Monday, November 26, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority


Deal alert: Grab the HTC One V on Virgin Mobile for $50 contract-free

Posted: 26 Nov 2012 03:05 AM PST

Many moons ago, HTC released a trio of phones under the "One" branding – the One X, the One S and the One V – in the hope that they'd help recapture the firm's ever-declining grab of the market. While it didn't exactly turn out that way, these are still well-made smartphones – the One V included.

If its chin price was what keeping you from scooping the HTC One V up in the past, Virgin Mobile has an offer that you may find hard to resist. For a limited time only, the carrier is selling the One V contract-free for $50.

The One V doesn't exactly pack the best of specs, but for $50 it's certainly a steal. In case you need a reminder, the phone features a 3.7-inch Super LCD2 display with 800 x 480 resolution, a 1GHz processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB onboard storage, microSD support, 5MP rear camera, Beats Audio enhancement, 1,500mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Unfortunately, the One V doesn't boast a 4G LTE radio to make use of Virgin Mobile's 4G LTE network, so you'll have to be content with 3G. The offer ends today, so you better make your mind up fast.

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DailySteals has 16 GB Nexus 4 available for $499, but is it really a steal?

Posted: 26 Nov 2012 02:49 AM PST

While we knew from the get-go that Google and LG's Nexus 4 was going to be really special, we never imagined it could break one of the age-old golden rules of technology. That is the phone, unlike other gadgets, but just like wines, will increase its value with time.

We're not kidding, just think about it. Google had this big boy up for grabs starting at $299 for like a couple of seconds and is struggling to meet demand and get it back in stock. Meanwhile, T-Mobile sold it for a far heftier price and still managed to run out, while Ebay listings got crazier and crazier to the point that an 8 GB Nexus 4 is now around 600 bucks and a 16 GB model is $1,000.

Now we've just come across a new way to procure yourselves a precious "pure Google" phone, though you might still not be too happy with the "deal". DailySteals has the 16 GB unlocked Nexus 4 for $499, which the discount site claims to be $300 off the list price. Yeah, maybe the list price on Ebay.

Still, this is not the absolute worst deal that you could make nowadays and is actually the same price T-Mobile will charge you for the 16 GB model when it'll get back in stock. As for Google Play, we have no idea when or even if the Nexus 4 will reboot its availability anytime soon (like, before Christmas).

So, should you get the Nexus 4 via DailySteals? We have no idea, but whatever you decide make it quick. The special offer, as usual, is a one-day affair with around 18 hours to go, but this time around we're ready to bet we won't see that counter going all the way down to zero.

And that's not just because there'll be huge demand for the phone, but also because DailySteals has no way of packing a very hefty stock after all the madness from these past couple of weeks.

Quick reminder in spec land – the Nexus 4 features a 4.7-inch IPS LCD screen with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, a quad-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2 GB of RAM, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, an 8 MP rear-facing camera, NFC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. There's no microSD slot on board and no 4G LTE support, though technically there is an LTE chip inside that sorta kinda works.

Who’s taking advantage of DailySteals’ “special deal”? And who’s ready to wait for Google to get the phone back in stock even if that could still take weeks?

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Nexus 7 3G goes back up on Google Play in the UK

Posted: 26 Nov 2012 02:19 AM PST

Heads up, UK folks! Close to two weeks after the Nexus 7 3G went on sale and sold out at a blink of an eye, the 3G variant of the 7-inch Nexus tablet is once again available for purchase from Google Play Store.

The 32GB Nexus 7 with mobile data is selling for its usual £239 self. According to the listing, the device will be delivered in 3-5 business days.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Nexus cousins are still out of stock. Both the 16GB and 32GB Nexus 10 tabs, going for £319 and £389, respectively, are only listed as shipping soon. Same thing with the Nexus 4, as it's shown as "Sold Out" on the Play Store, but with no timeframe given of when the device will be back up.

Unlike the 3G-enabled Nexus 7, you can get the unlocked Nexus 4 from third-party retailers, though it comes with a more expensive price tag.

Anyone planning to grab the Nexus 7 3G while it's still available? Or are you looking forward to the Nexus 4 more?

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HTC Droid DNA’s bootloader unlocking tutorial is up

Posted: 26 Nov 2012 02:09 AM PST

The fact that the HTC Droid DNA comes with a locked bootloader may have deterred some from going to the stores to pick up the 5-inch super phone, but those who stuck by HTC's side will be thrilled to hear that a workaround has been found, one that allows them to get on with their Android tinkering lifestyle.

The folks at Rootzwiki have provided detailed instructions on how to softmod the Droid DNA so that you can unlock the smartphone’s bootloader once more using the official HTCDev unlocking tool.

Needless to say you have to be quite proficient in using ADB. After downloading the provided app and backup file, the first few steps seem simple enough to follow, but the rest can be pretty complex. It can't be stressed enough how you need to follow the instructions 100% if you don't want to be left with a bricked device.

It's worth noting as well that you may not be able to return the HTC Droid DNA to its locked state for warranty purposes. Having said that, the door to rooting, installing custom ROMs and more on the Droid DNA is now open for the adventurous type. As always, proceed at your own risk.

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Rumor: Google to launch a 12.85 inch touch enabled Chromebook next year

Posted: 26 Nov 2012 01:41 AM PST

Google’s Chromebooks, in case you haven’t heard of them by now, are basically laptops that run only one application: Chrome. There are several models available at various price points, the cheapest being an Acer unit for $199 that uses an Intel chip. There’s also a Samsung unit that uses the company’s own Exynos 5 ARM based processor; it costs $249.

According to a rumor from DigiTimes, which we have to stress is a site that has a mixed track record, Google is working on a touch screen enabled Chromebook. Said device allegedly has a 12.85 inch screen, but here’s where things get interesting: Instead of Google asking Samsung or Acer to make them this new machine, Google is going to launch this touch Chromebook under their own brand.

The story goes on to say that Compal will be doing the assembly, which should kick off by the end of the year. Realistically speaking, when would this device actually launch? We’re speculating here, but we think this would be the perfect device to announce at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Why? Because just about every laptop maker on the face of the planet is going to announce a Windows 8 machine there. Google could leverage the hype those machines are going to generate by pitching their machine as a Windows 8 substitute.

Speaking about Windows 8, that OS was made specifically for touch in mind. Chrome OS, the way it’s shipping today, isn’t exactly touch friendly. Is Google planning on overhauling the OS to make it easier to use with your fingers? If so, why is Google pouring so much effort into Chrome OS instead of Android?

There are a lot of unanswered questions here that we should be getting the answers to early next year. We here at Android Authority just want one thing, we wish Google made Chromebooks easier to buy in countries other than the United States and the United Kingdom.

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ZTE to launch an octo-core smartphone called the “Apache” in 2013

Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:53 AM PST

Smartphones packing four ARM Cortex A9 processors have been out on the market for a little over half a year. We thought that the next step in performance would come from devices that feature two ARM Cortex A15 processors. The Nexus 10 has just such a chip inside. According to a report on the China Times, ZTE has other plans. They’re going to launch an octo-core smartphone in 2013 called the “Apache”. Here’s where things get interesting: The chip with these eight cores isn’t going to be made by Qualcomm, NVIDIA, or Samsung. Instead it’s going to be made by MediaTek and it’s allegedly called the MT6599.

Little is known about this chip because it’s yet to be announced, but we do know something about a chip that’s slightly less powerful, the MT6588. The MT6588 is a quad core chip, but unlike the Tegra 3 or the Exynos 4 Quad, it uses ARM’s weaker Cortex A7 core instead of the Cortex A9. On paper, four ARM Cortex A7 processors should deliver roughly the same performance as two Cortex A9 processors. Why bother making a quad core A7 chip then? Sadly it comes down to marketing.

So will the “Apache” be a killer device? Probably not. We have a strong feeling that it’s going to pack two clusters of four ARM Cortex A7 processors. That would make the chip easy to manufacture. We just don’t think MediaTek of all companies has the resources to out engineer a company like Samsung or Qualcomm. That’s an extremely hard pill to swallow.

When will we know more about this magic phone? Knowing how much America hates China right now, we’re probably going to have to wait until Mobile World Congress in February. That being said, we’d be pleasantly surprised if something turned up at CES in January.

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SoftBank’s CEO Masayoshi Son on the Sprint deal: “I am betting $20 billion that I’m going to be successful.”

Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:22 AM PST

Remember when the Japanese operator SoftBank announced that they were going to buy 70% of Sprint? Everyone in the office scratched their heads because we frankly didn’t know how to react to the deal. Now, thanks to an exhaustively researched piece on The Wall Street Journal about Masayoshi Son, SoftBank’s CEO, we not only know a lot more the Japanese company, but we’re also filled with excitement. Starting with Mr. Son’s history, he grew up in a shack in the middle of nowhere. He wanted to change his life, so he went to America. He went to High School in California and then got a degree in Economics from U.C. Berkeley. The WSJ piece then goes on to cover what he did over the next decade or two, but let’s focus on SoftBank, which actually started out as a software distributor.

Mr. Son bought Vodafone Japan in 2006. At the time, SoftBank was an internet service provider. When he finally took control of the wireless operator, he slashed prices by 75% in a bid to gain new customers. Today, SoftBank is the third largest operator in the country. Last month, SoftBank announced their intent to buy a local competitor called EMOBILE. When that deal goes through, SoftBank will become the second largest operator in the country with 39.1 million customers. The leader, NTT DOCOMO, has over 60 million.

Why are we so excited about Masayoshi Son? He means business. One of his friends remembers visiting an ice cream shop with him. Know what Mr. Son said to the guy working there that day? His milkshake “had better be extra thick” or he wouldn’t have paid.

What kind of sane person says that?

The WSJ goes on to say that Mr. Son is going to dedicate himself to Sprint. He will be overseeing what devices they offer, the price plans they offer, and even the ads that they’re going to run. Once a week he’ll have a conference call with Sprint, and once a month he’ll visit them in person.

We can’t wait to see what this short 55 year old man can do.

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Motorola Mobility sites in Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa got shut down by Google

Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

motorola mobility
When Google bought Motorola Mobility, the thought on everyone’s mind was that Google would make some improvements. When Motorola Mobility didn’t get any better, the consensus was that it would take some time for Google to make changes. Now we are stating to see some of those changes.

They aren’t the changes we all expected. Google’s first order of business for Motorola was to shut down a number of their websites. As The Next Web reports, Google said they would be making cuts to Motorola Mobility. The websites going down was part of that.

Thus, the websites in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East were all cut off. Instead, visitors will see a message similar to the one in the picture above. They have closed down the product sites but the support sites are to remain open. They also link customers to a product page. Along with it comes a warning that products on the product page may not be available in certain countries.

So what does this mean for Motorola Mobility?

It means that Google is finally starting to reshape the struggling Motorola. As Chinese website Sina reports, Motorola Mobility was struggling long before Google bought them. The only difference between then and now is that now Motorola Mobility is costing Google money. Google didn’t get to be the second biggest tech company by wasting money.

The move definitely isn’t what everyone was hoping for. After all, we were all dreaming of Motorola Nexus devices. Meanwhile, Google was making strategic cuts to save the company money. The websites going down is likely just the beginning of these cuts.

Perhaps the worst part is that we’re back to the waiting game. It will likely be a long time before the reshaping of Motorola is complete. At the very least, we can say there was a definite beginning to Google changing Motorola.

Was shutting down the websites and making cuts to Motorola a smart move by Google? Tell us what you think.

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TSMC breaks ground on the world’s first 20 nanometer fab, watch out Intel!

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:31 PM PST

Chances are that the smartphone you have in your pocket right now is powered by a chip that was made by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, TSMC for short. Qualcomm uses TSMC, NVIDIA uses TSMC, and roughly 150 other companies also depend on TSMC for their chips. According to Focus Taiwan, TSMC just broke ground on a new factory, or fab in industry parlance, that will pump out 20 nanometer chips. When will this factory be done? That wasn’t mentioned, but we’re hearing rumors that we should start seeing 20 nanometer chips in smartphones either by the end of 2013 or very early 2014. How much money is TSMC pouring into this fab? Again, we don’t have an exact number, but we do know that the company is going to be spending roughly $17.2 billion over the next five years to expand their operations.

Why should you be excited about 20 nanometer chips? Because chips made using smaller transistors use less power, which translates to increased battery life. That and some of the next generation ARM processors, such as the Cortex A15 and Cortex A57, are a lot larger than what’s on today’s market, so companies are going to want to use smaller transistors in order to save money.

What about Intel and Samsung? Intel’s fabs make 22 nanometer chips today, but, and this is a big but, Intel’s fabs only make Intel chips. Samsung on the other hand, they make chips for not only themselves, but for Apple as well. They’re currently producing 32 nanometer chips. Will either of these companies upgrade their fabs in 2013/2014? Sure, Intel is working on ironing out all the kinks with their 14 nanometer parts, and Samsung is busy trying to get 20 nanometer processors out the door.

Qualcomm’s quad core Snapdragon S4 is likely going to remain the most advanced smartphone chip on the planet for at least the next two to three quarters, so if you’re thinking about waiting for “the next big thing”, we say don’t bother.

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Sony dips Xperia P in gold, makes it the best luxury smartphone ever

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PST

Xperia P
Luxury phones seem to have a stigma of being mid range at best. Luxury car dealers like Aston Martin make cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars that sit on the bleeding edge of vehicular technology. Then they release smartphones for thousands of dollars that aren’t so great. Sony has done the same with the Xperia P.

As Engadget points out, there are better smartphones in the Sony lineup that could’ve gotten dipped in gold. Why they went with the Xperia P is anyone’s guess.

In case you’re not familiar, the Xperia P isn’t the worst smartphone out there. It sports a dual core, 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, and 16GB of storage. It is pretty mid range compared to today’s standards.

So this gold plated Xperia P is the best luxury phone out there?

It may not seem like it, but it really is. When compared to luxury offerings like the Aston Martin phone mentioned above, it’s a veritable Porshe. After all, the Aston Martin phone rocks an 800MHz, single core processor and a whopping 256MB of RAM. We would’ve compared it to a Lamborghini, but their offering wasn’t much better than Aston Martin’s.

Compared to the competition, the Xperia P is a rock star. Unfortunately, these will never go on sale. According to the Sony Mobile’s blog, only 15 were made and they’re likely being given away on their Facebook page.

Was this a good move by Sony, or should they have gone with a better phone than the Xperia P? Let us know!

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Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums


Well That Didn’t Take Long: HTC DROID DNA’s Bootloader Can Now Be Unlocked

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 03:27 PM PST

 

Considering the HTC DROID DNA is currently the hottest smartphone of the season, it’s only natural that prospective and new owners will want to fiddle and tinker with the device right? Well the ability to fiddle and tinker with the device is now available thanks to the newfound ability to unlock the device’s bootloader. Thanks to the gang at Android Police, there is a softmod method available which allows for the device to be unlocked using HTC’s developer tool at HTCDev.com. It’s a fairly simple and straightforward process as all that’s needed is a couple of .zip files, an .apk and the execution of some commands and voila!!— the path to customization glory is cleared up for all.

If you’re interested in taking it to The Man and its oppression, you’ll find complete instructions at the source link below.

source: Android Police



Why I’m thankful for Android

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 01:05 PM PST

A couple weeks ago we had the pleasure of wishing Android a happy fifth birthday. This past week, many in the U.S. paused to celebrate a day of thanksgiving, and I'd like to take time to express some thanks for Android. Granted, some of these could apply to any smartphone operating system with the right app, but my Android phone is what makes it possible for me. Without further ado:

#7 – I am productive using apps on my phone

Years ago I became a convert to David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD) method for keeping my mind clear. When I first started, everyone was figuring out the best physical method to keep track of their Next Actions, Inbox, Projects and other entries. Now we have several apps to choose from and the whole system can be kept in our pocket. My favorite apps for this purpose though, the most current and in use one being Due Today, are those that tie in to a backend service like ToodleDo so my to do list is always synced to whatever device I happen to be using. Thanks Android for providing a platform for developers to interact with other open services.

#6 – Apps to help me keep up with my money 

For many years now, it has been the rare opportunity when I write a check. More recently, I tend to not even carry cash. I do use plastic or buy stuff online on a regular basis though. This means I don't have a physical, paper register to keep up with what I'm spending. So having an electronic check register on my mobile device means I can keep up with how much money I have available. On those rare occasions when I receive a paper check from someone, I can even do a mobile deposit just by taking a picture with my Android powered phone. Soon I'll be using Square's card reader to accept payments via plastic. One day, I may even upgrade my phone to something NFC capable which will make payments even easier. Thanks Android for introducing functions that developers can use to build new ways for me to interact when sending and receiving money.

#5 – I have a phone that doesn't NEED to be replaced

After two years, my HTC EVO is still running at about 80% of capability or better. I have been battling insufficient memory issues for a while and only recently has my battery life started to degrade some. I am looking forward to getting my hands on a new device soon, but this is probably the first time ever that I have not reached a level of frustration with my cell phone that has me pulling my hair out. Thanks Android for being robust enough, even with Gingerbread, to effectively outlive the terms of my contract.

#4 – I can arrange my screens in a way that makes sense to me

While I absolutely love my Android devices, my wife and kids are not so enamored of them. Case in point, my wife just replaced her Blackberry with an iPhone. Being the main tech head in the household, it was up to me to get it initially configured. This meant having to put up with the silly iOS slide puzzle interface for app icons. With my Android powered smartphone, such nonsense was a thing of the long past for me. Although I am not a heavy consumer of widgets, there are a few that make my life much easier, like those for aCar that I use to track vehicle expenses. I can quickly enter new fill-up data or view upcoming services without diving into the app. Then there are all the little bits of the interface, like the notification bar, that make it so easy to get to information or to be alerted when there is something I need to tend to. Thanks Android for giving me an interface that is flexible enough to meet my needs.

#3 – I can access files on the go using the "cloud"

With an Android smartphone, I have several options available to sync files between devices. I regularly have to give a report each month to a board, updating them on the organization's financial statements. I prefer to use FreeMind to create a mind map covering the points I want to touch on. In the past, this meant creating the mind map on my computer (which I still do), then printing it out. Now, I have a couple choices – add it as a note to Evernote or put it in my SugarSync folder. I can then take my Android powered tablet and open the file on it when the Board meeting starts. I can even use a mind mapping app on my tablet, Thinking Space Pro (now Mindjet) in my case, to view and edit the mind map instead of just viewing a static pdf. One of the nice things I have found using an Android powered device is that the file structure uses paradigms I'm used to from years of working on computers. This means I can find files I've synced quickly and easily. Thanks Android for being a leader in cloud technology.

#2 – When push comes to shove, I can roll my own

A while back, I ran into a problem. Despite my efforts to find something I liked, I could not find a good app to keep score of soccer games my daughters were playing in. You would be surprised at how many times other parents would ask me how much time was left or what exactly was the score. Unfortunately, an app for such a purpose is truly a niche product and no one had yet produced something useful. However, I was able to  do some research, download and install the SDKs for Android, and develop my own app to do what I needed. Was it likely something real developers would look at and just shake their head over? Probably. Was it something I could have uploaded to the Google Play store and made some money? Probably not. Did it do what I needed it to do and scratch the proverbial itch? You bet it did. Thanks Android for being open enough and providing the tools needed for a coding simpleton like myself to crank out a simple app for my own use.

#1 – I have tons of phone options, and the choices only get better everyday

For many years, anyone who wanted a smartphone had one choice. That choice was a Blackberry. Then along came Apple with the iPhone and we had two choices. While Blackberry started to introduce some different models, Apple stuck with one basic design. Until Android came along. Since then, we have seen many manufacturers producing smartphones with a wide variety of features and capabilities. Developers find creative ways to use functions available on the platform and even design completely new and different interfaces for us. We have even reached the point where Android is dictating to the industry where they need to be to stay in the market. Thank you Android for pushing everyone to produce a better mousetrap.

What about Android are you thankful for?

picture via: Android and Me



Does your Nexus 7 lag after the 4.2 update? There’s a fix for that

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 09:55 PM PST

Users are reporting severe performance issues after updating their Nexus 7 to Android 4.2. General lag, choppiness, and stuttering performance seem to be plaguing nearly every aspect of the device, from swiping across the home screens, opening the app drawer, typing on the keyboard, scrolling in the browser or even simply unlocking the device. Even getting the screen to turn on takes several seconds after pressing the power button! Needless to say, this is causing quite a frustrating experience for many users, especially since we’ve grown accustomed to the buttery smoothness of Android 4.1.

I personally experienced all of these issues and more, so I decided to do some research on how to fix it. Turns out the fix is a very simple one. Read on after the break to get the scoop.

If you’re one of the poor users experiencing major lag on your Nexus 7 after the Android 4.2 update, here’s what you can do to remedy the situation:

  1. Open your app drawer
  2. Open Google Currents
  3. Click the three dots in the top right corner of the app
  4. Tap “Settings”
  5. Uncheck “Enable  Background Sync”
  6. Reboot your Nexus 7

That’s it. You shouldn’t experience anymore lag and you probably won’t even need to reboot. For me the difference was night and day. I went an extra step and disabled the app completely just in case. If you want to disable Google Currents for good measure, you can do so by going into your main Settings menu, clicking Apps, swiping to the All category, clicking Google Currents, and then clicking Disable. (If you do this you won’t be able to use Google Currents anymore, but at least your Nexus 7 will be back to normal).

We hope this helps you get back to enjoying your Nexus 7.

Are any of you out there experiencing lag on your Nexus 7 after updating? Did this fix work for you? Let us know in the comments.

source: YouTube more info: google code



Android Central

Android Central


Wondershare PowerCam review

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 03:10 PM PST

Wondershare PowerCam

There's really no shortage of camera apps out there, all offering different features and claiming to be the best. There are specific apps that do one thing well, and there are others that are more of a "camera toolbox." Love it or hate it, now that Instagram is available on Android, there's been a rush of apps repositioning themselves to differentiate and stand out.

So what does Wondershare PowerCam bring to the table? Check out the pictures after the break and see for yourself.

read more



Nexus 7 3G back in stock on UK Google Play Store

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 12:59 PM PST

Android Central

It didn't sell out quite as quickly as Nexus 4 and 10, but the 3G/HSPA version of the Nexus 7 was nevertheless unavailable from the UK Google Play Store shortly after it went on sale. Now the tablet's back on sale, and the Play Store listing indicates a standard 3-5 day shipping window for the device.

The 3G Nexus 7 sells for £239 in the UK, and comes with 32GB of storage. The two Wifi-only Nexus 7's are still available to buy from the British Google Play Store too, priced at £159 and £199 for 16 and 32GB storage options respectively. The Nexus 4 remains sold out in the UK Play Store for the time being, though it is available elsewhere. Meanwhile the Nexus 10 is listed with a 2-3 week shipping timeframe.

If anyone's already picked up a 3G Nexus 7 over the past couple of weeks, let us know how you're getting on down in the comments.

Source: Google Play Store; Thanks @MasterPFA!



Android Kids App: Goodnight Moon

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 07:55 AM PST

Goodnight Moon

Does it get any more classic than this? Developer Loud Crow -- which has brought the works of Sandra Boynton, Beatrix Potter and even Charles Schulz's Charlie Brown to Android -- now has brought us the timeless kids book, "Goodnight Moon."

It's done in the usual Loud Crow fashion. The app can read the book aloud, word for word. Tap a word, and it's sounded out. Or you can choose to read to yourself. As you make your way through the story, you can use a magnifying glass to explore the great green room, and get a closer look at the telephone. And the red balloon. And the picture of the cow jumping over the moon. And there are plenty of animations to keep kids interested. Or, parents who love to reminisce. 

If you still need more, in-app purchases will unlock letter and number features in the app. Be sure to take a look at the app after you buy it. It works fine on tablets, but not on my Nexus 4. We've got some demo video after the break.

More: Android kids apps

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From the Editor's Desk: Doing a good thing badly

Posted: 25 Nov 2012 07:23 AM PST

Phil Nickinson

There's a reason why I tend to post stories on Google+ about the traditional journalism industry. For one, it's where I came from. There are days I miss it. But there are so many more days that I don't. Another reason is that what we do here is rooted in it. Not just us, but every tech blog, regardless of its background.

But really, for me, this job is fun. And we try to keep it that way. Make no mistake, we're writing about phones here. Hardly life-and-death stuff. But it's still important, and it's still challenging. Deciding what to write. Editing it into a cohesive story. Coming up with compelling illustrations. And that final moment where you hit the publish button and suddenly think "Oh, shit. What if I screwed something up?" It happens every time, no matter the story or review, no matter how much work we put into it. That feeling doesn't go away.

And you know what? We don't always get it right.

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Nexus 4 posts you will want to read [From the Forums]

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 06:43 PM PST

Nexus 4

Half the fun of getting a new Android phone like the Nexus 4 is talking about it with others who got one as well. This is where forums come into play. A place where like minded folks can share tips and tricks, complain about the inevitable bugs, and generally chat it up about their new toy tool. Since it's pretty slow today, I spent the afternoon trawling through the Nexus 4 forums and ran across a couple threads you won't want to miss,

You'll find plenty more in the Nexus 4 forums, so jump in and join the fun!