Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Android Community

Android Community

Flipboard app update brings support for Daydream

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 10:53 AM PST

The latest Flipboard update has arrived in Google Play. This update is on the minor side in that it does not bring a long list of new features, however it does bring something nice for those sporting a device with Android 4.2. That new feature is support for Daydream.

flipboard-daycdream-540

And for those not familiar with Daydream, this was added with Android 4.2 and means that you can display “useful and delightful” information when idle or docked. Of course, the catch here, while Daydream is an Android 4.2 feature — it needs support from the apps. Up until now now the Daydream support was limited to the clock or colors as well as images and the Google Currents app.

That aside, Flipboard v1.9.19 has added Daydream support which means you will be able to create a screensaver based on your Flipboard covers. Otherwise, this Flipboard app update also fixed the accidental flip issue that sometimes happened when trying to scroll. The what’s new section in Google Play also mentioned bug fixes, however nothing specific as to which bugs.

Despite the Daydream feature needing Android 4.2 for use, the Flipboard app remains available for devices running Android 2.2 or later for use. All said and done, Flipboard with Daydream support seems like it will be a good match for those rocking a Nexus tablet. And maybe even makes a case to get a dock.

[via Google Play]

Samsung demos flexible AMOLED display concept, we want it on the Galaxy S4

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 10:18 AM PST

While the star of the show for Samsung at CES was most likely their massive Ultra HD TV sets they had a few tricks up their sleeve in the mobile world, they were just hiding from most of the public. Samsung was showing off their curved or “flexible” AMOLED display technology, something we’re hopeful will make its first consumer appearance on their upcoming Galaxy S IV.

samsung_youm_flexible_amoled-copy-580x382

Earlier in 2012 Samsung named their flexible display tech YOUM, and that’s what their curved displays were being called as they hid from the general public at CES. Buried at the company’s stand was a few demo models of their YOUM curved displays on a smartphone, and the folks from AnandTech managed to snap a few photos.

One of the more important aspects of these demos, was the fact that one was 4.99-inches and rocked a 1080p display. Basically what’s been rumored for the Galaxy S IV flagship. With an expected release date as Q1 2013, we’re pretty sure we’ll be seeing it real quick. It isn’t all about larger screens, HD resolution, and curves either. Samsung states these new next-gen AMOLED displays will be over 25% more efficient, and sip on our battery life.

We’ve heard the term “flexible AMOLED” and while this new technology is curved it can’t actually be bent by the end user. Instead we could see a curve to the side or bottom of the display that will work like an always on “ticker” sharing important details. No longer would we need to waste battery by waking that entire 5-inch screen just to see who called or what a notification is for. A small area in a low power state (the curved bit) can share notifications, missed calls, text previews, incoming emails and more. Essentially like the news ticker at the bottom of ESPN. The ideas and possibilities are endless. Hopefully we’ll be learning more about Samsung’s innovative plans in the coming weeks and months. Who likes the idea of a curved edge notification bar on their phone?

samsung_youm_flexible_amoled-copy-580x382 samsung_4-99-inch_1080p_amoled-580x384 samsung_youm_flexible_amoled-580x368

[via SlashGear]

Nexus 4 running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean captured on video

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 10:16 AM PST

On Friday of last week we began seeing reports of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean in-the-wild, and while we are still yet to see anything official from Google, we do have another sighting. And nicely done, this latest has arrived in video form. This video comes by way of the Czech language SmartMania.cz website which means we now have three markets where 4.2.2 has been spotted.

nexus_hero2-540x358

The interesting part here, the video, which is 7 minutes in total — does not mention (or show) anything about the handset running Android 4.2.2 until almost the end. In fact, it appears as if it was just casually dropped in at the 6:35 minute mark. If anything though, this latest 4.2.2 sighting does add some credibility to the previous sighting and reports.

Otherwise, as this was sort of just a mention in the video, it didn’t provide anything specific. Simply put, we are still unsure of what has been changed and/or added in 4.2.2 (as compared to 4.2.1). Nothing stands out in the video as being different or unique to 4.2.2 which seems to imply that the update will bring some bug fixes and maybe some other small changes.

If nothing else, we can assume that the Nexus 4 would be amongst the first devices to get the update, however this could still be nothing more than a few test devices, or test builds making their way into the public hands. And to wrap things up, so far this means we have seen sightings of 4.2.2 in Brazil, Malaysia and now somewhere in the Czech Republic.

[via HDblog.it]

Samsung SCH-I425 Godiva looks to be the Stratoshpere III for Verizon

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 09:29 AM PST

While there are more than a few details that are still missing, it looks like the GLBenchmark database has offered up some details for a yet to be announced Samsung smartphone. The device is the Samsung SCH-I425 and it is expected to be heading towards Verizon Wireless. And as the I425 name would imply, this looks like it could be another Stratosphere.

verizon-wireless-logo-540x218

Looking back, the original Stratosphere was released back in 2011 as the SCH-i405 and the Stratosphere II was released in 2012 as the SCH-I415. Hence, the I425 being thought of as another Stratosphere. Maybe the Stratosphere III. Of course, at the moment the handset is sporting nothing more than a codename of Godiva.

The specs that have been revealed are rather limited at the moment. At this time the leak is showing a device with a display resolution of 1280 x 720 along with a 1.4GHz SoC processor and running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. And while that may not be all that impressive of a processor or display given some handsets we are seeing today — it does look like it would be a nice step up from the current Stratosphere II.

After all, that handset features a 4-inch 800 x 480 display and a 1.2GHz processor. This discovery could also be good timing for a future release, which if you follow the pattern for the previous Stratosphere releases — should happen during the fall. Bottom line here, it is unclear if this will end up being the Stratosphere III, however it does look like Verizon will be getting another mid-range, but still LTE-capable device.

[via phoneArena]

Dropbox update adds better photo albums and sharing

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 09:29 AM PST

Dropbox for Android has improved with each beta and update and has been one of our favorite cloud storage options since as long as we can remember. This weekend the developers pushed a nice quick update to their popular Android app adding even more functions, features, and UI polish. Check it and the details out below.

albums-list-4

We first mentioned this back in late December when Dropbox released the beta, but now just a few weeks later the update has officially landed in the Google Play Store for all to enjoy. This time around they’ve added tons of features specifically tailored for photo managing and sharing.

Dropbox version 2.3 available today allows users to share one or several photos at once, organize photos into easy to find albums, and even delete individual photos or entire albums. Their photo “gallery” was decent before, but this makes using and sharing your favorite stuff even easier — all in the cloud. That isn’t all they’ve done with this update either.

As usual the developers took the opportunity to tweak and improve the UI, although those changes were quite small. The photo gallery looks slightly improved and more polished around the edges too. Then as usual they state bug fixes and performance increases. Remember, using automatic photo uploads now lets you earn 3GB of free space, so feel free to turn that on. Enjoy the latest and greatest Dropbox for Android and let us know if you use it, or prefer Box.

[via Dropbox]

Carbon backup beta released with support for Android 4.0 or later

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 08:49 AM PST

Android users now have another option when it comes to backing up their devices. Though, before everyone gets super excited, we should warn you right up front that this app is still in beta and at the moment — it requires root. The app is called Carbon, and the nice part here, the final version will not require root.

carbon-screenshot

Now that we have your attention, the Carbon app has has been released by Koushik Dutta (of ClockworkMod) and is available for download by way of his Google+ page. The Carbon app will allow you to backup and sync your apps and data locally, to the cloud and between devices. You can backup to an SD card, Dropbox or Google Drive and as you can see from the above screen capture — the app will prompt you to use Google Drive at first launch. There will also be support for Box.net, however that is not available in this beta release.

The app, as it is still available only in beta form, does come as an APK file that will need to be side loaded. The other catch here — at the moment you will need a rooted device and this version is set to stop working after one week. Otherwise, Carbon will work for devices with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or later. So far we have yet to see any expected time for a non-beta release, however the developer is asking for feedback as well as bug reports.

In terms of backing the apps, the nice part here is that Carbon will backup the complete app — including the app data. And while Carbon should be convenient for those who regularly switch between devices, it should make a nice option for those who simply want to back everything up just in case the unthinkable happens. That all being said, we would also suggest that most wait until the final non-beta release before getting started.

[via Google+]

Huawei Ascend P2 spec leak shows a 5″ 720p display and quad-core processor

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 07:59 AM PST

Huawei had a pretty decent CES with the unveiling of the Ascend D2 and the Ascend Mate, however it looks like we are already talking about the next device. In this case, that means the Ascend P2, which at this point has yet to be officially announced. That bit aside though, because as of today we have some rumored specs.

Huawei-Ascend-P2

We saw rumored because we have yet to hear anything direct from the folks at Huawei. But on that though, the Chinese language ChinaSmartphoneReview website has published a full and complete set of specs. The Ascend P2 will be the follow-up to the Ascend P1, which coincidentally, recently came available for those in the US market.

Keeping with talk of the Ascend P2 though, this looks like it will bring features to include a 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x 720, a quad-core 1.8GHz Hisilicon K3V2 processor and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Other goodies include 2GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, 3000 mAh battery, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera.

The Ascend P2 should also arrive with Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, mini USB 2.0 and network support for GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA and HSUPA. Those looking for external microSD card storage will be disappointed and otherwise, the Ascend P2 is expected to drop in white and black. Finally, while we have seen the specs, there has not been anything offered as to when this handset is expected to be available. Or for that matter, which markets it will be available in.

[via phoneArena]

Archos GamePad US release coming in February 2013

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 07:26 AM PST

Archos launched the GamePad tablet (outside the US) back in December. And well, since then the company had been quiet in terms of a US release. Of course, they were showing the GamePad off during CES and along with that comes word of a US release. Unfortunately nothing as specific as an exact date, however a timeframe.

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In short, it looks like Archos will have the GamePad available for those in the US next month. The details come by way of Phil Geldard from Archos who has said that the gaming tablet will be available in February 2013. The price will be $169. Considering we are just about half-way through January, the wait for a release should not be all that long.

Otherwise, as a recap, the Archos GamePad will bring a 7-inch 1024 x 600 capacitive IPS display with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Other specs include a dual-core 1.6GHz processor, quad-core graphics, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. And for those who are curious, we did manage to get some hands-on time during CES. The GamePad does have some good and bad points. For example, the GamePad is lightweight, but while that makes it nice to hold for long periods of time — the GamePad does have a plastic quality and we know how that sometimes feels in-hand.

Another item worth mentioning, you will have to map the keys to specific functions, however to ease the difficulty here, Archos is offering a key mapping technology. Bottom line here, if you are in the US and have been waiting for the release of the GamePad — you may want to start setting aside some money as the release should be here sooner rather than later.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : GamePad
    Manufactuer : Archos
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : August 29, 2012
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 7 Inch
  • Resolution : 1024 x 600
  • Screen Type : NA
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : NA
  • Width : NA
  • Depth : NA
  • Weight : NA
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : RK3066
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 8 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : NA
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
  • A2DP
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via ARMdevices]

Samsung Galaxy S device shipments top 100 million globally

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 07:01 AM PST

Samsung has announced their latest Galaxy S related milestone and this is the big 100 million mark. According to Samsung, global channel sales of the Galaxy S III, Galaxy S II and Galaxy S have crossed the 100 million mark as of January 13, 2013. These details all come by way of a Samsung issued press release where they note that the Galaxy S III has crossed the 40 million mark.

640_GALAXY S series reached 100 million sales_5_1

And again, just to clarify, we are talking unit channel sales. Other numbers coming from Samsung include a reminder that the Galaxy S III crossed the 20 million global channel sales mark in just 100 days (back in May 2012), which made it the fastest selling smartphone to date.

Touching on the Galaxy S II and Galaxy S for a moment and we see that the Galaxy S II had 10 million in global channel sales in five months time and that the Galaxy S launched in June 2010 and saw 10 million in global channel sales in seven months time. Otherwise, the Galaxy S II has seen 40 million in total with the Galaxy S having seen 24 million in total.

And if nothing else, this does show something of a pattern for Samsung. Not the fact that the Galaxy S devices have been top sellers, but that they typically announce them sometime into the year. If you notice, the Galaxy S launched in June 2010, the Galaxy S II launched in April 2011 and the Galaxy S III launched in May 2012. Anyway, this certainly doesn’t pinpoint anything specific as to when we can expect an announcement for the Galaxy S IV, however it does clearly show that we should not have expected it during CES.

Asus MeMO Pad announced with 7″ display and priced from $149

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 06:22 AM PST

Asus has officially announced their budget-priced tablet, which has been unveiled as the MeMO Pad. The MeMO Pad is a 7-inch tablet and instead of landing as the once-rumored $99 Android tablet, will arrive priced from $149. The MeMO Pad is set to be available later this month, but lets get into those specs and see if this is even worthy of consideration.

asus-memo-pad-tablet-540

The MeMO Pad will have a 7-inch (1024 x 600) display with a PPI of 170 and a 350-nit brightness. The tablet will be powered by a 1GHz VIA WM8950 processor with Mali-400 GPU, 1GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and a 1 megapixel front-facing camera with 720p HD video recording.

Other goodies will include a 4270 mAh battery, microSD card slot and options for either 8GB of 16GB of internal storage space. Those looking to make the purchase can expect to find Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and options for either Sugar White, Cherry Pink or Titanium Gray exterior colors. Asus is also pre-loading a few applications to include SuperNote Lite, ASUS WebStorage, ASUS WebStorage Online Office, ASUS Studio; BuddyBuzz, MyPainter and MyBitCast.

Touching back on the availability — Asus has said that the tablet will be available “starting this January in selected markets.” The one catch here, Asus didn’t specify which markets. And while the specs may not be on the same level as the Nexus 7, this could be an answer for those unable or unwilling to spend $200 or more on a tablet.
Posted by at 12:42 AM

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