Friday, February 10, 2012



Posted: 09 Feb 2012 05:13 PM PST
real-soccer-2012
Do you love watching soccer, I mean football? I’ve never been a huge fan, but I’ll always tune into the World Cup. Earlier today I said that Gameloft had not release an Android game in awhile, but I was quickly corrected when someone told me that Real Soccer 2012 just launched.
The game is available for free and Gameloft is supporting a wide variety of devices, including the new Galaxy Nexus. Real Soccer 2012 allows you to replay the game you just watched on TV with Hypergame technology, create your own custom team jerseys, get the latest soccer news thanks to official RSS feeds from goal.com, and access many different game modes including Exhibition, League and various International Cup modes, or practice your skills in Training mode.
Gameloft has the official FIFPro license which includes thousands of real players' names, 350 teams and 14 league championships to play including England, Spain, France, Germany and South America.
Sounds like a football lover’s dream, right? Just be warned that this free game eats up 483 MB of space after it’s fully installed. Check out the official trailer and conversation with the developers below to see if you might be interested in this Android game.



Posted: 09 Feb 2012 04:33 PM PST
verizon_motorola_update
Verizon and Motorola have announced software updates for the DROID Bionic, DROID XYBOARD 10.1 and 8.2, DROID RAZR and RAZR Maxx. The updates mainly deliver much needed bug fixes and battery improvements to the three phones, but the XYBOARD tablets are being equipped with global roaming capabilities.
In order to enable the GSM 3G connection, the XYBOARDs will need two separate updates. The first update will enable global roaming while the second update (which will be pushed out within two weeks of the first) will update the SIM card.
Verizon’s announcement claims that the software update for the DROID Bionic, DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX are being pushed out right now. If you have not already received an update notification on your phone, go to Settings > About Phone > System Update. Let us know how the update goes and if you notice any significant system stability and improved battery life.

Motorola DROID XYBOARD 10.1 & 8.2 software update highlights

  • Enhanced browser performance to improve scrolling.
  • Improved Touch Response that includes Stylus enhancements.
  • Maintain data connection when switching between Wi-Fi and the Verizon 3G and 4G LTE networks.
  • Successfully connect to 4G LTE network and see the 4G LTE indicator.
  • Device is now capable of Global Roaming.
  • Keyboard function supported in docking station.

Motorola DROID RAZR/Maxx software update highlights

  • Improved data throughput performance in low-signal 4G environments
  • Improved Battery life when using Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) Bluetooth® headsets
  • Improved device stability when moving between home screen panels
  • When performing an Over the Air (OTA) update, the display will correctly show the remaining download time.
  • Favorite Contacts widget has been updated
Motorola DROID RAZR/Maxx update details

Motorola DROID Bionic software update highlights

  • Receive text message alerts while on voice calls without voice call interruption
  • Improved audio while streaming video to a TV using the HDMI connection.
  • Improvements in device stability to prevent black screen lockups, camera multi-shot lockups, idle resets, multimedia dock lockups
  • Data connectivity and stability improvements.
  • Improvements in battery life.
Motorola DROID Bionic update details
Show Press Release
Verizon Wireless will soon start pushing a software update for the DROID XYBOARD 10.1 and XYBOARD 8.2 tablets. The update will enhance browser performance, touch response and prepare the XYBOARD for global roaming. The global roaming feature will be added in a two step process. This software update will add the global support to the hardware and a second over the air update will be pushed soon after to update the SIM card and make the tablet Global Ready. The second software update will be pushed within two weeks of receiving the first update. Once the second update is completed, customers will be able to take their XYBOARD tablets overseas and use data in over 205 countries, and more than 150 of those with 3G speeds.
Customers who have signed up for e-mail alerts will receive an email notification after the second update alerting them that the tablet is Global Ready. Before traveling outside the United States, customer will need to power on the tablet and establish a data connection on the Verizon Wireless network for 15 minutes to ensure the update takes effect and also enroll in a Global Data Plan that fits their travel needs at www.verizonwireless.com/global.
Customers can visit www.verizonwireless.com/droidxyboard10.1support and www.verizonwireless.com/droidxyboard8.2support for more information about the update and download instructions.
Verizon Wireless has begun pushing a software update to the DROID BIONIC, DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX by Motorola. The update enhances data connectivity, access to V CAST Apps and more. Customers can visitwww.verizonwireless.com/droidrazrsupport and www.verizonwireless.com/droidbionicsupport for more information about the update and download instructions. DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX Customers can download the update by going to Settings > About Phone > System Update on their DROID RAZR or DROID RAZR MAXX.


Posted: 09 Feb 2012 02:34 PM PST
ota update
Manufacturers are always catching heat for not staying up to date with Android software. They can release three phones in a quarter, each with better hardware than the one before it, but not a single one runs on the latest version of Android. Why is that? We know third-party UIs and carrier customizations hold up the update process. That’s not all though. A Motorola executive has spoken out on the hardships of updates, and it looks like the Big M holds Google’s Nexus hardware choices responsible for much of the delays.
When Google first releases a new version of Android, only the company lucky enough to be chosen as the manufacturer of the next Nexus has access to it. When that new version of Android is released with the next Nexus, it’s optimized to run on Nexus hardware. According to Christy Wyatt, senior vice president and general manager of Motorola’s Enterprise Business Unit, that’s where the problems begin.
When Google does a release of the software ... they do a version of the software for whatever phone they just shipped. The rest of the ecosystem doesn't see it until you see it. Hardware is by far the long pole in the tent, with multiple chipsets and multiple radio bands for multiple countries. It's a big machine to churn.Christy WyattMotorola
Clearly, manufacturers are faced with several hurdles leading to a consumer update. Some are uncontrollable, while some could be worked on.
Carrier control isn’t likely to go away anytime soon. Companies like Motorola don’t see any advantages in limiting what a carrier can do to their device. Some devices make it to market with only a handful of custom apps, while others, like Moto’s Droid devices, are as carrier branded as Android gets. In return for giving Verizon this sort of control, Motorola gets to be the face of Verizon for many ad campaigns to come.
Limiting the hardware a manufacturer releases would also help alleviate some of the stress behind updates. This could be a growing trend in 2012. It was certainly well voiced in 2011.
As far as Android being optimized for specific hardware, forcing manufacturers to work overtime to optimize for their hardware, there’s not a whole lot that can be said. However, companies with less hardware available, who make less changes to stock Android, generally get their updates out faster than anyone else.
Hardware optimization and custom software aside, one can’t help but wonder how much of the drawn out update process is tied to sheer laziness or a “who cares” attitude. Take Motorola’s unfulfilled promise to unlock bootloaders: instead of making good and releasing the necessary tools, they’ve announced yet another version of the RAZR with an unlockable bootloader and “Developer Edition” in the name.
Is that because Verizon told them unlocking the original RAZR would be a bad idea? Are they too busy working on new phones, ignoring the old ones? Do they really even care? If Motorola is spending all their time trying to optimize new versions of Android Google released with a Nexus in mind, would they be opposed to some hardware limitations imposed by Google? Or probably most ideally for Motorola, should consumers just get over it, and be happy that they can still run (most of) the latest apps from the Market?
Whatever the case, one thing is for sure. Don’t expect the manufacturers to suddenly start updating their handsets faster any time soon. They have plenty of
excuses
reasons lined up to explain the wait.


Posted: 09 Feb 2012 01:50 PM PST
android-black-box
Today the Wall St. Journal reports that Google is working on a “home-entertainment system that streams music wirelessly throughout the home and would be marketed under the company’s own brand.” They don’t mention the name of the device, but a separate source tells us it is being called Android Hub.
The Journal also says that people briefed on the company’s plans think Google’s box may stream other digital media besides music and they expect it to be unveiled later this year. We would wager at Google IO from June 27-29.
Last year at Google IO, Android@Home was given a brief demonstration. Google said they had partnered with “several industry players” to build a home automation framework that could “work with any device, from any manufacturer.”

From what we have gathered, it sounds like this Android Hub product will be Google’s next-generation of Google TV, minus the actual “Google TV” branding. Google recently sent a request to the FCC to test some entertainment devices that contained WiFi and Bluetooth, and we think Android Hub is one of those.
Google TV failed pretty miserably, but we know that Google plans to revive it with new hardware powered by low-cost ARM processors. I think some consumers were actually confused by the Google TV name, so calling it Android Hub would make sense.
My speculation is that Android Hub will be a set top box, that is WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC enabled. Look for it to be sold at a mass market price around $99-149. The device will run the latest version of Android and have limited internal storage. Media will be streamed from Google’s services and personal media will be stored in Google’s upcoming cloud storage platform. It will have full access to the Android Market for apps, movies, music, and other goods.
Hopefully some more information will be dug up over the coming days. We will update this story when we have additional details to report.


Posted: 09 Feb 2012 01:38 PM PST
att-generic-sphere-green-300
A few days back, we told you the story of an AT&T customer whose data was throttled once he used a little more than 2GB on his unlimited plan. It’s no secret that AT&T has been throttling data for the top five percent of consumers since last year, but none of us were expecting that the cutoff would begin at the 2GB threshold.
In order to explain the company’s actions, Mark Siegel, an AT&T spokesman has pointed out to the Wall Street Journal that AT&T’s top five percent data consuming customers use an average of 2GB per month. While AT&T reserves the right to throttle all customer who fall into that category, it’s not an automatic process. AT&T actually takes into account the user’s location and network capacity before enabling data throttling. Based on this system,  ”less than 1 percent of AT&T smartphone customers” were effected by data throttling policy last month.
There's a very good chance you wouldn't be slowed.Mark SiegelAT&T
While we’d like to take Mark Siegel at his word, the details are too vague.  We don’t know how many of AT&T’s customers are still grandfathered into AT&T’s unlimited data plan, but we can guarantee that the ”less than 1 percent of AT&T smartphone customers” calculation also accounts for all of AT&T’s customers with metered data plans.
We know that data throttling is here to stay. All we want is for carriers to be 100% transparent and tell consumers exactly when they will reach the throttling threshold.  What do you think AT&T should do to fix this issue?


Posted: 09 Feb 2012 12:50 PM PST
samsung-galaxy-nexus-white
Fancy a white Galaxy Nexus? The guys from Negri Electronics now have them in stock for $659, and they are shipping now upon order. That’s not quite as cheap as Amazon, who sells the Galaxy Nexus for $629.99, but they only have it available in the standard titanium and silver colors.
The international version of the Galaxy Nexus (i9250) comes unlocked (like all Nexus phones) and works on both AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s HSPA+ networks. We already know that Sprint will carry the Galaxy Nexus, but there is no official word from AT&T or T-Mobile.
Verizon’s LTE version is my daily phone and it’s easily the best Android device out there. As we saw this week there are many benefits of being on the latest version of Android, like Google’s new Chrome Browser.
I’ve never shopped with Negri Electronics before, but I know several of our readers got their Galaxy Nexii from them and had good experiences. If you don’t care about color, I’d suggest ordering from Amazon and saving a few bucks. For anyone thinking of switching to Verizon, Amazon still has the Galaxy Nexus on sale at $99 for new customers.
Update: As pointed out in the comments, Negri Electronics also has the Canadian version of the 16 GB Galaxy Nexus for $595.50. It has the same penta-band radio and should work on AT&T and T-Mobile, but I’m told it is the yakjuwx build instead of yakju.

Behold the white Galaxy Nexus.


Posted: 09 Feb 2012 11:38 AM PST
samsung-galaxy-camera
As he mentioned during an interview last October, Andy Rubin’s dream is to see Android on every screen. A couple of years ago, that might have seemed like something impossible, but we are getting very close to such a world. With Samsung being one of the biggest players in Android, we are not surprised to see that they might be working on an Android camera.
Samsung has filed a trademark for a device called the “Samsung Galaxy Camera” via the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office). As always, we do not yet know if this is for a device, a service, an app, or if it will even become anything at all (We have seen multiple companies file for trademarks they’ve never used).
We have seen Polaroid make an attempt at a standalone Android camera as well. Granted, the device we saw at CES was not the best device in the world, but after speaking to Executive Vice President and COO Emanuel Vorona, he assured me that Polaroid’s commitment to Android is strong. He even mentioned that the final product would be much better than what we saw at CES, and he just rushed those so we could have something to see at the show.

We still do not know to what extent Samsung would take the Android OS into a camera. The Polaroid Android camera was essentially a camera with a phone in it (as opposed to a phone with a camera). It makes us wonder what Samsung’s possible product could be like. Will it also have phone capabilities? Would it work as a WiFi-only device? Will it even have the full capabilities of the operating system, or will it be limited to better fit its purpose?
These, among with other factors will have to be considered by Samsung. We sure hope that they can find a good balance and make a great device. And if Polaroid steps up its game well enough, we might be seeing great Android cameras in the near future.
Being able to edit your pictures with apps, directly from your camera, would be really fun. Not only that, but one could also easily share images through social networks, or upload them to the cloud without needing to connect it to a computer.
As already mentioned, we do not know if Samsung is actually working on something like this. It is simply speculation based on a trademark it has filed for. But let us know your opinions. Do you guys believe we need good Android cameras, or would you prefer phones with better cameras? Would all the photographers out there like to see Android on their DSLR cameras some day?


Posted: 09 Feb 2012 11:13 AM PST
amazon-kindle-bikini
Android manufacturers are not giving up on the fight against Apple. The situation is tense, and the war does not stay behind the borders of product competition. TV commercials and ads take direct swings at Apple. We can take Samsung’s latest commercials as an example – including their Super Bowl ad. But this time around, Amazon is taking its swing at Cupertino Giant.
The video emphasizes the fact that a Kindle is much better for reading than the iPad. And that even if you want a device for media consumption, you can use a Kindle Fire. The main point is that you can get the best out of both worlds by purchasing both Kindle products, at a price lower than the iPad. In the video, the lady has 2 Kindle Fires and one $79-dollar Kindle, and all of them together still cost less than “that.”
Granted, the Kindle Fire is not exactly your full-fledged tablet. But it could take care of a great percentage of general consumers. You can listen to your music, play movies, read books, surf the web, etc. For many users, especially those looking for a good deal, it might be a better option to just purchase 2 Kindle devices.
But what do you guys think? Would you rather get an iPad or two (or more) Kindle devices? Or would you prefer a full-fledged Android tablet? Take a minute to check out the fun video and let us know what you think.



Posted: 09 Feb 2012 10:54 AM PST
google-wallet-hack
Early this morning security frim  Zvelo revealed a hack for Google Wallet that exposed a user’s PIN. Fortunately this vulnerability only affected rooted phones, as Google was quick to point out to The Next Web. Now a second hack has been posted online that works on non-rooted devices and requires no special hacking skills.
Mobile blog TheSmartphoneChamp uploaded a video to YouTube that demonstrates the vulnerability. All someone has to do to access your funds is clear the data in app settings, which will force Google Wallet to prompt them to enter a new PIN. Once the new PIN has been entered, they can add a Google Prepaid Card that is tied to the device and access any available funds.
It sound almost too simple to be true, but I tested it on my Galaxy Nexus with the latest official version of Google Wallet and it works like a charm. We expect Google will be releasing an update shortly to address both issues.
As a reminder, if you want to protect you Android phone it is best to setup the lock screen and install a tracking software like Lookout in case you ever lose your device.
Update: Google has provided us with the following statement:  ”We strongly encourage anyone who loses or wants to sell their phone to call Google Wallet support toll-free at 855-492-5538 to disable the prepaid card. We are currently working on an automated fix as well that will be available soon. We also advise all Wallet users to set up a screen lock as an additional layer of protection for their phone.



Posted: 09 Feb 2012 10:14 AM PST
htc
Who will be the first manufacturer to update their handsets to Android 4.0 (excluding Nexus devices)? HTC could be first out the gate with a round of ICS upgrades that are expected to appear by the end of March. The first devices to receive these updates will be the Sensation, Sensation 4G, and Sensation XE.
HTC also shared that Android 4.0 upgrades will be coming later this year to the HTC Rezound, HTC Vivid, HTC Amaze 4G, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G, HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire S and HTC Desire HD. Make sure you like their Facebook page to keep up with the latest news on software updates.
Did your HTC phone make the list?