Android Central |
- Halo feature from Paranoid Android team demoed in video
- Mystery Motorola device leaked with AT&T apps on board, labeled XFON
- Mophie Juice Pack for the HTC One
- Angry Birds Friends flies into the Play Store
- Instagram adds account tagging, 'Photos of You' album
- Verizon Galaxy Note II getting Android 4.1.2 today
- Zappos improves payment and account management in latest update
- HTC One $100 trade-in deal back until May 5
- Samsung 9,000 mAh external battery pack - lots of juice for lots of dollars
- Deal of the Day: LLOYD HD Clear Screen Protectors for Samsung Galaxy S3
- Beautiful Widgets launches free version
- Wil Wheaton recovery roots your HTC One, saves the ship, rolls eyes at adults
- HTC posts Q1 2013 financial results
- AT&T Optimus G Pro hands-on
- Monday Brief: On a Wednesday!
- TripAdvisor refines interface, adds currency switching
- WeatherBug refreshes user interface in latest update
| Halo feature from Paranoid Android team demoed in video Posted: 02 May 2013 03:34 PM PDT Facebook's Chat Heads feature taken to the next level with the Halo modFor many folks, half the fun of having an Android phone or tablet is hacking the daylights out of it. For the average user, that means installing custom tweaks and ROMs. For the developer types, though, it means something different. They get inside things, and twist everything around until they get it all the way they like. Here's a great example of that. The folks hard at work on the Paranoid Android ROM have been teasing a new feature, and today we get a four-minute glimpse of Halo. Think Chat Heads on steroids. It's an entirely new way of handling notifications, and it looks pretty slick. Trun it on from the status bar, and your notifications appear in a small circular icon and flyout. Tap said icon, and whatever you might be doing will pause, and a small version of the application that gave you a notification will open, allowing you to respond appropriately. There's no public release available yet, but word is you'll soon be able to try it yourself. We'll keep an eye out for this one. Thanks, David! 
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| Mystery Motorola device leaked with AT&T apps on board, labeled XFON Posted: 02 May 2013 02:41 PM PDT
Habitual leakers @evleaks have popped out yet another unannounced phone, but one we may have seen beforeWe're all waiting to see what Google and Motorola show the world this year. We've got high expectations, and a little solid information about the companies goals, but nothing firm about the Android devices they will certainly bring to the table. While plenty of rumors and (often silly) speculation about the X Phone project are everywhere, here's one that's a bit more down to earth -- with pictures. Looking very much like the mysterious Motorola phone we saw from Vietnam last month, todays leak has AT&T plastered all over it. Ignoring the AT&T carrier logo in the status bar (that's written based on the SIM card you're using), we can spy a couple of AT&T applications in the app drawer and the LTE icon matches what AT&T has been using for quite a while. The device is in some sort of "fake" shell so we don't get a very good look at things, but a second picture (find it after the break) shows what looks like a carbon fiber back plate -- something we're used to seeing from Motorola -- and the words XFON ATT used for the model number. Could this be the X Phone so many are waiting for? Source: @evleaks 
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| Mophie Juice Pack for the HTC One Posted: 02 May 2013 01:30 PM PDT
Mophie's usual quality shines through with this HTC One battery case, but you've got to be prepared for a major increase in sizeLet's get this out of the way: The Mophie Juice Pack takes the svelte HTC One and bulks it up. A lot. It's a big case full of battery -- 2,500 mAh, to be precise -- that takes an already lanky phone, makes it even taller and fills it out like a blogger at a buffet. You need to know this before hefting this the Juice Pack. But those of use who have used the Juice Packs before know that this is the trade-off for having a combination case and battery, an amalgamation that was made popular by the iPhone and has become that much more important as more phone manufacturers seal the batteries inside. And now we've got a Mophie Juice Pack for the HTC One. Our thoughts, after the break. 
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| Angry Birds Friends flies into the Play Store Posted: 02 May 2013 12:12 PM PDT
Fling various birds at pigs in structures... now with your friendsJust as we expected, Angry Birds Friends hit the Play Store this morning as a free download, ready for you to challenge your Facebook friends to some intense tournaments. If you haven't played the browser-based version yet, the concept is pretty simple. You have access to all of the varieties of birds you know and love, but now you compete with your friends to make the highest score every round. There are weekly challenges with new levels in each, as well as individual challenges with friends for trophies, and various ways to brag to your friends about how well you're doing. This is going to require a Facebook login (no way around that), but if you're interested in mixing up your Angry Birds play time this may be a good way to go. You can grab a download of the game for free from the Play Store at the link above, or if you need a refresher on your Angry Birds skills there are plenty of previous versions to choose from. The app has just now hit the Amazon Appstore in several countries as well, so those of you on a Kindle Fire can grab your free download at the source link below. More: Amazon Appstore 
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| Instagram adds account tagging, 'Photos of You' album Posted: 02 May 2013 11:39 AM PDT
Remember everything about a photo by tagging friends involvedInstagram has updated its app to v3.5 today bringing the notable feature of photo tagging to both Android and iOS concurrently. While hashtags have been a staple of posting on Instagram, you can now choose to tag any of your friends in photos as well. After you're done taking, cropping and applying filters to a photo, tapping a tag button lets you select people (or items) in the picture to mark as those people. You can add any of your friends, but also other accounts you follow such as a restaurant or a sports team. Only the person who took the photo can tag others, which helps keep spam down considerably. On the other side, if someone tags you in a photo it will now show up in your profile as "Photos of You" for you -- or anyone else -- to see all in one place. If you would prefer to review each tag before it is posted publicly, you can change your settings to prevent unwanted tags. The update is now live in the Play Store, so go grab your download from the link at the top of this post. More: Instagram 
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| Verizon Galaxy Note II getting Android 4.1.2 today Posted: 02 May 2013 11:04 AM PDT
If you've got a Verizon Galaxy Note 2, you should now have an update to Android 4.1.2 waiting for you. Thanks to Roustermiller in the Android Central forums, we have the build.prop information:
Head over to the update thread for changes posted as they are found. We'll update this post when we get more information from Verizon. And here's the full changelog:
Source: Verizon (pdf); More: Android Central Forums 
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| Zappos improves payment and account management in latest update Posted: 02 May 2013 10:07 AM PDT
Quickly view orders and edit payment information from your phoneZappos has just released its v3.0 update in the Play Store with a few welcomed back-end features to help the experience of shopping on a mobile device. While most of the interface remains unchanged save for a few minor usability tweaks, the real improvements can be found in the "My Account" settings. With the latest update, you can now add and edit any aspect of both payment methods and shipping addresses associated with your account, so they're ready to go the next time you need to make a purchase quickly.
Credit cards can also now be simply nicknamed and color-coded to make sure you never make the wrong choice when checking out. The order history page has also received a facelift, with easy to browse icons of the items that make it easier to find what you're looking for. When you add together all of these small account-related improvements, the process of checking out and shipping items just got a whole lot easier. Grab your download or update to the Zappos app from the Play Store link above. More: Zappos 
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| HTC One $100 trade-in deal back until May 5 Posted: 02 May 2013 08:02 AM PDT
Get a second chance at $100 (or more) with trade-in, no preorder requiredIn February, HTC started a promotion for those that preordered the HTC One: trade-in a qualifying old smartphone, and get at least $100 back with proof of purchase. This required a unique pre-registration code that HTC sent out upon preordering. Those that missed HTC's original offer now get another shot at the $100 Visa gift card (up to $375 based on trade-in value). This second chance at the money back promotion is good for this weekend only (May 2 - May 5). Instead of unique codes given to each customer, HTC is giving out a universal code for anyone to use. To qualify, follow these three steps:
This offer is good for phones purchased through U.S. carriers or national retails stores only. If you've been looking for an excuse to pickup a One, now's your chance. 
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| Samsung 9,000 mAh external battery pack - lots of juice for lots of dollars Posted: 02 May 2013 07:17 AM PDT
Here's a quick look at the Samsung 9000 mAh external battery pack that came out this spring and is currently available from the fine folks at ShopAndroid.com. These sorts of Android accessories are pretty simple by design, and Samsung's done well here. You've got a blocky charger -- it's about the same size as a deck of cards, but thicker -- but with sloping edges, making it easier to hang onto, if for some reason you don't want to stash it in a pocket. Functionally, there's not a whole lot to do here. It blissfully charges via microUSB (this wasn't always the case with older batteries) at 1.8 amps -- that's the rated output as well. There's a real on/off switch instead of a button, which we prefer over pushbuttons. Four LEDs indicate the battery's level while charging or discharging. The rate at which your phone will be juiced up depends on your phone's battery capacity, of course -- and some phones like the HTC One may charge slower on purpose. But we didn't notice anything untoward here. It just works. 
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| Deal of the Day: LLOYD HD Clear Screen Protectors for Samsung Galaxy S3 Posted: 02 May 2013 06:37 AM PDT
The LLOYD HD Clear Screen Protectors are available for just $5.00, 75% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts 
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| Beautiful Widgets launches free version Posted: 02 May 2013 06:12 AM PDT
Free basic version of the popular app, augmented by in-app purchasesThe Beautiful Widgets team has launched a basic free version of its weather and widget customization app. The basic app can be augmented by in-app purchases, allowing users to choose and pay for the features they want. Through these in-app purchases it's possible to individually unlock every feature contained in the full version of Beautiful Widgets. Purchases are made using the "Gold" virtual currency through the GetJar service. Speaking of which, the paid version of the app has since become 'Beautiful Widgets Pro,' and is still available to download for anyone wanting the full experience in a single download. Today's developments are also good news for users in countries where paid Google Play apps might not be available. Developer LevelUp says both versions of Beautiful Widgets will maintain feature parity in future releases. You can grab the new, free Beautiful Widgets using the Google Play link above. 
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| Wil Wheaton recovery roots your HTC One, saves the ship, rolls eyes at adults Posted: 02 May 2013 02:54 AM PDT
ClockWorkMod dev steps in to help actor root his HTC OneStar Trek: The Next Generation actor and all-round alpha-nerd Wil Wheaton is having trouble rooting his HTC One. Of course ClockWorkMod developer Koushik Dutta is going to help out with a limited edition, Wheaton-centric recovery image. The story, from Koush on Google+, goes something like this --
That's no joke -- it's exactly what Wil Wheaton recovery for the HTC One does when you install it. Naturally, it's also decorated with a new background image featuring Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher himself (imagine him reversing the polarity or unleashing a swarm of sentient nanites or something). No word on whether Wheaton's been able to use the new recovery yet; his last Google+ post from a few hours ago said he was "giving up for the night." If you want to try out Wil Wheaton recovery for yourself (HTC One-only, of course), you can grab the download link from Koush's G+ page, linked below. Source: +Koushik Dutta, +Wil Wheaton 
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| HTC posts Q1 2013 financial results Posted: 02 May 2013 01:59 AM PDT
Final Q1 results underscore what unaudited figures told us, but there's a more optimistic outlook for Q2HTC has officially announced its consolidated first-quarter financial results, and the figures confirm what we learned a month ago from its unaudited Q1 figures -- specifically, it was a dismal quarter for the Taiwanese manufacturer. The first three months of 2013 weren't kind to HTC, with the company's new flagship handset, the HTC One, arriving too late to make any difference to its Q1 balance sheet. Total quarterly revenues stood at NT$42.8 billion ($1.42 billion), with a gross margin of 20.3 percent and a razor-thin operating margin of just $0.1 percent. Net profit was NT$85 million ($2.88 million). Earnings per share (EPS) were NT$0.10 ($0.003). In today's press release, CEO Peter Chou describes this as a "pivotal quarter" for HTC, as it transitioned to its new flagship smartphone. The HTC boss goes on to list various accolades picked up by the handset since its announcement. Looking ahead to Q2, the company expects a significant uptick off the back of the HTC One, with predicted second quarter revenues of NT$70 billion ($2.73 billion), a gross profit margin of between 22 and 24 percent, and operating margin of 1 to 3 percent. With HTC One sales just starting to get going in many countries, the manufacturer has every reason to be optimistic. But it'll also have to contend with competitor Samsung's massive launch push for its new flagship, the Galaxy S4. Source: HTC (PDF) 
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| Posted: 01 May 2013 07:47 PM PDT
LG's latest looks to be a worthy contender in AT&T's summer lineupLG formally took the wraps off its latest AT&T flagship tonight in New York, and the US-version of the Optimus G Pro is just as impressive as we when we first met it back in Barcelona. A worthy contender in AT&T's summer lineup, the Optimus G Pro beats the Note 3 to the market as the next-gen phablet designed to compete: with a 1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, 2 GB of RAM, and an eye-popping full 1080p IPS display, the Optimus G Pro hits shelves on May 10, joining the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 in the summer's most robust portfolio. LG's offering will cost $199 on contract. Hit the break for our initial impressions. 
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| Posted: 01 May 2013 06:13 PM PDT It began, as many things do with an idea -- I was in NYC for #TM13, along with all our Mobile Nations site editors, Kevin Michaluk, Phil Nickinson, and Daniel Rubino, Rene Ritchie, and Georgia, and we had Martin Reisch and his RED Scarlet 4K camera. So, we figured "why not shoot the Monday Brief in 4K!". And therein began the longest Odyssey in Monday Brief history. The shooting itself went pretty well, with Georgia and myself kicking things off, and Kevin doing his best to finish the show with a bang. Then things started getting complicated. Turns out it takes a long, long, long time edit and render 4K video, and a really long time to upload it. Even longer when things go weird along the way. In any case, we got it all sorted now and as such we bring you, the Monday Brief ... on a Wednesday.
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| TripAdvisor refines interface, adds currency switching Posted: 01 May 2013 06:09 PM PDT
Higher emphasis on photos improves the browsing experienceTripAdvisor is refreshing its Android, iOS and mobile web experiences today to bring the entire platform together with a revamped interface. The new design makes it easier to find places and plan trips, with a higher focus on photos. The entire interface is cleaner and simple to navigate, with a tabbed interface and smooth scrolling lists. Detailed information can be found for each of the locations, along with user-submitted photos that can open full-screen. Users traveling abroad can also now simply lock their settings to the correct currency for ease of use. It's a big step forward for TripAdvisor, but we wouldn't mind if it were just a bit snappier (it's clear much of the app is just a set of web views) in future updates. You can't beat the wealth of information on food, sight seeing and flights that's available all in one app, though. Grab a download from the Play Store link above. 
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| WeatherBug refreshes user interface in latest update Posted: 01 May 2013 05:40 PM PDT
Improved navigation, live updating and photos section all includedThe popular WeatherBug app has just undergone quite a redesign in the Play Store today, bringing in a completely new interface. The overall experience better follows current Android design guidelines, with a tabbed interface that makes it easy to get between current weather, forecasts and detailed information with just a swipe. Further functions and navigation are handled behind a slide-in panel from the right, and the overflow bar at the top takes care of the rest. On the content side there are "tiles" in the interface that stay up to date with the latest data, a new photos area where you can view shots of the area and different background themes for the whole app. It's a big visual refresh that certainly looks nice to our eyes, and drastically improves usability of the whole app. You can take a look at the free version of WeatherBug from the Play Store link above, or grab the paid version right here as well. 
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