Android Central |
- Use LinkBuster to parse short URLs (Android app review)
- Need for Speed Most Wanted racing towards Google Play
- Sprint holding off on MetroPCS counter offer
- The Economist app updated to fix battery drain issues
- Samsung Galaxy S3 on sale for £399 from ASDA Mobile
- Android 4.1.2 JZO54K factory images for the Nexus 7 and Galaxy Nexus now available
- Google Play Magazines updated, now available in Australia
- LG Nexus 4 to launch Oct. 29, says French newspaper
- Microsoft Office for Android may be landing in March
- Samsung Galaxy Nexus gets gesture area care of Open webOS
- Chaos Rings brings classic JRPG action and hefty pricetag to Google Play
- Deal of the Day: Mobi Products Crystal Case for HTC EVO 3D
- Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini render leaks ahead of announcement
- Lookout for Android gets a redesign and dialer threat protection
- CoPilot Live announces compatibility with over 250 Android devices
- 'LG Nexus 4' spotted in Carphone Warehouse inventory system
- 4-inch Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini comes to Germany Oct. 11
- Foursquare updated with usability enhancements, spam reporting options
- AT&T LG Escape hands on
- First look at T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy Note 2
- T-Mobile LG Optimus L9 hands-on
- LG Nexus love and hate, Discussing Android 4.1.2 for the Nexus 7 [From the Forums]
- First cinematic trailer for Arcane Legends released
| Use LinkBuster to parse short URLs (Android app review) Posted: 10 Oct 2012 05:03 PM PDT
A couple weeks back I delicately expressed my concern about clicking shortened URLs on our Android phones. If you weren't paying attention, there's a nasty bug in some Samsung phones that can delete all user data if you click a malicious link -- one that's easily hidden behind a URL shortener like bit.ly or goo.gl. I promised to make someone famous if they would create a great solution for all of us on Android. Quite a few folks sent apps in, and while all of them worked as intended, I have to give the hat tip to JP2014 for the LinkBuster app. It does two things I'm crazy about -- uses Android intents, and incorporates the Web of Trust service. Using it is really easy. Install it from Google Play using the link above, and any time you click a URL you get the choice to open it in LinkBuster. If it's a link you trust, just choose your browser. But if it's a link that looks sketchy, or is shortened and you have no idea where it will take you, choose LinkBuster from the menu provided. One the LinkBuster app is opened, you get the full version of the URL as well as the Web of Trust rating for it. The Web of Trust is crowd sourced data from folks like you and me, and it's usually spot-on about the safety and validity of links. Cory turned me on to it last year, and I think it's a great tool. Having it incorporated this way is perfect -- you use it when you have reason to question a link, and the rest of the time it's out of the way. The web is a nasty place. Plenty of folks want to make things miserable for others, and we have to be on guard against it. Tools like LinkBuster can help. It's free, so give it a try! 
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| Need for Speed Most Wanted racing towards Google Play Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:46 PM PDT
EA has announced that Most Wanted, the latest iteration of their Need for Speed franchise, will be arriving on Android this month. Takedowns, vehicle damage, and a whole bunch of recognizable vehicles from Porsche, Dodge, and Maserati are going to be available in this racing game. Firemonkeys are behind Need for Speed Most Wanted, which is great since they already have plenty of experience with these kinds of games after doing Real Racing. There's no mention of pricing, but I wouldn't be surprised to see this one placed in the premium $6.99 tier along with other Firemonkeys / EA games like Dead Space, Mass Effect: Infiltrator, and The Sims 3. Still, it looks like it would be worth it, especially if you're a fan of high-end racing games on Android. Gamers, do you prefer moderately realistic racing titles like this, or do you prefer goofier arcade-style racers like Asphalt 7? 
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| Sprint holding off on MetroPCS counter offer Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:04 PM PDT
Following the official announcement of a reverse takeover between T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS, Sprint reportedly started setting up a counter offer to buy the company and break up the deal. Reports now indicate that Sprint may have thought better of this, and is considering waiting for more information before making a decision on the deal. Although the agreement between Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile USA's parent company) and MetroPCS for the takeover is official, it could take up to three months before MetroPCS investors will take a vote (because it is a public company) to approve it. During this time, more information on the bidding process and agreement should be released, giving Sprint a better look at the situation before putting in an offer. In the meantime, MetroPCS' stock will be trading as a proxy for the new combined carrier, possibly affecting the final pricing of Sprint's eventual offer. Also throwing a wrench into things, if MetroPCS decides to back out of the deal with Deutsche Telekom, they must pay a $150 million "breakup fee". Surely Sprint would have to include that cost in their offer. It's clear that Sprint sees the importance of this deal, realizing that T-Mobile and MetroPCS combining could be another strike against them getting out of third place and challenging Verizon and AT&T. Sprint vehemently opposed the AT&T / T-mobile merger from a regulatory and competition standpoint, but won't have such luck on this one given the size of MetroPCS compared to AT&T (Metro being about 1/10 the size). Their only chance to stop this takeover will have to come in the form of a very large counter offer. This one is far from over, folks. Be sure to stick with us for our continued coverage of the merger. Source: Bloomberg 
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| The Economist app updated to fix battery drain issues Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:44 PM PDT
The Economist app hasn't been the most visually appealing out there, but it was always at least functional. One of the main usability gripes facing the app was a nasty bug (or two, or seven) that caused some serious battery drain if you didn't look out for it and force close or reboot. Now that's no way to code an app, and today its been updated specifically to fix the battery issues. Unfortunately, the app still uses the legacy menu button configuration, which really shouldn't be around in modern apps anymore. Plenty of other developers (big and small) have removed it, and we think The Economist could do the same. The app is of course most useful if you've committed a bit of money towards a yearly subscription, but there are still some free portions available if you want to get a feel for the content. You can find the app at the Google Play Store link above. 
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| Samsung Galaxy S3 on sale for £399 from ASDA Mobile Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:22 PM PDT
There seems to be no shortage of U.K. retailers putting Samsung's latest flagship Galaxy SIII (S3) on sale lately, and today you can add ASDA Mobile onto that list. Starting at midnight tonight, the giant supermarket will be selling the Galaxy S3 for just £399 via its mobile portal. Its quite the steal if you're in the market for the latest Samsung superphone, especially considering the best of the high-end devices currently on sale from ASDA is only the Galaxy SII (S2). It's quickly approaching midnight in the U.K., so if you're interested in picking one of these up, go find that credit card and head to the source link below. The price is certainly right, you don't want to miss out on one of these. Source: Eurodroid; ASDA Mobile 
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| Android 4.1.2 JZO54K factory images for the Nexus 7 and Galaxy Nexus now available Posted: 10 Oct 2012 01:43 PM PDT
If you've been on the hunt for the factory images of Android 4.1.2 (JZO54K) for the Nexus 7 or Samsung Galaxy Nexus (takju devices only), you can now grab them directly from Google. A lot of folks are still waiting for the OTA's but if you're looking to tinker around in the meantime, this would be a good start. Plus, the files are always good to have on hand just in case you ever need to go back to stock. Source: Google 
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| Google Play Magazines updated, now available in Australia Posted: 10 Oct 2012 12:18 PM PDT
The gradual worldwide spread of Google Play content wrote another chapter today. The Google Play Magazines application has received an update which brings with it availability in Australia. Magazines was one of the additions to the Google Play content portfolio following the launch of the Nexus 7, and while the tablet becomes available in more and more markets, sadly the content is slow in following. Additionally, users outside of Australia will benefit from todays update. We're promised a "significant performance improvement for all devices." in particular relating to page turning. Performance improvements are always welcome improvements. If you're a reader down under, why not hit up the comments below and let us know how you're finding the new service. 
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| LG Nexus 4 to launch Oct. 29, says French newspaper Posted: 10 Oct 2012 10:30 AM PDT
French national newspaper Le Figaro is reporting that Google and LG will debut the next Nexus smartphone, dubbed "Nexus 4," later this month. According to the paper, the device will make its global debut on Oct. 29, before coming to France on the Vodafone-owned SFR network in December. If true, the Oct. 29 date could point to an unveiling at Dive Into Mobile conference in New York, as has been previously rumored. The wording of Le Figaro's article suggests a product launch alongside the announcement on Oct. 29. This would make it the first Nexus smartphone to become available immediately upon announcement since the original Nexus One. It'd also point to the Nexus 4 being released primarily via the Google Play devices store, as that's the only feasible way such a launch could be pulled off. Of course, it's also possible Le Fig just got its wires crossed, and that Oct. 29 is only the announcement date after all. It's the second time we've heard the "Nexus 4" name today -- this morning the name appeared in a leaked photo from the Carphone Warehouse's inventory system. The name could refer to it being the fourth Nexus smartphone, or its 4.7-inch screen. So it certainly looks like the next Nexus launch isn't far off. Stick with Android Central for all the details as they emerge. Source: Le Figaro 
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| Microsoft Office for Android may be landing in March Posted: 10 Oct 2012 09:43 AM PDT
Microsoft Office has been flirting with Android for awhile now, but things may be getting a lot more serious now that MS Product Manager Petr Bobek said that the full productivity suite may be landing in March 2013 on mobile. The full desktop version of Office 2013 should be available for businesses in December 2013 and consumers in late February. If you're really interested in checking it out, a customer preview was made available over the summer. Which mobile apps do you use to handle presentbations, documents, and spreadsheets? Are they good enough, or does Microsoft need to make something that ties in really tightly with the desktop counterparts? I could certainly see some solid Microsoft Office apps getting some use on tablets with keyboard docks, but do people do a lot of serious editing on smartphones? Update: Microsoft corporate PR is saying that the information is bogus. Take that as you will. Via: The Verge 
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| Samsung Galaxy Nexus gets gesture area care of Open webOS Posted: 10 Oct 2012 08:45 AM PDT
Last week the Samsung Galaxy Nexus became some kind of Frankensteinian abomination when the recently open-sourced webOS was shoehorned inside. Already the beast is looking a little better now that the developers have managed to mock up a gesture area at the bottom of the screen. As you can tell in the video, things are still very much a work in progress. Of course, since the Galaxy Nexus doesn't have any capacitive buttons, the software had to create a row of pixels along the bottom to detect gestures. Presumably, that same row will be usable for the old forward and back gestures eventually, but one thing at a time. Google Chrome has already borrowed the idea of virtualized border gestures for switching tabs, while others, like RIM, went hog-wild with gesture areas in the PlayBook. While we're busy giving webOS some credit, Touch to Share between the TouchPad and Pre 3 was a solid precursor to Android Beam. Do we have any webOS expatriates in the house? Are there any particular features of webOS that you'd still like to see emulated in Android, or has Palm's operating system already made any mark on the world that it was fated to make? Anyone with a Galaxy Nexus interested in seeing what it's like to use webOS once the software is in a more usable state? Via: webOS Nation 
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| Chaos Rings brings classic JRPG action and hefty pricetag to Google Play Posted: 10 Oct 2012 07:35 AM PDT
Chaos Rings, a role-playing game franchise created by the venerable Square Enix about two years ago on iOS, has found its way to Android. If you remember the ports of their classic Final Fantasy titles, you'll know that Square Enix has a habit of charging a fair bit for their mobile games, and Chaos Rings is no different with a $12.99 pricetag. That said, reviews for the iOS version have been unanimously good, so at least you're getting quality for what you pay for. The game's story revolves around a mysterious tournament where pairs of contestants fight for their lives in the imposing and surreal Ark Arena. There are 8 characters to chose from, spread between 5 pairs, each with their own histories and plotlines to unfold. On the one hand, it's easy to laugh openly at just about any app trying to get away with a pricetag of more than $10 in Google Play, but on the other, I admire developers that have the moxy to try to stem the race to the bottom in app pricing. Only really big-name publishers can afford to create high-quality apps for bargain basement prices, and even then, they only work if supplemented by ad and in-app purchase revenue. What do you guys think - is the labor that goes into making an application just as valuable as it used to be (as Nintendo would contend), or is the app market so saturated now that old models simply don't work anymore? Is it worth paying a premium up-front to combat the trend in in-app purchasing? 
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| Deal of the Day: Mobi Products Crystal Case for HTC EVO 3D Posted: 10 Oct 2012 06:53 AM PDT
The Mobi Products Crystal Case is available for just $1.99, 90% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last! Deal also available in the Canada store Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts! 
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| Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini render leaks ahead of announcement Posted: 10 Oct 2012 05:17 AM PDT
Samsung confirmed the existence of the Galaxy S3 Mini just a few hours ago, and now it seems we have a leaked press render and purported specs to go with it. According to German blog MobileGeeks, which obtained the render above, the S3 Mini will sport a 1GHz dual-core ST Ericsson U8420 CPU, along with 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and a microSD card slot. That's apparently packed behind a 4-inch WVGA SuperAMOLED display, running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and Sammy's TouchWiz Nature UX. Other notables include a 5MP rear camera and 1500mAh battery. So it's not quite a Galaxy S3 packed into a smaller shell, as some had hoped, but the Galaxy S3 Mini could be successful in its own right, assuming the price tag isn't too high. Speaking of which, the site reports that the Mini will go on sale from €399 SIM-free in the eurozone, which isn't terribly expensive. Would you be up for this kind of miniature, mid-range, Jelly Bean-based handset at this price point? Let us know in the comments. We'll know more about the Galaxy S3 Mini after tomorrow's announcement. Source: MobileGeeks, via: Slashgear 
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| Lookout for Android gets a redesign and dialer threat protection Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:41 AM PDT
As mobile devices become smarter and more prolific, mobile security threats are continuing to diversify. And with more and more of us becoming more security conscious these days, mobile security apps like Lookout are becoming increasingly popular. The latest update to the popular security app, now available on Google Play, includes a fresh coat of paint, as well as new features. Most notable is the "safe dialer," which protects against that nasty USSD code exploit on certain Samsung phones.
You can grab the latest version using the Google Play Store link above. Check past the break for the full presser. 
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| CoPilot Live announces compatibility with over 250 Android devices Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:32 AM PDT
It was only last week that we got the news that TomTom was available for Android devices - well, some of them. TomTom was incompatible with many of high-profile handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X, which excluded them from a large portion of the market. In what's probably more than a coincidence, ALK Technologies has today announced that its CoPilot Live offline GPS navigation apps are now compatible with over 250 Google-certified Android phones and tablets. The company even hand picks some devices that don't play nice with TomTom for mention in today's presser --
So despite Google Maps navigation being bundled on all Google-certified handsets, it seems the GPS navigation market is still alive and well on the platform. We've got the rest of today's announcement after the break. 
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| 'LG Nexus 4' spotted in Carphone Warehouse inventory system Posted: 10 Oct 2012 03:09 AM PDT
With each passing day, it's looking more and more likely that LG is indeed Google's manufacturer partner of choice for this year's Nexus smartphone. Yesterday we saw three rounds of leaked photos from the device, known by its codename LG-E960. Today it seems the device has started showing up in one UK retailer's inventory systems. The shot above was passed to The Verge by an anonymous tipster, who claims it's from the Carphone Warehouse's back-end system -- and it certainly matches earlier CPW leaks. As you can see, it clearly shows listings for an LG Nexus 4 in both black and white. Details of pricing and availability are unfortunately nowhere to be found. The "Nexus 4" moniker has long been suggested as a name for the upcoming 2012 Nexus, ever since the Nexus 7 made its debut at Google I/O. In addition to shipping with a 4.7-inch screen, LG's Nexus would be the fourth smartphone to bear that name, so it'd certainly make sense on a few different levels. The only other plausible alternative doing the rounds was the slightly clunky-sounding "Optimus Nexus." But this shouldn't be taken as conclusive proof of the final next-gen Nexus branding. Retailers aren't infallible, and there's no way of knowing if this isn't the result of an over-zealous CPW employee entering info into the system based upon Internet rumors. Nevertheless, it's another piece of the LG Nexus puzzle, and we're sure we'll start to see the full picture emerge in the coming weeks. Source: The Verge 
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| 4-inch Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini comes to Germany Oct. 11 Posted: 09 Oct 2012 11:25 PM PDT
Samsung Mobile head JK Shin has announced the 4-inch Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini will be available in Germany on October 11. As the smaller cousin to the 4.8-inch Galaxy S3, don't call the Mini entry-level, as Shin says it will be "full form factor". There was no word about the internals, but we're hoping Samsung has found a way to cram everything we see in the full size version into the 4-inch form factor. Shin says the demand for a 4-inch class device is high in Europe, and we can't help but think many in North America would also appreciate a slightly smaller version. We'll keep our eyes and ears open for more on that front as it unfolds. Source: News 24 (Korean); via The Verge 
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| Foursquare updated with usability enhancements, spam reporting options Posted: 09 Oct 2012 11:06 PM PDT
Foursquare for Android has seen plenty of revisions since it was initially released into the Google Play Store. This time around they're once again bringing some features back while continuing the tradition of adding some other goodies that improve upon the overall app experience. The update is live right now in the Google Play Store and here's what has changed:
Although the changes aren't a huge overhaul from what we know, there is still quite a bit there to appreciate. The spam reporting tool on the detail pages should come in handy as there seems to be an increase of ridiculous ads posted hidden within tips. 
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| Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:27 PM PDT
In its next step towards world domination, LG is here in San Diego showing off its latest wares, including the recently-released, budget-friendly Escape, available now on AT&T. The Escape joins Verizon’s Droid RAZR M as an entry-level device with specs that impress: the 4.3-inch qHD display is nicer than we would have thought, and the 1.2 GHz dual-core processor is truly hard to fault. Paired with a full gig of RAM, LTE-connectivity, and a 5MP shooter (sans flash), the Escape is hard to pass up for its $50 price. I’ve been using the Escape on-and-off for about a week now and while I’ve become really spoiled by Droid RAZR M, which is truly top of the line in terms of performance and design, I have to give credit for creating an entry-level phone that isn’t awful. It’s not going to replace your flagship smartphone, but for those first-time buyers and those with strict budgets, the LG Escape shouldn’t be missed. I’ll share my full thoughts in the coming weeks, but for now, enjoy some photos and a video below. (Note: the hands-on video, incorrectly states that the Escape is available for $99 on contract, when in fact the price has dropped to $50.) 
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| First look at T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Posted: 09 Oct 2012 08:12 PM PDT
Fresh off the heels of this morning’s announcement, T-Mobile is on hand tonight in San Diego showing off its branded version of the upcoming Galaxy Note 2. This is the same mega-phone we’ve been seeing for weeks now, with the nice little addition of a T-Mobile stamp right smack dab on the back and some carrier-brand apps preloaded onto the device. T-Mobile’s Galaxy Note 2 will be available in Titanium Grey and Marble White, and both look really stunning. Read on for more hands-on impressions. 
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| T-Mobile LG Optimus L9 hands-on Posted: 09 Oct 2012 07:50 PM PDT
Entry level is the name of the game for the LG Optimus L9 on T-Mobile. We knew that, of course, from T-Mobile and LG's positioning of the Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone, as well as from the specs on paper. Let's recap:
Nothing the spec-conscious crowd will write home about, no? But here's the thing: It's a surprisingly solid entry-level device. You can't quite appreciate just how light it is until you grab it. In the hand, though, the L9's a ridiculously light device. It's decidedly plastic, but it's a soft plastic. (Kind of like a dry heat, I suppose.) The user interface seemed quick enough, though the device is loaded down in T-Mobile and LG applications. This is a buy-and-drive device, designed to be used out of the box, for folks who don't want to do a whole lot of customization. The good news is that it's got a removable battery and microSD card. The power plant is respectable, but the four gigabytes of built-in storage most certainly isn't. We've got a bevy of pics and video after the break. 
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| LG Nexus love and hate, Discussing Android 4.1.2 for the Nexus 7 [From the Forums] Posted: 09 Oct 2012 06:18 PM PDT
Just in case you missed out on some of the Android news today, now is the time to go ahead and get yourself fully caught up. Here on the blogs and in the Android Central Forums there is plenty to talk about. Have some questions? Need some help or just looking to chat Android? You know where to go, check out some of the threads below to get started.
We've got nearly 1 million members helping members and nearly 2 million posts in our Android Forums. Are you one of them? Join today! 
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| First cinematic trailer for Arcane Legends released Posted: 09 Oct 2012 05:57 PM PDT Spacetime Studios is set to release another chapter in its "Legends" series of MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) games, this time called Arcane Legends. As a teaser for the upcoming game, the studio has released a full cinematic trailer. The 30 second spot shows the highlights of the new game, including three new classes -- warrior, rogue and mage -- as well as the use of loyal battle pets. As is the case with these types of games, players will be able to level up and hone their skills over time, customizing their characters and abilities. Source: SpaceTime Studio's on Youtube 
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