Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

Droid Incredible 4G LTE available from July 5th

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:35 PM PDT

Earlier this month we broke the news that Verizon had been taking stock of accessories for the as yet unreleased Droid Incredible 4G LTE. Surely as good an indication as you’ll find of an immanent release. It seems that was a safe assumption as Verizon has today confirmed that it will finally launch the device on July 5th. The mid range device will cost you $199 on a 2 year contract which oddly prices the device the same as the Samsung  Galaxy S III, the current kingpin of Android devices.

This is certainly a case of better late than never however 2 months have passed since the device was first launched at the CTIA show. In that short time we’ve seen HTC itself launch two hugely successful devices in the One S and One X. With so many other options available and the Google I/O and Android Jelly Bean only days away, will you still be looking to pick one up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Source: Droid Life

Samsung Expects to Hit 10 Million Galaxy S III Sales in July

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:03 PM PDT

Samsung expects to sell 10 million Galaxy S III’s by the end of next month according to Reuters.  No Android phone has ever had a launch as successful, and it seems that Samsung is getting the hang of simultaneous launches on US carriers, maximizing the effect of a large marketing push.  

While the phones aren’t launching on the same day, at least this time they are (mostly) launching in the same month.  10 million is impressive by any standards, especially considering the HTC One X just launched, and there is another iteration of the iPhone looming this fall as well.

After hearing that there were over 9 million pre-orders last week this news isn’t really shocking, but it sure is welcome.

source: Reuters

 

 

Google ready to revamp Play Store with release of Jelly Bean?

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 11:30 AM PDT

With Google I/O slated to kickoff later this week, Android faithful are eagerly waiting for news about updates to the Android operating system. The Android 4.1 update, dubbed Jelly Bean, is anticipated to be shown running on a Nexus tablet. In conjunction with the release of Jelly Bean, some are also expecting changes that will flow throughout the entire Android ecosystem. A rumor of one such change surfaced this morning with the release of an image purporting to show a revamped Google Play Store interface for Android devices.

The image shared on the HD Blog web site came from a Google+ post by Loranz Yousif. It shows a revamped Play Store running on a Galaxy S III. The new interface resembles the old Android Market interface and is similar to the desktop version of the Play Store. Unlike the old interface, this new one appears to incorporate some ribbons along the top and bottom of the screen for access to different areas of the store.

We should keep in mind that faking images does not take great effort. The original HD Blog report has been updated with a note indicating some additional analysis shows an anomaly in the photo. Also, Mr. Yousif has not responded to comments on his Google+ post inquiring as to the authenticity of the image. It seems odd that Google would go back to a design it abandoned during their recent efforts to rebrand the Android Market to the Play Store. Anything is possible though, especially if users have been complaining.

What do you think? Fake? Real? Does the Google Play Store need a revamp? Perhaps our own Stacy Bruce, who will be attending Google I/O, will find the truth for us.

source: HD Blog
via: Android and Me

Google TV to hit the UK from July 22nd

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 11:27 AM PDT

The beauty of Android is that it is powerful, flexible and customisable enough to run more than just smartphones and tablets. You can throw in televisions, PMP’s, cameras and even refrigerators if you look hard enough. If you’re a UK based Android enthusiast, chances are you’ve been looking enviously across the pond at our state-side friends with their fancy Google TV‘s and Google TV set top boxes. The good news is that very shortly you’ll be able to see what all the fuss is about as Sony is set to launch the NSZ-GS7 Internet Player in the UK and US simultaneously from July 22nd. Sony and Google have also confirmed that the device will also launch in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Mexico and the Netherlands shortly thereafter. The nifty little box and innovative universal remote will set you back a cool £200 in the UK and $200 in the US.

It’s fair to say that the small selection of Google TV set top boxes have received mixed reviews so far however it’s still nice to finally have the option here in the UK. I’d also say it’s a safe bet we’ll get a look at the future of Google TV at the Google I/O in two days time.

Will you be an early adopter and grabbing Google TV’s long overdue debut into the UK market? Check out the full press release and be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

SONY'S NEXT GENERATION SET-TOP BOX WITH GOOGLE TV™ ARRIVES JULY 22

Internet Player's Versatile Remote Control and Library of Apps Customizes the Home Entertainment Experience

 

SAN DIEGO, June 25, 2012 –  Sony Electronics Inc. today announced the availability and pricing of the NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV™, originallyintroducedinJanuaryatCES. Powered by Google TV, the Internet Player will be available at retailers nationwide on July 22, priced at $199. Pre-orders begin on June 25, 2012 at www.sony.com/sonygoogletv.

"Expanding the reach and interoperability of the powerful Android platform with Sony's smartphones, tablets and renowned Audio & Video products, we are proud to continue our relationship with Google through the introduction of the new Google TV set-top-box," said Phil Molyneux, president and chief operating officer of Sony Electronics. "Entertainment content is available through so many channels and sites, and Google TV helps consumers easily find what they want to watch, listen to or play using familiar search engine technology, enhancing the viewer experience. TV will never be the same."

In addition to the NSZ-GS7 Internet Player, Sony's newest Internet Blu-ray Disc™ player with Google TV, the NSZ-GP9, will be available at retailers in time for the holiday season, priced at $299. The NSZ-GP9 player features Sony's proven Blu-ray Disc technology coupled with the robust Google TV platform.

 

Global Expansion of Google TV Platform

In 2010, Sony helped pioneer the Internet-TV convergence as one of the first manufacturers to launch products powered by Google TV. With the new NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV, Sony will also be the first manufacturer to launch Google TV products outside of the United States, initially starting with the United Kingdom in July, followed later by Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Brazil, and Mexico. The NSZ-GP9 Blu-ray Disc player with Google TV will be available this fall in the United States, followed later by Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Netherlands.

 

Customized Entertainment Made Easy

Sony's evolution of hardware to complement the continually updating Google TV is the next step in the future of home entertainment convergence. Sony's NSZ-GS7 and NSZ-GP9 bring the best of Google to your TV, with new experiences arriving every day through the Google Chrome™ browser; thousands of supported mobile apps in the Google Play™ Store, including hundreds optimized for TV; YouTube™ with 72 hours of video being added every minute; and a global community of developers from around the world. Google TV's cross search functionality shows viewers all content sources available from broadcast providers* and the Internet to deliver customized video results on demand.

Both new products come complete with a redesigned remote control equipped with a backlit QWERTY keyboard, a touch pad for easy operation and a three-axis motion sensor to enjoy games. Additionally, the Bluetooth® remote control can also be utilized as a universal remote to control connected devices such as TV, set- top-box and A/V receivers – the NSZ-GP9 Blu-ray Disc player even incorporates voice search capabilities.

 

For full specifications and high-resolution images, please visitwww.sony.com/news.

Contest: Win a Motorola Roadster 2 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone from Motorola and Talk Android

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 11:02 AM PDT

We just reviewed the Motorola Roadster 2, which is a Bluetooth in-car speakerphone. As you would expect from Motorola, the quality is great, but there are also some really nice features like compatibility with My MotoSpeak and the Motorola Car Finder app. For more information checkout the review, but here’s your chance to win one of these bad boys. Motorola was gracious enough to provide us one as a giveaway to one of our awesome readers to celebrate National Car Safety Month. How many of you are still fumbling around trying to use your phone in your car when you know its not only a danger to you, as well as others on the road?

All you have to do is head over to our forum post and tell us what your current car is, follow Motorola Mobility on Twitter and add TalkAndroid to your Google+ Circles. You have until Friday, June 29 at 11:59PM EST. We will pick one random winner and make the announcement sometime on Saturday, June 30. Make sure your using a real email address as part of your username because that’s how we’re going to contact you if you win.

Click here to enter.

Motorola Roadster 2 Review: A feature-rich Bluetooth speaker for your car

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 10:14 AM PDT

While many cars today have built-in Bluetooth there’s still so many without. That’s where the Motorola Roadster 2 comes into play. It’s a Bluetooth speaker for your car that offers so much more than just making and receiving phone calls. As we know, Motorola is the king when it comes to speakers and microphones so I would expect great quality and amazing performance. Does is live up? Hit the break to find out.

Design

The design is similar to the Roadster 1 as far as build, but the coloring is different. The Roadster 1 is all black while the Roadster 2 is silverish grey. I never had a chance to use the original Roadster, so I assume the quality is the same. I have no complaints about this version whatsoever, which is the norm when it comes to Motorola.

The clip is designed to go on your visor and leave the speaker face down just above you. You will find the majority of buttons/switches at the front and bottom. The front has buttons for turning the microphone mute on or off, Send/Receive, and voice actions. The bottom as play/pause, volume up (+), volume down (-), and FM (for sending output to your FM radio). On the right side you have the power switch and micro USB port for charging. The buttons are easy to locate which driving and had decent response.

Battery

Motorola promises 20 hours of talk time (or steaming time) and I got all of that. That’s a decent amount and if you’re an average user, which means you probably will only need to charge it once a week. If you do a lot of audio streaming and/or make a lot of phone calls, you might find you need to charge it every other day. What’s really nice is that the moment your phone connects, it will announce the battery level as high, medium, or low.

Performance and Software

As with any Motorola device you expect great performance from the microphone and speaker. I did find the speaker to be fantastic and crystal clear. As to the microphone it was a little lacking as compared to my built-in Bluetooth. I wouldn’t expect it to be as good as that, but nonetheless it’s very usable and I didn’t find people were having a hard time hearing me. I was able to carry on conversations without having to repeat myself constantly, which is usually the case with competing speakers.

What really separates this speaker is the additional features that go beyond making phone calls. For example it’s compatible with the My MotoSpeak app as well as the Motorola Car Finder app. Both are available for free in the Google Play Store, and can be used with most Android phones. MotoSpeak allows you to compose texts, make phone calls, and hear text messages on the Roadster 2 all via voice control. It will even announce appointment reminders. It really is slick. If for whatever reason you don’t want to use the MotoSpeak app, you can utilize other voice command apps like Vlingo or even S Voice. It’s just a matter of setting up whichever one you want to use as the default.

The Motorola Car finder also works great. There are many car finder apps, but this one works automatically without you having to think about it. As soon as your phone disconnects from the Roadster 2, it will automatically lock the location of your car so you can easily find it whenever your ready to head home (or go to your next location).

The last item to discuss is the FM Transmitter. Having Bluetooth for your phone calls and texts is nice, but the ability to stream music or podcasts is a major plus. The problem with portable add-on speakers is the size. Who really wants to listen to stuff through a small speaker when you have nice speakers in your car that sound better and will overall give you a much better experience? Motorola installed an FM transmitter in the Roadster 2 so you can send anything speaker-related to your car’s stereo system via the FM radio. This includes phone calls, texts, music, and podcasts. FM transmitters are generally not the greatest quality and I found it to be the case here as well. The problem is your transmitting via Bluetooth then to FM, which makes it nearly impossible to give you a high quality experience. It certainly wasn’t as good as the quality of my built-in Bluetooth, but it’s more than adequate for talk radio or podcasts. As to music, like I said, it’s not the greatest, but livable. All you have to do is tap the FM button (and tune your FM radio to the matching channel) and it will begin. You can also hit the + and – buttons to select which FM frequency works best.

All in all the Motorola Roadster 2 makes a great Bluetooth speaker for your car. No it isn’t as good as built-in versions, but you get more features, which more than makes up for it. Compatibility with The Motorola Car Finder and the My MotoSpeak app is a plus and works very well. Those are features I wish my car had. You should be able to find the Roadster 2 for approximately $75, which is a fantastic deal, and the fact that June is National Safe Driving Month, I can’t think of a better reason to grab one now.

 

Pinterest for Android announcement coming at Google I/O?

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:48 AM PDT

Are you one of the many people out there using Pinterest, one of the fastest growing social media sites? If so, exciting news may be on the way for you this week. Over at Ausdroid, while deep diving into the Google I/O app, they discovered an entry from Pinterest indicating the Pinterest for Android app was "now available." The entry can be found by navigating to Explore > Android > Sandbox > Pinterest from within the Google I/O app. There is no Pinterest for Android app available in the Google Play Store, but the inclusion in the Google I/O app seems to be a pretty strong indication that Pinterest is on its way for Android users. The question remains as to whether it will become publicly available sometime later this week in conjunction with the Google I/O event or at a later time.

An actual Pinterest app for Android will be welcome news for Android users who have had to rely on the mobile version of the Pinterest site up to this point. A Pinterest app would also put Android users on equal footing with iOS users who have been "pinning" from their devices for some time now.

While not a Pinterest user myself, I am glad my friends and family that do use Pinterest will have this option available to them on their Android devices. As far as an official release, our own Stacy Bruce will be in attendance at Google I/O and may be able to pin us with further updates.

source: ausdroid
via: androidpolice

T-Mobile And Verizon Ink Deal To Swap Spectrum

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:13 AM PDT

You’ve got to hand it to T-Mobile and Verizon— each wireless carrier is positioning itself to have the best wireless technology possible for its customers. Both carriers signed a landmark AWS spectrum purchase and exchange agreement. For T-Mobile specifically, the deal would allow it to acquire additional spectrum, while simultaneously realigning its current spectrum holdings. The deal would cover 15 markets and allow T-Mo to grab spectrum which covers over 60 million people. If or when the deal is approved by the FCC, this technology will allow T-Mo to use the spectrum for it’s existing 4G HSPA+ network as well as its upcoming LTE-Advanced network, which of course is due next year. Don’t think Verizon is left cut and dry from this deal too as it too gets what it’s ultimately looking for. For Big Red, it’ll stand to gain spectrum from T-Mo which covers 22 million people and “cash consideration” from this deal.

While this deal is indeed exciting, it could possibly face numerous challenges or obstacles which could prevent it from going through. The biggest issue is well, the FCC has to ok the deal first and you can bet the FCC certainly hasn’t forgotten about a certain deal T-Mobile was recently part of. The second is some of the spectrum is owned by SpectrumCo, Cox and Leap— and those individual deals must be approved first before T-Mo’s part can go through. Still, you can’t not be excited at the prospect of T-Mobile’s seemingly inevitable growth. After all, it is seeing the “modernization of 37,000 cell sites, launching 4G HSPA+ services in the 1900 MHz band and deployment of LTE in 2013″.

Hit the break to see the full presser from T-Mobile.

 

BELLEVUE, Wash., Jun 25, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — –Net Gain of Spectrum Will Assist Rollout of LTE in 2013

Today, T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced an agreement with Verizon Wireless for the purchase and exchange of certain Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum licenses in 218 markets across the U.S. The transaction will improve T-Mobile’s spectrum position in 15 of the top 25 markets in the U.S. by providing an opportunity for T-Mobile both to acquire additional AWS spectrum and to realign its existing spectrum holdings. Following regulatory approval, this spectrum can be promptly deployed to enhance the company’s 4G mobile broadband service, including the rollout of LTE service next year. Some of the spectrum T-Mobile is acquiring in this transaction include licenses that Verizon is purchasing from SpectrumCo, Cox and Leap, and the agreement is contingent on the closing of those transactions and is subject to regulatory approval by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Justice.

“This agreement will provide T-Mobile with critical AWS spectrum, enhancing both network capacity and performance and allowing us to meet the growing consumer demand for 4G mobile broadband,” T-Mobile CEO and President Philipp Humm said. “This is good for T-Mobile and good for consumers because it will enable T-Mobile to compete even more vigorously with other wireless carriers. We anticipate FCC approval later this summer, in time for us to incorporate this new spectrum into our network modernization and the rollout of LTE services next year.”

T-Mobile will gain spectrum covering 60 million people — notably in Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Detroit; Minneapolis; Seattle; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Milwaukee; Charlotte, N.C.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Rochester, N.Y. — in exchange for spectrum covering 22 million people and certain cash consideration. The agreement also includes exchanges in a number of markets in which the companies will swap licenses to create more contiguous blocks of spectrum and re-align spectrum in adjacent markets. These intra-market swaps will enhance T-Mobile’s network performance and data throughput in key locations. This agreement is in addition to T-Mobile’s previously announced $4 billion 4G network evolution plan, which includes modernization of 37,000 cell sites, launching 4G HSPA+ services in the 1900 MHz band and deployment of LTE in 2013.

About T-Mobile USA:

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG (otcqx:DTEGY). By the end of the first quarter of 2012, approximately 129 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 33.4 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS and additionally HSPA+ 21/HSPA+ 42. T-Mobile USA’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile USA among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com . T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations .

SOURCE: T-Mobile USA, Inc.

 Media Contacts: T-Mobile USA Media Relations (425) 383-4002 mediarelations@t-mobile.com

 

Sports Car Challenge Now Available For Android Devices

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:40 AM PDT

Racing Enthusiasts will be happy to know there’s a new game on the block that’s ready for those who are interested in driving the most exotic cars in the world. Developer FishLabs created the nifty Sports Car Challenge racing game which looks to place racers in the drivers’ seat of awesome cars, while racing on a variety of tracks and courses. The game offers realistic driving physics, authentic engine sounds and manifold customization options on account of an exclusive selection of original rims and paintworks. Among the cars available for racers are the following:

  • Audi TTS Coupé
  • Bentley Continental GT V8
  • Bentley Continental Supersports ISR
  • Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport
  • Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4
  • Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera
  • Porsche 911 Carrera S
  • Porsche Cayman R
  • Volkswagen Scirocco R

The game is available for free for Android 2.3+ devices— though there are reports highlighting the game may not be compatible with all devices, so you’ll want to check and see if the game will indeed run on your Android first. There’s also a ton of content for the game, so gamers will need to be prepared to download up to several hundred megabytes of additional data in order to enjoy the game’s full potential. Then again, I’m sure having the chance to drive the Bentley Continental GT may be worth the hassle.

Play Store link

ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 to be available mid-July starting at $499

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:32 AM PDT

 

Back at CES when we saw the ASUS Tranformer Pad Infinity, the planned price point was $599, but with similar offerings from Acer, they are going to price it more competitively. They will offer the 32GB version for $499 and the 64GB version for $599. The keyboard dock remains at $149 and is compatible with the Prime Dock. Last but not least, they will offer the same colors as the Prime: amethyst gray and champagne gold. According to ASUS it should be available by mid-July with no exact release date. If past history is any indication, you might want to pre-order this bad boy as soon as any retailers start the process. We fully expect availability to be low just like the Transformer Prime and the original Eee Pad Transformer.

The real question is what happens to the pricing of the Prime and TF300? Could those tabs drop to $399 and $299 respectively? With the Nexus tablet rumored to be $199, this “new” pricing wouldn’t surprise me. The Nexus tablet at $199 is intriguing, but I have to be honest, the TF300 at $299 is even more intriguing with the 10.1-inch display. As far as updates go, if Google releases 4.1, based on past history, it’s safe to assume that ASUS will get that update to all their tablets in a timely fashion.

 

 
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