Android Community |
- Flurry: China overtakes US for total active Android and iOS devices
- Sony Xperia Z goes up for sale early in Europe
- Accel Telecom announces the car-friendly VOYAGER smartphone
- Samsung Galaxy Note N7000 Jelly Bean update rolling out
- Samsung rumored to announce the Galaxy S IV on March 14
- Archos Galaxy Note: don’t be fooled this afternoon
- Netgear PTV3000 update brings Miracast support for Android devices
- HTC continues teasing ahead of the One announcement
- Vic Gundotra: Future Nexus smartphones will have “insanely great cameras”
- LG Optimus G Pro global release to begin in Q2
| Flurry: China overtakes US for total active Android and iOS devices Posted: 18 Feb 2013 10:45 AM PST It was about a year ago when Flurry said that China had become the world’s fastest growing smart device market, and as of today, it looks like China has now overtaken the US in terms of having the most active Android and iOS devices. This includes tablets as well as smartphones and the lead, while just barely, has gone to China.
The details coming from Flurry show that the numbers were near even in January with the US having 222 million and China having 221 million. Keep in mind though, the final February numbers are not in just yet. In fact, as of now Flurry is making this announcement based on projected numbers. They have said that they expect China to have 246 million and the US to have 230 million. While those numbers may vary a little come the end of the month, it seems there is not much reason to think that China will not overtake the US this month. Perhaps a bit more interesting though, Flurry has said that the US will not overtake this lead in the future. Of course, that simply goes to the population totals which is said to be roughly 1.3 billion for China and roughly 310 million for the US.
Otherwise, aside from China and the US with numbers above 220 million in terms of active Android and iOS devices, the remaining countries on the list are far behind. To that point, some of that most likely comes as a result of population numbers (amongst other reasons). The data coming from Flurry has the UK in third with 43 million, South Korea in fourth with 30 million and Japan in fifth with 29 million. On the flip side of totals, countries to include Columbia, Vietnam, Turkey, Ukraine and Egypt are currently top 5 in terms of fastest growing Android and iOS devices by market. [via Flurry Blog] |
| Sony Xperia Z goes up for sale early in Europe Posted: 18 Feb 2013 10:14 AM PST Sony has an impressive new smartphone headed to market soon. Simply known as the Xperia Z. Their new flagship smartphone was pretty impressive when we got our hands on it at CES, and now it looks like those in Europe can get it right this minute. Last week Sony confirmed the device would hit the streets starting February 21st in Europe, but it appears to already be available.
According to multiple reports including the @SonyXperiaFR France Twitter account, the new flagship smartphone is up for sale in both the black and white variant today and is shipping right this minute. If you’ve been following Sony’s new beast of a phone, it’s time to get excited and go drop down some cash. Today 3 days early, the official Sony Mobile France webstore has opened up sales and has the device listed as available, in stock, and now shipping. At least according to XperiaBlog. The device is currently being listed for €649 and is available in both black and white variants. It also looks like France carrier SFR will get an exclusive purple color option too. As far as regular flavors, instead of landing in Germany and other Europe regions on the 21st, they’ve already started selling it this afternoon. Users will probably be getting their delivers on the 21st, so right on time, unless of course some faster shipping choices are made. The Xperia Z’s 5-inch 1080p screen and water-proof features are pretty impressive. If you’re in France will you be picking one up? Let us know below. |
| Accel Telecom announces the car-friendly VOYAGER smartphone Posted: 18 Feb 2013 09:57 AM PST While some of the beauty of having a smartphone is being able to take it everywhere, it looks like one company is placing the smartphone in the car. That company is Accel Telecom and they have introduced what they are calling the “first standalone connected car smartphone.” The handset is called the VOYAGER and it is being touted as a device that can be easily installed in any car.
Perhaps key here though, the VOYAGER is designed to be a handset that offers a “safer and superior” connected car experience. This comes by way of features to include voice activation and a dedicated Waze launcher key for easy navigation. The VOYAGER also has what is described as being a “driver centric design” along with dedicated hard keys and car centric apps to include an in-car 3G Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity. Another car related feature for the VOYAGER is the ability to hook up to the on-board diagnostics (OBD) which will allow for access to diagnostics and more. While we are not entirely sure the average person will need quite this much in terms of car focused features, this handset could have some nice perks for those who spend majority of their time driving. Aside from the car friendly features, the VOYAGER will be running Android and is noted as having integration with Google and Exchange. So far we have yet to see anything in terms of a release date or pricing, however Accel CEO Marc Seelenfreund has said that they “expect strong demand” in both the US and European markets. Lastly, for those worried about having yet another connected device with a bill, the VOYAGER will have a twin-SIM system which will allow it to operate on an existing phone number. [via PR Newswire] |
| Samsung Galaxy Note N7000 Jelly Bean update rolling out Posted: 18 Feb 2013 09:48 AM PST Just like the aging Galaxy S II, Samsung hasn’t forgot about their popular original 5.3-inch Galaxy Note phablet. Today we’ve learned that it’s happily getting updated to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean now, and in the coming weeks and months. Initially this is for the international N7000 Galaxy Note, then other regions and eventually the US models will also enjoy the same benefits.
Last week HTC updated their Thunderbolt to Ice Cream Sandwich, and now Samsung is updating the Note. Both which are pretty old devices in today’s standards. It’s nice to see manufacturers still trying to keep all their devices up with the times, especially Samsung considering they’ve sold millions and millions of Galaxy Note smartphones. According to reports, the Galaxy Note is receiving an over the air update to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean in Asia. With users from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and more reportedly stating it has arrived towards the end of the weekend or this morning. It isn’t Android 4.2, but it’s as close as you’ll get for now. Samsung has brought all the awesome features of Jelly Bean we love. Like Project Butter, Google Now, expandable notifications. As well as their wide array of Galaxy specific features like multi-window and multi-view modes and more.
As usual the update is rolling out as we speak, but is also available on Samsung Kies for those interested. Although you’ll have to be in Asia and rocking the N7000. For now this is just an initial rollout but we’re expecting other regions to quickly follow, then hopefully the AT&T and T-Mobile models stateside. Start checking for updates and hit the link below for a list of everything that’s new. Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
 Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
 [via SamMobile] |
| Samsung rumored to announce the Galaxy S IV on March 14 Posted: 18 Feb 2013 09:21 AM PST Rumors were once calling for Samsung to announce the Galaxy S IV on March 15 and as of today it looks like another possible date has surfaced. Keeping in mind, this latest is still nothing more than a rumor. The latest date is just one day prior to the last — March 14. Announcement date aside, we cannot help but think some of the importance here will be in availability as opposed to announcements.
The details are coming by way of Russian blogger Eldar Murtazin who has recently posted the details on Twitter. The specific message read as follows; “Save the date for a big announcement – March 14″ and went on to poke some fun at HTC. Noting that HTC will miss One sales again, “like it was in 2012.” The announcement is said to be taking place in New York. Assuming this date holds accurate, this means Samsung would be announcing the Galaxy S IV about two weeks after Mobile World Congress. Perhaps key to this point, it would be quite a while after the February 19 announcement for the HTC One. That of course brings us to our earlier point — announcements are nice, however availability is even nicer. Previous rumors have said the Galaxy S IV availability will begin in April, however it will be a slow roll and continue until June. Otherwise, previous rumors still point towards the Galaxy S IV as launching with a 4.99-inch Super AMOLED HD display, quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and Jelly Bean. [via SamMobile] |
| Archos Galaxy Note: don’t be fooled this afternoon Posted: 18 Feb 2013 08:42 AM PST Last week we mentioned the latest Archos rumors. For those who missed that post, the rumors detailed three upcoming smartphones. Assuming these rumors prove to be accurate — it looks like Archos is once again looking to release a few smartphones. We remain skeptical mainly because this is not the first time we are hearing talk of an Archos smartphone. That part of the rumor aside — images of these smartphones weren’t posted last week and they have not been posted since.
Keep that last part in mind, images of the Archos smartphones have not leaked — despite what some sites are reporting. What is even funnier is that we are now seeing comments on these posts calling Archos crazy for working on devices that so closely resemble the Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III. Well, the key here — those are Galaxy devices. These images have come by way of the Russian language Hi-Tech@mail.ru site and to the best of our ability to translate Russian — appear to have been added for demonstration purpose, not to say that Archos was preparing to copy the Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III.
Basically, we are offering this post as a simple reminder that not everything you see can be taken at face value. Just for comparison sake, you can see an image of the Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III below. Otherwise, aside from these images, what has been leaked about the Archos smartphones includes some basic specs and some rough price points. But again, no images just yet.
To sum up the rumored details that have leaked so far, we are hearing reports of three Archos smartphones; the 52 Titanium, 48 Platinum and 35 Carbon. The rumors are pointing towards the 52 Titanium as having a 5.2-inch 800 x 480 display and dual-core 1.2GHz processor, the 48 Platinum as having a 4.8-inch 1280 x 800 display and quad-core 1.7GHz processor and the 35 Carbon with a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 display and a single-core processor. |
| Netgear PTV3000 update brings Miracast support for Android devices Posted: 18 Feb 2013 07:55 AM PST Miracast, for those unfamiliar with the name, means you can mirror the display from the device in your hand to your television. In this case we are talking about the Miracast-enabled Netgear PTV3000 meadia streamer and an Android smartphone. And thanks to the recent PTV3000 update — you can now do just that. This update is currently available for the PTV3000 and brings support for select Android devices.
More specifically, this update brings support for the Galaxy Note II and Note 10.1 as well as the Galaxy S III (running 4.1.1 or later), the Nexus 4 (running 4.2.1 or later), the LG Optimus G (running 4.0.4 or later) and “various” Sony Xperia models (provided they are running 4.0.4 or later). For those keeping track, or checking to see if they have the latest version, this update will bring your Netgear PTV3000 up to version 2.2.9. Aside from the Miracast support for Android devices, this PTV3000 update also brought a long list of improvements and changes. For example, Miracast and Intel Wireless Display (Wi-Di) have been combined into a single user interface. Basically, this means that you no longer have to push the button on the side to switch between the modes. The Intel Wi-Di connectivity has also been improved for those with Windows 8 and there have been some fixes put in place for disconnection issues on mobile devices. You can check the full and complete change log on the Netgear download site. Those looking to get the update, here is what you will need to do. To begin with, push and hold the WPS button (on the side) for more than 5 seconds. This will take the PTV3000 into firmware update mode and from here it is just a matter of following the prompts on the screen. [via Engadget] |
| HTC continues teasing ahead of the One announcement Posted: 18 Feb 2013 07:12 AM PST The leaks surrounding the HTC M7 were fast and furious and eventually we saw that name change to the HTC One. We also saw that chatter switch from being leaks and rumors to teasing from HTC. In fact, they have been posting a steady stream of teasers on their official @HTC Twitter account. The most recent teaser image can be seen below.
But before you try and click on those play buttons, that is nothing more than an image. Granted, it appears to be video focused and in fact, if you follow the twitter stream, HTC had followed this image up with a comment and a question that read; “Average length of an online video is 5 minutes. How long do you stick around?” Given this, we suspect at least part of the announcement event will be focused on shooting video with the One. Another recent teaser can be seen in the next image. This one gives the date of the announcement, which we already knew to be February 19th, and shows a pair of speakers. Similar to the video image and comment, this speaker teaser was followed up with a question; “The call of a Blue Whale or a Rocket Launch?”
That one seems a bit harder to answer, however it certainly points towards the speakers and sound experience being a big part of the HTC One. And again, this is something we expect to learn more about come tomorrow evening. Otherwise, previous HTC One image teasers also included a lens, a close up of an eye and what appears to be a silver block of metal. These can all be seen in the gallery below. Remember though, the big event is scheduled for tomorrow evening and you can expect the news to be covered here on Android Community.    [via Twitter @HTC] |
| Vic Gundotra: Future Nexus smartphones will have “insanely great cameras” Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:47 AM PST Vic Gundotra recently took to Google+ in a effort to get some advice on which camera he should take on his trip to the mountains. He mentioned that he would “obviously” be taking his Android phone and Google Glass but was looking for suggestions on whether he should take his DSLR. While we are sure the camera geeks may have a bit more interest in the DSLR details, what attracted our eye was the mention of the Nexus camera.
Mixed in with the comment stream of his Google+ posting was a statement that could have easily gone unanswered. A commenter mentioned how he hoped they would be able to someday just carry a Nexus and not have to worry about the heavy cameras. While we will not spend all that much time on the Nexus camera, we will say that the Nexus line has never really been known to take exceptional pictures. The nice part here, that comment was replied to and came with some hope for those who consider themselves smartphone photographers. While there are no real specifics, Gundotra said that they are “committed to making Nexus phones insanely great cameras.” And if that was not enough of a teaser, he followed that up with “just wait and see.” These comments come at a time when we are beginning to look towards Google I/O and beginning to chat about what we may see announced. The key here — will this “committed” comment mean some good news for I/O 2013, or will this end up being something that happens later in the year, or even during I/O 2014. That part obviously cannot be answered right now, however we are hoping to see something come this year. [via phoneArena] |
| LG Optimus G Pro global release to begin in Q2 Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:23 AM PST This isn’t the first time we have heard from LG about the Optimus G Pro smartphone, however this time around we are getting a rough idea as to when we can expect the global roll-out to begin. In short, LG has announced that will begin during the second quarter of the year. Of course, those in Korea will get the handset quite a bit sooner. In fact, the Korean release is set for this coming Wednesday, February 20.
LG is going to be releasing the Optimus G Pro in black and white. Specifically, the colors are indigo black and luna white. There will be LTE and HSPA+ connectivity as well as Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth 4.0. Other goodies will include a dual-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm 600 Series Snapdragon processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 2.1 megapixel front-facing camera, 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. LG has said the handset will be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and also have a microSD card slot for up to an additional 64GB of storage space, NFC, HDMI, USB 2.0, measurements of 150.2 x 76.1 x 9.4mm and with a weight of 172 grams. Aside from the hardware itself, some of the other perks include a dual-window setup for multitasking (think Galaxy Note II), a tracking focus in the camera and those in South Korea will also have QShopping support.
Otherwise, at this point the global release details are still at a minimum. Aside from this beginning in the second quarter, LG has said the Optimus G Pro would be coming to North America and Japan. The key here, we have yet to see anything in terms of US carrier support. On that thought, while we would not necessarily expect carrier announcements this soon, we are hoping to get a bit more in terms of detail come Mobile World Congress. [via SlashGear] |
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