Android Community |
- Ematic releases the FunTab 7 – A $119 Android 4.0 tablet for kids
- LG Nexus 4 owners get 50GB free Box.net cloud storage
- Skype 3.0 gets an improved UI for Android tablets
- Samsung Galaxy S4 rumor claims Feb. launch with quad-core A15, 13MP camera
- Cricket launches Groove Smartphone for its holiday lineup
- APK Teardown reveals new features coming to Google Play
- Tablet maker Pandigital goes under — Will not honor warranties on devices
- HTC CEO says Apple fee estimates are “outrageous”
- White Nexus 4 shows up for preorder at TalkTalk
- Nexus 10 gets its own teardown treatment
- Republic Wireless exits beta, pre-orders available today
- AT&T Samsung Galaxy Camera Review
- HD Widgets update adds 12 new lockscreen widgets for Android 4.2
- ZTE Avid 4G leaks for MetroPCS
- Dexter the Game 2 injects its way into the Play Store
| Ematic releases the FunTab 7 – A $119 Android 4.0 tablet for kids Posted: 20 Nov 2012 11:32 AM PST If you’re in the market for a fun but cheap Android tablet for the kids this holiday season, we might have found one for you. The folks from Ematic, who are known for their budget friendly Android tablets, have just released their all new 7-inch Ematic FunTab for kids. We have all the details below on this cheap kids device.
This brand new tablet sure isn’t pretty by any means, nor do the specs have anything eye catching. What is important though is the price. For $119 you’ll get your children an Android 4.0 tablet running on a low resolution 7-inch 480×800 display, an unknown 1.2 GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, as well as front and rear cameras. The specs certainly aren’t anything special but the tablet is designed for kids and offers tons of options considering the low price. The FunTab has a “Kids Mall” app store with games and apps designed just for kids, with things like Angry Birds, Cut The Rope, Fruit Ninja and more. This will keep them entertained for hours while you relax this holiday season.
The FunTab 7 features a capacitive touch display, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, expandable storage via the micro-SD slot and claims 5 hours of continuous battery life and 8 hours total. Ematic offers parental controls, interactive e-reader books, a Zoodles Kid mode for even younger children, and a built-in art studio app for drawing. Pretty much this is as budget friendly as it gets without being too cheap, and is available as we speak for $119 in Walmart stores. Good luck with your Holiday shopping parents!      [via Ematic]
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| LG Nexus 4 owners get 50GB free Box.net cloud storage Posted: 20 Nov 2012 11:12 AM PST We know many of you are still waiting to get your shiny new LG Nexus 4, or already did and are sad about the 8 and 16GB storage limits, but don’t worry because we have good news. Remember that Box.net cloud storage deal where all LG and Sony devices get 50GB cloud storage absolutely free? Well the same awesome deal applies to the Nexus 4.
For some reason this never occurred to many being a “Google” device and all, but as long as you install the app and sign in with an LG branded device, you’ll be upgraded to the awesome 50GB limit. We made sure to test this out first of course, and as expected the LG Nexus 4 automatically applies for this and 50GB of storage is dropped into your account. Awesome!
A partnership with the popular cloud storage and Dropbox rival Box.net and LG agreed to this deal back in November of 2011, and as long as you have an LG device you qualify. This has been going on for almost an entire year and you can also share and tell your friends about Box.net and they’ll also get to enjoy 50GB of storage absolutely free. Sadly this deal does indeed end on December 31st, 2012. So you have a little over a month to secure yourself a brand new LG Nexus 4 and sign in before the deadline. Hopefully those Play Store orders ship by then — which we have a feeling they very well should. It’s nothing special but 50GB free sure sounds good to us. Any of you proud Nexus owners going to take Box.net up on the offer? [via Box] – Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
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| Skype 3.0 gets an improved UI for Android tablets Posted: 20 Nov 2012 10:31 AM PST Today Skype version 3.0 for Android tablets has arrived. The folks from Skype, now owned by Microsoft, have issued a rather large update to the service bringing tons of new features and enhanced Android tablet support. Until now Skype on tablets wasn’t too pleasing, but now they’ll fully be supporting that 7 and 10-inch real estate, as well as enhanced the user interface. Read on for more details.
For the most part Skype has focused this update effort almost all on Android tablets, which is a good thing, but they’ve also fixed some bugs and brought forth some serious audio improvements for all devices. They’re calling this SILK (enhanced audio) and have released a neat little video below to give you a better idea of what to expect from SILK and the new Skype. Skype for Android now scales to all tablet sizes, although the Nexus 7 is stuck in Landscape which won’t work too well with that top mounted “portrait only” camera. Overall the new user interface looks beautiful and is easy to work with on tablets. They’ve also introduced an option to sign in and merge your Skype account with your Microsoft account — since they bought Skype — for those interesting in that feature. The new SILK audio codec should improve audio across the board, the bug fixes should improve video quality and overall responsiveness, and now you can enjoy Skype on those larger Android screens. Sadly we shouldn’t have needed to wait this long but now that it’s here, might as well give it a try. Get the all new Skype v3.0 today in the Google Play Store.    [via Skype]
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| Samsung Galaxy S4 rumor claims Feb. launch with quad-core A15, 13MP camera Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:46 AM PST The flagship Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone has been available long enough that it’s time we start focusing on its successor. We’ve been hearing whispers and rumors regarding the Galaxy S IV for a few weeks now, but today the details just got a bit more interesting. Reports of a February launch complete with a 13 megapixel camera and more.
We first reported on some leaked details last week, stating a 4.99-inch 1920 x 1080p full HD display with 441 pixels-per-inch, but now we’re hearing even more. According to a few tips, as well as the guys at GSMarena, the Galaxy S4 will launch in late February after Mobile World Congress and come with some stunning specs. Reports are suggesting Samsung will toss their Exynos 5450 quad-core A15 processor inside this beast. That’s double the 5250 inside the Nexus 10. Equip it with a 13 megapixel rear camera, and of course we’ll enjoy Android with that 4.99-inch true HD Super AMOLED display. Initially we heard strong evidence that the Note II would feature that 13 megapixel camera but supply couldn’t meet Samsung’s demand, so it looks like this time around they’ll be straightened out. Obviously we’ll be taking these rumors with a grain of salt for now, but they very well could turn out to be accurate. Samsung’s past Galaxy devices have been announced in March and April, beat by a few months by HTC and others at CES and MWC, so this year they could very well aim for February and beat all their competition to the market. We’ll report back if we hear any further details. Who’s excited about this powerhouse smartphone? [via SlashGear]
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| Cricket launches Groove Smartphone for its holiday lineup Posted: 20 Nov 2012 08:43 AM PST Cricket has just announced a new Android smartphone hitting the market just in time for the holiday season. The device is the carrier’s newest Muve Music capable Android smartphone too. Cricket intends to launch the phone November 21 on its prepaid network for $129.99.
The phone is not a high-end phone by any means, but for the price, it’s not bad. It comes with Android 2.3 installed. It has an 800MHz processor and a 1500mAh battery. It also comes with a 3.5-inch HVGA TFT touchscreen. While it’s not going to compete with likes of, say, a Galaxy S III, it appears that it can hold its own in the competitive smartphone market. With Muve Music and a service plan starting at $50 per month, users of the phone can get access to unlimited downloads of their favorite music and access to exclusive artist commentary. It also allows them to download video through Muve Music’s monthly artist programs. There is no contract to use the data or music services available in the device. The device also comes with a 3.2MP rear-facing camera and a .3MP front-facing camera. It also has Wi-Fi tethering for sharing your phone’s Internet connection with another device. If you’re looking for an affordable, entry-level smartphone for yourself or a loved one, this might be a good option to consider.
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| APK Teardown reveals new features coming to Google Play Posted: 20 Nov 2012 08:16 AM PST It looks like some big changes are coming to Google Play. In an APK Teardown from the folks at Android Police, they discovered some pretty massive changes coming to the service. The first one involves a more heavy implementation of Google+. It looks you will have to have a Google+ account in order to leave app reviews on Google Play. This means when you leave a review, your name and photo will probably appear next to the review. It also looks like some tweaks are coming to the way you share apps, probably in form of sharing your reviews with Google+ circles.
It also looks like a new design for Play might be coming. It appears that the template may be coming from the web version of the Google Play Store. This should be nice, as the Play Store is not necessarily the most well designed app store out there. The last change is the ability to report an app as harmful. This feature has been around on the web Play Store for a while, and it looks like it’s coming to the Android store soon. Hopefully, this will encourage more people to report malware infested apps and make the Play Store a safer place. [via Android Police]
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| Tablet maker Pandigital goes under — Will not honor warranties on devices Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:13 AM PST If you own a Pandgital budget tablet, you may be out of luck if something goes wrong with your device. Pandigital, the company that used to make tablets and other devices, has gone belly up. Officially, the company shut its door earlier this year, but rather than file for bankruptcy, all of its assets were signed over to creditors to pay off the companies large outstanding debts.
Pandigital made a few Android tablets including a couple 9″ models, an 8″ one, and a half dozen different 7″ tablets. They also sold ereaders, digital picture frames, portable scanners, and digital cameras. Each of these will have the same warranty issues, so if something goes wrong, you may be stuck buying a new device to replace it. Apparently, the service center for Pandigital was never good, so this change might not make much of a difference. Still, it’s sad to see a company go out of business, leaving customers with devices that are no longer covered by the warranty they were promised when they purchased it. I guess that’s the risk you run when buying a budget device. This serves as a grim reminder of what can happen when a company goes under. [via The Digital Reader]
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| HTC CEO says Apple fee estimates are “outrageous” Posted: 20 Nov 2012 06:21 AM PST When the news came out that Apple and HTC had come to a settlement, everyone was left wondering exactly what the terms of the settlement were. A report that seemed rock-solid came out saying that HTC was to pay Apple $6-$8 for each smartphone sold, and we thought that was the end of it. When asked about this number, HTC CEO Peter Chou said, according to Reuters, they were "baseless" and "very, very wrong."
As much as the companies involved would like to keep the terms quiet, it doesn’t seem like anyone is going to let that happen. Samsung has reportedly requested a copy of the report. It claims that the patents involved could have implications in its court cases with Apple. Only time will tell if we ever find out the real number. The $6-$8 report seemed solid, but apparently not. Perhaps we will find out more if Samsung’s request for access is granted. As always, we will keep you posted on HTC and Apple’s agreement as we hear more. [via SlashGear]
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| White Nexus 4 shows up for preorder at TalkTalk Posted: 20 Nov 2012 05:46 AM PST Are you looking to grab a Nexus 4? Well let’s be honest, finding one is easier said than done right now. TalkTalk in the UK is listing a white Nexus 4 on its website for preorder, and if the way the phone is selling currently is any indication, you will probably need to preorder if you actually want to get one of the devices in white for yourself.
The phone is available in a few different plan options. The smallest plan is £30 plan offers 100 mins, 250 texts, and 200MB of data. The middle plan costs £35 and offers 300 mins, 3000 texts, and 1GB of data. The large plan will run you £45 per month, and comes with 1000 minutes, 3000 texts, and 4GB of data. They all require a 2-year agreement. In case you forgot what a Nexus 4 is, it comes with a 4.7-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 768, 1.5GHz quad-core processor, and 16GB of internal memory. It comes with the latest version of Android Jelly Bean installed. If you are interested in grabbing it in white, don’t wait because it will surely go fast. [via SlashGear]
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| Nexus 10 gets its own teardown treatment Posted: 19 Nov 2012 04:28 PM PST This weekend we showed you the usual iFixit teardown of the LG Nexus 4 smartphone, and now we have the Nexus 10 getting the same teardown. This time around however the teardown isn’t by iFixit and instead comes from the folks at PowerbookMedic. Just like most teardowns we get a nice breakdown and look at the internals that make these devices tick.
So what does this reveal about the Samsung made Nexus 10 tablet? It’s just as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside. Everything is neatly and carefully mashed together inside a sleek slate, and they managed to fit that crazy high resolution display, large battery, and new Exynos 5250 dual-core processor all under the hood with ease. While Powerbookmedic doesn’t have the wide array of teardowns that iFixit does to compare the actual end result, they were quick to mention just how extremely easy Google (or Samsung) made this tablet to take apart. This is a good thing because it also means the average consumer can repair any issues with ease — should you have the guts to take a screwdriver to your own tablet.
Using nothing more than average screws and a suction cup the rear came off quickly, then inside it was one of the cleanest and simplest designs they’ve worked with. Comparing it to the highly complex and difficult to work with iPad. The battery connector was rubber instead of plastic so it snapped off with ease, and users won’t have to worry about breaking the little tip. While we won’t get into specifics on each part (they do that themselves) in the end it scores high for repairability and ease of use, with almost everything just needing a few screws to be removed. We know you all enjoy checking out these photos so head to the source link to check more out. Device Info
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Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
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Hardware
 Cellular Network Device Connectivity
 [via SlashGear]
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| Republic Wireless exits beta, pre-orders available today Posted: 19 Nov 2012 03:47 PM PST Remember those Republic Wireless guys? Well today they are back with a big announcement that they’ve finally finished their private beta test and will be available to all. In case you forgot they were the ones offering unlimited everything smartphone plans for just $20 a month. Crazy right?
Using their own VoIP (voice over IP) technology to provide unlimited calls, text, data, and more all for just $19.99 for all us Android smartphone users. Pretty bold ambitions right? Well, it’s been just about 1 year since they first appeared and today Republic Wireless is available for all to give it a try. They are a network that “runs on freedom.” That freedom they talk about, however, banks on the user having a WiFi connection as much as humanly possible. When you’re home, at work, at Starbucks and more Republic Wireless will use the provided WiFi for VoIP calls and texts. In the event you don’t have that option the load and services get dumped off to The Now Network — and we know how bad their 3G data speeds are. Where Republic Wireless really has an opportunity to shine is the contract free usage and low prices. This is pay-as-you-go, $19.99 a month, and only $10 to get started. They’re offering the Motorola DEFY XT for $249 right on their website, then you’re up and running for just $19 a month with no annual contracts. It appears that this is only a pre-order status for now and devices and service will start shipping in mid December. The DEFT XT is their only phone available, which isn’t great, but it’s a good start and I’m sure we’ll see and hear more soon. If you’re interested in contract free unlimited everything and have WiFi at home and work, check out Republic Wireless today!
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| AT&T Samsung Galaxy Camera Review Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:47 PM PST It’s time to get down to business with the Samsung Galaxy Camera as you’ll be picking it up from your local AT&T retailer soon, and very soon. As it turns out, this device is essentially the same model you’ll be getting if you’re purchasing the device internationally – innards and all. there aren’t even any AT&T logos on the device, as it were, with this machine appearing in your hands fully Samsung-friendly. What we’re going to do in the review below is take a unique look at this device as it is brand new to the Android universe – less on the smartphone end of things (since it’s not a smartphone, mind you), and a lot more on the photography angle.
Hardware This device goes by the full name Samsung Galaxy Camera EK-GC100 and is listed in some places with the ability to go full 4G LTE – that’s simply not true (not at the moment, at least.) AT&T specifically lists it as 4G, but not LTE – here instead working with the “4G” that came before LTE for AT&T, that being HSPA+. You’ll also see HSDPA quad-band and international abilities as well – and you could potentially run it with a T-Mobile SIM card if you wanted, too. Beyond that, it’s a lovely camera made to take all the greatness that’s been coming up in the Android smartphone world and apply it to a device that’s – again – primarily a photography machine.
This device works with a fabulous Super Clear LCD display on the back thats 4.7-inches diagonally and has 720 x 1280 pixel resolution – that’s 306 PPI, just under the Nexus 4 which works with 320 PPI, and the Galaxy Nexus which has 316 PPI (though pentile in that case, with subpixle action.) Here you’ve got a giant pane of Gorilla Glass 2 on the back and TouchWiz under the hood working with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
You’ve got 8GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot that’s able to take up to a 64GB microSD card for additional storage. You’re working with a fabulous quad-core Exynos processor here (that’s 4412 in this case) as well as a Mali 400MP GPU. The primary camera here (and only camera, mind you) has 16 megapixels to its name, 21x optical zoom, AF light, and a pop-up Xenon flash. Features include a wide-angle 23mm lens and 1080p video recording at 30fps.
This device will eventually be coming in Black, White, Pink, and Orange – we can’t wait to see how insanely bright that’s going to be, of course. The battery is a 1650 mAh lithium ion removable unit that’s been working exquisitely well, especially since it’s running a much more power-intensive machine than your standard smartphone. Taking photos and videos all the time is no joke, neither is transferring massive amounts of data with each snap – you’ll be inclined to share everything automatically, of course, as that’s the greatest part of this puzzle.
The Galaxy Camera is extremely light and made of plastic and glass primarily, but feels extremely high quality and comfortable to use. It will certainly take some getting used to for those of you that have never used a touchscreen interface with a camera before, but you’ll be glad you made the effort. User Interface This device works primarily with a touchscreen interface, much like a smartphone – but the button you’ll be using more often than any other is the shutter. Just like every other beast of a camera you’ve ever used, you’re still taking photos here with a real physical piece of equipment – the touchscreen exists only to help you grab the best images you possibly can. Have a peek at this hands-on video we’ve prepared for you to get a grip on what you’re working with here. The Samsung Galaxy Camera is extremely easy to use. If you’ve never used Android before, you’ll have a slightly more difficult time – but it’s not difficult to use this device. Android is the brain here, not the user interface – the user interface reflects the simplest controls you’ve ever used on a digital camera. They’re much more intuitive here too than you’ve ever seen before. The standard digital point-and-shoot camera today is silly and simple, with controls that rely on the user wanting to make use of “portrait” or “auto” and that’s it – this is not that silly standard mindset-toting device.
The Samsung Galaxy Camera brings an extremely mature user interface to the digital camera market, making sure that you get a great experience taking photos and video be you a newbie or a veteran photography, all the same. Expert mode is just as easy to work with as Auto and the collection of “Smart” effects which, unlike many lesser cameras, actually create high-quality photos – not just “photoshopped” nightmares.
After you’ve taken your photos and video, Android with Samsung’s TouchWiz is ready to back you up with an ever-so-slightly modified user interface made for this primarily horizontal device. You can still flip the camera up to portrait orientation and see everything as you might on a Samsung Galaxy S III, but here Samsung is ready to deliver any which way you choose. You get a standard set of Samsung, Google, and AT&T apps right out of the box – this being the one other unique feature that AT&T has added here other than the connectivity with their network. Benchmarks This device may not be built for gaming or entertainment (depending on how you look at it), but it’s certainly got the horsepower to be that kind of a device. Have a peek at how the benchmarks and speed tests bring this device up to a competitive range with the top-tier devices on the market today – but don’t quite add up as well if you’re planning on LTE action any time soon.
Photo and Video Examples The following shows a collection of situations as well as “Smart” feature implementations that you’ll want to judge, be they a maker or a breaker of your decision to purchase this camera. First up is a rather standard outdoors shot with “auto” on and nothing extremely special about the environment. After that, each item will be as marked.
Silhouette:
Macro:
Low Light (auto, then “Nighttime” shot):
Video Capture Photos (shot while video was being filmed):
HDR (without HDR and with, both saved to the camera automatically):
Sunset:
Action Shot:
Auto Video 1080p 30FPS: Wrap-up In short: the Samsung Galaxy Camera is a big win for Samsung, bringing a great mix of what their cameras without Android are able to bring to the party with all of the greatness of their Galaxy line of smartphones. This device is indeed a connected camera rather than a smartphone that just happens to have a great shooter, and with this assimilation comes a relatively new (though not entirely unique) product.
Samsung is not the other only bringing an Android-powered camera to the market, but this certainly is the first big name in such a category. The Galaxy Camera is everything we want in not only a digital camera, but a Samsung Galaxy family device as well – connect away!                                Device Info
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Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
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Hardware
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Device Connectivity
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| HD Widgets update adds 12 new lockscreen widgets for Android 4.2 Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:47 PM PST In case you somehow missed the news, Android 4.2 added the ability to have widgets right on your lockscreen. Not like many 3rd party custom skin shortcuts but full out Android widgets. While we’re still on the fence as to if we like the implementation, our absolute favorite widget pack HD Widgets was just updated with full support. Check it out below!
The folks from Cloud.tv have updated the extremely popular HD Widgets to version 3.7 and added full support for 12 different lockscreen widgets for both phones and tablets running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. As a reminder, this is currently only supported on Android 4.2, and so far it works great. I’ve tested a few really quick and I’m loving the neat look of having my weather neatly displayed right on the lockscreen. If you’re one of the many (or few) that feel the need to add the same widgets that are already on your homescreen, to your lockscreen, then HD Widgets is the widget pack for you. From neat clocks, weather, both, switches to toggle WiFi and more — they have it all. HD Widgets added 7 different options for smartphone users, and the Nexus 7 and 10 have 5 different widgets to chose from to grace their tablet screens. The fact that Google allows 5 different widgets at any time I was able to nicely add a clock, weather, 5 day forecast, and the switches all to my tablet. Without even unlocking the device I can find the information I need with a quick swipe to the left or right. For those interested in giving it a try get HD Widgets right now from the Play Store, or just update to the latest version.      [via cloud.tv]
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| ZTE Avid 4G leaks for MetroPCS Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:07 PM PST The folks from MetroPCS already offer a few different Android smartphones from ZTE, but it looks like they’ll soon be getting another one to add to their lineup. The device pictured below has leaked over on Twitter by @evleaks, and looks to be a rather mid-range smartphone headed to the regional carrier soon.
As usual with these leaks we weren’t given any details or specifications of any sort for the device in question. All we have is the nice press render provided, as well as the official name being the ZTE Avid 4G. Being that it has “4G” in the name we can expect 4G LTE on board, but that’s about all we know. Did anyone notice the clock is at 10:08 on the image? Who do they think they are, HTC? From the leaked render we can’t really make out too many details regarding this new smartphone, but it appears to be around 4-inches in size, maybe less, has a front facing camera, 3.5mm headphone jack up top and running what looks to be Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The on-screen navigation keys give that away, but we’re doubting ZTE’s already moved to Jelly Bean. Until we get more details we’ll just leave you with the nice little image you see above. For those ZTE fans or users on MetroPCS this could be a nice little mid-range phone and hopefully it arrives before the holidays end. T-Mobile recently purchased MetroPCS and they’ll be combining next year, for now however they are still a great regional alternative. Stay tuned for more details.
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| Dexter the Game 2 injects its way into the Play Store Posted: 19 Nov 2012 12:42 PM PST The original Showtime hit TV show and everyone’s favorite serial killer Dexter Morgan has made his way into the Google Play Store. Dexter the Game part 2 has been released for Android with his dark passenger and all. For those that watch the show, which is midway through season 7, the game will be familiar as it takes place in last season. Check out more details below.
Yup, Dexter and Harry’s Code is here for Android and you’ll need to remember the code and be careful as you make your way through an open world Miami just like the show. Looking at the screenshots the graphics surely leave something to be desired, but it’s the gameplay and storyline that will keep us playing. The game is voiced by Michael C Hall, so should keep you in your seat as he takes down “bad people” all over the city. Many of our favorite locations from Dexter have been re-created for the game. We get a nice view of his apartment, driving down the streets of Miami, as well as his all-too-familiar table complete with saran wrap and all of his tools. Too bad the graphics aren’t that great but I’m sure the storyline will carry this $2.99 game for most fans. We first heard about this back in July, but now as of today it’s available for all from the link below. Quickly you’ll be knee-deep in a world of secrets, blood slides, neatly wrapped garbage bags, and enjoying a “slice of life” as you play this Android game. For those that are confused here, Dexter is a Miami Metro blood splatter analyst that doubles as a serial killer at night. The hit TV show is nearing it’s final season next year and is extremely popular. So enjoy the game while it lasts.    [via Android Police]
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