Friday, May 25, 2012

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Nvidia Says 30 Tegra 3 Phones Are Due Out This Year – Quad-Core “Budget” Phones, Anyone?

Posted: 24 May 2012 05:06 PM PDT

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Earlier today, we told you guys about Nvidia’s Icera 410 modem winning validation for use on AT&T’s LTE network but it wasn’t met with much enthusiasm. I guess nobody’s eyes widen at the prospect of quad-core devices finally coming stateside. Fine. But maybe this news will get your motors purring.

Nvidia’s Tegra 3 quad-core processor has been doing pretty well for itself. So well, in fact, that Nvidia’s GM Mike Rayfield announced the news today that the company has plans to release 30 more Tegra 3 powered phones worldwide before the end of the year. But wait — there’s more. 13 of these phones will be affordable budget phones with a transfer price of under $300 (not retail price). Compare this to 2011 in which we saw 15 Tegra 2 devices and zero of them that hit that entry level price-point.

Wasting no time, Mr. Rayfield also spoke briefly about the successor to Nvidia’s Icera i410 modem (the one we told you about earlier today), boasting that it will deliver next-gen LTE speeds faster than anything we’ve seen to date. That modem will come integrated inside Nvidia’s next-gen Tegra processor due out in 2013 dubbed “Grey.”

[TheVerge]

Samsung’s Galaxy S3 TouchWiz Ported To Galaxy Note, Galaxy S2 and… (Gasp) Galaxy Nexus

Posted: 24 May 2012 03:05 PM PDT

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If you currently have in your possession a Samsung Galaxy Note or Samsung Galaxy S2 that just so happens to be rooted, I would like to inform you that you can now add the all-new-and-improved TouchWiz UI from the Samsung Galaxy S3 onto those devices. The launcher reportedly runs great and is an excellent option for those of you looking to add a little pizzazz to your device. While the launcher plays well with TouchWiz’d ROMs, a less stable test version is available for devices running AOSP ROMs like CyanogenMod.

Now for the Galaxy Nexus, users who are looking to give their device less of that Google touch, and more of a Samsung one, have a few options. First, there’s the Galaxy S3 launcher which has also been ported over to run (with a few bugs) on the GNex. Next, is an actual add-on pack that, not only provides the GS3 launcher (with fewer bugs), but throws a few Galaxy S3 stock apps into the mix as well. This will only work on AOSP ROMs like CM9 or AOKP and from what I hear, every time a user flashes this, a single tear rolls down Jean Baptiste Queru’s cheek.

Not sure why anyone would want to defile their Galaxy Nexus with TouchWiz, but I guess that’s the benefit of Android now isn’t it? Options. Still, I’d be careful leaving your house, lest you run into Larry Page or Matias Duarte in a dark alley and they slap that blasphemous Nexus right out of your hand. That being said, anyone try it out yet? Links to the appropriate downloads can be found below.

[XDA (Galaxy S2) | XDA Galaxy Note | XDA Galaxy Nexus (Add-on) | XDA Galaxy Nexus (Launcher)]

AT&T HTC One X Receives Unofficial Bootloader Unlock Method

Posted: 24 May 2012 01:21 PM PDT

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You may remember awhile back when we told you about the extra effort AT&T went through to lock down the HTC One X’s bootloader for their network (vs the international model). Well, it didn’t take long for those wacky devs on XDA to crack it, opening up the device to custom ROMs and modding. They even provided a handy walkthrough and if you’re handy with command lines, shouldn’t be too difficult. The coolest part about this method is when you’re done tinkering around, you can finish unlocking the bootloader the official way using HTCDev’s online tool. Full instructions below.

You need ADB and an understanding of how to use it and have a rooted device (although I didn’t test this). You will also need a hex editor like HxD.

BACK UP YOUR DATA BEFORE DOING THIS!!!! WHEN HTCDEV UNLOCKS YOUR DEVICE YOU MUST START FROM SCRATCH!!!

1. Fire up your command prompt and go to the directory that you have ADB installed to. Type “adb shell” and hit enter.

2. Type “su” and hit enter. You now have root privileges.

3. Next type “dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p4 of=/sdcard/mmcblk0p4″ and hit enter. This will dump the partition to your sdcard.

4. Next type “exit”, hit enter, type “exit”, and hit enter again. This should take you back to a command prompt for your computer.

5. type “adb pull /sdcard/mmcblk0p4″ and hit enter.

6. Open the file (mmcblk0p4) with your hex editor.

7. Look for offset 00000210 and you should see CWS__001 with your IMEI number attached to it.

8. Change CWS__001 to ROGER001 and save the file as mmcblk0p4MOD.

9. Now go back to your command prompt and type “adb push mmcblk0p4MOD /sdcard/mmcblk0p4MOD” and hit enter.

10. Type “adb shell” and hit enter then type “su” and hit enter again. This will put you back into the android shell and give you root privileges.

11. Type “dd if=/sdcard/mmcblk0p4MOD of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p4″ and hit enter. To test if it worked restart the phone into fastboot (type “adb reboot bootloader” and hit enter) and once the bootloader screen comes up type “fastboot oem readcid” and hit enter. It should read “ROGER001″.

12. Next type “fastboot oem get_identifier_token” and hit enter. Leave that up on your screen and go to HTCdev.com. Follow the instructions from there.

Keep in mind, that method will erase everything on your device, so backup your personals accordingly. I don’t recommend anyone unlock their bootloaders unless they know full well what they’re getting themselves into. The world of flashing custom ROMs is dark and scary one. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

[XDA]

Week 3 TegraZone Anniversary Contest: Last Chance To Win! Tell Us The Next GTA Title You’d Like To See THD Optimized

Posted: 24 May 2012 12:35 PM PDT

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Are you guys ready for the 3rd (and last) week’s TegraZone anniversary and Player’s Choice Awards contest courtesy of our friends at NVIDIA? We know we are. If you aren’t in the know, NVIDIA’s just hit their one-year anniversary with TegraZone and they’re holding a Player’s Choice Awards. TO check it out, hit that link to vote, or you can also snap a photo of the QR code below.

You’ll get the chance to vote for your favorite games in three categories, including best graphical game, best gameplay, and best overall game. With your vote, you’re entered for a chance to win one of 7 Transformer Pad TF300 prize packs. The pack includes the ASUS Transformer Pad 300, a keyboard dock, a wireless controller and a Jawbone JAMBOX!

Don’t think you have that great a chance at winning? Well, you have another chance to win one of these insane prize packs with your friendly Phandroid friends! The third and final chance to win starts today, so, continue reading for all the details.

  • Up for grabs today (May 24th, 2012) is one ASUS Transformer Pad 300 prize pack. The prize pack includes the ASUS Transformer Pad 300, a special NVIDIA themed JAMBOX by Jawbone, a keyboard dock compatible with the Pad 300, and a wireless controller. Running the latest Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the ASUS Transformer Pad is a value packed tablet that with multi-color style, and productivity with expandability when connected to the mobile dock. With a 1.2MP front and 8MP rear auto-focus camera with large F/2.2 aperture and exclusive office software, staying connected and productive has never been easier.
  • To enter, simply submit a comment telling us the next Grand Theft Auto game you’d like to to see THD optimized from the franchise.
  • Only one entry per person is allowed.
  • The entry period will expire at 12:00am Eastern on May 25th, 2012.
  • The winner will be chosen at random.
  • If we can not get in contact with you within a 24 hour time period, a new random winner will be selected. This will continue until a winner is determined.
  • If you don’t use real contact information, we can’t send you cool stuff!

In case you didn’t know, as part of a Memorial Day weekend sale, Rockstar Games has discounted Grand Theft Auto III in the Play Store to a single dollar. That means for only $1, you can cruise around Liberty City, helping virtual city dwellers and doing all sorts of good deeds, right? Let’s be real, you’re gonna run over pedestrians. But at least you’ll have a good time doing it. Don’t forget, GTA3 is Tegra optimized meaning you can look forward better performance and HD quality resolutions with the stutter of other processors. You can find it in the TegraZone or Google Play Store.

The next GTA game from the series I’d like to see get the THD treatment? Grand Theft Auto Vice City. It may not come as much of a surprise to many of you, but I’ve always had a thing for hot pink and new wave music. Don’t forget to tell us your pick and good luck everyone!

Developers Discount Some of the Best Games on Android With “Because We May” Promotion

Posted: 24 May 2012 11:30 AM PDT

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Whether you’re a hard-core Android gamer, or simply looking to download a few great titles to help pass the time — there’s no better time than right now. A few developers have banded together as part of a little promotion they’re calling “Because We May.”

A clever play on words, the promotion offers up some of the best games in Android, Mac, iOS and Steam at a heavy discount and will last until June 1st. I’ve gone ahead and included a few of the titles offered up as part of the promo just to whet your appetite.

My picks? Smuggle Truck, World of Goo, Anomaly Warzone Earth HD, Gunman Clive, Great Little War Game, and of course — Shadowgun. You guys have any recommendations?

[Because We May]

Google Play Store Now Offers In-App Subscription Payments

Posted: 24 May 2012 10:25 AM PDT

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Google is adding yet another way for developers to earn consistent cash flow by introducing new in-app subscription payments to the Google Play Store. Developers now have the option to bill users monthly or annually for access to their apps and content. Of course the first though that comes to mind are MMORPG’s, giving access to new areas and levels, but this could be applied to other types of apps — magazines or newspapers, for instance. Glu Mobile’s Frontline Commando is one of the first apps to take advantage of this new billing option and their CEO, Niccolo de Masi, had this to share:

“We’re using Google Play subscriptions to offer consumers a compelling value and a single currency which they can use across Glu’s most popular titles. We’re excited to bring these capabilities to our Android users and we believe that Google Play subscriptions will fuel further growth in our business.”

What’s more, Google has also provided a web-based API for developers to verify a user’s subscription status in order to access web content. That means if you subscribe to an app through the Google Play Store, a developer could also grant access to their website (again, magazines come to mind). The subscriptions are all managed through the Google Play Store and are available right now for any device currently running Google Play Store versions 3.5 and above (and if you’re not, you can download it here). Android devs, get started via the link below.

[AndroidDevelopers]

Droid 4 for 1 Cent, Sprint Galaxy Nexus $50, Rezound $50, and Razr Maxx for $150 [Deals]

Posted: 24 May 2012 09:49 AM PDT

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For a limited time, Amazon Wireless is having a muy bueno sale on some of the hottest Android devices currently available. Those of you looking towards Sprint can get the Galaxy Nexus for only $50 and when it comes to Verizon, you’ll notice more than a few heavily discounted handsets with the Droid Razr standing out at only $150.

Don’t forget, for each 4G capable phone you buy on Verizon Wireless, you’ll get a $40 (1 time) credit off your cellphone bill. All the phones listed in this sale are available only for a limited time and to new customers, so (cheesy infomercial voice) act now!

German court hands down injunction in Microsoft patent spat with Motorola

Posted: 24 May 2012 09:06 AM PDT

Another day, another patent lawsuit to comb over. This time it’s Microsoft v. Motorola and the non-Android party is the winner, for the moment. A judge has declared an injunction that will prevent Motorola Mobility from selling any devices that violate Microsoft patent EP1304891, or the ability to transmit “multi-part messages between cellular devices using a standardized interface.” This could create some headaches for Motorola, as the patent in question could be used to describe any sort of generic messaging system.

The good news, if there is any, for Motorola is that the judge hasn’t reached a decision yet on whether or not Moto has indeed violated the patent. These latest developments come on the heels of an ITC ruling to ban the importation of Motorola devices infringing on a separate Microsoft patent and follow a ruling in the Google v. Oracle case where the makers of Android were found not guilty of infringement. With the Google buyout of Motorola now complete, the results of these cases have bigger implications than ever on the two partners.

[via The Verge]

Android reaches 59 percent share of international smartphone market, according to IDC

Posted: 24 May 2012 08:27 AM PDT

The smartphone war has turned into a two horse race as Android and iOS continue to grow their international hold on the mobile market while competing operating systems such as BlackBerry OS and Symbian continue to fall from relevancy. Android reigns supreme in IDC’s latest look at international smartphone sales with a 59 percent hold on the market in Q1 of 2012. Compared to a year ago, Google’s mobile OS is up about 26 percentage points. Pretty amazing growth.

Samsung is once again responsible for a large portion of the Android contingency with 45.4 percent of all phone running the OS coming from the Korean manufacturer. Samsung’s biggest competitor and legal foe Apple showed some positive growth with iOS now accounting for 23 percent of the world market. That’s up from 18.3 percent last year, but nowhere near the growth Android has experienced. Google and company have benefited from low-cost handsets that cut into featurephone sales and attract new users to the OS.

All things considered, Android and iOS now account for over 80 percent of all smartphones worldwide with the remaining 20 percent divided among BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Phone, and Linux.

[via Engadget]

NVIDIA’s Icera modem approved for AT&T’s LTE network

Posted: 24 May 2012 07:39 AM PDT

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NVIDIA has announced today a big step forward for their Icera 410 multimode data modem. The LTE modem, which will be coupled with future multi-core processors, has been tested and validated for AT&T’s network. This doesn’t mean we will see the chip in an AT&T release any time soon, but it will make the process of developing and testing devices using the Icera modem for AT&T all the easier.

Aside from LTE, the Icera 410 provides HSPA+, 3G, and 2G connectivity all from the same piece of hardware and can achieve category 2 data rates up to 50Mbps.

NVIDIA ICERA MODEM CHIPSET VALIDATED ON AT&T LTE NETWORK

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--May 24, 2012--NVIDIA today announced that the NVIDIA® Icera® 410 LTE multimode data modem chipset for tablets and clamshell devices has been tested and validated for operation on the AT&T 4G LTE network.

AT&T qualification tests help ensure that product manufacturers can confidently select chipsets that integrate with connected devices and can quickly achieve final product qualification.

"Validation with AT&T is an achievement that paves the way for NVIDIA Icera-powered LTE devices on the AT&T network through this year and next," said Stan Boland, senior vice president of Mobile Communications at NVIDIA.

The NVIDIA Icera 410 LTE modem delivers lightning-fast web browsing, video streaming and multiplayer gaming to tablets and clamshell devices. It is the first Icera modem to implement 4G LTE in NVIDIA’s software defined radio baseband processor. Together with its multimode radio transceiver, the chipset offers 4G LTE at category 2 data rates (up to 50 Mbps) as well as 4G HSPA+,3G and 2G compatibility

Google+ updated with visual refresh, launching hangouts easier than ever

Posted: 24 May 2012 07:09 AM PDT

Are you ready for the best looking Google+ experience to grace an Android device? Good, because the official app was just updated in the Google Play Store and it looks great. The stream view has been revamped as well the navigation ribbon, leaving us with an interface that is sort-of reminiscent of recent updates to Facebook’s official app while adding in enough Ice Cream Sandwich flair to make the experience feel natural to the OS.

I’m still waiting for Google to integrate the social network more directly into Android (Circles for organizing contacts, anyone?), but given how the search giant has been tying G+ to all of its services lately I won’t be surprised to hear developments on this front out of Google I/O for a potential release in the next iteration of the OS, Jelly Bean.

Here’s the full changelog:

  • Visual refresh of the stream and improved navigation
  • Initiate a Hangout from the main menu
  • Support for ringing hangout notification
  • Support for post editing
  • Messenger suggestions for people you may know
  • Download photos from posts or Messenger conversations

Initiating a hangout should be easier than ever with access directly from the apps main menu. Grab the new version of Google Plus from the Google Play Store now.

Google Play Link: Google+

[Thanks, Mr. Eastwood!]

Report: Google/ASUS Nexus tablet to hit shelves in July

Posted: 24 May 2012 06:53 AM PDT

The somewhat reliable Digitimes has a new report out providing potential new info on the Google/ASUS collaboration that could result in the world’s first Nexus-branded tablet. The digital rag has been keeping a bead on the manufacturing industry centered in Asia and claims that the new tablet will begin shipping in June with an initial order of 600,000 units to go on sale in July. The timing is certainly right, as an announcement would line up perfectly with June’s Google I/O developer conference.

The rumored Google tablet has generated a lot of conflicting reports, but it is believed at least one version of the device will feature NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 platform. A desired retail price of $199 may have driven the two companies towards a dual-core CPU instead, but news that NVIDIA has developed a system architecture designed to provide Tegra 3 power at low cost could further confirm initial reports.

We’ve heard that Google may want to brand the tablet under the media store it has direct access too, much like Amazon’s Kindle Fire. I’ll throw this out there (and know it’s based on nothing but my own imagination), but it wouldn’t surprise me if the tablet launched as the Nexus Play to tie it closer to the rebranded Google Play Store.

[via Digitimes]

HTC One X (AT&T) update file leaks, should bring mostly minor bug fixes

Posted: 24 May 2012 05:52 AM PDT

A new update file has leaked for the HTC One X on AT&T, but it doesn’t look to bring about any major changes. The update to build 1.85.502.3 hasn’t been made official just yet, and as such doesn’t have a changelog to provide details of what to expect, but it is looking like little more than a selection of minor bug fixes. There is no timetable on when the software patch will be rolling out officially, but if you want to check it out a bit early follow the source link below for the download and installation instructions.

[via BriefMobile]

Intel releases Android 4.0 image for x86 platform

Posted: 24 May 2012 05:25 AM PDT

Intel has released the Android 4.0 system image for their x86 series of processors. The latest edition to the Android SDK and emulator can now be pulled using the SDK Manager. For those running a system based on Intel’s processor architecture, a boost in performance is welcome after past iterations of the emulator faltered and compiled slowly. A quick refresh of SDK Manager should see the new version appear under the Android 4.0.3 code branch.

[via Twitter]
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