Sunday, July 15, 2012

Google Alert - android

News9 new results for android
 
Five Best Android Web Browsers
Lifehacker
There are dozens of great web browsers available for Android, depending on the features you're looking for. Whether it's syncing with your desktop, or super-speedy browsing, or support for flash navigation, you have options galore—some of them popular ...
See all stories on this topic »
Android enjoys 51% market share!
The Droid Guy
With the dominance of iOS and the rising popularity of Android devices in the mobile marketplace, it is not clear who is what. According to a new report released by Nielsen, Android has a bigger U.S. market share than market share percentage of all the ...
See all stories on this topic »
How do I update my Galaxy S II to Android 4.0?
CNET (blog)
I heard that an ICS update is available for my Samsung Galaxy S II. How do I go about installing it?
See all stories on this topic »

CNET (blog)
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Changelog Reveals Full Recipe of Changes
Hot Hardware
Google spent considerable time talking about its Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) update during its Google I/O conference a few weeks ago, but only now has the sultan of search gotten around to posting a full changelog for the latest and greatest version of ...
See all stories on this topic »

Hot Hardware
Android Malware Injected through Repackaging of Apps
The Droid Guy
I don't see it, thereby it doesn't exist. That's the kind of philosophy we humans adhere to. Defying those canonical logics, security researchers from North California University have warned about an audacious attempt of repackaging popular apps and ...
See all stories on this topic »

The Droid Guy
Google Nexus 7 doesn't make case for Android tablet
Examiner.com
Rating: C Read: Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone review Google has just released its new affordable tablet, the Nexus 7, to compete with another Android-powered tab.
See all stories on this topic »
Nexus 7: Google tablet crushes Kindle: Jaroslovsky
Newsday
The Nexus 7 marks the debut of yet another iteration of the Android operating system: version 4.1, which Google calls "Jelly Bean." (Who knows why Google's sweets-themed naming system seems so much sillier than Apple (AAPL)'s big cats for its Mac ...
See all stories on this topic »

Newsday
XBMC coming to Android soon
The Droid Guy
It has been a popular alternative to Windows Media Centre and likes, and now the popular platform is finally going to be available for Android. Previously, there were applications like XBMC remote on the Android Play Store which could control the ...
See all stories on this topic »

The Droid Guy
Android nears 52% market share for US smartphones: Nielsen [Computer News ...
Equities.com
The overall market shares in the smartphone sector look roughly the same — Android, as mentioned, is the platform leader, with about 52% of the market, iOS is in second place with a little more than 34%, and BlackBerry accounts for 8%. (Windows Phone ...
See all stories on this topic »

Blogs5 new results for android
 
Google posts Android 4.1 Jelly Bean's changelog, explores its latest ...
By Jon Fingas
We've certainly delved into Android 4.1 Jelly Bean's new features, but Google itself is just now giving us a full exploration of its update's sugar-laden.
Engadget
XBMC Coming Soon to Android | TalkAndroid.com
By Brian Kramer
XBMC, the venerable home media software that began as an XBOX application way back in 2003 is coming soon to Android. The software, if you're not familiar is an open-source, cross-platform application that can run on just about anything.
Android News, Rumours, and Updates
Add Fujifilm to the Android patent wars, goes against Motorola
By Edgar Cervantes
Share This Story. The growing trend of companies suing Android manufacturers continues to grow along with the platform's success. Just in case Google partners don't have enough to worry about already, Fujifilm has decided to join the party.
Android Phone Fans
The Year's Hottest Android Tablet Is Now On Sale - HotHardware
What might be the year's hottest Android tablet is on sale right now, after half a year of waiting. Originally introduced at CES in January, the Asus Transformer Pad TF700T (10.1.
HotHardware.com News Rss Feed
Feeding the Cloud: How to get Android OTA updates from Google ...
By François Marier
How to get Android OTA updates from Google on a Galaxy Nexus. I got an unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus (GT-I9250) phone from Amazon a few months ago and I've been wondering why it was still sitting on Android 4.0.2 (Icecream Sandwich).
Feeding the Cloud

Web1 new result for android
 
Nielsen has Android near 52 percent of US smartphone share in Q2 ...
If there was doubt as to whether or not Android would soon become the majority smartphone platform in the US, that's just been erased by Nielsen. Google.
www.engadget.com/.../nielsen-has-android-near-52-percent-of...


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Android Authority

Android Authority


XBMC will bring its open-source media center to Android

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 07:59 AM PDT

It started its life on the first-gen Xbox, but the cross-platform multimedia hub developed by XBMC can now be found running on PC, Linux, Mac OS X, and various iOS devices.

We'll have to add Android to the list soon, as the developer has announced the coming of XBMC for Android. As the developing team pointed out, this is a real app that you can easily install on any device powered by Android – set-top box included – with no rooting required, and one that provides a hassle-free media streaming and content management solution for all of your multimedia files.

The Android version will have the same features found on its cousins. While the demoed video below shows XBMC for Android running on a set-top box, they said  it'll play nicely with Android phones and tablets. In fact, the next set of demo videos will showcase the app run on Android phone and tablet.

There are still some minor hiccups, but the app seems to run well in general and can be considered as stable. To make sure that it'll be ready for prime time faster, however, XBMC will be offering the APKs for interested beta testers in the weeks ahead. Their main concern is to make sure that the app will have an intuitive UI on small-screen device like a phone, as well as making sure that it will support the many Android devices that are available out there. As for those who got the skills and want to flex their programming skills, the developer has already released the source code of the app.

No related posts.


This article, XBMC will bring its open-source media center to Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 is now listed as “in stock” on Office Depot

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 07:41 AM PDT

ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 video

The Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 ( by the way, I really hate these 5-word long names, as they are not only unnecessary but potentially harmful for sales) has showed up on Office Depot’s online store as “in stock” for a $499.99 price.

Other retailers haven’t yet put the Pad Infinity for sale, so it’s possible this is just an error on Office Depot’s part, meaning that you probably won’t be able to order it anyway. The good news is that after a long delay, the TF700 will start rolling out very soon in all stores, and you’ll finally be able to get your hands on one.

What you’ll get for $500 is a quad core 1.6 Ghz Tegra 3 processor, a 10.1″ display with a 1920×1200 resolution (224 PPI), (meaning you’ll be able to watch 1080p videos at their native resolution), 32 GB of storage (double compared to the simiarly priced iPad), 1 GB of RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, an 8 MP back camera, and 2 MP front-facing camera.

I expect the Snapdragon S4 LTE-based version to appear later, for a higher price. At the same time, the price of the original Transformer Prime (which is still selling for $499) will probably drop, and the same should happen for the Transformer Pad 300. If you’re looking for a really cheap tablet, and size doesn’t matter, then you can get the Nexus 7. If you want a decent 10-inch tablet, wait for the discounted Transformer Pad 300. Finally, if you are looking for something that can compete toe to toe with the iPad, get the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700.

Any way, Asus wins, because they are the ones making all these devices.


This article, Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 is now listed as “in stock” on Office Depot , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


You can now play Pong on your $300 Nexus Q. Sort of…

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 06:32 AM PDT

Google's sci-fi inspired Nexus Q was one of the big surprises of this year's Google I/O event. The orb-like device (made in the USA) was received with quite a few raised eyebrows, and some of the biggest questions were "what does it do?" and "why the heck it costs 300 bucks?".

Leaving those burning questions aside, inside the menacing black orb, the Nexus Q is basically a tiny Android-powered computer. That means that it's only a matter of time before people hack it and find new uses for it, besides the official, social streaming functionality promoted by Google. We've seen that it's possible to load Android games on the device, but did you know that you can actually play Pong (or a generic, non-trademark infringing version) with the Nexus Q?

BrickSimple, a mobile development shop in Pennsylvania, has hacked the Q to act like a sort of controller for a Pong-like game. You can control the pad by rotating the volume controller (the orb's top hemisphere) left or right. The developers just wanted to demonstrate the flexibility of the Nexus Q, and I am sure that we'll see plenty more examples in the future.

Check out the video below, and, if you'd like to tinker with the Nexus Q yourself, there's a code sample on the YouTube page that you can use.

No related posts.


This article, You can now play Pong on your $300 Nexus Q. Sort of… , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Red Xperia Ion spotted in the wild, black model offered by Rogers for $49.99 [Gallery]

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 05:39 AM PDT

Not to be outdone by its peers that are offering their flagship products in various shade and colors, with the latest being the Garnet Red Samsung Galaxy S3 on AT&T and the white and silver combo HTC EVO 4G LTE on Sprint, it looks like Sony Mobile will offer a refreshed variant of its flagship phone. Meet the red Xperia Ion.

Some beautiful hands-on pictures of the red Sony Xperia Ion have been posted by the folks at yesky, which showcase the velvety phone in various angles. Check them out below.

If you're smitten by the black Xperia Ion, it's hard to deny the oozing appeal of the red model as well. Unfortunately, it appears the red Xperia Ion will only be available for the GSM version. The LTE version, which is released in the U.S. and Canada, will come only in black.

The Xperia Ion was recently launched by Sony Mobile in the U.S. and is now available from AT&T for $99 with a two year contract. In Canada, the Xperia Ion will be a Rogers exclusive and the carrier has just announced that the phone will be offered for a very affordable price of $50 with a three-year contract. Not a bad proposition at all for a phone that boasts a 4.6-inch HD display and 12MP rear camera.

What do you say? Red or black?


This article, Red Xperia Ion spotted in the wild, black model offered by Rogers for $49.99 [Gallery] , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


CyanogenMod 10 shown running on LG Optimus 4X HD, “hardware integration is progressing nicely”

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 05:31 AM PDT

cm 10 lg optimus 4x hd

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is barely a few weeks old and we are already seeing a lot of encouraging signs from the developer community, although manufacturers have been far less forthcoming in announcing their plans for JB.

Of course, when you say developer community, the first name that comes to mind is CyanogenMod. The CM team is already hard at work preparing the new CM10 (CyanogenMod's version of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean). The good news is that the difference between ICS and JB is not that big, meaning that we won't have to wait six months to see the new CM10. The bad news is the differences are significant enough to require manual code mergers, which means that flashing maniacs will have to wait before they'll be able to try out the first nightly builds.

"Hardware integration is progressing nicely", according to prominent CyanogenMod developer Ricardo Cerqueira. In a post on Google Plus, Cerqueira showed that he got CM10 running on LG's current flagship device, the Optimus 4X HD. The dev points out that the purpose of the preview is to show that development of CM10 is not only about Nexus devices, and owners of other devices should look forward to some JB goodness.

The preview shows a fairly stable build, with a functional camera, sound, and calling capabilities. On the down side, the new Google Now search feature is not working, but that's something that will probably be solved in the close future.

Overall, this preview is great news for Android fans. It means that CM10 might make a surprisingly early appearance, which is a welcomed change, after the many months of wait that preceded the arrival (still partial) of CM9 (CyanogenMod's version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich).


This article, CyanogenMod 10 shown running on LG Optimus 4X HD, "hardware integration is progressing nicely" , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


28 Google I/O Android sessions videos now available on YouTube

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 05:28 AM PDT

In addition to posting the full changelog for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Google went one step further and released no less than 28 Google I/O Android sessions videos, which are now available on YouTube.

Google I/O sold out in a matter of minutes this year (20, to be more precise), and there must have been plenty of Android developers that didn't get a chance to buy a ticket even though they would have wanted to attend the Android sessions in person. At the same time, there are plenty of developers that were interested in the event, but weren't necessarily ready to shell out the cost of a ticket ($900) – although we'd point out that Google I/O attendants walked out with plenty of swag including the Nexus 7, Nexus Q and a Galaxy Nexus handset, which means they have pretty much recovered the entrance fee.

Finally, regular Android device owners may also be interested in some of the Android sessions from Google I/O, so all these Android fans will now be able to check out the released videos and learn a thing or two about their favorite operating system – check out the playlist complied by Google here:

On top of making available all the videos from the Android sessions, Google revealed in its recent Android Developers blog post that it will continue to support Android developers via various video sessions, part of its Google Developers Live initiative, that will be available throughout the year to help them with their Android-related questions.

Interactive programs include the Android Developer Office Hours on Wednesdays and The Friday Review of Apps and The Friday Review of Games on Fridays.


This article, 28 Google I/O Android sessions videos now available on YouTube , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Android 4.1 Jelly Bean full changelog posted by Google

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

We have talked extensively about Google's recently announced Android 4.1 Jelly Bean mobile operating system, and while we have shown you its main features in posts and videos here on Android Authority, we now have the full official changelog of the new OS.

Google posted on its Android page a full list of new features available to Jelly Bean users, and here are some of the hidden perks we may have missed during our initial Android 4.1 coverage – features that even Google did not insist on while unveiling the OS:

  • Support for USB audio docks, shipping later this year.
  • WebView now supports vertical text, including Ruby Text and other vertical text glyphs
  • Calendar is more buttery. Content fades in, animations are sprinkled throughout, and swiping/paging between days is smoother.
  • Calendar will now display event colors if you’ve given your event a color on your PC.
  • Calendar has a new 7″ tablet layout that is optimized for the form factor
  • When taking a photo, a new animation sweeps your photo off the screen. There is now a new paging animation when swiping between photos
  • Camera features a new animation for switching between the front-facing and back cameras.
  • When focusing on an object in Camera, a new animation gives you visual feedback on your focus state.
  • You can now dismiss a data usage warning without changing the data threshold set for warning notifications.
  • Disable background data usage on certain Wi-Fi SSIDs by designating them as mobile hotspots.
  • Android now automatically detects when one Jelly Bean device is tethered to another’s WiFi hotspot, and intelligently enables or disables background data usage on the SSID.
  • You can improve face matching accuracy by calibrating your face in different conditions and with different accessories (e.g. hat, glasses)
  • You can now switch languages quickly with the dedicated language selector key on keyboard.
  • You can use custom keyboard input styles for more than 20 languages, with keymaps for QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY, Dvorak, Colemak, and PC styles
  • You can choose the input styles that you want to use for each keyboard, and use a hotkey to switch between them while typing
  • You now get an image preview in notifications after taking a screenshot. You can quickly share the screenshot directly from the notification
  • You can lock automatic display rotation from the notifications shade on 7″ tablets.
  • For Wi-Fi only devices, quickly see the SSID of the access point you’re connected to from the notifications shade.
  • You can now touch-hold a notification to identify the application that created it and turn off notifications from that application if needed, as well as uninstall the application.
  • Wi-Fi protected setup is now supported with WPS push button and PIN support.
  • A new setting lets you stay on mobile data and avoid nearby Wi-Fi networks with poor connections.
  • The People app now retrieves high res photos automatically for Google contacts with public Google+ profiles and displays higher res photos (720×720) on certain devices.
  • The People app has a new 7″ tablet layout that is optimized for the form factor.
  • The People app helps you organize your contacts and reduces duplicates with an Improved auto-joining algorithm.
  • When a call is ongoing, a new notification lets you hang up the call with one touch.
  • As part of Project Butter, the dial pad is more responsive. Call log scrolling is buttery smooth, and swiping between tabs in Phone is quick and fluid.
  • You can now clear your frequently contacted list in the favorite tab of Phone.
  • You can now add phone numbers from the call log to existing, read-only contacts.
  • Accounts are now displayed in the primary Settings view so you can easily see all the accounts you’re signed into on your device.
  • You can now easily access all Google Privacy Settings in one place by selecting your Google account from Settings.
  • Device encryption is now more reliable, and periodically reminds you to decrypt your device. Now, SMS messages and calls are declined when waiting for decryption.
  • You can long press the ‘Power Off’ option in the power menu to boot your device to safe mode.
  • A new ‘Reset app preferences’ button lets you quickly reset default applications for specific activities, background data restrictions, notifications suppressions, and more.
  • A redesigned dialog with larger icons lets you intuitively choose your preferred application for specific activities.
  • Google Apps Device Policy on your device may now override the ‘keep screen awake’ option from developer settings.
  • Get to Google Search faster: Google Search can be opened directly from the lock screen by swiping up. For devices with software navigation keys, you can now swipe up from the system bar to quickly access Google Search with Google Now. For devices with a hardware search key, you can tap it to launch Google Search.
  • If you’re using a wired headset, long press the headset’s button to activate Voice Search. You can quickly perform a search query by voice and have the result read back to you.
  • You can say “Google” to activate Voice Search from within Google Search.
  • Google+ on tablets has a new magazines layout in the stream.
  • Gmail has an optimized view for 7″ tablets in portrait orientation to give you a better experience reading email.
  • YouTube has a new, more intuitive user interface, including a guide that provides quick access to your channel subscriptions.
  • YouTube can now preload videos from subscribed channels for seamless playback even on slower networks.
  • With a new integrated menu, you can easily watch YouTube on the big screen with Nexus Q or YouTube TV.
  • You can now browse Google Offers within Maps to find local deals.
  • Get indoor walking directions in Maps.
  • With performance enhancements throughout the application and updates to the user interface, you can browse articles quickly and intuitively. With an enhanced layout engine for articles, you can enjoy dramatic, large images on a variety of articles.
  • Currents now uses hardware acceleration to make moving between articles smoother.
  • Currents has a new 7″ tablet layout that is optimized for the form factor.
  • For editions written in other languages, you can now translate text into your preferred language.
  • A new My Library widget, which displays all of your recent movies, books, music, and magazines and dynamically changes based on what you’ve been engaging with recently.

There are plenty of other features mentioned the changelog, as we have only shown you above a selection of features that haven't really made it into most Jelly Bean-related articles and reviews. As you can see, there are plenty of Jelly Bean features that Google did not directly address during Google I/O, but which you'll discover and enjoy on your Android device running the OS.

We’ll also notice that Google has specifically customized certain Jelly Bean features to run on 7-inch devices – obviously for its Nexus 7 tablet – but it did not mention improved support for other (bigger) screen sizes. Also worth mentioning is that the changelog, available at the link below, has a distinct section that describes “the new Google experience on Android” including Google Search, Google Now and Google Play features. Is Google trying to explicitly tell potential Kindle Fire buyers that they won’t get a similar experience on Amazon’s tablet?

Have you experienced Jelly Bean yet? What are your favorite things about it?


This article, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean full changelog posted by Google , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Apple tried to bully retailers into stopping sales of Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Nexus

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 04:54 AM PDT

It looks like Apple is taking no prisoners in the battle against one of its fiercest competitors in the industry. Following the rulings made by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh that paved the way for the injunction on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Galaxy Nexus, FOSS Patents came upon documents that showed just how Cupertino has been spending their time: sending out intimidating letters to retailers to stop selling Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Nexus.

The letters apparently were sent shortly after Apple got the ruling they wanted from the court and in early July – right before a higher appeals court ordered the ban on the Galaxy Nexus to be temporarily lifted pending further hearing.

In the letter, Apple quoted part of the ruling that said that the injunction applies not only to Samsung, but also to anyone "acting in concert" with them. Responding to the threatening letters, Samsung said that third-party retailers should be "permitted to sell their existing inventory, even without a stay," because they aren't subject to the prohibitions of the preliminary injunction.

Legal technicalities aside, retailers like Sam's Club told The Verge that they are still selling the tablet while evaluating the injunction order, which is as good as asking Apple to talk to the hand. Best Buy seems to have stocks of the tablet and phone as well.

If there's one positive thing about Apple's hostile stance against Android, which seemingly now have crossed over to retailers, is that it's brought the community closer – with Google reportedly leading the way – against Apple's effort to stymie competition through their lawyers. We imagine it'll also actually make people long for the Galaxy Nexus and the Tab 10.1. Well, maybe more of the former.

No related posts.


This article, Apple tried to bully retailers into stopping sales of Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Nexus , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung sold 6.5 million Galaxy S3 units in June, expected to sell another 15 million in Q3

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 04:43 AM PDT

A JPMorgan analyst was quoted by French newspaper Les Echos saying that Samsung sold 6.5 million Galaxy S3 devices in Q2, which is mostly June and another two days of May, since the Galaxy S3 was launched on May 29. That amounts to about 5 million units per month, or about five times better than the Galaxy Note, one of Samsung’s other highly successful products.

The Galaxy S3 is definitely Samsung’s most successful Android product yet, considering that the Galaxy S2, their previous record holding Android device, sold “only” 10 million within the first 6 months, and the original Galaxy S sold half of that (5 million) in the same time frame. The Galaxy S3 is looking to sell more than twice as fast as the Galaxy S2, with a predicted 20+ million units in just 4 months.

Does this mean the Galaxy S4 will get over 40 million units in its first 6 months? It’s certainly possible, if Samsung keeps doing all the right things, and keeps building on their past success with the Galaxy S series. But what is it that made the Galaxy S3 so successful in the first place?

First off, the Galaxy S3 kept in line with the Galaxy S series tradition of having some of the best hardware on the market, including the processor (Samsung’s Exynos chips somehow keep ending up the best on the market when they launch), the camera, and its 720p 4.8″ Super AMOLED display.

The display is controversial, because of its Pentile Matrix for the sub-pixel arrangement, but thanks to the super deep blacks of the Super AMOLED, it will still be considered the best display on the market by many people when they first set their eyes on it.

Having the best hardware is not the only factor that helped the Galaxy S3 become so popular. Samsung also managed to build a lot of buzz around the launch of the Galaxy S3, which basically made everyone hold off from buying a phone until they saw the Galaxy S3.

The fact that Samsung has built this kind of predictability around their Galaxy S phones, that makes people wait for the “next Galaxy S” device every year, something that only Apple has done so far, has certainly helped Sammy a lot, and it’s what will make even more people wait for the Galaxy S4 next year.

Hopefully, HTC and others will learn the same lessons, because although Samsung is a great mobile company right now, I wouldn’t be comfortable with just them and Apple owning the market. Competition always makes things better.


This article, Samsung sold 6.5 million Galaxy S3 units in June, expected to sell another 15 million in Q3 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Telus HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich update canceled

Posted: 14 Jul 2012 03:48 AM PDT

We have recently seen a variety of Android devices get their Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades, even though Android 4.0 was unveiled seven months ago – ICS is currently found on around 10% of available devices, but not all Android handsets and tablets out there will get it.

One of the devices users would have wanted to see upgraded to ICS is the HTC Desire HD, but it looks like that's not going to happen, at least in certain markets. In Canada, Telus announced that its Desire HD ICS upgrade has been canceled, as the device tested poorly when running Android 4.0.

The carrier issued a simple statement, without explaining exactly what went wrong in tests:

HTC has cancelled the HTC Desire HD ICS upgrade due to poor device performance during testing.

The HTC Desire HD, launched way back in 2010, was once HTC's flagship device and we expected it to be able to run a variety of new Android versions. But apparently Telus' version will stop at Gingerbread, so in case you want ICS on it you'll have to find a way to install it manually, not that we'd advising you to go down that road.


This article, Telus HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich update canceled , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.