Monday, November 5, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority


Woot Check: Stay on top of your daily deals, all in one place

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 02:37 AM PST

Chances are, if you’re reading this website, you’re a techie. (That’s okay, we’re even bigger nerds for writing it in the first place.)

Regardless of your geek/nerd/dork/techie status, we can all agree on one thing: saving money is great. Daily deal site Woot! became popular offering one item at a great price each day, but as its reach grew, so did its offerings.

With sites like Woot, Tech.Woot, Home.Woot, and Sport.Woot all offering their own deals each day, staying on top of everything can become a daunting task. Fortunately, GT Media’s own Woot Check has simplified the process, all from the palm of your hand.

Hopping straight into Woot Check, you’ll notice right off the bat how easy it is to navigate around. A simple swipe left or right takes to over to a different Woot column, and every new Woot column is both conveniently color-coded and labeled up top.

A refresh button up at the top allows you to manually refresh the deal, so if the clock has just struck twelve and you’re itching to see what new item is for sale, you’ve got the option to.

Also up top is the item description button (looks like a piece of paper), so you can read the hilarious stories the Woot folks write up for each item.

The last button up top, (and perhaps the most important), is the menu button. Hitting the menu button gives you three options: Comments, Share, and Preferences.

Comments is exactly what it sounds like: reading the comments on any item’s page. The downside is that the comments don’t exist within the app, and you’ll actually be redirected to an external web page in your browser. (Kind of a pain.)

Share is fairly straightforward, giving you a list of places you can share this Woot deal, like Facebook, Gmail, or Google+, to name a few.

Preferences is where you can really take control of the Woot Check experience and fiddle with what you don’t like. Here you can enable or disable background notifications, turn sounds on and off, and change the change the Woot-Off refresh interval.

If there’s a particular Woot site you’re passionate about, you can enable only specific notifications, but a generic, catch-all notification is enabled by default and covers all the Woot sites listed. Other than that, the preferences are bare.

As I mentioned in my video review, Woot Check is a “minion” of Woot, which means you could be redirected to a different page (in your browser) before you can purchase anything.

I’ve been assured that this is just so the developers get a small cut for referring you to Woot, (and they say helps pay for further development), but I figured it best to make this clear upfront so no one feels jolted.

(In my experience with it, the external site redirects to Woot so quickly, you probably won’t even notice.)

Overall, I’m very pleased with Woot Check. It offers a streamlined, Holo-friendly Woot experience, alerts you to new deals with notifications (should you choose), and does it all for free.

Pros:

  • Holo-theming is consistent with Android design guidelines
  • Customizable notifications
  • Free-to-use

Cons:

  • Redirects to an external site before going to Woot.com
  • Comments option opens up a browser window
  • Can’t purchase from within Woot Check app
Woot Check is completely, absolutely free and works with all devices running Android 2.1 and above.

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Rogers Jelly Bean update for Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note arriving soon

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 02:17 AM PST

Users of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note under Rogers are no doubt itching to get their hands on an official Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update. Even though version 4.2 is already out, version 4.1 is still sought after by many, thanks to the sheer number of new features and performance enhancements that it brings to the table. So what’s the story on the Rogers Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note?

According to the official OS upgrade schedule posted on the Rogers Community Forums, Jelly Bean is set to arrive some time in “Late November” for the Galaxy S3. Meanwhile, Galaxy Note users have to wait until “Late December” for the chance to finally upgrade to Jelly Bean. In short, there’s going to be a wait of several more weeks for owners of both devices.

Those who don’t want to wait that long can resort to performing unofficial upgrades on their own. But as the saying goes, nothing beats the real thing. If you own either of these phones, your only hope now is for Rogers to fix the release dates, which are still subject to change, to be much closer to the present.

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Nexus 4 design flaws revealed by internal shot, battery might be easily replaceable after all

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 02:15 AM PST

Credit: @nerdtalker, Anandtech

LG and Google's Nexus 4 is all everyone's talking about lately, but, with so many great things going for it, it was only a matter of time until people started finding the 4.7-incher some faults. After all, you can't make a quad-core super-phone with Android 4.2 on board available for $300 and not sacrifice something, right?

But while we already knew about the lack of 4G LTE speeds, microSD support and the non-removable battery, one major concern that seems to only arise now refers to a possible mediocre build quality. The guys over at XDA Developers analyzed an internal shot of the Nexus 4 and found that design flaws overwhelm the strong points.

Though it is obviously far too early to give out any build quality verdict – with the phone still not being up for grabs – the observations seem to be mostly valid, so let's dig in.

Out of the four design minuses noticed by XDA, the biggest cause for concern is probably the "lack of impact zones", meaning that the Nexus 4, as it is built, might be more fragile than the average smartphone.

It's definitely not recommended to drop your mobile device (that is, if you don't have Darcy LaCouvee's bizarre hobbies), but if the Nexus 4 does happen to slip your hands, impacts might alter the "physical structure of the board, causing components to come loose". Oh, well, you can always protect the phone with a case, right?

Credit: @nerdtalker, Anandtech

Another design flaw that XDA found is the using of spring antenna connections, which can easily cause signal losses on the long haul. This is an issue that won't be noticeable firsthand, but that might plague Nexus 4 users once the phone will age or after an unfortunate drop or impact due to warping of back plates and loss of tensions between them and the board.

The using of tape instead of structure and shielding might be another thing to make the Nexus 4's internals look a bit cheap, being messy and leaving residue on components. This is definitely another reason for concern on the long run, especially if the tape comes off.

The fourth and last design minus noticed by XDA is one we already knew about – the non-removable battery. The phone's robustness can definitely be affected if you try to change the battery, but hey, that is to be expected. After all, Google and LG don't want you to take it off, so why would they make it easy for you?

Then again, as one Reddit user found, the Nexus 4's battery might not be impossible to replace after all, requiring the simple use of a screwdriver and some basic handy work. Of course, the fragility issue stands, not to mention that it'll be very difficult to find a spare battery for the phone.

Still, it is nice to hear that, come an emergency situation when, say, your battery is fried and your warranty void, you might just be able to do something to save the day. Happy to hear that? How about the supposed design flaws found by XDA, are they really reason for concern? Do you think that LG will do something about those before the Nexus 4 will see the light of day?

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The Nexus business model and why retail stores will never be able to compete

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 02:05 AM PST

Google unveiled a couple of new Nexus devices last week. Are they any good? I honestly can’t say since I haven’t played with them, but on paper they sound amazing. Take the Nexus 4 for example: 1280 x 768 resolution screen, quad core 1.5 GHz processor, 2 GB of RAM, 8 megapixel camera … it’s a total beast. How then is Google selling the 16 GB model for just $349? Easy, Google isn’t making any money on the hardware. In case you haven’t noticed by now, Google is an advertising company. During the third quarter of 2012, 94% of their revenue came from ads. In other words, Google’s in the business of showing you little blue links for Viagra. They make compelling services that are addictive and charge nothing for them because at the end of the day it’s the ads that are displayed within those services that make the company money.

This isn’t a radically new idea. Businesses have always had “loss leaders”, otherwise known as goods or services that are sold at break even or even worse just to make money on the customer some other way. Bars give people peanuts and pretzels because it makes them thirstier, so they buy more drinks. Same idea at restaurants. They hardly make anything selling you dinner, but they’ll recommend that you and your date enjoy a bottle of wine with your meal that has a 500% markup. And we all know about electronics stores that use high pressure scare tactics to make you buy an insurance policy for your new gadget, because that’s a huge profit center for them.

Talking about electronics stores, the Spanish retailer Phone House has recently said that they’re not going to sell the Nexus 4 because LG wants them to price it at 599 EUR. Meanwhile, Google is selling the Nexus 4 in Spain for 350 EUR online. How is this possible? It’s obvious, and I hate that I have to point this out, but here it goes: Phone House has to lease stores. They have to pay people to remodel those stores. They have to pay people to work in those stores. They need to hire a team of people to meticulously manage the inventory. I could go on, but I’ll stop.

Google meanwhile will gladly sell you a Nexus 4 for 350 EUR because they don’t have any overhead. I can’t confirm this, but I’m pretty sure that whenever someone orders a Nexus 4 from Google’s website, it leaves a warehouse in South Korea and goes to wherever it needs to go.

Why is Nexus hardware so cheap? Because providing a compelling retail experience is so damn expensive. And if you’re in the business of retail, you make money only once, when you sell things. Why do you think stores hate it so much when you touch and play with a product on their shelves and then go home and buy said product off Amazon?

The Nexus business model is, like Google, extremely disruptive. It’s bound to piss people off, but that’s progress for you. Will Samsung ever copy the Nexus business model? Of course not. All those Galaxy ads that you see plastered across cities around the world cost money. The Galaxy S3 at 500 EUR incorporates those additional costs. Do you honestly think Google is going to spend anywhere near the amount of money Samsung spends on advertising the new Nexus devices? No.

The sad reality is that most people honestly couldn’t care less about any of these issues. The Nexus 4 provides the best Android experience on the fact of the planet, but people buy whatever their local store tells them is the best. Why do people go to stores? Because they want someone to make a decision for them and they want somewhere to go in case they need help with something.

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Oppo Finder gets official Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean upgrade, sort of

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 01:47 AM PST

oppo finder jelly bean update

What was once “the world’s thinnest smartphone” is now one of the world’s thinnest smartphones with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean.

The Oppo Finder from Oppo Mobile, which was first announced in China and made available for pre-order back in June of this year, comes with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display, an 8MP camera, a 1.5GHz processor, and 1GB of RAM inside a casing that measures only 6.65mm thick. Oppo Mobile has just released a “preview” version of the Jelly Bean update, which gives the Finder improvements in overall performance, as well as a number of nifty new features.

The new software is not without problems, however. Apparently, it’s only a demo version of what is supposed to be the finished product, and it brings with it a number of issues that have yet to be fixed. These include problems with crashing apps and a few wireless connectivity concerns.

Among the numerous bugs is also the lack of OTA software upgrade support. So the whole upgrade procedure needs to be done manually. It isn’t for everyone. Except, of course, those who are truly eager to poke around at Jelly Bean now, and will know exactly what to do with a zipped version of the software upgrade, which is already available for download.

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Telus: Our 4G LTE network covers 61% of the Canadian population

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 01:28 AM PST

Telus has some good news to share for folks who need a blazing fast mobile Internet connection in their lives, the kind that only LTE can provide.

Although it wasn't the first to offer 4G LTE wireless service, the carrier has been aggressively expanding its LTE network coverage in the country. The latest expansions see Telus' 4G LTE network covering 61% of the Canadian population. That’s roughly 20 million happy Canadians.

For Telus subscribers who live in Kanata, Nepean, Orleans, and Cumberland – you'll be glad to hear that the LTE service has gone live in those cities. But the expansion won't stop across the Ottawa region, as "more than 65 percent of Ontario residents are expected to have access" to the high-speed wireless Internet access by the end of the year.

The 4G LTE switch has also been turned on in Newmarket and Aurora. If you own any of the latest 4G devices on Telus, such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, the HTC One X, the Samsung Rugby LTE, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE – you should be seeing those LTE signal bars on the device when you're in the neighborhood.

Did you get 4G LTE yet in your area?

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Android 4.2 Transformation Pack brings even more exciting new features to the Galaxy Nexus

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 01:09 AM PST

With the release of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean just days away, there doesn't seem to be much to do other than wait and get the new tasty treats… when we'll get them. However, if you are dying to try out some of the new JB features beforehand, a number of independent devs are working around the clock to make them available.

Gnufabio made the first step in porting the 4.2 keyboard and clock to 4.0 and 4.1 devices, garner took things up a notch by making the new camera app available, although only for the Galaxy Nexus, and now we have a much more complete goodies pack, again just for the GNex.

Tommrazek01, an XDA Developer Forum senior member, is the brilliant mind behind the Android 4.2 Transformation Pack, which brings the following upgrades and new functions to all Galaxy Nexuses, regardless of their on-board ROM:

  • Camera with PhotoSphere
  • Gallery
  • Stopwatch/Clock
  • Nexus 4 Sounds
  • App Install (Phonesky.apk)
  • Launcher With Wallpapers
  • Gmail
  • Google Ears
  • Nexus 4 Lockscreen
  • Android 4.2 Google Now and Play store

It's hard to not get excited after browsing that list of goodies, but before getting carried away try to remember that flashing this mod comes with all the usual risks, including the possibility of bricking your device (unlikely) and voiding your warranty (guaranteed).

Of course, if you're already running a custom ROM on your Galaxy Nexus, you shouldn't worry about your warranty anymore, so you might as well go ahead and give this a quick try. Or you can wait it out for a week or two and get the official "Transformation Pack", including not only these tasty treats, but a whole bunch of others, too. Your choice.

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Samsung to completely overhaul their brand, show off their new identity at CES

Posted: 05 Nov 2012 12:33 AM PST

According to the Australian website Channel News, Samsung is in the process of overhauling their brand. The familiar Samsung logo written in blue (or white) letters will soon disappear. What’s going to replace it? We’ll find out at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, which is set to kick off on January 8th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Scott Bedbury, who used to be in charge of Nike’s advertising, is said to be the father of Samsung’s new identity. Sources who have spoken with Channel News say that the South Korean handset maker’s advertising will soon focus less on devices and more on people’s lifestyles. They also say that Samsung employees who need more business cards printed have been denied their requests because the new logo is so close to launching.

Is it wise for the company to do be doing this right now? Android powered three out of every four smartphones that shipped last quarter. The company that’s most closely linked to the success of Android is of course Samsung. They’re on top of the world, so everyone is paying attention to them. This is the perfect time to reboot people’s perceptions.

We do have some questions though: Will Samsung be launching new smartphones and tablets at CES or will they just unveil their new logo? Will they stop diluting the “Galaxy” brand? Will the company’s TouchWiz user interface be tweaked to better support the company’s new image or is it going to continue being “nature” inspired?

In time we’ll get all the answers we need, obviously. Right now we’re just excited to be hearing that we’re soon going to see something new and exciting. Walk down any street in any major city and chances are you’ll bump into a Samsung ad. To have a former Nike guy in charge of those ads going forward sounds highly promising.

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Upcoming Boost Mobile ad claims to allow activation of Sprint phones

Posted: 04 Nov 2012 10:00 PM PST

Boost Mobile Changing carriers but keeping your device with CDMA devices can be troublesome. On GSM, it’s relatively easy and requires only that you get your unlock code. Then pop in a SIM card and you’re done. With CDMA, it requires reprogramming the phone. Not all ways of doing so are legal either. Boost Mobile may be helping Sprint customers with that sometime in the near future.

XDA-Developers Member jewfish posted a teaser thread about Boost Mobile and a possible future promotion. It would allow Sprint customers to flash their phones to Boost Mobile’s service, which Boost would help with. This would allow those interested to switch their phones to Boost or buy a Sprint phone and have it activated on Boost.

Upon request, jewfish provided me with a photo of the future promotion. The one above has seen some Photoshop action, but the unaltered one can be found here. There are some troubling things about the photo, though. For instance, one would think that Boost Mobile would want to put the more capable Sprint phones in the picture. Phones such as the HTC EVO 3D, Samsung Epic 4G Touch, or other WiMAX enabled devices that would work well on Boost’s WiMAX 4G network.

If true, what are the benefits of Boost Mobile’s promotion?

The important thing is the legality and the price. There are a variety of methods out there to switch CDMA devices to other carriers. Some of them are perfectly legal and okay. Others, however, are not legal. Not every guide tells you which is which. With this promotion you can be sure you’re not going to get in trouble for doing something wrong.

Additionally, the services out there that will do it for you would go extinct. These methods are usually completely legal, but can run anywhere from $25-$50 to flash your phone to Boost Mobile.

This is only a rumor right now, so of course there is the usual amount of skepticism. However, if it does pan out, things could get a lot more exciting for Boost Mobile customers who want Sprint phones or Sprint customers who want a change. Do you think this will actually happen? Let us know in the comments.

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Researchers unveil Android’s vulnerability to ‘SMSishing’

Posted: 04 Nov 2012 04:32 PM PST

Mobile security researches at NC State University have revealed a new vulnerability in the popular Android platform, including Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean, that makes these Android versions susceptible to SMSishing – or the act of phishing through SMS messages.

Google has confirmed this vulnerability and plans to address it in the future releases of Android.

Xuxian Jiang’s research team at NC State uncovered that if an infected app is downloaded by an Android user, the attacking program can camouflage itself  by making it “appear that the user has received an SMS, or text, message from someone on the phone's contact list or from trusted banks”.  This fake message can make users give away their personal information including passwords for user accounts.

The team is still waiting for an official fix from Google to be out before it publishes the details of the vulnerability. In the mean time, Android users are urged to pay close attention to the apps they download and the SMS messages they receive, especially from unknown sources.

So, all you ethical hackers and geeks out there, are you listening? This seems like a potential opportunity to show some of your talents and fix this up for the vast amount of Android users that can be affected by this. It is time to earn some good Kharma by burning some midnight oil! So get set and go and save the world! Also, don’t forget to spread the word – tell us if you have received anything like this!

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Google Android News Android Forums

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DIY: Custom comic book case for Samsung Galaxy S III

Posted: 04 Nov 2012 11:54 AM PST

Is that boring solid-color or ubiquitously-designed plastic case just not cutting it anymore? Well, perhaps it’s time to recycle and outfit it with a custom comic book theme.

This do it yourself project stems from the same style of paper mache-like tactics you used in elementary art class. The process is fairly straightforward. Simply cut out your desired pieces of reading material and attach them to your case via Mod Podge application finish. After it sets, just apply some matte or glossy sealer (hair spray works) and, when dry, the end product is a beautiful super-hero themed case not like anything you’d find at an accessory retailer.

For an in-depth guide explaining how to DIY or to order your own customized case, hit the source links below.

Via: Phandroid
Source: Etsy



Carphone Warehouse reveals Galaxy S III Mini pricing, starts at £25 monthly

Posted: 04 Nov 2012 10:39 AM PST

Samsung recently announced a little brother to its flagship phone, the Galaxy S3 Mini. Retailers have offered bits and pieces of information about pricing and availability on the bite-sized handset, and now Carphone Warehouse is following suit. Similar to other retailers, Carphone Warehouse will be offering the device SIM-free for under £300, or about $480.96. They will also offer on-contract pricing starting at £25 per month, or about $40, with the device free.

It’s not an expensive device, but it’s going to face some stiff competition from Google’s Nexus 4 and its $299 price tag. I think its best market will be consumers who want a capable device, but don’t want the huge screens that are on nearly every flagship phone available, and appreciate an SD card slot and removable battery. Anyone going to be picking one of these up? Let us know in the comments. Hit the break for full press release.

Samsung Galaxy S III Mini Price Revealed

LONDON, November 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

When the Samsung Galaxy S III hit the market a few months ago, the smartphone world was buzzing, with many rushing out to get their hands on one of the most feature-packed mobile devices to date. Then, not long ago, rumours began to emerge about a smaller, mini version of the S III, the Samsung Galaxy S III Mini. It was finally made official and, yeah, it’s smaller, but still packs many of the features that made its bigger brother the must-have phone of the summer.

Smart stay was a feature that many were intrigued with; stare at the screen, and the S III Mini will recognise your face, keeping the screen bright until you look away. The trick is pulled off thanks to some clever software that’s coupled with the front facing camera. It actually recognises your eyes and tracks them, enabling it to determine when you’re reading, and when you’re done. It should help you save more battery life, and get rid of some frustration from early-dimming displays.

There’s also the now famous Popup play feature, a perfect example of the easy and efficient multitasking abilities of modern smartphones. This feature lets you open a stored video into a popup window. This video is always on top, appearing above everything else on the screen. You can move it around so it’s not in the way, and it’s really cool for searching the web or messaging without having to miss your favourite show. The 4″ screen of the Samsung Galaxy S III Mini, while smaller than the larger S III, still offers plenty of room. We’ll get onto the advantages of the smaller screen a little later.

The Samsung Galaxy S III Mini also has built-in voice control, which Samsung calls S Voice. This lets you launch apps, make calendar reminders, search the internet, turn on and off features and more, all with just your voice.

Of course, the S III Mini isn’t just a downsized S III – it actually offers a few things the larger phone doesn’t. For one, there’s that smaller screen. While the current trend in smartphones has been to increase the size, an extreme example being the mammoth Samsung Galaxy Note II with its 5.5″ display, smaller displays are easier to use, especially with one hand, and mean the phone can be built to a smaller size, meaning it’s easier to carry around. It also helps with battery life – the main draw on a smartphone’s battery is still the screen, so a smaller touchscreen means less power needs to be used to light it up.

There’s also the small matter of the S III Mini’s software. It comes in the box with a newer operating system, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. This is smoother, faster and includes new features like offline voice typing and an improved Google Search feature. There’s also blocking mode, a feature that lets you limit what your phone notifies you about. This can be texts, phone calls or reminders. You’re free to turn it on and off manually, via a timer, and set up exceptions, so for example your best friend can ring you while you’re out, but no sales calls will get through.

Finally, there’s the price. High street and online retailer Carphone Warehouse is offering the Samsung Galaxy S III Mini for as little as £25 a month, with the handset yours for free. Upgrades are given at the same rate, and SIM free you can pick the S III Mini up for under £300, making it a more economical option than the full sized S III.

Notes to Editors

• Carphone Warehouse is the largest independent mobile phone retailer in the UK, with over 800 stores nationwide

• Discover how to get more from your gadgets with eye openers from Carphone Warehouse. Eye openers is a YouTube channel which features videos of Carphone Warehouse team members sharing useful hints and tips on everything from laptops to Sat Navs to the latest mobile phones. With new videos being added each month, users can search through hundreds of videos athttp://www.youtube.com/user/eyeopeners.

About Carphone Warehouse and Geek Squad

In 2006 Best Buy established a partnership with Carphone Warehouse to bring its business model and mobile phone expertise to the US market under the banner ‘Best Buy Mobile’. Two years later, Best Buy acquired 50% of The Carphone Warehouse’s European and US retail interests for £1.1billion, creating Best Buy Europe.  The joint venture now encompasses the following retail and technical support brands: Carphone Warehouse, The Phone House and Geek Squad.



LG Rumored To Sell Nexus 4 At A Significantly Higher Cost Than What Is Found In The Play Store

Posted: 04 Nov 2012 06:18 AM PST

 

While it’s exciting that Google is selling the Nexus 4 through its Play Store for as little as $299 here in the US and parts of Europe, it looks like those in other parts of the world may not be so lucky to grab the device for such a low price. According to Androidos, there are reports coming in from Europe indicating that LG will be selling the Nexus 4 directly for as much as €599 or $768 USD in countries like Italy. Additional reports indicate similar pricing for other markets including Spain and India, which will likely see the device priced at INR 34K or 35K (roughly $650 USD). The increased pricing is beginning to have a major negative effect as well: LG’s supposed pricing structure seems to have a ripple effect as several retailers such as Phone House will not sell the phone due to the high pricing, which potentially means less availability for many Android fans abroad.

There’s no official word yet from LG and/or Google regarding this, but as soon as we grab further details, we’ll be sure to share it with you all.

source: Androidos



Nexus 4 battery confirmed to be easily replaceable

Posted: 03 Nov 2012 09:58 PM PDT

When Google unveiled the LG-produced Nexus 4, some potential customers were frustrated by the lack of a removable battery. This may be bothersome for those who rely on extra batteries to get through the day, but those worried about replacing broken, defective or burnt-out batteries should no longer do so.

As it turns out, this may not be as big of an issue as some have anticipated. While we previously got a good look at the underlying internals of the device, new information suggests the 2,100mAh battery is just a couple of screws away, meaning that swapping out a new battery won’t require you to completely tear apart your device. This should help quell fears of those who are worried about burning out your phone’s fuel cell. Catch an additional image after the break.

Via: Reddit
Source:  Twitter



Verizon pledges $1.2 million to aid Hurricane Sandy victims

Posted: 03 Nov 2012 06:39 PM PDT

Yesterday Verizon announced that their philanthropic arm, the Verizon Foundation, is pledging $1.2 million to aid victims of Hurricane Sandy. The contribution is split into two parts. The first is a matching pledge by the Verizon Foundation for the first $1 million donated by Verizon customers who contribute through the Text to Donate program. The Text to Donate program enables customers to make a donation to the American Red Cross by sending a text reading REDCROSS to 90999. Doing so will trigger a $10 donation to be included on the customer’s next bill or withdrawal from a prepaid customer’s balance. Verizon indicates they are waiving any fees to ensure 100% of donations reach the American Red Cross. Customers can elect to contribute up to $50 via texting.

The second part of the pledge will involve direct contributions amounting to $200,000 to nonprofit agencies in New York and New Jersey that are assisting with relief efforts. In addition to the pledges indicated, the Verizon Foundation also indicates they are providing a 2-to-1 match of employee online donations to the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Along with the matching grants, Verizon has set up mobile charging stations in affected areas to help those still without power recharge devices so they can maintain communication with others.

Verizon Foundation Pledges $1.2 Million to Provide Relief to Hurricane Sandy Victims

Foundation to Match Customer Text Donations up to $1 Million to the American Red Cross; Will Also Donate Additional $200,000 for New Jersey and New York Relief

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Nov. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The Verizon Foundation will match $1 millionbeing raised by customers through the Verizon Text to Donate program to the American Red Cross to help provide immediate relief to those impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Verizon Wireless customers can make a $10 donation by texting REDCROSS to 90999. To provide additional relief, the Verizon Foundation is also donating $200,000 to nonprofit agencies in New Jersey and New York that are assisting with local efforts. In addition, the foundation is providing a 2-to-1 match of employee online donations to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

“Our hearts go to those impacted by this disaster, and we are leveraging our resources to help mend communities,” said Rose Stuckey Kirk, president of the Verizon Foundation. “From our employees who are working round-the-clock to reconnect our customers, to our support of national and local relief agencies, we are committed to supporting our communities, especially in times of crisis.”

Text messaging fees will be waived, and 100 percent of each donation goes directly to the American Red Cross. Verizon Wireless customers who pay monthly bills will see their donations on the next regular monthly bill. For customers using the company’s prepaid services, donations will be taken from customers’ prepaid balances.

Additional Help and Support From Verizon

Charge Your Devices: To support those in areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy, Verizon Wireless has also set up multiple mobile device charging stations to assist those still without power.
Wireless Service: For more information on Verizon Wireless efforts related to Hurricane Sandy, visit the Emergency Information Center.

Report a Problem: Customers can contact Verizon online at www.verizon.com/outage to report any wireline service-related issues; or call 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966). Please note that hold times will be longer than normal due to higher calling volumes.

Enterprise Updates: Regular news updates from Verizon Enterprise Solutions are located atwww.verizonbusiness.com/info/hurricane.

The Verizon Foundation is focused on accelerating social change by using the company’s innovative technology to help solve pressing problems in education, health care and energy management. Since 2000, the Verizon Foundation has invested more than half a billion dollars to improve the communities where Verizon employees work and live. Verizon’s employees are generous with their donations and their time, having logged more than 6.2 million hours of service to make a positive difference in their communities. For more information about Verizon’s philanthropic work, visit www.verizonfoundation.org ; or for regular updates, visit the Foundation on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/verizonfoundation ) and Twitter ( www.twitter.com/verizongiving ).

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with nearly 96 million retail customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 184,500. For more information, visit www.verizon.com .

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Android 4.2 clock and keyboard apps available for flashing

Posted: 03 Nov 2012 06:21 PM PDT

Earlier this week, after Google announced Android 4.2, an update to Jelly Bean, some sources managed to obtain standalone apk files for the 4.2 keyboard. The keyboard from 4.2 is sought after due to the inclusion of “Gesture Typing,” which allows users to glide their finger over the keyboard in a Swype-like fashion. Google asked sources to take down links to the apk files as the software was not yet ready for versions other than 4.2.

That has not stopped work by others to extract the code from Android 4.2 and package the keyboard app for use on non-4.2 devices. Those efforts have resulted in files for the keyboard app that will run on 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or better devices and the 4.2 clock app that will run on 4.1 Jelly Bean devices.

To install, you need a rooted device with a custom recovery installed. Use the source link to access the files needed. Needless, to say, installation carries the usual caveats regarding the flashing of software onto your device. The apps are experimental and device compatibility is still sketchy at this point.

source: Droid Life



Apple posts new statement about Samsung case after court rebuke

Posted: 03 Nov 2012 05:43 PM PDT

 

After a rather stinging development this week when the UK court of appeals chastised Apple for their recent attempt to post a court-ordered statement on their web site concerning one of their many lawsuits with Samsung, Apple has posted a new statement on their UK web site. Apple was required to post a statement indicating Samsung did not copy the iPad when producing the Galaxy line of tablet devices. Apple does not exactly say that, but they do state that Samsung does not infringe on a specific Apple registered design. The new statement probably meets the legal requirements of the UK court.

Apple managed to get a new statement on their homepage that meets the court’s font size mandate within the time frame mandated by the court. Despite protesting that it would take two weeks to do so, Apple managed to achieve this coding feat within the 48 hours set forth by the court. It is not clear whether Apple’s attorneys realized they were representing a client that is a huge technology firm and might possibly have the resources to update a web page. Another alternative is that someone in Apple woke up to the fact that the required posting time frame will now result in the statement being on the web site well into the holiday shopping season and perhaps it would be best to just get things over with as quickly as possible. Apple appears to have taken care to not include any sneaky commentary regarding the court’s ruling in relation to results from other courts. If there is anything positive for Apple in this particular incident it is that the court allowed them to put the statement in the footer of the homepage instead of front and center.

After the original court of appeals ruling upholding the judgment in Samsung’s favor, there was a possibility of an Apple appeal. Given their attempts to comply with the court’s order to publish a statement on their web site and take out print ads, it appears Apple is conceding this skirmish. If the courts are satisfied with this latest attempt, then this lawsuit should be completely resolved by December 14th.

source: Apple UK