Android Community |
- Sony Xperia Tablet Z appears in FCC filing
- Digg details Google Reader replacement coming July 1
- Motorola X-Phone surfaces in another leaked render
- Google+ update brings Snapseed features to iOS, tweaks for Android
- Huawei rumors point towards new flagship smartphone
- Barnes & Noble announce in-app purchasing for NOOK
- CyanogenMod founder Steve Kondik talks GALAXY S 4
- Sony Xperia ZL arrives for sale in the US
- T-Mobile’s “UNcarrier” plans now available
- HTC dropping the “Quietly Brilliant” tagline
- Evernote for Android update brings Smart Notebook support
- iKazoo Android controller hits indiegogo
- Check out how NASA gets Android devices ready for space
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 Android 4.2.2 update rumored
- West Virginia lawmaker wants to ban Google Glass while driving
| Sony Xperia Tablet Z appears in FCC filing Posted: 25 Mar 2013 11:04 AM PDT It looks like the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is now one step closer to being released in the US market. We haven’t seen a specific release date just yet, however the fact that the device has recently passed by the FCC does imply that a release date is getting closer. That being said, this filing is for the Wi-Fi only model and for better or worse — does not contain much in terms of surprises.
The FCC filing for the Xperia Tablet Z contains the usual suspects such as the confidentiality request and label location as well as some internal and external images. Oh, and there is also the user manual for those who feel they must read up on the tablet ahead of its arrival. Not that we would expect many of the readers to feel the need to do something like that. Aside from the bit about this model being Wi-Fi only, the Xperia Tablet Z will bring features to include a 10.1-inch (1920 x 1200) display, quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm APQ8064 processor, 2GB of RAM and 8.1 megapixel rear-facing camera. The tablet will also have a microSD card slot, NFC and a thickness of just 6.9mm.
The Xperia Tablet Z will be running Jelly Bean at launch and is expected to drop at $499 (for the 16GB model). And just like the Xperia Z smartphone, the Tablet Z will also be water resistant which comes courtesy of the IP55 certification. So how about it, anyone waiting for the Xperia Tablet Z to come available? [via Engadget] Device Info
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| Digg details Google Reader replacement coming July 1 Posted: 25 Mar 2013 10:53 AM PDT Earlier this month Google announced their popular RSS option Google Reader would be closing, and we all know how most of you feel about that. Quick to the rescue was the folks over at Digg, who have promised a replacement that will be fast and work on a wide array of devices. Today we’re getting a few more details regarding the Google Reader replacement that’s coming soon.
We weren’t sure how serious they were when they confirmed a replacement was in the works, but now it sounds like they are pretty serious and hope to have it available extremely soon. How soon? Digg suggests they are aiming for a July 1st release date, the same day Google Reader is set to be shutdown. We’ll see how that goes though. In a quick Blog Post by Digg we saw a glimpse of what they have in mind, what the reader will entail, and a few of their plans for the Google Reader replacement and savior. For one they want to make it dead simple to use, like stupid simple. We’re all for that. Then they plan to offer a blazing fast reader – like really fast. It will sync across devices, as well as supporting as many devices and smartphones as humanly possible.
Then the most important being the option to import from Google Reader. Yes, yes, yes. Digg goes on to mention they’ve always wanted to build a reader and the Google Reader shutdown only fast-tracked their plans. The team is small, and it will be a massive undertaking to release it by July 1st, but they are hopeful that they can achieve that goal. Stay tuned and in the meantime check out these Google Reader alternatives for Android. [via SlashGear] |
| Motorola X-Phone surfaces in another leaked render Posted: 25 Mar 2013 10:17 AM PDT What is said to be a render of the yet-to-be-announced Motorola X-Phone has surfaced. The image render comes along with some specs, however while we would like this to be the real deal — there is reason to be skeptical. If nothing else, judging from the fact we have another render and another set of leaked specs for the X-Phone, it is looking like this is a handset people are anxious to see announced.
Of course, the key then will be whether the X-Phone is announced and well received or announced an ignored. Time will tell which way that will go, but in the meantime, lets continue with this latest leak. The image comes by way of the folks at GSM Arena and they seem to be rather careful in terms of celebrating. The image comes along with the use of “supposedly” and mention they have “no proof of that information or the actual source of the tip.”
You can see the image of the handset just above. As for those specs, the list includes a 4.7-inch display at 1280 x 720, Snapdragon 800 processor and 4000 mAh battery. There was also mention of the handset not having any microSD card slot. On the positive side though, this leak points towards the handset as having Gorilla Glass 3 and an IP57 certification. For those not familiar with the IP57, that means the handset will be water resistant in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Anyway, while we wait for something official in terms of the X-Phone, we can look back towards previous rumors and the bit about how Google and Motorola may be offering a more personalized phone buying experience. [via GSM Arena] |
| Google+ update brings Snapseed features to iOS, tweaks for Android Posted: 25 Mar 2013 10:03 AM PDT Today the folks from Mountain View have just detailed the latest update coming to an App store near you for their popular Google+ social network app. Last year Google purchased Snapseed, a Instagram competitor, and later released the app for Android. Now today they’re integrating its camera and photo filter features to Google+ for iOS, as well as tons of other changes detailed below.
Obviously we’ll focus on the Android side of things, as both platforms are receiving a sizable update today. For Android Google’s + update will be focusing on profiles, communities, and posts – while iOS is focused on Snapseed integration. For Android Google’s worked really hard on the “little things” because they matter, and are making little changes to polish the entire experience. Here’s what’s new for Android:
They’re basically polishing and improving every aspect of our news and social home stream, but they are all small improvements rather than anything major. It looks like we’ll be getting more text from posts, larger and better HD images, and being able to swipe through images inline will be nice. Then Google’s also added plenty for location data, as well as the newish Google+ Communities. We’ve always been able to share where we live, but now we can share our actual location – throughout the day – if we chose. Obviously with tons of limits on who see’s what, and plenty of privacy features. I’ll pass on this.
Last but certainly one I’m happy to see is more settings and options for Google+ Communities. Before we continue you’ll want to join the official Android Community: Community by clicking here. Today’s update allows users to control the level of volume the community posts show in your regular home stream, invite to community from mobile, and finally the option to share to community on Android. Then Communities also received some moderator and member search/ban features for those pesky people you’d like to remove from the group. The app should be available later today from the Play Store and you can learn all the details right from Google at the via link below. [via Google] |
| Huawei rumors point towards new flagship smartphone Posted: 25 Mar 2013 09:42 AM PDT It appears as if details for an upcoming Huawei smartphone have recently leaked. The device, which we have yet to see pictured (below is the Ascend P2) looks to have a decent set of specs which include a 1080p display and quad-core processor. Assuming these details prove to be accurate, the handset will also be rather thin.
What we are seeing comes by way of the Chinese language IT163 website. Jumping right in with the thickness, the handset is expected to measure in at just 6.3mm. The display is said to be 4.9 inches and 1080p in resolution. Other goodies look to include a quad-core 1.8GHz ARM Cortex A15 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB of internal storage, 2600 mAh battery and 13 megapixel rear-facing camera. All said and done, judging from what we can see thus far, the specs appear solid. We haven’t seen anything in terms of a price, however it was said that Huawei will be announcing this handset in April. No word on a release, but even an April announcement sounds fishy given their Ascend D2 is only a few months old at this point in time. The other issue here will be availability. This so far has yet to be mentioned, however it seems more than likely that the handset will at least be available for those in China. Bottom line here, this is just another in the rumor series. The details seem early and are clearly incomplete at this time, nonetheless, we do expect more details will follow sooner rather than later. [via Unwired View] |
| Barnes & Noble announce in-app purchasing for NOOK Posted: 25 Mar 2013 08:50 AM PDT Some news for those who like in-app purchases and also happen to be using a NOOK. Barnes & Noble has announced the upcoming availability of in-app purchasing. This support is said to be coming “soon.” More specifically, Barnes & Noble has said that “thousands of the most-requested games and apps featuring in-app purchasing” will be available in the coming weeks and months.
Basically, this means NOOK users will be able to spend money buying extras. Of course, Barnes & Noble is trying to make it simple for the end user noting that by way of the Fortumo integration, they will be able to set-up and register for in-app purchases. In other words, once your account is set-up, future in-app purchases will require nothing more than clicking the “Pay” option. This setup does have some perks for the developer as well. To begin with, an easier checkout process should make customers more willing to spend some money. The system will also provide developers with tools to do everything from implement the in-app purchases to a dashboard that offers details on revenue and analytics. Bottom line here, those with a NOOK device, including the 7-inch NOOK HD and the 9-inch NOOK HD+ will soon be able to spend money within apps to buy things such as extra levels and extra coins. We just have to wonder, how long will it be until we hear our first NOOK related in-app purchasing horror story. [via Business Wire] |
| CyanogenMod founder Steve Kondik talks GALAXY S 4 Posted: 25 Mar 2013 08:24 AM PDT CyanogenMod founder Steve Kondik had been employed with Samsung since August 2011 however that employment has since come to an end. But perhaps key for those curious about the GALAXY S 4, Kondik has taken to Google+ and shared his thoughts on the handset. At the risk of giving a spoiler, he seems to be fairly impressed with the GALAXY S 4.
Kondik noted that the time he spent with the GALAXY S 4 was using the final hardware. He says that he is a huge fan of the Galaxy S III and in fact, he uses one every day. Based on that knowledge, he said that he was “quite pleased” with the GALAXY S 4. Before any Galaxy S III users being planning to upgrade, there was some talk of that. Kondik noted that the GALAXY S 4 is a “clear choice” if you have a Galaxy S II, but that upgrading from a Galaxy S III is “less urgent.” Talk of the GALAXY S 4 touched on how the device feels “quite a bit more solid” than the Galaxy S III and about how there are a number of unique features that have potential. As for that, Kondik notes that the potential is hinged upon Samsung releasing an API. Some of those features include the hover functionality and the IR blaster. Otherwise, Kondik has said that both the front and back cameras are excellent and that the GPS seems to work better than any other Samsung device. All said and done, he seems to really like the handset. Shifting over to TouchWiz and the same cannot necessarily be said. In fact, it seems that goes in the opposite direction with comments such as how “it feels like it has been sent back a few years to the Froyo days.” Some of the specifics mentioned include TouchWiz as having a fully tabbed UI, more pop-up windows and “loading” dialogs and that the UI performance is only “average. Thankfully though, the features seem a bit more welcomed. Some of the specifics here included hover, multi-window and a bit about the camera app having “seen some significant upgrades.” On the flip side, his least favorite was Smart Srcoll. Bottom line here, there seems to be some good and some bad. [via Google+] |
| Sony Xperia ZL arrives for sale in the US Posted: 25 Mar 2013 07:47 AM PDT Sony has announced the US availability of the Xperia ZL smartphone. The handset can be found by way of the Sony Store and at the moment — it is shown as being available for pre-order with a shipping date of April 8. The Xperia ZL is priced at $759.99. While that is obviously more than many are used to paying for a smartphone in the US, the reasoning here is that Sony is selling the Xperia ZL on a contract-free basis.
In terms of features, the Xperia ZL will bring a 5-inch (1920 x 1080) Full HD Reality Display with Mobile Bravia Engine 2, a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Other goodies include 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2 megapixel front-facing camera and a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera. As for network support, this is broken down by two models. The C6502 has support for HSPA+ on bands 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 and EDGE on 850, 900, 1800 and 1900. The C6506 has the same HSPA+ and EDGE support but also adds LTE support on bands 2, 4, 5, 17. In other words, if you are planning to pick up the Xperia ZL, you should probably be looking towards AT&T for connectivity. We should also mention that the C6502 is a bit lower in price. That model is selling for $719.99 (also unlocked). Both models of the Xperia ZL are available in three colors — black, white or red. Finally, users can also expect Sony related goodies such as the Battery STAMINA Mode to help improve battery life as well as the WALKMAN application which provides access to music and movies. [via PR Newswire] Device Info
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| T-Mobile’s “UNcarrier” plans now available Posted: 25 Mar 2013 07:22 AM PDT As we were expecting to happen, T-Mobile has officially begun offering their new “UNcarrier” based plans. Basically, these new plans offer unlimited talk, text and data from $50 per month. While the plans are now live on the T-Mobile website, we expect to learn a bit more on March 26 during the press event in New York.
What we can tell you now is that these plans are available from the T-Mobile website and they are open for individual and family plans. The individual plan is for a single line and the family plans jump in from 2 up to 5 lines. The individual plan pricing starts at $50 per month for unlimited talk, text and data. The $50 price level also includes 500MB of high-speed data. Those looking for more high-speed data can get 2GB for $60 per month or unlimited for $70 per month. These plans are contract-free and offer the basics such as unlimited T-Mobile to T-Mobile calling and unlimited nights and weekends. Otherwise, the $50 and $60 per month plans also include mobile hotspot for tethering. The $70 per month plan also has hotspot, but is noted as being limited to 500MB per month. Shifting over to the family plans and we see pricing from $80 per month for two lines up to $110 per month for 5 lines. Aside from the extra lines, the family plans are structured the same as the individual. That is to say they are contract-free and all include unlimited talk, text and data with options to get 500MB, 2GB or unlimited high-speed data. [via T-Mobile] |
| HTC dropping the “Quietly Brilliant” tagline Posted: 25 Mar 2013 06:58 AM PDT HTC seems to have been shaking things up lately. We saw them take to the streets during the GALAXY S 4 announcement to show off the One smartphone. We also saw them take to Twitter with the hashtag of #theNextBigFlop. Well, while we have yet to see just how well either of these methods have proved, one thing seems clear — that was not HTC being quiet.
And it seems that HTC is actually planning to step things up a bit. In a recent report coming from The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Ho, HTC’s marketing chief has said the company is planning to drop the “Quietly Brilliant” tagline. Mr Ho. has said that HTC has had “a lot of innovations but we haven't been loud enough” going on to say that “the new approach, will be bolder.” Unfortunately Mr Ho. did not offer all that much in terms of what that will mean. Of course, we suspect it means more of what we have been seeing in regards to HTC going directly after Samsung. What he has said is that the digital marketing budget will be increased by 250 percent and how they will also be increasing the traditional media marketing by spending 100 percent. Otherwise, we also saw some chatter in regards to the delays. Of course, this comes after we saw the news from HTC about the One arriving in the US before the end of April. That detail aside, Mr. Ho had said there was “some shortage” due to the phone's camera having been designed specifically for HTC. Basically, he had said that production took some time to be ramped up. [via Wall Street Journal] |
| Evernote for Android update brings Smart Notebook support Posted: 25 Mar 2013 06:33 AM PDT An update for Evernote has arrived for Android users this morning. The updated app can be found in the expected location, that is to say, in the Google Play Store. Perhaps more important though, this update has brought some new features for premium users as well as an updated widget. There is now also support for the Evernote Smart Notebook.
While the premium features will be nice for those with a paid account, we should also remind everyone that a Smart Notebook purchase includes three months of Evernote Premium. On that note, the Smart Notebook is from Moleskine and they are available in two sizes and each size is available with ruled or squared pages. The Smart Notebook support is Page Camera mode within the app.
The Page Camera mode basically sets things up to take pictures of the pages in the notebook. The nice part here, once you capture an image of the page, that is saved as a note in your Evernote account and the text becomes searchable. Otherwise, those premium account features include Document Search. This one will allow you to search in any attached office documents, spreadsheets or presentations. Last change on the app is with shortcuts. The Evernote app will now allow you to create a shortcut to jump to a frequently used note, notebook or tag. Moving over to the Evernote widget and this one is on the simpler side. The Evernote Widget update has re-added the 1×1 widget and also added a grid widget which will allow you to resize to fit any screen size. Just remember, the Evernote app and the Evernote Widget are both separate apps in the Google Play Store. [via Google Play Store] |
| iKazoo Android controller hits indiegogo Posted: 25 Mar 2013 05:37 AM PDT There are no shortages of external controllers for Android devices for things like gaming and other needs. A new controller is now up for pre-order called the iKazoo and it is called the most versatile entertainment assistant ever. The controller is able to function as a voice, breath, or touch controller for Android devices.
The controller features a bi-directional Bluetooth transceiver that connects the device to your Android gadget wirelessly. The iKazoo is built on the Arduino platform and has integrated optical and motion sensors. That means that gamers can use the controller to play their favorite game by moving around. Interestingly, the iKazoo does require any device that it is used with to have a built-in camera. That means it will connect to a computer, smartphone, or tablet. According to the manufacturer of the device, all user has to do is hold the controller in front of their device and the controller will automatically sync with their gadget. The project is on Indiegogo seeking the funds to come to the real world right now. To pre-order device a pledge $135 will get you a version of the iKazoo that has a “smart writer cap” allowing it to be used as a stylus. The basic version of the iKazoo sells for $79. [via Ubergizmo] |
| Check out how NASA gets Android devices ready for space Posted: 25 Mar 2013 05:30 AM PDT Late in 2012, we heard that NASA planned to put HTC Android smartphones into as a key component of the small and inexpensive satellite systems. There are a set of rigorous standards that any device that travels into space have to go through to prove that they’re durable enough for the trip. If you wondered exactly what getting those Android smartphones ready to go into space required, some new details have now surfaced.
The satellites that use the Android-powered smartphones are called the SPHERES satellite. The smartphone will be using is the Nexus S. These satellites aren’t typical satellites that float around out in space, they are being used inside the ISS to research applications including telerobotic cameras, and other needs. There are two Nexus S smartphones on the ISS right now. If you’re wondering why the Nexus S was chosen to be used in space, it was due in part to the easy disassembly. The team of researchers behind the project said that the device has literally six screws on the outside to take it apart. The smartphone was forced into permanent airplane mode before it could be launched into orbit. The team of researchers behind the project used high-resolution tear down photos from iFixit to determine which chip they needed to remove to put the phone into permanent hardware-based airplane mode since the normal airplane mode used software. The team also had to workout a way to get the device to work using only AA batteries. The next step was to prove to the flight safety crew that the smartphone wouldn’t cause interference aboard the ISS. The phone, for its part just assumes it has no cellular service and operates normally otherwise. The team also had to get drivers for the smartphone that would work with the ThinkPad T61p laptops running Windows XP SP 3 that are currently aboard the ISS. There were a number of other things that had to be done in order to get the Android devices aboard the space station, but those are some of the biggest. [via ArsTechnica] |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 Android 4.2.2 update rumored Posted: 25 Mar 2013 04:53 AM PDT If you’re the owner of a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 tablet, a rumor is making the rounds that you’ll be interested to hear. According to the rumor, an insider at Samsung recently stated that the Galaxy 2 will be updated to Android 4.1.2. The source also claims that therewill be more Android updates for the tablet coming in the future.
The source claims that the operating system will be updated all the way to Android 4.2.2 before updates end. It’s unclear exactly how the updates will be offered between Android 4.1.2 and Android 4.2.2. The source goes on to claim that Samsung is currently testing the Android 4.1.2 update on first-generation Galaxy Tab devices. It remains unclear if that means older Galaxy devices will be getting the Android update as well. Exactly when Samsung will roll the operating system update out remains to be seen. As close to a date as the source will offer is that Samsung hopes to roll the update out sometime during Q2 with Android 4.2.2 hoping to roll out in Q3. The last time we talked about the Galaxy Tab 2 was back in late January when a new limited edition version of the tablet was launched. That limited edition version had the same hardware on the inside and was differentiated by a garnet red color. The tablet is priced at $219.99 and launched with Android 4.1 onboard. The tablet featured a dual-core processor, 32 GB of storage, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more. [via Ubergizmo] |
| West Virginia lawmaker wants to ban Google Glass while driving Posted: 25 Mar 2013 04:42 AM PDT A lawmaker from West Virginia named Gary G Howell wants to ban the use of Google Glass and similar products while driving. Howell is a Republican member of the West Virginia Legislature and believes that Google Glass and similar products pose a danger to drivers. He goes so far as to say that a driver using something like Google Glass while driving poses a similar risk, if not more significant risk to drivers than texting and driving.
Howell has proposed legislation that would issue heavy fines against drivers using Google Glass while they drive around the streets and highways in West Virginia. The first offense will cost drivers $100. Each additional offense will add an additional $100 to the original fine. That means a second offense will cost $200, a third offense $300, and so on. Lawmakers believe that products like Google Glass pose great danger, especially to younger drivers. How will says if his legislation fails to become law, he believes that similar bills would be filed by other legislatures. Not everyone agrees with this legislation. Some believe that products like Google Glass could help reduce driver distraction in a method similar to how some vehicles with heads up displays allow drivers to keep their eyes on the road. Odds are even if this legislation becomes law, it will have little effect on most people. Google Glass is expected to be very expensive at launch meaning few people will adopt the tech early on. However, years down the road when wearable computing devices are more common this legislation could impact a number of drivers. [via SlashGear] |
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