Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

Samsung To Present On big.LITTLE Architecture For Mobile In February

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:25 PM PST

According to EE Times, Samsung is preparing to describe a mobile processor using ARM's big.LITTLE architecture at ISSCC (International Solid State Circuits Conference) in February 2013. This big.LITTLE concept is kind of genius. You take a couple quad-core clusters and assign one to run the OS and other less resource-intensive tasks and have the other cluster focus on the heavy lifting. The “little” cluster can be light and efficient while the “big” cluster can house the battery-draining big guns.

EE Times breaks it down like so: “Samsung will detail a 28-nm SoC with two quad-core clusters. One cluster runs at 1. 8 GHz, has a 2 MByte L2 cache and is geared for high performance apps; the other runs at 1.2 GHz and is tuned for energy efficiency.“ Kevin Krewell, senior analyst with market watcher Linley Group said, "The A7 cores should be capable of handling most [smartphone] tasks, with the A15 cores only required for maximum performance needs, like video games."

Am I the only one wondering if this will be the type of processor we’ll see when Samsung finally starts pumping out flexible display devices?

Source: EE Times

Groove smartphone added to Cricket portfolio just in time for holiday shopping

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 11:01 AM PST

Cricket announced the availability of The Groove, a new Android smartphone that incorporates Muve Music features. The Groove device comes with an 800MHz processor, Android 2.3, a 3.5-inch HVGA screen, a 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera and a 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera, all supported with a 1500mAh battery. Added to the device is Muve Music from Cricket, a service that lets subscribers access unlimited downloads of music, artist commentary, and video.

The new Groove from Cricket will be available starting on November 21st for $129.99 and data plans start at $50 per month. For more information, hit the break to read the full press release.

Cricket Adds the Groove Smartphone to its Holiday Shopping List
~ Offers Top-Tier Features at Value Pricing

~ ~ Newest Android Smartphone Available with Unlimited Muve Music®

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Cricket today announced the availability of the ‘Groove from Cricket,’ the carrier’s newest Muve Music Android smartphone. The phone’s stylish design, popular Android operating system, and Cricket’s value pricing will excite customers and entice those looking to switch to a pre-paid option or buy a second handset. With the Groove, holiday shoppers can take advantage of Cricket’s unlimited music, data, talk and text Android service plans starting at $50 per month. The Groove will be available on November 21st at Cricket stores, dealers and online at www.mycricket.com for $129.99 (MSRP).

“Cricket’s customers will be excited to experience the Groove with Muve Music, WiFi, tethering, and two cameras,” said Matt Stoiber, senior vice president of devices for Cricket. “The Groove is the perfect stocking stuffer smartphone or gift companion phone with the features holiday shoppers need to delight their family and friends.”

The ‘Groove from Cricket’ is powered by a fast 800MHz processor, 2.3 Android OS and a long lasting 1500mAh battery. The 3.5 -inch HVGA TFT color capacitive touch display offers bright and easy to find icons that make navigation easy and enjoyable. With the Android OS, holiday photo and video sharing is simple and easily powers lifelike video conferencing with its 3.2 megapixel rear facing camera/camcorder with flash and 0.3 megapixel front facing VGA camera/camcorder.

The ‘Groove from Cricket’ offers impressive design and is loaded with features not commonly found in a smartphone at this price and can be activated on one of Cricket’s three monthly smartphone service plan options starting at $50 per month. All Cricket plans, including smartphone service plans, feature all-inclusive pricing with no service fees and no overage charges. For customers, that means a predictable monthly bill, regardless of increasing usage, offered at a price point that fits into a value conscious budget.

With Muve Music from Cricket, Muve Music subscribers have access to unlimited downloads of their favorite music and access to exclusive artist commentary, music and video through Muve Music’s monthly artist programs. With millions of songs at their fingertips, customers will never pay per song and no contracts are required.

About Cricket
Cricket is the pioneer and leader in delivering innovative value-rich prepaid wireless services with no long-term contracts. Cricket offers nationwide wireless voice and mobile data services over high-quality, all-digital 4G LTE and 3G CDMA wireless networks. Cricket’s innovative products and services, including the award-winning Muve Music® – the first music service designed for a wireless phone, are available nationwide at Cricket branded retail stores, dealers, national retailers and at www.mycricket.com. For more information about Cricket, please visit www.mycricket.com.

SOURCE Cricket

More Samsung Galaxy S IV and S II Plus specs leak, announcement rumored for CES 2013

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 10:57 AM PST

 

With the era of 1080p, quad-core phones approaching us, Samsung appears ready to unveil the next iteration of its extremely successful Galaxy series: the Galaxy S IV. Samsung’s latest entry to its Galaxy S line is rumored to sport a 5-inch, 1080p display, quad-core Exynos Adonis processor and a 13MP camera. The specs alone positions it to rival HTC’s DROID DNA and LG’s Optimus G series.

In addition to the news of the S IV, a Galaxy S II Plus is also mentioned. Among the noteworthy features of the Galaxy S II Plus are items like a qHD display and Jellybean running the show. For most customers, it should satisfy those looking for a lower cost alternative to the pricier top-tier phones of today. Its announcement is slated for late December to January.

Source: Unwired View

Skype updated to version 3.0 for Android devices, adds tablet UI improvements

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:50 AM PST

Skype released an update today that focuses on Microsoft’s move to use the service in place of Windows Live Messenger and to introduce improvements in the tablet experience. Skype’s tablet UI changes include little things like re-positioning navigation buttons and menus to better use the screen real estate afforded by tablet devices. The window for video is larger as well. However, early adopters of this new version are already complaining that the app forces the use of landscape mode.

Readers may already be familiar with Microsoft’s decision to abandon their Live Messenger application and move their user base over to Skype. To help with that change in direction, Skype now makes it possible to sign in to your Microsoft account. Besides the improvements to the tablet UI and easing the Microsoft login process, Skype also made improvements to audio quality and incorporated some bug fixes in this latest version. To get a copy or upgrade your existing install, use one of the Google Play download links below.

skype_01 skype_02 skype_google_play

QR Code generator
Google Play Download Link

Google Customer Support gives free Nexus 4 to unsatisfied buyer

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:40 AM PST

By now we are all familiar with the Nexus 4 launch fiasco, during which Google sold out of its flagship device in mere minutes leaving many unsatisfied would-be buyers. Worse than that, many customers who were able to successfully purchase a device did not receive any sort of confirmation email from Google indicating that their purchase went through (though their bank statements confirmed that their credit cards were charged). While some customers have already received their coveted device, many others are stuck wondering if they will ever receive their Nexus 4 at all. One unhappy customer took the proactive approach and instead of waiting for his tracking number, called Google’s customer support lines. After countless phone calls and emails this persistent person was rewarded with an unexpected and exciting email: Google offered him their apologies and a free Nexus 4! Wow! Persistence truly pays off! Now if only Google would offer that deal to the several other unsatisfied customers! Something tells us that is just wishful thinking.

Have any of you had any interactions with Google’s Customer Support department regarding your Nexus order? If so, how did it go?

Source: Phandroid

Sony launches PlayStation Mobile Developer Program

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:09 AM PST

 

It’s taken a few months, but Sony has finally taken the wraps off of their PlayStation Mobile Developer Program. This program allows developers to produce games on PlayStation-certified Android devices – such as HTC’s One X+ – as well as Sony’s PS Vita. It runs 7,980 Japanese yen for an annual license, or about $99. This annual license lets developers produce as many games as they would like, so that yearly fee doesn’t stack. Not a bad deal, if you ask me.

Today’s launch covers Japan, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Australia, and Taiwan and Hong Kong are to follow suit in the near future. The SDK is available for download below, after processing that annual entry fee. Hit the break for the press release.

 

PlayStation Mobile Developer Registration

 

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INITIATES THE PLAYSTATION®MOBILE DEVELOPER PROGRAM
Official Version of PlayStation®Mobile SDK Now Publicly Available

Program Allows a Wider range of Developers to Create Dedicated Content for PlayStation™Certified Devices and PlayStation®Vita

Tokyo, November 20, 2012–Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that it initiates the PlayStation®Mobile Developer Program which includes the official version of PlayStation®Mobile SDK*1 from today, in an effort to further expand the world of PlayStation® on open operating system-based devices*2 through PlayStation®Mobile.

Allowing a wider range of developers to create dedicated content for PlayStation Mobile, the PlayStation®Mobile Developer Program becomes available in Japan, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia. The forthcoming phased roll out will start from Hong Kong and Taiwan and with more countries and regions to follow. This program enables developers to distribute easily their content through PlayStation®Store*3 on a commercial basis and market their games to millions of dedicated gamers with PlayStation™Certified*4 devices and PlayStation®Vita. The license agreement fee is 7,980 yen annually*5.

After receiving the feedback from developers who have used the open beta version since this April, the official version of PlayStation®Mobile SDK enhances its system stability. Along with the technical support from SCE through the developers forum where developers can exchange useful information, developers are also be able to seamlessly continue to develop content which was created with the open beta version.
(Please refer to the special site link for more detailed information)
https://psm.playstation.net/portal/

SCE will further accelerate the expansion of PlayStation™Certified devices and continue to collaborate with content developers to drive the delivery of compelling entertainment experiences through PlayStation®Mobile.
*1 A set of development tools and software libraries for PlayStation®Mobile.
*2 As of November 20, Android based PS Certified devices and PS Vita.
*3 Users can download vast digital content including games through PlayStation Store for PS3, PSP, PS Vita and PS Certified devices.
*4 The license program to expand PlayStation®Mobile, dedicated for portable hardware manufacturers. SCE will not only license logos but also provide necessary development support. Please kindly refer to the URL for the line-up of PS Certified devices.

http://www.playstation.com/psm/certified.html

*5 The fee is for the Japanese market. The fee differs by countries and regions. After closing the license agreement, developers are able to use PlayStation®Mobile SDK and conduct verification on PS Certified devices and PS Vita to distribute their content on PS Store.

Why Missing Out On The Nexus 4 May Have Been A Good Thing

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:26 AM PST

The Nexus 4 packs pure unadulterated Android into a quad-core powered black slab of sexy. It’s a great device at an unbelievable price. Problem? It’s gone mainstream. Not in the way hipsters refer to any semi-successful musician either. Google’s deliberate attempts to make the Nexus brand much more grandma-friendly has, in some respects, been a message to its most ardent “root first and ask questions later” fans. I can almost hear Andy Rubin say, we’re going mainstream now, you tech-heads can come along for the ride if you want but you’re not riding shotgun anymore. The “pure Android experience” is no longer being designed or marketed for the  power user.

I really wanted the Nexus 4 but after much deliberation I’ve had to conclude that I am not entirely drunk on Nexus Kool-Aid. The lure of a $299 (8GB version) price for a top tier unlocked phone was certainly tempting. So too was the appeal of receiving timely and undiluted updates. For many, the updates alone may be reason enough to buy this phone. When I examined the compromises Google made to court the mainstream customer I realized the Nexus 4 can not fulfill my needs. I suspect this may be the case for other tech-savvy Android users.

Matias Duarte has brought a lot of great design tweaks and polish to Android. His recent statements regarding omitting expandable storage, however, sound like a vote in favor of the casual user rather than the hard-core enthusiast. Few would argue that making Android more user friendly is a bad idea but improving that UI at the cost of functionality just doesn’t sit well with me. Yes, a microSD card does add another element of ambiguity regarding media storage. If that’s the trade off then I would gladly make finding where I saved a file just a tad more difficult in exchange for the option of cheap expandable storage. A 16GB device runs out of space in a hurry when it doubles as a media player.

Developer settings in Android 4.2: Like Dumbledore’s sister, the menu was deemed unfit for public consumption and was hidden from view. The menu can be called back from the dead without the use of a Ouija board, but its discreet placement is a not so subtle hint: this isn’t your hacker’s Nexus anymore. Or at least you aren’t its primary target anymore.

Android top dog, Andy Rubin shared another example of function trumped by user experience. Rubin cited battery concerns and a less than spectacular user experience as the reason the Nexus 4 is missing an LTE radio. Again, I would much rather be allowed the option to possibly sacrifice some battery life in exchange for access to an LTE network.

Speaking of the battery, it’s now enclosed. What has long been an Android advantage over iOS is no longer on the Nexus Quatro. The battery is easy to get to but Google and/or LG chose to, like the Optimus G, keep it internal. We can only speculate as to the reason but I’d wager it is a simple decision of design over function. Carrying a spare battery is not a major concern to some but it can be a godsend when traveling abroad or cross-country.

Samsung, the biggest Android manufacturer at present, is far from perfect but seems to be coming a lot closer to the mark than Google itself. They’ve clearly been killing it with the Galaxy SIII, but TouchWiz, even with fairly recent tweaks, leaves a lot to be desired. Of course if you’re the CyanogenMod nightly flasher-type we’ve been talking about, a crummy Android skin is not too big an obstacle to overcome.

Comparing the latest Samsung offering, the Galaxy Note II, to the Nexus 4 shows us why our hopes may rest with the manufacturers and not the pure Android experience. LTE is not available in a lot of markets but you can buy an LTE version of the Note II from 3 of the top 4 US carriers. The ginormous 3100 mAh battery is removable. The Note II can be purchased with up to 64GB of internal storage and you can still add to that with a MicroSD card. The only thing really missing from the Note II’s hardware is what it has too much of (no, not the S Pen or massive screen): The buttons. I much prefer the on screen buttons on the current batch of Nexus devices to the Note II’s hardware buttons.

I’m happy Google is continuing to develop Android into a more well rounded OS. I’m also happy Android provides us options even when Google wouldn’t choose those options for us. The election may be over but I’ll still vote (with my dollar) and support the Android I want to see. That’s not an Android that sacrifices functionality for ease of use. I think some fruit company is already doing that and I’m not interested in something that “JUST works.”

[Deal] Toshiba Excite 10 tablet at $299 for today only at Best Buy

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 07:04 AM PST

Best Buy is celebrating with a few one day sales leading up to Black Friday. Today’s deal is the Toshiba Excite 10 tablet for $299. This is a pretty good price for a Tegra 3 quad-core 10-inch tablet, plus you can avoid the Black Friday lines. Just hit the link below to order online and have it delivered to your doorstep.

If you have your eye on another Android tablet, make sure to check out our guide to Black Friday tablet deals.

source: Best Buy

Latest Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean test build for the international Galaxy Note II leaks

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 06:47 AM PST

The latest test build for the International Galaxy Note II (GT-N7100) just leaked. It’s Android 4.1.2 and its firmware version is N7100XXDLJ2. Unfortunately the 2 in the Android version number is not in the second position, so don’t expect the latest and greatest that the Nexus devices are rocking. However there are some changes which include:

  • New Additions in Notifcation Toggles
  • Notification Panel can now be customized
  • Continues Input in Samsung Keyboard (Like Swipe or Android 4.2 Keyboard)
  • New Ink Effect On Lockscreen
  • New Group Cast Application

Again this is not the final build, and the official and final build will probably drop in December or January. You can install it if you wish, but there could be some bugs. Hit the break  for flashing instructions.

Flashing instructions per source

  • Download and Unzip the file
  • Open Odin 3.04 (Get it from HERE)
  • Restart phone in download mode (Home+power+vol down)
  • Connect phone and wait until you get a yellow sign in Odin
  • Add N7100XXDLJ2.tar.md5 to PDA
  • Make sure re-partition NOT ticked
  • Start flash, sit back and wait a few minutes.
source: sammobile

 

HTC’s Peter Chou is happy with Apple patent agreement, but says payout estimates are outrageous

Posted: 20 Nov 2012 06:26 AM PST

Last week it was announced that HTC and Apple entered into a 10-year global patent agreement. Various media sites (including yours truly) reported that as part of that agreement, HTC would pay Apple $6 to $8 per Android phone, but chief executive Peter Chou is said those estimates are outrageous.

“I think that these estimates are baseless and very, very wrong. It is a outrageous number, but I’m not going to comment anything on a specific number. I believe we have a very, very happy settlement and a good ending,” said Chou at a KDDI Corp product launch in Tokyo.

Where these estimates came from, I don’t know because the details of the agreement were never released. Furthermore, HTC won’t change it fourth-quarter guidance number based on the agreement. This is good news because HTC is one of the better Android manufacturers, and I would hate to see them get stuck paying Apple ridiculously high rates per device.

source: reuters
Posted by at 6:49 AM

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