Sunday, April 15, 2012

Update - 254



Posted: 19 Mar 2012 07:02 PM PDT
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After a handful of Galaxy S III rumors over the weekend… it’s time for yet another one. Like all rumors, take this as a grain of salt. According to the Korean site DDaily, they have it on good authority that Samsung’s “secret weapon” in their upcoming Galaxy S III is that the device will come standard with wireless charging capabilities out of the box. If that doesn’t sound too killer just wait.
Unlike current wireless charging solutions which must have a capable device almost touching the surface of the charging pad, Samsung’s proprietary patented offering will allow for wireless charging anywhere from 1 to 2 meters away from the base. Now, that would be something.
It’s kind of strange how we haven’t seen a more widespread adoption of the wireless charging standard, but once Samsung makes the jump, I wouldn’t be surprised if we start seeing it on more devices in the future. What do you guys think? Would wireless charging on the Galaxy S III make the device even more desirable?
[TheVerge]


Posted: 19 Mar 2012 06:31 PM PDT
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As a self-proclaimed gaming addict, one of the problems I’ve noticed throughout the years is that I often don’t have the time I once had back in my high school days, to just sit down and do some serious console gaming. This has left me with a surplus of great titles dating all the way back to the PS1, that I’ve been meaning to play, but really just never had the time (seeing how I’m always out and about). Titles like Strider 2, Tomba!, Final Fantasy 9 or Vagrant Story are just a few that I wish I could revisit and play in their entirety.
Well, a few developers over on XDA are looking to bring back the old-school PS1 classics with the PSXPeria Project for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. Using the PSPeria software, you can now legally rip and and convert your old PS1 games into an image that is playable on the Xperia Play with absolutely no root required. Pretty sweet, right?
There’s an ever growing list of games that have been tested and are 100% compatible on the Xperia Play, as well as a video tutorial for anyone who may need a walkthrough on how to convert their old games. I checked my local Craigslist ads and Xperia Plays are running between $150-$200. Think I might pick one up for when I eventually make the jump to AT&T. Can’t think of a better way to kill some time than with some of gaming’s greatest.
[PSPeria Project Thread]


Posted: 19 Mar 2012 05:24 PM PDT
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The WiFi-model of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (GT-P5110) has just been approved by the FCC, showing up on their website earlier today. The tablet, which is expected to go on sale later this month in the UK, will feature largely similar specs to the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which the inclusion of expandable memory, front facing speakers and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This should be arriving in the states at some point but we don’t expect it to make much of a splash seeing how it’s not much of an upgrade. Let’s hope at the very least, pricing will be more affordable this time around.
[Liliputing]

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 02:57 PM PDT
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Developers, rejoice! HTC has released the Ice Cream Sandwich kernel source for a few of their phones. The HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XE, and the HTC Vivid are all getting treatment today. Kernel source code helps developers make custom ROMs and you can bet developers will be hard at work whipping up some Ice Cream flavored goods before too long. If you fit the bill of the type of person who will need these files, get to HTCDev.com for the downloads. [via Android Police]

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 02:05 PM PDT
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Many of us don’t care for ads because they tend to get in the way, but a new study suggests you should be worried about your battery life more than anything. A research team from Purdue University and Microsoft shows that apps with ads are probably responsible for about 70% of those apps’ battery usage.
The increased usage seems to be due to an ad’s necessity to gather user metrics, geographical location and downloading the ad itself. They found this behavior in Angry Birds free edition, FreeChess and the New York Times app.

But these issues aren’t isolated to apps with ads, the team says. The browser, for instance, uses 15% of the battery life it consumed for tracking the same information ads do. The solution? Simply code better.
They suggest ad providers code their backend and front-end better, and developers also need to find better ways to do behind-the-scenes work. The study was possible thanks to a tool called EProf which allows developers to see how much energy in each thread in any given app is consuming. They plan to open source the tool sometime soon. Find more information about the EProf tool here. [via New Scientist, thanks Han!]

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 12:54 PM PDT
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HTC and LogMeIn have partnered up to offer the latter’s Rescue service on all HTC phones (carrier approval pending) moving forward. The software will be of convenience to both you and HTC. LogMein Rescue allows customer care and support representatives to remotely control your phone to help troubleshoot any issues you may be having.

It’s a customer care rep’s dream. I can tell you first hand that it can sometimes be extremely frustrating to walk a customer through an interface or a procedure without being able to visually show them what to do. With LogMeIn Rescue, all of that is out of the window. It saves time and headache for both the rep and the customer.
Worried about privacy? Don’t be – no rep can remotely control your phone unless you grant them permission. More than just being able to view the and control the user’s phone, reps will be able to run diagnostics test and send device and network configuration settings for those issues which require more than just a few taps and a reboot. Expect to see this on HTC One devices whenever they launch. Read on for full press details.

LogMeIn to Provide Android Mobile Support for HTC

LogMeIn Named Preferred Provider of Mobile Remote Support Software for HTC’s Android Devices
WOBURN, Mass., March 19, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -LogMeIn, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOGM) has entered into an agreement as HTC’s preferred mobile remote support software provider. HTC will employ LogMeIn Rescue--LogMeIn’s flagship remote support and customer care offering--across its worldwide call centers, delivering state-of-the-art remote support to HTC customers.
Future HTC devices that run on the growing Android OS will feature LogMeIn Rescue, giving HTC customer care and support staff the ability to remotely configure, diagnose and troubleshoot a technical issue wherever the customer has a data connection. The LogMeIn capability will offer HTC customers with advanced over-the-air mobile support at a moment’s notice, virtually anywhere in the world.
"HTC is committed to providing the best and most personal customer experience in the mobile industry, from designing great products to delivering superior after-sales service and support," said Simon Harper, VP of global customer experience at HTC. "We believe LogMeIn’s technology, team and vision are a great match for HTC and for our customers and will allow us to continue to create great experiences for our customers."
HTC will pre-deploy a user-enabled LogMeIn Rescue applet on future HTC Android devices, with the mobile operator’s consent. The pre-deployed applet gives customers the ability to securely connect their devices to HTC customer care representatives during active support calls. Once connected, HTC technicians can run remote diagnostics, push common device and network configuration settings, and remotely control the customer’s device to resolve issues.
"We believe that a focus on the overall customer experience helps to define the most respected brands in mobile," said Lee Weiner, LogMeIn’s VP of Customer Care products. "For market leaders like HTC, customer care initiatives can provide key opportunities for differentiation in an increasingly crowded marketplace. By working hand-in-hand with one of the world’s most respected manufacturers, we believe we have a great opportunity to create a new standard for mobile customer care."
LogMeIn Rescue gives helpdesks and support staff the ability to remotely configure, diagnose and troubleshoot tablets (iOS, Android), smartphones (Android, iPhone, Symbian, BlackBerry) as well as PCs and Macs.  A web-based offering, Rescue combines remote control with device configuration, live chat and diagnostics capabilities, enabling customer service teams to fix common issues on any device with a web or mobile connection, as if the device were in their hands.
About LogMeIn, Inc.
LogMeIn (Nasdaq:LOGM) provides essential cloud-based services to individuals, businesses, and IT organizations for remote access, collaboration, customer care, and remote IT management. These services are used by more than 15 million people to quickly, simply and securely connect over 150 million internet-enabled devices across the globe -- computers, smartphones, iPad™ and Android™ tablets, and digital displays. LogMeIn is based in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA, with offices in Australia, Hungary, India, Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK.

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 12:33 PM PDT
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J.D. Powers and Associates have released the results from their biannual smartphone satisfaction survey. While Apple unsurprisingly topped the list for the seventh straight quarter, we still look forward to seeing where Android manufacturers rank among themselves.

HTC was the leading Android OEM with a score of 798 out of 1,000. Their aggressive change in their design philosophy for 2012 onward would lead you to believe that customers weren’t all too happy with the current state of their product line-up, but that doesn’t seem to be reflected in these results.
Of course, us blog and forum dwellers don’t account for much of HTC’s overall fanbase so cries for change are probably more overstated than they really are. Samsung managed to score just below them at 769, and Motorola earned themselves a score of 758, both very respectable scores. [Twice via Droid Dog]

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 11:50 AM PDT
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Humble Bundle for Android 2 is now available. Don’t know what that is? It’s a service that allows you to buy a pack of games for the price that you want. This second release includes five games that have never been released on Android. You can get Zen Bound 2, Canabalt, Cogs, and Avadon: The Black Fortress in this bundle no matter which price you pay, and you’ll get a fifth game  - Swords and Soldiers – if you pay more than the average price ($5.77 as of the time of this writing). You could pay a penny if you want, but this stuff goes not only to the developers, but also to charity. Think about that before making a puny donation. They clam that this is a $57 value. Get started over at their site sometime within the next two weeks.

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 08:47 AM PDT
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Forget for a minute that a phone already named the Samsung Galaxy Beam hit the market almost two years ago. We can even ignore the fact that it spent some time entertaining the miners trapped after a cave-in in Chile. Yes, Samsung seems content to act like that phone never existed, and for whatever reason a large portion of those of us covering the tech industry (and those following blogs like this one) have chosen to have selective amnesia when it comes to the original Galaxy Beam.
No matter which you prefer to label as the first smartphone with a built-in projector, the new Galaxy Beam shown off at this year’s Mobile World Congress has been confirmed for an April release in at least one region. The phone will launch in India (and possibly a few other Asian locales) at an unspecified price, at which point Samsung’s master plan to erase any memory of the 2010 Galaxy Beam will be complete.
At this time it isn’t clear if or when the phone featuring a dual-core 1GHz processor and 4-inch display will hit the Europe and North America. The on-board pico projector is a unique touch but it’s hard to gauge the demand for such a feature. We happen to think it’s pretty cool, even if Samsung is trying to pass off last night’s leftovers as a fresh cooked meal. Check out our hands-on from MWC for more info.
[via Androinica]


Posted: 19 Mar 2012 07:27 AM PDT
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The update to Ice Cream Sandwich just started rolling out to the Samsung Galaxy S II last week and has yet to reach users in many regions, but the build’s code can now be found at Samsung’s open source portal. The release won’t be immediately useful for those looking to get Android 4.0 on their Galaxy S II right now, but it will make it a heck of a lot easier for the dev community to create custom software builds based on the latest version of Android.
To download a ZIP file containing all the necessary bits and pieces head to the source link below. You will need to do a search by model number to pull up the Galaxy S II (GT-I9100).
[via Samsung Open Source Release Center | Thanks Hollow.Droid]


Posted: 19 Mar 2012 07:03 AM PDT
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According to a recently spotted NenaMark benchmark test entry, the followup to the Sony Tablet S could be in the works — and it carries a quad-core Tegra 3 processor. The device that was subject to the test was running Android 4.0.3 and featured a display with a 1280×800 resolution (the same as the Tablet S).

The benchmark result is tied to a device with model number V150 and was made by a user with the name ‘sony s1.’ You may recall this as the pre-production name for what eventually became simply the Tablet S. It’s hard to verify the information reported alongside the test, but a Tegra 3 followup to last year’s Tegra 2 slate from Sony doesn’t seem like much of a stretch. Its scores match up with what we have come to expect from other devices running the quad-core platform from NVIDIA.
[via The Verge]

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 06:23 AM PDT
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A Samsung exec wishing to remain anonymous has apparently spilled a few beans about the highly-anticipated Galaxy S III. Speaking to the Korea Times, the source confirmed that the latest flagship model will utilize a next-gen Exynos CPU developed in-house by Samsung. The quad-core processor — built on a 32nm process and based around A9 architecture — is said to carry on-board LTE and WCDMA radios.
The all-in-one CPU comes as part of Samsung’s attempt to distance itself from external component supplies and increase the company’s self reliance. Sammy is particularly eager to reduce their dependency on Qualcomm for cellular radios and modems. According to the insider, the development of the platform is complete and the CPU is ready to be deployed, words which seem to line up with rumors stating that the Galaxy S III has entered the production phase.
[via Engadget]

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 06:04 AM PDT
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We’ve hear our share of rumors about the HTC Droid Incredible 4G. Whether you know it by the codename Fireball or model number ADR6410, its existence was a foregone conclusion. Now NenaMark benchmark scores have surfaced for the next entry into one of Verizon’s most popular smartphone brands of the past couple years.

The test reveals a few details about the handset, including the presence of Adreno 225 graphics, meaning its Qualcomm-made chip is most likely the Snapdragon S4. Th dual-core CPU is clocked at 1.2GHz. The Incredible 4G features a 960×540 display (probably in the 4.3-inch range) and is also running Android 4.0.3.

More interesting though is the discovery of a mystery HTC device also being treated to NenaMark testing. Listed only with model number VAE_WX, the handset shares some common elements with the Incredible 4G including a 960×540 display and Snapdragon S4 with Adreno 225 graphics. In this case the processor is clocked to 1.5GHz. The VAE_WX is also running Android 4.0.3. A warning as usual: these benchmark reports aren’t always entirely accurate and it’s hard to say exactly what we are looking at here.
The Droid Incredible 4G should be available this spring, possibly in April. For the VAE_WX we can’t be so sure, but if the presence of benchmark test is any indication it could be on the same trajectory as the Verizon-bound device.
[via Androinica]

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 05:41 AM PDT
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Independent benchmark testing is lending a bit of clarity to Apple’s claim that the new A5X chip found in the latest iPad model far exceeds the performance of NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 processor. Laptop Mag pitted the new iPad against the ASUS Transformer Prime and found that the results were’t as one-sided as Apple would have us believe.
Apple boasted that the A5X CPU offers four times the graphical processing power of Tegra 3, and an OpenGL 3D benchmark confirmed that the new chip outperformed NVIDIA’s platform in this area. The new iPad rendered about two times the frames per second and over four times as many texture pixels. In terms of computation power, however, Tegra 3 was far and away the top dog. The quad-core tablet outperformed the iPad in integer, floating point, and memory performance.

The tests did not rely solely on benchmarks, though. The two devices were pitted head-to-head running two graphically intense games, Riptide GP and Shadowgun. Here thing came down to a bit of a draw. The Retina display of the iPad went a long in way in boosting the appearance of on-screen graphics, but the Tegra 3 versions of the games featured extra graphical flourishes such as splashing water and billowing flags. It isn’t clear if this can be attributed solely to the Tegra 3 chipset or also to in-game optimizations made specifically for the platform.
While the comparison should only serve to spawn new arguments, it is clear that both processing platforms hold their advantages. We’d still like to see Apple’s official test results (and NVIDIA does, too), but this is the best we’ll get for now. Picking the obvious winner isn’t so obvious after all.

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 04:58 AM PDT
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The first image of what is said to be the upcoming Droid Fighter for Verizon has surfaced. The leaked picture appeared  at the Phone HK forum and shows a device that is not unlike Moto’s recent RAZR models. The main difference here is a lack of soft-keys lining the bottom of the screen. Speaking of the screen, information accompanying the pic pegs it as a 4.6-inch HD display. It wouldn’t be the first time Motorola has gone with an HD display (a chinese variant of the RAZR gets that honor), but it would be the first time the screen technology made it to a US device from the manufacturer.
The lack of soft keys suggests the device will launch with Ice Cream Sandwich and be optimized for on-screen navigation controls. Adoption of this new wrinkle in Android has been spotty, with some manufacturers opting to stick with physical buttons. On-screen buttons have their advantages, though, and it’s nice to see Motorola testing the waters.
Aside from a few details about the phone’s display, it was also revealed that the Droid Fighter could the same 3300mAh battery as the RAZR MAXX. It is unclear of the Fighter would be positioned as yet another RAZR model, however. Either way, the handset strikes it pretty close to the recently revived line of smartphones. We could be finding out about Verizon and Motorola’s ultimate plan soon. Rumors have suggested the Droid Fighter will hit stores as soon as April 12th.
[via DroidLife]

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