Thursday, May 31, 2012

Android Community

Android Community


HTC One S launched in Taiwan with 1.7 GHz dual-core

Posted: 31 May 2012 10:08 AM PDT

The popular HTC One S should be very familiar by this point for most. Since being first announced in Barcelona, Spain we all know it has that new and impressive 1.5 GHz dual-core S4 processor from Qualcomm and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Today however, the company launched a different version in Taiwan with a 1.7 GHz dual-core instead.

The HTC One S and the AT&T One X both sport Qualcomm's newest dual-core MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 chip, but for Taiwan they decided to go with the older MSM8260 S3 (think HTC Sensation, EVO 3D) clocked at 1.7GHz with the Adreno 220 GPU instead of their newer, faster, more efficient silicon. So while the phone gets a huge boost to 1.7 GHz, it’s still the older processor.

hero-540x389 HTC-One-S-Taiwan-specs HTC-One-S-launch-in-Taiwan-1.7GHz-CPU-MSM8260-553x338

The image above shows the 1.7 GHz speeds. When asked about the choice to use the older chip an HTC spokesman said the phone would provide users the same experience. In our findings the new S4 is amazing with battery life, so I’m not sure I fully agree there. Other than the processor under the hood the phone remains unchanged with the same 4.3-inch qHD AMOLED display, impressive 8 megapixel camera and the newest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Could we start to see HTC release non-flagship devices with the older S3 cranked up to blazing fast speeds to beat the competition? I think we might. That or they really do have a shortage of S4 processors.

[via PocketDroid]


Wallee M Kickstarter is an awesome modular case for the Galaxy Nexus

Posted: 31 May 2012 09:46 AM PDT

Kickstarter has some great projects in the mobile space, and a lot of them are for nifty accessories you’d be unlikely to see anywhere else – check the Pebble Smart Watch for an exception. But finally there’s a worthy case we can get behind, because the creators have wisely decided to include both the Galaxy Necus and the Galaxy S II in their support. If you’re looking for a unique and certifiably awesome dock for your desk or car, check out Wallee.

The Wallee M is a combination of a case and a dock. Both the back of the phone case (which is a typical slip style) and the front of the mount have powerful rare Earth magnets attached. When your phone is in the case, you can easily set it on a desk, wall or in your car, where it’ll stick with enough force to be safe and comfy. The company plans to sell adapters for flat mount, as wel las more traditional desktop and car (suction-cup) mounts. The Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II cases they’re showing off are almost certainly for the international models, since the company is based in Australia. The Galaxy Nexus sold in the Google Play Store should also work.

This is a great idea, and made all the better because you’ll be able to get a new case for future phones without shelling out for new docks. But unfortunately, it looks like it might not make it off the ground. With three days left until their deadline, the project still needs another $10,000 to go. $40 gets you a slip case for the Galaxy Nexus (unless you really, really want an iPhone case) plus one mounting disk. A few dollars more can get you a desk or car mount. Come on, readers – there’s not enough quality Android accessories out there, so let’s encourage this sort of thing.


The HTC One X is tough as nails

Posted: 31 May 2012 09:02 AM PDT

…or tougher, in fact. We’ve seen this trick performed before, but it’s nice to see that one of the most high-profile phones in the android world can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’. We don’t know why this angry Russian man is hammering nails into a two-by-four with his shiny new . We don’t really care, either. We just like to see good old-fashioned engineering start to make phones than can double as small home repair tools.

Of course, this is really more of a testament to the impressive strength of Gorilla Glass than anything else. Corning’s mega material makes up the front fascia of the HTC One X, which is exclusivity used for the video. It’s entirely possible that the polycarbonate casing would shatter the moment you tried to use it as a blunt instrument. It says something that we’ve reached the point where the screen of a device is its most dependable part – I can’t wait to see what people do with the Gorilla Glass 2 panel on the Galaxy S III.

Kids (and adults), don’t do this at home. Your limited manufacturer warranty does not cover using your phone to build a new deck. And it’s not as if phones make particularly good tools anyway, with the possible exception of a handy level or flashlight – it takes our model ages to “hammer” in a single nail. Of course, if you happen to be carrying a Rampage 6 military-grade tablet, we wouldn’t try to stop you.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One X [AT&T]
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : February 26, 2012
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.7 Inch
  • Resolution : 720x1280
  • Screen Type : S-LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.31 Inch
  • Width : 2.75 Inch
  • Depth : 0.36 Inch
  • Weight : 131 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1800 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : S4
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 850
  • 1900
  • 2100
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via PhoneArena]


Sony Xperia Neo L could be headed for global market

Posted: 31 May 2012 08:29 AM PDT

The Xperia Neo L turned heads when it was announced out of sheer novelty: at the time, it was Sony’s one and only Ice Cream Sandwich handset. Then we all faced the disappointment that it was only confirmed for a release in China, and got on with our day. Now the device has popped up on Sony’s international website, strutting its stuff in both black and white. That’s a definite indication that a wider rollout is on the horizon.

Of course, the novelty has worn out somewhat at this point. Sony already has a handful of phones that have been updated to Ice Cream Sandwich, and beta builds available for even more, for users who are adventurous enough to try them. Even so, it’ll be nice to see the Neo L get a wider release, especially since Sony is one of the few manufacturers that makes a point of selling unlocked phones in North America.

The Xperia Neo L has a few charms in addition to skinned Android 4.0, first among them its 4-inch 800×480 screen. (If that doesn’t sound like much, check out the Xperia S screen if you can – Sony’s been putting some top-notch panels into its devices lately.) The 1Ghz processor and 5MP camera put it squarely in the mid-range, but incorporated xLoud audio should give Beats a run for its money. We hope to see the Neo L pop up outside of Asia soon.

[via UnwiredView]


Verizon rolling out 4.0.4 OTA for the Galaxy Nexus

Posted: 31 May 2012 07:17 AM PDT

Nexus owners, mark your calendars: it’s been exactly five and a half months since the Samsung Galaxy Nexus was released exclusively on Verizon in the United States. In that time the phone has received one and only one official update, to Android 4.0.2…. which was almost immediately overshadowed by 4.0.3, then 4.0.4 over two months ago. Today reports are spreading that Verizon is finally, finally sending out the 4.0.4 update over the air, making its LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus officially current for the first time in almost half a year.

To say that Nexus owners are upset is an understatement. Like previous entries in the line, the Galaxy Nexus was sold with the understanding that it would be the first to get updated to new versions of Android. And indeed, the GSM flavor of the Galaxy Nexus is the first. But Verizon has become something of a roadblock for Android updates, as many feared that it would. The fact that Google no longer guarantees timely updates for CDMA “developer devices” doesn’t help. Many Verizon Galaxy Nexus users flashed the leaked updates or Google’s own posted version out of frustration.

We don’t usually outright recommend rooting and flashing custom ROMs, but in this case I’m willing to make an exception. If you bought a Verizon Galaxy Nexus specifically to get timely Android updates, running a custom ROM is your best bet, and it’s worth it to learn how to root and modify your phone even for beginners. Verizon has completely dropped the ball and failed to live up to the tacit promise behind the Nexus name. Both CyanogenMod 9 and AOKP have full support for the LTE “toro” Galaxy Nexus, and come highly recommended.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : GALAXY Nexus 4G [Verizon]
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : December 14, 2011
    Release Date : December 15, 2011
    Also Known As : Nexus Prime
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x720
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.33 Inch
  • Width : 2.67 Inch
  • Depth : 0.37 Inch
  • Weight : 150 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1850 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 150 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.264 / AVC
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : OMAP 4460
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 5 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • CDMA
    CDMA Band:
  • 900
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


Intel and Orange prepare Medfield-powered San Diego for the UK

Posted: 31 May 2012 06:52 AM PDT

Well UK readers, those of you desperately waiting for an Intel-powered smartphone (all six of you) won’t have to wait much longer. Earlier today Intel and carrier Orange officially unveiled the long-awaited San Diego smartphone… in London. Someone get those guys an atlas. The San Diego is the retail-ready hardware based on concept designs known as the San Francisco and Santa Clara, with a 1.6Ghz single-core Atom (Medfield) processor inside.

The rest of the hardware is decidedly mid-range, with the possible exception of a 4.03-inch 1024×600 screen. That resolution is more commonly sen on 7-inch tablets, or indeed, Atom-powered netbooks. 1GB of memory and 16GB of storage round out the device, with the addition of an 8-megapixel 1080P rear camera. Orange claims the San Diego can take 10 photos a second in burst mode. SlashGear got a hands-on with the phone and the x86 platform, coming away mildly impressed. It’s still running Gingerbread (for the moment) and gets a Quadrant benchmark score of 3790.

For a brand new chip architecture, the price is certainly right. The phone will be released on June 6th for a price of £199.99 ($310) without a contract, or just £15.50 a month on a 2-year plan. At that price, the San Diego beats just about any equivalent phone in terms of performance – an impressive first run. Currently we’ve heard no plans for any manufacturer to bring an Intel-powered smartphone to the Americas.

Check out SlashGear’s hands-on video below:

DSC00511 DSC00527 DSC00528


Renaissance Blood THD heads to Tegra Zone [hands-on]

Posted: 30 May 2012 09:00 PM PDT

Today we have another epic game for Android to show you. This Unreal Engine 3 powered game from NCsoft is called Renaissance Blood THD and has been in development by Bridea and NVIDIA for some time. Being THD this is only for Tegra 3 quad-core devices for now, and brings an easy-to-play arcade style shooter to Android. Available now you’ll want to see our hands-on video below.

For those that love first person shooters, or just arcade style shooter games in general this will be one you won’t wanna miss for your collection. With what NVIDIA is calling a "House of the Dead-style" arcade game with stellar graphics and loads of fun. It’s high paced, action packed, and extremely easy to pick-up-and-play for Android phones and tablets.

Currently Renaissance Blood THD offers 4 levels and has plenty of promise. The first level took me about 9 minutes to complete and it ended in saying I was 2.47% complete with the game. The last two levels say “coming soon” so we expect additional content to be added by the developers. Even if they don’t, this game could take up loads of your time and will totally be worth the $3.99 price tag.

“We're pleased to have collaborated with BRIDEA and NCsoft, which share our heritage in PC games and commitment to deliver stunning visual experiences," said Ashutosh Rege, Vice President of Game Content & Technology at NVIDIA. "Our joint work on Renaissance Blood THD has created a game that ends all doubt that the era of console and PC quality gaming on mobile devices is finally here."

The visuals are definitely the star of the show here: while they're not quite as impressive as some of the new Tegra-enabled games we've seen lately (Dark Meadow), the bright, unique visual style makes Renaissance Blood THD one to play. It features impressive advanced physics models and dynamic lighting that makes the easy to play style even more addicting for all gamers.

Renaissance Blood THD hands-on

The games story takes place in the Renaissance Era where science and alchemy set the rules, and players are challenged to find the final blueprint that the great Leonardo da Vinci has left behind. With stunning visuals, pick-up-and-play controls, and immersive gameplay, the action-packed thriller dares to raise the bar for first-person shooter titles on all mobile platforms. Shadowgun for THD devices was and is an awesome game, but a completely different setting and polish. They both have their ups and downs but overall Renaissance Blood is extremely fun. While the graphics might not be absolutely top-notch, the fast-paced action and bright colors make up for it.

After about 45 minutes of gameplay I can honestly say I’ll be enjoying this for the remainder of the night, and hopefully I don’t have to fight too many big bosses because my fingers might get tired. If so I’ll just play with the optional gamepad support and stream it to my HDTV.

Renaissance Blood THD will be available starting tonight for just $3.99 for all Tegra 3 devices. You can get it by heading to the NVIDIA Tegra Zone, or from the Google Play store by clicking here. Give it a try and let us know what you think in the comment section below.

Screenshot_2012-05-30-15-36-02 Screenshot_2012-05-30-15-47-28 Screenshot_2012-05-30-15-55-11 Screenshot_2012-05-30-15-49-37 Screenshot_2012-05-30-15-49-24 Screenshot_2012-05-30-17-56-41 Screenshot_2012-05-30-15-58-09 Screenshot_2012-05-30-15-47-53 Screenshot_2012-05-30-15-56-14


Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 slated for June release

Posted: 30 May 2012 06:00 PM PDT

Lenovo’s tablet selection in the US has left a little to be desired of late, but that’s about to change. The company announced today that the IdeaTab S2109, first shown off last month, will be hitting the States in June. The price is a little disappointing at $349.99, but it comes with at least one unique feature that you won’t find anywhere else: four external SRS surround sound speakers. That alone should make it one of the most capable tablets on the market from an audio perspective.

The screen is a 9.7-inch 4:3 IPS panel running at 1024×768, making it roughly equal in size and sharpness to the original iPad and the HP TouchPad. Other charms include a TI OMAP 4430 dual-core processor clocked at 1Ghz, a full gig of RAM, a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and it all fits into a body just 8.9mm thin. Ports include the standard microUSB, MicroSD and HDMI to boot, and it’s rated for ten hours of battery life. Lenovo’s touting Android 4.0 on the S2109, and from what we can see it looks like stock Ice Cream Sandwich. Huzzah!

Here’s there video from April:

The combination of features and price doesn’t really scream amazing, unless you’ve just got to have top-notch speakers in your tablet. For a few dollars more you could get the highly recommended ASUS Transformer Pad TF300. Add to that the fact that rumors continue to fly about the Nexus 7 developer tablet, and you’d have to be pretty hasty to settle on a new tablet before Google I/O – especially if you’re a fan of up-to-date software.


ZTE Athena is the newest world’s thinnest smartphone

Posted: 30 May 2012 05:36 PM PDT

Wow, Oppo didn’t even last a week before somebody swooped in and took their “thinnest smartphone” badge for the finder. The corporate griefer in this case is Chinese manufacturer ZTE, whose new “Athena” smartphone was spotted by Weibo looking positively anorexic. The Athena beats the Finder by a whole .3mm, for a total Z-height of 6.2mm. Pricing and availability are, of course, up in the air.

Surprisingly, the specs are actually pretty food – there’s no word on how big the screen is, but since it’s using a 720p IPS panel, we’re going to guess at least 4.5 inches. Other specs are thin on the ground at the moment, but the tipster says at least a dual-core processor will be present with up to 64GB of storage space. Software is Ice Cream Sandwich, but it comes with ZTE’s “MiFlavor” UI.

The preview photos seem to indicate that the phone is either using Kevlar or carbon fiber to achieve thinness and rigidity at the same time… or it’s just a pattern on the plastic. In any case, ZTE has a much better chance of bringing this phone to Europe and/or the Americas than Oppo, though to be honest, their highest-end devices tend to stay at home. Cross your fingers, fashionistas.

[via Engadget]


Flipboard for Android enters public beta, we go hands-on

Posted: 30 May 2012 03:27 PM PDT

Well, we reported this morning that iOS smash-hit newsreader Flipboard would be entering beta soon, catering to specific handsets in order for the developer to get used to multiple screen resolutions. Well we were only half right, but we were half right really fast, so I’m going to call it a win. All interested parties can now download the Flipboard beta APK from their website, and navigate the news with aplomb using RSS feeds, social networking and gestures. Which is what we did, rather promptly, for your enjoyment.

Flipboard is your standard RSS-style newsreader with both cherry-picked content inassigned categories and a search function that lets you bring in feeds from your favorite websites (like Android Community, SlashGear and My Little Pony Arena – no, really). In addition you can add your Facebook and Twitter accounts to see your social updates in the same app, albeit somewhat separated.

Navigation is fairly unique. After picking and choosing your topics or alternately creating a Flipboard account and saving them to the cloud, you can either tap on a featured story or select one of your topics. From there you navigate the stories one step lower with an up and down gesture which triggers a nifty animation, not unlike an old-school digital alarm clock. Tap on the story and you’re treated to a traditional column view, and depending upon the formatting it’s also separated into pages with the “flip” motion. Though the app is technically in beta, it seems rock-solid on my rooted Galaxy Nexus.

The interface is heavily visual: it’s rare that you’ll see a page or screen that’s all text. Even the settings and search functions place heavy value on the visual element. More vertically oriented photos will take up an entire page in a pleasing bit of visual flair. If that’s your cup of tea, great – but I found it somewhat disheartening to use a limited, one-at-a-time interface on a device with a relatively huge, high-resolution screen.

As far as technical achievement goes, there’s not a whole lot to Flipboard that you haven’t seen already in other news aggregation apps, like Google Currents or Pulse. The differences are exactly two: Flipboard is a lot prettier and a lot more focused. And by focused, I mean extremely focused: you can only see one story at a time after the front page, making quick browsing a rather tedious process. It’s also limited to portrait view, which in this day and age is a bit maddening.

All in all, Flipboard suffers from the same symptoms that a lot of popular iOS converts do: limited functionality via a limited scope. I’d love to see an Android version of the original iPad app, which takes advantage of the large screen real estate to delivery a truly magazine-style experience. In its smartphone form, Flipboard is a very polished app, but the mechanism for getting through your news or social events is frustratingly slow. I can honestly say that TweetDeck (which is a long way from perfect itself) lets me see more information, more quickly, in a form that’s easy to sift through and navigate.

But hey, at least they’ve got a widget, which is more than I can say for most iOS converts. I eagerly await the Android tablet version. In the meantime, check out Chris Burns’ hands-on video below:

2012-05-30 15.34.12 2012-05-30 15.34.53 2012-05-30 15.45.40 2012-05-30 15.45.53 2012-05-30 15.46.07 2012-05-30 15.28.03 2012-05-30 15.28.27 2012-05-30 15.28.53 2012-05-30 15.28.59 2012-05-30 15.29.51 2012-05-30 15.30.58 2012-05-30 15.31.22 2012-05-30 15.33.36 2012-05-30 15.33.48 2012-05-30 15.33.55


Google adds Galaxy Nexus accessories to Play Store

Posted: 30 May 2012 03:17 PM PDT

There ya go Google! Just announced this evening is that Google will now be offering device accessories on the Google Play Store. Yes you’ll be able to buy hardware docks and more all from the Play Store just like they recently started doing with the Galaxy Nexus. For now they only have accessories for one device, but we expect more to be coming soon.

This isn’t Google’s first attempt to sell hardware themselves but it looks like they are in a much better position to do so now. What makes this great is not only will this probably be how we get future Nexus devices from Google, but they also appear to be beating the prices from Samsung themselves. Well done guys. Google is selling the Desktop Dock, HDMI Portrait Desktop Dock, and the Vehicle Dock all for the GSM/HSPA+ (not Verizon) Galaxy Nexus.

Screen Shot 2012-05-30 at 3.03.19 PM Screen Shot 2012-05-30 at 3.10.01 PM

We had a feeling this was coming, but didn’t realize Google would start offering it so soon. With rumors of a Google Nexus Tablet in the works, and multiple Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Nexus phones all coming later this year this could potentially be a big platform for Google to sell all the goods. I know Samsung was recently offering the Desktop Dock with Pogo pins for around $90 so it’s nice to see Google offering a low price. Now who wants to see if any work with the slightly larger Verizon Galaxy Nexus?

[via Google+]


Samsung Galaxy S III for Canada confirmed with 2GB of RAM and 1.5 GHz dual-core

Posted: 30 May 2012 01:41 PM PDT

Today Samsung has finally announced what we all knew was coming. Canada (and probably the US too) will all get the Galaxy S III soon and most likely none will come with their quad-core processor. Instead all Canadian carriers will receive the Galaxy S III around June 20th and it will be rocking a dual-core processor instead, one that is capable of 4G LTE. More details and press release info after the break.

Samsung has confirmed they’ll come equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 1.5 GHz dual-core S4 processor (Same as HTC One S), 4G LTE speeds, and just as rumors suggested — 2 GB of RAM. Yes it appears that not only will some Japan models come with 2GB of RAM, but Canada and most like the US Galaxy S III’s will all have 2GB of RAM. Whether that much is needed or not remains to be seen, and I’d love some benchmarks with that much RAM under the hood, but for now we’ll just have to wait. Here’s the official specs:

- Snapdragon S4 Dual Core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8960 Chipset
- OS (Shipping): ICS 4.0.4
- Data: LTE (SGH-i747 variation) and HSPA+ 42 (SGH-iT999 variation)
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Dimensions: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm
- Weight: 133g
- Memory: 16/32GB internal memory (SGH-i747)/ 16GB internal memory (SGH-iT999)
- Expandable microSD up to 32GB
- Display: 4.8 HD Super AMOLED 1280×720 (306ppi)
- Connectivity: NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, DLNA, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, MHL Video Out
- Camera: 8MP Rear-facing, 1.9MP Front-facing
- Battery: 2100 mAh

According to Droid-Life all Canadian carriers will have access on or after June 20th of the new flagship phone, which goes exactly along with previous reports. Everything else appears to be the same and hopefully by the end of June Samsung has fixed the problems with the Pebble Blue version, because that is what I want.

[via NewsWire]


Gorilla Glass 2 confirmed on the Galaxy S III

Posted: 30 May 2012 01:04 PM PDT

Today the folks from Corning have confirmed their new and improved Gorilla Glass 2 was used on the popular Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone. This new generation of strengthened, hardened glass was revealed at CES and we were told it would make its way onto devices later this year. Whether the Galaxy S III is the first device to feature it is unknown, but at least we know the phones screen should be one of the most durable of any smartphone available.

In case you don’t remember, the Galaxy Nexus did not feature Gorilla Glass and many were worried it wouldn’t hold up – but mine is just fine. I’m glad to hear that one of the biggest device launches of the summer (or the year) and Samsung’s new flagship smartphone indeed comes with Gorilla Glass 2. Here’s what Corning had to say:

We are pleased to offer our customers the thin elegance and refined style of the GALAXY S III using Corning Gorilla Glass 2. New Corning Gorilla Glass 2 is an ideal solution for Samsung's high-quality smartphones, enabling a superior touch experience and a lightweight and slim design, with the damage and scratch resistance consumers have come to expect.

Corning’s second generation glass is a great improvement over their original product. Offering a stronger, more durable glass that also manages to be 20% thinner. What does this mean for smartphone users? Phones can be thinner and lighter, screens will be brighter and have better viewing angles, and touch response will be better, faster, and more accurate than ever. It’s the little things folks!

[via SammyHub] – Thanks Jon


T-Mobile HTC One S update delayed to June 4th

Posted: 30 May 2012 12:41 PM PDT

If you’re one of the many proud new owners of the HTC One S we have some good and bad news for you today. This morning T-Mobile updated their support page for the HTC One S claiming a software update would start rolling out tomorrow, May 31st, to owners as reported by TmoNews. Now just a few short hours later they’ve changed the date and delayed it until early June.

The support documents in full can be found at T-Mobile.com and explains every aspect of the update. This morning the page said the update would begin rolling out on May 31st and was quickly changed this afternoon to June 4th. The reason for the change isn’t known, and we’re still hopeful for it to start tomorrow — but have our doubts.

The screenshot shown above is the new information given, and confirms the June 4th release for the over the air update. T-Mobile states the update will "improving software stability and resolving open issues with the device." Hopefully those battery drain reports. The update is around 24.2 MB in size and T-Mo recommends at least 50% battery life before starting the update process. As usual you can manually check for updates and pull it yourself by going to settings > about phone > software updates > Check now and enjoy the show. After completion you’ll still be on Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich and hopefully 4.0.4 will come soon.

T-Mobile-One-S-review-24-sg Screen Shot 2012-05-30 at 12.29.32 PM Screen Shot 2012-05-30 at 12.28.34 PM
Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One S
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : February 26, 2012
    Release Date : April 25, 2012
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.3 Inch
  • Resolution : 540x960
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.15 Inch
  • Width : 2.56 Inch
  • Depth : 0.31 Inch
  • Weight : 120 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1650 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon S4
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 1700
  • 2100
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


Angry Birds theme park set to open in UK this summer

Posted: 30 May 2012 12:04 PM PDT

This extremely popular and hit mobile game is also a popular movie, in space, and now a theme park. Angry Birds are everywhere and in the UK it’s about to get even bigger. This will actually be the second of its kind, but later this summer the UK will be opening their very own Angry Birds theme park. It will even offer exclusive levels for all the fans. Can Temple Run be next please?

This will actually be the second Angry Birds theme park open to the public according to Yahoo News, but it won’t be all by itself either. The theme park Sundown Adventureland will open this summer in the UK, and inside there will be a large area designated for the Angry Birds — and it will be aimed at younger kids although I’d probably join in just for fun.

Earlier this month in Finland, where the app creators Rovio call home, a park named Angry Birds Land was opened. Apparently both parks will have an area will families and users can actually download exclusive levels for Angry Birds. I hope they call it the Angry Birds Download Zone. The new theme park in the UK will have Bird-inspired swings, sandpits, roundabouts, climbing bars and stations, non-functioning catapults (for safety reasons) and rides themed around the game. Rovio creators have specifically mentioned these parks will help kids get out, and be more active and healthy. They are in part to blame for creating such an addicting game anyways, right?

Pretty neat huh? Don’t forget the all new Angry Birds Heikki is coming June 18th, so get ready.


Galaxy Nexus My Verizon update adds new UI and reminds us of Data Widget

Posted: 30 May 2012 11:24 AM PDT

Today Verizon has just issued an update for their popular My Verizon App. The version here for my Galaxy Nexus was just updated this morning and claims to have some impressive new UI features (that I’m not seeing) but does manage to bring a new widget reminder along with it. If you’ve ever used My Verizon you’d know it’s the easiest way to check data and minute usage, as well as pay your monthly bill.

The update available right now in the Google Play Store mentioned a brand new overhauled UI, especially the home page. Verizon details it as an easy to use interface for seamless navigation, optimal performance, and a user interface customers can enjoy. Mine looks exactly the same and still feels like it was made in 2008, but that’s just me. Did the update change the UI for you?

The other main change, shown above, is the fact that Verizon has added a notification to their app that allows users to now place a small 1×1 widget on their homescreen that will display their data usage. This is new to me and although data isn’t something I worry about too much, I can see many others loving this option especially if they didn’t know it was there. You might want the widget once Verizon takes away your unlimited data this summer, and I’m still waiting for a minutes widget too. Get the update today from the Google Play Store.

Screen Shot 2012-05-30 at 11.13.06 AM Screen Shot 2012-05-30 at 11.12.07 AM Screenshot_2012-05-30-10-54-00