Android Authority |
- Verizon’s Galaxy Note 2 price drops to $149.99 via Amazon
- The internet vs Moley: why you shouldn’t steal a nerd’s phone
- How is it to use Google Glass? An engineer gives us a glimpse of the interface
- Sony rolls out Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update to Xperia T
- Get your Big Game on with Google’s Super Bowl collection of apps, books, and movies
- Deal alert: HTC One X+ is only $79.99 on Amazon Wireless
- Timbuk2 Power Commute Messenger Bag Review [video]
- CNET: Galaxy S4 announcement not coming at MWC 2013
- Huawei Ascend P2 Mini reportedly confirmed for MWC 2013 announcement
- Galaxy Fonblet 5.8, Pocket 2, Star, Young, Frame and GT-B9150 spotted in benchmarks
| Verizon’s Galaxy Note 2 price drops to $149.99 via Amazon Posted: 02 Feb 2013 03:03 AM PST
If you've been waiting for the price of the Galaxy Note 2 on Verizon to dip a little, here's your chance to grab the phone at a discount. The Titanium Gray version of the phone is now available on Amazon Wireless for $149.99 for new Verizon customers. As for the white variant, it is currently selling for $199.99. Both deals still require you to sign a two-year contract with Verizon, but they are definitely cheaper than getting the phablet directly from the carrier. Even with the onslaught of 1080p phones, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is still the phone to beat. Well, maybe other high-end Android offerings also deserve a shout out, but only the Note 2 seems to offer the perfect combination of a huge display, a blazing fast processor, and a pressure sensitive stylus. Hit the link below if you're interested. And if you haven’t already done so, check out our video on some nifty apps that make great use of the S Pen. Related Posts |
| The internet vs Moley: why you shouldn’t steal a nerd’s phone Posted: 02 Feb 2013 02:59 AM PST It happens every day. People lose their smartphones, or worse, people get robbed. And while usually the story ends right there, with the missing phones remaining lost forever, in some cases, there's a happy ending. That's what happened to a 31-old Brit, who managed to recover his stolen Galaxy Note with the help of some fellow forum members and the Cerberus security app. According to The Telegraph, which picked up the story after it popped up on Reddit and other sites, Richard Kay's phone was stolen from his girlfriend's house during a burglary. But Richard had an ace up his sleeve, because the phone was running Cerberus, a security app for Android that enables users to take control over the phone remotely. Richard took to the tech forum Overclockers to share his mishap, and with the help of his online friends, he managed to snap pictures of the guy who had the Note, find his location, and eventually even his full name and Facebook profile. As you'd expect from a bunch of internet people, they even came up with a nickname for the alleged thief – Moley, after the mole on the man's face.
Armed with the information he got from Cerberus, Richard called the local police, which, after some coaxing, paid a visit to the new user of the Galaxy Note. The story ends happily – the phone was recovered and Moley got a "caution" for the possession of a stolen good. He claimed that he bought the Note from a stranger on the street for £75. To prove that the whole story (which unfolded over 40 hours and garnered hundreds of thousands of page views) was more than a publicity stunt for Cerberus, Richard Kay even posted images of the cops who got his phone back. Also, the police officially confirmed his story, and apologized for the delay in recovering the device. And now for the PSAs. First, protect your investment; install a security app on your device, and make sure it works even if the phone is tampered with. Second, don't steal a nerd's phone. It might come back to bite you. Related Posts |
| How is it to use Google Glass? An engineer gives us a glimpse of the interface Posted: 02 Feb 2013 02:12 AM PST No, we are not here to report that someone broke those restrictive NDAs that Google required their Glass Forge hackaton attendants to sign. But we have a description of the interface of Google's futuristic head mounted display, offered by an engineer that recently had the opportunity to try out the Google Glass. Soumya Mohan, who used the Glass at a tech talk organized at Stanford, took to Quora to describe how the user interface looks and works. According to him, currently the interface is rather crude, only displaying a short "list menu with black background and words written in white". Among the items in the menu, Mohan recalls "Click a picture", "Shoot a video" and "Voice call". The whole menu only included about 4-5 options, and Mohan was able to scroll through it by tilting his head. Other controls available were a small touchpad on the side of the glasses and voice command. (No word yet on that bone conduction tech revealed in the FCC Glass filling.) Although the description given by Soumya Mohan doesn't give us many details that we haven't already known, it does suggest that at least the first iterations of the device will be crude devices. How crude? Well, remember those clunky old cell phones made by Nokia? The interface might be just as basic. Still, all great products have humble origins, and once the Project Glass gathers steam, it will probably develop rapidly. We're still a long way from the Project Glass: One day… video, but the ground has been broken. Related Posts |
| Sony rolls out Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update to Xperia T Posted: 02 Feb 2013 01:37 AM PST
About a week ago, Sony released the alpha build of Jelly Bean for the Xperia T, a treat that's intended more for developers and power users. Now, it appears the final version of the buttery smooth OS is being pushed out to the phone. Sony Xperia T owners in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia and other countries have reported getting the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update. We're looking at a possible worldwide rollout here. Nice one, Sony!
The update brings the phone to software version 91.A.0.489, and comes with a new camera feature, lock screen and dialer, and more. And let's not forget all the Jelly Bean goodness that you can expect to see. We'd love to hear from our readers. Did you make the jump to Jelly Bean yet? Mind sharing your impression of the new firmware and where you're located? Hit the comments below. Related Posts |
| Get your Big Game on with Google’s Super Bowl collection of apps, books, and movies Posted: 02 Feb 2013 01:26 AM PST The Super Bowl (or El Plato Supreme if you watched Samsung's teaser ad) is so close you can almost taste it, so Google thought it would be the right time to release a special Google Play collection dedicated to the Big Game. Available here, The Super Sunday collection includes all that a self-respecting mobile football fan could wish for, from inspiring movies to football news apps, music from halftime starlet Beyoncé, and even an app that lets you rate beer (like football fans need an app to tell them which beer is good). Here's the description from the Play Store:
The apps in the collection include NFL Official and NFL Live Wallpaper, with some games to help you pass the time, such as Gameloft's NFL Pro 2013. Other highlights are the special Super Bowl edition of Sports Illustrated and several discounted albums from Beyoncé. Being the geeks that we are, we especially look forward to the ads that technology companies are preparing for halftime. Samsung's commercial starring Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, and Bob Odenkirk shapes up to be pretty good. Until Super Bowl, watch the teaser (yes, an ad to the ad) here. Related Posts |
| Deal alert: HTC One X+ is only $79.99 on Amazon Wireless Posted: 02 Feb 2013 12:11 AM PST
Are you in the market for a new Sense-flavored phone? If you don't want to spend more than $100 on-contract, check out what Amazon Wireless is offering for AT&T's HTC One X+. By shelling out $79.99 up front, you'll get the One X+ shipped to your doorstep in less than 24 hours. The price is valid only for new customers who don't mind being stuck with AT&T for the next two years. As for those who are looking to upgrade, the price is set at $139.99. The One X+ is an improved version of the One X, sporting a faster processor and bigger battery in a sleek all-black design. It boasts a 4.7-inch Super LCD2 HD display, a quad-core 1.7GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, 1GB of RAM, and a whopping 64GB of internal storage. It also comes with an 8MP rear camera, 1.6MP front-facing cam, LTE, 2,100mAH battery, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4+ on top. We have plenty of nice things to say about the stylish and powerful phone in our HTC One X+ review. Check it out now if you need some more convincing. Related Posts |
| Timbuk2 Power Commute Messenger Bag Review [video] Posted: 01 Feb 2013 08:47 PM PST
There are times when we have to look outside of just the straight Android devices and look at some tools that help us enhance our Android experiences. This happens especially when there are certain situations in which we need a little something extra as the solution. For example, carrying different devices at once can sometimes pose a problem when you don’t have an easy way of stashing them on the go. Having a phone and a tablet together can be extremely useful, but even when on the road, problems arise. What happens when you run out of battery on either – or worse, all – devices you have in hand? Luckily, Timbuk2 has a solution to for both of these situations that quite often happen together. Their answer – the Power Commute bag. Essentially, it is a new version of their already extremely popular Commute line of messenger bags, in which the main features are a slew of useful pockets (a mainstay in any Timbuk2 product) and the inclusion of a zippered back flap that holds a laptop and folds down for TSA compliant scanning. However, in the Power Commute Timbuk2 has gone the extra mile to help people on their busy commutes. When you run out of power, a power brick included with the Power Commute will help us Android users enjoy our phones, tablets, and phablets on the go for longer.
Disclosure – I am a firm believer in looking at the big picture; in this case, it is about looking at accessories and tools that help to enhance the Android experience. Full disclosure – I am a big Timbuk2 fan and this Power Commute bag, so this is a fun review for me to do because of how useful it has been for me. Real world example? I brought this bag with me to CES and its usefulness helped it become a hit with my fellow Android Authorities – it was eventually dubbed the “most thoughtful bag ever.” This is one of those times when an accessory proves so useful or is so cool that we just have to do a feature on it. So, read on to learn more about what just might be your next commuting bag. This written review will go through the general features of the Power Commute, but the video found at the end of this review is an even better look at how I typically use the bag. Technically speaking, it is also a look into a common work day for me. (Watch until the end for a quick gag reel!) Don’t Shoot the MessengerIf you have used a Timbuk2 bag in the past, there is a chance that this one will feel incredibly familiar. For that matter, the same goes if you have ever used a messenger bag in general. There is a long, adjustable strap connected to the two sides of the bag, which is closed by a flap that goes over the front and is both velcroed and further kept shut by two snap clips. On the side is a pocket made for a water bottle – a thoughtful addition by the San Francisco based company. Timbuk2 bags are know for their signature ‘shouts’ that occur when removing the front flap and the Velcro makes their typical sound.
The inside of the main compartment has a lot of space for a vast number of books, devices, or pretty much anything that you can think to stuff in there. It is big enough to hold pretty much any insert made by either Timbuk2 or a third-party – in my case, my trusty Snoop Camera Insert is the one I use. More often than not, my messenger bags double as either laptop carriers or reliable camera bags. This insert easily slides in and out, even leaving some room for extra things.
Also inside are a couple mesh pockets on either side, one of which can be used for anything and the other catered particularly for the Joey T1 power brick. But more on that later. The inner front side has a number of pockets including ones for pens and pencils, as well as a pouch in the middle. On the outer front side has two pockets for, surprise surprise, cell phones (or at least they fit perfectly) as well as a zipped pocket above it.
Finally, there is a side pocket that filters behind the cell phone holders that is a little special. It is under the Velcro lines, making it easy to access even when the front flap is closed. This is a great feature because of its easy accessibility – you can reach anything within without having to remove the bag from around your shoulder. Imagine being at an airport and putting your passport or boarding passes in there. You can easily get them out without fumbling into the main compartment of your bag.
Which brings us to the back end. Didn’t I tell you this bag was feature-packed? Unzip the compartment on the back and you find three different pockets, one that folds out and holds a laptop and two on the main body. The main body pockets can hold more books if that is what you need, but I typically use them for my tablets. The Nexus 10 and 7 devices fit perfectly here. The flap that comes out is a feature of Commute bags, as having the laptop separate from the main body allows it to be easily scanned by TSA machines. This makes your TSA experience less of a hassle, as you no longer have to take your laptop completely from the bag and instead just have to unzip the back and unfold it out. The Power Commute can hold laptops of up to 15 inches, but be aware that this measurement actually means for a Macbook (boo).
Here, There, EverywhereFirst off, the strap is removable by two metal clips, allowing for the bag to be used like a suitcase by holding the sturdy hand strap on the top. However, the shoulder strap is quite comfortable as it comes with a Velcro cushion that takes up about a third of the length.
As it is with just about any bag, overloading it will put a strain on you due to the weight. After a long day on the show floor at CES, my shoulder was definitely killing me. However, under optimal load, the bag is really very comfortable and just feels like an extension of yourself when in transit.
A quick look on the back shows that there is some mesh fabric that comes out from the back flap. The top is open, while the bottom has Velcro that keeps it shut. Again, Timbuk2 thinks of everything as this opening can be used to put your bag on the handle of any rolling luggage. There – your airline/train/blimp commute just got easier, too. Power to the PeopleFinally, we come to the main reason why we’re looking at the Timbuk2 Power Commute – is included power brick. Bundled with this messenger bag is the Joey T1, a portable charger that can power or charge your devices when they run out of juice. It sits in a specific pocket on the side of the inner compartment and features a smaller module for connecting a full USB that goes out to the device you are charging, three green lights to show you how much charge is left, and finally a micro-USB port.
The micro-USB port is essentially why the power brick is called the Joey. In order to charge itself, the Joey needs to use power cord of any applicable device – in our case, pretty much every Android device uses a micro-USB to charge, so just apply that to the Joey. When charging the Joey, you can still connect your phone through the full USB port using the already included cord, effectively powering both at once.
As far as capacity goes on the Joey T1, it admittedly isn’t as large as some other portable chargers out there. At 3700 mAh, it is capable of charging a phone up to two and a half times and a full-sized tablet almost once. Timbuk2 has stated that after much testing, they found this capacity as most ideal for a typical commute. The Joey is capable of thousands and thousands of recharges, and since it can power a device while charging itself, it isn’t that difficult to plug it in for a time before you go out on your trip.
The cord included with the Joey T1 is long enough to reach all around the bag – I have it pass around the camera insert and connect to my phone found in one of the front pockets. However, if you have any devices that have to go in the back, there is a small slit that the cord can pass through from the front and reach them. Technically you can keep part of the back zipper open so that you can pass the cord out of the bag, while it is on your shoulder, and connect it to you phone/tablet/phablet, but I have never done this – I just charge my device while stowed inside.
The Final DestinationBy now, it should be obvious how much I like this bag. It is incredibly versatile and virtually any situation that you throw at it will be handled with ease. Got a lot of luggage and having something around your shoulder bothers you? The flap on the back can put the Power Commute atop one of your roller luggage Need a small boost in power after your device gave you the low battery warning? The Joey T1 can help you out. Have a lot of stuff to bring around with you? The large compartment and slots under the zipper on the back should be able to hold anything you need. Heck, don’t have anywhere to put your water bottle? There’s a pocket for that, too! Here’s where the party slows down a little – the price. At $199, the Power Commute comes at a hefty price. However, with a lifetime warranty to compliment the wonderful workmanship put into this bag, you are sure to have a quality companion to all of your devices, books, and other carry-arounds for pretty much the rest of your life. I have owned another Timbuk2 bag for over 5 years and it has never missed a beat.
That being said, the cons of the price on this bag come from its lack of customization Timbuk2 is known for custom bags and the slew of options available – but the Power Commute only comes in the gunmetal black, grey, and green combination. Custom regular Commute bags start at $149, making the Joey T1 a $50 premium. Prepackaged Commute bags are around $119, which makes the Joey T1 cost more. It’s hard to put a price on the Joey T1, as the Power Commute is pretty much the only place to find it. Assess for yourself if it is worth the higher priced package overall. Related Posts |
| CNET: Galaxy S4 announcement not coming at MWC 2013 Posted: 01 Feb 2013 03:16 PM PST
A couple of days ago a report revealed that Samsung will not hold a press conference at MWC 2013, which implies that the Galaxy S4 will not be present at the Spanish show. Meanwhile CNET was able to confirm with a "person familiar with its launch plans" that Samusng will not unveil the Galaxy S4 in Barcelona. As expected, the South Korean company "declined to comment" on the matter. Did we need more confirmations though? This isn't exactly the first time we hear the Galaxy S4 will not be made official at the most important mobile trade show of the year, with Samsung still preferring to launch such a product at its own convenience. In fact, Samsung’s JK Shin has apparently confirmed this not so long ago as well. Furthermore, some very fresh rumors and leaks suggest that Samsung is already planning to attack Apple right on its home turf, by announcing the Galaxy S4 in the U.S. in March. A few weeks later, the handset should be launched in various markets, with early-to-mid April being a potential release window for the Galaxy S4. However, given the plethora of Samsung leaks out there – and we don't mean Galaxy S4-only rumors – it would be strange for Samsung not to announce some of them at MWC in late February. After all, everyone else is likely to unveil new products in Spain, especially those Android makers that failed to bring new products to the table at CES 2013. Related Posts |
| Huawei Ascend P2 Mini reportedly confirmed for MWC 2013 announcement Posted: 01 Feb 2013 02:45 PM PST
We have already shown you the Huawei Ascend P2, a really skinny D2, and now we have a new report that says a Mini version of the handset is set to be unveiled in the coming weeks. As most of you know already, the Mobile World Congress (MWC) takes place every year in February in Barcelona, Spain, and it looks like that's where the Ascend P2 Mini will be unveiled right alongside its bigger brother. While not all specs and features are known at this time, the Ascend P2 Mini is said to feature a 4-inch display with 720p HD resolution, 1GB of RAM, 8-megapixel camera and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Comparatively, the Ascend P2 will sport a bigger 4.7-inch display with 1080p Full HD resolution, a 1.8GHz K3V2 quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, 13-megapixel camera, a 2200mAh battery and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean under the hood. Anyone looking forward to these Ascend P2 models? Which one would you get? Related Posts |
| Galaxy Fonblet 5.8, Pocket 2, Star, Young, Frame and GT-B9150 spotted in benchmarks Posted: 01 Feb 2013 02:19 PM PST
It's not only Galaxy S4 leaks that we get to look at on a pretty regular basis these days, but we also see plenty of unconfirmed details about a variety of other Android-running Galaxy-branded devices that are going to be released by Samsung at some point in the coming months. After recently checking out quite a variety of new Samsung products in benchmark results, we now have six more unannounced devices to show you, as spotted – you probably guessed it – in GLBenchmark results. Five of them are apparently part of the Galaxy family: the Galaxy Fonblet 5.8, the Galaxy Pocket 2, the Galaxy Star, the Galaxy Young and the Galaxy Frame, while the sixth one doesn't have a customer-friendly product name, the GT-B9150. The Galaxy Fonblet 5.8 (model number GT-I9150 / GT-I9152) is a device we've heard of before which is apparently going to feature a display with a 960 x 540 resolution (qHD) 1.2GHz Broadcom BCM28155 CPU, VideoCore IV GPU and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. The Galaxy Pocket 2 (model number GT-S5310 / GT-S5312) appears to be a low-end Jelly Bean handset ready to offer you a 320 x 240 (VGA) display, a 850MHz Broadcom CPU, VideoCore IV GPU and Android 4.1.2.       Like the previous one, the Galaxy Star (model number GT-S5282) is also an low-end handset, sporting a 320 x 240 (VGA) display, Spreadtrum CPU, Mali-300 GPU and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Moving on to mid-range devices we have the Galaxy Young (model number GT-S6310 / GT-S6312) that will feature a 480 x 320 (HVGA) display, 1GHz Qualcomm 7X27 processor, Adreno 200 graphics and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. The Galaxy Frame (model number GT-S6810 / GT-S6810P) comes with Young-like characteristics: 480 x 320 (HVGA) display, 1GHz Broadcom CPU, NFC (the P variant only) and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Finally, the GT-B9150, the only unnamed handset of the bunch, appears to be a high-end device that will feature a 1920 x 1080 display (Full HD), 1.7GHz dual-core Exynos 5250 processor, quad-core Mali-T604 GPU, and a second-generation Jelly Bean flavor, Android 4.2.1. We have seen previous rumors detailing this particular product back in October 2012, and at the time we told you that the handset could come with a full QWERTY keyboard given the model number, but Sam Mobile speculates that the handset could be a high-end tablet as well. See anything you like in this collection of yet-to-be-released handsets? Related Posts |
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