Sunday, April 15, 2012

Update - 201



Posted: 13 Mar 2012 01:51 AM PDT

The Koreans at Samsung have kept their word and today pushed out the long-awaited Ice Cream Sandwich update to Galaxy S2 owners in South Korea, with more countries expected to follow. As reported by The Verge, if you live in Poland, Sweden, Hungary, or the UK, there's a good chance you’ll get to enjoy that sweet taste of Ice Cream pretty soon.
According to the Samsung’s website, you can upgrade your Samsung Galaxy S2 to ICS through Kies or by waiting for the Over-The-Air upgrade. Those who are still running Kies version 1.5 are advised to update the PC sync software to the latest version, to ensure a smooth upgrade. Taking the Kies route allows you to save precious bandwidth, since the firmware file that must be downloaded is significantly smaller when compared to the OTA method.
Samsung Galaxy S2 is just the first on the company's long list of devices waiting to be upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich. The Koreans have mentioned that the upgrade to ICS will be prioritized for Samsung Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II LTE, and Galaxy R. As for the tablet lineup, ICS will come to the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 7.7, and Tab 7.0 Plus first.
Samsung initially announced that they won't be upgrading the Samsung Galaxy S and the original Galaxy Tab 7.0 due to hardware limitations. However, they quickly backtracked and said will reconsider their options, after the announcement was met with a tsunami of anger and disappointment from, umm, just about a couple of million owners of the two devices.
There's no date set yet for the upgrade, except for a rather vague Q2 2012. Alternatively, you can just get the Galaxy Nexus or Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 – the first smartphone and tablet offering from Samsung to feature ICS.
Do let us know if you've received your ICS update, as well as your location. This way we can pass on the good news to fellow Galaxy S2 owners.

This article, ICS update for Samsung Galaxy S2 is pushed out today , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 09:51 PM PDT

Nobody seems to have a perfect launch in the chip industry. Sometimes they get it right, sometimes they don’t. Their only consolation is that their competitors can have the same problem. We’ve been upset with Nvidia for delaying, for months at a time, both the Tegra 2 and Tegra 3 chips, but the others have had and have delays, too.
The OMAP 4460 at 1.5 Ghz was supposed to come out last fall, but so far we still haven’t seen it yet, and they’re likely to just skip it and jump straight to the OMAP 4470 for most of their customers, although Archos will probably continue with their delayed plan to offer a couple of OMAP 4460 tablets. The OMAP 5 was also promised for the next fall, but we’re likely to see it first early 2013 instead.
This brings me to the Qualcomm S4 production delay, that comes mostly because of issues with the transition to 28nm of TSMC. Nvidia has been burned before by being an early adopter of a next-gen processing node, and this might be why they chose to not have Tegra 3 on 28nm yet, but my guess is we’ll see something like Tegra 3+ sometime this summer on 28nm or 32nm, and Tegra 4 early next year.
There’s one chip maker that has been more fortunate so far, and that’s Samsung. I don’t recall any recent issues or delays with their chips, and if everything remains on track, their Cortex A15-based Exynos 5250 might take all the thunder from the launch of the S4 if it comes out around the same time.
If it does, then from what we know so far, there should be little reason for anyone to choose an S4 device over a Cortex A15 one – unless Samsung is moving too slow with it, and Qualcomm and their partners somehow flood the market with S4 devices, which is also very possible considering Qualcomm is the market leader right now. That would offer more choices in the market, and many people might not be willing to wait until their perfect Cortex A15 device arrives.
Some of the more expected devices that should have the S4 chip, and will now be delayed are the HTC One S and the Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 (Asus really needs to streamline these tablet names, don’t they?). Fortunately for both HTC and Asus, they are covered with the Tegra 3 chip, so it shouldn’t have too much impact on their own sales, at least for now. It might affect them if Samsung bets big on the Cortex A15 chips, and they only have to show the Tegra 3 and and the 1.5 Ghz S4 in summer (a 2.5 Ghz dual core S4 could change things a bit. Tegra 3+ might not unless Nvidia surprises us with something new).

This article, Delay of the S4 production may affect future consumer interest , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 02:10 PM PDT
SAmsung Galaxy S3 Preorder
Another day, another rumor related to the Samsung Galaxy S3. The excitement for the Samsung Galaxy S3 is nothing short of amazing. The entire Android community is holding its collective breath for what it likely to be an incredible device that will set trends and gloriously lead the Android pack.
So, when the Samsung Galaxy S3 shows up for preorder, complete with image, specs, and price, we naturally take notice. That's exactly what happened today. Recombu reports that New York-based wireless store MobileCityOnline.com has just listed the Samsung Galaxy S3 for preorder, giving us hope that the S3 is finally close. But is it for real?

Specs, price, and images – too good to be true?

Now, it wouldn't be the first time a store jumps the gun on a product listing. But, again, it wouldn't be the first time a store tries to get itself some free publicity by playing on our obsessive craving for devices. So, what's the verdict in this case?

1) Images

MobileCityOnline published an alleged image of the Galaxy S3, complete with a detailed caption – Samsung GT-I9300 Galaxy S III (3G 850/1900MHz AT&T) Black Unlocked Import. At first glance, the pic shows what seems to be an awesome new Samsung device, with a cool bezel-less design. Right? Wrong.
It's actually a cross between a Galaxy Note and one of the rendered concepts of the S3, that's been circulating around the web for a while (one that we at AndroidAuthority have used extensively before). Here’s the original concept:
galaxy-s-iii
2) Specs and description
The specs listed by the online store are partially in line with the rumors that already made the rounds on the blogosphere, but stray from the consensus in one important matter – the processor. More precisely, MobileCityOnline claims that the Galaxy S3 specs list will include an mouth-watering quad-core Exynos 4212 processor, clocked at no less than 1.8 GHz. Attractive? Certainly. True – we'll have to see.
Other specs touted by the online store include a 4.65-inch AMOLED display, a 12MP camera, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. All of these specs are quite plausible and in line with previous rumors. The price: $799.99, although the site makes a point of mentioning that the "Retail Price" will be $999.99. Hmm, how kind of them to let us know.
However, hope is all but lost when you read the product description: "Samsung Galaxy S III is rumored to be company’s next flagship. It is said that it will run Android 4.0, under the hood will be a Samsung developed 1.8GHz quad-core CPU with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal memory and a microSD slot aboard. The screen will be 4.65 inches of Super AMOLED III delight. Super AMOLED III, according to the tipster, is being developed specifically for this model"
Galaxy S3 preorder
'Nuff said. Myth busted.
The bottom line
As much as we would like for this Galaxy S3 rumor to be real, it's, most likely, just a publicity stunt from a retailer in need of attention and backlinks. At the time this post was published, Samsung had not issued an official response to this affair, but when it'll come, it will be, without doubt, a rebuttal.
Hopefully, we'll get to show you the real deal soon. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is reportedly coming in April, although we did speculate at one point on a July debut. No matter when the Galaxy S3 will be upon us, you'll get all the specs, details, price, and availability, here at AndroidAuthority. Stay tuned.

This article, Samsung Galaxy S3 shows up for preorder. Is it for real? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 10:51 AM PDT
MakerDroid: from an Android device, directly to a 3D printer
As the number of apps available on the Android platform has recently passed the 400k mark, one can notice that the functional diversity of those apps is nothing short of staggering. Ranging from video games to productivity apps and on to social networking apps, Android has become a platform for about any app you can think of, plus a few that you wouldn't have imagined before actually bumping into them.
If you tend to disagree with my last sentence, hear this: a group of devs from Johnannesburg that go by the name of House 4 Hack have come up with a way to allow you to design a three dimensional model on your Android device, then print it with a 3D printer, without the need for a PC.
The app, called MakerDroid, was originally developed as a means to teach kids about current technologies and their interoperability, but, according to the developers themselves, it could very well be used in the future as a "fabrication tool". MakerDroid is currently not available for the masses, although the source code was released to the general public.
The mechanics involved by MakerDroid are fairly simple in concept, but admittedly a challenge to put into practice. The first step of the process involves creating a polygon by tapping lines on your Android device. To aid users, an image (even one taken with the device's camera) can be used as a background, and then traced to create the model you want. This 2D polygon is then extrapolated into a 3D model which, in turn, can be converted into a GCode file format that a 3D printer can interpret. The GCode file is stored on the internal SD card, so all you have to do next is take the SD card, insert into a 3D printer and Bam!, a few minutes later, you'll be holding a 3D model of the polygon you designed. This is about the best I can do to explain the process in words, but thankfully, the people from House 4 Hack have also posted a video that showcases the entire process.


This article, MakerDroid: from an Android device, directly to a 3D printer , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 09:41 AM PDT


Those who have an annual subscription to Popular Science magazine are probably disappointed by how the future has turned out so far. It's 2012, and we have yet to see one flying car on the street or a teleportation machine that can take us to far corners of the world within seconds. The future may not be here yet — or is it? — but the introduction of Google Glasses may just take us there faster.
Unfortunately, aside from the scientists and engineers who are involved directly on the Google Glasses project, few employees of the company know about the device. It seems that Google has been keeping information under tight wraps, as the project continues to be developed at Google X, the top-secret laboratories where out-of-this-world ideas are brainstormed and made into reality.
What exactly are Google Glasses anyway? Think of them as eyeglasses that double as a mini computer screen. Expected to run Android OS, the glasses are equipped with, among others, GPS, motion sensors, and camera that can send out information about on-screen objects.  Location information and augmented reality will be the major selling points of Google Glasses.
It's just our luck that we don't have to wait too long to see the device in action. Another company, Lumus, has been working on wearable see-through display. Codenamed OE-31, the glasses were recently showcased by the company, and you get to see it all in the videos below. Weighing a mere 10 grams, the glasses can display images that are equivalent to a 40-inch screen, 30 m away.

It is believed that the device is using the same technology as Google Glasses and it won't be too far-fetched to assume that this is what Google has been working on. But this is pure speculation from our side. According to the New York Times, Google Glasses will be introduced by the end of the year and will carry a price tag between $250 and $600.

Source: TalkAndroid

This article, Lumus OE-31 wearable display showcased on video, possibly hints to the upcoming Google Glasses , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 09:18 AM PDT


Ever wondered how well the custom Android ROMs for the Galaxy Nexus fare against each other when it comes to battery usage? If so, the table below (built by a passionate modder by the name of Shayes) should provide a good reference point, although there is one major variable that was not taken into consideration when the table was built. But let's go through the details before I'll explain what I'm talking about.
Galaxy Nexus Custom ROMs
Not all custom ROM's for the Galaxy Nexus were included in the test. In addition, the stock ROM for the Galaxy Nexus was also not tested, so that we can see how well it ranks up along custom ROMs when it comes to battery percentage lost due to the OS. A more elaborate follow-up test will surely be conducted (either by Shayes himself or by another Android geek with enough initiative) in the following months/weeks.
First things first, let me describe you the testing environment the table is based upon. According to Shayes, each of the custom ROM's listed above were installed one-by-one on his Galaxy Nexus, then the smartphone was put into the Airplane mode (to prevent battery loss due to the smartphone detecting signal tower changes) and was left untouched for the duration of the test (to prevent the battery fueling up the display and thus sucking out more juice).
As expected, the percentage of battery usage lost due to the OS was fairly constant between 1 hour and 6 hour tests (for each individual ROM). Shayes also attempted a real-world usage test (Angry Birds, Facebook, and texting included in the mix), but as it turns out, the margin of error for such tests is too big for the test to remain conclusive.The following screenshot uncovers a very interesting thing: with some custom ROMs installed, the screen accounted for up to 8% of the total battery loss, although Shayes claims that the phone was left untouched, so the screen should have remained idle for the duration of the test.
Galaxy Nexus Custom ROMs 2
Now for those variables that I was talking about at the beginning of the article: as it turns out, Shayes tested the custom ROMs with the kernel the devs included in their package. A much more elaborate test, in which all kernels compatible with each ROM are installed and tested one by one, should have provided even more realistic results, as the kernel is also highly responsible for the amount of battery used by the OS.
What do you guys think? Is this test conclusive, even if Shayes did not change the kernel included by the devs in the custom ROM packages? Is such a test useful to anyone at all? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

This article, Which is the most hungry ROM? Samsung Galaxy Nexus custom ROM battery usage test , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 08:50 AM PDT

A Samsung Galaxy S2 ICS update is imminent, if a tweet from South Korea's SK Telecom is to be believed. According to The Verge, SK Telecom has tweeted this morning that it's about to push the long awaited Ice Cream Sandwich update to Galaxy S2 devices. More precisely, the update is supposed to come tomorrow, March 13.
Since the news broke, the tweet has been deleted by the Korean carrier, but The Verge managed to get by a screenshot of the message, in Korean. If you know the language, here's the screenshot, knock yourself out.

Getting close to the Galaxy S2 ICS update. Right, Samsung?

Could this be yet another false alarm? It's possible, but not likely, with the rumor build up that we've witnessed over the last days. Last week, our collective hopes were kindled by another announcement, this time on an official Samsung site, only to be later crushed by a swift retraction. It appears that Samsung Philippines had jumped the gun and announced a Galaxy S2 Android 4.0 update (for today) without having the official blessing from the head honchos in South Korea.
As some have speculated, Samsung may be trying to pull a synchronized worldwide update. However, there are lots and lots of Galaxy S2 phones to be updated, so the chances of success for such an endeavor are probably slim. Another possibility would be for Samsung to leak snippets of information on purpose, to build up the hype. That might catch the attentions of tech blogs (we're addicted, we can't help it), but one has to wonder about the effect that these mind games have on the regular Galaxy S2 owner, who just wants to finally enjoy Android 4.0 on his or her superphone.
How about the rest of the world? We don't have more details for folks living outside the Korean peninsula, but fear not – the ball is about to roll. Expect Ice Cream Sandwich to come on your Galaxy S2 in the coming days, or in the worst case, weeks. Except if you live in the US, that is… With all the carriers involved, multiple variants of the device, and all the regulatory stuff to clear out, there's simply no telling when the last Galaxy S2 phones will finally receive the Ice Cream Sandwich update.
If you are in Korea and own a SK Telecom S2, let us know in the comments section if you learn anything newsworthy!

This article, Samsung Galaxy S2 ICS update coming tomorrow to South Korea? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 06:55 AM PDT
instagram android
Instagram, the insanely popular photo filtering & sharing app designated by Apple as the "iOS App of the year 2011" will soon also be available on Android smartphones, according to an announcement made at South by Southwest on Sunday by Instagram Co-Founder Kevin Systrom.
According to Systrom: "In some ways, it's better than our iOS app. It's crazy". I honestly believe (and hope) that there won't be any big differences between the iOS and the Android versions of the app, but I guess we'll have to wait for Instagram to be released on Android to know for sure. Although no release date was announced for Instagram on Android, according to Systrom, the App is currently in its private beta testing phase and will soon reach
the Android Market
Google Play.
Some believe that the people in charge at Instagram have deliberately delayed the Android launch to generate more hype around the app, and as far as I am concerned, that could very well be a possibility. The official reason, however, quotes a focus on initiative before multiple-platform availability: "I don't think it took us so long. We just had priorities. Had we tried to be both on Android and iPhone at the same time, it would've been tough to innovate in the way that we have," said Systrom. I'm not one to nitpick, but I consider innovation as strongly related to ideas (at least as far as mobile apps are concerned) rather than their implementations. Add the fact that the Android app development process is not that different from the iOS app development process and, from certain angles, it could seem like that is not the most honest statement ever made.
Launched on the Apple App Store on October 6, 2010, the idea behind Instagram is quite simple: take a photo, optionally apply one of the digital filters, and then share the photo on Facebook (and other social networking websites), all in just a few clicks. Instagram for iOS was downloaded 27 million times so far, but the most interesting thing about this app doesn't reside in the download numbers, but instead on the passionate and ever-growing community of smartphone photographers.
What do you guys think? Are you excited about Instagram's future launch on Android? Let us know in the comment section below! Just in case you can’t wait for Instagram to become available on Android, here’s a list of the top Photo Sharing Apps currently available for Google’s OS.

This article, Instagram For Android To Be Launched ‘Very Soon’ , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:06 AM PDT

Modern smartphones are often plagued by less than stellar battery performance, which sometimes makes a full day usage of the device impossible. The core of this problem lies in the fact that battery technology is still lagging behind the evolution of other smartphone internal components, such as the display, processor, or graphics chip.
If you’re a multi-tasker who refuses to be weighed down by USB charge cables or wall chargers inside your manbag, getting an extra battery is one way to ensure that you can complete yet another round of Angry Birds, whilst still receiving and sending those important 'work' e-mails.
If you love your Galaxy Nexus, chances are you've been rather disappointed by its measly battery life. In that case, you'll be pleased to know that an extended (really extended) battery pack is now available. Produced by Mugen, the 4000 mAh extended battery pack  for the Galaxy Nexus also comes with a built-in stand and a new battery cover.  Note that the extra battery hours come at the expense of a bulkier phone, but that's to be expected.
mugen samsung
The Galaxy Nexus comes with a 1750 mAh battery, which critics have said can only give roughly 4-5 hours of battery life with continuous usage. The phone can typically last a day, though, if you don't consider yourself a power user. If you don't mind the extra weight and the $99 price sticker, getting Mugen’s massive battery pack will help you easily double the battery life of your Galaxy Nexus.
Motorola seems to have cracked the battery mystery with its Droid Razr Maxx. This particular offering from Motorola comes with a 3300 mAh battery that can deliver 15 hours of video playback. That's a lot of movies to watch. As for Samsung, the company has promised to bring out devices with significantly better battery performance for their 2012 lineup. We’re waiting, Sammy!
Tell us, how does your Galaxy Nexus stand when it comes to battery life? What’s your record?

This article, Mugen releases 4000mAh battery pack for Galaxy Nexus , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 04:31 AM PDT
google search
Over the last few weeks, privacy has been a hot topic of debate in tech circles, a debate spurred by several high profile issues involving private data, from your location and contact lists, to the pictures on your smartphone. Just to recap, we have Apple's "Locationgate", Path's contact list uploading, and the bug on iOS/feature on Android that let apps access the photos on your SD card without consent.
Another significant development came when Google updated and unified the privacy policies of dozens of its products, claiming the right to track your information across all its products, in order to "create a simple product experience that does what you need, when you want it to". The move drew the ire of several privacy watchdogs and the scrutiny of regulators, with Google fighting back by claiming that its sole purpose is to improve its services.
Now, a study conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project shows that, while users are overwhelmingly satisfied by the quality of Google's search results, most of them don't agree to being tracked. But isn't this tendency contradictory?

People like great results, they just don't like how Google gets them

A caveat: Pew asked people about search engines in general, but considering the huge share that Google enjoys in web search, it's safe to consider that the survey's results reflect the users' opinion on Google.
According to the survey by Pew, most Americans are satisfied or very satisfied with the results that Google serves. 91% of users say they always or most of the time find the information they are seeking when they use search engines and 73% of all users consider that the results returned by search engines are trustworthy.
On to the dark side. A vast majority of Internet users don't like that search engines, websites, and apps track their personal information, even if they do it to provide a better service. Moreover, most consumers say that they dislike the fact that search engines deliver personalized results, which are of course obtained by tracking their web activity. 73% of the users that answered Pew's survey consider that personalized searches and targeted ads are an invasion of privacy.

Wow, it's great! People actually care about privacy issues. Or do they?

Now, we should take these results with a grain of salt, from several reasons. The most important would be the way the questions were worded. I am convinced that most "regular" users know little about how Google or other search engines operate, and choose the answer that sounds right. For example: "I would NOT BE OKAY with a search engine keeping track of your searches and using that information to personalize your future search results because you feel it is an invasion of privacy". To me, the answer to the question suggests that personalized search equals invasion of privacy, and I think that most people understand it in the same way.
I don't want to suggest that privacy is not a big deal or something we should all be worried about. It's just that people often choose the "right" answers in a survey, even if it doesn't reflect their true vision. It's the effect TV ratings surveyors encountered years ago, when a disproportionate number of people used to claim that they watched PBS, when they really watched sitcoms and reality shows.
I am just saying that, in spite of the large proportions of pro-privacy responses in Pew's survey, people actually know (or care) very little about their online privacy, about how it affects them, and about what they can do to protect it. The proof: the huge proportion of users that fully trust Google and other search engines to provide them with quality, relevant information.

This article, Survey: people don’t like personalized results and search tracking. Or do they? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

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