Friday, November 16, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority

Chameleon Launcher price cut to $3.99

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 02:29 AM PST

chameleon sale

Chameleon Launcher has come a long way since it first started its Kickstarter campaign. After it's successful introduction, it underwent a lengthy beta phase that caused a fair amount of hype in the Android community. The one thing that held back the launcher was it’s price tag, which was a little too hefty right out of the gate. At $10, most people wouldn't pay that much just to try out a launcher that they might not even like.

Chameleon Launcher is a launcher that bases its UI around widgets. It is an extremely unique way of using Android and actually a refreshing take on Android's user experience. With the price now down at $3.99, Chameleon might become an attractive to far more consumers. Now, it’s in the realm of an impulse buy.

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Popular Science gives Google Now the “Innovation of the Year” award

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 02:06 AM PST

Popular Science, which was launched in 1872 according to Wikipedia, has given their “Innovation of the Year” award to Google Now. Not only that, they called Apple’s Siri “outdated by comparison”. So what is Google Now and why is it getting so much praise?

Let’s start by talking about Siri, which Apple unveiled to the world when they launched the iPhone 4S in late 2011. Siri was supposed to be a personal assistant you could give commands to and also ask it some questions. The thing is, when the iPhone 4S launched, Apple wasn’t ready. Siri was often unavailable, and more often than not it completely failed to recognize what it is you said.

A little over half a year later, in June of this year, Google showed off Google Now. Unlike Siri, which was billed as a service you would talk to and then it would respond, Google made Google Now “smart” by allowing it to keep on top of things for you in the background. So say you just landed at an airport. If you booked a hotel and received a confirmation via Gmail, Google will be smart enough to give you directions to that hotel as soon as you turn on your phone. You literally don’t have to do anything. And if you’re a sports fan, just look up your favorite team once, then any time they’re playing a game, you’ll have their scores right in front of you.

What’s next for Google Now? That’s hard to say, but it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the future of computing is about voice. Instead of tapping on a piece of glass that’s getting larger and larger with each passing year, Google thinks we’re going to wear our next computer, à la Google Glass.

Can Apple make Siri as good as Google Now? Probably not. Google’s expertise is in data and online services. Apple meanwhile, they sure do know how to make pretty objects and easy to use software, but they’ve yet to prove themselves in the cloud arena.

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Google and Dish ponder new wireless service

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 02:05 AM PST

google-fiber

How do you like the idea of getting your Internet and cellular wireless service from Google? The search engine giant is apparently looking to branch out yet again and talks have been held with satellite TV provider Dish Network. It's in the very early stages right now, but it's thought Dish is looking for a partner to build a U.S. wireless network with and Google might be a good fit.

Google certainly seems to be interested in getting a better grasp on the infrastructure of the web. The company already laid fiber-optic cable to many homes in Kansas City and is offering them high-speed Internet under the Google Fiber banner. Google also bid on wireless spectrum back in 2008 but lost out to Verizon and AT&T.

Dish has already acquired some wireless spectrum and wants to complement the satellite TV business with a good wireless network, although it would make more sense to partner with a company that has wireless towers and some additional infrastructure already in place, like one of the major carriers.

Google already has a relationship with Dish and the satellite TV provider offers enhanced integration for Google TV. The idea that they might take the relationship to the next level is at the speculation stage right now and even if something does go ahead it will be years before we see a wireless network up and running across the country.

Does it make sense for Google? Well, controlling that pipe to the Internet means potentially lifting restrictions and enabling people to use more Google services and use them for longer. Just think you could access your Gmail on a Google smartphone via a Google network. Who likes that idea?

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Sources say Samsung will show off a 4.99 inch 1080p AMOLED screen at CES 2013

Posted: 16 Nov 2012 12:57 AM PST

It’s hard to believe, but the Consumer Electronics Show is less than two months away. For those unfamiliar with CES, it’s basically the Superbowl or World Cup of trade shows. Anything and everything that runs on electricity will be at this event. As a journalist, you’re not expected to sleep for 72 hours, because if you do you’re going to miss something.

Enough insider baseball though, let’s get to today’s news: According to the Korean website Asiae, Samsung is going to show off a 4.99 inch AMOLED panel that pushes 1920 x 1280 pixels at this upcoming CES. They also say that this screen will be inside the Galaxy S IV, but they don’t have any information about when it’s going to hit the market.

Is it weird that Samsung is first going to show off a screen, and then several months later announce a smartphone that uses said screen? Not really. This is actually a fairly common practice. Back in October 2011, Samsung demoed a 10.1 inch 2560 x 1600 pixel LCD. When did we finally see it inside an actual product? Earlier this month with the Nexus 10.

Why is Samsung going 1080p just one year after introducing the 720p Galaxy S III? Easy, because that’s what everyone else is doing. HTC’s 1080p smartphone is going to hit the market in a week. Sony is expected to launch a 1080p smartphone in January. Hell, even ZTE is rumored to be releasing a “high end” 1080p device at some point in 2013. In this industry, if you don’t keep up, you’re toast.

But seriously, can human eyes tell the difference between 720p displays and 1080p displays? The folks at Gizmodo tried to answer this very question, and their conclusion is that it depends. Some people can’t tell that they’re looking at a sharper display, some people can.

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Vodafone’s Red Hot service allows you to rent a new phone every 12 months

Posted: 15 Nov 2012 04:02 PM PST

When it comes to American phone carriers, upgrades and contracts are a complete nightmare. For most people in the U.S., when you buy a phone you must wait 2 years before you can buy another. This is of course completely illogical because at the rate technology is currently progressing, your Android phone is out of date if you've had it longer than 2 months. At the same time, these carriers are completely eliminating unlimited contracts and moving to only tiered plans.

Vodafone on the other hand, is taking an entirely different approach. Instead of purchasing a phone at discounted pricing and being locked into that phone for two years, you can simply rent it. With Vodafone's Red Hot service, you simply pay a little for the phone, and then a year later, you give it back and get a new one. With this system you get a new phone every year while still maintaining a generally cheap phone payment.

The only aspect of this plan that might not sit well with customers is that you actually pay monthly for the hardware. As an example, the Galaxy S3 is currently priced at £47 per month under this plan, with the fee including unlimited voice minutes and text messages and 2GB of data. Still, on the long run, getting such a deal might be more admirable than paying significantly more up front.

UK Android handset buyers, will you sign up for Vodafone’s Red Hot plan?

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Galaxy S2 Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update getting closer, as I9100XXLSJ firmware leaks

Posted: 15 Nov 2012 03:36 PM PST

After showing you a new Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean leak for the Galaxy S3, which happens to bring various Galaxy Note 2 apps to the handset, multi-window view included, it's now time to look at a similar leak for the older Galaxy S2.

Unlike its successor that has recently started receiving the Jelly Bean update, the Galaxy S2 is still waiting for Samsung to roll out its own Jelly Bean version. Those of you that still rely on the Galaxy S2 for daily smartphone operations and don't want to wait for the official Jelly Bean upgrade or don't want to install other Jelly Bean-based custom ROMs can try out test firmware version I9100XXLSJ that has just been leaked.

Sam Mobile reports that the Android 4.1.2 firmware for the Galaxy S2 is "the first ever" such leak for the handset, and comes from xda-developers forum member izap.

Like always, make sure you follow the appropriate steps when installing custom software on your handset and remember that you're the only person responsible for whatever happens with your device during the process and that we'll never encourage you to install test firmware versions on your devices.

A release date for the Galaxy S2 Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update is not yet available, although we expect Samsung to roll it out by the end of the year.

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Leaked Sprint Black Friday ad reveals free Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Victory promotions

Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:57 PM PST

As we get closer to Black Friday, more and more companies leak some, if not all, their special sales for November 23, with plenty of them listing a variety of electronic devices, Android smartphones and tablets included.

Today we're looking at new leaked Sprint Black Friday ad that reveals the carrier will offer buyers two Galaxy deals, the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy Victory, which will both be available to interested buyers free of charge, when purchased with a new two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate.

If that's not enough, Sprint will also sell you a $49.99 Galaxy S3 on the same day, provided that you still ink that required two-year agreement.

Are you ready to decide what Android devices to buy next Friday?

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Android dominates in China with 90.1% market share

Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:38 PM PST

Android is on the rise in China. While the smartphone market in the country is currently under 20% of total mobile devices as of earlier this year, smartphones are certainly a fast-growing segment. In the third quarter of 2012, Android smartphones have accounted for 90.1% of the market, which includes smartphone sales and ownership.

A few takeaways:

  • The popularity of Android is due to its low average cost.
  • The smartphone market has grown almost 200% since 2011.
  • 500 million smartphones are expected to be in the market by end 2013.

This is certainly amazing growth for the platform in the region. In the previous quarter, Android’s market share was 82.8%, and 76.7% before that. In the same quarter last year, Android’s market share was just at 58.2%.

This growth comes at the expense of other platforms, like Symbian, which has fallen from 23.3% in the third quarter of 2012 to just 2.4% in Q3 2012.

This data comes from Beijing-based Analysis International, which keeps track of sales statistics in the country. What’s even more interesting at this point is that the figures don’t take into account yet the fake brand or knock-off smartphones sold.

According to analysis, cost is one big factor that has driven up the market share of Android among the Chinese. Apple’s iOS may have had some headway in the market, although average hardware cost may have been a barrier to ownership for Chinese smartphone users. Analysis International notes that Android devices cost an average of 1,393 yuan (US$ 223), while the iPhone costs an average of 4,523 yuan (US$ 726), a threefold increase in average cost.

Meanwhile, in terms of overall market, the Chinese smartphone market is likewise poised to grow. 2012 has seen a 199% growth in the market so far. By end of 2013, about half a billion Chinese users are expected to own smartphones. Putting the numbers together — the market growth, as well as Android’s market share — that’s certainly a lot of Android smartphones to be sold between now and that time.

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How many Samsung execs does it take to talk war against Apple? ‘About 200.’

Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:23 PM PST

The war on Apple is a serious matter for Samsung, which is fighting the iPhone maker in a variety of patent-based battles in multiple markets.

While the company has scored some recent victories against Apple in the UK, where the latter has been ordered to pay all of Samsung's legal fees after disregarding the courts instructions related to a certain apology to the South Korean company, it's still Apple that won the most favorable rulings so far, including the late-August $1.05 billion verdict.

Samsung is yet to pay any damages to Apple, as we're looking at more legal proceedings scheduled for December in this first U.S. case between the two. But Apple is apparently a problem for Samsung, one that will be discussed at an upcoming Samsung internal event.

According to South Korean publication Chosunilbo, the company has scheduled a top executives meeting for December 17-18, when "about 200 chiefs of overseas branches" will meet to talk strategy related to "the global recession" but also about "an intensifying standoff with rival Apple."

While in previous years, the annual global strategy meeting "often set business goals for the following year," now the 200 execs will talk "new guidelines for the tech giant's worldwide sales network," with Apple probably coming up quite a few times considering that the two giants have an undisputed monopoly on smartphone profits.

As for the legal matters between them, just a few days ago we heard that Samsung does not want to settle with Apple, like HTC did, and that it prefers to wage that war in courts. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see what these 200 execs will decide in mid-December, especially considering that the upcoming Apple-Samsung hearing in the U.S. will take place on December 6.

While we wait, we can only point you to the most recent Apple vs Samsung spoof video and serve the obvious joke: how many Samsung execs does it take to talk war against Samsung? "About 200."

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HTC EVO 4G LTE may be getting update to Jelly Bean today

Posted: 15 Nov 2012 02:02 PM PST

While for now it is just a rumor, leaked documents would seem to point to the HTC EVO 4G LTE getting an over the air update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean sometime today.

If the rumors are true, the OTA update would bring the HTC EVO 4G LTE’s firmware version to 3.15.651.11, and the Android version to 4.1.1. Another later apparent leak stated that the update will bring improvements to Wi-Fi Authentication and Calendar Reminders, as well as fixing issues with personalized ringtones and hyperlink routing from the Calendar to the Phone app.

These rumors were sparked by the image below which, if not fake, would indicate a fairly slow planned rollout of the OTA update between now and November 27.

There’s only one problem. The same leak that mentioned the other software updates also mentioned Ice Cream Sandwich, not Jelly Bean. We were left to wonder if the leaked image was wrong, or if it was a copy / paste mistake. Calls to Sprint technical support, however, seemed to confirm that a Jelly Bean update is on the way.

Are you a owner of the HTC EVO 4G LTE? If you’ve received an update to Jelly Bean, please let us know in the comments below.

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