Android Central

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• Republic Wireless' Motorola Defy XT getting a software update
• 3D printing and NFC make a great looking Nexus 4 dock
• Google Wallet updated with new UI, performance improvements
• Ouya developers create 166 game prototypes at 'game jam' event
• Mophie Juice Pack for the Galaxy S3
• SwiftKey Flow gets a new beta with more predictions, easier corrections
• Monday Brief: 7.8 Update for Lumia 900, RIM's Super Bowl Commercial, and more!
• Sony 'HuaShan' shots leak - Xperia Z's mid-range sibling
• Cameringo - another way to get filters onto your pictures
• Boston leads latest round of Sprint LTE expansions
• Samsung goes red with the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0
• Sprint announces the rugged Kyocera Torque
• Deal of the Day: Cruzerlite Clone Army Case for Google Nexus 7
• Start your week with the Greatest Android Podcast in the World!
• Nexus 4 heading to Middle East - Saudi Arabia launch 'very soon'
• Samsung Galaxy S3 'most recommended' smartphone in UK
• HTC 'M7' parts caught on video
• CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies for the Verizon and Sprint Galaxy Note 2 now available

Republic Wireless' Motorola Defy XT getting a software update Posted: 28 Jan 2013 03:00 PM PST The Republic Wireless Defy XT should be getting a software update this evening, and it will address the two biggest issues with the phone. I've been giving the service a run to see how it compares, and the two big drawbacks seem to be sound quality, and not being able to send a text while on Wifi. Both these issues are said to be fixed with this update, as well as Wifi enhancements and bug fixes. The OTA is slated to begin rolling out at 6PM ET, and Republic says you'll need to be on Wifi with 50-percent or higher battery power still available to get it.  While Republic is more about disrupting the current telecommunications mess the US is in with low priced service than they are fancy cutting edge devices, it's nice to see them not let the little Defy languish away with bugs. If you're using the service, be sure to check for updates if you don't get a push notification.

3D printing and NFC make a great looking Nexus 4 dock Posted: 28 Jan 2013 01:47 PM PST We're all waiting for someone to sell that fancy orb docking station for the Nexus 4. In the meantime, ingenuity never rests and this 3D printed dock would make an awesome substitute. It uses a standard USB cable for charging, and an NFC sticker to trigger the NFC Task Launcher app to drop it into dock mode. If you have access to a 3D printer, be sure to give this one a good look. And if you make any extra ones, give me a yell so I can throw my money at you. Source: Thingiverse; via Android Central forums

Google Wallet updated with new UI, performance improvements Posted: 28 Jan 2013 01:03 PM PST Google Wallet is getting a facelift today with its latest update, bringing a smoother UI and some under the hood improvements as well. The interface now more closely follows the holo UI guidelines, with navigation tabs along the top of the interface and an overflow settings button to hold all extra functions. You're no longer greeted by a list of all available cards, as they are now all housed one more tap away under the "My Wallet" tab with only your default card displayed. There is a button to go directly to "My Offers" from the first page, and new offers can be found from the "Explore" tab on the main page. The update also brings some nondescript "improvements to the user interface, application stability, and battery life." Although no specifics are listed, these are all good improvements that although aren't as noticeable at first as a new UI make a big difference in the quality of the app. The Google Wallet app has undergone several visual changes since its launch, and this is probably the best of the bunch. Head to the Play Store and check out the latest update if you have a compatible device, or stick around after the break for a few screenshots of the new UI. read more

Ouya developers create 166 game prototypes at 'game jam' event Posted: 28 Jan 2013 12:37 PM PST Ouya got its developer consoles out to eager Kickstarter backers on time, and now these devs are putting themselves to work creating game prototypes for the console. In a partnership with Kill Screen, the folks at Ouya hosted a "game jam" to get developers interested in making new games for the platform. The jam produced 166 different game prototypes in just 10 days -- quite a feat for any platform -- and the games will go on to be judged and awarded prizes. The Ouya team says that its software kit for developing games has already been downloaded 22,000 times by developers. Those are some pretty impressive numbers, and the console hasn't even been released to the general public yet. We hope these early game prototypes are a sign of good things to come for Ouya once consoles are in the hands of regular consumers. You can see a full list of the games created during the game jam at the second source link below. Source: Ouya (Kickstarter); Kill Screen Daily

Mophie Juice Pack for the Galaxy S3 Posted: 28 Jan 2013 11:29 AM PST The Mophie Juice Pack for the Galaxy S3 doubles your phone's battery life - but at quite the cost in this case I have no qualms about admitting my lust for the iPhone's Mophie Juice Pack battery case. My wife's used one with her iPhone, and it's a great combination of extra juice and protection in a form factor that doesn't kill the overall feel of the phone. We've looked at a couple of Galaxy S3 battery cases here before -- the Powerskin Battery Case and the Droidax Power Pack. Neither of them were bad cases, but neither of them had the name recognition and legacy of Mophie.  So now that we've got a Mophie for the GS3 in our hot little hands, how's it shaking out? Read on for the full skinny. read more

SwiftKey Flow gets a new beta with more predictions, easier corrections Posted: 28 Jan 2013 10:49 AM PST Swiftkey today unleashed a new version of its beta-only SwiftKey Flow keyboard. Corrections are easier, predictions are more prevalent -- and it's basically just more awesome.  Hit up the VIP forums to get your download on. We've got the full changelog after the break. Download: Swiftkey Flow read more

Monday Brief: 7.8 Update for Lumia 900, RIM's Super Bowl Commercial, and more! Posted: 28 Jan 2013 09:41 AM PST Mobile Nations Podcast Feed Mobile Nations on iTunes Mobile Nations YouTube Debug 6: Adam Saltsman and Hundreds Nexus 4, two months on … Nexus 7 Dock Review Fresh Galaxy Note 8.0 photos emerge showing S Pen, software BlackBerry to air first ever Super Bowl commercial Beautiful pair of BlackBerry Z10 dummy units appear in black and white BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha OS update coming on January 30th One year of Open webOS Steve Jobs threatened Palm with a patent lawsuit should employee poaching continue WebOS Ports running wallpaper contest, make your photo the Ports default Imagining a 5-inch iPhone Apple announces Q1 2013 results, 47.8 million iPhone, 22.9 million iPads sold, and What’s really going on with Apple and its stock price? Would you want an iPad 5 that looks and feels just like an iPad mini? iMore show 333: Apple is doomed. Again. Unboxing + Hands on with the Nokia Lumia 620 (We're smitten) AT&T Nokia Lumia 900 update for 7.8 coming Jan 30th, now with full details First impression with the Verizon Samsung ATIV Odyssey Windows Phone

Sony 'HuaShan' shots leak - Xperia Z's mid-range sibling Posted: 28 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST Sony traditionally showcases its mid-range products at Mobile World Congress, and it looks like this year's offering is the C5303 "HuaShan." The HuaShan -- named after one of China's great five mountains -- has appeared for the first time in leaked shots from German site USP Forum. And on the whole, it looks like a cheaper version of the recently-announced Xperia Z. We're still dealing with an unassuming rounded rectangle design, and the Xperia Z's signature power button can be seen on the right edge, along with a dedicated camera key. The back appears to be furnished in black soft-touch plastic, with a central camera protruding slightly from the chassis. It's an altogether more plasticky affair than the Xperia Z, which sandwiches its components between two sheets of glass. According to early benchmark information, it looks like this device is packing a 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU (compared to the Xperia Z's 1.5GHz quad-core) and running at a screen resolution of 1280x720, with on-screen buttons. One of today's shots shows Android 4.1.2 running on the phone, same as its high-end counterpart. Assuming Sony chooses to unveil its mid-range stuff at MWC -- and there are enough letters left in its alphabetic naming scheme -- we'll be live from Barcelona next month with full coverage.  More pics after the break. Source: USP forum; via: PhoneArena read more

Cameringo - another way to get filters onto your pictures Posted: 28 Jan 2013 07:56 AM PST Cameringo is yet another entry into the photo filter game, and has some features that can help set it apart from other photo apps. Since Instagram made its way to Android, there has been an increasing flood of apps that put filters on top of photos -- for better or worse, depending on who you ask. Cameringo makes the likely smart move to not go head-to-head with Instagram's styling and social networking aspects, and instead just offers a set of useful settings and photo filters that make it compelling in other ways. Read on past the break to see what Cameringo has to offer. read more

Boston leads latest round of Sprint LTE expansions Posted: 28 Jan 2013 07:19 AM PST Sprint this morning announced an expansion to its fledgling 4G LTE network. New up is: Austin, Texas Bryan-College Station, Texas Boston, Mass. Columbia, Tenn. Emporia, Kan. Fort Wayne, Ind. Framingham, Mass. Gettysburg, Pa. Western Puerto Rico You'll need a relatively newer Sprint smartphone to take advantage of the LTE speeds, of course. Source: Sprint

Samsung goes red with the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Posted: 28 Jan 2013 06:35 AM PST Samsung has announced that the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is available in garnet red this week at participating retailers. It runs $219.99 and comes with a free matching garnet red case. Samsung's 7-incher is running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, sports a dual-core processor and has an IR port tucked away in there, too. The limited edition red version is available from Walmart, Amazon.com, Office Depot, Fry's, Tiger Direct and Toys R Us, among other retailers.  read more

Sprint announces the rugged Kyocera Torque Posted: 28 Jan 2013 06:27 AM PST Sprint this morning announced the Kyocera Torque, a ruggedized Android smartphone that sports LTE data as well as Sprint's Direct Connect push-to-talk service. The Torque sports a 4-inch display at 480x800 resolution, a 2,500 mAh battery and is running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It's powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8960 dual-core processor, has 4GB of storage and 1GB of RAM, and can rock a microSD card as well. It's also got NFC, Wifi b/g/n, a 5MP rear camera and a 1.3MP shooter out front. The whole thing's built to 810G MilSpec standards, meaning it'll probably survive in hostile conditions longer than you would.  No word yet on pricing or when it will be available. Source: Sprint

Deal of the Day: Cruzerlite Clone Army Case for Google Nexus 7 Posted: 28 Jan 2013 06:14 AM PST The Jan. 28 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Cruzerlite Clone Army Case for Google Nexus 7. This durable skin case is made from shock absorbent and scratch resistant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and provides great protection from day to day use and accidental drops. Available in a wide variety of colors with each case sporting an army of Androids! The Cruzerlite Clone Army Case is available for just $10.00, 60% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts!

Start your week with the Greatest Android Podcast in the World! Posted: 28 Jan 2013 05:21 AM PST Welcome to the final Monday of January 2013, ladies and gentlemen. Let's get it started right with a big ol' pot of coffee, and a little thing we like to call the Android Central Podcast. If you missed Thursday night's live show, you missed some lively discussion about the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, the state of the Nexus, some really good e-mails and voicemails. And Jerry might or might not have been dressed as a farmer. (We don't ask why.) The Android Central Podcast is your weekly peek into the world of Android, where we break down the news that really matters, and explain what's just a bunch of hype. Plus, we answer your e-mails and voicemails. You don't want to miss it. Check out the Android Central Podcast.

Nexus 4 heading to Middle East - Saudi Arabia launch 'very soon' Posted: 28 Jan 2013 04:54 AM PST Looks like LG and Google's Nexus 4 is starting to spread its reach across the world. We've already heard that Canadian carriers and Australian retailers will begin selling the phone this February, and now it seems Saudi Arabia is also set to get the LG-made Nexus. A post on the LG Electronics KSA Facebook page says it'll launch in the country "very soon," but gives no indication as to when exactly the launch will take place, or where it'll be available for sale. Meanwhile, the device has consistently sold out on the Google Play Store, in the U.S., UK, Canada and elsewhere. LG representatives have blamed higher than expected demand for the scarcity of Nexus 4 stock, though the manufacturer expects to have the supply issues resolved by mid-February. Source: LG Electronics KSA; Thanks, Follower!

Samsung Galaxy S3 'most recommended' smartphone in UK Posted: 28 Jan 2013 04:44 AM PST Samsung's Android smartphones are most recommended by UK retailers, according to new market research, with the Galaxy S3 being the most recommended handset. According to research carried out by Informa Telecoms and Media, which carried out the survey in leading high-street and carrier stores, sales assistants were more likely to recommend Samsung handsets than competing phones from Apple, HTC, Nokia or others. At the other end of the scale, Android rivals like ZTE, Motorola, LG, Huawei had next to no in-store presence in the UK, Informa found. According to UK newspaper The Telegraph, Infroma considers it "likely that sales assistants see the Samsung devices as a safe bet to earn greater commissions." "The mystery shop showed that the most recommended Samsung handsets were the Galaxy SIII and the Galaxy Note II, despite having been on the market longer than the latest handsets from Apple, Nokia and HTC," said Julian Jest of Informa. "However, most surprising was the way that, despite an in-store advertising campaign and recent product launch, Apple was recommended in only two stores, 3 and Phones 4 U, with both recommending the iPhone 5." The Galaxy S3 was the most successful Android phone of 2012, even outselling Apple's iPhone in certain quarters. Sales of the device recently topped 30 million worldwide, as total Galaxy S line shipments reached 100 million. Source: The Telegraph; via: iMore

HTC 'M7' parts caught on video Posted: 28 Jan 2013 04:26 AM PST Droid DNA-like design in a smaller chassis, with a dedicated camera button to boot With the recent emergence of certain leaked photos, we've slowly been able to piece together a picture of HTC's upcoming 'M7' handset. And the successor to the One X has cropped up on camera again today, disassembled, in the form couple of leaked component parts. ETrade Supply got hold of what seems to be the back case and front housing of the phone, which looks a little smaller than the similarly-designed Droid DNA. That suggests we might be dealing with a 4.7-inch screen, as has been rumored in recent months. Also of note is the second front-facing speaker down below, which roughly matches a render that leaked out a couple of weeks ago. And there's what seems to be a dedicated camera button on the right edge, below the volume rocker, an unusual sight on an HTC Android phone. Without the front glass in place -- not to mention functioning innards -- it's difficult to get an overall impression of the phone. But it looks like we're dealing with a handset that shares much in common with the DNA and its international cousin, the HTC Butterfly. The edges are squared off, in stark contrast to the curved One X and One S, and there's a slight hump to the back, like the DNA and Windows Phone 8X. There's no way of knowing whether this is a finalized HTC design or merely a prototype, but the parts shown in today's video certainly tick all the boxes we were expecting from a 2013 HTC flagship. The 'M7' is expected at or around this year's Mobile World Congress in late February. Source: Etrade Supply

CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies for the Verizon and Sprint Galaxy Note 2 now available Posted: 27 Jan 2013 06:11 PM PST The CyanogenMod team has just given Verizon and Sprint Galaxy Note 2 users something to be happy about -- official 10.1 nighly builds for download. Users of these devices have been patiently waiting as development went along on the latest CyanogenMod builds, and now they have their chance. Of course these nightly builds are far less stable than general releases and may have many bugs, but some users are completely willing to put up with it. If you're willing to deal with some quirks you can see what CyanogenMod 10.1 has to offer at the source links below. If you're not so sure how or why you should get into these nightly builds, head to our forums and get a few things figured out first. And remember, backing up before flashing is a great idea! Source: Verizon Note 2 Download; Sprint Note 2 Download More: Galaxy Note 2 Forums

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