Update - 8

AT&T Buyers Guide: February 2012 Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:05 PM PST This is our new monthly column that will feature the best from AT&T for each month. We are doing one for each carrier in the US. We are going to bring you current promotions as well as our picks of the best Android device in a range of categories that are available on AT&T’s network. Please feel free to provide your feedback in the comments so we can make this column even better for you. Also, be sure to share this with all your friends on AT&T, so if they are looking to upgrade you can give them advice based on our knowledge. Buying a new phone from AT&T today can be a slippery slope, leading to buyers regret. With AT&T’s LTE network coming into existence and Mobile World Congress (MWC) right around the corner, it's hard to know what phones won't be completely obsolete by the end of the month. AT&T markets many phones as 4G while in reality they are 3G+ (HSPA+). By no means are they a slouch, but are simply not up to par with their LTE counterparts. So, here we are to lead you in the right direction! Check it out! High-End Phones Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket 4G First up is the Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket, one of the first 4G LTE phones available for AT&T’s new network. With a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, HDMI port, and 1GB of RAM, there is nothing you can't do with this phone. This phone is currently equipped with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) but has been promised it will be upgraded to Android 4.0 (ICS) in the near future.  Lastly, this phone is available in black and white so you have at least some options to choose between. Whereas this is one of the best phones currently available on AT&T’s network, it's good to know some downsides to this phone. First is: on top of Android 2.3, most Samsung phones come with Samsung's TouchWiz interface, love it or hate it it's there. Although the screen is Super AMOLED, the screen is not HD (720 x 1280) or even qHD (960 x 540). The phone comes with a  resolution that is 480 x 800 pixels. The 4.5″ screen at this resolution may be too low for some, and for those with sharp eyes, they would be wise to consider the alternatives, with crisper HD screens.   HTC Vivid 4G That leads us to the next phone on the list. Known as the HTC Vivid; this phone was released alongside the Skyrocket. It is also a 4G LTE device sporting a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, a 4.5 inch qHD (960 x 540) super LCD display, HDMI port, and 1GB of Ram. This phone is also equipped with Gingerbread, and has been promised an upgrade to ICS in the near future. This phone is also available in black or white, so have your pick. Again, while this is one of the best phones currently available on AT&T, it does have its possible downsides. The Vivid, like the Skyrocket, comes with a custom skin laid on top of Gingerbread known as Sense; although known as the most functional skin out there, it has been known to slow down even dual-core devices.  Unfortunately, the battery is also one of this devices weak points too. It is ridiculously small when compared to any other 4G phone out there today. Running at 1620 mAh, it is around 200 mAh less than the Skyrocket @ 1850 mAh, something that you may want to remedy with a larger battery. Slide-Out Qwerty Samsung Captivate Glide Today, slide-out QWERTY keyboard phones are hard to find (especially the higher quality ones). AT&T has a very limited selection of phones available with a slide-out keyboard, and though they do have a few, the only one I found worth buying was the Samsung Captivate Glide. It is not as flashy as the Skyrocket or the Vivid; nevertheless, the Glide is a surprisingly capable phone. Spec wise, it holds its own with a dual-core 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 4″ (480 x 800) Super AMOLED screen and a 4G connection (HSPA+). ICS has not been confirmed to be in the future of the Glide, but I would not be surprised if it eventually gets it. It’s certainly capable, hardware wise. For anyone who needs a QWERTY keyboard, this will do the job; and, I highly recommend it over any other QWERTY on AT&T’s network. Again this phone has its downside much like any other phone out there. First is the processor. It's a Tegra 2. By no means is this processor sub-par, but it's a year old and it's starting to show its age against other dual-cores currently available. Next on the list is the screen. Much like the Skyrocket, its resolution is low (480 x 800) when compared to many other of the new phones being released today. Last is the OS; while it is currently running Gingerbread, its future is up in the air as to whether or not it's getting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. None of these factors make this a bad phone, but it will seem outdated much sooner when compared to the phone technology that is currently available today – or soon to be. Budget Phone Motorola Atrix 4G Last is the Motorola Atrix. This was the first dual-core phone available on AT&T’s network. This phone is near the end of its life and may be hard to find, but for the price, it can't be beat.  It has a dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and a qHD screen. It has good specs with 4G data speeds (not LTE), and solid build quality. In most cases this phone will be a penny on Amazon Wireless, and is well worth the price. The only real downside with this phone is the screen it uses; the PenTile technology can sometimes bother one's eyes so make sure and check the phone out beforehand if possible before buying it. Suggestions Where to buy? Depending on your situation it is hard to recommend where to buy your phone. Often for new customers, I would recommend buying a phone through Amazon Wireless. You get great deals without having to haggle with customer service, and it will be shipped right to your door. If you are looking for a brick and mortar for some face to face customer service and to be able to see the phones "hands on", Best Buy often will price match Amazon. Lastly, if you have been with a mobile carrier for an extended amount of time, you often have special upgrades available they are willing to throw at you to keep you around, but this may take some haggling. As always, I recommend shopping around to see what the best deal is available to you. Lastly If you had any confusion with the terminology in this, I suggest you check out this article for a brief brush-up on it. Next month after MWC I am thinking this list will change greatly, so keep an eye out, and prepare to hold out for a bit if you want the very best. Good luck! YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Best Android Devices on Sprint, February 2012 Droid 4 Release Date Bumped to February 2, 2012 A Guide for CES 2012 from Your Favorite Android Site, AndroidAuthority This article, AT&T Buyers Guide: February 2012 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Spacetime Studios Releases its First Teaser Trailer of Dark Legends Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:00 PM PST If you love the Underworld film series, and if you happen to have a crush on Selene, the rebellious yet righteous vampire portrayed by the English actress Kate Beckinsale, then it wouldn’t be surprising either for you to love this game we are about to introduce. Enter Dark Legends, a thrilling MMORPG developed by Spacetime Studios, the gaming company that brought Pocket Legends and Star Legends to life. According to the developers, Dark Legends is a completely different game that will surely feed the bloodlust of its players. Spacetime Studios was kind enough to send us a copy of the game’s first teaser trailer. Although the trailer is a bit short, leaving some of us hanging, it was just enough to trigger the curiosity in our brain and the vampire fantasies we've been hiding. Of course, we wouldn't dare to question the game’s quality as Spacetime Studios has already proven to the world that they can create freaking awesome stuff. So what can we expect from this frightening game? Essentially, players will portray the role of a vampire who is duly trained and tutored by a mentor. Eventually, apparently due to an uprising led by the human race with the plan to exterminate the then-secret vampire society, players will have to face all odds as it battles against werewolves, hordes of demons and the undead alongside misguided humans in a quest to save the vampire clan from utter extinction. It’s a very interesting game that is destined to become a classic. Dark Legends is an action-packed game you surely wouldn’t want to miss. It’s expected to arrive this coming March for Android, Chrome and iOS. Check out the first teaser trailer after the jump. Enjoy! YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Halfbrick Studios Releases Free Version of Fruit Ninja EA Sports Releases Madden NFL 12 App For Android Sony Releases Second Teaser Video for Upcoming S1, S2 Tablets This article, Spacetime Studios Releases its First Teaser Trailer of Dark Legends , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Android Under Assault – Apple Wins Injunction Against Motorola, Microsoft Lines Up for a Shot Posted: 17 Feb 2012 10:46 PM PST On Wednesday, a German court awarded Apple a permanent injunction against Motorola Mobility. This is the first time Apple wins a legal battle against Motorola, which was found to infringe on the iPhone’s slide-to-unlock feature. Apple's victory may signal a change of tides in its ongoing legal war against Motorola (and Android in general). Motorola had previously won two legal decisions against Apple in Germany, but last week, a third case was dismissed. Now, Apple seems to have gained the upper hand, and Motorola's troubles don't seem to end here. According to ‘patent expert’ Florian Mueller, a new patent-infringement case is on the roll against Moto, and this time, it's Microsoft that cries foul. Slide to Unlock Pandora's Box The German judge decided that Motorola smartphones infringe on Apple's patent for “unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image”. Some say that's a trivial feature, but in the tech world, these kind of patents are used as high-powered weapons to blow devastating hits to adversaries. What does Motorola risk now? Not much, according to the company's PR. Motorola can replace the slide-to-unlock feature with another mechanism. Moto will likely adapt the swipe-from-circle unlocking mechanism it uses on the Xooms, which are the ones featured in Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, and the Android 3.0x Honeycomb OS. But, as Mueller notes, the circle unlocking feature is less intuitive than Apple's design, especially on smaller smartphones screens. Apple's win is not a crippling blow for Motorola, but we should look at the big picture here. Motorola Mobility is close to sealing the deal with Google, which will massively increase its importance in the tech landscape. Any action against Motorola can now be considered an action against Google and Android. In addition, Apple now has big chances to enforce their slide-to-unlock patent against Samsung and other manufacturers. Microsoft Pushes On Against Android Microsoft already makes a lot of cash from Android. So much so, in fact, that they make more off of Android than they do their own mobile operating system. Conservative estimates put it between $7.50 to $12.50 per device sold. And, last month, Redmond announced that they have licensing agreements that cover 70% of the Android devices sold in the U.S. You do the math. For perspective, the Chinese at ZTE revealed that they pay $20-$30 per each Windows Phone 7 device they sell. To bolster WP7 (while making a decent buck in the process), Microsoft will push on against the few Android device makers that they didn't manage to "convince" to sign licensing deals, including Barnes & Noble and Motorola. No matter the outcome of the various ongoing legal battles, Android is definitely under threat. The open nature of the platform itself may be at stake. We just hope that, sooner rather than later, the patent madness will give way to real competition. What's your opinion? Will Android come out stronger or weaker from the ongoing legal wars? Will Google’s acquisition of Motorola make a difference? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Motorola Wins First Round Of Legal Tussle With Apple Google Lawyer Scoffs at Microsoft, Apple for ‘Strangling’ Android Apple Applies for “Face Unlock” Patent, Sound Familiar? (Updated) This article, Android Under Assault – Apple Wins Injunction Against Motorola, Microsoft Lines Up for a Shot , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Android Continues to Dominate – Passed 50% of Global Market Share Posted: 17 Feb 2012 09:17 PM PST A report has just come out of the famous research firm Gartner, that says that in the last quarter of 2011, sales of Android smartphones exceeded 50% market share globally. Although Google has suffered a slight decline in market share, sales from the same period last year increased from 30.5% to nearly 51% in Q4 2011, further gaining on its rival, Apple’s iOS. Symbian has been losing ground rapidly since Nokia gave up the operating system in favor of Windows Mobile. However, Microsoft did not receive more than 1.9 percent, overtaken even by Bada which received 2.1% of sales.  Samsung, as  the most ‘valuable’ representative of Android phones, can be attributed for the high sales ratio in the second half of 2011. Samsung sold about 92 million devices in the last quarter. The customer appreciation regarding devices such as Samsung Galaxy S2 was also felt, and this year we expect the numbers to grow with the release of Samsung Galaxy S3 which will have Android on board as well. More interestingly, we are starting to see some serious quality coming out of ZTE, and from Huawei especially. The devices we had the privilege of experiencing at CES from Huawei, including the Ascend P1, and the P1S we’re some of the best hardware we’ve yet seen to date. More competition, more quality, better prices. What’s not to love? Of course, Research in Motion is lagging behind, putting BlackBerry on the 4th position, immediately after Symbian. It may be that the plan to populate the RIM BlackBerry App World with Android applications for their operating system will cause an increase in sales, in the future – or not. Anything stopping the Android freight train? I think not. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Android takes control of 25% of the global smartphone market share Android Top Platform in 35 Countries, Holds Almost Half of Global Market Share Android Smartphone Market Share Declines for the First Time This article, Android Continues to Dominate – Passed 50% of Global Market Share , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

FTC: Kids Need to Have More Protection when Using Apps Posted: 17 Feb 2012 09:08 AM PST Today, the FTC has required both Apple and Android to do more in protecting the apps their young consumers buy for their mobile devices. FTC has examined a number of mobile apps intended for children and sold through both the Apple App Store and the Android Marketplace. Out of this number, FTC examined 8,000 iOS apps and 3,800 Android apps. The researchers put in charge of this were able to discover that in almost all of these apps, there was no way for parents to tell the type of information being collected by the app maker; as well as how the information obtained gets stored or shared. FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in a statement: "The kids' app ecosystem needs to wake up, and we want to work collaboratively with industry to help ensure parents have the information they need." According to the FTC, companies which make and sell apps have a responsibility for this lack of transparency. While app makers need to disclose what sort of information they collect from their users, the App Store and Android Marketplace should also provide a way for this information to be displayed by developers. The FTC's statements have gotten the support of several online privacy advocate groups. "The new FTC report clearly demonstrates that while the mobile app marketplace keeps growing, mobile privacy keeps shrinking," says James Steyer of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit advocacy group. "Consumers, especially children, should not have to contend with mobile phone spies," said Jeff Chester, the executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy. The organization serves as a consumer protection and privacy agency, which called for Congress to pass a privacy bill of rights in protecting each consumer online. Massachusetts Democratic Senator John Kerry, along with Arizona Republican John McCain, have both introduced 'The Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights.' This proposed legislation seeks to protect the online privacy of consumers. Representative Edward J. Markey and Texas Republican Joe Barton have also introduced the 'Do Not Track Kids Act' legislation, which aims to protect the online privacy of both children and teens. These two bills are supportive of this recent FTC report. As for the targeted parties of this report Apple and Android, mixed reactions have been issued. Google (creator of Android OS) has responded to this report by affirming that the company has an 'industry-leading permission system.' They also said: "Additionally, we offer parental controls and best practices for developers to follow when designing apps that handle user data." Apple, on the other hand, has declined to comment. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Norton Brings Its Award-Winning Protection to Android How to Report Suspicious Apps in the Android Market The Best Android Apps To Give Your Kids A Safer And More Enjoyable Halloween This article, FTC: Kids Need to Have More Protection when Using Apps , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Adobe Revel Importer Now on Android Posted: 17 Feb 2012 08:03 AM PST Adobe Revel has just announced its availability in the Android Market. With this, users are now able to access their Android’s photo library anytime they need to. If you are new to Adobe Revel, you will find that it is actually a photography solution which will give you access to your photo library using any Apple device and Android smartphone. Through Revel Importer, users get to import their photos directly to their own account. Unfortunately, this is still not available as a full version of Revel for Android. Instead, subscribers simply have a quick and easy way of importing their stored photos from their Android device into their account in Adobe Revel.  "Revel Importer allows you to easily add photos stored on your Android phone into your Revel photo library," Chris Quek said on a blog post as a member of the Adobe Revel team. "The app also automatically imports new photos, so you can snap a shot with your Android phone and it will instantly appear in Revel." Apart from offering instant sharing of photos, Revel is the only photography solution which provides a way to make photos look great through the same processing engine being used in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. You can download Adobe Revel Importer for free from the Android Market. The subscription, on the other hand, can be chosen as either paid or trial. Paid subscriptions cost $59.99 a year. The app is available on Android devices which run on OS 2.2 or higher. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Adobe Unleashes Touch Apps So You Could Unleash Your Creativity Adobe Flash exploit works on Android OS Flash fix security hole and are set to release Adobe Air? This article, Adobe Revel Importer Now on Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Fujitsu Roadmap Reveals Plans for this Year Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:04 AM PST When it comes to technology, Fujitsu is one of those who have established a household name for itself. So when we found the brand's latest roadmap, we only felt the excitement to share the upcoming Android tablets Fujitsu has in store for all its fans. Based on this image we acquired from Android Community, Fujitsu has plans for two Android tablets this year. The first is a 'Mainstream Android media tablet'which will arrive in the market in June 2012. With news about the upcoming Android 5.0 Jellybean, we can only hope that this budget tablet is powered by Android 4.0. Another tablet Fujitsu has in store is a 'detachable performance slate' which, according to the roadmap, has been listed for September 2012. It doesn't mention that this slate is Android powered, but we really can't see Fujitsu releasing it for either Windows 7 or 8 tablet anytime soon. There is also much speculation that this performance slate will be quad-core powered. We can't wait to hear more about these new devices that Fujitsu has in store for us this year! However, don't expect them to arrive on their target dates. After all, what we have here is just a roadmap. We can still wait for more updates from Fujitsu in the coming weeks and months. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Fujitsu Unveils Waterproof Smartphone and Tablet LG 2011 Roadmap Reveals A Lot Of Android Phones Fujitsu’s 7-inch Android Tablet to Come Out in 3rd Quarter 2011 This article, Fujitsu Roadmap Reveals Plans for this Year , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Sorry Folks, Asus Transformer Ice Cream Sandwich Update Happening on March Instead Posted: 17 Feb 2012 05:59 AM PST If you're the owner of an Asus Transformer tablet and waiting for the Ice Cream Sandwich update, you may just have to wait a little longer. Despite our recent report that the ICS update will be rolling out in mid-February, the much awaited updated is now slated for March. This unfortunate bit of news was shared by Asus on its Singapore Facebook Page. At first, the company thanked their fans for their patience and understanding; especially since what would follow would be a series of angry and disappointed comments by the Transformer users. We know it's disappointing, especially having to wait for the update for so long already, but we do have to understand Asus is probably busy with other things—like the Mobile World Congress or maybe doing the laundry… We really can't tell, but think about it this way: maybe Asus is making sure that the ICS update will not encounter any issues when they release it into the public. What do you think? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE ASUS Transformer Prime Ice Cream Sandwich Update now rolling out ASUS Bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to the Transformer Prime on January 12th Ice Cream Sandwich Unofficial Port Lands on ASUS Transformer This article, Sorry Folks, Asus Transformer Ice Cream Sandwich Update Happening on March Instead , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

iSuppli Report: Kindle Fire Takes Off, Apple Loses Grip Posted: 17 Feb 2012 05:23 AM PST Are you sick of people telling you that there is no tablet market, only an iPad market? From now on, tell your iPad-toting buddies to check out this report from iSuppli, which essentially puts the iPad dominance theory to the rest. In a nutshell: Apple still sells more tablets than anyone else, but Cupertino's iron grip on the market is finally loosening. So, who deserves the credit? Without doubt, Amazon's Kindle Fire, the star of Q4 2011. Amazon didn't release any Kindle Fire sales figures, but iSuppli was able to estimate the tablet’s performance at a respectable 3.9 million units sold. How good is that, you ask? Well, consider that Samsung, the former leader of the Android pack, only moved about 2.1 million tablets in the same period. Even more telling, Apple sold 3.2 million units in the iPad's debut quarter back in 2010. Can the Kindle Fire Burn Down Apple's Throne? The Kindle Fire, which runs a heavily-modified version of Android,  was only announced in late September, which makes its evolution even more impressive. From 0% market share in Q3, the Fire rocketed to 14% in Q4 (October to December). This means that Amazon managed to sell over 1.3 million tablets per month. In the process, Amazon overcame all its non-iPad competitors, including Samsung, who got about 8% of the market in the fourth quarter. Somehow surprisingly, the fourth place goes to another "outsider" – Barnes & Noble's Nook line. Now, the big question – is Amazon able to keep up the pace? Several analysts have pointed out that Amazon probably sells the Fire at a loss, hoping to break even with its associated services, like eBooks and apps. If Jeff Bezos and Co. are able to keep the ball rolling for long enough, next year's figures may look even worse for the iPad. Of course, Apple won't go down without a fight. The iPad 3 is around the corner. And Microsoft may also have a word to say with the touch-native Windows 8 slated later this year. Android's Performance In essence, Kindle Fire OS is Android, but many argue that Amazon's tablet (and B&N's devices) is a far cry from Google's original OS, and should be counted separately. So, how did "proper" Android tablets perform? Some basic arithmetic tells us that the combined market share of all Android tablets was about 41% in Q4 and about 36% in 2011. Without the Fires and Nooks, the Android market share was about 20% in Q4 and around 25% in 2011. Should these figures worry Google's top brass and their manufacturing partners? The truth is that Amazon and B&N compete in the low-cost tablet sector, where pure-bread Android used to rule. The low cost and the attached ecosystems have contributed to the breakout performance of the Kindle and the Nook. Now traditional Android supporters, like Samsung, Acer, and HTC, need to rethink their strategies and fight back. We'll see how that turns out later this year. What do you think? Is the rise of the Fire a good thing for the Android world? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Survey: iPad Buyers Holding Off Purchases Because of Kindle Fire Amazon’s Kindle Fire Surpasses the iPad in Demand Bigger Kindle Fire Coming in Mid-2012 This article, iSuppli Report: Kindle Fire Takes Off, Apple Loses Grip , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Update - 7

Google’s notification bar patent could spell trouble for Apple Posted: 17 Feb 2012 01:21 PM PST Android has long been the target of many lawsuits from large patent holding companies, especially Apple. As a Google owned patent for the notification bar as we know it, filed for in 2009, nears a possible approval, the tables may finally be turned. When it comes to features, Google’s Android is ahead of, or on par with, every mobile operating system available today. But there’s one area where Android’s severely lacking: patents. Google released an operating system without owning any patents on a lot of the key technologies used to make it function. If Android would have never taken off, this probably wouldn’t be a problem. Instead, as Android has become a success, it’s become the target for what is arguably the most powerful company in the technology industry, Apple. Lawsuit after lawsuit from Apple has left Android and the manufacturers using the platform trying their best to fight back. If a patent on Android’s notification bar is approved any time soon, Apple may be the one fighting back next. In 2009, Google filed a patent for Android’s notification bar. If you’ve used iOS 5 or know anything about Apple’s “Notification Center,” you know that it’s a direct, blatant rip off of Android’s notification bar. According to the filing, Google would own the patent for “a computer-implemented user notification method includes displaying, in a status area near a perimeter of a graphical interface, a notification of a recent alert event for a mobile device, receiving a user selection in the status area, and in response to the receipt of the user selection, displaying, in a central zone of the graphical interface, detail regarding a plurality of recent messaging events for the mobile device.” Since Google doesn’t own the patent to the notification bar yet, they can’t do anything but sit back and watch Apple use it in all of their most popular devices. Even the latest version of the Mac’s operating system, OS X 10.8, uses Notification Center. If Google’s patent application for Android’s notification bar is approved, there’s little to reason to believe it wouldn’t be an easy victory for Google, should they decide to take Apple to court over it. It will be interesting to see what Google does with the patent should they manage to secure it. Will they immediately take Apple to court, or would using it as leverage in other patent negotiations make more sense? This will definitely be worth keeping an eye on.

Review: Verizon DROID RAZR MAXX by Motorola Posted: 17 Feb 2012 01:05 PM PST There’s no question that the DROID RAZR MAXX is for all intents and purposes merely a DROID RAZR with a big ‘ol battery crammed into a slightly embiggened frame. So what then is the big deal and why does it warrant its own review? Everyone knows that the single biggest complaint about every 4G LTE phone that Verizon has released to date has been the battery life. The average 4G LTE phone is lucky to make it more than 14 hours on a charge if you use your phone at all – even left virtually untouched you are unlikely to be greeted by anything but a blank screen in the morning if you commit the cardinal sin of forgetting to plug your phone in at night. Would a phone that could turn all of that on its ear be something you might be interested in? If so, read on for my full review. 1. Battery Life So as my preamble suggested, the 3300 mAh battery is the big highlight feature for the DROID RAZR MAXX. So if it failed to impress, this review would have kinda blown up on the launch pad. Fortunately it manages to live up to the billing and beyond. In my time with the DROID RAZR MAXX I never once was able to burn the battery down completely in less than 18 hours and with light usage I managed to eke out over 60 hours on a single charge. Sure that light usage result is unrealistic for the power users, but then again we can’t imagine not plugging our phone in at night anyway. For more casual users, and thus users that are less likely to remember to plug their phone in, I can see 36-48 hours of battery life as a real possibility. This kind of battery life in a 4G LTE phone is quite simply astounding and gives the DROID RAZR MAXX a huge advantage over the rest of the current crop of devices out there that can often struggle to make it through a regular work day. 2. Performance The 1.2 GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor that powers the DROID RAZR MAXX does its job admirably, just as it did in the original RAZR. I never experienced any slowdowns with apps, videos or games. NVIDIA specifically and even Qualcomm may do a better job at pushing their mobile processors branding, but I haven’t really had any complaints with my TI powered handsets. I wouldn’t peg this as the phone for high powered gamers due to some of its other specs, but it’s not for a lack of processing power. 3. Call Quality Motorola continues to be my gold standard for call quality amongst the Android manufacturers and the DROID RAZR MAXX was no exception. Callers were consistently loud and free of static and really that’s about all I’m looking for from my phone. I’m not a big speakerphone user, but in my cursory testing with the DROID RAZR MAXX it worked as advertised with just a slight hit to the audio quality as compared to the earpiece. 4. Display The 4.3-inch PenTile qHD Super AMOLED display on the RAZR MAXX is also identical to that of the original RAZR. I basically fall into the same camp as Anthony did in his review of the RAZR and that is that the average user is going to be pleased with the screen. The screen reproduces colors well, is sufficiently bright and text appears sharp when viewed at a normal distance. With that said this isn’t a top of the line screen anymore so it will depend on how important that might be to you. The HD displays in the HTC Rezound, Samsung Galaxy Nexus and even the LG Spectrum are undeniably superior in my mind so if you are going to be watching a lot of video or are simply a pixel peeper you should probably look to one of those devices. 5. Build Quality The DROID RAZR MAXX shares the Kevlar backing and splash proof coating of the original RAZR. It’s just a well constructed phone and I really can’t find anything to complain about here. The thicker 8.99 mm frame actually is an improvement over the original RAZR to me as I just couldn’t find a comfortable way to hold the original. The advertising showing the RAZR slicing through everything in sight failed to mention that your hands would be it’s main target. 6. Aesthetics Alright, it’s been mostly sunshine and roses so far, but here we run into one of my first problems with the DROID RAZR MAXX. It’s going to seem like a really simple and probably minor thing to many of you, but I simply could not get over it during the entire time I had the phone. The bezel on this thing is enormous! Every single time I looked at the device it bothered me. The phone’s frame could easily have supported a 4.5-4.7-inch screen and I imagine if the development time on this phone had been more than just a few months that they would made that happen. Visions of the Droid RAZR MAXX XL HD are already dancing in my head. 7. Software This was my other big problem with the DROID RAZR MAXX, and fortunately this one can be corrected. I have never felt the downgrade in the OS so greatly when reviewing a device as I did in moving from Android 4.0 on my Galaxy Nexus to Android 2.3 on the DROID RAZR MAXX. There’s nothing specific on the update timeline from Motorola yet, but it’s shared software with the RAZR should help. I’ll also say that Blur is just a non-issue to me at this point. I’m sure it’s slowing the updates a bit which is obnoxious, but I don’t see it as really marring the users Android experience anymore. We’ll see whether that holds true in the move to Android 4.0. 8. Camera The cameras on the DROID RAZR MAXX are passable. When lighting conditions are optimal the 8 MP rear-facing camera is capable of some nice images and as always I have far fewer complaints about the quality of the video capture. I will say that I think Motorola may have a tendency to push their default settings toward accuracy rather than vibrancy and I think most users would prefer the latter. You can take a look at the samples pictures and videos below to judge for yourself whether the RAZR MAXX will meet your point and shoot needs. 9. 4G LTE We are rapidly encroaching on the point where this will be table stakes for Verizon, but for the time being I’ll still grant a +1 to the DROID RAZR MAXX for it’s LTE radio. I didn’t have any trouble pulling in a 4G signal in any of my local haunts and speeds were in line with the rest of my LTE devices. 10. NFC Alright, I’m not quite as dismissive of NFC as I once was. I’ve actually used it a couple times for payments with my Galaxy Nexus and if you have a lot of friends with Android phones the beam feature is at least entertaining even if it isn’t critical to the functioning of your phone. I wouldn’t pass on this phone just for it’s lack of NFC by any means, but I will call it an unfortunate omission. Final Thoughts DROID RAZR MAXX7.5 / 10 While the score may not be terribly impressive that doesn’t tell the whole story of the DROID RAZR MAXX. The large bezel and the lack of NFC are minor issues that probably won’t even register to some buyers and again I have to believe this phone will see an update to Android 4.0 in the first half of the year. If you want the latest software and (for the most part) hardware then absolutely go with the Galaxy Nexus, but if you are either a first time smartphone user that’s used to the battery life of a feature phone or a business user that’s dependent on your phone to get work done then I would strongly recommend that you consider the DROID RAZR MAXX. A 4G LTE smartphone that gives you the freedom to not worry about your battery life is something we had yet to see on Verizon and I’m not entirely certain when another such device will come along. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed using the DROID RAZR MAXX and I think that for a large section of the smartphone buying population that this is the single best device available today.[1] References This appears to be borne out by the sales as both Amazon Wireless and Verizon have consistently had it backordered since the launch. ↩

Samsung releases sleek, yet rugged SD and MicroSD cards Posted: 17 Feb 2012 01:03 PM PST SD and MicroSD cards are the least of our concerns when it comes to aesthetics and ruggedness. But Samsung is known for manufacturing good-looking products, and boy do these brushed metal cards look good! Samsung is also boasting their rugged build, making these memory cards able to withstand water, pressure and magnet damage. We usually don’t post about such products, but we thought these were definitely worth sharing. If you are looking for a new SD or MicroSD cards, you probably should give Samsung’s latest cards a look. The new memory cards will spend most of their time hidden inside of your devices, so the odds you care much about durability or looks is slim to none. Knowing your SD card can hold its own against most things thrown its ways always reduces a bit of stress, though, especially for those that remove it often. And at least you would know that if your device gets roughed up, that data will probably be safe and sound. Samsung’s cards are able to handle water submersion for up to 24 hours, magnetic fields as strong as medical magnets, and being run over by a 3,200 pound vehicle. But their looks and durability are not all there is to it, and these cards offer great performance as well. There are two types available; the High Speed Series and the Plus Extreme Speed Series. Looks and durability don’t come cheap, though: if you are planning on getting one of these metal beauties, they will cost you a bit more green than the competition. The High Speed Series has options ranging from 2-32 GB (class 4-10), with the most expensive one going for $89.99. While the Plus Extreme Speed Series has 2 options for each size; 8 and 16 GB, class 10. These go for $24.99 and $54.99, relatively. Cards with the same specs cost the same, regardless of whether they are SD or MicroSD. Hit the press release for a table with exact details and prices. So there ya go, guys! Rugged, good-looking memory cards with great performance. For many of us, the price might not be worth it. I have never been in a situation where my SD or microSD card is in any form of danger. But what do you guys think? Would any of you find a good use to these? Or would you get them just to feel more secure? Let us know what you think! And if you want to purchase these cards, simply head to the link below and find the right one for you. Link: Samsung Brushed Metal Cards If you want a specific card listed in the press release, simply search for the model name. Show Press Release RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, announced today that it is now shipping a new line of advanced SD and microSD cards that are ideal for digital imaging and mobile devices. The seven new models of SD and microSD cards are now available as part of either the High Speed Series or the Plus Extreme Speed Series, both of which deliver up to 24MB/sec read speeds on cards with a capacity of 4GB or higher. Styled with a brushed metal design, Samsung's beautiful new line of SD and microSD cards are built with "Best-in-Class" performance. Able to meet the growing demand for high speed and high capacity memory in modern devices, the new cards are ideal for today's digital cameras, camcorders, smartphones and tablets. With (up to) 24MB/sec OR (max) read speeds, users can transfer 1GB of images in as little as 42 seconds. In order to ensure their reliability, Samsung has designed both lines of memory products to be waterproof, shockproof, and magnet proof, allowing them to withstand some of the harshest conditions. All models are guaranteed to survive up to 24 hours in water, withstand the force of a 1.6 ton vehicle (3,200 lbs), and resist up to 10,000 gauss (slightly less than the power of a medical imaging magnet). "It is our goal at Samsung to deliver superior performance, reliability and a stylish design across all of our product lines, including our memory line," explained Reid Sullivan, Senior Vice President, Samsung Electronics America. "Utilizing our 19 years of experience in memory manufacturing, we've built both lines of SD and microSD cards for performance. With read speeds of up to 24 MB/sec and max write speeds of 13 MB/sec (High Speed Line) and 21 MB/sec (Plus Extreme Speed Line), as well as meeting our '3-proof' reliability standard, these cards represent the ultimate in digital imaging and mobile computing storage. As the #1 memory supplier in the world and manufacturer of so many high performance portable devices, we are committed to ensuring consumers realize the best possible experience with those devices." About Samsung Electronics America, Inc. Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players, digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is the HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information.

Angry Birds Space, get ready to fling birds out of this world Posted: 17 Feb 2012 12:25 PM PST Angry Birds is fun, and it’s arguably the most popular mobile game out there. But there are only so many holidays and new levels that we can play before things start getting repetitive. Today, Rovio is here to tell you that the fun is not close to being over, yet. The company is exploring new territories and has taken the next version of Angry Birds all the way to outer space. Angry Birds Space will be the next addition to the popular game collection, which will be released this coming March 22nd. We do not yet know what to expect of this game, other than the fact that it will take place out of this world. Rovio is releasing this game in collaboration with NASA and National Geographic, so who knows what that could entail. New levels, characters and 3D effects are all possibilities, but it is more enticing to think of the different experiences that such a game could provide. I am very excited to see if there will be different gravity effects. We will have to sit tight until more details show up. But for now, take a look at Rovio’s new teaser and let us know what you think. What do you guys think could make this game stand out from the other Angry Birds iterations?

T-Mobile Android buyer’s guide: February 2012 Posted: 17 Feb 2012 12:18 PM PST Welcome to a new weekly column where we break down each carrier to let you know the best devices and current promotions. T-Mobile was voted the number two carrier in our Android Bowl , so we thought we should cover them next after our Verizon Buyer’s Guide last Friday. Each week we will rotate between the big four US carriers, so that each buyer's guide gets refreshed every month. Read on for T-Mobile's best devices and deals. Current Promotions and News My First Smartphone sweepstakes: T-Mobile is giving away free smartphones on their Facebook page with the My First Smartphone sweepstakes. Unfortunately, it’s a Windows Phone (Nokia Lumia 710), but free is free. Contest ends 2/17/12. 500,000 fans promo: To celebrate 500,000 fans on their Facebook page, T-Mobile is giving away coupon for 30% off any one accessory at a T-Mobile store. Offer expires 6/30/12. President’s Day Loyalty offer: Our friends at TmoNews are reporting T-Mobile will offer a special loyalty promo this weekend only. Not all customers quality, so check with your local store. You could score a free phone with mail-in rebate. T-Mobile offers Square: At select T-Mobile stores, you can now find the Square card reader. This awesome accessory in combination with the Square app allows users to accept credit cards on their Android device. See this T-Mobile blog post for additional details. Continued commitment for WiFi Calling: T-Mobile has offered WiFi calling on most of their Android lineup for awhile, but they don’t advertise it much. Some wondered about the future of the service, but T-Mobile responded that it is here to stay. See The Verge for more info. Even more deals: If you are not quite ready to buy yet, make sure you follow @TMobile on Twitter and like T-Mobile on Facebook for the latest offers. Best Android Phone: Galaxy S II This pick was easy. The Samsung Galaxy S II is the best Android phone available on T-Mobile. We polled our staff, readers, and even some T-Mobile employees who all unanimously agreed upon the Galaxy S II as their favorite device. T-Mobile normally sells the Galaxy S II for $229 with 2-year contract, but you can find better deals if you look around online. Our favorite online store Amazon currently has it for $199 with new service or upgrades. The Galaxy S II was one of the best Android devices of 2011 and most of the team here uses one of the versions as their daily phone. Our very own Angie has this model on T-Mobile and she loves it. The main selling points of this device are the gorgeous 4.52 inch Super AMOLED Plus display, stellar 8 mepapixel camera, support for 4G HSPA+ 42 Mbps, and Samsung’s excellent build quality. We never posted a full review of the T-Mobile version, but we did review the Sprint model and I suggest you check that out. The major difference is that the Sprint model used a dual-core 1.2 GHz Exynos processor which has a faster graphics processor, and the T-Mobile model has a dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor. The Snapdragon processor doesn’t have as fast a GPU as the Exynos, but it has other unique benefits like GLONASS location services and support for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 42 Mbps network. Currently the Galaxy S II ships with Android 2.3, but Samsung has already promised that upgrades to Android 4.0 will begin in Q1. T-Mobile’s model might not be the first with the update, but it will eventually receive it. Runner up: We absolutely love the Samsung Galaxy S II, but if you are partial towards HTC then go with the Amaze 4G. It also supports T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 42 Mbps network and features an equally amazing camera. The only downside to this phone is the sub-par battery life. Check out Edgar’s review of the Amaze 4G for more info. Alternative pick: T-Mobile does not sell the Galaxy Nexus, but if money is no object you can buy one online and use it on their network. The Galaxy Nexus is the best Android phone available thanks to shipping with Android 4.0. Amazon currently has the GSM Galaxy Nexus listed for $629. Check out Anthony’s review of the Galaxy Nexus for more info. Comparison of top T-Mobile phones: To see a complete comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S II, HTC Amaze 4G, and Samsung Galaxy Nexus head over to gdgt.com. Best Android Phone with Keyboard: MyTouch 4G Slide If you have a thing for QWERTY keyboards, then the myTouch 4G Slide is your device. T-Mobile currently sells this device for $199 on contract, but you might find a better deal if you shop around. Notable features of the myTouch 4G Slide include 3.7 inch Super LCD, 8 megapixel camera, front facing cameara, dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor, and support for T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network. When this phone launched last year, T-Mobile advertised it as having the most advanced smartphone camera. Highlights include improved low-light performance, zero shutter lag, SweepShot, ClearShot HDR, and burst shot. Comparisons against other high-end devices even showed it bested the iPhone 4S by a slim margin. This device still ships with Android 2.3, but it is expected to eventually receive Android 4.0. Best Android Tablet: Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Let me repeat what I said in my Verizon buyer’s guide. Because of the current data plans, I'm not a huge fan of carrier branded Android tablets. However, if you need an Android tablet with wireless connectivity, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus should be your pick. T-Mobile currently sells the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for $249 with 2-year contract. Monthly data plans include 2 GB for $39, 5 GB for $49, and 10 GB for $79. When it comes to 7-inch Android tablets, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is our current favorite. Just ask Clark, this is his mini tablet of choice. It features a dual-core 1.2 GHz Exynos processor that turned in some of the fastest web browsing scores we have ever seen. Another selling point is the IR port, which works with applications like Peel Smart Remote to control all the gadgets in your living room. Check out our hands-on with the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for additional details. Best Android Phone on a Budget: Exhibit II 4G Now that online stores offer high-end devices for $99-199 with new 2-year agreement, it is becoming harder and harder to suggest a budget phone. The lower priced devices generally don't receive major software updates to newer versions of Android and are outdated as soon as you buy them. If you wait for a big T-Mobile sale, you can normally score one of their high-end phones for free. They just had their Valentine’s Day sale, and I’m sure there will be another sale next month. However, if you need a budget Android phone right now, then we would suggest the Samsung Exhibit II 4G. T-Mobile is selling the phone for only $29 on contract, which is a nice price for a mid-range 4G phone. Highlights of the Exhibit II 4G include Android 2.3, 3.7 inch display, 3 MP rear camera + VGA front camera, 1 GHz processor, 4 GB internal storage, and all the usuals like WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth 3.0. We doubt this device will ever be upgraded to Android 4.0, but that’s what you get with budget smartphones. What's Coming Next Just around the corner we have the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, but we don’t have all the details about this phone yet. It appears similar to the Galaxy S II, but it could be targeted more towards the mid-level pricing. T-Mobile has a sign-up page to be notified when more details are available. If you are in the market for a high-end phone, keep an eye on the HTC One X and One S, formerly the Edge and Ville. Previously, the Ville was rumored to coming to T-Mobile, but it is a LTE phone. The One X (or Edge) is more likely headed for T-Mobile since it features a HSPA+ modem. Follow our coverage of Mobile World Congress 2012 later this month to see which new phones get announced. Feedback We have long wanted to maintain buyer's guides for every carrier, but it's just something we have failed to produce. As one of the most influential sources of Android information on the web, we realize that our opinions are valuable and the average consumer just wants to know what phone they should buy without having to do all the research. Our hardcore audience lives and breaths Android, so most of them already know what device they want to buy next. However, I realize that for most of the public, reading our blog is like trying to read Swahili  or some other foreign language. The purpose of these guides is to try and help the average consumer. Having said all that, consider this first guide as a rough draft that will continually be updated and improved over time. We would love to hear your feedback on what other sections or information should be added to the next version. Our lead developer Clark has some amazing site features that are coming down the pipe (like the new profiles), and we are 100% committed to this community. I ask for your help by sharing this guide with your friends on T-Mobile and leaving suggestions in the comments below.

HTC Thunderbolt, DROID Incredible 2, Rhyme and Raider will officially get updated to Android 4.0 Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:04 AM PST HTC just released its “North American Edition” Ice Cream Sandwich update, adding new handsets to the HTC Android 4.0 update list. Owners of the HTC Thunderbolt, DROID Incredible 2 and HTC Rhyme should be pleased to hear that their phones will be getting updated to Android 4.0. The three Verizon handsets join the HTC Rezound which was on the list from the day it was announced. The entry level HTC Raider which has been released in Canada through Rogers and Bell will also be getting a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich. Unlike the last announcement, HTC’s Android 4.0 update through Facebook today does not include any details around timing. We know that the HTC Sensation family is on the calendar to get the Android 4.0 update before the end of March, so we’re going to assume that these new devices will be getting the latest Android update sometime in mid to late Q2. We have more good news related to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, and can confirm that upgrades are planned for Verizon Wireless customers with the HTC Rhyme, HTC Thunderbolt, and DROID Incredible 2 by HTC, as well as the already announced HTC Rezound. In addition, the HTC Raider is on the list to receive ICS for customers of Rogers and Bell in Canada. Stay tuned for more news on Ice Cream Sandwich releases in the coming weeks.HTC It sounds like we’ll be hearing from HTC again in a few more weeks to get another update about Android 4.0, so stay tuned. Is your HTC phone on the official HTC Android 4.0 update list?

Top 10 Android app updates for the week ending February 17 Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:55 AM PST When I got my first Android phone a little over three years ago, one of my favorite things was to browse the Android Market and watch which apps were being pushed to the Android Market. Developers soon began to exploit the Just In section of the Android Market with fake updates to get their app to the top of the list, so Google eventually removed that feature. Now when I want to see what's new in the Android Market, I turn to AppAware. I've covered the app before and it's been around for a couple years, but they just relaunched a couple months ago with a completely overhauled version that turned the service into a social network for app discovery. AppAware Find Top Apps & Games 42matters AG MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE I've found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to look at what people are actually updating, and not focus on which apps have the most installs. This shows me which apps have active support from their developers and sometimes reminds me of an old app that I might have removed long ago. The following is a Top 10 list of apps which were updated in the last seven days and received the most updates during that time period on AppAware. I hope you enjoy this weekly feature and discover some apps that you might find useful. Google Maps – Version varies with device Since it comes pre-installed on most devices, I’m sure most of you already have this app. I’m still amazed at how many of my friends never update their apps though. The latest version features improved battery performance, so make sure you grab it right away. What’s new in this version: Improved battery performance for Latitude and Location History users. Bug fixes Google Maps Google Inc. MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Adobe Flash Player 11 – Version varies by device Flash Player for mobile devices is essentially dead, but Adobe is still pushing out minor bug fixes and performance tweaks. The latest version improves support for Android 4.0 devices and includes performance improvements, so grab it while you still can. What’s new in this version: This update to Adobe Flash Player 11 includes compatibility with Android 4 supported devices, performance improvements and bug fixes related to security and stability. The complete set of release notes can be found at: http://adobe.ly/s16mAX Adobe Flash Player 11 Adobe Systems MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Facebook for Android – Version varies with device Facebook is the most popular Android app and it saw a major update this week. New additions includes games, faster navigation, access to mobile timelines, and more. Consider this a must update for any Facebook fans. What’s new in this version: Navigate anywhere, fast: Get to your groups, apps, pages, and settings with a single press Search and you will discover: Look through friends, subscribers, apps, and pages See your friends tags on pictures and zoom: New photo viewing experience Faster notifications: Get alerted in real time with new push notifications Games & Apps: Play games and access your favorite apps on the go Access to mobile timeline (If you already have a timeline) Access to friend lists and subscriptions Facebook for Android Facebook MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Kindle – Version varies with device I don’t know what triggered it, but Kindle has seen an explosion in installs during the last 30 days. This recent update is just a minor bug fix, so we have nothing cool to report. If you have never checked out Kindle, they have thousands of free ebooks to read along with over a million books to purchase. What’s new in this version: Fixed a critical bug where the app would not open on certain devices. Kindle AMZN Mobile LLC MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Lookout Security & Antivirus – Version 7.4-8155d1c I consider Lookout Security a must install for Android users. Not everyone needs the antivirus scanning features, but it’s always nice to have that extra layer of security. The real reason I use it is for the phone locating feature that provides a peace of mind in case I ever lose my device. We also appreciate the Lookout blog that attempts to educate users rather than scare them like most security firms. What’s new in this version: Lookout now supports French and Japanese! Set your device’s language to French or Japanese to access this functionality. Threat details now available in German, French and Japanese for security and privacy alerts. Lookout Security & Antivirus Lookout Mobile Security MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE ES File Explorer – Version 1.6.1.1 Can you believe Android still doesn’t have an official file manager? Android 3.0 added a downloads manager which helped a little, but I still find myself needing a full featured file manager at times. ES File Manager is the one I go to most often, and other users love it too. It currently has an average rating of 4.7, which is amazing when you consider it has over 10 million installs. What’s new in this version: Batch Uninstall Disk Usage Graph Uninstall System App Customize Background Change Language ES File Explorer EStrongs Inc. MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Titanium Backup ★ root - Version 4.7.7.1 If your Android device is rooted, Titanium Backup has a special version just for you. It has too many features to even list, so check out the Market description if you are rooted. Titanium Backup was recently voted as the top app for rooted devices and maintains an average review score of 4.8 with over 4 million installs. What’s new in this version: Added support for MIPS platforms (experimental) Fixed FC when creating TB widgets (sorry!) Updated translations This is a bugfix release Titanium Backup ★ root Titanium Track MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Pulse News – Version 2.7.6 When I read my news, I prefer Google Reader for its simplicity and speed. For those that want a more visual friendly version of the news, I suggest Pulse. This update is a minor one, but the last version added a completely redesigned catalog of content and a feature called Smart Dock, that recommends sources based on what you read. If you use Pulse, make sure to browse their Android catalog and add Android and Me to your sources! What’s new in this version: blank reading view bug fixed follows global sync settings (requires new permission) Pulse News Alphonso Labs MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Firefox – Version 10.0.2 Before I switched to Chrome a couple years ago, Firefox was my browser of choice. I haven’t touched Firefox in years, but it’s still a popular alternative browser. However, it appears their mobile version is still pretty sub-par with an average review score of 3.5. This update is minor, but you might want to check it out if you haven’t used it since they moved to version 10.0. What’s new in this version: Improved Sync set-up Bug fixes Firefox Mozilla MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Layar – Version 6.1 Layar is one of those cool augmented reality apps that is fun to show off to your friends, but not something that you actually use that much. I’ve had it installed on my phone for awhile, but I rarely open it up. Over 10 million people have installed it, but it only has an average review score of 3.6. The latest version features a “friendlier design”, so check it out if you haven’t played with it in years. What’s new in this version: Directly Access Scan View via improved app navigation App opens in scan mode Tap to View: tap anywhere on the screen to initiate scan Friendlier design Layar Layar MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Honorable mentions Did you see any Android apps that received notable updates in the last week? Share your suggestions in the comments below and we will add them to our honorable mentions list. Bump 3.0: “Bump is totally new! Bump two phones together to share photos, contacts, and apps!” Bump Bump Technologies, Inc MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Flickr: “9 New languages! German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Bahasa Indonesia.” Flickr Yahoo! Inc. MARKET QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

HTC Sensation gets Android 4.0 with Sense 4.0 thanks to HTC Endeavor port Posted: 17 Feb 2012 06:52 AM PST With the official Android 4.0 “early access preview” for the HTC Sensation expected to drop any day now, we’re sure that many of you are keeping a close eye on your notification bar to see if you’ll be one of the lucky few chosen to test the new update. But if you simply can’t wait to get of taste of HTC’s latest Android 4.0 build with HTC Sense 4.0, we have some great news for you. A leaked ROM based on the HTC Endeavor (now known as the HTC One X ) has been ported over to the HTC Sensation. ROM ports are not anything new, but this is the first time we’re seeing an HTC ROM build which was created for a Tegra 3 device be ported to a phone running on a Snapdragon S3 chip. As you might expect, there are still quite a few issues with the ROM on the HTC Sensation, but TripNRaVer and other developers on RootzWiki are working around the clock to make the new ROM as functional as possible. For now, the Sense 4.0 launcher, lock screen and HTC’s keyboard have been disabled due to the resolution differences between the HTC Endeavor (720) and Sensation (qHD), but we’re confident that those working on the ROM will be able to get the graphics scaled down to size in no time. Some of the new features that we’re seeing for the first time in this ROM include a new clock application which looks similar to Google Earth and displays the time and temperature of cities across the globe, a dual-tabbed task manager which  switches between running applications and those consuming the most battery, Microsoft’s Skydrive integration, 3D carousel animation when swiping between panes in applications, and improved copy/paste functionality which does not require a long-press when you want to paste test into a field. As you can see in the video, the HTC Endeavor ROM port to the HTC Sensation is definitely buggy and slow, but we expect things to get a lot better over the next week or two. For a closer look at some of the new UI elements within HTC Sense 4.0, check out the image gallery below. We know there are many of you who despise HTC Sense and most other custom OEM skins, but I’m sure we can all agree that HTC’s latest version is a welcome improvement. Gallery What’s working: 3G WiFi GPS Calling SMS sound Display What’s not working: MMS Bluetooth Video playback YouTube Camera Elements currently disabled due to 720p resolution: Rosie launcher Lock screen HTC IME keyboard

Is this the Motorola Atrix 3 with quad-core Tegra 3? Posted: 17 Feb 2012 05:35 AM PST Almost a year ago, there were rumors that Motorola was working on a pair of smartphones powered by Tegra 3. Our friend Kellen of Droid-Life reported these were codenamed Bullet and Jet. Since then no information has leaked and we thought the projects were dead, but now details have appeared of a device claiming to be the Motorola Atrix 3. Italian site HDblog is reporting that Chinese site Tianjin shared the first picture and specs of the Atrix 3. Some are already saying this is just a concept phone, so don’t get your hopes up yet. However, the timing and purported specs are at least believable. Rumored specs of the Atrix 3 include: Android 4.0 Quad-core Tegra 3 processor 4.3 inch 1280 x 720 display 10 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash 2 GB RAM 3,300 mAh battery Motorola has recently been sourcing their application processors from Texas Instruments, but they have partnered with NVIDIA in the past. The original Motorola Atrix was powered by Tegra 2, along with the Motorola Xoom tablet. Mobile World Congress 2012 is shaping up to become the quad-core phone show, so we wouldn’t be terribly surprised if this device actually makes an appearance. We were expected to see Motorola’s first Android phone with an Intel processor, but it’s possible we could see multiple devices. With 2 GB RAM and a 3,300 mAh battery, the Atrix 3 would instantly become one of the most anticipated Android phones.

Google files for patent to combat Apple’s Slide to Unlock Posted: 17 Feb 2012 04:55 AM PST In an attempt to circumvent Apple’s hotly-debated Slide To Unlock patent, which has resulted in a few lawsuits with many more likely on the way, Google has filed a patent of their own for a lockscreen that looks fairly similar to the one found in HTC’s Sense UI. The filing, titled “Input to Locked Computing Device,” gives hints as to what may be coming next out of Mountain View. Imagine a standard homescreen, with a 5 row x 5 column grid. Google’s lockscreen features a large on-screen button which takes up the entire bottom row of the device that a user can press to simply unlock the device to get to your homescreen. The rest of the rows comprise other actions you can do right from the lockscreen, and you can simply slide one of those icons to the big button in the bottom row to immediately launch into that action. Actions range from calling a contact to launching applications, and we assume these would be user-customizable. We’re potentially getting way ahead of ourselves here, as what Google did yesterday was simply filing a patent for a potential new kind of lockscreen. This does not mean that we’ll ever see Google’s lockscreen see the light of day, and the patent office could reject it as being too similar to Apple’s previously granted patent on slide to unlock. I’m no lawyer, but I reckon the likelihood of Google being denied the patent is slim, and this may very well be the lockscreen featured in Android 5.0 (or 4.1), which may or may not debut as early as next quarter. Take a look at the conceptual drawings in the gallery below, and let us know what you think of Google’s potential new lockscreen in the comments. For further info, hit the source link to check out the USPTO filing in its entirety.