Thursday, October 11, 2012

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

OTA updates hit the Samsung Epic 4G Touch and ZTE Fury

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:45 PM PDT

Most Android users know there is nothing better than a nice software update. For some, OTA updates are like Santa coming to your house, but with just one present. Luckily Sprint is rolling out small updates for both the Samsung Epic 4G Touch, and the ZTE Fury.

Starting off with the Epic 4G Touch, the software has been updated to version S:D710.10S.FI27 which carries a few fixes and bug tweaks. There is nothing major, but here is what you should notice:

- Ability to edit internal out of office message on Email 

- VPN access over 3G fix

- MMS send/receive over 3G fix 

And to tag along, the ZTE Fury is getting some new software also. Upon installation, you will see that it’s version N850V1.0.0B14 in the phone’s settings, and it provides only a few tweaks just like the Epic 4G Touch update. The fixes include:

- Speaker phone improvements 

- Battery consumption improvements

- Updated Network Option settings

Both of these updates will be OTA (Over the Air), meaning a notification will pop-up telling you when you can install the newest software. So far we do know that both the phone software updates will be “rolling out in stages”, so it could be a few days before everyone receives the latest version. Hopefully users get it quick, and utilize the improvements they rightly deserve.

Sources: Sprint Community: Samsung Epic 4G Touch Update Log, Sprint Community: ZTE Fury Update Log

Firefox for Android gets update to include new Reader Mode, performance and security enhancements

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 03:15 PM PDT

Long-time Firefox users who enjoy both the desktop and mobile versions will be pleased to know Mozilla is working to keep the mobile version’s updates consistent with the desktop version. Mozilla was not the fastest developer in bringing their web browser to Android devices, but now that they have it available, they certainly seem to be moving ahead at full speed in supporting it and trying to keep it up-to-date. Yesterday they released an update to bring it up to version 16, which puts it slightly ahead of the desktop version which saw version 16 released today and updates have not yet rolled out to all users.

Headlining the new features in this update is a new “Reader Mode” that promises to improve readability by transforming cluttered web pages to make them easier to read, a feature that sounds similar to Evernote’s Clearly add-on. A new “share” feature enables a simple click to be used to sync tabs between devices and the desktop version of Firefox for users who enable the “Firefox Sync” option. Mozilla indicates they have addressed a security hole involving tel: URLs that could wipe a user’s phone, included improvements related to JavaScript, and addressed some CSS3 issues.

Whether Firefox can catch up to some of the other popular mobile browsers remains to be seen, but improvements like this should help close the gap. The size of the app, at 19MB, will not help though, especially for users with memory strapped devices.

Use one of the download links below to check out the latest version of Firefox for Android.

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Google Play Download Link

Google Play Magazines adds content for Australia, improvements for all

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:54 PM PDT

As part of Google’s improvements to the Google Play store during 2012, this past summer they announced the addition of magazines and TV shows. The announcement was made in conjunction with Google I/O and the Google Nexus 7 tablet release. Today Google released an update to the app making it available for users in Australia. Along with the new content, Google also indicates general improvements for all users have been included in this latest update, including performance improvements in page flipping and rendering.

If you are interested in upgrading or grabbing the Google Play Magazines app and giving it a try, hit one of the download links below.

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Google Play Download Link

Google Developer Team Releases Android 4.1.2 Factory Images For The Nexus 7 Tablet & Galaxy Nexus Smartphone

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:14 PM PDT

 

Excellent news for unlocked Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7 owners like myself who enjoy the pleasures of fiddling with those respective devices. The Google Development team has officially released the official Android 4.1.2 build JZO54K factory images for the unlocked Galaxy Nexus ("takju") and the Nexus 7, respectively. This means that should you happen to take your general tomfoolery too far and create an “oopsies”, you’ll be able to restore the device back to normal as if nothing ever happened. And who wouldn’t want the ability to bring their device back to its original state?

Full details and links to the factory images are available once you hit the source link below.

source: Google Developers

LG Nexus 4 could launch globally on October 29

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 12:14 PM PDT

We saw the name LG Nexus 4 in a leaked Carphone Warehouse inventory page, and it just popped up again in a French newspaper called Le Figaro. The name really isn’t the issue because they claim to have a global launch date of October 29 with it eventually landing in France in December on the SFR network.

They seem to refer to the announcement and launch date as the same, which points to the AllThingsD Conference that was rumored before. It could also mean that it won’t actually be available that day, but you will have the ability to pre-order one much like how things went with the Nexus 7. Either way, I fully expect it to be available in the Google Play Store whenever it’s actually launched just like the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7.

Stay tuned because you just never know when the next piece of the puzzle will be revealed.

source: Le Figaro
via: Android Central

Newest CyanogenMod 10 Nightly ROM released, brings Android 4.1.2

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 11:59 AM PDT

For those of you that roll with a custom CyanogenMod 10 (CM10) AOSP ROM, today’s Nightly release (Oct. 10) comes with a slew of merged updates, including bringing your device up to Android 4.1.2. Those fine folks over at CyanogenMod sure do work quickly. If you remember, it was just yesterday that 4.1.2 was released to AOSP and began rolling out to the Nexus 7 via OTA.

Unfortunately we were only hit with the requisite "improves performance and stability and fixes bugs” change log  from Google, and pouring through all that developer jargon in the official commit logs can be daunting in figuring out what has been changed or updated. Additionally, it’s still a little early to gain any takeaways from real-world testing of 4.1.2. However, based on a few lines in the commit logs we can see that one particular bug in 4.1.1 with “failing to connect to WPA enterprise wireless” has been addressed in 4.1.2. There also seems to be a few mentions of the browser, audio, camera, the kernel itself, and a slew of other updates.

If you’re on a recent CM10 release (within the past week), you can grab today’s release containing 4.1.2 from right there within your ROM by navigating to the CM Updater (Settings > About Phone > CyanogenMod updates). Otherwise you can grab it from your favorite source. If you’re new to the CM10 custom ROM scene and like what you hear, you can navigate to their site to read up on their AOSP custom ROMs for a multitude of devices.

CyanogenMod

Angry Birds update comes with 15 levels inspired by Bad Piggies

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 11:43 AM PDT

The most recent Angry Birds update brings a connection to their recent spinoff, Bad Piggies. What better way to promote the new game than by incorporating it into the game that started it all. This update gives you 15 pig themed levels and 15 Surf ‘n Turf levels. There are also some new power-ups such as Super Seeds, the Almighty Sling King and Birdquake. These are in-app purchases so be prepared to pay before dropping a Birdquake. It will interesting to see if Rovio will also incorporate some Star Wars themed levels in future Angry Birds updates before the release of that game. Use the Play Store link or QR code to download the update.

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Play Store Download Link

Microsoft to release Office 2013 for mobile platforms, including Android, in March 2013

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 10:00 AM PDT

Speaking in the Czech Republic today at a press event, Microsoft product manager Petr Bobek revealed a native version of Office 2013 for Android will be released in March 2013. Reporters at the event indicate they were provided with a press release from Microsoft’s Czech Republic team that seems to confirm Mr. Bobek’s claim. According to the release, Microsoft will be releasing versions of Office 2013 for Android along with native apps for iOS, Windows Phone, Windows RT, Mac OS, and Symbian. A new version of Microsoft’s Office Web Apps is also in the works.

The timeline set forth in the press release indicates Office 2013 will be available starting in December 2012 for business customers with a consumer release scheduled for February 2013. That will be followed by availability of the mobile versions in March 2013 and updates to the Office 365 application. A U.S. representative for Microsoft confirmed versions of Office will be available for Windows, Android, and iOS devices, but retail availability has not been announced.

source: The Verge

Featured Play Store Newbie: Montessori ABC Game For Kids [Education]

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 08:12 AM PDT

One of the best things to come out of the smartphone/tablet boom is there are a lot of educational apps for kids. It’s amazing how much further ahead my son is than I was at his age. We all want our children to read ASAP, but they need to learn the letters first. Montessori ABC Game For Kids is a new app for toddlers and pre-schoolers that will help them learn the letters, the sounds of each letter, and words that start with each letter.

What makes any education app successful is the combination of education and fun. If the app can give your child entertainment, then he or she will be eager to learn. Montessori ABC makes things interactive with an alphabet game through beautiful flash cards. Your child will tap images and blinking areas to see the spelling of the words as well as hear the sound each letter makes in a word. Every time a letter or object is touched, a cute animated video will appear which will continue to encourage them to keep playing.

Features:

  • Interactive mode of learning alphabet;
  • 100+ amusing animations;
  • Pleasant melodies;
  • Child-friendly colorful graphics;
  • Cute characters with sound accompaniment;
  • A new instrumental version of their favorite ABC chant;

As a result of using Montessori ABC Game for kids your kids will

  • Learn the letters of the alphabet;
  • Learn the sound each letter makes;
  • Remember the words that start with a corresponding letter;
  • Recognize the way the words are written;
  • Start reading;
  • Have fun!

Benefits from using Montessori ABC Game for kids

  • Kids' fine motor skills develop as they tap the images and letters of the alphabet;
  • Children's memory improves when kids revise letters;
  • Attention span increases as kids stay concentrated on the task;
  • Kids also learn to associate the way the letters and words are pronounced with the way they get written;
  • Kids start reading!

Features appreciated by parents

  • Parents Area specially designed to monitor kid's progress;
  • A variety of melodies in Kids ABC Letters app (forget about a constantly recurring tune that sounds like a stuck record!);
  • Graphics quality;
  • An independent way kids can use Kids ABC Letters app;
  • They way we care about kids' privacy: we don't have any ads or integration with social networks;

Montessori ABC Game for kids costs $1.99 and is recommended for kids over 2 years old. Check out the demo video below and hit one of the download links to get started. Let us know what you think.

 

Montessori_ABC_Game_For_Kids_01 Montessori_ABC_Game_For_Kids_02 Montessori_ABC_Game_For_Kids_03 Montessori_ABC_Game_For_Kids_04 Montessori_ABC_Game_For_Kids_Splash_Banner

 

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Play Store Download Link

Samsung Galaxy S III Mini details get leaked, full specs revealed

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 08:04 AM PDT

It seems near impossible for a company to have an official announcement these days without details of said announcement getting leaked ahead of time. Coincidence or creative marketing? In this day and age of viral marketing, I wouldn’t put it past companies to go with the latter. And let’s face it, we love it regardless. The latest in the line of leaks is in regards to the “mini” Galaxy S III (GT-I8190) that was just confirmed by Samsung late last night. A lot has been revealed today courtesy of a German website about what exactly that mini version of the Galaxy S III will encompass ahead of its official reveal on October 11th in Germany.

If today’s leak is to be trusted, here’s what we’re looking at under the hood for Samsung’s mini version of its best seller:

 

  • 4-inch WVGA 800 x 480 Super AMOLED display
  • 1GHz dual-core STE U8420 processor
  • 5-megapixel rear camera
  • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Samsung’s own TouchWiz sitting atop
  • 1GB of RAM coupled with 16GB of storage with a micro SD slot (up to 32GB)

Not exactly the behemoth only shrunken down to size that we had hoped for, but it fits well into the 4-inch device category. Other goodies include Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB, NFC, and Android Beam. While the German site did admit that all of those specs may not be 100% accurate, they do feel confident that the device will run €399 ($513) off contract. As with all leaks, this has to be taken with a grain of salt but it gives us all something to ponder until the official reveal tomorrow. Does a mini, tamed version of the Galaxy S III appeal to anyone? Let us know.

 

source:  SlashGear
Posted by at 5:49 AM

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