Android Central |
- Instapaper updated with pagination, tilt scrolling, and more
- Dial directly from your home or lockscreen with Simple Dialer Widget
- AT&T Galaxy Rugby Pro Jelly Bean OTA rolling out now
- U.S. version of the Galaxy Note 10.1 getting its Android 4.1.2 update
- Of course there's a 'Lance Armstrong Doping' Android app
- HTC One SV now available from EE in the UK
- In Darkness: A poor-man's Resident Evil for just $1
- How's the new Google Chrome Beta running for you?
- Deal of the Day: Samsung Pocket Pouch for Galaxy S3
- HTC One SV review
- UK retailer taking Sony Xperia Z pre-orders [update: price changed]
- LG Korea: No problems with Nexus 4 supply
- Nexus 7 docking station seemingly sold out at ASUS UK
- BT debuts SmartTalk Wifi calling app in the UK
- AT&T offering $100 credit for signing 2-year contract with HSPA+ Nexus 7
- ASUS UK puts Nexus 7 dock up for order at £24.99 ... sort of
- Chrome Beta for Android updated
| Instapaper updated with pagination, tilt scrolling, and more Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:37 PM PST
Instapaper for Android has been updated to version 1.2, bringing bug fixes, performance enhancements, and a couple new features. We're not sure which bugs and performance issues were addressed, but we do know which features were added. Pagination allows you to scroll an entire page versus line by line. If you're used to this type of scrolling, it's quite nice in any app that's built for reading. It's now available in the settings menu for those who want to give it a shot. In addition, you can enable tilt scrolling, which is just what it sounds like -- tilt your device to scroll the page. If you're the type who likes gestures and such, this one is for you. On the visual side, Instapaper now supports in-line footnotes, and a new sepia mode that should prove easy on your tired eyes, Probably the biggest new feature is actually called The Feature -- a section of curated, editor recommended articles. While not for everyone, often times it's nice to have a place where quality content is the norm. Grab the update from Google Play, or install Instapaper ($2.99; Android 2.3.3 or higher) from the link above. 
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| Dial directly from your home or lockscreen with Simple Dialer Widget Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:25 PM PST
Here's a great time-saving tip and way to show off the power of Android all in one -- use a widget to dial contacts directly from your homescreen. Widgets are one of the most powerful and customizable parts of Android, but most people relegate them to simply displaying weather or offering music playback toggles. With Simple Dialer Widget, you can put that homescreen space to good use by having a fully functioning phone dialer front and center on the phone. The dialer works just as the proper dialer does, with a full call log and favorites list (although some of us are having issues with favorites) accessible with tabs on the widget. There's a crazy amount of customization available when you make the widget -- from colors to date format and text sizes -- as well as the ability to resize it to your liking. It also works on the lockscreen of devices running Android 4.2, which is a nice plus. Interested in taking a look? Head to the Google Play Store link at the top of this post to grab a download of Simple Dialer Widget -- it's free and certainly worth a try. Via: ComputerWorld 
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| AT&T Galaxy Rugby Pro Jelly Bean OTA rolling out now Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:55 PM PST
AT&T is pushing out a Jelly Bean update to the Galaxy Rugby Pro (remember that one?) that should be hitting devices starting today. Running Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, this durable mid-range device usually wouldn't be considered for an update to Jelly Bean, so we're glad that Samsung and AT&T haven't forgotten about it. In addition to the regular host of Jelly Bean improvements -- like Google Now and Project Butter -- there are a couple of specific additions here. The update will bring a new camera UI with live filters and a pause/resume video recording option, a new "blocking mode" that lets you block calls, notifications and LED lights for a certain period of time, and new keyboard options with the inclusion of the Swype keyboard. The update is rolling out OTA (Over The Air) starting today, but can only be downloaded over Wifi. If you're not near a Wifi connection, you can also sideload the update via Samsung Kies software if you're so inclined. Source: AT&T 
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| U.S. version of the Galaxy Note 10.1 getting its Android 4.1.2 update Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:01 PM PST
Good news for those of you with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. Not only do you have a pretty good tablet with pretty great stylus (excuse us -- "S Pen) interaction, today you're getting an update to Android 4.1.2. Jelly Bean. New features should be in line with what we described in November -- the new "multiwindow" viewing and "air view" controls for the S Pen, "easy clip" for cutting out images, and updated applications to go along with it. Folks in our forums are all over this one, so hit the link below and get your update on. More: Android 4.1.2 for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 
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| Of course there's a 'Lance Armstrong Doping' Android app Posted: 15 Jan 2013 11:43 AM PST
Because think of all those AdSense dollars that would otherwise be going to waste if someone didn't aggregate this week's already overhyped Lance Armstrong news. It's in Google Play if that's your thing. 
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| HTC One SV now available from EE in the UK Posted: 15 Jan 2013 09:34 AM PST
Announced by EE shortly before the holidays, the HTC One SV is now available on the British 4G LTE carrier, with on-contract prices starting at £36 per month. That'll get you unlimited calls and texts, and 500MB of data per month. If you're after a more generous data allowance -- and on LTE, you really should be -- the alternatives include 1GB at £41 per month, 3GB for £46, 5GB for £51 or 8GB for £56. As the only LTE carrier in the UK, EE's prices are considerably higher than the 3G competition, although the One SV does have the advantage of being free on all the network's price plans, whereas the higher-end One XL demands an up-front fee of between £30 and £150. We've just reviewed the One SV on Cricket in the U.S., and found it to be an exquisitely-designed little device, albeit one packing mid-range hardware and lacking the latest version of Android. That means you'll have to make do with Ice Cream Sandwich for the foreseeable future if you pick up a One SV. More info on pricing can be found over at EE's site, linked below. Also be sure to check out our full review for additional details on the phone itself. More: EE.co.uk 
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| In Darkness: A poor-man's Resident Evil for just $1 Posted: 15 Jan 2013 08:32 AM PST
Like horror movies, zombies, puzzle games and first-person shooters? They're all rolled into "In Darkness" on Android. For $1 you're set loose in a dungeon sort of place, with a handgun, a submachine gun and a shotgun. First task: Find your way out of the first room. Only problem is that's when the zombies show up. The graphics for In Darkness aren't the best in the world. The gameplay is pretty rudimentary, and I'm still not a fan of joystick controls. But for just a buck, In Darkness lets you simultaneously use your brain while relieving zombies of what's left of theirs. And who doesn't love that? 
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| How's the new Google Chrome Beta running for you? Posted: 15 Jan 2013 08:03 AM PST
Right in the middle of CES last week, Google opened up the Chrome beta channel for Android, allowing adventurous phone and tablet owners to get a sneak peek at what's next from the mobile browser. The current beta -- which was actually updated just yesterday -- is based on the latest Google Chrome 25, a full seven versions ahead of the most recent stable release for Android. That means a couple of things -- firstly, many of the performance issues in the earlier Chrome releases have been ironed out -- and secondly, some new bugs have taken their place. That's why it's a beta, after all. We've found that performance -- and bugginess -- in the new Chrome beta seem to vary from device to device, more so than the stable Chrome builds. In our experience it performs pretty well on the Nexus 4 and Samsung Exynos devices, but we've run into a few hiccups on Tegra 3 devices like the Nexus 7. So we're interested to hear how you're getting on with the Chrome Beta, if you've taken to using it as your main mobile browser. Head on over to the comments section and let us know about your experiences with the app, and don't forget to tell us which phone or tablet you're using it on. Is it an improvement over the stable channel for you? Or is there still work to be done to bring it up to scratch on yoru device? Hit the comment link above and have your say. 
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| Deal of the Day: Samsung Pocket Pouch for Galaxy S3 Posted: 15 Jan 2013 06:28 AM PST
The Samsung Pocket Pouch is available for just $14.00, over 50% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last! Deal also available in the Canada store Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts! 
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| Posted: 15 Jan 2013 06:20 AM PST
As Cricket's latest LTE-enabled phone, the HTC One SV brings quality construction in a outstanding mid-range packageIt's tough to review a phone that doesn't stand out from the crowd. On the other hand, when the crowd is made up of great phones from HTC like the Droid DNA, One X+ and One S, it's not really a bad thing. That's what you have here with the HTC One SV -- a great little phone that blends in well with the rest of HTC's current offerings. Here in the states, the One SV is exclusive to Cricket. While that's good news for Cricket customers, it means that this one probably won't get the exposure that it would if it were on a bigger carrier. It's also a chance for HTC to cut corners on the budget phone they built for the budget carrier. Thankfully, they didn't. After using it for a bit, I'm left with the impression that the One SV is a better built One S -- and that's no easy feat. You can tell that plenty of time and money went into the design, and rather than skimp on features to make a new mid-range device HTC has built it from the ground up to offer a great package with slightly more inexpensive internals. It's a method that works well. See how well after the break. 
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| UK retailer taking Sony Xperia Z pre-orders [update: price changed] Posted: 15 Jan 2013 05:09 AM PST
Update: It seems Expansys' original price of £399.99 for the Xperia Z was an error, as the retailer has just changed its pre-order price to £529.99, in line with other European stores. Bad news for anyone in the UK hoping to bag an Xperia Z on the cheap. Original story: With any new phone announcement comes the inevitable discussion of pricing and availability, which are almost never revealed at the initial press conference. So it is with the Sony Xperia Z, which we first saw us at last week's CES, and has appeared online with prices up to £530 ($850) in the following days. 
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| LG Korea: No problems with Nexus 4 supply Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:46 AM PST
Getting hold of an LG Nexus 4 through Google's official device store hasn't been an easy task. It's been two months since release day, and throughout most of that time the device has been either sold out or on back-order. It's safe to say that the Google Play buying experience has been less than ideal for many. Before the holidays Google UK boss Dan Cobley blamed "scarce and erratic" Nexus 4 supplies for some of the issues faced by would-be Nexus buyers. However if recent quotes from LG officials in the Korean press are to be believed, the issues don't lie in the manufacturing or supply side. Korean news outlet Chosun Ilbo quotes LG officials as saying the company has "no problems" supplying Nexus 4s through its Pyeongtaek manufacturing plant. The quoted officials also took the opportunity to dismiss some of the crazier Nexus 4 rumors to have surfaced in recent days, including unsubstantiated reports that LG had scaled back or stopped N4 production in favor of a new, spicier Nexus. These rumors were described as "unfounded." Whatever's actually going on between LG and Google, the Nexus 4 is available to buy through other sources, including carriers like O2 and Three in the UK and T-Mobile in the States. So any issues are preventing more Play Store stock from arriving don't seem to be affecting wider supplies of the handset. In any case, with more back-ordered Nexus 4s arriving every day, our fingers are firmly crossed for a fresh influx of Play Store stock in the near future. Source: Chosun Ilbo (Korean); via: The Verge 
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| Nexus 7 docking station seemingly sold out at ASUS UK Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:08 AM PST
Last night we reported that the official ASUS-made Nexus 7 docking station had started appearing at the manufacturer's own UK-based online store -- well, for some users, at least. This morning there's good news and bad news. Firstly, it seems the product page is now working for more people -- we're having no problem accessing it here in the UK. However, the accessory now shows as "sold out," as opposed to shipping with a two-week lead time, as was the case yesterday evening. It appears a few eager Nexus 7 owners may have snapped up ASUS' initial batch of tablet docks in just a few short hours. So, sad pandas for anyone in the UK hoping to pick up this coveted accessory direct from the manufacturer. However at least there's hope that other retailers may step in with their own supplies in the days ahead, now that these things are out in the wild. We'll keep you posted. Source: ASUS UK Store 
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| BT debuts SmartTalk Wifi calling app in the UK Posted: 15 Jan 2013 03:52 AM PST
British fixed-line telco BT has launched a new Android app allowing its landline customers to make calls on-the-go using their landline calling package. The BT SmartTalk app links with your BT.com account and landline number, and allows calls to be made over a Wifi or mobile data connection, with the resulting fee being billed to your BT phone bill. This allows BT customers to make calls in areas where they have a Wifi connection, but no cellular reception, as well as enabling them to save money by using their BT landline allowance instead of their mobile operator's allocation of minutes. 0800 and 0845 numbers, for instance, are usually much more expensive when dialed from a mobile number. A few caveats -- outgoing calls will still appear as coming from your mobile number, and there's currently no way to have incoming calls automatically routed through the app. So this is no Google Voice replacement for the UK -- at least not yet. The setup process is relatively straightforward -- first sign in with your BT account and phone number, then BT calls your land line with a PIN which must be entered into the app. Next, BT confirms your mobile number by sending a text to your phone, which the app automatically intercepts. BT SmartTalk links wit h your Android contact list, allowing you to select from existing people in a dropdown list. There's also the option to withhoold your mobile number when dialing out, or set the app as the automatic dialing choice for certain numbers, such as Freephone, 0845, 0870 and UK landline numbers. The app is available through Google Play for UK devices running Android 2.1 and above. Hit the Google Play link above to grab it. 
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| AT&T offering $100 credit for signing 2-year contract with HSPA+ Nexus 7 Posted: 14 Jan 2013 08:02 PM PST
But perhaps signing a 24-month deal on a 6-month old device isn't the smartest of movesA "special offer from AT&T" has just showed up on the Play Store listing for the HSPA+ Nexus 7 that shows a $100 credit offer for signing a service contract with your new tablet purchase. Similarly to the deal offered by T-Mobile on the Nexus 4 early-on, Google seems to be making small carrier partner deals to try and get some people locked into contracts with their devices even from the Play Store. This may seem like a great deal up-front -- as is the case in most contract situations -- but when you think about it this really isn't. You're signing up for 2 years of service to save $100 on a device that's already 6 months old, which in the long run means very little considering the cost of data for these plans. Most users will likely want at least 3GB of data, which will run you $30 a month (before taxes/fees.) Taking the true cost of ownership into mind, getting basically 3 months of free service in return for being forced to pay for another 21 months seems a bit less of a great deal -- especially when considering you're still having to pay the full $299 for the tablet.
Edited and updated (Jan. 15): To clarify things a little bit, the $100 credit works with any AT&T data plan. There's no minimum requirement, other than you have to sign up for two years' worth, and you can use it with AT&T's MobileShare shared data as well. Source: Google Play; AT&T 
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| ASUS UK puts Nexus 7 dock up for order at £24.99 ... sort of Posted: 14 Jan 2013 06:51 PM PST
The official ASUS Shop website in the U.K. has just put its dock for the Nexus 7 available for purchase for £24.99. Well, sort of. This fits in nicely with previous rumors and pre-order pages we've seen that pegged the release for mid-January, but there's a catch here. Although the product shows up when searching for it directly or browsing through its listing for all Nexus 7 accessories, any link that you use to go to it or view the product description either results in an error or redirect to the home page. (Hi, everybody! Phil here. The direct link to the dock works fine for me. That's why there's a bit of confusion. But since it works for me, I assume the problem is with the rest of you. Now, back to our story.) If you're bold and want to go straight from the search listing to putting in your cart for purchase, the Nexus 7 dock will set you back that £24.99 (plus £6.00 shipping.) When moving to check out with the dock though, it lists a delivery delay of two weeks as well. We're not entirely sure what's going on here, but if we had to make a suggestion we'd say wait this one out a day or two and see if things get ironed out over at ASUS Shop. Source: ASUS Shop UK; Thanks, @SteveEdson! 
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| Chrome Beta for Android updated Posted: 14 Jan 2013 05:46 PM PST
Chrome Beta for Android was updated today, to fix a handful of bugs and undoubtedly introduce a few new ones. Build 25.0.1364.33 is being pushed to Google Play, and everyone should see it in a few hours. The change log shows the following fixes:
Minor annoyances all, but the beta track is where things like this get fixed. We're not going to post every time Chrome Beta gets updated, but we want to throw this one out so everyone can try the new Web Speech API when they are able to update to see how (if) it works on mobile. I'm hammering away, and I know plenty of you will be as well -- sound off in the comments once you get the update and know if it works or not. Didn't get around to installing Chrome Beta? Because it's beta software (as opposed to beta-feeling software) it's not listed or searchable in Google Play. Click the link above to get it. Via: Google 
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