Android Community |
- Google Reader shutdown tied to Google+ and social sharing
- Samsung attempts to trademark “Hyper Bright Display”
- AT&T expands 4G LTE coverage in Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia
- HTC One Review (2013)
- Google Reader petition attracts 50,000 signatures
- BlackBerry unveils ‘Secure Work Space’ app for BYOD Android users
- Apple’s Phil Schiller bashes Android yet again
- XOLO X1000 launches with 4.7-inch display and 2GHz Intel Atom
- Rovio launches The Croods game for Android
- LG places Samsung look-alike billboards in Times Square
- Samsung Galaxy S4 software features get a video demo
- Runbo X3 Android smartphone can take a licking
- Menu and Hours app comes to Android for one city
- Cricket Wireless adds Engage LT to its line
- Blu Products unveils new Life series Android smartphones
- Samsung Galaxy S4 leaks again in better pics, more features outed
- Google to retire Google Reader and other services this summer
| Google Reader shutdown tied to Google+ and social sharing Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:49 AM PDT At this point we know that Google is planning to shut down Reader as of July 1, 2013. We also know there at least 50,000 users that were willing to sign a petition in an attempt at keeping it around. What many might not know is why. The first thought for many is in regards to money and the bit about Reader not making anything for Google. Simply put, that is not the case.
The answer, or at least one persons take has recently been shared on Quora. That person is Brian Shih, who is now the “Former Google Reader Product Manager.” Sad title aside, Shih has said that this had “nothing to do with revenue vs operating costs” and in fact, that “wasn’t the goal of the product.” It seems some of the reasoning here was due to social sharing and the rest was due to Google+. Shih tells the story of Google almost pulling the plug several times. In 2008 the Reader team was pulled to work on Open Social, in 2009 they were pulled for Buzz and in 2010 they were pulled for Google+. Though it was also said that “most of the engineers opted against joining G+.” Basically, it seems that Google Reader has actually been on life support and that it has been in maintenance mode since 2010. Further details note that Shih believes that after Google switched the sharing features over to Google+, which came along with a redesigned user interface, that his “guess is that usage just started to fall — particularly around sharing.” We know how Google likes sharing, but is seems some of this was also tied to flat usage and Google’s drive on focus. Otherwise, he also notes that Reader was “pigeonholed as an RSS-reader explicitly, and didn’t have a chance to grow beyond that to explore that space.” Of course, in the end this does not mean anything except to give those faithful users some sort of explanation as to why. But in the end, explanation or not, it still looks like you will need to find an alternative before July 1. [via Quora] |
| Samsung attempts to trademark “Hyper Bright Display” Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:14 AM PDT It looks like we have another Samsung patent filing that has been discovered ahead of the Galaxy S4 announcement. While this latest does not necessarily mean it will be related to what is announced this evening, the timing does seem suspicious. The filing is with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and is for the term; “Hyper Bright Display.”
As for that coincidence in timing part, the USPTO filing was dated for March 11, 2013. Basically, it looks like Samsung slipped this one in just ahead of the March 14 event. We will find out later this evening if Samsung mentions anything related to a Hyper Bright Display. Or for that matter, we also hope to learn what exactly what it means. If nothing else, it does sound sort of exciting. But then again, sometimes these terms sound quite a bit flashier than they actually are in real life. Further scanning of this filing show this registration was refused. The filing shows this was refused “because the applied-for mark merely describes features of applicant's goods. The filing also goes on to show that each of these three terms have simple dictionary definitions. These, as noted in the filing, are as follows; "hyper" (excessive), "bright" (giving off a great deal of light), and "display" (to provide on a computer screen)." Time will tell whether or not this filing receives approval and perhaps more important for tonight, whether Samsung makes a big deal out of the term. And remember to stick with Android Community this evening as we will have plenty of Samsung coverage. [via phoneArena] |
| AT&T expands 4G LTE coverage in Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia Posted: 14 Mar 2013 10:04 AM PDT AT&T has announced the latest in terms of their 4G LTE network expansion. This of course, comes as a follow up to the report we recently mentioned which pegged the carrier as having the fastest LTE network speeds. Anyway, the expansion today deals with three states — Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia.
The coverage for Georgia is dealing with the Augusta area and the Macon area. AT&T has flipped the switch for those in Augusta and expanded in the Macon area. Specifically, those in Gray, Fort Valley and Warner Robins should now be seeing some additional LTE coverage. Next up is new coverage for those in Cleveland, Tennessee. The third state with new coverage is Virginia. This comes as an expansion to existing coverage and will affect those in Norfolk as well as parts of Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. Also included in the Virginia expansion is the Hampton Roads area which is noted as including Newport News, Ft. Eustis, Poquoson and Hampton. Basically, what this means is that if you live in any of those areas — now is a pretty good time to start considering an LTE capable device, whether it be smartphone or tablet. Or for that matter, if you already have an LTE capable device, now seems like a good time to start enjoying those faster speeds. AT&T has quite a few LTE devices already available and we are also waiting for the release of the HTC One. [via AT&T] |
| Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:33 AM PDT If you’re in the market for a new smartphone in the next few weeks, the HTC One will be just one of several massively impressive hero devices released by major brands – and you’ll have a really fun decision on your hands. Here at the tail end of Winter in the year 2013 we’ve entered an age of quad-core mobile processors, wireless connectivity so diverse it’ll make your head spin, and cameras on smartphones made much more powerful than your average point-and-shoot. So here we’ve got the HTC One, the best new hope for the company to revive the once (and perhaps future) glory they’ve cultivated in the Android universe. The HTC One may very well be your ticket to today’s greatest smartphone package of all.
NOTE: Right here at the start it should be made clear that this review is not the end of our hands-on coverage with the HTC One – on the contrary: we want to provide you with every bit of information you, the reader, could possibly want on the device. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have and be sure to request every single kind of test run you’d like us to perform – we’re here for you! Aesthetics The HTC One is not the most massive device on the block – it’s no Butterfly (more on this in the display section) – but it’s also not the so-called Apple palm-sized “ideal” that so many swear by. Instead you’ve got a smartphone that’ll feel substantial in your hand without requiring that you use your other hands’ fingers to control it. You’ll want to use two hands with the HTC One, but unless you’re particularly petite, you won’t absolutely need to.
It will be interesting to see how the accessory industry handles the HTC One for cases and device protection. HTC has already stepped forward with a set of odds and ends including some rather snappy looking stands and stand-up cases. Third party accessory creation will depend entirely on the first wave of impact of the HTC One on the market.
Right this minute, the HTC One is a beast – and though it may not look at first to be all that unique from afar, it is certainly beautiful up close and personal. HTC has pushed together a device that’s as initially impressive as the HTC One X seemed to be inside a package that’s perfected in metal. Your hands and eyes will be happy to experience the HTC One – and your ears will be blown away by the speakers – more on that with “BoomSound” in the Hardware Design section below. Hardware With this device you’ll find what HTC wants to present as their single greatest creation – CNC-centric manufacturing, metal where possible, plastic around the edges in all the right places, and an overall “one-ness”, if you will. This device looks like Apple could have made it – place it next to your MacBook Pro and you’ll instantly see how aluminum makes for a rather striking look, just as much as it feels high-quality.
The top of this device has a power button that doubles as an IR-blaster for controlling your TV set up on the left – it will take some getting used to, having worked with more Android devices in the past with the same button up in the right than the opposite in the past several years. The upper right has a headphone jack as well – enhanced by Beats audio and sounding just as fantastic through the included pair of earbuds as any smartphone we’ve yet experienced.
The right of the device has a metal volume button with a circular-ridged face that reminds one of the Motorola DROID RAZR family from these past few months – it’s not an unwelcome addition to the HTC family, mind you, and it feels right at home with the aluminum body on the front and back of this machine. On the left of the device you’ll find a tiny hole next to a pop-out SIM card tray – this is also becoming quite the common hardware feature across the board in the smartphone universe.
Down at the bottom you’ve got a microUSB port that’s off-center – pushed to the right a bit for reasons we’re not quite sure of at this point in time. Surely HTC will reveal their reasons sooner than later. For now we can assume that it’s over there to keep one of two microphone holes company.
On the back you’ve got a single massive lens for the camera we’ve heard so very much about over the past few weeks. Here we’ve got the first implementation of what’s called “Ultrapixel” technology right alongside a single LED flash. The lens circle is attached to one of two horizontal connecting lines of plastic that run through the back of the machine, up and to the right you’ll also find a second of two microphone holes. The center back of this device has the HTC logo set in plastic for a rather top-quality feel whenever you’re handling the device.
Beats rests at the bottom back of this machine in red and white, printed near the FCC and CE information along with the model number. Happily you’ll find that this device’s speakers are not back-facing as so many smartphones through our mobile history have been. Instead you’ll turn to the front and – wham! There they are.
The front of this device takes the cake with a single pane of reinforced glass containing one of the most fantastic displays yet available on any type of device. With the HTC One you’ve got a display that’s not just sharp – it’s undeniably brilliant as well. We’ll continue on with the display talk elsewhere in this review, mind you; don’t want to get too lost in the brightness and the deepness of the blacks and all that right here and now.
Below the display you’ll find two buttons – though it appears to have three. The HTC logo up front does not act as a button, it being a printed mark between the home and back buttons ready for Android-controlling action. The home button is set to the right, the back button to the left, and the center rendered useless. It does look pretty, but it’s clear HTC is leaning towards a reality with no buttons at all in the future. Here we’re being trained not to rely on the setup we’re so used to.
Up top you’ve got a forward-facing camera that’s mightily set to the right, a couple of sensors set to the left, and two forward-facing speakers acting like heroes up above and below. They’re not up and down, mind you, they’re at the top and bottom, facing forward as they very well should be. With these speakers you’ll be blasting your face off whenever you’re experiencing media, especially with the second audio brand the device offers: BoomSound.
Like Beats, HTC presents BoomSound as a brand that should be all means be associated with high quality through and execution in the audio department. Indeed we have found the sound to be right up and nearly over-the-top with excellence. It’s not quite enough to be used as your own personal boombox at a party in your dorm, but it’s certainly loud enough to blow away the competition. The only device we’ve heard with nearly this excellent a device-only sound experience has been the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 – another device with forward-facing speakers. That’s really where they belong, after all. Display With the HTC One’s display you’re working 1080 x 1920 pixels across 4.7-inches of LCD. It’s the sharpest HTC device you’ll find today at 468 PPI, just above the second-most dense display made by the manufacturer with the same 1080 x 1920 across 5-inches, that equaling out to be 440 PPI. For those of you upgrading from the HTC Rezound or HTC One X, you’ll find that with 342 PPI and 312 PPI respectively, they just do not reach the eye-cracking greatness of this new generation.
Fun fact: the HTC One’s display is now the most dense phone screen on the market, taking the place of both the HTC DROID DNA (aka the HTC J Butterfly), that being the 440 PPI listed above – the same former-top-place winning density belonged to the Sony Xperia Z, with the BlackBerry Z10 coming in right behind it with 355 PPI (and the HTC Rezound after that, mind you.) HTC One’s display is easily the most impressive we’ve seen on a smartphone yet.
With the DROID DNA and the HTC One taking the lead in this department, we’ve found ourselves again wondering how it is that HTC is having trouble selling smartphones. With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 backing this beast up as well, it’s a real one-two punch without a doubt – three if you count the BoomSound speakers, four for the feel of the aluminum, and on and on. Software Experience I’d say User Experience, but most of you out there thinking about purchasing this device know good and well what Android is all about. And if you’ve ever used an HTC device before, you know what it can mean to use HTC’s “Sense” modifications to Android, too. This device comes with HTC’s newest in Sense 5, and with it the most unique software vision HTC has ever released.
With a new set of font choices, icons, and design decisions in general, the designers working with HTC team of Sense developers have done the best job they’ve ever done on an HTC device. This machine sends a message not only to HTC’s competition in the hardware business, but to Google as well: you’re not the only ones that can make Android feel fabulous. Above you’ll have a friendly look at HTC Sense 5.0 in a real general way. You’ll see how HTC’s new implementation of what they call BlinkFeed shows up first as its own home screen. You’ll also see how you get the opportunity to work with your own more traditional Android home screens too, complete with widgets and app icons to your liking. Below you’ll find a demonstration of BlinkFeed in all its multi-app feeding glory. Once you’ve seen the basic layout of Sense 5.0 you’ll find that much of the app implementation is, in general, the same as it’s been with the most recent HTC devices. The updates here are largely in the ties between apps and their connections with such feature innovations at HTC Zoe – more on this in the camera section below. Then there’s the TV app made specifically for the IR-blaster atop the phone. Have a peek at a hands-on peek at the TV app here: Then, after that, you’ll find that HTC has presented here an overall experience that’s swift, entertaining, and ready to be as unique as it is a welcome change to the dominantly Google-centric Android present in most smartphones and tablets today. It’s not as if HTC has dismissed Google’s contribution entirely – this is Android, after all.
As for the rest of the top contenders out there today, the aims are all over the place at the moment. Samsung continues to allow TouchWiz to work with a universally pleasing nature theme as once again seen on the Galaxy Note 8.0 late last month at Mobile World Congress 2013 – it still works, and they’ve not needed to make many tweaks over the past year and a half. LG keeps up the skeuomorphism present in elements like doorways appearing when you want to toss an app away and, while it’s not our favorite of the big four, it keeps ringing true in the LG Optimus G Pro. Motorola has been transitioning from the squared-off look of “Blur” we used to find a turn-off to a much more obviously Google-influenced nearly-Vanilla Android we see today with the RAZR HD series – and it’s slick. In the end, the trend in these largest of companies is the same: a realization that it only takes a little unique flavoring to make the Android software drink sweet – Google’s base OS is well-played enough as it is. HTC’s ends up being at once an extremely daring push for uniqueness and a user experience based on what works – Google’s Android. Performance With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor under the hood and Google’s modern implementation of “Butter” smoothness with Jelly Bean, you’ll have never before experienced as swift and clean a smart device. HTC is a big gun when it comes to a top-tier smartphone experience, and they’ve made it clear with the HTC One that they mean business. HTC intends this device to be the most well-received smartphone in history, and you can tell that they’ve put in the work to make that reaction a reality.          Above you’ll see a collection of benchmarks that outline how undeniably next-level the HTC One really is. Until the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 or the NVIDIA Tegra 4 hit the market, the HTC One and the Snapdragon 600 will be the topmost contender on the market – until we see the Tegra 3 overclocked in the right way, that is, perhaps, inside a smartphone of similar size – we shall see! Photography and Videography With the HTC One we’re seeing the first implementation of Ultrapixel technology. The ultra-tight packing of pixels pushed by HTC here for the first time appears to have come out with fantastic results. Learn all you need to know about HTC’s Ultrapixels then have a peek at the collection of examples we’ve got here.    First you’ll see three examples of top-quality photos taken with the device’s back-facing camera. Remember that this device is 4 megapixels (aka 4 Ultrapixels) strong, while the front-facing camera is 2.1 megapixels / Ultrapixels strong. Next you’ll see three examples of HDR photos taken at the same top quality right out of the box.    Next you’ll see a panorama shot – click for a larger version of this image to see the quality.  With the HTC One you’ll see the first push for HTC’s own Zoe feature. With this you’ll be taking an interesting combination of photos and video, the end result being a piece of media you’ll be able to see in HTC-made devices (here in the HTC One and in devices in the future) as well as on the HTC Zoe Share site – you’ll see an example of this in the comic-themed Zoe Share site we’ve got right here, made just for this review.
Finally you’ll see an example of the 1080p video recording taken from the back-facing camera. The video quality is next-level and undeniably beastly just as the still shots have been. It’s important to note that some of the earliest reviews and hands-on experiences you’ll have seen out there in internet land have had non-final software unless specifically mentioned – if you’re seeing any relatively terrible shots out there, beware: some too-early builds were sent, but we (and most everyone else) do have market ready software and hardware. And it’s hot. Release Schedule and Cost At this very moment, we’re still not sure when you’re going to be able to pick this device up in the United States. While it’s safe to assume we’ll find the device costing between $199.99 and $249.99 on-contract here in the USA with a 2-year contract attached, we won’t know until we know, so to speak. The version of the device we’ve got here is the “international” model, so we’re working with HSPA connectivity and, if you live in the UK, you’ll likely be seeing this device by the end of the month, if not sooner.
The price of this device will likely have little effect on the end sales unless said cost is drastically different from the competition. When you’re talking about devices that cost several hundred dollars on-contract in the USA, the average knows they’re paying massive amounts of cash for data over the course of their time with the device, the initial several bills they’re dropping just pale in comparison. If you’re going to buy a smartphone for a couple hundred dollars, you’ll be glad you chose the one device HTC has placed their full force behind. Choosing the HTC One: it’s a done deal If you’re the type of person that needs to know which device currently available on the market is best for you, you’ll be glad to know that – if the HTC One were released today – it’d be the clear winner. While there’s no escaping the idea that the HTC One and Samsung’s next-generation hero will be going head-to-head in the market for your pocketbook soon, until we see them both head-to-head, there’s no knowing.
That said, if you’re judging the market as it stands right here, right this second, there’s a distinct possibility that you’ll find no more satisfying a smartphone experience than the HTC One. Rolling out with one of the top most potentially powerful mobile processors on the planet – if not THE most powerful mobile processor on the market today – the HTC One is king. |
| Google Reader petition attracts 50,000 signatures Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:58 AM PDT Google announced the latest wave of shutdowns yesterday evening and while many of the items on the list seem to have attracted little attention, one product did. That one, as you have likely already guessed — is Google Reader. For those who missed that bit, Google Reader will be shutting down come July 1, 2013.
Anyway, as the internet seems to do really good — this Google Reader shutdown has caused some rather heated opinions. We suspect that many will not be affected, not to mention the ones that felt Google Reader was already dying or that RSS in general is dying, there are the supporters. In fact, a Change.org petition kicked off shortly after the shutdown announcement and has already attracted more than 50,000 signatures. More specifically, as of this moment in time it has 52,529 signatures with 22,471 still needed. Basically, if you want to try and help keep Google Reader alive, you may want to consider signing. Of course, the key here is try because even assuming all the necessary signature come — that does not necessarily mean Google will change their mind. For those wiling to accept the news and simply move on, you may want to take a look at Feedly. It seems they have been doing some work and in fact, are promising a seamless transition. For those who have yet to take a look, Feedly has solutions for Chrome, Firefox and Safari as well as for Android. They also seem to have been working hard to accomodate any new users and as of last evening have announced they added some new servers and upgraded the bandwidth. |
| BlackBerry unveils ‘Secure Work Space’ app for BYOD Android users Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:28 AM PDT It looks like we once again have some Android and BlackBerry crossover. We know that BlackBerry 10 users are able to sideload Android apps and we have also seen chatter about select BlackBerry apps coming to Android. This latest is dealing the the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) market and will be managed through BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. The solution they are discussing is called Secure Work Space.
This app will be available for Android devices, as well as for iOS devices. While BlackBerry has yet to reveal every detail about Secure Work Space, they have said that it will bring a solution that will allow users to “separate and secure work and personal data on mobile devices.” Basically, it sounds like we are talking about an alternative solution to Samsung SAFE. While both are probably good options for your IT department to consider, we suspect some may be looking towards BlackBerry based on the name alone. Perhaps key here though, the Secure Work Space solution will bring what is being referred to as “secured client applications.” These apps will include everything from email, contacts and calendar to tasks, memos, secure browsing and document editing. As of now it looks like BlackBerry Secure Work Space is being tested in a closed beta. Looking forward though, plans are to have this solution available for general release by the end of Q2 2013. Finally, while the details are on the limited side now, additional details will be provided during the BlackBerry Live conference which takes place in May. [via MarketWire] |
| Apple’s Phil Schiller bashes Android yet again Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:05 AM PDT Apple exec Phil Schiller has once again gone on the offensive in terms of Android. We saw the out of the ordinary tweet from him back on March 7. With that message he telling people to “be safe out there” and while those four words alone could have meant anything — he also linked to an F-Secure report that touched on Android and malware.
Basically, he was sending that message to Android users. We noted at the time that it was out of the ordinary for Schiller to post such comments. But also that it was uncommon for him to use Twitter with his previous message coming way back in December 2012. Needless to say, we put that snide comment behind us and went about our way. That is, until today. It seems Schiller has once again gone on the attack against Android. This time the comments came by way of a Wall Street Journal interview in which he spoke about how “Android is often given as a free replacement for a feature phone.” Other topics that came up touched on fragmentation and about how Android devices can suffer because the hardware and software come from different parties. Of course, that is a play on the bit about how the iPhone hardware and the iOS software is all made by one party — Apple. Schiller also mentioned that “when you take an Android device out of the box, you have to sign up to nine accounts with different vendors to get the experience iOS comes with.” Speaking personally, I have yet to see that issue. Granted, there are plenty of third party apps you can use that would require a sign-in, but none are necessarily required. Bottom line here, Schiller has once again attacked Android. On the flip side though, while Schiller may be taking this time to do some Android bashing, analysts are telling a different story. One in particular, Van Baker, an analyst at Gartner has said that he believes that “Google’s iterative improvements on Android have made it a much stronger competitor to Apple than it was years ago” and that “there’s going to be an incredible amount of pressure on Apple once the Galaxy S4 is out.” [via WSJ] |
| XOLO X1000 launches with 4.7-inch display and 2GHz Intel Atom Posted: 14 Mar 2013 07:33 AM PDT Coming off the fairly recent announcement of the XOLO A1000, we have word of the X1000 smartphone which was unveiled this morning. The XOLO X1000 is available at this time and brings a relatively low contract-free price. The handset is also powered by an Intel Atom processor. While the specs are not over-the-top, the processor may make the X1000 one to consider if you happen to be looking for something with Intel and are opposed to the RAZR i.
Anyway, the processor clocks in at 2GHz and the XOLO X1000 is sporting a 4.7-inch (1280 x 720 at 314ppi) display and currently running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. Other specs for the X1000 include an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, a 1900 mAh battery, 1GB of RAM and microSD card slot along with 8GB of internal storage space. Considering this is a contract-free device, some may be curious as to the network support. That comes as follows; GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and HSPA 850/900/1900/2100. The price of the X1000 is Rs. 19999 (roughly $365 in terms of US dollars) and it looks to be shipping in about a weeks time. Otherwise, those looking for something a bit lower priced could also consider the XOLO A1000 which is priced at Rs. 13999 (about $260 in terms of US dollars). The A1000 has a 5-inch (1280 x 720) display, dual-core 1.0GHz processor, 4GB of internal storage, a 2100 mAh battery and 8 megapixel rear-facing camera. The A1000 is also available at this time. [via XOLO] |
| Rovio launches The Croods game for Android Posted: 14 Mar 2013 07:06 AM PDT We have seen a few video teasers in the lead up and coming just as was expected, Rovio and DreamWorks Animation have officially released The Croods game for Android users. The game is available for free and has brought support for devices running Android 2.2 or later. Basically, it is a game that most Android users will be able to play — should they choose to do so.
The concept of the game is pretty simple, you hunt and gather. Rovio offers this teaser; “The Croods will Hunt & Gather their way through spectacular new landscapes as they tame fantastic and never-seen-before creatures.” You will be doing things such as trapping and taming mixed up creatures. Some of these include the Girelephant and the Molarbear. You will be looking for 10 different creatures in total. Otherwise, the are also some inventions to be made and some exploring to be done. Of course, the short story here is that while The Croods game appears to be a bit of fun, it is an intro for the upcoming movie release.
DreamWorks Animation will be releasing The Croods movie on March 22. The movie will be an animated 3D comedy adventure and will feature actors to include Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke and Cloris Leachman. Basically, you can download, begin playing the game and get an introduction to the characters before you venture out to see the movie. [via Google Play Store] |
| LG places Samsung look-alike billboards in Times Square Posted: 14 Mar 2013 06:39 AM PDT While much of the tech press is focused on Samsung and their upcoming Galaxy S4 announcement, LG has made a rather surprising move to try and steal some of that attention. Basically, they have placed some billboard advertisements in Times Square. But more to the point, they have placed some Samsung look-alike billboards in Times Square.
You can get a look at the billboards in the above image, and while this seems to be a rather bold move on the part of LG, we do have to question one bit. Those looking fast may not necessarily see the LG part at first. In other words, the billboards look very much alike at first (quick) glance. The left sides are both white while the right sides are both black. Not to mention the bit about them all having a big number 4 in the center. The real difference here is that the LG boards are stating that the LG Optimus G is here, whereas Samsung is still asking folks to be ready for the next Galaxy. Anyway, we are not sure this will have any affect on which smartphone someone decides to buy, but we do have to commend LG for taking such a bold stance. With that, the time to remember is 7PM EST as that is when “The Next Galaxy” event will kick off in Times Square. [via Newswire] |
| Samsung Galaxy S4 software features get a video demo Posted: 14 Mar 2013 06:20 AM PDT Coming in with a bit less than 12 hours before the official announcement, we are getting a look at a few of the features that are expected to arrive with the Galaxy S4. This latest round includes three videos — the first shows Smart Pause, the second shows Floating Touch and the third is offering a look at the new lock screen setup. The videos are all on the shorter side with the longest measuring in at just over a minute.
That said, if you have been following along with all the previous Galaxy S4 hype, these should be considered required viewing. Up first is Smart Pause and aside from a little bit of chatter (not in English) at the beginning, it offers a fairly good look at how this will work. The concept is pretty simple, start playing a video and then turn your face away and the video will pause. Next up is the Floating Touch demo. This one again is fairly simple and more or less, just as the name would imply. The example used in the video are images. The video shows the user opening the gallery to see a thumbnail of all the included images. From here the Floating Touch comes into play when he hovers his finger above the display and gets a larger look at the image. Last video for this post covers the new lock screen. This also happens to be the shortest of the three videos measuring in at just 23 seconds in length. This one does not go into much depth, but does look like some changes have been made. Notably, the clock along with the date has been moved over to the left hand side and appears to be a bit smaller. With that, while these videos are neat to see, they are really doing nothing more than dragging out the rumors. Basically, the official announcement is set for tonight and that is what we have our minds ready for at this moment. Lets shift away from the Galaxy S4 rumors and get some official details. And remember, the team here at Android Community will be ready to deliver the latest Samsung news for you. |
| Runbo X3 Android smartphone can take a licking Posted: 14 Mar 2013 04:55 AM PDT Your average Android smartphone isn’t cut out for a life of hard knocks. If you drop a normal Android device on the concrete from a few feet in the air, odds are you’ll be replacing your phone in short order. If you should happen to get your device wet, chances are you’ll also be looking for a new smartphone.
A company called Runbo has unveiled a new smartphone called the X3 the promises to be able to take a beating and can even be submerged without damage. The phone runs Android 4.0 and uses a 1 GHz dual-core processor. The phone has 1 GB of RAM and an eight-megapixel rear camera. On the front, the phone features a 0.3-megapixel camera and the screen measures 3.5-inches. Screen resolution is 480 x 800 and the phone has a physical keyboard underneath the touchscreen. The phone has a dust and waterproof rating of IP67. That means the phone can be submerged in water up to 3.2 feet deep without damage. The X3 also has a walkie-talkie function allowing it to talk with other X3 units over distances of up to 6 miles. The phone has dual SIM card slots and is sold unlocked. The phone will cost $349 and is available in the United States. [via Gizmag] |
| Menu and Hours app comes to Android for one city Posted: 14 Mar 2013 04:47 AM PDT If you are an Android using foodie, a new app is now available to download called Menu and Hours. The application allows you to keep the menu and the hours of operation for your favorite local restaurants right on your smartphone. The app hit the Google Play store as of yesterday and is available to download now.
The app is intended to display menus, hours, location, and contact information for independent restaurants in the Louisville, Kentucky area. Sadly, that is the apps glaring flaw since it only works in that one city. I think this is a very interesting premise and it would be nice to have the menus and pricing for local restaurants all around the country. If you happen to live in Louisville, Kentucky you can get the app for $2.99 and figure out what you want to eat and even call and place your to go order right from within the app. The developers behind the application say that they hope to expand into other cities soon. Developer Michelle Jones says that she hopes to expand into Lexington, Kentucky and Cincinnati with apps specifically for those markets. The app is also available for iPhone users. It appears that restaurants are added by hand and the developer promises to continue adding more restaurants to the roughly 125 in the database already. [via Biz Journals] |
| Cricket Wireless adds Engage LT to its line Posted: 14 Mar 2013 04:32 AM PDT Cricket Wireless is one of the more popular prepaid wireless carriers around today. The company has announced that it has added a new Android smartphone to its lineup called the Engage LT. The smartphone runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
The device uses a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor paired with 1 GB of RAM. It has a four-inch screen that has a fingerprint resistant coating to keep smudges and smears away. The smartphone also has a 3.2-megapixel rear camera that features a panoramic mode. The camera has a built-in flash for taking high-quality photos in the dark and it can record video. Video is limited to 480p resolution and the camera features adjustment options for white balance, exposure, and color effects. The phone also supports 3G data speeds and has integrated Bluetooth. The Engage LT will operate on several Cricket all-inclusive wireless plans. The company offers a $50 plan providing unlimited talk and text messaging with 1 GB of data. A plan for $60 offers the same unlimited talk and 60 with 2.5 GB of data. The best plan costs $70 and offers 5 GB of data and unlimited talk and text messaging. The two more expensive monthly plans also allow the Engage LT to be tethered the other devices to provide connectivity on the go. [via SlashGear] |
| Blu Products unveils new Life series Android smartphones Posted: 14 Mar 2013 04:23 AM PDT A company called Blu Products has unveiled a trio of new Android-powered smartphones in the Life series. The smartphones share a lot of the same hardware and all run Android 4.2. The devices include the Life One, Life View, and Life Play.
All three of the smartphones use a MediaTek MT6589 1.2 GHz quad-core chipset. The chipset features an ARM Cortex-A7 processor paired with a PowerVR Series5XT GPU. The devices also support HSPA+ data connectivity with speeds of up to 41 Mbps. All three smartphones also have dual-SIM cards and more. The One uses a solid aluminum body and a five-inch HD resolution display covered in Gorilla Glass 2. The phone has a 13-megapixel rear camera, a five-megapixel front camera, 16 GB of storage, and 1 GB of RAM. It also has a memory card slot and will cost $299 in the US. The View has a thin, curved 8.9 mm thick housing in the 5.7-inch HD resolution display. It features a 12-megapixel rear camera, a five-megapixel front camera, 16 GB of storage, and 1 GB of RAM. It will sell for $299 in the US as well. The last of the three phones is the Play featuring a 7.9 mm thick design and a 4.7-inch screen. It has eight-megapixel rear camera, a two-megapixel front camera, 4 GB of storage, and 1 GB of RAM. It also features a memory card slot and will sell for $229 in the US. [via Blu Products] |
| Samsung Galaxy S4 leaks again in better pics, more features outed Posted: 13 Mar 2013 09:23 PM PDT Another day another leak. With Samsung set to take the stage tomorrow evening live in New York City to announce and unveil their new Galaxy S4, we’re getting a few more high-res pictures and additional feature details tonight. While these come from the same leak as before, which hasn’t been confirmed as 100% accurate, we’re pretty sure this is legit. Imagine the Galaxy Note II S-Pen features without the S-Pen. Read on for more details.
The same Chinese forum has came through yet again this evening with an entire array of high-res images of the Galaxy S4. Showing it up close and personal in HD as we get a better look at that textured plastic design on the front, back, as well as that beautiful 1080p full HD 4.99-inch display. They even show off a few features we haven’t heard about until today. Sadly it appears this units plastic battery cover already has a crack, so take that for what it’s worth. We’re not too worried about it because that removable back allows us to replace the now confirmed 2,600 mAh battery, as well as add storage with the micro-SD slot. So we’ll take it. They once again confirm the 1.8 GHz 8-core processor and 2GB of RAM, as well as a PowerVR SGX 544MP3 GPU for stunning graphics and gaming.
Then the image above shows an amazing feature we haven’t heard of until this evening. That being the same ‘hover’ feature found with the S-Pen stylus on the Galaxy Note II. It appears the Galaxy S4 will recognize the users finger and almost act as a stylus for floating menus and more. On the Note II this gives you a preview of pictures in a gallery without ever opening it, previews of videos, and much more. That would be quite a feature to have all while only using our finger. Then the images also show off the already detailed Smart Stay eye tracking features we’ve been talking about for a few weeks. Features which will scroll automatically as your eye meets the end of a page, change pages when needed, and more. You can even see the Eye-Scroll enabled icon in the closeup image below. As a reminder we’ll be live in New York City with all the details, pictures, and video they’ll allow so you’ll want to stay tuned right here for our coverage. Hit the link below for additional images of this impressive looking smartphone. [via 52samsung]    |
| Google to retire Google Reader and other services this summer Posted: 13 Mar 2013 06:49 PM PDT It has been an eventful day for Google, starting off with an announcement that Andy Rubin, who has been a big part of the Android movement, will be leaving. Now another wave of changes have been announced – Google Reader will be retired on July 1st due to what has been a steady drop in usage. Likewise, several other Google services will also be shutting down.
As we mentioned, Google Reader isn’t the only service that will be shutdown. In addition, CalDav API, Apps Script, Google Cloud Connect, Google Voice App for Blackberry, Google Building Maker, Snapseed Desktop for both Windows and Mac, and Search API for Shopping are all getting the axe as well. According to Google, this is its second round of spring cleaning. After this takes place, the combined results of spring cleaning rounds one and two will be a total of 70 services and features being shutdown. Those of you who use Reader can export your data using Google Takeout by July 1st, at which point the service will fizzle away. Are you a Reader user? What service do you plan to transition to? Let us know in the comments! [via SlashGear] |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Android Community To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
