Saturday, March 9, 2013

Android Central

Android Central

Wet swimsuit models remind us we want the Xperia Z

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 04:16 PM PST

Xperia Z.

A T-Mobile store in Prague has found a way to make everyone interested in the Xperia Z -- putting it in the hands of swimsuit models. Taking advantage of the Xperia Zs water-resistant design, both male and female models (look after the break, ladies) took turns in the showers with the Zs, and we assume the crowd was pleased with both the phones and the show.

The Xperia Z looks like a very impressive phone on its own, but advertisement like this certainly can't hurt. Hit the break to see the rest of the pictures.

via: Xperia Blog

read more

Google Play's birthday continues with deals in every part of the store

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 01:53 PM PST

Google Play Birthday

Google Play has turned one year old, and although it kicked off the celebration slowly on day 1 the flood gates are now open to hundreds of deals across the store. There are special deals now for TV rentals, discounts on popular books, free games and a whole lot more. Here are the landing pages that group them all up:

There's a whole lot of free and severely discounted content available for the next few days, so get in there and see what you can find. See anything particularly worth while? Sound off in the comments and let us know.

Chrome update adds performance improvements, background audio

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 01:19 PM PST

Google Chrome

Chrome for Android (stable, not beta) has just received a big update with mostly behind the scenes performance enhancements. Google is claiming improved scrolling and pinch-to-zoom performance, along with faster interactive pages because of the latest V8 javascript engine. The update has also expanded HTML5 support, which is very important. Each of these background improvements may not be noticeable, but an overall faster browser surely is.

The most user-facing feature included in this update is that background audio will now continue to play when Chrome is running in the background. This is a huge deal for users that like to stream audio (or audio from a video) directly from websites while Chrome is minimized or the screen is off. You can grab this latest update from the Play Store link at the top of the post.

Latest Project Shield demo from Nvidia shows off Riptide GP 2, looks insane

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 12:18 PM PST

Riptide GP is somewhat of a favorite among the Android Central staff. Its excellent graphics, combined with superb controls and a great pick up and play approach make it to this day one of Android's finest game titles. We don't need to tell you that we're eagerly awaiting Nvidia's Tegra 4 platform, and with it the follow up title, Riptide GP 2. Thankfully, to help keep us going in the meantime, Nvidia's latest Android Thursday video shows off the new game running on Project Shield. 

And it looks; amazing. Besides showing off the gameplay, Nvidia also talks us through some of the special graphical touches that have been brought to the table thanks to Tegra 4. We're talking enhanced water effects, motion blur, improved reflection shaders, all designed to immerse the gamers ever further. 

Gameplay wise looks like a continuation from the original -- no bad thing. There's some pretty sweet looking tricks too like the Superman and something called a Nak Nak -- right? -- to perform. Combined with Project Shield, Riptide 2 looks like an absolute blast. Naturally we're excited for both, but we'll take Riptide 2 on anything that'll play it at this point. 

Source: Nvidia (YouTube)

LG Optimus G Pro mini review

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 10:44 AM PST

LG Optimus G Pro.

Better than the Galaxy Note 2? Is that even possible? Yes, it is. And it is. (But for how long?)

The LG Optimus G Pro is, shall we say, inspired by the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Let's just get that part over with. There's absolutely no way not to see it, nor has LG really done anything to make us want to think otherwise. One begat the other. End of story.

And I don't care. 

I've never been a huge fan of the larger Android smartphones. That's not to say there's not a place for them (there is), and that's not to say they haven't sold well (in Samsung's case, they've sold very well). But they've always been just too wide for me. And the display resolution never did it for me, given the size of the screen itself. (We'll save the whole pen input thing for another time.) But after getting an intimate, sit-down look at the Optimus G Pro in a restaurant in Barcelona, Spain, well away from the bustle of the show floor, it started to grow on me. Maybe it was the wine (I don't think so). Maybe it was meat (possible). Maybe it was the flashing neon ringing the home button. (OBEY.)

More: The Optimus G Pro at Mobile World Congress

But, no. There's something about the Optimus G Pro that didn't make me want to put it down like other oversized phones of similar design. 

What follows is a sort of mini review of the Optimus G Pro. We've got a Korean version here. That means we can't really test real-world battery use. Or data speeds and network connectivity. (Suffice to say, if you're in Korea, it'll be fast.) One of those things directly affects the other, of course. The other thing is that we have absolutely no idea if and when the Optimus G Pro will ever come to the United States. The official line is yes, sometime in the second quarter. Until we hear it from a mobile operator's lips, however ...

But I'd love to see it here.

read more

HTC Facebook phone specs appear once again, now sporting 'Myst' codename

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 08:59 AM PST

Facephone

Rumors of a second HTC-built Facebook phone have been circulating since the middle of last year, and now there's further evidence to support reports of the new Facephone's eventual appearance. The usually-accurate @Evleaks writes on UnwiredView that the Facebook phone -- codenamed "Myst" -- is now set to carry a dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 CPU, an upgrade from the previously-reported MSM8930 SoC reported for the earlier "Opera UL" model.

Other specs are said to include a 4.3-inch 720p display, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of non-expandable storage, a 5MP rear camera and 1.6MP front-facer, as well as LTE and HSPA connectivity options. On the software side, it's Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean running the show, likely with some heavy skinning going on. Naturally, Facebook and Instagram are said to be pre-loaded too.

These details would seem to confirm info revealed in tweet form by insider @LlabTooFeR back in January.

There's still no news on when the device will eventually make its appearance, but earlier rumors have suggested a mid-2013 launch is on the cards. HTC's previous Facebook-centric efforts, the Salsa and ChaCha (Status) failed to inspire smartphone buyers, so it'll be interesting to see how HTC and Facebook's tactics might chance this time around. Anyone out there think deep Facebook integration could become a credible selling point? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Source: UnwiredView

What's that weird new symbol on the AT&T HTC One X?

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 08:30 AM PST

HTC One X

A few folks have written in, asking about that weird symbol that's in the status bar of their AT&T HTC One X following the recent update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The answer is a simple as it is useless: It's the NFC logo. And it doesn't do a damned thing.

read more

EE offering chance to win Champions League final tickets with HTC One pre-order

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 08:20 AM PST

HTC One

HTC's affiliation with the UEFA Champions League should be well-known to anyone who follows European football (all right, soccer, if you insist) and now British operator EE is offering a unique prize for HTC One pre-order customers. Those who pre-order HTC's new handset before 11:59pm on Mar. 14 will be entered into a draw to win a pair of tickets to the Champions League final at Wembley on May 25.

We're not going to lie here -- EE's HTC One plans are expectedly pricey, starting off at £31 per month for a mere 500MB data bucket, with a £240 up-front fee, all the way up to an eye-watering £76 per month for the 20GB plan. But if you're already committed to picking up HTC's latest on the UK's only 4G LTE network, there's an added bonus in the Champions League prize draw.

The HTC One is expected to become available in the UK late next week, though EE isn't confirming any specific delivery date for the handset just yet.

Source: EE, Facebook

Ask AC: Do I need to do anything about Daylight Saving Time?

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 07:28 AM PST

Time

We've hit that point on the calendar again which marks the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. The point in which we "spring forward" and set our clocks ahead 60 minutes in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

So what will you have to do with your phone? The answer probably is this: Nothing. Nothing at all.

So long as you don't have an iPhone, which is notorious for issues with Daylight Saving Time, your phone should automatically adjust, assuming your using network-provided time. That's where your phone periodically checks in with whatever operator you're using to see what time it is. (It's also how your phone knows when you've changed time zones while traveling.)

Wake up Sunday morning, and you should see a little message about how it's adjusted for Daylight Saving Time. The bad news is you probably just lost an hour of sleep.

Deal of the Day: Trident Aegis Case for Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 06:29 AM PST

Deal of the Day The March 8 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Trident Aegis Case for Samsung Galaxy Note 2. This hybrid-style case features a silicone layer on the inside--in direct contact with the Note 2, while a hard polycarbonate shell sits on top for double the protection. The corners are thickened to help absorb shock from drops and there's access to the camera, screen, and ports of the device. Comes in black, blue, red, green and pink.

The Trident Aegis Case is available for just $19.00, 46% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last!

Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts!

From the forums: Top Samsung Galaxy S4 discussions

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 06:01 AM PST

Galaxy S4 event

In just six days Samsung will take the wraps off its next major smartphone, the Galaxy S4. We've heard numerous rumors in recent days, but there remains a lot we don't know about this new Samsung flagship. That means there's plenty to discuss and plenty of speculation going on over in the Android Central Galaxy S4 forum. Here's a sampling of some of the top threads at the moment --

Don't forget to join us next Thursday for full coverage of Samsung's Galaxy S4 announcement in New York City.

More: Samsung Galaxy S4 forum

Motorola Mobility to cut more than 10 percent of workforce

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 02:39 AM PST

Motorola devices

Google-owned Motorola Mobility is to lay off 1,200 employees -- more than 10 percent of its workforce -- in its latest round of restructuring. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, the job losses will affect workers in the U.S., China and India as the company seeks to become profitable.

These latest layoffs come on top of a 20 percent cut in jobs which occurred last August, and saw Moto close up shop at a third of its offices. At the time the manufacturer indicated that it wanted to transition out of "unprofitable" markets and focus on high-end handsets.

In an internal email obtained by the WSJ, Moto says, "while we're very optimistic about the new products in our pipeline, we still face challenges," adding "our costs are too high, we're operating in markets where we're not competitive and we're losing money."

A Moto spokesperson is quoted in the journal as saying "These cuts are a continuation of the reductions we announced last summer. It's obviously very hard for the employees concerned, and we are committed to helping them through this difficult transition."

Despite the launch of the high-profile RAZR i in partnership with Intel, Moto remains a marginal player in the European smartphone market. And in the U.S. it's struggled to compete against the dominant force of Samsung. High-end hopes are now being pinned on the rumored "X Phone," said to be due for release later this year.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Carphone Warehouse offering reductions on Amazon Kindle Fire range

Posted: 08 Mar 2013 12:21 AM PST

Android Central

A quick heads up to anyone in the UK that might have toyed with picking up an Amazon Kindle Fire -- there's some savings to be had from the Carphone Warehouse. Previously, the RRP on the Kindle Fire has been £129 with the Kindle Fire HD beginning at £159 for the 16GB version. 

At Carphone Warehouse the price on the entry-level Kindle Fire has been slashed to just £89, and the 16GB Kindle Fire HD has been reduced down to £139. Despite not offering a traditional Android tablet experience, the Kindle Fire is still a great casual tablet and media consumption device. And, at these prices, there's even more to be said for giving them a look. 

Source: Carphone Warehouse
Posted by at 6:52 AM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)