Sunday, January 6, 2013

Android Authority

Android Authority


ASUS, LG, Sony, and others to announce Google TV products at CES 2013

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 01:00 PM PST

Google TV
This coming week, your RSS feeds will be assaulted by great news from CES 2013. OEMs will be announcing new phones and tablets. Start up companies will be demoing revolutionary ideas and concepts. And a whole bunch of OEMs will be announcing new Google TV products.

Up until now, the Google TV platform has been just okay. The current gadgets that support it aren’t terrible, but they aren’t dazzling either. That may not be the case after this coming week. The Official Google Blog has announced that a lot of OEMs are going to be announcing new Google TV products.

Among those who should be introducing new Google TV products are LG, Sony, Vizio, Hisense, and others who are currently partnered with Google and Google TV. A newcomer to the platform will emerge in ASUS. What ASUS has up their sleeves is a mystery, although blogs like Talk Android have speculated that they could be releasing the Qube, a Google TV dongle fresh back from its vacation from the FCC.

How will this affect the Google TV platform?

If OEMs don’t slack on the hardware, Google TV could finally become the competitor that it has the potential to be. The prior hardware isn’t awful, but it lacks a certain refinement. So here’s hoping there is some polish and improvements with this year’s Google TV products.

The Official Google Blog believes that this year will surpass expectations. With the new products, there will be nine OEMs producing products in ten countries. The more the merrier.

Will this be the year you buy a Google TV? Let us know in the comments.

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Sprint Pay As You Go has been confirmed to launch on January 25

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 12:00 PM PST

Sprint
Out of the four big United States mobile carriers, Sprint was the only one without a prepaid service. As can be expected, they’ve lost many customers who enjoy the Sprint network but didn’t want to be tied down to a contract plan. It seems this is a problem that the CDMA carrier wants to fix as their new prepaid service will be live on January 25th.

There is a lot to be excited about with the prepaid service. According to Fierce Wireless, Sprint will not be throttling their prepaid lines. This is great news as their unlimited, no-throttle data plan is their best feature and sets them apart from much of the competition.

In terms of pricing, they will be offering two plans and they’re keeping it simple. The first is a $50 a month plan for feature phones that includes unlimited talk, text, and data. The other is a $70 a month plan for smartphones that also includes unlimited everything. This is $30 less than their Simply Everything plans, which are $99 a month.

What phones will be compatible with Sprint’s new prepaid service?

Sprint will be selling a total of four phones for their prepaid service. Two feature phones and two smartphones. The smartphones will be the LG Optimus Elite and the Samsung Victory. Of the two, only the Victory will have LTE capability. There has been no word on whether the rest of Sprint’s line up will be compatible with the new network, but there is no reason why they shouldn’t be.

Are there any Sprint customers who might hang around after their contract is up for the cheaper rates? Let us know!

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You and your new Android device – a getting started guide

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 10:30 AM PST

android world

Let me begin by saying welcome to the family. You have your first Android device! I don't know what you had before this, but since this is your first Android, we'll cover a few things to get you started.

It may seem a little daunting, this awesome new operating system, but once you get the hang of it, you'll never want another. Everything is customization and you'll even surprise yourself with how easy it is to catch on. With the right steps, this transition will be really easy.

The training wheels come off

Setting up your new Android device is something you should relish. This is the time you get to become acquainted with your new toy and really make it yours. With other operating systems, things are done for you. Apps are just there, and if you run out of room on the home screen… oh well.

With Android, you make the device yours. You can even make folders for apps that are pertinent to a certain interest of yours, and have apps in multiple folders.

Then we have widgets, a favorite of any Android enthusiast. Widgets are like peeking into the app without having to open it up. If you don't like the clock widget on your device, just go to the Play Store and get a new one. Some programs, like HD Widgets, have a ton of customization options to really make your device shine. With so many options for widgets, you'll never go wanting.

One thing that makes a lot of new users fret is the app drawer. That little circle with six dots in it, which shows you all your apps and widgets. See, with Android you don't have to have every app on your screens. You may have an app that you use very sparingly, and don't really care about having access to it at all times. That's what the app drawer is for. You'll always have the app, but it's your choice as to how you want to interact with it. Think of it as a bookshelf of apps, and your screens as your desk. Some people like a desk with everything piled on it, and some people like a very minimal desk. It's your desk, so do as you please. Tinker with your device a little, learn where stuff is, and how it all works. Set it up as you see fit to make it your own.

 

google_drive

Say hello to the cloud

The days of storing files on your phone are coming to an end. While some stuff, like apps, has to be stored locally, storing music or documents on your phone is fading away. That may seem scary, but it shouldn’t be. You have a lot of options for storing documents in the cloud. If you don't already do so, cloud storage is a great place to keep your stuff. Everything from files to pictures can be stored there, and it has a ton of benefits.

First, let's talk about which cloud storage options are the best. I'll cover the big three: Drive, Dropbox, and Box. They operate very similarly, so it's really a matter of which interface you enjoy best. If you're one who enjoys Google's other services, I would suggest Drive. It's integrated really well to Google's variety of services, and doesn’t require that you link to a desktop to attach a file in Gmail. If you're already using a cloud storage system that integrates with Android, then there's no reason you should switch. Just download the app and you're set.

Second, you don't have to worry about losing anything. While cloud storage has its detractors, it can be fabulous at protecting your stuff from, well, you. You drop your device in water, you lose it, your kid buries it. Face it, you're a wreck. With your stuff stored elsewhere, you won't lose anything… except a few bucks for a new device. When you get a new phone, load the app and you're back in business.

One thing to keep in mind is how you work. With Dropbox or Box, you are simply afforded the option to store files. Both can store any file, and are extremely easy to use. Drive, on the other hand, also allows you to create files. This is useful if you don't have much need for Microsoft Office products. The documents you create in Drive are real-time and collaborative, so you could have another person working on a project at the same time without having to get together. I use Drive exclusively, and haven't missed MS Office one bit.

With cloud storage, you never miss a beat. The obvious rebuttal is that you are dependent on a wireless connection, but let's be honest about that. You're almost never without a connection. Whether it be outside or in a building, you either have cellular service or access to a WiFi connection. If you're in a spot where there is no hope of accessing service, maybe that spreadsheet from the meeting or pics from last years trip to Maui can wait.

google-music

Where's my Beatles collection?!

So you're probably wondering what is going on with music. Your music library is an important part of your life, and you want to make sure you have it on your new toy. Not to worry, there are ways to get everything you have onto your device. We'll cover the two major music providers outside of Google Play Store.

Let's start with iTunes. If you have it, you're probably storing your stuff locally on your computer. With Google's new Music Match system, you simply allow the service to access to your music files. It will check out your library, and match it with what's in the Google Play Store. If you have something that isn’t available, don't worry. You just download the Music Manager and it will upload the songs to your cloud library. While the Music Manager takes a long time to upload songs, it's a small investment in time that is well worth it long term. Also, Google's Music Match is free… something that can't be said of similar services elsewhere. The caveat is Google Music doesn’t work in many countries outside North America and parts of Western Europe.

If you utilize Amazon's music system, you'll be fine. Amazon has an MP3 app available in the Google Play Store. Simply download it, and your music stored on Cloud Drive will all be there. If you had music stored on a device, it won't appear, of course. Also, anything stored in Amazon's Cloud is not readily available to load straight into Google Music. One company's cloud storage does not have access to another, so you'll have to download, then go through Google's Music Match system. Amazon has a very straightforward Cloud Drive downloader available if you're interested in going through the steps to have all of your music in one place.

Aside from iTunes, you can use just about any music app you like. If you're really invested in Amazon, and don't want to switch it all over to your Google Play Music account, no problem. You can keep using Amazon, but keep in mind that Google Play Music lets you store 20,000 songs for free before being charged. It may be a good idea to take the time and switch if you're paying for any kind of cloud storage.

Google Play Store

Google it!

That's right, Google that Android device up! Go to the Play Store and get all the Google apps you can. Get involved with Google+, or check out Field Trip. Hey, you can even play Ingress now! There is so much to the Google universe, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Don't worry, we'll walk through the basics to put you on the right path.

If you're a heavy maps and navigation user, take a minute to set up your home address in Navigation. Go online using your computer (which is just easier than using the app for this exercise) and star your favorite spots in Maps. They will always show up in the maps app, and navigation keeps a list of your starred places for easy access. Taking a few minutes to do those few steps will assure you never get lost.

Your new Android device comes with Chrome, and Chrome is a great browser for mobile. Not only does it have a great interface for your device, it links across platforms. All your bookmarks from your desktop Chrome browser are available on your mobile device, and vice versa. Another great feature is that you can access tabs you have open on your desktop. So if you have to take off in the middle of reading a great article on Android Authority, don't worry! Just minimize Chrome on your desktop and pick up where you left off once you leave home. Taking a minute to log into Chrome will make your browsing experience that much better.

If you're the type of person who needs to keep yourself organized, setting up and using Google Calendar is a wonderful way to keep yourself on track. Like many Google services, Calendar operates across all platforms, so adding an event on your desktop will show on your mobile device, and vice versa. Setting up pop-up notifications will alert you on your device when something is coming up or needs your attention. If you don't already use it, Calender could be your saving grace.

galaxy s3 root

Root down

To root or not to root, that is the question. On one hand, you get access to all kinds of awesome tricks and a fully customizable device. On the other hand, you can screw it all up pretty easily, and we’ve already established what a knucklehead you are. It really comes down to what kind of user you are. If you're the type that is fairly fearless and likes to tinker, you should consider rooting. If, on the other hand, you just want a device that does what you want when you want, maybe rooting isn’t for you.

Rooting has a ton of benefits to it. First, you have the ability to change everything. You are the master of your Android house, and what you say goes. Rooting opens all the locked doors. With a root, you can load new ROMs onto your device. It will look and act exactly the way you want it to. There is a huge community of hackers and modders who create their own ROMs, widgets, and fonts. With rooting, the world is your oyster.

Then again, rooting your device is a tricky proposition. It takes a lot of maintenance to continually load new stuff, and unless you're really savvy with tech related matters, you could brick your device. Bricking a device is exactly as it sounds; it's as useless as a brick. It is locked up with little hope of bringing it back to life.

There is also the chance of burning out your device. With a rooted device, you're running the risk of loading a game, widget, or ROM that may be too much for your device to handle. It could be that it requires too much of your processor, or your screen can't handle it. Stories of people burning out a device or seeing dead pixels after loading a ROM are all over the place. While that's harder to do now, it still happens. Rooting is basically asking for instability in your device, so if you're going to do it, be prepared to handle some tough problems from time to time.

Rooting is a great thing for those who want to try, so don't be discouraged if you're curious. If you're under contract, I would suggest you get hold of your carrier first. Often, rooting can void warranties and carriers won't service your phone if something goes wrong. So, while you may have insurance on the phone, if you root it before you drop it in water, you may be out of luck.

intergalactic - android mini collectibles

No fruit!

Let's face it, Android has the best mascot. Our little green guy is a lot of fun. He has a personality, he's always doing cool stuff, and he's collectible. It's also someone to blame stuff on when things don't go right with your phone. As Android enthusiasts, it's great to have someone to rally behind. The only other symbol in mobile tech is a half eaten piece of fruit, and that's no fun. Amazon has nothing, and I still think Bill Gates was originally a mascot before secretly purchasing Microsoft. It's not a proven theory, but I have my suspicions.

Maybe the only drawback to Android over Apple is accessories. With so much variety, it can be difficult to find accessories you like for your phone. Apple has an advantage in that respect, so kudos to them for having all the Angry Bird cases you could possibly want. Accessories are cool, but having a phone that does great things is much cooler. If you do a little online shopping, I'm sure you'll be able to find what you're looking for.

So many choices

So, we'll just assume you came from an iPhone for this part of the story. As an iPhone user, you had one device. It changed every two years, but it was always the same device more or less. While that's useful for upgrading and not having a learning curve, it's a bit boring, too. I always wondered what an iPhone upgrade was, exactly. Such subtle change never quite seemed like a true upgrade to me.

With Android, you have so much variety it's hard to succinctly discuss. Android is an open source platform, and as such is open to modifications from manufacturers. Samsung and HTC both have a very nice touch they put on their Android devices, while a Nexus device is just pure Android with nothing added. You now have an option of which interface is best for you. Do you like stock Android or does HTC Sense fit your eye? Maybe Samsung's plethora of services are more your flavor.

There is also the simple case of form and function. So many Android devices, so little time! If you came from an iPhone, there was surely a time when you said "I wish my phone would…". Well, you'll have that with Android, too. At some point, in some way, you'll utter those same words. The difference now is that it does. Android is an operating system that travels across a lot of variety. Let's say your HTC phone just isn’t cutting it, and you need a bigger screen and the ability to multitask. No problem! You can get the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and be as efficient as you like. You're never pigeonholed when you have Android.

Click on the image to check out the full version.

It won't end

Android evolves more than any other OS out there. From devices to apps, everything about Android is refreshed all the time. While that's probably a bit different than what you're used to, it's a great thing for us. It is nice to know that the company who puts out Android is always taking steps to improve it, and pushes those improvements out as soon as they can. The best part about the updates is that they happen in the background, so you don't really have to fuss with it.

Android has a very loyal following and a very strong community. If you ever have a question, please don't be afraid to ask. If you don't have a friend who can help, get involved with Google+ communities (we have a great one ourselves). There is always someone there to help, and some great discoveries can be made there. Let's say after reading this, you still can't decide which cloud storage app to use. Well, just ask for advice in the communities. If there's one thing we as Android fans love, it's a convert.

We take Android a little personally, but that passion is what drives us as well as Android. Whatever you need, your Android family is here for you.

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Win a Play-Fi speaker, courtesy of Android Authority and Phorus!

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 10:00 AM PST

PhorusAAgiveaway

With our review of the Phorus Play-Fi finally up, Android Authority is excited to bring you the opportunity to win one of three Play-Fi speakers in our latest giveaway, courtesy of Phorus!

To enter, simply comment on this post, and three lucky winners will be chosen at random!

Best of luck, and get commenting!

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Android Authority On Air – Episode 45 – CES Pre-Show

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 07:17 AM PST

Android Authority on AirWe’re just a few days away from CES 2013. If you’re not sure what CES is, it’s pretty much tech geek and tech gadget enthusiast heaven. It’s where we’ll see what’s in the Android pipeline for the next year. It’s a pretty big deal. Naturally, this week on Android Authority On Air we had a few pre-CES leaks and speculations to talk about. We talked about Gorilla Glass 3, rumors of an LG Optimus 2, HTC’s next flagship phone code-named the M7, a new Chromebox and more. This is just the tiny, minuscule tip of the iceberg. Next week is going to be a hell of a week and we’re pretty damn excited.

On the Android ecosystem front, this past week we learned that Android 2.3 Gingerbread has finally dropped below 50% usage. Android 4.1 and 4.2 Jelly Bean have finally reached double digits, coming in at 10%. We still have a long way to go to get the majority of Android users on 4.x and higher. Dan Morrill, an Android Engineer at Google, graced the public with his ‘dandroids’. And we love them.

For apps this week we took a look back at some of the apps over the past year you just couldn’t live without, one of our favorite Android launchers received a major update, adding tons of new features and apparently you can now play Starcraft on Android.

Samsung has began rolling out a software update that fixes the Exynos security exploit to users in the UK. If you’re rocking a UK version of the SGS3, you can get your update from either Kies or over the air. The Hisense Pulse Google TV received an over the air update that removed root and improved user experience. The Galaxy Camera is getting Android 4.2.1. Last, but not least for hardware news this week, we talked about Ubuntu’s mobile phone OS. While the user interface looks gorgeous and fresh, underlying apps and ecosystem make the platform. It’s something we’re all curious about, how about you?

If you’re into rootin’ and ROMin’ you’re probably familiar with Titanium Backup. Android hacker extraordinaire, Koush is working on a very nice Android backup application. It’s literally better than anything else available at this time. If you’re a fan of CyanogenMod, this week the CM Team began including their new Clock, Weather, and Calendar widgets with CM10.1. It’s called Chronus and it’s ready for Android 4.2.

Miss the show? Tune in or watch below:

 

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/73569987" params="" width=" 100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

YouTube
SoundCloud
Stitcher
iTunes
RSS

Next week our schedule changes slightly. Instead of bringing you the biggest and best Android news live on a Thursday night, we’ve rescheduled to Friday. Why? CES. That’s why! We’ll be doing a full CES week in review show this coming Friday at 9:30pm EST.

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CES 2013 preview – it’s all about the Full HD smartphones (and 7-inch tablets)

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 06:11 AM PST

ces 2013 android authority

It's never easy to get straight back to work after the oh so relaxing holiday vacation (what with the headaches and all), but like it or not we who are involved with technology don't get to smoothly resettle to the action.

Instead, we have to sink our teeth directly into one of the most important and glamorous yearly trade shows in technology, traditionally held at the beginning of January. But why not admit it, we love Las Vegas' CES probably more than anything in the whole wide world, and, even when we're not fully recovered from the holiday madness, we adore reporting on everything that's on display there.

2013's CES is no exception, despite early signals that say there's not going to be much Android-related excitement in Vegas between January 8 and 11. "Much" being the key word here, we can certainly hope to be treated with loads of new treats, which could include an array of new full HD smartphones, a couple of uber-cheap 7-inch tablets and more.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves and take the major Android OEMs one by one and see what we're expecting from each. Warning: very little of what we're going to talk about in the following lines is set in stone, so handle with caution and big amounts of salt.

Samsung

We all love the occasional juicy rumor mongering even when we know there's very little truth to it, but let's face it – there's little to no chance to see the Galaxy S4 on display at CES 2013. The S3 and S2 have both seen daylight in the spring and there's simply no way Sammy will spoil the tradition by so much.

Samsung-Galaxy-S4

However, rumor has it that the S4 will be present in Vegas behind closed doors and that actually sounds plausible. And while we highly doubt any member of the press will be invited at this executive preview, you never know when someone can spill the beans and offer the entire world an unexpected sneak peek.

Now, about Samsung devices that we think will be on display for the world to see. These include several budget-oriented phones, like the Galaxy Young Duos, GT-B7810 and Galaxy Frame, a mid-range Galaxy Note 7 tab, but very likely also some Tizen-based gadgets.

Not very exciting, you say? Well, how about some more advanced prototypes with flexible AMOLED panels, a cheaper Galaxy Note 2 "phablet" or a 13.3-inch Asus Transformer contender? Much better, right?

Sony

You might have not expected Sony to be the number two on our list a while ago, but with the Xperia Z and ZL all but confirmed for CES intros it's hard to not be excited. There's also a mid-range "HuaShan" phone supposedly coming soon, but we think that little guy will be saved for MWC in February.

Sony Xperia Z ZL

No words on any new tablet entries from the Japanese, but who knows, maybe they'll want in on the 7-inch budget-friendly fun as well.

HTC

Just like Samsung's Galaxy S4, HTC's next flagship, codenamed M7, is also tipped to make an appearance at CES. And while some pretty reliable sources seem convinced that'll be the case, we just don't think so. The One X+ got out in October last year, the Droid DNA one month later, so it's simply too early for HTC to again unveil a high-end phone. But what do we know, right?

HTC M7

A couple of other upcoming HTC handhelds have been making the rumor rounds lately too, including the Opera UL or Facebook phone, but we doubt we'll be seeing any of that either. So will HTC be completely silent during CES? Possibly, but then MWC should be spectacular.

LG

Though the Optimus G is not itself an old and dusty smartphone, chances are LG will be looking to introduce the G2 during CES. We've seen a number of rumors on the topic lately, all agreeing on the Full HD display of the beast, but not on the diagonal size.

lg-optimus-g-2

We're not expecting any other new LG devices to be presented in Vegas, although the Korean company might have some surprises in store in the SoC and display areas.

Asus

Nexus 7's co-branders are almost certainly looking towards the future of the niche, so expect at least a couple of new 7-inch tabs to see daylight. One of this could even be a new Nexus device, although we're not too sure about that.

Asus-ME172V

A higher-end 10-incher going by the name of ME301T MemoPad 10 is also all but confirmed to be unveiled during CES, although it's not impossible to get an MWC push after all.

Acer

One of the OEMs that seem very keen on taking a piece of the 7-inch affordable pie from Asus, Google and Amazon is Acer, with the Iconia B (or B1) guaranteed to make an appearance. However, Acer's CES 2013 might not be all about tablets for a change, with the V350 and V360 smartphones also set to officially pop up.

Acer Iconia B1

Lenovo

Besides a Baidu Cloud-powered phone and a couple of China-exclusive devices, Lenovo has been awfully quiet on the Android front lately. We don't think we'll be seeing the company get out of its shell very soon, although there are rumors that a full HD smartphone and an affordable 7-inch tab are coming at some point.

Huawei and ZTE

We would usually put the two Chinese companies in the "others" sections of our big trade shows' previews, but this time Huawei and ZTE might actually have a lot more up their sleeves than the usual suspects. The Ascend D2 and Ascend Mate on one hand and the Grand S on the other are definitely coming and they'll probably be spectacular.

But knowing Huawei and ZTE, they'll probably not stop at only introducing top-tier devices with out of the world specs. We thus can also expect a bunch of low-end phones and probably even Android-powered tabs (both entry-level and high-end).

Ascend-Mate

Others

Despite having possible winners on their hands, we are listing Oppo and Xiaomi under the others category because we're not even sure they're going to make it to Vegas. Even if they'll be present, their own 1080p beasts will be nothing more than ornaments for us Westerners (no offence), who are absolutely positively never going to see them in stores near us.

We've also saved a spot here for Toshiba because we're not expecting any new devices from the company, while Polaroid and E Fun will definitely have something for us, but it's nothing to get excited about. As for Pebble's smartwatch, that's not an Android-powered gizmo per se, but it does have some obvious links with our favorite mobile OS, so it's worth a quick mention.

Outside our ecosystem we will probably be seeing some Windows 8-related movement, but, frankly, it's not our job to care, is it? Finally, Motorola seems like a tough nut to crack, as it's keeping a little too quiet on its future plans. The Droid Razr M HD is basically the only device rumored to be coming soon, but we think Moto will either have something else on display or nothing at all.

That’s it, folks, for the time being, but be sure to be tuning in to our website next week, when we’ll have loads of reports from the ground in Vegas from our own Darcy LaCouvee, Kris Wouk, Joshua Vergara and Derek Ross. In the meantime, drop us a comment below and tell us what are you most excited about and who do you think will be the star at CES.

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HTC M7 gets detailed ahead of CES — all-black design, new Sense UI, and more

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 06:10 AM PST

htc-one-x-logo

Mere days before the possible unveiling of the HTC M7, new information about HTC's upcoming flagship smartphone has surfaced, this time detailing the design of the device, the new User Interface, and its availability.

The scoop comes courtesy of HTC Source, which received some tips from an insider on what the world can expect to see when the HTC M7 makes it CES 2013 debut. Let's get to the juicy bits.

Design-wise, the source said that the M7 will bear a resemblance to the Droid DNA, though with none of the red accent. We're looking at a completely black shell – made from the same material as the DNA — with "a very nice looking beveled edge" along the display of the phone. While past rumor indicates that the M7 will feature on screen buttons, that isn't likely to be the case.

As for its specs, there's nothing that we haven't already known or guessed. The HTC M7 will sport a 4.7-inch HD display (468 ppi), a quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon Pro CPU, 2GB of RAM, 32GB internal storage, 13MP main camera, 2MP front-facing cam, and a 2,300mAh battery. There’s no microSD slot, unfortunately.

The test device runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but it might get upgraded to Android 4.2 before it hits the market. The M7 will have the latest iteration of Sense UI on board, possibly dubbed as Sense 5.0, with a more "simple and clean" look. Meanwhile, HTC's home-brewed apps will also get a design makeover.

The HTC M7, according to the source, will be released in Q1 2013. We'll find out soon enough if the information given is accurate. Stay tuned for our CES coverage!

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Galaxy S2 Jelly Bean update details revealed by Samsung Korea, release date not so much

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 04:42 AM PST

galaxy-s2-jelly-bean-update-samsung-korea-1

While we expected the Galaxy S2 to be upgraded to Jelly Bean at some point last year, that hasn't happened. To get things out of the way we'll tell you right from the start of this post that we don't have a release date available for the Galaxy S2 Android 4.1 upgrade.

However, Samsung Korea has posted more details about this highly anticipated update, even if it forgot to specify when it will be rolled out.

Apparently the upgrade to Jelly Bean will be done only via Kies and the whole thing will take at least one hour. During the update you'll lose 1GB of storage, which will be used for system partition. That means internal memory will be at 11GB once Android 4.1 will be installed.

Here are other changes Galaxy S2 users can expect, as translated by Sam Mobile:

Major Changes in the new Software Upgrade

  1. Platform upgrade Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich → Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
    • Improved Home screens and improved scrolling performance (thanks to project Butter)
    • Improved usability for some applications
  2. Preloaded applications
    • Add Help
    • Add Google+
    • Add +Talk
    • Add Play Book
    • Add Play Movie
  3. Newly added/improved functions
    • Add Easy mode, Block mode
    • Improved Camera functions: function like Pause while recording and more
    • Add Smart Stay
    • New functions like Pop-up play and more
    • Improved some functions & applications usability

We'll be back with more details about the actual rollout of the Galaxy S2 Jelly Bean upgrade in the near future.

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Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans


N64, Sonic, Streetfighter get OUYA gameplay videos

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 03:32 PM PST

It’s been less than a week since most developers received their OUYA Dev consoles (unboxing pics, unboxing video), but developers aren’t wasting any time in getting their games – and the games of others – up and running. The guys at GameFans put together 8 OUYA Gameplay Videos they found on OUYAboards.com. Our favorite three are below:

N64 Emulator on OUYA
Jump to 1:45 and check out the OUYA running Super Mario Bros 64 rather beautifully

Street Fighter 2 Turbo
The street fighter series is by far one of my favorites. Love the gameplay, love the characters, love the simplicity, love the music. Just love everything about it. And by the way, I would pummel you into earth with flash kicks and sonic booms as Guile. Just sayin’.

Sonic 4
This is Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2, running on OUYA. I was always more of a Nintendo guy back in the day, but I did love me some Sonic. This is a native Android App running on OUYA. I’m curious if old title makers will eventually license their games for use on OUYA and other consoles rather than simply letting the emulator market have free reign. They could make some nice coin to bring back the originals through legal emulator use.

Obviously I’m excited to see what the indie developers launch for OUYA and it will be equally exciting to see some OUYA exclusives, but these emulator vids launched within days of the dev console release have me getting antsy. March can’t come soon enough!

Which of the above videos floats your boat the most? What games are you most excited to see on OUYA?

[OUYAboards via GameFans]

Android Central

Android Central


Samsung Korea details Jelly Bean update for Galaxy S2, without giving a date

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 05:08 PM PST

Android Central

Samsung Galaxy S2 owners eager for a piece of Jelly Bean action will no doubts be delighted to hear the first official information surrounding the update. While no expected date has been provided, Samsung Korea has provided some details on what will be contained within the update to Android 4.1. 

First up the less positive points. The available internal storage will be reduced from 12GB to 11GB, thanks to a new system partition. Samsung says the changes in structure potentially means the update can take an hour to flash. Also, apparently it's only going to be available by Kies, with no OTA update option available. 

Now onto the fun stuff. Of course, an update to Jelly Bean brings the likes of Project Butter and Google Now to the table. As part of the update, some additional applications such as Google+, Google Play Books and Google Play Movies will be pre-loaded. Additional functionality will come to the camera app, and Pop Up Play and Smart Stay from some of Samsung's newer devices will also be added to the Galaxy S2. 

It's sadly still a waiting game at this point, but with some official news coming out from Samsung, we'd like to hope it means the update isn't that far away from dropping. 

Source: Samsung Korea (Translated) via SamMobile



Windows Phone users to get their broken Google Maps web experience back

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 04:27 PM PST

collectors item

Yesterday it seems that every single Windows Phone user was over at WPCentral lamenting the loss of the Google Maps web app for Windows Phone. It seems that Google made a change that redirected users with a Windows Phone browser UA string to Google search page instead of the Google Maps page they were expecting.

Google later chimed in and said that Google Maps on the mobile site was designed for webkit browsers, which IE on Windows Phone is not. Questions were raised about why it used to work, why it stopped working, and why Google was the devil. Turns out that a big fuss was made over a relatively minor (minor to Google anyways) product change. Google has reverted things back the way they were, and delivered this statement to The Next Web.

We periodically test Google Maps compatibility with mobile browsers to make sure we deliver the best experience for those users.

In our last test, IE mobile still did not offer a good maps experience with no ability to pan or zoom and perform basic map functionality. As a result, we chose to continue to redirect IE mobile users to Google.com where they could at least make local searches. The Firefox mobile browser did offer a somewhat better user experience and that’s why there is no redirect for those users.

Recent improvements to IE mobile and Google Maps now deliver a better experience and we are currently working to remove the redirect. We will continue to test Google Maps compatibility with other mobile browsers to ensure the best possible experience for users.

A lot of Windows Phone fans are going to cry foul, and claim that their voices changed the world and moved the mountain that is Google, but even a few admitted Windows fans came to the very same conclusion that it was done because the experience, well, it sucked. 

The simple fact is that smart companies are going to build web apps that work well for Android and iOS because that's the vast majority of the mobile market. If that means building for webkit based browsers, then people on the fringe of the market won't be part of it. Google has decided to give Windows Phone users back the poor experience they want, but if future updates incorporate webkit-only features, you can bet Google will stop supporting IE once again. It's a decision about money, not about hate for Microsoft. 

Source: The Next Web



Apps of the Week: Super Monsters Ate My Condo!, Netflix New Releases, AntennaPod and more!

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 01:24 PM PST

Apps of the Week

We said we'd be back in 2013 with our weekly app picks, and here we are. Trying to start off the year right before some of us make the trip to Las Vegas for CES 2013, we've got a whole grouping of great picks for you this week. A mix of games, utilities and overall fun apps can be found here, so stick around after the break and see how we did.

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Weekend project: Customize your home screen with UCCW, the ultimate custom widget

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 12:15 PM PST

UCCW

Anytime you see folks discussing the virtues of Android, you hear the word custom being thrown around in one form or another. We're not talking about ROMs or kernels or anything like that, we mean the built in options to make your Android phone look like no other phone -- widgets. Specifically UCCW, the ultimate custom widget.

Ultimate is a pretty bold claim for any developer to make, especially when you're talking something as personal as the way our phones look. UCCW works it though, and is a way to change the look and feel of your home screen in a way only limited by your imagination. It's a "master" widget, which is simply a blank canvas that's painted the way you decide, either through your own talent or from themes (called uzips) that other talented folks have created.  Hit the jump, have a look, and get customized.

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The week in international Android news - Jan. 5

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 04:53 AM PST

Android Central

Happy New Year! CES is literally days away from us now, and with Alex en-route to Las Vegas as we speak, it falls to me to round up the weeks international Android news. CES leaks and rumors have dominated the headlines as we might expect since we returned from the holiday break, but there's been plenty to talk about since our last international round up.

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Play Magazines now offering 'free for print subscribers' option

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 10:39 PM PST

Play Magazines Subscription

According to a Google Play support document -- and confirmed when we browse to some magazines -- Google is now offering a "Free for print subscribers" option for certain magazines in the Play Store. When browsing many popular magazine subscriptions in the Play Store that have a print component, tapping on "subscribe" offers you three options. On top of the regular monthly or yearly subscriptions, you now have the option to get the digital version for free if you're already a print customer.

Google has likely signed some kind of content deals to make this happen, but however it happened it's a good thing. Many different publishers have offered this feature for their own websites and magazines, but its nice to see Google offering the same option with a digital subscription through the app as well.

Source: Google; Via: Android Police



New 'Amber Brown' Galaxy Note 2 shows up again, this time in real photos

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 09:00 PM PST

Amber Brown Galaxy Note 2

Quickly following on the heels of leaked renders of two new colors of the Galaxy Note 2, we've got some real hands-on images of the Amber Brown version of the device. The device seems to be all the same as the other Note 2 varieties, but now covered in a deep brown color. This is probably going to be a bit of a polarizing color -- either love it or hate it -- if we have to be honest, but more options are always better. This model is a Japanese version for the carrier NTT Docomo but it's feasible that we could see this color, along with the new "Ruby Wine" (aka red) color, come to other markets also.

We've got one more look at the device for you after the break. The source link below has several more with pictures of the box, accessories and color-matched brown flip cover as well.

Source: GizChina

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Sprint confirms own-branded prepaid service launching Jan 25

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 07:31 PM PST

Android Central

Following some rumors of a new prepaid option, Sprint has confirmed today with FierceWireless that it will be launching the new service under its own brand name on January 25th. Cleverly named "Sprint As You Go" will offer unlimited talk, text and data for $70 per month on smartphones or $50 on featurephones, with no annual contract required. The prepaid service will not throttle data, unlike its subsidiaries Boost and Virgin which have set plans to throttle data usage after 2.5GB.

Also unlike its other prepaid carriers, Sprint will only be selling these new Sprint As You Go plans in its own retail stores rather than with third party partners. The carrier is positioning these plans as a higher-end option that offers users most of the same features of the postpaid plans, but without a contract.

Sprint will unfortunately be limiting these new plans to just four phones right now, two of which are smartphones. The LG Optimus Elite for $150 and Samsung Victory for $250 are the smartphone options, the latter having LTE data connectivity. It's understandable that the new plans should launch with a limited selection of lower end devices, but we surely hope that this opens up quickly. Sprint is going to have to do something special to compete with other prepaid GSM carriers that offer similar (or lower) prices and a vastly wider selection of devices.

Source: FierceWireless



New antenna from SkyCross hopes to alleviate LTE band fragmentation

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 05:32 PM PST

Android Central

You've heard tech pundits talk about the absolute mess that is LTE frequencies before I'm sure. Even Apple was forced to break the tradition of "one phone for all" when they decided to incorporate an LTE radio, and Apple never likes change. The problem is that there are 38 different frequencies with active LTE networks or planned LTE networks world wide. That means that your LTE phone set up for one carrier probably won't work on another. It's a big problem that needs a solution, and quickly.

Android Central @ CES

Enter SkyCross. They just started shipping an LTE antenna that can support up to 12 different frequencies on one piece of hardware. That's just the type of hot hardware injection the future of LTE needed -- as things are about to get worse. I'm going to use US examples, but this applies world-wide (none of you are safe). 

Verizon has been the fastest at rolling out LTE. The currently use the 700MHz band for their LTE network. The issue is that spectrum isn't infinite, and Verizon also has to buy and repurpose 2100MHz spectrum. They will have to bond both frequencies together in what's called aggregation, and any antenna they use will have to support both bands. Now compound this for manufacturers trying to make a device that runs on multiple networks, as we all hope that will be the future of LTE. In the US, the big four will need an antenna that supports up to eight different frequencies to make it happen. We're going to need better antennas that can handle it.

SkyCross plans to officially announce things at CES, and they say we should see their gear in phones this year. We'll keep an eye on this one.

Via: Gigaohm