Friday, February 1, 2013

Android Authority

Android Authority


Nexus 10 back in stock in US Google Play, also available in Germany and UK

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 01:54 AM PST

Nexus 10

Though it hasn't been quite as slippery as its little brother, the Nexus 10 has also been pretty difficult to track and score ever since its "launch". But if LG can get on top of demand and handle N4 shipments decently for a change, why couldn't Samsung do the same?

Well, it can and it does starting today, when Nexus 10 stocks have been replenished in Google's US Play Store. Both the 16 and 32 GB versions of the tab are up for grabs for Americans, with pricing looking just as fine as it did back in November 2012 – $399 and $499 respectively.

The bad news might be the waiting period between Google Play orders and actual shipments (1-2 weeks, supposedly), but hey, if you've been patient all this time you can give it seven or ten more days, right? Also, based on how things are moving with the N4, you might be in for another pleasant surprise and see your N10 orders fulfilled much more promptly.

Nexus 10

Outside the States, things are looking even better in countries like Germany and UK. The two Play Stores have both the 16 and 32 GB versions of the Nexus 10 in stock, with delivery taking between 3 and 5 days.

Meanwhile, Canadians can only get their hands on the 16 GB Nexus 10, whereas the French have the 32 GB version up for grabs, but not the 16. Finally, Spaniards and Australians seem to be the only ones completely out of luck, as Nexus 10 stocks in their countries are still exhausted.

Could this be the end of the Nexus 4/10 limited supply saga? Will Google’s Play Stores handle demand in the long run or are we again going to see those dread “out of stock” messages soon?

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Jelly Bean coming to LG Optimus 4X HD in Q1 2013?

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 12:58 AM PST

lg-optimus-4x-hd-review-12

The LG Optimus 4X HD is only a couple of months older than the Optimus G. Yet, while LG has confirmed that the latter will receive its Jelly Bean treat, with the newer batch even shipping with Android 4.1 onboard, LG is still keeping mum on whether or not the Optimus 4X HD will get the software update.

If the e-mail that one LG representative sent to caotic.it is to be believed, there's a possibility that the Optimus 4X HD will get its bowl of Jelly Bean soon. According to the rep, the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update will hit the Optimus 4X HD in in the first quarter of 2013 in Europe. What's more, the bootloader on the quad-core phone will also be unshackled around the same time.

LG-Optimus-4X-HD-JB

As exciting as this sounds, you may want to take the good news with a grain of fine salt for now, at least until LG makes it truly official. Let's just say that the company hasn't been the best when it comes to serving those tasty new desserts.

Do you think LG will surprise its customers – in a good way – this time around?

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Nexus 4 giveaway to celebrate 100k YouTube subscribers!

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 12:39 AM PST

nexus4giveaway

Hey you! Guess what? It’s a time to celebrate at Android Authority, as we’re just about to reach 100,000 YouTube subscribers! Because of this, we’ve decided to  celebrate by giving away a Nexus 4 to our loyal fans!

To enter the giveaway, we are making it unbelievably easy! All you have to do is enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter widget located on the bottom of this article. Easy right? It really is that simple.

Of course, the usual rules apply: only one entry per person, and we’ll be checking our list and checking it twice to make sure there aren’t any sneaky serpents about!

We here at Android Authority live to serve you, and we value your feedback immensely! We will continue to improve the ways in which we can serve you, so we need your help. If you have a spare second we would really appreciate if you could fill out the feedback form located below. It shouldn’t take longer than one minute, and it will help us get better, so we’d sincerely appreciate it!

Enter the giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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DigiTimes: NVIDIA struggling to secure Tegra 4 orders, only Toshiba is interested

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:22 PM PST

Last month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NVIDIA showed off their latest chip for smartphones and tablets, the Tegra 4. It’s got four ARM Cortex A15 cores, one incredibly fast graphics processor, and the whole package is allegedly six times faster than the Tegra 3, but we’re not going to believe that until we run our own benchmarks.

Sounds like a great chip, right? According to our favorite Taiwanese rumor site DigiTimes, it seems that device makers are not that interested. Only one company has so far committed to using the Tegra 4, and that’s Toshiba.

Why is this happening? The DigiTimes report says companies are more interested in using chips from Qualcomm and MediaTek. We don’t blame them. Qualcomm offers companies a system on chip with integrated cellular connectivity, something the Tegra 4 sadly lacks. Sure, NVIDIA will gladly sell you their new soft modem, the i500, but it’s completely unproven, whereas Qualcomm has built an amazing reputation for themselves in the wireless space during the past few years.

And as for MediaTek, they’re the leader when it comes to supplying cheap chips for devices that don’t get sold outside of China and a handful of other Asian countries. MediaTek’s quad core chip is probably an order of magnitude slower than the Tegra 4, but do you think the person buying a $100 tablet really cares about that?

In a few short weeks the largest mobile convention of the year is going to kick off, Mobile World Congress. There’s a high probability that we’re not going to see any devices announced there that use the Tegra 4, so don’t sit on the edge of your seat. We’ll know more about the fate of NVIDIA’s latest chip during the second half of the year. By then Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 600 and 800 chips will be out, so it’s going to be one hell of an interesting fight to watch.

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Temple Run 2 becomes runaway hit with 50M downloads in 2 weeks

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 09:36 PM PST

Temple-Run-2How popular an activity can running away from a crazy monkey be? Apparently, millions of people like the concept, with the game Temple Run 2 having been downloaded 50 million times in a span of two weeks. And it’s not even an altogether new concept, because the sequel essentially builds on the premise already introduced in the first Temple Run game.

According to Imangi Studies, its sequel to its flagship Temple Run game garnered 20 million downloads in the first four days of launch alone, and that was only on the iOS platform, where Temple Run 2 was first introduced. The Android version was launched a week after. Now, Imangi says the game has garnered over 50 million donwloads in 13 days’ time.

With this feat, Temple Run 2 is now the fastest growing game, having broken Angry Birds’ record of 50 million downloads in 35 days.

The team is proud of its effort, and Imangi co-founder Keith Shepherd says that “Temple Run has evolved into something so much bigger than us,” adding that “the game has performed beyond our wildest dreams.”

But what’s the secret of Temple Run’s success? It’s not the only perpetual runner out there, as other popular games like Subway Surfers and Agent Dash. NYTimes Bits ran an article last year about how the original Temple Run shot up the App Store charts when the developers decided to give it away for free and switch to the “freemium” model instead of the previous $0.99 download. Perhaps it’s also the game’s simplicity and addictive gameplay that has earned Temple Run a lot of fans and garnered dozens of ripoff games, as well.

Have you played Temple Run 2? Check it out on Google Play. While you’re at it, check out Imangi’s tips on how to play the perpetual running game better.

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Nokia and 73 other organizations to get $1.36 billion for graphene research

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 06:09 PM PST

lab Source: Yahoo! News

The Graphene Flagship Consortium, which is made up of 74 parties, Nokia being one of them, has just announced that the European Union will give them 1 billion Euros over the next 10 years to research graphene. What is graphene? It’s a one atom thick version of carbon that has so many potential uses we can’t even begin to wrap our heads around them all. Jani Kivioja, Research Leader at Nokia Research Center, says:

“When we talk about graphene, we’ve reached a tipping point. We're now looking at the beginning of a graphene revolution. Before this point in time, we figured out a way to manufacture cheap iron that led to the Industrial Revolution. Then there was silicon. Now, it’s time for graphene.”

Why are we covering this story on Android Authority? Because science is awesome, and because the devices we carry in our pockets stand to gain the most from graphene research. We’re talking flexible phones, batteries that last weeks, screens that are transparant, camera sensors that make today’s imaging flagships look like garbage, and the list just goes on.

It’s one thing for Google to hire a bunch of developers to write Android. And it’s another thing for Samsung to hire a bunch of scientists and logistical experts to build a factory that spits out AMOLED displays. But what Nokia and others are doing right now is so bleeding edge that it deserves to be recognized.

When will you be able to buy a device that uses this exotic material? Here’s the sad thing, no one really knows. It could be five years, it could be double that, it could even be longer.

You can’t rush science.

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Chinese Android users warned against “Bill Shocker” malware, 620K devices infected

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 05:51 PM PST

android malware

Chinese users are warned against malware circulating around app repositories that hijack the smartphone’s messaging system to send spam messages. Dubbed “Bill Shocker,” the advisory on the malware was made by security research firm NQ Mobile, which runs RiskRanker. The firm said the malware is capable of sending mass SMS from the infected device. Other potential threats include the ability of the hacker to remotely control the device, as well as steal personal information, such as contacts.

The Next Web reports that the malware disguises itself as apps popular in the country, including Tencent QQ messenger and Sohu news. To date, the malware is estimated to have infected 620,000 Android-powered devices already. NQ Mobile says these were likely to have been distributed through side-loading of applications and downloading from untrusted app repositories. Once the infected apps are installed, Bill Shocker will download the malware in the background.

There are a few concerns here, of course. While security researchers would often argue that downloading from the official app repository is the best way to combat malware, this may not necessarily be the case in China, because of the fact that Google Play is banned from within the country. As such, Chinese users usually resort to alternative application stores like MIUI, GFan and Wandoujia, which are available from within the country. And when users have difficulty downloading Android apps from these marketplaces, then the alternative would be to side-load the apps by copying and running the APK. This is compounded by the fact that users are not usually keen on double-checking the permissions that apps request upon install.

Still, even with the 620,000 infected smartphones, it’s only a drop in the bucket, considering China’s 1 billion mobile phones overall (with about 250 million being Android smartphones). It’s interesting to note, though, how fast malware like these could spread if not monitored. NQ Mobile has a few recommendations to prevent your Android device from being infected by malware. This is not only limited to China, nor the “Bill Shocker” malware, but the potential risk in getting infected in general:

  • Install only from official application marketplaces. In the case of Android users worldwide, there’s Google Play Store and the Amazon AppStore. Chinese users will have to opt for their more reputable alternatives.
  • Don’t accept app requests from unknown sources.
  • NQ Mobile also recommends installing anti-malware or security apps that try to detect malware in other apps. The company offers its own tool for removing Bill Shocker and other malware.
  • When downloading or installing apps, double check the permissions. If there are permissions you don’t expect (like a game requesting access to SMS or calling features), then be doubtful.

Again, any platform is vulnerable, although Android’s rising market share and sales numbers make it the biggest target for malware makers. It helps to be smart when installing and running apps. But when in doubt, anti-malware apps are also helpful.

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9 new irresistible games of January (2/2)

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST

banner-new-irresistible-games-02

Endings are such sad things. But, here at Android Authority, we celebrate endings as if they were new beginnings. And with that, we start the celebration of the end of the month with a list of new great games to check out. We’ve scoured the Google Play Store for games that might pique your interest or strike your fancy. There’s no better way to end a month full of stress than with a set of entertaining games to melt all your cares away.

In this installment of our twice-monthly list of new Android games, expect to:

  • Battle your way through enemies to reach the end of the stage;
  • Sate your hunger for gems while avoiding enemies;
  • Teleport to a land of magic;
  • Pop fruit-bloated blobs to stop them from conquering a tower;
  • Navigate your way through a pulsing hexagon;
  • Smash zombies with your thumbs;
  • Flee from a huge and angry monkey by jumping, sliding, and more;
  • Fly as many kites as you can but avoid entangling them; and
  • Stop goblins with a variety of spells and methods.

Read on and find out which new games are making a buzz in the Android community. Here are nine irresistible new games you must test and try out.

Dungeon Quest

Ready for some adventure? Travel as a wizard and obliterate your foes with Shiny Box’s Dungeon Quest game. This is a simple and addicting RPG games that lets you play the role of a wizard. Your primary task is to fight every monsters in each round and make it to the final level. There, a legendary monster awaits to test your magical skills. Along your quest, you can collect magical items that you can use to defeat your foes. The game is still in beta and more installments and characters will be added in future updates. You can download the game for free, but expect some ads popping in the background, on the main page, on the loading page, and on the upper-right corner while playing the game. Although ads-supported, I find the game dangerously addicting.


Super Knights

When I think about knights, I imagine a man wearing a big armor and a master of swords. However, this knight in the Super Knights game, created by Chillingo International, is rather puny and addicted to gems. You have to go from castle to castle to collect gems. In order for you to do that, you will have to swing around poles and catapult your knight to another pole and collect gems. The gameplay is hard to master at first, but you will get the hang of it after playing the game. You can also save the damsel in distress to earn more points. And, be sure to avoid enemies flying around the castles. The Super Knights can be downloaded for free. The game seemed to be ads-free while I was testing it. However, after some time playing, an ad popped on the screen when returning to the main menu.


Life is Magic

games-january-31-life-is-magic-130131

Transform your real world into a land full of magic with the Life is Magic game by Red Robot Labs. This is an online RPG game that uses your real location as your playing ground. Watch as your surrounding turns into taverns, shops, and dungeons where you can fight enemies. Three classes are available in this game: Mage, Machinist, and Monk. Each character has its own strengths and weaknesses. Team up with your friends and venture deep within the dungeons and defeat horrifying titans. You can also find friends on the map and interact with them. Since this is an online and location-based game, you must have an active Internet connection and GPS enabled for your to play the game.


Rise of the Blobs

The blobs are coming, but a heroic marshmallow will save the day! In Rise of the Blobs, you’ll need to stop the blobs’ slow but sure climb up the marshmallow’s tower by throwing same-colored fruit at them. Throw oranges at orange blobs and watermelons at green ones to bloat them. Once the blob is bloated, pop it. If there are similarly colored blobs next to it, watch them go boom and splatter your screen with their goo. Be careful not to get too caught up with victory, however, as more blobs are coming. Race against time and pop as many blobs as you can before they overwhelm you.


Super Hexagon

To survive in Terry Cavanagh’s Super Hexagon, you’re going to need precision and good timing. With trance-inducing techno music playing in the background, you must move your cursor left and right by tapping on the sides of the screen to avoid being trapped by the incoming blocks of light. Be careful not to lose your concentration or else you’ll be trapped and it’s game over. At the start of the game, the blocks of light move towards the center of the screen but as you continue, the patterns change and soon you’ll be treated to a colorful kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. One thing is for sure: Super Hexagon doesn’t go easy on you. Start by playing Hexagon (Hard), Hexagoner (Harder), and Hexagonest (Hardest) before you can unlock three extra modes. How long can you last? You can purchase Super Hexagon from the Google Play Store for about a dollar.


Zombie Smasher

If you’re tired of shooting zombies but can’t get enough of the foul undead, then Zombie Smasher developed by Italy Games might be a nice change of pace. Instead of dealing with the undead with guns blazing, squash them with your thumbs. The crunching sound they make might be very satisfying but you should be careful when a horde appears. Zombie dogs will also move fast and change direction if you’re not careful. You only have three hearts, so make sure to squish everything in sight, except of course for the any living stragglers.


Temple Run 2

After Temple Run, Imangi Studio’s well-received and well-loved running game, the game company now brings you more running and more excitement in Temple Run 2. The game has the same adrenaline-pumping gameplay but has more appealing graphics that will surely bring more excitement when you sit down and play. New obstacles are added together with more powerups to amp up your running experience, as well as special powers for each character. If you have mastered the first Temple Run, try this one and test out your skills. Run as far as you can and avoid being gobbled up by the evil monkey, who now, is much bigger in this game. You can get Temple Run 2 for free from the Google Play Store.


Kite Fever

Relive the fondest of your childhood memories with Likenone’s Kite Fever. With this game, revisit the times when you had so much fun flying a kite, only this time, you don’t need to make a kite and run to make it fly. Fly a kite in the comforts of your living room or bedroom, with your Android device of course. Cut as many kites as you can and share your scores on Facebook and Twitter and see if your friends can top your scores. Avoid entangling your kite with other kites or hitting it on rooftops. Take a trip down memory lane with this simple but fun game, which you can download in exchange for nothing from the Google Play Store.


Goblins Rush

If you’re a sucker for tower defense games, then you should probably check out a new game from Bulkypix named Goblins Rush. This not just any ordinary tower defense game. You get to use a flurry of spells to keep goblins from reaching your tower. Using your magic, hurl goblins to the ground or onto another goblin, freeze them, burn them, and even crush them. The game has three game modes that will keep you hooked and entertained — Adventure, Survival, and Dark modes. Try out the Dark mode if you think you can face all of this mode’s challenges. Goblins Rush is a free game, so waste no time, download it now.


It’s a game-overloaded month’s end with these new and irresistible games from the Google Play Store. Charge up your Android device and let the gaming begin! What new and irresistible games did you like from this list? Want to recommend some new and irresistible games? Share your thoughts by voting for your favorite games and leaving a comment below.

(with contributions from Alvin YbaƱez and Dan Evans; banner image courtesy of Shutterstock.com)

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G LTE is getting a minor update

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 01:24 PM PST

White-HTC-EVO-4G-LTE Sprint is pushing out a new update for the HTC EVO 4G LTE. If you were hoping it was the latest release of Jelly Bean, Android 4.2, it isn’t. The new update is very minor as it only fixes a few minor bugs with the device. Don’t get us wrong, bug fixes are always welcomed, but it’s nothing to get excited about.

The most major thing about this update is that audio/video output via an MLH cable has been added. There has also been a few bugs fixed and tweaks to the handset’s proximity sensor, WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth compatibility. Sprint also notes that annoying issues with Android applications shutting down have been resolved. So if you’ve been suffering from these issues, this update will be awesome for you.

The update is being pushed out over the air. You’ll need to head into Settings, then About Phone to grab it! After completing the update your software version should be 3.16.651.3. If it isn’t coming up, give it a little while. OTAs often get pushed out in stages. Has anyone gotten the update for the HTC EVO 4G LTE yet? Have the tweaks and fixes being noticeable?

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Motorola has put up a product manager job listing for the “X Phone”

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 10:51 AM PST

motorola logo TechCocktail/Flickr

Motorola’s X Phone has been rumored for a while now. But there has not been a whole lot of solid information tied with those rumors. Today Motorola posted a job listing to LinkedIn looking for a Senior Director of Product Management for the “X Phone”.

The job listing was up for a mere few hours before getting taken down. The listing revealed very little about the handset. Unfortunately, Motorola is not Microsoft who has a history of listing a bunch of details surrounding a secret project in a job listing.

Motorola’s listing did say the X Phone was in its early stages of development though. Other than that, the job listing mentioned a few generic things about qualifications and experience that was required. Rumors prior to this listing said that we could see more information on the X Phone during Google’s I/O event later this year.

The rumor mentioned that the X Phone would not be a Nexus device, which makes this all the more interesting. Despite the X Phone not being a Nexus handset, are you excited to see what Motorola will have to offer?

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Android and Me

Android and Me


Motorola X Phone confirmed by job listing

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 02:55 PM PST

Google has reiterated several times now, the most recent being their quarterly earnings call, that the world has yet to see the product of their merger with Motorola. Last year was dedicated to finishing what Motorola had started before Google took over, but that time is coming to an end. Google is...

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Chrome one step closer to Google Now support

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 02:53 PM PST

A couple months back, in the development notes for the Chromium project, it was mentioned that Google is working on a “skeleton” for Google Now in Chrome, that would be accessible through “Chrome Notifications.” Google commented saying that the company is always...

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Google’s campus has a new Android statue, and it probably means nothing

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 02:51 PM PST

There’s a picture going around on Google+ today that features a new installment on Google’s Mountain View campus, fueling rumors and speculation. It’s of a chrome Android statue, and unfortunately, it probably means nothing. Posted by Googler Paul Wilcox, positioned across the...

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Samsung Super Bowl ad teaser: “El Plato Supremo”

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 10:28 AM PST

Samsung is back at it again for Super Bowl 2013. They aired the longest ad of Super Bowl 2012 at 90 seconds centered around the Galaxy Note. They are upping the ante to a full two minutes this year and the ad, “The Big Pitch,” will feature the Galaxy S III, [...]

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Rumor: HTC M7 to go on sale in early March, new color option revealed

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 06:23 AM PST

There’s no doubt that the new BlackBerry family of phones and BB10 are getting a lot of attention right now, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for some Android news as well. HTC has announced that they will be hosting press events in London and New York on February 19 where...

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