Thursday, November 8, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority


Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgrade now rolling out to Galaxy Note 10.1 in Germany

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 02:49 AM PST

The Galaxy S3's bumpy and sluggish Jelly Bean upgrade is more or less done and dusted, so it's only natural to expect Sammy to move on to the next device that needs Android 4.1.

Surprisingly (or not), this is neither the Galaxy Note phablet, nor the GS2, but the Galaxy Note 10.1, the fresh, but only mildly successful S-Pen supporting 10-inch tablet. According to several reports around the web, the JB update has already begun in Germany, being expected to spread all across Europe over the next few weeks.

Carrying the N8000XXBLJ9 build number, the software package weighs in at around 300 MB and is available as an OTA (over-the-air) upgrade. That means that, if you live in Germany, you should get an automatic prompt message soon encouraging you to download and install the update.

If that doesn't happen, what you want to do is ensure you have a solid network connection, boot your tab a couple of times, and then manually check for the update by diving in your Settings menu. If that doesn't help either, it can't hurt to have a little more patience, as we know very well how these upgrades can be fractionate and slow.

An alternative option would be to grab the firmware from this SamMobile link, but if you think it'll work for tabs outside Germany, you've got another thing coming.

Of course, we don't know much about the update's changelog just yet, but we have a few screenshots from German website AllAboutSamsung, which show a bunch of cosmetic changes and some new pop-up apps. A number of performance and speed bumps are to be expected, as well as the adding of the uber-cool Google Now with Voice Search.

Now all there is to know is what countries are next in line after Germany and when will the JB upgrade start for the GS2 and GNote. We want answers, Samsung, and we want them yesterday!

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Nook users get Rdio’s 18 million tunes catalog, music discovery as a bonus

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 02:36 AM PST

Owners of B&N’s Nook tablets (both HD and HD+) now have the choice to listen to more than 18 million songs made available by Rdio, a multi-platform ad-free music service provider. Nook users can now enjoy music as they read their favorite books, using the Rdio app available in the  Barnes & Noble application store. The app is also available for Android users through the Google Play store.

Apart from listening to your favorite songs, Rdio lets you to see what your friends are listening to and follow them. In addition, Rdio now features a music discovery service powered by Echo Nest. The service allows users to discover new tunes that match their preferences, simply by visiting an artist's page. By targeting Nook users, Rdio wants to increase its penetration in the highly competitive music streaming industry. The Internet radio service is currently available across multiple locales, including Australia, New Zealand, North America, parts of Europe, and Brazil.

The company is being tight lipped about exactly what Echo Nest-powered features it will introduce in the future, but it promised there is more to come. Did you check out Rdio on your Nooks, or other Android devices yet?

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More OUYA development kits are now up for pre-order at $800, will ship in January 2013

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 02:15 AM PST

It was only last week when we got an update on OUYA's development, ensuring us that the console is still on track for a March 2013 release, and now we have exciting news again. More development kits are up for pre-order on OUYA's website, being expected to ship as soon as January 2013.

More, because the first such kits should go out starting this December to early and generous pledgers of the Kickstarter project. Now for the bad news. The dev kits up for grabs now go for $800 a pop, which might seem like a lot for regular tech enthusiasts.

Then again, regular people should not think about ordering these, as they are only targeted at game developers wanting to make their work available on the Android console as soon as possible.

The package also includes an OUYA console, two controllers and the exclusive ODK (the actual software developer kit), so after all it doesn't seem like a bad deal. Not to mention that you get the OUYA a lot earlier than other folks, and that honor should cost a couple of extra bucks, right?

No words on how many development kits OUYA has "on stock", but we're guessing not a truckload, so if there's any game dev out there that's hesitated to back up the project earlier, now's the time to cough up the money.

As for us day-to-day gamers, we have nothing to worry about on the pricing front, with OUYA still scheduled to cost a measly $109, one controller, USA shipping and Jelly Bean butter included. Tasty or what?

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Sears Black Friday deals leaked: get the Galaxy Tab 2 7″ at $177.99

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 01:29 AM PST

Every year, Black Friday brings some pretty amazing deals in the tech department. We are glad to report that Android tablets and phones are certainly not left out this year. Yesterday, Sears' Black Friday deals were leaked, and posted online for all to see. Aside from all the nice tools and ladies’ dresses, Android tablets are getting quite the sale.

Going from the deal on page 14, an Android tablet is included in the "door buster" deals. The tablet is an off-brand device called the X-treme Tab 7, and as you can guess, it is a 7-inch device that supposedly runs Android 4.0 and includes 2GB of built in memory and WiFi support. If those specs sounds awesome to you, you can pick one on Thanksgiving night at Sears for just $40.

The deals on page 29 include three more off-brand tablets that range from $70, for a 7-inch tablet, to $120, for a 10-incher. That page also includes a pre-paid Net10 phone on sale for $49 with no contract.

Now if you are looking for a little more familiar brand, Sears has got you covered. They are offering the 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 with Android 4.0, dual camera, and more, all for only $177—that certainly beats Google Nexus 7 in price. If you would prefer a 10-inch device instead, Sears is selling the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 for $297.

Sadly, tablets are your best deals when it comes to Sears, but the Black Friday leaked prices are just getting started. Who else is excited to see what Amazon, BestBuy, Wal-Mart, and Target has coming our way?

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T-Mobile’s Q3 2012 financial results are miserable, but they’re still expanding their iPhone friendly 4G network

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 01:21 AM PST

T-Mobile has issued two important pieces of news in the span of 24 hours. The first, and arguably the less important of the two, is that iPhone owners in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Maryland; and Houston, Texas will now have access to high speed internet. T-Mobile’s network, for the longest time, used the AWS band (1700/2100 MHz) for 3G, but recently they’ve started turning on 3G in the 1900 MHz band. That’s one of the two bands that AT&T uses for their 3G, so technically an AT&T iPhone user can migrate to T-Mobile and still have high speed data on their smartphone. Mind you, this writer classifies 42 Mbps HSPA+ as a “4G” technology, so that means T-Mobile’s network does provide 4G connectivity, though obviously not everywhere.

The other major announcement is of course T-Mobile Q3 2012 financial results. Here are the numbers: 492,000 postpaid customers left the network. ARPU, an acronym for the average revenue per user, fell 7.4% compared to Q3 2011 to just $42.78. And finally, profits are down over 15%.

Does T-Mobile stand a chance? That’s hard to say. They’re supposedly going to launch LTE next year, and they’re going to pour roughly $4 billion into their network to make it better, but history has shown that once you start falling in this business, it’s damn near impossible to get back up. You have to remember, Sprint is going to get a huge injection of cash from the Japanese operator SoftBank, so that’s going to make them even more competitive. And let’s not forget about the big boys. By the end of next year, Verizon’s 4G LTE network will cover pretty much every American in the contiguous United States.

We’d like to remind you that our favorite option, if you’re OK with dealing with HSPA+, is Straight Talk. For $45 per month you get unlimited everything and access to AT&T’s network. You really can’t beat that price.

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Angry Birds Star Wars now available in Google Play Store for free

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 01:20 AM PST

Forget elections, forget Guy Fawkes, forget Black Friday. The most anticipated day this month is today, November 8th, the day that Angry Birds Star Wars was released. Since early October the game designers over at Rovio have been teasing us with sneak previews, featuring the Luke and Leia Angry Birds characters, and by posting videos and images. But now, the wait is over Angry Birds Star Wars is now available in Google Play Store for free.

This Star Wars crossover game is a stroke of genius. It is Angry Birds and yet it is Star Wars. It is Star Wars and yet it is Angry Birds. Brilliant! Once you start the game you are welcomed by a rousing rendition of the Star Wars theme after the seeing the mandatory “A long  time ago in a galaxy far, far away….”

The game has 80 levels set on loads of worlds including Tattooine, Pig Star (Death Star), Hoth (which is a free update that is coming soon), a world called “Path of the Jedi” and a Bonus location.

In this Angry Birds variation, the Birds play the Rebels as they fight against the evil Imperial Pigs. During the game you will use the Force, get out your Lightsaber and do a lot of blasting! If  you can guide the Birds as far as the Pig Star then you will meet the terrifying Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Pigs!

“We can’t wait for fans around the world to experience the fun of launching the Angry Birds characters into the Star Wars universe,” said Colum Slevin, Vice President, Head of Studio Operations for Lucasfilm Ltd. “This is the kind of creative partnership that has helped Star Wars remain vibrant and beloved for over 35 years.”

I have only played a few levels so far as I wanted to get on an tell you guys about the release, but so far I am impressed! The graphics are excellent, the game play is is smooth and the Star Wars crossover excellently executed. It is comic, fun and challenging all at the same time.

Why are you still reading this? Get over to the play store and download it, it is free! Once you have played it a bit, please leave a comment below to let others know what you think about it!

 

 

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Qualcomm Q4 and FY 2012 financial results: Record numbers, but growth is slowing in the west

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 12:16 AM PST

Qualcomm has just published their Q4 and full year 2012 financial results. In case you’re wondering how that works, they operate on a fiscal calendar, not the actual calendar. Back to the numbers, they’re absolutely mind bending: Q4 revenues were up 18% year on year; full year 2012 revenues were up 28% year on year. MSM volumes, meaning the Snapdragon chips that have an integrated SoC and cellular component, hit 141 million in Q4, up 11% year on year. For the full year that number is even higher, at a whopping 22%. All this despite the problems Qualcomm faced during the summer due to TSMC’s inability to meet demand for 28 nanometer parts.

Not all is rosy however. Shipments of 3G and 4G devices to developed markets, meaning Japan, North America, and Europe, are up just 4% year over year. It makes sense when you think about it. What does nearly everyone in the developed world have in common? Chances are they likely own a smartphone. Qualcomm’s Chief Financial Officer, William Keitel, told Retuers:

“Despite a somewhat lackluster world economy and despite very intense competition, we’re pretty optimistic on our financial outlook for 2013.”

Cheery words indeed, but the company is forecasting revenue growth for fiscal 2013 to be anywhere between 20% to 26%, which is obviously lower than the 28% that they just reported.

Taking a step back, why is Qualcomm where they are today? Because they had the foresight to develop the Snapdragon platform. Companies used to have to buy several components from multiple vendors and then spend time integrating and testing said parts. Qualcomm basically slapped all those bits and bobs into one product that their customers, the handset makers, could use to get a phone out to market in almost no time.

Who’s Qualcomm’s competition? Samsung, who makes their own system on chip platform known as Exynos. That and there’s Intel. Today they might not be a big player, but just wait a few years.

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Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour details about new weapons, maps, and perks released by GameLoft

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

modern combat 4
It can be said without a doubt that Android games have gotten a lot better. Back in the day, Android devices had classics like poker and Tetris. Now, there are full featured games that are getting closer to being comparable to console games. The newest game in the very popular FPS series Modern Combat will be released soon. Called Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour, it promises to be the best Modern Combat yet.

GameLoft has decided to sweeten the pot about their upcoming release by releasing some new details about the game. On their official website, the Modern Combat folks have posted about Modern Combat 4.

Some of it is pretty exciting. The Modern Combat 4 blog talks about all the level 40 perks now being accessible to see in the specialization section. There are now sticky grenades, new guns, and new maps to have fun with. The new level 40 perks include Intervention, Stealth, Front Line, and Support. Each one gives an XP bonus when the right action is done. If that isn’t enough, they have also added turrets, ground and air drones, and stealth bombers to their Support features.

These new features are awesome, when will Modern Combat 4 be released?

GameLoft has stated that the game will be released any day now. Of course, those reports came out a month ago. So while everyone waits for the release date, it’ll be fun seeing what new features they plan on adding between now and then. Is anyone excited about the release?

 

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New Sony C6603 Yuga photos leak, it’s an all glass 5 inch 1080p superphone

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:19 PM PST

We’ve been writing about the Sony Yuga for what feels like months. It’s allegedly going to be the Japanese smartphone maker’s flagship device for 2013. It’ll have a quad core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, just like the Nexus 4, 2 GB of RAM, again, just like the Nexus 4, and a 12 megapixel camera. What makes it special is the display: 5 inches diagonal with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. So far we only know of one legitimate smartphone with that display, the HTC J Butterfly. That’s going to launch in Japan by the end of year, and we have a strong feeling that it’s going to be announced next week on Verizon Wireless as the Droid DNA.

Today’s “news”, if you even want to call it that, is that a Swiss website called Android-Schweiz has somehow managed to get several photos of the Yuga in the wild. First thing you’ll immediately notice about the phone is that it uses glass on both the front and the back of the device. The sleek design sadly comes at a cost, there’s no removable battery. The power button is also quite … interesting. It’s side mounted, like on a Samsung smartphone, but it’s gigantic and made out of a shiny plastic that looks incredibly tacky. Here’s hoping Sony decides to go with something a little bit more classy before they start producing retail units.

Now as for the questions you really care about: How much is the Yuga going to cost? We have no idea. When will you be able to buy it? Again, we have no idea. Chances are it’s going to be announced either at CES in January or MWC in February, and then it’ll land on store shelves in March or April. That’s typically what Sony does. And what version of Android is it going to run? These new photos say 4.1 Jelly Bean.

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DARPA wants to give future Soldiers Predator vision using Android phones

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PST

DARPA
Every now and then, someone comes up with an idea so absurd that it’s hard to tell whether it’s awesome or just fiction. The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, better known as DARPA, recently had one of those idea. For the concept, DARPA wants to give Soldiers on the battlefield unheard of vision and communication.

Here’s how it works. They want to combine their Pixel Network for Dynamic Visualization, otherwise known as PIXNET, with some cool Android gadgets to give Soldiers an advantage in sight on the battlefield.

According to Yahoo! Finance, the idea was to strap an Android phone on a Soldier’s arm. It would be used to process information from a high tech camera on the helmet. This information would then be fed into a military version of Google Glasses. The result would be near-Predator vision, to include HD vision, near-infrared, infrared, and other forms of sight.

That just sounds incredibly cool. Soldiers having the ability to see through smoke, the night time, and other potentially hazardous conditions would give them an edge on the battlefield. Not to mention it could save quite a few lives. Plus, who wouldn’t want to have the option to use a technology comparable to Predator?

So this “Predator Vision” project from DARPA just helps Soldiers see better?

While that is the coolest feature in this project, it isn’t the only feature. DARPA also plans to use this set up to connect Soldiers to one another while on the battlefield. An example that Yahoo! Finance gave was the ability for leaders to dial into a specific Solder’s equipment and see the battle in real time.

The combination of quick information sharing and Predator vision makes this one of DARPA’s most bold projects. There have been others like it, but they were both expensive and bulky. If this solution becomes viable, it’ll be an edge every military is going to want to have. Is this technology worth looking into? Let us know your thoughts.

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Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans


Sony Yuga pictured in the wild with 5-inch 1080p display and glass panel battery cover

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST

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The much rumored Sony Yuga and Odin have been a few devices shrouded in mystery. Rumored for a CES 2013 unveiling, we’ve seen the devices pop up in benchmarks and unlike Sony’s previous efforts, the Odin and Yuga are said to come decked to the nines with top of the line, high-end specs.

Up until now, we haven’t actually seen the device pictured in the wild (despite some fan’s attempts at recreating renders of the Odin). Thankfully, the folks at Android Schweiz have gotten their hands on a device they’re calling the Sony C6603, aka the “Yuga.”

Just like the Odin, the Yuga is said to carry a 1080p full HD 5-inch display along with a quad-core S4 processor, 2GB of RAM and 12MP camera, all running on Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. Yeah, Sony’s not messin’ around anymore. While the device doesn’t feature a removable battery, Sony was nice enough to include micro SD expansion and HDMI mirroring.

Looks-wise, this is a departure from what we’ve seen from Sony in the past. But maybe there’s a reason for that. I’ve long held this theory that when manufacturers submit their top of the line devices for Google’s Nexus program and are rejected, we see ‘em pop up later with OEM UI’s slapped on instead of stock Android. Maybe that’s why the glass backing we’re seeing on the Yuga is so similar to Google/LG’s design on the Nexus. Just a hunch.

While I would love to finally get a well spec’d Sony device in my hands, I can’t say I’m a fan of this new glass back panel trend. I didn’t like it on the iPhone 4, and I sure as heck don’t like it now. How are you guys feeling about the Yuga?

[via XperiaBlog]


Factory image for Sprint’s Galaxy Nexus 4.1.1 firmware available for download

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 02:34 PM PST

The Sprint Samsung Galaxy Nexus has long evaded the section of Google’s developer site that houses factory images for Nexus devices. It’s a shame, really, considering even Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus had been supported all this time, but the wait for Sprint’s version seems to finally be over.

A factory image for the “toroplus,” or Sprint’s Galaxy Nexus, has finally found a home alongside all the other Nexus devices out there. It’s an image for firmware 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, and we imagine 4.1.2 and 4.2 will be on their way if/when those respective upgrades are released for Sprint’s second Nexus device.

If you’re not sure what these files are for, listen up. A factory image will help you get back to completely stock Android no matter what. It’s a compressed file that includes a script that’ll restore your firmware, bootloader, radios and the like. As such, you’ll need the Android SDK because fastboot is required to use it. Hopefully you’ll never have to, but it’s good to have it ready just in case. The file can be had over at the Android Developers site for your convenience.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]


Blender Test: iPad Mini vs Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD [VIDEO]

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 12:33 PM PST

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Tom Dickson, our favorite fun loving, mad scientist from Blendtec is back and he’s brought some new friends with him. Last time around we saw what happened when you put an iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3 against each other inside a blender and this time he’s pitting the all new Apple iPad Mini against Google’s Nexus 7, and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD.

You know how this works. All the tablets go into Blendtec’s heavy duty blenders and are grounded up until they reach a smooth, carcinogenic powder. Less of a stress test (the tablets have to broken in half to fit inside the blenders) and more of some good old fashioned entertainment, I think it goes without saying — don’t try this at home.


Leaked Lenovo P770 said to have 3,500mAh battery

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 12:31 PM PST

While battery technology has largely remained stagnant as the rest of technology grows, OEMs have had to figure out more interesting ways to get more battery life. Whether it be through more power-efficient chips and displays, larger batteries, or a mixture of both things have improved in the smartphone space, but not by much.

Motorola first showed us that you could fit a big 3,300 battery into a slim package with its original RAZR MAXX, and took things a step further when the RAZR MAXX HD’s chipset brought in a juice-sipping solution for even bigger battery gains. Samsung followed suit with the Galaxy Note 2 as they were able to stuff a 3,100mAh solution into a small package.

Well, it looks like Lenovo is said to be the latest player to have gone the “bigger is better” route as the company will reportedly launch a smartphone which comes stock with a 3,5000mAh battery inside.

It’s being called the Lenovo P770, and it seems to stretch the bar for battery capacity while still maintaining a slim profile. The leaked photos don’t give us a sense of how much girth it’ll add but it doesn’t look like we’ll be suffering the hideousness that comes with the likes of adding a Seidio kit to a phone not designed for big batteries.

The device itself is said outfitted with a dual-core MediaTek MT6577 clocked at 1.2GHz, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel camera  and a 4.5 inch qHD display. The resolution concerns us, but perhaps that’ll do even more for battery life. We’re also not too trustworthy in MediaTek, but most Taiwanese (and, by extension, Asian) partners don’t seem to have a problem with them.

Most of us in Europe and North America shouldn’t have much confidence that we’ll be seeing this thing widely available anyway. Lenovo is still a relatively small player in mobile and the company has no problem sticking to Asian territories, even when it comes to selling its best devices. Regardless, we’d love for more companies to strive to put bigger batteries into average-sized smartphones while the battery world figures out a better way to keep our favorite devices juiced up.

[via Electronista]


Android adoption rate six times that of the iPhone, mobile to surpass PC in 2013

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:53 AM PST

Mary Meeker, best known for her yearly Internet Trends report, provided an update to some of her figures from earlier in 2012 while speaking at a Bloomberg event in San Francisco. Her focus was strong mobile growth, which was highlighted by news that the adoption rate of Android smartphones is now six times that of Apple’s iPhone. Back in May the figure was four to one.

By the end of 2013, Android is expected to far surpass the 90 million devices shipped per quarter quoted for Q1 of 2012, which is double the expected number for Apple. Meeker’s estimates have 80 million iOS devices shipped per quarter by the end of the next calendar year.

The numbers all contribute to a growing mobile field that will overtake the PC industry by the middle of next year, according to Meeker. With an expected 6 billion mobile users (1 billion of which are smartphone users) by the end of 2012, the combined install base of tablets and smartphones will outnumber the install base of desktop and notebook computers. Android has already overtaken Windows PCs in terms of units shipped per quarter.

It all adds up to a reality that is becoming more apparent every day as users shift from a single computing experience to one that features multiple devices backed by cloud storage. Has the smartphone completely replaced the personal computer for anyone out there? It would be interesting to see if Meeker’s figures correlate directly to user habits in that way.

[via TechCrunch]


RadioShack offering Nexus 7 32GB for $230

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:51 AM PST

If you want to take a quick $20 off your Nexus 7 32GB you might want to consider it buying from RadioShack instead of the Google Play Store. The retailer is offering the device for $250 — that’s Google’s price, too. But Google isn’t offering this cool coupon code that’ll take $20 off any order of $125 or more.

This deal effectively brings the price down to $230, and while that’s not a terribly steep door-busting deal it should prove helpful for those who want to offset tax or shipping chargers they might otherwise accrue.

The Nexus 7 32GB should be quite the awesome device with its Tegra 3 chipset and completely stock, pure Android. But many were vexed to find out that there is no room for expandable storage. For most, 8GB isn’t enough, and 16GB is just barely acceptable. This new 32GB option was a must, and Google bringing it in at the the 16GB model’s original price tag means the Nexus 7 has gone back onto a lot of people’s radars and wishlists.

Unfortunately the device appears to be out of stock as of the time of this writing, and we expected that considering many people are likely to jump at a juicy deal like this without delay. But keep an eye on it and see if it doesn’t pick back up over the course of the week. You’ll want to keep coupon code RMN20 handy if you want to take advantage.

[RadioShack via Droid-Life]


Microsoft Office for Android will require Office 365 subscription

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 08:43 AM PST

If you’ve been patiently awaiting the arrival of Microsoft Office for Android, you’re not alone — we’re curious to see how Microsoft treats its Office suite on competing platforms. While we’ve known about its early 2013 launch since, well, almost forever, The Verge’s news that it’s coming in the first quarter of the year is nothing shocking or surprising.

The outlet did get a few details on how things would be carried out from a licensing standpoint, though. According to its sources, Microsoft Office for Android (and iOS, we imagine) will require an Office 365 subscription to get the most out of the suite of tools. With it, you’ll be able to both view and edit documents on the go.

For those just wanting to view documents you do need a Microsoft account but those are free and easy enough to sign up for. We’re told not to expect nearly the same deep level of editing that you can get on the desktop suites, and that’s fine — we weren’t expecting much to begin with.

But you have to wonder whether or not the official suite will be enough to make current third party options seem useless. I got a full editing suite from a Google Play Store sale for $.25, and it does just fine for me.

Even at the typical prices of $10 and $15 we usually see these apps go for, that’s a one time fee. We’re not sure if Microsoft is planning to introduce a new tier for its mobile apps, but for comparison purposes the current cheapest plan costs $4 per month, which amounts to $48 per year.

We won’t know what, exactly, the software giant will end up doing until we inch closer to that Q1 2013, but these early details aren’t leaving the best taste in my mouth. Anyone else not feeling the love from Microsoft or are you just happy to see that the company is supporting Android at all?


First software update for Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy Note 2 brings Multi Window View

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 08:23 AM PST

Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will be seeing its first software update rollout over the coming days. The refresh brings the phablet’s software version to L900VPALJC and features a several minor tweaks in addition to the quiet introduction of one of the cooler features to grace the Note 2. First seen on the international version of the device, after updating Sprint users will be privy to Multi Window View, a feature that allows the handset to run two apps simultaneously, displaying windowed versions of both on the large 5.5-inch display.

In terms of fixes and enhancements, the new software will better handle outgoing emails when without coverage, sending the drafts to the Outbox. Incoming text messages will also now produce an audible notification if received while in a call. And with Multi Window View you could theoretically check that text message while composing an outgoing email at the same time.

The update will arrive over the air. Users anxious to receive the new features can check to see if their handset is eligible by navigating to the About Phone section of the Settings menu and checking for available updates.

 


Sprint buys Midwest customers and spectrum from US Cellular for $480 million

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 07:29 AM PST

US carriers Sprint and US Cellular have announced a spectrum sale between the two that will see the former selling key Midwest spectrum to the latter for $480 million. For that price, Sprint will take control over the PCS spectrum in areas like Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. The Midwest is US Cellular’s biggest breeding ground so it’s a very significant deal to behold.

Sprint is also said to be receiving US Cellular’s customer base in those areas, though how many new contracts they’ll be snapping up isn’t being disclosed at this time. The deal is expected to close at some point in 2013, and there doesn’t appear to be any worry about resistance.

This is good news for Sprint which is banking on a “network vision” movement that will deliver a vast LTE network to its consumers by 2013′s end, and will also have considerable impact on the performance of its current 3G and voice networks.  Considering how bad the network has gotten for many users in this region I’d say this purchase couldn’t have come at a better time.

Sprint will apparently pay cash for the deal, and will assume any liabilities that may come with it. The company no doubt has the assets to do so considering it was just bought out by SoftBank Corp. last month for $20.1 million, and received $3 billion out of that last month.

Cash flow was never a huge concern for Sprint even before this network vision project took off so there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the carrier can complete it now (and within the time frame that was originally promised). More details have yet to roll in, but we won’t need them until it’s confirmed whether or not the deal will close at some point next year.

[via Business Week]


Motorola Atrix HD Developer Edition opens handset to user customizations

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 07:28 AM PST

Motorola has announced the latest of their devices to earn its very own developer edition. This time it’s the Motorola Atrix HD for AT&T, which launched over the summer. The latest member of the carrier’s Atrix lineup — a series of phones that featured one AT&T’s first LTE devices — was not made eligible for Motorola’s standard bootloader unlock program. As is the case with Verizon’s Droid RAZR, users wishing to obtain a version of the Atrix HD open to software customization and other hacks will need to pay up front.

While pricing has not yet been revealed, don’t expect to pay much less than the $549.99 buyers must fork over for the Droid RAZR M Developer Edition. The unsubsidized versions of these popular Moto handsets feature all the same specs as the models sold in carrier stores, and likewise remain compatible with those networks. The decision comes down to how much value is placed in having an unlockable bootloader. For a handset like the Atrix HD, which has already been out for some months, it’s hard to imagine many users will flock to such a device.

 


Sam’s Club Black Friday flyer shows Galaxy S3 for 96 cents

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 06:35 AM PST

As retailers start gearing up for the biggest shopping day of the year, we’re already getting a pretty good idea of what sort of deal to expect come Black Friday. As has been the case for the past several years, expect smartphones and tablets to top holiday wishlists everywhere. If your loved one happens to want a shiny new Samsung Galaxy S3, Sam’s Club looks like a good place to camp out come the Friday following Thanksgiving.

According to their flyer that will make the rounds ahead of November 23rd, the Galaxy S3 will be available for a mere 96 cents. A qualified two-year service agreement is required to achieve such pricing, but it is unclear if the advertised price will apply to all US carrier options. For those that plan to avoid long lines by instead shopping online at home, it’s worth noting that this deal is only available in stores.

Keep your eyes peeled for word of other great Black Friday deals. Whether your shopping for family and friends or just looking to treat yourself, there are definitely going to be plenty of opportunities to save a bundle.

[via GottaDeal | Thanks, Mike!]


Titanium Backup for root users gets new flashable zip backups

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 12:15 AM PST

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Easily one of the most useful apps to ever come out of the Android Market, the fan favorite Titanium Backup (Pro) saw a noteworthy update in the Play Store today. One of the most important tools in any ROM flashers utility belt, Titanium Backup was one of the first apps ever to give rooted users the ability to backup all their apps (including data) onto their SD card/internal storage.

Today, the app was updated to version 5.7.0 and now gives users the option of creating flashable zip files of their backed up apps, cutting down on the lengthy restore process. Now, you can zip up your must-have apps and/or their data, and flash them quickly from recovery whenever you jump to a new ROM. This was a much requested feature and as usual, developer Titanium Track listened to customer feedback. The feature is only enabled for the Pro unlocked version of Titanium Backup and can be downloaded from the Play Store for $7.

[Play Store Link]