Android Phone Fans |
- Viddy now available for Android – It’s like Instagram and Twitter for video
- Google Calendar update brings new Jelly Bean notifications, location suggestions and more
- New Facebook update live on Google Play – Here’s an old vs new comparison [VIDEO]
- 5-inch ZTE Grand S headed to CES
- Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update rolling out tomorrow, will bring ISIS support
- HTC EVO 4G LTE now receiving Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update on Sprint
- Facebook’s native Android app launching today, will bring big speed improvements
- eSfere gaming console could challenge OUYA
- Google solves accidental banner ad clicks with confirmation button
- It Can Wait! Comment for a safer road and win an AT&T Samsung Galaxy S3 gift pack! [CONTEST]
- …and you thought your Nexus 10 was buggy
- Sprint makes $2.1 billion bid to acquire Clearwire
- Rumor: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will feature 6.3-inch OLED display
- Android Overload: Former Apple evangelist converts to Android, loads of app updates and releases, and more
- Google releases Maps for iOS – Should Apple or Android users be mad?
| Viddy now available for Android – It’s like Instagram and Twitter for video Posted: 13 Dec 2012 05:05 PM PST
With Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Instagram, you’d think the world of social networking was all but exhausted. Not so. Seems the folks at Viddy have found a new way of sharing your life with friends, this time with video. I know what you’re thinking — there’s already YouTube for that. Yes, and no. With YouTube, there’s a lot of headache involved when creating a channel and keeping up with video comments, channel comments, messages, etc., etc.. While the YouTube mobile app makes it easier to upload “vlogs” or street fights, there’s still a lot of commitment involved.
Enter Viddy. If YouTube is more like Facebook (full fledged networking), Viddy is more akin to the Twitters and Instagrams of the web. Users can only shoot videos, but only up to 15 seconds in length. Genius, right? This makes for easier to digest, quick and painless content you’ll actually want to watch. One of the beauties of Twitter has always been the unique way status updates max out at 140 characters. Sometimes, short and sweet is easier than listening to someone blab on, and on, about the dude with rubber testicles hanging from his truck who cut them off in traffic. If you guys are smelling what Viddy is cooking, you can download the free app right now from the Google Play Store. While it’s generally a ghost town (aside from a few paid off celebrities), you may run into a few of your iOS buddies who have had access to the service for eons now. Have at it and maybe I’ll see you on there. Maybe. |
| Google Calendar update brings new Jelly Bean notifications, location suggestions and more Posted: 13 Dec 2012 03:07 PM PST
Google has updated the stock Android calendar in the Play Store with some changes that most of you will want to snap up. For starters, updated notifications are in tow with the ability to expand them and take action on an alert. You can map the location of a meeting/appointment so you can do what you need to do to make it on time, or snooze the alert in case you don’t need it right away. Another great new feature is the ability to get location suggestions. While we’re sure inputting the location of an event isn’t a tough task for anyone, it can be a life saver to get the full address of a location into your event entry without having to do anything, especially when you’re on the go and need to get things entered quickly. Finally, Google has added a new, quick way to add events from within the month view so you save yourself a click or two compared to the old process. Those with carrier-skinned phones might also have a modified version of the calendar app, and you’ll need to wait for an upgrade from your OEM and carrier if you want these new changes. You can certainly download the Google-made calendar if you want via the Google Play Store, but if you enjoy your OEM’s alternative then the waiting game is on. |
| New Facebook update live on Google Play – Here’s an old vs new comparison [VIDEO] Posted: 13 Dec 2012 02:56 PM PST
That totally wonderific Facebook update that was supposed to go live later today? It’s live and yes, it’s totally awesome. Just like the Facebook guys promised, going full-blown native Android has made a world of difference, bringing forth an app that’s lighting quick and responsive. Say good bye to painful load screens, and images taking a lifetime to load. Posts from your “friends” are pushed to your device and your news feed is updated as they’re received. The result is 99% less pull-to-refreshes (we’ve calculated it). Neato. There’s a few subtle UI changes as well. The action bar now auto hides as you scroll down your feed, resulting in a teensie bit more screen real estate than with the old app. Also, commenting on photos or posts results in a nicely animated quick popup letting quickly and easily leave awkward comments to that girl showing too much cleavage. Quick, quick, quick.
Comments: old vs new | Action bar: old vs new Everything else is largely the same. It’s true there’s still a lot more work to be done, but I think it might be time to finally update all our 1-star ratings in the Play Store. Maybe to a… 3? Ah, what the hell. I’m giving it a 4. I am excite. If it’s been awhile since you downloaded the app, quick link has been provided below. Let me know what y’all think. |
| 5-inch ZTE Grand S headed to CES Posted: 13 Dec 2012 01:55 PM PST ZTE definitely looks to be bringing us a new superphone at the biggest technology conference of the year. They were rumored to be bringing a hot new superphone before, and that’s all but confirmed with event information posted to the CES press page.
The name of the phone will be the ZTE Grand S, and it will be a 5 inch smartphone that features full-HD resolution. ZTE will claim a new “world’s thinnest smartphone” tag within the 5 inch category. That seems like very forced marketing considering there’s not much to compete with in that range as the HTC DROID DNA and Butterfly J are the only notable phones meeting that specific specification so far. While we can’t be too sure about the rest of the specs we can do a tad bit of guesstimating. I’d be surprised to see anything less than a quad-core chipset and 1GB of RAM alongside an 8 megapixel camera and at least 16GB of internal storage, but anything can and will happen to kick the new year off so we will wait until ZTE gives us the full, official rundown starting January 8th. The build quality of the phone will be most notable as it’s said to be made out of an unusual ceramic material. The phone will provide traditional Chinese flare in its design, as well. ZTE might not be the most exciting name in the market in this day but with it’s starting to pull a Huawei in that it’s attempting to reshape its image into being a high-end OEM. We’ll see if they can pull that off starting early next month. |
| Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update rolling out tomorrow, will bring ISIS support Posted: 13 Dec 2012 12:33 PM PST While some carriers have had Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out for the Samsung Galaxy S3 for quite some time Verizon was notably a tad late with its version. Well, the time has finally come to put those threads to rest as Verizon is finally ready to deliver Jelly Bean for all those craving something different for their annual holiday treat. The upgrade will roll out starting tomorrow, and it will be an over-the-air process that can be initiated through your phone’s settings menu. Samsung tells us that the upgrade will bring support for ISIS, the NFC-enabled mobile payments system Verizon will utilize to make for plastic-free payments at supporting PoS terminals starting in Austin, TX and Salt Lake City, UT.
ISIS is the controversial conglomerate consisting of T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T. The controversy stems from Verizon’s device access restrictions. If you haven’t heard, Verizon blocks the use of Google Wallet since the application makes use of the phone’s secure element within the NFC chip. Verizon claims apps need to go through a special approval process in order to be granted access to this secure element, but no evidence suggests this process is open to anyone other than ISIS — if Google themselves can’t be granted access, then we’re not sure anyone can. Verizon says they would be happy to support Google Wallet if the app didn’t require access to the NFC chip’s secure element, but since that’s an important component of Google’s NFC payment technology then that doesn’t appear to be an option. Complaints on the matter have been filed to the FCC, and while the only action stemming from that has been a response letter from Verizon we’re keeping our eyes peeled to see if any further complaints will trigger more interesting developments from the FCC. But today’s news is all about Jelly Bean on the Galaxy S3! Google Now, Project Butter and more make their way in from the Google side of things, while Samsung’s additions include more effects and filters for the camera, the ability to pause a video while recording instead of having to stop the recording completely, and new notification controls while inside a call. Wake up bright and early tomorrow morning to see if you can pull it down. Read on for full press details.
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| HTC EVO 4G LTE now receiving Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update on Sprint Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:51 AM PST
It’s that time, boys and girls. After Sprint was the first carrier in the US to release Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for the Samsung Galaxy S3, they’re at it again, this time updating the HTC EVO 4G LTE to Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. For those keeping track, the EVO 4G LTE is the first HTC device here in the states to receive an official Jelly Bean update (not ship out of the box ala the HTC One X+ on AT&T), and from Sprint no less. Aside from firmware, the OTA also bring with it an updated HTC Sense version, along with improved performance from the camera app, enhanced UI and power management, as well as the Sprint Connection Optimizer application. Jump into your Settings app to find the update already waiting for you (that is, if you haven’t already been prompted). Don’t forget you can chat it up with fellow EVOLTE users in our EVO 4G LTE Forums where they’re already discussing this latest update. Before you leave, make sure to drop us a line and let us know how the update is working out for ya. I’m happy for y’all. |
| Facebook’s native Android app launching today, will bring big speed improvements Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:33 AM PST
Facebook has just announced the launch of their long-awaited native Android app. Bye bye, HTML5. The new version of the app, which moves things such as photos and newsfeed into the realm of native code, boasts speed and performance enhancements and an Android-optimized experience. Aside from a faster scrolling timeline and zippier photo load times, the native app also features a new story banner that will update you on the latest musings of your friends without the need to refresh your news feed. If you consider yourself a long-time Android user, frustrations with Facebook’s seemingly neglected Android app should be nothing new to you. Things had gotten so bad that Mark Zuckerberg began forcing engineers to use Android phones, and Facebook as a whole started an internal ad campaign to encourage employees to switch from their iOS devices to help aid in app development. Hopefully their efforts pay off, but this should just be the beginning. Now that the hard work of rebuilding much of the app is over, the Facebook team can focus on implementing new and innovative features based on Android’s strengths. If you want a more technical overview of what has changed, head over to the source link below. [via Facebook] |
| eSfere gaming console could challenge OUYA Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:01 AM PST
With all the early hype the Android-based OUYA gaming console garnered, it was only a matter of time before a challenger would enter the scene. Cue eSfere, a concept that wants to take the Android console to the next level. Where OUYA seeks to become a top-notch gaming platform in its own right, eSfere takes a slightly different approach, relying on full Google Play integration to provide access to the thousands of already available titles for Android devices. The key to out-of-the-box compatibility is the eSfere’s innovative controller that mimics a touchscreen smartphone with built-in accelerometer. This way, game are not limited by a more traditional controller scheme (though eSfere will ship with several attachments that will recreate more standard button setups). It also means games designed for use with a touchscreen won’t be hindered by hardware. But moving beyond games, the eSfere wants to be a complete home entertainment solution with built-in media viewing capabilities, web browsing, video conferencing, and more. The device itself is designed to fade into your decor, and several accessories will be available (including vases and other decorative objects) to complete the look. The last bit is a tad odd, but the guys behind eSfere seem to have thought of everything. While OUYA already has a leg up in the race to build an Android console, eSfere offers some compelling features that at least warrant a bit of consideration. The project is currently seeking funding via IndieGoGo with a goal of $390,000. [via SmartDroid] |
| Google solves accidental banner ad clicks with confirmation button Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:44 AM PST There’s little more annoying than trying to dismiss a banner ad within an app only to miss your mark – they make those X’s so tiny, after all. It’s not that clicking the ad and giving the developer is so horrible that we try to avoid it at all angles, but when you’re in the middle of a game or trying to read through your social networking timelines it is quite the nuisance to be kicked over to the browser.
Well, Google’s found a way to fix that little issue with the latest update to AdWords. If you happen to click an edge of an ad, the ad will now display a quick prompt (within the ad itself so it’s non-invasive) asking if you want to be taken to the ad’s destination. It’s a very small and simple change, but one that makes a lot of sense and will save users a lot of headache and trouble. Mobile ads are unique in that the lack of precision compared to a mouse and the disruptive action of being kicked out of an app is something that can ruin the user experience for many. Even full screen ads can remain an issue. Take the Scarface game, for instance — the game uses full-screen ads after certain actions that require multiple button presses. Since these occurrences can be random it is easy to click one inadvertently. It’s so easy, in fact, that I’ve made the mistake multiple times within one session. It was so bad that the game was completely undesirable to play no matter how fun it was. I completely uninstalled it, and that was that. It’s great that Google is finally doing something about it, and while developers might not like the missed revenue from those random, accidental clicks that occur they should take solace in the fact that users will be a lot happier to use ad-enabled apps. Do you have a story about an app that had ads annoying enough to make you want to uninstall it? [via Google] |
| It Can Wait! Comment for a safer road and win an AT&T Samsung Galaxy S3 gift pack! [CONTEST] Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:58 AM PST It’s bad enough that people are on the roads while intoxicated or without proper driving skills. Add the addiction that is smartphone withdrawal into the mix and you’ve got a lot of people distracted by these nice, big smartphones being released today. That’s why AT&T has been as aggressive as it has been with its It Can Wait initiative, reminding us that our smartphones are not the most important things to tend to while on the road with a huge machine that can cause major damage if you’re not careful. ItCanWait.org is a great way to get yourself aware on the dangers of texting while driving, and would be a great URL to forward to friends and family whom you’ve noticed can’t seem to put the phone down and drive. The site features a pledge button where you can assure the world (or just your Facebook friends, really) that your eyes are always going to be on the road while the car is moving. It also features great resources such as stories, promotional kits and more to help you spread awareness to others as much as you take it in yourself. That’s not the only way you safe drivers can help the cause, though — you could win some nice gear today that’ll help you spread the word to your comrades and promote a safer road. Courtesy of our friends at AT&T, Phandroid is giving away the It Can Wait gift pack! It’s a pretty big pack so let’s dive right into what you’ll be entering to win for your efforts:
There’s no way you can’t adorn yourself in an obvious manner with this great message after winning all that. By now you’re likely wondering just what it is you have to do to win all of this gear. It’s simple: tell us which apps and accessories you’d recommend for making phone use while driving safer. For instance, AT&T’s DriveMode app can be configured to automatically reply to text messages while you’re driving. You can tell someone “I’m driving, I’ll have to text you back when I’m done” without ever having to touch the phone. It’s an invaluable tool that should be one of the first things setup for many of you who purchase an AT&T smartphone for yourselves or loved ones this holiday season. Let’s take a look at the full rules and regulations, shall we?
And that’s it! We want to give a big thank you to our friends at AT&T for allowing us to spread this great message and cause with a nice giveaway for the greatest readers on the planets. Let’s get those comments rolling in so we can all begin equipping ourselves with the tools we need to prevent dangerous and potentially fatal road accidents, and help spread the message that AT&T has with the It Can Wait initiative since 2009. Oh, and there’s a nice, eye-opening 10 minute documentary above that’ll show you just how important it is to keep your hands on the wheel when you’re operating a vehicle. Take a day break and press play whenever you get the chance. |
| …and you thought your Nexus 10 was buggy Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:42 AM PST
With Google’s Nexus series, experiencing a bug or two in the latest Android software is nothing new. But how about finding a real bug crawling around under your screen? Such is the misfortune of one new Nexus 10 owner. After several days of normal use he came home to find an ant crawling around between the tablet’s screen and display glass. The ant promptly died, creating the only thing worse than a dead pixel. How the ant got there in the first place we may never know. Pay tribute to the tiny insect adventurer at the source link below. [via XDA | Thanks, Atmazzz] |
| Sprint makes $2.1 billion bid to acquire Clearwire Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:12 AM PST
After word spread that Sprint was in “active negotiations” to acquire the remaining share of Clearwire, the carrier has tabled a $2.1 billion offer to buyout the company. Sprint currently holds a majority stake in Clearwire but seeks complete ownership of its assets, including spectrum that could be repurposed towards building out the Now Network’s own wireless offerings. A few key things need to happen before the deal can go through. Obviously, Clearwire would need to agree to the terms, but so would SoftBank, the Japanese company that aims to complete a deal to acquire 70 percent of Sprint by next spring. Even if both parties are kosher with Sprint’s offer, the Clearwire deal is contingent on the SoftBank acquisition going through. The ink likely won’y be on the paperwork until March or April of 2013. [via Engadget] |
| Rumor: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will feature 6.3-inch OLED display Posted: 13 Dec 2012 06:28 AM PST
If a new report out of The Korea Times has any merit, Samsung’s next Galaxy Note could start a paradigm shift that would erase any distinction between a smartphone and tablet. The rumor is that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will feature a 6.3-inch OLED display (likely at a 1080p resolution), a mere 0.7 inches shy of what we typically consider tablet proportions. The original Galaxy Note, by comparison, had a 5.3-inch display, which was enough for commentators to coin the term “phablet” to describe any device straddling the line between a smartphone and a tablet. The recently released Galaxy Note 2 grew to 5.5 inches, proving that Samsung isn’t afraid to go big. But the idea of a 6.3-inch screen has us asking the question once again: how big is too big? Other manufacturer are racing to release their own devices that match the Note’s size, and the trend will only continue. Screen sizes have slowly been creeping up, and soon it seems most flagship devices will feature at least a 5-inch display. HTC has already released their Droid DNA/Butterfly, while separate rumors claim the Galaxy S4 could ship with a 5-inch OLED. But Samsung can’t go much bigger with the Note, lest they truly cross over into tablet territory. Something tells me 7 inches won’t fly for people seeking a new smartphone. Then again, many said that about the first Note. The idea of a 6.3-inch handset also calls into question rumors of a 7-inch Galaxy Note tablet. Would Samsung really release two Note models of such similar scalings? Given their track record of Galaxy Tab releases, I honestly wouldn’t put it past them. [via BGR] |
| Posted: 13 Dec 2012 12:51 AM PST
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| Google releases Maps for iOS – Should Apple or Android users be mad? Posted: 12 Dec 2012 10:25 PM PST
After murmurings and whispers that Google was readying a doozy of a release for iOS users, tonight, Google has officially released their world famous Maps application into the Apple App Store. Built from the ground up, the new Maps for iOS features most everything Android users have been enjoying for years now, including voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation, traffic conditions, Street View, over 80 million business listings with store hours, phone numbers, and more. Google really pulled out all the stops, ensuring iOS users got the full Maps experience (the one Apple didn’t want their users to have). What’s more is Google is providing an SDK for developers to implement Maps into their own apps — something Apple cannot be too happy about.
iOS users flocked to the App Store for Maps, crashing it in the process My question to you guys is, do you think Google releasing Maps for iOS is more of a slap in the face to Apple, or to Android users? I’ve seen a lot of chatter on Twitter and the question many Android users are asking themselves is, “Why would Google release Maps — a shining jewel in the crown of Android — for a rival OS? Sounds like madness, right? No… this is Google. Remember, the sole reason Google created Android in the first place as open software alternative to iOS was so that so that manufacturers from all around the world could put Android on the device of their choosing. All without the worry of licensing fees or hassle. Heck, OEM’s could even theme Android as they saw fit, themeing and transforming the mobile OS into something that was uniquely “theirs.” Almost like the Trojan Horse of lore, the motivation behind Android has always been about one thing: getting as many Google apps and services into as many consumers’ hands as possible.
Maps is iPhone-only for now. Not optimized for the iPad Where your average Android fanboy wants nothing to do with Apple, Google isn’t so much concerned with their pride as they are with good business. Google knows Android already controls the market share with no signs of slowing down. Still, Apple’s iPhone has shown itself time, and time again, a hit with consumers and it only makes sense, from a business perspective, to reach that audience as well. Crazy you say? Crazy like a fox. So, where some of you might get your feelings hurt at Google sharing — not taking away — one more thing with iOS users, this isn’t something that will soon change. Heck, Google would even release their apps for Windows Phone. You know, if they had any users that is. |
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