Android and Me |
- Join the Splash Into Summer giveaway presented by PhoneDog Media
- Official 4.2.2 build leaks for Galaxy S III, complete with S 4 features
- Sony teases new smart watch in tweet
- Top 10 Android app updates: Aviary, Minus, Dolphin Browser
- LG holding media event August 7, ready for Optimus G2?
- RadioShack giving out $100 Play Store gift card with Sprint/AT&T HTC One purchase
- Intel partners with the Alliance for Wireless Power
- Robert Downey Jr. joins forces with HTC as global smartphone ambassador
| Join the Splash Into Summer giveaway presented by PhoneDog Media Posted: 21 Jun 2013 02:17 PM PDT It was only four days ago now when we first announced Android and Me was being acquired by PhoneDog Media. We said some things might change around here, and in case you haven’t noticed, they have. We’ve been pushing out extra content, including news and editorials, and have been engaging with you, our dear readers, to make sure things are headed in a direction you like. When we announced Android and Me’s new owners, we also mentioned that we wanted to participate in more giveaways, which is exactly what we’re doing. PhoneDog Media is proud to announce the Splash Into Summer giveaway. Every week, PhoneDog asks readers what they think is the best smartphone available. By tallying the votes over on the official smartphone rankings page at PhoneDog.com, a winner is chosen. By entering the Splash Into Summer giveaway, you have a chance to win that phone. Right now, it’s the HTC One. But who knows what you could end up with. So how do you enter? The rules are simple: Entering is easy. Head over to www.phonedog.com, login or set-up a new PhoneDog login, then cast your vote for your favorite smartphone at phonedog.com/rankings. That’s it! Once you vote, you’re entered to win. Splash Into Summer contest details:
Good luck, and stay tuned to Android and Me where we have a lot more going on you’ll want hear about. Who knows what we could have up for grabs next time…
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| Official 4.2.2 build leaks for Galaxy S III, complete with S 4 features Posted: 21 Jun 2013 12:37 PM PDT Lately, Samsung has been building an amazing track record with updates. Their flagship from two years ago, the Galaxy S II, launched with Gingerbread. They updated it to Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3, leaving the Gingerbread-esque UI unchanged. Then with 4.0.4 came a whole different experience, updated to be closer to ICS standards (or as close as TouchWiz could get anyway). But the really amazing thing is that Samsung updated the aging device to Jelly Bean 4.1.2, with yet another UI revision. It incorporated the Galaxy S III software, including the new launcher, smart features, and everything. Similarly, Samsung stated that the Galaxy S III won’t be left behind. With the release of the Galaxy S 4 running Android 4.2.2, Samsung promised that the S III and Note II will both get the software from the S 4, along with all the features possible. It’s an amazing proposition, but will Samsung deliver?
A 4.2.2 build for the Galaxy S III has leaked and it is absolutely official. Flashing it will not trip the binary counter, just like with a stock firmware. This means that Samsung is getting pretty close to completing this build. Here are some of the included features:
Even though this is an official build, it is still pre-release and may be unstable. This was not meant to be used as a daily driver, so flash it at your own risk and be aware of the consequences. Hit the source link for the download and instructions. It’s great to see Samsung sticking to a consistent update schedule. Not leaving behind older phones is a great way to build loyalty. Not too long ago, I still rocked a Galaxy S II as my main phone, and having Jelly Bean on it with the Galaxy S III features encouraged me to stick with Samsung. What do you think of Samsung upgrading older phones with both new versions of Android and new user interfaces? |
| Sony teases new smart watch in tweet Posted: 21 Jun 2013 10:56 AM PDT Sony has already made two attempts at a smart watch, and we can’t say that the last one was bad at all. Unfortunately for Sony, back then, smart watches were a little ahead of their time. They have now grown in popularity significantly, and people are starting to take notice. Do people really want smart watches? According to recent tweet from the Sony Twitter account, yes. Sourcing Bi Intelligence, Sony makes the claim that one third of smartphone users want smart wrist wear. The tweet is also labeled with two hashtags, #itstime and #MAE13. The latter is easy to explain, as they are hosting the Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai next week. But what about #itstime? There’s good reason to believe Sony will be unveiling a new smart watch at MAE13. Their other attempts weren’t failures, and the technology has improved and become more mainstream, so why not give it another shot? This teaser has got us all excited, so stay tuned for more info during the Mobile Asia Expo. We’ll bring you any news of a new Sony smart watch, and if you’re good, a review.
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| Top 10 Android app updates: Aviary, Minus, Dolphin Browser Posted: 21 Jun 2013 10:26 AM PDT Welcome back to the return of our weekly Top 10 Android App Updates column, where we take a look at the most upgraded apps for the week. I've found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to look at what people are actually updating, and not focus on which apps have the most installs. As in the past, we are going to filter out minor updates for the super popular apps that have over 10 million installs, but I'm going to make an exception for apps that had significant updates. I hope you enjoy this weekly feature and discover some apps that you might find useful. Dolphin Browser – Version 10.0
Dolphin Browser has steadily improved over time and it’s nice to see they decided to go with an updated UI and reinstate Flash support. Those of you wanting to try another browser should make sure to check out this application. Photo Editor by Aviary – Version 3.0.0
Aviary has always been a great tool to manipulate your photos on the go. The new interface is very sharp and really enhances the look of the application. Don’t delay! Click on the link above to enjoy this awesome mobile photo editing tool. Feedly – Version 16.0.5
Over the past couple months Feedly has emerged as one of the top Google Reader replacement apps. Their new cloud sync option allows other rss apps such as gReader to easily tie into Feedly. Make sure you check it out if it’s not already installed on your device. Waze – Version 3.7.2.0
Google recently purchased Waze for a billion dollars, a price that’s certainly justifiable. Waze is a map application that adds a social level to provide near real-time traffic updates while you drive. MyFitnessPal – Version 2.7-3340
It’s nice to see MyFitnessPal update to a cleaner more Holo like interface. There are many food tracking apps out there, but to my knowledge, the food database in MyFitnessPal is the largest, and one of the best. Minus – Version 2.0
Minus lets you explore the world around you as you travel. Meet new people and discover the various cultures around the world. DashClock Widget – Version 1.5
DashClock Widget is a great way to organize your most important information on a single screen. The open API is a great addition and the number of DashClock extensions seems to grow daily. Keep in mind this does require Android 4.2. Dragon Mobile Assistant – Version 4.0.0
This is a great app for those of you looking for a solid voice activated application to use while driving. Whether you need an important email read to you, or you need to let your significant other know you are running late, Dragon Mobile Assistant is there for you. OfficeSuite Viewer 7 – Version 7.2.1276
The ability to open Word and Excel documents while on the go can be an unpleasant experience. OfficeSuite Viewer is the just app to make this process less frustrating. OfficeSuite allows you to open Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents as well as many other file types. Press (RSS Reader) - Version 1.3.2
Google Reader is set to turn off in a couple of weeks, and if you still need to find a good alternative, take a look at Press. The recent update now allows you to sync with the new Feedly Cloud service. |
| LG holding media event August 7, ready for Optimus G2? Posted: 21 Jun 2013 10:17 AM PDT LG sent us a brief message last night, telling us that the “LG Mobile Communications Company will be hosting an international media event on August 7 in New York City. More information will follow in the coming weeks, but we wanted you to be aware so you could plan your schedules accordingly.” What’s the event about? We’d be willing to bet money that this event will be announcing the successor to the popular LG Optimus G. Yesterday morning, LG and Qualcomm were teasing us about the next G series device running the beastly Snapdragon 800 processor. And do you remember those leaked screen shots from a while back of that beautiful LG device with the tiny bezels and possibly a lack of capacitive navigation buttons? I think LG has come a long way since I first picked up my first Android device, the LG T-Mobile G2x. I hated that device. LG has really stepped it up with their latest releases, and it seems like they have some big plans for their next flagship. So, it’s obviously not confirmed that LG will be announcing the next G series device on August 7, but things seem to be pointing that direction. Do you think LG will be able to release something that can compete with the Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One? If this next G series device is as good as it sounds, is it your next device? It’s looking like we’ll be getting all the facts August 7, but I hope we keep getting teased with details because whatever LG is announcing, it seems legit. Stay tuned! |
| RadioShack giving out $100 Play Store gift card with Sprint/AT&T HTC One purchase Posted: 21 Jun 2013 10:16 AM PDT If you’ve been looking to buy an HTC One on either AT&T or Sprint, now is as good a time as ever. Though upgrading your smartphone is a good idea anyway, RadioShack is looking to sweeten the deal for you. With the purchase of an HTC One on a two year contract, customers who buy through RadioShack will receive a free Google Play Store gift card. A whopping $100 for all the media content you want, including apps, music, movies, books and TV shows. With the HTC One, you’ll be getting a 4.7-inch S-LCD3 1080p display, 1.7GHz Sanpdragon 600 quad core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 2,300 mAh battery, and Sense 5 on top of Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. The HTC One is famous for its 4MP “UltraPixel” camera, BoomSound dual front facing speakers, and its legendary metal unibody construction. If you’re interested in getting this deal, you’d better hurry. RadioShack is ending this deal on June 30th, so you only have 9 days to take advantage of the $100 Google Play gift card offer. Hit the source link for the deal, and tell us if you go for it! |
| Intel partners with the Alliance for Wireless Power Posted: 21 Jun 2013 08:29 AM PDT Even as wireless charging is becoming a popular feature for devices to have, there’s still a huge problem with consistency in wireless charging technologies. An industry standard technology hasn’t yet been set so you have to be very careful about buying a wireless charger as it could be a different technology that doesn’t work with your phone. But the Alliance for Wireless Power is aiming to fix that by developing a standard wireless charging technology and now they can add Intel to their list of partners. Intel is one of many companies who have joined the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) to develop an industry standard wireless charging. Some of the other big name companies who have joined the AW4P are Samsung, Qualcomm, and BroadCom. The wireless charging specifications that are being pushed involve near-field magnetic resonance for wireless charging. Intel had this to say about joining the A4WP: Intel believes the A4WP specification, particularly the use of near-field magnetic resonance technology, can provide a compelling consumer experience and enable new usage models that make device charging almost automatic. In joining A4WP, we look forward to working alongside other member companies and contributing to standards that help fuel an ecosystem of innovative solutions capable of simultaneously charging a range of devices, from low-power accessories to smartphones, tablets and Ultrabooks.Navin ShenoyIntel All in all, it should be interesting to see what plans Intel has for wireless charging and also how this affects the industry. The Qi wireless charging technology is another very popular technology and it’s going to shake up the industry if they switch to a different wireless charging standard. It’s also going to slow down the amount of consumer adoption as the market adjusts and pumps out technology that implements the new wireless charging standard. But on the bright side, we could finally get a standard technology for wireless charging. Who’s excited for more wireless charging? |
| Robert Downey Jr. joins forces with HTC as global smartphone ambassador Posted: 20 Jun 2013 09:20 PM PDT If one of the main features of your flagship smartphone is a full metal body, why not recruit Iron Man as a spokesman? Iron Man too expensive? How about the actor who plays the epically flawed superhero – Robert Downey Jr. According to Bloomberg, the actor has signed a two-year, $12 million contract with HTC to take on the role as global smartphone ambassador. Robert Downey Jr. will be playing himself in television, print and billboard ads, but HTC is probably hoping the public will have a hard time distinguish Robert Downey Jr., the actor from Tony Stark, the Iron Man. With Robert Downey Jr. getting final say over creative elements, it’ll be interesting to see how HTC’s marketing campaign will change. HTC One commercials do a decent job at showing off features like BlinkFeed and BoomSound, but they certainly aren’t as memorable as the slew Galaxy S4 commercials Samsung has been bombarding us with lately. What do you think of HTC’s decision? Is |
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