Android Central |
- US Army launches SGT. STAR - a virtual assistant recruiter app
- The Instagram - Twitter love affair looks like it's on the rocks
- Google Voice, Authenticator, and Translate also updated today
- Google Search update brings new features to Google Now, including post to Google+
- Dramatic point-and-click adventure Yesterday comes to Android
- Hot in the forums: The impending EVO 4G LTE update
- Heroes of Order and Chaos brings lane defense to Android
- The best Android phone you can buy, as of December 2012 (International edition)
- The Nexus 4 Yellow Box of Death
- Samsung opens their first 'Mobile Store' in Paris, France
- Droid DNA down to $149.99 on Amazon Wireless
- Eric Schmidt talks Apple, Android, patents and Google Play
- XKCD is Enlightened [#Ingress]
- Don't forget: Stuff your stocking with Android Central
- TomTom navigation updated, now supports 200+ devices
- 8GB Nexus 4 once again sold out on Google Play in UK + Germany
- Sony announces Xperia E - budget phone for Europe with dual-SIM option
- Android 4.1.2 update hitting global Galaxy S3, multi-view and other features included
- Amazon introduces Kindle FreeTime Unlimited
- Me In My Place web app update brings the sexy back to Android [#NSFW]
- Daily news roundup: December 4, 2012
- Hey, Microsoft - you really wanna see 'DroidRage'?
- Qualcomm expands Snapdragon S4 family with China-specific features
| US Army launches SGT. STAR - a virtual assistant recruiter app Posted: 05 Dec 2012 04:18 PM PST
The US Army understands the value of intelligence before commitment. Whether you think they do a good job at it or not, they know the best informed soldiers are the best overall soldiers. In that sprit, they have released SGT. STAR: Army's virtual guide -- a virtual assistant app to answer all the questions one might have before they enlist. I've been playing with it for a few here, and they did a good job with it. It provides the correct answer to valid questions, responds with a touch of humor at the silly questions (I now know the Army is not the place to find hot chicks with guns, that's what online dating is for) and keeps a straight face while dismissing the ridiculous questions. Yes, I had to try. We're not sure how valuable this will be in the quest to find good soldiers, but it certainly can't hurt. If you're thinking of enlisting and have some questions, or are just curious, grab it from the Google Play link above. 
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| The Instagram - Twitter love affair looks like it's on the rocks Posted: 05 Dec 2012 02:37 PM PST
You may have noticed that Instagram pictures in your Twitter stream look worse than usual lately, with portions of the images cropped out or improperly scaled. This isn't a new hipster filter -- it seems that Instagram has decided not to follow the rules and they have stopped using the "Twitter cards" integration. Twitter cards is the name for the fancy way Twitter has been rendering multimedia since their visual refresh, and when services (like Instagram) don't use it, things get a little ugly. Or uglier in this case. Officially a part of Facebook, a few weeks back Instagram updated their web presence with a clear eye on keeping people engaged on their own site. Millions and millions use Instagram to share pictures, so it's a natural progression. Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom stated at the LeWeb conference in Paris,
The timing isn't all bad for Twitter either, who has been rumored to be building their own set of photo enhancements and filters. This would negate the need for any third party program to make pictures look horrible, as all the tools would be a part of Twitter. I can see this being a feature that only the "official" Twitter app can use, further locking folks into the official offering. I've no idea how this will play out, but it's interesting to sit back and watch the drama unfold from an outsider position. I'll keep sharing my pictures on Google+ and watch these two slug it out. Via: All Things D 
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| Google Voice, Authenticator, and Translate also updated today Posted: 05 Dec 2012 01:54 PM PST
Google Search (AKA Google Now for folks with Jelly Bean) isn't the only app from Google to see an update today. While not as forwards facing and glamorous, Voice, Translate, and Authenticator were also bumped up a version. Google Voice promises a couple much needed bug fixes, notably to fix the delay in SMS notifications and make inbox syncing actually work across devices. We sure would love a fancy new UI to match the rest of Google's apps, but we'll certainly take the bug fixes. Grab it from Google Play. Google Translate also received two very welcome changes: the addition of Chinese, Japanese and Korean text recognition from the camera, and recognition of a few new languages for handwriting -- Afrikaans, Croatian, Czech, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Slovak, Slovenian, Ukrainian, Welsh. The Asian language text recognition is a big deal folks. If Translate can successfully recognize the intricacy of something like Kanji or traditional Chinese, there's no telling what comes next. Install Google Translate from Google Play by clicking this handy link. Finally, the Google Authenticator app has been updated with "bug fixes in the account setup flow" and small UI improvements. It's nice to see work going into an app as utilitarian as Authenticator, which really doesn't have to look good to work well. Grab the update or install it from Google Play. 
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| Google Search update brings new features to Google Now, including post to Google+ Posted: 05 Dec 2012 12:49 PM PST
Android's Google Search app just got a pretty good update, and that means we've got new features for Google Now as well. Of note are improvements for travelers. If Google Now knows you're going somewhere (and there's a pretty good chance it will), it'll show you weather information for your destination. And if you're flying on United Airlines, you'll even be able to get to your boarding pass right from Google Now. (Of course, that might be the least of your worries on UA.) Voice search is beefed up, too -- it can listen for a song playing in the background, find product info and post to Google+, all without typing a thing. Hit the link above to get your update on. Source: Google Android blog 
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| Dramatic point-and-click adventure Yesterday comes to Android Posted: 05 Dec 2012 12:14 PM PST
Yesterday, a dark point-and-click adventure game, was launched on Google Play today. Players follow three different characters that are trying to piece together a series of grisly murders while staying alive themselves. Puzzles litter the path to solving the mystery, but there's a hint system if things get tricky. Though Yesterday looks like it's mostly very grim and gritty, apparently there's some solid humor in there too. Yesterday enjoyed solid reviews during its stay on iOS and PC, and though I haven't given it a shot yet, it looks like a refreshing, adult experience with a strong narrative. There's a free lite version linked above, or you can get the ad-free version in Google Play for $4.99. Anyone interested? What's your favorite point-and-click adventure game to date? 
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| Hot in the forums: The impending EVO 4G LTE update Posted: 05 Dec 2012 12:09 PM PST
If you've never spent time in a forum for a Sprint device, well, things can get a little a little rowdy. Such is the case for the HTC EVO 4G LTE, which never really got the respect it deserved. (Much of that probably should be placed on Sprint's shoulders, but we digress.) Currently the hot topic is a rumored update. Is it Jelly Bean? Is it just some other maintenance release? And just when will said update ever see the light of day? These questions -- and more -- in our EVO 4G LTE forum. 
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| Heroes of Order and Chaos brings lane defense to Android Posted: 05 Dec 2012 09:37 AM PST
Gameloft's much-anticipated lane defense game, Heroes of Order and Chaos, launched this morning on Google Play. The Dota clone is free to play with plenty of in-app purchases, and a very familiar gameplay style. Two teams of five players each have to join waves of AI troops to take out enemy towers and ultimately a base at the end while the opposition tries to do the same. Maps are broken up into multiple lanes, and players pick signature heroes with highly-specialized abilities to do their part. Matches can be played against others online or with simple bots locally. Over the course of every game, heroes level up, unlock new abilities and weapons by slaying opponents. Between matches, you can develop specialized talents for particular roles of characters, such as fighter, mage, support, or guardian, as per your play style and unlocked heroes. I've been playing Dota 2 on PC off and on, and the formula is proven and polished. It will be interesting to see if Heroes of Order and Chaos can reach the same level of high-end competitiveness. I've only played a little bit of the iOS version, but so far it has yet to disappoint - so long as you can deal with the usual prodding to upgrade through IAPs. So, who's in? 
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| The best Android phone you can buy, as of December 2012 (International edition) Posted: 05 Dec 2012 08:38 AM PST
A lot has changed since we published our last round-up of the best Android phones available, and awarded the top prize to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. At the time, the Gnex outshone the competition thanks to the blistering performance and innovative features delivered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. But that was five long months ago. Since then, screen sizes, resolutions and core counts have continued to rise. There’s a new Nexus, and Android OEMs have had the chance to get their own Jelly Bean-based devices out into the wild. And this time around, it makes more sense to split things up and cover the U.S market separately (look for our U.S. round-up in the days ahead). In this article we’re going to focus on the best international Android phones, and recommend one unlocked world phones available in Europe, Asia and beyond. Join us after the break to find out more about our top four devices, and learn which gets our recommendation for international buyers. 
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| The Nexus 4 Yellow Box of Death Posted: 05 Dec 2012 08:19 AM PST
That's what the kids are calling it, anyway. Looks like a new set of shipping notices has been sent out. But the wait continues. We're hashing it all out in our Nexus 4 forums. 
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| Samsung opens their first 'Mobile Store' in Paris, France Posted: 05 Dec 2012 08:13 AM PST
Samsung has continued their seemingly endless quest for Global domination with this, the opening of their first "Samsung Mobile Store" in Paris, France. The concept of a brand store isn't totally new to Samsung, London has one for example, but unlike the British store this one is concentrated solely on Samsung's mobile products. That doesn't just mean Android either, lest we forget the ATIV range of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 devices. The store itself looks like a pretty nice place to shop. It doesn't look much like an Apple Store -- thankfully -- but similar service can be expected. Samsung will have a number of 'consultants' on hand to guide consumers through everything Samsung Mobile. It's not all just about the adults though. The store has a dedicated childrens area where the young ones get to experience their own hands on with Samsung's mobile devices, but in a less boring, more kid friendly kind of way with drawing and writing games to keep them amused. The store has already opened to the public, and can be found at 5 Boulevard Malesherbes in Paris. If you happen to stop by whilst in the neighborhood be sure to hit us up in the comments and tell us how you found it. Visit the source link below for more images of the store. Source: Samsung Tomorrow 
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| Droid DNA down to $149.99 on Amazon Wireless Posted: 05 Dec 2012 05:24 AM PST
A quick heads-up -- Amazon Wireless is now offering HTC's Droid DNA for $149.99 with a two-year service plan. That's a $50 saving compared to Verizon's own list price of $199.99 -- not a heap of cash, but every little helps with a major purchase like a new smartphone. The Droid DNA is the first "full HD" smartphone to hit the U.S. market, with a whopping 5-inch screen packing in 1920x1080 pixels. It's powered by a quad-core Snapdragon S4 CPU, with 2GB of RAM, and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and HTC's Sense 4+ UI. For more on the DNA, be sure to check out our full review. More: Droid DNA on Amazon Wireless 
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| Eric Schmidt talks Apple, Android, patents and Google Play Posted: 05 Dec 2012 05:09 AM PST
Topics of discussion included Apple, Android, the ongoing patent wars and other legal troubles, Google Play and Google Fiber. Rather than paraphrase the entire interview, we've got a few half-dozen quick hits on some key areas after the break. 
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| XKCD is Enlightened [#Ingress] Posted: 05 Dec 2012 04:54 AM PST
Always figured them for more of the Resistance crowd. Go figure. (And be sure to check out our Ingress forums!) Source: XKCD 
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| Don't forget: Stuff your stocking with Android Central Posted: 05 Dec 2012 04:43 AM PST
What's more is that each of the 31 winners will automatically be entered to win a free Nexus 4, which we'll choose and announce the first week of January. We're going to change things up each week to keep it fresh. Here's the breakdown:
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| TomTom navigation updated, now supports 200+ devices Posted: 05 Dec 2012 03:51 AM PST
When TomTom for Android first appeared a couple of months back, support was limited to a few devices with WVGA displays, a move which excluded many of the most popular handsets. Today the app has been updated to version 1.1, bringing with it support for more devices, including those with higher-resolution screens. The new version also includes the ability to save map data to the SD card rather than the app storage partition, and a redesigned driving view, which TomTom says is designed to make key information clearer and easier to read. As devices go, we can confirm the latest version supports the Nexus 4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy S3 LTE, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Nexus, HTC One X+, RAZR i, Xperia T, RAZR/RAZR MAXX, Optimus 4X HD, HTC One X and One S, among others. TomTom says that more than 200 devices are now compatible with the app. Tablet support still seems to be a non-starter in this version, however, as the app refused to install on our Nexus 7 or various flavors of Galaxy Tab. The update is live now on Google Play. Prices vary depending on where you live and which region you're buying, but typically each pack will set you back around £30 or $50. Source: Google Play, Engadget 
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| 8GB Nexus 4 once again sold out on Google Play in UK + Germany Posted: 05 Dec 2012 02:49 AM PST
The 16GB model is still available to order, though with a waiting period of 5-6 weeks in both countries, it'll likely be early January before orders placed today arrive. If you tried to place a Nexus 4 order yesterday, let us know how you got on in the comments. Source: Google Play 
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| Sony announces Xperia E - budget phone for Europe with dual-SIM option Posted: 05 Dec 2012 02:36 AM PST
The regular version of the Xperia E will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean -- perhaps the first Sony phone to do so -- while a dual-SIM variant will be offered running ICS out of the box, but with an upgrade promised. Other notables include a 1500mAh battery, fairly sizeable for a device of this kind, and HD Voice support for improved call quality on supporting networks. The Xperia E will launch in single and dual-SIM flavors Europe in Q1 2013. The single-SIM version will be available in black, white and pink, while the dual-SIM model will come in black and gold. More info in the presser after the break. 
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| Android 4.1.2 update hitting global Galaxy S3, multi-view and other features included Posted: 05 Dec 2012 02:06 AM PST
International S3 gets full-screen multi-tasking and a slew of other features in latest firmware; Poland first in line for updateIt's early December, and as rumored, the Android 4.1.2 update has started rolling out on international Galaxy S3 phones (HSPA+ version, GT-i9300), starting with devices in Poland. But there's more to this update than the minor change in OS version would indicate. As was also rumored, the new update adds the "multi-view" multitasking feature previously seen on the Galaxy Note 2 and Note 10.1. Multi-view allows you to hold down the back key to bring up a multi-tasking menu, then partition your screen in two in order to run two apps on-screen at the same time. Also new is "page buddy," which adds additional context-sensitive home screen pages that activate when you've got headphones connected, or if you're roaming overseas. There's also a redesigned gallery app -- again, from the Note 2 -- and a customizable notification panel. The Paper Artist app from the Galaxy Note 2 is included too, in addition to Group Cast for media sharing. Smart rotation from the Galaxy Note 2 has also made it across, and the Samsung keyboard has been upgraded too. We can't yet confirm whether it's the same SwiftKey-based keyboard that's found on the Note 2, but given that just about every other Note 2 feature is present and accounted for, it's pretty likely that's exactly what it is. So there's a lot of new stuff for Galaxy S3 owners to get stuck into. Kudos to Samsung for porting these new features back to the S3. SamMobile has a direct download for the Polish version of this update already; other territories should start to get this update over-the-air and through Kies in the coming days and weeks. If you're curious about multi-view, we've embedded our quick video walkthrough on the Note 2 after the break. Source: SamMobile 
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| Amazon introduces Kindle FreeTime Unlimited Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:53 PM PST
Amazon is rolling out a new service for all Kindle Fire devices that offers an all-you-can-eat buffet of books, games, apps, movies and TV shows geared to kids ages 3-8. For one monthly payment of $2.99 per child or $6.99 for the whole family with an Amazon Prime membership ($4.99 and $9.99 for users without a Prime account) the little ones can download and interact with as much content as they wish. This sounds like a really convenient way to provide the kids with content they will love, and makes the Kindle Fire much more interesting for families. FreeTime Unlimited will be part of an OTA update for Kindle Fire devices in the coming weeks. We'll be on the lookout for that one. Hit the break for the full press release. 
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| Me In My Place web app update brings the sexy back to Android [#NSFW] Posted: 04 Dec 2012 10:03 PM PST
When we last left Me in My Place, the photography series had just launched a web app that ... was a bit lacking on our Android devices. Great for iOS. Bad for us. No longer. The web app has undergone quite the overhaul, and we're happy to report it's working beautifully on Chrome. What's the big deal? It's tough to read through Esquire magazine without seeing shots from the series' semi-mysterious mastermind, Michael Edwards, and MIMP (as it's known on the street) has come to have quite the following over the past couple years. MIMP is a fun and flirty series, with the occasional celebrity mixed in among the less famous (but no less gorgeous) women from throughout the U.S. -- and more recently from around the world. The photography is casual, but still extremely professional. The MIMP website (based on Tumblr) believe it or not is the tame version. The web app is where things get a little more NSFW, but still with the same amount of class and respect you've come to expect. Why shell out $15 a year (or $4.99 a month if you're not into saving money) for access to the MIMP web app? For one, I like supporting semi-indy projects like this. For another, this is a really good web app update, showing what can be done outside of a native application. A slideshow mechanism has been added, along with forward and back controls, and the ability to share individual pictures on Twitter. Plus, you can view hundreds of exclusive pictures on your Android phone and tablet. So there's that. Check it out at app.meinmyplace.com. More: Me in My Place 
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| Daily news roundup: December 4, 2012 Posted: 04 Dec 2012 09:26 PM PST
Busting out a day of news is rewarding work. We get busy, and often times frantic, but honestly writing the news and getting knee deep in it is as fun as it sounds. Here's how we spent our day. Phones and tablets
Software and apps
The randomly cool
The absurd
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| Hey, Microsoft - you really wanna see 'DroidRage'? Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:54 PM PST
I can't imagine how this could possibly go wrong. If anyone feels like replying to old 'Softie, here's the tweet from which to do it. 
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| Qualcomm expands Snapdragon S4 family with China-specific features Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:34 PM PST
Call it the S4, Snapdragon, or Krait -- it makes no difference. The latest and greatest from Qualcomm is a proven performer and in high demand because of it. Today they have announced the expansion of the S4 line with a pair of new quad-core Snapdragons destined for mainland China. With built-in support for various dual SIM network designs, this will give Qualcomm a leg up when manufacturers are looking for materials to build modern smartphones for Chinese telecoms, and give the consumers buying them the performance they want from them. With support for 1080p video capture and display, the Adreno 305 GPU, and up to 13MP cameras, these chips help deliver everything you could want from a high-end smartphone. Android (or Android-based derivatives) will surely be a big part of these new devices. It's a win-win situation, and nobody should be surprised to see it happening. The Chinese market is huge -- even bigger than you think. Qualcomm just made it easier to break into it with the MSM8226 and MSM8626. 
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Less than a day after the second wave of 
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