Android Community |
- Google pushing out new Play Store v4.1.10 [Download]
- NVIDIA gives us a behind-the-scenes look at SHIELD
- Gmail for Android update adding automatic inbox organization
- HTC One in Blue and Red launching in the coming months
- Verizon Galaxy S III update bringing Multi-Window, Best Shot and more
- Huawei Ascend P6 announcement confirmed for June 18 ‘Beauty’ event
- Samsung Galaxy Exhibit joins the budget-friendly T-Mobile lineup
- Amazon login service launches as alternative to Google and Facebook
- Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 FCC filing reveals AT&T LTE support
- LG Nexus 4 in white hands-on and unboxing
- GALAXY S 4 Mini reveal set for June 20th event
- ASUS Transformer AIO PC getting update to 4.2 Jelly Bean
- Acer video teases upcoming tablets from Computex 2013
- Umeox X5 to be the “world’s thinnest phone” at just 5.6mm
- Spotify update finally adds landscape mode, forgets notification controls
- Verizon Motorola XFON clears the FCC as we wait for launch
- Pebble Ringer app launches for Android, we go hands-on
- Qualcomm Snapdragon BatteryGuru aims to boost your battery life
- HTC One “Senseless Edition” tipped to arrive in limited quantities
| Google pushing out new Play Store v4.1.10 [Download] Posted: 29 May 2013 11:06 AM PDT It looks like Google had more than just a brand new overhauled Gmail to share with the Android world today. They’ve also started pushing out a slight update to their Play Store and it’s arriving on users devices as we speak. Sadly it is just a minor update but we have the download available after the break.
It’s a staged rollout and so far we’re only seeing one of many of our devices that have already received the new Play Store. You all should be receiving it starting today and over the next few days as well. This is the last of many updates lately since Google radically changed the Play Store design earlier this year, but they all look to only be fixing a few pesky bugs. It is a small jump from 4.1.6 to v4.1.10 and so far we’re actually not noticing anything different one bit. The usual placebo effect is working hard on us today because it feels quite a bit faster and a little more responsive, but that’s probably just our minds enjoying the fresh new version. As usual the update from Mountain View is staged and should be hitting your smartphone and tablet momentarily. However, for those who’d rather not wait just hit the download link below and get the latest version yourself. Give it a try and let us know if you notice anything new or different. Oh and for those wondering it still only shows “All Apps” and not a purchased list. Sadness. Download: Play Store v4.1.10 |
| NVIDIA gives us a behind-the-scenes look at SHIELD Posted: 29 May 2013 10:12 AM PDT The teams behind NVIDIA‘s new game console, Project SHIELD, have been extremely hard at work perfecting the device to be the ultimate Android gaming device. We’ve seen and covered it plenty in the past, got hands-on time with it flying the Parrot AR Drone and more, but today NVIDIA’s giving us all a behind-the-scenes look at everything they’ve been doing in preparation for the release.
As we mentioned earlier this month NVIDIA’s SHIELD game-console went up for pre-order on May 17th, a few days earlier than expected and has been getting a lot of attention lately for all the things it can do. From being a dedicated 5-inch Android tablet, a game-console powered by the impressive quad-core Tegra 4, to even streaming PC games from your Steam account. It really is the gamers ultimate companion. If, like us, you’re a fan of NVIDIA SHIELD, you’ll want to check out a detailed blog post by NVIDIA showing us a look behind the curtains of their HQ. How they’re getting ready for the public release date, preparing staff for customer support in the unlikely event customers need help, and even how hard they’ve worked to perfect Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on the device. Above is a quick hands-on video showing off the device a bit more, for those interested. And yes it runs stock Android, so everything we love from our Nexus devices will be present along side those gaming inspired controls and that quad-core processor. As a reminder, NVIDIA SHIELD went up for pre-order on May 17th and will be available from Newegg, Gamestop, Canada Computers, and MicroCenter, but sadly we still don’t have an exact release date. NVIDIA previously stated it will begin shipping in early June, and that’s the same story we’re being told today. For all you eager gamers looking to see reviews, expect one to be arriving soon. And for those who pre-ordered stay tuned because NVIDIA should have final details on the actual release date soon enough. Lastly, check out our Tegra Portal for everything that will work with SHIELD. |
| Gmail for Android update adding automatic inbox organization Posted: 29 May 2013 09:42 AM PDT Google has detailed the latest update for Gmail. This update brings changes for the Gmail app on Android as well as on the web. Google is touting this update as being one that will add a bit of control to your inbox. The update will separate mail by type and it is arriving with a few pre-set categories such as Social, Promotions and Updates. This also appears to be based off those leaked screenshots we saw coming out of Google I/O.
If you notice the images sitting above, this Gmail for Android update brings the ability to swipe (and also tap the menu icon in the upper left corner), which is what we saw in those leaked images. More important today though, tapping that icon or swiping will reveal those new categories and your new inboxes. Essentially, what we should have is an inbox that breaks things down and provides the email that is most important first. Pretty much, Google is giving you multiple inboxes and doing this all automatically. This goes back to Google talking about how it feels like our inboxes are controlling us. That aside, those using Gmail for Android will have the app launch to the Primary category, but those other categories will be easily available with a swipe or tap. Otherwise, while we are pretty excited to check this out, there are those who fear change. Well, those who fear change and those who are probably more than sufficient with the current Gmail setup. That being the case, Google will be offering the option to switch this off allowing you to remain with your current setup. As far as getting access, Google has said the Android release will arrive in the next few weeks and on the desktop side the new inbox will be rolling out gradually. There doesn’t appear to be any way to speed up the Android app release, however there is an option to speed things up on the desktop side. Those looking to begin playing now should be on the lookout for the gear menu and an option called “Configure inbox.” SOURCE: Official Google Blog |
| HTC One in Blue and Red launching in the coming months Posted: 29 May 2013 09:39 AM PDT The HTC One is one of the most popular smartphones on the planet right now, and is available in silver or black for those interested. In the coming months however, along side the already leaked red model we’re now hearing HTC will also be launching a blue HTC One. Samsung recently announced new colors for their GALAXY S 4, so this could be HTC’s answer.
This isn’t the first time different colors for their new flagship smartphone have been talked about, but “sources familiar with the matter,” according to Pocket-lint, have confirmed that both new color options will be available in the “coming months” but that’s all we know. The red HTC One appeared on HTC’s own website back when the device was initially announced, but was quickly removed and never seen of again. a few press photos of it have made the rounds, but it still hasn’t been seen yet in the wild. Now that some of those manufacturing delays have been sorted out hopefully they can start churning out more units, and more color options.
With more than 5 million sold since being announced a little over a month ago things are looking up for HTC. Two new color options could help increase sales, not to mention having more stock available for retailers. Add in the possibility of the stock “Senseless Edition” HTC One we’ve been hearing rumors about, and HTC could be set to move a couple million more really quick. We want to see this blue version first though. |
| Verizon Galaxy S III update bringing Multi-Window, Best Shot and more Posted: 29 May 2013 09:03 AM PDT Verizon Wireless has dropped a bit of good news for Galaxy S III users this morning. While it is easy to say that an update will be coming shortly, judging from a look at the changelog we think that may be a bit of an understatement. Yes there is an update coming, however this looks like it will be arriving as a rather big update. A quick look at the changelog shows new features such as Multi-Screen and Multi-Window as well as a camera feature called Best Shot.
First things first though, according to details coming from Verizon, this update is arriving as software version JZO54K.I535VRBMD3. Otherwise, the update will measure in at 129.1MB in size. Aside from those new features we already mentioned, those sporting a Verizon Galaxy S III will be getting the ability to bill Play Store apps to your Verizon account and the ability to create various image styles using the Paper Artist tool. This update is also bringing some goodies for those using a Bluetooth headset. In this case users will be able to get access to the phone screen without unlocking the handset.
Continuing on with some of the highlights for this update and it looks like there will be quite a few fixes for current bugs. For example, the changelog shows that devices will be able to remain in 4G mode (without dropping to 3G) when using the Hotspot, web browsing should no longer trigger a device reset and the Refreshing SIM Data, No SIM and SD Card Inserted pop-up messages have all been removed. All said and done, those are just few of the highlights so make sure to check the images here in the post for the full list.
Otherwise, aside from the new features and fixes, Verizon is also included a pair of pre-installed apps. Both of these may already be installed for some users, however just in case, once updated you will now see Flipboard (for news) and the Caller Name ID app (version 1.14.16) which will help with details on the callers. That all being said, while Verizon has offered the changelog, they have yet to say exactly when the rollout would begin. And unfortunately our Verizon Galaxy S III is not showing any update as being available just yet. Needless to say, we are going to keep checking and then once it is available, begin to do some testing and see how well these newer features run on an ‘older’ device. If nothing else this does seem to further extend the life of the Galaxy S III with Verizon. Of course, this update may also make this a handset to consider for purchase, especially considering Verizon has recently dropped the price to $99.99 on a two-year agreement. SOURCE: Verizon Wireless |
| Huawei Ascend P6 announcement confirmed for June 18 ‘Beauty’ event Posted: 29 May 2013 08:16 AM PDT The speculation suggested Huawei was planning to announce the Ascend P6 during the June 18th ‘Beauty’ event and as of today, that has been confirmed. Coming by way of a Facebook posting, Huawei has said the June 18th event will be to “unleash an intimate experience to consumers.” Of course, that same Facebook posting also included an image and a mention of the Ascend P6.
Well, to be specific, that posting included a partial image of the handset. That pic can be seen sitting above and offers a look at the top right-hand corner showing the front-facing camera and the silver iPhone-like metal band that goes around the exterior of the handset. While Huawei didn’t offer anything in terms of specs, they did come forward with a bit of teasing. The posting tells the story about how the Ascend P6 will be the “thinnest, smallest, and one of the most compact smartphones with a screen that can rival its competitors.” Earlier rumors have suggested the Ascend P6 will have a 4.7-inch display at 1280 x 720. Huawei is also pushing the screen to body ratio, which seems to imply the handset will not only be thin in terms of thickness, but also in terms of the bezel around the display. That being said, the June 18th event will give us all a look at the official specs. As for the thickness, the handset is expected to measure in at 6.18mm. Other still rumored specs include Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean along with a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera. Basically, at this time those earlier leaked images all appear to be lining up nicely. Well, that is at least based on the little bit we can see from this official Huawei provided image. Aside from hearing the specs and learning those measurements, we are more than a bit curious to see where Huawei will have the Ascend P6 available for sale and what the price point will be. We are not all that certain this one will be available in the US, but we are hoping to get some hands-on time. VIA: Telefonino SOURCE: Facebook |
| Samsung Galaxy Exhibit joins the budget-friendly T-Mobile lineup Posted: 29 May 2013 07:33 AM PDT We had been seeing chatter about the Galaxy Exhibit coming available with T-Mobile and as of today, it looks like the carrier has made it all official. The Samsung Galaxy Exhibit has launched as the latest budget-friendly T-Mobile smartphone. The handset certainly doesn’t have what we would consider high-end specs, but it is launching with Jelly Bean and perhaps more important — with a low price point.
Diving right in with the pricing, those considering a purchase will need only $19.99 for the downpayment. From that point you will have 24 monthly payments of $9. Of course, those $9 monthly payments come in addition to the pricing of your monthly service. Otherwise, those looking to avoid the monthly payments can opt to pay full retail up front, which happens to be $235.99. Shifting over to the specs and we are seeing a device with a 4-inch display, dual-core 1GHz processor, microSD card slot, 1 megapixel front-facing camera and a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera. The handset is running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and offers support for T-Mobile services to include Visual Voicemail, WiFi Calling and T-Mobile TV. There is also support for the T-Mobile 4G network. All said and done, while the Samsung Galaxy Exhibit is certainly not the most exciting handset in the T-Mobile lineup at the moment, it does provide a nice option for those shopping on a budget. And while it may not be the fastest or have the highest-resolution display, it should be more than enough for average day to day use. If nothing else, it will allow the user to make calls, send messages and stay connected over social media. Touching on the plans for a moment, remember, T-Mobile now has the Simple Choice setup. This basically means you are starting with an unlimited talk, text and data account for $50 per month. In addition, that $50 price point also includes 500MB of high-speed data per month. Plus, there is an option for those looking for more high-speed data. In that case, there is a 2GB add-on for $10 per month and an unlimited add-on for $20 per month. SOURCE: T-Mobile |
| Amazon login service launches as alternative to Google and Facebook Posted: 29 May 2013 07:00 AM PDT Amazon has announced the latest single sign-on service this morning. The service will be launching as “Login with Amazon” and it will be serving as another alternative to the similar services being offered by Facebook and Google. More to the point for developers though, using Amazon will allow them to tap into the 200 million active Amazon customers. And on the flip side, this will provide a secure method for users to choose.
Basically, as with Facebook and Google, the Login with Amazon service will allow users to login using their existing account credentials. This also means you will have one less username and password to worry about remembering and maintaining. Amazon is touting this as being a way for developers to offer a trusted sign-in solution to their users and as a way for the users to quickly and securely sign-in to apps.
The Login with Amazon service is ready and available for developers to begin using, however it may take some time before the average end user finds the option to use this. Amazon notes that some of the early adopters of the service include Zappos and Woot, both of which have seen “significant customer adoption.” The folks at Zappos have said 40 percent of new customers chose to login with Amazon and Woot has said customers chose to login with Amazon “two times more often than any other social login on their site.” The Login with Amazon service is based on the OAuth 2.0 authorization framework and is said to be easy for developers to integrate. Amazon mentions the integration process can be taken from the initial registration to launch in a “matter of hours.” Otherwise, aside from the end user having one less username and password to remember, this also means one less location to have your credit card and personal details stored. Finally, while the use cases will likely vary from developer to developer, Amazon has said this will be available for the Appstore, Game Connect, GameCircle, in-app purchases and more. All said and done, it looks like users now have another option to choose when signing in with a new service. The nice part here is simply having the additional option and while Facebook and Google seem like good ones to consider, somehow using an Amazon login seems to make quite a bit of sense for websites that you will be making purchases from. |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 FCC filing reveals AT&T LTE support Posted: 29 May 2013 06:27 AM PDT Samsung released the WiFi-only Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet in the US market a short while back and judging from this recently discovered FCC filing, it looks like another model may be launching soon. This other is an LTE equipped model and while we have yet to see any release details officially announced, the filing is showing support for the AT&T network. Specifically, the filing details support for the 850 and 1900MHz GSM bands as well as for LTE on bands 2, 4, 5 and 17.
Simply out, this LTE Galaxy Note 8.0 appears headed towards AT&T. Of course, we still need that official announcement which will offer the important details such as the pricing and a release date. In the meantime, aside from the addition of LTE, the specs and features remain the same. As a recap, this means an 8.0-inch tablet with a resolution of 1280 x 800, Jelly Bean with TouchWiz on top and support for the S Pen. Other goodies include a quad-core 1.6GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, a 4600 mAh battery, microSD card slot, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, IR Blaster, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera. Some of the software perks users can expect to see include the multi-window mode which will allow you to run multiple apps side by side as well as S Note, Group Play and WatchON which is a TV guide app that pairs with the previously mentioned IR Blaster.
Touching back on the price and while we have yet to see anything for the LTE model, we do have the WiFi-only model for comparison. In this case, the WiFi-only Galaxy Note 8.0 is currently priced at $400. That price may be a bit on the high side given some of the current competition, but time will tell what AT&T has planned for the LTE model. Otherwise, while we have yet spend any hands-on time with the LTE Galaxy Note 8.0, we have spent some time playing with the WiFi-only model. Those considering a purchase of the cellular model, or even the WiFi-only model may benefit from our previous coverage which includes a hands-on and unboxing as well as a full featured review. VIA: Engadget SOURCE: FCC |
| LG Nexus 4 in white hands-on and unboxing Posted: 28 May 2013 08:51 PM PDT After countless leaks and speculation the folks from Google and LG finally made the white LG Nexus 4 official. It’s the same Nexus we know and love, with a nice new paint job. After plenty of talk at Google I/O about a white model with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean getting announced we were excited, but it’s still just on 4.2.2, for now at least. Read on for more details and a quick unboxing with Google’s other baby. That being Google Glass.
This morning Google announced the White Nexus 4, and we should be seeing it hit the Play Store with a brand new matching white bumper case starting tomorrow, May 29th. We’ve seen the phone multiple times, and it’s essentially the exact same smartphone, but we’ll talk a look anyways. Obviously as some of you may notice, the device isn’t completely white. Instead the back and sides have a nice rubbery white paint job, while Google opted to keep the front fascia black. Some like it, some don’t, but at least we have the option. Then the same popular bumper case is now available in white and would even look good on that Black Nexus 4. Take a peek at both below. Of course we’re working with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, the absolute latest version of Android from Google. Although many rumors and speculation have Android 4.3 being announced and pushed to Nexus devices starting June 10th. So we’ll have to wait and see. You’ll be enjoying the same 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 IPS HD display, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor here. We’ll get the same 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, as well as a 16GB model being available. The device enjoys a decent 8 megapixel camera, NFC, and a 2,100 mAh battery. There’s nothing new here folks! So here’s a look at the bumper case too. A few subtle differences here are the little nubs or feet on bottom to keep the devices back off of the ground. This should help prevent that glass-like design and camera lens from getting scratched. So basically here it is guys. The Nexus 4 officially in white. We really don’t need to pound this home. It’s the same device with a different color. The important part will be Android 4.3 whenever that gets announced. For now enjoy a few pics below and stay tuned for when the next version of Android drops. Because we’ll be all over it!           |
| GALAXY S 4 Mini reveal set for June 20th event Posted: 28 May 2013 04:19 PM PDT Samsung loves making a big scene and deal out of announcements, especially with the GALAXY S 4, and yesterday they revealed another event is set for June 20th. Teasing new Galaxy devices and their ATIV Windows Phone brand. Today however, many sources claim that event will be the stage in which they announce the new GALAXY S 4 Mini.
Instead of their usual Unpacked events this one is simply called “Samsung Premiere 2013″ so we’re all wondering what exactly they’ll be showing off. The Note 3 probably won’t be announced til August at IFA, and most likely we’ll be seeing some new tablets and this new Mini. According to reports by the Wall Street Journal, the GALAXY S 4 Mini will be one of the stars of this show. In fact it will be one of several new devices unveiled at the show according to sources close to the matter. Obviously here we’re mainly interested in the GALAXY devices, but we’ll be checking out the competition too. This week we’ve had two sightings of the new Mini smartphone, so it’s safe to say its coming soon at this point, we’re just wondering if this event will be there where and when. Previous reports and rumors suggest a 4-inch qHD 960 x 540 resolution display and a mediocre dual-core processor. If you’re hopeful for a flagship GALAXY S 4 type device in a smaller package, this won’t be it. More details about the upcoming Samsung GALAXY S 4 Mini can be found from our timeline below. Will you be interested if this comes to the states? VIA: Android Police |
| ASUS Transformer AIO PC getting update to 4.2 Jelly Bean Posted: 28 May 2013 03:52 PM PDT Last year at Computex ASUS revealed their new Transformer AiO (All in One) Windows 8 PC that doubles as an Android tablet, and today we have good news for anyone that owns this unique device. While most smartphones and tablets are still waiting for the latest version of Android, ASUS has just started pushing out Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean for this beast of a device.
As you can see above, it certainly isn’t small. Being a regular desktop PC running Windows 8, that can then detach and act as a tablet for anyone willing to wield such a huge device. I mean, it’s only 18.4-inches, no big deal. More details can be found from our Transformer AiO hands-on from last year. Today we’re getting reports from Android Police that the device is currently getting the much anticipated update to Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean right from ASUS themselves. Way to push out updates at a quick pace there guys, but we have a feeling a few regular Transformer Tablet owners might not be happy to see this get it first.
As you can see from the screenshot above, many have already received the over the air update this afternoon from ASUS. One important aspect is 4.2 brings multiple user accounts to the slate, something that a device like this could really use since it doubles as a PC. As usual the update is rolling out, but you can head into settings and manually check for and accept the update should you not want to wait. So, would any of you actually carry around an 18.4-inch tablet? |
| Acer video teases upcoming tablets from Computex 2013 Posted: 28 May 2013 02:48 PM PDT We have been seeing a lot of teaser videos lately for the annual Computex 2013 event coming up shortly, and today Acer has joined in on the action. Today they’ve released a new teaser video for the event that’s quite funny, while also hinting at some possible Android/Windows hybrid tablets. Teasing us with tablets covered in an Android-green cloth, and that’s all we get.
Acer hasn’t been a big name lately in Android tablets, but they’ve still been releasing some pretty decent slates. We have a feeling a Tegra 4 device is in the works from Acer, but won’t know until their global press conference on June 3rd for Computex. It’s about time we see some new flagship tablets from Acer. Earlier in May they revealed their budget Iconia A1, but we have a feeling they’ll have something much better to display next week in Taipei. At the same time they vowed to offer budget slates for 2013. Teasing a tablet that lets you do more than “just use apps and surf the web”. Take a peek below: They also take the moment to toss in a little humor. Joking around about “the guy leaking specs on the internet” and we all know who he’s talking about with that one. ASUS has some big plans and teaser videos for Computex, and now it looks like Acer will also be bringing their A game. We only have to wait a week before we see what they have in store. Any last minute guesses on Acer’s newest products? |
| Umeox X5 to be the “world’s thinnest phone” at just 5.6mm Posted: 28 May 2013 01:55 PM PDT Over the past 12 months or so a new trend has surfaced from all those Chinese manufacturers. That new trend is to release the “world’s thinnest smartphone” and we’ve seen the record get broke, then broke again, over and over the past few months. Today a new contenders real device has surfaced, instead of press images from earlier this month. The Umeox X5 will officially earn the title, for now.
Huawei, Oppo, Alcatel, and even SHARP have all taken this route, and decently Huawei held the record with a super sleek and svelte smartphone coming in at just 6.1mm thin. At this point these phones are thinner than a pencil, and we start to worry about overall durability. However, this trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon so meet the new Umeox X5. This Chinese manufactured smartphone is pretty decent looking, and of course it’s super thin. Beating all the previous models out of the water for how thin it is, but sadly we don’t have any details on the insides. What’s the point of a super thin phone that has awful specs? Huawei and OPPO have managed this feat while still packing in HD displays and quad-core processors. According to GizChina who unveiled these pictures, the phone will soon be the “world’s thinnest” but we don’t know anything else at this point. Aside from being super thin it will launch with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, and they are aiming for a July release window, probably exclusive to China. It looks pretty decent. Would you buy one?    SOURCE: Unwired View |
| Spotify update finally adds landscape mode, forgets notification controls Posted: 28 May 2013 01:37 PM PDT Today we have some excellent news for the thousands of you who still use Spotify on Android. The app received a rather nice software update nearly a year ago that changed and improved the entire user interface. However, one major problem was landscape mode was missing. It’s safe to say that was a huge oversight for the many people using their phones in landscape car docks and more.
Fast forward to today, yes a year later, and Spotify has finally updated their Android app this afternoon with one small improvement. The only thing listed on the changelog is the addition of landscape mode. Now we’ve been huge fans of Spotify here at Android Community, but this update should have arrived within a few weeks. Not a year later. I don’t know about you guys, but the day Google announced Play Music All Access for $7.99 I signed up. A few days later the Spotify account got closed and it runs out later this month. This update is just too late, not to mention we still don’t have expandable notifications and controls like nearly every other music app available today. Spotify really needs to get on the ball here. Sadly Google Music All Access is for the U.S only at this point, so Spotify and Rdio are both still extremely popular options that many will continue to use. However, I myself have made the switch. That’s about all we have from Spotify today. You can still get 48 hours free by signing into Facebook with Spotify, but that isn’t new. Give it a try today from the link below. So who still uses Spotify, or do you get your musical riffs elsewhere? SOURCE: Play Store |
| Verizon Motorola XFON clears the FCC as we wait for launch Posted: 28 May 2013 01:04 PM PDT So there’s multiple new smartphones on the way from the folks at Motorola. We’re now nearly halfway through 2013 with nothing from the manufacturer when all others have pushed out new products, so hopefully they have something exciting. The Motorola X-Phone has been talked about a lot, then leaked as the XFON, and now we’re seeing it clear the FCC for Verizon.
We’ve seen 3 similar devices clear the FCC lately, so at the moment it appears they’ll also be taking the one-for-all flagship approach as Samsung, and recently HTC’s One smartphone. Today’s last of many to clear the FCC is model XT1060, and we’ve seen XT1058, XT1056 and a few other various numbers as of late too. For now we really have no clue what’s going over there at Motorola. Google’s now in charge, but they’ve stated there is 18 months of back product before we see their influence on the company. So what is coming? So far our best guess is the Motorola XFON will arrive on all four major US carriers, mostly the same device, and possibly a slightly better model will hit Verizon with their usual DROID branding. We know Motorola’s been loyal to Verizon, so it’s only a matter of time until we see what is next.
We’ve heard so many rumors at this point we don’t really know what to think. Talk of a 4.7-inch 720p display, a 5-inch 1080p HD display, older Snapdragon quad-core chips and more. What we do know, is that Motorola has multiple very similar devices they’re prepping for all carriers. Latest rumored date is mid June with availability in early July. Hopefully we learn more soon. SOURCE: Blog of Mobile VIA: Droid-Life |
| Pebble Ringer app launches for Android, we go hands-on Posted: 28 May 2013 12:34 PM PDT Pebble rolled-out an updated SDK earlier in the month. Specifically, that update was for the Pebble Kit which added support for two-way app communication. Or more to the point, this update will allow developers to create apps that run on your Pebble and control your smartphone, which we have just gotten a look at with a newly launched app. That app is called Pebble Phone Ringer Switcher and it is available for Android users.
The app is available for free and has support for devices running Android 2.3.3 or later. Those using the app will need to also have the official Pebble app installed on their device. That brings us to the first point here, the Pebble Phone Ringer Switcher will tie-in with the official app. You will first need to install the app on your device. Once installed you launch the app and click the “Install PBW to Watch” button.    From here you will see a Pebble is Updating message which is followed by an Update Complete message. This is where the tie-in with the official Pebble app comes into play. Once you see those messages and hit the back button (in the upper left), you are taken to the Installed Watch Apps section of the official Pebble app. The ringer app, assuming it installed properly, should be listed at the bottom of the installed list as “Phone Ringer.” Otherwise, the app does just what is should — allows the user to switch their phone from sound to vibrate to silent. Once installed on your Pebble you access the app (from the main clock) by tapping the center button on the right side of the Pebble. From here you scroll down to the Phone Ringer app and once again tap that same center button. Once at this point you simply tap the button next to which option you want with the top being sound, the middle being vibrate and the bottom being silent.   Bottom line here, the app is simple and to the point. Perhaps more important though, it works as one would expect and adds one extra bit of functionality to your Pebble. As for us, we tested this on a Verizon branded Galaxy S III and had no problems getting it installed, or having it adjust the settings. Of course, seeing this just leaves us wanting more. The one issue we see possibly coming though, with more apps coming to the Pebble, we are probably going to want some way to adjust the order the apps are listed to allow for quicker access to those that are used more often. SOURCE: Get Pebble, Google Play Store |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon BatteryGuru aims to boost your battery life Posted: 28 May 2013 12:09 PM PDT We all know that one of the key areas of a smartphone is battery life. What use is that 5-inch HD display and awesome features if you never use them to conserve and last the rest of the day? In a way, battery life is the most important feature, and today Qualcomm‘s new app is hoping to increase exactly that. We’ve seen BatteryGuru before, but today it left beta and is readily available.
The silicon maker Qualcomm powers the Galaxy S III, HTC’s One, and the new GALAXY S 4 just to name a few, and they will all be able to enjoy their new app. It’s called Snapdragon BatteryGuru, and as expected, will only work with Qualcomm Snapdragon powered devices. The app was just updated and is officially out of beta and ready to save you some juice and time being tethered to a wall outlet. Most devices have some sort of battery-saving features built in. Motorola, Samsung, HTC and more all have systems that at a certain point disable features of our devices, and Motorola’s RAZR MAXX HD just packs a huge battery, but Qualcomm has a different approach. Instead of disabling features when a battery gets low, BatteryGuru learns from you and actively changes and tweaks features and performance for optimal battery life 24/7. Essentially it manages things like sync services, updates, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS location services and more, automatically. Instead of you setting preferences (although there is that option) it will learn from your behavior after the first 2-3 days, and actively tweak and improve all these settings for you. You won’t have to toggle wifi when you leave the house or get to the coffee shop. It knows and will do it automatically. There’s a lot of mixed reviews from the Google Play Store, but so far the consensus is that it works quite well. We’ll be giving it a run for the next week or so to test it out. Give it a try yourself and let us know how it goes in the comments below. SOURCE: Play Store |
| HTC One “Senseless Edition” tipped to arrive in limited quantities Posted: 28 May 2013 11:33 AM PDT HTC has denied the rumors, however talk of a Senseless HTC One has not stopped. In fact, additional reports are continuing to surface. The latest, which once again is dealing with ‘people familiar with the matter’ is bringing claims that the phone is real and that it will be released in limited quantities. That is not to say a limited edition, but more like it will be a limited initial run to judge the market.
Anyway, this latest report is coming by way of the folks at Pocket-lint who note that HTC will release a “HTC One with stock Android.” They go on to mention about how the “numbers are going to be limited, like very limited.” Here is where the limited aspect comes in though. It was said that HTC will release “around 1 per cent of total sales of the device so far” to judge reaction to the Senseless version. Based on that and based on a recent sales report from HTC and that would have this handset coming in with roughly 50,000 units. Of course, we offer this as a reminder — the Senseless HTC One is still nothing more than rumor at this point in time. Here lies the question though, assuming this happens and assuming the 50,000 estimate proves accurate — will HTC even be able to sell that many. Sure, there is plenty of chatter and seemingly plenty of people that want to make a purchase, but will those same people be around if and when the handset is available for sale. This will likely come down to pricing. Take the Google Edition GALAXY S 4 as an example and we are thinking HTC maybe better off skipping a Senseless HTC One. The Google Edition GALAXY S 4 is pricey. It is priced high enough where the average user will likely not even give it a second thought. Not to mention, we suspect those who are super into having an HTC One (or GALAXY S 4) running vanilla Android would be able to install various other third party ROMs and achieve almost the same result. Of course, the one caveat with that is future updates from Google. Still, we cannot get passed the price and we are thinking even a limited run may be a big risk for a financially struggling HTC. SOURCE: Pocket-lint |
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