Posted: 07 Mar 2012 02:26 AM PST  Verizon has always surprised us when it comes to Android updates. Whether they are incremental versions or big chunks of valuable content, Big Red always knows how to keep customers happy, with relatively timely updates and clear announcements of what's to come. Today, the largest carrier in the U.S. announced the official list of devices that will receive upgrades to Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich. The upgrade list contains twelve names (mostly LTE devices), and, amongst them, we spotted several exciting Motorola and HTC devices, while Samsung is represented by a smartphone and two tablets. Since its arrival in December 2011, Android ICS made quite a stir in the tech world, but had little impact on the actual users. The massive revamp was introduced with Samsung's Galaxy Nexus, developed in close collaboration with Google, back in October. The declared purpose (besides adding over 200 new features) of Ice Cream Sandwich was to unite the tablet and smartphone flavors of Android under one well-optimized flag. Google's move towards unification was long overdue, with competing products like iOS and Windows Phone already taking steps in the same direction. Months have passed and, as with all previous updates, carriers worldwide are experiencing delays in rolling out the newest flavor of Android to their devices. Even if six months have passed since Google unveiled Android 4.0, ICS still fails to make a truly significant impact on the market. The latest studies show that only 1.6% of all mobile devices run Ice Cream Sandwich, most of these devices belonging to the Nexus series. Meanwhile, the vast majority of Android smartphones and tablets is still running Gingerbread (2.3) or, even worse, Froyo (2.2). Most carriers struggle to roll out Ice Cream Sandwich to users, or (who knows) even hold it back intentionally, to give customers a gentle nudge towards purchasing the Galaxy Nexus. This makes Verizon one of the firsts telcos to speak officially about the ICS update. Big Red just announced the official Android 4.0 line-up, and we can happily say that almost all big names are covered: Phones:
By the looks of it, Verizon's list is probably the final version, so don't put your hopes too high if your device is not mentioned. Of course, for those who find themselves out of the official line-up, there's always a dark side that you can join. CyanogenMod 9, anyone? No related posts. This article, Wondering If Your Verizon Device Is Upgradable to Android ICS? Big Red Answers , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 07 Mar 2012 01:05 AM PST  Sarah Tew/CNET There isn’t much of a difference between the Motorola Droid Razr and the Motorola Razr MAXX, although we can say that the latter’s battery performance is ten times better than its younger Razr counterpart. If however, you have the old Motorola Droid Razr but want to get the battery life of the MAXX, you can now do so by taking the battery and the battery door from the Droid Razr MAXX and replace that of the Droid Razr. This has been successfully done by Wardo5757, who is an XDA Senior Member. Now isn’t that enough assurance that he knows exactly what he’s doing?  However, do keep in mind that such method has its dangers and it is your responsibility to do all the necessary research first before attempting this. Failure to do so can cause serious damage to your unit, battery, and its battery door because first, the battery door is not that easy to open plus the battery is tightly sealed in. Although both parts are removable, this can only be done if you have the right tools and the courage to do it. After successfully removing the guts from your Razr MAXX, you can then easily transplant the battery door and the battery itself from the MAXX to your Droid Razr. If there’s any downside to this process, it would be the small gap between the battery cover and the SIM card door. Although this does not affect the phone’s performance at all, do keep in mind that it will affect your Razr’s resistance to dirt and water. Good luck and let us know if you try it! No related posts. This article, Boost Your Droid Razr’s Life with a Razr MAXX Battery Transplant , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 07 Mar 2012 12:52 AM PST  Google has never been the one to shy away from releasing data of active Android devices and of their respective Android versions. In fact, the Android OS distribution data is updated every fortnight on the company's developer page. Reported first by Mobile Syrup, here's the latest data for the week ending of March 5. You won't find any surprises, since the outcome is one that is rather predictable. No drum rolls required here — at 62 percent, Gingerbread still reigns supreme as the dominating flavor in the Android space. That’s not the case with Ice Cream Sandwich, as the latest version of Android still gets little love from users and manufacturers. The number of devices running ICS accounts only for a paltry 1.6% of the total, a slight increase over the 1% figures we saw at the beginning of the month. Meanwhile, close to two years after its first release, 25.3% of Android devices are still running Android 2.2 Froyo. The less said about the tablet OS that never was, Honeycomb, the better. But just in case you’re wondering, the three variants of Honeycomb contributed to a grand total of 3.3% market share.  How well does ICS measure up to past Android desserts? We'll let the numbers do the talking. Released on May 2010, Froyo was already running on 28.7 percent of Android smartphones by September 2010, or 4 months after its release. On the other hand, by its fifth month of availability, Gingerbread was found only on 1.7% of Android devices. Notice some similarity there? Though things didn't get off to a good start either for Gingerbread, its market performance did improve drastically later, and it crossed the 50% barrier by November 2011. We do understand that the Android landscape has changed significantly in the last year or so with the introduction of tablets, phablets, and what not. We just hope that manufacturers can get their act together and start roll out the ICS update sooner, rather than later. No related posts. This article, Gingerbread Is Still Most Popular Android Flavor, ICS Lags Way Behind , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Mar 2012 12:07 PM PST  With help from U.S. Circuit Judge Richard A. Posner, Apple might have won an important battle in their ongoing patent war against Google. What's interesting is that Apple used their legal battle with Motorola to get to Google, based on the recent merger of the latter. Just in case you are not aware of this yet, Apple is suing (with limited success this far) almost every smartphone producer out there for supposedly broken patents. In a patent lawsuit filed by Apple against Motorola Mobility in 2010 and ruled on Tuesday in Chicago, Posner ordered Google and Motorola to hand over data regarding their merger, as well as info regarding the development of the Android OS. Exactly what Apple is hoping to learn from this is unclear at this point, but according Apple's lawyers, "the Android/Motorola acquisition discovery is highly relevant to Apple's claims and defenses". Most likely, Apple wants to uncover other patents that they can attack in court, but this is just a supposition. Although both EU and U.S. authorities gave their "go" on Google's acquisition of Motorola, the deal is still under review, pending acceptance and finalization by the end of the month. During the past few weeks though, Google has struggled to make it crystal-clear that Motorola will be treated as a separate entity, a lot like a third-party manufacturer, if you will. Motorola has opposed Apple's initial request to learn details of the merger, invoking exactly the same reason: "Google's employees and documents are not within the 'possession, custody, or control' of Motorola, and Motorola cannot force Google to produce documents or witnesses over Google's objections". The Motorola/Google vs Apple patent war is far from over though, as the same judge has scheduled two back-to-back trials (with separate juries) starting June 11'th. One trial will address six Apple patents supposedly broken by Motorola, while the other will address three Motorola patents supposedly broken by Apple. No related posts. This article, Google And Motorola Ordered To Share Android Development Data With Apple , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Mar 2012 11:08 AM PST  You know those rumors suggesting that the upcoming Nexus tablet will be called Google Play? They were so wrong!Google just announced the launch of a new all-encompassing cloud service named Google Play, which will include the former Android Market, Google Music, and Google Ebookstore. From what we’ve seen Google Play is similar to iTunes, as it’s designed to be a central depository for all your media and apps. However, you’ll be able to access your Google Play content from any device. For example, you’ll be able to read books on your tablet and switch to your smartphone at any time. You will be able to watch streaming movies, or download them locally for offline viewing. The same goes for music. Google calls Play "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". In other words, Google Play is meant to be a unified media destination that gives you universal access to your music, videos, ebooks, or apps, no matter if you're accessing them from your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or smart TV. Here's what you'll be able to do with Google Play, according to the official Google Blog:
Say Hello to Google Play Store (depending on where you live)In the coming weeks, Google will roll out major changes: Android Market will become Google Play Store, while Google's other services/apps will become respectively Google Play Movies, Google Play Books, and Google Play Music.All your previously acquired media and apps will remain available in Google Play. A big caveat: the type of media you will find in Google Play depends on your location:
Google Play Launches with “7 Days to Play” SaleGoogle is decided to make a splash with the new Google Play service, so they'll offer some goodies to draw users. The promotion is called "7 Days to Play" and will last (you guessed it) a week. In the U.S., the sale comes with full albums, movies, ebooks, and apps, each for just 25 cents. In addition, Google promised that other sales will run all week, giving you access to content at a reduced price. For more information, head over to http://play.google.com/about/. We'll keep you updated as we get more juicy details about the new Google Play service. [Update] The new Google Play is available from the Web, although the changes (except the Google Play logo) are minimal. Now, market.android.com redirects to https://play.google.com Changes to apps will come over the next week to devices running Android 2.2 or later. No related posts. This article, BOOM! Android Market Becomes Google Play Store, along with Google Music and Google Ebookstore [Updated] , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Mar 2012 09:04 AM PST  It’s ridiculously funny how people are willing to spend hours and hours trying to beat someone else's high score. I have to admit that I'm not really willing to spend even a few bucks just to play games. But, yes, I've been tempted many times, especially when I knew that the game was worth the price. Thankfully, there are awesome games in the Android Market that are not just fun, but free as well. So, if you’re tired of your boring life or you’re looking to get away for a minute, get a load of these highly entertaining and addictive games on the Android Market . Yes, they are all free. Fruit Ninja Fruit Ninja is a must-have game on any Android smartphone or tablet. As strange as it seems, even if the game was released last year, we are still addicted to the game. Fruit Ninja is an action-packed game that will let you lose yourself in a slashing frenzy. Slaughter all those fruits with a swipe of your finger, and watch how the fruity juices spat out on your screen. Be warned though: after a few hours of slicing fruits and avoiding the occasional bombs, you may end up hurting your fingers.  First things first — this game has nothing to do with the recent Mission Impossible movie. In Mission Impossible FREE, you play Jack, a secret agent who takes missions from his boss. Gangsters, guns, girls, money, armored vehicles – they are all in the game. The 2D-view gameplay makes the controls easy to master, and oftentimes, you will find yourself trying to cross each and every level with perfect scores. You could call Mission Impossible the "Jackass" version of the Android gaming world, so this game may not appeal to some. We love it anyway!  Yoo Ninja is a simple, yet addictive game that features a Ninja who runs around the screen to reach his objective. You can control the Ninja's movement by simply tapping the screen. Now, this game might sound simple enough, but Yoo Ninja! is actually very engaging. You will find yourself addicted to the Endless mode where your main goal is to reach the highest score, on an endless course. The Story mode in the game is engaging as well, but rather short, and there are no special cut scenes too look forward to. In the beginning, Yoo Ninja! is very easy, but as the story progresses, you may find yourself tapping your phone like a jackhammer to complete the levels.  If you love games like City Ville and Farm Ville, you will definitely love The Oregon Trail: Settler. It’s obvious that Gameloft has put quite a lot of work into this game. The animated details of the game are very crisp and cartoonish, just like City Ville’s. The aim is to build up your own town with the resources at hand. There are several mini-games within The Oregon Trail: Settler, and, just to spice things up, you’ll meet a few historical figures, as you make progress with your virtual colony.  Never mind the complex name. This game is addictive as hell and the graphics are outstanding on the Android platform. Your objective is simple: kill as many zombies as you can, without getting your brains eaten. Simple, huh? To compliment the hordes of rabid zombies and the 150 levels the game throws at you, there is a huge arsenal of weapons that you can unlock. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Although its name might sound a little funny at first, iGun Zombie: FPS + Weaponary is a game that you should definitely take seriously.  If you haven't tried out the previous versions of Zenonia, you have missed one of the hottest mobile RPG games ever developed. ZENONIA 4 is very similar to classic video games like Final Fantasy and Zelda, wherein users will travel to a magical world while fighting evil forces. The best thing about Zenonia is the story line and the gameplay, which can be described in a single word – addictive.  This game is for the Jersey guy or girl inside you. Basically, you will play the role of a wannabe star who tries to become an A-Lister, and, the only way to do it is to flirt, lie, cheat, and fight your way to the top. You start as an E-List actor who dreams of making it to the limelight. And the only way for you to get there is to manipulate people. You will be spending hours at a stretch meeting and talking to people, and trying to get them to help you reach the top. You will be working your way through movies and TV scenes, lining up for auditions, and occasionally poking at a trash can or a pigeon for hidden items. Who said that the life of a star is easy?  The Android version of Draw Something is just as addictive as its Facebook version. And there are lots of reasons why this game is a chart-topper in many countries. The concept of the Draw Something is very simple: just draw on the screen of your smartphone or tablet, and let the other players guess and figure it all out. Although the game has a lot of flaws at the moment, the developers are working hard to improve the gameplay. If you have a lot of time to kill, this is the game for you. That’s it – our top of the best addictive free games for Android! Let us know which one’s your favorite and if we missed any awesome free Android games! No related posts.This article, Best Addictive Free Games for Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Mar 2012 07:31 AM PST  Market research firm Gartner released today an analysis that predicts an explosion of integrated cloud services over the coming years. The "personal cloud", as Gartner calls the new wave of cloud services, will be integrated, by 2013, in 90% of all consumer devices, including TVs, tablets, smartphones, and PCs. According to Gartner VP Andrew Johnson, users will come to demand the so-called "4S" experience, consisting of storing, synching, streaming, and sharing content, regardless of the device used. The market is heading towards unifying the user experience across multiple screens, which will also affect how consumers are using cloud services. As users become more adept at using cloud services, they will demand universal access to content, as well as a seamless consuming experience that puts all technical aspects in the background. The Personal Cloud Revolution Is in Full SwingGartner's vision for the close future is based on current developments, such as the widespread use of Dropbox, Box, SugarSync, or other cloud storage/syncing services. Suggestively, all major cloud backup providers have recently announced improvements of their mobile offerings. For example, Box is offering (for a limited time) 50GB of free cloud storage space to any Android user that signs up for their service.Besides specialist players, the biggest tech companies in the world are also racing to deliver compelling cloud-based services. Apple's iCloud is an example of the universal access model in action, with Google Apps (and the upcoming Drive), Amazon Music, and Microsoft SkyDrive heading into the same direction. When Will We Rely Completely on Cloud Services for Storing Content?For now, Gartner estimates that the majority of users will continue to depend on internal storage. Don't expect traditional storage to disappear anytime soon – by 2014, only 10% of all users will rely on the cloud for their primary storing needs, even though personal cloud services will be available on virtually every connected device.Nevertheless, we can already see a trend forming. LTE (and to an extent, 3G) networks make possible easy, ubiquitous access to content (be it music, videos, or personal documents). With data centers becoming more efficient and capable, it's already easier and cheaper for manufacturers to provide cloud storage instead of on-device storage space. The storage space in smartphones and tablets weighs heavily in the final bill of materials of each device. For example, Barnes & Noble cut the internal storage of the Nook Tablet from 16GB to 8GB, which allowed the book specialist to reduce the cost of the Nook with $50. Other companies are adopting the same strategy. Just last week, we reported that HTC's One series smartphones would come with 25GB of free storage space from Dropbox, available for two years. Google's upcoming Nexus tablet will also probably come with relatively little internal storage space, leaving users reliant on the long rumored Google Drive cloud service. What Do You Think?Even if complete reliance on cloud storage is not an option yet, we can easily envision a future (five years from now, a decade?) in which the personal cloud becomes so widespread that it supersedes on-board storage.What do you think? Would you ever rely on the cloud to host your data? If not, what would convince you to do so? No related posts. This article, 90% of All Consumer Devices to Integrate Cloud Services by 2013 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Mar 2012 06:45 AM PST  Android developers of the world can rejoice on the good news that Google has finally increased the maximum file size of apps on the Android Market. The app size was previously pegged at 50MB, but now, it's been significantly upped to a total of 4GB. While the APK itself is still limited to 50MB, developers can now attach two expansion files to it, each with a maximum size of 2GB. How will the max size bump benefit developers? Aside from giving them more space for creativity, it can also mean significant cost savings for devs. Currently, when an APK is downloaded from the Android Market, users are often prompted to download additional data, which can go up to several gigabytes in size. Since the Market won't host the additional files, developers are forced to host these large files, on third-party servers, at their own expense. This bandwidth cost is what ultimately hurts developers the most. As for users, the increase of maximum app size will mean less hassle when downloading apps from the Market. We will no longer be fooled by the seemingly small size of an APK listed on the Market, only to be prompted later to manually download 2GB of additional data. From now on, all that data can be fully integrated into the APK and the expansion files. Moreover, installing apps from the Android Market is arguably safer than downloading data from a developer’s server. With Apple AppStore clocking in its 25 billionth download recently, Android Market is under constant pressure to play catch up with Apple’s platform, despite the fact that the two app stores were established at about the same time, back in 2008. According to Google ‘s most recent report from January, 11 billion apps have been downloaded from the Android Market. With a less restrictive file size for apps, and an ever increasing customer base, we can only hope that more and more quality apps will become available on our Android devices. Especially now, when we have all these amazing quad-core Android phones to put apps to the test. No related posts. This article, Google Increases App Size Limit on Android Market to 4GB , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Mar 2012 04:38 AM PST  As malware popped out, we've seen the Android Market being populated with more and more anti-malware apps, up to the point where "uneducated" Android users (remember that around 850,000 new Android devices are activated on a daily basis) could assume that installing any of the so-called anti-malware apps will solve their security problems. Unfortunately though, it seems that, in a similar way to PC antivirus software, many Android security solutions don't really help with catching and eliminating threats. A fresh report released by independent testing organization AV-Test shows that not all Android security apps perform with equal efficiency. In fact, some of them might not even work at all. How Efficient are Android Anti-Malware Solutions?The report classified Android anti-malware apps into several categories. The first group includes the apps that detected north of 90% of the 618 malicious .APK files included in the test. Among them, you'll recognize names like Avast, Dr. Web, Kaspersky, Ikarus, or F-Secure (all of them also have a desktop counterpart). However, you will also encounter some relatively new names in the anti-malware scene, such as Zoner and Lookout. All of the solutions in this top group are considered "golden" solutions against Android malware. The second category is made out of apps that detected between 65 and 90% of the malicious files. According to the report, apps in this category missed a couple of malware families that don't account as threats under certain environments. As was the case with the "golden" apps, popular AV solutions are included here (AVG, BitDefender, Norton, ESET, Trend Micro, Quickheal, Vipre and Webroot), as well as a couple of Android-only apps such as AegisLab and SuperSecurity. Despite the lower detection-rate (compared to the first category apps), you'll be quite safe with any of these apps installed. Stay Away from Fake “Anti-Malware” AppsThe report goes on to list apps that detected a smaller percentage of the malicious files. But the surprising part of the report outed by AV-Test is the fact that there are 6 apps that detected NONE of the threats. These fake Android Anti-Malware apps are: Android Antivirus, Android Defender, LabMSF Antivirus beta, MobileBot Antivirus, MT Antivirus, and MYAndroid Protection Antivirus. If you have one of these installed, you'd better remove them and install one of the apps that detected above 65% of the threats.How about you? What solution (if any) do you use to protect your Android device? Are you concerned about the rise of Android malware? No related posts. This article, Report Uncovers Fake Android AntiVirus Apps , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Update - 153
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