Android and Me |
- Google and Sony announce new Google TV box
- Android Gaming Weekly: Men in Black 3, Zombro, Jazz, Asphalt 7, N.O.V.A. 3
- AT&T HTC One X gets rooted with one simple click
- HTC launches the HTC One camera challenge
- Flipboard for Android application posted on XDA
- Official: Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G LTE to launch on May18th
| Google and Sony announce new Google TV box Posted: 09 May 2012 12:34 PM PDT  Google TV is almost an afterthought at this point. The service lacks a real differentiating feature to make it a must-have item in your entertainment center, and at least one of Google’s partners decided to stop making set top Google TV boxes because they feel the software is premature. Still, companies such as LG are getting into the game recently, and yesterday Google partnered with Sony to unveil a new Google TV set top box. This isn’t Sony’s first entrant into the Google TV series; the Japanese conglomerate was an early Google TV advocate, selling TVs with integrated Google TV service since the time the service launched. The next version of Sony Google TV will be special. Not so much for the Google TV service, but for the dual-sided remote control that will be included. The RemoteThe dual-sided remote features the customary TV remote controls on one side, and doubles as a full QWERTY keyboard when flipped over. The result is around the same size as a remote control, as opposed to the full keyboard sized remote on the original Logitech Revue, and the awkward controller on Sony’s original TVs.
The BoxThe box is unsurprisingly less interesting, what with it being a big black box and all. The video above shows the box in action, though we’re told the unit was non-working at the demonstration. The box and included remote are set to be released sometime this summer, so we’ll likely be hearing more about it in coming months. Until then, we’ll try to figure out why we actually need a Google TV at all. Meanwhile, you can watch the Google-Sony event in its entirety in the video below.
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| Android Gaming Weekly: Men in Black 3, Zombro, Jazz, Asphalt 7, N.O.V.A. 3 Posted: 09 May 2012 11:03 AM PDT  Welcome back to our regular column Android Gaming Weekly, where we recap all the new releases and highlights every Wednesday. We post small bits throughout the week related to Android games, but readers have requested a condensed summary that makes it easier to keep up with all the latest news. Read on for this week's best in Android gaming. New Games This WeekZombro
I smell a sleeper hit. “Zombro is a puzzle game with a simple goal: Detach Zombro's basic elements (torso, legs, and braiiiiiinnz) to jump, dodge, and roll while making sure he finishes each level in one piece!” The game features 50 puzzles, 30 items to collect, and you can outfit Zombro in cool gear (plus customize his brain). JAZZ: Trump’s Journey We are in New Orleans this week for CTIA Wireless, so I thought it was appropriate to share a game about Jazz music. “My name is Trump and I’m a jazz man, and this is my story.” This unique platform game parallels with the real story of Louis Armstrong and follows the birth of jazz. Ricky Carmichael’s Motorcross “Ricky Carmichael Motocross Matchup Pro is an all-new racing game where it's just you against online competitors from around the globe! This includes the chance to bang bars with some the of best in the business, including Ricky Carmichael himself!” SAS: Zombie Assault 3 Based on the popular flash game by Ninja Kiwi, but completely rebuilt and optimized for Android, SAS: Zombie Assault 3 offers 4 player co-op multiplayer for free. Need I say more? Ninja Chicken Ooga Booga Lots of people like Oven Break last week and this title appears to offer similar gameplay. “Still on a mission to be the best ninja ever, our funky-chicken-who-thinks-he-is-a-ninja has broken free from the farm and into the wilderness!” Destiny Defense: Angel or Devil “Destiny Defense: Angel or Devil is the addictive action-strategy defense game with a variety of attack systems and 2 unique storylines. By choosing each side, Angel or Devil, you will be able to feel double thrill and fun as you go through different game plays.” Zombie Granny “Zombie Granny is an addictively fun puzzle game that combines zany characters, dazzling animated effects of destruction, and tricky mechanical puzzles for a ghoulishly entertaining good time!” Android Games Coming SoonMen in Black 3 Men in Black hits theaters May 25th and Gameloft has a new Android game to coincide with the release. This week they released a teaser video which shows a brief preview, but doesn’t provide many details on the gameplay. Look for Men in Black 3 to debut as a freemium game. N.O.V.A. 3 Another day, another N.O.V.A. 3 teaser video. This time we get a look at some of the solo mission action. No release date has been given yet, but we expect it to land on select Android devices later this month. Frontline Commando 2.0 Glu Mobile’s Frontline Commando has already been downloaded over 5 million times, and now they are gearing up to release version 2.0. The latest update should add several new levels, include new powerups, and end with a massive boss battle. Asphalt 7: Heat
Last week at the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event, Asphalt 7 was briefly teased. This is Gameloft’s most popular racing game, so we have high hopes for the latest chapter in the series. We don’t have many details on the game yet, but we could know more when Samsung releases the Galaxy S III around May 29th. Max Payne Mobile
Rockstar Games keeps pushing back the release date of Max Payne Mobile for Android, but tomorrow could be the big day. We heard a rumor it could come out at midnight, but Rockstar Games has been quiet on the matter. If you really want this game then check the Google Play store late tonight, but don’t be surprised if it was delayed again. Games I'm currently playingDance Legend: This game came out last month, but I finally took the time to sit down and play it for awhile. I’m not a dancer, but I have always enjoyed music games and Dance Legend was a real blast to play. The game is free and includes several songs to get you started, but additional song packs will cost you money. NBA Jam: EA Mobile finally updated NBA Jam to support more devices and I’ve been playing it non-stop the last couple days. The controls translate pretty well to a phone or tablet, and it’s just as fun as I remember when I was a little kid. I’m currently playing through the campaign mode trying to defeat every team and unlock big head mode. We are crossing our fingers that EA will eventually add an online multiplayer mode. What Android games are you playing?Find any great new Android games this week? Share your favorites in the comments below so we can check them out.
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| AT&T HTC One X gets rooted with one simple click Posted: 09 May 2012 09:43 AM PDT  While HTC claims restrictions prevent them from unlocking the bootloader of the AT&T HTC One X, that has not stopped the development community from banding together to unlock root access on the phone. A new post by kennethpenn on XDA-Developers delivers a one-click rooting option for the HTC One X which takes advantage of an exploit identified by the community. Gaining root access on the HTC One X allows users to make backups of their applications, remove AT&T’s bloatware or even make clock speed modifications to the phone’s CPU. Unfortunately, flashing unofficial ROMs to the HTC One X is still not possible, but we have a feeling it won’t be too long before the development community finds an exploit to solve that issue as well. Will any of you be using kennethpenn’s method to gain root access on your AT&T HTC One X?
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| HTC launches the HTC One camera challenge Posted: 09 May 2012 07:45 AM PDT  Capturing that perfect moment with an Android phone’s digital camera has always been tough, but HTC seems to think that the new HTC One series has solved the issue. To prove its point, HTC has launched an interactive page on its blog to see if you can tell the difference between pictures taken with an HTC One series device and a “professional digital camera.” Having used the HTC One S and HTC One X extensively, I was able to easily identify the images which were captured with an HTC One device – achieving a score of 8/10. There are a few distinct characteristics to look for when trying to identify the images taken by the HTC One, but I don’t want to give them away quite yet. Take the HTC One camera challenge and let us know what you score. Do you think the HTC One lives up to the high expectation HTC has set?
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| Flipboard for Android application posted on XDA Posted: 09 May 2012 07:15 AM PDT  We learned last week that Flipboard for Android was going to be a Galaxy S III exclusive when the device launches later this month. Of course, the development community knew that as soon as someone got their grubby hands on the Galaxy S III it would be posted somewhere for easy download for any device. Turns out, that’s exactly what happened, and the apk for Flipboard has been posted on the xda developers forums. Those brave enough to install applications from unknown sources can head over to xda and install Flipboard on your device. While we normally don’t promote app “piracy,” Flipboard is a free iOS application and will launch as a free Android application after the exclusivity period exists, and don’t believe that you can pirate something that’s free. If you do give Flipboard for Android a download, let us know what you think of the application in the comments below.
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| Official: Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G LTE to launch on May18th Posted: 09 May 2012 06:51 AM PDT  After a month of rumors and speculation, Sprint has finally announced that the HTC EVO 4G LTE will go on sale May 18th. The HTC EVO 4G LTE can be pre-ordered directly from Sprint, but Best Buy is offering customers a $50 Best Buy gift card if you pre-order the handset from them. The HTC EVO 4G LTE may not be the first LTE enabled device on Sprint’s network, but it will be the most powerful. The handset is powered by a dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm processor and contains a 720p HD display,1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a dedicated ImageChip used for the 8MP rear camera and a 2,000 mAh battery. At launch, the HTC EVO 4G LTE will be the most powerful and feature-rich Android phone on the market. While the phone may be amazing, it will not reach its full potential until Sprint’s LTE network rollout switches into high gear. So far, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Baltimore, Kansas City and San Antonio are the only markets with Sprint's 4G LTE coverage. Major LTE expansion isn’t expected until 2013, so don't expect to get much use out of that LTE modem until then. Is the HTC EVO 4G LTE the perfect phone for you or will you wait to see what Sprint’s variant of the Samsung Galaxy S III will offer? Show Press ReleaseOVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), May 09, 2012 – Sprint (NYSE: S), the only national wireless carrier offering truly unlimited data for all phones while on the Sprint network1, and HTC, a global designer of smartphones, announce the Friday, May 18, availability of the next evolution of the award-winning HTC EVO™ family, HTC EVO™ 4G LTE. It will cost $199.99 with a new line of service or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement (excludes taxes). Pre-order began May 7 at www.sprint.com/evo4glte. "HTC EVO 4G LTE sets the benchmark for Android devices this year with its incredible 4.7-inch screen, advanced camera features and future HD voice capabilities when combined with the speed of Sprint's upcoming 4G LTE network," said Fared Adib, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. "Its cutting-edge technology pairs perfectly with Sprint's unlimited data plans to let our customers enjoy their wireless experience without worrying about overage charges or throttling." HTC EVO 4G LTE is built on Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, integrated with HTC Sense™ 4. It focuses on exceptional improvements in camera technology, audio and voice quality on both the network and device. HTC ImageSense™ brings improvements to every part of the amazing camera experience featuring a superfast autofocus to enable continuous shooting, the ability to capture still images while taking video, and increasing the quality of photos taken in adverse conditions such as low light, no light or with bright backlighting. HTC EVO 4G LTE is Sprint's first device with HTC's Authentic Sound experience integrating Beats Audio™. The technology enables customers to hear music the way the artist intended with unique audio tuning that delivers thundering bass, soaring midrange and crisp highs. Beats Audio is enabled across the entire phone experience, including playing music stored on the device, streaming from a favorite service, watching a movie or YouTube™ video, or playing the latest hot game. HTC EVO 4G LTE boasts brilliant features, including a vibrant 4.7-inch HD display, future HD voice capabilities2, 2000mAh embedded battery and 8-megapixel rear-facing and 1.3-megapixel front-facing cameras. It is powered by the Snapdragon™ S4 processor by Qualcomm, delivering best-in-class performance and a power efficient platform for exceptionally long battery life. HTC EVO 4G LTE brings back the fan-favorite kickstand built into the smartphone's refined, slim design. "With the HTC EVO 4G LTE, we're launching a true successor the original EVO, bringing a focus on innovation, design and industry-leading consumer experiences," said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC America. "The millions of current and new EVO fans will appreciate our amazing camera that's superfast, easy-to-use and takes video and photos at the same time as well as our enhanced audio experience that you need to hear to believe." Respected device critics are buzzing with excitement for HTC EVO 4G LTE. Here are a few of the praises that poured in when it was announced earlier this month:
HTC EVO 4G LTE customers can enjoy an unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything Data plans. Sprint's Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $79.99 per month for smartphones – a savings of $40 per month versus Verizon's comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web, or $10 per month savings versus Verizon's 450-minute plan with unlimited text and 2GB Web (excludes taxes and surcharges). HTC EVO 4G LTE is one of the first devices available with Sprint Professional Grade, a new designation for select smartphones that deliver enhanced security, device management and Exchange Active Sync capabilities to business users. Click here to learn more about Sprint Professional Grade designation. As part of the HTC EVO 4G LTE launch, Sprint will be giving customers a chance to share their LOVE on Facebook. To learn how you could enter for the chance to win UNLIMITED LOVE, make sure to visit Sprint's Facebook page on May 18 for details. Sprint recently announced Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio are expected to have 4G LTE and enhanced 3G service in mid-year. The anticipated launch of these large metropolitan areas demonstrates the continued commitment by Sprint to invest in its network through Network Vision. Sprint customers in these areas will soon enjoy ultra-fast data speeds and improved 3G voice quality. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint's 4G LTE rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.
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