Android Community |
- T-Mobile HTC One release date pegged for April 19
- Tumblr releases a new redesigned Holo-inspired Android app
- Virgin Mobile giving T-Mobile switchers a $100 bill credit
- Motorola DROID RAZR HD and more bootloader unlock tool released
- T-Mobile UNcarrier plans coming to Best Buy at end of fiscal year
- Google in talks to buy WhatsApp Messenger for $1 billion
- T-Mobile Galaxy S II Jelly Bean update now available
- AT&T HTC One LTE Review
- HTC Q1 2013 report details weakest ever earnings
- GPS use while driving must be done hands-free in California
- Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and 5.8 specs leak in detail
- Sony Xperia Z expected to arrive with T-Mobile
- Samsung Galaxy Win announced with 4.7″ display and quad-core CPU
- Google Play 4.0 and Babel screenshots leak
- Facebook Home leaks ahead of official launch [UPDATE: Stopped!]
- GameStick Android gaming system shipments delayed
- GolfSense supports Android and will help you improve your golf game
- Android Community Weekly: April 7th, 2013
- Motorola DROID RAZR HD, M, Atrix and more bootloaders finally unlocked
| T-Mobile HTC One release date pegged for April 19 Posted: 08 Apr 2013 11:18 AM PDT The HTC One page on the T-Mobile website hasn’t shown anything new for some time now. In fact, it seems to be showing less these days. Gone are the pre-orders and gone is the mention of getting a $100 credit for participating in the HTC One trade-up program. While we had known the AT&T and Developer Edition of the HTC One was set to begin shipping on April 19 — we now have a date for T-Mobile.
The catch here, we have yet to hear anything direct from the carrier. Instead, the details are coming by way of Best Buy, who also also happen to still be accepting pre-orders for the handset. Anyway, that date is April 19, the same as with AT&T. Best Buy has the T-Mobile branded HTC One priced at $249.99, which will mean a two-year agreement. The full retail price is listed as being $699.99. Basically, with the exception of Verizon Wireless, the HTC One will be available here in the US on April 19. The decision as to which Android handset to purchase next may be a bit easier for those with Big Red, they will have the GALAXY S 4. Those choosing another carrier, say T-Mobile or AT&T will have a decision to make. The GALAXY S 4 is expected in the not-to-distant future, however the one big item we are still missing on that is the reviews. Time will tell how well the GALAXY S 4 stacks up in a review, however we can say the HTC One has been doing rather well. Those looking to do a bit more research may benefit from reading the HTC One review we posted a short while back. And on top of that, the AT&T HTC One review dropped earlier today. So how about it, anyone considering the purchase of an HTC One with T-Mobile? If so, just remember that if you want those new UNcarrier plans, you will need to shop direct with T-Mobile. [via Best Buy] Device Info
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| Tumblr releases a new redesigned Holo-inspired Android app Posted: 08 Apr 2013 11:05 AM PDT Today we have some excellent news for all you Tumblr fans that have been waiting for a better Android experience straight from Tumblr themselves. This afternoon they’ve just released their all-new redesigned and improved app for Android complete with a Holo-inspired user interface and more. Check it out after the break.
With over 100 million blogs and 72 million posts per day Tumblr isn’t slowing down anytime soon. And now things look to only be getting better with a brand new and seriously improved Android app. First off though, sadly it still does not have GIF support – which was basically the only thing we truly wanted anyways right. Using a similar Holo-inspired design guideline the new Tumblr app for Android is smooth, clean, and familiar. Using a flat and simple top bar, with what appears to be a nicer card-style layout for images. Of course you can swipe between tabs, and it finally looks amazing on tablets. All the photos pop out while viewing posts on mobile, and they even have some fancy new animations as well. Being able to post or do anything all from your home screen with the Tumblr Widget is nice, and we can’t forget the ability to seamlessly manage multiple blogs at once. The interface is nice but still seems a bit choppy at times, but the new post animation is a nice touch and gives it that extra polished feel. Get it from the link below and enjoy a brand new Tumblr experience on Android.    [via Tumblr Play Store] |
| Virgin Mobile giving T-Mobile switchers a $100 bill credit Posted: 08 Apr 2013 10:45 AM PDT T-Mobile appears to be under fire from another carrier. In this case, we are talking Virgin Mobile and the newly launched campaign promising a $100 credit for those who make the switch. Similar to what we have recently been seeing from T-Mobile in regards to the total cost of ownership over two-years, Virgin Mobile has offered a comparison using the Galaxy S II as an example.
Given this is coming from Virgin Mobile, there should be little surprise in the fact that they are shown to have the lower cost over the two-year period. In this case, that cost would be $1,320 for Virgin Mobile and $1,440 for T-Mobile. This is based on the T-Mobile plan being $60 per month and the Virgin Mobile plan being $55 per month. This also takes the price of the phone in account, which is $413.99 with T-Mobile and $299.99 with Virgin Mobile. Basically, Virgin Mobile comes out on top in this particular example. That bit aside, those considering a switch will likely want to know the fine print on the $100 credit offer. On that note, this credit will be available for new account activations for those switching from T-Mobile. You will need to signup for a Virgin Mobile account and pay for one months worth of service before May 31, 2013. The credit will then be applied to your account within 30 days. All said and done, we are not sure how many T-Mobile customers should be switching if they are already happy, however on the flip side, if you had been considering leaving — this may be an offer to consider. That said, this all comes from the ‘Retrain your Brain’ campaign which is an odd sort of promo to watch (see above), but one that tells you that change is good. [via Virgin Mobile] |
| Motorola DROID RAZR HD and more bootloader unlock tool released Posted: 08 Apr 2013 10:06 AM PDT Yesterday we reported on some exciting breaking news that the popular Motorola dev @djrbliss had finally cracked the encryption on Motorola’s bootloader, and now we have even better news. It’s available right now! Today he’s released the brand new tool allowing the RAZR HD, MAXX HD, Atrix HD, and RAZR M to all be bootloader unlocked and free from Verizon’s death grip.
For those who have been following along Motorola’s always been tough on this stance, or Verizon we should say – so today is a big day for Motorola device development. Sadly this only works on their latest Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 powered devices, so older DROID Bionic users are still out of luck. For those with a RAZR HD, read on below but use caution. If you’ve taken the latest OTA update to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean from Verizon (in March) you’re out of luck on the RAZR HD. As that hasn’t been rooted. The bootloader unlock method requires a rooted device, which was already a challenge to begin with, but djrbliss has that covered for the other devices. If you haven’t updated to 4.1.2 then you can give this a try today. As always, if you unlock the bootloader on your device you are tossing any warranty out of the window. And obviously opening the device up for potential security risks, but we all know that already. For those eager developers or Android tinkerers this is great news and you can unlock that bootloader right this minute. Instead of breaking down instructions we’ll just direct you to Dan’s site below for further instructions in all its glory. You’ll need to be running a Windows machine with the latest Moto USB drivers, have a rooted Motorola device, and follow his instructions to remove those Motorola and Verizon handcuffs. Give it a try today, use caution, and enjoy! [via Vulnfactory] – Thanks to all who sent this in! |
| T-Mobile UNcarrier plans coming to Best Buy at end of fiscal year Posted: 08 Apr 2013 10:04 AM PDT T-Mobile recently had their UNcarrier event which brought the official unveiling of the new plans. These are dubbed the Simple Choice plans and while the are already available with the carrier, they will not be coming to all third-party retailers just yet. We have yet to see a complete breakdown from T-Mobile on when this can be expected, however we do know that they will not be available with Best Buy for a while.
The details are coming by way of a leaked memo, which is really just to say that we still need to see an official announcement from Best Buy. But in the meantime, lets discuss what this memo is saying. Basically, those Simple Choice plans are not expected to be available with Best Buy until “near the end of the fiscal year.” For those keeping track, we are looking at February 2014 — as in a little less than a year from now. Other details include how Best Buy will only be offering the T-Mobile Classic plans, which means those choosing to get a T-Mobile handset from Best Buy will still be signing a two-year agreement (with T-Mobile). While we would expect this to change and eventually have all retailers offering the Simple Choice plans — for now this seems like a nice sort of loophole. Well, that is assuming you are the type of person that still feels the two-year T-Mobile agreement option is the better deal. The Best Buy memo then gives an example of the difference between the Simple Choice and the Classic plans. The interesting part is that it will be less expensive for the customer to shop direct with T-Mobile. Best Buy uses the Galaxy S III as an example and the total cost over two-years is shown as being $2,229.99 for the Simple Choice plan and $2,389.99 for the Classic plan. Seems that Simple Choice is the better deal, but hey, we suppose just having the option available has to count for something. [via TmoNews] |
| Google in talks to buy WhatsApp Messenger for $1 billion Posted: 08 Apr 2013 09:46 AM PDT The week is already off to a good start with rumors surfacing that Google could be in talks to acquire the extremely popular WhatsApp Messenger service. One of the worst kept secrets lately has been Google’s plan for a unified, cross-platform messenger service called “Babel” and this is just one more piece to the puzzle if it turns out true.
According to reports by Digital Trends, Google is looking for their next billion dollar acquisition, and WhatsApp could be it. The details claim Google has been in talks with WhatsApp for over 4-5 weeks and the purchase could potentially set Google back around $1 billion for the service. Sounds like Google is betting big on messaging moving forward. WhatsApp is one of the biggest messenger services around with roughly 100 million active users on a daily basis, so for Google to get them on board with their chat aspirations would be pretty big. I’m sure that team could really contribute to Google’s plans to take on the unified messenger community by storm. For now we don’t have too many details, or if the deal has even been locked in. However, we’ve seen enough leaks to confirm some sort of messenger service is coming from Google – which likely will be revealed at Google I/O. It remains to be seen if the WhatsApp acquisition will play any part, but we’ll update when we learn more. In the meantime give the app a try if you haven’t already. [via Digital Trends] |
| T-Mobile Galaxy S II Jelly Bean update now available Posted: 08 Apr 2013 09:18 AM PDT Samsung began rolling out Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S II back in February. The good news as of today, that update is now available for those with T-Mobile. The carrier has detailed the update process and two things stand out as needing to be known — the update is large and it is not available over-the-air.
Details coming from T-Mobile note the update as being available only by way of Samsung Kies. The update measures in at 756MB in size, which probably speaks to the reason why the update is not available over-the-air. That speculation aside, the update will bring your Galaxy S II up to Android 4.1.2 and have it sitting with baseband version T989UVMC6. Also, as the update is noted specifically as being “Kies only” we are not expecting an over-the-air option to arrive. That said, those with a Galaxy S II with T-Mobile can now update to the latest release. The carrier didn’t offer a specific changelog for the update, however given we are seeing a jump from Ice Cream Sandwich to Jelly Bean — we know there are certain items you can look forward to seeing as a result. One of those goodies includes Google Now. You will also get the improved notifications which means more information and more options directly from the drop-down notification shade. By this, you will now be able to see the full text of a text message or the full image from an MMS message as well as the recently added ability to reply and archive a Gmail message. Finally, this update will also bring the smoothness that comes along with Project Butter. [via T-Mobile] Device Info
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| Posted: 08 Apr 2013 09:01 AM PDT It’s finally time to work with the HTC One here in the United States. Here with the AT&T version of the HTC One, we’ve got 4G LTE connectivity and a device build that’s essentially identical to the original international edition of the device. What’s changed is the radio inside and the software build – but only ever so slightly. Here you’ve got the addition of a few AT&T-specific apps so you’re running right with big blue – otherwise it’s all sweet!
HTC’s Hero Standing If you have a look at our full HTC One review in its international edition you’ll find it to be an easy call for one of the best Android devices in history. With the AT&T edition, again, it’s the same show. Since you’re not working with a pure vanilla Android experience one way or the other, the difference between a carrier edition and a non-affiliated device is small – and Google did away with the mess that was the Verizon Galaxy Nexus (what with its Verizon pack of influence) this past time around as well – check the T-Mobile edition of the Nexus 4 to see how little an influence they were allowed to have on it.
AT&T 4G LTE Data Speeds Thus is the situation with HTC and their HTC One release. Here you’ve got the same device no matter which carrier its rolling with. Of course you’re not necessarily going to have the same amount of connectivity or the same speed if you go with a carrier with a less-than-reputable history, but here with AT&T you’re guaranteed excellence. We’ve been testing the data speeds of this device that you’ll be able to get your eyeballs on here – have a peek:
If you’d like to see how fast Verizon is going in each of these same locations, you can head to the main gallery below – note that at the moment there’s no confirmation of a real HTC One for Verizon in the works, but anything is possible! Battery Life We’re also rolling out with a couple examples of what a day with the HTC One will be like for you as far as battery life goes. You’ll have an easy time getting through the bulk of your heavy work day with the HTC One from AT&T without needing to plug it in – and as always, keep that display brightness down and work with wi-fi to allow yourself as much energy as possible. Either way, Qualcomm and HTC have done a rather impressive job of making sure you’re not needing to hit the outlet more than once a day – and overnight, if you wish.     Down in the main gallery below you’ll also see the iPhone 5′s competitive numbers in battery life – rather close indeed! AT&T Differentiation As with most AT&T devices working with Android, your set of AT&T-specific apps is not the smallest on the market. You’ll get some cloud storage, sure, and you do get access to TeleNav’s AT&T edition of what’s otherwise called Scout (a fabulous mapping app indeed), but in the end, you can just as easily ignore this friendly family. The difference between the HSPA+ and LTE speeds you’ll get on this device with an AT&T SIM (using the international or AT&T iteration) is certainly worth the extra tiny bother of needing to see this set of apps in your drawer.
The actual device itself appears just as it does internationally – there’s no carrier markings here, just HTC’s own. This is a rather welcome change after the first phase in this mobile smart device market has been all but commanded by the mobile carriers here in the United States. Should the manufacturers keep themselves in the driver’s seat like we’re seeing here, we’ll certainly bee hopeful about our devices avoiding the NASCAR effect – logos everywhere!
Have a peek at what Sense 5.0 will be bringing you no matter which version of the HTC One you’ve got – up close and personal! Hardware / Cost This device remains the greatness with a 4.7-inch display at 1080p Full HD, the most dense display on the market today by just a few PPI (468 PPI to be exact). You’ll be working with any of the three storage sizes here on AT&T, be it 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB internal storage for prices that reflect said massiveness. The 16GB iteration will cost you $199 USD, the 32GB will run you $249.99, and the 64GB edition will be $299.99 – grab em all!
Camera This device also has a fabulous UltraPixel camera – don’t be fooled by the 4-Megapixel postings you see here and there – it’s off the charts with quality. Learn more about UltraPixel quality now in a real clear explanation and again, head back to our original HTC One review for all the examples you can handle. This device also has a rather nice 2.1 megapixel front-facing camera with a wide-angle lens that’ll bust your eyes open with quality. Each of the following photos were taken by the AT&T HTC One:       The video example here was filmed by Vincent Nguyen when we had our trip down to the New York International Auto Show with SlashGear – hot stuff! HTC BoomSound Stereo Speakers One of the biggest surprises you’ll find on this device is the correctly-situated HTC BoomSound stereo speakers. You’ve literally got two sets of speakers on this device, and they’re both facing forward. This is another move being made in the mobile market on many great devices that’ll have the future baffled – why did anyone ever make a smartphone or tablet with speakers facing your hand? This makes so much more sense! And this setup will require that you never have your speakers on full blast – people will think you’ve got a full-fledged boombox on your hands.
Wrap-up This device is the same excellent smartphone we had a look at several weeks ago – with AT&T you’re only getting a device that’s better suited for your USA experience, 4G LTE and all! This smartphone is easily one of the best if not THE best handset of the market today, and with AT&T, you’ll have the option to grab it in the largest size available – 64GB of internal storage, more than you’ll ever use – go big! Have a peek at our timeline of HTC One hands-on and feature articles for more information on this device, and don’t forget to let us know if you’ve got any questions on how it functions! This machine is tops without a doubt!                            |
| HTC Q1 2013 report details weakest ever earnings Posted: 08 Apr 2013 08:49 AM PDT While HTC had been holding out high hopes for the One, it seems the release delays have taken their toll on the first quarter earnings. In fact, HTC has posted the Q1 2013 results and they are the weakest they have even been. The report is showing HTC as having a net profit of 85m Taiwanese (roughly $2.85 million US), however looking at previous earnings reports and things were way down.
HTC had posted a net profit of NT$1 billion (roughly $34 million) during the fourth quarter of last year. Of course, based on what we saw in that Q4 2012 earnings report, this isn’t coming with all that much in terms of surprise. Some of the other highlights from the current quarterly report include a posted revenue of NT$42.8 billion, an unaudited operating income of NT$43 million, a net income before tax of NT$103 million and a net income after tax of NT$85 million. Touching back on the release of the One though, and we may have things looking up come the next quarter. Well, that is assuming we do not see any further release delays. The One is expected to arrive in the US at the end of April with pre-orders having already begun with AT&T and also for the unlocked developer edition. US release aside, there is also the European and Asia-Pacific release that we should aware of. Time will tell how the future earnings reports for HTC will look, however for now we are looking to see how well the One will do as compared to the GALAXY S 4. After all, both handsets are hitting (here in the US) at just about the same time. Simply put, instead of HTC having the One out in advance giving customers a clear choice, they are now being put in a position of having to decide which handset to pick. While Samsung may have an edge given their large user base, the HTC One has been getting fairly nice reviews. [via HTC] |
| GPS use while driving must be done hands-free in California Posted: 08 Apr 2013 07:52 AM PDT It seems pretty well understood that you should not text or talk while driving, however with the full-featured smartphones that we are using these days — that still leaves plenty of other features. You have the option to use your smartphone as a media player and also navigation to name a few. But now it seems that the not talking or texting while driving is turning into a case of do not pick up your phone at all while driving.
Thinking of things in that manner, random feature that you happen to be using aside — holding a phone and looking at a display certainly makes it hard to have your attention on driving and your eyes on the road. The good news here today, it seems I can avoid my own rant on the topic because a California appeals court recently ruled that you can use your phone while driving, however it needs to be completely hands-free. Simply put, you must use (or learn to use) the hands-free features on your phone in order to be in compliance with the law. That could be as simple as voice controls or as deep as actually integrating your smartphone into your cars system so you can use the steering wheel or on-dash controls to make adjustments. How you choose to proceed is up to you, but in this case, this ruling stems from an incident that happened in January 2012. In this instance it seems a driver was pulled over for using the GPS on his phone while driving. We should clarify, he was holding the phone in this instance. Said driver then challenged the ticket citing that the law specifically mentioned texting and talking while driving. Needless to say, if you are in California you can now expect to get a ticket for using any feature on your phone while you are driving (if you are holding your phone). For those outside of California, regardless of whether you can get a ticket, it is still not a safe thing to do. [via SlashGear] |
| Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and 5.8 specs leak in detail Posted: 08 Apr 2013 07:06 AM PDT This isn’t the first time we are hearing about the yet-to-be announced Galaxy Mega smartphones, however as of today it is looking like we have a full and complete set of specs for this pair of smartphones. The handsets include the Galaxy Mega 6.3 and the slightly smaller, but still oversized Galaxy Mega 5.8. Diving right in with the newly updated specs, lets begin with the Mega 6.3. This handset, as implied by the name, will bring a 6.3-inch display.
Specs for the Mega 6.3 include a dual-core 1.7GHz processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 2 megapixel front-facing camera and 8 megapixel rear-facing camera. In addition, the handset is expected to arrive with a 3200 mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and measurements of 88 x 167.6 x 7.9mm. Further details on the Mega 6.3 include the handset launching in two models and in two colors. The models include one with LTE and one without with the colors being black and white. Moving over to the Galaxy Mega 5.8 and we are looking at a handset with a 5.8-inch qHD display at 960 x 540, dual-core 1.4GHz processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 2 megapixel front-facing camera and an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera. The Mega 5.3 also looks to have a 2600 mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and measurements of 88 x 164 x 9.7mm. Both Galaxy Mega handsets will be running Jelly Bean at launch with a possibility of that being Android 4.1.2 or 4.2.2. The previous Galaxy Mega leak included some details in terms of when we may expect to see these handsets available. We haven’t seen anything new on the Galaxy Mega 5.8, however the Galaxy Mega 6.3 is now said to be coming in week 20, which is a little over a month earlier than previously expected. The Galaxy Mega 5.8 was previously said to be coming in week 22, which would be the end of May. [via SamMobile] |
| Sony Xperia Z expected to arrive with T-Mobile Posted: 08 Apr 2013 06:37 AM PDT Some newly surfaced rumors are calling for T-Mobile to release a relatively new Sony smartphone. That handset is the Sony Xperia Z and according to the details that have been shared up until now, the handset is currently in a testing period with T-Mobile. The key here, the handset is being tested and that bit alone means it may never show up for sale.
Basically, the folks at TmoNews are reporting they have ‘confirmed’ these details by way of three separate sources. Judging from the multiple source bit, it seems likely to believe this is actually happening. Needless to say, those sources have said the Xperia Z is being tested — as opposed to released. Of course, assuming the testing period goes well and Sony and T-Mobile can agree on the fine print, a release then seems likely. There was also some clarification that this is indeed the Zperia Z and not the Xperia ZL which recently came available for purchase here in the US. The US variant of the Xperia ZL is available unlocked and direct from Sony, however it does have support for the 1700MHz band which means T-Mobile LTE. Anyway, back to the Xperia Z.
This handset should arrive with a familiar set of specs. That is to say the Xperia Z will be running Jelly Bean with hardware to include a 5-inch (1920 x 1080) display, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor, Adreno 320 GPU, 2 megapixel front-facing camera and 13 megapixel rear-facing camera. The Xperia Z is also water resistant for up to 30 minutes, a bit that was shown to us when we spent some hands-on time with the handset. [via TmoNews] Device Info
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| Samsung Galaxy Win announced with 4.7″ display and quad-core CPU Posted: 08 Apr 2013 06:18 AM PDT We saw a bit of detail on the Galaxy Win last week, however as of today it looks like Samsung has offered up some official details. The details include a full set of specs, however some of the key points remain a mystery at this point. Basically, that is to say that Samsung has yet to say anything in terms of pricing and an availability date. Not to mention, which markets would have the Galaxy Win available.
The one clue Samsung did offer was stating the Galaxy Win would be available in “markets” — as in more than one. The key with that is the Galaxy Win will be available in a single-SIM and a dual-SIM model and the release for each would be dependent on the market. Otherwise, the Galaxy Win will also ship in two different colors giving users the option to pick from Ceramic White or Titan Gray. Colors and SIM support aside, the Galaxy Win brings Android 4.1 Jelly Bean along with a 4.7-inch (800 x 480) WVGA display, quad-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, 2000 mAh battery and 5 megapixel rear-facing camera. Other goodies for the handset include a VGA quality front-facing camera, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS and the usual array of sensors including an accelerometer. Hardware aside, the Galaxy Win will also have the ‘Easy Mode’ which is described as a “simple and intuitive homescreen mode.” The handset will also have Smart Alert which gives you alerts for missed items when you pick up the phone as well as the Motion UX which allows users to control functions such as Mute, Refresh and Update with motion controls. Bottom line, the Galaxy Win has been officially announced, now Samsung just needs to fill in the where, when and how much. [via Samsung Tomorrow] |
| Google Play 4.0 and Babel screenshots leak Posted: 08 Apr 2013 06:07 AM PDT Over the last month or so, we have seen several leaks turn up showing what the new Google Play 4.0 store will look like. Along with the leak about the Google Play 4.0 store has also been leaks of a new chat service called Babel. Babel is the name believed to be tied to Google’s new unified chat service.
A small screenshot turned up showing a new search bar from someone’s e-mail that has text reading that “All conversations have been moved to the trash. Because one or more are part of a Babel chat, these messages is still available in other Babel chat applications.” There are a few more details of Babel to share. Some links previously called this service Babbel. According to reports, employees are being told that they will be able to access the same conversation list from anywhere. There will be a new conversation-based user interface and there will be advanced group conversations capable. The app will support group conversations, the ability to send pictures, and improved notifications across devices.
Along with the leaked Babel chat screenshot also comes screenshot of Google Play 4.0. No details offered along with the single Google Late screenshot you see above. If you look closely, you will notice that the little shopping bag beside the Google Play logo has a picture of a dog bowl with bone hinting that is app was only meant to be seen by employees, commonly known as the dogfooding. [via Droid-Life] |
| Facebook Home leaks ahead of official launch [UPDATE: Stopped!] Posted: 08 Apr 2013 05:57 AM PDT We already know pretty much everything there is to know about Facebook Home. We know what features it will bring and we know that it will launch on April 12. If you’re interested in trying out Facebook Home, and you don’t want to wait until the 12th to do it three APKs have leaked that will allow you to install Facebook Home at your own risk.
UPDATE: Facebook appears to have shut this leak down at the server side – you’ll be seeing more than a couple blank, black screens when you log in with this set of downloads now. Better search for a new way in, or we’ll be waiting until the 12th! The leaked APKs are said to be from a pre-release version of the HTC First smartphone. There are some indications that the software is buggy and incomplete at this time. One feature that’s not working is called Chat Heads. It could be that the Chat Heads software requires some sort support from Facebook’s backend that isn’t working at this time.
The software has been leaked in a series of three APKs, each including a portion of Facebook Home. The leaked APKs include the main Facebook app, the SMS messenger app called orca, and the home/launcher shell. Clearly, installing software is going to be a full manual proposition and you could brick your device using the software. If you are able to get the three APKs installed, let us know what you think. If you’d rather wait until the real software is available, we only have a few days until that happens. [via SlashGear] |
| GameStick Android gaming system shipments delayed Posted: 08 Apr 2013 05:18 AM PDT We’ve talked about the GameStick Android gaming system on a few occasions. This device is an Android-powered stick that plugs directly into your TV allowing you to play Android video games on your big-screen. The little plug-in stick is paired with a full-size video game controller.
The developers of the GameStick raised the money needed for production via Kickstarter and the device will begin shipping with two video games that are ready to go right out of the box. Those included video games are Shadowgun and Smash Cops. Word has surfaced today that the GameStick shipments have been delayed. The manufacturers of the device have informed backers of the device who pledged money on Kickstarter that they won’t receive their devices until late June. The GameStick was originally planned to ship this month. According to the company behind the product, the reason for the delay has to do with its incredible popularity. The manufacturer says that expected to make 1000 units using silicon molds. However, the company says it received 5000 orders for the console along with orders from brick-and-mortar stores and was forced to reconsider its manufacturing method. The manufacturer says that to produce as many consoles as it has sold required “much higher-end tooling” and that tooling is currently being made in Germany and China. Another potential hitch for people who already paid money for one of these consoles is that originally the people behind the GameStick had planned to ship the consoles via air freight. However, the manufacturer says that the volume was too high for to afford airfreight and it will now ship consoles via slower methods. [via The Verge] |
| GolfSense supports Android and will help you improve your golf game Posted: 08 Apr 2013 05:07 AM PDT I don’t have a golfing bone in my body, I can’t even play putt putt golf. If you are an avid golfer and Android user, a device called GolfSense is available to support your Android smartphone or other device to help you improve your golf game. The device is a sensor that you wear on your glove that sends data about your golf swing to your smartphone.
The small sensor weighs about half an ounce and has the capability to measure various things about your golf swing including acceleration, velocity, tempo, position, and posture. The sensor is also able to sample data at over 1000 times per second. Despite the small size and low price of the sensor system, the manufacturer says it’s accuracy is very close to that of much more expensive Doppler and laser systems. As the golfer performs their swing, the sensor, which is worn on the Velcro strap of your glove, sends data directly to the smartphone application. The application is able to take that data and provide in-depth analysis about the golf swing. Sensor data can also be stored for comparison at later date. The sensor data is able to show you how to improve your golf swing. According to the manufacturer, the app can tell you if your backswing is too slow, if you’re hitting the ball too early, or if you’re decelerating before impact. The sensor is offered in black or white colors and is available now for $129.99. [via SlashGear] |
| Android Community Weekly: April 7th, 2013 Posted: 07 Apr 2013 02:45 PM PDT With an exciting past few weeks in the world of Android we’re back with the Android Community Weekly. From leaked smartphones, HTC, Facebook and more we have everything you’ve missed this week in Android news. Obviously the star of the week was Facebook, but that isn’t all that happened so catch up on everything you’ve missed below.
We have to start with HTC and Facebook, well, because they had the biggest of announcements this week. For one Facebook announced their “new home on Android” called Facebook Home. It’s essentially a deeply integrated launcher replacement that takes over your smartphone, but the verdict is still out on how it’ll be. It hits the streets April 12th on the Play Store. At the same time, April 12th HTC is also releasing the very first “facebook Phone” called the HTC first. Check it out in our hands-on right here!
Probably the biggest news out of all of the Facebook and HTC gibberish is the fact that under Facebook Home, the HTC first runs completely stock Android 4.1 Jelly Bean — and here’s how to get it. Not bad for $99 right folks? While we’re on HTC some leaks have appeared with a device being called the HTC M4, which is like the HTC first without the Facebook. Get some! Updates, now lets talk about updates. ASUS issued Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for the Transformer Pad Infinity as they continue to be the fastest to update their tablets these days. AT&T’s LG Optimus G also got Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which is nice. One big part of Android 4.2 is Google Now, and that also received a sizable update with tons of new features. Now for the speed round. Verizon’s CEO claimed he’d consider dropping 2-year contracts – but I’ll believe it when pigs fly. An awesome new Holo-themed Twitter client hit the streets called Robird, the DROID Bionic is getting Jelly Bean soon and more. Then getting in at the last minute, Motorola’s bootloader encryption was finally cracked. Hurrah! Oh, and Android is still the top smartphone platform hitting nearly 52%. Enjoy the rest of the weekend folks! |
| Motorola DROID RAZR HD, M, Atrix and more bootloaders finally unlocked Posted: 07 Apr 2013 12:40 PM PDT We know what you’re all thinking. Isn’t April Fools Day already over? Well, today we have what could be some amazing news for all those Motorola fans, and the Android Community as a whole. It appears that some developers have finally cracked Motorola’s encrypted bootloaders and have unlocked the Motorola Atrix HD, RAZR HD and more. About darn time!
For those unaware, Motorola’s just about the only manufacturer that locks down their devices so tight. And they’ve been the only outstanding devices that we haven’t been able to tap into. According to reports flooding our inbox this morning developer djrbliss has finally done it, and they have a few pictures as proof. Motorola’s bootloader has finally been cracked for many of their recent devices. Those include the DROID RAZR HD, RAZR MAXX HD, Atrix HD, RAZR M, and you guys should all be getting excited right about now. This just made the MAXX HD look a lot better. Give me a version of CM10.1 on it and I’ll be happy. According to reports, and over at Droidrzr.com there’s been multiple successful unlocks already. Sadly older devices like the Bionic won’t be able to enjoy this, only the newer smartphones.
We’ve had a few methods in the past, but for years Motorola’s encryption has been locking down their phones, hopefully that’s about to change. The exact details on the method or how it was achieved haven’t been released, but once they perfect it you can bet it will be available to everyone to try. Possibly by the end of the weekend. This is amazing news, and the first step to truly allowing the enthusiast community to enjoy Motorola’s smartphones. We’ll update the minute we learn more details so stay tuned. Get ready to unlock that RAZR HD! [via Droid-Life] |
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