Android Central |
- Jelly Bean for the Verizon Galaxy S3 leaks out
- IDC: 75-percent of phones shipped in Q3 ran Android
- Panasonic Eluga getting Ice Cream Sandwich update
- Angry Birds Space updated with 10 new Red Planet levels
- AT&T launching cloud-based storage service
- Is Google planning to launch a physical Wallet credit card?
- Images of the Samsung Stratosphere 2 leak out
- LG Mach coming to Sprint November 11 too
- App updates rolling out for Google Chrome and Google Earth
- LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 coming to Sprint November 11
- Why you shouldn't worry about Android 4.2 updates
- US Cellular announces 4G Motorola ELECTRIFY M, available Nov. 8
- Vodafone Huawei Ascend G300 gets Ice Cream Sandwich update
- CM File Manager added to latest CyanogenMod 10 nightlies
- Sprint LG Optimus G available for pre-order starting today
- Movember app for Android review
- Amazon Game Studios releases their first Android game, Air Patriots
- Amazon releases Cloud Drive Photos app for Android
- HTC One X+ retail unboxing and hardware tour
- Apple statement on Samsung tablets ruled non-compliant by UK court
- Deal of the Day: Trident Aegis Case for Samsung Galaxy S3
- Virgin Media offers £10 pre-paid unlimited data deal in the UK
- Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini coming to the UK on Nov. 8
- T-Mobile Wifi Calling isn't coming to the Nexus 4
- Nexus 4 Q&A, Galaxy Note 2 battery life comparison [From the Forums]
| Jelly Bean for the Verizon Galaxy S3 leaks out Posted: 01 Nov 2012 04:40 PM PDT
A resourceful poster over at XDA has gotten his hands on a pre-release version of the Jelly Bean update destined to eventually make its way onto the Verizon Galaxy SIII (S3). The device received an incremental 4.0.4 OTA just a couple of weeks ago, and its brother on Sprint has started officially receiving the 4.1 OTA, so the timeframe on this makes sense. The poster is quick to point out that this build is not finalized, with a build date of October 8th, and that he believes the official OTA will hit in the coming weeks. Take that with a couple boulders of salt, but at least for now those of you on Verizon with the Galaxy S3 can get a little taste of the pre-release build if you're so inclined. A couple of custom ROMs based on the leaked images have already hit the forums, but as always, flash at your own risk. Source: XDA More: Verizon Galaxy S3 Forums 
| ||
| IDC: 75-percent of phones shipped in Q3 ran Android Posted: 01 Nov 2012 03:04 PM PDT
IDC (International Data Corporation), a go-to source for worldwide smartphone market share information, has just released its report on Q3 2012 smartphone sales. Android shipments for the quarter broke over the 100 million mark for the first time, totalling 136 million. That accounts for an even 75-percent share of total smartphone shipments for the quarter, up substantially from 57.6-percent (71 million total) this time last year. Apple's iOS is trailing far behind with just 14.9-percent of shipments (26.9 million total), and the other mobile operating systems chopped up the remaining 10.1-percent. To put that into perspective, the report notes that the number of Android phones shipped this quarter is larger than the total number of smartphones sold in all of 2007, the year Android was released. In terms of the sheer number of devices being shipped with Android onboard, these numbers are just staggering. As Android continues to grow and move into developing nations around the world, we'll see these numbers grow at an even greater rate. Source: IDC (BusinessWire) 
| ||
| Panasonic Eluga getting Ice Cream Sandwich update Posted: 01 Nov 2012 02:26 PM PDT
Panasonic may have all but pulled out of the European smartphone market, but that hasn't stopped it pushing out Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for its ill-fated Eluga. The Eluga, saw a limited launch in June with Gingerbread, can now benefit from standard ICS features like improved multitasking, a redesigned lock screen and various UI enhancements. Panasonic has chosen a somewhat odd upgrade path for the Eluga, however. The upgrade package must be downloaded from the Google Play Store (check the link above), after ensuring that you've got the required 150MB of SD card space and are running the latest Gingerbread ROM, version 07.5315. It's a little convoluted, but we suppose it's better than no upgrade at all. The Eluga isn't the only Gingerbread phone getting updated to ICS via a long-winded manual upgrade process. Earlier today Vodafone and Huawei posted details of how Ascend G300 owners can upgrade to Android 4.0, using a similarly complex method. Anyone actually buy a Panasonic Eluga? If you're out there, fess up down in the comments. Full 22-step upgrade instruction procedure is detailed at the source link. Source: Panasonic 
| ||
| Angry Birds Space updated with 10 new Red Planet levels Posted: 01 Nov 2012 01:55 PM PDT
Everyone's favorite bird-flinging, pig-smashing casual game Angry Birds just keeps getting more content. It seems at this point like Rovio is committed to pushing out new Angry Birds levels for the rest of time, but we're okay with that. It just means we'll never be bored while standing in line at the movie theater (or anywhere else, for that matter) ever again. This latest update to Angry Birds Space is adding 10 new levels to the Red Planet world, and offering a new unlockable set of 5 levels if you successfully get 100% on the "space eagle destruction meter". You can grab the free version of Angry Birds Space at the Play Store link above. There's also an ad-free version for $0.99. 
| ||
| AT&T launching cloud-based storage service Posted: 01 Nov 2012 01:32 PM PDT
AT&T Locker is a service not unlike the offerings from Dropbox and Google Drive, and it has actually been available for some time on Android. The app has just been updated in the Play Store to add features, and has also launched on iOS today as well. AT&T is really pushing this cloud storage service as a way to store and share media like pictures and videos, but it will work just fine with any other types of files as well. You can manage files via the Android and iOS apps, or on the web. AT&T is positioning the service as not just a storage center but as an easy portal to share the media out to other services like social media sites and via e-mail. As is par for the course, you'll get 5GB of free storage, and decent pricing options if you need more -- 30GB for $3.99 and 100GB for $9.99 monthly. If you're interested in giving the AT&T Locker app a look, you can find it at the Play Store link above. We've also added the full press release for you after the break. More: AT&T Locker 
| ||
| Is Google planning to launch a physical Wallet credit card? Posted: 01 Nov 2012 12:38 PM PDT
We'll smack a big old rumor sticker on this one for now, because it isn't real, until it's real. But, according to Android Police, who claim to have a leaked Google Wallet apk, a physical, Google Wallet credit card -- for your real wallet -- could well be on the horizon. We already know that something is afoot for Google's mobile payment service, after a recent sign up page appeared for whatever it is that Mountain View has in store for us next. But, if this all pans out, could we really be looking at a physical credit card linked to our Google Wallet accounts and all the associated credit cards? Sounds interesting. The story goes that even from within the application itself, you will be able to request a physical card that will work just as a normal credit card does. This would mean that you could still get away with using Google Wallet in stores that haven't yet adopted NFC payments. Not just that, but apparently we'll be able to top up and withdraw money to and from our Google Wallet account, and transit cards are also allegedly on the way. A famous man once sung "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?" -- Freddie Mercury, for anyone unsure -- Who knows for definite, only Google. But changes are-a-coming to Google Wallet, we do know that. For the rest, we'll have to wait it out and see what makes the final cut. Source: Android Police 
| ||
| Images of the Samsung Stratosphere 2 leak out Posted: 01 Nov 2012 12:37 PM PDT
The original Samsung Stratosphere on Verizon was released in mid October last year, so given the way Verizon runs its product cycles this makes a whole lot of sense. Consistent leak source @evleaks just put up pictures of what convincingly looks like the Samsung Stratosphere 2 (SCH-I415), complete with Verizon branding. No word on official specs just yet, but we don't expect this one to be a screamer by any means. The original Stratosphere was a decidedly mid-range device, even right at its launch date. Still, it fills a spot as one of the last QWERTY slider devices with LTE available today. These mid-range devices aren't made for the power users, but still hold an important spot in Verizon's yearly device portfolio. Source: @evleaks 
| ||
| LG Mach coming to Sprint November 11 too Posted: 01 Nov 2012 11:04 AM PDT
Alongside the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Sprint will also be kicking off the LG Mach on November 11 for $99.99 on contract. Oh, not to mention that preorders for the LG Optimus G went live this morning too. We've spent of a bit of time with both the LG Mach following Sprint's first announcement earlier this month. The specs are pretty middle-of-the-road, but you can judge for yourself.
A quality slide-out keyboard is hard to find, nevermind one attached to a good smartphone. Any Sprint customers eyeballing the LG Mach, or do you need something a little higher-end? LTE isn't much of a selling point without the coverage, is it?
| ||
| App updates rolling out for Google Chrome and Google Earth Posted: 01 Nov 2012 10:28 AM PDT
Updates are now pushing out for two major Google apps on the Google Play Store. First up is Google Chrome, the de facto default browser for Android 4.0 and above. ARM-based devices are updated to Chrome 18.0.1025464, while Intel-based phones like the Motorola RAZR i get version 18.0.1026320. The official Chrome release blog notes important stability fixes for the newly-announced Nexus 4 and Nexus 10, while the Play Store listing indicates performance improvements for all devices. Meanwhile, Google Earth has been bumped up to version 7.0.1, which has been pushed out to fix a handful of remaining bugs. Hit the Google Play Store on your device to grab today's updates. Or if you've yet to try them, you can pick up Chrome here and Google Earth here. Source: Google Chrome Releases, Google Play 
| ||
| LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 coming to Sprint November 11 Posted: 01 Nov 2012 09:51 AM PDT
Following its announcement at MobileCON, Sprint has given us a date and pricetag for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. The tablet is due to hit stores on November 11 for $549.99 with a month-to-month plan. You can check out our full review and video to get a feel for what the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is all about, but here's a quick run-down.
Seeing as Sprint's LTE network is still so young, I can't imagine it being overly burdened, but that also means coverage may still be a big issue, depending on where you live. Sprint's tablet data plans start at $14.99/month. Is it worth it for you, or does it make more sense to simply use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot for a Wi-Fi-only tablet? Are there any LTE tablets you'd see worth getting a separate data plan for?
Source: Sprint
| ||
| Why you shouldn't worry about Android 4.2 updates Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:53 AM PDT
Using a skinned version of Android? You’re already up-to-date on 4.1.We’re not huge proponents of using the term “skin” to describe the manufacturer customizations put on most Android-based smartphones. In most cases, the changes are more than skin deep. Look at the latest versions of HTC’s Sense and Samsung’s TouchWiz and you’ll see features and UI changes that go beyond mere visual gimmicks. But it’s a term that most people are familiar with, so let’s stick with it. So if you’re using a skinned Android phone, chances are you’re accustomed to waiting for software updates. It’s a fact of life for every non-Nexus smartphone. And with the announcement of Android 4.2 earlier this week comes the certainty of more waiting for updates to drop. Few devices are on Jelly Bean, and OEM updates already in the works will be based around 4.1 rather than 4.2. After that, there’s the standard maze of regulator and carrier approval processes to traverse, adding additional weeks to the update roll-out timeframe. And with the holidays looming, and CES and MWC approaching thereafter, we doubt we’ll see Android 4.2 on many current devices before spring 2013. Engineering effort will be spent getting new products ready for launch, rather than chasing a minor OS update. But really, that doesn’t matter. And the reason why goes to the heart of what Android 4.2 actually is. Before release it was referred to internally as Jelly Bean MR1 -- MR standing for “maintenance release.” And a glance down Android 4.2’s feature list further confirms that there’s not a whole lot of game-changing stuff to be found, rather additional polish to the existing Android UI. Hence the decision to stick with the Jelly Bean moniker -- Google is striking a balance between pushing out new features and allowing hardware partners to catch up. Read on to find out exactly what's going on, and why owners of Sense or TouchWiz devices need not worry about Android 4.2. 
| ||
| US Cellular announces 4G Motorola ELECTRIFY M, available Nov. 8 Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:50 AM PDT
US Cellular announced a new handset this morning, the 4G LTE-capable Motorola ELECTRIFY M. Just yesterday, the carrier announced upcoming expansions to their 4G LTE service, and today brings a new device that can take advantage of the higher speeds. US Cellular's Motorola ELECTRIFY M will feature:
The ELECTRIFY M will be available online next Thursday, Nov. 8 and in-stores on Nov 9 for $99 after a $100 mail-in rebate for customers who are in an area that supports 4G LTE. Elsewhere, you're looking at $149 after $100 mail-in rebate. The full press release can be found after the break. 
| ||
| Vodafone Huawei Ascend G300 gets Ice Cream Sandwich update Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:26 AM PDT
Vodafone UK and Huawei have begun pushing out an update to Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich for the budget-friendly Ascend G300. The update is available as an over-the-air download, but Voda advises G300 owners that the update will delete all person data on the device, and so the carrier's offering a step-by-step walkthrough on its forum. Ascend G300 owners are told to first download an update to the older Gingerbread-based ROM, then use a "quick backup" utility to save all personal data to their SD card. Later, after the ICS update is done installing, this can be restored from an SD card. It's not the most elegant ICS update procedure we've seen, but there are many entry-level phones that aren't getting ICS at all, so we'll concede that a messy ICS update is better than no update at all. Full instructions can be found over at the source link. Source: Vodafone eForum 
| ||
| CM File Manager added to latest CyanogenMod 10 nightlies Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:14 AM PDT
The CyanogenMod team has announced that as of the latest round of nightly builds, CyanogenMod 10 will include a new file manager app. The CM File Manager, developed by Jorge Ruesga, conforms to Android's "holo" design language, and is root-friendly, meaning it'll let you fiddle around with system files if you so desire. The code was forked into CyanogenMod 10 last night, so if you pick up a CM10 nightly from today onwards, it'll include the new file manager app. CM folks, be sure to let us know what you think of the app down in the comments! Source: +CyanogenMod 
| ||
| Sprint LG Optimus G available for pre-order starting today Posted: 01 Nov 2012 07:53 AM PDT
Today is November 1, and that means two things. Firstly it means the start of the 30 days of Movember for the Mobile Nations team, and secondly, today is pre-order day for the Sprint LG Optimus G. We've known it was coming for a couple of weeks now, but true to their word the Optimus G can be reserved today for $199 on a new 2-year contract. The LG Optimus G is simply a Goliath in the smartphone world when it comes to hardware. With the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM, a gorgeous 4.7-inch IPS+ display and a 13MP camera on board, we know there's a good number of you guys out there that will be thinking long and hard about this one. Pre-order links can be found below, but while you ponder, be sure to check out our full review. Source: Sprint 
| ||
| Movember app for Android review Posted: 01 Nov 2012 07:37 AM PDT Righteous dudes the world over are preparing to get mustachioed for Movember, the international fundraiser for men's health. The charity originally focused on raising awareness for prostate cancer, but has since spread to include male mental disorders. As a part of the movement, Movember has launched an app for Android where participants can keep track of their pledges, ping their various social networks for donations, check messages on their Mo Space wall, and snap photos of their stylish new facial accessory. The ladies can get involved as supporters, too. 
| ||
| Amazon Game Studios releases their first Android game, Air Patriots Posted: 01 Nov 2012 07:27 AM PDT
Amazon Game Studios launched their first Android game today called Air Patriots. It's basically Flight Control with a tower defense spin. Surprisingly, the game isn't being held back as an Amazon Appstore exclusive, so you can get downloading the free title on Google Play right now. Players pick a squadron of planes, draw their flight paths over an incoming army, and upgrade planes in between stages. There are only seven levels, but each has three difficulty levels and an endless survival mode. As a game published by Amazon, it's no surprise to hear that Whispersync cloud saving has been employed, as well as access to GameCircle for achievement tracking and socializing if you're playing on a Kindle Fire. I've played Air Patriots a little bit, and the gameplay is fun enough, even if it's sort of derivative. Anyone else try it? What do you think? 
| ||
| Amazon releases Cloud Drive Photos app for Android Posted: 01 Nov 2012 07:18 AM PDT
Amazon has released a new app into the Google Play Store called Amazon Cloud Drive Photos. It allows you to view and download to your device photos that you have stored on your Amazon Cloud Drive. Amazon has steadily been adding more photo features to the service; last month we saw picture sharing and iPhoto export functionality added. It is an interesting decision by Amazon to release a standalone app for photos rather than an all inclusive Cloud Drive app. But then again, many consumers want to view photos in an elegant way rather than in a file manager, so in that manner is makes sense. The app's UI is designed quite nicely. When you open the app, you'll notice a similar look and feel to their Amazon MP3 app. Just like the music app, you'll be able to download any photos or albums to your device as you'd like and be able to view your entire collection in the cloud or only those stored on your device. Do you think you'll use Amazon's Cloud Drive Photos app over the Gallery app or another photo app? Sing out in our comments or shout out in the Android Central Apps Forum. The app is available for free from the Google Play Store. 
| ||
| HTC One X+ retail unboxing and hardware tour Posted: 01 Nov 2012 06:59 AM PDT We've got the HTC One X+ in our hands today, and it looks to be quite a beauty. However, for this particular post we are keeping things short and sweet. The above video is an unboxing of the retail SIM free version -- a quick tour of the final One X+ hardware, and assorted gubbins bundled with the device. We'll be following up with a full software tour of HTC Sense 4+ in the next day or so. Yes, we may be teasing you slightly, but remember -- good things come to those who wait. You can catch a reminder of the HTC One X+ specifications below and stay tuned for some more One X+ good stuff.
Thanks to Clove Technology for sending out the HTC One X+. 
| ||
| Apple statement on Samsung tablets ruled non-compliant by UK court Posted: 01 Nov 2012 06:48 AM PDT
Apple given 48 hours to correct statement on its UK siteWhen Apple issued its legally-mandated statement, indicating that Samsung had not copied the iPad in its Android tablet range, we speculated that the British High Court might be displeased at the tone and content of the company's message. In the statement which remains linked at apple.com/uk, the iPad maker included a mandatory part about the UK court ruling in Samsung's favor, indicating that the South Korean firm had not copied Apple's tablet design. But in addition, Apple made reference to other cases in the U.S. and Germany where it had been successful in convincing judges that Samsung's designs were infringing. Apple's statement concluded -- "So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple's far more popular iPad." Apple was also ordered to take out ads in a number of leading UK newspapers and tech publications, though these have yet to appear. Today three High Court judges ruled Apple's online statement to be "non-compliant" with their order, giving the company 48 hours to replace the message on its site, and change the font to at least 11 points in size. According to reports from The Guardian, Apple attempted to argue that it'd take them 14 days to issue a changed statement, though this was rebuked by the judges. Bloomberg quotes Judge Robin Jacob as saying, "I’m at a loss that a company such as Apple would do this. [...] That is a plain breach of the order." Source: The Guardian, Bloomberg 
| ||
| Deal of the Day: Trident Aegis Case for Samsung Galaxy S3 Posted: 01 Nov 2012 06:32 AM PDT
The Trident Aegis Case is available for just $19.00 today only. That's 46% off! Grab yours while supplies last. Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts! 
| ||
| Virgin Media offers £10 pre-paid unlimited data deal in the UK Posted: 01 Nov 2012 05:36 AM PDT
Today the company has started offering unlimited data on its pre-paid (Pay As You Go) deals, offering unmetered mobile data. The new "Big Data & Texts" package gives users 300 texts and unlimited data when the top up £10, or unlimited texts and data for £15. On both deals, calls are deducted from the amount topped-up. There are also "Big Talk" offers available with more call-focused bundles, however Virgin Media runs on the EE (T-Mobile + Orange) 3G network in the UK, meaning you shouldn't have to worry about coverage. More info at the source link. Source: Virgin Media 
| ||
| Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini coming to the UK on Nov. 8 Posted: 01 Nov 2012 04:12 AM PDT
Naming aside, the Galaxy S3 Mini doesn't share a whole lot in common with its full-sized sibling. It's powered by a 1GHz dual-core CPU, packs a 5MP rear camera and a 4-inch WVGA SuperAMOLED screen. However, it is at least running the latest version of Android, 4.1 Jelly Bean, along with Samsung's most recent TouchWiz Nature UX. Samsung promises a release across all major UK mobile networks and independent retailers from next Thursday. Anyone planning on picking one up? Shout out in the comments. We've got Samsung's full press release after the break. More: Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini forum
| ||
| T-Mobile Wifi Calling isn't coming to the Nexus 4 Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:04 PM PDT
The folks over at TmoNews have just confirmed that when the LG Nexus 4 goes on sale at T-Mobile stores in just a couple of weeks that it won't be coming with Wifi Calling (UMA) on board. Now this will come as no surprise to anyone who has followed previous Nexus phones in the past. The Nexus One, Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus all worked on T-Mobile's network just fine, but none of them were given official Wifi Calling support. Just because T-Mo is selling this one directly doesn't mean that changes now. This may sound bad on the surface because many users would like the ability to have the battery life and call quality improvements that come with Wifi Calling, but this is actually a good thing. Not having the Wifi Calling app pre-installed on the Nexus 4 means that there's a really good chance it has the exact same firmware as the unlocked version coming from Google via the Play Store. When it comes to updates and variants of Nexus devices, the fewer models that need to be supported, the better. Source: TmoNews More: Google Nexus 4 Forums 
| ||
| Nexus 4 Q&A, Galaxy Note 2 battery life comparison [From the Forums] Posted: 31 Oct 2012 05:29 PM PDT
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! 
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Android Central - Android Forums, News, Reviews, Help and Android Wallpapers To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment