Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Android Authority

Android Authority


Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update now rolling out to international Samsung Galaxy S2

Posted: 23 Jan 2013 02:31 AM PST

Galaxy-S2-Jelly-Bean

People can't be too happy with Samsung's software updating "efforts" since the still very popular Galaxy S2 was supposed to get the Jelly Bean bump back in November 2012 and ended up being left to ICS dust until now, but at long last things are moving forward.

According to Sam Mobile, the Android 4.1.2 upgrade is being pushed out to international versions of the GS2 as we speak, starting with devices in Spain. Though we were expecting the new software package to be made available only via Kies, numerous users are reporting they're able to pull the update OTA (over-the-air) as well, which is always good news.

Even better news is the massive changelog, which might just make this the biggest update ever to hit an Android device. As you probably know, the S2 came out with good old 2.3 Gingerbread on board, being later bumped to 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Galaxy S2-2

However, the ICS leap didn't tweak the original UI, leaving it all to Jelly Bean. That said, expect a drastic makeover of your GS2 now, starting with the welcomed addition of the TouchWiz Nature UX that brings this oldie on-par with the S3 and Note 2 goldies.

Besides the interface revamp, the already traditional Project Butter enhancements should up the phone's performance a notch or two, not to mention all those new features that'll be added like Google Now, Direct Call, Smart Stay and Pop-up Play.

On top of it all, you'll get some new previously GS3-exclusive widgets, a new lockscreen with customization options, an overhauled notification bar and two home screen modes. The entire upgrade should rip you off of around 1 GB of storage, but trust us, it's worth every effort or sacrifice, so don't get shy on us now.

Galaxy S2

While Spanish folks should be already kicking it back with their newly reformed S2s, don't panic if you can't update your phone just yet. As usual, these things come out in waves, so depending on your carrier you might have to wait a couple of days or so.

Meanwhile, the updating process should start in other European countries any minute now, as well as in Asia. As for North America, it might still be a while there, though people can certainly start dreaming.

Before wrapping it up, we want to say one last thing to all the haters that are ready to jump at Samsung’s throat for the delayed upgrade. What other two-year olds released with Android 2.3 have got a taste of Jelly Bean until now? Exactly.

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Google had revenues of $14.42 billion during Q4 2012, 94% of which came from advertising

Posted: 23 Jan 2013 02:14 AM PST

Google LogoGoogle has released its financial results for the last three months of 2012 and the company is looking healthy but not without a few minor concerns. First the numbers. Google had revenues of $14.42 billion during Q4 2012, up by 36% when compared to the fourth quarter of 2011. For the whole of 2012 over $50 billion flowed into Google. However, running all those data centeres isn’t cheap and of the $14 billion Google spent nearly 5 billion in the fourth quarter (33% of its revenue) in operating expenses. However once all the calculations are done Google made a profit of $2.89 billion in Q4.

For Android this means that the custodian of the OS is healthy and making money. However there is another side to the story. Google makes 96% of its money from sites which it runs (like Google Search, YouTube and Gmail) together with the advertising money from all those web sites which carry Google ads. Only 6% of Google’s money comes from “other” activities. The Google Play store is likely to be included in the $8.64 billion of Q4 revenues but how much money the store makes wasn’t published.

In terms of money which Google directly makes from Android, that is probably very small. Google’s long term aim is to dominate the mobile operating system market and so capture the precious advertising clicks on which it makes money. However it won’t be easy, advertisers pay about half as much for an ad on a mobile device than a desktop, partly because the effectiveness of  mobile ads isn’t yet consider high especially when compared to web site adverts.

As for Motorola Mobile, its revenues were $1.51 billion for the quarter and the wholly owned subsidiary employs 11,113 people. What Google can fully do with Motorola hasn’t yet been seen. There are clearly a lot of engineers at Motorola and Google really needs to put them to work to make Android shine even more.

Other than making more money from Android, the only concern for Google is that the average cost-per-click (which determines how much money Google gets after it has shared a percentage with the site carrying the ad) decreased approximately 6% when compared to the same quarter of 2011, however it was up 2% when compared to the third quarter of 2012.

For those in the UK it is nice to see that Google had $1.30 billion of revenue from the island, that represents 10% of Google’s  revenues in the fourth quarter. Google recently completed a £1 billion ($1.5 billion) property deal in London. The company said it will build a new office complex on 2.4 acres of disused land behind King's Cross Station for use as its UK HQ.

Do you have any Google shares?

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Google’s Larry Page: Improving Nexus 4 supply is top priority

Posted: 23 Jan 2013 01:51 AM PST

Larry-Page

The scarcity of the latest flagship Nexus smartphone has given way to some bizarre reports from popping up, most of which have since been debunked. While we may never get the full account of the story behind the Nexus 4 shortages, it looks like Google is done pointing its fingers.

During Google's quarterly earnings call, the company's CEO Larry Page acknowledged that there's a huge backlog of the Nexus 4. He said that there is "work to be done managing our supply better" and that solving the phone shortage problem will be "priority for the teams".

Combined this with LG's assurance that it'll be pumping out more N4 handsets starting in February, we can but hope that customers will be able to buy and get the phone soon without the shipment delay drama — among other annoyances — that's been plaguing its release.

For all its logistical flaws, the Nexus 4 is still the Android phone to get for many. Are you still looking to grab one as soon as possible? Or have you been turned off by the supply fiasco and are now eyeing on something else instead?

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Rumor: HTC M7 heading to Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, but not T-Mobile

Posted: 23 Jan 2013 01:19 AM PST

new htc m7 leak

Despite the much awaited launch of the Sony Xperia Z happening soon and rumors about Samsung's Galaxy S4 increasing in intensity, another upcoming top-tier Android phone seems to be the star of the most headlines these days.

We're talking about HTC's M7, the big guy that's been rendered a bunch of times in the past week and that's had numerous specs and details spilled all around the web. The M7 puzzle is still far from completion, but fortunately we're all set to put a big piece in place today – US availability.

According to @evleaks (who else?), HTC's upcoming spearhead will be landing on at least three of the four major carriers in America – AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. The number four, T-Mobile, is left out at this time, but our always reliable source of rumors only tells us that TMO is "lacking concrete evidence", so Magenta could still be in the mix.

HTC M7

If you ask us, T-Mobile absolutely needs a piece of HTC's high-end smartphone pie, even if the OEM's game might have seemed a bit off lately. At this time, there are only four HTC devices sold by T-Mo, two of which run Windows Phone. Out of the other two, the One S is the only half decent Android, so it's time for something new and hip, don't you think?

As for the three US carriers supposedly "confirmed" to sell the M7, we have to say we're a bit surprised of Verizon. Big Red has always been tight with HTC, but do the carrier's customers really need a sized down version of the Droid DNA with just a few extra muscles? After all, the 5-incher has only started selling last November.

But how about AT&T and Sprint? Well, the former has both the One X and X+ up for grabs, but we don't think the M7 will cannibalize the sales of the two, while the latter is more or less in the same position as T-Mobile – it only has two HTC phones on sale, including a very old and dusty Hero, so a new one is definitely needed.

Of course, we still have no words on M7 pricing or an exact ETA, but we’re ready to bet we’ll find out more on that during next month’s MWC in Barcelona. In the meantime, we’ll just have to find ways to cope with the waiting and anxiety, won’t we?

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Samsung’s 2013 roadmap: Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Xcover 2, and others confirmed

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 11:31 PM PST

samsung-logo

Wondering what army of devices Samsung will deploy in the first half of the year to accompany the flagship Galaxy S4? The leaked slides from Samsung’s 2013 roadmap — as attained by Techno Buffalo — should help provide clues to devices that customers can look forward to in H1 2013. Some are already on our radar, but the roadmap offers more juicy details.

Let's start with the Galaxy Note 8.0, whose alleged pictures have made headlines before. Specs-wise, the 8-inch Galaxy Note tablet will boast a quad-core 1.6GHz processor (most likely Exynos), a 4,600mAh battery, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. According to the list, the latest addition to the Note series will be available in March, so maybe we'll see it being introduced alongside the Galaxy S4 at the company’s Mobile Unpacked event.

Galaxy-Note-8.0-roadmap

As for the Galaxy Xcover 2, news about the rugged smartphone first surfaced last week. But now, we got more specs of the phone and its expected availability.

  • 4-inch WVGA display
  • 1GHz dual-core processor
  • 5MP rear camera, VGA front cam
  • 4GB internal storage + microSD card slot
  • Dustproof + Waterproof (IP67)
  • 1,700mAH battery
  • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
  • February 2013

The Galaxy Young is about to get a reboot. Among other things, it'll come with dual SIM support.

  • 3-inch/3.3-inch WVGA display
  • 1GHz processor
  • 3MP rear camera
  • 4GB internal storage + microSD card slot
  • Dual SIM
  • 1,300mAh battery
  • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
  • April 2013

Lastly, there's the Galaxy Pocket Plus, whose images and specs have also leaked online about a week ago. It looks like the phone will have a better screen resolution than previously reported.

  • 2.8-inch HVGA display
  • 850MHz processor
  • 2MP rear camera
  • 4GB internal storage + microSD card slot
  • 1,200mAh battery
  • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
  • Single SIM / Dual SIM
  • January / February 2013

Save for the Galaxy Note 8.0, they’re not exactly the most exciting of devices. But as per usual, Samsung offers a little bit of something for everyone.

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Attention smartphone users: your Internet connection is just about to crawl to a halt

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 05:36 PM PST

tower

For many smartphone users, fourth-generation technologies like LTE have ushered in an era of fast mobile broadband, with practical speeds reaching 62 Mbps in some areas and even a theoretical 162 Mbps with LTE-A (even higher with multiplexing). But these network speeds might amount to nothing if there is no network capacity to support the data transfers. Analysts estimate that the upward trend in mobile data use among smartphone users will eventually outpace network capacity in the next three years, and speeds will slow down to a crawl.

A recent report by Deloitte says that smartphones — mostly comprising Android, iOS and Windows Phone — consume 35 times more data traffic than typical non-smartphones. As such, this means a 50-fold growth by 2016. But since carriers’ network capacities are not expected to drastically improve by this time, Deloitte likened it to rush hour traffic. Networks will suffer congestion just as physical roads do during rush hours.

“In the worst situations, download speeds may be under 1Mbps for lengthy periods of time, making video streaming impossible and even web browsing difficult,” said the report. Given these situations, it might take two or three attempts before successfully loading a webpage. Sites might freeze, and even voice calls might not go through on the first try.

Major metropolitan areas will bear most of the brunt, given demand in these areas. While governments are trying to grant new spectrum allocations to mobile carriers, these are often meant for rural areas, or to de-congest traffic in high-use areas such as big cities. The study said the use of 4th generation technologies will help ease the burden for carriers, given that these are more efficient in using the available bandwidth. However, “[d]emand for wireless bandwidth will likely attempt to outstrip these improvements in supply for at least several years.”

As such, it might be a worry for smartphone users that the quality of service you are enjoying right now might not be a long-term benefit of smartphone use. As more and more users get onboard the smartphone bandwagon, and as online content becomes richer and richer (videos vs. text, for instance), mobile traffic will continue to become congested.

Are you worried that your LTE plan might crawl to a 1Mbps pace in a few years’ time? Or are you confident that new breakthroughs in mobile technology will eventually result in more efficient use of what bandwidth we are already using right now?

Perhaps it’s a matter of perspective. For instance, mobile users in emerging economies don’t always get to enjoy 4G or even 3.5G speeds, and can make do with 2Mbps or less. And then there are always traffic optimization techniques employed by Opera Mini, Onavo and the like, which can help reduce network traffic for both a user and the carrier’s network itself. Should we begin to look into more efficient means of using our mobile network resources? Or is this perhaps another argument against net neutrality?

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Verizon Galaxy Note 2 available on Wirefly and Amazon for $199

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 02:19 PM PST

Verizon
It is well known that Verizon likes to charge more than other carriers for their devices. When you have the biggest network in the United States, then you can get away with it. Thus, the Galaxy Note 2 on Verizon has remained pretty expensive since its release. Now, Amazon Wireless and Wirefly have them on sale for $199.

Quite frankly, $199 is a great price for the Galaxy Note 2. It still goes for over $300 on Sprint and T-Mobile even with contract discounts. So despite the $199 being touted as an on sale price, it’s still quite a good deal. With it’s quad core processor, 2GB RAM, and 5.5″ 720p screen, the specs also promise the phone will be relevant for at least another year if not longer.

Currently, the deal seems to only apply at Wirefly and Amazon Wireless. Both sites advertise it for the same price. However, as Android Police’s David Ruddock observed, Wirefly does not have the white variant at this time.

With the Galaxy Note 2 being arguably one of the best smart phones in the world, it’s hard to pass up a deal like this. However, with the myriad of devices announced at CES 2013 and plenty more scheduled for MWC 2013, is it worth grabbing this now? Or is it time to put the cash away and save it for a newer device?

If you want to check out the deals, there are links below!

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Xiaomi MI-2 headed for CDMA carrier China Telecom on January 26th

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 02:01 PM PST

xiaomi-mi2

Xiaomi’s MI-2 smartphone has been out for some time now. It hasn’t been made available for China Telecom though. China Telecom is the country’s smallest carrier. Not only that, but it is the only carrier using a CDMA network. You could think of China Telecom as Sprint here in the US.

Xiaomi has announced on its website that China Telecom will be receiving a variant of the MI-2 compatible with the CDMA carrier. It will launch later this week on January 26th for 1,999 yuan. That is the equivalent of $322 US dollars. The only difference potential customers will find in the MI-2 from other variants is that it now supports China Telecom’s CDMA network.

The Xiaomi MI-2 sports a 4.3-inch 720p high definition display. Under the hood is a quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU and 2GB of internal storage. Camera wise you have your 8-megapixel rear shooter and a 2-megapixel front facing shooter. The MI-2 is also running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. A mouthful of Jelly Bean goodness right out of the box! What more could you want?

No doubt customers on China Telecom will be happy to see this bad boy.

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Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich web browser engagement surpasses the iPhone

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 01:07 PM PST

Ice Cream Sandwich
The battle between Android and iOS is ever raging. Since there are seemingly countless ways to measure operating systems, the battle could rage on until one of them literally dies. One study conducted by Tech Thoughts’ Sameer Singh has gone through the painstaking measures of calculating web browser engagement. As it turns out, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich actually has higher web browser engagement than the iPhone does.

It’s important to precipice this by stating that this is just smartphones. The tablet engagement is an entirely different animal and one that has very different results. So, for the purposes of this study, tablet stats were not included.

The study shows that as of November, there is more web browser engagement in Android Ice Cream Sandwich than on all iPhones. This is pretty significant because this is only for one variant of Android. This doesn’t factor in the others. The point of the study is to show that users on Ice Cream Sandwich interact with content in browsers more than iPhone users do.

Ice Cream Sandwich has better engagement. What does this mean exactly?

In order to understand what’s going on, let’s take a look at what’s being said. Eric Peterson defines web browser engagement as, “an estimate of the degree and depth of visitor interaction on the site against a clearly defined set of goals.” In layman’s terms, it’s essentially a measure of how much people interact with websites in a browser.

For instance, if you just go to Twitter’s home page and leave, your browser engagement is low. If you go to Twitter, send a few tweets, then follow some people, then your engagement is significantly higher. So just opening the web browser isn’t what is driving these numbers.

Essentially, this means that Ice Cream Sandwich phone owners browse the web with more depth than iPhone owners do. This is significant because this is a statistic that the iPhone has owned for a long time. Now, preliminary results show Ice Cream Sandwich alone pulling ahead of iPhones. With more in depth analysis, it can be said for sure that, at least, the gap between the two platforms is now non-existent.

To see the full study, you can find it here. While it is rather technical, it’s definitely interesting. Is this yet another piece of evidence that the iPhone is on its way out, or is it just Android browsers improving?

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Microsoft’s Surface Pro releases on February 9th in the U.S. and Canada

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 12:33 PM PST

surface_pro

Microsoft was allegedly going to launch the Surface Pro in January. That did not work out as planned. Microsoft announced today that the Surface Pro will release on February 9th. Very few countries will be seeing the tablet launch on February 9th though.

The company still plans on releasing the tablet in other markets. ”It will be available initially in the US and Canada with additional markets to follow in the coming weeks and months,” says a spokesperson. While the wait is unfortunate this is could be a smart move.

The original Surface had confusing shipping delays thanks to misinformed representatives. Customers in the U.K. were informed that their Surface would arrive on Oct. 26th, 2012. That date was the shipping date and not the delivery date, a supervisor told ZDNet’s Matt Reynolds.

Microsoft gave out free £50 gift cards to those affected. That was enough to snag a copy of Windows 8. No doubt Microsoft is looking to avoid another PR storm.

Microsoft Surface Pro pricing

Microsoft will offer a 64GB and a 128GB model at $899 and $999, respectively. Both models will feature a 10.6-inch high definition screen and an Intel Core i5 processor. This makes the Surface Pro’s hardware significantly better than the Surface’s. Additionally, both Surface Pro’s have support for Touch and Type covers.

The Surface Pro will run a full version of Windows 8 unlike its predecessor. This means that the tablet will be able to support existing desktop applications. Not just applications based around Windows 8.

Microsoft will make available three new Touch Covers for the Surface Pro. These new Touch Covers are available for a limited time. Microsoft will also be making available a special Wedge Touch Mouse for the Surface Pro.

Will anyone be picking up the Surface Pro on launch day or is everyone keen on sticking with their Android tablets?

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Android and Me

Android and Me


CyanogenMod 10.1 Milestone 1 available for select devices

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 03:20 PM PST

When it comes to alternative software for your Android device, CyanogenMod is still the cream of the crop. Over the weekend, the first semi-stable builds of CyanogenMod 10.1 were made available for select devices, giving us an idea of just how far CyanogenMod 10.1 is into development. With the...

Visit our site to read the full article.

Google’s Q4 revenue tops $14 billion, profits at $2.9 billion

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 03:18 PM PST

Google has just announced their quarterly earnings for Q4 2012, and the numbers look strong. Total revenue for Q4 2012 came in at an impressive $14.4 billion, up 36% over Q4 2011. Net income didn’t see the same growth, but is still on the rise. Profits for Q4 2011 totaled $2.71 billion,...

Visit our site to read the full article.

Rumor: Samsung Galaxy S4 unveiling set for March 22, first shipment mid-April

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 08:31 AM PST

The HTC M7 and Sense 5 may be getting a lot of attention these days, but let’s not forget that Samsung is working on the Galaxy S IV. The majority of the phone’s details are still unknown at this point, but new information has been trickling in that suggests Samsung unveil its [...]

Visit our site to read the full article.

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans


Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes coming soon to Google Play

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 06:36 PM PST

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Probably the best news I’ve read all night, one of my all-time favorite puzzle RPG’s will be finally making its way to Android. Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes was released for the Nintendo DS back in 2009, and a few years later, was given an HD remake for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles.

Only a few days ago, Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes was officially announced as coming to iOS devices (lucky bastards) on the 24th of this month and before you get up in arms over the absence of Android version in their announcement, M&M:CH publisher TagGames confirmed to Pocketgamer that the game would, in fact, be coming to Android devices at a date “to be announced.”

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes is a puzzle RPG (weirdly, one of my new favorite genres) similar to titles like Puzzle Quest. Players face off against computer controlled opponents in a game of match-3, to execute powerful attacks and summon powerful allies to aid you in battle. Seriously — it’s loads of fun and looks beautiful on an HD television.

We’ll tell you more about the game once it’s finally released into the Google Play Store, for now, check out the release trailer for the iOS version.

[via DroidGamers]

500px removed from Apple App Store over child pornography claims, still going strong on Android

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 05:11 PM PST

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Looks like 500px is in hot water tonight after Apple forcefully removed the popular photo sharing application from their iOS App Store. The reason? Apparently the app was flagged enough times from users claiming it was harboring adult (and child) pornography, that Apple had to take action. If you’ve never heard of 500px, think of it as Instagram for grownups. Grownups, and pervy old men, apparently.

According to 500px COO Evgeny Tchebotarev, there was an update being pushed out that would have addressed the pr0n showing up in galleries by disabling nudes by default. Users would then have to log into the web-based site to remove the safe guard filter. When it comes to the child pornography allegations, Tchebotarev tells The Verge they’ve never — not even once — in the history of the company, ever received a single complaint and that if one should ever arise, they’d take action by reporting uploaders to the local authorities.

For those of you with Android devices, 500px employee Alex Flint let everyone on Twitter know that the Android version is still up and running without a hitch — “tasteful” nudes and all. You can grab the app via the link below.

[500px on Google Play | via TechCrunch]

How to fight mobile malware like a smartphone ninja [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 04:07 PM PST

While many of us don’t want to believe it, malware has become quite the nuisance in mobile over the past couple of years. As with any computing platform, the more users flock to specific platforms, the higher the threat of malware and viruses is for that particular platform. Android, being one of the top mobile operating systems, has attracted a bit of attention of its own, prompting Google to employ various tools such as a Play Store gatekeeper and a kill switch for any malicious apps in the Play Store.

Unfortunately, Google won’t be able to protect everyone from everything, and that’s why user education and proactive, preventative measures should be at the ready for anyone who faces these dangers. DJ Miller put together this awesome infographic, a quick and informative guide about all things malware.

Everyone likes to feel like a covert ninja, defending the honor of those less fortunate. When the less fortunate one is yourself, and the targets are your 4G cell phones, defending their value and security is even more important. Mobile malware cases increased 250% between 2004 and 2011, and experts project that this rapidly growing affront to personal security shows no signs of slowing down.

Read this infographic to learn how to defend yourself with high-tech karate chops and defensive blocks like a professional ninja. Find out what kinds of enemies you are facing, and how you can be prepared for future attacks.

If you’ve ever needed to know what it was, how to prevent it and how to get rid of it from your smartphones and tablets then this is a very nice primer to get you on your way. You can even apply some of the tips to traditional PC computing, so if you happen to be on this blog and aren’t an owner of one of these new-aged devices then it’s a helpful read anyway. Give it a thorough rundown, stay safe and know that with enough information, proactive action and know-how, all smartphones are created equally (in terms of security, anyway).

Larry Page: Fixing Nexus supply woes is a priority

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 03:01 PM PST

In today’s earnings call, Google’s head honcho Larry Page fielded questions from select investors and members of the press. Most of that mumbo jumbo is boring numbers drivel that we don’t have much care for, but Google’s CEO did find an opportunity to address the recent issues Google has had with providing optimal supply to meet overwhelming demand of the latest Nexus devices.

Page didn’t get into many specifics, but he told us that fixing the Nexus supply line — namely for the elusive Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 — was an absolute priority for the team responsible for Nexus devices. We’re not sure how much Google can do on its side to help Samsung and LG pump out enough devices at a rate rapid enough to meet with growing demand.

Google has already improved its customer service and communication throughout this ordeal. Shipping patterns, while still erratic, seem to be a lot more sensible and the rate at which paying customers are getting their devices seems to have stabilized. The only problem is getting enough supply to start taking new orders, a frustrating situation for those who wouldn’t mind having a beast of a device for just a few hundred dollars.

Such a scarcity typically doesn’t last much longer than a few months, but the truth of the matter is that Google doesn’t seem to be comfortable giving us a solid outlook on production estimates, and neither does any of its hardware partners. Most companies have no problem revealing  optimistic feelings about supply whenever things are looking up, so the fact that nothing optimistic or certain has come from any of these guys yet is a bit troubling.

The Nexus 10′s availability has been a lot less frustrating to deal with as it has seen both longer on-sale periods and shorter out-of-stock periods. The Nexus 4, on the other hand, spends weeks at a time on backordered and out-of-stock status, and any miraculous surge of supply lasts less than an hour.

Many are starting to lose interest as a number of folks right here on Phandroid and over at AndroidForums.com express their readiness to give up and look forward to new devices. Nothing beats a Nexus device for some people, but if you can’t get your hands on one then it becomes increasingly hard to stay excited about it.

With rumors of Motorola’s “X” Phone getting stronger and Google I/O quickly approaching we wouldn’t be surprised to see people hold out even after the supply chain has stabilized. We’re not saying that whatever is on the horizon is sure to be a lot better, but for some it’s worth waiting just to find out.

15 Minute Challenge: ShaqDown by One Spear Entertainment [VIDEO]

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 02:52 PM PST

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It’s that time again folks, time for another 15 Minute Challenge. These are a series of videos we do where we download some of the hottest paid applications from the Play Store and see if they have wait it takes to pique our interests for longer than Google’s 15 min return window. This time around we’ve downloaded ShaqDown by One Spear Entertainment, a title that launched in the Play Store only a few short weeks ago for the reasonably low price of $.99 cents.

The game stars legendary basketball great Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal — better known to you and I as the one and only Shaq — in a post-apocalyptic story where mankind is enslaved by semi-intelligent zombies. Of course, Shaq is our only hope for mankind. Wait- so why would someone knowingly make a game starring a retired basketball player? Well, it might have a little something to do with one of the greatest Super NES games of all time: Shaq Fu, of which ShaqDown directly pays homage to.

Visuals

If you’re a sucker for great visuals, ShaqDown features art work from the one and only Long Vo, of Street Fighter fame. This is the man single handedly responsible for redoing the gorgeous art for Capcom in their Street Fighter HD remake that launched on consoles not too long ago. The man also draws a mean comic book. ‘Course, exceptional talent will only get you so far if the game itself looks like crap on your smartphone. Thankfully, ShaqDown looks absolutely stunning, even on my HTC Droid DNA and its full HD 1080p display. The Shaq and enemies feature a good amount of detail, colors pop, and animations are nice and fluid. The only problem I had was the lack of variation in the enemies — they’re all pretty much the same zombie just in different forms (we’ll get more into that later).

Gameplay

“Runner” games are all the rage in mobile gaming. It’s a genre that has the player auto running in a straight line and tapping the screen to jump and dodge enemies. ShaqDown is no different but attempts to mix things up by allowing the player to jump between platforms using quick screen swipes, tapping the screen to launch fire(basket)balls, and quickly navigating between weak and stronger enemies. Speaking of enemies, there is only 1 type of zombie, but it appears in 3 forms. The ones standing in a slouched position can be plowed through without any input from the player. Easy peasy. The second type is a zombie appears a bit more agitated and can only be defeated by a fireball, then plowing through him like regular. The player can also perform an upercut or slam by swiping the screen at just the right moment to defeat him as well. The 3rd form is the fully beefed up, evolved zombie that can be defeated by either a super attack (by pressing the basketball icon at the bottom of the screen), or simply avoiding.

Verdict

The fact that ShaqDown features 3 levels/stages featuring a boss battle at the end of each (3 total) is what makes it stand out from other runner games in my opinion. The environment changes, and you get to face a big baddie at the end of every level in typical gaming fashion. This means ShaqDown actually gives the player something to work for, something to see, rather than just mindless running in an attempt to beat an old score. Mix in the ability to spend acquired points (Shaqra) on powerups and enhanced abilities and ShaqDown provides a good deal of bang for the buck. That’s why ShaqDown has successfully passed my 15 Minute Challenge and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for quick, impromptu gaming sessions on the John, or anywhere gameplay is appropriate. You can pick up ShaqDown via the link below.

[ShaqDown on Google Play]

Google revenues increase to $14.4 billion for Q4 2012, but Motorola not in the black

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 01:55 PM PST

Google has just posted its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2012, and if you had any doubt that Google would come out alright then you can lay them to rest. The company posted revenues of $14.4 billion for the quarter, a 36% year-on-year increase since 2011. That was enough to turn a profit of $2.9 billion on the quarter, and it put Google up over $50 billion in revenue for the year, a number that the company has never been able to boast before today.

Motorola, owned by Google but operating as a separate entity, added an additional $1.51 billion to Google’s coffers, but that was all it added. Financial woes continued for the OEM as it lost $353 million for the quarter, and we can’t imagine the numbers for the entirety of the year are opposite that trend. Google mainly purchased Motorola Mobility for its extensive library of mobile patents, a library which the software giant felt was worth $12.5 billion.

Google was originally rumored to sell Motorola’s hardware business off and retain nothing but the patents, but since the acquisition has closed the company has only showed the desire to sell the set-top box side of things. Google’s influence over Motorola will be a lot more meaningful in 2013 if recent rumors are to be believed.

The two companies are said to be working together on the “X Phone,” a powerful device that might be sold via all carriers in the Google Play Store with stock Android and the ability to uninstall bloatware. In the earnings call, Google’s Patrick Pichette confirmed what we already knew in regards to its ability to get more hands-on with Motorola’s product cycle: typical development cycles last 12-18 months.

This meant that before Google could get to have some fun of its own, Motorola had to get through other devices being prepared for the likes of Sprint, Verizon, AT&T and various others in the international markets. Add in the time it would take for a new phone to go all the way from an early technological fetus in research and development to something of prototypical or even marketable form, and you can see why we aren’t seeing the other, more tangible fruits of Google’s expensive purchase until now.

We’ll see if their plans for 2013 will be enough to right the ship before too long, but we’ll have to wait for Google I/O to see if any of the aforementioned rumors are even real.

[via Google]

Android’s Competition: This is the first “Firefox Phone”

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 01:14 PM PST

Another competitor has just stepped into the arena, folks. Mozilla has long been working on its mobile web-based operating system, and it’s because of the nature of Mozilla as a whole — an open-source minded company with a software culture not unlike Google’s — that our eyes are peeled. Welp, the folks have finally officially revealed the first device the operating system will run on.

It’s a very orange developer device that won’t be targeted toward consumers just yet. Spec junkies will feel a bit underwhelmed as it’s sporting a modest 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, a 3 megapixel camera, 4GB of internal storage and more.

Of course, specs alone only tell half the story. The first Windows Phone devices didn’t launch with the most vaunted set of specs in the world but the operating system was optimized to be as smooth as butter. Most application developers won’t mind these archaic specs, but we imagine those looking to develop games for it will be looking for something a bit more (though I have a feeling games isn’t a huge focus of Mozilla’s right now).

Personally, I’m just left wondering who’s going to get this device for the sole purpose of trying to shoehorn Android onto it. Mozilla hasn’t really convinced many folks that its operating system will be the one that can knock Android off its pedestal. Canonical is trying in a very convincing fashion early on with Ubuntu, and despite a solid first showing there are still early doubts about its ability to compete.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for yet another mobile operating system, of course — developing markets are sure to welcome choice and variety. We could see a few OEMs in the likes of China and South America adopt these new operating systems with open arms, but for now Android is still going to dominate the hearts of the big name players such as Samsung, Motorola, Sony, HTC and more.

[via Geeksphone]

Tasker gets much-needed UI revamp in new beta

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 12:15 PM PST

Tasker has been one of the most powerful and useful apps for Android since its inception — its trigger-based automation features are killer, and it is what Android is all about for some people. But its prehistoric user interface hasn’t aged well at all. Not only is it ugly, but it’s also a bit convoluted and confusing for the commoners of the Play Store inhabitants.

Back in early December, Google identified Tasker as one app that could benefit greatly from a redesign, giving us their rough vision of what a Holo-themed Tasker would look like. Well, it looks like our prayers have been answered to some degree. The latest beta of Tasker has been released for free, and it brings us the modern user interface that should soon kill off the old one for all eternity.

There isn’t some amazingly deep user interface work being put to action here, but that’s not what Tasker is all about. There will still be a learning curve for those who want to get the most out of it, but the app won’t stick out on your device like the sore thumb that it once was.

We’ll be running this little guy through the gauntlet soon enough, and you’ll want to as well while you have the chance — the stable version of the current app is almost $7, and we imagine the update won’t be much cheaper once it exits beta at some point in the future. Grab your download here.

[via Droid-Life]

Gameloft releases official statement regarding allegations of Airpush in Asphalt 7

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 11:19 AM PST

Last week, we reported on a story about Asphalt 7 delivering notifications to users’ devices while the game wasn’t running. The notifications, which immediately seemed erroneous, were almost Airpush-esque. They were so similar, in fact, that a couple of different Gameloft representatives wrongly suggested the app did, indeed, use the new-age advertising service, even going as far as directing users to Airpush’s website to opt out.

Shortly after publishing, we received a statement from Airpush denying involvement in the deliverance of ads or notifications of any sort. The company even stated that it was a technical impossibility for Asphalt 7 to use the Airpush SDK as Gameloft is not signed up with them as an ad publisher, and that the behavior Gameloft’s game displayed was not indicative of Airpush’s SDK.

Confused, we sought an answer from Gameloft and we’ve finally gotten one — Airpush is in the clear, folks. Gameloft cleared things up and confirmed that Airpush is not being used in any way, shape or form. In fact, Gameloft said any notifications displayed were caused by a bug that has already been identified and fixed, and assured users that they would never see these notifications again.

We would like to apologize to our users and to Airpush for any misunderstanding, as well as the inconvenience of experiencing the bug. Our trusty crew has confirmed that our Asphalt 7 fans on Android should never receive these notifications again.

Well, that’s quite a relief for all parties involved. Asphalt 7 hasn’t received an update in the Play Store since late December, so any fixes must have been on the server side of things. Be sure to let us know if you’re still receiving any notifications, but judging by the Google Play Store reviews I imagine we’re in the clear. Read on for the full statement from Gameloft.

"Some Android fans of Asphalt 7: Heat recently got messages from the game popping up in their notification tray. Clearly the extreme speed of Asphalt 7 got our Customer Care team a little dizzy, because they mistakenly told users who complained that the messages came from the Airpush ad system.

Gameloft is not using the Airpush service, and Airpush has nothing to do with these messages. It was an internal error and a dedicated team at Gameloft identified the problem and leapt into action to solve it faster than a NASCAR pit crew.

We would like to apologize to our users and to Airpush for any misunderstanding, as well as the inconvenience of experiencing the bug. Our trusty crew has confirmed that our Asphalt 7 fans on Android should never receive these notifications again.

See you on the streets of Asphalt 7: Heat!"

More HTC Sense 5 pictures surface

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 10:39 AM PST

With leaked Sense 5 ROMs for devices like the DROID DNA surfacing it was only a matter of time before a flood of HTC Sense 5 information started cropping up. Another few screenshots of the user interface has been posted to XDA, giving us a look at a few new things such as the call dialog, and what appears to either be an apps tray or a home screen.

 

These screenshots show more of the new look and feel throughout Sense. It’s a lot more clean than Sense 4, which was infinitely more clean than 2011′s Sense 3. HTC has a slight tendency to overdo it with gradients, but it looks like the company went with a more simple and refined look for its latest software overlay. The call dialog screen is a lot less cluttered than it used to be. We imagine a majority of in-call options are stuffed into the menu overlay button you see on the bottom right.

Another icon-filled screenshot looks like it could be a home screen or the apps tray. It’s a bit odd as you might only expect the clock widget on the home-screen, yet there seems to be more than 4 rows available. It’s possible HTC’s launcher has been updated for larger, higher resolution displays in order to fit that much onto one home screen. The other possibility is that this is the apps tray, though with folders and a widget there’s a lot of doubt to be had in that thought.

The other screenshots in this latest batch don’t show anything we haven’t seen before, but it’s nice to get another look at the settings menu and lock screen regardless. Check all of them out above and below, and be sure to stay tuned as we anticipate seeing a lot more between now and late February when the first Sense 5 device — the HTC M7 — is expected to be revealed.

2 1 3 4 5

[via XDA, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

 

Samsung’s first half 2013 roadmap shows Note 8.0 and Xcover 2, no Galaxy S4

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 09:18 AM PST

With rumors placing the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4 in April, it’s odd that a newly uncovered Samsung roadmap for the first half of 2013 doesn’t include the phone. Regardless, a few other rumored devices make an appearance, including the Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Xcover 2, and Galaxy Pocket Plus in addition to the entry-level Galaxy Young.

According to the leak, we can expect the Note 8.0 to launch in March of this year with a spec sheet that mirrors that of what we have heard previously. The followup to the rugged Galaxy Xcover is slated for next month, while the Galaxy Young will drop in April with a 3-inch display and 1GHz processor. The Pocket Plus will come in single and dual-SIM flavors launching this month and next, respectively.

These devices likely make up the bulk of Samsung’s Mobile World Congress lineup, save for a possible appearance by the Galaxy Tab 3. We wouldn’t worry too much about the absence of the Galaxy S4. Current rumors have Samsung announcing that phone in March.

[via TechnoBuffalo]

Verizon added 2.1 million subscribers in Q4 2012

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 08:18 AM PST

Verizon has reported in on what overall was a pleasant Q4 and holiday season for the company. During the final months of 2012, Verizon added a record number 2.1 million postpaid subscribers while moving 9.8 million smartphones. In fact, 58 percent of Verizon subscribers are now smartphone users, and the number will only grow. Of sales to postpaid subscribers, 87 percent were smartphones.

Of the 9.8 million smartphones sold, Verizon’s CFO Fran Shammo reports that 6.2 million were iPhones. Assuming sales for Windows Phone and other platforms were marginal, that equals roughly 3 million Android phones sold (a number that seems quite small considering Android’s recent market dominance and Verizon’s history with the platform).

7.3 million LTE-enabled devices were sold. LTE makes up almost 50 percent of Verizon’s data traffic, and 23.3 percent of subscribers own a 4G-enabled device.

Overall, Verizon posted an 8.4 percent year-over-year increase in revenues, but combined operations between FiOS and wireless resulted in losses of $4.23 billion. For the year, Verizon profited $875 million.

[via Verizon]

15 OUYA games to watch [VIDEOS]

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 07:19 AM PST

OUYA, the Android-based gaming console, is set to launch in March. Its success will largely depend on developer support: will there be enough games, quality games, and variety? In anticipation of the big debut, we’re running a series of posts highlighting some of the early-adopting OUYA devs (both large and small) and their upcoming games. The series is being done in conjunction with OUYAboards.com and GameFans.com where you can find more extensive coverage of the console, its games, and the developers behind them.

Roboto
This chart-topping success was once awarded “Game of the Week” on iTunes and featured as a Top App amongst legendary titles such as Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, and Fruit Ninja. Although it hasn’t fared as well on Android, we couldn’t be more excited about Roboto on OUYA. The game has a level of polish and attention to detail that gamers will appreciate. Not to mention, Roboto is a shining example of the OUYA’s potential: add a classic gaming controller and nice big television, and the Roboto beloved on iOS will take on yet another experience and life. [Discuss Roboto]

Orbital Blaster
Despite originating as a failed Kickstarter project, Hashbang Games continues development of their on-rails shooter called Orbital Blaster, and we’re glad they didn’t throw in the towel. Combine Contra boss fights, Galaga gameplay,a sweet time-warp story line, and an objective summarized as, “want[ing] to blow shit up in space,” and you’re left with one thing: a sack of awesome. Hopefully these indie devs can find the time and energy to get Orbital Blaster on OUYA by launch, because it looks like an intergalactic winner. [Discuss on OUYAboards]

Around The Rock Disc Golf
This recently launched Frisbee Golf title looks incredibly promising:  it’s got great reviews on the Google Play Store, simple and straight forward gameplay, and attractive graphics. The company behind the game, Tribaloid, has a handful of other titles on Android (ATRDG is also available on iOS, other Android app stores) and thankfully… the OUYA is next up. The look and feel of this game, combined with the multi-player mini-game focus, remind me of something we’d see on the Nintendo Wii. And trust me when I say that’s a good thing, people. [Discuss on OUYAboards]

The Lost Heroes
This side-scrolling game is being developed by the popular Android developer, Magory. With 5 games earning both 100,000+ downloads and 4+ star ratings, OUYA enthusiasts should be excited to have him aboard. Lost Heroes is based on games like Trine and The Lost Vikings with your character being a wizardress, knight, or troll. The below screenshot shows the version for Android tablets which will (obviously) have onscreen controls removed for the OUYA version.

SpaceRoads
The 1993 sensation SkyRoads lives on through WurdIndustries who are launching a retro-style remake of the classic game. So far the levels look beautiful, but as can be expected, the developers still have some work to do ironing out the gameplay details. Nonetheless, this looks promising and the dev team has requested opinions and ideas for new levels and concepts to be incorporated- now’s your chance to contribute! [Discuss SpaceRoads]

Politico
19-year old Josh Siegl shows why open source is awesome, making his entrance into the world of game development by single-handedly creating Politico, a 2D Sim City type game coming to Steam that will receive a full OUYA port. He has some work to do, but should get a ton of credit for his efforts in his debut. [From OUYAboards]

Legacy of Barubash
Coming to both Android and OUYA, I would liken Barubash to the story-driven RPGs in the vein of Fable. Of course as indie game devs,  Kactus Games won’t be producing virtual 3D worlds of outrageous wonderment as seen in Fable, but conceptually speaking the development of stories, quests, and settings seem familiar. The team already has the game up and running on the OUYA Dev Kit and it’s looking pretty good for an Alpha build. [Discuss Legacy of Barubash]

Space Dodger
This unnamed game by Hypercane Studios should be ready in time for the console’s launch if the below video is any indication. I took the liberty of identifying the game as Space Dodger due to the game’s obvious objective: you’re a spaceship dodging obstacles in a tunnel. The gameplay mechanics and overall look/feel seem solid with my main complaint stemming from the sample level’s darkness. Black tends to be tough on video compression though, and a quick look at screencaps of the same level show a much more stunning output. Hopefully the game will also feature a bunch of levels, some of which will include brighter and more vibrant colors.

Dragon Maze
This game reminds me of Diddy Kong’s Quest on N64 but unfortunately Dragon Maze won’t include the multi-player co-op that made that game so popular. However, Feline Arts – the company behind the game – has already got such requests and is considering multi-co-op for future versions. While Dragon Maze’s pre-alpha gameplay video looks less polished than the Phoenix Run scroller they’ve got on the Play Store, it still looks like a promising proposition. [Dragon Maze on OUYA Boards]

Alien Patrol
Without any iOS  devices (that’s a badge of honor statement) I’m unable to comment on the quality of Inane Games’ iOS titles: Alien Patrol and Gatsby’s Golf. But, I must admit: from a graphical standpoint they’re pretty beautiful. The company (Inane Games) has committed to bringing Alien Patrol to OUYA, a title that was just launched on iOS in December. If you’ve played one of Inane’s games, let us know what to expect from their titles on OUYA. [Discuss Alien Patrol on OUYA]

La pesadilla de Ripollés (The nightmare of Ripollés)
Mix Renegade on NES, replace the villains with Spongebob looking characters, insert Spanish music and it appears you’ve got this game, which won a game development award in Spain. While I don’t condone the killing of characters that look fun loving, this game looks like just the right mixture of odd to be enjoyable. Developed by PiX Juegos, this 4-player game is described as a “Beat’em up multiplayer classic” where “statues of Juan Ripollés have come alive and are destroying the city of Castellón.”

Garnatron
Also developed by PiX Juegos, Garnatron is a classis space shooter. Although previously a single person game, their making it multi-player on OUYA to increase the fun level, and this game looks like it could be a solid little mini-game.

Retroformer
This is your classic puzzler game: take your little alien-ish character around an ant-in-the-ant-hill type maze, collecting keys, dodging challenges, and making your way to the finish line. Said to be available on iOS and Android (and of course OUYA) soon, the developers behind Retroformer aim to let users create and upload their own levels, extending the fun to whatever levels you and you friends can personally imagine. [Discuss on OUYA Boards]

Aggro Tactics
Combine chess, strategy/tactical RPG, and the simultaneous game-play of MMOs and you’ve got yourself Aggro Tactics, designed and programmed by aspiring game dev GodlyPerfection. The concept seems to have some real potential, and if the look/feel of the hexagonal board and game pieces is polished up to be more aesthetically pleasing, this could be a really enjoyable chess game with a fresh approach. [Read More on Aggro Tactics]

Tales of People
The thought of this game is absolutely hilarious, and luckily, the game’s maker appropriately pins it as a “dysfunctional comedy”. That’s exactly what I gathered from the game’s first screenshots which mash my brain into thinking that “Tales of People” is a game where Southpark cartoon characters play warrior in real world environments/settings. I’m completely unsure of this game’s future, but in my defense so is the developer who claims, “it might be kinda good. Maybe not. I dunno.” The game features a “depressed, drunken” character named Peoples, described as a guy who “sucks at [life] just like the rest of us.” The game takes him on a journey in “search of love, happiness, and then revenge because that love shit never works out.” If nothing else, at least we got a laugh out of the game’s concept, but ya never know… maybe Peoples will surprise us.

That wraps up our first edition of “OUYA Games to Watch”! Stayed tuned for continued coverage in our own OUYA Section, on GameFans.com, and continue the conversation on our OUYA Boards!

Samsung Galaxy S4 will have wireless charging, announcement coming in March [RUMORS]

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 06:56 AM PST

Could the Samsung Galaxy S4 not be called the Galaxy S4 at all? That’s the bizarre speculation coming out of SamMobile today after once again dropping a bit of insider info on the device. The phone, which reportedly began life under the codename Project J and now goes by “Altius,” is being cooked up in white and black color schemes for a launch around around week 16 of 2013, according to the site’s sources.

Week 16 would mean a release on or around April 15th, lining up with earlier reports. To be clear, that date is said to be Samsung’s target shipping schedule. An announcement would come sometime in March at an event separate from MWC.

In terms of specs, new info supposedly confirms wireless charging for the device, which would be accomplished by way of an interchangeable battery cover and charging dock to ship a few weeks after the phone goes on sale. In terms of capacity, the GS4 could carry a 2600 mAh batter.

Now back to that question of the name. Apparently it hasn’t been finalized, with the exact moniker of the device hinging on Korean superstition that the number 4 breeds bad luck. Perhaps the move from model number GT-I9300 (Galaxy S3) to GT-I9500, conveniently skipping GT-I9400, supports this line of thought, but it’s hard to imagine Samsung launching this year’s flagship model without staying true to the already established naming scheme.

The Galaxy S4 (or whatever it might end up being called) will also come with a virtual salt shaker app for throwing over one’s shoulder to cast off any bad mojo. We kid, we kid, but we’ll try not break any mirrors or walk under too many ladders between now and April just in case.

[via SamMobile]

Galaxy Note 8.0 pictured for the first time

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 06:08 AM PST

Plenty of Samsung Galaxy note 8.0 rumors have been making the rounds ahead of Mobile World Congress, The device has been more or less confirmed to debut at the show, but up until now all has been talk. This first look puts a face to the rumors, and it’s not a bad looking face.

The Note 8.0 looks to take Samsung’s nature-inspired design found in the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 and blow it up a few inches. The rounded shape certainly won’t be confused with an iPad mini, — the back of the slate looks more like a stretched out version of the Note.

This image appears to come from some sort of catalog listing, which is a bit curious considering the tablet isn’t supposed to be unveiled for almost a month. Along with the image comes a list of specs reiterating what we have heard before: 8-inch 1280×800 display, 16GB internal storage, 5MP camera, quad-core 1.6GHz processing, and 2GB RAM.

The Note 8.0 could be one of the last devices we see using Samsung’s current-gen design language. The launch of the Galaxy S4 will likely define a new look for Samsung’s remaining 2013 models.

[Twitter via UnwiredView]