Android Phone Fans |
- “Sweet Android High-School” manga has us dying to learn Japanese
- Best Buy has T-Mobile’s Nexus 4 for $200 — Better Hurry!
- The Google Glass Foundry went down today — what, exactly, is Google hiding? [POLL]
- Sprint brings 4G LTE to Boston, Austin and more
- Junior SH-05E is a kid-friendly Android phone for NTT Docomo
- OUYA CREATE spurs worldwide development to tune of 166 prototypes in 10 days
- SwiftKey Flow Beta updated with support for more text fields, ‘easier’ corrections
- Google Wallet update brings overhauled UI, battery life improvements
- Mid-range Sony C5303 HuaShan leaks, borrows looks from Xperia Z
- Get the Sprint Samsung Galaxy Note 2 for $99 via Amazon [DEALS]
- New Game: give your brain a workout with Jail Run
- Samsung Music Hub to expand to non-Samsung devices
- Report: Google+ more active than Twitter
- NVIDIA could sell Tegra reference devices to OEMs in attempt to grow market share
- Samsung gives the Galaxy Tab 2 a splash of color, Garnet Red edition available this week
| “Sweet Android High-School” manga has us dying to learn Japanese Posted: 28 Jan 2013 03:59 PM PST What do you get when you take two of my favorite things — Japanese manga and Android — and combine them into an awesome concoction of awesomeness? A very big smile on my face, of course. When Chris told me about this light manga named “Sweet Android High-School” I was teeming with excitement. A series of stories that feature characters which represent mobile OEMs and software vendors? Yes, please!
Unfortunately, my smile turned into a very big frown because I realized the manga’s not in English — I’d need to get off my lazy butt and learn Japanese to read this one. While that might take a bit more time than I would like to spend for the chance to read this short collection of episodes, I figured some of you Japanese speaking folks might be able to help us uni-lingual peasants out and throw us a translation or two in the comments section. The cast of characters are named hilariously bad, but that only adds to the fun and cheeky atmosphere that this manga seems to set up:
The comic runs each week in issues of the Japanese-based PC magazine Weekly ASCII, and the folks at that publication keeps the story going using actual news and happenings from around the mobile world. This is the first comic that has ever made me want to spend $600 on Rosetta Stone, and I just might be crazy enough to do it. Let us know if you can help us decipher the slides above in the comments section below. [via GeekoSystem] |
| Best Buy has T-Mobile’s Nexus 4 for $200 — Better Hurry! Posted: 28 Jan 2013 03:21 PM PST
Ready? Set? Go! No, really. Go now. That link will take you to Best Buy where you can find a T-Mobile Nexus 4 waiting for your hard-earned money. Best Buy is selling this version for $200 — just like T-Mobile — with a new two-year contract. You can also get it for $600 without a two-year chain strapped to your leg, if you want. Considering this thing still isn’t available in the Play Store and sells out of T-Mobile’s warehouses in the blink of an eye this may be your best chance yet to get one. Best Buy’s site hasn’t crashed (yet) and who knows how plentiful their stock may be. Wait, why are you still reading this? Go! |
| The Google Glass Foundry went down today — what, exactly, is Google hiding? [POLL] Posted: 28 Jan 2013 03:02 PM PST If you don’t remember, Google’s Glass Foundry developers’ workshop commenced in San Francisco today, and a tight group of developers shuffled over there to get a look at something Google is treating like a top secret military project. It’s not that we’ve never seen Google Glass before — geeky Googlers have no problem strutting the streets of the world showing them off — but whatever Google talked about today was so sensitive that the company made developers sign an NDA that would scare any soul. Unfortunately, because of that NDA, we haven’t had any luck in trying to figure out what went on behind closed doors today. What do you think Google is showing off? Is a new prototype with actual features being shown off (camera and uploading are a given, but it’s literally the only thing we’ve seen thus far)? Did Google give developers a disc chock full of application samples and code which fulfill the vision originally put forth by the video above? Did Google create the world’s first unsolvable “Where’s Waldo” puzzle? Anything could have happened, but without any developers willing to come forward (hint, hint) we can’t say for sure. I personally think Google finally showed off the use cases that we were all originally excited for in working form, and that they showed developers how to tap into the primitive power of the frames to get started on some early prototypical apps for Glass. I’d guess that they also had an updated version of Glass to finally show off and give to developers that included tech like laser-projected keyboards and bone-conduction audio. That’s an easy guess, of course, but what else is a developers’ workshop for? The scrooge in me might also guess that Google simply doesn’t have anything more than what we’ve already seen — a so-so head-mounted camera that can upload images straight to Google+. Perhaps Google is so ashamed that it’s taking so long to get other apps going on the platform that it doesn’t want anyone to know. The Mountain View company certainly hasn’t given us much reason to believe otherwise yet, so it’s a fair question, I’d say. We’d love to be proven wrong on that, though, and be told that something truly amazing really is being brewed up behind the walls of that impenetrable Californian fortress. What say you? Is Google enforcing this strict NDA for a good reason or do they just want to save themselves from PR hell? Sound off in the poll and comments section below! |
| Sprint brings 4G LTE to Boston, Austin and more Posted: 28 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST
It’s always a wonderful day whenever new cities are added to the list of those covered by a carrier’s delicious 4G LTE signal, and for many Sprint customers that day is today. Sprint is boasting the addition of 9 new 4G LTE cities, including heavy hitters like the Boston, MA; Austin, TX; and Fort Wayne, IN. In addition to them, folks in College Station/Bryan, TX; Columbia, TN; Emporia, KS; Gettysburg, PA; and Western Puerto Rico (yes, even before some bigger mainland American cities) have all been lit up with the juice. It isn’t just about 4G LTE, though. Sprint’s overall network vision strategy will look to drastically improve 3G service across the board, as well. Sprint says 3G coverage in Puerto Rico have been significantly improved, so even if you aren’t under the LTE banner you should be seeing much better network performance. Sprint’s original goal of spreading 4G LTE to most of its network by the end of this year means we should be seeing these rollouts happening a lot more frequently through 2013, but whether or not we’re being bluffed will be left up to time to tell. This is a really good start, though, and we hope this isn’t the last we’ve heard from Sprint in the coming weeks. Be sure to read more about these launches over at Sprint’s blog and check your smartphone for that exhilarating 4G icon if you live in any of the above areas. |
| Junior SH-05E is a kid-friendly Android phone for NTT Docomo Posted: 28 Jan 2013 01:17 PM PST As the world gets older and older, children are getting entrenched in tech at younger and younger ages. Childrens’ tablets and laptops have already swept the scene, and some tykes are starting to get basic cellphones at young ages. Now, it looks like a market for kid-friendly smartphones are on the horizon. The latest addition to Japanese carrier NTT Docomo’s line is the SH-05, an Android 4.0 smartphone that gives your kid a respectable means of communication without the worries of giving up your parental control. The smartphone’s claim to fame will be its remote security and parental guidance features as parents can set limits on the amount of minutes used each day, filter content to make sure children can’t surf anything that’s not kid friendly and an easy-to-access list of emergency features in case your child needs to reach you or the local authorities in a jiffy.
Under the hood will be a 1.5GHz dual-core processor with a 12 megapixel camera, a qHD display (of unknown size right now), 8GB of internal storage, GPS and mobile payment features. The phone can meet the style of any youngster as it will come in pink, blue or the more neutral white, and will have basic protection against dust and light weather. The phone’s user interface looks appropriately playful and cheerful, but it looks like it can handle some heavy lifting at the same time. We won’t be able to tell just how deep the software customization is but we imagine a lot of stock apps have been replaced with counterparts that fit the younger personality of the people it’s aimed for. Unfortunately it’s unlikely we’ll see something like this released on a global scale, but perhaps this phone will inspire other companies to target the younger crowd just as they have with tablets. Take a look above. [via New Launches] |
| OUYA CREATE spurs worldwide development to tune of 166 prototypes in 10 days Posted: 28 Jan 2013 12:31 PM PST A few weeks ago, we told you about a new initiative between OUYA and the folks at Kill Screen. OUYA CREATE, something they’re calling a “Game Jam,” was started to help stimulate OUYA development ahead of its spring debut. We’d call it more of a development competition than anything as some major bucks are involved for those who come up with games nice enough to impress the judges. Up for grabs is about $45,000 in cash and prizes, including a $20,000 grand prize to whoever creates the title that impresses the most. It seems the initiative was a great success so far as OUYA has just updated us with some very interesting numbers. In 10 days, there were 166 new game prototypes submitted for the competition from developers stationed all across the world. Entries came from the likes of Germany, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, the United States and more.
It sounds like the submission period is wrapped up, though, and the judges are getting ready to tell us who they believe is the cream of the crop. Winners will be announced in just a couple of weeks’ time so we’ll be seeing the potential future of OUYA quite soon. Note that not all of these prototypes are going to be AAA beasts — you can expect some bland-looking titles to be swimming about as people had very little time to work with. In terms of genres, there will be a nice variety as entries range from dungeon crawlers, action RPGs, brawlers, 4-player shooters, TCGs, platformers, word games, puzzlers and more. Hell, some of the titles on this list might never even make it onto OUYA — after all, they’re just prototypes and we imagine only the winners will be fully motivated to finish the job and launch the games. Still, it’s great to get a glimpse at what the gears that will make OUYA turn,the developers, are thinking about as we approach the launch of one of Kickstarter’s most monumental successes yet. |
| SwiftKey Flow Beta updated with support for more text fields, ‘easier’ corrections Posted: 28 Jan 2013 11:39 AM PST
SwiftKey Flow is inching its way toward a release, but the team behind the popular predictive text keyboard has an update for users already on the beta. The latest version brings SwiftKey’s precognitive autocompletion and flow text entry to even more input fields (still no email, passwords, or certain other apps) while providing easier corrections, more languages, and carrying over a few features from SwiftKey 3. The full list of changes carries more details, but highlights include split keyboard layout in landscape mode, accelerated long press delete, and the ability to see three possible corrections for a word with one tap. The update also includes a plethora of various bug fixes, though there is still a lengthy enough list of known issues. For all the details check out SwiftKey’s latest blog entry. Beta version 4.0.0.76 is available as a free download at the same link. If pre-release software isn’t your thing, SwiftKey 3 is available for purchase in the Google Play Store currently. When Flow goes official, it should be available as an update. [via SwiftKey] |
| Google Wallet update brings overhauled UI, battery life improvements Posted: 28 Jan 2013 10:43 AM PST
A new update is available for Google Wallet users from the Play Store. According to the changelog, the new version of Google’s mobile payment system features updates to the app’s interface, improvements to battery life, and overall app stabilization. The major change is a move to an interface better integrated with Android’s Holo theme. Instead of a landing page with shortcuts to various functions, the app now features a navigation bar more reminiscent of those found in other Google mobile apps. Just as in other apps, swiping left or right navigates between these “tabs.” Unfortunately, Google Wallet is still lacking support for a large number of Android smartphones based on carrier restrictions, and this update won’t do anything to change that. If you are able to take advantage of the digital wallet, head on over to Google Play and download the latest version now. |
| Mid-range Sony C5303 HuaShan leaks, borrows looks from Xperia Z Posted: 28 Jan 2013 10:02 AM PST
At CES Sony unveiled their flagship model for 2013, the suped-up Xperia Z. A new leak gives us a glimpse of where the company is headed when they unveil the mid-range devices that will take their design cues from that handset. Seen here is the Sony C5303 HuaShan (a codename, obviously). The phone borrows the circular power on/off/standby button first seen on the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL and carrier the same clean, elegant look. Benchmarks for the device proclaim an HD display, and the ‘About phone’ screen shows Android 4.1.2. A 1.7GHz Qualcomm MSM8960T powers a version of the phone that appears destined for China. Mobile World Congress seems the logical place to unveil this device. The biggest question remaining? Which letter of the alphabet will follow Xperia when the phone is officially announced?    [via PhoneArena] |
| Get the Sprint Samsung Galaxy Note 2 for $99 via Amazon [DEALS] Posted: 28 Jan 2013 09:48 AM PST Amazon Wireless has cooked up a rather nice deal for those of you on the Now Network looking for a Galaxy Note 2. The Sprint version of the 5.5 inch phablet is up for sale at the online storefront for just $99, but there’s a catch. As usual, new customers are getting the better end of the deal here as that aforementioned price only applies to them.
You can still get the phone at a discounted price if you’re adding a line.You can get the device for $170 in those circumstances. Even if you’re upgrading, the discounted price point of $200 is a lot better than the $300 Sprint usually asks for. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has proven to be one of the best smartphones of late last year, and even in the fast paced smartphone industry it’s still tops in many different categories. Unique S Pen integration, a very nice chipset, 2GB of RAM, an above average 8 megapixel camera, ridiculous battery life and more all combine to create quite the phone. Kevin Krause reviewed this phone and raved about all of that, so be sure to click this link and read up on why this phone is worth the $99-200 Amazon is willing to let go of it for. Get over to Amazon Wireless if you’re interested, and let us know if you’re in for one down in the comments section. |
| New Game: give your brain a workout with Jail Run Posted: 28 Jan 2013 09:21 AM PST
The folks at HeroCraft, responsible for some of the Google Play Store’s best titles, have come out with yet another game that you’ll want to spend some time with. Jail Run was just released for Android, and it’s a puzzle game which has you finding your way out of trap-filled dungeons. Traps aren’t the only thing that’ll come across your path, though, as many of the dungeons feature loot. You’ll want to take that look with you, but your first goal is to escape being recaptured. Jail Run 63 different levels to sink your teeth into, including 3 bonus levels. These bonus levels right out of the gate lead us to believe that HeroCraft will be adding more of them in future updates, so this free download should be a no-brainer for anyone looking for yet another time drain. It already has a five star rating in the Google Play Store so the general consensus seems to be that Herocraft has bestowed yet another hit upon us. Give it a whirl and see if you can’t lift yourself up out of captivity (and by captivity, I’m talking about work and the Monday blues). |
| Samsung Music Hub to expand to non-Samsung devices Posted: 28 Jan 2013 08:39 AM PST Samsung wants its Music Hub to be the next big music store, but the South Korean OEM knows it can’t do it while only offering the service on its own handsets (and only a few select handsets, at that). Well, it looks like the next step is finally ready to be taken as TJ Kang, Samsung’s senior vice president for Samsung Media Services, has confirmed that the service will expand soon. Samsung still has many devices under its own belt to hook-up, but it will open its arms to other OEMs, as well. Music Hub is something Samsung used to add more value to the Galaxy experience, but Samsung’s desires in the realm of online music seem to extend far beyond mobile. Making Music Hub a more device-agnostic experience would definitely help.
For starters, most people tend to go with services like iTunes, Amazon and Google Music because of flexibility. Sure, those respective services might be pushed more on one platform vs another, but nothing’s holding users back from enjoying that content on any devices they want. It’s a big reason why I personally “disable” Music Hub on my phone — I’ll never use it as long as I am told that I have to be locked into a Samsung device to continue enjoying my purchases. If I can download my music on, say, a Nexus 7 or an HTC One X then I would be more than happy to throw my business their way every now and then. Samsung will also have to change in a few other different areas. It has to go global with Music Hub, for one — being in just six countries won’t cut it. Kang confirmed the company would look to expand the service’s global footprint starting this year, but didn’t give an estimate as to how many countries it expects to roll out in. Samsung has to look beyond mobile and tablets, as well, as it has a whole host of other products to serve. Smart TVs, personal computers, and even smart refrigerators (if that’s your thing) stand to be given some music-enabling love over the coming months. Samsung’s acquisition of mSpot won’t be wasted if these plans pan out how we think they will, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens to determine how serious Samsung is about challenging the biggest players in the game. [via SammyHub] |
| Report: Google+ more active than Twitter Posted: 28 Jan 2013 08:14 AM PST When Google+ was first launched, many questioned Google’s ability to create a social network that could find a home among powerhouses like Facebook and Twitter. These questions were highly warranted, of course, considering the company’s shaky track record after the failed experiments of Google Buzz and Orkut (though the latter isn’t really considered to be in that same category of “failure” as it’s still a popular social network in countries like Brazil and India). Welp, here we are — a whole 19 months later — and it’s being reported that Google+ has climbed all the way from the depths of social networking nothingness to become the second most active social network in the past month. The service passed up YouTube, Twitter MySpace and LinkedIn quite handily, according to a report by UK research firm Trendstream.
If accurate, it’s not hard to explain how or why Google+ has gotten so big. For starters, Android and the Google Play Store deserves a big honorable mention. Google changed the Google Play Store in recent months to require people to use their Google+ profiles (which almost everyone with a Google account has) in order to leave user reviews. Google’s efforts to implement Google+ functionality in other services such as YouTube and Gmail don’t hurt, either. It might be cheating just a tad, but it’s still impressive. Still, if you’re not winning you’re losing, so the fact that Facebook still commands an insurmountable lead will overshadow this news. The social network, which the movie “The Social Network” was shamelessly based on, reportedly had 693 million active users in this period compared to 343 million for Google+. Literally everyone might not have a Facebook account, but you would be hard-pressed to find a room full of people without one in this day and age (unless you’re doing stand-up at the old folks’ home, of course). Google’s strategy is working to some degree, but the company still has some work to do to make these numbers less artificial. A ton of people do use Google+ out of sheer fun and interest, but we imagine that a rather large percentage of its growth has a lot more to do with Google’s wizardry and leveraging skills than anything else. [via Forbes] |
| NVIDIA could sell Tegra reference devices to OEMs in attempt to grow market share Posted: 28 Jan 2013 08:12 AM PST
For a hot second NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 platform was the go-to SoC for mobile manufacturers, though more recently the Snapdragon S4 series has been the hot hand. NVIDIA hopes to turn things around with their newly announced Tegra 4, but just in case OEMs don’t buy in, the company may have a plan. According to a new report, in an effort to grow market share for their mobile processing platform, NVIDIA could soon begin offering Tegra reference designs direct to OEMs in China and Russia. NVIDIA would have control over hardware design, while manufacturers could rebrand the devices to their pleasing. Not only would the strategy give NVIDIA the perfect opportunity to showcase their processing platform on devices tailored to its capabilities, but it would also allow the company to undercut competition and offer quality devices at pricing levels more suited for emerging markets. This would be the aim, though a gnarly NVIDIA-designed super phone wouldn’t be totally out of the question. If the rumors pan out, we could see these devices as early as May or June. Remember, we’ve already seen NVIDIA’s willingness to dive into the mobile entertainment market with their Project Shield gaming handheld, so it’s not a stretch to think smartphones and tablets are not far off. [via TechCrunch] |
| Samsung gives the Galaxy Tab 2 a splash of color, Garnet Red edition available this week Posted: 28 Jan 2013 07:20 AM PST
With the Galaxy Tab 3 right around the corner, Samsung is giving the Galaxy Tab 2 one last hurrah. Starting this week, the 7-inch version of the slate will be available in Garnet Red from select retailers. While the color is different, the rest remains the same. The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 features a 7-inch display, dual-core 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, and a 3.2MP camera. Unlike the slate’s first time around the block, the new edition will launch with Android 4.1 and the latest TouchWiz UX out of the box. If for someone reason the new color is enough reason to run out and pick this puppy up, act quick. We’ll only be seeing red for a limited time. The Galaxy Tab 7.0 will set you back $220 and comes with a matching case.
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Android Phone Fans To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment