Android Phone Fans |
- PSA: Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 do not support Miracast wireless display
- Google support offers free Nexus 4 to one lucky customer stuck in limbo [UPDATE]
- The Nexus’ fatal flaw: Google customer support
- Republic Wireless leaves beta — pre-order your wireless freedom today!
- US Cellular rolls out unlimited 4G LTE data plan
- CyanogenMod music app Apollo now in the Play Store
- Hands-on video: LG Optimus G gives you the power to do what you want, when you want [Sponsored]
- Todoist for Android aims to be the last “todo” app you’ll ever need
- RadioShack offering $50 Play Store gift card with Samsung Galaxy S3
- Samsung sues LG Display over OLED patents
- Nexus 4 drop test makes us cringe [VIDEO]
- Nexus 4 teardown reveals LTE chip, we pine for what could have been
| PSA: Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 do not support Miracast wireless display Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:11 PM PST
For those that were unsure on where the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 stood on Android 4.2′s latest feature — Miracast wireless display support — it’s looking like this could end up being Nexus 4-only for now. There’s been an ongoing discussion over on Google’s mobile support forum and after much debate, a Googler took the time to weigh in on the issue confirming:
So, whether you have the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7, or Nexus 10 — just because they’re running 4.2 (which technically supports Miracast), there’s still more to the store. Whether or not Miracast could come to the Nexus 10 down the road, remains to be seen. For a quick video showing off what Miracast wireless display means to you, check out the official video below.
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| Google support offers free Nexus 4 to one lucky customer stuck in limbo [UPDATE] Posted: 19 Nov 2012 04:21 PM PST
Well, not a direct statement statement from Google HQ, it’s by no means less official. Take a look at this email a limbo’d Nexus 4 customer received after engaging in countless emails, and phone calls to Google’s customer support over the status of his order. Keep in mind this guy’s Nexus 4 order was processed a mere 1 minute after mine (which I received last Friday).
UPDATE: Just got off the phone with Google and they have confirmed that this customer is, in fact…. receiving a free Nexus 4. Due more to the fuzzy wording in the email than anything, in any case, he will be receiving a free Nexus 4 for the mix up. Nice.
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| The Nexus’ fatal flaw: Google customer support Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:41 PM PST
It’s definitely never been one of Google’s strong points. We’re talking about customer support. A stark contrast to a certain other company, Google just doesn’t provide the level of service most customers expect from an online retailer. Whether it’s YouTube, Google Play, or developers trying to figure out why their app was banned — if something goes wrong, don’t expect to talk to living, breathing person from Google who will help try and fix it. This lack of support or transparency has reached a crescendo in forums like XDA where once eager Nexus 4 customers are fuming at the mouth over Google not providing them with any kind of update or information on the status of their Nexus 4 orders. You know, that one smartphone that almost crashed the Google Play Store and sold out in under 30 minutes upon going live. Yeah, that one. Apparently some Nexus 4 customers were able to get their order in, but never received the dreaded “back ordered email” or a shipping email for that matter. Also known as “Nexus 4 limbo,” these customers have absolutely no idea when their devices will arrive, even though some have already had their credit cards charged. To make matters worse, there’s growing evidence mounting that devices aren’t being shipped on a first come, first served basis. Needless to say it’s a huge mess and Google needs to do something to fix it, but that’s the problem — they haven’t even acknowledged it. This isn’t even the first time Google has failed miserably at their attempt to provide adequate support from a device sold from their online Market. Back in January of 2010, there was the whole Nexus One fiasco that left many customers salty after Google was unable to provide anything more than email support for their complaints. And there were a lot of complaints. That lead to Google releasing a statement that they’d try harder to provide better support saying:
So, where is open transparency now? What’s interesting is back in October we reported on Google job listings looking to hire a customer support team right before the launch of the Nexus 4. While I’m sure we’ll hear from Google any minute now (the growing outcry is sure to reach the windows of the GooglePlex), the only question that remains is if it will be too little, too late. Question and answer time: Has this debacle soured the Nexus experience for any of you out there? Also, are you more upset that you weren’t able to snag a Nexus 4 in time, or is this simply a poor customer service issue for you?
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| Republic Wireless leaves beta — pre-order your wireless freedom today! Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:10 PM PST Remember Republic Wireless? It’s the hot new carrier in town that promises to alleviate you from the burden of overpriced cellular plans and contracts. Through technology called “Hybrid Calling,” Republic can offer unlimited talk, text and data for just $19 — that is borderline criminal (the other carriers would have you think as much, anyway). Hybrid calling banks on you having a WiFi connection at home, at your workplace and in other public spots to alleviate the strain on the cellular network. It’ll use your WiFi connection to do all its dirty work when you’re connected, and will seamlessly hand-off to Sprint’s network to take care of things when you can’t seem to find some WiFi waves to surf on. Well, the service — which was previously in a rather “open” beta — is now going to launch on a wide scale. The service is now open to anyone who wishes to use it, and pre-sales have started today. The only phone available right now is the Motorola DEFY XT, and you can walk away with one for $250. The devices are said to be shipping mid-December, and your first monthly charge of $19 won’t take place until your order has shipped. Unfortunately, this network is not BYOD (bring your down device): currently this is the only phone you can use so bringing your shiny new Nexus 4 over won’t work out. This will be a deal breaker for many, I’m sure, but with a service as ambitious as Republic’s and in such an early state of infancy you have to deal with this sort of stuff as they evolve over time. The future might not be too bright, anyway. Since Republic is in bed with Sprint for cellular coverage they could be tied to CDMA technology for eternity. Unless they begin renting spectrum for their own private use and have the capital to provide the necessary infrastructure it’s wise not to hold your breath for a GSM-based incarnation of Republic anytime soon.
And if you just want to get with the smartphone times without having to incur the bloated cost that tends to come with them in this day and age I can’t see why you would pass this up. There are other affordable options out there, of course, but you couldn’t touch these prices for this monthly price even on the great Straight Talk plan. If you’re ready to take the plunge and want to order a DEFY XT be sure to remember that you can only order up to four. Republic will urge you to get WiFi access in your home, but they aren’t denying folks who don’t have it like they were originally rumored to be doing. You can pre-order it over at RepublicWireless.com starting today. [via Republic Wireless]
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| US Cellular rolls out unlimited 4G LTE data plan Posted: 19 Nov 2012 12:57 PM PST
Smaller wireless providers have to do what it takes to to stay competitive in a market with many options. For some, this has meant mergers. Others have opted to cut service pricing to lure in a few extra subscribers. US Cellular is doing their best to stay relevant by introducing a new unlimited 4G LTE data option. The plan starts at $40 with an option to add data tethering for $20 more per month, a limited-time offer for customers residing in any of US Cellular’s 4G markets. The carrier aims to have 58 percent of its subscriber base covered with LTE by the end of the year. In order to take advantage of the new 4G data pricing, US cellular is offering a selection of handsets with a $100 instant rebate, including the Samsung Galaxy S3. They are also offering a free Samsung LTE hotspot along with the purchase of any smartphone or tablet.
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| CyanogenMod music app Apollo now in the Play Store Posted: 19 Nov 2012 12:54 PM PST Anyone familiar with the latest version of CyanogenMod knows about Apollo. It’s a music app created by developer Andrew Neal, and while it enjoyed a brief period of time being available exclusively to CyanogenMod 9 and 10 users he wants everyone to be able to enjoy the Holo-themed music player. That’s why you can find it in the Play Store starting today, and we couldn’t be any more happy about that.
Apollo’s list of features is chock full of goodness with things like home screen playlist shortcuts, themes, notification controls, lock screen widgets for devices on Jelly Bean 4.2 or higher, four different home screen widgets, gapless playback, lyrics, a wide range of audio formats and a ton more. More will be coming down the line, including a tablet UI, Last.FM scrobbling, automatic artist and album info, the ability to specify your own folders for the player to look for media in and more. Users can get a free version, but that comes with ads and we’re sure you lot aren’t too crazy about that. Apollo+, a $.99 upgrade, removes those ads and also brings you updates quicker than the free version so you can get in on all the great new feature before those who’d rather not pay. From my short time with the media player I can say that this isn’t the end all, be all music experience to have across any platform, but you can do a whole lot worse and it’s worth a download to see this beautiful app in action. Find the free version in the Play Store here, and be sure to find Apollo+ here.
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| Hands-on video: LG Optimus G gives you the power to do what you want, when you want [Sponsored] Posted: 19 Nov 2012 12:02 PM PST The LG Optimus G is sure to be a hot ticket item this holiday. Whether you’re on AT&T or Sprint, the Optimus G provides a superior smartphone experience thanks to speedy quad-core processor and innovative new software features. You can check out my hands on video above where I cover all these features and more. For more info on the LG Optimus G, visit LG.com.
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| Todoist for Android aims to be the last “todo” app you’ll ever need Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:39 AM PST
Perfecting the arsenal for your todo list needs has been the goal of many-a developer over the years. Remember the Milk is one of the finer options and suffices for most people. Any.DO came in and stole the thunder from them, and did so with ferocity and tenacity. Now, a new challenger steps into the ring. At its core, Todoist isn’t a killer app that everyone should stop the presses for — there’s only so much you can do with a todo list experience, after all. But it’s how it does it that is catching everyone’s collective eye. Todoist gives you a suite of productivity tools in a very elegant, stylish and simple package. Those on Android 4.0 and higher will especially fall in love.
One of the biggest features is the ability to organize tasks into projects. My biggest issue with most task managers is that things can get messy trying to make “sub tasks” for a bigger goal, and Todoist makes this painfully painless (if that even makes sense). The paid version allows you to color code certain tasks using labels, too, so taking a gander at your yet-to-be-finished responsibilities is even easier. You can sync across desktop and other platforms, though if you opt to stick with the fre version you’ll only get one sync per day. In addition, Todoist features a host of reminder options. You can be notified via SMS, email or push if you need help remembering what’s on your plate for the day. Finally, task notes allows you to add details to any given task so you can make less vague headers for easier viewing. You can find more info on Todoist at the app’s website, but the basic experience is free so why not just give it a shot yourself by visiting the Google Play Store? An in-app purchase option will be there to greet you should you find that this app answers the questions to all your task list needs. Let us know what you think of it in the comments section below!
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| RadioShack offering $50 Play Store gift card with Samsung Galaxy S3 Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:22 AM PST If you’re thinking about buying a Samsung Galaxy S3 for yourself or a loved on this holiday season you might want to consider the deal RadioShack has going on. If you buy your device from them you’ll get a $50 gift card for the Google Play Store in return. It would be a nice addition to the stocking of whoever you’re buying one for as they’ll be able to get started with all the apps, games, music and more that they want right out of the box. This deal will only apply to those looking to buy one for Sprint, AT&T and Verizon — T-Mobile and US Cellular customers need not apply.
On top of that, RadioShack is offering $10 cash back for every $50 spent in its stores and online — that’s nothing to sneeze at, so even if you aren’t in for a Galaxy S3 you’ll want to see if you can do some of your shopping at The Shack than some other big ticket stores. We’re not yet sure if this particular deal has a limit but we’ll be looking to find out for you. What’s more is that the device is available for $100 across all carriers, upgrade or otherwise. Also, new Sprint users will be able to join the Samsung Galaxy S3 club cheaper than usual as new customers can get the phone for just $50. It’s not a bad price for what is not only considered the best smartphone of this past summer, but still one of the best smartphones in the game today. This isn’t a bad round of deals surrounding the Galaxy S3 at all so give it some serious thought if you are looking for one anyway. Be sure to call ahead and see if your local RadioShack stores have what you’re looking for in stock, and even if they don’t you can check their website since all of these deals are available online. Anyone in for one?
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| Samsung sues LG Display over OLED patents Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:19 AM PST
Samsung’s legal team is taking a break from their ongoing battle with Samsung to go after another competitor. The Korean company that produces the Galaxy line of Android phones has filed a patent suit against a branch of the Korean company that produces the Optimus line of phones. Specifically, Samsung is going after LG Display on the basis that several patents pertaining to OLED screen technology should be deemed invalid. The suit is only the latest volley in the lesser-publicized court battle over the OLED technology that forms the basis for Samsung’s line of Super AMOLED displays as found in such devices as the Galaxy S3. Back in September, LG Display sued Samsung over their use of OLED displays, claiming infringement. Samsung is seeking to have seven patents granted by a Korean intellectual property tribunal rendered invalid on the basis that they simply aren’t innovative enough to warrant such rights. Voiding such patents could effectively end LG’s ability to go after Samsung on the basis of infringement. OLED displays, which don’t require the backlight typical to traditional LCD displays and therefore allow for increasingly slimmer device design, have been a staple in Samsung’s flagship products. The company boasts the largest deployment of such displays on mobile devices, something that Samsung sees as a competitive edge. LG’s deployment of OLED technology has largely been relegated to their television business, so the suit at hand isn’t strictly about mobile. That being said, if LG comes out the victor it could create some problems for Samsung’s handset division.
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| Nexus 4 drop test makes us cringe [VIDEO] Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:32 AM PST There haven’t been many drop test videos showing us the Nexus 4′s durability thus far. We imagine that’s because so many people are unwilling to put “their precious” in harm’s way, and we don’t blame them. But it had to happen eventually — the first Nexus 4 drop test has arrived! This particular test isn’t as extensive as we usually like, but we’ll take anything we can get right now. And it’s in German, so we have no idea what’s being said (cool points to whoever can clue us in on any interesting bits in the comments section below). But you don’t need translation to see how the Nexus 4 handled a drop or two. The device was resilient with the first drop as it didn’t produce any noticeable cracks or damage. Nothing relevant came of its plunge to pavement so that’s a good sign in itself. A second drop was performed from what could be considered “average” height, and the Nexus 4 landed on its glass-laden backside. Unfortunately it didn’t do so well here as a nasty shatter formed on the upper right, but the damage was relatively minor considering how this thing is built. The display wasn’t affected at all, and that’s a good thing, but we have to remember that drop tests are hardly scientific. Point of impact, velocity, surface material and other factors determine how a phone might react to a fall, and we reckon a few more meetings with the sidewalk for this particular device would have spelled doom for the phone’s protective glass. If nothing else, this video serves as a good reminder to be more cautious and careful with your phone, and to get a case or a bumper with it if you’re feeling a little bit clumsy. Go ahead and watch the video above. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
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| Nexus 4 teardown reveals LTE chip, we pine for what could have been Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:04 AM PST
As often happens with the biggest mobile releases, iFixit has procured a Nexus 4 and done the dirty work of tearing the whole thing apart. The biggest reveal wasn’t the device’s orderly construction or relative ease of repair, however. It was the discovery of something no one was really expecting: an LTE chip. Now before those of us hoping for an LTE-enabled Nexus 4 get too excited, the chip is completely useless. The phone’s hardware does not include an LTE radio, so the chip hangs around like a vestigial organ and we are left longing for what could have been.
The chip is likely a carryover from the LG Optimus G, the phone that the Nexus 4 is largely based off of. While one might ask why a company would include a component in the device that has no function and could simply add to costs, it probably stems from LG wanting to consolidate the manufacturing flow for both devices. Instead of putting together a unique circuit board for each phone, the two can share the component. An LTE chip could also suggest that perhaps a 4G version of the device could find its way to retail, but we’re not holding our breath just yet. Andy Rubin has been pretty explicit in explaining Google’s reasoning behind leaving LTE technology (aside from this newly discovered anomaly) out of the Nexus 4. We wish enabling LTE on the device would be as easy as a few software commands, but with the hardware as it stands you’d need a soldering iron and a lot more technical know-how than your average bear. But we can keep the dream alive, right? [via Gizmodo]
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