Android Authority |
- Oracle kicks off appeal in Google Android lawsuit
- Leak: LG Optimus L9 for T-Mobile, think of it as a downgraded Optimus G
- Rumor: Everyone will be allowed to make Nexus devices, but there are certain rules
- Confirmed: Google launches Wallet for web content
- Fake iPhone 5 launcher gives you a feel of iOS 6 on your Android phone
- Samsung Galaxy S4 Rumor: 13MP camera module spotted
- Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update “coming soon” to the U.S., official update schedule released
- Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Verizon LG Intuition
- Samsung Galaxy Nexus 2 and 32GB Nexus 7 spotted in Carphone Warehouse’s inventory [Updated]
- Google Maps iOS web app is getting StreetView support soon
| Oracle kicks off appeal in Google Android lawsuit Posted: 04 Oct 2012 02:39 AM PDT
When Oracle took Google to court over Android things didn't turn out so well for it. First of all the jury took just over a week to decide that Google did not infringe any Oracle patents. The company pushed on, but then Judge William Alsup ruled that Oracle Java APIs elements are not copyrightable. The final nail in the coffin of Oracle's payout hopes came in the form of an order to pay Google's legal fees. As you might expect Oracle is not satisfied with an outcome that left them holding a $4 million bill for Google's court costs. The inevitable appeal has been filed with the United States District Court in California. Interestingly the appeal was signed by Michael Jacobs of Morrison & Foerster who worked for Apple in the Samsung case in California which ended with a $1.05 billion payout for Apple. Should Google be worried? Florian Mueller at FOSS Patents certainly thinks so. He points out the difference that the judge and jury can make. Compare the Oracle vs Google trial with the Samsung vs Apple trial and you can see how any new action might not go so well for Google. He thinks there is a real possibility of Oracle winning the API copyright liability part and Google may have to elevate the issue to the Supreme Court. It looks like Google's "fair use" defense might not be rock solid. Of course, Samsung is challenging the Apple case verdict as well with claims of juror misconduct. This one is far from over. Related PostsZip, zero, nada: Google to pay nothing to Oracle, as Oracle will try to appeal, Oracle to ask around $100 million from Google over the Android / Java lawsuit., Oracle, Google make their closing statements for phase one of their lawsuitThis article, Oracle kicks off appeal in Google Android lawsuit , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Leak: LG Optimus L9 for T-Mobile, think of it as a downgraded Optimus G Posted: 04 Oct 2012 12:25 AM PDT
There’s a Twitter account that you should all be following known as @evleaks. We don’t know who this person is, but they often share photos of devices that have yet to be launched. Their latest leak is the LG Optimus L9 for T-Mobile. For those of you who don’t remember the L9, it was announced in late August, and it can best be thought of as a downgraded version of LG’s flagship device, the Optimus G. The L9 has a dual core 1 GHz processor, versus a quad core 1.5 GHz processor in the G. The L9 also has a 5 megapixel camera, whereas the G has a 13 megapixel camera or 8 megapixel camera, depending on the market. Everything else is pretty much the same. The huge battery, the 4.7 inch 720p display, and so on and so forth. Now for the important questions: When will this thing be officially announced? We don’t know. How much will it cost? Again, we don’t know. Should you buy it? Without even touching it, we’re going to have to say no. The Samsung Galaxy S III has been out for a little over four months, which means it’s cheaper now then it was at launch. It has a better camera, better processor, it’s currently in the process of being upgraded to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and those are just a few of the reasons why you should get one of those instead of an L9. Why are we so down on LG? It’s not because they don’t make amazing products. It’s just that the competition makes products that are just that extra bit more special. When you’re going to blow $600 on a smartphone or sign a two year contract with an operator, we want to make sure you get the best possible device on the market. Anything less would just be an insult. Related Posts[LEAK] LG Optimus U1 – LG’s First Android 4.0 Smartphone, LG Optimus 2X Released on Wind Mobile, Verizon's LG Optimus Vu captured in pictures, plans to take on Galaxy Note on AT&T and T-MobileThis article, Leak: LG Optimus L9 for T-Mobile, think of it as a downgraded Optimus G , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Rumor: Everyone will be allowed to make Nexus devices, but there are certain rules Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:32 PM PDT
Chances are that if you love Android, then you love Nexus hardware. What’s a Nexus exactly? It’s Android the way Google intended it to look. No Samsung TouchWiz, no HTC Sense, no Sony Timescape, just pure Google software. The first Nexus device, made by HTC, was called the Nexus One; it came out in January 2010. The second Nexus device, made by Samsung, was called the Nexus S; it came out in December of the same year. In two weeks we’re going to celebrate the one year birthday of the third Nexus device, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Now the Nexus 7 is technically a Nexus device, just look at the name, but it’s a tablet. The question on everyone’s mind right now is when will Google announce the next Nexus smartphone? Earlier this week we heard a rumor that said LG’s Optimus G was going to become the next Nexus, and that it’ll be officially unveiled by the end of this month. Today we have some more details to share about that. First, the date has changed. The next Nexus will be announced in November, not October. Second, the official name of the phone will be the “LG Optimus G Nexus”. That’s a mouthful! And finally third, the best news of all, is that the Nexus program will be opened to everyone. Anyone will be allowed to make Nexus hardware, but there are several rules that companies must adhere to. Obviously they’re not going to be allowed to skin Android. They will however be permitted to make a skin available in the new “Customization Center”. New Nexus devices will also be required to have 64 MB of secure memory, for streaming purposes. That means Google will be heavily pushing people to buy content from the Google Play Store. There are also some additional hardware requirements, but we don’t know what those are at the current moment. Rumor also has it that Android 5.0, the next “major” version of Android, will land in the second half of 2013. Is this stuff credible? It could be, but as always, take rumors with a pinch of salt. [Update] A Digitimes report that quotes the usual “industry sources” also states that manufacturers will have control over the phone’s specs and appearance, as long as the Nexus device runs stock Android. Related PostsIs LG going to make a Nexus version of the Optimus G?, Rumor: Next Nexus device to be announced in October, runs Android 4.2, Rumor: will Google celebrate Android’s 5th birthday with the “Nexus 5″… on November 5?This article, Rumor: Everyone will be allowed to make Nexus devices, but there are certain rules , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Confirmed: Google launches Wallet for web content Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:55 PM PDT
A few days back, we shared a report that Google was planning to offer micropayments via Google Wallet. Google has now confirmed this service. With the project, publishers can now sell articles for small amounts, from $0.25 to $0.99. But one big difference from other micropayment systems is that users get to own the content forever. With Google Wallet, readers can get access to a webpage upon paying the small amount. If a user doesn’t like the page, then there’s a 30-minute refund window. Otherwise, the content is available perpetually (or at least until the website goes down). Google has explained how the feature works:
Google advises that if content-creators are planning to charge a dollar or more, then they should use the Digital Goods for Games solution. This option does not come with instant refunds. Personally, I’m a firm believer that content reaches a wider audience when it is free. But if you give users convenient access to premium content for a very low price, then this is one good way to monetize your content without necessarily turning off potential readers. Related PostsGoogle to start offering micropayments powered by Google Wallet, HTC EVO 4G LTE Google Wallet woes confirmed by Google, software fix coming soon, Save to Wallet feature for Google Wallet also introduced at Google I/OThis article, Confirmed: Google launches Wallet for web content , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Fake iPhone 5 launcher gives you a feel of iOS 6 on your Android phone Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:45 PM PDT
With a four out of five star rating and more than 100,000 downloads, the "Fake iPhone 5 Launcher" app provides Android fans a little taste of Apple. Apart from its name, the recently new "fake iPhone 5 launcher" is a real, fully functional app. This bittersweet app offers adamant Fandroids the iOS 6 display on their Android devices without having to buy the iPhone 5. This launcher is completely free to download and can be accessed directly from the Google Play Store. Once activated, your phone's home screen is switched to the iOS 6 format, while giving your apps the appearance of the original iPhone 5 icon design. The fake iPhone 5 launcher has a feature that allows for five screens of apps to feed your appaholic needs.
Downloading it myself, I've come to find possible benefits from having the fake iPhone 5 launcher:
So whether you're an Android user with a craving for Apple, or you simply want to boast about having iOS 6 on your Android phone (even if it’s fake), this app definitely deserves its four star rating. Related PostsMobo Launcher: Split-screen homescreen launcher for Android, Fake Infinity Blade 2 app briefly live on Google Play – do we need some (tiny) walls for our garden?, Claystone Launcher: 3D homescreen launcher for easy feeds and app accessThis article, Fake iPhone 5 launcher gives you a feel of iOS 6 on your Android phone , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Samsung Galaxy S4 Rumor: 13MP camera module spotted Posted: 03 Oct 2012 02:32 PM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy S3 isn’t even six months old yet, but that doesn’t stop rumors of the Samsung Galaxy S4 from surfacing. Android Authority previously reported on the claim that the Galaxy S4 was coming to Mobile World Congress 2013, just three days after the announcement of the iPhone 5. Samsung quickly shot down the idea, but that certainly didn’t stop the rumor mill from turning for very long. Today’s Samsung rumor is all about a 13MP camera module spotted online that is supposedly meant for the Galaxy S4. The new module is said to shoot images with a resolution of 4208 x 3120, and measures just 8.5 x 8.5 x 5.9mm. This isn’t exactly surprising news, since we’ve heard about a Samsung 13MP camera module in the past. Previously, the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 were going to have this same 13MP shooter but the idea was scrapped in favor of an 8MP module, likely to save on costs. Do we know for certain that this is even meant for the Galaxy S4? Not really. We do know that cameras are becoming a very important part of the smartphone package, so an improved camera from the existing S3 won’t exactly shock us. A 13MP isn’t exactly that amazing or unbelievable either. Heck, the Nokia Pureview 808 Symbian phone even manages a 41MP lens.
Take all rumors with a grain of salt, but a 13MP camera on the Samsung Galaxy S4 doesn’t sound all that far-fetched. What do you think? Related PostsSamsung is working on a new back-illuminated 13MP camera for phones and tablets, Samsung to debut Galaxy Note 2 at IFA in August, with Jelly Bean and 13MP camera on board, Fujitsu-Toshiba Releasing Waterproof Android Phone With 4G/Wimax, 13MP CameraThis article, Samsung Galaxy S4 Rumor: 13MP camera module spotted , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update “coming soon” to the U.S., official update schedule released Posted: 03 Oct 2012 02:15 PM PDT
Samsung has now officially released its U.S. Android upgrade schedule for Jelly Bean. The update page isn’t exactly chock-full of information, instead it is nearly barren and very vague. The list mentions that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has received Jelly Bean already, and then simply tells us that the Samsung Galaxy S3 is getting the update soon. Not much else to see here. I suppose "coming soon" is better than not coming at all. Unfortunately, the words can mean just about anything. Soon can mean ten minutes from now, two weeks or even several months. Considering Jelly Bean is already making its way over to the international version of the S3, we doubt you’ll have to wait too long. Manufacturers tend to be short on information when it comes to updates, so the lack of real info isn’t all that unexpected. Still, you’d think more than just the Nexus and Galaxy S3 would be mentioned.
Samsung will likely add more devices to the schedule, so the update page is certainly something to watch for in the coming months. Why can’t Samsung come out and tell us more specifically when the updates are coming? Sometimes it is the handset manufacturer or hardware issues that hold updates back. A lot of it has to do with carriers dragging their feet, though. No matter how long it does take, it will be worth the wait for Jelly Bean. There is a lot to like about Google’s most recent version of Android. The most obvious goodies in Jelly Bean are Project Butter speed improvements and Google Now, but that’s far from everything. Notifications, the camera application and even the calendar are all that much better in Android 4.1. Are you impatiently awaiting Jelly Bean or perfectly fine with ICS for now? Related PostsGalaxy S3 Jelly Bean update coming in October as Samsung confirms Android 4.1 status, Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean coming on August 29 alongside Samsung Galaxy Note 2?, AT&T Samsung Galaxy S3 gets minor software update, no Jelly Bean yetThis article, Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update “coming soon” to the U.S., official update schedule released , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Verizon LG Intuition Posted: 03 Oct 2012 02:08 PM PDT
Known to the rest of the world as the LG Optimus Vu 2, the Verizon bound Intuition is, in many ways, LG's response to the commercial success encountered by its compatriot (both LG and Samsung are headquartered in South Korea), with the Samsung Galaxy Note. However, in many other ways, the LG Intuition is, simply put, a weird device that is best considered a very small tablet instead of a large smartphone. In the other corner, we have the most popular Android smartphone ever, the Samsung Galaxy S3. If your intuition (yep, pun intended) fails you, we're here to help you decide with one of these smartphones is better! Not enough time? Jump straight to the Video Comparison or the Pros and Cons. DisplayThe Samsung Galaxy S3 features a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display running at a pixel resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio), thus reaching a PPI of 306. Unfortunately for some, the Galaxy S3 display uses a PenTile pixel arrangement instead of a regular RGB matrix. Plenty argue that the difference between the two technologies is not clearly visible at a "regular" distance, and I tend to agree with them, especially at such high densities. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S3 has a great screen, although not the best around. The LG Intuition features a 5-inch display running at a 1024 x 768 pixel resolution, meaning this is a smartphone display that runs at a 4:3 aspect ratio. Its PPI ratio of 256 is decent by modern standards, but given that most apps (as well as most videos and images) are not optimized for this aspect ratio, LG's decision to go with a 4:3 aspect ratio is nothing if not uninspired.
Build quality and designWhen it comes to the design of the Galaxy S3, plenty seem to agree that lawyers had a bit too much to do with it, leaving too little place for innovation. While not an ugly smartphone, the S3 is surely not the sexiest smartphone of them all (a title that currently rests with the HTC One X as far as I'm concerned). In the other corner, the LG Intuition is probably one of the worst looking smartphones that you're going to encounter on a retailer's shelves. It's not about its lines and curves, but it's all about the weird aspect ratio of the display. If you thought the Samsung Galaxy Note was hard to handle with one hand, just wait until you get the chance to handle the Intuition. This is mostly due to the fact that the LG Intuition is also the widest smartphone to ever see the light of day.
HardwareThe U.S. version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 System on a Chip (SoC), one that translates into a 1.5GHz dual-core Krait (A15 type) processor and an Adreno 225 GPU. The LG Intuition is also using a Snapdragon SoC, not the newer S4 but its older brother, the S3, one that packs together a 1.5Ghz dual-core A9 processor and an Adreno 220 GPU. When it comes to the amount of RAM memory, the Galaxy S3 wins with its 2GB, while the LG Intuition has only 1GB. It’s safe to say that the Samsung Galaxy S3 is noticeably faster than the LG Intuition, thanks to both the newer SoC as well as the amount of RAM. The Galaxy S3 and the LG Intuition are similarly equipped when it comes to the camera sensors: both have an 8MP primary shooter. When it comes to the secondary sensor, the S3 uses a 1.9MP one, while the LG Intuition uses a 1.3MP secondary camera. Despite the 0.6MP difference in the secondary sensor resolution, expect the quality difference to be negligible (as in: don’t use the secondary camera unless you have to). There is also little difference between the size of the battery: the Samsung Galaxy S3 uses a 2100mAh battery, while the Verizon LG Intuition uses a 2080mAh battery. Both will allow you to get through the day if you don't use LTE too much. Since on the topic of Long Term Evolution connectivity, it should be also mentioned that both the Galaxy S3 and the LG Intuition are LTE capable.
Software and ecosystemThe Samsung Galaxy S3 still runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, although Samsung has recently announced that the third member of the Galaxy S line will receive its update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at some point in October. Samsung has customized the Android UI and replaced it with its proprietary TouchWiz UI, and have also added a whole slew of smart functions that, although not revolutionary, still represent a useful addition to an already very capable OS. In the other corner, the LG Intuition is also using Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (currently, we have no word on a possible upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean). Given that the LG Intuition uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, many elements of the visual interface have been changed to accommodate this. LG has also redesigned most of the core apps on the Intuition to fit nicely inside a 4:3 screen, but third party apps (as in: 99.9% of the apps available from Google Play) will either be letterboxed or stretched to occupy the entire screen real estate (stretching apps usually leads to a terrible experience, so you're better off letterboxing all of the apps). Video comparison: Samsung Galaxy S3 vs LG IntuitionPros and consSamsung Galaxy S3 Pros
Samsung Galaxy S3 Cons
LG Intuition Pros
LG Intuition Cons
ConclusionLet me make sure that I'm sending the right message here: do not buy the LG Intuition! The extra 0.2 inches across the diagonal of the display do not make up for its exhausting footprint. If you desperately want a large screen, go for the original Galaxy Note, or wait for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 to come out. The Samsung Galaxy S3, on the other hand, represents the standard for flagship Android devices, one that few other devices are able to match. Related PostsLG Intuition hits Verizon, $199 with two year contract, Verizon-bound LG Intuition to be released on September 6?, Optimus Vu coming to Verizon as the LG IntuitionThis article, Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Verizon LG Intuition , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Samsung Galaxy Nexus 2 and 32GB Nexus 7 spotted in Carphone Warehouse’s inventory [Updated] Posted: 03 Oct 2012 01:37 PM PDT
It's that time of the year, Android fans, when Nexus rumors fly around on a regular basis. Word on the street is that Google will unveil at least one new Nexus smartphone at some point in the following weeks, although there's nothing official from the Search giant yet. Just recently we heard that LG will make this year's high-end Nexus handset, although other Android handset makers are rumored to also release Nexus-branded products, including a Samsung Galaxy Nexus 2 (Galaxy Nexus Plus), a Sony Xperia Nexus, and an HTC Nexus 5. Of those, the Galaxy Nexus 2 rumor has been the most prominent, as we've seen various leaks suggesting that Samsung is working on a Galaxy Nexus successor. The device, model number GT-I9260, has been spotted a few days ago on Carphone Warehouse's website as the Galaxy Nexus Plus. Today, we have one more leak originating from the same UK-based electronics retailer that mentions the device. This time around the handset is called "Samsung Nexus 2;" just take a look at the picture above that lists an accessory for the device, the "Invisishield for Samsung Nexus 2." That's certainly an unfortunate association of terms – Samsung Nexus 2 – a product name the South Korean maker didn't want to use for the Nexus Two (the second Nexus handset in the world, chronologically speaking, after the HTC Nexus One,) as, legend has it, Samsung believed it's second to none in the business. Getting back to the screen image above, we'll also note that Carphone Warehouse lists a 32GB Nexus 7 tablet, which would be a welcomed addition to Google's tablet inventory. The Nexus 7 is currently available in 8GB and 16GB flavors only, with no microSD memory upgrade support – in fact, various reports suggested that the 16GB Nexus 7 tablet was more popular than the 8GB version when the tablet was launched a few months ago. Not to mention that another report suggested in the previous weeks that Google will launch a $99 Nexus 7 by the end of the year. Considering today’s leak, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the existing 8GB and 16GB Nexus 7 versions get significant price cuts in time for Christmas, which would let Google release a budget-friendly 32GB model. However, Carphone Warehouse is yet to reveal when thse two devices will actually be available, so we'll just have to wait and see. Are you looking forward to buy the Galaxy Nexus 2 and/or the 32GB Nexus 7? [Update] As our reader zymo pointed out in the comments, the person who provided this screenshot to Droid-Life came out to clarify that the “Samsung Nexus 2″ entry actually refers to the Nexus S, not to an upcoming Nexus phone. Related PostsBlack Samsung Galaxy S3 appears on leaked Carphone Warehouse inventory listing, Carphone Warehouse to release Nexus 2 from Google?, Galaxy Nexus 2 (GT-I9260) sample images spotted on Picasa alreadyThis article, Samsung Galaxy Nexus 2 and 32GB Nexus 7 spotted in Carphone Warehouse's inventory [Updated] , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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| Google Maps iOS web app is getting StreetView support soon Posted: 03 Oct 2012 12:56 PM PDT
There are many reasons to love Android, including the fact that we actually have a functioning map system. For those that happen to have an iPhone or iPad, no worries, Google has you covered. After Apple decided to ditch Google Maps in favor of its less-than-awesome self-ran map service, Google still has the Google Maps web app available to help iOS owners out. Even better, the company is planning on adding Google Street View on Thursday. The upgrade announcement was revealed by AllThingsD‘s Walt Mossberg. Here is what he had to say:
Pretty straight-forward announcement. He also concluded that the web app is not only better than Apple Maps, but it’s even better than the version of Google Maps that Apple dumped. I have to agree. For starters, the Google Maps for Apple didn’t have automatic turn-by-turn navigation. Is the Google Maps solution perfect? No, but it is worlds better than what users get with iOS 6. Apple is clearly having problems right now. Take a look at just a few issues plaguing the iPhone 5: Wi-Fi connectivity problems, phones easily scratching and the map issues in iOS 6. Despite the iPhone 5′s problems, Apple fans will still find a way to spin a positive on their beloved iDevice. Android might not be perfect either, but at least we have freedom of choice when it comes to phones and the software that runs on them. Related PostsApple Maps vs Google Maps: #iLost Motorola (Google) ad pokes fun at the iPhone 5 and the iOS 6 Maps issues, Special Google Maps event to introduce 3D support, Google+ integration and other new features, Apple Maps vs Google Maps: Consumer Reports… reportsThis article, Google Maps iOS web app is getting StreetView support soon , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
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