Sunday, May 20, 2012

Android Community

Android Community


Samsung S-Voice leaked for all ICS devices

Posted: 20 May 2012 08:19 AM PDT

If you’ve got an Android 4.0 device or ROM and a burning desire to try out the latest Siri clone, you’re in luck: an XDA Developers member got his or her hands on the APK for Samsung’s S-Voice. This combination of Google’s voice recognition engine and heuristic computing got the lion’s share of the attention for the new version of TouchWiz, which debuted with the Galaxy S III earlier this month.

You’ll need an Ice Cream Sandwich tablet or smartphone, but thankfully not a Samsung one, to try it out. Our quick experimentation shows that it works well enough. As far as utility goes, it’s about as useful as Siri – which is to say that if you give it just the right command and you’re speaking clearly in a low-volume area, it’ll usually give you a vague version of the answer you’re looking for. Currently it seems very inclined to give you the weather and not much else.

The post says that you’ll need to copy the app into your System/App folder and alter the permissions, but I’ve had success with simply installing the app via the standard non-market way. At present it isn’t much better than using Google’s standard voice recognition with search – those of you who were hoping for a “Siri killer” will be disappointed. Here’s hoping that Samsung can improve it before the Galaxy S III’s European release in a couple of weeks.

[via SlashGear]


China approves Google’s Motorola acquisition

Posted: 19 May 2012 08:36 PM PDT

One of the last hurdles for Google’s acquisition of hardware giant Motorola Mobility has been passed: the People’s Republic of China has reportedly approved the business deal, several months after US and European regulators. The $12.5 billion deal is now seemingly a given, though the integration of these companies (to such a degree that is wanted or needed) will certainly take quite a while.

China gave an important condition to its approval: Google had to commit to keeping Android an open-source operating system for the next five years. As our regular readers know, Android’s open source nature is one of the primary reasons that it’s become so popular, among manufacturers, developers and even a considerable portion of end users. One can hardly think that Google hesitated when asked to keep the status quo.

There’s only been one major hiccup in Google’s open source claims for Android: version 3.0, Honeycomb. The company kept a tight grip on the code for the first tablet version of Android, claiming that they didn’t want the software adapted for smartphones that weren’t designed to use it. Honeycomb remained closed, or at least inaccessible, for eight months, and the source code was released in November along with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Notably, ICS can be adapted for both tablets and smartphones easily.

China’s interest in an open Android is obvious: the vast majority of the devices within the country have nothing to do with Google, and low-cost manufacturers use Android as a de facto standard OS precipitously because it is open source. Low-cost manufacturers often release the newest version of Android onto their new hardware, in most cases even faster than major brands. Having Google continue to develop and produce an OS that’s both free as in freedom and free as in beer is incredibly advantageous to the Chinese tech sector.

With all the major obstacles cleared, Google should be able to formally buy Motorola sometime later this summer. Google has states that it intends to run Motorola as a separate and independent company (though former CEO Sanjay Jha was given his walking papers) and many have speculated that Google acquired the company purely for its extensive patent portfolio.

[via SlashGear]


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News9 new results for android
 
China to Google: Android must remain open
CNET
In OKing the Google-Motorola merger, regulators in China stipulate that Google must make the Android OS free and open for five years. by Edward Moyer May 19, 2012 5:18 PM PDT Follow @edatnews In giving the thumbs-up to Google's acquisition of Motorola, ...
See all stories on this topic »
Microsoft Wins Patent Suit Against Motorola Android Handsets
eWeek
The ITC rules Motorola Mobility smartphones running Google's Android OS violate a Microsoft ActiveSync patent. Technology giant Microsoft claimed victory this weekend as the International Trade Commission (ITC) issued its final determination in ...
See all stories on this topic »
Google gets China OK for Motorola deal
The Associated Press
But Chinese regulators attached a big condition: That Google's Android operating system for mobile devices remain available to all at no cost for the next five years. The approval brings the Internet search giant closer to sealing its biggest ...
See all stories on this topic »

The Associated Press
Google gets China OK to buy Motorola
USA TODAY
By Virginia Mayo, AP Google's Android software powers more than 250 million mobile devices made by a variety of manufacturers, including Motorola Mobility. By Virginia Mayo, AP Google's Android software powers more than 250 million mobile devices made ...
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USA TODAY
Samsung S Voice Siri clone gets leaked for Android 4.0
SlashGear
It believes, rightly so, that it has the most popular presence on Android so rather than fight against other Android manufacturers it has its eyes set solely on the iPhone. So it is really no surprise that the company has developed its own version of ...
See all stories on this topic »

SlashGear
Open Android the price for China's Motorola bid approval
SlashGear
Google has secured Chinese approval to complete its acquisition of Motorola Mobility, the search giant has confirmed, though it was reportedly forced to commit to Android openness to sway the decision. Chinese regulators had stood as the final hurdle ...
See all stories on this topic »

SlashGear
Is Google+ gaining against Facebook on Android?
BetaNews
By Joe Wilcox Ahead of Facebook's Friday IPO, NPD released usage data for Android smartphones. Unsurprisingly, user reach is quite high. In looking over the data, I honed in on Google+, which makes a surprising showing for a social network not even a ...
See all stories on this topic »

BetaNews
Google wins China clearance For Motorola deal
MarketWatch
Motorola already produces a number of phones and tablets based on Google's Android mobile software. Antitrust authorities in the US and Europe have already given their blessing to the merger. Chinese authorities cleared the deal with one condition: ...
See all stories on this topic »
SciTechTalk: Google to reign in Android
UPI.com
By JIM ALGAR, United Press International Google's recent decision to take a more active role in how its Android mobile operating system is used is seen as an attempt to address the single most vexing problem in the Android world -- the fragmentation of ...
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UPI.com

Blogs5 new results for android
 
China approves Google's Motorola acquisition | Android Community
By Michael Crider
One of the last hurdles for Google's acquisition of hardware giant Motorola Mobility has been passed: the People's Republic of China has reportedly approved the.
Android Community
S-Voice Pulled from the Galaxy S III, Download the App Now ...
By Stacy Bruce
After the big Galaxy S III announcement we knew it would only be a short amount of time before the cool software features were pulled from the phone for use across other Android devices. One of the more noteworthy GSIII features is the ...
Android News, Rumours, and Updates
Diablo 3 app for Android checks server status | Joystiq
By Mike Suszek
Those dying to play Diablo 3 online don't need to sit by their PCs to see if the servers are up and running anymore. A Diablo 3 server-checking app, aptly named "Diablo 3 Server Checker," is now available for free (ad-supported) on Google ...
Joystiq
Sony Tablet P's Android 4.0 update to roll out May 24th
By Edgar Cervantes
Sony's plan to roll out Android 4.0.3 to the Tablet P in April may not have come to fruition, but the Japanese manufacturer is now stating that the Ice Cream.
Android Phone Fans
Google will keep Android free and open for at least five years | The ...
By Nathan Ingraham
According to the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and the Associated Press, Google had to agree to keep Android free and available for anyone to use for at least the next five years in order to gain...
The Verge - All Posts

Web2 new results for android
 
Firefox For Android Beta Gets Native UI, Improved Performance And ...
Mozilla was late to the mobile revolution and is still playing catch-up with Firefox for mobile. It's starting to look as if Firefox for Android is slowly becoming a ...
techcrunch.com/.../firefox-for-android-beta-gets-native-ui-imp...
Android — Google Developers
Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware, and key applications. The Android SDK provides the tools and ...
https://developers.google.com/android/?hl=it-IT


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Android Authority

Android Authority


Verizon’s Rezound, DROID 4 and RAZR Turning Into Global Devices?

Posted: 20 May 2012 02:27 AM PDT


You loved your Android phone back home, but what if it won't work when you head to Europe for a two-week vacation? What if you're in Japan for a business trip and your Android smartphones data plan isn't working because your carrier's coverage is nowhere to be found? Thankfully, it looks like more and more carriers are opening up their devices to be compatible with networks abroad.

GSM and CDMA are the two primary connectivity protocols used by today’s mobile devices. GSM is the dominant connectivity standard, and is very popular in Europe, Canada, and pretty much the rest of the world. LTE is based off the GSM standard.

For a device to earn ‘world phone’ status, it must be able to connect to spectrum that is both supported by your carrier, and the carrier you are roaming on. Truth of the matter is, is that carriers love roaming, as it’s one of their biggest cash cows. They work diligently and globally with other carriers to setup agreements to ensure they are handsomely compensated when international travelers connect to networks outside of their own. Through the use of a devices IMEI (a unique identifier for that particular device), and variety of other unique device identifiers, they are able to trace back where the device has originated, and see that it is billed accordingly. Thankfully, many carriers have fairly innovative payment for this, so you don’t come home to a $200,000 roaming bill, but I digress.

At CES 2012, Verizon said that 4G LTE devices like LG Spectrum and Motorola DROID 4 would eventually have global connectivity features. And, according to Droid Life's sources, there could be more devices that could have this kind of feature.

In the photo above, you can see Verizon's HTC Rezound's info sheet, showing a new "global feature", making it usable to additional 185 countries. Also, the Rezound isn't the only device that will have that awesome feature. Devices like the DROID 4 and RAZR will have the same feature as stores have reportedly been told to print out new info sheets for these devices.

So if you have one of the devices written on this post and you're that kind of traveler that would love to explore those additional 185 countries while enjoying the awesomeness of your Android smartphone, then, this good news is for you.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Of course, if you purchased your device unlocked, then this is something you already enjoy. Any thoughts?


This article, Verizon’s Rezound, DROID 4 and RAZR Turning Into Global Devices? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


T-Mobile introduces new pricing structure for prepaid mobile broadband plans

Posted: 20 May 2012 01:00 AM PDT

It looks like T-Mobile USA is getting proactive in their attempts to mitigate the quarterly loss of postpaid subscribers. The number four mobile carrier in the nation has announced a new pricing structure for their prepaid mobile broadband service that should give customers a better bang for their buck.

T-Mobile lost 510,000 contract customers last quarter, so finding other ways to stay competitive has become a priority for the company. They gained almost 250,000 prepaid customers and 262,000 mobile-to-mobile customers during the quarter. While promising, it seems they are banking on the new pricing structure to further jumpstart the growth of prepaid customers.

Plan Pricing

T-Mobile's new prepaid mobile broadband service will start at $15 for use of their HSPA+ network. The new packages look like this:

  • $15 for a 300MB 1-week plan
  • $25 for a 1.5GB 1-month plan
  • $35 for a 3.5GB 1-month plan
  • $50 for a 5GB 1-month plan

The old pricing structure included a $10 per month 100MB plan, a $30 per month 1GB plan, and a  $50 per month 5GB plan.

Prepaid Plan Details

T-Mobile's prepaid mobile broadband service allows you to pay for rate plans in advance for HSPA+ data access. The new plans will allow for the ability to auto-refill your account if you hit your cap and need more data. What are these plans for? They are intended to be used for devices other than phones, such as tablets, laptops, and mobile hotspots.

Compatible Devices:

  • Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
  • T-Mobile Springboard with Google
  • T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile Hotspot
  • T-Mobile 4G Hotspot
  • T-Mobile laptop sticks

The new plans will be available on May 20 at T-Mobile retail stores and other dealers.

These new prepaid plans appear to be an intriguing option for anyone doesn't want to get locked into a contract. Does prepaid mobile data with more pricing options sound interesting? Would it make you consider using T-Mobile for mobile broadband? Let us know what you think.


This article, T-Mobile introduces new pricing structure for prepaid mobile broadband plans , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


CoreControl App for HTC One X gives you more CPU control

Posted: 20 May 2012 12:50 AM PDT

If you're an Android user who loves to root your phone, you're probably well versed on the benefits of apps that allow you to control your phone's CPU. From over and under clocking, to setting CPU governors, apps such as SetCPU give you ultimate control over the performance and power saving of your device.  Now the good folks over at XDA-Developers have developed a similar app for the quad-core HTC One X.

CoreControl, created by XDA member Meltus, allows you to control how many cores in the HTC One X are active at time. Root access is of course a requirement, and the app will simply force close on an unrooted device. The app is quite useful if you aren't getting the battery life you need, or your quad-core beast starts running a bit hot.

Features

As you can see in the screenshot, CoreControl gives you many options beyond just how many cores are running. Similar to SetCPU, you can set different profiles, and each profile allows you to set how many cores will run based on two factors. First, you can set a profile that will change how many cores are running based on battery level. Alternatively, you can set another profile to set the amount of running cores based on battery temperature. Another nice feature allows you to set CoreControl to start every time your phone boots so you don't have to start it manually.

CoreControl is being constantly updated, and more features are soon to be added. Upcoming features will include screen-off and charging profiles. More colors indicating battery temperature will also be added; it currently only displays in green and red. The layout is also expected to be tweaked.

Currently the app is somewhat buggy, which is understandable considering it's very new in development. Fortunately the bugs rarely hinder the basic function of controlling the cores. The developer has only seen one instance when profiles were set but reverted to default settings. To be sure, Meltus recommends installing an app called TegraStats to monitor active cores.

Want to give CoreControl a try? The APK and a link to TegraStats can be found on the XDA-Developers forum right here.

While this app probably has HTC One X Owners excited, I can imagine there might be some envy involved with owners of other handsets. If you're a HTC One X owner who can't decide if you should root your device, does this app help make your decision?


This article, CoreControl App for HTC One X gives you more CPU control , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


KDDI unveils the Fujitsu Arrows Z ISW13F a quad core, waterproof, dustproof Tegra 3 beast

Posted: 20 May 2012 12:08 AM PDT

KDDI and Fujitsu have just launched a powerful new Android smartphone which is scheduled to be released in Japan in early July. The device – known as the Fujitsu Arrows Z ISW13F – is a very capable device and that would likely be a big hit if it were to reach either the European or North American market. Why do we say so? What more can you ask for from an Android device with 1.5GHz Tegra 3 Quad Core processor, 13MP camera, and a waterproof and dust-proof design? Give it a catchy name, a nice $199 subsidized price, and you have a device that can go toe to toe with HTC’s One X aka EVO 4G LTE,  and Samsung’s S3. Sadly though, it’s never likely to be anything but an import for those with more exotic tastes. Oh, and it’s a WiMax capable device, which is a dying connectivity standard.

Other interesting features include a built-in FM transmitter, a humidity sensor, thermometer and a fingerprint scanner. Fujitsu has had a very wide range of successful Android devices under the Arrow brand, and in our meeting with them in Las Vegas, they expressed strong intention to enter the North American market, calling it a “top priority”. That being said, it’s likely that they will be releasing devices in partnership with Toshiba, and will use the Regza brand, as they feel that is a name that consumers are much more familiar with.

Anyway, back to the juice! Spec wise, this device hits it out of the park. Operation of games, web browsing and the UI are all butter smooth. Fujitsu has a ton of experience making quality wares, but initial reports from the Verge and Engadget are suggesting that the device, while good in the hand, could have been built a bit more tightly.

As we said before, spec-wise, the device is a true champ, and bests some of the leading devices in a few areas of note. To start off, the Fujitsu Arrows Z ISW13F boasts of 13.1MP digital camera which can record 1080/60p videos and a 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chatting as well. It may not be as ridiculous as Nokia’s 41MP PureView camera, but is certainly superior to any of the latest offerings from Samsung, HTC, or LG.

Other features of the smartphone include, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of ROM (expandable to 48GB with microSD card), a 4.6-inch 720p display, and a plethora of connectivity features including WiMAX, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, CDMA/GSM/GPRS/W-CDMA. The phone measures 135mm x 67 mm x 10.6mm and weighs a mere 145 grams. It packing a modestly sized 1800mAH batter, too.  Of course, the device runs Android 4.0 so that just about seals its awesomeness. Finally, for the color-conscious, you’ll be happy to know that the Fujitsu Arrows Z ISW13F will be available in both red and black iterations.

We really hope that this phone gets an international attention. If you’re super keen, independent resellers are beginning to list this device for around $680USD+/-. As always, we’re here to give you more information about this phone  for as long as we can gather more updates about it.

We all know HTC, we all know Samsung, and we all know Motorola, LG, and Sony. But what about the lesser known manufacturers? They are hungry for your love (dollars) too. Out of the offerings you’ve seen from ZTE, Huawei, Meizu, Panasonic and Fujitsu – which one would you say stands tall? Also, be sure to check out the best Android Phones of 2012. Let us know in the comments what you want to see! We’ll continue scouring the earth for the latest and greatest of all things Android!


This article, KDDI unveils the Fujitsu Arrows Z ISW13F a quad core, waterproof, dustproof Tegra 3 beast , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Roughly 75,000 people are working to make the Samsung Galaxy S3

Posted: 19 May 2012 08:58 AM PDT

Yes, believe it or not dear readers, there are roughly 75,000 people working hard right now to manufacture the Samsung Galaxy S3. If you’ve read the recent report saying that there are 9 million pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S3, you must be wondering whether these people can actually make 9 million units in time for its release? The short answer is yes, they can.

How did we arrive to the said figures? We’ll spare you the horrid details (not to mention the math) and just give you a brief recap of a feature ran by ExtremeTech.com. In the article, Sebastian Anthony uses various statistics from Apple and Samsung to estimate the workforce necessary to churn out the millions of Galaxy S3 phones that the market demands.

Just to give you an idea of how the estimation was made, Anthony starts from the capacity of Foxconn’s production lines, a figure revealed earlier this year in the diary of a worker.

Now applying that with the production line of the Samsung Galaxy S3. Samsung’s factory will at least need 60 production lines to make 5 million units of the Samsung Galaxy S3. That equals to around 38,400 workers. So to make the 9 million units of the phone who are up for pre-orders, then it will require roughly 75,000 people to work on Samsung’s manufacturing plant. And these are the same number of workers who will make Samsung Galaxy S3 units beyond the 9 million pre-orders.

Those are the bare facts about the production of the Samsung Galaxy S3. Those are the number of people who are working so hard to deliver what we have all been waiting for all these months. Hopefully, the working conditions of Samsung workers in Korea are not as bad as the Foxconn employees who make the iPhone.

So by the time you get hold of the Samsung Galaxy S3, think about these people and thank them for their hard work just to make us happy, Samsung Galaxy S3 owners.


This article, Roughly 75,000 people are working to make the Samsung Galaxy S3 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Sony’s Hayabusa same phone as Xperia GX? Leaked pictures and video!

Posted: 19 May 2012 07:49 AM PDT

Though Sony's LT29i Hayabusa has already been sighted in the wild, we're still in the dark about the phone's official Xperia branding, at least one that we know of. Unwired View believes that the flagship phone will be named as the Sony Xperia GX, the same phone that DoCoMo just introduced a couple of days ago for the Japanese market.

Sony Xperia GX has similar specs to the LT29i Hayabusa. The phone will ship with a 4.6-inch HD screen, a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 13.2MP rear camera, 1,700mAh battery, and Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. Given the slight difference in specs, it is possible that the LT29i Hayabusa is simply the international version of Sony Xperia GX.

This conclusion was reached after checking out leaked hands-on pictures and video of the Hayabusa, which showed a phone with many similarities to the Xperia GX in looks. Though the phone in question doesn't seem to carry any DoCoMo branding, we could see hints of DoCoMo in the phone's menu. Hence, we’ll add a speculation hashtag to the story for now.

Eprice

Regardless of the name, Sony has a winner on its hands judging from the specs of the Hayabusa alone. Apart from the expected combo of dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and Adreno 320 GPU, the phone will come with a 4.55-inch HD Reality display, 13MP rear camera with HDR video recording, and a 2,200 mAh battery in a 7mm casing.

It's really going to be an interesting second-half of the year with so many manufacturers unleashing their flagship phones. Is the Sony LT29i Hayabusa one of your favorites? Leave your feedback in the comments below!


This article, Sony's Hayabusa same phone as Xperia GX? Leaked pictures and video! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


The HTC One X debacle: winners and losers

Posted: 19 May 2012 07:27 AM PDT

htc one xOn Tuesday, news broke that US Customs had blocked imports of the HTC One X and the HTC EVO 4G LTE, effectively preventing HTC's flagships from reaching American customers. The embargo was enforced due to an exclusion order by the International Trade Commission (ITC). The ITC ruled back in December that HTC's Android devices infringe on two of Apple's patents, but gave the Taiwanese a respite until April 19 to remove the infringing features.

Although HTC claims that both the HTC One X and the EVO 4G LTE are now free of the infringing feature, it seems that the US Customs needs a lot of time to decide if that's truly the case.

The most immediate and visible effect of this incident was the canceled debut of Sprint's EVO 4G LTE, which left many customers (some of whom have pre-ordered the device) furious. It's easy to blame Apple for the whole snafu (if you're an Android fan), but I also wonder what HTC did or could have done to prevent such a high-profile embarrassment. Even Sprint could come under fire for scheduling a device launch before knowing for sure when the device will be available.

Regardless of who's to blame, it's increasingly obvious that this indefinite delay will have real consequences for all the players involved. Here's how I see the winners and the losers of the game.

The winners

  • Apple – Although many have interpreted Apple's legal victory from last December as merely symbolic, it appears now that ITC's ruling is more than just a bureaucratic measure. Apple actually managed to disrupt (even if it's just for a few days) two of the iPhone's bigger competitors. Moreover, this affair will show the other Android OEMs that losing against Cupertino can have dead-serious consequences. I am not sure if the other manufacturers are affected in any way by ITC's decision, but at least at a symbolic level, Apple has shown its killer instinct. Oh yeah, and the iPhone will probably sell better now.
  • Samsung – somewhere in Korea, someone smiled when news broke about the HTC embargo. The One X is the main competitor to Samsung's freshly unveiled Galaxy S3, and many say that HTC's device is superior to the much hyped S3. Every little obstacle that the One X (in its various incarnations) faces is a boon for Samsung. Although the Galaxy S3 is not out yet in the United States, even a brief absence will erode the One X' position in the market. If the delay goes on for another week or two, some potential customers might even switch sides, provided that the Galaxy S3 gets a launch date anytime soon.
  • Nokia and Microsoft the battered Finnish and their Redmond-based buddies certainly won't mind that the Lumia 900 enjoys some extra days in the spotlight on AT&T. Although some stores still have the One X in stock, most AT&T retail locations don't have HTC's device available in numbers. This extends the window of opportunity for the Lumia 900, which has been Ma Bell's hero device for the last month or so. Sales of Nokia's flagship are reportedly good, and this misstep from HTC is likely to improve them.

The losers

  • Apple Yes, Apple. This case has highlighted the way Apple wages its legal war against Android, often based on patents for trivial features. In this case, it's tapping a phone number to get a context menu, but that's not really important. Most comments on the articles that covered this story revolve on the "Apple sucks for this" theme. And I am not talking just about the Android sites. It seems to me that people are tired of seeing big companies (Motorola, Samsung, and others included) harass each other, especially when it directly affects consumers, like it happened now.
  • HTC – obviously, the Taiwanese can't afford this type of mishap now. We are not talking about the glorious HTC from 2010. Today's HTC is bleeding money, and the One X is the shot in the arm that was supposed to bring the company back to life. Even if the delay doesn't go on for too much, I am almost sure that we will see its impact when HTC's quarterly financial results are announced. Samsung Galaxy S3 is already breaking records, and it didn't even begin to sell. Another week of uncertainty could cost HTC dearly, and it would be too bad, because the One X really is a beautiful device.
  • Sprint – the third largest carrier in the US had passed through some tough times lately, making a big strategic error by betting on the Wimax standard instead of LTE. After admitting defeat and jumping on the LTE bandwagon, Sprint hoped that the HTC EVO 4G LTE would be its ticket to a new era. With the iPhone coming at a blistering price for the company (as CEO Dan Hesse admitted), Android should have been a breath of fresh air for Sprint. The damage is still limited for now, but if the delay continues for another week or so, the repercussions will follow.

Tell me what you think. Who is the biggest winner and who is the biggest loser? Does this delay affect your purchasing decision?


This article, The HTC One X debacle: winners and losers , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


XDA dev Chainfire roots Samsung Galaxy S3 weeks ahead of release

Posted: 19 May 2012 07:11 AM PDT

What do we have here? The well-known Android developer that goes by the name of Chainfire has managed to root the Samsung Galaxy S3 even before the phone is released. Isn’t that amazing? Well if this is the first time you hear such news it is indeed amazing. But for the more avid Android fans, this news is nothing new. For one thing, Chainfire is an established developer and many of those who follow him expected this to happen. Also, Samsung has this penchant for not making it too hard for developers to root an upcoming device, even way before the device is released.

The interesting part here is that Chainfire doesn’t have the Samsung Galaxy S3 yet. Not even a pre-release unit. Still, he managed to root the Samsung Galaxy S3. How did he do it? First, he did it remotely via a leaker who provided the source firmware of the Samsung Galaxy S3. According to Chainfire, rooting the Samsung Galaxy S3 was just a matter of repacking the stock kernel with a modified adbd binary. This then gave him access to all db root commands and enabled him to install SuperSU manually.

Don’t worry if those all sound too geekspeak to you. It sounds geekspeak to me too. What’s important to note here is that, through the procedures we just mentioned, Chainfire was able to obtain access to all the important aspects of the Samsung Galaxy S3′s leaked firmware.

That said, Chainfire also mentioned some limitations that he experienced while doing the “deed”. And here are his words.

Unfortunately, I am not able to share the "insecure" kernel with you at the moment, because of fears it is traceable to the leaker (this is said to be the last traceable firmware revision).

This root is, as expected, trivial. It was a simple matter of repacking the stock kernel, with a modified adbd binary that thinks ro.secure=0 (even if ro.secure=1). This gives access to all adb root commands (see screenshots). Then SuperSU was installed manually.

Kernel - The modification was trivial, because this time around, Samsung is using the standard boot.img format, instead of the zImage format used for SGS1, SGS2, SGNote, etc, that is much harder to repackage.

Recovery - The recovery partition is also being used this time around. And thus we can flash recoveries separately from the kernel.

Bootloaders - There was no warning triangle at boot-up after flashing the modified kernel, but download mode did show a custom kernel flash counter which increased. Whether or not flashing a custom recovery also triggers this counter is as of yet unknown.

Final note - This was all tested on a current (release candidate) SGS3 firmware. There may be a newer firmware on true retail/production devices. Though some things may change, it is unlikely to changemuch. Let's hope nothing 

Also, Triangle Away did not work. They have hidden the boot partitions again as on the latest SGNote firmwares.

(No, I don't have an SGS3 yet, everything was done remotely)

So now tell me, folks. Does this news add to the excitement of getting your hands on the Samsung Galaxy S3? If you’re planning to get the this much awaited phone, are you going to root it right away?

No related posts.


This article, XDA dev Chainfire roots Samsung Galaxy S3 weeks ahead of release , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung Canada holds Galaxy S3 training sessions till June 27, could the launch follow?

Posted: 19 May 2012 06:14 AM PDT

It’s no doubt that the most anticipated Android smartphone right now is the Samsung Galaxy S3. The excitement over the S3 continues to heat up, as many are still uncertain as to when it will become available in Canada and the U.S. Last we heard, a U.S. version of the phone has just reached the FCC, and, in case you’re not aware, once a new device has reached the FCC for scrutiny and approval, its release follows soon.

But that’s just for the U.S. market. For you Canadian readers, one indication that the Samsung Galaxy S3 will be released soon might be an internal document leaked by MobileSyrup. According to the document, Samsung is scheduled to conduct the “Samsung Galaxy S III Interactive Training Sessions” from May 30 to June 27, 2012. Geared towards mobile carriers’ staff, said training sessions will be conducted to encourage Sales Consultants to experience and learn about the Samsung Galaxy S3.

So, what does the training sessions have to do with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S3 in Canada? Well, we can expect the release to happen as soon as all the training sessions are done. That means that there’s a good chance that the device will hit the stores in June 28-29 or in the following few days. That should get all our Canadian friends even more excited.

Don’t mark that date in the calendar just yet, though. Sammy might take its time with the training sessions and release the device before the training is complete. This is something that has happened before with other devices. No matter what happens, we will be here with the freshest news.


This article, Samsung Canada holds Galaxy S3 training sessions till June 27, could the launch follow? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Motorola infringes Microsoft’s patent on ActiveSync, may face import bans in the US

Posted: 19 May 2012 06:05 AM PDT

If you can't beat your competitor, sue them for copyright infringement and have the court ban their products from entering the market! That seems to be the strategy that tech companies are using against each other with varying degrees of success. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win – and sometimes there's no clear winner at all. The latest patent battle between Motorola and Microsoft seems to favor the latter for now.

According to yesterday's ruling by the International Trade Commission, Motorola was found to have violated one of Microsoft's patents related to ActiveSync technology. The consequence of losing is that Motorola is now facing an import ban of all its products that utilize such technology, pending a 60-day presidential review process and a possible appeal.  In the meantime, Motorola will have to pay a 33 cents bond for each product it ships.

Microsoft has issued a statement through its Deputy General Counsel David Howard, who said that this was the path that Microsoft had to take after Motorola refused to renew a patent license that has expired for more than a year. He went on to say that they're pleased with the ruling and hope that "Motorola will be willing to join the vast majority of Android device makers selling phones in the U.S. by taking a license to our patents."

Not surprisingly, Motorola voiced their disappointment with the Commission's ruling in a written statement. They look forward to read the full ruling to understand why they lost the case and will pursue all available options, including an appeal – which will no doubt make the process run even longer.

We're sure people will be bummed out about not being able to purchase a blue Motorola Droid Razr if the import ban takes place.


This article, Motorola infringes Microsoft's patent on ActiveSync, may face import bans in the US , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.