Android Phone Fans |
- Nintendo DS classic Touch Detective now available in the Google Play Store
- ZTE Grand S unveiled ahead of CES with head-turning design, 5-inch 1080p display, Quad-core S4 CPU, 13MP camera
- Ant Raid for Android brings fun strategy to the mini jungle
- Cruzerlite releases new Bugdroid Circuit and Clone Army cases for the Nexus 4
- OUYA development consoles begin shipping today
- We wouldn’t be mad if this rendered concept turned out to be the Samsung Galaxy S4 [VIDEO]
- BlueStacks App Player for Mac heads into beta
- Samsung shows off the Note 2 in your “typical” office scenario [VIDEO]
- Musemee Notier Capacitive Stylus review
- Having problems getting your Nexus 10 repaired? You’re not alone [POLL]
- New Toshiba mini camera sensor will boast Lytro-like capabilities
- Original Samsung Galaxy Note getting Jelly Bean with Premium Suite
- Android Overload: Jelly Bean update for T-Mobile HTC One S begins beta testing, Acer preps $100 Iconia B1 tablet, and more
- Google’s 12 best Android apps for 2012
| Nintendo DS classic Touch Detective now available in the Google Play Store Posted: 27 Dec 2012 06:04 PM PST
Released for the Nintendo DS back in 2006, cult favorite Touch Detective finally makes its way onto Android devices. Released today on the Google Play, the game stars a young detective girl who solves mysterious with her pet fungus and friends. The game plays like a traditional point-n-click adventure that’s both lighthearted and endearing.
That being said, Touch Detective definitely wont be everyone’s cup of tea, not just because of the gameplay but because of it’s Japanese-style (sometimes strange) humor. I’d say definitely give it a go if you’re a fan of the genre, it is free to download after all. Keep in mind the game is broken up in to chapters, of which only the first is free to play. After that, you can unlock additional chapters (3 total) via in-app purchases of $4 each, or snag a deal by downloading ‘em all at once for $9. Hey, this was a $35 Nintendo DS game back in the day. You can download the first chapter of Touch Detective after the video below. | |
| Posted: 27 Dec 2012 03:30 PM PST
Back in 2011, 4.3-inch 800×480 displays were all the rage, and moving into 2012, we saw most high-end devices launch with 4.7-inch 720p displays. Now, as we enter into 2013, we’ve seen enough new device leaks to suggest the “high-end” industry standard will settle around the 5-inch 1080p mark, with the HTC Droid DNA first out the gate. Recently, there’s been some buzz around ZTE and their plans to unveil an all new high-end device at CES 2013. I know what many of you are thinking, “It’s ZTE. Do they ever offer anything intriguing?” Well, after the company publicly stated their plans to make ZTE a household in other parts of the world (like the US), it looks like the ZTE Grand S could very well be the device to put them on the map.
Not to be confused with the recently leaked mid-range ZTE Grand X for T-Mobile, the ZTE Grand S finds itself as the Chinese manufacturer’s latest flagship, featuring the soon-to-be-common 5-inch, 1080p full HD display. Still very usable with a single hand, a 5-inch Android should be still provide for single hand usage, making it more of a handset than a “phablet.” What makes the ZTE Grand S really shine is its uber slim 6.9mm thin chassis, rumored to be constructed out of a type of ceramic material. Besides a nice display and thin profile, the Grand S features one of the most gorgeous smartphone designs I’ve seen in quite sometime. Minimal and sleek, no one would dare confuse this for an iPhone (or even Galaxy) knockoff. A trend we’ve been seeing all too frequently in Android.
Other specs include a quad-core Qualcomm S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, 13MP camera, micro SD slot and 2,500mAh battery. If ZTE is trying to create a “household name” for themselves here in the US — this just might be the device to do it. Price tag for the Grand S is rumored at $450 (after exchange rates). We’ll have more once the device is unveiled at CES in January, at which we’ll be on hand, bringing you the latest. Color me impressed, folks. | |
| Ant Raid for Android brings fun strategy to the mini jungle Posted: 27 Dec 2012 02:29 PM PST Strategy games don’t come around these parts that often, so when they do we tend to pay them extra close attention. HeroCraft’s latest, Ant Raid, looks to attract eyes with beautiful graphics, intense gameplay and quite the cheap price tag at $.99. Ant Raid takes you deep into an ant colony that has found itself in the wrong end of an insect invasion. While most insects are enough to threaten the state of a colony in their normal form, these insects aren’t your average buggy annoyances. The insects in Ant Raid have been mutated beyond belief, and it’s up to you to direct the marching ants as they jump into battle to defend their modest little hill. The game features colorful 3D graphics and tries to tell a decent tale through the use of animated cutscenes. The script likely wouldn’t win a Screenwriters’ Guild Award if it were turned into a film, but it’s there regardless. Four different survival modes will challenge you to fight off waves and waves of insects — think of it as a Gears of War-style horde mode, except a lot less terrifying and more cute than anything. This game enjoyed a ton of great reviews over on iOS, and has an average Metacritic score above 90, so if the trailer above piques your interest then you’ll want to give it a chance. And, well, if you can’t spare a dollar to give it a go then you might want to see if anyone needs some trash taken out or sidewalks shoveled, because that’s not a huge price to ask at all for what looks to be a great game. Go ahead and take the plunge in the Google Play Store. | |
| Cruzerlite releases new Bugdroid Circuit and Clone Army cases for the Nexus 4 Posted: 27 Dec 2012 01:43 PM PST
Well, that didn’t take long. We gave you guys a sneak peek at them over the weekend, and now it looks like Cruzerlite’s Bugdroid Circuit cases are finally available on their website. The cases feature Cruzerlite’s own unique one-of-a-kind design, with the world famous Bugdroid laser etched into the TPU material along with the circuitry background. The case offers a nice amount of protection and while it covers the bedazzled back of the Nexus 4 — maybe that’s a good thing? The flexible yet lightweight TPU material will protect your phone from most of life’s accidents — just please, exercise caution.
Also new to Cruzerlite’s store are their Androidified Clone Army cases for the Nexus 4. My personal favorite design from Cruzer, these cases feature a pattern of Androids along the back, letting the world know you’re a true Android freak… and there ain’t nothing wrong with that. If you hurry, you can snag one while they’re still on their cheap as part of Cruzerlite’s introductory sale. Normally $20, the cases can be yours for only $13 each. I guess the hardest part is figuring out which color you’ll want to get first. | |
| OUYA development consoles begin shipping today Posted: 27 Dec 2012 12:59 PM PST To get the ball rolling on bringing great content for OUYA users, OUYA has started shipping development consoles to those who were in line for one. A thread was made at an OUYA fansite by a forum admin for people to report to once they have gotten their shipping email or have received the actual units. One user has already reported a shipping email, and their console is expected to arrive sometime between December 30th and January 10th. We’re hearing that some might get lucky and start receiving the console as early as December 28th, but there’s been no confirmation as to whether or not that’ll actually happen. We will know by tomorrow, though, so just keep an eye on your inbox and your doorstep in the meantime.
The OUYA team recently announced several more titles and new partnerships with developers to help fill out the launch roster. Since OUYA will be based on Android 4.1 and higher there isn’t much legwork to be done to get these games up and running on the cubed console, but developers still have some work to do. For starters, they have to make sure their code is optimized for the OUYA’s Tegra 3 chipset, make sure full controller support is achieved and get other various assets and have their loose ends tied up to make sure their games are sitting pretty in OUYA’s store. More exciting than the games will be the open nature of OUYA. Since the hardware and software will invite tinkering and third-party development there’s a lot more to look forward to than just games. We’ll have to wait and see what the development community ends up doing with the box, but we imagine that the times ahead are very exciting. If you’re a developer expecting a console shipment be sure to let us know when your estimated delivery date is, and don’t forget to discuss the OUYA and everything Android gaming over at AndroidForums.com.
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| We wouldn’t be mad if this rendered concept turned out to be the Samsung Galaxy S4 [VIDEO] Posted: 27 Dec 2012 11:58 AM PST Before I go any further, I want to point one thing out right away: this is NOT real. The device you see in the video below is only a rendered concept made by a group of Russians with great imagination. That said, if Samsung were to announce the Samsung Galaxy S4 today and this is what they put before us, we would have absolutely no qualms. This beautiful “hands-on” video was put together by the folks behind the rozetked YouTube channel, and it dares us to imagine a phone with the following specs: a 2GHz quad-core processor, an 1080p Grand AMOLED display, a 13 megapixel camera, Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie and more. Hey, if you’re going to dream then why not dream big, right? Even more interesting is the “projection laser keyboard dock,” a docking station that can beam a keyboard layout to whatever surface it’s sitting on and be typed on as if you had a real keyboard sitting in front of you. This sort of technology is in R&D by several companies so it’s not far-fetched or too unrealistic for our tastes. I can’t say I see Samsung coming to market with an accessory like that, but if the technology is there then why not stock it into a fake concept video? Wishful thinking aside, the device shown will probably end up being close to Samsung’s in terms of design. It’s not hard to predict that considering the Galaxy S line has enjoyed the same base design since 2010. Middle button? Check. Big, beautiful display? Check. Attractive curves and the thinnest body you can have? But, of course. We’ll have to wait on official word from the head honchos at Samsung before we start making any assumptions, though, so we’ll let 2013 bring us the goods once they’re ready. Go ahead and hit that nice, big play button up above. | |
| BlueStacks App Player for Mac heads into beta Posted: 27 Dec 2012 10:06 AM PST All you Mac heads out there, listen up: BlueStacks App Player for your operating system is out of beta. If you’re not “in the know,” BlueStacks is an Android application emulator that brings hundreds of thousands of Google Play Store apps and games to your desktop PC. Using its “layercake” technology, BlueStacks can properly emulate any game and app at great speeds. This is a huge far cry from Google’s own Android emulator, though those emulators are typically used strictly for development testing. This app player is more focused on giving consumers a way to use Android apps without having to have actual Android devices. The benefits are quite obvious. For starters, the 750,000 or so apps in the Google Play Store are now at your fingertips, so if you preferred the Android version of, say, Google Reader compared to using the desktop site then you can opt for that route. If you wanted to use Google+ Messenger on desktop instead of having to pick your phone or tablet up each time you wanted to chat with your friends, BlueStacks makes that possible. There are many different reasons to want this, and a ton of use-cases in BlueStacks’ favor. If the Mac release is anything like the Windows version then you’ll find that this is a viable alternative to having a actual Android device. Give it a shot yourself over at BlueStacks’ site, and see if you can’t find something worth putting on your desktop as if it were a native app. [via BlueStacks] | |
| Samsung shows off the Note 2 in your “typical” office scenario [VIDEO] Posted: 27 Dec 2012 09:42 AM PST Samsung seems to be hitting homerun after homerun when it comes to ads for its Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The latest advertising attempt by the OEM puts the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 into an office environment. No, the device’s awesome multitasking capabilities aren’t tested by the world’s most efficient employee ala Lisa from Obsessed, but it shows how one can use the Note 2 to work smarter, not harder. This one minute spot will likely be chopped up a bit to fit typical broadcast advertising formats, but the video uses a clever balance of humor, fun and work to appeal to most normal white-collared 9-to-5′ers. I personally could have done without the slight swerve at the end, but that’s just me. The ad should be just as effective as any when it comes to capturing the attention and interest of the viewer, but more important is Samsung’s attempt to appeal to enterprise in the first place. Sure, the approach wasn’t all that serious in tone — and the decision to go with a particular phone for office use largely depends on each individual’s workplace and situation — but there’s no better way to try and break into a sector of the market dominated by iOS and Blackberry than to show it thriving in that setting. Be sure to take a look at the quick video above. | |
| Musemee Notier Capacitive Stylus review Posted: 27 Dec 2012 09:22 AM PST While Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 series introduces innovative stylus support with the advent of Wacom digitizer-enabled displays, the harsh reality is not many devices support this. In fact, a vast majority don’t. And although you think the stylus might have gone the way of the dodo bird along with resistive touch screens you’d be surprise to know many people do still want them. Unfortunately traditional styluses don’t quite work with capacitive displays as they require tips which simulate the electric current transferred from human skin to the surface of the display. As such, special styli need to be created for the latest devices and there are many out there to choose from.
Musemee seems to believe its option — the Notier — is among the best, and we’ve taken it upon ourselves to test their claims. Will the stylus you see above give you the hand-writing and drawing precision you need or would a finger be even more ideal to use? Find out in our review straight ahead. FormMany accessory manufacturers like to make their styli small, but Musemee took a more bold approach and made its units bigger than most actual pens. The result may seem unsightly but it does wonders for comfort. I don’t have to fear the pen slipping out of my hands while I’m using it, and only a blind, dead man couldn’t notice it falling out of a pocket or bag. It’s lightweight, but not light enough to forget you’re holding it. The stylus is made out of metal for the most part, a fresh change of pace from the plastic we typically see. You can get them in three different finishes right now, including red, silver and black.
The finish is not coated-on nonsense so the lavish good looks should stand the test of time and the harsh conditions of the world around you. Should that plastic disc on the end (more on this in a bit) get lost or break Musemee makes it easy enough to replace. A 1-year limited warranty should help ease your mind, though, in case you are hesitant about its ability to keep up down the stretch. No expenses were reserved in the construction of these things so the $18.99 being asked to walk away with one shouldn’t be a turn-off for many of you if you require a quality stylus. Function
The main attraction here will be the tip of the stylus, of course. Musemee says it measured the widest area of the tip at just 1mm. This makes for a very fine tip that provides precision and accuracy close to that of a ballpoint pen. A small, clear disc attached to the end of it is supposed to improve precision even more as it allows for continued accuracy at varying angles. I tested these claims by writing on my displays just as I would any piece of paper at varying angles. It took a bit of time to get used to, and the disc makes for some strange friction after a bit of use, but the truth is I’m not sure if I could write as freely without it. Writing wasn’t quite as smooth and natural as using a Galaxy Note device, but it’s not wise to expect that much considering that particular device and its accompanying S Pen was specifically designed for stylus input. To be a device-agnostic accessory the Notier does a great job of providing consistent input no matter what you’re using it with. Folks needing to write out languages like Chinese will demand far greater quality out of their products, and while I can’t personally speak to its ability to facilitate that particular task I can tell you I had absolutely no problems writing out English on my Galaxy Note 2′s handwriting recognition keyboard. If you’re afraid of the circular disc breaking off while it’s in your pocket or bag then you can worry no longer. Musemee has employed a very unique feature that allows you to screw the pen apart and use one of the halves as a protective cap. It’s a small feature in scope, but it’s the little things like that which come together to make a big deal. Etc.Musemee takes things a step further than most accessory makers with an application made specifically for drawing. The problem is that the company’s Android application is not yet available — only iOS users get the privilege of owning that. We’re hopeful the Android version will be out soon, but for now you can always download third party options like Draw Something for gaming and Photoshop Touch for general digital artwork. VerdictAt the end of the day, the Notier is a capacitive stylus — whether or not you need one is a personal decision you’ll have to make based on your own preferences. I won’t call it the must have accessory of the year, but the Notier certainly should sit near the top of your list if you happen to be in the market for one. Be sure to give a nice gloss-over at Musemee’s website today.        | |
| Having problems getting your Nexus 10 repaired? You’re not alone [POLL] Posted: 27 Dec 2012 08:11 AM PST While we wish all technology could be perfect and as sturdy as a diamond wall, the harsh reality is that will never be the case. Things break, and when they do you’d hope to have someone that can help you fix them. Well, it seems folks who own a Nexus 10 are having a bit of trouble getting their devices repaired through Samsung and Google.
A Google Groups thread has started to gain a tad bit of steam regarding issues with Samsung’s repair process. Most of these folks are looking to get repairs for their displays, but it seems the problem would apply to anyone looking to get any sort of repair service for their devices. Samsung is reportedly bouncing customers back to Google when regarding repair inquiries, and Google is bouncing those folks right back to Samsung. Some were able to get a bit deeper into the process, getting Samsung representatives to setup call-back times for followup, but users report calls are not being returned. In fact, it took the direct, hands-on intervention from a Google rep to get the process started for at least a couple of people, but others remain in the dark. A Google spokesperson has confirmed that Samsung holds the responsibility for fielding repairs, and that the OEM shouldn’t be forwarding any calls to Google for those particular matters. Google is said to have reminded Samsung that they should be fielding these service requests, but despite that fact users still seem to report issues with the process. Several parts of Samsung’s system don’t even acknowledge that the Nexus 10 exists, which could be the main reason for all the confusion. We’re not sure how widespread this issue is — the Google Groups thread isn’t quite that large — but that’s what the poll below is for. If you’ve had to get your Nexus 10 repaired let us know what happened when you requested assistance from Samsung. Perhaps we can get the ball rolling a little faster in regards to having things cleared up. Comment below, and be sure to head to the source link and voice your concern straight to Google, as well. [via Google Groups, thanks Ashok!] | |
| New Toshiba mini camera sensor will boast Lytro-like capabilities Posted: 27 Dec 2012 07:48 AM PST Remember Lytro? It’s that remarkable camera technology that allows you to tune the focus of your shots after you’ve already taken them. This is a very nice piece of technology, and while most purists would scoff at anyone who can’t get tack-sharp focus during composition there are a ton more who would want the ability to properly focus a bad shot. After all, you can’t get every shot you want to be perfect every time.
Well, what if I told you this technology could be coming to a smartphone near you? Toshiba is said to be working on a miniature lens with these capabilities, and is set to feature them in its smartphones and tablets starting sometime next year as well as license the technology to other smartphone and tablet OEMs The camera sensor reportedly houses an array of 500,000 micro-sensors which will capture a series of images that can later be manipulated in Toshiba’s own-built software. Users would be able to tweak the focus of a shot using the software — you can focus either near or far, or bring the entire scene into perfect focus. The ability to manipulate video in this manner is also said to be possible, though we’re not yet sure to what extent. While miniature camera lenses will never be a mainstay in the world of professional photography, having these sensors will provide very compelling feature-sets for any manufacturer who decides to take Toshiba up on its offer. Most users whose only cameras are their smartphones tend to take horrible photos, so the ability to advertise these types of features in a marketing campaign will go a long way toward adding a few more sales (and should help the eyes of the world even more). | |
| Original Samsung Galaxy Note getting Jelly Bean with Premium Suite Posted: 27 Dec 2012 06:54 AM PST We figured Samsung would be committed to delivering Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to most of its high-end Galaxy phones but we didn’t expect the Samsung Galaxy Note to still be on the OEM’s roadmap for major upgrades. It has been confirmed that the original Samsung Galaxy Note would be getting a Jelly Bean upgrade that will add some of the features users currently enjoy on the second installment of the series.
Along with standard Android 4.1 features like Google Now, Project Butter and new notifications, Samsung will be injecting its premium suite into the upgrade. Some of the changes will include multi-view support, popup browser and popup video, pop-up notes, the ability to write within S Planner and email, Paper Artist, an upgraded S Note and more. This is quite the massive upgrade for a phone that’s been obsoleted, and we can only hope more of the OEM’s older devices are in line to receive Jelly Bean upgrades with just as much spunk. It’s difficult for folks to get even the most basic upgrades for their phones so Galaxy Note owners should definitely feel lucky (though most will definitely argue that this is something that should be commonplace in this day and age, and I can’t say I disagree). You can find out more info about the Galaxy Note’s forthcoming upgrade at this Samsung micro-site. We’re not sure how long it’ll take for this thing to start rolling out (and even then, only the unlocked international model is guaranteed to get it), but to simply know it’s coming is more than enough to get us excited. [via Electronista] | |
| Posted: 27 Dec 2012 01:55 AM PST
The Android Overload is where we stash all of the stories/articles/news bits that didn't make it onto our front page from throughout the day. But just because they weren't featured, doesn't mean they aren't worth taking a look at. In fact, there's almost always a little something here for everyone. So, take a look around and let us know if you find anything of interest.
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| Google’s 12 best Android apps for 2012 Posted: 27 Dec 2012 01:50 AM PST
As 2012 draws to a close, ‘ol Googs has finally revealed their top picks for apps of the year. If you’re expecting Holo-themed diamonds in the rough, you may be left wanting. Google said their pics were based on compatibility with both tablets and smartphones, and even a few veteran apps who recently found themselves redesigned made the cut. While I don’t have any particular objections with Google’s picks for best of 2012, I was only a bit disappointed to find there weren’t really any surprises. See for yourself and let me know if you agree. In no particular order, Google’s best Android apps for 2012 are: Zappos
Evernote
Grimm’s Snow White
Expedia Hotels & Flights
Ancestry
Fancy
Mint.com Personal Finance
SeriesGuide Show Manager
Pixlr Express
TED
We, at Phandroid, will be throwing together our own list in the coming days but I have to say, I don’t think any of above apps will be making the cut. But — what say ye, Phandroids? Agree or disagree with Google’s list for 2012? |
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