Android Phone Fans |
- Android 4.2 rumors heat up, already running on Motorola devices?
- RAZR i, RAZR HD added to Motorola’s bootloader unlock program
- Report: Google and LG to jointly announce next Nexus device at end of month
- Verizon announces Ice Cream Sandwich update for Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7
- Open webOS port finds its way to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus
- HTC One X+ up for pre-order through Expansys USA, pricing TBA
- New LG Nexus rumors seem to have some sturdy legs
- Google Play Music Flash Sale brings top albums for $3
- Pinterest update brings bigger images, easier pinning from the web, and more
- Friendcaster update brings video posting to groups, profiles, and events
- Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Impressions [Forum Talk]
- Samsung Galaxy Note 2 update brings awesome multi-window feature
- Motorola wins decision against Microsoft in Germany for at least one patent
- Android Overload: Apple vs Samsung Jury Foreman Speaks Out, Moto RAZR i Smokes RAZR M In Battery Life, and More
- Here’s A Firsthand Account of Google’s LG Optimus G Nexus [Rumors]
| Android 4.2 rumors heat up, already running on Motorola devices? Posted: 05 Oct 2012 03:21 PM PDT
Some new rumors have surfaced pertaining to the next build of Google’s mobile OS, Android 4.2 in relation to both new features and devices possibly running the new version of Jelly Bean. In terms of what we can expect from Android 4.2, Android and Me has heard from inside sources to expect enhancements to Google Now, battery improvements thanks to something dubbed Project Roadrunner (think Project Butter), and a new version of Google Play in addition to an updated video player. On the hardware front, Android Police has done some sleuthing to discover a few mystery devices from Motorola that could already be running Android 4.2. One, a phone, is cleverly codenamed the Occam, a reference to Occam’s Razor, which suggests the phone may be a Nexus-branded RAZR variant. A tablet codenamed Manta (manta ray, in the style of the stingray and wingray codenames of previous Moto tablets) also seems to be running the new OS. For now all is rumor and conjecture, and it still looks like LG will be the first to launch a new Nexus device, unless of course Google surprises us with a new lineup of hardware from multiple manufacturers (as other rumors suggest). According to the latest reports, we’ll know by the end of the month.
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| RAZR i, RAZR HD added to Motorola’s bootloader unlock program Posted: 05 Oct 2012 01:23 PM PDT
Motorola has added two new handsets to its bootloader unlock program in the form of the global RAZR HD and Intel-powered RAZR i. This covers RAZR HD handsets in Europe, Australia, South America, and the Canadian cariant on Rogers and the RAZR i in all regions. The bootloader unlock program offers a path to modifying the software of these Motorola phones without putting it on consumers to purchase an unlocked “developer edition” of the handsets, as will be the case in the US for the Droid RAZR HD.
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| Report: Google and LG to jointly announce next Nexus device at end of month Posted: 05 Oct 2012 12:48 PM PDT
After new rumors surfaced today all but solidifying the details of the next Nexus device to be launched jointly by Google and LG, CNET is reporting that we can expect an announcement at the end of the month. The new wrinkle follows suit with what we have been hearing. The phone is rumored to launch on the retail level during mid-November, which times well with a late October unveiling. While many expect the phone to be called the LG Optimus Nexus, the final name has yet to be decided. As we learned earlier, the device should launch as a modified version of LG’s flagship Optimus G handset running a stock version of the latest version of Android. [via CNET]
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| Verizon announces Ice Cream Sandwich update for Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 Posted: 05 Oct 2012 12:23 PM PDT
Good news for owners of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 on Verizon’s network: the update to Ice Cream Sandwich has been approved and is ready to roll out to the slate. Users can expect Android 4.0.4 for the Galaxy Tab 7.7 to bring such features as multi-tasking and facial unlock as well as other enhancements in software version i815.LP10. The official changelog has been posted to VZW’s support site, which lists the update at a sizeable 289MB. You might want to get connected to a WiFi network before downloading. The rollout should begin shortly. [Verizon via TalkAndroid]
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| Open webOS port finds its way to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus Posted: 05 Oct 2012 11:58 AM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus was always intended to be a prime developing platform for the Android operating system, but who would have guessed that Palm’s webOS (by way of HP) would find new life on the handset? After open sourcing the operating system (and subsequently changing its name to Open webOS), the platform has been finding a home on several Android devices, including the ASUS Transformer Prime. Now a version is available for the Ice Cream Sandwich flagship Galaxy Nexus. Installing the build isn’t necessarily an easy task, and can only be accomplished after compiling code available via XDA forums. Otherwise, we’re sure there is still plenty of work to be done to get the build working up to snuff. Is this sounds like sort of high-level tinkering for you, head over to the source below. If not, it’s still a rather intriguing project to keep an eye on.
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| HTC One X+ up for pre-order through Expansys USA, pricing TBA Posted: 05 Oct 2012 11:28 AM PDT
Expansys USA has the HTC One X+ up for pre-order, but if you are looking to reserve the updated version of the highly-regarded HTC flagship you’ll have to do so without knowledge of final pricing or release date. The One X+ features an upgraded processor and bigger battery for even better performance than the original, as well as all the enhancements of HTC Sense 4+. Pre-ordering through Expansys guarantees you will be among the first to get your hands on the unlocked version of the phone, but it will come at a higher cost than picking the phone up via a mobile provider. That pricing, however, is TBA. [via Expansys]
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| New LG Nexus rumors seem to have some sturdy legs Posted: 05 Oct 2012 08:38 AM PDT We’ve been trying to figure out who, exactly, is the front-runner to make the next Nexus phone. Everything has been rumored — from Samsung continuing its phone streak to a whole revamping of the Nexus program that would give any OEM a chance to make a Nexus device.
But Paul from Modaco seems to have reason to believe that LG will definitely be coming out with a Nexus phone. The latest rumor apparently comes from more than one source, and considering Paul’s trustworthiness and his track record there’s little reason to doubt him. His ear to the street tells him that the following device is to be expected:
A few sore spots in that list include the exclusion of a microSD card slot (not again!) and only up to 16GB of internal storage (again, not again!) Beyond that, the device seems to fit that mold Google is rumored to be forcing on those who want to make a Nexus device. Its specs are certainly nothing to sneeze at as this thing closely resembles LG’s Optimus G. Paul’s source says the device doesn’t look quite like the Optimus G, however. He also couldn’t confirm whether or not LG was going to be the sole Nexus OEM. Launch is apparently targeted for mid-November, and that would put it almost exactly one year since the Galaxy Nexus launched in Europe. The timing is right, the details seem plausible, and the source is credible — what say you on this one, folks?
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| Google Play Music Flash Sale brings top albums for $3 Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:57 AM PDT
Google Play is having a flash sale on music albums, which means you’ll need to act fast before you miss out. This sale includes top full albums from the likes of Lil Wayne, Nelly Furtado, Rihanna, Guns N Roses, Kanye West, Radiohead and more for just $3. Personally I’m going to support the greatest band in late night (The Roots, FYI) and introduce myself to the world of Radiohead. There’s something here for everyone so get over to the Google Play Store and get your wallets out before these return to their usual prices.
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| Pinterest update brings bigger images, easier pinning from the web, and more Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:32 AM PDT
Pinterest for Android has been a very great experience for many, and it’s only getting better today. A new update brings some great new changes, including tall images being bigger and easier to see, pinning things from the web being easier to do, and the ability to see where a pin has been repinned. More small changes have been made to round out the experience, but that’s about the extent of it. Perhaps I’ll actually try the service out again — let’s just hope my account doesn’t get hijacked this time. You’ll no doubt want to grab the 4MB app update from the Play Store as soon as possible.
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| Friendcaster update brings video posting to groups, profiles, and events Posted: 05 Oct 2012 06:54 AM PDT
While we await an upgrade to the official Facebook upgrade that should improve the experience 10 fold, OneLouder-developed alternative Friendcaster has gotten itself a great new upgrade in the Play Store. One of the biggest changes is the ability to post videos to groups, profiles, and event pages. They’ve also streamlined the photo and video upload dialogs, disabled the “save news feed position” option by default, updated the Facebook Chat API for changes to private messaging threads, fixed the bug that caused users to view the wrong photo from the news feed, and more. Not a bad update at all, I’d say, and it’s awaiting you in the Google Play Store.
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| Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Impressions [Forum Talk] Posted: 05 Oct 2012 06:47 AM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is out in the UK and much of our beyond-the-pond readership has finally gotten their hands on it. While us American folks aren’t yet capable of buying this thing outside of important unlocked options, our UK counterparts are holding us down with some early impressions over at AndroidForums.com. Here are just a few of the discussions going on over there:
And many more great discussions are taking place at the greatest Android forum in the lands. Sign in and partake in all the fun, and if you don’t have an account then now’s as good a time as any to make one and be part of a great, friendly community. Let us know in the comments section below how things are going with your new 5.5 inch wonder.
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| Samsung Galaxy Note 2 update brings awesome multi-window feature Posted: 05 Oct 2012 05:51 AM PDT Samsung was supposed to launch the Galaxy Note 2 with a great little feature called multi-window, but the feature wasn’t quite ready for consumption the moment the device went on sale. It’s only been a short couple of days, though, and they’ve delivered an upgrade to bring us the functionality in timely fashion.
Multi-window allows you to use two different apps at the same time. Think of it as rudimentary desktop multi-tasking, except on this awesome, gigantic phone. The screen is certainly big enough for such a feature, and it actually does work pretty well. We still aren’t sure whether or not this feature can be used with apps from the Play Store but we’re working to find out. In the meantime, you can see how multi-window works in the video above. Fast forward to 2:04 and tell me with a straight face that isn’t one killer feature that you’d love to have. If you have an unlocked Galaxy Note 2 you should be seeing a notification letting you know an update is available any moment now. [via SamMobile] [Update]: once again, a video we embed from YouTube has been removed; talk about bad luck. We’re hot on the trail for another one.
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| Motorola wins decision against Microsoft in Germany for at least one patent Posted: 05 Oct 2012 05:03 AM PDT Motorola hasn’t exactly fared well against Microsoft in Germany in these patent wars, but it has won at least one decision against the Seattle-based company. German courts ruled that Motorola didn’t infringe on a certain Microsoft patent that we are still trying to identify, and Motorola won’t be faced with any injunction woes for the patent in question Motorola has already been subject to two injunctions in the country, with a third injunction being prepared. It’s good for Motorola which quickly seems to be finding itself in hot water after deciding to fight this Microsoft thing instead of settling like many others. Motorola has elected to sue Microsoft for patents of its own in the region, though the company has faced very limited success in comparison to its foe. Motorola has also been battling Microsoft here on both their home turfs, but neither has been able to gain much traction in the way of any juicy injunction action.
It would appear that Motorola is seeking a cross-licensing deal with Microsoft instead of having to be subject to the unfortunate “Android fee” that many OEMs have to pay for each Android device sold, but Microsoft isn’t budging an inch. It isn’t clear whether or not Motorola needs more firepower or if its patents simply don’t hold much weight. Either way, the company was long overdue for even just a sliver of good news and this is as good as it’ll get for now. We’ll see how long this strategy can hold up. [via WSJ]
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| Posted: 05 Oct 2012 01:19 AM PDT
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| Here’s A Firsthand Account of Google’s LG Optimus G Nexus [Rumors] Posted: 05 Oct 2012 01:09 AM PDT
By now, you know the drill — everything discussed in the post is in no way based on factual or tangible evidence of any kind. It’s all hearsay. All rumor mill. But still kinda fun. Now that we got that out of the way, it’s time for some late-night Android gossip. Yesterday we told you guys about some alleged “insider information” regarding Google’s plans on handling Nexus devices from here on out. Supposedly, big G will allow for multiple Nexus devices, as long as they abide by Google’s “Nexus commandments.” It was also whispered that LG will be first out the gate with a Google flagship device they’re calling the LG Optimus G Nexus (terrible name, we know). This will essentially be a rebranded LG Optimus G, only with stock Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and direct updates straight from the mother ship. Today, we’re hearing some more “leaked” details on LG and Google’s joint device, making it sound just a little more believable than before. Taylor at Android and Me has once again nabbed the exclusive, receiving a sworn testimony from someone who was able to get a little hands-on time with the device. Here’s his full account:
When it comes to the camera on the device, some of you might be disappointed to know that a picture was taken with the device, but the EXIF data revealed it was only an 8MP photo. Keep in mind the LG Optimus G comes in 2 varieties, one featuring an 8MP shooter, the other with a 13MP one. It looks like Google opted for the lesser one. But don’t fret, as long as Google/LG gets the sensor tech nailed down, 8MP is fine enough for me. So what do you guys think of this newly “leaked” information, bogus? Are you excited about what’s to come? I’ve played with more than a few LG devices, and I must say they have a great build quality to them (we just know LG’s reputation when it comes to firmware updates). Once again, we wont have to wait much longer to find out what Google has in store for the world and the next revolutionary Nexus.
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