Android Community |
- HTC DROID DNA reportedly launching at Verizon next month
- Android 4.2 security system cracks down on malware with app scanning
- LG Optimus G and Sony Xperia TL available from AT&T
- LG Nexus 4 Review
- Google Nexus 10 Review
- Facebook phone rumors alive and kicking in the form of the HTC Opera UL
- Jelly Bean install base rising slowly, Ice Cream Sandwich growing faster
- Research firm IDC says Android scores 75% of market share in Q3
- Samsung Galaxy Note II moves 3 million units worldwide
- WikiPad gaming tablet gets delayed on launch date
- Physical Google Wallet cards outed in leak
- Samsung Stratosphere II spotted in the wild once again
- LG Optimus L9 now available at T-Mobile
- Disney turns sights toward Star Wars mobile and social games
- Amazon Game Studio releases Air Patriots, their first Android game
- Samsung Galaxy S III gets its own Mophie Juice Pack
| HTC DROID DNA reportedly launching at Verizon next month Posted: 02 Nov 2012 11:17 AM PDT It looks like we might finally have a launch window for the long-rumored HTC DROID DNA. If you read Android Community on a regular basis, you’ll know we’re quite fond of the folks over at @evleaks, and they’ve delivered once again today. @evleaks has posted another picture of the DROID DNA, along with saying that it’ll be available at Verizon in early December.
Considering we’ve just entered November, the DROID DNA should be available relatively quickly. The DROID DNA will be Verizon’s version of the HTC J Butterfly that was revealed for Japan last month, and as such, it will feature a lot of the same specs. It’s still got that beautiful 5-inch screen, which is an HD Super LCD 3 display with a mind-numbing 440PPI resolution. On the inside we’ve got a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor working in tandem with 2GB of RAM, so this should be a pretty beastly device. We’ve also got 16GB of internal storage to take advantage of, an 8-megapixel camera on the backside, and a 2,020mAh battery to power it all. In short, the DROID DNA should be a pretty high-end device, and if you want a phone with a big screen and great internals, this is it. As stated above, @evleaks says this bad boy should be hitting Verizon in early December. We don’t know the price yet, but with those specs and that screen, don’t expect this thing to be cheap. We’ll update you when we know more, so keep it tuned right here to Android Community for additional details! [via SlashGear]
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| Android 4.2 security system cracks down on malware with app scanning Posted: 02 Nov 2012 10:35 AM PDT Malicious apps on Android may not be as big a problem as some would have you believe, but they are still a threat. That’s especially true when you’re sideloading apps onto your handset, as Google Play’s built in security features don’t check third-party apps. While Google Play does scan all apps that are uploaded to the store, apps from third-party sources get to skip the security check, potentially allowing for some nasty situations.
That’s all changing with Android 4.2, however. Computer World reports that Google has included a major boost to security with the latest version of the Android operating system that will scan third-party for apps for threats in real-time the first time you open them. Apps from all third-party sources are included in this, so as long as you’re willing to allow the security system to check your apps, there shouldn’t be a single app on your handset or tablet that hasn’t been scanned for threats first. It’s a cool feature, but there will obviously be some who are uncomfortable with letting Google scan the software installed on their devices. That’s why Google has made this an opt-in system – the first time you’re prompted to allow a scan of an app, you’ll be given the option to opt-in. If you do and decide later on that you don’t want the security system performing scans, you can opt-out by going into the security section of the settings menu. Also included in Android 4.2 is a new feature that will alert you anytime an app tries to send a text message out. This will be good in stopping apps that sign you up for those worthless “services” that bill your carrier every month. It sounds like Google is making a point to really hone in on Android security with this latest release of Jelly Bean, and that’s only a good thing. What do you think of these new security measures – will you use them?
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| LG Optimus G and Sony Xperia TL available from AT&T Posted: 02 Nov 2012 08:52 AM PDT AT&T has just pushed two new Android phones to market today. The LG Optimus G and Sony Xperia TL are available from AT&T stores and online starting today. For AT&T customers looking for a new Android smartphone, today might be the perfect time run out and scoop up one of these awesome phones.
The other phone available from AT&T today is the Sony Xperia TL. This is the infamous “Bond phone” featured in the latest James Bond movie. It’s available for $99 with a 2-year agreement. It has a 4.6-inch HD display, a 13MP camera, and 1.5GHz quad-core processor. Much like the LG Optimus G, it’s a beast of phone with some solid specs. If you’re in market for a new smartphone, AT&T has you covered with some solid new releases. Two solid phones for under $200 is nothing to sneeze at. If you are interested, you can grab the Xperia TL here, and the LG Optimus G here. Of course, you can also check out your local AT&T retailer to grab one. [via Android Central]
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| Posted: 02 Nov 2012 08:32 AM PDT It’s time again for Google to take command of a smartphone with the Nexus 4, a device manufactured by LG with software pure vanilla Android – a collaboration creating yet another true member of the Nexus family. This device is made to bring on the next version of Android, that being 4.2 Jelly Bean (the second iteration of the software still code-named Jelly Bean) complete with the updates you see in our full update guide. The body of this device rather similar to that of the LG Optimus G, complete with the same display, camera technology, and quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5Ghz processor under the hood.
Hardware With the Nexus 4, Google finally has the opportunity to send a Nexus down the production line that actually is “top of the line”, as it were, with a processor that allows Google to call it the most powerful smartphone on the planet. Of course there’s no real way to measure that claim, as it is rather subjective, but comparing the S4 Pro to the competition in basic benchmark tests, you’ll see rather quickly that it backs up that claim readily.
The body of this device is comfortable to use, light, and combines LG design sensibilities with the Galaxy Nexus, Samsung’s most recent look at the Nexus universe. You’ve got a 4.7-inch IPS+ LCD display at 1280 x 768 pixel resolution up front – that’s 317.6 Pixels Per Inch and sharper (on a PPI level) than the Nexus 10 tablet. The Galaxy Nexus has just a few pixels different (316 PPI) while the iPhone 5 has 326 PPI – if you’d like to know. While the HTC J Butterfly still sits on top of the pack with 440 PPI at the moment, the Nexus 4 is really fabulous with the setup it’s got here – comparable to the HTC One X with colors that appear to be one with the surface of the device.
The device will sit nicely in your palm and again, is rather light at just 131g (0.31 pounds). The camera on the back of this device performs well, but not nearly as well as we’d like considering the competition. Have a peek at the full report on the photos and video we’ve gotten in the camera section below. There’s a metal-like plastic surrounding the edges and reinforced glass on both the front and the back of this device (Gorilla Glass 2 on the back, in fact).
The glass looks lovely on both sides, especially considering LG’s trendy holographic grid they call "Crystal Reflection". This again was first seen on the LG Optimus G when they first introduced it. Check our full LG Optimus G review right this minute so you can be aware – that device is out in stores immediately if not soon as well. Both devices also run the Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5GHz quad-core processor from Qualcomm, mind you, a processor we’ve seen benchmarked at the top of the market several times.
Have a peek at some benchmark results here and feel free to compare them to the Optimus G. You’ll find that they’re extremely similar, but not exactly alike. Google’s vanilla iteration of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean appears to be having some effect – right along with the ever-so-slightly modified hardware surrounding it.      There’s also some wireless charging abilities in this device, but we’ve not had extensive enough experience to make an informed decision on how well it works. Once the wireless charging pad is in our hands, we’ll let you know! Software and Performance The software you’re using here is Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, or as I’ve been calling it, Jelly Bean+. This software introduces gesture typing, photo sphere, multiple user accounts, wireless display capabilities (working with Miracast), updates to Google Now, Notifications pull-down expansion, and bits and pieces we keep discovering day by day. There’s a pedometer in Google Now, now, did you know?
There’s also a miniature settings panel you can access through your notifications pull-down menu for things like brightness and wi-fi switching. This addition to the mobile OS is the most important, in my opinion, with access being both in the standard notifications pull-down with just one tap or by pulling down on your display with two fingers – easy. You’ve also got an indicator here of who you are – (this affecting tablets more than smartphones at the moment) as well as brightness, emergency calls, battery access, airplane mode switch, Bluetooth, and access to your wireless display settings. With the LG Nexus 4 and with all devices working with Android 4.2 and higher from now on, you’ll likely be able to use this version of Jelly Bean’s wireless display technology. Google works with the standard wireless technology called Miracast here, as detailed in a simple SlashGear guide and recently mentioned on Android Community by NVIDIA as well. You’ll find this standard spreading like wildfire – rather likely – in the near future. For now it’s rather limited as it requires 3rd party systems to make it work – if you have nothing that has Miracast connectivity, you have no wireless display. Expect more on this in 2013 when 3rd party manufacturers join in on the big Miracast party.
On the whole this experience is not significantly different from the Galaxy Nexus other than in its speed and responsiveness. Google says it’s continuously refining the “Butter” improvements they initially outlined at Google I/O 2012. This refinement includes touch responsiveness, buffering, and general tweaks that make the whole experience smoother – as it turns out, each new Nexus is bringing an experience that proves itself to be nicer – is it just our imaginations? More than likely it has to do with Google’s Project Butter somewhat, but also a lot more because this device has one of the most powerful processors in a smart device today. The keyboard on this device is improved to a degree we’re impressed with, bringing up word suggestions ever-so-slightly more correct than we’ve seen before, and with a feature that’s new to Android (or Google’s standard version, anyway). That being gesture typing – otherwise known as swiping. You can now also get this sort of functionality from Swiftkey Flow as well as, of course, Swype itself. User logins exist in Android 4.2, but are restricted to tablets at the moment. There’s also a feature called “Daydream” that’s effectively a screen saver showing photos you’ve taken – this is another feature we’re not all that concerned with as the functionality has been around for a long time with 3rd party applications – so try it if you like, it’s not going to change your Android life.
Notifications are notably improved, with connections to apps based on the notifications you get – connections to your phone depending on who is included in the calendar event, for example. You’ve also got that lovely one-finger expansion you may have heard of – it’s all rather smooth and makes for a wonderful experience that we’re excited for not just vanilla Android to have, but for manufacturer’s to keep up with. We’ve seen impressive additions to pull-down notifications in several newer devices lately, the most impressive coming from Samsung’s Galaxy Note II from T-Mobile Again you’re running the Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor at 1.5GHz, a beast without a doubt, so you’ll have absolutely no trouble busting out any game on the market. Whip through the graphics like they’re silly giant pixels and play the highest definition video available to you – no trouble at all! Camera The camera on the front of this device is OK – certainly nothing to write home about, but notably improved over the past Nexus devices. It’s still made primarily for video chat, but if you absolutely need to take photos of your own face, it’ll do a suitable job for quick shares. On the back of the device is the 8 megapixel camera we’ve seen on the LG Optimus G from AT&T – as seen in this SlashGear review. Photos are generally nice and sharp, but a bit blue.
Compared to the Galaxy Nexus, this device takes fantastic photos, that’s for certain. Have a peek at a few examples here (with more on the way as we experience this device further) and note that the video is generally the same quality as the photos as well – certainly nice enough to share with your family and friends, miles ahead of the Galaxy Nexus.       Battery As it was with the LG Optimus G, you’ll need to monitor your device use here in order to make the most of your battery – no different from any smartphone on the market. It’s not absolute magic, but if you keep in mind that a display as bright and powerful as this is able to drain your battery extremely quickly if left on at full brightness all the time, you’ll get plenty of time out of it. That is to say: don’t just blast your eyes out all day long and you’ll get more than a day’s use out of this smartphone.
Wrap-Up The LG Nexus 4 is a notable improvement over the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Though we’re a bit less than thrilled over the fact that we don’t have a replaceable battery here, wireless charging as a standard technology is more than excellent enough to be a replacement for that simple ability. The Nexus 4 is the new benchmark for smartphones everywhere, iPhone and Windows Phone included. That’s not to say that the iPhone 5 or the Nokia Lumia 920 aren’t better phones, but Google has created a package here that the whole industry has to live up to, detail by detail. If you’re an Android developer, you absolutely, definitely, without a doubt, should be preparing to purchase this phone. It’s leagues ahead of the Galaxy Nexus in processing power as well as its ability to take decent photos, and since that’s just about the only thing that changes in the Nexus environment these days, the upgrade must be done. LG had performed an impressive feat here, securing a future for themselves in the Android universe with one impressive beast of a device.                           Device Info
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| Posted: 02 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PDT Meet the latest and greatest from Samsung and Google. The tablet that has outdone Apple and their “Retina” displays, the tablet that packs the latest version of Android, and the tablet with the absolute highest resolution to date — coming in at 2560×1600. This is true HD! The Samsung-made Google Nexus 10 is up on our review table, and it’s glorious. The screen is stunning, the processor is blazing fast, and of course we have Android 4.2 Jelly Bean powering this slate. Can this be the best tablet around just as the Nexus 7 has? Read on to see our full thoughts and tons of pictures.
Google’s Nexus 7 has been wildly popular for both Android tablet buyers, and tablet users as a whole. Being extremely powerful, efficient, and budget-friendly Google’s done the exact same thing with their Nexus 10. They’ve realized if they can get the perfect blend of top quality hardware and software for cheaper than the competition, well, they’ve got a awesome device that will sell. The Samsung Nexus 10 does exactly that! Hardware
The next important thing you’ll need to know about the Nexus 10 is regarding the processor under the hood. Don’t get fooled by the dual-core vs quad-core more=better problem. It’s also about the technology behind the processor. Samsung’s brand new Cortex-A15 Exynos 5250 is powering the Nexus 10. This dual-core 1.7 GHz chip blasts through the benchmarks and leaves quad-cores like the Tegra 3, and even Qualcomm’s brand new Snapdragon S4 Pro behind. So while it isn’t a quad-core, this 1.7 GHz dual-core 5250 is extremely powerful. Now for the rest of the details. The Nexus 10 comes with that 10-inch 2560×1600 HD display, dual-core 1.7 GHz processor, as well as 2GB of RAM. You’ll get 16GB of internal storage or 32GB for a few more dollars. Sadly we don’t have a micro-SD card here, but we weren’t expecting one either sadly. See Google’s thoughts on the matter here. You also have an improved dual-band MIMO WiFi support for the best and fastest connectivity around — a first for Android tablets (Fire HD aside) and really makes a difference for speed, as well as distance and strength of connection.
Other specs include a 5 megapixel rear camera that works with Photosphere and everything else from Android 4.2 we’ll mention below, it can take 1080p video and you’ll also rock a 1.9 front shooter for video chat with Google hangouts and more. Under the hood Google’s added in a 9,000 mAh battery (while keeping the slate thin) and promise around 10 hours of usage. The tablet is 10.39 x 6.99 x 0.35 inches across the top, side, and thickness, and only weighs just 1.33 lbs. Pretty light and thin considering the power and display inside. Here’s a full gallery of the hardware, which reminds us slightly of a much improved and prettier Motorola Xoom in a way. The full stereo front-facing speakers are such a welcomed edition. Just like the Galaxy Tab 2 10-inch. We’ve been wishing this would be the path all tablet makers take, and now Google’s finally on board.    The camera and LED flash grace the back along with that plastic-like polycarbonate shell. On the top left the power and volume rockers are both housed, which are sleek yet easy to find and tap. The left edge rocks the 3.5mm headphone back and micro-USB for charging and syncing, while the right edge enjoys a much needed micro-HDMI out port. Overall we’re rather impressed with the hardware look and feel. Obviously the bezel is quite large and something we wish was smaller, but this is a first step in a new generation of truly HD tablets. What’s next? 4k? The bezel makes the device a little larger than we’d like, but then it’s still extremely thin, rounded on the edges and corners, and makes for an extremely comfortable handling experience. Overall we’d have to give the hardware a thumbs up in all regards. It’s extremely well made, very durable, feels great and is indeed a polished and beautiful product inside and out. Well done Samsung and Google! Display
We’ll need more time with this slate to truly enjoy the 2560 x 1600 HD display, but so far playing games has been a blast (ShadowGun for those wondering), browsing the web is one of the best experiences yet, and overall we just can’t say enough good things about this Nexus 10. While we’ve never believed the iPad was on a level of its own, for those who thought it was, the Nexus 10 is here to show you Android can play too! Software The link just listed above details what’s new in 4.2, so we’ll just go through what’s important here. Just like the Nexus 7, the Nexus 10 employs the same user interface that isn’t quite a phone UI, but isn’t like most tablet interfaces either. It’s a blend between the two that seems to only be offered on a Nexus. While some might not like the wasted space with the black bar on button and just the on-screen navigation keys, we personally love it. It’s very simple! The dock of icons has been improved and clearly we have a much wider selection, not to mention quick settings. We mentioned quick settings earlier in October but now Google’s implemented this in a different manor. Instead of wasting valuable notification pulldown bar space with WiFi, Bluetooth, Airplane Mode, and GPS settings toggles like most 3rd party skins — why not make it another option all together.
Quick Settings also exist on the new handset from Google – see our LG Nexus 4 review too! On the Nexus 4 with Android 4.2 you swipe down a second time, or swipe with two fingers for the quick settings menu. On the Nexus 10 it has its own side. The left pulldown is what we’re familiar with, while the right houses the new quick settings. This makes flipping on WiFi or changing settings an absolute breeze and puts other mobile OS settings like iOS and especially Windows Phone 8, absolutely to shame. Why stumble through multiple menus when it can be at your fingertips in seconds? We love it. This is what makes Android… Android! As mentioned above there’s a brand new improved camera and gallery app. Photosphere lets you virtually take panoramic pictures up, down, left, right, and anywhere you’d like to direct your photo — and they are amazing. This is more of a feature for smartphones, and you can see more in our LG Nexus 4 Review. What we want to talk about is multiple user accounts. This is all new with Android 4.2, and just like quick settings, was hinted and leaked back in October. Multiple User Accounts
What makes user accounts even more powerful is the simplicity of the entire process. Google’s made it as quick as going to the lockscreen and entering your account with the usual slide-to-unlock. There are no reboots needed or settings to fumble between. Nothing. Simply unlock into your user account and you’ll be greeted with everything that’s yours. Obviously you can set passwords too so your friends and family can’t mess with your background image and play games on you. Kids can’t accidentally delete that game you’ve been working on for months either. This is truly like Windows login options, and it’s a welcomed edition to the coffee table family tablet. Sadly this isn’t available yet on our units, and will be in the OTA update the day the Nexus 10 starts shipping from the Play Store. Same goes for lockscreen widgets.
As far as other things new with Android 4.2 mentioned in our detailed breakdown linked to above. We also have an improved Google Now, Gesture typing (to erase Swype from our minds) Wireless streaming, and even better expandable notifications that were introduced with 4.1 Jelly Bean. Gesture typing is actually rather impressive, but is another feature that smartphone users will enjoy more than tablet fans. Sliding your finger across a 10-inch slate isn’t ideal, but the option is available. This will essentially replace the need to download a 3rd party keyboard like Swype and even the upcoming SwiftKey Flow. Google’s also added a hovering prediction option unlike anything we’ve seen. As you slide your finger and gesture across the screen it predicts the word and it hovers above the keyboard. It’s quite neat. It’ll also warn you you’ve made a mistake on that swiping action before you waste time finishing.
Google Now has the ability to search through your Gmail and give you alerts that are needed most. While the feature is scary, using it this past week has been amazing. It noticed I had hotel reservations and flight confirmations in my Gmail, then added the cards to Google Now neatly for me. I learned my flight was delayed 3 hours (uhh) and even got a reminder that my hotel check-out time was in 38 minutes. This also will change the clock when you travel (and show you “Time at home”) show you attractions and famous photo stops when you are on vacation, will alert you on incoming packages based on tracking numbers in gmail, Restaurants, event bookings, and even a Pedometer for how much you walk/cycle from month to month. Google will tell you that you’ll need to be more active. Not really, but the Pedometer is actually pretty cool. Google Now can do everything and more now. It is truly a real virtual assistant. Overall without diving into Android 4.2 too much (as we’ll review it itself soon) we’re loving what Google’s done, and their direction with the Nexus 10. Other than the few actual new features, they perfected everything even further — like the camera for example. They now have a full arsenal of Nexus devices of all shapes and sizes that completes the picture. The Nexus 10 is beautifully crafted and matches the elegance of the Android operating system. Everything about Android 4.2 Jelly Bean screams project butter, and then some. It’s blazingly fast, fluid, and even smarter and simpler than ever. Android is coming along quite nicely if I don’t say so myself. Performance       Camera We went over the new camera above, but just wanted to rehash some of the awesomeness Google’s introduced here. Photosphere is excellent, and you can see a few samples below. The camera UI has been streamlined and is much simpler. We now have a new autofocus ring on screen that isn’t an ugly square, and hold your finger on the display for more “quick settings” to tweak the flash and multiple other options. No more fumbling through menus here either.
There are also powerful new edit tools, even more filters to take on Instagram and more. We’ll be continuing to test the camera over the next few days – the following gallery will be expanding accordingly, of course.   Battery Life
Combine the two and Google promises 10 hours of battery life — and we’ve managed that or better. Browsing the web, reading Google Play Magazines in truly 1080p HD with crisp text, streaming a few HD movies and more we’ve still been chugging along here. This tablet has reached 11 hours on more than one occasion. Wrap-Up
Google added one thing almost every Nexus 7 user wanted, and did it in two ways. We now have HDMI-Out as well as Wireless Streaming with Miracast support and more. We have a front and rear camera, better battery life, improved performance, and the best tablet display in the universe. Google’s done all this for less than the iPad mini. Well played Google, well played! The choice is clear for Android fans. This is the best 10-inch tablet available, and if you’d like something smaller their new $16GB Nexus 7 for just $199 is impressive in its own right. The Android tablet market is saturated with devices of every size, color, price, and operating system and while Google doesn’t want to upset their partners, they do want to steer them in the right direction. The all new Samsung and Google Nexus 10 does exactly that. It gives users a clear choice moving forward, and a model all Android manufacturers can look at and decide what the best route is to take. While we’ll be putting this thing through the paces for the weeks and months to come — we have no doubt this is the best 10-inch tablet experience. Period!                 Device Info
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| Facebook phone rumors alive and kicking in the form of the HTC Opera UL Posted: 02 Nov 2012 07:59 AM PDT The Facebook phone rumors are back again. This time, the HTC Opera UL is being reported as being the social network’s official phone. An insider source told Pocket-lint that the phone HTC calls the HTC Opera UL is actually an OEM phone made specifically for Facebook.
The inside also suggests that we should not hold our breath for the release of the device. The source suggests that it has been delayed, and the there is no final timetable for a release. Facebook has consistently denied that it intends to release its own phone. Still, with the abundance of rumors that come up all the time, it’s hard to believe that it’s not coming. It’s assumed that Facebook would modify the software much like Amazon did with its Kindle devices. With rumors that Facebook has been picking up many ex-iPhone and ex-iPad engineers, it seems more and more like this is going to happen. As always, we will keep your posted on the latest developments in the possible existence of a dedicated Facebook phone. [via SlashGear]
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| Jelly Bean install base rising slowly, Ice Cream Sandwich growing faster Posted: 02 Nov 2012 07:11 AM PDT It’s time for the update on Android install bases again. It’s always interesting to see which versions of Android are growing, which ones are shrinking, and what percentage of Android owners are still hanging around with the old versions. The data from this report is generated based on devices accessing Google Play in a two-week period, which in this case is the period up to November 1. The story of this report is the incredibly slow growth of Jelly Bean, and the solid growth of Ice Cream Sandwich.
It looks like a good portion of those upgrades came from Gingerbread, which dropped 1.6-percent. In spite of this drop, Gingerbread devices still hold well over 50-percent of the install base, making it by far the most used version of Android. Older version fell too, but by a lower number. Hopefully, the trend of devices updating will keep those ICS and Jelly Bean numbers climbing. Moving towards newer OS versions has to come from device manufactures, but with the influx of new devices hitting the market all the time, it’s tough for device makers to keep up. For example, Sony announced that all of its pre-2012 devices would not receive Jelly Bean updates. Situations like that are obviously not going to help increase Jelly Bean installs. Either way, it’s still good to see that at least more devices are moving the way of ICS, even if Gingerbread is still dominating. [via SlashGear]
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| Research firm IDC says Android scores 75% of market share in Q3 Posted: 02 Nov 2012 06:18 AM PDT Android has taken a stranglehold on the smartphone market in Q3, at least according to research firm IDC. According to the report, Android locked down 75-percent of the market, coming in way ahead of iOS, which had only 14.9-percent. To put that in actual numbers, about 181 million smartphones were sold, and of those, 136 million were Android.
IDC's Mobile Phone Research Manager Ramon Llamas sums up the numbers very well; "Android has been one of the primary growth engines of the smartphone market since it was launched in 2008. In every year since then, Android has effectively outpaced the market and taken market share from the competition." According to Llamas, operators, vendors, and users embracing the mobile OS is a major reason for the growth of the platform.
Year-over-year, Google’s mobile OS saw a 91.5-percent increase. Samsung was the number one brand of Android smartphones. At this time last year, Android had 57.5-percent of the market. That’s a lot of market growth in a really short time. At this point, it’s clear that Android is here to stay. [via SlashGear]
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| Samsung Galaxy Note II moves 3 million units worldwide Posted: 02 Nov 2012 05:42 AM PDT Turns out people like Samsung’s plus-sized Galaxy Note II. In fact, looks like 3 million people love the phablet. That’s a pretty impressive number, but it becomes even more impressive when you consider that the device has only been on the market for a little over a month. That’s a lot of people running out to get their Note IIs in a rather short period of time.
The inclusion of the longer, thinner S Pen could be another reason for the jump in popularity of the Note II. It makes using the lager device much easier. While the S Pen is compatible with the original Note, the different size of the pen means it won’t fit in the stylus slot of the Samsung’s original phablet. Maybe the size of the screen has nothing to do with the phone’s massive success. Maybe it’s the beastly specs under the hood of the device. Maybe it’s the 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and either 16, 32, or 64GB of memory space options that make people want it. Either way, Samsung’s Galaxy Note II is here to stay. 3 million units is an impressive number, and it tells us that there is certainly a market for larger smartphones. [via SlashGear]
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| WikiPad gaming tablet gets delayed on launch date Posted: 01 Nov 2012 03:50 PM PDT If you were one of the many interested in the upcoming WikiPad gaming tablet equipped with a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, today we have bad news. The tablet was initially supposed to launch this week, and hit GameStop stores nationwide, but instead it has been delayed until further notice. Instead of launching yesterday the team sent out a press release detailing why we’re seeing a delay.
The 10-inch tablet rocking a powerful quad-core processor that neatly slides right into a gamepad for a full gaming experience is apparently having some troubles with “bundles.” While we aren’t sure the exact cause for the delay, the developers stated it had nothing to do with hardware. Here’s what they had to say:
So it looks like they are doing a bit of refinement to the hardware and or software, as well as improving the bundle option for those who will be picking up this piece of gaming equipment. For those that pre-ordered the WikiPad we don’t have a new release date or any further details, but they did state pre-order customers would receive a special bonus gift once it finally ships. Maybe some free games? This 10-inch quad-core powered tablet won’t be seeing shelves and gamers hands quite yet, and at this point we aren’t sure when it will actually become available. For now we’ll just have to wait and see what the developers have planned, what they offer on release date, and we’ll update once we hear more. Were you interested in the WikiPad? [via SlashGear]
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| Physical Google Wallet cards outed in leak Posted: 01 Nov 2012 03:36 PM PDT Well this certainly is interesting: Android Police is reporting that there are some massive changes coming soon to Google Wallet. The news comes via an anonymous tipster who managed to get his hands on a leaked Google Wallet update, presumably the one Google was teasing last week. Are you ready for what Google has in store? As it turns out, Google may be gearing up to introduce physical Google Wallet cards.
If that’s true, then it opens up a lot of possibilities for Google Wallet. The screenshots taken from the Google Wallet app post-update definitely suggest that such a thing is happening, as the tipster was able to sign up for his own physical card in-app. The physical card can be used in places that don’t accept NFC payments, and it also means that you can link your various credit and debit cards to your Google Wallet account, using your Google Wallet card in place of each and every one of them. In doing so, you can make your life much easier in the event that your wallet is stolen. By leaving all of your other cards at home and carrying only your Google Wallet card, you’ll only have one card to cancel if your wallet or purse is swiped by one of the more unsavory people roaming the Earth. Needless to say, we’re pretty excited about these physical Google Wallet cards. There’s more though, as Android Police says this updates also adds support for adding and withdrawing funds, person to person transfers, and transit cards. It seems that Google has stepped its game up in a major way, ladies and gentlemen. Provided all of this is actually happening, we should be finding out about it relatively soon. Stay tuned for more information, because we’ll definitely be watching this one.
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| Samsung Stratosphere II spotted in the wild once again Posted: 01 Nov 2012 02:55 PM PDT It’s been a little while since we’ve heard from the Samsung Stratosphere II, but a leaked image of the rumored device has surfaced once again today. The fine folks at @evleaks have posted a new image of the Stratosphere II, showing it off in all of its slider glory. Sadly, @evleaks didn’t post any new details about the phone along with the image, but the picture does clearly show Verizon and 4G LTE branding.
So, it seems that when this phone is eventually revealed, it’ll be headed for at least Verizon. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that the Stratosphere II will be a Verizon handset, as previous rumors have told us the exact same thing. We still don’t know too much about the Stratosphere II at the moment, but previous sightings in a Verizon equipment guide show that the device will have a 4-inch Super AMOLED display. Of course, there’s also the slide-out QWERTY keyboard that we can clearly see in the image above. The 4-inch screen and the physical keyboard suggest that the Stratosphere II is going to be a low-end budget handset, just like its predecessor was. At least it’ll come LTE-ready, which should be a pretty big selling point. Another interesting thing to point out – the image from @evleaks shows that the Stratosphere II has a menu button on the front, something we don’t see all that often. At the end of everything, it seems that the Stratosphere II is indeed a real phone, so now all we need is an announcement from either Verizon or Samsung and we’ll be set. Keep it tuned here to Android Community for more information!
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| LG Optimus L9 now available at T-Mobile Posted: 01 Nov 2012 02:12 PM PDT Just a heads up if you’ve been waiting to get your hands on the LG Optimus L9 – the new handset has officially launched at T-Mobile. The L9 doesn’t fetch too steep a price, which makes it a good choice for those who need a decent handset on the cheap. Make no mistake, the L9 isn’t going to be burning up the benchmarks, but it should be a suitable device for those who don’t need to have the latest and greatest.
Under the hood, you’ll find a Qualcomm MSM8225 dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz, which certainly isn’t the fastest but should be at least relatively quick. You’ve also got 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage to take advantage of, and all of this hardware is powered by a 2,150mAh battery. On the backside, we have a decent five-megapixel camera, with the L9 running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Next we come to the L9′s screen. With the Optimus L9, we’ve got a 4.5-inch display, which is getting up there as far as size goes. That screen is running at 960×540 resolution, so while you may not be getting HD with this device, visuals should still be pretty sharp. The phone is also pretty slim coming in at just 0.36-inches thick, and it’s lightweight to boot. The LG Optimus L9 is available now from T-Mobile for $80, which isn’t too shabby. Keep in mind that you’ll need to sign a two-year contract and redeem a $50 mail-in rebate to get the phone down to that price, but even without the $50 rebate, $130 still isn’t too bad. Is the LG Optimus L9 for you, or are you planning to pick up a different handset? Device Info
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| Disney turns sights toward Star Wars mobile and social games Posted: 01 Nov 2012 01:16 PM PDT By now, you’ve probably heard that Disney has purchased Lucasfilm, whether you learned that through news outlets or Facebook friends who are complaining that Disney will ruin the Star Wars franchise (it isn’t going to, so stop worrying). While we’re sure that Disney is going put the Star Wars IP to good use, the company isn’t looking to make many more Star Wars console games. Instead, Disney CEO Robert Iger says the company will probably focus on Star Wars mobile and social titles moving forward.
“We’re likely to focus more on social and mobile than we are on console,” Iger said. “We’ll look opportunistically at console, most likely in licensing rather than publishing, but we think that given the nature of these characters and how well known they are, and the storytelling, that they lend themselves quite nicely, as they’ve already demonstrated to the other platforms.” So, it looks like we can expect more games like Angry Birds Star Wars in the future, but it’s hard to say what kind of experiences Disney is shooting for with mobile and social. This doesn’t mean the end of Star Wars console games, though, as Iger also points out in his brief statement that Disney is open to licensing out the Star Wars IP to other developers. This means that licensees will handle the development of Star Wars console games, while Disney will oversee the development of mobile and social games based in the universe. That doesn’t seem like a bad deal – after all, remember that some of the best Star Wars console games have come from third party licensees. As stated above, expect Disney to hit the mobile and social scene hard. Disney has seen what can be achieved on those two platforms – mobile especially – so prepare to see a lot of Star Wars mobile and social games moving forward. Do you think this is a good move on Disney’s part, or should it focus on console games alongside mobile and social? [via Polygon]
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| Amazon Game Studio releases Air Patriots, their first Android game Posted: 01 Nov 2012 12:51 PM PDT Today the folks from Amazon released their first game built in-house for Android, iOS, and all their Kindle Fire tablets. The brand new game is called Air Patriots and appears to be quite fun. Blending games like Air Control and airplane games with the popular tower defense model. Amazon calls this a “new kind of tower defense game.” Read on for more details.
Air Patriots from Amazon looks to be a pretty impressive tower defense game, although you’ll be flying around instead of controlling and attacking the ground troops. The title was developed by Amazon’s brand new Game Studio and there’s more coming soon. Initially this is available for the Kindle Fire tablets, iOS, and Android. While Amazon has released this on their app store and the Google Play Store, and supports a wide array of Android devices, sadly their biggest rival in the Nexus 7 isn’t included. Smart move Amazon! Even though we don’t like that decision. Most devices are supported, but Nexus users need not apply. Here’s a quick video of what to expect. Between being an air defense game, and a tower defense game, they’ve added a unique touch control element where players can draw the paths for their planes. Pretty interesting concept actually, that many are finding to be quite fun. As usual this is a freemium game so will be free-to-play and come with 3 levels, then an in-app purchase of $2.99 will get you an additional 9 levels for a grand total of 12. Unlike most tower games where your defense is all stationary, you’ll be able to draw and control your squadron here with Air Patriots for absolute domination. Give it a try today from the Amazon Store or Google Play.     
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| Samsung Galaxy S III gets its own Mophie Juice Pack Posted: 01 Nov 2012 12:20 PM PDT Samsung Galaxy S III owners take note, because Mophie is ready to beef up your phone’s battery life. The company has announced a new Juice Pack made specifically for the Galaxy S III, and Mophie says that it can double the life your S III’s battery. Not only that, but it can also protect your expensive phone from bumps and scuffs as an added bonus.
The Samsung Galaxy S III Juice Pack makes use of a rechargeable 2,300mAh battery, which is actually a little beefier than the 2,100mAh one that comes packed in the phone itself. Since the case is designed specifically for the Galaxy S III, it won’t ruin the sleek look of your phone, and it even comes with a USB passthrough so you can charge and transfer data without ever having to remove the S III from its Juice Pack. Mophie has also included an on/off toggle switch that will keep from wasting the extra power your Juice Pack provides. The Juice Pack comes with 4 LED lights installed, which not only tell you how much battery life is left, but also how much longer you’ll have to wait until charging is complete. All in all, it sounds like a pretty handy device, but if you want one, you’ll have to plop down a hefty amount of cash.
That’s because the Samsung Galaxy S III Juice Pack comes with a price tag of $99.95. That price seems a little steep at first, but this a peripheral that actually has some useful applications, so it may be worth the price to some folks. Mophie’s Juice Pack for the iPhone has proven to be pretty popular, so we’ll have to see if the company finds the same success breaking into Android. Will be picking one up? Device Info
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