Capture Screenshots of Entire Webpages with SnowDeer Web Scrapper Posted: 28 Jan 2012 11:39 PM PST The time for partial screenshots of webpages viewed on your Android phone (and the tiresome stitching of those partial screenshots) is finally over.  Thanks to the screen-grabbing powers of the SnowDeer Web Scrapper app for Android, you can now grab entire screens of webpages. There already is a slew of screen-capturing tools available on the Android Market, but SnowDeer Web Scrapper stands out for one unique feature–it can grab a shot of the whole webpage, not just parts of the screen. Say you want to take a screenshot of a whole webpage, from top to bottom, including parts that you’d need to scroll down to see. Many people are looking for that kind of screenshot–whether it’s for a school assignment, a personal project, or just so you have something to read on a long trip. Normally, longer-than-screen-size webpage screenshots need to be stitched together, but SnowDeer Web Scrapper one-ups that. Sporting a simple web-browser style interface, the app allows you to instantly capture screenshots of the entire webpage you’re browsing. Save the whole page screenshot to a folder of your choice and even set a user-defined filename for it. The app even allows you to save each image in high-quality JPEG or PNG format. Browse to the page of your choice using the app’s built-in address bar, or jump to your currently opened webpage. If you want to scrap it, you can find the Scrap button on the lower left side of the screen. Afraid of overpopulating the default SnowDeer directory on your SD Card? No problem; you can easily make a subdirectory for a specific project. Even better is that you can view the thumbnails of your saved images so you won’t have to browse through every single file to find the one you need. Specify the default image format you would like to save in through the app’s Settings, as well as enable/disable High Quality mode. The option to rename each captured image manually or automatically is also at your fingertips. SnowDeer Web Scrapper also supports integration with other web browsers, such as Dolphin HD and Firefox, and can be initiated through the page sharing option within the browser of choice. This means that the webpage of interest is opened directly in SnowDeer Web Scrapper, ready to be Scrapped. One downside to SnowDeer Web Scrapper is that, as of this writing, it only supports taking screenshots in portrait orientation only, even when you tilt the device to landscape. You may have to zoom in a bit further to capture the webpage’s content at a readable size. Despite its flaw, SnowDeer WebScrapper is a handy tool for people who like to collect webpage screenshots for various projects and assignments. If you like to start collecting screenshots of webpages now, you can download SnowDeer Web Scrapper (requires at least Android 2.2) from the Android Market. Prior to SnowDeer Web Scrapper, what screenshot app did you use for capturing webpage screenshots on your Android phone? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE No related posts. This article, Capture Screenshots of Entire Webpages with SnowDeer Web Scrapper , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Top 5 Rumors of the Samsung Galaxy S3 Posted: 28 Jan 2012 10:22 PM PST Are you ready for some more rumors about the next line of Samsung Galaxy S Android phones? Well we don’t any new ones for you yet, we are going to go over what is most likely going to be in the Samsung Galaxy S3. We’ve been seeing rumors of the Galaxy S3 since late last year, and they have been getting stronger and multiplying ever since. Last year the Galaxy S2 was announced at Mobile World Congress which is set to take place next month from Barcelona and we are expecting to see the Samsung Galaxy S3 make an appearance this year. Samsung Galaxy S3, HD or 3D? The big question, will the Galaxy S3 be 3D or HD? We just saw Samsung and AT&T launch the Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket HD at CES earlier this month which has a 4.65-inch and 720p resolution display. It’s much more likely we will see an HD phone whether then a 3D device. We haven’t heard to much about 3D since the hype about HTC’s EVO 3D went away, So here’s to hoping for an HD device from Samsung. Gingerbread of Ice Cream Sandwich? I would really hope it comes with Ice Cream Sandwich and not Gingerbread. At CES we were expecting to see some phones with Ice Cream Sandwich launching, but the only ones we saw would not be out anytime soon. With Ice Cream Sandwich being announced last October, I’d expect for Samsung to give their Galaxy S3 a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich to go with their Touchwiz User Interface. But Gingerbread isn’t to bad, it’s still way ahead of the technology on other smartphone platforms like Blackberry, iPhone and Windows Mobile. Dual or Quad Core? This is the big one, is Samsung going to put in a Dual-core Exynos processor or a Quad-core Exynos processor? Many of us are hoping for a quad-core, we always want more power right? I think the more important issue is which one works better with the battery? As long as the phone runs fast like the Samsung Galaxy S2 Epic 4G Touch on Sprint does, I am happy with dual-core as long as the battery is adequate to last the entire day. 1 or 2GB of Memory Most phones are coming standard with 1GB of RAM these days, except for HTC they are still putting only 768MB of RAM in their phones with their heavy skin, Sense. But will we see a boost in the amount of RAM the Korean manufacturer of the Galaxy S lineup puts in their third generation of Galaxy S Android phones? If we see quad-core processor I believe we will see a boost to 1.5GB or maybe 2GB of RAM. Samsung Galaxy S3 Pricing and Release Date For the most part I am expecting the same pricing that we saw on the Galaxy S2 lineup. As far as release dates, if the latest rumors about the Galaxy S3 being a no show at MWC this year are any indication it looks like Samsung wants to make a smoother launch and launch the International and US versions together. Last year the International version was released many months before it was released on Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile. Opinions? What do you think about the Samsung Galaxy S3 so far? I am really hoping the renders we’ve seen lately are fake, with the screen going all the way to the edge with no bezel? It just looks odd, but I guess we could all get used to it right? We always want more screen real estate. Let us know in the comments what you think. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE More Samsung Galaxy S3 Rumors Surface, Includes a 12MP camera, ICS, and April Release More Crazy Rumors: Samsung Galaxy S III Edition Our Guess on the Samsung Galaxy S3 This article, Top 5 Rumors of the Samsung Galaxy S3 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

The Best Android Phone of 2012 Posted: 28 Jan 2012 09:33 PM PST The year 2011 was all about "dual core", becoming the standard for high-end smartphones. And we just witnessed what superphones like the Samsung Galaxy S II, DROID RAZR MAXX, and others are capable of. These phones are five times more powerful than anything released last year, and for this upcoming generation of devices, even more. So, what next? This year, chip-makers have come forth with quad core processors supporting mobile multitasking comparable to the performance of a desktop computer of a few years ago, powered by Tegra 3 SoC's and TI's OMAP equivalent. More cores equal more power and a faster smartphone; certainly they are likely to offer increased power savings and a performance increase in the range of 300-500%. And, they actually have power saving features embedded in them too. NVIDIA Tegra Product Roadmap And the players include HTC, Motorola, Sony, Samsung, LG, and Meizu. We will look at the devices they are bringing to market one by one. HTC HTC might be launching the first quad-core smartphone in the market among the smartphone manufacturers. Dubbed HTC Edge, it will run on NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 having four cores (and a fifth, companion core for less demanding tasks) clocked at 1.5GHz allowing the processor to simultaneously run multiple sets of program instructions. Along with this, the battery life will increase two fold. With 1GB of RAM will be at your disposal, along with 32GB of built-in memory, this mammoth device will offer a 4.7″ screen with 720p HD resolution; big-screen junkies should be happy. HTC Edge Specs 8MP camera unit with 28mm, f/2.2 lens 4.7″ screen with 720p HD NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 quad core clocked @ 1.5 Ghz 32GB of built-in memory 1GB of RAM Android 4.0 ICS Other specs include an 8MP camera unit with 28mm, f/2.2 lens, capable of capturing 1080p videos will be present as well. Bluetooth 4.0 is expected on board, along with the rest of the usual connectivity. The HTC Edge will, reportedly, be only capable of 21Mbps HSDPA network speeds. In the software department, we can be all but certain to see Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box. The Edge will also most likely come with Beats by Dr. Dre as well, for bass-fanatics, too. A number of new HTC content services are also expected like HTC Listen Music, HTC Read, HTC Watch and HTC Play. The HTC Edge is expected to hit the market between March and April this year. MOTOROLA Now, for Moto, if we are to believe the rumors, is gearing up with its Tegra 3 based devices lined up for the launch in the Q2 2012 and might be unveiled during MWC 2012. After the Motorola DROID RAZR and the Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX, the phones have been codenamed as Motorola Bullet and Motorola Jet. Supposedly the Bullet will be a straight-up slate, while the Jet will be a QWERTY slider. Remember though, very little in the way of rumors has surfaced over the past few months, so this is likely to be the least credible among the bunch. Still worth considering. Motorola Bullet The Bullet is a candy bar style 4.3″ qHD (960×540) phone, packing a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, and most likely 1.5GB of DDR2 RAM. It will also feature 16GB of on-board storage, an NFC chip, and a redesigned image sensor to capture amazing photos and HD video on its 12MP camera. It's also alleged to be launching before its keyboard brethren, the Motorola Jet. Motorola Jet The Motorola Jet 4 will be adored by the Android QWERTY lovers and sports a smaller 4″ display, brandishing a qHD (960×540) display with an amazing QWERTY keyboard from its cousin Motorola Droid 3.  Thankfully, it will be sporting the same Herculean hardware as its keyboard-less cousin, the Bullet, and will feature a 4″ qHD 24-bit screen, Tegra 3, up to 1.5GB of DDR2 RAM, 16GB on-board storage, same newly designed 12MP camera as the Bullet, NFC chip, and a fully redesigned 5 row (perhaps) style sliding keyboard. Some also reported that Motorola is getting quite serious about putting world class image sensors in their upcoming phones, giving consumers the power to capture fast, awesome HD photos and video in low light. So, with Motorola making this a major focus, it's looking like the chance of us being able to put our dedicated digital camera away sooner than we thought. Plus, with the promised processing power of the quad core Tegra SoC, it's theoretically possible that these devices will be able to capture 60fps + at 1080p. Judging by the image above it looks like both devices will be running on Verizon’s 4G LTE – since they aren’t releasing any more 3G only devices – and both phones have the “Verizon” logo, and on the back there is the “4G LTE” logo. Here’s to hoping they find a way to get great battery life on 4G LTE. SONY The Arc was one of Sony Ericsson's (soon to be just Sony) best smartphones last year. While it lacked dual core goodness, it was slim, as it was supposed to be, since most of their competition had phones like that already, and it was stylish. Design is still one of Sony's strong suit, but it doesn't go well with thick phones, which is how most of their phones still are. But they will be pushing other slim phones in 2012. Sony Xperia S Sony Xperia S Specs dual core 1.5 Ghz Snapdragon chip 4.3″ 1280×720 HD display  1 GB of RAM 32 GB of storage 1750 mAh battery 12 MP rear camera Sony will be debuting the Xperia Ion this year, which is packing a dual core 1.5 Ghz Snapdragon chip, a 4.3″ 1280×720 HD display, 1 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage, and a 1750 mAh battery. Also, it packs a 12 MP camera with full HD recording and HDMI port. The Ion is not only proof of that, but it's also a bit of proof that Sony Ericsson finally understands that they need to be on the edge with hardware specs, too. From what we’ve seen, it appears that Sony is taking the smartphone market very seriously, and is positioning themselves in 2012 to become a lot more competitive. SAMSUNG The giant Korean company, maker of the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S2, is poised to be a leader in this particular superphone death-match. Samsung's phones and tablets have used ARM, Snapdragon and Tegra chipsets, but the manufacturer's semiconductor division is working hard on the next generation of its own Exynos line of systems-on-a-chip. They are testing possible processors like the Exynos 5250, which isn't quad-core, but rather a dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor. Samsung seems to be confident that the Exynos 5250 can produce benchmarks and performance competitive with a quad-core processor. Or it may even go with the 32 nm quad core Exynos 4412 (based on Cortex A9) having the same clock speed of 1.5 GHz. One of the latest renderings of the Galaxy S3 Samsung Galaxy S3 Specs 1GB/2GB of RAM 4.6 inch 1280×720 AMOLED display under 9mm thin 12MP rear camera, with W750 BSI CMOS sensor 1.5Ghz quad core (potentially dual core, but unlikely) Multiple variants to be released to support different carriers Samsung has some tough choices to make. According to our very own Lucian Armasu: “The "safest" rumor about the Galaxy S3 has been that it has a quad core 1.5 Ghz processor, most likely based on Cortex A9. While that will certainly be competitive this spring, I don't think the competitive edge will be that big for the Galaxy S3 to maintain the lead in performance for too long.” If we take into consideration the specs of the device, the talks which are in the air reveal that the Galaxy S III's design will be different from the current design of the Galaxy S series, and will thinner in size than its ancestor, the Galaxy S2. Samsung might be including 3D (glassless) functionality into the Galaxy S3 line of Android phones. Predictions indicate that it will feature a 4.6" Super AMOLED Plus HD screen, 2GB of RAM, LTE connectivity, running on Android's latest ICS firmware with Touchwiz – Samsung's own overlay. Also like its competitors, it might incorporate a 12 MP primary camera (with W750 BSI CMOS sensor) and NFC support. If Samsung does unveil the Galaxy S3 at Mobile World Congress in 2012, we will see Galaxy S III earlier this May or even in April. If not, then look for it closer to the summer. MEIZU Meizu MX with Quad Core Launching in May 2012 Meizu MX Specs Tegra 3 Quad Core @ 1.5 Ghz 1/2GB of RAM 16 GB ROM 8MP Camera 1600 mAh 4 inch LED backlit display Recently, Meizu CEO J Wong has confirmed that after first gen Meizu MX launched recently, its quad core version will be hitting the market soon installed with the Android Ice Cream Sandwich while it arrives in May 2012. He also confirmed in the official company forum that the second version of the Meizu MX will come with the Exynos processor. There is not so detailed information about the features it will showcase, but it will perhaps have a processor clocked at 1.5 GHz, 1/2 GB RAM, 16 Gb inbuilt memory, 8 MP or higher camera, full HD recording, HDMI port, 4+" LED display and a 1600 mAh battery. Meizu have gained reputation in China, and their quality and powerful devices are starting to be acknowledged by the West, too, which means that it might not be long until they start selling them to Europe and US, as well struggling against the iPhone. LG LG's Quad Core Demon - the X3 LG X3 Specs:  NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core CPU A whopping 4.7 inches HD Screen (1280×720) 8MP Rear Camera and 1.3MP Front 16GB on a microSD card. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box 21Mbps HSPA or LTE depending on region and carrier 2000mAh battery NFC LG has received a lot of flack for slow updates, and for software that doesn’t perform at its best, all the time. That being said, they still are considered one of the top five, in terms of market share, at least. So it should come as no surprise that LG does not want to stand idly by. Rumors have it that they will be debuting a very powerful quad core device at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. In terms of specs, it seems to match a lot of these other top tier phones that we are looking at, and includes the extremely powerful chipset, Tegra 3, and will feature a high resolution, 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 1280 × 720. We’ve also had its dimensions confirmed by reliable sources that have told us it will be very thin – most likely under 9 mm. Said to come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, it will feature a 1.3 megapixel, and an 8 megapixel rear. Other specs include the usual suspects, including Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G/4G/LTE connectivity, depending on the region, and a fairly substantial 2000mAh battery. These companies are not alone in the game.  Panasonic, ZTE, Huawei and even Fujitsu are also planning to roll out their quad core phones soon, too. Anyway, no matter the number of devices, what we are in the midst of is truly a mobile computing revolution. At the end of the day, we, the consumers, will all benefit. After all, we are going to experience a whole new world of smarter, faster and buttery smooth mobile devices. Any thoughts? Which manufacturer do you think will bring to market the first quad core device? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE World's First Quad Core Android Smartphone Coming in May 2012 Quad-core HTC Tablet Coming in Early 2012 Panasonic Android phone coming soon, world wide in 2012 This article, The Best Android Phone of 2012 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Top 3 Remote Desktops Apps For Android Posted: 28 Jan 2012 07:22 PM PST An Android smartphone is a powerful computing device. However, there are some things that a smartphone can’t do or can’t handle. That’s why we have desktops, after all. However, we just can’t lug a desktop around. It’s also a bit of a hassle when a home computer is processing something and the user has to do a regular check-up on it – which maybe impossible if the owner of the PC happens to be several hours away at work. That’s why remote desktop apps were created. Designed to give users access to their home computer via the Internet using work computers, they’ve successfully been transplanted to more mobile platforms like smartphones. Here are several of the best of them for use with Android-based mobile devices. #3 GMOTE Gmote is a very efficient and simple app for beginners in remote access use. All a user needs to do is download the app to their phone and the server to their desktop. Afterwards, users just activate the app and select the server and they’re good to go. It’s primarily designed so people can have access to their music and video files, but they can also use it to browse the Web and look at files on their PC. #2 Remote Droid RemoteDroid is a more work-oriented app. Smartphone owners can use it on their local Wi-Fi network to turn their phone into a wireless keyboard and mouse combination. Working on the same server and app partnership of Gmote, it’s also pretty easy to set-up. #1 XtraLogic’s Remoted Desktop Client XtraLogic’s Remoted Desktop Client combines the two: users can manipulate their files and   use their phone as a keyboard over the Internet. This means they have full access to their home PC as long as they have their phone. Installation is also a breeze since most of the components come pre-installed in Windows. With a robust feature list and dependable security, this one is the best of the lot. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Handy Android Apps for Unwired Interaction with Desktops Best Android Apps to Turn Your Android Smartphone into a TV Remote Control Android’s remote kill switch for rogue apps This article, Top 3 Remote Desktops Apps For Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Dropbox to give Sense 4.0 Users 50GB of Cloud Storage Posted: 28 Jan 2012 09:45 AM PST Yesterday we shared with you HTC’s next step in their skin for their Android devices, Sense 4.0 While there are a lot of visual changes, one we didn’t mention is that Sense 4.0 users that login to Dropbox from their device will receive 50GB of cloud storage. Now PocketNow did not indicate whether this was a trial or permanent. But with all the leaked Ice Cream Sandwich ROM’s running with Sense 3.5, we also got a 50GB upgrade in Dropbox which is permanent. So I’d imagine this would be permanent as well. We heard a few months ago that HTC and Dropbox were teaming up to give users more cloud storage, mostly as a marketing tool to get more consumers to buy HTC devices since Sense only works on HTC Android devices. We will keep digging for more information so we can be sure whether it is just a 1-year trial or if you’ll have that 50GB of space for life. How many of you use Dropbox daily? What do you use it for? How would 50GB help you with your Dropbox account? Hit up the comments and let us know. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE HTC to Give 5 GB of Dropbox Storage to New HTC Sense 3.5 Users HTC Partners with Dropbox, Adds 5 GB Cloud Storage for New Users Select HTC Handsets Get Total of 5 GB Free Dropbox Storage This article, Dropbox to give Sense 4.0 Users 50GB of Cloud Storage , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Largest Android Malware Campaign Discovered Posted: 28 Jan 2012 09:18 AM PST If you downloaded something off the Android Market today, there is a chance that you are one of the 5 million users who have been duped by the largest-ever Android malware campaign. Symantec has dubbed this as the 'Android.Counterclank' and was found on 13 infected apps created by three different publishers. The titles of these infected apps include 'Counter Strike Ground Force' and 'Sexy Girls Puzzle.' Unfortunately of these infected apps were still found available on the market as of 3pm Friday. In an interview, Symantec's Security Response Team Director, Kevin Haley said: “They don't appear to be real publishers. There aren't rebundled apps, as we've seen so many times before." This was in reference to a common tactic which Android malware makers use to deceive innocent users into downloading the infected app. They would normally repackage one legitimate app with an attack code before re-releasing it to the marketplace hoping that this will confuse users to download the fake along with the one that's real. Symantec has put an estimate number of the downloaded apps; something the Android Market has only shown as a range. By combining the download totals of the 13 apps, Symantec was able to derive a figure between 1-5 million. "Yes, this is the largest malware [outbreak] on the Android Market." Haley admitted. The malware is actually a Trojan that attacks Android smartphones. Upon installation, it collects a wide scope of data, including the handset maker and bookmark copies. Moreover, it modifies the home page of the browser. As a result, hackers have earned some money from the malware by pushing some unwanted advertisements on the compromised Android devices. One of the reasons why the malware has affected such a huge number of Android users is because they do not bother reading privacy agreements. They simply approve these apps, without even reading information on them. "If you were the suspicious type, you might wonder why they're asking for permission to modify the browser or transmit GPS coordinates," Haley said. "But most people don't bother." If you can still remember the Trojan horse discovered last June 2011 called the Android.Tonclank, today's malware is a minor variation of it. Even though the malware was only discovered yesterday, some of the 13 infected apps have already been on the Android Market for at least a month. This is based on the revision dates posted on them. Even Android users did not notice anything fishy. One user downloaded 'Deal & Be Millionaire' last January 16 and had this to say about the app: "The game is decent… but every time you run this game, a 'search icon gets added randomly to one of your screens. I keep deleting the icon, but it always reappears. If you tap the icon you get a page that looks suspiciously like the Google search page." Deal & Be Millionaire is one of the 13 infected apps. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE New Android Malware Discovered in China Unofficial Markets Android Malware Still Persists in Market GGTracker Malware Hides As Android Market This article, Largest Android Malware Campaign Discovered , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Idolian’s New TorboTab C8 Keeps Its Promise Posted: 28 Jan 2012 08:11 AM PST Keeping true with its promise 'Tablets for Everyone,' Idolian has a new 7-inch Android tablet out in the market. The new tablet, named TorboTab C8 is exclusively available on Amazon. This is the second tablet they have manufactured after the IdolPad, a highly successful tablet for only $99. The TorboTab C8 runs on Android 2.3 and only weighs about half a pound. It features a 1.5GHz processor, Cortex A8 chipset, 512MB, 360 G-Sensor, 7" Multi Touch Capacitive Screen, and a front facing camera. It also has Wi-Fi connectivity and a battery life of about 4-5 hours. Due to its compact size (measuring only half an inch thick), it is easy to carry and is very lightweight. Just like every other tablet, the TorboTab can function as a video player, mp3 player, game player and an e-book reader. Attached with an external keyboard case, it can automatically turn itself into a mini laptop. “TorboTab is the fastest 7″ Capacitive Touch Screen Tablets in the market at this price range. Everyone who got their hands on were really impressed. Some even commented that it performs faster and better than IPad. We are working on Android 4.0 upgrade on TorboTab right now and we expect it to be available in next few weeks.” says its President, Debbie Kim. As of this writing, the TorboTab C8 is exclusively available on Amazon for a promotional price of $179 until the end of March. Soon, it will also be launched on other major online retailers such as Sears.com and buy.com YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE No related posts. This article, Idolian's New TorboTab C8 Keeps Its Promise , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

DoCoMo to Request Changes from Google’s Android OS Posted: 28 Jan 2012 07:08 AM PST DoCoMo (Japan's leading mobile phone service provider) will be asking Google Inc. for help in modifying its Android OS. Nikkei.com has earlier reported the reason behind this request is so DoCoMo smartphones running on Android OS will generate less data traffic. This request came after DoCoMo identified a free-of-charge voice communication Android app that intervened with the service of the provider last Wednesday. In addition to this, there are some Android apps that send out some control signals every three to five minutes despite not being used. As a result, the network encountered much of a strain by these apps. There is a current issue with the sharp rise of data consumption which adds pressure to wireless network operators to continually boost their capacity investments. This is so they can avoid clogging telecom networks as the demand for on the go data services continue to shoot up. According to Nikkei, DoCoMo plans to request Google to lessen the amount of time that Android automatically transmits control signals. Currently, it does so every 28 minutes; which results to frequent service disruptions. This could possibly give a negative impact on the popularity of Android smartphones. In lieu with this, DoCoMo hopes that Google and other mobile service providers will collaborate with them in requesting Android app developers to put a limit on the frequency control signals are sent. However, considering that Android's biggest edge is its open source platform, this request may not be taken seriously. What do you think? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 to launch in Japan with NTT DoCoMo Japan’s NTT DoCoMo to offer first Android phone in first half of 2009 DoCoMo and KTF to make a new Android phone This article, DoCoMo to Request Changes from Google's Android OS , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Android Smartphone Market Share Declines for the First Time Posted: 28 Jan 2012 06:02 AM PST Ever since its entry in the smartphone market in 2008, Android's spot in the market has reduced. From its 52.5% share in Q3 2011, Android only reached 47.0% in the last quarter of 2011. This data has been reported by ABI Research; who really didn't have to explain the reason behind this fallout. Everyone knows that with the launch of the iPhone 4S, the market pretty much became a leveled field for Android and iOS. Even though there were a huge number of Android phones shipped out during the quarter, it still wasn't enough to overtake sales of the latest Apple product—not even the 33 million Samsung shipped out. “Apple's iPhone 4S cut Samsung off at the knees and outpaced Samsung's highly coveted 280% [year-to-year] smartphone growth,” ABI wrote. By selling 37million iPhone units on the last quarter of the year, Apple was able to finally top the smartphone market. The data ABI collected was based on a global scale. If not for the launch of the iPhone 4S, Apple would have retained its muted presence throughout the world. In fact, it was only in the US where the iPhone has remained on the #1 spot ever since its debut. If this data seems to sound as a threat to Android, there really isn't an issue. According to ABI, the huge growth of Apple is because of China. Nevertheless, the clamor about the iPhone 4S is already dying down. This has hit Apple smack in the face with a realization that it can only wow its consumers once a year, while Android keeps coming up with new and exciting units often. Do you think the release of the much awaited iPhone 5 will also cause the same response? Let us know in the comments below. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Android takes control of 25% of the global smartphone market share Android Still Tops iOS in U.S. Smartphone Market Share and Data Usage Android Top Platform in 35 Countries, Holds Almost Half of Global Market Share This article, Android Smartphone Market Share Declines for the First Time , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

How to Root Samsung Galaxy S2 I9100 Running XXLP2 Firmware Posted: 28 Jan 2012 05:28 AM PST If you’ve ever applied the Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich firmware build XXLP2 to your Samsung Galaxy S2, you’d know that you’ve lost all root privileges after applying the update.  You can get back your root access, though, using CF-Root Kernel.  By getting back your root access to your Galaxy S2, you can ensure your continuous use of your root-only Android apps, as well as continue tweaking your handset according to your liking. In this guide, you will learn how to flash CF-Root Kernel to your Samsung Galaxy S2 running Android 4.0.3 ICS build XXLP2.  (If you’re looking for the instructions for upgrading your Galaxy S2 to firmware build XXLP2, check out this guide.) Important Reminders Before you proceed, first comply with the following requirements: This rooting guide only works for the Samsung Galaxy S2 I9100 with firmware build XXLP2 of Android 4.0.3. The Samsung USB drivers for your phone must be installed on your computer for this guide to work.  (If you’ve installed Samsung KIES, you most likely have the handset drivers already installed.) Create a backup of your phone's data or transfer all files in your SD card in case it gets corrupted during the rooting process. Have at least 60% battery power or more to keep the device running throughout the entire rooting process. We make sure that the information presented below is correct and we leave discretion to the user to use this guide. Root your device at your own risk. We are not held liable for any damage arising from the use of these rooting instructions. Rooting Instructions If you're all set, you may now proceed with rooting your Samsung Galaxy S2 I9100 with firmware XXLP2 using CF-Root Kernel. Download the CF-Root Kernel package here. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.  You’ll get only one file called CF-Root-SGS2_XX_OXA_LP2-v5.2-CWM5.tar.  Don’t extract the TAR file. Download Odin3 v1.83 from here.You will need this program to flash the TAR file to your Galaxy S2. Turn off your mobile phone. Reboot the phone into download mode by pressing the Volume Up key and Home button (middle key) simultaneously while tapping the Power button. On the next screen, tap the Volume Up key to continue into download mode. Launch Odin3 v1.83 on your PC. Connect your mobile device to your PC via USB Cable. Wait for the ID:COM in Odin3 to turn yellow or for the word "Added" to be displayed on the message box. If the device is not connected to Odin3, make sure appropriate drivers are installed in your PC. Click on the PDA tab in Odin3. Select the CF-Root-SGS2_XX_OXA_LP2-v5.2-CWM5.tar file. Under “Options” in Odin3, make sure only “Auto Reboot” and “F. Reset Time” are checked. Once everything is set, click the Start button in Odin3 to flash the CF-Root Kernel.  If the flashing process takes an abnormally long time, or if it gets stuck, try disconnecting the phone from the PC, pulling out and reinserting the battery, switching back into download mode, then repeating the process from the beginning. Once CF-Root has successfully installed, your phone will automatically reboot. Disconnect your phone from the PC only after the phone has rebooted completely. Congratulations! You have successfully rooted XXLP2 firmware on your Samsung Galaxy S2 I9100 using CF-Root Kernel. The Superuser and ClockworkMod Recovery app are also included in the package. Use superuser to gain root access to applications and CWM for ROM recovery and back-up. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE How to Upgrade Your Galaxy S2 GT-I9100 to Ice Cream Sandwich XXLP2 Firmware How to Root Samsung Galaxy S2 GT I9100 on XXKP8 ICS Android 4.0.3 Firmware How to Root the Galaxy Nexus Running Android 4.0.2 ICS with CF-Root This article, How to Root Samsung Galaxy S2 I9100 Running XXLP2 Firmware , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

SwitchMe For Android Dual-Boots Your Device Using Multiple Profiles, Saves On Battery Life And More Posted: 28 Jan 2012 12:52 PM PST Recall the Boot Manager app we covered a few months ago?  Well, similarly, but slightly different, you're unable to boot into different ROM's like Boot Manager, however, SwitchMe is much less complicated to navigate.  The application allows as seamlessly as allowable and with the touch of a button, to create a new installation of your current ROM minus all of the tweaks and settings.  The application is extremely "tweak-able" if you will.  The app is scaled down well for battery optimization as it allows you to switch through a number of profiles.  Here's some more suggestions from the dev as well: The technology behind SwitchMe saves all of your applications and data, protects it and stores it as a file in memory. You can then log out of an account and log into a fresh installation of Android or another account with its own unique content. Privacy—the most obvious benefit is that you can securely share one device among multiple users, which gives you privacy and peace of mind. Testing—if you are a developer, you can use profiles as clean sandboxes to test your applications and their interaction with the system. Gaming—with multiple installations of Android on a single device, you can now play online MMOs as different characters. Speed—the games your kids play slow down your tablet, but with SwitchMe you can easily create profiles in without games or messengers. Battery life—when the battery is low but there are important emails or documents to edit later, switch to a profile which only contains these essentials.   In addition, if you just wanted to use the app to dual-boot and not switch between ROM's constantly, SwitchMe is a great way to go.  You can check more information on the application via the download links below.  Give it a go and don't forget to let us know what you think in the comments section.  The app is free but also offers a pro key for $2 which allows you to create an unlimited amount of profiles as well as password protect them for added privacy. Android Market Link Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Sony Ericsson is no more, It's Sony all the way Posted: 28 Jan 2012 09:14 AM PST There's been some talk of this happening and over the past week it has. As of January 26th, the company, Sony Ericsson, is solely owned by Sony. Their former partner Ericsson sold their stake for $1.47 billion. Sony Ericsson had a rough year, clsoing out 2011 with a $318 million dollar loss in the 4th quarter of 2011. Moving forward the company's aim is to update their device line to ICS  in hopes that consumers will pick up their devices on confidence of updates. Of course, they also have some exciting new devices slated including the Xperia Ion and Xperia S. Here's hoping Sony makes good of their acquisition. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Will We Finally See the Release of the Samsung Epic 2? Posted: 28 Jan 2012 09:04 AM PST The sequel to the original Samsung Epic 4G was rumored to be seen on Sprint's network way back in quarter three of last year. However there hasn't been much in terms of news regarding this device since then. Heck, the phone hasn't even seen a release since it was first announced. Well it appears that we may actually see a release after all, as the device (SPH-D705) has made a showing in the Cellebrite system (see below). Usually this means that the release is imminent in the near future. Photo Courtesy of ACSyndicate While it's nice to see the possible release, as you can see near the Epic 4G Touch, at this point the phone's specs aren't really that impressive; at least in today's multi-core age. It comes with a 4-inch qHD display with 1.2GHz single-core Hummingbird processor, and an 8MP camera. Who knows, maybe they've beefed up the phone since its first showing with some upgraded specs. We will have to wait and see. So while being in the Cellebrite system doesn't guarantee that we will see the phone released it sure is a sign that the phone is moving forward. Why would Samsung add support for a phone that wouldn't be released? Again, only time will tell so keep it locked here as we bring you more information regarding this device. [top image courtesy of PocketNow] Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

CM9 is now available for the original Galaxy Tab Posted: 28 Jan 2012 08:41 AM PST So any of you sporting the original Galaxy Tab have likely realized by now you're never going to see an official ICS update. Don't let it get you down though cause there's an alternative that in all likely hood is even better. The Galaxy Tab is now supported by CyanogenMod 9. This device was added just recently so there are still some kinks, such as the camera not working; a typical omission at this stage in development. You'll also have to build this one from source. If those aren't hurdles for you check in at the XDA thread for full instructions. By the way if you have a Galaxy Tab of the 10.1 variety, I have it on good authority that a certain kang of CM9 is a brilliant. You can check that one out here. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

The Kindle Fire is Blazing the Trail to Most Popular Android Tablet Posted: 28 Jan 2012 08:18 AM PST The most recent analytics from Flurry show the startling rise of Kindle Fires popularity. Back in November when the Fire launched it accounted for about 3% of tablets used. The reigning champ at the time was the Samsung Galaxy Tab accounting for 63%. Fast forward to this January and the numbers tell a strikingly different story. The Fire has since garnered 33% more share tying it with the Galaxy Tab at 36%. Flurry's method of data collection isn't necessarily the most accurate because the data aggregation is incorporated into certain apps, but its no secret that the Fire has been a hit with consumers. Amazon's low entry point seems to have made the Fire the little tablet that could. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Nook Tablet Gets Rooted Via SD Card, Brings Back Android Market Glory Posted: 28 Jan 2012 07:56 AM PST The Nook Tablet by Barnes & Noble has been rooted again. Sure this isn't the first root it has ever received, but newer roots almost always promises bigger and better things. The fine individuals at XDA were at it again bringing a bigger, better root to the Nook. This latest root not only roots the device, but allows crafty users to get that ever-important Android Market onto their devices. You'll have to use an SD card in order to get Google Apps this time around, but if you've had experiences with partitioning SD cards, it should be a breeze of a process. Be sure to visit the XDA thread for full details and instructions on how to root the Nook. It includes essentially everything you need to know in order to make the root a success. If you do end up achieving the root, please do tell us the warm feeling you get having the Android Market and Google Apps back on your device. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

[Deal] Amazon Offering Sprint Epic Touch 4G At Discounted Price: Black Version is $79.99, White Version is $99.99 Posted: 28 Jan 2012 07:37 AM PST Always fancied that Sprint Epic Touch 4G phone, but was concerned about the steep price of the phone? Well you will want to pay a visit to Amazon, ASAP.  The online retailer is offering the ever-popular Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G for a lowered price. Yup, it's offering the 1.2GHz Exynos-powered Gingerbread handset for a lowered price which should entice more than a few people. It is offering the popular Black version for $79.99 while the intriguing white version is offered at a cool $99.99 for new customers. If you're a current Sprint customer and you want to upgrade, the upgrade price is a mere $149.99 for both versions. Also keep in mind it is offering free 2-day shipping when you order the phone by 3PM Monday-Friday. You can hit up Amazon today to grab either of the phones and when you do, let us know what you think of them when you finally get your greasy mitts on the great phone. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Razr & Razr Maxx Run Identical Software – ROMs Away! Posted: 28 Jan 2012 07:09 AM PST We just got our Razr Maxx and  have already posted our unboxing early this morning. From the look of things the Maxx is very similar structurally. All of the components are in the same place. Really all that seems to have changed is the thickness in response to that massive 3300mAh battery. What's perhaps more exciting is that the software hasn't changed. They have identical versions, builds, webtops, and kernels. So, in theory, all of the customizations available for the original DROID Razr should be applicable to the Razr Maxx. This is fantastic news for those looking to pick up the Razr Maxx, and perhaps just a tad frustrating to those who bought into the plain Razr. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

DROID RAZR MAXX unboxing and initial hands on [Video] Posted: 28 Jan 2012 05:40 AM PST I remember when I first saw the DROID RAZR MAXX at CES, and a Motorola rep told me it had a 3300mAh battery. I didn't think I heard him correctly, so I asked again. Owners of any 4G LTE phone know the struggles with battery life. Making better batteries is still a long way off so Motorola decided to shove a huge battery into a 8.9mm body. How they did it, I don't know, but hardcore users who are shopping for a new phone on Verizon really need to take a serious look at the DROID RAZR MAXX. Being a Gingerbread phone is an issue, but I know a lot of mainstream consumers won't mind waiting a few months for the Ice Cream Sandwich update, which Motorola says is coming in quarter 2. Other than the huge 3300mAh battery, the specs are essentially the same as the DROID RAZR, which include a 4.3-inch (960 x 540) Super AMOLED display, 1.2GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor, 1GB RAM, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, 1.3MP front camera, 16GB internal storage, 16GB microSD card included (upgradable to 32GB), 4G LTE compatible, Bluetooth, WiFi, micro HDMI, and Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread. Look for my full review soon, but for now here's my unboxing and initial hands on. Click here to view the embedded video. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

RIM's New CEO Doesn't Get It Either Posted: 27 Jan 2012 08:56 PM PST Meet Thorstein Heins, the poor sap who just took over RIM. Thorstein is to be RIM's saving grace, using his "hip" guy attitude he is supposed to turn RIM's image around. However, if you take into account his recent interview with Crackberry, it's obvious that like his predecessors he's pretty much oblivious to the competition. Take this quote for example. Just take a look where the Android OEMs are. I leave this to you. Take a look at their recent announcements and what you will immediately see is there is just no room for differentiation because they are all the same. Well Thorstein, either you're confusing Android with the one size fits all iPhone, or you're just plain wrong. Haven't you heard your own customers crying fowl at Android for fragmentation? The only way you could legitimately qualify that statement is if your were to belittle it to the point where "Why yes, they are all phones." Oh wait except for the tablets, and the TVs, and the cameras, and the car stereos….. If anything differentiation isn't an issue for Android, its easily the most diverse mobile OS in existence. We saw a range of devices this past year big and small, 3D cameras and screens, and who could forget the Kyocera Echo. Honestly Thorstein why do you even try to make a point of this? Do you not only not know the competition but also your own product line? Exhibit A: I don't see much differentiation there. Look Mr. Heins, I'd like to see you, quote, "Rock and Roll This" I really would. Competition benefits all of us. Seeing as how you're adamantly against adopting Android though,well, best of luck in your endeavors.