Android Central

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• See the ASUS MWC press conference, and the unveiling of the Padfone Infinity and Fonepad
• NVIDIA details the T4i and Phoenix reference phone in latest video
• Qualcomm and doubleTwist team to create MagicPlay - an open source media streamer
• Airpush and Apsalar announce new partnership, will bring deeper in-app analytics for developers
• Qualcomm announces Gobi chipset with LTE Advanced and Carrier Aggregation
• Samsung Galaxy Victory now available on Virgin Mobile USA for $299
• GM selects AT&T LTE for future car connectivity
• The Monkey Kit holds your tablet where you need it
• News360 v3.0: a big update to the popular app
• AT&T turns on LTE in 6 more markets
• Sony Xperia Z and Tablet Z to launch globally on March 1
• Samsung announces new KNOX system for secure BYOD
• ASUS FonePad specs
• ASUS Fonepad promo video suggests they really see you holding a tablet to your head
• ASUS PadFone Infinity specs
• Mobile Nations fitness month week 4: Balance! [Grand prize contest!]
• Win a Samsung Galaxy S4 in 'The World's First Samsung Galaxy S4 Contest'
• ClockworkMod SuperUser released in beta, free and open-sourced
• Live with ZTE at Mobile World Congress
• Hands-on with LG's Optimus F5 and F7
• Monday Brief: Mobile World Congress, Nokia Music+, and more!
• ASUS announces 7-inch Fonepad; 3G data and voice on Intel Atom
• ASUS unveils PadFone Infinity with 5-inch 1080P display, Android 4.2
• Deal of the Day: Samsung Flip Case for Galaxy S3
• Live from ASUS at Mobile World Congress!

See the ASUS MWC press conference, and the unveiling of the Padfone Infinity and Fonepad Posted: 25 Feb 2013 05:03 PM PST Another busy day in Spain has drawn to a close, and center of a decent piece of todays new devices announcements was ASUS. In the way that only Johnny Shih and company know how, ASUS today introduced the new Padfone Infinity and the Intel Atom powered Fonepad tablet-cum-smartphone hybrid. Just in case you missed the Android Central liveblog, ASUS has kindly posted the highlights from the, interesting, press conference for us all to watch and enjoy.  read more

NVIDIA details the T4i and Phoenix reference phone in latest video Posted: 25 Feb 2013 04:32 PM PST NVIDIA knows we're all interested in the new Tegra 4 and Tegra 4i platform, and today they are throwing us a bit of a treat, video-style. Formerly known as Project Grey, the T4i is designed to deliver great performance in a smartphone, along with an integrated 4G LTE modem. To showcase this, they have built the Phoenix reference phone. It's a complete package, sporting a 5-inch 1080p display, 13MP camera with NVIDIA's "Chimera" tech 60 GeForce GPU cores, and the T4i with integrated LTE. Since this isn't something that is going to be widely available for most of us, having a look at it on video may be as close as we ever get.  Source: NVIDIA

Qualcomm and doubleTwist team to create MagicPlay - an open source media streamer Posted: 25 Feb 2013 03:32 PM PST Chip maker Qualcomm has teamed up with the folks at doubleTwist and will be delivering MagicPlay - a platform they're billing as an open-source challenger to AirPlay. Running on Qualcomm's AllJoyn protocol, MagicPlay will allow  any Android device to stream media to any other device -- provided it uses a Qualcomm chip running the AllJoyn protocol.  Using MagicPlay and AllJoyn will allow users to connect via Wifi and avoid Bluetooth (which doubleTwist labels as a headache). Manufacturers can add support by embedding a small open-source component, and application developers can embed MagicPlay services into any application to add media streaming.  See the press releases from Qualcomm and doubleTwist after the break for more details. read more

Airpush and Apsalar announce new partnership, will bring deeper in-app analytics for developers Posted: 25 Feb 2013 02:50 PM PST Developers will be thrilled to hear that Airpush and Apsalar have announced a partnership at MWC that will bring better in-app analytics to Android. Airpush is a mobile ad network and Apsalar is a leader in Mobile Engagement Management solutions. Airpush will continue to work to get developers paid while Apsalar will provide the ability to measure: User behavior Retention Engagement Monetization More data is better and the better developers can use the data to monetize apps on Android, the better for us all. Full press release after the break. Source: Business Wire   read more

Qualcomm announces Gobi chipset with LTE Advanced and Carrier Aggregation Posted: 25 Feb 2013 02:13 PM PST Qualcomm, well known for both its radio chipsets and processors, is announcing today that its latest Gobi chipsets -- the MDM9225 and MDM9625 -- are capable of LTE Advanced and Carrier Aggregation for higher data speeds. Carrier Aggregation (which isn't what you'd think) is a technology that allows the LTE radio in a device to pull down data across multiple bands of spectrum. This means that a device could simultaneously receive data over two (or more) different frequencies, combining it to give data speeds similar to what it would be over a larger chunk of a single frequency. For example, if a carrier has deployed 10MHz of spectrum in one frequency and 10MHz in another, the chip could combine those two and give users the same experience as if the carrier had deployed 20MHz of continuous spectrum in one band. This is some nerdy radio stuff, but the end result is very important. There's a lot of spectrum out there, but it's not always allocated to each operator in the most efficient way. As networks transition between older 3G technologies and LTE, the spectrum may not be allocated in complete 20MHz blocks for use by a single network. These new Qualcomm chips let devices connect to these disjointed bands simultaneously. These new MDM9x25 chips are manufactured using a 28nm (nanometer) process, and offer LTE Advanced with downlink speeds up to 150mbps on top of extensive 2G and 3G (including DC-HSPA+) support all in one chip. The process has already been shown off inside of a Sierra Wireless mobile hotspot, and Qualcomm says that OEM partners began sampling the chips in November of last year to make it into consumer products in late 2013. read more

Samsung Galaxy Victory now available on Virgin Mobile USA for $299 Posted: 25 Feb 2013 01:51 PM PST   Virgin Mobile USA has announced a new addition to their lineup, the Samsung Galaxy Victory. The Victory is a 4-inch device that has a look not dissimilar to the Nexus One. It boasts a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), 5MP rear camera, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. The specs aren't going to blow away die hard Android fans, but for someone who just wants a solid phone for a less expensive price, the Galaxy Victory is a good choice. The Samsung Galaxy Victory is available today for $299.99. Virgin Mobile USA

GM selects AT&T LTE for future car connectivity Posted: 25 Feb 2013 01:03 PM PST AT&T and General Motors have just announced plans to bring LTE to a wide range of its cars starting in 2014. The partnership will enable GM to provide a whole host of new connected car services through its subsidiary, OnStar, across models from Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac. The connectivity will be built in at a basic level of the car, integrated into the electrical system and wired to an external antenna to provide better coverage and speeds. Some car models -- usually in the higher end -- have had this functionality for some time, but not on the wide scale that GM is targeting. GM envisions streaming media content available in back seat entertainment devices, real-time navigation updates and application downloads for infotainment systems. The embedded LTE connection will not only bring a whole host of integrated car services online, but also provide Wifi hotspot functionality for other devices that users bring with them to the car. Hopefully as this service hits the main stream other car makers can follow suit. Source: AT&T; GM

The Monkey Kit holds your tablet where you need it Posted: 25 Feb 2013 01:02 PM PST If you've ever wished you had a third hand to hold your Android tablet, Octa's Monkey Kit is something you'll be interested in. Just like that ever so useful appendage hanging from the south end of a Monkey, this tail is flexible yet rigid, holds to almost any shape, and it's suction device grips your tablet even tighter than you do. It's built like a tank from quality materials, looks and feels great, and is super-easy to use. We've had it here at chez Jerry for about a week, and have found it indispensable for both work and play. It's incredibly handy holding the Nexus 7 with a recipe app open while making a mess  cooking in the kitchen, my wife uses it to display a spreadsheet while she works -- freeing up her second monitor for Facebook, and when the lights go out and I find I can't sleep, a bit of Netflix in bed while the Monkey Kit does it's hands-free magic is the ticket. It's all done through what Octa calls the Vacuum Dock. Place it on a smooth spot on the back of your tablet and pump it a few times to create a seal -- a really, really tight seal. Using a special cam design, the "tail" locks in place into the Vacuum Dock, making for a three foot long third arm to position your tablet wherever it is you want or need it positioned. It works on almost any tablet -- as long as you have a smooth surface to "stick" it to, you're golden. Having said that, be warned that it doesn't work with the Nexus 10, and for some insane reason known only to Google, it doesn't seal on the white-backed Google I/O edition Nexus 7. The retail Nexus 7, as well as any of the Kindle Fires, Galaxy Tabs, Transformers, or Xooms hold just fine though.  You're probably asking where do I find out more about this Monkey Kit thingy? That's easy. Visit Octa's Mokney Tail product page, where you can find out everything you need to know and pre order your own Monkey Kit for $99. Hit the break and see a picture gallery of the construction and parts. read more

News360 v3.0: a big update to the popular app Posted: 25 Feb 2013 01:01 PM PST News360 chooses to sidestep other apps that focus on social news recommendations, and instead offers user-focused content generation from a wide variety of sources. The aim is to provide multiple angles to the same story, which is said to offer a well-rounded experience. The app continues to offer the same feature set as before, but is now wrapped in a much more attractive user interface. Hang with us after the break and see if the redesigned News360 is still a compelling news reader option. read more

AT&T turns on LTE in 6 more markets Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:38 PM PST AT&T announced this morning that it has flipped the switch and turned on LTE in more markets. Any of you in the following locales will be fortunate to have AT&T LTE soon. The new markets are: Tunica, Mississippi Athens, Tennessee Lafollette, Tennessee Tallahassee, Florida Salinas and Monterey, California Lawrence, Kansas Always good to see the expansion of LTE and higher speeds it brings.

Sony Xperia Z and Tablet Z to launch globally on March 1 Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:17 PM PST Sony is announcing today at MWC that its latest flagship Xperia Z and Xperia Tablet Z will both be available globally starting March 1st. The Xperia Z, which we've had extensive hands-on time with, has already been up for pre-order and sale in varying capacities around the world. The Tablet Z, on the other hand, was announced in late January in conjunction with a Japanese carrier launch, but without any launch specifics until now. If you need a little refresher on the specs, we've got a 1920x1200 display, powered by a Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM. It will be launching with Android 4.1, but Sony has specifically named an Android 4.2 update as being in the works. Sony is still touting the device as the thinnest tablet available, and is still both water and dustproof like its phone counterpart. The Tablet Z will also have a few first party accessories out of the gate, such as a charging dock and leather carrying case. Both the Xperia Z and Tablet Z will launch globally on March 1st, with obviously varying prices within each region. We'll be sure to bring you specifics as they come available for each market. read more

Samsung announces new KNOX system for secure BYOD Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:13 PM PST Samsung is hoping to further its position in the enterprise space by introducing Samsung KNOX, a full software solution for companies to implement with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) programs. KNOX is aiming to be an end-to-end solution for securing corporate data on a personal device, keeping both sets of data and apps completely separate. The solution provides system-level encryption of the enterprise data and apps, which are accessed via an app icon on the employee's homescreen. Everything inside KNOX is a completely separate container from the rest of the phone, and ships with integrated email, browser, contacts, calendar and file sharing apps for the enterprise. Additionally, any Android app can be made KNOX-compliant without any change in the source code, so developers don't have to submit a new version of the app to work with KNOX. Samsung can add features like FIPS compliant VPN, on-device encryption and Single Sign On (SSO) to these existing apps. These security features require changes in both the hardware and software of the devices, and Samsung is saying that KNOX will be available on "selected Samsung devices" starting from Q2 2013 as part of its SAFE (Samsung for Enterprise) platform. This is a great step forward for users that want to have both corporate and personal data on a single device. read more

ASUS FonePad specs Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:12 PM PST The 7-inch ASUS FonePad unveiled today at MWC 2013 combines the communication features of a smartphone with the entertainment opportunities of a tablet. Find out what specs the ASUS FonePad brings to the table after the break. read more

ASUS Fonepad promo video suggests they really see you holding a tablet to your head Posted: 25 Feb 2013 12:02 PM PST The ASUS Fonepad is real, having been formally introduced to the world earlier today in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress. The collaboration with Intel sees phone and tablet meshed together in perfect harmony, and keeps everything at a pretty competitive price. Like the Galaxy Note 8.0, the Fonepad has an earpiece on the front along with its phone capabilities.  We've mocked the thought of holding something the size of a tablet to the side of our faces, but it seems ASUS is pretty serious on that train of thought. As this promotional video for the new device shows, its considered perfectly natural to be out in public and hold a 7-inch device to the side of your head. Crazy? Maybe. We'll reserve judgment for now, but jump into the comments below and let us know what you guys think.  Source: ASUS (YouTube)

ASUS PadFone Infinity specs Posted: 25 Feb 2013 11:34 AM PST ASUS announced the 5-inch PadFone Infinity today at MWC 2013 that can become a 10.1-inch tablet when docked to its PadFone Infinity Station companion. This device packs some impressive hardware so get a full dose of specs on the ASUS PadFone Infinity and the Infinity Station after the break. read more

Mobile Nations fitness month week 4: Balance! [Grand prize contest!] Posted: 25 Feb 2013 11:09 AM PST Leave a comment below telling us what you got out of Mobile Nations Fitness Month and be entered for a chance to win the phone, tablet, or game system of your dreams! It's February and you know what that means? Mobile Nations Fitness Month! That's when we all get together to get in shape, share tips and tricks and recipes for success, review amazing apps and accessories, give away great prizes, and have a ton of fun! This year we're doing it a little differently, though. We're doing weekly themes, and that means every week you'll have new and exciting challenges, and new chances to win! Week 4: Balance! That's right, it's time to bring everything together and work towards a balanced life! It's really hard to eat and sleep well, and exercise regularly, especially with as all the other things we have to do. That's why it's important to not only act healthier for a week or month, but to build healthier habits into your ever day lifestyle. To round out the month, we'll be reviewing a bunch of great apps and accessories that can help you keep it together, and keep yourself on track with your nutrition, exercise and relaxation goals. And we are also going to be doing the mother of all contests. Contest: Win the fitness device of your dreams! Leave a comment below telling us what you've gotten out of Mobile Nations Fitness Month -- how much you've improved or been inspired, what you plan to do to keep it up throughout the year, or even how much you simply sat on the couch and watched it all transpire around you! -- and you'll be entered to win a $400 gift certificate to put towards whatever phone, tablet, or even gaming system will help you keep up with your fitness goals! Be it iPhone or Galaxy Note, Lumia or BlackBerry, Surface or Droid, iPad or Android tablet, Xbox or Wii, we want to help you bring it home! Our usual contest rules apply, and only one entry per person, but you can enter once on all of our sites: Android Central, CrackBerry, iMore.com, webOS Nation, and WPCentral So what are you waiting for? Enter NOW, NOW, NOW!

Win a Samsung Galaxy S4 in 'The World's First Samsung Galaxy S4 Contest' Posted: 25 Feb 2013 10:39 AM PST How would you like to win a brand new Samsung Galaxy S4, courtesy of Android Central? In 'The World's First Samsung Galaxy S4 Contest', you can win the device, no strings attached. Here's how you can submit your entry: Submit a single comment to this blog post. That's it. Pretty easy, right? Leave a comment on this post and you're automatically entered to win. A winner will be announced shortly after the official device announcement on March 14th, and we will ship the device as soon as it becomes available. Good luck to all! P.S. Once you've left your comment, head on over to the Samsung Galaxy S4 Forum for more chat, banter and general S4 goodness.

ClockworkMod SuperUser released in beta, free and open-sourced Posted: 25 Feb 2013 09:45 AM PST Koushik Dutta of ClockworkMod, ROM Manager and Carbon (Backup) fame continues his long standing contributions to the Android community with his latest creation, ClockworkMod SuperUser. Currently in beta, eventually there will be an installation process in the APK itself, but for now it must be flashed either via ROM Manager or manually via recovery.  There's a few headline features to speak of, the first of which is that unlike the Chainfire SuperUser offerings, this one is open-sourced with the full code available for download from Koush's Github. Also on board is support for the multi-user option found in Android 4.2. Impressive. Equally impressive is that this one version is compatible with both ARM and x86, with Koush claiming "magic" in getting it working.  The impressive full feature set reads as follows: Multiuser support Open source Free Leverages Android's permission model Logging (and per app logging) Pretty UI PIN Protection Request Timeout Customize notifications x86 and ARM support Handle concurrent su requests properly NDK clean Follow the source link below or head on into ROM Manager on your rooted device to flash a copy and take a look for yourselves. Click on further past the break for a demo video of ClockworkMod SuperUser in action.  Source: +Koushik Dutta read more

Live with ZTE at Mobile World Congress Posted: 25 Feb 2013 07:00 AM PST We're live from ZTE's Mobile World Congress presser, where Life is Grand. Liveblog's after the break. read more

Hands-on with LG's Optimus F5 and F7 Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:34 AM PST At the LG MWC booth today the manufacturer didn't just launch the Optimus G Pro and L II series, there was also a new mid-range series of 4G LTE smartphones on display -- the Optimus F5 and F7, members of the LG Optimus F series. The devices we saw were aimed at the European and Korean markets, and the F7 on display at the LG booth bore SKT's 4G LTE logo. read more

Monday Brief: Mobile World Congress, Nokia Music+, and more! Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:28 AM PST Mobile Nations Podcast Feed Mobile Nations on iTunes Mobile Nations YouTube Debug 8: Grant Paul aka chpwn ZEN and TECH 52: Fitness month sleep and relaxation special! HTC One: Your guide to the 2013 Android reboot Android at Mobile World Congress 2013 - what to expect from this year's show Google I/O 2013 registration opens March 13 How to transfer your BlackBerry 7 data to a BlackBerry 10 device using BlackBerry Link Top 10 tips for the BlackBerry 10 calendar Sorry, this Z10 gross margin analysis is totally out to lunch 'Chubby Checker' lawsuit filed against HP over endowment size estimator Enyo 2.2 lands with Windows 8 and BlackBerry 10 support Raspberry Pi used as an Ares 2-Enyo-node.js Server iPad mini: 4 months later Comparing iPhone weather app screens Win a FREE iPad mini in your choice of AnoStyle color! Nokia Music+ goes live in the U.S. Market, let the unlimited downloads begin! Windows Phone Portico update rolling out in new wave, including Verizon’s HTC 8X The 'Spring into TEGRA' Contest: Win a Tegra-powered Windows 8 RT Tablet!

ASUS announces 7-inch Fonepad; 3G data and voice on Intel Atom Posted: 25 Feb 2013 05:23 AM PST ASUS takes the stage at Mobile World Congress 2013 today, and ahead of their event they have announced the Fonepad -- a 7-inch tablet with full 3G data and voice services using a new Intel ATOM processor. ASUS and Intel have a long partnership and Hermann Eul, Intel vice president and co-general manager of the Mobile and Communications Group, states that the "new Atom Z2420 processor delivers the power, performance and flexibility required to accommodate a range of devices and market needs. We think the ASUS Fonepad is a very innovative device in an emerging category of 3G tablets with telephony features.” The full specs of the Fonepad weren't given but we do know the ATOM Z2420 is paired with 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, and sit under a 7-inch 1280 x 800 display with 10-point multitouch.  We were told ASUS has no plans to release the Fonepad in North America, but we should see it in UK late Q2 2013. Pricing will start at a suggested retail of £179 (inc VAT). Exact pricing and specification will be confirmed closer to launch. Follow the break for the full press release. read more

ASUS unveils PadFone Infinity with 5-inch 1080P display, Android 4.2 Posted: 25 Feb 2013 05:04 AM PST ASUS is taking the wraps off of its latest phone-tablet hybrid docking device, the PadFone Infinity, at MWC 2013. The specs here will not disappoint, checking every box you'd expect for a high-end device in 2013. We're looking at a 5-inch 1080P display, quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32/64GB of storage and 13MP camera, all in a unibody aluminum frame. On the connectivity front, it has both 100mbps LTE and 42mbps HSPA+ radios and supports the latest 802.11ac Wifi. One major point of this device is that it's also running Android 4.2, something very few manufacturers have been able to announce at this point. Oh, and did we mention it docks into a tablet? Following in the footsteps of the PadFones before it, the Infinity still docks into a 10.1-inch tablet frame called the "Infinity Station". The station has a 1920x1200 Super IPS display, with the same 400 nit brightness as the phone itself. The station also has its own 5000mAh battery, alongside the phone's own 2400mAh lithium polymer cell. The PadFone Infinity and Station will come together at a hair under 1.48lbs -- about middle of the road for 10-inch tablet weight nowadays. ASUS is planning to launch the PadFone Infinity in the U.K. at an MSRP of £799 (incl VAT) with the Infinity Station, in three color choices --  Titanium Grey, Champagne Gold and Hot Pink. There are no specific availability dates for the U.K., and no indication at all that this will make its way to the U.S. market either. Considering that previous iterations of the PadFone didn't make it stateside, we're not holding our breath. read more

Deal of the Day: Samsung Flip Case for Galaxy S3 Posted: 25 Feb 2013 04:54 AM PST The Feb. 25 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Samsung Flip Case for Galaxy S3. This OEM Flip Case replaces your Galaxy S3 battery cover to provide additional protection for your screen against smudges, scratches and dirt. It wraps around the side of the phone and the soft felt adds an extra layer of protection over your screen when in place. Comes in blue, white, and pink. The Samsung Flip Case is available for just $22.00, 45% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts

Live from ASUS at Mobile World Congress! Posted: 25 Feb 2013 03:58 AM PST We've live from ASUS on the first official day of Mobile World Congress here in Barcelona, Spain. Chances are we're about to get some Android tablet action dropped on us. So check in after the break for all the liveblog action, starting at 1:30 p.m. CET, or 7:30 a.m. EST. Morning, U.S. folks! read more

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