Android Authority |
- SE Asian carrier SMART launches 4G LTE network
- Facebook Android app updated, but not good enough
- Survey claims 1 in 5 Android users are considering the switch to iPhone
- Reddit ET: Multi-featured Reddit client for Android
- Google Play Magazines gets updated, now runs faster on Nexus 7 and Jelly Bean devices
- UK Galaxy Note 10.1 gets tons of free apps and games, OTA update rolling out to all variants
- Sony Mobile moves HQ to Japan, will cut 1000 jobs by 2014
- HTC not cutting Beats Audio integration, despite rumor
- Survey claims nearly half of consumers don’t care about 4G
- Pandora for Android updated with tons of new features
| SE Asian carrier SMART launches 4G LTE network Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:45 AM PDT
The Philippines has three major carriers, Sun, Globe, and SMART. Sun is known for it’s affordable prepaid plans and promos, Globe is known for its flashy devices and extensive coverage in 2g/3g. SMART is soon going to be understood as the only provider with LTE coverage, putting it in groundbreaking territory. While most of Southeast Asia lives on texting, which requires little bandwidth but large network volume capacity, the trend is slowly starting to change. More people are starting to buy smartphones which are capable of a lot more in terms of tasking. This requires carriers to upgrade, and in the Philippines, SMART Telecommunications, the largest carrier in the country, has adapted quite well. SMART, with its some 53 million customers across its GSM and Broadband networks, is clearly trying to cater to a specific sect of people which are mostly high-bandwidth consumers into online gaming, video-conferencing, streaming of HD videos, and downloading large files. This week they unveiled a spanking new update to their network in the form of 4G LTE and say “it will boost the country’s development”. While yours truly doubts it will do anything except boost the bottom line for SMART, it is great to see LTE finally hitting the archipelago nation. Rolling out this upgrade, however, has not been entirely easy, as infrastructure can be a real challenge in developing countries. But the company says,
They clearly believe this is the best thing for the telco and the country at large. I can’t say I disagree! An investment of $1.6B was incorporated into this task, so they are quite serious about their intent to maintain their market dominance while providing better, faster options than their competitors. Consumers will also be happy about SMART’s pricing structure as well. An affordable P3,500/10 gig limit, is much more affordable than those in other countries. The US charges around an average of P500 per gig! Competitors SKYbroadband and competitor Globe’s DSL setup, charge P12,999 and P14,999 respectively and these aren’t even mobile solutions. Finally, the work is reported to start August 25th; I should note that around 9K+ cell sites nationwide will be affected during the roll-out in cities like Cebu, Davao, Boracay, and of course, Metro Manila. Hang in there Filipinos, the best service you’ve ever seen is about to happen! Related PostsNo related posts. This article, SE Asian carrier SMART launches 4G LTE network , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Facebook Android app updated, but not good enough Posted: 23 Aug 2012 07:56 PM PDT Mobile is the way to go for social networks and online service providers. And yet, not everyone gets it. Mobile devices are suppose to be the easiest way for users to share information wherever, whenever. Thankfully, companies like Facebook are improving their mobile products, although to a limited extent. The latest update to Facebook’s Android app includes a few incremental improvements, including the ability to add events straight from the smartphone interface and an improved photo uploading UI. Users can now embed photos and emoji emoticons to messages. Updating to version 1.9.8 of Facebook’s Android app will require manual approval, given the need to acquire your location through coarse-network method. Android users shortchanged?Facebook’s iOS app update, however, brings in drastic improvements, such as ditching the HTML5 interface in favor of a native approach to the social networking app. This drastic change leaves Android users short-changed. Business Insider reports that even Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is disappointed with how the development of the Android app is going. Zuck is reportedly going as far as forcing developers to use the Android app to realize how “subpar” it is compared to the iPhone and iPad version. Facebook is “dogfooding” — a term developers use to highlight their use of in-house developed apps (eating their own “dog food”). Of course, the alternative here for end-users is to use third-party apps for managing your Facebook account. But since Facebook is already able to build an iOS app that’s miles ahead of its Android counterpart, then what’s stopping them from releasing a similar update soon? Do you use the Facebook app on your Android phone or tablet? Do you feel the same way, or can you live with knowing iPhone users are getting a better social networking experience? Related PostsFacebook for Android updated, brings performance boost and new features, Official Facebook for Android App Updated to 1.6.1, Facebook for Android App Updated to Version 1.6This article, Facebook Android app updated, but not good enough , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Survey claims 1 in 5 Android users are considering the switch to iPhone Posted: 23 Aug 2012 04:45 PM PDT
A new survey from Barron’s has hit claiming that 48% of Android smartphone users plan on buying another Android device at some point, while 17% are interested in an iPhone, and 34% are unsure. The takeway is that only about half of Android users are 100% sure they will stick with Android, right? The only problem with this is that the survey is very limited in scope since only 2,000 people were surveyed, and not all of those surveyed were even Android users from the sound of it. Millions and millions of Android users exist out there, yet somehow we are supposed to believe that this survey is accurate? Even if this number proved correct, that means that 4 out of 5 Android users are either sticking with Android or undecided. Other interesting things pointed out in this survey include that RIM users that were surveyed pretty much all wanted a different type of phone, with only 2% staying loyal to Blackberry. We’ve all heard about the rumors of a Facebook phone, but if this survey proves accurate, only 7% of the respondents were interested. In contrast, about 51% of the survey reviewers said they’d give a Kindle Fire-like Amazon device consideration. You can check out the full survey, but basically these are the big points made by it. Again, I find that the survey’s limited number of reviewers makes it pretty hard to take at face value. What about you, think there is any truth to the claim that 1 in 5 Android users are interested in ditching Android for the iPhone? Related PostsSurvey claims nearly half of consumers don’t care about 4G, Are iPhone users richer & better-educated than Android users?, 33% of Mobile Phone Users to Choose Device over Sex — TeleNavThis article, Survey claims 1 in 5 Android users are considering the switch to iPhone , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Reddit ET: Multi-featured Reddit client for Android Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT
Reddit is one of the largest social bookmarking sites on the web. Despite its popularity among millions of users worldwide, it still lacks a dedicated client for Android devices. However, there are a bunch of third-party Reddit applications to fill in the gap. Fresh from the Google Play Store is Reddit ET Free, a third-party Reddit client that is packed with features and claims to be the most comprehensive application to give users the complete Reddit experience. Reddit ET sports ICS-inspired Holo-style menus, columns, dropdowns, and tabs. Also included in the package are several familiar Reddit features, such as threaded comments, a native browser, the up/down voting system, subscriptions, customization with themes, NSFW support, homescreen widgets, custom links, and text submissions. Aside from the mentioned features, Reddit ET has included some additional features, such as the ability to view Subreddits that you have not yet subscribed to. And to top it all, the app's widget can also serve you with all the latest feeds from any Subreddit that you have liked. Reddit ET also lets you view your friends’ posts and explore a little bit deeper. You can also explore Reddit in full-screen mode and interact in Canvas Mode to get a totally new look and fresh feel. For users who have Android 2.3 and above, they’ll be able to view YouTube videos embedded within each post. Reddit ET also lets you get an overview look of your profile as well as the posts that you have saved, liked, disliked, and kept hidden. The app also supports filtering of Subreddit that ranges from the Reddit frontpages, subscribed Subreddits, trending posts, and risings posts of the day. You can also manually refresh the Subreddit with the use of the Reload All button. Although Reddit ET has a pool of innovative features, it does however suffer some setbacks when used with a tablet. Some functions have been disabled, like the voting system, inability to save personalized settings in the front page, no support for emoticons, the dark theme barely works properly, it does not support multiple accounts, and other core features that require a bit of tweaking for it to work properly. Despite these setbacks, Reddit ET is one of the best applications if you are looking for a dedicated Reddit ET client. If you are still browsing Reddit through your mobile phone's browser, then it is about time you make the switch. Reddit ET Free is available for free on the Google Play Store. If you feel like supporting the developers, you can purchase the pro version pegged. Aside from being ad-free, the pro version also unlocks other features such as the Canvas Mode, clear app cache, pinch-to-zoom for images, switching from landscape to portrait orientation, and a lot more. Related PostsReddit browsing app Reddit Sync receives updates, better than ever, Enjoy Reddit in a whole new way, with Reddit Sync!, Palringo multi-service IM client for Android now availableThis article, Reddit ET: Multi-featured Reddit client for Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Google Play Magazines gets updated, now runs faster on Nexus 7 and Jelly Bean devices Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:55 PM PDT
Alongside the introduction of the Nexus 7, Google injected some heavy dose of entertainment content in the Play Store, which saw TV shows, movies, and magazines becoming an integrated part of Google's ecosystem. Judging from the not-so-stellar feedbacks that many customers have left for Google Play Magazines, it was apparent that the app needed an update, one which Google has finally made available. The latest version of Google Play Magazines doesn't bring a lot of visual changes. Version 1.0.1 is all about performance improvement and bugs fixes; the latter is especially noticeable for those who own Nexus 7 or other devices that run Jelly Bean. Google has also done some tweaking to make navigation while on the home screen and library smoother. Other improvements to expect on the updated Google Play Magazines include better recognition of available space and app crash fixes. Unfortunately, Google Play Magazines still isn't available for international customers. So only those in the United States get to subscribe to literary gems like Esquire, Men's Fitness, Motor Trend, etc. Here's hoping that the next update will bring some good news to non-US folks. Head to Google Play now to get the latest Google Play Magazines app. Related PostsHow to access Google Play Music, Magazines, Books, Movies and TV Shows from outside the U.S., TV shows, movies, and magazines now available on Google Play, Updated Google Play Music is now "harder, better, faster, and stronger"This article, Google Play Magazines gets updated, now runs faster on Nexus 7 and Jelly Bean devices , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| UK Galaxy Note 10.1 gets tons of free apps and games, OTA update rolling out to all variants Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:36 PM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 was launched in the UK last week. What most people didn't realize is that the UK variant of the tablet comes with many free apps and games that are enhanced for the S Pen – well, at least 10 of them, to be more exact. If you're still undecided, here's a list of the freebies you can get when you do make the jump.
Do note that you may have to download some of the free apps from the Samsung Apps portal, while some will be downloadable from Google Play. And as for a little "something something" that isn't locked to certain regions, the Galaxy Note 10.1 has received its first ever OTA update, which brings the firmware build to IMM76D.N8013UEALH2. The 50MB update doesn't contain any magical beans, but rather a minor one that fixes some bugs, while bringing a slew of tweaks and enhancements. In lieu of an official change log, here's what we can report so far:
Feel free to add your findings at the comments section below. Related PostsIt’s here, folks: Samsung Galaxy Note Android 4 ICS update now rolling out in Europe, How to Update Your Galaxy Note to Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread DDKL1 OTA Firmware, Android 4.0 ICS update coming to AT&T Galaxy Note todayThis article, UK Galaxy Note 10.1 gets tons of free apps and games, OTA update rolling out to all variants , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Sony Mobile moves HQ to Japan, will cut 1000 jobs by 2014 Posted: 23 Aug 2012 10:57 AM PDT
When Sony divorced Ericsson from their joint venture early in the year, they paid over $1.3 billion to the Swedish mobile magnate in order to regain full control of the company and shed its European name from the family tree. We then witnessed the birth of Sony Mobile. The only logical thing to do next is for Sony to pack its bags and move out of the old continent. After a relatively short stint in Lund of Sweden, Sony announced today that it will be moving its mobile business HQ to Tokyo, Japan. The company said that the move is pursued so that it can better integrate the mobile arm with other business units in its home country. Ultimately, it's a vital decision to make if it were to compete better with the likes of Samsung and HTC. Sony Mobile President and CEO Kunimasa Suzuki said the move focuses on efficiency. “A more focused and efficient operational structure will help to reduce Sony Mobile’s costs, enhance time to market efficiency and bring the business back to a place of strength,” he said in a statement. As part of the restructuring, Sony also revealed that it plans to cut about 1,000 jobs from the soon-to-be defunct mobile phone plant in Lund. The layoff is expected to be completed in two fiscal years or by March 2014. We hope Sony will not find itself in hot water like what Google and Motorola faced earlier. There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Sony's Android future. From the recent AOSP experiment on Xperia S, the introduction of the next generation Exmor RS lenses, to future Xperia phones that may ship in early 2013 for under $200 – the move should allow Sony to get back on track with the innovation process and stop simply playing catch-up with other Android phone makers. Related PostsSony Xperia GX to start selling today in Japan for $960 outright, Sony launches Music Unlimited streaming service in Japan, offers access to over 10 million songs, How Kazuo Hirai plans to save Sony from mediocrityThis article, Sony Mobile moves HQ to Japan, will cut 1000 jobs by 2014 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| HTC not cutting Beats Audio integration, despite rumor Posted: 23 Aug 2012 10:46 AM PDT
HTC seems to be the center of tons of rumors these days, considering its current fiscal woes. The latest rumor to surface claims that the company might be shedding its Beats Audio feature in future phones. The rumor was started by MyDrivers, and it actually makes some sense, considering HTC’s recent sale of about half of its 51% investment in Beats Audio back to the original owners. On the other hand, Beats integration is one of the major things that sets HTC’s ONE series apart from other handsets out there, so it would probably be a strange move to shed it altogether. The good news is that it might very well be nothing but a rumor, as HTC has issued an official statement saying the rumor is completely false. The company says they remain strongly committed to Beats Audio and that any rumor about the loss of integration is just that — nothing but a rumor. Pretty cut and dry, right? They might be preparing to slash prices to gain sales, but Beats likely isn’t going anywhere. To all our HTC users out there, how important is Beats Audio to your experience with HTC? Would you miss it if integration eventually gets removed? Related PostsBeats Audio – What's All the Fuss About?, HTC and Beats Audio set to acquire music subscription service Mog?, How HTC didn’t meet “financial commitments” to Beats AudioThis article, HTC not cutting Beats Audio integration, despite rumor , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Survey claims nearly half of consumers don’t care about 4G Posted: 23 Aug 2012 10:36 AM PDT
How important is 4G LTE to you? In a new study by Piper Jaffray, nearly half of the consumers surveyed don’t actually feel it’s that important, believe it or not. For those with fairly basic needs, like checking Facebook or browsing a few web pages, I suppose that makes sense. The true benefits of higher-speed Internet really don’t become all that visible until it comes to things like massive downloads, which many people do from their WiFi connections, in order to conserve data. The survey also found that 51% of those responding didn’t care about which network they got their 4G LTE service from, so this means that there isn’t a clear favorite in terms of 4G LTE carrier. Conducting a survey is all and good, but keep in mind that you only get a small picture of what is really going on. Piper Jaffray didn’t release information on how many were surveyed, nor the demographics. All we know is that they conducted this survey in order to see how important 4G was and whether Sprint’s weaker 4G presence should negatively affect it or not. A good reason why 4G LTE might not matter to those reviewed is because they have never used it. Sure, there is advertising for 4G LTE, but you really don’t know how much better it is until you use it. Many consumers were fine with dial-up or slow-speed 128k DSL before they knew better, after all. Now a different concern altogether would be whether Android enthusiasts consider mobile data speed. Android Authority readers: how important is 4G LTE to you? Related PostsNo related posts. This article, Survey claims nearly half of consumers don’t care about 4G , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Pandora for Android updated with tons of new features Posted: 23 Aug 2012 10:21 AM PDT
When it comes to listening to new music based on your existing music and artist preferences, you really won’t find anything like Pandora. Whether being used on the computer or mobile, Pandora is a great app with plenty of excellent features. The Android version of Pandora is getting even better though, with its new upgrade to version 1.7. What’s new in the app? The entire UI is getting a major makeover this time around. The entire interface is smoother, easier to navigate and designed with HTML5 in mind, as well. Additional new features in Pandora for Android include the ability to access your song history. From here you can review, rate or even bookmark songs that you’ve listened to before, making it easier to find the music you like. That’s far from it though. There is even a system for finding information about a particular band, the artists involved, and even bio information in similar artists. For the moment, the bio feature is exclusive to Android. More than likely though, iOS will get the feature in a future update. Interested in checking out the new update to Pandora? Check it out via Google Play. Related PostsNo related posts. This article, Pandora for Android updated with tons of new features , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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