Monday, June 4, 2012

Android Community

Android Community


Temple Run: Brave by Disney and Imangi Studios coming June 14th

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT

Whoa! If you’re a fan of Temple Run or Disney we have some awesome news this afternoon for you. Disney’s Pixar and Temple Run creators Imangi Studios have partnered up on an all new game for Android called Temple Run: Brave. This is essentially Pixar’s new film ‘Brave’ meets Temple Run. Bringing everything we love about the extremely popular game to our phones with a twist.

Brave is the upcoming animated movie by Disney’s Pixar Films and looks to be similar to the popular series Shrek. Temple Run has been extremely popular on both iOS and Android, and has millions and millions of players. Temple Run: Brave will be more than just a visual makeover too. Instead of running from Angry demon-monkeys it will all be themed around Pixar’s movie Brave with angry bears instead.

Merida is the red-headed main character in the movie, and will be the star of the new game. Along with a complete visual overhaul Brave will also have exclusive new features. Merida will have her trusty bow and arrow in a new Archery section that will tie-in closely with the movie. Everything in terms of actual gameplay seems to be almost identical other than the visual changes and the new bow and arrow. For now we don’t have too many details but the new and exciting Temple Run: Brave will be available on the Google Play Store come June 14th, most likely for free. Enjoy the game trailer below:

temple-run-brave-android-1 temple-run-brave-android-game

[via KickedFace]


Verizon Galaxy S III 4G LTE pre-orders hit June 6th for $199

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 10:17 AM PDT

We’ll be having lots of Samsung Galaxy S III news over the next few days so be prepared to enjoy it. Samsung yesterday confirmed 5 major US carriers would all receive their new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III starting in June. Already this morning we are getting official announcements from multiple camps and Verizon has just confirmed theirs. More details on their LTE version and low price after the break.

Verizon has confirmed the Galaxy S III with their nations largest 4G LTE network will be available for pre-order starting June 6th for just $199. Previous 4G LTE devices have been bumped up to $299 so I’m extremely happy to see the price return to what I call “normal” pricing. Verizon’s model (and probably all US carriers) will not get the quad-core version, and instead will be rocking Qualcomm’s 1.5 GHz dual-core S4 Snapdragon processor, which we’ve seen in the HTC One S and One X to be very capable. Other specs remain the same with a 4.8-inch 720p HD display, 2GB of RAM, 4G LTE, 2,100 mAh battery and that impressive 8 megapixel camera.

Verizon has also unleashed their landing page for the Galaxy S III, which gives you additional details, and you can sign up for email alerts and news for when they’ll start accepting pre-orders and more. Just like others, Verizon will be offering the SGSIII in a $199 16GB model, as well as 32GB $249 flavor. We are also hearing from Droid-Life that full retail pricing (if you don’t want to sign a contract and lose that unlimited data plan) will be $599 and $649 respectively.

It appears the last few weeks on June are going to be exciting with everyone launching their Galaxy S III versions. Verizon didn’t announce an exact date for when it will be available, and only stated the pre-order date. Hopefully they don’t blow this launch like the did the Galaxy Nexus.

Screen Shot 2012-06-04 at 10.02.31 AM verizonsgsiii-2 Verizon-sgsiii Screen Shot 2012-06-04 at 9.58.31 AM

[via SlashGear]


Verbatim details four new portable power packs for smartphones

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 09:54 AM PDT

If you’re like me and use up that smartphone battery way faster than you wish you did, we have good news from Verbatim today. The extremely popular global leader in data storage, Verbatim, has announced they’ll be getting into the portable charger and power pack market for smartphones and tablets. Today they’ve detailed four all-new charger and we have the details below.

Verbatim has been a global leader in USB storage, portable hard drives, and obviously CD and DVD options for years. They’ve now got 4 ways to keep your smartphones, tablets, and even Bluetooth headsets juiced up on the go. There’s many choices when it comes to power packs, so they’ve announced multiple models so surely one will fit your needs.

31ADltoazuL._SS400_ 31bQY9Aod+L._SS400_ 51FFmw4OOAL._SS400_

They’ll offer the AA Power Pack, with 4 alkaline batteries that should give you a few extra hours at $19.99. Then the Ultra-Slim Power Pack with a 1,200 mAh battery that should give you almost an entire charge with a smartphone, the Portable Power Pack with a 2,200 mAh battery inside for $39.99 that will give you a complete recharge while on the go for phones with larger capacities. And last but not least the Dual USB Power Pack. For $89.99 this 10,000 mAh portable charger will keep your smartphone juiced up all week, or give your tablet extra juice when in need. 10k mAh for only $89.99 is a pretty decent deal compared to others, and coming from Verbatim you know it will be of high quality.

For additional details, compatibility, and pricing head to the source link below if interested. That Dual USB Pack is looking really good right about now if you ask me.

[via Verbatim]


T-Mobile Galaxy S III announced with 1.5 GHz dual-core, Coming June 21

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 09:09 AM PDT

We already knew this was coming sometime soon but this morning the folks from T-Mobile have officially confirmed the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone “Designed for humans and inspired by nature” will be arriving on T-Mobile with blazing fast HSPA+ 42 speeds coming June 21st. More details after the break.

Late last night Samsung confirmed their new flagship Galaxy S III would be arriving for 5 major US carriers starting in June. This being excellent news considering the Galaxy S II was available in Europe and the UK for months and months before it arrived stateside. If you’ve been eying this new superphone, and are on T-Mobile, it can be all yours starting June 21st.

With Samsung’s Exynos 4 Quad quad-core processor in the international SGSIII, not compatible with LTE, we were hoping T-Mobile’s version would come with a quad-core processor. Today T-Mobile confirmed that their model will be equipped with the very capable Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and will be offered in 16 or 32GB models. Everything else is as amazing as before with the same 720p 4.8-inch screen and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Hit our links, hands-on, and reviews below for additional details on this device. For more details and pre-order information head to T-Mobile.com


Instapaper hits Android!

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 03:02 AM PDT

If you have any experience with iOS, you may be familiar with the app called Instapaper. The developer of that application has long stated that he was only interested in iOS for development. The developer had a change of heart and Instapaper is now available for Android devices. Granted, the development of the Android app was farmed out.

If you are familiar with the application from the iPhone, Instapaper is an app that allows you to save web pages for reading later. The web pages are saved off-line and optimized for readability on the tablet or smartphone screen. That means you can grab some stories from some your favorite websites while you’re at home, and then read them in office or you may not have access to data or Wi-Fi networks.

The core features of the app include the ability to save most web pages as text-only, stripping away the page layout. The fonts are adjustable along with text size, line spacing, and margins. The app also offers dark mode and brightness control for reading at night. The app is configured for automatic dark mode switching to change itself depending on the time of day. The app also offers rotation lock and allows you to share the stories you download with other people. The application is on Google Play right now in version 1.0 requires Android 2.2 or higher and costs $2.99.


Galaxy S III confirmed for five major US networks starting in June

Posted: 03 Jun 2012 09:23 PM PDT

Samsung just sent out the news that you’ve been waiting for: the Galaxy S III will be available on all four of the US’ big cellular networks, plus regional network US Cellular. The rollouts will begin in June (probably with T-Mobile) and prices on contract will begin at $199. Precise dates, prices and other details weren’t mentioned in Samsung’s press release – the individual networks will make their own announcements “in the coming weeks”.

We’ve already seen leaks for AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and US Cellular, with T-Mobile also getting a bonus for leaking photos of their version. Verizon will be rocking the Snapdragon S4 processor, and AT&T, The Now Network and US Cellular will probably follow, so that the phone is compatible with their LTE networks. Samsung has confirmed that all United States models will use the Snapdragon S4, though T-Mobile won’t be using any LTE bands for a while. According to the press release, all the US models will see the same 2GB boost as the Canadian version.

Other than that, it’s the same Galaxy S III that you’ve seen elsewhere – 4.8-inch Super AMOLED 720p screen, Android 4.0, a new version of TouchWiz with extra apps like S-Voice, et cetera. The carriers haven’t confirmed dates yet, but since all the major carriers in Canada will be launching the phone on June 20th, it’s likely that some of their southern counterparts will launch the Galaxy S III along with T-Mobile. Start saving your pennies, Android fans.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S III
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : May 03, 2012
    Release Date : May 29, 2012
    Also Known As : The Next Galaxy, SGSIII
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.8 Inch
  • Resolution : 720x1280
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED HD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.37 Inch
  • Width : 2.77 Inch
  • Depth : 0.33 Inch
  • Weight : 133 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2100 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Exynos 4 Quad
    CPU Clock Speed : 1400 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


Wallee M Kickstarter campaign succeeds, works with Galaxy Nexus LTE too

Posted: 03 Jun 2012 08:57 PM PDT

When we reported on the Wallee M modular case/mount system this week, I made an impassioned plea for more support, as the creators were running out of time to reach their Kickstarter goal. I’m glad to say that after a last-minute push, they’ve raise the $35,000 necessary and will begin shipping out Galaxy Nexus and iPhone 4S magnetized cases and mounts in July. Hooray for quality Android accessories!

Even better: after contacting the Australian designers at StudioProper, they told us that the Galaxy Nexus case was built with just a little bit of extra tolerance in its space requirements, specifically so that it could accommodate the Verizon LTE version as well as the thinner GSM model. That’s so awesome it brought a tear to this jaded Android blogger’s eyes. Funding is closed (with an extra $4,00 dollars or so to the creators) but you should be able to pick up a Wallee M case and the disk, desktop and car mounts later this year at electronics retailers. A case for the Galaxy S II is also planned.

If you haven’t checked out the Wallee M project on Kickstarter, it’s a combination of case and mount with a modular design, allowing it to support multiple devices. The gist is that the case has outwardly-facing rare earth magnets that instantly and securely grip their polar opposites on a mount, be it a simple flat mount for a wall, an iMac-style desktop stand or a car dock. Yours truly is a backer, so expect a full hands-on report with the Galaxy Nexus case, desk and car docks when they ship to supporters next month.


Android Community Weekly: June 3rd, 2012

Posted: 03 Jun 2012 07:30 PM PDT

As the summer starts in earnest, we’ve got some exciting news for Android fans everywhere. Most notably that Oracle’s lawsuit against Google over various Java copyrights and patents has effectively ended, and in Google’s favor to boot. While Oracle could appeal the decisions on its APIs and software patents, odds are unlikely that they will. We’ve also seen the very first reputable evidence of Google and ASUS’ Nexus Tablet collaboration, the Nexus 7, and the ASUS MeMO 370T (rumored to be the base device) made it through the FCC.

In other hardware news, Lenovo’s IdeaTab S2109 tablet will go on sale in the US this month for $350, while the HTC One S finally gets a Taiwanese release, with an older but faster 1.7Ghz Snapdragon S3 processor. Sony announced high-end and low-end waterproof phones, the Xperia Acro S and Xperia Go, respectively, and ZTE appears to have taken the crown for the “world’s thinnest phone” with the 6.2mm Athena. At least this month. The Motorola DROID RAZR HD was spotted in a Verizon internal system, ASUS teased us with the possibility of a dual-boot Android and Window 8 tablet, and Google began selling Galaxy Nexus docks on the Google Play Store.

As usual, the Galaxy S III got more than its fair share of news. The GSIII officially went on sale this week in 28 different countries, none of which are anywhere near the US. The FCC now has versions for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. And speaking of T-Mobile, convincing “leaks” of the carrier’s version of the phone show a physical home button, like the international version – a first for a US Galaxy S phone.  The Canadian version got an upgraded 2GB of RAM to go along with the Snapdragon S4 processor, and in a minor detail, we can confirm that the Galaxy S III uses the newer, tougher Gorilla Glass 2.

On the software side of things, ICS updates were sent out for the Sony Xperia Arc and Neo, plus the long-delayed 4.0.4 update made it to the Galaxy Nexus LTE on Verizon. T-Mobile and Verizon scheduled ICS updates for the Galaxy S II and Motorola XOOM, respectively, and the LG Spectrum got a leaked ICS ROM. Pandora got a long-overdue update, gamers will be glad to know that Shadowgun creator MadFinger will release a new shooter, Dead Trigger, and we’re hearing more rumors of an Android version of Microsoft Office.

Huawei broke my heart by announcing yet another manufacturer skin, and strangely Chinese search engine Baidu released their own ROM for the Nexus S. There’s big news for CyanogenMod, which passed an amazing 2 million users for its custom Android ROM, and there are new versions of CM9 for both the HTC One X (international version) and ASUS Transformer Pad TF300.

Here on Android Community, we’ve got some star-studded gaming reviews for both N.O.V.A. 3 and Renaissance Blood THD. We also take a look at the new Flipboard beta, and examine five features from custom ROMs and skins that need to be ported over to the main Android development tree. Last but not least, we’ve got a review of Samsung’s latest media player, the Galaxy Player 4.2. As always, stay in school, don’t do drugs and always make a Nandroid backup.


Google Alert - android

News10 new results for android
 
Instapaper Releases Android App
PC Magazine
By Stephanie Mlot Instapaper for Android launched today, adding to the growing list of iOS-turned-Android applications. Developer Mobelux, which previously built Tumblr for iPhone and Android, was handpicked to create the new app, which is available ...
See all stories on this topic »
Samsung Plans Carrier Blitz for New Galaxy Phone
New York Times (blog)
By BRIAN X. CHEN | June 4, 2012, 12:54 pm Comment Dita Alangkara/Associated PressThe Galaxy S III is the latest Android smartphone from Samsung. Samsung on Monday said it would release its newest Android smartphone, the Galaxy S III, this month on each ...
See all stories on this topic »

New York Times (blog)
Asus ditches Android for Windows 8 in new Transformer laptop/tablet
Ars Technica
by Jon Brodkin - Jun 4, 2012 4:08 pm UTC Asus's line of Transformer devices has shown the world what Android can do in a PC that doubles as a touchscreen tablet. But for those who want a full PC operating system in their laptop/tablet hybrids, ...
See all stories on this topic »
Instapaper now on Android
CNET (blog)
by Jaymar Cabebe To the delight of many an avid reader, fan-favorite iOS bookmarking app Instapaper has finally made its way to the Android platform. Built by mobile app developer Mobelux, the official Instapaper app brings its dead-simple interface ...
See all stories on this topic »
Samsung Galaxy S III landing on 5 US carriers in June, without quad-core
CNET
Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular will all get Samsung's new flagship phone, the Android 4.0 Galaxy S III. by Jessica Dolcourt Coming to five carriers, starting at $200, Samsung is pushing its flagship phone hard. Samsung means business.
See all stories on this topic »
Instapaper for Android arrives. Will users buy it?
GigaOM
4, 2012, 7:54am PT 5 Comments Another of the most popular iOS applications makes the move to Android as Instapaper is now available in Google Play. The useful software saves web pages for offline reading and re-formats them to remove all of the clutter ...
See all stories on this topic »

GigaOM
Instapaper finally hits Android, proves even Apple fanboys have to show ...
VentureBeat
Even though Instapaper developer Marco Arment has repeatedly stated he wouldn't bring his beloved app to Android, that apparently doesn't rule out pushing the development work to someone else. Today Instapaper finally makes it way to Android ...
See all stories on this topic »

VentureBeat
To Hide Android Malware From Google's 'Bouncer', Hackers Learn Its Name ...
Forbes
"LadyGaga.jpg," one of two photos on the Android Market's simulated test phone for identifying malicious programs. The other is called "cat.jpg." Any program that attempts to access either photo and upload it to a remote destination can be flagged as ...
See all stories on this topic »
Instapaper Finally Makes Its Android Debut, And It's Almost Amazing
TechCrunch
Given Instapaper creator Marco Arment's less-than-enthusiastic stance on Android, it didn't seem like an Android version of his popular story-saving app would ever see the light of day. A handful of people have tried to bring the immensely useful ...
See all stories on this topic »

TechCrunch
Asus Transformer AiO boots Windows 8 and Android
TG Daily
Yes, this 18.4-inch desktop computer boots two operating systems: Microsoft's long-awaited Windows 8 and Google Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Although we don't have all the details on the Transformer AiO at this point, we do know the 18.4-inch ...
See all stories on this topic »

Blogs5 new results for android
 
Instapaper hits Android! | Android Community
By Shane McGlaun
If you have any experience with iOS, you may be familiar with the app called Instapaper. The developer of that application has long stated that he was only.
Android Community
ViewSonic VCD22 22-inch Android Smart Display hands-on (video ...
By Dana Wollman
Call it what you will: a 22-inch Android tablet or an ARM-based desktop. Whatever nomenclature you prefer, this much is true: the Viewsonic VCD22 is an.
Engadget
Official Instapaper for Android App Now Available
By Alan Henry
Android: Instapaper fans on Android have a little more reason to celebrate this morning: an official Instapaper app is available now at Google Play. The Instapaper for Android app looks and operates much like its iOS cousin, and brings all of ...
Lifehacker
Instapaper Now Available for Android
By Stan Schroeder
Mobile bookmarking service Instapaper, previously available only on iOS devices, has now arrived on Android as well.
Mashable!
comScore: Android U.S. sales slow. The iPhone holds steady ...
By Philip Elmer-DeWitt
New subscriptions for Android phones have been falling in the U.S. for four months Click to enlarge. Source: Asymco from comScore data. FORTUNE -- Drilling down into data released Friday by comScore, Asymco's Horace.
Fortune Tech: Technology blogs,...

Web1 new result for android
 
Instapaper launches on Android devices -- Engadget
Instapaper creator Marco Arment has been kept so busy with the iOS version that he decided to contract out the Android iteration to Mobelux. Fortunately,
www.engadget.com/2012/06/.../instapaper-for-android/?...


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Android Authority

Android Authority


AT&T CEO: In 2 years we could have data-only plans

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 02:26 AM PDT

The data-only future has been predicted for many years, with the rise of Skype and other similar VOIP applications. But in most cases, carriers tried to hold these apps from gaining popularity, because they were still making a lot of money from Voice and SMS, services that are priced at something like 1000x the cost of sending data through the network. Carriers can maintain such prices because there isn’t any real competition from disruptive players, all carriers being perfectly content with overcharging their customers at blistering rates.

But now we’re seeing more people move to data-based applications and away from SMS and Voice, and the carriers are starting to see the writing on the wall: eventually, they won’t be able to make that much money from Voice and SMS. Randall Stephenson, the CEO of AT&T, can already see it:

“I'll be surprised if, in the next 24 months, we don't see people in the market place with data-only plans. I just think that's inevitable.”

Why two years? Because of the competition from data-based applications, and because that should give carriers enough time to deploy LTE in most areas in the country. LTE is still in its early days, and we’re already seeing super-fast connections. We’re going to see it evolve even more over the next few years, which should make it easier and cheaper for carriers to turn a profit, while providing customers a  good service. Of course, that still depends on how willing they are to invest into that future. If they’re going to drag their feet, their services will not be so good, and they will lose revenues in the future.

In a future where LTE is the main network technology for all carriers, we should see higher interoperability between their networks, thanks in part to integrated modems that feature all frequencies, like Qualcomm’s chips and Nvidia’s Icera. We should also see higher quality voice with VoLTE, and, of course, all around better Internet connections for everything.

I just hope that, in the process carriers will respect the principles of net neutrality (although wireless carriers are not really bound to them, only regular ISPs are) and they don’t try to play favorites with certain applications, especially their own.

Have you ever considered going data-only?

No related posts.


This article, AT&T CEO: In 2 years we could have data-only plans , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


XDA releases Android Hacker’s Toolkit book, get it now for $21

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 02:09 AM PDT

xda Android-hacker-toolkit

With over 4.5 million registered users, the XDA-Developers community has established itself as one of the strongest and most connected Android hacking online "groups". And what better way to grow and expand than by helping other, more inexperienced users gain access to this wonderful developing world?

That's probably exactly what Jason Tyler and Will Verduzco asked themselves when they started working on the "XDA Developers' Android Hacker's Toolkit" book, released yesterday, and available for purchase both in "physical" and e-book forms.

The book intends to be a "complete guide to rooting, ROMs and theming" and is a "simple, one-stop resource on hacking techniques for beginners", according to contributor Will Verduzco's statements. Available for  $21 to $24, the hacking guide can be found on Amazon in its more traditional, paper-printed version, but it can also be downloaded from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and Google Play.

While its main target is to help newbies get the grasp of ROMing and theming Android, the book should not be avoided by more experienced developers. After all, you should never stop learning and this guide seems like it can help you widen your area of expertise.

There are step-by-step instructions provided for developing your own custom ROMs for several popular Android-based devices, including Motorola's Droid and Xoom, Samsung's Galaxy Tab series, and LG's Optimus line of smartphones, but also general information about what Android hacking entails in a wider sense.

And if you're still not sold by the idea of spending around 20 bucks for the book, you should know that all funds raised by selling the hacking guide will be donated by the XDA team to EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), a nonprofit organization established to defend "people's rights in the digital world". If that’s not an honorable reason to buy a book these days, I honestly don’t know what is…

No related posts.


This article, XDA releases Android Hacker’s Toolkit book, get it now for $21 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


First custom ROM for international HTC One X released, based on CM9

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 01:38 AM PDT

It might not be "designed for humans" and it doesn't come from the most popular and successful Android manufacturer of the moment, but the HTC One X is one heck of a phone and some even consider it the greatest out there.

There was, however, one thing missing to make the One X truly amazing, and that was a custom ROM to tickle the imagination of amateur (and professional) rooters. Less than a week ago, we found out that the phone's bootloader was finally unlocked, so it was only a matter of time until we could flash some tweaked software goodness on HTC's flagship.

Modaco forum's "TripNRaVer" user is officially the first dev to crack the One X' software and build a custom ROM designed especially for the phone. He only needed five days to get the job done. That's truly impressive, if you ask me, especially considering the fact that, based on initial user feedback, TripNRaVer's firmware works pretty smooth.

The custom ROM is based on CyanogenMod 9, so there'll be absolutely no trace of HTC's Sense UI on your phone once you flash it. That's very good news for anyone who loves the "pure" Google experience, but, unfortunately there are some things that are not that great about this build.

First of all, the ROM only works on the international version of the One X, the one powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 3 quad-core processor. The 4G LTE model, sold by AT&T in the US and Rogers in Canada, and featuring a Snapdragon S4 chipset, is not supported by this software build, so don't even bother trying to install it!

As far as bugs and glitches go, WiFi tethering is the only major feature reported as not working right now, but that could change with a future update. Other than that, you shouldn't experience unexpected issues with the software, but then again, you might want to browse through the entire thread on the Modaco forum and make sure. You should also know that, while the ROM is based on CyanogenMod 9, this is not an official release from the CM team.

Full installation instructions are available at the same thread  and the flashing process is described as easy by most users who've dipped into it. Then again, you should keep in mind that, once you flash a custom ROM on the HTC One X, you can bid adieu to your warranty, so handle with care and think things through before doing something that you might end up regretting!

That being said, have fun and don't forget to drop us a line in the comments section below and tell us how the ROM feels and looks! Is it better, more functional, and smoother than the out of the box experience provided by ICS and HTC Sense 4.0?


This article, First custom ROM for international HTC One X released, based on CM9 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung: Galaxy S3 coming to 5 US carriers in the following weeks – Snapdragon S4, 2GB RAM, starting from $199

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 01:04 AM PDT

The much awaited Galaxy S3 will not disappoint Americans, like it happened last year with the delays that marred the release of the Galaxy S2. According to a Samsung official statement, the Galaxy S3 will arrive in the US in a few weeks, with details to be revealed in the coming days. As we suspected, the device will launch on five carriers: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular.

This is a big improvement over last year, when US customers had to wait not only for the Galaxy S2 to arrive in US, but also had to wait many weeks for the device to hit their carrier. Samsung has clearly learned from the past, and now that they’ve become the world’s phone king and smartphone king, they’re taking their position very seriously. The Koreans seem to be strengthening their relationships with carriers all around the world and, this time, they have more negotiation power against the powerful US carriers.

I believe there will be several versions of the Galaxy S3 in the US (that is, if carriers decide to have their own design and such, like with the One X). However, all the carriers will get a Galaxy S3 with the Qualcomm S4 processor, with its integrated LTE radio. Although it would have been possible for them to adopt the Exynos 4 Quad SoC and combine it with a separate baseband chip, that would have taken a lot of time to implement.

That is why we’re seeing everyone adopting Qualcomm’s S4 chip. Using Qualcomm’s solution dramatically reduces time to market, thanks to the integration of LTE in the SoC. Samsung official press release only mentions the Snapdragon chip, which contradicts some pundits that speculated that T-Mobile and other non-LTE carriers might get the quad-core Exynos chip found in the international version.

The American Galaxy S3 will come with 2GB of RAM, just like the Canadian and the Japanese version, which should appease some of the worries of spec geeks. Besides the proc and the RAM amount, the other specs and, at least in TMo’s case, the appearance of the Galaxy S3 will remain the same as those of the international version.

Samsung revealed that the Galaxy S3 will go from $199, although it did not provide more details on specs and availability  - “Exact pricing and retail availability will be announced by each of the five carriers in the coming weeks.” The press release does reveal that Samsung device will hit the markets “almost simultaneously”, so a synced launch across all carriers is excluded. As far as we can tell, the presumptive launch date of June 20 still stands, and fits nicely with Samsung’s statements.

Even though the Galaxy S3 is a highly controversial device (not unlike the iPhone 4S), because of its “non-iconic” design, plastic build materials, and Pentile screen, I still think it will easily break the sales records of the Galaxy S2. The smartphone should sell up to 20 million units by the end of the year, and from 30 to 40 million by the time the next Galaxy flagship arrives.

What do you guys make of Samsung’s announcement? Full press release is below.

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DALLAS — June 4, 2012 — U.S. consumers on five major service providers will now be able to own the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S® III. Galaxy S III, optimized for peak performance on the nation's fastest 4G LTE and HSPA+ 42 networks, will be launching with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular starting in June. Exact pricing and retail availability will be announced by each of the five carriers in the coming weeks.

"The U.S. launch of the Galaxy S III is the most anticipated launch of the year. As promised, we are delivering the 'next big thing' for U.S. customers and across all major carriers," said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Telecommunications America. "Galaxy S III introduces new technological innovation and takes sharing to the next level."

With the Galaxy S III, Samsung is setting a new standard for smartphones. This device was designed to be lightweight, durable and powerful. The Galaxy S III weighs 4.7 ounces and is 8.6 millimeters thin, making it lighter and sleeker than other leading smartphones, including several competitor models with smaller displays. The brilliant 4.8 inch display extends to an ultra-thin bezel to maximize the viewing area. The Galaxy S III delivers impressive processing power to allow more applications to be accessible simultaneously.

The Galaxy S III goes far beyond content consumption to content sharing. Continuing its history of innovation, Samsung has simplified how consumers share content and control the device with a single touch, through enhanced gesture technology or the simple movement of the eyes.

Sharing Made Simple

The content sharing experience on the Galaxy S III addresses the sharing needs of consumers, whether it's sharing and editing a presentation with a large group in real-time, sending digital images to several other smartphones at the same time or transferring large files within seconds from one phone to another. Further, these sharing experiences are simple and require little, if any, set-up.

Sharing With Multiple Devices

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The Galaxy S III introduces the next evolution of Samsung's content sharing service with AllShare® Play. This service automatically notifies the Galaxy S III to Samsung HDTVs, mobile tablets, laptops and other consumer electronic devices on the same network that are ready to receive video files. Users can also remotely access files from devices on other networks.

Sharing with Groups

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With AllShare Group Cast on the Galaxy S III and a Wi-Fi network, users can share and collaborate on documents, presentations or images in real-time with multiple friends or co-workers' without loading the file separately.
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With Share Shot, become the official photographer for a group of friends. There's no need to send photos and video via email, MMS or a USB drive. Users can quickly and seamlessly share pictures taken with the Galaxy S III's 8 megapixel camera to other phones from up to 200 feet away. Once the Galaxy S III is synched with chosen devices, the pictures are automatically shared.

Sharing Smartphone to Smartphone

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S-Beam is an industry first, providing fast, easy transfer of large files, such as videos and documents, with a single touch of the Galaxy S III without needing a Wi-Fi connection or cell signal. A 1GB movie file can be shared as quickly as three minutes and a 10MB music file can be transferred in seconds by simply touching another GALAXY S III phone.

Smartphone Simplicity

- The S-Voice™ feature on the Galaxy S III offers much more than just asking and answering questions. S-Voice allows users to control the applications and services used most with words instead of touch. Use S-Voice to turn the volume up or down on the music player, answer or reject incoming calls, shut off or choose to snooze the alarm clock, or take a picture by saying "smile" or "cheese."
-  Smart Stay puts the "smart" in smartphones. With Smart Stay, the Galaxy S III tracks the user's eye to ensure the device screen is always on while you're looking at it. By knowing when you are looking at the screen, it doesn't dim the backlight or timeout to an idle screen.
-  Motion simplifies and short cuts many common functions including converting a text message to a call by simply raising the phone to the ear, tapping the top of the phone to go to the top of an email and list of emails or contacts, and alerting to missed call or text message.
-  The capabilities of the Galaxy S III's 8 megapixel camera are far beyond point and shoot. Burst Shotcaptures still pictures at a rapid-fire pace at three images per second with zero shutter lag; and Best Shotrecommends the best picture to keep based on colors, lighting and clarity. The Galaxy S III shoots and plays back 1080p HD quality video with a backside illuminated sensor that improves performance in low light environments, and provides the ability to capture a photo during videoing
-  Watching video while downloading a large file or service is seamless with Pop Up Play. Pop Up Play allows you to watch any side-loaded video content while operating any application in full-screen, background view at the same time. Video running on Pop Up Play can be moved anywhere on top of the full screen, much like picture-in-picture capabilities on large screen TVs.Powerful Performance

The Galaxy S III includes Android™ 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with TouchWiz enhancements, a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5 GHz dual core CPU and 2GB of internal RAM to provide high-speed performance enabling efficient and seamless multi-tasking. The dual-core processor offers competitive speeds and performance as leading quad-core processors without sacrificing valuable battery life. The brilliant 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED™ touchscreen display brings content to life, without compromising the device's true pocketability. The expansive display is protected by Gorilla Glass 2.0 to guard against cracks and scratches and provide enhanced touchscreen responsiveness.

The Galaxy S III, which comes in Marble White and Pebble Blue, is powered by a removable 2100 mAh battery for extended use on a single charge. Users can store large libraries of photos, videos and music onboard the Galaxy S III with expandable memory to compliment the standard 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage.

"The Galaxy S III is the most innovative smartphone on the market today. It is an industry first to see five major carriers align behind the launch of a single device virtually simultaneously," said Todd Pendleton, Chief Marketing Officer for Samsung Telecommunications America. "To support the immense excitement for the Galaxy S III we will execute our biggest marketing campaign ever. Consumers won't be able to miss why this device is the must-have smartphone."

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This article, Samsung: Galaxy S3 coming to 5 US carriers in the following weeks – Snapdragon S4, 2GB RAM, starting from $199 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


LIVE from COMPUTEX 2012: We’ll be in Taipei to bring you the hottest news in tech

Posted: 03 Jun 2012 02:15 PM PDT

Computex 2012-live-coverage

Each year in the early summer, the tech world converges to Taipei, the bustling capital of Taiwan, for COMPUTEX, the largest tech fair in Asia. Thousands of companies, from local specialty manufacturers to the largest international corporations, bring their hottest offerings in front of hordes of avid tech lovers, industry professionals, and of course, tech bloggers.

But COMPUTEX is more than a tech fair. Taiwan is a global manufacturing center, and chances are that, whatever device you are rocking, at least some components in it are made in Taiwan. So it's no wonder that each edition of COMPUTEX brings product launches, precious insight into technology developments, and even exclusive leaks.

Just like last year, Android Authority will be represented at COMPUTEX by our Editor-in-Chief, Darcy LaCouvee. Darcy will trawl the huge halls of the Taipei World Trade Center, leaving no booth unchecked, no device un-tested, and no industry representative not harassed for info (just kidding, he will only harass some of them).

All next week, we'll bring you comprehensive live coverage of all major developments at COMPUTEX 2012. Expect some awesome hands-on videos with devices from HTC, ASUS, Acer and other Taiwanese manufactures, but also from international players. ViewSonic is promising a humongous 22-inch Android tablet that we can't wait to take from a spin. ASUS has teased a dual-boot Android/Windows 8 Transformer, that it will probably unveil at COMPUTEX. Nvidia might spill some beans on its plans for Tegra 3+ and Tegra 4. We'll be there.

Whatever happens at COMPUTEX, you can bet that you'll get the best live coverage from Android Authority. The show starts on Tuesday, but Darcy has a full Monday all planned out, so make sure to check back with us tomorrow. To get a birds-eye view of the show, make sure to check our COMPUTEX 2012 tag page.

While we wait for COMPUTEX to officially begin, tell us, do you have a specific manufacturer, product, or topic that you would like us to cover in detail? Let us know in the comment section below!


This article, LIVE from COMPUTEX 2012: We'll be in Taipei to bring you the hottest news in tech , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung Galaxy S3 vs iPhone 4S Drop Test!

Posted: 03 Jun 2012 11:38 AM PDT

Yesterday we did a terrible thing. We took a brand new Samsung Galaxy S3 and purposefully dropped it multiple times for you. It was awful to watch, but we know that our viewers get a strange enjoyment from cell phone obliteration. We also dropped a brand new iPhone 4S and filmed that too!

This video is mostly for your amusement but it does have a slight undertone of consumer advice. Some people – no matter how much they love their smartphones – can be very clumsy. We have all had the horrific experience of watching our device slip out of our grasp, only to see it descend towards the unforgiving floor. It’s these sorts of accidents that show which device comes out on top.

Each phone was dropped in three different orientations and in this order: rear, side, and front. After each drop we filmed a brief evaluation of the damage, and we also tried to asses the amount of damage after all three drops. Once we were done with both phones, we did a side by side comparison. You may be a little surprised by the results!

We hope you enjoy!

And, now that you’ve seen the results, maybe it’s safe to say that Corning’s Gorilla Glass 2 didn’t stand up to the true test of durability after all. What do you think? Is the Galaxy S3 still more durable? Let us know!


This article, Samsung Galaxy S3 vs iPhone 4S Drop Test! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.