Android Phone Fans |
- Hands-On: Rearth Ringke Slim case for the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 [VIDEO]
- Apple’s infamous multi-touch patent in the early stages of being invalidated by USPTO?
- TweetLanes developer introduces Action Launcher, a unique launcher experience [VIDEO]
- Google Now: Is it living up to the hype? [POLL]
- LG Optimus 2X finally gets Ice Cream Sandwich
- Samsung confirms Galaxy Camera headed to Verizon Wireless with 4G LTE
- Samsung Galaxy Muse now available from Samsung.com
- In case you were wondering: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City delayed for a short while
- Jabra Solemate just $160 at Best Buy for all of December
- Eternity Warrior 2 update to bring dragons into the mix [VIDEO]
- Vic Gundotra ceased tweeting at request of boss, at least he still has Google+
- BlueStacks Android app player hits 5 million installs, could end up on Windows RT tablets
- As Apple and Samsung post-trial motions conclude, judge calls for ‘global peace’
- HTC One VX now available from AT&T
- Android Overload: Archos Gen10 XS now receiving Jelly Bean update, Ong Bak Tri gameplay trailer, and more
| Hands-On: Rearth Ringke Slim case for the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 [VIDEO] Posted: 07 Dec 2012 03:45 PM PST With the release of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and more recently, the Galaxy Note 2 on just about every cellphone provider with a network, I figured it’d be a good time to show you guys some protection available from Rearth, one of my favorite accessories maker. I honestly couldn’t be more clueless on how to pronounce their company name. No matter. They make some of the best cases on the market for a wide variety of devices, in a plethora of colors and finishes. I recently received a few of their cases in the mail — one in a matte finish for my Galaxy Note 2, and one glossy for my Galaxy S3. Let’s take a look. Finishes and Build Quality
Because Rearth is a South Korean manufacturer, I feel like some things like descriptions tend to get lost in the translation on their site or on their Amazon store. So you don’t get confused, I’ll attempt to explain the 3 finishes they offer, often times represented with the SF or LF acronyms. SF basically means the case you’re looking at comes in a “soft touch” finish, similar to the rubbery finish found on the OG EVO 4G, or the back of the Nexus 7. Because it’s soft touch and anything and everything will stick to it (dirt, grime, grease), Rearth only makes these in darker colors like black or dark grey. This type of finish provides the most grip in your hand or pocket.
LF refers to a finish Rearth calls “light touch” and more closely resembles the finish found on the polycarbonate shell of the HTC One X. It’s matte, but there’s no special coating. This is the case I received for the Galaxy Note 2 (pictured) and if you’re looking for the same finish on the Galaxy S3, Rearth addly refers to it as “Happy.” Because it’s non-gloss, it’s very slippery. Freshly washed hands make matters even worse, but it feels oh-so soft in the hand, like a little cloud. Hmmm… Maybe “happy” makes sense after all. Of course, white and matte aren’t always the best when matched up, but in my short time with the case, I didn’t experience much rub off or dye transfer from my jeans. The little I did see was easily cleaned up with some rubbing alcohol (something I make a point of wiping down my phones with daily).
Glossy are most likely Rearth’s most popular finish and in some instances, can be found pleasantly discounted from their Amazon store (more on that covered in “Value” below). These are the ones that come in a wide variety of colors like bright orange, yellow, or more subdued pastel colors like mint. While these can develop surface scratches over time, these are also the easiest for cleanup. Get these if you’re a dirty little piggy. ProtectionAs you no doubt already figured out from the “Slim” name, the Rearth Ringke SLIM Cases might not keep your phone very safe if your’e working on the construction site. They will, however, keep your phone safe and in pristine condition for 99% of whatever life throws at your phone (as long as you don’t throw it). There’s still a minute chance your phone could fall from your pocket and land at just the right spot, shattering your entire screen. Again, you aren’t really paying for screen protection with these cases — you’re paying to protect the rest of your phone without adding to much bulk in the process. The Ringke Slim cases will protect the corners and back of your device from nicks, scrapes, bumps, and bruises. Value
It can be a little confusing but Rearth offers either “full retail” or “eco friendly” packaging with some of their cases. The discounted cases (typically around $10) come in the eco friendly packaging at the cost of the bonus screen protector and lanyard. Full retail versions come in at a little under $20 with all those little extras and while I’ll admit, that is a bit steep for a hard shell case, the quality of Rearth’s cases could be enough to warrant a purchase (just not multiple cases for the same device). If you’re frugal, there are thousands of cases that can be found for cheaper, but you’ll more than likely sacrifice overall thinness and craftsmanship. If you like what Rearth is cookin, hit up the links below to purchase from either their Amazon or official web store. |
| Apple’s infamous multi-touch patent in the early stages of being invalidated by USPTO? Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:55 PM PST Whoa, this bombshell of news is sure to wake a few of you night-shifters up. The infamous “Steve Jobs patent,” aka the one where Apple has the right to call multi-touch technology theirs, looks like it could be invalidated by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Florian Mueller of FoSS Patents reports today. All 20 claims of US patent #7,479,949 were said to be tentatively invalidated first Office action. As of this moment the patent still stands, but should Apple fail in the appeals process and other legal proceedings to get the courts to see things their way then this broad patent could very well be shut down.
The patent defines a “touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics,” and is one of several key patents Apple owns that allows them to retain so much leverage in the patent landscape. It’s even more important than the rubber-banding patent that was also temporarily invalidated just a couple of months ago. It’s important to remember that courts will give Apple a fair chance to prove that these patents are valid. These will happen in natural court proceedings, many of which being cases that are already ongoing. Should Apple present a case persuasive enough then Apple will continue on merrily with perhaps the most powerful patent in mobile computing. Whatever happens, you should also note that we are at least a few months outside of a final decision either way. Apple will exhaust all of the appeals processes available if it has to go that far so don’t expect pressure on its lawsuit targets to be alleviated overnight. Still, this is a very significant development that has us on the edge of our seats to see what might happen next. Will you jump for joy if Apple is ever told that they can no longer hold the industry hostage with this particular patent? |
| TweetLanes developer introduces Action Launcher, a unique launcher experience [VIDEO] Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:40 PM PST In this day and age it’s hard for developers to create truly unique launchers. The line between enhancing the experience and making it a convoluted mess is very thin, and it’s easy for one small miscue to ruin the entire thing. Well, Chris Lacy — the developer responsible for TweetLanes — has decided to try his hand at a launcher replacement app. His rendition is called Action Launcher, and it’s designed to get you to where you need to go within one second of you deciding. The launcher utilizes an apps try that can be accessed using a swipe to the right. What comes up is an alphabetized list of the apps installed on your phone that you can either scroll through in a traditional list format or jump between using the letters on the right side of the pane. We’ve seen a bit of this in the likes of TouchWiz and Pantech’s own Easy Mode launcher, but it looks very refined and simple in this app that anyone can download. The home screen features a persistent action bar with several different buttons. From left to right, you can open the apps list, open search, open the Play Store or access more of the launcher’s settings using an overflow menu. Another key element that sets this launcher apart are Covers. Covers is a unique feature that allows you to expand on the traditional home screen shortcut that we all know and love. Say I have a shortcut to my browser — tapping it once will open the browser in whichever state is most appropriate (depending on if there was a session saved to memory or a new session altogether). That’s nothing new, but double tapping that same icon could then bring up a few bookmarks to my favorite websites. Likewise, touching the dialer would bring you up to the phone’s default dialer app, but double tapping that same icon could bring up shortcuts to quickly dial my favorite people.
Sure, folders work well enough for most people but this is a truly unique way of keeping the clutter down if you tend to have a lot of shortcuts you like to add to your home screen. This would be perfect for someone like myself who loves second level app shortcuts but rarely use them because I prefer my traditional folders to take center stage. Now, I don’t have to compromise. To get an idea of how this works be sure to watch the quick demo video up above. Finally, Action Launcher makes it easy to change the launcher however you like. Holding down on an empty part of the home screen gives you one touch access to the ability to place shortcuts and apps, as well as set your wallpaper. The developer is asking for $4 to own the launcher, but is it worth that much? Early reports indicate there are some bugs keeping it from being the blissful experience we’d like it to be, like an odd bug that doesn’t allow one to add a widget where there should be enough space to do so. Other sentiments expressed include the desire to have features that other popular launchers, like Nova launcher, have. We’re sure the developer will add tons of different options and fix bugs in a timely fashion as he has with TweetLanes, though, so those worrying about support can rest easy knowing that Chris Lacy stays on top of things as well as any developer in the game. If you like what you see then be sure to give it a try in the Google Play Store. |
| Google Now: Is it living up to the hype? [POLL] Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:09 PM PST
I don’t know about everyone else, but when Google Now was announced as part of the Android 4.1 update I had a high sense of hope for the service. After months of living in a Jelly Bean world, I am here to express my disappointment in Google’s system of on-demand information. Let me be clear, my dissatisfaction rests solely in Google Now’s cards system. The improvements to the overall search experience, including voice interactions, are by themselves a valuable addition to the Android ecosystem. I would choose Google Now hands down over Apple’s Siri personal assistant for this reason alone. But what really excited me about Google Now was the potential for providing information at a glance — relevant information based on my search history, location, and mobile habits. What I actually get is a glorified weather widget with a few local bar and restaurant suggestions. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m not being adventurous enough to trigger more than football scores on a Sunday. Maybe I don’t book enough hotel rooms or take as many flights as I should. And don’t get me started on Google Now’s suggested travel and traffic times. Google Now is extremely hard to customize in this respect, only allowing you to add a new place after Google detects a frequent location for you. As someone who works from home, I have little use for the traffic card if it will only start me out with locations it assumes are my home and work. But they aren’t. Making matters worse, I typically travel by bike. Google’s traffic widget doesn’t allow you to choose your method of transportation beyond driving or public transit.
But Google Now does do some cool things, like telling me how far I have ridden said bike in a month (how it determines my method of travel is part of the magic that first drew me to the feature). Package tracking info is useful, as long as it registers (I have yet to get this feature to work). But this highlights my issues with Google Now further. In an effort to focus on the service as a predictive suggestion engine, Google has left out the ability for greater control. As the app stands, Google Now only offers settings and notification options for so many cards. Follow a link to Google’s site and you are greeted with a lengthy list of interactions that you have no control over until Google decides you would like to use them. Going back to the package tracking example, how about a way to manually enter tracking information, Google? How about a way to manually update any of the available cards with information that doesn’t seem to be registering based simply on GMail and search history results? Or maybe I’m just doing it wrong. It wouldn’t the first time. That’s why I am asking how others have fared with Google Now. Has it been everything you expected? A neat novelty? Or a total disappointment? Sound off. |
| LG Optimus 2X finally gets Ice Cream Sandwich Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:09 PM PST While LG’s Optimus 2X was a fine phone in its heyday when it comes to specs, it’s no secret LG dropped the ball on the software side of things. If experience-breaking bugs that took forever to fix didn’t steer you away from the device then the lack of timely software upgrades likely did nothing for your level of happiness, either. Those who might still be hanging onto the LG Optimus 2X can relax, though, as the device has finally gotten Ice Cream Sandwich! Folks in Korea have had it for a while, and the development community has helped deliver it to those not opposed to tinkering with their devices, but those who’d rather get their upgrades straight from the horse’s mouth are finally in business.
In this age of Jelly Bean it might be a bit weird to be so excited about Ice Cream Sandwich, but the most important thing here is that folks are on a modern version of Android. This gives them access to apps with the new Holo UI, and it means there won’t be many apps that they can’t run as opposed to being on Gingerbread. It’s a shame that it took so long, but it’s better late than never. This won’t be your typical OTA update so note that you’ll need a PC to download companion software to get this upgrade loaded. Also note that this upgrade will be for the international version only — roll-outs for carrier specific devices are still subject to carrier approval. Yep, that means T-Mobile G2x owners here in the states are also part of that group that will still have to wait. But you’re doing yourself a disservice if you have yet to root your device. Be sure to head to the G2X’s All Things Root section at AndroidForums.com to learn how you can root your device and get Ice Cream Sandwich (and later!) yourself. Trust me, if you follow instructions and go about everything carefully it’ll be a lot less stressful than trying to wait on the official upgrade to get to your device. [via XDA, thanks to everyone who sent this in!] |
| Samsung confirms Galaxy Camera headed to Verizon Wireless with 4G LTE Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:00 PM PST
It was last month AT&T began offering the Samsung Galaxy Camera and while, most reviews largely great things to say about the camera, it seems the $500 price tag that scared away many consumers. Just because it wasn’t a first of it’s kind (the Nikon Coolpix S800c beat Samsung to punch by almost a full month), we will say that it was first camera ever to launch with a quad-core processor and running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Samsung didn’t pull any punches with this camera and the price tag shows. Well, if you were genuinely interested in the Galaxy Camera, but hated the thought of putting up with AT&T’s service, perhaps Verizon Wireless will better suit you? The Verizon 4G LTE version of the camera was in inadvertently thrown up on Samsung’s official product page (then promptly removed), ahead of an official announcement from Verizon. While I’m sure connecting to Verizon’s superior 4G network wont sway everyone, I think there’s gotta be someone out there at least entertaining the idea. Anyone considering picking up one of these for the holidays? [Samsung] |
| Samsung Galaxy Muse now available from Samsung.com Posted: 07 Dec 2012 10:28 AM PST
A quick update to a story from earlier in the week. The Galaxy Muse, which appeared on Samsung’s website as the US version of the International S Pebble, is now available for purchase. The music player companion device for Samsung’s Galaxy line of phones sells for $49.99 ( A free Muse Sync app is available from the Google Play Store and allows for easy syncing of music between your smartphone and the Muse player, completely circumventing a PC connection. Of course, we still say its easier to just plug your headphones into your phone.
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| In case you were wondering: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City delayed for a short while Posted: 07 Dec 2012 09:29 AM PST If you don’t remember, Rockstar Games was supposed to be bringing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to Android yesterday. The app looked to launch without an issue and all seemed well with the world… that is, until it disappeared before our very eyes. It turns out Rockstar had the game pulled from the Google Play Store due to technical issues. According to them, the game was experiencing some issues with the authorization system which kept people from being able to play the game. You certainly wouldn’t want to pay $5 for a game that doesn’t end up working, would you? Rockstar needs to take the extra time to work the issue out and will be halting sales until further notice.
We haven’t been given a concrete date, but the wait for its arrival should’t be painstakingly long. Rockstar says to expect it to be back in the Play Store by the end of next week. This timing is unfortunate for those who wanted to dive into Tommy Vercetti’s adventure over the weekend, but Rockstar’s hand is being forced by the annoyance of bugs in modern computing. On the other hand, the iOS launch went off without fail. If you’re absolutely craving a mobile Vice City experience and happen to have an iOS device or two then that’s one route you can take. Otherwise, us Android folks are going to have to wait until Rockstar can get things figured out. It’s not like we’re not used to delays at this point, but it’s no less frustrating every time it happens. Fortunately I still own the GTA series on PC so my crime-filled sandbox indulgences can be fed using that avenue, but if you had a legitimate need to play Vice City on the go this weekend then you’re going to have to find something else to fill that void. [via Rockstar] |
| Jabra Solemate just $160 at Best Buy for all of December Posted: 07 Dec 2012 08:53 AM PST Jabra has come through with quite the sweet deal for the holiday season. Think of it as a month-long Black Friday of sorts for them, except the deal can only be had at one place. The deal is for the Jabra Solemate, the wireless Bluetooth speaker we reviewed a while back. You can get it for just $159 throughout the entire month of December, and it’ll be available for this price exclusively at Best Buy stores and BestBuy.com
This device challenges the likes of the Jawbone Jambox and the Bose Soundlink, but does so with an interesting chassis and while being able to take a beating. Some felt that it wasn’t worth the original $200 Jabra was asking for, but at $160 the Solemate isn’t a bad audio device at all. It features exceptional battery life, very nice sound and some serviceable speakerphone controls for those who want to use it to talk to their family and friends. You can read more about what makes the device interesting in our official review, and if you decide you want to give it a whirl or buy it as a gift for someone then be sure to head to your nearest Best Buy store and ask about this deal, or head to BestBuy.com and order one online. The units come in black and white so keep that in mind when making your decision. |
| Eternity Warrior 2 update to bring dragons into the mix [VIDEO] Posted: 07 Dec 2012 08:26 AM PST An epic RPG just isn’t an epic RPG without dragons, right? Well, Glu Mobile feels the same and that’s why they’ve brought an epic new update for Eternity Warrior 2. Today’s update brings dragon battles, so you and your companions will have your hands full taking on these ghastly, grotesque creates which stand about 30 times larger than you. The dragons have a number of different attacks for you to dispel. No longer is fire the only thing standing between you and the slaying of your lifetime — some of these dragons will shoot ice at you, too. How’s that for turning an age-old concept onto its head? Battles take place in a new environment called Dragon’s Lair, and the game’s core top-down view has been replaced with a more level, third-person camera so you can see just how massive the creatures are. Alongside all of that, you can now level characters up to level 70, there are new quests to complete, new achievements to obtain, and new weapons and armor to brandish. There’s also a new point system. You’ll get Renown Points with each quest and battle you complete. Renown Points add a leaderboard element so you and your friends can see how much you’ve gotten around, and the points can also be used to unlock special features and characters. Unfortunately all this goodness isn’t out just yet, but we’re told it’ll be here before the new year so the wait won’t be long. In the meantime be sure to get a taste of what’s to come in the teaser trailer above. |
| Vic Gundotra ceased tweeting at request of boss, at least he still has Google+ Posted: 07 Dec 2012 07:58 AM PST
After an arguably harmless tweet back in 2011, the higher-ups at Google weren’t feeling all the comfortable with Vic Gundotra’s use of the social media platform. So they asked him to stop. The tweet in question came shortly after details of a deal between Nokia and Microsoft started to surface and said simply, “Two turkeys do not make an eagle.” Gundotra attempted to remain cryptic, but it was obvious what he was referencing. On the surface it doesn’t sound all that bad, but considering that the person posting the message was a high-ranking Google employee it’s a bit easier to understand why the bossman cracked down on Vic’s Twitter habits. Lucky for him, Google launched their own social media platform shortly after Gundotra’s Twitter ban. He has grown to be somewhat of a Google+ ambassador and is quite active on the network. Without another incident since Turkeygate, it would also seem he has reigned in his use of social media to his boss’ liking. [via Mashable] |
| BlueStacks Android app player hits 5 million installs, could end up on Windows RT tablets Posted: 07 Dec 2012 07:28 AM PST If you don’t remember BlueStacks, it’s the Windows application that makes it possible to use Android apps and play Android games on Windows-based PCs. The team made some pretty nice strides in app emulation and their hard work was rewarded with a great milestone achieved recently. The team has announced that the player has hit 5 million organic installs through its website in just 8 months — that’s no small feat for what initially appeared to be a niche type of product. There’s nothing niche about some of the deals the company has inked, though, including partnerships with ASUS and AMD that will see BlueStacks technology pre-installed on 100 million devices being shipped next year. Well, some even more interesting developments could be taking place soon — your Windows RT devices could soon be running BlueStacks!
That’s right — ARM-based Windows 8 tablets might get access to nearly 750,000 Android apps currently swirling about the Google Play Store. This is only a rumor for now, but there is strong evidence that BlueStacks could be looking to go this route. BlueStacks’ Deepak Sharma actually acknowledged that the team was considering offering BlueStacks for Windows RT at some point next year. This isn’t a concrete commitment, but you have to think that they’re at least working on it. For Microsoft there’s a bit of a double-edged sword to be clutched with this situation. On one hand, they’d have an enormous amount of mobile apps to offer on its Windows RT tablets, and since BlueStacks is already optimized to run on X86/64 versions of Windows it’d be nearly immediately available for those who decide they want to get a Surface Pro tablet. On the other hand, Microsoft would be sacrificing interest in developing for its Metro UI. Why design two apps for two different operating systems when you can design one app for the most popular and port it over to the other? I can only imagine the look on Steve Ballmer’s face if Android apps were to become more prominent on Windows than Windows apps. Still, this is something that any consumer should want and we’d be highly excited to see something of the sort announced at the upcoming CES conference, but nothing’s being confirmed at this point so we’ll just have to cross our fingers and see. To see what all the hooplah about BlueStacks is be sure to visit their site and download it for Windows or Mac. |
| As Apple and Samsung post-trial motions conclude, judge calls for ‘global peace’ Posted: 07 Dec 2012 07:07 AM PST
In a moment perhaps highlighting the hyperbolic state of the Apple v. Samsung patent suit, Judge Lucy Koh issued a call for “global peace” as arguments wrapped up in post-trial motions yesterday. The thought stirred up a few laughs before Koh reiterated that she was serious, saying, “it would be good for consumers and good for the industry.” Samsung said it was open to talks with Apple, but in what has become a blood feud it is unlikely any sort of settlement could be reached amicably. Apple restated their intentions to see the process out via the courts, even calling the current ruling against samsung a “slap on the wrist.” The post-trial hearing covered a number of concerns each side had with the case, including Samsung’s complaint that Jury foreman Velvin Hogan was biased. Hogan had previously filed a suit against Seagate, a Samsung partner. But Koh and Apple’s attorneys didn’t seem to see the problem, and put the burden back on Samsung. Also addressed was the breadth of the suit, with Samsung pointing out that all but three of the 20 devices targeted in the suit are no longer on the market. Likewise, the iPhone 3G and 3GS are no longer sold. Apple defended its claims against Samsung’s product lineup. No orders were made at the time of the hearing. Judge Koh instead plans to spread out the decision over the coming weeks. What she did make clear, despite her calls for peace, is that she won’t be ordering more face-to-face settlement talks due to a lack of previous success. Whether or not the two parties move towards that solution on their own remains to be seen, but no one’s holding their breath. [via Electronista] |
| HTC One VX now available from AT&T Posted: 07 Dec 2012 06:13 AM PST
After announcing the handset for a launch alongside the One X+, a delay forced AT&T to push the release of the HTC One VX back to December 7th. According to the calendar December 7th is today, and according to AT&T the One VX is now in stock online and in stores. The One VX is an Android 4.0/Sense 4 device priced reasonably at $49.99 on contract. The highlights of the One VX include its slim unibody design, 4.5-inch qHD display, dual-core 1.2GHz processor, and 5MP camera. It is privy to all the enhancements of HTC Sense, including Beats Audio and ImageSense technology. If you are planning to pick up the phone, which is exclusive to AT&T, drop by our One VX forums over at AndroidForums to share your thoughts and opinions on the new phone. [via AT&T] |
| Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:45 AM PST
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