Android Central |
- Daily news roundup: November 14, 2012
- Call of Duty Elite updated to support Black Ops II
- Texas Instruments cutting 1,700 jobs, saving $450 million by end of 2013
- Square is now processing $10 billion in transactions annually
- White 64GB HTC One S goes on sale in Taiwan, runs Jelly Bean out of the box
- Echofon for Android beta now available in Google Play
- SEGA's Jet Set Radio coming to Android on November 29th
- Samsung Galaxy S3 coming to Cricket Nov 23rd for $549.99
- Sony Xperia T now available on Rogers and Bell
- Cricket rolls out several new 4G LTE markets
- Predators for Android review
- HTC ThunderBolt vs. the Droid DNA
- PSA: Last chance to enter the Million Member Giveaway -- ending Nov. 15
- Cricket launches its first LTE phone, the LG Optimus Regard
- No, T-Mobile, your Nexus 4 doesn't have a microSD card either
- Yes, text does look a bit different in Android 4.2
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 now available on T-Mobile
- Google Voice update fixes Android 4.2 compatibility
- Expedia Android app updated with flight booking
- How to use the Verizon Droid DNA on AT&T (or any other GSM network)
- Droid DNA hides a familiar feature on the back of the phone
- Android claims 72% of mobile market sales in Q3 2012
- More devices get stable CyanogenMod 10 builds; CM10.1 to be based on Android 4.2
- Deal of the Day: Mobi Products Skin Case for Samsung Galaxy Note
- JK Shin: Samsung won't settle with Apple
| Daily news roundup: November 14, 2012 Posted: 14 Nov 2012 05:58 PM PST
We know it's darn near impossible to stay abreast of all the Android news that happens. Heck, we can hardly keep track of it ourselves! To try and help, here's a recap of the biggest news you might have missed from today. It's your last chance to enter the AC Forums Million Member GiveawayDroid DNA news
Android 4.2 newsCarrier and network news
Other news too good to miss!
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| Call of Duty Elite updated to support Black Ops II Posted: 14 Nov 2012 05:45 PM PST
Unless you've been living in a cave for the last few days, you'll know that there's been an eagerly awaited release this Tuesday gone. This time we're of course not talking Nexus, but in fact referring to Call of Duty Black Ops II. One of the most eagerly anticipated gaming titles of the year, if you're a big online player you're already likely a member of Call of Duty Elite. The good news is that following the launch of Black Ops II, the Android Call of Duty Elite application has been updated to support the title. Elite now supports your career summary stats, recent matches, custom class editor and challenge tracker for Black Ops II. Additionally, theres a couple of additions not dedicated to the latest title. Clan HQ gives users the ability to search for and join clans, and Elite TV provides live streaming, multiplayer guides and "much more." The update is live in the Play Store now, so if you can tear yourself away from your console long enough, head on over and download a copy. 
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| Texas Instruments cutting 1,700 jobs, saving $450 million by end of 2013 Posted: 14 Nov 2012 05:17 PM PST
First TI (Texas Instruments) was shifting away from consumer chip-making. Then it wasn't. Now it seems that it is again. As part of a refocusing of the company, TI is choosing to shift focus away from the consumer electronic chip business and into more enterprise and embedded systems chips. Part of restructuring usually means job cuts, and TI is going to be cutting 1,700 worldwide by the end of 2013. The projected savings for this restructuring is $450 million, which is nothing to sneeze at. It's again unfortunate to see TI shifting its focus away from the consumer mobile chip business, as it was one of the last main competitors to the likes of Qualcomm and Samsung. TI was also often the go-to option for open source projects -- and if you're an Android nerd, you should be able to appreciate that. Source: TI News Center; Via: Engadget 
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| Square is now processing $10 billion in transactions annually Posted: 14 Nov 2012 04:32 PM PST
Square is probably the most formidable opponent to Google's push for the use of Google Wallet in retail stores. Not unlike Google Wallet, Square requires both the user and the retailer to have a special equipment -- an app for the former, and hardware for the latter -- to make everything work. And while Google has been struggling to get its infrastructure in place, even with MasterCard's help, Square seems to be taking off as the niche payment system right now. Square has just announced that it is processing over $10 billion in payments annually, and has increased its rate of transactions by $2 billion just this month. TechCrunch notes that the $10 billion number doesn't even include payments processed via Starbucks, which just penned a deal with Square to set up its processing system in 7,000 stores. Maybe some of this pressure can get Google thinking about its Wallet strategy going into the future. Source: @Square; Via: TechCrunch 
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| White 64GB HTC One S goes on sale in Taiwan, runs Jelly Bean out of the box Posted: 14 Nov 2012 04:32 PM PST
We're not going to lie, we're pretty envious of this one. According to ePrice, what we have here is the latest HTC One device to go on sale in Asia, specifically at this time in Taiwan. On the face of it, it's a regular old HTC One S, except that it's got a stunning new white paint job. Except, that's not the whole tale. Inside, this HTC One S is packing some pretty impressive specs right out of the box. The latest version of HTC Sense, Sense 4+, running over Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Oh, and 64GB of on board storage. Everything else remains the same, the same screen, processor, RAM, camera, all as they've ever been on the One S. But, for those among us who crave on board storage this One S would tick that box. Oh, and did we mention, it looks killer in white. The bad news, for now at least, we're not seeing word of availability beyond HTC's native Taiwan. Pricing is said to be 17,900 Taiwan dollars, or about $616 or €485. Source: ePrice (translated) via Unwired View 
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| Echofon for Android beta now available in Google Play Posted: 14 Nov 2012 04:05 PM PST
Having been in public testing for a while, popular iOS Twitter client Echofon has now become available in the Google Play Store. We're still on the beta build though, it hasn't yet shed that tag. It doesn't -- on the face of it anyway -- appear to be further along in the build process than the beta version we previously looked at, but being available in the Play Store is the right way to get it onto devices. We're pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to Twitter clients, but despite being late to the party on Android, Echofon has a long standing reputation on that other platform. The developers, Naan Studio, also recently discontinued their desktop applications to concentrate solely on mobile. It's a well designed Twitter client that despite being in beta performs really nicely. The design is very much Android 4.x but is available for everything running Android 2.2 and up. 
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| SEGA's Jet Set Radio coming to Android on November 29th Posted: 14 Nov 2012 03:33 PM PST
Some of you weren't even alive when Jet Set Radio was released for the SEGA Dreamcast in June of 2000. That being said, if you've played Borderlands (or other cel-shaded graphics games) you can thank JSR for being one the pioneers of that style. Anyway, the game has been re-released in HD for Xbox Live, the Playstation Network, Windows, and like we reported earlier, is coming to Android. Granted, November 29th isn't exactly "this summer" like the original press release stated, but better late than never right? While currently there has been no mention of price for Android (or iOS) it's currently $9.99 on Steam, so it's pretty safe to say it shouldn't cost more than that. If you'd like to check out more screenshots, head on over to their Flickr gallery. source: SEGA 
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| Samsung Galaxy S3 coming to Cricket Nov 23rd for $549.99 Posted: 14 Nov 2012 03:00 PM PST
Samsung is continuing its attempt at mobile dominance across the world by releasing yet another variant of its popular Galaxy SIII (S3) line, this time on Cricket. This model will be Cricket's second 4G LTE phone that it has released, in conjunction with its continued LTE rollout to new cities. In stark contrast to its first LTE phone, the LG Optimus Regard, this Galaxy S3 is still every bit the high-end device we know from other carriers. Sure, its been available on other carriers for some time, but if Cricket is your carrier of choice its nice to have a high-end device available. The Galaxy S3 will be hitting Cricket on November 23rd for $549.99 without a contract, with monthly plans starting from $50 with 2GB of full-speed data. Source: Cricket Newsroom 
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| Sony Xperia T now available on Rogers and Bell Posted: 14 Nov 2012 02:29 PM PST
Canadians can now pick up the Sony Xperia T from Bell or Rogers for $99 on a three-year contract. The James Bond co-branding is in full bloom, as you'd expect, but what's going on under the hood?
Be sure to dig into our full review of the European Xperia T for a closer look. Want to pick one up? The Xperia T can be found sipping a martini at the Rogers online store and seducing other handsets at Bell. If you're looking for more options, we're still waiting on Mobilicity and Videotron to launch their versions. 
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| Cricket rolls out several new 4G LTE markets Posted: 14 Nov 2012 02:18 PM PST
This expansion completes what Cricket is calling its first phase of 4G LTE deployment, and the service now covers a potential of 21 million customers in the 11 markets. Source: Cricket Newsroom 
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| HTC ThunderBolt vs. the Droid DNA Posted: 14 Nov 2012 01:48 PM PST
What a difference a year and a half makes, eh? OK, call it 20 months, maybe. Regardless, here's the brand-new Verizon Droid DNA, and the aging ThunderBolt. HTC phones, both. One represents the manufacturer's first go at an LTE device, back when the technology was new, and design (and battery life) suffered for it. A 4.3-inch display. Mere 1400 mAh battery. And, damn, was that thing ever thick. Now we have the Droid DNA. A 5-inch Super LCD3 display that's got 1,080 freakin' pixels on the short end. A 2020 mAh battery. And a svelte design. Basically you're looking at the difference between me and a Victoria's Secret model. (Yeah. Enjoy that image.) Anyway. Video and pics after the break, so you get a better idea of the difference between these guys. Have Droid DNA questions? Ask 'em in our Droid DNA forums! 
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| PSA: Last chance to enter the Million Member Giveaway -- ending Nov. 15 Posted: 14 Nov 2012 01:40 PM PST
You've got just one day left to enter the biggest and baddest contest the world has ever seen! We're celebrating one one million member mark, and in case you've been away from the Internet and missed it, here's the prize list:
in addition, Cory has a special prize package for long-time members (six months or more and over 500 posts) consisting of a new Chromebook, , a $100 ShopAndroid.com coupon code, a $50 Google Play gift card, and a Lloyd T-shirt from ShopAndroid.com. It's an awesome list of prizes for an awesome community of members, and we want to make sure you have a chance to enter. You do that by clicking the big link below. You don't want to miss out on this one folks! Enter the One Million Member giveaway!
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| Cricket launches its first LTE phone, the LG Optimus Regard Posted: 14 Nov 2012 12:56 PM PST
Regional and prepaid carrier Cricket has finally joined the 4G LTE bandwagon with this mid-range device, the LG Optimus Regard. For specs, the Regard has a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 3.5-inch HVGA (that's 320x480, ouch) display, a 5MP camera all underneath Android 4.0 with LG's software improvements. The specs aren't very inspiring, but the price may be. The Optimus Regard will be available at $249.99 (no contract required), on monthly plans with 2GB of data for $50. Which is hard to pass up if Cricket is your carrier of choice, but there's probably more value in other handsets out there if you're willing to switch carriers. Take a look at more of the details at the source link below. Source: Cricket Newsroom; Cricket 
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| No, T-Mobile, your Nexus 4 doesn't have a microSD card either Posted: 14 Nov 2012 12:30 PM PST
Oh, T-Mobile. What ever are we going to do with you? So you're selling the Nexus 4 on contract. That's crazy enough. And then you got folks thinking it would have your snazzy Wifi calling. Which of course it was never going to have. And now your damn product page for the Nexus 4 is showing it as having 16 gigabytes of internal storage, plus it's expandable up to 64GB with a microSD card. Only, it doesn't have a microSD card, T-Mobile. It never had one. And it never will. Perhaps you've heard the legions of Android fans bitching about that for a couple weeks now. No? Well, we can't help you there. But somebody owes @aemaffei an apology. 
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| Yes, text does look a bit different in Android 4.2 Posted: 14 Nov 2012 11:53 AM PST
Stronger text and improved kerning in the new version of Jelly BeanDo things look a bit ... different ... since upgrading your Galaxy Nexus or Nexus 7 to Android 4.2? Turns out there's one change in the new version of Android that hasn't been documented at all until now. In the new version of Jelly Bean, Google's made some very subtle, but sweeping tweaks to the way text is rendered throughout the OS.
If you look closely at our animated GIF above, you'll see that text in 4.2 is slightly bolder with smoother edges and improved kerning (letter spacing). This applies throughout the UI, in emails, web pages and other applications. We've spotted Google's new text rendering stuff on the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7, so it looks like it's a system-wide change, rather than a graphics tweak tied to any particular hardware. On the whole, this makes for slightly clearer on-screen text that's a little more pleasing to the eye. (And the improved kerning is sure to keep design geeks happy, too.) We've got another GIF showing the differences in text rendering in 4.2 after the break. Are there any other little tweaks you've noticed in 4.2? Let us know in the comments. 
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| Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 now available on T-Mobile Posted: 14 Nov 2012 10:52 AM PST
T-Mobile today announced the availability of their version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 tablet. You can snag one now online for $399.99 on a two-year contract after mail-in rebate. Though the AT&T or Sprint models have LTE included, the T-Mobile version is about a hundred bucks cheaper. Here's a quick run-down of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, but you can get a full tour in our review.
Of course, this all pales in comparison to the now-available Nexus 10. Would anyone actually be interested in getting a Tab 2 10.1 with the N10 available as an option? For that matter, are there any other high-end Android tablets worth considering? Even if you were still in the market for a Tab 2 10.1 after all that, why go with T-Mobile? More: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 forums 
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| Google Voice update fixes Android 4.2 compatibility Posted: 14 Nov 2012 09:50 AM PST
When the final version of Android 4.2 rolled out to Nexus devices yesterday, Google Voice users noticed a nasty bit of incompatibility between the new software and the app. Whenever a new text message was created and a recipient added, the app would come crashing to a halt, preventing messages from being sent. Fortunately Google's acted swiftly to address this issue, and a new version of the Google Voice app is available right now from the Google Play Store. The new version 0.4.2.66 fixes the issue, so your shiny new Nexus 4 (assuming you were able to pick one up) should be fully compatible with Google's telephony service. You can grab the latest version of Google Voice for Android at the Play Store link above. 
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| Expedia Android app updated with flight booking Posted: 14 Nov 2012 09:39 AM PST
The Expedia travel app for Android has been updated so that you can book flights. Previously, Expedia only allowed hotel booking on mobile. The UI has a really nice fresh coat of paint, with some cool transitions and visual effects depending on how you're moving around the app. For example, the map within a hotel entry shifts perspective as you scroll up and down the page, while the image section gradually grows to fill the whole screen as you scroll upwards past the top. When idle, the home screen has both flight and hotel columns lazily drifting upwards, though they do so at different speeds to create a particularly eye-catching effect. It seems weird that the Expedia app didn't support flight booking before, since that's kind of what those guys do, but hey, at least it's here now. A dedicated tablet version as well as wider booking availability outside the U.S. are due shortly. Have you ever booked a flight on your phone? When was the last time you used Expedia? Are there other services you prefer to use when planning travel? 
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| How to use the Verizon Droid DNA on AT&T (or any other GSM network) Posted: 14 Nov 2012 09:21 AM PST
I'm getting a bit of a tingle down my spine. If you look at the specs for the HTC Droid DNA, you'll notice something that looks a little out of place. but only a little. Specifically, that there's a listing for UTMS/HSPA radio frequencies. Now that's not all that out of the ordinary -- Verizon's had world phones with GSM capability for some time now, and LTE's an offshoot of GSM. But generally such frequencies aren't listed out in the open like that. That means it's time to experiment. And as you can see from the picture above, we've had success. More: Check out our Droid DNA forums!The Verizon Droid DNA is completely GSM unlocked. Pop in your SIM card, change your APN settings, and it'll work on any GSM network with 850/900/1900/2100 MHz. Here in the United States, that means AT&T, and T-Mobile as well, though you won't get 3G/4G speeds on the latter because the phone doesn't run on 1700 MHz. And, of course, it means you can use it outside the United States, whether you're using a roaming plan with Verizon, AT&T -- or use a foreign carrier's SIM card. Just change the APN settings and you're golden. Of course, you'll also lose Verizon's excellent LTE network if you do this. But, still, a nice little trick. So how'd it do? We've got video and some speed tests after the break. 
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| Droid DNA hides a familiar feature on the back of the phone Posted: 14 Nov 2012 08:14 AM PST
It's time for another round of "What the hell is that?!?!" Ever since we brought you the first pictures of the Droid DNA weeks ago, we've been trying to explain the faint little circle to the left of the camera housing. In casual use, there's a good chance you'd never even notice it. But it's there. Actually, they're there. Sixty-one tiny pinholes in concentric circles. So what are they? A speaker? A noise-canceling microphone? Neither, actually. 
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| Android claims 72% of mobile market sales in Q3 2012 Posted: 14 Nov 2012 07:58 AM PST
Gartner has released their research numbers for the third quarter of 2012, and they've found that Android accounted for 72.4% of mobile sales worldwide, which is up from 52.5% at the same time last year. That figure roughly lines up with what we've seen from IDC. By comparison, iOS is down to 13.9% from 15%, RIM is down 5.3% from 11%, and Microsoft is up a smidge to 2.4% from 1.5%, though Bada is hilariously beating it with a 3% share. The overall mobile market declined 3.1%, but smartphone growth increased 46.9% year over year. The manufacturer breakdown puts Samsung in the lead with 22.9% of sales in Q3, followed by Nokia with 19.2%, Apple with 5.5%, then ZTE, LG, Huawei, TCL, RIM, Motorola, and HTC after that. Be sure to check out some of these graphs from Asymco for some additional color on just how well Samsung is doing compared to everybody else. Android has been top of the smartphone heap for awhile now, but to see it leading the way in the overall mobile market sales is a pretty big deal. Now it's only a matter of the installed base of dumbphones to die out, though that might take awhile. What's the platform mix like in your neighborhood? Is Android as ubiquitous as the study would suggest, or is there a more even mix? How often do you see someone still using a feature phone? Source: Gartner 
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| More devices get stable CyanogenMod 10 builds; CM10.1 to be based on Android 4.2 Posted: 14 Nov 2012 07:56 AM PST
Yesterday we brought you news that the first "stable" builds of CyanogenMod 10 had begun rolling out. Today a whole bunch of devices have stable CM10 builds waiting for them over at the official download site. Devices like the U.S. Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note, HTC One X and S, and Sony Xperia T are now supported, among many others -- 32 at the time of writing. If you're running a nightly build of CM10, you may want to double-check the list to see if your phone or tablet has stable code waiting. What's more, an official statement by the CM team has announced work on CyanogenMod 10.1, which will be based on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The latest version of Jelly Bean was open-sourced last night through the Android Open-Source Project. Download links for CM10 stable can be found at the sites below. Source: CyanogenMod, get.cm 
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| Deal of the Day: Mobi Products Skin Case for Samsung Galaxy Note Posted: 14 Nov 2012 06:41 AM PST
The Mobi Products Skin Case is available for just $4.00 today only. That's 80% off the normal price! Grab yours while supplies last. Deal also available in the Canada store. Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts! 
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| JK Shin: Samsung won't settle with Apple Posted: 14 Nov 2012 05:28 AM PST
HTC and Apple's recently-announced legal settlement and cross-licensing agreement has had some wondering if Samsung might follow a similar path and attempt to resolve its legal conflicts with Apple. But Samsung Mobile boss JK Shin poured cold water on this speculation, indicating that the South Korean company would not be entering into any negotiations with Cupertino. According to Korean news agency YonHap, Shin recently told reporters, "it may be true that HTC may have agreed to pay 300 billion won (US$276 million) to Apple, but we don't intend to (negotiate) at all." It's unclear where the 300 billion won figure has come from -- the details of the settlement between HTC and Apple remain confidential. Some have speculated that HTC might be paying between $6 and $8 per phone to Apple in order to make use of its patent portfolio. Samsung and Apple have traded blows in courts around the world over the past year. In August, a California court found in Apple's favor, ruling that Samsung must pay Apple more than $1 billion for copying elements of its iPhone design and infringing other patents. In other territories, Samsung has been successful in defending against Apple's litigation. The British High Court recently ruled that Samsung did not copy Apple's registered design for the iPad, and ordered Apple to take out ads to correct the impression that it had. Today's statement from Shin suggests we can expect even more legal wrangling between Samsung and Apple in the year ahead. Source: YonHap News Agency 
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