Android Community |
- China’s Ministry of Industry worried about the dependence on Android
- HTC’s Blinkfeed and Ultrapixel camera headed to mid-range phones too
- MyMultitouch 84-inch 4K touch-display shows Android on the big screen
- Evernote to add two-factor authorization later this year
- Verizon Galaxy Nexus 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update leaks – get it here!
- YouTube may be launching a streaming music service
- Verizon exec calling for lower subsides and LTE-only devices
- GOWEX lighting up New York with free Wi-Fi
- Verizon Wireless Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE arriving on March 7 for $599
- iF product design awards presented to several LG smartphones
- T-Mobile Galaxy S III LTE visits with the FCC
- Samsung Galaxy S4 revealed by evleaks in new renders
- Twitter kills TweetDeck for Android, shuts down Facebook integration
- Sony Xperia ZL heads to the US unlocked and in 3 colors
- CyanogenMod 10.1 M2 released – brings Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean to many
- Amazon’s Jeff Bezos tops Google chiefs on Forbes Top 20 billionaires
- Koush’s all-new Superuser app hits the Play Store – remains open source
- Facebook focuses on mobile with new intensive training program
- MakerBot Replicator 2 MWC demo shows custom case printing
- Etsy Android app updated with new seller tools, notifications, and more
| China’s Ministry of Industry worried about the dependence on Android Posted: 05 Mar 2013 11:23 AM PST We recently learned by way of a Flurry report that China had overtaken the US in terms of the total number of active Android and iOS devices. While that is a claim that the US will never be able to recapture, that is another story. To the point here, it seems that the research arm of China’s Ministry of Industry may not be all that excited about the widespread adoption of Android within the country.
Back in November of 2012 Android was claiming a 90 percent share of the Chinese smartphone market and even if that number has dropped a bit since, it is clear to see that Android is very popular within China. This goes back to the research arm of China’s Ministry of Industry. It seems they have recently released a whitepaper on this very subject. According to details coming from the report, they now feel that their “country’s mobile operating system research and development is too dependent on Android.” The paper acknowledges that Android is open-source, however it also notes concern in that “the core technology and technology roadmap is strictly controlled by Google.” The interesting part here, while the paper seems to be pretty clear in terms of the stance against Android, it did not offer any suggestions otherwise. Reuters notes that the “ministry did not recommend any specific policies, regulatory actions or other measures.” On the flip side though, the paper did offer praise to several Chinese companies that have created their own systems. Otherwise, while Android remains dominant in China, Google’s search market share has continued to drop. This goes back to 2010 when Google partially pulled out of the search market in China. Since then the market share has dropped from about 30 percent to about 15 percent as of the end of 2012. [via Reuters] |
| HTC’s Blinkfeed and Ultrapixel camera headed to mid-range phones too Posted: 05 Mar 2013 11:12 AM PST HTC’s brand new One smartphone announced late last month certainly is impressive. While the hardware is great HTC added plenty to the software side to help improve their offering. Things like Blinkfeed, an Ultrapixel camera, and Zoe to name a few. While we’ve already confirmed HTC Sense 5 will hit the One X and a few others, HTC also looks to bring the features above to more devices.
According to the folks at Omio who spoke with HTC UK’s man in charge, HTC will hopefully bring many of the awesome new features to their mid-range devices throughout 2013. Interestingly enough we’ve heard the HTC One will be the only “One” this year, but it looks like some mid-range phones are in the works with the same features on board. While Blinkfeed (think Flipboard for your homescreen) is a deep part of Sense UI 5.0, we can expect other smartphones to enjoy the new social feature that get the update. Then most devices HTC release this year should all run Sense 5.0 and enjoy the same awesome experience. The same goes for the Ultrapxiel camera, although we’re still not fully sure on that one – being a flagship feature and all. The Ultrapixel camera relies on a better camera sensor, as well as the silicon inside the Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor. Since this is their only flagship, we’re not sure what other devices will come with in terms of the processor. HTC’s Imagechip works great with the Snapdragon S4 dual-core, so hopefully the Ultrapixel camera ships in some mid-range smartphones later this year. The hardware under the hood plays as much of a role as any with the camera technology, but it’s safe to say HTC is looking to bring these new features to as many of their products as possible. [via AndroidAuthority] |
| MyMultitouch 84-inch 4K touch-display shows Android on the big screen Posted: 05 Mar 2013 10:45 AM PST Android is great on screens of all shapes and sizes, but how about enjoying some Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and Angry Birds on a 84-inch 4K (Ultra HD) touch display? That’s exactly what we have for you below. At this years CeBit show MyMultitouch is showing off their new tablet – if you can call it that – and this 3,840 x 2,160 Ultra HD resolution screen called the Alvaro GIANT is capable of running Android, Windows, or almost anything else.
Now we’ve seen massive screens before, and multitouch displays of this size were widely on display at CES 2013 this year in Vegas too. However this thing runs nearly any OS, works wonderfully, and is the first commercially available model with an actual price tag. You won’t want to see how big that price is, but it sure is neat. MyMultitouch is stating the price will be reasonable coming in roughly at $43,000 for retail. Of course this is something for ESPN or news outlets and not the average consumer, but I sure want one. If you thought the upcoming 6.3-inch Galaxy Note III was big – check that thing out. Running Windows 8 with ease as well as our personal favorite, Android, this is quite the display. The pictures don’t do it justice and that 4K resolution is impressive – even though Android doesn’t support it. With support for over 30 touch inputs at a time, yet lets us play Angry Birds Space. How about that? Running off a simple thumb drive with Android the display worked with ease, but had to scale down the resolution a little. You can see from the video above some gameplay and all. Obviously the Alvaro GIANT is aimed at retail and industrial markets, it’s still fun to check out. MyMultitouch tells us the display is protected by hardened glass, has a coating to help with fingerprints, can tell if you’re using a finger or a fist, and even works with gloves. Hey, it’s only $43,000. That’s not too bad right? [via SlashGear]       |
| Evernote to add two-factor authorization later this year Posted: 05 Mar 2013 10:32 AM PST Evernote recently had a security breach. That breach occurred this past weekend and we offered a bit of detail on the subject yesterday. The short story here is that Evernote discovered and blocked suspicious activity and as a result, they initiated a system wide password reset. Basically, all Evernote users were required to pick a new password. Evernote seemed to handle this event quickly and appropriately, however it seems that they still have some additional plans in the works.
Coming by way of a recent report from Information Week, Evernote will now be accelerating those other plans. It seems the company had been planning to introduce two-factor authorization. Keep in mind, this is not a fast reaction to the recent security breach, but instead, it is Evernote speeding that process up a bit. We have yet to see a specific timeline as to when the two-factor authorization will be released for users. Or for that matter, for those willing to serve as beta testers. What we have seen comes from Evernote spokeswoman Ronda Scott who has said they plan to have this available for all users “later this year” and that they are “accelerating those plans now.” Similar to a specific release timeframe, we have also yet to see details in terms of how Evernote plans to implement the two-factor authentication. That being said, while nice to see, a key factor here will be in how many users decide to take advantage of this extra bit of security, or if they will remain with the current setup and hope that things go smoother moving forward. While we wait, and especially for those who will continue to use the single-factor methods currently available — make sure you picked a secure password when you did your reset. [via Information Week] |
| Verizon Galaxy Nexus 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update leaks – get it here! Posted: 05 Mar 2013 10:02 AM PST We know the Samsung Galaxy Nexus over on Verizon Wireless has been left out of the update schedule for the most part, and many of you have moved on to bigger and better things, but we have good news. After seeing reports and details the past few days confirming Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean was coming soon, last night the official update leaked with improved radios and all. Get all the links to try it yourself below.
Yup, the “Nexus” that was four updates behind the rest is finally getting on par with its siblings, as long as Verizon and Google get the update out shortly. However, for those that don’t want to wait for Verizon to screw this up the official update has leaked and is available now for your pleasure. Thanks to a few XDA members we don’t have to wait. This means you can flash your stock Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean Verizon Gnex to Android 4.2.2 and enjoy Photo sphere camera features and gallery, better notifications, lockscreen widgets, and everything else Android 4.2.2 brings to the table. Not only does this update the Android version, but we also are receiving brand new radios from Verizon that should improve 3G/4G signals, as well as the ‘hand-off’ between the two for a seamless experience. We’re also hoping for better battery life (laughs) but don’t get your hopes up on that one. So for those that haven’t already moved on to CM10.1 or a custom ROM, get the links below and update yourself today! Instructions:
Alternatively if you’re already running CM10.1-m2 or any other custom ROM on your Verizon Galaxy Nexus and would just like the new radios you can also give those a try as well. We’re not seeing substantial results, but it’s only been a few hours since we flashed the new radios. Get those below! Instructions:
That’s it you should now be completely up to date and feeling all special with your Verizon Galaxy Nexus. It’s been updated to the absolute latest version of Android and has a few new radios right out of the Verizon oven. Thanks to a few users on Twitter and XDA we now can enjoy all of this a little early. Drop us a comment below and let us know how it all went. [via @WinDroidGuy] Device Info
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| YouTube may be launching a streaming music service Posted: 05 Mar 2013 10:00 AM PST YouTube related rumors are calling for a subscription based music streaming service. Keep in mind, this is coming in addition to the rumors about Google setting up a subscription streaming service for Android users, one that is expected to be tied in with Google Play. Some of the features are likely to overlap, of course that can probably be said about any two subscription based music services.
In the case of the YouTube service, it is said to be launching with a free and paid model. Details coming from Fortune include that anyone will be able to stream for free and that the paid model “will unlock additional features.” Presumably, one of those features will include the removal of advertising. Google, as one would expect, has yet to say one way or another. In fact, a YouTube spokesperson has said that some content creators feel they “would benefit from a subscription revenue stream in addition to ads, so we’re looking at that.” In terms of where Fortune has been getting the details, they have said they were briefed by sources in the record industry as well as from inside Google. This seems to be another case of when as opposed to if, however as always — rumors are just that, rumors. Simply put, while this seems like it would make sense given the current size of YouTube’s music audience, we still need the official announcement before we get super excited. Otherwise, in addition to YouTube possibly taking on the music subscription services, Google also looks to be taking on Amazon in terms of shipping. Details coming from TechCrunch note that Google may be launching a same-day shipping service that will rival Amazon Prime. According to what we have seen thus far, the service will be called Google Shopping Express and will arrive priced about $10 to $15 lower as compared to Prime. This service is expected to offer same-day shipping from brick-and-mortar stores such as Target, Walmart, Walgreens and Safeway. [via Fortune] |
| Verizon exec calling for lower subsides and LTE-only devices Posted: 05 Mar 2013 09:22 AM PST While some Android users may not consider Windows Phone or BlackBerry 10 as being any serious competition, a Verizon exec has cited that as one of the reasons we may begin seeing lower device subsidies moving forward. That exec is Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo and he spoke of lower subsidies coming as a result of increased competition and LTE-only devices.
The comments were coming out of the Deutsche Bank 2013 Media, Internet & Telecom Conference and it looks like these lower subsidies are something that we can expect to see in the next few years. On the subject of competition, Shammo has said he is a believer that “over the next two to three years subsidies will start to decrease just because of the ecosystems.” The other side here is the LTE-only devices. This basically means that as Verizon begins to make the move to VoLTE (Voice over LTE) they will begin to release devices without support for CDMA. Having a device without CDMA means one less chipset and the potential for a lower subsidy cost. We will have to wait and see exactly what this will mean in terms of what customers can expect to pay, however it is interesting to see this come at a time when we are hearing lower subsidy talk in regards to T-Mobile. In addition to the potential of lower subsidies, Shammo also spoke of the Share Everything plans and connected tablets. As far as the Share Everything plans go, these were originally launched back in June and as of the end of the fourth quarter — 23 percent of the postpaid customers were using the share plans. It was also said that while they have been seeing greater adoption of mobile hotspot devices, sales of connected tablets have been lower than expected. On that note, without saying whether we think a tablet should be $600, we suspect there are plenty who would never consider paying that for a device that will then cost an additional $10 per month. [via Fierce Wireless] |
| GOWEX lighting up New York with free Wi-Fi Posted: 05 Mar 2013 08:34 AM PST GOWEX, for those not familiar with the name, is a company that promises to “reinvent your city” and transform it into a Wireless Smart City. That being the case, it looks like they have begun transforming a new city — New York. Based on details we have seen, GOWEX will be rolling out nearly 2000 hotspots across the city. Or more specifically, they have said they will be offering 1,953 hotspots in and around some of the biggest neighborhoods of the city.
Those neighborhoods will be spread across all five boroughs including Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx. The company has provided a map of the areas that will be covered, however the smartphone app will likely be a bit easier to use. They will have an app available for Android (as well as iOS). The app will debut as v3.0 and is called GOWEX WiFi Free. Similar to the name of the app, the network name that you will be looking for will be called FREEWIFIGOWEX. If you didn’t realize based on the network name, access to the network will be available for free. GOMEX has said that you can expect speeds of 1Mb down. Basically, this network access should be nice for those who live and/or work in the city as well as those visiting the city on vacation. For those curious about how a free Wi-Fi network will be making money — advertising revenues. We have yet to see just how deep the advertising will be, however GOMEX has said that it will be provided by way of their “Smart Advertising platform” and will include advertisements intended for locals and for tourists visiting the city. GOWEX also has a roaming agreement in place with AT&T. Finally, while this announcement is for New York, the company also has plans to extend into three additional (and still unnamed) US cities later in the year. Anyway, if you are in New York and happen to be using the FREEWIFIGOWEX connectivity, drop us a comment and let us know how things are going. [via GOWEX] |
| Verizon Wireless Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE arriving on March 7 for $599 Posted: 05 Mar 2013 07:55 AM PST Verizon Wireless announced the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE back in January during CES. At that time the release details and pricing were left a mystery and it was simply said that the tablet would be arriving in the coming weeks. Well, it looks like those coming weeks will be arriving very shortly. Simply put, Verizon has said the Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE will be available on March 7.
In addition to offering an availability date, Verizon Wireless also announced the pricing. Those planning to make a purchase will be able to find the tablet online and in retail stores. The Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE will set you back $599.99 and the connectivity will come by way of the Share Everything plans. Users will be able to add the tablet to an existing account for an additional $10 per month. As for features, there was nothing surprising. That is to say the tablet will arrive with a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) display, LTE connectivity, S Pen and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The tablet also has software goodies to include the multi-view feature. Verizon touts this as being good for students in that they can read an article or watch a video while taking notes at the same time. Of course, more realistically is that many will likely be watching something entertaining while trying to get some work done. Regardless of how you choose to use the multi-view feature, the tablet also ships with other goodies to include Adobe Photoshop Touch and the Smart Remote app which is powered by Peel. Those looking for a bit more on the tablet may also want to check out the above video. In the video you will see Samsung product manager Ryan Biden as he shows some of the new features and also does a quick hardware tour. [via Verizon Wireless] Device Info
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| iF product design awards presented to several LG smartphones Posted: 05 Mar 2013 07:23 AM PST Several of the Android smartphones from LG were presented with iF product design awards for 2013. In all, this list includes the Optimus Life, Lucid 4G, Optimus G, Optimus L7, Optimus L9 and Optimus LTE2. With the exception of the Optimus Life and the Optimus LTE2, these were all design awards in the smartphone category.
The Optimus Life was in the minimalistic smartphone category and the Optimus LTE2 was in the smartphone and accessory category. As for the Optimus Life, this one comes with a bit of a story attached. The design awards page notes that the concept for this handset was “slice.” Getting a little deeper here and we have the handset being compared to cheese. It was said that the “phone itself has a simple shape like a slice of cheese” and that “it is good for people wanting something simple and also customizable.”
Shifting over to the LG Lucid 2 and we have a handset that is said to have a “slim and stylish shape through unique side concept line.” This was taken into consideration along with the titan and black coloring, the digital printing on the back cover and the red line that provides a “premium experience.” Perhaps more to the point, the Lucid 2 is said to have helped LG shape the “mass LTE smartphone line up in the global market.” Other interesting aspects for these devices include the Optimus G which took the simple and minimal LG design legacy of the Chocolate and Prada phones. The Optimus L7 was said to have a smart and minimal image and the Optimus L9 was touted for having a “Slimming Metallic Streak” and 9.1mm thickness. The Optimus LTE2 was noted as having a minimal design heritage with premium exterior design features to include the natural pattern on the rear side. The Optimus LTE2 also has wireless charging which is said to provide “quicker and easier charging for better comfort and convenience.” Bottom line here, LG has received some recognition for their work on Android smartphones in 2013. Several of the links throughout this post take you back to our reviews with these handsets and otherwise, make sure to check out the timeline below for a bit more LG coverage.       |
| T-Mobile Galaxy S III LTE visits with the FCC Posted: 05 Mar 2013 06:28 AM PST We suspect most Samsung fans are waiting for the Galaxy S IV announcement, which will be happening on March 14. But while we wait for that to happen, it looks like one US carrier still has some plans with the Galaxy S III. That carrier is T-Mobile and it is looking like the LTE capable Galaxy S III is indeed going to be released soon.
T-Mobile hasn’t offered anything in terms of release details, however we do have some previous rumors to go on. Not to mention, a recently discovered FCC filing. Basically, this filing shows a Galaxy S III with support for T-Mobile LTE as well as HSPA+. Previous rumors suggested the carrier will be releasing this handset on March 27. Time will tell just how accurate that date will be, however in the meantime we have details on the device itself. Coming by way of the FCC filing, we are looking at the Samsung SGH-T999L, which will serve as the follow-up to the Samsung SGH-T999. This latest presumably adds the L for LTE. Perhaps more important though, the filing shows the T999L as having support for LTE Band 4 (1700MHz AWS), which is what you need with T-Mobile. The device also has support for HSPA+ on the 850, 1700 and 1900 MHz bands. Aside from the addition of LTE support on T-Mobile, the device is expected to remain the same feature wise. In addition to the expected T-Mobile coverage, this filing also showed the handset as having support for LTE on Band 17, which is for AT&T. Granted, AT&T already has a Galaxy S III, but we suspect this could make decent handset for those who purchase it on T-Mobile and then later decide to jump to AT&T. [via Engadget] |
| Samsung Galaxy S4 revealed by evleaks in new renders Posted: 04 Mar 2013 05:33 PM PST The Samsung Galaxy S4 has been in the news a lot the past few days, and this evening we’re getting even more details. After some benchmarks were shown off earlier today, a new leak has been revealed from the reliable and highly accurate @evleaks showing what appears to be a fat Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. These are just renders, and nothing fancy at that, but still worth taking a look at.
We’re really not sure what to think about what we have here, but coming from someone like @evleaks that has been extremely accurate in almost all of his previous leaks – which there’s a lot of – we’re going to go ahead and assume this is real. They aren’t anything fancy, and the specs are all but confirmed, but check it out. Oh and don’t forget to notice this doesn’t have a dedicated home button either, but that’s pretty doubtful at this point. Samsung’s made a point to keep that alive. Update: These were just mockups by the popular online retailer Expansys. Sadness! What we’re looking at above appears to be a rather early render from someone at Samsung, showing the evolution of the Samsung Galaxy S smartphone. With the image showing the original, all the way to the upcoming S4 that will be announced on March 14th in New York City. The Galaxy S III has a 4.8-inch screen, and the new Galaxy S4 will only be slightly bigger coming in at 4.99-inches – but offer a full 1920x1080p HD resolution. Oddly the render shows a rather large device next to the current Galaxy S III.
Then what you see above, is another look at what we’re assuming will be the specs. Just about everything has leaked at this point and the only real mystery is the final regional specs, and the design. We saw some cases last week suggesting this squared off design instead of the curved edges of the GS3, so this matches previous reports. This new set of leaks also confirms the suggestion of a 64GB model will be offered from Samsung. For everything we’ve seen thus far of the upcoming and highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S4 hit the links below. Including some benchmark results that surfaced this weekend. We’ll report back when we hear any additional details on these leaks, and stay tuned for the real event which we’ll be at live! |
| Twitter kills TweetDeck for Android, shuts down Facebook integration Posted: 04 Mar 2013 04:54 PM PST We have some sad news today from the folks at Twitter regarding the highly popular Android, iOS, and desktop client TweetDeck. After acquiring the company in 2011 and basically letting the Android app go completely neglected, Twitter today confirmed they’ll be killing the awesome app all together. They’ll remove it from the Play Store, deactivate Facebook integration, and soon remove its access completely.
I’m slowly starting to not like all of these changes and choices by Twitter. We all know the 100,000 token limit on Android apps has made many developers completely abandon their awesome 3rd party clients – which are much better than Twitter’s own – and now one of the oldest and most popular is getting pulled completely. Falcon Pro has been struggling with the token limit. TweetLanes abandoned ship because of the limit, and that’s just the beginning. Now what is still one of my favorite Twitter apps is being shut down. Their web-based version of TweetDeck will get all of their support and attention, while the rest are completely tossed in the garbage. Stating the AIR, Android, and iOS versions will all be discontinued.
Twitter will be keeping up with their Web and Chrome app of TweetDeck and that is all. So much for enjoying multi-column, extremely clean, and user friendly TweetDeck (or TweakDeck for that matter) on Android because it will be removed in May from the Google Play Store, and then stop working “shortly thereafter.” Twitter bought the company back in 2011 and haven’t updated the Android app since, so we had a feeling this was coming, but it’s still sad to see an awesome app get shut down. So aside from Falcon Pro, what’s your go-to Twitter app on Android? [via TweetDeck] |
| Sony Xperia ZL heads to the US unlocked and in 3 colors Posted: 04 Mar 2013 04:32 PM PST Similar to Sony‘s flagship Xperia Z, the impressive and slightly smaller Xperia ZL has been confirmed to be headed to the US by Sony themselves. Not only that but the 5-inch touting smartphone will be unlocked and usable on AT&T and T-Mobile. Then will even be offered in 3 sleek color options. More details can be had after the break.
This is good news for all the Sony fans here in the US, as our carriers aren’t widely known for offering Sony smartphones. The Xperia ZL is quite the smartphone, and you’ll be able to enjoy those AT&T 4G LTE speeds too. Sadly Verizon won’t be able to partake in the Sony fun, even though there seems to be a US exclusive red color option for the new ZL – as pictured above. For those that don’t remember. The Xperia ZL offers a 5-inch 1080p full HD display, Android Jelly Bean, Qualcomm’s 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2GB of RAM, and Sony’s impressive 13.1 megapixel camera and all. As we said above, the device supports most LTE bands (except Verizon) so users will be able to enjoy AT&T 4G LTE speeds by swapping their SIM out, and the same will work once T-Mobile’s LTE gets fully deployed. So far we’re hearing it could range anywhere to possibly even $700 – which is a pretty penny – but this is a top tier flagship device with no carrier on board and completely unlocked for those in the US. It will be available in Black, White, and the sexy Red color shown above. No exact date has been released, but it’s listed as coming soon from the Xperia Store. [via Xperia Blog] Device Info
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| CyanogenMod 10.1 M2 released – brings Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean to many Posted: 04 Mar 2013 04:12 PM PST Today our favorite developers have just announced they’re officially pushing out their milestone 2 builds of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean – also known as CyanogenMod 10.1 for the rest of us. CM 10.1 has just reached m2 status for many of their supported devices, and you can get it right now as we speak. More details and download links are available below.
For those that aren’t familiar, “M” builds are a milestone build with higher levels of polish and stability than the CM nightly builds, but still aren’t considered what the teams would consider “stable.” Don’t worry though, I’ve personally been running CM10.1 with Android 4.2.2 for a few weeks now, and everything is as smooth as can be. The CM10.1-m2 builds are now available for a wide array of devices and brings everything we love about the absolute latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean to even more devices. And yes the Verizon Galaxy Nexus (toro) is happily included. All the devices in the Nexus lineup can enjoy M2 builds, and the same goes for many of Samsung’s most popular devices. Devices like the Galaxy S, S2, S3, Galaxy Note, HTC One X/S and many others can all enjoy the latest Android 4.2.2 with CM10.1-m2 builds this evening. They are arriving on the CM servers as we speak and are available to download from the link below. Alternatively many custom ROM builders have been kanging 4.2.2 for a few days, so that’s another option. If your device didn’t make the cut tonight, don’t worry as more should be added in the coming days and weeks. Enjoy and happy flashing! [via CyanogenMod] |
| Amazon’s Jeff Bezos tops Google chiefs on Forbes Top 20 billionaires Posted: 04 Mar 2013 03:39 PM PST Back in October of last year Google passed Microsoft to become the second most valuable tech company in the world, and their stock has been soaring quite high the past few months. However, Amazon’s own Jeff Bezos and Amazon have been doing quite well too, and now their CEO is doing just fine in the billionaire club.
Today it was revealed that thanks to an extremely solid past 8-12 months the folks at Amazon, most notably the man in charge Jeff Bezos has passed both of Google’s top guys to hit the 20 Top Billionaire list according to Forbes. For the first time since 1999, Jeff Bezos has reached the top 20 and is now the 19th most wealthy billionaire. Amazon’s shares have soared by almost 50% over the past year and Forbes now puts Bezos' wealth at a sum of around $25.2 billion. This being nearly $2 billion higher than the first Googler on the list, that being Larry Page followed closely by Sergey Brin. However it’s interesting to note they’re both 39 years of Age, with no one in the top 50 coming anywhere close to being that young. Things must be good in good ol Googleville. Obviously most of Amazon’s success comes from their large number of offline and online sales, where last year they had nearly $61 billion in total sales. You also can’t help but wonder if a large part of their increased spotlight and sales are partly in thanks to Google’s Android powering their slew of Kindle Fire tablets – which also act as a storefront for their wide array of services. For more details and a rather interesting read hit the link below for additional details. [via Wired] |
| Koush’s all-new Superuser app hits the Play Store – remains open source Posted: 04 Mar 2013 03:11 PM PST The extremely popular Android developer Koush most notably known for ClockWorkMod, has just launched his own all-new Superuser app today in the Google Play Store. Following the success of his new Carbon Backup app, we have a feeling Superuser will be just as successful. He’s added tons of features that make it stand out from other options available, so read on to find out more.
ChainsDD has his own, as I’m sure many of you know, and SuperSU is another awesome choice for your SU needs. However with Koush’s new version we have full multi-user support for Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, user logs, and tons of other options that make it even more useful. Not only is it completely open source for developers to use, tweak, and add into their ROMs, but it is and always will be absolutely free. There’s user logs, multi-user support, pin protection, and even notifications. You can set up per-app permissions and configurations too. It’s a pretty powerful yet secure option for Superuser apps. Koush made sure to focus on an awesome user interface, and didn’t forget tablet support. Until today it’s only been available as a downloadable and flashable zip, but now everyone can get it right from the Google Play Store. We can expect updates and new features in a timely fashion so head to the link below to get it from the Play Store, or from the zip detailed in the Play Store description for those going that route. As a reminder you should probably be rooted and already have a SU app installed, or running a custom ROM before downloading. Keep up the good work Koush! [via Play Store] |
| Facebook focuses on mobile with new intensive training program Posted: 04 Mar 2013 02:26 PM PST The social network giant Facebook surely isn’t slowing down anytime soon, but they have recognized the shift to mobile is the future and are adapting quite well. It’s no secret that they’ve been shifting from the web to a more mobile-focused company, and today we’re learning a few additional details about how they’ve done it, and why.
First off, Facebook just posted a blog entry detailing just how difficult their experience was getting everything working on Android. Explaining how Facebook is one of the most impressive Android apps available, and has tons of features. Interestingly enough they give us all the details on the hacks and tweaks required to improve the overall experience. Then while speaking with Engadget, Director of Mobile Engineering, Mike Shaver made a few comments regarding Facebook’s continued push into the mobile landscape. Facebook is on all major mobile platforms, and the past few months they’ve made serious efforts on their native Android app – although I’m still not too satisfied with the app. Today we’ve learned that this huge push toward mobile is all headed off with their own internal training program. One that we’re being told is pretty intensive and aimed directly at mobile users. This all started last July when Facebook started sending employees through an intensive training program and teaching the staff to natively code for Android and iOS – and as a result we have the ever-improving apps used today by millions and millions. From designers, product managers, engineer and more nearly 450 employees have finished this intensive training. Reportedly any employee can take the courses, but most are engineers and app developers. Apparently this is a push to have everyone on board thinking “mobile first” and to build mobile empathy with the employees. Hopefully the native Android app continues to improve, as we all know it could still use some TLC. |
| MakerBot Replicator 2 MWC demo shows custom case printing Posted: 04 Mar 2013 02:06 PM PST It is a shame that this demo wasn’t with anything running Android, however it is mobile related and it is rather cool technology. For those not familiar with the MakerBot Replicator, it is a desktop 3D printer that you can use to print out things like, well, cases for your smartphones. The MakerBot Replicator 2, which is the fourth generation is said to the “best desktop 3D printer on the market.” The unfortunate part here, with a price tag of more than $2,000 this is not something the average home user is going to purchase, or even see.
Enter a demo like this which came out of Mobile World Congress 2013. This came as a result of Nokia releasing their own 3D case printing files back in January. At the time they released case files for the Lumia 820, however this demo had cases being prepared for the Lumia 820 and 520. Basically, what you see in the images here are cases that were created using the MakerBot Replicator and publicly available files.
As you can see from the images here in the post, some of the cases are just a single color and some are multi-color. There is also the option to do some cool stuff, such as adding a little key pocket on the back of the case. Personally I can think of a better way to carry my house key, however the fact that this could be done at home with a printer is pretty cool. Even putting that aside, the idea of being able to print out some cases with a logo and/or name sounds like it could make you the envy of your friends. Well, the envy of your friends or the guy who is constantly getting asked to make a custom case. Anyway, make sure to check out the above video to get a brief idea of just how these machines do the printing. So how about it, anyone ready (or even considering) taking the plunge and picking one of these up for for your home office? [via SlashGear] |
| Etsy Android app updated with new seller tools, notifications, and more Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:54 PM PST If you’re one that likes to buy unique and custom handmade goods, surely you know all about Etsy. Known as the world's handmade goods marketplace Etsy has more than 17 million unique items for sale, and this past week they’ve updated their Android app and it’s finally starting to come around. With tons of seller tools and more you’ll want to check it out.
Back in December Etsy launched their Android app, and this just marks the second update so things are surely but slowly coming around. While we’re still noticing a few complaints from users, Etsy focused on making this update be all about the seller. Since there’s more than 800,000 users selling their goods, that makes perfect sense. Etsy has just updated to version 1.2 for Android, and all the seller features should certainly make the experience better for all you creative minds. The biggest new features for seller tools is being able to view and manage your shop stats dashboard, as well as get full notifications right on your Android device. You’ll get new order notifications while on the go, and even be able to view and add photos while out and about. Then the Seller tools also allows users to view all their current, expired and inactive listings, as well as activate/deactivate listings at will. Personally it looks like being able to disable listings, add photos, and get notifications all on your Android device are the most important features here. Hopefully the next update works on the user experience for shopping, as well as improves the overall app speed. Oh, and a favorites tab would be nice guys. Otherwise keep up the good work. Get to shopping! [via Play Store] |
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