Android Authority |
- Android Authority On Air – Episode 29 – iPhone5 Announced – Apple still playing catch up
- Verizon Galaxy Note 2 images suggest phablet is coming soon, Verizon Home button branding included
- Best new Android games (mid-September edition)
- Uros Goodspeed offers travelers flat data fees
- iPhone 5 vs Galaxy S3 comparison featured in Samsung “It doesn’t take a genius” Ad
- Six degrees of Kevin Bacon calculator now live on Google
- Google preparing to drop Google Apps support for Internet Explorer 8
- LG Optimus G commercial for South Korea shows up on YouTube [video]
- Motorola’s Droid Razr M Developer Edition goes for sale, to ship September 24
- Verizon and Google block Google Wallet use on Galaxy Nexus again
| Android Authority On Air – Episode 29 – iPhone5 Announced – Apple still playing catch up Posted: 15 Sep 2012 06:24 PM PDT
This week on Android Authority On Air we came to the realization that following the recent Apple iPhone 5 announcement, this very well could be our last Android based show. The pre-orders are in, we’re moving to iOS! …And then we woke up from that nightmare and realized it was a horrible, horrible lie. On a serious note, we did discussed the latest smartphone from Apple. It’s truly sad to see how far the device has fallen behind. Sorry Sprint and Verizon users, you won’t be able to talk and use data at the same time, something that Android phones on those networks can do with ease. There’s no NFC, the camera is basically the same, the screen is basically the same, now with more stretch! That’s about it. Since this is still an Android show, we did talk about a few Android related items this week such as the latest milestone from Android, 500 million globally activated devices. Wow! We hit up some Google Wallet updates. Prepaid cards are going away as they are no longer needed. If you’re on Verizon Wireless and using Google Wallet, you can’t use sneaky tricks to install the application any longer from the Play Store. The horror! Now, you’ll have to manually install the application as with any unsupported application. Nothing new here folks. Move along. Turntable.FM had some updates, now with more Android-ness. eBay decided to join the ranks of Holo UI and our favorite Kickstarter launcher, Chameleon, had a major update this past week. Besides apps, we saw a handful of devices be announced, teased, or launch this week. We’re excited over LG’s Optimus G. Man, those specs look pretty nice. Over on the rootin’ and ROMin’ front, CM10 graced the world with their first ever monthly update and the XOOM LTE and WiFi editions are now getting official nightly builds. Carriers continue to LTE all the things. Sprint, Verizon and AT&T all announced major coverage expansions this past week. All this and more happened on the greatest Android Hangout Show this week, check us out below. The Give Away We're giving away a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (International) here in the near future. If you're interested and want another chance to win, during the show we give away a super secret entry code. Once you get the code, just head on over to the contest page and enter your code into the Rafflecopter. Miss the show? Tune in or watch below: YouTube Links Related PostsAndroid Authority On Air – Episode 26 – Samsung vs Apple Verdict and Vizio CoStar Review, Android Authority On Air – Episode 21 – The Nexus 7 launches, Android Authority On Air – Episode 25 – Google Play Gift Cards and CM10This article, Android Authority On Air – Episode 29 – iPhone5 Announced – Apple still playing catch up , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Verizon Galaxy Note 2 images suggest phablet is coming soon, Verizon Home button branding included Posted: 15 Sep 2012 02:20 PM PDT
Confirmed to be launched by the end of the year in the U.S., the Galaxy Note 2 is starring in a variety of leaks that suggest that Samsung's second-generation phablet is heading to at least five American mobile operators, including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular. Moreover, just yesterday we heard that AT&T's version could hit stores as soon as October 21, putting it on par with the international Galaxy Note 2 launch, which is scheduled for the same period.
Now we're getting to look at Verizon's Galaxy Note 2 model, the Marble White version, that has been reportedly captured on camera. The device has Verizon branding on the back but also on the Home button, which is very strange. Why would Verizon go through all this trouble to brand the Home button of the device? Isn't enough that carriers fill up Android devices with lots of crapware and play a major role in delaying Android updates, do they have to also make sure their brand is clearly visible on all sides of the device? In case the Home button branding is real, will we see it from other U.S. carriers as well? Would such shenanigans 'help' Verizon delay the launch of the new Galaxy Note – since Samsung has to produce all those custom Home butons and back plates?
Maybe the Android maker should take a(nother) cue from Apple, and prevent carriers from having a say in what goes on the phone's case. Better yet, remove all the carrier branding and only show the maker's name alongside the product name. The images could be fakes, which is probably what future Verizon Galaxy Note 2 buyers are hoping, but we're definitely going to keep you in the loop. Related PostsNo related posts. This article, Verizon Galaxy Note 2 images suggest phablet is coming soon, Verizon Home button branding included , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Best new Android games (mid-September edition) Posted: 15 Sep 2012 02:00 PM PDT
There’s no such thing as gaming season in the world of Android. Every day, every week, every month is a time for Android games — and we have a fresh batch of some of the best new Android games for the first half of September right here in this very post. In this mid-September edition of our twice-a-month list of the best new Android games, we feature a game about
Don your game gear and brace yourself for fun, action, and adventure with these new Android games. Blood & Glory: Legend Become a true gladiator and fight your way to the top with the Blood & Glory: Legend game for Android. Control a gladiator and fight different opponents in the arena. If you’re lucky, you might even have the chance to meet the emperor and fight him to avenge your family. You will be fighting different opponents at every stage. You will face fast Amazon warriors, spearmen, and even terrifying giants that can squash you with one heavy blow. You can control your hero by swiping on the screen. Swipe to the direction to where you want to slash your weapon. You can also perform combos by performing a unique set of slashes. Aside from attacking, you can parry enemy attacks by swiping to the opposite direction of your opponent’s attack. You can also use your shield or dodge left and right to avoid getting hit. The game has a shop that allows you to buy equipment. You can buy additional potions, buy powerful weapons, and upgrade your armor to withstand enemy blows. You can purchase items by using the coins earned after each battle or by using Glu points. The game allows you to buy additional coins and Glu points by using real currency. Blood & Glory: Legend can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. Overall performance was very smooth and I did not encounter any lags or force close errors while testing the app. The realistic display also enhances the game, making you feel like a real champion in the arena. Espgaluda II Do you still remember when you were a kid and you used to go to the arcade? What was your favorite game? One of my favorites was the arcade game where you controlled an aircraft with extreme firepower and you’d fight waves of planes and battle huge bosses. The Espgaluda II app allows you to relive the airplane-shooting arcade action game right on your Android phone. There are two modes in this game: Smartphone and Arcade mode. The Smartphone mode lets you play the game that has been modified to use your smartphone’s capabilities. If you want the real arcade action, you can play the game in Arcade mode. The game allows you to choose three different characters. Each character has a unique set of abilities, such as one character having more firepower while another has more range. Espgaluda II can be downloaded for about 6 dollars from the Google Play Store. You will also need a G-Gee account, an active Internet connection, and available space of about 540 MB before you can play this game. The game is fun and really looks like the game from your local arcade. But, it would be good if the game uses the whole portion of the phone’s screen. Horn The Horn game is a third-person RPG game that lets you control the hero Horn, a blacksmith apprentice. One day, he woke up in the ruins of a mysterious land. Along the way, he faced weird monsters and later on discovered that they were once the people of the town. The world has been plagued with a curse, turning human beings into big monsters. You must set forth as Horn and save the people from this curse. The game can be played by just tapping on the screen. You can move Horn by tapping anywhere on the ground. You can also interact with the objects around you by tapping on them. Swipe your fingers when you need to push yourself up a cliff or move through a narrow path. Horn will also have to defeat monsters along the way. You can swipe your fingers to slash your enemies with your sword. You need to dodge enemy attacks by tapping the left and right arrows. Tap on the jump button to avoid attacks from the ground and swipe your fingers to attack while in midair. This game is powered by the Unreal Engine that really enhances the graphics and makes the world of Horn more realistic. To be able to handle these graphics and animations, you can only play this game on a Tegra 2- or Tegra 3-powered device. This paid game is worth its price of about 7 dollars. Turbo Kids Ready, set, go! Run fast to the finish line with the Turbo Kids game. This game is a simple side-scrolling racing game. Aside from running towards the finish line, you will also need to go through obstacles, collect power ups, and shoot your enemies to freeze them. The game can be controlled by just tapping on the screen. Tap the left side of the screen to jump and tap the right side to shoot frozen bullets. The game allows you to choose a character with a unique character build. One character runs faster, while another one carries more bullets and recovers faster when hit. The game lets you customize your character. You can upgrade its equipment to run faster or recover more quickly. You can also learn new skills, such as a double jump or a turbo boost. Gold and star points will be used to buy equipment and upgrades. If you want more coins or star points, you can purchase using real money within the game’s shop. The ad-supported Turbo Kids game can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. Ads appear at the bottom of the screen, and sometimes, after a race. Although the app is ad-supported, you will not find any ad that will disturb you during a race. Beach Buggy Blitz From the creators of Riptide GP and Shine Runner comes another epic racing game for Android. This time, you won’t be racing across the sea or the lake. Instead, you will be driving on a tropical island on a buggy with the Beach Buggy Blitz game on your Tegra-powered device. The main objective of the game is to drive as far as you can and drive through the game’s infinite driving course. But, you need to make sure to make it to the checkpoint before time runs out. You will also find gold coins on the racing course. Collect those and use them to unlock power-ups or buy a new buggy. If you can’t wait for your coins to grow, you can buy additional coins by via the app’s shop using your real cash. As of the moment, this game runs only on all devices equipped with Tegra 3 and on some devices with Tegra 2. You will also notice Tegra effects in the game such as motion blur, water splashes on the screen, real-time car shadows, and headlights when you enter the cave. Beach Buggy Blitz can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. Related PostsBest new Android games (mid-August edition), Best new Android games (late August edition), Best dice games for AndroidThis article, Best new Android games (mid-September edition) , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Uros Goodspeed offers travelers flat data fees Posted: 15 Sep 2012 01:08 PM PDT
Frequent travelers, especially those who often find themselves country-hopping, may find a friend in the newly released Uros Goodspeed. The device offers an alternative to roaming charges in the form of a mobile hotspot with slots for up to 10 SIM cards. The Uros Goodspeed is a HSPA+ router that offers a maximum data transfer of 1GB per day. The device itself costs around $350, and offers different fees depending on how often data is used. Travelers who only need to use the Goodspeed occasionally can pay daily for as little as $8 per day. Those who travel more often can opt for the monthly fee, starting at $13 per month. The advantage to all those SIM slots is that the device can automatically select the proper SIM for you as you travel, offering a hassle-free data connection. The Goodspeed currently only supports Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the UK, but Uros states that more European countries are on the way. They hope to begin offering global coverage sometime in the future. The Goodspeed is roughly the size and weight of a cell phone, and is charged through a USB connection. The battery lasts up to one week in standby mode, and can be used for up to eight hours before requiring charging. Thought it may be handy, it is likely that the Uros Goodspeed is going to see a small customer base, mainly those who travel near-constantly. For the rest of us, it is probably easier just to carry of few SIMs and swap them manually, or just deal with the roaming charges. Does the Uros Goodspeed seem useful to you, or would you use a different solution for mobile data while travelling? Related PostsVerizon to Place Cap on Data Usage, Discards Unlimited Data Plan, Sprint Throttles Data for Top 1% of its Users, Axing Unlimited Data Plans Next?, Google Offers App is Live in the Android MarketThis article, Uros Goodspeed offers travelers flat data fees , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| iPhone 5 vs Galaxy S3 comparison featured in Samsung “It doesn’t take a genius” Ad Posted: 15 Sep 2012 11:56 AM PDT
The iPhone 5 was officially unveiled earlier this week during a special Apple media event, and several leaks and rumors preceding the event were confirmed during the show. There's a new design that includes a 4-inch touchscren display and an aluminum back, there's LTE support and there's a new 9-pin dock connector. The phone has been labeled almost immediately as a disappointing, uninnovative device, although the fact of the matter remains is that the iPhone 5 is the best iPhone out there, and it's probably safe to say it will obliterate the competition when it comes to total sales – and I do mean single device sales and not mobile OS market share. In fact, iPhone 5 pre-orders have been available since September 14, although Apple managed to sell out existing stock in a record time, with some sources saying that it took the company one hour to sell out existing stock. Samsung was quick to react to the iPhone 5, not with a new lawsuit targeting the iOS phone's LTE capabilities, at least not yet, but with a new print ad titled: "It doesn't take a genius” – see the full ad at the end of this post. In it, the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 are compared from the specs and features side, with Samsung interested in showing potential buyers why the new iPhone is not a better choice than the Galaxy S3. As you can see, Samsung lists more features under the Galaxy S3 than under the iPhone 5, although none of the extra ones, except NFC maybe, is a good enough reason not to get the new iPhone, in case that's the phone you want to buy this holiday season. There are also some interesting things to be noticed in the new ad. These include the iPhone 5 image that seems to have been hastily inserted in the final version of the ad or the new "totally different plug" description of the new iPhone’s dock connector, which, from the sounds of it, is somehow made to sound like a bad thing. But the really annoying thing, at least for Samsung, is the fact that it had to write down "Android 4.0 OS" when talking about mobile OS version, instead of Jelly Bean, which is still not out for the device yet. The obvious conclusion that Samsung draws is that "The Next Big Thing is Already Here," but is it worth attacking the iPhone 5 with such ads in which the new Apple product is also featured right alongside your flagship device? Samsung is expected to sell 30 million Galaxy S3 units by the end of the year, but we wouldn't be surprised to see Apple sell as many iPhone 5 units in the following quarter, no matter how many such ads the South Korean Android maker puts out. In case you want a more thorough comparison between the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S3, we have just the thing for you right here. Are you buying a flagship smartphone this year? If so, what device are you going to choose?
Related PostsiPhone, iPad sales numbers to be unveiled in court by Samsung, Apple doesn't want that, Foxconn CEO says the next iPhone “will put the Galaxy S3 to shame”. But is it true?, Galaxy S3 vs iPhone 4S: Samsung finally beats Apple in sales, but is it relevant?This article, iPhone 5 vs Galaxy S3 comparison featured in Samsung "It doesn't take a genius" Ad , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Six degrees of Kevin Bacon calculator now live on Google Posted: 15 Sep 2012 11:25 AM PDT
It has been quite some time since the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon meme was in the spotlight. For those who might have missed it, the concept entails that there exists no one working in Hollywood that is more than six movies (or contacts) away from Kevin Bacon himself. It is based on the old concept of six degrees of separation, which claims that no two people are further than six contacts or acquaintances apart. Google has a reputation for bringing back the obscure and having a little fun on their famed search engine. If you require examples, simply type Zerg Rush or do a barrel roll into a Google search. Now, Google has gone a step further and added a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon Calculator. It uses the premise described above to determine an actor’s “bacon score.” A bacon score is how many contacts any actor is away from the famed Kevin Bacon. How does it work?It’s a pretty simple. All you have to do is ask Google what any given actor’s bacon number is. For instance, if you search for Mark Wahlberg’s bacon number, it comes up as 2. Google will then tell you exactly how they came to that number. In Mark Wahlberg’s case, he and Steve Carell appeared together in the movie Date Night. Steve Carell and Kevin Bacon appeared together in the movie Crazy, Stupid, Love. Thus Mark Wahlberg’s bacon number is 2. As an additional little Easter Egg, this has also been added to Google Now. Open the voice search, ask for an actor’s bacon number, and it will pop right up on the screen for you. As you can see from the image at the top, Kevin Bacon’s own bacon number is zero. For now, you can only search for actors and even then, some actors aren’t recognized to work with the system. It should work for the most popular and most of those currently active in Hollywood. So far, no one has been able to find a bacon number higher than 4. Mark Zuckerberg scores a 4. What did your favorite actor score? Image Credit: The Consumerist Related PostsGoogle Developers Live debuts along with Google I/O 2012 app, Google Vows to Fix Google Voice Search Bug on Nexus S This Week, Best calculator apps for AndroidThis article, Six degrees of Kevin Bacon calculator now live on Google , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Google preparing to drop Google Apps support for Internet Explorer 8 Posted: 15 Sep 2012 11:12 AM PDT
Users of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 who use Gmail or Google Calendar will soon have to upgrade or switch browsers, as Google Apps is dropping support for the aging browser on November 15. On October 26, Microsoft will release Windows 8, and with it, Internet Explorer 10. As Google Apps are only supported on the most recent release of a browser and the major version prior to it, this means that support for Internet Explorer 8 will end. Here’s what the team has to say:
For users of Windows Vista and newer, this simply means that they need to upgrade their browser. For users of Windows XP, however, the process is more complicated, as Internet Explorer 8 is the most recent version of the browser currently supported on the operating system, which turns 11 years old next month. This affects a greater number of people than you may think. According to NetMarketshare, Windows XP is still used by 42 percent of the market worldwide. Windows 7 just barely gained the lead on it last month, and even then only by a margin of 0.24 percent. To remain supported, Windows XP users will need to either switch to a different, supported browser, or upgrade their operating system. Being unsupported doesn’t mean that users of the older browser will suddenly be unable to use Gmail or Google Calendar, but they may encounter issues. Apps like Google Drive and Google Docs are much more likely to have issues or not work at all, and Gmail’s new look is unavailable on unsupported browsers. Those who absolutely have to stick with Internet Explorer 8 may have better luck with Google Apps by installing Google’s Chrome Frame Plugin, but this hasn’t been commented on by Google. Are you or someone you know going to be affected by this change? If so, what do you think you/they are going to do? Related PostsNew Mobile browser Baidu Explorer is 20% faster than competition, Dual Screen Browser For Hardcore Honeycomb Internet Browsing, Mi File Explorer: MIUI File Explorer app even for non-MIUI phonesThis article, Google preparing to drop Google Apps support for Internet Explorer 8 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| LG Optimus G commercial for South Korea shows up on YouTube [video] Posted: 15 Sep 2012 11:04 AM PDT
The first television commercial for the highly anticipated LG Optimus G made its way to YouTube today. The catch? You’ll have to speak Korean to fully understand it. With the official unveiling of the Optimus G in South Korea only days away, the clip, titled “I’m a Boy” is expected to make its first appearance on television after the event. Though short, the clip does make a point of showing off the Optimus G’s 13-megapixel camera and its 4G LTE capabilities. The Optimus G is LG’s new flagship phone, and it has the features to prove it. The phone, which runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, features a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm S4 Snapdragon Pro Processor, 2GB of RAM and a 4.7-inch True HP IPS+ screen with a resolution of 1280 x 768. We’re expecting to see details such as release date and pricing for the LG Optimus G released at the Korean event, and hopefully the phone will be unveiled for U.S. customers at the event LG and Qualcomm are holding in New York City on Wednesday, September 19. Check out the video above. What do you think?
Related PostsLG Optimus with 1GHz processor launching in South Korea, LG Unleashes Optimus LTE in South Korea with LTE, Hi-def Display, 8-MP Cam, Android 4.0 rolling out to LG Optimus LTE in Korea, Optimus Vu and LTE Tag to followThis article, LG Optimus G commercial for South Korea shows up on YouTube [video] , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Motorola’s Droid Razr M Developer Edition goes for sale, to ship September 24 Posted: 15 Sep 2012 10:55 AM PDT
Losing hours of sleep every night won't be the only thing you have to endure if you decide to get Motorola's Droid Razr M Developer Edition – what with all the tinkering you'll be doing. But you also have to part ways with $549.99. Of course, we already told you about the price last week. What's different is that you now can make the purchase. Yep, the Droid Razr M Developer Edition is now officially on sale on Moto's website. Though you can buy it today, Motorola will only ship the phone starting with September 24. You may not be wondering about on-contract prices, but the vanilla Droid Razr M is currently going for $99 and even $50. So $550 does seem steep, but maybe you'll be able to save more money in the long run by purchasing the Developer Edition at an unsubsidized price, and of course, get the benefit of an unlocked bootloader. Speaking of which, we saw that Motorola has added both the hacker editions of Droid Razr M and Droid Razr HD to the list of devices that will be supported by the official unlocking tool on the company's "Unlock My Device" page. The only other device listed there is Sprint's Photon Q 4G LTE, but that one you can still buy with a contract. It seems Verizon is the only carrier that forces customers to pay for the pricier developer edition of Moto phones in order to use the unlocking tool. What do you think? Related Posts$550 Droid Razr M Developer Edition up for preorder, Razr HD to follow soon, Online Protests Increase Over Motorola’s “Developer Edition” RAZR, Motorola Announces New RAZR “Developer Edition” with Unlocked Bootloader for EuropeThis article, Motorola's Droid Razr M Developer Edition goes for sale, to ship September 24 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Verizon and Google block Google Wallet use on Galaxy Nexus again Posted: 15 Sep 2012 10:52 AM PDT
Here we go again. When the Verizon Galaxy Nexus was first released, users had to get Google Wallet from other means besides the Google Play Store. It wasn’t a difficult process. All users needed to do was obtain the APK file from somewhere and then sideload it onto the Galaxy Nexus. From there everything worked perfectly. However, Verizon and Google found a way to once again disable Google Wallet access from the Galaxy Nexus. Anyone who has tried to use their Google Wallet over the last couple of days may have noticed that the app has once again been patched. The error message reads:
Of course, if you go to the Play Store and try to update it, it will tell you that Google Wallet is not supported on your device. A pleasant little Catch-22, wouldn’t you say? It also affects all previously known workarounds so the old methods will no longer work. So how do we get it back?Thankfully, the Android community didn’t need long to figure out a workaround for this issue. Members of our wonderful community have already begun flooding various blog posts with download links to the new APK file that will work. It probably will not be long until a permanent download link is posted on XDA-Developers or RootzWiki with stable mirrors. Until then, you’ll need to grab it out of the comments on a blog post like this one at Droid-Life. Installing the new Google Wallet is easy. Download the APK wherever you can get it and install it over the old version you currently have. It has been confirmed working by a number of people and you should be back up and paying for things with NFC again in no time. You must be quick, though, as most download links are to personal Dropbox accounts, which have a download limit. Related PostsGoogle Wallet available on AT&T Galaxy Nexus, Verizon Follows Suit, Why Verizon Is Blocking Google Wallet on Galaxy Nexus, How-To: Download Google Wallet (From the Market) On the Verizon Galaxy NexusThis article, Verizon and Google block Google Wallet use on Galaxy Nexus again , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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