Android Central |
- HTC's fix for the 'menu button issue' is welcome, but not very elegant
- AT&T One X getting an OTA to Android 4.0.4, addresses the menu button and patches root methods
- OneLouder releases Slices, an innovative Twitter app
- Silver Sony Xperia SL caught in leaked photos
- Another round of Motorola RAZR HD images surface
- How to add and arrange Home screens on the Galaxy S3
- Tonight, on the Greatest Android Podcast in the World
- London's Barclays Bikes turn two with updated mobile app
- Incipio Feather Case for Galaxy S3 review
- Coca-Cola My Beat Maker review - remix the Olympics
- The best damn Android Central T-shirt in the world
- Samsung Mobile Unpacked event tipped for Aug. 29, Galaxy Note 2 announcement likely
- Deal of the Day: Incipio FAXION Case for Samsung Galaxy S3
- Xperia U update solves network issues; Xperias P, Go and Sola also due fixes
- CyanogenMod shelves ICS/Jelly Bean support for Snapdragon S1 devices
- Ice Cream Sandwich update finally starts rolling out on HTC Rezound
- How to change the font size and style on the Galaxy S3
- A brilliant look at one man's mobile life over six months
- Ice Cream Sandwich adoption doubles from July to August
- Google posts updated 4.1.1 binaries for Nexus phones, including the Nexus S 4G
- Alarm clock apps, What is media server? [From the Forums]
| HTC's fix for the 'menu button issue' is welcome, but not very elegant Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:46 PM PDT
HTC and AT&T have pushed out an OTA update for the One X today, and while it provides the standard bug fixes and security enhancements, it brings a new feature to address the menu button "issue." Previously, if you were running an application that wasn't updated to support the latest Android style guidelines, you'd have a full-width black bar about 48 pixels high that held an on-screen menu button. It was horrible to look at, and we hoped that Android application developers would soon update their apps to get rid of it. We can't knock HTC, they used the correct layout for their capacitive buttons (we do question why they went with capacitive buttons in the first place, though) and did what they were supposed to do. But it was still pretty darn ugly. Then along comes Samsung, with a menu button on what will probably turn out to be the most popular Android phone ever in the Galaxy S 3. They shouldn't have done it (according to the Android developer team's way of doing things), but they did. A quick look at the HTC One X tells us why -- that big, ugly, black bar. Of course, application developers don't have to update to make their app look good on the phone that is selling the most, so very few did. Love it or hate it, time saved is money saved, so the folks at Twitter or Facebook (as well as smaller development teams) just let it ride. It became an HTC problem instead of an application problem. HTC had to fix it themselves. Never mind the fact that they were only following guidelines, their phones look bad running an app that needs a menu button and Samsung's don't. We saw a bit of it in the Desire C, and we're pretty sure we heard Android hacker/developer/guru Paul O'Brien mention that it was coming. It's here now, at least on the AT&T One X. Filed under Settings > Display, gestures and buttons is an entry where users can choose how they want the multi-tasking button to work. It can work as normal, or have a second function if you long-press. Phil's been playing around with it, and he says the best and most natural way it to have a single tap bring up the menu, and a long-press open the multi-tasking view -- just like Samsung's Galaxy S 3. We would prefer that developers just use the action bar on their apps as instructed. Hopefully, new apps will be written that way and eventually this whole mess goes away. Until then, at least we have a way to get rid of the black menu bar. We expect to see a similar fix roll out for the rest of the HTC One series of phones, and for hackers to grab some code and do the same in custom ROMs until then. For now, enjoy your 48 pixels of freedom. 
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| AT&T One X getting an OTA to Android 4.0.4, addresses the menu button and patches root methods Posted: 02 Aug 2012 02:30 PM PDT
AT&T's version of the HTC One X looks to be getting an over-the-air update to Android 4.0.4 for a select few users today, and if the rumors are true, some hackers will want to skip this one. There's no official change log posted from HTC or AT&T just yet, but some are saying that a big part of this one is security fixes that block known root exploits. In addition, there is now a setting to remove the menu button "bar" for apps that haven't been brought up to current Android standards. Users can now long-press the multitasking button for a pop-up menu. We're pretty sure the rest of the One series from HTC will be seeing a similar update soon. We've gone into the whole menu button thing in-depth, have a look here to read it. What we do know is that it's build number 2.20, and a version bump to Android 4.0.4 -- something any Android fan would want, right? Not so fast -- security enhancements, a standard bullet-point in most every OTA, often fix exploits that are used to get root access. Since HTC and AT&T don't offer bootloader unlocking on this particular One X, that's the only way to get some root on. If you're not worried about root, be happy that you're getting an OTA that probably fixes something and makes something better. If you are worried about root, or rooted now, hold off and wait for word from the hackers who focus on the AT&T One X for further instruction. In either case, the AT&T One X forums are the best place to find more info. Source: Android Central forums 
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| OneLouder releases Slices, an innovative Twitter app Posted: 02 Aug 2012 01:54 PM PDT
OneLouder Apps, makers of the extremely popular Twitter client TweetCaster, have released a new client that takes a different approach, called Slices. This new app is focused on better managing the stream of information into proper lists, and enabling better discovery of new content. Here are the headline features:
If Slices sounds like something you'd be interested in, you can find it in the Google Play Store for free with ads or $4.99 without. You can also see the web interface in Beta form at slices.me. 
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| Silver Sony Xperia SL caught in leaked photos Posted: 02 Aug 2012 12:57 PM PDT
The Sony Xperia SL is rumored to be a re-vamped version of the company's earlier 2012 flagship, the Xperia S. It's very similar to its predecessor, with a more-or-less identical chassis design, but its CPU speed has apparently been boosted to 1.7GHz, and it comes in a couple of new colors, including silver, as seen for the first time today in a set of leaked photos. The image above comes from GSMArena, which was tipped with a collection of photos of the unannounced Sony phone. From the outside, it's almost indistinguishable from the Xperia S, except that that phone only comes in black and white. Aside from the bump in CPU speed, the Xperia SL also sports Android 4.0.4 out of the box, a much-needed improvement upon the Gingerbread-based firmware still used by many Sony phones. We're expecting to see Sony take the wraps off the Xperia SL at the IFA show in Berlin later this month, where it's expected to appear alongside the Xperia J, the international Xperia GX and the Xperia Tablet. Keep watching AC in the weeks ahead for more on all three as the announcement nears. Source: GSMArena 
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| Another round of Motorola RAZR HD images surface Posted: 02 Aug 2012 11:49 AM PDT
Just yesterday we saw some new images of the Motorola RAZR HD appear online, and today another couple of pictures have come out. Showing off the entire back, as well as the about screen showing the device running Android 4.0.4, these new images bring hope to this being a final design style. Unlike yesterdays pictures, this one is showing Verizon's iconic 4G LTE branding on it, meaning this could be the unit we will see on Verizon, and hopefully sooner than later. This is still an engineering unit, as you can clearly see on the left hand side, so here's to hoping that this thing is flying right through the approval process, and will be making its way into consumer hands shortly. Source: DroidForums 
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| How to add and arrange Home screens on the Galaxy S3 Posted: 02 Aug 2012 11:39 AM PDT
Home screens on the Samsung Galaxy S III (S3) are very configurable; you can even delete complete Home screens and add brand new ones.Out of the box, the Galaxy S3 comes with seven home screens. As we have learned, you can customize each screen with App icons and widgets and really tailor make each page to better suit the way you use the phone. One great feature is that you can delete complete Home screens and start over and add new ones. You can then rearrange your Home screens so that what you need is available in exactly the way you desire. 
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| Tonight, on the Greatest Android Podcast in the World Posted: 02 Aug 2012 10:35 AM PDT
We're back from a week off! (If you haven' heard, someone was up in Canada for a few days last week). So, we've got some catching up to do. The Nexus Q has been delayed. The HTC Rezound has Ice Cream Sandwich. And Google's finally starting to take a stand against crappy apps. Plus, your weekly patent roundup, and more of your e-mails and voicemails. So join Phil and the gang -- and, of course, the chat room -- live tonight at 2 a.m. GMT / 9 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. PDT for the live broadcast. You should be there. You will be there. You must be there. After all, you are what makes it the Greatest Android Podcast in the World. Not at a computer? Pick up the free UStream Viewer from the Android Market [link] and search for Android Central a little before the show (it won't appear until we go live). We'll see you there! AndroidCentral.com/live 
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| London's Barclays Bikes turn two with updated mobile app Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:23 AM PDT
If you've visited London in recent years, you'll probably have seen the bright blue Barclays rental bikes (also known as Boris bikes) strategically positioned around the city. To celebrate the second anniversary of the bikes' launch in the Britain's capital, the official Barclays Bikes app for Android and iOS has received a substantial update. The app allows Londoners to find bikes near them, plan a journey, or use a rental timer to work out how much they'll need to pay. Today's update adds a host of new features, including enhanced journal planning and navigation, which should hopefully make the rental experience a little easier amid the bustle of the Olympic Games. Here's what's new --
The updated Barclays Bikes app is available now on Google Play for devices running Android 2.2 and above. Download: Barclays Bikes on Google Play 
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| Incipio Feather Case for Galaxy S3 review Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:17 AM PDT
You just shelled out some good money for your Samsung Galaxy s III (S3.) Make sure you protect your investment with a case.The Incipio Feather ultra thin snap-on case is certainly a case that warrants a good, close look. If you want a case that is not too big and offers some good protection to the body of the phone, this is a great option. 
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| Coca-Cola My Beat Maker review - remix the Olympics Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:47 AM PDT
Coca-Cola My Beat Maker is yet another one of the many official Olympics 2012 apps to hit Google Play, and unlike most of them, which focus on accessing scores and event information, this one is entirely for fun. Coca-Cola My Beat Maker lets users create their own custom tunes by mixing together various sound effects and beats. Up to six loops can be layered on top of one another, which are built by shaking your Android device when you want sounds to come in. A simple wheel lets users switch between a variety of different sports and instruments. 
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| The best damn Android Central T-shirt in the world Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:09 AM PDT After popular demand we are extending the offer to get a FREE Lloyd Pin worth $4.95 with every T-shirt order. We are so thrilled about the little guy -- we want you all to have one. Also, a BIG thanks to the community for helping support Android Central -- all profits go directly to creating better content and community tools for you all. What do YOU think of Lloyd? Let's hear it in the comments. 
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| Samsung Mobile Unpacked event tipped for Aug. 29, Galaxy Note 2 announcement likely Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:30 AM PDT
Invites are starting to appear online for the second Samsung Mobile Unpacked event of the year, which will be held at the IFA show in Berlin, Germany on Aug. 29. As you may remember, Samsung only holds these Unpacked events when it's got something big to announce -- the last one was for the Galaxy S III (Galaxy S3), and before that the Galaxy Nexus. This time around, everyone's expecting the Korean manufacturer to show off a successor to the Galaxy Note, its 5.3-inch stylus-toting smartphone/tablet hybrid. The Note's proved a surprising success over the past year, and it'd make sense for Samsung to announce a possible Note 2 at IFA, where the original made its debut 12 months ago. What's more, the invitation shows a stylus/magic wand alongside the Unpacked logo, in what amounts to a pretty big clue. We'll be live in Berlin for IFA later this month, so keep it locked to AC for full coverage of the Galaxy Note 2, or whatever else Samsung announces. Source: Mobile Cowboys (Dutch), via: SamMobile 
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| Deal of the Day: Incipio FAXION Case for Samsung Galaxy S3 Posted: 02 Aug 2012 06:28 AM PDT
The Incipio FAXION Case is available for just $21.95, 37% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts.
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| Xperia U update solves network issues; Xperias P, Go and Sola also due fixes Posted: 02 Aug 2012 05:23 AM PDT
Sony is pushing out another Android 2.3 Gingerbread-based firmware update for its leading entry-level handset, the Xperia U, according to reports. Forum posts indicate that the new version 6.0.B.3.184 is now starting to appear on Xperia U handsets across Europe. According to XperiaBlog, that same firmware has also been certified for the Xperia P, Xperia Go and Xperia Sola, which use the same ST Ericsson NovaThor chip. In a post on the company’s official community forum, a Sony Xperia rep indicated that the new updates had been put out to fix networking issues with these phones.
So hopefully this update fixes any issues that Xperia P, U, Sola and Go owners may have been experiencing. And with this bug fix out of the way, we’re sure they’ll be hoping for a swift update to ICS later this quarter. Source: XperiaBlog, XDA, Sony community forum 
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| CyanogenMod shelves ICS/Jelly Bean support for Snapdragon S1 devices Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:17 AM PDT
The CyanogenMod team has announced that it won't be able to officially support phones powered by first-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon chips in version 9 or 10 of its popular custom firmware. The CM team broke the news on Google+, where it revealed that a combination of hardware limitations and concerns for user experience quality were behind the decision. This means many older Android handsets that shipped in Q1 and Q2 2010, such as HTC's Nexus One, Desire and EVO 4G, will not see official CyanogenMod 9 or 10 builds, and will have to look elsewhere for their ICS or Jelly Bean fix. All affected devices will continue to be supported on the Gingerbread-based CyanogenMod 7.x branch, the team says. Explaining the technical issues behind the decision, CM highlighted the good old Nexus One. In order to run CM9 or 10, the phone's internal memory would need to be repartitioned, and even then the lack of certain proprietary code for the phone's SoC (system-on-a-chip) would've made for a janky user experience -- "the pieces just aren't there." The team notes that it wouldn't be impossible to get ICS or Jelly Bean running on this hardware, but that doing so could break third-party application support because of the hackiness of the code involved. If you still want Android 4.x on your Nexus One, you'll certainly be able to do so on other custom ROMs (and unofficial CM builds), though you'll sacrifice stability in order to do this. It's unfortunate, but when you remember that most of these phones shipped more than two years ago on Android 2.1 or earlier, it's not all that surprising. We've got the full list of affected devices after the break. Source: +CyanogenMod 
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| Ice Cream Sandwich update finally starts rolling out on HTC Rezound Posted: 02 Aug 2012 02:41 AM PDT
Rejoice, long-suffering HTC Rezound owners. Your protracted wait for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich seems to be nearing its end. After a shelved update and countless leaks, it looks like ICS for the Rezound is officially official this time. Posters on the Android Central forums, and elsewhere, have confirmed that a 299MB over-the-air update for the Rezound has begun pushing out to handsets across the country, bringing the phone up to software version 3.14.605.12. Like other Ice Cream Sandwich updates for Sense 3.x phones, ICS on the Rezound comes bundled with Sense 3.6, which includes all the benefits of Android 4.0, but without the fancy new visual finery of Sense 4.0. As is the case with many over-the-air updates, not everyone will get the update right away, as releases are staggered over a period of days to reduce the strain on the download servers. Nevertheless, Rezound owners can rest assured that the update is complete, and should be making its way to all handsets fairly soon. If you're an HTC Rezound owner, let us know how you're getting on with the ICS update -- if you've received it -- down in the comments. Source: Android Central forums 
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| How to change the font size and style on the Galaxy S3 Posted: 02 Aug 2012 02:08 AM PDT
Without rooting or installing additional apps, you can easily change the style and size of the fonts on your Galaxy S3.Changing the font size is nothing new – all Android phones running Ice Cream Sandwich can do that. Changing the font style, however, used to require a rooting of the device and/or the installation of a third party app. The Samsung Galaxy S III (S3) offers tremendous capabilities when it comes to personalizing your experience on the phone. As we have covered in other “How To” articles, you can change the way your home screens are arranged, as well as apps, icons, and sounds -- pretty much anything you can think of. Changing the style of the font as well as the size really makes a difference in the way everything looks on the phone. 
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| A brilliant look at one man's mobile life over six months Posted: 01 Aug 2012 08:31 PM PDT What does your mobile carrier know about you? Just how much information do they collect? And what the hell does it look like? German Green politician Malte Spitz has a brilliant TED talk showing what happened when he fought Deutsche Telekom to see just what was being collected under a European law -- and won. His prize? Six months of his mobile life. Some 35,830 lines of code. And an eye-opening look at what carriers, governments and, yes, private companies could learn about you. It's far too easy to cry that the sky is falling when it comes to online privacy. (See Exhibits A, B, C and D, to note but a few.) But that doesn't mean there's not cause for concern, or that developers don't take it seriously. (They most certainly do.) Spitz, along with ZEIT ONLINE, has given us an incredible granular look at some of that data, but we each still need to be vigilant with our online lives. Be sure to hit the link below for the full infographic. Source: TED; Infographic: ZEIT ONLINE 
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| Ice Cream Sandwich adoption doubles from July to August Posted: 01 Aug 2012 06:59 PM PDT
Another month is upon us (again already?), and that means it's time for another breakdown of Android versions. This is the monthly look at the percentage of the various Android versions that are on active phones. Here's the gist:
Our big takeaway from this is that Ice Cream Sandwich has more than doubled, from 7.1 percent at this point last month. And that'll grow again for August, and presumably the rest of the year. Jelly Bean makes its first appearance at less than 1 percent, and we're not expecting a huge bump until more retails devices (as in, anything not named Nexus) are released, though any increase may be a good indication of how the Nexus 7 tablet is selling. Source: Android Developers 
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| Google posts updated 4.1.1 binaries for Nexus phones, including the Nexus S 4G Posted: 01 Aug 2012 06:20 PM PDT
Google has posted the updated JRO03H (Android 4.1.1) closed binary files today, including those for the Nexus S4G. That means one thing -- expect about a bazillion new AOSP Jelly Bean ROMs to be ready for download shortly, especially for the Sprint Nexus S. Before you ask, this has nothing to do with any OTA. These are the files that folks need to build Jelly Bean from the source code, and get everything working like it should. Developers have been working with the existing 4.1.1 source code since it dropped, but with these files there's 100-percent less hackery needed to get things like cameras, NFC, and Wimax working as intended on supported phones. While we see new files for the GSM Nexus phones, the Xoom, and even the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, Sprint's Galaxy Nexus is still absent. As we saw when the Ice Cream Sandwich binaries were released, it could be more than a month until Google and Sprint get any OTA worked up, so this is a solid option if you need the butter. We all love the butter. Don't fret if you're not up to speed with things like fastboot and flashing, because there's a great group of fellows in the Nexus S 4G forums who live to play with this sort of thing. Head in there, poke around a bit, then holler for any help you need. You'll be running Jelly Bean in no time. Source: Google. Thanks, everyone who sent this in! 
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| Alarm clock apps, What is media server? [From the Forums] Posted: 01 Aug 2012 05:43 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.
We've got nearly 1 million members helping members and nearly 2 million posts in our Android Forums. Are you one of them? Join today! 
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