hugh McLeod of Gapingvoid.com along with #BeNoteworthy influencers. Hugh will be featuring and creating his iconic art work on-site and in real-time.
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Meet & Greet with Samsung and a special guest (to be announced soon). There will be an exclusive demo of a new interactive experience for attendees.
#BeNoteworthy Project
From March 9 – 13, Samsung Mobile will equip several influencers with a Galaxy Note to use for inspiration and to create, consume and share content and ideas in new ways. Participants of #BeNoteworthy include Hugh McLeod, Guy Kawasaki and Soraya Darabi, among others. Each will be capturing and posting inspiring content throughout SXSW with a Galaxy Note and sharing them via the #BeNoteworthy Twitter hashtag. To meet the influencers, and hear more, please join the @DAY event at the rooftop of the AMOA (details above).
App Developer Meet-up
Samsung will hold an app developer meet-up on Sunday, March 11 from 10:45 – 11:45 a.m. in the Samsung Blogger Lounge (Austin Convention Center, room 19AB). Developers can come and meet Samsung's developer team to ask questions and learn about developing for apps for Samsung. Samsung recently announced the Galaxy Note S Pen App Challenge for developers to create S Pen integrated apps for the Galaxy Note using the S Pen Software Developer Kit. Winners of the Galaxy Note S Pen App Challenge will split more than $200,000 in cash and prizes, with a grand prize of $100,000.
About the Galaxy Note
The Galaxy Note is designed with a 5.3-inch display with HD Super AMOLED technology, a high-resolution screen that provides a bright, rich, colorful viewing experience. The Galaxy Note includes a tool called the S Pen™, which delivers fast, responsive and precise control to create fine lines and detail on the device display, much like an ink pen and pad of paper. These core mobile benefits of various devices and utilization of AT&T's 4G LTE* network creates a premium user experience.
Follow Samsung Mobile on Twitter @SamsungMobileUS.


Posted: 06 Mar 2012 11:34 AM PST
verizon-update-calendar
Wondering if your Verizon device will receive Ice Cream Sandwich? Today the carrier announced 14 devices which have all been confirmed to receive Android 4.0. If only every carrier were this proactive about their Android updates.
No dates for the upgrades were provided, but based on the timelines of the manufactures we expect some could arrive as early as this month. Verizon tells their customers that they should follow @VZWNews on Twitter for additional upgrade announcements.
HTC:
  • HTC ThunderBolt
  • DROID Incredible 2 by HTC
  • HTC Rhyme
  • HTC Rezound
Motorola:
  • Motorola XOOM
  • DROID BIONIC
  • DROID RAZR
  • DROID RAZR MAXX
  • DROID 4
  • DROID XYBOARD 8.2
  • DROID XYBOARD 10.1
Samsung:
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7
LG:
  • Spectrum by LG
For more info on Android updates, check out our official upgrade lists for Samsung, HTC, and Motorola.


Posted: 06 Mar 2012 11:04 AM PST
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To celebrate the new Google Play store, dozens of Android applications and games have gone on sale for only $0.49. This is a limited promotion, so go take advantage of the low prices while you can. Let us know your favorite pics in the comments below.
My top pics include Shadowgun, Osmos HD, Asphalt 6, Dead Space, and NOVA 2.
Update: This sale spans all types of content. From the Google blog: “To celebrate, we'll be offering a different album, book, video rental and Android app at a special price each day for the next week in our "7 Days to Play" sale. In the U.S., today's titles include the collection of top 40 hits Now That’s What I Call Music 41, the popular game Where’s My Water, the novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and the movie Puncture for just 25 cents each. In addition, you’ll find great collections of hip-hop, rock and country albums for $3.99 all week, detective novels from $2.99, some of our editorial team’s favorite movies from 99 cents, and our favorite apps from 49 cents.”


Posted: 06 Mar 2012 10:45 AM PST
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Mobile World Congress was huge for HTC, but as you may have noticed there is not much news floating around this week. Fortunately for all of you, we did a little digging and came across a video on YouTube which you may find interesting. We’ve seen a few benchmark scores from the HTC One S already, but now we have a few videos which walk us through benchmarks from Quadrant, Linpack and AnTuTu and Nenamark2 on both the HTC One X and HTC One S.
Before we dive into the videos, we’d like to stress that benchmark scores do not always give a clear representation as to how a handset will perform with specific games or applications, but they do give us an idea of what the handset should technically be capable of. With that being said, here's a quick look at the numbers.

HTC One X benchmarks

  • Quadrant: 4,560
  • Linpack: 62
  • AnTuTu: 10,112
  • Nenamark2: 52.0 fps

HTC One S benchmarks

  • Quadrant: 4,828
  • Nenamark2: 60.6 fps
The quad-core Tegra 3 processor inside the HTC One X should produce higher scores than the dual-core S4 processor in the HTC One S on all of these benchmarks, however the resolution difference plays a huge role in 3D benchmarks since the graphics are rendered at native resolutions. The 4.7-inch (1280 x 720) on the One X features 78% more pixels that the 4.3-inch (960 x 540) display on the One S. It’ll be interesting to see the benchmark numbers for the QualcommS4 powered HTC One X which is heading to AT&T this spring.
The benchmark scores for the two HTC One phones clearly show that the Tegra 3 and Qualcomm S4 chips are a lot more powerful than the processors found in last year's phones. We're not ready to declare a winner yet between the two, but we're definitely excited to get out hands on more phones powered by both chips.
What do you think about the benchmark scores for the two phones? Will your purchase decision be influenced at all by the numbers?


Posted: 06 Mar 2012 10:15 AM PST
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There were rumors that Google Play might be the name for Google’s upcoming 7-inch tablet, but it turns out it’s actually a “digital entertainment destination where you can find, enjoy and share your favorite music, movies, books and apps on the web and on your Android phone or tablet.”
Today in a company blog post Google announced the Android Market will now be called the Play Store, Google Music will become Play Music, Google Books will become Play Books, and the Video App will turn into Play Movies.

The new Google Play icons.
Google Play is already live on the web and it will be rolling out to devices with Android 2.2 or higher over the coming days. All content and apps in your existing account will remain in your account, but will transition to Google Play.
Right now, it looks like the countries that have access to Google Play will remain the same for different types of content. Google said they are working to expand support to new markets, but they don't have a specific timeline to share.
Types of content by country include:
  • Paid Apps: Available in these countries
  • Movies: Available in US, UK, Canada, and Japan
  • eBooks: Available in US, UK, Canada, and Australia
  • Music: Available in US
It appears this change in strategy is to emphasize that Google’s content can now be accessed on any computer with a modern browser and not just Android devices. Users can read books on the Google Play web reader, listen to music on their computer or watch movies online. All the content is stored in Google’s cloud, so you can access it anywhere with your Google account.
"This is really an acknowledgement that these experiences are relevant not just for a mobile environment but across the web," said Jamie Rosenberg, Google's director of digital content, in an interview with Marketing Land.
Let us know if you see the new Google Play appear on your device in the comments below.
Developing…



Posted: 06 Mar 2012 08:07 AM PST
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Heading into Mobile World Congress, the ASUS Padfone was one of the devices that I was most looking forward to playing with. I loved the ASUS Transformer Prime, so I figured the Padfone could be a hit too. However, what I found in Barcelona did not impress me.
The modular concept of the Padfone is a great idea on paper, but the final product might need a couple of revisions before it finds success. Where the Transformer Prime was sleek and sexy, the Padfone is fat and ugly. I found the Padfone with tablet station and keyboard dock to be extremely heavy, but most of that weight is for the batteries that can boost capacity by 9x.

The ASUS Padfone + tablet station + keyboard dock
I kind of see the appeal of expanding your smartphone view to a 10-inch display, but we will have to wait on the final pricing of the tablet station to see how practical that will become. ASUS also touted the benefits of one data plan for two devices, but I don’t know if US carriers would allow that. Back when AT&T released the Motorola Atrix, they charged extra to get mobile data on the lapdock accessory.
Overall, the Padfone will live or die based on how the carriers price the accessories and the mobile data plans. For someone like me that already uses a tablet and smartphone, there is not much desire for the Padfone as it is currently designed. Show me something new like a 13 to 14-inch laptop station for my smartphone, and then maybe I’ll be interested.
Check out the hands-on video of the Padfone below and let us know what you think. What price would you be willing to pay for the Padfone, tablet station, and keyboard dock?

asus-padfone-1 asus-padfone-2 asus-padfone-3 asus-padfone-4 asus-padfone-5 asus-padfone-6 asus-padfone-7 asus-padfone-8 asus-padfone-9 asus-padfone-10 asus-padfone-11 asus-padfone-12 asus-padfone-13 asus-padfone-14 asus-padfone-15 asus-padfone-16 The Padfone + tablet station + keyboard dock. The ASUS Padfone + tablet station + keyboard dock


Posted: 06 Mar 2012 07:44 AM PST
updates-market
If you’ve ever downloaded a game on the Android Market, you’ve probably noticed that most of the more complex games make you download large files the first time you launch the application. This has been a source of frustration for many Android users, especially when you take into account Android’s 15 minute refund window which begins as soon as the application is downloaded to your phone. Adding a 1GB download to an application can easily eat up most or all of that 15 minute window, leaving you with sunk costs if you don’t actually enjoy the game.
The reason these downloads outside the market exist is because Google has limited the maximum application size for any app on the market to 50MB, hardly enough space for most modern games. As a result, game developers have had to host the additional files needed to run the game on their servers, and users are stuck downloading extra game resources directly from the source.
Yesterday, Google announced that they would be increasing the application size limit to 4GB, though the maximum APK (the core application itself) file size will remain 50MB. Developers will be able to add two expansion files, each with a maximum allowable file size of 2GB. The announcement comes a staggering 10 months after they announced this change would be coming back at Google I/O in May 2011.
This change benefits both Android users and developers. For consumers, you’ll be able to see the total download size directly in the market, and the 15 minute refund window will begin after all files are downloaded, allowing you to truly try out the game before buying. This change only affects newer devices, and older devices will still have to download the extra files via an external download server (though one powered by Google).
Developers will now be able to host all files related to the application on Google’s servers, freeing up space and capacity on their servers for coming up with the next great thing in Android (or, you know, whatever else you’d need server space/capacity for).
For more information on the change, be sure to head over to the Android Developers Blog and read up to your heart’s content.


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