Android Authority

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• Google’s acquisition of Waze prompts FTC investigation
• Console gaming is in trouble, and Android is to blame.
• Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Active, HTC One, other smartphones 50% off at AT&T
• New rumored Galaxy Note 3 image hits the web, shows entire handset
• The best cases for the HTC One! (video)
• AA Weekly: top Android news of the week, June 22, 2013
• Sources: LG G2 coming with edge-to-edge display, buttons moved to the back

Google’s acquisition of Waze prompts FTC investigation Posted: 22 Jun 2013 06:06 PM PDT Credit: theantonyryan/Flickr Google just can't seem to catch a break. According to a report by the New York Post, the search giant's $1.1 billion acquisition of Israel-based mapping service Waze has prompted an antitrust investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). A Google spokesperson confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that the FTC had contacted the company about the report. It's difficult to say for certain what the primary focus of probe will be, but the FTC is more than likely interested in Google's intentions for purchasing Waze. Some speculate the buy was defensive, an attempt to prevent rivals from acquiring Waze's technology to build or enhance their own mapping platforms. Microsoft's an early investor in Waze, and Facebook and Apple reportedly considered purchasing the company as recently as last month. This isn't the first time Google's had a run-in with the FTC. An investigation into the company's potentially anticompetitive ranking of search results concluded in January 2013, and a probe focusing on Google's ad platform began in May. Given that Google's been charged with more serious allegations and come away unscathed, it's improbable the FTC's latest investigation will result in any substantial punishment. Considering Waze's application features unique functionality like social integration and traffic analysis, it'll be easy for Google to argue the purchase was a strategic move to improve its own mapping solution, rather than an anticompetitive maneuver to prevent, say, Facebook from entering the mapping game. What do you think of Google's purchase of Waze? Do you think the FTC is justified in targeting the company for anticompetitive practices yet again? Let us know.

Console gaming is in trouble, and Android is to blame. Posted: 22 Jun 2013 04:00 PM PDT The Ouya Like horses being led to a stable, the latter part of this year will be the starting bell for a gaming race. With the likes of OUYA, Project SHIELD, Project M.O.J.O., Gamestick, XBox One and the Playstation 4 all being readied for wide release, the landscape is changing. While not all of those consoles listed above are in direct competition with one another, they are just that: consoles. As such, they want to dominate your gaming experience. More to the point, many of them want to dominate your living room. That presents a challenge they're prepared to face at some point, but they have to navigate past bigger players to truly succeed. The Android crew OUYA has done a fantastic job in setting the stage for the rest of the Android gaming crew. It's just about everything we could hope for; inexpensive, highly portable, and has a physical controller. In assessing our gaming needs, it has the capacity to cover all the bases. It is Android based, meaning we can probably get our favorite "time wasters" on it with ease, but also dedicated to gaming. That should mean it's good enough to handle larger, more in-depth games without stuttering or failing us. With so many unproven consoles in Android gaming, developers have no reason to support one over another. Yet. What OUYA has given us so far is compromise. The build quality is suspect, and it's been lagging with what many consider rudimentary tasks. The funding is solid, as it annihilated the kickstarter campaign goal set. What stands in the way is what it vowed to us, which may ultimately be too ambitious. Like the rest of the Android crew, OUYA is promising us a great gaming experience for next to nothing. For many people, $100 is a small investment. Its only real competitor right now is Gamestick, which promises much of the same functionality, but also has many of the same issues. Cheap, promising, but with suspect build quality. The wildcard Project SHIELD from NVIDIA was the surprise darling of CES, mostly because we didn't see it coming. Never a hint, or a leak, or even a suggestion that NVIDIA was working on a larger scale project. We were taken aback by the hardware, and found the small screen a surprise delight. It's essentially portable gaming as it should be. We want quick bursts of fun, dovetailed with some TV and movies. What SHIELD has over the other Android based platforms is Steam. The popular PC gaming platform is supported by SHIELD, meaning those who would otherwise shy away from portable or Android gaming no longer have to. They can play their games away from the PC, or non-Steam games, which is a big step moving forward. This also represents a market sector the other Android consoles can't readily get involved in at this time. M.O.J.O. workin' Project M.O.J.O. could very well end up the class of Android gaming consoles. Made by Mad Catz, there is a long lineage of device manufacturing involved. Going back to early arcade days, Mad Catz has a history of design and build quality. They also built some specialized arcade-style gaming equipment for the home. If you bought the Street Fighter IV arcade joystick, that was Mad Catz, and they've been doing that since the SNES days. While no pricing or availability have been announced, we can expect the console to be competitive. Supporting the Play Store outright is impressive, but still lacks in one key area. Their lineage of manufacturer and developer support may end up carrying the day for them, and is a very important 'foot in the door'.

Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Active, HTC One, other smartphones 50% off at AT&T Posted: 22 Jun 2013 02:50 PM PDT AT&T has kicked off a smartphone promotion that lets users purchase a new device for half the price. However, in order to take advantage of the promo, you'll have to ink a new two-year contract with the carrier, and select a device that's priced between $0.99 and $199.99 until June 30 when the deal is over. We will point out that the activation fee will also be waived through the end of June, giving you additional savings. There are plenty of Android smartphones you could consider including the recently announced Galaxy S4 Active, the Galaxy S4 or the HTC One to name just a few. Smartphones running other operating systems are also included in the offer, if you're not necessarily looking for an Android-powered device. The discount is applied automatically in your online shopping cart, so you don't have to do anything yourself. Galaxy S4 Active order with one-year contract | Image Credit: Android Police More interestingly, is that you may be able to ink a new one-year deal with your chosen smartphone, and pay for it just above the regular two-year contract price, as Android Police points out. Whether that's just a mistake or not it's not clear, but you can check it out for yourself when ordering a new smartphone from AT&T. What are you going to buy?

New rumored Galaxy Note 3 image hits the web, shows entire handset Posted: 22 Jun 2013 02:19 PM PDT Galaxy Note 3 concept Shortly after seeing a purported Galaxy Note 3 image hit the web, a second such image has been published – see picture below. Unlike the first image, which only showed only a section of the screen, the second one shows the entire handset. However, we still can't confirm whether this is the real thing or not, so take it with a grain of salt. The smartphone is positioned in such a manner that makes it harder to spot certain details, as we’re mostly shown the side of the handset. Moreover, the handset is protected by case. From the distance, one may confuse it with the Galaxy S4. We're looking at a large screen and a prominent physical home button. However, the on/off button on the Galaxy S4 is placed higher towards the top of the handset, on the right side of the device. On this device the same button is placed almost near the middle of the right side – in fact, one could say that the lock button is placed almost in the same spot as on the Galaxy Mega 6.3. A slim bezel may, or may not be there, and the camera seems to be placed on the right side of the speaker. Galaxy Mega 6.3 On/Off button on the right side As you can see from the watermarks, this purported Galaxy Note 3 image has been spotted on China's Weibo social network. Just like with the other leaked Galaxy Note 3 picture (available below), we'll have to wonder why more pictures haven't been taken to show the device from other angles as well. We'll probably see similar leaks in the coming months. Galaxy Note 3 allegedly shown in leaked image The other Galaxy Note models have been announced at IFA in Berlin, Germany, which is where we'd expect to see the device become official. However, the most recent Galaxy Note 3 rumors say the phone could be announced and launched earlier than expected, to compensate for the poorer Galaxy S4 sales compared to estimates. The smartphone is said to pack a 5.99-inch Full HD touchscreen display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and run Android 4.2.2 out of the box.

The best cases for the HTC One! (video) Posted: 22 Jun 2013 05:16 AM PDT So you got a new HTC One? Congrats! It’s a nice piece of hardware, and you certainly wouldn’t want it to get broken. So we’ve put together an awesome lineup of cases for you that are both stylish and protective! If you’re in a rush, you can jump straight to the video, otherwise, stick with us as we take a look into some of the best cases for the HTC One! Speck Candyshell Grip First up is the Speck Candyshell Grip. It has raised rubber edges on the front, which provides a nice grip for the front of the screen. Looking at the back, there’s four sections that provide maximum grip in the palm of your hand. What makes this case even more handy is the raised rubberized buttons over the volume rocker. It makes it easy to control the already hard to press volume buttons. Aside from that, there’s a few nice cut outs for the camera, power, microUSB port, headphone jack, and etc. All in all, the Speck Candyshell Grip is a very stylish and useful case. It comes in four different colors, and it’s priced at $34.95. Speck Candyshell The next case in our lineup is the Speck Candyshell. Unlike the Speck Candyshell Grip, this particular case doesn’t have any rubberized edges for maximum grip. The Speck Candyshell has a very nice glossy finish, and it protects your HTC One very well. I’ve used the case for about a day and the case has been able to sustain quite a few big scratches on the glossy finish. Suffice to say, it’s a very protective case. Much like the Speck Candyshell Grip, it has raised rubberized volume buttons to control the volume rocker. Furthermore, it has the standard cutouts to access the power button and all the rest of the ports, except for the headphone jack, which is a tad bit of a disappointment. When it comes down to it, the Speck Candyshell is a great protective case. It just doesn’t have that nice added grip like the Speck Candyshell Grip has. The Speck Canyshell comes in three different high gloss finishes, and it runs for $34.95. Casemate Tough Case The Casemate Tough Case is very strong — it has dual layer protection, meaning it has a hard shell back and a soft, rubberized interior. It’ll keep your HTC One nice and safe from any slips and falls. The hard shell back features a nice texture, and the rubber interior is very malleable. The Casemate Tough Case is very nice to use because not only is the back hard and protective, but it’s also soft and comfortable in the hand. Like the Speck Candyshell cases, it has the rubberized button for the volume rocker and your standard cutouts. This particular case runs for $31.95, and comes in any color you want — as long as it’s black. HTC Hardshell with cover The HTC Hardshell with cover is probably my favorite case out of the entire lineup, and there’s a good reason for that. It features some really awesome material, has a great color scheme, and comes with a media stand to make media consumption easy. The media stand is made out of a nice red velvet, and it flips downwards to set your HTC One up to view media. It also features the dual speaker experience of the HTC One with Beats Audio. It features two speaker cutouts at the top and bottom, as well as a cutout for the LED, but there isn’t any protection on the sides, though there is rubberized corners on the case in case of dropping accidents. There isn’t a raised rubberized volume rocker button either. Aside from that, it provides access to all of the buttons on the HTC One to enhance your media experience. All in all, it’s a great case for media consumption. It’s available for a mere $22.99. HTC Hardshell The HTC Hardshell is yet another official HTC product. This is the Hardshell case with smart protection. It’s an awesome case, but it doesn’t facilitate the use of a full body protector, such as my Zagg InvisibleShield. Nonetheless, this is a really good case. It provides grills at the top bottom so you have access to those gorgeous top and bottom front facing speakers. It also feels great in the hand, however, the volume rocker is flesh with the body, which makes them kind of hard to press down on. It still feels great in the hand, though. You have your standard cutouts throughout the device — microUSB, mic, camera, etc. It’s made out of a hard shell material, so your HTC One is going to be protected from any falls. When it comes down to it, it’s an all around great case that strives to keep your device as thin as possible, while offering maximum protection. It runs for $22.99. Trident Aegis The Triden Aegis is a tough, stylish case. It features dual layer protection — the interior is a soft, silicone material, and the exterior is a poly carbonate material, which makes for a really good hard shell case. Looking around the back, we have that stylish Trident logo. On the sides and corners is a soft rubber that protects against shock and impact. There’s also a nice rubber bezel around the edge, along with dust protection for the charger and headphone slots. It’s not a hassle to open those slots up for use, but it does secure tightly to prevent dust from getting in. Like a lot of these cases, there are raised rubber buttons to easily access the volume rocker. All in all, the Trident Aegis is a great case, and it’s available in three colors for $29.99. Otterbox Commuter Our second to last case is the Otterbox Commuter, which you’ve probably heard about before. Like a few of these cases, the Commuter for the HTC One features dual layer protection in the form of a soft, rubber interior, and a hard shell exterior. On the back, you have your hard exterior, and the Otterbox branding at the bottom. All four corners are rubberized to prevent damage when the device falls on hard surfaces. Furthermore, the Commuter has a nice, deep bezel, and the volume keys are very easy to access. Then you have your standard cutouts for the camera, LED, and etc. Similar to the Trident Aegis, there’s dust protection for the charger and headphone jack. Thanks to the deep bezel, it’ll protect against any screen damage, too. Not to mention that the Commuter comes with a screen protector. When it comes down to it, the Commuter is a good, protective case. It comes in five colors and will cost you $34.95. Otterbox Defender I saved the Otterbox Defender for last, because it offers the most protection out of our this entire lineup, hands down. Looking around the back, you have the standard Otterbox branding on the third layer of protection. It has a nice, deep dish around the camera, so if the device falls, the camera will remain intact. Much like the Commuter series, you have your dust protection on the charger and headphone ports. They open very easily, and shut just as well. There’s also a nice deep dish around the screen, which should minimize any damage from falling on any sort of hard surface. The volume rocker is easy to control with the hard buttons, and the power button has a very nice cutout, so it’s safe from any damage. Overall, it’s a great case for the HTC One, and the added belt clip makes it worth the $49.95. It also comes in five different colors. Video Final thoughts These are, hands down, some of the best cases for the HTC One. There’s a lot more out there, but this lineup offers some of the most stylish and protective cases out there. Of course, not everyone is going to like every case on this list. Some cases, such as the Otterbox Defender, may prove to be too bulky for some. On the other hand, the Speck Candyshell may just be too thin for someone. When it comes down to it, there’s a case for all tastes on this list, as long as you have an HTC One. If there’s a particular case that you like or dislike, feel free to tell everyone about it in the comments below!

AA Weekly: top Android news of the week, June 22, 2013 Posted: 22 Jun 2013 05:09 AM PDT   Facebook asks for a Samsung phone, unlikely to get it The week opened with news from South Korea. Like Larry Page before him, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg visited the home of Samsung and LG. The goal of the visit, sources said, was to coax Samsung into making a "Facebook phone", similar to the unsuccessful HTC First. Facebook apparently realized that, for the Home project to stand any chance of success, it needs a major partner behind it. AP Photo/Yonhap, Do Kwang-hwan Will Samsung give Facebook a helping hand? Probably not – the same well-informed sources claimed that the Korean mammoth has no interest whatsoever in putting out a Facebook Home device. Well, tough luck, Mark. The newest slimmest phone The constant rat race that is the quest to make the slimmest smartphone in the world has a new leader. Huawei unveiled on Tuesday the thoroughly teased Ascend P6, which at, 6.18 millimeters, is officially the world's new thinnest phone. We have to say it, Huawei did a heck of a job designing the P6, although those inclined to nitpicking will point out the design cues that the phones takes from Apple's iPhone. With a 720p display and a Huawei-made quad-core processor, the Ascend P6 looks intriguing. And, unlike other devices in the past, Huawei seems decided this time to make the gorgeous Ascend P6 available in a timely manner. Butterfly s lands with beefy battery On Wednesday, HTC did something it rarely does – announce a phone that puts battery life ahead of a thin profile. The HTC Butterfly s is the successor to the 2012 Butterfly (and to its American cousin, the Droid DNA), and is, in several ways, better even than the HTC One. The phone comes with a 5-inch full HD display, a processor that is slightly faster than the One's, a microSD card, and lo and behold, a 3200 mAh battery. That’s 900 mAh more than the One's and in line with the Galaxy Note 2 and other leaders in battery life. On top of that, the Butterfly s also brings the goodies that HTC introduced on the One, such as Sense 5 with BlinkFeed, the BoomSound speakers, and the UltraPixel camera. Sweet! Snapdragon 800 crushes benchmarks We knew it was coming, we just didn't know how hard it would beat its competitors. The Snapdragon 800 was put through its paces by various tech sites this week, and the results paint the picture of a winner. The new Qualcomm chip handily beats most competing SoCs, with only the Tegra 4 processor (which isn't likely to equip many devices) holding its ground in some tests. Ars Technica Especially in the graphics benchmarks, the Snapdragon 800 leaves competitors in the dust, and even comes close to matching the performance of some PC processors. The SoC is pegged to power a variety of devices in the second half of the year, from the LG Optimus G2 and the Sony Xperia ZU, to the HTC One Max tablet, and the LTE Advanced variant of the Galaxy S4. Prepare for a new level of performance, Android fans! Ativ Q marries Android and Windows into one sleek device Our jaws dropped when we saw what Samsung did with the Ativ Q, a convertible tablet that runs Windows 8 and Android, all while maintaining a sexy silhouette. Unveiled at Samsung's Premiere event in London, the Ativ Q runs primarily Windows 8, but it virtualizes Android 4.2 and makes it possible to instantly switch between the two operating systems with a tap of a button. It even lets users pin Android apps on the Windows 8 start screen, for easy access. The device can be used as a tablet, but underneath the 3200 x 1800 display there's a QWERTY keyboard for all of you, productive types. There's an S Pen thrown in for good measure, and the magnesium alloy device is powered by a Haswell chip from Intel, for extra-long battery life. We just hope the price of the Ativ Q won't be prohibitive… Right, Samsung? Right? On a related note, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy NX, a mirrorless camera powered by Android. HTC CEO vows to fight for former glory, Iron Man to help It was widely reported at the beginning of the year that CEO Peter Chou would resign if the One would fail to bring a much awaited turnaround for HTC. Those reports were apparently inaccurate, and moreover, Mr. Chou is resolved to turn the ship around, whatever it takes. Credit: HTC Peter Chou told shareholders that the ultimate goal of HTC is to get back to the 10 percent market share it used to have in 2011, and even go as high as 15 percent. The beleaguered manufacturer dropped to four percent in 2012, and many analysts maintain grim predictions for their performance in 2013. One thing's for sure, HTC is a valuable part of the Android ecosystem, and we root for their comeback. Perhaps Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. will help. Video roundup videoaddress What’s your take? In your opinion, what were the most important news this week, and why?

Sources: LG G2 coming with edge-to-edge display, buttons moved to the back Posted: 22 Jun 2013 04:59 AM PDT The successor to the Optimus G will be powered by the Snapdragon 800 system-on-a-chip – that's pretty much the only official info that we know about the upcoming device. Unofficially, it's a different story. We've heard that the media event that LG scheduled for August 7 will be dedicated to the Optimus G2 (which is more likely to be named simply the G2), and now Techtastic's sources confirm it. According to the site, along with the G2, we'll also see the mid-range Optimus L9 II (LG-D600) and the low-end LG-D500. What's more interesting are the details about the appearance of the G2. A set of allegedly leaked screenshots seem to suggest that the G2 will feature onscreen buttons, as per the recommendations of Google. In other words, the G2 will ditch the three capacitive keys setup found on the Optimus G. Moreover, the tipster went on to say that the G2 will be "the best device the company has ever produced" and that it will feature "an impressive edge-to-edge display". To accommodate the slim and bezel-less design, LG has allegedly moved buttons to the back of the G2. While this may sounds a little crazy, it isn't the first time we've been hearing about such an arrangement. In April, the Korean site ETNews issued a similar report that claimed LG would move the volume rockers next to the camera module, along with the power button. LG has a history of pushing the limits of technical specifications, consistently using new technologies ahead of its competitors. If today's report is accurate, LG is also positioning itself as a trendsetter in design. The Korean company is said to also have taken the lead in the development of flexible displays, due by the end of the year, though the G2 will feature a conventional panel with a glass panel. It remains to be seen how users would react to a radical new button configuration, but LG deserves to be commended for trying to shake things up.

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