Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


PMA wireless charging integration coming to AT&T in 2014

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 11:08 AM PDT

The Power Matters Alliance (PMA) seems to have picked up some new members. That and, we are also heading some PMA related news coming from AT&T, who have announced some good news for those who may be looking to get a handset with integrated wireless charging. The new members include Samsung, HTC and LG.

ATT-Mobile-Phone-Wireless-Logo-Store-Window-540x304121

Of course, along with AT&T, other companies such as Google and Starbucks had previously pledged support. Basically, it looks like the Power Matters Alliance is once again picking up some traction. As for the AT&T side of the news, they plan to begin offering smartphones with integrated wireless charging in 2014.

Sure, we have seen some handsets with wireless charging up until this point, however this update from AT&T comes with word that they now full support the “concept of an industry standard for wireless power.” As such, this means AT&T will begin asking their device suppliers to integrate PMA-certified wireless charging solutions by 2014. AT&T has also said they will be working with their suppliers to “deploy PMA-certified handsets and accessories as quickly as possible.”

As of now it is fairly hard to find a publicly available wireless charging spot here in the US. The PMA has said “over” 1,500 charging spots are available so far. Those can be found at select Starbucks as well as some airports and other locations such as Madison Square Garden and The Garden State Plaza Mall. Bottom line here, wireless charging sports are pretty rare here in the US, but with the PMA membership having increased “tenfold” over the previous five months, it looks like that may begin to change.

[via Engadget]

Google Glass Explorer unboxing and sample videos hit the web

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 11:02 AM PDT

Earlier this week Google told us that their prized Project Glass would finally become a reality for those who pre-ordered last year at Google I/O. Stating that Google Glass was being pulled off the production floor and headed to a few lucky developers. While we patiently await ours to arrive, check out the first ever Google Glass unboxing video below, and even some video of glass recording Go Kart racing. It’s pretty epic!

Screen Shot 2013-04-17 at 10.25.04 AM

Multiple lucky developers over on Google+ are blasting their pages full of details, which leads us to believe the NDA to keep details quiet isn’t as strict as we thought it would be. Within 24 hours of confirming they’ve started shipping glass, we are already seeing multiple pictures and videos surface. I just want mine nowwww!

Thanks to one lucky developer to get the Explorer edition early, Dan Mclaughlin we have a few unboxing videos available. The one below is his official unboxing but it isn’t the best of quality thanks to an awful webcam – a smartphone could have done better. He later uploads an unboxing of Glass, through Glass. Showing the box and contents for those interested. It’s pretty neat so take a peek.

Unboxing Glass through Glass

Yesterday Google revealed all the specs for Glass Explorer edition units, so now all we need is these to get into the hands of more consumers and developers. As we mentioned above we also have one more awesome video. This shows Google Glass recording a nice little Go Kart racing session, and it looks pretty amazing. You do however see the user reposition Glass a few times, as if it isn’t very secure to his face. Either way I want one, what about you guys?

Pretty neat stuff. There’s also a few screenshots floating around of navigation directions being sent from the Nexus 4 to Glass and more so stay tuned as we continue to get more details over the next few days. It’s going to be an exciting few weeks until Google I/O arrives.

[via SlashGear]

Verizon Wireless customers petition carrier to drop contracts

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 10:11 AM PDT

Earlier in the month Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam touched on the subject of doing away with long term agreements. McAdam had said Verizon would consider such a move if it was something that customers began asking for. Basically, he didn’t give much more than an acknowledgment.

iIAVnZmVwDQ0-540x3641

Needless to say, since then it looks like a Change.org petition has launched on that very subject. The petition was started by Mike Beauchamp and is simply asking Verizon to “get rid of contracts for wireless service.” The petition launched about 11 days after those comments from Lowell McAdam. Since it has launched, the petition has attracted a little more than 60,000 signatures.

While that seems to be a decent number in such a short time frame, we suspect it will need to grow significantly before a carrier (the size) of Verizon will begin to pay attention. In fact, in speaking with CNN, Beauchamp said that he has yet to hear from Verizon on the matter. Basically, if you want to help further this discussion with Verizon, a signature on the petition may help.

On the flip side though, while the contract portion remains the same for those looking for discounted (subsidized) phones, Verizon did recently announce an upcoming change that may benefit those looking to go contract free. This is the device payment plan which will allow users to make payments over a 12 month period. The device payment plan will begin on April 21.

[via CNN]

Samsung GALAXY S 4 official US launch confirmed for 7 carriers

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 09:51 AM PDT

Just as we all expected it looks like Samsung’s new flagship GALAXY S 4 will be widely available shortly across the U.S. with 7 carriers all on board to release the device. When can you get the GALAXY S 4? All 7 carriers are launching between April and the end of May, and it looks like we should start seeing the devices hit the street in a matter of weeks from folks like AT&T and T-Mobile.

P3142777-galaxy-s-4-ac-540x303

We’ve already known most of the details from their event back in NYC, but today Samsung confirmed the 7 carriers on board as well as 7 retailers around the U.S. will also all be offering the new handset as soon as possible. AT&T confirmed their release date recently, and today we learned T-Mobile will offer up the GALAXY S 4 starting April 24th for just $149. Aside from the big 4 carriers we also have US Cellular, Cricket, and C-Spire all on board for a quick release.

So where other than select carrier stores can you walk in and pick up this new smartphone? Lots of places. Samsung has confirmed at least 7 will carry their phone and those are: Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile, Costco, Radio Shack, Sam's Club, Staples, Target and Wal-Mart. Can’t forget good old Wallyworld. Yes, that’s what I call it.

This afternoon Samsung also announced more details on all their accessories, and you can learn more on those by heading here. For now we don’t have exact dates from everyone but are expecting them all to be announced soon. AT&T is asking $199 for the handset, and most will probably follow suite except for T-Mobile, who confirmed today it will be just $149 off contract with monthly payments. Stay tuned for further details.

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 : April 24, 2013
    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 APQ8064T
    CPU Clock Speed : 1900 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 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 :

Google mobile search made faster with “Quick View”

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 08:39 AM PDT

Google has recently added a few tweaks for mobile web searches. These tweaks deal with speed and include an option for “In Theaters” and also for “Quick View.” Both of these items should help to cut down on the time you spend searching for select items, however the Quick View option is only available on a limited basis at the moment.

google-mobile-quick-view-540

On that note, lets discuss the “Quick View” option first. You can get an idea of how this will appear in the above screenshots, but the basic is that moving forward, select websites will be available with a quick view option. The quick view link will always appear in blue and be sitting on the right hand side of your search results.

The catch here is that quick view is currently listed as being an experimental project and is only enabled for pages from Wikipedia. Furthermore, you will need to search from Google.com and in English to see the quick view in your results. Google is planning to expand this to additional sites, however at the moment a timeline hasn’t been given and Google has simply said they are “working to expand this to additional websites.”

Shifting over to the “In Theaters” option and this is one that will come into play when you are searching for movie details. This option will be available when searching for the Rotten Tomatoes website. Once you have done the search you will see the Rotten Tomatoes link and just below will be the In Theaters option. From here the In Theaters link can be expanded for additional results and information.

[via Google Inside Search]

HP Slate 7 UK availability confirmed for May 1

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 07:55 AM PDT

The US release of the HP Slate 7 tablet is sill noted as being sometime in April. While we wait for that availability announcement to arrive, it looks like HP has since offered a release date for those in the UK. And nicely done, unlike the general timeframe those in the US were given, HP has the UK release pegged as being May 1.

d-slate-7-hero-v4_tcm_245_1378074

Those in the UK can expect to pay £129 once the Slate 7 comes available for purchase, but otherwise, this news arrives with little in terms of surprise. Basically, that is just to say that HP had previously offered up a full and complete set of specs. Not to mention, we have already spent some hands-on time with the tablet. Our hands-on time with the Slate 7 was back in February during Mobile World Congress and as a result, we have some images as well as a video which you can see below.

As for the device itself, the Slate 7 will bring goodies to include a 7-inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600, dual-core 1.6GHz Cortex-A9 processor, 8GB of internal storage and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Remaining specs include a microSD card slot, 1GB of RAM, VGA quality front-facing camera, 3 megapixel rear-facing camera and a thickness of 10.7mm.

All said and done, the HP Slate 7 does have some appeal based on the price, however when compared to the Nexus 7 — it almost seems like spending a few more bucks would be a wise decision. Sure, you would be losing the microSD card slot if you went with the Nexus 7, however you will be gaining perks such as more internal storage, a higher resolution display and faster processor.

[via HP UK]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Slate 7
    Manufactuer : HP
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : February 24, 2013
    Release Date : May 01, 2013
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 7 Inch
  • Resolution : 1024x600
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 7.75 Inch
  • Width : 4.56 Inch
  • Depth : 0.42 Inch
  • Weight : 368 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
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU :
    CPU Clock Speed : 1600 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 8 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 3 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

Gmail, Drive and other Google apps experiencing service issues

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 07:37 AM PDT

If you happen to be seeing any issues with Google services this morning, rest assured in knowing you are not the only one affected. Granted, that doesn’t necessarily make it all good, but the issue is more widespread than just yourself. In fact, a quick check of the Google Apps Status Dashboard is showing some service disruptions and also a service outage.

google-outage-540

Most of the issues began at around 9:00 AM EST and Google has acknowledged and appears to be working to correct the issues. The outage is reported for the admin control panel / API and this one actually began a bit earlier, at around 8:20 AM EST. Since the initial outage report on the control panel, Google has updated only to say that the team is continuing to investigate the issue and that it is affecting a “significant subset of users.”

Shifting to the service disruptions and this includes Gmail as well as Drive, Documents, Spreadsheets and Presentations. On these issues, with the exception of Drive, Google has said service has been restored for “some” users and that they “expect a resolution for all users in the near future.” Drive has yet to get an update since the initial outage report. Again, while the acknowledgement is nice to see, it doesn’t make it better when your account is affected.

Some of the issues, at least with Gmail, may have included connection issues. In this case your mail app may have been giving you password/connection error messages. And while the incoming mail (on my affected account) seems to be coming at the moment, the account as a whole still has plenty of issues. Anyone else having issues with their Google accounts this morning?

[via Apps Status]

GALAXY S 4 accessory lineup detailed by Samsung

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 06:56 AM PDT

We have seen GALAXY S 4 pre-orders go live with AT&T and US Cellular and have also learned the handset would be available with T-Mobile beginning on April 24. The good news for users on other carriers, Samsung will also be launching the GALAXY S 4 with several other US carriers. Not to mention, it will also be available from various retail outlets.

GS4-Flip-Cover-Colors

Aside from the three mentioned, the carrier list includes Verizon Wireless and Sprint as well as Cricket and C Spire. In total the GALAXY S 4 will be available with seven US carriers. Shifting over to the retailers and we are looking at Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile, Costco, Radio Shack, Sam's Club, Staples, Target and Wal-Mart. The pricing and release details will be announced by the individual carriers.

More to the point here, Samsung has unveiled the complete accessory lineup which will include the Flip Cover and S View Flip Cover as well as the Protective Cover+ and the Spare Battery Charging System. These will be priced at $39.99, $59.99, $29.99 and $49.99 respectively. The cases will all be available in a variety of colors and the battery charing system will include both a charger and a spare 2600 mAh battery.

GS4_S_View_Flip_Cover

While those four accessories will be only for the GALAXY S 4, Samsung also has some universal options that will also work. These others include the AllShare Cast Wireless Hub, Smart Dock, Universal Multimedia Desktop Dock, Universal Vehicle Navigation Mount, MHL 2.0 HDTV Adapter, Universal Battery Pack, HS-330 Headphones, HM3300 Bluetooth Headset and the Galaxy Muse. Bottom line here, Samsung has a full range of accessories available for those looking to maximize the potential of their GALAXY S 4.

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 : April 24, 2013
    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 APQ8064T
    CPU Clock Speed : 1900 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 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 :

T-Mobile GALAXY S 4 release confirmed for April 24

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 06:22 AM PDT

T-Mobile has confirmed the release date and pricing for the Samsung GALAXY S 4. Jumping right in here, the handset will be available beginning on April 24. T-Mobile will have the GALAXY S 4 available with a downpayment of $149.99. Of course, that does mean additional monthly payments, however thanks to the Simple Choice Plan options — you will be contract-free.

Screen-Shot-2013-03-14-at-1.18.54-PM-540x433111

Shifting back to the monthly payments and we learn how those will include 24 payments of $20. T-Mobile has said this will apply to “well-qualified buyers” and those looking to make a purchase will be able to find the GALAXY S 4 online as well as with “select” T-Mobile retail stores. The full launch where the handset will be available in all T-Mobile retail stores will come a short while later, on May 1.

The phone itself will bring Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean along with a 5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display (1920 x 1080), quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and 4G LTE connectivity. Though, that last one will be a bit limited as the network is only available in seven markets at the moment. For those considering a purchase, T-Mobile LTE can be found in Baltimore; Houston; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Phoenix; San Jose, California and Washington, DC.

Otherwise, those contract-free Simple Choice Plans begin at $50 per month and include unlimited talk, text and data as well as 500MB of high-speed data. Those looking to up the high-speed data limits can bump the plan price by $10 per month and get 2GB or by $20 for unlimited. Customers can also shift these into family plans by adding additional lines. With that, make sure to check out the Story Timeline below for a bit more of our Samsung GALAXY S 4 coverage.

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 : April 24, 2013
    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 APQ8064T
    CPU Clock Speed : 1900 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 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 :

Over 1 million smart watches to ship in 2013 according to ABI Research

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 05:17 AM PDT

Research firm ABI Research has issued a new report looking at the smart watch market for 2013. According to the company, over 1 million smart watches will ship this year. ABI Research says that while the wearable computing market failed to take off in the past due to things like ugly watches, watches that were too bulky, and watches with poor functionality; things are set to change this year.

pebble-black-540

ABI is predicting that over 1.2 million smart watches will be shipped this year alone. The company believes that the wearable computing device will be split into four categories including notification type, voice operational smart watches, hybrid smart watches, and completely independent smart watches. The company considers notification type devices to be products such as the MetaWatch and Cookoo.

Those devices offer alerts for incoming calls, messages, and other notifications. Voice operational smart watches will allow users to start and stop calls and issue commands to the watch using their voice. Products in the standalone category include watches such as the Martain smart watch. Standalone smart watches will have their own OS and will move beyond being a smartphone accessory alone.

You can bet that some of these standalone smart watches will run the Android operating system and Android-powered smart watches fit into the other categories are expected as well. There are already some basic Android-powered smart watches available on the market, such as the offerings from Pebble. Additional products are expected this year from several manufacturers.

[viaABI Research]

Leaked specs and image of HTC 606w smartphone hit the web

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 05:07 AM PDT

If you’re a fan of HTC smartphones but can’t see yourself paying the money for something along the lines of the HTC One, a new device has leaked online that you may find interesting. A few specifications and some images of the device said to be the HTC 606w have surfaced. The device looks similar to the HTC One, but uses cheaper components which should mean it’s a cheaper smartphone.

htc-606w

The image and details of the smartphone reportedly first surfaced on the Chinese TENAA database. The images show dual stereo speakers on the front of the smartphone along with the same dual soft key implementation found on the HTC One. The device is said to use Android 4.1.2.

The screen size is tipped at 4.5-inches with a resolution of 960 x 540. On the back of the phone is a camera said to have a resolution of eight-megapixels and its own integrated flash. The phone has a front camera with 1.6-megapixel resolution.

The processor under the hood is a quad-core 1.2 GHz unit and the device has 1 GB of RAM. It’s unclear how much internal storage the device has, but it is said to feature a memory card slot for expansion. There are no details on pricing or availability at this time.

[via SlashGear]

Microsoft signs Android Agreement with Hon Hai

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 04:57 AM PDT

At this point, I think we all know that Microsoft holds some key patents having to do with the Android and smartphones using the OS. So far, Microsoft has been successful in getting most of the largest Android smartphone and device makers in the world to sign patent agreements. There are some indications that Microsoft makes more money from these patent license agreements for Android than it does from its own smartphone operating system.

foxconn

Microsoft has announced that it has signed a new patent licensing agreement having to do with Android and Chrome OS devices with Hon Hai. Hon Hai is the parent company of device manufacturer Foxconn. A huge number of the gadgets on the market today are manufactured by Foxconn, the company builds devices manufacturers including Apple and others.

Microsoft says that it has signed a worldwide patent licensing agreement with Hon Hai for devices running Android and Chrome OS including smartphones, tablets, and televisions. Neither company is offering details on the financial terms of the agreement. However, Microsoft does note that it will be getting royalties from Hon Hai under the agreement.

The agreement makes Hon Hai the latest major manufacturer to sign a patent agreement with Microsoft. Microsoft also has agreements in place with other contract manufacturing and original design manufacturing companies.

[via Microsoft]

Amazon Appstore hits almost 200 countries

Posted: 17 Apr 2013 04:48 AM PDT

One of the most popular app stores to purchase applications for Android devices aside from Google Play is the Amazon Appstore. Amazon has announced that it is expanding its Appstore availability significantly all around the world. There is no specific indication of exactly when other countries will get access to Amazon’s Appstore.

Amazon-android-580x356

So far, the company has only said “in the coming months.” The expanded availability will include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, India, South Africa, and South Korea among others. Last international store that Amazon opened up for Android users was in Japan last year. Amazon tells developers who already have applications available through the Appstore that their apps will be included automatically when the new locations come online.

However, developers can opt to have their applications removed from the new international stores. Amazon expects significant increases in sales and downloads for applications when the new locations come online. The online giant is using some case studies to woo developers showing big increases in an app payments and engagement.

Amazon is showing off a study it performed of over 500 games using Appstore in-game purchases found that games using the GameCircle social gaming system made 83% more money than those not using the social gaming system. It’s unclear if availability for the Kindle Fire line of tablets also going to expand along with the Appstore.

[via SlashGear]

Motorola DROID RAZR M update coming with tons of bug fixes

Posted: 16 Apr 2013 04:30 PM PDT

Verizon sure has been on a roll lately with software updates, and if you’re the proud owner of the popular DROID RAZR M we have an update full of bug fixes to tell you about. The folks at Verizon Wireless have just approved an over the air update for the RAZR M that is mainly a bug fixing update, but should offer tons of improvements and we have all the details.

P1100425

As usual, Verizon confirmed the update and details on their support page, which usually means we can expect to see this update roll out in the next 24-48 hours for most users. It’s quite large coming in at over 80MB, so you might want to use that WiFi connection to get the latest and greatest from Motorola and Verizon.

You’ll still be on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but there’s tons of changes and improvements as you can see listed in the changelog below. It appears Verizon and Moto are focusing on improving Wifi, volume levels, camera features and focus, in-call audio, video streaming and much much more. Certainly not a small list.

Screen Shot 2013-04-16 at 3.29.06 PM

The RAZR M hasn’t seen an update in a few months so it’s nice to see a quick update being delivered to fix some pesky bugs and improve the overall experience. Now all we need is Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and we’ll be set. Get er done Motorola! We’ll let you all know when the update arrives, and you can manually check yourself by heading to settings > about phone > check for updates and giving it a test. Let us know when you get it. Enjoy!

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : DROID RAZR M
    Manufactuer : Motorola
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : September 05, 2012
    Release Date : September 13, 2012
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.3 Inch
  • Resolution : 540x960
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED Advanced
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 4.82 Inch
  • Width : 2.39 Inch
  • Depth : 0.32 Inch
  • Weight : 126 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2000 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
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 8 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • CDMA
    CDMA Band:
  • 800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

Gameloft’s Dungeon Hunter 4 now available for Android

Posted: 16 Apr 2013 04:01 PM PDT

Gameloft has announced that after a limited time on iOS they’ve brought their extremely popular RPG game Dungeon Hunter 4 to Android. We’re still awaiting more details about Iron Man 3, but in the meantime taking advantage of this awesome and 4th release to their hit RPG game certainly isn’t a bad idea. Read on for more details on this impressive and addicting mobile game.

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Dungeon Hunter is one of the most popular RPG games on mobile, and this marks the 4th installment from Gameloft. With more than 100,000 players who enjoyed DH3 it’s safe to assume 4 should be just as good, or better. This hack and slash style game is available as we speak, so the teaser from last month wasn’t kidding when it said coming soon.

For a better idea of what to expect from the folks at Gameloft and their new and improved Dungeon Hunter 4, you’ll want to check out the launch trailer below with a little game footage and more. It shows us the improved graphics and in-depth story line before letting you dive in blade first.

Building on the previous version the graphics have been improved, gameplay should be better and more smooth, and of course the support for more devices. They’ve stuck to the freemium model with this new game, but promise a pretty engaging experience for gamers and DH fans alike. Sadly there’s just tons of in-app purchases everywhere.

With 4 types of warriors, multiplayer, co-op mode and more it’s certainly worth giving a try. Especially for free. Hit the link below to get started but be aware of the additional download file. You might want a WiFi connection.

[via Play Store]

Falcon Pro updated with host of new features and bug fixes

Posted: 16 Apr 2013 03:18 PM PDT

For all the die-hard Twitter fans and users out there we have some excellent news regarding one of the most popular Twitter clients on Android. The ever-improving and awesome app Falcon Pro received a rather sizable update today bringing tons of new features and bug fixes. Most notable is all the changes and notifications to starred users. Read on for the full changelog.

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We’re big fans of Twitter here on Android Community, and Falcon Pro is one of a few we’d highly recommend. The developers are quick and friendly, and are keen on improving the app with frequent updates. Just as expected, today we’re getting a host of new feature and more.

Today’s update is mainly about “starred users” and this will be bringing tons of features to help you follow who you’d like with ease, get notifications when they tweet, and all sorts of other goodies. The changelog is fairly large so take a peek below then hit the link at the bottom of the page to get Falcon Pro now.

- *Starred Users* Inline Articles preview with offline access (enabled for all Starred Users that you follow)
- *Starred Users* Individual notifications (disabled by default)
- *Starred Users* Offline access
- Translations (French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Polish & Norwegian. More to come)
- Open twitter status links in Falcon
- Back button now usable in internal browser to navigate
- Feedback and bug report form in the app settings
- Improved Image loading speeds, now with progress bar
- Fix : user autocompletion
- Fix : HTC keyboard auto correct

Being able to get notifications when certain starred users tweet is a big one, now you can stalk those favorite NFL players and celebs over on Twitter with ease. Then opening links and status updates right in Falcon is a big one too. Then there appears to be a few bug fixes for HTC users and the autocomplete function to name a few. The update is available as we speak so get it below, then hit the rest of the links for additional Twitter app coverage. Follow us at @Androids while you’re at it.

[via Play Store]

Google Voice app updated with improved SMS delivery

Posted: 16 Apr 2013 02:20 PM PDT

Saying that the popular app Google Voice is neglected would be a little bit of an understatement. And while it doesn’t have nearly as many users as most of Google’s apps, we’d love to see it get a bit more attention. Yesterday evening however, a rare thing happened and Google updated their Voice app. Not much has changed but read on for more details.

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Yesterday Google issued a quick update out for the still extremely popular app Google Voice. When we saw it we immediately got excited that maybe this meant Google Babel was coming, or something exciting was about to happen with the app. Sadly that isn’t the case and instead it was just a very minor bug-fixing update.

The changelog doesn’t say anything other than one simple line. Stating that Google Voice was updated to improve the reliability of SMS delivery. Basically you’ll get your messages faster, and with more consistency for the few that have the occasional issue or delay. Nothing fancy, nothing new, no exciting changes or nothing. What a bummer.

However, the folks at AndroidPolice did a little digging and suggest Google might be preparing to let something else take over Google Voice’s job. Maybe integration with another app, or Google Babel, but we can’t be sure. Now if Google would just update Voice a bit more, add MMS content, and a few other tweaks it would be the perfect app. Basically, carry on folks!

[via Play Store]

HTC One screen protection by way of Spigen SGP’s Steinheil

Posted: 16 Apr 2013 01:56 PM PDT

When it comes to device protection we basically have two sides, those who go all out and those who prefer to stick with the bare phone and hope for the best. Speaking personally, I have been on both sides, but I have also been on the side of scratching my display and since then — I come to realize that spending a few bucks to protect a few hundred dollar smartphone sounds like a good idea.

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That being the case, we recently spent some hands-on time checking out the Spigen SGP Ultra Crystal Steinheil screen protector for the HTC One. With this, those few bucks are actually $13.99 and the good news is this protector is available for sale at this very moment. Simply put, those picking up an HTC One now have an option to consider from day one.

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This one is touted as being an “enhanced optical hard coated film." More to the point here, what you will be getting is a single sheet of hard coated 4H that protects your display. The application process is simple and to the point and nicely, without the need of a special spray. Just peel and stick and you are protected.

In terms of use once the screen protector is on, there isn’t really any noticeable difference. The display still reacts and looks just as good as it did prior to applying the protector, Basically, this is just one of the many quality products from Spigen SGP. Aside from the screen protector, those looking for a bit more HTC One related coverage should head into the Story Timeline below the image gallery.

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Microsoft head of mobile calls Android “kind of a mess” and touts Windows Phone

Posted: 16 Apr 2013 01:12 PM PDT

Oh man, the juicy news just keeps flowing in from the AllThingsD conference going on today called Dive Into Mobile. From Facebook Home, Motorola stock Android devices, and much more but now we’re turning our focus towards a few comments made by Microsoft‘s head of the mobile Windows Phone division. This dude claims Android is “still kind of a mess” and is touting just how awesome Windows Phone 8 truly is.

Screen Shot 2013-04-16 at 12.55.11 PM

According to an interview by AllThingsD Microsoft’s head of their mobile division, Terry Myerson, had some rather unkind things to say today regarding both Android and iOS. It looks like they are trying to get a point across, we’re just not sure what exactly. Aiming right at Google while also touting that Windows Phone 8 is a “well funded start-up.”

Before we get into his full comments we wanted to remind you guys of some news earlier today. The same exact event today Google’s own Eric Schmidt confirmed there’s now 1.5 million Android devices activated each and every single day. So basically that “mess” that Microsoft calls Android – is clearly a hot mess.

While we aren’t going to get into the discussion whether Android is better than Windows Phone (as you know the answer, and our opinion already) we will share the few comments from Microsoft’s head of mobile and let you guys think of it what you will. Myerson basically called Apple’s iOS “boring” and Android “still kind of a mess” then went on to mention how Windows Phone 8 is a massive challenger and seeing huge adoption rates. Mainly in non-subsidized regions such as Mexico, Poland, and Finland.

He further knocks Android by saying only Samsung is benefiting and no one else, then continues his slander by claiming there is, “clearly mutiny in the Starship Android.. and as Chrome takes over Android, it's going to be interesting.” Yeah, he said that. Now for our thoughts: There is no denying that Android is only going to continue their dominance in the mobile space. Perhaps Myerson should have spent his time talking about how Windows Phone will continue to improve, what they’re doing right, and what they have to offer. Rather than just taking shots at the competition. That’s just my $0.02 on the matter. Let us know what you think below, but do try to keep it clean folks!

[via SlashGear]

Motorola to introduce “just-right” sized smartphones running stock Android

Posted: 16 Apr 2013 01:03 PM PDT

We have heard bits and pieces about upcoming Motorola handsets and while we are no longer expecting anything over-the-top to come from the existing pipeline, there could be some good things coming in the future. There are a few points worth talking about here, however it looks like Motorola is not going to be chasing the misconception that bigger is better. Well, that and we may be seeing some with a stock Android installation.

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These details are coming by way of Motorola's design chief Jim Wicks who recently spoke with PC Mag. Touching on the topic of smartphones going bigger and bigger these days, Wicks noted that the first round of products to come from Motorola (after Google’s purchase) will be following a philosophy of “better is better” instead of “bigger is better.” That by itself sounds good for those who want a clear distinction between whether they are carrying a smartphone or tablet.

The catch — he didn’t go into any specifics in terms of what size they are talking. Instead he spoke of a smartphone that is “just about right” in terms of size and also spoke about how there is a “sweet spot for consumers that we’re currently exceeding in the market.” To help clarify that just a tiny bit, Wicks did also give an example as being the RAZR M. Basically, that sounds like things will be staying on the smaller size.

Aside from the size there was also talk of a timeframe for release, a little bit about carriers and a little bit about bloatware. Beginning with the bloatware, and this one seems fairly simple — the less the better. Wicks spoke about how “people don’t want all that stuff pre-populated on their devices.” Knowing and acting are different things though, and in this case it was nice to see that he said Motorola was going to focus on “simplicity and the power of the consumer.”

Shifting over to the talk of a release and it looks like these new Google-inspired handsets will debut in the second half of 2013. And while he didn’t offer all that much in terms of the carriers, it was said that Motorola will be trying to build more cross-carrier brands which means they will be making fewer products.

[via PC Mag]