Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Symantec details Google Play Store one-click billing fraud

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 11:07 AM PDT

The latest Google Play Store horror story seems to have arrived. Symantec has recently begun to share details of a one-click billing scam. The silver lining here, this issue does not appear like it will affect all that many. You see, while serious, there are only roughly 200 apps that seem to be included. Not to mention, they appear to be limited to Japan. Of course, this should give a bit of caution for users elsewhere though.

google-play-store-logo-540

Anyway, these 200 or so apps are one-click billing scams. That is to say they are tricking people who have set out down download adult-oriented material. The details are showing these 200 apps as coming from more than 50 developers. The interesting part here, they only appear to have been downloaded roughly 5,000 times in the previous two months.

Still, while that may be a relatively short time and a low number of downloads, these types of scams do appear to be beneficial for the person responsible. It is being reported that these scammers generally net about 100,000 yen ($1,000 US) for each person they trick. In addition to these apps being adult-oriented, some are also now branching over to dating style apps.

The key here, while the app itself is the cause of the bad, a download alone will not necessarily cause you to be out any money. To that point, details coming from Symantec reveal that they are not entirely sure of the number of people that have paid as compared to the number of people that simply downloaded the app. One item that suggests people are paying though — some of these particular ‘developers’ appear to have been doing business for more than two months.

The one-click scam aside, this is not the first time we are seeing issues with Android apps. One of the more popular issues we saw in recent history dealt with Temple Run when the fake apps landed in the Google Play Store ahead of the release of Temple Run 2. With that, we may also suggest using an app that scans such as Lookout, which just so happens to be available for free.

[via Information Week]

Google Glass Explorer comes to close, sign-up page goes live

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 10:43 AM PDT

Today the folks from Google have informed all of us eager Google Glass fans that their popular and successful #ifihadglass campaign has finally come to a complete close. They’ve finished sending out invites to the nearly 8000 winners, and now we’ll have to wait for their next move. However, Google’s opened up a sign-up page to learn more details.

Screen Shot 2013-04-02 at 10.31.33 AM

Google Glass invites went out to nearly 8000 people that followed the #ifihadglass campaign on Twitter and Google+ and many lucky people will be getting their own pair – as long as they also pay the $1,500 price being asked for the developer kits. For now we still don’t know when Google will actually ship these, but we should be hearing more soon.

The Glass Google+ account is now directing those looking to get their own pair, or learn more details about Glass, to head to their page and sign up for additional details. They nicely thank everyone for joining in on the Explorer program, and assure us that there will be “more chances to get Glass at a later date.”

We saw a few reports yesterday about Google Glass going up for rent from popular online sites, but most likely that was just a big April Fools joke. We can’t trust a darn thing on April 1st. However, Google will be sharing tons of details on Glass as their Google I/O developer event draws closer. Which is at the end of May. So stay tuned and hit the link below to sign up for more details.

[via Glass]

Ematic ships Jelly Bean with the 7-inch Genesis Prime

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 10:27 AM PDT

Ematic has announced their latest Android tablet offering, the Genesis Prime. This particular tablet is sporting a 7-inch display and is available as of today, however the nicer part of this story comes in with the fact that it ships with Jelly Bean. Specifically, the Genesis Prime tablet is running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Granted, that is certainly not the latest version of Jelly Bean, however it is much nicer as compared to the alternative — Ice Cream Sandwich.

ematic

The Genesis Prime tablet also ships as a Google certified tablet, which coincidentally is a first for Ematic. Basically, this means that users who make the purchase can expect to find the complete array of Google apps including access to the Google Play Store. The price point is on the low side, but it also seems to match the specs. The Genesis Prime is selling for $79.99.

As to what the $80 purchase price will get you — the Ematic Genesis Prime feature set begins with a 7-inch capacitive display, 1.1GHz processor and 4GB of internal storage space. Users will also have access to 5GB of cloud based storage included with purchase. Other specs include a VGA quality front-facing camera, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, USB 2.0, 3.5mm headphone jack and a battery life of up to 4.5 hours.

ematic-back

Bottom line here, it looks like Ematic has launched another low-priced tablet with specs to match. Still, while this is certainly not going to compete with other tablets, say the Nexus 7, it does bring a nice option for those looking for something in this price range. Of course, the one perk that we keep going back to — it does at least have access to the Google Play Store and that certainly helps in making the tablet a bit more useful.

Pandora Radio updated with lockscreen music controls, timestamps and more

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 10:27 AM PDT

I must admit, even though Rdio is pretty awesome I still find myself always running back to Pandora Radio at some point. The popular music streaming service still provides that personalized radio experience we’ve grown accustomed to. So for those Pandora fans, we have some good news. They’ve updated the app and finally added lockscreen music controls.

unnamed

It’s about time they added this highly requested feature, and has been a long time coming. Today the developers behind Pandora Radio updated the Android app with a slew of fixes, speed enhancements, and of course those lockscreen controls we just mentioned. However, it isn’t all good news because they’ve still managed to miss a few things.

I’m extremely happy to see lockscreen music controls, but with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean bringing so many additional options for a music player it’s just sad to see them not taking advantage. Pandora still cannot use the awesome and extremely useful expanded notifications on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and above for music controls. This has become a staple for most updates lately, but they still haven’t done so. Here’s the changelog though:

• Lock screen controls for devices running Ice Cream Sandwich and later
• Added elapsed and remaining timestamps to the track progress indicator
• Reduced startup time
• Bug fixes and enhancements

It’s nice they’ve finally added time elapsed and remaining timestamps, and I’m sure many of you will enjoy that. Such a simple feature should have been included two years ago. Then the update claims to reduce the startup time, and we won’t complain about the app getting faster. Now all we need is expandable notification controls and we’ll be happy. So do you guys still use Pandora Radio?

[via Play Store]

Samsung rumors suggest the Galaxy Tab 3 will be rebranded

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 09:52 AM PDT

It looks like another Galaxy Tab 3 rumor has surfaced. This latest has arrived with an image, some specs and even a new name. Yes, according to the latest in the rumor mill, Samsung will not be launching the tablet as the Galaxy Tab 3, but instead as the Galaxy S Tab. The reasoning here is that Samsung wants to continue to build upon the success they saw with the Galaxy S phone line.

samsunglogo1-540x180211

We aren’t exactly sure all these details are on the up and up though. Naming structure aside, the pics also seem a bit sketchy. You can get a look at the image below and judge for yourself. The tablet appears to be nothing more than a blown up smartphone — complete with the physical home button and earpiece. The interesting part here, the tablet is clearly aimed at the landscape layout given the position of those previously mentioned items.

Tab3Plus

Of course, the previous Galaxy Tab devices were aimed at the landscape layout so maybe it is just the home button and earpiece throwing off the look. Putting the interesting name and sketchy pics to the side, lets get into the specs. This particular model is said to have a 10.055-inch display at 2560 x 1600. Further details on the display show it with a 300ppi and note that it could be either a PLS LCD or Super AMOLED Pentile.

Remaining specs look to include an Exynos 510 Octa processor, 2GB of RAM, 32 or 64GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and 9000 mAh battery. While time will tell just how accurate these details will end up being, we will mention that these latest images do not necessarily line up with previous leaks. Nonetheless, we are expecting Samsung to announce the Galaxy Tab 3 during IFA.

[via SamMobile]

AT&T and Verizon rumors point towards a joint Vodafone purchase

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 08:56 AM PDT

It wasn’t all that long ago when we heard talk of Verizon buying out Vodafone’s share of Verizon Wireless, however as of today it looks like the Vodafone related rumors have taken another turn. This latest rumor has Verizon partnering up with AT&T in an effort to make a bid for Vodafone. The details are coming by way of the Financial Times' Alphaville blog who have the price at $245 billion.

vodafone-logo-540

Just to give a background as to the size we are talking here, as if the $245 billion price tag was not enough, according to revenue, Verizon Wireless, Vodafone and AT&T are the second, third and fourth largest carriers. Looking at these three from subscribers and we see something different. In this case we have Vodafone as the world’s second largest with Verizon Wireless and AT&T coming in at 16th and 18th.

As with any carrier to carrier purchase, this would likely arrive with several hurdles. Regulatory hurdles aside, there is another side to this that does bring some question. For one, there has been plenty of Vodafone and Verizon chatter over the years that has yet to actually happen. Touching back on those earlier details about Verizon buying out Vodafone’s share of Verizon Wireless. At present, Vodafone has a 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless and that would mean a purchase price of roughly $115 billion.

Aside from a purchase, the two companies could also merge, however there are other issues involved should Verizon go that route. Bottom line here, it looks like we now have another Verizon, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone rumor to digest and while it is unclear as to which way this will work out at the moment — one thing seems clear in that the rumors appear to be heating up quite a bit lately.

[via GigaOm]

Samsung leak reveals the 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 08:00 AM PDT

Samsung appears to be living in a world where bigger means better in terms of smartphones. Of course, given their success with the Galaxy Note lineup, that statement sort of rings true. Looking forward though, it is now looking like Samsung will be announcing two new devices that will make the Galaxy Note II seem a bit smaller.

samsung_galaxy_s_III_review_sg_7-580x431-540x4012412111

These new devices are the Galaxy Mega and were previously known as the Galaxy Fonblet. According to the latest leaks, the Samsung Mega lineup will consist of the GT-i9152 and the GT-i9200. Those devices will have a 5.8-inch and 6.3-inch display size respectively. The interesting part here, the 6.3-inch display was what we have previously heard for the Galaxy Note III.

Keeping with 6.3-inches on the high-end and we also know that this will be compatible with the Samsung GamePad. These Galaxy Mega devices are expected to be announced later in the year and in various colors. The Galaxy Mega 5.8 (GT-i9152) is expected to arrive around the end of May. Specifically, this one was pegged for week 22, which would be May 27, 2013.

The Galaxy Mega 6.3 is said to be coming around the 25th week of the year, which would mean a date of June 17, 2013. The Galaxy Mega 5.8 will be available in white with the Galaxy Mega 6.3 arriving in black and white. The interesting part here will be to see where these Galaxy Mega devices will fit in with the current Samsung lineup.

We have already seen the Galaxy S, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Tab series and this Mega line seems like it will cross over, or come close in size to other devices. That bit seems to imply that Samsung would have a specific purpose in mind for the Galaxy Mega devices. Time will tell the full story, but for now it seems like these leaks are early and we obviously still have plenty to learn.

[via SamMobile]

AT&T GALAXY S 4 arrives with the FCC as the SGH-i337

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 07:20 AM PDT

We have seen a few GALAXY S 4 related FCC filings since the official announcement back on March 14. The first of the filings arrived shortly after the announcement and the others followed more recently. Past filings aside though, it looks like we now have the one that AT&T users will be happy to see. The filing is for the Samsung SGH-i337 and based on the details included, this looks to be the AT&T branded GALAXY S 4.

att-galaxy-s4-fcc

On that note, this particular FCC filing shows support for LTE on band 17. And yes, that is the one you will need for AT&T. The filing also shows the standard label and the sketch of the handset detailing the label location. The nice part about this, the sketch that details the label location shows a device that lines up rather nicely with the GALAXY S 4.

And if there was any additional doubt as to the SGH-i337 being the GALAXY S 4, a previous UAProf report showed a handset with the same model number. That UAProf report also had the handset as having a 1920 x 1080 display. Basically, things appear to be lining up nicely for the upcoming launch of the GALAXY S 4 with AT&T.

For those who may have missed the earlier details, AT&T had announced that GALAXY S 4 pre-orders would be available beginning on April 16. The price of the handset will be $249.99. More to the point for today though, we have recently seen AT&T announce the pricing, pre-order and availability date for the HTC One. In other words, those looking for a new handset with AT&T now have a decision to make.

[via Engadget]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S 4 (Qualcomm)
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : AT&T T-Mobile
    Announced Date : March 14, 2013
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 5 Inch
  • Resolution : 1080x1920
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.37 Inch
  • Width : 2.748 Inch
  • Depth : 0.31 Inch
  • Weight : 130 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2600 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon 600
    CPU Clock Speed : 1900 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 13 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
  • 802.11ac
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

AT&T HTC One pre-order availability to begin on April 4

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 07:00 AM PDT

It looks like we have another case of rumors being proven true. This latest deals with AT&T and the HTC One. Simply put, AT&T will indeed have HTC One pre-orders available this week. Specifically, those pre-orders will be available beginning at 1PM CST on April 4. The handset will then be available for purchase (as opposed to pre-order) on April 19.

Reasoning-behind-HTC-One-shipment-delays1

AT&T will have the HTC One available in black and silver. The 32GB model will be available for $199.99 and the 64GB model will be available for $299.99. Both price points assume a two-year agreement. That was another point that seems to have leaked correctly — AT&T will have the exclusivity on the 64GB HTC One.

Those picking up an HTC One with AT&T will also be getting an extra incentive. In the case of AT&T, they will be giving an HTC Media Link HD wireless HDMI adapter which will allow you to stream and share content from your smartphone on your HD television. For those concerned with value, AT&T reports the adapter as being a $90 value.

Otherwise, the HTC One is just as we had been expecting in terms of specs. Those include a 4.7-inch Full HD (1080P) display and a quad-core 1.7GHz processor along with Jelly Bean and HTC Sense. Some of the software perks include HTC Zoe, BlinkFeed, BoomSound and Sense TV. Aside from the specs and features, those considering a purchase may also benefit from our previous HTC One hands-on coverage and review.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : February 19, 2013
    Release Date : March 29, 2013
    Also Known As : HTC M7
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.7 Inch
  • Resolution : 1920x1080
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.41 Inch
  • Width : 2.68 Inch
  • Depth : 0.36 Inch
  • Weight : 143 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2300 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon 600
    CPU Clock Speed : 1700 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 4 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
  • 802.11ac
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

LG Optimus G Pro smartphone sales top half-a-million in Korea

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 06:26 AM PDT

LG originally launched the Optimus G Pro smartphone in Korea on February 21 and as of today, they have announced a new sales milestone. It seems LG has sold more than 500,000 handsets since the launch. Or more specifically, LG has said they have reached that milestone in 40 days time.

500_50

While the Optimus G Pro appears to be doing well in their home market of Korea, we have yet to see much in terms of global release details. This latest announcement did offer a mention of “domestic as well as overseas markets,” but there was nothing more than that. Simply put, the global release of the Optimus G Pro remains largely a mystery.

One bit that we have seen however was a recent FCC filing. If you remember back to March 22, we had seen an AT&T friendly LG E980 in a filing. That filing didn’t specifically mention the Optimus G Pro, however those two names are believed to be the same device. Or at the very least, the LG E980 appears like it may be the an AT&T variant of the Optimus G Pro.

Regardless of the name though, the Optimus G Pro has a decent set of specs and seems like it would be worthy of consideration by someone looking for a larger smartphone. The handset is sporting a 5.5-inch 1080p display, quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, 2.1 megapixel front-facing camera, 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and 3140 mAh battery. Finally, we also spent some hands-on time with the Optimus G Pro back at the end of February, you can see that coverage right here.

[via LG Newsroom]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Optimus G Pro
    Manufactuer : LG
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : February 18, 2013
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 5.5 Inch
  • Resolution : 1920x1080
  • Screen Type : IPS LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.91 Inch
  • Width : 2.99 Inch
  • Depth : 0.37 Inch
  • Weight : 172 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 3140 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.1.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon 600 APQ8064T
    CPU Clock Speed : 1700 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 13 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

TuneIn Radio app gets updated with new features

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 06:05 AM PDT

Fans of the radio music streaming app TuneIn Radio should be glad to hear that the application has been updated. The new updates promise to make it easier for users to discover new music. One of the new features of the app is called TuneIn Live and is accessed through a new tab on the home page of the app.

TuneIn_Radio_Splash_Banner-630x307

By tapping the new live tab users can view album art as titles representing music playing on each of the respective stations on the tab. The default display setting for this tab offers stations for country, hip-hop, jazz, news, rock, and sport genres. The user can customize this tab with other genres than those default offerings.

The user interface has also changed offering a more intuitive design promising a better experience for discovering new music. The update is available in both the free and Pro versions of the app. The Pro version of the app costs $4.99.

The app supports Android 2.1 and higher. It appears that both versions of the app have the same functionality. The app descriptions spell out no differences between the two, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the free version has ads that the Pro version lacks.

[via Talkandroid]

3DMark for Android launches

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 05:23 AM PDT

If you’re a fan of benchmarking Android devices so you can compare their performance, the app you have been waiting for is finally available to download. Futuremark has finally made 3DMark available for Android users, so it’s time to get that latest kernel and start overclocking. The new version is also available for Windows 7 and Windows 8 as well.

3dmark_1_610x381

Futuremark plans to offer a version of the software for iOS and Windows RT in the future. The mobile test platform in the new application is called Ice Storm. In this test, users will see a science-fiction spaceship battle over an ice planet. The 3DMark score is derived from the results of three individual tests.

One of those tests is designed to stress CPU performance while the other two are made specifically for GPU performance. The Android app allows tests to be run at 1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080. The images are scaled to the device’s native resolution. The first of the graphics tests is an overall triangle throughput test that throws out about 530,000 vertices into the average frame.

The second graphics tests focuses on pixel processing and includes post processing effects such as particles, blurring, and high dynamic range. The physics test is designed to stress the CPU forcing it to make numerous physics calculations. 3DMark usually focuses on graphics, and that trend continues here. The application is available for Android 3.1 and higher. Get it today but as a fair warning the application is nearly 253MB in size.

[via CNET]

Android continues to grow as iOS and BlackBerry shrink

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 05:05 AM PDT

The latest market share numbers are in from Kantar and they are mostly what you would expect to hear. Android continues its steady growth, even if the growth rate for Android isn’t exactly spectacular. The numbers also show that iOS has continued its steady decline.

screen-shot-2013-04-01-at-2-11-25-pm

The most impressive number from Kantar for last quarter comes in rather surprising growth for Windows Phone and a blistering loss for BlackBerry. Compared to the same quarter a year ago, Windows Phone has grown 52% this year. Granted, Windows Phone is still very far behind Android and iOS on the smartphone market.

BlackBerry absolutely plummeted in the latest metrics posting an 81% decline in sales for the quarter. The numbers for Q1 of 2013 show that Android has 51.2% of the smartphone market overall. iOS on the other hand holds 43.5% of the smartphone market in the United States.

BlackBerry now has a scant 0.7% of the smartphone market. Windows Phone has 4.1% of the market leaving Symbian with only 0.1% of the market and other smartphone operating systems taking 0.4% of the market. Looking specifically at Android device manufacturers, Samsung continues to expand its lead over LG and HTC according to Kantar.

[via VentureBeat]

Rockpocalypse game slams into Android

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 04:48 AM PDT

If you’re a fan of mobile fighting games and professional wrestling, you might want to check out Rockpocalypse. This is a new game app for Android devices featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson of WWE and movie fame. This game has players playing as The Rock as he punches and kicks his way through crazed people on a movie set.

rock1-580x326

The premise behind the game is that while The Rock is on set filming his latest action film, some sort of contagion is released that turns people on the movie lot into crazed, violent beasts. The Rock has to punch, kick, and slam his way through increasingly difficult levels to try and determine what has infected the people and save them.

The game sounds a lot like a take on some of the zombie games and content that has been so popular lately. The game offers four different environments and 18 progressively harder levels. The app is available to download at no cost, but is supported by in-app purchases.

Players will be able to purchase upgrades along the way and earn coins during the game to purchase upgrades without spending real money. Players will fight through the levels as they find clues to help them determine what infected the people. Players will also be able to purchase weapons and clothing to improve their fighting ability.

[via Slashgear]

HTC Thunderbolt update coming soon – no it isn’t Jelly Bean

Posted: 01 Apr 2013 04:32 PM PDT

It looks like today Verizon and HTC have approved an update to the aging yet still somewhat popular HTC Thunderbolt. For the 12 of you still using that phone, we have some potentially good news although the update certainly is not Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Instead it looks like HTC has a few bugs they’ve fixed and we can expect to see this arrive soon.

thundery2-540x355

As usual from Verizon, the update has been confirmed and detailed by their support page documents. Usually the update arrives within 24-48 hours of seeing this arrive online so we have a feeling the wait should be a short one for you guys. The update is quite small too, coming in around 19MB in size.

The HTC Thunderbolt has had some weird luck. It was hailed the next greatest phone being the first with 4G LTE, but it has been all downhill since release. After months and months of delays it received Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich back in February, which was after many HTC devices were updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. At least it got the update though right? It’s safe to say the Thunderbolt won’t be getting Jelly Bean.

thunderstuff

However, for those interested the update as detailed above should be fixing multiple little issues. We’ve been hearing mixed reports post ICS update, so let us know if you’ve been experiencing problems with yours. Basically this update appears to add some bloat, add amber alerts from Verizon, fix some text message issues, and improve Microsoft Exchange support. The list is small and short, but let us know how it goes once you receive the update.

[via Android Police]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : ThunderBolt
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : January 06, 2011
    Release Date : March 17, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.30 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 4.75 Inch
  • Width : 2.44 Inch
  • Depth : 0.56 Inch
  • Weight : 177 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1400 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 330 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon
    CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
    Core : 1
    Ram : 768 MB
    Internal Storage : 8.192 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • CDMA
    CDMA Band:
  • 800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 2.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

Google Glass up for rent April 30th according to online retailer

Posted: 01 Apr 2013 03:49 PM PDT

We’re having quite the internal discussion regarding this, and I’m slowly but surely starting to dislike April 1st by the minute. Whether this is real or just another joke is for you to decide. In the meantime we’ll just share the details that according to one online retailer Google Glass will be available for rent come April 30th. Just like renting a car, only more expensive.

google-glass-540x359

Would you rather pay $499 a month to enjoy Google Glass. Or instead have a pretty awesome car with a similar monthly payment. If you’ve been dying to get your hands on Google’s Project Glass, just like we have, you’ll want to keep reading. Online retailer Borrowlenses.com apparently will be offering Glass up for rent. And they won’t come cheap either.

For now you need to be a developer AND have $1,500 to pony up for a pair of these glasses, but now we might have another option. You can rent them instead. While we still have no clue when they will ever be released, and previous rumors suggest late 2013 – we’re really at a loss for words. What do you guys think? Check out these prices.

Screen Shot 2013-04-01 at 3.35.06 PM

Not only does the popular (and reputable) online retailer have pricing for weekly and monthly rentals, but they also posted up some interesting specs for the hardware too. I’m going to go ahead and just say it. This is a cruel cruel joke. Not only did Google make all the explorer developers that attended their event sign strict NDA’s regarding glass, but how could these guys share this info and offer them at the end of the month.

Update: As expected, this was just a cruel joke. As you were folks!

Being a month away we suppose anything is possible, but this seems like a serious stretch. Check it out yourself at their site by clicking here. So what do you guys think? Just one more April Fools joke for the day, or something that’s possible in the near future? Let us know!

[via Phandroid]

Facebook Home: here’s how Android gets social to the core

Posted: 01 Apr 2013 03:20 PM PDT

The Facebook Phone for Android will be revealed on April 4th. More accurately ‘Facebook Home’ will be released, and is coming to take over your device. That is what we’re expecting to be the star of the show on April 4th at the event. We don’t need another fork in the Android OS, and instead Facebook’s just going to wrap it in their social network web. Read on for what to expect.

facebooknew-540x335

There’s been a lot of talk lately regarding what we’ll see from Facebook. Many believe they’ll actually have a ‘Facebook Phone’ designed from the ground up, but that’s highly unlikely. Facebook isn’t getting into the hardware business. Instead, we’ll be seeing exactly what we reported last week. Which will be a skin, or wrapper, delivering Facebook’s social world easier and faster to your fingertips.

This plan has been in place for a long, long time. How do we know? Because we’ve all already seen it! Facebook gave us a glance at their plans back last year when they released an update that took over our app tray. As you see in the image above they had their own icons and camera app and everything. All which quickly were removed in the next update. Fast forward to today they’ve polished all aspects of that, redesigned Facebook for Android to resemble and fit nicely with the web, and we’ll be seeing the project come alive on Thursday.

Screen-Shot-2013-03-28-at-12.20.29-PM1-540x327

They have their own messenger that you can use to communicate with all your hundreds of fun (and boring) friends, they offer their own camera app with instant upload which will be the stock camera on any Facebook Home-powered device. Then of course they have VoIP calling. Which is free WiFi calling, only using data, and you’ll be able to call any of your Facebook friends. Voice, messaging, pictures. That’s all you really need for a Facebook phone.

Facebook Home will be a home screen replacement that will take over the look and feel of your device. When you first boot the phone it will automatically sign-in to Facebook, and you’ll instantly get everything delivered right to your eyes. All front and center. Think of this like Blinkfeed which HTC recently announced, but we’ll talk more on HTC shortly. Facebook Home, if we had to guess, will essentially be a home screen launcher and widget blend into one. It will instantly and automatically update and give you up to the second updates from all your friends.

In fact, the actual APK (since it will be an installable app) has already leaked into the wild and our friends from AndroidPolice have the dirty details. At least a few. The app isn’t usable so we are still left completely in the dark for now, but what we’ve mentioned above is essentially what you’ll get. Your main screen will be taken hostage by Facebook, your default camera will be Facebook-made and instantly sync all (or hopefully only some) photos directly to Facebook, and you’ll be able to message all your friends for free with Facebook messenger. Fun!

htc_salsa_review_sg_1

Next is HTC. We’ve been told the Android OS will need to make a few adjustments or sacrifices for Facebook Home to take over, and won’t just be an easy app to download and install. For now that remains to be seen, but the leak above shows HTC and Samsung both integrated and supported. HTC is reportedly going to be the launch partner, and we’ll see a mid-range HTC Myst 4.3-inch smartphone as the official Facebook Phone, but we doubt they’ll call it that. Here’s the leaked specs:

• HTC Myst on AT&T with 4G LTE
• 4.3-inch 720p HD display
• Dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 5 megapixel rear, 1.6 front camera
• Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean covered in Facebook
• Sense UI 4.5 (not new Sense like the One)
• WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, etc.
• and more

Most of this stems from speculation, leaks, and rumors, so until Facebook takes the stage we won’t know anything for sure. However, this is the logical move for Facebook. We could see a Samsung made device, and HTC, and even a launch carrier like AT&T offering data-only. Then of course Facebook VoIP and messenger would handle the rest. While that last part is a stretch, the rest seems quite likely.

We’ll be live at the Facebook Home event on April 4th, so you’ll want to stay tuned right here at Android Community. Now, we’d like to hear your thoughts. Would you ever buy this ridiculous device? It’s mid-range and will probably be free with a new 2-year contract. If Facebook Home can be installed to take over your home screen will you use it? Or will you just stick to the standard mobile app? Or… Or, are you a Google+ fan? Let us know!

HTC One X getting Android 4.2.2 and Sense 5 update in June

Posted: 01 Apr 2013 02:06 PM PDT

We all know that timely software updates for our smartphones are extremely important, and the folks from HTC haven’t been what we’d consider the best in that regard. However, some new details are surfacing this week suggesting they’ll be working hard to improve in that area. First up their popular HTC One X which recently got 4.1 Jelly Bean, will apparently get the latest and greatest in June.

P1250484-540x36021

We’re hearing HTC will be updating the One X and S to Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, as well as the ‘New Sense’ from the HTC One all around late June or early July. According to Gotta Be Mobile and their HTC insider, the update is a work in progress and should be hitting the One X in June.

After announcing the HTC One, the company confirmed many devices like the One X, X+, and the DNA would receive Sense UI 5, but they didn’t reveal any further details. If this report is accurate, HTC would be updating quite quickly to the latest release of Jelly Bean. However, Samsung’s GALAXY S 4 which is launching later this month will already be on 4.2.2, so they are already behind.

That isn’t all either. If HTC does manage to get this out by June it will already be close to being outdated, or already outdated. That being because Google’s I/O event is at the tail end of May and they’ll be announcing and most likely releasing Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. While it’s good to see HTC improving their update timeline speeds, it could still use some improvement. Check out our review of the HTC One below for an idea of what to expect from Sense 5 on the HTC One X.

[via GottaBeMobile]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One X [AT&T]
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : February 26, 2012
    Release Date : May 06, 2012
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.7 Inch
  • Resolution : 720x1280
  • Screen Type : S-LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.31 Inch
  • Width : 2.75 Inch
  • Depth : 0.36 Inch
  • Weight : 131 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1800 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : S4
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 850
  • 1900
  • 2100
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

AT&T HTC One pre-orders tipped to begin this week

Posted: 01 Apr 2013 01:19 PM PDT

We recently learned that AT&T would have an exclusive on the 64GB HTC One, however as of today it is looking like the carrier will first be launching the smaller version. Coming by way of a recent leak, AT&T is expected to have the 32GB HTC One available for pre-order beginning this week.

Reasoning-behind-HTC-One-shipment-delays1

According to the leak, the 32GB HTC One pre-orders with AT&T could kick off as soon as April 5, which for those without a calendar handy — that is this coming Friday. AT&T will have the handset available in black and silver. So far no mention of pre-orders for the 64GB model. It is also looking like the pre-order phase will be rather quiet. Details in the leak note that there will be “no in-store displays for beginning of presale.”

AT&T is expected to have the 32GB One available for $249 and the 64GB model available for $299.99. The other interesting aspect here, this 32GB $249.99 price point lines up nicely with what we have heard about the AT&T GALAXY S 4. Unlike what we have on the HTC One, AT&T has officially announced pricing and a pre-order date for the GALAXY S 4.

Those details had the GALAXY S 4 priced at $249.99 and available for pre-order beginning on April 16. The one bit that we have yet to see in regards to the GALAXY S 4 is which model. Or more specifically, how much internal storage the GALAXY S 4 will have. Otherwise, given April 5 is quickly approaching, we suspect AT&T will be releasing some official details sooner rather than later.

[via Engadget]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : One
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : February 19, 2013
    Release Date : March 29, 2013
    Also Known As : HTC M7
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.7 Inch
  • Resolution : 1920x1080
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.41 Inch
  • Width : 2.68 Inch
  • Depth : 0.36 Inch
  • Weight : 143 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2300 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon 600
    CPU Clock Speed : 1700 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 4 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
  • 802.11ac
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

GALAXY S 4 rooted before release, Octa-core only for now

Posted: 01 Apr 2013 01:11 PM PDT

While the Samsung GALAXY S 4 flagship smartphone is up for pre-order in a few select markets, it’s still not available to the public. However, that hasn’t stopped those awesome developers at XDA from already rooting the device. It appears that the GALAXY S 4 has already been rooted, but this is only for the Exynos 5 Octa 8-core version.

P3142796-galaxy-s-4-ac-540x3031131

According to reports by AndroidAuthority the Galaxy S 4 has been rooted before release, or at least a system and guide for rooting, and once it hits shelves users will be able to root their own smartphones. As stated above, this is only for the Exynos 5 Octa model, and not for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 version.

Most markets in the UK and USA will be getting a quad-core Snapdragon 600 series GALAXY S 4, while other regions will be getting Samsung’s 8-core CPU. For those with the 8-core model, this should work, but for all other regions we’ll have to wait for an additional exploit to root the US flavor of the GALAXY S 4.

As usual, you’ll want to proceed with this type of activity at your own risk. Once you get the smartphone in your hands of course. We’ll be sure and update once we get more details or see a root exploit for the US and UK Qualcomm model, but for now this is only for the 8-core flavor. Get all the details and files from XDA linked to below.

[via XDA Developers]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S 4
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : March 14, 2013
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 5 Inch
  • Resolution : 1080x1920
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.37 Inch
  • Width : 2.748 Inch
  • Depth : 0.31 Inch
  • Weight : 130 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2600 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Exynos 5410
    CPU Clock Speed : 1600 Mhz
    Core : 8
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 13 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
  • 802.11ac
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :