Android Community |
- Epic Citadel released for Android with included benchmarking mode
- Google patent filing points towards a multi-flash camera setup
- Gameloft Q4 2012 earnings report shows a 23 percent year-over-year increase
- Nexus 4 now available direct from Google Play
- Google and Asus rumors suggest a next-gen Nexus 7 with full HD display
- Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 availability tipped for February 19
- GameStick unveils final controller design and docking station
- HTC confirms February 19 press event
- ZTE Blade C smartphone brings Jelly Bean on a budget
- Samsung Galaxy Express announced with a 4.5-inch display and LTE
- Nexus 4 available now from Best Buy for $199
- OUYA game jam results in 166 prototypes in 10 days
- CM10.1 nightlies arrive for the CDMA Galaxy Note II
- Galaxy Nexus was just the start: Verizon “end of life” comes for many
- Google Wallet app update brings battery life and UI improvements
- Samsung Galaxy S IV spotted: AT&T may have first pick
| Epic Citadel released for Android with included benchmarking mode Posted: 29 Jan 2013 11:44 AM PST Epic Games has officially released Epic Citadel for Android. The game is available for free and can be found by way of Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. That said, it should be made clear from the beginning — this game was released to demonstrate the Unreal Engine 3 (UE3) technology. To drive that point home, Epic Games has included a benchmarking mode.
Upon launch of the game you have a few options which include being able to explore on your own, getting a guided tour or getting some benchmarks with the previously mentioned Benchmarking Mode. According to the folks at Epic Games, this mode allows “users to gather performance data for Android devices.” Benchmarking details include the performance level, resolution and average FPR.
In the case of the Nexus 7, Epic Citadel offered results of High Quality, with a resolution of 1280 x 736 and an average FPS of 55.6. Other perks of the game (as described by Epic Games) include amazing graphics, realistic reflections and animations and global illumination. And well, as you can likely see from some of the included screenshots — the graphics do look really nice. The movement is also smooth.
Aside from the few options, there are also some settings which should help to adjust things for older, or less powerful devices. Options here include being able to switch between high performance to high quality as well as bumping the resolution down to either 50 or 75 percent (from the default of 100). With that, those looking to begin seeing what Epic Games has to offer Android users with Epic Citadel need only follow this Google Play or Amazon Appstore link to get started.       |
| Google patent filing points towards a multi-flash camera setup Posted: 29 Jan 2013 10:58 AM PST Many will understand how these patent filings go. Sometimes we see neat things and often we see things that never see the light of day. While we cannot say whether or not Google will ever put this latest patent filing to use in the real-world, it may be one to watch. Especially for those who enjoy taking pictures on their smartphone and have been dreaming of a better flash setup.
Specifically, the patent filing is for a “mobile communication device with multiple flashpoints.” You can begin to get an idea from the sketches included in this post. All of these are showing based off the camera lens being centered (from left to right) on the back of a smartphone. The simplest (seen above) shows a ring of fixed flashes around the camera lens.
Some of the more exciting ones show a setup where the flashes can be moved. These are shown as being in a circular, as well as other patterns. The patent filing goes on to cover more than a few use case scenarios. For example, Google notes that the setup can include four quadrants with each having a “flash generating device” or another where the light for all the flashes is provided by one common source. Other details note how these flashes can all be triggered at the same time, or how they can be triggered individually based on the current lighting. Use in this manner could help to provide better lighting and maybe even help to eliminate some shadows.
Finally, Google has also taken HDR into consideration. In this case the camera could take a series of images with varying flashes and then stitch them together for one (possibly) better looking picture. Bottom line here, this may not be something that we see come with the next Google (or Motorola) branded smartphone, however it is something that could bring an interesting advance to smartphone photography. [via Unwired View] |
| Gameloft Q4 2012 earnings report shows a 23 percent year-over-year increase Posted: 29 Jan 2013 10:16 AM PST Gameloft has released several anticipated games for Android this year. Just to name a few, we saw Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour and Asphalt 7: Heat. Of course, in addition to the hype surrounding the launch of Modern Combat 4, we also saw that game given away with the MOGA game controller offer a while back. Individual games aside though, Gameloft has recently released their Q4 2012 earnings report and they are showing consolidated sales of €57.7 million.
For those looking for the comparison, that number is up 23 percent from the same quarter in the previous year. The fourth quarter also meant the biggest of the year for Gameloft. Previous quarters saw €44.8 million, €50.4 million and €55.4 million for the first, second and third respectively. Year 2012 consolidated totals reached €208.3 million which meant an increase of 27 percent as compared to 2011. Further breakdown of these numbers show North America accounting for 31 percent of sales with EMEA at 27 percent, APAC at 22 percent and LATAM at 20 percent. Otherwise, Gameloft noted that sales continue to be pushed from the “massive success” of their smartphone and tablet games. Gameloft is showing the smartphone and tablet game sales as having increased by 66 percent as compared to the previous year. These sales account for 56 percent of all sales, which is up from 41 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. Putting 2011 and 2012 aside, it would appear as if Gameloft is already getting off to a good start in 2013. After all, we have already seen them release the first update for Wild Blood and begin teasing Blitz Brigade. |
| Nexus 4 now available direct from Google Play Posted: 29 Jan 2013 09:24 AM PST The Nexus 4 appeared with Best Buy yesterday afternoon, and as of today — the handset has returned to an available status with Google. Simply put, if you are looking to get a contract-free Nexus 4 you may want to head on over to the Play Store before the inventory runs dry.
We should also mention that the handset remains available with Best Buy at the moment. Additionally, and despite some initial ups and downs, the Nexus 4 is currently available with T-Mobile. Best Buy and T-Mobile both have the 16GB model priced at $199.99 (after a $50 mail-in rebate).
The Play Store listing on the other hand — expect to pay $299 for the 8GB model or $349 for the 16GB model. These prices reflect a contract free purchase. That said, those purchasing the Nexus 4 direct from the Play Store will then have to choose service, which for those in the US will be either T-Mobile or AT&T. Well, those or Straight Talk who are offering an unlimited talk, text and data plan for $45 per month. Of course, regardless of where you make the purchase — the specs for the handset remain the same. In other words, expect a handset with a 4.7-inch (1280 x 768) display, Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, 2100 mAh battery, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Device Info
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 [via Google Play] |
| Google and Asus rumors suggest a next-gen Nexus 7 with full HD display Posted: 29 Jan 2013 09:21 AM PST Google I/O will be coming up in a few months and it looks like the announcement rumors have already begun. These latest touch on a new Nexus 7 tablet. Currently dubbed a second-generation model and assuming these rumors prove accurate — Google is said to be working on the new Nexus 7 tablet with Asus.
That being said, the details are coming by way of DigiTimes who are reporting that the second-generation Nexus 7 will be released with a Full HD display and an “industrial design” with a thinner bezel. These details are not all that unbelievable, however given there is little information as to where they have come from, we remain cautious. Other bits from this report suggest that Google will keep the price points the same. That is to say, $199 and $249. There was also a slightly more general statement which notes that “several specifications will be upgraded.” Given the use of the word several, we suspect that would include more than the previously mentioned display and exterior casing. While many believe the Nexus 7 to be one of the most popular Android tablets, we have yet to see any hard numbers to confirm that. This report about the second-generation Nexus 7 does talk some numbers and mentions that combined sales of the original and next-generation Nexus 7 are expected to reach 10 million units in 2013. This comes according to “sources from the upstream supply chain.” Bottom line here, these are early details and clearly still in the rumor category. The one thing we can say is that if Google has plans to unveil a next-generation Nexus 7 — it will likely be at Google I/O which kicks off on May 15. Device Info
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| Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 availability tipped for February 19 Posted: 29 Jan 2013 08:17 AM PST All signs seemed to have been pointing towards a Mobile World Congress reveal for the Galaxy Note 8.0. In fact, that bit was said to have been confirmed by a Samsung executive. But on that note, new details are suggesting the tablet may be unveiled a bit ahead of MWC.
Or more specifically, that the tablet may actually be available for purchase before the show. Keep in mind though, these details have yet to be confirmed and should be considered nothing more than rumor at this point. What we have seen is coming by way of retail product listings and could be nothing more than placeholder dates. These listings are showing the Galaxy Note 8.0 with an availability date of February 19. Yes, the same day that we expect HTC to announce the M7. In addition to the possible availability date, these same retailers are also showing a price. The listings are coming out of Austria and the pricing is shown as being between €450 to €480 for the 16GB model. On the larger side, the 32GB model is shown with price points ranging from €490 on the low-end and €550 on the high-end. Aside from the rumored release date and price points, the specs are staying the same. Those include an 8.0-inch (1280 x 800) display, quad-core 1.6GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, 4600 mAh battery and Jelly Bean. While time will tell just how accurate these latest rumors will be, one thing seems certain — an 8-inch Galaxy Note tablet will soon be announced. [via Mobile Geeks] |
| GameStick unveils final controller design and docking station Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:46 AM PST With the GameStick Kickstarter almost out of time, the company has revealed the final design for the controller along with a new docking station. That said, those still on the fence about backing the GameStick, you have a little less than 70 hours. Of course, there is clearly no need to worry about the project being funded at this point. We have already seen the project climb to more than $500k when they were originally looking for $100k.
Current status aside, lets focus on the controller design. The folks at GameStick have dubbed this as having been “designed by Kickstarter.” According to what we have seen, the GameStick was designed to not be intimidating for the casual gamer, but at the same time, full-featured enough for the heavy gamer. You will have to judge how well that concept applies once the product makes its way into your hands. In the meantime though, some of the perks from this new design include rounded corners, extended palm grips, a polished top deck and a rubberized bottom deck. The GameStick crew has said the controller should “feel lovely” in your hand. Other goodies include a rubber D pad, a rubber home button and XBYA buttons (changed from PLAY) to help make it easier for developers to port games. The analog sticks were also changed a bit and now use full multi-way + switch systems with rubberized mushroom caps. The controller has also been given a microSD card slot and the HDMI stick now sits on the back (as opposed to sliding in on the top). Moving over to the docking station and we find a piece that will allow for wire-free charging and with features to include USB and HDMI ports as well as peripheral support for cameras, microphones, keyboards and mice. The docking station also has a memory card slot which means that in total — you can now have a 104GB GameStick.    [via SlashGear] |
| HTC confirms February 19 press event Posted: 29 Jan 2013 07:08 AM PST HTC has officially scheduled a press event for February 19, which is a date that should sound familiar to those following the M7 smartphone rumors. Of course, we cannot say for sure that this event will bring an M7 announcement, but it does bring attention to what we have been hearing.
Previous rumors aside, what we can say right now is that HTC will be making some kind of announcement on the morning of February 19. The event is set to take place at 10AM EST. The one difference from the rumors, this event will not be taking place in London. Lets put the location aside though, because that is nothing more than a minor detail. We are more than curious to see where HTC is going. Well, that is assuming they are going to be unveiling the M7. After all, this handset has captured more than a fair share of attention lately and looks like it could bring some positive change for HTC. Otherwise, touching back on the previous rumors, yesterday we say those leaked casing pieces being compared to the Droid DNA. Specs for the M7 still look to include a 4.7-inch 1080p display, quad-core 1.7GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 2300 mAh battery, 2 megapixel front-facing camera and 12 megapixel rear-facing camera. The handset is also expected to arrive running Jelly Bean with Sense 5. Bottom line here, assuming this event plays out the way it looks, we will soon have a confirmed set of specs for the M7. That and, hopefully some details in terms of carriers and release dates. |
| ZTE Blade C smartphone brings Jelly Bean on a budget Posted: 29 Jan 2013 06:46 AM PST Another day and we have another device announcement from ZTE. This latest comes just one day after we saw the V81 tablet and has arrived as a budget-friendly smartphone. The handset is the ZTE Blade C and for now it looks like it is only available for those in China. Though, ZTE is also expected to release the Blade C in Europe.
Diving right in with this warning, the specs are not all that high-end. In fact, the most exciting part here may be the price. The Blade C is currently selling for 699 CNY (roughy $110 or €85) in China. The specs begin with a 4-inch WVGA display, dual-core 1GHz MediaTek MTK 6577 processor, 3G connectivity and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Other specs include 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, Bluetooth 4.0, 1600 mAh battery, a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera and measurements of 124 x 64 x 11mm. That being said, as you can see — a smartphone for those on a budget. The one nice perk is that ZTE has at least included Jelly Bean. The interesting part here, ZTE seems to be making this move clear from the beginning. They are touting the Blade C as having been designed to "capture a larger share of the low-end market". If nothing else, handsets such as these could be used to further climb the ranks in terms of overall smartphone sales. Keep in mind, we recently saw ZTE enter the top 5. [via Unwired View] |
| Samsung Galaxy Express announced with a 4.5-inch display and LTE Posted: 29 Jan 2013 06:23 AM PST AT&T launched the Galaxy Express a little while back and as of today, it looks like Samsung is ready to expand the availability. We haven’t seen anything in terms of specific carriers, however given this latest announcement, Samsung will now be releasing the Galaxy Express internationally. Or more specifically, across Europe and Asia.
That being said, one obvious change as compared to the AT&T branded Galaxy Express — this new variant will be available in white. The AT&T version is available only in black. Otherwise, the Galaxy Express feature set includes Android 4.1 Jelly Bean along with a 4.5-inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display, 8GB of internal storage space, 2000 mAh battery and a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera. Connectivity options include HSPA+ and LTE along with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n. The remaining specs include a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, microSD card slot, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, NFC, GPS, Wi-Fi Direct, USB 2.0 and Bluetooth 4.0. Of course, given this is a Samsung device — there are some items you can expect to see included. The Galaxy Express will have the TouchWiz interface along with Samsung Apps, S Beam, AllShare and ChatOn as well as the Hubs, including one for games, videos, music and reading.
No word on whether or not this white version will be coming to AT&T or if this color will remain available only in the international market. Otherwise, for those looking for the comparison between this model and the AT&T model — the main differences that we can see touch on the processor and version of Android. The AT&T version has a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and is still running Ice Cream Sandwich. Device Info
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[via SlashGear] |
| Nexus 4 available now from Best Buy for $199 Posted: 28 Jan 2013 02:34 PM PST For all those folks still hoping to get their hands on Google and LG’s latest smartphone, the Nexus 4, we have some good news. You all know finding this device in stock has been nearly impossible for months, but now it looks like another purchase option is available. The big wigs at Best Buy have the LG Nexus 4 available now for the low low price of $199, from T-Mobile of course.
Yup, Best Buy is now offering the Nexus 4 both unlocked and from T-Mobile. The only part of this news that is worth detailing however is the T-Mobile bit. The reason being is Best Buy wants a ridiculous $599 to get this phone outright and unlocked, compared to the much cheaper price the Google Play Store is offering. The difference here being Best Buy appears to have the smartphone in stock. How Google will let them sell it, and their own store not is beyond me — but I’m not complaining. The LG Nexus 4 can be purchased from Best Buy as we speak for $599 outright and unlocked, or for just $199 with a new 2-year contract on T-Mobile.
T-Mobile, when they have it in stock, are also offering it for $199 only after a $50 mail-in-rebate so technically Best Buy has the best deal around for the smartphone – so long as you’re on T-Mobile. I called my own local Best Buy and the rep didn’t have the slightest what I was talking about, so you might be better off heading down yourself or just getting it online at their website. We don’t know how many they have or how long this will last, but we suggest you get in while you can if you’re still interested in the Nexus 4. Device Info
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– Thanks to all who sent this in! |
| OUYA game jam results in 166 prototypes in 10 days Posted: 28 Jan 2013 01:56 PM PST OUYA will be launching shortly, and one of the biggest challenges the Android console faces in 2013 is support. The idea is great, but if developers don’t support it, the console may not take off. OUYA, along with Kill Screen, hosted a game jam event called CREATE a few weeks back, inviting developers to make all sorts of game prototypes over the course of 10 days. At the end of it all, the OUYA team had 166 prototypes on their hands.
That’s a huge number of prototypes, and now it comes time to judge them. A full list of games can be found over on Kill Screen’s website, and OUYA is encouraging fans to share their favorites, as that will give them a better chance of gaining recognition and winning prizes. It sounds like a winning scheme to us – developers create a huge number of games for OUYA in a short amount of time, then users share their favorites, drawing even more attention to the platform. Since developer consoles began shipping out, OUYA says its software development kit has been downloaded 22,000 times. That certainly isn’t anything to scoff at, and it shows there’s a significant amount of interest in the console before it even ships. Speaking of that, OUYA consoles should be shipping out to backers in March, so we’re closing in on the date that the first consoles will become available to the public. Just recently, OUYA announced a controller redesign that was based on the feedback received from developers. Make no mistake, all of this support from developers definitely makes OUYA one to watch as we head into 2013. Will the console sink, or will it swim? We’ll be finding out soon enough, so stay tuned. [via Android Central] |
| CM10.1 nightlies arrive for the CDMA Galaxy Note II Posted: 28 Jan 2013 01:36 PM PST Some good news for CyanogenMod fans that happen to be sporting a CDMA Galaxy Note II. It looks like CM10.1 nightlies have finally arrived. As always, we offer the warning — the nightly builds, while generally stable, are nightlies for a reason. Simply put, these are early builds and probably best when not used on your primary device.
With the warning out of the way, those who have played this game before, you can download the ROM (for the Verizon and/or Sprint Galaxy Note II) from the get.cm website. Those who are looking to begin using CyanogenMod for the first time — CM10.1 will bring Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. First time users will also want to prepare for the installation by reading the directions. And then maybe reading them a second time just to be on the safe side. While this does take some work to get installed, the process is detailed quite nicely at this point. In fact, it comes down to flashing the latest ClockworkMod-Recovery, booting into recovery mode and then flashing the CM10.1 and GApps zip files from your SD card. Well, that is a simplified version anyway. Keep in mind, there are slightly different steps for those using CyanogenMod for the first time, or for those upgrading from CM10 or even an earlier version of CM10.1. For a flip side here, while we are normally big fans of running CyanogenMod, in the case of the Galaxy Note II — you may want to give some second thought because you will be losing some of the TouchWiz specific features. For example, multi-window and the S Pen will be going away should you go the way of Cyanogen on your Note II. Bottom line here, in this case we may go as far as suggesting sticking with the stock ROM and maybe looking towards a launcher to further customize the look and feel. [via xda-developers] |
| Galaxy Nexus was just the start: Verizon “end of life” comes for many Posted: 28 Jan 2013 01:11 PM PST Yesterday we found out about Verizon‘s plans to stop offering the original Galaxy Nexus, but things are far worse than we feared. It turns out Verizon is discontinuing a number of handsets, with the apparent goal of letting stock dry up over the next few months. Some of the handsets Verizon is discontinuing are a little on the old side these days, while others might be getting phased out in anticipation of a successor.
Specifically, Verizon will be discontinuing handsets like the 32GB Galaxy S III, 16GB DROID RAZR, LG Lucid, DROID 4, and the HTC Trophy. An anonymous tipster sent the list of discontinued devices to Android Police, including the dates Verizon will receive final shipments. The company has already received the final shipments for the Galaxy S III and DROID RAZR, while the final shipments for the LG Lucid and DROID 4 will be arriving sometime in February. You’ll still be able to get one of these devices from Verizon for at least a little while after the final shipments arrive, but once the stock is gone, you’ll be out of luck. That being said, in some cases it might be better to opt for a newer phone in the same line – for instance, these days we’ve got the DROID RAZR HD and the RAZR M, while a lot of folks are thinking that Samsung will be announcing the Galaxy S IV soon.
Some will definitely be sad to see the 32GB Galaxy S III go, as that leaves it to the 16GB variant. It seems that the 16GB model was selling better than the 32GB was, so unfortunately that was device to be cut from the line up. Were you planning to pick up any of the phones Verizon is discontinuing? |
| Google Wallet app update brings battery life and UI improvements Posted: 28 Jan 2013 12:40 PM PST Google Wallet has been updated. The update brings a few changes, but unfortunately is not able to address the one issue that seems to be most annoying — lack of carrier support. Google Wallet has gone up to version 1.6-R96-v13 and despite the previously mentioned issue, maintains support for devices with Android 2.3.3 or later.
Putting that annoyance to the side and instead focusing on the changes, the Google Wallet app has been given some battery life and user interface improvements as well as some added stability. While we haven’t been using this updated version long enough to comment on battery life, we can say that the interface has indeed been improved. Launching the Google Wallet app will still give you the security page where you enter your PIN and then from that point, you will be shown the “My Wallet” page which features your current default card. Also included (towards the bottom of the My Wallet page) is a link to the My offers, Rewards cards and Gift cards sections. A single swipe to the right will take you to the Transactions page and another swipe will take you to the Explore plate which details featured and nearby offers.
You also still have the option to adjust settings such as the PIN lockout time, changing the PIN and reseting the app. Additionally, changing the funding source is as simple as tapping on the image of the current default card. All said and done, a decent update for Wallet. Now if we could get Verizon Wireless to have a change of heart so I wouldn’t get so many strange looks trying to use Wallet with my Nexus 7. [via Google Play] |
| Samsung Galaxy S IV spotted: AT&T may have first pick Posted: 28 Jan 2013 11:40 AM PST Well, this is interesting: it would appear that Samsung is working on a new full HD smartphone for AT&T. Blog of Mobile has uncovered a new User Agent Profile for a phone with the model number “SGH-I337″ hiding on Samsung’s website. The phone is headed to AT&T, and it could just be the carrier’s version of the highly anticipated Galaxy S IV.
Nothing about the Galaxy S IV has been confirmed yet, but many rumors have said that it will come with a full HD display. Of course, most any Samsung phone could have a full HD display, provided the company wanted to target it at the high-end market. The timing seems right though – this UAProf surfaces right around the time users have started expecting the reveal of the Galaxy S IV. Unfortunately, we’re still not sure when that reveal is coming. We’re holding out hope for a reveal at MWC 2013, but that doesn’t seem very likely considering Samsung revealed the Galaxy S III at a separate event. With the amount of hype surrounding the Galaxy S IV, Samsung almost certainly wants to announce it at an event where it will have all the attention to itself. We pointed this out over the weekend, but this development begs the question: when Galaxy S IV is revealed, does this mean that it’ll be coming to AT&T first? It could, but remember that Samsung launched the Galaxy S III at nearly all carriers at the same time, something it would probably want to do again with the Galaxy S IV. After all, Samsung will want to have the Galaxy S IV available everywhere at launch so it can net as many sales as quickly as possible. [via Pocketnow] |
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