Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Google working on fix for “December” bug in Android 4.2

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 02:25 PM PST

A pretty big oversight was made by the Android QA team, it seems, as the update introduced a glaring omission from the contacts date carousel. Users trying to associate a date with a contact were surprised to find that the month of December was missing. While this isn’t an experience-breaking omission it’s still something that’s so painfully obvious that it infuriates many-a soul (especially if you have a ton of friends whose birthdays occur in December).

Image Credit

Luckily for us Google is already on the case and is working up a quick fix to get it out to Nexus devices everywhere. Google’s statement even pokes a little fun saying the update would be out in time to make sure you won’t be forgotten by loved ones whenever your birthday or anniversary rolls around. This would indicate that we should see it in a matter of days, and there’s no reason to believe otherwise as we imagine this fix should be fairly straight forward and easy.

This issue didn’t affect the calendar app, mind you — it was only the date selector field in the People app missing the month. We’re not sure how this bug affects contacts who were already in your address book that had a December date under their entry, but if anyone’s entry was wiped out then hopefully this will restore it.

Google still has a host of other issues with Android 4.2, though, including performance issues for many people on the Nexus 7. We hope they’re hard at work on all of that stuff, as well. Chances are we will have to wait for a separate upgrade to iron those issues out, though, so don’t be bummed if all your problems aren’t solved in one fell swoop.

[via Google+]

Hands-on: Official Nexus 4 Bumper Case [VIDEO]

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 02:25 PM PST

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If you managed to get a Nexus 4 from the mailman last/this week, chances are — like me — you worry every day about your shiny new smartphone meeting an early demise from a chance drop or spill. And who could blame you. The Nexus 4 is the first Nexus to feature glass on both the front and back of the device. That means it really wouldn’t take much to shatter that thing to a million pieces.

But today, I can rest a little easier now the UPS guy has paid my house a little visit, finally dropping off the official Nexus 4 Bumper Case. For those interested, here’s a quick video showcasing the bumper and after, I’ll go into a little more detail with my thoughts on the case. Enjoy.

Build Quality

Upon pulling the case out of the box, I was completely taken by surprise at the quality of this little bumper case. A combination of flexible rubber and plastic, the case features a black TPU-like material that’s smooth and chiseled on the front, with a neat texture on the back. The sides of the case are accented with a plastic band that has a metallic finish (similar to the color on the Galaxy Nexus), and the volume rocker and power buttons are finished in chrome. Once slipped on, the case holds onto the Nexus 4 firmly, like a man to his lady.

Coverage

Keep in mind this is a bumper case which means it will protect the device from bumps and bruises (makes sense) but it wont protect the phone from falling down a flight of stairs, or off your 2nd story balcony. The back of the device is left completely exposed, but the rim of the case is slightly more raised than the front, keeping the device from coming in contact with scratchy materials sudden contact with the pavement. Given that your device is less likely to fall completely flat on its face or back, this bumper will protect you device from about 90% of life’s unexpected “accidents.”

Value

At $20, the Nexus 4 bumper isn’t cheap, but that’s not to say it’s all that expensive either. You’ll see cheap silicone and TPU cases offered for around the same price in carrier retail stores, and while theoretically you can find cheaper cases online, I can guarantee you wont find one of this quality, let alone one that completely blends into the device. This case was literally designed for the Nexus 4, not just made for it. It’s because of all this, the official Nexus 4 bumper case is an instant buy (whenever it comes back in stock on Google Play).

[Google Play Store]

ASUS said to be working up Android 4.2 updates for its tablets

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 01:13 PM PST

We’re not too surprised by today’s news, but we’re going to put it out there anyway: ASUS looks to be working on getting Android 4.2 out to its Transformer tablets. The news came via a call to customer service where one customer inquired about the upgrade for their Transformer Prime. The rep didn’t specifically confirm that the Prime — or any particular device — would get it, but the response didn’t seem to implicate any one device.

It’s important not to assume that all ASUS Transformer tablets will be in line for Jelly Bean 4.2. Some of the company’s tablets still haven’t gotten Android 4.1. Another thing to remember is that going by the word of a customer service representative is risky business. Often times than not, these reps either have wrong information, they misunderstand the question or they just flat-out know nothing.

In this case it’s pretty safe to assume that ASUS is working on Android 4.2 updates for at least some of its devices, though, so we’ll take their word for it and keep our fingers crossed that a majority of its tablets will get it. ASUS will likely announce their upgrade plans on Facebook whenever they’re ready so be sure to “like” them and keep an eye on it over the coming weeks.

[via Android Planet]

LG Optimus G is perfect for work or play thanks to QuickMemo, Q-Slide, and Video Zoom [Sponsored]

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:13 PM PST

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It was a few weeks back that we gave you guys our unabashed review on the LG Optimus G and had almost nothing but praise about the device. After being lucky enough spend several weeks with the device, our verdict still stands — the LG Optimus G delivers a superior smartphone experience. Oh, and it’s easy on the eyes as well.

There’s many reasons why we fell in love with the Optimus G. The raw computing power of the Qualcomm S4 Pro quad-core processor was able to handle anything and everything we could throw at it, from games to multimedia. 2GB of ample RAM made multitasking a breeze on the device (not a single app reload). The 4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus display offered unrivaled clarity and true-to-life colors. But besides fancy hardware specs, inside the LG Optimus G’s slim glass exterior lay their all new custom UX (user experience) that was both intuitive and unobtrusive.

QuickMemo

Q-Slide

Video Zoom

The LG Optimus G is a fully capable device limited only by your imagination. As we near the holiday season, you may want to get a jump on your holiday shopping a little early to avoid the frustrations that come with long lines. The good news is the LG Optimus G can be found at both AT&T and Sprint for only $199 with a 2-year agreement. You can learn more at LG.com/OptimusG.

Skype for Android now optimized for tablets [VIDEO]

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:52 AM PST

Skype quickly brought its Android app up to speed with a modern UI when Ice Cream Sandwich was released, but the app hasn’t been optimized for the bigger screens… until today. Skype 3.0 for Android introduces a tablet user interface for those of us who prefer to do our voicing, videoing, and chatting on a bigger device.

The scaled phone user interface worked quite fine for most, but there’s nothing like an app that makes proper use of all the screen real estate afforded by tablets. In traditional Skype fashion the UI is a cross breed between Android’s Holo UI and Skype’s own bluish style, and both come together to create a great looking and feeling experience.

Other changes include the ability to sign in with a Microsoft account. Since the tech giant now owns the IP communications company we expected some form of Microsoft integration to come along at some point. There’s also improved audio and a host of bug fixes that Skype unsurprisingly chose not to go into much detail about.

Go ahead and give it a shot on your tablet by downloading it from the Google Play Store. Skype has come a long way since the first version of its Android app was released and we’re happy to see its development team taking all facets of Android as serious as any developer should. Be sure to watch a quick video demo below.

Samsung Galaxy S4 to have 5 inch 1080p display, 13 megapixel camera? [RUMOR]

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:36 AM PST

While the Samsung Galaxy S3 has captured the interests of many for the long haul it’s no secret Samsung is beginning to look ahead to its next wonderful creation. The Samsung Galaxy S4 looks to take things to heights even Samsung has yet to reach. Latest rumors suggest Samsung will be putting some ridiculous hardware inside this thing, and there’s no reason to believe they won’t.

For starters, that 4.99 inch Super AMOLED HD display we’ve been hearing about is said to be one of many main attractions inside this thing. The display will sport 1080p resolution which should make for 441 pixels per inch. For comparison’s sake, the Samsung Galaxy S3 had a 4.8 inch 720p HD display. As beautiful as it looks, this new display should blow it straight out of the water.

Another key spec is the rumored 13MP camera. While 13MP sensors in smartphones are nothing new it will be interesting to see how Samsung’s particular line of sensors have evolved. More megapixels don’t always mean better quality, but we’d be surprised to see Samsung not improving on the sensor overall.

For the chipset, the S4 is said to have Samsung’s Exynos Adonis chipset, a 28nm solution based on the ARM Cortex-A15 specification that should bring pretty much the best smartphone performance we’ve seen yet. Gains will be had in sheer performance, obviously, but power consumption should also be a major factor as the 28nm process should make for better power efficiency.

Korean site Asiae says we should expect this thing to be announced as soon as CES, a very strange change of pace for Samsung considering we usually don’t see the next evolution of the Galaxy S line until Mobile World Congress. We’re not complaining, though. Us folks in the US are especially grateful to see an earlier release considering we tend to get devices a month or two late. This is all a rumor, though, so if every bit of it doesn’t pan out don’t get too angry at us or Samsung. And the wait begins…

[via Unwired View]

Firefox for Android comes to weaker devices in latest update

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 08:25 AM PST

A big chunk of people are now able to use Firefox for Android as Mozilla has updated the browser to support ARMv6 hardware with at least 512MB of RAM. Such devices tend to exist on the entry-level range of the smartphone spectrum, so those with the Samsung Galaxy Ace and the HTC ChaCha will be able to get in on the smooth browsing experience it provides.

The app also includes hardware and software decoding for H.264, AAC and MP3 codecs for devices running Ice Cream Sandwich and later. It sucks to know that such a huge chunk of Android’s user-base, those on Android 2.3 and 2.2, in particular, won’t be getting such luxuries, but perhaps there’s some limitation that’s forcing Mozilla’s hand we don’t know about.

That’s all the more reason for companies to start upgrading their hardware to modern versions of Android instead of letting their devices sit on whatever it was shipped with. Most won’t care to upgrade the many Gingerbread phones still in circulation, unfortunately, as companies tend to focus on current and previous year devices when it comes to prioritizing major software upgrades. Regardless, if you don’t have Ice Cream Sandwich or higher then you won’t be getting in on the fun.

Other changes in this update include a fix for Android 4.2 stability issues and issues with text deletion. As usual, Firefox can be had in the Play Store as a free download for anyone who’s willing to give it a shot. It’s become a pretty great browser since its first release so if you haven’t checked it out in a while be sure to give it a spin and see if it trumps offerings like xScope, Chrome or the stock browser on your phone of choice.

[Google Play Store]

White Nexus 4 on the way soon?

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:41 AM PST

I know it’ll be tough to swallow this story considering many of you can’t even get your original Nexus 4 yet, but bear with me here. New rumors are swirling that Google might soon be releasing a white version of the device, though, as another online retailer has hinted at the existence of such a concoction.

The perpetrator is TalkTalk, a Carphone Warehouse relative (the latter being the same site that originally leaked word of a  white Nexus 4 before). Its site humorously shows a black Nexus 4 in an ad that says you’ll get a white one alongside a Nexus 7, so we’re sure this is another blunder that the retailer will want to forget.

In the off chance that this ad is accurate, however, TalkTalk says new stock is expected December 13th. You can bet we’ll be checking to see if folks are receiving a device from the other side of the color wheel before then, but if you decide to order one be sure to let us know if it ends up coming in the white finish that’s being promised.

It will be interesting to see how that chatoyance back plate would look on a white slate. Someone might mistake the design for a diamond studded phone from afar, but perhaps the effect will be a lot more subtle than what’s on the black models. Head to TalkTalk if you decide you want to try your hand at getting this thing in white, but be sure to go in knowing that you might not be getting what’s advertised in the long run.

[via Modaco, Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

HTC: We aren’t paying Apple $6-$8 per phone as part of licensing agreement

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 06:31 AM PST

After coming to terms on a 10-year cross-licensing deal, speculation emerged that HTC could be paying Apple as much as $8 per smartphone shipped as part of the agreement’s terms. A little analyst math put a total payout at $280 million per year. The astonishing figure seemed a bit off, especially considering HTC’s recent financial woes. Is the company really desperate enough to make such a lopsided arrangement? Apparently not, according to CEO Peter Chou.

Chou, who HTC chairwoman Cher Wang says spearheaded talks with Apple, called such claims “outrageous” at a recent KDDI product launch in Tokyo. He said, “I think these estimates are very, very wrong…but I’m not going to comment anything on a specific number.” While the exact details of the deal are still a mystery, Chou noted that HTC considers this a “happy settlement and a good ending.”

We definitely wouldn’t consider $280 million per year a “good ending,” especially given HTC’s revenues have dropped by nearly half year-over-year. It’s not much of a surprise that Chou would deny earlier reports claiming as much. The higher brass at HTC obviously believe striking a deal afforded them the best opportunity to move on from the legal attacks of Apple. It’s also obvious they believe in keeping the particulars close to the vest for the time being.

[via TechCrunch]

Android Overload: Microsoft Surface vs Nexus 10, Jelly Bean soak test for Moto Droid Razr HD, and more

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:05 PM PST

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  • Android 5.0 shows up in NenaMark2 benchmark for Sony LT30i. Real? Fake? Coming soon? [Nena]
  • Texas Instruments cuts 1,700 jobs and prepares to shut down OMAP processor unit. [NYTimes]
  • ZTE Grand X Pro press images leaked. Doesn’t look half bad either. [EVLeaks]
  • Judge approves FTC’s $22.5 million fine of Google over cookie tracking on Safari. [AP]
  • Google strikes deal with European music publishers. Gains access to 5.5 million works. [BusinessWeek]
  • Google recruits #2 official at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to help with self driving cars. [DetroitNews]
  • Microsoft Surface goes to head-t0-head against Nexus 10. [WinSource]
  • Nokia 920 goes up against the best Android has to offer… from 2 years ago. [YouTube]
  • Soak test for Motorola Droid Razr HD and Maxx HD coming soon. Most likely Jelly Bean. [Image]
  • Nexus 4 gets a handy toolkit for all you unlocking, flashing, rooting, recovery needs. [XDA]
  • Google wants to make an open AirPlay alternative. Hopes to introduce second screen apps. [GigaOM]

New round of Nexus 4 shipments going out to limbo customers

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:16 PM PST

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Good news for Nexus 4 users stuck in limbo — those of you who received a confirmation email, but no shipping email. We’ve received enough tips to confidently announce that a handful of shipments are now going out for those of you who ordered the Nexus 4 three minutes after it went live in the Play Store. That 3 minutes may sound small but it was enough to push some of your orders back a full week. On that note, I’ve also finally received a shipping confirmation for my Nexus 4 bumpers (should be here by Wednesday) that I ordered 2 minutes after they went live in the Play Store. Gotta be quick, folks! Anyone else receive their shipping confirmation today?

Thanks for the pic, Jordan!
Posted by at 8:38 AM

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