Tuesday, September 11, 2012

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Google Android News Android Forums

Google Drive for Android gets major update, brings a slew of useful new features

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 03:16 PM PDT

Google Drive has just received a major update in the Play Store, bringing a fairly impressive set of brand new features. For starters, users can now browse folders by file type, giving complete control over finding your content. Additionally, Google has provided a highly improved viewing experience for Presentations, as well as the option to auto-sync your pinned content over a 3G/4G connection.

The full changelog is as follows:

  • Create folder, upload to folder and move to folder
  • Filter folder contents by file type
  • Option to auto-sync pinned content while on 3G
  • Richer Google Presentations viewing experience
  • Basic table support in Documents Editor
  • Create, reply and resolve comments in Documents Editor
  • View and change fonts in Documents Editor
  • Pinch to zoom in Documents Editor
  • Print files using Google Cloud Print
  • Option to resume interrupted uploads
It seems as though Google is taking its cloud storage offering seriously. And, this update definitely makes Google Drive one of the most appealing options, with its incredibly powerful functionality. If you’re a Google Drive user or have yet to try it out, be sure to hit the source link below to check out the new version.

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Google Play Download Link

Amazon In-App purchases to expand to include physical goods

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 02:26 PM PDT

Similar to some of the aftermath of Google I/O this past summer, as Amazon's press event last week fades into history we are starting to discover some other changes in their ecosystem that may have been overlooked in the excitement of the Amazon Kindle Fire HD announcement. One of these new features Amazon is implementing is the ability for developers to sell physical goods "in-app." Initially this appears to only be rolling out in games, but other uses are sure to emerge. This capability will be a point of differentiation compared to Google and Apple.

Amazon has indicated their first partner is Activision, which plans to make toys available in its Skylanders game. The toys will connect to the game using a "portal" plugged into a videogame console. Once plugged in, the toy activates a character inside the game. In order to purchase the characters, players will buy them from within the game using Amazon's 1-Click Purchasing. Amazon indicates a player’s progression with a character in the console version of the game will carryover to the mobile version. This will likely be achieved using Amazon's new Whispersync for games capability that was announced last week. An indication of how important games are to Amazon’s overall strategy is the announcement that the new Kindle Fire will have a separate tab to access the games category in the Appstore.

Is the ability to order physical goods something to get excited about? Can you think of any ways this could be used effectively outside of games?

source: All Things D

Sprint Releases Next List of 4G LTE Network Locations That Will Be Available In The “Coming Months”

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:42 AM PDT

Sprint has operated an old-school 4G (WiMax) network since 2008, but is now set to expand its new and constantly-growing 4G LTE network in the “coming months” in order to be more competitive with the likes of Verizon and AT&T. As part of Sprint’s Network Vision, it has included a list of nearly 100 cities that will be set with upgraded 4G LTE infrastructure by the end of 2013, with the deployment in Baltimore, Boston and Washington DC as notable examples. Although Sprint is set to expand its 4G LTE network, Sprint also pledges to strengthen its existing 3G network which should bring fewer dropped calls and better wireless connectivity.

Users that currently have a Sprint 4G LTE phone should be able to connect during the pre-launch phase in the 4G LTE coverage areas. Sprint has already accelerated construction of its expanded 4G LTE coverage for the selected cities. You can see the full list of cities after the break.

 

•          Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastian, Puerto Rico

•          Albermarle, N.C.

•          Asheville, N.C.

•          Athens, Texas

•          Austin, Texas

•          Barnstable Town (Hyannis/Midcape), Md.

•          Baton Rouge, La.

•          Boston

•          Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, Mass.

•          Charlotte, N.C.

•          Chicago

•          Clarksville, Tenn.

•          Cleveland, Tenn.

•          Coamo, Puerto Rico

•          College Station, Texas

•          Columbia, Tenn.

•          Columbus, Ind.

•          Cookeville, Tenn.

•          Crossville, Tenn.

•          Daytona Beach-Deltona-Ormond Beach, Fla.

•          Fayetteville, N.C.

•          Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

•          Gary, Ind.

•          Goldsboro, N.C.

•          Greenville, Tenn.

•          Guayama, Puerto Rico

•          Hammond, La.

•          Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, N.C.

•          Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, La.

•          Hutchinson, Kan.

•          Indianapolis

•          Jacksonville, Fla.

•          Jonesboro, Ark.

•          Kankakee-Bradley-Bourbonnais, Ill.

•          Kerrville, Texas

•          Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn.

•          Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.

•          Lancaster, S.C.

•          Lawrence, Kan.

•          Lincolnton, S.C.

•          Los Angeles

•          Lumberton, N.C.

•          Marion, Ind.

•          McPherson, Kan.

•          Memphis, Tenn.

•          Miami

•          Michigan City-La Porte, Ill.

•          Morristown, Tenn.

•          Myagez, Puerto Rico

•          Nashville, Tenn.

•          New Orleans

•          New York

•          Norfolk, Va.

•          Ocala, Fla.

•          Ocean Pines, Md.

•          Orlando, Fla.

•          Ottawa-Streator, Ill.

•          Palatka, Fla.

•          Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Fla.

•          Palm Coast, Fla.

•          Peabody/Lawrence-Methuen/Gloucester, Mass.

•          Philadelphia

•          Ponce, Puerto Rico

•          Port St. Lucie, Fla.

•          Roanoke Rapids, N.C.

•          Rochelle, Ill.

•          Rockford, Ill.

•          Rocky Mount, N.C.

•          Salina, Kan.

•          Salisbury, Md.

•          Salisbury, N.C.

•          San German-Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

•          San Juan,  Puerto Rico

•          Sebastian-Vero Beach, Fla.

•          Sebring, Fla.

•          Shelby, N.C.

•          Sherman-Denison, Texas

•          South Bend, Ind.

•          Southern Pines-Pinehurst, N.C.

•          Springfield, Ma.

•          Statesville-Mooresville, S.C.

•          Tampa, Fla.

•          Topeka, Kan.

•          Tullahoma, Tenn.

•          Tupelo, Miss.

•          Warrensburg, Mo.

•          Warsaw, Ind.

•          Washington, D.C.

•          Waukegan-Lake County, Ill.

•          West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, Fla.

•          Wichita, Kan.

•          Wichita Falls, Texas

•          Worcester-Fitchburg-Leominster, Mass.

•          Yauco, Puerto Rico

 

Source: Androidcentral

Win a custom HTC One by Cushnie Et Ochs in Repin to Win contest

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 10:16 AM PDT

Are you someone who finds themselves stuck in "analysis paralysis" mode when it comes to selecting a color for your new smartphone device? Perhaps you lament the fact that smartphones lack a certain sense of style? HTC hopes to combat that by offering a distinctive black and white HTC One X inspired by Cushnie et Ochs.

If you are interested in joining the exclusive group of owners of this custom designed HTC One X, HTC is offering a way for you to win one. You do have to be a member of Pinterest to participate. On Pinterest, you just need to follow HTC Mobile, repin one of their images, and leave a link to your repin on the original image. A winner will be randomly selected on September 14th. Hit the source link for the specific instructions and links to participate.

source: HTC Blog

Install Jelly Bean firmware update on ASUS Transformer Infinity TF700

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:58 AM PDT

Last month ASUS pushed out an update to their ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 to install Jelly Bean. This left owners of the higher-end ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 feeling a bit left out in the cold. XDA forum member MysticMgcn has come to the rescue in the form of instructions on how to use the TF300's firmware on the TF700. According to his How-To post on the XDA forums, the only two things not working are changes to screen brightness and changing the DPI, which is set to 160. Screen brightness can be adjusted by using third-party apps, but there currently is no solution for the DPI issue.

MysticMgcn's How-To includes instructions and files for rooted or unrooted devices, locked or unlocked bootloaders, and stock or custom recoveries. If you have a Transformer Infinity TF700, you may want to head over to the forum thread linked in the source to read up on everything you need to do to get Jelly Bean onto your device. Just remember, you will be responsible for anything that goes wrong with your device if you attempt this.

source: XDA Developers Forum

Featured Play Store Newbie: LandGrabbers Strategy Game [Gaming-Casual]

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:34 AM PDT

Nevosoft is quickly becoming one of the leaders of Android gaming. We’ve already covered a couple of their recent releases, but here’s another one to throw into the mix. It’s called LandGrabbers and it’s set in the Middle Ages when the Crusades were taking place. In this game you’re a brilliant military leader with your own set of troops. Can you conquer the world? This addictive game combines the elements of strategy, simulator, and resource management. There are 27 levels in all that that take place in settings like forests, deserts, and even on an iceberg.

Full features

  • 27 levels in 3 diverse locations
  • Unique level mapping design for deeper tactical capabilities
  • Three incredible enemy armies
  • Five types of buildings with different strategic features
  • Three difficulty levels that will challenge even experienced strategy experts
  • Gorgeous graphics and a catchy soundtrack create a medieval atmosphere

LandGrabbers was recognized as the Best Casual Game of 2011 at the Russian Game Developers Conference. Best of all it’s Free so check out the demo video and hit one of the download links below to get started.

 

LandGrabbers_01 LandGrabbers_02 LandGrabbers_03 LandGrabbers_04 LandGrabbers_05 LandGrabbers_Splash_Banner

 

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

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Play Store Download Link

Toys ‘R’ Us set to release exclusive Tabeo 7″ kid-friendly tablet

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 08:46 AM PDT

There is certainly no shortage of 7″ tablets these days, and now Toys “R” Us is getting in on the action with their own tablet, not surprisingly, with kids in mind.  The 7″ tablet, dubbed the Tabeo, isn’t the first tablet the toy giant has sold, however it does differ slightly from others in that it was designed using the input from kids and parents alike on what they expected to find in a tablet. As expected, online security will be paramount boasting “robust and flexible” options while offering customizable levels of Internet access for each member of the family. The tablet features a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, an 800×480 TFT LCD display, 1GB RAM, 4GB internal memory, and WiFi connectivity. It’ll also come preloaded with 50 apps and games which aim to educate and entertain the little ones. The most notable feature will be the inclusion of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, however the interface will look different as compared to other tablets running Android 4.0 since they want to make it as kid-friendly as possible.

The Tabeo is available for pre-order now and will be available beginning October 21st for $149.99 exclusively at Toys “R” Us. What are your thoughts on kid-friendly tablets? Are you inclined to purchase a tablet specifically designed for kids, or do you lean more towards a proper tablet since the prices are very comparable now? Hit the break for the full press release.

Toys”R”Us ® Introduces tabeo (TM) – A Tablet Specially Designed For Kids With Safety Features Desired By Parents

WAYNE, N.J., Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Toys”R”Us® today announced it is introducing the first wi-fi tablet designed by the kids’ authority. Called tabeo™, the device is loaded with the content kids want, as well as safety features desired by parents. This 7-inch, multi-touch tablet features 50 free, preinstalled apps that were carefully selected to entertain and educate children, while helping them explore the Internet. Making online safety a top priority, tabeo was designed with integrated parental controls that offer the flexibility to customize levels of Internet access for each member of the family. Tabeo will be available exclusively at Toys”R”Us stores nationwide starting October 21 for $149.99 and is now available for pre-order online at Toysrus.com. More information may be found at tabeo.com.

“Over the past year, we’ve spent considerable time talking to parents and children to determine what features and functions they really want in a kids’ tablet, resulting in tabeo,” said Troy Peterson, Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager, Toys”R”Us, U.S. “We are proud that tabeo offers robust and flexible parental controls that can help protect children as they surf the Internet, and we are pleased to offer the tabeo App Store, which features only kid-safe content carefully curated by the Toys”R”Us team.”

Entertain, Educate and Explore with tabeo

Designed to engage users, tabeo offers an entire world of content right out of the box. With an assortment of 50 free, pre-installed apps, kids and parents can immediately begin to use the device for entertainment, education and exploration. Each app included on tabeo was carefully selected by the tabeo team to ensure that it is kid-friendly and fun, including:

Games: With nearly 20 included games, like Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope, Temple Run, 100 Floors, Collapse!, Tiki Golf, Tiki Cart 3D and more, tabeo users are guaranteed to enjoy today’s most popular titles.

Education: Nearly 10 apps help children learn about letters, math, science and additional categories. Software installed on tabeo includes AlphaTots, Discovery Kids Putterbugs, Operation Math and TechCalc, along with five more learning apps.

Entertainment: Those ready to explore the world around them can find creativity, photography, cooking and activity apps, such as Putt Putt Zoo, Freddy Fish and the Stolen Shell, Camera App, and more than ten additional apps.

Books: Featuring an initial library, tabeo comes with iStorybooks, Candy Factory and Little Red Riding Hood.
Those interested in expanding the content on their tabeo will find more than 7,000 free apps to choose from, along with thousands of apps, available for purchase at the tabeo App Store. Available through the device, parents can easily load content onto tabeo through the App Store, which features software specifically selected by the tabeo team to ensure that everything available is high quality and kid-friendly.
App storage is also a snap with tabeo due to its 4GB of internal flash memory. For power-users, tabeo‘s memory is expandable through a micro SDHC slot.

Managing Internet Experiences with tabeo‘s Parental Controls
To help keep kids safe while exploring the Internet using tabeo‘s wi-fi capabilities, the device comes with a full suite of customizable parental controls. Adults can easily set tailored levels of security for up to eight users, allowing children of multiple ages to access different types of content. tabeo‘s filter can be set to block 27 predetermined categories of content, and parents can choose additional sites to block and can select specific online content to unblock.
Modifying accessible sites is as simple as clicking on a box within tabeo‘s controls or remotely, through the Internet. And, if children find a new site that they want to visit, they can send a request to their parent to unblock the specific webpage.
For parents who want to limit their child’s online time, tabeo can be set to only allow access on certain days or during certain hours. As an added bonus, if users bypass tabeo‘s built-in Internet browser, parents will receive an email alert to notify them that their children may browsing in an unfiltered environment.

An Ecosystem of tabeo Accessories
To help keep tabeo protected when dropped from low heights or when bumped into other objects, the device is shipped with a lime green bumper. Additionally, each tabeo comes with one USB cable and USB power adaptor to ensure easy connection to a computer or wall outlet for charging.
At launch, a suite of accessories created especially for tabeo, including bumpers in multiple colors, cases featuring kids-favorite licenses, docks and tabeo branded cables, will be available at Toys”R”Us stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com.

Information and Availability
Additional information about this kid-friendly tablet will be released on tabeo.com in the coming weeks. tabeo will be available exclusively at Toys”R”Us stores nationwide beginning October 21 for $149.99. Customers interested in purchasing tabeo can now pre-order it online by visiting tabeo.com or Toysrus.com.

Inside tabeo
tabeo offers the following:

Capacity

Flash memory: 4 GB*

Expandable via micro SDHC Slot

Operating system

ANDROID™ 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”

CPU

ARM Cortex A8 @ 1 GHz

RAM

1GB

Display

7″ capacitive screen, TFT LCD, 16 million colors

800 x 480 screen resolution

Video playback1

H.264 up to 1080p resolution – 30 fps

MPEG-42– 30 fps

With the above codecs, the device can play video files with the following extensions: .avi .mp4,mkv, .mov, and .flv

Audio Playback1

MP3, WAV, APE, OGG, FLAC

Photo viewer

JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG

Interfaces

Micro USB slave 2.0: Mass Storage Class (MSC)

Micro SD slot (SDHC compatible) Up to 32 GB

Mini-HDMI output

Communication protocols

WiFi (802.11 b/g/n)

Miscellaneous

Built-in speaker

Microphone

G-sensor

Front camera

Power source

Internal: Lithium Polymer battery

USB Power adapter/charger

Battery life

Video run time: 6 to 7 hours
Music playback time: 35 hours
10 hours of normal use – Internet navigation

Dimensions & weight

223 mm x 142 mm x 12.2 mm -380 g

Compatibility

Microsoft® Windows® XP, Vista, 7 or higher, Mac OS or Linux in mass storage mode

Computer interface

USB 2.0 interface

Package includes

tabeo™, USB cable, USB power adapter, Quick Start Guide (QSG)



C Spire Announces Its 4G LTE Network Is Officially Live, Brings With It The Motorola Photon Q And

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 08:05 AM PDT

The major wireless carriers aren’t the only ones moving towards the 4G LTE Promised Land— regional carriers are moving there too. Formerly known as Cellular South, C Spire announced it has launched its 4G LTE service in the Greenville and McComb markets starting today. The hope is that its newly launched and ever-expanding service will bring blazing network speeds and awesome 4G-capable devices. Oh and speaking of which– C Spire also announced the Motorola Photon Q smartphone will be available for $199 on-contract, while the Samsung Galaxy S III will be “coming soon”.

It’s always nice to see additional alternatives, isn’t it? Hit the source link for additional details.

source: C Spire
via: Android Central

AT&T LG Escape Smartphone Officially Outed, Features IPS Display And Ice Cream Sandwich

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:13 AM PDT

 

Looks like we see Ma Bell has a nice little mid-range phone on the way, thanks to serial leaker evleaks. The device in question is the LG Escape and features a 4.3-inch qHD IPS display, a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 5MP camera + 1.3MP front-facing camera, NFC, a 2150 mAh battery and Android 4.0. Oh and in case you’re wondering– the upcoming smartphone will indeed be a 4G LTE smartphone operating on AT&T’s ever-growing 4G LTE network.

Now that the cat’s been let out of the bag, it shouldn’t be too long for LG & AT&T to make a formal announcement and introduce the phone to the world.

source: evleaks (Twitter)

Samsung Claims Android’s Multitouch Software Is Not As Good As Apple’s In Dutch Courts

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 06:48 AM PDT

 

Android’s multitouch software is not as good as Apple’s multitouch software? That’s what Samsung is claiming in order to avoid a recall and sales ban of its Android smartphones in a patent suit in the Dutch Court of Hague. In this round of the Apple vs. Samsung saga, Apple argues Samsung infringes on a certain multitouch patent called the “touch event model”— which prevents users from pushing two buttons at the same time on the screen. So as a result of the alleged infringement, Apple believes the Dutch courts should intervene and enact a sales ban of Galaxy products that operate on Android 2.3 or higher. Of course Samsung respectfully disagrees with Apple’s notions. Samsung lawyer Bas Berghuis van Woortman believes “the Android based method is more hierarchical the system is more complex and therefore harder for developers to use”. Apple respectfully disagrees as Apple lawyer Theo Blomme highlights Samsung’s claim of having a lesser solution “is simply not true“, while adding the technique that Android uses essentially makes its software the same as Apple’s.

Samsung is seemingly living on the defensive, isn’t it? After losing its epic battle Stateside, it is doing its best to try and try and have the upper hand on Apple this time around. There won’t be too long of a wait however— as the Hague court will deliver a judgement and ruling on October 24th regarding this matter.

source: PC World
Posted by at 5:38 AM

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