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- Sprint and T-Mobile both delay Galaxy S 4 retail launch
- Featured Android Game Review: Blood Runner [Arcade & Action]
- Swype officially out of beta and now available in the Play Store
- For the beginner: How to set the Galaxy S 4 to Easy Mode
- HTC One receives update to improve UltraPixel camera performance
- Lenovo Ideaphone K900 available May 6th in China
- Google X device running Android 5.0.1 shows up in AnTuTu Benchmarks
- How to set up and use Smart Pause and Smart Scroll on the Samsung Galaxy S 4
- How to set up and use Air View and Air Gestures on the Samsung Galaxy S 4
- Samsung Galaxy S 4 initial setup and changes to TouchWiz
| Sprint and T-Mobile both delay Galaxy S 4 retail launch Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:58 AM PDT
Well, looks like HTC isn’t the only one who is going to experience supply problems with their flagship device this year. According to some emails sent out this morning, Sprint will not carry the Galaxy S 4 in retail stores this Saturday like originally planned, due to “unexpected inventory challenges from Samsung.” The silver lining is that Sprint still expects to offer the device via online orders and phone sales, but if you were planning on waiting outside your local Sprint store when it opens, you’re out of luck. And when it rains, it pours, of course, as T-Mobile has said they’ll have to push back their online availability of the device as well. Online availability is expected Monday, April 29th, with select stores to receive the handsets on May 8th and full retail availability by May 15th. Even with all of these delays, Sprint and T-Mobile will still likely have the S 4 on shelves before Verizon, though.
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| Featured Android Game Review: Blood Runner [Arcade & Action] Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:43 AM PDT
If you’re looking for a new tunnel racing game, you might want to check out Blood Runner. There are plenty of these types of game available in the Play Store, but FlatCoder has created something unique. In this game you play a miniaturized criminal agent, but you won’t be racing in an apocalyptic or futuristic city. No, that’s for amateurs. In Blood Runner, you will be racing in the human body. Yup, you read that right. You will be racing inside the veins of the body, which means you will need to avoid obstacles like blood cells. It’s your job to control the target host and your only link to the outside world is Clive from “the agency.” He will tell you what you need to do at each level such as plant a micro cam in the Cornea while the host is in REM sleep or drop an audio relay in the inner ear. There are 12 levels in all that will take you to just about every vein in the body, inside a cell nucleus, around the heart, the inner ear, the lungs, and so much more. You will have to avoid obstacles, but you will also be racing against time. Thankfully you will find some power ups that can give you more time or improve your health. You will also have a freeze weapon that you can use sparingly.
Controlling your ship can be done with an on-screen touchpad or by tilting the device. I found the controls to be good when moving horizontally, but found it very difficult when moving vertically. It just takes a little getting used to. You will also find buttons for acceleration, your freeze weapon, and to change from cockpit or first person view. You can also reset the tilt if you’re using the accelerometer option. As I mentioned, you’re running against time, but you also need to watch your health. Too much damage and you’re done. Your destination could be anywhere so you will need to rely on your compass to help you decide what direction to go in. An arrow above you tells you in which direction the destination is and you will find a distance indicator at the bottom of the display. Bloodrunner is pretty challenging and at times confusing, but it’s very addicting. The only real gripe I have is that you can’t replay the levels you previously conquered, and if the game closes, it starts back at level one again. The full game costs $1.52, but you can grab the Free version that is limited to the first four levels. Check out my hands video below as well as the trailer, and hit one of the download links to get started. As always, let me know what you think.
        Click here to view the embedded video. Click here to view the embedded video. Play Store Download Link – Free Play Store Download Link – Paid
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| Swype officially out of beta and now available in the Play Store Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:11 AM PDT
After many years and countless betas, Swype is officially official and now live in the Play Store. In case you’re not familiar— Swype is a keyboard alternative for Android devices that gives users the option to enter words onto a device’s screen either by the standard method of typing, talking or well… swyping letters to make words on the screen. The release of Swype also comes jam-packed with features such as Living Language which updates your phone’s dictionary with the latest words that all the young kids use, Next Word Prediction which helps to complete your sentences and lots of keyboard themes to choose from. Oh and you tablet users out there don’t fret— the makers of Swype included 3 different tablet modes to choose from which helps to make life just a little easier for you— especially if you’re on a behemoth of a tablet. As part of the app’s official release, Nuance Communications is offering the app in the Play Store for a mere 99 cents— but for a limited time only. So those of you Froyo+ smartphone and tablet users who have been itching to try a sweet keyboard alternative have no excuse not to try it out today.
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| For the beginner: How to set the Galaxy S 4 to Easy Mode Posted: 24 Apr 2013 06:14 AM PDT
Smartphones are filled with so many features and options that even the tech savvy person has a hard time keeping up with it all. So you can imagine what a beginner or someone who is very uncomfortable with technology must feel like. Samsung has what’s called Easy Mode and it’s one of the most underrated features the Galaxy S 4 offers. It’s for the person who really wants things to be simple. Maybe your Mom, Dad, or Grandparent would like a phone such as the GS4, but just doesn’t want to deal with all the fuss. This is exactly why Easy Mode was created. It’s already been available on the Galaxy S III, but Samsung has simplified it even more. Easy Mode only has three home screens. The main home screen has non removable widgets for the time, date, and weather. You will also find six apps to choose from that have much larger icons. The left home screen is dedicated to calling. You can select up to nine contacts to set as favorites and you can open the phone app, which includes the keypad, call logs, and contacts. The right home screen includes 9 apps that you can customize to whatever you want. You still have an app drawer as well, but all apps are spelled out and in alphabetical order. The settings menu is also simplified as well as the camera interface.
We showed you in our initial setup guide how to select Easy Mode when turning on the Galaxy S 4 for the first time. but you can still get to it from your main settings. Just swipe down the notification area, select the gear icon for settings, then go to the “My device” tab and select “Home screen mode.” You will see two options at the top: Standard Mode and Easy Mode. “Standard Mode” should already be selected so you want to tap on “Easy Mode” to change it. Now tap “Apply” at the bottom and you will get a popup telling you that whatever customizations you made in “Standard Mode” will still be there if and when you go back. Tap “OK” and you will now be in Easy Mode. It’s really quite simple and returning to the standard mode is just as easy. We put together a video tutorial showing you how it’s done as well as how Easy Mode works. Check it out below. Click here to view the embedded video.
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| HTC One receives update to improve UltraPixel camera performance Posted: 24 Apr 2013 06:12 AM PDT
Looks like that update we told you about for the HTC One is good to go. HTC just announced an update (version 1.29.401.13) for the European model that concentrates on the UltraPixel camera with many fixes. It includes improvements for sound captures with Zoe, noise reduction for slow motion movie captures, better color reproduction and dynamic range for non-HDR images in certain conditions, and corrections to EXIF information when ISO settings are manually changed. Those of you with a European model should expect to see the update this week. If you have a carrier version, expect a rather long delay especially if you’re in the U.S. Don’t forget to check out our guide on the HTC One camera as well as how to utilize Zoes and video highlights. source: Pocket-Lint
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| Lenovo Ideaphone K900 available May 6th in China Posted: 24 Apr 2013 05:56 AM PDT
Do you remember back in March when we told you of the leaked launch date and pricing for Lenovo’s new Intel powered Ideaphone K900? What about when it showed up in benchmarks barely beating the Samsung Galaxy S 4? It looks like China is going to start selling it on May 6th, however we don’t have any pricing for the device, nor do we know if it will ever make it out of China as of yet. The Lenovo Ideaphone runs on Intel’s Atom Clover Trail+ processor clocked at 2 GHz, has a full HD 5.5 inch screen, 16 GB of storage and a 2500 mAh battery that charges in just 90 minutes. The device runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, and has Wireless Display which is a feature that allows the user to play media on the TV without, you guessed it, wires. The specs just keep coming, it is 6.9 mm thick, and has the same 13 megapixel camera that can be found in the Sony Xperia Z. I don’t know about you, but I would really like to see this phone in my region some time soon. Would you buy this if it came to your area? Source: GSM insider
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| Google X device running Android 5.0.1 shows up in AnTuTu Benchmarks Posted: 24 Apr 2013 05:50 AM PDT
Well here’s something interesting for a Wednesday morning. A Google X device has appeared in the AnTuTu Benchmark database. Since this phone is made by Motorola, we have been referring to it as the Motorola X. Could Google brand the phone themselves? Seems unlikely to me, but it’s anyone’s guess at this point. Just like any screenshot, we don’t have any proof that it’s real, so take it with a grain of salt. Other notables on the screenshot is that it’s running Android 5.0.1, which is expected to be Key Lime Pie. There is also a score of 15,479, which doesn’t scream flagship or high-end, but the emphasis is supposed to be on the camera from what we gather. Whether the screenshot is real or fake, you be the judge, but the phone definitely exists. We just hope to see it at Google I/O, but the latest news is that we won’t. Stay tuned because this freight train is just getting started. source: GSMInsider
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| How to set up and use Smart Pause and Smart Scroll on the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:00 AM PDT
Samsung introduced Smart Pause and Smart Scroll with the latest version of TouchWiz (based on Android 4.2.2) on the Samsung Galaxy S 4. Sometimes when you’re watching a video, you need to look away at something else. Wouldn’t it be nice if the video paused automatically? That’s exactly what Smart Pause does, and when you return to looking down at the video, it will continue playing from where it left off. It’s pretty nifty when it works, but I found that it’s very dependent on light. You can forget it working in the dark, but I found it didn’t want to work in average light either. Smart Scroll works with emails and web pages. When you read a webpage, you will eventually get to the bottom of your display. You have two choices: Either swipe up to reveal more information or let Smart Scroll do it for you. This one is pretty spotty as well depending on how you set it up. Both of these features are found in the quick on/off toggles found in the notification shade, but you will need to fine tune your settings, especially Smart Scroll since it can work by either tilting your head or the device. Just hit the break for a video showing you how it’s done and how both features work.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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| How to set up and use Air View and Air Gestures on the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Posted: 23 Apr 2013 11:00 PM PDT
Samsung introduced a slew of new features as part of TouchWiz (based on Android 4.2.2) on the Samsung Galaxy S 4. This guide will discuss Air View and Air Gestures, which are all about using your finger or hand to be more productive. Air View was first seen on the Galaxy Note II, but you needed an S Pen. Now you can hover your finger over emails to read the text without actually opening it, and you can see the pictures in a folder without actually tapping it. You can even use your finger as a magnifying glass in the stock browser. Air Gestures will let you navigate by just the use of your hand. Instead of swiping your finger from picture to picture in your gallery, you can wave your hand instead. You can even answer your phone without picking it up. You will find quick on/off toggles for both Air View and Air Gestures in your notification pull down, but you might need to fine tune the settings a little. Just hit the break for our video showing you how to set them up and how to use them.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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| Samsung Galaxy S 4 initial setup and changes to TouchWiz Posted: 23 Apr 2013 08:59 PM PDT
When you first turn on any Android phone, there are always a few things to set up like your Gmail account and location settings. The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is a little different since there are so many new features with the latest version of TouchWiz. To help users, Samsung added a quick settings menu that will appear during your initial setup of the device. This is where you will be able to turn on or off specific things like Air View, Air Gesture, Smart Scrolling, and so on. You will also have the opportunity to learn about each feature as well. This video guide we will show you the initial setup process as well as tell you about the major changes with TouchWiz. Most of what you have been used to in the past will be the same, but Samsung added some enhancements like an improved power toggle menu, a newer look to the settings menu, a brand new sidebar for multitasking, and a new quick launch menu as part of the stock Browser. We won’t get into the major software features in this guide, just the changes to the TouchWiz user interface for now. Don’t worry, we have plenty of guides planned, so keep an eye out. Hit the break for the full video walkthrough. Click here to view the embedded video.
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