Friday, October 12, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority


Intel-powered Motorola Razr i makes its way to France

Posted: 12 Oct 2012 02:43 AM PDT

The excitement over the first Intel-powered phone from Motorola might have died down a bit after the first benchmarks appeared, but the Razr i still looks like a more than decent mid-ranger. The 2 GHz Atom CPU, be it single-core, sounds cooler than cool, while the edge-to-edge display ensures that the phone is both portable and efficient in terms of using screen real estate.

That said, we're very glad to report that the Razr i is slowly, but steadily making its way to tech users across the world, hitting France today after being already made available in the UK and Brazil.

SFR, the number two French mobile network operator right now, has the Razr i up for grabs in both brick and mortar stores and online, at a pretty decent pricing. The 4.3-incher can be had starting at €9.90 with a two-year contract, while monthly plans start at just €14.99.

The carrier also sells the unlocked SIM-free version of the Razr i, but that's a bit pricey, going for €429.90 (around $550). Motorola has also announced that "selected retailers and distributors" in France should themselves start selling the handheld soon for a recommended price of €399 with all taxes included and no contract.

Other "select" European markets should get their own chance at selling the best Intel smartphone yet pretty soon, although we still don't have a full list with all countries expected to get the Razr I. One thing is certain nevertheless – the “i” will never see the light of day in the States, although the similarly equipped Qualcomm-based Razr M should ensure that there are no hard feelings about that.

Anyone tuning in from France? Are you planning to get SFR’s Razr i? Why? Why not?

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This article, Intel-powered Motorola Razr i makes its way to France , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


LG Nexus 4 poses for 360 degree view, camera samples revealed

Posted: 12 Oct 2012 02:36 AM PDT

LG Nexus

The Belarusian tech blog Onliner.by has proven a gold mine when it comes to "The World's Most Thoroughly Leaked Phone", the LG Nexus 4 (aka LG Optimus G Nexus). We had multiple images of the upcoming Google experience device, shot from every possible angle. But if you want even more, you can't get any better than a 360 degree of the device, which is exactly what the Belarusians delivered.

lg optimus g nexus 360 view

To go with the pirouette, we have a couple of sample images shot with the alleged LG Nexus.

lg nexus 4 camera sample

lg nexus 4 camera sample

For a roundup of all the LG Nexus related news on Android Authority, check our full coverage. We expect more juicy info to come out as we get closer to the supposed October 29 announcement, so stay tuned.

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This article, LG Nexus 4 poses for 360 degree view, camera samples revealed , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Gmail 4.2 leaked, introduces pinch to zoom, swipe to delete, and more

Posted: 12 Oct 2012 02:35 AM PDT

gmail logo

Gmail users rejoice! If your gmail productivity has been bogged down by the seemingly clunky interface that Gmail offers, we might soon find a solution with the upcoming Gmail 4.2 for Android. A leaked APK gives us a sneak peek of what the upcomin Gmail release has to offer, including new user interface features.

Android Police, which has a copy of the APK say this may or may not come from a ROM dump from the rumored LG Nexus device. What’s sure at this point is that the upcoming Gmail release will include much-requested features like pinch-to-zoom on individual emails, which make zooming in or out definitely quicker than having to manually set view size per inbox.

Image credit: Android Police

This release also lets users swipe on a conversation to either delete or archive, which makes inbox management easier. This option is customizable, so you can choose to either archive, delete or ask.

Users can also report a message as phishing, which helps Google improve security. Check out the video demo below. Are you excited for Gmail 4.2?

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This article, Gmail 4.2 leaked, introduces pinch to zoom, swipe to delete, and more , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung Galaxy Note 2 coming to Telus on October 30

Posted: 12 Oct 2012 01:44 AM PDT

galaxy-note-2-n7100 hands on

If you've been having bouts of excitement just thinking about the Galaxy Note 2, you don't have to wait until October 24, which is the launch party of Sammy's "next big thing" in North America, to know the details of its commercial release in Canada.

Yes, several carriers – like Telus Mobility, Mobilicity, Wind Mobile and others — have already said last month that the Galaxy Note 2 is coming in fall. But that's not very specific, is it?

If you're a Telus subscriber, the mobile operator has made the all-important announcement of when it'll have the phablet up for sale. The date you should be marking down on your calendar is October 30. This means that, no more than a week after its official launch, you can already sport the quad-core smartphone/tablet hybrid.

Apart from the date, Telus hasn't mentioned the price of the device on contract. We're sure it'll be shared soon. Likewise, other Canadian carriers will surely take note of Telus' move and make their announcement as well.

Are you ready for your date with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 at the end of the month? Are you planning to get the 16GB or 32GB model? White or grey?

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This article, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 coming to Telus on October 30 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Sony’s Xperia AX to be released in Japan as early as November, promo videos are out

Posted: 12 Oct 2012 01:29 AM PDT

Are you getting slightly confused by the many Xperia phones that Sony introduced recently? It probably won't help that there's another one coming out soon in Japan, the Xperia AX, although this one is just a variant of the Xperia V.

We've talked about the specs of the Xperia AX earlier in the month, where they are basically similar to the V – except for the inclusion of a 1-Seg TV tuner, FeliCia NFC, and infrared port. So you're looking at the same dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 4.3-inch HD display, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, microSD support, 13MP rear camera, VGA front cam, 1,750mAh battery and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Xperia AX will also come with the same water and dust-resistant feature found on the Xperia V.

As for the initially-missing release date of the Xperia AX, Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo said that the phone would be out "between November and December." This puts it in similar territory as the Xperia V, which has been reported to come out by the end of the year.

If you're counting down the days until November (or December) comes, Sony has released promo videos of the Xperia AX to help ease your wait. We've embedded them all for your viewing pleasure below.

The Xperia AX will come in four flavors: white, pink, black and turquoise. Do you think you’ll be able to resist the temptation of other phones until the Xperia AX/V hits stores in November/December?

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This article, Sony's Xperia AX to be released in Japan as early as November, promo videos are out , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Apple gets stay over ban of iPhone and iPad in South Korea

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 11:01 PM PDT

Back in August, a Seoul court ruled that both Apple and Samsung did indeed infringe on one another’s patents. As a result, both companies ultimately had several devices banned. Apple of course filed to delay the ban of the company's iPhone and iPad. Unfortunately for Samsung, Apple's request has been granted.

It is unclear as to whether or not Samsung will file a similar request. In light of the ruling directed at Apple, it now seems that Samsung would be rather foolish not to. Of course doing so may just be prolonging the inevitable. Either way, we are not going to see any major progress between the two companies anytime soon.

It is rather clear as to why these two companies are fighting over control of the smartphone market. The current smartphone market is valued at over $219 billion worldwide. The desire to control this lucrative industry has driven the companies to become entangled between patent disputes on four separate continents. However, the only case that has seen a final verdict was the case in San Jose, CA, which required Samsung to pay $1 billion in damages.

These patent disputes are obviously spiraling out of control. It seems that no matter what the rulings are, no verdict is going to make many company come out any further ahead than the other.

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This article, Apple gets stay over ban of iPhone and iPad in South Korea , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Amazon’s book lending program to be extended in the UK, Germany and France

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 10:48 PM PDT

The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library is an online library service provided to Kindle owners by Amazon. Since launching the service in the US, the company has seen enormous growth. It is undoubtedly popular among Kindle owners as they receive all the benefits with their Amazon Prime membership. Due to the amazing success in the US, Amazon has decided to expand the service's territory.

Earlier today, Amazon announced that the service would be coming to the UK, Germany, and France later this month. While Amazon did not provide a specific date, we can only assume that it will be in the coming weeks.

The international service will be completely identical to the service that is currently enjoyed in the US. As it stands, Kindle owners enrolled in the service can borrow one book a month completely free. The service claims to provide over 200,000 books available for borrowing. In addition, Amazon claims that thousands of the books will be available in the countries' native languages.

Amazon's announcement also stated that the company has increased the Kindle Direct Publishing Select fund by $100,000. This service is designed to benefit independent authors who don’t have ties to any publishing companies. While the increase announced today is great news, Amazon also stated that an even bigger increase of funds should be expected in November.

Show full PR text

Kindle Owners’ Lending Library Coming to the UK, Germany and France

Independent authors enrolled in KDP Select can reach more readers in Europe through the lending libraries, and earn money every time their book is borrowed

KDP Select fund increased to $700,000 in October

SEATTLE-October 11, 2012-(NASDAQ:AMZN)-Amazon.com, Inc. today announced that the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library is coming to the UK, Germany and France later this month, bringing Kindle owners with a Prime membership over 200,000 books to borrow for free as frequently as a book a month, with no due dates. Independent authors and publishers using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) who enroll their books in KDP Select can be included in the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library in the UK, Germany and France, as well as the US. With the new lending libraries launching this month, the KDP Select fund has been increased by $100,000 to $700,000 in October, with a larger increase anticipated in November. Authors will earn money every time their book is borrowed from any of the lending libraries – in September, authors earned $2.29 per borrow, which is more than many KDP books earn per sale.

“The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library was launched less than a year ago in the US and customers are loving it,” said Russ Grandinetti, Vice President of Kindle Content. “It’s also been great for independent authors, who get to reach a whole new audience and make money in a new way, and now they’ll be able to reach even more readers around the world. We’re excited to bring the lending library to the UK, Germany and France.”

Independent authors are experiencing increased sales by including their books in the US Kindle Owners’ Lending Library through KDP Select, an option for authors to make money through the lending library and promote their book for free. In September, KDP Select books that enrolled in August earned 77% more royalties from paid sales than the three months before they were enrolled in the program. This figure is conservative and only includes books that were available via KDP for the entire three months prior to enrolling in KDP Select. To learn more about KDP Select, visit http://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/KDPSelect.

The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library was launched in the US in November 2011 and offers access to a wide array of categories and genres in fiction and non-fiction. Soon Kindle owners with a Prime membership in the UK, Germany and France will also be able to choose from over 200,000 books to borrow for free – including thousands of local-language titles and all seven Harry Potter books in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish – as frequently as a book a month, with no due dates. No other e-reader or eBookstore offers such a service. To learn more about the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, visit:

- US: www.amazon.com/kindleownerslendinglibrary

- UK: www.amazon.co.uk/kindleownerslendinglibrary

- Germany: www.amazon.de/kindle-leihbuecherei

- France: www.amazon.fr/bibliotheque-de-pret-kindle

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This article, Amazon’s book lending program to be extended in the UK, Germany and France , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


This Sunday only, Best Buy offering $100 off on the Samsung Galaxy S3

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 02:56 PM PDT

Have you been holding off on getting a Samsung Galaxy S3? Maybe it was still a bit pricier than you’d like, or perhaps you were curious about the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini. If the idea of owning a Galaxy S3 tempts you, Sunday could be the perfect day to finally make the move to the flagship Samsung device. What’s so special about this Sunday, Oct. 14th? One day only, Best Buy will knock down the pricing of the Galaxy S3 by $100.

From the sounds of it, this is a nationwide Best Buy promotion and should be applicable regardless of your carrier or what version of the Galaxy S3 you are after. This is an absolute steal. The sale could certainly be enough to convince potential buyers that were on the fence about what to get for their next Android smartphone.

As a brief reminder, the U.S. version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is powered by a Snapdragon S4 dual-core 1.5GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. Other specs worth noting include NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 DLNA, an 8MP rear cam, a 1.9MP front cam, microSD expansion, 16/32GB storage, and a 2100mAh battery.

How about it? Anyone planning on taking advantage of this one-day-only promotion?

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This article, This Sunday only, Best Buy offering $100 off on the Samsung Galaxy S3 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini UK Sim-Free pricing revealed

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:03 PM PDT

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini

Earlier today we reported on the official unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini. Now we have confirmation that a U.K. SIM-free version of the Mini will arrive in white and blue variants, priced at £298.80.

We don’t know exactly when the phone is coming to the United Kingdom, but Vodafone has already confirmed they will carry the new smartphone "soon". Is the new Galaxy S3 Mini actually worth getting? Yes and no. It isn’t the fastest device around, but it is a capable enough mid-range device that manages to have Jelly Bean onboard from day one.

What kind of features do you get with the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini? A dual-core 1GHz processor, a 5MP rear cam, a VGA front cam, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, microSD expansion, 8/16GB storage options and a 1,500mAh battery. If you were hoping for something just like the full-sized Galaxy S3 – only smaller – this isn’t it. The weaker dual-core, lower-end cameras and smaller battery are far from impressive. While this doesn’t affect the U.K. all that much, it also doesn’t support LTE.

Clearly, the S3 Mini doesn’t even begin to compare to its bigger brother when it comes to hardware. Still, for fans of smaller phones, there are few existing dual-core options that come with Jelly Bean. Samsung’s latest phone is attractive enough, even if it is far from ground breaking. So how about it, anyone interested in the Galaxy S3′s little brother?

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This article, Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini UK Sim-Free pricing revealed , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


32GB Nexus 7 appears on Carphone Warehouse Spain, costs €279

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 12:56 PM PDT

Yes, we have yet another 32GB Nexus 7 leak for you today, so in case you plan to buy the 16GB version these days, just hang back and wait for Google to officially list the bigger Nexus 7 model.

The launch is definitely close, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the 32GB Nexus 7 get official around the same time the new iPad mini gets launched.

Meanwhile, European Android fans can check out the Phone House online store in Spain (which happens to be a Carphone Warehouse subsidiary) that lists the new Nexus tablet version. Unfortunately the device can't be purchased just yet, but you can register to receive more information.

While release dates are not available at this time, the price for 32GB Nexus 7 does have a price, €279, roughly $360. Comparatively, the 16GB Nexus 7 is available in Spain for €249, or around $322. Except for the increased storage, nothing is changed apparently, and before you ask, no, this 32GB Nexus 7 doesn’t seem to come with cellular support.

Are you buying the tablet first chance you get? How much are you willing to pay for a Nexus tablet that offers an additional 16GB of storage?

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This article, 32GB Nexus 7 appears on Carphone Warehouse Spain, costs €279 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Android and Me

Android and Me


When it comes to design, the LG Nexus misses the mark

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:07 PM PDT

A truly great smartphone experience comes down to the marriage of software and hardware; how the two come together to form a conjoined experience. It’s about more than just using high-quality components. Design finally matters in a smartphone. And either Google doesn’t care, or they...

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Public beta of Shadowgun: Deadzone now available for free on Google Play

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 12:18 PM PDT

Want to test out the next great first person shooter for Android? MadFinger Games just released their public beta for Shadowgun: Deadzone, a game that has been in the making for over a year. We first got our hands on it back in January at CES, and we are glad to finally play it again. [...]

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Android Rookies: 10 new apps worth checking out this week

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 10:36 AM PDT

New apps need lovin' too, right? Every day there are thousands of new entries on the Google Play store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. We have shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and launch them to new heights, so we're bringing back...

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Samsung officially announces the Galaxy S III Mini; not quite what we hoped for

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 10:06 AM PDT

I know a lot of Android fans would love to see the Samsung Galaxy S III specs in a smaller form factor, so prepare to be disappointed with the latest Galaxy S III Mini. The device is nothing to be ashamed of, but it doesn’t offer the latest and greatest specs that some had hoped [...]

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Check out this 360 degree view of the LG Nexus

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 09:40 AM PDT

Want to see a 360 degree view of the LG Nexus? Of course you do. Hit up the source link for the goodies. October 29th can’t come soon enough…

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New Nexus 7 32 GB to retail for same price as old 16 GB model

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 09:11 AM PDT

We know that Google has a family of new Nexus 7 tablets coming soon, but none of the details are official. So far we expect a $99 entry-level version, an ultra-thin model with 32 GB storage, and possibly a third device somewhere in-between. According to a new leak from a UK retailer, it appears the...

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LG Nexus gets hands-on treatment by Belarusian tech blog

Posted: 11 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT

The LG Nexus has to be one of the worst kept secrets in smartphone history. New images of the device have surfaced thanks to Belarusian tech blog Onliner. As most respectable tech blogs would, the Onliner has done an amazing job of documenting the LG Nexus from every angle imaginable and even took...

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