Android Authority |
- Last barrier to buying a Nook goes as B&N adds Google Play support
- MediaTek MT6572 chip outed to give entry-level smartphones much-needed boost
- New Samsung app makes switching to the Galaxy S4 a breeze
- Google Glass will have ‘winking’ functionality and photospheres!
- What’s with all of these “Mini” smartphone editions?
- Purported Google X Phone (AT&T XFON) images appear, show peculiar Motorola logo
- Google smartwatch plans surface in patent application
- The Best Apps of the Month for April 2013
- After Wil Wheaton struggles with rooting the HTC One, a limited edition Wil Wheaton Recovery is born
- Rumor: LG Optimus G2 versions spotted in AnTuTu benchmarks and at Bluetooth SIG
- AT&T Galaxy Note getting Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean tomorrow, adds multi-window and more
- Verizon’s Galaxy Note 2 finally receiving Android 4.1.2, bring additonal Multi-Window support and more
- Beautiful Widgets now has a freemium, upgradable version
- Despite Android web traffic increasing, Apple devices generate more web traffic
- App Update Roundup: TripAdvisor Hotels Flights, WeatherBug and Twitter
- What could Google I/O bring us?
- HTC offering up to $375 in cash back for an HTC One upgrade
- Is OS fragmentation an avoidable inconvenience or Android’s greatest strength?
- HTC One SIM-unlock in the U.S. – here’s what you need to know
- Could this leaked Toshiba be the first tablet powered by Tegra 4?
- HTC One HDR microphone quietly removed from specs, but don’t let that stop you from buying one
- HTC forecasts recovery: but is the One the cure-all or just a bandaid?
- LG Optimus G Pro available for $199.99 exclusively from AT&T – Is it worth the price?
- LG Optimus G Pro vs Galaxy Note 2: by the numbers
- Astrid bought by Yahoo!: three great alternatives for keeping to-do lists on Android
| Last barrier to buying a Nook goes as B&N adds Google Play support Posted: 03 May 2013 01:53 AM PDT
As well as access to Google Play the 7- and 9-inch tablets will also include the essential Google services like the Chrome browser, Gmail, YouTube, Google Search and Google Maps. In the past B&N had their own NOOK specific app store, but it hasn’t been as popular as the Google Play store. This meant that users often missed out on popular titles as well as the lesser known gems. However with the new over-the-air update, which is being pushed for free to NOOK HD devices, users will now have access to over 700,000 Android apps and games.
Barnes and Noble has two Android tablets out at the moment. Both are dual-core tablets using the very capable OMAP4 processor from TI. The cheapest device is the 8GB NOOK HD which sports a 1440 x 900, 243 pixels per inch display and is powered by the 1.3 GHz dual-core OMAP 4470. This is the same CPU as found in the Kindle Fire HD. Its bigger brother is the 9 inch NOOK HD which comes with at least 16GB of storage, a 1920 x 1280 - 256 pixels per inch display and the same OMAP 4470 CPU, but this time clocked at 1.5GHz. Both devices have microSD slots and offer over 10 hours of battery life. The NOOK HD and HD+ are quite light with the 7-inch version weighing only 315g. The NOOK HD+ weighs just 515g making it the lightest tablet of its kind and more than 20 percent lighter than the iPad 3! The prices of the tablets has also recently been reduced in the UK as part of the “Get London Reading programme”. The 7-inch NOOK HD now starts at £129, down from £159 while the 9-inch NOOK HD+ now starts at £179, down from £229. In the USA the current prices are $199 and $269.00 respectively. Now that the NOOK HD has Google Play and all those lovely Google services will you be tempted to buy one??? 
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| MediaTek MT6572 chip outed to give entry-level smartphones much-needed boost Posted: 02 May 2013 07:33 PM PDT
The MediaTek MT6572 is, of course, good for more than a few simple wireless options. It is built to support a maximum native resolution of 540×960 pixels (qHD resolution), a 5-megapixel camera, and 720p video. If all those features are put together and packaged inside a new entry-level handset, we’re pretty sure that it would be enough to kick the whole smartphone category up a notch. Perhaps the best thing about all of this whole thing is that MediaTek isn’t going to waste any time getting this product out the door. So how soon can we expect to see it appear in future phones? Well, as MediaTek’s official press release for the product states, it expects to launch the first MT6572-powered handsets — which apparently already numbers in the hundreds — in June of this year. Speaking of which, you may read it in its entirety as it has been embedded below. MediaTek Launches the World’s First Integrated Platform for Entry Smartphones featuring Dual-Core HSPA+ SoC with Integrated 4-in-1 ConnectivityMT6572, delivered in 28nm technology, also supports advanced multimedia features, leading performance and power efficiency at affordable prices with 4-layer PCB TAIWAN, Hsinchu – 2 May, 2012 – MediaTek Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor company for wireless communications and digital multimedia solutions, today announced the launch of its next-generation, dual-core smartphone platform – the MT6572. MediaTek’s MT6572 is the world’s first dual-core SoC with integrated Wi-Fi, FM, GPS and Bluetooth functions targeted at the entry segment and also enables a cost-effective 4-layer PCB design. This cost-optimized, system-level design greatly reduces the e-BOM cost, simplifies the product development and enhances time to market. Leveraging the technology breakthrough and market momentum of the flagship MT6589 quad-core HSPA+ platform, the new MT6572 integrates a power-efficient dual-core Cortex™-A7 CPU sub-system with speeds up to 1.2GHz in the leading 28nm process The mobile market continues the accelerated pace of transitioning to smartphones, with quarterly shipments already exceeding features phones for the first time. Most of the growth in smartphones is coming from the entry segment – both for emerging markets as consumers increasingly switch to entry Android devices and also for developed markets as operators The new MT6572 also integrates MediaTek’s advanced multi-mode Rel. 8 HSPA+/TD-SCDMA modem, 3D Graphics, support for up to HD 720p video playback and record, 5MP camera and up to qHD (960×540) displays. Supporting the leading picture quality technologies (MiraVision) inherited from MediaTek’s extensive experience in the Digital TV market, the MT6572 delivers “Smartphone adoption is rising across the globe as the price of entry-level smartphones continues to fall. By simplifying system design, MediaTek is a key driver of this trend,” commented Linley Gwennap, principal analyst of The Linley Group. “MediaTek’s new dualcore smartphone platform brings features and performance that were recently associated with premium smartphones to mainstream devices. This product will accelerate the shift to dual-core processors in entry-level smartphones.” Jeffrey Ju, GM of the smartphone business unit at MediaTek, said, “MediaTek will continue to pioneer the democratization of smartphones and will re-define the entry smartphone landscape with the launch of the MT6572. As smartphones move to a baseline of dual-core processing and with worldwide operators looking to reduce device subsidies, enabling ighperformance, multi-core platforms with easy-to-adopt reference designs will be key to enable our customers to rapidly address the fast-moving mobile market opportunity. The launch of the MT6572 will further expand MediaTek’s highly-differentiated product portfolio and allow our partners to offer a complete range of smartphones targeting all segments.” The MediaTek MT6572 is being widely adopted by MediaTek’s leading global customers; consumers around the world can expect hundreds of commercial models powered by the MT6572 beginning in June. 
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| New Samsung app makes switching to the Galaxy S4 a breeze Posted: 02 May 2013 07:12 PM PDT
We have to hand it to Samsung. They not only think of everything, they make it happen. That Samsung Galaxy S4 has everything and the kitchen sink! Now, they've made switching to that device much easier. Samsung has created an app designed to help you move all your info to the new Galaxy S4 by simply using NFC. If you have another Galaxy S device, simply load the app on both phones, tap them together, and everything will be moved over; contacts, calendar events, messages… everything. Now, you might be thinking "Don't Google services do that by default?" You'd be right, too. If you use native Google services like the calander, or have your contacts saved in GMail… you're fine. However, this is really meant for those hardcore Samsung fans who like to utilize the variant Samsung offers, as well as those features like S Health that aren't available anywhere else. It's sly brilliance from Samsung, who is trying to corral their current users into an upgrade, and making it dead simple to do so. It also serves to tie them into the Samsung ecosystem, and further distances itself from Android. We can't say it's a surprising move from Samsung, but it may be necessary for those users who choose Samsung services over Google's.
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| Google Glass will have ‘winking’ functionality and photospheres! Posted: 02 May 2013 06:27 PM PDT
You know what's on your face? A pair of eyeballs. You know what's not on your face yet? Google Glass. The good news is, once they're on… your eyes will work in true harmony with them! Our friends over at Living Thru Glass have done some analysis of the APK, and found eye gestures baked in to coincide with the Glass app functionality. We knew the app supported it, but weren't sure if that was for the future or not. Turns out, blinking is the new swiping! Interestingly enough, it seems as though the blinking will have the ability to be calibrated. No, not you… Glass! Users may just end up with the ability to control how many winks, blinks, or stinkeyes make Glass do a specified action. For now, it seems limited to taking pictures. So, in an odd twist of fate… you are supposed to blink, but the people in the picture aren't. Thanks for blowing our minds again, Google! That leads us to our next Glass photography tidbit: photospheres. Turns out, Glass will have the ability to take your favorite 360 degree shots! While it's not ready for prime-time yet, it's in there! Both the winking and photospeheres were found in the source code, and we suggest you head over to Living Thru Glass to check it out! After all, Glass is coming soon… or not. Nobody knows yet.
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| What’s with all of these “Mini” smartphone editions? Posted: 02 May 2013 05:42 PM PDT
It was only a few months after the Galaxy S3 launched that we saw the first Mini handset out in the wild: the Galaxy S3 Mini. Fast forward later into 2013 and we’re hearing about what is reportedly a Galaxy S4 Mini. Samsung isn’t the only one creating Mini versions of its flagship devices though. HTC is joining the party as well with the HTC One Mini, or HTC M4. As manufacturers begin to produce Mini versions of their handsets, the question has to be asked. What's with all of these dumbed-down versions of popular flagship handsets? Does Android need small handsets?There all billions of people in this world and every last one of them has their own likes and dislikes. You and me, we’re different. I could tell you how much I love my Galaxy Note 2 with its epic 5.5-inch screen while you may scoff at the idea of holding such a large phone up to your ear. To you, it may serve well as a tablet, but definitely not a phone. Right there you can see two different types of people — one who likes large phones and the other who prefers a smaller device. If all Android had was large devices I don’t think it would be as popular as it is now. Forcing someone who likes small handsets to use a big smartphone would put that person in an uncomfortable situation. That doesn’t bring people to your operating system. On the contrary, it shies them away. Android is a very diverse OS. It targets low- and high-income demographics while also appealing to a wide variety of preferences. So, if we took small handsets out of the Android picture, the OS would lose a lot of popularity because that essentially alienates the demographic who likes small handsets. So yes, Android does need small handsets along with many other sizes. Why are manufacturers creating Mini editions?We can’t know the exact reason, but there sure are some sensible answers. Let's use the Galaxy S4 as an example. There are people who are excited about the 5-inch screen the device touts while others aren't so onboard with it. Those people, due to their dislike of the display size, are, in most cases, looking at other options to meet their preference. Samsung can fix this easily. They already have the design in place, what hardware they're going to use and what software the Galaxy S4 will have. Simply dumbing down the Galaxy S4 a little bit to create a Mini handset seems the most cost effective way to meet the two demographics we talked about earlier: those who like large screens and those who don't. Samsung's Note series is a great example of this. We have the Galaxy Note 10.1, the Galaxy Note 8.0 and the Galaxy Note 2. They all essentially do the same thing, but they are all different sizes. Those three products appeal to those who like small devices, large devices and even something in between. Along with the various device sizes, simply creating a Galaxy Note 10.1 allows Samsung to continue using the popular Note brand name with a variety of devices instead of creating an entirely new product. This way consumers will become familiar with a brand like the Note and are more likely to purchase that instead of a new, unfamiliar product.  Purported HTC M4 image – HTC’s One Mini? The Korean tech giant is maximizing its potential profit by meeting just about every demographic. Of course, you can’t please everyone, so there’ll always be those who scoff at the devices. Do Android manufacturers serve this niche well?Samsung sure is, but Android manufacturers as a whole? Not as much as they should be. Android Authority's Robert Triggs in a post about HTC's quarterly earnings said what makes Samsung so strong is that they make a lot of decent handsets fitting a range of different budgets. LG and Sony do this too, but as I mentioned above, not nearly enough. HTC does not seem to be following in Samsung, LG or Sony’s footsteps when it comes to meeting demands in different demographics, which could be a good thing. The Next Web quoted HTC UK chief Phil Robertson saying:
Samsung's Galaxy S3 may have garnered the company a lot of success, but it sure isn’t the only thing that put them at the top. All of their handsets together contributed to the success, which continues to spread like wildfire. Without Samsung creating handsets for a wide variety of budgets and preferences, it's hard to believe that they would the top dog by a landslide. The problem with Mini handsetsCompared to the handsets that are coming out lately, the iPhone is a very small device. One of the reasons why it’s so popular is due to its size though. It offers a 4-inch display (3.5-inch for past models), which makes it appealing to those who prefer a more compact experience. Interestingly, various studies have showed that more women prefer the iPhone than an Android device. Does size have anything to do with that? Furthermore, whether you like it or not, the iPhone has some decent hardware as well. That’s where the problem lies with Mini handsets: hardware. In every Mini rendition we’ve seen so far, there hasn’t been one that had premium specs. In fact, the Galaxy S3 Mini feels like it’s mid-range at best (check out our video review below). Holding the name of the Galaxy S3 you’d think all Samsung would have done is shrink the screen size. It makes you wonder though, why don’t OEMs make small premium handsets? Apple does it, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Not everyone wants a small form factor with below-average specs. The futureAt the time being, a lot of people may look at small Android handsets like the Galaxy S3 Mini as a gimmick or quick money grab, but that may change in the near future. Future Motorola devices are supposedly going to be “just right” when it comes to screen size. In an interview with PC Magazine, Motorola design chief Jim Wicks when discussing screen size said, “I think 'just right' is important, and we're designing so we don't disappoint those people." What is “just right” though? We can’t know exactly, but the 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5 is called “just right” on Apple’s own website. It’s just my own speculation, but it’s possible that we’ll be seeing some premium “Mini” devices from Motorola in the future. ConclusionAll in all, Mini versions of handsets have a place in the constantly evolving world of Android. With Android being a very diverse operating system, we should be welcoming Mini editions of smartphones. They’re made to appeal to a wider demographic of people, which ultimately brings more popularity to Android. It isn’t a far-fetched idea that Android would not be as popular as it is now if we didn’t have these types of phones among many others. With all of that said, what do you think of Mini editions of flagship models? We’d love to hear what you think! Let us know in the comments below! 
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| Purported Google X Phone (AT&T XFON) images appear, show peculiar Motorola logo Posted: 02 May 2013 05:12 PM PDT  X Phone Render A set of images reportedly showing an unannounced Motorola handset complete with AT&T branding have hit the web, with the Google X Phone being the immediate candidate for said leaked pictures. Albeit not a confirmed product, the X Phone has been the star of various rumors and reports in the last few months, even though not all of them were on the same page.  Click here for bigger image. Image credit: @evleaks Today's images, provided by renknown leakster @evleaks, show a device that appears to be somewhat familiar, as it's very similar to a leaked Motorola handset that was spotted in Vietnam before the Galaxy S4's announcement, but never acknowledged by the company. At the time it was said the handset was indeed a first X Phone prototype, after we initially believed it actually wasn’t. That particular rumor was not confirmed either, but today’s images seem to add some credence to those stories. As you can see in these new images, we're looking at a device that has the same Motorola branding on the top left corner, comes with AT&T carrier branding, (the 4G LTE logo can also be spotted right alongside the myAT&T app) and is protected by a black case that's probably meant to conceal its overall appearance.  Image credit: @evleaks Interestingly, the same Twitter account provides a photo of the back of the handset where you can barely see the XFON printed, with the same moniker also mentioned by @evleaks: "Model: XFON ATT." A very recent X Phone rumor did say that AT&T will be the exclusive X Phone carrier in the U.S. starting with August until winter, and these images seem to confirm that particular report. That said, we'll still remind you that nothing is confirmed yet.  Purported Google X Phone prototype revealed on March 13 by Vietnamese website Tinhte.vn What's intriguing is that Motorola logo on the left-hand top corner. Now that we have more images, it's clear that the logo is not similar in all of them. We're looking at a series of dots and curved lines in there that aren't always similar. Is that an active button somehow related with the screen's contents? What is supposed to do? Does it have anything to do with that creepy intelligence feature mentioned in the same report that said AT&T will be the first U.S. operator to carry the handset? Looking at that Vietnamese leak, you'll also notice the same Motorola logo but with a different symbol arrangement, so why would it change? The device featured by Tinhte.vn is clearly real, we’ve seen it in a video back in mid-March, and is remarkably similar to the handset in today’s leak. So what’s the purpose of that strange-looking logo? Also worth remind you is that a different rumor suggested that the back of the handset will also feature a similar Motorola logo that will come with touch-friendly abilities.  Purported Google X Phone prototype revealed on March 13 by Vietnamese website Tinhte.vn We'll be back with more details once they're available, but for now let’s hear your thoughts on today’s new X Phone images and speculations on that peculiar Motorola logo/button. 
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| Google smartwatch plans surface in patent application Posted: 02 May 2013 05:07 PM PDT  How smart can this wristwatch be? We asked before why everyone was making a smartwatch, and whether you even want a smartwatch in the first place. Well, analysts say 1.2 million smartwatches will be sold this year, and this technology probably plays well with other wearable tech that has been in fashion lately, such as Google Glass.
Google, for one, reportedly has a smartwatch in store for us, and while imaginations were previously fan-sourced, this time we have some actual ideas from Google through a patent filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The “Smart-watch with user interface features” patent application involves a smartwatch with user-interface components on the face and even on the wristband itself, through touchpads on either side of the bezel. Let’s de-construct the smartwatch concept, based on the description:
From the wording in the patent claims, Google is not yet defining whether the smartwatch will contain its own standalone operating system, or whether it is designed to work in conjunction with a smartphone. Either way, the smartwatch design will support a wireless transceiver, which can either interface with a smartphone or a wireless access point. The ambiguous wording is actually encouraging, if you can expect the smartwatch to work not only with a smartphone or tablet, but also with other wearable devices, such as Google Glass. As a point of disclaimer, this is, of course, still a patent application. As such, we cannot guarantee whether it will a device that will come to production soon. But knowing how Google can be innovative with experimenting with wearable technology, this concept is probably not to far off into the future. Apple, Sony, LG and even Samsung are reportedly working on smartwatch designs. Is this the next trend in wearable tech, alongside Google Glass? Image credit: Wristwatch / Shutterstock 
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| The Best Apps of the Month for April 2013 Posted: 02 May 2013 05:01 PM PDT
Cut the Rope – Time Travel HDFirst on our list on the best apps of the month list is called Cut the Rope – Time Travel HD. This fun little puzzle game revolves around the story of an adorable little green monster who is transported through time. To bring him back, you have to get him some candy! The game play is pretty simple. You cut ropes and chains, use superpowers, and other in game mechanisms to get the candy to the little monster and his time travel buddy. Instead of the traditional 3-star rating based on score, the 3 stars are actually in the level and you must collect them in order to earn all 3. This is kind of nice as you don’t have to repeat the same level over and over again, wondering what the max score is. I’m underselling this here. This game has a 4.9 rating in the Google Play Store as of this writing. It’s that good. To get it, click the button below!
Dungeon Hunter 4Next on our best apps of the month list is Dungeon Hunter 4. As the name implies, it’s a dungeon crawling RPG where you hunt things. Also, it’s the 4th one in the series. This one has gone over much better with reviewers tan the previous 3 versions. In fact, some have stated that this is the game that the prior 3 versions should have been. The graphics are very good, the game play is fun, it starts out quick, and just feels like a good game. You can choose your character class and there are cinematics that are near the standard for mobile games. Also, as all RPGs should have, Dungeon Hunter 4 actually has a decent story line. To check it out, click the button below!
FL Studio MobileFans of FL Studio rejoice because the next app on our best apps of the month list is a mobile version of the popular FL Studio. Called FL Studio Mobile, it’s audio composing software that lets you either put songs together based on samples or let you program, literally, note for note on every instrument to compose your own music. It has a lot of tools, a lot of instruments, and a lot of functionality. This is good because you’ll be asked to fork over $19.99 for it. There are a few features missing from the desktop version. Including your own samples seems to be giving people problems and some have problems installing it and opening it. These issues aside, you’ll get most of the standard FL Studio experience in mobile form. If you want to grab it up, click the button below.
The Floor EscapeYes, we do have two simple puzzle games on our best apps of the month list. This one, like Cut the Rope above, is extremely popular and very highly rated in the Google Play Store already. The premise of The Floor Escape is you must solve a puzzle to open an elevator to escape to the next floor. What or who you’re escaping from remains a mystery, but it’s a fun little puzzle game nevertheless. The game does a good job of both not repeating puzzles very often and utilizing as many tools as necessary to construct puzzles. You’ll be tapping, clicking, dragging, tilting, and pretty much everything else an Android phone can do to solve the puzzles. Some of them are kind of tough too. To grab it up from the Play Store, click the button below.
Iron Man 3Well, the world is saturated in Iron Man 3 propaganda and Android is no different. You can already get an Iron Man 3 live wallpaper and Gameloft has released a video game based around the premise of the movie. Unlike a good portion of video games that are based on movies, Iron Man 3 by Gameloft is actually pretty good. This is a free running game so you’ll essentially just be moving forward the whole time. You use your various Iron Man weapons to kill enemies while tilting your phone to avoid obstacles. It’s very fast paced and has great graphics for a mobile game. The only issues we ran into was the menu was a little laggy, even on our resident app-testing device, the Nexus 4. Tiny issues aside, people seem to really enjoy this game and it’s definitely worth checking out. You can grab it for free in the Play Store using the button below.
Ninja SMSWith the tagline “Text like a Ninja”, we really couldn’t find a reason not to put Ninja SMS on our best apps of the month list. It’s a fairly useful application too and well worth the $1.50 if you text a lot. The only possible negative point is that it could be annoying to people who hate texting. The app will pop up a window in the middle of the screen whenever someone texts you. It doesn’t close the app you’re in and doesn’t require you to do so. You just tap the window, reply to the text, then go back to what you were doing. This takes substantially less time than closing the app out, opening the text app, replying, then closing the text app and re-opening the app you were in. You can change the themes a little bit but otherwise it’s a fairly simple app. To grab it, check out the button below.
Split Camera for InstagramMost would expect a best apps of the month list to include nothing but apps with the greatest graphics. However, sometimes apps are so instantly loved that we are forced to include them. This is the case for Split Camera for Instagram. It’s not the most glamorous app and it doesn’t even have that many features. However, it has half a million downloads and a decent Play Store rating since release. It’s a pretty fun app to use too. You can essentially take two pictures and combine them into one. The effect being that looks like a side-by-side picture. So you can take a picture of you pretending to hold a gun like a secret agent and then one of you crying because you’re not a secret agent. Then upload it to Instagram. You can also upload to any social network you subscribe to, so it’s not limited to Instagram. Up for taking some pictures that are a little different? Click the button below to get this app.
SwypeNow before you take to the comment section to tell us that Swype shouldn’t be on the best apps of the month list because it’s been around for ages, please hear us out. Swype has been included in flagship phone after flagship phone for years. Getting the Swype beta is pretty easy and takes only an email to sign up. Despite being on most smartphones these days, you have to remember something. This month marked the first month where Swype was available in the Google Play Store. The classic swipe to text keyboard is available on the Google Play Store for merely $.99. This is a great price for perhaps one of the most iconic keyboards every to grace Android. Not a keyboard comes out nowadays that isn’t immediately compared to it and SwiftKey. If you’ve been waiting a long time to pick this up, it’s waiting for you at the Google Play Store. Just click the button below to go get it.  Best Apps of the Month Wrap UpIf you take a gander at our leader board, you can see how these apps have stacked up against one another this month. It was a total surprise to use that games like Cut the Rope and The Floor Escape did so well but the ratings system doesn’t lie. They’re really getting 4.9 and 4.8, respectively. Those are impressive numbers for how many downloads these games have. Of course, these are how reviewers in the Google Play Store have rated them. There is no bias on our part. If you think we’ve missed an app that belongs on this list, feel more than free to comment below to let us know. We’re always happy to hear your input! 
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| After Wil Wheaton struggles with rooting the HTC One, a limited edition Wil Wheaton Recovery is born Posted: 02 May 2013 03:26 PM PDT
Wil Wheaton was having difficulties rooting his HTC One. Wheaton was able to unlock the bootloader, but he wasn’t able to mount a partition after booting into recovery. Thankfully, ClockWorkMod developer Koushik Dutta took to his Google+ page with a fix: the new Wil Wheaton Recovery. “Tough bootloaders call for an even tougher recovery”, Koush said. As a result of this, we have the Wil Wheaton Recovery, which a user can flash with fastboot. After flashing, simply boot into recovery and then back into Android once you’re in the recovery menu. Before it boots you out of recovery, it’ll ask you to install root, where all you have to do is tap “yes”. After you’re rooted, head into the Play Store and download the Superuser app to finish the process. It’s that easy. Although, something important to keep in mind is that this method only works for the HTC One on AT&T and T-Mobile. It won’t work on the Sprint variant, at least not at this time. The process before the Wil Wheaton Recovery came along made it a little difficult, and possibly intimidating for some, to root the HTC One. As you can see, there are far fewer steps to take to root the One now, so those who have felt intimidated should give Koush’s new tool a shot. Although, if you’re new to this, we do suggest you do a little bit of research before attempting to root anything. Thanks to Wil Wheaton’s difficulties, we all can now root the HTC One very easily, and not long after its launch too! Have you tried the Wil Wheaton Recovery process? How’d it go? Sound off in the comments! 
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| Rumor: LG Optimus G2 versions spotted in AnTuTu benchmarks and at Bluetooth SIG Posted: 02 May 2013 03:19 PM PDT  LG Optimus G Pro New LG handset versions have been spotted in AnTuTu benchmarks and at the Bluetooth SIG, and are believed to be different LG Optimus G2 models Naturally, while we trust Bluetooth SIG reports, we always question such AnTuTu benchmark results for unconfirmed devices. Moreover, the LG Optimus G2 is yet to be confirmed by LG, with some reports suggesting the handset will hit stores at some point in the fourth quarter of the year. However, that’s definitely a reasonable expectation considering the fact that LG is currently on high horses in the mobile business thanks to the LG Optimus G, Nexus 4 and Optimus G Pro, that it confirmed it will launch a flexible handset this year (which could be the industry's first), that it's expected to ship 50 million smartphones this year and possibly work on a second-generation Nexus. With all that hype around LG, it makes a lot of sense to assume that a second-generation Optimus G is in the works, even if neither model spotted in AnTuTu or at the SIG is actually the Optimus G2. After all, you need such new flagships to continue to build up buzz around LG Android handsets.
Looking at benchmarks first, we're going to tell you that three different smartphones have apparently been spotted, running different Android Jelly Bean versions sporting processors clocked between 1.5GHz and 2GHz, and scoring between 17000 and 21500 in AnTuTu, as follows - strangely, you’ll be surprised to see one of the devices score more than another despite having a lower-clocked CPU and running an “older” Jelly Bean version :
A fourth model has been seen at the SIG, the LG-F320S, so as you can see we're apparently looking at four devices, which could be variations for the same device, or similar devices. While yet to be confirmed, it's suggested that the 2GHz processor we see in AnTuTu is actually a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU, which is certainly a plausible candidate for a future LG flagship device. Let's look at the current LG Optimus G handset to see whether it provides any clues as the whether any of the handsets mentioned above can qualify as its successor(s). When checking model numbers, you'll find the handset as the E970 from AT&T, LS970 from Sprint, E971 and E973 from Canadian carriers, E975 in European markets and India and L-01E in Japan's NTT DoCoMo. As you can see, LG had various Optimus G models for various markets, so it seems logical that the Optimus G2 would follow the same route. But neither of the models mentioned above have anything in common with the ones spotted in the screenshot above or at the Bluetooth SIG.
However, when looking at the Korean versions of the Optimus G we find three model versions, F180S, F180K and F180L, available from local carriers, SK Telecom KT and LG U+, respectively. That said, it makes some sense to assume that the F320S, F320K and F320L/F340L are actually LG Optimus G2 prototype versions currently in testing for South Korean carriers. Interestingly, other LG devices have similar model numbers, the Vu (F100S) and Vu 2 (F200) but also the LG Optimus G Pro 2 (F240), although the Optimus G2 looks like the more likely candidate for these F3xxx versions. On a different note – as we considered this unlikely possibility as well – that "F" in those product number does not indicate we're looking at an upcoming Optimus F model. The F5 is known as the P875, while the F7 and F9 have model numbers P700 and P760, respectively. But as we said, this is a very unlikely possibility considering that the Optimus F line is a mid-range family of handset that would not pack the latest processor in town and score that high in AnTuTu. Finally, let's remember that the Nexus 4, which is an Optimus G version, has model number E960, which is awfully close to some of the model numbers mentioned above for international markets. Would it be reasonable to assume that LG may indeed be working on a Nexus 5 that would offer Optimus G2-like capabilities? After all, their predecessors packed identical hardware when it comes to CPU, GPU and RAM, so could that happen again this year? We'll end our speculation here, but we'll return with more details about these new "F320/F340" phones in the future, provided they're actually real – well, all of them, not just the F320S from the SIG. 
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| AT&T Galaxy Note getting Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean tomorrow, adds multi-window and more Posted: 02 May 2013 02:06 PM PDT
Earlier today, Verizon announced the Galaxy Note 2 is finally getting Android 4.1.2. Now AT&T owners of the original Galaxy Note are also seeing an update to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, starting tomorrow. A jump to Jelly Bean means your Note will soon have Google Now, improved notifications, Project Butter speed improvements and other great Jelly Bean enhancements, but Samsung and AT&T aren’t stopping there. Quite a few Note-specific updates are also arriving with build I717UCMD3, such as the addition of Popup Note, Popup Video and Browser, and other Samsung enhancements. While not nearly as exciting, Samsung also says that the keyboard and phone call quality is also improved in this latest build. So how do you get your hands on Jelly Bean for your original Note? Unfortunately, you won’t be able to snag an OTA update, as the upgrade will require you to use Samsung Kies. While this might not be as convenient, it’s hard to complain considering the shear amount of improvements making their way over to loyal Note users. It’s great to see that AT&T and Samsung aren’t forgetting about the folks who adopted Samsung’s massive smartphone long before big-screen phones were the hottest thing in town. For more details on how to snag the upgrade through Keis, hit up the source link below. 
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| Posted: 02 May 2013 01:42 PM PDT
Great news for those who haven’t already rooted their Verizon Galaxy Note 2! After a very long wait, Big Red is finally pushing out Android 4.1.2 to the device, as it was previously on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. This update will bring your build number to JZO54K.I605VRAMC3 and baseband I605VRAMC3. The update, which comes in at a hefty 246.5MB in size, can be downloaded over the air. After installing the update, you’ll notice increased app support for the Multi-Window feature. It can now function with YouTube, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon Kindle, Viewdini, Google Maps and Talk. The changelog notes the removal of a preloaded app called Zappos. There’s also been improvements to the following applications: ISIS Mobile Wallet, VZ Navigator, Backup Assistant Plus, Exchange Active Sync (EAS) email, SMS text messaging and Wi-Fi connectivity. Aside from bug fixes and security patches, there’s been some other minor improvements to the Mobile Hotspot. As usual, it took Verizon quite a while to get this update pushed out to its users. Let’s just hope the wait for Android 4.2 won’t take nearly as long. Knowing Verizon though, you may be in for another long wait. Verizon’s Galaxy Note 2 got its bootloader unlocked in December, which has opened up a lot of possibilities for ROMs. Are you downloading the new update for the Galaxy Note 2 or have you gotten tired of waiting around for Verizon and are running a ROM? Let us know in the comments below! 
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| Beautiful Widgets now has a freemium, upgradable version Posted: 02 May 2013 01:04 PM PDT
Guess who sort-of jumped on the freemium bandwagon? That's right, Beautiful Widgets, the famous Android application that provides highly customizable weather widgets has just launched a free version. While the fully-featured sibling comes with tons of visual options and a wide range of themes, this version offers only some basic features free of charge, while more advanced features are available to the user as sort-of in-app purchases. Speaking of features, the free Beautiful Widgets comes with the following functionalities:
Developer LevelUp has rebranded the paid application as Beautiful Widgets Pro, but it has also opted to give users even more means of customizing their Android experience in the free version. Instead of purchasing the Pro package for little more than $3, those who want weather information served accurately and in style can manually choose individual features and apply them over the free version. Here's what extra features users will be able to choose from:
Paying for more options will not be done simply in cash, as many of us would think, but in Getjar Gold. Developers have thought of introducing this method to also increase the exposure of other sponsored applications, by giving users who try them small amounts of Getjar currency. In theory, someone can achieve the same level of functionality in the free version as in the full-package only by installing and using suggested applications. Unfortunately, taking this way could eat up large amounts of time. Now at version 5.2.1, Beautiful Widgets Pro offers a wide array of features, such as 12-hour forecasts, location-specific alerts and an even better overall visual appearance. The app is considered by many a must-have for every respectable Android user. If you haven't tried it yet, download the free version (see Source link below) and take it for a spin to see what you can expect from the app. 
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| Despite Android web traffic increasing, Apple devices generate more web traffic Posted: 02 May 2013 12:50 PM PDT
Not long ago, the most common way to hop aboard the information super highway was through the PC. As mobile devices continue to outpace the PC market, that just isn’t true anymore. So what mobile platform generates the biggest share of web traffic? Considering Android’s global dominance in the smartphone market and growing strength in the tablet space, you’d think it would be Google’s mobile OS, but you’d be wrong. In February, 40% of traffic generated by mobile devices came from iOS, with 24.5% coming from Android. Was this a one-month fluke? Apparently not, as the latest update from NetApplications shows that Android now generates 26% of the traffic. This is actually a 35% increase when compared to the same timeframe last year, but still significantly under Apple’s 59% share of web traffic.
These numbers seem a bit fishy. If Android has more users, it stands to reason they’d use the web more than iOS owners. So where’s the disconnect? NetApplications represents 40,000 websites, which is a decent sampling but it by no means makes up the entire web. One possible explanation is that the sites targeted by NetApplications are more popular with iOS users than Android users. Another possibility is that Android owners simply use their devices differently than Apple device owners. Personally, I use my Android handset all the time at home for a few key apps such as calculator, my weather app, etc. I rarely use the browser unless I’m on the go. It could be that iDevice owners are using their iPhones and iPads at home more often than Android users, which could certainly account for a big difference in web share. Of course that’s just speculation on my part. We can’t say for sure why there is a big difference between Android and iOS when it comes to web browsing, but honestly, does it really matter? Even if Android users aren’t on the web as often, it doesn’t mean we aren’t perfectly happy with our Android handsets and tablets. What do you think of NetApplications web usage stats, any ideas for why web traffic varies so much between the two platforms? Does it surprise you that iOS users are using the web more frequently than us Android users? 
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| App Update Roundup: TripAdvisor Hotels Flights, WeatherBug and Twitter Posted: 02 May 2013 12:06 PM PDT  Weatherbug (left), TripAdvisor (center) and Twitter (right) In today’s app update roundup, the TripAdvisor and WeatherBug apps get new, revamped looks, while Twitter offers you the possibility to see what’s trending around the world. TripAdvisor Hotels Flights |
Barnes and Noble’s range of Android devices have always been respected for their quality, specification and pricing but there was always one little problem that stopped potential buyers (like myself) from buying one – a lack of Google Play support. But no more! B&N has announced that from today the NOOK HD and NOOK HD+ come with full Google Play support including the ability to buy apps, music and films directly from Google.
April was an exciting month in the world of Android. We saw some flagship phones get released, we are starting to get more excited about Google I/O 2013, and best of all, winter is over for the Northern Hemisphere. While everyone was out having picnics and enjoying the outdoors, Android app devs were busy making the next wave of great apps. So without further adieu, here are the best apps of the month for the month of April, 2013. As usual, at the bottom, we’ve included our video!
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What could Google I/O bring us?
Posted: 02 May 2013 11:51 AM PDT
The annual I/O conference is Google's chance to get in touch with developers, and let the world know what direction they're about to take. At the conference, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing new and innovative products or services from Google. This year may be different.
That's not to say Google isn't innovating. We've seen a lot of buildup leading into I/O, and a lot of products we'd otherwise see at the conference have come out already. Things like the Chromebook Pixel, which would traditionally make a grand appearance, had its own ceremony earlier this year. What could have been a coup de grace for I/O was instead given a smaller, quieter berth into the world.
Then we have the fresh discovery of Android 4.3. Nothing has been said in an official capacity, but its existence is undeniable. We were all set for Key Lime Pie, and now it seems another Jelly Bean iteration will come first. Not a problem, but also not what we were expecting.
So what can we expect? At this point, speculation will carry the day. Now that the schedule has come out, we've come to realize a clearer picture of what we may see, and what surprises may be in store. We're also left with a lot of wiggle room, making us think some very big things are in the works.
Glass
Will we see Glass? It should make an appearance, but not like last year. The entire project is getting ready for rapid expansion, with the API having been released. As developers get more involved with Glass, we'll begin to see more apps and services available for it… but it won't be a huge I/O newsmaker. Expect to see it, but also expect it to be treated like part of the fold rather than a curiosity.
Android
If 4.3 is the next step, it will likely be full of marginal improvements. Since Ice Cream Sandwich, Android is a very mature system, with not much room for major improvement. Tweaks like photosphere or lock screen widgets are great, but not a monumental improvement to the overall OS. Even if we were to see Key Lime Pie, it's likely we'd end up with the same marginal improvements we're likely to see with a Jelly Bean update, and would probably have been disappointed.
A new Jelly Bean also has the benefit of reducing fragmentation in the Android space, but that's really not concerning. Fragmentation has to do with device specs more than anything else, so all the talk of fragmentation is really chatter about upgrading your device. Fragmentation concerns are probably not the reason for 4.3. If we see this new Jelly Bean variant, it will be for functionality with other services. If that is confusing, don't worry… it will all make sense by the end.
Motorola
Like Key Lime Pie, we coerced ourselves into believing the X phone was going to happen at I/O. It doesn't seem likely, now. New benchmarks have given rise to fresh rumors, but it's a little close to the main event for benchmarks and testing. The X phone was also rumored to usher in the Key Lime Pie era. If Key Lime Pie and the X phone are going to skip into our lives holding hands, we will probably not see either at I/O.
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HTC offering up to $375 in cash back for an HTC One upgrade
Posted: 02 May 2013 11:29 AM PDT
HTC really wants you to buy the One. The Taiwanese company is running a deal called “One Phone, One Weekend, One Premium Upgrade”, which is only available for residents in the U.S. and Canada. If you purchase an HTC One between May 2 (today) and May 5, HTC will give you up to $375 back on an eligible smartphone that you trade-in.
The cash back you’ll receive with this deal, like most trade-in deals, comes in the form of a prepaid Visa card. According to the chart on the official HTC website, and as expected, Apple’s iPhone 5 will net you the most amount of cash followed by the iPhone 4S, the Blackberry Z10 and Samsung’s Galaxy S3. Keep in mind that HTC will only be giving you $375 for a specific model of the iPhone 5, and that is the 16GB GSM version.
To get your cash back from HTC, you’ll need to purchase the HTC One, enter the promo code “HTC100″ on HTC’s promo website and enter in all the information they need to know about the device you’re trading in. After that, you’ll be given a quote on the value of the device. If you agree to that quote, you’ll be able to print off a shipping. Just make sure you send your device to HTC by June 15 to get your prepaid Visa card.
$375 in cash back really isn’t that bad when you consider that purchasing the device outright from a carrier in the U.S. ranges from anywhere between $550 to $599. That means, if you were to pay for the lowest option, which is from Sprint, you’d only be shelling out $175.
It seems like a really great offer, but unless you have a high-end device that HTC deems eligible, there isn’t much difference between the trade-in program HTC is already running.
On another note, HTC today extended its HTC One trade-in program. Interested buyers now have to purchase the HTC One by May 19 and ship the smartphone they’re trading in by June 19. Earlier the purchase by date was April 26 and the trade-in by May 31.
The HTC One has a Full HD 1980 x 1080 4.7-inch display with 468ppi. The device sports a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 2300 mAh battery, a rear-facing camera with 4 Ultrapixels and a front-facing 2.1MP shooter, which has 1080p video recording. On the software front, the HTC One is running Sense 5 atop of Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.
If you’re not familiar with the HTC One, be sure to check out our full review of the device by Android Authority‘s Kristofer Wouk (video below)!
Do you plan on taking advantage of HTC’s ”One Phone, One Weekend, One Premium Upgrade” deal? Let us know in the comments!
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Is OS fragmentation an avoidable inconvenience or Android’s greatest strength?
Posted: 02 May 2013 11:21 AM PDT
Source: Neowin
We saw some interesting stats this morning regarding the distribution of Android versions. Gingerbread still dominates, but Jelly Bean has now surpassed Ice Cream Sandwich. Surprisingly some users are still lingering on Froyo and Éclair, which made me appreciate just how fragmented our favourite operating system has become.
Until earlier I hadn’t really thought about this age-old debate for a while, but what better time to re-consider the old arguments than now. Here are my thoughts regarding some of the common arguments about the fragmented Android operating system.
Lazy Carriers
If anything this is probably my biggest (only?) complaint about Android, there is no pressure from Google for carriers to offer consumers the latest versions of Android. Even if their handsets are capable of running it and an Android update is released by the manufacturer, carriers are painstaking slow at delivering upgrades, if they even bother at all. The reason for this is, of course, the cost, if a carrier can save money by not having to re-design its bloat-ware to be compatible with a new version of Android they will avoid doing so. Plus it’s a bonus if they can convince users to purchase new handsets rather than prolong the life-span of existing models through updates.
I'm not going to attempt to defend this, but I will say that it's a problem that we the consumer can solve without the need Google to force carriers to bear the cost of updating. If, like me, you’d like carriers to start upgrading handsets more regularly we have the choice to buy Nexus devices or SIM-free handsets, or simply moving contracts over to providers who are better at keeping things up to date.
My next handset will probably be a Nexus device, I’m tired of waiting for carrier updates.
This is certainly the best complaint against Google allowing Android to fragment so easily, 1-0 to the cons.
Standing in the way of progress?
I'm sure you've all heard the argument that we'd all be better off if Google could push out updates to handsets just like Apple does. That progress is slowed down by the time it takes for updates to reach consumers, and that we'd be better off if manufactures were contractually obliged to provide consumers with the latest features. Only 2.3% of users are currently running the latest version of Android 4.2.x, which certainly proves that users aren’t as up to date as they good be.
My response: try out Cyanogenmod, Paranoid Android, or a variety of other ROMs then come back to me. I'm running Android 4.2.2 for day to day use on my old Galaxy S2 thanks to CM10.1. I know that rooting and fiddling around with backups and zip files isn’t for everyone, and on some devices it can be a really difficult process. Open-source has mostly solved this problem for Android, providing that users are prepared to learn a little about ROMs. But I suppose that this has to count against fragmentation, as many consumers are still missing out on the latest features.
Keeping your old handset or buying on a budget
Ok so pro fragmentation isn't doing very well so far, but there are some good reasons, besides lazy carriers, as to why Gingerbread is still the predominant Android version, even though it was released all the way back at the end of 2010. Some level of handset retention is always going to happen, for example popular mid-range smartphones like the Galaxy Ace are still running Gingerbread. Another reason is also that emerging markets are still picking up mid and more budget orientated products which simply aren't capable of running newer version of Android.
I still have my first Android phone, the Xperia X10. Stuck on Gingerbread 2.3.3 due to old hardware, it’s still a perfectly serviceable phone more than three years after release.
For example, to have your product certified by Google as capable of running Jelly Bean your device must have at least 340MB of memory available to the kernel and userspace, so old 258MB smartphones are out of the running for an update. As we know, Android is doing well in emerging markets and is picking up significant shares of the market. Without them, Android would be a smaller platform and consumers would be missing out.
Of course this means that budget consumers can start running into compatibility issues with newer apps, there's an obvious a lack of support for new features, and eventually these handsets are left incompatible with new technologies, something that Firefox OS is keen to address.
But something is better than nothing, and on the whole fragmentation tends to be a boon for mid-range and low-end consumers. The greatest strength of a "fragmented" operating system is that it keeps the platform open to a much wider range of budgets, which makes the score 2-1.
App development/compatibility issues
Another potential problem is that some new apps fail to support aging versions of Android, but development times and costs are clearly the issue here. I myself have seen quite a few apps on the market that now only support Android 4.0 and up, which only accounts for 55.9% of all Android users, and some that don't yet work with Android 4.2.2. It's a pain when you're favourite app bugs out due to an update; I've experienced it myself a few times.
On the other hand, there's nothing preventing app developers from building and supporting software designed for older or newer versions of Android, and most developers do. The market works on simple demand economics, if people are still using Gingerbread developers will support it, when a new version of Android comes out developers will build apps for it. Sure it takes a little bit more time than enforcing a standard, but eventually everything is covered.
It's not an argument that I think holds a lot of weight behind it. I’m going to call this all square at 2-2.
Consumer Choice
Having considered all these points I've come to the conclusion that fragmentation certainly has it’s problems, however we already have solutions for most of them. On the whole, it probably isn't something which should be held as a black mark against the Android operating system. Despite the fact that there are more Android versions than ever before, there are more solutions available to deal with the little issues associated with fragmentation.
There are Nexus devices if you want to avoid carrier update delays, yet there are still Gingerbread devices around if you're looking for something on a budget. A fragmented system allows consumers and developers alike to find products which fit their particular niche, and that, in my opinion, is one of Android’s greatest strengths. If we like new features then we can upgrade to a new handset or ROM and developers will follow consumers, but we'll never be forced to use features that we don't like.
As far as I'm concerned this free movement of consumers and developers ensures a healthy balance of diligence and innovation. How about you, do you believe that it's better to leave the platform truly open, or are the old lingering Android versions holding the rest of us back?
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HTC One SIM-unlock in the U.S. – here’s what you need to know
Posted: 02 May 2013 08:55 AM PDT
While the HTC One can be purchased unlocked directly from HTC (Developer Edition also comes with an unlocked bootloader) but also from other third-party retailers, the subsidized handset models sold by carriers come locked.
However, that doesn't mean the handset can't be unlocked and used with different SIM cards if needed, even though you purchase it bundled with a two-year contract from one of the mobile operators that carry it.
Paid vs free Unlocks
While there are paid solutions for unlocking a handset that's still under contract, there's a way to have it unlocked free of charge, by getting in touch with your carrier.
The HTC One is available from tree U.S. mobile operators including AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint, with each carrier having sort-of a unique offer. AT&T is the exclusive carrier of the 64GB HTC One model, T-Mobile sells it contract-free for just $99 upfront followed by 24 installments each worth $20/month and Sprint will offer you its unlimited data plans whether you're a new customer or an existing one. Both Sprint and AT&T could offer you $100 or more off the handset’s price in certain conditions: new customers get it with Sprint, while AT&T gives you at least $100 off via its new handset trade-in program.
The carriers may not want you to unlock your handset, but there are several instances in which you may need to do it, especially if you travel a lot to different markets but also if you want to sell the handset. Having the HTC One SIM-unlocked straight from the mobile operator is a better idea than scouting the web for unlocking services, especially considering that unlocking handsets is not exactly legal anymore, at least not when such unlocks are not performed directly with the carrier.
We'll never encourage you to unlock any devices, and it's up to you to take that decision, but if you want to do it, we'd definitely advise you to do it through your operator rather than any other untrusted service, even though that’s not a hassle-free procedure in some cases.
What about that CDMA model?
Before you ask about Sprint's HTC One (a handset that runs on a CDMA network), we'll already answer the question: yes, Sprint does come with GSM/EDGE and HSPA support, which means it would work on AT&T and T-Mobile networks but also in international GSM markets. The handset comes with quad-band GSM/EDGE capabilities (850/900/1800/1900MHz) and dual-band HSPA 14.4Mbps (1900/2100MHz) so it would offer 3G support on AT&T and T-Mobile, but not LTE.
Therefore, yes, the Sprint HTC One can be unlocked as well in order to use it with other GSM networks – in fact it needs to be unlocked, as it’s not unlocked out-of-the-box. What you won’t be able to do with an unlocked Sprint HTC One model is to use it with Verizon, that other big CDMA U.S. carrier, but one that doesn’t stock the HTC One.
As for LTE connectivity in international markets, you'd have to make sure the carrier you plan to use the HTC One with supports the same LTE band as the U.S. HTC One model you purchase, be it a Sprint, AT&T, or T-Mobile device.
So how about those pesky LTE bands?
In case you absolutely want to use LTE on an unlocked HTC One in the U.S., you should know that Sprint's model only works on the 1900MHz LTE band (Band 25), while AT&T's and T-Mobile's models will work on the 700MHz (Band 17) and 1700MHz (Band 4).
That should also help you when it comes to traveling overseas, where other mobile operators will operate their own LTE bands, which means that an unlocked HTC One may or may not work on 4G and will have to be used on 3G for data with local SIMs (when Wi-Fi is not in reach).
Will carriers comply?
That said, you should know that each carrier has its own practices for unlocking a handset, HTC One included. HTC Source helps us with unlock policies for the three U.S. carriers that have the handset in stock:
- AT&T: account has been active and is in good standing for at least sixty days; phone is paid off or service commitment has been fulfilled.
- T-Mobile: phone has been paid off.
- Sprint: account has been active and is in good standing for at least 90 days.
Depending on the carrier you chose to buy the HTC One from, you'll have an easier, or harder time unlocking it, and in some of the cases mentioned above, you may have to shell additional dollars for the handset, to pay it in full before obtaining the unlock.
Performing the actual unlock
Once any of the criteria mentioned above is met, what you have to do is call your operator and ask for a SIM unlock. Make sure you have your IMEI number handy (information available in the About Phone Settings section), as it will be required for the unlock to be performed. Once the request has been made with customer support, you'll have to wait 1 to 3 days for the unlocked code to be emailed to you.
At that point, turn off the handset, remove your microSIM and replace it with one from a different provider (make sure it's also a microSIM card or else it won't fit) and turn the device back on. Once the phone reboots, you'll be prompted to enter the SIM unlock code you have received by email, after which the handset will be unlocked and usable on any GSM network in the world.
If you’re yet to buy the handset, make sure you check out our detailed HTC One coverage including a full review, a drop test against the iPhone 5 and a comparison to its most important rival, the Galaxy S4 (see the three videos included above for the short versions).
Do you plan to unlock your HTC One?
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Could this leaked Toshiba be the first tablet powered by Tegra 4?
Posted: 02 May 2013 08:45 AM PDT
It has been long rumored that Toshiba will be the first Nvidia Tegra 4 partner, though Toshiba has yet to officially confirm its plans.
Last month, the Toshiba AT-10LE-A showed up for the first time in an AnTuTu benchmark, packing a Tegra 4 processor. Shortly after, the Toshiba AT15 and AT10-A-A-REGZA made appearances at the Wi-Fi Association and Bluetooth SIG.
Now one of the final pieces of the puzzle seems to have arrived, as the first photos of the Toshiba AT10LE-A have surfaced.
The alleged photos come from Greek website, Techblog. According to the site, the AT10LE-A is powered by a 1.8GHz Nvidia Tegra 4 processor, has a 10.1-inch display, microSD, mini-HDMI and can even connect to an external keyboard or dock. The tablet also looks to be running Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean.
How likely is this rumor? Looking at the pictures and the accompanied brief information, it certainly seems believable enough. That said, it is still just a rumor until Toshiba says otherwise, and should be treated with a healthy amount of skepticism. As for when the tablet could be coming, we have no clue.
What’s really interesting about the Toshiba AT10 is the apparent inclusion of a keyboard accessory. What’s so significant about that? Possibly nothing, but it is at least a little curious that there has been so many rumors lately about devices that potentially work as Android convertibles.
Last month, we reported on a rumor that Intel was working with vendors to create x86-powered Android convertibles. Just a few days ago, a AnTuTu benchmark showed up for a Tegra 4-powered HP SlateBook 10, which may or may not be a convertible device given its "SlateBook" name. Now it looks like Toshiba might be doing the same.
Put it all together, and it’s possible that Android vendors might be looking to further bridge the gap between laptop and tablet by pushing convertible designs. Of course, Android tablets with keyboard docks have existed for a while now, so maybe I’m making too much of this.
What do you think of the Tohsiba A10LE-A, based on what we know so far?
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HTC One HDR microphone quietly removed from specs, but don’t let that stop you from buying one
Posted: 02 May 2013 07:33 AM PDT
The HTC One HDR microphone, which caused quite a stir a while back, has been quietly removed from the spec list on HTC’s website, as noted by a forum member at XDA Developers. A quick check will indeed show that “HDR microphone” is no longer there, and if you have been observing smartphone technology closely, your initial reaction would probably be “why?”
The answer is probably more mundane than exciting. Problems with component supply arose, particularly when a Dutch court issued a preliminary injunction against it being used in other devices than Nokia’s. HTC has clarified the situation since, saying that the problem is not its own, but rather STM, the company manufacturing and supplying the HDR microphone component.
HTC has clarified that the courts did not issue an injunction on the HTC One itself, but it is only STM that is prohibited by the Dutch court ruling in selling certain types of microphones to companies other than Nokia. Most importantly, HTC’s statement also mentioned that:
The judgment against STM states that HTC can continue to use microphones already purchased from STM in its products, because they were purchased in good-faith. Nokia's attempt to obtain a recall of microphones already sold to HTC failed. HTC will transition to improved microphone designs once its inventory of STM microphones is exhausted.
HTC statement
Why remove the component from the specs, then?
Since there is nothing stopping HTC from using the microphones it still has left in stock, why would the company remove mentions of the component from its website, then? The first answer that comes to mind is that HTC might be thinking it’s better to be safe than sorry. As such, it is keeping quiet and using the rest of the stock it has left, without causing more fuss.
A second answer would be that HTC has found another source for a similar component, or has developed an “improved microphone design,” to use the wording in the company’s statement. HTC may have simply stopped using the problem-causing microphone. That would mean that remaining microphones in stock may be simply repurposed for servicing HTC One smartphones already sold. Either way, this is just another sign that the original microphone will not remain a part of the HTC One for too long.
Should a microphone specs be too big an issue when marketing a mobile device? Are you particular about how you sound while on the phone? Leave us a comment below.
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HTC forecasts recovery: but is the One the cure-all or just a bandaid?
Posted: 02 May 2013 06:40 AM PDT
No one can deny that it's been a tough year for HTC; dwindling profits, component shortages, and a slump in market share are leading many to wonder about the future of the Taiwanese manufacturer. It seems like the company's success could well be tied to the fate of the HTC One, so I'm sure that HTC's CEO Peter Chou was happy to read the positive reviews after suggesting that he'll step down if the HTC One flops. But even so, there is still an air of do or die surrounding the company.
In the meantime smartphone rivals LG and Samsung have both had excellent starts to the year, but HTC's first quarter financial results were poor, very poor. The company announced a record low for its profits just a few weeks ago, only managing to scrape together $2.8 million compared with $470 million over the same time period in 2012.
Surprising though, it seems that HTC is expecting a substantial turn around come the second quarter of the year, however the key word to note there is "expecting". At an earnings call earlier today HTC stated that it has a much healthier outlook for Q2 2013. HTC predicts a huge 64.6% jump in revenue back up to around $2.4 billion (NT$70billion), compared to the $1.45 billion (NT$42.8 billion) collected in the previous quarter.
Providing these forecasts are accurate, this would put HTC back on par with its performance at the start of last year. But is it going to be enough to save the struggling company?
Of course HTC will spin this as a huge turn around; Peter Chou has already stated that the company will be fine in terms of cash flow, and that it can continue to support both Android and Windows Phone hardware in the future. Supply woes are now set to be a thing of the past, so everything seems bonny, right?
Well let's look at something more concrete, the figures.
A quick glance at the quarter on quarter revenue and you can see a clear down slope since the summer of 2011, but HTC's forecast of $NT70 billion in revenue for the next quarter would go some way to break this trend. But no matter how much HTC would like to convince us otherwise, it's certainly not enough to confirm a turnaround for the company, after all Q2 2012 saw a similar lift before continuing down. The Q2 forecast on it's own in very healthy, but if it's the peak revenue generated by HTC this year then things won't look so good come the fourth quarter.
In all honesty, having looked more closely at the figures myself, I'm highly doubtful that the HTC One alone will be enough to restore the company to its previous heights. More likely, it's a temporary Band-Aid over a deeper wound.
The HTC One is a great handset, but can it be relied on solely to turn HTC’s performance around?
What makes Samsung so strong, and what is also helping other competitors like LG and Sony, is that the company has a wide array of decent handsets to fit a range of budgets. HTC does not, and there seems to be very little interest in its other new projects like the Facebook Home powered First.
Banking on a single handset is a precarious position to be in, and even though the HTC One is looking to be a successful smartphone, it's all a little too late. The figures don't lie; HTC has clearly been on a downward slope for almost two years and it's going to take more than a single return to 2012 revenue levels to claim that the company is out of the woods.
Having said that, HTC certainly isn't down and out, it's still turning a profit and the forecast Q2 results should give the company an opportunity to invest in new developments.
But it's going to be a long climb back to the top.
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LG Optimus G Pro available for $199.99 exclusively from AT&T – Is it worth the price?
Posted: 02 May 2013 06:04 AM PDT
With so many great options available, it’s always a difficult choice to make, when picking you’re next smartphone. More so in the US, considering the fact that this will likely be your primary device for the next 2 years. Even with T-Mobile, regardless of the fact that there aren’t any contracts, if you choose a smartphone with the monthly payment plans, it takes 24 months to pay off the device. With the LG Optimus G Pro joining the already amazing lineup of high-end smartphones offered by AT&T, we decided to do a quick comparison, to help make the decision easier for you.
With so many devices in the running, the best way to find out any differences is a comparison table, which you can find below (All prices mentioned require a 2-year contract, with qualifying voice and data plans) -
Click to enlarge
The $299.99 price tag of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and the very surprising $199.99 cost of the Galaxy Note is a clear indication smartphones with a display greater than 5-inches is still considered a niche category. It looks like AT&T is banking on the fact that if you want a smartphone with a larger display, you’ll go for it regardless of the cost, even with newer, and better specced, smartphones now available at the same, or a cheaper, price.
While comparing the various factors considered by consumers before choosing a smartphone, the LG Optimus G Pro comes out ahead more often than not. Here’s my take -
- Price – All the latest flagship smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, and now, the LG Optimus G Pro, are all priced the same at $199.99, with a 2-year contract and qualifying voice and data plans. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is priced at a much higher $299.99, and unless that changes, should be out contention. I also can’t think of any reason why anyone would opt for the similarly-priced Samsung Galaxy Note and HTC One X+.
- Size – If you’re looking for a comparatively smaller smartphone, then your choice is between the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One. If a larger form factor is your desire, then the fight is between the LG Optimus G Pro and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Boasting the latest, and better overall, specifications, the LG Optimus G Pro is the clear winner in its size category.
- Storage – With consumers using their smartphones to listen to music, watch videos, take pictures, read books, play games, and more, available storage has become a growing concern. The LG Optimus G Pro comes out ahead of the competition in this regard as well. At the same price point, the LG Optimus G Pro offers 32GB of internal storage, which is further expandable via microSD up to 64GB. While the Samsung Galaxy S4 offers similar microSD expansion, the available internal storage is 16GB (with the usable storage just 9GB), and even though the HTC One comes with 32GB internal storage, the option for expandable memory is not available.
- Battery – The LG Optimus G Pro features the biggest battery of the lot, but that’s not a clear indication of its prowess, considering the large full HD display and fast processor. The Optimus G Pro battery impresses when it comes to talk time, but is average as far as web browsing and video playback are concerned. You can check out the battery test results of the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4, and the LG Optimus G Pro, for an accurate comparison.
Granted, it’s not only about specifications, but what features it has. The Samsung Galaxy S4 is packed with features, and the HTC One takes a more minimalist path, which is preferred by some. Check out our hands-on review of the LG Optimus G Pro to see what the device has to offer -
To answer the original question, the LG Optimus G Pro is definitely a great choice for its price point, especially if you’re looking for a smartphone with a larger-than-5-inch display. If you’re interested, don’t forget the Optimus G Pro will go up for pre-order from tomorrow, May 3, and will be available online and from AT&T stores around the country from May 10.
What are your thoughts? Do you think the LG Optimus G Pro is worth it? Will you be picking up the smartphone from AT&T when it’s available? Let us know in the comments section below.
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LG Optimus G Pro vs Galaxy Note 2: by the numbers
Posted: 02 May 2013 05:38 AM PDT
![LG Optimus G Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Note 2 [aa] (4) - 600px](http://cdn01.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/LG-Optimus-G-Pro-vs-Samsung-Galaxy-Note-2-aa-4-600px.jpg)
The two South Korean heavyweights LG and Samsung both have large screen phones on the market. LG, who is playing catchup, has the 5.5 inch, full HD LG Optimus G Pro while Samsung offers the 5.5 inch 720p Samsung Galaxy Note II. Samsung got to the market first with the Note II while the Optimus G Pro is a relative newcomer. Both phones are proving popular, but how do they compare? Here is a "by the numbers" look at these two large smartphones from Korea.
134 ppi
The difference in pixel density between the full HD LG and the 720p Samsung. To be fair to Samsung the Note II is the older of the two phones (released in the last quarter of 2012) when full HD phones weren’t really a reality. But if it is pixel density that you want then the Optimus G Pro wins, but 720p isn’t to be laughed at!
4.4 mm
The number of mm that the Samsung Note II is wider than the G Pro. Even though the LG device is full HD it still manages to squeeze in all that power and all those pixel in a body that is slightly narrower than the Note II. Well done LG. However, in terms of height and thinness, the two devices are almost identical.
5 MP
How many extra megapixels are packed into the G Pro’s rear camera. The Samsung uses an 8 MP camera while the LG has a 13 MP. Both phones have features like image stabilization and face detection and both can record video in 1080p at 30 fps. The front facing cameras are very similar with the LG using a 2.1 MP sensor and the Samsung a 1.9 MP unit.
100 Mhz
The number of extra cycles in the clock frequency of the LG Optimus G Pro. The LG is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 running at 1.7 GHz while the Samsung has a 1.6 GHz quad-core Exynos 4412.
33 percent
The extra 100 MHz on the newer Snapdragon architecture translates into a 33% performance boost for the LG Optimus G Pro. The Exynos 4412 isn’t the latest generation of the Exynos processor and as a result the LG beats the Samsung by a long way.
40 mAh
The extra amount of capacity found n the LG Optimus G Pro battery, but because of its slightly lower screen resolution the battery life is actually much better in the Samsung Galaxy Note II. Users can expect around 2.5 hours more video playback time on the Note II which translates to around an extra two hours of web browsing. This is one of those cases where a higher resolution screen is a disadvantage.
One
The number of styluses (or styli) included with the Note II. Positioned as more than just a phone, the Note II offers a whole of range business and creativity features which are augmented by using the S-Pen, this is something that the LG Optimus G Pro doesn’t even attempt to copy.
3 million
The number of Samsung Galaxy Note II devices that Samsung shipped in the first 30 days after its launch. The Note II was very popular and Samsung sold 5 million of them within two months. The release of the LG Optimus G Pro different in nature. It was initially only release in South Korea where LG managed to sell over 500,000 units in 40 days, this should translate into worldwide sales in the millions!
If you can still can’t decide which one you prefer then check out our reviews: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 review and LG Optimus G Pro review. Also don’t forget to watch the videos below:
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Astrid bought by Yahoo!: three great alternatives for keeping to-do lists on Android
Posted: 02 May 2013 05:20 AM PDT
Astrid has been acquired by Yahoo!, the startup announced, but there are some good Astrid alternatives out there that you can use on your Android device.
The announcement that Astrid, one of the most popular to-do apps for Android, has been bought by Yahoo! was posted recently on the company’s blog. All signs point to the service shutting down soon and the app becoming part of another Yahoo! service or app (the same happened to Summly, which provides news summaries for the Yahoo! Android app, starting with the latest update).
The service will continue to work normally for the next 90 days, but premium subscriptions will no longer be accepted and users will be contacted to be told how to download their data. A note at the bottom of the announcement adds that Yahoo! will be refunding users who have paid for for annual subscriptions, Power-Pack, and Locale Plugins.
Good for the Astrid team, but what do you do if you use the to-do app on a daily basis on your Android device? Fear not, there are some good Astrid alternatives out there. Here are some of them.
Google Keep
Google Keep is a very straightforward note-taking app that also features a to-do list component. It is very easy to use, free, and syncs your notes and to-do lists over your Android devices, while making them accessible via a web interface as well.
To-do lists can be started from both the app’s main interface and the widget, and the items on the list can be ticked off when the task has been taken care of. More than that, lists are kept in sync over your devices so, for example, your wife can know whether you forgot to buy bread or not.
While it’s pretty basic, Google Keep does get the job done and it’s extremely easy to use. If you’re not already using it, you can check out our full review to find out more about it.
Any.Do
Another great Astrid alternative is Any.Do. The system is somewhat similar to the one on Google Keep, in the sense that the app syncs your tasks over a bunch of your devices.
Any.Do works on Android, iPhone, and has a Chrome extension, as well as a web version, so you can keep up with what you need to do, no matter where you are. The Android app has a very simple interface, that will make you like it from the first second.
Basically, you just add tasks (which can be separated in folders – default is “Personal” and “Work”), but you can also set reminders for some of them, should you wish to do so. Tasks can be shared with friends, you can search their name on Google (which can be quite useful at times), and it’s also possible to add notes to a certain task. Widgets for easy access are, of course, available.
Any.Do is easy to use, free, well-built and, more than anything, you can learn how to use it in a matter of minutes.
EasyNote Notepad
Last but not least, the third of our Astrid alternatives is EasyNote Notepad, an app we’ve looked into a few months ago. It has a more familiar look, as it is designed somewhat similar to a classic notepad (I’m talking about the paper kind).
It’s also easy to use — you can create a checklist of things to accomplish in a certain day, and attach alarms to them. That makes it simple to have, for example, a list of topics to discuss right in front of you before a meeting, without the need to search for them. Notes can be color-coded, as well as shared, and you can also add a post-it widget to your home screen.
Password-protecting the app is an app, and so is backing up your lists and notes to your SD card, to make things safer. EasyNote Notepad is free on Google Play.
These are our Astrid alternatives, but if you have a better one of your own, feel free to share it with everyone in a comment.
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