Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Google Alert - android

News10 new results for android
 
Android has half of US market, but for how long?
CBS News
Android has the biggest smartphone platform share, but its biggest supporter is getting battered by Apple's lawyers.
See all stories on this topic »

CBS News
Android Ice Cream Sandwich Share Tops 10 Percent
PC Magazine
Google's latest operating system, dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich, is now running on more than 10 percent of Android devices.
See all stories on this topic »
Jelly Bean in Patent Spat Crosshairs as Ice Cream Sandwich Breaks 10 Percent ...
PCWorld
The Nexus 7 tablet, which runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), infringes on intellectual property in Nokia's patent portfolio, contends the Finnish handset maker. The patents infringed by the Google tablet made by Asus are believed to be related to WiFi ...
See all stories on this topic »
Wait for the iPhone 5 or go Google Android?
CNET (blog)
The latest Google Android devices on the market are impressive. And with Google's latest software release, it's hard to imagine that Apple will come up with anything to top it. But should you wait for the new iPhone anyway? Ask Maggie's Marguerite ...
See all stories on this topic »
Google's Nexus 7: To buy or not to buy?
Computerworld (blog)
Google's Nexus 7 is the world's first Android 4.1 tablet -- and the first tablet to bear Google's Nexus name. So at $200, is it worth snatching up?
See all stories on this topic »

Computerworld (blog)
Apple Wins Ban on Two Android Devices: What It Means for You
TIME
I'm not a lawyer or a shareholder in any of the companies involved, so I'm less concerned with the legal maneuvering than I am with the patent wars' effects on consumers. Let's take a look at what the injunctions and the greater mobile patent wars mean ...
See all stories on this topic »

TIME
Google Nexus 7 Review: 'Its Mission Is To Go Out And Kill Rogue Tablets'
Huffington Post
NEW YORK -- In the 1982 sci-fi movie "Blade Runner," there are hints that the hero, played by Harrison Ford, is an artificial human – an "android" or "replicant." His job is to go out and kill other, rogue androids.
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Android, Apple extend gains in smartphone market
Canada.com
The Google Android platform has extended its lead in the US smartphone market while Apple increased.
See all stories on this topic »
Google Nexus Q
PC Magazine
You need to use an Android smartphone or tablet to control the Nexus Q. Without it, the Q will only show a welcome screen with a drawing of the device and the URL for Google's Nexus website on your HDTV. Of course, even after you set up the Nexus Q, ...
See all stories on this topic »
Google Analytics Released for Android
PC Magazine
This one goes out to all my bloggers, social media pros...and PR folks looking to team up with bloggers and social media pros - Google Analytics has released an Android app that lets users access, track & analyze their site's statistics.
See all stories on this topic »

Blogs5 new results for android
 
Melting Point For ICS? Its Share Of Android Penetration Is Growing ...
By Ingrid Lunden
Google has released its latest Android developer stats, which show that Gingerbread, version 2.3, at 63.6 percent, remains the single most-popular Android version, based on how many devices have accesed the Google Play app store in the ...
TechCrunch
Almost Two-Thirds of Android Devices Still Use Gingerbread
By Stan Schroeder
Android Developers has released its monthly overview of the number of active devices running different versions of Android.
Mashable!
HBO Go update supports Android tablets up to ICS -- Engadget
By Richard Lawler
When HBO Go launched for the Kindle Fire a few weeks ago it seemed odd that the app still didn't officially support other Android tablets, but now that.
Engadget
Melted Android Jelly Bean statue spills the beans | Android ...
By Shane McGlaun
One of the things that many Android fans get a kick out of with each new version of Android that is announced are the statues that sit on the lawn at Google HQ.
Android Community
Android Overload: ITC Denies Apple's Request For Emergency Ban ...
By Chris Chavez
Looks like we have a pretty extra large helping of the Android Overload for you tonight. These are all the stories that made it past our desks from throughout the day, but for whatever reason, didn't quite make it onto our front page. No worries.
Android Phone Fans


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Android Authority

Android Authority


Best Android apps for Bible study

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 09:00 PM PDT

The saying, “there’s an app for that,” is certainly no exaggeration. The Google Play Store has almost every facet of life covered and if you think your niche has been neglected, all it takes is typing a key word into the Google Play Store’s search function to find what you’ve been looking for.

Thanks to technology, we’ve been able to do away with our clunky physical objects. Your bulky camera? Leave it at home. Your heavy medical or law text? Leave it at home. And now, you can leave your Bible at home too, and take a light virtual version with you on your Android phone.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best apps to make studying the Bible easier.

Bible

The Bible app allows users to listen to an audio dramatization of the Bible, and even see video segments from the Jesus Film Project. Moreover, this app also has the most number of translations in the world, which means that a wider range of users can be reached. And, it doesn’t stop there. New languages are regularly added to cater to the needs of more users around the globe.

The app proves to be a very handy companion for all-time convenience in listening to or reading the Bible. No additional Bible downloads will be required for this, though you need Internet connection to access the Bible’s audio.

With the Bible app, you can also share random Bible verses with your friends through Facebook, Twitter, SMS, or email. With this app, you’re finally a tap closer to your desired bible study guide.

Daily Bible

Nothing’s more fun in studying the Bible than being able to share it with others. The Daily Bible provides its users with multifarious ways to enjoy themselves while studying. From daily verses down to the selection of your favorite Bible document to be shared with several networking sites, everything has been made easier by the app.

You may choose what Bible topic or verse you’d like, and Daily Bible will show you results in no time. It also has its daily devotional feature which allows you to listen to Biblical Christian Devotions from a list of devotional podcasts. You can save a specific podcast of your choice and listen to it offline.

Don’t worry if you’re not easily contented with a single Bible version because the Daily Bible provides you with several versions like KJV, NIV, ESV, and many more.

BibleReader-KJV Bible

Here comes another amazing way to study the KJV Bible in full convenience and ease. Not only does BibleReader-KJV Bible provide you with an advanced search mechanism, it also comes with a back-up copy which you could store on another device with the help of Olive Tree’s free cloud back-up service.

The app allows split-screen viewing for easier navigation, and gives the user immediate access to downloadable files. This may range from more than a hundred free titles to over 600 popular Bible study products, which you can purchase within the application.

What’s cool about this app is the fact that Bibles are stored on your Android phones and are not dependent on network connection. You can enjoy offline access anytime you want. You can also create your notes, highlights, bookmarks, tags, and ribbons, and transfer them all to your devices.

If you fancy speed and variety in searching related resources for your Bible study, then BibleReader will prove to be one of the best app you could ever ask for.

ESV Bible

The ESV Bible app for Android phones is a natural hot pick by Bible users for allowing offline access. The app allows fast page navigation for convenience. You may jump from one footnote to another, or check a different verse, and jump back to your original footnote immediately. It also allows you to randomly browse the contents of the Bible by scrolling it either in landscape or full screen mode. You can even resize the font to suit your preference.

ESV Bible also proves to be a good way for interaction, as it is easy to share selections with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. It isn’t bogged down with many advertisements, which makes it easier for users to navigate its tools.

With ESV Bible, you don’t just read and learn about the Bible–you also enjoy.

Bible-Discovery

They say the real message of the Bible isn’t in what we just read. We have to go deeper and understand what lies beneath its words.  If you aren’t satisfied with just reading and listening, and you’re looking for more of what you can really get from the Bible, then Bible-Discovery is just the right app for you.

Equipped with the cross-referencing feature and transliteration of Greek and Hebrew words, users can now easily browse simultaneous pages which could help them compare info from their current study to those which had been done before.

A quick bookmarking feature is also available and since bookmarks on this app can easily be handled, bookmarks of different categories make it possible for verses to have different colors. This way, users will find it easy to remember important bible verses, which might be of reference to them in the future.

Commentaries are also available, and you can download more than 90 Bible translations. Bible-Discovery doesn’t just give you convenience while studying the bible. It also helps you widen your grasp of the Word’s meaning.

Remember Me Bible Verse Memory

When things start to get out of control, the last thing you’d want is to forget what you intended to do, and end up doing something unnecessary.

With Remember Me Bible Verse Memory app however, you don’t need to worry about forgetting things. This app gives its user the luxury to set daily reminders for all purposes. This doesn’t mean that we completely set aside the obvious fact that we’re talking about Bible study apps here. Remember Me caters to the huge demand of Bible study users; from random retrieval of Bible scriptures online, to an intelligent review system that gauges your study’s progress.

Remember Me collections can be exported to an SD card. This way, you’ll get the assurance that every important thing you like to remember is taken care of.

Crossconnect Bible

A free opensource Bible that allows you to listen to your Bible anytime and anywhere with any verse, the CrossConnect Bible app has its Bible word search, which provides you a more convenient way of searching for info inside the Bible by simply providing relevant keywords on your desired topic.

You also get to listen to the sermon interrogation of John Piper, powered by DesiringGod.org, and freely access offline Bible texts. If you feel like modifying the appearance of the font, the CrossConnect Bible app allows you to customize its font color to your liking.

It includes a Daily verse widget, which gives you updates on Bible verses everyday. Aside from its uniqueness, it’s also very helpful in satiating your everyday desire to have something new on your dish.

With CrossConnect Bible, you’ll get your daily dosage of spiritual nourishment in a fun and simple way.

KJV Bible

If you’re looking for an app that gives you extensive ways of exploring and studying the Bible, KJV Bible is practically one of the best picks for you.

It has extensive online search engines, through which users could find references for their study. Complimenting its wide coverage of information is a feature that allows users to share and bookmark topics of their interest. The app is equipped with user-friendly navigation and a verse-locating feature which allows users to easily pull out the info they need.

This means you don’t need to browse all the books, chapters, and verses in the Bible. With KJV Bible, everything is made in just a matter of a tap. With over a million downloads, the app proves to be one of the favorites in Bible studies.

If you’re really up to something easy and is packed with all the needed information you want, then KJV Bible is just the right pick for you.

MySword Bible

There are times when you feel like you need more of what you can get from something as important as the Bible.

MySword Bible will surely be your best companion for your study sessions. Equipped with a Bible version verse comparison feature, the app gives you alternative info guides on things you want to know. You may also do cross-referencing via Treasury of Scripture Knowledge for better overview of the Bible’s contents. Commentaries, devotional books, dictionaries, and many more are available with this app.

If you’re up to personalizing your own page, MySword gives you the luxury to do that. You may select your own color scheme or theme. Font size can also be adjusted to make your reading more comfortable.

With MySword at hand, you can enjoy Bible study in an environment of your choice.

CadreBible-Bible Software

If you love a feature-packed Bible app, plus a quick way of searching related materials for your study, then CadreBible-Bible Software is the right app for you.

It is an offline Bible app that contains large libraries of electronic Bibles, commentaries, devotionals, dictionaries, and short stories for kids — all in one app. It has a sophisticated search feature that allows you to explore all the available features of the app without any hassle. You can create notes and sessions for each Bible study which you can easily modify in the future.

Aside from its variety of Bible-related features, CadreBible also is equipped with numerous custom settings that allow you to change the font color and size of the text, customize themes, auto-rotate screen, or keep the screen on. You even have the choice to show or hide icons from the screen.

With CadreBible app, everything you’ll need for a convenient and efficient bible study is now made possible.

So, if you’re all fired up to begin your study session in a whole new different way, then the apps mentioned above are your best buddies. It doesn’t matter where you are. With these apps on hand, studying the Bible could be as easy as how you want it to be.


This article, Best Android apps for Bible study , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


How To: Setup, Configure, and use Google Now

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 08:59 PM PDT

What is Google Now?

There’s some confusion out there in the Android world. Google Now is not Android’s “Siri killer”, that’s Voice Search (which you can get to and use from within Google Now). Google Now is much, much more than an application that listens to queries and spits out answers. I’m not even sure we can call Google Now a virtual assistant either. Google Now is about automating your life and in return, making your life easier. Google Now does that by providing a vast amount of information, pertinent to you, at your fingertips. There’s just one catch though. Those of your that often go full tin foil hat mode really won’t be able to fully enjoy Google Now to its’ full potential. So take off your head gear and let’s get started.

[Google Now] tells you today's weather before you start your day, how much traffic to expect before you leave for work, when the next train will arrive as you're standing on the platform, or your favorite team’s score while they're playing. And the best part? All of this happens automatically. Cards appear throughout the day at the moment you need them.

How to setup Google Now

To get started, you’ll first need to launch Google Now from either your lock screen by swiping up towards the ‘Google’ icon or by swiping up from any of your soft keys. You can press in and swipe up from the back arrow, home key, and recents key.

 

If you haven’t launched Google Now until…now… you’ll need to tap through the welcome screen setup.

Now go ahead and scroll down the to very bottom and tap the 3 dots (menu button) in the bottom right corner. This will launch the Google Now / Voice Search settings. Tap Google Now to customize your Google Now cards.

You can also view Sample Cards and configure them from the Google Now home screen. Scroll all the way down to the bottom and tap “Show sample cards”.

Most of you will probably need to leave these settings set to default until you get a better feel for Google Now and what information you wish to have at your fingertips, without having to dig through your phone.  Now that you have your cards setup, you need to populate them with some data. You can do that by using Voice Search. You can tap the microphone icon and search for your favorite sports team, weather, restaurant, flight numbers, or anything related to the sample cards provided for you.

For example: “What’s the weather today?” “Do the Yankee’s play today?” “I’m hungry for Chinese food”. You get the idea.

Now you privacy folks you’ll need to remove your tin foil hats for the next part. As I said earlier, to fully get the most of of Google Now, you’ll need to setup a few more tasks revolving around your location.

For your location settings, first head back into the Google Now settings and tap Privacy accounts. By default, all of these settings should be enabled.

Next, tap Manage location settings. This will take you into Maps settings. For best results, you’ll want location history enabled.

Next, so that Google Now can identify your home and work address correctly (instead of your favorite place to hangout) launch Maps. Now select Location history. From here you’ll have the option to configure your home and work locations. (Yes, I work more than 21 hours a week on average. My building at work doesn’t provide the greatest GPS window.)

Now you have Google Now setup and ready to show you some cards. You should start seeing cards immediately for weather, distance to work / home, and possibly other locations. If you’re near a bus station you may see that data populate right away as well. As mentioned earlier, you’ll want to start using Voice Search and searching for other card related items to let Google Now know you’re interested. After you start putting information into Google Now, you’ll start to see cards show up in your notifications. Just tap on them to view them or at anytime you can swipe up from your soft keys or home screen.

Tips and Tricks

Once you close or swipe away a card in Google Now or from your notifications, it isn’t gone, don’t worry. It will come back the next time data for that card changes. For example: if you swipe away your weather, it won’t come back until your location changes or your weather information changes.

You can force cards to reappear by tapping the menu icon at the bottom of Google Now and tapping the refresh button. If you’re still having problems, you can always go into Google Now settings, flip the toggle switch off, reboot, and then re-enable Google Now. You shouldn’t have to do this though.

Add locations to your Calendar events. Google Now will then give you a notification when you need to leave to arrive on time.

If you’ve used Latitude to Check-in to many businesses in your area, you may start to see those show up in Google Now. If you just swipe those away, they’ll keep coming back. When these cards are shown, you have the option to no longer track those places by tapping the settings.

Enabling Web History drastically improves the functionality of Google Now. You can control these settings at www.google.com/dashboard.

Lastly, the more you use Google Now, the better it becomes. Enjoy!


This article, How To: Setup, Configure, and use Google Now , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung, Google stand united against Apple in patent fight

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 02:54 PM PDT

The more we talk about flagship mobile devices, whether smartphone or tablets, the more we inadvertently end up analyzing the legal battles they generate between some of the most important players in the mobile business. And obviously, the most important patent-based legal conflict is currently being fought between Apple and Android, although other companies are also targeting Google's open source mobile operating system in similar battles.

So far, Google had to, or felt the need to remain a somewhat quiet, but very interested observant of the various fights Apple has been engaged in. Interestingly, whether it's Apple vs Samsung, Apple vs Motorola or Apple vs HTC, the iPhone maker never sued Google directly, and the later never went directly after Apple either, even though it has always said it fully supports its Android device-making partners.

But in the mean time, Google entered all of these conflicts, and its battling Apple directly now that it has completed its extremely expensive Motorola purchase.

Apple vs HTC

Google is not directly a part in this lawsuit, currently being won by Apple, but the Search giant did try to borrow various patents to the Taiwanese company in order to support its counterclaims against Apple. However, these patents were shot down in court, and Google's efforts failed, with HTC left to fend of for itself, at least in theory.

Apple vs Motorola

Google purchased Motorola for $12.5 billion, with tech blogs and pundits speculating that the real reason Motorola was buying the still unprofitable Android maker is its vast collection of mobile patents that could be successfully used to defend Android, and, why not, attack competitors when and if needed. But Google also inherited Motorola's ongoing patent squabble with Apple, and that fight is far from over.

Apple and Google are finally facing each other in various courts, and while a U.S. trial between the two has been recently dismissed with prejudice, the companies are yet to reach a settlement.

Apple vs Samsung

The Apple vs Samsung conflict is maybe the most complex of the three, with the two giants – also partners when it comes to certain supply lines – suing and countersuing each others in 10 countries in more than 30 distinct lawsuits.

So far Apple is winning the battle, after having obtained various legal victories against Samsung in different countries, including several injunctions against Galaxy-branded devices, but there aren’t any final rulings in any of these conflicts. Furthermore, settlement talks between the two parties failed a couple of months ago, and the trials will go forward. As for Google, the company stayed away so far, but it's now determined to enter the fight.

Why is Google ready to intervene in this particular conflict? Because just last week, Apple scored a couple of victories at home, against the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet and the Galaxy Nexus smartphone – two injunctions, both appealed by Samsung. The fact that the Galaxy Nexus risks being banned from selling in the U.S. for an undetermined period of time is clearly something Google can't be happy with. The device started selling in the region just over six months ago, and it's still a great iPhone alternative even though hotter Android handsets have been launched since its unveiling.

Nevertheless, the Galaxy Nexus is Google's third and most recent Nexus handset, and the company can't go down without a fight, especially considering that it just launched its first ever tablet, also included in the Nexus family. Last week, during Google I/O 2012, Google announced the Nexus 7 and started taking pre-orders for it in several markets, America included. At the time, we wondered whether the device is in any danger to be included in such patent-based lawsuits, and now that the Galaxy Nexus may be banned from selling it the USA, we're even more interested to see whether Apple will make a move against the Jelly Bean device in the foreseeable future.

With that in mind, we're certainly curious to see what Google can bring to the Samsung vs Apple patent battle, especially since the company has not been able to successfully leverage Moto's patents against Apple to obtain any kind of settlement thus far. We'll certainly learn more about this legal collaboration between the two companies in the near future, but in the mean time we can report that the partnership is official:

''It's too early to comment on our game plan (with Google) in the legal battle; but we will do our best to get more royalties from Apple, which has benefited from our technology,'' said a Samsung insider.

''The fight is becoming more dramatic and the possibility of a truce in the form of a cross-licensing deal, seems to be becoming likely.''

However, this alliance is not necessarily a match made in Heaven, as both companies are mainly targeting Apple with FRAND patents, or standard-essentials, a practice for which both companies are investigated by the European Union (Samsung) and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (Google-Motorola). And both companies are likely to use the same patents against Apple following this expected partnership.

We'll be back with more details once we move closer to the Apple vs Samsung trial, which is set to debut on July 30 in the USA.


This article, Samsung, Google stand united against Apple in patent fight , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


AT&T Galaxy S3 release date set for July 6

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 01:42 PM PDT

We have just learned that Sprint's Galaxy S3 is available in the carrier's stores and it's now time to check out AT&T's launch plans for this Samsung flagship device, as the mobile operator made them official in a post on its Consumer Blog earlier today.

Without further ado, here's the news you were waiting for: the AT&T Galaxy S3 will finally arrive in AT&T stores, with the launch date set for July 6, or next Friday. Pricing starts at $199.99 for the 16GB model, and a new two-year contract is required. The 16GB model will set you back $549.99 should you decide to purchase it for full price from the carrier. The carrier will not stock the 32GB version of the phone, but it will offer users microSD cards in case they need more storage.

The phone has been available for pre-order for a few weeks now, but that's not enough for potential buyers who want to check out the device before committing to it. They can do so starting this week when the AT&T Galaxy S3 will finally make it to stores.

The U.S. Galaxy S3 versions are slowly coming out of hiding, after a few unexpected delays caused by high demand, in what has been a far from perfect almost simultaneous launch in the country. The handset will be available in America from six carriers – the Big Four and two regional operators – but not every operator has the device in stores at this time.

Samsung is said to hit 10 million Galaxy S3 sales this month, but that number could have been significantly higher. Unfortunately Samsung had to deal with various supply chain issues that will cost them millions in potential sales.

Nevertheless, the Galaxy S3 appears to be the best sold Android handset of the year, at least so far, and it's going to be the main rival of the new iPhone that's coming out this fall – a deja-vu battle that's been fought in the last couple of years by their predecessors.

Have you purchased your Galaxy S3 yet?

No related posts.


This article, AT&T Galaxy S3 release date set for July 6 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


First Firefox OS smartphones to be released in early 2013, manufactured by ZTE & Alcatel

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 12:56 PM PDT

Firefox OS
Four months ago at MWC 2012, Mozilla has first unveiled its plans to create a HTML 5-based, open source mobile operating system, although back then there was no way of knowing how far away the project was from reaching the consumer market. Thankfully, Mozilla Foundation has announced today that the first smartphones to use the new Firefox OS will be made by ZTE and Alcatel, and will ship in early 2013 featuring Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.

Mozilla has also announced that the Firefox OS will be backed up by a number of telecom companies such as Deutsche Telekom, Sprint, Smart, Telecom Italia, Telenor and Etisalat. Surprised by the momentum Firefox OS appears to be gaining? You probably shouldn't be, as an operating system that is really open source, and runs only HTML 5 apps is an idea that appeals to many parties in the “mobile” market, such as smartphone manufacturers, telecom companies and, most of all, the developer community.

The reality is that a lot of (web, Android, iOS, WP7) developers are secretly hoping that all mobile operating systems of the future will be based on HTML5, since that would translate into a single app development process that runs perfectly on all platforms. Surely, both iOS and Android allow you to access HTML5 apps, but they are usually limited in functionality. And this is exactly what the Firefox OS aims to change by allowing developers to access all functions (calling, messaging, games) of a smartphone via HTML5 apps.

By combining HTML5 with Linux elements, the need for an OS in the traditional meaning is gone, meaning the new platform will be able to run well on smartphones with less processing power. It also means that all future HTML-based mobile operating systems will be compatible with all the apps designed for Mozilla's OS – Google Chrome could actually work on smartphones as well as it does on Chromebooks. Unfortunately for Mozilla, they can't be sure that being early in the HTML5 game is as profitable as they hope it to be.

What does a HTML5-based smartphone mean for the end user? Simply put, less money to pay for a smartphone, although we'll have to wait until we get our hands on the first Firefox OS smartphones to judge if the quality of the smartphone experience is at least equal to that offered by undebated leaders in the mobile OS game: Apple's iOS and Google's Android. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it won't, so feel free to disagree in the comment section below!


This article, First Firefox OS smartphones to be released in early 2013, manufactured by ZTE & Alcatel , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


English version of Final Fantasy III finally hits Google Play, available for $15.99

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 12:48 PM PDT

A lot of legendary PC and arcade video games from the '80s, '90s or early 2000s have landed on Android devices these past few years (and some have even become successful), but RPG enthusiasts have had something missing all along.

Final Fantasy, the hugely popular role-playing game franchise which debuted back in 1987 and has had no less than 13 sequels and spin-offs these past 25 years, didn't manage to find its way to Android, although an iOS version of FF III was released over a year ago.

The disappointment grew even more for hardcore mobile gamers across the globe back in March, when Square Enix decided to finally make an Android version of Final Fantasy available. But for some reason the game was a Japan-exclusive one, featuring only Japanese text and audio.

However, monster-slayers and adventurers living outside Japan finally have a special new reason to keep their Android devices close at all times, as Final Fantasy III is now available to download from Google Play (the US and European versions).

Based on the 3D remake of the Final Fantasy III game released for the first time in 1990, FF III for Android truly comes with breathtaking visuals, but also with intuitive touch-panels controls and a challenging storyline that will keep you glued to your smartphone or tablet for days or weeks in a row.

It's pretty difficult to measure up exactly how much gameplay time there is in Final Fantasy III, but it's pretty obvious that this is not your run-of-the-mill RPG to be completed in a week with just a couple of hours of game time every two days.

The initial feedback is more than favorable for Android's FF III, with the game currently scoring a great 4.8 average mark out of 466 votes over in Google Play. And aside from the impressive visuals, smooth controls and challenging storyline, it's also very nice to see that the game only requires Android 2.2 or up and that, at least as far as we know, it can be safely and smoothly run on any Android-based device released in the past few years.

On the flip side, Final Fantasy III does have one negative aspect that may drive users away from it and that's the pricing. Square Enix' latest release can be purchased for a pretty steep $15.99, which is well over (and in most cases double or triple) the price tag of any other Android RPG available out there.

Is Final Fantasy III for Android a one-of-a-kind game that shouldn't be missed by any true RPG lover? Definitely. Is it worth 16 whole bucks? Well, you tell me!

 

No related posts.


This article, English version of Final Fantasy III finally hits Google Play, available for $15.99 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Beats completes acquisition of music streaming service MOG

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 12:36 PM PDT

They say that the devil is in the details. This was probably the case for the acquisition of music streaming service MOG by Beats Electronics. Reported way back in March that the takeover was imminent, it didn't materialize until many months after that. The USA Today reveals that the deal is pretty much done now. Unfortunately, both MOG and Beats didn't share numbers or any other details regarding the acquisition.

MOG may not have a high as profile as Spotify, otherwise known as the daddy of music streaming service, but it does have a collection of over 15 million songs that subscribers can stream online for free. Apart from being available as a Facebook app, the service is also available on iOS, Android, Smart TVs made by LG and Samsung, and set-top boxes. MOG service is integrated into select cars like BMW, Mini Cooper and Ford as well.

Responding to the company's first acquisition, Beats' president and COO Luke Wood said that music service is a vital part in trying to bring back emotion into the music listening experience. Meanwhile, MOG founder and CEO David Hyman wrote in an e-mailed statement that: “Beats is a company as obsessed with sound quality as we are, and we share a common goal of creating a more premium sound experience and emotional connection with music in the digital era." He closed his statement by stating that the integration of MOG into Beats portfolio will create "a truly end-to-end music experience."

Seeing that Beats is partly owned by HTC, it looks like MOG, in one form or another, will make its way to HTC devices soon. The music service would complement the PlayStation certification that Sony has recently given its blessing to. It’s clear that HTC needs to pull out all the stops to make its devices stand out from the competition. An ecosystem of game and music will hopefully be enough to lure more buyers.

No related posts.


This article, Beats completes acquisition of music streaming service MOG , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Official: Verizon’s HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE will start selling at $149.99 on July 5

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 12:24 PM PDT

After several months of rumors and leaks of all sorts, but also an official unveiling that failed to mention any release dates, Verizon and HTC's new Droid Incredible 4G LTE is finally ready to start selling. Big Red's exclusive take on HTC's One X flagship will be up for grabs on July 5, which is only 3 days away and is on-par with the latest speculations we reported on.

Verizon unveiled the on-contract pricing for the new Incredible earlier today and we have to admit we were wrong last time we talked about the new phone. The Droid Incredible 4G LTE will therefore start selling at just $149.99, and not at $199.99, the last rumored price of the 4-incher.

That being said, we're still a bit skeptical about the handheld's future success, due to three big reasons. First off, to actually get the Incredible 4G LTE, you'll have to have $200 ready, as Verizon's "offer" will include a $50 mail-in rebate, dropping the final price of the handheld to $149.99. I know, the rebate is standard procedure over at Big Red, but it's still a bit frustrating in this particular case.

Why am I saying "in this particular case"? Because, and now we're getting to the other two reasons why we're doubting the phone's success, the Incredible 4G LTE will come just days before the S3 launch on Verizon. And, as you might already know, it's difficult to see HTC's new flagship as a worthy competitor for Samsung's super-phone.

The Incredible 4G LTE will be powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and will feature 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal memory, an 8 MP rear-facing camera, a 4-inch S-LCD capacitive touchscreen with 960 x 540 pixels resolution screen, and a 1,700 mAh battery.

It's true, those are not the most disappointing specs around, but they can't possibly compare with what the S3 brings to the table. In fact, the camera is probably the only “field” where the new Incredible can at least hope to be on-par with the new Galaxy. Even in terms of software, the Incredible 4G LTE doesn't feel like a Galaxy S3 equal, as it runs Android 4.0 ICS with the Sense UI 4.0 on top, an overlay that is widely considered to be inferior to the new TouchWiz UI found on the S3.

All these things considered, would anyone ever choose the Droid Incredible 4G LTE over the S3, just because it's 50 bucks cheaper? Well, we'll see about that come this Thursday, when Verizon and HTC's new flagship start selling. In the meantime, please tell us if you’re thinking of getting the phone.


This article, Official: Verizon’s HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE will start selling at $149.99 on July 5 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Huawei Ascend P1 XL to launch this month in China, comes with a beefed up battery

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 11:56 AM PDT

CNMO

While the Huawei Ascend P1 is only about to touch down in the US, a variant of the fashionably thin Android phone is expected to land soon in the manufacturer's home country, China. Dubbed as the Huawei Ascend P1 XL, the phone will lose some of its slim figure in exchange of a better battery life.

As you can probably tell, the Ascend P1 XL comes with a bigger battery capacity. The phone will boast a 2,600mAh battery to replace the 1,670mAh one found on the regular version of the Ascend P1. It's not exactly up to Motorola Droid Razr Maxx's standard with its 3,300mAh cell, but it should be enough to provide more display time for those hectic days.

CNMO Notice the gained thickness?

Apart from the battery, the rest of the specs are similar to the Ascend P1 model.  The Ascend P1 XL still comes with a dual-core 1.5GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor, 4.3-inch qHD display, 1GB RAM, 8MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box.

Unwired View said that the Ascend P1 is expected to go for 3,000 CNY when it launches at the end of July, which is about $470. We're sure the price will be higher than that for the international market – if it ever makes it outside.

Are you interested in getting the Huawei Ascend P1 XL when and if it's available outside China?


This article, Huawei Ascend P1 XL to launch this month in China, comes with a beefed up battery , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


S Health app for Samsung Galaxy S3 helps monitor blood sugar, blood pressure level and other health stats

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 11:52 AM PDT

Samsung Tomorrow

Understanding the peril of the sedentary lifestyle that the modern day is offering, Samsung has created an app that will save you from making that trip to the clinic and make you more up to date on what's happening inside your body.

The S Health app, available exclusively for the Galaxy S3, is compatible with many popular healthcare sensors. Amongst some of the things that you can monitor using the app include your blood glucose and blood pressure levels. There's also a body composition scale monitoring option.

Of course, you will need those said healthcare sensors and devices in the first place. Once you do, you can conveniently transfer the data to the Galaxy S3 wirelessly via Bluetooth or through the good old USB connection. The app will then provide a breakdown of your health as presented in tables, data and graphs. The readings will be saved to allow for a better tracking of your health chart. For things like diet, exercise and medication intake, you can enter the data manually.

If you want to flaunt your good health with your friends and family or share the less than perfect one for some motivation, the S Health app comes integrated with popular social networks like Twitter. The app can automatically tweet your health update.

The S Health app is available to download on Samsung's More Service for the US market and several Western European countries. Meanwhile, owners of the Galaxy S3 on Verizon and AT&T can download the app from Google Play.


This article, S Health app for Samsung Galaxy S3 helps monitor blood sugar, blood pressure level and other health stats , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.