Android Phone Fans |
- HTC EVO 4G LTE, One X+, and One XL are the latest PlayStation Mobile certified devices [DOWNLOAD]]
- Samsung Galaxy Note 2 N-7100 gets Android 4.1.2
- Yahoo Mail upgrade brings much needed redesign
- Sprint looks to fully acquire Clearwire, sets eyes on spectrum
- New York Times for Android app gets tablet UI
- Nexus 4 Bumpers back in stock on Google Play – Better hurry!
- Samsung Galaxy Camera with 4G LTE headed to Verizon Dec. 13
- Are you having problems buying apps from the Play Store? [POLL]
- Chitika: Nexus tablets make up less than 1% of web traffic
- Potential sale of Motorola’s set-top box division not a good sign for Google TV?
- Larry Page discusses a Motorola Nexus, competition with Apple, driverless cars, and more
- Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour pulled from the Google Play Store
- YouTube for 10 inch Android tablets gets refreshed UI with “Guide” feature
- HTC One SV announced for the UK
- [Update]: Gameloft’s Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour is now available in the Google Play Store
| HTC EVO 4G LTE, One X+, and One XL are the latest PlayStation Mobile certified devices [DOWNLOAD]] Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:44 PM PST
It was back in early October that Sony finally released their long awaited PlayStation Mobile app for a few certified HTC devices — the HTC One X, S, and V. But as many of readers pointed out in the announcement post, there were a few notable exceptions curiously left out of the PlayStation party. Today, Sony is fixing that by adding a handful of new One cousins to the mix, adding the HTC One X+, One XL, and EVO 4G LTE to the list of officially certified PlayStation mobile devices.
I’d say that’s a pretty sweet selling point to owning an HTC device, one the manufacturer could definitely do a better job of advertising. Also, new to PlayStation Mobile tomorrow is a new title called Surge, a head-ache inducing puzzler that involves matching up colored blocks in a fun new way. Here’s a quick trailer you guys can marinate over while you’re installing PlayStation Mobile. |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 2 N-7100 gets Android 4.1.2 Posted: 11 Dec 2012 03:26 PM PST Folks with the international version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 — aka the N-7100 — will be pleased to know that they’re one step closer to being on the absolute latest version of Android. Well… it’s a tiny step, really, as the device is moving from Android 4.1.1 to Android 4.1.2. At the core there’s not much to be had, though SamMobile claims there are some new TouchWiz features to look out for.
They state that features like the ability to disable multi-view, the new Swype-like features and the lock-screen ink blotch effect are new as of 4.1.2, but many of us here in America have had those features since 4.1.1. It’s possible that the firmware is on different tracks for each region, but we’ll have to get confirmation from Samsung regarding all of that. Nevertheless the international Note 2 is only one step away from the next major version of Android. We have all the confidence in the world that Samsung is readying an upgrade to Android 4.2, though it’s anyone’s guess how long it’ll take before we actually see it arrive. We aren’t sure what new features they might bring once it does arrive but you should know that Samsung tends to be one of the better OEMs when it comes to adding new features with each major upgrade. Regardless of whether or not they decide to drop a bombshell it will be nice to see the device move on up to Android 4.2. In the meantime 4.1.2 is still great and anyone who isn’t on the latest should definitely make a concerted effort to get there in no time. Be sure to check the settings menu on your phone or check your desktop Kies software to see if some new goodness is awaiting you. Read below for what’s said to be the full list of changes.
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| Yahoo Mail upgrade brings much needed redesign Posted: 11 Dec 2012 12:17 PM PST Yahoo Mail for Android hasn’t always been the greatest Android application to behold. It did what it did decently, and looked quite alright doing it, but it quickly outgrew its own skin and was badly in need of a hit of the reset button. Well, it looks like that button was finally pressed today as a new upgrade has hit the Google Play Store that many of you Yahoo faithful will enjoy. The biggest change in this upgrade will be the redesigned interface. It still has that purplish Yahoo flair you’ve come to expect, but the company has tightened things up with Holo UI elements such as the overflow menu button and context-sensitive action bars. The app features a side-bar navigational system that makes it easy to jump between your different inboxes and folders.
Folks will also be happy to find that pinch-to-zoom is now supported. This is a feature that even Google’s own app didn’t have until just recently so we can’t necessarily be mad that it took this long for them to implement. Oh, and ads have been completely obliterated from the experience — total win, I’d say. In typical Yahoo fashion you still get a nice set of rich text editing controls at your finger tips. You can change colors, bold, italicize and underline text, insert pictures and attachments and even adorn your emails with those charming emoticons Yahoo has become famous for. Yahoo’s also touting more reliable push notifications, better battery efficiency, SSL turned on by default and more. If I weren’t such a heavy Gmail user I’d probably make a Yahoo account just to have a reason to use this beautiful app. Alas, I don’t — that’s OK, though, because there are more than enough of you Yahooers out there to give it a spin and let me know how you’re liking it in the comments section below! |
| Sprint looks to fully acquire Clearwire, sets eyes on spectrum Posted: 11 Dec 2012 11:36 AM PST
Two months after Sprint took a majority stake in Clearwire, the company is now looking to take complete control of the remaining 50 percent. CNBC is reporting that the carrier, itself not far removed from agreeing to sell off 70 percent of the business to Japan’s SoftBank, is in “active negotiations” with Clearwire in a bid to increase overall spectrum. Clearwire and Sprint have a long history of dealings, stretching back to the rollout of a the Now Network’s now defunct WiMAX network. Reports of an attempted acquisition date back to 2011. The latest attempt still has a few hurdles to overcome, including the approval of aforementioned SoftBank, which will have to sign off on any deal to be struck between Sprint and Clearwire. As of now, the report states that no deal is imminent. Sprint hopes to come to terms simultaneously with the finalization of the SoftBank deal. That should occur by March or April of next year.
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| New York Times for Android app gets tablet UI Posted: 11 Dec 2012 11:28 AM PST We love it when more and more apps make their way to Android tablets with user interfaces that look like they belong. New York Times is the latest entity to add a tablet-optimized app to the catalogs of the Google Play Store with its official app. Today’s upgrade stretches things out about giving users a compelling user interface that’s more appropriate for the bigger screens.
You’ll get a multi-pane layout that will introduce more text, bigger pictures, and more content for all that screen real estate that was going to waste before. The previous app was merely the phone version of the New York Times, except stretched out. That wasn’t all that bad considering it’s mostly text, but a more appropriate user interface goes a long way. Alongside the new beautiful UI you’re also getting greater control over how you receive breaking news alerts, “at-a-glance” access to other news in the Top News section and the usual round of performance enhancements and bug fixes. You’ll want this upgrade ASAP so be sure to hit the Google Play Store for the download if the New York Times is your publication of choice. |
| Nexus 4 Bumpers back in stock on Google Play – Better hurry! Posted: 11 Dec 2012 11:25 AM PST
Great news coming out of the Play Store today. After they were wiped clean off of Google’s virtual store shelves within minutes of being released, the official LG Nexus 4 Bumpers are finally back in stock on Google Play. You may remember we gave you guys a quick review a short time ago, covering the bumper’s build quality, as well as the overall value offered. Our verdict? This high quality case is one of the best money can buy. Remember — just as the name states — this is a bumper and only meant to keep your device safe from bumps and bruises, not a fall down a flight of stairs. For the truly clumsy, you’ll want to go with a 3rd party option. But, if you were looking on giving your device just the right amount of protection with minimal (read: no) bulk, you better act fast. We can’t imagine these will last very long. |
| Samsung Galaxy Camera with 4G LTE headed to Verizon Dec. 13 Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:48 AM PST
After the cat was let out of the bag via Samsung’s official site (among other leaks), Verizon has officially announced the Samsung Galaxy Camera will be available starting December 13th. The camera, which will take advantage of Verizon’s 4G LTE network (a first for the Samsung internet-connected point-and-shoot), will retail for $549.99. For $5 a month, subscribers can add the Galaxy Camera to their Share Everything plan. The Samsung Galaxy Camera is an Android 4.1 device with a 16MP lens and 21x optical zoom. It features a 4.8-inch Super Clear LCD touch display and quad-core Exynos processing. Consider like any other high-end Galaxy device minus the ability to place calls (through traditional means, anyway). The Galaxy Camera is currently available in the US from AT&T and can also be found in the UK. Verizon will carry the camera in two color schemes, white and an exclusive Cobalt Black.
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| Are you having problems buying apps from the Play Store? [POLL] Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:02 AM PST Late last night, Gameloft released Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour for Android. All was well in the world… that is, until the highly anticipated first person shooting game was eventually pulled. Folks were experiencing download issues in the Play Store, apparently. It turns out most were met with error “941.”
Well, it looks like that problem might not have been exclusive to Gameloft. Nova Launcher’s developer reached out to us to let us know that users of his app have had trouble purchasing it, as well. He apparently received numerous emails from customers complaining about error 941 last night. Despite initial errors it seems those downloads resumed early this morning without fail. Early indications are that the problem has been cleared up — the emails to Nova Launcher have subsided and I personally didn’t have a problem trying to purchase a paid app prior to writing this article — but we’re curious to know if a few of you experienced this with trying to download other paid apps in recent hours. If error 941 was, in fact, the main cause for Gameloft’s Modern Combat 4 woes and the issue has been resolved on Google’s end then it’s possible we could see the title relaunched as early as today. In the meantime, though, we’re just interested in knowing how many of you might have experienced this problem, and if it’s still going on. Be sure to leave a vote in the poll below, and comment with any more information you might have that could help us figure out just how widespread this issue turned out to be. Also, if you happen to be experiencing issues don’t forget to get in contact with Google using one of several options at their support site — no one wants to pay for something they can’t use, after all. |
| Chitika: Nexus tablets make up less than 1% of web traffic Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:56 AM PST As hot as Google’s tablets have been since the Nexus 7 launched earlier this year you’d think they were in the hands of pretty much everyone under the sun. Well, Chitika’s latest web traffic report, where they compared traffic between Google’s Nexus tablets and the Microsoft surface for a period of 7 days in November, says Google’s tablets are barely making a dent in web traffic. In fact, the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 make up for less than 1% combined. How could this be? Well, demand for Google’s products are seemingly high with the way delays have been going, but there is always the issue of relativity to consider. Demand looks like it’s through the roof because Google had problems meeting supply at one point, but perhaps supply was extremely low in the first place. No one knows how many units of the Nexus devices Google has sold thus far, really.
The Nexus 7′s supply/demand struggle leveled out quite some time ago, and it looks like the Nexus 10 is beginning to level out as well. If web traffic is still this low after the dust has settled then it implies the Nexus devices aren’t quite as hot as we’d be led to believe. There are a ton of variables to consider, of course. For starters, Chitika is only one research firm, albeit a very significant one in the mobile advertising space. There’s also the aforementioned issue of not knowing Google’s exact shipment numbers. There’s little doubt that the Nexus tablets are hot within the techie crowd, but it appears it’s still a mere tadpole in the sea up against the rest of the crop (particularly Apple’s iPad). For comparison’s sake, Chitika also showed where the Microsoft Surface resided for web traffic. It accounts for just .13%, a very minuscule amount even compared to the Nexus devices’ .91%. Again, slick marketing and a hush-mouth operation for shipment numbers would have Microsoft leading folks to believe that it’s happy with market penetration of its first Windows RT tablet, but third party analytics such as the kind Chitika provide tell the more accurate story in the absence of official numbers. Long story short, if your name isn’t “Apple” then you probably aren’t enjoying a healthy market share in the tablet space right now. The iPad Mini surely helped fend the competition off even more effectively with its more attractive price point. It would be interesting to see where other OEMs’ devices end up on the scale, such as the Amazon Kindle Fire or Samsung’s line of tablets. These enjoy more robust marketing campaigns so perhaps they’re faring a lot better in the overall scheme of things. We won’t have a clearer picture on a lot of that until early 2013 when the Q4’2012 reports are out, but we wouldn’t expect more than 10% of market share between Google’s Android and Microsoft’s Windows combined. We could be wrong, and you’d better believe we hope we’re wrong, but only time will tell. [via WinSource] |
| Potential sale of Motorola’s set-top box division not a good sign for Google TV? Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:52 AM PST
According to Bloomberg, Google has been approached by both Arris Group and Pace Plc over a potential sale of Motorola’s TV business. The report is also quick to state that the chance of a deal being reached so soon is still only about 50 percent. Google is still seeking to retain equity in the company as well as a stronghold on its associated patents. Never mind what it says about Google’s continued downsizing of Motorola after spending $12.5 billion to acquire the company last year, the move could speak volumes about how the search giant currently feels about its Google TV offering. While no solid plans ever surfaced, owning Motorola Home opened up some intriguing possibilities for bringing Google TV to a larger audience. Shipping set-top boxes with the internet TV platform pre-installed could have pushed the service to a much wider user base via bundling with cable providers. It also presented the possibility for Google to work closer with such providers to create a more integrated Google TV experience. The truth is, though, Motorola Home was likely never going to be Google TV’s savior. Other than providing Google with an outlet to create a great piece of hardware, the platform would likely still suffer from the same sort of issues it has seen thus far. As things stand, Google seems content to put minimal effort into what is becoming more and more a pet project, even as hardware partners attempt to push better GTV hardware to market. We would have loved to have seen a Nexus set-top box power by Google TV. It would sure go over better than the Nexus Q. Motorola afforded Google with the opportunity, but if anything was ever to come of it we likely will never know. |
| Larry Page discusses a Motorola Nexus, competition with Apple, driverless cars, and more Posted: 11 Dec 2012 07:52 AM PST
Unlike chairman Eric Schmidt, Google CEO Larry Page tends to keep himself out of the spotlight. As the leader of a burgeoning tech giant, he likely feels his time is better spent on his work rather than stepping into a three-ring media circus. It’s a treat, then, to read excerpts from a recent interview with Fortune in which he discusses everything from search to driverless cars, with some interesting Android tidbits sprinkled throughout. Page spends most of the interview skirting any direct answers to tougher questions. When asked about a lack of Motorola involvement in the Nexus program, the leader of Google first pointed out a simple lack of time the two would have had in developing such, saying “we haven’t owned the company long enough.” When pushed to elaborate on how a Motorola Nexus device might affect relationships with other Android partners, Page said, “there’s a lot of complexity in that question.” He then fell back to a more generic dialog on delivering “an amazing device” that highlights the best aspects of the Android ecosystem while keeping the likes of Samsung, LG, and others happy. Page was hesitant to play up any competition or bad blood between his company and Apple, instead insisting that he encourages employees to look beyond what others are doing and focus on solving problems in an effort to “stay two or three steps ahead.” He did admit that while the two still rely on each other in many ways, that “it would be nice if everybody would get along better and the users didn’t suffer as a result of other people’s activities.” To read more of Page’s comments, including his thoughts on driverless cars that can pick you up from the mall based on your phone’s location, head over to the source link below. It’s definitely worth a read for anyone interested in the evolving tech landscape. [via Forutne] |
| Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour pulled from the Google Play Store Posted: 11 Dec 2012 07:34 AM PST We were excited to see that Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour finally went live in the Google Play Store late last night after an initial delay. Gameloft originally had some polishing to do before getting it out to us Android-loving folks, but it appears another snafu has forced them to pull the game from the Play Store. There’s no official word on what happened just yet, but it appears an issue with the game’s downloading mechanism was giving folks errors. These games often come with additional data to download after the initial Play Store transaction, so if this process errors out then the game would pretty much be deemed unplayable.
Hearsay can only go so far, though, so we’ve reached out to a Gameloft representative to see just what it is that’s keeping us from spilling the blood of our political war enemies onto the various pavements of the world. The game launched for $6.99 in the Play Store, a tough cookie to swallow for a game that you might not even be able to play for quite some time. This isn’t the only high profile launch in the past week that has gone awry. Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was supposed to launch December 6th, but an issue with the developer’s authorization process kept folks from enjoying the $5 classic. That particular game still isn’t out yet, and Rockstar only estimates that it should be back in the Play Store by the end of this week. It’s important to remember that situation has no bearing on what’s going on with Gameloft’s woes, though. We naturally want to expect the worst case scenario — a delay that lasts a week or two — so as to not get our hopes up, but we’re looking to pinpoint an official timeline from Gameloft as soon as possible. Be sure to keep an eye on this post for the latest as we’ll update it with any information we hear. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!] |
| YouTube for 10 inch Android tablets gets refreshed UI with “Guide” feature Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:54 AM PST YouTube for 10 inch Android tablets has enjoyed a visually appealing carousel-driven UI ever since the Motorola XOOM launched, but it seems to have run its course in Google’s eyes. The company has upgraded the Android application today to introduce a brand new user interface for 10 inch devices.
At first glance this new design takes after those which can be found on phones and 7 inch tablets so there’s nothing too “new” here for those of us who have seen the latest from that crop of devices. The new YouTube Guide feature will feed you video recommendations, hot items from your subscriptions such as video uploads and comments, and more. Google’s all about content discovery now so it was expected to happen in one way or another. The 10 inch interface is a tad different from the 7 inch interface as the former has a two-pane UI while in landscape mode. Other than that they appear to be the same so those coming from 7 inch tablets or even phones should be right at home here. Google has also updated its mobile YouTube site to incorporate similar changes, mainly to drive users to the new YouTube Guide feature (though there are also easier controls for sending YouTube videos from your tablet to your internet-connected television). All these new goods can be had by upgrading the app in the Google Play Store or by hitting m.youtube.com. [via Google+] |
| HTC One SV announced for the UK Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:47 AM PST
The UK will receive yet another addition to HTC’s One series lineup in the coming weeks. The HTC One SV, which was first announced at the beginning of November for Asian markets, is a mid-range handset featuring a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.2GHz and a 4.2-inch LCD 2 display. The phone shares much in common with the HTC One VX, which recently launched for AT&T, including a 5MP camera and Beats Audio support. The One SV is and Ice Cream Sandwich handset draped in Sense 4 clothing, and gains enhancements previously found on phones like the One X and One S. The One VX will be available through various carrier partners and retail channels, including an LTE-enabled version likely headed to Everything Everywhere. Buyers will get their choice of Pyrenees Blue or Glacier White color options. Pricing has not been announced at this time.
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| [Update]: Gameloft’s Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour is now available in the Google Play Store Posted: 10 Dec 2012 07:56 PM PST [Update]: It looks like the game has been pulled from the Google Play Store, likely due to some technical difficulties. Be sure to keep an eye on the post at this link for the latest as we get word from Gameloft regarding this issue.
After launching last Thursday on iOS, Android users everywhere can finally get in on some fresh FPS action with Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour. As the name suggests, MC4 is the fourth installment in Gameloft’s Modern Combat franchise, a game closely resembling console favorites like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. This is what Gameloft does and sometimes, they do it well.
The name of the game is simple: shoot to kill. Only difference is this time around, Gameloft is allowing players to step in the shoes of the opposing forces, giving them the chance to experience both sides of the “cops vs robbers” story-driven gameplay. Gameloft has also raised the ante in terms of visuals, introducing all new special effects courtesy of the new Havoc Engine. Enemies can blown across battlefields with dynamic rag-doll physics, with objects that react to bullet fire, and vehicles that respond more realistically across terrain. The best part for many will, no doubt, be the inclusion of a fully redesigned multiplayer mode. With online profiles, custom weapon configurations, and online leader boards — there’s a lot here to keep you playing long after the campaign has been completed. For all the vocal freemium-haters out there, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is. Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour is available right now in the Google Play Store for $7 straight up. |
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