Android Central

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• Password protect your Google Play app to prevent unwanted purchases
• His name is Mr. Jingles ...
• First look at the Samsung ATIV Q
• Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom hands-on
• Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
• Samsung Galaxy NX video walkthrough
• Samsung Galaxy S4 Active hands-on
• Eyes on with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom flip case and lens cover
• Sprint bumps offer for Clearwire to $5 per share, valuing the company at $14 billion
• Samsung Galaxy NX specs and press images
• Modern Combat 4 Meltdown update to include new maps, game modes, and weapons
• Sony Xperia ZL (C6506) Android 4.2.2 update now available
• Samsung announces five new colors of the Galaxy S4
• Samsung officially announces Android-based Galaxy NX mirrorless camera
• Samsung ATIV Q puts Windows and Android on a single tablet
• Instagram announces Vine, erm, video on Instagram
• We're live from Samsung Premiere 2013 in London!
• Developer Affairs: The agony and ecstasy of app stores - Talk Mobile
• New York Times changes non-subscriber access in its Android app
• Deal of the Day: LLOYD Anti-Glare & Anti-Fingerprint Screen Protectors for Galaxy S3
• NVIDIA Shield price dropped to $299, availability date set at June 27
• Being mobile-ready: Google Hangouts will kill every webinar platform out there
• Verizon Galaxy S3 receiving OTA update once again
• Logitech to provide Harmony Ultimate Hub as a stand alone product, turns your Android into a universal remote
• A broken Falcon Pro is just the start of the Twitter pain

Password protect your Google Play app to prevent unwanted purchases Posted: 20 Jun 2013 04:24 PM PDT Money doesn't grow on trees. Take a few steps to password protect your Google Play purchases. When it comes to things that cost real money, people tend to become a little more cautious. Nobody wants their child or kid brother accidentally buying a bunch of apps or in-app purchases from Google Play while they are supposed to be playing Angry Birds, and it's easy enough to do with just a few taps -- unless you've password protected your Google Play app. With the password enabled, every time you try to spend money in Google Play, whether it be buying an app or book, renting a movie, or adding coins to your favorite game you'll need to enter your Google credentials to finalize the purchase. It's a great option, and one I suggest everyone enable. Luckily, it's easy to enable. Follow past the break to see how. Visit our Google Play mini-site for everything there is to know about Google Play read more

His name is Mr. Jingles ... Posted: 20 Jun 2013 03:10 PM PDT Google+ gets a new notifications mascot, 'mark all read' button Normally we wouldn't make a big deal about such a small change to Google+, but this one's kind of fun. Stick with us here. A couple days ago the little notification identifier switched from a number (which Facebook appears to have adopted for unread posts, by the way) to a bell with a rather cute smiley face. We'll call him Mr. Jingles, because that's what Google's calling him. Blaze through all of your notifications and click on Jingles, and he does a fun little dance. Yes, we're easily amused.  Jingles has just hit the Android app for Google+ as well. And along with it comes a new button to mark all of your notifications as read. It looks like a little bar graph, and it's now on the web version of Google+, too. Tap it or click it, and your notifications shall bother you no more. Or, in my case, for the next three seconds. Jingles then appears, applauding your notification-marking ability, and does his little dance. And, yes, Mr. Jingles is on Google+. read more

First look at the Samsung ATIV Q Posted: 20 Jun 2013 02:34 PM PDT An unholy marriage between Windows and Android takes place in this high-resolution, convertible tablet​ It's Windows. It's Android. It's Windows. It's Android. It's Windows. It's Android. It's the Samsung ATIV Q, just announced today in London. And it takes a convertible 13-inch tablet -- that is, it's got a keyboard that you can abuse in a couple different positions -- puts Android on one side, Windows 8 on the other, and leaves you and your brain to deal with the aftermath. Look, we're not going ot get the full feel for this thing in a few short minutes, but this much stood out: There are something like three buttons that will take you to Android -- and one of them is the Windows logo. Somewhere, even Christopher Nolan is scratching his head. Enjoy this first-look video.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom hands-on Posted: 20 Jun 2013 02:20 PM PDT A Galaxy S4 in name only, the Zoom is perhaps better related to the Galaxy Camera The launch of the original Samsung Galaxy Camera brought to the table a different class of product. An all-in-one device for people who wanted to take decent photographs yet have all the benefits of a smartphone at their disposal. The Galaxy S4 Zoom is very much in this same vein; a point-and-shoot camera with smartphone capabilities. Only this time around, you can actually use it to call people.  read more

Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Posted: 20 Jun 2013 02:13 PM PDT Does Samsung's miniaturized Galaxy S4 live up to its name? Each new generation of smartphones seems to bring with it ever larger screens. Just a couple of years ago a 4.3-inch screen was considered large -- unwieldy, even -- in the grand scheme of things. But as screens for flagship phones reach five inches and beyond, manufacturers seem to be realizing that big screens aren't for everyone. And the result of that realization is phones like the Galaxy S4 Mini. Featuring a familiar chassis design and a "smaller" 4.3-inch display, the Galaxy S4 Mini seems to promise a high-end experience in a smaller body. And in part, it delivers -- the S4 Mini boasts much of the feature set of its full-size namesake. You'll get everything from S Health -- the food and weight tracking app -- to WatchON -- the IR blaster-based TV remote app. Full-screen multitasking is even supported through the "Multi-Window" feature. read more

Samsung Galaxy NX video walkthrough Posted: 20 Jun 2013 01:45 PM PDT Our first impressions of Samsung's Android-powered professional camera The Samsung Galaxy NX is a first for Android and digital imaging -- the first professional camera with high-end smartphone internals, the latest version of Android and 4G LTE connectivity. If Samsung manages to make all this hardware work well together and bring it to market first, the Galaxy NX has the potential to be a game-changing product. But it's still early days, and we'll need to examine the Galaxy NX in more detail before we come to any conclusions. The broad strokes are this: A mirrorless body with interchangeable lenses. A 20.3 (effective) megapixel sensor. A 4.8-inch display on the back. Full LTE and Wifi capability. Powered by a quad-core processor at 1.6 GHz. Running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. On paper, it's a beast. (Check out the full specs here.) In the meantime, we've had the chance to get our hands on the Galaxy NX at the launch event today in London. Check our the video after the break for our first impressions. We'll bring you a detailed hands-on post later in the day. read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active hands-on Posted: 20 Jun 2013 01:42 PM PDT A first look at Samsung's ruggedized, water-resistant Galaxy S4 Active Traditionally, if you wanted a toughened, water-resistant, life-proof smartphone, there were compromises you just had to live with. Usually you'd pay over the odds, and be left with a bulky, ugly-looking device running old software, with sub-par internals. But that's starting to change, and we've already seen devices like the Sony Xperia Z that promise top-end hardware alongside the ability to survive a dunk in the bath. Now Samsung's entering the rugged smartphone market in a big way with the Galaxy S4 Active -- a device that stays true to its Galaxy S4 branding with high-end internals matched against a rugged chassis. It's IP67-rated for water and dust resistance, meaning its internals are protected from harmful particulate matter, and it'll survive in up to 1 meter of water for at least 30 minutes. On the inside you're dealing with much the same high-end parts you'll find in the regular S4 -- a 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, expandable via micro SD and a 1080p display. A few changes have been made though -- the Active's screen is an LCD, not SuperAMOLED, which may lead to improved daylight visibility (it's difficult to tell inside the darkened demo area). The camera's also taken a slight hit, going from 13 megapixels on the S4 to 8 on the active. Again, it was difficult to judge the camera's performance in the demo area at Earls Court today, but it seemed to work well enough. What's more, the camera app now boasts a dedicated underwater shooting mode. read more

Eyes on with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom flip case and lens cover Posted: 20 Jun 2013 01:39 PM PDT We're live in London at the Samsung Premiere 2013 event where we've had a first look at the new Galaxy S4 Zoom. Part smartphone, part point-and-shoot camera, the S4 Zoom is unlike any smartphone we've come across to date. As is usually the norm with new Samsung devices, a range of accessories come to market with them, and the Zoom is no exception. There's actually a pretty decent looking flip case for the device, that covers the screen on one side, and acts as a sort of bumper around the exterior edges. It also comes with a matching lens cap so you can pocket your new Galaxy S4 Zoom without worrying (too much) about that honkin' great zoom lens on the back. More pictures can be found after the break.  read more

Sprint bumps offer for Clearwire to $5 per share, valuing the company at $14 billion Posted: 20 Jun 2013 01:09 PM PDT Large number of Clearwire minority shareholders on-board with the deal Sprint announced today that it has entered an agreement to buy the half of Clearwire that it does not already own for $5 per share, beating Dish's current offer by $0.60 per share. The revised deal values Clearwire at $14 billion, represents a 47-percent increase over Sprint's previous offer of $3.40 per share and a 285-percent premium over Clearwire's stock price the day before Sprint and SoftBank confirmed acquisition talks in October 2012. The new offer is a win all-around for stockholders of Clearwire looking to get top dollar on their shares, a large number of which have now voiced their support. Sprint claims that several large investors totaling 9-percent of Clearwire's voting shares have committed to the new offer, as have Comcast, Intel and Bright House Networks (which hold another 13-percent). The aforementioned groups together with Clearwire's directors and officers represent 45-percent of the company's voting shares not controlled by Sprint, and have agreed to vote for the deal. Combine those votes with the other shareholders who have previously voiced approval for the Sprint-SoftBank acquisition and Sprint expects to get a majority of Clearwire shareholders to approve its deal in the end. read more

Samsung Galaxy NX specs and press images Posted: 20 Jun 2013 12:35 PM PDT   Interchangeable lenses, Galaxy S4-level internals and high-end photography specs Samsung has officially taken the wraps off of its professional-grade Galaxy NX mirrorless camera at its "Premiere 2013" event in London, and now we have a full set of specs and press images to look at. The Galaxy NX is effectively one of its high-end interchangeable lens cameras (ILC) with a Galaxy S4-class screen and internals grafted onto the back, like an ultimate realization of what Samsung envisioned with the original Galaxy Camera. This is far from a point-and-shoot though, with a full 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor (larger than your standard Micro Four-Thirds camera), a 4.8-inch LCD along with a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF), and full array of standard camera controls. We're working on getting our hands on the Galaxy NX at the London event as we type this, but in the meantime you can hit the break for a full specs list and gallery of Galaxy NX press images. read more

Modern Combat 4 Meltdown update to include new maps, game modes, and weapons Posted: 20 Jun 2013 12:28 PM PDT Three new maps, two new weapons, two new multiplayer game modes, two new perks, and a new demolitions specialization Gameloft has announced that their excellent first-person shooting game for Android, Modern Combat 4, will be updated with a bunch of new content. We've got three new maps called Fracture, Extraction, and Backfire, a new grenade launcher pistol, a new sniper rifle, two new multiplayer game modes, two new perks, and a new demolitions specialization (because blowing stuff up is kinda fun).  read more

Sony Xperia ZL (C6506) Android 4.2.2 update now available Posted: 20 Jun 2013 12:11 PM PDT Lock screen widgets, improved launcher and new animations all included Starting today, Sony is making an Android 4.2.2 update available for the Xperia ZL, including the North American unlocked LTE model. We just updated our own handset to software version 10.3.A.0.423 via Sony Bridge For Mac (the equivalent of Sony PC Companion), which took just shy of 30 minutes including downloading of necessary files. The update process went smoothly, and the device is indeed running Android 4.2.2 as Sony claims. The official Sony support pages are still listing information for the previous 4.1 update so we don't have an official changelog, but our initial impressions are positive. The lock screen has been slightly redesigned to incorporate Android 4.2's lock screen widgets, including swiping left to enter the camera and right to add additional widgets as you please. Turning on and off the screen now has a subtle fade in/out animation as opposed to the circular one previously. read more

Samsung announces five new colors of the Galaxy S4 Posted: 20 Jun 2013 11:25 AM PDT Step up your style with new color options of the Galaxy S4 We're taking a look at what Samsung has to offer at its Premiere 2013 event live in London, and the manufacturer has just rolled out five new colors of the Galaxy S4. As you can see above, the new colors available are Blue Arctic, Purple Mirage, red Aurora, Brown Autumn and Pink Twilight (yay, pink!). The colors are matte or pastel rather than glossy, and keep the same shiny plastic on the edges of the device. No specifics just yet on the availability of these colors, but you can expect to see at least a few of them hit your carrier of choice soon.

Samsung officially announces Android-based Galaxy NX mirrorless camera Posted: 20 Jun 2013 11:20 AM PDT Galaxy NX camera official, mirrorless body and interchangeable lenses We're live in London with Samsung at their Premiere 2013 event where the previously rumored and leaked Galaxy NX camera has become official. The NX is a big step up from the first Galaxy Camera in the sense that it's no longer a mere point-and-shoot. We're looking at a professional-level mirrorless camera, with interchangeable lenses.  Spec wise we're looking at a 20.3MP APS-C sensor, full 1080p video recording and a 4.8-inch HD LCD on the rear. Inside, there's a 1.6GHz quad-core processor powering Android 4.2.2 with the latest version of TouchWiz overlayed, along with a discrete Image Signal Processor (ISP). In terms of software there is a full cropping of manual controls and modes (such as aperture priority, shutter speed priority, full manual) along with 30 automatic "smart" modes that will auto-select scenes for you when you need a quick shot. The NX will be compatible with all of Samsung's existing line of lenses -- over 30 in total -- including a new fisheye lens. Samsung is also talking up the fact that the NX comes with LTE on-board, offering loads of sharing options when paired with a full build of Android. The Galaxy NX is a world away from the original Galaxy Camera, and we'll be going hands-on with it very soon. For more from the Samsung Premiere 2013 event be sure to head on over to our liveblog for full up to the minute coverage.

Samsung ATIV Q puts Windows and Android on a single tablet Posted: 20 Jun 2013 11:13 AM PDT Samsung today in London announced the ATIV Q tablet, sporting Windows and Android in a single platform. It's a dual-boot OS device that brings Windows 8 alongside the best of Android. But the high-res display is just half of what makes this an intriguing device. Be sure to check out our hands-on! read more

Instagram announces Vine, erm, video on Instagram Posted: 20 Jun 2013 10:19 AM PDT 15-second videos with filters, basic editing coming in new version of app Instagram, today at Facebook HQ and in a livestream, announced that it's bringing video to its service. Don't call it Vine, even though it looks and acts just like Vine. See, Vine is 6-second videos. Instagram is using 15-second clips. So it's totally different. All kidding aside, you've got the same overall idea as Vine. Tap to record. Only Instagram merges in some basic editing -- a feature sorely missing on Vine -- and throws in a baker's dozen of new filters to boot. In addition, you can choose which video frame you want to serve as the preview thumbnail. "It's the same Instagram we all know and love," said Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom. "But it moves." read more

We're live from Samsung Premiere 2013 in London! Posted: 20 Jun 2013 09:32 AM PDT Live coverage of new Windows and Android announcements from Samsung We're live from London's Earls Court exhibition center later today for Samsung Premiere 2013 -- the Korean manufacturer's big event where it's promising to show off new Galaxy (Android) and Windows (Ativ) devices. So we can certainly expect to see more of the Galaxy S4 Mini, Active and Zoom, as well as unannounced stuff like the Galaxy NX Android-powered mirrorless camera. On the Windows side, there's the possibility of more tablets and ultrabooks, and maybe some new Windows Phone devices too. We'll be on the ground from 6pm local time, and the show kicks off at 7pm BST (2pm EDT, 11am PDT), so remember to bookmark this page for live coverage. You'll find our liveblog after the break! read more

Developer Affairs: The agony and ecstasy of app stores - Talk Mobile Posted: 20 Jun 2013 09:00 AM PDT Back in the day, what mattered when picking a smartphone - be it a Nokia N-something, an aging Palm Treo, a BlackBerry with proper answer and end buttons, or a stylus-driven Windows Mobile brick - was the quality of the built-in applications. The features of the email program or the to-do application or whether or not the calendar integrated with Exchange were the driving forces. Today smartphones are almost wholly dependent on third-party apps. These apps are the focus of half the commercials for every platform - they define what you can do with the smartphone or tablet. With how codependent modern smartphones and app developers are, we have to ask, what can the builders of these platforms to do better support the builders of these apps? Each platform offers a different experience and set of features for developers. Some app storefronts are strictly curated while others are a free-for-all. They offer different mechanisms for advertising, in-app purchases, subscriptions, cloud services, and deployment. Some platform builders offer incentives, while others have the marketshare that the incentive is success. Platforms need developers, and developers need platforms, but the relationship is a rocky one. How do we improve it for better platforms and better apps? Users and developers alike can agree that having an app available regardless of platform is a great ideal. But at what cost? Let's get the conversation started! read more

New York Times changes non-subscriber access in its Android app Posted: 20 Jun 2013 07:26 AM PDT The New York Times is changing access to its stories in its Android application. Previously, non-subscribers could only read from the "Top News" section of the app. Starting June 27, non-subscribers can read three stories a day from any of the more than 25 sections in the app. You'll also be able to browser the section fronts and article summaries.  The Times is offering a 7-day, all-access free trial if you download the current version of the Android app. More: NYT subscription rates; Press release

Deal of the Day: LLOYD Anti-Glare & Anti-Fingerprint Screen Protectors for Galaxy S3 Posted: 20 Jun 2013 06:28 AM PDT The June 20 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the LLOYD Anti-Glare & Anti-Fingerprint Screen Protectors for Galaxy S3. These clear covers are custom designed to protect your Galaxy S3's screen while reducing annoying glare at the same time. Durable and scratch resistant, the TruTouch sensitivity gives these protectors a more natural feel on your touchscreen. Includes 3 per pack. The LLOYD Anti-Glare & Anti-Fingerprint Screen Protectors are available for just $5.00, 75% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts

NVIDIA Shield price dropped to $299, availability date set at June 27 Posted: 20 Jun 2013 06:00 AM PDT Preorders also will see the $50 discount NVIDIA dropped a serious stunner about the Shield this morning, announcing a new $299 price tag and general availability starting June 27. According to a post on their official blog, they got great feedback from everyone who has used the device, but there was one common sentiment amongst the early testers -- if the Shield were priced at $299 it would be even more amazing. So that's what they did. Everyone who has already preordered will be charged the new lower price when their device ships, saving $50 off the originally advertised price of $349. That's a lot of great Tegra-optimized games from Google Play, or maybe a nice dinner to make it easier to tell the wife you just spend $300. Any way you slice it, everyone loves saving $50. Source: NVIDIA read more

Being mobile-ready: Google Hangouts will kill every webinar platform out there Posted: 20 Jun 2013 05:07 AM PDT With what we now know about the pace of mobile broadband penetration and mobile computing power, it’s pretty safe to say that people are going to rely more and more on mobile technology to do their work. And communicating with others is a big part of doing work. Call them what you like, but Internet-based meetings and presentations are a big part of how businesses and entrepreneurs, both large and small, communicate. I’ve been paying attention to this market for a while and right now I think we’re watching Google deliver a crushing blow to every other major platform. Most readers probably know about Google Chat, which eventually morphed into Google Hangouts. Initially these hangouts were limited to 10 people and could not be broadcast to the world. Then, before we know what hit us, Google announces the ability to do “live on air” hangouts. You can still have a bunch of people together in a meeting, but you’re simultaneously broadcasting the whole thing to the world through the power of YouTube. Amazing. Simply amazing. If you’re paying attention to Talk Mobile then you’ve already seen Phil, Dan, Kevin, Rene and Marcus using the tool. Is it as good as the Skype-based technology Mobile Nations has been using previously? Not yet, but you they’d all agree it‘s improving much faster. What does this have to do with mobile? A couple of things. First, many audience members who want to watch online meetings will be on mobile devices. Because YouTube already works beautifully on mobile devices it gives Google a leg up on the competition. Also, I think it won’t be long before the actual presenters in webinars are starting to use mobile devices to capture video. read more

Verizon Galaxy S3 receiving OTA update once again Posted: 19 Jun 2013 11:21 PM PDT Small bugfix update will hopefully address issues caused by the previous OTA Following up on a previous update -- software VRBMD3 -- that caused a whole bucket of issues for some Galaxy S3 owners, Verizon is pushing out a small OTA tonight that will hopefully address them. The update, which a few members in our forums are pulling down as we type, is small but will hopefully fix what has been a rocky rollout of VRBMD3. The new software version, VRBMF1, doesn't have an official changelog or support documentation available just yet, but we'll be keeping our eyes out for it on the Verizon support website. Expect details on the update to hit as it rolls out to a larger number of users over the next couple of days. read more

Logitech to provide Harmony Ultimate Hub as a stand alone product, turns your Android into a universal remote Posted: 19 Jun 2013 10:36 PM PDT Logitech released availability and pricing information for the Harmony Ultimate Hub as a stand alone product this evening, and the device is expected in August 2013 and will retail for $100. The Ultimate Hub is used in conjunction with an Android app to turn your Android or iOS device into a universal remote. The Hub, which is designed to sit in and among your home entertainment equipment acts as a bridge, allowing commands sent over Wifi from your device to be output ar IR/RF commands to operate video and audio components, like the ones commonly found in living rooms all over the world. Those familiar with the current Harmony line of universal remotes know that programming can be entered to control just about any device. In addition, Logitech has announced that they will not be selling off the Harmony line of products, saying a surge in momentum since unveiling the Harmony Ultimate makes retaining ownership in the best interest of their shareholders. Previously, the Hub was only available as part of a more expensive package with a bundled smart remote. Now, users who would just rather use their phone can save a little money. The full press release is after the break. read more

A broken Falcon Pro is just the start of the Twitter pain Posted: 19 Jun 2013 08:42 PM PDT If you paid for a Twitter client after August 2012, it's time to accept that you might eventually lose your $2 It's time to start facing the long, hard facts, folks. The writing has been on the wall for some 10 months now -- since Twitter announced the API v1.1 changes that would significantly change things for developers of third-party clients, essentially putting a hard cap of 100,000 new user tokens. (Twitter said "you'll need our permission if your application will require more than 100,000 individual user tokens," but it doesn't sound like it's granted that to any of the apps we use.) Since that announcement last fall, we saw Tweet Lanes (and others) all but shut down. (Update: Yes, we understand Tweet Lanes went open-source.) Falcon Pro debuted in November with that 100,000-token limit held over its head, and it ran into that wall in February 2013. A new version was released a few days later, requiring users to buy it sign in again -- and pay about a dollar more if buying for the first time -- and starting that vicious cycle once more. This week, Twitter shut it down. Regular users are pissed. The folks in the newly formed Falcon Pro beta community are pissed. It's not fair to users. But neither should it be unexpected. read more

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