Android Phone Fans |
- Strap a phone to your head and take Android gaming into the 4th dimension with this Kickstarter project
- ASUS teases something square and silver but what could it be? [UPDATE]
- Buy a Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ tablet, get a free Nook Simple Touch [DEAL]
- ARCHOS 97 Titanium HD now available for $250, ARCHOS 80 Titanium for $170
- Report: T-Mobile tests upcoming 4G LTE network in 6 new cities across the US
- Heyzap gaming platform comes full circle with ad integration
- Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini spotted in the wild, specs also confirmed
- Game for Fame: Beat our Zen Pinball HD high-score to win a Nexus 7 [CONTEST]
- HTC’s AT&T-bound Facebook phone stops by the FCC
- Official: HTC One arrives next week in UK and Germany, US launch pushed back to end of April
- ZTE Grand X Quad press shots leak
- LG reportedly getting in on the Android watch craze, as well
- FCC filing shows mid-range LG LS720 could be headed to Sprint
- Is this our first look at Google Babble? [LEAK]
- ARCHOS GamePad now available in the US for $179
| Posted: 22 Mar 2013 06:53 PM PDT
Quite honestly, I’m at a loss for words on how to even describe this new Kickstarter project. A German company has developed a product so new, so revolutionary, it’s going to change the way you game on your Android handset forever. You know how with current technology, we’re limited on how we can play games or watch movies? It’s either hold your phone, or hold a controller. You can’t do both.
Okay, well, you can if you’ve ever heard of the MOGA or Samsung’s upcoming gaming contr– never mind that. They don’t, and wont ever have puppets in their ads. Or hot chicks. Okay, maybe hot chicks. But back to reality (or at least some wacky version of it). Once (if) the Headflat gets funded, we’ll simply be able to strap some metal arms to our heads, via a fashionable visor, and take our gaming (or vegging, or sexting) to the next level. Wait, not the next level… the next dimension. The 4th one, specifically. There’s just so much wrong here, it’s hard for me to think straight. The multipurpose visor. The puppets. The — Oh, dear, god. Why is he doing his 4th dimensional piloting on kitchen table?!?
So, Phandroids. How much would you think the goal for a project like this would cost? $10k? $50K? No. $100,000 dollars. Cash. Guess they gotta make back all the money they spent on branded polo shirts. Oh, and expected retail for the Headflat? $100. If I’m being too harsh, please someone let me know. Anyone think this is actually a pretty ingenious idea and will be backing one? I’m still checking to see if the project’s end date will update to April 1st. Thanks, Ashley! |
| ASUS teases something square and silver but what could it be? [UPDATE] Posted: 22 Mar 2013 05:36 PM PDT
When it comes to teasers, ASUS loves ‘em. They’re always hyping some new product up on their social networking pages, the latest coming by way of Google+ and a mysterious device. Or washer. Or…. subwoofer? Really, we have no idea what it is. Judging by the tiny feet holding it up, we’re wondering if this isn’t the ASUS Qube we took a look at back during CES. If it is, it’s gotten a major design overhaul. Wont have to wait too much longer to find out. Apparently, all will be revealed tomorrow. What do you guys think it could be? Update: As some of our readers have already pointed out, it looks like this could be nothing more than an ASUS optical drive (picture below). Oh, ASUS. You and your sick little games…
Thanks, Alex! [Google+] |
| Buy a Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ tablet, get a free Nook Simple Touch [DEAL] Posted: 22 Mar 2013 05:19 PM PDT
When it rains, it pours and if you’re looking to get yourself an Android tablet on the cheap, it seems like everyday there’s new deal. Barnes & Noble is the latest to try and clear out some of their tablet stock, by offering a free Nook Simple Touch (non-backlit version) for free with the purchase of the 9-inch Nook HD+ 16GB for $270, or 32GB for $300. That’s a savings of about $80 (the regular cost of the Nook Simple Touch).
The deal is good between March 24-30th at all major retailers wherever the Nook HD+ is sold. While we’re still trying to figure out if it’s worthwhile, keep in mind the Nook HD+ is easily hackable and able to run stock Android Jelly Bean like a champ. You can even purchase a handy N2A card for an even easier Android installation. Oh, and if a free e-reader isn’t your cup of tea, the Nook HD+ is also $50 off with coupon code “50free” on the B&N website. |
| ARCHOS 97 Titanium HD now available for $250, ARCHOS 80 Titanium for $170 Posted: 22 Mar 2013 03:40 PM PDT
It was barely more than a few hours ago we told you guys about the now available Archos GamePad and now a few of its cousins get to join in on the fun. The ARCHOS 97 Titanium and Archos 80 Titanium — the same ones we took at back during CES – have also landed stateside where they too are available for purchase. After our hands on with both models, I have to say, I was more than pleased with the 97′s display quality. Sure regular folk will have a hard time telling ‘em apart from iPads, but the mixture of aluminum and glossy plastic gives budget minded consumers a premium tablet feel, without having to break the bank.
The ARCHOS 97 Titanium HD is currently retailing for a reasonable $249 on Amazon and (providing the hardware hasn’t changed) comes with an absolutely stunning 9.7-inch 2048×1536 resolution IPS display, 1.6GHz dual-core A9 CPU with quad-core Mali 400 GPU, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage with expandable micro SD slot, and 5MP rear/2MP front facing cameras. The Archos 80 Titanium is more of the same only with a smaller 8-inch display and resolution of 1024×768, and 2MP rear/unspecified MP front facing cameras for $169.
Both tablets have a comfortable 4:3 ratio form factor and are running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with full access to the Google Play Store and other Google services. Again, that’s not bad considering the asking price. Links provided below. [Amazon links: Archos 97 Titanium | Archos 80 Titanium] |
| Report: T-Mobile tests upcoming 4G LTE network in 6 new cities across the US Posted: 22 Mar 2013 01:58 PM PDT
The crowd sourcing network specialists over at OpenSignal — a website that uses their own app to gather network data from users around the world — detected some interesting activity in their logs. Looks like T-Mobile has begun testing their upcoming 4G LTE network in a few new cities. The data was pulled from a few devices, namely, the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S4 (what’s interesting is the S4 is showing a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 CPU, not the Exynos Octa). Here are the 6 new cities T-Mobile is currently testing their 4G LTE, adding to the list of 3 we’ve known about for awhile now (Kansas City, Las Vegas, and their HQ in Bellevue).
Real world download speeds are showing a respectable 25Mbps on average, with a upload of 8Mbps and ping of 40ms. Not too shabby, T-Mobile. Not too shabby at all. With T-Mobile’s new UNcarrier plans and blazing fast LTE, are any of you thinking about making the switch to Magenta in the coming months? |
| Heyzap gaming platform comes full circle with ad integration Posted: 22 Mar 2013 01:03 PM PDT The folks at Heyzap have just announced a new version of the Heyzap SDK that will allow developers to implement ads in their video games. The ads will be relevant to gamers as they’ll display recommendations for other similar games to download. Developers were free to implement ads from other networks, of course, but Heyzap’s solution might be less annoying for users considering it’s context-sensitive.
With that, Heyzap’s solution seems to have come full circle with the company’s “acquisition, retention, and monetization” model. The acquisition part comes from discovering and downloading the game itself — being part of Heyzap’s circle means you’ll have a bigger spotlight in a more refined pool of eyes. For retention, leaderboards will keep users coming back as they try and beat their own high scores as well as others around the world. And now there are ads for developers to make money for all their hard work. Payouts can be processed through a number of easy solutions, including Paypal, a physical check, wire transfers and more, and detailed earnings information can be had on the Heyzap developers’ dashboard. If you’re a developer and you’re looking for something different in terms of ad publishing be sure to take a look at what Heyzap has to offer, and find more information on the SDK here. Read on for full press details.
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| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini spotted in the wild, specs also confirmed Posted: 22 Mar 2013 12:32 PM PDT
Even with the Galaxy S4 set to release in the coming weeks, Samsung isn’t about to stop with their Galaxy onslaught. Some pictures of the much rumored Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini have surfaced, along with a few “confirmed” specs on the device. Sporting a 4.3-inch SAMOLED qHD 960×540 resolution display (with a 256ppi), 1.6GHz dual-core unspecified CPU, a running on Android 4.2.2 with Nature UX 2.0. Word is, the Mini will also come in a dual-SIM variant, on option we’ve seen from its bigger brother the S4 back when it was leaked.
Looking damn near identical to the Galaxy S4 (which some would say looks identical to the Galaxy S3), we can’t help but ask ourselves…. why? By the time the Mini launches in June or July, the Galaxy S3 will already be offered for $100 or free on a contract. We’re also left scratching our heads as to why Samsung wouldn’t just stick the internals of the S3 for the S4 Mini. That way those that want something a little smaller than 4.7-inches, could still have a powerful device as well. (Shrugs).
[via SamMobile] |
| Game for Fame: Beat our Zen Pinball HD high-score to win a Nexus 7 [CONTEST] Posted: 22 Mar 2013 11:05 AM PDT I am super excited to announce a brand new contest series to the Phandroid universe called "Game for Fame". The concept is pretty simple: we play and review an Android game and if you can beat our high score (and prove it), you’re entered to win. Win what? Good question! We've enlisted our friends at NVIDIA to provide the winner of our first Game for Fame contest a brand new 32GB Nexus 7 tablet! This week’s game: Zen Pinball HD. Watch the Zen Pinball Review below, take special note of the high score, and make sure you follow ALL of the directions to ensure your entry is eligible. How To Enter:
Selecting a winner:
Rules:
Time to do some thumb exercises for weekend pinballing mayhem! Good luck and enjoy! |
| HTC’s AT&T-bound Facebook phone stops by the FCC Posted: 22 Mar 2013 11:05 AM PDT
Whether or not we ever see a true Facebook Phone, HTC has plans to launch another Android handset with a special focus on the social network. More or less a followup to the HTC Status (pictured above) for AT&T, the device known as the HTC Myst has passed through the FCC with all the markings of a phone destined for the carriers LTE network. While the Myst has received its HTC approval, the filing doesn’t reveal more about the phone with model number PM33100. Previous rumors place the device as a mid-range handset featuring a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch 720p display, and 5MP camera. The handset should run Android 4.1.2, though how it will be modified to earn its “Facebook Phone” status isn’t known. It looks like we’ll be finding out more soon, nevertheless. [via Engadget] |
| Official: HTC One arrives next week in UK and Germany, US launch pushed back to end of April Posted: 22 Mar 2013 09:19 AM PDT
HTC has released an official statement cluing us into the current status of their One flagship’s launch around the globe. The good news for folks in the UK, Germany, and Taiwan is that the phone is on track to launch next week. The bad news for those in other areas of Europe and North America is that the phone isn’t scheduled to reach consumers until the end of April. Here’s the statement:
Yes, that means those of us in the United States can’t expect to see the hot new handset for at least another month. A bit of a bummer considering all the hype surrounding the phone. Do HTC’s revised plans have any potential buyers out there reconsidering their next smartphone purchase? |
| ZTE Grand X Quad press shots leak Posted: 22 Mar 2013 08:19 AM PDT
How they do it, we can’t say, but @evleaks has yet another pre-release press shot to share with us today. Shown here is the ZTE V987, or Grand X Quad if you’re nasty. Previously associated specs include a 5-inch 720p display, 1.2GHz quad-core processing, and 8MP camera. Throw in dual-SIM support and a 2500mAh battery and you have the makings of ZTE’s next grand smartphone. Well not as grand as the Grand S, but this one is fixing to be a bit cheaper than the more powerful model. And ain’t that just grand? Have I said ‘grand’ enough yet? [via @evleaks] |
| LG reportedly getting in on the Android watch craze, as well Posted: 22 Mar 2013 07:31 AM PDT
The next frontier for mobile is the smart watch. Don’t believe me? Ask Apple. Ask Google. Ask Samsung. Heck, now you can go ask LG, too. A report out of The Korea Times says LG is venturing back into familiar territory with the development of an Android-based smart watch. While little is known about LG’s plans, they company has experience dating back to 2009, when the company showed off a GSM-enabled watch phone. The new concept would obviously incorporate a greater range of functionality thanks to today’s modern mobile operating systems. Speaking of operating systems, while Android is the frontrunner here, Firefox OS wouldn’t be out of the question. Also rumored is a second piece of wearable computing, something said to be more akin to Project Glass. I’m holding out hope for a smart belt buckle or WiFi-enabled boxer shorts. Motorola and HTC, your move. [via The Verge] |
| FCC filing shows mid-range LG LS720 could be headed to Sprint Posted: 22 Mar 2013 07:00 AM PDT
A report from the FCC yesterday outed what is likely the LG Optimus G Pro for AT&T. Today, a filing is showing another LG phone, though it doesn’t look to be as powerful as the handset revealed yesterday. That assumption is based on the phone’s model number. Listed as the LG LS720, it would rank a series or two below the LG E980 that showed in the AT&T filing. The LS720 model number lines up roughly with something more akin to LG’s L Series II line of devices. We could be looking at a variant of the Optimus L7 II. As for where the mid-range device will end up, the FCC tested out the handset for Sprint LTE bands, which could mean an arrival on that network, one of its subsidiaries like Virgin Mobile. [via Engadget] |
| Is this our first look at Google Babble? [LEAK] Posted: 22 Mar 2013 06:08 AM PDT
Is this our first look at Google Babble? According to an anonymous tipster, yes. If anything, the screenshots presented above are a pretty appealing mockup of what we might eventually see from Google’s rumored unified chat service. The app looks like a much more refined version of the Google+ messenger for Android with features like image sharing and even voting streamlined. A pop-out menu gives quick access to certain Google services (for sharing files, events, location, etc.), and it looks like you will be able to pop directly into a video hangout by tapping the button at the top of the chat panel. It looks like a pretty great solution. Could we see it as a keystone feature of Android 5.0 (Key Lime Pie)? What do you guys think? The real deal or a clever mockup? We would take it, either way. [Thanks, anonymous!] |
| ARCHOS GamePad now available in the US for $179 Posted: 22 Mar 2013 05:35 AM PDT
Originally pegged for a February release, the ARCHOS GamePad has gone on sale in the US. Better late than never, right? The Ice Cream Sandwich-powered tablet/gaming handheld hybrid features a 7-inch display, 1.6 GHz dual-core processor with Mali 400MP graphics, and 1GB RAM. The portable only ships with 8GB of internal storage, but features microSD expandability up to 64GB. Dual 1.2MP and 2MP cameras feature on the front and rear respectively. The biggest draw, however, is the GamePad’s built-in controls. Bordering the slate’s display is a full suite of D-pads, buttons, and analog sticks for all the gaming you could dream of. The GamePad comes in at an easy-to-afford price level. $179 gets you the tablet. |
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