Android Community |
- MySMS updated with MMS cloud sync and 1080p support
- Hit iOS game Earn to Die crashes onto Android
- Flixster gets social – adds Google+ integration and sharing
- Galaxy S III revamp coming with HD screen, bigger battery and wireless charging
- Tech21 D30 Impact Shell Galaxy S III case review
- Google now pushing search based shopping links to smartphone users
- Motorola X-Phone rumors floating around again, sound iffy at best
- T-Mobile, MetroPCS merger gains FCC approval
- HTC: One pre-orders shipping by ‘End of March’
- Samsung Galaxy Note 3 tipped to launch with an LCD display
- HTC One launch reportedly delayed until March 29th
- Google confirms Project Glass will play nice with prescription eyewear
- doubleTwist Magic Radio music service now streaming
- Google I/O 2013 Registration opens tomorrow at 7AM
- IDC: Android tablets will overtake the iPad in 2013
- Nuance brings added intelligence with Dragon Mobile 3.0 app update
- Lookout app update protects against the Samsung lockscreen ‘hack’
- Jelly Bean now available for AT&T Sony Xperia TL users
- Google Now extension spotted in Chromium
- Samsung dance crew arrives ahead of Galaxy S4 announcement
| MySMS updated with MMS cloud sync and 1080p support Posted: 12 Mar 2013 04:24 PM PDT Today the extremely useful application mysms has just been updated with a few new features that makes it even more useful and one of my favorite apps. If you’ve never used mysms, it lets you send and receive text messages on your phone but it also lets you do the same from your desktop, laptop, tablet, and even a browser. It’s pretty powerful so check it out.
Being able to quickly install the app on your phone and desktop, then leave your smartphone in your pocket while at work sure is useful. You can send and receive text and picture messages all right from the PC or your browser, and everything syncs so you never miss a beat. Today however the update has brought even more uses and power to the application. While it isn’t mentioned in the changelog, this update makes mysms fully compatible with 1080p devices. Previously they were listed as incompatible but now they work. This means the DROID DNA, and upcoming devices like the Galaxy S4 and HTC One will all work seamless with the application. The main new feature however is MMS syncing to the cloud. Previously the application only synced with text messages between all your devices, but now you’ll be able to sync and easily transfer media and picture messages with ease. Awesome. The developers also added support for the Xperia Z, HTC One X, and voice activation in regions where pin SMS activation isn’t offered. We recommend giving it a try today for free, and check out some of the dark themes too if you want to change the look and feel. Get it today from the Google Play Store here. [via MoDaCo] |
| Hit iOS game Earn to Die crashes onto Android Posted: 12 Mar 2013 03:36 PM PDT Who’s ready for some action-packed good old fashion zombie killing? The popular hit game from iOS and desktop PC’s Earn to Die has just arrived this week for our Android smartphones and tablets. You’ll be able to wreck and drive your way through the zombie apocalypse in no time. Read on for additional details, video, and links to this fun game.
With a zombie apocalypse that has taken over our cities, you’ll be equipping your car or truck with weapons galore to fight off the hoards. From weapons, armor, to all sorts of ramming accessories like spikes and more. It’s a bloody mess but it’s bloody fun. With more than 200 million players already enjoying it, why not Android right? The game has been praised for the awesome lifelike physics and ragdoll effects when running through zombies, not to mention all the additional add-ons and accessories really makes this game shine. It’s been a smashing hit on iOS and it’s about time we get to enjoy it on Android. Check out the initial trailer below for an idea on what to expect. Looks like a blast right? With more than 8 different vehicles, tons of weapon selections and options, and a brand new story mode this surely will be worth the low price. Earn to Die is free on Google Play in a limited version, then for full out zombie killing fun get the full version linked to below for only $1.19 available today. Get a few rocket boosters and prepare to introduce some zombies to your car’s front bumper. Check out other zombie games from our timeline below. [via Play Store] – Free Version    |
| Flixster gets social – adds Google+ integration and sharing Posted: 12 Mar 2013 02:35 PM PDT A few weeks back Google announced that they were taking Google+ to a new level on the social front. That being the capability to integrate the social network into apps. Just like signing into your favorite Zynga game with Facebook, or allowing apps access to Twitter. Today Movies by Flixster has just updated their Android app with full Google+ access.
Users will now be able to sign into Flixster with Google+ instead of just Facebook, and from their you’ll be able to interact with all your friends and circles with ease. This is the next step for Google, and slowly but surely we’ll be seeing plenty of apps add the option. Time to get sharing those Rotten Tomato movie reviews to Google+. Once signed into Flixster using Google+ you’ll be able to add movies or showtimes to your calendar, and even invite friends and entire movie club circles and more to Movies showings. You’ll be able to tag a movie as ‘Want to see’ on the details page, and then share it with your social family. Yay!
The app does require you to allow a certain level of access to your Google+ account, but that’s all detailed and controllable inside the app. You can be as private, or public as you’d like. Then of course the update to Flixster adds some performance improvements and bug fixes, and they still have that free movie rental when you sign up for their new UltraViolet movie service. Get the latest update from the link below and enjoy some movies with a little social sharing to Google+. [via Play Store]    |
| Galaxy S III revamp coming with HD screen, bigger battery and wireless charging Posted: 12 Mar 2013 02:05 PM PDT We know everyone is excited and can’t wait to see the new Samsung Galaxy S4, but it looks like Samsung also has been working hard on an updated model of their current flagship Galaxy S III smartphone. Apparently the company is looking to get a few extra miles out of last years Android king, and a refreshed Galaxy S III is on the way soon.
Now for those that are confused, this is nothing new. Samsung’s updated their main device for many smaller markets in the past, we just usually don’t see them stateside. A prime example would be the Galaxy S Advance, or the Galaxy S II Plus that both launched at each end of last year. We could be seeing the same thing soon this summer for the GSIII. The popular journalist Eldar Murtazin posted a few details on Twitter today, reportedly confirming the refreshed Galaxy S III. He also correctly predicted the Galaxy S4 launch being March 14th, and in NYC, and has been correct in the past so we usually take his comments with a certain level of seriousness. While the Google Translate might not be completely accurate we’re hearing the new and improved Galaxy S III that will arrive after the Galaxy S4 will be pretty decent. The screen will be improved (may or may not be 1080p) and we’ll even get a bigger battery. Apparently it will increase a few hundred mAh and Samsung will toss in a 2,400 mAh battery complete with built-in wireless charging. This was supposed to be a stock feature on the Galaxy S III, but never quite made it. For now we don’t have too many details but the Galaxy S III Plus could be coming soon. [via UnwiredView] |
| Tech21 D30 Impact Shell Galaxy S III case review Posted: 12 Mar 2013 01:56 PM PDT A seemingly simple image in an earlier post sparked some questions. That earlier post was dealing with smartphone app downloads, however it seems some of the attention was directed to which case happened to be on the pictured Galaxy S III. To answer the question, the case is the D30 Impact Shell from a company called Tech21.
The company behind the case touts this as being able to offer “the ultimate impact protection” and while we are not all that keen on dropping or throwing a personal phone to put that to the test — we have seen what this impact fabric is capable of protecting against. You can get a look for yourself by checking out the video below, which comes courtesy of our sister site SlashGear. To give a teaser, you could wrap this around your finger, hit it with a hammer and not get hurt. Basically, the D30 Impact Shell case offers a minimalistic design that wraps around the Galaxy S III. The case then has the impact fabric strung around the edges. While some of the color options may not have this quite as obvious, you can get a good look where the impact fabric is with this color scheme. With the exception of the controls and openings, the impact fabric wraps around the edge of the phone.
Otherwise, the case has an opening on the back for the camera, flash and speaker. The headphone jack, microphones and microUSB are also left open for easy access. The power button on the right side and the volume controls on the left side are both covered, but also very easy to access. Touching back on the minimalistic design, the phone snaps into the case and there is only a tiny bit that wraps around the front. Basically, just enough to keep the phone securely in place. And we can say that the case is held rather firmly.
Tech21 has the D30 Impact Shell case available in a variety of colors. At the moment the website looks to have black, smokey, white, blue and pink. The cases are selling for £29.99. All that said, we would go on to say how we really like the case, but that point may seem a bit obvious in the fact that we had already been using this on a daily basis and decided to write this post to share a bit more detail for those who happen to have been curious.    |
| Google now pushing search based shopping links to smartphone users Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:45 PM PDT Google has announced that Product Listing Ads are now going to begin showing for smartphone users around the world. What this means in simpler terms, is that users will begin seeing a “Shop on Google” section at the top of certain search results. Basically, this announcement just continues the experience that many have already seen on the desktop and tablet search results.
Once you click into the “Shop on Google” section the results will shift from being search like to a more commercial format. In other words, they will shift from having a title, URL and description to being a product name along with some pricing and place to purchase. You will also notice more images on the shopping page. All said and done, even with an accidental click on the “Shop on Google” link — there should be no confusing where you end up. Google has said these are rolling out globally and we can confirm seeing some here in the US. Searching using the above example for “plaid tie” does give results as shown. Some of our other searches failed to show results just yet. Of course, with this just coming active today, that is not all that surprising and is likely to change over time. Otherwise, Google also recently updated the Shopper app for Android users. That update arrived a few days back and brought changes to include larger product images in the slideshow view, a new category results page that shows the most popular products and improvements in terms of stability and overall performance. This Shopper update can be found by way of the Google Play Store and the changes dealing with the Product Listing Ads will be found when searching Google on a smartphone browser. [via Google Inside AdWords] |
| Motorola X-Phone rumors floating around again, sound iffy at best Posted: 12 Mar 2013 12:41 PM PDT Another day another rumor or leak regarding the Motorola X-Phone. To be perfectly honest all anyone has at this point are a few rumors that this device is coming, but absolutely zero proof. However, the leaks and ‘confirmed details’ keep floating in and hopefully all these rumors sink and are put to rest soon. The latest batch to make the rounds are iffy at best, and sound terribly inaccurate.
We’ve heard all sorts of rumors regarding the device being co-developed by Motorola and Google. Reports stating a 5-inch 1080p HD display have been around, and multiple comments also claim a smaller 4.7-inch screen instead. Who to believe? The leaked image and specs yesterday were quickly found to be fake, so at this point no one really knows. Today reports from a ‘well-placed individual’ gave details to Ausdroid regarding the upcoming smartphone, and the specs leave a lot to be desired. They say the specs are “for real this time” but we have serious doubts and they should be taken with a grain of salt – a large dose of it too. It’s safe to say this is most likely fake, otherwise there will be several unhappy fans out there. Ausdroid reports that Motorola is still up in the air on the display size and haven’t decided if they’ll go 4.7 or full on 5-inches for the HD display. That being because they’re having issues with supply on a 5-inch screen. If this is to be shown at Google IO in May, they better hurry and get it squared away. Then yesterdays report stated an NVIDIA quad-core Tegra 4i processor, but today we’re hearing a dual-core. Yes we said dual-core. Eww!
This report claims a Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core will be powering the device, which seems highly unlikely on all accounts. I’m expecting to see the Snapdragon 600 or even the 800 quad-core in this phone. So yea, that could be depressing. The leak once again mentions a 5 megapixel front camera, which leads us to think Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie will focus heavy on Google Hangout video chats and Google+ integration, but it also claims a 10 megapixel rear camera – which is an odd camera resolution. Most are 8 or go right to 13 MP. So for now things are basically nothing but rumors, and we’ll continue taking them all with a grain of salt until further details are revealed. [via AusDroid] |
| T-Mobile, MetroPCS merger gains FCC approval Posted: 12 Mar 2013 11:49 AM PDT The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved the merger between T-Mobile and MetroPCS. This news comes in follow-up to the thumbs up that we recently saw coming from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and ahead of the shareholder vote. MetroPCS has a shareholder meeting schooled for April 12 and have already pushed for approval noting that if the stockholders were to vote against, they could make "no assurance that MetroPCS will be able to deliver the same or better stockholder value."
Putting that aside until April 12, lets continue focus on the FCC approval. This approval came with mention that “the transaction will serve the public interest” with mention of a more robust national network and improved quality of service. Perhaps slightly more to the point here, the FCC report also made mention that “the transaction is not likely to result generally in competitive or other public interest harms.” Some of the potential benefits cited by the FCC include how this will allow for “expansion of the MetroPCS brand into new geographical markets,” and that the merger will help in the “strengthening of the fourth largest nationwide service provider's ability to compete in the mobile broadband services market.” For those who are still worried about the possible bad side effects. The FCC has said that “any potential public interest harms would be outweighed by the resulting public interest benefits.” Aside from the FCC report, Chairman Julius Genachowski said that with today’s approval “America's mobile market continues to strengthen, moving toward robust competition and revitalized competitors.” Basically, the T-Mobile MetroPCS merger is still moving forward. Anyway, assuming that the MetroPCS shareholder vote ends on a merger approving note, both carriers would then be expecting the deal to finalize and close sometime in the first half of 2013 with a full migration of MetroPCS customers (to T-Mobile) by 2015. [via FCC] |
| HTC: One pre-orders shipping by ‘End of March’ Posted: 12 Mar 2013 11:30 AM PDT We never technically got an actual release or launch date from HTC regarding their flagship One smartphone, although many UK retailers have confirmed March 15th was the day. We haven’t heard a word from US carriers regarding the launch, but earlier today UK retailer Clove confirmed the device has been delayed by HTC. Sadly it won’t arrive until the end of March. After reaching out to confirm with HTC, the details below are what we received in reply.
Back on that early February Morning when HTC announced the new device they simply stated “March” for a release date, but that is now looking less likely. HTC won’t even start fulfilling pre-orders until the ‘End of March’ and they won’t be arriving to customers until the first week of April – at the earliest. After reports from Clove mentioned the launch was delayed we reached out to an HTC representative regarding the situation. Here is what the company told Android Community regarding their new flagship smartphone:
By that answer it looks like only ‘certain markets’ will be lucky enough to receive the smartphone during the first few weeks of April, and HTC will be announcing the roll out to more markets in April. This leaves us a bit worried. It looks like the HTC One will not be launching in the US on AT&T, T-Mobile, and others until late April and possibly even early May. By that time the Galaxy S4 will be hitting the streets and their plan to beat them to market will have failed. We can’t confirm any US carrier plans, but given today’s news it doesn’t seem likely we’ll be learning much about the US launch for at least another 2-3 weeks. Stay tuned folks and we’ll update when we know more. Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
 Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
 |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 3 tipped to launch with an LCD display Posted: 12 Mar 2013 11:07 AM PDT Many are anxiously waiting for Samsung to officially unveil the Galaxy S4 so this string of rumors and leaks will come to an end. Of course, what that probably means is the Galaxy Note 3 rumors will simply take the place. That being the case, we have seen a few bits and pieces dealing with the Note 3 and as of today we have a leak that touches on the type of display that Samsung is expected to use.
Anyway, according to the latest, Samsung may end up using an LCD display in the Galaxy Note 3. We say may end up using because this does not seem like a done deal just yet. Further chatter coming by way of SamMobile mentions how Samsung is currently busy trying to make a final decision on the display type. Previous reports suggested the display would be AMOLED, however these reports also seem to have focused more on the size of the display. Back in December the chatter was pointing towards a 6.3-inch display, which as of this month, turned into a 5.9-inch display. Either way, both are bigger than what Samsung currently has with the Galaxy Note II — 5.5-inches. For those thinking back, the original Galaxy Note had a 5.3-inch display. Aside from the display talk, the only other leaked spec for the Note 3 touched on the processor. At this point it is believed that Samsung will launch the next-generation Galaxy Note with an Exynos 5 Octa 8-core processor. Again, time will tell just how accurate these rumors end up being, but if nothing else, we expect the Note 3 rumors to kick up a bit more once March 14 passes. [via SamMobile] |
| HTC One launch reportedly delayed until March 29th Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:49 AM PDT We have some bad news for both HTC, and many of you potential buyers of their new flagship smartphone the HTC One. After being revealed ahead of Mobile World Congress with a big push to beat Samsung and their Galaxy S4 to the punch, it looks like the smartphone will be facing delays. This certainly isn’t good news for HTC. Read on for more details and launch dates.
The launch was scheduled globally for the 15th, but now many sources such as Clove UK have confirmed the date was pushed to the end of the month. The global launch is reportedly being delayed until March 29th, which means devices won’t actually be delivered until April at the earliest. Clove UK also reports that they’ll update on stock numbers when the time comes as well. Late last week reports surfaced that HTC could face delays due to their impressive new Ultrapixel camera. The details mentioned yields for that new technology were low, and the amount of units needed to launch the One globally weren’t available. That report went as far as to state many smaller regions would be delayed in order to supply the UK and USA with a proper launch – but that doesn’t appear to be happening either. We’ve reached out to HTC representatives regarding a possible delay in the UK, as well as globally, and will report back as soon as we hear any additional details. The HTC One is their only flagship device of the year and HTC is banking big on it. Hopefully they can get everything in order and launch this beautiful smartphone successfully. Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
|
| Google confirms Project Glass will play nice with prescription eyewear Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:28 AM PDT Today Google is at it again giving us more details and another look at Project Glass. They’ve been rather open and sharing more details on the new technology than we had expected, and today Google is clearing up the prescription lenses issue once and for all. We’ve heard Google Glass won’t work with prescription eyewear, and we’ve also heard it will. Today Google confirmed with a photo it will indeed support those too.
For those folks who wear glasses on the regular, and not just to rock Ray Bans or use Google Glass, the kit will work great and be fully supported on prescription eyewear. While Google didn’t give tons of details they basically said “Will there be a prescription solution for Glass? and the short answer is: Yes!” They do however mention that Google Glass is a modular design and that with a few tweaks and changes you’ll be able to add frames that look snazzy, or lenses that match your prescription. Making it the best for both worlds. Then again to whet everyone’s appetite Google confirms the Explorer edition (pre-orders from Google IO) will be shipping later this year, and the prescription version will also arrive inside of 2013. So in case you didn’t know, these will be hitting the street later this year. Who’s excited? I’m geeking out pretty hard right now and can’t wait to give these a try. If I can get these to work with my Ray Ban shades I’ll be happy. For a look at Gmail, NYT, and Evernote running on Glass, as well as everything we know so far hit the timeline of links below. [via +ProjectGlass] |
| doubleTwist Magic Radio music service now streaming Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:07 AM PDT The latest music streaming service has launched for Android users. The service is called Magic Radio and it comes by way of doubleTwist. In fact, the Magic Radio service has arrived as part of the latest doubleTwist app update. Magic Radio is included with doubleTwist v2.0 and touts itself as being perfect for those who are “tired of listening to the same old songs from your music library.”
That being said, there are a few catches we will mention right up front — Magic Radio is only available for those in the US and is not free. We have yet to see anything in terms of a global roll-out, however we can tell you the price will be $3.99 per month. Those curious will be able to get a 7-day free trial and signing up is fairly simple as the monthly billing will be taken care of using Google Wallet. Now that we know the price and the bit about Magic Radio being easy to get, lets get into the feature to find out if it is even worth considering. Magic Radio has a music library of “over” 13 million songs which should help to bring “less repetition and more discovery.” Users will have a few options for listening and can choose stations based on music that you already own. There is also the option to create smart stations based on your current mood, a specific genre or keywords such as “Coachella.” Music Radio is also advertising free. Those looking to take advantage of the free trial can do so directly from within the doubleTwist app on their device. After grabbing the 2.0 update from the Google Play Store and launching the app — you will be presented with a Magic Radio notice and the option to start your free trial. Just keep in mind, if you don’t cancel before the 7 day trial is over, you will be billed for that first month. [via Magic Radio] |
| Google I/O 2013 Registration opens tomorrow at 7AM Posted: 12 Mar 2013 10:01 AM PDT The time is quickly approaching where thousands of lucky developers will drop into San Francisco to enjoy one of the best developer events of the year. That being Google I/O of course. As a friendly little PSA we wanted to remind you all that registration for this years show starts tomorrow, promptly at 7AM PDT. You better be quick too!
Google I/O is one of the most coveted events of the year for many different reasons, and this year will be no different. If anything this time around registration will be even worse than years past due to Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie and of course Google’s Project Glass. You’ll want to have your speedy typing fingers out and be ready to register the millisecond registration opens to the public. Last year Google I/O sold out in what, roughly like 24 minutes or so. And that was on a year that Google extended the event to 3 days long, and allowed more developers to join in on the fun. We have a feeling this year will be much of the same and registration probably won’t be open for very long. So what do you need to have ready?
Google I/O registration requires you have a Google+ account, and you’ll also need a Google Wallet account to pay for the event. As usual IO will run developers $900 to attend, and $300 for Academic students or faculty. That is certainly worth the coin as Google IO is the place to learn and grow your Android and developer skills, and we can’t forget about all the goodies. Google loves giving all their developers free Nexus devices at the show, and this year will be no different. Personally I’m excited about Google Glass, and hopefully an appearance by the Motorola X-Phone. Again, registration opens tomorrow (March 13th) at 7 AM PDT and won’t last long so I’d be ready to rock if I were you. Good luck and see you there! [via Google IO] |
| IDC: Android tablets will overtake the iPad in 2013 Posted: 12 Mar 2013 09:26 AM PDT We have seen plenty coming from the International Data Corp (IDC) over the past few months in terms of smartphones, however today we have some details on tablets. Specifically, on Android tablets as compared to the iPad. Basically, the IDC is forecasting that Android tablets will overtake the iPad market share in 2013. This comes as a result of what they are describing as a “predicted surge of smaller, lower-priced devices.”
As part of this predicted surge, the IDC is now forecasting the worldwide tablet market to grow to 190.9 million. That number is up from the previous forecast of 172.4 million. Getting back to the Android vs. iOS tablet fight, the IDC is forecasting that Android tablets will hold a 48.8 percent market share in 2013 and that iOS tablets will hold a 46 percent market share. Interestingly enough, looking out to a 2017 forecast and the numbers are not expected to change all that much. IDC believes that Android will remain dominant, but drop to 46 percent in 2017. Apple iOS tablets are forecasted to drop to 43.5 percent and both of those drops will be made up by an increase in Windows tablet. The IDC is forecasting Windows tablet share to be at 2.8 percent in 2013 and increase to 7.4 percent in 2017. Comparing these to the previous years numbers and we have Apple dropping from 51 percent in 2012 to the previously mentioned 46 percent in 2013. Market share aside, there was another interesting tidbit in this latest IDC report. Jitesh Ubrani, Research Analyst for IDC’s Tablet Tracker has said that “one in every two tablets shipped this quarter was below 8 inches in screen size.” Looking forward, they also “expect smaller tablets to continue growing in 2013 and beyond.” Basically, this seems to justify some of the recent tablet announcements such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0. [via IDC] |
| Nuance brings added intelligence with Dragon Mobile 3.0 app update Posted: 12 Mar 2013 08:30 AM PDT Nuance has recently update the Dragon mobile app. The app, which is dubbed Dragon (Hands-Free Assistant) is available by way of the Google Play Store and is currently sitting at version 3.0.0. Perhaps more important than a new version number though, the update brings several new and seemingly worthwhile features — all while the app remains free to download and free to use.
Diving right in with what is new, Dragon 3.0.0 makes it easier to share your location, dial into a conference call and reply to text messages. The location sharing portion means you will be able to share your location with a friend. The location will be shown on a map and nicely done on the part of Nuance, can be shared with that friend regardless of whether they are using Dragon. On the flip side, you can also request the location of a friend. The dialing into a conference call portion actually takes away most of the effort. They cannot actually take your place on the call, however they have removed the need to actually dial in. This update brings the ability to automatically dial into a meeting. You will need to set this up in advance though, but that is as simple as creating a calendar entry (something you will likely do anyway) with the necessary phone number. Next up is the text message reply. This update brings the option to reply to incoming messages hands-free. Simple and to the point, you get an incoming message and you can dictate one in return. Finally, the last portion of this update deals with Bluetooth devices. Specifically, Bluetooth devices are now supported. Speaking personally and my needs are currently handled with a mix of Google Now and S Voice, however Dragon could be a nice option to consider — especially if you are rocking one the many devices that is not yet running Jelly Bean. [via Google Play Store] |
| Lookout app update protects against the Samsung lockscreen ‘hack’ Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:58 AM PDT A short while back we saw the ‘hack’ that affected some Samsung devices. The initial reports were shown to affect the Galaxy Note II, however it was later revealed that the same bypass could be done on the Galaxy S III. For those who missed that previous report, it was shown that you could briefly bypass the device lockscreen and that there was the potential to gain access to certain types of desktop icons or widgets. Well, good news has arrived for anyone that may have been worried.
The folks at Lookout have rolled out an update for their Lookout Security & Antivirus app and it brings a fix. Specifically, this app update will protect you from the “bug that could allow someone to bypass the Android lock screen and access your device.” This will take care of those rocking a Galaxy Note II, Galaxy S III and Galaxy S III Mini. The issue dealt with someone triggering and then canceling an emergency call. The fix on the part of Lookout will stop the emergency dialer from being backgrounded. The folks at Lookout break this down as; “when Lookout detects the emergency contact dialer has been backgrounded, we preemptively bring it back to the forefront so that the rest of the phone cannot be accessed.” The updated Lookout app is version 8.10.2 and it can be found by way of the Google Play Store. Existing users will be able to grab the update using the Play Store on their device and anyone that happens to be curious and not yet using the app can use this link to check it out. The app is available for free and also has a premium subscription level available for those looking for the complete package. Of course, that is not to say the free version is bad. In fact, that is what I am using myself. In addition to this fix, the Lookout Security & Antivirus app also offers backups, security and missing device protection — all for free. [via Lookout Blog] |
| Jelly Bean now available for AT&T Sony Xperia TL users Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:28 AM PDT The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update process began for the AT&T Sony Xperia TL earlier in the month. In fact, it began on March 1. The catch was that the update was only available by way of the PC Companion desktop app. That has since changed and as of today — AT&T has announced that Jelly Bean is now rolling-out over-the-air.
Based on details coming from AT&T, users with an Xperia TL can head to Menu -> Settings -> About phone -> Software update to get the process started. Just make sure you are connected to a Wi-Fi network and once you get to the software update page, simply follow the on-screen prompts. We suspect many of the readers already know what getting Jelly Bean means in terms of new features. But just to make one point here, Jelly Bean does bring some decent improvements in terms of notifications. Once you have Android 4.1 installed you will be able to do things such as see the full text of an SMS message of the full image of an MMS message in the notification drop down. You will also be able to take action from many of the notifications. For example, on the event notifications you will be able to open the app, snooze or even dismiss. Additionally, AT&T is also giving Xperia TL users access to AT&T DriveMode. For those not familiar with DriveMode, this is an app that is designed to help stop texting while driving. Basically, DriveMode will kick in when the vehicle reaches 25 MPH and will limit what functions of the phone can be used while the vehicle is in motion. But the bottom line here, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available for those sporting an Xperia TL with AT&T — so go get it. [via AT&T] Device Info
Display
Dimension & Weight
Battery & Power
Software
Hardware
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
|
| Google Now extension spotted in Chromium Posted: 12 Mar 2013 07:06 AM PDT We have seen signs that Google Now was heading to Chrome, however this latest bit has arrived with little room for speculation. Basically, a Google Now extension has shown up for Chromium users. The one catch, the extension is not yet functional. Trying to stay on the positive side though, this does appear to be a fairly clear sign that Google Now support is coming to the desktop.
While we generally focus on Android and the mobile side here, the desktop support for Google Now should bring an connection between the two sides. We already see some of that connection with Google searches from the desktop showing up on the mobile side. This of course, would go in the opposite direction and have Google Now cards showing up in the browser. Anyway, despite this extension being found within Chromium, it cannot be used just yet and so far we have yet to see anything official from Google in terms of when it may be arriving. On the mobile side, or should we say the future mobile side, we are expecting Google Now to be a big feature for Google Glass. Maybe we can begin looking at Google Now as the connection between the three platform types. Some of that thought goes back to comments made by Matias Duarte when he spoke with our sister site SlashGear. Duarte spoke about how Google Now has the potential to be the new Android home screen. He further noted that Now is a “kind of new paradigm” where it takes the opposite approach from the current start screens where you have to make all the decisions. We will see where this all ends up connecting, but for now it looks like Google Now is now one step closer to being available for any and all to use. [via SlashGear] |
| Samsung dance crew arrives ahead of Galaxy S4 announcement Posted: 12 Mar 2013 06:18 AM PDT Samsung recently shared a partial image of the Galaxy S4 and we have also seen a video coming out of China that claims to offer the world’s first hands-on with the handset. Basically, talk of the Galaxy S4 has remained in overdrive. It looks like another image has recently been shared by way of the Samsung Mobile Twitter account.
Unfortunately this latest image is not offering a look at the device. Instead, Samsung has shared an image of their Unpacked 2013 crew. They are dancing in the streets of New York, specifically in Times Square and you as you have likely seen from the above image — they are all decked out in black and white. Samsung of course, continues the tease by telling everyone to “be ready 4 #TheNextGalaxy.” Needless to say, regardless of how amped up this teasing gets, we still have a few days of wait time ahead of us all. The Galaxy S4 announcement is set for March 14 and in addition to the actual event, Samsung will have some stuff going on in Times Square for those who are able to attend. Touching back on that previous Galaxy S4 image and all we can really see is the top half of the handset. And even then, it is mostly concealed by shadows. But on that thought, we suppose that is what is considered a teaser. Isn’t it? We do have a question though, assuming these rumors play out as expected, who is planning (or able) to upgrade to a Galaxy S4 at this time? |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Android Community To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment