Android Central |
- Nexus 7 review
- Buying a Galaxy Nexus now, SGS III updates already [From the Forums]
- The Amazing Spider-Man slings webs, beats up bad guys on Android
- Verizon's Galaxy S III looks to have a protected bootloader
- How to take a screen shot on the Samsung Galaxy S III
- Appeals court delays Galaxy Nexus ban
- Get all hot and steamy in the shower with your Android device - wait, what?
- Meet the new Android Central Apps Editor, Simon Sage!
- Big Android BBQ 2012 tickets to go on sale July 11
- Where the heck is our review of the Acer Iconia Tab A700?
- Sony Xperia S, P and Sola arrive SIM-free in the U.S.
- Android Central Podcast 101: Patents, Jelly Beans and Glowing Blue Orbs
- AT&T Samsung Galaxy S III available in stores today
- Qmadix QI-7 Stereo headset review
- Pre-orders open up for Samsung Galaxy Beam in the UK
- Mobile Nations Live!
- Deal of the Day: Qmadix Snap-On Cover w/ Holster for HTC EVO 4G LTE
- Fresh Galaxy Note 2 rumors suggest IFA launch, 5.5-inch screen
- Sony Xperia 'LT30' details teased by Bluetooth SIG
- Maybe that unibody design wasn't such a bad idea ... (Breaking the EVO's back)
- International Galaxy S III gets second OTA update, finally adds brightness slider
- HTC Q2 2012 financials show 57.8 percent fall in net profits
- Samsung expecting record profit earnings for Q2 2012
- More Amazon phone rumors? Sure, why not ...
- Android Central Podcast - Live!
| Posted: 06 Jul 2012 05:17 PM PDT
The long-awaited Google Nexus 7 tablet is upon us, and for many it is all we ever dreamed of. But not everything is perfect.Since you're reading this, chances are you're an Android fan. That means you're as excited as we are about the new Nexus 7 tablet, and what Google can bring to the table with a tablet where it alone controls both the hardware and the software. It's good to be excited about it, it's a big step in a direction we've been wanting for a long time. About 6,000 lucky folks got there hands on a Nexus 7 when Google handed them out at its Google I/O developer conference, and that gives us time to use and abuse it then tell you how things worked out. We're all Android all the time here, and we're pretty impressed with this one. It's almost everything we wanted it to be. Almost. Hit the break and see what we think of Google's new baby, the Nexus 7. 
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| Buying a Galaxy Nexus now, SGS III updates already [From the Forums] Posted: 06 Jul 2012 05:05 PM PDT
Just in case you missed out on some of the Android news today, now is the time to go ahead and get yourself fully caught up. Here on the blogs and in the Android Central Forums there is plenty to talk about. Have some questions? Need some help or just looking to chat Android? You know where to go, check out some of the threads below to get started.
If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today. 
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| The Amazing Spider-Man slings webs, beats up bad guys on Android Posted: 06 Jul 2012 04:37 PM PDT The Amazing Spider-Man swung into theaters this week, and along with him came an Android game.
The Amazing Spider-Man by Gameloft follows closely in the spirit of their previous web-slinging title for Android, Total Mayhem - you'll find the same 3D beat-'em-up gameplay, open world exploration, interactive cinematic sequences, and Spidey-sense dodging. There's plenty that's new, however - namely, the graphics have had a complete overhaul for the movie and to take advantage of the horsepower in the latest Android devices. There's also an extensive talent tree structure that allows players to unlock new abilities and tailor Spider-Man to their style. 
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| Verizon's Galaxy S III looks to have a protected bootloader Posted: 06 Jul 2012 04:17 PM PDT
Oh Verizon, why must you constantly mess with perfection? Hackers with early access to the Verizon Galaxy S III have discovered that the phone has a protected bootloader -- meaning no easy hacking or flashing unsigned images. This is in stark contrast to the rest of the Galaxy S III phones, or previous phones in the Galaxy series, or any other Samsung-built Android phone known to mankind. Not all hope is lost, but things are looking pretty bleak. It's possible a different version of Odin is needed, or there's an issue with the way the images are being packed, but it truly looks like the bootloader is locked up in typical Verizon fashion. Now this doesn't mean the phone won't ever get rooted or hacked. It just means that it won't be as easy as is typical with Samsung phones, and trickery will need be involved like HTC or Motorola phones on Big Red. And no, we don't know what prompted Verizon's decision to go this way, but I've asked for some clarification. My guess is that they will point to the Galaxy Nexus when they hear the word "hacking". Hell of a way to start the weekend, isn't it? Source: XDA. via Android Central forums 
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| How to take a screen shot on the Samsung Galaxy S III Posted: 06 Jul 2012 03:16 PM PDT
Capturing the screen is a great way to save something for posterity and show it off to your friends.You just got your brand new Galaxy S III and you want to capture some of the cool stuff you can do with a screen shot, but it doesn’t work the same way as other Android phones, does it? 
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| Appeals court delays Galaxy Nexus ban Posted: 06 Jul 2012 02:30 PM PDT
A federal appeals court today said that Google and Samsung can resume selling the Galaxy Nexus while awaiting a response from Apple, Bloomberg reported this afternoon. The temporary stay is in effect until Apple responds on July 12. The case reached the appeals level after U.S. District Judge in the past week ruled that Android was infringing on a search patent owned by Apple (also known as the '604 or "Siri" patent) and that the Galaxy Nexus could no longer be sold until the infringing feature was removed or changed. Google on Tuesday listed the Galaxy Nexus as "Coming soon" in the Google Play store, and it remains that way as of this writing. Google earlier this week told ABC News that it expects to have a workaround next week, and that the Galaxy Nexus should resume shipping then. Source: Bloomberg 
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| Get all hot and steamy in the shower with your Android device - wait, what? Posted: 06 Jul 2012 01:16 PM PDT
We can control our music from our Android devices. And our TVs. Open garage doors. Play instruments. And now, control your steam shower. If you've got a ThermaSol ProSeries, you apparently can control the start of your "steam session," including setting the time and temperature, so long as you're connected to your home's router. You also can control light and music settings, and it'll hook up to Pandora, Spotify and other streaming services for your steaming enjoyment. And it'll also run the diagnostic and maintenance features, which we presume is some sort of self-cleaning mode and that it doesn't just call over the local plumber's crack. We're currently in the midst of a no-holds barred cage match to see who gets to demo this one. Rubber ducky not included. 
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| Meet the new Android Central Apps Editor, Simon Sage! Posted: 06 Jul 2012 12:29 PM PDT
This is Simon Sage. Perhaps you've heard of him. He's kind of a big deal. He's also the new Android Central Apps Editor. That means he'll be bringing you the latest and greatest apps, updates to old favorites, and everything in between. It also means that if you're a developer, he's your go-to guy for getting the word out to our hundreds of thousands of readers a day, our 140,000-plus Twitter followers, our more than 50,000 Google+ circlers, our more than 440,000 Google Currents subscribers ... You get the idea. So if you've got app news, or questions about the latest games or keyboards or whatever, drop Simon an e-mail. He's also on Google+ and on Twitter. 
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| Big Android BBQ 2012 tickets to go on sale July 11 Posted: 06 Jul 2012 11:01 AM PDT
If you're looking to head to the Big Android BBQ 2012 in Texas you're going to need some tickets to get in on the fun and now pricing and availability for said tickets has been announced:
Not sure what the Big Android BBQ is or why you want to attend? Check out our video recap from last-years event or hit the link below for the full details. Source: Big Android BBQ 
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| Where the heck is our review of the Acer Iconia Tab A700? Posted: 06 Jul 2012 09:42 AM PDT
Some of you might be wondering what ever happened to our review of Acer’s new Iconia Tab A700, and rightfully so. We promise we didn’t forget, and we’re definitely not keeping you all on pins and needs for the fun of it. Everyone here at Android Central strives to provide the most fair, balanced, and thorough product reviews possible, and sometimes a speed bump or two along the way is just inevitable. The A700 review unit we’ve been testing seems to be giving us a bit of a hard time; inconsistent performance, slow-downs, and freeze-ups have rendered our tablet all but unusable (though despite it all, that HD screen still looks great). Before we unfairly write off the A700, we’ve requested a replacement unit to make sure the problems we’ve seen aren’t consistent across the board. Bum units happen sometimes, especially in the technology world, and that’s something to always keep in mind as both a consumer and a reviewer. So sit tight, stay patient and know that we’re hard at work making sure you have all the facts before you plop down $450 on Acer’s latest tablet. 
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| Sony Xperia S, P and Sola arrive SIM-free in the U.S. Posted: 06 Jul 2012 09:38 AM PDT
The Xperia P and Xperia S have been available for some time in Europe, and today both phones make their debut in the United States. If you want either phone, you'll have to stump up the full SIM-free price, as neither is available subsidized on-contract. The Xperia P selling for $479.99 in black, silver and red at the Sony online store, while Newegg offers it for a slightly more reasonable $388.99. The Xperia S (in black and white) can only be found on Newegg at this stage, and comes with a similarly eye-watering price of $469.99. Meanwhile, the Xperia Sola, which has yet to launch in Europe, is available for $299.99. We'll be honest here -- we don't think either phone is going to be a smash hit at its current price points, especially in a marketplace where Sony isn't well established as a smartphone manufacturer, and where consumers are used to subsidized phones at the $100-200 level. It also doesn't help that Sony's charging top dollar for what amounts to last-generation tech -- the Xperia S and Xperia P feature fairly low-powered dual-core CPUs and run Android 2.3 Gingerbread. In addition, you'll only be able to use them on AT&T's 3G and HSPA+ network in the U.S., due to radio limitations. In any case, if you absolutely must have a Sony smartphone, and the Xperia Ion doesn't float your boat, you can now pay an inordinate amount of cash to own one of your very own. Just make sure you check out our reviews of the Xperia S and Xperia P before you part with your cash. Source: Sony Store, Newegg; via: XperiaBlog 
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| Android Central Podcast 101: Patents, Jelly Beans and Glowing Blue Orbs Posted: 06 Jul 2012 09:21 AM PDT Podcast MP3 URL: http://traffic.libsyn.com/androidcentral/acpc101.mp3 Thing 1: Google I/O aftermath
Thing 2: Galaxy Nexus banned, coming back next week
Thing 3: Other odds and ends
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| AT&T Samsung Galaxy S III available in stores today Posted: 06 Jul 2012 09:07 AM PDT
Can't take the wait anymore? Need to get your hands on that brand new AT&T Samsung Galaxy S III, and shipping just wasn't for you? As of today the Galaxy S III is available in your local AT&T store for your purchasing pleasure. Whether still on the fence, or just need something to get you a little more excited about it, be sure to check out our full review, and then get yourself up and head to your local AT&T store. Deciding on the device may be the easy part, but picking the color, that will be the challenge. Will you be heading to your AT&T store to pick one up for yourself today or this weekend and if so which color will you be taking home? 
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| Qmadix QI-7 Stereo headset review Posted: 06 Jul 2012 08:50 AM PDT
If you are looking for an upgrade to your Android headset, the Qmadix QI-7 Stereo headset will give you better sound and the ability to field your phone calls.The reality is that most included headsets with Android phones are just OK; they are a step up from what some competitors include – but they are rarely “audiophile quality.” Enter the Qmadix Qi-7 stereo headset – read on to see if this is a worthy upgrade to what you are currently using. 
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| Pre-orders open up for Samsung Galaxy Beam in the UK Posted: 06 Jul 2012 08:00 AM PDT
Last we heard about the Galaxy Beam (see our hands-on), Samsung's phone that comes with a built-in projector, it was heading to the UK market in July. We're quickly approaching its release as it is now available for pre-order. If you're interested in the phone/projector hybrid, you can get it from both Carphone Warehouse and unlocked at Expansys. There are a variety of different plans that you can choose, but you can get the Beam starting at £31/month on Orange. Over at Expansys, it will cost you £394. So if you've been anxiously awaiting the Beam over in the United Kingdom, the wait is almost over! Head over to the source link for pre-orders. Source: Carphone Warehouse / Expansys 
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| Posted: 06 Jul 2012 07:49 AM PDT
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| Deal of the Day: Qmadix Snap-On Cover w/ Holster for HTC EVO 4G LTE Posted: 06 Jul 2012 06:17 AM PDT
The Qmadix Snap-On Cover w/ Holster is available for just $17.95, 49% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last! 
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| Fresh Galaxy Note 2 rumors suggest IFA launch, 5.5-inch screen Posted: 06 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy Note is one of the surprise success stories of the past year, and as a successful product, it's no surprise to see rumors of successor circulating. The latest Galaxy Note 2 reports give some pause for thought, however. Korean news site MK says it's talked with "an official familiar with Samsung's product development," and is claiming to have details of the next Galaxy Note, including some tentative hardware specs, and news that it'll launch at this year's IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, Germany. The IFA news isn't too surprising when you consider that's where the original Note made its debut in 2011. But the reported spec list makes for tantalizing reading -- a 5.5-inch screen, quad-core CPU and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean are all claimed for the Galaxy Note 2. And there's the suggestion that the camera may be upgraded to a 12 or 13MP unit, compared to the 8MP sensor in the original Note. Interestingly, Samsung's thinner, lighter Unbreakable Plane (UBP) display tech will apparently not be debuting in the next Galaxy Note, with the manufacturer instead opting to save it for the next major product, MK says. If the Note 2 does launch at IFA, we can probably expect a Q4 international release, which would tie in with MK's reports that the new phone-tablet hybrid will be positioned to compete against Apple's next iPhone. Given the popularity of the original Note, a successor was always going to be on the cards, and everything MK is reporting certainly sounds feasible. Whatever Samsung shows at IFA this August, we'll be there to bring you full, live coverage Source: MK.co.kr 
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| Sony Xperia 'LT30' details teased by Bluetooth SIG Posted: 06 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT
Since the arrival of the Xperia S in February, we haven't heard much in the way of high-end international phones from Sony. It looks like that might change in the near future, however, as today a new Sony device has cropped up in a Bluetooth Special Interest Group product listing, revealing a few tantalizing details. The Bluetooth SIG product description indicates that the Sony "LT30" is "part of the premium product line", featuring "an attractive 'ARC' design with metal back cover." That certainly sounds a lot like the Xperia GX, which will be launching on Japan's NTT Docomo this month. Other details include a fairly complete list of specs -- a 4.6-inch 720p Bravia Engine screen, 1080p video recording, MHL capability, a 13MP rear camera and 720o-supporting front-facer. Approximate dimensions also place it in the same ballpark as the Xperia GX, as it apparently measures roughly 68 x129 x 9 mm and weighs 140 grams. There's no indication as to where this product will end up appearing, but the lack of any suffix after LT30 (for example, i for international or a for Americas) suggest this thing may see release in multiple territories. Rumors also suggest that the LT30 is the same phone as the purported "Mint" codenamed device that first showed up in a leaked roadmap back in January. If that's the case, it'll likely be a high-end device with a ~€550 price tag. Source: Bluetooth SIG; via: XperiaBlog 
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| Maybe that unibody design wasn't such a bad idea ... (Breaking the EVO's back) Posted: 06 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT
On the other hand, my daughter says this broken-backed EVO 4G LTE would make a cool lounge chair for her dolls. And before anybody freaks out, this is just one phone, and things happen. But that doesn't make it any less dramatic. How'd it happen? Says Pew446:
Parades: Harmless fun? Or smartphone menace? You decide! There's another pic of the aftermath after the break. Source: EVO 4G LTE forums 
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| International Galaxy S III gets second OTA update, finally adds brightness slider Posted: 06 Jul 2012 03:57 AM PDT
Galaxy S III Video Maker now available through Samsung Apps, tooAs we mentioned in our full review, one of our pet peeves with the Samsung Galaxy S III is the way automatic brightness always defaults to too low a level, combined with the fact that there's no brightness widget or control in the notification area. And it looks like Samsung's heard our complaints, as a second over-the-air update for the international Galaxy S III adds a dedicated brightness control to the notification area, allowing S III owners to set a level manually, or enable auto-brightness. We're also noticing that the base levels for automatic brightness seems to be a little higher than before, which we're sure S III owners will see as a welcome change. In addition, it seems that there's a new icon for daylight savings in the clock widget, as well as a freshly-baked kernel and radio firmware. The new software version is still based on Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, build IMM76D. What's more, Samsung Video Maker app, absent from the Galaxy S III at launch, is now available via Samsung Apps under the "More Services" section, weighing in at 34MB. If you're an unlocked Galaxy S III owner in the UK, you'll be able to grab the new update to firmware version XXLFB from Samsung's Kies desktop application. 
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| HTC Q2 2012 financials show 57.8 percent fall in net profits Posted: 06 Jul 2012 03:40 AM PDT
HTC has announced its unaudited second quarter financial results this morning, showing earnings in line with its previous Q2 earnings guidance, which had been revised down. In stark contrast to Samsung's record profits, From March to June, HTC generated revenues of NT$91.0 billion (~$3.04 billion), while net income after tax was NT$7.4 billion (~$247 million). This represents a 57.8 percent fall from the second quarter of 2011, during which HTC raked in a net income of NT$17.52 billion (~$586 million). HTC's had a rough time financially over the past six months, due to strong smartphone competition from the likes of Samsung and Apple. In its earlier revenue guidance, the manufacturer blamed the lower-than-expected profits on lackluster European sales, as well as trouble getting some HTC One phones past customs in the U.S. 
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| Samsung expecting record profit earnings for Q2 2012 Posted: 05 Jul 2012 09:25 PM PDT
Samsung is all set to announce their quarterly results by July 27th but following somewhat of a tradition for Samsung, they've gone ahead and released some expected numbers ahead of the full announcement. Over the years, Samsung has been known to break a few records here and there and clearly they're not expecting this time around to be any different as they offer up a operating profit estimate of between 6.5 trillion won ($5.7 billion) and 6.9 trillion won ($5.9 billion) with their total profits coming in between 46 trillion won ($40 billion) and 48 trillion won. If estimates are accurate, that would put them beyond their previous quarter record of 5.85 trillion won ($5.1 billion) for operating profit, which came in the first quarter of 2012. In other words, Samsung has a ton of cash and can only end up with more as sales of the Samsung Galaxy S III continue everywhere. Source: Market Watch 
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| More Amazon phone rumors? Sure, why not ... Posted: 05 Jul 2012 08:02 PM PDT
It's been a little while since we've heard anything about the mythical Amazon smartphone, so tonight's as good as any. Bloomberg's reporting that unnamed people are saying that Chinese manufacturer Foxconn is working with Amazon on a smartphone. In addition, Amazon's picking up patents that would help it "defend against allegations of infringement." Cool. Bloomberg's post doesn't mention that the phone would run Android, but it's hardly outside the realm of possibility, given that Amazon's already been plenty successful with its Android-based Kindle Fire tablet. Missing, however, is any talk of carriers. It's possible any Amazon smartphone could be sold unlocked, meaning it could work on GSM networks in the U.S. (that'd be AT&T and T-Mobile) as well as worldwide, but that also presents problems in that both carriers are transitioning to LTE for 4G data -- AT&T's already there, and T-Mobile ramps up in 2013. But let's not put the cart that far before the horse just yet. Source: Bloomberg 
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| Android Central Podcast - Live! Posted: 05 Jul 2012 05:48 PM PDT |
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