Android Phone Fans |
- Motorola launches device unlock site
- Motorola, Verizon to host event September 5th
- Something’s up at OnLive — layoffs, bankruptcy, re-branding, and more rumored to be going down
- Sprint dangling $400 in faces of families looking to leave other carriers
- WWE finally releases official app
- Google Play Store gift card allegedly purchased at store
- Lenovo shows off K860 ‘Music Phone’ with quad-core Exynos CPU, 5-inch display
- [Update: It's a fake] Second Samsung Galaxy Note 2 leak of the day surfaces, all but convinces us it is the real deal
- T-Mobile’s Galaxy S3 receiving small update today
- Dead Trigger updated to version 1.5.0, brings new weapons and arenas
- Black Samsung Galaxy S3 will feature 64GB internal storage, launch in October, says Clove UK
- Ice Cream Sandwich rolling out globally to Sony Xperia P
- Is this our first real look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 2?
- ASUS TF500T surfaces in FCC filing, might be next Transformer tablet
- Android Overload: New Dolphin Beta Is 10X’s Faster Than Stock Android Browser, XBMC Nightlies Now Available, and More
| Motorola launches device unlock site Posted: 17 Aug 2012 03:00 PM PDT
Motorola’s finally making nice on their promise to allow unlockable bootloaders, and while there are no phones ready to take advantage just yet (the Motorola Photon Q will be the first) it’s nice to see that the site is up and ready to go. You’ll need fastboot and the Android SDK, as well the Motorola drivers. Those things are simple enough to get, and from there Motorola will instruct you on how to get started. Bookmark the site if you’re planning on buying any future Motorola devices. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
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| Motorola, Verizon to host event September 5th Posted: 17 Aug 2012 02:46 PM PDT Verizon and Motorola are sending out press invites for an event set to take place September 5th in New York. Gee, I wonder what they could be planning to gather people for on that date… Ooooh that’s right, there’s a smartphone rumored to be coming out that goes by the name of Motorola DROID RAZR HD. This HD successor to the original will feature a higher resolution display, a better processor, Android 4.0, and more. It’s said the device could be coming to market without a “MAXX” variant. The original was reintroduced with a 3,000+ mAh battery which gave users up to 17 hours of use. The RAZR HD will have quite a decent battery, though, if rumors are to be believed. And with its 1.5GHz Qualcomm S4 processor you should be able to pull great battery life without needing extra hardware. We’ll be on our way to New York September 5th so circle back with us for full coverage on everything announced.
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| Something’s up at OnLive — layoffs, bankruptcy, re-branding, and more rumored to be going down Posted: 17 Aug 2012 01:35 PM PDT Some troubling news has come through the wire for those who enjoy using OnLive on their Android devices. Many different outlets are receiving reports from OnLive employees regarding some recent changes. The commonality of all these reports is that a ton of people are being laid off. Some are saying that the entire staff, with the possible exception of a few high-level executives, are being laid off.
A mass exodus like this is usually accompanied by news that a company is shuttering its doors, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. Brian Fargo reportedly received this email from an employee:
But that email has since been recalled (in other words, they want to take it back as if it was never sent). Other reports are suggesting that isn’t entirely true, and that OnLive will remain a running, functional company despite getting rid of most of its staff. So what exactly is going on over at OnLive? A rep naturally reminded inquirers that rumors and speculation are not responded to, and they expressly mentioned that OnLive will continue to exist. And it would have to, right? They can’t just close up shop one day with the fate of tons of customers’ purchases in hand. And let’s not forget the deals OnLive has in place with VIZIO, OUYA, and the likes.
The wrinkle comes into play with a rumored bankruptcy beginning to take place. Kotaku claims to have heard from a source that the company is preparing to file for bankruptcy. These two reports naturally fit as OnLive’s rumored layoffs would be a strong indication that the company is losing money. But what if this were less about cutting costs (because you don’t cut costs by shafting your entire staff)? One possibility is that OnLive sought to be acquired by another company in the face of debt. It wouldn’t make sense for the acquiring company to let all of the staff go in this situation, though — unless, of course, the acquisition is coming from a competitor. I could easily see Gaikai having swooped in and swallowed OnLive up in times of financial danger. With Sony acquiring Gaikai they definitely don’t have a shortage of capital to play with, and it would be better for Gaikai to nuke the competition before Sony’s gaming competitors — Nintendo and Microsoft — have a chance to rival what they’re about to bring to the Playstation brand. But with so many uncertainties in these stories we simply can’t say for sure what’s going on. All we know is that something bad is going on at OnLive, and employees seem to be getting those unfortunately farewell letters without an accurate account of what, exactly, is about to take place. What do you think? [via Kotaku, The Verge, Mashable]
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| Sprint dangling $400 in faces of families looking to leave other carriers Posted: 17 Aug 2012 12:37 PM PDT Sprint is tossing up $400 for anyone who wants to leave their carrier and get hip to the Now Network. They’re running a new promo between August 19th and September 15th that will entice families to leave carriers like T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T to join their service. In exchange, you get $400 to use for your new smartphones.
There are a lot of catches, natch, if you are willing to jump ship. For starters, you must be getting service with at least 3 lines, and all 3 of those lines have to be phones. Next, you’ll need to be porting at least one of the lines from a carrier not affiliated with Sprint (which means Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile customers need not apply). Third, the phone you’re getting will not be eligible for any mail-in rebate offers Sprint may be running. Fourth, it only applies to select phones. Fifth, you must keep your service open for two months. Finally, you must use all of the credit at the time you take advantage of this offer. That’s a ton of things to adhere to, but when you’re basically being given $400 to jump ship I imagine Sprint wants to make sure they make things hard. It is a great deal for any family who was already thinking about making the switch, but I couldn’t possibly recommend this to anyone still under contract because those ETF fees will likely exceed the amount of money Sprint’s offering (unless all your lines are dumb phones). Take a look at the flyer above. [via PhoneArena]
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| WWE finally releases official app Posted: 17 Aug 2012 11:52 AM PDT WWE has long been absent on Android, but Vince McMahon (who once confessed that their digital presence absolutely sucked) has finally whipped his technical team into shape and release an Android app. It allows you to access news, their current and classic archive of videos, photos, superstar and diva bios, purchase tickets and see event scheduling, and more.
We imagine they’ll want to add their new Tout feature sooner or later, a video upload service that lets fans voice their opinions on superstars and feuds with a chance to have the videos appear on WWE programming. As a wrestling fan I’ll be downloading this app right away, and if you’re in the same boat you can go ahead and get it from the Google Play Store here.
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| Google Play Store gift card allegedly purchased at store Posted: 17 Aug 2012 10:51 AM PDT A lot of information has laked out regarding the Google Play Store this past week. First, we heard the cards were going to be coming sometime between late August and early September. Then, an update to the Google Play Store APK was stripped to its bones, and what was found inside was a system to facilitate gift card redemption (alongside the ability to bookmark apps). A day later, images of the physical gift cards first appeared. Fast forward to Friday, and it seems we have our first purchase. A reader of Android Police’s submitted an image of the gift card with a receipt to prove he was able to purchase one from the Target store where they work.
Apparently, the gift cards were sitting inside a bin near the cash registers. He picked one up, and the cashier — unaware of the fact that they shouldn’t be sold yet — successfully processed the gift card for use. For starters, this lets us know at least one of the several retailers who will be carrying the stores. Secondly, we know that Google is so far along that retailers’ POS systems are setup to handle the cards, so we have to be extremely close to that aforementioned launch window. Unfortunately there’s no way to redeem the code officially, but Android Police used the same method they used to uncover the gift card redemption feature in the Google Play Store, and they were indeed able to add the $25 value to their account. It’s all working full circle, but until Google gives the green light (this would also involve updating the Google Play Store one last time to unleash the feature to the masses) you’ll have to get lucky to find one, and then know what to do to actually redeem one. But this tells us the wait won’t be long at all, and we should all have a more convenient way to buy content from the Play Store soon enough. [via Android Police]
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| Lenovo shows off K860 ‘Music Phone’ with quad-core Exynos CPU, 5-inch display Posted: 17 Aug 2012 08:52 AM PDT
Lenovo is the latest company to jump into the bigger-than-big phone game with the announcement of the K860 “Music Phone.” The phone, which for now seems destined for the Chinese market, features an impressive spec sheet boasting a 5-inch 720p display, 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 CPU with Mali-400MP graphics, and 8MP camera. The Android 4.0.4 phone isn’t the thinnest ever, but manages to measure in at a serviceable 9.6mm while retaining a 2,250mAh battery. Exactly why it is being dubbed the “Music Phone” isn’t quite clear, but the assumption is it will feature some enhanced audio features. No word on exact pricing or availability yet, but, again, expect to see this one in China first before (if it even does) spreading out to other locations around the world. [via Engadget]
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| Posted: 17 Aug 2012 07:59 AM PDT
Update: We were had. The above image is a clever Photoshop by Daniel Uy, one which was repurposed by another site and cleverly manipulated to create the “blurrycam” shot we saw this morning. Yes, both images are of the same device. But both images are also fakes. Uy’s was created as a mockup based off the shot of the phone’s bezel that leaked yesterday, while the image appearing at Know Your Mobile was intentionally created to deceive. And it worked. Still, even with both images proven fake, we wouldn’t surprised if the final production Galaxy Note 2 looked similar to Uy’s representation. And if it does, we wouldn’t complain about that one bit. *** Earlier this morning we got a blurry look at what was the most convincing Samsung Galaxy Note 2 leak yet. A few hours later we are all but certain that what we saw was the final design after yet another image has leaked, this time showing both the front and back of the device clearly. Just as previous rumors have suggested, the Note 2 carries a lot of design elements in common with the flagship Galaxy S3 released earlier this summer. The camera/speaker section is similarly arranged, the handset lacks any real hard edges, and it’s looking like Marble White will be one of the color options. There is the 5.5-inch display, there is the slot for the S-Pen. On the screen is reproduced the invite for this year’s IFA Unpacked event, where the Note 2 will be formally introduced to the world. So there you have it folks. What do you think? [via Twitter | Thanks, Fayez!]
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| T-Mobile’s Galaxy S3 receiving small update today Posted: 17 Aug 2012 07:42 AM PDT
T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S3 is receiving a small update today to address a few bugs in the original software, but it’s what isn’t mentioned in the changelog that could be the most noteworthy inclusions in the update. While it hasn’t been confirmed, it is believed that the update will strip the TMo GS3 of universal search functionality, an element that recently disappeared from new devices being sold by T-Mobile. It is likely that this latest software update will bring Galaxy S3 handsets in the wild in line with new units stocking T-Mobile’s shelves, including the addition of a brightness slider and new radio and kernel versions. If the update doesn’t contain such changes, users should consider themselves lucky. We’re still looking to confirm that matter either way. For the full rundown of what else has changed, head over to TMo’s site now.
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| Dead Trigger updated to version 1.5.0, brings new weapons and arenas Posted: 17 Aug 2012 07:06 AM PDT
Zombie shoot-em-up DEAD TRIGGER has received a bump up to version 1.5.0 today, an update that brings about plenty of new content while improving over all gameplay. Players will be treated to new weapons, arenas, and items for the paid game turned freemium. Speaking of freemium, those that purchased the game before it became a free download are in line to receive some in-game swag as a thanks from the folks at MADFINGER. Here is everything you can expect:
The new version of DEAD TRIGGER can be downloaded from the Google Play Store now. Google Play Download Link: DEAD TRIGGER
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| Black Samsung Galaxy S3 will feature 64GB internal storage, launch in October, says Clove UK Posted: 17 Aug 2012 06:13 AM PDT
While Samsung remains mum on the possibility of a black Galaxy S3, the company’s UK retail partners haven’t been so good at keeping a secret. After Carphone Warehouse outed the handset last week, Clove is now coming forward to provide a few more details. The black Samsung Galaxy S3 will be the first edition of the phone to feature 64GB of internal storage, a feature that Samsung confirmed would find its way to market later this year. The device is said to go on sale in October, but pricing details have not been confirmed. In the meantime, Clove has set up a landing page for the device and plans to offer pre-orders as soon as full release details are available. [via Clove]
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| Ice Cream Sandwich rolling out globally to Sony Xperia P Posted: 17 Aug 2012 06:06 AM PDT
Sony is continuing its round of Android 4.0 updates for 2012 Xperia devices with the announcement of Ice Cream Sandwich for the Sony Xperia P. The update starts rolling out today and will continue to reach owners of the Xperia P around the globe over the next few weeks. The update will not reach phones over the air in all regions, however, and some may need to access it through Sony’s PC Companion software. Next up for ICS will be the Sony Xperia U, Xperia go, and Xperia sola. Head over to the source link below for more info. [via Sony Xperia Product Blog]
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| Is this our first real look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 2? Posted: 17 Aug 2012 05:22 AM PDT
For all the hype building up to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, we have yet to see any really convincing leaks of the device other than a shot of the phone’s screen bezel that surfaced earlier this week. That bezel definitely looks in tact in the latest image to appear online with claims to be the final production Galaxy Note 2. The slightly blurry image we see here is actually a picture of a picture, a render that shows a handset with stylistic flourishes similar to the recently released Galaxy S3.
Back to the bezel. In the image shot from within a production facility showing the display’s 5.5-inch size you can notice a slight curve to the casing that would surround the phone’s screen. That curve is definitely in tact in this render. Also present is a single home button likely to be flanked by two capacitive buttons. Of course, we could be looking at an elaborate fake that was designed after images of the screen bezel surfaced, rather than the other way around. We really have no way of knowing for sure until the Note 2′s IFA announcement. What do you guys think? [KnowYourMobile via PocketNow]
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| ASUS TF500T surfaces in FCC filing, might be next Transformer tablet Posted: 17 Aug 2012 05:03 AM PDT
A mystery tablet from ASUS has appeared at the FCC with model number TF500T, a designation that suggests it could be a new tablet in the coimpany’s Transformer line. Other members of that product family use a similar numbering scheme, including the budget-oriented Transformer Pad (TF300) and pricier Transformer Pad Infinity (TF700). In this case we have extremely little to go off of in terms of features of the TF500, but its model number suggests it could fall somewhere between the two concerning specs and pricing, possibly making this one a sequel to last year’s Transformer Prime. As far as what the FCC listing does reveal, the tablet will feature WiFi, HDMI, and a microphone. Other than the Nexus 7, ASUS hasn’t shown off a new tablet since Mobile World Congress, so we’d say a new tablet geared towards a holiday launch makes sense. Given that timeframe it again seems likely we may be dealing with a successor to the Transformer Prime.
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| Posted: 17 Aug 2012 01:44 AM PDT
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