Android Phone Fans |
- Apple goes after Jelly Bean, Galaxy Nexus, Note 10.1, and more in latest patent suit
- Google Glass makes TIME magazine’s best inventions of 2012 (but not mine)
- HTC DROID DNA press render surfaces
- HTC, Verizon sending out invites for November 13th event in NYC
- Election Day: Obama or Romney?
- Google Wallet support page tips physical card
- Ice Cream Sandwich headed to Sprint’s LG Viper
- Amazon Prime now available for monthly installments of $8
- Android 4.2 GAPPs package now available for download
- Gingerbread most at-risk version of Android, Jelly Bean strives to be safest
- Android officially celebrates its 5th birthday
| Apple goes after Jelly Bean, Galaxy Nexus, Note 10.1, and more in latest patent suit Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:45 PM PST
Last week we told you guys about Samsung adding the iPhone 5 to their countersuit claims against Apple and during a hearing with U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal today, it seems Apple is following suit… and then some. Look out, folks. This could get ugly. As reported by Bloomberg, the judge was presented with Apple’s argument on why 17 devices (including the Galaxy Note 10.1) should be added to the their second patent infringement case against Samsung. Apple’s problem with these devices? They’re all compatible with a stylus (even though they don’t all ship with one). The Galaxy Nexus, however, is a different story. Apple was clear that the Galaxy Nexus should also be added to the suit simply because it’s running “the Jelly Bean operating system.” Nothing more. Nothing less. If you think that sounds like a slippery slope, leaving Apple to add more Jelly Bean devices to their suit, Samsung felt the same way and argued that point to the judge. Apple however, promised it would only target the Galaxy Nexus and that no further J-Bean devices would be added into the mix. They pinky swore so, you gotta believe them. Samsung also tried to ague that Apple waited too long to include the Galaxy Nexus in their latest claim, with Apple maintaining they were only waiting for all carrier variants of the Nexus to receive Jelly Bean. Something that took longer than expected thanks to Sprint and Verizon slower update process. You may remember Apple’s first attempts at going after the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 didn’t end too well for them. The tablet was one of few devices cleared from infringing on Apple’s design patents. It seems like the Galaxy Note 10.1 will share the same fate as it’s largely the same device, only with a handy built in stylus. But, Apple has something else in store for the stylus wielding tablet. Exactly what, we can’t be sure. What we do know is by going after Jelly Bean, it’s finally clear to the whole world that Apple’s real problem is, and always has been, with Google and their mobile OS. Today’s hearing took place in the same federal court in San Jose where Apple won their first patent case against Samsung back in August. One that left Samsung with $1.4 billion in damages. As the internet well knows, you should never feed a troll and the same goes for patent trolls. It only makes them stronger. Judge Grewal wasn’t quick to issue a ruling just yet, scheduling the trial for a 2014 date. Apparently, he wanted to deny both sides their requests but knew it would only cause a new round of lawsuits to spring forth. Sounds like he knows Apple’s reputation all too well.
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| Google Glass makes TIME magazine’s best inventions of 2012 (but not mine) Posted: 06 Nov 2012 03:21 PM PST
For those that missed it, TIME magazine recently unveiled their picks for the best inventions of 2012. The list was filled with the usual assortment of techfoolery, ranging from makerbots, to home HIV tests, to even the Mars Curiosity Rover. Pretty big stuff, I know. Google GlassOne such invention hitting the higher $600 – $3,000 tier was Google’s very own Google Glass. While I understand that not everything that made the list is actually “consumer” ready technology, I found it interesting that aside from a few Googlers and a fancy concept video — no one outside of Google has really even used Google Glass (well, aside from Gavin Newsom and Diane von Furstenberg). There have been a few pictures posted from the device on Google+, but a head-mounted camera unit is far from “invention of the year” material, and really, only a small portion of what Google Glass is supposed to bring. All About Augmented RealityRemember, it’s Google Glass’ ability to shape our world through the use of augmented reality that’s the real draw. Maps, contacts, games, emails — all of that information superimposed in the real world around you via a voice-controlled HUD. This is the stuff that Android dreams are made of. This is what Google Glass truly is. Let’s just hope Google (and the rest of us) don’t lose sight of that. Glass Falls ShortBefore you get the wrong idea, I’m not hating on Glass. I honestly believe it will be another truly wonderful innovation from Google and one that could change the way we interact with the world. And that sorta stuff doesn’t happen all the time. Still, as of right now, from what we’ve seen of Google Glass — it’s nothing more than a chastity camera strapped to your head. Hardly “best invention” material. Not yet anyway. My pick for best Google invention of 2012? The self-driving Google car. By a long shot. The Promise of MoreGoogle Glass should be ready for primetime in 2014, and we at Phandroid are more than excited to get our hands on it. So excited, that we actually signed up for 3 pairs of the $1,500 Google Glass at Google I/O developers conference earlier this year (the one where Sergery Brinn demoed Glass by jumping out of an airplane). Personally, I have reasonably high hopes for the platform, and it’s something I absolutely can’t wait to get my eyes on. I just want to see the damn interface already. [TIME]
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| HTC DROID DNA press render surfaces Posted: 06 Nov 2012 02:29 PM PST
Verizon is said to be launching this either late November or early December, and with that time frame we’d put a two week stamp from Black Friday on our calendars. Nothing’s certain on the pricing and availability front, though, and we’ll have to wait for the November 13th event for more details from Verizon. The render itself shows more Verizon red accenting, particularly in the area of the earpiece grill you see at the top. You can also vaguely see red on the power button and volume rocker. Speaking of the power button, it looks to be centered on top of the device. That’s a practice not typically seen by HTC — its power buttons tend to be offset to the right. We imagine none of that is all too important, though, because if the positioning of the power button deters you from buying a phone then you likely weren’t going to buy it in the first place. But there it is in all its glory, and we’ll have an even closer look once we trek out to New York City the morning of November 13th (which also happens to be the same day that the smorgasbord of new Nexus devices will arrive). [via @evleaks]
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| HTC, Verizon sending out invites for November 13th event in NYC Posted: 06 Nov 2012 11:14 AM PST
An invite just hit our mailbox for a November 13th event co-hosted by HTC and Verizon, which implores us to come check out the duo’s “latest collaboration.” While little is revealed, given a lack of much on the radar from HTC over the next few months we are led to believe we will see the unveiling of the long-rumored Droid DNA (AKA the Droid DLX). The HTC Droid DNA is expected be Verizon’s equivalent of the recently announced J Butterfly for Japan, a 5-inch device to rival the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2. Specs are rumored to include a 1.5GHz quad-core processor and 13MP camera. The handset recently made an appearance at the FCC, suggesting a release is timed for the holiday season. Whatever it is that HTC and Verizon plan to show off in Manhattan on the 13th, we’ll be there covering it all live. Those looking forward to what should be the best HTC device we have seen on Verizon in some time name should circle the date on their calendars now.
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| Election Day: Obama or Romney? Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:56 AM PST Everyone seems to have their opinion on election day topics, namely Obama or Romney in 2012, but it isn’t as often we see tech-focused websites weighing in. But over the last few days, that’s exactly what we’ve seen from some of our favorite online publications.
Take PandoDaily for example, whose Farhad Manjoo recently published an article titled “If you care about the tech industry, vote for Obama.” Candidate aside, the title seems a bit inflammatory, suggesting if you don’t agree with the author’s political views you’ll be to blame for the downfall of our beloved gadgetry and the software we adore. In many ways, it mirrors the counter-productive public discourse of elections past, where it became “Un-American” to support one idea or candidate versus another. Then there’s the more objective approach taken by The Verge, who offer a comprehensive comparison of all 4 candidates (yes, 4) on all issues tech. The piece is by T.C. Stottek and definitely worth reading.
That being said, last month we published an app called Vote 2012. The app is part of VoteBot.com, which in the coming weeks and months will transform into a more full featured and robust voting app/site covering a wide variety of topics. For now (you can still download and vote) you’re offered three options: Obama, Romney, or other. The app offers an (incredibly) unscientific attempt to see how Android fans would steer the election. Again, I’m keeping opinions out of it, but thought it would be fun to report some of the results thus far. Rather than update you again on Phandroid, check VoteBot.com tomorrow (and in the days/weeks to come) for updates. First of all, as it currently stands, Barack Obama would be our President for the next 4 years if the Vote 2012 popular vote was the deciding factor.
It’s interesting to note that immediately following the app’s launch, Mitt Romney was the leading candidate according to Vote 2012. The following two debates triggered a shift in Obama’s favor and that shift hasn’t since tilted towards Romney. That being said, we’re keeping our polls open until 10pm so anything could happen.
Above it’s visualized by the percentage change over time, but if you’d also like to see the consistency by number of votes cast each day, we’ve got that below:
Of course the actual election isn’t determined by popular vote but by the Electoral College. From much of the discussion I’ve heard, Florida, Ohio, and Virginia look to be 3 key states in ultimately determining the victor. Unfortunately, a very limited number of Vote 2012′s entire votership chose to anonymously offer demographic info, so the following state-by-state comparisons have quite a small sample size. But hey- this is simply a fun and unscientific exercise in the first place. Florida Polls
Ohio Polls
Virginia Polls
So it seems barring any last day Romney surge, according to the unscientific “Vote 2012″ app, Android fans would decisively elect Obama as their next President. Romney is however the favorite or tied for the favorite in 16 out of 50 states and many of the states have a narrow gap. Meanwhile, other unscientific poll outcomes are picking Romney, for example the oh-so-accurate Washington Redskins Rule picked Romney to win this election. It’s kind of funny to speak about politics and sports in the same breath. In both cases, it seems that most spectators are unable to separate the “who do you want to win?” from the “who do you think will win?” In the case of Obama vs. Romney, many scientific polls are calling it too close to call. But just as with the presidential debates, adamant supporters of each side felt their guy won the matchup handily. While the debates and Facebook statuses are relegated to opinion, tonight will see an actual outcome. So who do you WANT to win? Who do you THINK will win? Are they one and the same? Download Vote 2012 for the last chance to voice your opinion and see what others are saying at VoteBot.com! And please, for the sake of my outlook on humanity, keep things respectful and civil!
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| Google Wallet support page tips physical card Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:19 AM PST Google Wallet has been a very solid service for digital-based transactions using your phones, but the sad reality is that the idea of mobile payments is still too young in its infancy for it to be useful for many people. We were surprised to learn Google might be bringing a physical card out for those who’d want to use their Google Wallet balance without abandoning the age old plastic, and now even more evidence is mounting that suggests Google is going this route.
References to “Google Wallet card” were apparently made on the company’s own support site. The document, which has since been updated, didn’t reveal much other than that phrase, but it does confirm Google’s looking to bring such an element out. This also gives us a clearer idea on possible timing — slip-ups on support sites tend to mean we’re getting close to a launch. Google’s probably trying to get this plastic card out before the big late November push that many retailers are gearing up for. Aside from the fact that it’ll be for use with all Google Wallet-compatible devices with Android 2.3.3 or higher, there’s no other information to be had here. We don’t even get a small, blurry and annoyingly teasing picture of the thing just yet, but you can bet we’ll be looking for one over the coming weeks. [via Engadget]
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| Ice Cream Sandwich headed to Sprint’s LG Viper Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:09 AM PST
The Ice Cream Sandwich update for Sprint’s LG Viper 4G LTE has commenced with users now receiving a notification to expect the new software to arrive within the next two weeks. The Android 4.0 build is tagged as version ZVI and includes such enhancements as Ice Cream Sandwich’s updated user interface, new lock screen with Face Unlock, an improved camera, and more. Viper owners can expect the update to be downloaded automatically when its ready. If you have already received the new software, let us know what you think!
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| Amazon Prime now available for monthly installments of $8 Posted: 06 Nov 2012 07:36 AM PST Amazon Prime is a very important service to many people. For some, the shipping benefits alone more than pays for the entirety of the membership. Throw in things like Amazon Instant Video and the book rentals and you’re looking at a lot of savings for cheap. The only problem with Amazon Prime up to this point was its pricing structure — $79 per year, outright.
I did the math a long time ago, and for Netflix’s cheapest streaming video option you’d be paying about $17 more per year, and you don’t get anything but streaming video from a (currently) very lacking library. But the problem is that you don’t have to pay for a year’s worth of Netflix outright, and for many people to see $7.99 instead of $79 on that checkout screen is a huge difference. Well, Amazon’s figured this out and it has decided to introduce a new payment structure for those who would prefer to pay for the benefits of Amazon Prime monthly. You’ll be paying that same $7.99 that the cheapest Netflix streaming plan costs, which means you’ll be paying more for Prime than those who bought it outright. But considering you get instant video, $4 overnight shipping, free two-day shipping on all Prime-eligible merchandise, book rentals and more I’d say the value works itself out. This service is no doubt very important for those who have an Amazon Kindle Fire as that device is all about media consumption, and Amazon has a fine ecosystem for that. I implore you to save yourself $17 over the course of the annual cost if you can, but if you need monthly installments or just don’t anticipate needing Amazon Prime for long then this is a great option to consider. Head to Amazon.com to get started.
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| Android 4.2 GAPPs package now available for download Posted: 06 Nov 2012 06:56 AM PST
The first crop of users getting to play around with Android 4.2 itself will be those who opt for the latest Nexus devices, but for those of us on the Galaxy Nexus who might not get it right away you can still experience much of what it has to offer. AndroidSpin has gotten its hands on a GAPPs package that’ll give Galaxy Nexus users the updated versions of Gmail, Maps, Talk, Calendar, Clock, Photo Sphere, the latest keyboard, and more. It’s presented as a flashable .zip file just as any GAPPs package is, and that can be flashed through your recovery of choice as if you were flashing a ROM. The only thing to note is that Google Wallet comes as a separate APK so be sure to grab that one and sideload it if that’s all you’re interested in. Links to both downloads will be at the source below, and they’re hosted by Dev-Host so there’s not much trickery to be had. Be sure to let us know if things go OK, and have fun getting a taste of Android 4.2 before Google delivers it starting November 13th. [Dev-Host 1, 2 via Android Spin]
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| Gingerbread most at-risk version of Android, Jelly Bean strives to be safest Posted: 06 Nov 2012 06:49 AM PST According to research conducted by the security firm Kaspersky, Android 2.3 is the version of Google’s mobile operating system most targeted by malicious software. Versions of the Gingerbread software accounted for over 50 percent of blocked malware attempts in Q3 of 2012, with Android 2.3.6 totaling 28 percent alone. The number correlates directly with the prevalence of Gingerbread on Android handsets, where it still makes up a majority of the operating system’s install base.
Overall, malware attacks were down from about 15,000 recorded attacks in Q2 to 9,100 in Q3, but those looking to exploit Android users haven’t given up. Ice Cream Sandwich users experienced the second most number of malicious attacks, accounting for about 38 percent despite an overall platform share that registered at 23.7 percent during an October report from Google. Android has taken flack for poor security standards since its early days, but Google is looking to change that with the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean release. As part of the updated version of the OS the Android Team is baking in new security features to help protect users from apps containing malicious code, an extension of new protections added to the Google Play last month. Users of Android 4.2 can now opt to allow the OS to scan all installed apps for signs of dirty code. It’s a wonder why Google didn’t implement such a feature earlier, especially back when carriers were blocking app sideloading out of concerns for customer safety. In this case, the effort should go a long way to help reduce Android’s status as the mobile OS most vulnerable to malware attacks. [via BGR]
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| Android officially celebrates its 5th birthday Posted: 05 Nov 2012 08:04 PM PST
When do you celebrates one’s birthday? In some cultures, it’s starts with conception. Others say it’s when you’re actually delivered and come into the world. That being said, depending on how you celebrate birthdays, today is officially Android’s 5th birthday. Formed in 2007, the Open Handset Alliance was assembled consisting of heavy weights like Google, HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and LG, who all banded together, choosing Android as their platform of choice. Here was their creed:
Holy cow, how right they were. We’ve all reaped the benefits of an open ecosystem. Competition has move ahead at blazing (sometimes too fast) speeds, and here we are today with HD displays and quad-core devices in our pocket. Feels good, don’t it? Android Inc. was originally founded by Andy Rubin — the man who brought you the Sidekick – and Google snatched him, and Android up, back in 2005. On November 5th, 2007 — Android was officially announced (although the SDK wasn’t made available until the 12th) and my, how far we’ve come. Here’s a quick ancient YouTube video from the early Android creators introducing their all new mobile platform. (I promised myself I wouldn’t cry).
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Then there is my opinion: I’m staying out of it. Our readers love Android, but what place do we have in using Phandroid as a soapbox to voice our political opinions? I hope everyone takes the time to 
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