Sunday, May 5, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


LG prototype smartphone leaks as the G2 or Nexus 5

Posted: 05 May 2013 10:26 AM PDT

We have a fancy new smartphone to show you guys this afternoon. This weekend we’re getting our first look at a brand new prototype smartphone from LG that has our interest piqued. As usual, the always excellent leakster @evleaks has just revealed the device you see below, and there are signs this could be an Optimus G2, or even an LG Nexus 5.

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At first we weren’t sure what to think, but now we’ve had a few moments to toss around ideas our guess would be an Optimus G2. The follow-up to their popular device last year which we’ve thoroughly reviewed. Then we can’t forget that they’ve already released the Optimus G Pro. So why would they also release an Optimus G2, it just doesn’t fully make sense, even though we’ve seen multiple leaks suggesting an Optimus G2 is in the works.

LG’s latest devices have joined Samsung with the idea of having a dedicated hardware home button, something we’re not fans of. However, this new device being seen today seems to be taking Google’s approach and there’s no buttons at all. No hardware, and certainly no capacitive touch buttons of old. Could this have all on-screen navigation? Just like a Nexus or recent Motorola phones? Looks to be that way.

The display is quite large, and @evleaks later updated and said a few believe it to be a 5.5-inch display, just like the Optimus G Pro. If this is indeed a Nexus I’m hoping for something a little smaller, as 5.5-inches is just too big for the mass public if you ask us. Speaking of the display. It appears to curve or wrap slightly around the edges, just like the Nexus 4 and Optimus G, which also has us a bit curious. Oh, and the Optimus G from last year was the base design behind the Nexus 4, so this could either or, we’re not sure.

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The top and bottom are curved like a Nexus, but that earpiece certainly doesn’t look like anything we’ve seen before. We’ve heard multiple tips that the next Nexus will again be made by LG, so we’ll have to wait and see. Tips regarding the Optimus G2 have stated a 1080p display, and it will be the first smartphone powered by Qualcomm’s new 2.3 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 series CPU. Either way we’d like to know more, and will update the moment we get additional details.

Optimus G2, Nexus 5, or something else. What do you think?

HTC: Bluetooth low-energy is coming soon, but it’s not Android 4.3 features

Posted: 05 May 2013 10:01 AM PDT

This weekend a couple details and reports have surfaced regarding “breaking new features of Android 4.3″ that were leaked by the folks over at HTC. In fact, there’s been way more than a few reports of these “leaked features.” Those being Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) and OpenGL ES 3.0 both by HTC. We’re going to learn more about both from HTC in a public developer meet-up in San Francisco during Google I/O, but they aren’t Android 4.3 features.

Bluetooth_Blog

Many reports were stating these are brand new features that were actually leaked by HTC, but in fact, they aren’t even all that new. For one, Bluetooth low-energy APIs are already open and a widely know thing coming soon. Samsung’s been working on BLE, and HTC’s new developer edition HTC One even offers open APIs for Bluetooth low-energy.

HTC has similar APIs to use the Bluetooth in the HTC One, DNA and more for various things once developers get to work, and the same open APIs are available for the Infrared blaster in the device used as a remote control. The BLE information is nothing new, and HTC’s even had a dev sign-up page for quite a while. They even posted details on their blog back on March 7th about BLE. Again, nothing new.

Then the next part of this rumor that struck multiple Android sites all weekend, is that HTC also tipped OpenGL ES 3.0 for Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. As AndroidPolice reports, the ES 3.0 spec has been finalized since August of 2012, and as we all know, Qualcomm confirmed their OpenGL ES 3.0 certification with the announcement of the new Snapdragon 600 and 800 processors. Which are in the HTC One, GALAXY S 4, and more coming soon. Obviously HTC wouldn’t just leak unannounced features so carelessly, and here’s their comment on these “leaks”

“To clarify, we'll have some surprises for the meeting but we're not claiming unannounced new features here – we'll be demoing features and APIs already available on HTC devices." – Dario Laverde

As HTC stated above, they’ll have a few surprises, but nothing “breaking” or unannounced. He also confirms that these features and APIs are already available on devices, like the HTC One. So while we can expect some pretty neat new things with Bluetooth low-energy, this is nothing that will be specific to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. We do however expect some interesting new features with the latest version of Android, and will be live at Google I/O to bring you all the details.

[via SlashGear]

Android Authority

Android Authority


Samsung Multimedia Desktop Dock costs a mere $16 USD on Amazon, compatible with the Galaxy S4

Posted: 05 May 2013 01:16 AM PDT

samsung-galaxy-multimedia-desktop-amzon-1

Samsung retails a universal dock for Galaxy phones on its own website for $49.99. It’s quite pricey, but it is of the utmost quality. If you’re not interested in spending that much money, a variation of the dock, the Samsung Galaxy Multimedia Desktop Charging Dock, sells on Amazon through a vendor for a mere $16 USD.

The $49.99 dock from Samsung’s own website supports a wide variety of Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S4, S3, Note and Note 2. With the cheaper dock being a variation of it, we’d expect it to support the same devices. In fact, one person who reviewed the dock on Amazon says the Galaxy S4 and S3 work with it “amazingly.”

According to the technical details on the Amazon listing, this dock will work with or without a Flip Cover or Protective Case attached to your device, but a second person reviewing the device said it did not work with a Galaxy Note 2 with a 1.5mm case on top.

Being a cheap dock, you’re not going to find all of the bells and whistles like you would on others. There are no HDMI or USB ports to be found like on the Galaxy Note 2′s Smart Docking Station. You get the bare essentials on this one: charging and a 3.5mm jack for audio output.

It doesn’t seem like this particular dock comes with a microUSB cord either, so you’ll have to provide your own. Regardless, it’s really does not seem like a bad docking solution. As we mentioned earlier, it’ll cost you $16, but you’ll also get free shipping with it.

Does a cheap dock like this Multimedia Charging Dock interest you at all? Would you rather purchase one for your Galaxy device from somewhere more official like Samsung’s own website? Sound off in the comments!

    

Android Authority On Air – Episode 62 – Live with Francisco Franco

Posted: 04 May 2013 06:35 PM PDT

Android Authority on AirThis week on Android Authority On Air, we rocked out with famed Android kernel and app developer, Franciso Franco. Chances are if you’re into rootin’ and ROMin’ and use a custom kernel (at least for Nexus devices) you’ve heard of him. Francisco fielded dozens of questions during our  live Q&A session, taking questions from the audience on both Google+ and YouTube. Francisco gave us his thoughts on Android, it’s current state, and a little bit about the future. He’s taken a truly unique approach to helping out new, small developers such as his friend Christian Göllner, who has developed a pretty amazing system monitor application. How is he helping new developers like him? You’ll have to watch and find out.

After our interview, we dug into the Android ecosystem, touting from the heavens Android’s massive growth in the tablet market over the past year. Android and iOS have literally swapped places in the past year. It’s incredible. With Google I/O 2013 right around the corner, I gave my speculations on what we’ll see. The biggest thing I’m pretty confident we’ll see? An Android based game console or something along those lines. Check out what dots I connected on the show.

On the app front we laughed a bit at Microsoft with their Switch to Windows Phone app and snickered at Verizon’s new cloud storage app. Seeing as Glass runs Android, we talked about a few Glass apps this week on the show.

Over on the rootin’ and ROMin scene, the Samsung Galaxy S4 gets CM10.1 already. Yep, that phone that tons of bad bloggers reported it wasn’t going to happen. The HTC One received a unique recovery this week. If you love Star Trek and have an HTC One, you might just be a fan. Also, this week, Paranoid Android introduced a revolutionary way to accomplish multi-window support on Android.

Miss the show? Watch or listen below.

    

Did HTC just tease some details of what Android 4.3 will offer?

Posted: 04 May 2013 04:51 PM PDT

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First the pretty stellar HTC One, and now this? Thanks HTC! You're on a roll.

On a meetup posting on SFAndroid.org, HTC seems to have given away a bit too much info. In the description, they mention two features that are currently available… just not on a wide scale. Considering the date of the meeting is May 16th, we're led to believe this is subsequent to info we'll get in the keynote speech at I/O, which is on May 15th.

The first of those technologies being discussed is BLE, or Bluetooth Low Energy. This technology has quite a bit to do with newer "always on" devices and features. We'd expect to see it at some point in the near future, considering Google Glass is coming soon (and needs to be tethered), so this isn't a total shock. Whether it be on 4.3 or a later iteration like Key Lime Pie, we were anticipating its arrival.

Another tidbit of perhaps greater interest is OpenGL ES 3.0. OpenGL is a graphics specification (shading, texturing… stuff like that), and one that many of us with Chrome Beta on our devices have activated. You may remember our story a few months back about activating it to get full screen capabilities on the mobile browser. While that was WebGL, it operates on OpenGL 2.0… and has some of the same semantics for operation on mobile devices. Again, we knew this would happen at some point… but this is different.

With all the gaming sessions at I/O this year, we expected the overall missive and tempo to be cheerleading developers into more game development. With OpenGL, a slew of gaming-specific sessions, and Google having hired a new gaming chief… it could be a bit more serious than we originally anticipated.

Serious about gaming. I like the sound of that.

    

Punch Quest now available in the Google Play Store, comes with complimentary Laseraptors

Posted: 04 May 2013 02:41 PM PDT

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Rocketcat Games and Madgarden’s Punch Quest, a mix of an endless runner and an arcade-style fighting game, is finally available on Google’s Play Store!

Punch Quest is a very unique and fun game, so much so that’s it was nominated for a number of awards in 2012. The game was also able to rack up 13,000 reviews on Apple’s App Store along with a 5-star rating. Let that be a testament to how awesome the game is.

In Punch Quest, you literally punch everything in your way. That’s not where the fun ends though. Eventually you’ll get to ride a Laseraptor, which is a dinosaur that can shoot lasers out of its mouth. You’ll also be able to customize your character’s special moves and abilities.

The control’s are very easy as well. The game has a few endless runner-esque elements to it, so all you’ll have to focus on is jabbing, slamming and uppercutting monsters as you run through various dungeons. Also, be warned, there’s a lot of dieing involved. The trailer makes the game look easier than it actually is.

If you’re looking for a punching good time, Punch Quest is a highly suggested game, especially for the $0.99 it costs in the Play Store.

    

Diamonds in the Rough: 7 Android Apps You Might Enjoy (Ep #5 April 28 – May 2)

Posted: 04 May 2013 02:15 PM PDT

Android Apps There are an endless number of apps on the Google Play Store. It's nigh impossible to sift through all of them, let alone find the good ones. So, if you're in a "hell, why not?" mood today, take a gander at this week's roundup of Android apps we thought were pretty nifty, and that you might enjoy too!


Deskbar Launcher - Android apps

Deskbar Launcher

First on our humble list of Android apps today is called Deskbar Launcher. This fun little launcher turns the bottom of your home screen into a more traditional desktop-style task bar. It most closely emulates a Windows experience. You tap the circle at the bottom left and it opens a little app drawer where you can launch things. If you have a phone with soft keys, waiting a couple of seconds will make the launcher disappear so you can use your soft keys as usual.

While it works well on phones, this app is really best used on a tablet. It’s something a little different from the traditional Android launchers and will help fans of traditional task bars feel more at home. To give it a shot, check out the button below.

Get it on Google Play


Hoppit - Android apps

Hoppit

Some Android apps that are gaining a lot of popularity are location discovery apps. They are essentially apps that help you find new places in your general area. Hoppit falls into this category. Their tagline claims they are the Pandora for restaurants. After a brief review period, it’s not too far off.

The only real big problem is that it doesn’t have a lot of cities. They’re mostly large metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, or Chicago. So if you want to give it a shot, you’ll need to see if it supports your area. If it sounds like something you’d like to try out, click the button below!

Get it on Google Play


Little Professor Math for Kids - Android Apps

Little Professor Math for Kids

Learning math is a valuable skill. Pretty much everyone needs at least a cursory education in mathematics. Next on our list of Android apps, called Little Professor Math for Kids, is a really good way to teach kids a little math skills. It’s a pretty neat little app. It’s a calculator that also asks simple arithmetic questions for kids to answer. So if you need a calculator, it functions as one. If you want to brush up on your adding and subtracting skills, it can do that too.

Despite its simplicity, it’s garnered a high rating on the Google Play Store and people seem to really enjoy it. Of course, it’s geared for kids. So keep that in mind if you give it a shot. If you want to try it out, click the button below.

Get it on Google Play


Math Helper - Android apps

Math Helper

Hey, while we’re on the topic of math Android apps, how about one for adults? This one is called Math Helper and it’s for people who are into more advanced math subjects like calculus, advanced algebra, and even some trig and physics. It’s a growing app and there aren’t a whole bunch of subjects, but some of the stuff it does have can be really useful.

There is also a calculator attached so it’s not just a reference guide. You can use the calculator to enter problems as usual or you can use the problem solver in the app. For instance if you want to find out the solution to a matrix using the Gauss method, you can. When you plug in the numbers, it doesn’t just show you the answer, but also shows you, step by step, how to get the answer. This is infinitely useful for any high school or college student getting into some more complicated math. Really, I wish I’d had this 2 years sooner. If you want to try it out, click the button below.

Get it on Google Play


SayIt - Android apps

SayIt

The longer a person owns an Android device, the longer the list of Android apps they download and keep around. Some of us have over 100 apps. Sometimes it gets tedious scrolling through the app drawer to find them when we need them. That’s where Android apps like SayIt comes in. This voice app will open apps when you ask it to and that’s all it’s designed to do.

What makes this impressive is that it’s accuracy. Whether it’s system apps or downloaded apps, SayIt recognizes the name and opens the app. Just to be thorough, this was downloaded on a Nexus 4 with 150 apps. SayIt recognized all of them on the first try. If you want to give it a shot, the button below will take you there.

Get it on Google Play


TeamSnap - Android Apps

TeamSnap

Team work has gained a lot of popularity over human history. From teaming up to kill buffalo to teaming up to build Android apps, teams are an essential tool for getting anything done more quickly and more efficiently. Philosophical nonsense aside, TeamSnap is an app that’ll help you manage a team. It’s geared toward sporting events, but you can really use it for any kind of team as long as you don’t mind the team members being referred to as “players”.

Essentially, you enter in names, positions, emails, phone numbers, etc and build your “roster”. Then you have all that info readily available if you need it. This is especially useful for things like beer league hockey teams or high school sports teams where contact details can be tough to keep track of. Click the button below to check it out.

Get it on Google Play


The Battery - Android apps

The Battery

There are a thousand battery monitors and widgets out there, but it’s tough to find one that can really separate itself. The Battery is able to do this with a variety of features and is complete with a number of HD widgets that are colored for any theme. It sounds like an advertisement but that’s really what The Battery brings to the table. Features and HD widgets.

It can perform a number of things like battery stats, process management, and toggles for things like Bluetooth and WiFi. It’s an app with a lot of promise and if you’re tired of all these battery apps and want to try something different, give it a try! You can find it using the button below.

Get it on Google Play


Diamonds in the Rough – Android Apps Wrap Up

That about does it for our apps list this week. As always, feel free to leave a comment telling us what you thought of our selections this week. If you felt an app should be included that we didn't include, feel free to comment with some random apps that you enjoy. Don't forget, we do this every week so check back next week for some more Android apps goodness!

    

Gameloft teases Gangstar Vegas, looks similar to Grand Theft Auto

Posted: 04 May 2013 12:32 PM PDT

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Gameloft has launched a teaser trailer for an upcoming game called Gangstar Vegas.

The trailer didn’t reveal much about the game, in fact, there wasn’t even any gameplay footage, which tends to be the norm for Gameloft’s teasers. Although, we do know that Gameloft earlier launched Gangstar Rio: City of Saints, which is similar to Grand Theft Auto.

In the YouTube description for Gangstar Vegas’s teaser trailer it says that we’ll “plunge into Las Vegas”. So, we can probably expect a continuation of the first game, except this time in Las Vegas. Let’s just hope that Gameloft charges the usual $6.99 instead of offering a freemium title. Considering that Gangstar Rio: City of Saints wasn’t a freemium title, we don’t expect this one to be either.

We shouldn’t have to wait for Gangstar Vegas very long either. At the end of the trailer it said that it was “coming soon”, which is quite vague, but Gameloft usually offers more details and a launch date not long after releasing a teaser trailer.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a Grand Theft Auto fix, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City recently launched on the Play Store, which is currently on sale for $1.99. The game originally launched on the PC in 2002, but now it’s back with an Android release. In fact, it’s already picking up a lot of traction on the Google Play Store.

Are you looking forward to seeing more about Gangstar Vegas or are you not a fan of the series? Let us know in the comments!

    

The Indie Gala Mobile 3 bundle is back, pay what you want for 9 Android games

Posted: 04 May 2013 09:53 AM PDT

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If you’re looking to get a few good games to play on your smartphone or tablet this weekend for cheap, the Indie Gala is back with its third mobile bundle!

This time around there are 11 games up for grabs. You can get the first four games (first row in the picture above) by setting your own price. To get everything on the bottom row, including two PC games, you’ll have to pay above the average, which at the time of this writing, is a little under $4.

Just like the Humble Bundle, you can choose where your money goes too. A slider at the bottom will allow you to divide your money between the developers, charity or the Indie Gala folks who put bundle on. AbleGamers is the charity option this time around. In short, the foundation seeks to help increase the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities.

The games available are: Chimpact, Trainz Simulator, 9th Dawn, Bag It!, Great Big War Game, Serious Sam: Kamikaze Attack, Slender Man! Chapter One: Alone and Trainz Driver. There are three other games that are mystery, one Android and two PC, which unlock during the second week of the sale.

Not everyone will like every game in this package, but if you want my opinion, 9th Dawn, Great Big War Game and Slender Man are some of the best titles in this bundle.

If you’re not interested in The Indie Gala Mobile 3 package, The Indie Gala Weekly is also running in tandem. Paying a mere $1 will get you two games, Miner Wars Arena and Zombies. Paying above the average will net you Miner Wars 2081 as well.

Do you any of the games in The Indie Gala Mobile 3 bundle interest you at all? Do you have a favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

    

Is Google ‘Babel’ really named ‘Hangout’?

Posted: 04 May 2013 08:53 AM PDT

Google Babel

Google needs a unified messenger app, and they know it. All reports suggest it's coming soon, and probably at I/O in a few weeks. Still… something always seemed wrong about it. The name 'Babel' just seemed, well, terrible. Google enjoys the play on words, like Google Goggles, but Babel always seemed like a code name.

A fresh rumor today suggests that 'Babel' will actually be called 'Hangout'. Ryan Socio, who posted the info to 'The Verge' forums, has evidently toyed with the new app for “less than a minute”, and notes its more of an overhaul of Google Talk than anything else. According to Ryan, the icon is green, and similar to the Google+ messenger icon.

So, why should we lend credence to this rumor? Well, the same person had advance notice of everything released at the Nexus event last fall, leading us to think he has an inside track at Google. Then again, for a guy with close ties to Google… we weren't able to find him on Google+ under "Ryan Socio". Very odd.

Then again, some of what was noted may work out. In a previous report on a possible Google memo, ‘Babel’ was said to have a one-click Hangout feature. It was also said to unify all chat functions, like Messenger and Talk.  While Ryan notes the app is currently being dogfooded as 'Hangout', that made us wonder. What of Google+ hangouts? Is this new messenger function somehow being rolled into that service? It could be a good idea, since both are ways to stay connected, but unlikely that Google would have two services with the same name. It’s also a great way to bolster Google+ as a social function and gathering place.

We'll keep an eye on this, and our curiosity tempered. Tell us what you think in the comments section below!

    

Fullscreen’s BEAM brings YouTube sharing capabilities to Google Glass

Posted: 04 May 2013 06:16 AM PDT

Google Glass 645px

Google Glass will definitely be popular with YouTubers, but unitl now, there was no way to upload your videos directly through Glass and without a computer. Now however, it is possible for those who own Glass to upload their Glass adventures straight to YouTube, thanks to Fullscreen's BEAM application.

To utilize the application you'll need to create an account with Fullscreen and after taking a video, a quick share is all that is required to get your video up and running on t
he world's largest video sharing site. Not only that, but the application is also capable of auto-sharing to Twitter, allowing users to easily share all their wacky tapes with their friends.

Although the app solves this problem, it would be nice to see Google implement a built-in application for sharing videos to YouTube before it releases Glass to the general public. Google is often slammed for not having tight integration with all of its services, and Glass should be able to tie all of Google's services into it.

On another note, is it too much to ask for live streaming? For more info on Fullscreen's application check out the video and to register for the app hit the source link below.

    

Verizon Galaxy S4 available for pre-order from Radio Shack for $249.99

Posted: 04 May 2013 05:57 AM PDT

samsung galaxy s4 top side aa

Radio Shack is now taking Verizon Galaxy S4 pre-orders, with the handset priced at $249.99 with new two-year contracts with the carrier.

The Galaxy S4 is already available in the USA from various retailers and mobile operators, including the three other main carriers in the region, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. Verizon decided to delay its launch of the popular Galaxy S4 (like it did with the Galaxy S3 or the Galaxy Note 2 in the past) opening up pre-orders for the Galaxy S4 only a few days ago, with the handset expected to ship on May 30, more than a month later than other U.S. variants.

Verizon sells the 16GB Galaxy S4 version for $199.99 with new two-year agreements, that's why you'll find it surprising to see Radio Shack ask for $50 on top of that price, with those mandatory two-year contracts still in the picture – the retailer also stocks just the 16GB Galaxy S4 model.

Only AT&T announced pricing details for a 32GB Galaxy S4 model – $249.99 with new two-year contracts – although the carrier doesn’t stock the handset just yet.

Phone Arena reminds us that Radio Shack offers up to $300 for eligible handsets via its trade-in program, and customers paying at least $30 or more in a single transaction will get $10 credit as long as they complete the purchase by June 1. Is this why Radio Shack’s Verizon Galaxy S4 is more expensive than what the carrier sells it for? It’s certainly a plausible explanation.

verizon-galaxy-s4-radio-shack-pre-order-1

What Radio Shack doesn't mention on its online Galaxy S4 pre-order page are shipping dates for the device, although we'd expect the retailer to launch the smartphone at the same time Verizon does.

The Verizon Galaxy S4 is able both in black and white from Radio Shack, and the company is also selling the AT&T and Sprint versions of the handset.

If you're still waiting for Verizon's Galaxy S4 to arrive, then it means you could certainly get more information on the handset, so make sure you check out our thorough Galaxy S4 review (video version above) and our Galaxy S4 vs Galaxy S3 comparison.

    

NASA’s Nexus One satellites send pictures home, program to be extended

Posted: 04 May 2013 04:32 AM PDT

nasa phonesat NASA

NASA has announced that the three "PhoneSat" satellites based on Android smartphones have successfully captured and transmitted images of the Earth.

Next time you're having an argument with an iPhone fanboy, tell them that Android phones are used by NASA, as satellites.

The American space agency successfully launched into orbit its first micro-satellites based on modified Android smartphones last month, and now the results of the experiment have been published.

Two of the PhoneSat satellites were based on the HTC Nexus One, while a third one was based on the Nexus S. If you're wondering why the rocket scientists picked these obsolete models instead of a modern device with a powerful camera, like the Galaxy S3 or the HTC One X, it's because planning and executing satellite missions requires years. The two Nexus phones were among the best available options when the program debuted back in 2009.

NASA announced that the experiment was deemed a success, after the three micro-satellites orbited the Earth, took pictures of our planet, and then disintegrated in the atmosphere as expected. The images may not seem like much, but the distortions are actually due to the transmission of the digital information from the smartphone satellites to the control center, over UHF radio.

The images taken by the actual cameras of the smartphones were broken down into small data packets and beamed down to the Earth using a low-power transmitter that the phones were equipped with. The packets were picked up by NASA and amateur radio operators from around the world and used to reconstruct the big picture.

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For NASA, the goal of the experiment was to see if it's possible to build and deploy ultra-cheap satellites using smartphones as the flight controllers, effectively the brains of the satellite. The notion makes perfect sense when you consider that smartphones contain all the processing power required to control a satellite, not to mention the radio connectivity and GPS chip that can be used for guidance. These "Nexus satellites" cost just thousands of dollars, compared to hundreds of thousands or more, for a custom built satellite.

This is just a small step towards putting more smartphones into space, and although the results may not seem that impressive, NASA considers the outcome encouraging. The agency is already working on sending a new batch of micro-satellites powered by Android into space, sometimes later this year.

    

Rogers sells the HTC One for just on $99 on contract this weekend

Posted: 04 May 2013 03:44 AM PDT

htc one vs sony xperia z one display aa

Interested in buying the HTC One in Canada? You probably can't get any cheaper than $99 right now, the price that Rogers asks for the One for this weekend only.

The HTC One has been welcomed with glorious reviews and the adulations of fan impressed with the "zero gap" aluminum body, the four "ultrapixels" camera, and the expansive sound emitted by the phone's stereo speakers.

The HTC One is one heck of a phone, and it's surely giving the Samsung Galaxy S4 (which we've just compared to its older sibling, the S3) a run for its money. One of the advantages that the One has over the vastly more popular rival line is the smaller price. Indeed, you can get a One with the same amount of storage for $50-$100 less than the Galaxy S4.

In Canada, the HTC One normally goes for $150 CAD on a three-year contract, but Rogers will let you, for this weekend only, to get it for $99. The carrier sells the device for $649 unlocked.

Even better, Rogers has extended its trade-in period till May 19, which may bring you $100 credit, provided you already pre-registered for the program.

The $99 offer for the One is standing till tomorrow, May 5, so if you're sitting on the fence about getting a new smartphone, now may be a good time to make up your mind. For the record, the archrival Galaxy S4 sells for $200 on contract on Rogers. Quite a difference.

If you still haven't made up your mind, perhaps our versus video will help.

What smartphone are you buying? HTC One or Samsung Galaxy S4? And why?

    

Galaxy S4 CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies to be soon available for T-Mobile version (SGH-M919)

Posted: 04 May 2013 03:24 AM PDT

samsung galaxy s4 vs htc one s4 in hand aa

The first CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies for the Galaxy S4 will soon be available to download according to CyanogenMod founder Steve Kondik.

The developer posted on Google+ the announcement a few hours ago, revealing that the first handset version to get CM 10.1 will be T-Mobile's (the SGH-M919 model) and that “the first nightlies will go off tonight”. Other Galaxy S4 models including the international GT-I9505 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 600-based) version will be supported in the future, as soon as the team will get those devices.

Kondik says that you'll encounter a "few rough edges," but they'll be "ironed out in short order." Of interest to him seems to be the touchscreen of the Galaxy S4, as it will support "Android's hover events:"

The touchscreen on this device should support Android’s hover events. I’m looking forward to see what the community can come up with using this new feature!

Kondik posted just a few days ago a screenshot showing the T-Mobile Galaxy S4 already running CM 10.1, after expressing a day before that his concerns with the fact that AT&T's version comes with a locked bootloader that will prevent Android users from customizing their smartphone experience with help of different ROMs.

 galaxy-s4-t-mobile-cyanogenmod-10.1-1

Since then, word on the street got out that the AT&T Galaxy S4 bootloader has been unlocked, but the procedure won't be shared with the public until Verizon launches its own Galaxy S4 version, also believed to come with a locked bootloader.

That said, let's hear it from you, Galaxy S4 users, will you stick to the default Galaxy S4 ROM or will you go for CM 10.1 as soon as possible?