Android Authority |
- Kyocera Hydro, a waterproof Android phone with ICS, might be heading to Sprint
- Galaxy Note is smartphone with best screen-to-body size ratio, S3 follows closely
- Xperia Play notably missing on Sony’s ICS upgrade list
- Panasonic Eluga Power UK release delayed, ETA is mid-summer
- Samsung Galaxy S3 launched in South East Asia
- Best Android apps for boosting mobile network and Wi-Fi signals
- Bump for Android now lets you “magically” move photos from phone to PC
- Galaxy S3 TouchWiz launcher ported to the Galaxy S2, working (almost) like a charm
- Huawei Ascend P1 gets the FCC blessing, to hit the US in June?
- UK company involved in fake apps scam fined $78,000, told to refund money
| Kyocera Hydro, a waterproof Android phone with ICS, might be heading to Sprint Posted: 25 May 2012 12:59 PM PDT
If you need your Android phone to be with you whether it's rain or shine, with more emphasis on the former, you might be interested to read what Kyocera has to offer. The Kyocera Hydro is a mid-range Android phone that might not pack enough goodies inside to make it a stand out, except for one of its features: this device is waterproof. That’s right. It’s not a typo. The phone has a 3.5-inch IPS display with 480 x 320 resolution and boasts a 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 processor, 2GB internal storage, 512MB RAM, 3.2MP rear camera, a 1500mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Not bad at all for a mid-ranger, right? As for the Hydro's nonchalant stance against liquid, the phone is "certified waterproof for IPX5, protection against water jets and IPX7, and protection against water immersion for up to 30 minutes in up to 1 meter or 3.28 feet." Let's not get too crazy and take it for a swim though, as Kyocera warns that the phone should be dried as soon as possible if it's been drenched in water. Though there's no word yet on price and availability, the Kyocera Hydro was recently spotted at FCC sporting a CDMA 1900MHz radio, which led many to believe it's heading for Sprint. If priced right, Kyocera may see the phone getting some love from US folks. Is this a smartphone you might consider getting once it’s unleashed on the market? Drop us a comment below! This article, Kyocera Hydro, a waterproof Android phone with ICS, might be heading to Sprint , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Galaxy Note is smartphone with best screen-to-body size ratio, S3 follows closely Posted: 25 May 2012 10:57 AM PDT
Not long ago it seemed like a mobile phone's most important target was to be as slim, light and portable as possible. But recently, tech users have started changing their views on the market. They now look for phones with the largest and brightest screens, first and foremost. However, a display's size could be deceiving sometimes, as there are still a multitude of phones featuring large bezels and/or physical buttons and therefore restricting the actual usable space on the screen. That's why we were relieved to bump into a chart compiled by Reddit user, Thare, who compiled some information on this specific topic. He analyzed the screen-to-body size ratios of some of the best Android smartphones these days. In other words, the graph shows figures that represent how much of the total area of a smartphone's front side is covered by the actual display. Not surprisingly, the #1 phone ranked in the chart is not exactly a phone, but Samsung's Galaxy Note phablet. The Note has 66.9% of its body area made out of touch-screen, which might not be impressive at a first glance, but it's actually a lot better than what many popular smartphones these days have to offer, including the iPhone 4S, Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX or HTC’s One S.
Then again, we have to notice that, if the best phone out there (or phablet) only uses a tad over two-thirds of body area for "honorable" purposes, there is clearly room for improvement. It would be difficult to imagine a phone using 100% of its body to display images and videos (unless we're talking about devices with flexible screens, of course). But we could see it a possibility for the manufacturers to soon come up with gadgets using 80 or 90% of their measurements for solely screen space and usage. Just think of what it would mean for the Galaxy Note to keep its current profile, but feature a 5.7″ or even 6″ display! I know, it sounds crazy, but it could be possible with the diminishing of the horizontal bezel. This part to be honest, is not very functional for most regular users anyways. Getting back to the chart posted on Reddit, we should tell you that the Galaxy Note is followed very closely by the newly unveiled Galaxy S3, with a nice 66.1% screen-to-body size ratio, while the bronze medal is claimed by the HTC EVO 4G LTE (incorrectly referred to as the "EVO 4G" in the chart), with a 66% ratio.
HTC's One X, the Galaxy Nexus, Sony's Xperia GX and the Galaxy S2 are the next few phones to top the rank, while at the bottom we can find the Droid 4, with almost 48% of body space "wasted", the iPhone 4S, with a rather mediocre 55.4% screen-to-body size ratio, and the Droid RAZR MAXX, with 56.9% of its body used wisely. What's interesting is that a PhoneArena reader, going by the name of Franc, has decided to do some calculations and come up with a few numbers himself and has found Panasonic's Eluga Power a much better "space-saver" than the Galaxy Note. The Power supposedly uses no less than 72.29% of its total body in displaying purposes and is followed by the Huawei Ascend D Quad XL, who overtakes the Note by a whisker, with a 67.38% screen-to-body size ratio. What do you guys think of these calculations? Does bigger always mean better? Do you see the smartphone screen-to-body size ratio going significantly up in the near future? Let us know in the comments section below! This article, Galaxy Note is smartphone with best screen-to-body size ratio, S3 follows closely , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Xperia Play notably missing on Sony’s ICS upgrade list Posted: 25 May 2012 10:27 AM PDT
Sony Xperia S owners weren't all too pleased when they found out that the ICS upgrade for the flagship phone has been slightly delayed, but at least they will still be getting the Ice Cream Sandwich treat on their plate errm… phone. The same thing can't be said about Sony Xperia Play at the moment; it has disappeared inexplicably from the company's list of eligible phones expected to receive Android 4.0. Sony had promised that all Xperia devices released in 2011 will be getting ICS this year, therefore it's quite odd to see the Xperia Play being singled out and removed from the list. The new list only covers the following phones now:
Is this a typo or has Sony changed its mind about upgrading the Xperia Play to ICS? Sony has released an ICS beta ROM for the Xperia Play, so for now we're leaning toward the former as the reason for the disappearance. Unfortunately, the usually informative support staff at Sony's website hasn’t gotten back to us yet with a definitive answer; something that has never before been an issue for the dedicated team. Here’s hoping that the curious case of disappearing Xperia Play can be solved soon. We'll update this piece once we get more information. Our fingers are crossed that Sony Xperia Play won't be left out from the ICS upgrade. This article, Xperia Play notably missing on Sony's ICS upgrade list , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Panasonic Eluga Power UK release delayed, ETA is mid-summer Posted: 25 May 2012 09:49 AM PDT
While the Panasonic Eluga has been made available for a short while in Europe, the company's 2nd Android-based smartphone, the Eluga Power is keeping tech users waiting, thereby decreasing its chances to become successful. Initially planned to hit the UK back in April, the smartphone (or is it a phablet?) will not start shipping for at least a month more. Clove, the British retailer that put the 5-inch beast up for pre-order in March, has not officially announced the reasons behind the delay. Also, there's no word on whether people who've pre-ordered the phone will be allowed to cancel their orders and get a full refund. The guys at PhoneArena are suspecting the delay to have been caused by software glitches of some kind, but that's merely speculation. As for the device's release in the rest of the Europe and the US, we have nothing to report right now, but we should find out something soon. If you missed the Eluga Power's introduction at the February MWC, you should know that, at least on paper, it looks astounding. Sporting a 5-inch LCD screen with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, Panasonic's flagship will be powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and will feature 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal memory, an 8 MP rear-facing shooter, NFC and the running of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Eluga Power is also set to be waterproof and dustproof, which are not exactly standard features in most markets. Now all Panasonic has to do is release the thing already and end the waiting game! This article, Panasonic Eluga Power UK release delayed, ETA is mid-summer , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Samsung Galaxy S3 launched in South East Asia Posted: 25 May 2012 09:36 AM PDT
Finally, the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S3 was launched in Bandar Utama, Malaysia. Already pre-ordered more than 9 million times, the Galaxy S3 will take the glorious legacy of its predecessor one step further. After the launch, Samsung Malaysia was kind enough to drop us a brand new white Galaxy S3 to do an unboxing. Designed for Humans, Inspired by Nature – the tagline of the worldwide Galaxy S3 launch speaks volumes of the 3rd iteration in the Galaxy S lineup. “It is a smartphone that’s designed to be effortlessly smart and intuitively simple,” said Mr. Kwon Jae Hoon, the Managing Director of Samsung Malaysia Electronics during the launch event. Samsung’s latest pride and joy emphasizes a human-centric design, meant to facilitate natural interactions. Natural elements like the wind, water, light, and stones have inspired the Korean designers into creating a clean device with smooth lines and a nice balance. But it’s not all just looks. It’s smart enough to detect your face, voice, and motions, all at the same time. Here are the most important smart software features of the S3:
                                 Stay tuned for more fresh information on the Galaxy S3 including a series of hands-on videos! This article, Samsung Galaxy S3 launched in South East Asia , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Best Android apps for boosting mobile network and Wi-Fi signals Posted: 25 May 2012 09:00 AM PDT
There’s nothing more frustrating than having a weak network signal or Wi-Fi connection, leaving you with a sluggish Internet connection or a hard time making calls or sending text messages. No matter how powerful your device is, you’re not going to enjoy it much without a decent Internet connection or a strong network signal to work with. There are Android apps to help you establish better Wi-Fi connection or to strengthen network signals. We’ve put together some of the best apps you can find on the Google Play Store for boosting mobile network and Wi-Fi signals. OpenSignalMaps Have you tried walking all around your house just to get a better signal on your phone? I bet you’ve done that at least once; it’s a little hard to guess where you can get the best signal. Some even climb to the roof of their houses just to get a better signal, but you don’t have to do that when you use OpenSignalMaps. This app will literally show you where you can get a strong signal for your device. When you use the app, it shows you the direction of the signal through an arrow, a map and even a radar where the location of cellular towers are shown. This way, you don’t have to guess and walk around to find a signal; instead you can follow the locations of the cellular towers where a strong network signal is surely available. Aside from helping you out with your network signal, it also shows where you are getting your Wi-Fi connection, helping you find free network connections wherever you are. Try OpenSignalMaps for free from the Google Play Store. Network Signal Info Network Signal Info is another app that could come in handy if you are very much concerned about the strength of your Wi-Fi or network signal. It won’t make your signal stronger, but it works by helping you determine the real signal strength or Wi-Fi connection. Sometimes the signal bars on your phone can be misleading, so this app gives you a more detailed look, showing you signal strength via 14 signal bars better than the usual five bars that your device gives you. Using the app is easy through two widgets: one for network signal and another for Wi-Fi connection, allowing you to determine your real signal strength without launching the app again and again. So don’t get fooled by your phone’s signal bars, use Network Signal Info for a better idea on your signal strength. It’s free from the Google Play Store. WiFi Overview 360 Finding the best and fastest Wi-Fi connection available is an easy task if you use WiFi Overview 360. You can use this app to manage and optimize your WiFi connections through its channel checker and channel radar. It will show you a detailed description of the wireless networks available, including the name, signal strength, channel number, and encryption. To optimize your connection, you can use the app to find a channel or frequency range where there are fewer or no wireless networks using it other than your network. To help you evaluate the wireless networks around you, the app gives you a graphical representation of all the wireless networks within its operating range. From there, the app helps you determine the best channel of choice. So if you want to optimize your network connection, try WiFi Overview 360 for free. Wifi Analyzer Whether you are using home Wi-Fi or you are always using free public Wi-Fi access points, WiFi Analyzer is an app that can help you boost your Wi-Fi connection. When setting up a Wi-Fi connection at home, you can use this app to evaluate the best channel to use to avoid overlapping with other Wi-Fi connections and essentially giving you better signal strength. It also works great if you are in a public area where there are a lot of Wi-Fi connections; you can evaluate which wireless networks are the best to connect to. The app is very easy to use. When checking for the best channel, all you have to do is look at the channel graph and choose a channel that no or fewer users are using. It’s also free to download from the Google Play Store. Fresh Network Booster If you are looking for an app that will boost the network signal of your device then Fresh Network Booster is one of the best apps that can help you out. Essentially, the app gives you a better signal which also means better data speed if you connect to the Internet. It reconnects your data to cell site towers, much like connecting you to a fresh network. This app is guaranteed to give your network signal a boost. It’s also great because this app is very easy to use and as you launch it, it automatically works its magic to give you the signal strength you want. Trying it won’t also cost you a dime because it’s free on the Google Play Store. Network Booster Free Another app that excels in giving your phone’s signal a boost is Network Booster Free. This app essentially boosts your phone’s signal by renewing your phone’s connection to cellular tower or sites, giving your device better network signal reception. That’s very much all this app is about, but it is very effective in doing the task. Some users even mentioned that the app can give your phone signal even in dead zones, areas where there are no network signals. Aside from the fact that it’s a great signal-boosting application for your Android device, it’s also free, so there’s no need to for you to spend some bucks just to get better network signals. WiFi Booster Easy Connect Most Wi-Fi booster apps help you evaluate which is the best Wi-Fi connection and you have to choose which connection you prefer. On the other hand, if you do not want to be involved in the hassle of choosing from among several connections available, then you should try WiFi Booster Easy Connect. When you use this app, you don’t have to choose which connection to connect to because the app will do it for you. Once you are connected to a Wi-Fi connection, the app has a Wi-Fi network speed booster that will surely add some speed to your connection. All it takes are two taps: one tap to search for the best remembered Wi-Fi networks and another to search for the best open Wi-Fi networks. The app is also very light on your phone, letting you enjoy a boost in your Wi-Fi without taking too much of your precious memory space. This app is also free, so give it a try. WiFi Connect Another app to help you sort out the best Wi-Fi connections around is WiFi Connect, showing you the wireless hotspots within reach and allowing you to connect to those connections easily. The app has a fun-looking interface, showing Wi-Fi connections as bits of scratch paper taped to a bulletin board. Along with scanning the connections available, the app also displays several other details to help you sort the connections further. These include the signal strength, channel number, security type, link speed, IP number, and more. And, to keep you apprised about your Wi-Fi connectivity status, the app also supports a notification feature. You have nothing to lose when you try this app because it’s also free to download from the Google Play Store. WiFi Manager Managing your Wi-Fi connections will be a piece of cake if you use WiFi Manager. It essentially lets you search for available networks and connect to them. If you have more than a handful of networks available, managing them would be easy with this app. The app has two widgets dedicated for displaying the information about each connection and to switch among several networks available. It also has a graphical channel which helps improve the connection quality, giving your connection speed a boost every time you use the app. Apart from the essential Wi-Fi tweaking features of the app, it also has several other extra features of its own. It features an all-new and improved interface with dark-colored themes and a feature where you can assign descriptions and icons to every individual network. It really is a useful yet fun app to use. Get this app free from the Google Play Store. Network Signal Speed Booster The last app on this list is Network Signal Speed Booster but it’s definitely not the least. Evident from its name, this app is designed to improve the signal reception of your phone, therefore giving your network signal a boost. Unlike other signal boosting apps, this app is unique because it’s very easy to use. In fact, you don’t have to do anything at all. Just launch the app and watch your signal bars rise to a higher level. What the app does is it connects you to the best available cellular tower from your location. This is really one of the best and easiest signal boosting apps that you can find. And, it’s also free, so it’s definitely worth a try. Whether you want an app just to boost your phone’s network signal, your Wi-Fi connection, or even both these features, there is an app for you. Whether you like it easy or you’d like to see every detail, you can also find an app that fits you. Just try the apps that we have featured in this article and see for yourself. Do you need signal-boosting Android apps for your Wi-Fi or mobile network signals? What app do you currently use? This article, Best Android apps for boosting mobile network and Wi-Fi signals , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Bump for Android now lets you “magically” move photos from phone to PC Posted: 25 May 2012 08:52 AM PDT
Do you remember that cool Android app that lets you transfer photos from one Android phone to another by simply, well bumping two Android phones together? Right, it’s the app called Bump. If you liked the idea behind the app, wait until you hear what we have to report. The Bump for Android app was just updated to version 3.3.0 and, guess what, the app has one new feature that greatly extends its capabilities. That feature is the ability to “magically” transfer photos from your phone to your PC. What’s great about this new feature is the fact that you don’t have to install anything, except, of course, the app on your phone. After installing the update, you just need to visit bu.mp on your desktop brower, open the app on your phone, and select the photos that you want to transfer to your PC. Then, slightly tap the spacebar on your PC’s keyboard using your phone. Boom! The photos will pop up on your browser. You’ll then have the option to share the photos immediately with your friends or to download them on your computer’s hard drive.
That’s it. The only requirement on your computer is to use either Chrome, Firefox, or Safari, with location tracking enabled. Well, at least in principle, that’s how this feature is supposed to work. But after trying it out using Chrome for Mac, I wasn’t able to connect my phone to my iMac. On Safari though, the feature worked fine, after a couple of tries. The key here is not to bump your phone to the spacebar but to press it gently and then harder the moment the phone is in contact with the spacebar. You’ll know if the app works if your phone vibrates upon pressing. Bump Android app is available as a free download on Google Play. Have fun using it, folks!
This article, Bump for Android now lets you “magically” move photos from phone to PC , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Galaxy S3 TouchWiz launcher ported to the Galaxy S2, working (almost) like a charm Posted: 25 May 2012 08:36 AM PDT
I know that you just can't get enough of the news about the newly unveiled Samsung Galaxy S3, especially when talking about its software, hacks, custom ROMs, and so on. That's why we're glad to tell you that the handheld's TouchWiz UX launcher has been ported to the Galaxy S2, courtesy of a skilled member of the XDA-Developers forum. The news comes less than a week after the Galaxy S3's stock ROM has been leaked, a few days after the first custom ROM popped up on the web, and just two days after the S Voice app has been made to work on pretty much any Android device out there. Now that's what I call serious involvement from the independent Android developers community! The speed of all these leaks and builds is yet another indicator of the S3's huge popularity, even before the handheld's official release. Getting back to our post's topic, we should tell you that the TouchWiz UX port is available for download courtesy of Smando on the XDA forum, and, while it does seem to be working pretty decently, there are a couple of glitches to be solved. First off, at least for the time being, you can only try out the new launcher on the Galaxy S2. There's a download package for other devices too, but the project is still in the testing phase and should be handled with maximum care. Moreover, the port only works on Galaxy S2s running original Samsung-based software packages, so if you already have a custom ROM installed on your phone, chances are that you won't be able to enjoy Smando's release. As for other glitches and bugs, make sure to browse through the entire XDA forum thread, as there are a number of problems reported by different users in different ways. However, the launcher comes in a recovery-flashable update.zip file, so, even if you'll encounter small issues with the port, you’ll be able to restore your initial software in a snap. The installation process is itself very easy and quick, with the port only "weighing" around 4 MB. As for the launcher's actual looks, we have to mention a very cool thing about it – it lets you choose between a stock 4 columns x 5 rows arrangement and a tweaked 5×5 design. How about it, guys? Will you test this port on your Galaxy S2? Or better yet, will you help out Smando to make the UX work on other devices as well? This article, Galaxy S3 TouchWiz launcher ported to the Galaxy S2, working (almost) like a charm , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Huawei Ascend P1 gets the FCC blessing, to hit the US in June? Posted: 25 May 2012 08:23 AM PDT
There was quite a lot of hoopla in the Android world back in January and February, when Huawei unveiled what they called the "world's most powerful" handheld and the "world's slimmest" phone. However, the excitement significantly toned down in the months following the announcements, as we heard very little about the Ascend D Quad's and Ascend P1's worldwide releases. The P1 did launch in China last month, but Huawei's officials hesitated to announce any dates for the rest of the world, saying that "other markets will follow soon". We didn't even know if the Ascend P1 was ever going to come to the States, as it became obvious that it’s not a phone to challenge the likes of the HTC One X, LG Optimus 4X HD, or Samsung Galaxy S3. But just when we least expected it, we caught an FCC filing of the P1, that just about confirms that the device is heading towards the USA after all. According to FCC internal documents leaked yesterday, Huawei's future phone will support pentaband HSPA+/UMTS, technical standards compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile's networks. It's too early to say which one of the two carriers will offer the Ascend P1 for sale, because neither AT&T nor T-Mo have said anything about the phone until now. But we reckon there's a good chance that the device will sell via both providers.
Verizon and Sprint might not be left out of the mix, as they could have special editions of the phone coming their way later, but that's all speculation and we would rather concentrate on the facts. What are the facts? Well, we knew for a while that the Ascend P1 will be released in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Australia by the end of May, and to Europe and Latin America in June. We also know that, while identically equipped with the Ascend P1 S, the P1 comes with a bulkier figure and falls short of claiming the "world's slimmest" title. Powered by a dual-core 1.5 GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor and sporting a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display with 960 x 540 pixels resolution, the Ascend P1 could very well hit the US by the end of June, at around the same time with Europe. The rest of the phone's features include Android ICS, 8 MP/1.3 MP cameras, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of internal memory, a microSD card slot, and a 1670 mAh battery. As for the Ascend P1 S, we know nothing official in terms of availability and pricing, so it's possible that Huawei has given up on the model before anyone got the chance to play around with it. Are you US tech enthusiasts excited about the Huawei Ascend P1? Will you be looking to get it if it were to be released by AT&T and/or T-Mobile? What would be a fair price to ask for this gadget? This article, Huawei Ascend P1 gets the FCC blessing, to hit the US in June? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| UK company involved in fake apps scam fined $78,000, told to refund money Posted: 25 May 2012 07:23 AM PDT
Unsuspecting victims of fake versions of Angry Birds, Assassin’s Creed and Cut the Rope, posted on third party Android app stores, will be getting their money back, after the UK phone regulator PhonepayPlus took action against the premium rate number provider, A1 Agregator Limited. The fake apps contained malware which charged vicitm’s £15 ($23) every time one of the apps was opened. The malware did this by sending three £5 premium rate texts. Once they were sent, the malware hid the sent and received messages that would normally notify the user that the text incurred a charge. The first time victims would know about the scam was when they received their first phone bill. The scheme was not only limited to UK users, but in fact covered 18 countries. PhonepayPlus fined A1 Agregator £50,000 (about $78,000) and ordered it to make refunds directly to all victims within three months, irrelevant of whether or not they had complained. The company was also banned from running any premium rate services in the UK without express permission from PhonepayPlus. Not only will the victims get their money back, but thanks to the swift action by the regulator, none of the £27,850 collected has reached the cyber criminals. The fake apps used a known malware called RuFraud and it is estimated that the apps where downloaded 14,000 times. According to PhonepayPlus, the RuFraud attack affected 1,391 mobile numbers in the UK. Why are users downloading from an untrusted source?The popularity of third party app stores can perhaps be understood in geographical areas like China or Russia, where maybe users are expecting apps exclusively in their own language. But why would 1,391 users in the UK download apps from untrusted sources? Do you use a different store other than Google Play? Why do you use it? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. This article, UK company involved in fake apps scam fined $78,000, told to refund money , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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