Android Central |
- Register now for the Ottawa International Game Conference and save 50%
- LG announces waterproof Optimus GJ in Taiwan
- Android Central 136: CTIA, Jennifer Lopez and Ashton Kutcher
- Twitter launches two-factor authentication
- Verizon's big CTIA event: JLo does phones
- LoJack launches phone recovery service, Galaxy S4 first supported device
- Google Drive updated with card interface, OCR and document scanning and better sheets editing
- Chrome for Android updated, brings full screen browsing
- Live from Verizon's CTIA event!
- Cricket to launch Samsung Galaxy S4 on June 7
- HTC set to continue 'Desire' line of entry-level handsets
- We're almost finally done teasing #tm13 - here's another teaser with a little more meat
- Google ranked second most valuable brand, behind Apple
- Deal of the Day: LLOYD Flex Case for Samsung Galaxy S3
- Vodafone UK delays 4G LTE roll-out to September
- HTC loses several high-profile executives [Updated]
- Samsung pens deal to buy 10-percent of Pantech for $47.6 million
- Watch Phil on All About Android episode 110!
- Hands-on with the HTC One in "Stealth Black"
- Hands-on with the Coolpad Quattro II and a new TDD/FDD LTE device
- Google Now style voice search now live in Chrome stable channel
- Latest Sony Xperia ZL C6506 update now rolling out OTA
| Register now for the Ottawa International Game Conference and save 50% Posted: 22 May 2013 04:08 PM PDT
The Ottawa International Game Conference kicks off in just about a week. If you're not familiar, the three-day conference takes place May 29th-31st and features new innovations and trends in the Canadian gaming industry and will host speakers all across the board including, Anders Jeppsson, Global Head of Gaming at BlackBerry. Mobile Nations own gaming geek Simon Sage will be on site to take in all the news from the conference including speakers, developers, panels and more. 
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| LG announces waterproof Optimus GJ in Taiwan Posted: 22 May 2013 03:45 PM PDT
LG announced a new waterproof phone today, the Optimus GJ. They certainly weren't very subtle either, as they had girls presenting the phone in bikinis. It differs from past waterproof devices because this one is high-end. The specs are as follows:
LG is getting more ambitious with their waterproof devices and are hitting the Taiwanese market first. It will cost $17,990 Taiwanese dollars, which is approximately $600 USD. No word yet on when or if the Optimus GJ will go to other markets. Source: unwiredview 
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| Android Central 136: CTIA, Jennifer Lopez and Ashton Kutcher Posted: 22 May 2013 03:17 PM PDT Podcast MP3 URL: http://traffic.libsyn.com/androidcentral/acpc136.mp3 Hi, everybody. This is where we normally would have show notes. This week, we leave you this witty paragraph instead. :) 
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| Twitter launches two-factor authentication Posted: 22 May 2013 12:49 PM PDT
Keep your tweets your own and your Twitter account safe with two-step verificationAfter a slew of high-profile account hacks, Twitter has finally launched a two-step verification system to keep your account from falling into the wrong hands. Once enrolled, each time you sign in to Twitter.com you will be asked to enter a six digit verification number sent by SMS to your phone. If you don't have your number, you can't log in. Existing accounts on other devices should still work, and when your Twitter account to other devices or applications, you'll visit your applications page to generate a temporary password to validate who you are. Users can set up the new account verification system starting today from their Twitter settings, and you'll need a verified phone number and email address. Two-step authentication is a good move (probably one Twitter should have adopted a while ago) and one that we heartily recommend. It may be inconvenient setting things up the first time, but losing your online identity to hackers is far worse. To learn more, and get started, visit the source link below. Source: Twitter 
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| Verizon's big CTIA event: JLo does phones Posted: 22 May 2013 12:43 PM PDT
And maybe, just maybe, will bring a carrier store experience that doesn't make you want to fleeJennifer Lopez. Singer, actress, judge on American Idol -- and, now, smartphone retailer. Verizon today at its big event at CTIA in Las Vegas announced that JLo will be heading up Viva Movil, which promises to revolutionize the wireless shopping experience for Latino consumers. This isn't a Verizon venture, per se, as the deal is between Ms. Lopez, Brightstar (which handles distribution and services) and Moorehead Communications, Verizon's premium retailer. The shopping experience promises to be the differentiator here. Physical stores will be located, at first, in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, with Manhattan up first with a shop in a high-traffic area. (We'd bet Times Square, but nothing official was announced.) The stores are said to have a more friendly shopping experience than what you might be used to -- and perhaps the smartest question in the Q&A session came from Laptop's Mark Spoonauer, who asked if Verizon's own carrier stores might get the same sort of makeover one day. Verizon said it'll think about it. (We're not holding our breath for that one.) 
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| LoJack launches phone recovery service, Galaxy S4 first supported device Posted: 22 May 2013 12:33 PM PDT
Embedded system increases the chances that devices will be recovered after theftAbsolute Software, the makers of the LoJack theft recovery service, announced today that through a partnership with Samsung it will be offering its services to all Galaxy S4 handsets. The service, which was previously targeted at desktop and laptop computers, is making the move into the mobile space with one of the most popular devices out today. Unlike other services that can pretty easily be removed when a phone is factory reset, the LoJack system is embedded at the firmware level and will survive any tampering or attempts to remove it by a criminal. Beyond just making sure that the phone is traced, locked and remotely wiped, you'll get the expertise of LoJack's years of experience in tracking stolen property. When we spoke to LoJack representatives here at CTIA they said they've recovered laptops in as little as 40 minutes, and as long as four and a half years after they were stolen. That just shows the determination of the people behind this service. While it is embedded in every Galaxy S4 device, it won't be available to be activated until "early this summer". LoJack isn't releasing specific pricing at this point, but has indicated that the service will start at $29.99 with multiple subscription options ranging from 1 to 4 years at a time. 
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| Google Drive updated with card interface, OCR and document scanning and better sheets editing Posted: 22 May 2013 11:03 AM PDT
Today's update brings a new look and some powerful tools to Google DriveGoogle Drive has a big update in Google Play today, with two very cool features being added. The interface of the application has been redesigned, and now we see Google's new cards design at play, looking very much like a mashup of Google Now and Google+. In addition, users can scan paper items like receipts or bills, and transfer them into pdf files to get stored in Drive, With the new OCR technology, you'll even be able to search through their contents. This should make things a bit easier to use Google Drive for things like expense reports, and the new sheets (spreadsheets) editing tools will make it easier to build that report. There are also a few other small changes, like being able to download local copies to your Android device and use Google Cloud Print with any compatible printer. To get this one, just click the Google Play link above. Via: Google 
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| Chrome for Android updated, brings full screen browsing Posted: 22 May 2013 10:41 AM PDT
Full screen browsing and simpler searching highlight the changes in Chrome 27 for AndroidChrome for Android has been updated to version 27 (27.0.1453.90 to be exact), bringing one of the most requested features along for the ride -- full screen browsing. In addition, other changes like simpler searching and tab history made it into Chrome 27.
The update is recommended, and you can get the latest version from the Google Play link above. Via: Google Chrome 
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| Live from Verizon's CTIA event! Posted: 22 May 2013 09:39 AM PDT
We're coming to you live this morning from the beautiful Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas, where Verizon is going to talk to us about ... something. Given the context of the CTIA venue, it's entirely possible we'll just be getting an update on Verizon's network capabilities -- and possibly an update on when to expect Voice Over LTE. Or, perhaps we'll actually get some new hardware. Only one way to find out -- it's liveblog time! The show kicks off at 2 p.m. EDT, and 11 a.m. PDT. (OK, technically things get going at 10 after, but we're nothing if not early.) Join us after the break as we bring it to you, live. 
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| Cricket to launch Samsung Galaxy S4 on June 7 Posted: 22 May 2013 08:58 AM PDT
$54.99 down payment or $599.99 outrightArriving fashionably late to the Galaxy S4 party is Cricket, with today's news that it'll carry Samsung's latest smartphone from June 7. The prepaid carrier is offering the Galaxy S4 for $599.99 up-front or on a payment plan with a $54.99 down payment. Naturally, you'll need to pair the device with one of Cricket's service plans, which start at $45 per month. Not a bad deal for one of the top Android phones of the moment, if you're in a Cricket coverage area. More details in the presser after the break. Source: PR Newswire 
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| HTC set to continue 'Desire' line of entry-level handsets Posted: 22 May 2013 08:36 AM PDT
HTC 'Desire 200' gets certified in Taiwan, 'Desire 600' spotted in benchmarksHTC looks set to restore the "Desire" brand for upcoming entry-level phones, according to details spotted across the web. The first comes from Taiwan's NCC certification body, which recently saw new entries for a "Desire 200" handset alongside the model number "102e" -- a number previously tied to the rumored entry-level "G2" device. That phone was said to pack a 3.5-inch HVGA screen and 512MB of RAM. Meanwhile, references to a "Desire 600" have cropped up in the GFXBench benchmarking utility. Apparently a dual-SIM phone, the Desire 600 in question appeared to be running Android 4.1.2 on a 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor with an qHD display. The Desire line has gone from signifying the best of HTC's line-up to a budget range associated with mid-to-low-end hardware. Last year saw the launch of the Desire X and Desire C in these two categories. Since no official announcement has been made, we'd take this info with a pinch of salt. For its part, HTC seems mostly focused on the high end of the smartphone spectrum, with its HTC One handset. Source: VR-Zone(Chinese), GFXBench, via: UnwiredView 
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| We're almost finally done teasing #tm13 - here's another teaser with a little more meat Posted: 22 May 2013 08:00 AM PDT
The good news is that the wait is nearly over. The blasted #tm13 teasers shall soon cease (hey, we cut way back a few weeks ago) and we'll finally take the wraps off this thing. That said, we've got one last teaser for you. We'll be announcing the whole shebang next week, unless someone decides to leak it first, breaksclusive-style. And we'll be kicking the whole thing off the first week of June, with a small gathering of friends in New York City -- and you're invited. Plus, we're giving away a free trip to the party. We'll have full details at the Mobile Nations #tm13 site, so peep it for more. (And if you've already signed up for the e-mail alerts, you're already entered.) And strap in, because we're changing the conversation. 
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| Google ranked second most valuable brand, behind Apple Posted: 22 May 2013 06:28 AM PDT
Company surpasses IBM to take number two spot on BrandZ listGoogle has been ranked as the world second-most valuable brand, on the 2013 BrandZ list of top global brands. The list, published by research agency Millward Brown Optimor, puts Google's brand value at $113.669 billion, well behind Apple's $185.071 billion. This year Google creeps ahead of IBM, last year's number two, which now sits in third place with brand value estimated at $112.536 billion. Google and Apple are placed above big names like McDonalds (4), Coca-Cola (5), Microsoft (7) and Visa (9). Other big Android names on the list include Samsung at number 30, having jumped a whopping 25 places, and Verizon, which dropped three spots to number 12. China Mobile maintained its number 10 spot, with estimated brand value of $55.368 billion. Google's jump from third to second shows steady growth, but Apple clearly remains the company to beat, retaining the title of most valuable brand by a significant margin. Samsung's meteoric rise of to thirtieth is also noteworthy, and likely has a lot to do with the success of its Android-based Galaxy smartphones over the past year. Check the source link down below for the full list of top 100 brands. Source: Marketing Week; via: PhoneArena 
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| Deal of the Day: LLOYD Flex Case for Samsung Galaxy S3 Posted: 22 May 2013 06:08 AM PDT
The LLOYD Flex Case is available for just $8.00, 60% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts 
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| Vodafone UK delays 4G LTE roll-out to September Posted: 22 May 2013 05:56 AM PDT
Carrier will likely wait for compatible iPhoneVodafone UK will wait until September to launch its 4G LTE services, according to reports. British national newspaper The Guardian reports that Voda will miss the originally-targeted summer launch window for its LTE network, which runs on 800MHz and 2600MHz airwaves purchased as part of the recent 4G spectrum auction. The Guardian quotes Vodafone chief executive Vittorio Colao as saying "We want to be able to launch it when it's really ready. End of the summer means when there is going to be a good commercial window for launching it." That likely means the operator is waiting for refreshed iPhone hardware from Apple. The current iPhone 5 model sold in Europe supports LTE on 1800MHz, the frequencies used by rival EE, but not the 800MHz and 2600MHz that Vodafone will be using. (Most 4G Android phones sold in the UK support all three bands.) As for rival networks, O2 is said to be targeting summer "at the earliest" for its 4G switch-on. Three UK has built its "Ultrafast" brand around DC-HSDPA and its upcoming LTE offering, but says it's in "no rush" to launch the latter, which it's currently targeting for switch-on in Q4. Source: The Guardian 
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| HTC loses several high-profile executives [Updated] Posted: 22 May 2013 03:45 AM PDT
Departures include VP of Global Communications, Chief Product Officer, Asia CEOUpdate 2: HTC has confirmed the departure of Lennard Hoornik, and says CFO Chialin Chang will take over in the interim. Engadget is also reporting that Head of Global Digital Service Elizabeth Griffin will be leaving HTC later this week. Meanwhile, The Verge's Chris Ziegler tweets that he's "catching wind of a bunch more departures." Update: CNET reports that HTC Asia CEO Lennard Hoornik has become the latest HTC exec to part ways with the company, following two months of leave. Original story: HTC's Chief Product Officer Kouji Kodera has left the company, The Verge is reporting. Kodera's exit is the latest in a string of top-level departures at the struggling smartphone maker, including VP of Global Communications Jason Gordon, who announced his exit late last week. In recent months product strategy manager Eric Lin has also called it quits, and The Verge reports that global retail marketing manager Rebecca Rowland and director of digital marketing John Starkweather have also left. Writing on Twitter this Monday, a vocal Lin advised friends still working at HTC to "leave now," adding, "you'll be so much happier, I swear." Across the Atlantic, HTC EMEA President Florian Seiche recently departed for Nokia. Sources for The Verge suggest that the U.S.-based marketing departures could be the result of new CMO Benjamin Ho moving key decision-making away from the company's Seattle office and back to the Taipei headquarters. The site also quotes a source singling out the ill-fated HTC First for criticism, describing it as "a disaster." The "Facebook phone" recently had its price cut from $99 to 99 cents on-contract amid disputed reports that carrier partner AT&T may have decided to drop the handset. On the other hand, sales of the flagship HTC One appear to be picking up. Production capacity is set to double this month to keep pace with "strong demand," according to recent comments from HTC North Asia president Jack Tong. However the One will continue to face fierce competition from Korean giant Samsung, whose Galaxy S4 is expected to hit its 10 millionth unit shipped this week. And HTC's financials remain precarious following early component supply issues with the HTC One. Only time will tell how HTC will be able to meet the challenges it's facing, however we can be sure this series of high-profile departures is unlikely to help matters. via The Verge 
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| Samsung pens deal to buy 10-percent of Pantech for $47.6 million Posted: 22 May 2013 01:31 AM PDT
The first- and third-largest South Korean handset manufacturers make deal to strengthen partnershipSamsung announced today that it is acquiring a 10-percent stake in rival handset maker Pantech, one that will set the worlds largest handset manufacturer back a mere $47.6 million. While known more for making lower-end and spec devices for carriers here in the states, Pantech is actually quite a large company and the number three seller of handsets in its native South Korea. But this deal is likely less about taking a position in a smaller rival company and more about furthering a partnership for handset components that has already been established. Like many large companies, Samsung and Pantech alike make many of the components needed for handsets on their own to reduce costs. For everything else, they need to buy from an outside source and in this case, Samsung and Pantech already have a standing partnership in both semiconductors and display technologies that will grow with this new investment. If Samsung plans to continue buying and selling components with Pantech, a small investment like this makes sense for such a large company. Source: Yonhap News Agency; Via: TNW 
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| Watch Phil on All About Android episode 110! Posted: 21 May 2013 10:35 PM PDT
Miss it live earlier today? Fear not, the recorded version is now available for everyone to watchJust in case you missed it, the folks over at All About Android on the TWiT network were nice enough to have our very own Phil Nickinson on for their weekly show tonight. All of the fun and Android talk went down earlier today live, but fear not as the recorded version has just been put up to watch. Phil joined Jason Howell, Ron Richards and Gina Trapani to talk about Google I/O, Google Glass and everything else that has happened in the last week. Swing on over to the link below to watch or download the full hour and half of Android goodness. More: All About Android Episode 110 on TWiT
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| Hands-on with the HTC One in "Stealth Black" Posted: 21 May 2013 08:16 PM PDT
The darker side of the HTC One reaffirms the device's status as the most attractive smartphone on the market todayIf you thought the HTC One was already the most handsome smartphone on the market today, you'll want to do yourself a favor and check it out the"Stealth Black" variant, available on both Sprint and, as of last week, AT&T. HTC is onhand here in Vegas showing off the darker side of the One and we've got to admit we're pretty smitten. Its aluminum finish is sleek, stylish, and dare we say "stealthy", though you'll notice it does appear to show blemishes, and especially fingerprints, more easily than its silver brother. Whichever flavor you prefer, we still stick by our guns and say that you'll have a hard time going wrong with HTC's flagship. Some more glamour shots can be found after the break. 
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| Hands-on with the Coolpad Quattro II and a new TDD/FDD LTE device Posted: 21 May 2013 08:07 PM PDT
Coolpad continues to stay under the radar and is hoping to make another splash in the low-end marketCoolpad, a name that may not come to mind as a common phone manufacturer, is showing off a couple of its latest devices here at CTIA 2013 -- the Quattro II 4G and a recently announced TDD/FDD device for China Mobile. If you'll recall back to August of last year, Coolpad introduced the original Quattro for the prepaid market on MetroPCS at the staggering price of $79 without any contract or subsidy. We're hearing about some pretty impressive sales numbers from that handset and Coolpad is hoping to follow that up with this sequel device. We're looking at a full plastic shelled device with a few different textures that feels nice but very light, with some basic specs. You'll be getting a 4.5-inch qHD (540x960) display, CDMA and LTE networking, Android 4.1, a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon (MSM8930) processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage and a 5MP camera. Coolpad isn't ready to announce any specific pricing or carrier partners at this point, but has said that they are in talks with multiple carriers for deals to offer the handset. We can probably be on the lookout for this one to hit one of the prepaid providers at a super low price once again. Stick around after the break where you can see a full gallery of the Coolpad Quattro II, as well as a few pictures of another (unnamed) device that is the first TDD/FDD LTE handset available, which was just launched in partnership with China Mobile. More: Android @ CTIA 2013 
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| Google Now style voice search now live in Chrome stable channel Posted: 21 May 2013 07:13 PM PDT
Google Now voice search goes live in the latest Chrome desktop buildsLadies and gents, it's time to upgrade your Chrome browser. Google Now style voice search has just went live in the latest Chrome stable version for the desktop (Version 27.0.1453.93). As far as we can tell from To get the latest update is easy. Open the settings in the Chrome browser, and click the Help line entry. Give it a second or two to start checking, and when it tells you to restart Chrome, just restart your whole browser session. When things come back, head to www.google.com and click the microphone in the search box. You have to give permission (look for the bar across the top of the window) to listen to your voice, then start asking questions. Welcome to the future! We've got a couple screenshots after the break just in case you're not able to update or don't use Chrome. Thanks, Christian! 
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| Latest Sony Xperia ZL C6506 update now rolling out OTA Posted: 21 May 2013 04:35 PM PDT
OTA starts rolling for the latest update previously only available with a manual installWell then, here's a nice surprise. Our unlocked Xperia ZL (that's the C6506 model) has just received a 66.1MB OTA update touting improved battery life, user experience and software performance. The update is to version 10.1.1.A.1.253, which is the build that has been available for a couple of days (according to Sony) but only via its desktop companion software. After quickly downloading, the update will install with just one more tap and indicated that it will take "about 9 minutes" to update (which seems about right). You'll still be on Android 4.1.2 and likely won't see any other cosmetic changes from what we can tell. We obviously haven't had enough time to evaluate whether or not Sony's claims of improved battery life and software performance are true, but we'll take any improvements they have for us. If you have an unlocked Xperia ZL, be sure to head into your settings menu and check for the update. More: Sony Xperia ZL Forums; Sony Support 
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