Android Central

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• Android Central weekly photo contest: Street scenes
• HTC EVO 4G LTE officially cleared to ship
• Verizon confirms some phones will get updated for global use
• Android A to Z: What is the AOSP?
• Swords and Soldiers [Android Game Review]
• Samsung and O2 unveil Galaxy Note and Galaxy Y Olympic editions
• HTC Amaze 4G getting Ice Cream Sandwich update starting today
• ShopAndroid Daily Giveaway #76: Desktop Cradle for One X, Qmadix Dual Mobile Charging Hub & more
• Deal of the Day: Incipio EDGE Hard Shell Slider Case for HTC ThunderBolt
• Samsung Galaxy S Advance review (Three UK)
• Samsung locks down S Voice following app leak
• Three UK launches Sony Xperia U
• HTC Bluetooth music adapter now shipping from Sprint
• Monday Brief: A Nexus Zerg Rush, BB10 Homescreen Details, and more!
• This week: The Android Glossary returns!
• ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 software update rolling out for most everyone

Android Central weekly photo contest: Street scenes Posted: 21 May 2012 03:20 PM PDT The best part about having a good camera on your phone is that you'll always have a way to snap pictures in your pocket. Our phone cameras will never be a good as expensive photo equipment, but who really carriers their DSLR camera around their neck everywhere they go? Thinking along those lines, this week's photo contest should be fun. Show us a street scene -- that is, things you find along the sidewalks and streets around you. Often times the best pictures are ones that weren't staged. The prize this week is the winners choice of a case from ShopAndroid.com, where we have a ton of them to choose from. The rules, as always: Use an Android device to take a picture. Any Android device Submit the picture in the forum thread we have set up for this week, so everyone can see your handiwork. E-mail was swamping us, and not everyone got to see all the entries. This way, we get to see them all. We like seeing it all. Only submit one. We're going to check, and we'll know if you try to game the system. Be sure to tell what device you used, and any effects or filters used on the photo. We can learn from these as well as have fun. Get your picture in by Friday midnight (your local time). We'll pick the winner and the runners-up and throw them on the blog Sunday afternoon. So keep an eye out while your heading off to work, or out to play, snap a picture and enter to win! Enter the weekly photo contest

HTC EVO 4G LTE officially cleared to ship Posted: 21 May 2012 02:52 PM PDT Our long national nightmare is over, ladies and gentlemen. The HTC EVO 4G LTE has cleared its International Trade Commission review at customs, which caused the phone to miss its launch date last Friday, and is headed to Sprint stores nationwide. The delay stemmed from the ITC inspecting the phones to ensure that they don't infringe on a patent owned by Apple specifically, one that opens up a menu when you tap on a linked phone number. For its part, HTC in December had said that the patent covered "a small UI experience" and that it already had a workaround at that time. And sure enough, the EVO 4G LTE (and the AT&T HTC One X) that we've got here have changed things up a little bit. (Tapping on a linked phone number goes straight to the dialer instead of offering menu options.) Preorders will arrive "on or around" May 24, Sprint said, and you should receive an e-mail with shipping confirmation once your phone is on the way. Source: Sprint; more: HTC EVO 4G LTE forums

Verizon confirms some phones will get updated for global use Posted: 21 May 2012 02:07 PM PDT Verizon this afternoon confirmed that four of its CDMA Android smartphones will receive software updates that allow them to connect to GSM networks outside the United States. The phones are the HTC Rezound, the Motorola Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX, and the Motorola Droid 4. All four of the phones phones are 4G LTE capable and thus have SIM cards, which generally is a hallmark of a GSM device. Said Verizon: Customers will see a notification on their device when the software update is available for their device. After the software update, customers will be able to take their smartphone overseas and use voice service in more than 220 countries and receive data in more than 205 countries. Of course, you'll need to add some global service to your Verizon plan. Or, and this is the really good news -- Verizon tells us the phones already are SIM unlocked, so you should be able to use a prepaid SIM once you're in-country. If you don't travel outside the U.S., well, you can just go about your domestic business. More: Verizonwireless.com/global

Android A to Z: What is the AOSP? Posted: 21 May 2012 12:56 PM PDT AOSP is a term you'll see used a lot -- here, as well as at other Android-centric sites on the Internet. I'll admit I'm guilty of using it and just expecting everyone to know what I'm talking about, and I shouldn't. To rectify that, at least a little bit, I'll try to explain what the AOSP is now so we're all on the same page. For some of us -- the nerdly types who build software -- the full name tells us what we need to know. AOSP stands for Android Open Source Project. The AOSP was designed and written by folks who had a vision that the world needed an open-source platform that exists for developers to easily build mobile applications. It wasn't designed to beat any other platform in market share, or to fight for user freedom from tyrannical CEOs -- it exists as a delivery mechanism for mobile apps -- like Google's mobile apps, or any of the 400,000+ in the Google Play store. Luckily, Google realized that using open-source software would ensure that this operating system/mobile application content delivery system is available for all, for free. And by choosing the licensing they did, it's also attractive to device manufacturers who can use it as a base to build their own mobile OS.  The premise plays out rather nicely. Google writes and maintains a tree of all the Android source code -- the AOSP. It's made available for everyone (you, me, manufacturers you've never heard of and not just big players like Samsung or HTC) to download, modify, and take ownership of. This means the folks at CyanogenMod can add cool stuff like audio profiles. It also means folks like HTC can change multitasking in ways that many of us don't like. You can't have one without having the other. The big players then use their modified version of this source to build their own operating system. Some, like Amazon, radically changed everything without a care to use Google's official applications and keep their device in compliance with Android guidelines. Some, like HTC radically changed everything yet followed the Android Compatibility Program (ACP) so they could include Google's core application suite -- including the Google Play store. Some, like the folks at CyanogenMod, enhance the pure AOSP code with additions but don't change the overall look and feel. Again -- that's how this open-source thing works. You can't have it without allowing folks to change it as they see fit, for better or worse. Any of us can download and build the AOSP. We can even stay compliant with the ACP and contact Google about including their applications. Yes, any of us could build our own device using the AOSP code in our garage or basement with Google's full blessing. That's the beauty of the AOSP, and we wouldn't want it any other way.  More: Android Open Source Project;  Android Compatibility Program Check out the complete Android Dictionary read more

Swords and Soldiers [Android Game Review] Posted: 21 May 2012 11:48 AM PDT If there's one thing I love about the Humble Bundle, it's the great games it brings to Android. The downside is that most aren't launched in the Google Play Store until much later, but Swords and Soldiers has made the jump. Swords and Soldiers is a sidescrolling, conquer-'em-up type game, not unlike a simplified Starcraft 2 (yeah, I went there), where you mine resources, build up troops, and fight the invading army (that's coming from the other side of the screen). It's all very cartoony and lighthearted, but it's obvious the game was built from the ground up with this in mind, so it totally works. You start off as the Vikings, but can eventually unlock storylines for the Aztecs and Chinese, as well. Combat and resource mining is the same across all three armies. You create troops using the upgrade menu (the blue arrow in the bottom-left corner of the screen), and this is also where you buy spells to beef up your team. As your hoard of monies grows, you can build even more troops, or less, more powerful troops. There's an excellent variety of soldiers in your barracks, so you can tailor your army to your enemy's weakness or just steamroll them with your favorite. Once you've purchased either a new unit or spell, there's a small amount of time before you can actually use it. (You'll notice its icon growing slowly on your screen.) Once it's up, you can tap on it and either build the troop or use the spell. As you advance through the campaign, you'll find yourself with a whole host of spells and troops that you've bought, but it really helps keep the game fresh. There's also a multiplayer mode with a pretty ingenious implementation. Instead of requiring your buddy to have their own copy of the game and play over wireless, the game goes into portrait mode and each of you takes half of the screen (so you're sitting across from one another). You can't really see what they're doing (nor can they see you), but it lets you share the fun with a friend even if you only have one device. To top it off, Swords and Soldiers also includes a skirmish level, where you can pick any army and hone your skills against a computer. You get to pick how large the map is, play with all upgrades unlocked, and just go to town. It's great for killing a few minutes, especially if you don't have time to keep playing through the campaign. You can pick up Swords and Soldiers for $2.99 in the Google Play Store or try the demo version for free. We've got video and download links after the break. read more

Samsung and O2 unveil Galaxy Note and Galaxy Y Olympic editions Posted: 21 May 2012 11:40 AM PDT Samsung is a big Olympic sponsor, and it's been ramping up its promotional efforts considerably in the lead up to this summer's London games. In addition to bringing to market the "official phone of the Olympics" in the form of the Galaxy S III, Samsung's also releasing special Olympic editions of the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Y smartphones through British network O2. The devices include limited edition back covers sporting either the Team GB lion logo, or the union jack. And owners will also get the chance to win a "once in a lifetime Team Samsung experience," including -- a pair of tickets to an Olympics Games Event a pair of tickets to the Team GB training camp in Loughborough on 6 July 2012 a pair of tickets to the Team GB celebration event taking place in London In addition, for each device sold, Samsung says it'll donate £1 (~$1.60) to "Team GB athletes of the future," meaning you can pick up a shiny new toy for yourself and enjoy a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. More: Samsung

HTC Amaze 4G getting Ice Cream Sandwich update starting today Posted: 21 May 2012 09:18 AM PDT As it was foretold, the T-Mobile HTC Amaze 4G has begun getting its Ice Cream Sandwich update. The push to Android 4.0 isn't going to hit everyone at the same time, so don't fret if you don't get it right this second. Here's the full changelog: Android version 4.0.3 / Software version 2.14.531.3710RD Approved 5/21/2012 New Features Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Sense 3.6 System bar enhancements to easily view recent apps. Re-sizeable widgets Lock screen actions including pull down notifications and adjust volume while device is locked. Data usage controls. Face Unlock Home screen folders Improved battery life Improvements Improved text input and spell checking Improved menu structure Prerequisites OTA or Manual update Device is running Android version 2.3.4 / Software version 1.43.531.3, 1.36.531.5, or 1.36.531.6 Device software is not rooted More than 50% battery life Data or Wi-Fi connection Source: T-Mobile; more: Amaze 4G forums

ShopAndroid Daily Giveaway #76: Desktop Cradle for One X, Qmadix Dual Mobile Charging Hub & more Posted: 21 May 2012 09:09 AM PDT Welcome back for another week of giveaway's from ShopAndroid.com! Today we'll be featuring the Mobi Desktop Cradle for HTC One X, Qmadix USB Dual Mobile Charging Hub, Seidio SURFACE Case for G2X, and the OverBoard Waterproof Case. Pick the accessory you'd like for your Android device and leave it in a comment below.  We'll select one winner from today's giveaway and announce them next week. Mobi Products Desktop Cradle for HTC One X The Mobi Products Cradle for HTC One X let's you easily charge your device and sync it at the same time. Just connect the cradle to your computer's USB port to sync your device and you're set! If you want to simply charge your device, just connect the bundled AC adapter for power. read more

Deal of the Day: Incipio EDGE Hard Shell Slider Case for HTC ThunderBolt Posted: 21 May 2012 06:54 AM PDT The May 21 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Incipio EDGE Hard Shell Slider Case for HTC ThunderBolt. The EDGE case is made of a dense plastic shell casing that covers the back and sides of the ThunderBolt. It features cut-outs for ports, camera, buttons, and kickstand. Simply slide the case together around the ThunderBolt and you're protected! Comes in black or magenta. The Incipio EDGE Hard Shell Slider Case is available for just $14.95 today only, 50% off the regular price.  Get yours while supplies last!

Samsung Galaxy S Advance review (Three UK) Posted: 21 May 2012 06:45 AM PDT Pick a screen size, a set of specs and a price point, and chances are Samsung has an Android smartphone that fits the bill. As the leading Android manufacturer, Samsung has a ridiculous number of phones on the market, and that’s particularly true around the mid-range price point. The latest of these is the Galaxy S Advance, which recently launched on Three UK. Best described as a shrunk-down Galaxy S II, the Advance incorporates many of the features of that phone at a more wallet-friendly price. We often concentrate on the latest and greatest high-end smartphones here at AC, but there’s certainly a place for lean, mean smartphones with a fine balance between cost and performance. To that end we’ve spent the past couple of weeks getting to know the Galaxy S Advance, and you’ll find our thoughts in full after the break.   A powerful smartphone with good build quality, full-featured software and a surprisingly good camera. TouchWiz 4 holds up pretty well in the current Android ecosystem. A little bloatware from Three. Running Gingerbread out of the box with no clue as to when ICS will arrive. For those not interested in the super-high end of the smartphone spectrum, the Samsung Galaxy S Advance could represent a near-perfect balance. To the average user, there’s really not much to separate this thing from its big brother, the Galaxy S II. And that makes it a mid-range phone that’s definitely worth considering. Inside this review More info Video walkthrough Hardware review Software review Camera tests Galaxy S Advance launches Android Central forums read more

Samsung locks down S Voice following app leak Posted: 21 May 2012 06:44 AM PDT The application file for Samsung's "S Voice" Siri clone interactive voice assistant agent was leaked over the weekend, leading to hundreds of less scrupulous users picking up the apk and installing it directly on their phones. This lead to owners of any Ice Cream Sandwich device being able to use the service intended only for owners of Samsung's next flagship phone, the Galaxy S III. However, today it seems the pre-release fun is at an end, as Samsung appears to have locked down S Voice and prevented the leaked APK from connecting to its servers. This means any query sent to to S Voice on a non-Galaxy S III device will return a "network error" message, as you'll see above. (Funnily enough, Apple did the exact same thing when Siri was initially hacked to run on the iPhone 4, so no huge surprises there.) So that's that. If you want to publicly embarrass yourself by shouting "Hi Galaxy" into your palm, you'll have to wait until the official launch of the Galaxy S III, which takes place in London next Tuesday, May 29.

Three UK launches Sony Xperia U Posted: 21 May 2012 06:25 AM PDT Three UK is the first British network to announce the availability of the Xperia U, the latest entry-level offering from Sony. The Xperia U sports a 1GHz dual-core CPU, a 3.5-inch FWVGA display and interchangeable colored bottom sections (for some reason.) Despite the focus on gimmicky features like swappable bottoms (and the fact that's still running Android 2.3 Gingerbread), the Xperia U looks like a solid entry-level device, based on our first impressions back at MWC. Three's SIM-free price of £169.99 for the Xperia U matches that of the soon-to-be-released HTC Desire C, a much lower-specced device. The network also offers the Xperia U for free on 24-month contracts starting at £20 per month. Or if you don't mind an up-front charge, you can grab the phone on a £15 per month tariff with a £69 initial fee. More info over at the source link, if you're tempted. Rival networks O2, T-Mobile UK and Orange plan to launch the Xperia U themselves later this month. Source: Three UK

HTC Bluetooth music adapter now shipping from Sprint Posted: 21 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT We've been waiting to get the HTC Bluetooth Music Adaptor into our cars since we first saw it at Mobile World Congress in February, and now it's finally available for purchase. As you'll recall, it's a simple dongle that plugs into your car stereo AUX port (or any other 3.5mm jack, really), and allows you to wirelessly stream your music over Bluetooth. And in addition to using the standard A2DP profile, it's got the CSR aptX codec, so your music (theoretically) should sound great over the notoriously janky Bluetooth. Sprint's currently got the adaptor listed at $59.99. Could you just plug in your phone via the 3.5mm jack? Sure. But that's not really The Future, is it? The other caveat is that you'll have to keep the adaptor charged, but Sprint rates it at 5 hours of play time and 120 hours of standby time. We've got our order on the way, so stay tuned for the full review. Purchase: HTC Bluetooth Music Adaptor from Sprint; via EVO 4G LTE forums

Monday Brief: A Nexus Zerg Rush, BB10 Homescreen Details, and more! Posted: 21 May 2012 05:27 AM PDT   Mobile Nations Podcast Feed Mobile Nations on iTunes Mobile Nations YouTube Want a chance to win 1 of 4 new iPads? Windows Phone Central Contest - Win a Nokia Lumia 710 with Mobilicity Multiple Nexus devices could be a game-changer for Google and Android ITC orders import ban on Motorola Android phones over Microsoft patent issues HTC says some products have passed US Customs review New BlackBerry 10 photos shed more light on the homescreen flow experience BlackBerry DevCon renamed BlackBerry Jam Americas Week one with the BlackBerry Curve 9320 - Initial thoughts webOS Nation moboot theme now available for everyone HP to possibly cut up to 30,000 jobs in restructuring plan New webOS Meet Ups The 4 inch iPhone: Detailed analysis of Apple’s options for the next generation iPhone display Best free iPad games Pogo Sketch Pro vs. Kuel H12 vs. Jot Pro vs. Bamboo: iPad stylus shootout Windows Phone sales nearly double in the US passing RIM, according to Kantar Worldpanel Official Time Magazine & LinkedIn apps drop for Windows Phone Must-Have Xbox Live games for your Windows Phone

This week: The Android Glossary returns! Posted: 21 May 2012 05:09 AM PDT Back by popular demand, Android A to Z returns this week! It's part of our Android Glossary, which in turn is an extension of our Android Dictionary. Every wonder what the hell we're talking about? Between ADB and AOSP and Dalvik and DRM and hboots and, well, all those other crazy terms, Android's full of nerdy goodness. But it can be a bit daunting if you're just starting out. That's where the Android Glossary and Android Dictionary come in. So look for the features starting back up again this week, and don't forget to check out the full entries! More: The Android Dictionary, the Android Glossary read more

ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 software update rolling out for most everyone Posted: 20 May 2012 05:28 PM PDT A minor OTA update for the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 that started pushing Friday is now going out in full force. The update brings the software to version 9.4.3.29, and also bumps the Wifi version and Camera version up slightly. The device stays on Android 4.0.3, at least for the time being. The official word is that this brings stability improvements, which nobody here is going to complain about. Per ASUS the update is not available on the TF300 firmware page yet, and most users will have to manually check for the update from the tablet settings. As fate would have it, we're not yet seeing the update here, but if you are be sure to jump into the forums and compare notes. Source: Android Central forums; More  ASUS Transformer forums Thanks, Crimson!

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