Saturday, August 4, 2012

Android Community

Android Community


Dolphin Browser HD updated with improved address bar and more

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 03:32 PM PDT

The extremely popular 3rd party browser for Android, Dolphin Browser HD, has received a quick update today in the Google Play Store bringing lots of new changes. For one, they changed the name and simply removed the “HD” tag for some reason, then they’ve improved tons of visuals and performance of the app. More details below.

With Google’s Chrome Browser now being available on Android I’m not sure how long 3rd party browsers will continue to be popular, but for now Dolphin has a huge following. Being one of the best options for Android for a long time we know why. Today’s update has improved the interface for tablets, the address bar got a visual makeover that also has better results, and they’ve improved performance across the board.

They optimized the address bar in landscape mode to work better with the keyboard on multiple devices, which should help with those small screens — or large tablets. Dolphin has improved the bookmark management and made the entire experience more visual. Then they improved and stabilized the sync options, and even added a shortcut to Dolphin Sonar.

As usual, the last update to the changelog simply reads, “Various stability and performance improvement.” So users can expect to see some sort of stability with daily web browsing, as well as performance throughout the application. Get the new and improved Dolphin Browser from the Play Store link below, then enjoy all those add-on options available.

Play Store link


iHeartRadio bringing its streaming service to OUYA

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 02:49 PM PDT

With just five days left to go before the Kickstarter campaign for OUYA comes to a close, OUYA has announced a new partnership with radio streaming service iHeartRadio. Previously, the OUYA team revealed that the console will offer streaming games through OnLive, and now it sounds the multimedia onslaught is nearly complete thanks to this new deal with iHeartRadio. Now we just need OUYA to announce partnerships with the likes of Hulu Plus and Netflix and we’ll be set.


Writing in an update on OUYA’s Kickstarter page, iHeartRadio discussed what this partnership means for OUYA users. iHeartRadio will allow users to tune into over 1,000 different radio stations across the country through their OUYA, ranging from rock to college stations. Users also have the ability to create their own commercial-free custom radio stations, and iHeartRadio claims that it has over 14,000 songs to pick from while making your perfect playlist. Essentially, it’ll be the same service you can already get on mobile devices and Xbox 360, except with OUYA the iHeartRadio team is promising an HTML 5 app made especially for large screen formats.

Not too bad, OUYA. Between these streaming announcements, the reveal that Rodomodo’s Human Element prequel will be an OUYA exclusive, and Square Enix’s announcement that Final Fantasy III will be a launch day title, OUYA has some pretty serious names backing it up. Things are definitely beginning to take shape as the Kickstarter winds down, and it looks like the OUYA team will have more than enough money by the time everything is said and done.

To be a little more precise, OUYA’s Kickstarter page shows an incredible $6,548,055 raised at the time of this writing, and with the better part of a week left to go, there’s a chance that number may cross the $7 million mark. After the Kickstarter closes, OUYA will have to prove that it can make it in the highly competitive gaming market, and some don’t think it can. Here’s hoping that everything works out for the best with OUYA, because even though we have our reservations, the Android-based console does sound like a great idea.

[via SlashGear]


Perfectly Clear Image Correction app makes every photo a keeper

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 02:35 PM PDT

Ever snapped a photo with your smartphone and it wasn’t quite good enough? While our cameras have been improving the overall image quality sometimes still isn’t up to par. Today we have a brand new app called Perfectly Clear that has just launched for Android — that aims to solve this problem. Perfectly Clear automatically applies 10 patented intelligent corrections in a few seconds to make almost every photo worth keeping.

No this isn’t Instagram. You won’t be applying filters that makes your images look all wonky. Instead the app offers 10 preset or custom filters that will correct all sorts of mistakes and image quality issues in photos. From poor lighting, over exposed shots, loss of detail and tons of other things. These patented correction filters work wonders. Check out the sample shots below.

Perfectly Clear’s industry leading auto image correction software has been available on PC’s for years, but now is finally available on mobile. Hopefully this will help all those terrible Facebook photos earn a little quality. With Perfectly Clear you’ll have access to 10 patented filters and you can fix an image in an instant. Use their auto settings, or select the slider to tweak and improve images to your own liking. Sadly they don’t offer pinch-to-zoom, but otherwise the app is great.

They’ve designed a very simple and easy to navigate user interface. Everything is extremely easy and the sliders really makes those little adjustments to photos a breeze. For those “mobile photographers” this is a must have app. Check out the impressive samples below, then head to the Google Play Store link to get Perfectly Clear today for the introductory sale price of just $0.99 for a limited time.

Play Store Link

Screen Shot 2012-08-03 at 1.36.00 PM 01 compare 05 compare 02 compare 04 compare 06 compare


Chameleon Launcher hits Play Store for pre-order customers

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 01:28 PM PDT

Chameleon Launcher for Android, which got its start as a kickstarter project back in May has finally landed on the Google Play Store. This home replacement launcher for tablets is very pretty, polished, and looks fantastic. While it’s in the Play Store right now, only those who pre-ordered from Kickstarter can actually use it.

Yes you can download it, but it won’t work unless you are one of the early beta testers that pre-ordered it by helping fund the project a few months back. So for now it isn’t available for everyone but we still have a neat video below to give you an idea of how powerful and customizable it can be.

Android is all about options, and with the Chameleon Launcher you can completely change the entire look and feel of your device, just like with most home replacement launchers. Not only are their widgets big, pretty, minimal, and resizable, but the can be based off of location too.

Based on location you can have your homescreen, wallpaper, and widgets all change. When you get to work it can switch to have all your email clients, stocks, and notepad widgets, then at home you can tailor it to show Google Play Books, Movies, YouTube and more. The idea is a neat one, but I’m not sure how many will actually use that. They call this quick homescreen switching.

The new app is available right now on the Google Play Store but remember, it won’t work unless you’re a backer and have valid sign in credentials. We can’t wait to see how this progresses and will update once it’s live for the masses.

[via MobileSyrup]


HTC One X+ for T-Mobile leaked with quad-core and Jelly Bean

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 12:59 PM PDT

HTC and T-Mobile appear to be teaming up to offer that impressive 4.7-inch HTC One X to their customers. After launching internationally with a quad-core Tegra 3, then on AT&T with a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and 4G LTE, T-Mobile will now be getting their own quad-core flavor according to some newly leaked details and benchmarks.

First rumored as the HTC Era 42+, it now looks like this will indeed be called the HTC One X+ and arrive for T-Mobile sometime this fall. Today the folks from TmoNews have uncovered a new benchmark test that confirms the fact that it is running Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, as well as a boosted and improved quad core processor.

Running the quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor at 1.7 GHz, sporting Jelly Bean, and then that 1280 x 720p screen size. We can’t technically confirm this is headed to T-Mobile but all the previous leaks lead to that conclusion.

According to a few other reports (linked to below) the possibility of a beefed up 1.7 GHz HTC One X+ could also be making its way to AT&T too, but that would just be weird. I can’t see them releasing a competing device to their current flagship on the carrier already, but we’ve seen stranger things. We are hopeful to see this phone arrive sometime in September and will update when we hear more.


New details on Phosphor Games’ Horn surface

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 12:26 PM PDT

Here are some things you need to know: Phosphor Games Studio has a new game coming to mobile devices, it’s called Horn, and it looks awesome. Part Infinity Blade and part Zelda, Horn is built using the Unreal engine, and from the look of the trailer we have posted after the break, it seems that it will be pushing the limits of mobile devices. In other words, get excited.


PocketGamer plays host to a slew of new information about the game, which was announced by Zynga back in June. Yes, that Zynga. Apparently the social games company sees something good in Horn, as it has signed on as publisher for the title. Really, it’s hard not to be impressed with Horn, especially from a visual standpoint.

You’ll be playing as Horn, whose village has been overrun by those giant stone monsters you can see in the trailer. Before long, Horn realizes that those stone giants are actually the other residents of his village, so naturally, it’s up to him to save them all from their towering fate. The stone giants make us immediately think of Shadow of the Colossus, and a mashup of that game, Infinity Blade, and Zelda is definitely something that gets our attention.

When you engage in combat, the camera zooms in nice and close, just like in Infinity Blade. There’s also a world to explore in the third-person perspective when you aren’t fighting, which is where the comparisons to Zelda come in. At the end of everything, Horn is definitely a game to get excited about, but unfortunately, we don’t have a solid release date, price, or platform list for the title yet. It’s arriving sometime later this month, however, so those missing details will undoubtedly be coming soon. Keep an ear to Android Community for more information!


Samsung Store confirmed for Australia, just a few doors down from Apple’s

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 12:09 PM PDT

Today Samsung has confirmed they’ll be opening up their first “Samsung Experience Store” in Sydney, Australia, and it will probably look just like their new Canada shop. After confirming a few details to AusDroid it looks like Sammy’s on a role. They’ll be opening up shop just a few doors down from Apple’s main Australia retail store.

This is the same Apple store that RIM recently played a terrible “wake up” flash-mob campaign that only earned them negative press. The fact that Samsung is opening up their doors just down the street from Apple’s largest Australia retail store is quite smart. I’m sure it won’t make Apple very pleased either.

Samsung opened their first retail store in Canada this summer, and it was instantly titled as an “Apple knock off,” but we’d have to disagree as it also looks just like those one stores you might have heard of — Best Buy. Here’s an official statement on the Australia retail store from Samsung:

Samsung Electronics Australia is delighted to confirm that we will be opening the first Samsung Experience Store at 450 George Street in Sydney in coming months. The store will be a premium space designed to allow Australian consumers an opportunity to experience the latest, cutting-edge Samsung products. We will be making an announcement with more details including the official opening date very soon.

It looks like Samsung will be opening up shop and offering another “premium space” for potential buyers to test, use, and enjoy all that Samsung has to offer. Their Galaxy S III has already sold more than 10 million units, so we expect to see plenty of them plastered around the new Sydney store. Go Samsung!

[via The Verge]


Samsung invite for August 15th event hints at Galaxy Note 10.1

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 11:45 AM PDT

Samsung has been busy this week preparing for their next set of announcements. We know they have both the Galaxy Note 10.1, as well as the Galaxy Note 2 coming up. After sending out invites for their Samsung Unpacked mobile event in Germany at the end of the month, today they’ve done the same for that “major announcement” set for August 15th.

Earlier reports confirms the Galaxy Note 2 will be announced on August 29th at IFA in Berlin, Germany, but now the invitations being sent out hint calmly but firmly at the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. The subtle hints of “meet the new way” goes right in line with their “time to tab” comments and the lines across the invite leads us to believe it’s the Galaxy Note 10.1 with the S-Pen stylus.

A few weeks ago when Samsung sent out the “save the date” email they called this a “major announcement” but the Galaxy Note 10.1 isn’t anything new at this point. We’ve received hands-on with it a few times, but it has since seen a slight design change and the inclusion of a quad-core processor.

Either way the Galaxy Note 10.1 will be Samsung’s new flagship top end tablet. Coming with a stylus, Wacom digitizer, a quad-core Exynos 4 Quad processor, 2GB of RAM, and hopefully some impressive storage options. We know they’ll have a 3G/4G and WiFi model but until they unveil it all on the 15th we’ll just have to wait and see. Stay tuned for full details.


Google Alert - android

News10 new results for android
 
Android this week: Google Wallet opens; Android 4.0 grows; T-Mobile's Galaxy ...
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Android 4.0 is finally getting out on phones and tablets according to Google's dashboard. Surprisingly, the next version, Jelly Bean, is gaining adoption quickly too. Google's Wallet now supports more credit and debit cards while T-Mobile's Galaxy Note ...
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GigaOM
Who's taking care of my Galaxy Nexus update?
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At the moment, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the only Android smartphone that can be experienced the way Google wants. Of course, there were previous Nexus iterations like the Nexus S and Nexus One, but with the Galaxy Nexus, Google got it right. Well ...
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BetaNews
Apple slips, Android big winner in China during Q2
CNET
A new report by Canalys finds that during the second quarter, Android was the operating system on 81 percent of smartphone shipments in China -- which accounted for some 27 percent of global smartphone shipments overall. (By comparison, the United ...
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Photo app of the week: Perfectly Clear for Android
USA TODAY
Perfectly Clear is a photo correction app for Android devices from Athentech Imaging, ported over from iPad and iPhone. It's a slick app with a decent interface and the ability to automatically correct your images in key ways, letting you easily ...
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USA TODAY
Ubuntu for Android Looks Awesome [VIDEO]
Mashable
Similar to WebTop, the phone's primary Android interface is still controllable in a sub-window, allowing you keep using your smartphone apps alongside these Linux programs. It's impressive just how much functionality is retained in this mode, with even ...
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China: Google's Android Leads the Smartphone Market; Olympic Badminton ...
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MINYANVILLE ORIGINAL One week into the Olympics and predictably, China is neck and neck with the US at the top of the medal standings. Controversies abound for Chinese Olympians, however. Fifteen-year-old record-breaking swimmer Ye Shiwen has ...
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Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies App Now Available on Android
MPOGD.com
Santa Monica, CA - August 3, 2012 - Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies, the fan-favorite app based on the popular Zombies mode from Treyarch's and Activision's record-setting hit Call of Duty: Black Ops, is now coming to Android. Adapted by Ideaworks Game ...
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MPOGD.com
Blackberry+Android: instant coolness or sure death?
Ubergizmo
Was this decision right, or was it a tragic mistake? There are plenty of people who would immediately reply: "yes, it was a tragic mistake!", but the answer isn't as obvious as one may think. While using Android removes the "OS problem", it may also ...
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Ubergizmo
X-Ray App Identifies Android Vulnerabilities But Doesn't Fix Them
CIO (blog)
Once installed, the app quickly scans your Android phone or tablet, checking to see if it's exposed to any of eight common Android OS vulnerabilities. The app is only available for downloading from X-Ray's download page, not from the Google Play Store ...
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CIO (blog)
New standards at Google Play Store: Bad Android apps and ads on the way out
Examiner.com
For anyone who has downloaded apps or games from the Google Play Store, some are familiar with that sinking feeling of having downloaded junk or something that turns out to be totally different than what was originally advertised. But there are new ...
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Examiner.com

Blogs5 new results for android
 
TouchPad gets an early taste of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean courtesy of ...
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Want the latest version of Android on your device? Sure, we all do, and despite HP having put the TouchPad out to pasture long ago, the modder community.
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Android leads, iOS follows, Windows Phone shows surprising growth
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Canalys released its latest report on the state of the smartphone market based on shipments in Q2 2012, and the results provided by the estimates are going to stir some emotions among Android and iOS fans. Android dominates the market ...
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Android Authority On Air - Episode 23 - Live with Chameleon
By Derek Ross
This week, we dig into Android's latest launcher, Chameleon, along with this week's special guest Phill, from their development team. Screen real est.
Android Authority
HTC One X+ for T-Mobile leaked with quad-core and Jelly Bean ...
By Cory Gunther
HTC and T-Mobile appear to be teaming up to offer that impressive 4.7-inch HTC One X to their customers. After launching internationally with a quad-core Tegra.
Android Community

Web1 new result for android
 
9GAG - Android?..
greentzu | funny | 1 day ago 77 24377. Love. 5722; 34; Email. Android?.. Comments. Report post · Y U No Signup?! Recommended. Oh My Buddhaweiser God!
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Android Authority

Android Authority


3DMark gaming benchmark gets industry-wide support

Posted: 04 Aug 2012 02:41 AM PDT

3DMark has been the standard gaming benchmark for PC for over a decade now. It’s what people have been using to see how their hardware fares with the latest games. The 3DMark version for Android is coming out later this year, and it has gained 4 more partners for  their “Benchmark Development Program”, to create industry-wide benchmarks for games on Android. The 4 partners are Qualcomm, Intel, Acer and SingTel-Optus, and they are joining existing members such as: Nvidia, AMD, Microsoft, and Samsung.

Jukka Makinen, Futuremark CEO said:

For more than 10 years, we have worked with the world’s leading PC hardware manufacturers to create 3DMark and PCMark. As a result, Futuremark benchmarks are the industry standard for PC performance measurement used by hundreds of press publications and millions of end-users.

As we bring 3DMark to a new OS for the first time, we are excited to expand our cooperation to include Acer, Intel, Qualcomm and SingTel-Optus.

3DMark for Android is coming out later this year and will measure performance using graphics rendering, CPU and physics tests through OpenGL ES 2.0. Although I’m sure it’s going to be the most comprehensive gaming benchmark ever for Android, I’m disappointed to see that it’s not going to support OpenGL ES 3.0 out of the game; GLBenchmark 3.0 with support for OpenGL ES 3.0 is also coming out this year.

But I think what’s even more important than gaining another benchmark tool for Android, is that Futuremark, the company behind 3DMark, is gathering all these industry players to establish a set of graphics standards for mobile devices. This should help Android developers in the future to make games more easily for all the different mobile GPU’s out there. We might see fewer “Tegra-optimized” or “Qualcomm-optimized” games, because they would all work basically the same on all mobile GPU’s.


This article, 3DMark gaming benchmark gets industry-wide support , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Android malware found in seemingly legit versions of Opera Mini, Angry Birds. Always check permissions!

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 11:28 PM PDT

android malware

There is a new generation of Android malware, and authors are increasingly becoming sophisticated with their social engineering capabilities. According to security companies, there is a trend among malware makers that involves using hacked versions of real apps to deliver a malicious payload.

There are about 20,000 malicious Android apps in circulation, says Trend Micro. And about 13 million phones worldwide have been infected, says Chinese security firm NetQin. A big part of these involve remotely controlling smartphones into sending premium text messages, as well as spamming the phones’ inboxes with junk messages.

Real apps with real payloads

The inherent problem here, of course, is Android’s openness, which comes with both benefits and disadvantages. Because Google Play — and other app repositories — are not as strict in app approval as other platforms like, say, Apple , malicious applications can get through. Google will kill apps that are found to contain malicious payloads, but the damage may have already been done by then.

End-users may be lulled into a false sense of security in downloading only legitimate apps. However, downloading the same legitimate apps from dubious sources might come with some problems. Case in point: OpFake, which was found to have been embedded in a legitimate copy of Opera Mini.

The malware author will not just mimic the mobile browser, but will actually install the real deal — but not before sending an SMS to a premium number. Do keep in mind that the Opera Mini app available from Google Play is just the installer, and it downloads the actual app from Opera after install. This makes it easy for hackers to spoof the installer app, but download the real thing.

Android malware will usually come with payloads that do any of the following: call a premium number, send premium SMS, flood the phone with spam, or offer remote control access to hackers, thereby turning the phone into a bot for sending spam.

How to protect yourself against malware

Your Android smartphone and tablet already offers some defense against malware, but only if you’re vigilant enough to use it. This basically involves the user permissions that you approve when installing an app.

For instance, the OpFake malware bundled into a real Opera Mini copy seeks permissions different from the legitimate Opera Mini, which should already raise suspicions from anyone familiar with what permissions a browser should require.

Image credit: GFI Labs

The legitimate Opera Mini would only require the following:

  • Storage
  • Network communication
  • Your personal information

However, the OpFake version would also require the following:

  • Your messages
  • Services that cost you money

In a Fast Company article, Neil Ungerleider says the fact that an app seeks permissions for “phone calls,” “messages” and “services that cost you money” should already raise suspicions of a potential threat. Does a mobile web browser really need to initiate SMS messages and access services that result in carrier charges?

Going beyond malware, even poorly-coded applications can severely affect a smartphone’s functionality. A study conducted by Stanford university researchers has determined that poorly-designed mobile websites and mobile apps drain smartphone and tablet batteries at an accelerated rate. Even free applications that display ads are more likely to drain your Android device’s battery than a paid one without ads, as determined by Purdue research.

Even the best of us get hit by malicious software at least once in our computing lives. I must admit that even with vigilance, my notebook computer got hit by a hard-to-remove rootkit a couple of years back. That particular attack caused two weeks in lost productivity as I hunted for a way to remove it without reformatting.

Android smartphones should be easier to fix, with a quick factory reset and a re-sync of user data from Google account backups. But the headache and heartache over extraneous expenses from premium SMS and calls sent should be bad enough for any Android user.

The key here is vigilance. A quick glance at the app permissions before tapping “accept & download” may spell the difference between a safe system and an infected one.


This article, Android malware found in seemingly legit versions of Opera Mini, Angry Birds. Always check permissions! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Android Authority On Air – Episode 23 – Live with Chameleon

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 08:57 PM PDT

This week, we dig into Android’s latest launcher, Chameleon, along with this week’s special guest Phill, from their development team.  Screen real estate, widgets, and home screens based on a context system make Chameleon extremely powerful. Chameleon, now in private beta, will soon be launching an SDK system to allow developers from all walks of life to create additional widgets.  Don’t worry Kickstarter backers, you’ll be getting your invites in the next few days. Chameleon has a lot of potential and they keep adding functionality. Keep an eye on this application, it’s going to get better.

Google’s Wallet grows up, allows any major credit card to be added. Google adds additional security features which make Wallet extremely enticing. The Nexus Q goes free to those that pre-ordered, the rest of us will have to wait while Google figures out exactly what they want to do with the Q. They plan on adding more functionality, which is great news. Next up, Verizon gets a slap on the wrist resulting in tethering changes. This is a good thing. Users can now download tethering apps directly from the Google Play store and bypass the $20/month fee. Thanks FCC. Sadly, a bunch of old Snapdragon phones won’t be getting CM9 or CM10. They’ll have to settle for Cm7.2 or non-CM ICS/JB ports in the future.

Miss the show? Tune in or watch below:

YouTube
SoundCloud
Stitcher
iTunes
RSS

Links:

Google Wallet can now add any credit card or debit card
Nexus Q launch delayed, more functionality on the way
Samsung releases rejected trial evidence, infuriates Judge Koh
FCC tells Verizon to pay $1.25 million and unblock tethering apps
No updates past CM 7.2 for Nexus One, HTC Desire, Legend, Xperia X10 and others
ICS on 16% of all Android devices, Jelly Bean at 0.8%


This article, Android Authority On Air – Episode 23 – Live with Chameleon , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Scott Forstall testimony: Apple hiring, iPhone Fight Club team, Samsung design and 7-inch iPad

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 06:06 PM PDT

The U.S. Apple vs Samsung trial continued its proceedings today with Judge Lucy Koh scolding the two parties for their "theatrics" and "sideshows" followed by Phil Shiller's testimony. Once Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing answered all questions, the next witness to take the stand was called.

And we were looking to another important Apple executive for the iOS business, Scott Forstall, the company's Senior Vice President of iOS Software. Just like Shiller before him, Forstall revealed quite a few interesting details on the inner workings at Apple, including plenty of patent infringement allegations, that happen to go both ways.

Apple examination

And just like in Shiller's case, we have plenty of quotes from Forstall's testimony, via The Verge.

NeXT job at Apple

Forstall took the stand and kicked off his testimony with various background information regarding his education and his getting hired at NeXT, which was then acquired by Apple. Apparently, Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs wanted explicitly to hire Forstall, as Jobs burst in the room during Forstall's interview telling him that he would get an offer, which he'd better accept – we're definitely not seeing the relevance of this introduction, but it's yet another interesting detail from Jobs way of doing things.

iPhone Fight Club Team

Then Forstall explained how in 2003 he was working on the iPad, and how that work transformed into developing the iPhone a year later. He ended up leading the iPhone OS software team under strict instructions to hire anyone as long as the persons chosen for the job were already working at Apple. The team would then work in a special building, labeled "Fight Club," on a project nobody outside the team had any details about.

Here are some relevant quotes from his testimony:

  • […] could we make a beautiful tablet without a keyboard, without a hinge, where you have to fold it like a laptop.
  • Could we use the technology we were doing with touch that we’d been prototyping for this tablet, and could we use that for a phone… So we took that tablet and took a small scrolling list… We built a small corner of it as a list of contacts…. You could tap on the contact, it would slide over and show you the information… It was just amazing. We realized that a touchscreen of the size that would fit in your pocket would be perfect for these phones.
  • So this was a real challenge. Steve gave me a difficult constraint, and that constaint was — he didn’t want, for secrecy reasons, for anyone outside of Apple to work on the user interface… So I had to find people within Apple to work on that. But he told me I could move anyone within the company to that team.
  • [How Forstall hired people for the iPhone project:] we’re starting a new project. It’s so secret I can’t even tell you what that project is. I can’t tell you who you will work for… What I can tell you is that if you accept this project you… will work nights, you will work weekends, probably for a number of years.
  • We wanted to build a phone for ourselves. We wanted to build a phone that we loved that was really a computer in your pocket in some ways.
  • We actually moved out the release of other projects because of the people we took off the projets and put onto this [the iPhone].
  • [The iPhone building was] very much like a dorm, people were there all the time… It smelled something like pizza, and in fact on the front door of the Purple Dorm we put a sign up that said ‘Fight Club’… because the first rule of that project was to not talk about it outside those doors.
  • [Referring to the '163 tap-to-zoom patent] I remember as we built the iPhone I spent a lot of time using the early prototypes myself. I would use them to send all my emails, to browse the web. Basically anything I could do on the prototype I would do on the prototype instead of the computer.
  • [About the same feature:] “‘Understanding that structure, and the structure the user cares about is a challenge.” The intelligence behind centering the content is also difficult, he says. “Center it where it makes sense, but don’t go beyond the edge of the document because there’s no reason to do that.”

Samsung cross-examination

Attorney Kevin Johnson questioned Forstall when it was time for the Samsung cross-examination. Samsung tried to prove that Apple does examine Samsung handsets – just like Samsung does with the competition's – and that the Galaxy Tab may have been an inspiration source for a future iPad mini product.

Does Apple copy Samsung design?

Johnson reminded Forstall that during depositions, the VP acknowledged that the iPhone processor speed was a concern for the executive, who was wondering how the CPU would fare against devices from the competition, including Samsung handsets.

Samsung SGH-E910

Moreover, an email from Tony Fadell, another important Apple figure that worked on the iPod and iPhone before leaving Apple to start its own thermostat-building venture, was brought to Forstall's attention, although the iOS guru did not remember the contents of the email. Fadell detailed the examination of a Samsung handset, the SGH-E910 in an email sent to Jony Ive, Jon Rubinstein, Jobs and Fostall. Jobs apparently forwarded the email back to Ive saying that:

This may be our answer — we could put the number pad around our clickwheel.

Then, when a new Samsung smartphone was released, the same Fadell emailed the team about it, and Johnson argued that thus it's Apple execs that were copying Samsung.

Other Samsung devices, including the Galaxy S, were tore down by Apple and inspected. During inspection, features not found on the iPhone were explored, including TouchWiz and Swype. Other competing phones were also analyzed by Apple in 2008, with Forstall explaining that Apple was simply comparing dropped call performance – this was probably at a time that Apple had issues in the U.S. when it comes to making calls in certain metropolitan areas.

The 7-inch Galaxy Tab-inspired iPad mini

The most interesting fact that Samsung helped uncover is the 7-inch iPad Mini that will probably be revealed later this year.

We all remember Jobs's adverse reaction to the original 7-inch Galaxy Tab during an Apple's quarterly earnings report, which hinted that Apple will not be making a 7-inch iPad anytime soon. But it looks like not everyone at Apple was against 7-inch tablets. In fact, Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services was quite interested in making a 7-inch iPad, and apparently his arguments managed to convince Jobs back in 2011 the project is worth investing in. Here are some relevant quotes from Cue that were mentioned during Forstall’s testimony:

Having used a Samsung Galaxy [Tab], i tend to agree with many of the comments below [he forwarded a Galaxy Tab article in the email]… I believe there will be a 7-inch market and we should do one. I expressed this to Steve several times since Thanksgiving and he seemed very receptive the last time.

Later, Johnson asked Forstall whether Apple invented the touchscreen but Forstall responded that he's not fully aware of Apple's patent portfolio. When asked whether the trial will reveal that Apple instructed employees to copy Samsung's design, here's what he answered:

  • I never directed anyone to copy anything from Samsung.
  • [Why not?] We wanted to build something great, and we thought we could build something better than anyone had built. There was no reason to look to them on this.

We'll be back with more details on the U.S. Apple vs Samsung trial next week as this fight continues.


This article, Scott Forstall testimony: Apple hiring, iPhone Fight Club team, Samsung design and 7-inch iPad , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Phil Shiller testimony: iPhone, iPad creation and customer surveys, Samsung copying skills and iPhone 5 design secrecy

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 04:52 PM PDT

The U.S. Apple vs Samsung trial continued today after Judge Lucy Koh ruled on certain motions and objections from both parties with the testimony of Apple's Phil Shiller, the company's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing.

In what follows we're going to look at what both Apple and Samsung asked Shiller, as reported by The Verge, as his responses are quite revealing for the trial.

Apple examination

Apple attorney Harold McElhinny started asking Shiller about the way the iPhone and iPad came to be. The executive offered various details on what it took to create the iPhone and the iPad, both great gambles for the company. He explained differences between models, what differentiates them, and referred to elements and patents that Apple claims are infringed by Samsung’s products. He even described how a multitouch is supposed to work.

iPhone and iPad creation

He explained that the iPhone project came after the iPad, but Apple shifted attention to the iPhone when realizing its priorities. Here are some of his answers:

  • We started to look at whether you could put entertainment content on cellphones…. We realized at the time that some phones weren’t any good as entertainment devices.
  • The iPhone was a brand-new concept. A new generation of smartphone. The way we ended up helping people understand it’s capabilities was to break it up into three uses.
  • The range of reaction [to the iPhone] was everything you could imagine, from excitement for this breakthrough product to doubt that Apple could succeed with it.
  • Leading towards June [2007] we began to carefully turn on the marketing. First we held a TV ad during the Academy Awards… and then as we got closer to the launch in June we started to bring in additional ads.
  • Sales were extremely good. They exceeded our expectations.
  • Each new generation sold approximately equal to all previous generations combined.
  • It was a big gamble in introduce the iPad for a number of reasons. First, this was a new category of devices, […] a risk to our image.
  • [Despite positive reviews] there were many in the industry… that questioned if it could succeed at all… There was great doubt on whether it would be successful to any quantity that mattered.
  • I think there are many reasons for the iPhone’s success. For me, what I believe is really prevalent is number one, people find the iPhone design beautiful. Number two, it’s an incredibly easy to use device with all of our software inventions to make it simple and integrated. [Number three] We’ve really taken the entire experience, hardware, software, integrated experiences, and taken the responbility to make them all work together for the customer.

Market surveys

While Apple is famous for saying that the company does not conduct surveys when creating new products, it appears that the Shiller's market research team "will do surveys of customers" from time to time. And here we're talking about the surveys that Apple wanted to be thrown out of the trial, but Samsung convinced the judge they were relevant for the case.

Again, the best way to look at the story is to follow some of the most important quotes from Shiller:

  • Periodically [surveys from 4Q 2010, Q1 2011, Q2 2011, and Q3 2011were shown] my market research team will do surveys of customers who have already purchased our products to ask them questions we’re curious about.
  • “They’re usually done by gathering answers from web surveys, sometime phone surveys,” and then collected into Apple’s own database.

According to these studies, 85% of surveyed customers purchasing the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 said that the look and design was important or very important.

Advertising the iPhone and iPad

Apple's counsel also asked Shiller to describe Apple's iPhone and iPad ads. The jurors will also be able to watch all the iPhone and iPad ads since the launch of each product until present day, something Samsung has tried to object but was overruled. According to Shiller, the concept behind Apple's advertising campaigns is calling the "product as hero" of the ads. Here are some relevant quotes:

  • So in that brief [iPad] ad we wanted you to see the beautiful design, get a sense of how easy it was to use…. and to give you a taste of the depth of software that could be used… To create a reason why you might want a tablet device like an iPad in your life.
  • “It's important when we pick media,” Schiller says. “We try to pick publications that fit well with Apple's image…. We also try to pick nationwide, largest-reach publications.” On product placement, he says “We would love to see our products used by stars in movies, TV shows, and we have a person who helps provide products to people that want to do that.”

Shiller also revealed how much the company spends during each fiscal year on ads – Apple's fiscal year ends in September:

  • iPhone
    • FY 2008 – $97.5 million
    • FY 2009 – $149.6 million
    • FY 2010 – $173.3 million
  • iPad
    • FY 2010 – $149.5 million
    • FY 2011 – $307.7 million

Samsung copying the iPhone, iPad

Naturally, one of the points Apple's counsel tried to make from the beginning is that Samsung copied with its Galaxy S products the iPhone and iPad. And Shiller was not shy to reveal his strong opinions on the matter – that Samsung had effectively copied the look and feel of both the iPhone and iPad with its Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab products, and other devices from these families of Android smartphones and tablets. Here are some quotes:

  • I was pretty shocked at the appearance of the Galaxy S phone and the extent to which it appeared to copy Apple’s products. We went from having something easy to market because it was so distinctive and and so famous to having something that was difficult to market.
  • Competition’s great… Every day there are companies creating products to compete with us.
  • [Copying is not fair] because when you copy or steal the idea of one company’s product now you’re trading off all that investment and marketing and goodwill with customers… when you rip that off you’re trying to get all that benefit for yourself.
  • [When he saw the original Galaxy Tab he] thought they were just going to copy our whole product line.
  • It confused the customers on who’s the creator of these products. It diminshes the value we’e created of Apple as the creator of these products, of these beautiful things… It dilutes the way customers see Apple.
  • One of the jobs of my teams is the forecasting process… It’s our belief that some customers are choosing to buy a Samsung product because one of the things it does is look like the iPhone and look like the iPad. It also has an affect after the first purchase.

Samsung cross-examination

When McElhinny finished Apple's interrogation of the witness, Samsung moved in to cross-examine Shiller and to try to prove that Apple's devices are not entirely original, as they do use existing technology.

Who came up with the touchscreen first?

One example given by Charles Verhoeven, Samsung's attorney, was an email exchange inside Apple that discussed the fact that the LG Prada, a phone that preceded the iPhone, actually sported a full touchscreen (but it’s worth remembering that it did not run Android). An email from Steve Sinclair, referring to the iPhone and LG Prada said:

It’s tough to approach this with the criteria being ‘first.’ I don’t know how many things we can come up with that you could legitimately claim we did first.

Samsung also tried to make a different point during examination, that iPhones and Samsung phones are "segregated" in carrier stores in such a manner that no confusion can be made between Apple's and Samsung's products, but Shiller responded that confusion exists for the public when marketing the products.

Infuse 4G confuses Samsung lawyers too

But not everything went well for Samsung, as its counsel managed to confuse it's client's phones when showing them to Shiller. Apple's executive was handed a Samsung Continuum first, and then he was given what Verhoeven believed it was an Infuse 4G, but it was actually a different device. This isn’t the first time Samsung’s lawyer crews aren’t able to properly recognize one of the products made by their client – a while ago a Samsung attorney was not able to tell the iPad and Galaxy Tab 10.1 apart from 10 feet away when directly asked by Judge Koh.

Shiller said that the phones that were shown to him were confusing. Furthermore, he added:

Samsung has ripped off a number of our design elements and yes I do believe some customers could be confused.

Samsung then tried to pull a fast one by asking Shiller to explain one of the surveys we mentioned before, in which only 1 percent of respondents revealed that the color or design of the iPhone would affect their buying decision. But the attempt was then deflected by Apple’s counsel. A later Apple redirect allowed Shiller to explain that in the survey Samsung quoted, Apple asked buyers what factor in addition to price would be most important for them when buy the product.

iPhone 5 design

Samsung tried to convince Shiller to reveal whether the iPhone 5 – which is what customers and tech blogs erroneously refer to when talking about Apple's sixth-generation iPhone – would come with a different design. Even if the Judge allowed the question, Shiller choose not to answer it:

I prefer not to tell confidential information about future products.

Apple rebuttal

McElhinny returned to clarify the survey Samsung referred too (explained above) but also to have Shiller reveal the relationship between the iPhone design and Apple brand. Here’s what the VP answered:

  • Yes, I think there’s a strong correlation [between iPhone design and Apple brand]…. People associate the Apple brand with great design.
  • We have a term in marketing at apple that we call the Lust factor…. That’s one of the things we were going for, was a high lust factor.

We'll be back with tidbits and revelations from Apples Senior Vice President on iOS Software Scott Forstall, who took the witness stand after Shiller.


This article, Phil Shiller testimony: iPhone, iPad creation and customer surveys, Samsung copying skills and iPhone 5 design secrecy , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


RIM CEO admits to having considered switch to Android

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 04:28 PM PDT

RIM isn’t exactly in the best form today, having risen and fallen as the preferred smartphone platform in the enterprise market. To date, BlackBerry’s market share has dwindled, although the platform remains in third place after Android and iOS. In the aim of keeping up with the times, RIM had actually considered making the switch to Android.

In an interview with The Telegraph, RIM’s new CEO Thorsten Heins admitted that the Canadian company could not keep up with Apple and Samsung, given their market dominance in the smartphone and tablet business. He pointed out that RIM did not have “the economy of scale to compete against the guys who crank out 60 handsets a year.”

As such, the company seriously considered switching to another platform altogether, which could have potentially helped boost market share, given the popularity of Android among consumers. But RIM “took the conscious decision not to go Android and stick to developing BlackBerry 10.” The reason: differentiation.

Heins said manufacturers have very little ability to differentiate. Even if manufacturers could come out with dozens of models a year, they tend to lose focus and handset releases get lost in the sea of Android phones. However, RIM’s optimism lies in its ability to serve the segment that it considers the most important: the enterprise market.

RIM believes that the BlackBerry platform is not about playing games and loading multimedia. “[I]f you stay true to that purpose you have to build on that basis,” Heins stressed. As such, RIM wants to continue building products for folks who have little time to consume and enjoy content, but rather need to get things done.

Still, Heins acknowledged that RIM could not catch up to the likes of Apple and Samsung on its own. As such, it is considering licensing out the upcoming Blackberry 10 platform to third-party manufacturers. RIM will need a company that can produce BlackBerry smartphones and tablets “at a way better cost proposition,” and the company is currently investigating the potential implications if they will let other manufacturers compete in the smartphone business with BB10 as their platform.

Would Android have helped RIM improve their market situation? It was already a big thing when the BlackBerry Playbook was announced to have support for Android apps. True enough Android has a more comprehensive application ecosystem than BlackBerry. And let’s face it, BlackBerry’s market share in the U.S. is on a downward trend. But still, BlackBerry is going strong in some markets like the Asia Pacific region, where it is a strong platform in both enterprise and consumer markets.

Did RIM make the right decision in sticking to their guns? Or could they have had an advantage if they tried powering BlackBerry smartphones with Android and instead ported popular features – like the Blackberry Messaging service – to the platform?


This article, RIM CEO admits to having considered switch to Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Judge doesn’t punish Samsung for press leak in Apple patent case, warns against any other “theatrics or sideshows”

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 03:18 PM PDT

The U.S. Apple vs Samsung trial resumed its proceedings today, but before the two parties could go forward with the testimonies of Apple's top executives Phil Shiller and Scott Forstall, Judge Lucy Koh had to rule on some of the motions filed by the two companies in the previous days.

One of them, filed by Apple, asked the Judge to punish Samsung by ending the lawsuit in Apple's favor. Samsung's counsel decided earlier this week to leak certain pieces of evidence that Judge Koh did not allow to be used in the trial to the media. This measure infuriated the Judge and prompted her to officially ask an explanation for what happened.

Samsung's lead counsel John Quinn explained why he released the documents, saying that they were already part of the public record, that he didn't act unlawfully and that his actions should not be perceived as trying to influence the jury.

Today, Judge Koh ruled against Apple's motion to obtain a fast victory and instead decided to interview each juror ahead of the proceedings to ask them whether they have seen the leaked evidence and whether they can still offer an impartial ruling.

All jurors but one said they have not seen any of the reports based on the leaked evidence. Juror number seven saw headlines about the "kitchen table" – a termed derived from the testimony of Apple’s Christopher Stringer and refers to a place where Apple products are reportedly brainstormed – but nothing else.

After establishing that the jurors have not been influenced by the leaked documents, Koh warned both parties that the Court will not stand for any more "theatrics or sideshows" from either party:

“I will not let any theatrics or sideshows distract us from what we’re here to do, which is to fairly and timely decide this case,” she said.

Judge Koh also said that she 's annoyed with the current state of objections from both parties, and that from now on all objections will have to be made in front of the jury, on each side's own time – each side has 25 hours to make its case:

“Some of these objections are ridiculous, they’re five paragraphs long,” Koh said. “If you’re going to do that messy objection, you’re going to do it in front of the jury, and the time clock is going to be ticking.”

The Judge also said that Samsung could use in court Apple research surveys and sales numbers when cross-examining Phil Shiller.

We'll be back with more juicy details from the testimonies that took place earlier today, so don't go anywhere.


This article, Judge doesn't punish Samsung for press leak in Apple patent case, warns against any other "theatrics or sideshows" , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies up on Google Play for Xperia devices, others must wait a month

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 02:51 PM PDT

Those darn zombies are at it again. This time they're making quite a bloody mess that a special elite force has to be deployed to get them out of their miserable life death. The best thing about it is that you can play it all out in Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies.

It was only two weeks ago that the game Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies was hinted to come to Android platform. So, to see that it is finally available to download on Google Play so soon is a welcomed surprise.

Developed especially for phones and tablets, the game lets you battle the undead in maps like Kino Der Toten, Ascension, and Call of the Dead: Director's Cut. The Dead-Ops Arcade mode features 50 levels of top-down Zombie mayhem – which should be more than enough to sharpen your Zombie-killing skills with the range of weaponries available. You can play on your own or have up to 4 buddies of yours join the game for a team up via WiFi.

Similar to its iOS counterpart, the Android version comes with a $6.99 price tag. The Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies is an Xperia-exclusive for a month, so owners of non-Xperia devices may want to check the Google Play link back about 30 days from now.

Zombie fans, do you think Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies is priced a bit too high?


This article, Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies up on Google Play for Xperia devices, others must wait a month , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


HP TouchPad Jelly Bean update available via CyanogenMod 10

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 12:17 PM PDT

Remember the HP TouchPad tablet? Sure you do, it was HP's poorly marketed webOS-running iPad-killer wannabe that the company decided to discard soon after launching it. HP sold the device for very low prices once it decided it has no future with the company – as low as $99 – which made it very appealing to the crowds that wouldn't have otherwise picked one up.

Naturally, one of the things developers did with the device was to port Android to it, and the device was soon running Android, even if unofficially, alongside webOS.

Now we hear that a Jelly Bean port is available for the 2011 tablet that's now dead considering that HP's webOS mobile arm is also pretty much dead, which is quite interesting.

Sure, this isn't the official Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean release for the TouchPad – and you won't see that happen either since the device is not an Android tablet per se. But it's a CyanogenMod 10 build, a Jelly Bean-based custom ROM that we've seen recently installed in preview mode on a variety of devices.

Like in previous CM10 preview versions, not everything is functional yet, but we wouldn't be surprised to find out that the TouchPad will run Jelly Bean quite smoothly in the future.

This will only make us wonder why certain Android devices that were contemporary with the TouchPad will not be officially upgraded to Jelly Bean, if and when that happens.

Meanwhile, if you own a TouchPad running CM10, let us know how it works out for you!

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This article, HP TouchPad Jelly Bean update available via CyanogenMod 10 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Wireless Charging Kit for Samsung Galaxy S3 hits Verizon stores

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 11:56 AM PDT

If you don't mind the lack of Samsung's official branding, you can now purchase a wireless charging pad for your Samsung Galaxy S3, and for other compatible Android phones, from Verizon's website. Verizon is charging – pun intended – $50 for the wireless charging pad.

The charging pad comes with a LED indicator that will emit a flickering green light when you're charging the phone, and a solid light when it has completely replenished the phone's battery. It will also emit a beeping sound when you place the phone or when it's stopped charging – a feature that apparently can't be turned off.

You'll need more than the charging station to make that wire-free charging fantasy of yours a reality.  A separate purchase of the wireless charging battery cover for your Galaxy S3 is needed. The inductive back cover, which reportedly cost $39, is a genuine Samsung product. Hmm, this explains why it's rather pricey. The whole set up will set you back $89.

We just checked and saw that the wireless charging kit is unfortunately listed as out of stock on Verizon's website. You can try again in a couple hours – or days even – to see if Big Red has more stock.  Alternatively, you can check with your local Verizon stores to see if they have the complete kit lying about.

If you want something a tiny bit more affordable and don't mind waiting for a good month or so, Zens plans to release its own take of wireless charger for the Galaxy S3 in September – with the bundled charging pad and back cover to cost $83.

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This article, Wireless Charging Kit for Samsung Galaxy S3 hits Verizon stores , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.