Thursday, October 25, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority


Amazon Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD now on sale in UK and Europe

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 02:31 AM PDT

Unlike the original Kindle Fire that never steps outside its U.S. comfort zone, Amazon is eager to bring its new releases – the 2012 Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD — to international markets. Right on schedule, both tablets are now available for purchase in the UK and across Europe.

If you can't find it in retail stores yet, the easiest thing to do is to make that virtual trip to Amazon website (well, duh). You'll find the ad-supported Kindle Fire being offered for £129, while the model that won't display advertisements on the lock screen will cost £139.

The Kindle Fire HD selection is more varied than the plain old Fire. The ad-supported 16GB and 32GB model can be had for £159 and £199, respectively. If you want the ad-free version, simply add £10 to the price.

The 7-inch tablets may have landed, but what about the content? Well, the online retailer has been preparing for the duo's arrival since August, with the launch of its European Appstore. Those in the old continent (UK, Germany and France) will also be able to make use of Amazon's book lending program soon. Topping it off is the arrival of Lovefilm, the movie subscription service, on the two slates.

Fancy getting yourself a Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD?

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    Would you like Verizon home button branding with that Galaxy Note 2?

    Posted: 25 Oct 2012 02:11 AM PDT

    Being the number one wireless carrier in the States may have given Verizon a slight upper hand from others when it comes to enforcing its branding across devices. The Samsung Galaxy S3 was spared from such ordeal, but it looks like Big Red will have its way with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

    We saw a leaked picture of said Verizon variant of the enlarged smartphone last month, where the carrier's logo can be seen stamped on the Note 2's home button. Whatever hope there was that it's nothing but a doctored image has vanished: The Verizon home button branding on the phablet is here to stay.

    From ART to WHAT?

    It may not be as bad of a botched job as the above example, but it still ruins the otherwise smooth design of the Galaxy Note 2 with unnecessary branding. Why Verizon?

    We've been taught not to judge anything by its cover, unless it's an adult magazine, but it's hard not to notice that forced logo stamping on the small home button. But ultimately, it's still a great device to have regardless of the exterior, and we're sure folks will learn to live with it over time.

    Does the logo placement bother you at all? Will it affect your buying decision? Are you plotting for ways to remove or mask the front branding? Let us know in the comments below.

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      US Cellular starts shipping Galaxy Note 2 pre-orders today, to land in stores October 26

      Posted: 25 Oct 2012 01:32 AM PDT

      With a phone as big as the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, it should really come with a warning on how it can burn a big hole on your wallet — although it depends on where the purchase is made. Unlike some other carriers, US Cellular has been putting up the Galaxy Note 2 for pre-order at the more standard pricing of $300 with a two-year contract.

      If you've been waiting anxiously to hear about the Note 2's shipment dates, the regional carrier has announced that it will be shipping the handset for pre-order customers today, October 25th.

      Those who thought that they have missed the pre-order boat will be happy to hear that it hasn't actually left yet. You can still pre-order the Galaxy Note 2 on US Cellular, but you only have until today to do so. Alternatively, you can wait for the device to hit their brick-and-mortar stores on October 26th. Only the 16GB Titanium Grey model is up for grabs, though.

      The cost to purchase the Galaxy Note 2 without a contract is $800. Hence, we suggest buying it off-contract elsewhere if you want to save a few hundred bucks.

      Have you pre-ordered your Galaxy Note 2 yet?

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      Samsung Galaxy Note 2 NYC Event Wrap Up

      Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:43 PM PDT

      Samsung held an event in New York City earlier this evening as part of its Galaxy Note 2 World Tour, and we were there to see it happen. While there wasn’t any earth-shattering news revealed, the event was well received and devices were everywhere for the testing. Read on for a first-hand account of the event.

      To kick things off, there was a short video showing the increasing popularity of Samsung devices. After this, Chief Marketing Officer for Samsung Mobile USA, Todd Pendleton, came out with a few more words on the subject, eventually landing on the reason everyone was there in the first place: The Galaxy Note 2. At this point, there isn’t really any more to learn about the Note 2 spec-wise, but he went over a few of the phone’s more impressive features.

      Pendleton then passed the mic to Samsung’s Chief Product Officer Kevin Packingham, who held up a device that many were hoping to see, but weren’t sure they would: the Samsung Galaxy Camera. He went over what he described as some of his favorite features, such as the 4.77-inch Super Clear HD display, the 16-megapixel sensor, and the device’s Smart Modes. He also talked for a while about the Galaxy Camera’s ability to wirelessly share photos with other devices up to 200 feet away.

      After this, Pendleton came back out for a bit and mentioned that the event would wrap up with a musical performance by Kanye West, something Samsung had been unable to keep secret leading up to the event. Then it was time to head backstage and check out the devices in action.

      Backstage, the floor was packed with Samsung Galaxy Note 2 display models. This ranged from tables placed in the middle of the room where passers-by could start using the device at will, to a number of specialty kiosks that showed off various features of the phone. Visitors were able to check out the Galaxy Note 2′s music capabilities, try various games and apps on the device, and even order desserts using the phone’s NFC functionality.

      Unlike the Galaxy Note 2, which would have been hard to avoid even if you tried, the Samsung Galaxy Camera was harder to track down. These weren’t available for anyone to just use, but instead were in the hands of show staff who would show off the device’s features to those who wanted to see them. More often than not, this included taking a picture of anyone who was curious about the device. While it was possible to get your hands on one, the demand was so high that anyone who got to look at one didn’t get to do so for very long.

      In the end, even though there wasn’t much in the way of new announcements, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 event was a great way to get the Note 2 into the hands of a lot of people at once. In essence, it was a smaller scale version of Samsung’s challenge to naysayers of the original Galaxy Note to use it for a month, which Mr. Pendleton referred to at the beginning of the show.

      Now that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2  is becoming available in the U.S., are you planning to get one. With all the carriers available, which one will you choose?

      Check out our Galaxy Note 2 review!

      And check out the Galaxy Note 2 vs the Galaxy S3

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        Flipboard for Android gets support for audio, offers SoundCloud connectivity

        Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:47 PM PDT

        Popular magazine-style social news reader Flipboard is launching an update to its Android app. According to Inside Flipboard, its latest app release lets users “add a soundtrack to their flipping.”

        This update lets Android smartphone and tablet users listen to audio content offered under Flipboard’s Audio category and its Content Guide. These include sound bites from NPR’s Fresh Air and PRI’s The World. Additionally, users can connect a SoundCloud account for access to Streams, Likes, Sounds, Sets and Groups.

        The audio functionality originally launched on Flipboard’s iOS app in May this year. Originally an iOS exclusive app, Flipboard launched on Android this June, integrating social streams from various sources like Google+ and YouTube. The app offers a magazine-like user interface, which makes reading content more pleasant, especially when using a tablet. Flipboard intelligently pulls content from your social networks, and the app competes directly with the likes of Google Currents, Zite and Pulse.

        Flipboard is a free download from the Google Play store. But Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook users need not worry, as Flipboard is also releasing the app update on these app ecosystems soon.

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          CyanogenMod dev patches possible unlock gesture logging

          Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:18 PM PDT

          Smartphone and tablet tweakers are familiar with CyanogenMod as among the more popular custom ROM releases, which build on stock Android through community contributions. The beauty of open-source software is the ability of the community to spot issues and contribute their own fixes. And so, with this collaborative effort, security vulnerabilities are easily addressed.

          One such issue is the possibility for a user’s unlock swipe gesture to be logged. This bug was introduced when developers added the ability to resize the grid for gesture unlocking. Developer Gabriel Castro says a simple fix involves commenting-out that particular line of code so it is not executed.

          commit Ibc0d5bfcee9673b1bf049bd69be80d2312602a47 made it so that the lockpattern was loged in logcat as it was entered. I’m really surprised nobody caught this. This could also be solved by commenting the code out or just removing the line without breaking anything.

          Patch Set 3: Remove logging

          The issue is not very serious for many users, because an attacker will need physical access to a device or a device backup. An attacker will also be limited to unlocking single devices, and not Android smartphones and tablets en masse. But still, it’s a vulnerability that might result in data theft given the right circumstances.

          If you’re using CM on your smartphone or tablet, expect this fix to be introduced in the next update. Or, you can go download a nightly build to ensure all relevant patches are included.

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          Google Nexus 7 market share still small, but growing

          Posted: 24 Oct 2012 05:23 PM PDT

          While Android is today’s top platform in terms of smartphone numbers, tablets are an altogether different proposition. The Apple iPad still leads the game in terms of tablet use and mobile access for tablets. But Google’s Nexus 7 may already be making a dent on Apple’s sales, although in a small way.

          Chitika reports that Google’s tablet offering still has a long way to go to the top. Apple’s iPad (various models) still enjoys 91% of all web traffic from tablets. The rest of the pie is shared among the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy tab, along with other Android tablets and the BlackBerry Playbook. The Nexus 7 itself has a 0.33% share of tablet traffic. But don’t be fooled by the paltry figures, as the Nexus 7 is inching its way up, with a 135% growth since July.

          Still, iPad figures are difficult to beat. Cnet notes that Apple’s offering still leads the game, and Android has not yet succeeded in grabbing a significant market share from iOS in the tablet market. “In order to make the graph readable, we had to measure other tablets on a ‘per 100 iPad impressions’ scale,” said a Chitika spokesperson in an interview.

          The Chitika figures might indicate that Apple may be on the decline, albeit quite slow, with a 0.34% decrease in web traffic in the same period. But with the launch of the latest Apple iPad Mini, should Android tablet makers be concerned that Apple will continue to reign supreme in this market?

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            New Galaxy S3 TV ads released by Samsung, now with less iPhone 5

            Posted: 24 Oct 2012 03:16 PM PDT

            The last time we spoke about Samsung Galaxy S3 TV ads was about a month ago when Apple launched its iPhone 5. Samsung decided it was time to take more hits at the iPhone, but in the process it also made fun of iPhone buyers, which is definitely not a great way to convince them to choose the Galaxy S3 instead.

            Today Samsung Mobile USA posted three new 30-second TV ads on its YouTube channel that focus on various Galaxy S3 features, without bashing the iPhone in the process – of course, an iPhone is present in one of the videos, but I won’t spoil them for you. What matters is that these new ads are definitely a much better way to go, not to mention that some of them are really funny.

            The three ads, entitled "Date Night," "Work Trip," "Game On" and embedded below, show regular Galaxy S3 users in regular day-to-day scenarios. The company highlights some of the features of its flagship smartphone including the big screen, the NFC support and S Beam sharing capabilities.

            Date Night

            Work Trip

            Game On

            The tag line remains unchanged, "The Next Big Thing is Here." What do you think of these three new TV ads?

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              Ink-free Wireless Smartphone Photo Printer costs $220, works with Android and iOS devices

              Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:51 PM PDT

              How often do you find yourself reaching into your pocket for your phone to take a few spontaneous shots with its camera? I for one am a regular user of my phone’s camera for those opportunities that encourage a quick snap or two. But fun and conveniency doesn’t exactly spring to mind when it comes to printing these photos. Until now.

              Hammacher Schlemmer, infamous for their rather bizarre range of products that often come with a hefty price tag, have unveiled a new electronic product designed to pair with Android and iOS smartphones alike and print photos wirelessly via a WiFi hotspot.

              But what makes this product so different from the rest? Well, the perk here is that the printer uses no ink, but instead prints onto special patented paper that’s embedded with yellow, magenta and cyan dye crystals.

              The convenient nature of this product means its users can bring physical photographs back to life, without the intrusion of pesky cables, or having to upload your photos to your PC prior to printing them off onto bog standard printing paper.

              The downside of the device is that it costs $219.95 and it comes with a cartridge ready to offer you just 10 prints. Additional cartridges are available at $24.95 a pop.

              Will you be investing in Hammacher Schlemmer’s new Wireless Smartphone Printer? Let us know in the comments!

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              Sprint Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update coming on October 25, leak says

              Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:10 PM PDT

              You know how we told you that the U.S. Jelly Bean update for the local Galaxy S3 versions may be less exciting for some carriers? And that Sprint's Galaxy S3 version will be updated at some point this year? Well it turns out that Sprint is indeed ready to let its Galaxy S3 buyers upgrade their handsets to Android 4.1.

              The leaked screenshot above reveals that the Jelly Bean update (version L710VPALK7) for Sprint's Galaxy S3 (SPHL710) will begin Thursday, October 25 and according to the instructions above, it will be rolled over the air (OTA).

              In addition to Jelly Bean, Sprint Galaxy S3 users will also get other "enhancements" such as "LTE system selection improvements" and "Exchange interaction improvements (manual sync will try to send items in outbox if initial send failure.)

              Of course, we also noticed right on top of that document that "all dates are subject to change," so we won't act surprised in case come tomorrow, you won't receive a notification to upgrade your handset to Jelly Bean.

              As for other U.S. carriers selling the handset, we have no Jelly Bean-related leaks at this time, so we have no idea if it’s coming in the coming weeks/months or  in early 2013.

              In case the Sprint update does arrive tomorrow, let us know how it all went for you.

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                Android Phone Fans

                Android Phone Fans


                Sony giving away the sexy Xperia T “Bond Phone” in new Skyfall contest

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 06:44 PM PDT

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                After officially announcing availability of the AT&T version of the Sony Xperia T/TL a few weeks back, Sony is now holding a contest that looks to give 1 lucky Android users a brand new Sony Xperia T “Bond Phone.”

                The promotion tied in with Sony Pictures’ upcoming James Bond film, Skyfall, has entrants watch a short clip from the movie, then after identifying the license plate of a car from clip, answering correctly to a single multiple choice at the end. Easy peasy.

                Wanna give it a shot? Hit the source link below for your chance to enter. Oh, and keep in mind this is the Xperia T (not the TL) and while this will work just fine on AT&T, LTE is pretty much out of the question. Good luck!

                [Sony Mobile]


                iPhone 5 goes up against the Samsung Galaxy S3 in blender test [Video]

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 05:04 PM PDT

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                Alright, we’ve all seen a few videos from around the webernets pitting the iPhone 5 against the Samsung Galaxy S3 in a series of drop tests. The results were almost always the same — when it comes to droppings, it’s really tough to beat Apple’s solid construction and superior build quality. But there’s still one challenge left untested: will it blend?

                As they so often do, Blendtec’s YouTube channel set to find out the answer to this question, placing both the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 inside separate blenders where they were sliced, diced, chopped and screwed into nothing more than smartphone mulch. Which device came out on top? Well, the answer may surprise you. Take a look.

                So as it turns out, Samsung’s mostly plastic construction on the S3 — a common complaint amongst Android enthusiasts — proved more resilient than the iPhone’s glass and metal. Who’da thunk it? Well, as you’ve no doubt learned from the history of the automobile, this is why we went from metal, to plastic bumpers. Aside from trying to save a few pennies, I’m beginning to understand why some Android OEM’s prefer plastic to metal. What do you think?


                ITC finds Samsung guilty of violating 4 Apple patents, Dutch court clears Samsung of violating multi-touch patent

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 04:19 PM PDT

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                Bad news for Samsung coming out of the International Trade Commission today. ITC Judge Thomas Pender found the South Korean manufacturer guilty of violating 4 Apple patents in a complaint filed by back in 2011. Originally 7 disputed patents, one was dropped by Apple, with another 2 being dismissed today. The patents now in question deal with a variety of UI interactions like switching applications, or scrolling up or down, as well as displaying a semi-transparent image on top of another. Yes, this is what it’s come to, folks.

                Now it’s up to the ITC’s full panel of judges to come to a decision in February on whether or not to uphold Jude Pender’s ruling. The alleged Samsung devices initially found guilty of violating Apple’s patents are the now ancient Captivate, Transform, Fascinate and Galaxy Tab.

                Also making headlines, a Dutch court has cleared Samsung of any wrongdoing dealing with Apple’s multi-touch patent. This isn’t the first time the Netherlands has ruled in favor of Samsung, rejecting Apple’s request to ban the Samsung Galaxy Tab last year.

                You may remember a small-ish Samsung victory from yesterday dealing with Apple’s ’381 bounce-back patent after the USPTO rejected the patent. Still far too early to begin popping bottles, the rejection doesn’t mean the patent was found invalid, and will still have to undergo further scrutiny under the reexamination process.

                [Reuters, 1, 2 | Bloomberg | TheVerge]


                Yup, Verizon’s logo will be on the Note 2′s home button [VOMIT]

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:56 PM PDT

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                As great of a network as Verizon maintains I think we can all agree that they make some pretty questionable decisions in other areas. A while back, Verizon’s version of the Galaxy Note 2 leaked in a blurry cam photo, and in that photo we could all see a Verizon logo plastered onto the home button sticking out like a sore thumb.

                We’d hoped and prayed that the vomit-inducing monstrosity we were looking at was just a prototype, but nope — Verizon will definitely be putting its logo on the Note 2′s home button according to the press shots Samsung has released.

                Don’t get me wrong: I love Verizon’s logo and think it’s one of the best in cellular. But when you start putting it on places like the home button then things just become silly. What possible reason is there for needing it on one of the most important buttons the device has? The logo is already blown up on the back of the device, and most of us can live with that just fine.

                But why, Verizon? Why must you shoehorn the logo onto the device as if we’re going to forget which network we’re using it on? It, quite simply, looks tacky, out of place, and just downright wrong.

                I rarely gripe and moan about minor cosmetics, but this is one thing that I will detest until the cows come home. Let’s just hope they used a material and process that makes it easy to remove for the sake of all that is alive. If not, perhaps some decal love will be in order here.

                Perhaps I’m overreacting — after all, it doesn’t do anything to hurt the device’s functionality — but this move is so silly that it makes me a bit mad Verizon thought to do it in the first place. Let’s just thank the gods that they didn’t do anything to the S Pen (that we can see from the press shots, anyway). Are any of you feeling the same way?


                Roller Coaster Tycoon coming to Android Q1 2013

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:39 PM PDT

                As a child I remember that my lowly computer could only run a handful of games. Oregon Trailer? Great. Solitaire? That’s a standard affair for anyone. But one of my absolute favorites had to be Roller Coaster Tycoon. This series is touted as one of the best collection of simulation games around, and now it looks like it’ll finally be headed to Android.

                Atari CEO Jim Wilson confirmed the game would be coming to Android starting sometime in Q1 of 2013. We imagine the original game is what we’re poised to get as the third, 3D edition of the game can be a bit taxing for some mobile devices, but Atari was not ready to confirm any of that.

                Regardless, the series has aged very well from a gameplay aspect, and while the first two titles might be a bit long in the tooth in terms of graphics they still have a certain charm to them that I think many of us still appreciate.

                Whether it be nostalgia or the traditional game mechanics that came with this 2D plane simulation fans will tell you that they wouldn’t mind taking a stroll back in time to take on the task of building up a theme park with rides, concessions, and  custom roller coaster that you build.

                If you have never played the series, the premise is simple: you are given the task of creating a theme park with some sort of goal. You might be given a blank slate of land to start with and build up into a fun empire, or you might be asked to take the reigns of a failing theme park to try and get it into the black.

                Regardless of the objective the important thing is that you have total control over the park, from where your kiddie rides are right down to the prices of those pretzels and hot dogs people love to scarf down after vomiting all their lunch because of a wild ride on a roller coaster.

                This is very exciting news indeed, and you can bet we’ll be dying to get our hands on this game once it launches early next year. How much would you be willing to pay for one of the most important games in the history of the personal computer?


                Win an LG Optimus G for AT&T! [GIVEAWAY]

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:35 AM PDT

                Hot on the heels of our AT&T LG Optimus G review we’ve got another treat for you guys on this fine afternoon. Our friends over at AT&T have given us one of these units to give away to one lucky reader!

                Resident medieval enthusiast Edgar Cervantes said the device didn’t have any one dominating quality, but that it did a whole smorgasbord of things great. You’ll have to read the full review to see what that translates into, but see if you can’t find out yourself by trying your hand at this giveaway.

                The rules are short and the criteria is sweet: we want to know what you think makes the LG Optimus G as awesome a device as it is. Does the crisp 4.7 inch HD display dazzle you? Is it that exhilarating 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon Pro processor inside? How about the very solid 8 megapixel camera with lag-free shutter and Live Shot that’ll have you taking stunning shots? Or is it some of the new software features LG’s introduced with this device? Whatever it is, we want to hear it!

                Read below for a more detailed account of the rules and regulations:

                • One contestant will win one LG Optimus G for AT&T (service not included).
                • To enter, leave a comment on this post letting us know what one feature makes the LG Optimus G one of the more exciting devices for you in this exciting holiday season that’s on the horizon.
                • Your comment will count as one entry, and you will only get one entry per person. Use your real email address as this is what we will use to contact the winner.
                • Your entry must be submitted by 11:59pm Eastern time on Wednesday, October 24th 2012.
                • We will select one winner at random and contact them via email for shipping information. If the winner does not respond within a reasonable amount of time we will select another winner. This process will continue until a winner has been fully determined.
                • As this is an AT&T device, the winner must be a resident of the United States of America.

                And there you have it! Simple, right? There are a ton of great devices coming out this holiday season, and if the LG Optimus G wasn’t on your list of possibles then it should surely be there now. Good luck to everyone, and thank you for being the loyal Phandroid readers you’ve always been!

                Announced last week as part of the AT&T Unwrapped media event, the LG Optimus G is AT&T’s first LTE quad core smartphone and will be available on Nov. 2 for $199.99 with a two-year commitment. LG Optiums G is now available for pre-order by visiting AT&T here.


                Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean rollout starts October 25th

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:03 AM PDT

                When Samsung recently announced the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update for the US carrier versions of the Galaxy S3 would arrive “in the coming months,” we wondered out loud just how many months we would have to wait. Not long, at least for Sprint subscribers. According to a newly leaked document, the update to Jelly Bean will commence tomorrow, October 25th, for GS3 handset’s on the nation’s third-largest wireless provider.

                More specifically, the update is to software build L710VPALJ7, which leaked only recently for Sprint’s Galaxy S3 phone. Users can expect the same updated TouchWiz experience that owners of the international Galaxy S3 have been receiving over the past several weeks, which includes features like Pop-up Play and “easy mode.” This also includes standard Android 4.1 enhancements like Google Now and the performance improvements of Project Butter.

                The update will rollout over the air, but Sprint’s internal memo says it should take a few weeks to reach all handsets. If you don’t get it first thing tomorrow, you might still be in for a short wait.

                [via XDA |Thanks to those who sent this in!]


                Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Review

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:17 AM PDT

                If the recent influx of smartphones with displays measuring over five inches is any indication, Samsung hit a chord with the Galaxy Note. Not to be outdone by the competition, Samsung is striking while the iron is hot with the release of a followup with an even bigger screen. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 improves on the “phablet” concept in nearly every respect, and honed in stylus functionality makes for a unique experience, but is the form factor here to stay? Read on for the full review.

                Hardware

                The Galaxy Note 2 is a monster. The phone features a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display and measures in at 5.95 x 3.17 x 0.37 inches. Still, it somehow manages to both look and feel smaller than the original Galaxy Note. Chalk this up to Samsung’s decision to base the Note 2 on the design language of the Galaxy S3. This means rounded edges, soft curves, and an almost seamless construction. It also means we see the same materials in use, so while the phone definitely feels solid, the external casing is still comprised mostly of plastic.

                Back to that Super AMOLED display, it comes in at 720p and, unlike the GS3, does not rely on Pentile technology. This equates to a pixel density of 267 pixels per inch. As you might expect from a hi-res display bordering on the size of a tablet, the result was pretty impressive. This is a nice, crisp, bright screen with bold, rich color reproduction.

                The Note 2 is powered by Samsung’s quad-core Exynos 4412 processor clocked at 1.6GHz along with 2GB RAM, and interactions with the handset feel buttery smooth. You get all the trappings of a high-end device, otherwise, including an 8MP rear camera with LED flash, 1.9MP front-facing camera, NFC capabilities, and LTE capabilities depending on your network. We looked at the T-Mobile version, which obviously is not LTE-enabled. Instead, it relies on the carriers HSPA+ network.

                Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 certainly has everything the most hardcore smartphone fan would want, but it’s a pretty freaking huge device.

                Software

                Out of the box, the Galaxy Note 2 comes with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean along with Samsung’s TouchWiz UX. This is, for all intents and purposes, the same TouchWiz we saw with the GS3 (noticing a theme?) with a few additions tailored toward stylus interaction and a larger display.

                Included are features such as pop-up play (picture-in-picture mode for multi-tasking while viewing video), “easy” mode for Android beginners, and a number of other customizations including the ability to launch context-aware homescreens. This is most easily demonstrated by removing the stylus, which triggers a homescreen full of shortcuts and tools specific to Samsung’s S Pen.

                If there is one drawback to the software, it’s that between all of the OS customizations, the S Pen, and additional features, the Note 2 can feel a bit overwhelming. In some cases this was frustrating (figuring out certain useful stylus gestures), while in other cases, such as holding down the menu button to launch Google Now, the discovery was a pleasant surprise.

                A small but nice addition thanks to the extra screen real estate is the inclusion of a dedicated number row on the Note 2′s default software keyboard.

                The S Pen

                A major element of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the included S Pen, which resides tucked away within the main body of the phone. The Note 2 would probably be fine without it, but once you start using some of the S Pen’s unique abilities you likely won’t want to interact with the device without a stylus.

                It seems pretty intuitive, especially with features like AirView, which lets you to hover the S Pen over the display and still interact with the phone. AirView allows you to scroll through homescreens, web pages, or documents as well as do things you simply couldn’t do with your finger, such as previewing ahead in a video without interrupting the current playback position.

                The S Pen can be used to take a screenshot, crop any part of the current screen into a new note or clipboard element, as well as perform navigational shortcuts. And because the stylus is built on Wacom technology, we can’t forget that it’s actually a great tool for taking handwritten notes or doodling in your spare time. It is responsive and pressure sensitive to allow a bit of an artist’s touch to come through.

                Camera

                The Galaxy Note 2′s camera sample speak for themselves, but when talking about the phone’s 8MP sensor with auto-focus, LED flash, and 1080p video capabilities perhaps it’s best to focus on some of the additional features Samsung has built into the software powering it. Samsung carries on with the additions that began with the GS3, providing modes such as Best Photo (choose the best image from a series of burst-shot photos), Best Face (similar to Best Photo, but as the name implies stitches together the photo with the best-looking headshots), and more.

                Regardless of the photo mode, the results were pretty solid all around. As is the case with most smartphone cameras, for every one picture that looks simply amazing you will probably get a few for the trashcan. This is no fault of the Note 2, but simply a reminder that a lot more goes into great photography than just having great tools. But the good news is, the Galaxy Note 2 can capture some pretty nice photos (and HD video as well).

                Conclusion

                To answer the question from the beginning of this review, if the Galaxy Note 2 is any indication, the “phablet” is definitely here to stay. The Note 2 offers tons of functionality and deep levels of productivity in a sleek package. Sleek, however, does not mean small, and this will be a drawback for many. Features like the S Pen and its full range of interactions with the phone add to the Note 2′s charm, but f the stylus isn’t enough to justify the extra size, you might be better off picking up a Galaxy S3. The Note 2, however, makes a solid choice no matter how you slice it.


                AT&T LG Optimus G review

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:03 AM PDT


                Picking the right Android smartphone is an ongoing dilemma, but it gets even more complicated as we approach the Fall and Winter. The LG Optimus G is by no means a small contender, but it is going head-to-head against beasts like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S3, HTC One X+, Motorola DROID RAZR Maxx HD and the upcoming new Nexus (which is said to be a variant of the Optimus G).

                We have to give it to LG for stepping up it’s game this time around. Though it has great potential, the Korean manufacturer’s history hasn’t given it the best fame. We can clearly see the company has gone back to the drawing board this year, approaching the market with a much more solid plan, better devices and a new approach.

                On paper, the LG Optimus G has what it takes to take out many (if not all) of the devices listed above. The hardware is stunning, but we know it takes much more than a surprising list of specs to make a great device. So is this the phone that will lure you away from the top super phones? Will LG finally get closer to being in the top 3 list of Android manufacturers?

                I have spent some good quality time with this bad boy, so let’s jump in and see how it gives justice to its hype and specs.

                Build Quality

                I am a fan of HTC devices for one main reason – build quality. A well-built device can be recognized as soon as one picks it up for the first time. The LG Optimus G happens to be one of those phones, but not in a very different sense. LG seems to have found the perfect balance with its latest devices, with much better build quality compared to its past portfolios.

                The LG Optimus G is light and thin, but not as much as Samsung phones. Likewise, it is strong and feels solid, but not as much as HTC smartphones. In a way, it creates this illusion of being both light and thin, as well as strong. Probably due to the fact that its weight is very well balanced, making it feel very good in the hand.

                The device’s materials consist of glass, plastic and metal. It is not a uni-body design, but it definitely feels like nothing is loose or out of place. It is very well and tightly assembled. The power button on the right and volume rocker on the left don’t feel loose and give subtle but firm feedback when pressed.

                There is only one design flaw, though. The notification light is a ring that surrounds the power button. It has a very unique placement, and I must admit it looks really good… but only when you can see it. The power button and notification light are tucked in the top right side of the device, making it unnoticeable from most angles; many times defeating its purpose.

                Also, the Optimus G forgoes the advent of on-screen buttons for the traditional Back, Home and Menu capacitive buttons placed right under the screen. Some of you may love the on-screen butons a la the Galaxy Nexus, but I happen to like being able to get more screen real estate by pushing them out of the screen.

                Display

                What is a good device without a good display, right? The screen is what you interact directly with while using your phone every day; this makes it one of the most important factors in a good smartphone experience. The LG Optimus G definitely has what it takes to compete in this department, but this happens to be a very subjective topic.

                There is no denying it – the LG Optimus G has a gorgeous display. It sports a 4.7-inch True HD IPS+ display with a 1280×768 resolution. This translates to a 320 ppi (pixels-per-inch) pixel density and a 15:9 aspect ratio. The pixel density is impressive considering the iPhone 5 (known for its highly dense pixelation) sports 326 ppi. Letters are crisp, HD videos look great and the average person can’t see individual pixels with the naked eye.

                As for the aspect ratio, it may not fit the 16:9 standard, but the slightly wider screen may feel better. I always felt like 16:9 device are too thin and tall, and the black bars on the top and bottom while watching a movie are not thick enough to become bothersome.

                Colors may seem a bit washed out to those used to a Super AMOLED display (like me), but IPS+ displays offer natural and realistic colors. I prefer saturated colors and deep blacks, but I was very pleased with the Optimus G’s display after getting used to it. The blacks are nothing like the dark AMOLED ones, but I must say they are very close. And though the colors are not saturated, they feel very natural, bright, vibrant and pleasing to the eye. You get the “True-to-Life” viewing experience.

                Performance

                The device’s titanic specs measure up to a rather pleasant and smooth experience. That 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and 2 GB of RAM make this phone scream! Anything you do in this device is going to be fast and with very high frames-per-second. I have seen no hiccups during my time with this phone. Not once has it slowed down (at least in the usual way — we will cover more in the Software section), and I haven’t seen a single force close.

                Pinch-to-zoom is fast, opening apps is fast, games load quickly and it is an overall a beast of an Android phone. This device is fast, guys. It will not disappoint in this department.

                Software

                This is an area in which the Optimus G has its ups and downs. The device does come with Android 4.0.4, which is simply unacceptable for a smartphone released during late 2012. To make matters worse, we have no news on a Jelly Bean update, and LG is not exactly famous for rolling out updates in time. We are sure this phone should at least get Android 4.1 in the near future, though; it certainly can handle it, and deserves it.

                Regardless, the older Android version is compensated with some custom UI features that could make your experience much more unique and exciting.

                Aesthetics

                As Android fans, we love vanilla Android. That is not to say there isn’t a warm and cozy place in our heart for a good manufacturer UI, though. Sometimes manufacturers can bring enhancements and features that slip through Google’s hands, mostly due to the fact that the Search Giant tries to keep the experience cleaner and simple.

                I must say that while I have always preferred vanilla Android, LG’s custom UI is not as obtrusive as it may seem. I certainly prefer it over Samsung’s TouchWiz; but then again, that is also a personal preference. But no one can deny LG’s UI has some helpful features you might grow to love.

                The lock screen has 4 customizable shortcuts and one can add a series of calendars and clocks to it (think of it like a widget in the lock screen). The pull-down notification area has quick settings buttons, which we have definitely seen before. These can be changed and re-arranged, though, making it more convenient based on personal needs.

                The app drawer is a bit of a lackluster in my opinion. It is not the best-looking, and it can be a bit bothersome at times. This is mostly because the apps follow no order, they are not automatically arranged in any order. One can manually arrange them, which would be a great feature for those that want their most used apps to be in the first screen, for example. But I prefer my apps in alphabetical order.

                Now, it is possible to hit the settings button and sort them by alphabetical or installation date order, but you have to sort them again when you download new apps (which get sent to the end of the grid). Repeating the process can become a bit tedious, so it would be an awesome treat if LG would let us organize the apps automatically.

                Looking at things on the brighter side, I do happen to like the settings menu. It is arranged in tabs, which allow you to jump between settings categories. There are four tabs on top: Networks, Sound, Display and General. I found it very convenient, easy and fast to be able to access different settings with LG’s tab view. And if it is not to your liking, you can easily switch to List View by pressing the menu button.

                And while we are talking about customization, the UI even lets you personalize your icons! Just press and hold any icon in your home screen and a little paint brush image shows up in the corner. Simply tap it and you can select an icon from the available options, your gallery or a picture taken with the device. Neat, right?!

                Unique Features

                We have already shown you a couple of LG’s features; one being QuickMemo and the other QSlide. QuickMemo allows you to take a screenshot of the device and writing/drawing on the image for quick sharing. QuickMemo can be accessed from the notification bar or by pressing volume up, volume down and the power button at the same time. You can also use it in Overlay Mode, which is the same idea, but one can jump out of the screen shot while keeping the writing over the UI.

                QSlide allows users to watch a video while they using other apps. Unlike Samsung’s Pop-Up Play, QSlide looks much like an overlay. It puts the video above the UI and one can then play with the opacity to make the video more/less transparent.

                Other important features include Live Zooming and Screen Zooming. The former allows users to zoom in on videos by using pinch-to-zoom. I rarely used it (outside of testing purposes), but it can be very helpful for looking at more detail while watching a video or movie. Screen Zooming might help those without the best vision, as it allows you to pinch-to-zoom on text messages and images to change the font and size of the subject.

                Those are the main features that separate the LG Optimus G from other devices. Some are gimmicks, but they definitely keep the device more interesting. I am particularly fond of QSlide and QuickMemo. I do wish QSlide would work with other apps like Youtube and Netflix, but that is outside LG’s power as those are not the company’s apps.

                Software Problems

                I did find a couple of small issues, though, which mostly seem software related. First, the screen would become a bit unresponsive at times, but not in a way that it won’t recognize touch. Take scrolling as an example — it would not stutter and jump while scrolling through apps, but suddenly scrolling would become slower. It’s as if it suddenly wasn’t registering the speed at which my finger was moving. The problem would go away after turning the screen off and on, though, making it feel more like a software bug.

                There also seems to be a small bug with the brightness. I always had automatic brightness and Eco-Mode off, but the brightness would sometimes go dimmer and come back to normal after a few minutes. This might be a feature as the Sprint version would usually not let you set the brightness too high when the device is hot, but it is still a bit annoying.

                Camera

                Picture/Video Quality

                The AT&T LG Optimus G doesn’t have the same stunning 13 MP camera the Sprint and international versions were blessed with, but its 8 MP camera still does the trick. As you may know, picture quality doesn’t depend much on megapixels and the sensor quality is much more relevant. More MP simply translates to a larger photo.

                With that in mind, we thought the Sprint and AT&T variants would be pretty similar in terms of picture quality, with the only difference being the size. During full daylight both cameras perform magnificently. The pictures are clear and colors are bright, though sometimes both versions can take some blurry photos (especially when moving or shaking). The only main difference is that the 13 MP pictures look clearer when you zoom in, but that is obviously due to the higher megapixels. (See our comparison post.)

                In terms of quality they are almost identical. We would have to say the picture quality is still not up there with the HTC One X or Samsung Galaxy S3, but it is definitely getting close. And yes, that is saying much considering the fact these phones challenge many point-and-shoot cameras.

                We realized there is much more of a difference between the AT&T Optimus G’s camera and the others though. When the sun goes down and you start taking pictures in dim and low-light conditions. There is much more than mere megapixels that separate these devices’ cameras. We found that the 13MP sensor in the Optimus G took better pictures in dimly lit rooms (artificial lighting), with much crisper images and more accurate colors. The AT&T version did perform better for outdoor night-time photography, though.

                Video quality is much better. The device does record at 1080p full HD, and the image is very crisp, clear and records at a very good frame rate, so you won’t be disappointed with your home videos and party movies.

                Features

                But let’s get past quality and jump to other features. Chances are you won’t be comparing pictures with those of other devices, and the AT&T Optimus G does very well on its own merits. The software does come with some features that may improve your experience while using the camera.

                I found Panorama and Time Catch Shot modes to be the most exciting. The first does the obvious, but the latter feature is a bit more exciting. It actually saves a few images of what happens BEFORE you press the shutter button. Ever miss that perfect picture because you didn’t pull out your phone fast enough?

                Well, with Time Catch Shot you are able to retrieve those lost moments most times. Quite impressive, I must say – even though many times they pictures can be a bit blurrier than one would hope. I felt like Continuous Shot performs better in terms of quality (this mode is pretty much burst shot mode, but limited to 6 shots at a time).

                There is also HDR mode but it is seriously underwhelming, especially for those of us who are used to seeing professional HDR photography. It seriously looks like any other picture, except with a bit better colors and highlights. Oh, and there is also Cheese Shutter, which takes a picture when the phone detects someone saying “cheese” (other words also work; like whisky, LG and smile). That one is pretty fun for parties and pictures of the kids.

                1.3MP Front-Facing Camera

                The 1.3MP camera in the front serves its purpose. It is great for video chats and casual self-portraits. The video is very good with a 720p HD resolution, as well.

                Is It a Good Camera Phone?

                Overall, the camera is good on its own. Some features are fun and helpful, but I felt like many of them took bad photos; hence, defeating the purpose. And if they didn’t there was not much of a difference from “normal” mode, with panorama being an obvious exception. You are better off manually playing around with the settings if you know a bit about photography.

                CAM00054 CAM00056 CAM00057 CAM00058 CAM00059 CAM00060 CAM00061

                Sound Quality

                As a personal media device, the phone performs well. I have definitely heard better, but sound quality is something one usually has to give up when purchasing any thin device (whether it is a TV, tablet or smartphone). The volume is loud; it won’t “fill up the room”, but you can definitely hear the sound and enjoy it from afar.

                Real audiophiles care for much more than volume, though. If you are one of those you should have your high-quality headphones ready because you probably won’t be happy with this device’s speaker. Base is minimal, there is some noticeable distortion/vibration in voice and treble, and the speaker is easily muffled when the device is facing up on a flat surface (flat back, where the speaker slit is).

                But if you can put all the technicalities aside and don’t “have an ear” for these details, the Optimus G will please you. The sound is loud enough to be enjoyed under most circumstances, and the quality is good for the average movie and song.

                Ports & Connectivity

                The most important differentiation for the Optimus G is the fact that it has a microSD slot, which the Sprint version lacks. Sprint’s Optimus G has a better camera, though, so the choice is yours: better camera or expandable memory?

                Everything else packed in this phone has what one can expect from any high-end smartphone – LTE connectivity, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0+LE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n and NFC. They all work as they should; GPS locks quickly, WiFi is fast and doesn’t lose connection, and NFC works with tags and Beam. The only issue I found is that LTE is a bit spotty, but that may be due to my area and isn’t the device’s fault.

                Battery Life

                On average, battery life is surprisingly good. I happen to live in a spotty area for AT&T, so the device was spending a lot of energy jumping in and out of HSPA+ and LTE, but when those problems were out of the way I averaged about 10-12 hours on a single charge.

                This is without trying to conserve battery. I did try to use Eco Mode for a while, which conserves battery by dynamically managing processor power, but I honestly didn’t see much of a difference. It might have helped a little, but it wasn’t a drastic enough change to be noticed (in terms of both performance and battery life).

                What did make a change is the use of WiFi, though. Now that my battery tests are over and I turned WiFi on, the device is sitting at 63% after a bit over 9 hours of use. With that said, the device does offer the battery life and efficiency LG promises. We wish the 2100 mAh battery was a bit beefier since the device doesn’t have a removable battery, but that is another sacrifice one has to make for a thin, good-looking smartphone.

                Conclusion

                All in all, the LG Optimus G is an awesome device, but we have to keep in mind it is competing with the highest-end devices of late 2012. With that in mind, we can confidently say this is among the top 4 smartphones to get – a great accomplishment for LG. The performance, display and design are simply stunning, but like every other device, it has its downsides.

                The camera could be better (it doesn’t quite match the HTC One X+ and Galaxy S3 yet), like the one in the Sprint version, but LG makes up for it by adding a microSD card slot. It is a matter of choice, and I happen to prefer expandable storage over a good camera.

                Software is also a bit outdated featuring Ice Cream Sandwich, but you can find a good series of custom UI features that may make up for the lack of Jelly Bean. And though it has some software bugs, we can expect LG to fix them with an OTA update.

                The recently-released and upcoming devices all have something that makes them stand out. You want a stunning display? Get the Note 2; if build quality is your priority, then the HTC One X+ is probably the best; and there is no doubt the DROID RAZR Maxx HD is the best option for battery life. So where does the LG Optimus G fall? Right in the middle of everything.

                This is actually a good place to be in, as the device isn’t polarized and tucked into a specific niche. It takes part of all the best features from the competition and mixes them into one all-around great smartphone. What makes the LG Optimus G stand out is it’s overall quality as a smartphone, not any specific features.

                It is well-sized (at least for today’s standards), thin and light, its performance is astounding, it has a great screen and the build quality is solid. And for those that still make calls regularly, voice quality was crisp and clear from both ends and I didn’t have a single call dropped. Software is a give or take, but it is definitely better than TouchWiz.

                Plus, if you want to cover that small downside, you can always wait for that rumored LG Nexus, which is said to be a Pure Google device based on the Optimus G. It would be perfect for those that simply want a good high-end device on AT&T, without all the extravagant bells and whistles that may make it gimmicky.

                If you find this is the phone for you, it will be available straight from AT&T on November 2nd. Pre-orders did open on October 16, though. You can put your name on an LG Optimus G right now if you go to AT&T’s website!


                Samsung TecTile 3.0 brings enhanced NFC functionality

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 08:51 AM PDT

                One of the bigger quirks that came with owning a Samsung device was Samsung TecTiles. TecTiles are NFC tags that users can place around their home and office to automate certain tasks on their phones.

                For instance, if I wanted to turn my GPS on, Bluetooth on, WiFi off, and turn my ringer volume up on my phone when leaving the house I could tap my phone on an NFC tag next to the door and have all this done automatically and effortlessly.

                Well, Samsung’s improving on the experience with the announcement of TecTiles 3.0 this morning. One of the biggest features will be the addition of profiles. Instead of having to buy multiple TecTiles for multiple people, profiles will allow people to have a different set of actions for one TecTile.

                For instance, if your wife prefers to have her navigation app launched and have her Bluetooth radios turned on while you would rather have a music app launch and dial your voicemail, both of you can have your cake and eat it on the same TecTile.

                Other changes include the ability to keep a history of the actions you program for TecTiles, create private TecTiles that only your phone can use, and unlock TecTiles or clear a TecTile without having to write over the previous command.

                As for what TecTiles can manipulate on your phones, there is now support for Foursquare, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+, Google Talk, Glympse, and Google Places. It will let you play a specific track and pause/play in the music player. It will even forward a call, edit or share electronic business cards, and send a pre-written email to whatever email addresses you specify.

                We’ve always been excited for NFC, and while mobile payments are great there was a very huge void in other use cases. Samsung’s TecTiles have no doubt been the most ambitious use of NFC yet, and things have only gotten better with this update.

                As for availability, it looks like you won’t even have to get new TecTiles (though they’re $15 for a pack of 5 at your local carrier or Samsung.com if you need to buy some) — all you’ll need to do is upgrade the Android app by heading to the Google Play Store.

                Samsung Mobile Expands NFC Capabilities with TecTile™ Version 3.0

                Samsung's TecTile mobile application update offers more programmable settings, deeper app integration and the ability to program multiple commands to a single TecTile

                DALLAS — Oct. 24, 2012 — Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC (Samsung Mobile) – the No.1 mobile phone provider in the United States and a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the No. 1 smartphone provider worldwide1 – continues to advance the use of NFC technology in everyday life with the rollout of Samsung TecTile Version 3.0, the latest update to its popular mobile application. The Samsung TecTile 3.0 mobile app provides a variety of new ways to customize Samsung TecTile programmable NFC tags to automatically change features and settings of Samsung Android™ NFC-enabled devices with a single tap.

                Samsung TecTile originally launched alongside the Samsung Galaxy S® III as an introduction to the user-friendly capabilities of NFC beyond mobile payments. With the U.S. launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note® II, TecTile programmable NFC tags and the TecTile 3.0 mobile application can now automate everyday smartphone functions on Samsung's newest iconic device.

                "As the clear leader in NFC-enabled smartphone deployment in the United States, Samsung is committed to developing and advancing this promising mobile technology," said Kevin Packingham, chief product officer of Samsung Telecommunications America. "Samsung TecTile tags combined with the TecTile 3.0 application simplifies the way consumers interact with their mobile device and greatly enhances the overall user experience."

                With the largest user base of NFC-enabled devices in the United States, Samsung continues to broaden the use of NFC technology for consumers and businesses by continually expanding and evolving the capabilities of the TecTile mobile application.

                Enhancements offered with TecTile Version 3.0
                Programming Enhancements & Improved Usability
                o Program multiple actions to a single TecTile – With one tap, a TecTile can perform a series of actions including turning on Bluetooth®, launching the Navigation app and calling voicemail when entering a car.
                o Customize Profiles – Version 3.0 enables users to turn the notion of a static TecTile on its head. Define preloaded Profiles within the app and program a different TecTile tag to launch each Profile – such as "normal," "office," "night" and "car" – allowing for easy toggling between Profiles throughout the day. Groups can also take advantage of Profiles. Rather than program a TecTile to evoke the same actions on every smartphone with every tap, Profiles allow one TecTile to perform customized actions for different users when scanned. For example, within the app, each TecTile user in an office can customize their "meeting" Profile to fit their specific preferences, such as automatically setting the phone to vibrate or silent mode, depending on user choice. Then, program one TecTile in a conference room to automatically launch each user's unique, custom "meeting" Profile upon tapping. Users can also create and add their own custom Profiles based on daily activities, like "workout," "gaming" or "TV."
                o Store TecTile tag history – Users can now keep a log of all TecTile tags they program for easy reference.
                o Create private TecTile tags – Create private TecTile tags that only the owner's phone can read. TecTile 3.0 will associate the programmer's email address to all private TecTile tags and will only allow execution of a TecTile command to the programmer's device.
                o Unlock a previously locked TecTile – A TecTile programmer can unlock a previously locked TecTile, or clear a TecTile without having to overwrite with a new command. This is beneficial for both consumers and commercial users who want to extend the value of their TecTile tags while retaining the secure option to lock a TecTile.

                Programming Additions & Application Integration: Samsung has expanded the list of phone settings that TecTile can change when tapped, including the addition of Airplane mode, more comprehensive alarm settings and the ability to automatically change a ringtone. In addition, TecTile 3.0 can now integrate with more applications to give users a more comprehensive experience. Specifically, TecTile can now:
                o Share or edit an electronic business card, forward a call or send a pre-written email to a specific address

                o Toggle between Play/Pause settings on Music Player, or play a specific track

                o In addition to integration with LinkedIn®, Facebook® and foursquare®, program a TecTile to update a Google+ status, start a Google Talk conversation, check in on Google Places or on Glympse™ location sharing

                Samsung NFC-Enabled Android TM Smartphones
                · Samsung Galaxy Note II on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon

                · Samsung Galaxy S III on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon

                · Samsung Galaxy Note® on AT&T and T-Mobile

                · Samsung Galaxy S® II on T-Mobile

                · Galaxy Nexus TM on Verizon, Sprint and GSM Unlocked

                · Nexus TM S ® 4G on Sprint

                · Nexus TM S® on AT&T and T-Mobile

                · Samsung Galaxy S® Blaze® 4G on T-Mobile

                · Samsung Galaxy Exhilarate™ on AT&T

                · Samsung Galaxy S® Relay™ 4G on T-Mobile

                · Samsung Galaxy Victory™ 4G LTE on Sprint

                Pricing/Availability
                Priced at $14.99 for a pack of five, TecTile programmable NFC sticker tags are available for purchase at Samsung.com and online and in-store at AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. The Samsung TecTile 3.0 mobile app is available for free in the Google Play™ marketplace.

                Samsung TecTile Microsite
                For a detailed list of added features and enhancements offered by the TecTile Version 3.0 upgrade, visit http://www.samsung.com/us/microsite/tectile/.

                1 Samsung Mobile is the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the United States based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, North America Handset Vendor Marketshare, Q2 2012. Samsung Electronics Company is the No. 1 smartphone provider worldwide based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics Global Smartphone Vendor Market Share by Region: Q2 2012.

                © Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC. Samsung, Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, and TecTiles are trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Other company names, product names and marks mentioned herein are property of their respective owners and may be trademarks or registered trademarks.


                Official Nexus 4 press render leaks

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:02 AM PDT

                We’ve had just about all the blurry cam action we can take when it comes to the upcoming Nexus 4 by LG, and we’re ready for the real deal to make its way to the news wire once Google unveils it October 29th. We’ve got something a bit better until then, though — official press renders!

                It doesn’t show us much more than we’ve already seen, but it does give us a more clear look at what to expect from the design once it launches. Most photos have been inconsistent as far as showing how that back panel is supposed to look, but these shots do well to confirm that “glittery” look that you may or may not like.

                One interesting thing to note is that this press render has a nice, big “Nexus” logo on the back as opposed to the Google logo we’re used to. Google started going this route with the Nexus 7 but we weren’t sure if this would change on the phone side of things.

                Beyond that it looks like the same device we’ve been analyzing and scrutinizing since the beginning of time, and we look forward to getting our hands on the real thing next week Monday. As for this particular render there are a few odd things to note. For starters, the time stamp is in the middle of the notification bar and not on the right, as usual.

                There are also some odd notifications which possibly show off the weather, but two different notifications with the number “92″ seems weird and redundant. With all of the tomfoolery going on with hoaxes these days it’s always important to remember that this could be totally fake, but the source is one of the most trustworthy in the blogosphere.

                Be sure to swing back here for everything Nexus as Google is expected to drop a smorgasbord of devices and announcements, including a possible 10 inch Nexus device made by Samsung and news of a 32GB configuration making its way to store shelves in place of the 8GB version. [via @Evleaks]


                T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 2 goes on sale today

                Posted: 24 Oct 2012 06:35 AM PDT

                We’ve had more than enough reason to believe T-Mobile would be launching its version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 today, but it was never official. That has changed this morning, however, as T-Mobile has announced immediate availability of the device throughout all channels.

                Magenta is selling the device for $250 if you’re on one of their value plans (where you’ll technically be paying a down payment for the device with $20 installments for 20 months, or the difference of the phone if you decide to get a new phone early).

                Things get a little bit more tricky if you’re looking to get this thing on its classic plans with a new two-year contract, though — at $370 (after a $50 mail-in rebate) you’ll actually be paying a fair bit more for the device out of pocket compared to AT&T and Sprint’s $300 after rebate.

                We’re not sure if this is a play to get people onto its value plans or not, but it certainly seems like it. It’s an odd move considering T-Mobile doesn’t have any 4G LTE radios to bring the price up, and the 16GB option is the only one that’s being offered at this time.

                Price shock aside, though, this is still a great phone. It’ll sport a 5.5 inch Super AMOLED HD display, a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video recording, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera, Android 4.1, Samsung’s S Pen technology, and more. It’s no doubt one of T-Mobile’s most exciting devices available so we’re sure many of you will still find a way to get your hands on it despite the odd pricing.

                There are a couple of other Magenta-exclusive bells and whistles to be minded on the software side of things. For starters, you’ll get a free version of Need for Speed Most Wanted, though it appears you’re only getting four free events with the option of paying to unlock more. And the game will be optimized for the MOGA controller, though we’re not sure if MOGA support is exclusive to this T-Mobile exclusive version of Most wanted.

                If you can get down with the pricing and you’ve been waiting for this device you can head over to T-Mobile.com to get started, or head to your local T-Mobile store to buy one in person.


                New Commercial For MOGA Universal Android Controller Is Hilarious and NSFW (Sorta)

                Posted: 23 Oct 2012 08:44 PM PDT

                This image has no alt text

                We already gave you guys our quick hands-on with the MOGA universal gaming controller a few weeks ago at CTIA/MobileCON 2012 and we were generally pleased with the Android accessory (wasn’t too excited about having to pop in 2 AA batteries though).

                Where the MOGA itself is a great product, it’s the company’s newly uploaded commercial that’s creating some buzz around the nets, simply for it’s genius way of featuring the MOGA in a variety of real world situations (I’m almost positive Mitt Romney makes a brief appearance in the vid). I wouldn’t exactly label this NSFW — but it may not be entirely work appropriate. Fair warning.

                Sounds a lot like my mother whenever she plays Angry Birds on her T-Mobile G2X. You guys don’t game like that… do you?


                Samsung, LG, and Pantech Prepare 1080p Smartphones For Early 2013 Launch

                Posted: 23 Oct 2012 07:38 PM PDT

                This image has no alt text

                When it comes to Android manufacturers, competition is fierce. A modern day capitalist arms race, one could even argue the “spec wars”are maybe advancing mobile technology too fast. With the announcement of the Japanese HTC Butterfly J and its almost ridiculous full HD 1080p 5-inch display, the rest of the Android world said it’s game on.

                According to MK News, Samsung, LG, and Pantech are next in line to introduce the new round of high-end smartphones superphones with 1080p displays to make your eyes bleed. These full HD smartphones are said to be arriving before the second half of next year, with Samsung sticking to their tried-and-true AMOLED tech, and LG going with their IPS LCD.

                Looks like the Korean OEM’s will bringing the pain next year, and now we’ll have to wait for chipset makers to introduce new and more powerful CPU’s to push all those pixels. But what say ye? Are you guys excited for 5-inch 1080p devices? Does it even matter? Are your eyes even special enough to distinguish the new “unseeable” pixel density?