Saturday, November 24, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority


Google Play’s Cyber Weekend promotion: Movies, TV series, music and more on sale

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 02:08 AM PST

With Black Friday come and gone, holiday shoppers are now eagerly waiting for Cyber Monday to arrive. But you don't have to wait until Monday to start enjoying the Cyber Weekend offers on Google Play. Following the discount treatment that many apps and games are getting, you'll find that there are more deals to be had on Google's online store.

Over at Google Play Movies, several titles are up for grabs for $2.99, including oldies but goldies like Jaws, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Scarface, Serenity, Ray, and several others. The newer ones like The Social Network, Eat Pray Love and Burlesque can be had for $9.99.

The deals for TV series are pretty limited, but they include beloved shows like House and Friday Night Lights, where the complete full season of the two are going for $12.99 and $9.99, respectively. It's a great saving considering that an episode of the show costs $1.99.

The music selection is more varied and compelling, as the list contains some of the best albums of 2012. New-ish offerings from Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj and Ne-Yo are selling for $2.99, while you can get Frank Ocean's excellent Channel Orange LP for $4.99 and fun.'s Some Nights for $5.99.

As for books and magazines, Google is giving up to 80% and 50% discounts, respectively, on some e-book titles and magazine subscriptions.

See anything you like above?

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First trailer for Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition released

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 11:49 PM PST

It has become a trend for classic games to come out on mobile platforms – among your Final Fantasies, your Grand Theft Autos and even your NBA Jams, there is a plethora of games available for people to either relive or discover enjoyable experiences from yesteryear. The next game in this line is Baldur's Gate, the much loved role-playing game by celebrated developer BioWare.

The first trailer for the Enhanced Edition made for Android, iOS and even PC has just been released and you can see it below. This new version touts better graphics, new original content, and cross-platform multiplayer action. $9.99 is the price that you will have to pay in order to be a part of this gaming blast from the past.

The iOS and PC versions of Baldur's Gate are set to be released by the end of November, but the Android version is currently listed as TBA. We'll have the word when the release date is given, so stay tuned!

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ZTE releases Android 4.2 to ZTE N880E, first Chinese OEM to do so

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 10:00 PM PST

ZTE
Jelly Bean 4.2 hasn’t been out for very long. As is the norm for new Android releases, only a very few phones even run it. Most of them are Nexus devices that were either released that way or got a quick upgrade. Now, a non-Nexus device is running 4.2 in China thanks to ZTE.

ZTE became the first Chinese manufacturer to release Android 4.2 to any of their smartphones. They happened to pick the N880E for the update. According to their official website, it should be available right now.

With the update, ZTE N880E owners will get all the perks that come with 4.2. So ZTE isn’t pulling any punches with the update. What’s interesting about it is the N880E is not a spectacularly spec’d device. With a single core 1GHz processor and a 480 by 800 resolution screen, it isn’t nearly as powerful as some devices that other OEMs have deemed not good enough for the update.

Is ZTE going to release 4.2 to other devices?

They sure are. ZTE Head of the Terminal Division, Mr. He Shiyou, has stated, “ZTE will introduce more models on Android 4.2 in the future, and will continue to make improvements to equipment performance and stability, ensuring that our handsets meet with the high expectations of today's consumers.”

So if you have a ZTE handset and it’s relatively current, there is a good chance you’ll see Android 4.2. After all, if a 1GHz processor can handle it, many of their other devices can as well. Are there any ZTE owners out there excited about ZTE’s update plan? Let us know in the comments.

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uTorrent for Android gets WiFi-only option

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 08:38 PM PST

Unlimited data plans are going the way of the dodo. You see carriers clamping down on unlimited bandwidth, and even with so-called “unlimited” plans, these usually come with fair-use clauses in which heavy users’ accounts are throttled.

It’s all in the name of fair use, carriers say. If everyone uses too much bandwidth, then the entire network suffers. As such, if you’re fond of downloading big files through peer-to-peer networks or BitTorrent, you might want to steer clear from accessing your downloads through cellular data.

With BitTorrent for Android, though, it might be tempting to do downloads straight from your mobile device. That’s all right if you’re running on a WiFi connection, but the moment WiFi gets disconnected, you might find your cellular data use jumping from all the torrent packets being transferred.

The latest update to the uTorrent client addresses this, with its WiFi-only feature. “The new WiFi-only mode feature pauses download activity when you're outside a WiFi area, and automatically resumes downloading once WiFi is accessible again.”

This update should be a boon for users who just want to download a file through BitTorrent and forget about it. You shouldn’t have to keep on pausing downloads manually whenever you’re on the move.

uTorrent is an Android exclusive for now. Users on other platforms are not likely to get the app anytime soon, especially the more closed ones like BlackBerry, iOS and Windows Phone. Well, not officially, at least. Head on to the source link to download or update uTorrent.

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Google Maps gets 10,000 indoor locations on desktop, venue owners urged to upload floor plans

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 05:36 PM PST

While Apple’s latest iOS Maps offering is languishing with precision errors, messed up aerial images and a general disdain among the mobile community, Google is continuing to innovate and improve on its own Maps application. The latest update: 10,000 new indoor locations for your desktop viewing pleasure.

Google Maps has updated its desktop offering with 10,000 new indoor locations, mostly done through establishment floor plans. Access to this information is seamless. Users just need to zoom in on an establishment and can then see a detailed floor plan, with labels appropriate to the establishment.

For instance, zoom in on an airport and you can see the location of the gates. Zoom in on a shopping mall, and the establishments will appear, including retail stores, restrooms and even ATMs. A few key points to note:

  • Google has a big mapping community. The crowd-sourced effort works in conjunction with Google’s own acquisition of GIS data. As such, we can expect more and more establishments to upload their information to make it easier for patrons to browse and navigate.
  • Android usually gets first dibs on whatever improvements Google has to offer, and so the indoor navigation functionality has been available on the platform for some time now. Expect more hair-pulling from iOS Maps users who get frustrated with the slow speed and lack of detail on Maps (I know! I have it on my iPhone and I want to rip it straight out of the touchscreen).
  • The locations are limited as of now, with support for Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the U.S. More locations will be added soon, and submissions from other countries will greatly help in this effort.

While indoor locations are more useful when accessed from mobile devices, this can still be useful when planning a trip to the mall, museum, library, train station, airport, or any place of interest. If you’re planning to go gadget shopping at brick-and-mortar stores this Cyber Monday, then you might want to check out store layouts before you go, and then use Google Maps on your Android device to help find the establishments when you’re actually in the area.

If you’re a store or establishment owner, you might want to submit your floor plans to Google, which can help encourage people with their virtual exploration.

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Can a Galaxy Note 2 be used as a PC? [video]

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 05:34 PM PST

note 2 pc

Depending on who you ask we're now in the post PC era, where mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are becoming more and more popular with the crowds that regular PCs. But essentially these are smaller and smaller personal computers that are slowly picking up some of the workload from their older brothers, the regular keyboard-and-mouse PCs.

That's especially true with this year's flagship devices, that offer better and better specs and can be used for a variety of daily computer-related operations.

But can a device like an Android smartphone be used to completely replace a PC? A new video posted by ColdFustion proves that the Galaxy Note 2, hooked up to a monitor via a HML Samsung adapter and an HDMI cable, and further hooked up to a wireless keyboard and mouse combo, can be used for a variety of tasks that are/were usually done on a PC.

There are limitations and this is not a complete PC experience – we're probably getting there in the following years – but things like web browsing, email, content consumption, running productivity apps and even gaming can be done on such a setup in order to take advantage of the bigger display.

Sure, the downside of relying on such a computer model is that you'd have to carry with you all the extra accessories needed, and make sure that a decent monitor awaits for you at your destination. But the video above proves that in the future, the better, more efficient and smaller smartphone and tablet components will get, the more PC-like support they'll be able to offer.

Anyone using or interested in using such a setup on a regular basis?

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Todoist free gets unlimited sync, Premium half off for Black Friday

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 04:47 PM PST

Todoist, a new task management Android app, is getting a few changes after being out of the gate for just a few days. Sync, which was previously available just once a day for basic users, will now be unlimited and continuous for all.

This is a nice gesture from the developer for Todoist users, as the change comes after some feedback from early adopters. The update should be ongoing for all users already on the free version, so be on the lookout for the added functionality.

In even sweeter news, the guys over at Todoist have also put a big price cut on the Premium features. Not to be outdone by all of the Black Friday craziness, the premium features of Todoist are half off for just today. The services, normally $29 for a year's subscription, are now just $14! You get even more organizational features unlocked, as well as reminders so that you never forget your tasks.

As of writing this, the Todoist Black Friday page states that this deal is only available for the next 9 hours and 45 minutes, so all of you hoping to get a good look at all that this task management app has to offer will have to act fast! Find the deal in our source link.

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Samsung SCH-W2013 Jackie Chan Android flip phone launched in China

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 03:39 PM PST

After looking at the dual-SIM Galaxy Note 2 flavor that was made official in China, it's now time to check out another Android device launched in the region. The SCH-W2013 is an Android flip phone that's made for/with Jackie Chan, but don't expect it to be a Samsung flagship device that will soon go on sale in other markets.

Don't get us wrong, it's not an entry-level device either, as the handset sports dual 3.7-inch Super AMOLED displays with 800 x 480 resolution, 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, microSD support, 8-megapixel camera, 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, dual-SIM support, 1850mAh battery and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Engadget reports that the phone will cost from 18,000 to 20,000 Yuan, which translates to $2,900 to $3,120, respectively, and it may be a little too much for mobile device shoppers.

The SCH-W2013, which seems to lack a customer-friendly name, was launched at a charity concert earlier today and will be available from China Telecom in the region. As for an international release, we have no idea whether this particular Android handset will make it to other countries.

Would you buy one such Android flip phone?

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iPhone 5, iPad mini iOS 6 source code apparently withheld by Apple in patent case against Google

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 03:13 PM PST

It's not just Samsung that's targeting Apple's latest iOS products in patent-based lawsuits, but Google also, which is engaged in a patent battle of its own against Apple inherited from Motorola.

FOSS Patents reports that Google has recently filed a motion in the Southern District of Florida to complain that Apple has failed to provide the iOS 6 source code, or Apple's latest OS version that's running on the iPhone 5, iPad mini, and other Apple mobile devices.

Google needs the code to "perform some infringement analysis," and while Apple did promise to offer it, it failed to do it so far:

Google’s motion says that Apple “has, at various times, promised to produce iOS source code by or “shortly after” September 21st, by November 9th, and by November 30th”, but two months have passed now since the release of iOS 6 “and almost four months after Apple released its most recent OSX software”, whose source code Google also wants to evaluate.

Google is interested in going through the code as fast as possible in order to be prepared for the following court date in the case set for December 14. Apparently the company has to decide by then whether there are any grounds to also add Apple's newest products to the list of iOS devices allegedly infringing Google/Motorola patents.

We'll be back with more details about the Apple vs Android drama in the coming weeks, as we find out more details from these Apple vs Google and Apple vs Samsung cases.

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Huawei Ascend G330 release date set for December for free with £10 per month contracts

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 02:45 PM PST

Huawei
While the big named devices are the big news right now, there is still a lot of interest in mid range and entry level smartphones. In the UK, there is a mid range smartphone coming out from Huawei for those who don’t want to spend half a grand on a phone.

Back at IFA in August, Huawei introduced their mid device, the Huawei Ascend G330. Residents of the UK may recognize this, as the Ascend G300 is already available. According to Unwired View, it isn’t an upgrade of the G300, but rather a slightly improved version.

Is the Huawei Ascend G330 worth buying?

It depends on your preferences. If you want a top of the line phone with the latest specs, then this won’t be for you. If you want a mid range device with decent performance, then this may be for you. The Huawei Ascend G330 comes with a dual core, 1GHz processor, 512MB RAM, a 4 inch, 480 by 800 resolution display, and 4GB of storage with a MicroSD card option.

It won’t win any awards for being the best, but those who want a free phone with a cheap plan that isn’t awful, this may be the device you’re looking for. Expect it to hit shelves sometime in December. Is anyone considering this for themselves or a loved one?

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Android and Me

Android and Me


Nexus 4 has working LTE

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 08:09 AM PST

The Nexus 4 is the hottest Android phone, but many people wish it had support for 4G LTE. Andy Rubin told The Verge that the lack of LTE was a “tactical issue,” but now it appears the Nexus 4 has hidden support for LTE, and it’s already working in some countries. So how was [...]

Visit our site to read the full article.


Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans


Nexus 4 Review

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 02:59 PM PST

This image has no alt text

The Nexus 4 — a smartphone that needs no introduction. Subject of many’s desires, frustrations, and even anger. I was super excited (and a little intimidated) at having the opportunity to review the next iteration of the Google superphone. Was I worthy of even giving my opinion on a phone so elusive, only a handful of people in the world have been lucky enough to hold one in their hands? I’m not going to lie to you, when I first received the Nexus 4 from UPS, I didn’t even open it right away. I just placed it on my desk… and stared at the box. This isn’t the type of thing you rush into. I wanted to make sure I was ready. Well, my body is officially ready. Here is my review of the Nexus 4.

Build Quality/Looks

The phone is fragile, no one can argue that. You also can’t argue that the device looks dead sexy. Like the carbon fiber Lamborghini Sesto Elemento, you’ll turn heads driving the thing but one false move and this thing is history. Even with Gorilla Glass 2 covering the front and back of the device, there have already been reports of minor drops shattering and/or cracking the glass. I snickered when Apple introduced the all-glass iPhone back in the day and my criticism remains — bad move.

Other than the durability of the device, the Nexus 4 is of generally good build quality (not great). I may have some objections to their use of chrome accents on the phone, but that’s all subjective. Overall the use of glass, soft touch plastic, and glittery backing make the device look nothing short of an expensive, $700 smartphone.

Unfortunately, beyond it’s looks, there were still some issues in build quality that bugged me. First off, there’s some give when pressing down on the back area. As shown in my video, it’s a small complaint, but one that made the device feel just a little more “cheapy.” Also, when pressing down on the front glass, you can see LCD ripples you may remember when you were first poked an LCD computer monitor as a kid. Again, nothing major, but something that’s also absent in more plastic-ie devices like the Galaxy S3.

The one issue that bugged me with the previous Galaxy Nexus still irks me on the Nexus 4: dat bezel. While I’m not suggesting I would want a device with virtually no bezels (the Note 2′s are a little too small for my liking), the fact that the Nexus 4 has a virtual navigation bar instead of capacitive hardware buttons means a thicker than normal bottom bezel. I’d say it’s reminiscent of the LG G2X. Yuck.

Hardware

When it comes to top of the line specs, the Nexus 4 is a sort of mixed bag. This is to be expected given the device needs to keep costs low, and just like the Nexus 7, Google is focusing on delivering an optimal Android experience, without all the frills. Unfortunately, these “frills” come at the cost of storage space, which will no doubt be a make-or-break for some users (myself included).

Display

Oh, man… the display. Where do I start. Well, let’s cover the raw specs first. The display on the Nexus 4 features LG’s in-house Zerogap True HD IPS techonolgy. In theory, this will make the images appear more vibrant and results in a more responsive touch screen. The size of the display is 4.7-inches (more like 4.3-inches if you take out the nav bar) and with a screen resolution at an odd 1280×768 (the Galaxy S3 has a 1280×720 display) providing for an impressive 318ppi. This means when it comes to screen real estate, there’s a little more elbow room on the sides of the OS which results in a slightly wider Android experience. Not “LG Vu wide” by any means, but you get the picture.

To illustrate the black nav bar taking away precious screen real estate

Okay, let’s get into screen quality. While the IPS display looks deceptively nice in most cases thanks to rich colors (not over saturated) and deep blacks (almost blend into the bezels), it’s at specific angles, in the dark, or during screen movement that everything turns to sh*t. I also noticed some yellowing in parts of the LCD although my iPhone buddies assure me it’s just the glue from the digitizer/LCD and it’ll fade with time once it dries.

Viewing angles fair well (top, bottom, left, right), but when viewed on from an angle, like when the corners are facing you, the entire screen turns into a bright, washed out mess. Almost white even. I understand this might not bother most folks, but it also means you have to look at your phone from head on to keep the display looking its 100% best.

Blacks are fairly deep, even with the brightness turned on max… in daylight. As soon as the sun goes down (or when viewing from the dark confines of your parent’s basement) the blacks are much more noticeable. It doesn’t help that the ever present nav bar is constantly reminding you of how bright the blacks are, or the notification bar. A little help from ROMs at turning both of these transparent will help you forget about this issue, but stock — it sucks.

This is the part that broke me. The refresh rate is downright atrocious on the Nexus 4. Now that Jelly Bean has introduced silky smooth, near 60fps scrolling, it’s this wretched butter that makes the shortcomings of the display even more apparent. Whether you’re scrolling on the homescreen, or in menus, everything leaves a ghosty trail. Kinda like when you drag your mouse pointer across your computer screen — now picture that on everything that moves on the Nexus 4. Icons, text, graphics, everything. I couldn’t stand to look at my Nexus 4 a minute longer.

Processor n’ RAM

This ones obvious — the 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 with Adreno 320 GPU kicks ass and takes names. It conquered the LG Optimus G and it destroys the Nexus 4 (in a good way). Apps load up quick, game frame rates stay high as the clouds. You can’t slow this processor down if you tried. The added 2GB of RAM make the Android OS a joy to experience. Gone are the days of apps in the background reloading when you return to them — this is simply how Android was meant to be enjoyed. This processor/RAM combo is the reason to own the Nexus 4, make no mistake. It’s also the Nexus 4′s saving grace.

Storage

This is gonna be a big one for a lot of people out there. At the time of launch, Google decided to only offer two sizes options for internal storage: 8GB and 16GB. This was most likely another attempt by Google to keep costs of the device down (and profits up for LG), and while this might not sound like a big deal to those of you who’ve never had to deal with it, placing these memory constraints on users is a definite make-or-break for me. I endured through a 16GB Galaxy Nexus, kept all my music in the cloud, had maybe 2 home movies, and snapped a few pics. I hit my 16GB ceiling after only a few months and I can honestly say I have no idea where the memory went. I do like to play a good game or 2 on my phone, so more than likely it was system resources sucking up all that storage. Don’t forget that even if you opt for the 16GB Nexus 4, after formatting and the OS are loaded onto the device, you’re left with an even smaller 13GB (roughly). Ouch. I’d be willing to bet my left foot that Google will launch a 32GB version 5 months from now. Mark my words.

Battery life

Battery life, while not of MAXX standards, isn’t bad. Rest those fears of quad-cores eating up all 2100mAh’s in double time. The battery life on the Nexus 4 is similar to that of the GS3. On average, I get about 14 hours daily but it’s on standby that the S4 Pro really shines. If I don’t mess with it (leaving it unplugged overnight, or at work), the Nexus 4′s standby time is astounding. And that’s with virtually no signal in my home. The same was said of the LG Optimus G, so I can safely say this is all due to the S4 Pro. Of course, there are many factors that affect battery life and your millage may, and most likely will, vary.

Camera

HTC One X (left), Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (middle), Nexus 4 (right)

If you’re coming from a Galaxy Nexus, I know you’re worried about the camera. But, well… don’t be. Like age, I know that MP’s ain’t nothing but a number, but the camera on the Nexus 4 is vastly improved over its predecessor. I took some shots in daylight, as well as indoor low lighting and they speak for themselves. For good measure, I even placed a low light comparison shot with some other Android devices for you to stew over. The pinnacle of Android camera tech is easily the HTC One line and while the Nexus couldn’t quite match it, you can see it did fairly well against Samsung’s great camera tech on the Note 2. Color me impressed. Video quality at 1080p was equally nice, and here’s a couple of videos — one in daylight and one in low light — along with some more sample pics to show off the Nexus 4′s nice camera.

 

LTE (or lack thereof)

Google also made a controversial move in forgoing LTE radios in the Nexus 4. Well, a recent teardown revealed they’re partly there and you can enable them through software tweaks (Canada only). While lack of LTE might sour the experience for some users (where HSPA+ is unacceptable) the Nexus does include support for T-Mobile and AT&T’s HSPA+ networks, and even T-Mo’s ridiculous 42Mbps near-LTE speeds. Google has yet to announce plans for a CDMA version of the Nexus on Verizon or Sprint and given that they’re passing on LTE altogether for this iteration of the Nexus, 3G speeds on those networks would only have Nexus users pulling out their hair. Again, another make-or-break issue for many and yet another reason many will most likely pass on this device unless they drop the contract and go pre-paid on T-Mobile or AT&T (a move Google supports and one of the reason they’re created Android and the OHA).

Others

NFC is pretty much a standard these days and worked without a hitch with Android beam and Google Wallet. Unfortunately without purchasing extra hardware, I was unable to test out the Nexus 4′s micro USB SlimPort feature. While I’m all for planning ahead for tomorrow’s tech, it’s rather annoying that LG/Google didn’t opt for the more universal MHL or a micro HDMI port. Also, lack of USB host functionality is a major shortcoming of the N4, something that works perfectly in devices like the GS3. It’s possible this could be fixed in a future software update, but until then — major negative marks against the Nexus 4.

Software

Of course the biggest draw with owning a Nexus device is always having the latest version of Android at your disposal (and before anyone else). Because this is Google’s labor of love that means direct updates from Google HQ straight to your Nexus device, without the troublesome middleman (carriers). But sometimes bleeding edge comes at a cost. For instance, Android 4.2 is buggy. Buggy as all hell. This has a lot to do with the OS itself, and a little to do with apps that just aren’t compatible (although new updates are rolling out every day). When it comes to just the regular ‘ol OS, I’ve experienced times when the screen wouldn’t turn on (although the device was awake), freezes, and the infamous random reboot. Not good, but since this is a Google phone, you can expect a speedy update to address and squash these bugs in the near future.

Android 4.2 introduced a handful of new features, and while we’ve covered most of these in posts in the past, let’s see how functional they work in real life.

Quick Settings

Took ‘em long enough, but Google has finally introduced a feature into the stock Android OS that many have been enjoying in custom UI’s for years now — notification toggle settings. There’s nothing groundbreaking here, just some settings that can be quickly accessed and toggled in your notification pulldown. While I don’t have much by way of complaints with the new quick settings, I do wish they were configurable like on LG’s custom UI. Well, that and accessible by doing a double pull down gesture, not with a screen tap.

Photo Sphere

Photo Sphere was the one new feature I was most excited with. The idea of transforming you world around you into virtual areas your friends can explore piqued my interests. Similar to the Street View from Google Maps, Photo Sphere lets you take full 360 panoramas in every angle, creating a sort of snow globe of whatever you like. These Photo Sphere’s can be shared with friends and family on Google+ or on Google Maps but there-in lies the problem. These can only be viewed on your browser, or with another Android 4.2 device (Nexus 4, 7, or 10 for now). And, just to view them from another device means downloading the picture to your own phone, then opening up the Photo Sphere’d image in your gallery. Lame and not worth the trouble. Until Google can figure out how to get this working with the standard Street View app found on just about every Android device since Cupcake, this feature is limited in functionality (but still very fun).

Lock Screen Widgets

Lock screen widgets are all new to Android 4.2 and I was dying to try ‘em out. The idea is simple. Why not use your lockscreen to display widgets without having to go through the trouble of fully unlocking your device? Sounds great in theory, but unless you lock your phone with a pin, pattern or password, it’s almost completely useless. There’s 6 total lock screens that can hold a total of 6 widgets. Not every widget can be displayed on these lock screens and even when they’re tiny, you can only display 1. Dumb, right? What’s more is the UI is confusing and you have to fumble around with it for a few seconds to figure out exactly what’s going on.

I wish Google would have tweaked the 4.0/4.1 lockscreen to allow for customized unlock shortcuts similar to Sense, TouchWiz, etc.. I mean, why would a user swipe to the left for quick access to the camera app when you could have an unlock app icon to take you to the app? The only real benefit comes when you have your phone locked with a pin. Then you can have quick access to app info and camera without having to enter a password every time. Other than that, you probably wont use ‘em. In fact, lockscreen an opportunistic developer even introduced an app in the Play Store to completely disable this functionality altogether. Good move for those that don’t use PINs.

Gesture Type Keyboard

This is another feature we’ve covered in depth in the past, and even loaded it up on a few non-Nexus devices. While it’s nice that Google is taking the effort to improve their virtual keyboard by introducing Swype-like functionality, it falls short of the same experience. Other than that, Google added enhanced next word prediction which is similar to SwiftKey, but once again, falls short in execution. Nothing to see here, folks.

Multiple User Accounts (Nexus 7, 10 only)

Daydream

Daydream is Android’s new interactive screensaver. You can set it up in the display settings to start when the device is docked, charging, or both. Stock, there’s only a handful of Daydreams available that range from interactive photo galleries, to digital (or analog) clocks, Google Currents, or a nifty colorful nightlight. The best part about Daydreams are that Android developers can take advantage of them for their own apps in the Play Store (a Twitter Daydream immediately comes to mind).

Miracast Wireless Display

While at first I was excited at the prospect of having Airplay-like wireless display, Miracast is a bit more than that. It also requires additional hardware in most cases to display onto your television. Concocted by the minds at the WiFi Alliance, Miracast can wirelessly mirror the display on your device, to your television. The best part about Miracast is developers can take advantage of it to work with their own apps, displaying only specific information they deam fit. For instance, a presentation app can only display the specific image being presented, while the user sees the full gallery. Neat, huh? The only downside to Miracast is you’ll need to have a compatible television, or run out and buy some extra hardware.

Verdict

So there’s definitely a lot to love when it comes to the Nexus 4 — there’s also a lot of areas where the Google phone manages to fall short. Make no mistake, the Nexus 4 isn’t the “end-all, be-all” of smartphones. That part we know. The bottom line is the Nexus 4 is a great device, made even sweeter by its more than reasonable price tag. As far as whether or not this device is for you, I feel like this phone caters to a specific group of people:

  1. Those who demand getting Android firmware updates the moment they’re released.
  2. Those with 2 generation old, single-core or Snapdragon S3 hardware (Nexus S, EVO 3D, G2X, etc).
  3. Those who are looking for an affordable replacement device.
  4. Those looking to break free from contracts and move to pre-paid GSM.

But for many who recently upgraded or are happy with their current Android device, this will be nothing more than a “pass” iteration. Even those with the Galaxy Nexus might be able to happily squeeze a few more months out of their device, and maybe even a year if they’re lucky. Other than an insane processor, there really isn’t too much here we haven’t seen already, and in some cases, other manufacturers are doing better (removable battery, better camera quality, micro SD card, USB host, MHL). When it comes to the Nexus 4, it is still very much a phone only for the die-hard Android enthusiast crowd.


Samsung unveils dual-screen flip phone with amazing specs, uses Jackie Chan to draw attention

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 02:05 PM PST

As much as Samsung is focused on big slates like its Samsung Galaxy Note and Samsung Galaxy S lines, the company still has no qualms with introducing quirky and niche offerings for those crazy enough to buy them. Their latest is another dual-screen flip phone that has you asking if 2004 is trying to make a comeback — the Samsung W2013.

That wise crack might be a bit unfair, though, as this thing is every bit as good as any other phone on the inside. For starters, the dual-screens are 3.7 inches large and have WVGA resolutions.

That’s pretty good for this form factor so they’re gaudy in this context. Inside is a 1.4GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, the ability to expand that by 64GB using a microSD card slot, an 8 megapixel HD camera to go along with a 2 megapixel shooter on the front and more. It’ll also sport Android 4.0 with TouchWiz.

That tale of the tape just read out like something from this year’s best phones, but we imagine many people will have a hard time getting jiggy with that form factor. Throw in the fact that this device will probably cost about $3,000 and we’d say this thing won’t last on most people’s radar long.

On the upside, Jackie Chan is the face that Samsung is using to sell you this thing and who wouldn’t want to buy something — ANYTHING — endorsed by Jackie Chan? Take a quick look above, and then proceed to ponder whether or not you’d buy this if you were rich before returning to the real world of reasonably priced hardware.

[via Samsung, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]


Judges orders Apple, HTC to cough up settlement details for Samsung’s lawyers

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 01:12 PM PST

The cross-licensing deal that HTC and Apple are doing their best to keep under wraps will not play a role in the post-trial motions between Apple and Samsung. The maker of the Galaxy line of Android phones requested the details of the agreement shortly after it was brokered, as the company feels the terms could affect the outcome of the $1 billion dollar settlement reached in Apple’s favor last summer.

The details were initially presented to Samsung with several key words blacked out. These key words contained the meat of the agreement, including the exact monetary figures and fees being exchanged by Apple and HTC. Both parties haven’t been keen to reveal the exact arrangement, but US Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal is requesting that Apple hand over the document in full.

Samsung’s argument is that Apple has demonstrated through their agreement with HTC that they are willing to license patents for a fee, and with the large payout already going in the Cupertino-based company’s favor additional injunctions should not be granted. Whether or not certain Samsung products are to remained banned from the market is the subject of upcoming hearings to take place next month.

But we can’t expect to get a look at the deal ourselves, as the Judge’s order applies only to this case, and Samsung’s attorneys are not to share any of the information they learn from documents provided by Apple and HTC outside of the case. The next phase of the trial kicks off on December 6th, but until Samsung and Apple reach some sort of agreement of their own, don’t expect the courtroom battles to end any time soon.

[via The Verge]


White ASUS Padfone 2 spotted in the wild

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 11:47 AM PST

The ASUS Padfone 2 is a great device no matter what color it’s in, but some people take their gadgets’ coat of paint so seriously that they might even pass on buying one if it’s not to their liking. As Apple took the liberty to confirm early on in the portable electronics boom people seem to love the color white. It seems ASUS knows that as the company is apparently ready to bring out a version of its aforementioned Padfone 2 in the neutral color.

VR-Zone spotted the device sitting out in the wild with a white cloak covering not only its backside, but its front, too. We can’t quite tell from the photos, but it looks like there could be a chrome finish wrapping around the sides of the device, but for the most part this thing sparkles bright. The accompanying tablet dock is white as well, though folks are saying that the front of the device will still employ a black bezel ala the iPad line.

For all that’s changed on the outside, though, you’ll have to remember that the innards stay the same. It’s still a Padfone 2, and you won’t be gaining anything by buying this version over the black version except for the satisfaction of knowing that you had a choice in the first place.

This little beauty should go on sale soon, though, so we’d keep our eyes fixated toward the store shelves — we have a feeling the black version won’t mind making a little room at some point.

[via Unwired View]


HTC Droid DNA Review

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 11:37 AM PST

If you live by the axiom that bigger is better, you probably understand where Verizon is coming from with the release of the HTC Droid DNA. With its high-res 5-inch display, the phone joins the class of devices pushing the limits of just how big a smartphone can be, but unlike some of those handsets, it does so without feeling tablet-like.

At first glance, the Droid DNA reads as not only the best Droid handset of recent times, but also the best Android device from HTC. Does it meet those expectations? Read on to find out.

Hardware

If the Droid DNA proves anything, it is that HTC still has it when it comes to beautiful handset design. While other manufacturers have improved in this area, none have quite hit the right balance of appearance and materials that HTC manages to strike time and time again.

Taking cues from the familiar red-and-black design language of the Droid franchise and effortlessly mixing them with the styling and materials used for HTC’s One series (as well as their recent Windows Phone 8 releases), the Droid DNA is a delight to look at and hold in the hand. From its soft-touch back to the perforated red grills lining each side of the device, a good deal of craftsmanship is apparent.

The phone features prominently a 5-inch Super LCD 3 display with a 1080p HD resolution. This equates to a pixel density of about 440 ppi. Take that, Retina Display. The screen looks great with clear and crisp visuals, nice color reproduction, and good brightness, though it still deals with some of the shortcomings associated with LCD technology. Colors aren’t always as rich and contrast not always as deep as the AMOLED displays deployed by Samsung, but you will hardly notice the difference as you are distracted by the searing clarity provided by such a high resolution.

The Droid DNA features a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, and it shouldn’t be a news flash that the 1.5GHz chip exceeded expectations. There wasn’t anything we could throw at the phone that it couldn’t handle smoothly. 2GB of RAM no doubt helped. Verizon’s 4G LTE data speeds complimented the powerful hardware nicely, and we were thoroughly spoiled for it.

One major concern leading up to the release of the Droid DNA was its 2,020mAh battery. The power capacity seemed a little lacking for a device with such a large display and powerful hardware. We’re happy to say that battery life was impressive, though not quite what you get from a phone like the Droid RAZR Maxx HD. The Droid DNA was perfectly capable of getting through a normal day’s use, but you will want to keep a charger handy if you consider yourself a power user. Video and gaming certainly detracts from overall battery life.

Another positive about the size of the battery is that it allows HTC to keep the handset slim. At 0.38 inches at its thickest with edges tapering to even thinner, the phone doesn’t feel like a true 5-inch behemoth. Sacrificed in the design is the ability to remove the battery as well as room for storage expandability via SD card.

Software

The HTC Droid DNA ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and comes skinned with HTC Sense 4+, which makes the device privy to a smattering of features found in both. You get improved versions of the Beats Audio and ImageSense technology that have featured in HTC’s phones since the launch of the One series earlier this year as well as Android enhancements such as Project Butter and Google Now.

While Sense certainly isn’t for everyone, HTC has done a good job in paring down their custom user interface to only the essentials. It changes the overall look of the OS, brings a few new features and enhancements, but it no longer comes with the bulky additions of past versions.

For Google purists, it’s worth nothing that HTC has opted to go with hardware navigation keys rather than the software implementation introduced with Android 4.0. This choice does away with some of the context-aware menu options of apps designed for later versions of Android, but it does provide constant and easy access to central operating system actions.

Verizon and HTC have included plenty of software options out of the box, including a new all-in-one Amazon experience that combines your digital content library with the retailer’s online storefront, much as Google has done with Google Play. Other apps and games include Reign of Amira, Amex Serve, and Amazon Kindle. You still get plenty of VZW bloatware, as well.

All in all, the marriage of software and hardware works effortlessly and HTC continues to trend in the right direction with Sense. Instead of attempting to reinvent the Android experience, the Droid DNA pushes just the right buttons to compliment Google’s mobile vision.

Camera

Two cameras are featured on the Droid DNA: the main rear camera rated at 8MP and an HD front-facing camera. HTC has implemented a similar sensor setup as that found on the front camera of Windows Phone 8X, providing wide-angle image capture at a high resolution.

The rear camera features an LED flash and auto-focus and is a pleasure to use, just as the One X was before it. You might remember we rated that camera experience highly, both for the images it produced and for the software enhancements HTC implemented in Sense 4+. If the One X was good, the Droid DNA is great. If only all OEMs could have the same focus on camera quality as HTC. Click on the images below to see larger versions.

The Droid DNA worked well in various lighting conditions in both photo and video mode. In photo mode you get features such as burst shot and panorama to add a touch of creative flourish or capture the perfect action shot. Even when in standard mode, there is little noticeable shutter lag, letting you live in the moment rather than a few seconds after it.

Conclusion

If you are looking for the best phone on Verizon’s network, the best Droid device, and the best phone HTC has offered in some time, this is it. But here’s the thing with the Droid DNA: while it by no means feels bulky, it is certainly robust. If you aren’t in the market for a 5-inch phone, you may be better served looking elsewhere.

If that sounds like you, I urge you to reconsider your bias against such big phones. Not only does it seem they are here to stay, but if you want the best possible combination of hardware and software, it’s an element you will need to deal with. I promise you won’t be disappointed. You might even learn to love it. The Droid DNA gets it right on just about every level.


New images of the HTC Deluxe (DLX) leak

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 10:23 AM PST

With the HTC Droid DNA now available from Verizon, all eyes are turned to the 5-inch 1080p display of its international counterpart, the upcoming HTC Deluxe. Actually, according to the most recent report the phone could be called the HTC Deluxe DLX, an odd naming choice that seems almost too redundant to be true. But the news also comes with a set of newly leaked images giving us yet another look at the handset.

The overall appearance of the device doesn’t look to stray much from the Droid DNA. The metal grills along the left and right sides are still present, the USB port is covered by a plastic flap, and hardware navigation keys find a home below the Super LCD 3 display. Specs are rumored to remain the same as Verizon’s version and Japan’s J Butteryfly: 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB RAM, 2,020mAh battery.

The Deluxe will likely find its way to Europe and other regions before the end of the year, but we haven’t heard any specific plans from HTC just yet. Those without access to the two versions of the device already available in certain markets will want to keep an eye on this one. It might just be the best Android phone HTC has ever released.

[via GSMArena]


SONOS Black Friday Blowout [CONTEST]

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 09:29 AM PST

It’s that time of year: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, great deals, and great contests. To celebrate the huge Black Friday sale our friends at SONOS are having – you get a FREE SONOS Bridge when you buy a Play:3 or a Play:5 – we’re doing a little contest of our own. Over the next few days we’ll be giving one lucky reader/winner a free SONOS Play:3 and SONOS Bridge to get their house rockin’ for the holidays.

I’m a SONOS customer myself and couldn’t be happier with the product and service it provides. My bridge player sits on top of my router, I’ve got a PLAY:5 in my kitchen/living area and another PLAY:5 in my bedroom. It’s absurdly easy to turn on the tunes remotely with either my laptop or phone and the selection is amazing.

Check out my full review of SONOS but keep in mind, I conducted this a couple years ago and the products and services are even better now. I’ve grown to love SONOS and it’s a convenience that has more or less become part of my regular routine.


Sometimes I dig into my personal library, which has a wide range of genres, but definitely deep in the alternative rock and rap/hiphop areas. Most often, I’ll toss on Pandora or Last.FM and set the station to one of my favorite artists; three stations I’ve grown to love are Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jay-Z, and Jazzyfatnastees.

If you’re looking for gifts for music lovers, look no further than SONOS (they’re in our 2012 holiday gift guide). If you love music yourself, you definitely need to give SONOS a shot. It’s not cheap, but if you like listening to music while you cook, clean, hang out, do laundry, party, play poker, or whatever else it is you do indoors, you’ll get much more out of it than what you put into it.

So how can you enter to win a SONOS PLAY:3 and BRIDGE? Easy.

  • Leave a comment below that includes TWO things: (1) A link to black friday, cyber monday, or any holiday gift deal you think our readers will enjoy, and (2) The name of an artist or song you’ve currently got on heavy rotation that others may not know and want to check out.
  • We WILL NOT be picking the winner based on thumbs up/down, please ONLY use this feature to help other readers find good deals and good music. That’s the point of the comment contest!
  • Comments will remain open until Monday night at 11:59PM Eastern
  • We’ll randomly pick one comment to win, make sure they included a link and artist and/or song, and they’ll be selected as our winner!
  • Must be 18+ to win
  • If selected winner does not meet criteria or respond within 24 hours, Phandroid reserves the right to randomly select another winner
  • Winner will be chosen at the sole discretion of Phandroid and entrants may be disqualified by staff at their sole discretion for any reason, including but not limited to: multiple entries, excessive use/spamming of upvotes and downvotes, etc…
Good luck and safe shopping out there!


Premium Suite upgrade for Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 detailed [VIDEO]

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 09:16 AM PST

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 was a fantastic device already, but it was missing some of the things that’d been introduced with the smaller cousin — the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. You had to imagine that Samsung would be planning big things for the device’s Jelly Bean upgrade, though, and that’s exactly what they’ve done with the latest “premium suite” upgrade.

Alongside the aforementioned upgrade to Android 4.1, Note 10.1 users will be getting a ton of new features for S Note, better Multi Window support, Air View and a lot more.

Multi Window will get the ability to bring up 16 different popup apps at the same time, each with their own set of controls to manipulate position and size. You can “pin” a window to make sure it stays on top of any others you might open. Dragging and dropping the windows also makes for a smooth and intuitive transition to Multi View so you can use two apps side-by-side-by-side.

The update also brings Air View, a feature which lets you preview content without having to actually “open” it. Using the S Pen, you can hover over an email and see its full header or body, see full details about a calendar entry, preview videos or photos in the gallery, and preview your position in a video’s scrubber.

Enhanced S Pen features, more S Note functionality, Adobe Photoshop Touch and more will all be coming along for the ride. We’d go into detail about all of those, but we’ve got something even better for you: a video! Check above if you haven’t already noticed it and you’ll see all of these great new features in non-simulated action. Expect the upgrade sometime soon.


Get some great content for cheap with the Google Play Store Cyber Weekend sale

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 08:22 AM PST

We were a little worried Google wouldn’t participate in the madness that is Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but it looks like they’re devoting an entire weekend to holiday sales for everyone to sink their teeth into. Starting today and likely going through Monday, you’ll be able to get some great deals on in-app purchases for  apps and games, as well as deals on movies, music, books and more.

You can get a subscription to NBA’s Game Time Plus for 50% off, double starter chips and free 7 day VIP access with Zynga Poker, 40% more platinum for your money in Pocket Legends and more. Be sure to check out the full slate of in-app purchase deals here and see if you can’t spice things up for your characters in your favorite games.

On the music side of things Google has great albums starting at just $2.99. Justin Bieber’s believe, Tyga’s Careless World: Rise of the Last King, Van Halen’s A Diffrent Kind of Truth, Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die, Nicki Minaj’s Pink and more fall under that banner, with tons more being made available for just $2-3 more.

You could buy The Social Network for $3, the entire Hunger Games trilogy for just $10, entire seasons of Friday Night Lights for $10, and magazine subscriptions for as much as 50% off. If you were looking for an excuse to splurge then now’s the time to see just how deep the Play Store rabbit hole goes. Check out all those links above for the full slate of deals available for your wallet to cry over and let us know if you end up downloading something nice.


Nexus 4 owners report strange buzzing from earpiece, distorted calls

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 08:08 AM PST

A small but growing number of Nexus 4 owners are experiencing a strange phenomenon that seems to be tied to the earpiece of the phone. Users are reporting, as per Google’s Android Project site (see: Issue 39936), a faint buzz or click emanating from around the phone’s earpiece/camera area. Others say they are experiencing distorted sounds when making calls, especially at higher volumes.

The exact cause of the problem has not been pinpointed, but speculation is that it might require more than a simple software fix. The consensus is that some sort of shielding problem within the phone’s electronics could be creating the noise artifacts.

Most experiencing the issue say it is only audible from close range. The problem isn’t necessarily a huge blow to the phone, the worst side effect being potential excess battery drain if a software or hardware issue is keeping the earpiece from completely shutting down between calls. There isn’t much evidence out there to suggest that this is the case, but it’s reason enough for Google to investigate what is going on here.

As of now, the issue has been starred 69 times in Google’s database, which is no small potatoes. Are any Nexus 4 owners out there in Phandroid land experiencing this problem? Considering the trouble folks have been going through just to obtain a Nexus 4, inherent software and hardware issues are the last thing they want to be dealing with when they open their shiny new toy. We’ll be keeping an eye on things to see how they progress.

[Thanks, Oleg!]


Todoist makes unlimited synchronization available to everyone, premium available for half off today

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 07:23 AM PST

Todoist for Android is an app that we’re awfully excited for. It’s a lean and clean tasks app with a whole lot of features, and there aren’t many in the Google Play Store that can beat it. One thing people were a bit vexed by, though, was the fact that users of the free version were limited to just one synchronization per day.

While some were willing to put up with this, there were many more who felt like this just wasn’t something that should be exclusive to the premium version of the app (and, quite frankly, we’d be inclined to agree). That’s why we were ecstatic to wake up to the great news that Todoist is bringing unlimited synchronization for everyone, paid or otherwise.

You’ll be happy to know that it was your voice in the Google Play Store that brought this change so it’s a nice reminder that some companies actually do pay attention to reviews (and, more importantly, they’ll react to them in a big and positive way).

Oh, and that’s not all the good news for today. Those of you who are looking to step up to premium but felt the annual price tag was too much can jump in on a Black Friday deal that’s going to last for the next 18 hours (as of the time of this posting). You can grab the subscription for $14 per year instead of the usual $29, and it’s our understanding that this price will lock you in for as long as your subscription lives.

Be sure to take a look at our initial post about Todoist here, and if it interests you enough you can find it in the Google Play Store here. If you decide to take advantage of the Black Friday deal be sure to go here and sign up before time expires!


Nexus 4 has working LTE, but support limited

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 06:34 AM PST

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Despite Google’s claims to the contrary and no mention in FCC filing documents, a group of intrepid Android enthusiasts has unlocked the motherlode of Nexus 4 secrets. The phone has working LTE.

The discovery of an LTE chip inside the latest flagship phone from Google created brief hope that the handset could be hacked to support the 4G network technology. That hope was soon shot down when folks realized the device did not have the complimentary radios necessary to cover the wide deployment of LTE bands. That didn’t end the curiosity of a group of individuals over at XDA.


Using a simple software tweak, Nexus 4 owners uncovered what appeared to be support for LTE on Canada’s TELUS and Rogers. AnandTech followed up with a round of testing and confirmed that the device does indeed feature unofficial support for LTE Band 4 up to 20MHz. Currently these Canadian networks are among the few that support Band 4 for LTE.

Those in the US haven’t had the same luck due to network compatibility (AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint use alternate bands for LTE), but the one glimmer of hope is that T-Mobile does plan to launch LTE on Band 4 within the coming year. Coincidentally, T-Mobile is the only carrier to partner with Google on the launch of the Nexus 4.

So what does it all mean? It’s unlikely we will see official LTE support rolled out for certain networks. Google does not intend for the Nexus 4 to be an LTE device, and despite limited 4G support the phone still does not contain all the hardware necessary for a reliable, optimized experience.

It makes us wonder why Google would not be upfront about the possibility for LTE support after a bit of tweaking, though. Don’t they realize who they are dealing with? Hardly a secret goes uncovered thanks to the ever-dedicated community of enthusiasts who will stop at nothing to create their ideal Android experience.

Still, for the average consumer this discovery means little. The vast majority of those who have managed to snag a Nexus 4 will have little use for LTE Band 4, and there are certain to be set backs for those that do have access to the 4G network. We’ll still list a lack of LTE support as our chief complaint about the phone (other than the debacle that was its public launch). Hopefully future Nexus models will push forward with the new technology rather than backtrack as with the Nexus 4.

[via XDA, Thanks, Micah!]


Nun Attack discounted in the Google Play Store to free

Posted: 22 Nov 2012 08:40 PM PST

image

If you’re looking for something to do this Black Friday, let me turn your attention to Nun Attack. With gameplay similar to Braveheart (a game that made it onto my top 20 list of 2011) Nun Attack first launched a few weeks back in the Google Play Store for a single, solitary $1. This was an absolute steal as the game was garnering plenty of 5 star ratings from Android users everywhere. Not sure if it has something to do with Black Friday or what, but Nun Attack has dropped it’s price in the Play Store to absolutely FREE. I wouldn’t waste any time in picking up this one, folks. Thank me later.

[Google Play Link]