Android Central

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• Fitbit Flex with Bluetooth 4.0 support now available for $99.95
• Incipio Frequency Galaxy S4 case
• Jon Rubinstein joins Qualcomm board of directors
• BlueStacks now has over 10 million users
• Spring cleaning: Win one of four Nexus 4 bumpers
• ASUS MeMO Pad mini review - you can get so much more for an extra $50
• AT&T's 32GB Galaxy S4 lands May 10 for $249
• Community Spotlight: Should I Get the Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One?
• Sony Xperia ZL review
• Deal of the Day: Poetic Borderline Bumper Case for LG Nexus 4
• Monday Brief: The mysterious AT&T XFON, a cheeky Windows Phone commercial, and more!
• Galaxy S4 quick tip: Disable S Voice shortcut for faster home button response
• HTC monthly unaudited revenue up in April
• Samsung announces Galaxy Core - mid-level handset with dual-SIM option
• Sony Xperia Z now for sale in the US, Xperia ZL receives large price cut

Fitbit Flex with Bluetooth 4.0 support now available for $99.95 Posted: 06 May 2013 03:17 PM PDT Track your exercise, set goals and monitor your sleep schedule with one device Fitbit's latest health and fitness product, the Flex, is finally shipping following its debut at CES back in January of this year. The Flex makes an important improvement over previous products by including Bluetooth 4.0, which lets the device stay constantly connected to your smart phone without drastically draining its battery. The Bluetooth 4.0 functionality is compatible with "select" devices -- Fitbit calls out the Galaxy S3 and Note 2 -- but in reality should work with any modern phone that has the standard implemented. The Flex also implements NFC, so you can simply tap your phone to it to launch the Fitbit app and read your stats right away. Just like previous Fitbits, the Flex tracks your activity throughout the day, including your steps, distance traveled, calories burned and now "active minutes" of moderate-intensity cardio as well. Because of its improved battery life, Fitbit notes it is also a great companion for tracking your sleep. The Flex is available directly from Fitbit for $99.95 in either black or "slate" (which is actually more of a turqoise color) at the second source link below. Source: Fitbit (BusinessWire); (2)

Incipio Frequency Galaxy S4 case Posted: 06 May 2013 02:37 PM PDT   It's time to start looking at Galaxy S4 cases, and we're kicking things off with the Incipio Frequency case, courtesy of the fine folks at ShopAndroid.com. The Frequency is billed as a "textured impact-resistant case," and indeed that's what you get.  Actually, that's only part of what you get. The Frequency is a three part system. First you've got the case, which you see here. It's a matte TPU, with the lower half of the back done up in a sort of textured graph design. It's a opaque, which gives things yet another dimension. It's functional as well, giving you a little more grip down at the bottom. The case wraps around the front of the phone, keeping the display from touching when left face-down. It's easy enough to get on, but not so tough to get off that you'll hate yourself doing so later. read more

Jon Rubinstein joins Qualcomm board of directors Posted: 06 May 2013 01:59 PM PDT One of the biggest names in processors and radios adds a legend in the mobile industry to the board After a relatively quiet period following his departure from HP in early 2012, Jon Rubinstein is back in the news as he joins the board of directors at mobile chip maker Qualcomm. Rubinstein is well regarded as one of the few people that drove the creation of modern mobile devices, likely being most famous for his years at Palm as an executive chairman and later chief executive. He also saw Palm make the difficult turn downwards and eventual sale to HP, which he ended up staying at for a short amount of time as lead of the "Personal Systems" division. Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, CEO of Qualcomm, had this to say: "His experience in creating revolutionary consumer electronics and mobile products will provide added insight to Qualcomm's board as we continue to expand the scope and impact of wireless products and technology, improving and enhancing people's lives around the world." Any company in this industry would be ecstatic to have a mind like Rubinstein at the table, and it will be interesting to see how he can possibly give insight into Qualcomm's business going forward. While Rubinstein may not be known for development of processors and radios, it's hard to overstate the amount of knowledge he has of mobile as a whole. read more

BlueStacks now has over 10 million users Posted: 06 May 2013 12:49 PM PDT 4.2 million of those devices added in Q1 2013 alone BlueStacks, which makes software that lets users run Android apps on their desktops, laptops and Windows tablets, has reached the 10 million user mark in just over a year. Possibly even more impressive is that 4.2 million of those users started using the software in just Q1 of this year. CEO of BlueStacks Rosen Sharma also notes that active usage has increased exponentially, which in many ways is a more important metric to determining success of a product. BlueStacks is now being used in over 100 countries, due in part to the fact that it is now pre-installed on many manufacturer's devices. Sharma went on to give much of the credit for the recent increase in users to the explosion in mobile gaming development, which is one of the most popular area of downloads. Many of the popular mobile titles transfer well to larger screens, and BlueStacks is hoping to capitalize on the increased demand for cross-platform app support. Source: BlueStacks (PRWeb)

Spring cleaning: Win one of four Nexus 4 bumpers Posted: 06 May 2013 12:00 PM PDT I have, on occasion, been accused of being somewhat of a pack rat. Seeing as how it's springtime, perhaps a little cleaning is in order. So each day this week we're going to give away something that I've got laying around. Today, we'll start with four Nexus 4 bumpers.  To win, just drop a comment here on this post. We'll shut it down at midnight Eastern tonight and announce the winners later this week. Good luck!

ASUS MeMO Pad mini review - you can get so much more for an extra $50 Posted: 06 May 2013 11:14 AM PDT There's a fine line between a quality, low-cost tablet and an underpowered, low-resolution tablet that happens to run Android and also doesn't cost all that much money. And that line, we've discovered, is about $50. It's not often that we pick up a new device -- and quickly want to put it down again. A phone or tablet might not be the cream of the crop, but we try to find some good in it. Some reason to buy. But with the top-of-the-line hardware hitting a bit of a plateau over the last year or so, and with prices continuing to drop, we've raised our minimums. There's less room for low end these days, plain and simple. That brings us to the 7-inch ASUS MeMO Pad Android tablet. read more

AT&T's 32GB Galaxy S4 lands May 10 for $249 Posted: 06 May 2013 10:15 AM PDT AT&T has announced that will sell the 32-gigabyte version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 starting May 10. It'll run $249 on contract, compared to the $199 currently charged for the 16GB model. On-board storage has been a hot-button issue for the Galaxy S4, which until now has only been available in a 16GB configuration -- with only about 9 gigabytes of storage actually available to the user. The 32GB model should ease GS4 buyers' storage concerns, and of course it's also expandable via microSD card, just like the 16GB version. AT&T is the first outlet we're aware of to launch a 32GB Galaxy S4. No other U.S. carriers are offering the more capacious variant, and right now the only international models available ship with 16GB of storage. Have you been waiting on the 32GB Galaxy S4, or have you already dropped some cash on a 16GB model? Shout out in the comments and let us know. More: Galaxy S4 review, Galaxy S4 forums

Community Spotlight: Should I Get the Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One? Posted: 06 May 2013 09:22 AM PDT There has been no shortage of discussion on this very subject.  If you’ve been to the forums in the past month (if you haven’t, shame on you) then you’ve surely come across at least one thread with the question “Should I get the Galaxy S4 or the HTC One?”  It’s a question that doesn’t have a right answer, or at least not one that anyone can provide for you.  Hearing other people’s opinions can definitely help, though, especially if those people already own the devices you’re trying to decide between. Mello_Asian asks this very question of our forum members: “Hey, everyone! My contract is close to its expiration, and I was wondering what phone I should get to replace my LG Optimus S. Both the HTC One and GS4 are great phones, and I'd be very complacent to get either one of them since they are a HUGH upgrade from the Optimus S. However, as a high school student, I was wondering which of them would be much better/more helpful/more convenient for me in the next two years under a new contract. I'll be using my phone more for the camera, music player, more accessible games to pass time, and to help me with certain tasks with the browser or certain apps (searching up things, sparknotes, AP notes, etc.)” Coming from an Optimus S one thing is certain, either device will definitely be a huge upgrade.  It seems that entertainment is a core use, as well as some specific features to help with school.  So what are other members saying? read more

Sony Xperia ZL review Posted: 06 May 2013 07:27 AM PDT These are certainly the best specs Sony has ever put in a phone, but does that translate into a device you actually want to buy? When we first laid eyes on the Xperia ZL at CES 2013, it may not have gotten the attention that it deserved. As the svelte, glass-backed and waterproof Xperia Z was stealing all of the camera time at the Sony booth, tables full of Xperia ZL devices sat unused. While the plastic exterior may not be as striking as the Z at first glance, the ZL is nearly identical in every other way -- a far cry from the "mid-range device" some purported it to be. Sure you don't get waterproofing or a glass back panel, but you do get the same specs, camera and a much easier to hold curved plastic shell in it's place. It's hardly a compromised device. In a way, the Xperia ZL (and Z) are the first examples of a refocused and reinvigorated Sony, one that wants to release devices with a modern OS, this year's specs, and compete with other manufacturers on the highest level. On paper, there isn't a whole lot to complain about here. But in a time where we're seeing some seriously high-end devices just make their way onto the market, can Sony's effort from January of this year still stand up against the rest? Let's find out in our full Xperia ZL review. read more

Deal of the Day: Poetic Borderline Bumper Case for LG Nexus 4 Posted: 06 May 2013 06:45 AM PDT The May 6 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Poetic Borderline Bumper Case for LG Nexus 4. Made of a durable TPU, the Borderline Bumper Case features a glossy polycarbonate finish on the grey dual grip bumper edge, plus custom built-in buttons for power and volume controls. It also provides access to all ports, speakers and mic's for your convenience. Available in a variety of colors! The Poetic Borderline Bumper Case is available for just $9.00, 55% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping. Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts

Monday Brief: The mysterious AT&T XFON, a cheeky Windows Phone commercial, and more! Posted: 06 May 2013 05:29 AM PDT Mobile Nations Podcast Feed Mobile Nations on iTunes Mobile Nations YouTube Iterate 45: Briana Wu and Amanda Warner of Revolution 60   AT&T Optimus G Pro hands-on Mystery Motorola device leaked with AT&T apps on board, labeled XFON AT&T Galaxy S4 unboxing   Get ready for it... the CrackBerry Live Show will be coming to you from BlackBerry Live! BlackBerry Q10 Buyer's Guide - Canadian edition BlackBerry R10 caught once again, this time in red and black Phoenix teams up with OpenMobile to Kickstart the ACL for TouchPad Google Reader Shutdown - Alternatives? [Forums] Is BlackBerry 10 a natural choice for webOS fans? [Forums]   iOS 7 will debut on time, of course and Rumors of OS X 10.9's "delay" are unfounded Jonathan Ive rumored to be working on new Mail, Calendar apps for future versions of iOS How to take amazing fashion photos with your iPhone Welcome to iMore... Richard Devine! Microsoft finally has a compelling Windows Phone ad, makes fun of Samsung and Apple rivalry Sneak peek: Itsdagram is a full-featured Instagram client for Windows Phone 8 with direct uploads Enjoy beer? Check out Untappd, the beverage social network

Galaxy S4 quick tip: Disable S Voice shortcut for faster home button response Posted: 06 May 2013 03:18 AM PDT If you're not using S Voice regularly, you could speed up your home button a little with one easy setting change Samsung's 'S Voice' assistant app has improved considerably on the Galaxy S4. In fact, it's worth revisiting if you dismissed it on earlier devices due to slow performance or hit-and-miss speech recognition. On the other hand, if you're not using S Voice regularly, there's a quick, easy setting change you can perform to make the home key just a little more responsive. By default, when you double-tap the home key, you'll launch straight into S Voice. That means when you press home, there's a very short pause while the phone waits for a second button press. To avoid this and have the home key immediately send you back to the home screen, you can disable the S Voice shortcut combo. To do this, load S Voice, then press the menu key and hit "Settings." Next, uncheck "Open via the home key." That's it -- with the shortcut combo disabled, the home button should respond immediately as opposed to with a very slight delay. The same applies to other devices with S Voice loaded out of the box, including the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3.

HTC monthly unaudited revenue up in April Posted: 06 May 2013 02:54 AM PDT HTC One sales fuel monthly revenue of $660m HTC has announced its unaudited revenue figures for April 2013, revealing that it brought in NT$19.6bn ($660m) last month. This makes April HTC’s best month of 2013 so far, with revenue up from the NT$15.86bn ($540m) it made in March. However it’s still a significant fall from the NT$30bn ($1.2bn) it brought in during the same month last year. The higher revenues are likely fueled by early sales of the new HTC One, although we should note that much of the world -- including the crucial U.S. market -- had yet to see the handset until late April. HTC will be relying on sales of the One to push it towards projected Q2 2013 revenue of NT$70 billion ($2.73 billion). The company recently announced its Q1 2013 financial results, showing its worst ever quarterly earnings. It’ll be hoping that today’s numbers are the first signs of a Q2 turnaround. Source: HTC

Samsung announces Galaxy Core - mid-level handset with dual-SIM option Posted: 06 May 2013 02:17 AM PDT 4.3-inch WVGA screen, dual-core 1.2GHz CPU​, 5-megapixel camera In keeping with its track record of putting out new smartphones at every conversion of screen size, price and specs, Samsung has announced the Galaxy Core, a mid-range handset sporting Galaxy S2-level internals. The Galaxy Core, which looks an awful lot like a shrunken-down Galaxy S3, packs a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU behind a 4.3-inch WVGA screen. Other notable spec points include 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, an 1800mAh battery and 5-megapixel rear shooter. As you'll note from the pic above, the Galaxy Core will come in black and white color options. On the software side it's running the TouchWiz Nature UI atop Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. That means it includes many of Samsung's latest software tricks, such as Smart Stay, S Voice, and Smart Alerts.  Samsung says the Galaxy Core will arrive in dual-SIM form from May, and that a single-SIM version will follow from July depending on markets. But exactly which markets will get the Core is unclear -- we'll likely have to wait on local announcements from Samsung offices around the world. Source: Samsung

Sony Xperia Z now for sale in the US, Xperia ZL receives large price cut Posted: 05 May 2013 08:54 PM PDT HSPA+ Xperia Z available in all three colors; ZL price cut by $130 Sony doesn't have a very long track record for selling unlocked devices to the U.S., but it certainly seems to be giving it a better shot with the release of the Xperia Z and ZL. Starting today, the HSPA+ model (C6602) of the Xperia Z is on sale direct to the U.S. for a cool $629 -- the North American LTE capable device is still missing, however. The Xperia ZL, which has been on sale direct to the U.S. for a little while now has taken a steep price cut as well, to $629 down from a previously ridiculous $759. Unlike the Z, the ZL currently shipping from Sony does support both AT&T and T-Mobile on HSPA+ and LTE, which makes this a good bang for your buck in terms of carrier portability. XperiaBlog points out that the Z and ZL are both slightly cheaper ($599 and $609, respectively) from other retailers such as Newegg and Amazon, but it's good to see Sony drop its prices to more realistic levels. Some people just like the reassurance of buying directly from the manufacturer as well, and they shouldn't be punished with a severely higher price. If you're interested in one of these, all three colors of the Z and the red version of the ZL are now shipping from the source links below. Source: Sony (Z); Sony (ZL); Via: XperiaBlog

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