Saturday, December 1, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority


Koodo starts selling Samsung Galaxy S3 for $550

Posted: 01 Dec 2012 01:51 AM PST

Samsung-Galaxy-S3
The best-selling Galaxy S3 smartphone from Samsung is now available through Koodo Mobile in Canada for $550 outright. The device can also be purchased through Koodo’s fluctuating Tab option, and those who buy it through Koodo retail locations can expect to receive a $100 bonus gift at the time of purchase.

According to Koodo’s official Samsung Galaxy S3 product page, the phone’s list of features includes a 1.5GHz dual core processor, a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD touchscreen display, an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, 16GB of internal storage, support for up to 64GB of external storage, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Koodo is selling the Pebble Black version.

As you may already know, the Galaxy S3 is already available for purchase through other carriers in Canada — such as Telus and Rogers. However, Koodo’s selling price is markedly cheaper. It’s also worth noting that there are a few other high-end Android handsets available at even lower prices. In any case, the Galaxy S3 is one formidable model that is considered by many as one of the best Android-flavored phones available on the market right now.

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France’s SFR rolls out the country’s first consumer 4G network

Posted: 01 Dec 2012 01:42 AM PST

It's been a long time coming, but those in France who long for some high-speed Internet access on their mobile devices can pin their hope of seeing 4G soon in the area on SFR. The Vivendi-owned telecom company has begun the first phase of its 4G network roll out.

The service is now live in Lyon and it will come to Montpellier in mid-December, as well as Lille, Marseille, Strasbourg, and Toulouse in Q1 2013. Infrastructure problems kept the country's capital city from getting 4G first, but it should be available in Paris by next autumn.

The 4G data plans start at €49.99 per month for 2GB of data allowance, with devices like the Samsung Galaxy S3, the HTC One XL, the Motorola Razr HD, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab Note 10.1 4G up for grabs.

Prior to SFR’s launch, France Telecom has started offering a limited 4G service for the enterprise market. Along with Bouygues Telecom, the two competing mobile operators are also expected to switch on their 4G networks for the consumer segment early next year, but for now SFR has the upper hand.

The 4G rollout means France has now joined the rather short list of European countries that offer similar service, following SwitzerlandUK and Germany.

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Sony Xperia U’s Jelly Bean update to arrive in early December?

Posted: 01 Dec 2012 01:40 AM PST

It was only quite recently that the Sony Xperia U made the jump from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich, but now we're already hearing reports that Sony is preparing to upgrade the phone to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The first one came from an unofficial source, which claimed that an insider has spilled the beans on the Jelly Bean update for the phone. Apparently, the Xperia U, as well as the Xperia Go, Sola, and P, will be getting Jelly Bean in December.

While it may sound too good to be true, a more legit source, in this case Sony Mobile Italy's Facebook page, seems to back the report, though it stops short in giving a specific timeline. The admin on the page only said that Sony is planning to release the Android 4.1 software update for the Xperia U.

It's worth to note that the Xperia U is missing from the official Jelly Bean upgrade list for Xperia handsets that Sony released last month. It's possible that Sony has had a change of heart, yet again. More on this as we hear it.

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USPTO Patent Chief calls it quits after claiming the patent system isn’t broken

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 11:30 PM PST

USPTO
For our regular readers, you may remember our report about the absurd claims of Patent Chief David Kappos. The USPTO Patent Chief had claimed that the patent system wasn’t broken. Moreover, that it was working pretty well. For most, the phrase, “CAT scan” immediately came to mind.

It is on that note that David Kappos announced that he is resigning from the USPTO director position. Come this January, Mr. Kappos will be stepping down from the USPTO and someone new will take the stage. For the time being, there is no word on who will be replacing him at the top.

During his reign, David Kappos is known for a few things. He was in charge for the entire course of the mobile patent wars. He was in charge when Apple filed for those ridiculous patents and then got them. Among Android fans, he isn’t the most popular.

However, Engadget reports that he may have done some good. Not as many people may know, but David Kappos and the USPTO did some work to help the America Invents Act get passed. That will help get some patents in faster.

Will David Kappos have any lasting impressions on the USPTO?

It won’t be known what effects Kappos had on USPTO policy until long after he’s left office. Much like other government officials, a lot of Kappos’ work won’t take effect for awhile. It will also depend on who succeeds Kappos. The new guy may very well take the USPTO in a different direction than Kappos.

There is a lot of uncertainty with all of this. At least with Kappos, people knew what they were getting out of the USPTO. With a new person coming in, the system could go in virtually any direction. Is Kappos’ resigning a good thing? Let us know your thoughts on all this.

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Nexus 4 16GB shipping times reaches 6-7 weeks, could get longer

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 09:30 PM PST

Nexus 4
The Nexus 4 release has been a fiasco. If anyone thought it was going to be over anytime soon, then Google has some bad news for you. If you hadn’t heard, Google has had a hard time keeping the Nexus 4 in stock. It doesn’t look like the woes are stopping anytime soon, either.

As Droid Life reports, the shipping time on the Nexus 4 16GB just keeps going up and up. This last Tuesday, the phone went back on sale with a 1-2 week shipping time. Not long after, it increased to 3-4. It is now Friday and it’s up to 6-7 weeks.

That means if you order it right now, you’re not getting it until the second week of January. That’s also assuming Google keeps up with their shipping times. Historically, with the Nexus 4 at least, they have not.

Will Google ever catch up with the Nexus 4 orders?

There will come a point eventually where Google will get caught up. Unfortunately, it won’t be this year. Since it’s the holiday season, it’s unlikely that people will stop ordering it as well. So you can likely expect the 6-7 weeks to evolve into longer.

To keep up with the latest, visit the Nexus 4 16GB Google Play page. To future Nexus 4 owners, are you going to order now and wait, or wait for the demand to go down?

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Verizon Galaxy Note 2 getting Gmail and YouTube multi-window support soon?

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 08:14 PM PST

Verizon has just started selling its own Galaxy Note 2 version, and it looks like consumers are already asking Samsung questions about the future of the device,  particularly about the multi-window feature. One user who is apparently interested in seeing Gmail and YouTube in multi-window on the phablet contacted the company via Twitter asking why these two apps can’t be used in such a way.

Samsung answered his question revealing that the two apps will soon get multi-window support, without actually detailing launch plans for a software update that would bring such functionality.

In time, probably more apps will get such support from Samsung. But if you have purchased, or are planning to get a Galaxy Note 2 from Verizon you should be aware that right now there aren't that many multi-window-friendly apps to choose from.

However, Droid-Life also points out that one particular app downloaded from the Play Store, Total Commander, already populates the list of apps that can be used with multi-window after is install. That seems to indicate that developers could offer multi-windows support in their apps, although that still remains to be confirmed by Samsung.

While you wait for more apps to support multi-window, let us know what apps you'd like to use in such a manner on the Galaxy Note 2!

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Asus Qube with Google TV Dongle unveiled, is it a Nexus Q upgraded version?

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 07:53 PM PST

It's probably safe to say that the Nexus Q, that overpriced entertainment Android-based device unveiled at Google I/O this summer although never actually launched in the months that followed, is not one of Google's finest creations, especially considering that it somewhat represented a Google TV rival.

But now it looks like Asus has been working on an entertainment called the Asus Qube, which would work with a Google TV Dongle. The latter has already been spotted with the FCC according to The Verge. The publication says that the Qube will apparently be part of Google's Nexus family, potentially replacing the Nexus Q.

The Google TV Dongle described in the FCC filings would connect to the Qube over USB, and while details aren't clear yet, Google may be trying to combine the best of both worlds, Android and Google TV, to offer buyers a new entertainment device.

In addition to Wi-Fi and RF support (for wireless accessories) for the Google TV Dongle, which will apparently work only with the Qube, two apps have already been spotted in the Google Play Store, apps that seem to have been designed especially for the Qube. These are O!Mobile Remote and O!Mobile Control Center.

The Qube is set to be launched in January, at which point the Google TV Dongle should also become official. But we'll certainly keep you updated, as nothing is officially official yet.

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Nexus 7 charging dock priced at around $42 in Japan, shipping in early December

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 07:30 PM PST

Nexus 7 buyers will be happy to hear that there may be a dock in their Nexus 7 future. Apparently Asus is ready to take orders for the official Nexus 7 charging dock at least in Japan, where the device is priced at ¥3,580, or around $42.

While there's no news on when the device will be available in other markets, we can remind you that the dock was spotted a few months ago in a Nexus 7 accessory presentation, so it's not quite a surprise to see it around.

Sure, Asus certainly took its time when it comes to releasing it in a timely fashion following the Nexus 7 launch, but at least buyers know the device will soon be available.

In addition to charging and docking capabilities, the device also comes with a micro USB port and a 3.5mm headset jack, just in case you need, well, more connectivity.

The Nexus 7 charging dock is apparently set to ship in early December. Are you interested in buying it already?

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Action-packed RPG game Zenonia 5: Wheel of Destiny now available in the Play Store

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 07:06 PM PST

After experiencing a delay of a couple of weeks, the Zenonia 5: Wheel of Destiny game for Android is finally available in the Google Play Store as a free download.

Zenonia 5, the fifth installment in Gamevil’s action RPG game series, follows a simple story line: a hero arises from the ruins of a slum village at a time when the rich begin to exploit the poor and darkness takes over the whole kingdom. Now it’s up to the hero to restore the goodness in his era and free the poor from the evil. There are four different heroes to choose from: Berserker, Mechanic, Wizard, and Paladin, with each having unique powers and special moves.

Zenonia 5 has on screen D-Pad controls which can be used to navigate and fire weapons. Users can customize, level up, and equip their characters with skill charts and more. The game lets the gamers explore numerous challenging side quests and adventures and reap the rewards by discovering rare and legendary items! Moreover, players can fight in a global PvP environment with other players from various regions.

Did you download Zenonia 5 already? What do you think of the game?

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14 sizzling new Android apps of the week (November 30 issue)

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 07:00 PM PST

Gather around, Android fanatics, for we are about to serve the hottest sizzling apps from the Google Play Store. Indulge yourself on 14 of the newest dishes from Google’s app kitchen.

With these sizzling apps, you can decorate your homescreens, chat with Instagram users, remotely control your SMS messages, see all your friends’ uploaded pictures in one place, get baking, magically remove the ads, and much more.

So grab a chair, ready your plates, and get ready for some new and sizzling apps for the week.

Beautiful Clock Widgets

It’s time to decorate your Android homescreens! The Beautiful Clock Widgets app by AntTek offers you a variety of clock widgets to add some colors to your homescreen. You can choose from a nice selection of digital clocks, a toy train clock, and lots of beautiful clocks to personalize your homescreen. A variety of clock widget sizes are also available. You can download the Beautiful Clock Widgets for free; however, clock widget designs are limited. You will need to download the premium version to unlock all designs and to fully decorate your homescreens with all these stunning clocks.


VampireBooth

Do you know how you look as a vampire? MotionPortrait, Inc’s VampireBooth lets you know how by animating your portrait picture into a frightening vampire. The app can also add some effects to make your transformation more realistic. Aside from turning yourself into a vampire, you also get to dress yourself in vampire costume; however, most of the costumes are locked and you can only get them by downloading the developers’ other apps. You also get limited blood to turn yourself and your friends into vampires unless you download the app’s supported apps. The ads-supported VampireBooth app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. Though ads-supported, ads only appear at the bottom of the app’s interface and don’t hinder you from using the app.


OMG Facts

Developed by the smart team of piapps, the OMG Facts app contains tons of surprising facts that will surely make you go “Wow!” It has facts about animals, the human body, games, funny facts, geography, and much more. Do you know that our aorta is the same size as a garden water hose? Do you know that apples, potatoes, and onions taste the same when you eat them with your nose plugged? Cool, huh?

The app also allows you to share those interesting facts with your family and friends via email or SMS message. You can also mark your favorite facts and quickly access them. The ads-supported OMG Facts can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. Though the app is ads-supported, ads only appear at the bottom of the app’s interface and won’t hinder you while using the app.


Adblock Plus

It’s time to say goodbye to those annoying ads with Adblock Plus’ Adblock Plus app installed on your Android device. As the name suggests, this app blocks all ads on your device. Whether you’re browsing the Web or using your favorite apps, Adblock Plus keeps all those pesky ads at bay.

What’s even better is that you won’t need to root your device. Just download the app and it will block the ads over a Wi-Fi connection. You will need root access, however, if you want to block ads over Wi-Fi and 3G connection. Get the ads-free Adblock Plus for free and have an ads-free experience on your Android device.


InstaMessage

Instagram allows people to share moments in their lives, or whatever they’re having for lunch, quickly with people from all over the world. Just sharing pictures, however, doesn’t really give people a chance to connect with their followers. InstaMessage by Future Bits Ltd. is going to make your Instagram experience even better by letting you chat with other users.

Of course, you can still check out what’s popular right now and what images people recently posted, as well as find other Instagram users near you. InstaMessage lets you follow and unfollow people, as well. The only thing InstaMessage is not capable of is snapping your shots.


Apollo

A music player named after the Greek god of music, Apollo brings a sleek and clean interface to music lovers while providing basic music player functions. This holo-themed player developed by andrew.neal lets you view your music albums in a number of ways, from simple to detailed. Can’t live without a certain album, genre, or playlist? Apollo lets you pin it to your homescreen for quick access. Mark your favorite songs and you’ll be able to quickly access them through your Favorites playlist.

You can change Apollo’s accent color to give it a more personal touch, but if you want to make it even more personal, you can give Apollo a new look with themes.

The free version has some ads that appear on the main screen and sometimes on the Now Playing screen. If you want to do away with ads, support the developer, and get quicker updates, you can purchase Apollo+ for US$0.99 from the Google Play Store.


Vintage Photofram.es

Add a bit of nostalgia to your snapshots using Andrei Kuzmenko’s Vintage Photofram.es. Take pictures using the app and throw vintage frames and filters on it to give it that years-old feel. The app gives you 6 styles to choose from. You can also age up your existing images in your Gallery, if you like. When you’re satisfied with your vintage snapshot, share it with the world by signing up and logging in to Photofram.es.

Vintage Photofram.es is available free on the Google Play Store but is ad-supported. The ads, however, only appear at the top of the screen when you’re choosing vintage frames and when you’re viewing your finished product.


EVERY

Pictures speak a thousand words, the old saying goes, and with social media, everyone has a lot to say. A number of social media platforms allow people to not only post status updates and whatever is on their mind, but these platforms also let people post snapshots of what they’re doing, what they’re eating, and where they’re hanging out. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are great ways to connect with people, but if you want to stay connected with everyone on every platform, it can get tiring to jump from one app to another. Thankfully, Picus Team developed EVERY, which lets people view all the photos their friends on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are posting.

EVERY isn’t limited to just collecting uploaded photos for you. You can also Like and add comments to the images your friends posted. EVERY is available for free from the Google Play Store.


Currency Converter

Are you the type who keeps track of currency rates and wants to be in the know wherever and whenever? If you are, Currency Converter by aplisandroid would be a great catch for you. As the app’s name implies, this app converts various currencies to the currency of your preference. Want to know how many US dollars you can get for 5,000 Japanese Yen? You can easily get the answer using the app; just key in the values and you’ll get the result in a second. All of the needed functions of the app are readily presented on one screen — less frills, less complexity.


SMS Controller Lite

Leaving important things at home and realizing it by the time I am already kilometers away is really frustrating, especially when it’s something really important, like my mobile phone. Accidentally leaving mobile phones at home could spell disaster to some, especially when important messages are expected. Thankfully, NyS Studio’s SMS Controller Lite is here to save the day. Just borrow a friend’s phone and send commands like “@getsms” or “@getcalls” to prompt the app to send your unread messages and missed calls to your friend’s number. This will only work if your phone is turned on and, of course, has the app installed. With SMS Controller Lite, accidentally leaving your mobile phone won’t be a problem anymore.

SMS Controller Lite can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.


Kitchen Timer

Whether you are a full-fledged homemaker or a hobbyist inclined to baking or cooking, Kitchen Timer by Kitchen Pearl is one app you shouldn’t bake or cook without. Whether you are making stew or baking a cake, keeping track of the recommended time for cooking or baking is the key to success, most especially if you are a beginner. Kitchen Timer has various time scales appropriate for either baking or cooking. The app can run in the background while you continue to do other tasks on your Android device. An alarm will just go off, prompting you to take your cake out from the oven. Download Kitchen Timer for free now and worry no more about having disastrous stews and horrible-looking pastries.


Pixlr Express

Photos say a lot even without words written on them. A photo of a blue sky, a colorful butterfly, or children happily playing are just some of the photos worth keeping, reminding us that life is indeed beautiful. But, there surely are times when we don’t entirely like our shots. Instead of editing the photos on your PC, you can easily do so on your Android device with Autodesk Inc.’s Pixlr Express.

Aside from basic editing and enhancing, Pixlr Express also hosts a ton of effects you can apply to your photos for added impact and beauty. Remove red-eye and whiten teeth on photos if you want them to look presentable. Lighting effects are also available for added drama and mood on your photos and you can finish them up with photo borders. Photos from your gallery can be edited with this app as well.


Calorie King

Keeping track of your calories manually is hard to do, especially if you are the type who easily forgets where you jotted the figures down. Thankfully, Calorie King by Fun Tools is here to aid you in your journey to weight loss.

The app has a database of food with corresponding amounts of calories and other nutritional facts include. If you are on calorie watch and want to limit your calorie intake to a certain amount only, keeping a record of what you eat definitely helps. What’s more, you can easily access this record on your Android device even when you are traveling.

Calorie King may also be useful to some who are watching their sugar intake as the app’s database also includes other information like amounts of sugar. Help yourself get healthier with Calorie King, which you can get in exchange for nothing.


Passwords Plus

Owning a lot of online accounts almost always equates to having a lot of passwords. If not, the same password is used for all accounts, which by the way, is not recommended. But, memorizing different passwords will be a tedious thing to do, especially if they are really long ones. What if you can store all your different passwords in one “vault” without actually memorizing them? DataViz, Inc. brings you Passwords Plus — the app you should and must have.

Passwords Plus lets you generate, restore, protect, and sync your passwords, PINs, and other sensitive information on your Android device. Whatever changes you do on your Android device will also appear on your desktop (either Mac or PC), as long as you have Passwords Plus 2.0 installed.

Download Passwords Plus for free and enjoy a 30-day trial version. If you love the app, you can purchase the app anytime during the trial period.


What a better way to end your week by playing with some of the hottest and newest apps on the Google Play Store? Unwind by baking or listening to music. Have some fun with friends by turning yourself into a vampire. If you forgot your phone at home, don’t worry! You can just view your missed calls and unread messages on your friend’s device. Which one of these apps do you love? Hate? Can’t live without? If you found a new app that didn’t make it on our list, let us know what it is by leaving a comment below.

(with contributions from Alvin Ybañez and Dan Evans; banner image uses Shutterstock photo by 2happy)

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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Android and Me

Android and Me


Review: Samsung Galaxy Note II

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:52 PM PST

Over the past year, Samsung has pushed its way to the top, becoming the most dominant force in the Android marketplace. While HTC, Motorola, Sony and LG struggle to maintain or gain market share, Samsung’s been busy creating a whole new category of phones that make even the Samsung Galaxy S...

Visit our site to read the full article.