Android Community |
- Moto X announcement tipped for July 11th
- HP Slate 7 price drop makes it harder to consider the Nexus 7
- HTC One ‘Switch’ takes you from Sense to a Google edition
- MetroPCS GALAXY S 4 set to arrive next week
- Sony SmartWatch 2 UK shipments expected to begin in mid-July
- Kim Dotcom’s Mega launches official Android app
- Sony ‘my Xperia’ mobile security service rolling out globally
- Samsung profits up and HTC profits down, with work needed from both
- Google Glass Boutique app store and more revealed from latest update
- Google Now: Traveling brought that ‘aha’ moment
- Happy Independence Day from Android Community!
- July 4th Independence Day app roundup
| Moto X announcement tipped for July 11th Posted: 05 Jul 2013 11:09 AM PDT Motorola and Google will soon be announcing the new Moto X smartphone. A device that appears to be extremely customizable with their new online web-store, allowing customers all sorts of colors and customization options. Their initial advertising started up yesterday for the 4th of July, but we also received a few tips that July 10th or 11th could be the day they announce all the details.
For one, some theories are out that their ad that was released earlier this week subtly confirmed the announcement date, without actually saying it. The image below of the two people jumping off a dock show an X and an I for roman numerals “XI” 11. While that’s a bit of a stretch, our friends from SlashGear received news that backs up the rumors. In their report, along with those neat colored Moto X back cases that match the new Motorola colorful logo wheel, they go on to link to a video where one Leo Laporte confirms the 11th could be the day. Laporte is a popular technology broadcaster that is well recognized, and about 40 minutes into his latest show he confirms Google is inviting select press to an event on July 10-11th for a small gathering. Could this be for the Moto X? He sure thinks so.
Now the idea that the image above is a hint that July 11th is the date seems a bit far-fetched, but having The Tech Guy Laporte confirm the date as well, our interest in piqued to say the least. If the late July or August release date rumors are correct, an official announcement coming mid next week makes perfect sense. Either way, we should be hearing more from Motorola real soon. Who’s interested in the Moto X and all those bright pastel colors? |
| HP Slate 7 price drop makes it harder to consider the Nexus 7 Posted: 05 Jul 2013 10:39 AM PDT It would be nice to pretend to live in a world where price doesn’t matter, but that is often a key deciding factor when it comes to getting new gadgets. With that in mind, price drops on existing gadgets are generally welcomed and it looks like HP has done just that with the Slate 7 tablet. This price drop is for the 8GB and 16GB model, which are now priced at $139.99 and $169.99 respectively.
HP hasn’t said anything in terms of whether this is a limited time sale or if these prices will remain. What they have said is how these are instant savings that account for a 17.6 percent drop for the 8GB model and a 15 percent drop for the 16GB model. Perhaps key here though, those interested will be able to grab either model from direct from HP as of now. The 8GB model is available in silver and the 16GB model is available in red. Otherwise, both have the soft-touch back panel and stainless steel accent along the edging. Aside from the internal storage and exterior color — both models share common specs. The HP Slate 7 has a 7-inch display at 1024 x 600 and is powered by a dual-core 1.6GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor with 1GB of RAM.
The tablet is also running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, a microSD card slot and a 3500 mAh battery that is said to be able to offer up to 5 hours of run time. A quick note on the battery though, during our review we were able to push that and were seeing closer to 6 hours. The tablet is also sporting a VGA quality front-facing camera with a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera. During that review we called the tablet mediocre and were not convinced that users shouldn’t just spend the extra $30 to grab a Nexus 7 which has a nicer display. That having been said, this most recent price drop now has that thought being reconsidered. After all, the 8GB Slate 7 is down to $140 and for some, that price will be enough to make up for the less-than-ideal display resolution. SOURCE: HP |
| HTC One ‘Switch’ takes you from Sense to a Google edition Posted: 05 Jul 2013 10:20 AM PDT The popular and famed Android modder Paul O’Brien is cooking up something pretty neat for all you HTC One fans and owners. He’s calling the new feature the MoDaCo Switch, and it will allow users to seamlessly switch from the stock HTC Sense UI software on the One to vanilla Android. Essentially turning your regular HTC One into the Google Play edition.
That isn’t all either. Since this is a switch and all, it works both ways. You’ll be able to instantly switch to the Google Play edition with stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean as Google intends, and then switch back to HTC’s Sense UI. The choice is yours. Paul confirmed the new feature is a work in progress (and not available) over on Twitter, and also posted up the teaser image we have below. Obviously this isn’t an easy task, to essentially dual-boot both OS versions and make them available at the switch of a button. But if anyone can do it, he certainly can. Originally he states this is for the HTC One only, but it sounds like if all goes well we can expect to see a Galaxy S4 switch too.
Of course you’ll be running a MoDaCo ROM on your HTC One, so you’ll need to be rooted and running custom software, but the option he’ll be providing will make it worth it. Paul then goes on to mention his ultimate goal will be bring “Best of Both” or BoB to the HTC One. Allowing users to use parts of both ROMs at the same time. As in HTC Blinkfeed, Beats Audio, the infrared remote and such, all while running the stock Google Play edition software. That would be epic, and truly the best of both worlds. This is a complex task and probably won’t be done anytime soon, but we could be seeing the initial “Switch” feature show up in the MoDaCo ROM sometime soon. One can hope. We’ll be following the development on this impressive sounding MOD and hack closely, so stay tuned. SOURCE: @PaulOBrien |
| MetroPCS GALAXY S 4 set to arrive next week Posted: 05 Jul 2013 09:34 AM PDT An FCC filing surfaced back in late-March that detailed a MetroPCS compatible Samsung GALAXY S 4. That filing had shown the handset as being the SCH-R970 and with support for LTE. The key with that, MetroPCS had been quite and hadn’t said anything in terms of when the handset could be expected to arrive in the available device lineup. Well, flash forward till today and it looks like they have since come forward.
The carrier has gone into social media overload using Twitter to share a Vine video about when the handset will be arriving. The tweet mentioned how they have a “huge announcement coming next week” and went on as ask if you could “guess what it is.” Well, that Vine video tells that story. Things kick off with an image of the Galaxy S III and is followed by chalk pictures of a plus sign, a number one and an equals sign. Basically, take the Galaxy S III and add one and you have the GALAXY S 4 — which should be announced next week. MetroPCS has yet to offer any specifics so we are still unsure of an exact date. Not to mention, they have yet to say anything about pricing or which model (internal storage option) would be available. Of course, we should also make it clear MetroPCS said they have an announcement for next week, which just goes to imply they could be announcing but not actually releasing the handset next week. Otherwise, the one point worth remember with MetroPCS is they are contract-free. Basically, that means no subsidy for the handset. As an example, the Galaxy S III is currently selling for $399 (down from $499). While you may pay more up front for your phone, MetroPCS does offer some solid plans with prices beginning at $40 per month for unlimited talk, text and data with 500MB of that data coming as high-speed. SOURCE: Twitter (@MetroPCS) [device id=5332] |
| Sony SmartWatch 2 UK shipments expected to begin in mid-July Posted: 05 Jul 2013 08:59 AM PDT Sony announced the SmartWatch 2 a short while back and while we saw a complete set of specs, things were not quite as complete in terms of the pricing and availability details. We still have yet to see anything official from Sony in that regard, however UK retailer Clove has recently offered a bit of detail on the subject. They have even opened up pre-orders for those ready to part with some money.
According to details coming from Clove, the Sony SmartWatch 2 will begin shipping in the middle of July. The pre-order listing notes the first stock is expected during the week commencing July 15th. The price of the watch has been set at £100 (£120 with VAT being included). The one thing to keep in mind, this is just an estimate of shipping from Clove and things could still change. That said, Clove has provided fairly reliable shipping date details and timeframes in the past. Looking at the watch itself and we find a wearable that will bring a 1.6-inch (220 x 176) touchscreen display that is able to provide alerts for everything from caller ID and text messages to Facebook and Twitter. The watch will also provide details and controls for music playback and pairs with your handset over Bluetooth and NFC. Sony launched the SmartWatch 2 for use with Xperia devices, however it will work with quite a few more thanks to the app available by way of the Play Store. The listing notes the app as working with devices running Android 4.0 or later and according to details coming from Sony, there are roughly 200 smartwatch apps available in the Play Store to further increase the functionality. While we have some information for those in the UK, we will also be keeping an eye out for pricing and availability details for those in other markets. But perhaps the real item to watch will be the success. Sony has tried the smartwatch game before and we are left wondering whether this time around will bring more success. SOURCE: Clove Blog |
| Kim Dotcom’s Mega launches official Android app Posted: 05 Jul 2013 08:19 AM PDT Mega users now have an Android app available. Well, technically you had an Android app available, however that app now has the official blessing from Mega. Those looking for the app should look for one called Mega from Mega Limited. And just like the service itself, the Mega app for Android is available for free. Otherwise, the app is currently sitting at version 1.0.2 and with just about everything you would need in terms of features.
The Mega Android app offers the obvious in that you can browse the files stored in your Mega account. You can also upload files from and download files to your Android device. The app also offers a Camera Sync option which will automatically backup your images and videos. The Camera Sync option is off by default but can be turned on by heading to the Menu and choosing the Camera sync option. From here you will need to check the box to turn things on and once that is done — you have a few additional options available. Users will be able to choose a destination folder and also choose whether you want images, videos or both. There are also options to have uploads go only over WiFi and only when charging.
Some of the other features include being able to search, create folders, move files from folder to folder and rename files. The app also allows you to create public lines to files in your Mega account. Bottom line here, the Mega app has arrived for Android and it seems to provide just about everything you will need to access and manage the files you have stored in your Mega account. Finally, for those who have yet to sign-up, Mega offers 50GB of cloud storage for free. And for those looking for more, there are options to go Pro and get 500GB, 2TB or 4TB of storage space for €9.99, €19.99 or €29.99 per month respectively. SOURCE: Mega Blog, Google Play Store |
| Sony ‘my Xperia’ mobile security service rolling out globally Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:49 AM PDT We were given an early look at the ‘my Xperia’ mobile security service when Sony rolled it out in beta form back in late-January. As of today however, it looks like the service is now rolling out on a global basis. Basically, it seems as if Sony has removed the beta tag and they will have it available for all 2012/2013 Xperia devices sometime over the “next few weeks.”
Anyway, for those who missed the earlier beta news for the ‘my Xperia’ service — this is essentially a security suite. Sony has it set with features to include remote location and remote wipes for times when locating your handset on a map isn’t enough. The remote location option should work equally well for times when your handset is lost/stolen or simply misplaced in your possession. Basically, using the ‘my Xperia’ service you will be able to track your handset on a map and also using a sound alert. And for those concerned about their phone being on silent, that sound alert offering will override any current settings on the device. It also wakes the display when activated. The mapping is found in the myxperia.sonymobile.com website, which just so happens to be the place to visit to get things up and running in the beginning.
Otherwise, some of the remaining features include the ability to remotely lock your device in an effort to keep your personal information private. And if that doesn’t appear to be the best option to keep your data safe there is one step further. This setup will also allow for remote data wipes. Sony ‘my Xperia’ will allow the user to remotely wipe the internal storage as well as the external SD memory card. Finally, users also have the option to send a message to the handset. This message should be a good way to send contact information in an attempt to get your handset returned. Of course, this will likely work better in times when your device is lost as opposed to stolen. |
| Samsung profits up and HTC profits down, with work needed from both Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:22 AM PDT We are getting a look at upcoming earnings reports from both Samsung and HTC and they are each telling opposite stories. While the details for both Samsung and HTC are unaudited, they should match up closely with the official details that will be revealed later in the month. With that in mind, Samsung is showing a year-over-year profit increase of 47 percent while HTC is showing a year-over-year profit decrease of 83 percent.
The interesting twist here is that while Samsung is up year-over-year, things aren’t looking perfect in the eyes of the investors. In fact, the Samsung earnings are being noted as “disappointing.” More to the point here, Samsung shares had dropped more than 3 percent on Friday and have dropped 17 percent since June. Some Samsung investors are worried the company is spending and focusing more on promotion as opposed to research and development. Touching on that, Samsung has recently been spending more on marketing as compared to R&D — something they haven’t done in three years time. Anyway, while things may not be perfect in the eyes of Samsung investors, it doesn’t appear to be all doom and gloom. Jung Sang-jin who is a fund manager at Dongbu Asset Management has said that while Samsung’s growth has slowed due to “disappointing sales of the S4″ they still have “some exciting stuff” in the works.
Shifting over to HTC and we see reports showing a net income of NT$1.25 billion ($42 million). Despite some crediting the Samsung issues with slow Galaxy S 4 sales, it seems the handset may have also had an effect on HTC. The company had been showing an increase in revenue going from April to May, however that didn’t continue moving into June. HTC reports show an increase of 23 and 48 percent for April and May, however that dropped 24 percent going from May to June. Bottom line here, it looks like both Samsung and HTC have some work to do moving forward. In the meantime, we looks forward to seeing the official earnings reports arrive later in the month. We are also curious to see what (if any) effect the HTC One Mini will have in terms of upcoming earnings reports for the company. |
| Google Glass Boutique app store and more revealed from latest update Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:36 AM PDT Google recently rolled out an update for Glass. That one arrived as the XE7 update and while it brought notable features such as a web browser and improvements to the voice controls — it seems Google may not have detailed everything. It appears as if quite a few hints as to what could be coming were hidden in amongst those new features.
When Google will choose to push these forward remains unknown, however it does appear as if the explorers have a few things to look forward to with future updates. That said, the details are coming by way of the Github page for Zhuowei who broke down items to include a system for locking Glass, a special app market for Glassware apps, an MP3 player and a few other smaller items such as a mysterious red microphone icon and a not yet functional package installer. Perhaps the most interesting here is the system to lock Glass. Google has already confirmed they had been working on something for this. Not to mention, we have seen an unofficial app that arrived under the name of Bulletproof. Basically, from what it looks like Google will have the lock system with four components and swiping gestures. The code shows the user could flick between each of the lock components and be able to set a pattern of swipes with the side touchpad. Next up here is the Glassware app Boutique. Similar to the lock system, this one is not functional at the moment. But again the code does reveal some details and it looks like this will be a special version of the Android Market with for Glassware apps. The code contains the mention of Boutique and it appears as if this will allow for the synchronization to Glass of Glassware apps as well as native APK files.
The other is the MP3 player which looks like it will include support for audio as well as video. The details revealed in the code appears to show more of the audio side here, but again — this is all an early and pieced together look. The MP3 functionality appears to have support for the usual array of features including the ability to play and pause, skip forward and previous as well as details about the album and artist information using cards. There is also a volume control in the Settings that will allow users to adjust the volume of the bone-conduction speaker. With that, while there were mentions for these items hidden in the code that came with the latest Glass update — Google has yet to say when or if they will be rolling these out for users. We hope to see some arrive in the next update, but as always, we are on the timeline of Google and simply have to sit back and wait. VIA: SlashGear SOURCE: Github (zhuowei) |
| Google Now: Traveling brought that ‘aha’ moment Posted: 04 Jul 2013 03:04 PM PDT Google Now is touted as being a service that is able to provide the right information at just the right time. The important aspect of all this is getting the information before you realize you need the information. While Google Now is not a new service, and while I have launched Now countless times on my smartphone — I can honestly say that I just recently had my ‘aha’ moment and as a result I am checking it even more throughout the day.
Some of the highlights with Google Now include the basics such as the weather and the ability to search but there is also the ability to stay connected with news, general interests and sports scores as well as items to manage your day with travel directions, package shipment notifications, hotel details, flight information and more. There is also the the local items that pop-up from time to time when you visit someplace new. The local items offer tips on popular photo spots, nearby events, nearby places and more.
Anyway, getting back to my aha moment. That came as a result of some recent traveling. Over the past few weeks I flew cross country to San Francisco and also drove up the east coast from Florida to Delaware. Needless to say, using Google Now in areas that isn’t home means you will be getting lots of cards showing up during the day. Basically, these two trips had been enough to convince me that Google Now is really wonderful. Starting with the trip to San Francisco and the information began almost immediately. In hind sight this is all obvious, however putting into practice and you find just how nice Now can be. The goodies began with flight details. Instead of printing things out or searching for confirmations in your inbox — Now just gives you the flight details along with a code to scan at the airport. The nicer part is how early they show up, which comes in especially handy when dealing with multiple flights.
Arriving at your destination is also just as easy thanks to Now. With hotel information already presented, getting to the hotel using the transportation of your choosing is quick and easy. Well, maybe not quick depending on where you are going, but easy in that you can get directions with just a few taps. It is also handy for those times when you get on the wrong train and need to reroute. Looking at both of these trips and I found myself with some free time. More to the point, some free time without any locals to show me where good places may be located. Being the type that likes to check things out, Now proved to be rather helpful in showing me places to visit and places to find some popular photo spots. Though, I will say the popular photo spots are not always as exciting as one would think.
Needless to say, getting to those spots was also made easy with quick access to directions. This was then further helped when I was easily able to find a good restaurant (based on user reviews). Bottom line here, Google Now has proven its worth for me and I am now looking to use it even more. While I could continue firing off examples of how Now was useful to me, I will say this instead — next time you take a trip outside your home area — make sure you are using Google Now. Or at the very least, keep your mind open to using Google Now like I did. |
| Happy Independence Day from Android Community! Posted: 04 Jul 2013 11:53 AM PDT Good afternoon folks, this fine Thursday is July 4th, and most of us Americans are celebrating our country’s Independence Day. This means many of us are likely out at the pool having a barbeque, and enjoying the day with our friends and family. We’ll be taking the day off here at Android Community (for the most part) and enjoying some much needed time with family, and even the dreaded in-laws.
We wanted to take a moment and wish you all a Happy Independence Day, and a safe July 4th day and weekend. I know I’ll be enjoying a cold beverage or two, while trying to stay out of this Vegas heat wave for most of the day. For those who aren’t American or celebrate the day… enjoy your Thursday. Later however, it’s all about the Fireworks. They don’t sell the good stuff here, but Vegas always does it right. I’ll be headed to the strip to watch the festivities as Caesars Palace, The Wynn, and Bellagio light up the night sky with fireworks this fine July 4th. With that, we wanted to ask what you guys (our readers) will be doing today. Whether that be trying some new games on that new Galaxy S 4 or HTC One, flashing the lastest CM10.1 on your Nexus 7, or taking the Motorcycles out for a good ride. Be safe, enjoy the day and holiday weekend, and drop us a comment below with your July 4th plans. If you’re looking for a way to show your spirit, check out our July 4th Apps Roundup. Enjoy your friends, family, food, beverages, and most importantly stay safe. Happy Independence Day! IMAGE: US Interior |
| July 4th Independence Day app roundup Posted: 04 Jul 2013 11:19 AM PDT While there is a fair bit of history dealing with the Fourth of July, we suspect many of the readers will be out to have some fun. That could mean anything from watching a parade or fireworks display to spending some time at a bar-b-que with friends and family. Of course, regardless of what you are doing, there will be some down time during the day and given that — we suspect more than a few will be looking towards their phones to keep them occupied.
Sure, you have your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and countless other social sites to see what others happen to be doing, however we also put together a short list of Independence Day themed apps. Given that topic, what app roundup would be complete without a live wallpaper option. Really, we like the live wallpaper apps. For this we looked towards a company with more than a few live wallpaper options. Not to mention, an app that had been updated recently. Anyway, the app we found is available for free and called Fireworks Live Wallpaper from Bravo Apps. This one will run on Android 2.2 or later and offers various backgrounds and options for customization. It also put some focus on battery life, which is always a plus with us. Fireworks Live Wallpaper in the Google Play Store
Live wallpaper apps are fun to play with, but a better use of your smartphone on a day filled with friends and family could be taking pictures. Regardless of where you happen to be, it may be fun to spice those pictures up a bit and for that we look towards another developer that we have gotten apps from in the past, this one happens to be ikoolr inc. This time around we are looking towards the 4th July – Celebrate America app which should be good for today. This app will allow you to capture, edit and share images. The key for this app though comes in with the themes. The app offers 91 patriotic stamp overlays, 24 USA themed decorative frames and more. And again, this is another free app. 4th July – Celebrate America in the Google Play Store
This next app may be a bit more useful for those with kids. This one is intended to help keep the kids mind occupied during some of that previously mentioned downtime — say when you arrive early to get good seats for the parade and then have lots of time to wait before things begin. This app is a coloring app from Color Time. The app is called Fourth of July and once again is free. This app offers July 4th themed pictures along with a paint bucket, paint brush and the option to save and share the creations. Fourth of July in the Google Play Store EntertainmentNext up is something for everyone. The app is not necessarily only for the 4th of July, but it is offering some holiday themed stations in the form of channels called 4th of July Celebration, Rock & Roll BBQ and more. They also have what is a near-perfect album of the week — Born In The USA from Bruce Springsteen. Anyway, download the Slacker app, fire up one of the holiday themed stations and enjoy the day with some good food, cold beer, family and friends. Slacker Radio in the Google Play Store EducationLast up for the day is something that, well honestly, may not be as much fun for everyone. Going back to the bit in the beginning of the post where we talked about the day being filled with history and we took the time to find an app that can be used to learn a little. Or maybe for some, re-learn. Regardless of where you current level of knowledge falls, this app is called United States History and offers details on everything from the Constitution and Declaration of Independence to the Bill of Rights, details on the flag, summaries about each of the presidents and much more. United States History in the Google Play Store Perhaps key here though, we hope everyone in the US enjoys the day. |
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