Thursday, June 14, 2012

Android Community

Android Community


T-Mobile 4G LTE trials starting this summer, LTE rollout early 2013

Posted: 14 Jun 2012 10:52 AM PDT

In case you missed it, T-Mobile plans to launch their own 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless network in 2013 to better compete with Verizon and AT&T. While they are obviously a little behind they’ve been hitting it hard and have just announced their initial trials and testing will begin this summer, starting next month.

T-Mobiles Senior VP of Technology, Dave Mayo, gave a quick update and progress report on the networks continued efforts to expand into the LTE market earlier today. More details are available at T-Mobile’s Blog. The details confirm their $4 billion dollar plan with LTE, and the fact that by the end of June they’ll have over 400 cell sites upgraded to LTE capabilities, and expect that number to reach 2,500 by the end of July.

Dave Mayo later went on to state that their LTE is moving along quite well and that “release 10 trials are set to begin this summer with broad LTE deployment on track for 2013.” T-Mobile currently doesn’t offer any 4G LTE capable smartphones, and their upcoming Galaxy S III won’t be either. Most likely we’ll see a few MiFi hotspot devices show up first with support, then slowly some T-Mobile LTE smartphones around very late 2012 or early 2013. It’s a slow process but more options are always welcomed, especially with some of Verizon’s recent changes.


Galaxy S II on AT&T just $9.99 for Father’s Day

Posted: 14 Jun 2012 10:18 AM PDT

With Samsung’s brand new flagship Galaxy S III smartphone hitting later this month many carriers are trying to rid their old inventory. AT&T has now confirmed they’ll be holding a pretty amazing sale for their original Galaxy S II smartphone for Father’s Day only. The deal ends on the 17th and we have all the details below.

The Galaxy S II is the best selling Android phone of all times, so this is a deal worth jumping on that is for sure. AT&T released two versions of the SGSII but this is the original. The low price of only $9.99 will get you the 4.3-inch original Galaxy S II with Samsung’s own Exynos 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and their always impressive 8 megapixel camera. All other US Galaxy S II’s came with larger screens and Qualcomm processors, not Samsung.

It might not be the latest and greatest Samsung phone but this is still one of the most popular phones to date, has plenty of power to handle every task thrown its way, and would make any dad (or anyone) plenty happy. The only downfall here is no 4G LTE, and the lack of a 720p HD display as it has Samsung’s usual Super AMOLED 480 x 800 resolution screen (which looks amazing) still.

As usual you must sign up for a new 2-year contract and all that jazz but getting the Galaxy S II for only $9.99 is one heck of a deal. More details are available at AT&T.com by clicking here.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S II
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : February 13, 2011
    Release Date : April 28, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.27 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED Plus
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 4.93 Inch
  • Width : 2.6 Inch
  • Depth : .33 Inch
  • Weight : 116 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1650 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 710 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MP3
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Exynos
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


AT&T Sony Xperia ion with 4G LTE arrives June 24 for $99

Posted: 14 Jun 2012 09:59 AM PDT

AT&T has just announced another 4G LTE handset for the summer in the Sony Xperia ion and it will be available later this month. Announced back at CES in January the ion will be Sony’s first AT&T 4G LTE smartphone and it comes packing pretty decent specs given the price. Today AT&T has confirmed its availability of June 24th for the low price of just $99.

The Xperia ion being offered for just $99 is a pretty great deal considering this is as high-end of a smartphone as it gets in all areas but the processor. Those specs include a 4.6-inch 1280 x 720p HD Bravia display, a 1.5 GHz dual-core S3 processor with 4G LTE, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a huge 12 megapixel camera on the rear. The phone also features DLNA, HDMI, and a front facing camera.

Most of the phone stacks up quite decent to the competition although sadly it is still running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and not Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, although Sony has already confirmed an update is en route. Once it receives that update it will be better matched up with the HTC One X and the upcoming Galaxy S III. Is the low price enough to sway you from the competition?

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Xperia ion
    Manufactuer : Sony
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : January 09, 2012
    Release Date : June 24, 2012
    Also Known As : LT28, LT28i
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.55 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x720
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.2 Inch
  • Width : 2.7 Inch
  • Depth : 0.4 Inch
  • Weight : 144 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1900 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 400 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : MSM8260
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 12.1 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p 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:
  • Bluetooth 2.0
  • A2DP
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via SlashGear]


Max Payne hit shooter blasts onto Android [Hands-on]

Posted: 13 Jun 2012 09:07 PM PDT

It’s finally here! The popular 3rd person shooter video game that revolutionized shooters for consoles back in 2001 has finally landed on Android. After months of waiting and a few delays, Max Payne is finally available on Android smartphones and tablets starting tonight. With added support for NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core devices this game is bound to be awesome. It supports most newer phones, as well as Tegra 2 devices. Lets take a look.

To help celebrate Rockstar's cinematic action-shooter, Max Payne 3, Rockstar Games is proud to release Max Payne Mobile for Android. This release brings the full classic Max Payne experience to Android with new customizable controls for touchscreens, optimized to run on multiple phones and tablets. In collaboration with NVIDIA and their Tegra 3 quad-core devices this game looks to be even more impressive than ever. The graphics and all have been completely brought over to mobile devices and should be a blast. We were able to get a quick look at the game and you can see our initial hands-on below:

Max Payne for Android hands-on

The character building story, monologue, and cut scenes are just a few of the many reasons this game was popular back on consoles, and will be the same for Android. Max Payne Mobile offers tons of camera and aiming preferences so you can tailor the game how you’d like to play. The layout and controls can all be optimized and suited to the individual player, and everyone can enjoy the dark atmosphere and storyline around the game. So far our initial impressions are quite favorable, as you could tell from the video above. Here’s what to expect with Max Payne Mobile:

• Touch Screen Controls and updated Tutorial system
• Analog Camera Control
• Rockstar Social Club Integration, with Achievements, Stats and Tracking
• Customizable Aiming settings, sensitivity and speed
• Customizable Control Layout
• Native resolution support across Android phones and tablets
• Optimized on devices featuring NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core mobile processor with full screen
antialiasing, additional antistrophic texture filtering and enhanced lighting effects
• Gamepad support for select USB controllers, Immersion haptic vibration effects, and adjustable
graphic settings

Now I wouldn’t go as far as to call the graphics as good as the popular SHADOWGUN on Android, but the amount of details and depth to the graphics really makes this game shine. Everything is interactive from water faucets and toilets, and the environment is pretty destructible with glass breaking and bullet damage being present on walls, cars, and more. They’ve really done an excellent job bringing the full PS1 experience to Android devices.

I was worried aiming and shooting would be rather difficult on a touchscreen, just like multiple other shooters for Android but Rockstar has done an excellent job with Max Payne. The auto-aim assist isn’t too much that the game is easy, but makes it much easier for touchscreen controls. I’m actually quite pleased and have been playing for a good while already. I know where the rest of my night will be going.

Without giving too many details of this awesome new game away I’ll just direct you to enjoy a few of the screenshots provided below, and expect a full Android Community review in the coming days. The brand new classic shooter Max Payne is available for Android phones and tablets right now at the Google Play Store for $2.99 by clicking here, or heading to the NVIDIA Tegra Zone.

Screenshot_2012-06-13-14-47-56 Screenshot_2012-06-13-15-24-35 Screenshot_2012-06-13-15-19-54 Screenshot_2012-06-13-15-20-26 Screenshot_2012-06-13-15-20-41 Screenshot_2012-06-13-15-23-18 Screenshot_2012-06-13-15-34-49 Screenshot_2012-06-13-15-33-44 Screenshot_2012-06-13-15-27-59


My Xbox Live App finally arrives for Android [Hands-on]

Posted: 13 Jun 2012 01:31 PM PDT

It’s finally here folks. Microsoft today has unleashed their brand new and polished Xbox Live app for Android. About freaking time right? This is the full featured app we’ve been waiting for since January. Complete with game trailers and videos, achievement tracking, games played list and more. You can even message Xbox live friends right from the app. Check out our quick hands-on after the cut.

To be honest I’m pretty impressed and surprised with the level of quality and polish Microsoft has put into this app. It’s very smooth, fluid, and runs great. The animations as my Xbox Live avatar jumps on screen and hangs out is just like on my Xbox, and the fact we can change our avatar or edit our gamer profile all in-app is a nice touch too. Here’s our hands-on that breaks the simple yet effective app down for you:

Once you sign in your’re greeted with the Spotlight page with a very similar Windows Phone 7 UI with large tiles and small dots for navigation. You can watch videos of game previews, see the latest Microsoft and Xbox breaking news and more. From there a simple swipe brings you to your avatar and main page. That is where you can look up friends, change or edit your profile and everything else. At all times the message icon is on the top right for easy chatting and reading messages with your Xbox Live friends. I hate to say it but well done Micro$oft!

The app is actually pretty simple and basic but that is all it needs to do. Keep track of your recently played games, show you your achievements so all those fanatics can track every aspect of their games, converse with fellow gamers and more. We suspect in the future Microsoft will be adding additional features and possibly even game purchases all in-app. We’ll have to wait and see. Get it now from the link below and enjoy!

My Xbox Live Link

unnamed Screenshot_2012-06-13-12-44-12 Screen Shot 2012-06-13 at 1.10.24 PM Screenshot_2012-06-13-12-46-33 Screenshot_2012-06-13-12-46-39 Screenshot_2012-06-13-12-47-40

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!


Deeper: Smart Fishfinder for Android up for pre-order

Posted: 13 Jun 2012 12:48 PM PDT

For all you Fisherman or Anglers out there we have an awesome new Kickstarter project you’ll surely want to check out. It’s called Deeper and these guys have developed the worlds first smart fishfinder for smartphones and tablets. This is perfect for all Fisherman, and would make a great gift for Dad once they finally start shipping. This awesome gadget is up for pre-order now for just $149.

Deeper works on Android or iOS, on phones and tablets, and is pretty impressive to say the least. This sonar based gadget will show you where all the fish are hiding and help you get the catch of the day. Deeper is a small tennis ball-sized high-impact polycarbonate shell that is packed with technology. Using sonar to detect fish around it, and bluetooth to transmit and display the data on your smartphone or tablet. With 6 hours of battery life and a range of 160 feet I’d love to give one a try.

Once paired with your smartphone or tablet, Deeper becomes a fisherman’s personal assistant. While it might not be as advanced as some of those expensive Fishfinders it surely does many of the same things. The bed of the pond or lake is reflected by sonar’s emitted waves then the information is sent to your device allowing you to learn about not only where the fish are and how big, but the water temperature and depth too.

Once paired with their mobile app that will hopefully be available late July or early August (if the project gets enough funding) this will be a perfect fishing companion. For more details you can head to their Indiegogo page, which is similar to Kickstarter and make a donation today.

deeper-both Screen Shot 2012-06-13 at 12.17.54 PM Screen Shot 2012-06-13 at 12.17.28 PM Screen Shot 2012-06-13 at 12.16.57 PM Screen Shot 2012-06-13 at 12.11.56 PM

[via Deeper]


Acer Iconia Tab A700 quad-core 1080p tablet only $449

Posted: 13 Jun 2012 11:50 AM PDT

Acer has just finally fully detailed and priced their new flagship Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. The Iconia Tab A700 which was first detailed back during CES has finally went up for pre-order starting at just $449. The big deal here is the specs though. Rocking a 1080p resolution and a quad-core processor all for a low price.

Acer’s retina-like display is 10.1-inches and rocks a 1920 x 1200 full 1080p HD resolution. Coming complete with NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage all for $449. And that includes a rear 5 megapixel camera and a 1.3 up front for self portraits and video chat.

asdfdaf-580x381 acer_iconia_tab_A700_645_2 acer_iconia_tab_A700_645_3

This might not be the thinnest tablet on the block but those specs sure are impressive. What’s even better is the fact they’ve crammed a huge 9,800 mAh battery inside for over 10 hours of battery life. Many 10-inch tablets come with much smaller capacities. Running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich this tablet has the latest and greatest of everything, as well as a micro-SD slot for extra storage and HDMI-Out if you’d like to stream games to your HDTV — as if that 1920 x 1200 screen isn’t good enough. You can pre-order it today from Acer.com

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : ICONIA Tab A700
    Manufactuer : Acer
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : January 25, 2012
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 10.1 Inch
  • Resolution : 1920x1200
  • Screen Type : IPS
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : NA
  • Width : NA
  • Depth : NA
  • Weight : 650 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Polymer
  • Battery Capacity : 9800 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MP3
  • WAV
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 3
    CPU Clock Speed : 1300 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : NA
    Internal Storage : NA
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 5 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via SlashGear]


T-Mobile HTC One S hits Best Buy for just $99

Posted: 13 Jun 2012 11:24 AM PDT

If you’ve been eying T-Mobile‘s popular and powerful HTC One S, it just got even more affordable today thanks to the folks from Best Buy. T-Mobile has been offering it for $149 after a small mail in rebate but today Best Buy has thrown down the gauntlet and is offering the 4.3-inch Android 4.0 smartphone for $99.

The best part of the deal though, according to TmoNews, is the fact that the awesome low price of $99 is available for BOTH new and current T-Mobile customers. Usually great deals are only for newcomers, but not today. As usual though you’ll have to sign a new 2-year contract to enjoy the price, but that should be expected.

Some Best Buy stores haven’t been offering as many T-Mobile phones as of late, and this deal could also sell out pretty fast so your best bet is to order it online today from the via link below. This is most likely to steal some of the orders away from T-Mobile’s Fathers Day sale, and so far it’s working. There’s no telling how long this price will last for one of T-Mobile’s best phones so you’d better hurry and snag one.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One S
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : February 26, 2012
    Release Date : April 25, 2012
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.3 Inch
  • Resolution : 540x960
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.15 Inch
  • Width : 2.56 Inch
  • Depth : 0.31 Inch
  • Weight : 120 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1650 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon S4
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
    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
    CDMA Band:
  • 1700
  • 2100
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via Best buy]