Monday, July 30, 2012

Google Alert - android

News10 new results for android
 
Will Nexus 7 and Jelly Bean solve Android's tablet problems?
ZDNet (blog)
Android's tablet market share spiked over 40% when the Kindle Fire was introduced last year. While the Fire was limited, its form factor filled a need for tablets that could fit in your coat pocket or purse. The Nexus 7 is going to hit this niche even harder with a ...
See all stories on this topic »

ZDNet (blog)
Android loses ground to Apple in second quarter
CNET
Android still owns more than half the U.S. smartphone business, but it declined in both shipments and market share in the second quarter. Google's mobile OS grabbed a 56 chunk of the the market in the June quarter, down from 61 percent a year ago, ...
See all stories on this topic »
Apple Gains on Android Camp in the US, According to Market Researcher
PCWorld (blog)
Google's Android is still the most popular OS by a wide margin. However, an estimated 13.4 million Android-based smartphones were shipped during the second quarter resulting in a 56 percent share of the U.S. market. That compares to 15.3 million units ...
See all stories on this topic »
Strategy Analytics: Android Smartphone Market Share Declines to 56 Percent in ...
MarketWatch (press release)
Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, "We estimate Android shipped 13.4 million smartphones for 56 percent share of the United States market in the second quarter of 2012. This was down from 15.3 million units shipped and 61 ...
See all stories on this topic »
Samsung Galaxy Note (T-Mobile)
PC Magazine
The T-Mobile model is very similar to the original AT&T Galaxy Note , except that it's on T-Mobile's network and runs Android 4.0 (which the AT&T model has since been upgraded to.) Still, though, the software and my opinions are different enough that while ...
See all stories on this topic »
Samsung Galaxy Note review (T-Mobile)
CNET
The good: T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy Note comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the S Note app, and a 5.3-inch HD screen that's ideal for showcasing multimedia. It has 4G, a great 8-megapixel camera, and a souped-up S Pen stylus that brings new ...
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Android's US Market Share Declined By 5% In Q2, 'Approaching A Peak ...
TechCrunch
Have we reached a state of "peak Android" in the same way that the energy industry can reach "peak oil"? This is an idea being floated today by Strategy Analytics. Last week the firm noted that Android partner Samsung was the world's leading smartphone ...
See all stories on this topic »

TechCrunch
Go Mobile With Budget Car Rental's New Mobile Apps Available for iPhone and ...
MarketWatch (press release)
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Jul 30, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Budget Car Rental today announced its new mobile applications for the Apple iPhone(R) and devices running on Google's Android mobile platform. Available for download at Apple's "App ...
See all stories on this topic »
AAPL's iOS Gains on Google's Android as Smartphone Market Shrinks
Barron's (blog)
The folks at Strategy Analytics this morning inform us that sales of smartphones running Google's (GOOG) Android software declined from 61% of all U.S. smartphone shipments in Q2 to 56%, while Apple's (AAPL) share, with its iOS operating system running ...
See all stories on this topic »
Android's share of US smartphone market declined in Q2 as iPhone share ...
BGR
Google's (GOOG) Android is still the leading smartphone platform in the United States by a huge margin, but that margin narrowed a bit in the second quarter according to a new report. Market research firm Strategy Analytics on Monday issued its smartphone ...
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Blogs5 new results for android
 
Instapaper for Android downloads rise 600 percent after Nexus 7 ...
By Kimber Streams
Instapaper for Android has seen a significant growth since the release of the Nexus 7 tablet, Mobelux co-founder and creative director Jeff Rock told The Next Web. Beginning with the launch of the...
The Verge - All Posts
Android Community Weekly: July 29th, 2012 | Android Community
By Cory Gunther
With the last week of July quickly approaching, we had a rather exciting week of Android news again this past week. As usual we unboxed a few new devices,
Android Community
Best Android apps for kids | Digital Trends
By Simon Hill
Time to run through eight of the best Android apps for kids. These apps will keep your young children amused, occupied, and entertained. Some of them even have educational value.
Linux Today - How Google ganked Android app developers
ITWorld: Google wants to tout Android's openness, but there's a difference between being open and being stupid.
Linuxtoday.com
Android handsets grow in enterprise, iOS still on top - Mobile ...
Smartphone activations in the enterprise nearly doubled in Q2 over the previous quarter. These include a small number of Windows Phone devices, too, which are very likely Nokia Lumia phones.
Latest in CNET: Crave

Web1 new result for android
 
All About Android 69 | TWiT.TV
Superpower your Nexus 7, developing on the bleeding edge, separating keyboard and voice input, and more.
twit.tv/show/all-about-android/69


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Android Authority

Android Authority


Apple, Samsung patent trial to start in the U.S. today

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 03:48 AM PDT

The Apple vs Samsung patent-based conflict has reached the trial phase in the USA. Starting today, the two giant companies will face each other off in a San Jose federal court in California, with the trial expected to last at least four weeks.

The companies will start the tedious process of jury selection today, and the 10 jurors that will hear the two parties make their cases over the following month will have to reach an unanimous decision for either company to win any of the patent claims in place.

Reuters reports that one of Samsung's problems with this jury selection is the fact that all jurors are coming from Silicon Valley, a place where Apple is at home:

That the jurors will hail from Silicon Valley, where Apple is an icon and major employer, will be something for Samsung to consider during the jury selection, said James Dobson, a jury consultant with Empirical Creative.

“Although certainly if I were Samsung I would be concerned about what prospective jurors think about Apple, given that it’s a huge employer there,” Dobson said, “by and large jurors want to do the right thing and decide the case on the merits.”

We have thoroughly covered this patent-based conflict that's being fought in 10 countries in over 50 cases, with the American lawsuit being of utmost important for both companies.

Apple has been mostly winning in the region lately. The same judge that's presiding over the U.S. case has awarded Apple two injunctions against Samsung products including the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Galaxy Nexus – both rulings have been appealed, with Samsung managing to stay the second decision.

More recently, a different judge issued an order instructing the jury in the Apple vs Samsung case to assume that the South Korean Android device maker has purposely destroyed evidence that could have been used by Apple in this case.

Information from the two companies' briefs have started to hit tech blogs, and we found out that Apple intends to prove, among other things, that Google and other third parties warned that certain Samsung products looked too much like Apple iOS devices, and that some Best Buy customers returned Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices once they realized they were not iPads – which is what they thought they were buying.

We already know that Apple is asking for $2.525 billion in damages and royalties from Samsung, although it would prefer injunctions against the alleged infringing products. At the same time, Apple is willing to pay half a cent for each of its iOS products that will be found to infringe on Samsung patents.

Samsung, on the other hand, will try to prove that it had its own touchscreen-based designs that its engineers were working on well ahead of the 2007 iPhone launch.

The U.S. case is set to start a couple of weeks after a similar Australian lawsuit between the two parties reached the trial phase, but it's more important than its Australian counterpart, as the U.S. is the largest smartphone and tablet market for both Apple and Samsung.

We'll be back with more tidbits from the Apple vs Samsung conflict in the following days.


This article, Apple, Samsung patent trial to start in the U.S. today , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Sony Xperia GX Japanese launch pushed back to August, $920 latest rumored price

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 03:34 AM PDT

Samsung and HTC don't have much competition in the high-end smartphone market niche these days, but we knew for a while that Sony is preparing a charge against the S3 and the One X. But, while Sony’s future flagships look really special in theory, the release delays might seriously affect their practical chances of making a difference.

According to official information on NTT DoCoMo's webpage, the Japanese carrier will start taking pre-orders for the Xperia GX on August 2, and ship the phone a full week later, on the 9th. That means that, for some reason, the initial plans – to put the handheld up for sale in July – have been modified. Sure, we might not be dealing with the most serious delay in history, but we know that even a day or two mean a lot in such an ever-changing market (especially when Samsung and HTC are preparing another super-phone duo).

The GX's Japanese delay might also have a serious impact on the global Hayabusa release, a phone that is thought to come with the exact same spec sheet as the Asian version. Also known as the LT29i, this itself was initially rumored as coming in July, but could now be pushed back to September. Moreover, this might have a domino effect on another much awaited launch, that of the Sony Mint, which could now be delayed to late September or early October.

These are all speculations (hence the "coulds" and "mights"), so for the time being, we can hope to see both the Hayabusa and the Mint unveiled at Sony’s special Berlin event.

Before that, though, we have two more juicy rumors for you about Sony's upcoming phones. First off, it seems that the Xperia GX (SO-04D) is set to start selling at 72,240 Yen, which would convert into around $920. That, however, will surely not be Hayabusa's US price tag, which should be cut down with at least a couple hundreds bucks.

Finally, the Sony Xperia SX (SO-05D), another interesting Japan-bound phone, is rumored to start selling on August 10 for 58,800 Yen (around $750). We're not certain if that handheld will ever come to the rest of the world, but again, if it will, it will most likely come at a significantly lower price point.

Do you think Sony has a chance to challenge Samsung and HTC in the Android high-end universe? Do the Hayabusa, Mint, and/or Xperia SX sound like something you would be interested in?

No related posts.


This article, Sony Xperia GX Japanese launch pushed back to August, $920 latest rumored price , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Motorola Atrix HD LTE to hit Virgin Mobile Canada soon

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 03:28 AM PDT

It's only been a few weeks since Motorola officially took the wraps off the new Atrix HD LTE, but it seems that Google's subsidiary has some big plans with the super-phone. In US, AT&T has for now been granted the "honor" to be the only supplier of the 4.5-incher, while in Canada the Atrix could come to two carriers.

We reported on the rumors that Bell could be the first carrier up north to get the phone just over a week ago, and now it seems that Virgin Mobile is ready to follow suite. The new rumor comes from the same source as the old one, Mobile Syrup, and, while not yet officially confirmed, it's very trustworthy.

Again, a leaked internal screenshot makes the revealing, but this is even sketchier than the one picked up from Bell. Neither the phone's release date, nor its pricing details are disclosed, so we're knee deep in guessing territory.

One thing seems to be certain nevertheless, and that is Virgin will be getting the Atrix HD LTE later than Bell, which is supposed to start selling the new phone on August 2. As far as pricing goes, we can expect the new Atrix to go for $99 with a three-year carrier agreement, and for $599.99 outright.

As a quick reminder, Motorola's Atrix HD LTE is set to sport a 4.5-inch LCD touchscreen with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, feature a snappy dual-core 1.5 GHz S4 "Krait" processor, as well as 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of on-board storage, dual 8 MP/1.3 MP cameras, a 1,780 mAh embedded battery, Android 4.0 ICS with MotoBlur UI, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity.

Are there any Canadian tech lovers listening? Will you be looking for the new Atrix in stores once it’ll be released? And if so, are you planning to go for Bell’s or Virgin’s model?

No related posts.


This article, Motorola Atrix HD LTE to hit Virgin Mobile Canada soon , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


HTC gives up on another market, pulls out of South Korea

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 03:13 AM PDT

HTC has seen its fortunes fade over the past year, after a series of strategic and tactical blunders cost it market share and revenues. The Taiwanese fell behind Samsung in the Android pack, and very importantly, lost much of the crucial US smartphone market, although HTC did register some growth in the fast-developing Asia-Pacific markets. On the bright side, the One series somehow improved HTC's performance in the past two quarters, in spite of the Customs ban in the US and weak sales in Europe.

To stem loses, the phone-maker has been laying off R&D staff and closing offices in underperforming markets. One such market from where HTC pulled off was Brazil, the biggest and most dynamic telecom market in South America.

According to the Korean news agency Yonhap, HTC will also give up on South Korea and close its offices there. This is equivalent to HTC throwing in the towel and admitting that it can't compete with the local players and Apple. The South Korean market is largely dominated by Samsung, which is predicted to reach an incredible 70% market share in July. The other two local players, LG and Pantech, owe sizable chunks of the market, while Apple made some unimpressive inroads with the iPhone 4S.

HTC barely registers on the radar in South Korea, and Yonhap says that was the reason for the pull out. The decision comes months after the unit's chief resigned after just six months of tenure, blaming weak performance.

No related posts.


This article, HTC gives up on another market, pulls out of South Korea , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Smartive Hotels: Hotel booking app for Android

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 01:30 AM PDT

Finding and booking a hotel even if you are in the middle of nowhere is easy, that is, as long as you have your smartphone with you. You can avail yourself of such service via the numerous hotel booking applications which you can find on the Google Play Store, from the most famous and reliable to the freshest ones.

We have already featured several of the best Android apps for finding cheap hotels and now we turn our attention to a fresh app called Smartive Hotels that won’t just let you book your hotel accommodation easily but also packs extra features.

Smartive Hotels joins the long and growing list of hotel booking apps on the Google Play Store. It simply lets you book hotel accommodations conveniently and safely. It’s intuitive and generously descriptive, providing you with important details such as images, maps, and a detailed description of a hotel to help you make up your mind easily on whether to book or not.

Using Smartive Hotels

Using this app is easy; just enter your destination or location, as well as the dates of your stay, and the app provides you with a list of the available hotel rooms that you can choose from, detailed with a star rating, distance, and price with possible discounts. It even lets you narrow your search via the Filter button below the screen.

Tapping on a specific hotel accommodation reveals more helpful underlying descriptions, not only limited to the hotel’s description but also keeping you abreast of the hotel rules, the price (available in 20 currencies), a TripAdvisor guest rating, and other fees. Through this app, you can access over 140,000 hotels worldwide right on your Android device.

An interactive map is also provided within the app where you can easily check the most suitable place for you to stay. For instance, if you want to stay close to a certain establishment, you can easily do so. Just hover over the hotels that you can see on the map and book the hotel you want by tapping it.

Extra features

Those features could already suffice where looking for and booking a hotel room is concerned, however, the app also has some unique features which make it pretty interesting. It protects your phone’s data with reliable SSL encryption, which means you won’t have to worry if you are trying to input confidential and private data. And, the most interesting part of all: a 24/7 customer service that you can contact regarding any problem that may arise.

If you are looking for a fresh and unique hotel booking app on the Google Play Store, Smartive Hotels is definitely an app that’s worth checking out. Download Smartive Hotels from the Google Play Store for free.


This article, Smartive Hotels: Hotel booking app for Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Best Android card games

Posted: 29 Jul 2012 09:00 PM PDT

Card games are great past-times for people of all ages, whether you are still in your teens or way past it. Some card games entail strategy and quick decision-making skills. Slowpokes, they say, both in movement and thinking, will really have a hard time appreciating card games. But, if you have sufficient amounts of strategy and logic stored in your head, being fast will not be a requirement for you.

On the Google Play Store, there are numerous apps that cater to people who love playing card games. One card game I bet almost everyone has is solitaire, but, in this article, we won’t be including that. We have a separate article dedicated to solely giving you the best solitaire card game apps befitting your Android device. This time around though, we’ve listed card game apps that will surely make you and your friends sit down and play for hours.

Read on to see the best card game apps that you can download for your Android device. We are not promoting gambling but it all boils down to how you make use of the apps. Fun and entertainment is what we’re trying to serve you and with the apps in this list, we hope we can be of help if you are looking for best Android card games that will entertain and occupy your time.

Live Holdem Poker Pro

Who doesn’t like poker? Well, I for one haven’t played the game with real chips and cards but with Live Holdem Poker Pro, people like me who haven’t played it can definitely learn the ins and outs of the card game.

Live Holdem Poker Pro is one of the most-played social poker. You get to play poker with millions of app players worldwide, as well as with players from Facebook. What makes this app almost similar to playing poker in real life is its live chat feature. You get to chat with other players during a game and maybe invite them to another one after your game has ended.

Live Holdem Poker Pro lets you choose between two game modes: the Shootout Tournament Mode and the Sit-n-Go Tournament Mode. You can also choose to play these tournaments or you can play Fast Tables as well. Gold and diamonds can be used to purchase virtual goods that you can send to the people on your table.

Live Holdem Poker Pro, despite having Pro in its name, can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.

Bingo Heaven – Free BINGO GAME

If you have a penchant for luck and chance games, this card game app is for you. Bingo Heaven – Free BINGO GAME lets you play Bingo wherever and whenever you want. Playing Bingo this time won’t require you to have a tangible bingo card because having this app on your Android device is as good as playing it in actuality.

This card game app will not only let you reach BINGO (and actually shout it) but you’ll be given a series of goals to achieve, which makes playing this game more fun. This card game app is not your everyday bingo because it has powerups you can use during the gameplay. These powerups will charge overtime, so when you want to fire one away, you’ll have to wait a bit before you can do so.

Do take note that Bingo Heaven – Free BINGO GAME requires an Internet connection for you to be able to play. And, of course, this card game app is absolutely free. Download it today and play the classic card game with better gameplay and prizes.

Texas HoldEm Poker Deluxe

Texas Holdem or Hold ‘em is one of the many variants of poker. If you are wondering if this variant came from Texas, then wonder no more for you’ve just hit the bulls-eye. Although it is another kind of poker game, playing it will still hook you, nonetheless.

Texas HoldEm Poker Deluxe gives you classic gameplay of the poker variant. You get to play with over 3 million poker players on Facebook, Android, and other platforms. This app has stunning graphics that will surely give you the feeling of being in a luxurious casino. Hundreds of poker tables are accessible with just one click.

If you are a poker enthusiast and want to play poker anywhere, get this app. You can also play this app using your Facebook account, so whether you are playing the app using your Android device or through an app on Facebook, you can access your profile and continue playing. This app has an easy-to-use interface, so playing the game is top priority and navigating around the app is not a problem at all.

Live BlackJack 21

Blackjack, otherwise known as 21, is one of the most widely played casino card games. This card game’s rules have a number of variations, but the goal is to come up with a sum of 21. Face cards like the King are assigned 10 points, so if you have one of the face cards, your mission now is to come up with 21 without exceeding.

Whether you are still a beginner or a pro when it comes to playing this game, Live BlackJack 21 will help you get used to how the game works. You’ll have the chance to play with other players and maybe make some friends to help you understand the game more. Blackjack is not purely a game of chance because the game’s outcome will also depend on your decision-making skills.

You can start playing by logging in using your Facebook or Abzorba account. You may also choose to log in as a guest. This app has a large community of blackjack players, ready to test you out if you have the skills in playing the game. You can post your results via Facebook and Twitter, letting your friends know how good, or terrible, you are at playing blackjack.

Hearts Free

Hearts Free is a card game app that lets you play a rather interesting kind of card game. The card game, Hearts, is an evasion type trick-taking card game. The card game’s main objective is to have the fewest points by the time the game ends.

This card game app has features like the option to play full Hearts with optional Jack of Diamonds rule, card passing options, 18 levels of difficulty for the CPU opponent according to skill, and 5 backgrounds to choose from. Hearts Free also has the hints and undo options, allowing you to have some idea of what to do next in the game.

Your stats will also be recorded, as well as your CPU opponent’s. You’ll get to compare your stats and probably be pushed to do better the next time you’ll play. Hearts Free has a smooth interface and no laggy gameplay. Get this card game app for free today and start perfecting your skills in playing Hearts. This app is ad-supported but worry not, the ads are unobtrusive. They won’t get in the way of your game.

Gin Rummy Free

Drinking gin or rum is probably not necessary for you to play this card game. Gin Rummy Free, developed by AI Factory Limited, is one card game app you should have if you are a die-hard gin rummy player. Play the card game even without real cards. All you’ll need is your Android device and an opponent.

Gin rummy is a fairly simple game. Its objective is to score an agreed number of points or form sets and runs of cards by the end of the game. Face cards’ points are 10 each, aces at 1, and the remaining cards’ points are scored using their numerical values. This card game does not bank on pure luck. Your skill strategy and decision-making skills are still key to ensure your victory.

You have 15 CPU opponents to choose from, each varying according to the skill level. If you are not confident enough of your skills, have a game with the beginner level of the CPU opponent and gradually level up to harder ones. Customizing the deck of cards is also possible, as well as choosing the background that will best suit you.

Zynga Poker

Here’s another poker card game app that is very famous among poker addicts. Zynga Poker also has an app for Facebook, allowing you to play the game with your Facebook friends. Now, you can continue the fun with the use of your Android device.

This card game app exudes a Las Vegas casino kind of feel with its impressive graphics and intuitive UI. In-game chatting is also one feature of this app, allowing you to converse with the other players at the table. You can play this game live with your Facebook friends, play one-on-one, or have 5 to 9 players at one table.

You can choose to play Zynga Poker as a guest or you can use your Facebook account. When you are a first-time player of the app, you get to have $20,000 worth of chips, enough to get you starting in the game. Zynga Poker supports languages like French, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and more. Zynga Poker is surely one app worth downloading and playing in your free time.

Speed Card Free

Racing doesn’t only apply to cars. In this card game app, you do a lot of time beating. Speed Card Free will definitely test your brain and finger speed, demanding a lot of good hand and eye coordination. Being slow is a major no-no in this app because if you are not fast enough, you’ll get left behind.

This card game app only has one main aim — to get rid of your cards as fast as possible. You need to beat your computer opponent and every time you do, the level of difficulty gets higher, and the computer opponent gets faster.

Speed Card Free has a smooth and fast gameplay, perfect for those times when you are getting very immersed in the game and don’t want any lags. Being a fast-paced game usually calls for fast gameplay and fast rendering of the graphics, which this card game app didn’t fail to consider. What’s more, it has infinite levels, sure to satiate your hunger for more fun and more adrenalin rushes.

Speed Card Free is ad-supported but the ads don’t obstruct the game. It is downloadable for free from the Google Play Store. Download it now and test how long you can last with this fast-paced card game app.

Spades Free

Spades Free, based on the plain-trick game where the spades are always trumps, is a very entertaining app that will take much of your free time. In this game, the aces are ranked as highest followed by the face cards, and the lowest card is the number 2 (of any suit).

This card game app allows for full spades partnership play where you get to choose whom to play with and whom to play against. You can play with any of the 18 character opponents of varying skills from beginner to expert. With the variation of skills, you can practice and come up with strategies to assure your win.

We can always expect great game from AI Factory Unlimited, and being one of their products, Spades Free is not short of impressive in both its gameplay and graphics — smooth, classy, fast. And, just like the other card game apps mentioned on this list from the same developer, user and CPU player stats are available, may it be for encouragement to strive harder in the next games or for boasting to your friends at how good you are.

Game rules and help options are also included, aiding you if it’s your first time playing the game. Spades Free is a free card game app and has unobtrusive ads that will not disturb your game in any way.

UNO FREE

To wrap our list up is a card game app that is pleasing to the eye because of its show of colors. UNO FREE is a fun card game based on color and number matching. Being a world-famous game, producing a mobile version of the game will surely keep fans playing it anytime, anywhere.

UNO FREE has an intuitive UI that allows you to drag and drop cards. You get to choose your avatar and your color prior to starting the game, giving you much identity especially when you want to play a multiplayer game. You also have the freedom to customize your own game by tweaking the draw types, UNO rules like 7-0, and Jump-in.

In multiplayer mode, you can play locally with your friends through the use of a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, given that your friends also have the same app installed on their Android devices. Playing online is also possible, if you want to challenge yourself with other players from other places.

We’ve just listed the best Android card game apps. If some of these apps piqued your fancy, get them now and have fun wherever and whenever, either by yourself or with your friends. Do check our article about the best solitaire games you can find from the Google Play Store.

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


This article, Best Android card games , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Verizon Galaxy Nexus CyanogenMod 10 (Jelly Bean) preview build now available

Posted: 29 Jul 2012 05:58 PM PDT

The CyanogenMod 10 preview builds continue to trickle in, with Verizon's Galaxy Nexus being the latest Android device to run a Jelly Bean-based preview of CM10.

Just like in any similar cases with other devices – and we've seen CM10 available for the Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note, Galaxy S2 or Nexus 7 to name just a few – this is an early CM10 version for the Galaxy Nexus available from Verizon. CyanogenMod developer Brint Kriebel posted more details on Google+ regarding this early CM10 build:

Since all the cool kids are doing it, I’m releasing a preview CM10 build for my device – the Verizon Galaxy Nexus (toro). I’m sure you’ve seen the other CM10 build disclaimers: this is not a release build, please do not file bugs on this, etc., etc.; all of that applies here as well.

Even so, +CyanogenMod 10 has been the daily driver on my phone for the last couple of weeks now. A lot (but not all) of the CM9 features are in place, and hardware support (camera, data, nfc, etc.) should all be working.

If coming from any other ROM (including CM9), a full wipe/factory reset is highly recommended. From CM9, you can try a non-wipe upgrade, but that has certainly not been tested to any extent.

We'll remind you that we're not encouraging you to install unofficial Android ROMs on your devices, and should you choose to go down this path, you're going to be the only person responsible for any unwanted consequences. Head on to the Google+ page at the link below for more CM10 details for the Galaxy Nexus.


This article, Verizon Galaxy Nexus CyanogenMod 10 (Jelly Bean) preview build now available , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


ZTE Flash LTE Android smartphone headed to Sprint, leak says

Posted: 29 Jul 2012 04:47 PM PDT

After we have recently seen the ZTE Grand X get official, it looks like the Chinese handset maker has another smarpthone with more than decent specs ready for Android fans, the ZTE Flash.

The Flash is apparently heading to Sprint in the U.S., at least according to the following leaked image that was picked by by Talk Android.

The device should be launched on October 14, if the date in the specs sheet is correct, and will offer the following specs and features:

  • Size: 5.29 x 2.59 x 0.38
  • 4.5-inch HD IPS display with 1280 x 720 resolution
  • Gorilla Glass
  • 1.5GHz dual-core processor
  • 1GB of RAM
  • 8GB memory
  • 12.6-megapixel rear camera with auto focus and LED flash
  • 1-megapixel front-facing camera
  • LTE support
  • NFC support
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • microSD support
  • 1780mAh battery
  • Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

While these specs and features make the Flash an interesting mid-range device, we can't be excited about a handset that's coming out in two months from now with ICS on board, especially since there's no mention of Jelly Bean upgradeability at this point.

There's no price for the ZTE Flash either, but we expect the handset to sport be an affordable handset, especially if purchased with a new contract. We'll be waiting for Sprint to officially announce the device, at which point we'll be able to share more details with you about the handset.


This article, ZTE Flash LTE Android smartphone headed to Sprint, leak says , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


HTC Rezound Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade coming soon?

Posted: 29 Jul 2012 04:11 PM PDT

The HTC Desire HD Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade drama has finally come to an end, as the Taiwanese smartphone maker explained why it decided to scrape ICS update plans for the once flagship handset. But that's not the case for newer HTC devices, which are still on track to receive their ICS builds.

One of them is the LTE-enabled Verizon HTC Rezound, which should get its ICS build at some point in the very near future. A new Android Guys post features a leaked screenshot that clearly shows that the HTC Rezound should receive its ICS over-the-air (OTA) update at some point today.

However, Verizon is yet to confirm the news and we haven't seen any additional reports mentioning the upgrade. Moreover, there's something strange with that screenshot when it comes to the dates mentioned for the Rezound ICS upgrade.

For starters, "7/29" is written differently than other dates mentioned in the table in the "Push PTA or EUT" column – see the rows above and below the Rezound's row where the dates are formatted differently to show a "0" in front of the month: "08/01" and "06/22". Similarly, the following column shows an availability date of "6/1" rather than "8/1."

We'll take this leak with a grain of salt for now, but we'll definitely looking forward for feedback from Rezound users. Did you get ICS yet?


This article, HTC Rezound Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade coming soon? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.