Monday, October 29, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority


Huawei Honor 2 officially unveiled, 4.5-inch quad-core phone for $300

Posted: 29 Oct 2012 03:17 AM PDT

In lieu of the Nexus 4, Nexus 10, and other surprises that we were going to get from Google today, Huawei is here to give Android enthusiasts something to talk about. The follow up to the well-received Honor phone has just been unveiled by the Chinese manufacturer in its home country.

As expected, the Huawei Honor 2 comes equipped with the company's own K3V2 quad-core processor clocked at 1.4GHz. While there's no 6.1-inch display to be found, you do get a 4.5-inch IPS display with 1,280 x 720 resolution (326 ppi).

Unlike the rumor, the Honor 2 will only pack 1GB of RAM under the hood. If we understand correctly, Huawei will only produce the 2GB RAM variant in limited quantity.

Other standard features include 8GB of onboard storage, microSD support, 8MP rear camera, 1.3MP front-facing camera, and 2,230mAh battery. The jelly fever is yet to hit the quad-core phone, as Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich still runs the show here.

The Huawei Honor 2 will be released for the Chinese market in early November for 1,888 yuan ($300), which puts it on a collision course with the Xiaomi Phone 2. The latter is coming on October 30 for roughly $320.

Which one do you think will come out on top in a smartphone battle?

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Galaxy S3 had four of its five best-selling weeks in the U.S. after the iPhone 5 was unveiled

Posted: 29 Oct 2012 03:02 AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy S3

Samsung has been doing very well in the smartphone market of late. The company posted record breaking profits in Q3 2012 and has a clear lead in global smartphone shipments. On Friday the South Korean manufacturer revealed that four out of five of the Samsung Galaxy S3's best-selling weeks in the U.S. came after Apple unveiled the iPhone 5.

Kevin Packingham, chief product officer of Samsung Mobile in the U.S. said:

"I was shocked by the numbers. I thought: 'What the heck is going on here?'"

The obvious answer is that many consumers were holding fire on buying a new phone in order to see what Apple would bring to the table. The fact that sales of the Galaxy S3 went up suggests many of them were not impressed by the iPhone 5. It is also possible that some people have been turned off Apple by the company's aggressive pursuit of patent infringement lawsuits against its competitors.

Despite recording a fourth straight record breaking quarter Samsung still raked in less profit than Apple. Samsung made $7.4 billion – seen as a success, versus Apple's $8.2 billion – apparently falling short of analyst predictions. Samsung has a larger market share and shipped a lot more devices to hit those numbers than Apple did because Apple's profit margin per device is way higher.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is expected to continue to sell well over the holiday season and has been joined in the Samsung vanguard by the "phablet" Galaxy Note 2 device. All the major U.S. carriers have signed up to sell the Galaxy Note 2 so it will be interesting to see how well it sells.

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Nexus 3 by Samsung photos hit Picasa, color us confused

Posted: 29 Oct 2012 02:40 AM PDT

You know how we keep showing you pictures uploaded to Picasa whose EXIF information reveals details about the device used to capture them? Well, hang on to your seats, folks, as we've just seen a Nexus 3 in there, and it's apparently made by Samsung.

Sure, EXIF data can be faked, but a John Mueller, who happens to be a Google Switzerland employee, has uploaded the images taken with this device.

So what's up with the strange name – Nexus 3? Sure, if indeed Samsung is making this device, then it would be its third Nexus-branded device following the Nexus S and the Galaxy Nexus that were released in late 2010 and late 2011, respectively. But it’s definitely not the third Nexus smartphone to be released. Like it or not, Samsung, the HTC Nexus One was the first Nexus smartphone to hit stores in early 2010.

Moreover, it would be very strange to call the device the Nexus 3 especially considering that this year's flagship Nexus handset seems to be the LG Nexus 4, a device that should have been unveiled today, and which happens to be the worst kept secret in tech history – meaning we know absolutely all there is to know about this smartphone.

The Galaxy Premier, a mild Galaxy Nexus update, has long been believed to hit stores as the Galaxy Nexus 2 – not that this product name makes much sense either – but recent reports have not exactly mentioned any other Nexus smartphone to be announced by Google during its media event other than the Nexus 4.

Getting back to the actual images uploaded to Picasa, we can tell you that they were uploaded yesterday morning and they show two persons in swim suits running in the snow. The photos have a resolution of 2048 x 1536, or about 3.15-megapixels, an F/2.75 aperture and a 3mm focal length – with the latter two characteristics being similar to what the main Galaxy Nexus camera has to offer.

Such sightings only remind us of those "old" rumors that suggested that Google will have more Nexus smartphones out in the wild, not to mention a recent report that revealed that more OEMs could apply for the Nexus program.

We'll be back with more details about this strangely named Nexus 3 device once we have them, meanwhile feel free to join the speculation in the comments section below! What do you think this device is and when will it come out?

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Isis support comes to Verizon’s Droid Razr HD and Droid Razr Maxx HD

Posted: 29 Oct 2012 01:53 AM PDT

The Isis mobile payment system, Google Wallet's competitor, was finally launched on October 22 after numerous delays. We’re not surprised if you haven't heard much about its impact, since the new system is currently only available in two cities for AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless subscribers.

Being one of the biggest proponents of Isis, so much so that it blocks the use of Google Wallet on its devices, Verizon strangely only has a handful of smartphones that support it.

As of last week, the list consists only of HTC's Droid Incredible 4G LTE. Joining the roster now are two smartphones from Motorola, the Droid Razr HD and Droid Razr Maxx HD.

Although the devices above already come with a built-in NFC chip, those who want to try out the new craze of tapping their smartphone to pay for things must also get a special NFC SIM card to run the Isis Mobile Wallet app. You can get more details about the supposed future of payment system from our post here.

Anyone planning to give Isis a go? Or is Google Wallet more than suffice in meeting all your mobile payment needs?

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Google Crisis Map on Hurricane Sandy offers insight on world’s first Android-hating storm

Posted: 29 Oct 2012 01:45 AM PDT

As Android fans may already know, Google's Nexus-related media event was scheduled to take place today in New York, but the Search giant had to cancel it a couple a days ago, because of a certain hurricane. Sandy is thus the world's first Android-hating storm, if you were to believe all the jokes we've seen since Google announced the cancellation.

Whether Sandy is a Surface user or an Apple fan, we'll move to more serious things, as this is a pretty serious hurricane. And Google has you covered, especially if you live in one of the areas that are most likely to be hit in the following hours or days.

The Google Crisis Map on Hurricane Sandy offers various weather-related details to concerned Americans and the live insight into the storm can be a valuable resource for planning your activities during the storm – or evacuation trips.

In addition to covering the whole Atlantic Coast in its Hurricane Sandy Crisis Map, Google also offers a detailed map for New York City, as the city that never sleeps will be massively hit by this category-1 storm.

Google's Crisis Map show various details regarding the areas covered including storm location, forecast track but also reveals active emergency shelters and highlights evacuation zones.

With that in mind, don't forget to check these details before Sandy hits. And above all, stay safe!

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Kindle Fire HD vs iPad mini ad campaign gets prime placement: Amazon.com

Posted: 29 Oct 2012 01:16 AM PDT

Remember when Amazon released a few days ago its quarterly earnings report for the period ending in September? Just in case you don't like to keep tabs on such financial reports I'll quickly refresh your memory: the company posted a loss of $274 million on revenue exceeding $13 billion, it didn't reveal any details about Kindle Fire sales, and, strangest of all, it featured a comparison between its Kindle Fire models and Apple's two-day old iPad mini right inside that press release.

But it looks like that latter part of the earnings report was just one of Amazon's first marketing moves targeting what it clearly sees as its most important rival in the tablet ecosystem. Now the company has placed that Kindle Fire HD vs iPad mini comparison right on top of its front page – and since Amazon.com is the biggest retailer in the world, that's quite a prime placement.

Amazon's point is that you get "much more for much less" buying the Kindle Fire HD (starting price $199) than the iPad mini (starting price $329). The Android tablet has a "stunning HD display with 30% more pixels than the iPad mini" and the display offers a pixel density of 216 pixels per inch. Furthermore, the Kindle Fire HD offers access to HD movies and TV, dual stereo speakers and the "ultra-fast MIMO Wi-Fi" connectivity.

Comparatively, the iPad mini sports a "standard definition, low-resolution display" with 163 pixel per inch density, a mono speaker and there aren't any HD movies or TV to go with it.

There's also a Gizmodo quote to go with that:

"… your [Apple's] 7.9-inch tablet has far fewer pixels than the competing 7-inch tablets! You're cramming a worse screen in there, charging more, and accusing others of compromise? Ballsy.”

Will the campaign work? Will we see Amazon target its Android rivals, say once the Google Nexus 10 comes out? We'll just have to wait and see. But we'd surely like to know how many Kindle Fires Amazon will sell this holiday season, especially compared to Apple's future iPad mini sales. Too bad Amazon doesn't actually reveal its Kindle sales (whether it's the reader or the tablet.)

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Office Depot now selling 32GB Nexus 7 for $250

Posted: 29 Oct 2012 01:10 AM PDT

 

Android's big event today may have been cancelled due to Sandy the Frankenstorm, but information about a certain Nexus 7 tablet with an upgraded storage hasn't stopped flowing in.

Brought to our attention by Droid Life, the latest sighting of the 32GB Nexus 7 in the wild was at Office Depot.

Yes, it's the same retailer that has put up the 32GB Jelly Bean tablet a couple of days ago on its website for $250. While the online listing was quickly taken down, it seems they now have no problem putting the device on display in stores.

Several customers reportedly were able to purchase said new flavor, though stocks are apparently quite limited. You can give your nearest Office Depot a shot to see if they have some. With the incoming 32GB variant, the price for the 16GB Nexus 7 has been slashed to $199.

Google may have been planning for a simultaneous introduction and commercial release of the quad-core slate. But with the event being put on hold, we'll see in the coming days whether other retailers will start offering the tablet early as well or wait for cue from the Nexus boss.

Anyone planning to order the 32GB Nexus 7 when it goes for sale in more places?

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Smartphone evolution through the eyes of HTC [Infographic]

Posted: 29 Oct 2012 12:06 AM PDT

Are you curious about the long history of mobile phones? Here's your chance to feed that curiosity it in less than a minute, as HTC takes us on a memory trip down the smartphone lane. The descriptions on the "Evolution of the Smartphone" infographic are full of witty remarks and some pop culture reference. You're bound to learn some interesting facts.

For instance, brick phones of the '90s were nothing compared to the first mobile phone back in the old day — as in 1922 old — that required the strange combo of a fire hydrant and an umbrella to work. Naturally, HTC also takes the opportunity to gloat that it was the first to release Android and Windows smartphones.

Enjoy the full factoids below.

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Android least valuable platform for advertisers – Opera

Posted: 28 Oct 2012 04:56 PM PDT

Opera, the popular browser for mobile devices, has released its State of Mobile Advertising report, in which Android as a platform is deemed lagging behind in revenues from advertising compared with arch-rival Apple. What’s even more interesting is that Android has even fallen behind BlackBerry in terms of revenue potential per user.

According to the report, iOS leads in terms of traffic and advertising revenue, at 46.37% and 58.40% share, respectively. Android follows with 25.66% in traffic and 16.79% share in revenue. But what’s interesting here is that when it comes to cost per viewer, Android lags behind Blackberry.

Apple gets a $1.64 effective CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions). Meanwhile, BlackBerry follows closely with $1.06. Android gets a measly $0.88, which is less than the BlackBerry platform.

This means that for advertisers, BlackBerry is more valuable than Android, because they earn more per eyeball. Perhaps this has something to do with the BlackBerry’s primary market, which  is supposedly enterprise. But with the emerging market starting to be the focus of RIM’s marketing campaign of late, maybe that’s about to change soon.

Here are a few other observations:

  • Mobile apps are a big earner of advertising dollars. We know that mobile users are increasingly shifting toward apps rather than mobile web. It only makes sense that advertisers should target app users, too.
  • Mobile apps have generated 73% of the ad network’s revenues. About 80% of traffic came from mobile apps.
  • Opera is set to generate $400 million in ad revenue for mobile publishers, which is a 40% growth from 2011 ad revenues.
  • Opera is quite a popular platform in emerging markets, because of its ability to reduce data charges through compression.
  • Opera says users from the UK are four times more likely to use BlackBerry devices than the rest of the world.
  • The iPhone is the single biggest source of ad traffic and ad revenue for Opera’s platform. However, the iPad gives the most value for advertisers, at $4.42 e-CPM.

You can check out the full report at the source link. One concern here: as an end-user, does it matter to you whether you’re more valuable than users from another platform, from an advertising perspective?

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iGrill from iOS remotely monitors food temperatures; now available for Android

Posted: 28 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT

iGrill
For most people, cooking food is something you have to do. Making dinner for your family, preparing breakfast before work, all these things are pretty mandatory. However, there are people out there who love to cook. From summer time grilling gurus to BBQ fanatics and even pastry chefs, food can be fun for a lot of people. There is a product originally for iOS called iGrill that wants to be your friend in the kitchen. Now it’s available for Android.

The iGrill is a very unique item if you enjoy cooking. The premise of the product is that you can remotely monitor the temperature of whatever you’re cooking. So be it a steak on the grill or a cake in the oven, you’ll know the exact temperature of your food. So you’re never in danger of over cooking your food.

How it works is the package comes with an application, a monitor, and a couple of thermometers. The thermometers and monitor are Bluetooth enabled. So you put the thermometer in the food, it reports to the monitor, which then reports directly to your phone.

It comes with two, so you can monitor the temperature in different parts of the item you’re cooking. Or, you can use the second one to measure the ambient temperature so you know how hot your cooking environment is.

So is the iGrill only for cooking aficionados?

In a way, yes. The typical person cooking food probably doesn’t have much use for a cooking thermometer. For people who like cooking, this could be a very handy tool. According to the iGrill’s official website, you can monitor practically anything you can cook.

The Android application was just launched today, so you can download that immediately if you will. Unfortunately, you have to buy the rest of the package. It retails for $79.99 and comes with two thermometers and the monitor.

You can also get an ambient temperature probe for an additional $19.99. The monitor comes in both black and white, so you kind of have color options. For the launch, iGrill is offering free shipping when you use the promo code “ITSHERE”.

Chefs and cooks out there, is this a product you could see yourself using? Let us know what you think about it in the comments.

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Android and Me

Android and Me


HTC begins Android 4.1 roll-out for Tegra 3 powered HTC One X in Europe and Asia

Posted: 28 Oct 2012 01:15 PM PDT

Multiple reports have confirmed that the Android 4.1 update for the Tegra 3 powered HTC One X has started rolling out to handsets across the globe. The update initially hit handsets in Taiwan and a few other Asian countries, but we have also heard reports that the update is now hitting phones in...

Visit our site to read the full article.


Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums


One Power Guard will extend battery life for rooted and custom ROM users

Posted: 28 Oct 2012 01:52 PM PDT

Battery life might be the biggest concern of any Android power user. Custom kernels, scripts, and applications are some of the many tools users have to squeak out as much battery life as possible out of their devices. Of course, as batteries get better, so do the apps that we use to manage these batteries.

XDA developer fonter has released an application aptly named One Power Guard for rooted and custom ROM users that gives them full control over power and battery management. This app controls just about everything any power user could want: overclocking, underclocking, I/O scheduling, CPU governor, and much more. It even includes six power saving modes which include:

AI Mode: It intelligently adjusts cpu frequency and optimizes kernel to greatly extend battery time according to system loading. For General User. It optimizes system parameter, charging parameters,cpu parameter,wifi parameters, etc and different from other modes.

Powersave Mode: It runs devices under low frequency to extend standby time. For power saver and those who use devices less frequently. It optimizes system parameter, charging parameters,cpu parameter,wifi parameters, etc and different from other modes.

Game/Video Mode: It provides flow game and video experience while offering satisfactory power-saving strategy. For game and video addicts. It optimizes system parameter, charging parameters,cpu parameter, wifi parameters, etc and different from other modes.

Call Mode: It powers up the core function of phone conservation. For business persons trapping by phone. It optimizes system parameter, charging parameters,cpu parameter,wifi parameters, etc and different from other modes.

Standby Mode: It lowers system frequency and prolongs stand-by time to the extreme. For sleepers and dreamers. It optimizes system parameter, charging parameters,cpu parameter,wifi parameters, etc and different from other modes.

Custom Mode: It indulges pros to customize cpu frequence, scheduling and io adjustment, and to choose parameters of their own. For advanced users. It optimizes system parameter, charging parameters,cpu parameter,wifi parameters, etc and different from other modes.

Click here to download

Source: XDA



Original Asus Transformer Gets Experimental 3G/GSM on Jelly Bean

Posted: 28 Oct 2012 01:05 PM PDT

 

Android devices typically never get the kind of manufacturer support that we all want, and that’s the case with the original Transformer. The TF101 and its close cousin, the TF101G (which includes radios for 3G connectivity) have gotten ports of multiple, fully functional Jelly Bean ROMs. Unfortunately for the TF101G, the 3G radios aren’t functional in the ROMs developed for the TF101, and so anyone using those newer ROMs lose 3G functionality. And of course it’s not fair to give users the choice between losing features they paid for or staying on older software.

XDA, like always, to the rescue. One dev has figured out a way to get those 3G radios working on the TF101G. It’s still only an experimental build of Cyanogenmod 10, and it’s appropriately labeled a WIP, but if you’re the owner of a Transformer and you’re really missing 3G functionality on Jelly Bean, this is a great breakthrough for you. The dev is also planning on releasing source later for anyone to help out.

So if you’re feeling adventurous today, give the build a shot. The dev is asking for feedback, since it is still an experimental build that may have some bugs. But sometimes that’s the fun part of flashing, isn’t it?

Source: XDA



LG Nexus 4 spotted in Carphone Warehouse promotional materials

Posted: 27 Oct 2012 08:59 PM PDT

Carphone Warehouse just can’t seem to do anything right as it prepares for the highly anticipated launch of Google’s upcoming LG Nexus 4. A few days after prematurely listing the unannounced device on its official website, a slew of the company’s retail stores have begun displaying promotional materials for the handset, ultimately revealing some additional information.

Most of the details remain the same, including a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4, 8-megapixel camera and 12 hours of talk time. Although, the same listing shows the sim-free version of the Nexus 4 as being priced at £390 (about $504). Unfortunately, there’s no word on a release date, which isn’t at all surprising considering Google has postponed Monday’s Android event due to nasty weather conditions.

Source: XDA-Developers



Caught on video: Google Nexus 10

Posted: 27 Oct 2012 05:43 PM PDT

Since we are now in a holding mode while we await word from Google on how they are going to handle the cancellation of their event on Monday in New York City, what better way to pass the time than with a leaked video of the Nexus 10 tablet. Unfortunately, the time will be short – five seconds to be exact. You may be able to keep looping it if that will help. Hit the break to view the video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

source: BriefMobile