Saturday, December 1, 2012

Android Central

Android Central

Nexus 7 docking station coming in "early December"

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 03:25 PM PST

Nexus 7

We asked on episode 117 of the Android Central Podcast about when we would see a docking station for the Nexus 7.  An astute listener who is also one of those "people close to the matter" decided to toss us a bone and directed us to the Japanese ASUS site which has what appears to be a landscape audio dock for the 7-inch wonder coming at the beginning of December.

There's not a lot of info, but it says we can use the USB port, and it has a 3.5mm audio output -- which can only mean it's using the pogo pins for power and audio transmission. It will sell for 3,480 Japanese Yen (about $41 USD) sometime in early December.

A quick look at my calendar tells me it's almost early December now, so I'm sharpening my credit card. You can bet we'll be trying to get at least one of these when they are available. Hit the link below to see for yourself, and follow the break for the translated version of the website entry.

Source: ASUS Japan; Thanks, Anon!

read more

Falcon Pro for Twitter exits beta, now available from Google Play

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 02:49 PM PST

Android Central

Falcon Pro (Beta) was my weekly app pick last week, and for good reason. Twitter clients aren't in short supply, but with Twitter's new rules, some of the better ones seen recently are starting to wind down development before being fully complete. Not so with Falcon Pro though, as work is now complete, the beta process is over and the app is available for download from the Google Play Store. 

The key differences between the finished article and the beta version will be features. In the beta, several of the key functionalities such as lists and search were disabled. Naturally, those are now turned on, and a couple of other goodies are packed in there too. One such addition is Tweetmarker support. This comes with a slight warning that it slows down refresh a little, but it's a nice addition to have all the same. 

And, let's not forget the UI. Falcon Pro is great to look at, scrolling is smooth, and the inclusion of an in-app web browser for viewing web links is well executed. We're going to spend a little time with the finished build, so look out for a full review in the coming days. But, if you're eager to take a look, head on over to the Play Store and grab a copy. It is a paid app, and pricing is set at £0.64/$1.03.

How to score an Ingress invite

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 01:59 PM PST

Ingress

Android users everywhere are all talking about Ingress. It's a cool location based MMO sci-fi game where you secure portals to help alter the course of human history. The back story is all at the Niantic Project website, and it's quite the puzzle itself to get it all sorted. The short version -- it's fun, it gets you exploring, and it's addictive.

It's also invite-only for now, and that's always a bummer. There's a couple ways to get an invite. The first way is to sign up for one at the Ingress portal site. They're metering them out, but that's where most people that are playing today got theirs. 

The second way is to jump on Google+ and add these four folks from Niantic to your circles:

Read what they post, because they are the people who can override things and hand out invites -- and they often do. Try to catch their eye with cool artwork or stories with an Ingress theme, and mark your post with the #ingressinvite hashtag, and maybe even mention them so your post gets seen.

Finally, you can get an invite from a friend who has scored a handful from the game. Word is that you can get invites to pass out once you reach a certain level (between 2 and 3) but nobody is 100-percent sure. 

What I am 100-percent sure of is that I don't have any. Instead of pummeling my inbox for one, try the tactics above. It's fun enough to work for.

More in the Ingress forums

AT&T's HTC One VX should finally be available by Dec. 7

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:26 PM PST

HTC One VX

It's tough to sell a smartphone if you're not selling the smartphone. That tongue-twister refers to AT&T's HTC One VX, a mid-level Android smartphone that was supposed to have been released back on Nov. 16. Only, it wasn't. No sign of it on AT&T's website, and stores we've contacted seemed to have never heard of the thing. (We gave them a stern lecture about reading Android Central at least twice a day.)

The details surrounding the absence of the One VX still aren't entirely clear. AT&T plainly said that it was to launch alongside the One X+. One phone made, the other didn't. But an AT&T spokesperson today told us the carrier "expects to be fully stocked in all channels by Dec. 7."

So if after seeing our hands-on with the One VX you can't wait to get yours on one as well, you're going to need a little more patience. And hope this new date plays out.

Keep on top of EA's Daily Deals with a handy homescreen widget

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:21 PM PST

Android Central

Electronic Arts is currently offering up a series of deals every day, funnily enough known as the EA Daily Deals. The offers vary as one would expect, but to help us keep an eye on what's up for grabs each day, EA has released a handy homescreen widget. It basically cycles through the full list of current deals, and when you see one that catches your eye, tapping on it will take you right into the Play Store listing for that app. 

Upon installing and launching, you'll be asked if it's OK to provide EA with a bunch of information about your device and your location. Hopefully, this means the deals you see will actually be available on your device and in your region. Something not always the case with EA games in the past. It isn't compatible with the lockscreen on Android 4.2 though, so it's homescreen only for this one. 

North American's should hit the Google Play link above, and for our International friends, head to the download link below. 

via Droidgamers

Download: EA Daily Deals (International)

Frankie Frost limited-edition Android mini available Dec. 6

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 11:51 AM PST

Frankie Frost Mini

We all love our Android collectibles, and it just wouldn't be the holidays without a properly themed Android mini figurine. The folks over at Dyzplastic have always offered some great designs for every season and occasion, and have a really uniquely designed Android figuring this time around, named Frankie Frost. 

The minis will go on sale December 6 at 11 a.m. EST, and again at 11 p.m. that night. They're $10 each, and there's a limit of two per customer. The figurines are expected to ship out starting December 10, so you should have them in the stockings by Christmas.

Source: Dyzplastic; Dead Zebra Shop

OUYA developer consoles shipping before the end of the year

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 11:26 AM PST

OUYA

Gaming start-up OUYA today announced via its blog that it's planning on getting developer consoles to those who backed it at the developer level on Kickstarter by the end of the year. Dec. 28, in fact, is when OUYA says they'll leave the factory and still have that new-console smell. And apparently these early versions have something special in them -- "you'll know what I mean when you open yours," OUYA's JulesKane wrote. "They're rare drops."

In other news, account activation should happen by Christmas, OUYA says, and the team is still hard at work on the software side. Find the full post at the link below.

Source: OUYA

Zombies, new gameplay, new languages coming to Plague Inc.

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST

Plague Inc

Plague Inc. easily is in the running for my 2012 Android Game of the Year, and it's about to get even better. Developer Ndemic today let loose a blog post detailing some upcoming features in Mutation 5. Try these on for size: Zombies, with "radically different gameplay." New achievements, events and games. New languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French. And further down the road, expect support for Amazon's Kindle tablets.

Ndemic says we should see pics in the next few days, and Android and iOS should get updates together, or pretty close, anyway. If you've yet to play, hit the link above and have fun destroying the world.

Source: Ndemic Creations

Computerworld digs into the saga of ADW.Launcher

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 10:32 AM PST

ADW Launcher

ADW Launcher, once a staple in the Android community, mysteriously stopped being updated some time ago. While updates to Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean started to come out, ADW still looked like something of the Gingerbread generation. Then, all of a sudden, ADW received an update that made it into something more 2012-appropriate.

So what happened that led to such a big gap in development? Wonder no more. Our pal JR Raphael  at ComputerWorld talked with developer Ander Webbs about ADW, 2011 and the crazy ride that led to the eventual updating of the app. Its quite a story, and is worth a read at the source link below.

Source: ComputerWorld

FCC filing points to possible Verizon Galaxy Camera with LTE

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 09:35 AM PST

Android Central

Samsung's Galaxy Camera is the first wirelessly-connected, Android-powered camera to hit the mainstream. But so far it's been limited to 21Mbps HSPA+ "4G" speeds in all territories, even the U.S., where it's sold through AT&T.

That may be about to change if we're to believe a recent FCC filing, which shows a new Galaxy Camera model going by the name EK-GC120, rocking support for Big Red's LTE bands. (Incidentally, it seems there's no support for international GSM bands.)

The images accompanying the filing show a Galaxy Camera-like device that's labeled as such. So that seems pretty conclusive, if you ask us.

No word on other specs, but considering the similarities of design and model number, it's likely that Verizon's model will stick fairly close to the hardware of the international/AT&T Galaxy Camera -- a 16MP sensor with 21X Samsung zoom lens, with 4.8-inch display and TouchWiz'd Android 4.1 running the show.

The only question now is where will they put the logo?

Source: FCC; via: Engadget

Just a couple logos shy of a NASCAR uniform ...

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 09:03 AM PST

Verizon Galaxy Note 2 logo

Plenty more going on in our Verizon Galaxy Note 2 forums.

Sony releases tablet SDK add-on

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 08:31 AM PST

Android Central

Sony has completed its SDK (software development kit) collection with the launch of today's Sony Tablet SDK add-on. The pack allows developers to "make use of the special features included in Sony tablets," the company says. These include the windowed "small apps" found on the Xperia Tablet S, as well as the IR blaster found on the same device, which can be used to interface with TVs.

Code samples and documentation can be found over at the Sony Developer World site.

Sony has yet to see massive success with its Android tablet line-up. But the inclusion of unique features like water resistance and a wedge-shaped design, as well as developer-friendly endeavors like this, could help the company stand out from the crowd.

Interested parties can find more info at the source link.

Source: Sony Mobile Developer World

Jelly Bean nigh for the Droid RAZR HD/MAXX (Update starts next week)

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 08:08 AM PST

Droid RAZR HD/MAXX Jelly Bean update

Verizon's adding the Amazon suite of applications along with Android 4.1 improvements

We've known an Android 4.1 update has been in the works for the Droid RAZR HD (and its beefcake "MAXX" cousin) -- that leaked out at the beginning of the month. Looks like things are cranking up, though, as the update documentation just went live. It's a hefty update -- about 276 megabytes -- but you'll get the early Jelly Bean features (such as Google Now) along with it.

Plus, Verizon's promising better voice and data connectivity, along with some other bugfixes. Also of note is that it's removed the preloaded Color application (which recently was bought by Apple), along with Verizon video, and it's added in the Amazon suite of apps, same as what we've seen on the Droid DNA.

No word on exactly when we can expect the update, so keep an eye out. Update: Verizon now says the update will start next week.

Source: Verizon 1, 2; more: Droid RAZR HD (and MAXX) forums
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

This morning's top Android forum threads (Nov. 30)

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 07:49 AM PST

Ingress app gets an update; come join our Ingress forums!

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 06:25 AM PST

Ingress

Google's semi-secretive game Ingress is still in closed beta, but the numbers are growing every day. And overnight, the Android application got itself a little update. According to the one of the developers, "this fixes some bugs and improves performance."

What it doesn't do is hand out invite codes. While you're waiting, though -- or if you're already part of the Enlightened or the Resistance -- be sure to swing by our newly formed Ingress Forums and say hey. Chances are there are more folks playing in your neck of the woods than you might have thought.

Source: Google+

Android Central 117: Ingress, Nexus and other hard-to-get items

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 04:33 AM PST

Podcast MP3 URL: 
http://traffic.libsyn.com/androidcentral/acpc117.mp3

Thing 1: The Google Play debacle redux

Thing 2: Jelly Beans, leaks, and updates

Thing 3: Other stuff

Xbox Smartglass updated, now compatible with the Nexus 7

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 04:20 AM PST

Android Central

A quick heads up to all the Xbox users out there, that the Xbox Smartglass application has been updated. It's not a big update save for one feature. It now works on the Google Nexus 7 and other 7-inch tablets. This was one of the biggest criticisms of the app when it launched -- or any app that we can't use on the Nexus 7, really -- and while it may have taken a little while, Microsoft has finally rectified the problem.

Aside from that, there's a handful of bug and crash fixes included for anyone who experienced some issues in those areas before. Head on into the Google Play Store and grab yourselves a copy.

HTC Droid DNA source code now available

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 03:07 AM PST

Android Central

Verizon's Droid DNA is one of the hottest Android phones around right now, so developers are surely waiting to get stuck into the device's hardware. To that end -- and because the open-source gods demand it -- HTC has released the kernel source code and other open-source bits for the Droid DNA.

The code, based on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is available on the manufacturer's HTCDev site, and should help custom ROM developers get a better handle on the DNA's beastly hardware, which includes a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro and a 1080p display.

There's no need to download this if you're not a developer, and it'll likely be a while before regular users see any benefit from the release of this code. Nevertheless, it's always good to see OEMs meeting their open-source obligations without any delay.

Source: HTCDev

SwiftKey adds Australian English dictionary

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 02:44 AM PST

Android Central

Good news, Australians -- no longer will your unique contributions to the English language go unnoticed. SwiftKey has announced that it's added full Aussie dictionary support in the latest version of its leading SwiftKey 3 keyboard app. SwiftKey says Assues are 30 percent more likely to use the word "barbecue" than dreary Brits, and twice as likely to bust out the old favorite "mate." So if you're planning a barbecue with your mates, you'll hopefully find it easier to say so with SwiftKey 3.

The new English (AU) language option can be found along with the many other flavors of the English language under Languages & layouts" in the main SwiftKey menu.

To celebrate the launch of its Australian dictionary, SwiftKey is also giving Aussies 50 percent off the standard price of SwiftKey 3, so there's an added incentive to give it a try if you're not already on-board.

Source: SwiftKey

Daily news roundup: November 30, 2012

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 09:57 PM PST

Nexus 4 gets high-demand status sales restrictions from eBay

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 07:59 PM PST

Nexus 4

While nobody is sure how many Nexus 4s have been sold, eBay thinks the demand is high enough to warrant sales restrictions. Normally reserved for things like iPad's an Nintendo Wiis, these rules cover how many phones sellers can list.

You may list a Google Nexus 4 with some limitations:

  • Authorized resellers will be allowed to list an unlimited number of items per week.
  • eBay Top Rated Sellers will be allowed to list up to 8 items per week.
  • All sellers meeting minimum performance standards will be allowed to list 4 items per week.
  • New sellers who’ve confirmed their personal information may list 1 item per week.

Note: Sellers not meeting minimum performance standards or that haven’t confirmed their personal information will not be allowed to list the Google Nexus 4 during the post-launch sale period.

Google Nexus 4 Domain Name and Email Address Sales

Sellers offering Google Nexus 4-related domain names or email addresses for sale on eBay will be allowed up to 4 listings per week.

Officially used to prevent fraud on high-profile items, it's a pretty good feeling to see a Nexus phone get this sort of treatment. If you're planning on selling a Nexus 4, hit the source link to read up on everything.

Source: eBay; via eCommerceBytes

Android Central Podcast - Live!

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 05:36 PM PST

Show starts
at 9 p.m. EST
(or thereabouts)

The Android Central Podcast is recorded live in front of a live studio audience, so you can catch us in the act.

Watch us live from your phone
with the UStream app. (Search for MobileNations.)


Miss a show? You can listen to every episode of the Android Central Podcast online.
Web | RSS | iTunes | Stitcher

 
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