Sunday, October 7, 2012

Android Central

Android Central

Sony Xperia T initial photo and video samples

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 12:41 PM PDT

Android Central

We go hands-on with the Xperia T's 13-megapixel camera

Sony's smartphone cameras have always impressed us. Even the Xperia X10, a device with its fair share of issues, managed to ship with an above average camera assembly. So we were excited to try out the company's latest offering, the Xperia T (or Xperia TL, as it's known in the states), which packs a 13-megapixel Exmor R camera. The rear shooter incorporates Sony's proprietary BSI sensor, and boasts an f/2.4 aperture. So it has all its numbers in the right place -- what about image quality?

We've got a detailed breakdown after the jump, along with a couple dozen photo samples and five minutes of video.

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T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G review

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 12:40 PM PDT

Android Central

The Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G hit T-Mobile last month offering solidly mid-range specs and a landscape slide-out keyboard. I’ve been testing it out for the last week or so on Mobilicity in Canada, and I’ve generally been happy with my experience. There are a lot of software customizations loaded up that take a bit of getting used to, but once you learn ‘em, they can be definitely be useful.

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AT&T cutting device return window to 14 days starting Oct. 7

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 12:20 PM PDT

Android Central

AT&T seems poised to cut its no-commitment return window on purchases to 14 days, down from 30 days previously. Starting tomorrow, October 7th, new AT&T customers will only have two weeks to decide if their new handset is what they're looking for. After your 14 days are up, you're liable for the full burden of your contract -- that means an ETF (Early Termination Fee). The only people that may not be affected by the change are select AT&T business customers, who will still have the complete 30 day return window.

So what do you think? Does having a larger return window encourage you to go and try a different carrier? Let us know in the comments.

Source: PhoneScoop

Apps of the Week - Best Deals, Blue Skies Live Wallpaper, Huebrix and more!

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 11:03 AM PDT

Android Central

You've gotta love when the Android Central writers bring you a greatly diverse set of app picks for your Saturday afternoon reading. With these picks, we'll save you a few bucks, make your homescreen look nicer, kill some time with a game or find the nearest cell tower. As is normally the case, you just don't want to miss these picks, so read on.

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Android Central International round-up - October 6, 2012

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 10:24 AM PDT

Android Central

Another busy week in the Android world device launches and announcements galore. First up was the HTC One X+, which will be coming to Europe and U.S. carrier AT&T in the weeks ahead -- it's a re-vamped One X with snazzy red accents, a faster CPU and a larger battery. It's also packing a new version of HTC's Sense software, Sense 4+, along with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The Galaxy Note 2 also launched in the UK and Europe it the past week, and we published our exhaustive review of Samsung's latest phone/tablet hybrid. Without spoiling too much, we'll say that we've been impressed -- and surprised -- by the quad-core, 5.5-inch device. Buyers in the UK can pick up the 3G/HSPA version now, or the 4G LTE version on EE in a couple of weeks.

And in other UK 4G news, EE reached an agreement with the other carriers, meaning it'll be able to launch its LTE network on Oct. 30, and the 4G spectrum auction that the other networks are relying on will be moved forward. The result should be widespread 4G coverage across multiple UK carriers by spring 2013.

Check out the list below for some of the main international Android stores from the past week. If you've got news, be sure to submit it to the usual address.

Special features:

News: 

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 review [Updated]

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 05:05 AM PDT

Android Central

The original Samsung Galaxy Note was never the likeliest candidate for a multi-million-selling Android device. Few expected it to succeed, and its inflated size and stylus input made it an easy target for ridicule. We were cautiously optimistic in our November 2011 review, but also skeptical as to its mass market potential. Yet somehow, in the ten months following its debut in late 2011, Samsung managed to turn this quirky technological showcase into something with sufficient mass appeal to shift more than 10 million units. And so here we are, one year on, with its successor, the Galaxy Note 2.

Samsung likes to talk about having created a new category of mobile device with the Galaxy Note, and the Note certainly stretches the boundaries of what can reasonably be called a smartphone. It’s even inspired a few imitators, including LG’s Optimus Vu and Intuition. But users of the original Note will concede that while the device was groundbreaking, it certainly wasn’t perfect. Samsung’s TouchWiz 4 software was hardly ideal for a phone of that size, and many usability hiccups remained in Android, particularly where the "S Pen" stylus was concerned.

In 2012, the Galaxy Note 2 presents Samsung with the chance to refine the Note formula, and possibly dominate this niche for another year. So have they succeeded? Read on to find out, in our definitive Galaxy Note 2 review.

Update, Oct. 6: This review has been updated to in light of multi-window support being added via an over-the-air update.

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Motorola killing webtop, laptop docks

Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:23 PM PDT

 

Android Central

Motorola has confirmed that it will no longer be pursuing its webtop program in the future. Famously announced to much fanfare with the Motorola Atrix, the laptop dock is going away. Starting with its latest release of devices -- the Photon Q, Droid RAZR HD, etc. -- webtop will no longer be preloaded and laptop dock devices will no longer be for sale. In an official statement, Motorola laid out the news:

"Motorola's Webtop app helps users extend their smartphone experience to larger screens. While consumers around the world have adopted Webtop and the concept spurred a lot of innovation in the industry, the adoption has not been strong enough to justify continued resources being allocated to developing Webtop on future devices. We have also seen development of the Android operating system focus on the inclusion of more desktoplike features. Beginning with Photon Q and Droid Razr M/Droid Razr HD/Droid Razr Maxx HD, we will no longer be including Webtop on our products moving forward."

This probably doesn't come as a surprise to many of us who have either completely forgotten that webtop existed (we wouldn't blame you) or saw with the high prices and anemic sales that the future wasn't bright for the product. Most importantly, this really symbolizes the end of an era for Motorola. Webtop may have been one of the biggest things left that symbolized the Motorola of the past. As if Google and Motorola's statements prior to its latest device launches weren't clear enough, it seems as though we're looking at a "new Motorola" going forward.

Source: CNET

Ideas for NFC use, What are your top five favorite apps? [From the Forums]

Posted: 05 Oct 2012 05:28 PM PDT

From the Forums

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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