Android Community |
- Hamilton’s Great Adventure puzzle game hits the Play Store
- ASUS possibly planning cheap 7-inch Android 4.2 tablet
- Meizu MX2 official: 4.4-inch edge-to-edge display, quad-core and Jelly Bean for $399
- Galaxy Note II artistic power displayed in massive water art project
- Google pushing Android 4.2.1 to Nexus devices to fix People App
- Nexus 4 back in stock at T-Mobile and returning to Google Play at noon PST
- Google Play user reviews now show Google+ names and photos
- Lenovo’s P770 smartphone has a 29-hour battery life
- DROID RAZR M just $50 from Verizon for the holidays
- Google reportedly plotting 12.85-inch touch Chromebook
- ZTE Apache 8-core flagship smartphone coming next year
- LG Optimus G2 with a 5-inch 1080p display rumored for May release
- HTC tries their luck at physical retail stores
- Samsung Galaxy S IV pops up in NenaMark 2 with underwhelming specs
| Hamilton’s Great Adventure puzzle game hits the Play Store Posted: 27 Nov 2012 11:17 AM PST If you’re ready to put your problem solving skills to the test we have a brand new action-puzzler game you’ll want to try out. The popular PC and console game Hamilton’s Great Adventure has just arrived on the Google Play Store complete with the THD branding. This means they’ve developed the game along with NVIDIA and Tegra HD support for stunning graphics. Now you can take your favorite console adventure game with you anywhere you go.
Hamilton’s Great Adventure THD is available starting today and supports the NVIDIA Tegra 3 array of devices. That means your shiny Nexus 7, Transformer Prime and more can all take part in the adventure on an entirely awesome level. The Play Store is showing support for almost every device I’ve ever owned (a lot) but this is currently an NVIDIA Tegra 3 exclusive. This should only work for Tegra devices sadly, but the amazing graphics need all the power they can get.
The stunning graphics, visuals, and game depth have all been retained for this soon to be mobile classic, and mobile players get to enjoy 22 different levels and 24 puzzles in this first release. They’ve also dropped an expansion with more, but then you’ll sadly be paying another steep $3.99 price too. You get to play as both Hamilton and his bird Sasha if you chose for that birds-eye view (shown above). You’lll have to out think enemies and put your puzzle skills to the test if you want to move on and eventually reach one of the two boss levels. Reminds me a bit of Indiana Jones, right down to the awesome characters. We’ve been playing this game for a day or two and so far we’re very pleased. As mentioned above the graphics are actually very impressive and as close as we expected for a near console quality game. The rich environments and 3D like atmosphere really makes Hamilton’s Great Adventure shine. You might have a hard time getting the gold in each level, and I’ve settled for bronze a few too many times already. If you’re ready to test those skills and enjoy some stunning graphics at the same time head to the Google Play Store, or get it today from the NVIDIA TegraZone. The game is well over 1GB in size so the download could take a while. Enjoy!              
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| ASUS possibly planning cheap 7-inch Android 4.2 tablet Posted: 27 Nov 2012 10:54 AM PST The 7-inch tablet craze has certainly caught on with some manufacturers, and now it seems that ASUS wants a slice of that pie for itself. iAfrica reports that ASUS is planning to launch a new 7-inch tablet dubbed the ME-172 early next year with a price tag that can challenge that of the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD. We might even see it revealed at CES 2013, which just so happens to be coming up quickly.
As for the technical specifications of this tablet, we’ll have a 7-inch display running at 1024×600 resolution, a VIA WM8950 processor, and a Mali 400 GPU. As far as storage goes, the ME-172 reportedly comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, though you can expand on that thanks to the microSD slot ASUS has included – a feature that is notoriously missing from the Nexus 7. Finally, you’ll have a 4270mAh battery to power everything, along with a 1MP front-facing camera and support for Android 4.2. We’re hearing that this tablet will sell for 2,000 ZAR in South Africa, which translates to just about US $226.50. That’s already a pretty decent price for an Android tablet, but don’t be surprised to see that price decrease if ASUS opts to release it in other regions. We’re also told that it will be launching in Q1 2013, so it shouldn’t be very long before this new device hits shelves. Of course, ASUS is no stranger to budget 7-inch tablets, as it’s the company that put together Google‘s Nexus 7. We’ll have to see if this all pans out, but with the windows we’re hearing for reveal and release, we should be finding out more about this tablet soon. Keep it here at Android Community for more information.
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| Meizu MX2 official: 4.4-inch edge-to-edge display, quad-core and Jelly Bean for $399 Posted: 27 Nov 2012 10:45 AM PST Those folks from Meizu are back with a brand new smartphone to take on the competition. Their first phone was pretty impressive and this time around they’re aiming for the top spot in China. Just announced is the all new Meizu MX2 complete with pretty impressive specs and hardware all for a good price. This isn’t just a Chinese knock-off smartphone either. It has all the makings of a top end device.
The Meizu MX2 has been improved in all areas. The screen being one of the most important. As you can see from the images provided the new nearly bezel-free edge-to-edge display looks gorgeous. It’s also 4.4-inches with a 1280×800 347ppi HD resolution. Then they’ve tossed a Samsung-made (don’t call it Exynos) 1.6 GHz quad-core processor under the hood, gave it 2GB of RAM, 16-64GB of storage options, and an 8 megapixel rear shooter for great photos. Impressive right? Starting at just $399 for the 16GB model.
This is running the latest Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, although you’d never tell with Meizu’s own Flyme skin over the top just like HTC’s Sense. You’ll get everything we love about Jelly Bean with expandable notifications and more. As usual we have a 2 megapixel front facing camera, but sadly Meizu added a small 1,800 mAh battery — one that isn’t removable — so we’ll have to just hope for decent battery life. The brand new Meizu MX2 will be available next month, starting in mid December with the 16GB model hitting the bargain bin price of $399. While we probably won’t see a western release, the device can still be imported from China for those really wanting to get their hands on this device. It’s developer friendly and can be rooted with ease. Thoughts on this Chinese high-end smartphone? [via Engadget]
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| Galaxy Note II artistic power displayed in massive water art project Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:54 AM PST The Galaxy Note II is a big, powerful smartphone, but you already knew that. What you may not have known is how some creative artists are using the giant phone to create some really interesting art with water. Artists and designers at Steak Studio have used the phone and its built-in S-Pen to create a pool of water that pushes waves wirelessly, showing all types of designs in the water.
Steak Studio's Director Daniel Kupfer made it clear that the Galaxy Note II is not just a device they used for this promotion. “The Galaxy Note II is a fantastic device that gave us all the computing power required and the ease to bridge things together with zero hassle,” said Kupfer. Essentially, he is saying that this is a device that could be used for all kinds of artistic endeavors. Besides being an artistic machine, the Note II is just a solid phone with a massive 5.5-inch touchscreen and all the processing power you could ever need. Check out our review of the device for a complete breakdown of this powerhouse. [via SlashGear]
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| Google pushing Android 4.2.1 to Nexus devices to fix People App Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:05 AM PST Recently, a bug was discovered in Android 4.2 that caused the entire month of December to be missing from the People App. It was a rather weird bug that was an obvious annoyance for many users who used the People App to keep track of birthdays and other important events. Well, Google appears to be rolling out an update that is designed to fix the issue.
While the issue is definitely a weird one, it’s good to see how quickly Google is fixing it. Hopefully, Google keeps up that quick update speed going forward, as there are always bound to be more weird issues popping up as we go along. Presumably, the Nexus 7 should be receiving the update soon enough, along with the rest of people who own Nexus 4s and 10s. Perhaps people are seeing the update already and just not coming forward. If you own a Nexus 7 and have seen the update on your tablet, hit the comment section below and let us know. As always, we will keep you posted. [via XDA-Developers]
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| Nexus 4 back in stock at T-Mobile and returning to Google Play at noon PST Posted: 27 Nov 2012 06:56 AM PST To call the Nexus 4 illusive would be an understatement. It sold out on Google Play in less than 30 minutes. T-Mobile also ran out of the device rather quickly. Users looking to get their hands on a device have certainly faced some difficultly, but it looks like Google is getting things sorted out, as the device is finally finding itself in stock again.
In addition to T-Mobile getting the Nexus 4 in stock again, Google will also have it available again on Google Play. It will go on sale on Google Play at 12PM PST. That’s 3PM Eastern Time for those who don’t want to do conversions. If you’ve been waiting to get a Nexus 4 at Google’s crazy unlocked price, set your clock for noon PST and get ready.
The Nexus 4 is $299 for the 8GB model, which is just crazy for a high-end Android device with no contract. Obviously, that’s why the phone sold out in only a matter of minutes. Hopefully Google has enough in stock to meet the demand this time. As always, we will keep you posted and let you know how the restock at noon PST shakes out.
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| Google Play user reviews now show Google+ names and photos Posted: 27 Nov 2012 05:57 AM PST Gone are the days of leaving anonymous review on the Google Play Store. Now, Google’s application store show Google+ profile photos and names on reviews, so no longer can users hide behind some made up user name. Google rolled out a similar feature on YouTube where users could opt to use their real name from Google+ when uploading videos, and now that same feature has arrived on Google Play.
This change applies to both the mobile and browser-based versions of Google Play. This means there is no escape, if you want to leave a review, you will be doing it with a Google+ profile. If you have no left a review since the change went into effect, you will receive a message stating, “From now on, reviews you write will be posted publicly using your Google+ name and picture.” One last thing to note is that, unlike YouTube, this does not appear to be optional. For people who prefer anonymity online, this is probably not going to make you too happy. However, as long as you are not the type who liked to troll Google Play reviews, this should not be a big deal. [via SlashGear]
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| Lenovo’s P770 smartphone has a 29-hour battery life Posted: 27 Nov 2012 05:36 AM PST Lenovo's P770 smartphone might not be the fastest, most powerful device around, but it does have some good things going for it. It has a stylish design, and it’s on par with most mid-range smartphones in terms of how it runs. Just when you think you’re looking at another standard mid-level phone, you notice the massive 3,500mAh battery. That’s 29 hours of talk time.
Other than the battery, this phone is right up the middle and does not feature specs that will blow you away. It comes with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. The storage space leaves a little to be desired at only 4GB. The screen is 4.5-inches with a resolution of 960 x 540. The rear camera is a 5-megapixel one, while the front features a VGA-resolution camera for video chats. At this point, the device is only available in China, and is priced at the equivalent of $270USD. Only time will tell if it comes to the US and other regions, and as always, we will keep you posted. [via SlashGear]
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| DROID RAZR M just $50 from Verizon for the holidays Posted: 26 Nov 2012 03:41 PM PST While we’re sure you’ve probably been enjoying countless deals the past few days for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the folks from Motorola and Verizon are offering up a pretty awesome deal for the holidays too. The extremely impressive Motorola DROID RAZR M is being dropped to just $50 with a new 2-year contract. Making this one of the best options on Verizon, especially for the price.
To help celebrate the holidays and Verizon’s growing and popular Share Everything Data plans they are basically giving away the Motorola DROID RAZR M. For those that are unaware, the device is actually rather impressive when considering the price. You might not get a 4.8-inch 720p HD display or a quad-core processor, but the specs are nearly top-tier and certainly plenty for just about any consumer. The DROID RAZR M (see our review) comes with an edge-to-edge nearly bezel free 4.3-inch qHD AMOLED display that looks quite nice. You’ll be enjoying Android 4.1 Jelly Bean along with the powerful and efficient 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor powering many of today’s top end smartphones, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel rear camera with flash, and of course 4G LTE. It only comes with 8GB of storage, but then again you’re only paying $50, and it also supports micro-SD for expanded storage. Here’s the promo video: The DROID RAZR M is one of the best 4G LTE devices from Verizon around the $99 price it currently sells for, but now that they’ll be offering it for $50 during the holidays it’s pretty much a must buy. I’ll be recommending this one to anyone who asks. With a slightly smaller screen than most, but still a large 2,000 mAh battery this phone looks great, and lasts all day. The phone is still listed at $99 on Verizon’s site but the price should be effective soon. Or just give them a call. Happy Holidays! Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
 Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
 [via Droid-Life]
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| Google reportedly plotting 12.85-inch touch Chromebook Posted: 26 Nov 2012 01:53 PM PST We’ve already got a few Chromebooks from a number of different manufacturers like Acer and Samsung on the market, but it may not be long before Google decides to release a Chromebook of its own. That’s what the latest rumor from DigiTimes is telling us anyway, claiming that a Google-branded Chromebook will hit shelves at some point next year. One of the big selling points of this Chromebook will be a touchscreen display, which makes our ears perk up immediately.
That touchscreen display is apparently 12.85-inches, and China Times reports that it’ll be made by Compal. Work on this new Chromebook is well underway, as we’re hearing that the new device should be ready to ship by the end of 2012. That means an early 2013 release for this Google-branded Chromebook, so at least it shouldn’t be very long before we find out if this rumor is true. Unfortunately, we don’t know much more about this mysterious Chromebook. At the moment, the screen is the only thing that has been detailed, but looking at other Chromebooks, we can expect hardware that’s geared more toward keeping prices down than sheer power. The price is what we’re most interested in, since Google is one of those companies that can afford to sell a product close to or even under cost in order to get it in the hands of more consumers. Google has around 20 million Chromebooks on order according to these rumors, so if this a real device, we should be getting official word on it soon. We’re definitely interested to see what Google-branded Chromebook is capable of, so we’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for more details. Stay tuned. [via SlashGear]
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| ZTE Apache 8-core flagship smartphone coming next year Posted: 26 Nov 2012 01:46 PM PST Whoa! If you thought quad-core smartphones were already overkill, then next year you’ll surely be singing the same tune. The popular Chinese company ZTE apparently has plans to release their own flagship beast of a smartphone called the ZTE Apache. Complete with an impressive Cortex-A15 based 8-core processor. Yup, we said 8. More details after the break.
According to the China Times ZTE and the popular chip manufacturer MediaTek have been hard at work on the A15 based octa-core processor that will power this new smartphone. Reports suggest MediaTek beat out NVIDIA and Qualcomm with their new option, but most likely it’s also based on pricing being a cheaper Chinese manufacturer. When we hear “Apache” all we think about is the image below.
Reports are stating the ZTE Apache will rock essentially all the top-tier specs we’ve come to expect, and then some. Details claiming a 1080p HD display, 4G LTE support, 13 megapixel camera, 1080p video, a massive battery, and of course that octa-core processor keeping things moving along with no problem. Impressive right? Huawei tried to do the same this year with their own in-house design quad-core processor, with the somewhat impressive Ascend D Quad XL (see our review) but still haven’t managed to break into the mainstream outside of their respective area. Whether or not ZTE can do the same or more remains to be seen. Huawei was more than 6 months late after missing their deadline, and hopefully the same doesn’t happen to ZTE. We’re hearing a May release for testing, so probably can’t expect smartphones with their 8-core processor to hit the shelves until late summer, or even later. Would you buy an 8-core processor if the battery life was good enough? Or is that just outright overkill? [via UnwiredView]
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| LG Optimus G2 with a 5-inch 1080p display rumored for May release Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:55 PM PST It looks like LG is wasting no time with releasing top end smartphones to try and catapult them into the top-tier of Android smartphones. With the LG Optimus G just a few months removed from officially hitting the streets we are already hearing about a successor. Either an LG Optimus G2, or possibly a blend between the current G and their terrible Optimus Vu. We’re hearing this 5-inch 1080p smartphone will debut in May.
The folks from TechCrunch are reporting LG is already working on their Optimus G2 (name might not be official) and are expected to reach for even more top-end specs and launch the device next year as early as May. It sounds like they are trying to catch up with and launch flagship devices around the same time as Samsung’s been doing in the recent past. Now that HTC’s released their 5-inch 1080p DROID DNA others are following suite. We’re hearing reports on a Galaxy S4 featuring a 4.99-inch 1080p display, Sony preparing the same, and now LG. If the reports are accurate the Optimus G2 could come with a 5-inch 1920 x 1080p HD IPS display, a 2.0 GHz quad-core processor (details unknown) possibly over 2GB of RAM and more. LG could really be pushing the envelope here. While LG’s never been considered a top contender until now, releases like the Nexus 4 and Optimus G have restored faith in many users eyes. If they can keep updates timely, hardware improving, and software not too clunky things should only look up for LG. While I’m still not sold on 5-inch and bigger screens, the 1080p resolution “standard” is something we can surely get behind. We’ll report back when we hear more details aside from the unknown LG device benchmarks linked to below.
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| HTC tries their luck at physical retail stores Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:12 PM PST Now that Apple‘s stores full of glass walls and gadgets are so popular it seems that everyone is trying to do the same. When I first heard HTC was opening stores I thought, no. Just no! Low and behold just like Samsung and and even Microsoft, HTC has just opened their own store although it’s inside of another store in Hamburg, Germany.
The store model employed by Cupertino is a popular one, something Samsung has received some negative press over for trying to mirror, with the same blue shirts and everything. This go around HTC has done something similar with a neat little HTC store complete with smartphones available to try, and even some neat little comfy green decorations to relax and enjoy an HTC One X. The folks at MyDrivers.com snapped the few photos here, giving us a glance at the new HTC store in Germany that the Taiwanese company hopes will help out sales — at least in Germany. The store within a store idea is probably a good first step. Not requiring an entire building, but enough to still get attention from shoppers and passerby’s.
Apparently HTC plans to bring more of these mini “stores” to other parts of the world soon, so we could even see one land somewhere in NYC or San Fransisco soon, but there’s no telling at this point. We’re hearing HTC has trained staff on-site to answer questions, give demos, sale smartphones and tablets, and even offer Beats Audio headphones and more right in-store. Is it just me, or does that store or room and table look a bit messy? Keep it clean HTC! [via UnwiredView]
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| Samsung Galaxy S IV pops up in NenaMark 2 with underwhelming specs Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:01 PM PST We’ve had no shortage of Samsung Galaxy S IV rumors as we barrel toward 2013, and today we’ve got another one to toss on the pile. Sam Mobile has uncovered NenaMark 2 benchmark results for the Samsung GT-I9400, which is believed to be the next generation Galaxy S handset. That’s certainly exciting, but the problem is that the results show some very disappointing specs for a flagship phone releasing in 2013.
Specifically speaking, the results say that the GT-I9400 uses a 1.2GHz processor and a features a screen that displays at a paltry 480×800 resolution. Add a ARM Mali-400 MP GPU to those components and you’ve got one disappointing list of specs. However, there is reason to hope, as Sam Mobile points out that this almost certainly isn’t the final hardware configuration of the Galaxy S IV. After all, Samsung tested firmware for the Galaxy S III with less-than-stellar specs, so that’s probably what’s going on here. In any case, no one is actually expecting Samsung to launch its flagship phone with a WVGA display and only a dual-core processor. The company is going to pull out all the stops for the Galaxy S IV, so you can bet that it will stay away from low-end components like these. For the record, recent rumors peg the Galaxy S IV with a 5-inch display at 1920×1080 resolution, a Samsung Exynos 5450 CPU, a 13MP camera, and Android 4.2. While these benchmark results don’t really tell us anything of value about the phone’s technical specifications, it does let us know that Samsung is in the testing stages, which means that we might be on track for a May 2013 launch. Stay tuned.
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