Tuesday, July 17, 2012

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Google Android News Android Forums

Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean AOSP ROM now available for the Nexus S

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 02:07 PM PDT

Nexus S owners can now enjoy Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean AOSP courtesy of XDA member legolas93. All you have to do is download  the files from the below links. After that, make a full wipe of data/system and flash in this order: the ROM, Superuser (Chains DD), and Gapps. As always, for more information, hit up the source link.

Download JB release file

Download JB Gapps

source: xda

Eric Schmidt On Google: ““We Always Wanted To Be In The Hardware Business”

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 12:30 PM PDT

 

Google head honcho Eric Schmidt recently stopped by the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho to share with the fine folks in the audience Google’s new Nexus 7 and Nexus Q. While offering a show-and-tell of both products, Schmidt took some time to also share Google’s vision for the future and what it has intended to do all along when it comes to the hardware business. Schmidt highlights:

 

"We always wanted to be in the hardware business. Larry and Sergey have always wanted to do hardware in one form or another. This was a way to get into it quickly."

 

While there’s no indication Google is trying to be a hardware company (after all— the company’s foundation is on both its search engine and advertising), Google obviously is looking above and beyond. After all, it has special projects in the making such as the famed Project Glass and lest we forget— it did acquire a certain handset maker last year which Schmidt himself promises will bring “a new batch of products” soon-to-be ready for prime time. Now that we know Eric, Sergey and Larry are clearly working on some goodies behind the scenes, one has to wonder what else the world can be treated to.

source: New York Times

Sprint rolls out 4G to 15 additional cities

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 11:26 AM PDT

After a successful 4G LTE debut in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Kansas City, Sprint today added an additional 15 cities to its 4G coverage portfolio. Despite being the first US carrier to offer a 4G service via WiMax 4 years ago, the country’s third largest network has been playing catchup with Verizon and more recently AT&T. With further growth planned for the second half of 2012 it seems Sprint is only just getting started. Check out the video and press release after the break.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sprint 4G LTE Launch Extends to 15 Cities Throughout Portions of Georgia, Kansas, Missouri and Texas
The all-new, high-speed data network rollout – known as Network Vision – spreads to communities surrounding Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio and is also now available in Waco, Texas

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), July 16, 2012 – Sprint (NYSE:S), the first national wireless carrier to introduce 4G service in 2008, today announced that it is delivering the speed and power of an all-new 4G LTE network to 15 cities surrounding the Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio markets. Because of an accelerated build schedule for the Network Vision program, Sprint will also launch a 4G LTE network for residents in and around Waco, Texas.

“Sprint and our vendors have been deploying Network Vision sites all across the country for the last several months and we are thrilled to deliver our new network to our customers today in and around Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, San Antonio and Waco,” said Bob Azzi, senior vice president-Network, Sprint. “This new network is performing extremely well and customers should find it consistent, reliable and really fast.”

Today, Sprint 4G LTE coverage can be found in the following areas and will continue to expand in the coming months:

  • Atlanta
  • Athens, Ga.
  • Calhoun, Ga.
  • Carrollton, Ga.
  • Newnan, Ga.
  • Rome, Ga.
  • Dallas
  • Fort Worth, Texas
  • Granbury-Hood County, Texas
  • Houston
  • Huntsville, Texas
  • San Antonio, Texas
  • Waco, Texas
  • Kansas City, Mo.-Kan.
  • St. Joseph, Mo.

For detailed 4G LTE maps, providing coverage information right down to the address, please visit www.sprint.com/coverage. Customers are encouraged to check back often, as the maps will be updated when coverage in these markets is enhanced.

Sprint plans to launch additional 4G LTE markets in the second half of 2012, which will be announced later this year. By the end of 2013, Sprint expects to have largely completed the build out of its all-new 4G LTE nationwide network – with an all-new enhanced 3G network – covering 250 million people across the United States.

Network Vision Means an All-New 3G & 4G Network

To better meet the growing voice and data demands of wireless customers, Sprint is building an all-new, nationwide 3G and 4G LTE network through the Network Vision program. Whether a Sprint customer is using a smartphone to share a picture or to check the Web, Sprint 4G LTE will make it faster.

Coupling the speed of 4G LTE with the industry's only truly unlimited data plan for smartphones makes Sprint the best choice in wireless.* Additionally, the new network will provide significant enhancements to Sprint 3G service once the improvements are completed.

Customers are expected to experience better signal strength, fewer dropped/blocked calls, faster data speeds, expanded coverage and better overall performance as the improvements roll out across the country. Sprint has a history of innovation, as it was the first national wireless carrier to offer 4G service with the launch of the Sprint 4G (WiMAX) network in 2008.

The launch of these 15 cities demonstrates the continued commitment by Sprint to invest in its network through Network Vision. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint's 4G LTE portfolio and rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.

The Wireless Industry's Most Customer-Friendly Data Plans

In today's competitive wireless market, the value of unlimited has never been more apparent. Sprint's Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited data, texting and calling to and from any mobile phone in America while on the Sprint network, starting at just $79.99 per month for smartphones (pricing excludes taxes and surcharges).

Sprint continues the trend of delivering value to customers through its portfolio of 4G LTE-capable devices and unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything Data plans. Sprint has already launched five 4G LTE-capable devices for less than $200 – HTC EVO™ 4G LTE ($199.99); LG Viper™ 4G LTE ($99.99); Samsung Galaxy Nexus ($199.99); Samsung Galaxy S® III ($199.99 for 16GB version); and Sierra Wireless™ 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot, the nation's first to support 4G LTE, 4G WiMAX and 3G ($99.99) (all pricing excludes taxes).

During the past several years, Sprint has been working hard to deliver the best customer experience. Recently, the American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers and most improved in customer satisfaction, across all 47 industries, during the last four years.

Featured Play Store Newbie: Task Radar [Productivity]

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 11:07 AM PDT

There are a slew of apps in the Google Play Store for managing your tasks or to do’s, and for those of you looking for something different, you might want to try Task Radar. It’s only been in the Play Store for a few days and is already getting solid user reviews. Task Radar was developed by SockMonkeySolutions, the same folks who gave us Gift Wizard. It’s touted as the first AI to do list. With a simple shake of your phone, Task Radar will automatically re-order your tasks based on priorities and dates. Another feature that I’ve never seen before is the ability to look at all your incoming deadlines through a radar-like screen.

Task Radar’s UI is gorgeous as it’s developed with ICS guidelines and there are plenty of options when creating a task or to do. Each task gets a deadline date and an impact as is none, low, medium, or high, and each impact is represented by a different color. You can also type in more details about the task and categorize it as work or home. You can view your work or home tasks separately or together. As far as alerts go, you can set each individual task as off or set it to alert you at 8 and 1 hours ahead of the scheduled finish time or 24, 8, and 1 hours ahead.

Task_Radar_01 Task_Radar_02 Task_Radar_03 Task_Radar_04 Task_Radar_05 Task_Radar_06

For a better look of how Task Radar works, check out the video below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Task Radar is free, but they do have a paid version for $5.01 that removes ads. Just hit one of the links below to get started.

 

QR Code generator

Play Store Download Link - Free

QR Code generator

Play Store Download Link – Paid

Verizon is not unlocking the Galaxy S III bootloader after all

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 09:51 AM PDT

In yet another twist involving Verizon's version of the Samsung Galaxy S III, contrary to our earlier report, Verizon will not provide a software update to unlock the encrypted bootloader. Several users obtained information from Verizon and Samsung customer service reps indicating the Galaxy S III would be unlocked "soon." The misunderstanding appears to stem from information regarding an update from Verizon to unlock GSM roaming on the S III, not an update to unlock the bootloader.

For now, users interested in a Verizon Galaxy S III are back to looking at the Developer Edition to be made available through Samsung if they want to avoid the locked bootloader. The other option is to wait to see whether the bootloader bounty produces any results.

source: Droid Life

Pair of root methods developed for Sony Xperia S

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 09:24 AM PDT

Owners of Sony's Xperia S phones may be interested in a couple root methods that have been developed for the handsets. The methods get around the locked bootloader of the Xperia S.

Over on the XDA Developer forums, member Sharaz22 has developed a "long" method to root the Xperia S. The method uses several batch files and then users complete some operations on Flashtool. To wrap up the install, Superuser from the Google Play store needs to be installed. Building on the work of Sharaz22 and others, XDA forum member hk2006 has developed a "short" version that is more of a one-click solution that basically wraps the long method into a single batch file.

The two methods do have some issues, including the lack of a custom recovery. With the "short" method, some users are reporting the batch file needs to be run more than once and some users with ICS have reported a factory reset may be required to address some lag issues.

If interested, check out the source links for all the directions and links to files needed.

source: XDA Developers Forum (long method thread), XDA Developers Forum (short method thread)

Magic Pro iGoGo TV review: Android with webcam for your TV [Hands on Video]

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 08:50 AM PDT

I had a chance to try out the Magic Pro iGoGo TV (MP-188), which is a simple box that brings Android 2.3 to your television. This shouldn’t be misunderstood with Google TV. Google TV is a completely different interface designed for TV’s whereas the iGoGo brings the full Android experience to your TV. It behaves much like Android does on your phone, and somewhat on your tablet minus the touchscreen. If your looking to add internet capabilities to your TV this is an option, but how does is fare for $179.99? Hit the break to find out more.

Design

The iGoGo is a compact rectangular box that is designed to be placed on top of your TV rather than below it like most internet boxes or media players. It’s because it has webcam in the front along with a microphone so you can use it for video chatting. It’s made of plastic and feels durable. It’s also rather compact if you ever want to take it to a friend’s house or on trips. It measures 9 5/8 long X 1 3/4 wide X 1 1/16 tall (at the tallest point).

Along the front you will find the 2MP webcam, speaker, and micro SD slot. The backside has (from left to right) an analog AV out, OTG USB, HDMI, power jack, reset/recover buttons, and the power button.

It comes with a bracket that’s adjustable so you can place it on top of your TV. It also gives you the ability to angle it so you can set the webcam where you want depending on how far you sit.

The remote control is very nice. It’s actually an air mouse so you can navigate easily through the menus and choose apps. The full keyboard is easy to use and there is a decent number of shortcuts. All in all I was very happy with the remote control except it does take a little getting used to. Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to navigate pretty easily and even play games like Angry Birds.

Hardware

The iGoGo TV features an ARM Cortex A8 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage, MicroSD slot, support for USB External HDD or flash drive, 2MP front webcam with mic, a 2.4 GHz wireless air mouse keyboard remote control, 1080P video decoding and output, HDMI 1.3, analog av out, audio output video HDMI only, Bluetooth, Ethernet, and WiFi

Performance

I found the iGoGo TV to perform adequately. There were some hesitations at times, but if you’re looking for a full Android experience on your TV, the iGoGo does a pretty good job. I wasn’t about to run a benchmark on this thing. Most of you know I’m not a believer in them, and especially for a device such as this. Overall it operates very nicely with minor hesitations. How it will operate after 6 months of heavy use is a good question, but I think most people looking for something like this will be happy.

The remote control works very well and is designed well. It’s just the right size and typing on the keyboard was a breeze. You can connect another keyboard via Bluetooth, but I never tried it nor did I feel the need to do it. As to controlling the cursor and navigating, that takes some practice. I’ve never used an air mouse, and it definitely took a little getting used to. I did feel better about it after I got the hang of it, but I still found many times where I was annoyed and trying to simply click something. One negative is the ability to use your phone to control the device like the Google TV, but all in all I think they did a really good job with their remote.

Software

Android 2.3 is onboard and I know a lot of you are probably already turned off with no Ice Cream Sandwich. I honestly don’t see a big deal in this. All you need is a launcher and a homescreen(s) and you’re in business. Having ICS instead of Gingerbread gives you nothing more and nothing less.

The full blown Android experience is here that include widgets, customizing what apps you want on your homescreen, and the Google Play Store. The launcher is to the right since TVs are in landscape mode. You add and delete widgets the same way you would on your phone or tablet. I was only able to see one homescreen so that is a downer. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t include multiple homescreens, but it is what it is.

Most apps works the way it would on your phone or tablet, but not always. Certain apps that deal with GPS won’t work and I also found apps like Twonky for playing videos from my media server didn’t works as well. I actually thought Twonky would work since it was part of my network. I was able to play videos from the microSD card, but the stock video player didn’t fill the screen. I tried MX Video and that worked.

Games like Angry Birds and Cut the Rope work very well although I really don’t have much desire to play them on my TV. I didn’t try something more elaborate, but I imagine just about every game can be played on this thing other than the ones that require dual-core processors and higher.

Skype comes pre-installed, but after reading some other user reviews I deleted it and re-installed it. I was able to get it to work after a couple of tries, but the quality of the camera wasn’t great, so I was told. I also tried doing a Google Hangout and the video worked, but no audio. I’m sure it can probably work somehow, but I just didn’t spend too much time with it.

Here’s a hands on look of the iGoGo in action.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Closing

The iGoGo TV is a nice device, but at $179.99 it seems a little high. When doing my video I mentioned a cheaper version without the webcam, but apparently it’s not available in the U.S. It’s available in Hong Kong and is model MP-168. For whatever reason it seems to sell for the same price as the one I tested, the MP-188. The MP-188 can be bought on Amazon for $179.99 and the MP-168 can be had for $178.00 on eBay. That doesn’t make sense. Give me the iGoGo without the webcam for $99 and I might be able to recommend it. I just don’t see anyone getting much use out of the webcam. As it is, I don’t see a lot of people utilizing the front-facing cameras on their phones and tablets let alone their TV. There’s already competition with the Pocket TV on Kickstarter, which costs $99 and does gives you ICS. There is also the iPPea TV, which only costs $50 without the remote control. Neither of these devices offer a webcam so if you really feel you need one, I would wait until the prices come down.

Is Motorola planning on bringing back the StarTAC or Star Tac?

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 07:44 AM PDT

Last fall Motorola brought back the RAZR from the dead, and it’s been pretty successful so far. Now it’s possible Motorola is planning on doing the same with the StarTAC. The StarTAC was very successful even before the original RAZR existed, and it revolutionized the clamshell design in the late 90′s. It appears that last week, on July 9th, Motorola filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office seeking a trademark for the name “Star Tac” for mobile phones, smartphones, cordless phones and accessories therefor, namely battery chargers and power adaptors. Interestingly enough this trademark has a space between Star and Tac, whereas the original trademark was simply StarTAC.

Motorola applied for the original trademark (without the space) in 1995 and it was registered in 1997, but in July of 2004 it was cancelled and listed as Dead.  To further complicate things, Motorola filed for the same trademark in April 2004 (3 months before the cancellation of the first trademark) only to abandon the process in April of 2008. Now a completely different company called Data Access in France tried to file for the same trademark in 2009 for cell phones and other computer equipment, but it was never registered, and they subsequently abandoned the process nearly 4 years later this past May. I don’t pretend to be a trademark expert, but obviously something is going on with the name StarTAC so they are now seeking a trademark for this new version with  the space between Star and Tac.

Something else that is interesting is Google CEO Larry Page’s quote from back in March when the Google acquisition was finalized. He said:

I'm excited to announce today that our Motorola Mobility deal has closed. Motorola is a great American tech company that has driven the mobile revolution, with a track record of over 80 years of innovation, including the creation of the first cell phone. We all remember Motorola’s StarTAC, which at the time seemed tiny and showed the real potential of these devices. And as a company who made a big, early bet on Android, Motorola has become an incredibly valuable partner to Google.

Of course just mentioning the StarTAC doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but how about this quote from Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, who said the following last September about the purchase of Motorola Mobility:

“We did it for more than just patents. We actually believe that the Motorola team has some amazing products coming," and went on to add that, “We're excited to have the product line, to use the Motorola brand, the product architecture, the engineers. These guys invented the RAZR. We know them well because they're Google Apps users."

We all know what happened one month later, when Motorola announced the resurrection of the RAZR under the DROID umbrella.

Obviously we have no idea what Motorola has in store for the Star Tac trademark. Could they introduce a clamshell Android phone? Maybe they plan on using this brand for their upcoming Intel-based phones. Time will tell, but what do you guys think? Will you welcome back the StarTAC or shall I say Star Tac?

sources: uspto 7/9/12  -  uspto  9/7/95  - uspto 4/13/04 - uspto 3/11/09

Here’s another hilarious Siri vs Google Voice Search video, Is that a scallion or a stallion?

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 07:33 AM PDT

There has been so many videos lately that pit Siri against Google’s new Voice Search from Jelly Bean. Google seems to win the majority of them and this video is no different, but it’s pretty funny as well. Annie Gaus from App Judgement decided to test them both out with actual questions that she Googled in the last week. Let’s just say Siri didn’t fair to well, and this video will definitely give you a nice chuckle to start off your Monday.

 

source: androidpolice

Three UK Website Officially Lists The Sony Xperia P Smartphone

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 07:08 AM PDT

 

So you live in the UK and have been itching to get your hands on a lovely new smartphone? Great you’re in luck because Three UK has listed the Sony Xperia P smartphone on its website today. This means interested customers can pick up the Gingerbread-powered device which gives you a 1GHz dual-core processor, 8MP camera with Exmor R sensor and 4-inch screen for free on a £27 per month, two-year contract plan. Of course there is the option of purchasing the phone outright with a Pay As You Go plan for £289.99. Options include the All in One 15 costs £15 and gives 30-day access to all-you-can-eat data along with 300 any-network minutes and 3,000 texts or the All in One 25 costs £25 and offers 500 minutes, 3,000 texts and all-you-can-eat data for a 30-day period.

I’m sure you’re all itching for additional details, so you can find the expanded info found in the presser once you hit the break.

 

The Sony Xperia P is now available online at www.three.co.uk and from 17th July in all Three stores.
 

The sleek, aluminium-finished smartphone features a 4" reality display with WhiteMagic™ technology to deliver the most colourful viewing experience, even in bright sunlight. The phone also features a 1GHz dual-core processor for super-fast performance.

Helping people take the perfect picture, the Sony Xperia P features an 8 megapixel HD camera with Exmor R™ sensor and unique Fast Capture technology allowing the phone to go from sleep mode to 'snap mode' in just one second. The Sony Xperia™ P also makes it simple to share photos, music and videos on TVs, laptops or Sony PlayStations® using an HDMI cable or wirelessly by DLNA.

Sylvia Chind, Head of Devices at Three said, "The Sony Xperia P is an affordable and stylish smartphone, ideally suited for quick-fingered photographers. Running on Android, people can make the most of this great device by personalising their experience with countless photography apps like Instagram, downloadable through Google Play."

The Sony Xperia P is available from £27 a month with no upfront cost on the Ultimate Internet 500 plan. Both the Essential Internet and Ultimate Internet plans offer a fear-free mobile internet experience, with a guarantee of no surprise out-of-bundle data charges.

The phone is also available on Pay As You Go for £289.99. All in One 15 costs £15 and gives 30-day access to all-you-can-eat data along with 300 any-network minutes and 3,000 texts. Or All in One 25 costs £25 and offers 500 minutes, 3,000 texts and all-you-can-eat data for a 30-day period.

Key features:

    Sleek, aluminium design
    4" Reality Display with WhiteMagic™ technology
    1GHz dual-core processor
    8 megapixel HD camera with Exmor R™ sensor and fast capture
    16GB internal storage and 50GB online storage with Box
    Easy HDMI and DLNA connectivity to share content on any screen
    NFC compatible”
Posted by at 6:00 AM

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