Sunday, August 26, 2012

Android Central

Android Central

LG E973 Optimus G leaks out and it 'really flies'

Posted: 25 Aug 2012 01:20 PM PDT

LG Optimus G

We've already heard rumors of a forthcoming 'superphone' from LG, and indeed the Korean OEM has recently started their own teaser campaign to carry it a little further. The so-called Optimus G is set to be a Snapdragon S4 Pro toting, 2GB of RAM housing behemoth, and the folks at AndroidMX claim to have got their hands on it. 

The LG E973 as described by its label, is a 4.7-inch device with a 1280x720 IPS display, the Adreno 320 GPU, Android 4.0.4 and yes, that 2GB of RAM and the mighty quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro. Having had the chance to play with it, the androidmx guys simply say that it "really flies." We can only imagine. It is worth noting that what we see here apparently isn't final hardware or software, so there is still a possibility LG will change it up some before release -- Jelly Bean, maybe? 

The speculation is that we will see the Optimus G unveiled officially at next weeks IFA show in Berlin, Germany. We're not so sure, however. While LG will be present at the show, they have previously informed us that they will not be showcasing any new smartphones in Berlin. Given the prototype nature of what we see here, we're likely to have to wait a little longer.

Source: AndroidMX (translated) via Pocketnow

 

Here comes Hurricane Isaac: Charge 'em if you got 'em

Posted: 25 Aug 2012 10:51 AM PDT

Hurricane Isaac

Some 364 days ago, we talked a little bit about how your smartphone can help you prepare for natural disasters. (At least for the ones that you have time to prepare for.) That was Hurricane Irene. Now, we've got another I-storm (excuse the pun) headed for United States, with Isaac. (And, yes, more specifically, the Gulf Coast and your's truly.)

Here are some of the tips we brought you last year, updated with some new ones.

  • Charge your phones. Now. Keep them charged. And once the storm starts, keep them off. You'll likely lose power at some point, and there's a good chance your local cell network will go down for a bit, even with generator backups.
  • Spare batteries. If you got 'em, make sure they're charged, too. If you still have time to get some, do it.
  • Car charger. Get one. Get a couple, actually.
  • After the storm, text messages may work best. If the network's up, it's going to be clogged, and calls might not go through. Text messages have a much better chance.
  • If you're worried about damage and don't have a traditional camera, use your phone to take a few pictures of your home and your belongings. It'll make insurance claims much easier, should it come to that.
  • While you still have power and internet access, be it on your phone or broadbad, take advantage of features like instant uploading on Google+ Dropbox to make sure those pictures get somewhere that can't be destroyed by the storm. Better to be safe than sorry in that case.
  • If you just have to use Instagram during a storm, don't use a damn filter. Folks wanna see what's happening, and filters don't help that.
  • Use apps like Evernote to help keep track of your emergency supplies. 
  • Before the storm, use those gas-finder apps to track down the cheapest petrol. That won't help you with the lines, but it may save you a few bucks.
  • See if your phone can serve as an FM radio, if you don't have any others around. (That's not out of the question in 2012.
  • Apps from FEMA and the Red Cross can help you find shelters and other emergency information.

Those are but a few ways your phone can get you through this. Have a tip you'd like to share? Let's hear 'em in the comments! And good luck, everyone. Stay safe.

Facebook Messenger update brings emoji and better photo sharing

Posted: 25 Aug 2012 06:47 AM PDT

Android Central

Anyone who uses the Facebook Messenger app knows it's actually a pretty good experience, which is a stark contrast from their main app. Today, Facebook continues to polish its Messenger service with a new update out in the Google Play Store. This latest update brings support for "emoji" -- those fun and sometimes bothersome looking smilies, better photo sharing straight from the app and a few UI cleanups. Tapping the plus sign on the left side of the text input box gives you a menu with common emoji used and gives options to choose a photo, take a photo or do an image search. Previously, the only way to share a photo was from another application via Android's built-in sharing system. Additionally, you can now link directly to the timeline of the person you're chatting with from the top of the chat window. All together, it's a nice little update that brings a lot of good functionality.

For someone who uses the Facebook Messenger app daily, these are welcome additions. If someone's on the fence and crazy for emoji, maybe this update will push them over to using the service. Hit the link above to get your update or check it out for the first time.

From iPhone to S3, Jelly Bean for the T-Mobile S3 [From the Forums]

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:49 PM PDT

From the Forums

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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