Android Central |
- FCC planning to release 300MHz of spectrum to carriers by 2015
- AT&T LTE now live in Jackson, MS.
- Follow Friday: Android Central on Google+
- International RAZR HD and RAZR i now part of Motorola bootloader unlock program
- Motorola RAZR i now available in Brazil
- HTC One X+ goes on pre-order at Expansys U.S.A.
- Supertooth Disco 2 review: Our favorite speaker is sleeker, sexier, but a little softer
- Rovio teases Star Wars-themed Angry Birds
- Motorola successfully defends against Microsoft patent case in Germany
- LG's Nexus rumors grow stronger
- Want an official Nexus 7 Travel Cover in the UK? Avoid Google Play and hit the high street retailers
- Deal of the Day: BodyGuardz UltraTough Clear ScreenGuardz for Samsung Galaxy S3
- Android Central Podcast 110: HTC's second act, the Galaxy Note 2 and ... a camera
- Samsung Galaxy Note 2 update enables multi-window support, we go hands-on
- Android cleans up at 2012 Mobile Choice Awards in the UK
- Sony recalls Xperia Tablet S after water resistance concerns
- Google Gesture Search updated with tablet support
- Ustream updated to support 7-inch tablets and better streaming
- Plague Inc. game infects Google Play
- A look at the Nexus history, Media purchasing alternatives to the Google Play Store [From the Forums]
- AT&T unveils holiday lineup in New York City, we go hands-on
- Google sets Q3 earnings call for Oct. 18
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 for AT&T hands on
- First look at AT&T's take at the Samsung Galaxy Note 2
| FCC planning to release 300MHz of spectrum to carriers by 2015 Posted: 05 Oct 2012 04:48 PM PDT
Speaking yesterday at the University of Pennsylvania, chairman of the FCC Julius Genachowski explained how he plans to release another 300MHz of wireless spectrum to high speed wireless carriers by 2015. A large portion of the spectrum will be auctioned off in the AWS (Advanced Wireless Services) band, which isn't exactly what you'd call "prime real estate", but is where AT&T currently operates some LTE and T-Mobile has historically ran its HSPA+ network. New chunks of AWS being available could give a much-needed boost to these networks. We hear a lot about spectrum nowadays -- who has it? who doesn't? why does it matter? -- but the real takeaway here is that more spectrum being available for carriers to use is a good thing. It essentially means that carriers will have more room to allocate bandwidth to devices, especially in major metropolitan areas where its quite apparent that these networks are oversaturated Source: FCC (pdf); via Slashdot 
| ||
| AT&T LTE now live in Jackson, MS. Posted: 05 Oct 2012 02:25 PM PDT
AT&T tells us that they have turned on LTE in and around Jackson, Mississippi today, bringing high speed data access to the Jackson metro and parts of Hinds County. AT&T currently has LTE deployed in over 75 markets and continues to roll out more, trying to keep pace with Verizon's year-long head start with the new 4G network. AT&T offers numerous LTE devices, including some great Android phones like the Xperia Ion, the HTC One X, the Samsung Galaxy S3 (Galaxy S III) and the Motorola Atrix HD. Anyone in the City of Soul seeing outrageous data speeds, like the one pictured above from Chicago? Fire off in the comments and let us all know. Source: AT&T 
| ||
| Follow Friday: Android Central on Google+ Posted: 05 Oct 2012 01:00 PM PDT
Sure, you read all the blog posts. And you listen to the podcasts. And you're active in the forums. But that's just the beginning of all the ways you can let Android Central invade your life. We're all up in Google+, of course, with more than 63,000 satisfied customers. And in addition to our main page, be sure to follow all of us individually as well. Here's a handy list, in handy bullet points:
And other Mobile Nations folks you should follow include:
| ||
| International RAZR HD and RAZR i now part of Motorola bootloader unlock program Posted: 05 Oct 2012 12:49 PM PDT
Two of Motorola's latest flagship devices, the international RAZR HD and RAZR i, have been added to the manufacturer's bootloader unlock program today. The program, if you're not aware, gives the more technically inclined users among us an official tool to unlock the bootloader on the device, which gives access to the hardware that would otherwise be extremely difficult to access. That means custom recoveries, ROMs and hacks can be easier applied to the device. Remember though that going through official methods to unlock your bootloader with Motorola's tools will void your warranty -- a risk most of us are willing to take -- and you may be out of luck getting the phone serviced in the future. A list of the currently supported devices:
Previously, only the Photon Q, Droid RAZR M and Droid RAZR HD developer editions were listed as being supported by the unlock program -- which Motorola pointed out at the launch event -- so it's good to see even more models getting added to the list. It's important to point out that these are the international models being added to the list today. As far as the US models coming to Verizon go, we're pretty sure those bootloaders will be encrypted like most Verizon devices -- hence the release of separate developer model SKUs. We can understand Verizon's motivations for wanting encrypted bootloaders on the devices they subsidize to run on their network, but we also think that having fully priced (unsubsidized) developer editions is happy middle ground. It's important for those of you who support the idea of unlockable bootloader devices to follow through and purchase the developer editions -- vote with your wallet, folks. Source: Motorola; via Droid-Life 
| ||
| Motorola RAZR i now available in Brazil Posted: 05 Oct 2012 12:06 PM PDT
Motorola and Intel's latest flagship device, the Motorola RAZR i, is available for purchase in Brazil starting today. The specs are exactly what we've seen previously with the launch of the device in Europe -- 2Ghz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MP camera (that actually took some good pictures in our testing) and a 4.3-inch 540x960 (qHD) Super AMOLED screen. Unfortunately -- but not surprisingly -- the RAZR i is shipping with Ice Cream Sandwich, but Motorola pledged to have these devices updated to Jelly Bean as soon as possible. The RAZR i is available for R$1,299 (about $640 USD, no surprise there) starting today. Have a look at the full press release after the break. 
| ||
| HTC One X+ goes on pre-order at Expansys U.S.A. Posted: 05 Oct 2012 11:00 AM PDT
Those that are itching to get their mitts on the recently-unveiled HTC One X+ may want to check out Expansys U.S.A., since they've started accepting pre-orders for the unlocked model. Unfortunately, it looks like this is the European model, so don't expect it to work on AT&T's LTE network. Of course, you could always wait for more info about the AT&T version and see what they're charging on-contract. Though no price or date are given on Expansys, those that pre-order will be first in line for a unit and will be notified as soon as details get nailed down. We've spent some time with the One X+, and so far everything is looking good. Though some of it is looking familiar from the original One X, there's also lot that's got a bump upwards. Here's a quick run-down of the specs.
So, anyone going to snag one of these on Expansys, or are you going to wait a month or two and get one right from AT&T? Thanks Harel! 
| ||
| Supertooth Disco 2 review: Our favorite speaker is sleeker, sexier, but a little softer Posted: 05 Oct 2012 10:56 AM PDT
I am not what I'd consider to be an audiophile. I don't look down on folks who don't listen to vinyl records (kids, ask your parents), and I don't use $500 headphones. I do, however, throw away earbuds that come with phones (with perhaps one recent exception), and it'll be a cold day in hell before I use an unpowered speaker. That brings us to the object of today's affection -- the Supertooth Disco 2 Bluetooth speaker. We've long been fans of the original Disco. And we got our first look at the Disco 2 at CES in January. For sure, it's easier on the eyes. But how is it on the ears? Will it get us to give up the ghost of the original? Only one way to find out. 
| ||
| Rovio teases Star Wars-themed Angry Birds Posted: 05 Oct 2012 09:13 AM PDT
Rovio Entertainment has just slipped out a cryptic animated GIF of one of the Angry Birds with a lightsaber. Whether that means we'll see a full-blown Android game with little green pigs dressed up like stormtroopers is anyone's guess, but Rovio promises that we'll learn more at an event in Times Square, New York, at 10 AM EST on October 8 (next Monday). They also gently suggest that we hit up Toys R Us at 8 AM EST, so it's entirely likely that this is just some kind of new plushie they're selling. Rovio is no stranger to licensing deals, having scored a fairly big one with Disney for the film Rio last year. More recently, Rovio is coming off of their launch of Bad Piggies, a physics-based building game featuring the antagonists of their first hit mobile game. An excess of cross-branding deals like this could make the Angry Birds brand even more stale than the plethora of toys, calendars, and other merchandise have. Then again, if they have a fresh spin on the Angry Birds gameplay and do the Star Wars franchise justice, it could freshen up the birds for another couple of months. Are you guys optimistic about the next Angry Birds, or has it been done to death? Star Wars fans, do you find this kind of cross-licensing tacky or cute? Via: @AngryBirds 
| ||
| Motorola successfully defends against Microsoft patent case in Germany Posted: 05 Oct 2012 08:32 AM PDT
Microsoft's latest patent lawsuit against Motorola was ruled in favor of Motorola in Mannheim, Germany regional court today. The patent in question related to the interoperability of software between handsets, which, as you could imagine, is a pretty big deal in the Android ecosystem. While this is great news for Motorola, and to a lesser extend Google, Microsoft still has a German sales injunction in place against the Motorola Atrix, the Droid RAZR and the Droid RAZR Maxx thanks to previous legal victories. Stateside, Motorola had previously suffered a hefty ban through the ITC for infringing on another Microsoft patent. Outside of courts, Google still has to pare down Motorola's operations even while they're still making strategic investments. Motorola has a long road to recovery, but hopefully it can fend off future sales injunctions with Google behind 'em. Any German readers out there affected by the previous bans? Should tech giants be able to partially or completely lock out competitors from international markets in this way, or is there a better way to protect patents? Via: Reuters 
| ||
| LG's Nexus rumors grow stronger Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:46 AM PDT
The chatter over who's making the Nexus device for Google is reaching a fever pitch, and MoDaCo's Paul O'Brien weighs in today with some of the strongest (and extremely possible) specs to date. Basically, O'Brien says, we're looking at the internals of the recently announced LG Optimus G -- a phone with which we're pretty familiar after spending several days with it in Korea last month. It has, O'Brien says, the Qualcomm S4 Pro quad-core processor, 2 gigabytes of RAM and 1280x768 display (diagonal size unknown, but figure in the 4.5- to 5-inch range). Folks are gnashing their teeth over the lack of SD card, but as we've explained before, it's just not going to happen, and it has nothing to do with Google hating little pieces of plastic. The rumored 8GB and16GB storage options are worthy of consternation, however. Much as Google doesn't want to acknowledge it, offline storage is still a must for many of us. Wireless charging? Hey, maybe it'll take off this time. It's worth remembering, however, that ain't none of this official until it's official -- and we've seen Nexus products change dramatically before launch in the past. Source: MoDaCo; more: Rumored devices forum 
| ||
| Want an official Nexus 7 Travel Cover in the UK? Avoid Google Play and hit the high street retailers Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:17 AM PDT
One thing notably missing from the UK Google Play store at the launch of the Nexus 7 was the official Travel Cover. In fact, to this day, UK buyers of the Nexus 7 still cannot pick up a Travel Cover from Google should they choose to buy their tablet in this way. Fear not, though, as the high street retailers and their online compatriots have us covered. Looking through the various offerings, we've got a variety of prices, just as we also have a few different varieties of color. Including pink. Click on past the break for the rundown of the where and the how much. 
| ||
| Deal of the Day: BodyGuardz UltraTough Clear ScreenGuardz for Samsung Galaxy S3 Posted: 05 Oct 2012 06:16 AM PDT
The BodyGuardz UltraTough Clear ScreenGuardz are available for just $8.00, 50% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping. Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts! 
| ||
| Android Central Podcast 110: HTC's second act, the Galaxy Note 2 and ... a camera Posted: 05 Oct 2012 04:49 AM PDT Podcast MP3 URL: http://traffic.libsyn.com/androidcentral/acpc110.mp3 Thing 1: Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Thing 2: HTC reboots the One X already, brings the VX
Thing 3: Nikon Coolpix S800c
Thing 4: Other odds and ends
| ||
| Samsung Galaxy Note 2 update enables multi-window support, we go hands-on Posted: 05 Oct 2012 03:03 AM PDT Well that was quick. Just a couple of days after it emerged that Samsung had shipped many international Galaxy Note 2 devices without the much-touted "multi-window" ability, a new software update is going out that enables the feature. Multi-window allows Note 2 owners to long-press the back button and bring up a menu allowing them to split their screen between two fully-fledged Android applications. Essentially, it's full multitasking on a mobile device with two apps in view and usable at the same time, which is pretty awesome. Right now, not all Android apps are supported, but the multi-window feature isn't just limited to Samsung apps like it is on the Note 10.1. Multi-window on the Note 2 supports a wide range of Google apps, including Gmail, YouTube, Chrome and Talk. Third-party offerings like the official Twitter app are supported too, though many others are not. Today's update to version XXALIJ1 also comes with a new baseband version and Google Chrome. If you've picked up a Galaxy Note 2 in the past week, you should see an update notification waiting for you this morning. If not, head to Settings > About device > Software update to get started. In the meantime, be sure to check out our quick hands-on demo video above. More: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 review 
| ||
| Android cleans up at 2012 Mobile Choice Awards in the UK Posted: 05 Oct 2012 02:17 AM PDT
The Mobile Choice Awards 2012 ceremony has been held tonight in Central London and looking at the results it would seem that Android is certainly coming out on top in the UK smartphone wars. Clearly the nominations didn't include the just-launchd iPhone 5 but even so, the results represent and impressive showing for Android. The iPhone 4S gets pipped at the post and the UK's best-loved smartphone of 2012 is the Samsung Galaxy S3. Naturally, Apple did win the tablet battle, and the iPad wins the consumers choice award. The Nexus 7 is a close second-however, proving the importance of good, budget-level tablets. Other notable android entrants include the Sony Xperia U (runner-up, best design) and HTC One X (winner, best handset for social media). Check past the break for the full list. 
| ||
| Sony recalls Xperia Tablet S after water resistance concerns Posted: 05 Oct 2012 02:09 AM PDT
Remember the Sony Xperia Tablet S? Yea, that one with the interesting wedge shape -- no, not the one with the big wedge shape -- that's the one. A main selling point for the tablet was its water resistance. Unfortunately Sony is being forced to recall tablets in several markets around the world -- starting with Japan -- because the devices aren't living up to their claims. Apparently, a manufacturing defect was leaving gaps between the display and housing of the device, which in turn lets water get where it shouldn't. So if you've got a Tablet S (and since they've only shipped about 100,000 you'd be one of a select few), be sure to be extra careful when you're having that cup of coffee next to your tablet in the morning, and get ready to possibly send your device back to be replaced or repaired. Source: Reuters 
| ||
| Google Gesture Search updated with tablet support Posted: 05 Oct 2012 02:01 AM PDT
Google has just updated its Gesture Search application with proper support for tablets, including the Nexus 7. If you haven't used the Gesture Search app before, its a pretty interesting concept. Similar to what Google has been offering on the mobile view of it's search page, Gesture Search lets you spell out words by writing on the screen one letter at a time, and then instantly returns search items. You can choose what sources to search -- such as contacts, browser bookmarks, apps and more. In addition to tablet support, Gesture Search now offers compatibility with even more languages. Simplified Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish are now supported as of this latest update. Gesture Search is useful for when you've only got one hand free and need to make a quick search, though it's not the most high-profile Google app around. Take a look at the Google Play Store link above and try it out for yourself. 
| ||
| Ustream updated to support 7-inch tablets and better streaming Posted: 04 Oct 2012 10:04 PM PDT
A little something for all you 7-Inch tablet owners out there who've been missing out on Ustream. v2.0.3 of the Ustream app, which includes support for such device as the Nexus 7 has now arrived in the Google Play Store and is ready for download. In addition to the new device support, Ustream has also included several streaming improvements and various other bug fixes. Oh, and in case you didn't already know. The Ustream app is a great way to take part in the Android Central podcast, when we're live. 
| ||
| Plague Inc. game infects Google Play Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:59 PM PDT
Plague Inc., an excellent and hugely popular epidemic simulation game, has found its way to Android. Players gently coax a variety of virus types across the globe. Your plague starts off as a modest cough, then mutates with new and insidious forms of transmission, deadlier symptoms, and greater resistance to medication. Plague Inc. involves a lot of finesse, since you don't have much direct control over the virus, so must simply make calculated mutations, pay attention to pertinent world events, and adapt accordingly. It's harder than you think to wipe out the entire globe; airports shut down, governments are alerted, and before long, the whole world is banding together to find a cure. On the one hand, Plague Inc. is an incredibly morbid game, but on the other, I've always had a hard time putting it down. It's available for free with an unlockable full version with fast-forward enabled, so go ahead and check it out. 
| ||
| Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:56 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! 
| ||
| AT&T unveils holiday lineup in New York City, we go hands-on Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:38 PM PDT
If you're looking for Android devices that are headed to AT&T in time for the holiday season, look no further. At their event hosted in New York City AT&T unveiled a massive amount of Android devices and offered us a first hand look at them all. The line up hits just about every category you can imagine be it low cost all the way up to the high end offerings. So what all did they bring? Check out the full list below and hit the links to get a hands on look at the devices individually:
As you can tell, that's a lot of Samsung and HTC love right there however, there is also the LG Optimus G that will making its way to AT&T as well. You can check out our previous hands on with that, if that's what you're holding out for. All of that said; anyone going to be picking any of these devices up? if so, which are you getting? If not, what are you holding out for? 
| ||
| Google sets Q3 earnings call for Oct. 18 Posted: 04 Oct 2012 07:51 PM PDT
Grab your calendars, folks. Google's just scheduled its third-quarter earnings call for Oct. 18, with a conference call set for 4:30 p.m. EDT. We'll bring the beer. 
| ||
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 for AT&T hands on Posted: 04 Oct 2012 05:45 PM PDT
Rounding out Samsung and AT&T’s holiday portfolio is the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, the follow up to the tablet that started a war, the Galaxy Tab 10.1. There really isn’t anything new or exciting here—we first reviewed the 10.1 2 back in May and found that it was a fine follow up to the original, though since then we’ve been introduced to the more unique and more powerful Galaxy Note 10.1. We would have liked to see a more up-to-date tablet taking advantage of AT&T’s superfast LTE network, but to be fair, the 2 10.1 is nothing to sneeze at. Again, (notice a trend?), pricing and availability is still forthcoming, but in the meantime you can read our full review here. Some AT&T branded shots follow. 
| ||
| First look at AT&T's take at the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Posted: 04 Oct 2012 05:39 PM PDT
New York seems to be the first stop for the US-bound Galaxy Note 2—we caught the first stateside glimpse last month at Pepcom’s Holiday Spectacular, and tonight we’re meeting AT&T version of the hotly anticipated device. Aside from AT&T’s logo and LTE connectivity, we’re dealing with the same exact device that our own Alex Dobie so eloquently reviewed just today. So dive right in to see what he liked and didn’t, and while we await final word on pricing and availability on Ma Bell, catch some shots of AT&T’s model after the break. 
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Android Central - Android Forums, News, Reviews, Help and Android Wallpapers To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment