Android Community |
- List of HTC devices getting Jelly Bean leaks out
- Verizon confirms Samsung Galaxy Camera with LTE hits December 13
- Barnes & Noble giving a free book for every Nook purchase through December 25
- Apple legend Guy Kawasaki talks up Android and why he made the switch
- Hulu Plus app update brings support for Hulu Kids
- HTC One SV SIM-free price revealed, pre-orders now avaialble
- Samsung Galaxy S III on T-Mobile now $98 at Walmart
- Financial Times currently offering a free Nexus 7 for new subscribers
- Samsung leads the global smart connected device market in Q3
- Samsung will not announce the Galaxy S4 at CES
- In-app billing gets a huge update for Android developers
- Pandora app update brings streaming to Australia and New Zealand
- Sony announces Xperia Lounge entertainment app for Android
- Angry Birds turns 3, celebrates a Happy Birdday with 30 new levels
- YouTube tweaks interface for mobile web and 10-inch Android tablet users
- Sky Go spreads: Streaming media for 14 new phones and tablets
- HTC One SV revealed with LTE, 1.2GHz dualcore S4, and NFC
- Android Community Nightly: December 10th, 2012
- Twitter for Android updated with Instagram-like filters and cropping
- Verizon talks about Google Wallet – has no interest in using it
| List of HTC devices getting Jelly Bean leaks out Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:54 AM PST With all eyes on Jelly Bean and its various versions, it’s understandable that a lot of Android users want to know when their handset will be getting an update. A few manufacturers have announced a Jelly Bean update schedule for their devices, but we haven’t heard all that much from HTC on the matter. That all changed today, though HTC didn’t have much to do with it – instead, it was oft-reliable Twitter leaker @Football4DPA, who has delivered a list of HTC devices that are scheduled to get updates to Jelly Bean.
There are a lot of devices covered with this list, so a number of HTC users should be getting an update to Jelly Bean at some point in the future. Football tells us in a later tweet that these handsets should all be getting upgrades to Android 4.1.1, though later updates to Android 4.2 might not be out of the question. Here’s the full list of devices: • HTC One X+ That’s a healthy selection of devices, but there’s just one problem: the list wasn’t accompanied by any release date information. So, we know that these handsets will be getting updates eventually, we’re just not sure when exactly that will happen. Hopefully HTC starts rolling these out sooner rather than later, but keep in mind that the company hasn’t even confirmed this yet, so you might be waiting a while. So now owners of those devices have to live with the knowledge that their handset will probably get an upgrade to Jelly Bean while not knowing when that will happen. In some ways, that’s almost worse than not knowing anything about Jelly Bean updates at all. In any case, we’ll keep an ear to the ground for new details, so keep it here at Android Community for more news! [via GSMArena] |
| Verizon confirms Samsung Galaxy Camera with LTE hits December 13 Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:33 AM PST Earlier this year the team from Samsung announced the impressive Samsung Galaxy Camera complete with some pretty impressive specs making this essentially a smart camera. It’s available already from AT&T with “faux 4G” HSPA+ speeds but today Verizon has just announced the first 4G LTE equipped camera. Samsung’s Galaxy Camera has been announced by Verizon and will be available come the 13th of December.
We know plenty about the Samsung Galaxy Camera already, and if you’d like to know more you can check out our full review. This 4.8-inch 720p HD display powered camera runs on a quad-core processor, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean — beating most phones to the punch. Being able to shoot high quality 16 megapixel images and upload them directly to Google+ and more all now with Verizon’s fast 4G LTE network should make this niche product even better. After seeing a few leaks stating this was headed to Verizon, now it has been made official. Today Verizon Wireless has confirmed the 4G LTE Galaxy Camera will be available online and in-stores starting December 13th, and will run users $549. You’ll be able to add this camera to your Share Everything Data plan for just $5 a month too.
The Samsung Galaxy Camera 4G LTE will come in the regular Pearl White, as well as a Verizon exclusive Cobalt Black for those interested. If you want the portability and power of a truly connected and ultra fast smart camera, this is for you. More details can be found from the multiple links below, or head to the Verizon link for all the additional details. Device Info
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 [via Verizon] |
| Barnes & Noble giving a free book for every Nook purchase through December 25 Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:27 AM PST Barnes & Noble has officially kicked off their latest promotion surrounding the Nook. Except, this promotion is one that will benefit others, as opposed to yourself. Simply put, if you buy a Nook, Barnes & Noble will give a book. The promotion is called "Buy a NOOK, We'll Give a Book" and the key here is who will be getting the book.
You see, Barnes & Noble will be donating the books to First Book, which for those unfamiliar, is a charity that provides new books to children in need. In other words, you may still be paying full price for your Nook, however we think those getting the books will be happy. This offer is currently open and will remain through December 25. Those interested in purchasing a Nook (in order to give a book) can make their purchase either online or at any of the Barnes & Noble retail stores. This offer applies to the purchase of any Nook device including the Nook HD and HD+ as well as the Simple Touch and Simple Touch with GlowLight. For the back story here, this is far from the first time Barnes & Noble has done a holiday book drive. In fact, they have been doing it for 20 years now. Last year they donated more than 1.2 million books to more than 2,000 local charities. And for the icing on the cake, Barnes & Noble has said they are on track to exceed that figure this year. All said and done, aside from buying a Nook, there is nothing else for you to do — the book will automatically be donated. [via Barnes & Noble] |
| Apple legend Guy Kawasaki talks up Android and why he made the switch Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:12 AM PST Today we have an interesting and shocking story coming from none other than the once Apple legend and evangelist known as Guy Kawasaki. He was the biggest Apple fan around back in the 80′s, but a story making the rounds today from ReadWrite explains why he’s now a diehard Android fan, and why he made the switch.
What’s even more shocking about this entire story isn’t just the fact that he uses Android, I mean Android is amazing, it’s the fact that he actually admits to not using “any iOS products, none at all.” So while he may own multiple it doesn’t look like they get used much if his trusty Galaxy S III and Nexus 7 are sitting around. Here’s a direct quote from Guy himself:
Guy then goes as far as to say Apple’s slogan of ‘Think Different’ actually has more meaning for Android these days. If you truly think different, and about the possibilities a device can be used for, you’re looking at Android. Thanks for the shout out Kawasaki, we appreciate it! The article goes on about him initially making the switch last year for bigger screens and 4G LTE speeds from the DROID RAZR MAXX and now the Galaxy S III. What about the iPhone 5 you guys ask? With things such as true multitasking, NFC capabilities, alphabetical lists of apps, and the fact that he doesn’t need “some stupid proprietary cable” for charging Android has won him over — even with the larger screen and LTE of the iPhone 5.
He isn’t making the switch, and regarding tablets he isn’t either. He goes on to mention the iPad mini had nothing that made him want to set down his Nexus 7 — and thus that’s what he’ll continue to use. Interestingly enough it sounds like Apple’s other big man Steve Wozniak is the one that recommended he try the RAZR MAXX, and he’s never looked back. We know the WOZ is a big fan of Android, and even got his own Nexus right from Google HQ last year, but he still uses the iPhone himself. Below you’ll find a few neat stories on Steve Woz too. For more details and the full interview with Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki head to the via link below. [via ReadWrite] |
| Hulu Plus app update brings support for Hulu Kids Posted: 11 Dec 2012 09:41 AM PST Back in early November, Hulu announced a new child-friendly feature. It is called Hulu Kids and just as the name would imply, it arrives as a child-friendly section within Hulu. This was initially rolled-out on the web as well as on the PlayStation 3. And well, a recent update has added Hulu Kids to the Android app.
Hulu Kids is basically just another section in the Hulu app, similar to Popular Clips, Popular TV, Recently Watched and other sections. Once in the Hulu Kids section you will see only child-friendly content such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Kung Fu Panda, Caillou, iCarly, Arthur and more. The kids section is further broken down by popular content as well as by network and by age. You can also use the “Lock For Kids” button which will basically keep your child from browsing over into content that may not be so appropriate. Of course, the addition of Hulu Kids is not the only change in this most recent update. The Hulu Plus app has also gotten some minor bug fixes and improvements and new trays to help make the content discovery process a bit easier. Finally, those using Hulu Plus on a Droid RAZR HD, you will want to grab this update as it should take care of your video playback issues. [via Google Play] |
| HTC One SV SIM-free price revealed, pre-orders now avaialble Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:55 AM PST HTC unveiled the latest in the One series earlier today. The handset is the HTC One SV and it was said that it would be available in the coming weeks. And well, while we wait for further availability details from the carriers, it looks like the SIM-free model has arrived for pre-order.
The HTC One SV is available for those in the UK and by way of Clove. Those interested in making a purchase and doing so without a lengthy agreement will have to shell out £291.66. Or more specifically, £349.99 with VAT being included. Further details note that the One SV will be available in blue and/or white and the shipments are expected to arrive in early January. Nothing anymore specific just yet, however early January somehow feels a bit better as compared to the “in the coming weeks” that HTC offered. As for the network support, this will be a 4G LTE handset with support for the 800/1800/2600 MHz frequencies. And otherwise, the One SV will arrive with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich along with 8GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, 4.3-inch (480 x 800) display, 1GB of RAM and a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm S4 processor. [via Clove] |
| Samsung Galaxy S III on T-Mobile now $98 at Walmart Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:46 AM PST Are you looking for upgrade to a Samsung Galaxy S III on T-Mobile? Well Walmart has dropped the price of the device to the shockingly low amount of just $98. The most shocking part about this deal is that it does not appear to be just some special holiday promotion. The price looks like it will last well beyond the holiday season, so you can grab a device at this price for a good while.
At any price, the Galaxy S III is a beast of a phone. It comes with 4G data speeds, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and 2GB of RAM. It comes with a massive 2100mAh battery to keep your phone running for the long haul. If you’ve been on the fence about upgrading, now might be the perfect time. Walmart’s website lists the phone as only being available in stores, so you will not able to take advantage of this deal on its website. You are required to grab a data plan of at least 2GB to qualify for this price, but that doesn’t seem like a problem, as you will likely need at least that much data on the device anyway. [via TmoNews] |
| Financial Times currently offering a free Nexus 7 for new subscribers Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:21 AM PST Earlier in the month we saw a Nexus 7 offer coming from The Times. Essentially, new subscribers were able to purchase a 32GB Nexus 7 for £50. Of course, they also had to sign up for a paper subscription at £4 a week. And well, it looks like a similar offer has come available for those in the US.
The US-centric offer is also for a Nexus 7, and from the Financial Times. That being said, this offer is only available for a limited time and some may not be all that happy when they learn of the specific model. The offer is currently open and will remain available through December 17th. The Nexus 7 is the 8GB model. And sure, that is probably going to turn some away, but you are getting this for free. Of course, despite being free, we are not convinced this is a great offer unless you had already been considering a subscription to the Financial Times. That being the case, now seems like a good time to subscribe. Otherwise, you will need to purchase a full price paid annual Premium FT.com or Newspaper Bundle subscription. The Premium FT.com subscription will set you back $446.50 for the year and the Newpaper bundle price will be $597.48. Finally, the remaining fine print notes that you will need a US-based billing and shipping address and cannot have been an FT subscriber in the previous six months. Device Info
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[via paidContent] |
| Samsung leads the global smart connected device market in Q3 Posted: 11 Dec 2012 07:38 AM PST The research firm IDC has come out with some new numbers that offer an interesting insight into the smart device market for Q3 2012. The overall market saw huge growth of 27.1% during Q3, reaching a record of 303.6 million units shipped. Overall, the market was worth a staggering $140.4 billion during the third quarter of 2012.
Other Android makers did well in the market as well. Lenovo came in third place with 7% of the market share. HP and Sony rounded out the top five with 4.6% and 3.6% respectively. All the companies in the top five for smart devices saw an increase in market share year over year except for HP, which saw its market share drop from 7.4% during Q3 2011 to 4.6% during Q3 2012. IDC also went on to predict what we should expect from Q4 2012. The firm predicts that 362 million units will ship during the fourth quarter worth $169.2 billion. Sales in the holiday season are expected to be driven by tablets and smartphones, growing at 55.8% and 39.5% year-over-year respectfully. While the growth is expected to come from smartphones and tablets, IDC predicts that sales of PCs will decline. [via Slashgear] |
| Samsung will not announce the Galaxy S4 at CES Posted: 11 Dec 2012 07:36 AM PST Samsung recently began teasing about “Something New” that will be coming in January. And well, while we were not convinced that the something new would be the follow-up to the Galaxy S3, it seems that bit has now been made clear — Samsung will not be announcing the Galaxy S4.
This confirmation comes by way of CNET, who are reporting based on “people familiar with the company’s plans.” Simply put, if you were holding out on buying a Galaxy S3 because you had hopes of an S4 coming soon, you may want to rethink that purchase strategy. Samsung has yet to offer anything solid as to when the Galaxy S4 may be unveiled. And while Mobile World Congress in February may be a possibility, we suspect that Samsung will make the announcement at an event of their own. In the meantime, the Galaxy S3 is still selling nicely and still being updated. In fact, Samsung recently offered the teaser video which showed the Premium Suite on the handset. For those wondering what we may see from Samsung at CES, there may be some disappointing news for those waiting for something mobile, or Android. According to that same source, Samsung will not have any “major” mobile news at CES and instead will announce “a number of electronic products, heavily focused on televisions.” [via CNET] |
| In-app billing gets a huge update for Android developers Posted: 11 Dec 2012 07:18 AM PST In-app billing is one of the best ways for app developers to make profit on their applications. It gives buyers a chance to try to the app and then purchase the pieces of content they want after the initial download. Well, in-app billing has just been hit with a huge update that should allow developers to create a better experience for buyers while making themselves some more money.
There is plenty of other good stuff that should help developers make in-app billing smoother. It adds local caching for faster performance. Developers can also query for product information. They have also made it easier to implement overall, which should have us seeing more apps using the feature, which could be good or bad depending on how developers use it. The Developers Blog also talked about adding subscriptions down the line. This should open a slew of new options for developers such as publication and game subscriptions that were not available before. They did not say when this option would arrive, but hopefully they drop it soon. [via Android Developers Blog] |
| Pandora app update brings streaming to Australia and New Zealand Posted: 11 Dec 2012 07:02 AM PST Those living in New Zealand and Australia now have another option when it comes to streaming radio on an Android device. The new option is Pandora, which despite having been around for a few years now, is now rolling out on an international basis. In fact, it was said that this marks the first international expansion for Pandora.
The updated Android app can be found just where you would expect — in Google Play. Aside from the support for those in New Zealand and Australia, this latest release also included “various” bug fixes and enhancements. Nothing anymore specific on which bugs were fixed or which enhancements were made. Otherwise, Pandora has arrived for those in New Zealand and Australia just as we would have hoped — for free. The Pandora app can be downloaded and used without having to shell out any money. Users will be able to create personalized stations with nothing more than an artist or song name. The stations are then further customized to your liking using the thumbs up and/or thumbs down. Also important to note, as opposed to simply rolling out the service, the folks at Pandora are offering hand-picked genre based stations for those in both countries. Some of these stations include Summer Hits, New Wave, Hottest 100s, Indie Rock and Alternative. These stations are also further broken down by decade. With that, if you are in either of these countries, fire up Google Play and check out Pandora. [via Pandora Blog] |
| Sony announces Xperia Lounge entertainment app for Android Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:31 AM PST Sony has announced a new smartphone application coming to Android devices called Xperia Lounge. Sony describes the app as a new entertainment application with exclusive content and competitions. These span film, music, gaming, and sports. The app is not available to only Xperia devices, so anyone with an Android device can download it and check it out.
Owners of Xperia devices will be able to stream exclusive live concerts and behind the scenes footage of movies from the application. Sony is also working out a way for Xperia owners to meet celebrities via the streaming platform. The contests implemented will include prizes such as concerts, movie premieres, and sporting events. When the app first launches, it will include exclusive Coldplay content and a chance to win tickets to see Swedish House Mafia on their global farewell tour. Down the line, users will get the chance to win tickets to select FIFA events and other awesome stuff. This app definitely has the potential to be cool, and it’s good to see Sony opening some of the features up to all Android users. [via Slashgear] |
| Angry Birds turns 3, celebrates a Happy Birdday with 30 new levels Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:26 AM PST Rovio Mobile has rolled out the latest Angry Birds app update. And nicely done, this update has arrived just as the game turns three. Yup, it looks like Angry Birds fans have now been wasting time slinging birds for three years. More to the point here though, Angry Birds for Android has been updated to version 3.0.0 and along with the new (and rather appropriate) version number comes a Happy Birdday celebration with 30 new levels.
Simply put, it looks like today will be a good day to update the app and get some Angry Birds game play in. Aside from the 30 new levels, the update also brings a birdday cake and the Pink Bird, which according to Rovio, is the “bubbliest bird ever.” There is also a warning about the cake, watch out because it is said to pack a big punch. Otherwise, as for those 30 new levels, those are broken down into 15 Birdday party levels (with the cake) and 15 Bad Piggies themed levels. Of course, if you have yet to play Bad Piggies, these themed levels may just take you into a whole other game. You can find Bad Piggies in Google Play. Finally, as many will remember, the original Angry Birds was just the beginning and in these three years we have seen quite a few other versions. Rovio has also released Angry Birds Rio, Seasons, Space and Star Wars. In addition, there is also Amazing Alex, which may not have birds or pigs, but is still rather entertaining to play. [via Google Play] |
| YouTube tweaks interface for mobile web and 10-inch Android tablet users Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:46 AM PST YouTube is never a company to sit back and relax. It seems like every week there is something new going on with the video service. Now, YouTube has rolled out an update for its mobile browser app and its Android app on Google Play. This update offers a shiny new interface that should make finding on watching videos on the go that much more enjoyable.
The update on Google Play only supports 10-inch tablets, so all those 7-inch owners will have to sit this one out. The update adds a guide that makes it easy to watch your favorite channels and find new ones to enjoy. The layout of the guide makes it easy to understand why the larger amount of screen real estate was required to support the refreshed interface. The update is available to download on all Android devices, but phones and smaller tablets will not notice much of a change. All devices will receive some bug fixes and performance improvements. Those are obviously not has fun as a redesigned interface, but they are important none the less. As for the mobile web version of YouTube, that has received some big changes as well. The UI looks much more similar to the new desktop version of YouTube that was rolled out recently. It also includes new features designed to make finding new content to enjoy even easier. [via Slashgear] |
| Sky Go spreads: Streaming media for 14 new phones and tablets Posted: 11 Dec 2012 02:45 AM PST Sky Go, the satellite entertainment company’s Android app for streaming sports, movies, and shows, has been expanded to fourteen new devices, with new phones and tablets adding support for the service. HTC, Google, Samsung, Sony, and LG models have all been brought into the Sky Go fold, along with Android 4.1 and 4.2 Jelly Bean OS support.
From HTC’s stable, the Desire X, One X, One XL, One S, and One V will all now play nicely with Sky Go; Samsung’s Galaxy S3 LTE, Galaxy S3 Mini, Galaxy Ace 2, and Galaxy Note 2 are also supported. Google’s Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 can run the app now too. Sony’s Xperia S and Xperia T as well as LG’s 4X HD round out the freshly supported devices. Previously, only a select range of HTC and Samsung models played nicely, though Sky claims 2.8m unique users accessed Sky Go in the last quarter alone. Currently, various live and on-demand sports, news, movies, and third-party content is available to mobile users, as well as select Sky Atlantic content. You can download Sky Go from the Play store, but you’ll need a Sky TV subscription to actually use the app. Each household can have two devices registered to the service at any one time. |
| HTC One SV revealed with LTE, 1.2GHz dualcore S4, and NFC Posted: 11 Dec 2012 02:32 AM PST HTC has unveiled its newest smartphone, the HTC One SV, headed to the UK to bring a slab of stylish LTE to the midrange market. Fronted by a 4.3-inch WVGA display and running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense 4, the One SV will land on EE’s 4G network as well as through other carriers in HSPA+ form.
Inside, there’s a 1.2GHz Qualcomm dualcore S4 processor paired with 1GB of RAM, together with 8GB of onboard storage. A microSD slot accepts up to 32GB cards to augment that, and there’s also SkyDrive and Dropbox integration for pushing files to the cloud.
As well as LTE and HSPA+ (up to 42Mbps network-permitting) the One SV supports WiFi a/b/g/n (2.4GHz/5GHz) and Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX for improved audio quality. There’s also NFC for Google Wallet, GPS/GLONASS, a digital compass, proximity sensor, and ambient light sensor. Beats Audio works with the 3.5mm headphone socket, and HTC is claiming “studio quality sound” from the system. As for cameras, there’s a 5-megapixel shooter on the back with a BSI CMOS and f/2.0 aperture lens capable of 1080p HD video recording, while a 1.6-megapixel camera on the front supports up to 720p HD video and has an f/2.2 lens.
As with other recent HTC devices, there’s Continuous Shooting and the ability to capture both videos and stills simultaneously, without interrupting clip recording. HTC says the One SV will hit shelves “in the coming weeks” though isn’t talking pricing yet. It’ll be offered in both ”Pyrenees blue” and “Glacier white” when it lands.          |
| Android Community Nightly: December 10th, 2012 Posted: 10 Dec 2012 08:12 PM PST Hopefully not too many of you had the case of the Monday’s today, because we all know how that feels. For those that did we’re here to round up all the important news from today in Android and neatly present it below. With tons of 1080p HD smartphones leaking, Jelly Bean updates, and much much more read on to find out what happened today in the Android Community.
We’ll start with Sony since they had a rather interesting device leak. Rumors suggest Sony is preparing a 6-inch 1920 x 1080p quad-core smartphone with a 3,500 mAh battery and 3GB of RAM for sometime in 2013. Sounds impressive right? Or is that just overkill? Then a few Xperia E smartphone details were released for Germany. Before we leave the thought of full HD 1080p smartphones we saw more of the same today. ZTE has one in the pipeline, and Pantech is also preparing their own HD smartphone. LG also joined the party today. We’ve seen a few leaks suggesting an Optimus G2 with a 1080p HD IPS display is coming soon, and today more details surfaced claiming the Optimus G2 will sport a 5.5-inch display. Lastly LG confirmed they’ve sold 10 million of their LG “L” series smartphones. However, they didn’t mention sales for other devices like the Optimus G, 4x, or the Optimus Vu. Samsung released a second video showing off Jelly Bean and it’s features for their Galaxy devices, then followed that video up with a teaser for CES 2013. We had a lot of Jelly Bean news again today, as always. The ASUS Padfone 2 received Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, then a minor update arrived for the Transformer Pad 300 and 700 series, still Jelly Bean, but most likely to prepare them for Android 4.2.1 which is the absolute latest version of Google’s Jelly Belly treat.
Now for some random newsy time stuff. The GO Launcher team released a new app called Next Launcher full of 3D goodness for your smartphone. Sadly it costs $16 and we probably won’t be checking it out until they release a free limited version. Oh and the LG Nexus 4 supports a few limited AT&T 4G LTE bands. Now lets end on some interesting Google News. Google’s newly acquired Motorola Mobility is pulling out of Korea and India markets next year, Verizon hates Google Wallet, Google services and Gmail were down for a good part of the morning (all is fine now) and last but not least we have some friendly Google and Apple news. The two companies are working together to acquire more than $500 million worth of Kodak patents to help their portfolios, and pull Kodak out of bankruptcy — or at least help. Oh and Twitter for Android now has Instagram-like photo filters, so that’s a thing. Enjoy the rest of your Monday and get ready for a busy week! |
| Twitter for Android updated with Instagram-like filters and cropping Posted: 10 Dec 2012 04:12 PM PST It looks like Twitter is aiming right at Instagram and Facebook today because they’ve just updated their app with their own Instagram-like filters. Now you’ll be able to enjoy neat and beautiful photos and edit them on the go all using Twitter for Android. So far they have 8 filters in their new app, and this is probably just the start.
Surely you all saw the news last week where Instagram links no longer were working on Twitter, and this appears to clearly be Twitters answer. The official Twitter app for Android has been updated with effects, filters, and cropping tools all right inside the app. Simply add a photo or take a photo, then use their nice filter system to make it pretty. We’ve been expecting this for some time, but now that it’s available feel free to run to the Google Play Store and get the latest and greatest Twitter update and try it yourself. There’s nothing extremely amazing here. Their auto correction works quite well, cropping is done with pinch-to-zoom and isn’t as friendly as I’d like, but their filters are pretty decent. So for those that aren’t a fan of Instagram, or just like to tweet and wouldn’t mind occasionally tweaking your photos this should be a simple solution. It’s worth noting Instagram got its own little bug fix update today as well as added a black and white filter called “willow” for those interested. So all you tweeters, time to go test those photography skills and make some art. Have at it!    |
| Verizon talks about Google Wallet – has no interest in using it Posted: 10 Dec 2012 03:51 PM PST Google Wallet has been around for more than a year, but following its little bit of success and all of the drama with Verizon and other carriers has been rather interesting. With many of Verizon and AT&T’s NFC equipped phones still not using the service it appears that the FCC is looking into things. Verizon has released a statement on the matter and it isn’t looking good for Google.
Google Wallet was initially available for Verizon customers to download, but they’ve since removed access to it on their network. Something I’m sure many Verizon users are aware of. Today however a filing to the FCC caught Verizon’s attention on the issue and they had something to say about it. The letter below is a direct result of the FCC taking a look into the “situation.” What it all comes down to is Verizon doesn’t want to take part, and is blaming Google for the lack of this feature. Google Wallet uses a “secure element” inside the NFC chip and most NFC capable phones, something that Paypal, Starbucks, Square, and other mobile payment apps don’t use. However this is for security reasons and for Google Wallet to store a unique Google ID to better protect your valuable information such as credit cards and more. Verizon blames this secure element completely, even though we’re hearing Google’s since removed that “requirement” to try and get around Verizon — to no avail. Here’s the letter in full:
The folks from Droid-Life stumbled upon this thanks to a few users over at XDA Developers, and you can see that discussion right here. Verizon clearly states Google Wallet can be used on their devices once Google passes their “special process” but they don’t mention what that might be. Obviously there’s some conflicting matters here, not to mention Verizon is looking to launch their own option in partnership with ISIS Mobile payments. So while this news doesn’t clear up much, we do know that we probably won’t be seeing Google Wallet on Verizon anytime soon. At least not officially. |
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