Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Flurry: Game play accounts for 32% of app usage

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 11:05 AM PDT

The latest Flurry report has recently been published. This one is actually arriving as a five-year report, however more important is the focus — on apps. The obvious is here in that mobile apps have come a long way in five years. At present though, mobile app usage on a smartphone or tablet now accounts for a little more than two hours per day.

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Specifically, Flurry has said the average US consumer is now spending 2 hours and 7 minutes inside of apps. Of the time spent in apps, games account for 32 percent of the time. Game playing is followed by Facebook, which has 18 percent. One interesting tidbit here touches back on the overall amount of time spent within apps as compared to the time users spend on a smartphone or tablet in general.

In short, nearly all of the time on a smartphone or tablet is spent within an app. Flurry reports that users spend on average, 2 hours and 38 minutes per day on smartphones and tablets. In other words, all but about 30 minutes of device usage is tied to an app. You can get a better look at the breakdown of app usage (by category) in the chart below. As you can see, productivity and news account for a rather low 2 percent each. Social networking, aside from Facebook, only accounts for another 6 percent.

TimeSpent_App_vBrowserCats-resized-600

Basically, it seems smartphone and tablet users are concerned with Facebook and playing games. With that in mind, while we may think the world will be fine without the introduction of a Facebook phone, these stats seem to suggest something different. Based on this report, it almost looks like a dedicated Facebook phone would be a positive thing. Well, that is assuming said Facebook phone is also able to play games.

[via Flurry Blog]

ASUS rolls out Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for Transformer Pad Infinity

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 11:01 AM PDT

Today the folks from ASUS have announced another update is available and rolling out as we speak for one of their many Android tablets. ASUS has been leading the charge in updates on the tablet front, and with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean things are no different. Today they’ve initiated the update for their popular Transformer Pad Infinity tablet.

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ASUS has been one of those manufacturers we can always rely on to deliver timely updates of Android, and we’re glad to see one more tablet already receiving the latest and greatest from Google. No one does it faster than ASUS. Today they’ve confirmed the update over on their official Facebook Page.

The popular ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity with an amazing 10.1-inch 1920 x 1080p HD display is getting all those features we love about Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The important part of this update brings the multi-user sign in option, gesture keyboard typing, lockscreen widgets, and even better expandable notifications.

ASUS has started pushing the update out this morning, and states that users should be seeing it arrive shortly. As usual, the update will probably roll out in waves but I’d be hitting check for updates in my settings menu right about now. Let us know in the comments below once you receive the update, and if you experience any issues. We’ll update once they post a changelog.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Transformer Pad Infinity 700
    Manufactuer : Asus
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : February 27, 2012
    Release Date : July 16, 2012
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 10.1 Inch
  • Resolution : 1920x1200
  • Screen Type : Super IPS+ LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 10.35 Inch
  • Width : 7.12 Inch
  • Depth : 0.33 Inch
  • Weight : 586 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Polymer
  • Battery Capacity : 7000 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)
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon S4 Krait
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 64 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

Facebook Phone user interface photos leak, looks snazzy

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 09:56 AM PDT

Another day and another leak of the much rumored and hyped Facebook Phone. Yesterday we received what appeared to be the first official press render of the smartphone, but today we have something even better. This time around images have leaked complete with the Facebook Home user interface front and center giving us a look at their spin on the Android OS.

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Leading up to tomorrows event where Facebook will unveil all the details, we’ve heard reports and rumors suggesting they had their own complete version of Android but then later those were shot down with confirmations of “Facebook Home”. Today we’re seeing exactly that. Their Home screen replacement that covers up stock Android.

The screenshots and press images you see above (and below) are giving us our first look at the Facebook user interface. Which clearly shows their plan to offer a streamlined experience with content being delivered right to your face. The image gives us a look at what appears to be stock Android Jelly Bean, then obviously is covered in Facebook’s skin. It’s an interesting approach. We can’t wait to try it!

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These lead us to think the phone won’t have any of HTC’s usual Sense UI parts, and instead be completely vanilla Android with a strong flavor of Facebook over the top. Interestingly the main home page appears to show notifications of all types in one card-style box. The leaked image provided shows a Facebook message, missed call, and Instagram photo all in one feed.

Is this Facebook’s plan for Android? Instead of using the typical notification bar they’ll be pulling everything together in one location and neatly delivering it to the user – with bits of the social network obviously taking charge. We don’t have much more of a wait, and we’ll be live tomorrow at the Facebook event with full details, pictures, and video so stay tuned!

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[via 9to5Google]

CyanogenMod stats opt-out option restored

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 09:34 AM PDT

CyanogenMod users can once again opt-out of the stats gathering. The data is collected towards the appropriately named CMStats and as of today — CM users now have the option to opt-in, or opt-out of the information gathering. It seems the return of the opt-out feature comes due to an slight uproar within the CyanogenMod user base. The ability to opt-out is nice, however we suspect the folks at CyanogenMod have good intentions when it comes to the data they collect.

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Of course, the whole we suspect bit just goes to show that you need to have some trust. On that note, if you feel you cannot trust CyanogenMod with the data they collect, maybe, just maybe you shouldn’t trust them enough to even be running the ROMs in the first place. Lets not go down that route though because that is likely to bring nothing but argument. More important here, in addition to bringing this feature back, Steve Kondik from CyanogenMod also took some time to share what they do with the data.

Perhaps hey here, Kondik has said they have “no sinister plot to crack the hashed data and sell your deepest darkest secrets to Verizon and the NSA.” On a more serious note, CyanogenMod takes a look at the device type, country code, CM version, device ID and the carrier. All fairly harmless details. The reason they prefer to have the data, is simple — they want to understand their user base.

Further details from Kondik make it clear that “can’t reverse it and know your IMEI or anything like that.” Not to mention, most of this type of data is already being collected by someone else. In this case, that data is being collected by Google and many of the apps that you download from the Google Play Store. All said and done, despite the bit about CyanogenMod using this information for good, we suppose it is nice to be able to have the choice when it comes to sharing these details.

[via Google+ Steve Kondik]

AT&T LTE expands into 14 new markets across 11 states

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 09:00 AM PDT

AT&T has announced another round of expansions in terms of their 4G LTE coverage. We saw a few announcements during the month of March and given the time of month we are currently sitting at, we suspect April will bring more of the same for the carrier. That being said, for today we have word of expansion in 14 markets which touch on parts of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Texas and Washington.

ATT-Mobile-Phone-Wireless-Logo-Store-Window-540x30412

Heading out in alphabetical order here, lets begin with the coverage for those in Alabama, which includes Montgomery. The expansion in Arkansas deals with the Fort Smith area. Specifically, those in Alma, Barling, Clarksville, Greenwood, Knoxville, Lamar, Ozark and Van Buren as well as Eastern Oklahoma to include parts of Arkoma, Muldrow, Pocola, Rock Island, Roland, Sallisaw and Spiro should now be seeing AT&T LTE coverage.

The California expansion includes the Fresno area. The Florida coverage brings good news for those in the Fort Pierce, Palm Coast and Lakeland, Winter Haven areas. The Illinois coverage includes the Carbondale area which touches on Marion, Benton, Carterville, Energy, Herrin, Johnston City, Murphysboro and West Frankfort.

The coverage for those in Louisiana means faster speeds for those in the Houma/Thibodaux area. Those in Missouri should now be looking for 4G LTE in the Jefferson City area which includes Holts Summit, Taos, Wardsville and California. The New Mexico expansion brings coverage to those in Las Cruces.

The New York coverage is now available for those in the Binghamton area which also touches on Johnson City, Endwell, Endicott and the Binghamton University campus. Moving into Texas and coverage has been expanded for those in Temple, Killen and Beaumont. Finally, the coverage for those in Washington has now been expanded to include Mount Vernon.

[via AT&T]

AT&T GALAXY S 4 pricing to begin at $199.99

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 08:27 AM PDT

AT&T previously announced the GALAXY S 4 would be available for pre-order beginning on April 16. At the time that bit seemed to have arrived as good news for those considering a purchase. The catch however, came in regards to the pricing. AT&T had originally said the GALAXY S 4 would be $249.99. And well, as of today those pricing details have been updated.

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In short, the AT&T GALAXY S 4 pricing will actually begin at $199.99. That price will get you a 16GB model and those willing and/or able to pay the $249.99 can expect 32GB of internal storage space. Both prices of course, assume a two-year agreement. Still no update in terms of actual availability, but for now, those choosing a GALAXY S 4 with AT&T should plan for April 16.

Other US based carriers that have made GALAXY S 4 related announcements include US Cellular who will have the handset available for pre-order on the same day as AT&T — April 16. US Cellular has yet to announce any pricing. On the flip side of that, T-Mobile has said the GALAXY S 4 will be available with a downpayment of $99. Those curious about how the T-Mobile and AT&T pricing will break down over a two-year period, that is spelled out right here.

Basically it seems the GALAXY S 4 details are slowly beginning to surface for those here in the US. We still have yet to hear from Verizon Wireless. Other carriers aside, those who are simply looking for a new handset with AT&T now have a few options available — the GALAXY S 4 and the HTC One and both are devices that we have spent some time with. You can take a deeper dive with our GALAXY S 4 hands-on and our HTC One review using the following links; GALAXY S 4 and HTC One.

[via AT&T]

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 :

ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol lands featured role in Iron Man 3

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 08:00 AM PDT

Product placement is nothing new, however at the same time we don’t always see press release announcements, contests and promotional offers built up around it. Enter Alcatel, who have recently announced that the One Touch Idol smartphone is going to be featured in Marvel’s upcoming Iron Man 3 movie. For those curious about the movie, you can expect it to be in theaters as of May 3.

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Aside from the product promotion, Alcatel really appears to be pushing the weight of the phone. Or maybe more accurate in this instance, the lack of weight. The Alcatel One Touch Idol weighs in at just 3.88 ounces, which is said to make it the “lightest smartphone in its category.” That bit of useless knowledge aside, the One touch Idol sports a 4.7-inch qHD IPS display, dual-core 1GHz processor, 1800 mAh battery, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The handset is also on the thin side at just 7.9mm and ships in a variety of colors to include Silver, Slate, Cranberry Pink, Red, Magic Blue and Mint Green. As for the promotion behind this product placement, Alcatel has a contest available that could score someone a paid trip to see the movie premier in Hollywood on April 24. Perhaps more realistic though, Alcatel also has a special offer available for those considering a purchase.

The purchase promotion is in conjunction with Radio Shack and runs from April 14 through May 11. This one is simple — buy the One Touch Idol and get a pair of tickets to see Iron Man 3 in theaters. Otherwise, the One Touch Idol was originally unveiled in January along with the One Touch Idol Ultra. You can see a bit of the hands-on with the One Touch Idol Ultra in the above video.

[via PR Newswire]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Idol
    Manufactuer : Alcatel One Touch
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : January 07, 2013
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.7 Inch
  • Resolution : 540x960
  • Screen Type : IPS LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.23 Inch
  • Width : 2.65 Inch
  • Depth : 0.32 Inch
  • Weight : 110 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.1.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU :
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 512 MB
    Internal Storage : 4 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
    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:
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

Humble Mobile Bundle buyers given a three game bonus

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 07:23 AM PDT

The Humble Mobile Bundle launched a short while back. The initial launch had the bundle with a total of six games, however as of today it looks like there has been a few additions. The mobile bundle (which is aimed entirely towards Android users) is now offering a total of nine games. And yes, these additional three games will be available for those who have already made the purchase as well as for those who are still considering a purchase.

humble-mobile-bundle-540

At present the Humble Mobile Bundle is showing 101,339 bundles as already having been sold. If you happen to be included in that group, you should head to your Humble Bundle download page and grab these three new additions. On that note, the three new games include Another World, Funky Smugglers and Raiden Legacy.

As a reminder, the initial six games in the Humble Mobile Bundle included Anomaly Korea, Contre Jour, Plants vs. Zombies, The Room, Bladeslinger and Metal Slug 3. The bundle also includes a selection of game soundtracks as well. Game titles aside, lets talk about the offer from the standpoint of those who have yet to part with their money.

Some of the games in the bundle come locked. These are easy enough to unlock and gain access to, you simply need to pay above the current average. At the moment the average payment is $5.58. This means you need to pay $5.59 (or more) and you will get all nine games along with all the soundtracks. Aside from choosing the amount you want to pay, the Humble Bundle also allows you to decide how the payment is split between the developers and charity. Bottom line here though, the Humble Mobile Bundle is now that much more appealing thanks to the addition of these three games.

[via Humble Bundle Blog]

Next-generation Nexus 7 release tipped for July

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 06:56 AM PDT

Google’s is expected to have the next-generation of the Nexus 7 tablet available beginning in July, however the other side to this story may the one that is slightly more interesting. That side is touching on the pricing, and assuming these latest reports prove to be accurate — it looks like Google will have the Nexus 7 available for as little as $149.

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These details are coming by way of Reuters, who are reporting based on the word of two unnamed sources. Just to clarify, and as one would expect, Google has yet to publicly confirm these details. On that note, these sources have said that Google is planning to ship as many as eight million during the second half of 2013. That would be a near doubling of the year-on-year sales and an aggressive price point sounds like a good way to make that happen.

Some details about the next-generation Nexus 7 include it having a higher-resolution display and thinner bezel. It also looks like there will be a switch in terms of the processor. In what was described as a “blow to NVIDIA” it was said the tablet will arrive with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor as opposed to the Tegra.

Shifting back over to the pricing and while there was talk of the Nexus 7 being available for as low as $149 — there are a few options that could make that happen. Google could simply price the next-generation Nexus 7 very aggressively or they could introduce the new model at $199 and drop the price of the currently available model to $149. Time will tell which path Google opts to take, however we are hoping to see an announcement during Google I/O which begins on May 15.

[via SlashGear]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Nexus 7
    Manufactuer : Asus
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : June 27, 2012
    Release Date : July 12, 2012
    Also Known As : Google Nexus 7, MeMo 370T
Display
  • Screen Size : 7 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x800
  • Screen Type : IPS LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 7.81 Inch
  • Width : 4.72 Inch
  • Depth : 0.41 Inch
  • Weight : 340 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 4325 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:
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 3
    CPU Clock Speed : 1300 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 8 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : NA
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
  • A2DP
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

Samsung details the entry-level Galaxy Pocket Neo and Galaxy Star

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 06:23 AM PDT

Samsung has recently announced two new entry-level smartphones. The handsets include the Galaxy Pocket Neo and the Galaxy Star. So far aside from both handsets being what we would consider entry-level, they each share some common specs — namely with the size of the display. Both the Galaxy Pocket Neo and the Galaxy Star have 3.0-inch QVGA TFT displays.

samsung-galaxy-pocket-neo-540

These devices will arrive running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and with other shared specs to include 4GB of internal storage space, 512MB of RAM, GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 1200 mAh battery and a 2 megapixel rear-facing camera. They will each also have a microSD card slot with support for cards up to 32GB in size.

The one differentiating feature between the Galaxy Pocket Neo (pictured above) and the Galaxy Star (pictured below) is with the processor. The Galaxy Pocket Neo has an 850MHz processor while the Galaxy Star has an ever so slightly nicer 1GHz processor. Samsung has said these handsets will be perfect for the “younger generation of mobile users” however we feel that these will be appreciated by those who will not, or cannot spend all that much, but still want a smartphone.

samsung-galaxy-star-540

Another feature that is shared across both handsets will be with the SIM cards. Both the Galaxy Pocket Neo and the Galaxy Star will have dual-SIM support which means those who make the purchase will be able to have two active SIM cards. And due to the Always On feature, both SIM cards will be active and available at all times. That all being said, while Samsung has detailed both models, they have yet to release anything in terms of pricing and availability details.

[via Samsung]

Google Platform Versions update puts Jelly Bean at 25%

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 05:40 AM PDT

Google has updated its Platform Versions page on its developer site showing the most recent information collected from the Google Play Store in the last 14 days. There is a change in the latest platform update numbers that is worth pointing out. Google says that starting in April of 2013, the charts are now built using data collected from each device when the user visits the Google Play Store.

chart (1)

In the past, data was collected with the device checked into Google servers. Google says that the change more accurately reflects users that are most engaged in the Android ecosystem. The latest numbers show that Gingerbread is still the most popular flavor of Android on the market with 39.7% of the market overall.

Android Ice Cream Sandwich currently makes up 29.3% of the overall Android market. Android 4.1 and 4.2 now make up a combined 25% of the overall Android market. The latest statistics also look at the most popular screen sizes and densities.

The normal screen size range with hdpi density is easily the most popular screen size and density with 37.9% of counted Android devices using that sort screen. The next most common screen is also of normal size and features xhdpi density with 25% of measure devices using those hardware features. Overall normal screen size range devices account for 79.9% of all Android devices accessing Google Play.

[via Android]

Fantom 4 LG Nexus 4 Glass Screen Protector Debuts

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 05:15 AM PDT

If you own the LG Nexus 4 smartphone and want to keep the screen free of scratches and smears, a new screen protector is now available. The screen protector comes from Xgear and is called the Fantom 4. The screen protector isn’t a clear adhesive film, it’s an actual glass sheet.

fantom4-500x500

The Fantom 4 is a thin sheet of tempered glass that is shatter and scratch resistant. The glass also has a special coating that helps keep fingerprints off the screen. The glass is available with a black border right now and a version with a white border will be available later.

The glass sheet is 0.4 mm thick and features beveled edges. That should mean even with the screen protector attached to your phone it will still slip in and out of your pocket easily. The manufacturer does recommend a case to help protect the edges of the screen protector from scratches and the remainder of your phone from drops.

The Fantom 4 has a surface hardness rating of 8H. The screen protector can be purchased now for $34.99. There is no specific availability date for the white border version.

[via SlashGear]

HTC One gets dual SIMs and memory card slot in China

Posted: 03 Apr 2013 04:51 AM PDT

There are a lot of people out there that were excited at the thought of getting their hands on the HTC One smartphone. The device is missing a very common Android smartphone feature that may have turned a few people off to purchasing the device. That feature is a microSD card slot for storage expansion.

htc-onechina-580x318

Images have surfaced showing a version of the HTC One destined for a Chinese carrier that has a couple features that may make HTC One buyers in other countries jealous. The images show a removable back cover that hides dual SIM card slots. While most of us could live without that second SIM card slot, the images also show a microSD memory card slot.

The ability to add additional storage is a big deal for a lot of users and it’s very curious that the Chinese version of the smartphone gets the memory card slot while versions for other countries don’t. HTC will be producing three versions of the HTC One for China that will be going to China Unicom, China Mobile, and China Telecom.

The specific version of the HTC One seen in the screenshot above is the 802W. Versions of the HTC One available in Europe feature a single SIM card slot, no removable back, and no memory card slot.

[via SlashGear]

Samsung Galaxy S III price slashed as the GS 4 looms

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 04:26 PM PDT

During all the crazy activities we know and love (or hate) that are April Fools’ Day many missed the fact that AT&T dropped the price of their Galaxy S III smartphone. Yesterday AT&T slashed the price of the GS III as we all wait for the new flagship GALAXY S 4 to arrive. This makes it an even better deal than before, and you’ll certainly want to check it out.

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As the release date grows closer we’re expecting many of the carriers to follow suite, but so far AT&T is the only one to actually make a move. As of yesterday the impressive and still extremely top of the line Samsung GALAXY S III can be yours for only $99 with a new 2-year contract. That is $100 less than before, even though we’ve seen better deals in the past. AT&T has refurbished ones for $29 too, if you’re into that sort of thing.

I don’t know about you guys, but that puts it into the bargain price range and certainly qualifies as the best price/performance smartphone over on AT&T now. Well, that or the HTC One X+. What makes a $99 Galaxy S III look even better is the fact that the GALAXY S 4 will run users $249 with a new contract – a pretty big difference if you ask us.

For an idea on what’s new and what’s different between the two check out our GALAXY S III vs GS 4 post. You’ll get a bigger screen that’s 1080p full HD, a faster processor, the latest version of Android, and tons of S-app features. We’re still up in the air as to what we think of all the GS 4 features, but we’ll know more once we get our hands on it for a full review. For now however, the Galaxy S III for $99 is a steal and might be worth consideration.

[via CNET]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S III (LTE)
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : AT&T Verizon
    Announced Date : June 04, 2012
    Release Date : June 21, 2013
    Also Known As : SGH-I535 (Verizon), SGH-I747 (AT&T)
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.8 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x720
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED HD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.37 Inch
  • Width : 2.77 Inch
  • Depth : 0.33 Inch
  • Weight : 133 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2100 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
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : MSM8960 Snapdragon
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 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
  • CDMA
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 800
  • 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 :

Samsung Galaxy Rugby LTE gets Jelly Bean in Canada

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 02:56 PM PDT

If you’re the proud owner of the rugged little Samsung Galaxy Rugby LTE over in Canada on Telus and Bell, we have some good news for you. The device has been waiting for an update, and that time has finally arrived. Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean is on its way to your rugged smartphones as we speak, so read on for additional details below.

samsung-galaxy-rugby-lte

The Galaxy Rugby here in the US over on AT&T was lucky enough to be updated to Jelly Bean back in January, which surprised many, and now it’s your turn up in Canada. We’re hearing the device on both Bell Canada and TELUS is receiving the over-the-air update starting this week.

This little 4-inch dual-core Snapdragon S4 packing smartphone is more than capable of enjoying Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, and now you’ll all be able to enjoy the added features. For those unfamiliar, Jelly Bean Brings an array of awesomeness to your device. You’ll enjoy Google Now voice search (our favorite) expandable and informative notifications, and better performance with Project Butter, and much more.

We’re not seeing a full changelog of additional tweaks or fixes at the moment, but will update when we learn more. As usual head to settings, about phone, and check for updates. Then enjoy the latest Jelly Bean from Samsung. The update is going out in waves so it should be arriving soon. Enjoy!

[via AndroidAuthority]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy Rugby Pro
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : September 28, 2012
    Release Date : October 21, 2012
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.04 Inch
  • Width : 2.65 Inch
  • Depth : 0.5 Inch
  • Weight : 160 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1850 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : MSM8960
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 1
    Ram : 768 MB
    Internal Storage : 8 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 5 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 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 :

Quickoffice app released for Google apps business users

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 02:01 PM PDT

Google has recently released a new version of the Quickoffice app into the Google Play Store. This one joins the Quickoffice Pro HD and Quickoffice Pro apps, which are already priced at $19.99 and $14.99 respectively. This new release is called Quickoffice Google Apps and is available for free. Before you run to download thinking Quickoffice is now available for free — there is a catch.

quickoffice-google-apps-business

You see, the Quickoffice Google Apps release is available for those who are Google Apps for Business subscribers. Therein lies the reason why this version of Quickoffice is available for free — you are already paying for the business Google Apps account. This version of Quickoffice is sitting at v6.0.101 and will run on devices with Android 2.2 or later.

Basically, this means that Google Apps for Business users will now be able to edit Microsoft Office files on their Android device. This includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint files with support for .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt and .pptx. Users will be able to both create new and edit existing files.

As with other Quickoffice releases, the support includes a wide variety of languages as well as the ability to create, edit and arrange files in your Google Drive account and even convert text to speech and speech to text. Of course, the basics such as changing colors, fonts and backgrounds as well as being able to rearrange cells and work with formulas all still apply. Basically, Google Apps for Business users (assuming you have yet to already do so) no longer have to pay for Quickoffice.

[via Google Enterprise Blog]

Facebook Phone ‘HTC first’ press image leaks

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 01:52 PM PDT

After all the reports and rumors it looks like this will in some manor truly be a “Facebook Phone” as many have been calling it. Thursday Facebook will be announcing their new home on Android, and now today we have our first look at what is likely to be announced. It’s being called the ‘HTC first’ with snazzy looking Android navigation buttons and all.

BG33fUDCQAEBzDh-346x500

We’ve seen countless reports of a Facebook Phone, and HTC’s no stranger to the idea either. Their previous attempts failed quite hard, but this time around they are a bit more hopeful. So much in fact it looks like they could be calling it the HTC first. That’s what we’re hearing and seeing at least.

Previous reports showed the ‘Facebook Phone’ being called the HTC Myst, and it’s already been spotted at the FCC clearing with AT&T 4G LTE radios. The specs are pretty mid-range, and so is the design. So check it out. The above image is our first leaked press image (from a reliable source) of the Facebook phone. Then below are the specs that have been confirmed from previous leaks and the FCC filing. It looks like the HTC Myst will be called the HTC first, and is real as can be.

• 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

While this won’t be a completely different version of Android. Reports suggest Facebook has designed a home screen replacement launcher that will take over the general look and feel of the device, and HTC is their first partner as we see here. We’re also hearing Samsung will play a role at some point.

For now this is all we have, but stay tuned. We’ll be live at the Facebook event Thursday for all the details, information, pictures, and hopefully hands-on time with this new smartphone so stick around. If this phone comes free with a new 2-year contract to AT&T can it be successful? We think it has a chance!

[via @Evleaks]

Fast & Furious 6 the game coming soon to Android

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 01:39 PM PDT

Who is ready to race? As if making a 6th movie wasn’t totally overkill to begin with, it looks like there will also be a game coming along for the fast-paced ride too. If you’re a fan of the Fast & Furious movie franchise there will be a game released right alongside the movie for your enjoyment. Check out the trailer below.

Screen Shot 2013-04-02 at 1.29.20 PM

The first movie was ok, but after that things have only continued down the path of ridiculousness. For those that never watched the 5th movie. They drag a bank vault around town behind two cars and take out an entire city worth of cops. Hollywood to the max right there. That aside, check out this new game.

Fast & Furious games are a dime a dozen in the Google Play Store, but this is a licensed and trademarked game right from Universal Studios themselves – but that doesn’t mean it will be good. We’ll have to wait until they actually release it and for now all we have is this recently released teaser trailer.

This time around the game promises decent graphics and tons of streets to race down throughout London. There’s tons of car customization as you can see in the video, drift challenges, and even a new heist mode of some sort. We’re hearing the game will hit the Play Store roads come May around the same time as the movie hits theaters. That’s one I won’t be watching, even on Netflix. What about you guys?

Verizon Wireless announces the free on-contract LG Lucid 2

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 01:13 PM PDT

Coming off the recent rumors, Verizon Wireless and LG have announced the upcoming availability of the Lucid 2 smartphone. As the rumor was calling for, the LG Lucid 2 will be available beginning on April 4. The one catch with that, the April 4 availability is by way of the Verizon Wireless website. The handset will not be available in the retail stores for a few weeks.

lg-lucid-2-verizon-540

Verizon Wireless has yet to announce an in-store release date and instead have said that it will arrive in the “coming weeks.” The good part here, the Lucid 2 is going to be free. Well, free on a two-year agreement anyway. Additionally, Verizon Wireless will also have the wireless charging set-up available for purchase. This is priced at $39.99 and includes a replacement back cover as well as the LG WCP-300 Wireless Charging Pad.

Aside from the wireless charger support, the Lucid 2 will bring features to include 4G LTE connectivity, a 4.3-inch qHD IPS display, 8GB of internal storage space, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Other specs will include a 2460 mAh battery, dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Krait processor, 1GB of RAM and microSD card slot.

Moving away from the hardware and LG also has some software features worth mentioning. Some of these include QuickMemo as well as camera related goodies including Live Shot, Time Catch Shot, Panorama Shot and Cheese Shutter. Finally, that rear-facing camera will also be able to capture 1080p HD video, which can then be edited using Video Wiz.

[via Verizon Wireless]

Google+ sign-in process adopted by Janrain and Gigya

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 12:44 PM PDT

Google+ sign-in was announced a short while back. You have likely seen a few examples of this on sites, however for those who may have missed it, Google+ sign-in is not all that different from what we have seen with Facebook and Twitter. That is to say, you can use Google+ to sign into an app or service. This generally makes the sign-up process easier as it takes details from your Google account.

androiddev_title_image-540x322

One of those who happen to allow for Google+ sign-ins is TuneIn Radio. That bit aside though, because it looks like we may soon be seeing quite a few more of the Google+ sign-in options around the web. Basically, two of the big players have recently integrated Google+ sign-ins. These two companies are Janrain and Gigya, which according to Google, have “hundreds of thousands of developers” already using their services.

Granted, this does not necessarily mean that these hundreds of thousands will all instantly begin using Google+ sign-in, however it does give the extra possibility that they will. Some of the sites that have already begun using Google+ sign-in as a result include NPR, Universal Music Group sites to include ladygaga.com, justinbiebermusic.com, imaginedragonsmusic.com, eminem.com and interscope.com as well as HSN from Janrain and American Idol and Food Network UK from Gigya.

In addition to having this mean an easier account set-up process, there are also some other benefits for the end user such as having a more interactive experience thanks to the sharing. There will also, in some cases, be the ability to download and install the Android app (at the same time as you are signing up for the service using a regular computer). Not to mention, there is also the bit about already having a trusted account with Google. Now we just have to see how many users actually choose to sign up with Google+ as opposed to Facebook or Twitter.

[via Google+ Developers Blog]