Thursday, February 28, 2013

Android Authority

Android Authority


Could Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie be based on Linux 3.8 kernel?

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:06 AM PST

key-lime-pie-1

Google is apparently working on the recently released Linux 3.8 kernel, a new report reveals, and we're certainly going to wonder whether Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie will be based on the new kernel.

Phoronix speculates that it may be too early to release a Key Lime Pie OS based on Linux 3.8 given that Android 5.0 is expected to be unveiled in less than three months from now, at Google's 2013 I/O event. But while "the work is labeled as 'experimental,'" it seems "to be evolving fast," which sounds interesting, although we have no way of confirming what Key Lime Pie will be based on at this time.

Jelly Bean is based on Linux 3.0 kernel, with Google also maintaining other versions including 3.3 and 3.4, with Android 4.2.2  for Nexus 4 based on the latter.

The same source details some of the improvements in Linux 3.8 kernel (see second Source link below) including "Samsung Exynos DRM advancements," open-source NVIDIA Tegra driver inclusion and lowered RAM usage.

We'll keep our ears to the ground on this one, as we're getting ready for Google's next Android OS launch. Meanwhile, those of you interested in this experimental/android-3.8 repository can already check it out.

The post Could Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie be based on Linux 3.8 kernel? appeared first on Android Authority.

LG Optimus F5 MWC hands-on preview [video]

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:04 AM PST

LG Optimus F5 2 aa 600 1

With one foot on the plane home, our own Joshua Vergara is putting his finishing touches on the most epic MWC 2013 coverage on the web with a hands-on video preview of the LG Optimus F5.

The F5 is not to be mistaken with its bigger brother, the F7, or with its distant cousins in the L II clan, the L3, L5 and L7 II. Confusing stuff, we know, but bear with us for a second, will you?

In a nutshell, the F5 is higher on the food chain than all the L II family members while lower than the F7. However, you can say the F5 and the L7 II kind of complement one another, with each of the two shining in departments the other doesn't.

Whereas the L7 II impresses with an 8 MP rear-facing shooter and a large 2,460 mAh battery, the F5 rocks a superior 960 x 540 pixels resolution panel, a dual-core 1.2 GHz CPU, 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage space.

F5's camera is far from special, with a 5 MP sensor, no flash or autofocus, while the 2,150 mAh battery is kind of measly. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean butters up both the L7 II and F5 and build quality is also very similar.

That said, we think LG can find sufficiently juicy pieces of the pie for both phones, provided they'll know how to hit the pricing sweet spot. No words on that for the F5 yet, but we're expecting to hear something in the next couple of weeks.

For now, check out our exclusive first look video clip from Barcelona’s MWC below and tell us what are your first impressions of the device. We know it’s not spectacular, but is it good-looking and snappy enough to be worth, say, $400?

The post LG Optimus F5 MWC hands-on preview [video] appeared first on Android Authority.

LG Optimus L7 II first look and hands-on preview [video]

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 01:35 AM PST

LG Optimus L7 2 aa 600 2

We're just about ready to wrap up our epic coverage of what's definitely been an un-epic MWC 2013, but not before offering you a couple of extra hands-on video previews from Barcelona.

We've taken quick looks at the LG Optimus G Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Asus Padfone Infinity, HP Slate 7, Asus Fonepad, Sony Xperia Tablet Z, ZTE Grand Memo, Huawei Ascend P2, LG Optimus F7 and Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 so far, but we're not done yet. What, you thought our "Eat, Sleep, Android" motto was a joke?

It's not! And to prove it, we've even taken the LG Optimus L7 II for a spin. The 4.3-incher is the top dog of the new L family, but unfortunately its spec sheet is mostly bittersweet, with an emphasis on the bitter part.

What can we say about the 800 x 480 pix res display, dual-core 1 GHz S4 Play processor, 768 MB of RAM and 4 GB of on-board storage other than they're the mid-range features of the past? Thankfully, the 8 MP rear-facing cam, on-board Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and 2,460 mAh battery balance things a bit, making the L7 II not that bad on the whole.

Quite surprising, the build quality is described as nice by my colleague and pal Joshua Vergara in the below video from MWC. The phone is not too chunky either, while the bezel is thin… for a budget device.

And if we add in the equation the rumored $300-$350 European price (off-contract), we think we're starting to understand LG's marketing strategy. At least as far as this fellow goes, because the L3 II and L5 II are still rather puzzling.

Expect the L7 II in stores as soon as next week, and, in the meantime, lend us your eyes and let us take you on a virtual tour of a mid-tier phone with a shot at glory.

The post LG Optimus L7 II first look and hands-on preview [video] appeared first on Android Authority.

Smartphones are ‘emasculating’ unlike Google Glass, Sergey Brin says

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 01:28 AM PST

Sergey Brin demonstrates Google Glass

Sergey Brin demonstrates Google Glass

You know that little emergency switch inside your had that tells you not to say out loud everything you're thinking about? Google's co-founder and fervent Google Glass fan Sergey Brin doesn't have one.

Speaking on Wednesday at a TED event in California, he must have gotten carried away with the excitment around Google Glass and forgot that Android and Android smartphones help Google bring in a small fortune from mobile ads each year, estimated to have topped $8 billion for 2012 alone and expected to continue its growth as long as Android is the king of mobile devices when it comes to market share.

During his speech, while obviously trying to explain why Google Glass is a cool project and to convince people that it's worth investing in such a device, he went on and called smartphones "emasculating." All of them, without making any differences between Android and others at the time, not that it would have been any better to call everyone else’s phone’s emasculating than those running Google’s OS:

“You’re standing around and just rubbing this featureless piece of glass."

I'm sure plenty of smartphone makers and users would disagree with such affirmations, not to mention some of Google's own employees working hard to deliver new Android features.

google-glass-front

Not to mention that Google Glass hardware, while minimal, isn’t exactly that better looking either.

Sure, it's understandable that Google wants to sell lots of Google Glass units in the coming years, but that's not exactly the right way to do it, especially when the price of said smart glasses is around $1,500. Brin did say it's going to be lower than that when the device is available to consumers, but didn't actually say how much it will cost.

And sure, he may have wanted to explain that smartphone usage is unacceptable in certain social instances and that we may be too absorbed by our phones’ screens instead of actually interacting with the people in front of us, but that's not what came out when.

How do you feel about your handset, Android fans? Is it emasculating?

The post Smartphones are 'emasculating' unlike Google Glass, Sergey Brin says appeared first on Android Authority.

Falcon Pro deals with token limit woe, goes back on sale for $1.9

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:32 AM PST

Falcon Pro for Twitter

Good news, Twitter addicts! You can now grab the popular Falcon Pro app, one of the better Twitter client apps in the market, at a non-outrageous price of a little less than $2.

If you've been following the story, you probably know that Joaquim Vergès recently increased the price of Falcon Pro to $132.13 to deter new users from purchasing it, a move that the developer had to make after the app reached Twitter's token limit of 100,000 users.

So, has Twitter extended the token limit for Falcon Pro then? Not quite. Joaquim has merely released a new version of the app that resets the Twitter ID tokens. The idea is to filter out those who barely use Falcon Pro, which means existing customers will have to re-log in, while allowing new ones to get in on the action as well.

There's no telling when the token will last this time around. If you don't mind the slightly higher pricing, a dollar more expensive than its original price tag, hit the link below to purchase the app. Don’t forget to check out our Falcon Pro app review.

The post Falcon Pro deals with token limit woe, goes back on sale for $1.9 appeared first on Android Authority.

Can Google be hacked?

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:31 AM PST

Google Authenticator

Twitter, Facebook, Microsoft. Three major tech companies, all hacked in the past few weeks… but they're not alone. Who is responsible? Why did they do it? We may never learn the answer to those questions, but it leads us to wonder if our dear Google is susceptible to attack. The mighty "G" has plenty of security protocols in place, but are they enough? We should all be concerned with the security of our data, so let's find out just how much we need to concern ourselves regarding the information we store on Google's servers.

facebook tracking

Who did what to whom?

In situations like this, we are only given enough info to scare us a bit. Buzzwords like "compromised information" or "accounts hacked" are thrown about, but we rarely gain insight into the how and why. This secrecy is another measure of security, as letting us know how it was done only invites more hacking. There is, however, one singular thread running through all this fabric of recent hacking activity.

Twitter

When 250,000 user accounts are compromised, people take notice. When a company can't reveal information to put minds at ease, people worry. Via a blog post, we learned that Twitter responded within hours, going on to say that they were not the only ones compromised by hacking. While no direct flaw was identified, Twitter seemed keen to mention Java again and again, pointing to a Department of Homeland Security warning about Java.

Facebook

Another recent target for hackers was Facebook, which came forward to acknowledge being hacked after Twitter, though their attack happened a month prior. Facebook claimed "no evidence that Facebook user data was compromised" while also pointing out that they were breached through a security vulnerability in Java. We're starting to see a trend, here.

Microsoft

Maybe the most tight-lipped of the three, Microsoft would only say they experienced a similar hacking instance. They would go on to say that some computers were "infected by malicious software using techniques similar to those documented by similar organizations." Microsoft also claimed that no user data was compromised. That's three big tech companies, and one Java mess.

The others

Apple, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post. All allegedly hacked, and all allude to Java as the issue. That Department of Defense vulnerability note mentioned earlier notes the following:

By convincing a user to visit a specially crafted HTML document, a remote attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system. Note that applications that use the Internet Explorer web content rendering components, such as Microsoft Office or Windows Desktop Search, may also be used as an attack vector for this vulnerability.

The report goes on to point out that the security manager in Java has a flaw which allows a security exception, allowing malicious users and software. This would then allow unprivileged Java code to access restricted classes. Let's also be clear that this security flaw affects the machine, not the entire network, per se.

(Photo credit: Shutterstock)

Are we all at risk?

To determine the answer, let's first define what "security" and "risk" are. If you have access to high-value information, you are at risk. When we hear things like a quarter million Twitter accounts have been compromised, that's probably due to a "smash and grab" job by hackers more than the information of 250,000 people being targetted. They get everything they can before they're locked out, which leads to a high number of "compromised" accounts. In a broader sense, we're all at risk. If a hacker wants information, they'll find a way to get it.

Security is a bit more difficult to define. While it's clear that Java is an issue, it can be turned off. Does that suddenly make your machine secure? It relieves the Java threat, but that doesn’t mean you’ve suddenly become secure. Apple has disabled Java by default in their products, so we're wise to take the Java security issues seriously. It may not be the silver bullet, but recent events suggest disabling Java is a solid option until there is a satisfying fix for that issue.

new-google-chrome-logo

Is Google doing enough?

Chrome, and by virtue Chrome OS, were built from the ground up to be secure. The main focus for security is what Google likes to refer to as "sandboxing". In a nutshell, this means all of your actions are separate actions, and carried out as such. This prevents any widespread malice, and Chrome is built to shut down and threatening action once its been identified.

Much of what we do in Chrome involves an extension, in one form or another. How is security accomplished with so many extensions flying around? From the Google Chromium Blog:

To help protect against vulnerabilities in benign-but-buggy extensions, we employ the time-tested principles of least privilege and privilege separation. Each extension declares the privileges it needs in its manifest. If the extension is later compromised, the attacker will be limited to those privileges. For example, the Gmail Checker extension declares that it wishes to interact with Gmail. If the extension is somehow compromised, the attacker will not be granted the privilege to access your bank.

 To achieve privilege separation, each extension is divided into two pieces, a background page andcontent scripts. The background page has the lion’s share of the extensions privileges but is isolated from direct contact with web pages. Content scripts can interact directly with web pages but are granted few additional privileges. Of course, the two can communicate, but dividing extensions into these components means a vulnerability in a content script does not necessarily leak all the extension’s privileges to the attacker.

To achieve privilege separation, each extension is divided into two pieces, a background page andcontent scripts. The background page has the lion’s share of the extensions privileges but is isolated from direct contact with web pages. Content scripts can interact directly with web pages but are granted few additional privileges. Of course, the two can communicate, but dividing extensions into these components means a vulnerability in a content script does not necessarily leak all the extension’s privileges to the attacker.

To better illustrate the benefits of sandboxing, here's a video Google made:

Should we worry?

If you have sensitive information that may be of some value, yes… you should worry. If someone wants what you have so bad they're willing to steal it, then you are at risk. Whether you have the information yourself, of the access to it, you are a security risk and a target for compromise.

Securing information is not an easy task, and there are just as many people trying to get it as there are trying to secure it. Hacks and security breaches occur constantly, and we may never even know it. A good example of that is Microsoft's blog post regarding their security breach, which noted "Consistent with our security response practices, we chose not to make a statement during the initial information gathering process." We can surmise from that statement that security issues happen regularly, and it's not necessary to report each one. That also suggests that not all security concerns are these massive attacks with compromised information. This leads us to wonder about any large-scale Google security compromises. Does that mean they didn't happen, or just weren't discussed?

google-halo

Conclusion

Your information is vulnerable to a hacker, but probably not via Google. Security was and is one of the core concepts of Chrome, be it browser or OS. Will that change over time? Absolutely. As something becomes more widely used, it becomes a target. While utilizing a sandboxing feature is a great move, it relies a bit on the honor system. Google trusts developers to create safe web apps and extensions, not malicious software designed to permeate the sandbox walls. So far, so good… but that tide can change quickly, so Google will have to change with it.

Services like Google+ haven't had the issues that Twitter or Facebook have had, so Google is doing something (or many things) better than their competition. As users, we can't control hackers. They'll keep trying to get whatever info they're going after, and all those bright security experts will try to stop them. All we can do is be smart about what we do and how we do it. Our job is to browse the web wisely, and download apps from reliable sources. We may not be able to stop the security issues, but we can all do our part to mitigate them.

The post Can Google be hacked? appeared first on Android Authority.

MWC 2013: Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 hands-on preview [video]

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 10:55 PM PST

Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 aa 600 1

We first saw a glimpse of the Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 in mid-January, with an official announcement following shortly thereafter. While all eyes are probably on the Galaxy Note 8.0 here at MWC 2013, we haven't forgotten about Samsung's latest entry in the rugged smartphone market.

As is usually the case, you won't find this type of phone packing the latest and greatest in specs. The Xcover 2 only sports a 4-inch display with 800 x 480 resolution, while powering the handset is a dual-core 1GHZ Cortex A9 processor.

The rest of the features include 1GB of RAM, 4GB internal storage with microSD support, 5MP main camera, VGA front cam, 1,700mAh battery, HSDPA/HSUPA, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

As to what makes the Galaxy Xcover 2 the perfect companion for the outdoorsy type, the phone is both dust- and water-proof (IP67 certification), and, thanks to its thick shell, it can survive the harshest of terrains and withstand some general abuses.

Wondering how the device looks like in the flesh? Check out our hands-on preview of the Galaxy Xcover 2 below.

The Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 will hit some markets in March at a yet-to-be-disclosed price.

The post MWC 2013: Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 hands-on preview [video] appeared first on Android Authority.

Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos Review! [video]

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 09:03 PM PST

Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos aa 600px 1

While they aren’t popular everywhere, dual-SIM phones are handy for some people and downright necessary for others. The problem is, most of them are very utilitarian.

When they’re not busy rolling in the piles of money they pull in from sales of their flagship devices, Samsung is one of the few big players cranking out Android-powered dual-SIM phones. Among the latest of these is the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos.

In a hurry? Check out our video review below, or jump to the conclusion at the very end of the article.

Specs

  • 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor
  • 5.0-inch Mobile WVGA display (480 x 800)
  • 1 GB RAM
  • 8 GB internal storage (expandable via microSD)
  • 2,100 mAh battery
  • 8-megapixel rear camera, 1080p video recording
  • 2-megapixel front camera
  • Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

First Impressions

samsung-galaxy-grand-duos-with-box-[aa]

Why does that Galaxy Note 2 look so small? Why does that Galaxy S3 look so big? Yeah, that’s about it. It seems that Samsung has made a concerted effort lately to bring a unified design to most of their devices, and the Galaxy Grand Duos definitely fits into this category.

Build Quality & Design

The build quality of the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos is sturdy, if a little flexy. This seems to be present in most Samsung phones currently on the market, and generally, that’s the price you pay for some of the lightest devices around. Still, the Grand Duos doesn’t feel in danger of breaking any time soon, and the few physical buttons on the phone feel solid.

samsung-galaxy-grand-duos-back-[aa]

As mentioned above, the Grand Duos is very reminiscent of both the Galaxy Note 2 and the Galaxy S3, though it is both heavier and slightly thicker than both of the aforementioned devices. Generally, if you like the style of Samsung’s recent flagships, you’ll be pleased with the look of the Galaxy Grand Duos.

Display

While the size of the Galaxy Grand Duos is on the large side, this does allow room for the 5-inch screen. There’s only one problem. That isn’t a typo up in the specs section. The resolution of that screen really is 480 x 800.

samsung-galaxy-grand-duos-in-hand-2-[aa]

This is without a doubt the weakest aspect of this phone. Yes, you get used to it–after all, remember it wasn’t that long ago that screens with this resolution were the norm–but with a 5-inch display, it’s really hard not to think about what could have been. For the most part, things still look decent, but icons are on the large side, and there is most definitely noticeable pixelation.

Performance

There is one aspect where that low resolution comes in handy: performance. As the Broadcom chipset inside the Galaxy Grand Duos doesn’t have to push that many pixels, performance is definitely better than expected. This isn’t going to run circles among the phones currently being shown off at Mobile World Congress, but it is definitely quite usable.

samsung-galaxy-grand-duos-right-front-[aa]

Apps launch very quickly, and no lag is usually noticeable when scrolling through homescreens or the app drawer. We tested a few games like Temple Run 2 and Shadowgun: Dead Zone and were impressed with how well they ran.

AnTuTu benchmarks were, well, unreliable. We saw scores ranging from the low 6,000 range to the mid 8,000 range, with no particular apparent rhyme or reason for the disparity in the scores. When averaged out and rounded, we ended up with an aggregate score of around 7,500.

Software

The Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean which is, of course, skinned with Samsung’s own TouchWiz UI. In a somewhat strange addition, the split-screen feature originally found on the Galaxy Note 2 is built into the Grand Duos. While this isn’t quite as useful with no S Pen, it’s sure to be a welcome addition for some, and if you don’t like it, it’s easy to never use it.

samsung-galaxy-grand-duos-left-front-[aa]

Alongside Google apps, the usual suite of applicable “S” apps are included: S Memo, S Planner, S Suggest and S Voice. Among the other included apps are AllShare Play, ChatOn, GameHub and an FM Radio app. As usual, these can’t be uninstalled.

Camera

While it isn’t up to the standards set by the cameras in Samsung’s higher-end devices, the rear camera found in the Galaxy Grand Duos is still quite capable. Color reproduction was good, and photos looked sharp as long as care was taken when shooting them. The only area we found lacking was low-light performance, which is fairly common in smartphone cameras.

samsung-galaxy-grand-duos-camera-[aa]

Both the front and rear cameras are capable of video capture, though while the rear camera records 1080p video at 30fps, the front-facing camera only records 480p. The video was shot was fairly smooth, though the same low-light performance issue was present, resulting in some visible noise in darker areas of the video.

Battery

You might think that with fairly modest specs and a comparatively low resolution screen to drive that the 2,100 mAh battery in the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos would last quite a while, but we didn’t find this to be the case. Granted, the stresses put on a phone during testing are often greater than what it sees in daily use, but we were still disappointed with the roughly 6:30 of battery life that we got.

samsung-galaxy-grand-duos-in-hand-back-[aa]

With two SIMs inserts into their respective slots, you will have more battery drain just staying connected than usual, so even with light use, you might find yourself running low on battery faster than you would like. On the up side, the battery can be removed and replaced, which is always nice to see.


Video Review

Conclusion

Whether or not this phone is a good choice for you obviously rests on if you need dual SIMs or not. If you’re never going to use that second SIM slot, there are plenty of better choices available. If you travel frequently or live in an area where dual SIMs are necessary, the Galaxy Grand Duos is one of the best dual-SIM solutions on the market right now.

Are you a user of dual-SIM phones? What do you think of the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos Review! [video] appeared first on Android Authority.

LG Optimus F7 hands-on preview [video]

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 08:51 PM PST

LG Optimus F7 aa 600 8

A week before the start of the Mobile World Congress 2013, we found out that LG was prepping a brand new series to accompany its acclaimed Optimus L smartphones, which have been helping LG racking up some impressive sales.

Dubbed as the LG Optimus F5 and Optimus F7, the two phones pack good enough specs to place them right in the middle of the mid-range and high-end segment, though we'll have to see some pricing details first before we can predict big things for them.

If you're particularly interested in seeing more of the Optimus F7, we've got just the goods to get you pumped up, as our very own Joshua Vergara has captured his Optimus F7 hands-on experience on video for your viewing pleasure.

Just to recap, the Optimus F7 boasts a 4.7-inch True HD IPS display, a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, 8GB internal storage with microSD support, 8MP rear camera, 1.2MP front-facing cam, a healthy 2,540mAH battery, and Android 4.1. Jelly Bean.

As Josh said, the LG Optimus F7 should make a great purchase for folks who don't necessarily need a super high-end phone. Enjoy the video and let us know how you like the F7 in the comments below.

The post LG Optimus F7 hands-on preview [video] appeared first on Android Authority.

HTC One to sell as TD 101 via China Mobile, LG Optimus Vu 2 Plus also spotted

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 06:57 PM PST

 china-mobile-htc-one-htc-td-101-1

Many words have been written on HTC's mistakes that lead to its current troubles in the mobile business, with one of them being the lack of strong Galaxy-style brand that consumers would grow to love.

So much for creating a strong brand!

HTC decided to invest in such a brand by launching the One series of smartphones last year, although the company was not able to impose its own product names to certain carriers.

Then, just a few days ago, the company launched the HTC One, which is going to be the company's only One-branded handset this year, a make-or-break kind of project for the Taiwanese Android maker that’s still having a tough time fighting against the competition, especially Samsung.

We were under the impression that HTC will further invest in its One brand and not budge to carrier demands anymore when it comes to changing the name of the product – in the U.S., AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile are going to sell it as the HTC One.

But it looks like things aren't necessarily so, and no, it's not Verizon that's going to get its way selling the One as the Droid DNA Plus, as it was recently rumored.

We're looking at China Mobile this time around, which has announced the HTC One as the HTC TD 101. That's certainly an ugly name and won't do HTC much good especially considering that China Mobile is the largest carrier in the world, and therefore plenty of potential buyers will be looking at the TD 101 instead of One in marketing materials.

Furthermore, this particular One version will feature a regular-pixel 8-megapixel shooter, so no UltraPixels for this device. So much for creating a strong HTC One brand!

Availability details for the HTC TD 101 have not been made public yet during China Mobile's MWC 2013 presentation, although from the looks of that slide we could assume that China Mobile subscribers will get the device at some point in July.

LG Optimus Vu 2 Plus spotted

In addition to the TD 101, China Mobile will have other TD-LTE smartphones in stores this year, like the LG Optimus Vu 2 Plus, a 5-inch handset that will pack a 1.5GHz quad-core "next-generation" processor,  a 13-megapixel "advanced" camera and a 2540mAh battery.

china-mobile-lg-optimus-vu-2-plus

The slide above seems to suggest that the Optimus Vu 2 Plus will hit China Mobile in August, but we still need official launch confirmations.

In case you’re interested in more TD-LTE devices, you’ll have to know that in 2013 China Mobile will also sell other TD-LTE devices including the Huawei Ascend D2-TL, the ZTE U9810 and a garden variety of mobile hotspots.

The post HTC One to sell as TD 101 via China Mobile, LG Optimus Vu 2 Plus also spotted appeared first on Android Authority.

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans


Department of Defense to start accepting Android phones for top-secret classified information

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 03:05 PM PST

That’s one small step for Android, and one giant leap for Android-kind. It looks like the US Department of Defense is about to end its reliance on Blackberry as a secure platform as the government is making amends to its smartphone policy. The new policy will allow government officials to use top Android phones from the likes of Samsung to access information and communication channels up to classification levels of top-secret.

The Department of Defense says it’s crucial for its soldiers and officials to have access to modern devices in order to facilitate better collaboration in the cloud and things of that nature. In other words, it’s time to ditch the archaic, dated phones of yesteryear and get with the times. The significance of this development is huge, as most folks believe the biggest thing keeping Android from completely burying Blackberry is a lack of sufficient security.

The new policy isn’t totally BYOD — or “bring your own device” — unfortunately, but you might be able to understand why. The devices DoD is ordering, about 600,000 of them, have been scrutinized very carefully to ensure they’re secure enough for this task. Bringing your $100 PAYG phone won’t be ideal because there’s no way for the DoD to ensure all the different unique devices swirling about meet the same standard of security.

Android has already broken several barriers in the enterprise sector as OEMs have built devices to be secure and flexible enough for businesses to do their bidding on almost any wireless device you can imagine. Samsung has been one of the biggest players in paving the way for Android’s dominance in enterprise with its SAFE-certified program. HTC, LG, Sony, Motorola and more are all doing fantastic jobs of their own.

Enterprise and government are the last two markets where Blackberry, formerly RIM, still has a strong grip, and if it continues to lose the hearts of those folks it’s tough to see it climbing back into the smartphone race anytime soon. The tides are turning all over, folks, and it’ll be a fun ride to see what it leaves behind as the water spills back into the proverbial sea.

[via The Register]

LG Optimus LTE 3 leaks

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 02:08 PM PST

It looks like LG will soon come to town with a new LG Optimus LTE as the third edition in this line has leaked. It was spotted in LG’s home base of Korea, and it will apparently come with a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, a 720p display,a 2,420mAh battery, and will come with Android 4.1.2 out of the box.

It gets iis name from the LTE radios sitting inside, obviously, so you can expect 4G speeds, as well. This device won’t challenge LG’s new Optimus G line, but it could be a nice option for folks who need a 4G smartphone at inexpensive costs. The Optimus LTE 3 is said to be headed to store shelves later this year, but don’t be surprised if its launch is limited. SK Telekom will be offering it, at least, so we know LG’s got its home front covered.

[via Unwired View]

Nexus One revived for NASA’s PhoneSat program, will take pictures in space [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 12:57 PM PST

So you thought the Nexus One was dead? The original Nexus phone will never die! Or, so says NASA, anyway. If you don’t remember, NASA chose the Nexus One to be the world’s first smartphone in space to be used as a nano satellite. It has actually been a few years in the making, as extensive tests had to be made to make sure the Nexus One could withstand the harsh conditions of space.

The Nexus One was put into vacuum chambers and tested in a wide temperature range to make sure it could make it into orbit without melting. Welp, it passed, and now it’s floating in space. So what, exactly, will this iconic phone be up there to do? For now, we only know that its main purpose is to take photos from space and collect satellite data, and beam that information back to the curious souls here on Earth.

The satellite will utilize the 360 App to do its bidding, and before too long we’ll be able to look at the various photos it takes on the 360 App Facebook page. It won’t stop there, though — users will be able to request their own snapshots of space, but details have yet to come out regarding that exciting opportunity just yet.

We always joke about how Android is on everything from toasters to refrigerators, and from cars to watches, but after getting the first Android-powered satellite into the atmosphere it’s safe to say that Android can and will be used on absolutely anything. Take a look at the video above to see what went into this historic launch by Surrey Satellite Technology.

[via HTC]

Chrome for Android update brings improved scrolling performance

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 12:19 PM PST

The Chrome for Android team has been quite busy lately. A new build for Android devices has come to the stable channel, it brings a lot of improvements and changes. The most notable change will be the improved scrolling performance in webpages. It’s a gripe many of us have had ever since the browser launched, and it’s one that Google hasn’t been as quick to address as other areas. The hatchet is buried for the time being now, though, so head to your favorite site and start flinging around to see just how much smoother it is.

Another big change is the increase in responsiveness to pinch-to-zoom on web pages. Again, it’s something we’ve all let out a slight moan about even if the implementation wasn’t bad enough to drive us away from the app. Other changes include faster interactive pages due to an update V8 javascript engine, continuous audio playback while Chrome is in the background (it will pause when a phone call is in progress, though), support for more HTML5 features, and more.

A few users are already raving about some of the changes in the Google Play Store so get over there and give it a whirl for yourself. For you new folks, it’s a free download, so if your stock browser, Firefox, Opera, or whatever other browser you currently prefer has been giving you trouble lately then you owe it to yourself to at least give it a shot.

Sony experiments with Firefox OS, allows developers to join in with Xperia E [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 10:59 AM PST

We often hear of OEMs “exploring” their options and “testing” other operating systems for consideration in future products, but it’s not so often those companies invite common developers along for the ride. Sony’s different, though, and it has braced the development community quite nicely as of late. The latest opportunity from Sony is here, and it allows developers who happen to have a Sony Xperia E to experiment with Firefox OS.

Sony’s desire to test Firefox OS comes in conjunction with Latin American carrier Telefonica. Firefox OS has been presented as a viable option for OEMs looking to provide phones for emerging markets. It’s an open, web-based operating system that harnesses the power of HTML 5 to provide a familiar development environment for developers.

With Firefox OS being so early along in development and without any third-party apps things don’t look too exciting just yet. Still, if you want to get a head start on developing your own apps for the platform this is a perfect way to do just that. This link has all you need — everything, from instructions for unlocking the Xperia E’s bootloader to flashing Firefox OS and building apps, is covered there. Be sure to give it a long look before proceeding.

Ubuntu Touch builds will soon be available for more than 20 Android devices

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 10:16 AM PST

When Canonical originally announced Ubuntu Touch, we were surprised to learn that the new Linux-based mobile operating system could be built to run on current Nexus devices. Those with the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and the Nexus 10 would be able to get this thing up and running as long as they had an unlocked bootloader. As exciting as that was, that list of devices didn’t account for much of the Android ecosystem.

Well, a few more of you will be able to build the source for your devices soon as Canonical has confirmed more than 20 new devices would be added to the list. These devices include the Motorola XOOM, CDMA Galaxy Nexus devices, the Nexus S and Nexus One, the HTC One X and One X+, the Samsung Galaxy Note, Note 2, and S3 (Verizon, AT&T, and international GSM variants), the Galaxy S2, Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi, Motorola’s DROID 3, DROID 4 and DROID Bionic, the ASUS Transformer Pad and Transformer Infinity, LG Optimus 4X HD, and more.

Typical users probably won’t benefit from this news unless a developer decides to turn them into flashable ROMs, but its main goal is to give developers a chance to develop and test apps for the platform ahead of its launch. You can find the full list of devices at the wiki here, which is sorted to show you which devices Ubuntu is running fine on, which devices are considered a work-in-progress and which devices are deemed “sort-of working,” as well as links to everything you need for your particular device (if available). We’ll be tracking Canonical down at Mobile World Congress to get a close look at Ubuntu Touch for ourselves, so stay tuned for continued coverage!

[via Pocket-Lint]

Hands-on: €120 Acer Iconia B1 [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 09:59 AM PST

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While drowning in tech here at Mobile World Congress 2013, we got our grubby little hands on the recently announced Acer Iconia B1. In case you were wondering, the B stands for you have to Be one cheapass Android buyer to pick up something this cheap.

Priced at a rock bottom low $120 for 8GB of storage ($140 for 16GB), the Acer Iconia B1 answers the question of how low an Android device can go while still remaining usable for the most part. In our brief time with the tablet, the software felt relatively snappy for the most part, lacking only in the “butter” department when scrolling around the UI. Check out our quick hands-on video to get a better look at the outside of the device

The B1 doesn’t pack the kinda spec sheet you’d want to write home about, with barely 512MB of RAM and a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 7-inch 1,024 x 600 display, and a .3MP front facing camera. Still no word on US availability but unless you’re really trying to save your pennies, we can’t imagine why anyone would opt for this over the already affordable ASUS Nexus 7.

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Hands-on: NEC Medias W – the latest foldable, dual-screened Android

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 09:15 AM PST

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At the tail-end of January, Japanese carrier NTT Docomo announced their new lineup of Android devices (11 in all), one of which included the dual-screened foldable NEC Medias W. We’ve seen handset designs like this before with the failed launch of the Kyocera Echo and Sony Tablet P. That being said, we weren’t expecting too much from yet another dual-screen Android device, but after our hands-on with the NEC Medias W, we were singing a different tune.

The Medias W utilizes two 4.3-inch qHD displays on the front and back of the device that open to create a wider, near tablet-like experience. Honestly, it’s perfect for users who’ve been eying larger Androids like the Galaxy Note, but don’t want to sacrifice the benefits of having a smaller phone. In execution the Medias W offers the benefit of extra screen real estate that trumps even the Galaxy Note, giving a better Android tablet experience than that of a big phone.

NEC’s tweaked their software — which is a mostly stock Android experience by the way –  to display either extra content on both screens, or separate content (email conversations on one list, and an open email on the other) depending on preference. It’s all quite genius and executed better than we thought. Take a look at our hands-on video below for a demonstration and see for yourself if 2 screens are better than one.

While the Medias W is currently available in Japan, NEC announced the global variant of the device at MWC 2013 meaning it should work rather well with AT&T bands, sans LTE of course. With a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor (MSM 8960), 1GB of RAM and a 2,100mAh battery, the Medias W may not have the horsepower to appease most Android spec-nuts, but this one trick pony may win over those looking for something different from the traditional Android experience (myself included).

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US Cellular launches 4G-enabled Galaxy Note 10.1

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 09:04 AM PST

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is no spring chicken by now, but some who have been waiting for 4G-equipped versions of the Wacom-enabled tablet to hit their favorite carriers might still be looking out for it. US Cellular is the latest to add the 10.1-inch tablet to its ranks as it has just announced availability.

Starting from today, you can grab the 16GB tablet for $500 when paired with a data plan that offers at least 2GB of bandwidth. Available both in-store and online, the Galaxy Note 10.1 brings you Samsung’s S Pen experience to the bigger screen, with unique features such as multi-view, AirView, S Note, the Learning Hub and more.

For specs, you can look forward to a 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 5 megapixel camera on the rear, a 1.9 megapixel camera on the front, and more. It’ll come with Android 4.1 out of the box. Grab your wallet and head to US Cellular if this is something you’ve been waiting for. Read on for full press details.

U.S. CELLULAR LAUNCHES THE 4G LTE-ENABLED

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE™ 10.1

Portable, lightweight tablet is available online and in stores, delivering premium productivity and creative capabilities

CHICAGO (February 27, 2013) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the United States,announced the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Note™ 10.1 is now available in U.S. Cellular stores and at uscellular.com. The 16GB Galaxy Note 10.1 is $499.99 when paired with a plan with 2GB or more of data.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 joins U.S. Cellular's innovative line-up of 4G LTE devices that includes the Samsung Galaxy S® III, Samsung Galaxy Note® II and the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1. Customers who purchase the Galaxy Note 10.1 from U.S. Cellular receive benefits no other carrier offers, including a valuable rewards program that recognizes customer loyalty.

"The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 makes it easier to get more work done and stay connected while you’re away from the office, and enhances the moments you share with your family too," said Edward Perez, vice president of sales and marketing operations for U.S. Cellular. "Its speed and performance are even better when backed by the 4G LTE network, which delivers data up to 10 times faster than 3G."

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1's integrated S Pen offers users with the precision of a pen and the control of a mouse.  With S Pen, users can take meeting notes, personalize emails, edit documents and more. The S Pen can also be used as a tool for PC-like shortcuts and to preview content simply by hovering.  There's also a multi-window capability to browse the web, check emails, watch videos and work on office documents at the same time. The Galaxy Note 10.1 includes a free preloaded version of Adobe® Photoshop Touch and 2GB of free file storage in Adobe's Creative Cloud. Consumers and artists alike can use Adobe Photoshop Touch to create presentation graphics, works of art, or simply modify photos. With the S Pen, it's a breeze to cut away layers or paint new backgrounds.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 also includes Samsung's Smart Remote, leveraging a universal remote control application and integrated infrared (IR) blaster to optimize TV watching experiences.  Control any TV from your Galaxy Note 10.1 and get a personal guide that makes it easier to find something everyone wants to watch. 

With the powerful Android™ 4.1 operating system, users can browse swiftly and smoothly through apps and all of the functions and features of the Galaxy Note 10.1. Google Now sends automatic and real-time notifications such as traffic alerts, sports scores and weather bulletins customized to the user's location and interests.  Google Voice Search allows you to get search results on-the-go by simply speaking the question directly you're your phone.

Highlights:

      • Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
      • Quad-Core, 1.4 GHz Exynos processor,  2 GB RAM
      • 16GB internal storage
      • 5 megapixel autofocus rear-facing camera
      • 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera

 

U.S. Cellular, in partnership with King Street Wireless, currently offers 4G LTE service covering 61 percent of its customers in select cities in Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. By the end of this year, 87 percent of U.S. Cellular customers will have access to 4G LTE speeds. For more information about the 4G LTE experience, visit uscellular.com/4G.

Samsung, Galaxy, and Note are trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.  Other company names, product names and marks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners and may be trademarks or registered trademarks. 

Purchase of a data plan is required, and a new two-year agreement and activation fee may apply for new customers. Additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply.

4G LTE not available in all areas. See uscellular.com/4G for detailed coverage info. 4G LTE service is provided in partnership with King Street Wireless. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.

Samsung Mobile is the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the United States based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, North America Handset Vendor Marketshare, Q4 2012.

About King Street Wireless, L.P. 
King Street Wireless, L.P. currently holds 700 MHz wireless spectrum in 27 states and is partnering with Chicago-based U.S. Cellular to deliver high-speed 4G LTE service to U.S. Cellular's customers in several of the carrier's markets.  King Street Wireless is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia where it is recognized for its involvement in its community both through its economic development and philanthropic efforts. To learn more about King Street Wireless, visit www.kingstreetwireless.com.

About Samsung Telecommunications America
Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visitwww.samsungwireless.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 236,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales exceeding KRW 201 trillion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.

About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular rewards its customers with unmatched benefits and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier has a strong line-up of cutting-edge devices that are all backed by its high-speed nationwide network that has the highest call quality of any national carrier. Currently, 61 percent of customers have access to 4G LTE speeds and 87 percent will have access by the end of 2013. U.S. Cellular was named a J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Champion in 2012 for the second year in a row. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.

NVIDIA booth tour takes you deep into Tegra-land [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 08:45 AM PST

You’re not at Mobile World Congress, but that’s OK — tons of video content ensures you’re seeing all the exciting bits exactly as we do. In case you were curious to see what’s shaking over at NVIDIA’s booth you can check out this official booth tour from Will Park. He showcases everything from Tegra 4 reference devices to NVIDIA Shield, NVIDIA Grid cloud gaming to Tegra 3-enabled in-dash products and more. Don’t forget that we had our own bit of fun over at the company’s booth yesterday where we got our hands on some great new Tegra 4 HD games. Be sure to check that hands-on bit out here, and catch NVIDIA’s booth tour above.

Hands-on: Alcatel One Touch Star and One Touch Idol

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 08:44 AM PST

New for Mobile World Congress, the Alcatel One Touch Star is an entry level device that packs a bit of style to boot. Think of it as something along the lines of LG’s L Series. It features a 4-inch display, dual-core 1GHz processor, and 5MP camera.

The One Touch Star runs Jelly Bean (4.1) with Alcatel’s custom experience, which isn’t too far a stretch from Google’s stock build. Like Alcatel’s most recent devices, it carries and air of quality we normally wouldn’t associate with handset’s from the company, a nice trend that we would like to see continue. The One Touch Star blends budget with build in a mostly successful way.

Not so new for MWC, but still worth checking out, is the Alcatel One Touch Ultra. This phone site below the Ultra Idol in Alcatel’s lineup, sporting a dual-core 1GHz processor, 8MP camera, and 4.66-inch qHD display. The One Touch Idol felt generally cheaper than the other devices Alcatel had on display. It could make a good mid-range device for those looking to avoid splurging

Alcatel seems to be on the up and up when it comes to device manufacturing, and with the right marketing and a strong push it wouldn’t be surprising to see the company’s future offerings making a few waves in the mobile industry. They don’t have much of a presence in the US, but many of their recent devices are planned to launch in the States at some point in the near future. As for the One Touch Star, that should be hitting other markets as early as March.

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Android’s F-Word mostly irrelevant, but affects Apple similarly

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 08:09 AM PST

Yesterday marked an impressive milestone for Android – Google Play Services version 3. For such an important milestone, though, you’ll find no Android statue on the lawn in front of building 42, no dessert themed easter egg in the settings menu, and little more than a general “meh” heard from Android users. So what, exactly, is the big deal?

In September of 2012, the first release of Google Play Services brought oauth 2.0 support to all Android applications, on all devices utilizing Google Play. This allowed application developers to implement a token-based authentication scheme against all of the web services that supported oauth 2, including Twitter, Facebook, Google, Dropbox, and, well, you get the picture. Later on in December, Google Play Services released version 2.0, updating the Google Maps APIs for use inside applications.

Like the first release, this hit all Google Play supported devices. Yesterday, version 3 brought Google Plus features, and revamped the entire Google Account usage concept for authentication inside your apps, and no device was left behind as all Google Play supported devices are seeing this update. I should also make note that the very popular Honeycomb Fragments UI API was even backported to prior versions of Android.

So what, then, is a Google Play supported device? Quite simply, it’s an Android device that has the Google Play store installed on it, running Android 2.2 (Froyo) or higher. Taking a look at the most recent Android OS Distribution Statistics, that means that Google Play Services is enabled for 97.6% of all Android devices captured in that report. While this obviously excludes non-Google Play devices (the Kindle comes to mind), it’s still a very impressive and important milestone.

Why, then, does fragmentation no longer matter? Simple: Android is now designed for it. Google provides tools for developers to write applications, and the capabilities they provide are now mostly version-agnostic. Sure, Ice Cream Sandwich has the new Holo UI, and tablets have a higher display resolution than phones (but for how much longer?), but Android has built frameworks for this. You can specify multiple layouts for your application, if you choose – a tablet layout for larger screens, and a phone layout for smaller screens. A Holo UI for Android 4.0+, and a regular UI for non-Holo devices.

The restriction of apps to specific versions of Android is only necessary in only two viable cases. In the first case, developers might be targeting a specific feature such as Google Now, or the new Lockscreen Widget found in Jelly Bean 4.2. Like applications targeting Siri on the iPhone 4s and 5s, the OS obviously has to support these features for developers to develop against them. In the second case, the developer doesn’t wish to provide an alternative layout for their application.

As a developer myself, I’ll admit that sometimes it’s easier to cut my losses (and my customer base potential) by giving the axe to older devices. They’ll be running Android 4.0+ eventually, so it’s a time-saver to not implement two different UIs in my application. I might not have the debugging capability (the emulator only goes so far) to support legacy UIs as well as Holo UIs, or I might want to break up my app into a tablet and phone variety for other reasons. But those are all developer choices, not technical requirements.

Apple on the other hand, seems to have bigger problems. Between the retina display devices and the non-retina display devices, to get an application truly compatible across all of Apple’s devices, you need to include 4 different UIs, which includes different resolution textures, graphics, and layouts. While the retina display iPhones have the same resolution as the non-retina display iPads, they can’t utilize the same layouts. While this concept makes no sense to me, it’s obvious that Apple thinks different.

For non-static content, such as OpenGL rendered objects, a developer needs to render at retina display density to support those devices (even if it isn’t necessary, in which case the resulting render gets scaled back, causing it to lose detail), or render at lower density, and have your renders look blocky on the retina display devices. Or double your code, one renderer for each device, and double your fun!

Both implementations of mobile operating systems have their drawbacks with support for multiple devices, but both custodians of those operating systems have provided plenty of tools to tackle the problems at hand, and they’re beyond sufficient for most apps. While Google and Apple will both continue to release more devices and newer versions of their operating systems on them, we’re finally beyond the days where apps have to be dependent on those versions.

It’s always harder to support two layouts inside an app than one, but it’s a necessary evil if you want your application to run on the latest and greatest innovations out of Silicon Valley, and it’s a trend that is only going to continue. So maybe that F-word isn’t so scary now after all. Does it still have you trembling in your boots?

Hands-on: Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 08:02 AM PST

Alcatel One Touch has plenty of device’s to show off at Mobile World Congress, but if any sticks out above the rest it’s the Idol Ultra. While the specs don’t necessarily “wow” us at every turn, it’s the beautifully simple (and sleek) build that makes the handset so attractive.

Perhaps that’s because the materials and design reminded us a bit of the HTC One X, arguably one of the best smartphone designs from the past few years. But even considering the similarities in build quality the One Touch Idol Ultra stands out on its own (that’s not to say it comes close to grazing what the One X is, though). The best design element is the phone’s slim build, measuring in at a mere 6.45mm. Alacatel calls it the world’s thinnest smartphone.

Specs include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.7-inch 720p display, and 8MP camera. The phone runs Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) with a light UI skinning on top.

The Alcatel One Touch Ultra Idol will land in the US later this year priced at around $450 without a carrier subsidy.

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Skype update lets tablet users revert to phone interface

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 06:57 AM PST

The last major Skype for Android update brought support for Android tablets, but users were disappointed to find out the app got rid of the all-important portrait mode. This probably didn’t matter much to those with 10-inch tablets, devices that are rather unwieldy and impractical to use in that orientation, but those on 7-inch devices such as the Nexus 7 might feel a bit differently.

Well, Skype has released an upgrade today to address all that for the time being. Today’s upgrade adds an option that will allow users to switch between tablet and phone user interfaces at a moment’s notice. The tablet user interface is still locked to portrait orientation, but the phone interface will let you use Skype in the more comfortable portrait configuration. It’s worthy to note that the phone interface has much of the same features as the tablet version, so you aren’t really missing out on any features.

It’s not perfect, but it’s a necessary bridge as Skype continues to tweak the tablet user interface to make it easy for all users to enjoy. Grab it from the Google Play Store and see if you can’t win a bit of your comfort back.

Samsung Wallet announced, brings important passes, cards and coupons to one convenient location [VIDEO]

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 06:38 AM PST

Samsung has been on a small roll this week as it has announced yet another development for the future of its smartphones and tablets. The Korean manufacturer has announced a new feature for its future phones and tablets.

Dubbed “Samsung Wallet,” it’s an app that will allow you to store things such as your retail discount and membership cards, boarding passes, coupons and more, and access them in one central location. Some will liken the app to Apple’s PassBook, and that doesn’t look good in the middle of a heated battle between the two companies where Samsung has often been accused of biting Apple’s style.

Samsung’s app uses NFC, but early word is that it won’t primarily be for facilitating wireless payments — that’s what the payWave partnership with Visa is supposed to bring. The app will also utilize location-based features that will notify you when you’re near a store, business or venue where you can use one of your passes.

The app is in beta right now, but Samsung is allowing developers to get an early start on things with the API ahead of the March 7th launch. Big names like Walgreens, Hotels.com, Expedia, Major League Baseball and more will be on-board to start, and we’re sure that list will grow quite nicely with time. Samsung didn’t specify whether the company would be offering the app in the Play Store but we’ll be reaching out to verify. Get a quick demo of the app in the video above.