Thursday, November 15, 2012

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Android Overload: Loads of app updates and releases, HTC Desire blamed for dog’s death, and more

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 07:01 PM PST

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  • How the HTC Desire killed a family’s long-haired chihuahua. (Um, what?). Thanks, Keith! [News]
  • Google Voice updated with Android 4.2 compatibility (didn’t take long, now did it?). [Play Store]
  • FolderSync for Android updated with 4.2 compatibility. [Play Store]
  • Cricket announces new 4G LTE markets and new LG Optimus Regard as first 4G LTE smartphone. [LeapWireless | Cricket]
  • Expedia for Android overhauled in latest update. Gets all new flashy UI. [Play Store]
  • Much hyped Twitter app Echofan is now available for Android. [Play Store]
  • The 1999 Dreamcast cult-hit, Expendable: Rearmed, is now available for Android. [Play Store]
  • Google Drive (web) update brings dropable folders, new search tools, Google Earth map file viewing. [Google]

Gmail now lets you search for long lost emails by size, general date, and more

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 06:49 PM PST

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Google’s really been giving Gmail a lot of love these past few months, specifically when it comes to search. It wasn’t too long ago we told you guys about Google’s new way of searching through attachment text and Google Drive files.

Now, ‘ol Googs has enabled the more advanced searching of both email sizes, dates, and more. Lookin’ for that email with pics of those Halloween babes you got sometime last year? Well, if you have a general idea of the size you can type “size:5m” or “larger:5m” for emails equal to, or larger than 5MB. You can even combine the query with other commands like older_than:1y if you have a general idea of when an email was sent/received. Awesome stuff.

The advanced search is already enabled in Gmail on both the web and Android app. If you’re looking for a complete list of advanced search terms, those can be found here and below (click for full size). Enjoy.

[via Gmail Blog]

Android 4.2 AOSP keyboard with Gesture Typing now available for free in the Google Play Store

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 04:29 PM PST

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Good news for those wanting to get a taste of Android 4.2′s all new Gesture Typing keyboard. Developer Honso has just uploaded a fully functioning version of the AOSP keyboard you’ve been dying to get your thumbs on. The Swype (and soon, SwifKey) challenger works great with the new swipe function, allowing you to use either gestures or traditional typing to get your words out. I know most of you are already fully committed to the soft keyboards you’re currently using, but the free price tag on the Android 4.2 AOSP keyboard makes it a hard deal to pass up. Download link provided below. Oh, and if you’re on ICS or below, you’re out of luck. This is Jelly Bean-only (for now). The dev did mention he’ll attempt to backport it all the way down to Gingerbread. Hopefully that wont take long.

Thanks, Shaydlife!

[Play Store Link]

Gartner: Android smartphone market share for Q3 reached 72.4%

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 02:31 PM PST

Gartner has come out with its Q3 2012 report for the mobile industry. We’re not too surprised to find that its numbers are a bit in line with what IDC reported recently, but the 72.4% of worldwide smartphone market share Android has in Gartner’s numbers is just a couple of percentage points shy of IDC’s reported 75%. Whichever way you put it, Android’s market share eclipsed 70% — that is a very impressive feat.

Meanwhile, iOS only commanded 13.9% of the pie this quarter, a decline from the 15% they did in the same quarter a year ago. Many continue to attribute Android’s success in this quarter due to the fact that the iPhone 5 had only been available for a week and a half in Q3, but if history is anything to go by then we should still see very gaudy numbers for Android in Q4 up against moderate gain or stagnancy for iOS.

As usual, other competitors are doing much worse in the smartphone sector. RIM’s market share was chopped almost in half to 5.3% compared to last year, and Nokia’s new fondness for Windows Phone has almost completely destroyed Symbian as it went from 16.9% down to 2.6%. Samsung’s Bada actually made gains, coming up from 2.2% to 3% this quarter, and Microsoft also enjoyed growth as it reached 2.4% of the ahre.

As for the overall mobile phone market share between OEMs, Samsung captured the lead from Nokia as it jumped to 22.9% on the quarter with the latter dropping to 19.2%. The drop-off from there is huge, with Apple being the next largest OEM for the quarter at 5.5%.

Samsung’s numbers were no doubt helped along by the hugely popular Samsung Galaxy S3, though its portfolio of feature phones likely makes up the majority of the share it’s currently enjoying. Still, 30 million units of the Galaxy S3 to date is nothing to sneeze at and we’re sure Samsung couldn’t be more happy about its position in the mobile wars. Head to the source link for the full numbers.

[via Gartner]

Phandroid Holiday Gift Guide: Kevin’s top picks and gifts for music lovers and athletes!

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 01:16 PM PST

Welcome to day three of the Phandroid Holiday Gift Guide rollout. If you’re anything like me, you will probably wait until the last minute to do your shopping, but hopefully our weeklong look at some great gear and gadgets will inspire you to get your gifting wrapped up early.

It’s my turn to key you guys into some great gift ideas for your friends and family (or just to treat yo’self). I’ve dived into the season’s top tablets, gifts for music lovers and sporty types, and a list of items I wouldn’t mind finding under my own Christmas tree (if any of you are feeling generous…). We take a look at everything from the Nexus 7 to Oakley’s smartphone-powered Airwave goggles and more.

You can check out our full list of categories, including picks from Quentyn and Edgar, by heading over to the gift guide now. But here’s a little peek at some of my personal favorite items.

Give paper some love with the Little Printer

The Little Printer is perhaps my favorite little gadget from my list. Most might find it a bit silly, but for someone who fears a paperless world it’s a nice way to keep in touch with what preceded our smartphones. Little Printer compiles a list of digital feeds from social networks to news and weather plus more and creates an on-demand, personalized mini newspaper. It’s just crazy enough to be entirely useful. Maybe it will even remind people what it’s like to read an actual newspaper while drinking the morning coffee, but we doubt this tiny guy alone could save that industry.

Sonos Play:3

I am a big fan of music, and I am also a big fan of being able to play any song I want whenever I want and wherever I am. Sonos not only makes this a possibility, but does so with the great sounding Play:3 speaker. Now if I want to throw on some reggaeton in the kitchen while I’m firing up dinner it’s as easy as firing up Sonos with my smartphone. And with all my music stored in the cloud there isn’t a track I can’t find.

JayBird Freedom Headphones

I love to run, but for the longest time I didn’t take my music along. The options were either deal with bulky headphones and their cords, or constantly adjust the set of earbuds slipping from my ears. The JayBird Freedom headphones are the only pair I have found that are both lightweight and unobtrusive without any slippage whatsoever. And with a rechargeable battery that offers plenty of life I can train uninterrupted. A must-have.

…and a happy New Year!

We’ll have more to unveil as the week rolls on, including picks from our very own Rob Jackson and Chris Chavez (I can’t wait to see what goofy gear he has for us to check out). You can thank us later for how easy we made your holiday shopping.

 

 

Alleged CyanogenMod extortion attempt results in new domain name and email address [UPDATE #2]

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 12:52 PM PST

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UPDATE: The accused party has emailed the CyanogenMod team and agreed to relinquish control of the CyanogenMod.com domain. Although he had a much different story than what was initially posted by the CM team, he has decided not to voice his opinion, instead opting to “wash his hands and move on.”

UPDATE #2: Looks like the perp was telling the truth. Cyanogen himself just tweeted moments ago:

Some jaw dropping news coming out of the CyanogenMod camp this afternoon. No, the custom ROM we all know and love isn’t going anywhere. Well, actually… it kind of is.

The CM team released a blog post this afternoon revealing an alleged extortion attempt by a trusted member of the team that has resulted in the loss of CyanogenMod.com and the official CyanogenMod email account. Before you freak out wondering where you’re going to get your next ROM fix, don’t let that scare you — the site has simply been moved to CyanogenMod.org for the time being, with the new email being changed to cmcyanogenmod@gmail.com.

While details are still murky, it’s unfortunate that this sort of stuff happens to a organization of developers that simply want nothing more than to make Android better. The CM team made it clear they will be pursuing legal action against the alleged perpetrator, in the mean time you can still grab CM downloads from Get.CM.

[CyanogenMod]

Call of Duty Elite for Android updated with Black Ops 2 support

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 12:42 PM PST

In case you haven’t heard (or have been in a bomb shelter for the past year or so) Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was released worldwide yesterday, and if you forgot that there is an official Call of Duty Elite app for Android then you might want to go redownload it. The app has been updated to include support for Black Ops 2, and a whole new slew of features are awaiting you.

For starters, you’ll get a full stat tracker like you did with Modern Warfare 3. You’ll be able to view your career summary, view stats from recent matches, edit your classes and check your progress in challenges. That, we expected.

What’s new in the Elite app for Black Ops 2 is the ability to join and manage clans, and access Call of Duty Elite TV to check out live streams of in-progress matches, video walkthroughs and more.

Activision made all of this free back in mid-October so you won’t have to shell out another $50 for premium features. Elite Founder Status members don’t get anything special here, either, but if you bought Black Ops 2 then you can find your Founder emblems under the Barracks section of the multiplayer menu within the game itself. It’s not a bad app to have sitting on your phone at all so be sure to grab it from the Google Play Store if you’re still into the multiplayer craze that is Call of Duty.

Sega’s Jet Set Radio finally gets an official release date for Android

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 12:17 PM PST

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Released back in 2000 for the Sega Dreamcast, Jet Set Radio has long held the top spot as one of my top 10 favorite video games of all time. Yes, it’s that good. To say I was ecstatic when the HD remake was finally released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles a few weeks ago is an understatement. But, as so often is the case with console titles, my busy “on-the-go” lifestyle doesn’t afford me the luxury of sitting on my couch for more than 10 minutes at a time.

You can imagine my excitement when I learned that the Sega/Smilebit classic would also be making its way to Android and although we didn’t have an actual release date back when we first told you guys about it (summer has long come and gone), today we finally have a firm date to peg on the title. Mark your calenders for November 29th and get ready to skate, grind, and graffiti your way across a cel shaded Tokyo. This has got to be one of the best years ever for Android gamers. Now where’s Crazy Taxi?


YouTube Link

[SegaBlog]

Google Plus now allows 1-Click download of Android apps

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 11:50 AM PST

Over the past several weeks I’ve been using Google Plus much more and have really been enjoying it. I find it the perfect medium between Facebook and Twitter, and with some irritating maneuvers by Facebook in months past, I’m happy to be using an alternative. A recent update by Google to the web version of Google Plus has made the recent shift even more enjoyable: 1-click download of Android Apps.

Now whenever you post a link to an Android app from the Google Play store, users who do not have the app installed will be shown an install prompt where they can easily install the app to their device with one click. It’s a very simple update but I think it will be incredibly effective as it streamlines the suggestion and download process of apps. As you can see in the above image, we tested it out flawlessly by linking to Phandroid News. It will be interesting to see how many downloads we get from the test.

Head on over to Google Plus, circle us up, try linking to one of your favorite apps, and let us know what you think about this new feature!

Sprint bringing 4G LTE to its PAYG subsidiaries [RUMOR]

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 11:45 AM PST

With increased pressure from the likes of Cricket and MetroPCS, it appears Sprint won’t let its pay-as-you-go carriers operate without meeting the competitive edge that the aforementioned carriers have established. According to leaked marketing documents Sprint might be bringing 4G LTE to its Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile soon.

It wouldn’t be the first 4G network for Sprint’s PAYG subsidiaries. Boost and Virgin both enjoyed WiMax for a short time, but with Clearwire’s struggles to roll coverage out and Sprint’s plans to phase WiMax out of its life this is significant news for anyone who prefers the smaller cousins of the Now Network.

Since they all share the same spectrum and radios it wouldn’t be much extra work to get Boost and Virgin up and going on Sprint’s ongoing LTE rollout. Sprint will likely take care of the other end of the hurdle — devices — by simply rebranding some of the more affordable LTE options already available on its end.

There’s no telling when, exactly, this is all going down but if marketing materials are indeed being prepared then we could be as close as a few weeks out (though it’s still entirely possible we’re as far as a few months out, too). Whatever might happen, if you’re a Boost or Virgin faithful and you’ve been dying to get some 4G LTE in your life you can rest easy knowing you likely won’t need to switch carriers to get in on the fun.

[via A&M]

Android Robot rocks out as desktop Pal Bot speaker [CONTEST]

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 10:46 AM PST

Use the promo code PHANBOT to get a special deal on the Go groove Palbot: only $21.99 with free shipping!

We’re halfway through publishing our 2012 Holiday Gift Guide, but I couldn’t resist sharing the awesomeness (and special PHANBOT offer) of the desktop android robot speaker called “Palbot”. It looks great, sounds great, it’s LOUD, it’s portable, the design/function was well thought out, and it gives you that Android robot love that emobdies the very personality of Phandroids around the world.

With the holidays coming up, the Go Groove Palbot makes an exceptional gift, and you’ll see it as one of my Editor picks tomorrow for the 2012 Holiday Gift Guide. But I wanted to spread the holiday spirit around a little bit, so figured I would give one away, in addition to sharing some more detail on the actual device.

First of all, the Palbot is versatile: it can play music from ANY device that has a 3.5mm headset jack. That could be your phone, your laptop, or anything else so long as its got a 3.5mm port. The Palbot is as plug and play as it gets which was refreshing, and with 2 foot long cord, it’s simple as pie to plug it in to whatever you’d like without having to shuffle things around.

When I first plugged the Palbot in I was surprised how LOUD it was. This thing really rocks! I had my phone (Galaxy Nexus) on full blast, plugged in the Palbot expecting it to up the ante a bit, but this little guy took things to another whole level. The Pal Bot is like a portable dance party. Actually… let me show you exactly what I mean:

I was a bit worried that the loud music would cause the Palbot battery to drain quickly, but my concerns were alleviated for several reasons. First of all, the Palbot plays music continuously for 6 hours on a fully charged battery. Secondly, with a standard MicroUSB slot tucked neatly under the audio out cord, getting the Palbot charged is simple. And when it needs a charge, the glowing blue lights will turn purple and blink to signal you’re robot buddy is thirsty for some juice.

All that being said, after listening to music on my Palbot for an hour, I accidentally left him on before leaving for a weekend trip. On Friday I turned him on, accidentally left him on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and he was miraculously full of energy with eyes glowing blue when I returned. So if you’re not constantly playing audio, Pal Bot lasts much much longer than 6 hours on one charge.

I’ve actually had the Palbot for over a month now and I’d say he’s become a desktop companion. I hadn’t owned desktop speakers in quite some time and had constantly deferred to headphones for listening to music which was outrageously annoying. Now, I keep my buddy on the corner of my desk and he acts as a great decoration. When I’m plugging away, I’ll turn on some tunes (long-time Phans may recognize Ronald Jenkees as some of my favorite work music), pull the Palbot cord, and let the audio fill up the room.

Initially, I was also concerned that the back facing speakers would cause the audio to noticeably sound distant since it faced away from me. This was absolutely NOT the case. The Palbot has a subwoofer on the bottom and 2 back-facing speakers that are incredibly full bodied. At under $30 this thing is really a steal and I have no problem recommending it for yourself or as a gift to any Android enthusiast. Or even give it to your iPhone loving friends: it only needs the 3.5mm headset jack to work, and they’ll love it so much that even if they hate Android, they won’t be able to resist keeping it on their desk for all to see.

I love my Palbot and if you’re looking for holiday gifts, you should definitely take advantage of the $21.99 PHANBOT promo; it’ll only last for about 36 hours or until supplies last. It’s normally about $70 and it would be worth it at that price, but it’s discounted during the holidays for $30. At only $21.99 for our readers with free shipping? No brainer.

While ALL of you should order a Pal Bot for yourself, one of you will get a free Pal Bot. How can you enter to win? Simply add us to your circles on Google+ and comment on this post. And while you’re at it… considering circling me up, too!

Google TV update adds voice search, PrimeTime and more [VIDEO]

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 09:16 AM PST

Google is continuing to improve Google TV, a platform that needs as much tender, love and care as it can get as it struggles in retail. A new update has been announced for the platform that’ll add a few key features to enhance the experience.

For starters, you can now perform your searches using your voice should your Google TV unit have the microphones to do that. With voice search you can search the web, open apps, and even browse your channels. Simply saying “CNN” will whisk you over to the news network, for instance.

Next up is PrimeTime, a new guide experience that’ll let you browse new content to watch without taking you out of whatever you’re doing. You can browse while watching another movie or TV show, using the web browser or listening to music, for instance. PrimeTime will also suggest new content for you if you’re running out of ideas on what to watch.

In addition, the new YouTube remote play features announced yesterday are in this update. Be sure to read our post on that here. As for who can download this new upgrade and gain the much-appreciated functionality it adds, those with LG Google TV units will get the download “over the coming weeks,” while other devices (Google isn’t confirming which ones) will get it shortly afterward.

[Google via GTVSource]

In light of HTC settlement, Samsung’s JK Shin still sees no deal with Apple

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 08:24 AM PST

When HTC and Apple came to an agreement on a 10-year cross-licensing deal, those of us sick of hearing about a new patent lawsuit every week were hopeful that similar settlements could be reached in other high-profile cases. This won’t be the case with Samsung, according to top dog JK Shin. The Samsung Mobile chief said, “Regardless of HTC’s settlement with Apple, we have no intention [to settle].”

Yes, Samsung plans to fight this out until the bitter end, and why wouldn’t they? Despite a recent loss in the US courts that, depending on how appeals play out, will see the Korean mobile maker forking over $1 billion in damages to Apple, their fortunes have been better elsewhere. A court in the UK ruled that Samsung did not infringe on Apple’s iPad design and ordered the Cupertino, Calif. company to post a notice on their site clarifying the matter for their customers (an order which was disobeyed and saw Apple fronting Samsung’s court costs).

That is not to mention speculation that the deal between HTC and Apple favors the latter company. Industry sources have come forward saying that Apple could be owed $6-$8 for every handset HTC ships. Samsung could afford such a settlement more easily than HTC, but it sounds like the company would much rather duke it out than come to a peaceful resolution outside the courtroom.

Apple and Samsung have both been stubborn throughout their numerous legal battles, with neither company ceding ground easily. A settlement would ultimately come down to one side buckling before the other, and it sounds like Samsung isn’t prepared to be the one to wave the white flag.

[via SammyHub]

AT&T 4G LTE launches in Milwaukee, Denver, Louisville and more

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 07:37 AM PST

AT&T has just announced the launch of LTE for several new cities. There are some major ones here so quite a few of you are sure to be pleased. New cities with Ma Bell’s super fast speeds include Milwaukee, WI; Denver, CO; Louisville, KY; Orlando, FL; York, PA; Tacoma, WA; Annapolis, MD; and Provo, UT.

While we’re never angry to see new LTE launches at any capacity, it’s especially refreshing to see a list of cities that (hopefully) most people can point out on a map. The break neck pace that Verizon’s employed still hasn’t been matched by any other carrier, but progress is progress and we’re glad to see AT&T continuing to roll its network out for the benefit of users everywhere.

Those who have bought a smartphone within the past few years are likely to have 4G LTE radios inside, and you can trust me when I say I know how it feels to have a smartphone that I know can’t reach its full potential because of the area I live in. If you have a 4G smartphone be sure to give it a whirl with a speed test or two, and let us know how the new speeds are treating you in the comments section below!

[via AT&T]

T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S3 gets Android 4.1 update

Posted: 14 Nov 2012 07:18 AM PST

Just as T-Mobile’s network is graced with its first Android 4.2 device, another is dipping its hand in the Jelly Bean jar. TMo’s Samsung Galaxy S3 (SGH-T999) is now receiving its update to Android 4.1.1. While it isn’t the latest version of the Jelly Bean software, users can still expect plenty of enhancements, including Google Now and the performance-enhancing Project Butter. As part of tweaks to Samsung’s TouchWiz UX comes an improved pop-up play experience with resizable second window.

The official designation for the new software version is T999UVDLJA/JRO03L. It will reach users as an over-the-air update, but can also be installed directly using Samsung Kies. T-Mobile is the second US carrier to deploy Jelly Bean for their Galaxy S3 handsets, following Sprint’s launch of the OS refresh last month. The remaining US service providers are expected to roll out the update in the coming months.

[via SamMobile]
Posted by at 9:30 AM

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